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He was much in the mention of paffages from the fiftyfirft Pfalm, particularly of that verfe, The facrifices GOD are a broken fpirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O GOD, thou wilt not defpife. To which he ufually added, "That facrifice, O my GOD, I offer to thee." Being vifited by a ftudent, and by him afked, whether he thought the Hebrew was the language fpoke in heaven? He answered, "This is not revealed: Neither do I think that the language of heaven is known here on earth; but I judge we fhall learn it in a moment, when GOD fhall be all in all. This is that tongue of angels, which St. Paul mentions; and is as other things which GOD hath prepared for those that love him; and they are all of them fuch as eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, and which are not come into man's heart."

Having repeated those words, Pfalm xxxii. 1, 2. Blessed is he whofe tranfgreffions is forgiven, whofe fin is covered. Bleffed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whofe fpirit there is no guile; he added, "Thou knoweft, Lord, that in fincerity, and without guile, I humble myself before thy face. I am a miserable finner, and could not dare to lift up my eyes towards thee, did I not truft both in thy commandment and promife. Such as labor under a fenfe of their miferies, are those whom thou calleft; for thou fayeft, Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft. O then, let me come to thee. Draw me, O Lord, that I may run after thee. I am tired; I am quite weary of being abfent from my GOD. My foul thirfteth for GÓD, for the living GOD. When fball I come and appear before GOD? Alas, I am unworthy of it; for I was conceived in fin, and my whole life hath been a continued tranfgreffion. Yet far be it from me to doubt of GOD's power and faithfulness. Where fin aboundeth, his grace aboundeth much more. It is not for the righteous, but for repenting finners that he hath given his Son, that whoseever believeth in him should not perish, but have life everlafting. Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. Increase and ftrengthen my faith. It is now weak and fmall, but it is true and unfeigned, and refteth upon Jefus Chrift only. There is no falvation in any other. He is the way, the truth, and the life. None can come to the Father but by him. Away with all other interceffors. Away with all merit of works. All our righteoufneffes are but pollutions. Ah, my GOD, I have no righteousness but thine; for I was conceived in fin, and never did any work fo good

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but it needed pardon. Mercy, Lord; mercy. Pardon me my fins, pardon me my unrighteoufnefs. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanfe me from my fins. Purge me with hyffop, but let it be dipt in the blood of the lamb without blemish and without fpot, which taketh away the fins of the world. Thou knoweft, O Lord, that I have loved thy holy truth, and that I have believed thy promises. They are the joy of my heart. They are the comforts which have kept up my heart from dejection. O GOD, perfect thy work in me. Create in me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a right spirit within me, Reftore unto me the joy of thy falvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit." He was fo humble and fo vile in his own eyes, that when any thing was fpoken in his praise, he rejected it with a kind of indignation; faying, "Away with this flattery, and pray to GOD to have mercy on me." His fickness was an inflammation of the lungs, with a quotidian ague, which returned with double violence every day at the fame hour. Coming out of a fit he faid, "My GOD, how weary am I! When shall I reft in thy bofom? When fhall I be filled with the true riches? When fhall I drink of the river of thy pleasures? I am unworthy of it, O my GOD; but thou art glori fied by doing good to the unworthy. It is not for them who are whole, but for those that are fick, that thy Son, the great physician, was fent. Whofoever believeth on him is paffed from death to life." Being asked whether he did not perfectly hope in the grace of GOD, he anfwered, "I hope, but not perfectly; yet, as much as I am able. I fuffer now the pains of death, but GOD will redeem my foul from the power of the grave, for he fhall receive me." When fome comforting paffage of fcripture was mentioned to him, by which he found himself strengthened, he took the hand of the perfon who uttered it, and kiffing it, faid, "The Spirit of GOD hath spoken by your mouth. The Lord blefs you, and increase his graces in you." After an exhortation which had greatly affected him, he faid, "These are excellent words. The Lord, by his grace, deeply imprinted them in my heart."

Sometimes when those about him fpake of the excellency of that glory he was going to enjoy, he seemed to be in an extafy, and faid but little; and what he faid was with long paufes between his words; as, "O what is it to fee GOD's face in righteoufnefs! O when fhall I be fatisfied with his likenefs!" He often repeated the words VOL. III. Ccc

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of David, Pfalm xxxvi. How excellent is thy loving-kindnefs, O GOD: Therefore the children of men put their truft under the fhadow of thy wings. They fhall be abundantly fatisfied with the fatness of thy houfe, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleafures. For with thee is the fountain of life, and in thy light fhall we fee light." And Pfalm Ixv. "Bleffed is the man whom thou choofeft, and caufeft to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. He shall be fatisfied with the goodnefs of thy boufe, even of thy holy temple." He often repeated Pfalm xxvii, lxiii, and Ixxi; dwelling on those words in the laft, "O GOD, thou haft taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now alfo, when I am old and gray-headed, O GOD, forfake me not."

