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Some Account of the AUTHOR from the

NONCONFORMIST'S MEMORIAL.

REV. THOMAS CASE, of Christ Ch. Oxford,

was the son of Mr. GEORGE CASE, minister of Boxley, Kent. His first pastoral charge was at Erpingham, in Norfolk, out of which place he was forced by Bp. Wren's severity. He was summoned to the high commission-court, and bailed; but before answer could be given to the articles preferred against him, the court was dissolved by act of parliament. He afterwards settled in London, in the sequestered living of Milk Street, where he was very laborious and faithful in his ministerial work. He it was that first set up the Morning Exercise, which, to the benefit of multitudes, was kept up in the city many years afterwards. He was turned out of this living for refusing the engagement; and was afterwards lecturer at Aldermanbury, and St. Giles's, Cripplegate. He was imprisoned six months in the Tower for his concern with Mr. LOVE; from whence he was released with the rest, on their making submission, when most of them were reinstated in their livings. Mr. CASE made the best use he could of his time during his imprisonment, employing himself in the meditations which he afterwards preached and printed under the title of "Correction, Instruction." He was afterwards Rector of St. Giles's in the Fields. In 1660, he was one of the ministers deputed to wait on the King at the Hague; and in 1661, one of the commissioners at the Savoy. When his public ministry was at an end, he ceased

not in private to do all the good he could. He died May 30, 1682, aged eighty-four. His funeral sermon was preached by Dr. JACOMB, who gives a full account of his character; the substance of which is: That he was of a quick and warm spirit; but an open plain-hearted man, a hearty lover of God and goodness, and of all good men. He was a scriptural preacher; a great man in prayer, and one who brought home. many souls to God. He was the longest survivor of any who composed the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, who continued among the dissenters.

His works were: Sermons before the Lords and Commons-Sermons at Milk Street, on God's waiting to be Gracious-Sermons on the Covenant-And others on particular occasions-Imitation of the Saints, opened in practical Meditations-Mount Pisgah; or a Prospect of Heaven-Correction, Instruction, or a Treatise on Afflictions-The first and last Sermon in the Morn. Exercise at St. Giles's-Sermon on the Sanctification of the Sabbath, in the Supp. to the Morn. Ex. at Cripplegate-Funeral Sermons for Gualter Rosewell, at Chatham; for Mrs. Anne Browne, on the Imitation of the Saints, to which. is prefixed a letter to Mr. Case from Mr. William Woodward, dated 1666-For Kinsmel Lucy, Esq.—Mrs. Elizabeth Scott-Darcy Wivell, Esq.-And a Sermon to the Citizens born in Kent.

NONCON. MEM.

Vol I. page 153. New Edit.

Epistle to the Reader.

READER,

THOU hast here in the following

leaves some PRISON THOUGHTS, I wish I could say, EXPERIENCES. If I have not

written herein what I have FOUND, I bless God, I have written what I have SOUGHT. I must humbly confess with holy Paul, I count not myself to have apprehended; yet through grace I can add with that blessed saint, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, Ì

PRESS TOWARDS THE MARK. God hath taught me somewhat of the doctrine, if he would please to teach me the use; God hath in some measure shewed me what is to be gained by afflictions, if he would also teach me how to gain it, I should with Moses,

account my sufferings greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. The discovery is sweet; if my heart deceive me not, I would not exchange it for the wealth of both the Indies; the possession is infinitely precious. For thy advantage I have been persuaded to print; my prayers shall accompany my papers, that that God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth things that are not as though they were, would please to make those brokenexpressions answer the aim: and for the aims-sake despise them not, but pray thou also; and when thou prayest, remember the chiefest of sinners, the poor and unworthy author, who, while yet in the land of the living, will be

Thine to serve thee,

in the gospel of Christ,

m

CASE.

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