his Life been prolonged, and wanted not Inclinations also so to do, fhould by Designing. Men be fo wrought upon, as to precipitate himself into the Greatest of Dangers: And that he saw it not to be in his Power to be fo Serviceable to his Lordship, as he could have wifhed to have been; or by any Endeavours of his in the Discharge of his Duty, to prevent that which there was Ground enough to Apprehend and Fear. Notwithstanding this he perfued on with all the Meekness of Wifdom, which did not a little adorn his Character, to do all that was poffible in fo difficult a Poft to do, for the true Interest of One, whofe Happiness both in Time and Eternity he had very much at Heart; reprefenting to him, that the Chriftian Religion did not allow any fuch Refiftance as was contended for, and that though our Religion be indeed Established by Law, yet in that very Law which Establisheth it, there was exprefs Care taken against any Pretence whatfoever to legitimate the Refiftance of a Subject. And although this Unfortunate Lord had no very favourable Opinion of the English Clergy in General, as thinking them for the most part a Set of Men too much Bigotted to Slavifh Principles, and not Zealous enough for the Proteftant Religion or the Common Intereft of a Free Nation; yet it is worthy of Obfervation, that the Meek and Christian Behaviour of Mr. Kettlewell, would not Suffer Suffer him not to have an Esteem for him; which he failed not to exprefs, even in his Laft Minutes, by fending a Meffage to him from the Scaffold, in Token of his Kind Remembrance of him. table Pro his behalf. Se&t. 34. There is no certain Account how How a nolong his Continuance was in this Office and vidence inMinistry; which, being confiftent with his terpofed on Fellowship, was looked upon by his Friends as a good Setting out in the World, though his own View herein was much higher. Wherefore according to the Integrity of his Purpose God had regard to him, and that at a Time and in a manner little by him expected, or thought of, that he might fulfil the Ends of his Sacerdotal and Paftoral Dedication. For while the All-wife Providence faw fit to difappoint him, and that more than once too, in fome reasonable Expectations which he was made to entertain; all Humane Supports and means being in themselves found exceeding fhort, where the Divine Flat is wanting to give the Bleffing, even in the midst of the Troubles of that Noble Family, and of the Difficulties which there befell him, beyond what he could have expected; the Vicarage of Coles-Hill in Warwickshire fell Vacant, the Patron whereof was one of those Few, who Thought a Cure of Souls too great a Truft to be given upon any other Confiderations than Pure Merit. It was Simon Lord Digby, a Perfon of the trueft Tenderness of E 3 Confcience also been all his Life until now prepairing himself, with great Sincerity and a true Zeal for God's Honour, could not here but reflect upon all what had hitherto paffed with refpect to himself, and herein admire the Secret and Wonderful Steps of Divine Providence: And having a profound Senfe hereof upon his Mind, he fet himself in good earnest immediately to confider of the best and propereft Methods, for acquitting this Charge which was committed to him, according as became a Good and Faithful Steward of the Manifold Gift of God. He Preached Twice every Sunday, and Once all Occafional Days that are Enjoyned; as particularly, GoodFriday, the Thirtieth of January, and the Twenty Ninth of May; he began to Catechife in Lent, and continued fo to do for several Sundays after; it was in the Afternoon on Sunday that he performed this Exercife, asking feveral Queftions to try the Understanding of the Catechumen, as alfo (and Chiefly) to Form a Chriftians Heart and Practice; and when afterwards he went up into the Pulpit, he would generally choose a Text that should lead him in again to the fame matter; the which Method he found to be both very Grateful and Edyfying to his Auditory. He had indeed an Excellent Talent at the Catechiftical Method; and he was not wan Ling to Improve the fame, both in himself and in Others to whom the Cure of Souls was Coles Hill. Kettlewell in a Letter to him. But before this, or fo foon as the aforefaid Book was recommended to him by Mr. Rawlett, he had taken Care to Write to his Brother then at Oxford, to enquire concerning him, and if he found that he anfwered that Character, to offer him the Living. At this Time He is PreMr. Kettlewell was in Yorkshire, with his fented to Relations; from whence when he returned, upon his receiving fo furprizing a Letter, he went to wait upon My Lord at Coles-Hill. Now it fell out that My Lord was then from Home, having taken a Journey to Visit some of his Honourable Relations; yet that entire Confidence had he in the Worth of Mr. Kettlewell, that his Lordship left the Presentation for him with my Lady Digby his Mother, though he had never feen him. Mr. Kettlewell very much declined accepting of it till My Lord's Return; as thinking it but reasonable, that My Lord fhould have fome Perfonal Knowledge of him, before he conferred his Favours upon him. But at last My Lady's great Importunity, and her Declaration of My Lord's entire Satisfaction, drew him to comply. This was about the latter End of the Summer MDCLXXXII. And it was found under Inftituted his own Hand that the Nine and Thirty Articles of the Church of England were Read, and Aflented to by him, in the faid ParifhChurch of Coles-Hill, on Sunday the Tenth E 4 Day and Inclu |