88 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. To his brother Abraham, he said : " The blessing of the God ofAbraham rest upon thee. The Lordmake thee the father of many spiritual children." To his brother Joseph he said : " Let him bless thee, 0 Joseph, who blessed him that was separated. from his brethren. My heart hath been working towards thee, poor Joseph ; and I am not without hopes that the arms of the Almightywill embrace thee. The God of thy father bless thee. To his sister Mary he said : " Poor sister Mary, thy body is weak, and thy days will be filled with bitterness. The Lord sweeten all with his grace and peace, and give thee health of soul. Be patient; make sure of Christ; and all is well." To Sarah he said : " Sister Sarah, thy body is strong and healthful. 0 that thy soul may be so too ! The Lordmake thee a pattern of modesty, humility, and holiness." To his brother Jacob he said : " The Lord make thee an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. 0 that thou mayest learn to wrestle with God, and not go without a blessing !" And of his youngest brother Benjamin, then an infant, he said : " Poor little Benjamin ! 0 that the Father of the fatherless would take care of thee ; and that thouwho hast never seen thy father on earth, may see him with joy in heaven. The Lord be thy father and thy portion." He then said to them all : " 0 that none of us may be found among the unconverted in the day of judgment ! 0 that we may all appear, with our honoured father and dear mother, before Christ with joy; and that they may say, ' Lord, here are we, and the children whom thou hast given us !' 0 that we may live to God here, and live with God hereafter. And now, my dear mother, brethren, and sisters, farewell. I leave you a short time. /commend you to God, and to the word ofhis grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them which are sancted. And now, dear Lord, my work is done. I have fought a goodfight, I have finished my course, I have kept thefaith,: henceforth there is laid upfor me the crown righteousness. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly; " of he presently departed. He died in the, month of June, 1657, in the twenty-fourth year of his age ; when his remains, were interred in Kelshall church, where his father had been minister. The foregoing account of this extraordinary young man was originallypublished with the recommendatory testimonial
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