the rest of the Chapter all those places the Lord often made a stay unto my soul And afterwards the Lord so blessed one means or other unto me insomuch as I was kept from sinking and falling into such horrour as many of the people of God sometimes fell into But yet my fears and doubts were so many as that my comfort never lasted long If the Lord did but hide his face I was troubled No longer could I beleeve then I found new strength given in that the Lord would ever have mercy upon my soul. The sense of Original sin and Actual transgressions in their filthiness and guiltiness caused my fears yet to remain upon my spirit my faith then seemed very small if I had any which I much questioned I durst not then say Lord encrease my faith but I could cry earnestly Lord work faith in me I found much dulness and deadness manifold distractions in duties so that God might justly have withdrawn himself from me for ever yet notwithstanding all my uneven walking with God he was graciously pleased to manifest his mercy unto my soul. When I was stricken with such weaknesses as I apprehended might quickly have ended my life I fell into a great fear At the first finding my heart to sink the Lord was pleased to gâ—ive me so much respite as to pour out my soul before him desiring strength and support from him to keep up my spirit and to make me willing to submit to his dispensations and the Lord graciously answered my prayers in that he removed all my former doubtings and fears all the time of that sickness which was long and so dangerous that neither I nor others expected my life The Lord then cleared up my evidences for Heaven and gave me in so much comfort against the apprehension of death as I never had in all my life before Other like trials of the Lords love I found still when I was in the greatest extremity and stood most in need of help from him insomuch as at such times I have hoped that I should never again have questioned the love of God to my soul But I have found it otherwise by sad experience For when these impressions were worn of I have been ready to call all in question again concerning my poor soul. It made me oft to think of that which was laid to Solomons charge that he forgat the Lord that had appeared to him twice I found it the hardest thing to believe that ever I went about But this wavering condition could not satisfie my soul for the Lord giving me sometimes a glimpse of his love made me long after fuller enjoyments of it so that I was carried out with a restless impatience to beg that the Lord would take away the heart of unbelief from me which did both dishonour him and hinder me from that peace which the Lord was willing that his people should enjoy My heart then being brought unto that frame I was more willing than ever I was before to impart my condition unto some spiritual Friends whom I desired to deal impartially with me acquainting them with the whole condition of my soul how far the Lord had carried me on and at what I stuck and still as new objections did arise I laboured to get satisfaction Being convinced that I had too much prejudiced my self in that I had not sooner made my condition known to some who were able to give me advice This way of communicating my condition I found the Lord blessed unto my soul insomuch that my hopes were more confirmed my fears more removed my faith more strengthned and by the hearing of such Sermons and reading such Books as came closest unto the conscience and were most for trial of ones spiritual condition I found the greatest benefit by and received the most comfort from them Formerly I had many fears that I was not one of them who had an interest in the Election of Grace But the Lord afterwards put into my heart to enquire whether I had those Graces of his Spirit wrought in me which none but his own elect people could have Upon the strictest searching into mine own heart the Lord was pleased after many years of fear at last to evidence unto my soul that there was a change wrought in my heart will and affections notwithstanding the remainders of sin and corruption which still encompassed me about being confident that he that had begun this good work would not leave it unfinished unto the day of Jesus Christ and the Lord was pleased to set home divers Promises for the strengthning of my faith to wit those which set down the Everlasting Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. The Everlasting love of God Jer. 31. 3. Joh. 11. 13. The certainty of the Foundation 2 Tim. 2. 19. The certainty of the Promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. They are all in Christ Yea and Amen and that the children of God have eternal life promised unto them and that none shall be ever able to pluck them out of Christs hands Joh. 10. 28. Then for divers years the Lord was pleased to stay me to lead and guide me till he had set my feet upon that Rock which is higher than I from whence I trust that I shall never be removed And now my hearts desire is to ascribe that measure of hope and comfort which the Lord hath given me at any time onely unto the praise of the glory of his Grace who hath made me accepted in his Beloved which is so great a mercy as I can never be thankfull enough for nor walk answerable thereunto I know when I look into my heart there is matter of fear that the Lord will withdraw the influences of his comforts from me But that which I rest upon is the free mercy of God in Christ expecting performance of his Promises made Rom. 6. 16. Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace And Ezek. 36. 25. that he will sprinkle clean water upon me and that he will give me a new heart and put a new spirit within me that he will take away my stony heart and give me an heart of flesh being perswaded that the Lord will keep me by his own Power through faith unto salvation And now that I may have all the Graces of the Spirit strengthened and encreased in me which I finde that I stand in continual need of It is the desire of my soul to be a partaker of the Lords Supper which through the blood of Christ onely I have right unto This is the particular account of Gods gracious dealing with this godly Gentlewoman considering there was no administration of the Sacrament in that Parochial Congregation where she lived and used formerly to receive it nor any Pastor at all to officiate there she being desirous to enjoy that great Ordinance and that after a pure way of administration sent this aforementioned Narrative
instilling precious precepts exhortations instructions or consolations into those with whom he had occasion to converse A godly woman told his Son that she had been servant to a Religious Gentleman to whose house Mr. Carter did often resort and that she was won to Christ at first by hearing the Heavenly speeches and sweet principles that dropped from him as she was warming his Bed and as she waited upon him in his Chamber He was always most just and exact in his dealings He put a Clause in his Will for the faithfull and carefull payment of his Debts yet when his Son John and his daughter Eunice whom he made his Executors enquired what his Debts were he could finde nothing that he owed except to the Smith for shooing of an Horse or two His Son when he came to look over his Library found two or three Books not one of them worth a Groat upon which he had written This Book was borrowed of such an one Let it be restored or if the owner cannot be found allow something to the poor for it and that liberally Once being in a journey many miles from home in changing a piece of Gold at a Shop he took an half Crown piece instead of a shilling neither he nor the Shop-keeper knowing it but as soon as he came home he found the mistake whereupon he could not rest satisfied but the next day took a long journey back again on purpose to that Town to carry back the half Crown again He was of a sweet mild and gentle nature and of a gracious spirit A loving and faithfull Husband to his wife and a tender and indulgent Father to his children and if he failed in any thing it was in his carriage to his Servants for truly he carried not himself to them as a Master to his servants but as a