ish c

The dying Believer's confidence in^ Ms
Redeemer.

A
SERMON, PREACHED
AT PROVIDENCE CHAPEL,

'9
June 23, 1811,
OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH
OP THE
REV. JOSEPH WALKER,
Who died June 15th, aged 36 years.
TO WHICH IS ADDED HIS
DYING EXPERIENCE.
PUBLISHED BY RBQUEST, FOR THE BENEFIT OP THB
WIDOW, AND FOUR SMALL CHILDREN.

BY THE
REV. JAMES CHURCHILL,
HENLEY, OXON.

OXFORD

PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. BARTLETT ;
Sold also by T. Williams, Stationer's Court, T. Conder, Bucklers-
bury, Black, Parry and Kingsbury, Leadenhall Street, London ;
J. Rusher, Reading ; and G. Norton, Henley ; and to be
had of the Rev. J. Walker, Peppard.
Trice Is. 6d.

1811.

SERMON, &c.

W HEN a good man dies, an event has taken
place •of interesting and solemn import, and
which the churches of Christ have generally
agreed, ought not to be passed over without
particular notice. Hence the laudable custom
of preaching funeral sermons, as a means calcu
lated to impress our hearers more deeply with
the concerns of death and eternity.
Not only does the fitness of things seem evi
dently to enjoin this, but the scriptures some
what censure that conduct, which will let a
saint leave the world without our minds being
brought to a deep and deliberate consideration
of the event. Are we not to view it as a com
plaint made by the Prophet, The righteous
perisheth, and no wan layeth it to heart? Isa.
lvii. J . It is often a grief to good jneu, to see
haw transient the effect is.j^hich death pro
duces ; but the prophets of (jod feel the loss of
a good man to be great. Help, Lord, for the
B

godly, man. ceaseth; for the faithful fail from
among the children of men. Psalm xii. 1 . Woe is
me, for I am as when they have gathered the sum
mer fruits. — The good man is perished out of the
earth, and there is none upright among men. Mic.
vii. 1, 2. For a saint to die is indeed a serious
loss to the family, the church, and to the world ;
his prayers are ended, his lips are closed, his
living example no longer instructs. But still
all is not lost ; for though dead, he yet speaketh.
Heb. xi. 4. The life truly devoted to God,
may be considered as speaking for God long
after the saint is fallen asleep in Jesus. And
if, in addition to this, his dying experience is a
confirmation of his hope in life, and an incon
trovertible evidence of the efficacy of his faith
in a Saviour's merit, this strews our path to
the house of God with fragrant flowers, when
meeting to improve the providence ; and our
hearts are comforted while we know, that
precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of
his saints. Psalm cxvi. 1 5.
These are the advantages under which we
assemble here to day. God has taken to him
self our dear brother, the son of your worthy
and affectionate pastor, who departed here under
his parent's roof.* While on his dying bed he
chose the words,|which I shall now read, for
his funeral text ;

Job xix. 25, 26, 27.
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He
Shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And
though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in
my flesh shall I see God : whom I shall see for my
self, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another;
though my reins be consumed within me.
This language, let it be remarked, is to be
considered not only as adapted to a funeral
occasion, but as truly expressive of the state of
our friend's mind. He could adopt it as his
own ; and this at a period of all others the most
solemn, when -his heart and flesh were failing.
These words were originally spoken by Job.
I shall not occupy your time by inquiring who
Job was, the time when he lived, or the cha
racter 6f his writings ; suffice it on these points
to observe, that he was a man (who lived) in
the land of Uz, that he was perfect and upright,
one that feared God and eschewed evil; that he is
supposed to have lived prior to the call of Moses
to be the leader of God's ancient people ; and
that his writings, for boldness and sublimity of
thought, majesty of expression, fineness of de
scription, and diversity of character, are not
exceeded in any part of the divine oracles.
When about to utter the words now read, he
gives every evidence of having well considered
their importance ; and as he was delivering his
views of eternal things, he wished others to
B 2

4
attend to them as words of more than ordinary
import. See verses 23, 24. Let us notice,
I. The points of doctrine of which Job here
professes his firm belief.
1. Job here professes his faith in Christ as
his Redeemer. The word Redeemer fa in the
original significant of One who is a hear kins-
imii, and to whom God, in the Jewish code of
laws, allowed the right td redeem, Or buy backs
his brother's inheritance which he had lost*
and if any one had kilted his brother, be had a
tight to vindicate him or to avenge his death
by slaying the murderer, if he found him Out
of the cities of refuge*. Thus it is easily seen
that the kinsman 'typified Christ, who by the
price of his own blood has redeemed the eletft
people of God from eternal misety ; has re
gained the heavenly paradise Which we had
lost by sin ; and has completely avenged him
self On Satan, who has been a murderer fttftti
the 'beginning. Heb. ii. 14.
In many parts of the Old Testament Christ is
clearly spoken of under this character, and in
allusion to this his important work. But in no
place more pleasingly than iii Hosea xiii. 14*
Which passage is quotedby the ApOstte, I Cor,
xv. 55, when professedly speaking of Christ, to
whorn believers owe their blessed resurrection.
* See Lev. xxv. 25. Ntirn. xxxt. lo.

