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1710. charity towards my neighbour; so long I may pre

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serve the grace that is given me, of remission and 'justification: and that if I die in this state, I am "in the way of obtaining by it the mercy of God, "and eternal life and salvation for the sake of Jesus "Christ. I believe yet that I may fall away; and "after having received the Holy Ghost, may, as our "church speaketh, depart from grace: and that "therefore I ought to work out my salvation with "fear and trembling. I believe also, that in the

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Gospel there is pardon promised to all that fall, "let it be never so often, so that they do, before "their death, renew their repentance, and do again "their first works; but then there is not any where "promised to them either space of life, or grace, "that they may repent. I believe there is given to "some persons a certain extraordinary grace, ac"cording to the good pleasure of God; but I ac"count it the greatest madness, for any one there"fore to presume upon such a grace, or to challenge ought for himself, beyond the promises of God "which are made in the Gospel. And lastly, it is

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my firm belief, that throughout the whole course "of my salvation, from the very first setting out, "to the end thereof, the grace and assistance of "God's Spirit is absolutely necessary: and that I "never have done, and never can do, any spiritual good without Christ, is my full and certain per"suasion."

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This is the confession of his faith, which he had made about four and thirty years before to all the world, and to which he now adhered at his death; even as to those very articles wherein he stood most of all suspected for some time, and for the explica

tion of which in his books he was loudly but injudi- 1710. ciously censured by a great many, as hath been before observed, for approaching too near Pelagianism and Socinianism. For because he was not for making the grace of God a cloak for man's idleness; and was of the opinion, that none ought to expect it, but they that pray for it, and none could reap the fruit of it, but they who added watching to it; this was misconstrued as a detracting from grace, and a depreciating of the most precious blood of Christ, notwithstanding all his remonstrances to the contrary. In pursuance, therefore, of those principles he had so well defended in his health, and in conformity with the church's directions, this close of his life, and last most solemn act of it, designed to recapitulate the whole, was exactly by him adjusted: while to his faith he added thus repentance, and to repentance charity, as the life and soul of them both; and casting himself, after having done all, upon the infinite mercies of God, and the inestimable merits of Christ, with the deepest sense of his own unworthiness, thereby expressed the true and only way of justification which he had chosen. Of which he had long before said, "This is the way of salvation, which by God's grace I have entered into, or at least have desired to enter into, which I have therefore chosen, because it is clearly set forth to me in the holy Scriptures, and is a trodden and a safe way, which all catholic Christians, for fifteen hundred years at least from our Saviour's birth, have trodden before me: and which was now ratified by this his last authentic act and deed,

1710. made before many witnesses. For having now solemnly professed his faith, that he might testify to them his earnest desire of dying in the communion of the apostles; and adored the most wise and gracious providence of God towards him, upon a faithful review of the good and evil of his life past, from his first setting out, to the last period of it; he gave glory to God in the profound humiliation of his soul, and by suitable acts of contrition, adapted to the several parts of his life, magnified the grace of his Redeemer, calling upon him by faith with great fervency, for inward purification and perfect remission of his sins. Which devout acts and aspirations, expressing the sincerity of his faith and repentance, he signified in the style of all the saints, and concluded in the very words of the prophet David, Who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret faults.

His charity,

After this, the good bishop expressed his charity and forgive-in all the branches of it, as far as he was then able mies. to do it; namely, in an hearty desire of forgiveness

ness ene

His profes

sion con

from all those whom he had offended or misused, and in a cheerful readiness to forgive those who had done him any hurt or injury. As to the other branch of charity, that of giving, he had done it in so generous and plentiful a manner all his lifetime, that he did not express any great concern, that the circumstances of his family were now such, as would not admit of any act of charity of this kind: this he concluded likewise with suitable prayers and intercessions.

In the last place he professed, that as he had alcerning the ways lived, so he was now resolved to die, in the Church of communion of the Church of England; and declared,

England.

that he believed that it was the best constituted 1710. church this day in the world; for that its doctrine, government, and way of worship, were, in the main, the same with those of the primitive church. Here he put up some prayers for its peace and prosperity; and declaring again, that he was resolved to die in its communion, he desired absolution, and received it as before mentioned. And it is no wonder that on his deathbed the good bishop professed such an high esteem for the Church of England, since in the time of his health and greatest vigour he was used to express his zealous concern for her after the following manner: "I would not be so presumptuous "as to say positively, that I am able to bear so great "a trial; but according to my sincere thoughts of

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myself, I could, through God's assistance, lay down "my life, upon condition that all those who dissent "from the Church of England were united in her "communion."

ner of his

solemn

LXXX. The evening before he departed, his son- The manin-law, Mr. Archdeacon Stephens', arrived from a taking his great journey, upon the news he received of his leave. dangerous illness. The bishop embraced him with great satisfaction, when he raised himself up in his

[Rev. Joseph Stephens, archdeacon of Brecon and vicar of Clyro in Radnorshire. He was also rector of Suddington, where he died in 1735, and on his monument there we read-Hoc unicum illius memoriæ tradi sufficiat, quod doctissimo Præsuli Geo. Bullo et Patrono ejus munificentissimo charus fuit, negotiisque maximi momenti conjunctissimus. He married Anne the eldest of the bishop's daughters, who died in 1703, aged 41, and her epitaph in the church of Suddington St. Mary speaks of her as Mulieris patre suo dignæ, utpote eximia pietate gratiisque omnibus quæ sexum ornant ornatissimæ.]

1710. bed to give him his blessing. When Mr. Stephens expressed his great sorrow and concern, to find him in so great misery by the complaints he made, he told him, "he had endured a great deal, that he did "not think he had so much strength of nature, but "that now it was near being spent, and that in "God's good time he should be delivered." And when Mr. Stephens, in order to support him, urged that his reward would be great in heaven, the good bishop replied, "My trust is in God, through the "merits of Christ." And being prevented from enlarging, by the exquisiteness of his pains, he desired Mr. Stephens to retire, and refresh himself after his journey. Some little time after this, he told those that were about him, that he perceived he had some symptoms of the near approach of death; and ordered them to call the doctor to him. And when he came, he told him he thought he felt himself a dying; to which the doctor answered, that he could not say he would live many hours. Upon this, he sent for his wife and children, and the rest of his family, and desired them to pray with him and for him. And when prayers were over, he took his solemn leave of every one in particular; giving each of them some serious exhortation and advice. And this being done, he gave them his benediction, and dismissed them.

His care

and affection for

those that

waited

He was moreover very careful, that none might do themselves an injury by their zealous attendance upon him, while they were not capable of doing him upon him. any farther good. Wherefore he charged his wife, as he did also his son-in-law, Mr. Stephens, to retire to their rest and when the doctor offered to continue with him in his last hours, after their dismission,