lay my burning pain. Oh, if my patience were more, my pains would be less; Lord give me patience, and inflict what thou wilt. This is a fiery chariot, but it will carry me to heaven. O my God, break open the prison-door, and set my poor captive soul free: I de sire to be dissolved, but enable me willingly to wait thy time." He would cry again, "When shall the time come, that I shall neither sin more nor sorrow more: Lord, keep me from dishonouring thy name by impatience. Oh, who would not, even in burnings, have honourable thoughts of God! Lord, thou givest me no occasion to have hard thoughts of thee, Blessed be God, for the peace of mine inward man, when my outward man is so full of trouble. This is a bitter cup, but it is of my Father's mixing; and shall I not then drink it?"

8. Mrs. Jane Askew, who was a martyr in king Henry's reign, to her confession in Newgate, she thus subscribed; "Written by me Jane Askew, that neither wisheth death, nor feareth its might, and as merry as one bound towards heaven." When the Chancellor sent her letters at the stake, offering her the king's pardon, if she would recant; she, refusing to look upon them, gave this answer; "that she came not thither to

deny her Lord and Master."

9. Mr. James Bainham, when he was at the stake, in the midst of the burning fire which had half consumed his legs and arms, spake these words: "O ye Papists! behold ye look for miracles, and here now ye may see a miracle; for in this fire I feel no more pain than if I were on a bed of down; it is to me as a bed of roses."

10. John Lambert, as he was burning in Smithfield, and his legs were quite consumed with the fire, he lift up his hands, his fingers flaming like torches, but his heart abounding with comfort, crying out, None but Christ, none but Christ. A

11. Mr. Robert Glover, a little before his death, had lost the sense of God's favour, for which he was

in great heaviness and sorrow; but when he came. within sight of the stake at which he was to suffer, he was on a sudden so filled with divine comfort, that, clapping his hands together, he cried out to his servant, He is come, he is come! and so died most cheerfully.

12. It was a saying of Augustine, "Boughs fall off trees, and stones out of buildings; and, why should it seem strange that mortal men die!"

13. Mr. John Dod had so violent a fever that there was but little hope of his life; yet at length his physician coming to him said, "Now I have hope of your recovery." To whom Mr. Dod answered, “You think to comfort me with this, but you make my heart sad. It is as if you should tell one, who had been sore weatherbeaten at sea, and conceiving he was now arrived at the haven where his soul longed to be, that he must go back again to be tossed with new winds and waves.' "9

He would often say in his last sickness, "I am not afraid to look death in the face. I can say, Death, where is thy sting? death cannot hurt me."

He used to say, "The knowledge of two things would make one willing to die, viz. What heaven is, and that it is mine." "Yes," said one, "if a man were sure of that." To whom he answered, "Truly assurance is to be had; and what have we been doing all this while ?"

Some others of the sayings of this holy man were so pithy and remarkable, I cannot pass them here.

Once Mr. Dod coming to visit a godly minister on his deathbed, who was much oppressed with melancholy, and complained to him, saying, “O Mr. Dod, what will you say of him, who is going out of the world, and can find no comfort?" To whom Mr. Dod answered, "What will you say of our Saviour Christ, who, when he was going out of the world, found no comfort, but cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?—He said of afflictions,

they are God's portions, which we may sweeten by faith and faithful prayer; but we, for the most part, make them bitter, putting into God's cup the evil in. gredients of our impatience and unbelief. He called death the friend of grace, though it be the enemy of nature; for, whereas the word, sacraments, and prayer do but weaken sin, death kills it. He used to say, ' A man is never in a hard condition, unless he have a hard heart and cannot pray.' He instructed Christians how they should never have a great nor lasting affliction, and that was, by looking upon the things that are not seen, which are eternal, 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. For, what can be great to him, that counts his life but a span long?-When he saw a Christian look sad, he would say, as Jonadab did to Amnon, "Art thou a king's son, and lookest so ill?" And when such complained to him of their crosses and losses, he would use the words of Eliphaz to Job, "Do the consolations of God seem small unto you? God hath taken from you your children, your goods, &c. but he hath not taken from you himself, his Christ, nor his Spirit, nor heaven, nor eternal life."

