CHAP. I. The Introduction .

AS History is both Useful and Delightful to Man-kind ; so Church-History above all , hath the preheminence in both : for it Treateth of the greatest and most necessary Subjects : It is most eminently Divine , as Recording those Works of God , in which he most Graciously condescendeth unto Man , and those Actions of Men , in which they have most nearly to do with God ; and Treating of those Holy Societies , Events , and Businesses , in which God's Holiness is most conspicuous , and his Honour most concerned in the World . The Narratives of the great Victories and large Dominions of Alexander , Caesar , Tamberlain , or such others , are but the Portraiture of Phantasms , and the Relation of the Dreams of Vagrant Imaginations , or of the Lifeless motions in a Poppit-Play , where there is much stir to little purpose , till the Play be ended ; further than the Matters of God , and of the Church , and Mens everlasting concernments , are comprehended in them . The report of one Souls Conversion to God , and of the Reformation of one Family , City , or Church , and of the noble Operations of the blessed Spirit , by which he brings up Souls to God , and conquereth the World , the Flesh , and the Devil ; the Heavenly Communications of God unto Sinners , for their Vivification , Illumination , and holy Love to God , and to his Image , are so far better than the Stories of these grand Murderers , and Tyrants , and their great Robberies , and Murders , called Conquests , as the Diagnosticks of Health are than those of Sickness : Or , as it is more pleasant to read of the Building of Cities , than of their ruins ; or of the Cures of a Physitian , than of the hurts done by Robberies and Frays ; yea , of the Healing of Immortal Souls , than of the over-hasty destroying of mens Bodies , which would quickly turn to Dust of themselves , if these valiant Murderers had but the patience to stay the time .

And among all parts of Church-History , the Lives of Wise and Holy Men , do seem to be not least Useful and Delightful ; ( which is the reason why Satan hath so marvelously and successfully bestird himself , to corrupt this part of History with so many impudent lies in the Popish Legends , as might render all such Narratives afterwards Contemptible and Incredible , and might destroy the Ends : ) Therefore is the Sacred Scripture so much Historical ; and the Gospel it self is not a Volumn of well composed Orations , or a Systeme , or Encuclopaedia of the Sciences and Arts ; nor yet a great Volumn of unnecessary Laws ; but the History of the Life and Death of Christ , and the wonderous Works of Himself , and his Spirit in his Servants , and a Record of those brief Laws and Doctrines , which are needful to the Holiness and Happiness of Man .

In the Lives of Holy Men we see God's Image , and the Beauties of Holiness , not only in Precept , but in Reality and Practice ; not Pictured , but in the Substance : And though the Precepts and Rules be more perfect in their kind , as wanting no Degree or Part , yet the real Impress and Holiness in the Soul , is that living Image of God , which is the end of the former , and of which the Scripture is but the Instrumental cause . And Holiness in visible Realities , is apt to affect the World more deeply , than in Portraiture and Precept only . Therefore , we find that Satan and his Instruments , are used to do that against the Scriptures exemplified in the Godly , which they have not done against the Scriptures in themselves : They can bear the bare Precepts of a perfect Rule , who cannot bear the very imperfect practice of them in a Holy Life . Many have burnt Martyrs , that could endure good Books . Living Holiness most exciteth Malice ! Besides , that the best of men have Imperfections , which may be a pretence for Detraction , Slander , and Persecution , when the Sacred Rule is not so boldly to be accused , till they are ripened in Malignity and Audacity .

Many a one can read with Reverence the Life of a dead Saint , who will neither imitate nor indure the Living . And I doubt not but many can bear the Narrative of this holy persons Life , who could not have endured to see themselves condemned in the Exercises of his present Holy Zeal .

