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NEW EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE,

AND

Theological Review.

JUNE, 1817.

MEMOIR OF THE REV. THOMAS ROBINSON. M. A.
Late Vicar of St. Mary's, Leicester.

THOMAS ROBINSON, the author representations. His parents, how-
of the well known 66
ever, probably directed in their
judgment by the clergyman who
had the care of his education, ulti-
mately determined upon bringing
him up to the church, and with a
view to that, to confer on him an
University education. When the
time drew nigh, that he was to
quit the place of his nativity, he
one day met in the streets of Wake-
field, a poor shoemaker, who
asked him if he were not going to
be a clergyman. Answering in the
affirmative, the man replied, "Then,
Sir, I hope you will study your
Bible, that you may be qualified
for feeding Christ's flock with the
bread of eternal life." A word
fitly spoken, is like apples of gold
in pictures of silver. Mr. Robinson
never forgat the shoemaker's hint,
while he lived.

Scripture Characters," and other useful publications, was born at Wakefield, in Yorkshire, on the 29th of August 1749. His father was a respectable hosier in that town, though in circumstances not af. fluent. Desirous, however, of conferring upon his son, all the advantages of education which were in his power, he placed him, when at a proper age, in the Grammar school of that town, under the care and tuition of the Rev. Mr. Atkinson, where he continued him until he went to College. Young Robinson early evinced a fondness for learning, and was never pleased with himself unless he were at the head of the class. At the age of fourteen, his father took him from school with the design of training him up to business; but the reluctance which he manifested towards his new employment, determined his father to send him back to school, where he prosecuted his studies for some time longer.

He appears to have been constitutionally of a gay and sprightly turn, and at an early period of life discovered a strong attachment to the reading of dramatic compositions, particularly of the tragic cast; and sometimes even indulged himself in acting a part with his companions in theatrical

VOL. III.

In October 1768, he became a student of Trinity college, Cambridge, and applied himself sedulously to the acquisition of knowledge, husbanding his moments with such parsimony, that every hour was filled up by his studies, among which he wisely introduced a portion of the Greek Testament daily, not merely as a critical but a devotional exercise. It is indeed pretty certain that at this time his mind had taken a serious turn, whatever was the particular and efficient cause of it. His strict

Y

duties is said to have been astonishing, considering his boyish years. Numbers went over from Cambridge to hear him preach, and were surprised to witness a crowded audience hanging on his lips and listening with unusual atten. tion to his doctrine.

ness in the discharge of his religi ous duties; the faithfulness with which he always reproved what he conceived to be sinful; and the decided attachment that he manifested towards such of his fellowstudents as were of a pious cast, soon marked him out as a speckled bird among his fellow collegians, Mr. Robinson continued at and drew upon him no small por Witcham, however, only two years. tion of their obloquy. "His holi-He had occasionally introduced a ness," and "the Pope" were among Selection of Psalms and Hymns, the number of opprobrious epia certain mark of Methodism! this thets bestowed upon him at this was eagerly laid hold of by some of time; but he wisely regarded them his parishoners who disliked his not; he set his face as a flint doctrine, and they raised an oppoagainst the scoffers of his day and sition against him which is said to could say with David," if this be have hastened his departure from to be vile, I will be viler still." the people of his charge, whom he left with sincere regret. He visited them, however, occasionally during the remainder of his life; always remembered them with tender affection; and con stantly testified that the days he spent among them were the hap piest and most useful of his life.

On the 1st of October 1772, he was chosen Fellow of Trinity College, under peculiar circumstances of distinction; and soon after was presented to the curacies of Witcham and Wichford, situated about fourteen miles from Cambridge, which consequently became the scene of his first minis- Leicester, which has since been trations. No sooner had he en- the scene of the labours of Carey tered upon his pulpit labours, than and of Hall, was at that time, in an he excited great attention by his awful degree, destitute of the exertions, both in his own parishes preaching of the gospel of salvaand the surrounding neighbour- tion. What little religion existed hood. He laboured diligently, among its inhabitants was to be lifting up his voice like a trumpet found among the Baptists and (though not perfectly musical) and Independents: the members of the the sound was heard, and the establishment were given up to alarm spread, through all the region dissipation, or the indulgence of round about. The places of wor- various lusts equally ruinous to the ship were crowded, and his ser- souls of men. The curacy of St. vices were effectually blessed to Martin's church falling vacant, it many of his hearers. The favou-was offered to Mr. Robinson, who rite subjects of his ministry were, at first declined the offer on acthe fall of man-the mediation of count of the very low state to Jesus Christ-salvation freely by which religion was reduced in the grace the necessity of divine in-place. The remonstrances of a fluence to give the gospel its saving effect--and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, the genuine fruit of faith. Such a ministry at such a period could not fail of giving offence to many. The country rang with his fame, and the stir which he caused at Witcham by the discharge of his clerical

