antipathy against the government of the Lord Jesus Christ in his church; his royal power in the governing thereof will be denied and rejected. There will therefore a time come, when the Lord Jesus Christ will plead his own, and his own cause, and the cause of them who have suffered for their fidelity to her institutions: he will plead it in a more dreadful way, and break the nation of England in pieces, like a potter's vessel. Then a man shall be precious as the gold of Ophir; but a small remnant shall be left: and afterward God will raise up churches to himself, after his own heart, in his own time and way." God knows what there may be in this prediction. if § 16. Mr. Hooker and Mr. Cotton were, for their different genius, the Luther and Melancthon of New-England; at their arrival unto which country, Mr. Cotton settled with the church of Boston, but Mr. Hooker with the church of New-Town, having Mr. Stone for his assistant. Inexpres sible now was the joy of Mr. Hooker, to find himself surrounded with his friends, who were come over the year before, to prepare for his reception; with open arms he embraced them, and uttered these words, "Now I live, you stand fast in the Lord." But such multitudes flocked over to NewEngland after them, that the plantation of New-Town became too straight for them; and it was Mr. Hooker's advice that they should not incur the danger of a Sitna, or an Esek, where they might have a Rehoboth. Ac cordingly, in the month of June, 1636, they removed an hundred miles to the westward, with a purpose to settle upon the delightful banks of Connecticut River: and there were about an hundred persons in the first company that made this removal; who not being able to walk above ten miles a day, took up near a fortnight in the journey; having no pillows to take their nightly rest upon, but such as their father Jacob found in the way to Padan-Aram. Here Mr. Hooker was the chief instrument of beginning another colony, as Mr. Cotton, whom he left behind him, was of preserving and perfecting that colony where he left him; for, indeed, each of them were the oracle of their several colonies. § 17. Though Mr. Hooker had thus removed from the Massachuset-bay, yet he sometimes came down to visit the churches in that bay: but when ever he came, he was received with an affection like that which Paul found among the Galatians; yea, 'tis thought that once there seemed some intimation from Heaven, as if the good people had overdone in that affection: for on May 26, 1639, Mr. Hooker being here to preach that Lord's day in the afternoon, his great fame had gathered a vast multitude of hearers from several other congregations, and, among the rest, the governour himself, to be made partaker of his ministry. But when he came to preach, he found himself so unaccountably at a loss, that after some shattered and broken attempts to proceed, he made a full stop; saying to the assembly, "That every thing which he would have spoken, was taken both out of his mouth and out of his mind also:" wherefore he desired them to sing a psalm, while he withdrew about half an hour from them: returning then to the congregation, he preached a most admirable sermon, wherein he held them for two hours together in an extraordinary strain both of pertinency and vivacity. After sermon, when some of his friends were speaking of the Lord's thus withdrawing his assistance from him, he humbly replied, "We daily confess that we have nothing, and can do nothing, without Christ; and what if Christ will make this manifest in us, and on us, before our congregations? What remains, but that we be humbly contented? and what manner of discouragement is there in all of this?" Thus content was he to be nullified, that the Lord might be magnified! § 18. Mr. Hooker, that had been born to serve many, and was of such a publick spirit that I find him occasionally celebrated in the life of Mr. Angier, lately published, for one who would be continually inquisitive how it fared with the church of God, both at home and abroad, on purpose that he might order his prayers and cares accordingly: [which, by the way, makes me think on Mr. Firmin's words: "I look on it (saith he) as an act of a grown Christian, whose interest in Christ is well cleared, and his heart walking close with God, to be really taken up with the publick interest of Christ."] He never took his opportunity to serve himself, but lived a sort of exile all his days, except the last fourteen years of his life, among his own spiritual children at Hartford; however, here also he was an exile. Accordingly, where-ever he came, he lived like a stranger in the world! When at the Land's-end, he took his last sight of England, he said, "Farewel, England! I expect now no more to see that religious zeal, and power of godliness which I have seen among professors in that land!" And he had sagacious and prophetical apprehensions of the declensions which would attend "reforming churches," when they came to enjoy a place of liberty: he said, "That adversity had slain its