THE JOY OF FAITH IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH: ADDRESSED TO THE Respectable FAMILY of the BLAKERS UPON THE DEATH OF AN INDULGENT HUSBAND, A TENDER FATHER, BY HIS UNWORTHY FATHER IN THE FAITH; AND THEIR THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, WILLIAM HUNTINGTON, S. S. MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT PROVIDENCE CHAPEL, LITTLE TITCHFIELD-STREET, The people that walked in darkness bave seen a great light: they that dwell in the LONDON: Printed for, and Sold by, E. HUNTINGTON, Bookseller, No. 21, High Street, Sold also at Providence Chapel, and at Monkwell-Street Meeting; at the Chapel I HAVE just now received my kind friend's affectionate and supporting epiftle, for which I beg you to accept a thousand thanks from me. For these three days past (besides my other troubles) fomething has been fuggested to my mind, that, if my poor father is taken away, you will then favour us no more with your fummer vifits, and that we shall no more hear from you, or be favoured with the comfort of your acquaintance. But I defire to be thankful to God that this is only a suggestion from the enemy. I much fear, my dear friend, that you will no more see my dear father's face in the flesh; for it is not expected that he will be alive when you receive this. On Wednesday evening last he seemed to grow much worse. In the same night I went from Worth to Bolney; and on the next day, from one o'clock till three, we all thought he was going off. But even in those moments, when he was upon the verge of death, he looked round upon us all, three or four different times, and gave us such an heavenly smile as appeared wonderful; and really the tranquillity, peace, and confolations, that he. seems to enjoy, are beyond expreffion. I was up with him alone the greatest part of the enfuing night, after he had been so exceedingly ill, and was then a little recovered; at which time he spoke very freely, and a good deal, to me. I faid to him, "You was very ill yesterday?" "Yes," said he, " I was; but what I felt nobody knows, the rays " of light upon me were as the glory of Lebanon." Ifai. xxxv. 2. "I cannot describe," said he, "the " glory that shone upon me." And he added, " In my worst moments I have always found it "fo. But fome little time back, when I feemed " to get a little better in body, then I felt bondage " and darkness come upon me." The words in one of your former letters were brought fresh to my mind, by a speech of my poor father's to my sister Mary. She was standing by him, apparently very low, and filled with grief. He looked up at her, and faid, "My dear, we should not forrow as " others which have no hope." I Theff. iv. 13. Poor dear man! I am much cast down at the thoughts 3 thoughts and fears of losing him. But I hope God will enable me to submit to his fovereign will. Never, no never, fince I have been upon earth, have I found myself for completely crucified to this world, and to all things beneath the fun, as I do at this time. There is not one thing upon earth that I feel alive to, or have any defire after. But, from heart-felt experience, I can say that my foul thirsteth after God, and my foul is stirred up to feek him with my whole heart. And at times I am enabled to pour out my foul before him, and to shew him my trouble, and to cast all my cares and burdens upon him, and that with a fecret perfuafion that he careth for me. What you fay in your's is true; that nothing but the Son of God, and faith in him, can stay the mind, or fix the heart, in times of trial. Many of the poor fouls round about us seem forely cut at the thoughts of lofing my poor father; and I believe they have put up many petitions for his recovery; but I much fear that their request will not be granted. My poor fifter is almost overwhelmed. I was in hopes that you would have come to fee my father, and am forry you did not; but, having Leard that your health was poorly, I thought you might not be able to come. If he should revive again, and get a little better, I hope you will endeavour In his present state he is to fee him once more. scarcely able to speak. |