A short ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF THOMAS HITCHENS.

Bisveal, near Redruth, Cornwall.

1.MY son, Thomas Hitchens, was born April 14, 1723. He went to school till he was about ten years old. From school he went to work at the stamps in dressing of tin oar, in which employment he continued about six years. Afterwards he wrought in the tin works underground, till about a year before his death. Then he went to dress tin-leavings for me, having five or six boys under him. At the same time he plowed, sowed, mowed, reaped, and managed all my husbandry; understanding every thing both as to the tin and the land; so that we had scarce one in the neighbourhood like him.

2. He was from a child of a very sober and a very sweet behaviour, and remarkably dutiful to his parents. But about nineteen he began to go revellings and hurlings, and sometimes to be merry with his companions. Of this I now and then told him, but not sharply; for I counted both him and his brother mighty good young men: and was not a little proud, when people told me, “I had two likely sons, and as stout men as any in the parish.” I thought it best therefore to let him have his liberty: especially as I then saw no great harm in these things.

3. But he had done with these, from the hour he first heard the gospel of the grace of God. He then chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy all the pleasures of sin. He had no fear, in the hottest of the persecution. While the mob were pulling down the house in which we used to meet, he stood at a small distance, all the time, being nothing terrified; encouraged his brother and said, “God will deliver us; only let us trust in him.” Nor was he at all moved, when the showers of stones obliged us to stop up all our windows with whole deals. One night we heard a great tumult and noise as of much people and many cries. And it was told us, they were at the house of one of our brethren, who lived about a quarter of a mile off: Thomas did not take time to go the road way, (tho’ it was exceeding dark;) but ran directly through the grounds and over the hedges, ’till he came to the house. The mob, hearing the sound of feet, ran away, not one being left behind. So, said Thomas, the scripture is fulfilled. One of you shall chase a thousand. As he came into the house, the family too were preparing to run out of it. But he soon convinced them, they had no cause to fear, and they mightily rejoiced together, and praised God who had delivered them out of the hands of unreasonable and cruel men. All the windows and doors were dashed in pieces; but none of the family hurt at all, notwithstanding the vast quantities of stones, which had fallen on all sides of them. One very large stone they found in the cradle, close by a little child. But the child was not hurt. So that in all things they saw the hand of God was over them for good.

4. About eighteen months ago, while his brother William and he were working in the pit with another man, the earth calved in upon the man, who cried out for help, and Thomas ran toward the place where he was. In running his light went out: but he found the man by his voice, tho’ not till he was almost covered in. Before he had cleared him, the earth calved in again, and he was very near covered in himself. And but that it stopt, they knew not how, in one minute more they must both have perished together. William hearing the noise, made up to the place, and in some time relieved them both. Of this Thomas often made mention, praising God for his wonderful deliverance.

5. Some account of the manner wherein he found peace with God, (two or three months after his brother) I lately found in his pocket-book. The substance of it was this:

“In reading the three first chapters of St. John, while I was in much trouble and heaviness of soul, the Lord gave me great comfort; especially from these words, To as many as believe in his name, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. But soon after I was stript of all, as though God had left me, a final cast-away. Nevertheless I went into my closet, and with a heavy heart said, Lord, I praise thee, that thou hast not given me over unto death. But how shall I appear before thee? While I spoke, the Lord answered, and applied these words, I am thy righteousness; which burst the cords that before kept my spirit down.”

6. He often complained, that when he found great joy, he was in the greatest danger both of pride and lightness: and therefore said, he had much rather, if it were the will of God, be always in a mourning state. He likewise found great temptation to pride when he was most blessed in speaking to the people. And this was the main reason of his not stirring up the gift of God which was in him.

7. He frequently repeated those words of St. Paul, It is good for a man not to touch a woman; and those of Job, I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid! He was very jealous over himself when he was in company with those of a different sex. And if no man besides himself was there, he generally quitted the company as soon as he could.

8. In the latter part of his life he was much grown in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. He sometimes saw, as he said, anger and pride in himself; but they had no power: neither had the love or desire of any creature; they were all in subjection under his feet. He was more and more dead to all earthly things, and filled with the fire of God’s love. The work of God had a deeper root in his heart and he was more settled and established in the grace of God.

9. After his brother’s death, he declared he could not rest through the earnestness of his desire to follow him. However in the mean time he put in practice what Samuel spoke of, namely meeting all the family once a week. He reproved me and his mother in several things; but we could not reprove him in any. I could not convince him or Samuel of sin, for two years or more.

10. On Wednesday, September 10, in the evening he found himself out of order; he went to bed something earlier than usual, and soon appeared to be in a high fever. But his confidence in God was still the same, and all his words, both that night and the next day, convinced all who came near him, that the peace of God continually ruled his heart.

11. On Thursday evening, between nine and ten, his sister sitting by him said, “Lord, shall I call, and wilt thou not answer? No; it cannot be. Thou hast promised every one that asks in faith shall receive.” Then he began praying for his father and mother; for his brothers and sisters, and in particular for her that sat by him. “O my God marry her to thyself, make her all glorious within. Give her an undivided heart.” He then prayed for himself. “Now come O my God, and sanctify me wholly. Press me closer to thyself. Thou knowest, this is all my desire. Give me power to declare thy wonderous works before I go hence. O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?”

