The Substance of Dr. Hewit's Tryall.
DOctor John Hewit being apprehended for a Conspirator against the present Power and Authority, was on Tuesday the first of June, brought before the high Court of Justice, to answer to an Inditement of high Treason, then and there exhibited against him, his Plea being demanded, he moved the Court not to respect his ignorance, but to excuse it, least taking advantages by the niceties of the Laws, they might bereave him of those benefits the Law allowed him, or over-power his Innocency; This was not denyed, but his request reaching farther to desire to hear the Commission of the Court read, which he alledged was reasonable, and that he conceived it to be his just right to know the validity of that Authority by which they sat, and whether according to Law they were Compitent Judges in his Case; further urging that those being matters of Law, he therefore desired to have the liberty to advise with Councel in these and [Page 4]other the like Cause which did highly concern him; this being denyed, he urged further that he conceived it to be his right, as an English-man to be tryed by a Jury, and the Judges of his Highnesse Corts to whom and to the common Law he did appeale, but being could there could, be no appeale from them to any Court, except to a Parliament, because no other Court is above them; All those differences to the Judges of the Courts of Judicature, or to his Highnesse Councel against that, if they or any of them would give it under their hand that his Tryall was according to Law, he would submit, but that not being granted, as tending to the dishonour of that Court to appeale to any other Court or Persons, the Dr. declared how in his owne opinion he stood bound in conscience and duty not to submit to that power (meaning the Court) of whose Authority according to Law he was not convinced, his not pleading being recorded upon his default, he was taken from the Bar, where on June the 2d. lie received his Sentence as a Traitor, to be hanged drawne and quarter'd, which he received without the least dejection of spirit.
His Carriage and Discourses in Prison.
A Friend of his a while after, telling him he were glad to heare he received his Sentence without disturbance; he replyes at that present, I had this Meditation, my Lord and Master were made to carry his Crosse, and I the meanest of his Servants should be carryed to my Crosse. The time drawing near of his death, which was Saturday June the fifth, the Sentence was altered, his head being to be severed from his Body, on Tower-Hill, on Tuesday the eigh [...]h of the same Moneth? The Lords day he implyed for the most part in earnest seeking God by prayer, that so through those sorrows and teares, he might purchase the fruition of joys and pleasures, most glorious, pure and perpetuall; The rest of the day being the afternoon, he past away in discourse with some friends, who came to condole his condition, who deported himselfe with that chearfullnesse, that they nor he need to metigate sorrow, and as the feare of death was not tedious to him to imbrase, charity bids us conclude he did it to put on a better Life; This afternoon too passages are observeable.
The first, whil'st the Doctor was discourseing with some Friends, a Woman got accidentally to his Chamber doore, and in a seeming mallincollinesse drew neare him, and laid her hat at his Feet, saying, I can never be at quiet when the godly are to suffer. The next, the Gard being releived, he turned to them that were departing, and [Page 5]with a chearfull deportment and humble carriage, saith faire well my deare friends, and in all this time seemed so little to be moved at his Imprisonment, that as the walls confinde his body, so meeknesse imprisoned his passions. On munday morning his Lady came to visit him, but with how little pleasure or content, I leave it to them imagined, who contemplatively can make her sorrow their one, now she must not onely take her leave for a day, but resolve to see him no more in the flesh, and indeed to me it seemes impossible to distinguish, which was the greatest weight of sorrow to her spirit, that he must suffer an untimely death, and be no more, or that she must take her last farewell of him, and so she have him dead to her whil'st alive, but since providence compels them to part here, Imagen, for I cannot expresse their affectionate farewels with teares, till they meet where joys are compleater & perpetual; This being past, he makes it his only work to put of this, and to prepare for a better life, in which D. Wild added to his indeavours his pious assistance, the day being spent, Dr. Wilde left him not without the beames and light of a friends prayers, and the dayes glory together, but kept him company all that night, thereby to make day in his soule, thought it were night in the World. (Immediately after came Dr. Reynolds, Mr. Carill, Mr. Manton, Mr. Bates, and others, with whose discourse they were so affected, that that evening they took Coach on Lud-gate Hill, and went down to white-Hall to beg his life of his Highnesse the Lord Protector, but that were not granted.)
His demeanour on the Scaffold.
