JEWIN-STREET.-Presbyterian.

Mr. Jenkyn had a son who suffered in the west, on the Duke of Monmouth's account; of whose triumphant death a full account is preserved in Turner's "History of Remarkable Providences."*

It has been already hinted, that during the violent persecution which broke forth against the Nonconformists, in 1682, the meeting-houses were every where shut up, and both the ministers and people proscribed the worship of God in public, under pain of fine and imprisonment. These rigorous proceedings continued till the death of the king, and during the early part of the succeeding reign, till King James II. issued forth his hypocritical declaration for indulgence, bearing date, April 11, 1687. What became of Mr. Jenkyn's people after the murderous transaction that separated them from their pastor, we are not informed; neither is it certain that they continued long afterwards embodied in a church state. All that we can ascertain for certain is, that the pious and excellent Mr. John Flavel, who narrowly escaped being taken with Mr. Jenkyn, and was probably well known to the congregation, was invited to become his But he could not be persuaded to accept the call, being unwilling to leave his old friends and congregation at Dartmouth. Whether they looked out any further after this disappointment, or dissolved their church relation, we have no materials to determine; but we rather suppose the latter to have been the case, as we find the meetinghouse in Jewin-street occupied a short time afterwards by another congregation.

successor.

The excellent Mr. John Shower being chosen to succeed Mr. Borfet, at Curriers'-Hall, in May 1691, the congregation in a little time so much increased that they found it necessary to look out for a larger and more convenient place,

• Turner's Providences, ch. 148. p. 117.

JEWIN-STREET.Independent.

and the meeting-house in Jewin-street being then unoccupied, they removed into it about the year 1692. Here, Mr. Shower preached with great diligence, and remarkable success, for several years; and during this period, the well-known Mr. Timothy Rogers, author of an excellent "Discourse on Trouble of Mind," was chosen his assistant. The congregation still increasing, and consisting very much of persons who lived in the centre of the city, and were successful in trade, they determined to build a new meetinghouse in a more convenient situation, and capacious enough to contain so numerous an auditory. Having fixed upon a spot in the Old Jewry, they there erected a large substantial meeting-house, whither they removed in the year 1701. Under that article we have already given a copious account of Mr. Shower's church. (N)

INDEPENDENT.

Upon the removal of Mr. Shower, the meeting-house in Jewin-street was taken by a society of Independents, under the care of Mr. Thomas Powell, who first collected the church of which he was pastor, and at whose decease, we apprehend, it broke up. He came last from a small place called High-Hall, Cow-lane, near West Smithfield; and preached at Jewin-street some few years. Of his history very little is known; but the few particulars we have been enabled, to collect shall be laid before the reader.

THOMAS POWELL, many years a Nonconformist minister in London, was born about the year 1656. His parents were pious persons, and his father a valuable minister, but removed by death when he was only thirty years of age, leaving a widow and two sons. On his death-bed he told his wife, that their youngest son should die in a little time

(N) See vol. ii. p. 302, &c.

JEWIN-STREET -Independent.

after him; but that the eldest, who was the weakest, and the least likely to live, should grow up to be a comfort to her, which proved to be the case. Mr. Powell was inclined to the ministry from his youth; but the early death of his father, and his mother's second marriage, proved a great discouragement in the way of his education. He was addicted to reading from a child, and was indebted in a great measure to his own industry and perseverance, for the knowledge which he afterwards acquired. It was not till he was

sixteen years of age that he was put to grammar-learning, which he studied under Mr. William Angel, the ejected minister of Meestham, in Surry, who kept an academy in Hounsditch. To that seminary Mr. Powell went constantly every day, for about two years; and during that time resided in the Upper-Ground, Southwark. It does not appear that he was ever under any other tutor. He commenced preacher before he was twenty years of age, and in 1675, was minister of a congregation in the county of Hertford. In that year he published, "The Young Man's conflict with, and Victory over the Devil, by Faith: or, a true and perfect Relation of the Experiences of T. P. began in the fifteenth, and continued till the seventeenth Year of his Age, who, upon his first Convictions, having an earnest Desire to serve Christ in the Work of the Ministry, was much tempted to make a Contract with Satan, who after appeared visibly, and made Eminency in Learning the grand Bait to catch his Soul; but, by Omnipotent Hand, was prevented from that Agreement. Published for the Benefit of such who have been, or shall be tempted in the like Manner; and composed by Way of Dialogue between four Interlocutors, viz. Evangelius, a Minister of the Gospel; Paulus, a young Convert; Demas, an Apostate; Apollion, the Destroyer. By, T. POWELL. Lond. 1675." Dedicated to "The little flock in and about the county of Hertford." To this book is prefixed the author's portrait, by R. White. There' is also anoVOL. III.

