About the same time he wrote down in two columns on a piece of paper the reasons why he should not be sorry to leave the world. One of these columns contains the blessings which death would procure, viz. 1st. that you will come to the light; 2nd. that you will see God; 3rd. that you will contemplate the Son of God; 4th. that you will understand those admirable mysteries which you could not comprehend in the present life; 5th. that we shall know why we are created such as we are; 6th. that we shall comprehend the union of the two natures in Jesus Christ. The second column assigned two reasons why we should not regret departure from the world; 1st. because you will sin no more; 2nd. because you will be no longer exposed to the vexations of controversy, and the rage of theologians.

It appears from the testimony of the professors at Wittemberg, in their narrative of his death, that Melancthon frequently intimated his conviction that he should not survive his sixty-third year; and a few months previous to his decease, he wrote a distich in an anticipation of the approaching event, containing a prayer that he might be enabled to the last to rejoice in his God.

The last journey he performed was to Leipsic on April 6th, for the purpose of attending the annual examination of the students of divinity, who were supported by the munificence of the Elector; from which service he returned on the ninth. Although

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the season was inclement he appeared to feel no inconvenience on his way thither, but while there he was suddenly seized during dinner with great illness, but the symptoms quickly disappeared. Upon his return he complained of the severity of the north wind, and the cold humidity of the atmosphere, which he said, he had not felt so much during the whole winter; and the motion of the carriage had made him painfully sensitive. The night of April 7, was the first in which his last fatal disorder manifested itself. He was restless from want of sleep, and became afflicted by a considerable and general debility. is cough was extremely troublesome, and the fever which eventually terminated his days began to attack him.

About six o'clock in the morning, his son-in-law, Dr. Peucer, came to see him, and immediately intimated the great alarm he felt at the situation of his father. It was determined instantly to send the melancholy information of his danger to the friend of his heart, Joachim Camerarius, with whom he had lived in the closest friendship for upwards of forty years.

After this he wrote several letters, and used the medical remedies which his son-in-law applied. Having been some time silent, he at length exclaimed. " If such be the will of God, I can willingly die; and I beseech him to grant me a joyful dismission," alluding

to the song of Simeon, " Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." He dwelt upon the word peace, and prayed for such a removal.

At nine, the usual hour for the commencement of his public duties in the University, he rose from his seat, and began to prepare for going down to deliver a lecture on logic, which exercise he thought he could endure for half an hour, if he afterwards used the bath; and he felt unwilling to desist from his public labours. When he was going to wash his hands, his weakness was such, that he almost fell by the effort upon his knees, which occasioning some bustle, "Oh!" said he, " my lamp is almost out." Some of his friends thought it would be expedient to prevent the attendance of the students by issuing private orders to them not to fill up their places, in order that when Melancthon went to lecture, he might be induced to return, and relinquish the idea of persevering; but he appeared so anxious that it was believed this proceeding would be likely to produce a worse effect, by agitating his mind, than the exertion itself; he was, therefore, allowed on this and some following days to attend in his place. But in delivering his lecture, his weakness rendered it impossible for him to occupy more than a quarter of an hour. Upon his return home he went into the warm bath, and after taking his dinner he slept very soundly for three hours, and was so revived that a hope was

entertained of his recovery. He employed himself before supper in writing, but his debility afterwards returning, annihilated the pleasing hopes that had been cherished.

He did not yet desist from any of his usual employments; and after this period continued to dictate in the second part of his Chronicon.

On the 10th of April he appeared to be totally free from his former disease, but was attacked by a semitertian fever or ague. Though it was of considerable importance he should be kept quiet, yet such was his ardour, that having discovered that the senate of the university was convened at the hour of twelve, he could not be dissuaded from attending what he believed to be his public duty. As several disputes arose he spoke with great zeal on the subject, for the purpose of promoting peace and reconciliation.

Although extremely debilitated, yet on the morning of the 11th of the month, he rose early, and at six as usual on festival days, delivered a lecture on the last prayer of the Saviour, recorded in the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of St. John. He dir vided the prayer of Christ into three parts, as embracing so many distinct objects; namely, 1st. that a Church should exist in the world; 2nd. that it might be distinguished by its unity and concord; 3rd. that his people might be heirs of the salvation and eternal life which belongs to the heavenly Church. A few days previous to this he had en

treated his hearers to remember after his decease some passage or passages to which he particularly directed their attention in this last prayer; and after repeating the above division, he said impressively, "İ am a dying man, and these are the three subjects for intercession with God, which I leave to my children and their little ones:-That they may form a part of his Church and worship him aright; that they may be one in him, and live in harmony with each other; and that they may be fellow heirs of eternal life!"

On the 12th of April, 1560, he delivered his final lecture on the words of the prophet Isaiah, liii. 1. "Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" On the same day he wrote part of a hymn in Latin, which his weakness rendered him incapable of finishing.

During the night he enjoyed a comfortable repose, and was heard to chaunt in his sleep in the same manner in which the same words were usually repeated in public, "with desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer." He rose at three in the morning, and applied himself to complete his Chronicon. But from this period he rapidly declined; still anxious however to persevere to the last in the assiduous discharge of his academical duties, two days afterwards, on the 14th of the same month, he would have attempted to deliver another public lecture, had he not been prevented by the urgent persuasions of his friend Camerarius, who