some smaller things till some took occasion to deny them to be due and then being obliged to maintain the Rights of the place he ordered his Clark to demand them He was forbearing After his ejection he found many had not reckoned with him of several years he sued only one not of his Parish that denyed any Tithe to be due to him and led away as much at one time as was of a considerable value This he might not bear so applyed to the Justices who upon the hearing adjudged him his own with the penalty upon the unjust with-holder but he only took his own and what he had spent and a Shilling to his Servant and returned the rest If it might not have been a detriment to the place for the future I am apt to think he would have sitten down with loss for his design was the Peoples benefit he sought not theirs but them and that he might gain upon them he ws content to be a Looser He was a good Towns-man as well as a good Minister There are two clear Instances 1. He procured a Relaxation and Mitigation of their Assessments by clearing it to them then in power that there was reason for it and improving his interest in them procured ease 2. There was a Town-Stock in Breadsall which being sent out among them in small summes was frequently endangered to come lame home Mr. Hieron oft advised it might be laid out in Land which they never would yield to but when there was a prospect of his going out he having promised them Ten â—ounds if they would buy Land they accepted and he as good as his word gave them his Ten Pounds and so there is Land that yields Three Pounds per Annum setled on Trustees for the use of the poor of Brâ—adsall 7. His Heart was much set upon Success and Fruit among his own People that in that place he might be able to say that there was Fruits yea all manner of pleasant Fruits new and old laid up for thee O beloved Cant. 7. last This appeared sundry ways 1. He was pleased that God had given him a People that were frameable to an outward conformity but Oh! where is the Jew inwardly The power of Godliness He was no Formalist himself and he could not take up with shapes of Christians but longed to see real Heart-Christians 2. He was full of thoughts of heart when he found not his desired success attend his work and would break out thus How shall I do more How shall I do better How shall I pray more How shall I preach better 3. The Fruit he had in Breadsall as blessed be God he had some Oh! it was as the first ripe Fruits Oh! a Breadsall-Christian was as a Joseph as a Benjamin to Old Jacob They were in his Bowels his Soul cleaved to them they were his Joy and Crown 8. He was a man of Hospitality and Charity Strangers and Friends found him so in courteous entertainments No good man needed to seek a publick House in Breadsall to lodge in nor strain to reach Derby The Church had a Gains at Breadsall And for his Charity his lending and his giving was considerable It extended it self to all the Poor in Breadsall in Bread in Coats in Corn in Money yea it extended to poor Christians distant from him After he had left Breadsall-Living he sent Money thither to be disposed as he directed He devised liberal things forecasted in hard years to reserve Corn for the poor though it sometimes proved to his outward loss Thus was he full of the good Word of God and of good Works His Acquaintances Neighbours Kindred will testifie these things I could on this head be more large and particular but this taste may suffice they that knew him can inlarge upon these hints they that knew him not may take their measures from these short touches To conclude he was a good man and that his Religion was not barren but had the most undeniable Evidences even those that Jesus Christ will go upon in the day of Judgment 9. He was a bold sharp close reprover of sin and yet very tender and compassionate in dealing with tender Consciences afflicted wounded Spirits Some of his great Neighbours while at Ashborn did profane the Sabbath and openly drunk healths in the Market place he as boldly reproved it as they did impudently commit it and this when the War came on made him to be represented as a Round-head and by the instigation of those Neighbours he was one of the first in Ashborn that had his House broken in upon by Sir Francis Wortleys Party he taken and imprisoâ—ed by them and as by the words they let fall he understood it was in revenge of his Reproofs He was an hearty enemy to sin struck at it with his spiritual weapons with all the strength of his arm He launced festered sores He attacked sturdy resolved sinners with resolute charges He beat down sin so that some touched with Antinomianism thought him too legal and aâ—ked him by what warrant Ministers under the Gospel preached the Law so much he readily answered The words of their Commission were a sufficient warrant citing that Scripture Mark 16. 15 16. and added Is not that as terrible a preaching of the Law as any Minister now doth or can practise To which the Objecter made no reply But on the other hand though he lifted up his voice against sin like a trumpet yet he neither cryed nor lift up his voice when he had to deal with bruised reeds then he bound up their Wounds charily and had the Oyl of Joy for them that were in the Spirit of Hâ—aviness He feared to make the heart of the righteous sad Here he preached the Gospel he beat down profaneness but lent an hand to them that were cast down for sin to lift them up Many disquieted hearts would make to him and he would counsâ—l and comfort them and shew them where the Rest for their Souls was 10. He backed his Doctrine with a good Life He was the same man out of the Pulpit that he was in it He was a Preacher and a Pattern what People heard from him they saw in him He was all Voice Mouth and Life his Conversation was a visible Sermon He was a follower of Christ mighty in word and deed He manifested a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. We may say of him as the Woman of her dead Husband Thou knowest that thy Servant did fear the Lord. No profaneness went from him into any place where he taught His Doctrine was a pure lip and his Life exemplary his Doctrine was pure and savoury his Breath sweet and his Life tinctured with holiness in every turn of it He came as John Baptist in the way of Righteousness he lived in all good Conscience his walking was in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdom He condemned not confuted not his Doctrine by contrary practice but he confirmed