And yet it is not to be denied , but that Humane Nature yet containeth such Principles and Inclinations , as give an honourable testimony to goodness ; For the exercises of prudent , impartial , equal Vertue , and eminent holiness in a Heavenly Life , and in the joyful Hopes of the invisible Blessedness , and in servent Love to God and Man , and in an innocent Life , and Self-denying endeavours to do good to all , do so much convince and awe Mans Nature , and so powerfully command Approbation and Honour , that Satan and bad Men could not resist them ; were it not that such excellent Persons are too Rare , and that the far greater number of good Men are lamentably imperfect , and tainted with many unlovely Faults : And were it not 〈◊〉 for two great advantages that Satan layeth hold on ; that is , Mens Strangeness and Disaecquaintance with those that are good , and the Slanderous reports of them by others . And whoever noteth it , shall find , that most that ever Hated and Persecuted men of eminent Holiness , were such as never intimately knew them , but only at a deceitful distance , and such as heard them odiously described by lying Tongues .

And it is not a small benefit of this kind of History , that the Weak and Lame Christians may see such excellent Examples for their imitation ; and the sluggish and distempered Christian may have so real and lively a reproof ; and the discouraged Christian may see that higher degrees of goodness , are indeed attainable ; and that the dark and troubled Christian may see the Methods in which Gods Spirit doth work upon his Servants , and see that a Genuine Christian life , is a Life of the greatest joy on earth : And that the sloathful Hypocrite , may see that Religion is a serious Business : And that the factious Christian , may see that a man may be eminently Holy , that is not of his Opinion , Side , or Party : And that both the proud domineering Pharisee may see , that eminent Piety is separated from his Traditions , Formalities , Ceremonies and Pomp : And the Opinionative Hypocrite may see , that Holiness consisteth of something else , than in circumstantial and siding Singularities , and in a condemning of other mens outward Expressions , or Modes of Worship , or a boisterous Zeal against the Opinions and Ceremonies of others .

And it is a notable benefit of this kind of History , that it is fitted to Insinuate the Reverence and Love of Piety into young unexperienced Persons : For before they can read much of Theological Treatises with understanding or delight , Nature enclineth them to a pleasure in History , and so their Food is sugard to their Appetites , and Profit is entertained by delight . And nothing taketh well with the Soul , that is not pleasant to it ; nor did he ever know the true way of Educating Youth , or doing good to any , that knew not the way of drawing them to a pleasedness , and love to goodness : Omne 〈◊〉 punctum qui miscuit utile dulci.

On such Accounts , we may conclude that such men as Melchior Adamus , Mr. Samuel Clark , &c. that have served the Church with this sort of History , have done no small or useless Service ; which we the easilier perceive when we remember at what rates now the Church would purchase a full History of the Lives of all the Apostles , and all the Eminent Pastors of the Churches for the first two hundred , or three hundred Years ; yea , or but of some few of them . And how much of the History of the Times they lived in , is contained in a just History of such mens Lives .

It were to be wished that more did as Thuanus , at large ; or as Scultetm , in his Curriculum vitae suae at least ; or yet as Junius , and many others , that give us a Breviate of the most considerable Passages of their own lives : Because no man knoweth usually those intimate Transactions of God upon mens Souls , which are the Life of such History , or at least no useless part . But men are commonly supposed to be so selfishly partial , and apt to over-value all their own , and to fish for applause ; and it is so meet to avoid appearances of Pride , and Ostentation , that few think meet to take this course . And the next desirable is , That their intimate Friends would write their Lives at large , who are best able ; as Camerarius hath done Melancthons ; and Beza , Calvins ; and as the Lives of Bucholtzer , Chytreaas , and many more are written .

But none of all this must be expected concerning this our Brother : Because he was young , and taken away before any had thoughts of gathering up his Words or Actions for any such use : Those that have done this little , being his Fathers , and Seniors , who looked to have died long before him : And because he lived in a time of Trouble , and Division , and Suspition , in which every man had great concernments of his own to mind ; and in which men are afraid of praising the Holy Servants of God , lest it offend those that in some things differed from them .

