the Bishops would not satisfie neither Mr. Hieron could have been content to have declined all further prosecution of the business But he was desired still to stand for it and his Friends promised that if he went without it they would choose him Lecturer and they proved as good as their words Men wise and unbiassed pitched upon him in whom worth was and after the Lecturers place was void by Mr. Taylors death the Trustees for the Lecture chose Mr. Hieron Lecturer Mountney proved bad and immoral a great dishonour to the School and a vexation to the Town who sought to the Bishop to remove him who alledged he could not Then the Governours of the School stopped his Sallary and after articled against him in the High Commission but that way giving them no Relief they were at last forced to sue him at Common Law and it came to a Tryal before Judge Hutton or his Collegue and they cast him and ejected him But while Mountney proved so ill and such a vexation Mr. Hieron proved like himself and an honour to his place and satisfaction to the Town He built upon Mr. Taylors foundations and both preached and lived as that Worthy Predecessor did And though Mr. Taylor was dead yet he lived and the work was carryed on by his Successor Here Mr. Hieron continued labouring in Word and Doctrine and procured from Bishop Wright a Licence for a weekly Lecture to be preached at Ashborne which was upheld by many very able men that so by the mouths of many Witnesses what was preached on the Lords day might be confirmed and that by mutual converse Ministers might be edified and comforted as well as people advantaged I suppose it was about October in the year 1635 that he married the Relict of Mr. Taylor who had then by her former Husband two Children a Son and a Daughter An happy Choice he made and very happily they lived together She was an holy Soul understanding and prudent loved her former Husbands good Acquaintance and brought them to be Mr. Hieron's Acquaintance Those of them that I knew honoured her indeed and so did all that knew her She was the Daughter of Parents that were considerable and of very good reputation in Ashborne She had many Brethren and Sisters some of whom I knew and I think I may truly say that few Families produced more persons of good brains and excellent behaviour I knew none of them mean in the World and some of them made a considerable Figure in it Here Mr. Hieron pitched and staid till the Civil Wars came on in England and then though a quiet Man and fain would have continued at his work yet could not but was forced to make many withdrawments for security which did much disturb and tire him and his Family were put into many â—â—â—ghts by searches for him ill Neighbours informing them of Tâ—â—bury and solliciting them to take him who had no other provocation for him but only the faithful discharge of his duty He loath to live a Prisoner in a place so like Hell where his Righteous Soul must have been upon a pepetual rack resolved to remove himself and his Family with some part of his Goods to Derby And no sooner was he and his Family gone but his House was plunder'd and his Books hidden securely as he thought discovered by some ill Neighbours taken likewise This was in the year 1643. Sect. 3. About two Moneths after his coming to Derby the Inhabitants of Breadsall a Town two little Miles distant from Derby being destitute of the Exercise of the Ministry among them made their complaints to Sir John Gell then Governour of Derby who answered them Find out any sit man and I will put him in They applyed themselves to Mr. Hieron he answered He was out of employment but would not move a foot toward getting the place They returned to Sir John who offered the place to Mr. Hieron's Father occasionally there but he desired Sir John rather to bestow it on his Son which he immediately did and caused an Order of the Committee to be drawn for that End and sent a Command to the Constable of Breadsal to come on the Sabbath morning and convey him to the place and secure him They went back to him to acquaint him with what was done he told them he would not go unless the Order was sealed to take with him The Order was perfected and the Constable came on the Lords day and took him with him to Breadsall where he performed the work of the day and returned to Derby at night Thus he continued about ten moneths going to Breadsall on the Sabbath days officiating there all the day returned to his Family at Derby at night But after that time having some more probable prospect of Safety at Bradsall he removed his Family thither November 1. 1644. And there continued quietly during the War and afterwards till the 24th of August 1662 that setled Uniformity by so many breaches and rendings of Ministers and People as the Protestant part of the World never saw before Amongst the rest this conscientious Minister of Jesus Christ was catched in the Noose for no better are such Impositions than snares to the truly conscientious who are not for leaping from one mode of profession to another are not for wrigâ—ing out themselves by distinctions and evasions but would do all in simplicity and godly sincerity without any equivocations endeavouring to maintain a principle of honesty in the World I shall close this Section and Chapter with a few remarks Here may you see how Gods Providence finds work for them that have a mind to work willing minds do not ordinarily want opportunities long but God opens a door for them See again how God disposeth the forced flights of his Ministers to spread the Gospel into other places He that must not preach at Ashborne shall preach at Bradsall when his seed-time was over at Ashborne God â—â—â—â—d this Spiritual seeds-man another field God distinguisheth betwen flying Hirelings and Shepherds that are forced away God seemed by this Providence to approve his flight And you lastly see how seekers after the word do find it here was a people that could not live without the Ordinances and God cast upon them not a bare Doer but a Workman not only a man in a Ministerial habit but a man of a Ministerial Spirit The greatest mercy that ever befel Bradsall if they did know in his day the things of their peace It was his day of Service their day of advantages a price indeed was in their hands happy they that had hearts to it as some of them I hope had CHAP. VI. Of his Ministerial Endowments and of the discharge of his Ministry THE qualifications of this Worthy Man I shall give Sect. 1. you summarily He was a good Man as it 's said of Barnabas he was a Learned Man he had much of Egypts Gold and Treasure and brought it all to Gods Tabernacle He was
THE LIFE OF Mr. John Hieron WITH THE Characters and Memorials Of Ten other Worthy Ministers OF JESUS CHRIST Written by Mr. Robert Porter late Minister of the Gospel in Nottinghamshire Published by D. BURGESS Exempla movent LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in 〈◊〉 near Mercers-Chappel MDCXCI To the READER IN complyance with the desire of Reverend Mr. John Barret of Nottinghamshire I send abroad this Treatise and prefix my Thoughts quales quales thereof I conceive it well worthy of its very Eminent Aâ—thor Mr. Robert Porter who also now sleeps in Christ The Matter Language and Method are worthy of him Who hath herein like himself joyned brevity with sweetness given the Memoirs of many worthy Men in a narrow room And laudably performed the Historians part in Relations and the Divines part in Reflections To me it seemeth no small Duty as I hope faâ—ther to express in due time to publish the Lives and Praises of Holy Men. It is the Will of Him whose Will ought to be ours that the Memory of the Just should be blessed And the praise of such is more Gods praise then theirs As for themselves Saints need no Monuments And no one of them desires a richer Encomium than Lazarus had The poor man dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom But the Church and World do need their Memorials For exemplifieâ— Sanctity is the most Noble Beautiful and Perswasive The Holiness that is in Gods Children is of 〈◊〉 more