Benjamin Woodbridge

the Son of a Minister of Gods word, by his Wife, the Daughter of that noted Puritan called Rob. Parker, author of the four books De descensu Christi ad inferos, was born near Highworth in Wilts, became either Batler or Commoner of Magd. Hall in Mich. term, 1638, aged 16 years: where he continued for some time under the tuition of Will. Eyre. But before the time came that he could be adorned with a degree, the times changed and the Civil War thereupon began. So that he removing to New England, he answer’d in the University of Cambridge there, several positions (which were about that time printed) for the taking the degree of Master of Arts. After his return thence, he retired to Oxon, and as a member of Magd. Hall, he was admitted to the same degree, an. 1648, being about that time a Minister in Salisbury. Afterwards setling at Newbury in Berks. where he was much resorted to by those of the Presbyterian perswasion, he was constituted one of the Assistants to the Commissioners of that County, for the ejection of such, whom that party and the Independents then (1654) called scandalous, ignorant and insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters. After the restauration of his Majesty K. Ch. 2. he became one of his Chaplains, and a Canonry of Windsore was offer’d to him, but he bogling long with himself, whether he should take that Dignity or not, it was at length bestowed on a Son of the Ch. of England. Soon after he being silenc’d by vertue of the act of conformity (for he seemed then to hate a surplice and the Common-prayer) he preached in private to the Brethren, but being often disturbed, and imprison’d once or twice, he, at length, by the perswasion of some of his friends took holy Orders from the hands of Dr. Earl Bishop of Salisbury, in the Church of S. Peter in the East in Oxon, in Octob. 1665, with a resolution to be conformable to the Church of England. But finding not preferment, sutable to his desire, to be confer’d upon him, and a grand neglect and scorn of the Brethren, he return’d to his former opinion (which some then call’d his rags) and preached several times in Conventicles to the great disturbance of the government, the peace of Newbury and the neighbourhood. When the Proclamation for toleration or indulgence of Religion was issued out, 15 of March 1671, he became so audacious, that he did not only preach publickly in the Market place there to the Brethren, but disturbed, or caused to be disturbed the good people in their going to Church. Upon the breaking out of the Popish Plot, an. 1678, when then the Fanaticks took all advantages to promote their respective interests, he did then appear more publick again to the disturbance of the peace, preached every Sunday in a Conventicle at Highcleere in Hampshire, and generally once in a week at Newbury before mention’d, which is not far off that place. At length upon the breaking out of the Presbyterian Plot in June 1683, he sculk’d and retired to Inglefield in Berks, where, as I have been informed, he constantly, if his health permitted him, frequented the publick service of the Church of England and Sermons in the Church there, to the time of his death. He hath written,

Justification by faith: or, a confutation of that Antinomian errour, that justification is before faith, &c. Lond. 1652. qu. ’Tis the sum of a Sermon preached at Salisbury, and is contained in 3. or 4. sh. of paper. It must be now known that one Tho. Warren Parson of Houghton in Hampshire preached at a Wednesdays Lecture in Salisbury in April 1651, and therein letting fall several passages which Will. Eyre a Minister in that City then present conceived to be very wide from the Orthodox faith; did desire a conference with him after its conclusion. Which being accordingly held with him, they parted without any satisfaction to each other. The next day Eyre preached in the same place and maintained what he had disputed upon the day before. Whereupon our author Woodbridge being much concern’d at the matter, (for he was present at all these transactions) took Warrens part, preached the next Wednesday following on the same Subject that Warren had done before. Afterwards he and Eyre, at a conference about the matter in the publick meeting place after Sermon, made it a publick quarrel and defied each other. So that Woodbridge being much concern’d at it, he published the aforesaid Sermon and entituled it Justification by faith, &c. in the body of which is contained the contents of the disputation with him by VV. Eyre before mention’d. The famous Rich. Baxter saith ((a))((a)) In his preface to his Admonition to Mr. W. Eyre, and in his Epist. before his Directions for comfort. that the sight of the said Sermon of Mr. VVoodbridge of so much worth in so narrow room, did cause him to bless God that the Church had such a man, and especially Newbury, who had so excellently learned a pastor before, (meaning Dr. Twysse) who had mistaken so much in this very point—Also ((b))((b)) In the commendatory Epist. to Mr. Woodbridge’s Sermon. that the said Sermon is one of the best, easiest and cheapest preservatives against the contagion of this part of Antinomianisme as any, &c. But by the way I must tell the Reader that as the said Mr. Baxter was enclining ((c))((c)) See more in his Confession of faith, &c. printed at Lond. 1655. p. 6. to Arminianisme, so our author VVoodbridge was in some points, who hath farther written.

The method of grace in the justification of sinners against Mr. Eyre his Vindiciae Justificationis gratuitae, &c. Lond. 1656. qu.

The Apostolick Protestant doctrine of justification by faith, asserted.—Printed with The method of Grace, &c.

Church members set in joynt: or, a discovery of the unwarrantable and disorderly practice of private Christians, in usurping the peculiar office and work of Christs own Pastors, viz. publick preaching, &c. Lond. 1656. 57. qu. He also preached an excellent Sermon before K. Ch. 2. while he was his Chapl. on Acts 17.11. but whether printed I cannot yet tell: sure I am that he published Moses and Aaron: or, the rights of the Church and State, containing two disputations, &c. pen’d by James Noyes somtimes of Newbury in New England—Lond. 1661. At length this Mr. VVoodbridge, who was accounted among the Brethren a learned and mighty man, and had brought upon himself a very ill habit of body by his too too much agitation for the cause, gave up the Ghost at Inglefield before mention’d, on the first day of November, in sixteen hundred eighty and four:1684. whereupon his body being attended by multitudes of Dissenters to Newbury, was buried in the Church there on the fourth day of the same month. As for Tho. VVarren before mention’d, he also wrot against Mr. Eyre in a book entit. Unbelievers, no subjects of justification, nor mystical union, vindicated against Mr. Eyre’s objections, in his Vindiciae justificationis gratuitae, with a refutation of that antifidean and antievangelical error, asserted therein, viz. The justification of a sinner before, or without faith. Printed in qu. He hath also two or more Sermons extant, and perhaps other things.