express some trouble if any of the lower rank in the world did bring him some small thing for though he did thankfully own their kindness yet he would let them know he would not be burdensome to them He us'd to be very grateful for favours though never so small But more notably thankful to God One bringing him a little cordial-water after his Preaching not being well with his eyes lifted up to heaven he said What am I or my Fathers house that God is so mindful of me a poor creature Oh! blessed be God His impartiality in judging causes amongst those of his acquaintance who referred themselves to him was own'd to be very remarkable And he us'd to advise his friends often to take care and watch for opportunities to seek God by private prayer He himself was a great man in Prayer And we find this Anagram of his Name Thomas Wadsworth under his own hand viz. Ah! Os tu oras Deum which is as much as to say in English Thou openest thy mouth in prayer to God You know it is given us as a remarkable character of Paul after his Conversion Behold he prayeth Acts 9.11 LII Having a door open'd to him at Theobalds for the preaching of the Gospel though he met with many difficulties yet being encouraged there where he was concern'd to abide most for the health of himself and family not for any other gain but rather the impairing of his estate by the conflux of Hearers to whom his labours were very acceptable He accounted it needful to stir them up to the participation of all Ordinances according to Gospel-order which notion they readily closed with under his Administration Upon which to prevent any jealousie amongst his people in London and Southwark he told a member of his society to this purpose Peradventure because I have not any maintenance from you you may think I look not upon my self to be therefore so much engag'd to you but fear it not for I think my self to be every jot as much engag'd to you as if I had my whole maintenance from you for my great Lord and Master knowing you are not so able hath provided for me another way yet nevertheless to do you service so that sith God by his Providence hath setled me amongst you and hath enclined your hearts to embrace my Ministry fear not my leaving of you He was one ever ready to deny himself his own due right that thereby he might provide for the welfare of souls committed to his charge yea and to do what he could to encourage others in that great work His Charity as well as self-denial was manifested to his distressed brethren in the Ministry in making Collections for them both at Deadmans-place and Theobalds and he had a singular faculty to dispose his Hearers to give liberally distributing all that was collected and more to several in such proportions as in their circumstances he judg'd most convenient as was evident from his particular accounts of that matter and the grateful acknowledgments of those who received the benefit he practised according to Paul's Directory for a Bishop 1 Tim. 3.3 he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one not given to filthy lucre and one not covetous He shew'd great love to the poor in relieving of them and conversing with them He would often say He rejoic'd to send them away cheerful because they were Gods creatures and 't was like God to make the hearts of the poor merry And he would not have those of his Family to be too hard in buying things of poor people saying their hearts would be glad if they had a good price given to them for their Commodities they brought to sell A further instance we have of his freedom from prevailing covetousness and his real self-denial beyond exception When T.S. the Son of his second Wife was very dangerously sick of the Small pox though 600 l. would have come to him and his if this Son-in Law had then died not being then at age yet he did call his Religious friends again and again to join with him in solemn prayer for his recovery And when his prayers were prevalent upon his restoration to health he solemnly return'd thanks to God which upon the expence of circumstances did signally evidence the integrity of his generous soul and may well be transmitted to posterity for imitation LIII Whiles he was at Newington many overtures were made to this eminent Minister for the change of his condition but he closed with none of them having early fixed his eye upon one to whom after full knowledg and mature deliberation he made known his affection Her Parents consented that this their Daughter a vertuous young Gentlewoman should match with this man of God She was of a good family being the younger daughter of Henry Hastings Esq of the Parish of Newington-Butts Her name was Elizabeth Hastings which this Religious and Poetick lover did from his certain knowledg of her piety and zeal for God thus Annagrammatize Big zeal hateth sins By her he had born to him Octob. 3. 1661 a Son named Henry-Hastings but the pious Mother of him did not live above ten days after his birth for she departed this world on Octob. 13. following betwixt eight and nine of the Clock of that Lords-day morning And this fair blossom their Son was soon cropt off for about a month after viz. Novemb. 