place sometimes by slie and false informations against him sometimes by open railing and false libels sometimes by secret backbitings yea at last their malice proceeded so far that they practised his death by poysoning but by Gods good providence the snares were broken and he was delivered Having thus continued Bishop about three years it pleased God to take away that famous English Josiah King Edward and his sister Mary succeeding him the face of Religion was soon altered and this good Bishop amongst others was deprived and clapt up in Prison And though the malice of the then Prelates and Arch-Papists against him was very great who also had sworn his death yet it pleased God most miraculously to preserve and deliver him out of their hands which was effected by this meanes The good King Christian of Denmark having formerly known him at his being in Germany wrote divers times and sued so earnestly and effectually to Queen Mary for him that at last he was dismissed out of Prison and suffered to go over into Denmark There he staied a while and afterwards with the leave of the King went into Germany to his former worthy friend the noble Elector of the Rheine who most willingly received him and restored him to his former Benefice of Burghsaber The reason why he staied no longer with his deliverer the King of Denmark but chose rather to go into the Palatinate was because he could Preach in the Dutch language but not in the Danish Tongue At Burghsaber he remained a faithfull and painfull Preacher all Queen Maries daies till hearing of her death and of the change of Religion under Queen Elizabeth he once again returned into his native Country His Bishoprick was reserved for him till his return and then sundry times profered him but he would by no meanes accept thereof but chose rather to live a more private life yet not out of action for he continued in London teaching and preaching the Gospel so long as the strength of his body would permit and at length being very old and stricken in years he died comfortably and peaceably in the Lord being about eighty years old January 20. Anno Christi 1568. and was honourably buried under a fair Stone in the Chancel of Bartholomews Exchange in London upon which Stone is engraven this Epitaph In obitum Reverendissimi Patris Milonis Coverdale OGDO ASTICHON Hic tandem requiemque ferens finemque laborum Ossa Coverdali mortua Tumbus habet Exoniae qui Praesul erat dignissimus olim Insignis vitae vir probitate suae Octoginta annos grandaevus vixit unus Indignum passus saepius exilium Sic demum variis jactatum casibus ista Excepit gremio terra benigna suo Dr. SANDES The Life of Doctor Sands Archbishop of York who died Anno Christi 1588. EDwin Sands was born of an ancient and worthy Family about the year 1528. and being trained up in Learning he so profited therein both in the Countrey and University that he was chosen Master of Katharine Hall in Cambridge and having Commenced Doctor he was made Vice-Chancellor of that University at which time that blessed King Edward the sixth dying and the Lady Jane Grey being proclaimed Queen as we have heard before the Duke of Northumberland was sent with an Army to apprehend the Lady Mary And when he came to Cambridge he sent for Dr Sands the then Vicechancellor and some other Doctors to sup with him and at supper required Dr Sands to preach on the morrow The warning was short for such an occasion and Auditory yet he refused it not but went home and so to bed The next morning he arose at three a clock and having prayed a good while rose up took his Bible in his hand and closing his eyes earnestly prayed to God that it might fall open at a fit Text for the present occasion and accordingly it opened and the first Text that he cast his eye upon was Joshua 1.16 17 18. And they answered Joshua saying All that thou commandest us we will do and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go according as we hearkened to Moses in all things so will we hearken unto thee only the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment and will not hearken to thy words in all that thou commandest him he shall be put to death only be strong and of a good courage This Text he prosecuted with such prudence and affection as drew many tears from the eyes of his Auditors After Sermon the Duke and other Nobles desired him to Print his Sermon and he only required a day and an halfs time for the writing of it at the end whereof he delivered it to Mr Leaver who was presently to carry it to London to the Presse But just at that instant came one of the Beadles to him weeping and bad him shift for himself for said he the Duke is retired and Queen Mary is proclaimed Dr Sands was nothing troubled herewith but delivered his Sermon to Mr Leaver and so went to dinner to Mr Moores one of the Beadles his great Friend At dinner being of an undaunted courage and cheerfull disposition he was very merry Mistress Moore drinking to him said Mr Vicechancellor I drink to you this being the last time that ever I shall see you which accordingly proved true That night the Duke sent for him to joyn with him in proclaiming Queen Mary and then told him that the Queen was mercifull and that he hoped for a generall pardon to which Dr. Sands answered My life is not dear unto me neither have I done or said any thing that troubleth my conscience For what I spake of the State I have instructions signed by sixteen Counsellors to warrant me therein neither can speeches be treason nor yet have I spoken any thing but what the Word of God and the Lawes of the Land will bear me out in therefore the will of the Lord be done But be you assured my Lord you shall never escape death for if the Queen should spare you they that now shall rule will kill you That night the Duke was apprehended and some were as busie about Dr. Sands but Sir John Gates that lay in the Doctors house drave them away The next day Dr. Sands was walked into the fields when the University in an irregular manner meeting together ordered Dr. Mouse and Dr. Hatcher to go to Dr. Sands his house to fetch away the University Statutes the Keyes and such other things as were in his custody which accordingly they did and Dr. Mouse who the day before was an earnest Protestant was now turned a zealous Papist and a great enemy to Dr. Sands from whom he had received great curtesies That afternoon a Congregation was appointed by them and the bell rang to it when Dr. Sands coming out of the fields sent for the Beadles asking what
given out against me out of yours and others mouthes your shame shall send them home again and I will wear them about my neck as Chains and Garlands In particular for your self though I desire the love acquaintance and favour of any well-gifted Minister it will be no great disgrace to me to sit at home without your countenance except your self were in greater countenance with them that truly fear the Lord. Thus leaving you at this time to a better spirit then that which set you so greedily on work against me I commit you to the grace mercy and pardon of God and my self to his wise direction hereafter to take heed how I give mouthes so readily open to reproach my Ministry any just and direct occasion Chatham the last of April 1602. Your Fellow-labourer and Minister in the Lords work desirous of peace and if it were possible of love also William Bradshaw This Letter though somewhat large it seemed not amisse at full to relate because it representeth to the life both the Character of many such Teachers as were forwardest to oppose Gods faithfull Messengers in those times and the manner of their teaching which the most of our Antinomian party that give out themselves as the only Gospel-Preachers come so near unto now adaies and the most unequall and unchristian courses also that were by such then commonly practised to work them into disgrace with the people and to procure trouble to them from the State But the malice of the man stayed not here which of it self for ought he was able to do was not much to be regarded For being netled by this Letter upon consultation had with some of his complices a Knight of note in that County a man of some parts of learning and wit but of loose life utterly averse from and adverse to the profession and practice of piety was by them procured to come down from Rochester where he then was to Chatham on a Lords day to hear Master Bradshaw and that for no other end but to pick somewhat if it might be out of his teaching for which upon his information against him a practice most unworthy a man or his rank his mouth might be stopped or he inhibited at least from farther imployment in that place And according indeed to their wicked design and ungodly desire the plot proceeded For whereas Master Bradshaw being then entred upon the handling of the story of Christs Temptations related by two Evangelists on which his Sermons much desired by many that heard part of them and though not fully perfected by him yet by some small supplies being made up may peradventure hereafter see light had observed that this was the main scope of Satan in his first encounter to bear our Saviour in hand that howsoever he had been put in some hope by a voice as from Heaven that he was the beloved Sonne of God yet God by his present neglect of him and leaving him in such difficulties destitute of all necessaries did thereby manifest that he did not respect or regard him at all hereupon he took occasion to admonish all true Christians to arm themselves diligently against this temptation and to strengthen their Faith in the assurance of Gods favour towards them care of them and undoubted truth of his Promises made to them using this as an Argument to incite them unto the greater care in this kind for that said he If this temptation do once fasten upon us that we shall come by Satans sleights to be perswaded that there is no such matter that God hath no such respect or regard unto us it cannot but cool our love unto God Which words of his very wholesome and good the Knight perverting and misreporting enformed underhand against him that he should deliver That a man was not bound to love God unlesse he were sure that God loved him Hereupon Master Bradshaw was shortly after by a short note under Doctor Buckeridges hand bearing date May twenty six 1602. and directed unto him at Chatham made acquainted that it was the pleasure of his Lords Grace of Canterbury and his Lord of London the main prosecutor of the business against him that he should the next day by nine of the clock appear personally before them at Shorn a Town situate between Rochester and Gravesend whither accordingly he repaired and there appearing after some questions moved and answers thereunto returned the Bishop of London began to charge him with teaching of false and ungodly Doctrine such as had been suggested by the Knight before-mentioned whereunto when he answered Negatively relating withall truly and sincerely what he had delivered and offering to produce not a few of good credit who could and would testifie what then he taught that would not be admitted London affirming that what had been enformed was averred by such as were able to conceive being learned and to understand aright what it was that he delivered and received it not by report from others but had been ear-witnesses of it themselves However at last to strike all dead sure subscription was tendered to him whereat they knew he would stick which because he professed that he could not condescend unto they inhibited him to preach any more at Chatham and having bound him to appear when he should be farther called upon for the present so dismissed him The next Lords day was one suborned in the habit of a traveller to repair early in the morning to Master Bradshaws lodging at Chatham who asking to speak with him pretended that he came on purpose out of his way to hear him and demanded of him whether he preached that day or no whereunto he answering that he did not being by authority inhibited he made shew of much sorrow as being frustrated of his expectation but he was descried to be no other then a Spie sent to found Master Bradshaw what he intended to do so greedy were they to have farther ensnared him if by any meanes they might The same day Master Bearblock was observed at Strowd as triumphing after a Victory atchieved against some great adversary to have appointed to be sung before his fore-noon-Sermon the former part of the 27. Psalm Those of Chatham much affected with the inhibition of their faithfull Teacher and grieved in their souls for the restraint of that precious food which they had formerly received from him were not backward to use what means they might for the taking off of the inhibition and removal of the restraint To this purpose a Supplication was framed in the Name of the Parishoners of Chatham unto the Bishop of Rochester their immediate Diocesan in these words Right Reverend Father and our very good Lord If we were not by manifold triall and long experience assured of the love that you bear and the care that you have over that flock which the Lord hath committed unto your charge we could not with so good hope and comfort as now
affairs but gave peremptory order that his beloved Mariamne should be put to death for this only reason because another should not enjoy so great a beauty So the Duke would not another should enjoy the great abilities of Doctor Preston but was resolved to break him if he could yet in a civil Court way But the Doctor was too knowing not to see this afar off Prov. 22.3 Quae alii levia faciunt diu patiendo ea sapiens diù cogitando and had accordingly provided a succession of reserves wherein to hide himself The first and surest was his conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world If a man be wellcome into his conscience he need not fear the stormes and blusters that he meets abroad In te recedas cum cogeris in turba esse When a man is forced to be where he would not as Peter was foretold he should be Joh. 21.18 yet he may in despite of them retire into himself Paul made it his businesse to have his conscience alwaies void of offence Act. 24.16 and so did Dr. Preston for though his actings being many of them above the common size were not alwaies understood and very often mis-interpreted yet he was innocent and upright alwaies in them An undeniable argument whereof was that he never sued for the least preferment as we have said but studied and often consulted how without breaking he might avoid them And though he lived like himself and gave relief to others yet it was ever of his own as very many yet alive can witness And indeed he was a man of very much Communion and sweet Society with God prayed much in private and by himself besides as Tutor with his Pupils and after as Master in his Family Whatever weakness he was in or business did occur kept many private daies of Fasting by himself especially before the Sacraments and Sabbath-daies and accordingly enjoyed a constant clearnesse and assurance of his Justification and interest in the blood of Christ even then when frailties and infirmities did most of all afflict and wound him He never that I know was troubled or perplexed about Adoption though very often about the imperfection of his graces and the unconstancy of Sanctification so as he studied most exactly that Treatise of the Saints Infirmities and there is nothing in all his works that may more properly be called his His next retreat was Lincolns-Inne for now he said the Duke was Chancellour and would endeavour to ingratiate himself and be a Benefactor and had bought Erpenius Manuscripts and did verily intend to found a Library and so it would be easie and in his power to out him of the Colledge and University For there was a resolution in some of the Fellows to petition the Duke without him and to annul the Statute of continuance or Commoration in the Colledge yet he conceived the Lawyers would pretend a kind of freedom and exemption For he saw when that holy blessed Dr. Sibbs was outed both of Fellowship and Lecture in the University yet by the goodnesse and prudence of Sir Henry Yelverton that constant Patron unto godly Ministers a vertue yet running in the veins of his posterity he was received and retained at Grayes-Inne unto his death therefore he would in no sort leave his title unto and interest in Lincolns-Inne but reserved it in his power unto his dying day But he knew Kings had long hands and that the Dukes were nothing shorter and that Lincolns-Inne though a great deal stronger and better built then Grayes-Inne yet would not hold out long in case the Duke should seriously beleagure it therefore he pondered of removing farther off if need were And having weighed all retreats resolved upon Basil in the Switzers Countrey as a place which the longest handed Kings had seldome touched even when it was a receptacle of their greatest enemies and therefore he resolved in case he could not be free in England to settle there and spend the residue of his surviving dayes in writing what he was not suffered to preach or had not published according to his mind He was naturally very affable and courteous unto strangers of any Countrey and by conversing much with them endeavoured to preserve his knowledge in the French and Italian languages But after he had thus resolved upon Basil he was very friendly to all he Germans that were dispersed from several Universities especially from the Palatinate for whom he procured several sorts of entertainments both in the Countrey abroad and in the University for which as he had very many Gratulatory Epistles from particular persons so one of note from the King of Bohemia under his Hand and Seal But he knew that these were but the Foxes earths that might successively be taken and possessed He therefore also thought upon that unum magnum of the Cat or rather of the Holy Ghost Prov. 18.10 the Name of the Lord that is the goodnesse mercy power of the mighty God where he was well assured he should for ever be free enough from Kings and Dukes Yet these did no way retard his industry in using means Obstructions quicked industrious and active minds but damp and clog the dull There is a Statesman of no mean esteem that writes professedly against the use of Cittadels and Forts because it makes the Souldier lesse resolved in engagements And the Spartans were forbidden to wall their City because it would incourage Cowardise But it did not take off Dr. Preston from his duty For finding that his standing at Court was untermined he resolved upon Buttresses to underprop him in the Countrey There was in the Countrey of Northampton a Gentleman of very able parts and clear affections to the publick good no stranger to the Court in former times nor to the Duke of Buckingham with whom the Doctor used to communicate affairs and who was then a Parliament man of much esteem to him the Doctor in a Letter discovers all shews him the hopelesse posture of the Duke how much they both were disappointed in him layes some directions what to do and urgeth activenesse This Letter by a sad misfortune was let fall by him that was intrusted to convey it about Temple-bar and handed from one to one untill it came to Sir Henry Spillers who having viewed and pondered the contents concluded it was a purchase that would ingratiate him unto the Duke and so immediately presents it to him The Duke was troubled to read his faults and face so shrewdly intimated and presaged His temper was exceeding good and he could mannage his affections many times with much serenity and moderation but now he was quite off and could not think of any thing but a revenge I have not known any thing so trouble and afflict the Doctor as this did that the Duke should have his hand against
him and that he had involved so good a man to whom he wrote But it pleased God to cut the Duke out other work for the cry of Rochel and the Protestants of France was so exceeding great and so much resented by the Parliament that the Duke resolves to vindicate his honour by relieving them And whilest he was busie to set that fleet out and furnish forces for surprizing the Isle of Rhees he could not undertake that work of revenge intended against Dr. Preston But the Doctor thought not that he had done enough unlesse he proclaimed in the Pulpit what he had often told the Duke in private according to that Command of Christ Mat. 6.27 What I tell you in darknesse that speak you in light and what you hear in the ear that preach on the house-tops As Chrysostome to his people Cum verum singuli audire non vultis publicè audietis When the French Match was concluded he preached that Sermon of the pillar and ground of truth against the mingling of Religions and mixing truth with falshood and shewed how impossible it was to mingle truth with errour or make up one Religion of theirs and ours For should they leave out any tenet of their Church it would follow that the Church in that before had erred and so that pillar would be overthrown on which have hanged so many necessary points of Popery Neither could we part with any one truth for Religion is of a brittle nature break it you may bend it you cannot It cannot be accommodated to respects of policy and interests of States and and Kingdomes but as Elements when mingled in a compound body do close their proper Formes So Religions when made ingredients and compounding parts of any other do lose their Formes and cease to be Religions in Gods account 2 Kings 17.33 34. Pillar and ground pag. 16. And when the Rochellers were in distresse and laid their ruine and disasters at our door fathered their losses and calamities on us he preached that Sermon of the new life where Page 48. we have these words We cannot stand alone what measure we mete to others in their distress men shall measure the same to us in our necessity Luk. 6.38 And how soon the fire may take here also we know not And pag. 52. If any be an impediment nay if any do not do their best I pronounce this in the Name of the most true God that shall make it good sooner or later that they and their houses shall perish Esth. 4.14 The Court was hood-wink't in all these Comminations for by Church they understood the Prelates and their Party and the King thought if he adhered to them and did their work he was absolved But those that read the Commentaries that have been written since in red letters will have occasion to believe the contrary And when the Duke was in the Isle of Rhees in which voyage he had engaged many of his very good Friends and much of the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdom the Doctor preached that Sermon called the Demonstration of the Deity where Page 81. ye have these words It is certain that evil is intended against us and will come upon us except something be done for to prevent it for there is a Covenant between God and us and breach of Covenant causeth a quarrel now the quarrel of God shall not go unrevenged Lev. 26.25 I will send a sword upon you which shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant Gods quarrels are not rash and passionate as mens are and therefore he will not lay them aside without some true and real satisfaction If we will not believe his Word yet will we not believe his Actions Are not our Allies wasted Are not many branches of the Church cut off already and more in hazard In a word have not our enterprizes been blasted and withered under our hands for the most part Have not things been long going down the hill and are even now hastning to a period This Sermon was preached to the King at Whitehall on the Lords day and on the Wednesday following the news came of the total routing of our Army in the Isle of Rhees which was such a ratification of his Prediction but the Sabbath day before as made many to believe he was a Prophet and they called him Micaiah because he seldome prophecied good unto them And Dr. Neal then Bishop of Winchester said That he talked like one that was familiar with God Almighty And they were the more affected with it because the Doctor had another course to preach before his moneth was out for every Chaplain was to preach twice once upon the Lords day and also upon the Tuesday but the Doctor was desirous to exchange his course upon the Tuesday for a Sabbath-day So Dr. Potter preached on the Tuesday and Dr. Preston was to preach upon the Lords day following and was resolved to proceed on the same text but to handle a point relating to the third verse For having shewed in this Sermon that things were not done by chance but by God he now resolved for to shew that God did things that men do not look for Which being known among the Bishops and they affrighted with that disaster at the Isle of Rhees they interceded with the Clerke of the Closet that seeing Dr. Prestons turn was past already and this was Dr. Pottors another might be put up and he deferred till another time which was consented and yeilded to and so upon the Friday before a Messenger was sent unto the Doctor to tell him that another was provided to preach for Dr. Potter and he might spare his pains The Dr. wondered at the Providence for he was resolved fully to have said that in that Sermon if he had been suffered that would in reason have deserved Micaiahs entertainment 1 Kings 22.27 but God was mercifull unto him and used his enemies as instruments to save him from the danger It would have damped some men to be thus refused He might have said with him Mat. 22.4 Behold I have prepared my Dinner my Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready But he considered what he had preached before That a Sparrow fell not to the ground without Gods will That his Will and Resolution for to sacrifice his all was now accepted as Abrahams was that his Sermon whilest an Embryo and only in intention had an efficacious operation upon the Auditory For as they had shewed and discovered their fears so good men did their joys and the Sermon was more talked of at Court and in the City then any Sermon that ever he had preached before For all men enquired what the Sermon was that Dr. Preston was not suffered to preach and many wise men were perswaded that it did more good then it would have done in case it had been preached So that in stead of being damped and dejected at the affront he was enlivened and encouraged Repulsus generoso
