the willing and faithful almoner of others' bounty. His day-book shews how scrupulously exact he was in the discharge of this to him delightful duty. He was also very active in circulating the Friendly Visitor and Children's Friend, from their commencement. His last writing was an order for them. He has been the means of getting many thousands of them into circulation, for he considered them calculated to do much good, so he put his hand to this work in selling some, and giving others, sometimes paying for the binding also, when they were not able to pay through poverty, never growing weary with well-doing, till death put an end to his labours.

He was a steady member of the Established Church, and a constant attender on its ordinances. He loved the habitation of God's house, and the place where his honour dwelleth; his soul fed on the bread of life and the water of salvation, whilst many were disputing about them. He esteemed the ministers of Christ very highly in love, for their works' sake, and those sermons which tended most to the humbling of the sinner, exalting the Saviour, and promoting holiness of life, through the renewing influences of God's Holy Spirit, he dwelt on with peculiar delight: sometimes saying, "I could not come home satisfied till I had shaken hands with the preacher." He loved the people of God wherever he found them, and united with them in labours of love, for the good of others, and for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, and was esteemed by the really pious of all denominations. His death was regarded as a public loss.

I must now come to the closing scene of his useful life, which providence had so long spared and ripened for heaven. For some time before his death he had been very drowsy, and felt a momentary sensation in his head that he could not describe. On being urged to apply to his medical attendant he used to say; "I am worn out: eighty years of age: something must soon bring me to my grave, for I do not think that I shall lie long at last. The will of the Lord be done. I know it

is wisely ordered." He wished his funeral to be as private as possible. On the 24th of March, 1839, he was twice at the parish Church, but complained of a pain in his head; he did not go to St. George's Chapel, where he attended on Sunday evenings. On the 26th, while walking by the canal, he was seized with apoplexy. He fell so near the water, that one of his legs was above the knee in, and he would no doubt soon have been drowned, but providentially he was observed and rescued from his perilous situation, but he was able to walk home without help. Medical aid was called in, and he was a little relieved by medicines, but his recollection seemed at times to be gone. He tried to go through family worship, but was no longer able, though he did not seem conscious of it. On the 29th he had another attack, which affected his right side, his speech was also gone, but this came again, just to speak a few words from time to time, but he was mostly in inward convulsions, or lying in a stupor, gradually sinking. Many friends called to see him, both clergy and laity, but he was unable to converse or attend to any thing, except for a moment or two, when his recollection seemed to return; but, blessed be God, the great concern of the soul was not left to a dying hour; he had been long looking for the time, and now that it was come, all was peace and resignation. It was evident that in those moments, his mind was dwelling on divine subjects. At one time he said, "Lord, prepare me to worship thee in spirit and in truth. At another, “I believe in Jesus my Redeemer." ،، God be merciful to

me a❞—sinner, he would have added, but he sank into a stupor. He once repeated the Lord's Prayer the longest time that he was collected. One time I said, ،، the Lord be your helper;" he answered immediately, ،، Amen.” But nature sank again. When he was asked how he was, if able to speak, he answered cheerfully, "very well." He seemed to suffer much in his head, frequently crossing his hand (that he could move) over his forehead, and in this way he lingered till the 9th of April. After two strong convulsions, his happy spirit left its tenement of clay, to dwell forever with

that Lord whom he had loved and served upon earth. May that Lord raise up another devoted servant of Christ able and willing to devote his time and talents to the benefit of his fellow-creatures. As our deceased friend could not enter into religious conversation at last, a few extracts from his writings, will shew his sentìments while living. Some may be taken from different authors; but as I have heard him say they were exactly his views on the subject, so we may take them as spoken by himself.

Nov. 18th, 1809. "Is it not evident to reason that God's immense scheme of transactions in the universe, was contrived and determined long before man was created, or can we be led to suppose that God changes his purposes? And this by no means prevents our prayer or faith, which were foreseen by that perfect Being, and are as well secured as if all things had only been determined according as second causes occurred."

