commenced. To-day have preached to a serious and attentive auditory, as if I had neither disease nor debility. With earnestness and fidelity I addressed the people, feeling it would be the last time, and urging the necessity of preparing for that eternity, in which days, and months, and years will be reckoned no more. I told them we were most probably taking our last farewell on earth, as my age and state of health offered little probability of my surviving the winter; and that I drew all my hope, peace, and comfort, from the atonement, righteousness, and intercession of Christ. Mr. Dread, and engaged in prayer. As I sat in the vestry my agitation was extreme, fearing I should be unable to complete my engagement; but my attentive friend had placed for me a seat in the pulpit, and thus enabled me to bear another testimony to the love and power of a Saviour."

Sept. 3.-" On this day, bade a final farewell to Hastings. How sweet, how delightful is home! What pleasure I anticipate in again seeing my congregation, in the employment of prayer and praise! O Lord, meet with us! grant that, on the morrow, we may have a foretaste of the meeting of the whole Church at the marriage supper of the Lamb! O happy hour; O blest abode !"

CHAPTER XI.

Conduct in the Prospect of speedy Dissolution. His Death.

AUTUMN of 1825.-Retirement from public duties, with the bracing and invigorating air of the sea, had this year failed in producing their ordinary beneficial effects, and Mr. Townsend appears to have returned home with a conviction that nature was soon to be dissolved. In September and October he went to the College at Wymondley, where, on the latter visit, he was so much indisposed, that an immediate return to London was considered necessary; but a sermon had been promised in a neighbouring town, and he determined on fulfilling the engagement. He left on the following morning at six o'clock, and on his arrival at home, was menaced with the rupture of a vessel on the lungs. To prevent this, he was bled on that, and on the succeeding day; which, with other remedies, averted the threatened attack; but the breaches made in the citadel were daily widening, and every repulse grew feebler.

In November, Mr. Townsend re-commenced public duties. On the 10th of that month he met, for the last time, the ministers of the Congregational Board; and on the evening of the same day, he preached at Orange-street, and on

the 11th, at Hackney. On the 13th he delivered three sermons, and on Monday, the 14th, we find him at various committees.

On Monday, November the 21st, he attended a general committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, praying earnestly, before he left home, that God would give wisdom to the decisions of that day, that a spirit of calmness and moderation might pervade their counsels, and that all present might act as became Christians, who professed to be influenced by the precepts of that holy Book, which it was their united object to circulate.

But this variety and extent of exertion tended to exhaust the little remaining strength of our venerable friend, who frequently reposed all night in his chair, his malady allowing him very little sleep. On the 26th of November, he was again bled to reduce inflammation, and on the 27th he preached two sermons; after which he writes: "My public ministry will soon close, and I fear I must yield to the doctrine, so long and earnestly urged upon me, 'Spare thyself;' but I shall not submit without another struggle. Necessity only shall lead me to abandon my pulpit and my study. I have much reason to record the goodness of God, especially in granting me a calm and resigned state of mind, more spiritualized, and enlightened with the hope and prospect of that blessedness which will be the portion of all who believe in Christ. Affliction is a school, in which many important and profitable lessons are to be learned; but I am a dull scholar, and need line upon line, and precept upon precept. O for a larger measure of wisdom and grace, that I

may be more anxious for the glory of God, the spread of pure and unadulterated truth, and the conversion of immortal souls! How mean, how insignificant, are all pursuits compared with this!"

There was little cessation of service in December; in the early part of which, a physician had been called in, whose prescriptions had relieved some of the worst symptoms. Mental vigour and religious principle, carried him through the duties of that month. On the 29th he preached, for the last time, at Fetter Lane: the subject a favourite one-Practical Religion-the text appropriate, Matt. vii. 20. On the 30th he delivered a sermon at the Adelphi, from Matt. xxi. 22; the auditory were unusually attentive, and the impression left on his own mind was that of hope and pleasure.

We are now approaching the last scenes of life-seenes, ever most interesting to survivors, and whose details are sought with avidity. Affection would catch the last look; friendship would treasure up in memory the last sentence. We cannot follow the spirit of those who wing their flight to unknown and untried worlds; but we like to descend into the valley with them,-we linger on the shore, and anxiously watch their passage over the river. Such scenes are opening to us; but ere we record them, we must tell of Christian principles, evidenced by sermons delivered when the preacher was, in fact, a dying man. In January, Mr. Townsend preached on the first four sabbaths-twice on each; he also performed all his other pastoral duties, and attended most of the committees. On Thursday, the 19th, he offi

ciated at Orange-street; and on Sunday, the 22nd, delivered his last sermon there, and at Jamaica-row, from the text, Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

On the Saturday evening previous, his daughter had observed symptoms which told her that the last hours were rapidly approaching. With all the solicitude of affection, she implored him not to preach on the morrow; but the father's ruling passion was love to the souls of men, and this, strong even in death, prevailed over every consideration of prudence. So decided was her conviction of her parent's real danger, that she passed the night without sleep. On the Monday morning, his usual medical friend was summoned; who, on leaving him, said "Never have I seen Mr. Townsend so ill." Distressing symptoms rapidly increased, and all gave signs that the over-taxed frame would, ere long, dislodge the "tenant soul." Now were the humility, patience, and resignation of this eminent servant of God in full exercise. The selfabasement which had attended him through his long and useful life, was most conspicuous, together with a deeper sense of the purity and holiness of God. These are sentiments, that generally attend the Christian, who has long held communion with the majesty of a holy Being, and contemplated with attentive scrutiny his own internal corruptions. It is not that faith is weaker, or that he does not see the glory and all-sufficiency of Him who died to save those who believe in Him; but that long contemplation of that which is holy, gives an emphasis to penitential feeling, which increases as