to this day Archers have sorely griev'd us and shot at us 34 Arrows I mean Warrants but our Bow abides in strength by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob Officers have come Eighteen Lord's days together but have not as yet scattered us how easy is it for God to save us while we serve him if we could believe I am encouraged to hope that some good is done or may be done by my poor labours in this season and 't is no ill sign when Satan rageth so violently against us God can work without or against means and can work by improbable means to accomplish great ends I was never more inwardly born up under storms nor strengthened against difficulties in all my life it may be my time is but short and my work near an end Oh! that I may live and die in God's work and way and be faithful unto death Dear Brother let my condition have a deeper impression on your heart than ordinary Two Warrants one for 20 l. the other for 40 l. have been out against me these Seven Weeks but we keep our doors fast Barred and the Officers are very Civil to us Oh! that I could see you I have no Horse but go all my Journeys on foot November 13 1674. He thus writes I bless God my Liberty notwithstanding all my troubles is not wholly lost but sometimes disturbed we meet in fear yet we meet in both Chappels No Warrant is sent for a Month or more and my Auditory increaseth again Oh! that I had an heart to improve late experiences and present opportunities and do my duty leaving the issue to him that judgeth righteously But his excessive Pains though refreshing to his Spirit yet were wasting to his Body for about that time thus he writes I am still at work in both Chappels but I am much cast down with pains and weakness of Body having overgone my strength and wasted my self in these intervals of Liberty God hath given us But I have no reason to repent any thing I could ever do for so good a Master Oh! that I had done more and better About the same time he Writes thus Some assaults Satan hath made upon me with a right-hand Temptation the whole Parish of Aughton have been importunate with me to put my self into a capacity for their Parsonage worth Seven or Eightscore Pond per Annum the Bishop i. e. Dr. Wilkins promiseth favour to me in it but God did not leave me so much as to have any serious thoughts to yeild to that Temptation I do preach still but not so constantly nor in so full a Congregration as formerly Dear Brother I beseech you for the Lord's sake and for the love of the Spirit strive together with me in your Prayers to God for me you know for what c. At last after many struglings threatnings affrightings peoples withdrawings and rallying again a stratagem was contrived to knock all dead at a blow some Deputy-Lieutenants sent some Soldiers to take Mr. Heywood in the Pulpit and though it was known yet they met in Bickerstaff Chappel Lady Stanly came out of her Gallery and placed herself near the Pulpit-door hoping to over-aw their Spirits and obstruct their designs the Soldiers stood without while Mr. Heywood was at prayer but when he had prayed they rushed in and required him to come down and go along with them he mildly desired the favour of them that they would give him leave to preach and he would go along with them but they rudely run towards the Pulpit the Lady would have stopp'd them but they pressed forward opened the Pulpit door got hold of his Coat and tore it and in a sort pull'd him out and took him away with them straight to Holland nor could the Lady's mediation prevail to procure him a little refreshment only in the road he grew saint and desired them to call with him at an Ale-house which they did and the Landlady though he had no acquaintance with her was exceeding kind to him and said he should have any thing she had in the house but those Rogues said she shall not have a morsel that took him so they carried him away to an Alehouse in Holland where he lodged that night and from whence thus writ to his Wife I am very well I bless God and never in greater honour or so highly advanced in all my life I was pulled out of the Pulpit with a Pistol lifted up at my head and a God-dam-me in mine ears but the man repents his rashness and wishes he had let me preach for he never heard a better prayer c. But be not troubled God hath shewed me more mercy than I can be thankful for Oh! help me to praise him Oh! what cause have we to rejoice in suffering upon this account God will have Glory and his Church the benefit c. but I fear it must be an Imprisonment or promise not to preach which is my very life But God in his gracious Providence did also scatter this cloud for the day after when it was noised abroad that Mr. Heywood was taken abundance of People and many considerable Gentlemen and some that were no friends to his Cause yet out of respect to his Person mediated for him yea several of good report and intimate with the Justices offered to be bound for his appearance and to give any security that should be required The Justices then tendred him the Oxford Oath he was in a strait for if he peremptorily refused it they had some advantage against him he told them that persons must swear in judgment and therefore he desired some time to consider of it which was consented to And seeing such an appearance of persons of all ranks for him they gave him respite and liberty to go home till the next Quarter-Sessions which was to be at Wigan a Month after but they bound him to appear at the Sessions Thus he was delivered out of that snare and went home and writ a Letter that day dated Jan. 28. 