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"you will grow in grace, that is the beft bleffing I can with "you. I hope that both you and your children will be com"fortable through the whole of life; but if it be otherwise "appointed, be thankful and refigned to the divine will."

At one time, being in great pain, the faid, "I do not care "if I have my fufferings in this world only." At another time, "Come, my dear Lord !-but, O! how do we cleave "to this earth!-and earth exchanged for heaven!—O! I "dread to cross the valley, the enemy harraffes me fo;-the "laft enemy that fhall be deftroyed is death. I hope I have "an interest in the Lord Jefus. But, if I am mistaken, my "ftate will be woeful indeed; for it is not every one that "faith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; - even the Pharifees could exprefs themselves in that lan"guage." And then addreffing her fon, "I dreamed the "other night, that I faw your brother George, and that he "reached out his hand and faid, come, come. Ah, Jofeph! "you will not have a mother long. Mind the best things, "before you are brought on a death-bed. I dare fay, my "George will come and meet me ;-he told me I fhould "not be long after him."

Her husband speaking to her of the glories fhe was about to enjoy, and what Chrift has done for finners; "Yes, yes,” fays the, "and he has done much for me;" and pathetically exclaimed, "O, my dear, if through great tribulation I "get to heaven, how happy fhall I be to welcome you into "the holy city. We fhall not live an idle life in heaven"there are angels, thofe miniftering fpirits, to minister to "them who are the heirs of falvation." "O," faid fhe, "the prefence of Christ makes a dying bed eafy."

Her laft words were, "I have a good hope-I will lay "myself at the feet of Jefus-if I perish, I will perish at his "footftool. He won't be angry with me, my breath is "almost gone-I am fo faint-Immortal blifs! Immortal "blifs! what a fine idea is that!-I hope I have my fuffer"ings here only." Shortly after her fpeech began to fail, and at eight o'clock in the evening, the fweetly fell asleep in Jefus.

J. L.

MEMOIR OF. MR. FRANCIS BLACKWELL.

M'

R. FRANCIS BLACKWELL, the fubject of this memoir was born at Blackwell-heath, in the parish of High-Wycombe, Bucks. He was the youngeft of four fons of William and Mary Blackwell, and brought up to the pa-per manufactory, by which he maintained his family with decency and credit. At one time, however, he was greatly exercised in his wordly affairs, but was relieved in a manner remarkably providential; and in the latter part of his life,' enjoyed a fufficiency, not only of fupport, but to gratify his hofpitable difpofition to his friends.* Mr. B. occupied a mill at Loud-water, near High Wycombe, now in the ufe of Mr. William Briant, his grandfon, whom he particularly notices in his dying teftimony. His late wife was a woman of very fingular piety.†

His first serious impreffions were occafioned by a vio lent fever about fifty years ago, which was fanctified as the mean of bringing him into the kingdom of grace; and by a like affliction, which he caught in his kind attention on the fick, he had his entrance into the realms of glory and immortality.

The manner of his introduction to the ministry is not out of recollection. Three or four good men were in the habit of repeating in the evening, the fubftance of the sermons they had heard in the courfe of the fabbath day at church, with a view to their own edification, and that of others, who were inclined to affociate with them. Mr. Blackwell was one of the fe, and he alfo fometimes delivered his own reflections, which being approved, he was encouraged to speak in private houses, as opportunity offered. Thus this little conference in the parish of Wooburn, was the means of produ-" cing and keeping alive the spark of religion in thofe parts, which for the laft thirty years has been increafing, till it is become a very confiderable flame. The expulfion of the fix ftudents from Oxford in 1768, for prayer and preaching, &c. contributed to give an establishment to the gofpel. The

See a letter from the Res. Mr. Cooke, of Maidenhead, to the Rev. T. English, inserted in his funeral sermon for Mr. B. page 22, note.

See her funeral sermon, preached also by Mr. English.

Rev. T. Grove, being of that number, converted one of his barns into a chapel in this place. Mr. B. greatly affifted him; and, on Mr. G's removal, for the last eighteen years of his life, he moft freely and affectionately continued his dif. interested labours on all occafions, to ferve the fame church under the care of Mr. English, their prefent paftor. M. B. had not human advantages to fit him for the ministry, yet, was he admirably qualified for what the Lord intended to do by him. One obferves, who well knew him, and was attentive to the work of the Lord done by him at Wooburn and in the furrounding neighbourhood: "He entered on his miniftry at a very dark time, and in a very dark place.” He addreffed thofe who could understand him better than if he had been a learned man; however, in the most important fenfe he had the tongue of the learned, and could fpeak a "word in feafon." His humility would not let him rush into places where men of confiderable minifterial talents laboured; nor would he go, but when neceffity called him.

