386 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. continued preaching till December 27th following, when he preached his last sermon.. Thus our pious and learned divine knew by painful experience the truth of that doctrine which he delivered to the people. " Every faithful minister," says he, " who laboureth to win souls to God, shall be sure to be well rewarded, how ill soever an unthankful world may reward him. If we judge by sense and reason, we shall hardly be able to conceive how it can be true ; for no kind of men ever seems to be more neglected of God in this life, than faithful ministers. In all ages these mess have been in much trouble, and their enemies have prevailed against them ; and that oftentimes even unto death. But," says he, " if we look into it with a spiritual eye, we shall find that God hath a special care to provide for faithful ministers ; and that none have such promises of protection and deliverance from trouble. If it please the Lord to, let his ministers suffer, it is," saith lie, " either because their testimony is finished; or because God will receive more honour by their suffering, and constant confession of his truth, than by their peace : as saith the apostle ofhis own troubles : Iwould, brethren, ye should understand, that the things which have happenedunto me, have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel."t This excellent servant of Christ discovered in his last sickness very becoming submission to the will of God. His conversationwas spiritual, holy, and heavenly. He gave a solemn charge to his son, to take heed unto the flock of Christ ; and on the Lord's day, while his son was at prayer withhim, he closed his eyes in peace, and entered upon the joy of his Lord, March 4, 1631, aged sixty-eight years. Mr. Hildersham preached at Ashby upwards of forty-three years, excepting the intervals of his suspension for noncon- formity. He was a pious, learned, and useful preacher. Fuller styles him " a worthy divine, and a just and upright man," but has incorrectly classed him among the fellows and learned writers of Christ's college, Cambridge.t. Echard denominates him " a great and shining light of the puritan party," and observes, " that he was justly cele- brated for his singular learning and piety."4 Lilly, the astrologer, who was educated at Ashby school, says, " He Clark's Lives, p. 122. Hildersham on John, p. 282-289. I. Fuller's Worthies, part i. p. 159.-Hist. of Cam. p. 92. Echard's Hist. of Eng. vol. ii. g.98.
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