Heaven Upon Earth, Declaration 38
XXXVIII. John Earl of Rocheſter.
I Shall conclude theſe Experiences with an account of one of the moſt Illuſtrious Inſtances of Converſion that hath happened in this, and it may be in many preceding Ages, in the perſon of the Right Honourable John Willmot late Earl of Rocheſter, whoſe name for irreligion and vice became a Proverb, and whoſe extraordinary repentance is a moſt remarkable example of the exceeding riches of the grace and mercy of God.
His father was Henry Lord Wilmot who in the Civil Wars, adhered to K. Charles 1. and was very inſtrumental in the eſcape of K. Charles 2. after the Battel of Worceſter in 1651, but dying before the Reſtoration left his ſon little more then his Title of Earle of Rocheſter, and ſome pretenſions of the favour of Charles 2. after his return. This young Lord was educated in the Univerſity of Oxford, where his wit and Learning ſoon made him very eminent; But the general joy and debauchery that overran the Nation in 1660. had in a little time ſo great an influence upon him, that, he as well as a multitude of other Young Gentlemen ran into all manner of exceſs, to commit all kind of iniquity with greedineſs. And after his return from his Travels into Jtaly, having ſome perferment in the Atheiſtical and debauch'd Court of K. Charles 2. he there met with incouragement & countenance in proſecuting the greateſt exceſſes & extravagancies that were poſſibly to be acted, for as Solomon ſays, whatſoever his eyes deſired he kept it not from them, and with held his heart from no joy; And to fortifie his conſcience againſt any convictions, he endeavoured to perſuade himlelf, that there was no Heaven nor Hell, no God nor Devil, nor any future State in another world; and yet becauſe at ſome intervals, he had ſevere reflections in his mind, as to his vicious practices, he was forced to rid himſelf of them by a continued courſe of Intemperance, ſo that he acknowledged that for five years together he was continually drunk.
And as his wickedneſs, ſo his wit and parts were extraordinary, ſo that had his fancy fallen upon Divine Subjects, inſtead of thoſe impure and ſilthy ones wherein he uſually exerciſed his Poetry, he might probably, have been as uſeful in teaching vertue to this deba…hed generation, as his prophane Verſes have been miſcheivous and hurtful in promoting A. theiſm, vice, and lewdneſs. As to all outward accompliſhments of Learning and education, he was therein compleat, though by his ill management they were at length miſerable Comforts to him ſince they only miniſtred to his ſins, and made his example the more fatal and dangerous, ſo that he owned himſelf to be one of the greateſt of ſinners; for his corrupted Parts made his impieties riſe to a high and extraordinary pitch, as the chiefeſt of Angels for knowledge and Power became the moſt degenerate; ſo that his impious actions as well as Writings ſeem to ſoar above the reach and thought of other men, taking as much pains to draw others in, and to pervert the ways of Virtue and Religion, as the Apoſtles and Primitive Saints did to ſave their own ſouls and thoſe that heard them: for this was the heightning and amazing circumſtance of his ſins, that he was ſo diligent and induſtrious to recommend and propogate them; to declare his ſin as Sodom and not to hide it; framing Arguments for ſin, making Proſelytes to it; and writing Panygiricks upon Vice; ſinging praiſes to the Great Enemy of God, and caſting down Coronets and Crowns before his Throne.
This Character, his Chaplain who Preached his Funeral Sermon, gives of him; and adds, That he was ſo confirmed in ſin, that he lived, and oftentimes almoſt died a Martyr for it; God was ſometimes pleaſed to puniſh him with the effects of his debaucheries, yet he confeſt, that for a long time it had no power to melt him into true Repentance; or if at any time he had ſome lucid intervals from his folly and madneſs, how ſhort and tranſitory were they? all that goodneſs was but as a morning Cloud, and as the early Dew which vaniſhes away; he ſtill returned to the ſame exceſs of Riot, and that with ſo much the more greedineſs the longer he had been detained from it; baniſhing all thoughts of God and a future Account out of his mind: One Inſtance is related, which much confirmed him in his Atheiſtical temper; that he, and another Gentleman of the like humour, had made a ſolemn Compact and Agreement, it may be not without impious circumſtances, that whoever died firſt, ſhould after his death return from the Grave, and give an account to the other of the ſtate of the next World, and whether there was any ſuch thing or no; ſoon after the Gentleman died, but never appearing to give him ſatisfaction, as they had ſtipulated between them, it made him conclude, that a Man died like a Beaſt, and that Soul Soul and Body periſht in the Duſt; ſuch unreaſonable and ſenſleſs fancies had he to ſecure himſelf againſt any Convictions of Conſcience; ſince he had never deſerved that God ſhould ſhew a Miracle to ſatisfie him of that, which his wicked life and practices made him ſecretly deſire might not be true, becauſe it is the intereſt of thoſe that live like Brutes, to wiſh they may dye ſo too and never be called to the Bar of that God whom their whole Lives have bid defiance unto.
