A Collection of the Lives of Ten Eminent Divines, Biography 4
The Life and Death of Dr. Hill, who dyed Anno Christi, 1653.
MR. Thomas Hill was born at Kingston in Worcestershire, His Parentage.of Godly Parents; and David accounted it his great honour and blessing to be the Son of Gods Handmaid, Psal. 86. 16.
His Parents dedicated him unto God from his Child-hood,His Education designing him to the work of the Ministry, and in order thereunto they trained him up in School-learning in the Country; and being there well fitted, they sent him to Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, where the Rose was not cankered in the bud, his youth not corrupted, nor debauched, as too many are: But this morning (like that 2 Sam. 23. 4.) was without clouds, not sullied with any noted miscarriage; but on the contrary, as it is said of Sampson when young, that the Spirit of the Lord began then to move him, Judg. 13. 25. So in his then sober, and studious behaviour, the Sun looked out betimes in that Summer morning, and through Gods Grace (otherwise than it oft falls out in nature) he gave promising hopes of an after clearer day.
This being taken notice of by the Governours of the Colledge,His Proficiency. they thereupon, after examination had, chose him Scholar of the House, he (as his Saviour) still growing in wisdome and stature, and in favour with God and man. And then after some good time spent in his private studies in the Colledge, for his further perfecting, and the more happy seasoning of his spirit, he went and sojourned with that man of God (now also with the Lord) Mr. Cotton at Boston in Lincolnshire, where, by Gods rich blessing upon his most godly directions, and example, and the society he had with him, and other eminent Christians in that place, he was much improved and furthered, as otherwise, so especially in Heavens-way, which happily went along with him to his journies end.
Upon his return from thence to the Colledge,He is chosen Fellow of … it was not long before he was chosen Fellow with general approbation, though upon a most strict, and double examination, more (I think) than ever was in that Colledge before, or hath been since, though it still is, and ever hath been, according to the Statutes, very strict, and serious, and which hath been blessed to be a special means of holding up true worth, and learning in that happy Society.
And now, through Gods good hand of providence, leading and strengthning him,A careful Tu …r. he proved a diligent, painful, and successful Tutor of very many Pupils, and divers of them persons of quality, who since have proved great blessings both to the Church and Commonwealth: And thus as he was before a pattern to young Schollars, so after he was a Tutor, no diligence was wanting whereby he might be instrumental to Gods Glory, and the good of those who were committed to his charge.
But this our wise Master-builder, satisfied not himself as a Tutor in polishing of builders,His labours in …he Ministry. but as a faithful and painful Minister, he laboriously endeavoured to square other lively stones for Gods Temple, 1 Pet. 2. 5. and so as he read to Schollars in the Colledge, he also diligently and conscionbl… preached to a neighbour Congregation [St. Andrews] in the Town, so that many poor souls long after had cause to bless God for him.
Nor was he an Hireling to flye when the Wolf came, but when the Plague in this time of his Ministry raged in the Town, he still continued with them in his Ministerial employment, the better Shepherd he, who not onelyonly fed the sound, but also healed and bound up the torn, and weak of the flock.
This Alabaster Box of precious oyntment thus powred out, filled the whole house with its odour, and the sweet fragrancy of it did spread abroad, so that now he came to be more taken notice of by many both great, and good men, and so by some of eminent worth, and honour, he was called to the Pastoral charge of Tichmersh in Northamptonshire, His remove to Tichmersh.where he laboured faithfully in Gods Harvest for the space of about eight or nine years, and partly by preaching and conversing up and down with others; but especially with his own Parochial charge, he proved a great blessing, not onelyonly to that Town, but also to the whole Country, in every place where he came, spreading a good savour, and leaving it behinde him.
During the time of his being at Tichmersh, he sometimes repaired to Warwick Castle, to that Noble Robert Lord Brook, who highly esteemed him, and in whose Family he grew acquainted with Mrs. Mary Wilford, His Marriage.at that time Governess to the Lady Frances Rich (a young Lady of rare parts) Daughter to the Right Honourable Robert Earle of Warwick, and mutual affections growing betwixt them, he was married to her, who since his death, was re-married to the Reverend, learned, and pious Dr. Tuckney, Master of St. Johns Colledge, and Regius Professor in Cambridge, my much honoured friend, so that she hath been made happy in the enjoyment of two such Husbands, as few women in our times have attained to.