The special Excellency of this Worthy Man , lay chiefly in the Harmony and Compleatness of such particular Gifts , and all of them in a high Degree , as use to exalt the fame of others , in whom some one or few of them is found . And all these in a man so young , as unless in one Job . Picus Mirandula , one Keckerman , one Pemble , in a Countrey , is rarely to be found . Do you desire the Preparatives of Languages , and Philosophy ? In these he was Eximious , as his Treatise de Providentia , Licensed for the Press ( of which more anon ) doth shew ; with several other Manuscripts of like nature . How throughly had he searched the Writings of Philosophers ? How fully had he found out how much Natural Reason doth attest , and speak for the Attributes and Providence of God , and the Principles of a Godly Life . And how much Super-natural Revelation presupposeth , and findeth ready to entertain it and befriend it in the Light and Law of Nature ? How excellently able was he to deal with the Naturalist at his own Weapons , aud to shame them that call Religion an unproved or unreasonable thing ? No doubt it was an excellent help to his own Faith , to have so clear and full a sight of all those Subsidiary natural Verities , which are known propriae luce , and are out of the reach of those malignant Suggestions , by which the Tempter is often questioning Supernatural Truths . Few Christians , and too few Divines do dig so deep , and proceed so wisely , as to take in all these natural helps ; but overpassing those presupposed Verities , do ost leave themselves open to the subtil affaults of the Tempter , who knoweth where the Breach is ; and will some ; times urge such Objections on them , as need a Solution 〈◊〉 those helps which they are ignorant of .

Do you look for an high degree of Zeal ? In this he was Marvellous , being a living Fire , continually burning in the love of God and Man ; still mounting upward , and kindling all that were capable about him ; As prone to Fervour and Activity , as earthen Natures to Cold and Idleness ; not weary of well doing ; not speaking slightly , and with indifferent affection of the great Jehovah , and of holy things ; but with the reverence and seriousness , as became one that by Faith still saw the Lord : Not doing God's Work with an unwilling or a sluggish heart , as if he did it not , nor as those that fear being losers by God , or of giving him more than he deserveth , or getting Salvation at too dear a rate : But as a Soul that was Kin to Angels , which are active Spirits , and a flame of Fire that came from God , the Lord of Life , and Father of Spirits , and liveth in God , and is working and passing up to God . As one that knew that none other work was worthy of a Man , ( and approveable by any Reason , save that which is made a Salve to sense ) except onely the Souls Resignation , Obedience , and Love to God , and the seeking of the Heavenly durable Felicity , in the use of all those Means which God in Nature , and Scripture , hath appointed for the obtaining of it .

It is too common to find men that are long and deep Students in Philosophy , and the Doctrinals , and Methods of Theologie , to be found none of the most Zealous or serious Divines ; and for the learnedst Doctors to be but of the coursest and weakest sort of Christians . Because they exercise the Head almost alone , and take little pains to work what Truths they know upon their Hearts : As if the head were more diseased with sin , than the Heart is , and the Heart had not as much need of a Cure : Or as if God's Grace did not as much dwell in the Will , as in the Understanding ; and the Heart had not the noblest Work to do . Life , Light , and Love , are the Inseparable Influences and Effects of the Sanctifying Spirit : But yet sometimes the Indisposition of the Receiver , may keep out one of them more than the rest . Light alone may be profitable to the Church , by breeding Light in others : But Life and Love , also are as suitable means to produce their like , as Light is . And without them , it is not a flashy Light and frigid Knowledge that will save the Soul .

And on the other side , alass , how ordinary is it for Zeal to make a bussle in the Dark , and for those that are very earnest to be very blind ? And strong Affections ( not to God himself , but about the exercise of Religious Duties ) to be guided by a weak Understanding : And so for such well-meaning Persons , to make most haste when they are out of the way , and to divide and trouble the Church and Neighbourhood , by their fervency in Errour , till late Experience hath ripened them to see what mischief their Self-conceitedness hath done ? O! how happy were the Church of God , if great Understanding and fervent Zeal , were ordinarily as well conjoyned , as they were in this worthy Man .

And many have much Reading , and plentiful Materials for Learning , who yet were never truly Learned , as being Injudicious , and never having well digested what they Read , into the habits of solid Understanding . But so was it not with this our Brother , as his very Letters fully witness : How clearly and solidly doth he resolve that great Question which he speaketh to ? As one that had Theologie , not in his Books only , but in his Head and Heart .

