IT being my Lot to be pretty much with him in the Time of his Illness, which he bore with Patience, to Admiration; his Distemper being a Stoppage in his Stomach or Breath, he was sometimes almost strangled; yet, when he could speak, his Words, though few, were savory: Many Times Praying to the Lord with a composed Mind, when in great Extremity of Body. I have of­ten [Page 2] thought it great Encourage­ment for People to endeavour to dwell near the Lord, when we see how he beareth up such as sincerely trust in him: As we have Cause to believe this Youth did. For he would call upon the Lord with a chearful Counte­nance, and with such Hope and Confidence, as if he no Ways questioned the Lord's Mercy to him; and would often drop sweet Doctrine among such as came to see him, for their Encourage­ment; often Praying to the Lord, not only for himself, but for the Family, and his Friends and Neighbours. O the many sweet Prayers that I have heard him put up unto the Lord, that he [...] pleased to give him [...] near what his holy Mind and Will was to [...] upon [...]im. [Page 3] Adding: O thou pure Fountain! that never can be drawn dry, sweet­en my Soul a little, and strengthen my inward Man; with many more precious Sayings: Often say­ing; O Lord! raise up many Thou­sands, from the East, from the West, from the North, and from the South; that they may be faith­ful Ministers unto thee, that so thy Blessed Truth may grow and prosper in the Earth. Thus was the Concern of this virtuous Young Man, in the Time of his Illness, as it had been in his Health. He was a diligent Fre­quenter of Friends Meetings, when well; and sometimes he had a Concern upon him to bear a Pub­lick Testimony for the Truth; which I believe he was faithful to, and retained his Integrity to the End. O that the Youth of our Age [Page 4] would take him (and such as he was) for an Example. His De­portment suited his Clothes, plain; and his Words were seasoned with Grace.

And he would often say: O that our young People would but give up their Days to serve the Lord! How would he adorn them! Often directing them to that Bles­sed Guide, meaning the Spirit of Truth. He himself was wonder­fully adorned with that inward Adorning of a meek and a quiet Spirit, which is with the Lord of great Price.

I write these few Lines, chief­ly to ease my own Mind concern­ing One for the Loss of whom my Spirit mourns in secret: Having often been comforted with what dropt from his Mouth; the Pow­er which attended his Words be­ing [Page 5] to my needy Soul as the Oil of the good Samaritan to the wounded Man. But the Lord a­lone is able to make up the Loss, and raise up many more faithful Ministers, as was the fervent Prayer of this Young Man.

I never perceived that the Thoughts of Death were any Sur­prize to him: But sometimes, when he thought he was near his End, he would be very earnest with the Lord, that he would give him Patience to bear his Af­fliction of Body, that he might not dishonour his Holy Name.

I do not remember that I ever heard him speak a murmuring Word, though his Distemper was hard to bear for a long Time; only I have heard him say, O Lord! What have I done? What have I done, that thou art pleased thus to try me?

[Page 6]I have admired to see the Goodness of the Lord to him, and how he fed his Soul with Food convenient and suitable to the Day: For he would sing Praises to the Lord, when he could hard­ly speak, his Pain of Body was so great: Which hath made my Soul to rejoice, altho', at the same Time, my Heart hath been pain­ed within me, to see the Afflicti­on of his Body. But after a long Time, and many Means used, he seemed somewhat to recover, which gave us great Hopes the Lord would have spared him with us longer; he being a Pattern of Piety, Meekness, and Plainness; and seemed as if he might have been of great Service among our young People. But his Distem­per seizing him sharply again, put [Page 7] a Period to his natural Life in a little Time, and set his Soul at Liberty from the distressed Body. And I am well satisfied the Lord hath taken him to Himself, to live with Him forever.

I was not with him in his last Moments: But a Person who was with him at that Time signified to me: "That the Night before he departed, he was in a sweet Frame of Spirit; and a few Mi­nutes before he left the World, he was heard to say, How glori­ous is thy powerful Presence, O Lord! And the last that he was heard to speak, was, Into thy Hands, O Lord, do I commit my Soul!"

Having been much with him, and seeing his Zeal, Courage and Constancy, I could do no less than make these Remarks thereof to [Page 8] his Memory. And conclude with Desires that we who have enjoyed so many of the Lord's Mercies, may prize them as we ought to do.

Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their Labours, and their Works do follow them, Rev. iv.13.

Written by One who hath been made a Sharer of the good Coun­sel which the Lord enabled him to drop among his Relations and Friends, for their Edification and Instruction; Part of which I took to myself, and treasured it up in my Mind.