that Town depending much upon the Pilchard trade Mr. Tregosse advised them to joyn in a day of Prayer and Humiliation which being performed the next day appeared a great shole of Fish whereof a considerable quantity of them were taken The other accident which deserves a particular remarque was this the next Summer the Fisher-men taking a great number of Pilchards on a Saturday all that night was spent in saving of them and the Seamen were very intent in drying their Nets the Lords day This Mr. Tregrosse rebuked them for withal giving them to understand that they provoked the Lord deservedly to withdraw his blessings from them which happened accordingly For from that time to the end of the Fishing season they had not another opportunity of imploying their Nets He removed hence Octob. 1659. to the Vicarage of Milar and Mabe where he continued his constant course of study and preaching till he was silenced by the Act of Uniformity Aug. 24. 1662. Being prohibited the publick place of preaching he ceased not to preach in his own Family twice every Lords day Which being known in the neighbourhood divers who had tasted of his Ministry in publick could not but desire to partake thereof in private This being divulg'd notice was given thereof to the Lord Lieutenant who upon his refusal to take the Oath appointed for the Militia committed him to the custody of the Mareschal where he continued obout three Months space not ceasing to preach to his fellow prisoners besides others who came to hear him but at last he was released by order from the Deputy Lieutenants SECT II. Mr. Tregosse's Conversion and several Accidents that attended the same SEptember 1663. Mr. Tregosse removed his habitation to the Baron of Kigilliack in the Parish of Badock near Penryn where he kept up his Lords days meetings many flocking to him About the begining of October 1664. he and his Wife lying awake in their bed they felt a great Earth-quake which made the room to tremble and quake under them as they aphrehended and that which gave them the greater cause of admiration was that no one else felt the same But this was but a Prognostick and symbolick Image of that dreadful Tremblement or Earth-quake which not long after Mr. Tregosse felt in his Conscience For on the first of January following it being the Lords-day the Lord led him to preach on that Text Luke 12.47 And that Servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes On which he shewed what a dangerous sin it is to sin against knowledge The duties of the day being finished his old sins were livelily presented to him especially one among the rest Hereupon he betook himself to his Duties but drove on very heavily yet the Lord by an omnipotent pull drew him on In one one Duty among the rest he was assaulted with that Scripture Heb 12.17 For ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected For he found no place for repentance though he sought it carefully with tears He frequently assayed to shake off the chains and cords of the Spirit grieving that he was bound up from the world his performance of duties was not without much deadness and unbelief But the Lord bound him fast to his work forcing him to follow on in a way of seeking Sometimes he feared God would leave him to run into his former courses yea that he should not persevere to the end of one day But the Lord magnifyed his power and grace above and beyond his fears Sometimes in reading the Lord would set home threatning then comforting Scriptures to keep him equally ballanced between hopes that he might not sink and fears that he might nor presume He was detained for about 5 weeks space under much bondage and afflictive terrours with little or no discoveries of Gods gracious disposition till about the beginning of February being under a resolution to reveal some sins which burdened his Conscience he met with a passage in an English Divine touching the greatness and freeness of Christs love and purchase which the Lord setting home he was a little quieted and refreshed by The next day being the Lords-day he had a sweet heart-melting consideration of his sins together with a lively contemplation of Christ pierced to whom he directed an eye of Faith And now he who thought it an hard matter to shed one tear drops many the Spirit of the Lord also bringing to his heart that promise I will pardon their iniquity and remember their sin no more and that of Christ to Thomas Jo. 20.27 Reach hither thy finger and behold mine hands and reach hither thine hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing and this was promoted by reading the history of Christs Passion Yet was he not without some doubtings still yea at times all these his encouragements signifyed no more than nothing After this he was carryed on in Duties with more enlargement and affectionate workings especially at times And from this time he dated his conversion For albeit his conversion for some considerable time before was irreproachable and his labours in the work of the Ministry