And I account it no small part of his Excellency , that his Judgment led him to dwell so much on the great Essentials of Godliness and Christianity ; the Love of God , and a holy , just , and sober Life : And that he laid not out his Zeal diseasedly , and unproportionably , upon those outward Circumstances , where the noise doth call off the minds of too many , from the inward life of Communion with God : His Sermons , his Conference , his Letters , were not about Mint and Commin , but about the Knowledge of God in Christ , which is the Life Eternal .

Yet that he did not prostitute his Conscience to the Interest of the Flesh , nor subject God to the World , nor deny Self-denyal and the Cross of Christ ; nor Hypocritically resolve to shift off the costly part of Religion , on pretence of Indifferency or Smallness of any thing , which he thought God forbad him ; you need no other proof than the following History .

And he was not one of those weak well-meaning Ministers , who think that their meer Honesty is enough to deserve the esteem of worthy Pastors ; nor was he one of those proud and empty Persons , who think that the Dignity of their Function is enough to oblige all to bow to them , and to be Ruled by them , without any personal Wisdom , Holiness , or Ministerial Abilities , suitable to their Sacred Office : But , so great was his Ministerial Skilfulness in the publick Explication , and Application of the Holy Scriptures , so Melting , and Winning , Convincing and Powerful , his unaffected sacred Oratory ; so wise and serious his private dealing with particular Families and Souls , that it is no wonder if God blessed him with that great success , which is yet visible among the People where he lived , and which many of his Brethren wanted . For he did not by slovenly Expressions , nor immethodical Extravagances , nor unsound injudicious erroneous Passages , nor by jocular Levities , or by nauseous Tautologies , make Sermons , or Prayers , become a scorn ; nor give advantage to carnal captious Hearers , who for every hair , not only abhominate the wholsomest Food , but also write Books to breed their own Disease in others : Nor yet did he by an affected unnatural curiosity of Jingling Words , and starched Phrases , make Sermons like Stage-plays , and destroyed the Peoples Edificacion , or their reverence of Holy Things : But he spake as one that spake from God , in the Name of Christ , for mens Renovation and Salvation , in a manner suitable to the Weight and Holiness of the Matter .

And his servent Zeal and Thirst for the Peoples Conversion and Salvation , was a great advantage to his Success . For ; 〈◊〉 mens Parts be never so great , I seldom have known any man do much good , that was not earnestly desirous to do good ; If he long not for mens Conversion , he is seldom the means of Converting many . For there is a certain lively seriousness necessary in all our Studies , to make our Sermons suitable to their ends , and in all our Preaching , to make them fit to reach mens Hearts ; without which they are as a blunted Knife , or as a Bell that 's crackt , or any other unmeet Instruments , unable for their proper use . And though God can work Miracles , and therefore can work without means , or without their fitness , yet that is not his ordinary way , and therefore is not to be expected .

And his great diligence from House to House in private , was a great promoter of his Successes . I never knew Minister , who prudently and diligently took that course , to be unprosperous in his Work ; but by them that have wisely and faithfully used it , I have known that done , that before seemed incredible : And truly , when I think of some men yet living , and some few ( too few ) places ( great places ) which by the great Abilities , and excellent Preaching , the Personal Exhortations , and Catechizing , the 〈◊〉 Pains , and the extraordinary Charity to the Poor , the the holy exemplary Lives of their Pastors ( I can scarce forbear naming four or five of my Acquaintance ) have been so generally seasoned with Piety , that the great Market Towns have become as Religious , as the selected Members , which some think onely fit for Churches ; it makes me conclude , that it is principally for want of such a Ministry , that the World is so bad , and that greater things are not done among us : And that for another sort of men to cry out of the Peoples Ignorance and Prophaness , and obstinate Wickedness , while their 〈◊〉 , Sloath , Miscarriage , and Negligence , is the cause ; is as little honour to them , as to the Physitian or Surgeon , that when he can skilfuller but few , doth cast the blame upon the Patient , when skilfuller men do cure the like .

