at night some prayers read to him and a part of his family, out of "The Whole Duty of Man." As he was remarkably punctual and regular in all his studies and actions, so he used himself to be for his meals and his dinner being appointed to be constantly ready at the ending of prayers, and he, expecting and calling for it, was answered, "It would be ready in a quarter of an hour." To which his reply was, with some earnestness, "A quarter of an hour!-Is a quarter of an hour nothing to a man that probably has not many "hours to live?" And though he did live many hours after this, yet he lived not many days; for the day after (which was three days before his death) he was become so weak and weary either of motion or sitting, that he was content, or forced, to keep his bed. In which I desire he may rest, till I have given some short account of his behaviour there, and immediately before it.

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The day before he took his bed (which was three days before his death) he, that he might receive a new assurance for the pardon of his sins past, and be strengthened in his way to the New Jerusalem, took the blessed sacrament of the body and blood of his and our blessed Jesus, from the hands of his Chaplain, Mr. Pullin, accompanied with his wife, children, and a friend, in as awful, humble, and ardent a manner, as outward reve rence could express. After the praise and thanks

* This narrative entirely confutes the rumour that was indus triously propagated concerning this good man, "that, before

giving for this blessing was ended, he spake to this purpose: "I have now to the great joy of "my soul tasted of the all-saving sacrifice of my "Saviour's death and passion; and with it re"ceived a spiritual assurance that my sins past "are pardoned, and my God at peace with me: " and that I shall never have a will or power to " do any thing that may separate my soul from "the love of my dear Saviour. Lord confirm this "belief in me; and make me still to remember "that it was thou, O God, that tookest me out

my mother's womb, and hast been the powerful "Protector of me to this present moment of my "life: thou hast neither forsaken me now I am "become grey-headed, nor suffered me to forsake "thee in the late days of temptation, and sacrifice "my conscience for the preservation of my liberty ❝or estate. It was not of myself but by grace "that I have stood, when others have fallen under "my trials; and these mercies I now remember "with joy and thankfulness; and my hope and "desire is, that I may die remembering this, and

"his death, he repented of what he had written against the "Presbyterians, and that on his death-bed he would suffer no "hierarchical Minister to come to pray with him, but desired, "and had only Presbyterians about him?" And further to contradict this report, Mr. Pullin, his houshould Chaplain, pub. lished a sermon, preached at a Visitation holden at Grantham, Oct. 8, 1641, the last sermon that Dr. Sanderson wrote with his own hand. This sermon was printed in 1681, with all his other sermons, in one volume folio.

"praising thee, my merciful God."-The fre quent repetition of the Psalms of David hath been noted to be a great part of the devotion of the primitive Christians: The Psalms having in them, not only prayers and holy instructions, but such commemorations of God's mercies, as may preserve, comfort, and confirm our dependence on the power, and providence, and mercy of our Creator. And this is mentioned in order to telling, that as the holy Psalmist said, that “his eyes should pre"vent both the dawning of the day and the night"watches, by meditating on God's word;"-so it was Dr. Sanderson's constant practice every morning to entertain his first waking thoughts with a repetition of those very psalms that the Church had appointed to be constantly read in the daily morning-service; and having at night laid him in his bed, he as constantly closed his eyes with a repetition of those appointed for the service of the evening; remembering and repeating the very psalms appointed for every day; and as the month had formerly ended and began again, so did this exercise of his devotion. And if the first-fruits of his waking thoughts were of the world, or what concerned it; he would arraign and condemn himself for it. Thus he began that work on earth, which is now the employment of Dr. Hammond and him in heaven.

After his taking his bed, and about a day before his death, he desired his Chaplain, Mr. Pullin, to give him absolution: and at his performing that

office, he pulled off his cap, that Mr. Pullin might lay his hand upon his bare head. After this desire of his was satisfied, his body seemed to be at more ease, and his mind more cheerful; and he said often, "Lord, forsake me not now "my strength faileth me, but continue thy mercy, "and let my mouth be ever filled with thy "praise." He continued the remaining night and day very patient, and thankful for any of the little offices that were performed for his ease and refreshment': and, during that time, did often

Thus Dr. Hammond, in his last sickness, did not by peevishness disquiet his attendants; but was pleased with every thing that was done, and liked every thing that was brought.— (Life of Dr. Hammond, p. 227.) There are three of Archbishop Secker's sermons which I read repeatedly with serious attention-because they apply to a condition in which the lot of humanity will one day assuredly place me; unless it should please Almighty God to take me out of this world by a sudden death. They are "on the Duties of the Sick," from Isa. xxxviii. 1, 2. The following passage relates to our behaviour towards all who are about us in our sickness:-"We are strictly bound "to show them, peculiarly at that time, great humanity and "goodness; not requiring from them more fatiguing and con"stant attendance than is fit; nor more care, skill, and dex"terity than is to be expected: recollecting that our illness "inclines us to imagine things amiss in a degree beyond "reality, and that others ought not to suffer merely because "we do: thinking often how disagreeable an office they go "through, and what benefit and comfort we receive from it: "begging them to forgive us those hasty sallies of fretfulness " and impatience, that sometimes will escape us; and making "them good amends, in every way that we can, for all the "trouble which they take about us.”

(Secker's Sermons, Vol. III. p. 281.)

say to himself the 103d Psalm; a Psalm that is composed of praise and consolations, fitted for a dying soul, and say also to himself very often these words, "My heart is fixed, O God! my "heart is fixed where true joy is to be found." And now his thoughts seemed to be wholly of death, for which he was so prepared that the king of terrors could not surprise him "as a thief "in the night;" for he had often said, "he was "prepared, and longed for it." And as this desire seemed to come from heaven, so it left him not, till his soul ascended to that region of blessed spirits, whose employments are to join in concert with his, and sing praise and glory to that God, who hath brought him and them into that place, "into which sin and sorrow cannot enter "."

Thus this pattern of meekness and primitive innocence changed this for a better life-It is now too late to wish that mine may be like his : for I am in the eighty-fifth year of my age; and God knows it hath not; but I most humbly beseech Almighty God that my death may: and I do as earnestly beg, that if any reader shall re ceive any satisfaction from this very plain, and

"Thus was he taken away with a happy euthanasia, com. "posedly, peaceably, and comfortably departing, giving him. "self to prayer, meditations, and discourses, which his own "strength could bear, full of the grace and peace of God, and "confirmed by the absolution of the Church."

(Reason and Judgment, &c. p. 45.)