&c. for which they had dealt with him both in publick and private. But receiving no satisfaction, they wrote to all the neighbouring churches for advice and help in this case, who sending chosen men (most elders) they met on the 4th day of the first month, 1635; and finding the pastor very faulty, yet because they had not dealt with him in due order, (for of two witnesses adduced one was the accuser) they advised, that if they could not comfortably close, himself, and such as stood on his part (if they would) should desire dismission, which should be granted them, for awarding extremities; but if he persisted, &c. the church should cast him out!! He went to New-Haven, and there spent the remainder of his days.

JOHNSON ISAAC, was the son of Abraham Johnson, esq. of Clipsham, in the county of Rutland, Great Britain. He may be called the father of Boston, as it was he who persuaded gov. Winthrop and the company to cross over the south side of the river Charles. He was the richest man of all the planters, and was filled with pious zeal to encourage the plantation. The affairs of the company were committed to five persons in England, and five whọ were going over to the new settlement. Those last mentioned, were Winthrop, Dudley, Johnson, Saltonstall, and Revel. The confidence, which the whole corporation had in Mr. Johnson, is evident from their electing him one of the referees in the dispute between J. and S. Brown, and capt. Endicot 1629. The Browns complained of the abuse they had received at Naumkeake, and demanded damages. It does not appear how the dispute was settled; but it appears, that John Winthrop, and Isaac Johnson, together with two clergymen, the rev. Mr. White, and J. Davenport, were chosen to meet with four on the other side, who were to finish the business. Mr. J. built his house upon a hill in Boston. Tremont street passes by it. He was a man greatly beloved,

"He was

of

Had he lived he would have been among the most distinguished characters of Massachusetts; but he died, September 20, 1630, about two in the morning. The death of such a man spread a melancholy paleness upon every countenance. a holy man and wise," says gov. Winthrop, "and died in sweet peace, leaving a part of his substance to the colony." Before his death, he expressed his joy to see a church of Christ gathered in America, and was buried, at his own request, in part the ground on Tremontane, which is between school street and court street. The people mani. fested their attachment, by ordering their bodies to be buried near him, as they died. It has continued a burial ground ever since. He died without children. He married the lady Arabella, daughter of the earl of Lincoln. This virtuous woman died a short time before her husband. She was taken sick at Salem. Among others that were seized with mortal sickness, says Mr. Hubbard, was the lady Arabella, wife of Mr. Isaac Johnson, who possibly had not taken the counsel of our saviour, "to set down and consider what the cost would be after she began to build. For coming from a paradise of plenty and pleasure, which she enjoyed in the family of a noble earldome, into a wilderness of wants, it proved too strong a temptation for her, so as the virtues of her mind were not able to stem the tide of the many adversities of her outward condition, which she soon saw after her arrival, she was surrounded with, for which she in a short time after ended her days at Salem, where she first landed, and was soon after solemnly interred, as the condition of those times would bear, leaving her husband (a worthy gentleman of note for piety and wisdom) a sorrowful mourner, and so overwhelmed in a flood of tears and grief, that about a month after, they carried him after her into another world."

In his will, which he made in England, he left great number of legacies to his friends, and to

To Mr. Cotton from

pious and charitable uses. whom, to the praise of God's grace, he acknowledges he had received much comfort and help in his spiritual estate, he gave 30 pounds and a gown cloth. The advowson and right of patronage of the parish church of Clipsham, he gave to Mr. Dudley and Mr. Cotton. He limited his funeral charges to 250 pounds. A small part of this charge sufficed to bury him in Boston. Here many scattered blessings upon his grave, and bedewed it with tears of friendship, while their minds were soothed with the sweet remembrance of his virtues. Hutchinson. Hubbard's mss.

