§ 22. How sensible he was of the least failings in himself, and how desirous to mend those failings, may be gathered from the ensuing brief meditations: “December 1.—A small thing troubled me. Hence I saw that though the Lord had made me that night attain that part of humiliation, that I deserved nothing but misery, yet I fell short in this other part; namely, to submit unto God in any crossing providence or commandment; but I had a spirit soon touched and provoked. I saw, also, that the Lord let sin and Satan prevail there, that I might see my sin, and be more humbled by it, and so get strength against it." Again. “MARCH 19.—I said, as pride was my sin, so shame should be my punishment. And many fears I had of Eli's punishment, for not reproving sin when I saw it, and that sharply; and here I considered that the Lord may, and doth sometimes make one good man a terrour and dreadful example of outward miseries, that all others may fear that be godly, lest his commands should be slighted, as he did Eli.” Once more.-"OCTOBER 10.-When I saw the gifts and honour attending them in another, I began to affect such an excellency; and I saw hereby that usually in my ministry, I did affect an excellency, and hence set upon the work: whereas the Lord hereupon humbled me for this, by letting me see this was a diabolical pride; and so the Lord made me thankful for seeing it, and put me in mind to watch against it." § 23. Of how humble and of how publick a spirit he was, we will inform our selves, especially from two meditations, which he wrote on such days of prayer as he was used unto. The first was this: “Nov. 3.—On a fast-day at night, in preparation for the duty, the Lord made me sensible of these sins in the churches. 1, Ignorance of themselves; because of secret evils. 2, Of God; because most men were full of dark and doubtful consciences. 3, Not caring for Christ, dearly, only. 4, Neglect of duties; because of our place of security. 5, Standing against all means, because we grow not better. 6, Earthliness; because we long not to be with Christ. And I saw sin, as my greatest evil, because I saw my self was not better than God. I was vile, but he was good only, whom my sin did cross; and I saw what cause I had to loath my self, and not to seek honour unto my self. Will any desire his dunghill to be commended? will he grieve, if it be not? if he judge so indeed of it. So my heart began to fall off from it; and the Lord also gave me some glimpse of my self, and a good day and time it was to me. "On the end of the fast, I first went unto God, I rested upon him as sufficient; secondly, waited on him as efficient; and said, 'Now, Lord, do for thy churches, and help in mercy!' In the beginning of the day, I began to consider, whether all the country did not fare the worse for my sins? I saw it was so, and this was an humbling thought to me; and I thought if every one in particular thought so and was humbled, it would do well. I consider also, that if repentance turn away judgments, then, if the question be, 'Who they are that bring judgments? the answer would be, "They that think their sins so small as that God is not angry with them at all.'” The second was this: "APRIL 4.-PREPARING FOR A FAST.-May not I be the cause of the church's sorrows, which are renewed upon us? for, what have the sheep done? "I. My heart has been long lying out from the Lord. The Lord first sent a terrible storm at sea, to awaken me; and the deliverance from it was so sweet, that I could not but think my life after that should be only heavenly, as being pulled from an apparent death to live a new life. Then, immediately upon this my child was taken away from me; my first-bom, which made me remember, how bitter it was to cross the Lord's love. Thirdly, I set my face to New-England, where, considering the liberties of God's house, I resolved and thought it fit to be wholly for the Lord, in all manner of holiness, at bed, at board, every where. Fourthly, Then the Lord took my dear wife from me, and this made me resolve to delight no more in creatures, but in the Lord, and to seek him. Fifthly, the Lord then threatned blindness to my child; and this made God's will afflicting sweet to me, but much more com‐ manding and promising: and then I could do his will, and leave those things to himself. But, oh! how is my 'gold become dim? and how little have I answered the Lord! consider. ing my ship resolutions. I have wanted remembrance, heart and strength or will to do any of these