excellent kind than that which is in his Holy Biblâ— It is a liviâ—â— image of God and that which is the transcendent End of which the Scripture it self is but a Means Such Narratives as this do shame and wipe away the Calumnies which Ignorant Men drivel and Malicious ones do foam out against the Excellent of the Earth They do convincingly prove what many will not think That there are really very Illustrious Gifts and Graces where no such things are seen as Copes and Miters And that it is not among such as the Protestant United-Brethren that a godly painful Minister is a rare thing Whatever be suggested to the contrary by those that still judge us fitter for Prisons than Pulpits Great Hugo Grotius when Dying would have given all that ever he had to be plain godly John Urick They whose hearts are cleansed by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost do surely expect the day wherein the most Dignified Drones will wish they had been what they do now malignantly name Drudging Divines The Lord make us all more Pure and Holy and followers of them who are now inheriting the Promises That our Burning Bush may not be consumed but our Jerusalem be yet made the Praise of the whole Earth So Prayeth Daniel Burgess THE LIFE OF Mr. Hieron c. CHAP. I. Of Mr. Hieron's Parentage Birth and Childhood MR. John Hieron was a Prophet and the Son of a Prophet His Father was Minister at Stapenhil near Burton upon Trent a Vicaridge it was and in that Vicaridge-House he was born in August 1608 and baptized the 28th day of that Moneth His Father being puritanically inclined had no great things in the World but he was a good Man I have heard his Son John say of him that he was well esteemed of by Mr. Hildersam and his Hearers And that he did believe that he was found in the way of Righteousness It hath been the sin and the shame of this Nation Oh when shall we be cleansed that the least scandalous Ministers have been forced to take up with most scandalous maintenance They then made sure to make Old Nonconformists poor and to keep them so But through frugality and Gods Blessing they lived and brought up their Children well Since the Year 1662 they have used a Method quite to starve Nonconformists Not a poor Vicaridge not a blind Chappel not a School nor any visible way of maintenance for them and yet they have lived Providence is kind and tender handfuls of Meal are growing and we almost think we may some of us live to see Puritanism better thought of and provided for in England I know many Nonconformists pinched but none starved Though neither Purse nor Scrip yet no insupportable tempting wants When Bladders are pricked yet they can't sink whom God will hold up by the chin and teach the hand of Faith the true swimming stroak In his minority he went over Trent both going to and coming from School and was once or twice endangered thereby In a Note found under his own hand it is thus said Deliverances to me vouchsafed à teneris annis 1. From a Cow in his Fathers yard that took him on her horns and threw him a great way yet without any harm 2. Falling out of a Chamber into a dry Fat in the lower room yet no harm 3. Fell out of a Boat into Trent yet not hurt 4. Once ventring into the Trent-boat himself and not being able to manage it and the wind high he was carried down the River towards some deep place and at least one whirlepit where he had been in danger to have been lost But one seeing it took a private Boat and stopped him and his drowning was prevented These he recounts and adds a good note The Lord expects we keep a chronology of remarkable things done by him for us Greenhil on Ezek. 24. 2. In these things we may note That these preservations were presages of something more than ordinary that God had for him to do Where such notable things occur they signifie some eminent Evil the Persons are reserved for or some eminent good preserved for Moses drawn out of the Water was a deliverer There is a passage in the minority of Ambrose That there was a swarm of Bees setled on his Face in his Cradle and flew away without any hurt to him Whereupon his Father utter'd this saying Si vixerit infantulus iste aliquid magni erit If this Child live he will be some great Man Again since you see he laid these in his Records kept them as the Pot of Manna let us rehearse and record Gods goodness It 's a real wonder any Child lives to be a Man or if they do they are not all Mephibosheths through folly It must be ascribed to God and his Providence without which all our Watchers and Keepers would be in vain There are many places that give us occasion to call them as Hagar Gen. 16. 13 14. did the Well Beer-la-hai-roi places where we have found God seeing for us and looking after us where we have not looked at him nor for him CHAP. II. Of his Country Education MR. Hierons father removing to Chelaston he was with several Masters but at length he placed him at Repton-School after Mr. Whitehead was come thither with whom he continued Five years Mr. Whitehead's Abilities and Method of Teaching and Diligence were so great and his Conversation so good that the School obtained a great Name and bred
disparagement was really his great honour that he was a man of so great Learning and worth and yet beholden to no University for it It is manifest to all that knew him that he was a Judicious Divine a good Casuist a workman in Preaching that needed not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth he was pertinent methodical a man that was clear in opening his Text and spake very close to Conscience from it He knew well the inside of Religion Few that heard him but they did discern his understanding of the mystery of Godliness that he spake from his Heart and they felt his words come to theirs He was of few words and reserved not at all talkative but give him but occasion by starting Discourse get him but upon his Knees or put him upon Writing or Preaching work and then you would soon find he wanted neither Words nor Sense Oh he was a Man of Prayer some dear ones that are left behind and have had no small burdens of Affliction since they lost him do feel the want of his Prayers to lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees He was of a very quiet Spirit a people amongst whom he laboured very ticcle very capricious very hard to be pleased in Ministers yet centered in him and I am sure his Name is precious amongst them And well he may for I am sure amongst them and some Neighbouring Meetings to them he spent himself and was spent by his great labours in dispencing Holy Mysteries Word and Sacraments amongst them This good Man had many removes after he was outed but God told his wanderings and he had Songs in the Houses of his Pilgrimage At length he pitched at Alfreton from whence he took many weary steps to serve his Master and was very useful in that Neighbourhood but at last was forced by his Infirmities to cease from his Labours and now rests from them and those works follow him He hath built himself a lasting Monument in his small piece about the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees the substance of some Lectures at Wicksworth And in his larger piece about Prayer Those things are discoveries of the Man Yea God hath built him a Monument in such a set of Children as God hath blessed few with Mr. John Oldfield lives in three Sons of the Fathers Principles actually in the Ministry whose parts are above the common rate of most of their years and their Piety Zeal and Industry answerable to their Parts He dyed June 5. 