have been a long time before I had been found, and I am very unwieldy and helpless. J. W. was killed near Morley by a horse and cart about a fortnight since. Why was I not brought home dead or lamed? Just before, my wife and I had been a journey into Lancashire, and returned home in peace and safety. Blessed be our gracious and prayer-hearing God. O my soul, give God all the glory.”

The diligent and disinterested labours of Mr. Heywood were remarkably blessed to the conversion of souls, and he often records, with gratitude and joy, many instances of his successful preaching that came to his knowledge: "My eager and earnest desire for many years," he says, "hath been carried out for the conversion of sinners to God, and it hath been some discouragement of late that I have not heard of such results as formerly; but God hath now revived my languishing hope, which I must solemnly record. 1. J. Rhodes, of Haworth, told me of a man near Colne, wrought upon by a sermon I preached at Holmes Chapel, two or three years ago, who is now very serious. 2. J. Butterworth informed me of a young man at Liverpool, convinced by a sermon I preached at Ormskirk three years since, who says, he never engages in prayer but he prays particularly for me. He is become eminent, and hath been an instrument of good to some of his relations. 3. Lydia Wood came to me the other day in great trouble of spirit, and appears very hopeful. 4. Mary Hanson lately came to me in agony of mind. Her husband told me some circumstances that gave me grounds to hope well of her. 5. W. Ramsden's daughter was forbidden by her father to hear me: but she came once, and God was pleased to take hold of her heart. 6. Another young woman hath come to me, weeping much on ac

count of her soul. 7. A servant at Rhodes-Hall, who had been a wicked lad, comes constantly to hear me, and is much changed, spends much time in reading, praying, and talking in a religious strain with his fellow-servants, and is very hopeful. I have also heard that God hath set the faces of several young men among my hearers heaven-wards, and that they frequently meet in the night for prayer. I was greatly rejoiced by the good news, and sent on Lord's day to speak to one of them, desiring he would ask his companions to come to my house the following Wednesday. They came Nov. 16th, 1692, about two o'clock, and continued till seven. God greatly assisted them in confessing sins, pleading for converting grace, and in expressing their concern lest they should be mistaken in their views of themselves. They pleaded for the church, for me, and my family, &c. It was time profitably spent. Much of the presence of God was enjoyed by these hopeful youths, with whom I never before joined in prayer except with one. Six of them engaged, and prayed experimentally and feelingly; I was amazed at their gifts. Many of them are the children of carnal parents. They blessed God for my recovery and labours, and that they had ever seen my face and heard my voice. I concluded the meeting, and was about an hour in prayer. Such feelings of gratitude I have seldom had with other persons. Blessed be free grace for this abundant answer of prayer."

When Mr. Heywood entered the 65th year of his age, he still continued his itinerant labours as he had opportunities, besides his stated services at home. In a journey to York, during the summer of 1693, he says: "I visited and prayed with Mr. Sharp, and baptized five children for him at Leeds. On Friday, I preached the lecture in the new meeting place, at

York, for Mr. Colton; travelled to Bell-Hall, and discoursed with Lady Hewley, and prayed for her and her sick family; preached on the Lord's day at York, and visited my friends; met Lord Wharton at Healaugh, gave him a catalogue of 160 bibles and catechisms distributed by me; procured 50 bibles and catechisms for friends; obtained £5. for J. Heywood, £3. for our* school, and £10. for Bramham. I prayed four times with Lord Wharton, † and returned safely home, though late, Aug. 24th."

* Mr. H. was at this time engaged in the erection of a school in his neighbourhood, to which he subscribed liberally himself, and obtained the benevolent contributions of others, which he records: "Mr. J. H. who owns Northowram-Green, was willing to give ground, ten yards square, and stones for the building. Wm. Clay, R. Ramsden, J. Baxter, and I undertook the affair: J. Baxter was to overlook the work. I gave £5. at first, and procured £7. towards building it; but we are not certain what it will cost. It was finished; and Mr. David Hartley, born at Halifax, and educated at Oxford, came to teach school, Dec. 5th, 1693. I prevailed with Lord Wharton to maintain six poor scholars at this school."

