Funeral Sermon of Edward Lawrence, Letters
Several Paſſages concerning Mr. Lawrence, out of Two Letters, which were ſent by Two Miniſters, Eminent for Learning and Godlineſs, and both of them intimately acquainted with Him.
The Firſt LETTER concerning Mr. Edward Lawrence.
MR. Lawrence was admitted into Magdalene Colledge in Cambridge, in the Year 1645, and was Studious, a Promoter of ſerious Godlineſs among the young Scholars; and was ſo noted alſo for his Parts and Learning, that we would have made him a Fellow. But when he had taken his Degree of Batchellor of Arts, (ſome Years after, he took the Degree of Maſter of Arts) he, being ſome ways engaged, went into the Countrey, and began to preach (having been of a good Age when admitted, about 18 as I remember), and with much Acceptance. He took up with Baſchurch, a Vicaridge of about 60 l. a Year; where (though if he had ſought great things he might have been removed to a greater Place, conſidering the Love and Eſteem he had) he continued till Bartholomew 1662, and then left his Station and Subſiſtence, though he had a Wife and ſeven or eight Children, and no Eſtate; and oft uſed to ſay, He lived upon the ſixth of Matthew. About the Year 79, the Quakers riſing thereabout, he Diſputed with one of their Chief Ringleaders, and ſhamefully baffled him in the Judgment of the Multitudes of the Hearers, and as appears by the Relation of it put out by the Quaker. He was dangerouſly ill, and upon his recovery put out his uſeful Book, Of Chriſt's Power over bodily Diſeaſes; which, though very good, I then told him was below moſt of his Sermons he uſually preached, of which I had heard many.
How he was driven from Whitchurch, Mr. H. who was then in thoſe parts will, I ſuppoſe, punctually inform you; and for theſe laſt four or five and twenty Years, his Brethren in the City can give a good account of Him.
The Second LETTER.
AFter Mr. Lawrence his remove by the Bartholomew Act from Baſchurch, where he had been many Years a Faithful Miniſter of the Goſpel of Chriſt, he ſojourn'd▪ while with his Wife and Children, at a Neighbouring Gentleman's Houſe within the Pariſh, who had a great Reſpect for him, and was very Kind to him; and he accounted it a great Mercy that though the Law had ſilenced him, that he muſt not preach to his beloved Flock, yet he had his Abode amongſt them, and might be many ways uſeful to them. But when the Five Mile Act, ſo called, was to be put in Execution in March 66. he went to Tilſtock, a Village in Whitchurch Pariſh, in the ſame County, to ſojourn there, and there the Power of the Lord was with him greatly and made him Inſtrumental of much Good, both to the Town and in the Neighbourhood; the remembrance whereof is ſtill ſweet to many who are yet living. As he had opportunity he preach'd to them, both in Seaſon and out of Seaſon; and which was more, his Prudent, Pious Converſation was a continual Sermon. He had many Children and all with him, and no viſible Income wherewithal to buy them Bread, yet the Lord was graciouſly pleaſed to make Proviſion both for him and them, ſo that they did not want: The ſixth of Matthew, as he was uſed to ſay, did maintain him. During his Abode there he buried a dearly beloved Daughter, named Sarah, which was a great Grief to him, for ſhe was grown up, and began to be uſeful; but it Comforted him that ſhe finiſhed Well; and God gave him two Sons inſtead of her, which repair'd the loſs. Another remove he had to Whitchurch Town, and while he was there in May 1670, when the ſevere Act againſt Conventicles commenc'd in the ſame Month; upon a Sabbath-day in the Afternoon he preach'd in a private Houſe only to four and the Family, where they were diſturbed by the Miniſter himſelf, Dr. M. F. in his own Perſon, with others attending him; and the Week following Convicted and Fined; the Miniſter 10 l. becauſe Poor; the Maſter of the Houſe 20 l. and two other of the Town 5 l. a piece; and one Woman 5 s. Upon each of which Diſtreſs was made ſhortly after with the greateſt Rigor. They judging themſelves wrong'd, made their Appeal according to Law, and in March following had a Tryal at Salop, before Judge Twiſden. The Pretence againſt them was, That a Daughter of the Family (who was ſixteen Years of Age but a few Days before) coming home from Cheſter from an Uncle the had there, was one preſent, and being none of the Family of her Father made a fifth. The Caſe was argu'd by Council, and the Proſecutors made no other account but that the Jury would give their Verdict for the Juſtices, who were the Defendants, and lay treble Damages upon the Plantiffs, which were intended to be made very great to their utter undoing. But it pleaſed God, in whoſe Hands are the Hearts of all Men, without any Motion or Procurement of theirs to incline one of the Jurors to differ in the Verdict from the reſt, ſaying, He would rather dye than ſay the Girl was none of her Father's Family. This occaſioned their ſtay together all Night; and in the Morning being accuſed of ſome words ſpoken by him in their heat of Arguing, to one of his Fellow-Jurors, he was ſeverely Rebuked and Fined 10 l. and the Cauſe referred to two Lawyers, who never made any Deciſion of it, ſo that each ſide ſat down with his own Loſs; and not long after ſuch of their Goods, as were taken from them they had again, but much demnified. 'Twas obſerved, That one of the Proſecuting Juſtices dying during the Proſecution, his Houſhold-Goods were Proclaimed in the Town to be Sold, and were Sold before Chapmen could be found that would buy the Diſtrained Goods. The Informer that told he ſaw the Perſons going into the Houſe, did afterwards beg his Bread from Door to Door. This Event occaſioned the remove of this Excellent Perſon out of his own Native Countrey, where he dwelt among his own People, to ſeek a Habitation elſewhere among Strangers; and to London he went, where God gave him Favour in the ſight of many who ſat down under his Miniſtry, and with whom he ended his Days.
FINIS.
Lately Printed,
THe Cure of Diſtractions in attending upon God. In ſeveral Sermons from 1 Cor. 7. 35. That we may attend upon the Lord without diſtraction.
The Love of the World cured. In ſeveral Sermons preached upon 1 John 2. 15. Love not the world, &c.
Both by Nathanael Vincent.
End of the text · Nathanael Vincent, Funeral Sermon of Edward Lawrence (1696)