comfortable Evidences he had of his salvation he answered He had nothing to rely upon but Jesus Christ and he knew no Religion but sincerity 14. He was a great honourer of Godly Ministers he carried them in his bosome of all men in the world they sate next his heart he did hug them in his dearest Embraces I must tell you he was their Sanctuary in Evill Times How oft hath he interposed between them and dangers when sinfull Greatnesse did frown upon them this great man would shew himselfe upon the stage for them When Mr. Pierson was questioned before the Bishop Sir Robert Harley was not afraid to appear constantly in his defence I could tell you that he felt the frowns and displeasures of a near Relation rather than he would desert that Servant of Jesus Christ When Dr. Stoughton and Mr. Workman were in trouble Sir Robert Harley accompanied them to the High Commission which made the Archbishop dart frowns upon him 15. He was also a Magistrate and herein I must tell you he was animated with a most nimble Soul of Zeale against Sin He was full of spirits against all dishonours done to God he was a Terrour to Evill works he knew no Respect of Persons in a businesse wherein God was wronged among other things how would he Vindicate the Sabbath from tempt Prophannesse durst not appear upon the face of it by this means the Congregations were frequented on the Lords dayes and many thousand soules prevented from their sinfull sports sate under the droppings of the word 16. He paid a dear devotion of love to the Lords day that Pearle of the week when the licentious sinfulnesse of times cryed it down how often have I heard him plead it up with Excellency of Arguments And in his own Practice he rose alwayes Earlier upon the Lords day and dayes of Humiliation even to the times of his extream weaknesse He rejoyced still when the Sabbath came and was usually more chearfull that day than others even in his sicknesse He wept much when his servants suffered him to sleep on the Lords day later than he used although he had not rested all that night 17. He was one that did Swim deep in the Tide of Fasting and Humiliation I have seldome seen an heart broken upon such a day as his was wont to be He was one that did stand in the Gap that did sigh and cry for the Abominations done in the Land and for it God set a mark upon his forehead Though his Castle was ruined yet God set a Mark upon him when the naked Sword that Messenger of death walkt the Land and lookt keen upon you And God set his seal of safety upon his dear Lady That Noble Lady and Phaenix of Women dyed in Peace though surrounded with Drums and noyse of War yet she took her leave in Peace The sword had no force against her as long as God preserved her he preserved the Place where she was And the man cloath'd with linnen set a Mark also upon the forehead of his Children for when they with the Castle were surrendred up God made their Enemies to treat them gently he had his Jewells sent safely to him by the hand of Providence 18. He was I know not how oft chosen by his Country to the High Senate and Court of Parliament and there that I may speak within my knowledge He was a bright and glorious Star in that shining Constellation as some Stars are more Excellent than others so was he there He was a Man of fixed Principles Religion and solid Reformation was all the white he shot at He appeared all along for a Setled Ministery and the liberall Maintenance thereof He procured the Ordinance for setling the Ministers at Hereford His Compasse without Trepidation or Variation stood Constantly Right to that Pole the Good of his Country and Gospell which he kept ever in his Eye And though his losse were Vast in those Destroying times yet he labour'd not for Recompence of his private losses nor receiv'd any in the world He was very Zealous against Superstition and Heresie and for Church Government when one of the Parliament said to him Sir Robert Harley why are you thus Earnest for Presbytery you see it is so opposed that it is in vain to seek to settle it he Replyed Let us so much rather be Earnest for it though we gain it by Inches what we obtain now with much difficulty and opposition shall be of use one day when there shall not be heard so much as the sound of a Hammer 19. He could when he was put to it live by Faith In the Wars when the stream of his Estate which should have maintain'd and watred him and his Family was diverted wholly from them he would say often Dear Children it may be God will bring us to want Bread some say it is base to live from hand to mouth but I am of another mind I finde it the best way of living and which was an high Expression Who can be afraid of Gods Providence welcome what the Lord sends if it go well with the Church it is no matter 20. His soul was Paved with humble submission to God in hardest dispensations When after the Wars he return'd into the Country and came to see with what face Brampton look't he rode toward his Castle Gate and seeing the Ruines put off his hat and said God hath brought Great Desolation upon this Place since I saw it I desire to