friend,

however, overcame his scruples. "If the place were in this dissipated state," said his friend, "they had the more need of his services: Where should a man labour so soon, as where he is most wanted? Ease and con venience might keep him back; but zeal and self-denial would

urge him to go." He saw the force of this reasoning, and after some deliberation consented to undertake the curacy, but under a full conviction that he should be rejected ere three months were expired.

The instances that are upon record of the opposition which he met with from persons of note, are affecting enough; but they are so much a matter of course, and so naturally to be expected under similar circumstances, that they ought not to have excited surprise; nor should they now be mentioned "as though some strange thing had happened." Such is the nature of the gospel of divine grace, that when faithfully declared, if it do not humble it will harden-if it is not received in the love of it, the enmity of the human mind is sure to be roused against it. And so Mr. Robinson found the case to be in his new connection.

Miscellany," to which Mr. R. lent
his aid, by furnishing a sketch of
each Sermon, as soon as it was
preached, and these were inserted
under the title of "Scripture Cha-
racters." These discourses were
very favourably received at home,
and their appearance in print gave
them encreasing celebrity. Some
of his friends urged it strongly
upon him to collect them into a
Volume, and to print a neat edition,
assuring him of their general ac-
ceptance and usefulness. And
while he hesitated to accede to the
proposal, through fear of pecu-
niary loss, a few of them entered
into an engagement to indemnify
him, in consequence of which he
consented to make the experiment.
He first published a Single Volume
in duodecimo, about the year
1785. When that was sold off, he
republished it, and added to it a
second. When that impression
was exhausted, he published the
whole series in four vols. 12mo.
Two or three editions more were
published in the same size; and
since that time the work has been
handsomely reprinted in Octavo.
The reception which it has met
with, is abundant proof that the
work is a favourite with the public.
Its reputation is now firmly esta-
blished, and there cannot remain
a reasonable doubt of its con-
tinuing a standard book for ages.
and generations to come.
merits of the "Scripture Charac-
ters," are probably a little over
rated by the public; but in this
there is not much to regret; and it
would be unjust to deny that the
book has no merit. Dr. Fawcett,
the author of the "Devotional
Family Bible," has, in one of his
small tracts, praised the "Scrip-
ture Characters," at a most extra-

The

In the year 1738, Mr. Robinson was presented with the valuable living of St. Mary's, Leicester, which he obtained through the influence of the Earl of Dartmouth. This however was not a bed of roses to the new incumbent, who, if he found opponents at St. Martin's, here also met with persons who possessed still greater means of annoying him, and rendering his situation irksome. By prudence and perseverence, however, he, in process of time, surmounted many of the obstacles he had to encounter, and conciliated most of those who were opposed to him. His congregations at St. Mary's were very considerable, and they soon became serious and very attentive. When Mr. Robinson had been some time settled in his vicarage of St. Mary's, he com-vagant rate, as we conceive, when menced a course of Lectures on the History of the Patriarchs. Mr. De Coetlogan was at that time publishing a monthly Journal under the title of the Theological

he pronounces them the most finished System of Scripture Biography that was ever produced in any language. This is surely hyper'bolical. The most that can with

the established church; and we might venture to affirm that there is not one single minister, high or low, belonging to the national establishment adequate to the vast undertaking, unless he make it a mere compilation from the works of others. It is an achievement which, independent of natural or acquired talents, demands a profound acquaintance with the sacred. writings-the result of an enlightened mind, and of a careful and diligent study of the economy of Redemption in all its multifarious bearings. But to expect this from a minister of the national establishment, is about as wise as it would be to expect to gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles.