things. And therefore, I have not cause to blame the Lord; for he has perswaded my heart to this; but my own concupiscence and vile nature, which, Lord! that I might mourn for! that thou mayst restore comforts to me! Apostacy from God is grievous, though it be in a little degree; to serve Satan without promise! to forsake the Lord against promise! What evil have I found in the Lord? This brings more disgrace upon the Lord than if there had never been any coming to him. "II. The people committed to me: they are not pitied so much nor prayed for, nor visited, as ought to have been; nor have I shewed so much love unto them. "III. The family, I have not edified nor instructed, nor taken all occasions of speech with them. "IV. The gospel I have preached, has not been seen in its glory; not believed, not affecting, "V. Not seeking to Christ for supply; so that all hath been dead works, and fruit of pride, walking daily without Christ, and without approving my self unto him. And hence, though I do his work, I don't mind him in it; His command, His presence, nor yet endeavour to grow somewhat every day. "My not lamenting the falls of professors, and the condition of the country, who are not indeed the glory of God in the world, nor the holy people. Is it not hence that many pillars in the church have fallen, as if the Lord would not betrust such precious vessels to my eare! and hath not the sorrow lain upon me? and hence universal mortality? When Hezekiah's heart was lifted up, then wrath came not only on him, but on all the rest: "And I have now had a long sickness, as if the Lord would delight no more in me to use me. Oh, my God, who shall be like to thee in pardoning and subduing mine iniquities!" Behold, reader, the language of an holy soul! But I will now take my leave of Mr. Shepard's memory, with one distick in the funeral elegy which Mr. Peter Bulkly made on him: a com prehensive EPITAPH. Nominis, Officiique fuit Concordia Dulcis; Fitly his name and office were the same: CHAPTER VI. PRUDENTIUS: THE LIFE OF MR. PETER PRUDDEN, AND SEVERAL OTHER DIVINES, FAMOUS IN THE COLONY OF NEW-HAVEN. THAT greatest of peace-makers, the Son of God, has assured us, "Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God." I am sure then, 'tis a blessed child of God whose name is now before us; (Prudden shall we call him? or, Prudent) who, besides his other excellent qualities, was noted for a singular faculty to sweeten, compose and qualify exasperated spirits, and stop or heal all contentions. Whence it was that his town of Milford enjoyed peace with truth all his days, notwithstanding some dispositions to variance, which afterwards broke forth among them. God had marvellously blessed his ministry in England, unto many about Herefordshire and near Wales; from whence, when he came into NewEngland, there came therefore many considerable persons with him. At their arrival in this country, they were so mindful of their business here, that they gathered churches before they had erected houses for the churches to meet in. There were then two famous churches gathered at New-Haven; gathered in two days, one following upon the other; Mr. Davenport's and Mr. Prudden's: and this with one singular circumstance, that a mighty barn was the place, wherein the duties of that solemnity were attended. Our glorious Lord Jesus Christ himself being born in a stable and laid in one of those moveable and four-squared little vessels wherein they brought meat unto the cattel, it was the more allowable that a church, which is the mystical body of that Lord, should thus be born in a barn. And in this translation, I behold our Lord, "with his fan in his hand, purging his floor, and gathering her wheat into the garner." That holy man, Mr. Philip Henry, being reproached by his persecutors that his meeting-place had been a barn, pleasantly answered, "No new thing, to turn a thrashing-floor into a temple." So did our Christians at New-Haven. The next year Mr. Prudden, with his church, removed unto Milford; where he lived many years, an example of piety, gravity, and boiling zeal, against the growing evils of the times. And though he had a numerous family, yet such was his discretion, that without much distraction he provided comfortably for them, notwithstanding the difficult circumstances wherewith an infant-plantation was encumbred. He continued an able and faithful servant of the churches, until about the fifty-sixth year of his own age, and the fifty-sixth of the present age; when his death was felt by the colony as the fall of a pillar which made the whole fabrick to shake. Like that of Piccart, now let our Prudden lie under this EPITAPH. Dogmate non tantus fuit Auditoribus Idem: Exemplo in Vitâ, jam quoque morte, præit.