from the Holy Spirit who expresly declares himself grieved by it Do you not quench the Spirit by despising Prophets and teaching others to despise Prophesying Whose Errand are you on Whose design do you drive but Papists who have transformed themselves into various shapes but agree in this to wound the Ministers Whence do you fetch your Arguments against the Ministry but from Socinians which deny the Deity of Christ Why will you credit them against the Ministry that destroy the Foundation-stone of Christianity COROLLARY 3. Sect. 4. Give me leave O you that had an hand in contriving in forming in establishing the Act of Uniformity to shew you what manner of Men fell by it and before it the Man whose Character I have given you and many of the same Spirit and Character were driven out of their places by the Act of Uniformity fled before the Oxford Act and were all endangered and many of them were malled by the Conventicle Act. What evil had they done Surely nothing that God had declared to be Sin but what those Acts made Crimes Were the Penalties proportionate to the Crimes Did you indeed speak Righteousness O Congregation Did ye indeed judge uprightly O ye Sons of Men Do you know what Spirit you were of when you raised such a Storm such a dry Wind not to fan nor to cleanse the floor of Chaff but to blow away the Wheat When you threw this fire into the Sanctuary where was your Christian Charity From whence were your Politicks fetcht from to begin so fiercely to lay the foundatons of restored Monarchy and restored Prelacy in the civil death of so many and disobliging so considerable a number of the stanch men of this Kingdom that had these Ministers in thier hearts Was this a winning way Did this commend the Government in Church or State What so dear to the sober part of men in this Nation as their good Ministers When men take them away they are ready to say what have we more Better the Sun did not shine then Chrysistome not Preach Who can read love to a Nation in ruining of Synagogues Brown bread with the Gospel is better to serious Souls then white bread without it yea the bread and water of Affliction is good fare to them that can see their Teachers Oh that you should stretch out your hands to vex certain of the Church Such work should be left to such as Herod was Why would you make so great a cry in the houses of Israelites Why would you put the praying seed to make so many complaints in Heaven to their Father against you Why would no petitions for peace so pathetick move you Why would no considerations of the mutability of Humane affairs the sight of the turnings of the wheel of Providence the sence of your own past sufferings which possibly might return again soften you moderate you Why had you no prospect of the evil that might be upon the Earth to induce you to shew Mercy and store up Mercy for your selves against such a time Did you do as you would that men should do to you Oh if into any of your hands whom this Corollary concerns this Book falls I entreat you to give my words an impartial Reading tread your violent steps back in great indulgence If there be any thoughts of comprehension let there be no snares Let the Rules of Christianity make it we that are old shall make no strains of our Consciences we will lye in our Irons still knowing Death will ere long release us rather than have our liberty by yielding to say or do things that cannot be done without a great many distinctions We desire to be dealt plainly with and to deal plainly with all the World We are resolved against all conditions that are sinful and we shall not willingly do any thing that is doubtful or carries an appearance of evil or may give any colour of suspicion that we do depart from our Principles we would advance in Reformation and not be tempted to any retrograde steps If you will lay the Bible betwixt us and you it shall like an enquiry at Abel end the matter If our Bible lead us to you we will follow it We have heard of late dayes some speeâ—hes of tenderness to Dissenters when our cup seemed to pass over to you Now we are waiting to feel it If any true remorse do touch your hearts you will become good Samaritains and your kindness will exceed your rigours you will pour into our wounds Oyl and Wine instead of Vinegar Oh I beseech you think as I may allude to a Scripture Historical passage what manner of men you flew civilly at Bartholomew day Lo here I have presented you with one that resembled the Apostles the Evangelists yea imitated the great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls This Man and many such you set aside the precious Sons of Zion comparable to fine Gold how were they esteemed by you as Earthen pitchers Yea the Nazarites purer than