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

ON Saturday nights he would usually continue at his Study very late, often till midnight, to prepare himself the better for his task on the Lords Day. On the Lords Day morning he would rise by two or three a Clock ordinarily, and was much displeased with himself, if at any time he did oversleep his hour. About seven a clock he came down to his Family, called all together, read some part of Scripture, expounded it, caused those present to give an account what they remembered of his Exposition, Sung some part of a Psalm, Prayed with them, and concluded between eight and nine a Clock that they might all be ready to attend public Ordinances. About nine a Clock he repaired to the Church, and commonly begun with singing two Staves of a Psalm, after which he prayed briefly for assistance in, and a blessing on the ⟨p. 27⟩Ordinances of God, then he read some part of the old Testament, and expounded (sometimes three or four, sometimes more Verses, as more or less matter was contained in them) for the space of an hour, for he had an Hour-glass in his Desk for that end. He had as excellent a faculty in expounding as any I know of. His custom was first to analyse the Book, then the Chapters, as he came to treat on them, then he gave the several readings and expositions of the Verses, which he handled. He had Jun. Tremel. Piscator. Beza. Calvin. and several others ad rugnem, insomuch that in the assembly of Divines (as Mr. Gibbons sometime of Black-friars told me, he heard it of his Father one of the Assembly) if at any time they doubted what was the opinion of any of the aforementioned Commentators, Mr. Wilson was called to satisfy them. After he had delivered the several readings and judgements of Expositors, as there was occasion, he drew observations for the coherence, dependence and matter of the Verses, which he very briefly illustrated and applied. Mr. Hutchison on the Gospel of John comes the nearest him of any Comment that I read in English, but he was fuller and larger then Mr. Hutchison. I believe, if his expositions on the whole New Testament, and the far greater part of the Old had been Printed, it ⟨p. 28⟩would have been an useful Treatise, and more serviceable for the enabling ordinary Christians to understand the mind of God in his Word, then any Comment that is extant. After he had expounded, he spent about an hour in the Pulpit.

ON Saturday nights he would usually continue at his Study very late, often till midnight, to prepare himself the better for his task on the Lords Day. On the Lords Day morning he would rise by two or three a Clock ordinarily, and was much displeased with himself, if at any time he did oversleep his hour. About seven a clock he came down to his Family, call'd all together, read some part of Scripture, expounded it, caused those present to give an account what they remembred of his Exposition, Sung some part of a Psalm, Prayed with them, and concluded between eight and nine a Clock that they might all be ready to attend publick Ordinances. About nine a Clock he repaired to the Church, and commonly begun with singing two Staves of a Psalm, after which he prayed briefly for assistance in, and a blessing on the