Relishes of Religion in his heart When his Father was dead Mr. Rowe went from his Mother to live with Doctor Bodley brother to the famous Sr. Thomas Bodley founder of the Vniversity Library in Oxford a man of Eminent Piety and Exemplary Holiness and who was then the Minister and proper Incumbent of the place where Mr. Rowe was born and his Parents lived From this Holy man and Eminent Person for Sanctity Mr. Rowe learned much and very much of the work of God upon his soul must be attributed to him as the Instrument and as he learned much from him so he was not a little beloved by him the Doctor bearing as tender a respect to him as if he had been his own Child Living thus with Doctor Bodley and afterwards for a season with another Gentleman viz. Mr. Thomas Gale of Crediton who also was a godly man Mr. Rowe had opportunity frequently to go to London where he heard some of the ablest Preachers and such as were then most in Reputation as Dr. Gouge Mr. Stock and others and by them he was much helped forward in Spiritual Knowledge and quickned in his Love to the ways of God But Doctor Bodleys counsels together with his Holy Example he being a man of an Austere Life and of a most Strict Conversation seemed to be that which had most Influence upon him and to leave the greatest Impression on his heart for nothing was more familiar with him throughout his whole life then to be speaking upon all occasions what he had seen and heard and observed in him The Sermons also and Preaching of Doctor Bodley was of great use to him for this was Mr. Rowes observation concerning him that whatever the Subject were the Doctor had been treating of yet still when he came to the Application the use he would be sure to make of it should be to drive men unto Christ This Doctrine was so rivetted into Mr. Rowe and had so deep a root in him as that all that knew him intimately must say this of him that they never knew any that was a greater advancer of Christ or did more inculcate this great Principle upon all that he was called to speak unto viz. That their main Care should be to deny themselves and to live upon Christ for all As for a more particular discovery what were the first workings of God upon his heart it was expressed by himself in a Paper of his own writing in this manner as followeth Having before in the same Paper related the mercies of God towards him and his care and providence over him in his infancy and childhood he adds Neither did my gracious God cease to do me good in the days of my youth whereat I may justly admire Oh the depth and Riches of his unchangeable Grace for here were I able to set out the true Idea of my then deformed heart and life But better it is to confess the same to my gracious God and to pray him not to remember those sins of my youth both which I have done viz both confessed them and begged pardon of them and by Gods Grace intend to do to my dying day Yet thus much I think fit to unfold for the praise of the glory of Gods Grace that whereas I was by nature prone to all sins of all kinds especially to those two monsters Pride and Voluptuousness and in the latter of these an inventer of new kinds of sinning yet the Lord gave me not up to mine own hearts lusts altogether But even then began not only to restrain me but also by the means of Grace to do me good O Lord my salvation is of thee alone for if ever any should be saved by their own merits very likely was it that I should have been farthest off for thou resistest the proud But the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Hence it came to pass that the same gracious God who out of his unchangeable Love ordained me to Life stirred up the Spirit of Doctor Bodley to admonish me to take heed of my pride and those over-weaning conceits of my self which he espied in me and counselled me to buy a Bible and to read the same which Admonition and counsel the Lord was pleased to bless in such wise that Ever since that time I have in some weak measure kept a constant course of reading the Scriptures except some few short intermissions by which means I do acknowledge to the glory of my God that my poor soul hath received no small benefit By this Relation of his own which was written with his own hand together with some other passages of his Life which hereafter are to be inserted it appears that Pride and the Love of Pleasure were his Master-sins in the days of his youth Hence was it that he would often say in his familiar discourse that Lase Pride and Pleasure were the great sins of youth He would also very frequently speak of this Passage that there was but one thing which he mainly desired in his youthful days which if it had been granted to him would have proved to be his ruine and that was that he might have had the same Liberty allowed unto him by his Parents which another vain young-man whom he knew had granted unto him who afterward came to a Miserable End This passage he would mention often to shew what a mercy it was that he was so restrained and that God gave him not his own Will After the Lord had thus begun his good work in Mr. Rowes heart by the counsells preaching and holy conversation of Doctor Bodley he continued in the Doctors Family for some time which was as long as Dr. Bodley lived The Doctor after some experience of him perceiving his Ingenuity Fidelity and Inclinations to Religion bare a very great and tender affection towards him and such was his affection that he having no child of his own intended as was verily supposed to have done much for him at his death But the Doctor being surprized with somewhat a sudden Sickness whereof he died and not being able by reason thereof to do what he intended Mr. Rowes hopes were wholly frustrated of enjoying any thing that the Doctor purposed to do for him And this event he looked upon as he was wont ever after to construe it in his familiar discourses with his friends as the Wise Providence of God towards him that he might see his whole Dependance to be on the Lord for what behad About the Twenty fifth year of his Age he was disposed of in Marriage His Marriage concerning which because there were some Providences that were remarkable and that he himself thought worthy to be remembred as it appears by the Register that he kept of them we shall relate what himself hath written When I was desirous to enter into the State of Marriage I was assayled with Covetousness Voluptuousness and Ambition and would surely have undone my self by some or all of these Evills had