1674. Pray help me to praise God and remember a poor sufferer for the Gospel in your prayers People do so throng in to see me now I am come home again that I have not time to write fully to you but commit you to God and his protection that you may long enjoy and fruitfully improve that sweet Liberty in God's Vineyard which I doubt I have lost and indeed so it proved The Sessions at Wigan came on he attended there according to his Bonds several Justices appeared for him and his friends came to see the issue and to mediate for him Old Lady Stanly came herself and her Husband Mr. Henry Hoghton a Justice of Peace yea Mr. Christopher Banister of Bank and several others spoke much on his behalf another Justice then upon the Bench said If Mr. Heywood was sent to Lancaster Goal he should be as comfortably maintained and as honourably released as ever any Prisoner was some of his
Curse by mens unjust Censures 2. But the throne of God and the lamb shall be in it this is the Beatifical Vision that looks Souls out of sin and suffering and who dare presume to arrest the King's Favourites in his presence 3. And his servants shall serve him whether Devils or Men will or no these blessed Attendants on the King of Glory shall never be interrupted in their chearful Service 4. And 1 Cor. 13. 12. 1 John 3. 2. they shall see his face i. e. they shall not behold him in a glass darkly as now they see God in Ordinances but then face to face yea they shall see him as he is which is a riddle to us here below immediately though not comprehensively 5. And his name shall be in their fore-heads i. e. They shall openly profess whose they are and to whom they belong as distinguisht palpably from wicked men and Hypocrites They shall no more sculk in Corners or be thrust out of publick Places but shall openly avouch their Master 6 And there shall be no night there i. e. no works of darkness to lament or contest with no Beasts of prey to creep forth and worry the Saints no secret Plots against them no ignorance amongst Christian Societies to create Differences Jealousies and Animosities 7. They need no candle neither light of the sun no need of Ordinances as here below they are used and useful Preachers shall study or preach no more People need not hear Sermons neither Preachers or People shall stand in need of Seals the Substance is present Shadows flee away 8. The Lord God giveth them light their injoyment of God is immediate uninterrupted and satisfying in his light they see light as the Object will be clearer to be seen so their Eyes will be perfectly irradiated to behold him 9. And they shall reign for ever and ever though his Servants shall serve him yet it shall be no troublesome bondage or slavery but a liberty and dominion they shall sit with Christ in his Throne as Assessors judge the World and it Rev. 3. 2. may be judge their Judges approving the righteous Sentence of 1 Cor. 6. 2. their Royal Master the Blessed Jesus King of kings and Lord of lords And if all this be meant of some glorious state of the Church on Earth as some will needs have it yet that 's but a faint resemblance of this more happy State in Heaven And further for the duration of it 't is added 10. And they shall reign for ever and ever Earthly Monarchs are but short-liv'd Kingdoms have their periods but Kings are of less continuance of Christ's Kingdom there is no end and his Subjects reign runs paralel with the Life of God and Line of Eternity Oh blessed Souls oh happy Saints that shall for ever be with the Lord And here we leave the Soul of our dear Brother singing triumphantly the Song of Moses and of the Lamb in the height of Zion whilst we poor Mortals are glad if we can sing but the Song of degrees As for the solemn interment of that Case and Cabinet once the Receptacle now the Relict of that precious Pearl it was judged meet that Solemnity should be put off till Wednesday Dec. 19. 1677. that distant Friends might have seasonable notice and that day Mr. Starky a Non-conformist Minister preached an excellent Sermon in the Parish-Church at Ormes-kirk no man forbidding him nay all that were any way concerned consenting upon Col. 3. 