15th on Friday morning he died at Nurse This disconsolate Widower bereft of a meet yoke-fellow and likewise amov'd from his Ecclesiastical Wife at Newington having so journ'd for a time with his friend Mr. Sedgwick whiles a Batchelor and then remov'd to Mr. de Luna's as above about two years after the decease of his first wife and child being recommended to a vertuous Widow Mrs. Margaret Sharp Daughter to Henry Gibs of Bristol Esq and Relict to Mr. Thomas Sharp Merchant about Novemb. 1663 he married her she having then a Son by Mr. Sharp her former Husband who had also left Lucy Sharp a Daughter by his former Wife this Daughter being consumptive did not long survive the Marriage of her Mother-in-law but in her sickness did greatly bless God for her being thereby related to Mr. Wadsworth whose instructions and prayers she found to be successful for the good of her precious soul She died about the 16th year of her age Mr. Wadsworth living then for his better health mostly at Theobalds but came to preach to his Congregation in Southwark he prevailed with his Wife to dwell there with him By her he had born to him Octob. 10. 1666 Josiah Whose Mother became sickly and Jan. 3. 1667 left him motherless and his Father a sorrowful Widower again In his sorrows he had drawn up a notable character of this his second Wife giving an account of her piety but he so dispos'd of that it is not to be found amongst any of his Papers This only Son Josiah liv'd about five years and an half to the comforting
of his Father but March 25. 1672 he follow'd his Mother Upon the loss of him then his only child whom he greatly affected his mournful but religious Father set a fair copy to others of much Christian patience and submission to thei will of God He had staid three years a Widower from the death of his second and then Decemb 14. 1670 took to his third Wife with the good liking of her Parents Anna sole Daughter to Colonel Henry Markham one of an ancient Family and a Gentleman of his Majesties Privy Chamber By whom he had first Anna then Hester afterwards Thomas and lastly Nathaniel all these four he left alive but this last Son when he was about a year and an half old departed this life to go and rest with his Father gone about a twelve-month before LIV. It seems this famous servant of Christ was in Decemb. 1672 well nigh four years before his death by some illness at Theobalds admonisht of his frailty and being come to London as to preach his usual course so also to advise with a Physician for his health upon those symptoms were then upon him during which time in his house at Pickle-Herring he was suddenly surpriz'd with a kind of fainting fit that occasion'd some failure of spirits and sweatings which did a little startle him Hereupon by and by he call'd for a Candle went up stairs and retir'd himself into a private room not permitting either his Wife or Sister then to accompany him but addrest himself to God alone as one summon'd by him it might be shortly to appear before him Then after a while return'd to his dear Wife c. upon his coming down they observ'd an admirable raisedness of spirit in him who then greatly blessed God for a cold sweat and a trembling pulse which had occasion'd him to look more narrowly within where finding all well to his great comfort he behav'd himself as one that was not afraid then of an arrest to Judgment We find him indeed in his Memorials upon a former sickness from March 6th till the 16th recording I was cast into a fit of sickness God brought me into a wilderness but spake kindly to me He afflicted me but for a moment About a week after he adds I was exceeding well much melted having an eye open'd to see God in prayer by faith as if I spoke to any of my familiars This humble confidence of going to God as his Father was rais'd as he elsewhere where notes from discoveries of mortification and purity in heart And besides this he lays it down afterwards That Nothing speaks Adoption fuller than the discoveries of Gods love either to the answering thy prayers with reference to mortification and strength in grace or comfort Joh. 15.15 And adds The readiest way to come to spiritual disveries of the Mystery of the Gospel-promise is to do the commands of God Joh. 7.17 He was a sincere doer of Gods will and such God heareth LV. When in perfect health he would be thoughtful of changes and therefore would often pray that God would prepare him and his for sickness death and parting About half a year before his last sickness when he had exceeding sharp pain he said He would not have been without it to have been without those joys he felt by it Being resolv'd to leave his more expensive habitation at Theobalds to live in Southwark nearer to his old charge It seems the Family and Friends talking somewhat cheerfully of their removal his Eldest Daughter Anna then a Child betwixt four and five years old said unexpectedly What if my Father should go to London and die He was so apprehensive of a dying hour that he said after His Girl whom he had a great love for was a true Prophetess 'T was about three weeks and odd days before he died that he came to his house at Pickle Herring Stairs having preacht the first of those two last Sermons published on the eighth of October and the last on the 15th 1676. The next day following he was chearful in the morning but then afterwards that day his pains came upon him he possessed his own soul in more than ordinary patience And was not willing to confult a Doctor till the 24th after a week of extream pain night and day then with great importunity he was prevail'd with to send for one in great reputation for skill and practise Who conceiv'd at the first visit that it was the Stone not questioning at all but that he would do well notwithstanding This was on the Tuesday Octob. 