1682. in the 55th year of his Age. 4. Mr. John Billingsley Kentish Man born at Chatham educated in both Vniversities outed from Chesterfield an ingenuous Man strict to his own well understood Principles an accurate savoury Preacher an exemplary walker a Man elegant in every thing a diligent Reader and observer of what he Read ready with his Pen. Few men have left more excellent Collections behind them than he which are happily fallen into his Sons hand that knows well how to use them His outward Bodily appearance was small and mean but he had a great Soul rich in Grace and Gifts He left his place at Chesterfield because he could not keep his Place and his Peace but he kept his Affections and Care over them hazarded his Health and Liberty to serve them If Chesterfield People would reflect upon his Labours amongst them and his warm Letters written to some of them they must needs know that a Prophet was amongst them both able and faithful The Pin of the Uniformity Act driven by hands that were fit tools for such mischievous work pushed him out of his Pulpit and House and the hurricane of the Oxford Act drove him from his hired House and Town to Mansfield in which he passed the residue of his sojourning time in fear wrought for the Salvation of others and wrought out his own was ever serious and laborious But towards his latter end his Motion was very quick made actual preparation for Death desired his poor outed Brethren cast into Mansfield as he was to come together a little before his Death to put him into the hands of God by Prayer made a short Confession of his Faith in and sole dependance on the alone Righteousness of Christ and not long after went full sail into the Kingdom of God He dyed May 30. 1683. He writ something against Quakers and Printed a Sermon with it which gives the World a taste of his Abilities He lives in his Son who bears his Fathers Name and hath his Fathers Spirit the true Son of such a Father filling up the vacancy by his Fathers death in Ministerial Labours in which in my Judgment he gives no just occasion to any to despise his Youth 5. Mr. Luke Cranwell born at Loughborough in the County of Leicester Educated in Christs Colledge outed from Peters Parish in Derby a knowing a couragious zealous and a very upright Man Some now alive knew how deeply he engaged to restore Monarchy but when restored it engaged not for him He fell by the Decree of Uniformity that spared not Age nor Parts nor considered any Service done but levelled all that lay in its way and spake no other Language than bow or break He was not very ready in Elocution but very Scriptural solid and substantial in all his Discourses his Sermons when looked over by Writers or thought over by understanding Hearers were found to be full of Divinity weighty and rational good matter filled them He had some competent Skill in Physick before he was outed and when he perceived he must no longer trade his Ministerial Talents publickly he resolved to try what he could do in his other faculty Since he was cut off from the publick service of Souls he betook himself to serve Bodies though not deserting his Ministry neither in his Affection nor as to its Exercise In this Imployment he grew presently very Judicious Skilful Useful and by Gods Blessing very Successful By this he maintained himself and his Family very comfortably kept good Hospitality did as readily help his Brethren and the poor among his Neighbours without any desire or expectation of Fees as he did the rich and greatest He had a working head He understood well what he read and did find out some Magistrals of his own many happy and effectual Medicines He was a chearful Man and to appearance very strong but after he began to decline he run down speedily His loss was and is much lamented He was indeed a beloved Physitian That he might be out of the reach of the Oxford Act he went to Kegworth in Leicestershire and there lived and dyed Nov. 11. 1683. on the Lords day 6. Mr. Joseph Moore Nottingham born Educated in St. Johns Colledge in Cambridge in the best dayes of that Colledge when the truly Reverend singularly Learned and eminently Holy Dr. Tuckney presided there a Man fitted for wise and holy Government He was sober minded from his Youth He entred young
these words Do not hearken to Satans suggestions to the contrary he is an Adversary If he cannot hinder your Salvation he will do what he can to damp your joy and peace in believing You ought not to give heed to him but to repel him as our Saviour did Get thee behind me Satan Your own unbelieving Heart for Faith is mixed with unbelief even in Gods Children also will raise Objections against you thus I have many Corruptions in me unruly Passions I am hasty to Anger Ignorant have little Knowledge considering the time and means I have enjoyed I am dull in Duty I Pray without any life or heat I am cold in love to God and Jesus Christ I grow not in Grace I am blockish and remember nothing I hear And many such things you have to say against your self To which I Answer Grant all this to be true These are Sins of Infirmity which may consist with true Grace Psal 40 12. David saith My sins are more then the hairs upon my head Psal 73. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee Read Heb. 5. 11 12. Ye are dull of hearing c. whom yet he highly commends Heb. 3. 1. and 6. 10. So long as sin reigneth not hath no dominion over you you need not question your interest in Christ and you may know that sin reigneth not when you are grieved for it confess and bewaâ—l it and pray for grace and help against it strive and watch against it and do what you can to keep your self from your iniquity Psal 18. 23. Consider that none are justified or saved because they are sinless pure and perfect but blessed are they whose sins are forgiven Psal 32. 1 2. And to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 4. 5. What was the end of Christs coming but to take away sin Mat. 1. 21. Joh. 1. 29. Also a chief branch of the Covenant of Grace in Heb. 8. 12. I will be merciful to their unrighteousness And therefore be not faithless but believing as Christ said to Thomas John 20. 27 28 And let your heart make the same Answer that he did My Lord and my God It may be that your present condition is a grief to you that you cannot worship God as you desire or as in your Health you can do God no service Let not your heart be troubled at this for God requires no more than he gives And it may be no small comfort to you that you were diligent to attend upon God in your Health and when you had Legs you used them to Gods glory And now you are serving God in another way in the way of Passive Obedience in which if you submit to Gods will with Meekness and Patience you may do God as good service as they that preach or hear or travel far to the Word â— will conclude with those sweet words of Christ John 14. 1. Let not your heart be troubled Believe that God is yours Christ is yours the Covenant of Grace is yours your Sins are forgiven the Promises are yours even the great Promise 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a Father to you And that also Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God Even all the exceeding great and precious promises in Christ 2 Pet. 1. 4. which are yea and Amen true and faithful O bless God that ever you were born Spiritually that you were born again Say and sing with David Psal 103. 1. 2 3. Bless the Lord O my Soul And Psal 32. at the latter end Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Psal 48. 14. This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide unto death And with the Church Isa 25. 9. