The Life of Mr John Hieron, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Of his Behaviour when and while an outed Miniſter which he was to the day of his Death, of his Removes, of his Way and Work, and of the various Providences, that betided him in that part of his Life.
Sect. 1. HE ſupplicated Biſhop Hacket (whoſe viſitation was not long after) that he might have liberty to preach gratis, at Dale Abby. He preſſed him to conforme, he anſwered his place was diſpoſed off, and could I have been ſatisfied to conforme, I ſhould not have left my own People; but the place I mention having no Maintenance, is like to have no Miniſter; unleſs ſome body be ſuffered, whoſe Charity will ſend him out at his own Charge, the care of that, ſaith the Biſhop, muſt lye upon me, which if it did, he hath given account of it, for of any Miniſter ſent thither, I can give none account.
Sect. 2. At Michaelmas after Auguſt 24th, he removed to Little Eaton, a Town contiguous to Breadſall: Being loath to go far away, he took up in a place where he conflicted with ſome difficulties; but bare them, and (under ſome offers of greater Conveniencies) pitched his Tent there, and enjoying peace and quietneſs abode there three Years and an half, doing good according to his opportunities; till a new publick ſtorm aroſe, even a rough Wind in a day of the Eaſt-Wind; wherein man did not imitate God, who ſtayeth his rough Wind in the day of the Eaſt-wind. Iſa. 27. 8.
Sect. 3. And now comes the hurricane of the Oxford Act, to ſcatter them, whom the Ʋniformity Act had removed, violently to toſs and turn them like a ball, to make them like Chaff before the Wind, and as a rolling thing before the Whirlwind. Thus did Revenge purſue, without any new crime, or provocation, ſmiting with a rage that reached Heaven: And thus they that were quiet in the Land, muſt have no quiet in it; but muſt be made as Vagabonds in the Earth, and be like Dogs that have a twitch ſet upon their Tails, that c…n reſt no where, but muſt to their ſorrow, be put to find out the perpetual motion. Under this Act Mr. Hieron fell; was not like to ſwear what he could not, durſt not ſay: So upon March 24. 166… he withdrew, leaving his deſirable Neighbourhood, and his beloved Family, and ſojourned at Aſhby-de-la-Zouch, and in other places amongſt his Friends, till Midſummer: Then removed his Family, and with them went to Newthorp in Nottinghamſhire, June 29. 1666. that Houſe had inconveniencies, but the opportunities of Service overballanced, and there had ſome Souls (its hoped) cauſe to bleſs God for his coming thither—But the Houſe not being Healthful, he made another remove back again into Derbyſhire, taking an Houſe at Loſco; after which remove he made none till carried to his long home.—.
Sect. 4. April 29. 1668. He came to Loſco, and there ſat down, and fell to his work—He had ſome ſubſtantial, ſound good men in this Neighbourhood, who did prize him, and whom he prized—. Now upon this Section I muſt dwell a little; and here
1 I find him at Little-Eaton, Newthorp, Loſco, &c. preaching the Goſpel as he had opportunity, yet oft joyning in publick Worſhip. He could be ſatisfied to be preſent at that Mode of Worſhip, wherein he could not officiate. He made his Moderation known; his Sufferings did not exaſperate him.
2. When May 10. 1670. was come, which made Conventicles a great crime, and any number above Five, beſides the Family, a Conventicle, he Preached twice a day in the bigeſt Families, and Four Perſons, with as many under Sixteen Years of Age, as would come, and then Repeated at home at night.
3. In the Year 1671/2. the Declaration for the ſhort lived Indulgence came out, he was then ſet free, and had full Meetings.
4. When that Declaration was recall'd, he held on doing; but with the Caution which the Times forced him to, and his Prudence directed in apparent danger; forbearing, but yet never deſiſting, nor giving out; and by this means he kept work on wheels, and expoſed not his Hearers.
5. About thoſe times he Printed his firſt Book, or Sermons, being urged to Print ſomething—And his latter Book he Printed, becauſe many Chriſtians acquainted him with their troubles, whom he always comforted, and wrote that Book to chear the Hearts, and lighten the Countenances of them that walked droopingly—He himſelf would be chearful in Company, to wipe off the ſlander caſt upon Religion, that it makes men ſour, moroſe, and ſpoils good Company.
6. Here he did many good Offices, and was ready to do Civil, and much more Spiritual Kindneſſes; though to his own trouble.