24th That night after he slept well whereupon with a thankful heart to God he told some of his friends how he had been carried through Saying I am like a man who had gone over a precipice and looking back trembled to see the danger he had past through For saith he when I was in pain God supported me and now I stand amaz'd how I got through it He indeed did use often to say when he had seen others in great pain he was afraid of dying i. e. of the antecedent pains he might pass through but he was not afraid of being dead He knew full well that Death which was the dissolution of his soul and body would only open the passage to his soul to be for ever with the Lord. LVI On Wednesday 25th he rose pretty cheerful and spent some time in reading but after dinner his pains return'd again when he began to complain of sin saying Ah! vile sinner God is carrying me back again into the Wilderness to afflict me expressing some sorrow of heart but without any murmurring Then he bid his Wife to read the 88 Psalm by that time she had done Justice Reading and some other friends came to visit and condole with him Afterwards about seven of the Clock that night came in his second Wifes Brother Mr. W. Gibb's going for Bristol the next morning and his dear Wife Mrs. Sarah Gibbs who greatly respected and dearly loved this choice Servant of the Lord she indeed was a gracious Woman of a most sweet temper a choice one of his dear flock who since went to rest with him her faithful Pastor in glory Jan. 27. 1679 These were discoursing about his taking a Countrey-house nearer to London than Theobalds To which he replyed with much composure of spirit Yea God will provide me a Countrey meaning an Heavenly one Then his former Wifes Son Thomas Sharp 〈◊〉 about to go to Sea and come into the room He told him It was not likely they two should meet again here Whereupon he gave him with tears a most Pathetical Exhortation to mind his souls spiritual and eternal welfare and to serve God holily righteously and soberly in this present world which shew'd his great and conscientious solicitude for the real happiness of this young man committed to his charge The night after his great pains did again return with much acuteness And LVII On Thursday morning 26th he had sharp pains
that shall keep the Angels of Heaven company to all eternity in the Heavens to glorifie the Maker and the Redeemer of the world This is the Church a Church in a Kingdom is the glory of the Kingdom and God in the Church is the glory of the Church When God leaveth a Church or Kingdom you may name it this name the glory is departed the glory is departed from a Town or Kingdom when the Church of Christ is departed If it be so it will be worth our while to inquire which is this Church of Christ for there are many pretensions laid to the Church many would call themselves the Church the Jews they would be the Church of God the Turks would be a Church of God for they profess to worship the God of Heaven the Papists they would be a Church of God and in England there are many parties laying their claims to the Church of God No wonder my brethren that every one is so desirous to bear that title of being the Church of God 't is the most glorious title of the world as I have shewn you 't is the glory of the world But to help you to find out this Church in the midst of all these claims that are laid to it I have chosen this verse wherein the Holy Ghost giveth a description of it for by these characters you will be able to find it out for this verse is nothing else but a characterizing of the nature of the Church of God And there appeared a great wonder in Heaven a Woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars The Church is described two ways First In General Secondly More Particularly First in general There appeared a great wonder in Heaven that is in this Vision of John he did seem to see a very strange and unusual sight we call things wonders that are strange things it is no wonder to see the Sun shining because it is common and the Stars to give light because common but when we see a Blazing-star we call it a wonder so the meaning is I saw a great wonder saith John and what of that I saw a Woman I saw a Woman in the Heavens It is common to see the Sun and Moon and Stars there but to see a Woman is a wonder and so the Church is a wonder to see a fire keep alive in the midst of the Sea to see a people keeping themselves holy in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation