or Gravel certainly it was exceeding acute and painful yet it is disputable whether his loss of Gospel-Liberties or his violent Bodily Distemper was the greater Affliction to him His Riding about Six or Seven Miles in the year 1675. rendered his pain in making Water scarce tolerable thus he writes I have now this last ill fit discovered more of the cause of it than ever before I am very confident it is not the Stone but Flegm or a Salt Humour or both that stops the Urine c. It 's not properly the Strangury saith he in another but a Coagulation of Humours through overmuch Acidity that sharpens and sometimes stops my Urine Want of Health and Liberty believe me are two sore evils I hope you will particularly help me with your Prayers for direction as to Health but more especially as to restoration of Liberty in my beloved work the loss of which is a greater grief than the want of Health and Ease In another Letter dated July 15. 1676. he saith I have endured extreame pain and torment a Month together all which time excepting two or three days I never make Water and that I was forced to do very often but the last drop came out with so much difficulty and excessive pain about the neck of the Bladder that it made me roar and tremble and had so shrunk my Flesh and weakened my Body that I did apprehend Death to be approaching The good Lord fit and prepare me for it and account me worthy to find Mercy in that time of need My pain was occasioned by the great heat and preaching that hot weather oftener and longer than I was well able I am sure I have greatest reason to submit to his holy Will yea and be thankful also that though he hath afflicted me very sore yet he hath not given me over to death whereas I hear of many that are dead of late of my distemper Bishop Wilkins Cousin John Crompton and several hereabouts within these two months I beg your prayers that if God spare my Life he would also give Health and Liberty to improve it in his service more publickly and fruitfully or if it be death which will be less unwelcome because of my restraints pangs and troubles in this world only my Wife and Children make the thoughts of it burthensome may God be glorified I hope it will be my advantage I wish neither you nor any faithful Minister that minds and loves his work may ever know what I have felt in the want of People and Work Other Afflictions are light compared to a dumb Mouth and silent Sabbaths c. Yet notwithstanding all this Affliction he had a wonderful great desire once again if it were the Will of God to visit his friends in Yorkshire and God was pleased to grant his request for he gave him some mitigation of his Pain which was an encouragement to undertake that Journey so himself his Wife and his Two Sons Travelled into Yorkshire April 20. 1677. there he preach'd the Sermons that are since Printed and another most excellent and pathetical Sermon upon Rom. 5. 8. From thence he sent his Eldest Son to be trained up in Academical Learning with Mr. Frankland at Natland in Westmorland But Oh! what affectionate parting was there as if they must never see one another's faces again and indeed so it proved they could not speak to each other for weeping and sobbing he desired another to pray for he could not refrain In that Journey he was carried out beyond himself in praying preaching discoursing to the admiration and edification of all his ancient Friends in those Parts though he had frequent returns of his wonted Pain He was as a man coming down from Heaven to tell what 's done there or as one ripe for Heaven too big for Earth upon the wing to take his flight into those Mansions above as indeed it proved After he had done his work in those Parts which he designed he left Yorkshire on May 1. 1677. but could reach that day but Ten Miles the next morning he went to Ratchdal he was forcibly detained by the importunity of Christian Friends and preached there that evening tho greatly to his prejudice as to Health the day following he reached Bolton yet saith he with great difficulty and hard hewing they got home on Friday night and it would have been great inconvenience to have staid one day longer upon several necessary accounts which he mentions Thus God carried him abroad in Mercy and brought him seasonably back to his own house in safety How much he was satisfied with this Journey though his pains were extreme several days after his return home his Letter May 14. 1677. doth testifie The great Mercy saith he in my late Journey to you comforts with you and safe return home where we found all well I hope I shall never forget pray help me to be thankful for them I do heartily thank you for all your Pulpit Table House and Countrey-kindness I am sorry and ashamed I made no better improvement of them not knowing that ever I shall enjoy such opportunities again of doing my self and others good in your parts but an indisposed Body and a bad heart marr Duties and waste Mercies His distemper still continued and prevailed upon him all that Summer in a Letter dated September 20. 