And; on what, theme dp the New Testament
writers dwell more sweetly, or. refer to more
frequently, than the redemption which believers
have in Christ their Saviour? To this subject
Jqh's mind appears, to ha.ve been impressively
bought; and. there were two circumstances
which promoted his enjoyment of it in common
wj|h Qther believers.
1, The deep ipsight which he had of the
depravity aqd moral defilement of h,is nature.
Thpugh he would not give up to the insinuar
tions of his friends, because he knew they had
mistaken his case, yet when he considers him?
self iii the sight of God, he can see nothing in
himself but sin and pollution. I hqve sinned,
what shall I <j?p unto thee, 0 thou preserver of
men? Chap. vii. 20. If I wash myself with
*tyow ipater, and make my hands never so clean ;
ye( shaft thou ptynge me in the 4itc.h-> and my
own clothes shall alfhor me. Here he. is the
sinner humbled in the dust, seeing,
" That if his soul were sent to hell,
" God's righteous law approves it well."
Rut in what way does he expect to be saved ?
Ry his attempting to make good his deficiencies,
or his repairing the honours of God's broken
law ? Verily no ; How should man be just wj,th
God? If he will contend with him, he cannot
answer him one of a thqusanfi. phap. ix. 2, 3.
B 3

For he is not a man, as I am, that we should
come together in judgment, ix. 32.
These are views which God alone can give,
and which are necessary to our apprehending
the necessity of a Redeemer, and our enjoy
ment of the way of salvation by him. The
whole ' need not the physician, but those who are
sick. Am I speaking to those who have been
taught the excellency of the knowledge of
Christ ? You know the foundation of this was
laid in your conviction of sin by the law. Job
having evidently passed through this, to an
extent distressing to himself indeed, no wonder
that as the character and work of Christ are
revealed to him, he should so joyfully speak of
him as in the text. He had been enabled to
see his need of him, and his exact suitableness
to his state, and embracing him as his only
hope, he enjoys the witness of the Spirit with
his spirit that he was in Christ accepted, and
then calls him his Redeemer. Happy is that
man, whose enjoyment of Christ springs out of
a discovery of his helplessness and guilt before
God. 2. Believers are frequently led to joy more
in Christ, by reason of the troubles of the.
present state. Job is usually considered as the
man~ tried above others. His calamities were
uncommonly severe ; but though for a season
drawn aside, he afterwards saw love in them

all, which enabled him to say, when-he hath
tried me, I shall come forth as gold. In verses
preceding the text, he takes a deliberate view
of some of the very painful scenes through
which he had passed ; ten times he had been
reproached, ver. 3; the crown taken from his
head, ver. 9 ; his brethren put far from him,
ver. 13 ; forgotten of his familiar friends, ver.
1 4 ; slighted by his wife, servant, and despised
of young children, ver. 15, 16, 17, 18 ; and his
bone cleaving to his skin, ver. 20. Still he is
happy in his spirit; and I have no doubt his
Redeemer was endeared to him by these means ;
For I know that my Redeemer liveth. Remark
able that the transition should be so quick
from his severe troubles to his Redeemer ! And
what does this suggest to us, but that he found
a pleasing relief from his trials, or support under
them, by looking unto Christ as his near kins
man, whom he saw in the promise as bone of
his bone, and flesh of his flesh ? And how often
can believers now say, with the Apostle, As
the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our con
solation ahoundeth by Christ. Yes, when driven
off from the world and creatures by their trea
chery, baseness, and insufficiency, what a con
trast have they found in him who is the same
yesterday, to-day, and for ever.' Heb. xiii. 8.
And if this be the favour conferred upon us by
our trials, if they thus endear Christ to us, and
B 4

8
engage us more affectionately to him, how
ought we to say, I take pleasure in infirmities,
in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak
then am I strong! 2 Cor. xii. 10.
2. Job here professes his faith in the finish
ed salvation, resurrection, and intercession of
Christ: he says, / know that my Redeemer
liveth. There were believers under the old
dispensation, who were favoured with clear and
interesting views of Christ, in his life of obedi
ence, and his sufferings unto death as the surety
Of his people. Of this the fifty^third chapter
of Isaiah is a notable instance. They had con
fidence in his bringing his work of mediation
to an honourable issue : that he should not
fail nor be discouraged until he had set judg
ment in the earth, and the Isles should wait for
his law. The Psalmist in the spirit of pro*
phecy declares, Thou wilt not leave my soul in
hell ; neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see
corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life.
Psalm xvi. 10, 11.
When Paul is preaching at Antioch, and
shewing that this promise not only related unto
Christ, as made unto the fathers, but that God
had fulfilled the same unto us their children,
he plainly intimates that in his raising up Christ
they might see the sure mercies of David,
which God had promised them. And to show

that this could not apply to David, he goes on
to say, that David fell asleep, and was laid unto
his fathers, and saw corruption : but he whom
God raised again, saw no corruption ! See
Acts xiii. 33. et seq.
Nor must we omit Peter's testimony as to
the subject revealed to the fathers ; speaking of
David he says, Therefore being a prophet, and
knowing that God had sworn with an oath to
him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to
the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his
throne; he seeing this before, spake of the resur
rection of Christ. Acts ii. 30, 31. Surely
nothing can be more express as to the faith of
the prophets in this momentous doctrine. As
with us, their hope could not have been per
fected without this belief, so the belief of it ad
ministered to their present comfort and joy.
Let this be the language of every believer, My
Redeemer liveth ! May every believer be enabled
to take the comfort derived from it.
" He lives, (and blessed be my rock,)
'' The God of my salvation lives." Watts.
Christ himself says, for the comfort and esta
blishment of believers in him, / am he that
liveth, and was dead ; and behold, I am alive
for evermore. Amen. Rev. i. 18. Alive, not
only to show himself a conqueror over all his
and his people's enemies, but to guarantee that

