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
the only Heirs together of the Grace of Life and all 1 Pet. 3. 7. such as believe in him though they were dead yet shall they live nay John 11. 25 26. they shall never die and if they shall never die they shall ever speak for Life is the Principle of Speech I shall not need to tell you how great things have been done this way by Art if we might believe what is said in History of Mnemons Statue recorded by Mnemonis Saxea Effigies vocalem sonum reddit Tacitus It is sufficient what we receive here from the Divine Oracles of the Word Abel here though dead so many hundred years ago yet his Faith makes him a speaking Doctor to the Church even to this day Learn by his Example how to make all your Persons Duties and Services acceptable to God even by mixing them with Faith in the Blood of Christ 1. Your Prayers will never prevail at the Throne of Grace if you do Mat. 21. 22. not ask in Faith 2. You cannot profit by the Word preached except you mix it with Heb. 4.2 Faith in your hearts 3. The Sacramen is received without 2 Cor. 13. 5. Faith are unfruitful Cyprian was used to call upon those that went to the Lords Table Non parare fauces sed fidem Not to sharpen their Teeth but to quicken their Faith Vse 1. It serves to shew forth the miserable state of all such who live after the flesh and not by the Faith of the Son of God such indeed are dead whilst they live and are detestable when dead they live undesired and die unlamented and as their sensual Gen. 16.4 lives did bespeak them bruitish so their death shall be abominable and their Psal 9. 6. memorial perish with them as that of the Beasts and as their life was not worth a prayer so their death shall not be worthy of a tear As was said of Jehoiakim None shall take up a lamentation for them saying Ah my Brother or ah Jer. 22. 18 19. my Sister ah Lord or ah his Glory but they shall be buried with the burial of an Ass and if there be any mention at all made of them it is in contempt and detestation Lo this is the man now the Monster to be pointed at once so Psal 52.4 mighty now so miserable that made not God his strength but trusted in the v. 7. abundance of his riches and strengthened himself in his wickedness Oh! that such would consider this who are sensual in their lives and who feast themselves without fear and make it their main care to cater for their carkasses or to lay up for themselves treasures upon the Earth and to build stately Tombs to be a memorial of them when they are dead Alas these Sepulchres will be opened and your rottenness will be discovered before God Angels and Men not so much by the shew of your Countenances as by the light of your Consciences the guilt of which you will be no more able to abide or avoid than Cain was the Cry of his brothers Gen. 4.10 14. blood 2. As you desire to leave a renowned Fame behind you in the places where you live and a sweet perfume to your Names when you die live much by Faith in this life The Lord reckoneth of our life by our belief and so much we are said to live to God as we believe in Christ and no more when we relie upon him in the use of lawful means or in the want of Creature-comforts Hab. 3.17 Oh! that the blind and bruitish world were convinced once of the truth of this who are apt to think that they live by their Lands and by their Labours in their lawful Callings and will trust God no further than they have his present pawn Oh! that the profane and unclean crew who live as they list after their own wills and ways and works in the lusts of the flesh and in the pleasures of sin would but be perswaded that they are dead even whiles they live as the prodigal and her that lived in pleasure Luke 15. 24. are said to be The debauched Adulterer and your swinish swiller are deceived by Satan to believe they have the finest life of it because they know no better Were you but once brought over to Jesus Christ by believing you would never desire to turn again to your former vomit Ah How could you be without these bitter sweets that have a sting in the tail of them You that live by your wits and make no conscience of cozening and deceit in your Calling in your buying and selling lending or borrowing alas if you were once acquainted what it is to live by Faith how contentedly would you acquiesce under Gods providential dispensations without murmuring or seeking after unlawful means A Believer will live upon God when he hath nothing else to subsist by and believe him upon his bare word of promise without sight of present provision If there be but a little Meal in the Barrel and a little Oyl in the Cruise when he hath only the gleaning of the Vintage here and there a Cluster upon the upeprmost boughs or branches nay when the Figtree blossometh not nor the Vine doth not yield her fruit and the labour of the Olive fail c. For this Abraham was honoured with God and Man he for this cause was called The Father of the Faithful The Gen. 23. Hittites counted him a Prince of God and Jacob likewise was one that had princely power with God and our Saviour Mat. 8. 