familiar friend to his friends He would make them to sit down with him at his Table and would drink to them at his meals He and his Wife were married together almost threescore years and in all that time there was never heard any distastefull word to pass betwixt them Neither indeed could it be otherwise For he lived and walked with her as a man of knowledge he was to her a Prudent Faithfull and tender guide and she was humble and meek reverenced and highly esteemed him Every word he spake was an Oracle to her and her will ever closed with his Judgement He lived to the age of fourscore When his youngest son John was born who was the youngest of nine he called him the Son of his Age and yet he lived to see him fourty years old before he died himself being fourty years old when he was born He was much and frequent in secret Fastings and when he kept such a day he told none of his house of it save his wife only and she would not eat any thing that day on which he fasted but oft-times she was with him in his retiring chamber to joyn with him in prayer yet could it not be concealed from the rest of the Family because at night he supped not but only had a Toste and a draught of ordinary Beer to sustain nature On the Sabbath Days he never had any Roste meat at Dinner because he would have none thereby kept from the Publick Ordinances the Pot was hung on with a piece of Beef and a pudding in it and that was their constant Lords Days Dinner for well-nigh sixty years together His Church at Belsted stood in a very solitary place whereof he always kept a key and would often resort thither all alone A Gentleman once espying him as he went towards the Church on a private day hid himself till Mr. Carter was past and gone into the Church and then he came close up to the Church wall desiring to peep in at some window to see what he did and to listen if he said any thing and this Gentleman afterwards told his Son John that he first prayed then read a Chapter and after that prayed largely and very heavenly as if he had been in his Family or in the publick Congregation He vigorously held on the constant course of his Ministry to the last It may be said of him as of Caleb and Joshua he was as sit for service in Gods Harvest-field at fourscore as he was at fourty Indeed some abatement of bodily strength there was as old Age did steal upon him After his afternoon Sermon on the Sabbath days he would be something faint and commonly when he came home he would call for some comfortable draught and when he had lifted up his eyes to heaven and taken it he would say to them about him These are crutches to shore up a ruinous house but in his Intellectuals and spiritual strength there was no decay Old Mr. Benton of Wramplingham in Norfolk a holy man of God being upon occasion in Suffolk in those parts could not but give a visit to his old friend Mr. Carter of Belsted and being with him he heard him discourse with such holy gravity and a mixture of all kinde of Learning sollidity and wit that he stood amazed at it and said Mr. Carter I see you are like unto the Palm and Cedar Tree you bring forth more fruit in your Age. I thank you said Mr. Carter you tell me what I should be And now the time of his departure was at hand Some fortnight or three weeks before his Translation there appeared some decays in his body and memory which now began to fail him He would sometimes but rarely call to go to Sea and to his better Countrey Yet he sate up from morning till night and commonly walked up and down the room and never failed to perform Prayer and other Family exercises so that none could discern any considerable defect either in his spiritual or natural strength Only in this that when he had done he would presently call to begin again and say to his daughter Eunice who was now the stay of his house and the staff of his old age God having taken away his dear wife about two years before Daughter shall we not go to prayer and when she answered him Sir you have been at Prayer already and you are weary he would reply I fear we have not done what we should do It was one of his constant and ordinary Petitions in every Prayer that God would vouchsafe him a mercifull and easie passage out of this life and the Lord did most graciously answer him therein February the 21. Anno Christi 1634. being the day before the Sabbath in the evening he called very earnestly for Paper Ink and two Pens For saith he by Gods grace tomorrow I will preach twice But God knows he was not in a fit condition for study yet with that resolution he went to Bed and God gave him some rest that night In the morning upon the Sabbath day he did rise from his Bed as he
Exercises in the publick Schools which by the Statutes of the University were required And during his first three years he kept the Colledge so close that he lay not one night out of the walls thereof and at the three years end he was admitted Fellow and then went to visit his Friends He was a very hard Student for as he was a lover of Learning so was he very laborious in his studies sitting up late at night and rising early in the morning He continued in the Colledge for the space of nine years and in all that time except he went forth a Town to his friends he was never absent from morning Prayers in the Chappel which used to be about half an hour after five a clock in the morning yea he used to rise so long before he went to the Chappel as that he gained time for his secret devotions and for reading his morning task of the Scriptures For he tyed himself to read every day fifteen Chapters in English out of the Bible five in the morning five after dinner before he fell upon his other studies and five before he went to bed he hath been often heard to say that when he could not sleep in the night time he used in his thoughts to run through divers Chapters of the Scripture in order as if he had heard them read to him and by this means he deceived the tediousness of his waking and deprived himself also sometimes of the sweetness of his sleeping hours though by that which administred to him better rest and greater sweetness for he preferred the meditation upon the word before his necessary food with Job and before sleep with David The like practice he used in the day time when he was alone whether within doors or abroad for which ed as an help he wrote in a little book which he alwayes carried about him the distinct heads of every particular passage in every Chapter of the Bible that so when in any place he meditated on the word of God and was at a loss he presently found help by that little book By this means he made himself so expert in the Text that if he heard any phrase of Scripture he could presently tell where it was to be found Besides he had his set times of study for the more difficult places of Scripture that he might finde out the true meaning of them by which he attained to a great measure of exactness in the understanding of the Scripture During his abode in the University he did not onely ply his own studies but used also to send for others whom he observed to be ingenuous and willing and instructed them in the Arts whereby he was a great help to many and brought them also to be better proficient While he was a Scholler in Kings College there came a Jew to Cambridge who was entertained in sundry Colleges to teach them the Hebrew Tongue and amongst the rest in Kings Colledge and Mr. Gouge took the opportunity of learning of him as many other of the Students also did but most of them grew soon weary and left him onely the said Mr. Gouge kept close to him so long as he tarried But when he was gone those which before had lost their opportunity now seeing their own folly they came to Mr. Gouge and entreated him to instruct them in the grounds of the said Language which he accordingly did and thereby himself became an excellent Hebrician And as he was expert in the learned Languages so was he likewise in the Arts and all other necessary Literature that he might have nothing of these to learn when he should come to make use of them Being chosen a Lecturer both of Logick and Philosophy in the College he made conscience of observing all the times