follow his Faith his Practice Which I hasten to CHAP. X. Of the Vses to be made of the Life of this Man of God in certain Reflections and Corollaries Sect. 1. MEthinks I should be greatly wanting to my Duty in writing this Life if I should not add something by way of Improvement of it I have endeavoured to make this good Man known to them that knew him not and to make him better and more fully known to them that knew him but what is all this to the main purpose if I should not say something to make him known for good that we may be something bettered by this knowledge I have ever judged a Sermon lame let the Doctrinal part be never so well handled if it wanted its Application I know this Narrative that speaks of him speaks to us but alas who is not wanting to himself in Applicative knowledge What a vast distance do many of us find betwixt our Heads and our Hearts How little do we carry on of a practical design in our reading of dead Ministers or in our hearing of the living Ministers The Man here mentioned Reader is a part of the Cloud of Witnesses wherewith we are encompassed Suffer me to do what I can to put some Life into this Life I know I cannot do it all quickning comes from God yet in Ministerial Excitations God many times shews himself a quickening God I will lay my Wood in order and wait for Heavens Fire I will prophesie according to my slender proportion and will hope for Gods commanding the Wind to blow that brings the Breath of Life with it I know every Letter I have written or can write is dead but whilst I am stirring up my self and you God can if he so please make words spirit of Life make them quick and powerful I fain would speak write nothing but words of truth and soberness I am sensible in some things I must say I shall not please some but I must please God in uttering the deep thoughts of my heart upon this occasion Bear with me suffer my heart to have a little vent If you will interpret as charitably as I hope I mean honestly you will take no offence at any thing that falls from my Pen who have followed inoffensiveness so far as I could do it with faithfulness COROLLARY 1. Sect. 2. Suffer me to prevent prejudice and anticipate some Objections or Exceptions that I easily foresee may be made Obj. 1. Oh may some say how do you know these things you write of Mr. John Hieron Answ Many things I know of mine own knowledge and for things that I do not know I have very credible Information from them that have reason to know My minutes concerning him are from a very knowing friend one of highest advantages to know a Man of great Observation and hath a good Memory but trusts it not one of great veracity that is too well bred a person to use any impious frauds and so much an honest man and truly tender that he dares not use any of those that are called though miscalled Pious Frauds deceitful talk for God He cannot dare not love nor make so much as an officious lye Obj. 2. Oh but you Nonconformists lean to your Party and magnifie your own out of measure Answ 1. We love our Party but we confine not our love within our Party We love all good men and do them right own that of God that is in them We love the amiable according to the degree of Divine Goodness that is impressed on them We should not love God sincerely nor them aright if we did not do so We never had been a distinguisht Party if you had not forced us to be so by imposing terms we cannot bear We stand to it we are no Sectaries nor Schismaticks In Gods Judgment we shall not be called so Answ 2. We love dear now blessed Mr. Hâ—eron he was a glory to his younger fellow-sufferers his gray head was a Crown to our green hâ—ads but yet we love the Truth better We can do nothing against the Truth ought to say nothing prejudicial to Truth we will not break a Commandment of God to set off a man Answ 3. My Heart reproacheth me not about this Life of his that I have drawn any Line but what was in his Face That I have laid on any false Colours but what were agreeable to his Complexion Look how much I have fallen short I am not sensible that I have exceeded we must have leave to magnifie them that God hath magnified we must not obscure them that God hath made to shine I have only transcribed my own apprehensions of him without any love of error and as far as I could have kept from errors of love I must confess my great affections to him and veneration of him but I have watched against my Affections bribing or byassing my Judgment COROLLARY 2. Sect. 3. Let me hence plead with men of Antiministerial Principles If this Book fall into your hands read and consider to your Conviction Oh go not on to deny and decry the Office and the Officers Lay your hands upon your mouth Cease to vilifie Gods Ministers and the Ministry Let your Ignorance drivel no more Let your rancorous Minds vomit no more Reproaches Let your spightful envious Minds full of malignity belch out no more unsavoury noysome Language Lo here is a man that we offer to you as a proof of the Ministry We have many such as he Our Quiver is full of such who make us not ashamed to speak to the enemies of the Ministry in the gate Will you call Mr. John Hieron a Wolf that did so feed the Church of God Will you call him an Hireling that Preached as many Sermons for nothing as when he had his place that made the Gospel without charge Will you call him a limb of Antichrist that was a pleader against Babylon Will you Blaspheme the Holy Ghost in the Gifts and Graces bestowed on him the apparent fruit of Christs Ascension Will you say he cast out Devils by Beelzebub Will you question his Call that Heaven hath put so many Seals to Shall a Man of God be called a Priest of Baal Shall a Priest cloathed with Salvation by God be called by you a Chemarim Do you seek a proof of Christ speaking in a man Lo here it is Do you not know he was no reprobate however he and others have been reprobated by you Oh return to more sober Minds and pass a better Judgment on the Ministry Why will you be guilty of so great ingratitude as to account this great gift of Christ as filth off-scouring refuse Why will you strengthen the prejudices of a carnal corrupt World against those that would awaken and mend them Why will you lend your mouths to Satan to reproach the Servants of the most high God For if your Language be not the hissing of the Serpent I know not what is Can wrath clamour bitterness be
