Nathaniel Hardy

son of Anth. Hard. was born in the Old Baylie in the Parish of S. Martin Ludgate in London, on the 14 of Sept. 1618, became a Commoner of Magd. Hall in 1632, where continuing several years under the course of a severe discipline, went thence to Hart Hall for a time, and took the degree of Mast. of Arts, an. 1638 and in the next year he was admitted into full Orders. Afterwards he retired to the great City, became a florid and very ready Preacher, and at the turn of the times was insnared with the fair pretences of the Presbyterian party; but at the treaty at Uxbridge between the Commissioners appointed by the King, and those by the Parliament, to treat about Peace, an. 1644, he was present, and being desirous to be impartially informed in the truth of that Controversie, he was fully convinced of his error, chiefly by the Arguments of Dr. Hen. Hammond. So that then being in the 26 year of his age, he immediately, as ’tis said, upon his return to London, preached a Recantation Sermon, and ever after, even in the worst of times, he attested his loyalty to the King, and conformity to the Church in discipline, as well as in doctrine, in his ministerial function. Of these matters I have been informed by his ((a))((a)) Lewis Burnet a Scot, M. A. of Aberdene, lately a Reader in S. Mart. Ch. in the Fields, within the liberty of Westm. friend; but this must be known, that in all, or most of, the times of usurpation he was Minister of S. Dionyse Back-Church in London, and tho frequented by some Loyalists, yet by more Presbyterians. His said friend also hath informed me that he kept up a Lecture in the said Church, which was called The Loyal Lecture, whereby many of the then suffering Clergy were relieved. Also that that year on which the King was beheaded and ever after, till near the time of the return of K. Ch. 2, he preached his funeral Sermon. In the year 1660 he, by his forward endeavours, got to be one of those Ministers that went with the Commissioners, appointed by the City of London, to the Hague, in order to his Majesties restauration: And being there on a Sunday (20. May) he, with great confidence preached a Sermon before his Majesty on the 29 verse of the 26. chapter of Isaiah, wherein he applied his discourse to the then present Estate of affairs in England so pathetically and learnedly, that there was not any one present, but admired his elegancy and learning, and seemed much to be satisfied with those things that he had delivered. After his Majesties return he was actually created Doctor of Divinity, as a member formerly of Hart Hall, was made Vicar of S. Martins Ch. in the Fields within the liberty of Westminster, Archdeacon of Lewis and Dean of Rochester; in which last Dignity he was installed (upon the promotion of Dr. Ben. Laney to the See of Peterborough) on the 10. of Dec. 1660, being about that time Rector of Henley in Oxfordshire, and a frequent preacher before his Majesty. He hath published.

Several Sermons preached upon solemn occasions, as (1) Justice triumphing, or the spoilers spoiled, at Pauls for the miraculous discovery of the Powder Plot, on the 5. of Nov. 1646, on Psal. 9.16. Lond. 1656 sec. edit. qu. (2) Faiths victory over nature; or the unparallel’d president of an unnaturally religious father; at the funeral of Joh. Rushout son and heir of Joh. Rushout Merch. and Citizen of Lond, on Heb. 11.17. Lond. 1648. qu. (3) The arraignment of licentious liberty and oppressing tyranny, Fast serm. before the House of Peers in the Abbey Church of Westm. 24. Feb. 1646, on Hosea 5.10.11.12. Lond. 1647. qu. (4) The safest convoy, or the strongest helper, before Sir Thom. Bendish Bt. his Maj. Embassador now resident with the Grand Signior at Constantinople, on Isa. 43 former part of the 2. vers. Lond. 1653. qu. (5) Love and fear the inseparable twins of a blest matrimony, charactarized in a serm. at the nuptials between Mr. Will. Christmas and Mrs. Elizab. Adams Daughter of Tho. Adams sometimes Ald. and L. Mayor of Lond. on Ephes. 5.31. Lond. 1653. qu. (6) Divinity in mortality, or the Gospels excellency and the preachers frailty, at the funerals of Mr. Rich. Goddard late Minister of the Parish of S. Gregories near Pauls, who died 12. May 1653 and and was buried 16. of the same month, on 2. Cor. 4. former part of the 7. verse. Lond. 1653. qu. (7) A divine prospective: representing the just mans peaceful end, at Catherine Creechurch 14. Aug. 1649 at the interment of the remains of Sir Joh. Gayer Kt, deceased 20. July 1649, on Psal. 37. ver. 37. Lond. 1654 qu. (8) Mercy in her beauty: or, the heighth of a deliverance from the depth of danger, on Phil. 2. former part of the 27 vers. Lond. 1653. qu. It was preached upon his late unexpected recovery of a desperate sickness. (9) Thankfulness in grain: or, a good life the best return, on the same occasions on Psal. 116.9. Lond. 1654. qu. (10) Deaths alarum: or, securities warning-piece, at the funeral of Mrs. Mary Smith (Daughter of Mr. Isaac Colf formerly Minister of Gods word at Chadwell in Essex, and late Wife of Mr. Rich. Smith of Lond. Draper) who died 9. Nov. 1653, on Matth. 24.44. Lond. 1654. qu. (11) The epitaph of a godly man: or, the happiness by death of holiness in life, at the funeral of Mr. Adam Pemberton of the parish of St. Forsters (Vedastus) Foster-lane, who died 8. Apr. 1655, on Phil. 1.21. Lond. 1655. qu. (12) Safety in the midst of danger, in the Ch. of Allhall. Barkin 4. Jan. 1655 upon the anniversary commemoration of that dismal fire, which hapned in the said parish, 4. Jan. 1649, on Exod. 3. ver. 2. latter part. Lond. 1656. qu. (13) The pious Votary and prudent Traveller, characterized in a fun. sermon occasion’d by the voyage of Nath. Wych Esq. President to the East Indies, on Gen. 28.20.21. Lond. 1658. qu. Preached at S. Dion. Backchurch, 14. Mar. 1657. (14) Mourning, lamentation and woe, Pr. after the great fire in London—Lond. 1666. qu. This I have not yet seen nor certain funeral sermons, as (1) On Rob. E. of Warw. (2) On Mr. Tho. Bowyer. (3) On Mrs. Anne Dudson. (4) On Sir Th. Adams. (5) On Mrs. A. Colquit. &c. He hath also written and published,

The first general epistle of S Joh. the Apostle, unfolded and applied. In two parts.—The first printed at Lond. 1656. in qu. was delivered in 22 Lectures on the first chapt. and two verses of the second, in S. Dionyse Backchurch. The second part printed at Lond. in 1659. in qu. was delivered in 37 Lectures on the second chapt. from the third, to the last verse, in the said Church. At length this active and forward man, who had little or no character among the true Loyalists, especially that part of the Clergy who had suffered in the times of usurpation, giving way to fate in his house at Croydon in Surrey on the first day of June, in sixteen hundred and seventy, was buried on the 9 day of the same month in the Chancel of S. Martins Church in the Fields before mention’d.1670. Soon after his Widow erected a mon. on the north wall of the said Chancel to his memory, with an inscription thereon, which being printed in Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Ox. lib. 2. p. 375. Col. 2. shall be now omitted. His funeral Sermon on 2. Cor. 5.1. preached by Dr. Sim. Patrick is extant, wherein you may see his character at large. In the Vicaridge of S. Martin, succeeded Dr. Tho. Lamplugh, and in the Deanery of Rochester, Dr. Peter Mew; the former was afterwards B. of Exon. and Archb. of York, and the other B. of B. and Wells, and Winchester.