hand against him or scarce to move their tongues against him to his hurt or prejudice One instance was remarkable A certain Ruffian being punished by 〈◊〉 for his misdemeanors vowed the next time he met him he would certainly stab him and being put into the Stocks for some offence he had committed against the Law his rage was such that not being able to have his will on Mr. Rowe he struck at the stones with his knife for very madness After this Mr. Rowe met the same person when he was at liberty and might have had opportunity to wreak his malice and revenge upon him but it pleased the Lord so to overpower him that he was as a man struck dumb and had not a word to say Many of his friends seeing his abilities and fitness would often sollicit and press him to take the office of a Justice of Peace His Modesty but such was his Humility and Modesty that he would by no means yeild to it saying that he had neither Ability nor Estate for it and that it was the way to make Authority contemptible when inferiour Persons were put into such Places His care to cut off occasions of offence He was very careful to cut off all occasion of offence from such as would be ready to take offence being wont in his younger days to use Shooting with Bow and Arrows for his Recreation sake after that meeting with an Offendor against the law he rebuked him for some misdemeanours that he was guilty of the man replyed why might not he do that as well as he Shoot with Bow and Arrows after this Mr. Rowe laid aside his Recreation and would never shoot with Bow and Arrows more He was a man of a very Peaceable temper His Peaceable and Peace-making Disposition he never loved to foment differences but sought all he could to compose them and if there were at any time any distance between him and others the fault was usually theirs because he could not bear or comply with some corruption of theirs but would seek their reformation And as he was of a very peaceable disposition himself so he was a great Peace-maker a great part of his time was spent this way in making up and composing of differences between others many a quarrel was taken up by him this way many Law Suits prevented many differences between near relations reconciled and the Lord was pleased to give him such a blessing and success in these undertakings that his hands were seldome empty of this work so that he was many times so much ingaged and taken up in the businesses and affairs of other men that he could hardly get liberty to mind or prosecute his own He said upon occasion given him to a relation of his that he might have increased his own estate much more if he had spent that time in following his own affairs which he spent in the businesses and affairs of other men but what he did in this kind he did it out of duty and Conscience Such indeed was his Charity and Compassion to others that none ever was known to be more Concerned for others or more Naturally to care for the good of others then he was He made their Conditions his own he had a deep Sympathy with their distresses and in his Prayers he would as affectionately pray for them as for himself and when he had undertaken any of the affairs and businesses of other men he would act as vigorously in their behalf as if it were his own concernment although he neither did nor expected to reap any advantage to himself by it He was forty years of age before he attained that great blessing of Assurance His Assurance which he kept ever after and never lost it after he had once attained it so that he enjoyed that singular priviledge viz. the assurance of the love of God for the space of Thirty years and more The means by which he maintained and preserved his assurance was as he himself said by a diligent and constant use of all the means of Grace both publick and private and taking an account of his heart once at least every day And as he had by these means a constant assurance of his estate so that he was never left to a total doubting of his estate after he had once received the assurance of it so he had at some times more special experience of the Witness and Testimony of the Spirit together with that of his own Spirit Concerning which particular because the children of God do naturally desire to have all the light that may be given in about it it being a secret and hidden thing and unknown to any but those that have it and the experience of the most holy men being in this case most considerable and that upon which the greatest weight may be laid I shall set down a little more at large the thoughts and experience of this holy man about it In one of his Letters he thus expressed himself Besides assurance in a way of reasoning His Judgment and experience concerning the Testimony of the Spirit God is pleased some time in conversing with him to make it out by secretly hinting in some