Guide to the Oracles

junctions, was, "I have sent for you, that you may see how a Christian can die." It was in allusion to the last moments of this truly great man that Dr. Young wrote:

"He taught us how to live, and, O! too high

A price for knowledge! taught us how to die!"

Halyburton, when dying, thus addressed those around him-" Here is a demonstration of the reality and power of faith and godliness. I, a poor, weak and timorous man, once as much afraid of death as any one; I, who was many years under the terrors of death, come, in the mercy of God, and by the power of his grace, composedly, and with joy, to look death in the face. I have seen it in its paleness, and all the circumstances of horror that attend it. I dare look it in the face in its most ghastly shape, and hope to have in a little time the victory over it. Glory, glory to him! O what of God do I see! I have never seen anything like it! The beginning and end of religion are wonderfully sweet! I long for his salvation, I bless his name! I have found him! I am taken up in blessing him! I am dying: rejoicing in the Lord! O, I could not have believed that I should bear, and bear cheerfully, as I have done, this rod, which hath lain on me so long. This is a miracle. Pain without pain! you see a man dying a monument of the glorious power of astonishing grace!" Some time after, he said:"When I shall be so weakened as not to be able to speak, I

will give you, if I can, a sign of triumph when I am near to glory." This he did, for when one said, “I hope you are encouraging yourself in the Lord," not being able to speak, he lifted up his hands, clapped them, and quickly after expired.

"I am full of confidence," said Dr. Doddridge, "there is a hope set before me: I have fled, I still fly for refuge to that hope. In Him I trust. In Him I have strong consolation, and shall assuredly be accepted in the Beloved of my soul."

"Do not think," declared Mr. Hervey, "that I am afraid to die! I assure you, I am not. I know what my Saviour hath done for me, and I want to be gone. But I wonder and lament to think of the love of Christ in doing so much for me, and how little I have done for Him." A little before his death, he said: "The great conflict is over! Now all is done!"

"It will not be long," exclaimed Mr. Toplady, "before God takes me; for no mortal man can live (bursting into tears) after the glories which God has manifested to my soul."

To some young men whom Dr. Payson invited to visit him, he observed:-"Death comes every night and stands by my bed-side in the form of terrible convulsions, every one of which threatens to separate the soul from the body. These continue to grow worse and worse, until every bone is almost dissolved with pain, leaving me with the certainty that I shall have it all to endure again the next

night. Yet, while my body is thus tortured, the soul is perfectly, perfectly happy and peaceful-more happy than I can possibly express to you. I lie here, and feel these convulsions extending higher and higher, without the least uneasiness; but my soul is filled with joy unspeakable. I seem to revive in a flood of glory which God pours down upon me. And I know, I know that my happiness is but begun, I cannot doubt that it will last for ever. And now, is all this a delusion? Is it a delusion which can fill the soul to overflowing with joy in such circumstances? If so, it is surely a delusion better than any reality; but no, it is not a delusion, I feel that it is not. I do not merely know that I shall enjoy all this, I enjoy it now."

Thus is it true, that

"Death has no terrors for the Christian's soul,

His sting's extracted, and his mighty dart
Was blunted by its task on Calvary."

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