To a friend of his, that rose from a mean to a great. estate, he sent word, That this was but as if he should go out of a boat into a barge or ship; but he ought seriously to remember, that, whilst he was in this world, he was but upon the floating sea.'

He often said, that if it were lawful to envy any, he would envy those that turn to God in their youth, whereby they escape much sin and sorrow, and are like Jacob, that stole the blessing betimes. He used to compare reproofs given in passion, to scalding potions, which the patient could not take down; in re proofs we should labour for meekness and wisdom, using soft words, and hard arguments.

He was a most popular minister, but much persecuted. Once he took a journey to see his father-inlaw, Mr. Greenham, and to bemoan himself to him, upon account of his crosses and hard usage.

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Mr.

Greenham, having heard all he could say, answered him thus: Son, son, when affliction lieth heavy, sin lieth light.' Mr. Dod used often to bless God for this speech, saying, if Mr. Greenham had bemoaned him as he expected, he had done him much hurt. He forgot not this saying in his old age, but made excellent use of it for himself and others.

14. Ecolampadius, that famous divine of Switzerland, when lying on his death-bed, and being asked, Whether the light did not offend him? He answered, pointing to his breast, Hic sat lucis, Here is abundance of light,' meaning of comfort and joy. He asked one of his friends, What news?" His friend answered, None.' Then,' saith he, I will tell you some news; I shall presently be with my Lord Christ.'

15. A certain godly man, passing through his last sickness with extraordinary calmness of conscience, being asked by some of his friends anent it, he answered, that he had steadfastly fixed his heart upon the sweet promise, Isa. xxvi. 3. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee." And my God (saith he) hath graciously made it fully good unto my soul."

16. Mr. Robert Bolton, minister at Broughton, well known by his writings, in time of his last sickness, which was long and sharp, often breathed out these words: Oh, when will this good hour come? When shall I be dissolved? When shall I be with Christ?" Being told that to be dissolved was indeed better for him, yet it would be better for the church, that he would stay here; he answered, If I have found fa vour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it and his habitation; but, if otherwise, lo, here Lam, let him do what seemeth good in his eyes.' Being asked by another; if he would not be content to live, if it pleased God? He answered, 'I grant that life is a great blessing of God, neither

will I neglect any means that may preserve it; and do heartily submit to God's will; but of the two, I infinitely desire more to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.' He bade all that came to see him, make sure of Christ before they came to die, and look upon the world now as a lump of vanity. He encouraged the ministers that came to him, to be diligent and courageous in the work of the Lord, and not to faint nor droop for any affliction that should arise there

upon.

When he found himself very weak, he called for his wife and children. 'He desired her to bear his dissolution, which was now at hand, with a Christian fortitude, a thing he had been preparing her for by the space of twenty years; and bade her make no doubt but she should meet him again in heaven.' He exhorted his children to remember these things he had frequently told them before; adding, That he hoped and believed, that none of them durst think to meet him at the great tribunal in an unregenerate state.'

Some of his parish coming to watch with him, it was moved, that as by his doctrine he had discovered to them the exceeding comforts that were in Christ, so he would now tell them what he felt in his own soul, Alas (said he) do you look for that of me now, that wants breath and strength to speak? I have told you enough in my ministry; but yet, to satisfy you, I am by the wonderful mercies of God, as full of comfort as my heart can hold; and I feel nothing in my soul but Christ, with whom I heartily desire to be.'-And, observing some weeping, he looked to them, and said, O, what a deal ado there is before one can die!

When the pangs of death were upon him, being told that some of his dear friends were about him to take their last farewell, he caused himself to be raised up in his bed; and, after a few gaspings for breath, he said, I am now drawing on apace to my dissolution; hold out, faith and patience, your work will