years longing for a most perfect Conformity to the most glorious and holy God the only Infinite pure Being thirsting for a perfect Diffusion of his Grace through all the Powers and Faculties of my Soul panting after perfect Spiritual Life and Liberty and a Consummate Love to my dearest Jesus who is an All-comprehensive Good and to be satisfied with his Love for ever A vigorous and vehement Zeal for the Protestant Religion with a Belief I had of the Dukes Legitimacy hath involved me into this ignominious Death yet blessed be God that by sincere Repentance and true Faith in the Blood of Jesus there is a passage from it to a glorious Eternal Life and from these bitter sorrows to the fulness of sweetest Joyes that are in his Presence and from these sharp bodily pains to those more pure Pleasures that are at his Right hand for evermore and blessed be God that such a Death as this cannot prevent and hinder Christ's changing of my vile Body and fashioning it like unto his Glorious Body in the general Resurrection-day I am now going into that World where many dark things shall be made perfectly manifest and clear and many doubtful things fully Resolved and a plenary Satisfaction given concerning them all Disputes and Mistakes concerning Treason Rebellion and Schism shall be at an end and cease for ever many things that are Innocent Lawful and Laudable which have foul Marks and black Characters stampt and fixt upon them here they shal be perfectly purified and fully cleansed from there where at one view more shall be known of them than by all wrangling Debates and eager Disputes or by Reading all Polemick Books concerning them here I greatly deplore and bewail the greedy Appetite and insatiable thirst that Professing Protestants have after the Blood of their Brethren and the high pleasure they take in the Effusion thereof But what will not Men do when they are either Judicially blinded or their secular worldly Interest insensibly insinuates and winds it self into their Religion Is so twisted and incorporated with it that it animates and acts it is the Life and Soul the vital Form and Power and made wholly subservient thereunto I bless God for all my Sufferings and particularly for this last for the benefit and fruit of it by Gods sanctifying of them to me have been great hereby I have been effectually convinced of the Vanity of the World and my own sinfulness by Nature and practice and to see that to be sin which I never saw before and to be more throughly humbled for what I know to be sin not only of Commission but of Omission also Hereby I have been brought to a more thorough deep inward sence and feeling of the absolute necessity of the Righteousness of Christ to justifie me and he hath been made much more dear and precious to my Soul than ever he was before Hereby my Soul hath been more Refin'd from the Dross of Sensuality wrought into a more heavenly Frame raised up to a higher pitch of Spirituality hereby I am made more Meek and Humble and so Judge more charitably of others that differ from me in Opinion and Judgment so though by God's most Righteous Judgment I have been apprehended and most Justly and deservedly undergo this Suffering for my Sins yet I hope they have wrought for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory fitting and preparing me making me a better qualified Subject for and far more meet to be a Partaker of the same By the Grace and Strength of God I will not purchase my Life by the Death and Blood of my Protestant Brethren but chuse to dye rather than be a Betrayer of them the Impetuous and violent assault of this I dreaded more than Death it self Blessed be God I was not exposed unto it and conquered by it as some have been having such full bodily vigour and strength being in such perfect Health notwithstanding my Age predominating in me it hath made it more difficult to dye than if I had been Clogged and Incumbred with Infirmities made to bow and stoop under them by prevailing Diseases and Distempers gradually worn out therewith which many times makes Men weary of Life and to desire to dye and this in Conjunction with many things which I forbear to mention highly gratifying and pleasing to sense which I must leave for ever strengthens and heightens the Difficulty and begets a greater Regret and Reluctancy in my Will to have the Earthly Tabernacle of my Body dissolved and my Soul to dislodge and quit the same But now when the black and gloomy Shades of Death do overspread me I can say to the Glory of God's most Free and Powerful Grace True Faith in some measure hath changed the difficulty into a Facility and easiness of Dying It hath very much subdued the Reluctancy of my Will against it for it makes Future things present and Invisible things visible and doth Realize and substantiate the same to me and as by it I penetrate and pierce into Eternity and behold Invisible and Immortal things so hereby blessed be God I have obtained a greater Victory over Sense The World is crucified to me and I to the World and all the most pleasant delightful Objects therein all finite fading Creatures Comforts and Injoyments are become minute and small Despicable and Contemptible to me in comparison thereof being infinitely Contained and Comprehended therein Shall my Soul clasp and cling about these Mortal and Perishing things Shall it cleave and be glued to them Shall it be confin'd and captivated into what is kept in the