10
life which he has promised them ; see Tit. i. £-.
or as the Apostle says, Who ever liveth to
make intercession for us. Heb. vii. 25. What a
stable peace ought this part of the Redeemer's
character to administer to us; for here is our
everlasting all secured, Because I live, ye shall
live also. Under your severest troubles, believer,
fly to this, and you are happ}ry as Job was,
when, though reflecting upon almost unequalled
sufferings, he joyfully said; / know that my Re
deemer liveth.
3. Job here professes his faith in the second
coming of Christ: and that he shall stand at the
latter day upon the" earth. By the latter day, is
generally understood the end of time*. The
place where he shall stand, Witsius translates,
over the dust. The Redeemer will then descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God. 1 Thess*
iv. 16 : and as the dead in Christ shall rise first,
he may be considered as taking that place in
the air, which shall be as it were central over
the sleeping dust of his own people, and to
which the waking saints shall all tend, to meet
their Lord ! But oh, with what majesty and
glory will the Redeemer come I Of this Daniel
* Charnock supposes it refers to the Redeemer's incarna
tion iu the latter age of the world, but in this he is not fol
lowed by others. Vol. II. p. ligo.

11
had a wonderful discovery ; we shall therefore
give it in his own words. " I beheld till the
" thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of
" Days did sit, whose garment was white as
" snow, and the hair of his head like pure
"wool; his throne was like the fiery flame,
" and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery
" stream issued and came forth from before
*' him : thousand thousands ministered unto
" him, and ten thousand times ten thousand
" stood before him : the judgment was set, and
" the books were opened." Dan. vii. 9, 10.
A period this, which is called, as it respects
the wicked, the day of wrath and revelation of
the righteous judgment of God: but to them
who by patient, continuance in well doing, seek
for glory and honour and immortality, eternal
life. Rom. ii. 5, 7- That day will indeed be
all gain to the believer: then this corruption
shall put on immortality; and Christ appearing
not only as the Judge but Friend of his people,
well may they at times anticipate its arrival
with joyful expectation. Looking for that blessed
hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Tit. ii. 13.
" O glorious hour ! O blest abode !
" I shall be near and like my God !
" And flesh and sin no more controul
" The sacred pleasures of the souL"
What is the state of my hearers in reference

12
to that day ? There is but one way in which it
can be a desirable day to us, that is, by being
found in Christ. Ask therefore whether you
have "been led to feel your need of his righte
ousness to justify you, of his sufferings to ran
som you, and of his Spirit to sanctify or renew
yo>H. Think of these things, and so much the
imotre as ye see the day approaching. — rAre any
who have fled to Christ for refuge, and who
are building their hope only upon his gracious
character, timid and fearful respecting that
period ? Remember, God has not made your
security to hinge upon the measure of your
comfort ; seek greater establishment in your
Redeemer's promises and grace, and rejoice
that the weakest in comfort now shall find
vkercy of the Lord im, that day.
4. Job professes his faith in the general resur*
reetion,as grounded on the resurrection of Christ.
For when he represents Christ as standing at
the latter day upon the earth, it leads us to the
idea that he is there descended to call the dead
from their graves. In the mean time, his people
in their successive generations are falling asleep.
Death has a temporary dominion over them.
The dust returns to the earth as it was. But now
is Christ risen from, the dead, and become the first
fruits of them that slept. In the faith of this he
says, though after my skin, worms destroy this
body, (which he is supposed to have poinded

13
to with his ring or, as Christ might have done
when he said to the Jews, Destroy this temple
tond I owill raise k tip in 4hree days,) yet in my
Jtesh shall I see God. Here is the resurrectioa
of the body fairly declared. He believed he
should see God in his flesh; so that in whatever
shape fashioned, the identical body which died
shall be raised again ; but it will be fashioned
like unto his glorious body. -Are you ready to
ask how an event so naturally improbable
shouid be brought about ? The Apostle adds,
According to the working whereby he is able to
subdue all things unto himself. Phil. iii. 21. It
is humbling to nature that this body should be
consigned to worms and dust; but should this
obtain a momentary thought, it will be but
momentary, when we consider that the imme
diate object on which the reanimated eyes wiM
fix, will be our God himself!
" Array'd in glotkttfs grace
" Shall these vile Iwdies shine ;
" And ev'ry shape and ev'ry face
" Look heav'nly and divine."
There is strong aground for supposing that Job
here avows his belief m the Deity of his Re»
de@mer. No one can dispute that Christ is to
come «gain in a visible manner, to raise the
dead and to judg'e mankind ; and how is he
described ? As the great •God,, and our Sttw'mir

