Memoria Wilsoniana. Or, Some dues unto the memory of the truly Reverend & renowned…

S. 9. But if, they that will Live Godlily must Suffer Persecution, a Peculiar share of it must fall upon them, who are Zealous and Useful Instruments to make others Live so. Mr. Wilson had a share of this Persecution; and one A—n, was a ⟨p. 12⟩Principal Author of it. This A—n had formerly been an Apprentice in London, Where the Bishops detained him some years, under an hard Imprisonment, because he Refused the Oath ex Officio, which was pressed upon him to tell, Whether he had never heard his Master Pray against the Bishop? The Charity of Well Disposed People now Supported him, till he got abroad, Recommended by his Hard Sufferings, unto the Good Affections of the Puritans, at whose Meetings he became so Conversant, and thereupon such a forward and zealous Professor, that, at Length he Took upon him, under the Confidence of some Latinity, whereof he was Owner, to be a Sort of a Preacher among them. This man would Reverence Mr. Wilson as his Father, and yet upon the Provocation of seeing Mr. Wilson more highly Valued and Honoured, than himself, he not only became a Conformist himself, but also, as Apostates use to be, a Malignant and Violent Persecutor of those, from whom he had Apostatized. By his means, Mr. Wilson was put unto Trouble in the Bishops Courts; from whence his Deliverance was, at Length Obtained by certain Powerful Mediators. And once by his Tricks the most noted Pursuivant of those Times, was employed for the Seizing of Mr. Wilson; but though he Seized upon many Scores of the People coming from the Lecture, he Dismissed the rest, because he could not meet with Mr. Wilson himself, who by a Special Providence, ⟨p. 13⟩went out of his direct way, to Visit a Worthy Neighbour, and so escaped this Mighty Hunter. Afterwards an Eminent Lady, happening Innocently to make some Comparison between the Preaching of Mr. Wilson, and one Dr. B. of B. the Angry Doctor presently applied himself unto the Bishop of London, who for a while Suspended him. And when that Storm was over; he with several other Worthy Ministers, came to he wholly Silenced, in another, that was Raised upon Complaints made by one Mr. Bird, unto the Bishop of Norwich against them. Concerning this Ill Bird, there happened one passage hereupon, which had in it something Extraordinary. Falling very Sick, he had the help of a Famous and Skilful Physician, One Dr. Duke of Colchester;