John Avery
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\ John Avery was a puritan minister of great piety, but . driven from his native country by the persecution of i Archbishop Laud; when, in the year 1634, he fled to New ^ England. Upon his arrival, he settled for a short time at NewDury; but, receiving an invitation to Marble-Head, he determined upon a removal to that place. Having embarkedin a small vessel, together with Mr. Anthony Thacker, another worthy minister, there arose a most tremendous storm, by which the vessel struck against a rock and was dashed to pieces. The whole company, consisting of twenty-three persons, got upon the rock, but were suc' cesslvely washed off and drowned, except Mr. Thacker and his wife. Mr. Thacker and Mr. Avery held each other by the hand a long time, resolving to die together, j till by a tremendous wave, the latter was washed away and ' drowned. The moment before this happened, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, saying, u We know not what the pleasure of God may be. I fear we have been too unmindful of former deliverances. Lord, I cannot challenge a
• Clark's Lives, p. 144.
t Thli U a book well known, having pasted through numerous edition!. Mr. Baxter inform! ui, that he, in a great measure, owed hit conver!lon to his rending this book. This circumstance alone, observes Mr. Granger, would have rendered the name of Sibbs memorable.—SylveiUr'i Lif» tf Baxter, part i. p. 4.—Granger's Biog. HUU vol. II. p. 176.
promise of the preservation of my life; but thou hast promised to deliver us from sin and condemnation, and to bring us safe to heaven, through the all-sufficient satisfaction of Jesus Christ. This, therefore, I do challenge of thee." He had no sooner uttered these words, than he was swept into the mighty deep, and no more seen. Mr. Thacker and his wife were also washed off the rock; but after being tossed in the waves for some time, the former was cast on shore, where he found his wife a sharer in the deliverance. The island was from that time called Thacker's Woe, and the rock, Avery's Fall. This disaster occurred August 14, 1635.'