Snow whiter than Milk more ruddy than Rubies their polishing of Saphire their Visage made as black as a Coal by you they are not known in the streets will you not remember the Battle and do no more Again do not you see who have practised upon you whose Agents you have been whose hand is in these things Have they not been services to Rome disservices to the Church of England made her appear as a Stepmother to her best Children As if she was become cruel like the Ostriches in the Wilderness Hath not this strictness about Ceremonies been managed by Papists in disguise Have not the same hands inlarged that strictness And shall we still go on Is it not enough that you have done their jobbs till they had like to have served all our turns Blessed be that Providence that prevented it in the nick of time but must we will we go on now our eyes are openeed Oh work not with them but counter-work them Be not tenacious of what is theirs cast out their houshold-stuff Botch no more in Reformation purge out the old leaven and let us be made a new lump Let us keep the things wherein the Kingdom of Christ is and part with those things wherein it is not Take not of Babylon a stone for a corner a stone for foundations dash her little ones against the stones Let the observations go wherewith the Kingdom of Christ comes not Are all the significant Ceremonies so significant as one Sermon of Mr. John Hierons Have they that in them to excite that energy that Ministerial excitation hath Where 's the promise of Gods presence with them that the qualified sent Ministry have and can plead Were it not much better that like Pollio's glasses they were broken to pieces than that one good mans mouth was stopt because he cannot swallow them And further are we so full of Ministers truly so called in England that we can spare so many of our Labourers and turn them off at once
the Bishops would not satisfie neither Mr. Hieron could have been content to have declined all further prosecution of the business But he was desired still to stand for it and his Friends promised that if he went without it they would choose him Lecturer and they proved as good as their words Men wise and unbiassed pitched upon him in whom worth was and after the Lecturers place was void by Mr. Taylors death the Trustees for the Lecture chose Mr. Hieron Lecturer Mountney proved bad and immoral a great dishonour to the School and a vexation to the Town who sought to the Bishop to remove him who alledged he could not Then the Governours of the School stopped his Sallary and after articled against him in the High Commission but that way giving them no Relief they were at last forced to sue him at Common Law and it came to a Tryal before Judge Hutton or his Collegue and they cast him and ejected him But while Mountney proved so ill and such a vexation Mr. Hieron proved like himself and an honour to his place and satisfaction to the Town He built upon Mr. Taylors foundations and both preached and lived as that Worthy Predecessor did And though Mr. Taylor was dead yet he lived and the work was carryed on by his Successor Here Mr. Hieron continued labouring in Word and Doctrine and procured from Bishop Wright a Licence for a weekly Lecture to be preached at Ashborne which was upheld by many very able men that so by the mouths of many Witnesses what was preached on the Lords day might be confirmed and that by mutual converse Ministers might be edified and comforted as well as people advantaged I suppose it was about October in the year 1635 that he married the Relict of Mr. Taylor who had then by her former Husband two Children a Son and a Daughter An happy Choice he made and very happily they lived together She was an holy Soul understanding and prudent loved her former Husbands good Acquaintance and brought them to be Mr. Hieron's Acquaintance Those of them that I knew honoured her indeed and so did all that knew her She was the Daughter of Parents that were considerable and of very good reputation in Ashborne She had many Brethren and Sisters some of whom I knew and I think I may truly say that few Families produced more persons of good brains and excellent behaviour I knew none of them mean in the World and some of them made a considerable Figure in it Here Mr. Hieron pitched and staid till the Civil Wars came on in England and then though a quiet Man and fain would have continued at his work yet could not but was forced to make many withdrawments for security which did much disturb and tire him and his Family were put into many â—â—â—ghts by searches for him ill Neighbours informing them of Tâ—â—bury and solliciting them to take him who had no other provocation for him but only the faithful discharge of his duty