388 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. The character given of Mr. Hildersham, in the above monumental inscription, is confirmed by one of his con- temporaries ; who says, " that the loss which the town of Ashby sustained by his death was very great ; for he was a peace-maker-among his neighbours, and the patron of the poor. By his great wisdom and care, wickedness was checked, and godliness was promoted. He was a friend to every one in a good cause ; and it was his constant delight to be serviceable to all. He left a precious name behind him, and had epistlesof commendation written in the hearts of thepeople.' 4 In addition to the two excellent volumes already speci- fied, Mr. Hildersham was author of ",Lectures on Psalm xxxv.," published in 1632; and " ATreatise on the Lord's Supper." Of this work, Mr. John Cotton says, " Those questions and answers furnish a christian with a more proper view of that spiritual duty, than any other book in any language, that I know, in so small a compass." It is commonly bound with a treatise on the same subject by Mr. Bradshaw.t THOMAS HILL was of Hart-hall, Oxford, and a popular i preacher in the university. Bewas zealous n the advance-' ment of truth, and in opposition to error ; yet,he discovered great moderation. Having preached a sermon from James i. 16. in St. Mary's church, May 24, 1631, he made the following observations: " Were my time and learning parallel to my zeal, what a tempting doth here present itself, to shew how rashly (I say not cruelly) our Pelagian votaries have handled the decrees and statutes of the King of heaven. But they are to be mischieved into honour, (no matter how,) which tempts them to disrelish sound doctrine on no other ground than did David, because the lords do not favour it. 1. Sam. xxix. 6. Scripture they use worse than the Turks do Christians at Tunis; enslave it to the vassalage ofthe foulest error ; and, according to their most current garb, employ it to defend popery, or as bad, Pelagianism. Popish darts, whet afresh on a Dutch grind- stone, have pierced deep, and, without succour, will prove mortal. I am persuaded these late transmarine tenets bad not been sojolly and brief among us, nor the opposite truth so diametrically condemned by many, had they first made Clark's Lives, p. 119, 120. Hildersham on Jobs, Epic.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=