the Right-hand of his Father and there prepared a Place for him That I may contract After God had touch'd his Heart He lived as one that knew he should die and he died as one that knew he should live better than ever He lived in Holiness and be died in Faith His Ways were Righteous and his End was Peace Now he is gone to Rest and rejoice in that God whom he served and with whom he walked while he was here What Earth hath parted with Heaven hath receiv'd His Death was a Loss to many to me that was his Pastor for with him I sometimes took sweet Counsel rejoicing in the Greatness of that Love and Zeal he had for God in his holy Discourses and Expressiveness of a Gospel-Temper A Loss to the Church of which he was a Member in which he was very lovely and acceptable for his Carriage under Ordinances and Management of himself after them A Loss to the Poor who found his Hand liberally yet withal prudently open for their Relief But above all a Loss to his dear Yoke-fellow who indeed felt the Smart of the Blow yet was dumb and opened not her Mouth because the Lord had done it And it highly becomes her me and us all to be silent and acquiesce in the Providence of that God who being infinite in Wisdom doth all things well without Miscarrying in a Circumstance In this Book which is now put into thy Hands â—ind Reader thou hast his Picture though indeed it is but a rude Draught and in it thou maist discern much of the Frame of his Spirit and see how he was wont to exercise himself while many of his Rank are for Hawks and Hounds for Cards and Dice and worse things too O that such as read it would tread in his Steps and by his Example learn to take care of their immortal Souls and Pains about them for their Interest is the greatest and should be most minded and first secur'd Wilt thou please to read it with Prayer and an hearty Desire of being the better for it and then I do not question but thou wilt be so The Author's Will was that it should be communicated to his Relations for he was an hearty Friend to their Souls His affectionate and worthy Brother hath rather chosen this way of publishing it that so the Benefit thereby might be more extensive And if their united Desire and Design do take there are Hundreds that will make their thankful Acknowledgments and bless God In it there are many things worthy of thy notice It is before thee and I shall leave them to thine own Observation only a word or two Here thou wilt see how much he was afraid of Sin which is the basest of Evils and doth the greatest Mischief in the World Here thou wilt see his secret and daily retiring into himself and communing with his own Heart though too many are yet he was not a Stranger at home Thou maist see the constant Watch he kept as knowing how many Enemies he had abroad how many Snares he walked among and that there was in his own Bosom a slippery and treacherous Heart by no means to be trusted Thou maist see his Self-Reflections Self-Condemnings his Fears his Cares his Profiting by Ordinances his Conjugal Affections his Sense of Afflictions his Care to make his Peace with God and to keep up a Communion with him and a great deal more The Father of Mercies bless all to thee and make thee a Blessing to others So Prays Thy Soul's Well-wisher SAMUEL SLATER London From my Study June 3 1692. POSTSCRIPT HE seemed to have for some Months before his Doath a deeper and more than usual Sense of the Sins of his Youth which as by his own Pen he has much tamented so he would then asresh frequently mention and much bewail them He said sometimes that youthful Sins would make work for after Repentance in riper Years In the beginning of his last Illness be exprest his Sorrow he had spent so much Time in Coffee-Houses and that if it should please the Lord to spare him he would spend more of it in his Closet A TABLE to all the three Parts of my LIFE Epistle Dedicatory to my Dear Wife Pag. iii Some Passages concerning my Birth my Brothers and Sisters c. 11 Of my Parents and Advantages of good ones 23 My Weakness by the Rickets c. 26 c. My being put Apprentice 30 Peculiar Sins in that Service mentioned 30 c. Work of Grace begun 36 Relapses into Sin after my Apprenticeship 45 c. My hopes of Salvation and Grounds for them 51 My coming first a Suitor to my Wife and Marriage 52 c. Our setling at Nottingham and Grounds for it 55 c. My-Father Disney's Arguments for our living with him 62 My Arguments against leaving Nottingham 64 Troubles I met with upon account of Nonconformity 66 c. My coming to Ollercar providential 73 My Method for Family-Discipline and Reasons for it 74 c. My great Troubles on Monmouth's Rising and the Lord 's gracious Appearance for me 81 c. Advantages to my Soul by those Afflictions 97 c. Evidences for Heaven examined 100 Eminent and Remarkable Providences to my Self Wife c. 102 c. Good Sayings of good Men collected from Sermons I have heard and mentioned in my Diary 112 The surviving Advice of a deceased Husband to a surviving Wife 118 c. A Continuation of the most remarkable Passages of my Life 132 Passages a little before the Death of my dear Wife 144 A Copy of my last Letter to her 146 A Copy of my Wife's Letter to me five Days before her Death 148 Copies of two Letters of Mr. Coats concerning the Death of my Dear Wife 149 c. The surprize I was in on receipt of these Letters 153 c. A Letter from Mr. J. R. dated Jun. 4. 