a Conscience sprinkled with Christs Blood a Life full of good Works and Almsdeeds will be more comfortable in the review than Lands and Lordships and bags full of Money â—et us be wise in time Let us make to our selves friends of the unrighteous Mammon that when these things fail we may be received into everlasting habitations There be dead at London within twelve Moneths twelve worthy Ministers of the Gospel and Judge Hales that upright Judge that scorned to take a bribe the Honour and oracle of the law is dead also pray that these deaths of righteous men â—resage not evil to come Thus with due respects to you both I commend you to God resting Yours J. H. Losco February 15. 1676. Because I have nothing to write to you about worldly matters I would give you a word of spiritual advice which as it is not to me any trouble so I would hope it is neither unprofitable nor unaceptable to you That which I have thought fit at this time to impart to you is the sinfulness of sin the danger and damnation that accompanieth every sin every disobedience which without true and sincere repentance and amendment of life will be the eternal ruin of the Soul One actual sin is enough to destroy a man as is apparent in Adam Lots Wife Ananias and Saphir a And many others in scripture and how much more then will a course of sin a way of wickedness as the love of the world a form of godliness hypocrisie an unregenerate estate if continued in undo a man everlastingly Yet how little is this laid to heart What favourable thoughts do most people entertain of sin As if it were at light matter not to be so much dreaded since Christ died for sin what need we so much fear to live in it Seeing God is merciful why may not we take liberty to live as we list As if the Son of God came down from Heaven not destroy the works of the Devil but to establish the Empire of sin as if God were not as just as merciful whose most pure and holy nature can never be reconciled to sin Sin is the transgression of law And the great Lawgiver who is able to save or destroy will never suffer sinners to trample on his authority and cast his Commandments at their heels and hold them guiltless Sin provoketh God the God of patience to anger And the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against sin in all ages What strange confusion and horrid destruction hath sin introduced into the world it cast thousands of lapsed Angels out of Heaven into the dreadful Tophet where they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day This viper stung our sirst Parents outed them of Paradise brought in sorrow sickness a thousand diseases and death into the world drowned all the Earth with a flood turned Sodom to ashes brought on Jerusalem such calamities as were not inflicted on any Nation under heaven And which is more what is it but sin that kindles the flames of Hell fire and which yet further declareth the hatefulness of sin it crucified the Lord Jesus Christ without shedding whose blood no remission How much then is every one concerned to get out of a state of sin to commune with our hearts and trye if we be converted And to see that no iniquity have Dominion over us Let us Judge our selves that we be not â—udged Make sure our eternal estate live we not in sin lest we dye in sin and be damned for sin let 's follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. We are all in good health blessed be God to whom I commit you and with all due repescts to you both rest Yours c. J. H. Losco July 24. 1677. WE are all well praised be God I have nothing of outward matters to present you with which makes me fill my paper with better things The going out of the old year should minde us of puting off the old man and the coming in of the new year that we put on the new man that we purge out the old leaven of corruption that we may be renewed in sincerity and true holiness We are one year nearer to our grave and eternity then we are the fast year at this time have we got one years growth in grace What progress have we made in sanctification in mortification this year What corruptions have we subdued Have we put off our worldly mindness lukewarmness formality in worship Are we become more holy humble heavenly have we added one Cubit to our spiritual stature It is not unlikely but we can tell whether we decline and go backward or whether we go forward and increase in riches and our outward estate And the Soul is more excellent then the body and grace then gold Let us take a view of the state of our Souls and observe what mercies we have received this year from how many evils and calamities we have been preserved and sad breaches which have been made upon other families which we and ours have been freed from that so we may be thankful and give to God his praise Let us review our sins of the year past how many ways we have miscarried and offended God that so we may be humbled and renew our repentance How oft have we received the sacrament of the Lords supper So many obligations we lye under the vowes of God are upon us and tyes to better obedience Thus oft reflecting on our selves is a good way to know our spiritual estates A Christian should be no stranger to his own heart and state in reference to eternity self-judging discovers our selves to our selves encreaseth grace inlargeth comfort weakeneth corruption keepeth peace with God and our own consciences casteth out sin prevents mistakes which are dangerous in soul-affairs prepareth to every good work If we were as the Apostle saith Gal. 6. 14. Crucified 〈…〉 of the earth would affect and afflict us less and our hearts would be more above where our treasure is or should be So wishing you a good new year especially that your souls may prosper I commit you to God and with all due respects to you both remembered I am Yours Truely J. Hieron Decem. 28. 1676. My very good friend I Understand that you and your whole family are in great sorrow and heaviness through your Wises miscarriage of a child and truly I and our family do grieve with you for so we are commanded to weep with them that weep and be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love But I pray be wise and take heed lest you over-grieve and so offend God by immoderate sorrow which you may easily do and so provoke his wrath against you and bring a heavier cross upon you Let them that weep be as if they wept not 1 Cor. 7. 30. If it should please God to make a greater breach among us by taking from any of us a dear friend we
disparagement was really his great honour that he was a man of so great Learning and worth and yet beholden to no University for it It is manifest to all that knew him that he was a Judicious Divine a good Casuist a workman in Preaching that needed not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth he was pertinent methodical a man that was clear in opening his Text and spake very close to Conscience from it He knew well the inside of Religion Few that heard him but they did discern his understanding of the mystery of Godliness that he spake from his Heart and they felt his words come to theirs He was of few words and reserved not at all talkative but give him but occasion by starting Discourse get him but upon his Knees or put him upon Writing or Preaching work and then you would soon find he wanted neither Words nor Sense Oh he was a Man of Prayer some dear ones that are left behind and have had no small burdens of Affliction since they lost him do feel the want of his Prayers to lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees He was of a very quiet Spirit a people amongst whom he laboured very ticcle very capricious very hard to be pleased in Ministers yet centered in him and I am sure his Name is precious amongst them And well he may for I am sure amongst them and some Neighbouring Meetings to them he spent himself and was spent by his great labours in dispencing Holy Mysteries Word and Sacraments amongst them This good Man had many removes after he was outed but God told his wanderings and he had Songs in the Houses of his Pilgrimage At length he pitched at Alfreton from whence he took many weary steps to serve his Master and was very useful in that Neighbourhood but at last was forced by his Infirmities to cease from his Labours and now rests from them and those works follow him He hath built himself a lasting Monument in his small piece about the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees the substance of some Lectures at Wicksworth And in his larger piece about Prayer Those things are discoveries of the Man Yea God hath built him a Monument in such a set of Children as God hath blessed few with Mr. John Oldfield lives in three Sons of the Fathers Principles actually in the Ministry whose parts are above the common rate of most of their years and their Piety Zeal and Industry answerable to their Parts He dyed June 5. 1682. in the 55th year of his Age. 4. Mr. John Billingsley Kentish Man born at Chatham educated in both Vniversities outed from Chesterfield an ingenuous Man strict to his own well understood Principles an accurate savoury Preacher an exemplary walker a Man elegant in every thing a diligent Reader and observer of what he Read ready with his Pen. Few men have left more excellent Collections behind them than he which are happily fallen into his Sons hand that knows well how to use them His outward Bodily appearance was small and mean but he had a great Soul rich in Grace and Gifts He left his place at Chesterfield because he could not keep his Place and his Peace but he kept his Affections and Care over them hazarded his Health and Liberty to serve them If Chesterfield People would reflect upon his Labours amongst them and his warm Letters written to some of them they must needs know that a Prophet was amongst them both able and faithful The Pin of the Uniformity Act driven by hands that were fit tools for such mischievous work pushed him out of his Pulpit and House and the hurricane of the Oxford Act drove him from his hired House and Town to Mansfield in which he passed the residue of his sojourning time in fear wrought for the Salvation of others and wrought out his own was ever serious and laborious But towards his latter end his Motion was very quick made actual preparation for Death desired his poor outed Brethren cast into Mansfield as he was to come together a little before his Death to put him into the hands of God by Prayer made a short Confession of his Faith in and sole dependance on the alone Righteousness of Christ and not long after went full sail into the Kingdom of God He dyed May 30. 