attentive to distinguish the design of the law and gospel; the law to condemn the sinner, and the gospel to liberate him; the law to rule the saint, and the gospel to animate him in his heavenly warfare. The general strain of his preaching was rather adapted to bind up the broken hearted, and to comfort and establish the believer, than to awaken the stupid and careless. He lamented his deficiency; however, the lord so far blessed his labours to the unconverted, that there was scarcely a year elapsed without some increase of the church; and, at his depar ture, he left several inquirers after the way to Zion. Notwithstanding this, he had many fears and conflicts.about his unworthiness, and the inutility of his labours: he judged himself to be an unprofitable servant; and was fearful the Lord would give him some decided proof of it; yet, doubtless, his apprehensions were groundless. In conducting his worldly concerns, he endeavoured to maintain a conscience void of offence towards God and man. He was a good mechanic; and, for all the purposes of common life, a skilful architect; which procured him considerable employment in the erection of houses, &c. However, he gradually withdrew from his employ, and applied himself to farming during the last twenty years of his life. Success attending him, he gratefully acknowledged the hand of the Lord in providing more comfortably for him as the evening of life came on, than it might otherwise have been. In reviewing the goodness of God towards him, however, he observed how much his case resembled that of Elijah when fed by ravens, in obtaining the most unexpected means of support. Though he felt truely thankful for every instance of kindness shewn him, succour often came from a friend the Lord directed to him, and not which he himself had sought *. As a friend, Mr. Raban was kind, faithful, constant, dis • Mr. Raban often regretted, that men of fortune, especially professors of the gospel, did not more readily come forward to assist industrions tradesmen with the loan of a few pounds without interest. A part of the character of a religious man is, "that he putteth not out his money to usury;" and to this purpose our Lord says, “Do good and lend, hoping for nothing again, and your reward shall be great," &c, Bearing these, and other Scriptures in mind, he contended, that the opulent would be no losers, while they would materially assist a worthy part of the community; who, without such assistance, often fall into poverty, or struggle with difficulties all their days. interested. interested. His ear and his heart were ever accessible, ever open to the communication of a friend; perhaps his wish to do good to all, within his sphere of influence, might be carried too far by him, considering his numerous engagements. On this subject he often lamented that many professors, while they apparently pay a great attention to the precepts of the first table, overlook the second! on the contrary, he maintained, both by doctrine and example, that a due regard to our neighbour would be a decided proof of our love to God. He was kind and attentive to the poor. He had great influence. in parochial concerns; and while his advice was resorted to in conducting them, the necessitous and afflicted could look up to him as their constant friend and supporter, his charity was not easily provoked; for when extreme poverty furnished a pretext for stealing fire wood from his premises, if he knew of it, he would say, "Had I been there, I should have turned my head another way; or have said, poor fellow! do not overload yourself; and the next time you want fuel, come and ask my leave!" But his love of justice made him anxious to punish a detected villain, who could not offer such an excuse. As another proof of the benevolence of his heart, when he could not himself relieve a needy object to the extent of his wishes, he would become their advocate with those who could. During his life, Mr. Raban had several providential and surprizing escapes from broken bones or sudden death. We may remark the following: Being in an unfinished building, two stories high, his foot slipped, and he fell to the ground, and pitched on an axe, the edge of which stood upright: it cut his hat, but missed his head; and he sustained little or no injury! at another time, a large piece of timber, on which he had set his foot, heaved up, and fell with him into a saw-pit, and an anvil (connected with the wood) of a hundred pounds weight fell upon him; but it ouly bruised his leg which was soon healed. Another still more remarkable preservation was this :As he was assisting in raising a beam, in a mill, the rope slipped, when the bearn, under which he stood, fell with him from the height of four stories! but, though much injured by the fall, his life was wonderfully preserved. At another time, he was driving a team with a load of hay hay down a narrow lane, when by attempting to get o the other side of the waggon, he was thrown und th wheel; but he had the presence of mind to call to the horses to stop, which they did in a moment; and thus h was once more saved from instantaneous death. But was wisely reserved for the last month of his existence to prove the truth of Mr. Cowper's beautiful lines, as the sequel will shew: "Safety consists not in escape From dangers of a frightful shape; On Lord's Day, May 9, he was engaged in preaching at Wobourn. His morning's discourse was founded on Psal lxii. 8. "Trust in him at all times," &c.; and in the afternoon, he preached on Heb. iv. 9. "There remaineth therefore, a rest," &c. He was much impressed with his subjects; and the texts are remarkable, if considered in reference to his affliction and death. After service, when leaving a friend's house, his foot slipped over a pebble: he fell, and found his