apparent and obvious contrarieties of virtues in holy and vices in wicked men evident to ordinary capacities upon the first aspect but the more hidden and lesse discerned differences between the plausiblyseeming virtues of evil men and the reall graces of the truly godly as likewise between the raigning sins of hypocrites and the dayly infirmities of the Saints which many times even by quick-sighted spectators are both mistaken His course held therein In prosecution whereof he first brings forth the hypocrite in his best dresse and attire and then sets by him aregenerate man living up to his Rule adding the differences between them thereby to unmask the hypocrite and to detect his incroachments upon the name and privileges of the Saints Secondly he setteth out a true child of God labouring under infirmities and an hypocrite under the power of sin which cannot consist with saving grace notwithstanding all his flourishes that so he may clearly distinguish a Christian in black from a counterfeit in white and between the bewailed weaknesses of the Saints and the wilfull wanderings of the wicked Causes of not publishing it A work no lesse needfull to all then gratefull to the soulsound self-searching Christian that labours after sincerity and the assurance of it But the iniquity of the times full of hypocrisie and Atheism hating and hindring such discoveries and by all means discouraging those that would make them together with the Authors constant imployment even unto the impairing of his strength and spirits in feeding his Flock disabled him from finishing and disappointed the Church from enjoying the benefit of that admirable piece For the Eagle eyed Author quickly discerning what obstructions way-laid the publication not onely of that Treatise but of what ever else tended to the power of godlinesse whereunto his sanctified Genius chiefly led him he not without deep grief and losse to us all laid it and all thoughts of publishing that or ought else aside and applyed himself wholly to that most Apostolicall work of preaching and prayer leaving onely some draughts imperfect for the Presse of those rare conceptions of his excellent spirit wherein he so far transcended that it is very hard if not impossible to draw a line parallel to his And should any undertake it he is not likely to receive other guerdon then they who have assayed to piece up Virgils verses which himself left unfinished Sundry oother things prepared by him I mention not here more then the names sundry other issues of his fertile and excellent wit and curious invention never published viz. divers choyce and sacred Aphorisms Anatomica Nosognostica Pathologica Therapeutica Physiologica Prophylactica as also divers divine Emblems similitudes all eminent demonstrations of his exquisite abilities profitable improvements of them And shall God vouchsafe to restore peace to his afflicted Churches and thereby more comfort and incouragement to her mourners some things of his although orba parente suo may perhaps be sent abroad to quiet if not satisfie those who loved the Author and what ever was his and knew both his labours and intentions therein His frequent and elaborate preaching His great delight and indefatigable pains in preaching so many years was almost beyond all example He constantly preached if in health thrice a week besides his extraordinary labours on many emergent occasions which he cheerfully embraced as joying in all opportunities of doing good abroad as well as at home In all his Sermons which were many thousands his expressions were choice grave solid weighty savory and seasonable his applications home and pertinent strongly set on from divine authority by a sweet and moving elocution a masculine eloquence fervent zeal and strength of love to the souls of his hearers His excellent method sutable to the subject He very well knew how to set forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abstruse points plainly and how to manage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plain truths elegantly not in the words of mans wisdome but which the Holy Ghost teacheth always speaking in Christ as of God in the sight of God He was not like one that makes a feast once a moneth or quarter letting his family beg or starve in the intervalls nor like him that visits the Pulpit twice every Sabbath yet brings no new matter with him scarse once a moneth but still setting on the same dishes with a little new garnish even unto nauseousnesse But he as he was rich in laying in so was he plentifull and wise in laying out like a ready Scribe instructed to the Kingdome of God or a good housholder bringing forth of his Treasury things both new and old And albeit he could by his quick invention profound judgement and faithfull memory things rarely meeting in the same man dextrously dispatch that with little labor which costs other men much yet he seriously professed with rejoycing that he never durst to serve God with that which cost him nothing knowing that diligence addes weight and respect both to the matter and speaker whereby his words became goads and nayls fastened by that great Master of the Assembly which are given from one shepheard His Motto His Motto was Impendam Expendar I will spend and be spent which he cheerfully verified For he counted not his life dear in comparison of preaching the Gospel and of finishing his course with joy and the Ministery he had received from the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Being told by his Physitian desirous to preserve him that he might live longer if he preached lesse Alas said he If I may not labour I cannot live what good will life do me if I be hindred from the end of living Et propter vitam vivendi perdere causam His perseverance in his work When age and weaknesse denyed him strength to travell abroad any more to perfume other Congregations with the sweet odours of his pretious ointment and when for his years and infirmities he might well as an emeritus miles sue out even in the Court of Heaven it self his Writ of Ease and passe the rest of his days in rejoycing over his Trophees and Triumphes yet would he never give over studying and preaching till all strength of body gave over him Yea he often preached even when his legs almost refused to carry him any more to the Church with much spirit and unexpected vivacity as a mighty man refreshed with the wine of the Spirit of God And being some years before his departure sensible of the dayly approaches of death which he long expected to his spent and decayed body ready to be deserted of his divine soul he hath severall times preached his own Funerall Sermon as supposing he should preach no more not without the sorrow and tears of his loving and beloved hearers And when after such preaching and rejoycing in it he invited as his constant manner was such Ministers and friends as came to hear him to his Table he would force himself to sit with
