Page:Biographical sketch of the life and labours of that eminent minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; the Rev. James Hall D. D. of the United Secession Church, Broughton-Place meeting-house, Edinburgh.pdf/16

 —‘Thou hast redeemed us! Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood!—that is the song of the great company who surround the throne. Thou hast redeemed us!—that is the song of the saints on earth. Thou hast redeemed us;—that is the song and joy of my heart.’ In the same posture, after another short interval, he said, ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.’ ‘I know in whom I have believed, and that what I have committed to him he will preserve against that day.’ ‘The Lord is my light, and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord liveth, and blessed be my Rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted.’ ‘I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day.’ ‘Lord Jesus receive my spirit!’

"On another occasion, he said, ‘The cords that bind me to this world are numerous and very tender, but they must all be cut, and that very soon.’ And, putting his hand to his chest, ‘That is a true saying of David's—my heart faileth. Yes, my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.’ One of his last injunctions was, ‘Give my love to my congregation—to every one of them.’”

Let us unite with the pious author of the Funeral Sermon—“that surely, after hearing these things, we do not feel as we ought to do, if, amid all our regrets, we are not disposed to say, ‘Thanks be to God who hath given him the victory.’”