ON Tuesday morning the time of execution drawing neigh, they spent that part which gave them leisure to prepare for that great work to dye, which time being come, Dr. Wilde, Dr. Warmitry, and Deane Reves accompanyed him to the place of Execution, and on the way, they tell him he was goeing to solemnize a marriage, wherein he must look death in the face before he could come to the fruition and full injoyment of his Bride, he shewed such chearfullnesse to that work, that gave satisfaction to his friends, these communications being obstructed by arrivall at the Scaffold, Dr. Wilde, and Dr. Warmistry led him up the staires, like to wings that assist the body to assend, and being mounted, he demeaned himselfe with a most meelt and undejected deportment, and casting his eye toward the block, he espyed some of the blood of his fellow-sufferer, and having a while fixt his eyes stedfastly on that object, with hands and eyes elevated, he sends up ejaculations to heaven, and then falleth down on his knees and prayed privatly a while, and then about as long audably.
Doctor Hewit's first Prayer.
O Most glorious God, Beeings of Beeings, unaccessable light, life of life, Father of the spirits of the just and perfect, infinite incomprehensible God of power, wised me, mercy, justice and truth, who dwelleth in that unsearchable glory and majesty, to which none of all thy Creatures can attain; King of kings, Lord of lords, my earnest expectation and my hope, the onely confidence and consolation of my soule; though my numberlesse sins have deserved thy wrath, yet l [...]oke upon me through thy Christ, in whome I have beleived by thy command, and through whome thou hast promised the remission of my sins, and eternall life, that so as I was borne with a condition to dye, so am I ready to dye with a condition to live with him, and therefore for his sake assure me of it, that so I may have hope and confidence in my end, what though I must drinke the bitter portion of a violent death, it is no more my God then my Redeemer ta [...]ted before me, and though thou hast suffered me to be removed from my peace and comfort of this World, and from prosperity, hast cast downe my dejected spirit with weights of sorrow, yet that soule that seekes thee by mercies, are renewed every morning, and thy compassion failes not, therefore my soule hath faid, that thou art my portion, and therefore doth my soule trust on thee; truth it is indeed oh my God, that the hopes of the hills are vaine, and so is all confidence in Man in honours or prosperity, and most unhappy is that that is not in thee, but in spite of Sathan or the Worlds malice, blessed is that soule whose hope and whose trust thou art, therefore though thou art pleased to weane me from a trustlesse world, let thy peace and salvation Crowne my end; and oh my Lord, let my prayers come as incence up unto thee, and in my Jesus be accepted by thee, and bow the Heavens, and come downe in to my soule, that in this hour of my death, the comfort and joy of thy presence make those that condemned me hither, know that death nor terror is not dredfull to them, whose hope, whose strength, and whose confidence and trust is in thee, for this I am confident; and know, oh my God, oh thou joy and salvation of my soule, that it shall within a span of time appeare that it is good and happy for me that I have been in trouble, when after this great tryall of my faith, thou shalt give me the quiet fruits of wrighteousnesse a crown of glory, this oh God is the voice of my faith in thee, whome I beleive and know to be the God of truth, of mercy, of justice, and of wrighteousnesse; The time (oh my God) of my departure drawing neigh, let me live those minutes I have yet to breath to thee and thy Jesus, that he may be advantage to me in life and in death, and that in this confidence I am willing to be dissolved and to be with Christ, who hath through death abolished [Page 8]death, and him that had the power of death, and though death bring my body to the earth, yet o [...] my God let not my soule lye in the dust, and let neither things present nor future seperate between my soule and thee, but oh my blessed Saviour who art the death of deaths, take from my afflicted soule the sting of death, lose its paines and the feare and sorrows, and sweeten the bitternesse of it, that so by injoying thy presence, death may be swallowed up in victory, and oh thou who pouredst out thy soule to death for me, receive my wearied spirit (when the fatall blow shall be given) into thy eternall rest, for thy passions sake heare me, and answer me. And now oh Lord to thee be praise for ever that hast breathed such a calme into my troubled spirit, that it is at peace with thee and with the whole World, blessed be thy Majesty for it, that thus gatherest me to my Fathers in peace, and that givest me a heart to condemne my selfe, that thou maiest justifie me, and to forgive my enemies whose owne conscience cannot but condemne them, but I most humbly beseech Thee, pardon them, and with them thy servant who is ready to come unto thee, therefore come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.
His Speech upon the Scaffold.