4. When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory There was a vast confluence of all sorts of people at his Funeral great lamentation and many signal demonstrations of universal love and respect which he had from all the Country his Body was laid in the Chancel and Burying-place which belongs to the Ancient Family of Stanlies of Bickerstaff Knights and Baronets it was with their free consent and desire The Reverend Minister that preached after he had acutely learnedly and profitably handled his Text gave a short but full Account of him in his several Capacities as Minister Husband Father Friend and especially God-wards as a Christian And as the Eccho's of the Hearers gave testimony to the truth of what was spoken so to their sad resentment of their irreparable loss All the Town in their several Capacities doing him honour in their peculiar way Mr. Constable the chiefest Officer in the Town of considerable Authority carried the Staff like a Mace before the Corps and the rest walked in their due and decent order Now although this was insignificant to the Dead and not edifying much to the Living yet decent Burials have always amongst civilized Nations been accounted the duty of the Living and an honour to the Dead And there is a special remembrance of this in Scripture for it 's said of Hezekiah that all Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death On the contrary it is recorded 2 Chron. 32. 33. as a perpetual Infamy of Jehoram the bad Son of good Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 21. 20. that he departed without being desir'd and of another bad Son of a good King Jehoiakin the Son of Josiah that they shall not lament for him saying Ah my brother but he shall be buried with Jer. 22. 18 19. the burial of an Ass drawn and cast forth beyond the Gates of Jerusalem But this Good man honoured God whilst living and God honoured him at his death and advanced his Soul to better and Eternal Honour Mr. Heywood went to his Grave in peace after all his tumultuous Tossings upon the tempestuous Sea of this World he dyed in the 44th year of his Age and about two Months above having lived long in a little time and I find several choice men taken out of the world about that Age. So among the German Divines Strigelius dyed Vid. vit in Metch Ad. 44 years of Age and 6 months Flinschpach 44. Simlerus dyed in the 45th year so we find Erpenius dyed at 40 years of age Mr. Robert Rollock dyed in the 43d year of his age the Famous Dr. Whitaker in his 47th But to mention no more our Famous Mr. William Perkins lived but 44 years being cut off by a violent Fit of the Stone And indeed we have frequently observed that laborious Ministers are short-liv'd some are of weak Constitutions and spend their Lungs with speaking or by a sedentary life contract Diseases or are fretted with the untowardness of their people or God in judgment takes them away as a punishment to a wicked world However like a Candle they spend themselves to give light to others Many gracious young men are very zealous and make hast with their Work and get it quickly dispatcht off their hands and go to bed betimes And God is not willing to be without their company too long Oh how many brave promising Plants have been pluckt up of late years that were heavy laden with
with Personal Disposition Christian Graces and Ministerial Abilities so God gave him favour in the sight of all with whom he conversed It 's true he had Adversaries but it was for the matters of his God wherein his Principles carried him to practices different from them yet even those commended him for his Parts and Preaching Yea at death some that had been bitter Enemies to him were well reconciled to him One instance was very remarkable one Mr. Brownlow an old Gentleman that lived in the Town who had conceived a bitter grudge against Mr. Heywood after King Charles's Return because he would not read the Common-Prayer but upon his Death-bed he sent for Mr. Heywood intreated him to go to prayer with him and when Mr. A. the Vicar would have come to read Common Prayer he would not suffer him but would not part with Mr. Heywood while he lived Thus I have given a brief Narrative of what was memorable in this holy man of God and imitable by us I may say to every one Go thou and do likewise Let Christians pray that God would send forth many such Labourers into his Harvest succeed their Labours and learn to improve such Soul-helps that they may give a good account of these rich Talents at last A Letter sent by Mr. Nathanael Heywood to a Christian Friend upon the death of his godly Wife May 1. 