Oxford Subscribed by Dr. Wilkinson Dr. Langley c. the other from the Neighbour Ministers Mr. Steel Mr. Fogg c. both testifying of his Conversation c. The Lord forgive me saith he in his Diary upon this that it hath not been more Exemplary as it ought for Piety and Industry Amen Lord in Christ. The Day for Ordination was appointed to be Sept. 16. at Prees of which Notice was given at Worthenbury by a Paper read in the Church and afterwards affixed to the Church-door the Lord's Day before signifying also That if any one could produce any just Exceptions against the Doctrine or Life of the said Mr. Henry or any sufficient Reason why he might not be Ordained they should certifie the same to the Classis or the Scribe and it should be heard and considered On the Day of Ordination there was a very great Assembly gathered together Mr. Porter began the Publick work of the Day with Prayer then Mr. Parsons Preached on 1 Tim. 1. 12. I thank Christ Iesus who hath enabled me for that he counted me Faithful putting me into the Ministry Putting Men into the Ministry is the Work of Jesus Christ. After Sermon Mr. Parsons according to the usual Method requir'd of him a Confession of his Faith which he made as follows The Ground and Rule of my Faith towards God is the Scripture of the Old and New Testament I believe they were written by Holy Men immediately inspir'd by the Holy Ghost having found the efficacy of them in some measure upon my own Heart I believe they are further able to make me wise to Salvation Concerning God I believe that he is and that he is the Rewarder of those that diligently seek him The Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Godhead I receive and own as a Truth I admire and adore as a Mystery though no Man hath seen God at any time yet the only Begotten Son which is in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him and what he hath declared concerning him that I believe I believe that God is a Spirit for the Son hath said God is a Spirit I believe that he hath Life in himself and that he hath given to the Son to have Life in himself I believe all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made I believe by his Providence he preserves guides and governs all the Creatures according to the purpose of his own Will to his own Glory for the Father worketh hitherto and the Son also worketh I believe he made Man upright after his own Image and Likeness which Image consisted in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness but Man by Sin lost it I believe we were all in the Loins of our first Parents and that they stood and fell as publick Persons and upon that Account justly without any colour of wrong we bear our share both in the Guilt of their Disobedience and also the Corruption of Nature following thereupon so that we come into the World Children of Wrath and Heirs of the Curse one as well as another Enemies to God hating him and hated of him Averse to what is good and prone to all manner of Evil. Though all are born in this Condition yet there are some that do not dye in it I believe there is a Mediator and there is but one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Iesus Those whom the Father hath from Everlasting pitched his Love upon and given to Christ not because of Works or Faith foreseen but meerly of his Free Grace for those I believe Christ was sent forth into the World made of a Woman made under the Law for their sakes he sanctified himself and became obedient to Death even the Death of the Cross wherefore God also highly exalted him and having raised him from the Dead on the third Day seâ—… him at his own Right Hand where he ever lives to make Intercession for those for whom he shed his Blood All these Elect redeemed ones I believe are in due time sooner or later in their Lives effectually called washed sanctified justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God I believe the Righteousness of Christ alone apprehended by Faith is the matter of our Justification before God and that no Flesh can stand in his Sight upon any other terms for he is the Lord our Righteousness and in him only the Father is well pleas'd I believe the Work of Sanctification managed by the Spirit who dwelleth in us though in respect of Parts it be compleat for the whole Man is renewed yet in respect of Degrees it is not fully perfected till we come to Glory and I believe all that are Justified shall be Glorifi'd for we are kept by the Fower of God through Faith unto Salvation I believe the gathering in and Building up of Saints is the special end why Pastors and Teachers are appointed in the Church and that Jesus Christ according to his Promise will be with them in that Work to the end of the World The Two Sacraments of the New Testament Baptism and the Lord's Supper I receive and own as Signs and Seals of the Covenant of Grace the