1683. He writ something against Quakers and Printed a Sermon with it which gives the World a taste of his Abilities He lives in his Son who bears his Fathers Name and hath his Fathers Spirit the true Son of such a Father filling up the vacancy by his Fathers death in Ministerial Labours in which in my Judgment he gives no just occasion to any to despise his Youth 5. Mr. Luke Cranwell born at Loughborough in the County of Leicester Educated in Christs Colledge outed from Peters Parish in Derby a knowing a couragious zealous and a very upright Man Some now alive knew how deeply he engaged to restore Monarchy but when restored it engaged not for him He fell by the Decree of Uniformity that spared not Age nor Parts nor considered any Service done but levelled all that lay in its way and spake no other Language than bow or break He was not very ready in Elocution but very Scriptural solid and substantial in all his Discourses his Sermons when looked over by Writers or thought over by understanding Hearers were found to be full of Divinity weighty and rational good matter filled them He had some competent Skill in Physick before he was outed and when he perceived he must no longer trade his Ministerial Talents publickly he resolved to try what he could do in his other faculty Since he was cut off from the publick service of Souls he betook himself to serve Bodies though not deserting his Ministry neither in his Affection nor as to its Exercise In this Imployment he grew presently very Judicious Skilful Useful and by Gods Blessing very Successful By this he maintained himself and his Family very comfortably kept good Hospitality did as readily help his Brethren and the poor among his Neighbours without any desire or expectation of Fees as he did the rich and greatest He had a working head He understood well what he read and did find out some Magistrals of his own many happy and effectual Medicines He was a chearful Man and to appearance very strong but after he began to decline he run down speedily His loss was and is much lamented He was indeed a beloved Physitian That he might be out of the reach of the Oxford Act he went to Kegworth in Leicestershire and there lived and dyed Nov. 11. 1683. on the Lords day 6. Mr. Joseph Moore Nottingham born Educated in St. Johns Colledge in Cambridge in the best dayes of that Colledge when the truly Reverend singularly Learned and eminently Holy Dr. Tuckney presided there a Man fitted for wise and holy Government He was sober minded from his Youth He entred young
Barnabas did those newly converted Christians Acts 11. 23. That with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Resolve by the help of Grace that you will never cast off your hopeful beginnings nor turn aside to crooked wayes but continue stedfast in the good way you have taken up unto the end The end is that which crowneth all good actions and to perseverance in well-doing are all the promises made Rom. 2. 7. Mat. 10. 22. Rev. 21. 7. And our Baptismal Vow bindeth us to keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments all the dayes of our lives Now that you have begun to forsake the broad way that leadeth to destruction and to enter into the strait way that leadeth unto life O think what a Mercy it is that God hath awakened you with Mary to chuse the good part that shall not be taken from you you see the thing is feizable and Godliness is not a thing impossible if there be but a willing mind If you should now or at any time hereafter fall away it would not be a sin of infirmity because you cannot help it but of perverseness because you will not be at the pains which a Godly life requireth For use and acquaintance with a Christian life makes it much more easie to you afterwards then at the beginning For the greatest difficulty that is in a Godly life is from custom to the contrary so that if after some acquaintance with it when you have overcome much of the hardness of it you should give it over that would be utterly destructive But I hope better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though I thus speak By all means be careful to set such a watch over your self and so to avoid all occasions and temptations as may preserve you from all wilful breaches and danger of Apostasie And because by our own strength we are not able to stand see that you be much in secret Prayer Mat. 6. 6. Beg of God a new heart a clean heart an upright heart Psal 51. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Grace is of absolute necessity to Salvation if we believe our Saviour John 3. 3. 5. and 7. A work of Grace renewing the heart will make Christs yoke of Obedience easie and his burden light so his Commandments will not be grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. It is by the help of the Spirit changing and sanctifying the heart that we mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. There may be an outward Reformation where there is no inward work of Regeneration So a man may be in the condition of the Scribes Mark 12. 34. not far from the Kingdom of Heaven yet never enter into it O wrestle with God in Prayer as for Mercy to pardon sin past so for Grace and the Spirit of Sanctification to renew your heart and to reform your life that so you may walk before God to all well-pleasing If you would do so continue instant in Prayer Col. 4. 2. God will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it Luke 11. 13. Christ assures us That whatsoever we ask in his name the Father will grant Thus you shall become a good Tree bringing forth the good Fruits of Righteousness Holiness and Sobriety to the Praise and Glory of God the Credit of the Gospel good Example of others to the rejoycing of all good Christians and the overlasting Salvation of your own Soul Yea there will be joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luk. 15. 10. So whether you live or dye you shall be the Lords And this is considerable at such a time as this when Sickness is so Epidemical and many dye every where and you your self seem to be of no strong Constitution as it appears by your often Infirmities I say it again Regeneration is the one thing necessary without which outside Reformation is but like painting a rotten Post or making clean the outside of the Cup and Platter when the inside is full of excess and extortion Mat. 23. Though you know these things yet I thought it not unuseful to put you in remembrance of them that you may be settled and established in the present Truth and so may continue to the end Which is the earnest desire and shall be the Prayer of Your very Friend for the Salvation of your Soul SIR I Fully purposed to have given you a Visit but hearing your Wife was so near her Travail I forbore till a fitter opportunity And since I understand to my grief that she is delivered of two Children both dead and for which I am informed you are much troubled for which I cannot blame you for the Providence is sad And a Christian should be a Man of Wisdom to see Gods Name written upon the Rod. So was the Name of Aaron for the Tribe of Levi written upon his Numb 17. 3. And as his brought forth Buds and Blossoms and ripe Fruits so should Gods Rod of Correction yield good Fruit in them that are exercised therewith even the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness and Repentance Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Micah 6. 9. The Rod hath a voice It cometh upon some Errand or other if we were wise enough to understand its meaning Which that we may do the best way is to Commune with your own hearts Psal 4. 4. To search and try our wayes and turn to the Lord. Lam. 3. 40. And be earnest with God in Prayer that he would open our ears to discipline Job 10. 2. Shew me why thou contendest with me Job 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said to God I have born chastisement And I would not have you or your Wife give way to excessive sorrow in this case but follow the Counsel of the Word which ought to be the Rule of our Passions as well as our Actions Let your moderation be known to all men Phil. 4. 6. And they that weep for outward Crosses be as though they wept not 1 Cor. 7. 30. Learn we must to exercise the grace of Self-denyal which our Saviour hath taught us by his own Example John 18. 11. The cup which my Heavenly Father hath given me shall I not drink it And it was a very bitter one Again Now what I will but what thou wilt God is wiser than Man he is God only wise We see but a little way Gods understanding is infinite Times are ill at present they may be worse yea so bad that people may have cause to say Luke 23. 29. Blessed are the barren and the Womb that never bear and the Paps which never gave suck Yet if Children be a Blessing as I grant they be in themselves and desirable there is no time over-passed but you may have your Quiver full of such Arrows if God see it good for you And if not I hope you are more a Christian than to desire them Beware I beseech you both of the least impatience in this case and if any such
Are not you sensible of your your wants and of your beggarly condition Do not you not say with David I am poor and needy Psal 70 5. And with Paul Rom. 7. 18. in me dwells no good thing Is not your appetite and thirst after grace as strong as Sampsons was for water or Rachels for Children give me Children or else I dye Do you not thirst after more grace and covet earnestly farther degrees of holiness and wish you were the holiest rather than the richest or greatest Lady or Princess in the world If so then I question it not but you are one of the blessed ones in the judgment of Christ who is infallible and cannot mistake What have you to say against this I hope you rest satisfied about vile and vain thoughts which do not lodge in you but you repel them and reject them These may be your grief and affliction but are not your sin cannot prejudice your good estate nor ought your imperfections passions corruptions from which the best on earth are not free to cause you to question your justification or your being in Christ So long as you bewail them strive against them and are humbled for them your desire is to reach after perfection and further Measures of holiness These desires are of and from the Spirit of God And he accepts the will for the deed as was shewed in divers instances Nay this to me makes it clear if God account impious desires vicious ungodly inordinate lusts for the sin it self or deed done as Hatred with him is imputed Murder 1 Joh. 3. 15. Lusting after a woman though she remain chast is Adultery in Gods account in the man So much more longing and thirsting desires after grace are beginnings of grace and such desires God accepts and will fulfil them Psal 145. 