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But I have one thing to relate concerning him, which I would not mention if I did not, by the mention thereof, propound and expect the advantage of some that may be my readers. Know, then, that though our Warham were as pious a man as most that were out of heaven, yet Satan often threw him into those deadly pangs of melancholy, that made him despair of ever getting thither. Such were the terrible temptations and horrible buffetings undergone sometimes by the soul of this holy man, that when he has administred the Lord's Supper to his flock, whom he durst not starve by omitting to administer that ordinance; yet he has forborn himself to partake at the same time in the ordinance, through the fearful dejections of his mind, which perswaded him that those blessed souls did not belong unto him. The dreadful darkness which overwhelmed this child of light in his life, did not wholly leave him till his death. It is reported that he did even "set in a cloud," when he retired unto the glorified society of those "righteous ones that are to shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father," though some have asserted, that the cloud was dispelled before he expired.

What was desired by Joannes Mathesius, may now be inscribed on our WARHAM, for an

EPITAPH.

Securus recubo hic mundi pertasus iniqui;

Et didici et docui vulnera, Christe, tua.*

CHAPTER XIX.

THE LIFE OF MR. HENRY FLINT.

ALTHOUGH there is a most sensible and glorious demonstration of the Divine Providence over human, affairs in the stupend variety of human faces, that among so many millions of men, their countenances are distinguishable enough to preserve the order of human society, and conversation thereon depending; yet there have been some notable instances of resemblance in the world. They are not only twins which have sometimes had this resemblance, in such a degree as to occasion more diversion than the two Sosia's in Plautus' Amphytrio; but some other persons have been too like one another to be known asunder without critical observations of accidental circumstances. I will not mention the several examples of likeness reported by Pliny, because there is frequently as much likeliness between a Plinyism and a fable. But Mersennus gives us the names of two men so extreamly alike, that their nearest relations were thereby most notori

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ously imposed upon. Yea, this likeness has proceeded so far, that Polystratus and Hippoclides, two philosophers much alike, were both born in the same day; they were school-fellows, and of the same sect; they both died in a great age, and at the very same instant. Further yet, the two famous brothers at Riez, in France, perfectly alike, if one of them were sick, or sad, or sleepy, the other would immediately be so too. And the story of the three Gordians, the one exactly like Augustus, the second exactly like Pompey, the third exactly like Scipio; he that has read Pezelius, doubtless will remember it.

I know not whether any of these likenesses are greater than what it was the desire and study, and in a lesser measure the attainment of that holy and worthy man, Mr. Henry Flint, the teacher of Brain-tree, to have unto Mr. Cotton, the well-known teacher of Boston. Having twins once born unto him, he called the one John, the other Cotton, and his honouring imitation of that great man was as if he had been a twin to John Cotton himself. In his exemplary life, he was John Cotton to the life; and in all the circumstances of his ministry, he propounded John Cotton for his pat tern; as apprehending that "he followed Jesus Christ."

You may be sure, he that copied after such an excellent person, must write fair, though he should happen to fall any thing short of the original. Wherefore, having already written the life of John Cotton, I need say nothing more of Henry Flint; but they are now both of them gone where the harmony is become yet more agreeable.

He that was a solid stone in the foundations of New-England, is gone to be a glorious one in the walls of the New-Jerusalem.

He died April 27, 1668, and at his death deserved the epitaph once allowed unto Mentzer:

EPITAPHIUM.

Flintæus semper Meditatus Gaudia Cali,
Nunc tandem Cæli Gaudia Lætus habet.*

CHAPTER XX.

THE LIFE OF MR. RICHARD MATHER.

Florente verbo, omnia Florent in Ecclesiarum.†-LUTHER.

1. It is a memorable passage, which Doctor Hall, after a personal examination of it, ventures to relate as most credible, [in his book of angels,] that a certain cripple, called John Trelille, having been sixteen years a miserable cripple, did, upon three monitions in a dream to do so,

• On earth he pined for heavenly joys; and now The crown of heavenly joys surrounds his brow.

