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boured hard for breath, and begged to have the window
open, as he suffered the continual sensation of fainting,
which, as often as he was inclined to dose, prevented him.
On Sabbath morning he became conscious that his case was
critical; but was not apprehensive of his approaching dis-
solution till within twelve hours of his death. On recover-
ing from a convulsion fit in the afternoon, he blessed God
for so good a night; and observing the light, enquired the
hour; being informed it was half past two, he said, “Is it
Sabbath afternoon still? how long have I been asleep?"
Learning that it had been but a few minutes, he observed,
"How strange I should feel so refreshed!" A friend took
this opportunity of apprizing him of his state, and noticed
to him that he would soon enjoy a new Sabbath.
He an-
swered, "Not so soon, perhaps, as you expect;" but the
opinion being acquiessed in by another friend, he replied
immediately,

“If sin be pardon'd I'm secure,
Death has no sting beside;
The law gave sin its damning pow'r,
But Christ, my ransom, dy'd."

He then spake in a highly experimental and evangelic strain, encouraging his surrounding friends to stand fast in the ways of God. As frequently as his breath allowed him, he continued to animate his attendants, especially those who were members of his church; observing to them, the ground of their hope must be the same as his, the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. He added, "Oh, live near to God; that is the way to live comfortable, and die happy." Sometime after, seeing him unappalled by the rapid approach of death, one of them enquired into his present views of the Gospel; he answered,

"Firm as the earth thy Gospel stands,

My Lord, my hope, my trust;
If I am found in Jesu's hands,
My soul can ne'er be lost!"

One of his deacons enquiring if he preferred any text, from which his death might be improved to his people; he said, "No;" but, pausing a moment, added, "except that which has been my living doctrine, and is now my dying hope: It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Give my love to my church, and

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say, that I wish them a better and more faithful pastor." On account of his frequent convulsions, and the agita tion of his mind on seeing Mrs. Jackson, together with her very weak state, their friends kept her from his chamber the greater part of the day: but hoping an interview in his present happy frame might prove to her a source of future consolation, she was introduced; but it proved a scene too painful for either; and he could only say, as she was carried out, "My dear Mary, I commit you to the care of a covenant God." On a relative's leaving his room about ele ven o'clock, he impressively said, "Mary, I have always loved you; be kind to my wife and children.-Good night:-good night for ever!"

His convulsions now succeeded quicker, and with greater violence; nature continued to struggle, and grace to triumph. A few days before, he had said to a friend, "I do not wish the stroke lighter;" and in his last minutes, on telling another that he had never before known bodily af fliction, he added,

"He will not always chide;

And when his strokes are felt,

His strokes are fewer than our crimes,
And lighter than our guilt."

At his urgent request he was again assisted to his chair; and, when seated, he said, "Once more, and I shall cease to trouble you: you take great pains to keep a worthless creature here; but it is in vain." As he was guided back to his bed, he prayed, “O Lord, cut short thy work in righteousness, and let me enter into rest;-Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" On lying down, he looked up on his attending friends, and seeing them much affected, said, "You must be pleased with your Father;" and, turning on his side, was again convulsed, and received the accomplishment of his last petition; thus illustrating his own remarks on a funeral occasion, "That the departure of good men naturally tends to impress us with the vanity of life, to convince us of the worth of religion, to affect us with the preciousness of Jesus, to deliver us from the fear of death, and to animate us in the expectation of eternity.'

In the pulpit he had few equals, and still fewer superiors. Whatever subject he took up was thoroughly investigated. He read and reflected much; was always full, and ready. If in preaching he had a fault, it was excess; and yet his

divisions

divisions were so just and natural, so comprehensively expressed, and eminently simple, that an attentive hearer could, without pain, carry away nearly his whole discourse. He was peculiarly happy in exhibiting divine truth in its own most lively colours. And, full of fruit, in the midst of usefulness, and in the prime of life, he finished his course with joy"-but only to himself. The most unfeigned concern was visible throughout the town, as well in those that differed from him in religious sentiment, as in the members of his own congregation. Every token of respect was manifested at his interment; which, at the solicitations of his people, was conducted by themselves. The ministers, residing within twenty miles, preceded his corpse, and his congregation followed. Mr. Morren, of Shaftesbury, and Mr. Kingdom, of Frome, prayed; and Mr. Sibree delivered the funeral oration. Mr. Wilks, of London, preached a funeral sermon on the succeeding Sabbath evening.

