farewell. Not to her only, but to his wife and son, and every sublunary scene, this venerable old man took leave before he departed this world for the habitations of eternal rest and joy. And when, from the number of his years, his health had been broken down and debilitated, becoming every day more infirm, he prepared himself for immortal life, commending his soul, which he possessed in patience, into the hands of God who gave it. The Pastors of the French Church came to converse with him in his last moments, and poured forth their prayers for him: to all of them, the pious and learned Morin, following the examples of our Saviour and his disciple St. John, commended peace, concord, and mutual love; and thus, in the presence of his wife, not without tears and sighs, he took his last farewell, thenceforth directing all his thoughts to religious meditations. He said with Jacob, "I have waited for thy salvation O Lord;" with St. Paul," I desire to be dissolved, and to be with thee O Christ;" with St. Stephen, "receive my spirit;" with Christ himself, "into thy hands, O Father, I commend my spirit." Nor were his petitions offered up in vain, he hoped in God, in him only and his Son, in whose merits he placed all his trust; he knew that his Redeemer lived, and that he should with his own eyes behold him face to face in the heaven of heavens. Relying on this faith, full of hope, and engaged in sacred meditations, he now perceived death approaching step by step. He fell as though into a

deep sleep, without any pain, without one groan, or any symptom of suffering; and thus placidly and He who had ever tranquilly departed this life.

loved peace, he who had always lived in peace, departed as he had lived, with an unclouded and untroubled mind *.

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

REV. WILLIAM BURKITT, M.A.

Died October 24, 1703, aged about 53.

Let us seriously lay to heart, that our time in this world is but a short eve to an everlasting sabbath.-CLARENDON TRACT.

VICAR and Lecturer of Dedham, in Essex. A seven days' conflict with a very malignant fever carried him off. He was, according to his desire, taken with his death-sickness upon a Lord's-day, when he was in the service of God at Church, and he went to keep his everlasting Sabbath upon the Lord's day after, about eleven of the clock in the forenoon, where he rests from his labours, and his works will follow him.

When he came to lie upon his death-bed, there was a sweet calmness and serenity upon his spirit, and expression of his glorious hopes: I will give you his words to me, when he took his solemn leave

Francii oratio xxxiii in funere Stephani Morini, fol. 509 et 518, &c.

8

66

of me on the Friday night after the fit was returned that proved fatal; they were these, "I shall leave you, but may the presence of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be with you; may the presence of the whole Trinity be with you: I hope to see you again with joy at the resurrection of the just." And he added, What you have seen in me that is good and imitable, follow it; but what you have observed in me that is not so, let not your affection and love to me sway you to do it."

When his friends about him bewailed their great loss, which they feared was coming upon them by his departure, he desired them not to be too much concerned for him; "for to him," he said, "to live would be Christ, and to die would be gain" and added, "that God would provide for them."

He blessed God that he had finished what he designed upon the New Testament, and that the way of it was prepared and ushered in with very many prayers of his; and he hoped, through God's blessing it would prove beneficial to many, and especially to his own people.

There were several persons by his dying bed, who having declared that under God he had been the instrument of their conversion, put him into an ecstacy of joy. So happily fruitful was his ministry.

His patience in his last sickness was very exemplary he declared that God made his sick bed easy to him, and said, "he had preached patience, and wrote of patience, and, therefore, was bound to prac

tise patience. His frame was a continual course of prayer, thanksgiving, and cheerful resignation to the will of God.

He counselled those about him to remember what he had instructed them in from the pulpit, and in private, and that they would order their lives agreeably thereunto, this natural temper was of the happiest and best sort, cheerful enough, and withal very seriThis holy man, a very little time before his expiring breath, signifying his desire to leave this life, prayed in these words, "Come Lord Jesus *."

ous.

BOURDALOUE.

Died May 13, 1704, aged 71-2.

Thou art made of the same earth, livest upon the same products, and shalt return to the same dust with them, perhaps— this very day! ST. BERNARD.

THIS celebrated preacher felt unwell on the 11th of May, and from the first day of his illness he discovered that he was struck with death. He did not lose his usual presence of mind in this imminent danger; and it would be difficult to shew more courage and constancy than appeared in his conduct. His malady was an internal and very malignant fever,

Life by Nathaniel Parkhurst, Vicar of Yoxford, in Suffolk, October, 1707. Biog. Dict.

A a

preceded by a bad cough, which he had for many weeks, during which his zeal did not allow him to take so much care as was necessary; for, ill as he was, he did not give up preaching; nor, according to custom, hearing confessions. But at last he was obliged to cease. On Sunday, after having with great difficulty performed mass, he was obliged to go to bed. Although he guessed his situation, he desired, notwithstanding, to be told candidly the opinion of the physicians; they informed him, as he wished; and without waiting till the person who told him had concluded, he said, "That is enough, I understand you; I must now do what I have preached and exhorted others to do*"

JOHN LOCKE,

Died October 18, 1704, aged 72.

We lodge in a moveable tent, and are travellers and strangers in a foreign land, but we are free denizens of heaven, and our home and all our privileges and properties are there.

ST. AUGUSTINE.

THE celebrated author of "The Essay on Human Understanding." Mr. Locke's strength began to fail him more remarkably than ever, at the entrance of the summer of the year 1703, and he seemed

*Life of Bourdaloue.