As frequently as his breath allowed him, he continued to animate his attendants, especially those who were members of his church; observing to them, the ground of their hope must be the same as his, the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. He added, "Oh, live near to God; that is the way to live comfortable, and die happy." Sometime after, seeing him unappalled by the rapid approach of death, one of them enquired into his present views of the gospel; he answered,

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"Firm as the earth thy gospel stands,

My Lord, my hope, my trust;

If I am found in Jesu's hands,

My soul can ne'er be lost!"

One saying, How blessed it is to have nothing to do in a dying moment? he replied, " If I am saved, it must be as a poor sinner, by grace alone." In the evening, one of his deacons enquired if he preferred any text, from which his death might be improved to his people; he said, "No;" but pausing a moment, added, "except that which has been my living doctrine, and is now my dying hope: It is a faithful say ing, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.' Give my love to my church, and say, that I wish them a better and more faithful pastor." On account of his frequent convulsions, and the agitation of his mind on seeing Mrs. Jackson, together with her very weak state, their friends kept her from his chamber the greater part of the day; but hoping an interview in his present happy frame might prove to her a source of future consolation, she was introduced; but it proved a scene too painful for either; and he could only say, as she was carried out, "My dear Mary, I commit you to the care of a covenant God." On a relative's leaving his room about eleven o'clock, he impressively said, "Mary, I have always loved you; be kind to my wife and children. Good night: good night for ever!"

His convulsions now succeeded quicker and with greater violence; nature continued to struggle, and grace to triumph. A few days before, he had said to a friend, "I do not wish the stroke lighter;" and in his last minutes, on telling another that he had never before known bodily affliction, he added,

"He will not always chide;

And when his strokes are felt,

His strokes are fewer than our crimes,
And lighter than our guilt."

At his urgent request he was again assisted to his chair; and, when seated, he said, "Once more, and I shall cease to trouble you :-you take great pains to keep a worthless crea ture here, but it is in vain." As he was guided back to his bed, he prayed," O Lord, cut short thy work in righteousness, and let ine enter into rest!-Lord Jesus receive my spirit!" On lying

down, he looked up on his attending friends, and seeing them much affected, said, "You must be pleased with your Father;" and, turning on his side, was again convulsed, and received the accomplishment of his last petition; thus illustrating his own remarks on a funeral occasion, That the departure of good men naturally tends to impress us with the vanity of life, to convince us of the worth of religion, to affect us with the preciousness of Jesus, to deliver us from the fear of death,and to animate us in the expectation of eternity.

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Grace in the heart, like the process of the laboratory, converts the most deadly poisons into salutary medicine. Strong powers, with impetuous passions, indefatigable diligence, and obstinate perseverance, distinguished the successive stages of Mr. Jackson's childhood and youth.

These characteristic traits, so, dangerous while unrestrained by religion, became, under its benign influence, by separating the evil from the good, most subservient to a successful ministry. While the courage of the lion, and the wisdom of the serpent are retained, the ferocity of the former is converted into the harmlessness of the lamb, and the venom of the latter into the innocency of the dove. Such was the change Divine Grace effected on Mr. Jackson's mind, that the most intimate friend of his last years never witnessed an ebullition of anger, naturally so prominent in his temper.

His acquaintances were numerous, and his friendships not a few. Like the oak, they were of slow growth, but strong and durable. He was accustomed to remark, that he had never lost a friend. If he erred respecting them, it was in his persevering efforts to excuse their faults, or bear them through the difficulties they had to encounter. The poor ever found him an earnest advocate and a warm friend; whose liberality abounded with the increase of his means.

In the pulpit he had few equals, and still fewer superiors. Whatever subject he took up was thoroughly investigated. He read and reflected much; was always full, and ready. If in preaching he had a fault, it was excess; and yet his divisions were so just and natural, so comprehensively expressed, and eminently simple, that an attentive hearer could, without pain, carry away nearly his whole discourse. He was peculiarly happy in exhibiting divine truth in its own most lively colours. At times, bis hearers were induced, reversing the apostle's order, to consider eternal things as visible, while they experienced present ones as obscured; and were ready to exclaim," Let us make tents, that we may abide here." But while the saint was thus carried, on the wing of divine contemplation, into the bo som of his Saviour, the sinner's heart was alarmed with fearful anticipation of fiery indignation.

In the neighbouring churches he was highly esteemed, for his great prudence and wisdom in council; and among

his

brethren, the solidity of his judgment, and the urbanity of his manners, gave weight to his opinion, and pointed him out as their adviser in every difficulty.

He read on almost every subject, and converted every thing he read to some useful purpose. He carefully examined sentiments before he appropriated them; was a decided defender of what he esteemed to be truth, but always a liberal opponent." As a private Christian he ranked high, uniformly living very near to God, and usually feeling the sweet effect of his heavenly intercourse in his own frame and temper. God honoured his private devotion with public enlargement. To a friend, a short time before his death, he observed, That he had not known, for eighteen months, an unpleasant season in public prayer.

Full of fruit, in the midst of usefulness, and in the prime of life, he "finished his course with joy" but only to himself. The most unfeigned concern was visible throughout the town, as well in those that differed from him in religious sentiment, as in the members of his own congregation. Every token of respect was manifested at his interinent; which, at the solicitations of his people, was conducted by themselves. The ministers, residing within twenty miles, preceded his corpse, and his congregation followed. Mr. Morren, of Shaftsbury, and Mr. Kingdon, of Frome, prayed; and Mr. Sibree delivered the funeral oration. Mr. Wilks, of London, preached a funeralsermon on the succeeding Sabbath evening.