19. provided they be gracious and holy desires humble desires springing from a broken heart from one that is poor in Spirit if they be constant unsatisfied vehement in the use of means and that a man so prize Christ and his grace that he be ready to sell all to buy the Pearl Now this being your condition what cause have you to leave your doubting and spend your dayes in rejoycing and praising God for his singular Mercy in conferring on you so excellent a gift as is saving grace which is so rare a gift like gold to be found with few persons but more excellent than millions of gold and silver Let your meditation of God be sweet and admire his wonderful love to you in Christ and how great things he hath done for you Yours I Am sorry that the Sun and Stars are darkened with you and that the Clouds return after the Rain But be not discouraged this is a case common to many good Christians and no other than befalls the best of Gods people Do not fear but the light will break forth again though you be under a cloud at present The Son of Righteousness will arise upon you with healing in his wings Be sure you regard no iniquity in your heart Keep you from every accursed thing Wash you make you clean cease to do evil learn to do well and mark what follows If your sins were as scarlet they shall be as white as snow if they be as crimson they shall be as wooll If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin Again If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole World Now reach out the hand of Faith and lay hold on the promises and apply them for they are exceeding great and precious promises and they are all in Christ yea and Amen true and faithful And they are your promises yea directed to you in particular as if your name was put to them O be not faithless but believing And if you do believe with all your heart then are your sins forgiven according to the tenour of these promises Now are you justified and at peace with God through Jesus Christ O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Doubts in Gods people may arise from one of these causes The heinonsness of Sin the imperfection of Duties or the weakness of Faith For the first of these know that the Lord thinks never the worse of any for what they have been for any sins they have lived in when once they have truly repented of them Ezek. 18. 21 22. You may observe in the Church that Christ never shewed greater kindness to any than to such as had been most notorious As the woman of Samaria Zacheus the Publican Mary Magdelen And whereas there is but four women mentioned in the Genealogy of Christ Mat. 1. not one of them but the Scripture sets a mark of infamy upon them for some notorious sins Ruth was a Heathen an Idolater Tamar Rahab Bathsheba you know what they were yet these only have the honour to be upon record when Sarah and women though more spotless are passed by in silence What may be the reason thereof Take it from Mr. Hildersam To teach us that penitent sinners shall have never the less honour with God shall be never the less esteemed for that they have done after they have once truly repented and turned to the Lord So you see there is no cause why you should be dismayed at the hainousness of your sins having repented of them For the next True it is that after Conversion we are but in part regenerate and so our best Duties are imperfect and stained with many corruptions Isa 64. 6. yet God doth not reject them nor us for these defects but accepts them 1 Pet. 2. 5. delighteth in them Cant. 2. 14. will reward them Col. 3. 24. Heb. 11. 5. and not so much as take notice of the blemishes that are in our best services Mic. 7. 18. Cant. 4. 7. Thon art all fair my love there is no spot in thee Let not the poorness of your Duties discourage you but remember Christ sits at the right hand of God to make intercession for you By whose merits Saints Prayers are perfumed as it were with incense and so are made a sweet savour to God Rev. 8. 3. And for the third know that it is not the strength but the truth of Faith that giveth us acceptance with God through Faiths acceptance of Christ Joh. 1. 12. As many as received him c Now a weak hand may receive a gift as truly as a strong A single penny may be as good and clear Silver as a bigger piece Among Believers Heb. 11 some whose sincerity we should have doubted of so weak was their Faith if the Holy Ghost had not put them in the Catalogue of the Faithful As Gideon Barak Sampson Jeptha Rahab Him that is weak in Faith we are bidden to receive Rom. 14. 1. Sure God
THE LIFE OF Mr. John Hieron WITH THE Characters and Memorials Of Ten other Worthy Ministers OF JESUS CHRIST Written by Mr. Robert Porter late Minister of the Gospel in Nottinghamshire Published by D. BURGESS Exempla movent LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in 〈◊〉 near Mercers-Chappel MDCXCI To the READER IN complyance with the desire of Reverend Mr. John Barret of Nottinghamshire I send abroad this Treatise and prefix my Thoughts quales quales thereof I conceive it well worthy of its very Eminent Aâ—thor Mr. Robert Porter who also now sleeps in Christ The Matter Language and Method are worthy of him Who hath herein like himself joyned brevity with sweetness given the Memoirs of many worthy Men in a narrow room And laudably performed the Historians part in Relations and the Divines part in Reflections To me it seemeth no small Duty as I hope faâ—ther to express in due time to publish the Lives and Praises of Holy Men. It is the Will of Him whose Will ought to be ours that the Memory of the Just should be blessed And the praise of such is more Gods praise then theirs As for themselves Saints need no Monuments And no one of them desires a richer Encomium than Lazarus had The poor man dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom But the Church and World do need their Memorials For exemplifieâ— Sanctity is the most Noble Beautiful and Perswasive The Holiness that is in Gods Children is of 〈◊〉 more excellent kind than that which is in his Holy Biblâ— It is a liviâ—â— image of God and that which is the transcendent End of which the Scripture it self is but a Means Such Narratives as this do shame and wipe away the Calumnies which Ignorant Men drivel and Malicious ones do foam out against the Excellent of the Earth They do convincingly prove what many will not think That there are really very Illustrious Gifts and Graces where no such things are seen as Copes and Miters And that it is not among such as the Protestant United-Brethren that a godly painful Minister is a rare thing Whatever be suggested to the contrary by those that still judge us fitter for Prisons than Pulpits Great Hugo Grotius when Dying would have given all that ever he had to be plain godly John Urick They whose hearts are cleansed by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost do surely expect the day wherein the most Dignified Drones will wish they had been what they do now malignantly name Drudging Divines The Lord make us all more Pure and Holy and followers of them who are now inheriting the Promises That our Burning Bush may not be consumed but our Jerusalem be yet made the Praise of the whole Earth So Prayeth Daniel Burgess THE LIFE OF Mr. Hieron c. CHAP. I. Of Mr. Hieron's Parentage Birth and Childhood MR. John Hieron was a Prophet and the Son of a Prophet His Father was Minister at Stapenhil near Burton upon Trent a Vicaridge it was and in that Vicaridge-House he was born in August 1608 and baptized the 28th day of that Moneth His Father being puritanically inclined had no great things in the World but he was a good Man I have heard his Son John say of him that he was well esteemed of by Mr. Hildersam and his Hearers And that he did believe that he was found in the way of Righteousness It hath been the sin and the shame of this Nation Oh when shall we be cleansed that the least scandalous Ministers have been forced to take up with most scandalous maintenance They then made sure to make Old Nonconformists poor and to keep them so But through frugality and Gods Blessing they lived and brought up their Children well Since the Year 1662 they have used a Method quite to starve Nonconformists Not a poor Vicaridge not a blind Chappel not a School nor any visible way of maintenance for them and yet they have lived Providence is kind and tender handfuls of Meal are growing and we almost think we may some of us live to see Puritanism better thought of and provided for in England I know many Nonconformists pinched but none starved Though neither Purse nor Scrip yet no insupportable tempting wants When Bladders are pricked yet they can't sink whom God will hold up by the chin and teach the hand of Faith the true swimming stroak In his minority he went over Trent both going to and coming from School and was once or twice endangered thereby In a Note found under his own hand it is thus said Deliverances to me vouchsafed à teneris annis 1. From a Cow in his Fathers yard that took him on her horns and threw him a great way yet without any harm 2. Falling out of a Chamber into a dry Fat in the lower room yet no harm 3. Fell out of a Boat into Trent yet not hurt 4. Once ventring into the Trent-boat himself and not being able to manage it and the wind high he was carried down the River towards some deep place and at least one whirlepit where he had been in danger to have been lost But one seeing it took a private Boat and stopped him and his drowning was prevented These he recounts and adds a good note The Lord expects we keep a chronology of remarkable things done by him for us Greenhil on Ezek. 24. 2. In these things we may note That these preservations were presages of something more than ordinary that God had for him to do Where such notable things occur they signifie some eminent Evil the Persons are reserved for or some eminent good preserved for Moses drawn out of the Water was a deliverer There is a passage in the minority of Ambrose That there was a swarm of Bees setled on his Face in his Cradle and flew away without any hurt to him Whereupon his Father utter'd this saying Si vixerit infantulus iste aliquid magni erit If this Child live he will be some great Man Again since you see he laid these in his Records kept them as the Pot of Manna let us rehearse and record Gods goodness It 's a real wonder any Child lives to be a Man or if they do they are not all Mephibosheths through folly It must be ascribed to God and his Providence without which all our Watchers and Keepers would be in vain There are many places that give us occasion to call them as Hagar Gen. 16. 13 14. did the Well Beer-la-hai-roi places where we have found God seeing for us and looking after us where we have not looked at him nor for him CHAP. II. Of his Country Education MR. Hierons father removing to Chelaston he was with several Masters but at length he placed him at Repton-School after Mr. Whitehead was come thither with whom he continued Five years Mr. Whitehead's Abilities and Method of Teaching and Diligence were so great and his Conversation so good that the School obtained a great Name and bred
