before he could come to the fruition and full injoyment of his Bride he shewed such chearfullnesse to that work that gave satisfaction to his friends these communications being obstructed by arrivall at the Scaffold Dr. Wilde and Dr. Warmistry led him up the staires like to wings that assist the body to assend and being mounted he demeaned himselfe with a most meelt and undejected deportment and casting his eye toward the block he espyed some of the blood of his fellow-sufferer and having a while fixt his eyes stedfastly on that object with hands and eyes elevated he sends up ejaculations to heaven and then falleth down on his knees and prayed privatly a while and then about as long audably Doctor HEWIT's Letter to Doctor WILDE the day before he suffered Dearest Brother I Have no cause to think that you have not at any time taken me along with you in the daily walk upon your knees to Heaven but I beseech you and all my Brethren to be now especially very mindfull to call upon God for me The more company I go withal the more welcom I shall be made I should be loath either to leave out of my Creed or to be left out of the benefit of the Communion of Saints Two are better then one Two or three have the advantage of a Promise but to goe with a multitude to the House of God where all commeâ—s are welcome is to be assured before-hand of good entertainment Admission will hardly be denyed to any for whom there is great importunity of many If the Gate be shut much knocking will open iâ— or if that would not doe it united Forces would offer an Holy violence Many will prevail where one alone can doe but little good Woe unto him that is alone Therefore dear Brother sith it is the infirmity of our nature that we live not without the occasions of giving and taking of offence And 't is the corruption of our nature that the offences we give we write in the dust Those we take we engrave in Marble If you know or shall heare of any one either or my Brethren or other persons whom by any act of scandall I have tempted or provoked or lessened or disturbed to exclude me the benefits of their charitable prayers or wishes I beseech you beg of them from me for me their pardon And let not any private wild-fire of passion put out the holy flames of a diffusive charity And as for my selâ—â— I doe here protest before God that I do heartily desire to forget the injuries of whosoever has trespassed against me either by word or deed And if God should have been pleased to have granted a longer life I would not refuse yea I am stedfastly resolved to sollicite termes of Reconciliation with them that have done me the wrong And if my owne heart doe not deceive me I would give my life to save the soule of any of my Christian Brethren and would be content to want some degrees of glory in Heaven so that my very greatest Enemies might be so happy as to have some The God of Mercy shed forth his Bowels for them that shed my blood and the blood of Christ save and the spirit of Christ sanctifiâ— and support him who desires to live no longer then to honour the Father Son and holy Ghost and both living and dying craves yours and the prayers of the whole Church for her unworthy Child and Dearest Brother Your most affectionate friend Brother and Servant in Christ Jesus JOHN HEWIT Tower June 7. 1658. Morning 7 a Clock Doctor Hewit's first Prayer O Most glorious God Beeings of Beeings unaccessable light life of life Father of the spirits of the just and perfect infinite incomprehensible God of power wised me mercy justice and truth who dwelleth in that unsearchable glory and majesty to which none of all thy Creatures can attain King of kings Lord of lords my earnest expectation and my hope the onely confidence and consolation of my soule though my numberlesse sins have deserved thy wrath yet lâ—oke upon me through thy Christ in whome I have beleived by thy command and through whome thou hast promised the remission of my sins and eternall life that so as I was borne with a condition to dye so am I ready to dye with a condition to live with him and therefore for his sake assure me of it that so I may have hope and confidence in my end what though I must drinke the bitter portion of a violent death it is no more my God then my Redeemer taâ—ted before me and though thou hast suffered me to be removed from my peace and comfort of this World and from prosperity hast cast downe my dejected spirit with weights of sorrow yet that soule that seekes thee by mercies are renewed every morning and thy compassion failes not therefore my soule hath faid that thou art my portion and therefore doth my soule trust on thee truth it is indeed oh my God that the hopes of the hills are vaine and so is all confidence in Man in honours or prosperity and most unhappy is that that is not in thee but in spite of Sathan or the Worlds malice blessed is that soule