appointed by the Statute for reading and never omitted any of them and his readings were so exactly composed that thereby he profited his Auditors exceedingly and procured much credit and applause from them but withall some envy from his successors who by his example were now provoked to a more painful frequent reading of their Lectures which in former times were performed seldomer and in a more perfunctory manner He was so cautious and strict in the whole course of his life that thereby he got the name of an Arch-Puritan which was the terme then given in scorn to those who were conscientious in their wayes In the first year of his Fellowship he began his Common-place book for Divinity in which he made references of all which he read He had also white paper bound betwixt every leaf of his Bible wherein he wrote such short and pithy interpretations and observations on the Text as could not well be referred to any head in his Common-place book He took such pleasure in and was so addicted to a University life that he was resolved to have spent many more years than he did if not his whole life therein But his Father after he had been two or three years Master of Arts much against his minde took him from the University upon the occasion of a marriage which he prepared for him and God by his providence turned this to the great good of his Church For by this means though it were somewhat late before he entred upon the Ministry yet it is very probable that he entred upon and exercised that sacred calling much sooner than he would have done if he had been left to his own choice His wife was the daughter of Mr. Henry Caulton a Citizen and Mercer of London but an Orphan when he married her Having thus changed his condition and entred into a married estate that he might not be distracted nor impeded in his studies by worldly business he committed the whole care of his Family affairs to the management of his wife and still applied himself wholly to his studies and to the weighty businesses of his heavenly calling He lived with this his wife for the space of two and twenty years in much love and peace and had by her thirteen children seven sons and six daughters whereof eight lived to mens and womens estate and were all of them carefully educated and sufficiently provided for It was his earnest desire and daily prayer to God for his sons that they might all be preachers of the Gospel so highly did he prize the function that is so vilified and contemned by too many others for he himself found such comfort and content in that calling that he thought no greater could be found in any other and he often professed for his own part that the greatest pleasure he took in the world was in the imployments about the work of the Ministry insomuch as he was wont to say to divers Honourable persons of his acquaintance and particularly to the Lord Coventry Keeper of the Great Seal of England that he envied not his great place and imployment In the order and government of
all his former Degrees Such respect was generally shewed to him as that in sundry publick Imployments he was chosen a Trustee or Feoffee As in the year 1626 he was chosen one of the Trustees for Mr. Whetenhalls three Lectures Also in the year 1616. he was chosen one of the Trustees for buying in of Impropriations and for many other pious and charitable uses wherein indeed he alwayes approved himself a carefull and faithfull Trustee and in some cases by his great pains and cost he procured to be setled for ever such pious Donations as would otherwise have been wrested away and alienated from their intended use The business about the buying in of Impropriations was this There was a select society of thirteen persons joyned themselves together as Trustees to stir up and encourage such as were piously affected to contribute towards the buying in of Impropriations and giving them freely towards the maintenance of godly and able Ministers And these were so faithful to their trust as albeit they met very frequently and spent much time and pains in consultation about that business yet did they never spend one penny out of the publick stock for the refreshing of themselves yea though they had sundry Agents and Messengers whom they imployed about that business and that both far and near yet did they never diminish that stock wherewithall they were intrusted to the value of a penny but themselves at least most of them contributed out of their own purses for the discharge of all by-expences And when they had the opportunity of buying in any great Impropriation and wanted money in stock to go through with it they did amongst themselves give or lend so much as might effect it and amongst others our Dr. Gouge at one time lent 300 l. gratis for that use besides the monthly contribution which he gave By this means in a few years space thirteen Impropriations were bought in which cost betwixt five and six thousand pounds into which their care was to put godly able and orthodox Ministers and their design was to plant a learned and powerful Ministry especally in Cities and Market Towns in several parts of the Kingdome where there was the greatest need for the better propagation of the Gospel in those parts Indeed this was it that raised up so much envy against them and made Dr. Laud the then Bishop of London to consult with Mr. Noy the Kings Atturney General about dissolving this Society and hereupon Mr. Noy brought them all into the Court of Exchequer picking this quarrel against them for that they had made themselves a body Incorporate without any Grant from the King When the Case had been debated by Learned Councel on both sides the result was that the Court adjudged their proceedings to be illegal that their Trust should be taken from them and that what Impropriations they had thus purchased should be made over to the King and that the King should appoint such as he thought meet to dispose of those Impropriations which they had bought in The aforesaid Atturney that strictly examined all their Receipts and Disbursments found that they had laid out of their own money at the time when they were questioned a thousand pounds more than they had received and thereupon obtained an Order of the Court that those debts should be first discharged out of the Revenues of the Impropriations before they should be disposed to particular uses Thus was their Trust quite wrested out of their hands and that excellent work fell to the ground Anno Christi 1653 Dr. Gouge was by the Authority of Parliament called to be a member of the Assembly of Divines wherein his attendance was assiduous not being observed during the whole time of that Session to be one day absent unless it were in case of more than ordinary weakness ever preferring that publick imployment before any private business whatsoever and therein he was not one to make up the number onely but a chief and useful member For he was chosen and sate as one of the Assessors and very often filled the Chair in the Moderators absence and such was his constant care and conscientiousness in the expence of time and improving it to the best advantage that in case of intermission in the Assembly affairs he used to apply himself to his private studies For which end it was his constant practice to carry his Bible and some other Books in his pocket which upon every advantage he drew forth and read in them as was observed by many Episcopacy also being voted down by both Houses of Parliament and so no ordinary way being left for the Ordination of Ministers the Parliament thought fit to set up an extraordinary way by Three and twenty Ministers who for the space of a year were to Ordain such as tendred themselves according to the Rules prescribed by them with the humble advice of the Assembly of which number Dr. Gouge was one and acted with his Brethen therein at which time I observed his strictness in keeping of Fasts For on an Ordination day which was alwayes accompanied with Fasting and Prayer in the afternoon one proffered him a peece of a candied Orange Pill which though he was then very ancient he refused to accept of till the work of the day was finished He was likewise chosen by a Committee