On the 2nd February, 1798, Mr. Jaenické felt it his duty to write to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge informing them that his friend and venerable colleague was now very seriously ill and would never preach again. The time of his departure was evidently drawing near. Looking round upon the faces of the old friends who one by one were gathering at his bedside, he smiled saying, “God is good. If we were left destitute of His help what should we do? We poor worms of the dust! Our times are in His hands; He alone can preserve or destroy life. Hitherto He hath endured our manners with truly paternal tenderness, hath spared us in the midst of all our sins and provocations, and crowned us with loving kindness and tender mercies.” At another time the conversation turned upon the mercy of God in having called him to be a missionary, which he said was the most blessed service in the world. “True,” he added, “a missionary must bear the cross; but this, my brother, is salutary, the heart is thereby drawn nearer to God, we are kept humble; without such trials the self-willed and proud heart of man would soon exalt itself. The good we receive at the hand of the Lord far exceeds the evil. When I consider all the way which God hath hitherto led me, the distresses from which He hath delivered my soul, and the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long suffering, I feel compelled gratefully to exclaim, ‘The Lord be magnified!’ Believe me, it is a privilege and happiness far beyond all description to enjoy in Christ the remission of sin. Ah, how much hath my Saviour done for such a poor sinner as I am! Look at this poor Christian (he pointed to one sitting at the gate), how poor he is in the things of this world, whilst I have every needful supply, and even many a comfort! What is my superiority over him? Suppose he should have committed one thousand sins, I am conscious of having committed ten thousand, and yet my God still bears with me. And should I ever think myself entitled to despise a poor man like this?”