king and bring you word that you are clerk of the council: doubt not my doing this, for I know the king loves you, and know the king will not deny me." But the king gave a positive denial to all requests; and having a discerning spirit, replied, "I know Mr. Donne is a learned man, has the abilities of a learned divine, and will prove a powerful preacher, and my desire is to prefer him that way, and in that way I will deny you nothing for him." After that time, as he professeth in his book of Devotions," the king descended to a persuasion, almost to a solicitation, of him to enter into sacred orders;" which though he then denied not, yet he deferred it for almost three years. All which time he applied himself to an incessant study of textual divinity, and to the attainment of a greater perfection in the learned languages, Greek and Hebrew.

In the first and most blessed times of Christianity, when the clergy were looked upon with reverence, and deserved it, when they overcame their opposers by high examples of virtue, by a blessed patience and long-suffering; those only were then judged worthy the ministry, whose quiet and meek spirits did make them look upon that sacred calling with an humble adoration and fear to undertake it; which indeed requires such great degrees of humility, and labour, and care, that none but such were then thought worthy of that celestial dignity; and such only were then sought out, and solicited to undertake it. This I have mentioned, because forwardness and inconsideration could not in Mr. Donne, as in many others, be an argument of insufficiency or unfitness; for he had considered long, and had many strifes within himself, concerning

the strictness of life and competency of learning required in such as enter into sacred orders; and doubtless, considering his own demerits, did humbly ask God with St. Paul, "Lord, who is sufficient for these things ?" and with meek Moses, "Lord, who am I?” And sure, if he had consulted with flesh and blood, he had not for these reasons put his hand to that holy plough. But God, who is able to prevail, wrestled with him as the angel did with Jacob, and marked him; marked him for his own; marked him with a blessing, a blessing of obedience to the motions of his blessed Spirit. And then, as he had formerly asked God with Moses, "Who am I?" so now, being inspired with an apprehension of God's particular mercy to him in the king's and others' solicitations of him, he came to ask King David's thankful question, "Lord, who am I, that thou art so mindful of me?" So mindful of me, as to lead me for more than forty years through this wilderness of the many temptations and various turnings of a dangerous life; so merciful to me, as to move the learnedst of kings to descend to move me to serve at the altar; so merciful to me, as at last to move my heart to embrace this holy motion :Thy motions I will and do embrace :—and now I say with the blessed Virgin, "Be it with thy servant as seemeth best in thy sight;" and so, blessed Jesus, I do take the cup of salvation, and will call upon thy name, and will preach thy gospel.

Such strifes as these St. Austin had, when St. Ambrose endeavoured his conversion to Christianity, with which he confessed he acquainted his friend Alipius. Our learned author (a man fit to write after

no mean copy) did the like. And declaring his intentions to his dear friend Dr. King, then bishop of London, a man famous in his generation, and no stranger to Mr. Donne's abilities,-(for he had been chaplain to the lord chancellor at the time of Mr. Donne's being his lordship's secretary);-that reverend man did receive the news with much gladness; and, after some expressions of joy, and a persuasion to be constant in his pious purpose, he proceeded with all convenient speed, to ordain him first deacon, and then priest not long after.

Now the English church had gained a second St. Austin, for I think none was so like him before his conversion; none so like St. Ambrose after it and if his youth had the infirmities of the one, his age had the excellences of the other; the learning and holiness of both.

And now all his studies, which had been occasionally diffused, were all concentred in divinity. Now he had a new calling, new thoughts, and a new employment for his wit and eloquence. Now all his earthly affections were changed into divine love; and all the faculties of his own soul were engaged in the conversion of others;-in preaching the glad tidings of remission to repenting sinners, and peace to each troubled soul. To these he applied himself with all care and diligence: And now such a change was wrought in him that he could say with David, "O how amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord God of Hosts!" Now he declared openly, "That when he required a temporal, God gave him a spiritual blessing." And that" He was now gladder to be a door-keeper in the house of God,

than he could be to enjoy the noblest of all temporal employments."

Presently after he entered into his holy profession, the king sent for him, and made him his chaplain in ordinary, and promised to take a particular care for his preferment.

And though his long familiarity with scholars and persons of greatest quality was such as might have given some men boldness enough to have preached to any eminent auditory; yet his modesty in this employment was such that he could not be persuaded to it, but went, usually accompanied with some one friend, to preach privately in some village not far from London; his first sermon being preached at Paddington: this he did till his majesty sent and appointed him a day to preach to him at Whitehall; and though much was expected from him, both by his majesty and others, yet he was so happy (which few are) as to satisfy and exceed their expectations; preaching the word so as showed his own heart was possessed with those very thoughts and joys that he laboured to distil into others: a preacher in earnest, weeping sometimes for his auditory, sometimes with them; always preaching to himself like an angel from a cloud, but in none; carrying some, as St. Paul was, to heaven in holy raptures, and enticing others by a sacred art and courtship to amend their lives: here picturing a vice so as to make it ugly to those that practised it, and a virtue so as to make it be beloved even by those that loved it not; and all this with a most particular grace and an inexpressible addition of comeliness.

There may be some that

may

incline to think (such

indeed as have not heard him), that my affection to my friend hath transported me to an immoderate commendation of his preaching: if this meets with any such, let me entreat, though I will omit many, yet that they will receive a double witness for what I say, it being attested by a gentleman of worth (Mr. Chidley, a frequent hearer of his sermons), in part of a funeral elegy wrote by him on Dr. Donne; and is a known truth though it be in verse.

Each altar had his fire....

He kept his love but not his object. Wit
He did not banish, but transplanted it;

Taught it both time and place, and brought it home

To PIETY, which it doth best become.

For say, had ever pleasure such a dress?

Have you seen crimes so shaped, or loveliness

Such as his lips did clothe religion in?

Had not reproof a beauty passing sin?
Corrupted Nature sorrow'd that she stood

So near the danger of becoming good.

And when he preach'd she wish'd her ears exempt
From PIETY that had such power to tempt.

How did his sacred flattery beguile

Men to amend?...

More of this, and more witnesses might be brought, but I forbear and return.

That summer, in the very same month in which he entered into sacred orders and was made the king's chaplain, his majesty, then going his progress, was entreated to receive an entertainment in the university of Cambridge; and Mr. Donne attending his majesty at that time, his majesty was pleased to recommend him to the university to be made Doctor in Divinity: Dr. Harsnett (after archbishop of York) was then