of Parliament amongst others to write large Annotations upon the Bible being well known to be a judicious Interpreter of Scripture and how well he performed that Task is and may be evident to all that read his part which was from the beginning of the first Book of the King to Job In which the Intelligent Reader may observe such skill in the Original such acquaintance with the sacred Story such judgement in giving the genuine sence of the Text and such accuteness in raising pertinent Observations that without the help of any other Commentators a man may accommodate himself with the sense Doctrines and uses of most of those Scriptures that came under his hand in those brief Annotations Before this when the Book allowing Sports and Recreations on the Lords Dayes was by publick Authority injoyned to be read in all Churches throughout the Kingdome he as sundry others godly and faithful Ministers refused to read the same resolving rather to suffer the uttermost than to manifest the least approbation of so wicked and licentious a practice it being so contrary to the express letter of the Scripture By reason of his ability and dexterity in resolving Cases of Conscience he was much sought unto for his judgement in doubtful cases and scruples of Conscience and that not only by ordinary Christians but by divers Ministers also both in the City and Country sometimes by word of mouth and other sometimes by writing And indeed he was accounted the Father of the London Divines and the Oracle of his time He was likewise a sweet comforter of troubled Consciences wherein he
of the Land he could not before evening be admitted to the Kings presence There the Question was again agitatated Whether the King in justice might pass the Bill of Attainder against the Earle of Strafford For that he might shew mercy to him was no Question at all no man doubting but that the King without any scruple of conscience might have granted him a pardon if other reasons of State in which the Bishops were made neither Judges nor Advisers did not hinder him The whole result therefore of the Bishops determination was to this effect That herein the matter of Fact and the matter of Law were to be distinguished that of the matter of Fact he himself might make a Judgement having been present at all the proceedings against the said Lord where if upon hearing all the allegations on either side he did not conceive him guilty of the Crimes wherewith he was charged he could not in justice condemn him But for the matter in Law what was Treason and what was not he was to rest in the opinion of the Judges whose office it was to declare the Law and who were sworn therein to carry themselves indifferently betwixt him and his subjects c. Upon his losses in Ireland and the straits he was brought into here two Offers were made unto him from Forreign Nations the one from Cardinal Riâ—hlieu onely in relation to his eminent learning with a promise of large maintenance and liberty to live where he pleased in France amongst the Protestants The other from the States of Holland who proffered him the place of being Honorarius Professor at Leiden which had an ample stipend belonging to it but he refused both And now by reason of the disturbance of the times he was perpetually removing having with St. Paul no certain dwelling place and some of those evidences mentioned by that great Doctor of the Gentiles to prove himself to be the Minister of Christ were applicable to him 2 Cor. 6. 3 c. In much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in tumults or tossings to and fro in labours in watchings and fastings By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowful and yet alwayes rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things c. Anno Christi 1642 He obtained leave of both Houses of Parliament to go to Oxford for his study in that Library Anno Christi 1644 the late King coming thither he preached before him on the fifth of November His Text was Nehem. 4. 11. And our Adversaries said they shall not know neither see till we come in the middest amongst them and stay them and cause their work to cease In his Sermon he advised his hearers to put no repose in the Papists who saith he upon the first opportunity will serve us here as they have done the poor Protestants in Ireland which much offended some that were there present In March following he went from thence into Wales to Cardiff in Glamorganshire where for a time he abode with his Daughter But Septem 16. Anno Christi 1645 he removed from thence to St. Donnets the Lady Stradlings and by the way meeting with some Souldiers they used him barbarously plucked him off his horse and brake open two of his Trunks full of Books taking them all away amongst these he lost two Manuscripts of the History of the Waldenses most of his Books he recovered again but these Manuscripts though the meanliest clad he could never hear of which gave suspicion that some Priest or Jesuit had lighted upon them The loss of them grieved him much they being of use to him for the finishing of that Book De Ecclesiarum Christianarum successione statu Not long after he fell into a painful sickness wherein he bled four dayes together so that he swoonded and all hope of life was past and a rumour was spread abroad that he was dead which occasioned grief to many and it was so far believed at Court that a Letter came over for a successor in his Primacy in Ireland But it pleased God that he recovered and June 11 Anno Christi 1646 he came to London where the Countess of Peterborough gladly received him After a while he was chosen to be preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolns Inne where he continued divers years with great honour and respect from them till at the last losing his sight so that he could not read his Text and his strength decaying he was advised by his friends to forbear and to reserve himself and the remainder of his strength for the writing of Books which were yet expected from him No spectacles could help his sight onely when the Sun shone he could see at a window which he hourly followed from room to room in the house of his abode In Winter the casement was often set open for him to write at This Summer he conceived would be the last wherein he should make use of his eyes the Winter following he intended to have an Amanuensis to write for him and a competent salary was intended for him whom he should choose to that work But the Lord was pleased to prevent it by taking him to the sight of himself After he had left Lincolns Inne he was prevailed with to preach in several places as in Graies Inne Nov. 5. Anno 1654 which he then thought might have been his last Sermon and it was taken as an honour by that Honourable Society whereof he had been admitted a member at a Reading above thirty years before He preached also at the Temple at Mr. Seldens Funeral and at two other places in the City both which the Lord was pleased to make very effectual in the conversion of divers that were his hearers And indeed seldome did the Sword drawn by him return empty The last Sermon which he preached was about Michelmas Anno 1655 at Hammersmith He complained that he was much troubled finding himself unable to continue his Ministry his thoughts were on it in the day and his dreams in the night and though he had been a preacher about fifty and five years and so like the Levites might well be excused from this service of the Sanctuary and have imployed himself as his manner was in directing of others yet he resolved if God continued his life the Summer following to return to it again in some small Church or Chappel He sought not great things for himself In the time of his distress by reason of his losses in Ireland the Parliament for some years was bountiful to him but the two last years of their sitting it fell out to be suspended But after they were dissolved the care of him was renewed by the Lord Protector by whose Order a constant competent allowance was given him which was continued till