one precious promise And in another Letter he expressed himself more fully In answer to your desire to receive a few of my thoughts and experiences concerning the witness or Testimony of the Spirit in assurance I do acknowledge to the glory of God that God hath given to me some experience of his love and at sometimes more then at other times in the Testimony of his Spirit bearing witness with my Spirit concerning mine adoption and so consequently of my justification sanctification and eternal life But this is better felt then expressed yet in some measure as the Lord shall inable me I will endeavour to answer your desire herein First that there is as appeareth Rom. 8.16 such a blessed Priviledge given to some of Gods elect on earth as to have the Spirit it self to bear witness with their Spirits that they are the Children of God Again that this Testimony is given to believers after that they are effectually called to grace as appeareth Eph. 1.13 and by the which they are as by a seal assured of the grace of God But that every one that is effectually called to grace hath this Testimony presently given I dare not affirm but do rather think that some may wait a longer time then others before they do receive it for mine own part I believe that I was effectually called divers years before the Lord gave me this assurance Again the truth of this Testimony of the holy Spirit in my own soul I have discerned from false flashes and unsound comforts by this that this testimony doth alwaies when it comes raise the soul to more desires after more intimate union and communion with God works more self-abborrency and more care to please God and fear to displease him and in a word drives me
this Holy man whose Lise and Death thou wilt find Characterised in the following story The memory of whom I trust will ever be as a living Sermon to me and such as had the priviledge of converse with him As for the Relation here given of him by my Dear Friend I must beg this favour of thee that thou wilt not pass thy judgment till thou hast read the whole and seriously considered the same and then I am apt to perswade my self thou wilt conclude with me that thou hast here offered to thy View a grand exemplar of Real Visible Godliness which deserves thy serious attention and Imitation Theophilus Gale THE Life and Death OF Mr. John Rowe JOhn Rowe His Birth and Infancy the Son of Lawrence Rowe was born in the Parish of Shobrook in the County of Devon in that famous year 1588. When he was an Infant he was set aside in his Cradle for dead but it pleased God to put it into the heart of one of his Sisters who had a little more spirit and resolution then the rest had to resolve with her self that she would go and look upon him once more hereupon coming to the place where he lay and putting her hand to his mouth she apprehended she felt a little breath being incouraged by this some means were immediately used so that he began to revive and the Lord was pleased to restore him to life who had been given up for dead intimating as it were by this so Early and Signal a Providence that he had reserv'd him for some more then ordinary use and this the Course of his life did abundantly shew After he was come to some years His Education he was sent by his Parents to the Grammar-Schoole in Crediton an antient Town in Devon-Shire where he attained to such Proficiency both in the Latine and Greek Tongues that he was well nigh ripe for the University and had accordingly been sent thither in order to the Ministry but that it pleased God to take away his Father a little before the intended time so that the intentions which his Parents had of training him up for the Ministry could never be accomplished Thus the Lord in his Wisdome was pleased to take him off from that which others by considering what his After-Life and Abilities were found to be would have judged him most meet for So that we may hence learn to use an expression of his own how that We do often erre in our judgements of things and that God sees not as men see Being frustrated in the hopes he had of going to the Vniversity he did not however loose that little Learning the School had afforded unto him only the Greek thorough dis-use was somewhat worn out with him but he still retained so exact a knowledge of the Latine Tongue that it was of great use to him unto his dying day For his Parts His Parts He was of a Sharp and Pregnant Wit of a great deep and Penetrating Judgement he himself was wont to complain of some deficiency in his Memory but that defect appeared more to himself then it did unto others for others judged him to excell in that as well as in other Abilities of the Mind As for his Natural Temper and Disposition His Natural Temper he was a man of great Ingenuity of much Candor and Sweetness those that knew him most intimately thought him to have as Noble and Generous a Soul and to be as far from any thing that savoured of a Base Ignoble and Sordid Spirit as ever any that they knew He was exceeding Affable and Courteous unto all and that without the least shew or suspition of seeking his own ends by it His temper led him to be most sweet and kind unto all and there was not the meanest person that could say he was neglected or despised by him He was very careful to give a due respect unto all and no one was ever more curious to pay a just Reverence to those that were above him in Rank and Quality In his Behaviour he was most Humble His Behaviour Sweet and Conversible as ready to hear others speak as to speak himself and he would for the most part give them leave to speak before he would be forward to speak himself His Natural Temper was so sweet