I Have alwayes made it my chiefest care to submit my will to the will of God, that with a contented minde I might imbrase, and eye him in all his motion, that so whether he appeared in affection or affliction, my soul might say welcome to thy owne my Redeemer, I have oft times tasted in the sweetnesse of the first, his love by many inestimable incomes of his favours towards me, and now am come to participate of the latter, the parentiall scurge of my holy Father, but the experiences of the first his affections hath made me more his, then to shrink under the latter his afflictions, for to me to live is Christ, and to dye is ga [...]e, knowing that Christ is mine, that I am Christs, and that Christ is Gods, and he it is that for my sins hath suffered me to be come a publick Spectacle this day to Men and Angels, and (I hope) God, who is Omniscient, is now beholding me with much pity, and great mercy and compassion; and the more, because I am now come to that end that his owne Son came into the wolrd to, To beare witnesse to the truth; he himselfe said, For this end was I born, for this cause came I into the World, that I should beare witnesse to the truth [...]. I was brought into the world (the Christian world) for to beare witnesse to the truth of the Gospell, as a common Christian; I was brought into the world (the Church) as a Minister of his blessed Word and Sacraments; and [Blessed be his name for that great honour and dignity;] And I came into the World to dye more immediatly for the testimony of Jesus, which God hath now called me to. I came into this world (this Common-wealth) to be a member thereof, to bear witnesse to the Truths of the Customes, the Laws, the Liberties, and Priviledges thereof: and for so doing I am now to sust [...]. And me thinks it seemes to me a strange thing, that in as much as we all plead for Liberty, and Priviledges, and I pleading for the Priviledges, the Laws, [Page 9]the Statutes, and the Customes of this Land, yet I should dye by those that should stand for the Lawes, the Statutes, and Priviledges of the Land: And I am here beheld by those that plead for their Liberties, and I hope I am pitied, because I here give up my selfe willingly and freely to be a State-Martyr for the publick good; Indeed I had rather dye many deaths my selfe, than betray my fellow-free-men to so many inconveniences that they might be like to suffer by being subject to the wills of them that willed me to this death.
And it is worthy remembrance that Mr. Aturny Gen. having impeached me of Treason (to the Commissioners of the Court) against his Highnesse, I did often (when brought before those Commissioners) plead for the Liberties of the people of England, though I had no knowledge of the Law, yet I had instruction from those that were learned in the Law, and had severall Law-Cases and Presidents put into my hand, though not by them, and urged several Law-Cases, and made my Appeal, First, for the J [...]icature that I was to be tryed by, Whether it were according to Law? Whether it were according to the Act? And whether it were according to the words of the said Act? I did appeal to have the said Act argued by learned Lawyers on both sides, and then to be resolved by his Highnesse own Councell, which was denyed me, [This by the by] I pressing the Argument made a second Appeal that those Judges if they would give singly their several Judgements that it was a just and lawfull Court of Judicature, according to the Laws of the Land; I would answer to my Clearge. I did make another Appeal to those that were his Highness's Council, and pleaded against me, That if they would deliver it to me under their hands to be according to Law, I would then go on to plead and answer to the Charge, but all was answered either with a denyall or a disregard. What was then said further, my spirits being faint, I shall not say much, but only this, I was taken in three defaults upon formality of the Court. It seemes it is a custome in all Courts, (which I did not know bfore) that if they answer not the third time speaking by the Clerk, that then they are guilty of three defaults, and proceeded against as mute: [I had no such knowledge of the Law.] This advantage being laid hold on, hath brought my In [...]osonce to suffer as the guilty, for they found me guilty of those defaults, and when I would have pleaded, and resolved to begin to plead, I was taken from the Bar. I did the next day make my Petition to the Court in the Painted-Chamber, two Petitions were presented the same in effect; in the former the Title was mistaken: Yet because the Title was mistaken, and no answer was given, therefore it was that another Petition was drawn up to the same effect, with a new Title given, (as I remember) presented by the Serjeants at Arms, and one writ it over in such haste, lest they should be drawn out of the Painted-Chamber into the Court, that I had not time to read it over, only I subscribed my name, and there was in the front of the Petition a word left out, but what the word was I know [...]or, but must needs be sensible the trespasse was but small, and its hard that a mistake of that nature should take the blood of the Innosent for the guilty; for it was taken so ill, as if I had put an offront and contempt on the Court; And it was thought they would have heard me plead; but because of that mistake, they sent word, I should have my answer when I came into the Court, and my answer I had indeed, which was the sentence of condemnation that adjudged me to this place. And therefore I pray with all my soul, that God would for give all those that occasioned the charge to be drawn against me, to give such unjust things against me; I pray with all my soul, that God would forgive all [Page 10]those that upon so slender and small grounds adjudg'd me to dye by taking advantage of such simple ignorance as I was in. And it is the mere to be observed, because I had at the begining of my pleading engaged their Honors, no advantage should be taken against me to my prejudice, that in as much as I understood nothing of the Law: And having heard that a man in the nicity of the Law might be lost in the severity thereof, meerly for speaking a word out of simple ignorance, I made it my prayer to them that no advantage might be taken against me to the prejucice of my person: And here was to me a seeming consent and promise, for the President told me, there should be no advantage taken against me: and upon these considerations I am afraid there was two great uncharitableness in some: But I pray God sin give them from the very bottom of my said, and I desire that even those that shed my blood, may have the blood of the God of mercy shed for them.