encreased Grace Victory what gain Glory to God Edification to others what Almes What shall I render Further in his Private Notes A Catalogue of Sins Sins in Youth In another place Sins to be reformed by Grace walk humbly thankfully watch return not to folly after peace spoken May 16. 1658. If overtaken with Anger after a Sacrament A note thereon and once followed with a Miserere mei Deus These are things that discovered Grace and were exercises of it I now come to Experiences mentioned in his secret Record Octob. 27. 1658. I was not well had a pain in my Belly from side to side in the beginning of the Night I feared falling into Sickness Communed with my heart upon my Bed had thoughts of Death my Conscience spake peace to me the light of Gods Countenance shone into me I was fully assured of Gods Mercy to me if I had dyed at that time I had no doubt of my eternal happiness for which Mercy I give God praise and desire to record it with much thankfulness But I slept well that night was well next day continued well for which Mercy double Mercy the Lord be magnified January 1650. By night on my Bed I awaked had sweet comfort the King led me into the Wine-cellar Bless the Lord O my Soul April 10. A Communion in nostro Thalamo i. e. in our Bed-Chamber April 8. We fasted I was in a reasonable good frame but had some disturbance April 9. I was very dull no quickening no comfort I read I reviewed the Catalogue of my Sins but was still dull After five a Clock I went to secret Prayer for less than half an hour after which I was chearful full of comfort so continued that night and next day much enlarged in comfort God spake peace to my heart I was lively in Prayer in Administration in the whole Service Bless the Lord O my Soul August 2. 1664. I went to Bed with some pain slept not had no ease walked in the House all night dull at first but after chearful had some good thoughts the light of Gods Countenance shone on my Soul all night I was willing to dye not questioning my estate but if I dyed I should be happy About four a Clock in the Morning I had ease was well presently after fell to work all day at Night voided a Stone slept all Night very well so continue to this day August 10. Immortal Praise be to God that healeth me but I render not to God according to his benefits Decemb. 2. 4. 8. 1664. We sought God received Sacrament returned Praise I was dull before was graciously enlarged in Prayer in Administration had Comfort in Receiving I was dull again before Thanksgiving Read a while in Baxter and Harris and much enlarged in Duty had sweet Peace at Sacrament and after Praise the Lord sealed to me Jesus Christ Covenant of Grace and Pardon of Sin O bless the Lord O my Soul March 1. 1664. We spent some time in Humiliation at our House by Night was in some good measure enabled in the Morning in a good frame poured out my Heart in secret had much Comfort and Peace bless the Lord O my Soul and so have had ever since Also at Sacrament April 2. 1665. What shall I render So January 16. 1665. At Sacrament much enlarged in Administration and Comfort Praise to God June 6. 1666. Early at five I awaked had sweet Meditations of Gods Love and great Comfort after some clouds and scruples God enlarged my Heart and put gladness more then when Corn and Wine encreased Lord grant I may abide in his Love April 2. 1667. An Ague siezed me after four fits sent for Mr. Cranwell he gave me a bitter Draught which sweat me an hour before the Fit I had no more Fits nor Relapse I bless God In the beginning dull and dark but after a Night or two sweet Comfort and so continueth to this day blessed be God May 2. 1667. I returned thanks among Christians on this Text Psal 103. 3. Who healeth all thy diseases July 5. 1668. A Sacrament at our House I was much enlarged in Administration in Receiving in Meditation Examination a day or two before had sweet peace and full assurance Praise be to God March 3. 1668. I awoke at four in the Morning had sweet Meditations and Communion with God Peace and full assurance Blessed be God Feb. 11. 69. I awoke at six in the Morning had Peace full Assurance Joy in the Holy Ghost that God was mine all his Attributes Christ his Blood Holy Ghost Word Promises Providences Comfort in all in Death it self and Christs coming to Judgment What shall I render to the Lord. Feb. 8. 12. 1671. I prepared according to my wonted manner was assisted enlarged had a good day Praise to God May 12. 1672. I meditated on Gods Presence was Chearful and Heavenly enlarged in Heart all day it was Lords day Praise to God June 30. A Sacrament enlarged much had a good day Praise to God August 31. At Morning Prayer in the Parlour I was much enlarged with broken-heartedness had Joy and Peace of Conscience graciously Ever bless the Lord O my Soul Aug. 3. 1673. Sacrament as also April 13. in both I was much enlarged had sweet peace a good day Ever blessed be God Praise the Lord. And watch O my Soul against passion idle words vain thoughts in Prayer Novemb. 2. God graciously enlarged me in Administration Sealed me c. What shall I render to the Lord O bless the Lord my Soul See walk worthy of God So in Feb. 8. 1673. and May 24. 1674. and August 16. God was gracious to me then Decemb. 6. 1674. How excellent is thy loving kindness A good day Praised be God Jan. 11. 1676. A blessed day Praise to God June 13. 1680. A joyful day Praise to God These are some hints But Oh that I had his enlargements upon them to impart Surely these things are like small Points and Marks in Maps that stand for Towns and Countries But Spiritual Eyes can in these discern what Spirit Mr. John Hieron was off A Man that lived near himself by Observation and near God by Communion A great receiver from God and yet never so much as fingering any part of the Honour due to God CHAP. IX Of his drawing to his end of the Sickness of which he dyed of his Death and Burial DEath threw not this good Man down the stairs but he was led down by many declining steps He had little Deaths that were forerunners of great Death decayes before dissolution The foundation of his Distempers began in that sore Feaver which he had in Winter 1661. which followed an ill Fit which he brought upon himself by overdoing in Jan. 1655. The Feaver did in the thoughts of some endanger him but he broke through that brunt He had a second fit of the Stone 1664 and a third 1665. In April 1667. some fits of an Ague In March 67 68. Not
did Converse profitably with your people as he did Admonish Reprove Exhort as he did endeavour to prepare People for the Sacrament as he did When his Breadsall Neighbours met frequently at the Smiths Shop and there as he feared spent too much time unprofitably he observed it and would send a good Book amongst them to read Oh thus it is say you to your own Souls and thus it will be with them that have a care of Souls I have represented to you his converse with his own Heart his looking to and keeping his own Vineyard He was for saving himself and those that heard him Oh be not you content to be as Noahs Ship-wrights Remember the solicitude of Holy Paul least by any means when I have Preached to others I my self should be a cast away 1 Cor. 9. 27. He looked after his Sermons he listened not who commended his Sermons but who made good use of them bewailing the sins of their hearts and lives Not who after his Sermons cryed how well hath he Preached but how ill have I lived what a vile carnal wretch am I He longed for success so do you travail in birth Pray that your Sermons may be the Arrows of the Lords deliverance that as the Row of Jonathan turned not back as the Sword of Saul returned not empty so it may be in your Spiritual Warfare What shall I say to excite Ministers By long and sad Experience I have found I need it I have had some reflecting thoughts upon that passage Isa 42. 19. Who is blind but my servant or deaf as my messenger that I sent Who is blind as he that is perfect and blind as the Lords servant Do you think he did more than his Duty more than needs Sure you cannot think so when you read Acts 20. 28. that a double Take heed is the Ministers charge Can you think it was more than needs when Jesus Christ spent his Blood for the flock Can you think it more than Duty when a double dedication is upon you your Baptismal Devotedness and your Ministerial Consecration Can you think it over-doing when such a Worthy as Arch-Bishop Vsher breaths out his dying breath O Lord forgive my sins of omission Can you think it more than needs when you know the worth of Souls the terror of having the Blood of Souls required at your hands If he did not the obligation is the same upon you and him 2. Would you have Honour and Respect in your places follow your work as this faithful man did Honour will follow you as it did him Herod reverenced John Honour God he will honour you Seek not the faces of men fear not the faces of men do nothing that may make men despise you depart not out of the way cause none to stumble at the Law corrupt not the Covenant of Levi be not partial in the Law lest God make you contemptible and base before all the people Malachi 2. 8 9. Fawn upon no body flatter no body fidelity commends it self to Mens Consciences 3. Would you have his success He had a Seal in the Consciences of his Hearers had Letters of Commendation would you have so Use no Leaden Daggers but wield the Sword of the Spirit let not the weapons of your Warfare be carnal but those that are mighty through God He was an able Minister of the New Testament not of the Letter only He was full of might by the Spirit of the Lord drew the bow with his full strength did not do Gods work negligently served God with his Spirit in the Gospel of his Son and he was full of Souls given in He will appear with a Lo I and the Children thou hast given me Be you travelling in your Souls and you shall see of your travel and be satisfied carry forth your seed weeping your bosoms shall be full of joyful sheaves 4. Would you have his peace his visits of God his shines his assistances his comforts in the way his serenity his satisfaction in the end Follow his Integrity mark this upright Man tread after him in Zeal for substantials Moderation in doubtfuls in Charity Hospitality in studying all the holy wiles of winning Souls in losing something of your own to gain them with meekness instructing opposers restoring the lapsed in puting your stronger hands under feeble hands c. COROLLARY 5. Sect. 6. To you O Men I call to you O people I address my self at Newton Solney at Ashbourn at Bredsall at Little Eaton at Newthorp at Losco you that enjoyed his younger days labours his Middle Age pains and the service of his mellow years his last Labours which were better than his first though all was good you that heard how he preached and saw how he lived If I did think any of the Neglecters of him would read this Life of his I would give them a Severe Repremand Were you prejudiced Why did not you go and see John 1. 