weak yet he was strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and did mightily admire the free Grace of God in Christ in separating him from his Mothers womb calling him by his grace and setting him apart for the work of the Ministry though unworthy of that high and holy Calling so many that walked worthy of their profession and received with the heart the form of Doctrine delivered to them And in his Sickness though sometimes he might be heard to groan yet never to grumble but would always justifie God and condemn himself and soon silence any mutinous and murmuring thoughts that might seem to arise in his heart upon their first sallying forth In the words of the Prophet Shall a man receive good from the hands of the Lord and not evil He counted his sickness and his sufferings light and momentany the glory to come weighty great and so joyous as too big to enter into the soul that the soul must enter into it often mentioning that passage of the Apostle For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh 2 Cor. 4. 17. unto us a far more exceeding weight of glory March 22. 1665 his dear sister Mrs. Eleanor Smith came to visit him and attended upon him to the very day of his death and wrote down in her Book the most remarkable passages that she heard from him Many of which you will have wound up in the ensuing Discourse He said he had done his work meaning that he had run the course of his Ministry and accomplished that last Work of his upon the seventy-first Psalm and now longed for his Dissolution Psal 71. and to rest with his dear Lord Jesus And though he rejoiced much that he had compleated his former Works yet this was the quintessence of all that he was going to receive his Reward and counted not his life dear unto him since he should shortly see the lovely face of his dear Saviour And as St. Augustine when he meditated of that passage of God to Moses Thou shalt not see my face and live Lord saith he then Tunc moriar ut te videam let me die that I may see thy face So this serious and sincere Servant of Jesus Christ having seen him by the eye of Faith was now ready to sing old Simeons Nunc Dimittis Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace Nothing troubled him so much as that he was going to a place where he was to have so great Wages for so little Work And he not only at the last as it was said to be the Speech of Bellarmine upon his Death-bed Tutissimam est iter ad Coelum per merita Christi but he wholly in his health and sickness relied on Christ for Justification Life and Salvation freely by Faith in his Blood Rom. 3.24 He told Mrs. Smith he much rejoiced at her kind coming to him especially at the hopes he had of her continuance with him to the last which might be a means to free him from all scandals that might be cast upon him by the Papists or Quakers who he knew would spare him no less at his Death than they had done in his life he thought they would not stick to say he died raging an Atheist or a Papist or cast the like Calumnies upon him as they did upon Luther or Calvin But said he being now in perfect memory I do declare I die a sincere Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and do detest from the bottom of my heart all their erroneous Opinions and Practices He said he thought he had been under as much contest with Satan the World and the Flesh as ever any man for his time of which he had left a particular testimony to be printed with his other works This was I conceive his Life written by his own hand which I never had the happiness to see though I much sought after it for the compleating of this his Narrative He often did reflect upon the evil of the times the reigning sins whereby God was dishonoured viz. Profaneness Atheism Idolatry c. were very grievous to him and he took it as a choice Mercy that God would take him out of the world in such a time as this Lord said he what am I that thou shouldst think on me and give me rest in such an evil day He much desiâ—ed to wait upon the Lord without distraction and diffidence knowing that his time was the best but rather if it were the Lords will and pleasure he desired to be out of the body that mortality might be swallowed up of life he would say O Lord how long holy and just why drive the Chariot-wheels on so heavily I long Lord to come unto thee And as he was comfortable in his Sickness so he gave much sweet counsel and encouragement to Ministers and private Christians that came to visit him especially to such as he had begotten to God by his Ministry or had fitted for the service of God in his Church A reverend Doctor coming to see him and speaking comfortable words to him he told him he was going to his rest and hoped the Church of God would have rest and that God would raise up and refresh his faithful Servants in the Ministry and though there might be a sharp storm coming he conceived that it would be but short He advised his Visitants to stand fast in the Faith and not to shrink though a trying time should come he would have them to continue constant to their Christian calling and not to be carried away with the errour of the wicked to forsake their stedfastness but to grow in grace c. prepare for death and judgment A young Minister coming to see him he exhorted him to adorn his Ministry with a holy life which if