indefatigable yea and his Zeal for Non conformity remarkable yet he judged the whole of his foregoing life zeal and labour in the Ministry to be no other then a continued series of Formality and hypocrisie And because some of his friends who knew his former conversation well could not but conceive that he had sincere Grace before this great turn A friend of his discoursing with him on this point he peremptorily affirmed That he assuredly knew that he had nothing of sincerity before this great work and withall he bewailed the Church of England in that generally men were made Ministers before they were made Christians Yea he was not without great fears that many who in humane estimation now pass for able and good Ministers will one day be found to be according to Divine estimation not so much as good or sincere Christians These fears we may presume he grounded on his own experience of himself besides other common observations who had the vogue of being a faithful Minister before he was a faithful Christian And that which yet adds further weight is this that though he was before this time a constant and faithful Preacher yet he could not say the Lord had given him any Covenant as the fruit of his Ministry though he received many Seals thereof afterward Some short while after these great which he strongly concluded were the first sincere turnings of his Soul to God being brought very low in his Body and Spirits he conjectured his death was near Then was that Scripture cast in Psal 118. I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. And being again under a return of strong perswasions and fear that he should die looking into his Bible
this nothing to what must ensue I have been long waiting for this and do considently believe this not the dearest testimony that must be given to Gospel-truths and Duties A national overwhelming cluster of severe judgments I am sore afraid is at the door sharper then what formerly for some scores of years we have felt though I hope there will be a larger measure of God to sanctifie them for the reforming of his own and converting the Rebels then ever we yet experienced This I confess is some stay to me under what I am enforced to believe I have often begged if the Lord sees I am like to prove a dishonour to his Interest he would first shut me up in the dust Dear Brother Pray for me that I may do my work according to my convictions humbly and with success and that after my teachings of others and small sufferings I may not be a stranger to the Light Love and Life by which the Saints are quickned and so at last a Castaway The Lord make you useful and keep up your courage and grant you a deliverance from rude and unreasonable men which with desires of the like cequests from you on my behalf will be now all From your most affectionate and engaged Brother in the Faith T. T. Penryn September 16. 1670. My Dear Brother AT this Assize at Exon I was called to my Trial but no persecutor appearing to give evidence against me my jury acquitted me and a Verdict of not guilty was returned George Smith the Deputy major of Torrington when the Conventicle was surprized and the grand Enemy in this affair was at Lent Assize attending but the Trial being put off by this Assize God disabled him for such a journey he having received in a drunken voyage a fall from his Horse by which his shoulder-bone is dislocated and he rendred unable to dress or undress himself and so like to abide to the day of his death His Wife also that violent Woman died of a Timpany a fearful spectacle to all beholders she departed hence the night of that Lords day in which I exercised at Torrington in my journeying now to my home I suppose you heard of the bad end of another Persecutor there one Denys Smith Brother in Law who so much rejoyced when our meeting was broken up affirming the surprizal of the Conventicle did him more good and more rejoyced him then all his losses did sadden him his Wife also bitterly belch'd forth these words concerning me hang the Rogue hang him at the Sign-post or next Tree and never send him to Exon This poor wretch did hang himself in his own Study and thereby his Estate is forfeited to the Town Many much take notice how signally Gods hand hath been against them since that Meeting There are a very precious handful at Chinely Southmoulton and adjacent parts who gladly receive the word their ready submission to the truth in my former journey engaged my heart to visit them again and hope our seeing each other hath not been in vain Your memory is dear to sundry of them and your scatterings there I wish they might again see you A fruitful heavenly lip to improve truths imparted by corresponding pressing conferences is much wanting among us I pray beg it for me and your other Brethren now labouring My complaint will not Crucifie my unbelief pride and deadness pray labour for me with God with whom I leave you and am Your much obliged Brother in the Lord. T. T. Penryn October 7. 