Life and Death of Mr Hanserd Knollys, Frontispiece – To the reader
The true Effigies of the late Reverend Divine Mr. HANSERD KNOLLIS, Aetatis suae 93.
F. H. van Hove. sculp:
THE LIFE and DEATH OF That Old Diſciple of Jeſus Chriſt, and Eminent Miniſter of the GOSPEL, Mr. HANSERD KNOLLYS, Who Dyed In the Ninety Third Year of his Age.
Written with his own Hand to the Year 1672. and continued in General, in an Epiſtle by Mr. VVilliam Kiffin.
To which is added, His laſt Legacy to the Church.
LONDON, Printed for John Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey, 1692. ….
FUIMUS The Right Honble. Charles Viscount Bruce of Ampthill (Son & Heir Apparent of Thomas Earl of Ailesbury) & Baron Bruce of Whorleton
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
IT was the ſpecial Charge God gave to his people of old, that the many ſignal Provioences and Mercies that they had received from him, ſhould by them be recorded and left to their Childrens Children, to that end, that the memorial of his goodneſs might cauſe them to love and fear his Name, and therefore they are required to bleſs the Lord from the Fountain of Iſrael, from the very beginning of all his Favours towards them; and it is no ſmall favour the Servants of God are made partakers of, that his people of old have left ſo many teſtimonies of the gracious goodneſs and Providences of God towards them, they being a means to ſtrengthen the Faith of his People, in a dependency upon him in all thoſe variety of diſpenſations that do attend them in this World; that whatever troubles they meet withall in this Life, they may know that God deals no otherwiſe with them than be hath done to thoſe that formerly have feared his Name, and may be comforted with the ſame comforts and ſupports which his Servants formerly have received from God. The Author of theſe enſuing Experiences, was that ancient and faithful Servant of God, Mr. Hanſerd Knollys, who departed this Life in the 93d. year of his Age, having bin employed in the Works and Service of Chriſt, as a faithful Miniſter for above 60 Years, in which time he laboured without fainting under all the diſcouragements that attended him, being contented in all conditions, tho' never ſo poor in this World, under all perſecutions and ſufferings, ſo he might therein ſerve his bleſſed Lord and Saviour. I have my ſelf known him for above 54 years, and can witneſs to the Truth of many things left by him under his own hand; st is great pity that the laſt 20 years of his Life cannot be found amongſt his Writings, which to the knowledge of many were attended with the ſame fufferings as formerly, and with the ſame holy Behaviours under them; he in that time was a Priſoner in the New-Priſon for the Truths ſake many months, where with great chearfulneſs he remained, comforting and encouraging all that came to viſit him, with many bleſſed Exhortations to cleave to the Lord; none were ſent empty away without ſome ſpiritual Instructions, and many of his Fellow-priſoners were greatly strengthened and comforted by that heavenly Counſel that dropped from his lsps, ſpending much of his time there in Prayer and Study of the Word of God, daily preaching to them the things that concern the Kingdom of God.
He was choſen an Elder to a Congregation in London, with whom he laboured for near 50 years, under many difficulties that dsd attend him, but neither the poverty of the Church, nor the Perſecutions that attended him, were any temptation to him to neglect his Duty towards them, but was willing to be poor with them in their poverty, and to ſuffer with them in their ſufferings▪ being willing to labour for his own and his Families Bread, by keeping a School, when they were not able to ſupply his wants, altho he wanted not opportunity to have advanced himſelf in the World, if he would have accepted of them; but like a faithful Paſtor he choſe rather to be poor, and ſuffer affliction, than to leave the Duty and Work he was called unto, in which he was employed, untill he arrived to the age of above Ninety years, and when he found weakneſſes attend him, his love and affection to that poor Church was ſuch, that he was daily exerciſing his thoughts to have an able Miniſter for them in his room; declaring to ſeveral of his Friends what great ſatisfaction it would be to him, to ſee one ſettled amongſt them, and that he would be willing to part with ſomething of that little which he had (if there was need) for his Maintenance of the Church, towards the ſupply of him: And it pleaſed God to provide one for them, to his great ſatisfaction and rejoycing. And ſo great was his natural affection, and tender care for his Daughter and Grand-children, who he knew were like to come to ſome diſtreſs, that he did accordingly at that great Age again undertake the Teaching of a School, that he might do to the uttermoſt of his ability to provide for them.
And having finiſhed his Work, he fell aſleep in the Lord, the 19th. of September, 1691. That theſe Experiences may be of uſe to all thoſe that read the ſame, is the Deſire and Prayer of
Thine in the Lord, William Kiffin.