AS I could not but congratulate my own and your happiness in the enjoyment of your worthy Pastors labours, so both I and many other Christians do now condole your misery in the loss of the good Author. The greater your happiness was, the greater now is your misery, and I fear many ⟨image 3⟩of you prized not the blessing so much as you should have done, and that you knew not the greatness of the benefit so well by the fruition as now by the want of it. At Banbury even amongst you was your Pastor borne and bred, and there he lived and died. Ministers are called Incumbents, so was he being diligently resident in his place, they are styled Lights, so was he, like a candle or lamp which spent himself to give light to others. He spent his means and strength amongst you, and as himself in his sickness said, He sought not yours but you. Of all the Ministers that ever I knew so experimentally, he was the most unblameable in his conversation. I had the happiness to live almost a year with him in his house, near four years under his Ministry, and to be esteemed by him one of his faithfullest friends, I have cause to bless GOD for him whilst I live, since it pleased him by his means, not only to reveal many saving truths unto me, but also to set them on with such power, as I hope I shall never forget them. Oh, with what life and zeal would he both preach and pray! and how strict and watchful was he in his whole life! being (as every good Minister should be) Blameless, Sober, Just, Holy, Temperate, 1of good Behaviour, given to Hospitality, apt to teach, a lover *of good things and good men. He studied to approve himself unto GOD, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word ⟨image 3⟩of Truth. 3He propounded to you the Examples of holy Writ, and was himself whilst he lived, an Example and Pattern of all good works, If that saying therefore of Austins be true, So many as a man shall edify by a good Example,4 for so many he shall receive a reward of a blessed life, than surely he hath now received a full reward for all the good he did by his holy life, unto those with whom he conversed. In a word, he was a most pious and accomplished Divine for his ministerial parts and pains (as one of his near Friends said truly) he might sooner be envied than matched and equalled; being in this like Saul, higher than his brethren by the head.
AS I could not but congratulate my owne and your happinesse in the injoyment of your worthy Pastours labours, so both I and many other Christians do now condole your misery in the losse of the good Authour. The greater your happinesse was, the greater now is your misery, and I feare many ⟨image 3⟩of you prized not the blessing so much as you should have done, and that you knew not the greatnesse of the benefit so well by the fruition as now by the want of it. At Banbury even amongst you was your Pastour borne and bred, and there he lived and died. Ministers are called Incumbents, so was he being diligently resident in his place, they are stiled Lights, so was he, like a candle or lampe which spent himselfe to give light to others. He spent his means and strength amongst you, and as himselfe in his sicknesse said, He sought not yours but you. Of all the Ministers that ever I knew so experimentally, he was the most unblameable in his conversation. I had the happinesse to live almost a yeare with him in his house, neare foure yeares under his Ministry, and to be esteemed by him one of his faithfullest friends, I have cause to blesse GOD for him whilst I live, since it pleased him by his meanes, not onely to reveale many saving truthes unto mee, but also to set them on with such power, as I hope I shall never forget them. Oh, with what life and zeale would hee both preach and pray! and how strict and watchfull was hee in his whole life! being (as every good Minister should be) Blamelesse, Sober, Just, Holy, Temperate, 1of good Behaviour, given to Hospitality, apt to teach, a lover *of good things and good men. Hee studied to approove himselfe unto GOD, a workeman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word ⟨image 3⟩of Truth. 3He propounded to you the Examples of holy Writ, and was himselfe whilst he lived, an Example and Patterne of all good works, If that saying therefore of Austins be true, So many as a man shall edifie by a good Example,4 for so many he shall receive a reward of a blessed life, than surely he hath now received a full reward for all the good hee did by his holy life, unto those with whom he conversed. In a word, hee was a most pious and accomplisht Divine for his ministeriall parts and paines (as one of his neare Friends said truely) hee might sooner bee envied than matcht and equalled; being in this like Saul, higher than his brethren by the head.
- 11 Tim. 3.2. Tit. 1.8.
- *[Greek or Hebrew]. will bear both readings. 2 Tim. 2.15.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. will beare both readings. 2 Tim. 2.15.
- 31 Tim. 4.12 1 Pet. 5.3. Tit. 2.7. There are two singular virtues in a good Example.
- 41 It may profit a world of people. 1 Thes. 1.7, 8 2 It is lasting and may do good for a long time after. 1 Pet. 3.5, 6. M. Harris at Hanwell.1 It may profit a world of people. 1 Thes. 1.7, 8 2 It is lasting and may doe good for a long time after. 1 Pet. 3.5, 6. M. Harris at Hanwell.
