repair the losses which he sustained shortly after his Landing His losses when the Irish Army took from his divers Horses of good value which he carried over with him A great part of his worldly delight consisting in keeping good Horses In this his first year His great pains he attended the Commissioners in several Journies which they made into the four Provinces of Ireland was their Houshold Chaplain performed Family duties and Preached in Publick every Lords Day wheresoever they came And in the City of Dublin where they continued the greatest part of their time he Preached sometimes twice every Lords Day in Christ-Church before the Commissioners the Lord Major and Aldermen of that City many Gentlemen and others resorting to his Ministry Not long after some other Ministers coming thither from England the Commissioners for the ease of Mr. Winter used to request one or other of them to Preach in the morning reserving Mr. Winter for the afternoon at which time was the greatest Auditory But he not being willing to be out of imployment set up a Lecture He sets up a Lecture which he Preached every Sabbath morning at seven a clock in the Church of St. Nicholas within the said City And this Lecture was frequented by the Commissioners City-Magistrates and many others so that he had a very frequent Congregation and to encouragepoor people to come to Church His prudence he caused some wite Loaves to be distributed among them alwaies when the Sermon was ended About this time the Commissioners finding that Trinity Colledge by Dublin through the iniquity of the times and distractions of the Kingdom was left destitute by the Fellows and Students and thereby brought almost to ruine they thought it their duty for the advancement of Religion and Learning to endeavour the repair of the same And for the end they appointed the said Mr. Winter to be the Provest He is made Provest of the Colledge or Master of it and where after a time he Commenced Doctor in Divinity having with singular applause and approbation performed all Acts and Exercises requisite thereunto He also out of his care and zeal to promote so pious a work in a short time encouraged and procured the return of divers Fellows It prospered under him and Students to the Colledge as also the coming over from England of several hopeful young Schollars whereby the Colledge was suddenly replenished with many Religious and hopeful young men likely to prove instruments of Gods Glory in the work of the Ministry and otherwaies And by the great pains which he took with them instructing them both in Humane and Divine learning Preaching and expounding the Sacred Scriptures to them and often praying with them both in the Colledge Chappel and sometimes in his own Lodgings he gave as great hopes of the flourishing of that Seminary in Learning and Piety as in any Colledge in Christendom And they to retaliate his care and pains gave him an honourable Testimonial under the Colledge Seal which I have thought fit here to insert OMNIBVS Christi fidelibus ad quos praesentes literae pervenerint Salutem in Christo Domino sempiternam Nos Vicecancellarius Vniversitatis Socii seniores Collegii Sanctae individuae Trinitatis juxta Dublin Testamur virum venerabilem Dominum Samuclem Winter Anglum verbi Divini praedicatorem fidelem verae religionis vindicem acerrimum de Collegio S. S. Trinitan in Illustri Academia Cantabrigiensi Liâ— beralium artium S. Theologiae oliâ— studiosum adductum fuisse ad nos cuâ— uberrimis testimoniis ingenuitatis probitatis doctrinae scientiae Theologicaeâ— quorum meritorum suorum studioruâ— luculentissimum documentum jamprideâ— tam publice quam privatim in celeberrimâ— civitate Dubliniensi laudabiliter egregie dederit ad capessendum graduâ— Doctoratus in Theologia illorum plurimorumque doctissimorum de meliori notâ— virorum optime habilem idoneum dignum testimoniis judicatum fuisse muâ— nere officio dignitate honore Doctoratus in Theologia Nos itaque quibâ— ejus virtutum excellentia meritorum copia diuturna studia pervigilesque labores innotuerunt habita rati ne scientiae eloquentiae doctrinae facultaetis Theolâ— gicae peritiae disputandi interpretandiâ— concionandi aliarum virtutum morum ejusdem Samuelis Winter quoruâ— omnium certissimum specimen laudabiliter egregie magistraliter more Doctoreâ— dederit publice è suggesto per tres dies in Collegii sacello Nos igitur in venerandâ—Vniversitatis nostrae Confessu eundém Samuelem Winter unanimiter omniumque suffragiis in Christi nomine approbatus sic approbatum Doctorem in Vniversa Theologia solenniter pronunciaâ—imus declaravimus ac fecimus Quod nostrum Testimonium ut omnibus innotescat subscriptis singulorum nominibus publico Collegii nostri Sigillo corroborari muniri curavimus Decimo septimo die Augusti anno Domini Millesimo sexcenteâ—imo quinguagesimo quarto Hen. Jones Pro-Cancellarius Miles Symner Williamson Nath. Hoyle Johannes Stearne Adam Cusacke Whilst Doctor Winter continued Provest of that Colledge he had occasion to go