14
Jesus Christ, who is then particularly to be
manifested in his glory. 1 John iii. 2. The
Apostle also assures believers, them also which
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Thess.
iv. 14. And indeed considering the spirituality
of the divine essence, flesh is an organ not
adapted to see it. In reference to which God
is represented as dwelling in the light which no
man can approach unto, whom no man hath
seen, nor can see : and accordingly it has been
supposed, that God will in eternity be seen by
the redeemed through the God-man, Christ'
Jesus. Think then, believer, of what is before you ;
the eternal, spiritual, and pure fruition of him
whom having not yet seen you love, in whom,
though now you see him not, yet believing, you
rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.
" Here I behold thy distant face,
" And 'tis a pleasing sight j
" But to abide in thine embrace,
" Is infinite delight."
5. Job professes his faith in the inexpressible
happiness of the future state, and how forcibly
his soul was drawn towards God in desires
after it. The margin reads the 27th verse thus ;
My reins are consumed within me with earnest
desire [for that day.) The word here used
denotes that strong vehemency of mind after an

15
object, which tends to wear away the body.
It occurs frequently in the writings of David's
experience, between whom, when using it, and
Job, there seems to have been a great likeness.
See Psalm lxxxiv. 2. My soul longeth, yea even
fainteih,for the courts of the Lord. cxix. 81. My
soul fainteth for thy salvation. The word more
over denotes completion, finishing; and thus
suggests, that the enjoyment of God hereafter
will be the completion of the believer's happi
ness. But these desires after heaven imply
that his mind had been led far into suitable
views of it. This appears to have been a fa
voured time with Job, when brought more than
ordinarily under the instructions and influence
of the divine Spirit. This may suggest to us,
that God's way, usually, is to grant unto his
people more than ordinary communion with
him, after they have experienced heavy trials
and afflictions. And may not this throw some
light upon the words of James, My brethren,
count it all joy when ye fall into divers tempta
tions, or tribulations ; knowing this, that the try
ing of your faith worketh patience ? As much
as to say, " your trials lead you more to divine
*' enjoyments, and bring you nearer to God ;
" and thus as you are brought nearer, you wish
" to be nearer .still, until your souls are stretch-
u ing wing to fly to him !" It is plain that
this in the end was the way Job's trials wrought

Iff
upon him ; and hence the state of mind in which
he uttered these words. Mr. Henry remarks,
" Some observe, that after this we do not find
" in Job's discourses such passionate, peevish,
" unbecoming complaints of God and his pro-
" vidence, as we have before met with : this
" hope quieted his spirit, stilled the storm,
" and, having here cast anchor within the veil,
" his mind was kept steady from this time
" forward.'* Yes, indeed, if any thing gives
us a conquest over our various passions, it will
be seasons of such communion with God as
these. He believed he should see God for
himself, as his God, as the object upon whom
his soul would delightfully gaze for ever ;
that his eyes would behold him alone, and
always ; never to be taken from him by
another : that he should see God not as a
stranger*, but as one of whose goodness and
love he had at least tasted here below ; and
this made him long- for that state, where all
believers shall drink full draughts of pleasure
in. Perhaps one is now saying, O that I could
feel these seasons of strong desire after immor
tality ! I read of David's desire to awake up in
God's likeness, of Paul's desire to depart to be
with Christ, and others ; but / seem as one
almost dead to heavenly things, and only fond
* Margin.

17
Of earthly toys ! Pray to your heavenly Father,
brethren, for the more frequent return of those
seasons of fellowship with him ; but do not
suffer the absence of them to discourage you
from looking to God for them. The more blind
Bartimeus was charged to hold his peace, he
cried the more a great deal, thou Son of David,
have mercy on me. Resist Satan by telling him
¦what God has promised, and he will flee from
you. But remember, David and Paul had their
seasons of bitter lamentation, as well as of great
enjoyment : it is your mercy that as you cannot
live by your complaints, so you cannot live in
them. 0 for more faith to look within the veil !
and the more we are so engaged, the more shall
we be changed into that frame of heart cor
respondent to the spirits of the just now made
perfect. II. We now pass on briefly to notice, the
nature and grounds of a believer's confidence
as to* eternal things. Each point of doctrine
here mentioned, Job says he knew. There are
two kinds of knowledge in religion : the one
speculative; and this consists in having the
understanding only so far enlightened, as to
know and admit the truths of revealed reli
gion in the letter of them, without any con
cern about their . influence, or the practice to
which a proper knowledge of them will always
lead. These characters you may see described,

18
Luke xii. 47. Tit. i. 16. The other, experi
mental; and consists of such a view of divine
truths as is accompanied with a sanctifying in
fluence upon the heart, and a corresponding
illustration of them in the life. See Tit. ii. 12.
The latter is the knowledge of which Job speaks.
It is God's gift, and imparted to every redeemed
soul; All thy children shall be taught ^of the
Lord. Isa. Hv. 13. This knowledge is valuable,
because it relates to the greatest subjects, viz. to
Christ, in the power of his resurrection, the fellow
ship of his sufferings, and a complete conformity
to his death. Because it leads to the greatest
enjoyment ; Blessed is the people that know the
joyful sound, they shall walk, 0 Lord, in the light
of thy countenance. In thy name shall they re
joice all the day : and in thy righteousness shall
they be exalted. Psalm lxxxix. 15, 16. Because
it appropriates that which it loves. So Job
under its exercise calls Christ his Redeemer :
and Paul says, when speaking of his life of1 faith
and depehdance on Christ, who loved me and
gave himself for me. Gal. ii. 20. Because it
does not vanish away ; Wliether there be pro
phecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues,
they shall cease; whether there be knowledge
(of any kind besides this) it shall vanish away;
but this in its radical operations, such as pre
venting a spirit of reliance on the flesh, secur
ing a hatred of sin, dependance upon Christ,