46 Were you frighted Durst he preach at so great an hazard and would not you adventure your smaller penalty Did you judge your publick Ministry sufficient Would not his help have done well to have given your Souls a lift Had it not been wisdom to have twisted his Cord with your publick advantages Was it carelessness Oh know that is an ill Sign It 's well if any Spiritual good come to you If God have People in a place God brings them to the means he sends among them If any of you do read these lines I intreat you to know to your Conviction and Humiliation that you had a price put into your hands lest you know to your cost and shame that a Prophet was sent among you Ezek. 33. 33. But I leave these and come to you that heard him but your profiting by him doth not appear You were the Reproach not the Credit of his Ministry he fain would but could not cloath himself with you Let me lay before you a few awakening things if God will bless them to you 1. How can you think to be wrought upon when you have been under such a skilful hand not healed What can they do that come after him If you have got no Light no Zeal under such a burning and shining light if from the dayes of Mr. John Hieron you have not been violent for the Kingdom of God if not awakened under so Rousing a Ministry how must the hands of others be weakened and their hearts discouraged in their labour amongst you Where he plowed upon the Rock What other of Gods Husbandmen can hope to make any thing of you If such a Soul-searching Heart-ripping Ministry could not get within you how little can others hope to give you any light into your hearts 2. How speechless will you be when the Fruits of his Labours upon some of your Neighbours will be brought forth to convince you You had the same meanâ— the same pains bestowed upon you You had the same Tillage the same Rain came down upon you Sure your
man to make additions to Religious Worship Do you not find the contrary in those Scriptures Deut. 4. 2. Deut. 12. 32. Prov. 30. 6. Who gave Man power to adopt unnecessaries into Religion What bottom stands Magisterial Authority upon Ministerial Power is of God but for this Magisterial it wants Commission Matth. 23. 8 9 10. Quest 2. Is not the power of imposing as dark to thinking men as the power of inventing Whence did you learn to make burdens Whence to lay them on and bind them on We are tempted to think your Masters are Matth. 23. 4. Hath God given you power over the Consciences of men to ransack their Judgments and wrack their Consciences to ruin all that cannot agree to your Sentiments to undo all that cannot do what you will have them Do you not in this strike down the pin upon which the Law and the Prophets hang Would you that others should do so to you What stricture or beam of right Reason leads you to make your Judgment the publick standard Quest 3. What branch of Justice or Equity is there in so grievous Penalties for not conforming to such Impositions The fault is small if it be a fault Should mens brains be knocked out to kill a Fly on their forehead But the Dissenters judge it a Duty to witness against usurpations of Men. They think they are bound by Gods Law to preserve the purity of Christs Worship They think that a yielding in some things was as a stirrop by which Antichrist got into the saddle Are not these things judged by you indifferent And must men be punished as if they had denyed and razed the Fundamental Articles of Faith Should you make men spectacles the filth and off-scouring of all things upon these accounts Who can read either Christianity or Humanity in such severities Quest 4. What awe can be impressed or obligation fastened on a well informed Conscience from Humane Laws establishing backing and enforcing such Impositions Have not Magistrates supream and subordinate their Lines and Limits Provinces and Bounds set them by the God of Heaven Are they makers or only keepers of Gods Tables Did the People of England trust their Representatives to make snares for their Ministers and yokes for the People Were they impowered by them to prescribe and write the grievousness they had prescribed They were entrusted to be shields not swords healers not wounders they said to them Let our ruins be under your hands they never put themselves into their hands to ruine them Quest 5. What Spirit are you of when you make all Assemblies but your own Seditious Conventicles Schismatical Meetings Routs Riots Know you not that they which acknowledge God are bound to assemble to worship him Do you can you think it is better not to worship God at all then not to worship him in your way and mode Dare you undertake that this shall hold in the day of Judgment Are not you told by some great men of your own That he that gives the cause of the Schism is the Schismatick Do you think those you displaced took themselves to be disofficed Did their People desert them when you ejected them Was the Word of Truth utterly taken out of the mouths you stopped Was not Gods word in their hearts as a burning fire shut up in their bones so that they were weary of forbearing and could not stay Did their Breasts ake and must they not draw them out to the Babes that desire the sincere milk of the Word You have some of you called Conventicles the crying sin of England Oh! How crying a sin is it in you that have occasioned them yea necessitated them A Natural Mother turned out of her own House will suckle her Child in the Field or in the meanest coat or shed she can set her foot into Corners are not our choice but your force Quest 6. Have not you cause to fear that the blood of some of these dead Ministers will be upon you You judged them unworthy of the World and God hath thereby been provoked to judge the World not worthy of them You made their work much harder to them and by their journeyings and fastings and watchings in all likelyhood you did hurry and hasten them out of the World Oh that some of us might live to see a relenting Spirit in you It would be a joy to me and a token for good to you for otherwise I am greatly perswaded Judgment is towards you because Mercy is the promised portion of the Merciful and Judgment without Mercy hangs over the heads of them that shew no Mercy And so I have finished my Historical and Practical part of this Book And shall conclude it with only adding one Chapter more in communicating to you some Letters written by this Eminent Servant of God Mr. John Hieron which are as a Mirrour wherein you may see the Ability and Fidelity of the Holy Man of God CHAP. XI His Letters OF his Letters I promised to give some taste and make them the Coronis of this Work In publishing of which I conceal Names that I may not reflect upon the dead nor justly offend the living Again Let not the living be disturbed for though the Letters be published their Names are not exposed It will do them no hurt to read those Letters in Print which they have in Writing It may do others good to read Letters that were written to others possibly they may reach teach meet with others Hearts being much alike and the same Corruptions Temptations in one and another First Letter Christian Friend YOU desire that I would write to you about your Spiritual Estate which I take to be safe and comfortable so far as one is able to pass Judgment of another But no man knoweth certainly the things of another save the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 11. You are then to commune with your own heart to search and try your wayes whether you walk after the Spirit be led by the Spirit Rom 8. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God If you ask How shall I know whether I am led by the Spirit I Answer If you bring forth the fruits of the Spirit if you follow after Holiness sincere Obedience to all Gods Commandments patience in Affliction love to God Christ all Saints love to the Word fear to offend God a care to please God and keep Conscience pure and void of offence toward God and Man Godly sorrow for sin forsaking every evil way and above all believe in the Lord Jesus Christ rest upon him trust in his all-sufficient satisfaction for pardon of Sin and Eternal Life And all this I doubt not but you do in some measure so that you may conclude as the Apostle doth Rom 8. 1. There is therefore no condemuation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit May you not comfort your self with
death by the hand of his Brother At other times and in other cases his Carriage was commendable Psal 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it If you say this is not to the purpose this cometh not home to the point what comfort can you afford me touching my Sons Salvation or what ground of hope Here I confess I am at a loss and must say as the King of Israel to the poor Woman crying Help O King If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee If the Word yield thee no hope or solid ground of Comfort I should but proffer flattery and visions of my own heart if I should offer to give Topicks of Comfort out of my own Invention You are not without hope that God might give him Repentance to recover himself out of the snare of the Devil if your intelligence be not to the contrary There is place left for hope Adversity often opens the eye that sin had shut as we see in Josephs Brethren who had lain in their sin above twenty years without remorse till Affliction awakened them The like we see in Manasses when he was in affliction he humbled himself and besought God who was intreated of him though he had been a prodigious sinner So the prodigal Son by straits and other awakening afflictions came to himself and returned to his Fathers house And the example of Rochesters Repentance is remarkable You cannot say you were sure his Repentance was true neither are you sure of the contrary So you are between hope and fear let that keep you from despair But suppose the worst to use the words of Bildad to Job If thy Children have sinned against him and he have cast them away for