dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. But for the rest of you, I mourn to think in what a miserable condition I am leaving you; and though you will' no more hear my voice, and have often, alas! heard it to no purpose, this once hear and regard my dying charge-that you do not continue in a Christless and unconverted state, nor meet me in that state at the day of judgment. "And now, farewell praying and preaching! my most delightful work! Farewell, ye Sabbaths and sacraments, and all divine ordinances! I have now done with you all, and you have done all that was to be done for me. As the manna, and the rock, in the wilderness, you have supplied me with sweet refreshment by the way; and now I am leaving you, I bless my God for all the comfort and edification I have received by your means as the appointed channel of divine communications. But now I have no more need of you. I am going to the God of ordinances; to that fountain of living waters, which has filled these pools below; and instead of sipping at the streams, I shall now be for ever satisfied from the fountain-head. "Farewell now, my poor body! Thou shalt be no more a clog to my active spirit, no more hinder me in the service of God, no more ensnare my soul, and pollute it with sin. And now an everlasting farewell to all sins and sorrows, all doubts and fears, conflicts and temptations! Farewell to earth and all terrestrial scenes! Ye are now no more! An infinitely brighter prospect opens to me!" "See the guardian angels nigh Jesus calls with him to dwell." Doddridge's Hymns. His affliction alarmed the fears of many Christian friends, who poured in their letters of sympathy and consolation. Among the rest, his friend Pearsall wrote, "I am distressed for thee, my brother. I cannot but be afflicted till I hear of your restoration. I yet bless God that my lamentation is not over a dead friend as David's was. May he who has so often raised up from beds of sickness raise you up, and bring you forth as gold. I pity poor Mrs. Darracott under her heavy loads of trouble; the clouds so often returning after the rain." His disorder again, for some time, was so far alleviated that he was able to write to a friend as if in expectation of returning to life and use fulness: this, which was his last letter, was dated Jan. 2, 1759. It is as follows: "My dear friend, Though I am hardly yet able to hold my pen, I am willing to give you this satisfaction, that I am recovering, by writing though ever so short a letter. I have been longer in pain than I remember ever to have been before, and for some part of the time it has been sharp pain indeed. But for ever blessed be the rich goodness of my God, I hope I have experienced his supporting and comforting power towards me. So that, though the flesh could not but groan, the spirit did not murmur, but sweetly bowed in submission, as believing my heavenly Father had no other than merciful designs in all, and whatever was the issue, of which I was never more indifferent, it would be all well. And now it has pleased him, who has called home his eminent servant Hervey, to continue a little longer in the world his unworthy servant Darracott, O that it may quicken me to be found more faithful and zealous in his service: then too shall my dismission be signed, in the appointed time and way, and I shall follow them who have been my dear delightful companions, to live for ever with them, and with that Jesus whom we loved, and in whom we were united. I have had a solitary Sabbath, besides the loss of some other seasons, I used to enjoy in these holydays. Blessed be God I can look back upon these times with pleasure now in my confinement, and say, Lord thou knowest I have loved thy service, and the place of thy habitation has been sweet to me. Your letter to my Kitty this morning affects me tenderly. Be incessant in your prayers for me, and join your praises with mine. Accept our joint love, and be assured, in all the langour of nature, I still feel the flame of our religious friendship burn strong, nor shall death quench it for ever; ever shall I be your's. Pray for me, that if it be the will of God and our dear Lord Jesus I may be strengthened to go forth next Lord's day, "Risdon Darracott." He had written, the day before, to his friend Mr. Fawcett, of Kidderminster, saying, "whenever it shall please God to take me away, as I hope you will survive me, I shall leave an office of friendship to be performed by you, which you .will not deny me, especially as you will see the glory of God and the good of souls are the great things I aim at. I find somewhat infinitely soothing and cheering in these four lines, which our dear tutor has put into the mouth of a child :" "If to correct me be his will, Doddridge's verses for children. "Oh! what less than a thousand arguments in that one for the most cordial, sweet, humble submission? O my dear brother, how sweet to see our comforts and our crosses, our joyful and mournful circumstances, our life and our death, all in the hands of such a Father; all equally under his direction, and all evidently designed by him for our good; all proceeding from his everlasting love which he had for us, terminating at last in our everlasting salvation? This lays an easy foundation for that precept, which is a strange one to a carnal world" in every thing give thanks." His illness continued three months, with intervals of excruciating pain, arising, as was conjectured, from stones in the kidnies, producing such inflammation as extended also to many adjacent parts: yet nothing was heard from his lips but continual expressions of praise and thanksgiving. This led the apothecary to declare, in a letter he wrote to announce Mr. Darracott's death, "Of all the death-beds I ever attended, I never saw such an instance of holy resignation and triumph." About three weeks before he died, on a Lord'sday morning, he said to one that was standing by, "I am going to that Jesus whom I love, and whom I have so often preached. "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly, why are thy chariot wheels so F 5 |