The life and death of that old disciple of Jesus Christ and eminent minister…

Since the death of my dear Wife, it hath pleased God to stretch forth his Hand upon my only Son then living, and to afflict him with a deep Consumption, occasioned, as I judge, by Grief for his dearly loving and beloved Mother, for he drooped ever since she first was taken ill of that Distemper of Rheum, which fell from her Head into her Face, of which she dyed: And he hath been worse and worse ever since she dyed. And I having had great Expenses and a great Charge of dear Relations, and owing some considerable debts, I was necessitated to teach School again in my old Age; That I might pay my Debts, succour my dear Relations, and not be too great a burden to the Church of God: And this I have willingly and cheerfully undertaken, that if Persecution do come upon me again (which I expect and prepare for) and I shall be haled to prison, or forced to fly: It may be my Mercy and Comfort as at all other times of my many removals in the days of my Pilgrimage and Persecutions; That no person shall have any occasion to come to me and say, Pay me what ⟨p. 38⟩you owe me before you go; for I desire to owe no man any thing but Love, and honestly to pay every man his own. And if Death seize on my body, that I may leave enough of my own behind me to pay all my Debts, and a little for the Relief of Gods Poor, and some of my poorest natural Relations. I had a Summoning in June last to prepare my self for the Grave by a sudden and sore Fit of the Wind-Colic and Vomiting. And on the 3d of October last, 1671. I had another Summons to be ready to depart this life by another sudden more violent tormenting Fit of the Wind-Colic and Vomiting. And I am alarmed by these awakening Visitations of the Lord to prepare and be ready; That when my Lord and Master comes or calls for me to come to him, I may be found so doing, that he may say, Well done, thou good and faithful Servant, enter thou also into the Joys of thy Master.

Since the death of my dear Wife, it hath pleased God to stretch forth his Hand upon my only Son then living, and to afflict him with a deep Consumption, occasioned, as I judge, by Grief for his dearly loving and beloved Mother, for he drooped ever since she first was taken ill of that Distemper of Rhume, which fell from her Head into her Face, of which she dyed: And he hath been worse and worse ever since she dyed. And I having had great Expences and a great Charge of dear Relations, and owing some considerable debts, I was necessitated to teach School again in my old Age; That I might pay my Debts, succour my dear Relations, and not be too great a burden to the Church of God: And this I have willingly and chearfully undertaken, that if Persecution do come upon me again (which I expect and prepare for) and I shall be haled to prison, or forced to flye: It may be my Mercy and Comfort as at all other times of my many removals in the days of my Pilgrlmage and Persecutions; That no person shall have any occasion to come to me and say, Pay me what