And yet even this deſperate Sinner, that ſeemed to have made a Covenant with death, and was at agreement with Hell, and juſt upon the brink of them both; God, to mganifie the riches of his Grace and Mercy, was pleaſed to ſnatch as a brand out of the fire. And, as the Apoſtle, though before a blaſphemer, a perſecutor, and injurious, yet obtained mercy, that in him Chriſt Jeſus might ſhew forth all long-ſuffering, for a pattern to them that ſhould after believe on him to eternal life, 1 Tim. 1.13,16. So God ſtruck him to the ground as it were by a light from Heaven, and a voice of Thunder round about him; inſomuch that now the ſcales fall from his Eyes, as they did from the Apoſtle Paul's, his ſtony heart was opened, and ſtreams of tears guſht out, the bitter, but wholſom rears of true Repentance.
The means which prepared the way for this wonderful change, was a ſharp and painful ſickneſs with which he was viſited, which the Almighty often makes uſe of to reduce the wandring Sinner to the knowledge of God, and of himſelf. And though to forſake our ſins, then, when we can no longer commit them, ſeems to be rather neceſſity than choice; yet we often find that God uſes one to bring about the other, and improves a forced abſtinence from ſin into a ſettled loathing, and a true deteſtation of it. As in the caſe of Manaſſeh, in 2 Chron. And of the Prodigal Son, Luke 20. And God ſaith of Ephraim, I will be unto Ephraim as a Lion; I will tear and go away, and none ſhall relieve him, till they acknowledge their offence, and ſeek my face; and in their affliction they will ſeek me early, Hoſ. 5.14,15. Though ſome ſtubborn Natures fly in the face of their heavenly Father while he is correcting them; and others are like to thoſe Children, who, while under the Rod, promiſe wonders, and preſently forget all; As the Pſalmiſt ſays, When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned and enquired early after God, never theleſs they did but flatter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues, for their heart was not right with him, nor continued they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant, Pſal. 78.34, &c. And probably this had been this Penitents Caſe formerly; but there was an evident difference betwixt the effect of this laſt ſickneſs upon him, and many others before; for he told the Miniſter, that he had now other ſentiments and thoughts of things, and acted upon quite different Principles; he was not vext that his ſickneſs was painful, or that it hindred him from his ſins, which he longed again to be at; but ſubmitted patiently to it, accepted it as the hand of God, and was thankful, bleſſing and praiſing God not only in his extremities, but for them alſo.
And whereas formerly he had ſo habituated himſelf to curſing and ſwearing, that he uſed it almoſt every minute; there were now no curſings, no railings, nor reproaches to his Servants, or thoſe about him, which in other ſickneſſes were their uſual entertainments; but he treated them with all the meekneſs and patience in the World, begging pardons frequently of the meaneſt of his Attendants but for an haſty word, which the extremity of his ſickneſs, and ſharpneſs of his diſeaſe (proceeding from an Ulcer in his Bladder, which cauſed his Urine to paſs from him with intolerable pain) might eaſily force from him. Of which one inſtance is related, that calling for ſomething which he thought was not brought him ſoon enough, he cryed, that damned Fellow, but being gently admoniſht, inſtantly recollected himſelf, complaining of that Language of Hell or Feinds, which he ſaid had been formerly ſo familiar to him, that it ſtill hung about him, whereas none deſerved to be damned more than he had done; and deſired to ask his Servants pardon for that raſh ſaying.