thousands, but prosperity would slay its ten thousands!" He feared, "That they who had been lively Christians in the fire of persecution, would soon become cold in the midst of universal peace, except some few, whom God by sharp tryals would keep in a faithful, watchful, humble, and praying frame." But under these pre-apprehensions, it was his own endeavour to beware of abating his own first love! and of so watchful, so prayerful, so fruitful a spirit was Mr. Hooker, that the spirit of prophecy it self did seem to grant him some singular afflations. Indeed, every wise man is a prophet; but one so eminently acquainted with Scripture and reason, and church-history, as our Hooker, must needs be a seer, from whom singular prognostications were to be expected. Accordingly, there were many things prognosticated by him, wherein the future state of New-England, particularly of Connecticut, has been so much concerned, that it is pity they should be forgotten. But I will in this history record only two of his predictions. One was, "That God would punish the wanton spirit of the professors in this country, with a sad want of able men in all orders." Another was, "That in certain places of great light here sinned against, there would break forth such horrible sins, as would be the amazement of the world. § 19. He was a man of prayer, which was indeed a ready way to become a man of God. He would say, "That prayer was the principal part of a minister's work; 'twas by this, that he was to carry on the rest. Accord ingly, he still devoted one day in a month to private prayer, with fasting, before the Lord, besides the publick fasts, which often occurred unto him. He would say, "That such extraordinary favours, as the life of religion, and the power of godliness, must be preserved by the frequent use of such extraordinary means as prayer with fasting; and that if professors grow negligent of these means, iniquity will abound, and the love of many wax cold." Nevertheless, in the duty of prayer, he affected strength rather than length; and though he had not so much variety in his publick praying as in his publick preaching, yet he always had a seasonable respect unto present occasions. And it was observed that his prayer was usually like Jacob's ladder, wherein the nearer he came to an end, the nearer he drew towards heaven; and he grew into such rapturous pleadings with God, and praisings of God, as made some to say, "That like the master of the feast, he reserved the best wine until the last." Nor was the won derful success of his prayer, upon special concerns, unobserved by the whole colony; who reckoned him the Moses, which turned away the wrath of God from them, and obtained a blast from heaven upon their Indian Amalekites, by his uplifted hands, in those remarkable deliverances which they sometimes experienced. It was very particularly observed, when there was a battel to be fought between the Narraganset and the Monhegin Indians, in the year 1643. The Narraganset Indians had complotted the ruine of the English, but the Monhegin were confederate with us; and a war now being between those two nations, much notice was taken of the prevailing importunity, wherewith Mr. Hooker urged for the accom plishment of that great promise unto the people of God, "I will bless them that bless thee, but I will curse him that curses thee." And the effect of it was, that the Narragansets received a wonderful overthrow from the Monhegins, though the former did three or four to one for number exceed the latter. Such an Israel at prayer was our Hooker! And this praying pastor was blessed; as, indeed, such ministers use to be, with a praying people: there fell upon his pious people a double portion of the Spirit which they beheld in him. 20. That reverend and excellent man, Mr. Whitfield, having spent many years in studying of books, did at length take two or three years to study men; and in pursuance of this design, having acquainted himself with the most considerable divines in England, at last he fell into the acquaintance of Mr. Hooker; concerning whom, he afterwards gave this testimony: "That he had not thought there had been such a man on earth; a man in whom there shone so many excellencies, as were in this incomparable Hooker; a man in whom learning and wisdom were so tempered with zeal, holiness, and watchfulness." And the same observer having exactly noted Mr. Hooker, made this remark, and gave this report more particularly of him, "That he had the best command of his own spirit which he ever saw in any man whatever." For though he were a man of a cholerick disposition, and had a mighty vigour and fervour of spirit, which as occasion served was wondrous useful unto him, yet he had ordinarily as much government of his choler as a man has of a mastiff dog in a chain; he "could let out his dog, and pull in his dog, as he pleased." And another that observed the heroical spirit and courage. with which this great man fulfilled his ministry, gave this account of him, "He was a person who, while doing