man to make additions to Religious Worship Do you not find the contrary in those Scriptures Deut. 4. 2. Deut. 12. 32. Prov. 30. 6. Who gave Man power to adopt unnecessaries into Religion What bottom stands Magisterial Authority upon Ministerial Power is of God but for this Magisterial it wants Commission Matth. 23. 8 9 10. Quest 2. Is not the power of imposing as dark to thinking men as the power of inventing Whence did you learn to make burdens Whence to lay them on and bind them on We are tempted to think your Masters are Matth. 23. 4. Hath God given you power over the Consciences of men to ransack their Judgments and wrack their Consciences to ruin all that cannot agree to your Sentiments to undo all that cannot do what you will have them Do you not in this strike down the pin upon which the Law and the Prophets hang Would you that others should do so to you What stricture or beam of right Reason leads you to make your Judgment the publick standard Quest 3. What branch of Justice or Equity is there in so grievous Penalties for not conforming to such Impositions The fault is small if it be a fault Should mens brains be knocked out to kill a Fly on their forehead But the Dissenters judge it a Duty to witness against usurpations of Men. They think they are bound by Gods Law to preserve the purity of Christs Worship They think that a yielding in some things was as a stirrop by which Antichrist got into the saddle Are not these things judged by you indifferent And must men be punished as if they had denyed and razed the Fundamental Articles of Faith Should you make men spectacles the filth and off-scouring of all things upon these accounts Who can read either Christianity or Humanity in such severities Quest 4. What awe can be impressed or obligation fastened on a well informed Conscience from Humane Laws establishing backing and enforcing such Impositions Have not Magistrates supream and subordinate their Lines and Limits Provinces and Bounds set them by the God of Heaven Are they makers or only keepers of Gods Tables Did the People of England trust their Representatives to make snares for their Ministers and yokes for the People Were they impowered by them to prescribe and write the grievousness they had prescribed They were entrusted to be shields not swords healers not wounders they said to them Let our ruins be under your hands they never put themselves into their hands to ruine them Quest 5. What Spirit are you of when you make all Assemblies but your own Seditious Conventicles Schismatical Meetings Routs Riots Know you not that they which acknowledge God are bound to assemble to worship him Do you can you think it is better not to worship God at all then not to worship him in your way and mode Dare you undertake that this shall hold in the day of Judgment Are not you told by some great men of your own That he that gives the cause of the Schism is the Schismatick Do you think those you displaced took themselves to be disofficed Did their People desert them when you ejected them Was the Word of Truth utterly taken out of the mouths you stopped Was not Gods word in their hearts as a burning fire shut up in their bones so that they were weary of forbearing and could not stay Did their Breasts ake and must they not draw them out to the Babes that desire the sincere milk of the Word You have some of you called Conventicles the crying sin of England Oh! How crying a sin is it in you that have occasioned them yea necessitated them A Natural Mother turned out of her own House will suckle her Child in the Field or in the meanest coat or shed she can set her foot into Corners are not our choice but your force Quest 6. Have not you cause to fear that the blood of some of these dead Ministers will be upon you You judged them unworthy of the World and God hath thereby been provoked to judge the World not worthy of them You made their work much harder to them and by their journeyings and fastings and watchings in all likelyhood you did hurry and hasten them out of the World Oh that some of us might live to see a relenting Spirit in you It would be a joy to me and a token for good to you for otherwise I am greatly perswaded Judgment is towards you because Mercy is the promised portion of the Merciful and Judgment without Mercy hangs over the heads of them that shew no Mercy And so I have finished my Historical and Practical part of this Book And shall conclude it with only adding one Chapter more in communicating to you some Letters written by this Eminent Servant of God Mr. John Hieron which are as a Mirrour wherein you may see the Ability and Fidelity of the Holy Man of God CHAP. XI His Letters OF his Letters I promised to give some taste and make them the Coronis of this Work In publishing of which I conceal Names that I may not reflect upon the dead nor justly offend the living Again Let not the living be disturbed for though the Letters be published their Names are not exposed It will do them no hurt to read those Letters in Print which they have in Writing It may do others good to read Letters that were written to others possibly they may reach teach meet with others Hearts being much alike and the same Corruptions Temptations in one and another First Letter Christian Friend YOU desire that I would write to you about your Spiritual Estate which I take to be safe and comfortable so far as one is able to pass Judgment of another But no man knoweth certainly the things of another save the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 11. You are then to commune with your own heart to search and try your wayes whether you walk after the Spirit be led by the Spirit Rom 8. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God If you ask How shall I know whether I am led by the Spirit I Answer If you bring forth the fruits of the Spirit if you follow after Holiness sincere Obedience to all Gods Commandments patience in Affliction love to God Christ all Saints love to the Word fear to offend God a care to please God and keep Conscience pure and void of offence toward God and Man Godly sorrow for sin forsaking every evil way and above all believe in the Lord Jesus Christ rest upon him trust in his all-sufficient satisfaction for pardon of Sin and Eternal Life And all this I doubt not but you do in some measure so that you may conclude as the Apostle doth Rom 8. 1. There is therefore no condemuation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit May you not comfort your self with