And now having given you the occasion of my coming hither, it is si [...] I should give you somewhat as concerning my selfe, as I am a Christian, and as I am a Clergy-man. First, as I am a Christian, I thank God I was baptized to the Holy Church, so I was baptized to be a member of the holy Catholique Church, that is, the Church of England, which I dare say for purity of Doctrine, and orderly Disciplane, till a sad reformation had spoiled the face of the Church, and made it a querie, w [...]ether it were a Church, or no? I say, It was mode purely Divine and Apostolical, than any other Doctrine or Church in the Christian World, whether National, or Clastical, or Congregational: And I must tell you, That as I am a member of this Church, so I am a member of the holy Catholique Church, and shall give a most just confession of my faith, both negatively and affirmatively. Negatively, I am so a member of the holy Catholique Church, that I abhor all Secis, Schisms, Sedition, and Tyranny in Religion. Affirmatively so, That as I hold communion with, so I love and honour all Christians in the world, that love the same Lord JESUS in sincerity, and call on his Name, agreeing with those truths that are absolutely necessary and clearly demonstrated in the word of God, both in the Old and New Testament, though in charily dissenting from some others that are not necessary. And I, as I am thus a Christian, I hope for salvation through the merits of Christ JESUS, his blood I rely on, his merits I trust to for the salvation of my own soul; though to this Faith good Works are necessary, not meritorious in us, but onely made meritorious by Christ his death, by his all-sufficiency, by his satisfaction, and his righteousnesse, they become meritorious, but in us they are no other than as desired rags. And truly, as I am a man be of the Church, so I told you, I was a member of this Community, and so pleaded so the Liberties and Priviledges thereof. In must now answer somthing I am aspersed withall in the World.
They talk of somthing of a Plot, and a Treasonable designe, and that I had a great interest in the knowledge and practise thereof; and that, for the saving my life, I would have discovered and betrayed I cannot toll what. I hope my conversation hath not been such here in this City, where I have been a long time very well known, as to make one imagine I should intermeddle in such an action, and goe so contrary to the practise of my profession; and I hope there are none so uncharitable towards me, as to beleive I had a knowledge of that designe which is reported, I abhor.
Here I must come to particulars for a Plot, of having a designe upon the City of London, for the firing of it. I so much t [...]emble at the thought of the thing that should have been done, as they say, for the carrying on of such a designe, (if my [Page 11]heart deceive me not) had I known it, I so much abhor the thing unfainedly from my heart, and as a dying man I am confident I should have been the first discoverer of it: Nor ever had I correspondency or meetings with such persons as would have carryed on such a designe. It is said likewise, I entertained the Earl, the Marquess of Ormond: To my remembrance I never saw the face of that honourable Person in my life. It is said, One Lords day I did preach at Saint Gregories, and the next Lords day I was at Brussels or Bruges, and kist the Kings hand, and brought I cannot tell what Orders and Instructions from him. This I shall say, For these three years last past together, I have not been sixty miles from this City of London, and I think it is somewhat further to either of those places, than threescore miles. It is said that I kept correspondence with one Mallory and Bishop: They are persons I have heard of their names, but never in all my life to my knowledge saw their faces; and to my knowledge I doe not know they know me; nor doe I know them at all, but only as I have heard of their names. And whosoever else hath suggested such things against me, I know not, but the Lord God forgive them, who is just and mercifull.