1677. he saith I am far from being well and as the Church once complained she forgat prosperity so I health and am ready sometimes to add as She my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. This day Five Weeks I came from the Exercise at Toxtoth-Park where I had preached twice and oftener then I was well able a little before Since that day I never came on Horse-back nor preached but once near home but all this time God hath been preaching to me with a terrible thundring Voice Oh! that I could hear the Rod and who hath appointed it So sharp and so long a fit of Pain I never had since this distemper begun God alone knows what may be the issue of it but for my part though I find it no easy matter to look death in the face and to conquer the difficulties that precede and attend it yet I have no great reason to love life or to desire my long stay in this wicked weary world my pained days and wearisome nights make thoughts of death and grave less terrible and apprehensions of Rest with Christ most welcome and pleasant But I feel natural inclinations working towards life and to loving themselves with the fair glass of doing God more and better Service in his Church I am best resolved and most at Anchor when I can but oh how seldom how coldly do I say The Will of the Lord be done Dear Brother Pray for me as I would do for my self that to me to live may be Christ and to die gain Yesterday for some hours I was in extreme torment but am much easier I bless God to day
hid them out of our sight and hindred our Converse with them yet they have dropt the Mantle of good Examples which still we have and observant Eyes and diligent Pens have drawn some Renowned Patriots in lively Colours in which we may behold much of God's Image in the face of their conversings amongst men and Conversations both in their Personal and Publick Capacities This is a petty Resurrection and much good service is done to succeeding Ages hereby by which they being dead yet speak yea spiritual life is transfused to Readers through the Lines and Leaves transmitted to them Blessed be God for these famous Heroes If the Jews mentioned such Brave Men dead with Notes of Remark as Rabbi Hillel of Blessed Memory Why should not the memory of the just be blessed Certainly Prov. 10. 7. there 's a vast difference in the ears of Protestants betwixt Blessed Bradford and Bloody Bonner Men usually say when they have interred the Corps of their dead Relations and left them in the Dust that they have done their last Office to them or for them But I judge that to be a gross mistake for there are several Offices to which we are bound on their behalf 1. We ought to lament their Death as a sad loss for the Church of God I speak of pious and useful Persons Gen. 50. 10. decent Funeral Solemnities were kept a considerable time in Scripture 2. Observing and complying with the Commands and the Gen. 50. 16. Deut. 34. 10. Counsels of the Dead so Joseph's Brethren 3. Giving the Dead deserved Commendation 4. Vindication of their Reputation according to truth 5. Monuments erected for a Memorial as Jacob over Rachel's Gen. 35. 20. 2 Sam. 1. 17. 1 Kings 3. 6. Acts 9. 34. Grave 6. Funeral Elegies as David over Saul and Jonathan 7. Owning our Father's God and Covenant so Solomon 8. Manifesting Demonstrations of dead Person 's Charity and Piety as the Widows for Dorcas 9. An exact imitation of their praise-worthy Acts. 10. Communion with Heb. 6. 12. Heb. 12. 22. dead Saints believing that there are such rejoycing in their Glory hoping in a short time to be with them thinking of them studying Conformity to them that we may do God's Will on Earth as it 's done in Heaven 11. Yea something is also due from us to the surviving Relations of our pious dead Friends as David shewed kindness 2 Sam. 9. 2. to Jonathan's seed All this and possibly more without the imputation of Saint-worship may surviving Christians do when their gracious Friends and Relations disappear in this Lower World only let us not admire them but God in them so saith the Text 2 Thes 1. 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe Mark it Gods holiest Saints must not be admired but God in them Our Admiration must not respect Men simply but be terminated upon God through them Creature-worship is very natural to us especially if we see more than ordinary excellency in the Creature or receive some singular Benefit thereby The great Apostle John was twice guilty of Angel-adoration and was twice admonished against it But doubtless it is a good Work and no despicable Office of surviving Friends to commemorate the imitable Acts of dead Ministers or Christians of considerable Magnitude and Figure in the Church This is my Apology for writing this History knowing how acceptable it will be to Christian Friends Natural Relations and to the Church of God indeed he was amiable to all and very imitable in the Passages of his Life and Circumstances that relate to his Death what was praise-worthy in him let God have the Glory of it what is defective in the Copy or Transcriber let Charity draw a Curtain over both I do find that the Servants of God have been very careful and critical in Writing the Lives of Eminent Men as Camerarius wrote the Life of Luther Junius of Ursin Beza of Calvin Antonius Jaius of Beza Josias Simlerus of Peter Martyr Dr. Humphry of Bp. Jewell c. Melchior Adamus hath summed them up together and Mr. Samuel Clark hath made many Collections neither the Person described nor the Scribe answering these men of God it doth make me blush to appear in this Undertaking especially in this so Critical Age but this I dare say The Subject or Person treated of was full of good Works and he that treats thereon is