22. Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Job 10. 2. If your Heart do not condemn you for any particular sin yet renew your Repentance for all sin labour to excite and stir up the Grace of God within you Be more fervent in Prayer diligent in hearing more watchful over your hearts and all your wayes mortifie corruptions and walk more closely with God and pray that this Affliction may be sanctified to you that you may come forth as gold after God hath tryed you Job 23. 10. That you may be able to say as David Psal 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes This is what I thought good to say to you Parents Now I speak to your Son Though God does sometimes visit the iniquity of Parents upon Children yet there is none upon Earth so just or innocent as to be Naturally pure and free from sin All are born in sin The imagination of the Heart of Man is evil from his youth You are therefore to be humbled for Original Sin the Corruption of your Nature the Mother of all abominations And pray that you may be born again with a new birth from Heaven David confesseth Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Every one therefore must be renewed taken off the stock of old Adam and ingrassed into Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Make sure of this that you be in Christ In him God is well pleased and with all that are in Christ If you may say with David Psal 118. 6 7. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what men or Devils can do unto me The Lord taketh my part with them that help me Again Psal 56. 11. In God I put my trust I will not fear what man can do unto me Psal 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is my strength of whom shall I be afraid Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us He that spared not his own Son c. Make sure of Gods love and then you need not fear the Devils malice For first the Devil is a conquered Foe He is a Dragon or Lyon in chains Rev. 20. 1. Christ that owns the Cross hath overcome and subdued him Heb. 2. 14. Through his death he hath destroyed him that had power of death that is the Devil He cannot go one link beyond his Chain He could not touch one Lamb of all Jobs flock till God gave him leave He could not enter into the Herd of Swine till Christ permitted him He cannot appear to you nor hurt you except God suffer him The very hairs of your head are all numbered Matth. 10. 30. By fearing him you do him too much pleasure and honour And will you pleasure a cruel enemy An enemy to God and your Soul By so doing you dishonour God and Christ who is your strength and Redeemer You do in effect say I doubt the Devil is too hard for God I fear God cannot deliver me out of his hands Whereas it is promised Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly 1 Joh. 4. 4. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world How foolish a thing is it to fear that which never did befal you nor any man not one of ten thousand What did you see the Devil or have you known one man or woman that ever did see him except Witches who call him in to their assistance His suggestions or temptations cannot harm you but molest and trouble you They are not your sins you may still keep your integrity for all them as Job and Christ did And if God should suffer him to appear to you yea and carry your Body from place to place as he did our Saviour yet it is not in his power to hurt you I have read of a Godly Minister that for want of a better was forced to dwell in a House that was haunted and one night when he was in Bed the Devil appear'd to him standing like a Man at his Beds feet The Minister saw him but was not affrighted only said to him If thou have nought else to do thou mayest stand there still I will betake my self to my rest and so he did and heard no more of his guest The Devil is a proud Spirit and loveth to domineer and have men stand in awe of him to fear him instead of God and this he triumpheth in But the best way is to slight and contemn him as the Minister did so shall you be sooner rid of him Leave thinking of him and have God more in your mind his Mercy Love and Care to all that fear him his Promises Providence These call to mind Gods Attributes his Allsufficiency his Almighty Power I am the almighty God Gen. 17. 1. and Gen. 15. 1. Fâ—ar not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Josh â— 5 6. I will be with thee I will never fail thee nor forsake thee Be strong and of a good courage These Promises though made to Abraham and to Joshua belong to every believer Believers are Heirs of the Promises Heb. 6. 17. And Paul applies them to all believers Heb. 13. 5. And so doth Peter 2 Pet. 1. 4. Do you act faith in the promises and reason thus Is God my God my Heavenly Father in Jesus Christ Doth he love me Psal 146. 8. Doth he care for me 1 Pet. 5. 7. Watch over me is he my shield and buckler Psal 121. 3 4 5. Prov. 2. 7. My strength rock fortress high tower my deliverer Psal 18. 1 2. Shall I then be so cowardly as to fear a creature the Devil all the Devils in Hell when God is for me God keepeth careth for me watcheth over me night and day Isa 27. 3. Where is my faith Check your self for unbelief as Christ did Peter Matth. 14. 31. O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt And as David did his own Soul Psal 42 Why art thou cast down O my Soul c. Lastly If you are in Christ then are you dear to God though you be never so poor you are a member of Christ of the family of Heaven of the Houshold of Faith a Lamb of Christs flock a Child of God an Heir of Heaven Will God suffer the Devil to harm any so dear to him Joh. 10. 28. My sheep shall never perish nor shall any man or devils be able to pluck them out of my fathers hand Christ is a good Shepherd Isa 40. 11. He will gather the lambs in his armes and carry them in his bosom He will not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised reed As a Father pityeth his Children so the Lord pityeth them that fear him He may suffer men to ride over their heads Satan to buffit them 2 Cor.
