MASTER NEGATIVE NO. 92-80471 MICROFILMED 1992 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES/NEW YORK as part of the . ^ "Foundations of Western Civilization Preservation Project Funded by the NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES Reproductions may not be made without permission from Columbia University Library COPYRIGHT STATEMENT The copyright law of the United States - Title 17, United States Code - concerns the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material... Columbia University Library reserves the right to refuse to accept a copy order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of the copyright law. AUTHOR: TITLE: SOME MEMOIRS OF THE LAST ILLNESS OF JOHN. PLACE: DA TE : COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT BIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET Master Negative # Original Material as Filmed - Existing Bibliographic Record BK3/r'R0D 8ook Record i of •f s n r, ^UL/BIB NYCG92-R5A71 ^ - Record added today i'D:NYCG92-85671 CC:9668 BLTrain RTYf CP:nyu PC:r MhO: 040 245 00 300 LOG QO DCF:7 F'0: 1992/0000 OR: pQi. NNC^cNNC CSC:? GPC : ? REP:? DM: RR ^ T o I :p MOD: GIG:? CPI:-:' FRN: 3MR: FIC:? F3I:? COL: Some meffioirs of thP la-t in 8 D -^"^-^^ Illness of Acquisitions M3: EL: AlC COM JLC EML NYCG-M o ???7 8 P. ORIG 01-24-92 ^^OHM 3CUTT, AD:01-24-92 UD:01-24-92 II:? GEN: B3E Restrictions on Use: TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA REDUCTION RATIO: ^ ' >^ FILM SIZL: ?I.:iS2 IMAGE PLACEMENT: \k <^^ IB IIB DATE FILMED: ^JjjLlJr^ INITIALS Z2h- HLMEDBY: RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS. INC WOODBRIDGE, CT r Association for information and Image Management 1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 1100 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 301/587-8202 Centimeter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 MM iiiiIiiiiIiiiiIii|||ii|iIm[iIm[iImm^^ T 13 llllll 14 15 mm mImiiImii Inches 1.0 I.I 1.25 m m 1^ 2.8 13.2 1 3.6 4.0 GiUU. 1.4 2.5 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.6 MfiNUFflCTURED TO flllM STflNDfiRDS BY APPLIED IMfiGE, INC. V U> ^Orr U SOME MEMOIRS Of the LAST ILLNESS of y H N SCOTT, JOHN SCOTT was favoured with ftrengtb of body, and an aftive and vigorous mind : he was efteemed regular and moral in his condudt, and extenfive in his knowledge, being remarkably dili- gent and attentive in promoting works * of publick utility; in affifting indivi^ duals in cafes of difSculty; and in the conciliation of differences. His removal hence is generally lamented by his neigh- bours both in fuperior and inferior ftations, Notwithftanding thofe qualifications, there is reafon to believe he frequently experienced the convidions of the Spirit of ( 2 ) of Truth for not faithfully following the Lord, and adhering to the Crofs of Chrift, by which true believers are cru- cifftd to the world, and the world to them. During the yearly meeting at London in the year 1783, he attended many of the meetings for worlhip, and appeared to be more religioufly concerned than for fome years preceding. On the ift of the 12th month he was feized with a fever, and expeding it would prove fatal, he was greatly hum- bled in fpirit, faying to his wife, that his father was a good man, and he be- lieved was gone to heaven, exprefling a fenfe of the happinefs of the righteous in futurity ; but being convinced of his own low and unprepared ftate, he faid, he himfelf was unworthy of the lowcft place in the heavenly manfions, but hoped he fhould not be a companion of accurfed and wrathful fpirits. In ( 3 ) In the early part of his illnefs he dif- courfed with his wife concerning fome outward affairs, particularly defiring that his only and beloved daughter might be brought up among friends. Notwithftanding the feverity of the diftemper, he was favoured with a clear and unimpaired underftanding, and the exercife of his fpirit feemed to be almoft continual for peace and reconciliation with his Maker; having a hope, that if it fhould pleafe the Lord to fpare him, he fhould become a new man ; but in much diffidence he expreffed afear,leflthe old things fhould again prevail : he alfo faid to the perfon who attended him, ^' that he had been too proud/' But it is well known, that his