1675. Dear Friend I Received yours of Jan. 30. long since and had answered it much sooner but that I had some purposes and was not without hopes of doing it not by writing but by coming to you at your appointed time in March last but being prevented of that and now having such pains of body through my old distemper as makes me very uncapable of riding far that I am not certain to see you this Summer though I intend and shall endeavour it I can forbear writing no longer nor further delay that which I account my duty till I come over I give you hearty thanks for your loving and godly Letter whereby I was much refreshed in those my late troubles which indeed were many and heavy yet in such a Cause and for such a Master did I suffer that I must needs say they were light and easy Oh! that God may have the glory and others be encouraged As sufferings for Christ did abound so consolations abounded by Christ Let the world know that suffering for Christ is the very Element wherein Christ's Love liveth and exerciseth it self and his choicest Cordials are reserved for such a time I was in great measure a stranger to the comforts and sweetness of Christianity till I was singled out to bear the Cross but am now well satisfied that that which I suffered for and still do suffer is Christ's Truth because he was pleased to seal my sufferings with the sweet sense and experience of unspeakable joy and peace and I know he will not put his seal to a blank-paper nor will he be a witness to a lye Had not some great Persons interposed by their Interest and Authority I had certainly gone to Prison at that time when I was taken by Soldiers and at the Sessions shortly after had not God raised up other Friends some of them Justices to frustrate the purpose and design of my cruel Enemies who would have sent me Six Months to Prison the Sessions before for living within Five Miles of this Town yea would have Convicted me among Recusants for not coming to this Church but it pleased God by a special Providence to prevent that also But alas all these troubles are nothing to that I am now Mourning under the loss of publick Liberty a closed Mouth dumb and silent Sabbaths to be cast out of the Vineyard as a dry and withered Branch and to be laid aside as a broken Vessel in whom there is no pleasure is a sore burthen I know not how to bear my heart bleeds under it as a sting and edge added to my other troubles and afflictions This exercise of my Ministry next to Christ is dearer to me than any thing in the world It was my Heaven till I come home even to spend this life in gathering Souls to Christ But I must lay even that down at Christ's feet and be dumb and silent before the Lord because he has done it who can do no wrong and whose judgments are past finding out I am sure I have reason to conclude with the Prophet I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Dear Brother I hear that it hath pleased God to remove from you the desire of your eyes and my dear Friend I am heartily sorry for that sore breach in your Family and desire to suffer with you in the loss of your loving and good Wife now gone before according to the method and order he hath appointed whose Understanding is infinite whither you are shortly to follow He that made yesterday to go before this day and the former Generation in birth and life to have been before this Generation and hath made some Flowers grow so to die and wither in May and others in June cannot be challenged in the order he observes with us that one must bury another You know who said I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou Lord didst it All things are Ordered in Wisdom and Judgment by your Father at whose feet your own Soul and your Heaven lyeth and so the days of your Wife You had her as long as your Lease lasted and seeing her Term was come and your Lease run out you can no more justly quarrel with the great Sovereign for taking his own at his just Term-day than a poor Farmer can complain that his Master takes a portion of his own Land to himself when his Lease is expired And is not he an ill debtor who payeth that which he hath borrowed with a grudg Certainly the long loan of such a good Wife an Heir of Grace and Member of Christ as I verily believe deserveth more thanks at the Creditors hands than that you should grieve and murmur when he craveth but his own I believe you would judge them to be but unthankful Neighbours who would pay you a sum of Money after this manner I know you would be sorry either to be or to be esteemed any thing like an Atheist and yet not I but the Apostle 1 Thes 4. 13. thinks those to be hopeless Atheists who Mourn excessively for the Dead But this is not a challenge on my part some jealousie I have lest you be overmuch grieved for the loss of such a meet-Help but you have reason to rejoyce that when a part of you is on Earth another part of you is Glorified in Heaven sleeping in the Bosom of the Almighty Fellow her but envy her not For indeed it is self-love in us that maketh us Mourn for them that die in the Lord because for them we cannot Mourn since they are never happy till they