CHEARE. 485 baptists-, by encouraging the magistrates to put the penal 'laws in execution against them. Indeed, this was the common error or those times.. ' Mr. Wilson, during his last sickness, was visited by all the neighbouring ministers, who took their final farewell with namy. tears. The elders of his own church also came to see him, when the venerable old man, after offering up a short prayer, lifted up both his hands, and blessed them, saying, 4(.I am not likely to be long with you. The Lord pardon and heal us, and make us more heavenly, and take us off from the world, and make us burning lights by our doctrine andexample. I beseech the Lord, with all my heart, to bless you, and to bless all his churches, to bless all his people, all your families, all your wives, and all your chil- dren, and your children's children, and make us all more and more meet for our inheritance, and in good time bring us to enjoy it." As the hour of his departure approached, he lifted uphis hands towards haven and said, 4, I shall now soon be with my old friends, Dr. Preston, Dr. Gouge, Dr. Sibbs, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Ames, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Norton, and my children and grandchildren in the ,ingdoin ofmy God." Andafter' offering a short and affixtionate prayer, he died, August 7, 1667, in the seventy-ninth year ofhisage, having been pastor of the church at Boston thirty-seven years. t During all the changes through which he lived, " he continued umnoved in his principles, full of faith and prayer, eminent for sincerity and humility, and highly distinguished for love and acts of kindness. He was eminently charitable in his deportment, orthodox in judgment, and holy in conversa- tion ; and few ever left the world so universally reverenced, beloved, and lamented." ABRAHAM CHEARE' was born at Plymouth ; and being favoured with religious parents, he enjoyed a pious and useful education. He knew the scriptures from a child, and found constant delight in searching them. Having espoused the peculiar sentiments Of the baptists, he was bap- tized by immersion, and, about the year 1648, admitted a member of the baptist church at Plymouth. He was soon after called by the church to the office of pastor. He possessed eminent gifts and graces, and preached the gospel with great success. The Lord having owned and blessed his labours, the °Burch, by its united efforts, purchased Mather's Hist. b. iii. p. 44-46. + Ibid. p. 46-49 t Morton's Memorial, p. 188. 111111.1.1.111.111.pwr
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