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THE

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

OF

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON, S.S.

SET THINE HOUSE IN ORDER, FOR THOU SHALT DIE. ISA. XXXVIII. 1.

A PRUDENT MAN WILL GUIDE HIS AFFAIRS WITH DISCRETION. PSAL. CXII. 5.

PREFACE.

Dear Brethren and Sisters in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,

As I have heard frequent disputes, and been witness to many differences, in various familics, concerning the final settlement of their temporal effects; and as I wish to avoid such like contentions, I thought it highly necessary to make my Last Will and Testament, according to those laws which alter not, Dan. vi. 12. And, as I have found you, under God, my best friends in time of need, I thought it proper to present to your view a printed copy of the same, that you may thereby have the satisfaction of knowing in what manner I have disposed of both my living and dead stock, which you may suppose is of no great value. To prevent, too, those endless animosities, law-suits, and wrongs, which the innocent so repeatedly sustain after the decease of well-meaning, but illadvised testators, I have for eight years past solicited one to undertake to be my sole executor,

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and who, I am fully persuaded, is without variableness, or shadow of turning, James i. 17. The glorious personage whom I have made choice of is, with reverence be it spoken, my most familiar and bountiful Master; in whose servitude I have accumulated all the property I am now in possession of, except a mouldy bottle, Josh. ix. 4; a spider's web, Isaiah lix. 5; a filthy rag, Isaiah Ixiv. 6; an obscuring veil, Isa. xxv. 7; a pair of clouted shoes, Josh. ix. 5; a bed too short, a covering too narrow, Isa. xxviii. 20; an old rusty breast-plate of armour, Luke xi. 22; and a broken anchor of a wrecked vessel, Isa. xxxiii. 23; which by a crafty attorney at law was kept in a false and delusive peace, Luke xi. 21; although there was no likelihood of losing it.

In this poor, wretched, blind, miserable, and naked condition, Rev. iii. 17; I entered the service of my present invaluable Master, who condescended to wash, clothe, feed, Rev. iii. 18, and make an everlasting bargain with me, or rather reveal an ancient bargain to me. He kindly told me he would teach me my business himself, and bring me up so delicately as a servant, that I should become his son at length, Prov. xxix. 21. My wages was to be one penny per day sterling, of the Jerusalem coin, Psalm ciii. 21. Two pieces of money he gave me as an earnest at my first entrance, Luke x. 35; one of which I have often lost; but by the help of a candle and the besom

of self-examination, I have found it again, to the comfort of my own soul, and of many others. This coin never contracted any rust, for I could swear to the image and superscription thereof. My Master, moreover, told me that I should be an heir of the infinite Divinity, and a joint heir with himself of that incomprehensible portion; or, to speak in his own words, My Father shall be your Father, and my God your God, John xx. 17.

I stood amazed at the familiarity, the unexpected and undeserved favour, of a stranger, when so many of my intimates stood aloof from my complaint, and refused to know my soul in adversity. I was happy also to get rid of my old master, being grievously vexed with him, Matt. xv. 22; and, finding by woful experience what dreadful wages I was to receive when the term of my life was expired, Rom. vi. 23; I told my present Master, with many tears, that I had been faithful to the unrighteous mammon; to which he answered, I will give unto thee the true riches.

The appointed day being come, I entered on my new servitude with joy unspeakable and full of glory; and for a considerable time, I did my business from a principle of love to my Master; or with a single eye, Matt. vi. 22. But, when the covenant was made betwixt us, signed and sealed, and when I was capable of reading the contents, and seeing that it was impossible for him to discharge me, or make the bargain void, I began, in

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