His Highnesse was pleased to tell me, I was like a flaming Torch in the midst of a sh [...]ate of Corn: He meaning, I being a publick Preacher, was able to set the City on fire by sedition and combustions, and promoting designes. Here truly I do say, and have it from many of those that are Judges of the High Court, by which I was condemned, that upon examination of the business they have not found me a medler at all in these affaires. And truly I must needs say therefore, That it was a very uncharitable act in them (who ever they were) that brought such accusation against me, and irritated his Highnesse against me, which first obstructed my liberty, next brought to the Bar as a Traitor, which now commands me to satisfie them with my blood, but I will not say it was malice, it might be zeal, but it was rash zeal which caused me to be sentenced to this place: The God of Mercy pardon and forgive them all. And truly, as I am a member of the Church, and as a member of the Community, where on behalfe I have been speaking, I cannot but doe as our Saviour himselfe did for his Disciples, when he was to be taken from them, he blessed them, and ascended up to Heaven. My trust is, in the mercy of the Most High I shall not miscarry; and however my dayes are shortned by this unexpected doom, and shall be brought unamely to the grave: I cannot goe without my prayers for a blessing upon all the people of this Land, and cannot but blesse them all in the name of God, and beseech God to blesse them in all their wayes, and his blessing be upon them all; and upon me that am to suffer an ignominious violent death, but my confidence is in the most high, and here is my hope that I am my Beloveds, and my Beloved is mine, therefore come Lord Jesus, come quickly.
Let us Pray.
O Most glorious Lord God, thou whose dwelling is so far above the highest Heavens, that thou humblest thy selfe but to looke upon the things that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, thou who dost whatsoever thou wilt both in Heaven, in Earth, in the Sea, and in all places. In thy hands are the Hearts of all Men, and thou turnest them which way soever thou wilt. O Lord! looke in mercy and compassion, we beseech thee, on this great and numerous [Page 12]people of this Land with an eye of pity, not with an eye of fury and indignation; O looke not on all those great and grievous sins that have provoked thee most justly to wrath and displeasure against us. But gracious God I who can stand in thy sight when thou art angry? when thou with rebuke dost correct Man for sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away like as it were a Moth fretting a Garment. O Lord! thy indignation and wrath lies heavy upon us, and thou hast vexed us with scourges, thou hast made us a reproach and a by-word amongst our Neighbours, and the very Heathen laugh us to scorn. Oh that thou wouldest turne us againe, O Lord God of Hosts! that thou wouldst shew us the light of thy countenance, that we may behold it; that thou wouldst humble us for all those sins and grievous transgressions that are amongst us; for those Atheisms, for those infidelities horrid Blasphemies, and Prophaneness, for those Sacriledges, for those Heresies, for those Schisms, Errors, and all those blindnesses of heart, pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisie, that leades us from thee, it perswades us it will bring us to thee; O humble us for that envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness, that hath set us one against another, that we are so dashed one against another, even to destroy each other; Ephraim against Manasseh, and Manasseh against Ephraim, and both against Judah. This thou hast done to us to make us a skurge unto each other, O Lord! because we have rebelled against thee: O how greatly and grievously have we sinned? yet for all this thou hast not reqvited us according to our ill deservings, for thou mightest have brought us to desclation and destruction: Fire might have come downe from Heaven and destroyed us; our forreigne Enemies, and the Enemies of thee, and thy Christ our Saviour, might have swallowed us up. What have we not deserved? Yet O the long-suffering, and patience, and goodness of our God! O Lord our God! we pray thee that thy patience and long-suffering might leade to repentance, that thou wouldst be pleased, thou who delighted not in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his sins and live, that thou wouldest turn us unto thee, O Lord! and we shall be turned: Draw us, and we shall run after thee: Draw us with the Cords of love, and by the bands of thy loving, kindness, by the powerfull working of thy holy spirit in our souls, worke contrition in our hearts, and a godly sorrow for all our sins, even a sorrow to repentance, and a repentance to salvation never to be repented of. O Lord breake these stony hearts of ours by the hammer of thy word, molifie them by the oyle of thy Grace, smite these rockie hearts of ours by the Rod of thy most gracious power, that we may shed forth Rivers of teares for the sins we have committed. O that thou wouldst make us grieve, because we cannot grieve; and to weep, because we cannot weep enough: That thou wouldest humble us [Page 13]more and more in the true sight and sence of all our provocations against thee, and that thou wouldest be pleased in the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse us from all our sins; Lord let his blood that speakes better things than that of Abel, cry louder in thine eares for mercy, then all those mischiefes and wickednesses that have been done amongst us for vengeance. O besprinkle my polluted, but penitent soule, in the blood of Jesus Christ, that I may be cleane in thy sight, and