Benjamin Grosvenor

[py3ak]

In William Symington's memoir of Stephen Charnock (in the two volume The Existence and Attributes of God, I don't know if it's in the 1.vol edition) there is a brief paragraph on Benjamin Grosvenor. I have never heard him mentioned in any other context. Does anyone know anything about him?

Here is what Symington says:

William Symington, Memoir of Stephen Charnock
Dr. Benjamin Grosvenor succeeded Mr. Slater. His singular acumen, graceful utterance, lively imagination, and fervid devotion, are said to have secured for the congregation a greater degree of prosperity than it had ever before enjoyed. A pleasing recollection has been preserved, of perhaps one of the most touching discourses ever composed, having been delivered by him in this Hall, on The Temper of Christ. In this discourse the Saviour is introduced, by way of illustrating his own command that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem," as giving the Apostles directions how they are to proceed in carrying out this requirement. Amongst other things, he is represented as saying to them:

—"Go into all nations and offer this salvation as you go; but lest the poor house of Israel should think themselves abandoned to despair, the seed of Abraham, mine ancient friend; as cruel and unkind as they have been, go, make them the first offer of grace; let them that struck the rock, drink first of its refreshing streams; and they that drew my blood, be welcome to its healing virtue. Tell them, that as I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, so, if they will be gathered, I will be their shepherd still. Though they despised my tears which I shed over them, and imprecated my blood to be upon them, tell them 'twas for their sakes I shed both; that by my tears I might soften their hearts towards God, and by my blood I might reconcile God to them.....Tell them, you have seen the prints of the nails upon my hands and feet, and the wounds of the spear in my side; and that those marks of their cruelty are so far from giving me vindictive thoughts, that, if they will but repent, every wound they have given me speaks in their behalf, pleads with the Father for the remission of their sins, and enables me to bestow it.....Nay, if you meet that poor wretch that thrust the spear into my side, tell him there is another way, a better way, of coming at my heart. If he will repent, and look upon him whom he has pierced, and will mourn, I will cherish him in that very bosom he has wounded; he shall find the blood he shed an ample atonement for the sin of shedding it. And tell him from me, he will put me to more pain and displeasure by refusing this offer of my blood, than when he first drew it forth."

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Reuben -- You can find a link to a brief biographical sketch of him in this thread:

http://www.puritanboard.com/f29/salters-hall-sermons-against-popery-29540/

 

[py3ak]

Thanks, Andrew! I don't suppose anything he's written has been republished in modern times. The biographical sketch made him seem like a very moderate person. I wonder how he did with the controversies that were running over the country in his closing years.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Thanks, Andrew! I don't suppose anything he's written has been republished in modern times. The biographical sketch made him seem like a very moderate person. I wonder how he did with the controversies that were running over the country in his closing years.

I don't know of anything republished by him in modern times, but I found his treatise "The Mourner" (commended in the aforementioned link) online:

Internet Archive: Details: The mourner: or, the afflicted relieved [microform]
The mourner: or, The afflicted relieved - Google Book Search

 

[py3ak]

Thanks, Andrew. I started to read it, and it is very worthwhile.