Dbituary. An Account of the Lord's gracious Dealings with Mrs. SARAH PAYNTER, late of Denmark Hill, Camberwell, during her last Illness. She departed this Life on Thursday, Dec. 20, 1810. MRS. PAYNTER was called by divine grace to the knowledge of the truth some years ago; and from that period she was preserved, by the power of God, in a course of holy obedience to the divine will. Her faith was discovered in its works; by these she was declared, in the sight of all who knew her, to be a child of God. She was attacked by indisposition some time previous to her last fatal illness. From that, however, it pleased God to restore her. It was not expected that her continuance in this vale of tears would be long; yet no one, even among her most intimate friends, entertained the least idea of so sudden a removal as God was preparing for her. It was not until Wednesday, Dec. 12, that her life was thought to be in danger. Her illuess had then continued but a few days. On the following Lord's Day all hope of her restoration was given up: her disorder was an unconquerable obstruction. Her bodily sufferings were very great; but her mind was supported by the consolations of the Holy Spirit. A few of her remarks will be recorded. May the Lord bless the record to the encouragement of his people's faith and hope in Christ Jesus! soul will be at rest. What a bless ing to know God, and not to have him to seek now! His word is my life and my hope! he will not leave me.' On Tuesday morning she suffered much. One said, 66 Do you find yourself comfortable now?" No,' said she, not in this pain." "But you look for comfort from above?' Yes, blessed be God, I do! Blessed be his holy name for this comfortable state of mind! he keeps me in peace.' Her pain increasing, she exclaimed, It will not be long before I am released! O Lord, dear Lord, come down and support me! What a mercy that I am not racked both in mind and body! Dear Lord, dear Jesus, I have this soft bed! Coarse and hard my Saviour lay, When his birth place was a stable, And his softest bed was hay!' Referring to heaven, she said, Yes, I shall be there; but I am afraid to wish, lest it should not yet be the will of Christ. Upon hearing these beautiful lines, The soul that on Jesus has lean'd for On this day her minister (Dr. D. On Sunday a friend addressed her of Camden Chapel) came in to visit thus: You find Christ precious." her. The following conversation 0! yes; replied she, i can think passed between them: I trust of little else but him now; he has you find that Christ is precious to made with me an everlasting cove your soul." "Yes, I do indeed, — Bant, ordered in all things and sure; indeed i do, very precious!" This upon this Rock my soul is fixed.'- is a blessed instance of the worth, as On the following day it was observed well as the reality of our divine reto her by one, Christ is all-suffi- ligion. "It is indeed: it is imposcient." She replied, It is an un-sible for any one to be carried more speakable mercy to belong to Christ! steadily through all my nights than trust I have had his presence! I the Lord has carried me!" It is a have found him a prayer-hearing mercy that we have the great Friend and a prayer - answering God! I to look to."Yes, I find it to be shall soon reach home, then my So. My sufferings are very great; · but our Redeemer also suffered Yes; what would have become of me if he had not suffered for me! and what are my sufferings compared to his? Bless him!' 6 minister, enclosing them both in one of hers. She then lifted up her eyes to heaven, and appeared to be in fervent prayer; and also to experience much inward delight.→ She released the hand of her son, retaining that of the Doctor; and soon after, in sweet undisturbed se -- On the following day, her minister again visited her: to whom she said, I have reason to thank him for afflictions. Oh, bless him!-renity, she gave up her spirit into She was observed to be much fa- the hands of her Redeemer, with tigued by the exertion of conversa- whom she now dwells in the fulness tion. The 25th of Isaiah was read of everlasting joy. by Dr. D. he said, This is strong Language? She replied, I think the prophecy of Isaiah one of the finest in the Scriptures; this is my strong food. Speaking of rivers of waters, she observed, · We drink of them for ever. Bless him, my dear Jesus, my Lord, he will in his own time, he has delivered me; blessed be his name! It will soon be over; I shall soon be home; oh, bless him! Yes, he is my support, and so may every soul say that can lay hold on him' and, with as much animation as her strength would allow, she exclaimed, A sinuer saved by grace: a sinner saved by the blood of the Lamb. Thus did the Lord support his dear servant. 0, reader, seek this blessed Saviour without delay, that he may be your support! On Thursday morning, her minister again called: she was lying in the cold embrace of death; however, she was still able to speak a little. Her heart was evidently full of Jesus and his great salvation. She said, The first Adam, the Second Adam is mine: it is the econd Adam I'mean. Happy art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee, a people saved by the Lord!" O, be pleased to open the eyes of the blind, and the ears of the deaf.' Some little time after this, with considerable difficulty, she spoke as follows:- I am numbered to enter into the feast: I must be married this day: I shall be with him, and he with me.'