to see a people live to the glory of God in a wicked and debaucht Kingdom is a wonder for in spite of all the wrath and rage of the Devil they are resolved to love God and follow the Lamb where ever he leads them this is a wonder and in many respects the Church may be said to be a wonder a wonder to Angels a wonder to Devils and a wonder to the wicked world A wonder to Angels we read they desire to peep into the mystery of Redemption of Christs coming into the world to die for a company of sinful creatures that deserve no better a condition than the dungeon of Hell but for you Angels to see God taking poor sinners from the dungeon of sin and wrath and raising them upon Thrones by giving them repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and adopting them Sons and Daughters and taking them to be his friends this the Angels wonder at And why may I not guess a wonder to the Devils for them to see the Son of God come and themselves to be past by to be forsaken eternally reserved in chains and to see such creatures as we are to be brought into a state of fellowship and communion with God may make them stand and wonder And truly how can it chuse but be a wonder to our selves if David in seeing the Heaven Sun Moon and Stars could cry out Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him How can we chuse but wonder when we look upon our selves being guilty of all manner of sins either in heart or life to see God take us and wash us like swine out of the mire and cleanse us and make us live like his children and call us his own and write his name upon us and seal us up for an eternal state in the Heavens And so the wicked world do wonder that we do not follow them in the same excess of riot drunkenness and singing and ranting in the Taverns and Alehouses they wonder at it Well I saw this wonder in Heaven that is in a most exalted state and so my Brethren it is in its own self in its nature it is highly exalted in the heavens of Gods favour and affections and when the time shall come that God will perfect his Church she shall shine in glory as in a most exalted state and condition and it is this she expecteth and for this she saith Come Lord Jesus and for this he saith I come quickly But more particularly to the nature of this wonder What is it 1. It is described by a Woman 2. The Attire And 3. the place of her standing First A Woman and her attire and that is first of her head a Crown of twelve Stars 2. The attire of her body clothed with the Sun And then 3dly Here is her standing She standeth upon the Moon trampleth that under her feet and this is a description of you so many of you as are true members of the Lord Jesus Christ what great things are here spoken are spoken of every believer here First a Woman why is the Church compared to a Woman that the Church is compared to a Woman in Scripture that is plain the Book of Canticles which is Solomons Song is a Song of the Church represented as a Spouse to Jesus Christ the Prophets frequently compar'd the Church to a Woman in the Old Testament and God is her Husband the Apostles compared it to a Woman I have endeavoured as a Virgin to present you to God without spot And the Church is called the Lambs Wife But for what reason does the Holy Ghost compare the Church to a Woman For these four Reasons 1. For her Beauty 2. For her Affection 3. For her Fruitfulness 4. For her Weakness For these four she may well be compared to a Woman 1. For her Beauty I speak not of that outward that skin-deep beauty which a little time will bring to wrinkles but I speak of an inward beauty a soul beauty the Church of Christ is beautiful that is soul-beautiful the Graces of the Saints upon the soul of the Saints is the red and white nothing enamours Christ so much as your faith in his Promises love to his Glory patience in afflictions obedience to his Commandments Thou art fair my beloved saith Christ to his Spouse The Church is compar'd to a Woman for her beauty and therefore the Apostle saith I have endeavoured to present you as a Virgin how not
a deformed one but a Virgin without wrinkle without spot when the Church is sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and nothing in your hearts but love fear and holiness then you have this beauty that is without spot or wrinkle sin does sully the soul but grace taketh away spots and wrinkles Likewise 2. The Church is compared to a Woman for her affection their affections ordinarily are more strong 'T is said of Jonathan his love did exceed the love of women The Holy Ghost compareth the Church to a Woman to signifie that all the members of Christ have a very ardent love and affection to Christ No love so strong as the love of a Saint to Christ and therefore 't is said That many waters cannot quench it There are few will be beggered for the sake of another or banished or hanged upon a Gallows for the sake of another burnt at a stake for anothers sake and yet the love of a Saint maketh nothing of all this it rejoiceth to see its goods spoil'd for Christ to think it self worthy to be whipt for Christ to go up a ladder and to be thrown down with a rope about its neck for