and amiable as that there was scarce any that knew him but loved him and honoured him And this together with his Grace was elevated to such a pitch as that there was not the worst of men that had any thing to speak evil of him And yet that which is not common The mixture of Authority with his Natural Sweetness but is somewhat a rare conjunction although his Natural Candor and sweetness were such yet he was a man of a great Presence and of great Authority He was seldome known to speak in any serious Matter but his speech carried a wonderful and peculiar kind of Authority with it And there was so great a Majesty in his conversation as that some and those who were reputed both wise and godly beholding the Excellency of his spirit The Lustre of his Conversation the Lustre of his graces and how much his Conversation differed from the most of men have professed that when they were in his Company they have had an Awe left upon them could not be so free whilst they were in his Company as when they were amongst others But the main thing which this Narrative is intended for is to speak of his Grace and to shew what that Eminency in Holiness was which the Lord brought him unto And this if the unworthy Relator may have but the happiness to express and delineate as it was in him the Original Copy he doubts no tbut the Life of this Holy Man will prove a Pattern as worthy of our Imitation as any this Latter-Age hath produced And if any thing seem to be defective in the life of this Holy Man the Readers are to be intreated not to impute it so much to the defect of worth or merit in him for as much as all that knew him intimately do unanimously acknowledge that there was much more in him than could easily be expressed or declared by any but unto want of skill in that Hand which undertook to draw his Picture and to give the Character of him which is here represented Now that we may proceed in order we shall begin with the first Rise of the work of God in his Soul and afterward see what Progresse it made and to how great a measure and pitch of Holiness the Lord brought him in the conclusion When he was but young and of tender years his Parents did according to their measure The beginning of the Work of Grace in his heart instruct him in the Grounds of Religion and did also cause him carefully with themselves to frequent the Publick Ministry in the Congregation and by this means he came to have the first Tastes and
nearer to God whereas false flashes leave the soul loose Again for the continuance of this blessed testimony in the soul I do find that an holy humble constant waiting on God and Communion with him in his ordinances joyned with a constant care and endeavour to walk with him in uprightness in all the duties of my particular calling and relations are blessed means to keep up and increase this assurance but the neglect or remisse usage of these doth diminish the oyl of this blessed Lamp and unsanctified liberty so far grieves the holy Spirit as to suspend this Testimony for a time What the nature of this witness of the Spirit was he said as it is in the precedent letter that it was better felt then expressed only being once asked about it he answered It was a secret overpowering that I am his and he is mine I am my well-beloveds and my well-beloved is mine He was wont to observe that the most likely means to attain assurance was to propound spiritual ends to our selves in the desiring of it not to desire it meerly that we might be at quiet and free from trouble in our Consciences but principally to desire it for this end that by the knowledge and apprehension of Gods love to us we might be inabled to give the Lord the glory of his own grace and be carried out to higher pitches in obedience In his discourse with some friends he had such a passage There may be a great deal of selfishness in seeking Peace I find it best when I am come to the greatest heights of peace to study my duty what it is that God would have me do and to follow him there otherwise I meet with a Cloud His manner was as hath been partly hinted before to make up his accounts every day and the method that he used in his meditation was to consider what God had done for him in the day and what his carriage had been towards God and he would say when he considered what Gods carriage had been to him there he saw that God had been doing him good in a constant tenor but then when he reflected upon himself there he saw many failings and he said there was so action done by him that was ever no good but there was some cireumstance or other that he saw himself imperfect and defective in and it was a remarkable speech of his I have accounted it a greatpitch when the Lord hath shewed me some defects in my best actions that I may go clean out of self unto Christ By this daily and constant exercise of his in reviewing his life and actions every day he kept and maintained much Peace of Conscience and this was one of the great things that God did for him that usually at the close of every day after the casting up of his accounts humble and fervent prayer the Lord made it out to him as he himself expressed it that All was pardoned In this way was he carried on until at last he arrived to as great an habitual perswasion and as constant an apprehension of the love of God as any hath been known to have attained in this latter age so that he walked in the light of Gods countenance from day to day and his way was to study and contemplate the love of God towards him in every thing and much of his Prayers ran this way that his faith might be strengthned to see and behold the love of God in all the passages of his life that so he might