full of Good-Will Nor have I related all that might have been writ and that he himself writ judging it not convenient because it might be offensive Take this in good part live up to it pray for the weak Transcriber and beg hard that God would raise up many Masters in Israel to make up this and other Vacancies made of late by the Death of Eminent Ministers which seems to be a sad Omen and dreadful Prognostick of some desolating Judgment approaching for our Defence is departing from us the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel are ascending in a Fiery Chariot Stakes are taken out of the Hedge that Wild Beasts may enter Pillars are removed the House totters we have lost much good Blood Jacob's Face looks pale May our dear Lord once at last restore his Ministers to their Publick Employments pour out a Spirit of Prayer cause an universal casting of melted Sinners into the Mould of the Gospel and revive a Work of Reformation that the promise may be performed in Isaiah 29. 22 23. Thus saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham concerning the house of Jacob Jacob shall not now be ashamed neither shall his face now wax pale But when he seeth his children the work of mine hands in the midst of him they shall sanctify my name and sanctify the holy one of Jacob and shall fear the God of Israel Amen So be it March 29. 1694. A SHORT Historical Account OF THE LIFE and DEATH OF Mr. Nathanael Heywood c. Mr. Nathanael Heywood was Born in Little Leaver in the Parish of Bolton le-Moors in Lancashire descended of godly and useful Parents Richard and Alice Heywood he was baptized in the Parish-Church Septemb. 16. 1633. During his Infancy he was exceeding weak and sickly much afflicted with Fits of Convulsion and was frequently under the sentence of Death in the apprehension of all Spectators His tender-hearted Parents often gave him up for gone but God who quickneth the dead raised him from the gates of the grave that by him he might raise sinners from Damnable Death to Spiritual Life Notwithstanding those violent Fits did so weaken his Spirits that in his younger days he was not judged fit to be trained up for the Ministry and therefore his Parents did frequently take him from School and set him to learn to Write and cast Accompts in order to sending him to London for an Apprentice But he recruiting as to natural strength and they being encouraged by his extraordinary capacity for Learning kept him still at School
Augmentation added of 50 l. a year by Queen Elizabeth upon an Itinerant Preacher which had been long fixed upon the Minister of that place There were four of them in Lancashire this was one and 200 l. per An. was paid out of the Revenues to those four this was paid by several Trustees at the Audit At the return of King Charles II. one Mr. Stanninghaugh Parson of Augham worth 140 l. a year about two Miles from Ormskirk rode up to London and by the help of Friends surreptitiously obtained this 50 l. a year to be setled upon himself which gave occasion to some persons to reflect upon a Sermon Mr. Heywood preached at Ormskirk upon a day of Thanksgiving for the King's Restoration upon 2 Sam. 19. 30. And Mephibosheth said unto the king Yea let him take all forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house Which was indeed an excellent Discourse greatly approved and highly applauded by all especially the Gentry who earnestly sollicited him to print it but he refused not out of disloyalty but modesty not because he durst not own his Sovereign but he was not willing to be much taken notice of in the world Mr. Heywood digested this disingenuous carriage of his Neighbour and pretended Friend with great aequanimity and calmness and it proved a Worm to the one and at Blessing to the other for though this Mr. Stanninghaugh's Parsonage was 148 l. a year and his Tenement was 30 l. a year and this 50 l. yearly and he had no Child yet he left nothing at his death but Debt and his Wife in a poor condition But it pleased God from that time to bless Mr. Heywood's small Incomes incredibly and 't is next to a Miracle to consider what great things he did when shortly after he was turn'd out of all he paid some Debts and maintained his numerous Family in a good decorum for he had nine Children whereof six are yet living took a Lease for Three Lives of an House and Land paid 60 l. built a good part of it paid 30 l. for buying but a Lease elsewhere maintained his two Sons at School at Holland which cost him 14 l. a year sent one to Mr. Frankland to be educated in University-learning besides many sore Sicknesses in his Family Yet such was the blessing of God that he waded through all without contracting any Debt but rather increasing his Estate out of his small Incomes This Holy Man was very sensible of this strange Providence and often expressed it with admiring thankfulness In the year 1662 Aug. 24. that fatal day struck him civilly dead with the rest of his Brethren how beit he continu'd his publick Preaching in the Church after that day without disturbance till the place was filled up with a new Vicar on Mr. Ashworth a Schoolmaster who lived six or eight Miles from thence taught his School rode thither or Saturday and back on Monday morning was absent all the week for several years so that Mr. Heywood still seemed to have the sole charge of that Town and Parish visiting