The life and death of Mr. Tho. Wilson, minister of Maidstone, in the county…

As Jacob before his death called his children together, to direct and advise what should befall them, so he called his Wife and Children to him; desiring his Wife not to be discouraged at his death: or to sorrow as they that have no hope, but to continue to serve God in Christ, to trust God, and to be cheerful in him, adding this for her comfort. Though now we are parted for a time, yet there is a time coming that we shall be joined again, never to part more. His children were most little, but those that were capable, he exhorted to fear God be times, and directing his speech to his eldest daughter, he said, Look to it that you meet me not at the day of Judgment in an unregenerate estate. He commended all his Children to the Lord, and left them with him, in much Faith in the Covenant, which God had made to him and his.

As Iacob before his death called his children together, to direct and advise what should befall them, so he called his Wife and Children to him; desiring his Wife not to be discouraged at his death: or to sorrow as they that have no hope, but to continue to serve God in Christ, to trust God, and to be chearful in him, adding this for her comfort. Though now we are parted for a time, yet there is a time coming that we shall be joyned again, never to part more. His children were most little, but those that were capable, he exhorted to fear God be times, and directing his speech to his eldest daughter, he said, Look to it that you meet me not at the day of Iudgment in an unregenerate estate. He commended all his Children to the Lord, and left them with him, in much Faith in the Covenant, which God had made to him and his.

When Christian Friends came to visit him, he always laboured to require their kindness ⟨p. 61⟩in Godly counsel and exhortations: he wished them to be frequent in reading the Scriptures, to prize highly and meditate much on the promises, to be holy and blameless in their conversations, by no means to forsake but to stick close to ordinances, and to hold on in communion with the people of God in the Town. When Epictetus broke his leg (its reported of him) he discoursed as if his soul had been in another mans body. And when the bones of Mr. Wilson were sore vexed with the violence of his disease, he would discourse in such a composed Heavenly manner, as if he had ailed nothing.