narrow bounds of Time and in this lower World Shall it earnestly desire and thirst for muddy Streams yea Rivers of Flesh-pleasing Good when by an Eye of Faith I can look into the Indeficient Inexhaustible purest Fountain the Immense Imensurate Ocean of Divine Good hoping to Drink thereof to Swim and Bathe my Soul therein for ever and ever And when I consider how long my Ears have been bound up and tyed to their innumerable and horrid Oaths and Cursed Blasphemies and my Eyes to see the prophanation of the day of God and when I behold such an overflowing Flood of most prodigious Impiety such an Inundation of most monstrous Iniquity and so much Hell upon Earth and that there is so much decay of holy Zeal and true Piety and Christian Religion among the Professors of it such seeming incurable Breaches and Divisions such expiring Love and Charity and parting 's among them it hath powerful influence on my Soul to reconcile it more to Death and makes it electively and from choice to leave this present World and to take up my abode in that which is Unseen and Future were there shall be nothing but perfect Love and Holiness a sinless state and serving God with all unweariedness and perfection with the highest complacency and delight that immortal Souls can be capable of there is perfect Peace and Concord the innumerable company
of corruptible Seed c. Psal. 4. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is Godly for himself c. I shall mention now no more the whole Bible abounds with these Texts with what a Renovation and change of our carnal and corrupt Hearts and Natures there must be with Holiness of Life and Conversation before we can be capable of a future and blessed Immortality and of inheriting the Kingdom of God for ever and ever Amen Captain Abraham Ansley's Speech I Am come to pay a Debt to Nature 't is a Debt that all must Pay though some after one manner and some after another The way that I pay it may be thought by some few Ignominious but not so by me having long since as a True Englishman thought it my Duty to venture my Life in Defence of the Protestant Religion against Popery and Arbitrary Power For this same Purpose I came from my House to the Duke of Monmouth's Army At first I was a Lieutenant and then a Captain and I was in all the Action the Foot was Engaged in which I do not Repent For had I a Thousand Lives they should all have been Engaged in the same Cause although it has pleased the Wise God for Reasons best known to himself to blast our Designs but he will deliver his People by ways we know nor think not of I might have saved my Life if I would have done as some Narrow-Soul'd Persons have done by Impeaching others but I abhor such ways of Deliverance choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy Life with Sin. As to my Religion I own the Way and Practice of the Independent Church and in that Faith I die Depending on the Merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ for my Eternal Salvation His Blessing be with you all Farewel to thee Poor England Farewel Abraham Ansley Mr. Jenkin's Letter to Mrs. Scott on the 26th of September 1685. Dear Sister THE News which came in my Brothers Letter of the 22d instant to Mr. Duewy did not at all surprize me for indeed I expected no other and seeing all hopes of saving my Life are blasted I thought my self bound to write a Line or two to so near a Relation as your self wherein I may take my Leave of you I bid you farewel till we shall meet again in Glory and never be separated more As for my own part though such a sort of Death as I am like to suffer be that which I always dreaded at a Distance when I have sometimes thought on it yet I thank my God now it draws very near even but a few hours off I find my self supported under the thoughts of it and I hope by his Strength who will never forsake his own I shall be enabled to undergo it with Glory to his Name and my Comfort and to my own and other Souls good that are more nearly concerned for me And as I have made it my own endeavour to submit to the Will of God in this sad Dispensation without murmuring and repining I hope you have been sensible of your Duty in the same Respects which is patiently to submit to his Will and eye his Hand in this severe Stroke Though God hath been pleased to deny success to your Endeavours for the saving of my Life yet I am satisfied nothing hath been wanting on your parts and for all the Trouble you have been at on my Account though I do not live to shew my Gratitude yet I render you my dying Thanks and beg your Prayers for my support in the last moment of my Life if you receive this before my Death the certainty of which I have not yet notice of Remember my Love to my Brother and Thanks for all kindnesses And as for my young Relations my Prayer for them shall be That they may see more happy Days than I have done and Die more peaceably I cannot say A more happy Death And now my Dear Sister I take my leave of you and I commit you to the Protection of that God who hath made every thing Beautiful in its time and will shew you the meaning of this sad Providence which now we do not understand to whom I trust I am now going and in the Enjoyment of whose Presence I doubt not but e'er long you will meet your Affectionate Brother William Jenkins Mr. Jenkins's Letter to his Mother on the 29th of September at Midnight 1685. Dear and Honoured Mother I Have ev'n now received News of my