‘Oh my friends, stand by and wonder, come look upon a dying man, and wonder; I cannot myself but stand and wonder! Was there ever a greater kindness; was there ever sensibler manifestations of rich grace! Oh, why me! Lord, why me! Sure this is akin to heaven, and if I were never to enjoy any more than this: it were well worth all the torments that men and devils could invent, to come through even hell to such transcendent joys. If this be dying, let no true Christian ever be afraid of dying. Oh death is sweet to me. This bed is soft. Christ’s arms and kisses, his smiles and visits, would turn hell into heaven. Oh that you did but see and feel what I do! Come and behold a dying man, more chearful than ever you saw an healthful man in the midst of his sweetest enjoyments. Oh Sirs, worldly pleasures are poor, sorry things, compared with one glimpse of this glory, which shines in so strongly into my soul! Oh why should any of you be so sad, when I am glad: this, this is the hour that I have waited for!’
About eight and forty hours before his death, his eyes were dim, and his sight failed; his jaws shook and trembled, and his feet were cold, and all the symptoms of death were upon him. His extreme parts were already dead, and yet, his joys were (if possible) greater still. He seemed to be in one continued act of seraphic love and praise. He spake like one that was just entring into the gates of the new Jerusalem: the greatest part of him was now in heaven; not a word dropt from his mouth but it breathed Christ and heaven.
Then he would give instructions to them that came to see him. He was scarce ever silent, because the love of Christ and souls constrained him. There was so much work done for Christ in his last hours, that he did as much in one hour as some do in a year.
Every person had a faithful affectionate warning. And that good minister, that was so much with him, used this as an argument to persuade him to be willing to live a little longer, “God hath something for thee to do that is yet undone; some word of exhortation to some poor soul, that you have forgot.”
He was wont every evening to take his leave of his friends, hoping not to see them till the morning of the resurrection; and he desired that they would make sure of a comfortable meeting at our Father’s house in that other world.
When Ministers or Christians came to him, he would beg of them to spend all the time they had with him in praise. ‘O help me to praise God, I have nothing to do from this time to eternity, but to praise and love God. I have what my soul desires upon earth; I cannot tell what to pray for, but what I have graciously given.’ The wants that are capable of supplying in this world, are supplied. I want but one thing, and that is, a speedy lift to heaven. I expect no more here, I can’t desire more, I can’t hear more. Oh praise, praise, praise that infinite boundless love that hath, to a wonder, looked upon my soul. ‘Help me, O my friends, to praise and admire him that hath done such astonishing wonders for my soul: he hath pardoned all my sins, he hath filled me with his goodness; he hath given me grace and glory, and no good thing hath he withheld from me.
‘Come, help me with praises, all are too little: come, help me, Oh ye glorious and mighty angels, who are so well skilled in this heavenly work. Praise him, all ye creatures upon earth, let every thing that hath being, help me to praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah: praise is now my work, and I shall be engaged in that sweet employment for ever. Bring the bible, turn to David’s psalms, and let us sing a psalm of praise: come let us lift up our voice in the praise of the Most High; I with you as long as my breath doth last, and when I have none, I shall do it better.’
Then turning to some of his friends that were weeping, he desired them rather to rejoice than weep. It may seem a wonder, he could speak so much as he did when he was so weak; but the joy of the Lord strengthened him.
He commended the study of the promises to believers, and desired that they would be sure to make good their claim to them, and then they might come to the wells of consolation and drink thereof their fill.
According to his desire most of the time that was spent with him, was spent in praise; and he would be still calling out, more praise still. ‘O help me to praise him; I have now nothing else to do; I have done with prayer and all other ordinances; I have almost done conversing with mortals. I shall presently be beholding Christ himself, that died for me, and loved me, and washed me in his blood.