as Abraham did give the Lord glory by believing Therefore he would often expres himself in Prayer after this sort Oh that we might behold thy infinite and eternal love constantly so far as finite creatures are capable that the apprehensions of thy love might draw us up again to love thee And he would say We are apt to take notice of some of the greater and more remarkable passages of the love of God as if the Lord gave us some great deliverance or gave us some signal answer of Prayer or bestowed upon us some special blessing which we had much desired but our Heavenly father did not only do us good in these great things but he was still doing us good in a constant tenor even in the least things And as the Lord did much for him in this kind His fear of loosing assurance so he was very jealous of loosing this blessed priviledge viz. the sense that he had of the love of God and the light of his countenance which he walked in There were two things he said that he mainly desired of God the one was that having been a Professor of Religion so long he might be kept from scandalous sins The other was that God would not hide his face from him for he said he was a man of a low Spirit and without Gods presence he could not subsist and therefore said he I saw it necessary to be kept under affliction that I might be humble for God would not reveal himself to proud souls Besides this habitual peace and assurance which he enjoyed His Comforts he had many particular comforts from the Lord at several times and upon several occasions He said there was great familiarity between God his people after they had walked much with him When he lay down to rest at night he had usually that promise spoken over to him Fear not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great and rich reward When he had been desiring such pitches of holiness he had often such hints as these are I will satisfie thee When he was under any special afflictions he had some special comforts and supports from God When the Lord took away his first wise he was troubled in himself about the disposing of his children then the Lord comforted him thus They are thine but for a time but they are mine for ever and this he said satisfied him Another time having been exercised with a fit of the stone he wrote to a near Relation thus These are to let you know how fatherly God dealeth with us though afflicted yet not forsaken that which sweetens all my afflictions is that inward peace which the Lord is pleased to give me in all my outward pain Many more instances of this kind might be produced The Answers he had to prayer When he was in any special strait or difficulty and needed counsel and direction what course to take the Lord did always first or last after earnest seeking of him make out his way unto him He never sought God in any great affair or extraordinary concernment but he had some answer or other from him he was sure always to have this general answer that God would do him good and that he would order things in the best way The Discoveries he had from God conceruing future events of Providence Psal 25. Gen. 18.17 and often times he had more particular intimations of the mind of God The Lord did also
great occasion had fallen out in the day he would still retire himself to ask counsel and a blessing from the Lord Once every month he always kept a private day by himself besides what he did upon particular occasions to seek the Lord by fasting and Prayer the better to prepare himself for the Lords-Supper and then also he had much upon his heart the concernments of the Church And if ever any affliction befel him or his family or any of his relations his constant course was to seek the Lord in an extraordinary manner So likewise if there were any great business he was to undertake or any more eminent strait wherein he needed Divine counsel providence and protection he still set apart some time to seek God in a more then ordinary manner and his success was answerable for he had always some gracious return or other Besides the set times of Prayer which he observed he was full of occasional ejaculations He was seldom known to be out of a spiritual frame and in that frame his heart was darting up one holy ejaculation or other He was most punctual in keeping his times and seasons for Prayer reading and Meditation Whatever his worldly businesses were which were sometimes many and weighty he was very loth to abridge himself in his wonted course for these exercises and if he were necessitated at any time to be shorter he would be sure to redeem the next opportunity to regain what he had been deprived of He was wont to say when he did hasten over holy duties out of an over eager desire to follow his worldly business he did many times meet with a cross in his business but when he did take his ordinary time God did make his other business to succeed the better or else his mind was brought to submit to the will of God He was seldom known to pray himself His great Affection in holy duties or to join with others in Prayer but his heart was much affected and carried out with much holy zeal and fervency In his old age his heart would melt frequently and he would often be dissolved into tears and his affections seemed to be as green and vigorous as the affections of young Converts use to be When he joined with others he was far from an oscitant and careless carriage His behaviour was so reverent and mixed with so much affection as that the Minister under whose Ministry he sate would profess he found himself very much helped and quickned by the observance of his affection If at any time he found the least decay or deadness coming upon him