Execution to morrow which though I have such short Notice of yet I am prepared for it and by Gods strength enabling of me I shall be joyfully carried through it The Kindness you have been pleased to shew in your great Concern for me since I have been under this trouble as well as the Duty I owe to so near a Relation as your self ingages me to acquaint you with my present Condition for your Satisfaction which truly is such as I must beg you to accept this present Letter as my last farewell and though the sad Providence cannot but be grievous to so near and Affectionate a Relation yet I hope it already hath and still doth yield the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness to your self and me who had been severely exercised with it As for my own part I hope I can truly say that God by his Providence hath weaned me from the World and made me willing to leave it and to be dissolved that I might be with Christ which is far better and now I am come to die I hope I can truly say I have nothing to do but to die I having fought a good Fight and finished my Course I am now in expectation of that Crown of Reward which God the Righteous Judge of the whole Earth hath promised to all those that love his appearance And as it is my great Work to be now every moment fitting my self for my great and last Change so it is the Duty that belongs to you and the rest of my Dear Relations to resign me up into the Hands of that God whose I am and to whom I am going and not to repine at his Righteous Will which we ought quietly to submit unto But now being at last leaving the World Dear and Honoured Mother I take my leave of you also hoping I shall again meet you in a place of Happiness where â—ll Tears shall he Wiped from our Eyes and we shall Sorrow no more I have nothing more to say but to return you my Dying Thanks for all the Trouble and Care you have been at for saving my Life which God hath not thought fit to make successful yet my Thankfulness is equally due to you for your Endeavours as if it had I shall end with Subscribing my self Dear and Honored Mother your Dutiful Son William Jenkins Mr. Jenkins's Letter to Mrs. Gourden on the 30th of September 1685. Dear Sister THough you be at a great Distance from me yet you
use No Duty so acceptable to God as Charity that 's it which our Saviour exalts so far that he saith Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom for I was an hungry and ye fed me naked and ye cloathed me sick and in prison and ye visited me I die and leave you but if you keep close to God and his ways he will never leave you nor forsake you The summe of the whole is Fear God and keep his Commandments Do that to all others that you would they should do to you is the golden Rule of the Gospel and will be a great Preservative to you from offending either God or Man. Eternity calls me away and I have neither Time nor Opportunity to add more Your Duties may be various in the World as Servants as Masters as Husbands as Wives as Parents There is no Condition of life but hath its Comforts and its Troubles the Lord fit you for whatsoever Condition he calls you to whether Honour or Dishonour Riches or Poverty But remember whatsoever it be it is God's Providence orders and governs the World. Dear James as thou art the eldest strive to be the best and a good Example to the rest a dutiful and a loving Son Whatever thou or the rest have lost by me God can make up even in this Life My dear Babes who have been all Pledges of my Love by the best and most affectionate Wife I do once more beg it of you as my last Request that you obey love and honour her who hath been the greatest worldly Blessing to your Father and will never think any thing too much to do for you My dear Children Farewell I must now take my leave both of you and all worldly Comforts I trust and hope I am going to the Eternal Inheritance where Sin and Sorrow cease and that I may meet you at the right hand of my blessed Saviour is the dying Prayer of Dear Children Your affectionate and loving Father Richard Nelthrope Newgate 29 Octob. 1685. Mr. Nelthrope's last Speech THE great and inexpressible trouble and distraction I have been under since I came into trouble especially since my close Confinement in Newgate hath so broken my Reason that for many weeks last past till the day my Sentence was passed I have not had any composure of mind and have been under the greatest trouble imaginable Since my dearest Wife hath had the favour granted her of coming to me I am at present under great composedness of mind through the infinite goodness of the Lord. As to what I stand Outlawed for and am now sentenced to Dye I can with comfort appeal to the great God before whose Tribunal I am to appear that what I did was in the simplicity of my heart without seeking any private advantage to my self but thinking it my Duty to hazard my Life for the preservation of the Protestant Religion and English Liberties which I thought invaded and both in great danger of being lost As to the design of Assassinating the late King or his present Majesty it always was a thing highly against my Judgment and which I always detested and I was never in the least concerned in it neither in Purse nor Person nor never knew of any Arms bought for that Intent nor did I believe there was any such design nor ever heard of any disappointment in such an Affair or Arms or Time or Place save what after the discovery of