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kind, and employed in religion and kind offices.

The death of this excellent man was caused by a consumption, which for three or four years had slowly but gradually wasted his strength. He preserved, however, a surprising alacrity of mind to the last; nor did he fail in his usual attention to domestic duties, or abate his usual intercourse with his friends, until within a day or two of his departure. On Saturday noor, the day before he died, he was sensible of a very great alteration in himself. The circumstance alarmed his family, but not himself. Physicians being called in, confirmed the opinion he himself entertained, that they could be of no service to him, and that his recovery was now hope less. On this he sent for three friends, and all his family, into his chamber, when, in the midst of their tears and lamentations, with the utmost composure of mind, he thus addressed them.

"My dear children and friends, I send for you to take my last leave of you, to bid you and all the world farewell. I am going where I hope we shall one day have a joyful meeting; though I shall never return to you, and the places and persons that have known me must here know me no more. Come, my dear children, and kiss your dying father, or you may lose the opportunity of that endearmeat: death is doing his work apace. Do not be so greatly moved. Nothing but your tears can disquiet me. I have nothing now to do but to die. It is a great work: O, to do it well!-My worldly affairs are all settled: I will not lose one of my very few moments about them. You will find, by the disposal of my estate, how dear you all are to me, and how sensible I have been of the duty and affection you have ever paid me. May God requite you in more valuable blessings than I can leave you. I have no need to add any instructions to those already given you; go on as you have hitherto

done, and remember the words your living as well as dying father, May the God of peace be with you, the Almighty God of Jacob bles and keep you. May your father's God and your own God be your pmsent inheritance and everlasting pr tion. May your mutual happines be continued, and your eternal licity secured. May the glory of G be your great aim at all times; and may all you say, design, or do, tead thereto. May you prove blessing to society, and instruments of muc? | good to the cause and people Jesus Christ our Lord and Maste My dear friends and children, we for many years have been my bes friends and companions, the tenderness of my soul is moved towar you. Nothing in the world besides raises in me the least inclination stay longer here: it is you on that I cannot so easily part with: and were not fully persuaded should meet again, parting wood be dreadful work indeed. But le me not indulge this weakness. ! am going to the blessed Jesus, and it is with the same Jesus I leave you. He will infinitely make up the loss of children to me, and of a father to you."

more than

Here, overcome by his feelings and by the effort he had made, be fainted. They all thought bin gone; but in a few minutes be recovered, and, composing himself to rest, slept, or rather slumbered, for two hours. On waking, he thus be gan again: "Let me pray with you: this may be the last time we shall ever unite in that exercise. I on the brink of eternity: in a few hours or minutes more, I shall launch into that boundless ocean." Lying on his bed, he then with the great est calmness, and with his usual fluency, prayed, nearly in the following words.

"Most glorious and holy Lord God! Thou art the only living and true God, from whom we receive life and breath and all things Truly happy are they, and only they, who have an interest in thy favour; for in thy favour is life,

and thy loving kindness is better han life. Thou art the only source of true happiness. Afflictions with thy favour are infinitely before deliverance from the greatest distress without it. To have God for our portion, though in the most destitute circumstances is infinitely to be preferred to all the good and glory of the world without God. With the utmost awe and reverence, O Lord, we would approach thee, duly sensible of thy majesty and perfections, and of the infinite distance there is between that being who is all purity and perfection, and such defiled guilty creatures as we are. It is condescension in *God to regard the most perfect adoration and obedience of the blessed above: what wonderful goodness is it then for thee to have respect to those who dwell in houses of clay, and whose foundations are in the dust! Our consolation is, that we have an all-prevailing Intercessor with thee, Christ Jesus the righteous, our most blessed Mediator and Advocate, the Lord our righteousness and strength, through whom unworthy and ruined creatures may have access to, and be accepted by, their great Creator. He hath died, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. Through him alone we would come before thee, O Lord: may our hearts be influenced by thy most holy Spirit, that our prayers may be such as Christ will plead for above. I am now, O Lord, at thy footstool; I shall soon be at thy bar: O be present with me in these last moments of nature's distress. I am almost at home: O make the passage easy, it it be thy will. Now, O Lord, complete thy work in me, thy goodness towards me. May I die to thy glory; in thy favour; to the beneht of all that know or may hear of me; and an encouragement to them to choose God for their portion. For the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, fully pardon all my sins, pass by every failing of my life, freely forgive whatever has been contrary to thy

holy law and nature, every sin I have committed, all my omissions of my duty, all my sins of ignorance or presumption. Wash me in the blood of Christ from all defilement. Sanctify me throughout, O thou Spirit of the Most High, in body and soul, and give me that comfort and peace which thou alone canst give; and maintain them in me to the last, till death is swallowed up in victory. Let no false fears alarm me, no false hopes deceive me.

