BRIDGES-STREET.--Presbyterian, Extinct. Archbishop Usher used to call him a voluminous preacher; and he was no less voluminous as an author. He composed 190 sermons on the 119th Psalm, which are printed in one volume folio. He was also author of several other pieces, specified by Dr. Calamy."* (T) Lord Bollingbroke, the celebrated infidel and Tory, in a Granger's Biog. Hist. of England, vol. iii. p. 304, (T) WORKS.-1. Meat out of the Eater: a Fast Sermon before the House of Commons, June 30, 1647. Zech. xiv. 9.-2. England's Spiritual Languishing, with the Causes and Cure: a Fast Sermon before the House of Commons, June 28, 1648. Rev. ii. 3.-3. The Saint's Triumph over Death a Funeral Sermon for Mr. Christopher Love, Aug. 25, 1651. 1 Cor. xv. 57.—4. A practical Commentary on the Epistle of James. 4to. 1651.-5. An Exposition of the Epistle of Jude. 4to. 1652.-6. Smeciymnuus Redivivus: Being an Answer to a Book entitled, “ Án humble Remonstrance." 1653.-7. The blessed Estate of them that die in the Lord: Sermon at the Funeral of Mrs. Jane Blackwell. Rev. xiv. 13. 1656.-8. A Sermon before the Lord Protector and Parliament, on a Day of publie Humiliation, Sept. 24, 1656. Amos iv. 12.-9. A Sermon in the Morning Exercise, at Cripplegate, on Matt. xv. 7. 1661.-10. Farewell Sermon at Bartholomew-tide, on Heb. xii. 2. 1662.—11. How we ought to improve Baptism in the Supplement to the Morning Exercise at Cripplegate. Acts ii. 38. 1674.-12. A Sermon against Popery: in the Morning Exercise in Southwark. 2 Thess. ii. 15. 1675.-13. A Sermon on Rom. v. 12. in the Morning Exercise methodized. 1676.-After his death were published the following: 14. Twenty Sermons on the Psalms, Acts, &c. 4to. 1678,15. Eighteen Sermons on 2 Thess. ch. ii. containing the Description, Growth, and Fall of Antichrist, 8vo. 1679.-16. A practical Exposition on the Lord's-Prayer. 8vo. 1684.-17. Several Discourses tending to promote Peace and Holiness. 8vo. 1684.-18. Christ's Temptation and Transfiguration explained. 8vo. 1685.-19. Advice to Mourners under the Loss of dear Relations: a Sermon on 1 Cor. vii. 30. 1694.-20. A practical Exposition of the 53d Chapter of Isaiah. 1703.-Besides the above, there are five folio volumes, published since his death, which pass under the title of his works. Vol. 1. contains Sermons on the 119th Psalm. 1681. Vol. 2. Twenty-seven Sermons on Matt. xxy. Forty-five sermons on the xviith of John: Twenty-four Sermons on Romans vi. Forty-five on Rom. viii. and Forty on 2 Cor. v. 1684. Vol. 3. Sixty-six Sermons on Heb. xi. a Treatise on the Life of Faith; a Treatise of Self-denial; several Sermons on the Sacrament of the Lord's-Supper, &c. 1689. Vol. 4. Select Sermons an several Texts. 1691. Vol. 5. A Continuation of the same. BRIDGES-STREET.—Presbyterian, Extinct. letter to Dr. Swift, has the following extraordinary passage, relating to Dr. Manton. My next shall be as long as one of Dr. Manton's (sermons), who taught my youth to yawn, and prepared me to be a high-churchman, that I might never hear him read, nor read him more."* If such were the grounds upon which his lordship became a high-churchman, we may judge of the value of those reasons that induced him to reject Christianity, and embrace his infidel principles. RICHARD BAXTER.-Of this very worthy and eminent minister, we have already spoken at large, under a former article. We have nothing further to add respecting him in this place, but shall have occasion to mention him again under some subsequent articles. ANDREW PARSONS, M. A. was a native of Devonshire, and as he is not mentioned by the Oxford historian, most probably received his education in the University of Cambridge. Some years before the civil war broke out, he was appointed to the living of Wem, in Shropshire; but after that event being driven away by the king's troops, he went to London, where he became acquainted with Mr. Pym, who sent him down again to Wem, when that town was garrisoned by the parliament. He continued to exercise his ministry there till the year 1660, when he was brought into trouble, through the misrepresentations of some malicious persons, who charged him with preaching sedition. Being tried at Shrewsbury, before Lord Newport, Mr, Sergeant Turner, and others, on the 28th of May, 1661, he was found guilty, fined two hundred pounds, and sentenced to be imprisoned till it should be paid. This trial made a great noise at the time; and the more so, as Mr. • Swift's Letters, vol. ii. p. 112. edit. 1766. BRIDGES-STREET.Presbyterian, Extinet. Parsons was a person of known loyalty, and ran in eminent danger to save King Charles I. during the civil wars. He continued nearly three months in prison, till Lord Newport, without his