the General design Mr. West spoke of as to Arms bought by him And as to my self I was in the North when the late King was at New-market and the first news I had of the Fire was at Beverly in York-shire As to my coming over with the late Duke of Monmouth it was in prosecution of the same ends but the Lord in his holy and wise Providence hath been pleased to blast all our undertakings tho there seemed to be a very unanimous and zealous spirit in all those that came from beyond the Seas And as to the Duke of Monmouth's being declared King I was wholly passive in it I never having been present at any publick Debate of that affair and should never have advised it but complained of it to Coll. Holms and Captain Patchet I believe the Lord Gray and Mr. F the chief Promoters of it As to the Temptation of being an Evidence and bringing either into trouble or danger any the meanest Person of his Life upon the Account for which I suffer I always abhorred and detested the thoughts of it both when in and out of danger and advised some very strongly against it except when under my distractions in Prison that amongst other temptations did violently assault me but through the goodness of my dearest God and Father I was preserved from it and indeed was wholly incapable and could never receive the least shadow of comfort from it but thought Death more eligible and was some time afore out of my distracted and disquieted condition wholly free from it thô not without other Temptations far more Criminal in the sight of men I bless the Father of all mercies and God of all Consolations that I find a great Resignedness of my Will to his finding infinitely more comfort in Death than ever I could place in Life thô in a Condition that might seem honourable every hour seeing the Will of God in ordering this Affair more and more cleared up to me God hath given God hath taken blessed be his holy Name that hath enabled me to be willing to suffer rather than to put forth my hand to Iniquity or to say a Confederacy with those that do so I am heartily and sincerely troubled for what hath happened many mens Lives being lost and many poor distressed Families rained the Lord pardon what of sin he hath seen in it He in his wonderful Providence hath made me and others concerned Instruments not only for what is already fallen out but I believe for hastening some other great work he hath to do in these Kingdoms whereby he will try and purge his People and winnow the Chaff from the Wheat the Lord keep those that are his faithful unto the end I dye-in Charity with all the World and can readily and heartily forgive my greatest Enemies even those that have been Evidences against me and I most humbly beg the Pardon of all I have any wise in the least injured and in a special manner most humbly ask Pardon of the Lady Loyl's Family and Relations for that my being succoured there one night with Mr. Hicks brought that worthy Lady to suffer Death I was wholly a Stranger to her Ladyship and came with Mr. Hicks neither did she as I verily believe know who I was or my Name 'till I was taken And if any other have come to any loss or trouble I humbly beg their Pardon and were I in a Condition I would as far as I was able make them a requital As to my Faith I neither look nor hope for
be Serviceable to God therein And after said GOD is a strong Refuge I have found him so indeed The next opportunity was at Dorcester where they were both carried and put in Prison and by reason of their strait Confinement our Converse was much interrupted but this I found from them that they had still the same presence and support from God as formerly no ways being discouraged at the near approach of their Tryal nor of the issue of it though it might appear to Flesh and Blood to be terrible The 6th of September my Brother Benjamin was ordered at Taunton to be Tryed then taking my leave of him he chearfully said Blessed be God for Afflictions I have found such happy Effects of them that I would not have been without them for all this World I remaining still at Dorcester to see the issue of my Brother William to whom after he was Tryed before his Sentence I had free Liberty to go to whose Mouth was filled with Admiration of the Grace of God in Christ Jesus that had been manifested unto him in calling him out of his natural Estate suddenly seizing on his Heart when he thought not of it in his Abode in Holland finding secret Whisperings in his Heart to seek the Face of God who enabled him to answer his Gracious Call and to reflect upon his own Soul whereby he came to see the Evil of Sin and his need of Christ from that time carrying him on to a sensible Adherence to Christ for Pardon and Peace of Soul where he said He found a Spring of Joy and Sweetness beyond all the Comfort of the whole Earth He further said He could not but admire the wonderful goodness of God in preparing him for what he was bringing him unto which then he thought not of giving hope of Eternal Life before he call'd him to look Death in the Face So that he did Chearfully resign his Life to God before he came having sought his Guidance in it and that the Cause did appear to him both then and now very Glorious notwithstanding all that which he had suffer'd in it or further might although God had with-held those good things from us As to himself he said God had carried on his Work in his Soul in and by all sufferings and whatever the will of God were