to a place called Monouth He Preaches at Monouth a populous Town about ten miles from Dublin where according to his custom in most places where he came he Preached and found the People very attentive to his Ministry and desirous to be instructed in the way to Heaven Whereupon at the earnest request both of the Minister and divers others of the Inhabitants he rode over to their every three weeks and Preached which he continued for some years Gods blesses his labours and God was pleased to bless his labours for the Conversion of many English and Irish which flocked to hear him The reason of his leaving that University and Kingdom is well known to many and he came away to his great outward prejudice the Colledge being indebted to him in a considerable sumâ— of monies which he had disbursed for the use thereof some part whereoâ— they have since his decease payed tâ— his Son After his return into England His return into England He with his Wife sojourned with some Friends sometimes in and about West-Chester sometimes at Coventry and other sometimes with his Wives Relations in Hertfordshire and Rutlandshire In all which places he became through Gods blessing an Instrument of much good not only in the Families with whom he aboad but also to several Neighbours with whom he conversed Thus we have a brief account of the most considerable passages of this Doctors Life we are now come to the last Scene wherein we shall find that saying made good Vita qualis finis talis His holy and humble Life being concluded with a comfortable and glorious Death His Sun did not set in a Cloud but shon out with a more bright and greater lustre than is ordinarily seen It was his work and business to glorifie God in his Life and God did highly honour him at his Death as will appear
the Sermon Bell. Nor was he thus desirous to Preach but as desirous that the word Preached might not slip out of the hearts or memories of such of the hearers as he conversed with turning all discourses to what was lately Preached saying that as the Bell when it was done ringing leaves a humming behind it so should Sermons after they are Preached He was a man mighty in Prayer he would often say a man of much Prayer was a man of much grace and a man of little Prayer was a a man of little grace As he was of a melted spirit in Prayer so he was another Jacob a great wrestler with God His Prayers were not only affectionate but very argumentative He had a very great excellency in pleading with God from Scripture Topicks which he would wonderfully improve And as his communion with God was great so the Lord did to admiration let out himself 〈◊〉 him not only eminently answering his prayers but revealing many secrets to him in and after prayer some of which for the encouragement and comfort of the Godly Reader I shall here take the liberty to relate In his younger years he had a Law-Sute with one about a Living he was possessed of of good value at last he was about to resign it as being unable to withstand so potent an adversary The people hearing of his resolution came to him and besought him that he would not but consider their precious Souls His tenderness was such that he held on the Sute to the expending of a very great summ of money and in the end was overcome His then Wife was much cast down for that so great a part of their estate was spent in that Sute whereupon being abroad one day hâ— besought the Lord exceeding earnestly to quiet his and her spirit with hiâ— providence whereupon he said hâ— saw the Skie open and heard a voicâ— which said to him that seeing hâ— was willing to spend his estate for his Glory neither he nor his should ever want which when he came home he told his Wife with great Joy saying he would not for 〈◊〉 he was worth want that comfortable answer to his prayers At an other time being without his knowledge noâ— minâ—ted in Parliament to go with their Commissioners for Ireland his wife was unwilling he having a precious people and great living where he was Some also of his Wives nearest Relations coming upon that occasion to visit them disswaded him from going himself also was fearful of the Sea in this Streight as his usual manner was he retired to his Closet where having spread the matter before the Lord and with much earnestness begging Counsel of God the Lord so satisfied him that he told his Wife he must go for he was assured he should be carried thither in safety and should be an Instrument to convert many Souls there In both the Lord was pleased to fulfill his word after a wonderful manner as there are other Instances at hand were it needful to multiply as that of his perswasion of the recovery of Mr. J. Mrs. M. and Mr. J. W. Even when sick in an other Land and his perswasion of Gods great care over these Nations for the sake of the many thousands of the Righteous in them Touching which in the close of a day of prayer he said he had an assurance by an audible voice and a glorious brightness that shined before him It is not unknown to some how great