4 2heLIEE ofthe LIB.I, had Ballads and fame good Books : And my Father bought of him Dr. Sibb's brui- fed Reed. This alto I read, and found it fuited to my ftate,and feafonably tent mé which opened .more the Love ofGod to me, and gave me a livelier apprehenfion of the Myftery of Redemption , and how much I was beholden to Jelus Chrift. All this while neither my Father nor 1 had any Acquaintance or Familiarity with any that had any Underftanding in Matters ofReligion , nor ever heard a- ny pray ex tempore s But my Prayers were the ConfellIon in the Common-Prayer Book; and fometime one of Mr. Bradford's Prayers, (in a Book called his Prayers and Me- . dilations) and fometime a Prayer out ofanother Prayer-Book which we had. After this we had aServant that had a little Piece of Mr. Perkins's Works (of Re- pentance, and the right Art of Living and Dying well , and the Government of, the Tongue) : And the reading of that did further inform me, and confirm me. And thus (without any meansbut Books) was God pleated to refolve me for himfelf. § 4. When 1 was ready for the Univerfity, my Mafìer drew me into another waywhich kept me thence, where weremy vehement deliires. He had a Friend at Ludlow, Chaplain to the Council there, called Mr. Richard Wckftead ; whofe Place having allowance from the King ( who maintaineth the Houfe ) for one ro attend him,he told my Matter that hewas purpofed to havea Scholar fit for the1.- niverfrty ; and having but one, would be better to him than any Tutor in the Uni- verfrty could be : whereupon my Mafter perfwaded me to accept the offer,and told me it would be better than theUnrverfrty to me : I believed him as knowing no bet- ter my felf; andit fuited well-withmyParents minds,who were willingto haveme as near to them as poll.ible (having no Children but my felf): And foIleft my School- matter for a fuppofed Tutor : But when I had tried him I found my felf deceived ; his bulinefs was to pleafe the Great Ones, and leek Preferment in the World ; and to that end found it neceffary fometimcs to give the Puritans a flirt ; and call them unlearned, and fpeak much for Learning, being but a Superficial Scholar of himfelf: Henever read to me, nor ufed any favoury Difcourfe of-God- linefs ; only he lovedme, andallowed me Books and Timeenough t Sò that as I had no confiderable helps from him in my Studies,fò had I no confiderable hinderance. And though the Houlewas great (therebeing four Judges, the King'sAttorney, the Secretary, the Clerk of the Fines, with all their Servants, and all theLord Pre - fdent's Servants, and many more) and though theTownwas full ofTemptations, through the multitude of Perfons, (Counfellors, Attorne)s, Officers, and Clerks) and much given to tipling and excels, it pleated God not only to keep me from. them, but allo to give me one intimate Companion, whowas the greateft help to my Serioufnefs in Religion, that ever I had before, and was a daily Watchman over my Soul! We walk'd together, we read together, we prayed together, and when we could we lay together : And having been brought outof great Dithers to Pro - fperity, and his Affeelions being fervent, though his Knowledge not great, he would be always flirtingme up to Zeal and Diligence, and even in the Night would rife up to Prayer and Thanklgiving to God, and wonder that I could Beep fo, that the thoughts of God's Mercy did not make me alto to do as he did ! He was unwearied in reading all fèrious Pradtical Books of Divinity ; efpecially Per- kins, Bolton, Dr. Prefton, Elton, Dr. Taylor, Wbately, Harris, &c. He was the frft that ever I heard pray Ex tempere (out of the Pulpit) and thatcaught me fo to pray : And his Charity and Liberality was equal to his Zeal ;,fo that God made him a great meansof my good, who had more knowledge than he, hut a colder heart. Yet before we had been Two yearsacquainted, he fell once and a fecond time by the power of Temptation into a degree of Drunkennefs, which fo terrified him upon the review (efpecially after the fecond time) that he was near ro De- fpair; and went to good Minifters with fad Confeflions: And when I had left the Hour; andhis Company, he fell into it againand againfo oft, that at lait his Con- fetence could have no Relief or Eafebut in changing his Judgment, and difown- ing the Teachers and DoEtrines whichhad reftrained him. And he did it on this manner : One of his Superiours, on whom he had dependance, was a man of great Sobriety and Temperance, andof much Devotion in his way ; but very zea- lous againft the Nonconformifts, ordinarily talking moS bitterly againS them, and reading almoft only fuch Books as encouraged him in this way : By converfe with this Man, my Friend was firm drawn to abate his Charity to Nonconformifts ; and then to think and fpeak reproachfully of them ; and next that to diflikeall thole that came near them,and to fay that fuch as Boltonwere too revere, and enough to make men mad : And the laf;i heard of him was, that he was grown a Fudler, and Railer at ftridt men. But whether God recovered him, or what became of him I cannot tell. 4 í. From
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