former Instituted by our Lord Jesus as a Sign and Seal of our engrassing into him due of right to all the Infants of Believing Parents and but once to be Administred the other instituted by our Lord Jesus in the Night wherein he was Betrayed to shew forth his Death and to Seal the Benefits purchased thereby to his Church and People and to be often repeated When the Body returns to the Dust I believe the Soul returns to God that gave it and that immediately it receives from him the Sentence according to what hath been done in the Flesh either Come inherit the Kingdom oâ—… Depart accursed into everlasting Fire I believe besides this a Day of general Judgment in the end of the World wherein we must all appear before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ and that our Bodies being raised by an Almighty-Power from the Dust shall be United to the same Souls again and shall partake with them in the same Condition either of Happiness or Misery to all Eternity Those that have done good shall come forth unto the Resurrection of Life and those that have done evil to the Resurrection of Damnation This is the Sum and Substance of my Faith into which I was Baptized and in which by the Grace of God I will live and Dye Mr. Parsons then propos'd certain Questions to him according to the Instructions in the Directory to which he return'd Answer as followeth Question 1. What are your Ends in undertaking the Work and Calling of a Minister Answer As far as upon search and Enquiry I can
were not in us and yet this withal we can say and have said it some of us with Tears We are grieved that we have sinned 〈◊〉 For time to come we are resolâ—…ed by God's Gâ—…ce to walk in new Obedience and yet leâ—…g we are not Angels but Men and Women compassed about with Infirmities and Temptations it is possible we may fall but if we do it is our declared Resolution to submit to Admonition and censure according to the Rule of the Gospel And all along he took care so to manage his Admissions to that Ordinance as that the weak might not be discouraged and yet the Ordinance might not be profaned He would tell those whom he was necessitated to debar from the Ordinance for Ignorance that he would undertake if they were but truly willing they might in a Weeks time by the Blessing of God upon their diligent use of Means Reading Prayer and Conference get such a competent Measure of Knowledge as to be able to â—…scern the Lord's Body And those that had been scandalous if they would but come in and declare their Repentance and Resolutions of new Obedience they should no longer be excluded To give a Specimen of his lively Administrations of that Ordinance let me transcribe the Notes of his Exhortationat the first Sacrament that ever he administred Nov. 27. 1659. I suppose they are but the Hints of what he enlarged more upon for he had always a great fluency upon such occasions Dearly beloved in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ We are met together this day about the most solemn weighty Service under Heaven we are come to a Feast where the Feast-maker is God the Father the Provision God the Son whose Flesh is Meat indeed and whose Blood is Drink indeed the Guests a company of poor Sinners unworthy such an Honour the Crumbs under the Table were too good for us and yet we are admitted to tast of the Provision upon the Table and that which makes the Feast is hearty welcome God the Father bids you welcome and ten Thousand Welcomes this day to the Flesh and Blood of his Son think you hear him saying it to you ô believing Souls Cant. 5. 1. Eat O Friends drink yea drinkabundantly O Beloved The end of this Feast is to keep in remembrance the Death of Christ and our Deliverance by it and thereby to convey spiritual Nourishment and Refreshment to our Souls But withal give me leave to ask you one Question What Appetite have you to this Feast Are you come hungring and thirsting such have the Promise they shall be filled He filleth the Hungry with good things but the Rich are sent empty away a Honey-Comb to a full Soul is no Honey-Comb Canst thou say as Christ said With desire I have desired to eat this In this Ordinance here 's Christ and all his Benefits exhibited to thee Art thou weak here 's Bread to strengthen thee Art thou sad here 's Wine to comfort thee What is it thou standest in need of a Pardon here it is seal'd in Blood take it by Faith as I offer it to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus though thy Sins have been as Scarlet they shall be as Wool if thou be willing and obedient It may be here are some that have been Drunkards Swearers Scoffers at Godliness Sabbath-breakers and what not And God hath put it into your Hearts to humble your selves to mourn for and turn from all your Abominations O come hither here 's forgiveness for thee What else is it thou wantest O saith the poor Soul I would have more of the Spirit of Grace more Power against Sin especially my own Iniquity why here it is for thee from the fulness that is in Jesus Christ we receive and Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 16. We may say as David did Psal. 108. 