Let not thy wrath, O Lord, terrify me; let not the great enemy of souls be suffered to assault me; let not the remembrance of my past sins overwhelm me. May I know that I am fully pardoned for my dear Redeemer's sake. Grant me, O Lord, an assurance of thy love; and may I have thy Spirit witnessing with mine, that I am the child of God. May the prayers which I put up to thee in the time of my health, for preparation for death, be now answered in mercy. Preserve, O Lord, the faculties of my mind, that to my latest breath I may praise my God, declare my experience of thy faithfulness, love, and power, and furnish a farther testimony that religion is a real principle in the soul. And then may death be an easy passage to me out of a world of sin, snares, and sorrow to immortality, peace, happiness, and glory with God and Christ above. I would commend to the Divine favour my friends and family, with whom I must now part. May the blessing of Almighty God be ever upon them. May the blessings purchased by Christ be their portion for ever. Guide them by thy counsel here, and afterwards receive them to thyself. Hear and accept us, O Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake, in whom alone is our hope of mercy from thee; and to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the one immortal, invisible, and only wise God, be uninterrupted honour and glory, adoration, blessing, and praise, world without end. Amen."

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The length of this prayer, and the earnestness with which he delivered it, quite exhausted him, and he was almost motionless 'for about an hour; when the minister whom he attended, a man of eminent piety, learning, and worth, came to see him. As soon as he saw him, he said with surprising alacrity, My good sir, I am glad to see you: you are come in time to do your last kind office to your dying friend. I hope by the Divine assistance, you, as well as I, will have comfort in my end. I have a peace within, too great to be expressed. Your labour has not been in vain in the Lord: I am one testimony to the contrary, blessed be God. I thank you for all your heavenly discourses and prevailing prayers, and for that pious conversation which I and my family have so often been favoured with. Continue it to them; they value it as much as I do, and may one day bless you for it upon dying bed, as I now do. Is it not amazing, that such a sinner as I am, should be thus casy upon a deathbed, and when just going to appear before the great Judge of the world? O, God has been ever good to me, and I find he will be so to the last. I never yet called upon him in vain. O, living and dying, we should declare the loving kind

ness of the Lord."

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Here, that he might not spend himself too much, the minister began some suitable discourse; but he perceived the design, and said, "I thank you for your kind intention; but allow me to go on, while I can speak, to bless God and to give my dying testimony to his faithfulness, power, and love. Why have I so much strength remaining, but that I may use it for his glory. My speech may shortly fail me: O then bless God for me, and put up your prayers for my departing soul. Is it not the utmost condescension in God, that he will allow such a worm as I am to bless him at all? He is infinitely kind and plenteous in mercy. All his dispensations to

wards me have been for my bes
good, and his glory. Even tho
adverse circumstances which ens
ed my inclinations and thwarted my
designs, I now perceive were
signed for my everlasting adver
tage. God has indeed been my
kindest and best friend. God i
Christ is my rock, the portion
my soul. What should I now
without an interest in Christ? Th
precious blood of Christ is of in-
nite value: I ever said I thought it
so: how do you think I esteem i
now? I am a dying, perishing cre
ture; but I have committed
soul to Jesus Christ, my Lord, a
my God: he will conduct it safe të
his heavenly kingdom. Through
him I have overcome the work,
through him I shall soon triumpi
over death and all the powers
darkness. Shake off thy fetters, #
soul, and rejoice in Christ Jess
thy Lord. A few moments more,
and thou shalt enter on thy heaver
There shalt thes
ly inheritance.
ever be with the Lord. There thy
longings after God shall be satis-
fied. There thou shalt be an eter
nal witness to the Redeemer's treh
and power, and to the rich fre
grace of God in Christ. There
shall be no sorrow, and, what i
better, no sin; no fear of offending
God, no hazard of ruining thyself
but through the endless ages
eternity thou shalt know and love,
enjoy, glorify, and praise God in?
manner thou art here incapable of
This night, my friends, I am pet
suaded will be my last night among
you, and to-morrow my last sab
change
bath. What a blessed
sabbath
it be, to go from keeping a
with the people of God on earth, to
keep an eternal one with God him
self in heaven!”

will

After lying still for some time, he again broke out :-" Many, were they to see me, would be pity ing my case; but that would be igward because they know not my comforts. O, I would not now change conditions with the most wise, most wealthy, most grea

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What as it is? It is now my burden, my bar to happiness, my hindrance to a spiritual communion with God. But then it is united to Christ, and shall one day become a glorious body."

nd happy upon earth. would a thousand worlds avail me n this hour of death, much less in hat of approaching judgment? What should I do, as I said before, without an interest in Christ? His precious blood has cleansed my sinful soul, purified my conscience, and made me, a child of hell, an heir of wrath, holy before God, fit to live with God and Christ, with angels and the spirits of the just made perfect, Blessed, for ever blessed, be my God." With much more to the same effect.

