say, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his," (Heb. let my soul or my life be with the righteous.) But they that would follow this blessed saint into the upper region, must enter in at the right door by sound conversion, and go forth, and go on in "the footsteps of the flock," travelling gradually in the paths of sanctity, till they advance to the mount of God: and though it be a rare thing to follow those worthies, (passibus æquis) with such steps and quick motion; yet sincerity in our setting out, diligence in pursuit, and perseverance in holding on to the end, may bring us to the goal and crown of glory and though we cannot reach the exploits and honour of the three first of king David's worthies, yet may we be faithful soldiers in this noble army of the "followers of the Lamb," at last the diadem of glory may be by the grace of God set upon our triumphant heads: and if there be degrees of felicity, yet the least vessel shall be filled, and the humblest saint shall be blessed with an exceeding and eternal weight of glory; for such and so great is that joy, that it cannot enter into the most extensive and capacious minds as receivers, but they must enter" into their Master's joy ;" as if millions of vessels of different sizes were cast into the vast ocean, they would be completely filled: so every saint will say with David, Ps. xvii. 15, "As for me I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness."

Nor can it be difficult for a departing soul, set at liberty from the prison of flesh, to soar aloft with speed into those celestial regions, whatever may be the distance, especially when attendant angels form its escort. How quickly and safely can that blessed convoy conduct it into the presence-chamber of the glorious King? O how well did the gracious soul of Angier know the way thither, where he had been daily visiting the great God by faith and prayer! He was not a stranger to the laws of that country, nor unacquainted with the manner of the court above; but as he walked with his God, and was united to that heavenly society, so doubtless some correspondence was maintained with those blessed spirits above. Happy they that have faithfully improved their gifts and graces whilst conversant below; remember their dying expressions, and imitate their amiable, lively examples.

CLOSE OF MRS. ELLEN ANGIER'S LIFE.

MRS. E. ANGIER, first wife of the Rev. John Angier, was born at Wigan, and daughter of Mr. Winstanley. * At the early age of eight years, she commenced her religious course, but she never appears to have possessed an assurance, or to have enjoyed a sense of divine favour. Her natural constitution seems to have had a propensity to depression of spirits, and through the whole of life this was her affliction. Two years and more before her death, God exercised her with great weakness of body; so that she was sometimes unable to walk, or lie down in bed, and was in excessive pain.

March 23, 1641, God gave her more clearness and comfort than she usually had; but her disconsolateness returned. At one time she said, "She would fain speak to the children, but could not, she was so straitened in her breast." Her husband asked her if he should send for their son John? She said, “No;” but bade him do what he thought best, he being at school at Manchester. She spoke to her daughter, and bade her "take God for her parent, as she knew not how soon father and mother might be gone." Speaking of John, she said, "That poor child, the Lord redeem his soul and keep him from base company. It may be, my poor words may sometime impress him, and my poor desires be realized." "She then," says Mr. Angier, spake to me, desiring that I would take care to train up the children in God's fear." She said to her friends that were with her "Labour to be prepared to go through such difficulties. You may go on long in profession, and still meet with hard things when you think the worst is past. This I would say to old and young, be more plain and honest one with

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another."

"At night I went not to bed," continues Mr. A. " till after twelve o'clock, being solicitous for my wife, that God would further manifest himself unto her. Before one o'clock they called me up, she being very ill. She then said, 'Lord, into thy hands I commit my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Make no tarrying. He doth not yet come. Will he not make haste? I answered, 'yes, in his own time. Again she prayed that the Lord would come, and he did not long delay. She desired to be put into another bed, * See Page 524.

where, after a short but hard struggle with death, she slept calmly away, between three and four o'clock in the morning, Dec. 14, 1642.

"God had taken off her heart from minding the children or any thing else, and had much weaned my heart. Notwithstanding her long weakness, her death was somewhat severe, and she was sensible to the last, though she had much feared the loss of her senses. Dec. 15, about two o'clock in the afternoon, the body of my wife was committed to the grave. Mr. Horrocks preached on Rom. vi. 23, The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.' Dec. 18, God sent Mr. Hollingworth to help me, who preached on Job xxxiv. 29, When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?' The Lord graciously assisted him. He said, 'One good look from God would make things well with a kingdom or individual." "

A

BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT

OF

MRS. ELIZABETH HEYWOOD,

First Wife of the Rev. O. Heywood;

EXTRACTED FROM HIS MANUSCRIPTS.

