Purpose with the Universities of Scotland, and was instrumental in sending many thither, and procuring Assistance there for some that needed it. He buried his dear Wife' in the Year 1695, and by her he left only one Son living, who has been many Years useful in the Ministry. About the Year 1707 the Infirmities of Age grew upon him, occasioned by an ill Fall he had as he was returning to his House, after preaching on a publick Fast-Day, in which Exercise he had exceeded his Strength; yet he continued doing Good to the last, and the Spirit was as willing as ever, even when the Flesh was weak, and not weak only, but much pain'd. When he could scarce set one Foot before another, yet he would attend the Lecture at Salters Hall and the Meeting for Charitable Contributions very sedulously, though at a great Distance from his House: And but a little before he dy'd, when he was so weak and ill that he could scarce mind any Thing else, yet he stir'd up himself to give Advice and Direction in an Affair of Charity, wherein his Assistance had been much depended upon. He kept up his publick Work, though he struggled with much Difficulty in it, till within Ten Weeks of his Death; and often took Notice of it with Thankfulness to God, that though for some time before he was confin'd to his House all the Week, yet till May 4, 1712, he had Strength on the Lord's Day to go to his Meeting-Place and preach once, and administer the Lord's Supper every Month. In his last Illness he express'd a chearful Resignation of himself to the Will of God, an entire Dependance upon the Grace of Christ, and a believing, comfortable Expectation of the Glory to be revealed. Some of his Sayings in his Weakness have been mentioned in the foregoing Sermon, and need not to be repeated. He finished his Course, and fell asleep in the Lord, on Thursday, July 3, 1712, and was buried the Monday following, in the BuryingPlace in Bun-hill Fields. There the Weary are at Rest. FINIS. 1 On the death of his wife Stretton wrote a pathetic letter to Thoresby, dated 4 May, 1698. (Thoresby Letters, i, p. 202.) 2 On 31 July, 1707, he wrote to Thoresby :-"I crawl about with great difficulty and uneasiness, and yet when carried to my work I am enabled to go through it." 3 Bunhill Fields Burying Ground, near Finsbury Square, was "the Campo Santo" of the Dissenters. Here were buried John Bunyan, George Fox, Dr. Daniel Williams, Daniel De Foe, Susannah Wesley, Dr. Isaac Watts. (Cunningham's London.) Goodman Fields, where Stretton resided, are to the south of Whitechapel, in Aldgate. EXTRACTS FROM THE SERMON.1 He was very active, as I am informed, in furnishing poor Ministers and Candidates for the Ministry with useful Books: A great deal of Money and Time and Pains he bestowed this Way; and herein his earnest Care reach'd as far as the North of Scotland, large Sums being procured by him for the erecting of Libraries there; and an excellent Method it was, both for the diffusing of Knowledge to distant Places and the preserving of it to future Ages. In his Labours for carrying on that and other pious Designs, he was indefatigable to the last, and his Diligence kept Pace with his earnest Care. He had had an Acquaintance with divers parts of the Kingdom; was born in Leicestershire; the First Fruits of his Ministry were at Petworth, in Sussex; from that place he was thrown out (from a Curacy there) at the Restoration. But upon that Providence cast his Lot in Yorkshire, where he continued about Seventeen Years, and then moved to this City. And what a Blessing he was to that County by his extensive Beneficence and Care for them, after his Removal hither; I am told that there are many that will witness that never saw his Face. He had an Acquaintance with many considerable Families both in City and Country, and an Interest in them, which he improv'd, not for himself, but for the Public Good. All that knew him valued him for his try'd Integrity, and that great Plainness and Sincerity which was remarkable in him. He used to say that he kept up his Acquaintance with Persons of Estate and Figure as long as he could improve it for the doing of Good, and when it could no longer be made to serve that Purpose, he let it drop; for, said he, I'll never adore a gilded Post. When a Friend of his that visited him in his Sickness mentioned to him his great Usefulness, and what Comfort he might now have in Reflection upon it, he humbly replied, Alas, I have done but little Service for God in my Generation; I wish I had done more: But (saith he) God is good and gracious. 1 Thoresby notes in his Diary (ii, p. 137, ed. Hunter): -" Die Dom. Morning wrote in Diary; then inquired after Mr Stretton's meeting-place, which I found hung round with black; Mr. Cotton preached very well from Prov. xiij, 31, Doc. that old age in the way and service of God is very honourable. Afternoon, Mr. Henry preached excellently upon the much lamented death of Mr. Stretton, from 2 Cor. viii, 16." Thoresby then gives an epitome of the sermon. It was a Petition which (as I am told) Mr. Stretton frequently put up to God in his Prayers with his Family, Lord, grant that we may be useful while we are here, and that we may not be wanted when we are gone. Those that are employed to minister in Holy Things have their Hands full of Work, and therefore need to have their Heads and Hearts full of Care. Let those who are engaged in this Work make a Business of it, or they make nothing of it. Mr. Perkins' took it for his Motto, Minister Verbi os, Hoc Age. We must take Heed to the Ministry we have received that we fulfil it; must be in Care to pray well, and preach well, and live well, in Care to find out profitable Matter and acceptable Words, &c." 1 William Perkins (1558–1602), theological writer; M.A., Christ's College, Cambridge, 1584; distinguished for his strong Calvinism; author of Armilla Auria. (See Dictionary of National Biography.) 2 For an account of the ministers at Mill Hill Chapel, see Lectures on the Memory of the Just, by the Rev. Charles Wicksteed. (London: Chapman, 1847; and second ed., much enlarged, 1849) |