THEIR AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 87
end, he expressed himself as " waiting God s leave to die," and thus he entered into his rest. Dr. Watts died Nov. 25, 1748, at the residence of Lady Abney, who survived him, at Stoke Newington, where he had resided many years.
In a letter, dated Stoke Newington, Nov. 24, 1748, Mr. Parker sends Dr. Doddridge the following words, as just noted down from Dr. Watts dying lips. The dying divine said : "I would be waiting to see what God will do with me ; it is good to say as Mr. Baxter, what, when, and where God pleases. The . business of a Christian is to do and hear the will of God, and if I was in health I could but be doing that, and that I may be now. If God should raise me up again, I may finish some more of my papers, or God can make use of me to save a soul, and that will be worth living for. If God has no more service for me to do, through grace, I am ready. It is a great mercy to me that I have no manner of fear or dread of death ; I could, if God please, lay my head back and die without alarm this afternoon or night." At another time, he said : " My chief supports are from my view of eternal things, and the interest I have in them ; I trust all my sins are pardoned through the blood of Christ."
Dr. Watts evangelical psalms and hymns are believed to have done much during the eighteenth century to preserve the Con gregational Churches from the frigid formalism of those times. And now, having found their way into Episcopalian, Wesleyan, and other collections, they are carrying on their Gospel mission in many communities and in many lands.
From among many who have expressed their indebtedness to Dr. Watts, we select that celebrated convert to Christ, Colonel Gardiner, whose testimony is strong and decided. In a letter to Dr. Doddridge, he expresses his fear lest the poet should die before he had an opportunity of thanking him, a fear not ful filled, as Dr. Watts lived to acknowledge Dr. Doddridge s letter conveying the thanks. The pious Colonel writes : "Well am I acquainted with his works, especially with his Psalms, Hymns,
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