* But our pen having flown as far off as the colony of New-Haven, it may not return without some remarks and memoirs of three other worthy divines, that were sometimes famous in that colony. The reader must excuse my ignorance of the first circumstances, if he find them to be born men in our history: MR. BLACKMAN, MR. PIERSON, MR. DENTON. CHAPTER VII. THE LIFE OF MR. ADAM BLACKMAN. AMONG those believers who first enjoyed the name of Christians, there were several famous teachers, whereof one (Acts xiii. 1) had the name of Niger. And in the primitive churches of New-England also, there was among our famous teachers a good man, who wore the same sir-name: this was our Mr. Blackman, concerning whom none but a Romanist would have used that rule: Hic niger est, hunc tu Romane, caveto.† For he was highly esteemed in the Protestant country, where he spent the latter days of his life. He was a useful preacher of the gospel, first in Leicestershire, then in Derbyshire: but coming to New-England, from the storm that began to look black upon him, he was attended with a desirable company of the faithful, who said unto him, "Entreat us not to leave you, or to return from following after you: for whither you go, we will go; and your God shall be our God." New-England having received this holy man, who, notwithstanding his name, was for his holiness, "A Nazarite purer than snow, whiter than milk." It was first at Guilford, and afterwards at Stratford, that he em ployed his talents; and if a famous modern author be known by the name of Adamus Adamandus,‡ our Adam Blackman was by the affections of his people so likewise called. • Less on opinions than example bent, His hearers followed where their pattern went; He is a Black-man: Romanist, beware! It was his opinion, that as for our bodies, thus for our spirits also, Cibus simplex est Optimus;* and accordingly he studied plain preaching, which was entertained by his people with a profitable hearing. And as Luther would say, he is the ablest preacher, Qui pueriliter, Trivialiter, Populariter, simplicissime docet:† so our Hooker, for the sake of the sacred and solid simplicity in the discourses of this worthy man, would say, "If I might have my choice, I would choose to live and die under Mr. Blackman's ministry." There was a great person among the reformers in Germany, who had almost the same name with our Blackman; that was Melancthon,‡ and indeed this good person was a Melancthon among the reformers of NewHaven; in this happier than he, that his lot was cast among a pious people, who did not administer so frequent occasions as the Germans did for the complaint, "That old Adam was too hard for his young name-sake." For a close, I may apply to him the ingenious epitaph of Beza upon Melancthon: Cui Niveus toto Regnabat pectore Candor; Unum cui Cœlum; cura laborque fuit Num Rogitas, quâ sit dictus Ratione Melancthon? Scilicet Euxinum, quâ Ratione vocant.§ [For this is a well known sea, called Euxine, or harborous, because there are no good harbours in it.] CHAPTER VIII. THE LIFE OF MR. ABRAHAM PIERSON. Ir is reported by Pliny, and perhaps 'tis but a Plinyism, that there is a fish called Lucerna, whose tongue doth shine like a torch; if it be a fable, yet let the tongue of a minister be the moral of that fable; now such an illuminating tongue was that of our Pierson. He was a Yorkshire man, and coming to New-England, he became a member of the church at Boston; but afterwards thus employed, towards the year 1640. The inhabitants of Lyn, straitned at home, looked out for a new plantation; so going to Long-Island, they agreed both with the Lord Starling's agent and with the Indian proprietors for a situation at the west-end of that Island: where the Dutch gave them such disturbance, that they deserted their place for another at the east-end of it. Proceeding in their plantation, by the accession of near an hundred families, they • Simple food is best. + Who in a child-like, unconstrained, popular and simple manner imparts instruction. From prλas, “black. Do you ask why one whose character is of snow-like purity, and whose aspirations tend only heavenward, should be called Melancthon? [black.] For the same reason that a certain sea is called the Euxine [the sea of barbors). |