say The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken and blessed be the name of the Lord in his good time he will raise it up again when his House is built God I trust will build mine and observe that he took Care to build this House or Place of worship and let his own lie buried stil in its Woefull Ruines You have had the faire and sumptuous Prospect of his Life which stood alost like a beautious City upon an Hill Let us now follow him to his Sicknesse which you know confined him some years to his Chamber And here I see the seaven stars or seaven Celestiall signes appear in the night of his Sicknesse First The greatest trouble of his sicknesse to him was that it disabled him from Enjoying the Publick Ordinances He dearly loved the solemn Assemblies one day in Gods Court was better to him than a thousand The want of the Publick Ordinances was the sicknesse of his sicknesse Secondly His divine employment Most of his time both day and night whilst he was detained in his Chamber was spent in hearing some good Book or the Scriptures read to him he used very often to hear the 17 Chapter of St. John and the 8 to the Romans read to him and those two Golden Texts in the 8 to the Romans All things work together for Good to them that love God and He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—â— Ethic. l. 1. c. 8. He that sleeps is doing nothing 't is the Privation or Parenthesis of action and yet oh the misery the living part of our life is in most of us but a spiritual Sleep of Carelesnesse and Security He that is not upon action sleeps while he is awake § 8. Onely the gracious man doth enlarge his life he enjoyes a double life He that spins a Gracious life draws out a double threed He lives twice r Ampliat atatis spatium sibi vir bonus Hoc est vivere bis vitâ posse pâ—ime frui Maâ—t for he joyeth in what is spent and enjoyeth what is present A wicked life past is lost but to live and Review our former part of Life with joyfull Reflections on it is to live Twice § 9. Our work here should be to live above the world Our design in the world should be to live above the world We that are travelling beyond the world should walk above the world Why should we be taken with Riches seeing we shall be taken from Riches and taken with Honours who shall be taken from the Honours of this world § 10. Our Body is but Dirt handsomely temper'd and s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epict. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph artificially formed a little moystned Earth We derive our Pedigree from the dirt and are a kin to Clay The poor and beggerly Elements are our Materials as they are the Seeds of our being so of our dissolution How should this humble us we that are but dust should lye as low as dust in our own eyes What is lower than Earth He that riseth out of the Earth hath no Ground why he should be lifted up What Pride should there be in Mud walls How should we dye dayly for we moulder and dissolve dayly we are no sooner touch'd but we are crack'd § 11. Death is Necessary and In-evitable it waits not our consent we must dye whether we will or no Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required Luke 12. 20. of thee It shall be Required of thee It shall be Required that is t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est poscere a volente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a â—olenâ—e Casaub ad Theophr Châ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fetch'd from thee whether thou wilt or no if thou wilt not deliver it up willingly it shall be taken from thee against thy will Death is an Inflexible Messenger and Resolves not to goe without that it comes for it will not Desire our soul of us but Require it This night thy soul shall be required of thee We will and Require you is the language of them that are in Authority and will not be denied and in this Commanding language speaks The King of Terrours Oh then let us not so much desire to live as study how to dye what a sad thing is it to dye by force When Death shall find us Eager to live and not prepar'd to dye Un-preparation makes our naturall Death a violent death They dye miserably who dye desiring to live § 12. Our great Care u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be not to blast the precedent Flower of our life with a Blot at last not to blemish the fair Copy of a Good conversation with an Erratum in the End There 's many a famous Professour hath gone off the Stage without an approbation because he lost himselfe in his last Act nay which should make us most watchfull when we are drawing towards our Epilogue Glorious Saints many if not the most of them when they grow ancient in Religion they take a nap before they go to Bed The wise Virgins fell a sleep a little before the Bridegroom came Moses when he almost arriv'd at Canaan within the sight of the Land yet for one sin lost it a long Profession makes many secure in the latter End but the stone is swiftest in motion when 't is nearest the center O Sir Our Last should be our Best and the sweetest at the bottome the farther your day goes on watch the more Men are more prone to drop asleep in the afternoon and let me tell you 'T is not Outward temptations that overcome us but Our own corruptions not the most tempestuous temptations but our superficiall Professions ah then let us build firme aud lay our superstructure upon an unmoveable Foundation Godlinesse is the Great house that we are building now some build as Christ saith upon the sand and that House falleth others build upon a Rock and that House standeth Mat. 7. 