home and abroad so was he particular in minding his special Friends before the Lord and the spirituall welfare of his children was so much upon his heart that he daily desired to lodge them in Gods bosome yea he seldome gave thanks either before or after meat especially towards the end of his life without some touch of tendency towards his children in reference unto whom this was one constant Petition That they might never seek great things for themselves in this world And his own practice from his youth proved the sincerity of his heart in this suit because he never looked after nor would entertain any motion of removing for wealth or worldly promotion though his charge was great and his eminency both in ministerial and scholastical gifts with the power of godlinesse which did shine in his whole conversation gained him many Friends and rendred him in their account a man more meet for a place of publique note and resort then the village where he dwelt When the Prelatical opposition against the Non-conformists was hot and high he spake thus unto a Neighbour-Brother Be confident that although all who are now known Non-conformists were dead and gone yet God would rather raise some out of our ashes to protest against Episcopacy and the Ceremonies then suffer that cause to fall unto the ground He would say The Fathers wanted some of our light but we want more of their heat He was exemplarily carefull to preserve Gods Ordinances from pollution and contempt and therefore did alwaies take great pains with his people to prepare them for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper In his Sermons he was wont to tell his Auditours that their persecuting impoverishing imprisoning and thrusting daggers into their Ministers bodies would not be more grievous then their unworthy communicating at the Lords Table and their unanswerable walking unto the Ordinances of grace dispenced amongst them And when Parents presented their children in the Congregation to be baptized he would very affectionately lay open their duty pressing Sacramental ingagements home to their hearts with strong Arguments and authority ministerial Though no man was known by his Friends who more dis-relished the corruptions in Church-Government and in administrations of holy worship yet he hath sufficiently published unto the world his great dislike of the way of separation from our Church-Assemblies upon such pretences Thus he spake unto a Friend who had moved him to maintain our Church-communion against the Separatists How little am I beholding unto you who drew me from more profitable studies to peruse those sapless speculations He much lamented in his Prayers before God the first breakin gs out of Independency in England both in respect of the present offence and the wofull consequences thereof whereof he was much afraid yea he did very often tell his Friends both in the time of his health and last sicknesse that if God should give opportunity and hopes of Church-reformation that we might be eased of our present grievances the Brethren of the new separation would be found the greatest obstructers thereof His remembrance of the History of former Separations with which he was fully acquainted and his prudential fore-sight of the diducts which would necessarily follow from their Principles viz. Anabaptisme c. together with his wise insight into the dispositions of some persons who then appeared therein these were the grounds of his foretelling the confusions the spreading of pernicious errours and hinderances of Reformation which we since have sadly suffered under These Reasons of his Prediction which is noised abroad are expressed lest any should imagine him to have inclined to regard injections and impulsions of spirit which some cry up as prophetical His distaste whereof may be evidenced by this one instance viz. Being asked by one who much pretended unto immediate inspirations besides Scripture whether he at any time had experience thereof in his own heart His answer was this No I blesse God and if I should ever have such phantasies I hope God would give me grace to resist them When there was discourse concerning the new or rather the renewed errours which were broached he would ordinarily say A good Treatise of the sufficiency of the Scriptures would put an end unto these matters His exceeding love to study and his great modesty caused unwillingnesse to go far from home or to appear publique in any kind And if the extraordinary importunity of some much esteemed Friends had not conquered this aversnesse he would in probability never have printed any thing in his own name or have come into the company of persons of chief place and quality yea God was pleased in both these waies to make him serviceable For besides the profit which many have received from his printed Books he was happily instrumentall by conference to preserve some men of chief esteem in regard of their Piety Parts and places of command in the Countries where they lived from warping towards the waies of new separation upon the sollicitation of such who were busie sticklers therein Upon the calling of the Parliament in the year 1640. some hopes being conceived that he might be an instrument of publique benefit to the Church by dealing with some Parliament-men that if further Reformation of things wofully out of order could not be procured men unconformable to the Ceremonies might not be thrust out and kept out of the Ministry in that regard He thereupon took a journey into London with his neighbour and endeared Brother Master Langley but receiving small encouragement to his hopes and endeavours in that kind he returned home with sorrow upon his heart complaining of the many symptomes of Gods displeasure which he saw ready to break out against poor England and resolved to do what service he could in any other way And being convinced that his labours might be profitable to the Church both in the present and succeeding ages he was resolved to lay forth himself for publique service in any kind as his good Friends should advise and in pursuance hereof he designed these three works viz. 1. A Treatise of the Church 2. An Exposition of obscure Scriptures out of all the original Languages 3. A more full Systeme of Divinity by the enlarging of his Catechism For all which he had much good Provision under hand when the Lord saw cause to put an end to his labours And here all those must silence their hearts who knowing him may be apt to judge his removall at this time to be unseasonable with these words which were much in his mouth when God checked hopes by crosse Providences The Lord is wisest God is most wise Many conflicts he had with men of greatest strength as was imagined to maintain the new pathes into which divers had stepped aside But the truth is never was any of them able to stand up under his Arguments Though God was pleased to take him away whom some in scorn called
but being taken with a suddain disease he died Feb. 14. 1571. not without the suspition of poyson and was buried at Canterbury being about fifty years old He was a man of rare courage candor and faithfulnesse of a sharp judgment so that few were to be compared with him in managing great affairs Guillin his Chamberlain poysoned him with an Apple at the instigation of the Queen-Mother as he confessed at the time of his death when afterwards he was taken as a Spy at Rochel for which he was hanged But all this while the Duke of Anjou was a great enemy to the Protestants and boasted every where of his Victories against them yet the King did what he could to perswade the Queen of Navarr and the Admirall of his great good will towards them that they might be induced the more to confide in him Notwithstanding which the Papists in some places made slaughters of the Protestants As in Orenge whither all the Inhabitants returned who had been driven away in the time of the late Warres the Popish Souldiers made an assault upon them and slew them without regard of age or sex Also in Roan and other places they were slain in great number by the Popish rabble Whereupon the Queen of Navarr the Princes and other Protestant Nobles sent to the King to complain of the violation of the Edict and to require satisfaction for the same The King entertained them kindly protested that these things were done to his great grief and that he would so punish the Authors of these mischiefs as should be for the terrour of others Not long after viz. Anno Christi 1571. the King wrote very flattering Letters to the Admirall giving him very honourable tearmes inviting him to his Court at Blesa intreating him that he would be an instrument of concluding a Marriage between Henry Prince of Navarr and his Sister Margaret and to prevail the more with him he sent him word by his Messengers that no surer way could be found out for establishing the publique Peace of the Kingdom and for uniting all sorts of persons then by this Marriage And the better to delude him the Guises seemed to be every day lesse welcome to him then other and Monmorency the Admirals Sisters Son was used very familiarly by the King who often protested to him his good will towards the Admirall communicated to him the counsels of his greatest affairs for the managing whereof he told him that he had need of the Admirall for to be his Captain and Minister The Queen-Mother also according to her manner protested that she liked nothing better then that a certain Peace should be confirmed upon equal conditions the memory of former matters being blotted out By these means the Admirall was drawn to the Court where he was intertained extraordinary lovingly even beyond expectation so that when he fell down on his knees to do reverence the King took him up calling him his Father saying often and openly that a more desired day never shone unto him then that wherein he saw an end put to the Warre and a firm Peace setled in the whole Kingdom by his presence adding with a smiling countenance Now we have you with us you shall never depart from our side hereafter He was intertained with the same serenity of countenance by the Queen-Mother the Duke of Anjou but especially by the Duke of Alanson who much favoured him The King also seconded his words with deeds causing one hundred thousand Crowns to be paid him out of his Treasury for his private losses in the last Warres he gave him also the Revenues of the Cardinall his Brother which were very great for one year and also the furniture and houshold stuff of the said Cardinall A few daies after the Admirals return from the Court the young Duke of Guise by the instigation of the Cardinall of Lorraine his Uncle would have put in a new complaint against the Admirall for the death of his Father but the King interposing his Authority drew up a form of agreement which he made both of them to set their Seals to and to take their oaths for the keeping of it notwithstanding which the Duke of Guise shortly after entered Paris accompanied with many armed men which the Admirall hearing of being then at his House at Castellion he moved the King by his Son-in-law Monsieur Teligni that he might have leave to keep a small Guard for his own safety Whereupon the King wrote to him with his own hand and sent his Letter by Bricmald a man of great esteem for his vertue the tenour where of was this That it was most acceptable to him that the Admirall should be exceeding cautious and carefull of his own safety and therefore he gave him power to fortifie his Castle and to raise as great a Guard as he pleased desiring him to be confident without doubting of his good will towards him and that he would be as carefull of his safety as a Father of his Childes These Letters with many such like expressions of love being written with the Kings own hand many read with great delight and were now throughly perswaded that they ought no longer to doubt of the Kings good will and sincere affections to the Admirall Hereupon Count Lodwick of Nassaw whom we mentioned before thinking this a fit time and being secretly invited to the Court moved the King in the name of his Brother the Prince of Orenge for assistance telling him that there were many Cities in the Low Countries that being oppressed and tired out with the lust covetousnesse and cruelty of the Spaniards would willingly surrender themselves into his hands And after a few daies spent in debate about this businesse the King faithfully promised Count Lodwick that very shortly he would send a great Army under the command of the Admirall thither and it was further agreed upon betwixt them that if they succeeded in that War the King of France should have all the Countrey from Antwerp to Picardy and that the Prince of Orenge should have Holland Zeland and Frisland About this very time Letters were intercepted and sent to the Admirall written from the Cardinall Peleus to the Cardinall of Lorrain to this purpose That the King was never better affected then now and therefore because of his good affections together with the Queen-Mothers and the Duke of Anjou's he hoped there would be good issue of those affairs which were resolved on in the common Councel That the King at the Admirals coming to Court had carried himself more politickly then they could have expected whereupon the King believed that he had taken away all suspition from the Admirall and had left him no occasion of doubting of his love and good will towards him which Lorrain knew to be the basis by their joynt consent upon which their future proceedings did depend That some speech was indeed raised about warring upon the King
those that were stout of hand to lodge about him Now it was observed that armed men rambled up and down in the City every where and about the Louure also that the common people grumbled and gave forth threatning speeches The Admirall being informed of these things sent one to the King to tell him of it The King answered that there was no cause why Coligni should be affraid for that these things were done by his command to represse the motions of the people who were stirred up by the Guises and therefore bad him to rest assured It was also told Teligni that Porters were seen carrying Arms into the Louure but he slighted it saying that these were unnecessary suspitions the Arms being carried in for the winning of a Castle in the Louure that was built for sport Presently the Duke of Guise to whom the charge was chiefly committed to see the businesse executed calling together the Captains of the Popish Swissers and the Tribunes of the French bands late in the night he discovered to them what the will of the King was that the hour was come wherein by the Kings commandement punishments should be inflicted on the head and by consequence upon the whole faction of the Rebels that the beast was caught and entangled in the net and therefore they must do their endeavoer that he might not escape Be not therefore said he wanting to so fit an occasion of carrying home a most glorious triumph over the enemies of the Kingdom the victory is easie the spoils will be rich and great which you may obtain as the rewards of your good service without shedding your own blood Then were the Swissers placed about the Louure unto whom certain bands of French men were added and charge was given them that they should suffer none of the King of Navarrs nor of the Prince of Conde's men to come forth Cossen also was charged with his Harquibushiers to suffer none to come out of the Admirals house That evening Guercius with some others had profered Teligni to keep guard in the Admirals house suspecting danger but he told them that there was no need for them so to trouble themselves and so with gracious words dismissed them by which means it came to passe that none lodged in the Admirals house but Cornaton Labonnius Yolett the Master of his Horse Merlin his Chaplain Paraeus the Kings Chyrurgeon and some four or five Servants Teligni was gone to the next house where he lay with his Wife In the Admirals Court were the five Swissers whom the King of Navarr had sent him Then did the Duke of Guise send for John Caronius lately made Provost of Merchants whom he commanded to signifie to the Aldermen that they should bid those in their severall Wards to appear in Arms at the Town-house about midnight to understand the Kings pleasure He commanded also Macellus who was very gracious with the people to signifie to them that liberty was given them from the King to take arms to destroy Coligni and all the other Rebels that therefore they should see diligently that they spared none nor suffered them any where to be concealed That order should be taken to do the like in all other Cities of the Kingdom who would follow the example of Paris That the sign for the beginning the assualt should be the ringing of the little Bell in the Palace That the sign whereby they should know one another should be a white handkerchief about their left arm or a white crosse in their hats That therefore they should come armed in good numbers and with good courages taking care to have candles lighted in their windows that no tumult might arise before the sign was given And thus the Duke of Guise and the bastard of Engolisme did all they could that things might be effected according to the agreement At midnight the Queen-Mother fearing the Kings wavering who was somewhat startled at the horridnesse of the fact reproved him for it saying that by his delaies he would overslip so fair an occasion offered by God for the utter vanquishing of his enemies The King being netled with this which seemed to charge him with cowardlinesse commanded the matter to be put in execution which word the Queen-Mother speedily taking hold of caused the little Bell to be rung in St. Germanes Church about an hour before day Aug. 24. being St. Bartholmews day and on a Sabbath Presently the Duke of Guise with Engolisme and d' Aumal went to the Admirals house where Cossen watched and a noise being raised the Admirall was awakned with it and heard of a sedition yet rested secure relying upon the Kings word and favour But the tumult growing greater when he perceived a Gun to be discharged in his Court he then conjectured though too late that which was the truth and so rising out of his bed and putting on his night-gown he stood and prayed against the wall Then came a servant to Labonnius and told him that there was one at the door who by the command of the King desired to be brought to the Admirall Labonnius therefore taking the keys ran down and opened the door then did Cossen catch at him and stabbed him with his dagger and so with his Harquebushiers he set upon the rest killing some and chasing away others Thus all things were filled with noise and another door at the stair foot was easily broken open and one of the five Swissers sent by the King of Navarr was slain yet were the stairs so barricado'd with chests that he could not presently enter In the mean time Monsieur Merlin went to prayer with the Admirall and the rest and at the end thereof a servant coming in said to the Admirall Master It is God who calleth us to himself they have broken into the house neither is there any ability to resist Then said the Admirall I have prepared my self for death a good while ago shift you for yourselves if possibly you can for your endeavour to help me would be in vain I commend my soul into Gods hand It was observed that the Admirals countenance was no more troubled then if no danger were at hand Thuanus relates his words thus I perceive what is in doing I was never afraid of death and I am ready to undergo it patiently for which I have long since prepared my self I bless God that I shall die in the Lord through whose grace I am elected to an hope of everlasting life I now need no longer any help of man You therefore my Friends get ye hence so soon as ye can lest ye be involved in my calamity and your Wives hereafter say that I was the cause of your destruction The presence of God to whose goodness I commend my soul which will presently fly out of my body is aboundantly sufficient for me Then all his company gat up into an upper room and crept out at a window upon the tiles and by the
of the Queen and State wrote to Master Cartwright earnestly requesting him to undertake the work assuring him also of such aid as should further him in the finishing thereof for which end he sent him one hundred pounds towards the charges of buying Books and procuring Writers which were to be employed by him therein This was Anno 1583. The same year also he was earnestly sollicited by the most learned men of the University of Cambridge by a solemn Epistle with joynt consent written to him to undertake the answer wherein amongst other passages they have these expressions With you we are earnest most Reverend Cartwright that you would set your self against the unhallowed endeavours of these mischievous men either by refuting the whole Book or at least some part thereof It is not for every man Work-man-like to frame Gods Tabernacle but for Bazaleel and Aholiab neither is every one rashly to be thrust forth into the Lords battels but such Captains are to be chosen from amongst Davids Worthies Of which as we acknowledge you to be one by the former battels undergone for the wals of our City the Church we doubt not if you will enter this War which truly you ought to 〈◊〉 according to the Zeal and Piety you bear to your Countrey and Religion but that you fighting for Conscience and Countrey yea even for the very inmost holy place of the Temple will be able to tread underfoot the forces of the Jebusites which set themselves to assault the Tower of David Moreover which may marvellously sharpen the edge of your courage you are not now to fight with a Brother or fellow of the same Religion which maketh the Conflict more faint but with the most inveterate enemies of Jesus Christ c. Then they thus conclude You see to what an honourable fight we invite you Christs business shall be undertaken against Satans Champions We stir you up to fight the battels of our Lord where the Victory is certain which the triumph and applause of the Angels will ensue Our Prayers shall never be wanting unto you Christ without doubt whose cause is defended will be preset with you The Lord Jesus much increase your courage and strength and keep you very long in safety for his Churches good Vale. This was subscribed by Roger Goad William Whittaker Thomas Crook John Ireton William Fulk John Field Nicholas Crane Giles Seintler Richard Gardener William Charke c. But besides these the Reverend Ministers of London and Suffolk did by their several letters earnestly exhort him to this work and Master Cartwright was at last by these importunities drawn to undertake it and neither diligence nor constancy was wanting in him to have carried it on to perfection but he met with such great discouragements and hinderances from Potent Adversaries that he was forced often to lay pen aside yea Arch-Bishop Whitgift sent him a positive command that he should deal no further in it yet afterwards by an Earl and privy Counsellor of great note and some other noble Personages he was at last drawn to take pen in hand again But receiving new discouragements and having such continual employment in the Ministry he lived not to perfect that work Whilst he was at Warwick being silenced by the Bishops he was requested by the Lord Zouch Governour of Gernsey to go with him into that Island with whom he continued some time and in the mean space he substituted one Master Lord a godly and holy Minister then living at Woolstone in his room at the Hospital in Warwick allowing him the greatest part of the profits of the place during his abode there and the rest he caused to be distributed amongst the poor He was far from seeking after great places or great things in the world and for riches he sought them not yea he rejected many opportunities whereby he might have enriched himself His usual manner was when he had good summes of gold sent him to take only one piece lest he should seem to slight his Friends kindnesse and to send back the rest with a thankfull acknowledgement of their love and his acceptance of it professing that for that condition wherein God had set him he was as well furnished as they for their high and great places His manner was not to keep any more money in his purse but what might serve for charitable uses He was very bountifull to poor Schollers He distributed money every Sabbath-day amongst the poor of the Town of Warwick besides what he gave to the Prisoners and upon other occasions both at home and abroad For his Houshold affairs he never troubled himself with them but wholly left them to be ordered and managed by the Prudence of his Wife He was very carefull to regulate and order the businesses of the Hospital for the best advantage of the poor Brethren He continued his diligence and assiduity in his studies even in his old age and his usual manner was to rise at two three and four a clock in the morning at the latest both summer and winter notwithstanding that his bodily infirmities were such that he was forced to study continually kneeling upon his knees He was of a very meek and quiet spirit as appears in those conflicts which he had with Doctor Whitgift and Doctor Sutcliffe wherein he used soft words and hard arguments he could not endure so much as in private to hear his adversaries reproached and if any in his presence used disgracefull speeches of them he would sharply reprove them for it saying That it 's a Christians duty to pray for and not to reproach his adversaries and when Martin Mar-Prelates Book came forth he shewed much dislike of the Satyrical and tart language used therein He was also very humble not enduring to hear any thing spoken in his own commendation or any titles given him which in the least measure savoured of ambition He affected not popularity but avoided it as much as possibly he could Indeed all his ambition was to advance the Kingdom and cause of our Lord Jesus Christ and to promote Gods glory It was the great joy and rejoycing of his heart to hear of the welfare and prosperity of the Churches at home and abroad for this he earnestly and daily prayed and when he heard any ill tydings with Nehemiah he sate down and mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven so that all that conversed with him might easily discern that nothing did affect him in any degree like the good or ill tydings of the Churches state He was frequent in Prayer every day and in his younger years hath risen many times in the night to seek our private places to pray in And as his labours were very great in the work of the Ministry so it pleased the Lord to make them very successefull for the conversion and confirmation of many and for terrour and restraint