"Philip, Lord Wharton, was a puritan nobleman of considerable note. He was one of the lay members of the Westminster Assembly, and took a most active part in supporting the Parliament against the King, for which service he was created an Earl by the House. He was appointed, with several others, resident Commissioner at Edinburgh, to attend the Scotch Parliament. He was sent to the Tower for challenging the legality of the long Parliament of Charles II. After this he travelled abroad, taking Mr. Howe with him. He seems to have been a decided Nonconformist, and his house was a refuge for Nonconformist Ministers in time of persecution. While attending Dr. Manton's Meeting at one time, the place was beset and his name taken down. The place was fined £40. and the Minister £20. which his Lordship paid. Mr. Locke describes him, as an old, expert parliament man, of eminent piety and abilities, and a great friend to the Frotestant religion, and interest of England.' In a postscript to a letter which Dr. Owen wrote from his house to the church, in Berry-Street, when he was ill, he thus expresses himself concern,

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His covenant at the close of this year is as follows: "O my dear Lord, I have, by thy wonderful hand of providence, passed another year in mercy, and though a vile cumber-ground, spent one week in another year, by the interposing kindness of my all-sufficient Mediator. I do now prostrate myself at thy Majesty's footstool, giving thee most hearty thanks, setting up my Ebenezer, and saying, with thy servant David: 'Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ?' Thy kindness hath counteracted my demerits and fears, and surmounted my hopes and expectations. There is scarcely such an instance of divine benignity under the heavens! Thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God! Thou hast made me a member of, yea, a minister in, thy church; an office more fit for a prince than a peasant, an angel than a mortal man. Thou hast found me out employ-, ment public and private, at home and abroad; thou hast given me the esteem and affection of thy people; hast crowned my labours with abundant success; hast favoured me with many visits from heaven, maintained

ing the family: 'I humbly desire you would in your prayers remember the family where I am, from whom I have received and do receive great christian kindness. I may say, as the Apostle of Onesiphorus, The Lord grant to them that they may find mercy of the Lord in that day: for they have often refreshed me in my great distress. The Countess of Wharton appears to have been a very excellent woman, and from the language of Mr. Howe, in the Dedication of his "Thoughtfulness for the Future," she was decidedly a Nonconformist, if not a member of his church. He speaks of her Ladyship having been called to serve the christian interest in a family wherein it had long flourished, and which it had dignified beyond all the splendour that antiquity and secular greatness could confer upon it."-Orme's Life of Owen, p. 375-6. Lord Wharton died at Hampstead, Feb. 5th, 1696, aged 82, and was buried at Wooburn.-O. Heywood's MS.

my lot, and continued me in this neighbourhood, in some measure of faithfulness, against all opposition, these forty-four years. Thou hast even spoken well of thy servant's house for a great while to come; for thou hast given me two hopeful sons, (the third is, I hope, in heaven,) whom I have given back to thee in the ministry. My eldest son hath this last year found a wife, a prudent companion, and thereby obtained favour from the Lord. Thou hast called my son to pastoral employment in Pontefract, given him a heart concerned for the good of precious souls: and who can tell what spiritual children he may have in the gospel? Many prayers are on the file in heaven for him: and what can thy servant speak more unto thee, for the honour of thy servant? My outward comforts are not inconsiderable: thou hast given me Agur's lot, neither poverty nor riches, but food convenient for me. Thou hast rather increased than diminished my estate this year: and thou, O my God, hast told thy servant, that 'thou wilt build him a house, therefore thy servant hath prayed unto thee.' O my dear Lord, the everlasting, covenant-keeping, and prayer-hearing God, I am thy worthless servant, the minister of my Father's house, and that the least in our English Israel. Thou hast taken me, as it were, from the sheepcote, though very deficient in capacity, and one of the darkest sinners amongst the sons of men, as unlikely a being as any to be brought into the bond of thy covenant; yet such is thy transcendant and condescending love, that thou hast been with me whithersoever I have walked, and hast made me a name like the name of the great, at least of the good men that are in the earth. I have in my days passed through straits and abundance, liberty and imprisonments, comforts and crosses, honour and dishonour, evil and good