Let pity, dress'd in tender love,
Look down in mercy from above;
No hand but thine can e'er restore
The deepest loss we can deplore.
Yet hear the penitential prayer;
In rich compassion still appear:
Oh! lift our drooping spirits up
And yet revive our dying hope.

[Mr. Sprightly then adds.] And it was in attempting to sing these last stanzas, all were so affected that they could not sing any more.

Wor. But I hope, Sir, you will give us the rest of your hymn.

Loveg. Sir, there were but two stanzas more, and I cannot recollect them.

Wor. Well, Sir, I hope you will let us see the whole of your hymn on another day. But how did you get through the funeral sermon on the Sunday.

Loveg. O Sir! the church-yard was crowded an hour before the Church doors were opened; and I was actually obliged to get in at the window behind the pulpit and reading desk to perform my office, while I was under the necessity of hiring Mr. Anything to read the prayers, as I found preaching the sermon would be quite enough for me.

Wor. What was your subject?

Loveg. "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men.' And when I had to give the outlines of his character, as a truly godly man, I was frequently interrupted at the consideration, that so many excellencies were now completely lost to us, while the body which possessed them was buried out of our sight; the remembrance of them being

* Psalm xii.

all that was left for us to improve, that we might follow him, as he followed Christ; and that it was an awful judgment, when such godly men were taken from us as a deprivation of the greatest blessing we could enjoy.

Wor. Did you say much concerning the astonishing change that had been wrought upon him?

Loveg. Being myself much concerned in that event, my remarks on that subject were rather general, than particular. All the parish who had seen him in both states, had a much stronger exemplification of the power of divine grace on the human heart, than any words of mine could have illustrated. But my principal aim was, (as far as I could aim at any thing, through the overflowings of my affection,) to excite the people to cry earnestly to the Lord, for his help, who alone could appear for them as a congregation, under such a loss; and who had grace and power enough to create and send forth a thousand like him, whenever he might choose.

Wor. I suppose you quoted much of what he said in his dying moments: we generally receive all such expressions as being of the most solemn importance.

Bri. [To Mr. Lovegood.] As the duty at Brookfield prevented my being with him during the last days of his life, I should be thankful if you would tell me what those expressions were, especially such of them as you introduced into the funeral sermon.

Wor. I hope you mentioned the interview we had with him about three days before his death; when we had our apprehensions, that his dissolution was near at hand.

Bri. O Sir! let me hear it.

Loveg. Why, Sir, after uttering many delightful things, though almost breathless, and ready to faint away in the

arms of death, I cannot express with what rapture he uttered the following lines :

While he thus lay panting for breath, he paused for a while, and then apparently in a greater rapture still, he further added:

He by himself hath sworn,

(I on his oath depend ;)

I shall on eagles' wings upborne
To heav'n ascend;

I shall behold his face;
I shall his pow'r adore;

And sing the wonders of his grace
For evermore.

Bri. What blessed lines to hang upon the lips of 'a dying man, just entering into glory. Did you tell the congregation any thing further of what he said?

Loveg. After he had quoted the hymn I mentioned that he was seized with a violent fit of coughing, which produced a considerable degree of expectoration, and he seeing the discharge tinged with blood, repeated these lines :*

He shed a thousand drops for me;
A thousand drops of richer blood:
Here's love and grief beyond degree,
The Lord of glory dies for man :
But lo! what sudden joys we see,
Jesus the dead revives again.

"Blessed be God he is my resurrection and my life;' and through him my soul has been quickened, which was dead in trespasses and sins, and through his grace, I can trust him with my dying body also. This corruption shall soon put on incorruption; and this mortal, shall soon put on immortality; and then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.'" He could not repeat any more of that delightful passage; but next added, "Blessed be God, death is nothing to me: but, oh! my dear wife and child, and flock! what will they do?" He dropped a tear, and added, "Well, well, I must leave them all with him who is the Father of the fatherless, and the widow's friend." And when I again told the people of this, his holy anxiety for the salvation of their souls, they were again as much affected as myself.

Wor. No wonder at it; every day he seemed to be increasing in usefulness among the people.

Spri. But, dear Sir, you have not mentioned that after that fit of coughing, he fell into a doze, and what he said when he awoke out of it. That seemed to affect the people more than any thing you said before.

Loveg. Such a heaven in any man's countenance, while he was taking his rest, I think I never beheld before; and in his doze the nurse came in, and that awoke him. He cried, "Oh! who has pulled me down? why did you pull me down? I thought I was just entering into the presence-chamber of my Lord; and that I was full of singing; while there were thousands of singing spirits with me, and oh! how delightful the music was! while we

all sang 'Unto him that hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.'" I found the repetition of this was quite enough for us all: on this subject I could say no more, while it was too much for the people to hear any more. Here I was obliged to pause, till I had sufficient spirits to tell the congregation what were the last words he uttered, while I was standing by his bed on the Sunday evening in which he died : "I feel I am going; all is well. By faith, I can say as Stephen said, 'Behold, I see the heavens open, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.' I shall there see as I am seen, and know as I am known, and shall be for ever with the Lord."" After this, you know we did not stand by him more than five minutes, before he turned up his eyes, and without a sigh, or a groan, breathed his last.

Bri. And after all, what a short sample was given of the gracious things that dropped from his lips at different times! I trust I never shall forget, with what earnestness he pressed me, whenever I could come to visit him, to urge upon the people of Sandover, nothing but the divine realities of religion, by illustrating the glories of that faith, which regenerates the heart, and directs us to live alone to the glory of God.

Lovey. But it appeared to me, that nothing could so completely display the excellency of his mind, beyond what passed between him and his poor careless father, when he came to visit him in this house, about three weeks before his death. Though he was much agitated at the thoughts of seeing him, yet his wise and affectionate, though respectful regard to a parent, while he addressed him with the greatest faithfulness, brought many a tear from the old man's eyes.

Bri. Were you with them all the time?