grievous to him; the burden of them intolerable; but, to continue his own words, "I fell on my knees to implore God's forgiveness, but I could find no comfort; again and again I besought God to look upon me; and I have found him to be a prayer-answering God." I said, "What an unspeakable blessing it is that you were not cut off in the midst of your sins." He said, "It is indeed I do praise God as well as I am able. He has dealt very bountifully with me." He then said (looking as if he had still the same enjoyment), "Yesterday I had a blessed Sabbath; the happiest I have ever spent. I was enabled to pray much, and to meditate on God's word. Oh! I never knew there was such happiness as this for me: I have felt such manifestations of the Spirit as I never before felt! Praise God, from whom all blessings flow."" I repeated a few passages of Scripture: his countenance beamed with delight. He then said, “ I might have been deprived of my senses, but I am not; thank God for this." I asked him if his cough prevented him sleeping. He replied, "I do not sleep much; but I wish to be awake, that I may spend the rest of my time here in watching and praying." He added, "I was much distressed yesterday in hearing my wife say she could not give me up; but now she tells me she can give me up to the Lord. This is a blessing." I said, God has promised to be "a Father to the fatherless, and a God of the widow." "Yes," he said, "I can leave my wife and children in the Lord's hands, and he will take care of them." The following day I found J. J. evidently weaker in body, but still in the enjoyment of that peace which the world can 66 neither give nor take away." I said to him," Well, I trust you find the Saviour's presence still with you!" "Oh yes," he said, "and I find my faith in him stronger. I was just thinking, as you entered the room, that my Saviour had not such a bed as this to lie upon." I said, "No, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man had not where to lay his head.'" He then remarked, "I altered so much last night, that it was thought I was dying; but I am not afraid of death. I know that when 6 66 I close these eyes of clay I shall enter into glory." I said, "You can say with the Psalmist, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."" "Yes," he said, "there is no sting; all my fear is taken away; blessed be God." I repeated those striking words of the Apostle's, "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." A little while after he remarked, "This might have been a bed of anguish; but it is one of comfort, though my cough does shake me sadly. God is very good to me. He does indeed deal very gently with me." I am not anxious either to go or stay; the will of the Lord is best." He expressed much concern for a neighbour, who was in affliction, without the comforts of religion. I said, "Every Christian who has found the preciousness of the Saviour, will always wish that others may know him." He remarked, "Oh yes; and if all the world knew my Saviour, all would love him too. What love is this! What must the love of Christ be !" I read to him the 5th of Romans. Before I left him, 1 enquired if there was any thing he could eat, which I could get him. He replied, "No, thank you, I cannot eat; I have no appetite; but I feed upon grace." I said, "The children of God have meat to eat which the world knows not of." When I went down stairs, his wife related to me a somewhat striking occurrence, showing the faithfulness of God to those who fear him, and the truth of that promise, "They shall not want any good thing." The previous Saturday her husband told her that he thought he could take a small milk pudding, if she would make him one; but added, "Mind you get the milk today." She, however, thinking that new milk would be better for him, deferred procuring it till the Sunday morning. When she took it to him, he said, “You bought this milk yesterday, did you not?" Her confused looks proved that such was not the case. "Then," he said, "I must not take it: this is the Lord's day." His wife begged him to take it, but he said, "I feel I ought 6 not." While he was saying this, his sister came running into his room, saying, "I hope you have not had your dinner, for my mistress has sent you some turkey." The poor man exclaimed, "Ah! you see God has sent me my dinner! I did not take the pudding, fearing I might displease my God; and he has provided this for me." My next visit found this dying Christian still "looking to Jesus." He was alone. When I entered, he said, “Ĭ wish my wife to leave me much alone, as I am then better able to think on the goodness of God to me. Sometimes persons say to me, Are you alone?' but I can say, 'No, I am not alone, because my Saviour is with me.' I feel I have now done with this world. I long to see the New Jerusalem. I know my name is written on my Saviour's hands." I said, "I doubt not it is written on his heart." He took his handkerchief to wipe away the tears which fell from his eyes, and said, "Don't think I am not happy; these are not tears of grief; oh no, they are tears of joy, tears of gratitude!Bless the Lord, O my soul!" I read to him the 116th Psalm. When I had read a few verses, he remarked, "The Lord has heard my prayer." I said, "Yes, and he will hear it." 66 I have prayed much for my wife, and I feel confident the Lord will bless her. I have also prayed for my enemies, though I don't think I have many. 6 66 The next time I visited him, in answer to my question, "How are you this morning?" he replied, "I have more pain; but I have more strength." I said, "God will give you strength equal to your day." He said, "1 find he renews my faith. I have put my soul into his hands, and I don't think he will leave me." I said, "No, the promise is, I will never leave thee; I will never forsake thee."" "The doctor told my wife yesterday, that I should never recover. This was joy to me; but I may linger, and I must be patient." I said, "Your times are in God's hands, and he will do what is best." "Oh yes," he said, "that he will, and he will give me patience. He remarked, "Many learned men study the stars in the heavens, without having the love of God in their hearts but I cannot find words to express my love to him." said, "We love him, because he first loved us." "Yes," he said, “his love to me is far greater than mine to him." I repeated to him that striking hymn, beginning, How sweet the name of Jesus sounds In the believer's ear!" He seemed quite to enter into every word. When speaking of his wife and children, he remarked, "I have given them up to the Lord; and though the mention of their names brings tears to my eyes, yet I love the Lord better; and I must give up all the world for him. I used to fancy myself happy in the world; but it was not happiness like this. I once thought I wanted nothing, but I now find I had nothing." A few days elapsed before I again saw J. J. I found him much weaker. He said, "My cough hurts me much ; but I am leaning on the arms of Jesus, and I have peace. A little while after, he remarked, "Nothing distresses me but the past." I said, "You know the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.'" He wept, and said, " My heart feels very different from what it once did.' "Yes," I said, "God has taken away your heart of stone, and has given you a heart of flesh." He then spoke of a passage of Scripture which had much struck him: "Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy," and then said, "Oh, I have been looking into my heart to see if there be any of that leaven there." A short time after he said, "I felt too ill yesterday to think much; but often, when I cannot speak, I can yet praise God with my heart: it is the heart he must have." I said, "Yes, God has said, ' My son, give me thine heart." Just before I left, he said, I know there is laid up for me a crown of glory." I repeated that passage of Scripture," Yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry." He said, "Yes, the Lord will give me patience to wait his time. I feel a confidence, a firm confidence, in my God." My last visit to this dying saint was in one sense a painful one; and yet there was cause for thankfulness that it had been "Christ to him to live," therefore death would be his "gain." Just as I entered the house, his wife met me, saying, in the deepest distress, "Oh! I am 66 so glad you are come! My husband is dying, and he has been asking for you." I advanced towards him, almost shuddering at the prospect of witnessing (what I never had done) a dying scene. He was gasping for breath, and unable to converse. I repeated a few passages of Scripture suitable to the trying occasion: "When thou passest through the waters, I shall be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." "For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." "Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." That verse of a hymn came into my mind, "When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fear subside; Bear me through the swelling current, I repeated it; and afterwards remarked to a person stand- The following day was the Sabbath. As the day began to dawn, he said to his wife, "Just draw aside the |