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
THE LIFE OF Mr. John Hieron WITH THE Characters and Memorials Of Ten other Worthy Ministers OF JESUS CHRIST Written by Mr. Robert Porter late Minister of the Gospel in Nottinghamshire Published by D. BURGESS Exempla movent LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in 〈◊〉 near Mercers-Chappel MDCXCI To the READER IN complyance with the desire of Reverend Mr. John Barret of Nottinghamshire I send abroad this Treatise and prefix my Thoughts quales quales thereof I conceive it well worthy of its very Eminent Aâ—thor Mr. Robert Porter who also now sleeps in Christ The Matter Language and Method are worthy of him Who hath herein like himself joyned brevity with sweetness given the Memoirs of many worthy Men in a narrow room And laudably performed the Historians part in Relations and the Divines part in Reflections To me it seemeth no small Duty as I hope faâ—ther to express in due time to publish the Lives and Praises of Holy Men. It is the Will of Him whose Will ought to be ours that the Memory of the Just should be blessed And the praise of such is more Gods praise then theirs As for themselves Saints need no Monuments And no one of them desires a richer Encomium than Lazarus had The poor man dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom But the Church and World do need their Memorials For exemplifieâ— Sanctity is the most Noble Beautiful and Perswasive The Holiness that is in Gods Children is of 〈◊〉 more excellent kind than that which is in his Holy Biblâ— It is a liviâ—â— image of God and that which is the transcendent End of which the Scripture it self is but a Means Such Narratives as this do shame and wipe away the Calumnies which Ignorant Men drivel and Malicious ones do foam out against the Excellent of the Earth They do convincingly prove what many will not think That there are really very Illustrious Gifts and Graces where no such things are seen as Copes and Miters And that it is not among such as the Protestant United-Brethren that a godly painful Minister is a rare thing Whatever be suggested to the contrary by those that still judge us fitter for Prisons than Pulpits Great Hugo Grotius when Dying would have given all that ever he had to be plain godly John Urick They whose hearts are cleansed by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost do surely expect the day wherein the most Dignified Drones will wish they had been what they do now malignantly name Drudging Divines The Lord make us all more Pure and Holy and followers of them who are now inheriting the Promises That our Burning Bush may not be consumed but our Jerusalem be yet made the Praise of the whole Earth So Prayeth Daniel Burgess THE LIFE OF Mr. Hieron c. CHAP. I. Of Mr. Hieron's Parentage Birth and Childhood MR. John Hieron was a Prophet and the Son of a Prophet His Father was Minister at Stapenhil near Burton upon Trent a Vicaridge it was and in that Vicaridge-House he was born in August 1608 and baptized the 28th day of that Moneth His Father being puritanically inclined had no great things in the World but he was a good Man I have heard his Son John say of him that he was well esteemed of by Mr. Hildersam and his Hearers And that he did believe that he was found in the way of Righteousness It hath been the sin and the shame of this Nation Oh when shall we be cleansed that the least scandalous Ministers have been forced to take up with most scandalous maintenance They then made sure to make Old Nonconformists poor and to keep them so But through frugality and Gods Blessing they lived and brought up their Children well Since the Year 1662 they have used a Method quite to starve Nonconformists Not a poor Vicaridge not a blind Chappel not a School nor any visible way of maintenance for them and yet they have lived Providence is kind and tender handfuls of Meal are growing and we almost think we may some of us live to see Puritanism better thought of and provided for in England I know many Nonconformists pinched but none starved Though neither Purse nor Scrip yet no insupportable tempting wants When Bladders are pricked yet they can't sink whom God will hold up by the chin and teach the hand of Faith the true swimming stroak In his minority he went over Trent both going to and coming from School and was once or twice endangered thereby In a Note found under his own hand it is thus said Deliverances to me vouchsafed à teneris annis 1. From a Cow in his Fathers yard that took him on her horns and threw him a great way yet without any harm 2. Falling out of a Chamber into a dry Fat in the lower room yet no harm 3. Fell out of a Boat into Trent yet not hurt 4. Once ventring into the Trent-boat himself and not being able to manage it and the wind high he was carried down the River towards some deep place and at least one whirlepit where he had been in danger to have been lost But one seeing it took a private Boat and stopped him and his drowning was prevented These he recounts and adds a good note The Lord expects we keep a chronology of remarkable things done by him for us Greenhil on Ezek. 24. 