he did not he might do more harm by his Example than by all the Sermons he should preach He called for the four Youths in the Family under his inspection and gave them wholsome instruction viz. to remember their Creatour in the days of their Eccl. 12.1 youth he warned them to keep Gods watch to abstain from youthful lusts to observe the Lords Day strictly and to be obedient to their Parents which if they did it would be well with them and they should be a blessing to Posterity and bid them remember these were the words of their dying Master and so he blessed them particularly in the Name of the Lord. Ordinarily such of his Parish that came to see him he would caution them not to procrastinate their repentance but to be serious in the matters of God and his Service to break off all delays and to embrace the tenders of grace the motions of the Holy Spirit and set upon the practice of good works and to do nothing that might interrupt the peace of a good conscience which would witness for them or against them testifying that what he had taught them was the Truth of Christ
When some came to see him that he conceived were addicted to scandalous sins he would endeavour their Conviction by pertinent Texts of Scripture as I heard him say to one Remember to take heed of Covetousness and so he would say of other sins telling them that it was the Counsel of their dying Minister I think I shall never forget his valediction and benediction to my self and my dear Brother with his hearty Prayers and Precepts it put me in mind when I saw him in that posture of good old Jacob rearing himself upon his Pillow Gen. 47. 31. or leaning upon a Staff to bless his Children Oh with what gravity and authority did he speak as if he were already in the Suburbs of Heaven When he perceived some to go away sad from him as lamenting his loss he would say I am now going where I shall have rest from Sin and Satan from all fear weariness watching and from all the evils and errors of a wicked world even so said he Come Lord Jesus for I long for thy Coming When his pains grew greater he oft prayed that God would help him to wait upon him without sin He was abundant in praises to God that he was pleased to take him away in that opportunity of time as to the same purpose a little varied he said If God had put a Pen into my hand and had bid me write the time I would die I should have wrote for this before feebleness and disability of old age took hold upon me now my work is done and to die in peace is a great mercy Come Lord said he come away for my desires are wholly for thee and the remembrance of thy Name I am going to keep an everlasting holy day to the Lord a year of Jubilee is at hand and here he fell into such an extasie of joy and such seraphical expressions he spake as were those that the Apostle heard in his rapture which were hardly to be written his Sister said they were 2 Cor. 12. beyond her Pen. He lay after this very meekly under his weakness his body decaying apace April 20. and he said he felt the symptoms of death and then cried when Lord when wilt thou come Having some intermission from pain he affirmed Satan said to him What dost thou think to escape above all others but said he I prayed the Lord to rebuke him and so heard no more of him And when his Physician would have given him hopes that God might restore him to health he would not hear of that but gave him good Counsel and said He loved him much for the grace he saw in him and for his care he had of him and bid him prepare for a storm and keep his integrity for Christ and he would keep him in the hour of temptation He said I bless God I am going to better friends to a better place and better imployment I long to be in it When will it once be Lord not my time but thine After this there came a Neighbour-Minister unto him and said The Church of God would be a great loser by his Death he answered he had done his Work and God had better to raise up in his stead and counted himself happy that he was going to his rest and should see none of the evils that were coming yet was content that God should serve himself upon him and then let him depart in peace as David that served his generation faithfully according Acts 13.36 to the will of God slept with his Fathers Being asked what he thought of the Church of God he answered God was in the midst of her she should not be moved God would keeep her and that right early When a friend asked him how he did he said never better for I am going to God but never worse as to the outward man and his Sister offering him a Cordial he refused it saying Give no more now for it is not fit that I should be feasting my body when I should be continnally in Communion with Christ and waiting with my Lamp ready trimmed God feedeth me with better food than the world can afford me with He begged much that God would take him to keep an everlasting Sabbath with himself I know saith he that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand Job 19. 