7. He was Temperate in all things, in Meat, Drink, Sleep, Eat competently at Noon, ſparingly at Night—Uſed not to Drink betwixt Meals, nor after Supper—A very cloſe Student; a great obſerver of what he read, and a careful collector of moſt material paſſages which he could readily repair to, and would upon occaſion of Speech impart to his Friends—He abridged Mr. Pools Criticks, and added his own Excellent Collections, and under his hand are there two Volumns upon the whole Scripture, in which I doubt not but there are things that entred not into the heads of Criticks; Rare things out of our beſt practical Divines, Spiritual Gloſſes, and moſt pertinent …ferences; for they that knew him, did know that he had an excellency this way—. I have ſometimes mentioned my own thoughts about ſome Scriptures, and he would read me out of his Books what his ſenſe was to very good purpoſe.
8. He was Gray by that time he was Forty or before, but though the Almond-Tree flouriſhed, they that looked out of the Windows were not darkened. His Sight was ſomething ſhort; but it held long, exceeding good to the laſt; he never uſed Spectacles, could read a little Print without difficulty, wrote by an indifferent Light, readily and well.
9. He was ſwift to hear his Brethren, took heed how he heard. He would tell his very friends, that never any could take any thing ill from him, where they miſſed it in any paſſages in a Sermon; and ſome that now live, acknowledge themſelves much beholden to him; for they knew he was accurate, though not nice; truly critical, tho' not cenſorious; exactly methodical, though not limiting others; but left them to their own method and way. In one of his new Books he ſets down thus, Graces eminent in Mr. Martin Topham, mentioned by Mr. John Oldfield, in his Sermon at his Funeral, November 3. 1658. which I deſire to imitate, the particulars follow in the cloſe,—Go thou and do likewiſe: Subſcribing J. H. A like extract there is out of Mr. Aſhes Funeral Sermon.
10. He was zealous for God, and his motion like natural motion, was quickeſt in its end. In many of his Books where he writ his Name, he adds to it, foreign, be zealous; which conſidering the man, and his courſe, ſhewed the temper of his heart.
11. At Loſco he ſaw his Son diſpoſed to a Branch of a Religious Family, and ſhe her ſelf truly ſo, the Daughter of an old Puritan, the Siſter of the very ſearching Mr. Joſeph Truman. A Woman of Vertue, conſiderably endowed as to Worldly things; and very happy they were in each other—God hath made her fruitful. Her Father in Law had great content in her, and was very ſenſible of this good Providence - He ſaw a Child Born, that bears his Name.
12. This Loſco remove was a very happy one to Mr. Hieron, and was a matter of Song to him in the houſe of his Pilgrimage—Here was a great gathering to him from many quarters. To the Carkaſs the Eagles gathered. He was next to a publick place here, had great numbers, and preached as in his former dayes. Here in a little time he had a choice Society of ſerious Souls; amongſt whom he adminiſtred the Sacrament in its ſtated times, with its wonted preparations; amongſt theſe he had conſtant dayes of Prayer, which upon emergent occaſions were multiplyed, and very frequent—Here God gave him much ſucceſs, the Goſpel got much ground; ſome brought in, and others brought on; many that were bad made good, and the good much better; ſome were planted, and others watered; ſome got root, and others better rooted. He was as Joſeph, fruitful in a ſtrange Land; and becauſe of this forgot his ſorrow; he ſaw God had directed his removes for the furtherance of the Goſpel; led him not amongſt heaps of ſtones, as it's ſaid, Beda's Lad led him, but was ſent into ſeveral places to help them. God led him into places, where were well affected people, willing to hear, and were glad at heart of him—They flocked in as Doves to the windows, and many were the Children of this deſolate Man, he laboured not in vain, he ſacrilegiouſly deſerted not his Miniſtry, and the Lord forſook not him. It may be ſaid of him in a proportion, as was Prophetically ſaid of John Baptiſt, Luk. 1. 15, 16, 17. and actually of Barnabas, Acts 11. 24. he turned many to the Lord, much people was added to the Lord by him. Acts 11. 21. The hand of the Lord was with this ſcattered Servant of God, and ſome numbers believed, and turned to the Lord.