his death besides very considerable summes extraordinary All that knew him found him very communicative not onely of his studies for the advantage of their mindes but of part of his stipend for the relief of their bodies and indeed in works of charity he more needed a bridle than a spur He was not so severe in his judgement about Episcopacy as to disown other Reformed Churches but declared that he loved and honoured them as true members of the Church universal and was ready for the Ministers of Holland France â— to testifie his Communion with them He was a man of a most exemplary moderation meekness humility and ingenuity Anno 1641 he drew up an Expedient to accommodate some of our differences in Ecclesiastical Affairs which some moderate men of both parties were ready to subscribe But in matters of Doctrine for the substantials it was often his charge that Ministers should not preach any thing as to please men but God who hath put them in trust 1 Thess. 2. 4. For such as seek to please men are not the servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. And in defence of those truths no man was more resolute and constant than he not giving place by way of subjection no not for an hour Gal. 2. 5. but in circumstantials he thought it to be our duty with St. Paul to please all men and not our in all such things 1 Cor. 10. 31. to edification and concord He was in these things alwayes the same holding fast the form of sound words in Doctrine and practice to the last The night before he left London Oh! the humble expressions he used of his own unworthiness demeaning himself as if he had been the least of Saints which he uttered with many tears He wished those about him to prepare for afflictions and trials which he was perswaded were not far from them Having abode at London one and fifty dayes for so it was punctually noted by himself in a Book it being his custome with David so to number his dayes both for the place where and the manner how he spent them he returned to Rygate Feb. 13. 1655 to the Countess of Peterboroughs March the 20 following was the first day of his sickness upon which day as every day he had been well busied Most part of it as long as he had light he had spent at his study proceeding in his Chronologia sacra clearing all the doubts in his Annals of the Bible in which he had gone as far as to the Book of Judges where the last words he wrote were these Hic praeterea notandum but returned not to make any further progress From his study he went to visit a sick Gentlewoman in that Family and prescribed to her most excellent preparatives for death with other most holy advice in practical matters in which he spent three quarters of an hour but in such an heavenly manner as if like Moses upon Mount Nebo his eyes had been strengthened to take a prospect of the heavenly Canaan That night about eight a clock he first complained of his hip judging it to be a spice of the Sciatica which he had been troubled with about five and thirty years before contracted by sitting up late in the College Library at Dublin but by the application of an ointment he was presently eased of that pain so that he took some rest that night In the morning he complained of a great pain in his side whereupon a Physitian was sent for who used such means as he judged fit for him but the pain continuing and his spirits decaying he wholly addicted himself to prayer only upon the abating of the torment he advised those about him in health to prepare for sickness and death that then they might have nothing else to do but to dye and after a short settlement of the things of this world he took great content in his approaching death A Minister there present assisted him with his prayers but afterwards he desired to be left to his own private The last words he was heard to utter which was about one a clock in the afternoon and a little before his death were these praying for the forgiveness of his sins he added But Lord in special forgive my sins of Omission Herein he had his wish which he often used that he might dye as holy Mr. Perkins did which expired with crying for mercy and forgiveness But did he pray for pardon of his sins of Omission and yet he was a person that was never known to omit an hour but was alwayes imployed in his Masters business either in preaching reading writing or hearing others as of late to read to him either resolving doubts or exhorting instructing and counselling such as came to visit him yet did he dye with this humble expression Lord forgive my sins of Omission A speech that may give us all matter of solemn meditation and imitation March the 21. Anno Christi 1655 this glorious Sun set and from earth was translated to Heaven having been Primate of Ireland just one and thirty years and a Preacher five and fifty years and having lived about seventy five years What he had to leave was only his Library and divers imperfect Copies of his intended Works which death prevented his finishing of The Lord Protector as he was then called gave him an honourable burial at the publick charge in the Chappel of Henry the seventh at Westminster and extended to his what was before intended for himself in the grant of some of the Lands belonging to the Primacy of Armagh for the terme of one and twenty years He was highly admired and much honoured by all the famous Lights of his time through the Christian world Spanhemius Divinity-Professor at Geneva Anno Christi 1639 in his Epistle Dedicatory to him before his third Part Dubiorum Evangelicorum spends above two leaves in extolling him Some of his expressions are Your very great parts Most excellent Usher are known not onely within your own Country but in ours and wheresoever else there is honour given to Piety or price set upon learning c. He speaks much of his Charity to strangers his Humility Piety Works his Library of which he made such use for the publick good that it was not so much his own as the Library of all learned men In a word saith he the name of Usher with us is a name of Piety and Vertue it is of great Renowne at our Geneva c. Gerard Vossius frequently admires him as a man of vast learning worthy of an everlasting Monument The high merits saith he of this most excellent and throughout most learned man both of the Church and of the whole Commonwealth of Learning deserve an everlasting grateful memory A man so excelling in the knowledge both of Humane and Divine things that I cannot speak any thing so high of him but his worth doth surpass it Bochartus and Simplicius call
him frequently Magnum Usherium Usher the Great Morus in his Oration at Geneva dedicated to him stiles him The most Excellent servant of God The most Reverend man of God the Athanasius of our Age. Thy breast saith he is a breathing Library Thou art to Britain as Austin was to Hippo Farewel Britains great Honour Ludovicus de Dieu in his Animadversions on the Acts dedicated to him entitles him To the Excellent Prelate worthy of an Eternal memory c. Paulus Testardus Blesensis stiles him Seculi Ecâ—clesiae decus eximium the greatest honour of the Church and Age. Arnoldus Bootius saith of him That he did excel with a most singular Judgement in the Oriental Languages and in all other abstruse and deep learning Venerable to all Europe whose Authority prevails much with all men c. Mr. Selden saith of him The most Reverend Prelate James Usher a man of great Piety singular Judgement learned to a Miracle and born to promote the more severe studies c. Dr. Prideaux calls him The most rich Magazine of solid Learning and of all Antiquity Dr. Davenant speaks thus of him A man of singular Piety abounding with all manner of Learning Sir Roger Twisden acknowledging the assistance he had from him in his History saith thus This we owe to the most worthy Archbishop of Armagh in whom with incredible learning and rare knowledge of Antiquity his most courteous conversation and wonderful sweetness in instructing the unskilful mixed with a certain serious Episcopal gravity were seen to strive one with the other c. There was an eminent Character given of him by a the whole University of Oxford in the year 1644 by solemn Order in the Convocation which was given in charge to sixteen eminent persons of whom seven were Doctors chosen with the Vice-Chancellor Proctors to see his Effigies cut and an Elogium