their transgressions by the way this was a harsh censure if it should be thus yet here is this Comfort that he dyed in his Youth not a sinner of an hundred years old but â— young vain ignorant seduced person to use your own words Anâ— so his punishment will be less than if he had lived to gray hairs and aâ—l his life had walked in the way of his own heart and so had served divers lusts and pleasures You have parted with some Children before now these you make no question but are in Heaven you have others living I know not how many they will strive to be a Comfort to you I hope by walking in the fear of God And it is a rare thâ—ng and not often seen that aâ—l a Mans Children where thâ—y be numerous do make good proof but one or more of them go astray I mean where Parents are Godly and careful Corruptions too often prevails above Education Imitate David not in his immoderate mourning for Absalom but in his moderation touching Ammon he was comforted concerning Ammon seeing he was dead And at the death of the Infant Now he is dead saith he wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me Which of you by taking thought can add to his stature on cubit Put away excessive grief from your heart and rejoyce in hope of Glory to come Be thankful for the work of Grace in your own heart that God is yours Christ is yours all things are yours Life and Death things present and things to come Now the God of Peace fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing to whose Grace I commend you and rest Your unfeigned Lover SIR OUT of a deep sense of your Affliction and tender commiseration of your great loss in parting with your dearest Daughter I write these Lines to testifie our compassion and fellow feeling of your sorrow which to do is every Christians Duty much more the Duty of near Relations The same which Job calls for from his Friends Job 19. 21. Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my Friends â—or the hand of God hath touched me That you are full of heaviness â—nd have great sorrow of heart for the loss of so sweet a Child I make â—o doubt nor do I at all blame you for it so that you mourn modeâ—ately and after a right manner 1 Cor. 7. 30. Let them that weep be â—s though they wept not but I desire you may sorrow after a Godly sort â—ith Godly sorrow which worketh Repentance to Salvation not to be reâ—ented off but the sorrow of the world worketh death 2 Cor. 7. 10. That you may mourn aright you are to look up to God and see his and in this stroke Ezek. 24. 16. Son of man behold I take away â—he desire of thine eyes with a stroke And remember God is wise the â—nly wise God And wise Agents act for some end some wise and â—reat end God doth nothing in vain but the skill is to find out the â—nd of Gods chastisement He is a wise man that can do that can know the meaning and understand the Errand of Gods Rod and see his Name written upon it Mich. 6. 9. for this let us search the Scriptures which make known to us Gods mind and our Duty in such cases Let us consult the Word make it the men of our counsel as David did Psal 119. 24. and pray with Job Job 10. 2. Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me To understand Gods meaning in his correcting us and the chief end he aims at though some other ends God may have which for brevity sake I omit read Job 33. 17. where you may see Gods end is to open mens ears to instruction to with hold man from his purpose namely of sinning against God to hide pride from man Job 36. 8 9 10. If they be holden in cords of affliction he sheweth them their work their evil works their transgressions that they have exceeded i. e. gone beyond the bounds which God setteth in his Word He openeth their ear to discipline and commandeth that they turn from iniquity To the same purpose you find in Isa 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Agreeable hereunto hath been the practice of Gods people to humble themselves under Gods afflicting hand Lam. 3. 39 40. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin Let us search and try our wayes and turn unto the Lord. Micah 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Psal 38. 18. I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin Where this Duty is neglected God complaineth of them Isa 9. 13. This people turneth not to him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts Jer. 5. 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved i. e. for their sins they have refused to return Ch. 44. 10. They are not humbled to this day To the right performance of this Duty gracious Promises are made 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people shall humble
12. 7. but still his eye of Fatherly care is on them Psal 34. 15. and all things shall work together for their good Now lay all these things together 1. Satan is a Conquered a Chained Enemy 2. By slavish fear you do him too much honour 3. You wrong God and Christ as if they were not able to save you 4. Call to mind Gods gracious Attributes Providence Promises 5. Your relatian to God and Christ to whom in Baptism you were devoted and so are a Member of Christ one of Gods Children whom he loves pityeth and careth for Say now as Nehemiah Should such a one as I flee should I fear the Devil No fear God fear to displease him by sin by this immoderate fear Resist the Devil by Faith and fervent Prayer Lay hold on Gods promises Apply them to your self by Faith as if they had been made to you by Name Hold no dispute with Satan he will be too hard for you But take the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God Answer his Cavils with that as our Saviour did Avoid solitariness as much as you may When you are alone yet remember you are not alone Believers have fellowship with the Father and the Son by the Holy Ghost And alwayes remember that the Holy Angels encamp round about them that fear God Turn to those Scriptures Psal 34. 7. and 91. 11. Get acquainted with Gods people hear their advice and beg their Prayers Wait on God be sure to keep in his way and the issue will be good Psal 40. 1. So the God of Peace grant you Peace by all means and the Peace of God which passeth understanding keep your hearts through Jesus Christ To his Blessing and Grace I commend you Yours Mar. 30. 1680. I Must desire to see you but it is thought not advisable for me to take such a journey at first not having been on horse back since my late sickness I am sorry to hear you are ill again being but lately recovered from an ill fit Man that is born of a woman is of few days and is full of trouble And because it is unknown to us which sickness is or may prove our last it is wisdom to improve the present as a warning to us So to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts to wisdom to consider our latter end and Eternity that follows after Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live saith the Prophet from God to Hezekiah much more should we set our Souls in order and see that we be on good terms with God ere we appear before his judgment-seat Which we must do the first moment after the departing of the Soul out of the body Heb. 9. 27. This is a work so necessary to be done in time that it is not ought not to be put off till a sick bed yet it must then be revived and renewed and then done in the best manner as being the last time of doing it and what is then done is like to stand for ever In order thereunto reflect and look back into the former part of your life Begin at your birth sin and corruption of nature Bewail that and lament over it so go on to the sins of youth and be humbled for them and so come a long to the sins of age and riper years confess and bewail them with their agravating circumstances as being committed against light knowledge and checks of Conscience and done with deliberation By this means you will find ease and rest to your Soul according to that promise Mat. 11. 29. If you cast your weary burden upon the Lord Jesus Christ he will stand between you and his fathers wrath he will take all your debts upon him and say as Rebeckah to Jacob upon me be thy curse my Son Fresh sorrow for old sins Repentance renewed will make Christ sweet and sin bitter to you and affect you more in his love in dying for you This will be a good evidence to you that your sins are forgiven Namely if you confess them with a broken and penitent heart and forsake them with detestation And now is a fit time for you to look up your evidences for Heaven that so you may not be afraid to dye but may look Death in the face with comfort If you say how may I be assured that my sins are forgiven and that Christ is mine To the first I have answered already He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. If we confess our sins by faith resting on Christ for pardon he is faithful and just to forgive us To the second How may I know that Christ is mine Thus Are you you his Are you willing Do you consent to have him on his own terms for your Lord and do you obey him as your Lord Do you take his yoak upon you have you respect to all his commandments Do you hate every evil way John 15. 14. You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you Do you chuse the Lord for your portion Christ for your bliss and happiness Do you more highly prize him and desire to enjoy him more than all riches Do you account all things but loss and dung in comparison of him Had you rather be the most holy person upon Earth than the greatest or richest that ever was And do you use diligence in the means of grace to attain to more holiness If so you may without doubt be well assured your Estate is good and safe For you could not have chosen God and loved Christ unless he had chosen and loved you first Dwell therefore in the thoughts and tastes of Gods love to you Say how wonderful is Gods love to a poor worm and silly dust That the contrivance of infinite wisdom should be taken up about me That the eternall Deity should consult about my salvation ere the world began That God should pass by many wise men after the flesh many mighty and noble who if they had been converted might have done God better service an hundred times then I and make choise of me a dispicable sinner to be an Heir of salvation Lord what is man c. Thus raise up your heart in thankful admiration of Gods wonderful love to your Soul And Thirdly the assurance of Gods love will incourage your heart against the fear of death and give you confidence against the King of terrors I shall be glad to hear of your recovery though I thus write I commend you to God and if I never see you in this world I hope to meet you with other dear friends who are gone before in those mansions which Christ hath purchased and prepared for all those that love him to whose grace I refer you Yours J. H. May 31. 81. They are blessed that do hunger and thirst after Righteousness after Christ for justification and sanctification Do not you so Are not you empty naked barren of grace in your self a dry tree