He loath to live a Prisoner in a place so like Hell where his Righteous Soul must have been upon a pepetual rack resolved to remove himself and his Family with some part of his Goods to Derby And no sooner was he and his Family gone but his House was plunder'd and his Books hidden securely as he thought discovered by some ill Neighbours taken likewise This was in the year 1643. Sect. 3. About two Moneths after his coming to Derby the Inhabitants of Breadsall a Town two little Miles distant from Derby being destitute of the Exercise of the Ministry among them made their complaints to Sir John Gell then Governour of Derby who answered them Find out any sit man and I will put him in They applyed themselves to Mr. Hieron he answered He was out of employment but would not move a foot toward getting the place They returned to Sir John who offered the place to Mr. Hieron's Father occasionally there but he desired Sir John rather to bestow it on his Son which he immediately did and caused an Order of the Committee to be drawn for that End and sent a Command to the Constable of Breadsal to come on the Sabbath morning and convey him to the place and secure him They went back to him to acquaint him with what was done he told them he would not go unless the Order was sealed to take with him The Order was perfected and the Constable came on the Lords day and took him with him to Breadsall where he performed the work of the day and returned to Derby at night Thus he continued about ten moneths going to Breadsall on the Sabbath days officiating there all the day returned to his Family at Derby at night But after that time having some more probable prospect of Safety at Bradsall he removed his Family thither November 1. 1644. And there continued quietly during the War and afterwards till the 24th of August 1662 that setled Uniformity by so many breaches and rendings of Ministers and People as the Protestant part of the World never saw before Amongst the rest this conscientious Minister of Jesus Christ was catched in the Noose for no better are such Impositions than snares to the truly conscientious who are not for leaping from one mode of profession to another are not for wrigâ—ing out themselves by distinctions and evasions but would do all in simplicity and godly sincerity without any equivocations endeavouring to maintain a principle of honesty in the World I shall close this Section and Chapter with a few remarks Here may you see how Gods Providence finds work for them that have a mind to work willing minds do not ordinarily want opportunities long but God opens a door for them See again how God disposeth the forced flights of his Ministers to spread the Gospel into other places He that must not preach at Ashborne shall preach at Bradsall when his seed-time was over at Ashborne God â—â—â—â—d this Spiritual seeds-man another field God distinguisheth betwen flying Hirelings and Shepherds that are forced away God seemed by this Providence to approve his flight And you lastly see how seekers after the word do find it here was a people that could not live without the Ordinances and God cast upon them not a bare Doer but a Workman not only a man in a Ministerial habit but a man of a Ministerial Spirit The greatest mercy that ever befel Bradsall if they did know in his day the things of their peace It was his day of Service their day of advantages a price indeed was in their hands happy they that had hearts to it as some of them I hope had CHAP. VI. Of his Ministerial Endowments and of the discharge of his Ministry THE qualifications of this Worthy Man I shall give Sect. 1. you summarily He was a good Man as it 's said of Barnabas he was a Learned Man he had much of Egypts Gold and Treasure and brought it all to Gods Tabernacle He was
encreased Grace Victory what gain Glory to God Edification to others what Almes What shall I render Further in his Private Notes A Catalogue of Sins Sins in Youth In another place Sins to be reformed by Grace walk humbly thankfully watch return not to folly after peace spoken May 16. 1658. If overtaken with Anger after a Sacrament A note thereon and once followed with a Miserere mei Deus These are things that discovered Grace and were exercises of it I now come to Experiences mentioned in his secret Record Octob. 27. 