God. Know the God of thy father. Thy father hath served him, and doth not repent it. Godly parents dedicate their children to God in a special manner, the son of my vows. The children of many prayers should seek and serve God; indeed, every prayer for them will turn to a curse if they do not. God is a tried friend.

Those also who are advanced above others, in honour, or estate, in the world, are especially concerned to know God. Thou Solomon my son. David had other children, but we do not read of any such charge to them. Solomon was to sit upon the throne. Those who have more than others, should render accordingly. Others will be apt to do as they see them do. The higher the place is, the greater is the danger if we are not religious. And consider the advantage to be gained by it; those who honour God he will honour.

Suffer the word of exhortation. Labour always to keep up right and good thoughts of God. He is not a hard master, but a good master. He accepts the will for the deed. Let Jesus Christ be always precious to you. Let him be your Alpha and Omega, your strength every day. Take him along with you in all your studies, in all you do. Let him commend his word to you; it is the book of books. He is not a true christian that doth not love the word of God. The more of this love there is, the more is the evidence of a good work wrought upon the soul. Be sure you practise prayer; you have need of strength from God in every thing, and that must be fetched in by prayer. Pray continually, The praying christian will be the thriving christian. Beware of bad company; choose such as are good for your companions ;-say, Depart from me ye evil doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God, Psalm, cxix. 115. I cannot keep in with you, and keep in with God too. Be watchful; we walk in the midst of snares.*

* From Mrs. Savage's MS.

APPENDIX, No. XIII.

Ir was, possibly, in reference to this, that the following testimonial was written.

These may certify those whom it concerns, that Mr. Philip Henry, Master of Arts, and Minister of the Gospel at Worthenbury, in the County of Flint, is orthodox in doctrine, well-qualified with learning, parts, gifts, and graces for the work of the ministry, laborious and successful in his calling, unblameable in conversation, and hath continued well-affected to his Majesty.

N. Bernard,*

William Holland of Malpas, R. Robert Fogg, Minister at Bangor.+ R. Steele, Pastor of Hanmer.‡

* D. D. See ante, pp. 269, 270. "1661. Oct. 15. Upon the evening of this day, Dr. Bernard, parson of Whitchurch, died, it seems suddenly. Nov. 7. I was at Whitchurch at the burial of Dr. Bernard. Mr. Bridge preached. Luke, xix. 44.” P. Henry. Diary. Orig. MS.

+ See unte, p. 272.

From the Orig. MS.

APPENDIX, No. XIV.

Ir was about this period, A. D. 1668, that the Rev. John Evans settled at Wrexham, as pastor of the Independent church. He was of Baliol College, in Oxford, and successively master of the free schools, in Dolgelly, Merionethshire, and Oswestry, in Shropshire. His father and grandfather were both clergymen and rectors of Penegos, in Montgomeryshire, but, notwithstanding the zealous interference of relatives, his inquiries resulted in nonconformity; and though, like his brethren, an implicit follower of the dictates of conscience, he partook largely of the sufferings of the times. He was a man of good learning, great gravity, and seriousness; of a most unblameable conversation, and a laborious and judicious preacher."* Mrs. Evans, his second wife, was the daughter of Colonel Gerrard, Governor of Chester Castle; a woman of an excellent spirit, and of a strong understanding.+ Their son, Dr. John Evans, was the author of the well-known Discourses on the Christian Temper.‡ Mr. Evans was "strictly congregational,"§ and "a high Dissenter :" there was, nevertheless, an intimacy kept up between him and the family at Broad Oak. Mr. Matthew Henry has thus recorded the termination of his course, which event took place, July 16, 1700.|||

*The Noncon. Mem. v. 3, pp. 523-4.

+ Wilson's History of Dissenting Churches. v. 2. p. 213.

+ See Dr. Harris's Funeral Sermon for Dr. Evans, pp. 31–44. ed. 1730.

Mr. Tong's Life of Mr. Matthew Henry. p. 278, ut supra.

1700, July 20. Satt. I heard of the death of Mr. Jenks, of Widinbury, a high conformist, formerly curate of Whitchurch; and also, of the death of Mr. Evans, of Wrexham, a high Dissenter,-both, I hope, good men, yet of such principles as that my dear father (of blessed memory) hath had many sharp censures from them both: from the one for complying so far, from the other for complying no further. Saith he in his diary,-Lord, which of these shall I seek to please? Neither, but thyself alone. I hope they are now all happy together in that blessed vision, where Luther and Calvin are both of a mind. Mrs. Savage's Diary. Orig. MS.