1686. 159 A Letter from Cos M. S. June 17. 1686. 161 A Letter from my Brother H. June 5. 1686. 165 A Letter from Madam L. 166 Encouragements for continuing at Ollercar 170 Reasons for my removing from Ollercar 171 LETTERS To a Relation inviting him to for sake Sin and pursue Holiness Apr. 1685. 174 To my Mother on the Death of my Sister Stanyforth 180 To my Sister W. on her Husband's Death 189 To a Relation growing loose in Conversation 191 To my dear Friend Mr. Whitaker 194 To Mrs. Mary Lavet after her Marriage Decemb. 1685. 196 To Mr. Lob at London Jan. 25. 1683. 198 To Mrs. Sarah Reynor Jan. 1685. 201 Some Passages of a Letter in Answer to my Mother Disney complaining of decay of her Sight 203 To Mr. Whitaker Jan. 24. 1683. 206 To Madam L. on the Death of her Kinsman and Birth of her Child 208 To my Mother on the Death of my Sister D. May 24. 90. 210 To Brother D. on the Death of his Wife May 24 90. 212 POEMS MEditations in Verse on the last great Sentence at the
prosper that love her I am Madam Your most obliged Friend and humble Servant G. D. A Letter to Mr. Lob at London Jan. 25 83. SIR I Receiv'd your very kind Letter and Christian Lines some time since and had return'd you my Thanks sooner had not extraordinary Business prevented I have cause to bless God for your Acquaintance and for that Christian Society I had with you whilst at London O that I could be as serviceable to you in the best things as you have been to me Poor unworthy Me who needs jogging Heavenwards It 's with us as with others a very dark and gloomy Day but Light is sown for the Righteous who shall reap if they faint not and Gladness for the upright in Heart as the Psalmist speaks O that we could be like the Doves of the Valley mourning after the Lord who seems to be departing from us The Sons of Violence with us act high our Sufferings many but O that none of these things may move us neither may we account our Lives dear to us if call'd to lay them down for the Sake of Christ and his Gospel If the Lord give us but a fixed Heart that we can trust in him we need not then be afraid of the worst times nor the saddest of Tidings but may encourage our selves in the Lord our God under the greatest Discouragements from Men whatsoever Surely the People of God have greatly provok'd God O that we may repent and return to him that smiteth God will certainly arise in the behalf and plead the Cause of his People he will work Deliverance for Sion if not in our time yet in his O that this may satisfy us And that when Foundations seem to be out of course we may with Faith and Patience look up to the Rock of Ages Dear Sir pray for us and for me in particular who need your Prayers that my Faith fail not that I may with Constancy and Courage own the good Ways of God and hold fast my Integrity the very desire of my Soul being to keep close to God I would fain win as many into Heaven's-ways and as much strengthen such Hands as hang down as such an unworthy Wretch as I may What Interest I have at the Throne of Grace I hope shall not fail to be improv'd for the Church of God and for you my dear Friend Being Sir Your hearty well-wishing Friend and Humble Servant G. D. A Letter to Mrs. Sarah Reyner one of my Charge Jan. 85. Dear Mrs. Sarah I Receiv'd yours which though the first receiv'd is not I perceive the first sent for which I thank you and have according to your Desire sent you by paying it to Mr. Charleton's Clerk 50 s. I much wonder your Sister Elizabeth would not vouchsafe me one Line since she left the Country but however do rejoice to hear upon enquiry you both do well as to this World and I would fain hope you will not be negligent in minding the Affairs of a better World nor dare be regardless of your precious and immortal Souls You are both the Children of Religious Parents have been blest with a good Education and many Prayers are I believe lodg'd in Heaven for you so that you cannot miscarry at so cheap a rate as others may who have not had your Advantages for being good O that I could prevail with you to live up to such distinguishing Mercy You have I perceive good Settlements in the World bless God for that But O! are you well setled and interested in Christ Have you made sure of a Treasure in Heaven have you laid hold on eternal