whose hope and whose trust thou art therefore though thou art pleased to weane me from a trustlesse world let thy peace and salvation Crowne my end and oh my Lord let my prayers come as incence up unto thee and in my Jesus be accepted by thee and bow the Heavens and come downe in to my soule that in this hour of my death the comfort and joy of thy presence make those that condemned me hither know that death nor terror is not dredfull to them whose hope whose strength and whose confidence and trust is in thee for this I am confident and know oh my God oh thou joy and salvation of my soule that it shall within a span of time appeare that it is good and happy for me that I have been in trouble when after this great tryall of my faith thou shalt give me the quiet fruits of wrighteousnesse a crown of glory this oh God is the voice of my faith in thee whome I beleive and know to be the God of truth of mercy of justice and of wrighteousnesse The time oh my God of my departure drawing neigh let me live those minutes I have yet to breath to thee and thy Jesus that he may be advantage to me in life and in death and that in this confidence I am willing to be dissolved and to be with Christ who hath through death abolished death and him that had the power of death and though death bring my body to the earth yet oâ— my God let not my soule lye in the dust and let neither things present nor future seperate between my soule and thee but oh my blessed Saviour who art the death of deaths take from my afflicted soule the sting of death lose its paines and the feare and sorrows
them all and upon me that am to suffer an ignominious violent death but my confidence is in the most high and here is my hope that I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine therefore come Lord Jesus come quickly Let us Pray O Most glorious Lord God thou whose dwelling is so far above the highest Heavens that thou humblest thy selfe but to looke upon the things that are in Heaven and that are in Earth thou who dost whatsoever thou wilt both in Heaven in Earth in the Sea and in all places In thy hands are the Hearts of all Men and thou turnest them which way soever thou wilt O Lord looke in mercy and compassion we beseech thee on this great and numerous people of this Land with an eye of pity not with an eye of fury and indignation O looke not on all those great and grievous sins that have provoked thee most justly to wrath and displeasure against us But gracious God I who can stand in thy sight when thou art angry when thou with rebuke dost correct Man for sin thou makest his beauty to consume away like as it were a Moth fretting a Garment O Lord thy indignation and wrath lies heavy upon us and thou hast vexed us with scourges thou hast made us a reproach and a by-word amongst our Neighbours and the very Heathen laugh us to scorn Oh that thou wouldest turne us againe O Lord God of Hosts that thou wouldst shew us the light of thy countenance that we may behold it that thou wouldst humble us for all those sins and grievous transgressions that are amongst us for those Atheisms for those infidelities horrid Blasphemies and Prophaneness for those Sacriledges for those Heresies for those Schisms Errors and all those blindnesses of heart pride vain-glory and hypocrisie that leades us from thee it perswades us it will bring us to thee O humble us for that envy hatred and malice and all uncharitableness that hath set us one against another that we are so dashed one against another even to destroy each other Ephraim against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim and both against Judah This thou hast done to us to make us a skurge unto each other O Lord because we have rebelled against thee O how greatly and grievously have we sinned yet for all this thou hast not reqvited us according to our ill deservings for thou mightest have brought us to desclation and destruction Fire might have come downe from Heaven and destroyed us our forreigne Enemies and the Enemies of thee and thy Christ our Saviour might have swallowed us up What have we not deserved Yet O the long-suffering and patience and goodness of our God! O Lord our God! we pray thee that thy patience and long-suffering might leade to repentance that thou wouldst be pleased thou who delighted not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his sins and live that thou wouldest turn us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned Draw us and we shall run after thee Draw us with the Cords of love and by the bands of thy loving kindness by the powerfull working of thy holy spirit in our souls worke contrition in our hearts and a godly sorrow for all our sins even a sorrow to repentance and a repentance to salvation never to be repented of O Lord breake these stony hearts of ours by the hammer of thy word molifie them by the oyle of thy