Some years before that right Honourable and thrice Noble Lady Frances Sidney Countesse of Sussex had by her last Will and Testament given order for the erecting and endowing of a Colledge in Cambridge to be furnished with a certain number of Fellows and Scholars under one Master or Head The Colledge was now in building by the provision of the Right Honourable the Earl of Kent and Sir John Harrington instructed by her for the performance of that work and Master James Mountague Sonne to Sir Edward Mountague then living as Fellow-Commoner but Student in Divinity among the Fellows of Christs Colledge was designed for Master With him dealt Master Chaderton in Master Bradshaws behalf To have him set down for a Fellows place there which through his Mediation was from those Noble Trustees without difficulty obtained But because some space of time would runne out ere the building of the Colledge could be consummated and made fit for receipt it was thought good in the interim to dispose of Mr. Bradshaw for some imployment elsewhere untill he might be setled there It fell out God so disposing it that Sir Thomas Leighton Governour of Guernsey wanting one to be imployed about the instruction and education of his children and having requested that worthy servant of Christ Master Cartwright abiding then at Cornet-Castle with him to write unto Master Chaderton to furnish them with one fit for such a charge this Letter of Master Cartwrights arrived with Master Chaderton in that juncture of time wherein he and Master Montague had this businesse in agitation about Master Bradshaw and the matter being by them broken to him who referred himself wholly to what they should advise it was joyntly agreed that Master Bradshaw should be sent or lent rather unto them to undertake that charge and continue in the discharge of it untill the Colledge building were compleated wherein upon return thence he was then to reside Thither therefore long without delay being furnished with Letters of recommendation from those here to them there he addressed himself and through Gods goodnesse arriving safe there was with all kinde and courteous entertainment by them received By this occasion he became throughly known to and inwardly acquainted with Master Cartwright who highly esteemed of him renewed or pursued rather his acquaintance with him after both Master Bradshaws and his own return also into England as may appear by entercourse of Letters yet to be seen written by him to Master Bradshaw while he stayed behind him in Guernsey and from Warwick also after his departure from thence and to his dying day continued expressions of entire affection to him and due respect of him as also both before and after his decease his Children both Sonne and Daughters and those that they were matched unto rnd his Widow also did And indeed such was his demeanure wheresoever he came that he left behind him a gratefull memory of him in the hearts and minds of all well affected that had occasion to take notice of it not unlike therein to musk or civet that leave a sweet sent behind them even for a long time after they be gone in the boxes wherein they were formerly kept the which continued after his departure thence not among the French Ministers alone in that Island but among such also of the old Garrison Souldiers on whom Master Cartwrights Ministry had had some efficacious and gracious work Who as Sir Peter Osburn who had afterward the government of that place hath been heard to relate would be oft talking of one Master Bradshaw that had lived sometime there and speak with much affection of him But for his constant carriage during his abode there his piety industry integrity fidelity in discharge of the trust reposed in him and charge committed to him together with his course of life and conversation otherwise unreproveable as also the love and affection to him earnest desire if it might have been of his continuance with them and loathnesse to leave him with these who were after some time spent among them there then to part with him all these things will by no meanes better appear then by the Letters of that sincere Servant of God and constant Champion of Christ Master Thomas Cartwright of holy memory and the relations concerning him therein contained being written and directed to divers in these parts either neer upon or at Master Bradshaws departure from thence Among others in one to Sir Francis Hastings of September the fifth 1598. wherein he assures him of his diligence in following his studies and of his sharp and ready capacity likely through Gods blessing to bring forth such fruit of learning as he might have good cause to rejoyce over any cost that he had been at with him or should farther bestow that way on him as also of his love to the best things and his conversation in the Family without reproach for ought he could learn having had an eye constantly on him In another to Master Chaderton of December the fifth the time it seems of his departure thence wherein he thankfully acknowledgeth the great benefit they had received by Master Bradshaw procured by him to take so long and painfull a journey to them and his wise and loving care in so good provision for them returning thanks also to him from Sir Thomas Leyghton the Governour and his Honourable Lady for him and withall requesting him that they may once again taste of his accustomed love and care in that kind And in another yet more fully of the same date to Master Mountague in these words The Law commandeth that of things borrowed great care should be had for the well usage and due restoring of them Both which we have endeavoured in Master Bradshaw But the full performance must rest rather in yours and his acceptation then in pay For as touching the former of them his desert of care to profit those committed to his charge and his Behaviour otherwise in the house hath been more then every one is able to esteem and therefore in all respects not so fit to reward For the other unless unwilling parting with him on all hands be against duty you shall we hope in the Lord have him duly restored Out of all doubt with all thankfulness to your Worship by whose kindness both we have enjoyed him some good time sithence you of right might have taken him away and he hath received a supply of recompence for that we were not able to make good unto him And so with hearty thanks and commendations from the Governour and his Honourable Lady and my humble thanks for your love and this fruit I have received thereof by Master Bradshaw I commend you to the gracious keeping and blessing of God in Jesus Christ. Unto this Letter Master Mountague now Master of the Colledge upon Master Bradshaws access thither returneth answer both thanking him for the remitting of him to them so that on no side thanks for him were
wanting so well was he esteemed of on either part and withall advertising him of a very great danger and no lesse deliverance that neer unto his journeys end had betided him Whereunto Master Cartwright in a Letter of March 7. the same year thus replieth Sir It cometh from the abundance of your love to thank me for that which duty it self required at my hands towards Master Bradshaw and therefore the thanks are returned unto you who esteem so highly of duty as to let it go in the account of a Benefit or good turn My hope is the same with yours that the Lord who by deliverance of him from so great a death bindeth him to a straighter obedience hath set such an impression of it in his mind as will be in stead of a watch to waken him every morning to all cheerfull service which his place will require And indeed the Letter he wrote of that matter carrieth that sound and even undertakes so much in his behalf And in one to Master Bradshaw himself after receipt of that from him touched upon in the close foregoing That the Lord our most mercifull Father delivered you from so great a death it pledges unto you deliverances hereafter especially if they be inferiour to this So much the rather as the swimmer sunk like a piece of lead and he that could no more swim then the Iron-head of the Scholars hatchet was graciously born up and therefore by how much the Proverb is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by so much we have cause to praise God that by the Angel of the waters saved you And withall you may help to incourage others against the excessive fear of drowning in passing the Seas Seeing it was more safe to you to passe the winter-Seas even when they rage most then the small brook of Hawston Mills I remembred you to Sir Thomas and my Lady who told me that if any entertainment would have holden you they would not have suffered you to have gone from them and rejoyced much at your gracious escape Subscribed Your assured loving Brother and Fried Thomas Cartwright The Escape in those Letters mentioned was this Master Bradshaw being to leave Guernsey shipped himself for England Nor was his passage by Sea wholly free from hazard for with so violent a storm were they surprized at Sea that the Passengers most of them expected nothing but wrack and a Gentlewoman among them with another whom she much affected attending upon her did in a cord by the waste fasten themselves either to other that they might perish together and draw their last breath or breath it out rather in the mutuall embraces either of other But that storm being allaied and the danger of it over and the Ship with her Passengers now arrived in safety Master Bradshaw having attained London did there hire a Hackney such as are commonly used on that Road to convey him to Cambridge there to enter upon the Fellowship prepared for him and assigned unto him by help of which Beast he got so far on his way in safety that he was now within three miles of his journeys end But danger oft lieth in wait for us where we least of all either expect or suspect it and then many times overtakes and surprizeth us unawares when we deem our selves wholly past danger and are neer approaching our intended much desired and now fully expected Port and have alwaies need therefore both of an eye of Providence constantly on us and of an hand of protection continually over us For being there to passe a small Brook crossing the road near to a Village called Hawston and the Water-mills seated on it thence Hawston Mills he that had escaped so eminent and apparent a danger at Sea lighten on and fell into that unexpectedly that proved much more hazardous on land where no appearance was of ought in that kind for being unacquainted with the course of the stream otherwise passed ordinarily and that daily without danger and having not fetched a compasse far enough as he ought to have done the Beast that bare him plunged suddainly into the Mill-pond or pit and being not able to recover it self therein perished and there left him floating in a strong vertiginous current unskilfull in swimming nor had any such skill in likelihood been available in such a case to have saved him and altogether unable to shift for himself where he must of necessity have gone the same way with the Beast had not either some one occasionally looking out of the Mill or some Passenger on the way espying one floating in that manner and at the very pinch of perishing called hastily on the Miller or those next at hand to let slip down the Flood-gates by means whereof the stiffe current of the water-course was stayed and this Servant of God though not without much difficulty rescued out of the water and delivered unexpectedly out of that his in a manner even desperate distresse And it may indeed justly be deemed a wonder of wonders in regard whereof that venerable Minister of Christ before-mentioned seems to have apprehended the ministry of an Angel used in it that he was not suddainly in an instant either swallowed up in that whirling gulf or hurried away with the violent course of the current and that he should bear up and keep above water so long in a place of that nature For he hath been heard to relate that while he continued thus floating and strugling with that wheeling surface it troubled him not a little that he could not addresse himself as he desired to prepare for his departure though having nothing but death in his eye while his ear was taken up with the voice of some talking in the Mill from whom he supposed yet some help might come though neither was he able to call unto them nor they to hear him Thus even Gods Children themselves find a defect oft in themselves that they cannot with such an exact composure of spirit in times of distress address themselves unto God untill he have pulled away all outward prosperity as well hopes as helps from them But being by a special Providence of God thus recovered and as another Moses drawn out of the water and brought into the Millers house he was there shifted and put into such dry apparell as the Miller himself used to wear in which garb when some of his acquaintance found him who upon tydings of of this occurrent came posting over to him from Cambridge they could not forbear smiling to see him sitting in that habit though not a little affected with the casualty occasioning it and no lesse heartily gladned for the gracious issue that God hath pleased to afford it and expressing much thankfulnesse for his mercy and goodnesse therein manifested The Lord it may seem would hereby fit this his servant reserved to other hot and hazardous services unto a farther and firmer dependance in and under them upon him But thus his Horse lost which
we do become Petitioners unto your Lordship in the behalf of our too much wronged Preacher Master Bradshaw Unto whom in sincrity of a good conscience we do voluntarily yeeld this testimony that he is a man so farre in every respect from desert of those misreports wherewith his causelesse adversaries have endeavoured to incense your good Lordship against him as his accusers have been from the remembrance of that duty which they ought to bear to your Lordship whom they have abused with sinister and unjust informations his Doctrine alwaies holy wholesome true and learned utterly void of faction and contention his life so throughly garnished with unblemished vertues and graces as malice it self cannot reprove or suspect him directing all his labours only to the beating down of sin and wickednesse the comfort of the faithfull and the instruction of the ignorant without intermedling at any time with the needlesse and conceited controversies of this factious age May it therefore please your good Lordship with favour according to your wonted goodnesse so to tender this your little poor flock of Chatham as to restore unto us our vertuous and faithfull Teacher lest otherwise we be as sheep without a Shepherd Which being obtained we your humble Suppliants will account it so great a blessing of God from the hands of your Reverend Fatherhood as that we shall hold our selves bound faithfully to pray unto the Almighty for your good Lordships endless prosperity This their Petition after their own frame conceived is the rather here inserted to shew their reverend estimation of Master Bradshaw and their earnest desire to have retained him still with them But the business was in higher hands London was the man that must do it if ought were done With whom Master Chaderton going up to London upon occasion of some Colledge-affairs promised to deal in Master Bradshaws behalf and in likelihood did but as appeared without success Thus was this blessed Servant of God tossed to and fro and could not be suffered to abide long in any place though a man of peaceable carriage a most meek and humble spirit and a kinde and loving disposition But Gods pious providence over his and gracious provision for them never faileth He is oft working for them when they least see it and where or whence they least look for it He was then preparing a retiring and resting place for him when he seemed to be now utterly out of hope of any For being now driven from Chatham he came up to London whence after some short stay with a Friend having at present no employment he thought good to look down into Leicestershire to visit his Friends there And he indeed intended the journey only as a visit howsoever the Lord in his hidden disposal unknown unto him had a farther aim in it then he was then aware of as by the event appeared and he afterward took speciall notice of and did thankfully acknowledge For upon his coming down into those parts by the good hand of God using that his worthy servant of blessed memony Master Arthur Hildersham as formerly sometime so now again as an instrument therein he was brought into some notice with and commended unto one Master Alexander Redich a religious Gentleman then residing at Newhall an house of note situate neer to Burton upon Trent in the confines of Darbyshire Leicestershire and Staffordshire He not only received him into his house but obtained also for him from the then Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield being a moderate man a Licence to preach in any part of his Diocess which favour and liberty being by a Present of Venison at first procured and afterward maintained by a yearly gratuity of a brace of Bucks out of the Gentlemans Park Master Bradshaw without any interruption enjoyed in those parts during that Bishops life yea and after too without any trouble a light and short storm only excepted and that soon again laid the year before his decease whereof somewhat hereafter unto the time of his releasement For his entertainment there though the means allowed him were very small in regard that the Gentlemans estate was much encombred and he by reason thereof disabled to do what he otherwise desired the Lady Ferrers his Wives Mother yet surviving who had an estate for life in that part of the Land which was to come to his Wife whereon he then resided nor in regard of Religion for a strong and zealous Papist she was so well-affected towards them being forward another way and some other part of it by concealment of some Evidences being wrongfully detained from him as in process of time upon discovery thereof did evidently appear Yet the small pittance that was allowed him together with their kind carriage toward him and the loving affection to him that he found generally in the Family did give him very good content For in a Letter to an inward Friend he professeth that he found both the Gentleman and his Wife very tender-hearted and sincerely Religious so kind unto him as his heart could not desire more and that in gifts they were otherwise beneficial unto him and the truth is saith he for you have his own words it is impossible to find more love in a place then I do find more and more both of great and small in the House so that the Lord I see hath not clean forsaken me And in another to the same party Never let your mind be troubled about the smallnesse of my Maintenance it is more then he from whom it cometh can well spare yet as much as my labours upon them deserve and more then many of my betters have To adde hereunto some farther matter of encouragement and contentment he withall signifieth that the Lord had blest him there with a most kind neighbour abiding in a house not far from thence with the Lord Paget a young man of Oxford and a Londoner by birth one Master Hassal a man of very rare parts for all kind of learning of most prompt and ready speech and of a very courteous and affable disposition With him he entertained familiarity and maintained a good correspondence while they abode so neer together For he was not nice to imbrace acquaintance with any moderate man of endowments especially and very forward to take notice of the good parts of others and to set them out as occasion was offered to the utmost so far was he from that malevolent humour so rife with too many in these times of extenuating or blurring the endowments and abilities of others such especially as do not in every particular conceit though but groundlessely oft fancied comply with themselves as also together with his ingenuous composure of spirit his pious disposition may herein be observed in taking notice of and acknowledging a passage of divine providence in every accommodation that might any way or in any measure improve the comfort of his present condition But that the great moderation
were checked and threatned that suffered it upon his non-appearance he proceeded so far as to send out an Excommunication against him which he for the mistake before-mentioned little regarded only by advice for some time kept out of the way untill the Bishops translation or evection rather unto the lofty pitch of his Primacy which shortly after did ensue During his stay in these parts looking down to Chatham he there consummated that businesse which hitherto had been delayed And in regard that Master Redich with his Wife and retinue were by reason of his urgent affairs in divers kinds likely to continue for a longer space of time in the City then at first was expected Master Bradshaw having brought up his Wife with him from Chatham did for a while board her with a sister of hers before married and seated in the City and afterward took part of a tenement for himself and her who being a woman that affected employment for their better support taught there a few Scholers Much about this time by occasion of that formall conference acted and transacted at Hampton-Court wherein some of our chief Prelates endeavoured to possesse the Kings Majesty with a prejudice against those that made suit for a Reformation of things amisse in Church-affairs his disaffection to whom he had himself also in some writing of his partly discovered already and to perswade him that for Ecclesiastical affairs all things were so well setled that no Reformation needed but some strict injunction only of a precise conformity unto and constant observation of things already established which began thereupon in many places with much vigor to be pressed It came to passe that many Books came abroad being privately printed wherein divers godly Ministers who were of a contrary judgment declared their grievances laid down their exceptions set forth their grounds of dissent and returned answer to the Arguments produced and urged against them to induce them to Conformity For Books of this nature search was made in the City for one more especially among the rest that had it seems given our great Clergy-Masters most offence and Master Bradshaw being known to abide then in the City a man in much suspition with them two Pursuivants accompanied with Master Norton the Kings Printer were sent with Commission to search his house both for it and him Whither accordingly repairing but not finding him at home they enforced his Wife to open his Closet or Study the Chests Trunks Boxes and Presses to make search for such Books but found nothing For the truth is and there was a good Providence of God in it after that Master Bradshaw was that morning gone out not above half an hour before that this business fell out his Wife looking into his Study and seeing some of those Books there to prevent future danger which yet she then little deemed or dreamed to be so near at hand as it proved to be afterward had taken them out from thence and cast them into a hole between two Chimneys where being covered over with old besomes they remained undiscovered But howsoever they could meet with nothing of that which they looked for yet on his Wife they seized who would rather have had him her they took and led unto Doctors Commons where having presented her before Doctor Stanhop Doctor White and a third party whom she knew not a number sufficient to make up a compleat High Commission Court they examined her yet without oath first Where her Husband was whereunto she answered she knew not then What meanes of Maintenance she had and from whom to which she made answer that she gat her living by her work and teaching of a few young Children after that What Children she had she told them none yet but one she hoped in her belly being then great with Child which was her first-born Sonne now a Minister of the Gospel afterward born in that House they then dwelt in in Thred-needle-street and baptized in the Church near thereto adjoyning where the Minister of the place somewhat thick of hearing by a mistake instead of Jonathan naming him John which name therefore he bare afterward and doth to this day But after divers such questions to little purpose propounded and answered in conclusion they told her that they knew well enough that the Book they then searched for was none of her Husbands making though he might have a hand in the venting of it and withall that if they had been disposed they could have had him for all his keeping in a Lancashire Gentlemans house So they termed Master Redich because his own Lands of Inheritance lay in those parts Thus hauing parlied with her they dismissed her not suffering those greedy Harpyes the Pursuivants who were eager upon her for their fees to exact ought from her only binding her at a daies warning to appear again before them Thus through Gods goodness and watchfull eye over his Servant too regardlesse in some sort of his own safety having escaped the snare that was set for him he returned after some space of time Master Rediches main businesses being now dispatched together with him and his unto their former place of abode at Newhall taking his Wife and little one together also along with him Being there arrived the Gentleman both enlarged his maintenance and assigned him and his Wife certain Chambers in his own House conveniently furnished as also herbage in the Park for a certain number of Kine and of Swine and some Poultry together with a convenient room for a Dary wherein she might exercise her huswifery which she very well could do and accordingly did Now while they thus lived together in Master Rediches House Master Bradshaw went on cheerfully in his wonted course both of private exercises for the instruction of the Family and of publick employment on the Lords day for the benefit of others also abroad But the old Lady Ferrers Mistresse Rediches Mother a woman of a great spirit and a resolute Papist though not an absolute professed Recusant could by no means brook Master Bradshaw and the lesse now because married and for that he had brought his Wife also to live with him in House with them yea she had conceived such an extream hatred against him professing to hate him above any man in the world that she had made a vow that she would never set her feet in the house where he was and it was therefore feared not without some just ground of suspition that the Family might from her fare the worse for him But the hearts of all men and women also are in Gods hand and he can wind and turn them which way he will and when a mans waies do please the Lord he can if he see it good yea doth oft when he seeth it will be for the good of his make of his utter foes his Friends And even so fell it out here For the Lady notwithstanding this her extream disaffection so deeply
