THE

LIFE

OF

GEORGE BULL, D. D.

.

LORD BISHOP OF ST. DAVID'S,

WITH

THE HISTORY OF THOSE CONTROVERSIES IN WHICH HE WAS ENGAGED;

AND

AN ABSTRACT OF THOSE FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES WHICH HE

MAINTAINED AND DEFENDED IN THE LATIN TONGUE.

BY ROBERT NELSON, ESQ.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

THE occasion of writing this Life, p. 1. An apology for
attempting it, p. 2. His reputation secured by his own
works, ibid. Why it may be acceptable to learned and
good men, p. 3. Reasons for the length of it, p. 4.

I. When and where Mr. Bull was born, p. 5. His family

and parentage, ibid. Early dedicated to the service of

the church, p. 6.

II. Educated at Tiverton school in Devonshire, p. 7. An

account and character of his master, p. 8. His great and

early progress in classic learning, p. 9.

III. Removed to Exeter college in Oxford, p. 9. Taken no-

tice of by two great men, p. 10. Acquainted with Mr.

Clifford, afterwards lord high treasurer, p. 12.

IV. He retires from Oxford, upon refusing the Engage-

ment, p. 13. He goes with his tutor, Mr. Ackland, to

North Cadbury, p. 14. Influenced to great seriousness by

a sister, p. 15.

V. He puts himself under the conduct of an eminent di-

vine, p. 15. The advantage of seminaries for the candi-

dates of holy orders, p. 16. The fruit to be reaped from

them, p. 17. He is put under the direction of Mr. Tho-

mas, p. 18. He contracts a friendship with Mr. Thomas's

son, which was very advantageous to him, p. 20.

VI. He enters into holy orders, p. 21. He was but one and

twenty when ordained priest, p. 23. This forwardness in

such times an argument of his zeal, p. 24.

VII. He settles at St. George's near Bristol, p. 25. A little

accident which contributed to his reputation, p. 26. Dis-

turbed in his sermon by a quaker, p. 27.

VIII. The method he took in governing his parish, p. 29.

The parish infested with Antinomian books, p. 31. The

excellency of Mr. Bull's method, p.32.

IX. The prayers he used in public, p. 33. An instance of

the Common Prayer being admired by the dissenters

when used by Mr. Bull, p. 34. An eminent danger he

was preserved from, p. 35. He goes to Oxford once a

year, for the use of libraries, p. 36.

X. Mr. Bull marries Mrs. Bridget Gregory, p. 37. her cha-

racter, p. 39.

XI. He was presented to Suddington St. Mary's, p. 41.

He was made privy to the design of a general insurrec-

tion in fifty-nine, p. 42. His preaching at Cirencester,

and the occasion of it, p. 43.

XII. He was presented to the vicarage of Suddington St.

Peter, p. 44. He marries a couple publicly by the form

of Common Prayer, p. 46. Reading the prayers devoutly

no mean attainment, and of great advantage to the peo-

ple, p. 47.

XIII. His manner of preaching, and the frequency of it,

p. 48. He only writ the scheme of his sermons, p. 50.

His care in catechising the youth, p. 51. Baptism and

the eucharist, how administered by him, p. 52. His ob-

servation of the holydays of the church, p. 54.

XIV. The religious government of his family, p. 55. His

private devotions, p. 58. The pious frame and temper of

his mind, p. 60. His singing of Psalms in his private de-

votions, p. 61. The singing of Psalms of the old version

defended by bishop Beveridge, p. 62. The character of

his sermons, p. 63.

XV. Mr. Bull's manner of governing this parish, p. 64.

He confirms two ladies that were wavering in their reli-

gion, p. 66. A ridiculous story of a quaker's challenge,

p. 68. His charity to the poor and indigent, p. 70. His

sentiments upon charity, p. 73.

XVI. His only diversion agreeable conversation, p. 75.

He prosecutes his studies with great application, p. 76.

Several tracts composed by him lost, p. 77.