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation But I may save further labour and indeed might have spared this pains for you have a Book by you which contains all that I now write and much more to the same purpose The scope and substance of it is to chear up and comfort poor Souls that walk sad and sorrowful when they have no other cause but to rejoyce and serve the Lord with gladness in which kind of service the Lord is well pleased I pray you peruse it and read it through till you have got your Heart into a joyful frame Now I pray and let it be your Dayly Prayer That the God of Love fill you with Joy and Peace in believing to whose Grace I commend you Yours Vnfeignedly IT grieves me much for your sake that the hand of the Lord is gone out against you in so dreadful a â—rovidence that it puts me hard to it how to minister a word of Consolation to you in this your sad condition A wise Son maketh a glad Father but a foolish Son is the heavyâ—ess of his Mother I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in the Truth So I know no greater affliction that can befall Parents then to have Children walking contrary to the Truth and dying in their Sins Yet is not your Case in this respect singular No Temptation hath befallen you but what is common to men to good men witness Aaron Ely David with many others whom I could name known both to you and me You are to acquiess in Gods Providential Administrations and not to disquiet your Soul with the doubtfulness of his Eternal Estate But to ascribe Righteousness to your Maker and say with the Psalmist Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgments How unsearchable are his judgments and his â—aâ—es past finding out Take the Example of the Prophets and other Holy Men in Scripture for an example of suffering Affliction and of Patience Set before you the Patience of Job who besides the loss of so great an Estate lost all his Children seven in number cut off by untimely death yet how Religiously doth he demean himself how Patiently to admiration Two of Aarons Sons in the flower of their Age and in the beginning and very first entrance upon that Sacred Function perish by fire from Heaven a heavy stroke arguing great indignation yet mark the Fathers pious behaviour under such a mark of Gods displeasure Aaron held his Peaâ—e As for Davids lamentation over Absalom it is not to be drawn into imitation For the bottom of his grief was not purely nor chiefly as far as appears sorrow for his sin and the eternal condition of his Soul but rather proceeded from Natural Affection and over much fondness and indulgence because of his exquisite Beauty which the Scripture doth highly extol For he takes not one sigh at the death of Ammon who also dyed in his sin and also by a violent
the Court would please to dismiss them he like a Proctor of such a Court moved that the Court would appoint a Prosecutor so they were not dismissed They therefore applyed themselves to Dr. Bakâ—r the Bishops Chaplin but he did decline them but Mr. Hieron procured a Letter from Mr. Jackson before mentioned to Dr. Bray the Arch-Bishops Chaplin who courteously received them and went with them to Sir John Lamb and obtained their discharge Oh how good was God when he took away the High Commission And again how good is God when it was rising again in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners threw it down never I hope to rise more Amen The Lord say so Sect. 2. The next disturbance of this Worthy Man was in the beginning of the War Sir Francis Wortleys party coming to Ashborn one Captain Bard and Dennis in the dead time of the night broke into his House took him out of his Bed Captain Dennis said Gentlemen cannot drink the Kings health but you must reprove them for it Oh said Mr. Hieron Sir John Fitz-Herberts hand is in this They carried him to their Court of Guard and kept him there till morning where urging him to speak of many things lay at catch for matter to accuse him Sir Francis Wortley charged him for preaching against Episcopacy he answered never but against the exorbitances of it His Wives Father passed his word for him which was at present satisfying the next day he appeared Sir Francis inclined to release him but would have him call the Parliament a company of dissemblers but he would not In the upshot they discharged him he desired his Horse and Saddle to be restored Nay saith Sir Francis you may be glad you are at liberty your self During this Imprisonment one of the Captains viz Captain Bard had been with an Honourable Person then living in Ashborn Mrs. Cockâ—in half Sister to Philip Earl of Chesterfield a Royalist of highest elevation yet a Woman of Sense that knew Mr. Hierons worth bare a fair respect to Mr. Hieron and represents him in his true Character to the Captain which he credited and was so convinced that he came to excuse himself and told him they did not meddle with him until they had received some scores of Complaints against him through which looking at him they thought him to be one that had no fellow but now he perceived his mistake was sorry for what he had done promised if he came thither in peace he would see him did all he could to restore his Horse but not able to effect it without payment of Twenty Shillings for him Captain Bard was so ingenuous as that after his marching thence wrote to Mr. Hieron begging pardon of him and of his Wife Thus God brought forth this good Mans Righteousness to the shame of all his false Accusers Sect. 3. After this Storm he had some quiet till Tutbury became a Garrison for the King Whether some ill Neighbours going to create him trouble mistook the Party and told the errand to a very Friend of Mr. Hieron's who sent him Prisoner to Derby but the ill success of this first attempt did not deterr others But still others arose and a Party beset the House entred and searched but by Gods good providence he was not at home and so they returned without him affrighting his dear Wife and pilfering some few things This bred great uneasiness in Mr. Hieron and at length forced him to Derby which at present was a place of Retreat a Zoar to him secured him and his from fears in the Night and in a very little time after his coming thither God provided a Laboratory a Work-house for him Sect. 4. After this he had a serene time at Breadsall No alarm but once and then no danger followed Peaceable Sabbaths here he met with no War but did himself war against the Devils Kingdom Lusts of Men and Wickedness of Times contentfully seated and setled working hard had great measures of health though mixt with some Feavors which were mostly the effects of his extraordinary pains and went off without any very long deteinures from his Work Here he enjoyed a good Living conversed with a very precious Wife lived among his Children Here he and she shewed themselves Lovers of Hospitality Lovers of good Men Sober Just Holy Temperate wone much upon some that had prejudice against him Thus the Lords Candle shone upon his Head for many years But in the year 1657 his sprightly his lively Wife fell ill of an Ague and a perverse one which being a double Tertian and mixt with an high degree of the Scurvy No Physical Applications no Change of Air would prevail for whither she went for Air viz. to Sir John Gells of Hopton then John Gell Esq who with his Wife loved and honoured all good people and had a special Respect to this Matron and to her Husband there she expired and by her desire or her Friends was interred at Ashburne with a due Solemnity chargeable to her Husband but not begrudged for great was his Love to her and estimation of her which appears by his own record of her death July 10th 1657. Mortem obiit Vxor mihi carissima Nunquam satis dilecta quâ ego non fui dignus And adds that Scripture passage Many Daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all This Death of hers was something surprizing because her Distemper being an Ague most thought her bailable but it proved otherwise And it was very deeply resented by her Husband She brought him Two Children Samuel and Anne Taylor Samuel dyed young but Anne out-lived her Father of whom I shall speak hereafter She bore him Two Children Joseph who is alive the genuine Son of a Worthy Father He was alive when this was written is now translated to a better Life before this comes to be published And Rachell who dyed before her Father one that was glorious within of excellent Understanding Wit and Memory a Lover of every thing that was good Now though this affliction was very grievous yet was it to my observation wonderfully sanctified greatly sweetned and alienated In my thoughts that Rod blossomed it was a growing time with him in Grace from that time he was alwayes above his Fellows but then above himself made sensibly a partaker of Gods Holiness and received the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness by that his Exercise And it was greatly sweetned and alienated by his Daughter in Law Mrs. Anne Taylor the true Daughter of her Mother who was a Mary in her choice of the better part and bore that Affection to her Father in Law which few Natural Children equal and scarce any exceed she was as a Wife to him as a Mother to his Children a Governess to his House She took all the Family Burdens on her self that he might be void of care and serve God in his own business without distraction She lived single she cumbred herself would put her hand to every thing she was frugal