25 26. at the last day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh Oh let my life be nothing but prayer and praises since God hath dealt so tenderly with me He often comforted himself with the glorious estate he had in hope and that he had a company of Angels round about him to keep and guard him to his Fathers House Come Lord saith he carry me out of this weary house of clay which is so burthensome to me When when wilt thou come Lord He was as full of heavenly comfort as his heart could hold yet not without some intervals of assaults and Satans buffettings for he said Sister Sister Did not I abhor the Mass Oh yes said she let not Satan tell you otherwise for you have prayed and preached and wrote against it and now abhor it to which he answered I do and do abhor it A little after he said God was coming to do wonders by the operation of his Spirit it will be it will be go tell it Now said he I have nothing to do but to die and even whiles he lay with death-pangs upon him he spake this All the joys of this life are 〈…〉 nothing to the joy I have in Jesus Christ He closed up his Life and breathed out his last breath with these words Come Lord Jesus He died April 13. 1665. at 4 of the Clock in the Evening The Names of the Thirteen Books he Printed in his life-time viz. 1. THE Pulpit guarded in quarto 2. The Font guarded 4 to 3. The Schools guarded or a Defence of H. L. 4. The Beauty of Holiness 8 vo 5. A Treatise against long Hair 6. Wisdoms Conquest a Transl of the 13th Book of Ovids Metamorphosis 8 vo 7. Phaetons Folly a Translation of the 2d Book of Ovids Metamorphosis 8 vo 8. Hometius Enervatus or a Treatise against the Millenaries 9. Sal Terrae or a guard to the Ministers and their Maintenance 10. An Exposition by way of Supplement 〈…〉 4 5 6 7 8 9 chapters of the Prophecie of Amos. 11. Samaria's Downfal or a Commentary by way of Supplement on the 5 last verses of Hosea 13. 12. The Beauty of Magistracy in an Exposition of Psalm 82. Wherein is set forth the necessity utility dignity duty and morality of Magistrates 13. A Practical and Polemical Commentary or Exposition upon the 3d 4th Chapters of the Latter Epistle of St Paul to Timothy There is also Treatise a of his against May-poles An Elegy upon the Death of that humble and holy Man of God Mr. Thomas Hall WHat ayl'd pale Death in hast to
rest 1 Cor. 15. 10. yet makes himself equal with others as an Earthen Vessel nay in some sense inferiour the least of Saints the last of Apostles How doth this reprehend the Eph. 3.8 Pride of the Pope who takes to him the most magnificent Titles such as no meer man without the highest blasphemy may arrogate to himself such as that Pastor of the Catholick Church which he blasphemously calleth his own Ceremon b. â— sect 2. 2 Thes 2.3 Bellarm. de Sum. Pont. l. 2. 23. Spouse nay arrogates to himself the Title of God and sets himself above Princes who are petty gods and so proves himself to be the Antichrist and though he pretends his power from Peter yet follows not his Precepts 1 Pet. 5. 3. and assimilates him in nothing except in denying his Master 3. What an excellent patern of humility have we here who are the Pastors of Christ's Flock not to lord it over 1 Pet. 5. 3. them but to allure them by love shewing Tit. 3. 2. meekness to all men and instructing those that oppose themselves to be very 2 Tim. 2. 25. tender of them and apt to compassionate them in their sorrows and sufferings since we are of the like frailty our selves This should make us say with Moses Who am I If there be any Heavenly Treasure in us it is Christs Gift he gave it and let him have the glory of it Not I but the Grace of God which is 1 Cor. 15. 10. in me The more any man beholds the Suns body the less he sees when he looks to the Earth So we beholding the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ should ascribe the excellency of the power to God and not to our Psal 115. 1. selves Non nobis Domine non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam 4. You should not value the Gospel the less vertually but rather have it in the greater veneration because it comes to you in or through Earthen Vessels We are very apt naturally to look at the outward appearance of things or persons and accordingly to prize and prefer them For this St. James taxeth his Hearers who in their Assemblies had respect to him that had on a Gold Ring and gay cloathing So ordinarily Jam. 2. 3. men shew esteem to such things that are gorgeous and glorious in the eye of the world and to such Men such Ministers as shew forth in their Sermons much humane Learning and Eloquence and in the mean time neglect and slight the godly simplicity of the Gospel and such as preach it in the power of the Holy-Ghost This is partiality in the Apostles account Not that I speak against Learning which is an excellent Hand-maid to Divinity but the abuse of it when men darken the Truth through the mists of Philosophical speculations and preach Magis ut Col. 2. 8. St. Aug. Multi propter arborem scientiae amittunt arborem vitae placerent quam docerent to please rather than to profit If men set such a price upon Earthly Treasures digged out of the bowels of the Earth and delivered with dirty hands How much more should you value the Gospel though it come from Instruments that are Earthen Vessels Observe the Exhortation of the Apostle We beseech you Brethren know them 2 Thes 5. 13. that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and have them in singular love for their works sake Though there be no worthiness in the person yet it is a worthy work it is high and honourable divine and heavenly the preparation to it the execution of it is so if you consider 1 Tim. 3. 