from an eminent Bishop of our Church; the remnant of his ftrength he manag'd for the exercife of his private devotions, upon which account he excufed himself from receiving the frequent visits that would have been made him by many of his acquaintance: he bore his languishing condition without the leaft fhadow of difcontent, and though his mind was eagerly bent upon Heaven, he never betrayed the leaft defire for the removal of his pains, till God's appointed time fhould come, and was willing to bear yet longer thofe preffures under which he lay, if God thought fit to continue them, even though they delayed that happiness he so earnestly defired, and fo comfortably expected, which anfwers S. Auguftin's character of a good Chriftian, Qui patienter vivit, & delectabiliter moritur. No words can furnish us with a clearer Idea of his tree Chriftian firmness of mind, than thofe which fell from his own mouth upon the immediate approach of death, when he expressed himself in this manner: I am entring upon my last labour, the Lord gave and he is now taking away, blessed be the Name of the Lord; for I thank my God I am going without any distrust, without the leaft mifgiving, to a place of reft and joy and ever everlafting blifs; there is no life like to a happy death. I have endeavoured even from my youth, to approve my felf a faithfull fervant to my Great Mafter: I have taken fome pains in writing feveral Books; I have feriously confidered them, and am fully fatisfied (looking on thofe about him) that you may find in them the way to Heaven; the Chriftian duties contained therein have been my practice as well as ftudy, and now I find the advantage of it, and therefore be carefull to read them often and seriously and live fuitably thereunto, that when you come to the condition I am now in, you may die with comfort as you fee me do: I have fome little pain indeed, but my pain is nothing fo extraordinary as my hopes; for I have earnestly repented of all my fins, and verily believe, that through the tender mercies of my God, and merits of my Bleffed Saviour Jefus Chrift, I fhall be carried up into Abraham's bofome. After which he made this fhort Prayer. I wait, O God, for that everlasting reft which I want at prefent, but fhall not long; I am ready when thou my God calls for me, yet can ftay with patience till thou pleaseft, for thy time is the best time, and thy pleasure the best pleasure. pleafure. Such a carefull and wife provi fron had he made for his laft hours, as to be able to look death in the face, not only without amazement, but even with a great degree of joy and confolation. In fhort, he was Learned without Pride; Wife and Judicious without Cunning; he Served at the Altar without either Covetoufness or Ambition; he was Devout without Affectation, fincerely Religious without Morofeness, Courteous and Affable without Flattery or mean Compliances; Fuft without Rigour, Charitable without Vanity, and heartily zealous for the Inte reft of Religion without Faction. May we that furvive imitate the pattern of his piety, that we may attain that happiness which he now possesses as the reward of it, and in confort with him and all those bleffed Souls who have departed this life in the faith and fear of God, fing Allelujabs to the King of Saints, falvation and glory, honour and power to him that fitteth on the throne, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Amen. 14. Dec. 1695. Nelfon. THE THE Tating the Notion of Chriftian Salva- confift in a Deliverance from our Sins, On Matt. 1:21. Thou fhalt call his Name Difcourfe II. Shewing that this Deliverance, and entire Obedience is neither impoffible nor ex- On Philip. 4. 13. I can do all things thro Difcourfe III. How to form fuch a Purpose of fincere Repentance, and intire Obedience, as will be effectual for this Purpofe, Pag. 77 On Acts 11.23. And exhorted them all, that with purpose of Heart, they would cleave unto the Lord. Difcourfe. IV. How to take the trueft Wisdom of worldly Men in their Managements, and apply them with admirable Use and Advantage in the Improvement, and Perfection of Holy Obedience, p. 103 On Luk. 16. 8. For the Children of this world are wiser in their Generation, than the Children of Light. Difcourfe V. About the Return of Prayers; or when we may, when we may not Promife our Jelves the particular Things we ask for, p. 143 On Matt.7.7, 8. Ask and it fhall be given you, for every one that asketh recei veth. |