'[he L I FE of the Part. III that Learned and WorthyMan, Mr. Sbam, another Silenc'd Minifter, and his Bro- ther in Law ; who being flint up, gave God Thanks for his Deliverance, in a very Learned and Profitable Treatife, v, hich he Publifhed thereupon. And finte being found ( not only very Learned, but ) moderate, and holding Communion in the Pnblick Affemblies, and a peaceable Man, bath got connivance to Teach a Publick School, a great favour in thefe Times. 3. Mr. Roberts, a Godly WeiJh Minifter, who alfo flying from the Plague, fell Sick, as far off, as between.Shremsburyand. Ofinefiry, and died on a little Straw, while none durst entertainhim. 4.. It is fcarce poffible for People that live in a time ofHealth andSecurity, to apprehend the dreadfulnefsof that Peltilence ! How fearful People were, thirty or forty, ifnot anhundred Miles fromLondon, of any thing that they bought from any Mercer's, or Draper's Shop ; or of anyGoods that were brought to them; or of any Perfonthat came to their Hou les. How they would.jhut theirDoors againft their Friends ; and if a-Man ,paired over the Fields, how onehvould avoid another, as we did in the time ofWars ; and howevery Man was a Terrour to another ! O how finfully unthankful are we for our quiet Societies, Habitationsand Health ! § g. Not far from the place where I fojournedy at Mrs. Fleetwood's, three Mi- nifters of extraordinary worth `Were together in one Houfe, Mr. Clearkfn, Mr. Sam.-Cradóck, asid Vfr..Terry, Men- offiniilar judgment, Piety, and Moderation; and thePlague canine into the Hotife inhere they were, one Pedal' dying of it, which caufed many ( that they knewnot of) earneftly to pray for their Deliverance; and it pleafed God that no other Perfon dyed. § 6. Bat one great Benefit the Plaguebrought to theCity, that is, it occafion- ed the Silenc'd Minifters more openly and laborioully toPreach the Cofpel, to the exceeding comfort and profit ofthe People ; infomuch, that to this Day thefreo- dom of Preaching, which this occafioned, cannot, by the daily Guards of Soldiers, not by the Imprifonments of Multitudes, be rehrained. TheMinifters that were Silenced for Nonconformity, had ever fine t662. donetheir Workvery privately; Itwas the and to a few ( not fo much through their timoroufnefs, as their loathnefs tooffend Plague theKing, and in hope frill that their forbearance might procure them fomeLiberty; that through forme timoroufnefs of the People that Ihouldhear them.)- And when brougt the Plague grew hot, molt Of the Confdimable Minifters fled, and left their Flocks, themout in the time of their Extremity::: whereupon divers Non-conformifts pitying the dy- oftheir ing and diftreflèd People, that had none to call the impenitent to Repentance, nor narrow to help :liento prepare for another World ; nor to comfortthem in their Terrors, Meetings when about TenThoufand dyed ina Week, refolved thatno obedienceto theLaws intopub, of anymortal Men wliofoever, could juftifie them for neglelting ofMen's Souls and lick. - Bodies in fiu:h ektreniities; no more than theycan jnftifie Parents forfamiihing their Children to death : And that when Chrift Mall fay, Inafìnuch as ye did it notto one of theft, ve did it not to nie, -lt will be a poor excnfe to fay, [Lord I was forbidden by the Law.] Therefore they refolved to flay with the People, and togo in to the forfaken Pulpits, though Prohibited, and to preach to the poor People before they dyed ; and alfoto vifit the Sick, and get what relief theycould for the Poor, efpeci- ally thole that were fhutup.. Thofe that fet upon this work, were Mr. 'Thomas Vincent, late Minifter in Milk-free.- ; with fonce Strangers that cansethither, fine they were Silenced, ai Mr. Chefder, Dir. 7aneieay, Mr. Turner, Mr. Grimes, Mr. Frantin, and faint others. Thofe beard them one Dayoft, that, were lickthe next, and quickly dyed. The Face of Death didfo awaken both the Preachers, and the Hearers, that Preachers exceeded themfelvesin lively, fervent Preaching, and the People crowded confrantly to hear them ; and all was done with fo greatSeriouf- nefs, as that, through the Bidding of God, abundance were converted from their Csrelefnefs, Impenitency, and youthful Lulls and Vanities; and Religion took that holdon thePeoplesHeaits, as could never' afterward be locfed. § y. And at the fame time, svhilft God was confirming the People 1w thefe Judgments, and the Noncotforntiftswere labouringto fave Men's Souls, the Parli- ament ( which. fate at Oxford, whither the Kingremoved from the danger of thy Planet) was ]nape-in making anAd of Confinement, to make theSilenc'dMinifters Cafe in-omparaibly harder than it Was before, by puttingupon them a iertain Oath, white if they refufed, they null not come ( except the Road) within five Miles of any City, or of anyCorporation, or any place that fendeth Burgeffcs to the Parlia- meït; or of any place where-ever they had been Minifters, or had preached fince the At of ()Mix ion. So little did the Senfe of God's terrible Judgments, or of the r_crcfrities of many hundred thoufand ignorant Souls, or theGroans of the pier
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=