1 the worth of a precious soul by the price that was payed to purchase it not Gold nor Silver but the pretious Blood of Jesus Christ and the Reward that 1 Pet. 1. 18 18. will be given to such as are Instrumental in the work the saving a soul from death and the hiding a multitude of sins and how mean soever they appear Jam. 5.20 in the Flesh yet hereafter they shall shine as the Stars in the Kingdom of their Father for evermore Dan. 12.3 5. Admire the depth of Divine Wisdom in this That the Lord should make use of our weakness and unworthiness for the manifestation of his mighty Power in bringing sinners from Satans Kingdom and their sinful courses to accept of Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ Well may the Aâ—ostle say Who is sufficient for these 2 Cor. 2. 16. things We are not sufficient of our selves to conceive to perceive what is our Duty what is the Dignity of the 2 Cor. 3.5 Ministry much less the depth of the Mysteries of Salvation we are to dispence Our sufficiency and your proficiency is of God we are poor frail Earthen Pitchers appointed by God to bear this precious Treasure if he blow upon us How soon shall we become broken Pot-sheards Who am I saith meek Moses And who am I 1 Sam. 18. 18. and what is my life saith holy David So who am I and what is my life a breath a bubble a vapor How unworthy to bear a Pitcher a Lamp within the Pitcher To blow the Trumpet Judg. 7. 16 Isa 58 1. To say not as they for the Lord and for Gideon but for the Lord and for Jesus Christ Oh the depth Rom. 11. 33. both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! Here is a depth indeed wherein a man might dwell As Chrysostome discoursing about the Love of God in Christ saith Oh I am like a man digging in a deep Spring I stand here and the water riseth upon me and there and still it riseth upon me We are not of Gods Cabinet Counsel we have not David's Key to open this Secret and it is not safe to be prying into this Ark Mirari Rev. 3. 7. Mallem ignorare sine crimine quam scire cum discrimine Euclidis potius quà m rimari sapientia nostra Let us admire what we cannot understand only this What cannot God do that is not sinful if it please him who makes his Power appear in our weakness and gives you this Treasure in Earthen Vessels Vse 6. Endeavour to do all the good you can by and to receive all the good that is tendered you in the dispensation of the Gospel since your Ministers are frail mortal Creatures Earthen Vessels that will soon be broken It will not be long before a period be put to my preaching your hearing to all our prayers repentance and preparations for death and for judgment there will be no longer pardon tendered or graces to be attained no knowledg no wisdom in the grave whither we Eccl. 9.7 10. are going There will be no Accounts cast up no Counsel given or taken no doing of work but a receiving of wages according to our work done Work John 9. 4. therefore while it is day whiles you have
life and light and health and strength and time and talents before dim eyes and sailing hands and feeble feet and sainting hearts through the infirmities of old age come upon you You are called Labourers and must not loyter Souldiers and must fight sea-faring Men and must hoise up Sails whiles the wind sits Husbandmen and must plow up your fallow ground Stewards and must give an account You have your task set and have played the truants too long already and if you do not hasten you will hardly have done your work before the Lord comes Therefore while it is called to day barden not your hearts Be not like little children that consume their Candle in play and Psal 95.8 Heb. 3.8 sport and are forced to go to bed the dark 7. Now since both the Text and the Time leads me to it I cannot but take notice of two Occurences of Divine Providence that have hapned to the Inhabitants of this Parish and to my self as concerned herein this present Month of April 1. The first was the Lords gracious goodness and the Kings Royal Indulgence in restoring me to my Ministry at this place who wâ—â— before civilly dead and here I have continued a year compleat with the love good liking of my Heâ—â—ers not without the opposition and contradiction of some who are envious at my preaching and cast contumelies upon my person but none of Acts 20. 23 24. these things move me Homo sum nihil haec à me aliena puto Only the fruits of the affliction and the success of my service Oh that I could see more of this that I might not complain of running in vain nor you of dry brests or a miscarrying womb My preaching I well know hath been in much weakness and in fear and trembling 1 Cor. 2.3 For as that grave Father told Libanius the Rhetorician Non Oratorum filii sumus sed Piscatorum we are not the sons of Orators but of Fishermen It is a sufficient excuse to say what you have heard came to you through an Earthen Vessel and therefore pray unto God who made mans mouth the dumb to speak and the blind to see that he would cause this light to shine out of darkness into your hearts that so the excellency of the power may appear to be of God and not of Man 2. The second Occurrence this Month is likewise memorable for the Death of Reverend Mr. Hall some-time a Preacher in this Place but a faithful Pastor in the