e rain and preached; which
example had a great influence on the people to patience, when they saw
his sympathy with them. And though he was the only minister that kept
closest to his text, and had the best method for the judgment and
memory, of any that ever I heard; yet now, when he preached, the people
crowded close together, because of the rain, he digressed a little, and
said, with a pleasant, melting voice, 'My dear friends, be not disturbed
because of the rain. For to have a covenant-interest in Christ, the true
Solomon, and in the benefits of his blessed purchase, is well worth the
enduring of all temporal, elementary storms that can fall on us. And
this Solomon, who is here pointed at, endured a far other kind of storm
for his people--even a storm of unmixed wrath. And oh, what would poor
damned reprobates in hell give for this day's offer of sweet and lovely
Christ. And oh, how welcome would our suffering friends in prison and
banishment make this day's offer of Christ.' 'And, for my own part,'
said he, 'as the Lord will keep me, I shall bear my equal share in this
rain, in sympathy with you.' And he returned to his sweet Subject again,
and offered us grace and reconciliation with God, through Christ, by his
Spirit.

"Words would fail me to express my own frame, and the frame of many
others; only this I may say, we would have been glad to have endured any
kind of death, to have been home at the uninterrupted enjoyment of that
glorious Redeemer who was so livelily and clearly offered to us that
day.

"He was the only man that I ever knew that had an unstained integrity.
He was a lively and faithful minister of Christ and a worthy Christian,
such as none who were acquaint with him could say any other but this,
that he was a beloved Jedidiah of the Lord. I never knew a man more
richly endowed with grace, more equal in his temper, more equal in his
spiritual frame, and more equal in walk and conversation. When I speak
of him as a man--none more lovely in features, none more prudent, none
more brave and heroic in spirit; and yet none more meek, none more
humane and condescending. He was every way so rational, as well as
religious, that there was reason to think that the powers of his reason
were as much strengthened and sanctified as any man's I ever heard of.
When I speak of him as a Christian--none more meek, and yet none more
prudently bold against those who were bold to sin--none more frequent
and fervent in r