restlesse condition and to translate him hence to a place of endlesse rest and peace never to be interrupted again the force of the disease within the space of a few daies fretted asunder those bands that kept soul and body together and leaving the one behind to be laid up in the bowels of that element whence it had its first original set the other at full liberty to return unto him from whom alone it immediately received its existence at first During the short time of his sickness wherein yet through Gods goodnesse he continued free from any notable sense of pain and was accompanied with much freedom of mind and memory he had his heart and tongue in meditation set wholly upon God acknowledging his special favour and goodnesse unto him who had so far forth vouchsafed to cast a gracious eye upon him so vile and loathsome a creature while he yet continued in his native condition as to give him an interest by Faith in his Christ yea so farre farther to grace so unworthy a wretch as to call him to be a Minister of his Word and Publisher of his Will and to make his weak endeavours and worthlesse labours at any time in any measure efficacious to any of his people as he hoped in some sort with some at least they had been either for the conversion and bringing of them home unto him or for the establishing and building of them up in the saving knowledge and belief of his truth and in the graces and comforts of his Spirit Withall seriously professing this to be his comfort the testimony of his conscience in the sight of God bearing witnesse in his behalf that in sincerity of heart though with much weaknesse and amidst many failings through the whole course of his Ministry his main end and scope in all his labours and endeavour's had been both in publick and private to seek the glory of God the delivery of his truth the peace of his Church the spiritual good of his people in all things to approve himself to him and continue faithfull with him who hath been pleased to take him into his service and desiring now nothing more then that he might be so enabled through the support of his good Spirit that by his Christian and comfortable carriage under his Fatherly hand in this close of his day-work he might confirm and seal up to others the truth of those things that he had formerly professed and taught Withall earnestly exhorting all that came about him to learn now to die before they came to it to be sure to lay a good foundation in time of life and health for matter of firm support and sound comfort in time of sickness and at the hour of death and to make as much provision and strong preparations against that time as they could assuring themselves that they should find all their utmost endeavours and carefullest addresses to be little enough when they came once to that Work Amidst these and the like Religious Meditations and Pious Employments peceiving his desired end now to approach and having requested prayer to be conceived in his behalf by a special Friend who had accompanied him most part of his sicknesse not long after that Office performed by him he quietly and peaceably resigned his soul into the hands of his blessed Saviour no lesse ready doubtlesse to receive it from him then himself was desirous and forward to recommend it unto him His Funeral rites were performed at Chelsey where he drew his last breath most of the Ministers of better note about the City either constantly residing or occasionally detained there besides a very great multitude of private persons well affected repairing thereunto Who were all there after the usuall manner in such cases and on such occasions entertained at the charge and by the bounty of that worthy Gentlewoman of singular Piety in whose house he deceased From which place his Corps being conveyed on the shoulders of six of his Reverend Brethren of the Ministry who of their own accord offered themselves unto that Office to the place of publick Assembly where it was to be interred Master Thomas Gataker his ancient and inward Friend though full of grief for the loss of one who so entirely affected him and whom as well for the high esteem he had of him and his worth as for that entire affection which he constantly bare to him was most deservedly exceedingly dear to him and in regard thereof not so free or fit for performance of that Office yet enforced himself to preach at his Funerall and to give though very briefly such Testimony of him as was generally approved of by his Reverend Brethren there present And he was indeed a man of very eminent parts for sharpnesse of wit clearnesse of apprehension soundnesse of judgment exactnesse of method and powerfulnesse of delivery of singular dexterity in beating out perplexed and intricate debates descrying and discovering where the knots lay stating of Controversies aright and dissolving of difficult cases of conscience to which purpose not only many even from remote parts resorted unto him either of their own accord or directed and recommended unto him by other his Brethren of the Ministry as one most likely of any to give them satisfaction in their doubts but divers of them also of good note as by their Letters to him may appear deemed it no disparagement to seek resolution from him in questions of that nature themselves Neither was he one that kept his talent wrapt up in a Napkin but though he were cooped up mostly in an obscure corner through the harsh courses of those that would not suffer his light to shine forth in any eminent place yet was he exceeding laborious in those parts wherein he lived both in private employments at constant set times in the Family and in publick also where he might be permitted though without benefit to himself that which may appear by abundance of papers and note-books yet extant though by many casualties a multitude of them have miscarried Besides his constant course of preaching at Stapenhill for the most of his time from his first admission into that Family save only by interruption through occasion of removals which neither usually lasted over-long nor though distracted him in his Studies did any whit lightly lessen his labours he was frequently drawn forth to joyn with other his Reverend Brethren in their meetings and exercises at Ashbie de la Zouch in Leicester-shire at Repton in Darby-shire and at Burton upon Trent at some of which meetings the manner being that some one of them preached his hour on the Scipture propounded the meeting before and the rest or a certain number of them spent afterward each one his half hour or thereabout on some other portion of Scripture one being appointed to moderate by minding each that spake if occasion were of the time and to close up all with some succinct rehearsal of what had been delivered
Happy is he that hath not bowed a knee to Baal he bad us sing Psal. 120. he sung a while but in the singing of the Psalm he died Anno Domini 1627. and in the year of his age 64. Thus have I given you as true an account as I could of this famous Champion of Christ who notwithstanding his Non-conformity may be called with Austin Haereticorum Malleus The Hammer of Hereticks and with Ambrose Orbis terrarum Anglicarum oculus The eye as bright as any other in the English Orbe Two things amongst many others I think worthy the inserting into his life which have been omitted in the fore-going story The one is a strange sicknesse and recovery he had once at Bernards Castle His sicknesse was a Vertigo capitis he would have fourty fits at least in an hour and every one of them accompanied with mischievous temptations which when the fit was over he dictated and I writ down these held him about three weeks in which time he had the advice of learned Physicians from London York New-Castle Durham and other places they all jumped in their judgments imputing it to much study fasting and inward trouble of spirit their Prescriptions wrought kindly but removed not his disease He desired divers Christians to pray for him on a day prefixed and promised to joyn with them as well as he could with some others that should be with him assuring them That he was confident that disease would not he removed but by Prayer and Fasting The morning of that day he had a fit continued four hours together upon him and the devil set upon him all that while with most dreadfull temptations telling him he would make him the scorn of Religion and every man should reproach it for his sake that had before by his means looked towards it That he should never preach more but should blaspheme the name of God he had preached with many like suggestions God gave him courage comfort and Victory over them all The devil told him if he did fast and pray that day he would torment and hinder him c. We met at the time appointed and Master Rothwel would needs have me to perform the duty which through Gods goodnesse I did and the devil was not permitted to hinder or interrupt him or us and God heard our Prayers so that he had never a fit after that and the Sabbath-seven night following he preached but after many wrestlings with Satan who told him he would make him mad and before all the people in the Pulpit make him a scorn if he did adventure to preach Neverthelesse his Faith in Christ overcame his fear of Satan and he preached with great assistance and comfort upon that text Psal. 116.9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living Neverthelesse that sicknesse did so weaken his brain that ever after he was enclining to some infirmities Which love must cover The other is a relation which I had from himself and from divers others to whom the story was known that are yet alive As well as I can recollect it it is thus There was one John Fox living about Nottingham who had no more learning then enabled him to write and read This man was possessed with a devil who would violently throw him down and take away the use of every member of his body which was turned as black as pitch in those fits and then spake with an audible voice in him which seemed sometimes to be heard out of his belly sometimes out of his throat and sometimes out of his mouth his lips not moving He lay thus if I mistake not some years many prayers were put up to God for him and great resort especially of godly Ministers to him amongst the rest Master Bernard of Batcomb then of Worksop and Master Langley of Truswel betwixt whom and John Fox I have seen divers passages in writing he relating by pen his temptations and they giving answers when he was stricken dumb As Master Rothwel was riding to see him the Devil told all that were in the House Yonder comes Rothwel but I will make a fool of him before he goes The people looked forth and saw him coming a-about a quarter of a mile from the house As soon as he entered the room the Devil said Now Rothwel is come and as some say spake thus Rothwel Thou sayest there is no possession what thinkest thou now Here is a man opens not his lips and yet he speaketh And after a while he further said Devil Say nothing to me of this man for I tell thee he is damned and he added thereto many fearfull blasphemies Rothwel Thou art a lyer and the father of lies nor art thou so well acquainted with the mind of God concerning this man which makes thee thus to torment him therefore I believe thee not I believe he shall be saved by Jesus Christ. Devil He is a murtherer and thou knowest no murtherer must come into Heaven Rothwel Thou liest again for David murdered and is in Heaven and the Jews with wicked hands crucified the Lord of Glory yet both Christ prayed for them and Peter exhorts them to repentance that their sins may be blotted out Devil But this man hath not cannot shall not repent Rothwel If he had not thou wouldst not have told him so but if he have not I believe God will give him repentance and thou shalt not be able to hinder it Devil Thou art a murtherer thy self and yet talkest thou thus Rothwel Thou liest again I have fought the Lords Battels against his known enemies the idolatrous and bloody Papists in Ireland Rebels to the Queen my Sovereign by whose authority I bore armes against them otherwise I have killed no man Devil Swore and blasphemed Thou didst murther one this day as thou camest hither and there is one behind thee will justifie it Rothwel looked over his shoulder and with that the devil set up a hideous laughter that nothing could be heard for a great while and then said Devil Look you now did not I tell you I would make Rothwel a fool and yet it is true thou didst murther one this day for as thou camest over the Bridge which he named there I would have killed thee and there thy horse trod upon a slie and killed it Master Rothwels horse you must know stumbled there it seems the devil had power to cause it but without hurt either to Master Rothwel or his horse Rothwel Thou hast oft beguiled me I hope God will in time give me wisdome to discern and power to withstand all thy delusions and he it is that hath delivered me out of thy hands and will I doubt not also deliever this poor man The Devil blasphemed fearfully quoted many Scriptures out of the Old and New Testament both in Hebrew and in Greek cavilled and played the Critick and backed his Allegations with Sayings out of the Fathers and Poets in their own
with the Sermon and did approve it The Duke of Buckingham was a wise man and apprehensive of what Sir Ralph suggested seasonably saw those they called Puritans were growing and in the Parliament were thought considerable knew that the Kings affections might cool and he might need friends and took Sir Ralphs discourse into his most serious thoughts An honest man one Master Packer was then his Secretary and he set on what Sir Ralph Freeman had suggested and so it came unto a resolution that Master Preston should be owned and the Duke commanded Sir Ralph Freeman to go to Master Preston from him and acquaint him with his good opinion of him and desire to see him and indeed there was such a concurrence and concentring of opinions and desires among the Courtiers that it was assured Master Preston he might be Chaplain unto whom he would and that was now the deliberation which of these offers he should accept and whom he would acknowledge his Patron and Protector for the time to come There was not so few Clergy men at Court at any time and so no kind of opposition yet the King himself hung back and would do nothing hastily he was not reconcileable unto the Puritans and so desired not in that respect for to ingage him but he desired to deprive them of Master Preston and to divide him from them and would do any thing that might drive that on and considering how many he had wonne that Master Preston was a young man and might be drawn on he would not hinder nor oppose so it was the joynt opinion of all his friends that the best preferment was to be the Princes Chaplain who then was grown and had an houshold This therefore was represented unto Sir Ralph Freeman and his opinion required who quickly yielded and proposed it unto the Duke both Prince and Duke had been abroad and neither of them heard the Sermon when therefore Master Preston was brought unto the Duke he very seriously received him told him it was the Prince his unhappinesse and his to be absent when he did preach and therefore desired him that he would vouchsafe a Copy of his Sermon to him and believe that he would be ready to the best and utmost of his power to serve him There were many other Courtiers that desired Copies of the Sermon and the Court not staying there Master Preston came home to furnish Copies He never penned Sermon word for word but wrote what came into his mind and as it came and that in no good hand and so it was a businesse to provide these Copies which yet he seriously attended till they were written fair and then to Court he goes where the Duke presents him to the Prince and so he was made and admitted Chaplain to the Prince in Ordinary for as then the Prince had not compleated the number he intended which was six who were accordingly to wait two moneths by the year and preach unto the houshold upon the Lords daies and perform such duties as were required of them But God was making other work for Master Preston for Doctor Tolson Bishop of Salisbury dies and leaves a Wife and many Children unprovided for for he had been Bishop but a little while This Wife of his was Doctor Davenants Sister in pity therefore and commiseration of her case it was proposed to the King by those that were his Friends that Doctor Davenant a single man and well-deserving might succeed his Brother in the Bishoprick and so make some provision for his Children The King thought very well of Doctor Davenant not only for his singular abilities and labours in the University but for his pains also and service in the Synod of Dort against Arminius and it was looked on as a deed of charity and so believed he would carry it and be the man But this created Master Prestons cares Doctor Davenant had been his constant and faithfull Friend and given countenance upon all occasions to him and all his Pupils But now who should succeed and where should Master Preston find another shelter The Fellows for the most part were not his Friends envied his numbers and great relations and there was no man like so to befriend him Besides the Margaret-Professors place would be void also by this remove and many able stirring Batchelors in Divinity proposed unto him that place and assured him the Election would be easily carried for him The truth is he had no great hope to do any great good in the Election of the Master of the Colledge and one Doctor Mansel being named a very moderate good-natured man he let that care fall and was more anxious about the Professors place for though sound doctrine in the University was of much use yet English preaching was like to work more and win more souls to God He alwaies highly valued and frequently consulted with Master Dod and he perswaded English preaching as that wherein God was more immediately served and said there were others that might supply the University in the Professors place that either could not or would not labour mens Conversion And indeed the Master of Sidney-Colledge Doctor Ward a vast Scholar was then in view and nomination for the Professors place yet Master Preston was so solicited by honest men that he knew not what to do Two things he thought he wanted to enable him The one was a Latine tongue the other a Latine style in both which by reason of desuetude he was unready For his style therefore he resolves upon an exact and logical Analysis of all the Epistles which would actuate and exercise his style and acquaint him with the Scripture-phrase and language and if he were called to be Professour might serve for Lectures in the Schooles which work he immediately applied himself unto and very happily compleated a work of great pains unto him and in it self of great worth but being Latine and written only with his own ill hand was not thought popular enough to come abroad but lieth in the dark For the exercising of his Latine tongue he resolves a journey into the Netherlands where he should have much occasion of speaking Latine and see those Colledges and Universities but there was no travelling beyond Sea without a License under the hands of Privy-Counsellors this he procures among his Friends with all the secrecy that could be and a great while before he meant to use it that he might conceale it from the Colledge and University but this his secrecy begat suspition that there was some plot Velle putant quodcunque potest It is not safe for men to have abilities It was resented so much the more because no Clergy man was made acquainted with it and the opinion was that something was brewing against Episcopacy This they were sure of that Amsterdam was in the Netherlands and ever had been fatal to the Hierarchy The Lord Keeper then was Bishop Williams he sees this plague afar off Prov. 22.3 and provides a Messenger