Life and secured the everlasting Welfare of your precious Souls Be your worldly Accommodations never so great till this be done your Work is not half done You are in a City of great Advantages I pray attend upon the best most powerful Soul-searching and Conscience-awakening Ministry you can with the Leave of those who are your Superiâ—rs Be thorow-pac'd in the Ways of God dare not to be slighty and indifferent in the Family-Duties I hope you are priviledged withal nor to neglect Closet-Duties as Prayer Reading the Scriptures Self-Examination Meditation and the like at least Morning and Evening Shun and avoid Temptations as much as may be considering the great Corruption and Depravedness of Nature Remember your Creator in the Days of your Youth and having set your Face Heavenward look not back It will be much my Rejoycing to see you and all of you the Off-spring of most pious Relations now with God do well and if my poor Prayers and Endeavours may any ways contribute hereto they are not they have not they shall not through Grace be wanting I being Yours c. G. D. Some Passages of a Letter in answer to my Mother Disney complaining of Decay of her Sight Honoured Mother I Return you my humble Thanks for your welcom Lines and do hope that the uncertainty of my Man's last Journey to Lincoln will excuse my then Silence It troubles me much to hear of your Eyes Decaying and Dimming which as you please to observe is one Effect of old Age It 's great Mercy the Lord has given you the use of them so long but far greater that he has given you a Heart to use them to his Glory and your own and others Benefit and Advantage I fear your too much Reading in the Day-time and at all by Candle-light has and does that way prove prejudicial to you I would therefore humbly beg you to favour them as much as may be and this am consident of would you please to take up your Abode with us there 's no Eyes in my Family but would chearfully and readily be at your Service to excuse and preserve your own which I trust the Lord will yet continue to you My good Aunt Thornton I am perswaded will not be against my improving this Argument for the Enjoyment of your good Companies here most desirable to us My Eyes I can perceive are not so strong as they have been O that as our bodily Eyes dim and decay the Eye of Faith may grow more clear for certainly a Look within the Vail must be most refreshing and supporting to a gracious Soul and a renewed Mind Those indeed that see best in our Days with bodily Eyes see en'e little or nothing but what has a sad and frightful Aspect and may occasion Matter of sad Thoughts but by Faith we may look into an unseen World take a View of unseen Comforts and live upon unseen Riches and Happiness which are the most pleasant things the most certain and the most lasting The worst in this World need not nay cannot dismay us Whilst we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18 c. A Letter to Mr. Whitaker Jan. 24 1683. SIR THis Day I receiv'd yours till
inclin'd to expect or depend upon much of the World nor ever lay under the temptation of desiring any Friend's Death for my worldly Advance My Father 's most perswasive Letter for my living with him I answered largely the 22d of February 16â—5 After I had considered and debated the Thing deliberately advis'd with Friends sought God by Prayer and weigh'd Reasons for it and against it which was of late Years my constant Method for the deciding any difficult Case and answered him in the Negative for the Reasons under-written if he would please to approve of them which he did Reasons against leaving Nottingham such as these 1. We came to Nottingham with the concurring Consent of all our Friends now by removing further from them we must I see necessarily disoblige some 2. After my seeking God for Direction in the Matter and keeping a Day to that purpose at Roadenooke we found our Inclinations more to this place than any though Lincoln was before most in our Thoughts in compliance with Friends there 3. Here our main ends in coming have been answered viz. the enjoying the Gospel and the Society of good quickning Christians in this respect I thought few Towns priviledged like Nottingham 4. Here God has used me as an Instrument though the weakest of good to some and I know not what further Service he may have for me here in this Place 5. Here we have the Love of all sober Christians and Favour beyond Expectation from different-minded Magistrates 6. Here God has providentially disposed and committed to me the Education of Children yea the Children of Religious Parents And I think I cannot so faithfully discharge that Trust nor answer the end of him I honoured now with God if whilst I may I have them not under my Eye especially whilst so young 7. Both my Wife and my Self are very much averse to Tabling