Robert Liley (1697-1772)

Title

Robert Liley (1697-1772)

Publisher

Moravian Lives Project

Date

1772

Type

Text

Format

image/jpg

Description

Robert Lilley, born in Yorkshire in 1697, was raised in the Church of England and worked as a clothier after enduring a difficult apprenticeship in poverty. During the evangelical awakenings led by Mr. Ingham and the Moravian Brethren, he became deeply concerned for both his own salvation and the spiritual welfare of his entire family, eventually joining the Moravian congregation in 1748. He was especially devoted to Holy Communion and viewed participation in it with deep humility and reverence. In 1759 he and his wife moved permanently to Fulneck, where he lived a quiet and faithful life marked by tenderness toward the Savior, gratitude for grace, and increasing longing for heaven as he grew older. Near the end of his life he often wept “tears of love” for Christ and peacefully died in 1772 at age 75 after a very brief final illness, exactly as he had hoped.

Subject

Liley, Robert, 1697-1772
Moravians--Biography
Biographies

Identifier

Ful/3/70

Place

Fulneck, England

Language

eng

Extent

4 pages

Rights Holder

Fulneck Moravian Archives, Fulneck, UK

transcript of

Our BrRobert Lilley was born in the Month of Octr.
1697 at High Town in the Parish of Berstal and was
educated in the established church. His Parents being
poor, he was put out Apprentice very young, and suffered,
during that time a deal of Hardship. Having learned
the Clothiers Bussiness and being now 26 years of age,
he entered into the married State with the present Widow,
which Marriage our dear Lord Blessed with 1 Son and
2 Daughters. One of the latter went happily to our
dear Savr before him, out at the S. Srs House here. His
only Son James is an inhabitant of Fulneck Congn.
and the other Daughter is married in the World.

During the time of the great awakening here in
Yorkshire, when Mr Ingham and others preach’d the Word
of Reconciliation to poor Sinners, he not only went to
hear as others did but he was soon convinced of
the great need he stood in of a Savr. Being now
concerned for his Happiness in time and Eternity he,
as a Parent of his Children, Husband of his Wife, and
Father of a Family, was equally concerned for the
Salvation of his whole House, and was not satis-
fied untill they all heard with him the precious
Gospel from whence he expected life everlasting.
According to that first Love and Zeal, which prevailed
among the awakened souls in those Days he was also
a Sharer of that well known great Love Feast at
Fieldhead. And becoming now more and more sensible
of his undone Condition, notwithstanding his having
already experienced some comfortable Feelings of our

Saviours Grace, he once during a Preaching of Mr
Inghams became particularly happy, thro’ the holy Ghosts
applying the Word to his heart. When Mr Spangenberg
went about settling Societies in these Districts he became
a Member of the same. He having a great Love for the
Church he was brought up in and being now more clear in
what one went properly to divine Service for, he continued
going to Church for a long while believing that our Savr
blessed him there like wise. But as his Heart could be
no more satisfied without Fellowship, and he not meeting
with it there, this determined him to follow solely and
alone the Track our dear Savr Might lead him among
the Brn, in which Resolution he was very steady, until
he was recieved into the Congn, which came to pass Augst 13th
1748 on account of which Grace he was very much melted
and thankful. In the same Year, namely the 13th of Novr
he went with the Congn to the holy Comunion for the first
time, and as he has never enjoy’d it before in his Life
time out of a profound Respect he had for the same, His
Heart was so much the more bowed on account of this
great Grace and concerning which he said: No Tongue
is able to express the feeling of my Heart, that such
a poor Worm as me, is permitted to enjoy this highest
Treasure. This Awefull Impression of the holy Sacrament
abade with him to the End of his Life. An accidental
Circumstance proved the Occasion to determine him and
his Wife to spend the Remainder of their Days in Fulneck,
and having obtained Leave to move thither, He was soon

there with all his Goods without ever enquiring
beferehand where he was to have his dwelling, which was
May the 12th 1759. His Grace Election was very important
to him and which he kept continually in his Eye, and when
he had the Favour to become Congn Disceple, which Dignity
he was twice invested with, his heart was so humbled
and broken because of the Sense of his unworthiness that
he went to his Son James, entreated him to assist him
in praying our dear Savr that His Intention with him
might be obtained. In his Course and Walk, this in
a Measure unobserved, he enjoy’d much of our Savrs
Love and Grace, and so as he grew weaker and
feebler in his Body his Tenderness towards his
Redeemer encreased, and his Longing to be soon with
him grew more ardant. He was often seen weeping
when by himself, and if asked what was the Cause
of at, he said: These are not Tears of Sorrow, but
Tears of Love to my Saviour. When he was the
last time at the holy Comunion in the Hall, he had
an Intimation of it that this would be the last time
he should enjoy that greatest of Blessings here below;
But heartilywished that he might have no long and
serious sickness in order not to give his Brn any
trouble, which Request our dear Lord granted him
like wise: for when on the 16th of Dec. he went to
Bed about 9 o’Clock in the Evening, he slept till about
1 o’Clock in the Morning, and at 2 o’Clock his Soul

had already taken its Flight into the Enjoyment
of everlasting Bliss. His dieing Life lasted 75 Years.