my being able to get through the work, must be an obstacle in the way of printing; but if I should fail, it will be what others have done before me; and I should hope some one will be found able and willing to carry it forward to a conclusion: at all events, so long as I am continued in a capacity for writing, I feel a strong inclination to persevere. Above two thousand close pages have cost me some labour; and be. sides these, I have many materials on several remaining parts of the sacred book. As to my style of composition, you know it is plain, and not embellished with the ornaments of modern refinement. My principal object is to make myself understood, and to interest the heart of the reader. It would not suit me to attempt to rise above the level of my own powers;-but pardon my prolixity. My dear wife sends her love: alas she is sinking apace; I often fear she will soon be taken from me. We have been together more than half a century; and the separating stroke, whenever it comes will be severely felt. We often talk of our absent friends, and it is my wish to write more frequently; but after I have spent the whole day in study, I feel my spirits exhausted. Yet, through Divine mercy, my health is in as favourable a state as I have any reason to ex pect, considering my years and infirmities."

In a letter to a friend,dated March 25, 1810, he thus wrote:

"Exhausted with continual watching, fatigue, and anxiety, I feel myself unfit for any thing; yet would not neglect this opportunity of communicating a line to my much valued friend. My dear wife has been many times brought back from the very gates of death. When the lease of life seemed just going to expire, she has had it renewed from time to time. Last night we all assembled round her bed, and thought her dying for some hours: we did not at all expect she would live till morning; but she suddenly revived, and called me by name with her

usual tenderness. I think I never had closer exercise than to go through my labour of preaching in these circumstances. My text yesterday was, 'It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good.' This disposition I wish to feel, and to cherish. I have been revising part of my manuscript, and must now leave what I have done, as far as I am able, in the hands of Providence. The will of the Lord be done! If he smile upon this feeble effort for the promotion of his glory, I hope I shall be thankful."

In another letter he thus writes: "It has long been a gloomy, anxious time with us, and still continues to be so. My dear wife has been confined to her chamber for three months;-I cannot say to her bed, for she is not able to breathe other. wise than sitting up in her chair, which is her posture through the night. We have many times thought her ready to expire, but she is still spared to us. When she is herself, she is composed, comfortable, and very affectionate; but sometimes she is quite delirious. It often distresses us to see her suffer so much; yet amidst her great affliction, she is sensible that it is the hand of the Almighty, and is desirous to wait bis will in due submission. As to myself, I am as well as I can expect, considering what restless nights 1 have long had. My trials are very heavy; but strength has hitherto been afforded equal to the day. I feel the want of sleep very sensibly. This makes me a poor companion for the elevated prophet Isaiah. He is all life; but I have to complain of great dulness and stupidity. What I have written on the preceding part of the Bible is in the hands of some judicious friends; and should they not encourage the publication, per haps it may be of some value to those with whom I am personally connected in its present form, when my head is laid low in the silent dust."

At length the moment of separation arrived. He was then

"Enabled to bear the parting

stroke with the fortitude and patience of a Christian. It is one happy tendency of extreme and longcontinued suffering, that it reconciles us to a separation from our dearest relatives, and especially when satisfactory evidence has been given that death will be their release from all pain and sorrow. He remained by her to the last moment of her mortal existence, holding her arm, so as to feel her pulse, till the lungs finally ceased to heave,and the crimson current was arrested in its progress."

We are afraid, not of robbing the work of its beauties, (for the whole of it is highly interesting.) but of exceeding the proper limits even for such an article. We cannot, however, refrain from presenting our readers with a view of "the fleecy skirts of the summer-evening clouds, painted with gold"-or, in other words, of the serenity, and peace, and honour, which crowned the declining days of this deservedly. revered man.

"In the month of June, 1810, the annual association was held at Bradford. As this was Mr. F.'s native place, he was earnestly importuned, (and he at length consented,) to attend on that occasion, to officiate as one of the ministers,that he might ence more have an interview with his relations and friends, who were resident there, and with those who came from distant places. On the morning of the day on which he had to preach, he was more than usually agitated in the prospect of appearing in public, expressing in the strongest and most humiliating terms the sense he had of his unfitness for the work, both on account of his great weakness and mental infirmities. But when he entered the pulpit, and read his text, Josh. xxiii. 14, Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth,'-every eye in the large assembly was fixed upon him; and he had not proceed ed far in opening the subject, before almost every individual present was melted into tears. Since the days

of Whitefield, few such seasons had been witnessed; and the remembrance of it will remain with many who were present to the latest period of life. It was not enthusiasm ; it was that melting of the heart, which truths of infinite and universal concernment, delivered with feeling, and accompanied by Divine energy, cannot fail to produce. He had a few months before completed his threescore years and ten; his partner in life, for whom this was intended as a funeral sermon, had, as we have seen, been recently taken from him; many present had known him long, and had been often greatly edified by hearing him at these solemn seasons; and their presentiments told them that he was now, like Joshua, taking a final leave of them as a public character. This sermon, the last he published, was soon after printed in a cheap form, and has gone through many editions." See the account of his Works, No. XXII.

His Devotional Family Bible was completed in the following year.

He preached his last sermon Feb. 26, 1816. From that time to the 25th of July, 1817, when he departed, in the 77th year of his age, was a period of extreme debility.