His Prayers were not now ſo much for eaſe, or health, or a continuance of his life, as for grace and faith, and perfect reſignation to the will of God; ſo that it may be charitably and juſtly concluded, that his ſickneſs was not the chief ingredient, but through the grace of God, an effectual means of true, tho' late Repentance: For tho' it was a Death-bed Repentance, and therefore full of danger, and the utmoſt hazard, yet it was not wholly impoſſible to be true, nor abſolutely deſperate; ſince that God, who is a God of infinite compaſſion and forbearance, allowed him leiſ…re and opportunity for Repentance by a long and lingring ſickneſs; That he awaken'd him out of his ſpiritual ſlumber by a pungent diſtemper, as to provide prudently for his worldly affairs, and yet not to be diſtracted nor diverted by them from the thoughts of a better World; that God lengthened out his day of grace, and accompanied the ordinary means of Salvation, and the weak Miniſtry of his Word, with the convincing and over-ruling power of his Spirit to his Conſcience, which Word of God became to him quick and powerful, ſharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing aſunder of his Soul and Spirit: And at laſt the Spirit of God witneſſed to his Spirit, that now he was become one of the Children of God.
Upon my firſt Viſit to him (ſaith the Miniſter) at his return from a Journey out of the Weſt, he moſt gladly received me, ſhewed me extraordinary reſpects upon the ſcore of my Office, and thanked God, who had in mercy and good providence ſent me to him, who ſo much needed my prayers and counſels, acknowledging how unworthily heretofore he had treated Miniſters of the Goſpel, reproaching them that they were proud, and propheſied only for reward; but now he had learnt how to value them, that he eſteemed them the Servants of the moſt High God, who were to ſhew to him the way to Everlaſting Life. At the ſame time I found him labouring under ſtrange trouble and conflicts of mind, his Spirit wounded, and his Conſcience full of terrour. Upon this Journey he told me, he had been arguing with greater vigour againſt God and Religion than ever he had done in his life-time before, and that he was reſolved to run them down with all the arguments and ſpite in the World. But, like the great Convert St. Paul, he found it hard to kick againſt the pricks. For God at that time had ſo ſtruck his heart by his immediate hand, that preſently he argued as ſtrongly for God and Virtue as before he had done againſt it. He declared, that God ſtrangely opened his heart, creating in his mind moſt awful, and tremendous thoughts and apprehenſions of the Divine Majeſty, with a delightful contemplation of the Divine Nature and Attributes, and of the lovelineſs of Religion and Virtue; I never, ſaid he, was advanced thus far toward happineſs in my life before; for tho' upon the commiſſions of ſome ſins extraordinary, I have had ſome checks and warnings conſiderable from within, yet I ſtill ſtruggled with 'em, and ſo wore them off again. The moſt obſervable I remember, ſaid, he, was this: One day at an Atheiſtical Meeting at a Perſon of Qualities, I undertook to manage, the Cauſe, and was the principal Diſputant againſt God and Piety, and for my performances received the applauſe of the whole Company: Upon which my mind was terribly ſtruck, and I immediately replied thus to my ſelf: Good God! that a man that walks upright, that ſees the wonderful works of God, and has the uſes of his ſenſe and reaſon, ſhould uſe them to the defying of his Creator! But tho' this was a good beginning towards my Converſion, to find my Conſcience touched for my ſins, yet it went off again; yet all my life long I had a ſecret value and reverence for an honeſt man, and lov'd Morality in others; but I had formed an odd Scheme of Religion to my ſelf, which would ſolve all that God or Conſcience might force upon me; yet I was not ever well reconciled to the buſineſs of Religion, nor had that reverence for the Goſpel as I ought to have.
This Eſtate of mind continued till the 53. chapter of Iſaiah was read to him wherein there is a lively diſcription of the ſufferings of our ſaviour, and the benefits thereof and ſome other portions of Scripture: by the power and efficacy of which word, aſſiſted by his holy ſpirit, God ſo wrought upon his heart that he declared, that the myſteries of the Paſſion appeared ſo clear and plain to him as ever any thing did that was repreſented in a glaſs; ſo that the joy and admiration which poſſeſſed his ſoul upon the reading of Gods word to him was remarkable to all about him, and he had ſo much delight in his Teſtimonies, that he begged his mother and Lady to read the ſame to him frequently, and was unſatisfied notwithſtanding his great pains and weakneſs, till he had learned eſpecialy, the 53. chapter of Iſaiah with out book; comparing this prophecy with the Paſſion of Chriſt in the Evangeliſts, and obſerving that it was clearly foretold by the Prophet ſome hundred of years before it was accompliſhed; and this conſideration had ſuch mighty influence upon his ſoul, and ſtrengthned his faith, that afterward he never had the leaſt doubt about the certainty of the Goſpel and eternal ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt; He ſaid the in the firſt verſe of that chapter the prophet declared what great oppoſition the Doctrine of Chriſt Crucified would meet with in the world from ſuch obſtinate ſinners as he was, who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed. And that the lowlineſs of his condition and perſon upon earth would cauſe weak, and inconſidering men to undervalue him, becauſe he did not appear with the vain ſplendor & pomp wherin they were pleaſed. This he ſaid was plainly predicted in the ſecond verſe. He hath no form of comlineſs; and when we ſhall ſee him, there is no beauty, that we ſhould deſire him.
