ing the same, he answered, that he desired it might rain plums, for he would choose to be a grocer. The father being an intelligent, considerate man, thus ascertained every one's genius; and being furnished with a competent estate, adapted their callings according to their wishes. Bezaleel was a rich clothier in Dedham, and a gracious man; he died October, 30, 1678. Samuel, the third son, being brought up a merchant, lived in good repute in Holland, and there died in March, 1667. Edmund, the youngest, being bound apprentice to a grocer at Cambridge, went into New England, and is the only survivor; he has many years kept a grocer's shop in that country, and I suppose is living at present.

But to return to the eldest son John, the subject of this memoir. Being trained up a scholar, he proved of singular service as an instrument in advancing the glory of God, and promoting the spiritual welfare of others in his generation. And thus they all answered the purpose of their education, and were successful; a good admonition to parents in disposing of their children, rather to consult their children's capacities and inclinations, than their own humours and conveniences; things do always best when voluntarily chosen; when the stream of natural inclination runs through the channel of an adopted vocation, it bears down all opposition, and attains the desired object in the most arduous enterprises; hence Dr. Harris saith, he never attempted any thing within the verge of his calling, though it seemed difficult at the entrance, but with God's blessing on his industrious prosecution, he found it feasible and easy; but nil invitâ Minerva, that which is attempted against the heart, or without an adequate capacity, goes on heavily, and seldom renders a man fit to manage his calling to purpose, or arrive at any eminence in it, because it goeth against the grain; Athenians therefore acted wisely, who brought their youth into a place where utensils for every calling were laid up, that making their choice from them, each might have the calling he, in this way, had chosen.

And as his proficiency at school was according to his time, so divine grace did early begin to touch and affect the heart of our young Timothy, who from a child had known the holy scriptures;* for at twelve years of age, the Lord reached his conscience, with some rays of illumination and darts of conviction, which produced more effect through Mr. Rogers' ministry after his father's death; but from his first convictions, he had much trouble upon his spirit, which he kept in a great measure to himself, and often retired privately, being ashamed that any one should

* 2 Tim. iii. 15.

know of his distress of mind. His mother being an excellent and gracious Christian, often spoke to him of soul concerns, wept and prayed much for him. At a competent age his father sent him to the University of Cambridge; he was admitted in Emanuel College, where, notwithstanding his pious education, and hopeful impressions, before mentioned, he fell off to vain company and loose practices, (see the slipperiness of youth!) to the great grief of his parents, and his own present guilt and subsequent bitterness in the review. There he continued, and commenced Bachelor of Arts, before his father's death; who being sick, sent for him to come home from Cambridge, but he came so late, that in the afternoon as he approached towards Dedham he met the people going from his father's funeral, which made a very deep impression upon him; and God took hold of this occasion more effectually to awaken his conscience, and alarm him respecting his duty.

Mr. Angier was kept a season at his mother's house, followed his studies, and attended to Mr. Rogers' ministry: this Mr. John Rogers, of Dedham, was a prodigy of zeal and success in his ministerial labours; it was wont to be said, Come, let us go to Dedham to get a little fire. He was lecturer there, and preached once on the Lord's day, and a lecture on the Tuesday, to which multitudes of people flocked from the parts adjacent; and his plain preaching was blessed with a large harvest. However, some expressions and gestures he used, would now seem unbecoming; yet the gravity of the man, and the general reverence people had for him, rendered them not only not offensive, but sometimes they produced wonderful effect: his taking hold of the supporters of the canopy over the pulpit with both hands at one time, and roaring hideously, to represent the torments of the damned, had an awakening force attending it. Mr. Thomas Goodwin, afterwards Dr. Goodwin, when a Fellow at Cambridge, and an eminent preacher, occasionally hearing Mr. Rogers, fell under such convictions, that he afterwards professed, that he looked on himself neither as a Christian, nor a preacher before. The following relation Mr. Angier hath often repeated, Mr. Rogers being called to preach a marriage sermon, I think insisted on the wedding garment; God made the word so effectual, that the marriage solemnity was turned into bitter mourning, so that the ministers who were at the marriage were employed in comforting or advising those whose consciences had been awakened by that sermon. O blessed espousals between Christ and souls! such sorrow was better than carnal mirth, and laid a solid foundation for spiritual joy. A gentlewoman who had travelled ten miles to hear plain and

powerful Mr. Rogers, being in great trouble of conscience, desired some conference with him; and after she had related her condition, telling long and sad stories of her wicked heart, deplorable state, God's wrath due to her, danger of dropping into hell, &c. the good old man, hearing all this, at last started up, and pacing across the floor, cried out, God be thanked, God be thanked; the gentlewoman thought the old man mad, and was strangely surprised to see him rejoice in her sorrow; but he knew what he said, and rejoiced in that sorrow, which was the seed of a blessed harvest; for that gentlewoman proved an eminent saint, and an amiable consort in exile and tribulation to a very holy and eminent minister of Christ.

After attending Mr. Rogers' lecture, while others stayed, conversed, and despatched business, it was Mr. Angier's custom to go home to his chamber to meditate, and pray, and apply the sermon to his heart for about an hour, and thus imprinted it so lastingly upon his memory, that he never forgot many passages; and by the time that the family had got home, he was ready to take his dinner with them.

