so successful an effort to repel the attacks of calumny, and to maintain the cause of truth.

Shocked above measure, at the report in circulation, which was conveyed to him, through various channels, he stated to his physician, his determination to appear once more before his congregation, and make a solemn appeal, in reference to his past and present principles, and thus to counteract the influence of calumnies, not more discreditable to his own character, than injurious to the cause of God and truth. When informed, that it would be dangerous to make the attempt, and that probably he might die in the execution of it, he replied, "A good man once said, he would rather wear out, than rust out; and I" he added, with true magnanimity, "would rather die in the harness, than die in the stall."

On Sunday, June the 14th, less than two months before his death, he came from Knightsbridge, and after a sermon, by his Assistant, the Rev. Dr. Illingworth, he ascended the pulpit, to the utter astonishment of his people; and delivered a very short, but very affecting discourse, from 2 Peter i. 13, 14. "Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance; knowing, that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as the Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me." When speaking of the abundant peace he experienced, and the joy and consolation of the Holy Ghost, of which, for months past, he had been a partaker, together with the persuasion, that, in a few days, he must resign his mortal part to corruption, as a prelude to seeing the King in his beauty, the effect produced, was such, as may, perhaps, be conceived, but certainly cannot at all be described. His closing address, was in substance, the same with the following paper, which was published the week after, and entitled, "The Rev. Mr. Toplady's Dying Avowal of his Religious Sentiments."

"Whereas, some time since, a wicked, scandalous and false report was diffused, in various parts of this kingdom, by the followers of Mr. John Wesley; purporting, that I have changed some of my religious sentiments, especially such of them as relate more immediately to the doctrines of grace, I thought it my indispensible duty, on the Sunday after I received this information, which was the 13th of June last, publicly to declare myself, from the pulpit in Orange-street chapel, to the following effect: "It having been industriously circulated, by some malicious and unprincipled persons, that, during my present long and severe illness, I expressed a strong desire of seeing Mr. John Wesley before I die, and revoking some particulars relative to him, which occur in my writings: Now, I do publicly and most solemnly aver, that I have not, nor ever had, any such intention or desire; and that I most sincerely hope, my last hours will be much better employed, than in conversing with such a man." To which I added: "So certain and so satisfied am I, of the truth of all that I have ever written; that, were I now sitting up in my dying bed, with a pen and ink in my hand, and all the religious and controversial writings I ever published (more especially those relating to Mr. John Wesley, and the Arminian controversy), whether respecting facts or doctrines, could at once be displayed to my view, I should not strike out a single line relative to him or them."

"Matters rested thus, when I received a letter, dated July 17, 1778, from a friend who lives near an hundred miles from town, in which letter is the following passage: "I cannot help feeling an uncommon emotion and surprise, at the report, that you have recanted all that you have written and said against John Wesley, and many like things; and that you declared as much, to your congregation, a few weeks ago. I was told this, by two persons, who said, they were there present at the time. How

am I amazed, at such falsehoods! The party, and name, and character, that are established by lies, have no good foundation, and therefore can never stand long."

This determined me to publish the present address to the religious world. I pray God to give the perfect liars, grace and repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. And may every blessing, of the upper, and of the nether springs, be the portion of those who maintain, who experience, and adorn, the glorious gospel of the grace of God.

Should any hostile notice be taken of this paper, I do not intend to make any kind of reply. I am every day in view of dissolution. And, in the fullest assurance of my eternal salvation (an assurance which has not been clouded by a single doubt, for near a year and a half last past) am waiting, looking, and longing for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I once intended subjoining to this paper, the specific outlines of my religious sentiments; but on farther reflection, I believe it may be more expedient, to refer the reader to the several * writings I have published: every one of which I do hereby, as a dying man, ratify and declare to be expressive of my real religious principles, from any one of which principles I have never varied, in the least degree, since God enlightened me into the clear know. ledge of his truth; which is now within a few weeks of twenty years ago.

I was awakened in the month of August, 1755, but not, as has been falsely reported, under Mr. John Wesley, or any preacher connected with him.

Though awakened in 1755, I was not led into a full and clear view of all the doctrines of grace, till the year 1758, when, through the great goodness of

* If the reader wishes to see a doctrinal compendium of these, he will find it, in a sermon of mine, entitled, “A Caveat against unsound Doctrines:" every part of which I hereby avow to be declarative of my fixed and ultimate judgment.

VOL. I.

I

God, my Arminian prejudices received an effectual shock, in reading Dr. Manton's Sermons on the xviith of St. John.

I shall remember the years 1755, and 1758, with gratitude and joy, in the heaven of heavens, to all eternity.

Knightsbridge, July 22, 1778.

AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLADY.

While yet in the enjoyment of his ordinary health, and some years before the period to which the preceding statement refers, Mr. Toplady had, in a letter to his friend, Mrs., Macaulay, expressed a wish, that, were it the will of God, he might be removed by a sudden death. "Was I qualified," he said, "to choose for myself, and were it lawful to make it a subject of prayer, I would wish for this indulgence, whenever my appointed change may come. It is, I think, the most desirable mode of departure, where the person is in a state of grace. How happy to be surprised into heaven! And, to surviving friends, it is but a single shock, once for all.”

The great Arbiter of life and death, knows best how to order the manner and circumstances of both, so as to contribute, in the highest degree, to the promotion of his glory, and the advantage of his people. Had Mr. Toplady's death been sudden, whatever might have been the effect as to himself, it would have been a loss to the world. Having, while in health, set an example to others, of the way to improve and enjoy life, he now, during the severe and protracted illness, that terminated in his dissolution, taught them how to suffer, and how to die. His sun, when past the meridian, still continued, amid clouds of affliction, to shine in its strength, and it appeared greater than ever at its setting. The patience and piety, the hope, the joy, and the triumph which he displayed, in the midst of all his

troubles, and at the very hour of death, were well fitted to make his brethren in Christ, give glory to God in the highest, and to extort, even from the lips of infidelity, the exclamation of Balaam, the son of Bosor, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his !"

The dying scene of this truly excellent servant of Christ, was, indeed, grand and impressive, above measure. It shall now be described in the words of some of the favoured persons, by whom it was witnessed, and who happily did not trust to their memory, but for their own satisfaction, and for the benefit of others, committed to writing, much of what passed, during the most interesting moments of this most interesting man of God. A short narrative, prepared from their notes, was published soon after his death; and from that narrative, the following account is extracted.

"In conversation with a gentleman of the faculty, not long before his death, he frequently disclaimed with abhorrence, the least dependence on his own righteousness, as any cause of his justification before God, and said, that he rejoiced only in the free, complete, and everlasting salvation of God's elect by Jesus Christ, through the sanctification of the holy Spirit. We cannot satisfy the reader more than by giving this friend's own relation of intercourse and conversation. "A remarkable jealousy was apparent in his whole conduct, for fear of receiving any part of that honour, which is due to Christ alone. He desired to be nothing, and that Jesus might be all, and in all. His feelings were so very tender upon this subject, that I once undesignedly put him almost in an agony, by remarking the great loss, which the church of Christ would sustain by his death, at this particular juncture.-The utmost distress was immediately visible in his countenance, and he exclaimed to this purpose; What; by my death? No! By my death? No.-Jesus Christ is