24 to 28. 'T is not the strength of Temptations but the vanity of the builders that causeth the fal of the House 'T is x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostomes Observation You see saith he 't is not the Force of Temptations but the Folly of the Builders that brings the Ruine for There is Rain and Here is Rain There are flouds and Here are flouds There the winds blow and Here the winds beat too the one builds and the other builds The Building is the same and the temptations are the same but there is not the Same End because there is not the Same Foundation so that 't is not the Nature of the Temptations but the Imprudence of the Builders that causeth the Ruine Sir Whilst I am writing these things Our Glasse is running Your Time and mine flieth faster then my Pen We had need improve That Highly which is posting from us so Swiftly Our dayes are shorter then a Post Lord what Hast then do they make a Post is engaged to ride hard and sometimes he rides upon pain of Death with a Halter about his neck So doe we though the vain Sons of Men think not so Every step we take is upon Pain of Eternall Death if either we loyter or betray our Trust Negligence or Unfaithfulnesse will be our Halter Souls are choyce ware Eternity a dreadfull Abysse and God will not be Trifled with oh then let not us sit still whilst time is running no time is ours but what is present and that is past as soon as t is present Therefore to Jesus Christ I commend you with Him I leave you through him desiring All spirituall blessings in heavenly Places upon you So Prays He who is Clun Decemb. 22. 1657. SIR Your most Obliged Kinsman and most Humble Servant THO. FROYSELL THE Beloved Disciple DAN 9. 22 23. O Daniel I am now come forth to give thee Skill and Vnderstanding at the beginning of thy Supplications the commandement came forth and I am come to shew thee For thou art Greatly beloved WE have march'd all this day in Sable Posture I pray we may all walk in white one day with Jesus Christ This present Scene of sorrow becomes us As the Aire receives severall Impressions from the superiour bodies she looks lightsome when the Heavens shine and sad again when they look black again upon her so when the Celestiall providence shall
Christ loved marvellously he was the Delight of Jesus Christ his Benjamin therefore he is called the Disciple whom Christ loved and as Christ loved him above others so he loved Christ more than others did for he stood by the Crosse when all the other left him and fled away for fear And now having given light of Explanation to the poynt I am next to make proof of it First In Isa 41. 8. God speaks with high and honourable Respects of Abraham Abraham my Friend a huge Favour and Princely title from Gods mouth But are not all the Saints the friends of God yes but Abraham was his friend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of eminency God admitted him into nearer Communion he lay deeper in Gods bosome than others did All the holy Saints of God are his friends and dear ones but Abraham was as it were the crown and cream of all his friends and therefore saith he Abraham my friend 'T is observed by some that among the Jewes their King had one whom he loved and conversed with above the rest and him they called the Kings friend The King had more friends than one all that 1 Kings 16. 11. were of his Council and his Officers were called his friends because he committed his great affaires to their hands steared all his designs by their advice yet among them all the King had some one Courtier called the Kings friend by a specialty as Hushai is called 2 Sam. 15. 37. Davids friend 't is said of Solomon that Zabud the son of Nathan was his Principall Officer and the Kings Friend that is his singular 1 Kings 4. 5. and darling friend that had the quintessence of the Kings friendship the Cabinet of his most retired communications and in this sence is Abraham stiled the friend of God God carried his heart upon his lips to Abraham Shall I hide from Abraham that thing Gen. 18. 17. which I doe Abraham was Of Gods Privy Councell all wâ—re not and all are not surely then God bears more Respects to some Saints than he doth to others Secondly God associates himselfe more familiarly with some Saints than with others which is a signe of more entire love Thus he did with Moses And there arose Deut. 34. 10. not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face And when Aaron and Miriam swelling with Envy burst out into mutiny against Moses see how God doth interpose for him and highly magnifie him And he said hear now my words if there be a Numb 12. 