'That I may tye myself under mine own handwriting': Reading and Writing Salvation in the Diaries of Oliver Heywood and Isaac Archer

• Published in: Bunyan studies no. 10; p. 65
• Main Author: Oxenham, Sophie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Newcastle Upon Tyne Northumbria University, Department of Humanities, Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences 01.01.2001
• Subjects: British & Irish literature; Bunyan, John (1628-1688); English literature; Handwriting
• ISSN: 0954-0970

Placing particular emphasis on the importance of cultivating the affective workings of grace, Heywood devoted a work titled HeartTreasure to the subject.21 He also drafted a work called Youth 's Monitor, in which he advised daily reading of scripture passages 'not for notion or disputation, but for motion of affections', and recommended that his readers 'frequently attend a plain and awakening ministry'.22 Like others, he made it clear that a proper relationship with Scripture was not confined to the page: 'We are not allways reading the word, but must be always thinking of it, and meditating of it, day and night'.23 However, the act of writing was essential to that process; Heywood employed sophisticated textual strategies in an attempt to capture both the presence and the permanance of assurance. Heywood was to write a treatise on the practice of 'personal covenanting' ,24 of which the following entry from the third volume of his diary is an example: 25 July 31 1671 Having the opportunity of solitariness, all my family being from home, having set my self solemly to the work of god and my own soule, first reading the 139 psalm concerning God's omniscience and omnipresence, with traces in mine eyes, commenting upon it, applying it to my self, accordingly setting myself in the presence of God , desiring to deale truly and faithfully with my own soul in self-examination, to rip open all sins I know of , I fell down upon my knees, and for about an hour, the Lord helped me to lay open my self before him ... the Lord hath given me some secret hints of pardon, and acceptance, and did communicate himself sweetly to my heart: now these things being considered I am much pressed in Spirit to renew my covenant in writing with my God, as I have been doing it upon my knees . . . none is privy to these things but God and mine own conscience, and this rathre I doe this [sic] because I have found my heart slippery and inconstante that I may tye myself under mine own hand-writing, taking my warrant from Isai.14. 5.26 The important question is why Heywood felt compelled to 'renew' his covenant, to translate it from inner voice to external letter. Archer claims he was unperturbed, and was supported by the knowledge that 'Moses was heard for all his slownes of speech'.47 His stammer also incurred reprimands from a father who was frustrated in his attempts to educate Isaac in reading the Bible: I remember, my father would make mee read the Bible; which, through an eager desire for play, and that inbred corruption whereby I hated all things that were good, I cared not for; this unwillingness to read, and stammering when I did read did tire out his patience, so he would let me leave off; thinking withall that I stammered on purpose to be from my book, though in that he was mistaken for I never coulde helpe it, and would give much that I were free from it.48 Isaac's stammer was judged not only by his peers and by the stern figure of his father, but also by his schoolmaster: [...]at his death William Archer left his estate in trust to his grandchildren.