his Master's work, would put a king in his pocket." Of this there was an instance, when the Judges were in their circuit present at Chelmsford, on a fast kept throughout the nation, Mr. Hooker then, in the presence of the Judges, and before a vast congregation, declared freely the sins of England, and the plagues that would come for such sins; and in his prayer he besought the God of heaven to set on the heart of the King what his own mouth had spoken, in the second chapter of Malachi, and the eleventh and twelfth verses, [in his prayer he so distinctly quoted it!] "An abomination is committed, Judah hath married the daughter of a strange God, the Lord will cut off the man that doeth this." Though the Judges turned unto the place thus quoted, yet Mr. Hooker came into no trouble; but it was not long before the kingdom did. 21. He was indeed of a very condescending spirit, not only towards his brethren in the ministry, but also towards the meanest of any Christians whatsoever. He was very willing to sacrifice his own apprehensions into the convincing reason of another man; and very ready to acknowledge any mistake, or failing, in himself. I'll give one example: there happened a damage to be done unto a neighbour, immediately whereupon, Mr. Hooker meeting with an unlucky boy, that often had his name up for the doing of such mischiefs, he fell to chiding of that boy as the doer of this. The boy denied it, and Mr. Hooker still went on in an angry manner, charging of him; whereupon said the boy, "Sir, I see you are in a passion, I'll say no more to you:" and so ran away. Mr. Hooker, upon further enquiry, not finding that the boy could be proved guilty, sent for him; and having first by a calm question, given the boy opportunity to renew his denial of the fact, he said unto him: "Since I cannot prove the contrary, I am bound to believe; and I do believe what you say:" and then added: "Indeed, I was in a passion when I spake to you before; it was my sin, and it is my shame, and I am truly sorry for it: and I hope in God I shall be more watchful hereafter." So, giving the boy some good counsel, the poor lad went away extreamly affected with such a carriage in so good a man; and it proved an occasion of good unto the soul of the lad all his days. On this occasion it may be added, that Mr. Hooker did much abound in acts of charity. It was no rare thing for him to give sometimes five pound, sometimes ten pound at a time, towards the support of widows and orphans, especially those of deceased ministers. Thus also, when the people at Southampton, twenty leagues from Hartford, wanted corn, Mr. Hooker, and some few that joined with them, sent them freely a whole bark's load of corn of many hundred bushels, to relieve them. Thus he had those that Chrysostom calls Συλλογισμούς αναντιρ gnrous, unanswerable sylogisms, to demonstrate Christianity. § 22. He had a singular ability at giving answers to cases of conscience; whereof happy was the experience of some thousands: and for this work he usually set apart the second day of the week; wherein he admitted all sorts of persons, in their discourses with him, to reap the benefit of the extraordinary experience which himself had found of Satan's devices. Once, particularly, Mr. Hooker was addressed by a student in divinity, who entring upon his ministry, was, as the most useful ministers at their entrance thereupon use to be, horridly buffeted with temptations, which were become almost intolerable: repairing to Mr. Hooker in the distresses and anguishes of his mind, and bemoaning his own overwhelming fears, while the lion was thus roaring at him, Mr. Hooker answered, "I can compare with any man living for fears! My advice to you is, that you search out, and analyse the humbling causes of them, and refer them to their proper places; then go and pour them out before the Lord; and they shall prove more profitable to you than any books you can read." But Mr. Hooker, in his dealing with troubled consciences, observed that there were a sort of crafty and guileful souls, which he would find out with an admirable dexterity; and of these he would say, as Paul of the Cretians, "They must be reproved sharply, that they may be found in the faith; sharp rebukes make sound Christians." Indeed, of some he had compassion, making a difference; and others he saved with fear, pulling them out of the fire. § 23. Although he had a notable hand at the discussing and adjusting of controversal points, yet he would hardly ever handle any polemical divinity in the pulpit; but the very spirit of his ministry lay in the points of the most practical religion, and the grand concerns of a sinner's preparation for, implantation in, and salvation by, the glorious Lord Jesus Christ. And in these discourses he would frequently intermix most affectionate warnings of the declensions which would quickly befal the churches of New-England. His advice to young ministers may on this occasion be fitly mentioned. It was, that at their entrance on their ministry, they would with careful |