6 7 8. Prophet among you I the Lord will make my selfe known unto him in a Vision and will speak unto him in a Dream My servant Moses is not so who is faithfull in all mine house with him will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses They eclipse and diminish Moses God advanceth him They equall themselves to Moses God prefers him to them Their Plea was that God had spoken by them as well as by Moses Gods Reply is that he had in a more affectionate and sociable correspondence spoken to Moses than to them with him will I speak mouth to mouth God spake to the best of them but either in a Dream or Vision but to Moses he spake with more lively Representation The similitude of the Lord shall he behold God would have them know that he puts a great difference between them and Moses he professeth that he hath and will shew more respects to Moses than to them Chytraeus saith 't is very likely and probable that the Son of God did with the same face and form of humane nature which he afterward assumed shew himselfe friendly and familiarly to Moses and our first Parents and to that speech wherein 't was said that there arose not a Prophet since in Israel Deut. 34. 10. like unto Moses some observe that Moses surpassed all the other Prophets not onely in sublimity of Prophecies but also in Excellency and number of Miracles for Moses within one age onely wrought seventy six Miracles when the rest from the beginning of the world quite down to the ruine of the first Temple wrought onely seventy four as Manasseh Ben Israel reckons them besides Moses they say had one hundred and seventy three conferences with God which none of the Prophets had Thirdly God Preferres some Saints above others Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job Ezek. 14. 14. were in it they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousnesse saith the Lord God and again Though Moses Samuel stood before Jer. 15. 1. me yet my mind could not be toward this People Now the Lord doth instance in these as those that could doe more with him than any others and upon whom his heart was set upon above others as if he should say though my dearest friends that sit at the stern of my heart and could move me which way they please should come and Plead yet I would not yeeld as if God had said if any could perswade me they were the men that should doe it Fourthly God doth Glory in some Saints and servants more than others Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none Job 1. 8. like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill 1. Hast thou considered my servant Job it is saith one as if you should say to a man come down from the City into the Country were you at Court did you see the King because he is the most Eminent and considerable Person so doth God speak here of Job 2. Again My Servant Job when God saith My Servant he doth as it were glory in his Servant God speaks of him as a man doth of that which he glorieth in As the Saints glory in God when they say My God and My Christ this is a kind of glorying and triumphing in God so this Expression of God carryeth such a sence in it My Servant Job as if it were his honour to have such a servant one that I am proud of 3. But God hath not done yet glorying in Job he adds another grain That ther 's none like him in the Earth God speaks not this high Praise of Job in Reference to the wicked as if none of them were like him that 's too low but in Reference to all the Saints that were then upon the Earth among those there was not such a man as Job none of them all like him they were not equall to him in this or that or the other Grace Job was a man above them all thus God glorieth in him I say God doth glory in some Saints more than in others Fifthly God shews some Saints Extraordinary favours He Exempts them from the common condition of all the Saints they
things He would repeat often saying He knew no such Cordialls Thirdly His Victory over Sathan It pleased God about two years since to permit Satan to buffet him severall times once he lay all night and slept not and he was heard to say often Lord rebuke the Tempter Lord give Victory Lord be Gracious with these Expressions he spent five or six hours in the morning he spake very chearfully and said he would be laid to sleep and having taken quiet Rest he awaked and said that all the sins of his life had been laid before him that night and those things he said that he had long forgotten he then Remembred He said the Tempter had been very busie but blessed be God I did not sleep untill I had made my peace with God through Jesus Christ Then he chearfully said a little while after God may let Satan buffet us for a time but he shall never prevaile after this his chearfulnesse continued without interruption Fourthly His willingnesse to die He was wont to say Many wish to live over their lives againe that they might mend what had been amisse I would not be to live over my life again least I should make it worse I would not for all the world be young again because I would not be so far from