the Sick instructing them praying with them preaching privately to them as occasion was offered He was abundant in the work of the Lord not only in his own Parish but at Wigan Warrington Leverpool Preston Eccleston and upon a call in more remote places But in his own Parish and amongst his old Hearers he was in Labours more abundant he usually preach'd twice on a Lords day sometimes several times in Week-days ordering his Labours in several parts of the Parish both in the day and night Yea in times of great danger he hath preach'd at one house the beginning of the night and then gone two Miles a-foot over Mosses and preach'd toward morning to another Company at another house Nor was he scant and short in his Sermons but usually very long two hours at least often three yea sometimes he would have continued four or five hours praying and preaching his heart was so fully set upon his Master's work that he forgot his own strength and his Hearers patience Nor did he tediously dream over his work but was full of zeal vigour tenderness and affection often straining his voice beyond what his natural strength could well bear which occasioned torturing and mortal Diseases like a Candle he spent himself to give others light Neither was he vox praeterea nihil a meer voice and no more like some Preachers that like Thunder give a loud crack without a distinct sound or significancy no his Sermons were stuffed with solid Divinity Scripture Arguments alluring Similies heart melting Passages He was an excellent Text man producing solid Interpretations An experienc'd Casuist resolving Cases of Conscience with great satisfaction A clear Disputant stating Controversies solidly and substantially answering Objections learnedly and distinctly and proving the Truth demonstratively He was a pathetical Preacher driving the Nail home in close Convictions of Conscience warm Exhortations to Conversion or to particular Duties plain and undeniable Directions still laying open and obviating Satan's wiles the deceits of a bad heart and insnaring insinuations of a wicked world rifling the Conscience by a thorough Examination comforting God's Children with sweet Gospel-Promises This this indeed was his Master-piece and main Scope in his Preaching to lay open the Beauties and Excellencies of the Blessed Jesus and Sinners great necessity of him displaying in lively colours the love of God in sending his Son the love of Christ in the unparallel'd work of Redemption the Offices Purchases and Undertakings of the Son of God unfolding the Covenant of Grace the Operations of the Spirit in applying the Merits of Christ c. The truth of this appears in two excellent Discourses printed since his Death transcribed out of his own Notes as he preached them the same year he died The one called Christ the Best Gift which was grounded on John 4. 10. The other entituled Christ the Best Master grounded upon John 13. 13. Two excelent Treatises bound up together Printed after his death for he would never be persuaded to publish any thing though doubtless they would have been more Acurate if he had imagined they should have seen the light But such as they are they have proved very acceptable and profitable to the Church of God Many have read them with pleasure and some good Divines have quoted passages out of them His labours in the Ministry were so exceedingly welcome that the loss of him in publick work was greatly bewailed by the whole Town and Parish he was beloved of all good and bad A poor ignorant man came to him when he was turned out saying Ah! Mr Heywood we would gladly have you Preach again in the Church Yes said he I would as gladly Preach as you desire it if I could do it with a safe Conscience in Conforming The man replied Oh Sir many a man now-a-days makes a great gash in his Conscience cannot you make a little
nick in yours That was a remarkable passage which fell out at Ormskirk on July 30 1662. which Mr. Heywood thus describes in a Letter to a Friend About four a Clock that day in the Afternoon was a dreadful Thunder and Lightning for a long time together and in the Town of Ormskirk and about it fell a great shower of Hail in a terrible Tempest Hailstones were as big as ordinary Apples some say Nine Inches compass one Stone that I took up was above Four Inches after it had thawed in my hand the Hail broke all our Glass Windows Westward we have not one quarril whole on our backside so it is with most of the houses in and about the Town it hath cut off all the Ears of our standing Corn so that most Fields that were full of excellent Barley and other Grain are not worth Reaping It hath shaken the Apple-trees and in some places bruised the Apples in pieces the Hail cut Boughs from Trees and some say there are strange Apparitions in the Air of which I shall give you a further account All especially the ignorant were much terrified thinking it had been the day of Judgment certainly it was a sad sign and effect of God's heavy displeasure with us and I wish it be not a presage of more abiding Judgments They tell me that my small share of loss will amount to 10 l. at least in half an hour all this hurt was done The Lord sanctify this sudden stroke to me and my poor people Mr. Clark in his Examples hath this Story and mentions Mr. Heywood his attestation of it which yet I thought fit to relate here partly because this is fuller