At the ſame time diſcourſing of the manner of his youth up, which all men knew was too too much devoted to the ſervice of ſin, and that the luſts of the fleſh, of the eye, and the pride of life had captivated him: He was very large and particular in his acknowledgments about it, and more ready to accuſe himſelf than any other could be, Publickly crying out O Bleſſe God, can ſuch an horrid creature as I am be accepted by thee, who has denied thy Being and contemned thy Power? can there be Pardon and mercy for me? will God own ſuch a wretch as I am? ſhall the unſpeakable joys of heaven be conferred upon me? O Mighty Saviour! never but through thine infinite love and ſatisfaction! O never, but by the purchaſe of thy blood! Adding that withall abhorrency he did reflect upon his former courſe of life; that ſincerely and from his heart he did repent of all that folly and madneſs which he had committed. He had a true and lively ſenſe of God's great mercy to him in ſtrikeing his hard heart, and laying his conſcience open, which hitherto had been deaf to all God's calls and methods, ſaying If that God who dyed for Great as well as Leſſer ſinners, did not ſpeedily apply his infinite merits to his poor ſoul, his wound was ſuch as no man could conceive or bear, Crying out, that he was the vileſt wretch and Dog that the ſun ſhined upon, or the earth bore; that now he ſaw his error in not living up to that Reaſon which God had endued him with, and which he had unworthily vilified and centemned; wiſhing that he had been a ſtarving Leper, crawling in a ditch, that he had been a link boy, or a beggar, or for his whole lifetime confined to a Dungeon, rather than thus to have ſinned againſt his God.
His faith was remarkable, in an hearty embraceing and pious Confeſſion of all the Articles of the Chriſtian Religion, and all the Divine myſteries of the Goſpel, ſaying; that the abſurd and fooliſh Philoſophy which the world ſo much admired, propogated by the late Mr. Hobs, and others, had undone him, and many more, of the beſt Parts in the nation; who without Gods great mercy, may never, it may be, attain to ſuch a ſerious repentance as his was, He faithfully adhered to, and caſt himſelf entirely upon the mercies of Jeſus Chriſt, and the free grace of God declared to repenting ſinners thro' him, with a thankful remembrance of his life, Death and reſurrection; begging of God to ſtrengthen his faith, and often crying out Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief. He had a mighty love for and eſteem of the holy Scriptures, which he had formerly too much ſlighted and ridicul'd; taking up reſolutions to read them frequently, and meditate upon them if God ſhould ſpare him, having already taſted the good word; for having ſpoken to his heart, he acknowledged all the ſeeming abſurdities and contradictions thereof, fancied by men of corrupt and reprobate judgments were vaniſhed and their excellencies and beauty appeared, being come to receive the truth in the love of it.
He was extraordinary ſervent and frequent in his prayers and ſupplications, and often called upon others to pray for and with him, or to read the Scriptures to him: and toward the end of his ſickneſs would heartily deſire God to pardon his infirmities if he ſhould not be ſo wakeful & Intent thro' the duty as he wiſhed to be; and that tho' the fleſh was weak, yet the Spirit was willing, and hoped God would accept that. He continually beſeeched God by his grace and Holy Spirit to ſuſtain him and to keep him from all evil thoughts, from all temptations and Diabolical ſuggeſtions, and every thing that might be prejudicial to that religious temper of mind which God had now ſo happily endued him withal; Crying out one night eſpecially how terribly the Tempter did aſſault him by caſting upon him, leud and wicked imaginations, but I thank God ſaid he, I abhor them all, and by the power of his grace which I am ſure is ſufficient for me, I have overcome them; t'is the malice of the Devil becauſe I am reſcued from him: and the goodneſs of God that frees me from all my ſpiritual enemies.