an encourager he was of godliness in all especially in such as under his Government in the Colledge were designed for the Ministry whom he would prefer in fellowships or other places before others And the like tenderness he showed his Brethren in the Ministry when under any discouragement because of their own weakness biding them to look up and telling them that the way to have legs was to use legs He was very communicative for he loved to be asked questions especially touching the sense of difficult Scriptures to which even upon the Sudden he would answer admirably His great humility he showed in his delightful Converse with the meanest Saints What he was in other Relations needs not my recital As he was a loving Father so a Husband of many which leaves the deeper impression upon the heart of his Relict Surely he was a true friend an useful Neighbour But that I may draw to a Conclusion having already exceeded the bounds of an Epistle what I have here spoken I desire may provoke imitation and that Ministers may thereby be excited to do all the good they can in their day seeing the Prophets do not live for ever that their words may live when they are dead that having so served Gods providence in their generation they may enjoy that Crown of which he is in full possession and I desire all may seriously consider why the Lord continues to remove our Lots and to pluck up our stakes and to fear lest it may be in Judgement to us of these sinful times as it is in mercy doubtless to them And I do heartily wish that these loud Voices of Gods providence might put us upon our Watch that keeping Faith and a good Conscience we may be in a readiness to enter into the Joy of our Lord when we shall be Called off the Stage of this miserable world Which the great God graciously vouchsafe in and through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The Life and Death of the Reverend Learned and holy Doctor Samuel Winter sometime Provest of Trinity Colledge by Dublin DOctor Samuel Winter was born in the year of our Lord 1603. at Balsal His Birth and education in the wood-land part of Warwickshire about seven miles from the City of Coventry of Religious Parents About the twelfth year of his age it pleased God by the Ministry of one Mr. Slader then Preacher at the Chappel of Knowl near unto Balsal The Doctors Father having a great hand in bringing him thither to awaken his conscience and to make him serious about the things that concerned his everlasting Salvation His Conversion as also to stir up in him earnest desires of doing good to the souls of others for which end one day as he came from School about a mile from his Fathers house he retired himself under an hedge to pray and among other Petitions he begged of God that he would quallify him for the work of the Ministry and make his labour effectual and successful therein At which time he thought that he heard a voice saying God hath heard thy Prayer Prayer Answered and hath designed thee for that Work and thou shalt be an Instrument of Converting many Souls to God This exceedingly cheared up his heart insomuch as coming home he applyed himself to his Father requesting of him that he might be trained up for the work of the Ministry His Father asked him the reason of his desires He told him what Prayer he had made and what return he had from God to it
His Father being much affected herewith sent him to the Free-School in Coventry where through his extraordinary diligence and industry he made so good a progress in Learning that though at near fourteen years of Age he understood nothing or very little of the first rudiments of Grammer yet within a few years he became fit for the University and accordingly he was sent to Cambridge He goes to the University and placed in L. Colledge and had for some time that famous Doctor Preston for his Tutor At the feet of this Gamaliel those natural and gracious abilities which he brought along with him were much improved and partly by the help and directions of so excellent a Guide and partly by Gods blessing upon his unwearied labours His proficiency there he attained to a great measure of knowledge both in the Tongues and Arts and also in Divinity When he had Commenced Master of Arts being as yet unwilling to enter upon that great and dreadful work of the Ministry he left Cambridge and went to Boston in Lincolnshire He goes to Boston where he lived under the Ministry of Holy and learned Mr. John Cotton out of whose Family after some time he married a Wife one Mrs. Anne Beeston a Gentlewoman of a good extraction His first Mariage and one that had a considerable Portion the match being of Mr. Cottons contrivance After his marriage and some time continuance with his Wife in Mr. Cottons 〈◊〉 sickness Family he fell into a very violent Feavour which in the Judgement of his Physitians was desperate and left no hopes of his recovery His Wife being much affected and afflicted herewith he would oft comfort her telling her that he should not die at this