than he relates it partly to shew how observant this holy man was of the remarkable Providences of God It was his observation That this natural storm was a sad presage of a moral storm on Ministers and Churches which fell the very month after that rooted up so many useful fruit-bearing trees marred so much good fruit and shattered the glass by which the light of saving-truth is conveyed into the house of God This good man was so endeared to this People that he was resolved never to part from them till death made the divorce of whom thus he writes I have a loving though poor docible though ignorant People they flock in very great numbers to the Ordinances and I have hopes of doing some good it may be already begun amongst them I had some motion to Conform but I will not change upon any account whatsoever let me have your prayers help me for this poor people which I love as my own Child and long after in the bowels of Christ He had frequent distempers upon his body which much promoted God's work upon his heart In the year 1667. he had a violent distemper which in a fortnights time brought his body very low and by that time he was recovered his dear Wife fell into a sad languishing disease which threatned death besides grievous afflictions in her Spirit and sad apprehensions of death for above a month together a Swelling in her Throat which increased to a hard Tumour in the hollow of her Throat which inevitably in the eye of Reason threatned Death but beyond all expectation God did graciously remove that and raised her up again in mercy to the Family In the year 1670. his Son Nathanael was strangely taken with Convulsion Fits which tortured and distorted his Face Limbs every part of his Body in a prodigious manner but God also at last raised him up upon the Prayers of his People But these Providences found him work for and quickned his Spirit in Prayer In October 1671. Mr. Heywood fell into a malignant Feaver which as his two Doctors Dr. Fife and Dr. Grundy said had seized the Nerves and Spirits and Brain he was not in extremity of pain because as the Physitians said the disease lay not so much in the Blood Upon the 13th day after he begun he was judged to be a gone man Dr. Fife a boysterous man and Justice of the Peace in the Fild-countrey near Garstand called for a Candle and bade him open his mouth which when he had looked into he swore a great Oath and said his Tongue is as black as a Thrash call the Mistress of the house said he let him set all things in order and make his Will for he 's a gone man these words astonished his Family but his own and only surviving Sister being present and hearing these confident Expressions gathered encouragement and thought within herself This is but a man and may be deceived God is God and can confute him Thus Dr. Fife left him as hopeless and said it was in vain to give him any thing But before he came to his own house at Houghton Tower a Feaver seized violently upon the Doctor himself and in a few days made an end of him so he never returned home alive But from that very day Mr. Heywood began to amend the Feaver abateing It is likely that was a Crisis when the disease was at its height for it was a dreadful day and night he had all the symptoms of death upon him but God had mercy upon him as upon sick Epaphroditus Phil. 2. 27. God had much work for him to do But he continued under weakness and some disorder in his Head for he could not be persuaded that he was at home confidently affirming he was at Bickerstaff where indeed he was immediately before he begun his distemper to visit Sir Edward Stanly who was begun in a Feaver and died shortly after Mr. Heywood would needs be helped to the Window to see the Funeral pass by to the Church This sore sickness was in the year 1671. and the King 's Licenses came out in the year following 1672. and indeed hitherto he had very little or no disturbance in his preaching-work God was preparing him both for service and suffering This sickness preceded service God laid the foundation low designing to build high and often God thinks fit to lay the fairest colours upon a sable bottom so God passed the sentence of death upon him immediately before this petty resurrection for in the Spring following came out the Liberty to Preach Mr. Heywood cordially embraced it and had two Chappels Licensed viz. Bickerstaff adjoining to Lady Stanly's house two Miles South from Ormskirk the other was Scaresbrick two Miles North from the Parish-Church both in Ormskirk Parish these he supplied constantly preaching at the one Chappel one day at the other the next Lord's day of which he thus writes I bless God my Congregation is numerous and attentive Oh! that they were as fruitful my Family is healthful Oh! that they were more holy He continued two years in these two Chappels but about April 9 1674. he thus writes I have had more trouble and opposition in my Ministerial employment these four Months last past than ever I had in all my life yet am not taken off
