Thus the blessed Spirit generally deals with his dear people. Our Brother, amidst all he felt, attended constantly on the word—and he that waiteth on his Master shall be honored, and so he found it.
The glorious Gospel exhibits the eternal love of the Father, the freeness of divine grace, and the pardon of the vilest, through the blood of the Lamb. These immortal truths, accompanied by the power of the Spirit, begot in his mind a pleasing hope of salvation. Love operated in his heart as faith was led to eye the Saviour, and by waiting on the Lord his faith grew strong in the doctrines of the Cross, so that he gradually experienced the joys of salvation, which did not leave him, but for a season, till his dissolution.
Through a variety of trials and wants his health began rapidly to decline, and soon baffled the use of medicine: but as the body was thus gravitating to its own center, the dust, his soul was happy in a good hope, through grace, the love of God, and the precious Person of Jesus.
When confined to his bed I had occasion to visit him often, and generally found him happy. I must confess I staggered a little at his felicity, but I knew the Holy Spirit was a Sovereign, and had a right to do as he pleased. But I apprized our Friend, that I doubted whether he would go quite so easy to heaven, without a cloud, without an assault, without a temptation: not but he was deeply afflicted in his body; and it is the mercy of God’s elect to experience this grand truth, He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East wind.—In a few days time my prediction of his troubles came to pass. He was tried and tempted indeed. His body getting worse, Satan took occasion from some trying circumstances which occurred, to distress his mind, which absolutely deprived him of his rationality for some few days and nights, with very few intervals of sanity. But while in this afflicted state Prayer was made for him constantly among us, and by the kindness of the Church, especially the younger brethren, who were assiduous in their attention to him, we had the happiness of seeing him restored, and once more composed, and happy in Jesus. But the time drew near that he must die: the Lord dealt very graciously with him in that solemn period, for which we have much cause to be thankful.
On the Lord’s-day morning of his death, he was visited by many godly characters. He looked around on them all, and thanked them for their kind attention to him and his family. When it was intimated they should soon see each other in glory, he smiled, and said, I shall be so taken up with Jesus, I shall not be able to think much of any one else. He now appeared to be dying upward, but spoke of it without dismay; being wearied he desired to be once more turned in his bed. He dosed a little while; when well awoke, he exclaimed, Christ is all in all! He paused; then earnestly said Blessed Jesus, hast thou not promised I shall be with thee? and thou canst not be worse than thy word. He paused again, then cried out, He has done all things well. Then he said again, Thou dear Redeemer, dying Lamb, I love to hear of thee. At three in the afternoon he seemed to be sinking in the arms of death, and solemnly said to a friend, I am getting nearer.—Then he said soon after, I am very near—I am quite close—(to his eternal home he meant). At about the close of the day after, having laid some time quiet, he exclaimed, Come Lord, come Lord Jesus, come quickly! Come Lord, come!—He is come, he is come! I come, I come! His voice gradually fell, but as long as his lips could move, his friends could hear him say, Come, come, come! With these words he dropt asleep in the arms of our blessed Lord—to whom be glory.
AMEN.
FINIS.
Thomas, Printer, Red Lion Street, Borough.