NOVEMBER 11th, 1825.—Visited Dr. Love on Monday. Found him very weak, but the fever a little abated. He was in a remarkably pleasant frame of mind, evidencing much of the humble and contrite heart. He received me with the greatest kindness, and was much pleased when told that I was to sit up with him that night. He was quite collected, but had been wavering the night before, and was much alarmed, thinking the house was beset by robbers, &c., but instead of ascribing this to the strength of fever and disease he told me he had been much tried by Satan the night before, but that it was well he had not been permitted to make him unruly, and next morning he said to one who came to visit him—”You would not expect to find me in this degraded situation. I can do nothing, I cannot even think a right thought, I am a useless stick.” He said again—”What construction will a careless world put on all this?” [He said this in reference to Mrs. Love’s trouble and his own wavering the night before.] But these words are sometimes found precious to the believer—”Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in Askelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.” At another time, when asked if he would take a little wine, he said—”Water is too good for me.” He expressed the greatest gratitude for any little thing done to him. Sometimes when asked if he was lying easy he said that he was sometimes too easy, that he had much need of a little strength to enable him to overcome temptation. It being answered that as his day was so should his strength be, and that He should make His strength perfect in his weakness, he said with much energy—”It is well it is so written.” At another time he observed, “It is very dangerous for a Christian to make a wrong step.” At another time, “If a Christian step out of the right way he will find it difficult work to get right again.” Again he said, “I have been much perplexed of late about the Lord’s conduct towards the unconverted. His ways of dealing with me have been very mysterious.” It was supposed he referred to his having been so long laid aside from his work, and his earnest desire after the salvation of sinners. At another time he said, “This is a sore conflict, but I have been gaining a little ground of late.” One said, “You will be made more than a conqueror through Him that loved you.” He said, “That is too much, I have only gained a little ground, I am still in the conflict, I know I will ultimately be so but I am still on the enemy’s ground.” On the 13th he was still getting weaker, but quite free from wavering. He appeared to be still much depressed in spirit, complaining that he had much to do with a wicked heart. One mentioned that she had heard him say in a time of great affliction that the Lord was known for a refuge in the palaces of Sion. He, in a most impressive manner, said—”Yes! I have found Him in my experience to be such.” In a little after this conversation he expressed a wish to sit up. Owing to his great weakness it was necessary when at any time he sat up that a person should sit behind him to support him. After sitting a little he looked round him, and seeing Mrs. Love and two other friends at his bedside, he began in a most interesting manner to address us. He said, with much dignity and solemnity, “Believe in God. He is the only living and true God.” He took a striking view of His glorious perfections, but dwelt more particularly on His unchangeableness. He remarked how much this view of the character of God was calculated to comfort and support His people’s minds. He observed that whatever unjust views we might at any time entertain of His character, He was still the same, yesterday, to-day, and forever. His love towards His people was still the same, however dark and mysterious His dispensations might appear. They had no effect on the mind of God. He then observed that though He had made them to drink of the wine of astonishment, He will yet make us to drink deep of the consolations of the Holy Spirit. He then in a most affecting manner pressed on us to seek that we might be enabled to draw nigh to the God of Salvation, in every situation in which we may be placed, whether it be under a sense of guilt or temptation, or feel weakness. “At no time keep back, but lay hold of Him as the God of Salvation, and seek that you may receive enlightened views of the Redeemer, and seek at all times to lean upon Him and rest upon Him, and cleave to Him and cling to Him, and do not let Him go.” He then took a very delightful view of the great condescension of God, that though He was the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, yet He condescended to dwell with him that was of a humble and contrite heart, and not only so, but to hold sweet communion with him. He then in a most affecting manner pressed on us to seek with the apostle that we might know that He was able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think. He then said he felt he was not able to say more at present, but he hoped we all knew something of these things, and “Oh seek,” said he, “that you may know more of them.” He then said he hoped to be able to say a little more at another opportunity. On receiving a glass of wine after this, his last solemn and faithful testimony to the loving-kindness of his God, from his dying bed he in an affectionate and dignified manner looked around him and said—”May you all be visited with the light of His salvation; may you all be made to drink deep of the wine of His consolations.” It is impossible to give an adequate description of this truly solemn and delightful moment, and what were our feelings to hear this eminent servant of the Lord, who had so long borne the burden and heat of the day, and who had in such an eminent way been honoured as being instrumental in bringing many souls to the Redeemer, now from his dying bed leaving such a testimony to the loving kindness and faithfulness of Sion’s King, recommending Him and His ways to those around him, and imploring that we might be visited with blessings from on high. It would have been to me truly gratifying had his bed been surrounded by some dear friends who would have highly relished this last precious discourse. He never before preached in such peculiar circumstances. He appeared through the rest of this day to be deeply impressed with the great importance of prayer, and wished that spiritual exercises were gone about in his room. He said he was desirous to give some counsel that night, but was much perplexed about it. One present said that “the Lord was a present help in time of need.” He said, “He will be ultimately so, but not always to our experience; I am waiting for deliverance.” A little after he said