THE Rev. John Sutcliff was born near Halifax, in Yorkshire, on the 9th of August, 1752. O. S. His parents were both of them pious characters, and remarkable for their strict attention to the instruction and government of their children. Of course he would be taught the good and the right way from his childhood. It does not appear, however, that he was "made wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus," till about the 16th or 17th year of his age. This was under the ministry of his revered friend and father, Mr. John Fawcett, pastor of the church meeting at Hebden Bridge. Of this church he became a member, May 28th, 1769. Being of a serious and studious turn of mind, he appeared to his friends to possess gifts suited to the ministry; which was proposed to his consideration. The proposal met with his own wishes, and being desirous of obtaining all the instruction he could, he went in January 1772, to the Bristol Academy, then under the Vol. VII..

care of Messrs. Hugh and Caleb Evans. Of his conduct in this situation, it is sufficient to say, that it procured him the esteem of his tutors, to the end of their lives.

In 1774, he left the Academy, and after stopping a short time at different places, in July 1775, he came to Olney. It was in the spring of the following year, when the Association was held at Olney, that my acquaintance with him commenced; and from that day to this, all that I have known of him, has tended to endear him. to me.

I cannot say when it was that he first became acquainted with the writings of President Edwards, and other New England Divines; but having read them, he drank deeply into them: particularly, into the harmony between the law and the gospel; between the obligations of men to love God with all their hearts, and their actual enmity against him; and between the duty of ministers to call on sinners to repent and believe in C

Christ for salvation, and the necessity of omnipotent grace to render the call effectual. The consequence was, that while he increased in his attachment to the Calvinistic doctrines, of human depravity, and of salvation by sovereign and efficacious grace, he rejected, as unscriptural, the high, or rather the hyper Calvinistic notions of the gospel; which went to set aside the obligations of sinners to every thing spiritually good, and the invitations of the Gospel, as being addressed to them.* Hence it was, that his preaching was disapproved by a part of his hearers, and that, in the early part of his ministry at Olney, he had to encounter a considerable portion of individual opposition. "By patience, calmness, and prudent perseverance, however, (says one of his friends,) he lived to subdue prejudice; and though his beginning was very unpropitious, from a small, and not united interest, he was the instrument of raising it to a large body of people, and a congregation most affectionately attached to him."

He had a largeness of heart, that led him to expect much from the promises of God to the church, in the latter days. It was on his motion, I believe, that the association at Nottingham, in the spring of 1784, agreed to set apart an hour on the evening of the first Monday, in every month, for social prayer, for the success of the Gospel; and to invite christians of other denominations to unite with them in it.

It must have been about this

time, that he became acquainted with Mr. Carey, who then resided at Hackleton. Mr. C. had been baptized by Mr. (now Dr.) Ryland, at Northampton, on the 5th of October, 1783, and after awhile joined the church at Olney, by which he was sent into the ministry. Mr. C. without reading any thing material on christian doctrine, besides the scriptures, had formed his own system; and which, on comparison, he found to be so near to that of several of the ministers in his neighbourhood, as to lay the foundation of a close and lasting friendship between them. But to return to our deceased brother—

In all the conversations between the years 1787 and 1792, which led to the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society, and all the meetings for fasting and prayer, both before and after it was formed, he bore a part.

In 1789, he republished President Edwards's "Humble Attempt to promote explicit agreement, and visible union of God's people, in extraordinary prayer, for the revival of religion." How much this publication contributed to that tone of feeling, which in the end determined five or six individuals to venture, though with many fears and misgivings, on an undertaking of such magnitude, I cannot say; but it doubtless had a very considerable influence on it.