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For the fix laft days of his illness, he was mostly in flumbers; against which he much ftrove, and faid, "Roufe me, I thould now watch. 'Tis now no time to fleep, but to die. Watch and pray, faid my Saviour, left ye enter into temptation. O great GOD, abandon me not to my infirmities; but fo preferve and keep my fpirit, that I may glorify thee when I am dying." He often faid, lifting up his eyes and hands, "Lord, be merciful to me: Be gracious to me." Even when he feemed to be faft afleep, it appeared that his heart waked; for he now and then, in that circumftance, whispered out a fhort fentence, as Death is fwallowed up in victory! The Word was made flesh!" He was therefore once afked, after he awoke, after fuch heart-wakings, whether he lifted up his foul to GOD?" Yes, he replied, continually." He often felt his own pulfe, and then ufually faid, "O what a grief is this! I cannot die. My GOD, have mercy on me, and fet my foul free. I am weary of being abfent from my GOD. I define to depart, and to be with Chrift. O my GOD, come fetch me. Shorte the days of my combat. Let me die, I beseech thee. Into thy hands I commend my fpirit; for thou haft redeemed me, O Lord GOD of truth." When many of his flock were got about him, and defired his bleffing, he faid, "The Lord blefs you, and give you his fear, and the promised falvation." A little before his death, awaking about midnight, he faid to a perfon attending him, “I fhall now foon be eafed. I am going to my Father and my GOD. He hath heard me indeed. I go to him with confidence; for he hath arrayed me with his robe." And then, in the greatest rapture, he faid, "I fee him. O

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how beautiful he is! I renounce all earthly affections. I will no more love, any thing in the world but thee, O GOD, who doft alone poffefs me." And then his eyes were bright and fparkling, his mouth open, and panting after the living GOD; his arms ftretched out towards heaven; and there was a vifible and wonderful effort in him to rife, and with his whole body to welcome, as it were, and embrace the beautiful object of his love. After which one who attended him faid, Sir, you will fee your Redeemer with your own eyes.' He replied, “I believe it." And these were the laft intelligible words he uttered. A few minutes after, he fweetly expired, and left on his countenance the features of joy. He died March 10, 1658, aged ninety.

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As to his literary character, it was famous throughout all Europe, or (as De Vaux hath expreffed it) throughout the christian world. The learned Reader may perufe, with much fatisfaction, what the faid De Vaux hath faid of him in his præfatory epiftle to the Thefaurus Theologiæ Sedanenfis. Vol. I. Even Gerard Voffius mentions his old philofophic preceptor with due honor: And our own excellent Dr. Twiffe writes concerning him; I do admire him upon the Eucharift and on Purgatory. He hath my heart, when I read his Confolations to his Brethren of the Church of France, as alfo in treating of the love of GOD. I would willingly learn French to understand him only; and have a long time desired, and still do, to get any thing that he hath written.'

ROBERT HARRIS, D. D.

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OBERT HARRIS, was born at Broad Cambden, in Gloucestershire, in the year 1578. At a proper age he was fent to the free-fchool at Chipping Cambden, where he met with much difcouragement in his learning, partly through the frequent change of fchoolmasters, the falary being fmall, and partly from the fevere and cruel manner with which they treated the boys; which, he used often to say, was the bane of many fcholars. He was at length removed to the fchool at Worcester, where he heard Dr. Robert Abbot, afterwards bishop Abbot, preach every Sunday; and from thence to Magdalen Hall, in Oxford. But being neglected by his tutor, and having Ссс 2 a great

a great thirst for learning, he requested of his relation, the principal, to allow him to put himself under the tuition of a Mr. Goffe of Magdalen-college, a good scholar, and a famous logician and difputant; but, as he was alfo reputed a puritan, his relation, who was a favorer of popery, endeavored to diffuade him from it. However, the confideration of his progress in learning prevailed, and he was accordingly committed to Mr. Goffe's tuition. Mr. Goffe required Mr. Harris, with the rest of his pupils, to join in reading the Scriptures, repeating of fermons, and in ufing prayer; but this new and ftrange plan, as it appeared to Mr. Harris, gave him much uneafinefs; obferving that none of the feniors embraced that way; and yet it was fuch as he knew not how to oppose. This led him to pray to GOD, that he would difcover to him the falfhood of his tutor, if he had any defign of misleading or corrupting his mind; or, if it were the right way, GOD would make it plain to him, and confirm him in it. He likewise bought a bible and fome of the best books in divinity, which, being read with prayer and conftancy, by the bleffing of GOD and his tutor's inftructions, brought about his thorough converfion. He then made fuch rapid progress in his studies, that, not long after, his tutor looked upon him not so much his pupil, as companion in his ftudies.

It hath been frequently obferved, that grace not only informs and quickens the mind with refpect to the things of GOD and the matters of eternal falvation, but often expands the natural faculties to the more acute and sensible obfervation of common affairs, infomuch that the Scripture is fulfilled in every fenfe, which declares, that the law of GOD is perfect, converting the foul: The teftimony of the Lord is fure, making wife the fimple. The ftatutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Mr. Harris was now determined for the miniftry, and purpofing to take orders, he returned home, and preached his first fermon at Chipping-Cambden from Rom. x. 1. which was much admired: "But (fays he) I was a lofer by it; for my heart fwelled with pride, and my friends thought I need not go again to Oxford, because I had learning enough." His father, who had many more children to provide for, defigned to breed him to the law, and had made fome intereft for his preferment; but he humbly intreated his father, that what he intended hereafter to beftow on him for his patrimony, he would at prefent allow to him for

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