Life or Death he knew it would be best for him After he had received his Sentence when he return'd to Prison he said Methinks I find my Comfort in God increase since my Sentence there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus it is God that Justifieth who shall condemn When I came to him the next morning when he had received News of the time of his Execution and in order to it was to be carried to Lyme that day I found him in a most excellent Spiritual Frame more then ever before he was in he said He was satisfied God had done best for him he knew what the Temptation of Life might be I might have lived and forgotten God but now I am going where I shall Sin no more O it it is a Blessed thing to be free from Sin and to be with Christ O how great were the Sufferings of Christ for us beyond all that I can undergo How great is that Glory to which I am going It will now swallow up Sorrow here When he was at Dinner just before his going from Dorcester to Lyme he dropt many Expressions of his inward Joy such as these O the Grace of God the Love of Christ O the Blessed Supper of the Lamb to be for ever with the Lord He further said When he went to Holland You knew not what Snares Sins and Miscarriages I might have fallen into or whether we might ever meet again Now you know whether I am going and that we shall certainly have a most joyful meeting and never part more for ever He said Pray give my Recommendations to all Relations with Acknowledgments for all their Kindness I advise them all to make sure of an Interest in Christ for he is the only Comfort when we come to dye One of the Prisoners seemed to be troubled at the manner of Death they were to dye to whom he replyed I bless God I am Reconciled unto it all Just at his going he writ these few Lines to his Mother being hardly suffered to stay so long I am going to Lanch into Eternity I hope and trust into the Arms of my Blessed Redeemer to whom I commit you and all my Relations My Love to my Dear Sister and the rest of my Friends William Hewling As they passed through the Town of Dorcester to Lyme multitudes of People beheld them with great Lamentation and bitter Cryes admiring at his Carriage and Behaviour at his parting with his Sister As they passed along the Road betwixt Lyme and Dorcester his Discourse was exceeding Heavenly and Spiritual as those present have since declared taking occasion from every thing to speak of the Journey they were going looking out upon the Country as they passed along he said This is a Glorious Creation but what then is the Paradice of God to which we are going When he was come to Lyme one reading the 14. of John and the 18 Verse I will not leave you Comfortless I will come to you said Christ will come unto us he will be with us to the very last At Lyme that morning he was Executed one taking Leave of him he said Fare-well till we meet in Heaven presently I shall be with Christ I would not change Conditions with any I would not stay behind for Ten Thousand Worlds To another that ask'd him how he did he said Very well I Bless God and farther ask'd him if he could look Death in the Face with Comfort now it approached so near He answered I can I bless God with Comfort God hath made this a good Night to me my Comforts are much increased since I left Dorcester Then taking leave of him said Farewell I shall see you no more To which he repiyed How see me no more Yes I hope to meet you in Glory To another which was by him to the last he said Pray Remember my Love to my Dear Brother and Sister and tell them I would desire them to Comfort themselves that I am gone to Christ and we shall quickly meet in the Glorious Mount Zion above Afterwards he Prayed for about three quarters of an hour with the greatest Fervency exceedingly blessing God for Christ Jesus Adoring the Riches of his Grace in all the Glorious Fruits of it towards him Praying for the Peace of the Church of God and for this Nation in particular with such Eminent Assistance of the Spirit of God that it Astonished Convinct and Melted the most Malitious Adversaries forcing Tears and Expressions of Sorrow from them some saying They knew not what would become of them after Death but it was evident he was going to great Happiness When he was just going
out of the World with a Joyful Countenance he said O now my Joy and Comfort is I have a Christ to go to and so sweetly Resigned his Spirit to Christ September the 12th 1685. An Officer who had shewed so Malicious a Spirit as to call the Prisoners Devils when he was Guarding them down was now so concerned that he after told a Person of Quality that he was never so Affected as by his Chearful Carriage and Fervent Prayer such as he believed never was heard especially from one so young and said he believed that had the Lord Chief Justice been there to see and hear what he did he could not have let him die The Sheriff having given his Body to be Buried although it was brought from the place of Execution without the knowledge of his Friends yet very many of the Town came to his Funeral to the number of about two hundred and several young Women of the best of the Town laid him in his Grave in Lyme Church-Yard September the 13th 1685. After which his Sister Writ this following Letter to her Mother ALthough I have nothing to Acquaint my Dear Mother withal but what is most Afflictive to Sense both as to the Determination of Gods Will and as to my present Apprehension