But the care he took of the affairs of the church in general was very
great.
VIII. He was often where the records of the business of the church are
kept, and where the letters from the many meetings of God's people over
all the world use to come: which letters he had read to him, and
communicated them to the meeting, that is weekly {57} held for such
services; and he would be sure to stir them up to answer them, especially
in suffering cases, showing great sympathy and compassion upon all such
occasions; carefully looking into the respective cases, and endeavouring
speedy relief, according to the nature of them. So that the churches, or
any of the suffering members thereof, were sure not to be forgotten, or
delayed in their desires, if he was there.
IX. As he was unwearied, so he was undaunted in his services for God and
his people; he was no more to be moved to fear than to wrath. His
behaviour at Derby, Lichfield, Appleby, before Oliver Cromwell, at
Launceston, Scarborough, Worcester, and Westminster Hall, with many other
places and exercises, did abundantly evidence it, to his enemies as well
as his friends.
But as, in the primitive times, some rose up against the blessed apostles
of our Lord Jesus Christ, even from among those that they had turned to
the hope of the gospel, and became their greatest trouble; so this man of
God had his share of suffering from some that were convinced by him; who,
through prejudice or mistake, ran against him, as one that sought
dominion over conscience, because he pressed, by his presence or
epistles, a ready and zealous compliance with such good and wholesome
things, as tended to an orderly conversation about the affairs of the
church, and in their walking before men.
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