Parish where he served as he said a double Apprenticeship of whom though I have said something heretofore yet I can never say enough His Life was a Transcript of his Teaching and his Soul was stored with a Treasure of many Divine Graces and Gifts which he hid not in a Napkin or put under a Bushel but expended for the publick good Yet having this Treasure in an Earthen Vessel the Lamp of his Life went out by enlightening others yet without waste for the savour of this Ointment hath yielded a sweet perfume in the CHURCH of GOD. The End of the Second Sermon His CHARACTER HE was a man of middle Stature his Hair blackish which he wore very short scarce to cover his ears his Face pale and somewhat long his Spirit brisk and lively active and able to bear the brunt of business and was seldom or never known to be cast down with discouragements though often menaced and imprisoned by Souldiers and pestered with Sectaries of all sorts His Eyes were sparkling especially when he was intent upon the delivery of matters of worth and weight The cloaths he wore were rather coarse than costly his carriage and behaviour courteous â—nd attractive his temper and constiâ—ution inclined him to choler and he would break out sometimes into passion â—ut would soon recal himself and that â—or the future he might not sin in his â—nger he would resolve to be angry â—or nothing but Sin One thing hath been observed in him he would be over-credulous say some in receiving Reports upon trust without examining the Truth of what was told him especially when it came from such as he had a good opinion of for Godliness which I impute not so much to his weakness as to the sincerity and simple plainness of his own heart his own words being the issues of his upright heart he judged so of other men For his judgment however it was in the matters of the world yet doubtless it was deep in the search and discovery of the Mysteries of the Gospel and of Godliness which he got by frequent Communion with God and walking in his fear all the day long and the secret of the Lord is with such as Psal 25. 14 fear him He could see more in these sacred Riddles by Prayer than by his Learning and much labour in Reading For his Judgment about Discipline he was of the Presbyterian Perswasion and happily he was held too rigid by his Brethren that dissented from him in this and though more more mildness and moderation was desirable especially towards Dissenters who serve the same God and seek jointly to advance the Interest of Jesus Christ in the power and purity of his Ordinances yet doubtless what he did was out of a zeal for the Truth which he took this to be And to my knowledg he I can witness that he gave a Legacy at his death to one who was of a contrary judgment to him in Discipline and Church-Order had a Catholick Charity for all such in whose hearts he perceived the Seed of true Grace to be sown though they differed far from him in Judgment for his love to the Saints was not grounded upon an identity of Opinion but on a sweet suitableness and harmoniousness in Grace and whoever he found to have in him aliquid Christi was the Object of his Love and though he had a hatred towards the sins of all were they never so great in place yet not to their persons which he would pity and pray for and reprove And as he was jealous over this houshold of God with godly jealousie so Prov. 4.23 in particular over his own heart which he kept above all other keepings with much Christian caution well knowing that if the Spring were clear the streams would soon clear themselves and lest the flesh should wax wanton and kick he would keep it down by severe mortification and abstinence giving himself much to private prayer and fasting Indeed he was at all times temperate in the use of the Creature even at Feasts he would feed very sparingly upon a few Dishes and would commonly rise from the Table before others had half-dined But of all other things he was most spare of his time which he esteemed a choice Treasure and the loss of it irreparable and what shreds of it he could scrape together from a double publick imployment he had he spent in writing Books In composing of which he studied very hard
tasted the bitterness of death No saith she nor never shall For Christ bath promised that they that keep his sayings shall never see death A Believer may feel the stroke but not the sting of death Ignatius going to suffer Martyrdom triumphed in this that his blood should be found among the mighty Worthies and that the Lord when he maketh inquisition for blood will recount from the blood of righteous Abel not only to the blood of Zacharias but also to the blood of mean Ignatius It was a sweet saying of holy Mr. Hall in time of his health That the sweet rescent of a well-spent life would be matter of singular comfort at a dying day He would have his Hearers learn to know and know to do do to die and die to live In his sickness he said I am now going where I shall have rest from Sin Satan and from all fear weariness watching and from all the evils and errours of a wicked world for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at Job 19. 