knowledge, procured the king's remission of the fine. His living, which was of great value, was afterwards sequestered by the Chancellor of Litchfield. Mr. Parsons then went to London, where he was for several years assistant to Mr. Wadsworth, in Southwark, and afterwards had a congregation in Bridges-street, near Covent-garden. His wife contributed towards their subsistence, by making gold and silver lace. Mr. Parsons died in London, in peace, about the end of the year 1684, aged 68. He was a grave and solid, but a lively and useful preacher. Though his circumstances were low, he was very generous and charitable. Upon a dreadful fire that happened at Wem, in 1677, he collected some money for the sufferers; and with it sent them a printed letter, full of seasonable instruction and consolation.* DANIEL BURGESS. Of this eminent minister we have already spoken at large, under a former article.+ Suffice it to say in this place, that the meeting-house in White-Hartyard was the first sphere of his stated labours, and there he formed his followers into a regular church. After preaching in that place about eight or nine years, he removed to another meeting-house in Russel-court, Covent-garden, which is the place that next falls under our notice. Calamy's Acc. p. 555. + See New-COURT. RUSSEL-COURT, DRURY-LANE.—Presbyterian. RUSSEL-COURT, DRURY-LANE. PRESBYTERIAN. THIS place which was situated between the burial ground, and the Theatre, in Drury-lane, was a large, substantial brick-building, with three deep galleries, and capable of seating a numerous congregation. It was probably used as a meeting-house by the nonconformists in the reign of Charles the Second; but the first mention that we find made of it is in that of William III. when it was occupied by the celebrated Mr. Daniel Burgess. He removed thither from White-Hart-yard, Bridges-street, and continued to preach at this place for somewhat less than ten years. Here he had a numerous and highly respectable audience; many of them, indeed, drawn, together by the singularities that marked the preacher, but the most by the sense which they entertained of his real worth. As it was a loose neighbourhood, being situated near to Drury-lane Theatre, it is natural to suppose that many persons who made a jest of religion, would fre quently drop in to hear such a man as Mr. Burgess, whose preaching, like that of father Latimer in former times, abounded in many pleasant remarks and lively stories. These he would often apply in so serious and forcible a manner to the cases of this description of persons, as to make a sensible impression; and his labours in this way were attended with so much success, that he became an instrument of reforming many who went with no other view than to deride and scoff at him. The lease of the meeting-house expiring about 1705, the landlord, who was an enemy to Dissenters, turned out Mr. RUSSEL-COURT, DRURY-LANE.-Presbyterian. Burgess and his congregation, and sold the place for a chapel of ease, to the parish of St. Martin's, which continued to be its condition till about half a century ago, when it was taken down, and a new chapel erected in Broad-court. The ground upon which the old meeting-house stood, is now the property of St. Mary, commonly called the Newchurch, in the Strand. As for Mr. Burgess, his people built him a new meeting-house, in New-court, Carey-street. There he continued preaching till his death; and the congregation, of which he may be considered the founder, continues to meet there, in prosperous circumstances, to the present day. A circumstance of rather a curious nature attending the chapel in Russel-court, after it passed. into the hands of the episcopalians, is deserving of mention in this work, and the rather, as the observations that we shall introduce respecting it, will afford some amusement to the reader. When Mr. Burgess quitted the place, it underwent a thorough repair, and the alterations that were necessary to introduce, involved a considerable expence. To defray this, the managers of Drury-lane play-house gave a benefit; which odd circumstance occasioned the celebrated author of Robinson Cruso, to draw up the following paper. It is taken from his "Review" of Thursday the 20th of June, 1706; and is styled, "A Sermon preached by Mr. Daniel De Foe on the fitting up of Daniel Burgess's late meetinghouse."* "As for my text (says he), you shall find it written in the daily Currant, June 18, 1706, Towards the defraying of the charge of repairing and fitting up the chapel in Russelcourt, at the Theatre Royal, in Drury-lane, this present Tuesday, being the 18th of June, will be presented the Communicated by my worthy friend, Mr. ISAAC JAMEs, of Bristol. VOL. III. 4 D |