13. From hence he wrote many Letters, upon divers occaſions, to ſeveral perſons to very good purpoſe; they are of the ſame make with his Sermons as he Printed; ſo his conſtant Preaching was; he went abroad in the ſame Cloaths he wore at home. As he Preached, ſo he Wrote; ſuch as his Sermons, ſuch his Letters; proving himſelf, as was ſaid of Ezra, a ready ſcribe Ezra 7. 6. in the word which the Lord had given. A great wiſdom he had in bringing down general Rules to particular Caſes; he manifeſted in them great concern for Souls, and faithfulneſs to them. Some of thoſe ſhall be inſerted in the laſt Chapter of this Treatiſe
14. Here God much appeared to him in many ſhines upon his Heart—The inward movements of his Soul I have ſhewed in the outward Indications of them; but there are ſome ſhort hints of Gods dealings with him, left under his own hand, which ſpake him to be a Man of Communion with God, that there were exchanges of Love betwixt God and him. Some of them were before his coming hither; but moſt of them at Loſco—Some of them the actings of Grace in his own Heart, and ſome of them Gods gracious dealings with him in wayes of quickenings and comforts.
A Catalogue of Deliverances, ſince 1642.
1. From my Impriſonment by Sir Francis Wortley, from Plundering my Houſe by Sir Rich. Fitz-Herbert, when his men Plundered ſome in Aſhborn
2. From being taken at Chillington, it being taken, when I was with Captain Jackſon on our way thither.
3. From Wingfield Mannor, which ſtood nine Moneths after my coming to Breadſall; from Aſhby, Tutbury, and all Enemies; I being ſetled at Breadſall a Year and a half before thoſe Garriſons were taken, yet all the time never affrighted. Laus Deo: i. e. Thanks to God.
4. From Mr. H. who oft puſhed at me; yet the Lord upheld me.
5. My Hay was preſerved, when others had theirs carried away, 1648.
6. My Sheep narrowly eſcaped in a Flood.
7. The Hovel fell, my Carts under and Corn above all ſaved.
8. The Outhouſes fell, May 1. 1655. many Cattle and ſome Horſes in them, yet none killed, nor had any conſiderable hurt; a ſmall matter keeping the fallen Timber off them.
9. My Houſe and Goods preſerved from Thieves all along for ſeveral years.
10. Rachel, i. e. his Daughter in eminent danger of Death, reſcued by Prayer.
11. My Wife filled with Joy at her departure. Laus Deo.
12. My Mares feet ſhot from under her upon an Ice, ſuddenly ſhe fell one way, I another: No harm. Laus Deo.
13. Mare fell with me coming from Wickſworth. No harm. Laus Deo.
14. Feb. last, 1670. as I went to Nottingham, Mare fell on me, lay on my Leg long, it ſwelled, no Bone broken. Laus Deo.
Thus much of Deliverances Noted and Recorded: And then come Mercies which he ranks thus: Mercies Publick; Peace, the Goſpel. Domeſtical; What Parents Education, Wife, Children, Servants, God hath bleſſed me with—Perſonal Privative Dangers, Sickneſs delivered from—Poſitive Health—External Wealth—Repute—Of Mind—Commonly my Eye-ſight is good. Laus Deo.
Saving Converſion, encreaſed Grace, Victory, what gain Glory to God—Edification to others, what Almes—What ſhall I render?
Further in his Private Notes.
A Catalogue of Sins—Sins in Youth- In another place Sins to be reformed by Grace, walk humbly, thankfully watch, return not to folly after peace ſpoken—May 16. 1658. If overtaken with Anger after a Sacrament. A note thereon, and once followed with a Miſerere mei, Deus.
Theſe are things that diſcovered Grace, and were exerciſes of it. I now come to Experiences mentioned in his ſecret Record.
Octob. 27. 1658. I was not well, had a pain in my Belly from ſide to ſide in the beginning of the Night, I feared falling into Sickneſs—Communed with my heart upon my Bed, had thoughts of Death, my Conſcience ſpake peace to me, the light of Gods Countenance ſhone into me, I was fully aſſured of Gods Mercy to me, if I had dyed at that time. I had no doubt of my eternal happineſs for which Mercy I give God praiſe, and deſire to record it, with much thankfulneſs.
But I ſlept well that night, was well next day, continued well, for which Mercy, double Mercy, the Lord be magnified.
January, 1650. By night on my Bed I awaked, had ſweet comfort, the King led me into the Wine-cellar. Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul. April 10. A Communion in noſtro Thalamo; i. e. in our Bed-Chamber. April 8. We faſted, I was in a reaſonable good frame; but had ſome diſturbance: April 9. I was very dull, no quickening, no comfort; I read, I reviewed the Catalogue of my Sins, but was ſtill dull. After five a Clock I went to ſecret Prayer for leſs than half an hour; after which I was chearful, full of comfort, ſo continued that night and next day, much enlarged in comfort, God ſpake peace to my heart. I was lively in Prayer, in Adminiſtration, in the whole Service. Bleſs the Lord O my Soul! Auguſt 2. 1664. I went to Bed with ſome pain, ſlept not, had no eaſe, walked in the Houſe all night, dull at firſt, but after chearful, had ſome good thoughts, the light of Gods Countenance ſhone on my Soul all night, I was willing to dye, not queſtioning my eſtate; but if I dyed I ſhould be happy. About four a Clock in the Morning I had eaſe, was well preſently after, fell to work all day, at Night voided a Stone, ſlept all Night very well, ſo continue to this day, Auguſt 10. Immortal Praiſe be to God that healeth me; but I render not to God according to his benefits.