he knew not how to set his face to this work. There was much difficulty connected with it; “there is much good, and consequently much evil, depending upon it; it is of such a nature that the good and the wise ought to have been exercised about it. Those in particular who are not here ought to be deeply concerned about it, but I will look up for that wisdom which is from above to direct me.” His mind appeared to be quite absorbed in deep thought, and a little after he enquired for Mrs. Love. On being told she was in bed, he appeared disappointed, but after a pause went on, saying—”I am much perplexed about this counsel which I have to give. I know not how to enter on it. His ways are very mysterious. What will the unconverted make of all this. There is great difficulty connected with it; human wisdom is too little; angelic wisdom would fail;” but, looking up, he said with great energy, “but I will look up to that mercy and that wisdom and that power that is infinite.” He then, in a most affecting manner, addressed two friends who were present respecting Mrs. Love, speaking to each of them separately in a most interesting manner respecting Mrs. Love which quite overpowered them. At this time Mrs. Love entered the room. He paused for some time, and, taking her affectionately by the hand, said—”My dear, I feel more for you this night than ever I felt before. I have endeavoured in my feeble way to counsel you, but all my counsel has failed.” Then, looking up with reverential awe and dignity in his countenance, he added—”And I now commit you to Him whose counsel cannot err.” After he had, in this deliberate and solemn manner, given up Mrs. Love, and left those solemn charges on us, in the near prospect of his leaving this world, he appeared to have his mind unburdened, and remained through the night in a happy frame of mind, though very weak. He expressed much anxiety about us, lest we should suffer from waiting on him, and said more than once to us to take care of ourselves. We felt much affected at his great kindness. At another time he said, “These words of the Psalmist are very striking—’The sacrifices of God are a broken heart; a broken and a contrite spirit, Oh God, thou wilt not despise.” He added that the Redeemer found great difficulty in making atonement for sin. It was answered that he had made a complete atonement. He said, “Yes! but wretched sinners despise that atonement.” It was answered that the Father approved of it. He said, “Yes!” A little after he added, “If my security depended on empty forms, what would they do for me now?” Again, “I wish to be done with empty forms.” At another time he expressed a desire to have the following passages read to him:—”Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth.”—(Psalm lxxx. 1). “I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were delivered from the pots. Thou callest in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah.”—(Psalm lxxxi. 6, 7). Also Psalm lxxxvi. 1-5. In hearing those passages read, he appeared to experience much delight, lifting his hand up and down, but he was so weak that he could not say anything at this time. At another time he said, “God’s word is a pure word; it enters into the dwellings of the righteous and it abideth there.” At another time, when Mrs. Love came into the room, he said—”The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock; He has done wonders, and He will do wonders.” At another time he said he had need of a little of the strength that Daniel got, and wished that passage to be read, Dan. x. 18, 19. He said at another time, “The more I think of the Lord’s excellency, the more vile do I appear.” In a little after, “But there are some who do not wish to see their own vileness; they are too proud; they think too much of themselves; but I will leave all such, and the Lord will tame them.” Again he said, “The Lord whom you seek shall come suddenly to His temple.” From the Sabbath before his death, being the Communion Sabbath, he was very low, but entirely free from wavering. He was able to speak but little, but appeared to be habitually engaged in prayer, sometimes saying in an impressive manner, “Oh come again, oh deal bountifully, oh look down, oh pity!” At one time, when saying with a very impressive voice, “Oh come,” one said, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” He showed that it was this he desired by turning his head round and saying in a very emphatic manner, “Come, come, come.” Some time after he said, “Help the poor and needy.” One standing by said, “The Lord will help the poor and needy when they call on Him.” He cried out in an extended tone of voice, “I’ll call on Him who will hear me.” Monday night he was very low and did not require a drink through the night, but when it was given him about eight o’clock I went to the bedside to look if he was asleep. As usual, he took me affectionately by the hand to show that he was awake. He then took me by both hands and said in a low voice, his eye beaming with pleasure and his whole countenance showed the heavenly serenity of his mind, “I want the full ear.” After a pause he said, “I long for perfection.” In a little he said in broken words, “It is the Father’s good pleasure” (he could not proceed). It was said to him, “to give you the kingdom.” He said with energy, “Yes!” He then referred to Hebrews ix. 14—”How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God!” He then in broken accents referred to Rev. iv., the last verse, and chap. v., the twelfth verse, expressing the ascription of praise in a very distinct manner. He then lifted up his eyes and said “Help!” It was said to him that the Lord was a present help in the time of trouble. He said, in a most affecting manner, “Want speech, want speech.” His whole frame appeared to be agitated, but he was unable to express the joy and peace which he then experienced, and which so evidently appeared in his countenance and remained even in death. In a little after, Mrs. Love came into the room. He took her by the hand and said in a distinct voice—”He will help you, He will raise you up, He will deliver you and all such.” After this interesting conversation, he was unable to say anything, but continued in ejaculatory prayer, except on Wednesday he said to Mrs. Love—”When the poor and needy seek water and their tongue faileth them for thirst, I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Jacob, will not forsake them.” He continued in the same state till Thursday evening at six o’clock, when he took another shock, after which he lay without much motion till Friday evening at twelve o’clock, when his happy spirit took its flight and he entered into the joy of his Lord on the 19th December, 1825.