behaviour to his inferiors was the reverfe, for to them he was remarkably eafy of accefs. Speaking frequently of his brother, and expreffing a defire to fee him, on the 9th of the i2th month a fpecial mef- fenger ( 4 ) fenger was fent to Hertford from Rat- cliff, requcfting his attendance there. His brother, on being informed next morning by letter of his continued foli- citude to fee him, and him only, reached his houfe at Ratcliff about four that afternoon. Being introduced to his bed- fide, on afking him how he did, he an- fwered, " Very bad; I wanted to fee ** thee, and if thee had come fooner, ^' I had a great deal to fay to thee, but ^' I fear now I cannot." What after- wards paffed between them was as fol- lows : After a fliort fpace of filence, John Scott begun to fpeak with a voice full of power. *' I wanted to fee thee, *' to tell thee, that I have nothing to *' truft to but the bleffed Jesus, and ** that if I die, I do not die an unbe- «' liever. If I die, I die a believer, and *« have nothing to truft to, but mere un- " merited mercy." Finding him brought down as from the ** clefts of the rocks, ^* and the heights of the hills, into the ^' valley of deep humiliation," his bro- ther rejoiced in fpirit, and fpake com- fortably is) fortably to him ; expreffing the deeply humiliating views he frequently had of his own ftate, J. Scott replied, '* O ! if *' it is fo with thee, how muft it be '' with me, who have been the chief of *' finners." The infufficiency of felf- righteoufnefs being mentioned, oh ! faid he, with great earneftnefs, '' Righteouf- •' nefs ! I have no righteoufnefs, nor '' any thing to truft to, but the bleffed *' Jesus, and his merits." Paufing awhile, he proceeded, " There is fome- •' thing within me which keeps me from *' defpairing. 1 dare not defpair, altho' *' I have as much reafon to defpair as *' any one; were it not for him who '' fhewed mercy to the thief upon the '' crofs. The thief upon the crofs, and ** Peter who denied his Mafter, are *' much before me." Being advifed to truft in the Lord, he replied, ** I have '' none elfe to truft in." ** Oh ! faid he, *' the Saviour, He is the Way, and *' there is no other; I now fee there is f' no other; Oh the Saviour ! I have ** done ( 6 ) « done too much againft him ; and if «« I live I hope I fhall be able to let the « world know it, and that in m^ny « refpeds my mind is altered. But I «* dare not make refolutions." His bro- ther mentioning former times, and the days of his youth, in which they fre- quently converfed about, and were both clearlv convinced of, the neceffity of m- ward 'and experimental piety, he anfwer- ed, " I was then very deficient, but I « have fince been much more Ihaken." Vifiting the fick in a formal cuftomary manner being reprefented as unprofitable, he replied, " Oh ! it is not a time to be « folicitous about forms ' Here is a - fcene indeed, enough to bring down '< the grandeur of many, if they could <' fee it. I buoyed myfelf up with the .. hope of many days." Recommend- ing him to the great objeft Christ within, the hope of glory, to which his mind was meafurably turned, his bro- ther feemed to withdraw, on which he clafped ( 7 ) clafped his hand, and took a folema farewell. He continued In mutability about two days longer, altogether in a calm and rational ftatc. About twelve hours before his deceafe, his fpeech much faltered; but by fome broken expreflions, it ap- peared that the religious concern of his mind was continued. On the 1 2th day of the i2th month 1783, he departed this life, in remark- able quietnefs, without figh or groan, and was buried in friends burying-ground at Ratcliff on the i8th, being nearly 54 years of age. The publication of thefe Memoirs proceeds not from partidity to our de- ccafed friend : they are preferved as a word of reproof to the carelefs, and of comfort to the mourners in Sion. May ( 8 ) May none in a day of health and pro- iperity rejedl the vifitations of His Di- vine Grace and Favour, who hath de- clared> that '* His Spirit fhall not al- ** ways ftrive with man, for that he alfo ** is flefli/* Nor, on the other hand, may the penitent, and truly awakened, at no time defpair of that mercy and forgivenefs, which the Lord hath pro-* mifed to them who fincerely repent ! FINIS.