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third chapter of Jeremiah when he was called from his la bour. His disorder was the stone in the kidneys, of which he had before had many sharp fits. The last suddenly seized him as he was reaching down a book from the shelf, The stone being by this exertion dislodged from the kidneys fixed in the urinary passage, from whence it could ne ver be removed. For several hours it gave him exquisite pain, which afterwards ceased; when he compared his situation to that of a woman in labour, whose pains were gone off; and pointing to the place, said to his son Hæret lateris lethalis arundo." After using the means of relief for a week, he went to his friend Mr. Major in London, to whom his first salutation was, "I am come now not to preach to you, but to die with you." Here he received any of his friends who wished to see him, and entertained them with such undisturbed discourse, that they could scarcely believe him to be so ill as, he was; but he declared himself to be a dying man. When he perceived any of them weeping for him, he told them with a smile, "that they were fools to weep to see an old man die." He earnestly exhorted them to practise the things which he had taught them, assuring them they were the truths of God. To some of them he expressed much satisfaction in regard to his Nonconformity; declaring that he had many times asked God forgiveness for his former errors in complying too much with unwarrantable impositions. During the whole of his illness he manifested great serenity and composure of spirit. When his wife asked him whether he were willing to leave her, he answered, "that he would not leave her for all the world; but she could not expect that after striving so long for a crown he should be unwilling to receive it." Having continued in London about a week, without obtaining any relief, he returned home, where he lived but a little while. The night in which he died, he called for those of his children who were then in the house, and told them he was dying. He desired them to call their mother if she were awake; but if not, wished her not to be disturbed. However she quickly came, when he spoke cbearfully to her, thanked her for all her kindness, and shewing the symptoms of his approaching dissòlution, said, "It is hard work to die," though he made no bitter complaint. His death was long and lingering. He told those who attended him," Now this leg is dead,

and

and then the other." Having a cordial offered him, he refused to take it, saying with a smile, "No revival now." Presently feeling great violence of pain, he exclaimed, "Lord deliver ine, deliver me! for I cannot bear this,' and he was graciously heard, for he immediately expired, Aug. 5, 1666, aged seventy-three. The general excellence of his character, procured the esteem of all parties, so that a stranger once hinted to him bis danger of our Saviour's "woe," because "all men spake well of him."

He was author of “Annotations on several Parts of the Bible," in 4 vols. 4to. The last of these, on the prophecy of Isaiah, was published by his son, who prefixed to it some memoirs of the author.

JACKSON, JOHN, was born at Oxton in Nottinghamshire, in 1622. He was son of Mr. W. Jackson, a conforming Puritan minister, a good preacher, and an eminently holy man, who continued his labours till he was above one hundred years old, and left many manuscripts behind him. This his son, at the time of his ejectment, from Bleasbey in Nottinghamshire, was offered a much better benefice, if he could have conformed. He afterwards removed to Morton near Southwell, where he taught school, and preached in his own house, and other places, as he had opportunity. He was often disturbed by informers, but it doth not appear that he was ever fined or imprisoned for his nonconformity; though he was cited into the spiritual court, and excommunicated. He afterwards kept a school at Keesall, a place noted for Puritans, where he preached every Lord's day, till sickness and infirmities of age disabled him, but continued his service in the afternoon till his death, Dec. 26, 1696. His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. S. Coates of Mansfield, to a numerous auditory, from John ix. 4.

JACKSON, EDWARD DUDLEY, was paternally descended from a very respectable family. He was called by his mother's family-name, Dudley, Mrs. Jackson being descended from an ancestor of Lord Dudley Ward. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson's union took place with more flattering prospects than they lived to be realized. They soon proved that riches take to themselves wings, and flee away: their

property

property being reduced by entering into trade, which proved unsuccessful. When the subject of this memoir was only five years of age, his father became insolvent. From that period he sunk into poverty, from which, through extreme debility, the effect of a cold, he was never able to emerge. This circumstance proved the source of frequent regret to his son, it having deprived him of that education he might otherwise have enjoyed. When six years of age, through the interest of a nobleman, he had the promise a presentation to the Blue-coat School. Providence, however, had determined otherwise, that his future advancement might appear to be of God; for disappointment took place, from his not having fully attained his seventh year when the vacancy occured. The promise of admission the next Easter was indeed renewed; but never fulfilled. He entered immediately upon the world, having just received education sufficient to enable him to read, and write a plain hand. His first employ was in a printing-office, where, as in several subsequent situations, he gave such satisfaction as procured his removal to a more advantageous place. At length he entered into the service of a corn-chandler, at Newington Butts, and discovered such worth, as obtained the promise of much encouragement if he would continue; but, though young, his reasoning was just; and he determined to learn some mechanical business, that, when a man, he might have a more certain dependence. accordingly articled himself, at thirteen years of age, to a silk-dyer, in Green Street, Leicester Fields. His new master soon proved himself a very depraved character; and, at the expiration of six months, the charge of the whole concern devolved upon the apprentice. Such was his engaging manners, his attention and skilfulness, that he soon ingratiated himself into the esteem of the customers, and increased the trade.

