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After fome converfation and prayer, fhe feemed much composed, and her pulfe mended very confiderably. But her diftrefs of foul, foon returned upon her again, and with double violence. She spoke much of the heinous nature of fin, and the holinefs of God, speaking of herself in the most abafing manner, declaring the feared the fould lofe her fenfes, through her foul's diftrefles. She defied earnestly to fee Mr. again, but he not being able to attend, having to preach at the weft end of the town; Mr. M, a ferious clergyman was fent for, who went to prayer with her, and quoted many precious Scriptures fuitable to her cafe, but she still remained inconfolable; admitting the truth of all that was faid to comfort her, but adding, "I cannot enjoy them for myself, I want to know that my fins are blotted out ;" and many things to the fame effect.

Being defired by a friend to compofe herself to fleep, the said she would, and lay fill for about ten minutes; fhe then became reftlefs again, and faid, "The agitation of my mind will not let me fleep," and mentioned her having felt much under a Sermon preached by the Rev. Mr. Gunn, at Rotherhithe Church, from Heb. ii. 3. "How fhall we efcape, if we neglect fo great a falvation!" Then looking earnestly at her husband, fhe faid "This a great text, pray, my dear, remeinber these things, and feek the Lord." About this time alf, the fpoke much of the difference there was between profeffors and poffeffors, and faid, "How much I have neglected the Holy Scriptures! but hope if the Lord fpares me, I fhall be enabled to read them much; but if this affliction is even unto death, it will be a great mercy if it is for the falvation of my foul."

The fame Spirit who is promifed to convince of fin, is also to take the things of Jefus and fhew them to the mind; this was fulfilled in her experience; for on her friends returning to her bed-fide after going down to take tea, they found an amazing change in her state of mind; it was as complete and lafting, as it was fudden and comfortable. She was now enabled to rely upon the promises, and look at Jefus as her Saviour and Redeemer. She began now to preach to all around her, telling them how happy fhe was in her foul, remarking that she had before been only able to lay "God," but now "I can fay my God." Sometimes, the quoted ingle verfes of hymns, at others, the repeated them throughout. Those on which the most frequently fixed her attention, were

"Come, thou fount of every blessing;
"Salvation, O the joyful found," &c.

The knowledge he had of the letter of Scripture was now evident, and was of particular ufe to her, for the paffed from one precious Scripture to another, repeating them aloud, and feeming to fee fuch beauty in them, and feel fuch power from them, as filled her foul with abundant joy and peace. At one time, the repeated Pfalm ciii. 1, 2, 8, 14, at another, Rom, viii. 1, 33, 34. Thefe Scriptures appeared to feed her foul and ftrengthen her mind to bear her affliction, and realize the thought of parting with her family and friends, not only without diftrefs, but with pleasure and delight; because he now had no doubt of her interest in Christ, and the glory which was to be revealed. As fhe grew worfe, and found her end approaching, her faith feemed to grow ftronger, and her defires after heaven were more fervent. At one time, the broke out in the following expreffions, "Dear Jefus, fweet Jesus, come and release me, I long to be with thee in glory! Oh how impatient I am to be gone, how impatient I am ! Oh, view my dear Redeemer fweating drops of blood through pain and anguish, whilst I murmur at these trifling pains! Lord have mercy upon

thy

thy unworthy duft: yes, he will have mercy upon me, he knows my poor weak frame."

She not only spoke fweetly of Jefus, and his truth as it related to her own experience, but the gave a word of advice and exhortation to all around her, fometimes in a general way, and at others to feparate branches of her family. To her husband, he gave the following affectionate and faithful exhortation. "My dear, remember that, a God all mercy is a God unjuft. The God with whom you have to do, is a just God, and will be ferved with fincerity and truth. I hope you will let your friends fee you fill that place at chapel, which I shall leave vacant. Do not, my dear, neglect the Scriptures; pray read at least one chapter every day; you know nothing, my love, of real religion yet, but I hope you will; yes, P truft I shall meet you again in glory." To another relative, the faid,

"Come, my dear aunt, come and kifs me; I fhail foon begone, but hope we fhall meet again in glory. Yes, I fhall foon have that crown of glory; I can fay, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteoufnefs, which the Lord the righteous judge fhall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them alfo that love his appearing." 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. To her mother, fle faid, "Dear mother, let me receive a parting kifs, I am going to leave you for a feafon, but do not grieve, we Thall foon meet again; yes, my dear mother, it will not be long before we meet again in glory." She was going to proceed, but the feelings of the parent were unable to fuftain the preffure of this fcene, and fhe retired. Her father, her brother, and other relations and friends, were frequently addreffed by her, fometimes individually and fometimes collectively. At one time, fhe would tell them of the happy and triumphant ftate of her own foul, at another, fhe would exhort and advise them to feek and fear the Lord.

