Wesley Corpus

“ Dear Sir,--I sat up with Isaac Kilby three nights, and being greatly comforted by many of his expressions, I believed it would not be losing time to set a few of them down. On Wednesday, June 18, when I came into the house, he was supposed to be near his end. His body was in great pain, and.just gasping for breath: but his mind was in perfect peace. He had little strength to speak; but when he did, (which was now and then on a sudden, as if immediately supported for that purpose,) his words were strangely powerful, just as if they came from one who was now before the throne of glory. When he had just drank something, I said, ‘ All may drink of the water of life freely.’ He lifted up his hands in great love, and said, ‘ Yea, all, all; all the world.’ “ After long silence, he suddenly asked me, how I felt myself: I replied, ‘I find great consolation from the Lord.’ He said, ‘ How strange it is, that such a rebel as Ishould bring glory to God When dozing, his mind would rove; but even then his discourse consisted chiefly of strong exhortations to some of his acquaintance, to repent, and persevere in the ways of God. On Friday I called, and found him in the same spirit, full of pain, yet full of joy unspeakable. I could not forbear sitting up with him again. All his words were full of divine wisdom, expressing a deep sense of the presence and mercy of God, and of his own unworthiness. ** Mention being made concerning his burial, (in the beginning of his sickness, he had desired, that Mr. Wesley might bury him, and preach a sermon from that text, ‘Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth,’ he said, ‘ Now I do not think of such things; bury me as you will; yet I should be glad to have a sermon preached: but just as Mr. Wesley pleases.’ He said to me, ‘O go on, and you will rejoice as I do, in the like condition.” He prayed, that he might die before the morning; but added, ‘ Not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ Thus he contirved till WednesAvg. 1745.] ‘REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 347