it established it and justified the Wisdom he taught He wrought with both hands earnestly as some are said to sin He pulled not down with one hand what he built up with the other he spoke with his feet and taught with his fingers He spake convincingly sound Doctrine stopping Gainsayers mouths and he lived convincingly They could not retort nor reflect nor say Physician heal thy self His blameless Life stopped the mouth of iniquity 11. He was a man of much Prayer and so a man of much Grace He pressed Prayer much he practised it more He gave himself to Prayer His Grace exceeded his gift though in the gift of Prayer he was very great He prayed with all Prayer Publick Family secret Prayer He went through the parts of Prayer was large in Confession of Sin was very particular in thankful acknowledgment of Mercies and an earnest Petitioner for Grace and Mercy for all Spiritual Blessings a pleading Intercessour for all that he was bound to pray for He not only prayed but made a Collection of Prayers called sober People together and went to them where Prayer was made He called People frequently to days of Prayer He carried the Churches abroad and our Kingdoms and Churches upon his heart and spread their case before the Lord. He was an hearty Protestant and a true enemy to Antichristianism He was a Prophet in Sack-cloth because of the great Apostasie He was very sensible of Romish Idolatry Oh! how much of his heart might one feel when he prayed Down with Babylon Oh how have I heard him lay his praying hand upon Babylon and cry as if he would not take off his hand till he had pulled it down pleading from their Heresie Tyranny and Idolatry as if he would have no denial He was very serious in Prayer and a great admirer and acknowledger of Grace when he mentioned any good in himself or them that joyned with him it was with much humility and alwayes spake thus or to this purpose And if there be any good in us not unto us not unto us but to thy Grace be the Glory From a thread to a shooe-latchet he would not take from Grace 12. He magnified and dignified his Office by humility by great moderation in things that are Problems amongst good men by a great steadiness When any body mentioned any good done by him he would say Give Glory to God this man is a sinner I never knew that he estranged himself from his Conforming Brethren that were before his Intimates but he kept up his honour of them and love to them He kept his post was no bending Osier he deliberated mâ—ch and then fixed He had been conformable but I believe not with any great liking and was not willing to choose that way again and condemn his laying it aside and therefore would do neither less nor more but put himself into Gods hands and chose to keep his peace though he lost his place and for any thing that ever appeared never repented nay he had great satisfaction One once asked him Do you not repent What do you mean says he the leaving of my place No I am far from that for I have done nothing therein but what I have taught you to be your Duty Rather lose all than sin against â—od and if Breadsall Parsonage was the best Bishoprick in England I must do again what I have done And thus he said more than once for my part I never knew him staggered 13. In the works of his Ministry which are not to me so clearly Ministerial works he went further than most other Ministers I shall instance in Marrying people he stood upon it in very great strictness to have a full assurance of Parents consent and a due publication of the Marriage intended And in Burials his way was if he preached a Funeral Sermon for which he had Money he would sometimes at the least give it to the Poor If no Sermon were bespoken he would take the People into the Church and give them an Exhortation of the length of some ordinary Sermons and this he did because People at such times are more serious and impressible and he was for catching hold of all opportunities as impotent People were at the troubling of Bethesda's waters 14. In the places of his Ministry he had great respect and ever bore great affection to those places the care of them lay upon him He had a great regard to Ashborn all his time and a mighty concern for Breadsall The Cures passed into other hands but the Care was upon him He would go to Breadsall while he was near it though called a Wolf for his pains by his successor He put himself to many inconveniences by his first remove that he might be near them he took up with a strait house that he might be at hand for his Peoples service and that he might live among a People that were his Hearers though not his Parishioners namely at Little-Eaton CHAP. VII Of the Occurrences of this Good Mans Life his Tryals Afflictions Oppositions and the Mercies mixed with them all Sect. 1. THE grudge about Mountney the School-Master before mentioned and the cancered Spirit of his partakers occasioned Mr. Hieron his first trouble About December the 13th 1637. Mr. Hieron and Mr. George Lees of Ashborn above-mentioned were summoned to appear at the Mannor of Lambeth on the first of February between the Hours of One and Three in the Afternoon to answer to such Articles as were or should be exhibited against them A Pursivant was sent who had his Fees Mr. Hierons part as my Author remembers was Four Pounds paid down Mr. Lees not being at home some other paid his part and got a Noble abated To London they went at an ill time of year made more dangerous by reason of Floods they made some way to Holt who was Apparitor Apparitorum He treated with Sack and feed with Gold shewed them the Articles which contained no Capital Crimes deserving a Pursivant but trivial things and uncapable of proof against Mr. Lees was objected that when he was Churchwarden he had brewed Ale in the Church which had no other colour then that the Workman that pointed the Steeple advised the Mortar should be tempered with Liquor made of Malt. Against Mr. Hieron that preaching on that Text Fear God Honour the King he had said there were some that neither feared God nor honoured the King but walked the streets with impudent faces whereby he meant as they suggested my Lord Bishop and Andrew Kniveton And that he had used the expression of removing Mountains whereby he reflected on Mr. Mountney and reflected on him the Governours of the School having removed him as is abovesaid This they looked on as Mercy that having seen the Articles of their charge they might safely take the Oath ex Officio the refusal whereof would have sent them to Prison No Prosecutor appeared they feed a Proctor to make a motion that since no Prosecutor appeared
