£40" for settinge the poore on worke." The Earl of Shrewsbury also left £100 for the poor. It is important to perceive how Mr. Clayton took a practical interest in promoting the welfare of the people, and particularly of the poor; and we can thus all the better understand, how also in religious matters he had, as Calamy states, "unusual honour in his own country, on account of his real worth and pious labours." He died of a consumption, aggravated by his frequent trying imprisonments in the unhealthy wards of York Castle. His old friend Oliver records a pathetic account of the sad and sudden event :

June 16, 74, being Saturday night, Mr. Clayton, of Rotherham, an eminent minister in this country, dyed suddenly; he had been to see Mr. Burbeck, at Sheffield, on thursday, walkt abroad on friday, saturday several friends came to visit him that evening, with whom as he was discoursing in his own house, he fell a coughing, vomiting blood, cryed out God be mercifull to me, I am gone, and dyed immediately." The death occurred on the 13th, and the burial on the 15th June, 1674.

"He being dead yet speaketh."

CHAPTER XI.

APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRST MINISTER.

JOHN HEYWOOD, SON OF OLIVER HEYWOOD.

[b. 18 April, B. 27 April, 1656 at Northowram; ed. Rathmell Academy 1674-6, Edinburgh, 1676.; ord. 23 and 24 Augt., 1681; min. Craven, 1676-81, Rotherham 1693-5, Pontefract, 1695-1704; m. (2 Oct., 1694) Mrs. Elizabeth Stacy; issue Timothy, (b. 1695); bur. 6 Sept., 1704, at Hansworth.]

IN

N Oliver Heywood's voluminous memorials there are several references to his sons John and Eliezer, both of whom were prepared for the Presbyterian ministry. They do not appear to have inherited their father's extraordinary gifts of preaching, prayer, and prophecy. Oliver was pre-eminent in apostolic enthusiasm. They were to prove godly, faithful, serviceable pastors, to conduct and minister to bodies of Protestant Dissenters, thoroughly devoted to the worship of God in spirit and in truth, and in allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. They and their hearers appear to have accepted and used what is known as the 'Apostles' Creed.' The Scriptures were their chief reliance, confidence, and hope in all matters of faith and worship.

FUTURE MINISTERS AND ORDINATIONS.

The setting apart of young scholars to the ministry was, in 1678, engaging the serious attention in this district of those eminent confessors of the Black Bartholomew Day, Messrs. O. Heywood, Frankland, Dawson, Jollie, Hancock, Bloom, and others. The ordination of Timothy Hodgson, chaplain to Sir John Hewley, of York, was a solemn occasion. Says Oliver Heywood, "We spent eight hours in the more solemn ordinances of that day, which was indeed a sweet and

blessed day wherein God did graciously manifest his presence, blessed be the name of our dear Lord." After the candidate had answered "the several interrogatories, according to the Directory," the presiding ministers, O. Heywood, Frankland, Dawson, Wright, Issott, laid their hands on him.

Ordination of Oliver Heywood's son John took place at Craven. The father records, "My son John and I rode on, I was plain with him in the road, still more encouraged. We lodged at Rich. Mitchels, Mr. ffrankland and some of his schollars met us there. The morning after 23rd August we went to Jo. Heys, set upon our work. Mr. Issott began with prayer, continued about an hour, then we appointed my son John to preach, who gave us a handsom, well compacted discourse, Mat. v., 14, ' Ye are the light of the world, and prayed sensibly.' Having gone through that work Mr. ffr. examined him demanding his testimonials."

There were certainly important differences among the ministers as to the method of conducting this ordinance of ordination, but all were favorable to some such solemn introduction of the young pastors to the sacred office. The examination was in logick, philosophy, history, chronology, &c. The candidate then read "his thesis in latin upon this qu: An episcopus idem sit qui presbiter. Whether a bishop is the same as presbyter. John Heywood affirmed it. After all "refreshing themselves," long prayers followed, and in due course Mr. fr. desired the candidate to make a confession of his faith, wch he did "according to the method in the creed." In the end, " J.H." was solemnly "set apart with fasting and prayer and imposition of hands to the work of the ministry." It is thus very clearly demonstrated, that those early Presbyterian Dissenters, and it was equally the same with the Independent Nonconformists, had the one good purpose of training and providing a godly, learned, efficient order of ministers to serve the congregations of Protestant Dissenters becoming so numerous and flourishing in all places.

THOMAS WESTBY, OF RAVENFIELD, ESQUIRE.

John Heywood did not at first undertake the charge of any congregation, but became tutor to Thomas Westby, of