Grace smite these rockie hearts of ours by the Rod of thy most gracious power that we may shed forth Rivers of teares for the sins we have committed O that thou wouldst make us grieve because we cannot grieve and to weep because we cannot weep enough That thou wouldest humble us more and more in the true sight and sence of all our provocations against thee and that thou wouldest be pleased in the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse us from all our sins Lord let his blood that speakes better things than that of Abel cry louder in thine eares for mercy then all those mischiefes and wickednesses that have been done amongst us for vengeance O besprinkle my polluted but penitent soule in the blood of Jesus Christ that I may be cleane in thy sight and that the light of thy countenance may shine upon me Lord be pleased to seale unto mine and all our soules the free pardon and forgiveness of all our sins Say to each of our soules and say that we may heare it that thou art well-pleased with us and appeased towards us Lord doe thou by thy spirit assure our spirits that we are thy Children and that thou art reconciled to us in the blood of Jesus Christ To this end O Lord create in us new hearts and renew right spirits within us Cast us not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from us but give us the comfort of thy help and establish us with thy free spirit Help us to live as thy redeemed ones and Lord let us not any longer by our wicked lives deny that most holy faith whereof our lips have so long time made profession but let us that call on the name of the Lord Jesus depart from iniquity and hate every evil way Help us to cast away all our transgressions whereby we have transgressed and make us new hearts Carry us along through the Pilgrimage of this world supplying us with all things needfull for us thy grace alone is sufficient for us Lord let thy grace be assistant to us to strengthen us against all the temptations of Sathan especially against those sins whereunto we are most prone either by custome or constitution or most easily provoke to O Lord with what affliction soever thou shalt punish doe not punish us with spirituall judgements and disertions Give us not over to our owne hearts lusts to our vile lewd and corrupt affectious Give us not over to hardness and impenitency of heart but make us sensible of the least sin and give us thy grace to thinke no sin little committed against thee our God but that we may be humbled for it and repent of it and reform it in our lives and conversations And Lord keep us from presumptious sins oh let not them get the dominion over us but keep us innocent from the great offences And Lord sanctifie unto us all thy methods and proceedings with us fitting us for all further tribulations and tryals whatsoever thou in thy divine pleasure shalt be pleased to impose upon us Lord give us patience constancy resolution and fortitude to undergoe them that though we walke through the valley of the shadow of death we may fear none ill knowing that thou O Lord art mercifully with us and that with thy rod as well as with thy staffe thou wilt support and comfort us and that nothing shall be able to separate us from thy love which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. And gracious God! we beseech thee be thou pleased to looke mercifully
and compassionately on thy holy Catholique Church and grant that all they that doe confesse thy holy Name may agree together in the truth of thy holy Word and live in unity and godly love Thou hast promised O Lord The gates of hell shall not prevaile againt thy Church Perform we beseech thee thy mot gracious promises both to thy whole Church and to that part of it which thou hast planted and now afflicted in these sinfull Lands and Nations wherin we live Arise O Lord and have mercy upon our Sion for it is time that thou have mercy upon her yea the times is come for thy servants think upor her stones and it pitieth them to see her in the dust Lord maintain thine own cause Rescue the light of thy truth from all those clouds of errors and heresies which do so much obscure it let the light therof in a free profesion break forth shine again among us that continually even as long as the Sun Moon endures To this end O Lord blesse us all and blesse Him the posterity which in Authority ought to rule over and be above us Blesse Him in His soul and in His body in His Friends and in His Servants and all His Relations Guide Him by thy Councell prosper Him in all undertakings granting Him a lung prosperous honour able life here upon earth and that He may attain to a blessed life hereaster And gracious God! looke mercifully upon all our Relations and do thou bring them to the light of thy Truth that are wandring ready to fall that grace here may intrest them in glory hereaster Confirme them in thy Truth