19
and the ,desire of perfect holiness, shall never
fail. But this knowledge varies as to the extent
of its effects, and is greatly counteracted by
opposite influences. If our views be clear of
interest in Christ, we then readily say, My
Lord, and my God. If darkness becloud our
evidences, we hesitate, and are afraid to call
the Redeemer ours. One perhaps is saying,
" Oh, might I hear thine heavenly tongue,
" But whisper, ' Thou art mine !'
" Those gentle words should raise my song
" To notes almost divine."
And in what way are we to expect this
whisper, or to enjoy a more uninterrupted con
fidence as to interest in heavenly and eternal
things ? Not by expecting any outward or
extraordinary revelation of our state. Some
have been found weak enough to wish for
. this, and others have been found weaker still,
even to suppose that God has so favoured
them. Awful delusion !
Neither can a well grounded confidence to
wards God be attained or preserved while
neglecting the observance of the means or or
dinances of religion. Some have pretended to
great religious joys, and happy seasons, and
have talked -highly and very confidently of
their state, whose delight has been apparently
c 2

*0
more in the ways of sin, than in the ways of
God. From such turn away.
Are we abhorring sin, and desirous of cleav
ing to God with full purpose of heart; yet daily
distressed because we cannot attain to a stead
fast and lively hope > The ordinary means by
which to find this is, faith in the promises of a
gracious God. We should consider what the
promises are ; to whom made ; the nature of
the promises^ as free, absolute, full, complete :
we should consider the character of the pro-
miser, as a covenant God, unchangeable, and
faithful ; and that not only his love will incline
him to fulfil them, but that his honour secures
their fulfilment : having received in the death
of Christ a complete satisfaction on the behalf
of his people, all the promises are yea and
umen in Christ Jesus.
Again. A further means of attaining to this
persuasion is, a living out of ourselves, and
more simply upon Christ. Suppose you have
never yet truly received Christ, are you en
abled now to rest upon him, believing in his
grace and suitableness to your need ? This is
the step we must be taking daily, or we shall
be, as it respects our hope and comfort, like
a wave of the sea driven with the wind and
tossed. Another means of establishing our confidence
respecting our interest in Christ, is the look*

21
ing back upon those acts which the soul has
been deeply engaged in, and which can be fairly
accounted for in no other way, than by ad
mitting the work of the Spirit upon the heart ;
such as, from a principle of love to God de
claring war with every darling sin, and exer
cising faith in Christ, under a feeling sense of
his suitableness, and our absolute need of him
as our righteousness and strength. Thus the
soul, perceiving its own faith, and enjoying a
persuasion that it is of the operation of God,
concludes upon its interest in the object of
faith, and thence result joy and peace in believ
ing. Thus Paul urges the Hebrews to call to
remembrance former days ; and referring them to
what God had enabled them to do, he says,
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which
has greut recompence of reward. Heb. x. 32, 35.
Lastly; we should enquire into the scrip
tural marks of grace; and if upon an impar
tial examination into the state of our hearts,
we find those marks there, we ought to take
the comfort thereof, and to give God the praise.
And as God will not deny his own work, so
we ought to be very careful, that while we dread
presuming upon our state, we do not deny that
to be his which he has evidently wrought.
To conclude our general subject, we'should en
quire whether our views of truth are evidently
supported by the scriptures. The Apostle says,
c 3

22
There is one faith. Job's views, though one of
the earliest writers, are in strict unison with
those of the Apostles who completed the canon
of scripture. There must ever be a general
agreement in their views who are taught by the
same Spirit, because he cannot be the Spirit of
truth and of error. 2 John 9-
It becomes believers to seek after establish
ment in comfort, as arising from strong faith.
Many have found this, therefore it is to be at
tained. Paul could say, I know in whom I have
believed. And the scriptures abound in exhor
tation to press after it. See Col. ii. 2, Heb. iii.
13, 14. vi. 11. 2 Pet. i. 10.
Considering, therefore, the importance and
advantages of this assurance of faith in Christ,
it becomes each one to pray with the Apostle,
That I may know him, and the power of his
resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death.

As a pleasing illustration of the power of
faith in a dying state, I am happy now to enter
upon some interesting particulars respecting
the deceased.
In February last, after having preached to
his beloved people at- Bracknell for many
months, with much pleasure to himself, and

-vli*

23
acceptance to them, our dear departed brother
suffered so material and visible a decline in his
health, as to compel him to relinquish his de
lightful work in that place; and hoping to
derive some benefit from change of air, he came
to reside under the roof of his kind Father.
Here, however, symptoms were soon seen,
which more and more confirmed his friends
that God was bringing' him down to the house
appointed for all living.
For some weeks during the earlier part of his
illness, he thought he might be so far recovered
as to live years longer ; though, he observed,
he should never be a strong man again. He
then seemed rather to wish to live than to die.
Having a#wife and four small children depen
dant on him, life appeared desirable principally
for their sake.
On April 2d, his honoured father conversed
with him respecting the state of his mind. He
said that his mind was as varying as the points
of the compass, but at times he could say, be
cause he felt it,
" Yes, thou art precious to my soul,
" My transport and my trust ;
" Jewels to thee are gaudy toys,
"¦ And gold is sordid dust.''
That he felt the savour of these views of Christ
upon his mind. That his daily prayer was,
c 4

