this fubject, ftumbled not a few forrows and exercised Christians,

As to what we have of his dying words annexed to the memoirs of his life, 'tis but a little, we affure you, of what he spoke the last five days before his death; fome of the sweetest and most favoury difcourfes he had, are wholly loft, being fo mangled by the writer, that we were forced to drop them; for great care was taken not to infert any thing, but what he fpoke. The occafion of this was, the writter was for-t ced to stand at a distance, and out of his fight, becaufe when he observed him writing, he was difpleafed, and would not allow it, likewife the noife that fometimes was inthe room, with peoples speaking to him, their coming in, or going out, and ordering things about him, made the writer oft lofe half a fentence, neither was it poffible for those that revised his dying words to help this.

The want of connexion, there is oft betwixt purposes difcourfed by him, was occafioned partly by the fhort flumbers he fometimes fell in, his taking fome refreshment, and other interruptions, and partly by reafon of different discourses perfons had to him.

We affure you, there are very few difcourfes he had that are full and compleat, as he then spoke them.

READER.

There are some things very obvious, that add a peculiar and bright luftre to the teftimony this dying. faint and faithful minifter of Chrift has given to the good ways of God; which fhould commend this his fwan fong to all.

Ift, They are the last words of one that gives you a rational and diftin&t account of the work of God on his own foul fome years ago, and who afterwards by

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a holy convincing walk adorned the gospel of Christ, and glorified his Lord and mafter, which was his greatest ambition on earth. He tried the reality and fweetness of religion föme time, found it was a true report the gospel made, and that the half was not told, His laft words deferves the more regard, fince ye may fee he was far from being bigotted unto a fond conceit of the principles and practice of religion, he tried at things and did hold fast that which was good:: What vaft pains he was at to examine the very fundamental principles of natural and reveal'd religion ye may fee from his memoirs, his treatise against deifm, the reafon of faith, &c. All which demonftrate his faith did not ftand in the wisdom of men, 1 Cor. ii. 5. but in the power of God. They are the laft words of one that spent about twelve years in lively preaching of Chrift and him crucified, wherof not a few of the Lords people retain a favoury remembrance, of which his excellent fermons will convince those that knew him not, if encouragement be got to print them.

2dly, This may enhanfe the value of this teftimony, that he was under fo great a damp, fo dark a cloud for three or four days before that abundant confolation and joy the Lord fill'd him with, which you will find narrated by himself in his dying words. How agreeable is this to the Lord's ufual way of dealing with his faints, he wounds and then heals, fmites and then binds up, they are prefs'd out of measure, above ftrength, &c. Not only at converfion, but oft in his dealings with them through their life, both as to their outward and inward condition, and oft fignally at death. This glorious method is worthy of God, and nobly advances his bleft defigns, about his own.

3dly, The conftant and unufual compofure of fpirit be had is remarkable; tho' he was under very tormenting pain, the laft days of his fick nefs, yet not one impatient word dropt from him; tho' he slept little the last five days, and spoke much, yet not

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raving word ever heard from him, which as ye will find him oft admiring it, fo it was a wonder to all that were prefent.

4thly, With what life, what a peculiar emotion of fpirit what fervour did he utter his laft words? How refreshing, affecting and aftonishing this was, all prefent well remember: And tho' we had all his dying words, this is ftill wanting, nor can it be defcribed by us Now fhould not that endear this faint's teftimony to religion.

5thly, How prudently did he addrefs himself to perfons, miniflers, or private Chriftians that vifited him, according to their various ranks, principles, conditions and circumstances? He spoke with the nicest caution to them, even them; which was very furpriz ing.