Whilst he was labouring (as aforesaid) in the work of the Lord,He is chosen …o the Assembly. for more publick service he was chosen by the Parliament for one of that County to attend, and assist in the Assembly of Divines, called together by their Authority at Westminster; where being of very good use, he was often ordered by the Parliament to preach before them at their publick Fasts, and upon other their more solemn occasions. He was also chosen by them to be one of their Morning weekdayes Preachers in the Abbey at Westminster, besides his constant Sabbath-dayes labours in another great Congregation [St. Martins in the Fields] where he was a blessing to many thousands.
From thence he was ordered to be Master of Emanuel Colledge in the University of Cambridge, Chosen to be Matter of Emanuel.which being not a sphere large enough for his activity,His remove to …iuity. he was after a while removed to the Mastership of Trinity Colledge, where what great good he did, many that lived under him can give an ample Testimony; and that happy change proclaimed, from that confusion (by reason of those distracted times) in which he found it, to that orderly composure, and frame, in which, through Gods blessing, he left it. How sollicitous he was for their best welfare,His Industry. his frequent preaching in their Chappel to them all, and his writing to their Seniors, speaks out fully; and many can bear witness how humble, and loving he was to them in his carriage, how studious to keep up College-Exercises, how zealous to advance Piety and Learning; and for that purpose, to countenance, and prefer such as he observed to be eminent in either.
As he was a University-man,His care of the University. he was zealously carefull.
1. Of its Honour (which the Parliament can witness) in an unkindly contest about it; and also his care in collecting the decayed Antiquities of that University, whose pains in that Argument, it is pity but that they were communicated to the world.
2. Of its Priviledges, as alwayes, so especially in those two years together in which he was Vice-Chancellor, for which he suffered in some mens reputes unjustly.
3. Of its Profit and Emolument, being a special means of procuring to it from the Parliament, the Lambeth Library, which of right (as it was judged) fell to that University; as also from a worthy Knight [Sir John Wollaston, Alderman of the City of London] a yearly stipend for a Mathematick Lecturer, and also large summes of money for the fitting of the Publick Library, that it might be of general use; for the accomplishment whereof, the University is more wayes than one his Debtor.
4. Lastly, Of the general good, and well-ordering of it. Surely it was his careful thought in private with himself, as appeared by his making it the subject of his discourse with others; scarce was there a time wherein he met with his intimate, and judicious friends, but he would be asking or proposing something that way. By this it appeared that his care was to keep up those Universities, which some in those times would have ruined;De jure belli & pacis lib. 3. cap 1…. Sec. 10. upon which occasion G…tius pronounceth many Christians to be worse than the Philistines; for they, 1 Sam. 10. 5. would let the company of Prophets alone, even where they kept a Garrison.
As he was a Divine, he was sound in the Faith, orthodox in his judgement, firmly adhering to the good old Doctrine of the Church of England, even that which in that University was taught, and maintained by famous Whitaker, Perkins, Daunant, Ward, and many others in their times; and in the other University amongst other great Names there,His sound judgement. he was a great admirer of the Right Reverend and Judicious Dr. Robert Abbot, Bishop of Salisbury, and well were it if there he had many more such Admirers. The Doctrines of Gods Sovereignty in his Decrees: Of his In-conditionate Free-electing-love: Of his Free-grace against Free-will, and the power of Nature in Spirituals: Of justification by the imputed Righteousness of Christ, against the perfection of inherent Righteousness now attainable by us in this life. Of perseverance in Grace, against the Apostacy of the Saints, and the like, were not with this pious, and learned man (as they are now called by some) Sects and Notions, matters onelyonly of learning and curiosity, and of the Presbyterian Faction: But of the life-blood of Faith, which at his death (as he expressed to a Friend of his) he had singular comfort from, and in his life firmly beleeved, constantly preached, and by his Pen endeavoured to maintain and defend, and that against the great daring Champion, of the contrary errors, whom the abusive wits in the University, with … impudent boldness could say, none there durst adventure upon, whose immodest scurrility, his learned ananswer to that daring adversary, which he had made so fair a progress in) had shortly consuted, had not he by his more sudden death been therein prevented.