but my pain is not in the same manner as formerly but liker an Ulcer in the Bladder which makes my disease more dangerous as well as painful it is the Lord's mercy I am not utterly consumed that I can sit thus long to write to you which many times I cannot but I am now weary with it The last Letter so far as I can find was by him dated Octob. 23. 1677. which I shall mostly transcribe My dear Brother this evening I received yours for which I thank you it breathes nothing but love and comfort to me Oh! how sweet how seasonable love in you Oh! how tender Especially I thank you for your prayers and the prayers of others by your means I account them a precious treasure and the surest and speediest remedy in all troubles Oh! pray again who knows but that may prevail when nothing else can I have been sensibly better since that day of your tears and groans But who am I that any should be concerned for me A poor weak useless wretch nothing and less than nothing I have been long in regard of work in God's Vineyard a withered branch a dry stick and now my body is withered like the grass my skin parched my moisture dried up through extremity of pain which hath continued nine or ten weeks day and night About a Month ago friends seeing death in my face and looks they prevailed with me to send for Dr. Grundy who found me in a languishing condition yet not without some hope He told me my distemper was not the Stone nor Ulcer in the Bladder which I feared because of my sharp pains and soreness but a Dysuria my Blood was vitiated my moisture sowre and there wanted due separation of the Serum from the Blood that it would require much time and patience to bring the Body to a good state c. For since I have been taking one sort or other of Physick and am now taking a Diet-drink for the Scurvey which I think hath done me most good but still my pain continues though not altogether so acute as at the first but I have very weary restless nights many times I am constrained to get up and walk two or three hours but God supports his word comforts in all and over all his ways are mercy and truth it is his mercy that I am not consumed yea 't is mercy and faithfulness that I am afflicted I have reason to say I could not have been without nay I would not have been without this trial for an earthly kingdom if God please to spare my life and restore strength I hope others will find that I have gained considerably by this Sea-adventure I am your indebted and endeared Brother N. Heywood His distempers growing thus upon him gradually wore away and weaken'd his body and took out the pins and pluck'd down the stakes of his frail tabernacle he wore away insensibly his friends seeing he had strength to walk did not apprehend his end so near as indeed it proved On Thursday Decemb. 13. 1677. they perceived him to alter and grow something worse than he had been not so much in the violence of pain as in the decay of Spirits and falling into drowziness and slumbering that very day he said with tears runing down his face that he could willingly die if it were the next hour but for the good of the Church and his poor Wife and Children and with them he could be content to live were it in Prison That night being ready to go to Bed he sate down in his Chair and looking up towards Heaven moved his eyes very much his Wife asked him How he did but he could not answer as she supposed but soon after he said he would go to Bed being got to Bed he fell into the like Trance and lay for a while speechless being better he looked about him and saw them weeping and said if you knew Christ better this carnal affection would cease and natural would be sanctified and run in a spiritual channel Oh! learn to know Christ more for my own part I have preached Christ all my Life and I bless God with good success It 's common with many now-a-days to have base and low thoughts of Christ and his imputed righteousness but if I had twenty lives to live I would spend them all in that work On Friday a Kinsman that was come from London visited him but he was so weak and listless that he was very unfit for converse and indeed at the best he was sparing in discourse he used to speak little but what he spake was very pithy pertinent and sententious On Saturday night Mr. Starky a Reverend and Godly Minister visited him he asked him Whether it was any trouble to him that he did not Conform He answered No it 's a great comfort to me this he spake with much chearfulness adding some more words to evidence his satisfaction in what he had done and suffered Mr. Starky asked him What Promises he could now rely upon or what Scripture-passages supported him He answered For to me to live is Christ Phil. 1. 21. and to die gain Christ hath loved me and given himself for me He Gal. 2. 20. was frequently repeating those words Come Lord Jesus come quickly About four hours before he died being asked how he did he answered very well His last words that he was heard to utter were Come away Lord come come and so he breathed out his blessed Soul on the Lord's-day morning Dec. 6. 1677. about nine a Clock so God made the day of his hard and sore labour the day of his entrance into his Eternal Rest And 't is worthy observation that God hath drawn off many eminent Ministers and choice Christians from the stage of this World near or upon that day This Holy day of heavenly Rest hath commenced upon them the everlasting day of Rest in Heaven Christ's Resurrection-day hath been their Ascention day They parted with this jarring Musick on Earth to be joined to that coelestial Choire above This our Brother often made melody in his heart though he was not very tunable in his voice below now the high Praises of God are sounded by him and at the Great day Soul and Body shall make a melodious Consort in that Blessed Harmony And now this Holy Learned Industrious Man of God is advanced above guilt corruption temptation and persecution pains of Body fears of Spirit disturbances in God's Worship Imprisonments Confiscations Banishments Oh what a blessed State have they above taken possession of happy Souls that are safely lodged in the Arms of their Dear Redeemer It were worth the while to stand still and take a view of the Spirits made perfect Heb. 12. 23. in the other World Let us only glance a little on their privative and positive Happiness from Rev. 22. 3 4 5. 1. There shall be no more curse i. e. no more fruits of God's displeasure upon man for Adam's sin nor causeless
