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to be overgrown with Briers and Thorns: Thefe Thoughts, Expreffions, Prayers, and Self-reflections, may fuit the Cafe of many others as well as his; the Tradesmen, the Farmers, thofe that are in a publick Poft, the aged and infirm, may here meet with Inftruction; and especially it may be of Ufe to work in us such a Sense of Death and Eternity as he had, and, as I think, is not common.

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I know it will be a Surprize to many of his Friends; because it reprefents him to be a better Man, than, it may be, they took him to be, tho, I hope, not a better Man than, by the Grace of God, he really was: They faw his Outfide, this fhews them his Infide; they fan fome of his Failings, and remember fome of his groß Sins; here they may fee, what Bitterneß they were to him in the RefleEtion. And I cannot but expect, that all good Men that loved him, will rejoice and glorify God in him, for the Grace given unto him, whereby be

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was victorious over those foolish and hurtful Lufts, to which too many (the more is the Pity) ftill continue in Bondage.

The Cafe minds me of the Apoftle's Remarks on Mens Sins and good Works, 1 Tim. V. 24, 25. Some Mens Sins are open before hand, &c. that their Sins are fome Way open, or they need not come under Cenfure; and their good Works must be some way manifeft, or they can have no Right to Abfolution: Of which the Learned Dr. Hammond understands the Text; then by good Works understand such as are the genuine Fruits of an unfeigned Faith, and found Repentance; for God pardoneth and abfolveth such, and only fuch as truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel.

But then, as to thofe his Friends and Acquaintance, that have gone a great Length with him in Sin, but •yet are not confcious to themselves of Juch Reflexions on themselves, as they find in thefe Papers; It doth not become

me

me to threaten or judge; but I would with the tendereft Compaffion, warn and exhort them, that they would bethink themselves, as they are reading the following Lines; and affure themselves, that there is an eternal Difference between Good and Evil, how induftricus foever fome may be, to confound the Idea's of them; and that when they come to die, and enter on their eternal State, they must expect no true Peace on any other Terms, than thofe, on which, we trust, this good Man had both Hope and Peace; and on these Terms, Peace be with you. Amen.

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THE

THE

LIFE

O F

Lieutenant R. Illidge.

H

E was born in Wefton, in the Parish of Wibunbury in Chefhire; his Father was of Cherlton; his Grandmother was of the Pools of Blackenball, his Grandfather, his Father, and himself, had each four Sons and no Daughter. His Mother was Cecilia, Daughter to Mr. Chefnis of Mickley, in Wrenbury Parish, who, befides four Sons, had feven Daughters that were all married, had Children, and dy'd Widows: of which Family of the Chefnis he h

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been often heard to relate this fad Providence. The Wife to the Heir of that Eftate of Mickley earnestly defiring the Death of her Husband's Mother, who injoy'd it for her Life as a Joynture, when the Account of her Death came, the Daughter in Law hafted with great Joy to take Poffeffion, and manage the Funeral: but as foon as the came into the House, fhe fell down dead; fo they were both buried together. This Inftance of the righteous Judgment of God was defign'd fure for a Warning to thofe under the like Temptation, that they Sin not after the Similitude of her Tranfgreffion.

His Father once intended him for the Miniftry, he having a very good Capacity for Learning; but neither his Father's Abilities, nor his own Inclination, would permit it. However, he made good Proficiency in SchoolLearning.

When he was about 15 Years of Age, being a younger Brother, he was put Apprentice to a Shoemaker in Nantwich, whom he ferv'd faithfully; and it was a Comfort to him in the Reflection long after that he did fo. When he was out of his Time, he went about to divers

Cities

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