7 8. God hath spoken in his Holiness and then Gilead is mine and Manasseh mine So God hath spoken in his Word sealed in his Sacrament and then Christ is mine Pardon is mine Grace is mine Comfort mine Glory mine here I have his Bond to shew for it This is to those among you that have engaged their Hearts to approach unto God this Day But if there he any come hither with a false unbelieving filthy hard Heart I do warn you seriously and with Authority in the Name of Jesus Christ presume not to come any nearer to this sacred Ordinance you that live in the practice of any Sin or the omission of any Duty against your Knowledge and Conscience you that have any Malice or Grudge to any of your Neighbours leave your Gift and go your ways be reconcil'd to God be reconciled to your Brother and then come Better shame thy self for coming so near than damn thy self by coming nearer I testifie to those who say they shall have Peace though they go on still in their Trespasses that there 's Poyson in the Bread take it and eat it at your own Peril there 's Poyson in the Cup too you drink your own Damnation I wash my Hands from the guilt of your Blood look you to it On the other hand you poor penitent Souls that are lost in your selves here 's a Christ to save you Come O come ye that are weary and heavy laden c. It may not be amiss to transcribe also some Hints of preparation for the administring of the Ordinance of Baptism which I find under his Hand at his first setting out in the Ministry as follows It is a real Manifestation of the Goodness and Love of God to Believers that he hath not only taken them into Covenant with himself but their Seed also saying I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed Tho' to be born of such doth not necessarily intitle Infants to the spiritual Mercies of the Covenant for Grace doth not run in a Blood we see the contrary many times even godly Parents have wicked Children Abraham had his Ishmael and Isaac his Esau yet questionless it doth entitle them to the external Priviledges of the Covenant The like Figure unto Noah's Ark even Baptism doth also now save us Noah and all that were his entred into the Ark though we have cause to doubt whether they all entred into Heaven While our Lord Jesus was here upon the Earth they brought little Children to him and he laid his Hands on them and blessed them and said moreover Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not there are many at this day that forbid little Children to come to Christ he adds the reason for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Whether it be meant of the visible Church often so called in the Gospel or of the state of Glory in another World either way it affords an Argument for Proof of Infant Baptism When either Parent is in Covenant with God their Children also are in Covenant with him and being in Covenant they have an undoubted Right and Title to this Ordinance of
also aggravating the Fault from the Circumstances of it judging and condemning your self for it in the sight of God and for your help herein you must acquaint your self with the Divine Law the Precepts and Prohibitions of it especially their Extent and Spiritual Nature as the Rule and then bring your own Thoughts Words and Actions to it daily to be tryed by it 3. Petition for such good things as God hath promised and you have need of both concerning this Life and that which is to come As to the latter you are to pray for Mercy to pardon and Grace to help in time of need As to the former for Bread to eat and Raiment to put on and a Heart to be therewith contented You are to pray for others also the Church of God the Land of your Nativity Magistrates Ministers Relations and Friends not forgetting the Afflictions of the Afflicted 4. Thanksgiving which should have a considerable share in every Prayer for our Duty is in every thing to give thanks for Mercies received Publick and Personal which is the Will of God in Christ Iesus concerning us This Rule of Method is not so necessary to be observ'd in Prayer as in no case to be varied from but it is certainly very useful and expedient and a great help to young beginners in that Duty 8. My advice is that you would delay no longer but forthwith apply your self in the strength of Jesus Christ to this sweet and excellent way of Praying 〈◊〉 and I dare say in a short time you will find through the aids and supplies of Divine Grace what is at first hard and difficult will by degrees be easie and delightful The promise is that to him that hath i. e. that hath and useth what he hath more shall be given