"As to the state of his mind in his last illness, it was conformable to what he had experienced and evidenced through all his former afflictions. Mercy, Divine mercy, was what be implored, with all the lowliness of a babe in Christ. He joined with the greatest fervency in the petitions offered up at his bedside; and though his mind was not in general so much elevated with holy joy as some of God's people have been, he had solid comfort, and often expressed his desire to depart and to be with Christ. A short time before he expired, he said, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. One of his attendants having said, There remaineth a rest for the people of God,--he added, Q receive me to thy children!"

or which is not inconsistent with the progress of vital religion in the church, or in one's own soul. ver. 20. In all such cases, we are not to judge one another, but every man's conscience is to be his judge,

ver. 23.

In attending to those things which are the proper objects of discipline, our first concern should be to see, that all our measures are aimed at the good of the party, and the hon. our of God. Both these ends are pointed out in the case of the Corinthian offender. All was to be done that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord, and to clear themselves as a church from being partakers of his sin. If these ends be kept in view, they will preserve us from much error; particularly, from the two great evils into which churches are in danger of falling, false lenity, and unchristian severity. There is often a party found in a community, who, under the name of tenderness, are for neglecting all wholesome discipline; or if this cannot be accomplished, for delaying it to the utmost. Such persons are commonly the advocates for disorderly walkers, especially if they be their particular friends or relations. Their language is, "He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone. My brother hath fallen to-day, and I may fall to-morrow." This spirit, though it exists only in individuals, provided they be persons of any weight or influence, is frequently known to impede the due execution of the laws of Christ; and if it pervade the community, it will soon reduce it to the lowest state of degeneracy. Such for a time was the spirit of the Corinthians; but when brought to a proper sense of things, what carefulness it wrought in them, yea what clearing of themselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what vehement desire, yea what zeal, yea what revenge. In opposing the extreme of false tenderness, others are in danger of falling into unfeeling se

verity. This spirit will make the worst of every thing, and lead men to convert the censures of the church into weapons of private re venge. Persons of this description know not of what manner of spirit they are. They lose sight of the good of the offender It is not love that operates in them; for love worketh no evil. The true medium between these extremes is, a union of mercy and truth. Genuine mercy is combined with faithfulness, and genuine faithfulness with mercy; and this is the only spirit that is likely to purge iniquity. Prov. xvi. 6. Connivance will produce indifference; and undue severity will arm the offender with prejudice, and so harden him in sin: but the love of God and of our brother's soul are adapted to answer every good end. If we love God, like Levi, we shall know no man after the flesh, nor acknowledge our nearest kindred; but shall observe his word and keep his covenant. And if we love the soul of our brother, we shall say, He is fallen to-day, and I will reprove him for his good: I may fall to-morrow, and then let him deal the same with me.' Love is the grand secret of church discipline, and will do more than all other things put together towards insuring success.

In the exercise of discipline, it is necessary to distinguish between faults which are the consequence of sudden temptation, and such as are the result of premeditation and habit. The former requires a compassionate treatment; the latter a greater portion of severity. The sin of Peter in denying his Lord was great, and if noticed by the enemies of Christ, might bring great reproach upon his cause; yet, compared with the sin of Solomon, it was little. He first gave way to licentiousness, then to idolatry, and on finding that God, as a punishment for his sin, had given ten tribes to Jeroboam, he sought to kill him. Cases like this are immediately dan

gerous, and require a prompt and decided treatment, and in which hesitating tenderness would be the height of cruelty. Of some have compassion, making a difference: others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." Jude 22, 23. Gal. vi. 1.

In all our admonitions, regard should be had to the age and character of the party. An elder as well as other men may be in fault, and a fault that may require to be noticed; but let him be told of it in a tender and respectful manner. While you expostulate with younger men on a footing of equality, pay a deference to age and office.'Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren.' 1 Tim. v. 1.

6

In the due execution of Christian discipline, there are many things to be done by the members of churches individually; and it is upon the proper discharge of these duties, that much of the peace and purity of a church depends. If we be faithful to one another, there will be but few occasions for public censure. Various improprieties of conduct, neglects of duty, and declensions in the power of godliness, are the proper objects of pastoral admonition. It is one essential branch of this office to rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering.' 2 Tim. iv. 2. Nor is this work confined to pastors: Christians are directed to admonish one another.' Rom. xv. 14. Indeed there are things which a wise and affectionate people will be concerned to take upon themselves, lest a prejudice should be contracted against the ministry, which may prevent its good effects. This is peculiarly necessary in the settling of differences, in which whole families may be interested, and in which it is extremely difficult to avoid the suspicion of partiality.

In all cases of personal offence, the rule laid down by our Lord in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew ought

to be attended to; and no such of fence ought to be admitted before a church, till the precept of Christ has been first complied with by the party or parties concerned.

In many cases where faults are not committed immediately against us, but which are unknown except to a few individuals, love will lead us to endeavour to reclaim the party if possible without any farther exposure. A just man will not be willing unaecessarily to make his brother a public example. The scriptures give peculiar encouragement to these personal and private attempts. If any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins.' James, v. 19, 20.

In cases of evil report, where things are said of a brother in our hearing which, if true, must affect his character, and the purity of the church, it cannot be right to go on to report it. Love will not lead to this. Many reports we know are unfounded; or if true in the main, they may have been aggravated; or there may be circumstances attending the case, which, if fully understood, would make things appear very different from the manner in which they have been represented. Now it is almost impossible that any one but the party himself should be acquainted with all these circumstances, or able to give a full account of them. No time therefore should be lost, ere we enquire at the hand of our brother, or if on any consideration we feel that to be unsuitable, it would be proper to apply to an officer of the church, who may conduct it with greater propriety.

There are cases of a more public nature still, in which much of the peace and happiness of a church depends upon the conduct of its members in their individual capacity. The charge given by the apostle to