that already stand Show some good token for good unto them that they may rejoyce O let thy good hand of providence be over them in all their wayes And to all orders and degress of men that be amongst us Give religiâ—â—â— hearts to them that now rule in Authority over us Loyall hearts in their Subjects towards their Supreame And loving hearts in all men to their Friends and charitable hearts one towards another And for the continuance of thy Gospel among us restore in thy good time to their severall Places and Calings and give grace O Heavenly Father to all Bishops Pastors and Curates that they may both by their Life and Docirine set forth thy true and lively word and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments And Lord blesse thy Church still with Pastors after thine own heart with a continuall succession of faithfull and able men that they may both by Life and Doctrine declare thy Truth and never for fear or favour back-slide or depart from the same And give them the assistance of thy spirit that may inable them soâ—to preach thy word that may keep thy People upright in the midst of a corrupted and corrupt generation And good Lord blesse thy people every where with hearing ears understanding hearts consciencious sould obedient lives especially those over whom I have had either lately or formerly a charge that with meek heart and due reverence they may hear and receive thy holy word truly serving thee in righteousness and holiness all the days of their lives And we be seech thee of thy goodness O Lord to comfort and succour all those that in this transitory life be in trouble sorrow need sicknesse or any other adversity Lord help the helplesse comport the comfortlesse visit the sik releive the oppressed help them to right that suffer wrong set them at liberty that are in Prison restore the banished and of thy great mercy and in thy good time deliver all thy people out of their necessities Lord do thou of thy great mercy fit us all for our latter end for the hour of death and the day of Judgement and doe thou in the hour of death and at the day of Judgement from thy wrath and everlasting damnation good Lord diliver us through the Crosse and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ In the meane time O Lord teach us so to number our dayes and we my Minutes that we may apply our hearts to true wisedom that we may be wise unto salvation that we may live soberly godly and rightcously in this present world denvint all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Lord teach us so to live that we may not be afraid to dye and that we may so live that we may be alwayes prepared to dye that when death shall seixe upon us it may not surprise us but that we may lift up our heads with joy knowing that our redemption draws nigh and that we shall be for ever happy being assured that we shall come to the Felicity of the Chossen and rejoyce with the gladnesse of thy people and give us such a fullnesse of thy holy Spirit that may make us stedfast in this faith and confirme us in this hope indue me with patience under thy asslicting band let not death be unpleasting to me but support me in this visitation that I may dye with a confidence to overcome death and so to live for ever and so fortifie my soul with the assistance of thy spirit that I may to the last minute be assisted with a chearfulire resolution to give up my selfe to thy divine disposing that so passing the pilgrimage of this world we may come to the Land of promise the Heavenly Canaan that we may reign with thee in the World to come through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose belssed Name and Words we further call upon in thee saying Our Father c. Let thy mighty hand and ouâ—-sâ—â—â—â—â—darme O Lord the she desence of me and all other thy servants thy mercy and loving kinsness in Jesus Christ oâ—â— savaliâ—n thy 〈◊〉 and hody word our instruct on thy Grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation to the end and in the end through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Which being sâ—nâ—â—hed he applâ—es limeselse to the Executioner giving him chrâ—e pieces in gold om of a Purfe Stripping himselfe he being in his shirt askes his Man for his Wastâ—â—â—â— who after a dilgene seaâ—ch not finding of it he toll his Mastâ—r it were lost upon which the Doctor makes answer no matter if I lose a Wasâ—coaâ— when I am to lose my if after ward it being fâ—und and having put iâ— on with his Cap he put his hair under it himselfe laying himselfe down to 〈◊〉 himself to the Block preving a pretty while in which time there were brought a Warrant upon the Scassold which did not in the least alter Dr. Howit having done Prayer he arises taking leave of his friends which occasioned the fall of many a tear and prepares himselfe for the Block where giving a siâ—n the Executionet at one blow and a raze severed his Head from his Body which was put in a Coffin brought for that purpuse and conveyed to Hunsdon House neer Doctors Commons and after word enter'd with all desecency in the Chancell of Saint Gregories London FINIS AN ELEGIE