able to powr out their soules and the souls of their people into the very bosome of the Almighty The time of his continuance in his charge In this Orbe of his publick Ministery this fixed starre shined brightly without the least eclipse or retrograde motion somewhat above forty seven years A long time for such a lamp to burn as he did but a fair opportunity of bringing many straggling sheep into Christs fold and worthy only of such a shepheard Once indeed the last B p of that Diocess gave a stop to his Tuesday Lecture but God set it on going again and cast him that did it out of his place while this painfull labourer went on with his work Sed manus de tabula I intended onely a short abstract not a volume of his life I forbear therefore to speak more of his publick Ministery and resolve to close up all with a few observations of his private carriage His exemplary conversation abroad His whole life was exemplary Take him as a Christian raised by his ministeriall function to a Beacon height his smell was very fragrant He not onely kept himself pure and unspotted of the world but his light so shined that both good men glorified God by seeing his good works and wicked and foolish men had their mouths stopped by his good conversation in Christ and were even enforced to give testimony to it maugre their malice against his holinesse and worth In his Family In his family towards the wife of his bosome he walked as a man of knowledge wisdom and great tendernesse of love towards the rest as David Ps 101. and as a Bishop of Pauls description 1 Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. And towards all as a worthy pattern of love zeal humility meeknesse temperance patience gravity and of every good work His diligence in study What his constancy and diligence was in his study the fruits of the great and long travell of his mind his Workes which praise him in all the gates of Sion do speak to all the world beyond all my pen can reach I must say no more of this because when I have said all I can I cannot say so much as his own industry speaks His Discourses In his more vacant houres he was farre from being idle or unprofitable such as had the happinesse which was never denyed to any to partake of his private discourses never returned empty from his full Magazin if they brought vessels capable of the overflowings of his rich mind and heart How many excellent lights in the Church have lighted their torches at his celestiall fire How many young Scholars have been marvellously improved by his prudent and pious directions and incouragements in their studies and are now become excellent instruments in the Churches of Christ If after his preaching he found no mention of his Sermon by which he might probably collect some benefit had been reaped from it he would be much dejected as if the fault had been in his preaching even when he had most excelled rather then in his hearers and would say that if he had preached better they would have profited more His readiness to administer to all in spirituals If any Christians came to him for resolution in Cases of Conscience for counsell in straits for comfort in spirituall desertions for healing of a wounded spirit as God had given him an excellent spirit of discerning to judge of their condition and of the most seasonable applicatives and an exquisite dexterity to speak a word in season to the weary soul so he never was shy coy or difficult to be spoken with nor supercilious to any to whom he gave accesse but shewed forth all tendernesse pity and compassion heard them fully and patiently and wisely administred to their severall distresses and ever sent them away as Titus Vespasian his suitors not onely not grieved but very well satisfied and abundantly comforted His bounty and charity He was bountifull to his kinred that needed and then most when their necessities swelled highest He was very charitable and liberall to the poor members of Jesus Christ and albeit his charity shined most towards those of his own flock yet was it not shut up from strangers but very large to them also as he found occasion Yea when he went abroad to bestow a free Gospel on other Congregations adjacent such poor as he found to be hearers unlesse they were known to him to take up hearing as a cloak to cover their idlenesse and neglect of their callings never went home empty handed but he always warmed them with his bounty as well as instructed them with his doctrine His Hospitality How much he was given to hospitality Gentlemen Ministers Neighbours Strangers and the poor must needs give in such an ample testimony as will hardly be credited by such as knew him not and are strangers to a bountifull heart He spared from himself to administer unto others minding more the wooing of many to receive benefit by his Ministery some of which might perhaps at first follow him for the loaves then to lay up largely for such as he should leave behind him and chusing rather to be at continual charge to incourage men by his bounty then to suffer them to be unprovided when they came to partake of his ministery His improvement by conversing If he conversed with Ministers his humility usually put him into the place of a learner but in learning he taught and in teaching he learned He was so good a Chymick that he seldome parted with such company till he had gotten somewhat by them yet were they sure to be the greatest gainers and then did he account it the best bargain when others got most by him His hearing of others His continuall preaching seldome allowed him the much desired benefit of hearing others when he could have opportunity he greedily layd hold on it and then would this Bee gather hony from every flower make good use of the meanest gifts and improve his own rich talent by dipping it into theirs Nor was he ever heard to slight or disparage any the labours of the least of his brethren that sincerely endeavoured to bring in soules unto Christ but still he incouraged them and as he found cause informed and directed them in a wise and taking way to their great improvement His mirth In his mirth to which he sometimes unbended himself to refocillate his weryed mind that with renewed strength he might return to his more serious and severer studies he strictly observed the bounds of honesty civility modesty and the gravity of his place well weighing that the least dead flie in the Apothecaries choycest ointment causeth it to send forth an unpleasing savour The Table was usually the place of his greatest liberty in this kind yet even there he would still interlace his mirth with some droppings of a more serious wit which might instruct as well as exhilarate and contain all within the limits of sobriety without biting Sarcasms or unseeming