concerning my Brother Benjamin yet remaining yet there is such abundant Consolation mixt in both that I only wanted an opportunity to pay this Duty God having wrought so Glorious a work on both their Souls revealing Christ in them that Death is become their Friend My Brother William having already with the greatest Joy declared to those that were with him to the last that he would not change Conditions with any that were to remain in this World and he desired that his Relations would comfort themselves that he is gone to Christ. My Brother Benjamin expects not long to continue in this World and is exceeding willing to leave it when God shall Call being fully satisfied that God will choose that which is best for him and us all by these things God doth greatly support me and I hope you also my Dear Mother which was and is my Brothers great desire there is still room for Prayer for one and God having so answered though not in kind we have encouragement still to wait on him Honoured Mother your Dutiful Daughter HANNAH HEWLING VVHen I came to Taunton my Brother Benjamin had received the News of my Brother William 's being gon tâ— die with so much Comfort and Joy and afterwards of the continuance of the goodness of God in increasing unto the end He Exprest himself to this effect We have no cause to fear Death if the Presence of God be with us there is no Evil in it the sting of it is taken away it is nothing but our Ignorance of the Glory that the Saints pass into by Death which makes it appear Dark to our selves or Relations if belonging to Christ what is this World that we should desire any Abode in it It is all Vanity and Vnsatisfying full of Sin and Misery Intimating also his own Cheerful expectation now to follow discovering then and all along great seriousness and sense of Spiritual things complaining of nothing in his present Circumstances but the want of a place of Retirement to Converse more Uninterruptedly with God and his own Soul saying That his little time in Newgate was the sweetest in his whole Life He said God having before struck his Heart when he thought of the hazard of his Life and the great Consequence of Death and Eternity shewing that they were the only happy Persons that had secur'd their Eternal Estate and the folly and madness of the ways of Sin and his own Thraldome therein with his utter Inability to deliver himself also the necessity of Christ to Salvation He said It was not without sorrow and amazement for some time the thoughts of Vnpardoned Sin with Eternity before him was a great surprize but God wonderfully open'd to him the Riches of his free Grace in Christ Jesus for poor Sinners to fly unto enabling him alone to look unto a Crucified Christ for Salvation He said That this Blessed Work was in some measure carried on upon his Soul under his business and hurry in the Army but never sprung forth so fully and sweetly till his close Confinement in Newgate then he saw an All-spiritual Object more clearly and imbraced it more strongly there he experienced the Blessedness of a Reconciled Estate the Excellency of the ways of Holiness of Communion with God which remained very deep and apparent impressions on his Soul which he frequently exprest with Admiration of the Grace of God to him He said Perhaps my Friends may think this some of the sadest time of my Life but I bless God it hath been the sweetest and most happy of all nay there is nothing else worth the name of happiness I have formerly but in vain sought happiness in the things of this World but I never found it but now I have found Rest for my Soul in God alone O how great is our blindness by nature that we can't see an Excellency in spiritual things we spend our pretious time in pursuing of shadows and are deaf to the Invitations of Grace and the Glorious Offers of Christ in the Gospel How just is God in depriving us of that we have so much slighted and abused O his infinite Patience and Goodness that after all he should yet take any method to bring a poor Sinner to himself O Electing Love Distinguishing Grace What cause have I to Admire and Adore it He said What an amazing Consideration is the Sufferings of Christ for Sin to bring us to God His sufferings were exceeding great but alas what was that to the dolours of his Soul under the infinite VVrath of God The great mystery of Grace and Love is enough to swallow up our thoughts to Eternity As to his own Death he would often say He saw no reason to expect any other I know God is infinitely able to deliver and I am sure will do it if it be for his Glory and my Good for which I bless God I am fully satisfied it is all my desire he would choose for me that I am sure will be best whatever it be for truly except God hath some work for me to do in this World for his Service and Glory I see nothing else to make Life desirable in this present state of things there is nothing to cast our Eye upon but Sin Sorrow and Misery and truly were things never so much according to our desire it is but the World still which will never be a Resting-place Heaven is the only state of Rest and Happiness where we shall be perfectly free from Sin and Temptation and enjoy God without Interruption for ever Speaking of the disappointment of their Expectation of the work they had undertaken he said with Reference to the Glory of God and Prosperity of the Gospel and