that the light of thy countenance may shine upon me. Lord! be pleased to seale unto mine, and all our soules the free pardon and forgiveness of all our sins; Say to each of our soules, and say that we may heare it, that thou art well-pleased with us, and appeased towards us. Lord! doe thou by thy spirit assure our spirits, that we are thy Children, and that thou art reconciled to us in the blood of Jesus Christ. To this end, O Lord! create in us new hearts, and renew right spirits within us: Cast us not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from us; but give us the comfort of thy help, and establish us with thy free spirit. Help us to live as thy redeemed ones, and (Lord!) let us not any longer by our wicked lives deny that most holy faith whereof our lips have so long time made profession, but let us that call on the name of the Lord Jesus, depart from iniquity, and hate every evil way. Help us to cast away all our transgressions, whereby we have transgressed, and make us new hearts. Carry us along through the Pilgrimage of this world, supplying us with all things needfull for us; thy grace alone is sufficient for us: Lord! let thy grace be assistant to us, to strengthen us against all the temptations of Sathan, especially against those sins whereunto we are most prone, either by custome or constitution, or most easily provoke to. O Lord, with what affliction soever thou shalt punish, doe not punish us with spirituall judgements and disertions. Give us not over to our owne hearts lusts, to our vile, lewd, and corrupt affectious. Give us not over to hardness and impenitency of heart, but make us sensible of the least sin, and give us thy grace to thinke no sin little committed against thee our God, but that we may be humbled for it, and repent of it, and reform it in our lives and conversations: And Lord! keep us from presumptious sins, oh let not them get the dominion over us, but keep us innocent from the great offences. And Lord! sanctifie unto us all thy methods and proceedings with us, fitting us for all further tribulations and tryals whatsoever thou in thy divine pleasure shalt be pleased to impose upon us: Lord give us patience, constancy, resolution and fortitude to undergoe them, that though we walke through the valley of the shadow of death, we may fear none ill: knowing that thou, O Lord! art mercifully with us, and that with thy rod as well as with thy staffe thou wilt support and comfort us; and that nothing shall be able to separate us from thy love which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
And (gracious God!) we beseech thee be thou pleased to looke mercifully and compassionately on thy holy Catholique Church, and grant that all they that doe confesse thy holy Name, may agree together in the truth of thy holy Word, and live in unity and godly love. Thou hast promised, O Lord!The gates of hell shall not prevaile againt thy Church: Perform, we beseech thee, thy mot gracious promises both to thy whole Church, and to that part of it which thou hast planted, and now afflicted in these sinfull Lands and Nations wherin we live. Arise, O Lord! and have mercy upon our Sion, for it is time that thou have mercy upon her; yea, the times is come, for thy servants think upor her stones, and it pitieth them to see her in the dust. Lord! maintain thine own cause; Rescue the light of thy truth from all those clouds of errors and heresies which do so much obscure it, & let the light therof in a free profesion break forth & shine again among us, & that continually, even as long as the Sun & Moon endures.
To this end, O Lord, blesse us all, and blesse Him, the posterity—which in Authority ought to rule over, and be above us: Blesse Him in His soul and in His body, in His Friends and in His Servants, and all His Relations: Guide Him by thy Councell; prosper Him in all undertakings, granting Him a lung, prosperous, & honour able life here upon earth, and that He may attain to a blessed life hereaster. And gracious God! looke mercifully upon all our Relations, and do thou bring them to the light of thy Truth that are wandring & ready to fall, that grace here may intrest them in glory hereaster. Confirme them in thy Truth that already stand; Show some good token for good unto them, that they may rejoyce. O let thy good hand of providence be over them in all their wayes: And to all orders and degress of men that be amongst us. Give religi [...] hearts to them that now rule in Authority over us: Loyall hearts in their Subjects towards their Supreame: And loving hearts in all men to their Friends, and charitable hearts one towards another. And for the continuance of thy Gospel among us, restore in thy good time to their severall Places and Calings, and give grace, O Heavenly Father! to all Bishops, Pastors and Curates, that they may both by their Life and Docirine set forth thy true and lively word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments. And Lord! blesse thy Church still with Pastors after thine own heart, with a continuall succession of faithfull and able men, that they may both by Life and Doctrine declare thy Truth, and never for fear or favour back-slide or depart from the same. And give them the assistance of thy spirit that may inable them so [...]to preach thy word, that may keep thy People upright in the midst of a corrupted and corrupt generation. And, good Lord! blesse thy people every where with hearing ears, understanding hearts, consciencious. sould, & obedient lives, especially those over whom I have had either lately or formerly a charge, that with meek heart and due reverence they may hear and receive thy holy word, truly serving thee in righteousness and holiness all the days of their lives.
