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Secretary to the Missionary Society.

Published by T. Chapman 151.Fleet Street July 1.1797.

THE

Evangelical Magazine,

FOR JULY, 1797.

BIOGRAPHY.

LIFE OF THE REV. MR. FURLY,

RECTOR OF ROCHE, CORNWALL.

Ffaith a

EW things tend more to strengthen and confirm the faith and patience of God's dear people than a relation of the experience and joyful death of his faints. It therefore feems the duty of every real Chriftian to give an account of the Lord's goodness to individuals whenever occafion and opportunity may offer.

An inftance of great fubmiffion and patient endurance of much bodily pain was ftrongly difplayed in the fufferings and death of the late Rev. Samue! Furly, Rector of Roche in Cornwall, who was for many years an useful Gospel Minister at that place. He was born at Weftham in Effex, October 17, 1732, and was placed early at a grammar school in that county. After the death of his father, which happened when he was young, he was entered Fellow Commoner at Queen's College, Cambridge, as his love of learning and early piety made him with to take holy orders; and his wifhes were feconded by his worthy and pious mother. While he was at Cambridge, it pleafed God to give him fuch a meafure of divine grace, that he stedfastly refifted thofe temptations which are fo pernicious to young men on their firft advancing into life. He was often wont to exprefs the greatest thankfulness to his God for enabling him in mercy to withstand those inares and temptations with which he was furrounded while there. After continuing at college the usual time, he was ordained, and did duty a few months in London, where he married, and foon after reVOL. V.

moved

moved to Lakenheath in Suffolk; he continued there but a fhort time, and from that place went into Yorkshire, and refided at Kippax in that county for twelve months, when he again removed to Slaythwait in the fame county. There he remained five years, and preached to a large country congregation, where he was much bleffed. In the year 1766, being in London, he was prefented to the living of Roche in Cornwall, by that bright ornament of the Christian church, the late excellent Mr. Thornton, of Clapham. To that place he therefore removed for the laft time with his wife and five children: a stranger in a remote county; but the fupports of the God of Jacob were with him, and enabled him to preach his word with power. Upon his firft coming he had to declare the Gofpel to a dark people; and it pleased the Lord to blefs his labours. The dry bones began to ftir. For a time he was much attended by numbers from neighbouring parifhes. That, however, did not continue long; the novelty foon ceased, but his zealous labours went on, minding no difcouragements. He conftantly preached twice every Lord's day, and for near twenty years had a lecture every Wednesday evening; but as the church was large, and very cold, he at last removed the lecture to his own house. He was a faithful and zealous preacher of the everlasting Gofpel, more a son of thunder than confolation, and his learning and abilities made him an excellent explainer of the holy Scriptures. In his family he was indefatigable, and he educated his three fons himself. After they were grown up, and had left him, he took a certain number of young gentlemen to inftruct; and his great affiduity and attention to them are well known in Cornwall. It pleased God to bless him with a remarkable fhare of health and fpirits for the greatest part of his life; but about twelve years before his death he was attacked with a violent and uncommon pain in his face, which was at first fuppofed to be rheumatic, and as fuch was treated. It has fince been discovered that his cafe was mistaken; and it was plainly perceived at laft to have been the feeds of that fatal diforder, a cancer, which removed him from this vale of tears. He had an interval of near five years from his firft attack, in which time he suffered but little. In the fpring of the year 1794 his diforder took a different turn, though attended with but little pain; but in the autumn of that year the symptoms had arisen to a very alarming height. From the firit, when he heard the nature of his complaint, he well knew he should have

much

much to fuffer; and the Lord gave him ftrength for the day. His agonies were beyond description great, and from Christmas till his death, which was in Auguft 1796, his nights were fleepless, and spent in the bittereft pain, and during all that time he could not reft his wearied body, for he was totally unable to fit down. In the midft of this furnace of affliction, his reliance on his God was firm and unshaken, and his patience and refignation most exemplary. Not one complaining word ever efcaped his lips; but he was continually repeating that fweet paffage of Scripture, "Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and fcourgeth every fon whom he receiveth." "I know,

(faid he) that my heavenly Father fends me this affliction in much love, and fhall I not patiently bear it? Is it not a proof that the Lord treats me like a dear child? and has he not kindly bid me not faint when I am rebuked of him? Oh that I may but glorify his bleffed name in this fore trial! My God fees that I want the furnace! May I but come out like gold that has undergone the refiner's fire!"

Throughout the whole of his fevere illness his cheerful refignation to the divine will was wonderful to those who were eye and ear witnesses to the Chriftian fortitude and patience with which he bore the most excruciating pain. Though his fufferings were fo great, yet did he ftill continue his labours both in the church and family; and when any part of that, or his friends told him that they feared his exertions were beyond his ftrength, his anfwer was always, "My God fupports me, and fhall I not glorify him while I have breath Shall I not declare the everlafting Gospel which he has appointed me to preach as long as I am able? Yes, through his divine affiftance, I will fhew forth his praise till I join the church triumphant above." He had always a great share of animal firits, and much strength of mind; and, in the younger part of his life, he had to struggle with a natural haftinefs of difpofition. But how was he changed into the patient lamb before he quitted earth for heaven! His tenderness and affection to every part of his family was great indeed; and to a friend, who once came to fee him, he bleffed God for having given him children who were willing and able to afford him all the affistance in their power. He was ftill able to walk by leaning on two perfons, and they were his conftant fupporters. Often did he lift up his heart in thankfulness to the Lord for this mercy; and he faid that his prayers were heard by his

heavenly

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