Nov. 24th, 1822. "Are there no old people amongst us who have always thought themselves safe, though they have never known their own lost state, nor the all-sufficient salvation of Jesus? Pride, shame, prejudice, and a fancied excellency of their own good qualities, during a long course of formal prayers, and an attendance on the sacraments; all these conspire to hinder them from receiving the Lord's Christ. Oh! it is sorely grievous to nature for them to own they have yet their religion to seek, and to give up themselves as lost sinners; to consider their performances which they supposed pious and meritorious, as defective, and as having the nature of sin, and to trust wholly in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Painful sacrifice! thoughts of this kind cause their hearts to rise with indignation. Yet thus it must be, they must learn to see their lost state, and to put no confidence in their own works or deservings, no trust in their own prayers, endeavours, strength, or wisdom, to look on all these as no proper foundation either in whole or in part, for acceptance with God. But mistake me not; God forbid I should ever say, be not anxious respecting good

works, when the Scriptures declare, that all the redeemed servants of the Lord are zealous of good works, but it is their principle to place no dependence before God on them, and while others talk and boast of their good deeds, these are faithful in the performance of them."

"Faith is a work of God, wrought by the Spirit, and unites to Christ, and makes us to act as new creatures; and unbelief is constantly ascribed in Scripture, to the sinfulness of men, and man in a natural state is prone to unbelief; even in Christian countries, the fundamental truths are not believed by those who possess them. The people of Israel in the wilderness are an emblem of mankind in general, and in the history by Moses, we see what men are, and what are the ways of divine providence; so when men begin to have some true faith, then they begin to see and be sensible of their great unbelief; and those who have no true faith are apt to imagine they have sufficient, but it ought ever to be kept in remembrance what the Saviour says, 'All things are possible to him that believeth.""

"Jesus took our sinless imperfections, and being in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and thus he was the subject of temptation. Why then should I think the conflict strange? It is not the foundation of a sinner's hope that I call in question. Yet this is sometimes a fiery dart aimed at my peace, nor do I at this time doubt the existence of a work of grace, but I want the enjoyment of it in my soul. I have a hope of glory, but do not feel the comfort of it as I could wish. I know in the estimation of some, I speak parables, but such as know the plague of their own hearts will understand me: the fact is, while I have a hope of glory, I want to feel an assurance in my soul."

"Observe that all thy losses and crosses, or disappointments, which thou meetest with in this vale of tears, are all pre-ordained and disposed by a wise and merciful God, and that to thy everlasting good: so we must draw the conclusion, as Eli did; It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." Thou enjoyest a wife or children, or what else soever is dear to thee,

the loss of which would be dear to thee as half thy life: now consider, all these thou must either lose, or else be taken from them."

"No man prays in earnest or to any purpose, for that he does not feel that he wants, for the foundation of all prayer in all cases is a sense of want: how then ought we to feel the weakness of our nature."

"Let us manifest ourselves to be Christians indeed, by believing the assertions of God's word, and trusting in the promises, fearing the threatenings, aud obeying the precepts of Christ our divine master.'

"The comforts and happiness of life do not consist in the abundance a man possesses.

"It is fancy, not the reason of things, that makes life so uneasy to us; it is not the place or the condition, but the mind alone, that can make any body happy or miserable."

"There is no evil but sin."

"Remember, Christians are only accountable to God alone for their religious opinions, and those can be built on nothing certain but the Bible, all others are as matters of opinion only; so the Bible is the only sure rock to build upon. Propose to me any thing out of this book, and though it seem incomprehensible to human reason, I will subscribe it with my hand and heart, as knowing no demonstration is stronger than this-God hath said; so therefore it is certainly true."

"As I have an universal love and esteem for all mankind, so particularly for my brethren of the Established Church, of which I should think myself an unworthy member, did I not take all opportunities of doing good according to the abilities with which God has enabled me; but I have ever thought a concern for men's souls to be preferable to that of their bodies, so I have in a more especial manner extended my influence to that better part. As we live in an age wherein numerous objects present themselves to our view, that are destitute of every virtue, consequently, there never will be wanting proper opportunities for exercising ourselves in a laudable endeavour to promote their everlasting happiness."