He possessed much generosity of disposition towards the poor. But he was far from regarding this manifestation of christian principle as the ground of his acceptance in the sight of God. On the contrary, his mind was constantly impressed with the deepest sense of his personal guilt, so that it might be said of him, that he abhorred himself, and daily repented in dust and ashes.

The late venerable pastor of the neighbouring Congregational church at Bungay, the Rev. Robert Shufflebottom, who knew him long and intimately, always mentioned him as a brother greatly beloved. [194] He lived many years under the fear that, in his conflict with the last enemy, he should dishonour the cause of his Lord and Master. This state of mind was probably aggravated by profuse bleedings at the nose, which weakened his frame and broke his spirits. It was his earnest wish not to remain longer in the body, than he could preach the glad tidings of salvation to perishing sinners. More than once he expressed a wish to die either in the pulpit or soon after leaving it.

This desire was granted. On the morning of the Lord’s day, August 29th, 1802, he arose in his usual health, and performed the public service with his accustomed energy. But on leaving the pulpit he complained of violent headache, which after dinner had increased to such a degree, as to be attended almost with loss of sight. In vain were expostulations used with him not to attempt the afternoon service. Thinking he should feel better after he had begun preaching, he again ascended the pulpit, read a chapter with evident difficulty, and took for his text that memorable passage, John i. 29, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!” His impaired vision preventing the use of his notes, he preached extempore about half an hour, and closed the public worship of the day with the most impressive prayer his congregation had ever heard from his lips. A few minutes only had elapsed before his recollection failed. After he was taken home, he spoke only once, referring to the pain in his head and begging for assistance. He continued in a state of stupor till about seven o’clock in the evening, when he gave signs of returning reason, by pressing the hand of his afflicted partner. About ten o’clock he closed his earthly sabbath, by entering upon that which is eternal. [196]

On the following sunday afternoon, the Rev. H. W. Gardiner of Southwold delivered an impressive discourse upon the occasion, from Phil. ii. 16, “Holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

His remains were interred in the church-yard of Mutford, near those of his wife’s relatives. A small monument was erected in the meeting-house to his memory. It describes him as having laboured “in the christian ministry with fidelity and success.” The inscription upon his grave-stone is as follows:

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF THE
REV. JOSEPH HEPTINSTALL,
PASTOR OF THE CONGREGATION OF
PROTESTANT DISSENTERS IN THE
TOWN OF BECCLES,
WHICH OFFICE HE FAITHFULLY AND
ZEALOUSLY DISCHARGED FOR
TWENTY-NINE YEARS;
AND DIED ON THE EVENING
OF THE LORD’S DAY
AUGUST THE 29TH, 1802,
AGED SIXTY.

The sudden removal of their excellent minister was deeply felt by the church and congregation, and earnest prayer was presented, that the dispensation might be sanctified, and the stroke healed. In the month of November, God was pleased to introduce among them their late admirable pastor.

Isaac Sloper was born at Devizes, in Wiltshire, May 30th, 1779, and was baptized soon after, by the Rev. Rowland Hill. His parents, though not distinguished by rank or riches, were endowed with those honours which come from above, and died in the well-founded hope of the “crown of glory which fadeth not away.” He received his early instructions under the Rev. J. L. Fenner, the Presbyterian minister at Devizes, afterwards of Taunton, in Somersetshire, where he died in 1834, greatly advanced in life.

In April, 1794, Mr. Sloper left his father’s house, and was placed as a clerk in the office of Mr. Richard Pruen, an attorney at Cheltenham. Of this period of life his private papers contain the following interesting account.

“During my residence at Cheltenham the serious impressions which I had acquired from the example, instruction, and prayers of my parents, were almost entirely destroyed. Though I verified the assertion of the wise man, ‘The way of transgressors is hard,’ in process of time my conscience would more easily permit me to neglect prayer and the Scriptures, think lightly of the sabbath, and prefer the society of the gay and dissipated to that of persons religions and grave. To the brink of ruin was I hurried . . . But my destruction was prevented by an omnipotent arm, and sovereign grace. By reflection and a serious train of thought, I was convinced of my excessive folly and irreligious conduct. I was enabled to betake myself to prayer, and to pay a diligent regard to the other means of grace. At first my convictions were attended with much dejection of mind, and fears concerning the important matters of my soul, of death and eternity. But the God of all grace soon permitted me to experience that the ways of true religion are ‘ways of pleasantness,’ and that all ‘her paths are peace.’

“Brought to see the evil of sin, and to feel the importance of true religion for the present life, and for a future state, I possessed a strong desire to devote myself to the solemn and arduous work of the christian ministry, that I might labour to convince my fellow-creatures of their danger, and invite them to receive the grace of the blessed Redeemer, and seek the honours, riches, and happiness of eternity.”