1658. I was not well had a pain in my Belly from side to side in the beginning of the Night I feared falling into Sickness Communed with my heart upon my Bed had thoughts of Death my Conscience spake peace to me the light of Gods Countenance shone into me I was fully assured of Gods Mercy to me if I had dyed at that time I had no doubt of my eternal happiness for which Mercy I give God praise and desire to record it with much thankfulness But I slept well that night was well next day continued well for which Mercy double Mercy the Lord be magnified January 1650. By night on my Bed I awaked had sweet comfort the King led me into the Wine-cellar Bless the Lord O my Soul April 10. A Communion in nostro Thalamo i. e. in our Bed-Chamber April 8. We fasted I was in a reasonable good frame but had some disturbance April 9. I was very dull no quickening no comfort I read I reviewed the Catalogue of my Sins but was still dull After five a Clock I went to secret Prayer for less than half an hour after which I was chearful full of comfort so continued that night and next day much enlarged in comfort God spake peace to my heart I was lively in Prayer in Administration in the whole Service Bless the Lord O my Soul August 2. 1664. I went to Bed with some pain slept not had no ease walked in the House all night dull at first but after chearful had some good thoughts the light of Gods Countenance shone on my Soul all night I was willing to dye not questioning my estate but if I dyed I should be happy About four a Clock in the Morning I had ease was well presently after fell to work all day at Night voided a Stone slept all Night very well so continue to this day August 10. Immortal Praise be to God that healeth me but I render not to God according to his benefits Decemb. 2. 4. 8. 1664. We sought God received Sacrament returned Praise I was dull before was graciously enlarged in Prayer in Administration had Comfort in Receiving I was dull again before Thanksgiving Read a while in Baxter and Harris and much enlarged in Duty had sweet Peace at Sacrament and after Praise the Lord sealed to me Jesus Christ Covenant of Grace and Pardon of Sin O bless the Lord O my Soul March 1. 1664. We spent some time in Humiliation at our House by Night was in some good measure enabled in the Morning in a good frame poured out my Heart in secret had much Comfort and Peace bless the Lord O my Soul and so have had ever since Also at Sacrament April 2. 1665. What shall I render So January 16. 1665. At Sacrament much enlarged in Administration and Comfort Praise to God June 6. 1666. Early at five I awaked had sweet Meditations of Gods Love and great Comfort after some clouds and scruples God enlarged my Heart and put gladness more then when Corn and Wine encreased Lord grant I may abide in his Love April 2. 1667. An Ague siezed me after four fits sent for Mr. Cranwell he gave me a bitter Draught which sweat me an hour before the Fit I had no more Fits nor Relapse I bless God In the beginning dull and dark but after a Night or two sweet Comfort and so continueth to this day blessed be God May 2. 1667. I returned thanks among Christians on this Text Psal 103. 3. Who healeth all thy diseases July 5. 1668. A Sacrament at our House I was much enlarged in Administration in Receiving in Meditation Examination a day or two before had sweet peace and full assurance Praise be to God March 3. 1668. I awoke at four in the Morning had sweet Meditations and Communion with God Peace and full assurance Blessed be God Feb. 11. 69. I awoke at six in the Morning had Peace full Assurance Joy in the Holy Ghost that God was mine all his Attributes Christ his Blood Holy Ghost Word Promises Providences Comfort in all in Death it self and Christs coming to Judgment What shall I render to the Lord. Feb. 8. 12. 1671. I prepared according to my wonted manner was assisted enlarged had a good day Praise to God May 12. 1672. I meditated on Gods Presence was Chearful and Heavenly enlarged in Heart all day it was Lords day Praise to God June 30. A Sacrament enlarged much had a good day Praise to God August 31. At Morning Prayer in the Parlour I was much enlarged with broken-heartedness had Joy and Peace of Conscience graciously Ever bless the Lord O my Soul Aug. 3. 1673. Sacrament as also April 13. in both I was much enlarged had sweet peace a good day Ever blessed be God Praise the Lord. And watch O my Soul against passion idle words vain thoughts in Prayer Novemb. 2. God graciously enlarged me in Administration Sealed me c. What shall I render to the Lord O bless the Lord my Soul See walk worthy of God So in Feb. 8. 1673. and May 24. 1674. and August 16. God was gracious to me then Decemb. 6. 1674. How excellent is thy loving kindness A good day Praised be God Jan. 11. 1676. A blessed day Praise to God June 13. 