+ While doctrine flourishes, every thing in the church flourishes also.

wash himself in S. Mathern's well, and was immediately restored unto the use of his limbs, and became able to walk, and work, and maintain himself. Reader, if thou hast any feebleness upon thy mind, in regard either of piety, or thy perswasion about the church-order of the gospel, I will carry thee now to a well of a S. Mathern; which name, I suppose, to be the Cornish pronunciation of that which was worn by the good man whose history is now going to be offered.

In the night whereon our Lord was born, there was a glorious light, with an host of angels gloriously singing over Bethlehem; and the birth of the "great and good Shepherd" was thus revealed unto the shepherds of that country. The magicians in the East, whether they had by their conversations with the invisible world a readier eye to discern such objects, or whether it were only the sovereign and gracious providence of God which thus directed them, they probably saw that "glory of the Lord." Possibly to them at a distance, it might seem a new star hanging over Judæa; but after two years of wonder and suspense about it, they were informed by God what it signified; and when they came near the place of the Lord's nativity, it is likely that this glory once again appeared for their fullest satisfaction. This, till I see a better account, must be that which I shall take about "the star of the wise men in the East." But I am now to add, that in all ages there have been stars to lead men unto the Lord Jesus Christ: angelical men employed in the ministry of our Lord have been those happy stars; and we in the West have been so happy as to see some of the first magnitude; among which one was Mr. Richard Mather.

§ 2. It was at a small town, called Lowton, in the county of Lancaster, Anno 1596, that so great a man, as Mr. Richard Mather was born, of parents that were of credible and ancient families. And these his parents, though by some disasters their estate was not a little sunk below the means of their ancestors, yet were willing to bestow a liberal education on him; upon occasion whereof Mr. Mather afterwards thus expressed himself:

"By what principles and motives my parents were chiefly induced to keep me at school, I have not to say, nor do I certainly know: but this I must needs say, that this was the singular good providence of God towards me, (who hath the hearts of all men in his hands,) thus to incline the hearts of my parents; for in this thing the Lord of heaven shewed me such favour, as had not been shewed to many my predecessors and contemporaries in that place.”

They sent him to school at Winwick, where they boarded him in the winter; but in the summer, so warm was his desire of learning, that he travelled every day thither, which was four miles from his father's house. Whilst he was thus at school-Multa tulit fecitque Puer*—he met with an extremity of discouragement from the Orbiliant harshness and fierceness of the pædagogue; who, though he had bred many fine scholars, yet, for the severity of his discipline, came not much behind the master of Junius, who would beat him eight times a day, whether he were in a fault, or no

For in boyhood he endured and accomplished much. + ORBILIUS was the name of HORACE'S School-master.

fault. Our young Mather, tired under this captivity, at last frequently and earnestly importuned of his father that, being taken from the school, he might be disposed unto some secular calling; but when he had waded through his difficulties, he wrote this reflection thereupon:

"God intended better for me than I would have chosen for my self; and therefore my father, though in other things indulgent enough, yet in this would never condescend to my request, but by putting me in hope that, by his speaking to the master, things would be amended, would still over rule me to go on in my studies: and good it was for me to be over ruled by him and his discretion, rather than to be left to my own affections and desire. But, O that all school-masters would learn wisdom, moderation, and equity, towards their scholars! and seek rather to win the hearts of children by righteous loving and courteous usage, than to alienate their minds by partiality and undue severity; which had been my utter undoing, had not the good providence of God and the wisdom and authority of my father prevented."