Deliverance of the People of God We have great reason to lament but for the outward Prosperity that would accompany it it is but of small moment in it self as it would never satisfie so neither could it be abiding for at longest Death would put an end to it Also adding Nay perhaps we might have been so foolish as to have been taken with that part in the neglect our Eternal Concerns then I am sure our present Circumstances are incomparably better for us He frequently Exprest grrat concern for the Glory of God and affection to his People saving If my Death may be for the Glory of God and hasten the Dâ—liverance of his People it will be enough and that it was great Comfort to him to think of so great a Priviledge as to have an Interest in all their Prayers In his particular Converse he greatly delighted in and valued those Persons where he saw most shining Holiness he also shewed great pity to the Souls of others saying That the Remembrance of our Vanity may well cause Compassion to others in that Estate and in his Conversation promoting others to a Seriousness telling them that Death and Eternity are such weighty concerns that they deserved the greatest intentions of our Mind for the way to receive Death Cheerfully is to prepare for it seriously and if God should please to save our Lives we have the same reason to be serious and to spend our remaining days in his Fear and Service He also took great care that the Worship of God which they were in capacity of performing as Reading Prayer and Singing Psalms might be duly performed in which he took great delight for those three or four days before his Death When there was a general Report no more should dye he said I do not know what God hath done beyond our expectation if he do prolong my Life it is all his own and by his Grace I will wholly devote it to him But the 29th of September about Ten or Eleven at Night we found the deceitfulness of that Report for they were then told they must dye the next Morning which though unexpected as to the suddenness of it yet he often therein Blessâ—d God for his Power Grace and Faith in giving suitable support by his Blessed Presence which appeared in him upon my coming to him at that time finding him greatly composed he said Though Man hath a design to surprize yet God doth and will fulfill his Word to be a present help in time of trouble Next Morning when I saw him again his Cheerfulness and Comfort was much increased waiting for the Sheriff with the greatest sweetness and serenity of mind saying Now the wil of God is determined to whom we have referred it and he hath most certainly chosen that which is Best Afterwards with a smiling Countenance Discoursing of the Glory of Heaven there in the 3. 4 5. Verse of the 22 of the Revelations And there shall be no more Curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his Servants shall serve him And they shall see his Face and his Name shall be in their Forehead And there shall be no Night there they need no Candle neither Light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them Light and they still Raign for ever and ever Then he said What a happy state is this shall we be loth to enjoy this Then he desired the Second Book of the Corinthians 5 Chapter and 1 Verse to be read to him For we know that if our Earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens All along his Comforts still increasing expressing his hope and full assurance in this Glorious Inheritance and being now going to the Possession of it Seeing the happiness of this Blessed Change he said Death is more desirable then Life and as to the manner of this Death when I have considered others under these Circumstances I haâ—e thought it very dreadful but now God hath call'd me to it I have quite other Apprehensions of it I can now chearfully Embrace it as an easie Passage into Glory and though Death separates us from enjoying each other it will be but for a short time and then we shall meet in such Enjoyment as now we cannot conceive and for ever rejoyce in that Happiness O! How great a thing is Redemption from Wrath to come to an Eternity of Happiness Then Reading of the Scriptures and musing with himself he imitated the great Comfort that God câ—nveighed to his Soul in it saying What an invalidate Treasure is this Blessed Word of God in all Conditions Here is store of strong Consolation One desiring his Bible he said Nay This shall be my Companion to the last moment of my Life Thus Praying Reading and Conversing together waiting for the Sheriffs coming who when he came void of all Pity or Civility hurried them away scarce suffering them to take leave of their Friends but notwithstanding this and the doleful Mourning of those about them the Joyfulness of his Countenance was increas'd that as he left the Prison thus he appeared in the Sledge when they sat about half an Hour before the Officers could force the Horses to draw at which they were greatly Enraged there being no visible Obstruction from Weight or Way but at last they Haled them forward the Mayor and Sheriff Balaam-like driving the Horses when they came to the Place of Execution was surrounded with Spectators Many that waited their coming with great Sorrow said That when they saw him and them come with such Chearfulness Joy and Evidence of the presence of God with them it made Death appear with another Aspect They first Embraced each other with great Affection then two of the Eldest Persons Prayed Audibly they joyning with great Seriousness