The Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen, Chapter 32 – Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXII.
THis comfort and contentment which hee tooke in laying the foundation,The good ſucceſſe whereof. and building up the walles of Gods houſe in this manner, did give him great encouragement to furniſh himſelfe better, and to make his proviſion greater for this worke, both by his private ſtudies, and alſo by his publike travels and endeavours; being herein not much unlike to holy David, who having it in the purpoſe of his heart,1 Chr. 29 1, 2. to build Gods houſe, provided abundantly all manner of materials, wood and ſtone, iron and braſſe, gold and ſilver, marble and precious ſtones,Made him like David to make greater proviſion. as hee could procure them, farre or neare; beſides all the treaſure that he offered of his owne proper goods, even three thouſand talents of the gold of Ophir, and ſeven thouſand talents of refined ſilver, to the furthering and finiſhing of the Lords houſe.
For whereas in thoſe dayes, it ſeemed good unto the Lord, having compaſſion on his people, to raiſe up, and eſtabliſh, many holy exerciſes of religion,By publike exerciſes. both in Cheſhire, and in Lancaſhire; which were kept conſtantly every monethmonth, and maintained worthily by the godly labours of the faithfull Miniſters and Meſſengers of God in thoſe parts, and that with great and comfortable ſucceſſe, and fruit, for the edifying of the Churches of God in knowledge, faith and obedience to the Goſpell.
This worthy Gentleman,Which hee frequented taking hold of this faire opportunity, did frequent theſe aſſemblies, and partake of the labours of the Lords Builders, with great diligence, care and conſcience, ſtoring himſelfe with their treaſures,And became better furniſhed. and lighting his Candle at their Torches, and ſo became both better furniſhed, and more enabled, to ſet forwards the building of the Lords Houſe, himſelfe in his owne family, and other wheres alſo, as hee had calling thereunto.
In this his courſe which he tooke,In which his courſe, divers things to be commended. for his owne proficiency and growth, both in knowledge and in grace, I find divers things worthy, not only to be mentioned, but to be much commended, ſome, and ſome to be admired alſo. As firſt his cheerfulneſſe to goe up to the mountaine of the Lord, and joy of heart to joyne with ſuch holy aſſemblies, in ſo holy duties, ſaying with David, 1 His cheerfulnes.I was glad when they ſaid unto me, let us goe up into the houſe of the Lord. Our feet ſhall ſtand in thy gates O Jeruſalem, Ieruſalem is builded as a city that is compact together, Whither the Tribes goe up, the Tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Iſrael, to give thankes unto the name of the Lord.
Secondly, his painfulneſſe in taking many long and ſore journies,2 His painfulneſſe. 1 In ſeeking. 2 In gathering Manna and other proviſion. with much toyle and travell of his body, and no ſmall coſt and charge of his purſe, riding early and late, in heate and cold, ſhort dayes, and foule waies, ſometimes ten, ſometimes twenty, and ſometimes thirty miles, as the diſtance of the place, and ſeaſon of the yeare required: and all this to this end, that he might gather Manna, where he knew it would be rained downe, and gleane after the Reapers in the Lords Harveſt, and buy Gold and white Raiment, Wine and Milk without money, of the Lords Merchants, upon ſuch of the Lords Mart, and Market dayes.
Thirdly, his conſcionable diligence in hearing and obſerving,3 His diligence. writing and recording, from the mouth of the Miniſters, whatſoever they taught and preached unto edification, and that with ſuch eagerneſſe of mind, and readineſſe of hand and pen, that uſually he tooke the whole ſubſtance and matter of their Notes, Obſervations, and Sermons, in his booke,1 In hearing. 2 In writing. 3 In repeating. home with him; which he would carefully repeate in his journey, to the refreſhing of the minds and hearts, of ſuch good people as went along with him: and when he came home, did write over againe in a more legible hand, all that hee had gathered, and ſo made better uſe of it, for himſelf, and his family, and ſet all as it were upon record, for the benefit of his friends, and his owne poſterity. This his double diligence, he continued for the ſpace of five or ſix and thirty yeares together,4 In recording the ſumme and ſubſtance of all ſuch exerciſes. in writing, and writing over againe, all ſuch Exerciſes as h… could come unto, and all Lectures and Sermons in City or Countrey, and all publike Faſts, and thankſgivings, as hee could heare of them. Inſomuch that hee hath left unto the heires of his family, ſo many volumes of Manuſcripts, under his owne hand, ſet up in a comely order in his owne Study, as is ſcarce credible to report, being yet there to be ſeene, as ſo many worthy monuments of his conſcionable diligence and faithfulneſſe in the Lords ſervice.In many manuſe. All which hee hath ſo earneſtly, and carefully commended to the heires of his body, that hee would have them upon his requeſt, to read over, if it were but once in all their life, the bookes that he hath thus written, and committed to their hands. Which his charge and requeſt I wiſh they may ever be ſo mindfull of, that they may never faile nor faint, in the faithfull diſcharge of it; that ſo the bleſſing of the Recabites for obeying Ionadab their father,Commended to the heires of his family in all that hee commanded them, may come upon them alſo, This man ſhall not want a man to ſtand before mee for ever.