And we be seech thee of thy goodness, O Lord! to comfort and succour all those that in this transitory life be in trouble, sorrow, need, sicknesse, or any other adversity; Lord! help the helplesse, comport the comfortlesse, visit the sik, releive the oppressed, help them to right that suffer wrong, set them at liberty that are in Prison, restore the banished, and of thy great mercy, and in thy good time deliver all thy people out of their necessities: Lord! do thou of thy great mercy fit us all for our latter end, for the hour of death, and the day of Judgement; and doe thou in the hour of death, and at the day of Judgement from thy wrath and everlasting damnation, good Lord diliver us through the Crosse and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the meane time, O Lord! teach us so to number our dayes, and we my Minutes, that we may apply our hearts to true wisedom, that we may be wise unto salvation, that we may live soberly, godly and rightcously in this present world, denvint, all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts: Lord! teach us so to live, that we may not be afraid to dye, and that we may so live that we may be alwayes prepared to dye, that when death shall seixe upon us it may not surprise us, but that we may lift up our heads with joy, knowing that our redemption draws nigh, and that we shall be for ever happy, being assured that we shall come to the Felicity of the Chossen, and rejoyce with the gladnesse of thy people: and give us such a fullnesse of thy holy Spirit that may make us stedfast in this faith, and confirme us in this hope; indue me with patience under thy asslicting band, & let not death be unpleasting to me, but support me in this visitation, that I may dye with a confidence to overcome death, and so to live for ever, and so fortifie my soul with the assistance of thy spirit, that I may to the last minute be assisted with a chearfulire resolution, to give up my selfe to thy divine disposing, that so passing the pilgrimage of this world, we may come to the Land of promise, the Heavenly Canaan, that we may reign with thee in the World to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord; in whose belssed Name and Words we further call upon in thee, saying,
Our Father, &c.
Let thy mighty hand, and ou [...]-s [...]darme, O Lord the she desence of me, and all other thy servants, thy mercy and loving kinsness in Jesus Christ o [...] savali [...]n, thy [...] and hody word our instruct on, thy Grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation, to the end; and in the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Which being s [...]n [...]hed, he appl [...]es limeselse to the Executioner, giving him chr [...]e pieces in gold om of a Purfe; Stripping himselfe, he being in his shirt, askes his Man for his Wast [...], who after a dilgene sea [...]ch, not finding of it, he toll, his Mast [...]r it were lost, upon which the Doctor makes answer, no matter if I lose a Was [...]coa [...], when I am to lose my if, after ward it being f [...]und, and having put i [...] on with his Cap, he put his hair under it himselfe, laying himselfe down to [...] himself to the Block, preving a pretty while; in which time, there were brought a Warrant upon the Scassold, which did not in the least alter Dr. Howit, having done Prayer, he arises, taking leave of his friends, which occasioned the fall of many a tear, and prepares himselfe for the Block, where giving a si [...]n, the Executionet at one blow and a raze severed his Head from his Body, which was put in a Coffin brought for that purpuse, and conveyed to Hunsdon House, neer Doctors Commons, and after word: enter'd with all desecency in the Chancell of Saint Gregories, London,
FINIS.
AN ELEGIE UPON The most Pious and Eminent, Doctor JOHN HEWITT.
I.
Nature and reason both do plainly show,
Atreran Ebb we must expect a Flow:
Out late Experience makes this maxime good,
A Flood of Tears succeeds an Ebb of Blood.
HEWITT's departure makes a Tempest rise.
His ebbing Body left us flowing Eyes.
II.
Come then, my Muse, let's labout to distill
Thorough the Limbeck of my mouraing Quill
Such hearty Tears, that truly may invite
A Zealot to a perfect appetite
Of Love and Pity; and let those that never
Knew how to weep, now learn to weep for ever.
III.
