In the year 1699, two of his four sons-in-law✶ died, likewise, in Chester, within four or five months one of another; both of them useful good men in their places, and blessings to their families. One of them was Dr. John Tylston, a physician,-like St. Luke,a beloved physician; some time of Trinity College, in Oxford. Though he died at thirty-five years of age, he was, for several years, very eminent, and of great repute, in his profession. He was a universal scholar, had abundance of knowledge, and used it aright; and was a very devout, serious, conscientious Christian, and one that made it his business to do good. Many excellent papers he also left behind him, full fraught with proofs both of his learning and piety. He was greatly and generally lamented; and his memory is, and will be, very precious in this city. Having this occasion, I cannot forbear, even at this distance of time, dropping some tears afresh over his dust, thus publickly; for he was to me as my own soul; and, upon every remembrance of him, I must still say, as I did then, what David said of Jonathan,—I am distressed for thee, my brother; very pleasant hast thou been unto me. It pleased God graciously to prolong the life of my dear and honoured mother,+ almost eleven years after my father, very much to the comfort of all her relations; she continued, to the last, at her house at Broad Oak, where she was born, a great example of wisdom, piety, and usefulness, and abounding in good works. I think I may say, in her sphere and capacity, she was not inferior to what my father was in his. She was very happy in a constant calmness and serenity of mind, not easily disturbed; which, as it was a singular gift of the divine grace, and an instance of her wisdom, so it contributed very much to her close and comfortable walking with God, and her doing good. She lived and died rejoicing • The one, Dr. John Tylston, died April 8, 1699. See his Life in the Investigator, v. 2, p. 254, &c. The other, Mr. Samuel Radford, died August 30, 1699. See an interesting record of this event by Mrs. Savage, in the Memoirs of her Life and Character, p. 22, &c. Also, Tong's Life of the Rev. Matthew Henry, p. 149, ut supra. + Appendix, Ne. I. in Christ Jesus, and in a pleasing expectation of the glory to be revealed. Dr. Benyon* preached her funeral sermon in the meeting-place at Broad Oak, not a year before I preached his at Shrewsbury, on Hebrews, vi. 12;-Be ye followers of them, who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. The first sermon I preached at Broad Oak after that sad occasion, I wrote over at large afterwards, designing it for the benefit, not only of her children, but of her grand-children, of whom she had twenty-three following her to her grave. They have had it in manuscript among them, and now, in compliance with the desire of many of my friends, I have here added it to this edition of my father's life; and it is all I have thought fit to add to it. I confess, I am not so solicitous, as some perhaps may think I should be, to make an excuse, and to ask pardon for troubling the world with the little affairs of my poor family, and with the indulgencies of my natural affection to it. I design nothing in it but, if it may be, by the grace of God, to do good to plain people like myself. Chester, February, 27, 1711-12. MATTHEW HENRY. • Tutor of an Academy at Whixall, in Shropshire, afterwards at Shrewsbury. He was born June 14, 1673; and died March 4, 1707-8, æt. 35. See Matthew Henry's Miscellaneous Works, p. 759. Messrs. Burder and Hughes's edition, 4to. CONTENTS. PAGE. His ejectment from Worthenbury; his non-conformity; his |