Fourthly,Ier. 35.1…, …9. his marvellous kinde uſage of the Miniſters in all their meetings, commending their paines, rejoycing in their labours,4 His kind uſage of Gods Miniſters. and many times defraying all their charges, alwayes encouraging them in the worke of the Lord, with gracious and ſweet words; ſometimes of comfort, ſometimes of counſell, ſometimes of admonition,Love unto their perſons. Reverence to their callings. Pſal. 110. His good affection to profeſſors. Numb. 24 5, 6. and milde reproofe, ſometimes of kind invitation to his houſe, and all this, with ſuch love unto their perſons, and reverence to their callings, that whatſoever he did, or ſaid, he found good acceptance and allowance amongſt them.
Laſtly, his love and tender affection, to the beſt profeſſors and proficients in Religion; yea even to the weakeſt and pooreſt Chriſtian; As hee was to them the crowne of their aſſembly, and conductor of the Lords army, ſo were they to him the crowne of his joy, when hee ſaw them a willing people, in the day of Aſſembly, like an Army in holy beauty, O how goodly are thy Tents O Jacob, and thy Tabernacles O Iſrael. As the Vallies are they ſpread forth, as Gardens by the rivers ſide, as the trees of Lignum-Aloes Which the Lord hath planted, and as Cedar Trees beſide the waters.
CHAP. XXXIII.
THeſe were the vertues and holy duties wherin this gracious Gentleman by frequenting theſe holy exerciſes did ſo worthily exerciſe himſelfe unto godlineſſe,The exerciſes of Religion great helps unto godlineſſe. and whereby he did ſtill grow in ſound knowledge, righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, to the praiſe of Gods glorious grace.
And theſe would I willingly commend in the example of this Gentleman (to bee duely conſidered,A motion for exchange with other exerciſes of profanneſſe. and diligently followed) unto many of our Gentlemen, and to many of inferiour ranck alſo, that they would make an exchange of their vaine and profane exerciſes of May-games, and Summer-greenes, of their Foot-racts, and Horſeraces, of their weekely and almoſt daily meetings,Aſſerant neceſſe est ſinguli quique quod faciunt, nec voli…t victi facilè ſuccumbere, quamvic ſciant id quod faciunt non …icere. Cypr. ad Magn. lib. 1. Ex. 6. and matches on their Bowling Greenes, of their laviſh betting of great wagers in ſuch ſorry trifles, and of their ſtout and ſtrong abetting of ſo ſillie vanities, amongſt hundreds, and ſometimes thouſands, of rude and vile perſons, to whom they ſhould give better, and not ſo bad example and encouragement, as to be idle in neglecting their callings; waſtefull, in gameing and ſpending their meanes; wicked, in curſing and ſwearing; and dangerouſly profane, in their brawling and quarrelling.
O how great is the difference betwixt thoſe holy exerciſes of Religion in Gods houſe, and theſe prophane exerciſes of corruption and luſt, in the forreſt, or in the field!Difference great. How great is the oppoſition betwixt that aſſembly and this company?
How doth the mighty God,Company contrary. cauſe the light of his countenance to ſhine upon leaders, and followers comming into his Sanctuary?Holy exerciſes acceptable to God. And how (doe you thinke) doth hee looke upon them, that forſaking the fountaine of Living Waters, digge unto themſelves ſuch broken Ci…ernes, as theſe are, which can hold no water? What is there in thoſe exerciſes, but that which is warrantable, commendable, profitable, and comfortable? And what in theſe, that hath any ſent, or ſavour of ſuch things?Profitable to men. If theſe men were truly changed themſelves, they would bee eaſily induced to make an exchange alſo of baſer company,Yet will none make an exchange, but ſuch as are changed themſelves. for a better ſociety; of fading and falſe joyes, for durable and true comforts; of worldly profits and filthy lucre, for ſpirituall gaine, and the true treaſure; and of the vaine applauſe, and praiſe of men, for the true honour, and praiſe, which comes from God only.