supported by facts? The deeper views which such characters have taken of sin; the more profound sense they have of their own unworthiness, the more awful impressions of eternity, and the apprehensions which long experience has taught them to form of the deceitfulness of the human heart, all conspire to this end. Moreover, it is a common observation, that where Almighty God has communicated strong faith, he commonly subjects it to severe trials. If any can conceive of nothing superior to present comfort, to them this may be puzzling; but it need not be so to others. The result, in such cases, proves honourable to God, and edifying to his saints. What tried and tempted spirit, for example, has not been animated in its conflicts by the exclamation wrung from holy Job, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him?"

But though they may be called to pass through deep waters, and to walk in darkness, on their entrance into the valley of the shadow of death; and though they may be left to feel all the influence which disease may exercise over their mental faculties, and may be exposed to the violent temptations of Satan; yet they are not left, without those glimmerings of light, which enable them to discover the land-marks of their faith, nor are they left without the presence of Him, through

whose grace, they are strengthened to overcome the great adversary. When the darkest shades hang over the horizon of their vision, the clouds are sometimes seen to disperse, and the sun of righteousness ariseth upon them with healing in his beams; and after their severest contests with the powers of darkness, they enjoy times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. And though some who affect to treat the agency of Satan over the human mind, as a fiction of the imagination, may be disposed to turn into ridicule the recognition of that influence in occasioning the deep mental depressions under which some of the most eminent servants of God labour in their last moments, yet as they cannot be accounted for, in many cases, on any other principle, I feel under no obligation to vindicate it from the objections which may be brought against it. In the connection in which it stands, it is entirely devoid of the light and airy appearance of a speculative opinion,-assuming all the peculiarities of an awful and solemn fact. A fact, attested by experience, and by a uniformity of experience which no artifice could produce, and which no sophistry can impeach; and to which the strongest believer is as much exposed as the weakest. However it is delightful to see in the obituaries which are given in the following pages, that as the subjects of them drew

near the closing scene, their fears gradually subsided, their hope and confidence became stronger and brighter, and though when the last enemy was seen, as from the heights, they trembled in prospect of the contest, yet when they met him in the valley they could sing, "O death, where is thy sting? What it is to die, we know not; nor do we know what the awful and tremulous feelings, are, which sometimes agitate the breast of the Christian, when in the immediate prospect of death; nor can any language describe the darkness which occasionally comes over his mind, nor the terror which seizes him, when the great adversary is permitted to try him by the force of his temptations, and horrid suggestions; but we know, that He who has given to us "like precious faith," will not "leave us, nor forsake us," when we most need his assistance: "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper," and notwithstanding our gloomy fears we may adopt the triumphant language of the Apostle, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."t

* 1 Cor. xv. 55-57

+ Heb. xiii. 6.

Rom. viii, 38, 39.

MR. JOHN TUCK,

Late Deacon of the Baptist Church,

BADCOX LANE, FROME.

Mr. JOHN TUCK was born at Wells, November 30, 1751, where he constantly attended the episcopal church; but, on the removal of his friends to Frome, he left the Establishment, and united with the Dissenters, as their sentiments and mode of worship were most agreeable to his own views of divine truth. He was the subject of serious impressions at a very early period of his life, which were deepened and matured under the ministy of the late Rev. John Kingdon, by whom he was baptized, October 5, 1770, and afterwards received into the church. After oc

cupying the station of a private member nearly twenty-two years, he was called by the unanimous voice of his brethren to the office of deacon; and never was a man more anxious to fill that office in a becoming manner, more solicitous for the

peace and prosperity of the church, or more tenacious of its respectability and its honour.

For many months previous to his death, a rapid religious improvement was evident to all his intimate friends, which, together with an increasing debility of body, induced many of them to suppose, that it would not be long before he would take possession of his eternal inheritance. As he approached the verge of mortality, he became more and more indifferent to all earthly concerns: and if obliged to attend a little time to business, he seemed impatient to break from it, that he might ascend to those divine contemplations, which engrossed and fixed his attention.

Coming down stairs one morning, about two months previous to his decease, he asked one of his daughters, if she thought that believers before their death were ever favoured with extraordinary manifestations of divine goodness and love? On her replying, that she thought it very probable, in order to prepare them for the solemn and trying change that awaited them, he said, "I know not whether this be my case, or not; but I have had feelings this morning which I cannot describe." Being desired to state the nature of them, he said, that he had enjoyed an uncommon view of the character of God, in his wisdom, and love, and mercy, which produced sensations that were indescribable; and though the intenseness of the feeling had then subsided,