10. not only admires and wonders at but even commends the Faith of the Centurion and that of the Woman oâ— Canaan Mat. 15. 28. Oh woman Great is thy Faith These and many more that 's mentioned in the Gospel and in particular in thiâ— Chapter whence I take my Text lesâ— a good report behind them in that they lived by Faith Faith is as a sweet savour that refresheth the Soul in which it is seated more than Musk or Civet do the senses amidst the stench of evil courses and companies It is as a sweet smell to such as live by it in the midst of walking dunghils it chears up the mind in the midst of discouragements and clears the Conscience and comforts it and makes men as merry as the Martyrs were under their Bonds it even fatteneth the bones Upon this account Demetrius had a good report of all men and of the Prov. 15. 30. 3 Joh. 12. Truth it self Fabrianus the Martyr said first bitter and then sweet first battel and then victory every drop of my blood shall preach Christ and set forth his praise I know saith Mr. Bilny by Sense and Philosophy That Fire is hot and burning is painful but by Faith that it shall only waste the stubble of my body and purge my Spirit of its corruption One seeing a weak woman go chearfully to prison said Oh you have never
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A PEARL IN AN Oyster-shel OR Pretious Treasure put in perishing Vessels The Sum or Substance of two Sermons Preached at Withall-Chappel in Worcestershire Wherein is set forth the Mightiness of the Gospel the meanness of its ministration Together with a Character of Mr. Thomas Hall His Holy LIFE and DEATH By Richard Moore a willing though a most unworthy Servant of God in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ London Printed by A. M. for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns near Mercers-Chappel in Cheapside 1675. To my much-honoured Friend Thomas Jolly Esquire High-Sheriff for the County of Stafford Justice of the Peace for Worcester-shire and Captain of the Train-band in the same Worthy Sir THE Dedication of Books to Persons of Integrity Authority hath been of antient account in the Church of Christ Saint Luke had his Theophilus a man of Luke 1. Acts 1. power and preheminence whose Name he prescribeth to his Books of the New Testament Indeed few such Stars have remained fixed in the Churches Firmament Piety being often overborn by State-policy too many are of Gallio's mind they care not to intermeddle with these things or as the King of Navar said They will go no further in this Sea than they can come safe to Land Hence not many Wise not 1 Cor. 1. 26. Mr. Bolton many Noble are called And some great by Birth and Noble by Blood are a notorious blemish to an honourable House Like Sepulchers they are painted without Tacitus l. 1. c. 10. yet have putrefaction within or like the Apothecaries Pills are gilded Nobilitas Heroica est Eminentia quaedam notabilis c. per quam homo fit per adoptionem Filius Dei Sponsa Christi Templum Spiritus Sancti Gres Tract de Nobil Joh. 1.33 Mr. Bolton in his Sermon of this Subject p. 214 on the outside but have poyson within Intus Nero foris Cato Loquitur hic ut Piso vivit ut Galonius That is ever the best in this kind when God is the top of the kin Religion the Root the holy Scriptures the Rule when the person is made by Adoption the Son of God the Spouse of Christ the Temple of the Holy Ghost this is that Heroica Nobilitas without which all other is little worth It is not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of Man but of God Hence it was that Beatus Laudovicus would be called Lodovicus de Pisciato rather than to take greater Titles to himself Why there he became a Christian and for this cause the Bereans are said to be more Noble than the Men of Thessalonica better born more Gentlemen more Noble by birth or blood this was not by Act. 17.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generosiores Beza reason of Naturals or Morals but for their spiritual Regeneration readiness to receive the Gospel and their searchings into the Scriptures daily Now Noble Sir the Kings Majesty hath conferred a double Honour upon you in making you his High Sheriff of his Counties of Worcester Stafford for two years together It put me in mind of what was said concerning Mordecai What shall be done to the man that the King Hesth 6.6 delighteth to honour Since therefore Promotion comes not by Purchase but by Psal 75.6 Providence and all Dignity conferred by God calls for Duty from Man Go on Sir to do worthily in Euphratah and be famous in Bethlehem like a true plant of Renown growing in the Ruth 4.11 Churche's Garden and gathering strength by being incorporated into this Body and by receiving nourishment from the true Root walking in the fear of God growing in favour with your Prince and getting further friendship with his People by your readiness to do good and by being rich in good works willing to communicate thereby laying up for your self a good 1 Tim. 6. 