the Duke of Buckingham to peruse and give his sense upon it Master Shervil the Recorder of Salisbury was a Bencher of Lincolns-Inne and a very good friend of his he had divers Friends at Dorchester and was desirous to be sea-sick and was still enticed forward and at last resolved to wait upon the King and Duke at Plimmouth whether they were gone to see the Navy set sayl Whilest he was there the Rochel fleet was broken by those ships the King lent and Mounsieur Sabeeza came into Falmouth with the remainder and thence to Plimmouth with most lamentable out-cries against the Duke who seemed to be very much affected with it and made mighty Promises of wonderfull repairs but Doctor Preston failed not to set that businesse home he did believe the Duke was over-ruled to lend them and sorry when he saw the sad effects But whilest the Duke was thus detained in the West the Earl of Bristol and the Lord Keeper Williams combined against him and drew in many to their Party among others the Earl of Pembroke and divers great ones in the House of Commons and was so incouraged and heartned in it that the Earl of Bristol May 1. 1626. preferred in the House of Lords twelve Articles against the Duke of Buckingham tending to prove That the Duke had promised unto the Pope and Ministers of Spain to make the King a Papist and over-ruled him against the judgment of the Earl of Bristol to write unto the Pope with the title of Sanctissime Pater That his carriage in the matters of Religion was so offensive that he stuck not to kneel before the Host as often as he met it That he was so licentious and unchast in his behaviour that the Spanish Ministers resolved not to have any thing to do with him That when he could not bring about the Match to his own particular advantage he used means to obstruct it and break it off That he had informed King James of all these things who promised to hear him and leave the offender unto Justice and that not many daies before his sicknesse The Duke had now reason to look about him and was very able so to do and first he labours to divide the Party by drawing off the Earl of Pembroke by promising his Daughter to the Earl of Mountgomeries Sonne which afterward he did accomplish then he endeavoured to oblige the Puritans by gratifying Doctor Preston all the waies he could and particularly in the businesse of the Colledge-suit by depriving Bishop Williams of the Seal and giving it to Sir Thomas Coventry who was one of the Colledge-counsel yea he went so far as to nominate the Doctor to the King to be Lord Keeper and the King was so firm to him that the Earl of Bristol could do no good and so withdrew his Articles Doctor Prestons Friends were Newters all this while and looked on neither engaged for him nor against him which was sadly represented to the Duke by the Bishops and that Party who wondered he should dote upon a man that either could not or would not own him in his need bad him consider whether Puritans were like to be his Friends whose waies were toto coelo different and told him plainly he could not have them both If he adhered to those that sought their ruine they must adhere to such as would support them so that the Duke was in a great strait and knew not what to do Doctor Preston also was importuned to put it to an issue and if he would not leave the rotten and corrupted Clergy then to leave him and because there had been informations against that Book of Master Mountagues they propounded it might come to a debate and not remain as now it it did unsetled The Doctor and the Duke were both of them unwilling to an open breach loved for to temporise and wait upon events But Doctor Prestons friends would not be satisfied but urged a conference whereunto they were incouraged by some Orthodox and very learned Bishops and at last it was concluded by two religious Noble-men that a conference there should be the Bishop of Rochester and Doctor White then Dean of Carlisle on the one side and the Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield and Doctor Preston on the other A day was set a Satturday in Hillary-Tearm at four of the clock in the afternoon the place was York-house and Doctor Preston sent to in the morning for to attend it The Noble-men came unto the Bishops lodgings about two of the clock and sent for Doctor Preston to them who gave many reasons why he could not go but they were resolute and taking the Bishop with them went without him but the Doctor considering and fearing his absence might betray the cause and give encouragement unto the other side went afterward himself unto the place and sate by as an hearer silent untill all was done but talking afterwards occasionally of falling from grace the Bishop shewed that a godly man might go far and yet return by the instance of the Prodigal Luk. 15. but Doctor White exclaimed against any that should think the Prodigal in acts of drunkennesse and whoredome not to be fallen from grace and urged that of the Apostle Rom. 1.32 That those that do such things are worthy of death that is said he in a state of everlasting death and therefore fallen from grace so 1 Cor. 6.9 10. shall not inherit the Kingdome of God that is are not sons for if sons then heirs Rom. 8.17 But Doctor Preston answered that these sins made indeed a forfeiture of all their interest into the hands of God and he might make the seisure if he pleased but did not unto those which were his children and in Covenant with him as two Tennants by not paying of their Rent or keeping Covenants forfeited their Leases yet the Lord might seize the one and not the other as he pleased But the Bishop and the Dean both cried out this was the way to all licentiousness and looseness To which the Doctor answered That the seed of God as the Apostle calls it 1 Joh. 3.9 remained in the sinning Saint or Sonne and would repair him as in water there remains a principle of cold even when it boyleth over that will undoubtedly reduce it when the heat and fire is removed as in Peter David Sampson and others was apparent so that they could not run out into all licentiousnesse for the spirit lusted against the flesh that they cannot do the things they would Gal. 5.17 and though he did not disinherit them and blot their names out of the Book of life Phil. 4.3 yet he might and would withdraw his favour imbitter all their comforts Mat. 26.75 raise trouble to them from their dearest interests 2 Sam. 12.11 fill them with anguish Psal. 38.3 4. which in reason will keep them from running out seeing the evil is commensurable unto that good of pleasure or profit their sinne afforded and if need be he can
and perish when their time is come as well errore medici as vi morbi Doctor Ashworth was perswaded that the Scorbute was his disease and that the London-Doctors had all mistook their mark and therefore pitcheth upon applications suitable A great errour for so experienced and grave a Doctor Desire of restitution into a state of health made shift to flatter him into belief it was so The old man upon this perswasion comes over unto Preston with him strains and steeps Scurvy-grass and gives him Drenches able to have weakned a stronger man then he was now and having stayed and tampered with him about three weeks and finding nothing answer his expectation he takes his last leave of him giving such order and direction as he thought good and so leaves him and returns to Oxford July 9. 1628. When this dream and fancy of the Scorbute failed and Dr. Ashworth was gone he resigned up himself to God alone and let all care of Physick and the Doctors go He had a Servant who had been laborious with him and whom he often used as a Friend he would say Servi sunt humiles amici was very true of him To him he therefore now unbosomed himself not only touching the vanity and emptinesse of all things here below but his own belief and expectation of a suddain change not of my company said he for I shall still converse with God and Saints but of my place and way of doing it His Will was made as we have said some years before but he was doubtfull if it come to proving it might be baffled and affronted and therefore purposed to wave it and make a Deed of Gift to him that was in that Will his Executor with such restrictions and limitations as he thought good all which he set down with his own hand wherein he carefully provided for his Mother during life and both his Brothers His Books and all the furniture and goods belonging to and in his lodgings at Emanuel-Colledge he gave one of his Pupils that was Fellow there whom he alwaies greatly favoured Some exhibitions he gave Scholars there to be disposed of from time to time by him that was Executor And as he truly valued so he liberally rewarded his Servants faithfulnesse who liveth yet in very good condition and reputation of whom is verified what is said Prov. 27.18 Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof so he that waiteth on his Master shall surely come to honour And having thus discumbred himself of worldly cares he took care for the places he now possessed prayed for the Colledge that it might continue a flourishing Nursery of Religon and Learning told those about him as David before his death 1 Chron. 29.2 3 c. what he had done towards that goodly building since erected and what care he had taken to get those Rectories in the Kings Letter mentioned whereof we spake before prayed God to furnish Lincolns-Inne from time to time with able preaching Ministers and so the Lecture at Cambride that had cost so much trouble in the procuring Then for his Sermons that they might not come into the world like Vagabonds but seeing the Father lived not to see them setled and provided for those would be carefull whom then he named and is long since intimated upon occasion In all which great things God hath so answered him as I think no man was since Elisha 2 King 2.9 10. The night before he died being Saturday he went to bed and lay about three hours desirous to sleep but slept not then said My dissolution is at hand let me go to my home and Jesus Christ who hath bought me with his precious blood And so lay still as in a slumber till about two of the clock in the morning then drinking and resting on his servants armes he fell into a cold and clammy sweat which he told them was the Messenger of death and so continued for about two hours very silent About four of the clock he said I feel death coming to my heart my pain shall now be quickly turned into joy And so his Friends were called that were present in the house who spake unto him but had no answer from him as they were used to have They kneeled all down and a Reverend Divine there present prayed When Prayer was ended he looked on them and turning away his head gave up the ghost It was about five a clock on the Lords day but to him an everlasting Sabbath He never by his good will rested that day since God was truly known unto him untill now God gave him therefore now an everlasting rest No man deserved better Funeral solemnities But Master Dod was much against it and his Friends at Cambridge who did highly honour him and desired nothing more then to have waited on his dust unto its long home were now obliged to attend the Election of another Master that they durst not so much as make it known or do any thing from which it might be gathered So he was buried decently but without state in Fawsley Church in the County of Northampton Old Master Dod the Minister of that place preached and a world of godly people came together July 20. 1628. being within a little of one and fourty years of age Dr. Preston just before his death asked what day it was and being answered that it was the Sabbath day A fit day said he to be sacrificed on I have accompanied Saints on earth and now I shall accompany Angels in Heaven Also Mrs. Chaterdon telling him of his preaching so profoundly on Gods Attributes he answered If it shall please God to prolong my life I will make all so plain that every one shall be able to understand it This Life was written by my Reverend Friend Master Thomas Ball of Northampton The Life of Master Arthur Hildersam who died Anno Christi 1631. ARthur Hildersam was born at Stetchworth near New-Market in Cambridgeshire Octob. 6. 1563 He was Sonne of Thomas Hildersam of the said Town a Gentleman of an antient Family and Anne Poole his second Wife daughter to Sir Jeffery Poole fourth Sonne to Sir Richard Poole who was Cousen Germane to King Henry the seventh and Margaret Countesse of Salisbury that was Daughter to George Duke of Clarence the second Brother to King Edward the fourth and Isabel the eldest daughter and Co-heir of Richard the great Earl of Warwick and Salisbury Thus much for his Birth For his Education In his childhood he was brought up in the Popish manner taught to say his Prayers in Latine both his Parents and their Kindred specially his Mother being zealous Papists When he was to be sent abroad to School his Fathers aim was only to send him to a good School where many Gentlemens Sons were taught but God so ordered it by his good Providence that his Father unawares placed him at Saffron-Walden School in Essex with one Master Desborough a godly man and a Religious Protestant who
taking great affection to him for his wit and disposition was very carefull of him and taught him not only that humane learning that was fitting for his years but the grounds of the Protestant Religion This his School-master was the first blessed Instrument that God was pleased to make use of to work in him a liking and relish of the Reformed Religion He continued with him till he was fit for the University which was not long For when he was but about thirteen years of age he was placed by his Father the good hand of God still over-ruling him with a very godly and Religious Tutor in Christs Colledge in Cambridge where he concontinued till after he was Master of Arts where he gained much love and esteem for his Piety Learning Ingenuity affability and harmlesse inoffensive witty Converse Mr ARTHVR HILDERSAM Being in this dejected and forlorn condition God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted him by meeting with Mr. John Ireton then Fellow of Christs Colledge after Rector of Kegworth in Leicestershire a man famous for Piety and Learning in London who at their meeting said unto him Arthur why art thou so long from thy Book and losest so much time Alas Sir said he I shall go no more to Cambridge and thereupon told him his condition and the occasion of it Be not discouraged saith Master Ireton thou hast a Noble Kinsman whom I will acquaint with thy case and I doubt not but he will provide for thee Accordingly Master Ireton soon after went to the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Huntingdon Lord President of the North whose Mother and Master Hildersams Mother were Brothers Children and representeth to him the sad condition of his poor Kinsman The Noble Earl gladly embraced this opportunity of doing good and sent for him encouraged him promised him maintenance and gave order to Master Ireton to send him back to Cambridge and to place him with a good Tutor For said he I suppose his Father did place him with a Papist But when Master Ireton assured him the contrary he gave order he should go to his former Tutor of whose love to him and care of him Master Hildersam was wont often to speak When Master Hildersam was Master of Arts he was soon after to Common-place a Colledge-exercise in Divinity not different from a Sermon but in length he being loth to adventure upon that Exercise intreated one of the Fellows his special Friend to supply his place the first time but he out of love refused to gratifie him in that and wished him to remember one Master Sidney Zouch Master of Arts of that Colledge who getting one to supply his place the first time and hearing afterwards some of his own year perform that Exercise so well that he despaired of doing the like could never after be perswaded either to Common-place or preach though he were a very able Scholar The first time he was to Common-place he was much afraid but observing that there sate a very godly man his Friend on th' other side of the Chappel he thought that that man prayed for him which much encouraged him He was of so good repute for his Piety and Learning that by the major part of the Fellows he was chosen Fellow of that Colledge but Dr. Barwell the Master making use of his negative voice stopped him and the matter came to the Visitors two of which viz. Doctor Perne and Doctor Goad favouring his Competitor Master Willet who was afterwards Doctor Willet made him Fellow Not long after he was chosen Divine of Trinity-hall in the said University where he continued till Septemb. the 14 1587. at which time by the foresaid Right Honourable Earl he was called to be and placed Preacher at Ashby de la zauce in Leicestershire The impropriate Tithes of the same Parish being setled upon him for his life by the said Earl and continued to him by the favour of the two succeeding Earls George and Henry untill his death He hath given publique notice to the world of his duty and thankfulnesse to that noble house in his Dedicatory Epistle to his Lectures on Joh. 4. January 5. 1590. He married Mistresse Anne Barfoot Daughter to Master Barfoot of Lamborn-hall in Essex who was a very loving and carefull Wife of him and the like Mother of his Children she survived him about eight years He was silenced in June 1590. and restored again in January 1591. He was instituted and inducted into the Vicaridge of Ashby Octob. 4. 1593. He preached at the Assiises at Leicester in the time of a great dearth July 20. 1596. a godly learned zealous plain and powerfull Sermon upon those words 1 King 18.17 18. And it came to passe when Ahab saw Elijah that Ahab said unto him Art thou he that troubleth Israel And he answered I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that ye have forsaken the Commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim In the handling of which Text he so offended Judge Aderson that he manifested his anger and displeasure both by his countenance and gesture arising to go away But Master Hildersam speaking some words unto him with ministerial authority he stayed till the Sermon was done After Sermon the Judge would have had the Grand-Jury to have indited him but in those daies it would have been hard to have found a Grand-Jury in Leicestershire that would have done that Some further and greater danger Master Hildersam was in by reason of that Judges displeasure for that Sermon but God in mercy prevented it In the year 1598. there was an attachment sent out of the High-Commission for his apprehension In the beginning of King James his reign when many petitioned for Reformation which Petitions were very modest and moderate subscribed by above seven hundred and fifty godly able Preachers in but twenty five Counties which Petition was directed to the Parliament and other Petitions to his Majesty and the Lords of the Council and to the Bishops he with some few others of his Brethren were chosen and chiefly intrusted to mannage that important businesse to prosecute the Petitions to solicite the cause and if required to dispute it And whereas there were some appointed to deal for those that desired Reformation in the Conference at Hampton Court he with Master Stephen Egerton of London and Master Edward Fleetwood of Lancashire delivered to them some ten demands and requests made by thirty Reverend Ministers in the name of themselves and many others which they intreated them to solicite his Majesty for in the behalf of the Church He was deprived and silenced by William Chaderton then Bishop of Lincolne April 24. 1605. for refusall of subscription and conformity yet after some time by the connivance and favour of William Overton then Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield he preached sometimes in that Diocesse specially at those two famous
much good but of no blood nor division between the two Nations He was one of Gods special Remembrancers in behalf of England begging fervently that the Lords and Commons in Parliament might be preserved from the two destructive rocks of pride and self-interests He poured out his soul before the Almighty that he would appear for the Non-conformists cause in England and set up the Presbyterial Government according to the Scripture Rules He often professed himself to be no enemy unto the Persons of Bishops but an opposite to their Pride and Prelaticall Rule When news came unto him of the Battell at Edge-hill thus he spake with tears Oh Lord wilt thou write Englands Reformation in red Letters of her own blood yet preserve thine own People and maintain thine own cause for Jesus Christ sake He greatly bewailed the obstructing of Church reformation in England by them who professed themselves zealous for Reformation and it was no small offence unto him to hear of the Letters which came from some Independents at London into Holland wherein falshoods were reported to the reproach of some Presbyterians his known godly Friends in England He was a true Nathaniel indeed in whose spirit there was no guile and therefore all falshood and unworthy juglings were an abomination to his heart There was an holy harmoniousnesse in his whole conversation his life was a well-spun thread from the beginning to the end and tended much to the honour of his Profession and particular Calling Although he walked exactly with God and maintained the comfort of constant peace with him yet Satan was suffered to give him one furious assault the night before he died as was perceived by those who were then with him for rising upon his knees with his hands lifted up he spake these words He is overcome overcome through the strength of my Lord and only Saviour Jesus unto whom I am now going to keep a Sabbath in glory And next morning March 28. 1644. being the Sabbath day about the time when he was wont to go unto ministerial work in the publique Congregagation and the sixty two year of his life he was taken from his labours into rest unto the spirits of just men made perfect in Heaven where he shall sing Hallelujahs for evermore The Life of Master John Dod who died Anno Christi 1645. IOhn Dod was born in Cheshire at a town called Shotlidge bordering on Wales not far from Malpus His Parents had a convenient estate worth a hundred marks a year which went to the eldest Brother This John was the youngest of seventeen and much beloved of his Parents He was sent to School to West-Chester and when he was about fourteen years old he was disposed of to Jesus Colledge in Cambridge where though he had little acquaintance yet the Lord prospering his studies he was chosen first Scholar and after Fellow in that Colledge he there remained near sixteen years The manner of his Conversion was thus The Steward or Boucher of the Colledge accused him to the Master for the non-payment of a considerable summe of money due for one of his Pupils which Master Dod had truly paid but he forgot to set it down Hereupon there was a vehement contest betwixt them about this businesse and the vexation of mind that he should be accounted a defrauder did so trouble Master Dod that he fell into a Feaver and was dangerously sick yet all this while he was but in a natural estate For though he had some good skill in the Theorick part of Divinity yet he was without any application and his affliction was this that he should be blamed for that which he from the Law and light of nature hated All his sorrow as yet was but worldly sorrow and as himself saies he neither did nor could tell how to pray At length the Lord put into his heart that Scripture Rom. 7. The Law is spiritual but I am carnal and sold under sinne and presently his sins came upon him like armed men and the tyde of his thoughts was turned and he left musing how he was wronged and seriously considered how he had offended God and he betook himself to great humiliation and earnestly besought the Lord for pardon and peace in Jesus Christ. Yet for some time he could find no comfort but going on to seek the Lord there follows after much humiliation much consolation and the Lord sealed to him that his sins were washed away with the blood of Christ. Then did he desire his accuser to come to him and told him that though he had accounted him to be his great enemy yet now he acknowledged him to be his good Friend for that he was a means to bring him unto God And afterwards it so fell out by Gods good Providence that it came to this mans remembrance that Master Dod had paid him the money and he was very sorrowfull for the wrong which he had done him and did him all the right he could for the healing of his name and Master Dod said that he had not a more faithfull Friend in all the Colledge during his abode there then this man proved When he was some years standing Master of Art he was appointed to oppose in the Philosophy Act at the Commencement which he did with great approbation insomuch as it was desired that he should dispute again the next Commencement but that he avoided When he preached his first Sermon in the University he had bestowed much pains about it binding himself to words and phrases but in his Sermon he was at a Non-plus whereupon he resolved afterwards never to pen his Sermon verbatim but his usuall manner was to write only the Analysis of his Text the proofs of Scripture for the Doctrines with the Reasons and Uses and so leaving the rest to meditation in which course he never found defect And whereas Doctor Fulk Doctor Chaderton Doctor Whitaker and some others had their frequent meeting to expound the Scriptures and therein they chose the Epistle to the Hebrews they were pleased from their loving respect to Master Dod to take in him amongst them While he continued Fellow of Jesus Colledge by the importunity of some godly people of Ely he went weekly and preached amongst them in that City where the Lord gave a great blessing to his Ministry His removall from Cambridge to Hanwel in Oxfordshire was thus occasioned Master Cope afterwards Sir Anthony Cope a man of eminent note who was much wrought upon by Master Dods Ministry sent a Letter to Doctor Chaderton to provide him a Minister for Hanwel which was then vacant Doctor Chaderton moved Master Dod to go to the place and after he had been a while and preached severall Sermons by the desire and consent of the people and by the approbation of the neighbour Ministers who had heard him he was setled as their Pastor While he was at Hanwel he preached twice every Sabbath catechizing also
