A64984:17
The death of ministers improved. Or, an exhortation to the inhabitants of Horsley on…
The death of ministers improved. Or, an exhortation to the inhabitants of Horsley on Gloucester-shire, and others, on the much lamented death of that reverend and faithful minister of the Gospel, Mr. Henry Stubs By Tho. Vincent, John Turner, Rob. Perrott, M. Pemberton. To which is added a sermon upon that occasion, by Richard Baxter.The death of ministers improved. Or, an exhortation to the inhabitants of Horsley on Glocester-shire, and others, on the much lamented death of that reverend and faithful minister of the Gospel, Mr. Henry Stubbs By Tho. Vincent, John Turner, Rob. Perrott, M. Pemberton. To which is added a sermon upon that occasion, by Richard Baxter.
London : s.n., Printed in the year 1678
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The last Lords day of his Preaching to us, •e gave us notice of his journey that he intended ⟨p. 10⟩on the Monday, and desired to see us the next morning, not at his house, but in the Church that there he might take leave of us; and ther• several of us came together to see him, and ther• we heard his last Sermon to us: his Text was Prov 3.6. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths; We well remember the words that dropped then from his mouth, bu• did we think they wou•d be his last words to us▪ Did we think when God was directing his path t• London, that he was thereby directing his way so soon to Heaven? Did we think that when he took his Farewell of us, that it was his last Farewell, and that we should meet him no more until the Heavens shall be no more? O that we ha• persuaded him (for he was a man easy to be entreated) that he would have stayed in the Country with us some weeks longer, and have forborne such frequent Preaching, until the hea• of the season were over, which his old body and wasted spirits could not so well brook, although he thought himself able to bear it well enough and that he should go through it as he had done in former times. Had we foreseen the issue and ven• of this journey to London, rather than fail we would have raised the whole Country of his acquaintance, and come about him with earnest desires and requests to stay him here; we would have hung about his arms and neck, we would have taken hold of his hands and his feet, and ⟨p. 11⟩forcibly (if we could not otherwise) have detained him among us, that he might have escaped that arrow and stroke of death which was prepared for him in London: If he had been resolved to go, that he might hasten home to his Fathers house, we would have used our endeavour to alter his resolutions, we would have wept, and cried, and prayed with importunity, Good Sir don't leave us yet, good Sir stay with us a little longer; pity such and such ignorant Families, which when you are gone are like to perish for want of instruction; pity such and such unconverted persons, who are hastening and rushing forward in ways of sin to their own damnation; and although they have not hearkened to former calls, it may be some further calls from your mouth may (through Gods blessing) prevail with them, and be effectual to convert and save them.