2. In these things we may note That these preservations were presages of something more than ordinary that God had for him to do Where such notable things occur they signifie some eminent Evil the Persons are reserved for or some eminent good preserved for Moses drawn out of the Water was a deliverer There is a passage in the minority of Ambrose That there was a swarm of Bees setled on his Face in his Cradle and flew away without any hurt to him Whereupon his Father utter'd this saying Si vixerit infantulus iste aliquid magni erit If this Child live he will be some great Man Again since you see he laid these in his Records kept them as the Pot of Manna let us rehearse and record Gods goodness It 's a real wonder any Child lives to be a Man or if they do they are not all Mephibosheths through folly It must be ascribed to God and his Providence without which all our Watchers and Keepers would be in vain There are many places that give us occasion to call them as Hagar Gen. 16. 13 14. did the Well Beer-la-hai-roi places where we have found God seeing for us and looking after us where we have not looked at him nor for him CHAP. II. Of his Country Education MR. Hierons father removing to Chelaston he was with several Masters but at length he placed him at Repton-School after Mr. Whitehead was come thither with whom he continued Five years Mr. Whitehead's Abilities and Method of Teaching and Diligence were so great and his Conversation so good that the School obtained a great Name and bred
the Court would please to dismiss them he like a Proctor of such a Court moved that the Court would appoint a Prosecutor so they were not dismissed They therefore applyed themselves to Dr. Bakâ—r the Bishops Chaplin but he did decline them but Mr. Hieron procured a Letter from Mr. Jackson before mentioned to Dr. Bray the Arch-Bishops Chaplin who courteously received them and went with them to Sir John Lamb and obtained their discharge Oh how good was God when he took away the High Commission And again how good is God when it was rising again in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners threw it down never I hope to rise more Amen The Lord say so Sect. 2. The next disturbance of this Worthy Man was in the beginning of the War Sir Francis Wortleys party coming to Ashborn one Captain Bard and Dennis in the dead time of the night broke into his House took him out of his Bed Captain Dennis said Gentlemen cannot drink the Kings health but you must reprove them for it Oh said Mr. Hieron Sir John Fitz-Herberts hand is in this They carried him to their Court of Guard and kept him there till morning where urging him to speak of many things lay at catch for matter to accuse him Sir Francis Wortley charged him for preaching against Episcopacy he answered never but against the exorbitances of it His Wives Father passed his word for him which was at present satisfying the next day he appeared Sir Francis inclined to release him but would have him call the Parliament a company of dissemblers but he would not In the upshot they discharged him he desired his Horse and Saddle to be restored Nay saith Sir Francis you may be glad you are at liberty your self During this Imprisonment one of the Captains viz Captain Bard had been with an Honourable Person then living in Ashborn Mrs. Cockâ—in half Sister to Philip Earl of Chesterfield a Royalist of highest elevation yet a Woman of Sense that knew Mr. Hierons worth bare a fair respect to Mr. Hieron and represents him in his true Character to the Captain which he credited and was so convinced that he came to excuse himself and told him they did not meddle with him until they had received some scores of Complaints against him through which looking at him they thought him to be one that had no fellow but now he perceived his mistake was sorry for what he had done promised if he came thither in peace he would see him did all he could to restore his Horse but not able to effect it without payment of Twenty Shillings for him Captain Bard was so ingenuous as that after his marching thence wrote to Mr. Hieron begging pardon of him and of his Wife Thus God brought forth this good Mans Righteousness to the shame of all his false Accusers Sect. 3. After this Storm he had some quiet till Tutbury became a Garrison for the King Whether some ill Neighbours going to create him trouble mistook the Party and told the errand to a very Friend of Mr. Hieron's who sent him Prisoner to Derby but the ill success of this first attempt did not deterr others But still others arose and a Party beset the House entred and searched but by Gods good providence he was not at home and so they returned without him affrighting his dear Wife and pilfering some few things This bred great uneasiness in Mr. Hieron and at length forced him to Derby which at present was a