surprised at his request, told him she would consult her husband. After a few minutes, they both came to the door, and Mr. H. repeated his solicitation, but told them he had no money to satisfy them for their trouble; yet he hoped God would reward them. They immediately desired him to alight; the master led the horse into the stable, and the mistress began to prepare something for Mr. H. to eat. He told her, he was concerned to see her give herself so much trouble, he did not request either a supper or bed, but only to sit by the fire-side till the morning. The mistress assured him, that for an act of hospitality she did not expect any reward, and that though the accommodations her house would afford, were but indifferent, he should be welcome; and therefore hoped he would make himself easy."

"After supper, they all sat down by the fire, and the master of the house desired to know of the stranger, what countryman he was. 'I was born,' said he, 'in Lancashire, but I have a wife and family in the neighbourhood of Halifax.' 'That is a town,' said the farmer, 'where I have been; and some years ago I had some acquaintance there. Pray do you know Mr. S. and Mr. D.? And is old Mr. F. yet alive?' The stranger gave suitable answers to these, and other enquiries. At length the kind hostess asked him, ‘if he knew any thing of one Mr. Oliver Heywood, who was formerly a minister at some chapel not far from Halifax, but was now, on some account or other, forbidden to preach.' The stranger replied, "There is a great deal of noise and talk about him; some speak well, others say every thing that is bad of him: for my own part I can say little in his favour.' 'I believe,' said the farmer, 'he is of that sect which is every where spoken against; but pray, do you personally know him? And what is

it that inclines you to form such an indifferent opinion of his character?' 'I do know something of him,' said the stranger, but as I do not choose to propagate an ill report of any one, if you please we will talk on some other subject.' After keeping the farmer and his wife in suspense for some time, who were a little uneasy at what he had said, he told them, he was the the poor outcast. All was then surprise, and joy, and thankfulness, that a merciful Providence had brought him under their roof. The farmer said, 'Mr. H. I am glad to see you here, having long had a sincere regard for you, from the favourable report I have always heard of you. The night is not far spent, I have a few neighbours that love the gospel, and if you will give us a word of exhortation, I will run and acquaint them. This is an obscure place, and as your coming here is not known, I hope we shall have no interruption.' Mr. H. consented; a small congregation was gathered; and he preached to them with that fervor, affection, and enlargement, which attending circumstances served to inspire. On this joyful occasion, a small collection was voluntarily made to help the poor traveller on his way."

PART V.

Mr. Heywood's thankfulness for private Liberty-Declaration of public Liberty to the Nonconformists-Mr. Heywood's removal to Northowram-Receipt of License-Reflections-Formation of a christian Society at Northowram-Church covenant-Union of Presbyterians and Independents-Mr. Heywood's Labours and success-Ordination at Manchester-Dr. Hook's OppositionDedication of his sons to the Ministry—Personal Covenants.

In the preceding detail we have seen the severity with which the Nonconformists were treated; and, though Mr. Heywood was involved in trouble for preaching publicly at Coley chapel, yet he was protected in his private labours. This mercy made a deep impression on his grateful heart, and he set apart Jan. 31st, 1672, as a day of thanksgiving. On this occasion he says, "It was a good day. Reflect, O my soul, on the circumstances of thy case. What! a day of thanksgiving in so sad a time of affliction! Is it seasonable? Is it not a solecism to rejoice in a day of sorrow? No. As public restraint may be consistent with private liberty; so private thankfulness may be consistent with occasion of public mourning. It is true, carnal joy is unsuitable to the time of the church's sorrow; yet spiritual joy may be maintained in the midst of outward grief. Blessed be God that we have his presence though in private. I have now been at Coley-hall above six years, and have had interesting, frequent, and numerous meetings all the time without disturbance: and doth not this deserve our thankfulness? Well may we bless

God for a little opening of the door of liberty, though there be many adversaries, for praise may push it further open as well as prayer. The Act of Parliament saith, five shall not meet; God saith, five score shall meet to worship him in private. Men say, we shall be punished; God saith, no, touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm:' and it must be according to the divine commission. Men shut, but God opens; the omnipotent God is beyond impotent man. God's ordinances wherever dispensed, are the gate of the Lord, into which the righteous do enter. Who knows what good the Lord hath done to precious souls in a private way? He is the same in a chamber as in a church; God orders all for the best. Little did I think to have been thus employed; my resolution was to attend in public, if not to be a speaker, at least a hearer; but God hath seen good otherwise to dispose of me, for when men had thrust me out of public work, he employed me in private. I have many times thought and said, 'I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name,' at least in this place and in these times; but his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones.' Sometimes I have altered the time and given notice to the contrary, but it would not do, the people have pressed in upon me, frequent vacancies have occurred at the chapel, and poor souls have been famishing and crying out for a morsel of spiritual bread. I have put my credit, estate, and liberty in my hand to distribute to them the word of life, and God has secured me so that I have never suffered for private work at home, though for what has been public I have been plundered. Blessed be God for this door of hope in the valley of Achor: though I am civilly dead, yet I shall not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord.' "This is the day

the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.' O Lord, make this private brook to hold out till thou give plentiful rain upon the earth." This sacrifice of praise was accepted, and some of the above remarks were partly prophetical.

It is notorious that Charles was a papist, and under the pretence of a conciliatory disposition towards the persecuted and oppressed Nonconformists, he sought to encourage popery. Had he been the real friend of the ejected ministers, he would not have suffered them to have groaned ten long years under the grievous yoke of penal laws. By an exertion of arbitrary power, he was pleased to suspend the execution of the laws that had been passed against the Nonconformists, and issued a declaration, dated March 15th, 1672, in which it was acknowledged, "that there was very little fruit of all those forcible methods which had been used for reducing erring and dissenting persons." This declaration was a merciful and unexpected answer of prayer, and was received as such by Mr. Heywood, who says: "March 18th, I went to keep a fast at J. Smith's near Great Horton. God wonderfully helped my heart both in prayer and preaching, but especially in prayer for the church, and for poor ministers, that (after a silence of almost ten years,) their mouths might be opened. Indeed it hath long been my earnest request, but then more enlargedly; and behold a sudden return! On Tuesday two messengers came, one from Halifax and the other from Leeds, to bring me the joyful tidings of liberty to Nonconformists to preach in public places. I confess it was welcome news, and almost incredible; but having heard the particular relation together with the reasons assigned, I was bound to credit it, and rejoice in God's mercy. Ezra vii. 27, 28, came into my thoughts upon hearing the news;