cify her to all expectation from a dead husband, and to all hope in a killing covenant; and let her no longer be a joint-wife, in copartnership with Hagar. And, as for the few wretched remains of felf-righteousness which she has ever been so doatingly fond of, I befeech thee to spoil, together with all the rest of her own manufactory, that she may embrace the Rock for the want of fhelter. Job xxiv. 8. Amen.

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Pfal. cxxvii. 3..

Fourthly, My eldest son GAD (whose name fignifies a troop), whom I fo named by reason of a wonderful deliverance from a heavy perfecution, after a long and wearifome engagement :--I do leave and bequeath my faid fon to the all-conquering Captain of falvation; otherwife, the Lord of hofts, mighty in battle. And now, O Lord, I intreat thee to hear the prayer of the poor frail teftator: Make my fon a standard bearer in the camp of thy faints, and let the banner of everlasting love be displayed over his head: Do thou clothe him, feed him, arm, and protect him. And blessed be be that enlargeth Gad. O let him dwell as a lion in thy ftrength, and be thou his high tower of fafety, his fhield of defence, and his offenfive buckler. Make him a valiant advocate for Eternal Election; that he may tear the broken arm of Free-will, and the high arm of Oppref

fion, and help to demolish the whole crown of Pride, Deut. xxxiii. 20.

Then were brought unto him little children, that he fhould put his hands on them, and pray; and the difciples rebuked them. But Jefus faid, Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me; for of fuch is the kingdom of God. Matt. xix. 13, 14.

Fifthly, EBENEZER, my second fon, (whofe name fignifies a helpful ftone) whom I fo named to perpetuate the memory of God's kind providence appearing in a time of deep poverty at his birth. And I do give and bequeath my fon Ebenezer to Chrift Jefus, my only rock of ftability, against which the gates of hell fhall never prevail. And now, O Lord, the Stone of Ifrael, my executor, and ever bleffed legatee, who hath led me to believe that thou art the only foundation of Gofpel Zion, to bear the whole weight of Mercy's fabric-Thou ever blefied and chief Corner-ftone, whofe omniprefent power unites the whole living temple together, though fome of the materials are in heaven, fome on earth, and fome in non-existence; whom my foul believes that the heavens will one day reveal in all the glorious majefty of Deity; as the Omega, Faith's finisher, the ornamental top-ftone, to crown the building, and bear the everlafting glory; while all the redeemed millions, when filled

with the dazzling beams of thy tremendous glory, fhall burft forth into celeftial exclamations, crying, Grace, grace unto it! Zech. iv. 7. O that my son may live before thee, and be made a lively ftone in thy mysterious building, if confiftent with thy fovereign will and pleasure ! And do thou watch over him with all the parental care of an everlasting, ever-living, and ever-loving father! Amen.

That our fons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner-ftones, polished after the fimilitude of a palace. Pfal. cxliv. 12.

Sixthly, RUTH, my eldest daughter now living, (whofe name fignifies filled) whom I fo named becaufe my wife was taken in labour as fhe was gleaning wheat after the reapers in the field, and was obliged to travel home, and that with great difficulty, even before fhe had filled her lap with corn. And, when the time came for naming the child, we made a little feast; and the fecond course was made of the corn gleaned by my wife, which would have been more abundant if little Ruth had not been quite fo hafty. I do give and bequeath my daughter Ruth, whether for life or death, to the ANTI-TYPICAL Boaz, late of Bethlehem-Judah, in the land of Canaan, but now King of Kings in Jerufalem, whom I believe to be the only husband of the chofen daughter of God.

And now, O Lord my Saviour, my foul's near kinfman! Thou who didft not difdain us in our low eftate, but willingly didft affume our nature, and didft the kinfman's part, when the angels (who were nearer related by creation) ftood filent half an hour (Rev. viii. 1.), not daring to speak in our behalf! No; it was Thou, thou ever-blessed Bridegroom, who openedft the decretive will, and didft undertake to perform the conditions belonging to a covenant of eternal wedlock. Rev. v. 5. Yea, it was Thou who didft betroth our fouls in mercy when our FIRST HUSBAND was dead. Rom. vii. 2. Thou difdainedft to be called the man who hath his fhoe loofed (Deut. xxv. 9, 10.), though thy enemies did spit in thy face: Thou haft married the wife of the deceased (Deut. xxi. 5.), redeemed the mortgaged inheritance, and raised up an everlafting name that shall never be cut off. Ifa. lv. 13. Surely thou haft done worthily in Ephratah, and been famous in Bethlehem !-Q' Lord, make my daughter like Ruth the Moabites; and though thou haft caft out thy fhoe over Edom (Pfal. lx. 8.), yet condefcendeft to ftand in the fhoes of Moab; and

let

poor Ruth glean among thofe who gather fruit to eternal life. O Lord, let her keep close to thy maidens (Prov. ix. 3.), and let Satan never catch her in any other field (Deut. xxii. 25.); and, when thou shalt take thy fan in thy hand to purge thy floor, let her lie fafe, as Mary did, at thy feet, covered with the fkirt of thy righteoufnefs; let

the

the fpiritual reapers, who receive the wages which grace allows, drop many handfuls for her to glean, until the appears in the bundle of life (1 Sam, xxv, 29), as a part of that fhock fully ripe, coming in feason (Job v. 26.), as thy firft-fruits (James i. 18.); that thou who haft so bountifully fowed, and those who have diligently reaped, with all the weak in faith, who have gleaned, may, to all eternity, rejoice together! O let a full reward be given her of thee, thou fovereign Lord God of Ifrael, under whose wings my faith would bring her to truth, Amen.

A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the finner is laid up for the juft. Prov, xiii. 22,

Seventhly, My daughter NAOMI, the youngest daughter now living, (whofe name fignifies agreeablenefs) and whom I so named to perpetuate the memory of God's providential care at the time of her birth.-I had left my employ, and a ready-furnished lodging alfo, and had removed to Ditton, where I could get no accommodation but an empty room, though in expectation every day of my wife being taken in labour; but God raised up a few friends to furnish the place, and make it agreeable for my wife, by the time it was wanted. Thus God caufed the morrow to take thought for the things of itself. Therefore Agreeableness is the name of the child.

And