place of Retreat a Zoar to him secured him and his from fears in the Night and in a very little time after his coming thither God provided a Laboratory a Work-house for him Sect. 4. After this he had a serene time at Breadsall No alarm but once and then no danger followed Peaceable Sabbaths here he met with no War but did himself war against the Devils Kingdom Lusts of Men and Wickedness of Times contentfully seated and setled working hard had great measures of health though mixt with some Feavors which were mostly the effects of his extraordinary pains and went off without any very long deteinures from his Work Here he enjoyed a good Living conversed with a very precious Wife lived among his Children Here he and she shewed themselves Lovers of Hospitality Lovers of good Men Sober Just Holy Temperate wone much upon some that had prejudice against him Thus the Lords Candle shone upon his Head for many years But in the year 1657 his sprightly his lively Wife fell ill of an Ague and a perverse one which being a double Tertian and mixt with an high degree of the Scurvy No Physical Applications no Change of Air would prevail for whither she went for Air viz. to Sir John Gells of Hopton then John Gell Esq who with his Wife loved and honoured all good people and had a special Respect to this Matron and to her Husband there she expired and by her desire or her Friends was interred at Ashburne with a due Solemnity chargeable to her Husband but not begrudged for great was his Love to her and estimation of her which appears by his own record of her death July 10th 1657. Mortem obiit Vxor mihi carissima Nunquam satis dilecta quâ ego non fui dignus And adds that Scripture passage Many Daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all This Death of hers was something surprizing because her Distemper being an Ague most thought her bailable but it proved otherwise And it was very deeply resented by her Husband She brought him Two Children Samuel and Anne Taylor Samuel dyed young but Anne out-lived her Father of whom I shall speak hereafter She bore him Two Children Joseph who is alive the genuine Son of a Worthy Father He was alive when this was written is now translated to a better Life before this comes to be published And Rachell who dyed before her Father one that was glorious within of excellent Understanding Wit and Memory a Lover of every thing that was good Now though this affliction was very grievous yet was it to my observation wonderfully sanctified greatly sweetned and alienated In my thoughts that Rod blossomed it was a growing time with him in Grace from that time he was alwayes above his Fellows but then above himself made sensibly a partaker of Gods Holiness and received the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness by that his Exercise And it was greatly sweetned and alienated by his Daughter in Law Mrs. Anne Taylor the true Daughter of her Mother who was a Mary in her choice of the better part and bore that Affection to her Father in Law which few Natural Children equal and scarce any exceed she was as a Wife to him as a Mother to his Children a Governess to his House She took all the Family Burdens on her self that he might be void of care and serve God in his own business without distraction She lived single she cumbred herself would put her hand to every thing she was frugal
that knew him did know that he had an excellency this way I have sometimes mentioned my own thoughts about some Scriptures and he would read me out of his Books what his sense was to very good purpose 8. He was Gray by that time he was Forty or before but though the Almond-Tree flourished they that looked out of the Windows were not darkened His Sight was something short but it held long exceeding good to the last he never used Spectacles could read a little Print without difficulty wrote by an indifferent Light readily and well 9. He was swift to hear his Brethren took heed how he heard He would tell his very friends that never any could take any thing ill from him where they missed it in any passages in a Sermon and some that now live acknowledge themselves much beholden to him for they knew he was accurate though not nice truly critical tho' not censorious exactly methodical though not limiting others but left them to their own method and way In one of his new Books he sets down thus Graces eminent in Mr. Martin Topham mentioned by Mr. John Oldfield in his Sermon at his Funeral November 3. 