As a Minister of the Gospel:His painfulness in the Ministry. In his preaching he was plain, powerful, spiritual, frequent, and laborious: For besides what in that kinde he did, as to the University in St. Maries, and in the Colledge Chappel, which was very happy in his often pains there; In the Town he set up one Lecture every Sabbath morning in the Parish Church of St. Michael, performed only by himself, and cheerfully frequented by a great confluence both of Schollars and Townsmen; and another in the Church of All-Hallows every Lords day in the afternoon, in which he did bear at least the fourth part of the burden, and both of them Gratis, as there were many more such Lectures there performed, much about the same rate, weekly by other pious learned men, and more indeed than are in any Town or City, upon those tearms in all England, or are like to be there again; which is mentioned that God may have the glory in the first place, and then for the honour of that Reformation, which so many do traduce, and spit at; as also of those more noble spirited Preachers, who so freely offered unto God that which did cost them so much, for which of men they received nothing.
But that place of Cambridge did not bound the course of this our laborious Preachers Ministry, but (as it is said of our Saviour, Matth. 9. 35.) That he went about all Cities, and Villages teaching and preaching; and of St. Paul Rom. 15. 17. That from Jerusalem, and round about, and that to Illyricum (which was in right line three hundred and thirty German miles, as Pareus upon the place computes it) he did fully preach the Gospel; imitating herein, as Jerom observes, his Lord and Master, that Sun of Righteousness, whose going forth is from the ends of the Heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, Psa. 19. 6. In these their blessed steps our Brother trod, and followed them in his painful Ministry, diligently preaching when he had occasion to be abroad in remoter parts; but especially in many Towns and Villages nearer hand, round about the University, being a means to set up Lectures in many of them, and very often assisting in them; and as our Savior is observed by some Divines to have preached more frequently the nearer he was to his departure; so this his faithful servant, as it were presaging that his day would be but short, towards his evening he made the more haste and speed in his journy towards his end, and yet more abounded in this work of the Lord, and now findes That his labour is not in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. 58. Thus of him as a Minister.
And lastly,His activity for God. as he was a Christian, he was active for God, as his Saviour, Act. 10. 38. Going up and down, and doing good; and though otherwise modest, yet when the case required it, bold in a good cause. He was spiritual in communion, and a quickner of those with whom he conversed. Fruitful in discourse, by which the frame of his spirit might easily be discovered: Frequent in asking questions, which was both his humility, and Christian good husbandry, thereby to improve himselfe, his time and company.
Affable he was to others,His Character of much humility, and low thoughts of himself, and of great integrity and singleness of heart towards God, his Truth, Ordinances, wayes, and servants; of a very publick spirit, and much affected with the various conditions of the State, but especially of the Church and people of God.
He was a most loving Husband to his wife, and a dutiful son to his Parents, and in his life time very helpful to his other Relations.His Charity. Many poor, both of the University and Town do now feel the want of his bounty which they tasted of in his life time; and both they, and others had done more at his death (as appeared by his intentions of it in the draught of his Will) had not the suddenness of his change prevented it.
In a long continued Quartan,His last sickness. God had knocked at his door, which in the interim of his recovery awakened him to get all within ready against the coming of his Lord, which, though to his friends was unexpected, yet found not him unprepared. In his short sickness, he expressed to an intimate Friend his great comfort, and joy in Gods discriminating electing-love; and to a Reverend Doctor, about half an hour before his departure, who enquired of him about the setling of his outward estate, and inward peace, he readily, and without the least hesitancy, answered, that thro…gh the mercy of God in Christ his peace was made, and that he quietly rested in it; whereby it seems (as was said by one) he had his Faith at his fingers ends, and having before given all diligence to make his calling and election sure, though he was somewhat suddenly called out of this life, yet had he an abundant entrance set open to him, into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, His Death.departing quietly in the Lord, Decem. 18. 1653. As to himself he had lived a fruitful and gracious life, and therefore (as Clemens Romanus speaks of some of the first, and best Bishops) he closed up all with a happy and blessed death; and as to others, he lived approved, and dyed desired, and very much lamented.
He was a great Friend to the publication of the lives of godly and eminent Ministers, and Christians, and assisting to me in procuring information concerning the Lives of some of those Worthies whom I have formerly printed.