worthy of him to be prefixed to his Annotations on Ignatius his Epistles there then in the Press and at the charges of the University and in the publick name of it Indeed it was omitted to that book but was aftewards affixed to his Book De Symbolis the Elogium is this James Usher Archbishop of Armagh Primate of all Ireland the most skilful of Primitive Antiquity the unanswerable Defender of the Orthodox Religion the Maul of Errours in preaching frequent eloquent very powerful a rare example of an unblameable life Yea for his learning his very Adversaries being Judges those of the Church of Rome have acknowledged A certain Jesuit in a Book called Hyberniae Vindiciae writing against Dempster a Scotchman who had undervalued the Irish for learning after he had reckoned up many Learned men of his own and other Orders of that Nation at length he addes this of our Primate And if I should put in men of a different Religion I might truly say Scotland never saw another Usher whose sublime wit and most curteous behaviour I wish that unlucky education amongst Sectaries had not been his stepmother Divers others of his Popish Adversaries might be mentioned but I forbear and shall adde onely the Testimony of Dr. William Chappel sometime Fellow of Christs College in Cambridge and afterwards Provost of Trinity College Dublin who was very judicious and a great learned man He gave three reasons why he thought our Primate to be the greatest Schollar in the Christian world 1. Because of his rare natural parts having a quick invention a prompt wit a strong memory a clear understanding a piercing judgement and a ready utterance Seldome said he do all these meet in an eminent degree in the same person but in him they so concurred that it is hard to say in which of them he most excelled 2. Because few men had made so rich an improvement of these parts nor indeed had such means by reason of the choice Libraries which he had the use of viz. his own Dr. Challoners the University Library at Dublin which he had frequent access unto besides the University Libraries and Sir Robert Cottons in England He had also taken indefatigable pains in studying and that for many years together which few other mens bodies and brains could bear 3. Because in these and in the Universities beyond the Seas he was so esteemed and whosoever conversed with him found him a skilful Linguist a subtile Disputant a fluent Orator a profound Divine a great Antiquary an exact Chronologer and in brief a living and walking Library Insomuch that the greatest Professors admired the concatenation of so much learning in one person A Catalogue of the Books published by him De Ecclesiarum Christianarum successione statu in 4o. Epistolarum Hybernicarum Syloge in 4o. Historia Goteschalci in 4o. De Primordiis Ecclesiarum Britanicarum in 4o. Ignatii Epistolae cum annotationibus in 4o. De Anno Solari Macedonum in 8o. Annales Veteris Testamenti in Fol. Annales Novi Testamenti c. in Fol. Epistola ad Cappellum de variantibus textus Hebraici lectionibus in 4o. De Graeca Septuaginta Interpretum versione Syntagma in 4o. A Sermon before the House of Commons Feb. 18. 1618. A Declaration of the Visibility of the Church in a Sermon before King James June 20. 1624. A Speech in the Castle in Dublin the 22 of Nov. 1622. An Answer to Malon the Jesuit in 4o. 1631. The Religion professed by the antient Irish and British in 4o. 1631. Immannel or The Incarnation of the Son of God in 4o. 1639. A Geographical Description of the lesser Asia in 4o. 1644. Confessions and Proofs of Dr. Reynolds and other Protestant Divines about Episcopacy in 4o. 1644. A Discourse of the Original of Bishops and Archbishops in 4o. 1644. His small Catechisme reviewed in 12o. 1654. His Body of Divinity in part his but published without his consent in Fol. A Method for Meditation or a Direction for hearing the Word Annals of the Old and New Testament with the Synchronismes of Heathen Story to the destruction of Jerusalem in Fol. The Life and Death of Mr. Richard Capel who dyed Anno Christi 1656. Mr. Richard Capel was born in the City of Gloucester Anno Christi 1586 of good Parentage descended from an ancient Family of the Gentry of his own name in Herefordshire and of alliance to the Lord Capel but he had learned with brave Philpot to tread that under his feet His Father was a stout man and an Alderman of that City a fast friend first to Mr. Thomas Prior and afterwards to Mr. John Workman having had a principall hand in drawing of him thither both of them men of great sufficiency for the preaching of the Gospell and instruments that the Lord made much use of for the advancement of the true saving knowledge of himself and for the setting up of the reall and substantiall power of godliness in that City during the time that they exercised their Mâ—nistry there His elder Brother yet lives and is an Alderman in that place
After he had been trained up at School and well fitted for it he was sent to the University of Oxford where his diligence and proficiency was such that he was chosen Fellow of Magdalen-Colledge and had the breeding up of some there who afterwards proved excellent and eminent Scholars as Dr. Frewen who was alwayes a thankfull man to him for his education and famous Mr. Pemble who ended his dayes at his house c. His attendance at Court upon the chiefest favourite in the dayes of that learned King James gave him opportunity of advancement iâ— his thoughts had been bent that way but he sought not great things for himself yet continued at Court till the death of Sr. Thomas Overbury that learned Knight and his very good friend and then he had adieu to that course of life As for his inward storms they were very many and exceeding bitter which also were accompanied with many bodily infirmities which attended him in his younger years but it was well for him that he bore the yoke in his youth and there was none that knew so much of his temptations and desertions as thâ—t eminent and learned Divine Dr. Harris by reason of that intimate acquaintance he had with him in those dayes being his kinsman which also was occâ—sioned the more by the often recourse he had then into those parts for the fetching of some spiriruall refreshing from that man of God Mr. John Dod who was both able and willing to speak a word in season to a broken and coâ—rite heart For the eminency of hâ—s parts there were very few that could match him The most even of our most high-flown Eagles have commonly some peculiar gift wherein they most excell and by it â—o very good service to Christ and his Church but this man had grasped all good learning and made every thing his own so evenly to see to that he was very expert in the same and would with Cato the elder be up in the height in all thâ—t ever he was to act in Melancthon used to say that Pomeranus was the Gramarian that himself was the Logician that Justus Jonas was the Orator but that Luther was all in all here was one that was not inferior to Luther If he pleased to turn to the School or to Case-Divinity to Augustine or Chrysostome to Galen or Hippocrates to Aristotle or Tully to History or Philosophy to Arts or Tongues who could tell but himself which of them he was best versed in He was a very living Library a full storehouse of all kind of good literature no less than a little University the mirrour of those parts and above the envy of most The least draught of his Pencil would have told any Protogenes he had been the Apelles He excelled in all that ever he would set his hand to unless it were in his utterance in the publick Congregation and therein indeed he had a great defectiveness God 〈◊〉 him great understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do He stood upon the Watch-tower and saw what was hid from most mens eyes and being quick of sent in the fear of the Lord he gave timely notice to some that stood in place which had it been heeded we had never been so fearfully pestered with those Hydraes heads that are now starting up afresh daily to the great disturbance of our people Simler said of Melancthon at his going from the University of Tubing that none of the learned men there how many soever they were