Though you cannot do what you would yet fail not to do what you can wherein the Lord will accept of you according to his Everlasting Covenant in Christ Jesus for we are not under the Law but under Grace CHAP. XI A short Account of some of his Friends especially his Brethren in the Ministry that dyed before him WE think our selves obliged to add this Account out of his own Papers partly as an Evidence of the great esteem he had of the Gifts and Graces of others to whom he delighted to do Honour an Instance of that Humility which he was in all respects a great Example of and partly that we may preserve the remembrance of some in that Country whose Names ought not to be bury'd in Oblivion It is part of that Honour which we owe to them that fear the Lord to mention them with respect when they are dead and gone that we may contribute something to the fulfilling of the Promise That the Righteous and especially they who turn many to Righteousness shall be had in everlasting remembrance While their glorified Souls shine as the Stars in the Firmament of our Father it is fit that their embalmed Memories should in these lower Regions go forth as a Lamp that burneth The Jewish Rabbins read Prov. 10 7. as a Precept Let the Memory of the Iust be Blessed We will take them in the Order wherein we find them in his Diary according to the time of their Death premising only this Note of his occasioned by a particular instance Such a day I read the Life of old Mr. Bruen of Stapleford in which I met with some things that shame me some things that confirm me and some things tha quicken me Blessed be God for that Cloud of Wit nesses we are encompassed about with Mr. Iohn Machin was buried at Newcastle Septemb. 8. 1664. a worthy instrument in Gospel Work Laborious Faithful and Successful above his Fellows taken away in the midst of his Days the first Candle I have heard of put out by God among the many hundreds put under a Bushel by Men. An account of his Holy Exemplary Life was Printed many Years after drawn up I think by Mr. Newcome Mr. Heath late Minister of Iulians Church in Salop was buried May 28. 1666. He was of Christ's-Colledge in Cambridge where he was much valued for his great Learning especially in the Oriental Tongues in which he was one of the greatest Masters of his Age. He was employed to Correct the Syriac and Arabick of the Polyglot Bible which was sent down to him in Sheets for that purpose for which Bishop Walton gave him a Copy He read the Liturgy till August 24. 1662. and then was Silenced because he could not come up to the imposed Terms of Conformity When the Five Mile Act Commenced March 25. 1666. he removed to Wellington and there within a few Weeks Dyed and was Buried When he lay upon his Death bed Mr. Lawrence asked him what Reflections he had upon his Nonconformity Truly said he I would not but have done as I did for a Thousand Worlds He had great Confidence that God would provide for his Widow and Children according to Promise The Character Mr. Baxter gives of him is that he was moderate sedate quiet and Religious Much about the same time Mr. York dyed in Salop a Holy good Man and well approved in the Ministry who wasted his own Candle in giving Light to others even after he was removed out of the Candlestick Lord Is this the meaning of Rev. 11. 12 concerning the Witnesses Mr. Thomas Porter late Minister of Whitchurch dyed at Salop in a good old Age Iune 19. 1667. he was born in Northamptonshire bred in Cambridge he was settled Minister of Hanmer in Flintshire long before the Wars by the means of Sir Iohn Hanmer the Patron who was a very worthy pious Gentleman and a great promoter of Religion in that Parish but dyed in the midst of his days Here Mr. Porter's Ministry was blessed with wonderful acceptance and success both in that and the Neighbouring Parishes and a great Harvest of Souls was there gathered in to Christ. After the Wars were over during the Heat of which he was forced to withdraw he procured Mr. Steel for Hanmer and he removed to Whitchurch where he continued an Instrument of much good till the King came in and then he gave way to Dr. Bernard a worthy moderate Man He preached his Farewel-Sermon at Whitchurch August 28. 1660. on Col. 1. 24. and spent the rest of his Days in Silence and Affliction He was exercis'd long with pain upon his Bed and the multitude of his Bones with strong pain If this be done to the green Tree what shall be done to the dry His dying Counsel to the Lord's People was to stick to Christ and not to let him go come Life come Death The worthy Colonel Thomas Hunt dyed at his House in Shrewsbury April 12. 1669. a true Nathaniel an Israelite indeed in whom was no Guile One that like Caleb followed the Lord fully in difficult trying times he was a Member of the long Parliament for Shrewsbury and very active for God in his Generation abounding in