themselves under Judgments and pray and seek my face and turn from their evil wayes I will hear from Heaven I will forgive their sin I will heal their Land Job 33. 27. If any say I have sinned and perverted that which is right and it profiteth me not he will deliver his Soul from going into the pit And this is the use you and every one in your circumstances should make of Gods Correction to humble your self under his mighty hand To say as Job 34. 31. I have born chastisement I will not offend any more Ver. 32. That which I see not teach me if I have done iniquity I will do no more Commune with your own heart Psal 4. 4. Ask your Soul how it doth Am I in Christ Am I born again Is there a work of Grace wrought upon my heart That will appear by your walking Do you walk as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. Do you live soberly righteously godly Is this your constant walking Do you pray continually in your Family In your Closet Do you sanctifie the Lords day duely Do you teach your Children the knowledge and fear of God Do you Catechise them Do you set them a good Example Do you fill up every Relation with Duty Have you not sat with vain persons Psal 26. 4. Are you a companion to all that fear God Psal 119. 63. Do you honour such above others Psal 15. 4. Do you delight in their company Psal 16. 3. This is that we are commanded to do to bethink our selves 2 Chron. 6. 37. To consider our wayes Hag. 5. 7. To judge our selves 1 Cor. 11. 31. To examine our selves whether we be in the Faith or no. 2 Cor. 13 5. Now let Conscience speak deal faithfully and truly with your self and where you find Duty neglected Sin committed confess your faults to God freely bewail them with a broken and contrite heart pray earnestly for Grace and a new heart for power over your corruptions resolve on a new course of life to become a new man by the assistance of Gods Grace Abandon ill Company and all occasions of sin for the time to come run not into temptation but watch and pray and keep your self from your own iniquity Psal 18. 23. If I regard iniquity in my heart i. e. allow my self in any one sin God will not hear my prayer Psal 66. 18. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and offend in one point i. e. wittingly knowingly he is guilty of all is obnoxious to condemnation as if he had broken the whole Law Jam. 2. 10. Let your future practice and reformation speak the truth of your Repentance And if you thus turn to God with your whole heart make application to Christ by Faith and his Bloud shall cleanse you from all sin So God will receive you to Mercy as the Father received the Prodigal Son with all expression of Love He that covereth his sin shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy Prov. 22. 13. If you dare not set up a Judgment-seat in your own Heart and keep a privy Sessions in your own Conscience how will you appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ and give an account of all your Thoughts Words and Actions at the great day For then must every one of us give account of himself to God Then blessed are they whose sins are forgiven They may lift up their faces at that day with boldness when impenitent sinners shall be confounded and call to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them They who live in sin are in danger to dye in sin and to be damned eternally for sin Sin will be sure to find them out to punishment who will not now search and find and cast it out by Repentance and amendment of Life Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Ezek. 18. 31. Thus I have shewed you the good and right way to improve this present cross and to prevent worse things Joh. 5. 14. Sin no more lest a worse thing come to you If God give you an heart to imbrace and hearken to this advice you will have cause to say with David Psal 119. 67 71. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy word And it is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes And I beseech you do not reject the Counsel of God against your own Soul Put it in practice without delay Break off your sins by Righteousness forthwith to day while it is called to day lest your heart â—e hardened by the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3. 13. All flesh is grass And no man knoweth the day of his death But it may be said to any of us This night shall thy Soul be required of thee You seem to have a crazy Body You have had divers warnings of late to mind you of your frailty And it is an high point of wisdom to consider of a Mans latter end Deut. 32. 29. What if Death should come like a Thief suddenly and give no warning Then happy are all they who with the wise Virgins have got Oyl in their Lamps saving Grace and Sincerity If a Flood come happy are they who with Noah have prepared an Ark for the saving of their Souls Make sure of Christ keep Conscience pure so it will be peaceable keep integrity and uprightness so you may look Death in the face without fear I will conclude with the words of Solomon Prov. 19. 20. Hear counsel receive instruction that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end Tender Love and Compassion to your Soul was the only motive which set my Pen on writing these Lines Take them in good part and pass a favourable construction on them peruse them ponder them for they are of weight of worth the very Word of God useful and necessary to be followed nearly conducing to the Salvation of your Immortal Soul Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2. 7. To his Grace I commend you being Your Servant for the salvation of your Soul BEcause my former Letter found so good acceptance with you I am incouraged once again to write to you to let you know how welcome and joyful a thing it is to your Friends to understand that you are become a new man that you have put off your former Conversation and abandoned all vain Company that you keep much at home and take delight in your Wife and Children as you have just cause for they are sweet Children Dutiful and Obedient also that you pray constantly with them and frequent the most lively and powerful and Soul-saving Preaching of Gods Word on the Lords dayes Oh how good and how pleasant a thing it is to all that love you that love your Soul to hear these things of you Now I pray you suffer a word of further Exhortation and give me leave to beseech you as
Barnabas did those newly converted Christians Acts 11. 23. That with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Resolve by the help of Grace that you will never cast off your hopeful beginnings nor turn aside to crooked wayes but continue stedfast in the good way you have taken up unto the end The end is that which crowneth all good actions and to perseverance in well-doing are all the promises made Rom. 2. 7. Mat. 10. 22. Rev. 21. 7. And our Baptismal Vow bindeth us to keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments all the dayes of our lives Now that you have begun to forsake the broad way that leadeth to destruction and to enter into the strait way that leadeth unto life O think what a Mercy it is that God hath awakened you with Mary to chuse the good part that shall not be taken from you you see the thing is feizable and Godliness is not a thing impossible if there be but a willing mind If you should now or at any time hereafter fall away it would not be a sin of infirmity because you cannot help it but of perverseness because you will not be at the pains which a Godly life requireth For use and acquaintance with a Christian life makes it much more easie to you afterwards then at the beginning For the greatest difficulty that is in a Godly life is from custom to the contrary so that if after some acquaintance with it when you have overcome much of the hardness of it you should give it over that would be utterly destructive But I hope better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though I thus speak By all means be careful to set such a watch over your self and so to avoid all occasions and temptations as may preserve you from all wilful breaches and danger of Apostasie And because by our own strength we are not able to stand see that you be much in secret Prayer Mat. 6. 