1680. A joyful day Praise to God These are some hints But Oh that I had his enlargements upon them to impart Surely these things are like small Points and Marks in Maps that stand for Towns and Countries But Spiritual Eyes can in these discern what Spirit Mr. John Hieron was off A Man that lived near himself by Observation and near God by Communion A great receiver from God and yet never so much as fingering any part of the Honour due to God CHAP. IX Of his drawing to his end of the Sickness of which he dyed of his Death and Burial DEath threw not this good Man down the stairs but he was led down by many declining steps He had little Deaths that were forerunners of great Death decayes before dissolution The foundation of his Distempers began in that sore Feaver which he had in Winter 1661. which followed an ill Fit which he brought upon himself by overdoing in Jan. 1655. The Feaver did in the thoughts of some endanger him but he broke through that brunt He had a second fit of the Stone 1664 and a third 1665. In April 1667. some fits of an Ague In March 67 68. Not
never be taken from you I know no business of greater weight than this is therefore I beseech you do not slight it but lay it to heart Thus with due respects to you I rest Yours truly John Hieron Losco June 14. 77. THE only intent of this Paper is to give you a word of Spiritual Advice and Direction to carry your self so in this World that you may be happy for ever in the World to come You know every one hath a Soul an Immortal Soul which must live â—ternally either in bliss or misery And every one of us must be careful to save his own Soul Deut. 4. 9. Only take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently The more precious any thing is the more careful we are to preserve it and more fearful to lose it In this respect the Soul deserves more care than all the things in the World besides for it is infinitely more worth What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and loose his own soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Saith our blessed Saviour Matth. 16. 26. Wherefore let my Counsel be acceptable to you and I will shew you the right way how you may save your Soul and be for ever happy which I shall do in two words First Be careful to shun and avoid whatsoever is destructive and dangerous to the Soul and that is sin and sinful lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul Dent. 23. 9. Keep thee from every wicked thing Jer. 44. 4. Oh do not this aâ—ominabâ—â— thing that my soul hates faith the Lord God For the soul that sinneth shall dye Ezek. 18. 4 And as you must watch against all sin so must you flee all occasions and temptations to sin Beware of ill example Follow not a multitude to do evil Exod. 23. 2. for the way to Hell is broad the gate that leadeth to destruction is wide and many there be that go in thereat Take heed of bad company which are infectioâ—s Shun them as you would shun the Plague For a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump He that walketh with the wife that is the Godly shall be wise But a companion of fools that is of wicked men shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. Be not among wine-bibbers Prov. 23. 20. Come not near the door of an Harlot or Harlots house Prov. 5. 8. Blessed is the man c. Psal 1. 1. This is the first part of my Advice which is the same you are engaged to by the Vow of your Baptism wherein you renounced the World the Flesh and the Devil and are under a solemn obligation to maintain a continual War against them as being enemies to your Soul And if you shall neglect to do it you would be a forsworn creature This is a consideration well worthy your laying to heart In the next place you must carefully use those means that God hath appointed to work grace and holiness in your heart for by this we are saved And without holiness no man shall see the Lord or be happy Heb. 12. 14. Let sin be the grief and burden of your heart yea sin original chiefly as well as actual sins for we are all born in sin and Children of wrath by Nature and must be born again that so Natural Corruption the plague of our heart may be healed in us by a new birth from Heaven If any man be in Christ he is a new creature For this you must pray to God earnestly and with importunity that he will create in you a new heart Psal 51. 10. and work in you a lively Faith that you may kiss the Son believe in Jesus Christ for pardon of Sin and Salvation For this end you must diligently and constantly attend on the Word which is the ordinary means which God hath appointed to beget and increase Faith Rom. 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing Have a care to keep holy the Sabbath day constantly and no day neglect reading the Scripture And let fervent Prayer be your Morning and Evening Sacrifice continually and pray God to put his fear in your heart that you may never depart from him Blessed is the man tâ—aâ— feâ—reth alwayeâ— Prov. 28. 