-Life ebbed very fast: her speech, but not her recollection, began to fail. She held out her hand to Dr. D. who stood by her bedside. He gave her his, which she laid hold of; then she looked towards her eldest son, who was present; she received his hand also she joined it to that of her Her mortal remains were interred in the following week at Bunhill Fields, by the Rev. Dr. D——, who improved the solemn providence on Sunday evening, Dec. 30, 1810, at Camden Chapel, in a funeral sermon from Isaiah li. 6. Our dear bord is the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. He will be the support and refuge of all his people. They may not all of them go home in joyful triumph; but every one of them shall find, by happy experience, that, however his heart and flesh may fail, God is the strength of his heart, and his portion for ever. MRS. SARAH HUBBARD Was the wife of Mr. Zech. Hubbard, of Taplow Mills, near Maidenhead; after a month's illuess, endured with exemplary patience, she fell asleep in Jesus, Oct. 8, 1810, in the 40th year of her age. The fol lowing extracts from a letter, addressed to her sister, Miss Poole, dated Oct. 30, 1792, when she was admitted a member at the Tabernacle, London, will shew, that her religious education, and early at tendance on the gospel, accompa nied by a divine blessing, determined her to take Christ's yoke upon her, and learn (f him, as her teacher and example, whilst she trusted in him alone for salvation. Dear Eetsey, --I make no doubt but it will be a pleasure and satisfaction to you, as well as others in the family, to know upon what foundation I am building for eternity; and, as I find a strange backwardness to tell what, I trust, the Lord has done for my soul, I thought I would commit it to paper, and endeavour to write down a reason of the hope that is in ne, with meekness and fear. I hope and trust I have experienced a change; I am certain I am not what I once was. I have seen myself a worthlesss and miserable sinner, condemned by God's righteous law, and utterly unable to help myself. I think I have been led to Jesus; and have been enabled to put my whole trust and confidence in him; I have not only seen him the able, but the willing Saviour, willing to save every coming sinner, and, therefore, willing to save me; and I think my resolution has been, that if I perished it should be at his feet. I was then glad to go to God as a poor worthless sinner, rejoicing that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; and feelingly said, I am a poor worthless worm but, Jesus, take me as I am; I ca now rejoice that salvation is all of free, rich, unmerited grace; and that my justification does not depend upon any thing of myself: indeed, if it did, I should for ever despair; for when I look into my own heart I find that it is a world of iniquity,-that in it are the seeds of all manner of evils; and, if it was not for restraining grace, they would break out into open acts; and, indeed, I am daily and hourly constrained to pray, Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults! I would rejoice to think that sanctification is a progressive work. I hope to have a sweet assurance of my interest in Jesus; and to have these evidences of it, by my dying to sin daily, and growing in every grace. I have been dealt with in such a gentle manner,, that I don't know whether I have made it appear plain, that once I was blind, but now I can see;' in the general, I cannot doubt it; but at all times my prayer is, Lord try me, and search me, and see if there be any evil in me; and lead me in the way everlasting. Never suffer me to deceive myself, but make thorough work in my heart;' and, 6 'If I am right, O, keep me right, For I am so sure that there is no real happiness to be found in any I thing else but real religion, that I think I shall never be happy, without I can say This God shall be my God for ever and ever. trust he will be my guide even until death; for knowing he is of one mind, and none can turn him, I don't fear but that if the good work is begun, he will carry it on; and I shall be more than conqueror over sin, death, and hell. If Jesus has undertaken my cause, I need not fear; I know he is a powerful Advocate and he can speak well; and as I gave up myself to him in public, and thereby professed to the world and the church that I am not afraid nor ashamed to own this Jesus, O, that I may never do any thing to offend him! but may I be more watchful over my conduct and conversation, avoiding the appearance of evil, and give occasion to none to say that I profess what I do not practice! may I find the ordinances of the Lord to be increasingly precious; and the way of duty, the way of pleasure and safety.' In a letter addressed to a friend before her marriage, dated Feb. 27, 1801, she says, I think the past Sabbath was as comfortable a one, upon the whole, as I have had some time. I think I could say a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.' My willing soul would stay In such a frame as this;' joyed the Lord's presence that I I have fondly hoped when I have enshould have retained this frame for some time; and that I should not get into that stupid uncomfortable perienced; but, ere one fleeting way that I have too frequently exhour is past,' &c. and am again convinced that frames and feelings are too changeable to trust to. believer's hope and expectation.