18. foundation for time to come And in a word improve your power against Impostors who go about to impugn and oppose the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures Antisthenes the Philosopher was wont to say that a man should lay up such provisions as in a shipwrack might swim Plut. out with him such Treasures as may pass and be current in another world and will follow a man thither So treasure up the Word of God containing precepts promises and prohibitions in the table of your heart that you may with that good Housholder bring forth out of your treasury things new and old And this was one end I proposed to Mat. 13. 52 my self in the Dedication of these my mean first-fruits to you which come abroad not so much by a voluntary choice as by a kind of necessity to midwife I may so speak a poor Embrion that otherwise would have lien as dead in its Mothers womb As also to stir up your pure mind to a serious search and enquiry into the Holy Scriptures which are the invariable Canon of Truth the Cubit of the Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irenaeus the wise mans Star to lead to Christ Basil saith the Bible is a Physitians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanasius In the life of Basil Shop of Preservatives against poysonous Heresies a patern of profitable Laws against rebellious Spirits a Treasure of costly Jewels against beggarly Elements and a Fountain of most pure water springing up unto Everlasting Life Men of Noblest Birth and Royal Blood recorded in History Sacred or Civil have highly prized the Word and preferred it before their outward Priviledges and Possessions King David counted it more to be desired than refined Gold and Honey Psal 19. 10 Psal 119. 72. Job 23. 12 from the Honey-Comb Job the greatest man of the East esteemed it more than his daily Bread and bodily Food Our King Edward the Sixth when he was Crowned they put three Swords into his Hand he said there was one yet wanting the Word of God the Sword of the Spirit Charles the Great was said to set his Crown upon the Bible Theodosius the Elder to write the New Testament with his own hand which he counted a choice Jewel Theodosius the Younger learned much of the Scripture by heart as also the Lord Thomas Cromwel did Queen Elizabeth of blessed Memory kissed the Bible presented to her and laid Speeds Chron. c. 24. p. 838. it to her breasts and said it had ever been her delight shew would frame her Government according to it The Lady Jane Grey in her Letter that she left her Sister Katharine saith of the Greek Testament this is a Book which though it be not garnished with Gold yet it was See her Letter Acts and Monum in wardly more pretious than Rubies It is the Law of the Lord the Testament left to us wretches which will lead you in the paths of eternal Life c. Time would fail me if I should go about to shew you what account the Fathers Confessors and Martyrs of
sate up late for he had this happiness above many other men as he said he found himself best when he was most strongly employed his Work was to him instead of Physick and he chose rather to spend himself in Labour than to consume with rust and sickness See more in his following Life ABEL REDIVIVVS OR THE DEAD SPEAKER The Substance of an Anniversary SERMON Preached at Withall April 26. 1674. Whereunto is annexed certain dying Speeches of many Modern DIVINES especially of Mr. THOMAS HALL late Pastor of Kings-Norton HEB. 11. 4. And by it he being Dead yet speaketh LONDON Printed by A. M. for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns near Mercers-Chappel in Cheapside 1674. To my much esteemed Friend Mr. William Turton of Aulderways in Staffordshire Worthy Sir YOV may wonder at my boldness in presuming to prepose your Name to this popular Sermon and imperfect draught of the Life and Death of Mr. HALL who may seem a stranger to you and indeed I do not remember that I saw your Face since the time that the Lord who sets the bounds of our habitations had cast our Lot together in a pleasant place in a time of Jacob's troubles where we only heard the Voice of Christs Turtle-Dove and had not those dreadful Allarums of War under which other parts of the Kingdom trembled and the very pillars of it tottered That which now encourageth me to this Attempt is that I took notice of your constant attendance upon the Ordinances of Christ and your readiness to sympathize with the sufferings of Sion and the respect you had to the godly Pastors of the Church in particular to the person spoken of in the ensuing Narrative betwixt whom and your self it is said there