right leg was broken! Friendly and surgical assistance being at hand, his bone was immediately set. No alarming symtoms appeared, nor even the least tension on the part; during three week's confinement, his leg was healing as favourably as could be expected; and there was a pleasing prospect of his returning shortly to his anxious family but that was not permitted, till the hearse conveyed his corpse to them. When first carried to his chamber, he repeatedly said the affliction would be unto death, and expressed a desire to be resigned. Indeed, throughout his confinement, he manifested great resignation of spirit to the will of God. He could leave his partner and children in the hands of Him who is "the Father of the fatherless, and judge of the widows." He particularly rejoiced in the thought that, though the Lord might close his labours, the gospel would still be preached by one of his sons, for whom he poured out many prayers. Tenderly impressed with a view of divine goodness, he often exclaimed, "Why me! why me! I am less than the least of all my mercies." He expressed great affection and gratitude to his friends with whom he abode. The evening of May 31, he was discoursing with a young friend who kindly attended him during his confinement, on the employments and happiness of Heaven; and on the inconceivable happy change a believing soul would experience when dismissed from the body; when lo! in a few minutes, the glorious mystery he had been contemplating was to be developed! for, soon after this, he wished his head to be raised; which being done, he suddenly turned pale, became speechless, gasped, gently breathed for a short time, and then, without the least emotion, expired; and the smile left upon his countenance most emphatically expressed what Dr. Watts describes,— "A mortal paleness on his cheek, but glory in his soul." Mr. Raban used to speak of death as an object of dread; not as to its future consequences, for he knew in whom he had believed; but on account of the pangs he should feel in bidding adieu to his connections in life; and expressed a wish that his departure might be sudden. The Lord gave him the end he desired. As concurring testimonies of the esteem in which he was held, the following particulars are subjoined :-On the evening of his interment, Mr. Stephenson, vicar of Olney, preached on Rev. vii. 14. "These are they which came out of great tribulation," &c. His cordial friend Mr. Hillyard (the independent minister of that place) paid a tribute to his memory on Lord's Day, June 6, from John xi. 26. "Whosoever liveth and believeth," &c.: and in. the evening of that day, his funeral discourse was preached at Olney, by Mr. Bull, senior, from Heb. iv. g. "There remaineth," &c. The concourse being too great for the meeting-house, the service was performed near a friend's house in the market-place. The mournful event, and the very serious improvement of it, made the scene as solemn as any place of worship could be. Mr. Bull also addressed the congregation at Yardley, on the following Thursday, in a very impressive manner, from 2 Chron. xxxii. 33. "And all Judah and Jerusalem did him honour at his death."An extract from this excellent discourse. shall conclude this memoir : "It may appear needless for me to dwell upon the character of your deceased Pastor, in speaking to persons who have known him so many years; but, I believe, very few, except his own family, were so intimately ac quainted quainted with him, either as a man, a Christian, or a minister. He had long been accustomed to open his mind freely to me; and I have remarked, that those who better knew him, esteemed him most; o.I am conscious, the more I saw of his heart, the stronger affection I felt for him. Few persons have filled up a greater variety of re lations in life than our departed friend. Eariy babituated to business, his increasing family and peculiar circumstances led him into complicated scenes of worldly engagements; all of which, to the best of my knowledge, he discharged with unblemished integrity and uncommon disinterestedness. In such a situation, I believe no man ever lived wholly without censure, much less a real Christian; and, least of all, a minister of the gospel. Envy is sure to attack such a character, on one side or the other. Failings, from which the best of men are never exempt, are often in such cases dwelt upon with pleasure, if not magnified with diligence. However, I can truly say, that scarcely any man I knew had fewer or smaller faults than my late dear friend. Whatever they were, they may now properly be buried with him; while his good works, in which he abounded to the glory of God and good of men, have followed him to another world. His disposition as a man, was peaceable, loving, and friendly. His weeping family bear testimony to his peculiar tenderness and love, both as a husband and parent. It is my duty to unite with his friends, in speaking of that kindness and disinterestedness with which he administered every service in his power to all who enjoyed his familiar friendship. I do not doubt but the town of Olney will miss and lament him; and so will this church and congregation; and I am sure, several ministers of the gospel will feel the wound deeply. "His hope of salvation was firmly grounded on the Lord Jesus Christ; his views of the gospel were evangelical and clear; his experience deep and lively; and his desires after real holiness of heart and life, were stedfast and influential. While, from the first of his separation from the established church, he was conscientious and firm in his dissent, no person was ever more removed from bigotry towards any party, he was friendly and affectionate to pious people; and useful to the encouragement of ministers whose judgement, in trivial matters, differed |