never be taken from you I know no business of greater weight than this is therefore I beseech you do not slight it but lay it to heart Thus with due respects to you I rest Yours truly John Hieron Losco June 14. 77. THE only intent of this Paper is to give you a word of Spiritual Advice and Direction to carry your self so in this World that you may be happy for ever in the World to come You know every one hath a Soul an Immortal Soul which must live â—ternally either in bliss or misery And every one of us must be careful to save his own Soul Deut. 4. 9. Only take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently The more precious any thing is the more careful we are to preserve it and more fearful to lose it In this respect the Soul deserves more care than all the things in the World besides for it is infinitely more worth What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and loose his own soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Saith our blessed Saviour Matth. 16. 26. Wherefore let my Counsel be acceptable to you and I will shew you the right way how you may save your Soul and be for ever happy which I shall do in two words First Be careful to shun and avoid whatsoever is destructive and dangerous to the Soul and that is sin and sinful lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul Dent. 23. 9. Keep thee from every wicked thing Jer. 44. 4. Oh do not this aâ—ominabâ—â— thing that my soul hates faith the Lord God For the soul that sinneth shall dye Ezek. 18. 4 And as you must watch against all sin so must you flee all occasions and temptations to sin Beware of ill example Follow not a multitude to do evil Exod. 23. 2. for the way to Hell is broad the gate that leadeth to destruction is wide and many there be that go in thereat Take heed of bad company which are infectioâ—s Shun them as you would shun the Plague For a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump He that walketh with the wife that is the Godly shall be wise But a companion of fools that is of wicked men shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. Be not among wine-bibbers Prov. 23. 20. Come not near the door of an Harlot or Harlots house Prov. 5. 8. Blessed is the man c. Psal 1. 1. This is the first part of my Advice which is the same you are engaged to by the Vow of your Baptism wherein you renounced the World the Flesh and the Devil and are under a solemn obligation to maintain a continual War against them as being enemies to your Soul And if you shall neglect to do it you would be a forsworn creature This is a consideration well worthy your laying to heart In the next place you must carefully use those means that God hath appointed to work grace and holiness in your heart for by this we are saved And without holiness no man shall see the Lord or be happy Heb. 12. 14. Let sin be the grief and burden of your heart yea sin original chiefly as well as actual sins for we are all born in sin and Children of wrath by Nature and must be born again that so Natural Corruption the plague of our heart may be healed in us by a new birth from Heaven If any man be in Christ he is a new creature For this you must pray to God earnestly and with importunity that he will create in you a new heart Psal 51. 10. and work in you a lively Faith that you may kiss the Son believe in Jesus Christ for pardon of Sin and Salvation For this end you must diligently and constantly attend on the Word which is the ordinary means which God hath appointed to beget and increase Faith Rom. 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing Have a care to keep holy the Sabbath day constantly and no day neglect reading the Scripture And let fervent Prayer be your Morning and Evening Sacrifice continually and pray God to put his fear in your heart that you may never depart from him Blessed is the man tâ—aâ— feâ—reth alwayeâ— Prov. 28. 14. Daily be faithful and diligent in your Calling he courteous to all men do evil to none speak evil of no man live soberly be temperate in all things Let the chief care of your heart and endeavour of your life be to serve and please God that he may bless you here and save you hereafter So God shall have Honour your Friends Comfort in you and your Soul be eternally â—â—ved which is the desire of Your true Friend and Lover John Hieron Losco June 19. 1680. Thus this Holy Man was taking and making opportunities of doing good to Souls The conversion quickning and saving of Souls was the desire of his Heart what he earnestly prayed for and the design of his Sermons and of his Letters and of his private Discourse too and that to the last As a Kiâ—swoman coming to visit him not long before he dyed and staying all night when she came into his Chamber to take her leave after much good Counsel given her sayes he Are you going But who came along with you She answered Her Man And Payes he where is he I have something to say to him Then he was told that the Man was on Horse-back waiting for his Mistress He replyed Call him up Shall any one come and lodge a might in my House and I say nothing to him concerning his Soul Bid him alight and come to me for I must speak to him Thus he shewed his Care for the Soul of a Servant as well as of the Mistress his Love to the Soul of a Stranger as well as to any of his own Kindred FINIS Books Printed for and sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel A Second Volume of lives of sundry eminent persons in this latter agae in two parts I. of Divines II. of Nobilicy and Gentry of both Sexes By Samuel Clark M. A. sometime Pastor of Bennetsink in London The life and Death of Edmond Staunton D. D. to which is added I. his Treatise of Christain conference II. His Dialogue between a Minister and a stranger Octavo The true Dignity of St. Paul's elder exemplefied in the life of that Reverend Holy zealous and faithful Servant and Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Owen Stockton M. A. sometimes follower of Gonvile and Câ—jâ—s Colledge in Cambridge and afterward Preacher of Gods Word â—t Colchester in Essex With a Collection of his observations Experiences and Evidences recorded by his own hand to which is added his Funeral Sermon by John Fâ—â—rfax M. A. sometime Fellow of C. Colledge in Cambridge and afterward Rector of â—â—rking in Sâ—ffolk Invisible Realities demonstrated in the Holy Life and Triumphant Death of Mr. John Janeway Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge By James Janeway Minister of the Gospel A Narraitive of the Holy Life and happy death of that Reverend faithful and zealous man of God Minster of the Gospel of JesusChrist Mr. John Angier many years Pastor of the Church of Christ at Dunton near Manchester in Lancashire Wherein are related many Passaged that concern his Birth Education his entrance into the Ministry discharge of his trust therein and his Death Octavo A Believers Triumph over Death exemplified in a relation of the last hours of Dr. Andrews River and an account of divers other remarkable Instances being an History of the Comfortable end and dying words of several eminent Men. With other occasionall Passages attending to comfort Christians to the fear of Death and prepare them for a like happy Change The Life and death of Mr. Tâ—o Wilson Minister of Maidstone in the County of Kent M. A. A True History of the Capâ—ivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson a Ministers Wife in New England wherein is set forth the cruel and Inhumane usage she under went amongst the Heathens for cleven Weeks time and her delieverance from them Written by her own hand for her private use and now made publick at the earnest desire of some friends for the benefit of the Afflicted whereunto is anexed a Sermon of the possibility of Gods forsaking a People that have been near and dear to him preached by Mr. Josph Rowlandson Husband to the said Mrs. Rowlandson so it being his last Sermon Carracters of a Godly Man both as more and less grown in grace By Daniel Burgess Minister of the Gospel Octavo Of National Churches their description Institution use preservation danger Malides and cure partly applyed to England quarto Again the Revolt to a Forrain Iurisdiction which would be to England its Perjury Church R â—un and slavery in two parts I. the History of Mans endeavours to Introduce it II. the Confutation of all pretences for it Church Concord containing I. A Diswasive from unnecessary Division and Separation and the real concord of the moderate Independants with the Presbyterians instanced in ten seeming Differences II. the Terms necessary for concord among all true Churches and Christians These three By Richard Baxter Minister of the Gospel FINIS
I am certain there is in this case You know August saying which is good divinity The sin is not forgiven except restitution be made of that which is taken away And now I have done only let me give you an account why I take on me this boldness to be thus plain with you Surely it is because I honour you as not only a Gentleman but a Christian one who have good things in you and a Conscience bearing witness to the truth and will not rebel against the light when it shines out but will yield an obedient ear as David speaks Psal 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me c. Prov. 28. 23. He that rebuketh c. Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother c. By warrant of these and other Scriptures I have adventured to deal plainly with you in this matter assuring you that my hearts desire and Prayer to God for you is that you may be saved And if it please God to open your eyes and touch your heart then it will never repent you that you hearkened to the counsel of a poor Minister but you will bless God for it as David did for Abigails advice 1 Sam. 25. 32. that you may make reparation for what is past and be kept for the future from work of this sort Let the Devils Servants do their Masters drudgery for such it is Rev. 2. 10. but keep you your self pure To conclude in the words of a wise Man but no Christian i. e. of Gamaliel Acts 5. 