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
their repentance and pardon of their sin against God oft saying If this or that be the worst they can do we shall shift well enough He had in some considerable degree learned that hard lesson our Lord teacheth Mat. 5. 44. But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you This this is a great height of true Christianity to do good and hear evil bear our Cross and follow Christ with patience and self-denial 6. He was very faithful to his Friends and look'd upon the bond of friendship as sacred and not to be violated whether in the business of counselling and keeping secrets or preserving and performing the trust reposed in him and this was not small nor from persons inconsiderable and this upon several accounts putting himself to much cost many troubles and some inconveniences rather than seem by negligence to falsify his word or in any respect to fail of his duty as many instances might manifest It was Conscience of his duty God-wards that awed his spirit in those cases wherein no mortal could detect or punish him for neglect He was marvellous obliging in his deportment very taking in his discourse with such as he could be free with instructing the ignorant indulging the impotent by words or carriage manifesting his dislike of sin but encouraging any that discovered any sparks of true Piety however they might differ from him in some things for he was of a Catholick Spirit 7. He was very humble and self-denying which was the brave ornament of all his other graces and eminent qualifications this indeed was his Master-piece he had always very mean thoughts of himself and his own undertakings disgusting others commendations of him which indeed were to him instar fulminis like a thunderbolt as that German Divine said of mens praises yea he would even cover his face with shame and modestly blush when any spoke well of him his maxim was rather to be than seem good not affecting triumphs as Pompey did but approving his heart to God being more pleased with God's gracious acceptance and the conscience of his own integrity than affecting the favour of great ones or the applause of the vulgar tho there was scare any had such general approbation or flocking after them yet his Spirit was not elated or lifted up therewith In him was verified that observation That honour is like a shadow which being pursued it flies away and the more a man flies from it the more it follows him He could never be persuaded to Print any of his labours though he was often solicited thereto for he judged nothing that he did worth exposing to publick view he so far disliked the humour of ostentation that he abstained from doing that which might have been profitable to the Church Though his Sermons were elaborate and acurate yet very pathetical which he desired to be conveyed only to the ears and hearts of his hearers Yea his modesty lock'd up his lips in company unless he had a just call to speak and he spake with great judgment and as much humility and submission to better judgments but always with great advantage to his hearers He was mild in his censure and spake well of others mean and well-meaning undertakings he commended all that in any thing were praise-worthy and envied them not that honour that was due to them 8. He was much and mighty in Prayer he had an excellent gift in confessing sin petitioning for mercy and thankfulness to God for mercies received He did with pat and proper Scripture-expressions wrestle with God in Prayer Oh! how frequently and fervently did he pour out his Soul to the Lord with sighs and groans strong cries and tears He had a large measure of the Spirit of Adoption and was usually large and much enlarged in that duty especially upon extraordinary occasions Though he had long used to go to God alone yet in his last sickness he was more abundant in Closet-Prayer His Wife and Children coming to him have often found him upon his knees And the Lord gave in many signal impressions upon his Spirit and remarkable returns of his prayers Many years ago when his Wife was dangerously sick at Godley in Yorkshire nigh to death he told her she must not die at that time she demanded of him Why he thought so He answered because my heart is much enlarged in prayer to beg for thy life accordingly God raised her up at that time And he hath oft taken notice of the frame of his Spirit in prayer for several sick persons and hath taken his measures from his straitness or his enlargedness and it hath often proved suitable to his presages 9. He had a great measure of Faith both as to Soul-concerns and temporal affairs As to the former God had