He was alfo a most eminent Christian, and richly anointed with the Holy Ghoft. There was a favour attending his cons verfations, his prayers, and his fermons, which gave him a diftinguished fuperiority to many minifters of greater gifts. The broad feal of heaven was affixed to his preaching; he was more useful than many-than most in the furrounding country. The hand of the Lord was with him, and many believed and turned to the Lord. At that time, men from whom nothing was expected, were the inftruments which God patronized. Mr. B. was bleffed with a happy and well-grounded affurance of his intereft in Chrift; which made him, generally fpeaking, comfortable and even happy. Yet was he no stranger to the fuggeftions of the great adver fary of fouls, even in his laft hours. Repeatedly has he been overheard to fay Begone-begone-you have nothing to do with me! You know you have nothing to do with me. I hate fin-I believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift; get you gone yours are lies." Thus was he enabled to refift Satan, and he fled from him.-Holinefs was his element-in it he lived, breathed, and had his whole delight. Thus was his happy fpirit prepared for glory; a fubject which very fuitably clofed his minifterial labours.

This excellent man was indeed a cheerful chriftian, and all his conduct evinced his firm conviction that

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But, on the contrary, to animate, refine, and exalt them.He was, neverthelefs, frequently clothed in fackcloth; he greatly lamented his own depravity, and was deeply grieved for that of others. The wickednefs of thofe around him often pierced his heart; he fighed and cried for the iniquities of the land; and particularly mourned to witnefs the unfanctified tempers and conduct of profeffors. He was eminent for personal religion. His was vital, pure, unaffected and exalted piety. Such was his inoffenfive life, that with great truth and propriety we may adopt the expreffion of a poor man concerning him, as his corpfe was carried to the grave "There is a man in whofe coat a moth-hole is not to be found."

He had, in the best things, a found judgment, and would not countenance fuch as did not moft highly honour his divine Mafter. He poffeffed a devoted heart, and abounded much in prayer. No minifter vifited him without accompanying him to the throne of grace; an example highly worthy the imitation of both minifters and private chriftians. He was alfo favoured with much private communion with his God and Saviour. The writer of this memoir had obferved his mind to be remarkably abftracted from the world for fometime previous to his death and a kind of inftantaneous involuntary prayer feemed frequently unconfciously to efcape his lips. His life was moft exemplary; he walked by the rules of his divine Mafter, and even the world will teftify that he was" an epiftle of Chrift, known and read of all men," and with general approbation. His holy life recommended his religion, and gave a true dignity to his character. As a minifter of Chrift, he was highly honoured. He had a truly miffionary fpirit, an apoftolic mind. Forty years with unwearied diligence he preached the gofpel in his neighbourhood. He ufed to call himself a stop-gap-he repaired and kept up the fences of the neighbouring churches to an extent of many miles. He fcattered the good feed every where around; in public by his miniftry, in private by his friendly vifits, and in his kind and ready attention to the fick and afflicted: thefe were profited by his faithful counfels, and his fervent prayers; nor did he only fay, where pecuniary fupply was needful, "Be ye warmed and be ye clothed;" for the bowels of his compaffion were never fhut-his charities were exceffive-the canker did not corrode his gold. It was his great concern to do good in his life; nor had he "a fingle wifh," to ufe his own words, "for the continuance of it, but to be more useful, and advance more the glory of Jefus Christ."

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His miniftry was fimple and unaffected. He aimed to do good, and forget himfelf. He only wished to recommend his Mafter. His preaching was powerful, penetrating, and energetic. It was indeed evident that he was not poffeffed of human learning; yet he knew his fpiritual alphabet, from the alpha to the omega, from the beginning to the end; could conftrue, with accuracy, this pure language-was well read in the prophets and apoftles, and had a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. Although he had no acquaintance with literature, and was a ftranger to rhetorical flourishes, or well-turned periods; he was poffeffed of a talent far fuperior. His fharp-pointed arrows, directed by a divine hand, entered the confcience and fixed there; nor were they extracted till the balm of Gilead was applied-till the virtues of the leaves of the tree of life were proved, which are for the healing of the nations. He frequently used to say," that he drew the bow at a venture-that the Lord had the direction of the arrow-that he knew not the cafes of the pecple-that he must live with them to know them." He entered not into the field with Saul's polifhed, but unconfecrated armour; but, like David, with a sling and a stone from his shepherd's bag, he prevailed over the Philiftine. Goliath fell before him, and our Ifrael fhouted! He used to say, "I am no filver trumpet; I am an unpolifhed ram's horn." But his sound was certain, powerful, and effective; before it the ftrong walls of Jericho fell. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Perfons deftitute of fpiritual tafte, and who had no relish for the gofpel in its fimplicity, had their objections; and many refufed the bread, becaufe, as he used to say, "it was brown bread, not served up in a filver dish." But the Lord put honour on his miniftry, and made him inftrumental of great good to his fellow-linners.

In him was an affemblage of chriftian excellencies. He was a lovely example for minifters both in his fpirit and di

The writer of this memoir is no enemy to learning; he con ceives highly of erudition, and values learned men; but in the ministry of the gospel it is not always necessary; and, in compa rison of divine Influence and power, it is nothing, yea, less than nothing and vanity; this is daily demonstrated.

+ † 2 Cor. x. 4, 5,

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