-Christ alone is the foundation of a It is well when we can build alone 6 here; but have often thought how prone we are to legality. When I have narrowly watched my own heart, I have felt something of the spirit of Naaman, the Syrian," May [ not wash in them and be clean?" and the servants said, If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? how much more when he saith, "Wash, and be clean!" - and when we are told to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we shall be saved, it seems, at first, such an easy remedy, that our pride will hardly submit to it; but since, I have known more of my own heart, I find believing the hardest thing in the world, and am constrained to ery out, Lord, I would believe, help thou my unbelief. O for a strong and lasting faith,' &c. Mrs. H. told a female friend (who visited her a few days after she took.. to her room) that she believed she should never more rise from that bed. At one time she told the servant what a miserable creature she should be if she was afraid to die; but added, ' I am not afraid to die.' To her minister who visited her, she said, What a wretched creature should I now be, but for a good hope, through grace! On the Saturday preceding her death, she was very ill; and from the report of the doctor who attended her, no hopes were enter tained of her recovery. Next day she grew worse, and found great difficulty in breathing. In the evening the cold sweats of death came upon her. About this time she called her afflicted husband to her bed-side, and asked him to pray to the Lord to release her. Some time after this she raised her voice, and requested him to read one of the Olney Hymns, in which are these lines, • His love in time past Forbids me to think In trouble to sink !' She had a very restless night; and remarked to the nurse, No one knew how bad she was the day before. About four o'clock on Monday morning, she was favoured with a little sleep: waking, she requested the nurse to turn her on the other side; adding, I hope the Lord will favour me with some sleep; for I have had a restless night. Soon after, she gave a gentle sigh or two; and was mercifully heard in that she feared, the ag onies of death: her dismission was easy, and peaceful her end! To the glory of rich grace it is remarked, that during the whole of her affliction, she never expressed that she had one conflict from the enemy of souls, nor one fear of death as to its consequences! Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.' This bereaving providence was improved in a funeral - sermon, preached by Mr. Cooke, from those words, which were her only support during her illness: Good hope, thro' grace.' WILLIAM SIMS, ESQ. WAS removed from this world on Friday, March 8, aged 65. Early in life he was called to the knowledge of the truth; and was 40 years a member of the church at Stepney, and more than 20 years a deacon. He was strongly attached to the doctrines of the gospel; and proved himself a sincere friend to all who love our Lord Jesus, though they differed from him in pleased God to bless him with great the circumstantials of religion. It worldly prosperity; yet he was remarkable for his humility and con descension. It was his delight to assist the cause of God and truth. He was a generous supporter of the Missionary Society; and ever ready to relieve the wants of poor minis fectionate friend. In his family, in ters. He was a steady, faithful, afthe world, and in the church, he was highly esteemed. During his last illness, he was in a calm and resigned frame. When his minister entered his chamber the last time, and asked him how he was, he answered, Here I am, lying as clay in the hand of the pot ter: I have a covenant God to look to, and gracious promises to trust in! The night before he died, he said, This has been a tedious night; but the Lord's time is always the best time! After this he said, Dying work is hard work! Be prayed very affectionately for his family; and gave them his blessing in a very solemn and impressive manner; soon after which he fell asleep in Jesus. G. E. REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. A Visitation Sermon, preached at The preacher commences his - but without the experimental knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, the church will not be much benefited by the best scholars. Mr. W. seems to be as ill-informed concerning some of the modern sects, as of those of former days. He classes the various enemies with whom he has to contend' under three heads: - Professed Unbelievers, the Adherents to the Ro man Catholic Faith, and Protestant Sectaries.' The last of these he branches out into three divisions. The first of these, he says, is that of the Socinians or Unitarians;' the second is, the Rational Dissenters;' these, he thinks, will soon merge into some of the motley groups by which they are surrounded;'-but, he adds, the last, and, beyond comparison, the most formidable body of dissidents to be found in the kingdom, is comprised under the respective denominations of Methodists and Anabaptists.' This gentleman seems not to know that there are now any such people as Independents in England; nor does he really know the sentiments of the other denominations. Hear his account of them: I would not call the increase of these religionists alarming for no (any) other reason than because they differ from that system of faith which we have embraced' (Does he mean the 39 Articles?) or because they own themselves unfriendly to that admirable establishment to which we are so justly attached :' But, we ask, May they not dissent from that establishment, without being unfriendly to it, without being considered as enemies? Again, he adds, most injuriously in our opinion, the prin cipal share of uturm' (alarmed again!) which they ought to excite, must arise from the inevitable tendency of their doctrines to oppose the happiness of the species, by condemning the exercise of reason in all religious subjects. This is, indeed, a false charge! Let Mr. Wainwright look at their Semina |