He was very joyful at his Lady's converſion from Popery, being as he termed it, a faction ſupported only by fraud and cruelty; which was done by her with deliberation and mature judgment. He was heartily concerned for the pious education of his Children, wiſhing that his ſon might never be a wit; that is, ſaid he that he might never be one of thoſe wretched Creatures who pride themſelves in abuſing God and Religion, denying his being or his providence; but that he might become an honeſt, and a religious man, which could only be the ſupport and bleſſing of his family; complaining what a vicious and naughty world his children were brought into, and that no fortunes or honours were comparable to the love and favour of God to them, in whoſe name he bleſſed them, prayed for them and committed them to his Protection. He had one ſon and three daughters and once calling them all before him, he ſaid to a Gentleman then preſent, that he might there obſerve how good the Almighty had been to him, in beſtowing ſo many bleſſings upon him, but that he had carried himſelf to God like an ungratious and unthankful Dog.
He gave ſtrict charge to thoſe Perſons in whoſe cuſtody his papers were, to burn all his prophaneand leud writings, as being only fit to promate vice and immorality, by which he had ſo highly offended God, and ſhamed and blaſphemed that holy Religion into which he had been baptized; and all hisobſcene and filthy pictures which were ſo notoriouſly ſcandalous. He ſhewed much readineſs to make reſtitution to the utmoſt of his power to all perſons whom he had injured, and for thoſe whom he could not make compenſation to, he prayed for God's, and there pardons. And he was remarkably juſt in taking all poſible care for the payment of his debts, which before he confeſſed he had not ſo fairly and effectualy done. He was exceeding ready to forgive all injuries done againſt him, ſome of which he particularly mentioned, which were great and provoking, yet he was willing not only to pardon them, but likewiſe to give them aſſurance of his future friendſhip; and hoping that he ſhould be as freely forgiven at the hand of God. He was very tender and concerned for his ſervants who were about him in his extremities, (to whom he was very kind by his laſt Will) pitying there troubles in watching with him, and attending him, treating them with candor and gentleneſs as if they had been his Equals.
He heartily endeavoured to be ſerviceble to thoſe about him, exhorting them to the fear and love of Go… and to make good uſe of his for bearance and long ſuffering to ſinners, which ſhould lead thom to repentance. And particularly a Perſon of Quality coming to viſit him on his death bed, he addreſſed him with this moſt pious and moſt paſſionate exclumation. O Remember that you contemn God no more, He is an avenging God and will viſit you for your ſins; and will in mercy I hope touch your conſcience ſooner or later, as he hath done mine, you and I have been friends and ſinners together a great while, therefore I am the more free with you, we have been all miſtaken in our conceits and opinions, our perſuaſions have been falſe and groundleſs, therefore God grant you repentance, and ſeeing the ſame Gentleman the next day again, he ſaid to him, perhaps you were diſobliged by my plaineſs to you yeſterday, I ſpake the words of truth and ſoberneſs to you, and ſtriking his hand upon his breaſt he added, I hope God will turn your heart. And he commanded his Chaplain to preach abroad and to let all men know, if they knew it not already, how ſeverely God had diſciplin'd him for his ſins, by his afflicting hand: that his ſufferings were moſt juſt, tho he had laid ten thouſand times more upon him; How he had laid one ſtripe upon another becauſe of his grevious provocations till he had brought him home to himſelf; That his former viſitations had not that bleſſed effect which he was now ſenſible of, He had formerly ſome looſe thoughts and & ſlight reſolutions of reforming, and deſignedto be better, becauſe even the preſent conſequen ces of ſin were ſtill peſtering him, and were ſo troubleſome and inconvenient to him; but that he hadnow other ſentiments of things, and acted upon other principles. He gave it another learned Divine in charge, not to ſpare him (if he ſhould dye) in publiſhing any thing which might be of uſe to the Living, being willing that the worſt as well as the beſt part of his life ſhould be expoſed; ſo ſincere was he in his repentance, as to be willing to take ſhame to himſelf, by ſuffering his faults to be expoſed for the benefit of others: Praying God that as his life had done much hurt, ſo his death might do ſome good.