The pulpit and galleries were hung with black on the occasion; and an elegant monument will testify to posterity the affliction of his people in the following lines :→

"This tablet records

the mournful feelings of This Church and Congregation,

On the death of their beloved Pastor,

the Rev. EDWARD DUDLEY JACKSON,

who entered into rest Oct. 3, 1303, aged thirty-four years
(and whose mortal remains

are deposited in the vault beneath.)
Superior talents, an amiable disposition,
glowing zeal, and eminent success,
distinguished his labours

during a residence of near ten years
in this part of the Lord's vineyard.
The cross of Christ was his glory;
Salvation by Him alone was his doctrine;
and that faith

which worketh by love,

and produceth the fruits of holiness,
was his constant and delightful theme.
Such was the preacher:-as a Christian,
his life was a continued sermon;
and the end of this excellent man
was peace.

O may his death a lesson still impart,

And write "PREPARE TO DIE" on ev'ry heart."

JACOB,

JACOB, NATHAN, was born in 1629. His father, Mr. John Jacob, was a major in the parliament army, and bnight have been a colonel under Cromwell, but refused all offers of preferment from that quarter. He lived many years in good reputation at Totness, being, after the Restoration, a captain in the militia. He designed this his son for the ministry from his cradle, if it should please God to qualify him for it; and his promising parts and early seriousness were such as raised the expectations of all, that knew him. He was well furnished with grammar learning at the age of fifteen; and continued an indefatigable student at University College, Oxford, about four years. He then went into the country to visit his friends, with a design to return. But Mr. Garret the vicar of Totness, and other ministers, observing his uncommon genius and improvement, persuaded his relations to use all their interest to prevail with him to enter upon the ministry immediately. Their importunity at last drew him into the pulpit, and after he had given them a proof of his great abi lities, they left no means unattempted to hinder his return to Oxford, and to get him settled in the country; in which at length they succeeded. At first he assisted Mr. William Stidson, of Mary Church, whose daughter he afterwards married. About 1651, he preached at Coffins Well, a church which sprang from this, and was ordained by the classical Presbytery of Salisbury, June 3, 1652. During his stay here he had an augmentation of fifty pounds per ann. but was soon presented to the vicarage of Uxborough, in Devonshire, by Servington Savery, esq. Several gentlemen of considerable estates and character had their seats in this parish, to whom Mr. Jacob's great learning, exemplary piety, and obliging behaviour endeared him; and after king Charles's restoration, when men of his persuasion were under public marks of infamy, he was treated with a distinguished respect. The income of the place was not very considerable; but the people had gained such an interest in his affections, that he could not be prevailed upon to remove, though a good living in Somerset, and another in Cornwall, worth two hundred pounds per ann. were of fered him; so that he continued with them till Bartholo-mew day, 1662. When he could no longer instruct them in public, he dd it in private, as he had opportunity; preaching sometimes at Shilston, and sometimes at his own VOL. III. No. 51.

D

house,

house, having the Shilston family, and other neighbours, for his hearers. His patron Mr. Savery, who knew how to value substantial learning and piety, was his hearty friend in the worst of times. He gave him twenty pounds a year, and committed his eldest son, to his care. He rode once a fortnight to Plymouth, and preached to Mr. Thomas Martyn's people, after whose death he took upon him the pastoral care of that congregation. There he was convicted upon the Act against Conventicles, and with Mr. S. Martyn about 1684, was committed to Exeter jail for six months. He sometimes attended the established worship, and all his days maintained a friendly correspondence with some worthy neighbouring clergymen, who did him many good offices. Mr. Nosworthy of Dipford, afforded him shelter in his parish, when the Five Mile Act drove him from Plymouth. He outlived those melancholy days; and returned to the public exercise of his ministry at Plymouth, to a numerous congregation, where he lived beloved, and died lamented, 1690; justifying moderate Nonconformity to the last. His funeral sermon was preached by canon Gilbert, vicar of St. Andrew's in Plymouth, who gave him a great character for piety and learning.

JACOMB, THOMAS, D. D. was born near. Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. He was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, but when B. A. he removed to Emanuel College, Cambridge. He was sometime Fellow of Trinity, and much esteemed there. He came to London in 1647, and being received into the family of that 'excellent, pious, and devout lady, the countess-dowager of Exeter, (daughter to the earl of Bridgewater) as her chaplain, he had the opportunity of preaching in the city, and was soon fixed in Ludgate parish, where his ministry was both acceptable and useful. He had a happy art of conveying saving truths into the minds of nien. He did not entertain his hearers with curiosities, but with spiritual food. He dispensed the bread of life, whose vital sweetness and nourishing virtue is both productive and preservative of the life of souls. He preached Christ crucified, our only wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. This is to water the tree at the root. His sermons were clear, solid, and affectionate. He dipped his words in his own soul, in warm affec tions, and breathed a holy fire into the breasts of his hear

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