“A few hours before her death she desired me to read that hymn,

“‘To him that loved the souls of men,’ etc,

Also,

“‘Come, let us join our cheerful songs,’ etc.

She asked if I thought she would continue long.  I said, No, my dear, you will very soon be with Jesus; and encouraged her as the Lord enabled me.  She repeated the question some time after, and I gave her the same answer.  She then said, ‘This night?’ I answered, Yes, my love, this night.  She bowed her head with a sweet smile, laid it in a reclining posture, and set herself to wait with patience the Lord’s time.  She was very much oppressed, and breathed with much difficulty.  Some time after she asked me to pray, which I did, and begged that the Lord would increase her faith and patience, and, if according to his will, give her a gentle passage and an abundant entrance.  In a short time her breathing became short and low; she shut her eyes and gently breathed weaker and weaker, till her God delivered her without motion or groan.  I was on my knees praying.  I then thanked God for his goodness in this sweet dismission; prayed for the husband, the children, the two young men present, and us all, gave glory to God, and rose to watch to future duty.

“O my God, is not my own death at hand?  It is a hard battle.  My Jesus, thou knowest the struggle.  I too must drink of this cup; mix it for me, my Redeemer.  O let a full sense of free pardon, the recollection of the great and precious promises, a bright view of the joys at God’s right hand, as the fruit of thy death, be applied to my soul in that awful hour.  Holy Spirit, pour in the oil and wine of thy consolations in that trying hour.  O let me not be straitened.  Open wide to my soul the leaves of that well-ordered covenant, of which Christ himself is the sum and substance.  Redeeming God, may I experience proof in that solemn hour, that ’thy flesh is meat indeed, and thy blood is drink indeed.’  O feed me with this living food; may I feel life spring up in my soul, and be assured that I shall ’never die.’  O my God, grant one more request.  Open my lips, and let them, as well as my heart, be filled with the high praises of my redeeming God.

“I know I am unworthy; the vilest of the vile; but magnify thy grace.  I have much forgiven; O let my heart burn with love and gratitude in that hour, and my lips utter its effusions in songs of praise.  Amen.

“When the short thick breathing comes, and the slow fetches, sealing up speech and expelling the spirit from its abode, O let me hear or understand thee saying unto me, ‘It is I, be not afraid.’”

“JANUARY, 1810.

“’Come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.  After two days will he revive us, in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.’

“O Lord, turn us and we shall be turned, draw us and we will run after thee.  Revive us, and we shall live in thy sight.  Thou must ever be first.  It is in our nature to backslide for ever:  and whenever we see a backslider restored, or a rebel lay down the weapons of rebellion, there we may trace thy footsteps, O God of grace.