24
" O for Si heart to praise my God,
" A heart from sin set free ;
" A heart that always feels thy Woo4
" So freely shed for me."
Oh the next day he said to a friend, " Faith is
" the firm belief of a promise, and that promise
" is eternal life in Jesus Christ; and that is
" my faith ;" and added," At one time, through
" What I had seen in many professors, I was
" tempted to disbelieve the authenticity of the
" scriptures ; but the more I examined them
*' for myself, the more I was convinced of their
" harmony, beauty, and divine reality." On
the following night, being parched with a fever,
and his mouth being very dry, he said he had
been thinking of the dreadful state of the rich
man who in hell had not one drop of water ta
cool his parched tongue. Being reminded how
different his situation was both in things tem
poral and spiritual, he said, " I can get no
*' comfort until I go to the cross of Christ ;'*
and then repeated those charming lines of
Cowper,
" Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
" Shall never lose its pow'r,
** Till all the ransom'd church of God.
" Be sav'd to sin no more."
He, then added, " Christ is a dear Lamb, when
" we feel the efficacy of his precious bloody

25
" which not only redeems from hell and recon-
" ciles to God, but brings health and cure to
" our poor sin-diseased souls."
May 26, being sabbath day, he said, " I have
" had a poor sabbath ; the devil has been try-
*' ing me with a severe temptation, but God
*' has removed it within this last half hour."
He then wept very feelingly, and reflected much
upon himself, that he had given way to the
great enemy of his soul, that his mind bad not
been fixed more upon a precious Christ, for
whom, he said, he could go through fire and
water : then he exclaimed, " Precious Jesus,
*' even so, come quickly :" a near relative ob
served, Christ would soon come, and. then what
a change of situation and circumstances would
take place ; " Yes," he rejoined, *' there we
*' shall for ever study divinity in the Lamb's
*' face, and what a lustre will his presence cast
*' upon the volumes of nature, providence, and
(l grace." Whitmonday being observed, as usual, at his
father's Chapel as an anniversary, he desired
his chamber door might be left open, and af
terward said, " Though I could not distinguish
h what the ministers said, yet I loved to hear
" their voices and the singing, it puts me in
" mind of the worship above." To one of his
brethren in the ministry he said, " If the Lord
" were to tell me he would add fifteen years to

26*
" my life, or send his messenger within fifteen
" hours, all would be well." His friend referring
to the grounds laid in the gospel for the support
of God's tried people,, he said, " Upon the
" greatness of his love and faithfulness I rest.
M I trust his faithfulness, for he has never left
" me : I love him because he first laved me. One
" time I felt a gloom, and was, got quite busy
H about the world, but it soon vanished,, and
" God raised me above; it.**
Saturday night, (June 1st.) " God broke in
" upon my soul ; oh, what views, delightful
" views, I have had of Christ! precious Christ,
" I find him very precious \ Yet do not mis-
" take me ; for the most part I have nothing of
" transports, but a steady reliance upon a faith-
" ful covenant God. I find comfort in what
" he has done done in, for, and through me.
" I was once blind, now I see. I expect to be
" saved by free and sovereign grace." These
were replies made to several questions proposed
to him. His friehd also asked him, Are you
now satisfied that the doctrines you have been
preaching to your people are the truths of
God ? " Yes, I am fully satisfied they are."
And that they are the truths which must be
believed by them, as necessary to their salva
tion ? " Yes ; if saved at all, I helieve (laying
" my own imperfections aside) they are the
" truths which must save them."

27
To a near relative he said, " God has deli-
" vered me from all anxious care, and enabled
" me to give all up into his hands." His
weakness now evidently increased, but he said
he was happy and waiting for the coming of
Jesus, and expressed a wish that he would
come ; but added, " his time is the best."
On the sabbath preceding his death,' he ap
peared evidently engaged with heaven for a
blessing upon the labours of his aged father,
whose custom it was to go to his chamber,
before he went to the pulpit, to ask him how
he was.
Monday, he appeared a little revived, and
said to a near relative, " I cannot recollect par-
" ticular dates now, but I well remember when
" about sixteen years of age, I was coming home
" one evening across the fields at Dalston, and
" my mind was impressed as though I heard
" God saying, You must be born again, you
" must be born again. This produced a pro-
" fession of religion and outward reformation,
*' but I went on without the possession, until
" about nineteen years of age. About that period,
" reading in retirement the twentieth chapter
" of John, the Lord broke in upon my mind
" with rays of heavenly light, and gave me such
"¦ a view of the sin of unbelief in Thomas, and
" the amazing love and condescension of Christ,
" which melted my heart into penitential sor-