And his great humility in stooping to the meanest , and conversing with the poorest of the 〈◊〉 , and not affecting things above him , nor 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 into men of worldly Wealth and Power , no doubt helps on his great Successes ; though it was not the way to Preferments , Honours , no nor Safety and Quietness to the Flesh. Had Balaam 〈◊〉 throughout sincerely , it had been a very honourable and comfortable word to him from King Balack , Num. 24. 11. I thought to promote thee to great honour , but 〈◊〉 , the Lord hath kept thee back from honour . It is more honourable and comfortable to be kept from honour by God and a good Conscience , than to be honoured by men on sinful terms .

And the moderation and peaceableness of this holy Man , was very exemplary and amiable ; which I the rather mention , because in these distempered times of Temptation , too many think that the excellency of Zeal lyeth in going to the furthest from those they differ from , and suffer by . And because some will think , that knew no more of him , but onely how oft and long he lay in the Common Goal , that sure , he was some violent unpeaceable Zealot . No , his Zeal was for Peace and Quietness , for Love and for good Works : He was not used to inflame men against Dissenters , nor to Back-bite others , nor to make those odious that were willing enough to have made him so : He fled from one extream with fear , and suspition of the other . He was indeed himself a Silenced Minister , in a Place , and among a People who had his heart , and who had been blessed with his fruitful Labours ; and his Judgment was , That it is Sacriledge for a Minister Consecrated to God , to alienate himself , and violate that Covenant and Ministerial Dedication , by giving over his Work as long as he hath ability and opportunity , and the peoples Souls have a true necessity . And therefore he chose that long Imprisonment , rather than voluntarily to Surcease . But whilst he had Liberty , he went oft to the publick Assembles , and was a Hearer where he was wont to be a Teacher , and encouraged the People to do the like . He spake not evil of Dignities , nor kindled seditious Principles or Passions in the Peoples minds , nor disaffected them against Authority , nor aggravated his own Sufferings to exasperate their minds against such as he suffered by ; though how great they were as to the Effect , the Sequel will acquaint you . In all , he did in patience possess his Soul , and learned still more patience by the things which he suffered , and taught others what he learned himself .

But above all , it is his highest excellency in my eyes , that he attained to the right temperament of the Christian Religion , and to a truly Evangelical frame of Spirit , suitable to the glorious hopes of Faith , and to the wonderful love of our Redeemer . And when most Christians think that they have done much , if they can but weep and groan over their Corruptions , and can abstain from the lustful Pollutions of the World , in the midst of many doubts and fears ; LOVE and JOY , and a HEAVENLY MIND , were the Internal part of his Religion ; and the large and fervent PRAISES of God , and THANKS GIVING for his Mercies , especialiy for CHRIST , and the SPIRIT , and HEAVEN , were the External Exercises of it . He was not negligent in confessing Sin , nor Tainted with any Antinomian Errours ; but PRAISE , and THANKSGIVING , were his Natural Strains ; his frequentest , longest , and heartiest Services : He was no despiser of a broken Heart ; but he had attained the blessing of a healed joyful Heart . The following Narratives , the strain of his Letters , but above all the admirations of his nearest Friends , will tell him that will enquire , how his tryumphant Discourses of the Hopes of Glory , and his frequent and fervent Thanksgiving and Praise , were the Language which he familiarly spake , and the very business of his Heart and Life . And , O how amiable is it to hear the Tongue employed seriously , and frequently , in that which it was made for ; even in the praise of him that made it ! And to see a man passing with joyful hopes towards Immortality ! And to live as one that seriously believeth , that he must quickly be in the Heavenly Church , and live with God and Christ for ever . O how comely is it to see a man that saith , he believeth that Christ hath redeemed him from Hell , and reconciled him to God , and made him an Adopted Heir of Glory , to live like one that was so strangely saved from so great a misery , and with the most affectionate gratitude to honour the Purchaser of all this Grace : And how uncomely a thing is it to hear a man say , That he believeth all this Grace of Christ , this Heavenly Glory , this Love of God , and yet to be inclined to no part of Religion , but fears and complainings , and scarce to have any words of Praises or Thanksgiving , but a few , on the by , which are heartless affected , and constrained . O did Christians , yea Ministers , but Live with the Joy and Gratitude , and Praise of Jehovah , which beseemeth those that believe what they believe , and those that are entring into the Coelestial Chore , they would then be an honour to God and their Redeemer , and would win the World to a love of Faith and Holiness , and make them throw away their worldly Fool-games , and come and see what it is that these Joyous Souls have found : But when we shew the World no Religion , but Sighing , and Complaining , and live a sadder life than they , and yet talk of the glad-Tydings of Christ , and Pardon , and Salvation , we may talk so long enough , before they will believe us , that seem no more to be Believers our selves , or before they will leave their fleshly pleasures , for so sad and dreadful a Life as this .