1658. which I desire to imitate the particulars follow in the close Go thou and do likewise Subscribing J. H. A like extract there is out of Mr. Ashes Funeral Sermon 10. He was zealous for God and his motion like natural motion was quickest in its end In many of his Books where he writ his Name he adds to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be zealous which considering the man and his course shewed the temper of his heart 11. At Losco he saw his Son disposed to a Branch of a Religious Family and she her self truly so the Daughter of an old Puritan the Sister of the very searching Mr. Joseph Truman A Woman of Vertue considerably endowed as to Worldly things and very happy they were in each other God hath made her fruitful Her Father in Law had great content in her and was very sensible of this good Providence He saw a Child Born that bears his Name 12. This Losco remove was a very happy one to Mr. Hieron and was a matter of Song to him in the house of his Pilgrimage Here was a great gathering to him from many quarters To the Carkass the Eagles gathered He was next to a publick place here had great numbers and preached as in his former dayes Here in a little time he had a choice Society of serious Souls amongst whom he administred the Sacrament in its stated times with its wonted preparations amongst these he had constant dayes of Prayer which upon emergent occasions were multiplyed and very frequent Here God gave him much success the Gospel got much ground some brought in and others brought on many that were bad made good and the good much better some were planted and others watered some got root and others better rooted He was as Joseph fruitful in a strange Land and because of this forgot his sorrow he saw God had directed his removes for the furtherance of the Gospel led him not amongst heaps of stones as it 's said Beda's Lad led him but was sent into several places to help them God led him into places where were well affected people willing to hear and were glad at heart of him They flocked in as Doves to the windows and many were the Children of this desolate Man he laboured not in vain he sacrilegiously deserted not his Ministry and the Lord forsook not him It may be said of him in a proportion as was Prophetically said of John Baptist Luk. 1. 15 16 17. and actually of Barnabas Acts 11. 24. he turned many to the Lord much people was added to the Lord by him Acts 11. 21. The hand of the Lord was with this scattered Servant of God and some numbers believed and turned to the Lord. 13. From hence he wrote many Letters upon divers occasions to several persons to very good purpose they are of the same make with his Sermons as he Printed so his constant Preaching was he went abroad in the same Cloaths he wore at home As he Preached so he Wrote such as his Sermons such his Letters proving himself as was said of Ezra a ready scribe Ezra 7. 6. in the word which the Lord had given A great wisdom he had in bringing down general Rules to particular Cases he manifested in them great concern for Souls and faithfulness to them Some of those shall be inserted in the last Chapter of this Treatise 14. Here God much appeared to him in many shines upon his Heart The inward movements of his Soul I have shewed in the outward Indications of them but there are some short hints of Gods dealings with him left under his own hand which spake him to be a Man of Communion with God that there were exchanges of Love betwixt God and him Some of them were before his coming hither but most of them at Losco Some of them the actings of Grace in his own Heart and some of them Gods gracious dealings with him in wayes of quickenings and comforts A Catalogue of Deliverances since 1642. 1. From my Imprisonment by Sir Francis Wortley from Plundering my House by Sir Rich. Fitz-Herbert when his men Plundered some in Ashborn 2. From being taken at Chillington it being taken when I was with Captain Jackson on our way thither 3. From Wingfield Mannor which stood nine Moneths after my coming to Breadsall from Ashby Tutbury and all Enemies I being setled at Breadsall a Year and a half before those Garrisons were taken yet all the time never affrighted Laus Deo i. e. Thanks to God 4. From Mr. H. who oft pushed at me yet the Lord upheld me 5. My Hay was preserved when others had theirs carried away 1648. 6. My Sheep narrowly escaped in a Flood 7. The Hovel fell my Carts under and Corn above all saved 8. The Outhouses fell May 1. 1655. many Cattle and some Horses in them yet none killed nor had any considerable hurt a small matter keeping the fallen Timber off them 9. My House and Goods preserved from Thieves all along for several years 10. Rachel i. e. his Daughter in eminent danger of Death rescued by Prayer 11. My Wife filled with Joy at her departure Laus Deo 12. My Mares feet shot from under her upon an Ice suddenly she fell one way I another No harm Laus Deo 13. Mare fell with me coming from Wicksworth No harm Laus Deo 14. Feb. last 1670. as I went to Nottingham Mare fell on me lay on my Leg long it swelled no Bone broken Laus Deo Thus much of Deliverances Noted and Recorded And then come Mercies which he ranks thus Mercies Publick Peace the Gospel Domestical What Parents Education Wife Children Servants God hath blessed me with Personal Privative Dangers Sickness delivered from Positive Health External Wealth Repute Of Mind Commonly my Eye-sight is good Laus Deo Saving Conversion
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