excellent men among the clergy of the church of England-men who know and love the saving truth, and whose delight it is to point sinners to the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world :-and in so far as they exhibit Jesus Christ and his finished work as the alone foundation of hope to perishing sinners, we have ground to expect the blessing of God upon their labours, and the

truth be said of them is, that they furnish an agreeable species of "Light reading for leisure hours." Critical they were not intended to be; and there is nothing profound in the general observations. The reflections interspersed throughout the work, are such as would naturally strike the mind of almost any ordinary reader of the Bible; and there is this misfortune attending the whole, that the subject, passing through the hands of the preacher, and becoming incorporated with his common-place observations, unavoidably loses much of its native grandeur and divine simplicity as delivered to us by the pen of inspiration; and then in proportion as it is expanded, it necessarily becomes attenu-There are doubtless many truly ated and less impressive. Even Mr. Vaughan acknowledges that the work would have been more properly entitled "Scripture Histories" than Scripture Characters. In the year 1805, Mr. Robinson again appeared before the public as an author, in a work entitled "The Christian System." This publication, the substance of which had been previously delivered to his own congregation in a course of Sermons, was intended to fur-genuine spirit of Christianity will nish a popular body of divinity, both doctrinal and practical, and is comprised in three Octavo Volumes. The reception, however, which the work met with from the public, was not at all calculated to flatter the author's vanity. It was handled with, what Mr. Robinson considered to be extreme severity, in the Christian Observer, inso-parison of these men, our modern much that their review of it almost operated to the extent of a prohibition in regard to its sale-and the feelings of the author, as may be easily conceived, were not a little hurt on the occasion. The truth is, that if Mr. Robinson had not altogether mistaken his forte, he had never attempted a work of that nature. The subject is wholly it of the reach of a minister of

always lead us to rejoice in seeing such characters raised up, and in wishing them" God speed." But let the writings or preachings of the very ablest among them be compared with the productions of such men as Dr. Owen, or Charnock, or Manton, or Bates, and it will soon be seen, that, in com

divines of the Episcopal church, have none of them advanced a step beyond the A B C of Christianity. It was a striking observation, said to have been made by ourvenerable and beloved monarch, when, speaking of the divines of ancient times, he remarked, "There were giants in the earth in those days!" We should be happy to see a generation of them revived

in ours, whatever denomination of Christians they might be found amongst.

under the ban of exclusion, than from the, lips of him who was lolling on his bed of roses! And The subject of faith, occupies here we cannot help remarking, several Essays in Mr. Robinson's that the Evangelical part of the "Christian System," but it is very ministers of the established church, pertinently remarked by his able have generally surpassed, on the and friendly biographer (Mr. score of hostility to the dissenters, Vaughan) that his idea of it is every other class of them that is neither simple nor philosophically to be found. Exceptions, no correct. "He confounds it" says doubt, there are; and we are Mr. Vaughan, "with reliance, happy to rank in this honourable which is the fruit or effect of the few, Mr. Robinson's liberal and enprinciple," instead of restricting lightened biographer (Mr. Vaughit to a simple crediting of the an) whose Memoir of his friend, divine testimony, or 66 a realis- justly reflects a lustre on his own ing view of things not manifest character and talents, while it to the senses." In this incor- entitles him to our gratitude and rect view of the subject of faith, respect. We have heard it said it would be well if Mr. R. had of Mr. Robinson, that, to such an stood single and alone; but un-extravagant pitch did he carry his happily it is an error far too deference to his Alma Mater, that prevalent among the teachers of he was accustomed virtually to Christianity both within and with-issue his edict against any of his out the pale of the church of congregation entering a dissenting England.

66

place of worship-and has even gone so far as to tell them, that were their lot east, on a Lord's day, in any town, in which the gospel was not preached in the national church and yet was preached among the dissentersstill it would be their duty to attend the worship of the establishment! Now this evidently betrays a judgment warped by the spirit of party, and it deserves the severest reprehension, forasmuch as it is obviously exalting human institutions, above the truth of God→ a conduct highly presumptuous, daring, and profane in any worm of the earth.

Illiacos intra muros peccatur et extra." Mr. Robinson was not very liberal-minded towards the nonconforming part of the community. Mr. Vaughan has recorded a most pointed and cutting rebuke which he gave to several dissenting ministers whom he had invited to breakfast with him at his own house, on the morning of the day on which a meeting was held at Leicester to draw up a petition against the Corporation and Test Acts (in the year 1788) telling them that "" they ought to be ashamed of their meeting-that their application manifested an ungrateful and an highly worldly spirit-that they wanted money and power, not the means of serving God more acceptably, or of preaching his gospel more ex-Romaine's tensively." This was sufficiently Blackfriars. The place was large indicative of the high-churchman, and crowded with hearers, which certainly; but, whether true or necessarily called forth exertions false of them, we may be allowed on the part of the preacher, to to say that, it would have come which he was scarcely competent; with an infinitely better grace and from that period his health from one who was himself placed began to decline. And though

Mr. Robinson was engaged to preach the Church Missionary Sermon, in London, for the year 1809, which he did at the late Mr. church, St. Ann's,

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