1670. My Dear Brother I am a Sympathizer with you in dear Mr. R's loss of so choice a mate but suppose his so exemplary living on God will do much to quiet him in the loss of the best injoyment not everlasting and the ground of hope she is safely hous'd from the storms we feel and fear will I believe and do more sweetly reconcile him to this ungrateful and flesh-disgusting stroke As for what God speaks to you in this providence I think its plain viz. That you more effectually daily dye to what is not God and Spirit and that you enure your Soul to more deep and fixed thoughts of your own dissolution I hear many very precious ones have been lately at London through a malignant distemper in the Bowels called â—ome the Lord more fully warn them who survive and us also of those black and tempting days which probably are near us My thoughts have been much of late setled I know not how on a conversing with the state of departed Saints Martyr'd for the testimony of Jesus I have observed in special two passages in Mr. Foxes Acts c. The one of Mr. Rogers the Protomartyr in Marys Reign who in his Prison had this passage to the Printer of Mr. Foxes book then in bonds with him Thou said he shalt live to see the alteration of this Religion and the Gospel freely preached again and therefore have me commended to my Brethren as well in Exile as others and bid them be circumspect in displacing the Papists and putting good Ministers into Churches or else their end will be worse then ours The Printer accordingly lived but what remains for us who have shamefully slighted his counsel time will evidence The other is from Mr. Holland who thus bespeaks Bonner after his sentence This I dare be bold in God to speak which by his Spirit I 〈◊〉 moved to say that God will shorten our hand of cruelty that for a time you shall not molest his Church and this shall you in short time well perceive my Brethren to be most true for after this day in this place there shall not be any by him put to the tryal of Fire and Faggot After which there was not one burned in Smithfield I principally consider that expression That for a time they should not molest his Church The Lord prepare me for a suffering day and if fair weather succeeds we shall be more watchful in its improvement As for our condition 't is full of threats and trouble Warrants are granted for the levying of 220 l. on me yet God hath kept them off but I am expecting daily to be stripp'd of all Our meeting place is taken from us through their threatnings on our Landlord we now meet at my house and once each Lords-day above the number but very few are free to attend unless with four I am also threatned to be persecuted on the corporation Law so that I am constantly expecting an imprisonment but I shall endeavour to turn into the strong hold as a Prisoner of hope I should very gladly understand more particularly how it is with you in this troublesome and sickly time however the Lord clear up your interest and grant you an open door if called hence into his presence with exceeding joy I shall commit you to God beseeching him to guid and use you and to preserve you blameless to his Kingdom I am yours most unfeignedly T. T. FINIS ERRATA P. 4. l. 1. r. others p. 6. l. 27. dele of them p. 7. l. 25. r. about p. 10. l. 24. for conversion r. conversation p. 11. l. 24 for convenant r. convert p. 12. l. 25. for ond r. and. p. 26. l. 21. for hoth r. hath p. 30. l. 3. dele you know I have p. 36. l. 20. r. related p. 42. l. 15. after in add understanding p. 43. l. 6. for refuse r. refuge p. 47. l. 28. after him r. in p. 52. l. 15. for some r. same
and night to the utmost allowing his body no more then extreme necessity required that so he might follow all advantages for the advance of his Masters service The Bill preferred against him at Exeter necessitated him to attend the two following Assizes where he was at last freed by Proclamation but mean while his return into those parts was of no small advantage for the propagation of the Gospel Some of those persons who discovered their malice against Mr. Tregosse for preaching at Torrington were shortly taken away by unnatural deaths not without signal marks of Gods displeasure against them as it appears by his following Letter Sept. 16. 1670. Not long before his death he was strangely he knew not how taken up in conversing with the state of departed Saints martyred for the Testimony of Jesus as he himself acquaints you in his following Letter to his friend Octob. 