in the afternoon and kept a Lecture on the Wednesday constantly and besides this he was one of the five Ministers who held up the Lecture at Banbury He gave himself much to Fasting and Prayer and as his seeds-time was painfull so his Harvest was gainfull hundreds of souls being converted by his Ministry He was given to Hospitality delighting therein keeping a constant Table on the Sabbath and on the Wednesdays Lecture upon which daies he had not under eight or twelve persons commonly dining with him and he spent the time amongst them in spiritual exhortation and conference He was about thirty years old when he came to Hanwel and continued there above twenty years where he had twelve Children by his dear Wife formerly Anne Bound Daughter-in-law to the worthy Servant of Jesus Christ Master Greenham of Draighton near Cambridge and Daughter to Doctor Bound she was one that truly feared God and after her decease by the perswasion of some Friends he took to Wife Mistresse Cleiton who then lived at Stratford Bowe she also was a godly woman and he was contracted to her by Master Egerton of Black-Fryers and married by his ancient and loving Friend Doctor Gouge But to return back again to Hanwel it pleased the Lord to give a great blessing to his Ministry in that place yet he had much trouble from the envy of some Ministers that lived about him who though they seldome preached themselves yet they would not suffer that their people should go from them and hence he was frequently questioned in the Bishops Courts And besides this though some of Hanwel were very courteous and kind yet there were some others who were glad to get from him what they could and to keep from him what they could thinking that that which he had was too much Upon a time Master Dod took a journey to Draighton to bemoan himself to his Father-in-law Master Greenham by reason of his crosses and hard usage Master Greenham heard him what he could say and when he had done answered him thus Son Son when affliction lieth heavy sin lieth light This deserves the rather to be remembred because Master Dod used often to blesse God for it saying also that if Master Greenham had bemoaned him which he expected he had done him hurt and he forgot not this speech in his old age but made excellent use of it for himself and others He was suspended from his Ministry at Hanwel by Doctor Bridges Bishop of Oxford And suspecting what would follow the Sabbath before he went to the Visitation he gave his hearers a farewell Sermon out of that text I will smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered the people did attend unto him with sad countenances and weeping eyes Being thus driven from Hanwel he preached at Fenni-Compton in Warwickshire where he had but small means but he was desirous to be doing good From thence he had a fair call unto Cannons-Ashby in Northamptonshire where he lived quietly divers years preached over the whole Prophesie of Danel with some other Scriptures having much kindnesse from Sir Erasmas Dryden in whom there was a rare mixture of Piety and Learning and good affection from Master Cope He was silenced from preaching at Ashby upon a complaint made against him by Bishop Neal to King James who commanded the Arch-bishop Abbot to silence him Then he ceased for some time to preach publiquely yet in regard of his heavenly gift in conference he might have been said daily to preach privately he was in his element when he was discoursing of heavenly things And God in goodnesse so ordered it that when he was restrained from publique preaching yet himself conceived that at that time his life was no lesse profitable then it had been in former times He had much employment in comforting such as were wounded in their spirits being sent for not only nigh at hand but also into remote Countries There was a Gentlewoman who had a great worldly estate and a loving Husband but she was so sadly assaulted with tentations that she often attempted to make away her self Master Dod was sent for to come to her and the Lord so blessed his Councels Exhortations and Prayers that she did not only recover out of her anguish of spirit but she was afterwards taken notice of for her singular Piety and the Lord so ordered that this affliction was not only the means of her Conversion but also of her Husbands so that both of them were a great mercy in the Countrey where they lived promoting Religion according to their power and entertaining and cherishing godly people She lived divers years quieted in her heart and being rich in good works and when she lay on her death-bed Master Dod was sent for to her again who spake of heaven and to fit her for that glory she told him that she felt the comforts of God and that she could as hardly at that time forbear singing as formerly in child-bearing she could forbear crying and shortly after she died There was a Gentlemen related to a noble Family so perplexed in his mind that he hath been known in hard frosts to go barefooted that the pain of his feet might divert his thoughts Master Dod was sent for to him who was his spirituall Physician to heale him It would be long to insist on all particulars of this nature the Lord having made him a happy Instrument for the good of many When he had spent some years in this kind of service by the care and industry of Master Richard Knightley of Preston a worthy Patriot after the death of King James his liberty was procured for preaching again publiquely and then he was setld at Fausley where he preached twice every Lords day There he went over the Gospel of John the Epistle to the Colossions and other Scriptures He was much given to Hospitality at Fausley as he had formerly been at Hanwel so that there was scarce any Sabbath in the year in which he did not dine both poor and rich commonly three or four poor persons besides those that came from other places to hear him He had so large an heart that upon occasion he hath given to some three shillings to some ten shillings to some twenty shillings and when the poor came to buy butter or cheese he would command his maid to take no money of them At Fausley he had quietnesse from the Courts as also at Ashby for in neither of those places was there any Church-wardens He was beholding at Fausley to the Right Worshipfull Family of the Knightleys where his bones was laid He used to bear crosses with much patience and meeknesse being wont to say that Sanctified afflictions were great promotions quoting that of the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. is much more precious then gold which he conceived to signifie the affliction that
many well-affected people came to him being affrighted with the Cavaliers he encouraged them using this speech that if a house were full of rods what need the Child fear when none of them could move without their Fathers hand and the Lord was a loving Father state and life and all was in his disposing When afterwards the Cavaliers came to his house and threatned to knock him on the head he answered with confidence that if they did they should send him to Heaven where he longed to be but they could do nothing except God gave leave They broke open his Chests and Cupboards and plundred him of his goods but he said to a Friend of his that he would not do them that honour to say they had taken ought from him but it was the Lord alledging that of Job who when he was spoiled by the Chaldeans and the Sabâ—ans yet he did not so much as name the Instruments but The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. At length they came to him when through weaknesse he was unable not only to stirre out of his chamber but also out of his bed they cut the Curtains of his bed and pulled away the Pillowbeers from under his head asking him whether he could speak Latine in all which losses which were great he never uttered one word of impatience In his sicknesse when extream pain was upon him as soon as the fit was over he would say to his maid-servant that attended him O think well of God for it for it is most justly and wisely done whatsoever he sendeth or doth When his servants came to visit him in the morning he would say have ye been with God to blesse him for your sleep this night He might have made your bed your grave He would often say in his sicknesse I am not afraid to look death in the face I can say death where is thy sting Death cannot hurt me He spake how death was a sweet sleep to a Christian adding that if Parents should tell little children who had played all the day that they must go to bed they would be ready to cry but a labouring man is glad when night comes that he might go to rest So wicked men death is unwelcome unto them but a Child of God who hath laboured and suffered is glad when death cometh that he may rest from his labours When he had been long speaking to those who came to him and used to ask him questions and hath been perswaded to spare himself he would say hear but this one thing more it may be I shall never speak to you again but if it should be so Blessed is the servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Hearken to a few words more God hath heard all the words we have spoken and considered with what hearts and affections we have spoken them He used to compare rebukes uttered in passion to scalding potions which the Patient could not take down And his opinion was that if we would do good unto others we should labour for meeknesse of wisdome whereby we shall be inabled to use soft words and hard arguments He allowed to Husbands and Wives only one contention which was this who should love one another best and advised them that when either of them were in passion they should not answer passions with passions but with compassions He was very plain and familiar both in preaching and conference yet very spiritual and performed all with much gravity The chief things he sought God for in his frequent secret fastings and prayers as himself said were the knowledge of the Scriptures and a blessing upon his Ministry in both which God answered him abundantly As for the Scriptures God had so enlightened him that he was able to give account of the drift and scope of the Spirit of God in the greatest part of them with great clearnesse and to open them in such sort as proved very effectual for the bringing of Scripture-light into simple mens understandings who were not able to reach the obscure and scholastick interpretations of many His manner was to compare Scripture with Scripture seldome naming the dissenters and but sparingly different readings but making out the truth positively or by necessary consequence In preaching he usually took some portion of Scripture in order before him opening a verse or two or more at a time first clearing the drift and connection then giving the sense and interpretation briefly but very plainly not leaving the text untill he had made it plain to the meanest capacity then raising those Doctrines that were most agreeable to the mind and meaning of the Spirit of God in that text clearing and exemplifying his points excellently out of the Word opening his proofs not multiplying particulars for oppressing memory not dwelling so long as to make all truth run through a few texts He spake most largely and very home in application mightily convincing and diving into mens hearts and consciences and leaving them little or nothing to object against it He took great care to speak to the meanest capacity and to feed the Lambs saying he must stoop to the lowest capacity and if he could reach them others might help themselves He could not endure that Ministers should use hard and unusuall English He said that most Ministers in England usually shoot over the heads of their hearers He did not strive to speak all that might be said to a point nor to shew variety or please curiosity but to speak to the heart He would say that there were many tricks and devices that some men used in preaching but they seldome did good The pure Gospel and that preaching which the world counts foolishnesse was that that works most kindly He was very Evangelicall striving first to make men see their lost condition clearly and to be convinced of it saying Sense of misery was a gooâ— step to the remedy And then largely and excellently opening the Promises and the grace of God in Christ according to the Gospel looking at that as the most effectual preaching Some saies he labour still to keep men under terrors and load them with threatnings c. lest they should not be humbled enough but the Gospel works true humiliation not the Law it arises from sense of sin and misery joyned with hope of mercy The damned have terror and sense of misery enough but that did not humble them He desired to speak distinctly not giving the childrens bread to dogs but to discover hypocrisie and sincerity by lively characters and signes but yet with great tendernesse to babes in Christ striving to discover a babe from an hypocrite He was excellent for practical Divinity and living by Faith as to spirituals and temporals and self-denial and very consolatory rendring Religion the most sweet and comfortable life notwithstanding sufferings He used to presse much
hang him Then he was brought to Sir Ralph Hopton who spake to him thus Master Balsom I little thought one day that you should have been my Prisoner and I cannot but wonder that such men as you should be engaged in a rebellion against the King To whom he replyed Sir I cannot but wonder that such men as you should call this rebellion Sir Ralph desired him to give him an account of the grounds upon which he and his party proceeded promising him that he should not suffer for any thing that he spake to him After about half an hours discourse he committed him to his own Marshall with this charge Keep this man safe but use him well The Marshall received him and after some little rough entertainment upon his entrance into his house he at length used him with great seeming respect Long he had not been there but a Gentlewoman came to him with a pottle of Sack urging him to preach a Recantation Sermon the next morning before the Lords promising that if he would so do the King would make him a Doctor He replyed Sure you do but mock me for should I preach upon such short warning the Lords would never hear such extempore stuff but if you be in good earnest and would make me a Doctor indeed then let me have the same Law ye use to give your Doctors viz. a quarter of a years time to make a Sermon and by that time you may know more of my mind The next morning an Order was brought for the conveying of him to Oxford whither he was accordingly carried He lighted first at the Blewbore whither they brought a company of the Queens followers who with much fury oftentimes swore that he should not go alive out of the room But the Musqueteers who were set as a guard upon him desired them to be quiet telling them that he was their Prisoner and should not suffer there but they would suffer with him Thence he was conveyed to the Castle where after two or three daies abode he enjoyed the same liberty with other Prisoners And a while after he set up an Exposition Lecture in the prison twice a day To which not only the Prisoners and some of the Souldiers but divers Courtiers and many out of the town often came Being prohibited once or twice to go on in this Exercise he answered if ye are weary of me I am not willing to trouble you any longer ye may turn me out of your doors when you will but while I have a tongue to speak and people to speak to I will not hold my peace After some moneths of imprisonment he was released by exchange As he was departing thence some Courtiers and others that had formerly shewed him some favour perswaded him to close with their party and to stay with them He utterly refusing divers of them accompanied him out of town and as they were parting one of them said Sir If any of us should fall into your hands we should desire no better entertainment then you have had amongst us He replyed Gentlemen I could wish that ten thousand of you might fall into our hands within this moneth that you might see how kindly we would deal with you Thence he was sent for by the Lord Generall Essex to be Chaplain in his Army with whom he continued during his command Then he went to Barwick where he was received with great affection of the people and saw in a short time great successe of his labours in the Ministry During his abode there two things were very remarkeable One whereas there was a Child that had been strangely visited with such a weaknesse as neither Physicians or Divines could guesse at the cause or find out the cure Hereupon Master Balsom moved some Christians there to seek God with him by Fasting and Prayer which accordingly they did and obtained a suddain and extraordinary answer For as the Mother of the Child came home from the Exercise her Child met her and told her she was very well who before had kept her bed of a long time The other thing remarkable was this A Scottish Lord by name the Lord of Granson took up his habitation for a time in Barwick and brought with him his Family In which amongst others was the Steward of his house formerly reputed a godly man who was very much afflicted in mind Master Balsom came to visit him and administred some comfort to him for that time But two or three daies after he being sorely afflicted again Master Balsom was sent for who finding him very much weakned and worn out by the violence of temptation began to speak comfortably to him But perceiving that no words of comfort would fasten on him he whispered to him in his ear to this purpose I doubt there is something within that you should do well to discover Whereupon immediately the mans tongue swelled out of his mouth insomuch that he was not able to speak Master Balsom continued speaking to him till at length to the astonishment of those in the room being many and some of them persons of quality a shrill voice was heard as from out of his throat having not any use of his tongue to this purpose What dost thou talking to him of Promises and free grace He is mine Master Balsom apprehending it to be the voice of the Devil replyed No Satan thou dost not know any man to be thine while there is life in him But this is a notorious wicked wretch and therefore is mine The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin If God would let me loose upon you I should find enough in the best of you to make you all mine But thou art bound Satan And so turning himself to the people with a smiling countenance he said What a gracious God have we that suffers not Satan to have his will upon us Then the Devil began to curse and swear and blaspheme the Trinity in a most fearfull and horrible manner The Lord rebuke thee But this man is mine for he hath given himself to me and sealed it with his blood I do not believe that the father of lies speaketh truth and I do believe how confident soever thou art that thou wilt lose thy hold before to morrow morning The Devil continued to curse and swear further saying How canst thou endure to hear thy God blasphemed I will never give over blaspheming so long as thou stayest in the room I will pray for him Wilt thou pray for a man that is damned I will go home and pray for him and get all the force I can in the town to joyn with me After this there being no more voice heard Mr. Balsom went home about eleven a clock at night where he found in his house divers Christians which he intended to have sent for waiting for him and upon the sight of them he
read and five shillings in money to such as could not when they attained such a measure of knowledge as that they were judged fit to partake of the Lords Supper And such like rewards and incouragements he used to bestow on others as he saw occasion furnishing them with Books and writings and otherwise encouraging them according as they should manifest their diligence in gaining and improving their knowledge All which the generation to come and the children yet unborn may have cause to blesse God for when they shall receive the benefits thereof communicated from their Parents to them while others do as much as in them lies intail ignorance and atheism upon their posterity And because he found it difficult to bring those of shallow memories and weak capacities to understand and remember the Principles of Religion discerning that many who could not distinctly repeat the words did yet understand the matter and therefore were not to be despised or discouraged and others of firmer memories who were able to learn the words did understand little or nothing of the meaning of them He did therefore study how he might best remedy both those evils and to that end framed several forms of Catechisms in divers kinds At length he pitched on that form as the most convenient that he could think of which he published in print intituled An endeavour of making the principles of Christian Religion plain and easie of which so many thousands have been printed of late years and entertained with great approbation His method therein is this The answers which make up the main body of the Catechism are so many distinct Aphorisms or entire Propositions in themselves without dependance on the questions to make the sense entire containing in themselves a brief module of Divinity And to that purpose so much of the question is still repeated in the answer as is necessary to make the sense perfect Hereby the Learner is freed from a double inconvenience The one is that where the sense of an answer is imperfect he is forced to charge his memory with learning the question also or else to make use either of this Book or anothers help to ask the question that so that answer which he hath learned may be perfect sense The other is that aptnesse in the Learner to misapply the answer to a wrong question when he learns only the predicate of the Proposition without the subject Both which inconveniences are in this way in a great measure prevented Another thing mainly considerable in his method is That beside the main questions and the answers thereunto there are also annexed divers explicatory questions which require no other answer but Yes or No which without any further charging of the Learners memory do direct him to the distinct observing of what is contained in the principal answer and so to the understanding thereof whereas otherwise heedlesse Learners are apt Parot-like only to learn the words without at all regarding the meaning of them The same also will help to direst a weak memory the better to recite the larger answer if he be first required to give a particular answer to those expository questions for he will then have nothing to expresse in the full answer beside what in the Preparatory questions had been suggested to him As for example Quest. In what condition was man created by God at the first Was he made miserable No or very happy Yes In the Image of God Yes In what condition then was man created by God at first Answ. Man was created at the first in a very happy condition in the Image of God And in the same method he intended to digest the lesser Catechism composed by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster and authorized for publique use if God had afforded him life to have seen that Catechism perfected to the compiling whereof he had contributed no small assistance which therefore since his death hath been performed by one that was intimate with him and fully acquainted with his resolutions in that particular As he was carefull thus to instruct his flock so was he also vigilant to prevent disorders and misdemeanours amongst them in point of practice wherein he was not contented to use his own personal endeavours but did also ingage his Parishioners to contribute their best assistance thereunto whereunto they did oblige themselves in divers excellent Resolutions and Agreements concluded by common consent amongst them and subscribed by their hands viz. for the preventing and punishing of Drunkennesse and Tippling of prophaning the Lords day and of other prophane or disorderly demeanours during the exercise of Divine Worship by sleeping talking playing c. as likewise of stealing and pilfering of prophane swearing and cursing of rayling slandering whoredome fighting and quarrelling disobedience to Parents and Governours and of other misdemeanours in whom soever In the religious ordering of his own Family he was extraordinary vigilant and painfull that it might be so much as in him lay a Garden without weeds and that those which were under his roof might either not perish or at least not through his default Indeed his house was a School of Religion such as there are very few to be found insomuch that it was counted a great happinesse to live under his roof under the constant enjoyment of so much means for the souls good It was his great care to entertain none in his Family but such as were either truly godly or at least willing to be instructed and educated in the waies of God and who would be ready and willing to attend the exercises of Gods worship both publiquely and privately and to avoid all scandalous conversation It was his constant practice twice every day to pray with his Family not allowing any to be absent at which times he read to them some portion both of the Old and New Testament He was carefull also to catechize his Family twice every week and likewise on Friday and Saturday to require an account from them of the Sermons preached the Lords day before which he then repeated to them Having also while he was at Ashwel the Sonnes of divers considerable persons of the Nobility and Gentry sojourning in his house for their better education in Religion and Learning he maintaining in his house an Assistant as a Schoolmaster to teach them he required of them the like account in Catechizing and Repetitions as of his own Servants He had also daily after dinner and Supper a Chapter read by one of those Gentlemen in course and he whose turn was to read was required also after he had read to repeat the substance out of his memory which by constant custom they had attained an ability to perform very exactly after which himself used to go over the same briefly by way of exposition of what appeared difficult and noting such observations as were most obvious from the most remarkable passages therein Beside this he required his Servants after every meal to
