“Thou hast said, ‘Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.’ I come to thee; thou wilt not cast me out.”—This is God honoured, and man made happy.
“Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, and I am going to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. I am infinitely indebted to him for his conduct of me from infancy to the end of my life. He took me by the hand in a wonderful manner, and brought me into connection with the excellent of the earth. Most gracious God, I commit my children to thee, and I charge them to walk in thy fear and love.”—This is the death of the righteous.
“He has drawn me with the cords of mercy from my earliest days. He gave me very early impressions of religion, and enabled me to devote myself to him in early life; and this God is my God for ever and ever—for ever and ever. I said to him when I was a young man, ‘Thou shalt guide me by thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.’ ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth whom I desire besides thee.’”
THE DYING PARENT.
THE
DYING
PARENT. “No principle can enter the mind so sublime as the doctrine of the cross, which, with infinite majesty, speaks peace in heaven, on earth, and throughout the universe. Let every one of my children glory in the cross of salvation—it is the power of God to every one that believeth. The power of God; what feeble ideas do I attach to such expressions!”
“I am, in some respects, like the old patriarch Jacob, on his dying bed, with all his sons about him. Live in love, and the God of love will be with you. This is my last farewell; this is our last interview till we meet in a better world. My flesh and heart are failing. I hope I have not been deceiving myself. My children seek for an interest in Christ—seek for an interest in Christ. I earnestly exhort you to be decided, and to be very useful. He is your best friend: manifest your regard for him to the world; avow your attachment; be not ashamed of him; he is the glory and the ornament of the universe.”
“I hope I shall be favoured, when my spirit is departing, with some intimations of approaching glory. I will trust in him—I will trust in him. In the meantime, I possess a sweet peace, calm and undisturbed. I will go to God, my exceeding joy, as the psalmist says. It is an awful thing for a human spirit, deeply depraved as it is, to appear before the tribunal of so mighty a Being. He placeth no trust in his servants; the heavens are not clean in his sight.”
“If I am to live,[20] I welcome life, and thank its Giver; if I am to die, I welcome death, and thank its Conqueror. If I have a choice, I would rather depart and be with Christ, which is far better.”
“My last act of faith I wish to be to take the work of Jesus, as the high priest did when he entered within the vail; and when I have passed the vail, to appear with it before the throne.”
“I have just finished my course; I hope also I may say, ‘I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith; and henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that day.’”