JOHNSON SAMUEL, president of King's College, New York, was born at Guilford, Connecticut, of very worthy parents. In his puerile years he discovered a lively fancy, a thirst for knowledge, and improved every opportunity to cultivate his mind. The rudiments of his education he received from Jared Eliot, who then kept school at Guilford. It is a very great advantage to youth to receive early impressions from an able hand. Many of the teachers in country villages, and we may extend our observations to larger towns, are not the men to disseminate virtue, or promote knowledge. The subject of our notice was fortunate in having Mr. E. for his instructor, but suffered from the ignorance of others. He had talents and resolution to overcome every difficulty; but how many ingenious youth sink under discouragement, where the master shakes his iron rods, but has no faculty of winning the souls of his pupils or giving instruction! Mr. J. entered Yale College, 1710, was graduated at the usual time, and very soon was chosen tutor, being considered as the best scholar in his class. In 1724, he was ordained at West Haven, being then in the 24th year of his age.

While he was tutor of the college, valuable presents of modern books were made to the library. Mr. agent Dummer's donation was 800 vols. A

fondness for the new library brought together a number of young gentlemen of literary taste, who mutually assisted each other in studying the philosophers, as well as the divines. The result of the study and consultation was, that ordinations in the New England churches were not valid; that the New England divines were very ignorant, and their preaching contemptible. The knowledge acquired by reading the works of Barrow, Patrick, South, Tillotson, &c. was "like a flood of light breaking in upon the mind." Few, however, Mr. Johnson observed, discovered an inclination or curiosity to consult any of the abovementioned writers, except Messrs. Cutler, Eliot, Hart, Whittelsey, Wetmore, Brown, and himself. All these men, from drinking deeply of these streams, became converts to the church of England.

Dr. Johnson went to England for orders, in company with Dr. Cutler, and Mr. Brown; Mr. Wetmore followed. Three of the gentlemen, Messrs. Hart, Eliot and Whittlesey, upon further consider ation, did not enter into the views of those, who embraced episcopacy. They lived to an old age, ministers of the churches where they first settled, and were among the most eminent and useful men in New England. Mr. Johnson was appointed missionary of the London Society for Stratford, where he arrived Nov. 4, 1723. He was the only episcopal clergyman in the colony. His society consisted of 30 families in the place of his mission, and about 40 more in the neighbouring towns, to whom he officiated as often as he could make it convenient. When Burnet was governour of New York, he cultivated Mr. Johnson's acquaintance, and esteemed him for his talents as well as relation to the episcopal church. But this led the clergyman into some difficulty, as the governour was from the liberal school of theology, and Mr. Johnson inclined rather to the high church. Gov. Burnet persuaded him to read Clarke, Hoadley, Whiston,

&c. and it was feared by some of his friends that he would be borne down by the weight of their reasonings. But in this case he would have lost the friendship and patronage of the bishops and divines, to whom he had been introduced in England, who were all on the opposite side, in the great Bangorian controversy.

Among the friends of Mr. Johnson, Dean Berk, ley was the most useful and affectionate. He came to America in 1729, and resided two years at Rhode Island. These years were very interesting to a man, who had a thirst for knowledge. Mr. Johnson did not fail to cultivate his acquaintance, and improve every advantage arising from such exalted friendship. Berkley was capable of improving the human race. His virtue was equal to his genius and learning. What a luxury for those, who were intimate with him! After he left New England he kept up his correspondence with Mr. Johnson, presented him with many books for his own use, and gave to Yale College by his advice, above 1000 volumes, besides his farm on Rhode Island, the income of which was appropriated to the three best classical scholars.

In 1725, Mr. Johnson engaged in a controversy with Mr. Dickenson of Elizabethtown, New Jersey, a gentleman of whom the ministers of the church of England speak with the highest respect. Mr. Dickenson's book was printed in Boston with a preface written by Mr. Foxcroft, to which Dr. Johnson replied.

In 1723, Mr. Graham, of Woodbury, published "a ballad," in which he was satirical on several episcopal ministers in Connecticut. This led to another publication, from the pen of Dr. Johnson, styled, "plain reasons for conforming to the church." To this Mr. Graham wrote, an answer; Mr. Johnson replied, and the controversy was kept up, each of them writing another tract, the last of which was in 1736, from Mr. Johnson. These de