Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

not day nor night, they fee and fing, they have a clear vifion. O if I faw his lovely face, that's fairer than the fons of men,yea, that's beyond the fun at noon-day! O to be where there's no fin. How fweet has even this bed been, tho' fin remains, and my trouble's great!: yet I've been compos'd in the midst of my trouble. He can give heaven in the worst of cafes. What shall I fay? How fhall I conceal his goodness ?

Thinking on the students of divinity, who were then feparate in time of vacance, he dictated a letter, to be communicated to them at their next meeting; the copy whereof follows.

Dearly beloved in our Lord, my joy and hope and the hope fhall 1 fay of the church of Scotland.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

66 OU are devoted to the study of the gospel, for preferving a feed to ferve the Lord in the "church of Scotland, in order to the continuance of "the gospel, with the rifing generation. A profpect this is of the highest concern, the most honourable piece of fervice you can ever be employed in. This study weakly as I could, I did "endeavour to affift you in, according to the measure "of the gift of Christ, in public, in private, to the " utmost that a fading body would allow, and be "yond; yet with much pleasure and fatisfaction, in

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

hopes that the Lord one day might make my weak labours, and your vigorous ftudies, through his **bleffing useful in the church of God, a blessing to

pofterity, and a high honour to yourfelf. Want of "health allowed me not what was in my heart to "have done for your affiftance and encouragement: "And now I have no more left me, but to give a fincere teftimony of my intire affection for you, " and that I have really the yearnings of a parents bowels towards you, by fignifying in this fhort

4:

line when upon a death-bed and near the confines "of eternity, that you may vigorously ply that study "and reft not fhort of faving acquaintance with the

power of divine truth, and experimental knowlege "of the mystery of God and of Chrift, diligently "ufing all means that the word of God may dwell in you richely, and that you may have treasures fur"nished richly with things new and old, and that ye

[ocr errors]

may prove one day able minifters of the new tefta"ment: But reft not for the Lord's fake, and for 66 your own foul's fake, in the bare fruits of your 66 own ftudy; but feek to be taught of God, that you may at once grow in grace and in the knowlege of "God: Beware of curiofitys and novelties in religi

[ocr errors]

on; Adhere, as you will be anfwerable, unto the "doctrine of the church of Scotland, fincerely taught "by your worthy and judicious mafter, whom ye are "happy in, if you know your own mercy, and have

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

grace given you to improve it. This is a time of a"bounding errors; beware of drinking them in, be ware of an affuming boldness in the matters of God. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. What man fears God, God will teach him the fecret of his covenant. I have not time nor ftrength,being by the "Lord's hand cut short,to write my mind diftinctly to you: but fince I am now very near eternity, loaded "with the riches of God's goodness,I could not but by "this line fignify my fincere defire, that you may be "nourished up in the words of truth, and that you may ufe wholfome food, and be kept from poifon. "I recommend to you among humane writtings, for a true view of the mystery of the gofpel, efpecially thofe of the great doctor Owen: But the word "of God in dependance upon the fpirit of God, "must be your study and meditation day and night. "Words cannot express what I have found of God "fince I came to this bed of languishing, what aḍCC vantage I have found of having minted at follow

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

66

66

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

"

[ocr errors]

ing that God, that truth, that gofpel which I recommend to you; and therefor, am bold to rė➡ commend to you this as the moft noble, honour(" able, advantageous work you can be employed in; and I am this day fure from experience,that it is better to ferve the Lord in the gospel of his fon, than to ferve the greatest princes on earth, in the highest ftation. If God help you in this fervice to be faithful, the reward is too great to be expreffed. My thoughts, my words are fwallowed up, and my affection towards you is fuch that my body would quite fink to speak what is on my heart of love to you, and defire to have you acquaint with my deareft Lord, to whom I always was deeply obliged, but "6 now am fo much indebted, that I fear, to mention how good he has been to my foul. O chule him cleave "to him, ferve him, study to know more and more of him, live in communion with him. Never reft till you reach eternal communion with him, This is all from your dying maiter. I have defired my "brother in law to fign this in my name. A death"bed will excufe confufion. I wish nothing more "than that, after you have done much fervice to "the church here, I may have the happiness to hear you approven by the great fhepherd of the sheep.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Tho. Halyburton.