UPON The most Pious and Eminent Doctor JOHN HEWITT I. Nature and reason both do plainly show Atreran Ebb we must expect a Flow Out late Experience makes this maxime good A Flood of Tears succeeds an Ebb of Blood HEWITT's departure makes a Tempest rise His ebbing Body left us flowing Eyes II. Come then my Muse let 's labout to distill Thorough the Limbeck of my mouraing Quill Such hearty Tears that truly may invite A Zealot to a perfect appetite Of Love and Pity and let those that never Knew how to weep now learn to weep for ever III. But stay my Genius will these captious Times Indure the touch of our Elopious Rimes Without a prejudice Bo therefore wise This Age has reaching Ears and searching Eyes If thou offend'st my Muse be sure to borrow The priviledge to charge it on thy sorrow IV. Bince he is dead report it thou my Muse Unto the World as Grief and not as News Hark how Religion sighs the Pulpet grones And Tears run trickling down the senslesse stones That Church which was all Ears is now turn'd Eyes The Mother weeps and all her Children cries V. Does Rackel mourn Oh blame hor not for she Has lost her Darling in his Infancy She looks upon it as a signal Cross But knows that he has gained by her lose She grieves and hopes her griefs are understood Her Children that suck'd Milk may now suck Blood VI. But hark there 's something whispers in my ear A Famine in Religion now grows near Her Zeal-parch'd Corn hangs down it's drooping head And turns to dirt which might have prov'd good Bread How sad it is that Children must not ear Religion will finde Mouthes but where 's the Meat VII Ah sâ—anguine days When such tall Cedars fall Dangers drawes near and threatens Shrubs and all The sensless Ax that nothing understood Cut off his Life and dy'd it selt in Blood When Troy was burnt the neighb'ring Towns did stand Expecting then their doom was near at hane VIII 'T was He whose careful Zeal and zealous Care Was alwayes lab'ring duly to prepare Religious Viamds that his Flock might be Not Pampet'd but well â—â—d with Chirity But now Ah now he 's willingâ— retir'd Where he 'll be blest as he was here admir'd IX Blest Soul Since thy unhappy happy Fate Hath so soon made thee more than fortunate I will surcease my grief and onely shed Some reall drops onely because th' art dead 'T is Nature not Religion makes us weep Manners sorbids a noise whilst friends do slâ—ep X. No more my Muse it is enough we know He is transplanted from this World below Unto a glorious Mansion in whose Quire There is no fear of Plots nor thoughts of Fiâ—e That Cours of Justice periods all his strife And gives what here he lost I mean New Life FINIS SIX QUERIES Reflecting On the Drs. Tryall and Execution From The Bloody Court of Injustice WHether the first occasion of his Imprisonment was not by a Trepaâ—… of the Old Protectors subscribing Commissions from the King as prâ—…tended with his own hand whereby the Dr. was ensnared and whethâ—… as to the whole matter the Dr. did not dye meerly to satisfie the Protector blood-thirstiness and ambition more than any guik II. Whethe whereas in a Lawfull Court of Judicature if a person though Belon stand Mute all means are used to entreat him to plead so long as thâ—… Court sits the Dr. had not Hard Measure in an Vnlawfull Court to be deny'd tâ—… priviledge of pleading for himselfe when He humbly Petition'd their crueltiâ—… Once or Twice His former default proceeding if we may believe a Dyin Man meerly out of Ignorance of their illegall proceedings III. Whether the Book called Dr. Hewits Ghost written by Mr. Pryn be noâ—… very learned and rationall piece and worthy to be considered of by the Pâ—…â—…liaâ—…â—…ent that those men who acted so fouly against Law in this businessâ—… might answes for his blood with their own IV. Whether the tears and suplications of his virtuous Lady might not havâ—… moved compassion in any save Men of the Sword and consciences most reâ—… morsleâ—…s to favour their own soules and posterities by saving the lifeof thâ—… Righteous Person V. Whether any of the Protector 's pimping Parsons or sneaking Chaplainâ—… brought God so much glory by bolding forth all their lives time as this Revâ—…rend Divine did in Preaching one Sermon And to concluds VI. Whether ever any English Church-Man preach'd and pray'd with morâ—…â—…eal and servency of spirit liv'd more conscienciously or dy'd more undauntedly and resolutely than Dr. Hewit and if none exceeded him in anâ—… of these Whether we may not expect Gods just vengeance on the Abettoâ—… and contrivers of the death of This Man so â—…mingently accomplished for hiâ—… Glory FINIS