‘I shall, before a few hours are over, be in eternity, singing the song of Moses, and of the Lamb. I shall presently stand upon mount Zion, with an innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. I shall hear the voice of much people, and be one amongst them, which shall say, hallelujah, salvation, glory, honour, and power unto the Lord our God; and again, we shall say, hallelujah. Yet a very little while, and I shall sing unto the Lamb, saying, worthy, art thou to receive praise who wert slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God, kings, and priests, and we shall reign with thee for ever and ever.
‘Methinks, I stand, as it were, with one foot in heaven, and the other upon earth. Methinks I hear the melody of heaven, and see the angels waiting to carry my soul to the bosom of Jesus, I shall be for ever with the Lord in glory. And who can chuse but rejoice in all this?’
The day before his death, he looked earnestly on his brother James, who stood by him very sad; of whom he judged, that he was putting up some ejaculation to God upon his account: I thank thee, my dear brother, for thy love, said he, thou art now praying for me; and I know thou hast loved me dearly: but Christ loved me ten thousand times more than thou dost; come and kiss me dear brother, before I die. And so with his cold, dying lips he kissed him, and said, I shall go before, and I hope thou shalt follow after to glory.
Though he was almost always praising God, and exhorting them that were about him to mind their everlasting concerns, and though he slept but very little for some nights, yet he was not in the least impaired in his intellectuals, but his actions were all decent and becoming, and his discourse rational, solid, divine. And so he continued to the last minute.
A few hours before his death he called all his relations together, that he might give them one solemn warning more; and bless them, and pray for them as his breath and strength would give him leave: which he did with abundance of authority, affection and spirituality.
First, he thanked his dear mother for her tender love to him, and desired that she might be in travail to see Christ formed in the souls of the rest of her children, and might see of the travail of her soul, and meet them with joy in that great day.
Then he charged all his brethren and sisters as they would answer it before God, to carry it dutiful to their dear mother. And for his eldest brother William (at whose house he lay sick) his prayer was that he might be swallowed up of Christ and love to souls; and be more and more exemplary in his life and successful in his ministry.
His next brother’s name was Andrew, a citizen of London, who was with him sometimes; but (his necessary business calling him away) he could not then be by. Yet he was not forgot, but he was thus blessed, The God of heaven remember my poor brother at London; the Lord make him truly rich in giving him the pearl of great price, and make him a fellow citizen with the saints, and of the houshold of God; the Lord deliver him from the sins of that city; may the world be kept out of his heart. Oh that he may be as his name is, a strong man, and that I may meet him with you.
Then he called his next brother whose name was James (whom God had made him a spiritual father to) and said brother James, I hope the Lord hath given thee a goodly heritage; the lines are fallen to thee in pleasant places: the Lord is thy portion. I hope the Lord hath shewed thee the worth of Christ. Hold on, dear brother; Christ, heaven and glory, are worth striving for; the Lord give thee more abundance of his grace.
Then his next brother Abraham was called, to whom he spake to this purpose, the blessing of the God of Abraham rest upon thee, the Lord make thee a father of many spiritual children.