6. Beg of God a new heart a clean heart an upright heart Psal 51. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Grace is of absolute necessity to Salvation if we believe our Saviour John 3. 3. 5. and 7. A work of Grace renewing the heart will make Christs yoke of Obedience easie and his burden light so his Commandments will not be grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. It is by the help of the Spirit changing and sanctifying the heart that we mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. There may be an outward Reformation where there is no inward work of Regeneration So a man may be in the condition of the Scribes Mark 12. 34. not far from the Kingdom of Heaven yet never enter into it O wrestle with God in Prayer as for Mercy to pardon sin past so for Grace and the Spirit of Sanctification to renew your heart and to reform your life that so you may walk before God to all well-pleasing If you would do so continue instant in Prayer Col. 4. 2. God will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it Luke 11. 13. Christ assures us That whatsoever we ask in his name the Father will grant Thus you shall become a good Tree bringing forth the good Fruits of Righteousness Holiness and Sobriety to the Praise and Glory of God the Credit of the Gospel good Example of others to the rejoycing of all good Christians and the overlasting Salvation of your own Soul Yea there will be joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luk. 15. 10. So whether you live or dye you shall be the Lords And this is considerable at such a time as this when Sickness is so Epidemical and many dye every where and you your self seem to be of no strong Constitution as it appears by your often Infirmities I say it again Regeneration is the one thing necessary without which outside Reformation is but like painting a rotten Post or making clean the outside of the Cup and Platter when the inside is full of excess and extortion Mat. 23. Though you know these things yet I thought it not unuseful to put you in remembrance of them that you may be settled and established in the present Truth and so may continue to the end Which is the earnest desire and shall be the Prayer of Your very Friend for the Salvation of your Soul SIR I Fully purposed to have given you a Visit but hearing your Wife was so near her Travail I forbore till a fitter opportunity And since I understand to my grief that she is delivered of two Children both dead and for which I am informed you are much troubled for which I cannot blame you for the Providence is sad And a Christian should be a Man of Wisdom to see Gods Name written upon the Rod. So was the Name of Aaron for the Tribe of Levi written upon his Numb 17. 3. And as his brought forth Buds and Blossoms and ripe Fruits so should Gods Rod of Correction yield good Fruit in them that are exercised therewith even the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness and Repentance Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Micah 6. 9. The Rod hath a voice It cometh upon some Errand or other if we were wise enough to understand its meaning Which that we may do the best way is to Commune with your own hearts Psal 4. 4. To search and try our wayes and turn to the Lord. Lam. 3. 40. And be earnest with God in Prayer that he would open our ears to discipline Job 10. 2. Shew me why thou contendest with me Job 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said to God I have born chastisement And I would not have you or your Wife give way to excessive sorrow in this case but follow the Counsel of the Word which ought to be the Rule of our Passions as well as our Actions Let your moderation be known to all men Phil. 4. 6. And they that weep for outward Crosses be as though they wept not 1 Cor. 7. 30. Learn we must to exercise the grace of Self-denyal which our Saviour hath taught us by his own Example John 18. 11. The cup which my Heavenly Father hath given me shall I not drink it And it was a very bitter one Again Now what I will but what thou wilt God is wiser than Man he is God only wise We see but a little way Gods understanding is infinite Times are ill at present they may be worse yea so bad that people may have cause to say Luke 23. 29. Blessed are the barren and the Womb that never bear and the Paps which never gave suck Yet if Children be a Blessing as I grant they be in themselves and desirable there is no time over-passed but you may have your Quiver full of such Arrows if God see it good for you And if not I hope you are more a Christian than to desire them Beware I beseech you both of the least impatience in this case and if any such
I am certain there is in this case You know August saying which is good divinity The sin is not forgiven except restitution be made of that which is taken away And now I have done only let me give you an account why I take on me this boldness to be thus plain with you Surely it is because I honour you as not only a Gentleman but a Christian one who have good things in you and a Conscience bearing witness to the truth and will not rebel against the light when it shines out but will yield an obedient ear as David speaks Psal 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me c. Prov. 28. 23. He that rebuketh c. Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother c. By warrant of these and other Scriptures I have adventured to deal plainly with you in this matter assuring you that my hearts desire and Prayer to God for you is that you may be saved And if it please God to open your eyes and touch your heart then it will never repent you that you hearkened to the counsel of a poor Minister but you will bless God for it as David did for Abigails advice 1 Sam. 25. 32. that you may make reparation for what is past and be kept for the future from work of this sort Let the Devils Servants do their Masters drudgery for such it is Rev. 2. 10. but keep you your self pure To conclude in the words of a wise Man but no Christian i. e. of Gamaliel Acts 5. 38 39. I say refrain from these men and let them alone for if this counsel or this work be of men it will come to nought But if it be of God you cannot overthrow it lest haply you be found even to fight against God Now craving pardon for this tediousness and prolixity and your candid interpretation I take leave and commend you to God resting Your Worships to be commanded John Hieron Losco Cozen IT is now a long time since I saw you But to me no little grief I hear an evil report of your lewd and ungodly course of life that you lead to the great dishonour of God the grief of your Friends the danger of your Immortal Soul and the ruine of your Family whom by wasting and your unthrifty courses you must needs bring to Poverty here and hazard their Eternal Salvation hereafter by your ill example and neglect of honouring and worshiping of God in your Family as every Christian is bound to do Now I pray you consider your wayes whether is Alehouse haunting keeping company with Drunkards casting off Prayer and all Family Duties the way to Heaven or Hell Is this to walk as the Gospel teacheth Soberly Righteously Godly in this present evil World Is this to follow the Example and Godly Education of your pious Friends who brought you up in the fear of God Is this to walk according to the Vow of your Baptism in which you were dedicated to the service of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and in which you promised to forsake the Devil and all his works the vanities of the World and the lusts of the Flesh Pray think how great a sin Perjury is to be forsworn by breaking a solemn Vow made to God in the face of a Congregation which God will require at your hands And how fearful a sin is Apostacy to fall away from your holy profession which sometime you made Read and tremble at those Scriptures Prov. 14. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 21. Heb. 10. 29. Will the pleasure of sin for a season make you amends for the loss of Heaven and Eternal Happiness Can your good fellows and companions in wickedness save you from the wrath of God and the vengeance of eternal fire Will they or can they comfort you in Sickness at the hour of Death or day of Judgment Did the rich man Luk. 16. 28. think that his Brethrens company would be any solace to him in Hell Why then doth he request so earnestly that a Preacher might be sent to warn them that they might turn and escape the place of torment Lay these things to heart and remember your self in time before it be too late And as with the prodigal Son you have run away from your Fathers house and from your Duty so return with him to your Obedience Confess and bewail your sins to God as he did and forsake them and you shall find mercy as he did But do it betime without delay defer it not lest your heart be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin or least death come upon you unawares And if you dye in your sins Hell follows after Abandon the Alehouse and all wicked company set up Religion in your Family pray not only once on a Sabbath day I marvel where you learnt that but every day morning and night and break off all your sins by Repentance and pray for a new heart for why will ye dye Ezek. 18. 31. Despise not this Counsel but receive it as sent from God least it witness against you in the great day when every one must give an account of himself to God And it may very well be the last which you may ever receive from Your Vncle which pityeth your poor Soul and all yours Octob. 20. 1680. BEcause I pity your Conditions I thought good to give you some directions in Writing which you may read and consider and have them ready by you and your Son may ponder them as Mary kept the sayings of Christ and pondered them in her Heart because words of Advice only spoken in the Ear are soon forgotten and become as water spilt on the ground And what I write shall be words of Truth and Soberness taken out of the Scripture of Truth or agreeable thereunto And therefore you ought to give the more diligent heed to them In the first place I shall direct my words to you and your Wife and pray you to consider your waves and search and try your Hearts and see whether God hath not laid this affliction on your Child for the Parents sin◠for though it become not others to judge uncharitably of them who suffer such things according to our Saviours caution Suppose ye that those Galileans were greater sinners than all the Galileans I tell you Nay Luk. 13. 3 5. Yet it is our Duty to humble our selvés under the mighty hand of God to judge our selves to commune with our own hearts to see Gods name written upon his Rod Micah 6. 9. To hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Gods Rod hath a voice it calleth to us if we were wise enough to know the meaning of it to understand its errand Job 3◠31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more Imitate Rebekah Why am I thus And she went to enquire of the Lord. Gen. 25.
12. 7. but still his eye of Fatherly care is on them Psal 34. 15. and all things shall work together for their good Now lay all these things together 1. Satan is a Conquered a Chained Enemy 2. By slavish fear you do him too much honour 3. You wrong God and Christ as if they were not able to save you 4. Call to mind Gods gracious Attributes Providence Promises 5. Your relatian to God and Christ to whom in Baptism you were devoted and so are a Member of Christ one of Gods Children whom he loves pityeth and careth for Say now as Nehemiah Should such a one as I flee should I fear the Devil No fear God fear to displease him by sin by this immoderate fear Resist the Devil by Faith and fervent Prayer Lay hold on Gods promises Apply them to your self by Faith as if they had been made to you by Name Hold no dispute with Satan he will be too hard for you But take the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God Answer his Cavils with that as our Saviour did Avoid solitariness as much as you may When you are alone yet remember you are not alone Believers have fellowship with the Father and the Son by the Holy Ghost And alwayes remember that the Holy Angels encamp round about them that fear God Turn to those Scriptures Psal 34. 7. and 91. 11. Get acquainted with Gods people hear their advice and beg their Prayers Wait on God be sure to keep in his way and the issue will be good Psal 40. 1. So the God of Peace grant you Peace by all means and the Peace of God which passeth understanding keep your hearts through Jesus Christ To his Blessing and Grace I commend you Yours Mar. 30. 1680. I Must desire to see you but it is thought not advisable for me to take such a journey at first not having been on horse back since my late sickness I am sorry to hear you are ill again being but lately recovered from an ill fit Man that is born of a woman is of few days and is full of trouble And because it is unknown to us which sickness is or may prove our last it is wisdom to improve the present as a warning to us So to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts to wisdom to consider our latter end and Eternity that follows after Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live saith the Prophet from God to Hezekiah much more should we set our Souls in order and see that we be on good terms with God ere we appear before his judgment-seat Which we must do the first moment after the departing of the Soul out of the body Heb. 9. 27. This is a work so necessary to be done in time that it is not ought not to be put off till a sick bed yet it must then be revived and renewed and then done in the best manner as being the last time of doing it and what is then done is like to stand for ever In order thereunto reflect and look back into the former part of your life Begin at your birth sin and corruption of nature Bewail that and lament over it so go on to the sins of youth and be humbled for them and so come a long to the sins of age and riper years confess and bewail them with their agravating circumstances as being committed against light knowledge and checks of Conscience and done with deliberation By this means you will find ease and rest to your Soul according to that promise Mat. 11. 29. If you cast your weary burden upon the Lord Jesus Christ he will stand between you and his fathers wrath he will take all your debts upon him and say as Rebeckah to Jacob upon me be thy curse my Son Fresh sorrow for old sins Repentance renewed will make Christ sweet and sin bitter to you and affect you more in his love in dying for you This will be a good evidence to you that your sins are forgiven Namely if you confess them with a broken and penitent heart and forsake them with detestation And now is a fit time for you to look up your evidences for Heaven that so you may not be afraid to dye but may look Death in the face with comfort If you say how may I be assured that my sins are forgiven and that Christ is mine To the first I have answered already He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. If we confess our sins by faith resting on Christ for pardon he is faithful and just to forgive us To the second How may I know that Christ is mine Thus Are you you his Are you willing Do you consent to have him on his own terms for your Lord and do you obey him as your Lord Do you take his yoak upon you have you respect to all his commandments Do you hate every evil way John 15. 