To a minifter he faid, I think, brother, my cafe is a pretty fair demonftration of the immortality of the foul. One faid, your cafe may be confounding to a theifts. Then he faid, glory, glory for fupport, con tinued fupport to the chief of finners. O that I could fing forth his praife.. Indeed I'm patient, yet not!, but the grace of God in me. No I, fhould ay be at hand. Curft felf, curft felf that robs God of his glory. Could I have believed (but I'm an unbelieving body) that I could have had this pleasure and patience in this

con

condition! Once or twice Satan was at the brangling of my faith. I wakn'd in a fort of a carnal frame, and I thought I had loft my jewel; but now, I hope, he'll ftand by me to the end. If ever I was diftinct in my judgment and memory in my life, it was fince he laid his hand on me; glory to him; what fhall I render to him? my bones are riving through my skin; and yet all my bones are praifing him. 1 faid, I am cuft out of thy fight, but I'll look again towards thy bo'y temple. The enemies of the gospel in St. Andrews, fhall have this among other things to anfwer for, that God has taken and fingl'd me out for a monument of his mercy; but the defign and upfhot of it is, for the establishment and confolation of his own, and, I hope, for the engaging of fome, may be, poor young things to God, Glory to the captain of falva. tion. O death where is thy fting? O grave, where is thy victory? There is no curfe of a broken law here, I'll get the cool the day.

To a minifter that faid, how are you, fir, the day. He answer'd, I blefs his name, I'm pofting to eternity, to heaven.

To a gentlewoman he faid, well, defireable neighbour, I'm dying in a way that may confirm that God is good. Well, well, I'm near heaven. Then he fainted, and faid, this is another meffenger, come for

me.

When he was to take a little refreshment, in feeking a bleffing he ufed thefe following expreffions, glory to God in the highest, that there is good will to men, and peace on earth; glory that life and immortality is brought to light. Help to put a crown on the mediators head, grace's head: It will be our glory to eternity, to run deeper and deeper in debt, Glory to God, that a vile worm, the chief of finners, is fingl'd out to be a monument of his grace, and a trumpeter of his praife. Who's a God like unto thee,' &c.

After

Part IV. After he had taken the refreshment, he said, trust him to all eternity, credit his word. I liftn'd to unbelief fince I came to this bed, and it had almost kill'd me; but God rebuked it. I fought the victory by prayer; and God has given it; he's the hearer of prayer. I have not much more to do with death.

To one he faid, another meffenger comes for me, a cough. O man, I'm kindly dealt with! The Lord has done wonderful things. Only grace to be fober to the end; for our strength lies in him. Not we, O man, this is an up making for the residue of my days: Well, 38 years come December 25th, is my age, Hezekiah faid, I'm cut of from the refidue of my years; but I'll not fay fo. God's giving me this to make up the refidue of my years. The Lord is e'en washing away my body, to let fee, that my fpirit can live without. I will not weary through his grace now. Brother, mind me, that the Lord may help me to honour, him to the end. Ay, I'll be wafhen, and get white robes the crown on my head, and palms in my hands.

I'm calling you to fee a miracle, God is melting me down into corruption and duft, and yet he is keeping me in a calm. O! who is like unto our God? Not unto us, not unto us, but to thy name, O Lord, be the praife. Our light afflictions that endure but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. I'll get the martyrs crown, with the minifter of Chrift's crown; and O but the martyrs crown's a glorious crown, I'm now a witness for Chrift, for the reality of religion; and I'm fuffering. 'Tis given unto me, not only to believe, but to fuffer for his name. I fought an increase of faith from our Lord Jefus, and our Lord has heard me; and now 'tis but a little, and I'll get the crown. And tho' there be a little noifomnefs about me, yet I'm willing that you be fpectators of it; for it was not for my

fake

« AnteriorContinuar »