LIVES OF THE PURITANS. and desire that mine may be forgiven.' I heartily and humbly ask forgiveness." When it was intimated that his conversation had been unblameable, he said, " No ; I dare not affirm it. I trust in nothing but in the name of Jesus Christ; yet I would not be pressed to a particular assurance in this grievous agony. Indeed," said he, " I have been bold to argue thus with God : if he bath sheaved mercy to such and such, why should not I likewise have hope. The Lord is merciful tome, and I have cause of rejoicing." Dr. Airay coming to see him, he complained of his sin and misery; and when the doctor signified that he looked pot for any thing in himself to recommend him to God, he said, " No, nothing." To a number of young gentlemen who came to see Min, he said, " Live in the fear of God, that you may die in his favour. Otherwise the ox and the ass will condemn you. I spent my time foolishly and pro- digally." When it was observed that he had remembered this sufficiently, and was advised to remember Christ also, he said, " That is true. Christ is to be remembered, and our sins are to be remembered also." About two hours before his death he expressed himself to those about him as follows You all expect that I should declare what I think of my own salvation. Truly God it for ever so endearingly tender, and so inconceivably merci- ful to all those whom he hath once loved, that he doth never finally forsake them. Therefore I am assured that I shall go to heaven. Happy, thrice happy are those fetters ofafilic-, tion in which my gracious God bath tied and bound me." A friend having said to him, " You have fought a good fight," he answered, "It is requisite, it is requisite that I should contend for heaven. Lift me up ; help me out; carry me hence that I may go to heaven. God dothfavour- ably accept the endeavoursofhis saints." Being reminded of God's great mercy to him, he said, " Oh, the sea is not so full of water, nor the sun oflight, as God is of goodness. His mercy is ten thousand times more. I do, God be praised, feel such comfortin this, that if I had five thousand worlds, I could not make recompense for such an issue. How shall I extol the munificence of God, which is um. speakable, and more than any heart can conceive I Let us, with humble reverence, acknowledge his great mercy. -What great cause have I to magnify thegoodness of God, who hath humbled, nay, rather hath exalted so wretcheda miscreant, and of sobase a condition, to anestate so glorious and stately ! The. Lord," said he, hath honoured me
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