He lived a season at Mr. Rogers' house, who sometimes put him upon praying in the family, which he performed with so much experience, humility, and feeling, that Mr. Rogers would often commend him, and say to his friends, this Mr. Angier will make an excellent man in his generation. Another season, he was with one Mr. Witham, whom I have often heard him commend as a great scholar, and an intelligent man, though not so successful in his ministry as a neighbouring minister of far inferior abilities; one being asked the reason, answered, there were too many for God to work by. I know some say, it was Mr. Hooker's expression relative to the famous Mr. Richardson, on the same account; alluding to Gideon's first army, of which God said, "The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands;"* but to whomsoever it was applied, the lesson is useful, to convince us of the Lord's sovereignty in owning or disowning the ministry of men; and his wisdom, lest too much should be ascribed to them, and God should lose his glory.

After this, his dear mother being tender of her son's spiritual good, consulted with her christian friends how to dispose of him; she was one of a thousand for grace, holiness, and charity, saying, she would not have her hand out of a good work. Oh, the prayers and tears she poured out for all her children, but especially for her son John, not only because he was her firstborn, but chiefly because he was devoted to God's special work * Judges vii. 2.

in the ministry, and because of his former backslidings, and her jealousy over him for the future. On consultation with friends, and begging advice from God, she being afraid to send him again to Cambridge, resolved to send him to Mr. John Cotton, at Boston, in Lincolnshire, where he boarded, studied, and sometimes preached; there he contracted an intimate friendship with those three divines, Dr. Tuckney, Dr. Hill, and Dr. Winter: Mr. Anthony Tuckney was Fellow of Emanuel, and so continued a good while, till he was called to be vicar of Boston; he was a serious, decided good man before he went to Boston; he was afterwards Master of Emanuel, and after that of St. John's, Cambridge. And for Mr. Thomas Hill, Dr. Preston, when Mr. Hill was Bachelor of Arts, intending to make him Fellow, sent him to Mr. Cotton for some time, and when he returned from thence, chose him Fellow, designing to ascertain his settled seriousness in religion before his election; for which he thought Mr. Cotton's family might be conducive, and so it proved; afterwards Dr. Hill was Master of TrinityCollege, Cambridge, and Dr. Winter, Master of Trinity-College, Dublin; all famous lights in the church of God; Mr. Angier survived them all.

And by the way, it will not be thought censurable to digress a little, and give a few particulars concerning Mr. Cotton, that reverend and worthy man, for though his life was written at large by a New England minister, and Mr. Samuel Clarke afterwards gave extracts out of it: yet some things Mr. Angier hath occasionally mentioned of him to a few of his brethren, which may not be uninteresting: Though Mr. Cotton was an excellent text man, yet he would never deliver his judgment concerning the sense of a scripture, till he had first consulted both the original and context; an excellent pattern. Mr. Angier hath sometimes related to his intimate friends, that Mr. Cotton never went into his study after having been called out on any occasion, but he began his studies again with prayer.

When I was travelling in Cheshire with Mr. Angier, where the roads were exceedingly deep and foul, after he had told me that Mr. Rogers used to say that a good conscience after trials, was like a good wife after a distressing journey, he proceeded to relate a comparison which Mr. Cotton had made: You, said he, in this level country, (Lincolnshire,) in summer time, when the roads are good and dry, are apt to think and say, surely this road will never be foul and miry again; and in the winter you think, when the ways are deep and impassable, it is impossible that these ways should be dry again, or dusty; just so when God shines on the believer's soul with the light of his

countenance, he is apt to say, my "mountain stands so strong, I shall never be moved;" but God "hides his face, then he is troubled ;" and when God is withdrawn, oh, saith the Christian, it will never be otherwise; but he lives to see things changed, the sun breaks out from under a cloud, and the black clouds disperse, and so his state is comfortably cleared up. Again Mr. Cotton observed, that God ordered all changes in the world, for comfort or correction to his own people, and modelled all things according to their condition and necessities.

Thus much for the digression concerning Mr. Cotton. To return to Mr. Angier, whom we left at Boston with Mr. Cotton, where his conversation was as became the gospel, only then and afterwards, in reference to the work of conversion on his soul, he was at a loss to decide from what time he must date it, whether before his declension at the University, or after: this case of conscience he opened to an eminent divine, (Mr. White,) with its aggravating circumstances; yet that pious man gave him encouragement, said with some confidence, that he was persuaded the first work of God upon his heart at twelve years of age, was effected by saving grace, notwithstanding his aftermiscarriages, and that God might have gracious purposes in permitting such backslidings, for his further humiliation, and preparation for further service.

At this time there lived in Mr. Cotton's family, a pious young woman, called Ellen Winstanley, born near Wigan in Lancashire, niece to Mrs. Cotton; and it pleased God to incline Mr. Angier to form a connection with her, so that within a year after he came thither, they were married in the parish church at Boston, April 16th, 1628; and they continued there till his son John was born, who was baptized in the same church, June 13th, 1629. Mr. Anthony Tuckney being then vicar, there; about this time several ministers and Christians went into New England, to enjoy the liberty of the gospel, Mr. Angier had some thoughts of going also, however, he first took a journey into Lancashire to visit his wife's relations, and take leave of them; they prevailed with him to preach at Bolton; R. M. one from Ringley chapel, hearing him, obtained from him a promise to come to Ringley on a week day, and preach with Mr. Mather, then at Toxteth Park chapel, and preparing to go into New England; Mr. Mather began, Mr. Angier was to succeed him; but it being a hot summer day, and an exceedingly throng place, Mr. Angier was overcome with heat, and swooned away, not being able to proceed further than about the middle of his sermon. Mr. Mather, however, went up and continued the services; that evening many of the chapelry fol