Barnabas did those newly converted Christians Acts 11. 23. That with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Resolve by the help of Grace that you will never cast off your hopeful beginnings nor turn aside to crooked wayes but continue stedfast in the good way you have taken up unto the end The end is that which crowneth all good actions and to perseverance in well-doing are all the promises made Rom. 2. 7. Mat. 10. 22. Rev. 21. 7. And our Baptismal Vow bindeth us to keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments all the dayes of our lives Now that you have begun to forsake the broad way that leadeth to destruction and to enter into the strait way that leadeth unto life O think what a Mercy it is that God hath awakened you with Mary to chuse the good part that shall not be taken from you you see the thing is feizable and Godliness is not a thing impossible if there be but a willing mind If you should now or at any time hereafter fall away it would not be a sin of infirmity because you cannot help it but of perverseness because you will not be at the pains which a Godly life requireth For use and acquaintance with a Christian life makes it much more easie to you afterwards then at the beginning For the greatest difficulty that is in a Godly life is from custom to the contrary so that if after some acquaintance with it when you have overcome much of the hardness of it you should give it over that would be utterly destructive But I hope better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though I thus speak By all means be careful to set such a watch over your self and so to avoid all occasions and temptations as may preserve you from all wilful breaches and danger of Apostasie And because by our own strength we are not able to stand see that you be much in secret Prayer Mat. 6. 6. Beg of God a new heart a clean heart an upright heart Psal 51. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Grace is of absolute necessity to Salvation if we believe our Saviour John 3. 3. 5. and 7. A work of Grace renewing the heart will make Christs yoke of Obedience easie and his burden light so his Commandments will not be grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. It is by the help of the Spirit changing and sanctifying the heart that we mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. There may be an outward Reformation where there is no inward work of Regeneration So a man may be in the condition of the Scribes Mark 12. 34. not far from the Kingdom of Heaven yet never enter into it O wrestle with God in Prayer as for Mercy to pardon sin past so for Grace and the Spirit of Sanctification to renew your heart and to reform your life that so you may walk before God to all well-pleasing If you would do so continue instant in Prayer Col. 4. 2. God will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it Luke 11. 13. Christ assures us That whatsoever we ask in his name the Father will grant Thus you shall become a good Tree bringing forth the good Fruits of Righteousness Holiness and Sobriety to the Praise and Glory of God the Credit of the Gospel good Example of others to the rejoycing of all good Christians and the overlasting Salvation of your own Soul Yea there will be joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luk. 15. 10. So whether you live or dye you shall be the Lords And this is considerable at such a time as this when Sickness is so Epidemical and many dye every where and you your self seem to be of no strong Constitution as it appears by your often Infirmities I say it again Regeneration is the one thing necessary without which outside Reformation is but like painting a rotten Post or making clean the outside of the Cup and Platter when the inside is full of excess and extortion Mat. 23. Though you know these things yet I thought it not unuseful to put you in remembrance of them that you may be settled and established in the present Truth and so may continue to the end Which is the earnest desire and shall be the Prayer of Your very Friend for the Salvation of your Soul SIR I Fully purposed to have given you a Visit but hearing your Wife was so near her Travail I forbore till a fitter opportunity And since I understand to my grief that she is delivered of two Children both dead and for which I am informed you are much troubled for which I cannot blame you for the Providence is sad And a Christian should be a Man of Wisdom to see Gods Name written upon the Rod. So was the Name of Aaron for the Tribe of Levi written upon his Numb 17. 3. And as his brought forth Buds and Blossoms and ripe Fruits so should Gods Rod of Correction yield good Fruit in them that are exercised therewith even the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness and Repentance Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Micah 6. 9. The Rod hath a voice It cometh upon some Errand or other if we were wise enough to understand its meaning Which that we may do the best way is to Commune with your own hearts Psal 4. 4. To search and try our wayes and turn to the Lord. Lam. 3. 40. And be earnest with God in Prayer that he would open our ears to discipline Job 10. 2. Shew me why thou contendest with me Job 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said to God I have born chastisement And I would not have you or your Wife give way to excessive sorrow in this case but follow the Counsel of the Word which ought to be the Rule of our Passions as well as our Actions Let your moderation be known to all men Phil. 4. 6. And they that weep for outward Crosses be as though they wept not 1 Cor. 7. 30. Learn we must to exercise the grace of Self-denyal which our Saviour hath taught us by his own Example John 18. 11. The cup which my Heavenly Father hath given me shall I not drink it And it was a very bitter one Again Now what I will but what thou wilt God is wiser than Man he is God only wise We see but a little way Gods understanding is infinite Times are ill at present they may be worse yea so bad that people may have cause to say Luke 23. 29. Blessed are the barren and the Womb that never bear and the Paps which never gave suck Yet if Children be a Blessing as I grant they be in themselves and desirable there is no time over-passed but you may have your Quiver full of such Arrows if God see it good for you And if not I hope you are more a Christian than to desire them Beware I beseech you both of the least impatience in this case and if any such
