The LIFE of the LISA. rq. And God made great oleof Sickae,to do good to many. For thoughSick- bed Promifes are ufually foon forgotten ; yet was it otherwife with many among us : And as foon as they were recovered; they firft came to our private Meetings, and fo kept in a learning Date, till furtherFruitsof Pietyappeared; 20. And I found that our difowning of the Iniquity of the Times, did tend to the good ofmany : For they defpifed thofe that always followed the nronger fide; and ¡unified every wickednefs that was done by the nronger Party: Though we had judgedthe ParliamentsWar to be lawful and neceffary , tofave themfelvesand us from theMP and their Adherents, and to punifh Delinquents in a Courfe of Law, while we believed that nothing was intended againDthe King or Laws; yet as foon as ever we faw the Cafe changed, and Cramwelfs Army enter into a Rebel- lion againD King and Parliament, and kill the King, and invade the Scott, and fight againD the King that Ihould havefucceeded, &c. we openly difownedthem, and on all jun occafiions expren our abhorrenceof their Hypocrifie, Perjury, and Rebellion ( except two or three idle drunken Fellows that thought to live by flattering the Times, this was the Senfeof all the Town ). And had I owned the Guilt of others, it would have been my lhame,and the hinderance of my work, and provoked God to have difowned me. 21. Another of my great Advantages was, the true Worth and Unanimity of the honeD Minifters of the Country round about us, who affociated in a way of Concord with us : Their Preaching was powerful and fober ; their Spirits peace- able andmeek, difowning the Trealons and Iniquities of the times as well as we ; they were wholly addilfed to the winning of Souls; felf denying, and of molt blamelefs Lives; Evil fpokenof by noSober Men ; but greatly beloved by their own People,and all that knew them ; adhering tono Faltion; neither Epifcopal, Presbyterian nor Independent, as toParties ; but defining Union, and loving that which is good in all. Thefe meeting weekly at our Leeture, and monthly at our Difputation, con- Drained a Reverence in the People to their Worth and Unity, and confequently furthered my Work, fuch were Mr. AndrewTrijhoemMinifter of Bridgnorrb, Mr. Tho. Baldwin Minifter at ChadJley, Mr. Tbo. Baldwin Minifter of Cleat, Mr. Jofeple Baker Minifter inWorcester, Mr. Henry Oafland Miniver of Bewdley, Mr. William Spicer Minifter of Stone (an old man timedead), Mr. Richard Sergeantfait Minifter ofStone, Mr. WilsbyofWomborne, Mr. John Reignoldtof Wolverbamptoot, Mr. Jofeph Roche of Rowley, Mr. RichardWolley o Sallwarp, Mr. Giles Walley , Mr. Humphrey Weldersof Broome, Mr. Edw. Bowebier. of Church-bill, Mr. Ambrofe Sparsy ofManley, Mr. WilliamKimberley of Ridmarley, Mr. Benj. Baxter of Upton upon See'ern,Mr.Dow- ley of Stoke, Mr. Stephen Baxter, Mr.The. Bromwick of Kemfey, Mr. J. Nott of She- riff. baler, with many others; to whom I may adjoyn Mr. John Spihbury, and Mr. aice one of Bremfgrove, and the other of Worcefter; Independants, and very honeD, fober,and moderate men; (who were all of themnow filenced and can out,though not one of them all had any hand in the Wars for the Parliament, or any Military Employment ; only Mr. GeorgeHopkins ofEtoe leam was in the Army, (aworthy faithful Minifter allò) and no other ofour Affociation that I knowof betides my fell in all the County. 22. Another Advantage 'mmewas the quality of the Sinners of the place. There were two Drunkards almoftat the next Doors to me, who ( one by night, and the oilier by day) didconnantlyevery Week, if not twiceor thrice a Weak, roar and rave in the Streets likeDark - madmen ; and when they have been laid in theStocks or Gaol, they have been asbad as foon as ever they came out : And theft werefo beanly and ridiculous, that they made that Sin (of which we were in molt danger) the moreabhorred. 23. Another Advantage to me was thequality of the Apoflates of the place. If we had been troubled with meer Separatiris, Anabaptifts, or others that erred plaufibly and tollerably, they might perhaps have divided us, and drawn away Difciples after them : But we had only two Profeffors that fell off in the Wars,and ( one or twoat molt) that made no Profellion of Godlinefs were drawn in to- i them. They that fell offwere fuchas before, by their want of grounded Under- lfanding, Humility and Mortification, gave us the greaten fufpicion of their Sta- bility : And they fell to no lefs thanFamilifm and Infidelity, making a jeft of the Scripture, and the Effentials of Chrinianity : ( Though they fo carefully hid it, that we could never poffibly have known their Minds, but from the Alehoule, and Companions with whom they were more free). And as they fell from the Faith, fo they fell toDrinking, Gaming, furious Paflìoes, horribly abufing their Wives (and
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