had so much learning as to know the great learning that was in that man Too too many amongst us were even sick of the same disease that knew not the depth that was in this mans brest There were many men in this one man even all Scholarship epitomized in this profound Clerk and yet for all this he had that great blessing which he himself observed as a singular favour vouchsafed to Dr. John Reynolds that great Oracle of Oxford that he never set on foot any manner of new opinion The like is observed of learned Dr. Whitaker stâ—led the Oracle of Cambridge and the miracle of the world A mercy that most men of superlative parts use not to be too rich in There is scarce any strong brain without some strong fancy If the great wits of our times had kept themselves close to the steps of these rare Divines we had never seen the sorrows that we now sigh and groan under and would be glad to be rid of if we knew how For the excellency of his preaching he excelled most men He was an Inâ—erpreter one of a thousand His understanding was strangely opened for the understanding and opening the Scriptures He would bolt out that out of the holy Book of God that would not come into any other mans consideration yet it should be genuine and evidently appearing to be the driâ—t and meaning of the Holy Ghost An intelligent man could never sit at his feet or be in his company but he should meet with that there that would never fall from any other mans mouth nor ever drop from any other mans Pen. His words were as Goads and as Nails fastened by the Master of the Assemblies They were edged with so much reason re-enforced from the lively Oracles that they could not fall to the ground in vain It 's no marvell therefore that the Cream of the whole Country where he lived as they could have opportunity would hang upon his Ministry Yet he used to be very plain in all his expressions He would not deliver what he had from God in an unknown tongue nor yet in words and phrases which were too spâ—uce and trim He had learned his lesson weâ—l of that great Apostle and Doctor of the Gentiles who came not with enticing words nor with any other but such as the very Catechuâ—nâ—ni the youngest beginners might understand He kept close to the footsteps of our choicest Worthies as famous Mr. Dod who used to say that so much Latine was so much flesh in a Sermon Mr. Cleaver Mr. Hildersam and such other holy men of God led by the self same Spirit He would deliver the whole and wholesome truths of God in such an holy and wholsome way that it bred very good bloud in the hearts of his hearers He would stoop so low as to speak to the poor Country people in their own proper dialect so as they could not but even see and feel and find out God and be occasioned to speak of him all the week after If he met with a deep mystery he would make it plain to the shallowest capacity Whatever Subject he sell upon he would handle it so Divine-like that the hearts of his Auditors would be wrapt up into Heaven whilest they heard him winding and turning a point of Divinity like a workman that needed not to be ashamed Whereas now adayes whilest some of our great Divines seem to
unto me and in particular that he hath kept Satan from me in this my weakness Oh how good is God entertain good thoughts of him How ever it be with us we cannot think too well of him or too bad of our selves And this sense of Gods goodness was very deeply imprinted upon his heart to his very last and therefore in all his Wills this Legacy was alwayes renewed Item I bequeathe to all my children and to their childrens children to each of them a Bible with this Inscription None but Christ. Being upon a time visited by two Reverend Doctors his choice Friends who before they prayed with him desired him to tell them what he chiefly requested He answered I praise God he supports me and keeps off Satan beg that I may hold out I am now in a good way home even quite spent I am now at the shore I leave you tossing on the Sea Oh it is a good time to dye in Yet when his end approached nearer being often asked how he did He answered In no great pain I praise God onely weary of my unuseful life If God hath no more service for me to do here I could be gladly in Heaven where I shall serve him better freed from sin and distractions I pass from one death to another yet I fear none I praise God I can live and I dare dye If God hath more work for me to do here I am willing to do it though my infirm body be very weary Desiring one to pray with him and for him that God would hasten the work it was asked whether pain c. put him upon that desire He answered No but I now do no good and I hinder others which might be better imployed if I were not Why should any desire to live but to do God service Now I cease from that I do not live By this time the violence of his distempers disabled him and the advice of his Physitians was that he should forbear speech yet he called upon those which attended him to read some part of the Scriptures to him constantly especially he put one of his Sons that was with him to pray frequently and whilst his life and speech lasted he used to conclude all the Prayers with a loud Amen The nearer he approached to his end the more he slumbered Once when he awoke he found himself very ill whereupon calling for his Son he took him by the hand and said Pray with me it is the last time in likelihood that I shall ever joyn with you and complaining to him of his wearisomeness his Son answered There remains a rest To whom he replied My Sabbath is not far off and yours is at hand ere that I shall be rid of all my trouble and you will be eased of some At length his ruinous house which onely inobedience to the will of God had held out beyond his own desires and all mens expectations from the heighth of Summer till the depth of Winter comes to be dissolved About Saturday in the even he began to set himself to dye forbidding all cordials to be administred upon what extremity soever and gave his dying blessing to his Son who onely of all his children was present with him and upon his request enjoyned him to signifie when he had opportunity to that Country where he had lived longest that he lived and dyed in that Faith which he had preached and printed the comfort whereof he now found Something else he began to speak but his distempers interrupted his purpose and from that time he never entertained any discourse with man onely he commanded the eight Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans to be read to him And herein God was exceeding good to him in the return of those Petitions which had been put up for him that afternoon by those two eminent Divines and his dearest Brethren before mentioned For whereas his great distempers gave occasion to fear his death would be exceeding painful yet did it prove so easie that his Son and other attendants could but guess at the particular time of his departure His breathings were easie and even his eyes open and full of water till at the last having lifted them up towards Heaven they closed of themselves and his soul without the least motion of resistance of the body entred into everlasting rest whilst those whom he left behinde were entring upon the day of their rest For then began he a perpetual Sabbath in Heaven when they began theirs on earth betwixt twelve and one on Saturday night December 11. Anno Christi 1658. He dyed in a good old age and full of dayes having overlived fourscore years His loss was much bewayled by the College by the City and whole University of Oxford He was as all that knew him confessed a man of admirable prudence profound judgement eminent gifts and graces and furnished with all qualifications that might render him a compleat man a wise Governour a profitable Preacher and a good Christian. First look upon him as a Christian for that was his and is every mans greatest Ornament He was a man that had much acquaintance with God much communion with him in private meditation and prayer accounting those his best dayes wherein he enjoyed most converse with him In the time of his sickness one asking him how he did oh saith he this hath been a sweet day I have had sweet communion