And as this kind of Heavenly , Joyful Life is an honour to Christ , and a wonderful help to the Converting of the World , so is it a Reward to him that hath it ; which made this Holy Person live in such a vigour of Duty , such fervour of holy Love , and such continual Content in God , so that the Kingdom of God in him was Righteousness , Peace , and Joy in the Holy Ghost ; which others think consisteth in Meats , Drinks , and Dayes , in Shadows and Circumstances , in Sidings and in singular Conceits , Rom. 14. Col. 2. 16. It was not a Melancholy Spirit that acted him , nor did he tempt his People into such an uncomfortable state and strein . But in the multude of his thoughts within him , the comforts of God did delight his Soul : His Meditation of God and his Redeemer was sweet , and he rejoyced in the Lord . He delighted in the Law of the Lord ; and when delight invited him , no wonder if it were his Meditation day and night , Psal. 1. 2. & 104. 34. & 119. 103. & 94. 19.

And how great a Solace was this in his Sufferings , when he could be in a Goal , and in Heaven at once ? When he could , after the terrible torment of Convulsions , have the foresight and taste of Heavenly Pleasures ? Nihil Crus sentit in Nervo , cum Animus est in Coelo , saith Tertul.

And as he lived , so he died , in Vigorous , Joyful Praises , and Thanksgivings : Reviving out of his long speechless Convulsion , into those fervent Raptures , as if he had never been so impatient of being absent from the Lord , as when he was just passing into his Presence ; or rather as if with Stephen , he had seen Heaven opened , and Christ in his Glory , and could not but speak of the unutterable things which he had seen . I deny not but his vigorous active Temper , might be a great help to all his holy Alacrity and Joy , in his healthful State : But when that frame of Nature was broken by such Torments , and was then dissolving , to hear a dying Man about sixteen hours together , like the ferventest Preacher in the Pulpit , pour out his Soul in Praises and Thanskgiving ; and speak of God , of Christ , of Heaven , as one that could never speak enough of them ; and that with a Vivacity and Force , as if he had been in former Health , and to tryumph in Joy as one that was just laying hold upon the Crown ; surely in this there was something that was the Reward of all his former Praise and Thankfulness ; and that which must needs tell the Auditors the diference , not onely between the death of a Righteous Believer , and the wicked Unbeliever , but the weak and distempered Believer ; also the difference between a sound and a diseased Christian , and between the tryumphant Faith and Hopes , of one that saw the God and World invisible , and the staggering Faith , and trembling Hopes of a feeble and distrustful Soul ; and between the death of one that had been used to converse in Heaven , and to make Thanksgiving and Praise his Work , and of one that had been used to cleave to Earth , and make a great matter of the concernments of the Flesh , and to rise but little higher in Religion , then a course of outward Duty animated most with troublesome Fears : Though he died not in the Pulpit , yet he died in Pulpit-Work .

And I must also note , how great an advantage it was to himself , and to his Ministerial Works , that he was possessed deeply with this true sentiment , That the PLEASING of GOD is the proper ultimate end of Man , ( not doubting but it includeth the notion of glorifying him ) for thus his heart was rightly principled , and all his Doctrine and Duties rightly animated .