14. You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you Do you chuse the Lord for your portion Christ for your bliss and happiness Do you more highly prize him and desire to enjoy him more than all riches Do you account all things but loss and dung in comparison of him Had you rather be the most holy person upon Earth than the greatest or richest that ever was And do you use diligence in the means of grace to attain to more holiness If so you may without doubt be well assured your Estate is good and safe For you could not have chosen God and loved Christ unless he had chosen and loved you first Dwell therefore in the thoughts and tastes of Gods love to you Say how wonderful is Gods love to a poor worm and silly dust That the contrivance of infinite wisdom should be taken up about me That the eternall Deity should consult about my salvation ere the world began That God should pass by many wise men after the flesh many mighty and noble who if they had been converted might have done God better service an hundred times then I and make choise of me a dispicable sinner to be an Heir of salvation Lord what is man c. Thus raise up your heart in thankful admiration of Gods wonderful love to your Soul And Thirdly the assurance of Gods love will incourage your heart against the fear of death and give you confidence against the King of terrors I shall be glad to hear of your recovery though I thus write I commend you to God and if I never see you in this world I hope to meet you with other dear friends who are gone before in those mansions which Christ hath purchased and prepared for all those that love him to whose grace I refer you Yours J. H. May 31. 81. They are blessed that do hunger and thirst after Righteousness after Christ for justification and sanctification Do not you so Are not you empty naked barren of grace in your self a dry tree
will not reject such And now what place is there left for your doubting If God do not shine upon you by the light of his Countenance yet is he your loving Father reconciled to you in his Son A Father is a Father still though he do not alwayes smile on his Son Go you on in your Christian course of Godliness serve the Lord with chearfulness and believe that your poor services shall and do find acceptance with Christ Observe that in Lev. 1. 7. So much as is said of the offering of the poor Mans Sacrifice which was but two young Pidgeons Another to the same Person IAm distressed for you What shall I do for you Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted How shall a man comfort a Soul that refuseth to be comforted Your case is like Hagars in the Wilderness who was ready to perish through drought when there was a Well of Water by her but she saw it not till God opened her eyes Gen. 21. 9. like Mary Joh. 20. 15. who stood weeping for Christ who stood by her but she knew not that it was Jesus You have the Well of Water in you springing up to Eternal Life you have Christ in you the hope of Glory but your eyes are held that you perceive him not Like those two Disciples that went to Emanus Luk. 24. 16. You are in Christ there is no curse condemnation or wrath to come belonging to you you are washed you are sanctified you are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God All things are yours Christ with all his benefits the Covenant of Grace with all its priviledges all the great and precious promises of the Gospel which are yea and Amen in Christ sealed in his Blood confirmed to you in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper God is your God your loving Father in Christ Heaven and Eternal Life is yours Fear not poor Soul it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom What shall I say more What can you desire more except you would have your name put into the Scripture promises You believe you shall dye because it is appointed for all men once to dye your Name is not there You believe the Resurrection of the Body because it is written There shall be a resurrection of the just and unjust yet your Name is not there The Scripture saith Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ shall be saved i. e. Whosoever being truly humbled for sin disclaims all opinion of his own Righteousness and with Paul desireth to be found in his Righteousness only he truly believeth And so do you therefore you shall certainly be saved The Scripture saith Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy Whoso loveth God the same is beloved of God Prov. 8. 17. He that loveth the Brethren is translated from death to life If you say these are general Promises How shall I gather assurance from them concerning my personal estate I Answer By looking into your own heart where if you find you are so qualified and have these Graces of the Spirit wrought in you viz. Faith Repentance Love to God and all Saints you may be assured of your Salvation as certainly as if Christ had said to you by name as he did to the Man that had the Palsie Matth. 9. 2. Son be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven or to Mary Magdalen her sins which are many are forgiven Mar. 7. 47. As to your vain Thoughts I can say no more but what I have said that neither they nor any other sin of infirmity which is your burden and trouble shall hurt or indanger your Salvation It 's the common lot of all Christians to suffer Afflictions outward or inward and sometimes both 2 Cor. 7. 5. We were troubled on every side without were fightings within were fears God is only wise knoweth how to order all for the good of his people Wait on him with patience until he shine on your Soul with the light of his Countenance and fill you with Joy and Comfort according to the promise Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Beware of unbelief which maketh God a lyar 1 Joh 5. 10. Believe his Promises believe his Prophets so shall ye be established 2 Chron. 20. 20. Beware of entertaining hard thoughts of God dark misgiving thoughts as you seem to do when you fear lest God swear in his wrath against you he did so against murmuring rebellious Israel who despised the pleasant Land and would appoint a Captain to lead them back into Egypt What is this to your case God is good and doth good is Love Light Life Grace to all that trust in him Read Dr. Mantons first Sermon on Psal 119. 68. where he gives a check to such as yours Page 473. You say true I have not prayed for you of late more carnestly because I hoped you had been more settled and at peace hearing nothing from you to the contrary Now I shall tender your condition I cannot as yet promise you a solemn day I have been very ill since I wrote to you and am yet far from well I pray you have patience and when God makes me able I hope to see you I am hasting apace to the Grave my Legs swell which together with old Age tell me the Grave is ready for me God grant I may be ready for it I pray read these Lines peruse them and ponder them in your heart and pray that the Holy Spirit may let you know the things that are freely given you of God Yours J. H. Mar. 9. 81. IAm not without hope to fall to work again shortly I pray therefore in your next let me understand whether you continue in the same mind to have a day kept on your account or whether you have found him whom your Soul loveth whether the Son of Righteousness be risen in your heart with healing in his wings or the Day-Star from on high hath visited your Soul I pray you let me ask you one Question Have you not received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and that worthily i. e. In a due manner becoming that Holy Ordinance with Gospel preparation and communing with your own heart in secret I know you have many times Now what is a Sacrament a Seal of the Covenant of Grace is it not Well then there must be mutual Sealing on both parts You put to your Seal that you will receive Christ with his yoke of Obedience with his Cross Persecution Did you not mean thus sincerely with a good and honest heart This is your Covenanting for your part which you will indeavour to perform faithfully all the dayes of your life though in many things you fail as in vain thoughts and divers other things And God Sealeth to you for his part that he will be to you a God allsufficient will give you his Son with forgiveness of Sins and all things pertaining to Life and Godliness