SHE was the excellent daughter of an eminent minister, the Rev. J. Angier. She was born, June 24, 1634, at Denton in Lancashire, the place where her distinguished father was minister many years; and was baptized, June 29, by Mr. Henry Root, then preacher at Gorton, a neighbouring chapel. She being brought up at home, partook of her parents' excellent dispositions. She was naturally very forward in learning any thing, so that she could read some of the hardest chapters in the bible when but four years of age. At six years of age, she was able to write down passages of sermons she heard, in which, by continual use, in process of time she arrived at great perfection, so that she could repeat a sermon very methodically and distinctly. This evidenced not only her natural genius, but that "by reasou of use, she had her senses exercised to discern both good and evil." As for her acquaintance with scripture, I may say of her as was said of Timothy: "That from a child she had

had known the holy scriptures;" much of them she had committed to memory. She took delight in reading God's word: not a day passed over her head in which she read not several chapters: morning and evening, she was getting a repast from this richly supplied board.

She was about eight years of age when her own dear and precious mother died, which, though it was a great loss to her, the Lord was pleased in a short time (in a great measure) to make up, by providing a very tender mother, who was very affectionate to her, and she also was very obedient to her.

She began while she was yet young, to seek the Lord God of her father, and by degrees received gracious influences and impressions. I know not but I might say, she was sanctified from the womb, or that the principles of holiness were instilled into her heart with her mother's milk. This was an occasion of sad doubts about her state, because she did not remember any signal juncture of time when her transition from nature to grace might be dated. She was often in fears, because she had not felt those strong convictions and deep humiliations which others could enumerate. But, for my own part, I think that those who have been piously educated and have made no apparent defection into gross sin, but have kept forward in a course of secret duties from a principle of of conscience, and are afraid of offending God in any thing, may conclude that their state is safe, though they have not felt those convulsions in their souls which others have had. This I have observed, that God usually comes by some affliction or conviction to take off such a person from his own righteousness, or leaves him to fall into some reproachful sin, whereby he takes occasion to awaken conscience, or leads him into some remarkable way of self-discovery, and then creates lively springings of the Spirit of grace in the heart. She constantly practised the duty of prayer. reading the scripture, she always went to prayer, and would shut herself up in her room and be long alone.

After

From her very infancy, she was of so sweet and tender a disposition, that she always delighted in peace, and would never endure anger or contention. In any matters of difference that fell out on any occasion, she would often say, "Let us yield rather than contend." She had a remarkable dexterity in putting off, or putting the best construction on, what might tend to animosity.

She had a very tender affection for her poor brother and sister, and shed many tears for them; especially for her brother, whose extravagancies almost broke her heart, as if she had been his mother. She loved him so dearly while they were both

young, that she would have wished to have borne his corrections for him, and many times used her endeavours to do him good. Her heart was much carried out after his soul's welfare, and she trembled to inquire respecting him, lest she should hear what is evil. O what fears and jealousies had she for him! What tears and prayers did she pour out for him, and what letters of grave advice did she write unto him! How did it rejoice her heart to read his penitential letters from New England, when there appeared any hope of his doing well!

April 18, 1656. She brought forth her first-born son, called John, after her reverend father: I pray God he may tread in his steps. The ensuing year, on the same day, she was delivered of another son, and named him Eliezer, saying, “The God of my father was my help."

The Lord was pleased to train up the subject of this memoir under the severe discipline of the rod. From her youth she suffered by the frequent visits of bodily afflictions, so that when she enjoyed the greatest health, physicians said, she was of the weakest constitution they had ever observed. It pleased the Lord to exercise her with great debility; and finding it increased the winter before her death, she took much time to set her house and heart in order for her great change, that she might be ready to take her flight into eternity. She bought no clothes but for present use, because she said she was shortly to take her leave of all. She provided necessaries for us, that we might have nothing to buy for some time. Sometimes she would speak concerning a second marriage, desiring me to keep God's way as I had done before, and he would provide well for me again. She mentioned not only some characters but persons to me, who she apprehended would be suitable and helpful to my children. Much serious counsel did she give me, which I hope I shall remember while I live. Two things she particularly urged on me: first, that I would be much in secret prayer, and look chiefly to the frame of my heart therein; secondly, that I would never pray without mentioning the church of God, "if it be but," said she, "in two or three words, yet let Jerusalem come into your mind."

Thursday, April 18, 1661, we took our journey for Lancashire with our little sons, being sent for by our dear father to Denton, to see if by change of air and other means her frail constitution might be restored. We finished the journey in two days, and as we went along, she often bade farewell to Yorkshire, and was persuaded she should never return, as indeed it proved, though I hoped otherwise. It was remarkable that God should so order this exchange, sending my dear mother to die