And as in all his Ministry , he was extraordinarily addicted to open to the Hearers the Covenant of Grace , and to explain Religion in the true Notion of Covenanting with God , and Covenant-keeping , and greatly to urge men to deliberate well-grounded Resolutions in this Holy Covenant ( as one that understood that Baptizing is truly Christening , and that Baptism and the Lord's-Supper are our Sacramental Covenanting , and that we need no new Descriptions nor Characters of Grace and Church-Titles , if we understand what these Sacraments truly mean : ) So God was pleased to give him a certainty and sense of his Divine Faithfulness , in fulfilling the Promises of his Covenant , and a lively sense of all the benefits of it ; and his Faith in God for the performance of his part , was as strong and fixed , as was his own Resolution , in the strength of Grace to be true to God : I compare not his resolution to God's Fidelity ; for what comparison between God and Man , but onely to his belief of God's Fidelity , and his comfort in the assurance of the Conclusion . And as he was resolved through Grace never to forsake Christ , so Christ did never fail him , nor forsake him . And in his Ministry , in his Sufferings , and his Death , this Faith , this Hope , this Heavenly Joy , was his support and strength ; and in the Valley of the shadow of Death , he feared no evil . But when his flesh and heart failed , as to natural strength , the Lord was the Rock or Strength of his Heart , and never failed him , Psal. 73. 25. Let me die the death of the Righteous , and let my last end be like his .

I have premised this general Skeleton , as Limners and Builders first draw the Pillars and Stamina of their Work , which the following Narratives will fill up : And I have given you this general Index , or Contents , of what is distinctly contained in the Sequel . For the History is not drawn up by one Hand , nor as by one that intended rather to shew what he could say , than what the Person was , and did : But it is the brief Account of the several parts of his Life , drawn up by several of his most worthy and judicious Friends , that were present , or most intimate and familiar with him . And I take this to be the best Advantage to a History , as to the Truth , which should satisfie the Incredulous , though not as to Uniformity , and a fluid Stile , which might please the Curious . For a Man's Life is like a War or Battle : No dispersed War , no nor any one particular Battle , can fully be described by the Observations of any one man alone : But one Man is but in one place , and seeth onely that which is within his own prospect , which his proper station did advantage him to see : But when Intelligent Men from each part of the Army do every one bring in their several Narratives , all set together , may be a satisfactory History of the whole War , or Fight : So when a Man's course of Life is transient , and one is his Familiar in his Youth , and another at riper Age , one in the University , and another in the Ministry ; one in Prison , and another at Home ; one in Health , and another at Death ; it is no one of himself that can credibly report the whole . And therefore though by variety of Stile , it may seem a Ceuto , or incongruously composed ; yet Truth being the Soul of History ; that 's best which is best fitted to the lovers of Truth . And though one part be written by a Woman , ( his Widow ) and another by his Reverend Father in Law ; another by that worthy Pastor whom he assisted ; another by a Fellow Minister , and another by a Scholar of his intimate Acquaintance , &c. Yet is there such Agreement in them all , and such Evidence of unquestionable Verity , especially to all that know these Worthy and Faithful Persons , that for my part I take it as coming to me with greater advantage , than if it had been an evener Thred , drawn out by one skilful Hand alone ; as the writing of the History of Christ by the four Evangelists , is advantagious to the Christian Faith . The plainness and open Breast of a Godly Widow , and of so many Holy and most credible Friends , is another kind of Evidence , than the contrived History of a Learned Man , which is fitted to the Interest of a Party , to which the persons Fame and Honour seemeth requisite : I know not how a History of this Nature could come to the World with fairer humane Evidence of unquestionable credibility than this doth .

And let Posterity know ( for I need not tell it to this present Age , who live in the Light ) that though this Servant of Christ excelled very many of his Brethren , yet it is not that such men are wonders in this Age , that his Life is singled out to be recorded to Posterity : But because his affectionate Friends and Auditors , are forwarder than many others , hereby to tell the World , what Effects his Holy Doctrine , and Example , hath left upon their hearts : It makes the Writers heart to bleed , to think how many thousands of Souls do perish by Ignorance , and ungodliness , even in England , and how many vast Kingdoms of the World are deprived of the Gospel .