28
" row, and gave me such an exalted view of the
" Saviour, that for some weeks my enjoyments
" were so great that I was ready to cry out as
" I was walking in London streets, Behold the
" Lamb of God, that taketh away, the sin of the
" world " and then added, " but oh, what have
" I felt of the corruptions ©f nay wicked heart
" since! what dreadful infidelity of mind, which
" deprived me of religious enjoyments, and
" extorted many a sigh from my heart."
At another time, when his parent told him,
that he and the other branches of the family
had been the children of his earnest prayers
from their infancy, and had reminded him that
two of them had left indubitable evidence of
their being now with the spirits of the just
around the throne, he exclaimed, " And I shall
w be there, and I shall be there ! Oh, how incaU
st culable the blessing of seeing your prayers
" answered in your children's going to heaven.'*
To his sister (for whom he always discovered
a most affectionate regard) he said, " Oh, how
"• many precious things have been brought to
" my mind from the second chapter to the He-
" brews ! What exalted views of Jesus Christ !
" He was made a little lower than tfie angels;
" what amazing condescension ! Yes, but where
" is he now ? for the suffering of death, crowned
" with glory and honour. There's a change-—
" glory and honour. What a perfect robe of

29
" righteousness has Christ wrought to coyer
" my naked soul ;
" Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
" My beauties are, my glorious dress ;
" 'Midst flaming worlds in these array'd
" With joy shall I lift up my head."
Having requested his sister to read the nine
teenth chapter of Job, when she came to the
25th verse he said, with a glow of affection and
joy, " Ah, that's it ;" and then.fixed upon those
words, and the two following verses, for his
funeral text.
He requested his father, at another time, to
bring him Watts's and Rippon's Hymn books,
and selected the following ; viz. 53d arid 77th
2d book, Dr. Watts; and 301st, Dr. Rippon,
pointing with his finger upon the verses rnostly
adapted to his feelings. He also said, the first
Hymn he ever learnt was, " Jesus my all to
" heaven is gone," &c. Soon after this his
mind became so joyful, that with all his re-.
maining power he began singing,
" Yet a season and ye know
" Happy entrance shall be given."
Then he exclaimed again and again, " Happy
" entrance shall be given \" In this delightful
frame he continued all that day (Wednesday)
and said to his mother, " My dear mother, I am
" going home. I am going to heaven. I shall

30
*' be glad to meet you there." Then he
added, *
" Come, ye sinners poor and wretched ;"
And repeated the whole verse, with this affec
tionate address, " Able and willing to save you,
" my dear mother, believe on him, rely entirely
" upon him."
To his sister he said, " Do you love Christ }"
She not giving an immediate answer, he again
with earnestness asked, " Do you love Christ }n
She answered, " I hope I do;" " then cleave
" to him with full purpose of heart : for you
81 will be next." Of this he seemed to have a
firm persuasion, and whispered to his father,
" and I am glad of it !" Being asked why
he was glad, he answered, he " wished her in
" heaven, for there she would be better off than
?' staying here, for he was sure there was no-
" thing worth her stay in this world."
In the evening his enjoyments kindled into
raptures, and asking his sister to sing with him,
with all the remaining power he had he began
singing, " Blow ye the trumpet, blow, &c.
After he had sung a verse he exclaimed,
" Blessed Jubilee, blessed Jubilee."
About two hours after this, he broke out as if
with renewed strength,
" Begone unbelief! my Saviour is near, &c.'^

31
When he came to the line,
t " With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm,"
he repeated it, and seemed to enjoy a complete
triumph over his pains, weakness, sin, and
death. He went on to say,
" His love in times past forbids me to think
" He'll leave me at last in trouble to sink,
" Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review;
" Confirms his good pleasure to help me quite through."
As his aged father was standing by his bed
side, with his heart and eyes overflowing with
the feelings of nature and grace, he looked up
with great cheerfulness, and taking his beloved
parent by the hand, said, " Father, I am going
" home, be of good cheer, for you shall soon
" be brought through all your troubles." In
the night he sung,
" Jesus my all to heaven is gone,
" He whom I fix my hopes upon," &c.
And addressing the nurse said, " Hannah, you,
" poor thing, have not got much of this world,
" but if you should have heaven at last !" And
then begged her to seek after it, and added,
" but what if you should lose heaven, what will
" you have then ?"
On Thursday he said to a friend, " 1 -jam
" going home to glory;" she rejoined, " You
" will soon be freed from all your miseries, and

32
" be for ever happy ;" he replied, " I am happy
'" now." On Friday a near relative came to see him ;
after conversing about some matters appertain
ing to the present life, he said, " Above all,
" think seriously of your precious soul — that
" is the better and most important part : pray,
" oh pray daily." He then began to sing,
" The Lord my shepherd is,
" I shall be well supply'd j
" Since he is mine, and I am his,
" What can I want beside V
Then he exclaimed, " That is it, that is it.**
One observing, It is not every one that can
say, The Lord my shepherd is; he replied,
" The Lord said to Solomon, Ask what I shall
" give thee. Then sit down and consider what
" it is you want : you want a new heart, con-
,s version to God, which you have often heard
" me describe the nature of, and press the ne-
" cessity of it. Seek and you shall find."
On the Friday evening, seeing what grief there
was among his relatives, he said, " Why should
" you grieve ? I am going to heaven. I can
" now give you all up, with my dear children
" too, into the hands of my heavenly Father."
His sister reminding him what hard work he
had sometimes found it to give them up, he
rephed, " It is all clear now. I see they will all

33 .
" be provided for; yea it is done already:" and
then, with his hands lifted up,- he Seemed to be
much in prayer, and continued in this sweet
frame until the moment of his» departure, which
took place about four o'clock on the Saturday
morning*.

