§. 21. But it is to the Last Place in our History of this Worthy Man, that I reserve that part of his Character, which lay in his Disposition to allot unto Himself the Last Place among all Worthy Men; for his Low Opinion of himself, was the Top of all his other Excellencies. His Humility not only caused him, to prefer the Meanest of his Brethren, above himself, but also to Comply with the meanest Opportunities of being Serviceable: Hence 'twas, that when his Voice in his Age did so •ail him, that his Great Congregation could be no longer Edified by his Public Labours, he Cheerfully and Painfully set himself to do all the Good, that he could by his Private Visits; and such also, as he could not reach with Sermons, he often found with Verses: Hence 'twas, that when that plea was used with the Church of Ipswich to resign Mr. Norton unto the Church of Boston, after the Death of Mr. Cotton; Because it was said, Let him that hath two Coats give to him that hath None; and a Person of Quality replied, Boston hath One, [meaning Mr. Wilson:] this Good man answered; Who […] Me! I am Nothing! Yea, Hence 'twas, that when Malefactors had been openly Scourged upon the just Sentence of Authority, he would presently send for them to his House, and having first expressed his Bounty to them, he would then bestow upon them such gracious Admonitions ⟨p. 41⟩and Exhortations, as made them to become, instead of Desperate, remarkably Penitent. Indeed, I know not whether his Humility, might not have some Excess, in some Instances charged upon it; at least Once, when he had Promised unto a Neighbouring Minister, to Preach a Sermon for him, and after his Promise came in Season to that Minister, saying, Sir, I told you, that I would Preach for you, but it was rashly done of me; I have on my knees begged the Pardon of it, from the Lord; That I should offer thus to deprive His People, of your Labours, which are so much better than any of mine can be: Wherefore, Sir, I now come Seasonably to tell you, that I shall fail you! And accordingly, there was no persuading of him to the contrary.
§. 21. But it is to the Last Place in our History of this Worthy Man, that I reserve that part of his Character, which lay in his Disposition to allot unto Himself the Last Place among all Worthy Men; for his Low Opinion of himself, was the Top of all his other Excellencies. His Humility not only caused him, to prefer the Meanest of his Brethren, above himself, but also to Comply with the meanest Opportunities of being Serviceable: Hence t'was, that when his Voice in his Age did so •ail him, that his Great Congregation could be no longer Edified by his Publick Labours, he Cheerfully and Painfully set himself to do all the Good, that he could by his Private Visits; and such also, as he could not reach with Sermons, he often found with Verses: Hence t'was, that when that plea was used with the Church of Ipswich to resign Mr. Norton unto the Church of Boston, after the Death of Mr. Cotton; Because it was said, Let him that hath two Coats give to him that hath None; and a Person of Quality replied, Boston hath One, [meaning Mr. Wilson:] this Good man answered; Who 〈…〉 Me! I am Nothing! Yea, Hence t'was, that when Malefactors had been openly Scourged upon the just Sentence of Authority, he would presently send for them to his House, and having first expressed his Bounty to them, he would then bestow upon them such gracious Admonitions ⟨p. 41⟩and Exhortations, as made them to become, instead of Desperate, remarkably Penitent. Indeed, I know not whether his Humility, might not have some Excess, in some Instances charged upon it; at least Once, when he had Promised unto a Neighbouring Minister, to Preach a Sermon for him, and after his Promise came in Season to that Minister, saying, Sir, I told you, that I would Preach for you, but it was rashly done of me; I have on my knees begg'd the Pardon of it, from the Lord; That I should offer thus to deprive His People, of your Labours, which are so much better than any of mine can be: Wherefore, Sir, I now come Seasonably to tell you, that I shall fail you! And accordingly, there was no perswading of him to the contrary.
