Barrow was born in London. He went to school first at Charterhouse, and subsequently to Felstead. He completed his education at Trinity College, Cambridge, where his uncle and namesake, afterwards Bishop of St Asaph, was a Fellow. He took to hard study, distinguishing himself in classics and mathematics; after taking his degree in 1648, he was elected to a fellowship in 1649; he then resided for a few years in college, and became candidate for the Greek Professorship at Cambridge, but in 1655 he was driven out by the persecution of the Independents. He spent the next four years traveling across France, Italy and even Constantinople, and after many adventures returned to England in 1659.
In 1660, he was ordained and appointed to the Regius Professorship of Greek at Cambridge. In 1662 he was made professor of geometry at Gresham College, and in 1663 was selected as the first occupier of the Lucasian chair at Cambridge.
For the remainder of his life he devoted himself to the study of divinity. He was made a D.D. by royal mandate in 1670, and two years later Master of Trinity College (1672), where he founded the library, and held the post until his death.
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Sermon
Against Foolish Talking And Jesting - Part 1
"Nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient."-- Ephes. v.4.
Moral and political aphorisms are seldom couched in such terms that they should be taken as they sound precisely, or according to the widest extent of signification; but do commonly need exposition, and admit exception: otherwise frequently they would not only clash with ...read
Against Foolish Talking And Jesting - Part 2
"Nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient."-- Ephes. v.4.
II. 1. All profane jesting, all speaking loosely and wantonly about holy things (things nearly related to God and religion), making such things the matters of sport and mockery, playing and trifling with them, is certainly prohibited, as an intolerably vain and wicked pr ...read
Sermon
Against Rash And Vain Swearing - Part 1
"But above all things, my brethren, swear not." St. James v. 12.
Among other precepts of good life (directing the practice of virtue and abstinence from sin) St. James doth insert this about swearing, couched in expression denoting his great earnestness, and apt to excite our special attention. Therein he doth not mean universally to interdict t ...read
Against Rash And Vain Swearing - Part 2
"But above all things, my brethren, swear not." St. James v. 12.
VII. Let us consider that swearing is a sin of all others peculiarly clamorous, and provocative of Divine judgment. God is hardly so much concerned, or in a manner constrained, to punish any other sin as this. He is bound in honour and interest to vindicate His name from the abuse, ...read
Sermon
Of Evil-Speaking In General - Part 1
"To speak evil of no man."--Titus iii. 2.
These words do imply a double duty; one incumbent on teachers, another on the people who are to be instructed by them.
The teacher's duty appeareth from reflecting on the words of the context, which govern these, and make them up an entire sentence: put them in mind, or, rub up their memory to do thus ...read
Of Evil-Speaking In General - Part 2
"To speak evil of no man."--Titus iii. 2.
"Every man," saith the wise man, "shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer;" but no man surely will be ready to kiss those lips which are embittered with reproach, or defiled with dirty language.
It is said of Pericles, that with thundering and lightning he put Greece into confusion; such discou ...read
Sermon
The Folly Of Slander - Part 1
"He that uttereth slander is a fool."--Prov. x. 18.
General declamations against vice and sin are indeed excellently useful, as rousing men to consider and look about them: but they do often want effect, because they only raise confused apprehensions of things, and indeterminate propensions to action; which usually, before men thoroughly perceiv ...read
The Folly Of Slander - Part 2
"He that uttereth slander is a fool."--Prov. x. 18.
I have formerly in this place, discoursing upon this text, explained the nature of the sin here condemned, with its several kinds and ways of practising.
II. I shall now proceed to declare the folly of it; and to make good by divers reasons the assertion of the wise man, that "He who utteret ...read