§ 3. Yea, and here Almighty God made use of his otherwise cruel school-master to deliver this hopeful young man from an apprenticeship unto a Popish merchant, when he was very near falling into the woful snares of such a condition; which mercy of Heaven unto him was accompanied with the further mercy of living under the ministry of one Mr. Palin, then preacher at Leagh; of whom he would long after say, "That though his knowledge of that good man was only in his childhood, yet the remembrance of him was even in his old age comfortable to him; inasmuch as he observed such a penetrating efficacy in the ministry of that man, as was not in the common sort of preachers."

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§ 4. There were at this time in Toxteth Park near Liverpool a welldisposed people, who were desirous to erect a school among them for the good education of their posterity. This people, sending unto the schoolmaster of Winwick, to know whether he had any scholar that he could recommend for a master of their new school, Richard Mather was by him recommended unto that service; and at the perswasion of his friends to attend that service, he laid aside his desire and his design of going to the university; not unsensible of what hath been still observed, Scholas esse Theologia pedissequas, ac seminaria Reipublicæ.* Now, as it cannot justly be reckoned any blemish unto him, that at fifteen years of age he was a school-master, who carried it with such wisdom, kindness, and grave reservation, as to be loved and feared by his young folks, much above the most that ever used the ferula; so it was many ways advantageous unto him to be thus employed. Hereby he became a more accurate grammarian than divines too often are; and at his leisure hours he so studied as to become a notable proficient in the other liberal arts.

Moreover, it was by means hereof that he experinced an effectual conversion of soul to God, in his tender years, even before his going to Oxford; and thus he was preserved from the temptations and corruptions which undid many of his contemporaries in the university. That more thorough

• That schools of Theology are the handmaids and nurseries of the State.

and real conversion in him was occasioned by observing a difference between his own walk and the most exact, watchful, fruitful, and prayerful conversation of some in the family of the learned and pious Mr. Edward Aspinwal, of Toxteth, where he sojourned. This exemplary walk of that holy man caused many sad fears to arise in his own soul, that he was himself out of the way; which consideration, with his hearing of Mr. Harrison, then a famous minister at Hyton, preach about regeneration, and his reading of Mr. Perkins' book, that shows, "how far a reprobate may go in religion;" were the means whereby the God of heaven brought him into the state of a new creature. The troubles of soul which attended his new birth were so exceeding terrible, that he would often retire from his appointed meals unto secret places, to lament his miseries; but after some time, and about the eighteenth year of his age, the good Spirit of God healed his broken heart, by pouring thereinto the evangelical consolations of "His great and precious promises."

§ 5. After this, he became a more eminent blessing, in the calling wherein God had now disposed him; and such notice was taken of him, that many persons were sent unto him, even from remote places, for their education; whereof not a few went well accomplished from him to the university. But having spent some years in this employment, he judged it many ways advantageous for him to go unto the university himself, that he might there converse with learned men and books, and more improve himself in learning than he could have done at home. Accordingly at Oxford, and particularly at Brazen-Nose-College in Oxford, he now resided, where, together with the satisfaction of seeing his old scholars, who had by his education been fitted for their being there, he had the opportunity further to enrich himself by study, by conference, by disputation, and other academical entertainment: as considering, that the lamps were to be lighted, before the incense was to be burned in the sanctuary. And here he was more intimately acquainted with famous Dr. Woral, by whose advice he read the works of Peter Ramus with a singular attention and affection; which advice he did not afterwards repent that he had followed.

§ 6. But it was not very long before the people of Toxteth sent after him, that he would return unto them, and instruct, not their children as a school-master, but themselves as a minister: with which invitation he at last complied; and at Toxteth, November 13, 1618, he preached his first sermon with great acceptance in a vast assembly of people: but such was the strength of his memory, that what he had prepared for one, contained no less than six long discourses. He was after this ordained with many others, by Dr. Morton, the Bishop of Chester, who, after the ordination was over, singled out Mr. Mather from the rest, saying, "I have something to say betwixt you and me alone." Mr. Mather was now jealous that some informations might have been exhibited against him for his Puritanism; instead of which, when the Bishop had him alone, what he said unto him

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