Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

often surprise, in the minds of those around, to remark, that the slightest instances of these irritations never failed to produce the strongest expressions of humiliation: he continually brought to my recollection the words of the Prophet, Thou hast laid thy body as the ground; and as the street, to them that went over.

One evening after reading his Bible for some hours, he said to me " I derive my whole consolation from meditating on the Godhead and character of Jesus, in whom I place all my hope! Him, hath God exalted with his right-hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour; for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”

His habit of reading remained with him to his last hours. He was wholly engaged in reading the choicest parts of such authors as Leighton, Trail, Boston, and Gurnall. This last he was reading at the moment when the apoplectic seizure took place. Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh shall find so doing! Luke xii. 43. He read Gurnall's "Christian Armour" without intermission, during the last four days of his life; and expressed his having been much helped and benefited by that writer.

Notwithstanding the deep inroad which disease had made on his intellectual powers, whereby his enjoyment was eclipsed and his comfort overshadowed, yet I had the satisfaction of observing (as had some of those friends who had access to

him) that, through all impediments, his real ripening for glory was manifest, as he travelled nearer and nearer to the grave-in his childlike simplicity-his humility, self-abasement, and increasing estimation of his adorable Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Though, as I have before remarked, his mind was often bowed down by the fatal paralysis which put an end to his labours, yet he retained to the last something of his ministerial spirit; and, in a lucid moment, often spoke of preaching again, saying, "Should it please God ever to raise me up to preach again, CHRIST would be my only subject!" On this Rock of Ages he had, by divine help, built for eternity-a building, which the winds of adversity could not shake. His place of defence, and his treasure was on high; and where his treasure was, there was his heart also; and, though called to wade through a dark dispensation, yet his long and gracious habit, (which never left him) of turning to his Heavenly Father, remained as the evening time light, till he was admitted to a mansion where there is night no more.

In conversation with a friend and minister, he said, "In your preaching hold up Christ. This should be your great object and aim in your SerSome have objected, that I have preached too much on Faith; but, were I to preach again, they would hear much more of it."

mons.

But he had finished his public course, and was

From this chamber and

no more able to resume his ministry. He had another, and a very different lesson to learn in the school of Christ. After having exhibited the Saviour with fervour and faithfulness in public, he was taken aside into a sick chamber- there to be more emphatically taught, what he had declared to others, that none but Christ could meet the wants of a dying sinner. this dispensation, he did indeed preach again, and aloud, TO THE HEART, on that important warning of our Lord- BE YE ALSO READY. Nor did his faith fail him here, but remained firm, while every thing else was shaken: nor did I ever, at any time, hear him declare his faith with more stedfastness, than in the days of his affliction. It was a ground of much comfort to me to observe, that at no period during this visitation-even when disease made the deepest inroad on his health and faculties, and Satan's temptations harassed his enfeebled mind-- DID HIS OBJECT VARY, but remained one and the same with that in the days of his health"Christ crucified, for the chief of sinners!"—the only point worthy the contemplation of a mortal hastening into the eternal world!

The total loss of the use of his right-hand prevented his putting on paper many things interesting and highly instructive: this he often lamented; while the agitation of his nerves rendered it impracticable to be done by others. I have, with mournful pleasure, discovered passages in his Bible,

evidently marked SINCE his diseased state, to which he has with a trembling left-hand put his initials "R. C. Amen!" testifying his hope and confidence in the all-sufficiency and atoning merit of his Saviour. 1 Cor. xvi. 22.-Rev. v. 12.

A short time before his decease, on hearing the 2d chapter of Jonah read at family worship, he was much impressed by it, and gathered from it great consolation. He spoke on it for a considerable time; and, the next day, desired me to read the Book of Jonah through to him: after which he made many beautiful observations and remarked how it extended to every possible case-and afforded unlimited hope, and furnished a perfect antidote to despondency-with many other observations, which have escaped my memory. I must ever regret, that the nature of my employment in attending him prevented the possibility of my securing on paper many of his valuable conversations, at those intervals when a ray of divine consolation broke through the cloudy and dark day of disease.

It has been before remarked that Mr. Cecil's views became more and more simply evangelical, particularly during the days of his affliction. In this school he had long been taught: high lessons were here put before him; and, in his own words in his "Visit to the House of Mourning," I may say of him-"The great Husbandman will not fail to adopt the sharpest means for the improve

ment of his choicest plants:" and, again, from his favourite Leighton-" The Church is God's jewelry-his working-house, where his jewels are polished for his palace; and those he especially esteems and means to make most resplendent, he hath oftenest his tools upon them."-Thus the ever-dear departed passed through many tribulations; and, as the Apostle speaks, filled up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh, for his body's sake, which is the Church." Thus was he conformed to his Saviour-and thus he trod the highway of the cross to the kingdom, there to receive a crown of life, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give.

While it was a most melancholy post of observation to mark the daily progress and depredations made on such a mind by disease; and while his shattered state could not but lead me often to exclaim with the Prophet How are the mighty fallen!-yet it was a scene replete with important instruction. I have been deeply impressed on remarking, how he bowed to his dispensationhow submissively he passed through the valley of humiliation; and shone resplendent, even in the ruins of nature. Endless, indeed, would be the instances of dignity and beauty which might be exhibited of this rich and honoured character, were I to retrace the space of near thirty years— privileged with such a guide, companion, and friend!--but my health and spirits fail me, and

« AnteriorContinuar »