being certified that many things were done tumultuously in the City and that weapons were brought together in many places they thought fit that counsell should be taken betimes for that no good could be expected from those proceedings Hereupon one was sent to the King to certifie him of the commontion of the people and of their carrying of Arms and therefore to request him to charge certain of his guard to stand before the Admirals door for his better security The King seeming to be moved with this news began to demand of the Messenger who had told it him and whether the Admirall knew of it and withall he sent for the Queen-Mother who was scarce entred when the King with a disquiet mind as he seemed said What a mischief What is the matter He tels me that the common people are in a tumult and take Arms. She answered They are not in any tumult neither do they take Arms but you know that early in the morning you commanded that all should contain themselves in their own quarters lest any tumult might arise That is true said the King but I forbad them to take Arms. Then the Messenger again requested that he would send some of his Guard to the Admirals lodging The Duke of Anjou being by said Take Cossen to you with fifty Harquibushiers The other answered We desire only six of the Kings Guard for their Authority will more prevail with the people then many armed men Yea quoth the King and the Duke of Anjou take Cossens to you for you cannot have a fitter man which words were pronounced very imperiously The Messenger knowing Cossen to be a great enemy to the Admirall yet held his peace and not far from the Kings Chamber he met with Monsieur Thoree Brother to Marshall Monmorency who whispering in his ear said No greater enemy could be given us for our Keeper to whom the other answered Did you not observe how Imperiously the King decreed it but pray you remember what I answered to the King when he first commanded it A few hours after came Cossen with his fifty Harquibushiers to the Admirals house and chose two shops by to place his Guard in A little after Rambulet the Kings Camp-master followed who by the advice of the Duke of Anjou commanded all the Popish Nobility that lodged in that street to remove their quarters elsewhere that he might dispose of their lodgings to the friends and familiars of the Admirall then which no more crafty counsell could be devised for those matters which afterwards fell out Towards evening this hapned which gave to many no small occasion of suspition A Boy by the command of Teligni brought two hunting poles to the Admirals house but Cossen put him back and would not suffer them to be carried in This being told to the King of Navarr who was now with the Admirall he went down and asked Cossen upon what confidence he did it Cossen answered that he had done it at the command of the King but said he since you will have it so let them be brought in That day the King sent to all the Admirals familiar friends admonishing them to go near to the Admirals house and take up all those quarters But upon the former occurrences another Councel was called under the Admirals lodging wherein the Vidam of Chartres again urged his former opinion that the Admirall should presently be carried out of Paris and that his friends should go along with him That every hour they observed many things that justly increased their suspition But most were of the contrary opinion viz. That they were only to require justice of the King and to desire that the Guises and their Faction might be commanded out of the City as being too powerfull with the people of Paris and of this opinion was the King of Navarr the Prince of Conde and many others and the rather because Teligni urged that it would be a great injury to the King if any should call his faith and sincerity into question and that it would be sufficient if justice were meekly required of him At this debate there was one Bucavannius a Picard who never spake word he was a professor indeed of the true Religion but very gracious with the Queen-Mother and very frequent with her familiars which probably betraied all to her About three a clock in the night there fell out another thing which increased the suspition for one carrying to the Admirals house the Coats of Male of Teligni and Guercius Cossen turned him back again which man complaining to Guercius who was a stout and gallant man he went to Cossen and sharply taxed him for it so that they had well near fallen to blows but Teligni who was of a meek and quiet spirit with gentle words pacified them himself being so deluded with the fair and flattering words of the King that he never thought that he spake enough in his commendation In the mean time a Councell was held at Court where were present the King Queen-Mother Duke of Anjou Duke of Nevers the Bastard of Angolisme Birage Tavannius and Radesianus and it was concluded That seeing by the death of one the mischief diffused amongst so many could not be extinguished therefore all should be destroyed And that the wrath which God would not have fulfilled with the blood of Coligni alone should be poured out against all the Sectaries therefore say they the bridle is to be let loose to the common people who are stirred up enough of themselves and when the businesse is accomplished reasons will not be wanting whereby the deed may be excused the blame being laid upon the Guises who will willingly undergo the same So they all concluded that all the Protestants were to be destroyed even every Mothers child of them Concerning the King of Navarr and the Prince of Conde it was debated Whether they were to be exempted from the number of the rest and it was alleadged that the King of Navarr was to be spared because of his royall Dignity and his affinity newly contracted for it would be without all excuse if so great a Prince next to the King in blood conjoyned in fresh affinity should be slain in the Kings Castle between the arms as it were of the King his Brother-in-law and his Wives imbraces Concerning the Prince of Conde the contention was greater he was much envied for his Fathers sake yet the dignity of his person and the authority of the Duke of Nevers who became surety for him prevailed that he should be spared After this the King calling the King of Navarr told him that by reason of the violence and boldnesse of the Guises and the common people inclining to them he would advise him to command those of his houshold whom he knew most faithfull to him to come to him to the Louure to be at hand upon all occasions This the King of Navarr took in very good part sending for
Queen of Navarr being zealously carefull to propagate the Protestant Religion in Cantabria a Province of the Jurisdiction of Navarr she sent Pastors who had learned the Countrey language which is understood by almost none of the neighbours and was before believed that it could not be written She took care also that the New Testament the Catechism and the Prayers used in the Church of Geneva should be translated into the Gascoine or Cantabrian tongue which she caused to be printed at Rochel in a most fine letter and sent to them And so upon the earnest solicitation of the King she went the March following Anno Christi 1572. from Rochel to the Court which was then at Blois with great attendance where it is incredible to think what welcome she had on all sides especially from the King and his Brethren who yet when all was done could boastingly say to his Mother Now Madam have not I quit my self well Let me alone and I will bring them all into the net In April following were the Articles concluded concerning the marriage of the Prince of Navarr with the Kings Sister And in the beginning of May the King woed the Queen of Navarr again to come to Paris for preparing things fitting for the Marriage which she at last consented to and so May the 6. she took her journey from Blois and came to Paris May the 15. After which she went from place to place in the City into sundry houses and shops to find out such things as might tend to the adorning of the day of so great a solemnity The Queen-Mother in the mean time who could not endure this good Queen and yet not finding with what colour she could dispatch her with the rest though she feared the greatnesse of her spirit in case she should survive them and judged it impossible to work upon the flexibility of the young Prince her Son whilst she lived She therefore consulted with one Rene an Italian whose practice was to impoyson things by whose devilish help she brought her accursed purpose to passe This Rene sold the Queen of Navarr certain Perfumes whereby he found out the way to poyson her therewith and afterwards he was heard to make his brags of it saying also that he had the like in store for two or three more who suspected no such matter By this means June the 4. this good Queen fell sick of a continued Feavor and though others sleighted it yet she perceiving by the strength of her disease that she should not long continue prepared her self to receive from the hand of God her mercifull Father that which he had appointed concerning her And calling her Son Henry she commanded him above all things carefully to serve God according to the confession of Faith wherein he had been educated and not to suffer himself to be plucked or diverted from the same by the smoaky pleasures and delights of the world and other incentives unto vices and that he should take care that the Constitutions concerning the same which she had published in the Principality of Berne and the lower Navarr be inviolably kept That he should throughly purge his Family and cause all bad Counsellors to be gone from thence which thought ill concerning God As also all flatterers the abusers of Princes and all other vicious Persons That he should retain with him all good men as Bellovarius Francutius and Betulus who were men of an unblameable life That he should have a special care of his Sister Katherine using her gently and lovingly without bitternesse causing her to be brought up in the Town of Berne in the same School of godlinesse which himself had been trained up in and when she should grow marriagable that he should marry her to a Prince of equall dignity professing the same Religion That he should love Henry Bourbon his Cosen German as his Brother and also Francis Marquesse of Contium taking care that as great concord as may be be cherished betwixt them and the Admirall Coligni for the advancement and propagation of Gods glory Lastly she makes her Son her Heir intreating the King the Queen-Mother the Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Alenson the Kings Brethren to undertake the Protection of the Prince her Son and of Katherine his Sister and to permit them the free exercise of their Religion Then she requested that she might have such nigh about her as might comfort her in her sicknesse out of the Word of God as also to pray with her and for her according to that of Saint James Is any sick amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him knowing that the Prayers of a righteous man prevail much with God According to her desire a Minister resorted to her shewing out of the Scriptures that Christians ought in all things to submit to the will of God as to the Father of spirits that they may live and albeit by reason of the severity of his chastisements sometimes it may seem to our flesh as if they were sent for no other end but for our destruction yet ought we to consider that the just God can do nothing but justly and being withall a mercifull Father he cannot but therein seek the welfare of his afflicted Children To this she replied I take all this as sent from the hand of God my most mercifull Father Nor have I during this extremity feared to die much lesse murmured against God for inflicting this chastisement upon me knowing that whatsoever he doth he doth so order the same as that in the end it shall turn to my everlasting good Then said the Minister The causes of sicknesses and diseases must be sought beyond the course of Physick which alwaies looks to the corruption of the humours or of the distemper to the more noble parts of the body And though it be not amisse to have respect to these things as to secondary causes yet ought we to ascend higher namely to the first even to God himself who disposeth of all his creatures even as best pleaseth him He it is that makes the wound and heals that kils and makes alive Deut. 32.39 and therefore to him we ought to direct our Prayers for our comfort in all our griefs and sufferings and in the end to expect full deliverance seeing it's easie with him to restore our health if it stand with his his good pleasure To this she answered That she depended wholly upon Gods Providence knowing that all things are wisely disposed by him and therefore she besought him to furnish her with all such graces as he saw to be necessary for her salvation As for this life said she I am in a good measure weaned from it in regard of the afflictions which have followed me from my youth hitherto but especially because I cannot live without offending my good God with whom I desire to be with all my heart Then said the
Minister Yet long life how full of troubles soever it be is to be esteemed amongst the blessings of God seeing his promise implies so much and not only so but because our lives may many waies serve to his glory and long life is not only an honour but a pledge of his favour Even as it is to him whom a Prince long implies in his service having had experience of his fidelity many years together Hereupon he earnestly requested her to pray that if it was the will of God he would imploy her yet longer in his service for the further enlargement of his Gospel and that he would grant unto her such recovery of health and such a good disposition of body that with renewed strength she might be enabled to finish her course much more nobly then ever heretofore To this she replied That in regard of her own particular her life was not dear unto her seeing so long as she lived in this frail flesh she was still prone and apt to sin against God only she said her care was somewhat for her Children which God had given her in respect that they should be deprived of her in their young years yet saith she I doubt not but though he should please to take me from them himself will become a Father to them and a Protector over them as he hath ever been to me in my greatest afflictions and therefore I commit them wholly to his government and fatherly care Then the Minister blessed God for working in her Majesty this assurance of Faith and ability to cast her care upon the Providence of God intreating her still to persevere therein which would sufficiently seal unto her the truth of her Faith And thus saith he did the Patriarchs in times past commit the care of their posterity into the hands of God as may appear by the severall blessings of Abraham Isaac and Jacob But yet he told her that it was very requisite that she should make choice of such who for their sincerity both in life and Doctrine might continue to water in these young Princely Plants the seeds of Piety that had been sown in them by her so great pains and industry seeing it was to be hoped that the example of her Faith and constancy in the service of God wherein she had gone before them would serve as a perpetuall inducement to them to follow her noble vertues And whereas she had declared that death was not terrible to her because it was the way by which she was to passe to her eternal rest he told her that Christians had little cause to fear death in regard that they should not die at all according to that of our Saviour He that lives and believes in me shall never die Joh. 8.51 For saith he to speak properly death is no death to them but a sweet sleep being often so called in the Scriptures and therefore Christ for their sakes hath overcome and triumphed over it in his own person so as now we may cry out with St. Paul O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory After this he admonished her to make confession of her sinnes before God shewing that bodily diseases tend to the dissolution of nature and that death was the wages of sinne further declaring that by this her chastisement she might discern what she had deserved if God should enter into judgment with her not only in regard of the fall of our first Parents in which guilt she was enwrapped as well as others but also by her own personall sins seeing the best in the world are in themselves but poor miserable and wretched sinners yea if the Lord should punish us according to our demerits we could expect nothing at his hands but eternal death and damnation At these words she began with her eyes and hands lifted up to Heaven to acknowledge that the sins which she had committed against the Lord were innumerable and therefore more then she was able to reckon up but yet she hoped that God for Christs sake in whom she put her whole trust would be mercifull to her From hence the Minister took occasion to declare at large upon what ground she was to expect the fruit of this mercy of God in Christ Adding The whole have no need of a Physician but the sick And Christ saith He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And that he is ready to fill the hungry with good things whereas in the mean while he sends the rich empty away Of these things saith he you ought so much the rather to be perswaded in your counscience by how much the more the holy Spirit of God witnesseth to your spirit that you are the Child of God and enables you to cry Abba Father For what is Faith else but a firm trust and assurance of the good will of God manifested towards us in his blessed Son But the Minister fearing lest by his long discourse he might be troublesome or cause her too much to spend her spirits would have given over which she taking notice of earnestly requested him not to forbear speaking to her about these matters of life and eternal salvation adding that now she felt the want of it in regard that since her coming to Paris she had been somewhat remisse in hearing such exhortations out of the Word of God And therefore I am the more glad said she to receive comfort out of it in this my great extremity Then did the Minister endeavour to set before her the happinesse of heaven and what those joys were that the faithfull possesse in the presence of God which the Scriptures intending to discover tell us that Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what those things are which God hath prepared for them that love him For saith he it is as if a King minding greatly to honour some Noble personage should bring him to his Court and there shew him his state and attendance his Treasures with all his most precious Jewels Eved so will the Lord one day reveal to all his Elect and faithfull people his magnificence and glory with all the Treasures of his Kingdom after he hath gathered them home to himself decking and adorning them with light incorruption and immortality Therefore saith he since this happinesse is so great your Highnesse ought to be the lesse solicitous about leaving this transitory life and know that you are to change this earthly Kingdom for an heavenly Inheritance These temporall good things which vanish and come to nothing in the using to enjoy for ever those things which are eternal and everlasting For your faith being now firmly set upon our Lord Jesus Christ you may be assured to obtain eternal salvation by him Then did he proceed to propose to her this question Madam Do you verily believe that Jesus Christ came into the world to save you and do you expect the full forgivenesse
of all your sins by the shedding of his blood for you Yea said she I do believing that he is my only Saviour and Mediatour and I look for salvation from none other knowing that he hath abundantly satisfied for the sins of all his people and therefore I am assured that God for his sake according to his gracious promise in him will have mercy upon me During all the time of her sicknesse she ceased not to continue in such fruitfull and comfortable communications sometimes intermixing them with most affectionate sighs to God as a testimony of that hope and desire she had of enjoying his presence often uttering these words O my God in thy good time deliver me from this body of death and from the miseries of this present life that I may no more offend thee and that I may attain to the felicity which thou in thy Word hast promised to bestow upon me Neither did she manifest her pious affection by words only but by her constant and cheerfull countenance so farre forth as the vehemency of her disease would suffer thereby giving a clear testimony to all that beheld her that the fear of death could not drive her from the stedfastnesse of her Faith The Minister also went often to prayer with her the usual tenor whereof was this which follows O Lord our God We confesse here before thy Divine Majesty that we are altogether unworthy of thine infinite mercies by reason of our manifold iniquities and that we are so farre from deserving to be heard of thee in our requests that we are rather worthy that thou shouldst reject both our persons and our prayers But seeing it hath pleased thee to make us a gracious promise of hearing and granting our requests we humbly beseech thee freely to forgive all our offences and to cover them under the obedience and righteousness of thy dear Son that through him our selves and our services may be well pleasing unto thee For Lord we acknowledge that all our afflictions are measured out to us by thine hand who art a most just Judge in regard that we have every way provoked thee to wrath by our infinite sinnings against thee yea by our rebellions which now testifie against us For alas Lord our life hath been no way answerable to that perfect obedience which thou by thy holy Law dost justly require at our hands which we from day to day do transgress and therefore do here cast down our selves at this time before thy glorious presence unfeignedly acknowledging our misery and wretchedness from the very bottom of our hearts Yet Lord mercy is with thee and because thou art our Father therefore thou desirest not the death of sinners but rather that they should convert and live For this cause we now fall down before the throne of thy grace with confidence of obtaining thy wonted mercy which thou hast promised to such as call upon thee in truth beseeching thee who art the Father of mercies to have compassion on all such as thou hast humbled under thy mighty hand but more especially on this thy Servant the Queen who lieth here before thee sick of a dangerous disease that as thou hast righteously afflicted her for her sinnes which she also doth with us acknowledge so it would please thee in pardoning them all to her for thy beloved Sons sake to grant that she may profit by this thy correcting hand for the time to come Above all O Lord give her a sweet sense yea full assurance of thy eternal joys that so she may with the greater patience take down this bitter potion ministred unto her from thy hand and that the sole desire of enjoying thy presence may cause her to forget all worldly greatness and magnificence knowing that they are nothing in respect of the glory which is now set before her Endue her also with meekness of minde to bear the tediousnesse of her affliction for though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak yea full of resisting and unbelief that so receiving all things from thee as from a Father she may the more willingly submit her will to thine And because O good God thou hast made her hitherto an happy Instrument for the advancement of thy glory and defence of thy poor afflicted people we pray thee if it may stand with thy good pleasure restore her to health again that so the excellent work that thou hast by her means begun may not be left unperfected but by vertue of this her deliverance she may with renewed strength undertake the same in better sort then ever heretofore especially for the well educating and training up the Children that thou hast given her But Lord if thou hast a purpose now to call her home to thy self who are we that we should contradict thy holy will Only we pray thee that thou wouldst confirm her more and more in the knowledge of thy blessed Gospel and thereby also in the certainty of her salvation which thou hast given her by Faith in thy Son Jesus Christ that thus she may not cease to sanctifie and call upon thy holy Name to her last breath And as touching our selves who are here by thy good providence gathered together about her being in bodily health give us to know the uncertainty and brevity of our life that so according to our duty we may behold the same in this mirror that thou hast set before us as knowing that even the greatest in the world are subject to the same calamities as well as the small that so our chief care may be to employ the remainder of our time to thine honour and service All which we crave of thee in the Name of Jesus Christ thy Son our only Mediatour and Advocate Amen During the time of prayer she ceased not with hands and eyes lift up to Heaven to fetch many deep sighs especially when mention was made of the mercy of God in Christ which he extendeth to poor sinners so that all present might evidently see that her heart and affections were joyned to the Prayer that was made by and for her And whilst she thus lay she still continued in her holy desires to depart hence that she might be with Christ taking great delight in the holy and Christian exhortations which were made to her by many godly and learned men who came to visit her to whom also she manifested no small testimonies of that faith and hope which she had in God touching the salvation of her soul by her holy and savory speeches which for brevity sake are omitted Yea although the Lord exercised her much with the sense of her inward disease yet could you not at any time discern any speech favouring of discontentment or impatience to proceed out of her mouth nay scarcely so much as a groan But if at any time she found any refreshings from the violence of her disease there being no malady so vehement which hath not some intermissions and breathing times