Reflections on the preceding account, and con
cluding address.
See here a proof of the soul's immortality.
Were the soul mortal with the body, we should
expect to see a similarity in their state ; when
one was dying, we should probably see some
thing about the soul, by which to judge that it
was dying also.. But the reverse of this, where
reason is not interrupted, is, generally seen in
dying saints. We behold Israel strengthening
•¦¦¦, ¦ " °. .-' ; ¦ :
* It would fill volumes to recount the instances of dying
U-iJfi ,...-•.-•.- v., ¦ '- °
saints being raised above their former fears. The following,
as it relates to one well known td th'e author, he catiuot but
record. Trte Rev.. E. AsbMrner, late of Poole, said to a
brother Minister a short time before his death, " In the time
•". of health, I have had many sore conflicts and doubts; but
" now in the near view, of eternity, I have none." See a very
interesting account in his funeral Sermon, by' the Rev. W.
Riiigsbmy, who was a fellow Student with Mr. A. "at the
" Little College," then at Mile End, but afterwards removed
to Humerton. D

. 34
himself upon his dying bed, and hear him say
ing, / have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.
Our dear brother, with a body wasted away to
almost an unusual degree, with little more than
a frame or skeleton of skin and bones, and every
power of nature nearly exhausted, retains his
soul in the fullest vigour, and while the one is
rapidly sinking into death, the other is evi
dently rising to immortality ; saying as it were,
" Lend, lend your wings, I mount, I fly ;
" O grave ! where is thy victory ?
" O death ! where is thy sting ?"
See hence, also, strong faith in a divine provi
dence. Remarkable were his expressions re
specting his dear children. It is w.ell known
how difficult he found it for a long time to give
them up : but at last he says, " they are pro-
" vided for;" though nothing was done for
them, and he knew his wife would be left
without a penny for her own or their support!
Perhaps his mind had enjoyed the full force of
some sweet promises, made to the seed of the
righteous, or to widows and fatherless children,
and in the faith of these he can readily leave
them in the hands of his covenant God. *
See hence the evidence that evangelical views
are of God. " We are hurried away with a false
" zeal," say they who make reason the sole guide
of their faith, and " we keep to our views because
" they happen to be on the popular side." But

35
let us ask, What are the effects of our respective
views when we come to die ? We can hardly
suppose, that after persons have given good
evidence, for many years, of sincerity in their
profession, that the evidence of a dying hour
will be false : granting this, we ask, do these
views fail then ? No : then they are seen and
felt as peculiarly valuable, and appear more im
portant than ever. " I feel confident,1" said the
deceased, " that what I have preached is the
" truth." Let such dying experiences be en
couraging to our faith.
We are, in the scriptures, and in every age
and state of the church, encompassed about
with a great cloud of witnesses to the truth,
excellency, and power of those views which we
have been taught of Jesus*, and of the presence
of God with those who have embraced them,
in the important season of death. These should
rebuke our unbelief, strengthen us against our
fears, and teach us to rest assured, that he who
has not forsaken us in affliction J and distress,
will 'not forsake us when we die.
* Mr. Sabine, in his concise history of the Christian Church,
says, speaking of the sufferings endured for Christ in the
fourth century, " It was the believers \n the full and unequi-
" vocal divinity of Christ that could boast of their confessors
" and martyrs, while the deniers of that grand doctrine
" were left without such proofs of their being a part of the
f true church."

36
With such an instance of the power of grace,
I turn to you, the mourning widow, with the
mingled emotions of grief and joy. I feel much
for you under the circumstances in which you
are left. May God kindly appear for you and
the dear fatherless children ! Never forget the
weighty charge given you within a few hours
of your husband's departure. May his God be
your God, in life and in death ; and as the
children grow up, may they be taught to know,
and be constrained to love, that Redeemer, who
was their father's confidence and joy to his
last moments I
To you, my esteemed friends, the parents of
the deceased, I cannot present a more suitable
ox consolatory passage of God's word, than
1 Thess. iv. 13. to the end. Fly to it. on every
occasion when the feelings of nature threaten,
as it were, to overwhelm you. Your fifth and
last son followed to the grave •, you need much
to quiet and support you! It is your happiness,
my revered father in the ministry, long to have
felt those truths upon your own heart, which for
many years you have faithfully and affection
ately delivered to many among this people.
May you now feel their sufficiency under this
very trying providence! Your son taken away
from a dependant family, in the midst of his days,
and at a period when his exertions among his
people were never more promising, might plead

37
much agakrst the providence which has taken
place, were you to judge of it by sense only ; but
I trust that you, his parents, sisters, and family
connexions, will view it more by faith in the
gracious character and righteous government of
God, and be enabled to say, He hath done all
things well.
This event speaks to us as ministers, to fulfil
the word of God, CoL i. 25 ; and to our people,
to remember them which have the rule over you,
who have spoken imto you the word of God;
whose faith follow,, considering the end of their
conversation, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday,
and to-day, and for w«r. Thus, when our flesh
and heart failetto, soay we, whether ministers
©r private christians', equally with our departed
brother find, that God is the strength of out-
heart and our portion for ever/

FINIS.

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