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this last year on many accounts! This day, I desire to contemplate the seventy-first year of my life, longer by far than I expected to live, longer than my mother, brother, or sisters have lived, or most of my relations, except my poor father, who lived to be above eighty years of age. O what have I been doing? What doth the Lord spare my life for, from year to year? I cannot but wonder that I should be kept alive, when so many of my age and under have this year been laid in the silent dust. It hath been a year of great mortality. This time twelve months I was taken very ill; my sons and their wives came much alarmed to see me, and I was considered in great danger; but I am better now than before."

Mrs. Heywood was again visited by severe indisposition of body this year, so that for a time she was supposed to be near death; but God graciously restored her in answer to fervent prayer, after an illness of about eight weeks. "Sept. 20th, 1701," Mr. H. observes," my wife and I being in the house alone, we spent some time in prayer, and God gave her much enlargement of heart as formerly: blessed be God. This is the first time she engaged with me since her sickness. Both my sons came and preached in my chapel Sept. 24th, and kept it as a day of thanksgiving for her. It was a good day: blessed be God."

Having surpassed the usual limits of a man's life, Mr. Heywood was looking forward to the time of his departure, and longing for its approach, and in the review of the last year of his life he thus expresses himself: "I have had multiplied mercies this year. My life is still prolonged notwithstanding my many infirmities, especially my short-breathing, which hath so increased upon me that I could not walk to my chapel, but my friends have provided me a chair in which two

men carry me; and when I get into the pulpit am enMy dear Lord has been with had a long and dangerous

abled to preach audibly. me all along. My wife fever which kept her ill eight or nine weeks. She wished to be gone, and desired me not to pray for her life. I gave her into God's hands and begged her again in submission to his will. He answered my desire, though she is yet weak and tender, and hath not been at chapel this February, 1702, but she is very helpful to me and others, though nearly seventy years of age. There have been many deaths about us, but death hath not broken in upon me and mine these forty years, except a little son of my son Eliezer's which they called Oliver, about seven days old: blessed be God. But who knows what this next year may bring forth?* I have a capacity for studying sermons, and writing much. I sleep, eat my meat well, have a good digestion, and much ease, except fits of coughing which are soon over: blessed be God."

This was written only two or three months before his death.

PART VIII.

Mr. Heywood's last Sickness and Death-His Character as a Son -Husband-Father-Master of a Family-Relative-Friend— Subject-His Religion-Spirituality of Mind-Spirit of Prayer -Gratitude to God-Self-Examination-Watchfulness-Humi

lity-Faith-Liberality-Talents-Simplicity of Manner-Fervour of Spirit-Conscientiousness-Disinterestedness— Doctrinal Sentiments-His Views of Church Government-His Diligencé in his Work-The Success of his Ministry.

REAL religion appears beautiful in every age and condition of life, but especially when its possessor is drawing very near to eternity. The patriarch Jacob was an illustrious character, but never appeared more dignified than when he strengthened himself on his bed, called his children around him, told them what should befall them in the last days, and declared that he had waited for the salvation of God. Moses, the servant of the Lord, never spoke more eloquently in addressing the tribes of Jacob, than when he was a hundred and twenty years old, and had received the command of God to ascend mount Nebo and die there. When David sat on the throne of Israel, invested with all the grandeur of his office, he did not appear half so glorious as when he assembled the princes of his people in his dying chamber, collected all his remaining strength, stood up on his feet, gave Solomon and the princes a solemn charge to build the house of the Lord, and concluded the interesting scene by blessing the glorious name of Jehovah, and praying that the whole earth

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might be filled with his glory. We have traced, with some degree of minuteness, the eventful course which the subject of this memoir thought it his duty to pursue, and not a little of the power of religion as displayed in the active, holy, and devoted life of O. Heywood, may be learnt from the preceding pages, and it remains for us to observe its influence on the closing scene of his life.

When Mr. Heywood was unable to bear the fatigue of walking to his chapel, though but a short distance from his dwelling-house, his people were unwilling to be deprived of his services, especially as he wished to continue his ministerial labours to the last, and, when carried into the pulpit in his chair, he was able to conduct the services with his accustomed energy. It must have been peculiarly delightful to see this faithful servant of the Lord Jesus, whose days had been devoted to the cause of Christ and the good of souls, spending his last moments in recommending that gospel to others which had been his support and consolation through life. He delivered to others what he had seen and handled of the word of life, with all the earnestness of a man on the brink of eternity. had no secret fear that he was deceived himself, or that he was deceiving others, when extolling the glories of Christ and the wonders of redeeming grace; but living and dying he was "not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," knowing that it was "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." The subject on which he discoursed several Lord's days, immediately preceding his dissolution, was in accordance with the solemn event: "Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity," 2 Tim. ii.

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19. He was spared to complete a course of sermons on this text, and with it he closed his public ministry, the Lord's day but one before his death. No particulars of his death are preserved, except that he died in peace, May 4th, 1702, in the seventy-third year of his age, and fifty-second of his stated ministry. In the absence of other information, the concluding part of his diary, which he continued till within five days of his death, may be acceptable. "April 26th, Lord's day. In the morning I was little fit for the work of the day; yet made a venture. Read Job xiv; did pray, but was short; preached on 2 Tim. ii. 19. Finished that text. Some came in at night. I was very weary. 27th. Morning, I was ill, and had much ado to get into my chamber.* Came down, and kept down all day; began to write, but was not able. Mr. B. came and went to prayer with me. Was something better in the afternoon. 28th. I was not able to go up into my chamber, but prayed below. Was a little assisted in the afternoon to pray in. my parlour. 29th. Morning, I had help to get up, and my wife left me for prayer in the parlour. We went to family prayer. God helped. I had many visitors, and W. Clay came and went to prayer with me. Young J. P. came; his father went to prayer with me." This was written on Wednesday, and he died on the Monday following. It is generally supposed he was interred in his mother's grave, on the south side of Halifax church, called Holdsworth's chapel; but though no stone points out the place of his interment, and no monument records his name and excellencies, yet his memory is still revered in the neighbourhood where he

• Chamber, was a term by which he frequently meant his study.

+ His Will bears date this day.

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