for many Reasons 8. Another Reason that I thought material at that time was this I can by no means away with a Country-Life I having here the advantage of improving my self and doing good to others I cannot expect in a Country-Retirement 9. I have some Years unexpired in my Lease of this House I am in 10. I have taken several Tablers These Reasons fully satisfied my Father Disney and Mother and I had their Leave to continue at Nottingham and here the Lord blessed me wonderfully though now and then I was under the rebukes of Providence yet was stisfied all was in love to my Soul and to the advantage of my Inner-Man Several Troubles I met with upon account of my Nonconformity though I did believe and did accordingly practise that it was my Duty to go as far as I could with a safe Conscience in obeying the Authority I liv'd under And was perswaded in my own Breast That I could never take Comfort in those Sufferings I brought upon my self by not doing what Authority enjoin'd and I might lawfully comply with without Sin About April 1682 when the Spirit of Persecution grew hot in Nottingham and much of the Malice of the Magistrates seem'd to be levelled against me I thought I had a Call and was thereupon resolved with the Concurrence of God to remove and that as sometimes we thought to London grounding my Opinion of the Lawfulness of it upon some Reasons but especially upon that Text of Scripture If they persecute yon in one City flee to another For about half a year I sought Counsel of God in the thing having always a desire to be where God would have me But having all this while by my self and Friends us'd all the means I could to provide a convenient Habitation I met with constant Disappointments as to those Houses which lay most convenient for the Management of my Affairs which were Shipley Codgrave and Brameote and as for London I was perswaded it was too remote from my Business and too far distant from Friends On October the 19th 1682 Winter being far come on and Ways bad I took up a Resolution with the advice of Friends to settle at my own House in Nottingham that I had bought upon the High-Pavement These were the Reasons that prevailed with me 1. Most of those whom I consulted with were of opinion where-ever I went I should be liable to Sufferings if I kept from sinful Compliances and might be as safe in Nottingham as elsewhere 2. God did at that time wonderfully incline my Self and Wife to make a trial of that House 3. It was at that time providentially at liberty the Tenant I had being gone and the House upon my hands And here though blessed be God from my Marriage I did not neglect Family-Duties I set upon a more strict conscionable and methodical Discharge of all the Duties of Religion both Publick Family and Private than before and did strive against the Sins of my Constitution which I found were Pride of Heart and Passion c. Many Troubles I met with and was often disturbed yet it was not throÌ„ Mercy for sinning against God but serving him Much Money it cost me to take off Fines and Excommunications Some Ministers were taken being Lodgers at those times at my House as Mr. Barrett and Mr. Shelverdine Upon Mr. Shelverdine's Taking I find this Memorandum in my Diary viz. The first Day I begun the course of having Ministers to help me in my Sabbath-day-work Mr. Shelverdine being that Day the Person my Sister Wigley who liv'd then by us desired might take the first turn and begin the Work He was taken by an Officer at the Lady Berresford's who had desired some help from him and was committed to Prison where he lay some Weeks but was as soon as might be with Mr. Barrett who was afterwards taken at my House released out of Prison by the said Lady Berresford's Kindness who paid down 40 l. for that purpose they having both suffered in her Service And now methinks I have cause to fear my Sins had a hand in stripping me of such a Mercy and O that my heavenly Father would shew me wherefore he thus contends with me It looks in my Apprehension as if the Lord judg'd me and my Family unworthy of such a Blessing as the Gospel is The Lord pardon those Sins that thus provok'd him and give me to understand so dark a Dispensation but in all my Sufferings I still experienced much of the Goodness of God in moderating often the Spirits of Men towards me in raising me up Friends and in restraining some that had very ill Will though without cause against me Well now I soon found Nottingham too hot longer to hold me and my Thoughts went much upon removing but wither I could not tell though a speedy Removal was necessary I being under the Sentence of Excommunication and feared a Writ would be soon taken out And besides I found that there was no way to take off that Sentence which I feared most upon the account of Orphans and others business lodged in my Hands