12. 7. but still his eye of Fatherly care is on them Psal 34. 15. and all things shall work together for their good Now lay all these things together 1. Satan is a Conquered a Chained Enemy 2. By slavish fear you do him too much honour 3. You wrong God and Christ as if they were not able to save you 4. Call to mind Gods gracious Attributes Providence Promises 5. Your relatian to God and Christ to whom in Baptism you were devoted and so are a Member of Christ one of Gods Children whom he loves pityeth and careth for Say now as Nehemiah Should such a one as I flee should I fear the Devil No fear God fear to displease him by sin by this immoderate fear Resist the Devil by Faith and fervent Prayer Lay hold on Gods promises Apply them to your self by Faith as if they had been made to you by Name Hold no dispute with Satan he will be too hard for you But take the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God Answer his Cavils with that as our Saviour did Avoid solitariness as much as you may When you are alone yet remember you are not alone Believers have fellowship with the Father and the Son by the Holy Ghost And alwayes remember that the Holy Angels encamp round about them that fear God Turn to those Scriptures Psal 34. 7. and 91. 11. Get acquainted with Gods people hear their advice and beg their Prayers Wait on God be sure to keep in his way and the issue will be good Psal 40. 1. So the God of Peace grant you Peace by all means and the Peace of God which passeth understanding keep your hearts through Jesus Christ To his Blessing and Grace I commend you Yours Mar. 30. 1680. I Must desire to see you but it is thought not advisable for me to take such a journey at first not having been on horse back since my late sickness I am sorry to hear you are ill again being but lately recovered from an ill fit Man that is born of a woman is of few days and is full of trouble And because it is unknown to us which sickness is or may prove our last it is wisdom to improve the present as a warning to us So to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts to wisdom to consider our latter end and Eternity that follows after Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live saith the Prophet from God to Hezekiah much more should we set our Souls in order and see that we be on good terms with God ere we appear before his judgment-seat Which we must do the first moment after the departing of the Soul out of the body Heb. 9. 27. This is a work so necessary to be done in time that it is not ought not to be put off till a sick bed yet it must then be revived and renewed and then done in the best manner as being the last time of doing it and what is then done is like to stand for ever In order thereunto reflect and look back into the former part of your life Begin at your birth sin and corruption of nature Bewail that and lament over it so go on to the sins of youth and be humbled for them and so come a long to the sins of age and riper years confess and bewail them with their agravating circumstances as being committed against light knowledge and checks of Conscience and done with deliberation By this means you will find ease and rest to your Soul according to that promise Mat. 11. 29. If you cast your weary burden upon the Lord Jesus Christ he will stand between you and his fathers wrath he will take all your debts upon him and say as Rebeckah to Jacob upon me be thy curse my Son Fresh sorrow for old sins Repentance renewed will make Christ sweet and sin bitter to you and affect you more in his love in dying for you This will be a good evidence to you that your sins are forgiven Namely if you confess them with a broken and penitent heart and forsake them with detestation And now is a fit time for you to look up your evidences for Heaven that so you may not be afraid to dye but may look Death in the face with comfort If you say how may I be assured that my sins are forgiven and that Christ is mine To the first I have answered already He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. If we confess our sins by faith resting on Christ for pardon he is faithful and just to forgive us To the second How may I know that Christ is mine Thus Are you you his Are you willing Do you consent to have him on his own terms for your Lord and do you obey him as your Lord Do you take his yoak upon you have you respect to all his commandments Do you hate every evil way John 15. 14. You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you Do you chuse the Lord for your portion Christ for your bliss and happiness Do you more highly prize him and desire to enjoy him more than all riches Do you account all things but loss and dung in comparison of him Had you rather be the most holy person upon Earth than the greatest or richest that ever was And do you use diligence in the means of grace to attain to more holiness If so you may without doubt be well assured your Estate is good and safe For you could not have chosen God and loved Christ unless he had chosen and loved you first Dwell therefore in the thoughts and tastes of Gods love to you Say how wonderful is Gods love to a poor worm and silly dust That the contrivance of infinite wisdom should be taken up about me That the eternall Deity should consult about my salvation ere the world began That God should pass by many wise men after the flesh many mighty and noble who if they had been converted might have done God better service an hundred times then I and make choise of me a dispicable sinner to be an Heir of salvation Lord what is man c. Thus raise up your heart in thankful admiration of Gods wonderful love to your Soul And Thirdly the assurance of Gods love will incourage your heart against the fear of death and give you confidence against the King of terrors I shall be glad to hear of your recovery though I thus write I commend you to God and if I never see you in this world I hope to meet you with other dear friends who are gone before in those mansions which Christ hath purchased and prepared for all those that love him to whose grace I refer you Yours J. H. May 31. 81. They are blessed that do hunger and thirst after Righteousness after Christ for justification and sanctification Do not you so Are not you empty naked barren of grace in your self a dry tree