12. As Mary Busvine came to the bedside he looked on her and said, “Now I am free. Now my heart is at liberty. I will praise my God as long as I have breath.” After speaking much to the same effect, he laid still a small time, and then broke out into exceeding loud, vehement prayer, his voice being quite altered and every sentence ♦pronounced with uncommon emphasis. He prayed first for all estates and conditions of men; that the church of Christ might spread over all the nations, that ten thousand times ten thousand might be converted to God, and all the people of the earth praise him. Then he prayed for all ministers of the gospel, from the greatest even to the least; especially for those whom God had lately employed to seek and save those that were lost in Cornwall. Afterwards he prayed for John Trembath that he might live to the glory of God, who had brought him back from the gates of death, and might be a means of saving many souls from the bitter pains of eternal death. He then prayed for the society: “O Lord unite them as the heart of one man. O Lord, give them eyes to see whereinsoever they have departed from thee. O take from them the spirit of unthankfulness, and suffer them not to bite or devour one another. Heal thou their backslidings and spread over them the banner of thy love!”

13. With prayer there was continual praise intermixed. Sometimes he was blessing God for what he had done; then praying, “O my God finish thy work and take me into thy kingdom. Is this the day, O my God that I shall kiss my brother in paradise?—O Lord the angels have already praised thee at my conversion. Is this the day that I shall praise thee with them? Yes, O my God, I am now going to join them, to sing praises to thee for ever.”

Then he prayed with great earnestness for Mary ♦Busvine, and his own sister (both of whom he had in the beginning of the evening desired, to stay with him till he was in eternity) that they might never grow weary or faint in their minds, that God would send down the spirit of sanctification into their hearts, and give them resigned wills to bear whatever his providence should lay upon them: adding, they shall run and not be weary. I know we shall all meet together, and sing praises unto him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever.”

He went on, “O how good is God to me, that he hath given me a tongue to praise him! A little while, yet a little while, and I shall praise him in heaven! O the goodness of God, that I a worm of the earth, shall stand there, upon mount Sion, with the hundred and forty and four thousand which have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb! Here is a privilege; here is a wonder: that I am made a son of God and a joint-heir with Christ, and I shall soon be where I shall behold him for ever! I, even I, who have been a backslider from God! But he has healed my backslidings and loved me freely.”

14. Soon after he said, “I love thee, O my God, Thou knowest that I love thee, because thou hast first loved me. O what manner of love is this, that God should stoop to love me! And he is coming to carry me home. O! I see thousands and ten thousands of angels! Do you not see them? O brother Trembath, do you not see what a glorious place I am going to; I am going to join with angels and arch-angels, and with all the company of heaven. I am going to reign with God, among ten thousands of his saints and to bask in the beams of his love for ever.”

Then looking on Mary Busvine, he said, “Can’t you see Jesus Christ coming, with an innumerable company of angels, and the golden banner display’d! They are coming to carry me to the bosom of my God. Open their eyes, O God, that they may see them. O what a good God have I served! I am sanctified, soul, body, and spirit. I am whiter than snow. I am washed in the blood of my Redeemer. Why, I am all God. My heart is full of God! O let them who hear me now, praise thee for ever and ever!”

“And yet I have been unfaithful to my God. For he gave me a gift, but I improved it not. I thought I was not worthy to stand in the highway and call sinners to repentance. But, O God, thou hast forgiven me this also, and I will preach thee now as long as I have breath.”

15. He ceased not thus praying and praising for an hour. His parents then coming in (early on Friday morning) he said, “O my mother, you will not weep to see me going to such a loving God. My father and mother will not be backsliders. No; I know that God loves them, and that we shall all meet together in heaven, to praise him to all eternity.” Then looking on his brother, about twelve years old, he said, “Stand off, for fear you catch the distemper: for I fear you are not prepared to die, you have played away the grace of God. The harvest may come, before you are renewed in the image of God, and then how will you appear? Cry mightily to God. Strive with all your might. Call upon him, and God will hear.”

He then said, “Right my feet, that I may lie strait to resign my breath. When I am dead, do you sing me all the way, sing my body to the grave, lay me by my brother, and at the same time my spirit shall be joined to his, and to ten thousand times ten thousand of angels and spirits, singing praises to God and the Lamb for ever.”

16. Having spoken till he had no breath left, he paused; and in a short time, began again, “Hear now the words of a dying man, a living wonder, a Christian triumphing over death! O what a God do the Christians serve! What a God I have served! Praise him with me for ever. Behold the immense goodness of our God. O that all the world knew our God! He has now made my heart free that I may praise him, and I cannot stop while I have breath. Go, tell all the world of this. O brethren! What a good God do we serve! Be not afraid to tell it abroad! Go, shew it to all people, that they may come and serve him too.”

When he stopt speaking, the oppression on his breast returned. This he took notice of and said, “While I am praising God, my heart is free: but when I cease, I feel this load again. But I may well bear this; for this is all the hell I shall have.” Then he broke out,

“See a soul escape to bliss,

Keep the Christian festival.”

“He hath washed me and I am whiter than snow. God is mine, and I am God’s. I shall soon be with him.” Thus he continued, till he could speak no more.