In April, 1791, there was a double lecture at Clipstone; and both the sermons, one of which was delivered by brother Sutcliff,

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bore upon the meditated Mission to the heathen. His subject was, Jealousy for God, from 1 Kings, After public worship, Mr. Carey, perceiving the impression that the sermons had made, intreated that something might be resolved on before we parted. Nothing, however, was done, but to require brother Carey, to revise and print his "Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians, to use means for the conversion of the Heathens." The Sermons also were printed at the request of those who heard them.*

From the formation of the Society, in the Autumn of 1792, to the day of his death, our brother's heart and hands have been in the work. On all occasions, and in every way, he was ready to assist to the utmost of his power.

In 1796, he married Miss Jane Johnson, who was previously a previously a member of his church. This connexion appears to have added much to his comfort. For 18 years, they lived together, as fellow-helpers to each other, in the ways of God; and their separation has been but short, The tomb that received his remains has since been opened to receive hers. He died, 22d of June, and she, on the 3d of September following, possessing the same good hope, through grace, which supported him.

Mr. S. had been in a declining

state of health, for several years past. On the 3d of March, being on a visit in London, he was seized, about the middle of the night, with a violent pain across his breast and arms, attended with great difficulty of breathing. This was succeeded by a dropsy, which, in about 3 months, issued in his death.

Two or three times, during his affliction, I rode over to see him. The first time, he had thoughts of recovering; but whatever were his thoughts as to this, it seemed to make no difference as to his peace of mind. The last time I visited him was in my way to the Annual Meeting in London, on the 19th of June. Expecting to see his face no more, I said, on taking leave," I wish you, my dear brother, an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ!" At this he hesitated; not as doubting his entrance into the kingdom, but as questioning whether the term abundant were applicable to lim. "That," said he, " is more than I expect. I think, I understand the connexion and import of those words,-Add to your faith virtue-Give diligence to make your calling and election sure-for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you ABUNDANTLY. think the idea, is that of a ship coming into harbour, with a fair gale, and a full tide.—If I may

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but reach the heavenly shore, though it be on a board or broken piece of a ship, I shall be satisfied."

The following letter received from his brother, Mr. Daniel Sutcliff, who was with him the last month, will furnish a more particular account of the state of his mind, than I am able to give from my own knowledge.

"From the commencement of his illness, I found, by his letters,* that his mind was in general calm and peaceful. All, (said he,) is in the hands of a wise and gracious God. We are the Lord's servants, and he has a right to dispose of us, as he pleases, and to lay us aside at any time. Nearly a month before his end, I went to see him to see the chamber where the good man dies.

"His mind was generally calm and happy; though as to strong consolation, he said he had it not. When something was mentioned of what he had done in promoting the cause of Christ, he replied with emotion, I look upon it all as nothing: I must enter heaven, on the same footing as the converted thief, and shall be glad to take a seat by his

side,'

"His evidences for heaven, he said, were a consciousness that he had come to Jesus; and that he felt an union of heart with him, his people, and his cause; and Jesus had said, Where I am there shall my friends be. The heaven that he hoped for, and which he had in no small degree anticipated, was, union and communion with Christ, and his people. He said, The idea of being for ever sepa

rated from him appears to me more dreadful than being plunged into non-existence, or than the greatest possible torture.'

"He often intimated, that his views of divine things were far more vivid and impressive than they had ever been before. He had a greater sense of the depravity of the human heart, and of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, as consisting in disaffection to the character and government of God, than at any former period of his life. He had, he said, an inexpressibly greater sense of the importance of ministers having correct views of the import of the gospel message, and of their stat ing and urging the same on their hearers, than he had ever had before. He was ready to think, if he could communicate his present views and feelings, they must produce a much greater effect, than his preaching had ordinarily done. If I were able to preach again, (said he,) I should say things which I never said before, but God has no need of me : he can raise up men, to say them better than I could say them.' He would sometimes say, Ministers will never do much good till they begin to pull sinners out of the fire.'

"To Mrs. S. he said, "My love, I commit you to Jesus. I can trust you with him. Our separation will not be long, and I think I shall often be with you. Read frequently the book of Psalms, and be much in prayer, I am sorry I have not spent more time in prayer.' At another time, he said, I wish I had conversed more with the divine promises:

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