Laſtly, He diſcovered a great willingneſs to dye, if it pleaſed God; reſigning himſelf always to the Divine diſpoſal; but if God ſhould ſpare him yet a longer time here, he hoped to bring glory to the Name of God in the whole courſe of his life, and particularly by his endeavours to convince others, and to aſſure them of the danger of their condition if they continued impenitent, and how graciouſly God had dealt with him; being deſirous to live upon no other account, but that by the change of his manners, and his former company, and courſe of life, he might in ſome meaſure take off the high ſcandal that his former behaviour had given. He had a great ſenſe of his Obligations to thoſe worthy Divines who charitably and frequently viſited him, and prayed with him, and were thereby all very ſerviceable to his Repentance. I ſhall conclude theſe Remarks with his Dying Remonſtrance ſigned by his own hand, as his trueſt ſenſe, which is as follows.
For the benefit of all thoſe whom I have drawn into ſin, by my Example and Encouragement, I leave to the World this my laſt Declaration, which I deliver in the preſence of the Great God, who knows the ſecrets of all hearts, and before whom I am now appearing to be judged;
That from the bottom of my Soul I deteſt and abhor the whole courſe of my former wicked life; that I think I can never ſufficiently admire the goodneſs of God, who has given me a true ſenſe of my pernicious Opinions and vile Practices, by which I have hitherto lived without hope, and without God in the World; have been an open Enemy to Jeſus Chriſt, doing the utmoſt deſpite to the Holy Spirit of Grace. And that the greateſt Teſtimony of my Charity to ſuch is, to warn them in the name of God, and as they regard the welfare of their immortal ſouls, no more to deny his Being, or his providence, or deſpiſe his goodneſs, no more to make a mock of ſin, or contemn the pure and excellent Religion of my ever bleſſed Redeemer, through whoſe merits alone, I one of the greateſt of ſinners do yet hope for mercy and forgiveneſs, Amen.
J. Rocheſter.
Declared and ſigned June 19. 1680. in the preſence of
Ann Rocheſter.
Robert Parſons.
He enjoyed a ſteddy temper of mind through the whole courſe of his ſickneſs and repentance, which muſt needs proceed not from a hurry or perturbation of mind or body ariſing from the fear of death, or dread of Hell only, but from an ingenious love to God, and an uniform regard to virtue, ſuitable to that ſolemn Declaration of his; I would not commit the leaſt ſin to gain a kingdom; And he had all poſſible ſymptoms of a laſting perſeverance in this admirable Chriſtian Reſolution, if God had reſtored him to health. To which may be added his comfortable perſuaſions of God's accepting him to his mercy, ſaying three or four days before his death; I ſhall dye, but Oh what unſpeakable Glories do I ſee! what joys beyond thought or expreſſion am I ſenſible of! I am aſſured of God's mercy to me through Jeſus Chriſt. Oh how I long to dye, and to be with my Saviour.
The time of his ſickneſs and repentance was juſt nine weeks, in all which ſpace he was ſo much maſter of his reaſon, and had ſo clear an underſtanding, except about thirty hours in which he was delirious, that he never dictated or ſpoke more compoſed in his life. And therefore if any ſhall continue to ſay, his Piety was the effect of madneſs or vapours, the aſſertion is as ſilly as it is wicked; And that the force of this great penitence may not be evaded by evil men, who are reſolved to harden their hearts againſt all convictions, by ſaying it was done in a corner; the truth hereof is very well known to all ſorts of perſons, who in conſiderable numbers viſited and attended him, and particularly by thoſe eminent Phiſitians who were converſant with him in the whole courſe of his tedious ſickneſs, and who if any, were competent judges whether he were … a phrenſie or diſtracted, who all declared that he had not the leaſt Symptoms of it, but was as ſeaſ… ble as at any time in his life and health. And if any ſhall be ſtill unſatiſfied herein, in this hard hearted generation, it matters not let them at their coſt be Unbelievers ſtill, ſo long as this excellent penitent en joys the comfort of his repentance; fince from all theſe admirable ſigns we have great reaſon to believe comfortably that his repentance was real and his end happy; and we may accordingly imita… he neighbours and Coſens of Elizabeth Luke 1.52. … when they heard how the Lord had ſhewe… great mercy upon her, came and rejoyced with hen, … in we ſhall joyn with the whole Court of Heav…y, ſince our Bleſſed Saviour has told us. Luke. 15.7. … ſay unto you, that joy ſhalt he in heaven … that repenteth more then over ninety and … that need no repentance. He dyed without … or groan at Woodſtock Park in Oxfordſhire July 26. 1680.