that was his greatest trouble and far more then any outward affliction In one of his letters he expressed himself thus having spoken before in his letter of a bodily distemper that lay upon him he goes on thus That which troubleth me now is the distemper of my Spirit because I find my self less lively in holy things and more unactive then formerly Yesterday blessed be God I found some reviving When he awoke in the morning His private Exercises in the morning if it were before the ordinary time he was wont to rise his manner was to spend some time in meditation and the subject of his Meditation for the most part was somewhat of the great work of Redemption and he imployed his thoughts principally to meditate on the eternal sacrifice of the Lord Jesus which was offered up to the Father for the taking away of the sins of his people and according to this his own practise he would counsel his children every Morning to take a turn at the Cross of Christ and to think of his sufferings and that would be a means to make them love Christ the more When he was rising and dressing himself in the morning he would let fall some holy instructions or other on them that were about him After he was ready his first work was to retire himself into his closet where he spent a considerable time in reading Meditation and Prayer His daily practise was to read every morning some part of the Scriptures with some commentarie thereupon and after that to meditate on what he had read and being much taken with the Spirituality and Judiciousness of Calvins expositions he made the greatest use of him to help him in the understanding of the Scriptures After he had thus finished his private exercise of Prayer and Meditation on the word he had read His morning exercises in the Family he was wont to call together his family and communicate unto them what he had learned from his own meditation and the expositions of godly Divines on the word that he had read and what ever his worldly occasions had been he would scarce ever omit this exercise with his family but every morning would open some portion of the Scripture to them and give them some holy exhortation from it and this was his practise for 20 or 30 years together Such was his modesty and humility in the managing of this work that although he was of a great Judgment himself of long experience and had a deep insight into the things of God yet he would say he would not take upon him to interpret the meaning of such or such a text but he would acquaint them what he had learned from godly Divines By this constant course of reading and daily perusing the expositions of Divines joyned together with his own Meditation he became a man expert and mighty in the Scriptures So that when he came to speak to his family he would open the Scriptures with much clearness and solidity and the Lord endued him with a wonderful ability to make things plain and familiar to the capacity of the meanest And when he came to make applications of things to those of his own family he would be sure to consider what every ones condition did require those whom he feared to be still in the state of nature he would lay open to them the danger of their condition and what a sad thing it was for them to remain out of Christ and what ever the matter was he had been speaking of his exhortation would be sure always to center in this to press them to look after Christ in whom the Father had laid up all grace and from whom they must expect to receive all grace His exhortations were set on with a wonderful strange authority there was so great a presence of God with him that many besides those of his own family who came occasionally to be in his house will have cause to bless God for him to eternity After he had spent a quarter of an hour or a little more in this way of exhortation he would close up the mornings exercise with prayer in which he would not be long but his prayer was so substantial that he would comprehend the whole of Religion and as it were a body of Divinity in a short Prayer His prayer seemed to be nothing but digested meditation
others that belonged to Gods election that were yet uncalled in in all his exercises in his family his main drift lay that way he would still be speaking somewhat that might make them see their need of Christ and the main thing he would press upon them was that they would labour to get into Christ and to make sure of Christ He was very tender and compassionate to them that were under temtation and distress of Conscience His Compassion toward such who were under temptation several that were under trouble of mind did resort to him and some did abide in his family for a season the better to enjoy the benefit of his prayers and counsells and the Lord was pleased so far to hear his prayers and to bless what he spake to them as they went away with more Peace and satisfaction His own temptations And as he bare a tender respect to others in their temptations so he was not without his own temptations it is true his assurance touching his estate that remained firm and unshaken Once indeed he said in a sickness he had a very strong assault from the Enemy but it was but short the temptation was that he was an Hypocrite and all that he had done was in Hypocrysie hereupon the Lord put it into his heart that suppose it were so yet now he should cast himself upon the grace of God in Christ and immediately the temptation vanished but though he had not many assaults of this kind yet he was not without his other temptations The great temptation that he complained of in his elder years was Infidelity A year or two before his death he complained to a near Relation that