Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_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
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