was a near alliance but doubtless there was an intimate friendship and alose familiarity contracted the remembrance of which I hope still liveth in your heart happily no less than Jonathans did in the breast of Davids or Basils in Nazianzens As therefore Epaminondas defended the body of his fast Friend Plutarch Pelopidas whom he supposed was slain and saw lying upon a heap of dead men so I supposed you would be ready to defend this poor Piece written concerning your deceased Friend of whom though I have said somewhat yet not the one half that I might Tou would not think me to be partial should I say of him what Nazianzen did of Basil aforesaid Antiqua probitate simplicitateque praeditus eruditis pietate piis erudition is laude antecellens Some that were more eminent for Learning he excelled in Piety and some that were more See Mr. Leys Epistle to his Com. upon 2 Tim. as also Mr. Calamy 's Epistle famous for Piety he excelled in Learning And indeed he was held to be by such as well knew him and were able to judg of mens parts and piety both learned and religious I have no more to say concerning him in this place I only beg your pardon and Patronage together with a share in your prayers that what is said in the ensuing Leaves may find acceptance with God and favour in the eyes of his people And my earnest desire and prayer to God for you is that he who holdeth your soul in life and hath lined it out to or beyond David's span would give you much joy and peace in believing That whilst your Body is descending towards the Common Mother the Earth your Soul may ascend as towards the top of Pisgah to descry the Holy Land that the nearer you come to the pit of corruption the more prepared you may be for that place of perfection and like a Tree planted in the Courts of Gods House you may bring forth Fruit even in old Age This I say Sir shall be the prayer of Your Servant in our dearest Saviour and Redeemer Richard Moore SERMON III. HEB. 11. 4. And by it he being dead yet speaketh IN the former Chapter the Apostle presseth the Hebrews to perseverance in the Faith and here in this by a Digression he demonstrates the nature of this Grace from the Effects 1. You have the Mysteries that it contains 2. The Histories that hold it forth 1. The effects that declare the Properties of Faith are three 1. It begets a sure and certain Hope of the accomplishment of Gods Promises v. 1. 1. In the substance of them though the thing promised have no present existence or being yet Faith makes them obvious and evident to the Believer for it is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ground or confidence by putting that which is hoped for as if we had it in hand and things invisible for such as are conceived by sense 2. The Effect of Faith is drawn from a demonstration of the Elders that by it received an excellent Testimonial that they pleased God and were blessed partakers of the benefits of the v. 2. Messias only by believing 3. A third Fruit of Faith is that by it we understand things incredible to Reason as the Creation of the World which v. 3. was formed and fashioned by the Word of God without appearance of a pre-existing matter yet hereby having respect to Gods Omnipotency we believe it that so it was And this is instanced and exemplified in the following Cloud of Witnesses 1. Of such as lived before 2. In such as were after the Floud The first sort of Witnesses were Enoch Noah and Abel here in my Text v. 5.7 who was the Proto-Martyr of the world as Cain was the first Murtherer Adam indeed slew all his Posterity in a spiritual sense but Cain his Brother bodily and bloodily And as Adam the common Parent of mankind was deceived in the Fruit of Paradise So here he and especially Eve was in the Fruit of Gen. 4. 1. c. 3. 15. the Promise For though the name Cain signifieth a Possession and notwithstanding he built a City yet was he of the wicked One and was no Heir of that City whose Builder and Maker was God And his Mother sensible of the deception in Gen. 4. 2. the First-born when she brought forth the second Son gave him a name suitable hereunto for the Word Abel written with the Letter Aleph imports mourning but with He Vanity one Josephus Antiq. b. 1. c. 2. humbled in mind and holding such Possessions Vanity Here then you have two Men the only Heirs of the World offering Sacrifice to God with different Success For 1. Abel's Offering was more acceptable than Cain's 2. The Cause of this not in respect of Sacrifice it self or the matter of it for the Fruit of the ground might have pleased God as well as the Firstlings of the Flock but it was Faith that made the difference 1. God had respect to Abels person justified by Faith and so to his performance Gen. 4. 4. and to his Sacrifice as a Fruit of his Faith testifying of his Gifts by Levit. 9. 24. some token of his favour
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