will not reject such And now what place is there left for your doubting If God do not shine upon you by the light of his Countenance yet is he your loving Father reconciled to you in his Son A Father is a Father still though he do not alwayes smile on his Son Go you on in your Christian course of Godliness serve the Lord with chearfulness and believe that your poor services shall and do find acceptance with Christ Observe that in Lev. 1. 7. So much as is said of the offering of the poor Mans Sacrifice which was but two young Pidgeons Another to the same Person IAm distressed for you What shall I do for you Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted How shall a man comfort a Soul that refuseth to be comforted Your case is like Hagars in the Wilderness who was ready to perish through drought when there was a Well of Water by her but she saw it not till God opened her eyes Gen. 21. 9. like Mary Joh. 20. 15. who stood weeping for Christ who stood by her but she knew not that it was Jesus You have the Well of Water in you springing up to Eternal Life you have Christ in you the hope of Glory but your eyes are held that you perceive him not Like those two Disciples that went to Emanus Luk. 24. 16. You are in Christ there is no curse condemnation or wrath to come belonging to you you are washed you are sanctified you are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God All things are yours Christ with all his benefits the Covenant of Grace with all its priviledges all the great and precious promises of the Gospel which are yea and Amen in Christ sealed in his Blood confirmed to you in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper God is your God your loving Father in Christ Heaven and Eternal Life is yours Fear not poor Soul it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom What shall I say more What can you desire more except you would have your name put into the Scripture promises You believe you shall dye because it is appointed for all men once to dye your Name is not there You believe the Resurrection of the Body because it is written There shall be a resurrection of the just and unjust yet your Name is not there The Scripture saith Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ shall be saved i. e. Whosoever being truly humbled for sin disclaims all opinion of his own Righteousness and with Paul desireth to be found in his Righteousness only he truly believeth And so do you therefore you shall certainly be saved The Scripture saith Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy Whoso loveth God the same is beloved of God Prov. 8. 17. He that loveth the Brethren is translated from death to life If you say these are general Promises How shall I gather assurance from them concerning my personal estate I Answer By looking into your own heart where if you find you are so qualified and have these Graces of the Spirit wrought in you viz. Faith Repentance Love to God and all Saints you may be assured of your Salvation as certainly as if Christ had said to you by name as he did to the Man that had the Palsie Matth. 9. 2. Son be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven or to Mary Magdalen her sins which are many are forgiven Mar. 7. 47. As to your vain Thoughts I can say no more but what I have said that neither they nor any other sin of infirmity which is your burden and trouble shall hurt or indanger your Salvation It 's the common lot of all Christians to suffer Afflictions outward or inward and sometimes both 2 Cor. 7. 5. We were troubled on every side without were fightings within were fears God is only wise knoweth how to order all for the good of his people Wait on him with patience until he shine on your Soul with the light of his Countenance and fill you with Joy and Comfort according to the promise Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Beware of unbelief which maketh God a lyar 1 Joh 5. 10. Believe his Promises believe his Prophets so shall ye be established 2 Chron. 20. 20. Beware of entertaining hard thoughts of God dark misgiving thoughts as you seem to do when you fear lest God swear in his wrath against you he did so against murmuring rebellious Israel who despised the pleasant Land and would appoint a Captain to lead them back into Egypt What is this to your case God is good and doth good is Love Light Life Grace to all that trust in him Read Dr. Mantons first Sermon on Psal 119. 68. where he gives a check to such as yours Page 473. You say true I have not prayed for you of late more carnestly because I hoped you had been more settled and at peace hearing nothing from you to the contrary Now I shall tender your condition I cannot as yet promise you a solemn day I have been very ill since I wrote to you and am yet far from well I pray you have patience and when God makes me able I hope to see you I am hasting apace to the Grave my Legs swell which together with old Age tell me the Grave is ready for me God grant I may be ready for it I pray read these Lines peruse them and ponder them in your heart and pray that the Holy Spirit may let you know the things that are freely given you of God Yours J. H. Mar. 9. 81. IAm not without hope to fall to work again shortly I pray therefore in your next let me understand whether you continue in the same mind to have a day kept on your account or whether you have found him whom your Soul loveth whether the Son of Righteousness be risen in your heart with healing in his wings or the Day-Star from on high hath visited your Soul I pray you let me ask you one Question Have you not received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and that worthily i. e. In a due manner becoming that Holy Ordinance with Gospel preparation and communing with your own heart in secret I know you have many times Now what is a Sacrament a Seal of the Covenant of Grace is it not Well then there must be mutual Sealing on both parts You put to your Seal that you will receive Christ with his yoke of Obedience with his Cross Persecution Did you not mean thus sincerely with a good and honest heart This is your Covenanting for your part which you will indeavour to perform faithfully all the dayes of your life though in many things you fail as in vain thoughts and divers other things And God Sealeth to you for his part that he will be to you a God allsufficient will give you his Son with forgiveness of Sins and all things pertaining to Life and Godliness