Then he desired leave of the Sheriff to Pray particularly but he would not grant it but only asked him If he would Pray for the King To which he Answered I Pray for all Men He then Requested they might sing a Psalm the Sheriff told them It must be with Ropes about them which they chearfully accepted and sung with such heavenly Joy Sweetness that many present said it broke and joyed their Hearts Thus in Expressing the Delightfulness of Praising God on Earth he wâ—llingly closed his Eyes on a vain World and past to the Eternal Employment Sept. the 30th 1685. All present of all sorts were exceedingly affected and amazed Some Officers that had before insultingly said Sure these Persons have no thoughts of Death but will find themselves surprized by it after said That they now saw that he and they had something extraordinary within that carried them through with such Joy. Others of them said They were so convinced of their Happiness that they would be glad to change Conditions with them All the Soldiers in general and all others wept and lamented about them and for
him in particular saying It was so sad a thing to see such excellent Persons so cut off they scarce knew how to â—ear it Some of the most malicious in the place from whom nothing but Railing was expected said as they were carried to their Graves in Taunton-Church Voluntarily accompanied by most of the Town That these Persons had given sufficient Evidence that they were Glorified Saints in Heaven A great Officer in the Kings Army hath been heard to say If you will learn to Die go to the Young Men in Taunton Much more was uttered by him shewing the Blessed and Gracious frame of his Soul but this is what occurs to Memory About two Hours before his Death he Wrote this following Letter which shewed the great Composure of his Mind Mr. Hewlings last Letter a little before his Execution THat News which I know you have a great while feared and we expected I must now acquaint you with that notwithstanding the hopes you gave in your last Letter Warrants are come down for my Execution and within these few hours I expect it to be performed Blessed be Almighty God that gives Comfort and Support in such a day how ought we to Magnifie his Holy Name for all his Mercies that when we were running on in a course of Sin he should stop us in our full Career and shew us that Christ whom we had pierced and out of his free Grace enabled us to look upon him with an Eye of Faith believing him able to save to the uttermost all that come to him O Admirable long Suffering and Patience of God! That when we were a dishonouring his Name he did not take that time to Glorifie himself by our Destruction for he delights not in the Death of a Sinner but had rather he should turn to him and Live. And he hath many ways of bringing his own to himself Blessed be his holy Name that through Affliction he hath taught my Heart to be in some measure conformable to his Will which worketh Patience Patience Experience Experience Hope which maketh not ashamed I Bless God I am not ashamed for the Cause for which I lay down my Life and as I have Ingaged in it and Fought for it so I am now going to Seal it with my Blood. The Lord carry on the same Cause that hath been so long on foot and though I die in it and for it I question not but in his own good time he will raise up other Instruments more worthy to carry it on for the Glory of his Name and the Advancement of his Church and People I know there hath been nothing left undone by you or the rest of my Friends for the saving of my Life for the which I return my hearty acknowledgments to your self and them all and it is my dying request to you and them to pardon all Undutifulness in every Relation pray give my Duty to every Relation and to every Friend a particular Recommendation pray tell them all how pretious an Interest in Christ is when we come to die and advise them never to rest in a Christless state for if we are his it is no matter what the World does with us they can but kill the Body and Blessed be God the Soul is out of their reach for I question not but their Malice wishes the Damnation of the Soul as well as the Destruction of the Body which hath evidently appeared by their deceitful flattering Promises I commit you all to the Care and Protection of God who hath promised to be a Father to the Eatherless and a Husband to the Widow and to supply the wants of every Relation the Lord God of Heaven be your comfort under these Sorrows and your Refuge from those Miseries which we may easily fore-see coming upon poor England and upon the poor distressed People of God in it The Lord carry you through this Vale of Tears with a resigning submissive Spirit and at last bring you to himself in Glory where I question not but you will meet Your Dying Relation and Friend Benjamin Hewling Executed at Taunton September 30th 1688. FINIS ADVERTISEMENT ☞ There will speedily be Publish'd a second Collection of the Dying Speeches Letters and Prayers c. of those Eminent Protestants who Dyed in the West of England and else-where under the Cruel Sentence of the late Lord Chancellour ☞ There is now Publish'd a very Vseful Book Entituled The Joy of Faith Or a Treatise opening the true nature of Faith it 's lowest Stature and Distinction from Assurance with a Preliminary Tract evidencing the Divinity of the Sacred Scriptures By Samuel Lee M. A. Both to be sold at the Black-Raven in the Poultrey