A little while before he died, which was in his seventy-second year, he spoke with more apprehension than usual, rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ as his only rock: and when it was said to him that he was going to his Father's house, he cheerfully answered,-It will not be well with me till I am there. Some present desired him to leave some good counsel with them; to whom he replied,-Go to God by prayer.*

The reader will pardon the continuance of this narrative, for the purpose of perusing, in connexion with it, the following letter. It is transcribed from Mrs. Savage's hand-writing, and appears to have been copied by her in early life, while under the direction of her father. It presents an interesting specimen of the pastoral vigilance and affectionate care of those holy men who have been, and are, too much spoken against.

A Letter from Mr. Evans to his people in the time of persecution.

To the saints and faithful brethren in and about Wrexham, with whom I have walked in the fellowship of the gospel.

My dearly beloved brethren;

Though the circumstances of the present day take me off from the main work of a watchman over your souls, in visiting, preaching to, and praying among you; yet, being taken from you in presence only, not in heart, I desire still to be a faithful remembrancer of the Lord for you, that ye may be taught of him, and holpen by him to feed upon the truths, promises, and precepts of the gospel, and experience the same to be a green pasture, and still waters, to renew and strengthen your inward man, and further your growth into him,-into him in all things, who is the only head and lawgiver to the church, even our Lord Jesus Christ. What the apostle said with respect to the Corinthians, I may truly say, in some measure, with respect unto you, my desire with my poor weak endeavours have been to espouse you unto ne husband, and to present you a chaste virgin unto Christ. Pardon me if my love to you make me jealous over you, and to fear (as he did) lest your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ; and so another, to wit, a subtle, formal, lukewarm, self-seeking, men-pleasing, worldly, carnal frame of spirit grow upon you to the wearing off the gospel savour, that sometimes hath appeared in

Tong's Life of Matthew Henry. p. 278, ut supra. See also the Welsh Nonconformist's Memorial, p. 210, ut supra.

you, and to the beguiling you of all you have hitherto done, and suffered. I speak not this, as having any demonstration hereof from most of you; but as considering the day of temptation and trial that hath overtaken both you and me, and earnestly desiring that herein both I and you, our knowledge, faith, love, patience, selfdenial, sincerity, integrity, steadfastness, and constancy, may, when tried, be found to praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, that in such a day I may not be wholly wanting to you in point of advice, consider and improve the particulars following, which, under present circumstances, not so much I as Christ himself requires of you. Hearken not to the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge, Proverbs, xix. 27, nor to those that by reproaches, contempt, and scorn, would make you forget what of God you have seen and experienced in his own appointments, Jeremiah, xxiii. 16, compare with verse 27. Let your most familiar converse be, not with those that make it their study and discourse to palliate the neglect of God and conscience in their compliance with evil, nor with those that are mainly solicitous how they may shift off the cross, but with those that are most careful to keep themselves from sin, and to grow in grace to the pleasing of that God from whom they expect the crown.

Be much in searching the scriptures which are able to make you wise unto salvation, and thoroughly to furnish you with what is suitable to your case and condition, whatever it be. Pray, and wait for the Spirit's teaching through them. Neglect no means *God affords you to discover his mind and will in them, yet admit of no interpretation or gloss on them, but what is consonant to the main scope of the whole of them, which always and unchangeably is,the advancing of the grace of God in Christ; the debasing of man in himself, with the bringing of him to a sole dependence on Christ for wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; the destruction of sin, the furtherance of holiness; and, therein, the everlasting happiness of the soul. When you cannot take forth new

"To convince those of error who say that believers need not trouble themselves further with reading and hearing,-if they believe, they are justified; if once justified, always justified. Consider;-such have cause to suspect they have no true faith, for a true believer hath that in him, which will stir him up to use all means to know Christ better, and grow in faith.-The best are ignorant of many things concerning Christ. Prov. xxx. 2, 3.-Though justification be an act absolved in one instant, yet the manifestation and assurance of it increaseth according as we increase in faith. Rom. xiii. 11. Our salvation is nearer than when we believed,though such as believe are sure to be saved. Rom. viii. 1; yet a true believer, negligent in seeking to grow, shall be greatly abridged of his comfort in this life, and afflicted with many outward crosses, and inward terrors, so as he may lose his assurance and joy, and comfort in prayer, and be like a tree in winter. Yea, it may be he shall never, while he lives, recover his comfort. Though he shall go to heaven in the end, yet he shall have a hell here all his life." Mr. Herring, Oct. 14, 1619; on 1 John, v. 13. From a MS. of the Rev. Arthur Hildersam. Penes me. See Mr. Herring's Life, in Clarke's Lives, annexed to the Martyrologie, p. 160, ut supra.