He

He appears from his infancy to have been of an inquisitive, reasoning, and solid turn. He was early impressed with veneration for the Deity, and attachment to worship. At an almost incredibly early age, he voluntarily and constantly attended Divine Service twice a day, at St. George's Church in the Borough, taking a Prayer Book with him, and conducting himself as orderly as if attained to mature age and understanding. At four years old, he went one Sacrament Sabbath by himself; but instead of leaving with

the

the congregation, he remained with the communicants, to the no small alarm of his mother, who, making ineffectual enquiry for him, concluded he was stolen. From this fear, Mrs. Jackson was happily relieved by his return with the beadle, who stated that, at the earnest solicitation of the child, the minister was prevailed on to allow him to be present; that he went to the table with the communicants, and kneeling with them, partook of the bread; but was omitted in the handing of the wine ;-" Because," said little Jackson to his mother, " by being so small, I was overlooked by the clergyman," He was accustomed, at this period, to bring home and repeat the text and parts of the discourse; would be very frequent and fervent in private prayer; and, to use the apostle's expression, since adopted by himself, "he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees." Before he was six years old, he gave a striking proof of his conviction of the omniscience of God: playing in a field, he lost one of his shoe-buckles, which, being silver, distressed him much; and he immediately retired to a corner of the field, and kneeling down, prayed to God in great earnestness that he might be directed to it; and rose with strong, though delusive, hope of his success. About the same time he had also convictions of sin, and reasoned much upon the plan of salvation. One day he addressed his mother," You tell me, God made you, and me, and every thing; now Mr. D. (the minister of the church before mentioned) said. a great deal to-day about the sufferings of the Son of God; how he was nailed on a cross, and his side pierced; and they gave him vinegar, mixed with gall, to drink. As you say God can do every thing, he could have forgiven men their sins without Christ's suffering, could he not, mother? Tell me, for I have been thinking of it ever since I came from church." These enquiries and impressions, cherished by a pious parent, excited the fond hope of seeing another Timothy fearing God from his youth; but the apostolic remark was soon verified, "Evil communications corrupt good manners." He no sooner mingled with a herd of boys, than he became acquainted with a host of sins; and the plant, which in better soil and tillage had promised such an ample store of fine fruit, soon began to shed untimely leaves.

His time now being divided between a shop of profane workmen and a school of mischievous boys, he soon lost all

serious

serious impressions; but was preserved from plunging into very gross immorality. The profanation of the Sabbath, and an attendance upon the amusements of the stage, appear to have been his ruling vices. A great fondness for being on the water, though it had nearly cost him his life, proved a strong temptation to the former; while the nearness of his residence to the theatres, and his being employed in dying for the actors, gave him frequent opportunities of indulging his inclination for the latter, On one of these occasions, a slip of the foot precipitated him into the Thames, from a float of timber, on which he was entertaining himself, when he twice sunk in a very narrow opening between it and a barge; but providentially rising perpendicularly a third time, he seized the boat, and was saved. At another time, while swimming in Hyde Park Canal, and beyond his depth, he was snatched from death by the humanity of a passing stranger, who plunged in to assist him. So thoughtless, however, was his youth, and so insensible was he either to the danger he had escaped, or the gratitude his rescue demanded, that he was no sooner out of the water, and found himself on the opposite bank to his clothes, than, to avoid a longer route, he plunged in again, and reached them in safety.

Mr. Jackson, about the sixteenth year of his age, was one Lord's Day pursuing his pleasure, when seeing the people go into church, where the rev. Mr. Foster was preaching, he went in with them, and a part of his discourse made a deep impression on his mind. This, however, did not at first hinder his visits to the playhouse; for having mistaken the sentiment of Dr. Watts, that

"Religion never was design'd
To make our pleasures less,"

he endeavoured to reconcile his attendance upon these oppo site places, till what he heard in the one, produced a complete disgust with the productions of the other. He took his final leave of the theatres, on the perusal of a pamphlet, which he was at first reluctantly persuaded to look at by a serious friend who was printingit. Thus God was pleased to illumine his understanding, to bring him to the knowledge of himself as a sinner, and to acquaint him with Jesus Christ, as a Saviour; so that he grew rapidly in grace. Old things now passed away; and in Christ Jesus he became a new

creature.

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