If you ask , What Labours he hath left behind him ? I Answer ; First , The great numbers of Holy Souls converted , confirmed , and edified by his Doctrine , and the Example of his holy Life . The Specimen , or Exemplar of a right Minister of the Gospel , which he hath left to the Neighbour Ministers that knew him , and to those that now possess their Places , and to all the Ministers of the Land , and to the Ages that are yet to come : For who will not be convinced of the necessity and sweetness of Holy Diligence , in so good 2 Work , and become Laborious in the Word and Doctrine , who seriously readeth such Examples as this here set before him ? And who that considereth it aright , can chuse but see , how greatly such Holy Labourers do differ from those that Preach the Gospel in strife and envie , to add affliction to Pauls Bonds , Phil. 1. 15. And those that use their Ministry but as Lawyers use the Laws , to get Preferment and worldly Wealth by it ; that they may say , Soul , take thy Ease , Eat , Drink , and be Merry , thou hast Goods enough laid up for many years : Till they hear at last , Thou fool , this night shall they require thy Soul ; Whose then shall the things be which thou possessest ? So is every one that layeth up Riches for himself , and is not Rich towards God .

Secondly , And for Writings , who can expect that a man that entered upon the Sacred Ministry at Twenty One years of Age ; and died about Thirty Five , and lived in such exceeding Ministerial Labours , should leave many Books behind him of his Writing , ( in an Age wherein we have had too many Books , and too few such Ministers ) yet the following History tells us , He is the Author of tha Synopsis of the Covenant , in Mr. Richard Alleins Book . He Printed an Exposition of the Assemblies 〈◊〉 , with an Exhortation to use it . As also Prayers for his Peoples 〈◊〉 : And left a Book to work on the Unconverted , not yet Printed . And he hath left ( alass , imperfect ! ) a good part of a body of Natural Theology , called , Theologia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De cognitione Dei . 2. De Existentia Dei . 3. De 〈◊〉 & Substantia Dei. 4. De Attributis Dei in genere , & 〈◊〉 de ejus Unitate . 5. De Perfectione Divina , &c. 6. De Decretis Divinis . 7. De Providentia Divina . 8. De 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , de Precibus . In all which he succinctly delivereth in a very good Latin Stile , the Christian Doctrine ; and then by way of Annotations , addeth the Testimony of the Antient Philosophers : so that you have together a sum of sound Doctrine , and the fullest Attestation of Ethnicks consent that ever I have seen ; being such a Promptuary for any one that hath not leisure to peruse , or to gather to such particular uses the Philosophers themselves that I know not where you can find the like . For every Sheet or two of his Doctrine on the Subject , there is about eight , ten , twelve , or more Sheets of Collected Attestations . The rest are all impersectly written , onely that De Providentia , hath his Ultiman Manum , and is Licensed for the Press ; but being Latin and Greek , and such Books having too few Buyers in England , none yet is found that will be at the charge of Printing it , much less altogether ; though indeed ( though imperfect ) it is pity they should be separated . The Title of this Licensed Piece is , Theologiae Philosophicae , sive Philosophiae Theologicae specimen : In quo AEterni Dei Providentia solius Nature lumine comprobatur , validissimis rationum momentis demonstratur , quoad Partes , Species , Objecta , & explicatur ; Contrae omnes denique Adversariorum Objectiones firmatur : Ex Aristotele , Platone , Chalcidio , Sallustio , Firmico , Empirico , Jamlico , Antonino , Epecteto , Proclo , Simplicio , Cicerone , Seneca , Macrobio , Porphyrio , Xenophonte , Galeno , Plutarcho , Plotino , Tyrio , Appuleio , Alcinoo , alisque Philosophis , Oratoribus & Poetis , tum Graecis tum Latinis , ad Atheorum Convictionem , & Orthodoxorum confirmationem ; Elucubratione J. A. Anno Dom. 1661.