Christ Water cannot quench a Saints love neither can fire hinder a Saint from Christ neither things present or things to come can sepaparate from Christ You would all be of this Church pray look that you have affections suitable for Christ You may have a time to try your affections if you want affections you are none of this Woman 3. The Church is compared to a Woman for her fruitfulness the Church of Christ is a fruitful Church that is the society of the Lord Jesus do bring forth daily children to God and as like the Father as they can look The Church does meet together to preach the Gospel and to pray and praise God together and God does so bless them with the Ordinances that they do convert sinners unto God they bring souls that were aliens in their mind they bring them to acquaintance with God The Church is always travelling and bringing forth and God does bless her to bring Sons and Daughters to himself and when they are born they are like Christ patient as Christ was patient meek as he was meek humble as he was humble and heavenly as he was heavenly Whoever pretend to be a Son or Daughter of this Woman and do not bear the Image of the Lord Jesus Christ they are bastards Barrenness under the Law 't was counted a very great curse So take this note to find out the Church of Christ upon earth and in England look upon the several societies professing the name of Christ see which look the most like him have they affections to Christ is there a beauty in their lives are they barren do they convert sinners to them Some cry with a loud voice The Temple of the Lord are we but I pray see if they are fruitful Are they travelling and bringing forth and have they Sons and Daughters brought forth daily to them or little conversion among them they are not fruitful they have not Sons and Daughters born to Jesus Christ and by that you may know where to find Christs Church Lastly The Church is compared to a Woman because of her weakness the Woman is the weaker sex she is not made for fighting but in case of danger for flying for this is the nature of the Church it is not of a domineering boisterous spirit but a womanly spirit modest humble and meek Where you see a people pretend to be this Woman pouring out malice and wrath a domineering people are they like this Woman that flyeth in time of danger but not from Christ vers 3. And there appeared another great wonder in Heaven behold a great red Dragon and that 's the Devil and the Dragon stood before the woman to devour her child as soon as it was born But what was the end did she fight no there were Angels stood to contend for her she took up no arms thought not upon fighting but presently the Angel rescued her vers 7. And there was war in Heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon and his Angels fought and prevailed not That is the host of Angels did contend with the Devil and his Angels and would not permit him to destroy her and she fled into the Wilderness vers 6. And she fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days She fled into a Wilderness but in a secure state she was secur'd in her Wilderness and God lookt after her and we are in this thousand two hundred threescore days She is a weak Church but strong in Christ and if so my brethren though you be weak and meek as a sheep and compared to a Woman the weaker sex yet notwithstanding fear not for I cannot stand to speak of all the things in this Chapter Great wings were given her to fly with the whole earth stept out to help her and swallowed up the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth and the Angels helped her Well now let us come to the attire I have shewn you the reasons why she is compared to a Woman and we will begin at her head and so come down to her foot On her head a Crown of twelve Sâ—arâ— and her body was clothed with the Sun and under her foot the Moon What was this Crown of twelve Stars if you do but mark the H. Ghost through this book of the Revelations you will find him take a great deal of pleasure in this number twelve and he does always use it when he speaketh of the true Church the new Jerusalem it had twelve Gates and the Tree of life in the midst of this new Jerusalem this Tree of Life bore twelve sorts of fruits this you have in the last Chapter And in the midst of the streets of it and of either side of the river was there the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the Nations Why twelve Gates for the City and twelve fruits upon the tree and twelve Stars upon the Crown of this Church what is the meaning of this I will tell you what it is You know Jesus Christ when he went about to gather this Church out of the world he did chuse twelve men that were his Apostles and these twelve men he did acquaint with the whole mystery of the Gospel all the things that he would have them teach the world he gave them in commandment and they were to be under him the Fathers to beget this Church And Christ calleth them lights Ye are the lights of the world because they were to deliver forth this Doctrine of the Gospel this light from Heaven these truths that lead men like tapers through this dark Dungeon