6thly, And especially that all this was spoke by him in view of approaching death, (for neither he nor others conceived the leaft probability of his recovery after he took bed) Death the king of terrors, the most terrible of all terribles to an impenitent finner, and that nothing can make eafie and fweeten, but the precious fruits of our Lord's death and fufferings. Yet even then what a calm on his foul? What fubmission to it did he fhew? What boldness in facing this last enemy? With what concern and paffion was he panting for death? How wel come was it to him? His own words will testify this. One of the opposite way, and not the meaneft for fenfe, faid, he never faw one fo willing to die. Now whence is all this? How can this be?

Pagan Moralifts and philofophers talked of their cordials against death; but when it came to the push, they found them all infipid and ufelefs. Hardned defperate athcifts, and befotted ftupid epicures have fhut their eyes on danger. The prefumptuous and deJuded hypocrite may feign fubmiffion to death, pre tend a hope to heaven, and hold faft his groundless

and

and rotten hope; yet when they turn their faces to the wall, how four and chagrin does the fight of pale and grim death make them? Their hearts fink in them as stones, or else are forced to bewray lefs difquiet and perplexity.

reft.

A graceless, bold and furious foldier may court death, rush on it, and pretend to defy it in the field.

Some prodigies of wickedness, given up of God, from a base cowardice and impatience, have dared to be their own executioners, against the felf evident. principles of the law of nature, as well as the exprefs precepts of the moral-law: But not a fhadow have any of these of the sweet calm and compofure, the invincible patience, the intire fubmiffion, the abfolute refignation to the divine will, the chearfulnefs, fatisfaction, joy and comfort,the lively and affured Chriftian attains at death, which our dying friend in fo great a measure enjoyed, of which his own words will give you the best account.

Now then is there not here fomething truly fuper. natural and divine, that humane nature could never be capable of, if it were not renewed by the exceed ing greatness of that power that raised Chrift from the dead, and alfo a fingular measure of the faving influences of the spirit of adoption giving to it? May not all then fee, that will not shut their eyes, that the greatest hero among men cannot be equall'd to, or vie with a foldier of Chrift; yea, that these puny heroes are but faint fhadows of the real Chriftian. Ranfack the wide world, confider all the diftinguishing excellencies of mortals, view all that have affum'd the name of wife, great, or good, or that men canonize for fuch, and ye will fee beyond all debate, that a faint infinitely outvies them all in his life, efpecialty in his last conflict with death, the clofe of the dark fcene: Here fhines brightly his true greatness of fpirit and incomparable bravery indeed.

Now on the whole, what a clear convincing evi dence have ye here of the immortality of the foul, that when his body was loweft, yet his intellectuals were fo found, and the actings of his spirit about the great things of eternity, were fo vigorous and lively; he himself fhew'd a peculiar turn of wit in improving

this.

O the great truth and reality there is in religion! were it a dream, a mere melancholly, hypochondriack fancy, an impofture, or cheat, as athiests talk, or no more in't but mere morality that has no relation to Chrift Jefus, a dead lifelefs form, or fome external bodily exercife, as the blind fenfual world, not having the fpirit, judges, could it have produc'd fuch real, fuch fenfible, and furprizing fweet effects, that fwallowed up all trouble and pain, and ravish'd with joy as he found? It is poffible any that have the use of their reafon, can once imagine a faint can perfonate this at death, when under no temptation to diffemble, when intereft or worldly confiderations can have no place or influence, and when they are under the moft awful impreffions of eternity, judgment, and of God the judge of the quick and dead, which fo effectually tend to prevent it!

May we not hence alfo fee the wonderful virtue of Christ's blood, the efficacy of his death and cross ? through death he has deftroyed death, and him that had the power of it. On the cross of Chrift the faints raife their triumph. How warm was the heart of this faint when he fpoke of it! How oft did he glory in the cross of Chrift! On this intirely he laid the ftrefs of his falvation.

O how fure then is God's word! How safe a bot tom to venture our fouls on, even at death! Is he not the faithful God that keeps covenant? Did he not remember the words which be promifed to his fervant, on which he caufed him to hope? Did he not find it with a witness, efpecially in his greatest extremity

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