he had been troubled with temptations that were very grievous and bitter to him and the temptation was whether there was such a one as Christ or no and whether there had been such actions done by him the next morning after the temptation had been upon him these words were dropped into him I was Crucified for thee I have shed my blood for thee this brake and melted his heart exceedingly that when his temptation was of so grievous a nature that the Lord should so condescend unto him and when he spake of it he spake of it with Tears He had also several other Conflicts insomuch that he once break out into this expression Oh it is hardkeeping up until we come to heaven it is hard fighting Another passage he had to this purpose Before we receive the Crown we must strive and finish our course temptations will arise but blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life He said he had been ten years striving against one corruption and at last the Lord brake the neck of it Another time he said I have been striving against the height of my Spirit these forty years His Afflictions And as he had his inward conflicts so he was seldom without some outward trial or affliction He said it was one of his exercises every morning to expect what God might try him with in the day either afflictions or temptations and he had another passage to the same purpose I thought I had undergone many trials so that now I might hope to be quiet but still the Lord provided some new In a Letter of his to a near Relation he said that his life it was made up of mixtures of incouragements and difficulties In the same letter he adds I do think it may be much conducing to the glory of God and to our advantage if we still expect such mixtures knowing that we are thereunto appointed and that so we may in every days success intreat the Lord for grace suitable to our infirmities and necessities whereas if we should limit the almighty to have our wills satisfied we may displease him and create crosses to our selves And as he was seldom without some exercise of affliction or other The benefit he had by affliction so his afflictions were of singular use to him he said when ever he was out of the way the Lord shewed him clearly that he was so and that this or that was not right and usually he did it by affliction and this was one of his experiences which was remarkable he said he never had any Chastisement in all his life but the Lord had shewed him some miscarriage by it His afflictions made him pray much and that was his constant course when any great trial or affliction befell him to set a part some time to seek God in an extraordinary manner His great prayer when he was under affliction was that he might be made partaker of Gods Holiness by it When his family had been visited with the smal-pox he said he had been mightily stirred up to pray that this Visitation might end in the Reformation of the family and that they might set to the work of God with all their might and this was usually the fruit of all his afflictions to quicken him to more activity in the ways of God When one of his relations had been sick he wrote thus to him Truly I perceive the Lords mind is to wean us from the world and from self now the Lord accomplish the good pleasure of his will in us to the utmost that we may cleave unto him wholly and fully by the wisdome and strength of the Lord Jesus in us be not dismaid at your afflictions God will turn them to good A few years before his death the Lord was pleased to try him by suffering his house to be on fire this fire happened on a Saturday night about ten of the Clock in the night his family being the most of them in bed and himself asleep Being awakened out of sleep by some that first descried the danger and called upon him to arise for his preservation the first thing that the Lord put into his thoughts was that in the midst of Judgment he would remember Mercy and the Lord was pleased to answer his prayer eminently for only his out-houses were consumed and his dwelling house was preserved which yet was joyning with the other and in an apparent danger but that the providence of God was wonderfully sEen in its preservation many of his friends and neighbours and of the poor people of the town came to his assistance in this time of distress and though all his goods were removed out of the house and those which were poor and necessitous might have taken several things yet such was the love and reverence which the people of the place did generally bear to him and the experience they had of his Charity and readiness to do them good that there was not one that had a heart or an hand to take any thing that was his but all his goods that were carried forth were preserved intire without so much as the loss of any one thing but this did not comfort him so much as that the fire was quenched