He now desired the minister to engage in prayer, which he did in a manner most suited to the circumstances of the family. They were all bathed in tears, whilst the dying man was all joy and ecstacy. He heartily thanked the minister, embraced his children, and took leave of them and his friends in a most affectionate manner, desiring I to see them all again if he survived the night. All then left him, except one person: they did not, however, go to bed. He lay pretty quiet till eight in the morning, but had no sleep, his eyes never being closed till closed in death. He was much refreshed with lying still, and nature seemed to have collected her forces for the last onset. His family, and many of his friends whom he was desirous to see, now came into his chamber. He seemed glad of their company, and thanked them for it. To the inquiry how he had rested during the night, he replied,

"

I was never better. I have had rest, but no sleep. I have been much better employed. I have been with my Saviour, and my soul is abundantly comforted and refreshed. ly body is dying, but my mind is still vigorous. I feel the cold hand of death upon me; but, blessed be God, he is a welcome messenger: here I am, O Lord, waiting thy pleasure. This poor body is hardly capable of any greater decay, till it moulders in the grave. And there let it mould

er.

Who would not part with it

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Here he called for a little cordial. His youngest daughter carried it to him, the tears running down her cheeks, which she endeavoured to conceal from him. He perceived her grief, and calling for her brother and sister who were in the same condition, but kept from his sight by a part of the curtain, he threw his cold arms about them, and embraced them with the tenderness of a dying parent. My dear children," he said, "I find it is you who want comfort; but how can your father now give it? The very attempt adds to your grief. You have been, and are, most dear to Since the death of your dear mother, I have known no worldly blessing equal to you. God will reward your dutiful and affectionate conduct, and make up your loss. But your sorrow, my children, for what you lose should not be so great as your rejoicing for what I gain. I am going to be with God, and the blessed Jesus, and can even part with you for such company. O hold on your course, and my happy lot will one day be yours. O let the intention of all your actions be the glory of God, and your whole lives one continued preparation for death, and then you need never fear a death-bed."

me.

"

The minister coming in at this time, he with much pleasure shook him by the hand and said: My good friend, I am glad to see you once more. The happy day is come that will be my last. This day of the Lord has ever been my delight. O what happy communion have I had with God and his people, in his ordinances on these days! I always esteemed it one of my greatest blessings, that, owing to our plentiful circumstances ine. I and my family were always a liberty to attend without anxiety of

interruption on the public worship of
God, and to spend the sabbath in
our own way. Holy, holy, holy
Lord God, the God of the spirits of
all flesh, the portion of my soul, I
am once more brought, by thine
almighty power, to the beginning
of thine own day, the last I am
likely to enjoy on earth. Make it,
O Lord, for my blessed Redeemer's
sake, the best I ever experienced.
Finish the work of thy grace in
my heart.
Fully prepare me for
the everlasting enjoyment of thy-
self. Complete my repentance to
wards thee. Let me not have a sin
unpardoned. Let me be conformed
to the image of Christ, and made a
partaker of the holiness of God.
Let my faith and love be in the
highest exercise: let not the ap-
proach of death shock the one, or
abate the other. May every power
and faculty of my soul be employ-
ed to the last, in blessing and prais-
ing thee. And may this sabbath
be not only to us but to all thy
people, a blessed earnest of, and a
full preparation for, an everlasting
sabbath with God above. Hear, for
Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer's
sake. Amen."

He now desired the minister to

pray with him, and to read the 15th chapter of the first of Corinthians. During the time of this prayer, which he requested might be for a continuance and increase of his inward peace and spiritual joy, and for his abundant entrance into the kingdom of his Lord, his heaven seemed to be already begun. The minister now took his leave, being obliged to attend his duty in the church, and many affectionate things passed between them. The rest of the company went to breakfast. On their return, he observed to them that he found his strength much impaired since yesterday, but that he had no pain either in body or mind. And why, be added should not the terrors of the Almighty fall on me, who have been so criminal, so guilty? It is wholly owing to the rich free

grace of God for the sake of Christ and not to any desert of mine. û how unworthily have my dutie been performed! How often have! worshipped God without faith hope being in exercise, without i sincere sorrow for sin, an unfeignes love to God and his ways, and bely desires towards him. How ofte have I pretended to praise his when my heart has been unaffecte and I have been dull and thoughtless in the service of God! ( her great and innumerable have been my sins! The thoughts of these things would overwhelm me, had ! not the righteousness of Christ t plead. Here my hope is fixed. In Christ I am safe, and in him alone. I now again discard all that I have done. Nothing can avail or stand me in any stead before God, but the me rit of my dear Lord and Saviour."

After this he began to falter in his speech, and he was obliged pause almost between every word But he was continually saying, as he was able, to those about him.

How inestimable is the love of God! What returns can I make to him: for all his profusion of mercy! My dear friends, bless God with me and for me! I long to be with God and Christ! O when shall I appear before God! He is my God, the portion of my soul, my only felicity, my delight, my utmost wish, my all!" With many similar expressions.

At his request the eighth chapter to the Romans was read; and on almost every verse he made some suitable remark. It was now about one o'clock. His legs and hands were quite cold. He desired his children to come near him once more and take their leave, for he feared he should not be able to speak much longer. The last words be directed to them were, "My dearest children, may you be blessed living and dying: let your dependence be ever rightly placed on God. Let your submission to God's providence be entire and cheerful. Study God's will, and endeavour to perform it. Live suitably to your engagements

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