with God in Jesus Christ. He was not like them who are all for promises and priviledges though in the mean time they neglect duties He made them his exercise but not his Christ He was much in those severe parts of Religion as private Humiliation Mortification and Self-denial whereby he gained the conquest over himself The truth is he was as far as is consistent with humane frailty Master of his corruptions passions reason appetite language and all The Lord was pleased to work upon him in the Primrose of his life though he certainly knew not either the Preacher or Sermon whereby he was converted His course was in the dayes of his strictest examination to set down in writing his evidences for Heaven sometimes in Propositions from Scripture other sometimes in Sylogismes and these he often subscribed to in a Book that he kept for that very purpose But these evidences were best read by others in the course of his life by his exact walking with God in piety charity humility patience and dependance upon him He was far unlike to those who sit in Moses Chair and teach what themselves practise not He had well digested that Fathers precept to Preachers Either preach not at all or live as you preach His life was a Commentary upon his Doctrine and his practice the Counterpane of his Sermons What was said of that precious Bishop Jewel was true of him That he adorned a heavenly Doctrine with a heavenly life In a word he did vertere verba in opera he lived Religion whilst many onely make
Thus whilst he condescended to them and they submitted to him both parties were gratified Though he had a numerous issue yet through Gods blessing upon his estate he disposed of them to no mean imployments Many he sent to the Universities some to Merchandise c. To his Sons whom he bred in the University his Rule was Study work more than wages To those whom he bred in the City he would say Do not waste a halfpenny and you will not want a penny And truly so well did they all improve as his advice so their own time and parts that they became Masters of their particular Callings which ministred unto him no small comfort He acknowledged it a great mercy to his dying day that none of his children were blemished either in their bodies or in their reputations He was one of them in whose children that Popish slander concerning the ungraciousness of the children of the married Clergy received a real confutation Many of his Sons he buried in their prime some at home others in forreign parts and some dyed shortly after himself yet all of them gave comfortable hopes to conclude upon a rational charity both by the pious Letters of those which dyed abroad and from that particular account which they gave of themselves who dyed at home that they all meet in Heaven they which survive need not this attestation Amongst the dead there was Mr. Tho. Harris of Magdalen College in Oxford who was eminently learned beyond his age an Ornament to that Noble Foundation whereof he was a member once the joy of his friends and still their sorrow and probably this arrow from Gods hand stuck deep in the Fathers heart to his dying day For his servants there are some yet living that served him in his younger dayes who still bless God that ever they came under his roof where they received the beginnings of Grace and such a measure of knowledge as kept them from warping in the late giddy times Whilst he remained with his antient Flock his constant manner was to keep a Religious Fast before his administration of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And after he came to his small College he so prudently managed all his affairs that he was both feared and loved Indeed his government there was such as caused a wonder For whereas that College before was famous for factions during his time there was never any complaint made to any Visitors and no marvel for the Foundation there honoured him as a Father and he looked upon and loved them as his Children and accordingly he scaled up his love to them in his last Will and Testament He called Gifts Bribery and hated the very shadow of it Examples are known in the College of Gratuities refused long after faire and free Elections But look upon him as a Schollar and there we have him in his proper Element Though he left the University early and preached constantly yet being of a retired disposition a constant student and endowed with great parts he became Master of all manner of Learning to qualifie a Divine In the sacred Languages especially in the Hebrew he was very exact His Conciones ad Clerum declare him to have been a pure and Polite Latinist His first which was preached and printed long since hath undergone the test and gained the approbation of all knowing men in that Language the younger by full forty years is of as good a complexion and of as vigorous a constitution as its elder brother and it s hoped that in due time it may be made as publick What his abilities in Disputation were hath upon several occasions been made to appear in that College Exercises in the Chappel where oft-times in the unexpected absence of the Opponents himself would ex tempore take up the Cudgels and make good their ground In which Exercises he approved himself a subtle clear and ready Disputant without any grains of allowance either for his age or discontinuance Indeed his chiefest Learning lay where he made least shew of it in publick viz. in Chronology Church-History Councils Case-Divinity and his insight into the Fathers But his parts were best seen in the pulpit His gifts in Prayer were much more than ordinary wherein his affections were warm and fervent his Petitions pithy and substantial his language pertinent unaffected and without Tautologies Oh how would he raise up a dull and sinking spirit How would he warm a cold and frozen heart How would he carry a man out of himself and by degrees mount the soul heaven-ward His Sermons in Print are well known to the world and his works praise him in the Gates The particular excellencies of Nazianzen Basil Chrysostome Austin Ambrose Bernard seemed all to conâ—enter in him He taught Rhetorick to speak in our Mother-tongue and without falshood or flattery he may be stiled The English Orator His Doctrines carried light with them and his Uses heat His Reproofes were weighty and his Exhortations powerful But enough of this lest we hear as he did who spake much in commendation of Hercules Quis unquam vituperavit who ever dispraised him yea what either Christian or Schollar but approved or commended him If you would know the worth of his Sermons read them though read they come short of what they were when preached yea read them again and again and endeavour to read them with the same spirit they were preached and you cannot but acknowledge an excellency in them Amongst other his excellencies in preaching which were many these were not the least that he could so cook his meat that he could make it relish to every pallate He could dress a plain discourse so as that all sorts should be delighted with it He could preach with a learned plaineness and had learned to conceal his Art He had clear Notions of high Mysteries and proper language to make them stoop to the meanest capacity His way in contriving and penning his Sermons was this 1. He so contrived the parts of his Text and points of Doctrine as might afford him most scope in his Application wherein his and indeed a Sermons excellency doth consist and therefore he used to say That in a Sermon he contrived the Uses first He did often handle the same Texts and the same Points and yet still would pen new Applications which might be most suitable to the quallity and condition of the Auditory 2. In penning when he once began he would never take Pen from paper nor turn to any Book till he had written all All his younger dayes for about twenty years together he wroâ—ght all and could without much difficulty preach the same verbatim He was wont to say That he had a fluid and waterish memory I can said he quickly remember any thing of my own and as quickly fâ—rget it again Yet questionless his memory was vast and tenacious for though sometimes he had but short Notes in his Bible and that