she declared her willingnesse to obtain the recovery of her former health and for that end she refused no good means prescribed for her by her learned Physicians Again when she perceived her sicknesse to increase upon her and that she grew worse and worse she was no whit appaled thereat but shewed her self to be armed with an invincible constancy to undergo the utmost that death could do against her preparing her self willingly for that last conflict And when she saw her Ladies and Gentlewomen weeping about her bed she blamed them for it saying Weep not for me I pray you for as much as God doth by this sicknesse call me hence to enjoy a better life and now I may enter into the desired Haven towards which this frail vessel of mine hath been a long time steering Yet she shewed her self grieved that she wanted opportunity to reward them and many more of her Family and Train which had done her faithfull service as she could have wished excusing her self to them and professing that it was not want of good will but her being prevented by this her suddain sicknesse But said she I will not fail to give order about the same to the utmost of my ability In the end perceiving her strength to decay more and more she gave order to have her last Will and Testament made and thereby setled her outward estate And the 8 of June which was the day before she died she called for a Minister and finding that she was drawing nigh unto her end she desired him to speak somewhat largely of the temptations which Satan is wont to assail Gods Elect withall in their last conflict To this the Minister answered Indeed that is the hour wherein the sworn enemy of all the faithfull doth most busily bestirre himself if possible to deprive them of the comfort of their salvation not sparing especially at that time to set upon them with might and sleight but yet even then the Lord is not nor will be wanting to his filling their hearts with such joy and comfort of the Holy Ghost as shall make them in the end more then conquerours His first Engine wherewith he would drive them to despair is by presenting before their eyes the innumerable heaps of their sinnes and pollutions wherewith they have been any way defiled in their whole life and then he presents to them Gods justice before which no flesh can be able to subsist unlesse it were pure and spotlesse whence he infers that such miserable sinners can expect and look for nothing but utter death and condemnation But against these assaults we must as David Psal. 52. set the infinite multitudes of Gods compassions which do infinitely surpasse the multitudes of our sinnes And as for the justice of God we confesse that no creature that is defiled by sinne can abide to be strictly examined by it if God should call us to a severe account but we know that God will never enter into judgment with those that believe in his Son but imputes unto them that righteousness and obedience which was accomplished by him which is sufficient to oppose against the justice of God therefore in it alone we must expect to stand before his face and not by our own dignity and worthinesse Indeed if we were to appear before the seat of Justice to receive there what we have deserved we had good reason to be overwhelmed in utter despair but turning our eyes upon him who being the eternal Son of God hath clothed himself with our humane nature to bear on him the same punishment that was due to our sinnes and thereby hath acquitted us then Gods justice doth no whit affright us but rather yields us assured comfort because God being just cannot require the same debt twice Having therefore received full and perfect satisfaction from Christ whom he hath ordained to be our surety and who hath paid our debts for us thence we gather assurance that he will no more require it at our hands To which purpose these sentences are to be well observed It is Christ who hath born our grief and carried our sorrows The chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed That we all like sheep have gone astray and have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all Christ is our peace and the propitiation for our sins The Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Upon these considerations Gods justice need not terrifie such as believe in Christ of whose righteousnesse and redemption they are made partakers seeing that Jesus Christ who knew no sin was made sin that is an oblation for sin for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him I grant said he that these things belong not to all indifferently but only unto such as believing in the Son of God do wholly cast themselves upon the merit of his death and passion which as St. Peter saith is sufficient for their salvation Act. 4.12 Then did he ask her whether she placed her whole trust and confidence on Christ crucified who died for her sins and rose again for her justification To this the godly Queen answered that she neither expected salvation righteousnesse nor life from any else but only from her Saviour Jesus Christ being assured that his merit alone did abundantly suffice for the full satisfaction for all her sins albeit they were innumerable This being your faith Madam quoth the Minister you cannot come into condemnation but are passed from death to life neither need you fear Gods Seat of Justice since it is turned into a Throne of mercy and grace unto you and therefore the hour of death will be exceeding welcome to you being but a sweet passage into a far better life as also the time in which all tears shall be wiped from your eyes therefore I beseech you Madam think often of that sweet Text Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Now the time approaches wherein you shall enjoy the beatificiall vision the society of your Husband Christ the fellowship of the blessed Angels and celestial Spirits with the holy Patriachs Prophets Apostles and Martyrs of Christ partaking with them in the same felicity and glory He also further said Madam If it should please God by this your sicknesse to put an end to this weary Pilgrimage of yours and to call you home to himself as by some evident signs it appears that he will Are you willing to go unto him To this she answered with much Christian courage Yea with all my heart Then said he Good Madam Open the eyes of your Faith and behold Jesus your great Redeemer sitting at the right hand of his Father reaching out his hand to receive you to himself Are you Madam willing to go unto him Yes I assure saith she most willing and much more willing
then to linger here below in this world where I see nothing but vanity Then he asked her if they should go to prayer with her which she desiring they performed it by her whilst this pious Lady manifested her ardent affection in calling upon God Prayer being ended the Minister discerning in her the undoubted testimonies of unfeigned Repentance and of the sorrow that she conceived for the offences which she had committed against God together with the assured confidence which she had in his mercies as a Minister of the Gospel and Ambassadour of the Son of God by the authority given to him having the word of reconciliation committed to him he assured her in the Name of Christ that all her sinnes were forgiven by God and that they should never come in account against her at his judgment seat yea that she should no more doubt thereof then if the Son of God from Heaven should say unto her Daughter be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee And to the end that troubled consciences might the better be quieted Christ hath used these words speaking to his Ministers saying Whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. And the reason is because the Word which they pronounce is not the word of a mortall man but of the immortall God being of no lesse weight then if himself uttered the same Then he asked her Majesty if she accepted of so gracious a message which assured her of the free pardon of all her sins Yes saith she with all my heart and make no doubt thereof Not long after came in the Admirall Coligni and with him another Minister to whom she gave ear a good space together his speech tending to prepare her for death and when he had finished his speech he also prayed with her which she attended to with great affection Then she requested that those two Ministers might stay all night with her in her chamber and that they would in no wise leave her The greatest part of this night was spent in holy admonitions which these Ministers gave to this gracious Lady one after another besides which she required them to read to her some Chapters of the holy Scriptures which were pertinent to her condition and so they read out of St. Johns Gospel from the fourteenth to the end of the seventeenth Chapter After which they went to prayer with her which being ended the Queen desired to take some rest but it was not long ere she commanded them to read again Whereupon one of them made choice of certain of David's Psalms full of ardent and affectionate prayers suting to this Princesse present condition by reason of her affliction and for a conclusion read Psal. 31. wherein the Prophet amongst other things doth commend his spirit into the hands of God Because saith he thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Then the Queen willed them to pray with her again and thus was the most part of that night spent in such holy exercises during all which time the Ministers never discerned in her the least sign of impatience notwithstanding the violence of her affliction Yea whereas immediately before her sickness she had shewed how affectionately she was bent to provide things most magnificent for the day of her Sons Marriage according as the State of so great an alliance required yet it was admirable to observe that after this sicknesse had seized on her God wrought in her such a neglect and forgetfulnesse of all such matters that she never shewed to have so much as a thought thereof This night being thus spent and past by this Noble Queen she persevering in the expressions of such like affections and ardency of faith the next morning between eight and nine of the clock she departed this life to take possession of a far better sweetly yielding up her spirit into the hands of God June 9. Anno Christi 1572. being the sixth day after she fell sick and of her age 44. She had her perfect speech and memory even to the hour of her death shewing not only that staidnesse and soundnesse of judgement which ever in times past she had in the care about the salvation of her soul but also in the well settlement of her worldly affairs The King made as if he had conceived great grief for her death putting on mourning attire wherein also the whole Court followed his example lest by this suddain accident their Counsels and futurh desperate designs might be prevented Also to avoid all jealousies and suspitions of her being poisoned by reason of her suddain sicknesse and death her body was opened by sundry expert and learned Doctors of Physick and Chyrurgery who found her Heart and Liver very sound only some scirrousnesse on one side of her Lungs but her Head they might not open where the malady lay by which means the discovery of it was prevented Anonymus Soli Deo Gloria FINIS A TABLE OF The Principal things contained in this Part OF THE LIVES A. AFflictions profitable to Gods children p. 202 Antinomians practice 52 Apostacy plagued by God 25 Assurance to be sought 211 Astrologers are lyers 99 B. BIble is translated into English 4 Bishops enemies to godly Ministers and to the power of Godlinesse 1 2 20 21 28 29 30 41 46 48 53 58 61 63 89 106 109 146 148 149 162 163 185 189 191 201 223 A Bishop enjoyned to ask a Minister forgivenesse in his own Congregation 163 C. CHarity eminent 88 151 155 168 174 191 202 225 Charity of good Ministers 2 13 14 24 76 186 237 240 Comfort at death 142 Comforting afflicted consciences 16 173 202 204 Constancy 151 171 297 Contentation 55 177 171 Conversion 27 86 99 144 184 199 Conversion of a Jaylor 9 Courage 245 270 283 Courage of Gods Ministers 9 43 109 163 186 214 222 239 D. DEath desired 203 Death not feared 208 Devil dispossessed by Prayer 91 216 E. ENvy 46 Examples prevalent 294 F. FAith 86 180 205 207 267 285 Family cared for and well instructed 5 72 164 169 190 226 248 262 267 295 Fasting and Prayer 171 174 200 203 228 Fidelity 27 246 Flight refused in time of persecution 9 10 Flight embraced 12 Friendship sincere 391 221 Frugality 174 G. GRatitude 27 39 176 H. DAnger of unprofitable Hearers 81 Heretick burned 147 Hospitality 200 202 Humility 249 Humility of Gods Ministers 25 39 55 151 174 179 180 182 187 191 206 209 210 222 224 I. INgratitude 56 Joy unspeakable 25 202 L. Life exemplary 81 Long life why a blessing 303 M. WHat makes a compleat Man 81 What makes a compleat Minister 82 Meeknesse of Gods Ministers 25 174 207 Ministers cared for by God 5 6 10 11 Ministers dearly loved 195 Ministers falsly accused 52 Ministry of the Word successefull 21 25 30 67 79 87 89 147 158 164 167 186 201 213 217 231 P. PArents honoured 219 Painfulnesse in Preaching 1 5 14 22 41 46 56 157 164 173
up to London he was chosen Lecturer at Austins in Watling-street after which he preached twice every Lords day at Mildreds Bredstreet during the life of an old man who had the charge there Whence he removed a little higher to All-hallows where he continued preaching constantly one Mr. Edmunds retaining the charge but by reason of age and infirmities accompanying it unable to Officiate and discharge the place himself His Ministry was so gratefull and acceptable to the people that after the death of Mr. Edmunds the Pastorall charge of that place was conferred upon him which he held to his dying day Being setled there he married a Wife yet surviving by whom he had three daughters Mr. STOCK Nor was he one of those rath-ripe wits that promise fair in the blossome but fail in the fruit that like Comets blaze brighter then the fixed Starres for a time but after a while vanish and come to naught the matter of them being either wholly spent or dispersed But his proceedings in publick were correspondent to his beginnings in private When it pleased God to call him out and to set him apart to that imployment that he had ordained him to before he proved a painfull and faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ a skilfull and powerfull dispenser of Gods Word And if any proof hereof be desired Not to insist upon his constant and incessant imployments with generall approbation and applause of those that were Religious and judicious continued for so many years as aforesaid together not a Sabboth intermitted wherein if health served he preached not twice either in his own charge where he was most frequent or elsewhere abroad besides his Catechizing of the younger sort in the week dayes at certain times and other such Offices as to the Pastorall function are necessarily annexed and are privately to be performed wherein also he was no lesse diligent then in the execution of his publick Ministry Not to insist I say upon this which yet were sufficient proof of it as the Apostle saith of the Corinthians You are the seal of my Apostleship and my Letters Testimonial So may it well be said of this reverend man of God Many Christian souls having professed themselves to have had their first effectual Calling and Conversion from him the like whereunto few others could say at that time besides the multitudes of those which have acknowledged themselves to have been edified built up and bettered by him are the seal of his Calling and of Christ speaking in and by him and not verball or vocall but reall Letters testimoniall of the efficacy of his Ministry through Gods blessing upon the same One saith that the Apostles were like Fishermen the succeeding Ministers like Huntsmen The Apostles like Fishermen that caught many at one draught The succeeding Ministers like Huntsmen that with much toil and clamour running up and down all day scarce take one Deer or Hare e're night And such is the hard condition of many of Gods Servants that notwithstanding the faithfull and painfull discharge of their duty yet are enforced to complain with the Prophet Who hath believed our report and I have laboured in vain Scarce able to produce or instance in any one of whom they can with some good ground of assurance presume that they have gained at least him unto God But well might this worthy Servant of Christ through Gods blessing upon his labours stand out and say not of one or two but of troops in the words of the same Prophet Behold I and the children that God hath given me And with the Apostle These have I begotten unto God by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yea more then that many famous lights in Gods Church and faithfull Ministers of his Word do professe to have lighted their candles at his Lamp yea some of them to have received their first beginnings not of light only but of spiritual life and grace without which all light be it never so great is no light but meer darknesse from his Ministry It 's no small honour for a man to win if it were but any one soul He hath saved a soul saith St. James as a matter worthy the glorying in For to win a soul is to win more then the whole world besides is worth But what an honour then is it to be not a winner of a soul but a winner of such as prove winners of souls and so by winning of some one immediatly to be a mediate winner of many others by him They shall shine saith he as the Heavens that instruct and they that convert others as the Starres And how gloriously then suppose we doth this blessed man of God shine now in the Kingdom of God that was an instructer of those that are instructers of others that was a converter of those that are converters of others themselves Many then did this worthy man as the holy Ghost saith of John the Baptist win unto God Many he won though all he could not that was more then the Apostle Paul was able to do The Jews opposed themselves against his Ministry and blasphemed Act. 18.6 and 2 Thes. 3.2 All men saith he have not faith But yet many he won and his desire and endeavour with the same Apostle was to win all his own Flock especially of whom he used to protest That it was more comfort to him to win one of them then twenty others But some refractory spirits as what Minister doth not he met withall that would not be reclaimed that by their crosse-grain carriage and behaviour were as thornes in his eyes and as goads in his sides and proved a vexation of heart to this faithfull Servant of Christ. But against such persons not only the dust of the Ministers feet but the sweat of his brows and the tears of his eyes and his strength wasted amongst them and his spirits spent upon them shall one day rise up in judgment against them to make their doom the heavier if it be not prevented by speedy and unfeigned repentance But because a man may win others and yet lose himself he may save others and yet not save himself They may beget life in others that have none themselves The Word may work by a man and yet not work in him He may be like a stone-gutter saith St. Austin or a leaden pipe that conveyeth water into a Garden yet receives no benefit thereby it self Or like the hand on the high-way that pointeth others the way but never walks therein it self Or like an Harp saith the Heathen that maketh others melody or a Trumpet that sounds loud but heareth nothing it self Or like to the water in Baptism saith Gregory that helps men to Heaven-ward but afterwards is poured down the sink it self He may preach to others and not preach to himself He may convert others and yet himself prove a castaway Though yet indeed it 's seldome seen that much good is done where
a due consent is wanting between tongue and hand between lip and life It was far otherwise with this reverend man of God he was none of those that say and do not but as he taught so he wrought his Doctrine and practice concurred and went hand in hand together His actions were though silent yet reall and effectual Sermons of that which he preached in the Pulpit The course of his life was uniform with the tenour of his teaching and both joyning and concentring in one were a means to draw on many who by the one alone probably had not been so easily won to Christ. In a word for his teaching many that were his constant Hearers have given him a large testimony and they that knew his conversation have done the like for his life He was not a flash one of those which shew all in a Sermon or that spend all upon one curious good work that they mind to make their Master-piece But both in his life and teaching he held on such a constant tenour that the more men especially such as were wise and judicious were acquainted with either the more they reverenced and esteemed him for both There are two things saith one that make a compleat man Integrity and judgment the one whereof is but lame and maimed without the other and yet in few they use to meet together yet there was an happy conjunction of them both in this worthy man One sign whereof will appear by the frequent practice of many who made use of him for to be an overseer of their last wills and craved his assistance by way of direction for the disposall of their outward estates and all know how cautious men use to be in that kind Another testimony of it was by those Reverend Brethren of the Ministry as well as others who either by Letters or otherwise out of all parts of this Realm did usually seek to him as to one more then ordinarily able to give them satisfaction for the resolution of their doubts These two then made him a compleat man but there is something more required to make a compleat Minister viz. That he be able to speak his mind fitly for what use can there be of a mute Messenger and that he dare do it freely for of whom is courage and freedom of speech more required then of Gods Messengers Nor was Mr. Stock defective in either For as for the former how well able he was not to expresse only but to urge and presse too not to confirm alone but to commend also that that he delivered with clear method sound proof choice words fit phrases pregnant similitudes plentifull illustrations pithy perswasions sweet insinuations powerfull enforcements allegations of antiquity and variety of good literature that both the learnedest might receive satisfaction from him and the very meanest and dullest might also reap benefit by him and so as might well leave a deep impression in the hearts and minds of the Hearers they cannot be ignorant that for any space of time heard him In a word in this kind he was such an one as many strove to imitate but few attained to equalize him Again Because it is in vain to be able to speak to good purpose if a man dare not use his tongue if as one said of the Eretrians he belike the sword-fish that hath a sword in his head but no heart in his body or like a cowardly companion that carries a weapon to ruffle with but dares not draw or make use of it though just occasion be offered For his freedom of speech therefore in reproving of sin and that even to the faces of the greatest whether in publick or private when occasion 〈◊〉 many even now living are able to testifie and some accidents made it more publickly known then his desire was that it should have been He was very zealous and earnest for the reformation of some prophâ—nations of the Sabbath Wherein he prevailed also for the alteration of something offensive in that kind as well with the main body of the City as with some particular Societies as for their meetings upon St. Thomas day He perswaded also some of the companies to put off their solemn Festivals from Mundaies to Tuesdaies that so the Lords day might not be prophaned by their preparations for those Feasts His prudence also appeared in his order of Catechizing the young persons of his Parish by examining them apart the youths on one day and the maids on another The riper and forwarder first in the presence of the ruder and rawer and the ruder and rawer apart by themselves when the former were departed that so they might reap what fruit they could by hearing the others and yet might receive no discouragement by being heard of them Neither was his pious diligence and care lesse seen in the Religious instruction and education of those that were under his private charge as Children and Servants for whom his care was greater to provide for their souls then their bodies for their spirituall then for their temporall estate yet not neglecting that neither by bringing them up in the nurture and fear of the Lord. In a word time and speech would sooner fail then matter If I should proceed to write of all the gifts graces and praise-worthy qualities of this eminent servant of Christ. In his publick Ministry his usuall manner was upon occasion to quote the sayings of many of the Fathers which some taking exceptions at he thus Apologized for himself If any saith he take exceptions at my alledging of Fathers as some have taken offence at my using of Reasons to confirm the Doctrine but with very little Reason as I suppose I must pray them to give me leave to use them till I can see that unlawfulnesse which they affirm to be in the practice and to censure me in charity for the use of them as I do them for not using them I will look as well to my heart in the use of them as God shall enable me and when I shall see the hurt of them I will endeavour as much to avoid them In the mean time I will make as much use as I can of them to edifie the Church of God In his younger dayes being called to preach at Pauls Crosse he dealt somewhat plainly and freely in taxing some abuses in the City in unequall Ratings whereby the meaner sort were overburthened whilest the rich and great ones escaped with more ease This was ill taken by many of them who checked him as over-rash for dealing in such matters calling him a green-head but in his latter daies being called to preach at the Lord Maiors Election he fell again upon the same subject and told them a gray-head spake now what a green-head had done formerly But to draw to an end together with his end the end of his labours but the beginning of his rest the end of his work but the receit of his reward