helped in Soul-troubles to trust God in the way of a promise and at last buoyed up his Faith into a Plerophery or full Assurance As to the latter he was trained up in the life of Faith many years a Wife and nine small Children being turned out of all having nothing before-hand and knew not in an ordinary rational way where his subsistence must arise this put his Faith hard to it yet committing his all into God's hands he was strangely supplied as if he had been fed by Ravens or as Israel in the Wilderness O man great was thy faith O Lord great was thy bounty It 's true he was often afraid of discontent and murmuring but pluck'd up his spirit saying to his Wife Let us pray and wait on God he never failed us yet come let us trust him this he spake with great alacrity and he oft took notice that at a pinch God sent in seasonable supply by unexpected means help came in so strangely that he resolved to set down punctually what he received and of whom He said once to a Friend I cannot but wonder how God sends in Money just as I need it he drops it into my hand by Sixpences and Shillings most seasonably and the review of these experiments much strengthens my Faith and engageth me to thankfulness This course he had taken for above twelve years and advised his Friend to the same course From his multiplied experiments he gathered great encouragements he often wondered at the unaccountable provision God made for him and his 10. He was of a loving peaceable frame much addicted to peace both in Sacreds and Civils He was not willing to fall out with any and it was strange if any fell out with him for he gave not any just occasion at any time Testimonies and instances might be produced wherein he complied to the utmost extent of what he judged lawful to avoid giving any offence and sometimes receded from his right for peace sake It is true he was a man of contention as the Prophet Jeremiah was but it was his grief and made him cry Wo
be dead therefore we Mourn for our own private respect Take heed then that in pretending your affection in Mourning for your Wife you act out of self-affection consider what the Lord is doing in it she is plucked out of the fire and resteth from her Labours and the Lord in that is trying you and casting you into the fire beholding your Faith and Patience and delighting to see you in the burning Bush and not consumed but sending Satan away frustrate of his design The Lord is laying in the two scales of the Ballance your making Conscience of Submission to his Gracious Will and in the other your affection to your Wife Which of the two will you then chuse to satisfy I wish you may come out of the Lord's School wiser and more experienced in the ways of God It 's our happiness that when Christ openeth a Vein he taketh nothing but ill Blood from his sick Patients and when he puts them into the furnace of Affliction and stands by the melting of the Mettal he takes away the tin and lead and scum that remained in nature But it is a sad thing when the rod is cursed that never fruit shall grow on it and except Christ's dew fall down his Summer Sunshine and his Grace follow Afflictions to make them to bring forth fruit unto God they are so bewithered to us that our evil ground rank and fat enough for Briars casteth up a crop of noysome Weeds I am persuaded your Losses Cares Sicknesses c. are but Summer-showres that will wet your Garments for an hour or two and the Sun of the New Jerusalem shall quickly dry your wet Coat especially since the rain of affliction cannot stain the Image of God nor cause Grace to cast it's Colour Oh! learn heavenly Wisdom Self-denial and Mortification by this sad loss I know it is not for nothing except you deny God to be Wise in all that he doth that you have lost one in the Earth It may be there hath been too little of your heart and love in Heaven and therefore the jealousie of Christ hath done this it 's a mercy that he contendeth with you and your Lovers it may be he hath either been out of his place or in a place inferiour to his worth O let Christ have the room of your Wife she hath now no need of you or your Love she enjoyeth as much of the love of Christ as her heart can be capable of I know it is a dear bought experience to teach you to undervalue the Creature yet it is not too dear if Christ think so Let me entreat you to consider one thing more which hath helped me in such like cases more than once and I have done You are hasting after your Wife and shall shortly be with her it 's but a little while a few days longer and you must follow her into Eternity By her Death take occasion to love the world less out of which she is taken and Heaven more whither she is gone before you and where you shall for ever enjoy her and be with Christ which is best of all If the place she hath left were any other but a prison of Sin and the home she is gone to were any other but a Palace of Glory your Grief would be the more rational But I hope your Faith of the Resurrection of the dead in Christ to Glory and Immortality will lead you to dry up your Tears and suspend your longing for her till the Morning of that Day when the Arch-Angel shall descend with a shout to gather all his Prisoners out of their Graves up to himself in Heaven Dear love to and fervent prayers for you and your Children I am Your most Affectionate and Sympathysing Friend Nath. Heywood FINIS