14. Daily be faithful and diligent in your Calling he courteous to all men do evil to none speak evil of no man live soberly be temperate in all things Let the chief care of your heart and endeavour of your life be to serve and please God that he may bless you here and save you hereafter So God shall have Honour your Friends Comfort in you and your Soul be eternally â—â—ved which is the desire of Your true Friend and Lover John Hieron Losco June 19. 1680. Thus this Holy Man was taking and making opportunities of doing good to Souls The conversion quickning and saving of Souls was the desire of his Heart what he earnestly prayed for and the design of his Sermons and of his Letters and of his private Discourse too and that to the last As a Kiâ—swoman coming to visit him not long before he dyed and staying all night when she came into his Chamber to take her leave after much good Counsel given her sayes he Are you going But who came along with you She answered Her Man And Payes he where is he I have something to say to him Then he was told that the Man was on Horse-back waiting for his Mistress He replyed Call him up Shall any one come and lodge a might in my House and I say nothing to him concerning his Soul Bid him alight and come to me for I must speak to him Thus he shewed his Care for the Soul of a Servant as well as of the Mistress his Love to the Soul of a Stranger as well as to any of his own Kindred FINIS Books Printed for and sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel A Second Volume of lives of sundry eminent persons in this latter agae in two parts I. of Divines II. of Nobilicy and Gentry of both Sexes By Samuel Clark M. A. sometime Pastor of Bennetsink in London The life and Death of Edmond Staunton D. D. to which is added I. his Treatise of Christain conference II. His Dialogue between a Minister and a stranger Octavo The true Dignity of St. Paul's elder exemplefied in the life of that Reverend Holy zealous and faithful Servant and Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Owen Stockton M. A. sometimes follower of Gonvile and Câ—jâ—s Colledge in Cambridge and afterward Preacher of Gods Word â—t Colchester in Essex With a Collection of his observations Experiences and Evidences recorded by his own hand to which is added his Funeral Sermon by John Fâ—â—rfax M. A. sometime Fellow of C. Colledge in Cambridge and afterward Rector of â—â—rking in Sâ—ffolk Invisible Realities demonstrated in the Holy Life and Triumphant Death of Mr. John Janeway Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge By James Janeway Minister of the Gospel A Narraitive of the Holy Life and happy death of that Reverend faithful and zealous man of God Minster of the Gospel of JesusChrist Mr. John Angier many years Pastor of the Church of Christ at Dunton near Manchester in Lancashire Wherein are related many Passaged that concern his Birth Education his entrance into the Ministry discharge of his trust therein and his Death Octavo A Believers Triumph over Death exemplified in a relation of the last hours of Dr. Andrews River and an account of divers other remarkable Instances being an History of the Comfortable end and dying words of several eminent Men. With other occasionall Passages attending to comfort Christians to the fear of Death and prepare them for a like happy Change The Life and death of Mr. Tâ—o Wilson Minister of Maidstone in the County of Kent M. A. A True History of the Capâ—ivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson a Ministers Wife in New England wherein is set forth the cruel and Inhumane usage she under went amongst the Heathens for cleven Weeks time and her delieverance from them Written by her own hand for her private use and now made publick at the earnest desire of some friends for the benefit of the Afflicted whereunto is anexed a Sermon of the possibility of Gods forsaking a People that have been near and dear to him preached by Mr. Josph Rowlandson Husband to the said Mrs. Rowlandson so it being his last Sermon Carracters of a Godly Man both as more and less grown in grace By Daniel Burgess Minister of the Gospel Octavo Of National Churches their description Institution use preservation danger Malides and cure partly applyed to England quarto Again the Revolt to a Forrain Iurisdiction which would be to England its Perjury Church R â—un and slavery in two parts I. the History of Mans endeavours to Introduce it II. the Confutation of all pretences for it Church Concord containing I. A Diswasive from unnecessary Division and Separation and the real concord of the moderate Independants with the Presbyterians instanced in ten seeming Differences II. the Terms necessary for concord among all true Churches and Christians These three By Richard Baxter Minister of the Gospel FINIS