of evil Report Nor to the hinderance of mens particular Callings Nor by night or other times suspected Nor for Controversies of Disputations But for the clearing and setting home of truth received in the publick Ministry and in clearing Cases of Conscience arising thereupon or otherwise And in such exhortations admonitious counsels consolations as conduce thereunto or are otherwise necessary In some convenient time of the day for an hour or two at the most and once in a week at the most except in some urgent case In some Family of good report and among persons of good report Each one present having Liberty to speak one by one to begin and end with prayer for a blessing That the Minister of the place or some other approved Minister be defired to be present Then presently to depart each one to his place and duty and to walk sutably that the way of God be not evil spoken of This Paper was enough to satisfie all ingenious and unprejudiced persons and whereas it was feared that these Meetings might have been an occasion for the spreading of Errors the contrary effect was found for by this means the godly of that place where these meetings were held were kept stedfast in the Faith And this arose much from the wisdom which God had endowed Mr. Rome withal for his prudence was such in managing of those meetings as that the time which they spent together in them was taken up for the most part excepting only what time was spent in prayer in discoursing of some main Article of Religion or some Catechetically point And by this means the Christians of that place were so rooted and grounded in the Faith as that they were not so soon shaken by temptations as many others were in others parts of the Nation who had not the principles of Religion so much distilled into them nor rendred so familiar to them To all that which hath been already said The great conjunction of the graces of the Spirit in him this is to be added as that which did most of all commend and set forth the Grace of God in him and towards him He did not only attain an eminency in this or that grace or some few particular Graces but he arrived to a great eminency in every grace so that as there was no grace but it was very visible and might be clearly seen and discerned to be in him so there was not one of these graces but he seemed to excel therein Holy affection and a spiritual fervor in prayer and other acts of worship zeal for the glory of God faith humility meekness patience submission to the will of God heavenly-mindedness charity and compassion to others and the like graces were not only to be found in him as they are more or less to be found in all the Saints but they were elevated to a greater height and brought up to a greater and more peculiar eminency that is commonly found in most Christians and there was such a special eminency in every grace as that it was hard to say which grace it was that he most excelled in Having thus walked with God many years His bringing forth more fruit in his age he kept his integrity to the end and that which was most remarkable in his elder years he seemed to excel himself he did not only retain the lustre of his former graces but he grew more spiritual and was more active and lively in the ways of God he spent more time in Prayer meditation and other holy exercises he was more abundant in holy counsells and exhortations And this was one of his speeches Since our time is short let us work the faster and watch and pray the more fervently Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments He seemed to mind little else but spiritual concernments grace seemed to have the whole command of him Being asked by one of his Relations that whereas in his younger years he seemed to be more inclined to passion and perturbation and was sooner moved when those that were under him had not given him due observance and done things according to his mind and expectation how it came to pass that now in his elder years he was more meek and patient and seemed to be little moved at any thing he answered it was not because he found not the same things in his nature still and that he found himself more inclined to passion then before but that the grace of God had now overcome and overpowred him and reduced him to the temper that he was in He had a long and a constant remembrance of his change before it came His expectation and longing after his change And herein he was most like the antient saints he accounted himself but a Pilgrim and Stranger upon Earth Several years before his death there was scarce a Letter that he wrote to some of his nearest Relations but he expressed the sense he had of his approaching change In one of his Letters he expressed himself thus our time of departure hence draweth neer Oh pray for us as we desire to do for you that we may be found blameless at that day In another letter after he had been sick he said Pray for me that I may not be taken hence unready nor yet my life be longer desired then all Gods work in me and by me be done A year or two before his death he rejoyced much to think that so much of his race was run and expressed himself to this purpose that he would not for a great deal be set back and have those years to live again that he had already passed over Some five or six weeks before his last sickness whereof he died he thus expressed himself I am old as Isaack said and know not the day of my death pray for me that I may be faithful to the death About the begining of December 1659. he fell sick of a lingring distemper His last Sickness which continued upon him for the space of ten weeks before the Lord was pleased to put a period to his race In the beginning of his sickness he had some intimation from the Lord concerning his change The Intimation he had concerning his change and as there was no eminent thing that befell him in his course but he had usually some hint before from the Lord concerning it So the Lord the better to prepare him for it had fastned the impression of his change upon him before it came When the Minister of the place where he lived came to visit him and said he hoped he might recover he replied he knew not how God might deal with him but he had received the sentence of death in himself A little after the beginning of his sickness he wrote to some of his near Relations Beloved in the Lord I am yet thorough mercy alive and continue sick my God dealeth bountifully with me who do acknowledge from my heart that I am a chief of sinners