that Mr. Durham, contrary to his former
practice, durst never after speak in defence of them.

But the time now approaching that the Lord was about to accomplish the
desire of his servant, he fell sick, and was cast into a high fever for
several days. He was much tossed with sore trouble, without any
intermission, and all the time continued in a most sedate frame of mind.

It is a loss that his last dying words were neither wrote nor
remembered, only we may guess what his spiritual exercises were, from
that short but excellent letter sent from him, a little before his
death, to lord Warriston, bearing date Feb. 7, 1656, wherein he shows
that he not only had a most clear discovery of the toleration then
granted by Cromwel, and the evils that would come upon these lands for
all these things, but also was most sensible of his own case and
condition, as appears from the conclusion of that letter, where he
accosts his lordship thus, "Now, not to trouble your lordship, whom I
highly reverence, and my soul was knit to you in the Lord, but that you
will bespeak my case to the great Master of requests, and lay my broken
state before him who hath pled the desperate case of many according to
the sweet word in Lam. iii. 5, 6. _Thou hast heard my voice, hide not
thine ear_, &c. This is all at this time from one in a very weak
condition, in a great fever, who, for much of seven nights, hath sleeped
little at all, with many other sad particulars and circumstances."

Thus in a short time, according to his desire, it was granted to him, by
death, to pass unto the author of life, his soul taking its flight into
the arms of his blessed Saviour, whom he had served faithfully in his
day and generation (being about twenty-two years old). He shone too
conspicuous to continue long, and burned so intensely, he behoved soon
to be extinguished, but now shines in the kingdom of his Father, in a
more conspicuous refulgent manner, even as the brightness of the
firmament and the stars for ever and ever.

He was in his day a most singular and pious youth, and though he died
young, yet was old in grace, having lived long, and done much for God in
a little time, being one, both in public and private life, who possessed
in a high degree, every domestic and social virtue that could adorn the
character of a most powerful and pathetic preacher, a loving
husband[81], an affable friend, ever cheerful and agreeable in
conversation, always ready to exert hi