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longer . The sands of life must soon rbe n ** i . This conaiflcration , with the T ^ mwal of almost ail the friends of xnjr eaerly life >( dear Joseph W ^ oods ex' oepfeetf ) , powerfully admonish me to prepare for the iinal allotment!—^ Whenever , in Divine wisdom , which is ever connected with Divine good-• 0 em , it shall arrive , 1 expect to find k ail awful period : and biit for the hopes , df '© ivine mercy , turn unspeakably awful would it be !
** J cannot after long and most serious meditation venture to place salvation * 6 the account of " the meritorious ihlood of the atonemetit , " about which I hear so much continuallv from
different professors . "No ! Convicted I gtand , as well as many of them , of < grea £ unworthiness , and that nothing short of the Divine mercy can cancel the dewier its of a life of infirmities and
transgressions ! But I cannot ( and I lmmmy trust £ ought not so to dc ) « eek a covering , however sacred in its character , which the wise and humble of ati antient generations knew nothing of . The inroad and sacred foundation
of the mercy of God , humbly implored , was the foundation of prophets and aposties ; and though Jesus Christ became the chief corner gtone of the spiritual building , in his universal cnurch , vet was the foundation never
changed , nor can it change , for ever and ever I The testimony of all the gospels proclaim in substance tins - the testimony of the blessed Jesus abundantly confirms the doctrine . Of all the enthusiasm which has prevailed among Christian professors , surely the orthodox artificial system of salvation is the most unaccountable . But of
these things we have too long reflected with reverence , to have any disagreement /' It seems , however , that a rui ^ iour had been circulated among the Quakers , that he had at length- seen and confessed his errors , and sought to be reunited to their Church . Under this
impression , a respectable member of the Society wrote to inquire whether Biich was the fact . id is reply is as follows : « Bath , Aug . 19 , 1815 . Esteemed Friend ,
* ' I received thy letter of the lfitfv , and am obliged by thy frank inquiries . I shall answer thetn very briefly . From the time I . published my «• Ex-
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planatory Appeal , " to the present da * ( row thirty vears ) I am not conscious of havira changed one reli gious opi ttion . Certainly no person could report with truth , that I had applied for re-admission into the Society ofFrtends Membership in any particular society is of small account to me . 1 sometimes attend the meetings of Friends because I love their simplicity and silence t but I would not join any society under heaven which holds or favours the doctrine of a Trinity of Oods ! or that does not explicitly declare its belief in the plain Scripture doctrine of One God , and of Jesiis
Christ his Son , as the created and sent of the Father , deriving all power from him . € e With respect to that excellent 'Christian , Hannah Harnard , I continue to think she was shamefull y treated . * With best respects , though personally unknown , I remain thy sincere friend , William Mathews . "
As the autumn approached , his infirmities gradually increased ; but be was able to attena the funeral of his aged and venerable friend , Mr , Elijah Waring , at Witney , in the latter part of November . Prom this tune his
< health still more rapidly declined , and very much disabled him from discharging the duties of an executor to Mr . Waring ' s will . He was however not confined to his chamber but a few days , and died at his house in
Grosvenor Buildings , Bath , on the 12 th oi April , leaving only one daughter , and his grandson above-mentioned . He was universally esteemed by all who had the happiness of being well acquainted with his worth , and most by those who knew him best . His funeral was attended by many
members of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society , as well as b y many members of the Society of Friends , and others of his acquaintance , outot sincere respect to his memory . * cannot perhaps close this memoir 11
better than by annexing , ^ elegant lines which Mr . Mathews wrote without intending them for tap public eye ; but as they afford so ju » and pleasing a picture of a p ious mm calmly viewing the near approach 0 that cnange , which is destined to wani the whole human race to the shoto ^ eternity , t would not withhold wem from your readers . They were
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» 572 idfatiioir of Mr . IVtBiam Muthews .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1816, page 572, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2457/page/8/
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