X X

-Independent.

1

JEWIN-STREET.

ther of him by Drapentier. He is represented in the habit of a young Dissenting minister, with a library of books in the back ground. Underneath is an inscription, denoting him to be in the twentieth year of his age, A. D. 1676. Both the portraits are scarce. Of the publication of this work he afterwards repented, on account of some unguarded expressions; nevertheless he seems to have thought that it had been made useful. Not long afterwards he published an Answer to two Quakers' pamphlets written against him, concerning the Imputation of Sin unto Christ. In 1676, he printed a sermon preached to young men, entitled, "The Beauty, Vigour and Strength of Youth bespoke for God."

In the year before-mentioned, Mr. Powell removed to London, and preached several years to a congregation at High-Hall, in Cow-lane, West-Smithfield. Not long after his settlement there, he published a sermon on Psa. xxii. 1. preached before that aged and reverend Divine, Mr. John Yaxley," who was ejected from Kibworth, in Leicestershire, and laid his hands upon Mr. Powell at his ordination. In 1679, he printed another discourse, on Christ's friendly admonition to Peter, Luke xxiii. 31, 32. entitled, “A Salve for Soul Sores."

Upon the removal of Mr. Shower to the Old Jewry, Mr. Powell removed into the meeting-house in Jewin-street, and continued to preach there for some years. He also preached several years at his house in Bartholomew-close, but whether after he left Jewin-street, or before he settled at HighHall, is not quite clear from his account. However, he was forced to quit his dwelling by reason of persecution, his goods having been seized, and himself excommunicated. Mr. Powell was under great discouragements as to his outward circumstances; but, by self-denial, and prudent management, he was enabled to pass through the world with credit. We hear nothing further of Mr. Powell till the year 1714, when he published a small volume, entitled, “A Name better than that of Sons and Daughters; being the

JEW N-STREET.-Independent.

Substance of some Sermons, preached from Isaiah lvi. 5. By THOMAS POWELL, after the Death of his only Son and Child, William Powell, who departed this Life, Dec. 2, 1713, in the 33d Year of his Age." To this little book is prefixed a large preface, containing a particular account of the deceased, as also some anecdotes of the author's own life. From this source is derived the principal part of the foregoing narrative, to which we shall add some further. extracts relating to the son.

Mr. Powell, it appears, married a pious and prudent woman, about the year 1676; and by her had two sons. Thomas, the eldest, was baptized by Mr. John Collins, sen. and died in infancy. WILLIAM, the other son, was born in London about the year 1680, and baptized by Mr. Christopher Ness. His father designing him for the ministry, initiated him, under his own care, in the knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages. At eight years of age he was sent to an academy at Stoke-Newington, under the tuition of a Mr. Perkins, with whom he continued some years, studying the languages. Afterwards, he was placed under the care of Mr. Singleton, an eminent school-master, first at Eton, and afterwards at Hoxton. From thence, he was sent for academical learning to a seminary in Little Britain, kept by the famous Mr. Thomas Rowe. He was afterwards successively under the tuition of Dr. Ker, at Highgate, and Mr. Benjamin Robinson, at Hungerford. This change of tutors was not so much approved of by his father, but took place in consequence of his own desire. From Mr. Robinson's academy, his father sent him to the University of Leyden, where he studied about two years under Professor James Trigland, and the famous Herman Witsius, from both of whom he received flattering testimonials to his merit, as also from Mr. John Milling, minister of the English church at Leyden. After his return to England, fitted for the ministry as far as man could well make him, he was admitted into some of the most considerable pulpits