Selected quad for the lemma: love_n
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A26018
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Some remarks upon the life of that painful servant of God, Mr. Nathanael Heywood minister of the Gospel of Christ ... who died in the 44th year of his age ... / by Sir H. Ashurst.
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Ashurst, Henry, 1614?-1680.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing A3975; ESTC R35289
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38,076
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120
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is me and besides it was rather passively than actively that he was so men contended with him rather than he with them and it was in the matters of his God and Conscience and he was resolved rather to obey and please God than men In this he was as a sturdy Oak in other matters a bending Ozier If any time he was angry at others yet anger did not ferment into malice or long rest in his bosome he sought reconciliation with them and if any had taken offence at him he sought to win them by loving means and methods of kindness yea he was not only a peace-keeper but a peace-maker to his power reconciling Neighbours that were at distance not by sitting with them in the Ale-house as the manner of some is but by Christian Advice Counsel Prayers healing differences in God's way He preached an excellent Sermon upon mutual Love from Ephes 5. 2. an excellent duty from an excellent pattern excellently managed discovering a savoury spirit full of gentleness sobriety moderation he sought to calm mens minds and lay the wind of passion that the word might take place for the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace James 3. 18. 11. But tho he was of a peaceable spirit to condescend to any thing lawful for peace sake yet not so facile flexible and wire-drawn as to recede an hairs breadth from truth or well fixed principles he was Magnes Adamas an attractive Loadstone yet an inflectible Adamant in the cause of God He well understood his own latitude and as he would not groundlessly withdraw by wanton curiosity so he would not be led aside into sin to please a friend or prostitute his Conscience to mens fancy Others might perhaps judge it a needless preciseness perverseness or obstinacy but he could not turn his sails to their wind or dance after their pipes though he had manifold temptations on all hands from great and small but he was of blessed Paul's mind and practice Gal. 2. 5. To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you And if he died not a Martyr for yet a Confessor of and Witness to the truths that concern Christs Kingly Office over his Church to appoint what Laws Orders Officers Ordinances he pleaseth as one of his last Sermons abundantly doth demonstrate He was Faithful unto death and now receives a Crown life It might be said of this man of God as was said of Erasmus Sarcerius Lucebat in hoc viro Melch Ad. Vit. Sarc p. 326. commemorabilis gravitas constantia non minas non exilia non ullam ullius hominis potentiam aut vim pertimescebat Pene dixerim solem facilius de cursa dimoveri potuisse quam Erasmum à veritatis professione 12. He made great proficiency daily both in Learning Grace and Holiness having laid a low foundation he built a stately visible superstructure It might be said of him as the Apostle of the Thessalonians That his faith did grow exceeding 2 Thes 1. 3. and his love to christians abounded The Pearl grew too big for the shell his head soared above the Clouds and his heart mounted Heavenwards And as he grew in Faith Love Meekness Zeal for God Endearedness to Souls so above all in Humility Self-denial and Contempt of the World as he travelled up and down to do good so he travelled in birth over poor necessitous sinners Possibly some may think Mr. Heywood took too much upon him and was too sedulous in his indefatigable pains both in the face of danger and to the hazard of his health but as to the one Calvin's Apology was his Would you have me found idle when my Lord cometh As to the former his Answer and Actings were justifiable by a like instance in the life of Olevian who asked them Whether he must suspend or supercede his Preaching at that time for fear of danger Or Whether they desired to hear him as formerly The People all with hands lifted up and loud voices cryed out Imo hoc imo hoc per Deum Melch Ad. Vit. Olev p. 600. te oramus ut pergas concionari We beseech thee to Preach Thus the necessities and importunity of the People extorted work from this poor man His heart was upon it and being engaged he regarded not any carnal arguments from flesh and blood or self-preservation The last Sermon he preached at a Friends house in the Parish was as a Swan-like Song pithy and sententious ardent and affectionate that as before he exceeded others so then he exceeded himself as if he knew before hand that it was the last Thus his last was more than his first and the nearer the center the quicker was his motion He was so full of matter as if he were at a loss for time to do the remainder of his work in that he might dispatch it all and be at Rest 13. He was very Charitable to the Poor and such as were in real Necessity And though his small Revenue and constant Charge did somewhat bind his hands yet could not restrain his Spirit he drew out his Soul to the Hungry And indeed 2 Cor. 8. 12. true Charity is seated rather in a large heart than liberal hand the Imprimis of a willing mind finds acceptance when the Items of Alms run but shallow And to his power v. 3. many will bear him record yea beyond his power he was willing freely welcoming objects of pitty stirring up his hearers to free Contributions especially in the behalf of Godly Poor whereby the bowels of many were refreshed by this Brother And hence it was that he that sowed 2 Cor. 9. 6. bountifully did then and much more doth now reap bountifully For the liberal soul shall be Prov. 11. 25. made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself 14. He was a great admirer and a profound Preacher of the glorious Gospel-design especially in the giving of Christ And indeed this he made his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the main scope of all his preaching It 's true he did oft preach Law and Terror to awaken mens Consciences and drive them out of themselves to Christ He did often press duty in a circumspect exact and holy walking and urged a spiritual and diligent worshipping of God But still demonstrating that Christ is the end of the Law Rom. 10. 4. for righteousness to every one that believeth It was his proper genius and most suitable to his Evangelical Spirit to know and preach nothing but a crucified and glorified Redeemer He much inlarged himself 1 Cor. 2. 2. upon the Gospel-way of the justification of a Sinner by the imputation of Christ's perfect Righteousness by faith His working thoughts run still upon this Theam sleeping and waking so that once many years ago he was heard in his Dream to say there are vast heaps of Free-grace His heart was greatly
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