26. the last day upon the earth c. Oh let my life be nothing but prayer and praises since God had dealt bountifully with me and even whiles he was breathing out his last breath he spake thus All the joys of this life are nothing nothing to the joys that are in Jesus Christ Come Lord Jesus And though he be now dead yet he speaks to you not by his Words but by his Works by Precept and by President Oh labour to lead his life that you may die his death for if you tread in the footsteps of his Faith though death bring your body to Corruption yet shall it never bring your souls to Condemnation I am now closing up the second year of my Ministry among you And Lord what have I been doing here all this while that so few of this Congregation have been brought from death to life to embrace Christ by Faith and to lead a holy life and to live to him Shall I say with the Prophet I have spent my strength in vain and laboured for a thing of nought I hope better things of you and I am perswaded better of some of you and that I may the better prevail with you to live by Faith Remember who it is that speaketh to you viz. one that is esteemed as dead And will you not credit such a Witness It was the request of Dives to Abraham Luk. 16. 30 31. that dead Lazarus might be sent unto his five Brethren he thought that if one came to them from the dead they would believe and repent Such a sight or report indeed might work upon the fancy but it is the Gospel preached that must work upon the affections For my own part I do believe the Truth of the Gospel upon surer Grounds and upon better Authority than if I had received it from one raised from the dead For such a Testimony if it be only Humane can beget but a humane Faith and should it be more than this we might see cause to question whether it were Divine or Diabolical for even Satan can transform himself into an Angel of Light Therefore be building up your selves daily in your holy Faith by Arguments drawn from the Doctrine of your Salvation that more sure Word of Prophesie and so your Faith will stand not on the Wisdom of Men but on the Power of GOD. 1 Cor. 2. 5 The Life and Death of Mr. Thomas Hall who died April 13. Anno Dom. 1665. THomas Hall was born in St. Andrews in the City of Worcester about July 22. An. Dom. 1610. His Father was Mr. Richard Hall a Cloathier in that City of a competent Estate his Mother was Mrs. Elizabeth Bonner descended of an antient Family but that which truly ennobled her was with the Bereans she Acts 17. 11. diligently searched the Scriptures These two lived together many years God giving them a plentiful Progeny of Sons and Daughters three of which Sons were brought up Scholars and afterwards proved godly Preachers The Mother being to them as an Eunice to Timothy or Monica to Augustine 1 Tim. 2.5 a careful Instructer in their Youth and lived to reap the Fruit of her endeavours in her old age Magnum est Dei beneficium pios nancisci Parentes ac praesertim Matrem qua pene tota filiorum A lapide educatio dependet like another Bathsheba she did bathe them with her Tears and Instructions and with her Prov. 31. 2 warm and melting Supplications This Thomas was first set to the Grammar-School under Mr. Bright and thence sent to the University of Oxford and admitted into Bayliole Colledg whence through the neglect of his Tutor he removed to Pembroke and became Pupil to Dr. Lushington a good Scholar but whose Principles As Plato saith of him were so poysonous that he might have boasted with Protagoras that he had spent many years in corrupting of youth Having taken his Degrees he returned into the Country and for a while preached and taught a private School at the Chappels belonging to Kings-Norton But as yet he was a Foe and no Friend to Gods Truth and People whom he opposed under the notion oâ— Puritans But as it was with St. Augustine who before was vitious in manners and erronious in judgment going to hear the Eloquence of Ambrose was reduced from his Errours so it fared with him being about that time a diligent frequenter of the learned Lectures of sundry Orthodox Divines at Burmingham he had here a sure and safe foundation laid of the true Religion and from that time he favoured the sincere Milk of the Word of God and intirely loved those that were born and begotten unto God thereby Not long after he was called to supply the Cure at Kings-norton under his Brother Mr. John Hall who had it annexed to the Vicarage of Bromsgrove and a while after gave it franckly to him the Free-School was also added to it for his further encouragement for though it were a large Parish yet the great Tyths being impropriate he had but a small Sallary and could scarcely have subsisted had he not embraced a single life for this cause chiefly as he said Yet after God had set a seal to his Ministry this great people were much upon his heart who ever sought Work rather than Wages that he would never be perswaded to leave them though solicited with a promise of far greater preferment and was in the time of War often accused cursed threatned with death plundred many times and five times imprisoned at the least He was a very hard Student though of a cold rheumatick Constitution he would impallescere Chartis even hazard his life to get Learning and the choice Observations he met with in good Authors he inserted into his Common-place Book and by his great industry he acquired a good measure of knowledg in Arts and Sciences especially in Divinity of God and his Word and Works of