time for that God had not yet fulfilled his Promise made to him in his youth wherein he had assured him that he should be an Instrument of converting many Souls unto him His recovery And accordingly he recovered and then resolved to apply himself to the Work of the Ministry He enters upon the Ministry and being more ambitious to do God and his Church service than to advance himself in the World he removed from Boston to a small living near Nottingham called Woodborow where by his painful and powerful Preaching many out of neighbouring Towns flocking to his Ministry as the Doves to their windows the seeds of Grace through Gods blessing were sown in the hearts of many which sprang up and some of them remain unto this day This place he alwaies highly esteemed and would often call it His First-born From Woodborow he was removed to York where His remove to York in that great and populous City he continued a Lecturer for some time and as there he had great opportunities for service so had he great success receiving there a manifest Seal to his Ministry in the Conversion and Confirmation of many But our Civil Wars coming on about that time he could not stay long at York Yet though the door was shut up against him in that place another large and effectual door was opened for him elsewhere For Cottingham a great Town within three miles of Hull His remove to Cottinghamâ— being then destitute of a Pastor thither he was by a more than ordinary Providence brought and in that place for about the space of eight years he continued to be a burning and shining Light as it was said of John the Baptist burning in his Zeal and Doctrine and shining in his Life and holy Conversation His activity for God He was exceeding active and industrious for God He thought no pains too great whereby the peoples Souls might be edified He Preached to them in publick twice every Lords Day He expounded the Chapters which he read and Catechised the Youth In the evening he repeated his Sermons to his own Family many of the neighbours also resorting to him On the week daies he took occasion to go from House to House instructing the Ignorant and endeavouring to build up his Parishioners in their most holy Faith And God was pleased so to bless his labours The success of his â—â—inistry that he became instrumental to the Conversion and Confirmation of many who attained partly by his publick Ministry and partly by his private pains a great measure of Grace and Gifts so that they made Conscience of the strict observation of the Lords Day of Closet and Family duties and other spiritual services required by God as fruits of their Faith So meek and affable he was in his carriage towards all men that his company was pleasing and delightful even to many of those who had no relish of his Doctrine At Cottingham he buried his loving His 〈◊〉 dâ—es and dearly beloved Wife who left him five Sons which loss was yet through Gods merciful Providence abundantly repaired in his second marriage about three years after with Mrs. Elizabeth Weaver His second marriage the Daughter of Christopher Weaver Esq with whom he had a good Portion and she proved excellently quallified for the good and comfort both of him and his children and God was pleased so to bless her prudent management of his outward affairs that when he dyed he left a plentiful estate to his Children besides all those Acts of more than ordinary bounty which both in his Life and at the time of his Death he testified his Faith by In the year 1650. the Powers that were then in being resolved to send over four Commissioners into Ireland for the settlement of that distracted and almost ruined Kingdom and judgeing it necessary to send along with them a godly able and Orthodoxe Divine His call to Ireland they ordered that Mr. Winter should attend these Commissioners thither Which Order of theirs being sent to him to Cottingham where he then lived he looked upon it as a clear Call from God Yet for his better satisfaction he advised with his Friends and begged direction from God in a business of so weighty concernment after which he chearfully embraced this Call hoping that God would bring some Glory to his own Name by the labours of him his unworthy servant in that Kingdom And so not consulting with flesh and blood which might have suggested unto him that it would be an unadvised act and disadvantagious to him to part with so tractable and loving a People and with so good a Rectory it being above four hundred pound a year and to cast himself upon Strangers neither knowing nor capitulating with them what his Salary should be for the maintenance of himself and Family And so resigning up his Living he prepared for his Journey At his coming over into Ireland His remove to Ireland the Commissioners allowed him but one 100. l. for the first year which yet he chearfully accepted though it did not defray the charges of their Transportation with such necessaries as he provided for the accommodation of himself and Family much less did it