Gospel unless in times of sicknesse or necessitated restraint for the space of forty seven years wherein he could give an account of above seven thousand elaborate Sermons preached by him are so well known not onely in this or the neighbour Parishes but thorough the whole County and the Country round about that I need not mention them Few men ever ran so long a race without cessation or cespitation so constantly so unweariably so unblameably All which time he was a burning and a shining light joyfully spending and being spent for the good of Gods people Many many of whom he hath guided to heaven before him who received the beginnings of spirituall life from his ministery and many more shall walk in that light after him And from his splendent lampe divers faithfull ministers some Triumphant before him some Militant after him have lighted their candles His Tuesday lecture being more profitable to teach usefull Divinity then an Academy whereby he did not only dolare lapides sed artifices Two things rarely met in one man were both eminent in him A quick invention and a sound judgment and these accompanied with a clear expression and a gracefull elocution To which integrity and humility being joyned made him a transcendent Minister and a compleat Christian In his sicknesse full of biting paines which he bore with great patience it was his greatest griefe that God had taken him off from his labour which was his life and joy His heavenly minde like the heavenly bodies counted his work no wearinesse If he were weary in work he was yet never weary of work His spirit was still willing when the flesh was weak And he often used to say in his health Si per hanc viam mors sum immortalis and in his weakness odi artus fragilemque hunc corpor is usum desertorem animi And when he saw no more ability for labours he counted it superfluous to live and cheerfully not only yeelded but patiently desired to die in a satiety and fulness of life Not as a meat loathed as many times naturall men doe but as a dish though wel-liked that he had fed his full of He had his intellectuals strong in a weak body witnesse his last swanlike song in this place the sweet doctrine of our Adoption in Jesus Christ on Rom. 8.16 so far he had gone in that chap. most cleerly and accurately delivered and aptly distinguished from Justification and Sanctification yet that day October 16. going to Church and sensitive of his own weaknesse he said to a dear friend who told him that he came to see and hear him perhaps it may be my last as to all our losse it was indeed And as if his motion in Gods work had been naturall he was more quick more vigorous towards his Center and like the Sunne shewed his greatest light when he was nearest his setting His last ministeriall duty privately done in great weaknesse of body unable to go to the Church was the baptizing of two children wherein he streamed such beams of Divinity sounded such bowels of humanity shewed such sweetnesse of affection to his charge that I seriously wished his whole Congregation had heard him in this departing farewell And being told how well it was approved he replyed with tears in great humility Lord what am I What am I To divers of his loving Neighbours visiting him he often protested that doctrine which he had taught them was the Truth of God as he should answer at the Tribunall of Christ whereunto he was hasting exhorting them to stand fast therein as he most affectionately prayed for them professing of them with joy I have kind friends kind neighbours Lord reward them all and grant they may find mercy with him in that day His desire was to give to his neighbours if enough could have been had his printed Catechism which to my knowledge hath had the approbation and commendation of the profoundest and acutest judgements in both Universities and well it might being a compleat body of orthodox Divinity and to have this assertion of the Apostle Peter written before it Exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand and to subscribe his name to it After he had in himself received the sentence of approaching death which he chearfully did when he saw no more likelihood of labour he desired his friends not to pray for life but pray God said he for faith for patience for repentance for joy in the holy Ghost and God heard him in that he desired for he was a rare pattern of all these as among many these gratious words of his may witnesse Lord cast me down as low as hell in repentance and lift me up by faith unto the highest heavens in confidence of thy salvation I wish our proud presumptuous impenitentiaries had heard him crying for repentance and seen him weeping for grace It might perhaps have melted their stout hearts As he was full of days so was he full of grace full of peace full of assurance The tuesday before he departed This day sennight saith he is the day on which we have remembred Christs Nativity and on which day I have preached Christ I shall scarse live to see it but For Me was that child born Unto me was that Son given who is Wonderfull Counsellour the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace And no lesse full was he of true honour for his worth and work sake in the hearts of all that fear God His memory shall be blessed and his name a sweet perfume to posterity when the names of his reproachfull scorners the last brood of Beelzebub shall rot and stink and be an abhorring to all flesh He is now come to the end of his labour and the begining of his rest His work was with his God and his reward shall be from God Now he sees the blessed and blessing face of God which is the glory of all sights and the sight of all glory Thus set this bright occidentall starre A starre of the first magnitude One of the first and I dare say without envy of any that knew him and knows himself one of the most glorious Lights that ever shone in this Orbe or ever is like to arise in this Horizon O! how is such a publick losse to be lamented of such a Champion of Christ such an Atlas of truth that set his shoulders to support the shaken pillars thereof in these days of abounding and abetted errors Well may this Parish mourn well may this country well may his friends his family well may we of the Ministery bewail it saying O my Father my Father the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof Ah my brother my brother I am distressed for thee very pleasant hast thou been unto me lovely and gratious in life lovely glorious in death Heu tua nobis Morte simul tecum solatia rapta I end in one word of Exhortation You that have heard the