7th 1670. Which indeed was a prophetick intimation of the nearness of his Dissolution and entrance on that life which he was immediately more fully to partake of Which brings to my remembrance an old observation which I had from a great * Padre Paul Histor Trent Master of Wisdom That it is natural for men near their grave from some intrinsick cause unknown to themselves to be distasted with humane affairs c. What this wise man observed of men in general I think is most true of many holy Christians who a little before their dissolution are frequently called off and seperated from humane affairs to a fiducial converse with coming Glories and the Life of just men made perfect which was the frame of Mr. Tregosse's Spirit not long before his death though he himself was not apprehensive that his change was so near SECT IV. Mr Tregosse's last Tryals and dying Speech to his Friends AFter Mr. Tregoss came to reside at Penryn he hired a House for a Meeting on the Lords day in the Parish of Mabe where he exercised without interruption from Midsomer 1669 to the 10th of May 1670. After which day there were two debauch'd persons turned Informers hoping thereby to get fuel for their lusts who having obtained a Warrant required the Officers to attend them every Lords-day and made oath against Mr. Tregosse and others for a breach of the Statute then in force against Conventicles This sacred away most of his Hearers especially those who had any considerable Estates Though there were divers Fines laid on him which amounted to 220 l. yet the Lord so ordered things as nothing he had was seized upon This Meeting being thus broken he resolved to drive the nail that would go and to preach the oftner unto a Statute number herein his labours were so many and great as if his body were of Steel he could not hold out long He preached five times every Lords-day and in the evening made repetition of some part He also continued the Tuesday and Thursday duties besides other Exercises He was often advised by his friends to favour himself and moderate his pains but the great zeal he had for the keeping on and advancing the work of God did stop his ears against all dissusives of this kind Having at last worn out himself and exhausted his Spirits he fell into a griping of the Bowels occasioned by a Flatus hypochondriacus as his Physician affirmed which brought him so weak as his friends suspected him to be past recovery and he himself expressed a longing desire to be dissolved But the Lord was pleased to reprieve him a little longer and put him once more upon his feet though he took not the air As soon as he perceived a small recruit of strength he began to fall upon his work again this continued but a very short time till a Fever seized on him and in a few days did set and end to all his Labours and troubles His his deportment during both his sicknesses was like his life very sweet and heavenly Upon the 18th of January observing the hour of his dissolution at hand he took his farewell of his friends in a long speech whereof you have a part as followeth I though I should have had some more turns with my Lord in his Gallery but he hoth turned his back and is gone and calls me to come after him Indeed though I had some distemper of Body yet I did not think death was so nigh till putting my hand on my brow I felt the tokens thereof Think think not therefore 't is a foolish phantasie that moves me to speak for I know it to be right reason And seeing the Lord hath left with me a few mouthfuls of breath Let me who am your faithful Pastor at the taking my farewell of you drop a few words among you before he calls away this breath of mine and say breath no more through that body but lay it in the dust O my friends my friends you know that I have often warned you of an evil day and now I must once more tell you that there is a dead day a dark day coming O! what will this poor people do O my Friends did we think that after so many Fasting and Humiliation days after so many Thanksgiving days after so many Sacrament days we should see such a day as this O but it may be you will ask me this question Do you really believe that you shall dye Indeed friends there is nothing but Omnipotence can bear me up And if you ask me what I think of my self Truly friends I can say that I have walked among you by the pure copy of the Holy Scriptures and Life of Christ and through the Grace of God in Christ Jesus I shall be presented spotless to the Father Indeed when I was young I had my youthful vanities but in the year 1664 upon a New-years day the Lord was pleased to meet with me and then even then did he set all my sins in order before me And theose very sins which were small to me before were by the Spirit of the Lord in that Rod made as bitter as death it self My sleight childhood-sins my slender youthful sins were to me very hainous and abominable Wherefore my friends I charge you to make a conscience of those sins yea of the least of them which I have warned you of Some may think me passionate and some may think me severe and uncharitable but now I repent that I had not dealt more plainly with you However in the truth of the Lord according to mine ability I have walked among you and I hope you will not think it tedious if I drop a few words upon my grave before I dy Then the Physician steeping to him with an intent to desire him to leave off speaking lest he should spend his spirits too much M. Tregosse said Give me leave to speak for I am upon the borders of eternity and I think you all look upon me as a dying man therefore may suffer me to speak as much as I can Then he