Heaven And he would say to his Children when he had them about him I have taught you how to live and I hope I shall teach you how to die Fifthly His patience under his sharp sufferings His disease was Stone and Palsie and they that know these must look for Tortures yet in his sharpest Pains and Torments he would mollifie them with this consideration That is Best which God cloth He would often say The will of the Lord be done above all and in all for that is best of all and he would support himselfe under his sharp pains with this Meditation Heaven will make amends for all and sometimes when asked how he did he would answer Poor but going to Heaven as fast as I can his lips like an honey combe would drop such sweet Expressions as these If the Lord see it best for me that the stone in the Bladder should be the way to bring me to Heaven his will be done It is better to die of the stone in the Bladder than of the stone in the heart Thus if you observe he fed his Patience under the divine hand with divine arguments That place of Scripture I Cor. 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able He did often mention with joy saying it was the first place whereby God gave him Comfort and some few days before his death when he was in much pain he said Blessed be God who brings this place with comfort to me whereby I had received first joy and so repeated those words There is no Temptation c. adding further Blessed be God Blessed be what comes in the the name of the Lord Lord be gracious Thus you see his Admirable Patience Sixthly His love to the Glory of God and the Church of God To joy under great afflictions is a hard matter water quencheth fire yet his joy in that which concern'd God his affliction could not extinguish he was wont to pray constantly since the ruines and desolations of Brampton that God would restore the Gospel hither and two days before his death he rejoyced exceedingly when he was told that this Place of Publick worship was finished About three days before his Death when he arose and went to prayer as he constantly used to do though not able to Enlarge in Prayer because of weaknesse he Prayed for the Ruine of Antichrist for the Churcher of God beyond Sea naming Savoy Switzerland Germany Upon the Fifth of November though very weak and under great pains yet he blessed God for the Great mercy of that Day to the Church and the Nation and to himself who was of the Parliament when the Powder Plot was intended for the many Mercies God had vouchsafed him to see since that time in the Church and in his own Family for his Lady the mother of his children who he said was gon to Heaven before him and for his Childrens Children and for his Hearing which being lost God restored him perfectly Thus the day before he dyed he kept A day of Thanksgiving to God for all his former mercies oh what spiritual and Angelical Elevation of heart was this his soul was Musical like the Swan he sang before his death which leads me to another Branch Seventhly his faith assurance a godly Minister speaking to him concerning his dissolution he said what matter is it if my poor cottage be falling here below I am sure of a fair house upon the Top of yonder hill A day or two before his Death the 5 of Job being read to him in course he said he that hath been with me in six troubles will not leave me in the seventh And lastly having like good old Jacob given his blessing to all his Children that were then at home and to his Grandchildren desiring the Lord to blesse and sanctifie them particularly I say having don this about an hour before his death though under Extream Pain he said Blessed be God for this quiet Peace Thus his Peace with God shined like a Candle in his heart till his lamp of life went out with these last words I die Lord be Gracious In the flame of these words his soule like the Angell of God that appeared to Manoah ascended and went up to Heaven Thus this Glorious Saint went up to Glory In the best times there were few or none better in these declining times he hath left almost none like him among us I pray God to double the Spirit of deceased Elijah upon his surviving Elisha The Lord repair the Ruines of this Castle and build up this Great Family for the Glory of his Name in these Parts Before I leave I cannot but tell you how God hath taken Three brave men of late from us The First upon whom the lot fell was Mr. Richard More of Linley the next was Mr. Humphrey Walcot of â—alcot and now it hath fallen upon Renowned Sir Rubert Harley I mention them here together because these Three were the Triangles of our Country and whilst they lived were special friends and of one heart for God in the concernments of his Gopell And now I have done onely to put you in mind a little of your selves you see you are dying creatures oh then Consider your later End The consideration of our last End should be the Exercise of our First thoughts to consider our end would be the end of our sins and the Resurrection of our Repentance Ashes keep fire alive so this consideration that we are Dust and Ashes will keep our Graces alive FINIS