Francis Roberts

son of Hen. Roberts ((a))((a)) Reg. Matric. PP. fol. 127. a. of Alslake in Yorkshire, was born there, or at least in that County, entred a Student in Trin. Coll. in the beginning of the year 1625 aged 16 years or thereabouts, took the degrees in Arts, that of Master being compleated in 1632, entred into the sacred function, and had some little. cure bestowed on him, but what I cannot tell. Sure I am that he being always puritanically affected, closed with the Presbyterians in the beginning of the Civil Wars, went to London, took the Covenant and became Minister of S. Augustins there, in the place of a noted Loyalist ejected. In 1649 Feb. 12 he was presented to the rectory of Wrington in Somersetshire by his especial Patron Arthur Lord Capell, Son of the most loyal and generous Arthur Lord Cap. then lately beheaded; which rectory was then void by the death of another Presbyterian called Samuel Crook. In this rectory our author Roberts shewing himself a zealous man of those times, was among several Ministers of his County (of whom Richard Fairclough was one and Ralph Farmer another) constituted an Assistant to the Commissioners for the ejectment of such, whom they then (1654) called scandalous, ignorant and insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters. After his Majesties return, he, rather than loose his living, and so consequently the comforts of this world, did turn about, took the Oathes again (whereby he denied all those that he had taken in the interval) and conform’d himself, without hesitation, to the ceremonies of the Church of England, and was nominated the first Chaplain by his Patron, to serve him after he was made Earl of Essex, 13. Car. 2. What preferments he had afterwards confer’d upon him I know not, only that the degree of Doctor of Div. was confer’d on him by the University (I think) of Dublin, at what time his Patron (a favourer of such people) was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in the place of John Lord Roberts, an. 1670. Under the said Dr. Robert’s name were these things following published.

Several sermons as (1) A broken spirit, God [••] sacrifice, Fast sermon before the House of Lords 9. Dec. 1646. on Psal. 51.17. Lond. 1647. qu. Preached for the removing of the great judgment of rain and waters then upon the Kingdom. (2) Checquer of Gods providences, made up of black and white, fun. Serm. on Psal. 68.13. Lond. 1657. qu. and others which I have not yet seen.

Believers evidences for eternal life; collected out of the first epistle of S. John, which is Catholick &c. Lond. 1649. 55. oct.

Clavis Bibliorum. The Key of the Bible; unlocking the richest treasury of the Holy Scriptures. Whereby 1. The Order. 2. Names. 3. Times. 4. Penmen. 5. Occasion. 6. Scope, and 7. Principal parts containing the subject matter of the books of the Old and New Test. are familiarly, and briefly opened, &c. Edinburg and Lond. 1649. oct. with the authors picture before it, aged 40. Afterwards it was printed in qu. and fol. and the fourth Edit. was published 1675.

The communicant instructed: or practical directions for the worthy receiving of the Lords Supper. Lond. 1651. oct. with the authors picture before it. This was afterwards reprinted at least three times.

Mysterium & Medulla Bibliorum. The Mystery and Marrow of the Bible; viz. Gods Covenant with man in the first Adam before the fall; and in the last Adam Jesus Christ, after the fall, from the beginning to the end of the world; unfolded and illustrated in positive aphorismes and their explanations, &c. Lond. 1657. in two vol. in fol.

The true way to the tree of Life: or, the natural man directed unto Christ. Lond. 1673. oct. What other things he hath written, unless A Synopsis of Theology or Div. which is mentioned by the author of the Cat. of books in the Libr. at Sion Coll. Lond. I know not, nor any thing else of him, only that he dying at Wrington before mention’d in the latter end of sixteen hundred seventy and five, was, as I presume,1675. buried in the Church there. On the 28. of Jan. the same year, his immediate successor Mr. Joh. Powell was instituted to the rectory of Wrington, then void by the late death of Dr. Fr. Roberts.