His earthly existence terminated in the evening of Monday, January 26th, 1818, when he had entered into the third month of his 79th year. The Editor most fervently prays, that all mankind may have the wisdom to embrace such sentiments of religion, upon patient and deliberate enquiry, as may render their latter end similar to that of this most worthy and revered person; of whom it may be truly said, that after having upon the whole lived the life, he also assuredly died the death of the righteous. GLOUCESTER, Oct. 25, 1818. ADDRESSES, &c. FIRST ADDRESS. O MOST holy and eternal God, who art infinite and incomprehensible, possessed of every glorious attribute and divine perfection! With all possible reverence and humility I would now bow down before Thee, taking thy sacred name upon my lips, and adoring Thee as the author of my existence. Every part of the universe. which Thou hast created bears testimony to the excellencies of thy nature, and loudly calls upon me and every rational creature to celebrate thy praise, and to give glory to Thee, the supreme majesty of heaven and earth! O my God! how manifold and various is thy goodness! how abundant! how extensive!-but above all, B how unspeakable are the obligations of me and all others of thy rational creatures, to whom Thou hast revealed thyself by Jesus Christ, thy well-beloved Son, in the endearing character of a father, and given to mankind the strongest proofs of thy tender mercy and loving kindness! I humbly beseech Thee, O Lord! to sanctify all thy mercies to me, and to enable me to improve them with all possible seriousness and diligence. Under a deep sense of my remissness and disobedience in time past, I would now humble myself before thy throne, and earnestly implore thy forgiveness for every thing in my temper and conduct, that has been inconsistent with that constant vigilance and care, which are enjoined upon me in thy holy word, and enforced by the example of my Lord and Master, whose precepts it is the earnest wish and desire of my soul uniformly and cheerfully to obey. Gracious God! do Thou in mercy hear my prayer for the pardon of every transgression I have committed against thy commandments.-With the sincerest sorrow for every instance of folly, perverseness, and negligence, of which I have been unhappily guilty, I do most earnestly pray and beseech Thee, O God, to forgive me. For the time to come, enable me to act a wiser and better part, assist me to keep my heart with all diligence, knowing that out of it are the issues of life. May I watch carefully against the temptations that surround me, and guard especially against those sins that most easily beset me, striving continually to keep my conscience void of offence towards Thee, my God! and towards my fellow-creatures. After the example of my Lord and Saviour, may I study to do good to all, by acts of kindness and generosity, of tenderness and compassion, considering mankind at large as my brethren, and thy children, as forming one great family, of which Thou art the common Father; and thus may I endeavour to fulfil the whole law of Christ. Grant, O my God! that in imitation of my dear and honoured Master, I may become truly meek, humble, and lowly in heart, patient and resigned, submissive and silent under every affliction and trial;being at all times disposed to say, "Not my will, but thine, O Lord! be done"! May I carry my views beyond the present scene to the resurrection of the just, and to that great day of retribution to the righteous, when all sorrow and suffering shall be done away, and all events shall be seen to be for the good of thy creatures, and to the glory of Thee, their Maker. May it please Thee, O Lord, to hear, accept, and bless me in the prayers and praises I have now addressed to Thee, the sovereign Ruler of the world! the infinite and eternal Jehovah! who art the one only everlasting and true God! to Thee I would devoutly and reverently ascribe the kingdom, the power, and the glory, now and for ever. Amen. -- |