38 39. I say refrain from these men and let them alone for if this counsel or this work be of men it will come to nought But if it be of God you cannot overthrow it lest haply you be found even to fight against God Now craving pardon for this tediousness and prolixity and your candid interpretation I take leave and commend you to God resting Your Worships to be commanded John Hieron Losco Cozen IT is now a long time since I saw you But to me no little grief I hear an evil report of your lewd and ungodly course of life that you lead to the great dishonour of God the grief of your Friends the danger of your Immortal Soul and the ruine of your Family whom by wasting and your unthrifty courses you must needs bring to Poverty here and hazard their Eternal Salvation hereafter by your ill example and neglect of honouring and worshiping of God in your Family as every Christian is bound to do Now I pray you consider your wayes whether is Alehouse haunting keeping company with Drunkards casting off Prayer and all Family Duties the way to Heaven or Hell Is this to walk as the Gospel teacheth Soberly Righteously Godly in this present evil World Is this to follow the Example and Godly Education of your pious Friends who brought you up in the fear of God Is this to walk according to the Vow of your Baptism in which you were dedicated to the service of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and in which you promised to forsake the Devil and all his works the vanities of the World and the lusts of the Flesh Pray think how great a sin Perjury is to be forsworn by breaking a solemn Vow made to God in the face of a Congregation which God will require at your hands And how fearful a sin is Apostacy to fall away from your holy profession which sometime you made Read and tremble at those Scriptures Prov. 14. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 21. Heb. 10. 29. Will the pleasure of sin for a season make you amends for the loss of Heaven and Eternal Happiness Can your good fellows and companions in wickedness save you from the wrath of God and the vengeance of eternal fire Will they or can they comfort you in Sickness at the hour of Death or day of Judgment Did the rich man Luk. 16. 28. think that his Brethrens company would be any solace to him in Hell Why then doth he request so earnestly that a Preacher might be sent to warn them that they might turn and escape the place of torment Lay these things to heart and remember your self in time before it be too late And as with the prodigal Son you have run away from your Fathers house and from your Duty so return with him to your Obedience Confess and bewail your sins to God as he did and forsake them and you shall find mercy as he did But do it betime without delay defer it not lest your heart be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin or least death come upon you unawares And if you dye in your sins Hell follows after Abandon the Alehouse and all wicked company set up Religion in your Family pray not only once on a Sabbath day I marvel where you learnt that but every day morning and night and break off all your sins by Repentance and pray for a new heart for why will ye dye Ezek. 18. 31. Despise not this Counsel but receive it as sent from God least it witness against you in the great day when every one must give an account of himself to God And it may very well be the last which you may ever receive from Your Vncle which pityeth your poor Soul and all yours Octob. 20. 1680. BEcause I pity your Conditions I thought good to give you some directions in Writing which you may read and consider and have them ready by you and your Son may ponder them as Mary kept the sayings of Christ and pondered them in her Heart because words of Advice only spoken in the Ear are soon forgotten and become as water spilt on the ground And what I write shall be words of Truth and Soberness taken out of the Scripture of Truth or agreeable thereunto And therefore you ought to give the more diligent heed to them In the first place I shall direct my words to you and your Wife and pray you to consider your waves and search and try your Hearts and see whether God hath not laid this affliction on your Child for the Parents sin◠for though it become not others to judge uncharitably of them who suffer such things according to our Saviours caution Suppose ye that those Galileans were greater sinners than all the Galileans I tell you Nay Luk. 13. 3 5. Yet it is our Duty to humble our selvés under the mighty hand of God to judge our selves to commune with our own hearts to see Gods name written upon his Rod Micah 6. 9. To hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Gods Rod hath a voice it calleth to us if we were wise enough to know the meaning of it to understand its errand Job 3◠31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more Imitate Rebekah Why am I thus And she went to enquire of the Lord. Gen. 25.
22. Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Job 10. 2. If your Heart do not condemn you for any particular sin yet renew your Repentance for all sin labour to excite and stir up the Grace of God within you Be more fervent in Prayer diligent in hearing more watchful over your hearts and all your wayes mortifie corruptions and walk more closely with God and pray that this Affliction may be sanctified to you that you may come forth as gold after God hath tryed you Job 23. 10. That you may be able to say as David Psal 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes This is what I thought good to say to you Parents Now I speak to your Son Though God does sometimes visit the iniquity of Parents upon Children yet there is none upon Earth so just or innocent as to be Naturally pure and free from sin All are born in sin The imagination of the Heart of Man is evil from his youth You are therefore to be humbled for Original Sin the Corruption of your Nature the Mother of all abominations And pray that you may be born again with a new birth from Heaven David confesseth Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Every one therefore must be renewed taken off the stock of old Adam and ingrassed into Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Make sure of this that you be in Christ In him God is well pleased and with all that are in Christ If you may say with David Psal 118. 6 7. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what men or Devils can do unto me The Lord taketh my part with them that help me Again Psal 56. 11. In God I put my trust I will not fear what man can do unto me Psal 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is my strength of whom shall I be afraid Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us He that spared not his own Son c. Make sure of Gods love and then you need not fear the Devils malice For first the Devil is a conquered Foe He is a Dragon or Lyon in chains Rev. 20. 1. Christ that owns the Cross hath overcome and subdued him Heb. 2. 14. Through his death he hath destroyed him that had power of death that is the Devil He cannot go one link beyond his Chain He could not touch one Lamb of all Jobs flock till God gave him leave He could not enter into the Herd of Swine till Christ permitted him He cannot appear to you nor hurt you except God suffer him The very hairs of your head are all numbered Matth. 10. 30. By fearing him you do him too much pleasure and honour And will you pleasure a cruel enemy An enemy to God and your Soul By so doing you dishonour God and Christ who is your strength and Redeemer You do in effect say I doubt the Devil is too hard for God I fear God cannot deliver me out of his hands Whereas it is promised Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly 1 Joh. 4. 4. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world How foolish a thing is it to fear that which never did befal you nor any man not one of ten thousand What did you see the Devil or have you known one man or woman that ever did see him except Witches who call him in to their assistance His suggestions or temptations cannot harm you but molest and trouble you They are not your sins you may still keep your integrity for all them as Job and Christ did And if God should suffer him to appear to you yea and carry your Body from place to place as he did our Saviour yet it is not in his power to hurt you I have read of a Godly Minister that for want of a better was forced to dwell in a House that was haunted and one night when he was in Bed the Devil appear'd to him standing like a Man at his Beds feet The Minister saw him but was not affrighted only said to him If thou have nought else to do thou mayest stand there still I will betake my self to my rest and so he did and heard no more of his guest The Devil is a proud Spirit and loveth to domineer and have men stand in awe of him to fear him instead of God and this he triumpheth in But the best way is to slight and contemn him as the Minister did so shall you be sooner rid of him Leave thinking of him and have God more in your mind his Mercy Love and Care to all that fear him his Promises Providence These call to mind Gods Attributes his Allsufficiency his Almighty Power I am the almighty God Gen. 17. 1. and Gen. 15. 1. Fâ—ar not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Josh â— 5 6. I will be with thee I will never fail thee nor forsake thee Be strong and of a good courage These Promises though made to Abraham and to Joshua belong to every believer Believers are Heirs of the Promises Heb. 6. 17. And Paul applies them to all believers Heb. 13. 5. And so doth Peter 2 Pet. 1. 4. Do you act faith in the promises and reason thus Is God my God my Heavenly Father in Jesus Christ Doth he love me Psal 146. 8. Doth he care for me 1 Pet. 5. 7. Watch over me is he my shield and buckler Psal 121. 3 4 5. Prov. 2. 7. My strength rock fortress high tower my deliverer Psal 18. 1 2. Shall I then be so cowardly as to fear a creature the Devil all the Devils in Hell when God is for me God keepeth careth for me watcheth over me night and day Isa 27. 3. Where is my faith Check your self for unbelief as Christ did Peter Matth. 14. 31. O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt And as David did his own Soul Psal 42 Why art thou cast down O my Soul c. Lastly If you are in Christ then are you dear to God though you be never so poor you are a member of Christ of the family of Heaven of the Houshold of Faith a Lamb of Christs flock a Child of God an Heir of Heaven Will God suffer the Devil to harm any so dear to him Joh. 10. 28. My sheep shall never perish nor shall any man or devils be able to pluck them out of my fathers hand Christ is a good Shepherd Isa 40. 11. He will gather the lambs in his armes and carry them in his bosom He will not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised reed As a Father pityeth his Children so the Lord pityeth them that fear him He may suffer men to ride over their heads Satan to buffit them 2 Cor.