But stay, my Genius, will these captious Times
Indure the touch of our Elopious Rimes
Without a prejudice? Bo therefore wise;
This Age has reaching Ears, and searching Eyes:
If thou offend'st, my Muse, be sure to borrow
The priviledge to charge it on thy sorrow.
IV.
Bince he is dead, report it thou my Muse,
Unto the World as Grief, and not as News.
Hark how Religion sighs, the Pulpet grones,
And Tears run trickling down the senslesse stones!
That Church which was all Ears is now turn'd Eyes,
The Mother weeps, and all her Children cries.
V.
Does Rackel mourn? Oh blame hor not, for she
Has lost her Darling in his Infancy!
She looks upon it as a signal Cross,
But knows that he has gained by her lose.
She grieves, and hopes her griefs are understood,
Her Children that suck'd Milk, may now suck Blood.
VI.
But hark! there's something whispers in my ear,
A Famine in Religion now grows near;
Her Zeal-parch'd Corn hangs down it's drooping head,
And turns to dirt, which might have prov'd good Bread.
How sad it is, that Children must not ear:
Religion will finde Mouthes, but where's the Meat.
VII.
Ah s [...]anguine days! When such tall Cedars fall.
Dangers drawes near, and threatens Shrubs and all.
The sensless Ax, that nothing understood.
Cut off his Life, and dy'd it selt in Blood.
When Troy was burnt, the neighb'ring Towns did stand
Expecting then their doom was near at hane.
VIII.
'Twas He, whose careful Zeal, and zealous Care.
Was alwayes lab'ring duly to prepare
Religious Viamds, that his Flock might be
Not Pampet'd, but well [...]d with Chirity:
But now, Ah now, he's willing [...], retir'd
Where he'll be blest, as he was here admir'd!
IX.
Blest Soul! Since thy unhappy happy Fate
Hath so soon made thee more than fortunate,
I will surcease my grief, and onely shed
Some reall drops, onely because th'art dead.
'Tis Nature, not Religion, makes us weep:
Manners sorbids a noise whilst friends do sl [...]ep.
X.
No more, my Muse, it is enough we know
He is transplanted from this World below
Unto a glorious Mansion, in whose Quire
There is no fear of Plots, nor thoughts of Fi [...]e.
That Cours of Justice periods all his strife,
And gives what here he lost; I mean, New Life.
FINIS.
SIX QUERIES Reflecting On the Drs. Tryall and Execution, From The Bloody Court of Injustice.
WHether the first occasion of his Imprisonment was not by a Trepa [...] of the Old Protectors, subscribing Commissions from the King (as pr [...] tended) with his own hand, whereby the Dr. was ensnared, and wheth [...] (as to the whole matter) the Dr. did not dye meerly to satisfie the Protector blood-thirstiness and ambition, more than any guik?
II. Whethe (whereas in a Lawfull Court of Judicature, if a person (though Belon) stand Mute, all means are used to entreat him to plead, so long as th [...] Court sits) the Dr. had not Hard Measure in an Ʋnlawfull Court to be deny'd t [...] priviledge of pleading for himselfe, when He humbly Petition'd their cruelti [...] Once or Twice, His former default proceeding (if we may believe a Dyin Man) meerly out of Ignorance of their illegall proceedings?
III. Whether the Book called Dr. Hewits Ghost written by Mr. Pryn, be no [...] very learned and rationall piece, and worthy to be considered of by the P [...] [...] lia [...] [...]ent, that those men who acted so fouly against Law in this business [...] might answes for his blood with their own?
IV. Whether the tears and suplications of his virtuous Lady, might not hav [...] moved compassion in any, save Men of the Sword, and consciences most re [...] morsle [...]s, to favour their own soules and posterities, by saving the lifeof th [...] Righteous Person.
V. Whether any of the Protector's pimping Parsons, or sneaking Chaplain [...] brought God so much glory by bolding forth all their lives time, as this Rev [...] rend Divine did in Preaching one Sermon? And to concluds,
VI. Whether ever any English Church-Man, preach'd and pray'd with mor [...] [...]eal and servency of spirit, liv'd more conscienciously, or dy'd more undauntedly and resolutely, than Dr. Hewit? and if none exceeded him in an [...] of these; Whether we may not expect Gods just vengeance on the Abetto [...] and contrivers of the death of This Man so [...]mingently accomplished for hi [...] Glory?
FINIS