Decemb. 2. 4. 8. 1664. We ſought God, received Sacrament, returned Praiſe, I was dull before; was graciouſly enlarged in Prayer, in Adminiſtration, had Comfort in Receiving, I was dull again before Thankſgiving, Read a while in Baxter and Harris, and much enlarged in Duty, had ſweet Peace at Sacrament, and after Praiſe, the Lord ſealed to me Jeſus Chriſt, Covenant of Grace, and Pardon of Sin. O bleſs the Lord, O my Soul.
March 1. 1664. We ſpent ſome time in Humiliation at our Houſe by Night, was in ſome good meaſure enabled; in the Morning in a good frame, poured out my Heart in ſecret, had much Comfort and Peace, bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and ſo have had ever ſince.: Alſo at Sacrament, April 2. 1665. What ſhall I render? So January 16. 1665. At Sacrament much enlarged in Adminiſtration and Comfort. Praiſe to God.
June 6. 1666. Early at five I awaked, had ſweet Meditations of Gods Love and great Comfort, after ſome clouds and ſcruples, God enlarged my Heart, and put gladneſs, more then when Corn and Wine encreaſed. Lord grant I may abide in his Love.
April 2. 1667. An Ague ſiezed me after four fits, ſent for Mr. Cranwell, he gave me a bitter Draught, which ſweat me an hour before the Fit: I had no more Fits, nor Relapſe, I bleſs God. In the beginning dull and dark, but after a Night or two ſweet Comfort, and ſo continueth to this day, bleſſed be God;—May 2. 1667. I returned thanks among Chriſtians on this Text, Pſal. 103. 3. Who healeth all thy diſeaſes.
July 5. 1668. A Sacrament at our Houſe, I was much enlarged in Adminiſtration, in Receiving, in Meditation, Examination a day or two before, had ſweet peace and full aſſurance. Praiſe be to God.
March 3. 1668. I awoke at four in the Morning, had ſweet Meditations and Communion with God, Peace and full aſſurance. Bleſſed be God.
Feb. 11. 69. I awoke at ſix in the Morning, had Peace, full Aſſurance, Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, that God was mine, all his Attributes, Chriſt, his Blood—Holy Ghoſt, Word, Promiſes, Providences, Comfort in all, in Death it ſelf, and Chriſts coming to Judgment. What ſhall I render to the Lord.
Feb. 8. 12. 1671. I prepared according to my wonted manner, was aſſiſted, enlarged, had a good day. Praiſe to God.
May 12. 1672. I meditated on Gods Preſence, was Chearful and Heavenly, enlarged in Heart all day; it was Lords day. Praiſe to God.
June 30. A Sacrament enlarged much, had a good day. Praiſe to God.
Auguſt 31. At Morning Prayer in the Parlour I was much enlarged, with broken-heartedneſs; had Joy and Peace of Conſcience graciouſly. Ever bleſs the Lord, O my Soul.
Aug. 3. 1673. Sacrament, as alſo April 13. in both I was much enlarged, had ſweet peace, a good day. Ever bleſsed be God: Praiſe the Lord. And watch (O my Soul!) againſt paſſion, idle words, vain thoughts in Prayer.
Novemb. 2. God graciouſly enlarged me in Adminiſtration, Sealed me, &c. What ſhall I render to the Lord? O bleſs the Lord, my Soul: See, walk worthy of God. So in Feb. 8. 1673. and May 24. 1674. and Auguſt 16. God was gracious to me then. Decemb. 6. 1674. How excellent is thy loving kindneſs! A good day. Praiſed be God. Jan. 11. 1676. A bleſſed day. Praiſe to God. June 13. 1680. A joyful day. Praiſe to God.
Theſe are ſome hints: But Oh that I had his enlargements upon them to impart! Surely theſe things are like ſmall Points and Marks in Maps that ſtand for Towns and Countries: But Spiritual Eyes can in theſe diſcern what Spirit Mr. John Hieron was off. A Man that lived near himſelf by Obſervation, and near God by Communion: A great receiver from God, and yet never ſo much as fingering any part of the Honour due to God.