The pulpit and galleries were hung with black on the occa-' sion; and an elegant monument will testify to posterity the affliction of his people in the following lines:

This tablet records

the mournful feelings of This Church and Congregation,

On the death of their beloved Pastor
the Rev. EDWARD DUDLEY JACKSON,

who entered into rest Oct. 3, 1803, aged thirty-four years;
(and whose inortal remains
are deposited in the vault beneath.)
Superior talents, an amiable disposition,
glowing zeal, and eminent success,
distinguished his labours

during a residence of near ten years
in this part of the Lord's vineyard.
The cross of Christ was his glory;
Salvation by Him alone was his doctrine;
and that faith

which worketh by love,

and produceth the fruits of holiness,
was his constant and delightful theme.
Such was the preacher:as a Christian,
his life was a continued sermon;
and the end of this excellent man

was peace.

Q may his death a lesson still impart,

And write" PREPARE TO DIE" on ev'ry heart!

MISSIONARY WISH OF DR. DODDRIDGE.

THIS excellent man, in his "Family Expositor," makes some Reflec tions on the Third Epistle of St. John, verses five to eight, which breathe the true spirit of Christian Philanthropy; the insertion of which may be acceptable and useful.

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy charity before the church; whom, if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well; because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We, therefore, ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth.

"May sentiments of true generosity fill and expand our hearts more and more! May we act toward strangers, and especially our brethren, in all the instances in which they need our assistance, in a manner worthy of God, worthy of the reJation in which we and they have the honour to stand to our Heavenly Father! and especially let our love abound to those who have a desire to spread the gospel! And O, that it were more universal! O that divine grace would excite more to quit the indulgence of their homes, or their countries, if there be no bond of duty to detain them there, that they may go and preach to the Gentiles! And though there may be no prospect of any requital from them, God will open to them the inexhaustible stores of his celestial treasure, and they shall be recompensed in the resurrection of the just! Let them but see to it, that their intentions are pure, that they do it for his sake, and their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."

APOSTACY IN PROFESSORS OF RELIGION.

THERE have been always many professors of religion (and great ones too) destitute of grace, The church has been imposed upon by such persons, in all ages; for it has admitted numbers of them to its communion. Nay, the apostles themselves, though endowed with extraordinary gifts, were frequently deceived by them, They ordained Nicholas a deacon; Demas was the companion of St. Paul; Hymeneus and Alexander, Phygelius and Hermogenes were highly respected by him. The deception lasted, in some instances, for a shorter, in others for a longer time; and, in many instances, was probably never discovered: from whence we may inler, That a mere professor may speak and act in such a way as to impose upon the most judicions and discerning Christians; he may possess great gifts, and be called perhaps to the ministry, and made useful.

I apprehend that mere professors are not always aware of

their hypocrisy. It is a sin that lies deep, and works much in secret. A designing hypocrite is undoubtedly conscious of hypocrisy; yet many are fatally deceived thereby, who are not at all suspicious of their danger: they have something very like religion, feelings which very much resemble those of the people of God: they have the exact counterfeit of grace; and as they have never experienced the reality, they are the less able to discover that it is only the counterfeit. Or they may play the hypocrite, designedly at first, till God is provoked to punish them with judicial blindness; making theni fall miserable victims to their own hypocrisy.

I think, however, there is frequently something in these persons, calculated to awaken a suspicion of their sincerity; yet not always. When nothing suspicious appears, I believe it is commonly attributable to one or other of these causes. There is a natural amiableness of disposition, or agreeableness of manners, which, when softened, refined, and polished by the common operations of the Spirit, appears more beautiful and lovely than grace itself, when the temper is rugged and the manners coarse. There is an easiness of disposition, a want of character, which causes people to take their complexion from those with whom they associate. There is a natural warmth of feeling and affection, which looks very like love to God and zeal for his glory, when the inclinations take a religious turn; and there is sometimes a designing head and a dissembling heart, which uses religion merely as an instrument to promote its personal and worldly interests. Frequently, however, there is something which marks them for doubtful characters, and, in most instances, of notorious declension or apostacy; the sinful propensity which occasions it, is discoverable before the declension, or apostacy, itself is apparent. Indeed, in the cases of designing hypocrites, the apostacy is very often sudden; the mask is worn most carefully, just before it is thrown off. These, I think, are some of the most common symptoms. They like to talk about doctrinal subjects much better than about experimental and practical; and when it happens that they converse upon them, it is with reference to ethers; seldom to themselves. Their conversation is rather dry than savoury and profitable. There is something in their manner inconsistent with the Spirit of Christ. There is an apparent conceit of, and complacency in, themselves: they' seem to possess their own good opinion:- there is a sort of supercilious pride, and contempt of others. An attentive observer may perceive, that Self is too prominent; either Selfconceit or Self-interest. Their religion seems more for shew than use. If you catch them off their guard in private, they are not the same men that they are in public; and their good qualities are partial, not universal; the offspring of some naturally amiable dispositions, not of sanctifying grace. There are several causes which may induce people to profess

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