these words Do not hearken to Satans suggestions to the contrary he is an Adversary If he cannot hinder your Salvation he will do what he can to damp your joy and peace in believing You ought not to give heed to him but to repel him as our Saviour did Get thee behind me Satan Your own unbelieving Heart for Faith is mixed with unbelief even in Gods Children also will raise Objections against you thus I have many Corruptions in me unruly Passions I am hasty to Anger Ignorant have little Knowledge considering the time and means I have enjoyed I am dull in Duty I Pray without any life or heat I am cold in love to God and Jesus Christ I grow not in Grace I am blockish and remember nothing I hear And many such things you have to say against your self To which I Answer Grant all this to be true These are Sins of Infirmity which may consist with true Grace Psal 40 12. David saith My sins are more then the hairs upon my head Psal 73. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee Read Heb. 5. 11 12. Ye are dull of hearing c. whom yet he highly commends Heb. 3. 1. and 6. 10. So long as sin reigneth not hath no dominion over you you need not question your interest in Christ and you may know that sin reigneth not when you are grieved for it confess and bewaâ—l it and pray for grace and help against it strive and watch against it and do what you can to keep your self from your iniquity Psal 18. 23. Consider that none are justified or saved because they are sinless pure and perfect but blessed are they whose sins are forgiven Psal 32. 1 2. And to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 4. 5. What was the end of Christs coming but to take away sin Mat. 1. 21. Joh. 1. 29. Also a chief branch of the Covenant of Grace in Heb. 8. 12. I will be merciful to their unrighteousness And therefore be not faithless but believing as Christ said to Thomas John 20. 27 28 And let your heart make the same Answer that he did My Lord and my God It may be that your present condition is a grief to you that you cannot worship God as you desire or as in your Health you can do God no service Let not your heart be troubled at this for God requires no more than he gives And it may be no small comfort to you that you were diligent to attend upon God in your Health and when you had Legs you used them to Gods glory And now you are serving God in another way in the way of Passive Obedience in which if you submit to Gods will with Meekness and Patience you may do God as good service as they that preach or hear or travel far to the Word â— will conclude with those sweet words of Christ John 14. 1. Let not your heart be troubled Believe that God is yours Christ is yours the Covenant of Grace is yours your Sins are forgiven the Promises are yours even the great Promise 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a Father to you And that also Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God Even all the exceeding great and precious promises in Christ 2 Pet. 1. 4. which are yea and Amen true and faithful O bless God that ever you were born Spiritually that you were born again Say and sing with David Psal 103. 1. 2 3. Bless the Lord O my Soul And Psal 32. at the latter end Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Psal 48. 14. This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide unto death And with the Church Isa 25. 9. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation But I may save further labour and indeed might have spared this pains for you have a Book by you which contains all that I now write and much more to the same purpose The scope and substance of it is to chear up and comfort poor Souls that walk sad and sorrowful when they have no other cause but to rejoyce and serve the Lord with gladness in which kind of service the Lord is well pleased I pray you peruse it and read it through till you have got your Heart into a joyful frame Now I pray and let it be your Dayly Prayer That the God of Love fill you with Joy and Peace in believing to whose Grace I commend you Yours Vnfeignedly IT grieves me much for your sake that the hand of the Lord is gone out against you in so dreadful a â—rovidence that it puts me hard to it how to minister a word of Consolation to you in this your sad condition A wise Son maketh a glad Father but a foolish Son is the heavyâ—ess of his Mother I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in the Truth So I know no greater affliction that can befall Parents then to have Children walking contrary to the Truth and dying in their Sins Yet is not your Case in this respect singular No Temptation hath befallen you but what is common to men to good men witness Aaron Ely David with many others whom I could name known both to you and me You are to acquiess in Gods Providential Administrations and not to disquiet your Soul with the doubtfulness of his Eternal Estate But to ascribe Righteousness to your Maker and say with the Psalmist Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgments How unsearchable are his judgments and his â—aâ—es past finding out Take the Example of the Prophets and other Holy Men in Scripture for an example of suffering Affliction and of Patience Set before you the Patience of Job who besides the loss of so great an Estate lost all his Children seven in number cut off by untimely death yet how Religiously doth he demean himself how Patiently to admiration Two of Aarons Sons in the flower of their Age and in the beginning and very first entrance upon that Sacred Function perish by fire from Heaven a heavy stroke arguing great indignation yet mark the Fathers pious behaviour under such a mark of Gods displeasure Aaron held his Peaâ—e As for Davids lamentation over Absalom it is not to be drawn into imitation For the bottom of his grief was not purely nor chiefly as far as appears sorrow for his sin and the eternal condition of his Soul but rather proceeded from Natural Affection and over much fondness and indulgence because of his exquisite Beauty which the Scripture doth highly extol For he takes not one sigh at the death of Ammon who also dyed in his sin and also by a violent