Nor did the overlook the dear little infant, which was fo early to lofe its beft earthly friend. As it lay by her fide in one period of her illness, fhe looked round at it, and faid, "I love you my dear. Nurfe let me kifs her, (then turning to her friends). You are weeping; yet, I don't weep, no, I am too happy." At another time, the defired a friend to have her dear babe brought to her, which being done, the took it in her armis and affectionately embracing it, the returned it to her friend, faying, "Why do you weep, my dear friend, when you fee I do not, who am going to leave my child behind? I know I leave it in the hands of my dear Saviour, who will take care of it." She had a strong affection, not only for her child and husband, but for all her family; but her faith in and love to Chrift, fwallowed up every other attachment; fhe continued in the poffeffion of her reafon and her fpeech to the left, and never cealed talking (excepting intervals of fleep) of the glory and preciouinets of Jefus Chrift. She repeated with much apparent pleature a fhort time before her departure, that beautiful defcription of han by the Apostle. "Jesus Christ, the fame yesterday and to-day and forever." She alto mentioned about two hours before her death, thofe words of Paul, “Having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift, which is far better." This was read for her funeral text, to a very large and attentive congregation. May it hereafter appear, that the death of this truly amiable yetang perfon, has been productive of fpiritual life to fome of her friends and neighbours.

MR.

MR. S. LAKE.

ON Tuesday, August 21, 1798, died, at Exeter, Mr. Samuel Lake, aged 42, a Member and Deacon of the church at Exeter, under the paftoral care of the Rev. R. P. Allen. For many years, he gave good evidence that his foul was renewed by fovereign grace, and in his conduct exemplified the happy influence of the Gospel of Jefuis. He was particularly remarkable for a pacific, humble, and uniformly ferious difpofition. In religion he was neither a boafter, nor a preacher; but was always willing rather to be inftructed by hearing what God had done for others, than forward to publish his own experience. When himself was the fubject, his language expreffed the deepest abafement of mind; arifing from an awful conviction of his guilt and unworthinefs, and while he adored, he could not help wondering at the difplays of grace in his falvation. During his confinement by a dropfy, which terminated his mortality, his frame of mind was peculiarly ferene and happy; while his outward man perifhed, his inward man was renewed day by day; for his faith increafed, and his evidences were brighter. His tongue was loofed; and he appeared to have loft that diffidence, which had marked his days of health. Earthly objects feemed forgotten by him; the tendency of his converfation (which was refreshing to his paftor and fellow members, who attended him) was to exprefs his unfeigned humility and steady confidence. He repeatedly cloathed his fentiments in the emphatical words of Dr. Watts:

"A guilty, weak and helpless worm,
"On thy kind arms I fall;

"Be thou, my ftrength and righteousness,
"My Jefus, and my all."

Being asked refpecting the foundation of his hope, he declared, "I have no other ground of confidence, but the righteoufnefs of the Lord Jefus Chrift" and added with pious ardour, "This righteousness is mine; I confider it as effectual for my juftification, as if I had wrought it out for myfelf." He was not left deftitute of fuitable and feasonable supports; but often expreffed his belief, that it was the Gospel properly understood and really felt, which alone could give living comforts in dying mements. Sometime previously to his departure, his thoughts, defires and affections, appeared to be happily difengaged from the world. Several times he declared he had nothing which difpofed him to with for a continuance here below but his family; yet all things confidered, he had a defire to depart and to be with Jefus. "When I have read or heard (faid he) of the reluctance of many of God's fervants to be gone, I have wondered; I fee nothing on earth to induce a wifh to continue; I fee every thing in heaven worth dying for." He felt an ardent folicitude for the profperity of the church with which he was connected, and frequently and fervently implored the Divine Bleffing on paftor and people. In mercy his reafon was continued to the moment of his diffolution, and when incapable of fpeech, it was evident to those who surrounded him, by his geftures, that he was wrestling with God, and by his countenance, his foul rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. He has left a widow and fix children.

On the Sabbath afternoon, after his death, Mr. Allen, on the mournful occation, addreffed a thronged and ferious congregation, from Proverbs xiv. 32.

MISS G. K.

MISS G. K. (daughter of — K. Efq. of Highbury) was from her intancy of a delicate frame and weakly conftitution. Her perfon was re markably pleasing, her manners gentle and obliging, and her difpofition truly amiable. She took particular pleature in torming the minds of her younger fifters to every elegant and ufeful branch of female education, even to the prejudice of her own health. She was fubject to frequent and fevere illness from her childhood, which the bore with great patience, and often appeared chearful when her friends around were diftreffed on her

account.

Her laft il!nef's commenced with a cold and cough in September, 1797, and terminated in a fatal decline, which baffled all the arts of medicine. From May lalt, 'fhe was mostly confined to her room, and fuffered much pain, which the bore with a happy frame of mind. On Whitfunday, the attended Mr. Newton's church both parts of the day, and received the communion. On her return, the expelled a conviction, dictated doubtless by her feelings, that the thould never be able to go again; her cough having been fo troublefome as to diftrefs all who were near her. She declared, however, the had enjoyed a moit bleffed time-that the Lord had given her a new heart, and fet her foul at liberty. She had been used to attend the Gospel at different places, but now declared, he felt the power of it in a different manner to what she had done before; and often repeated to her friends, that it was one thing to have the form of godliness, and another to poffefs the power.

To a medical gentleman who attended her, the faid, "I thall go in Auguft; and to her fifters, who waited on her with the greatest tenderneis and affection, the faid, more than three weeks before her departure, “It will be on the 26th, the last Sabbath in the month, that I fhall begin an eve.lafting Sabbath, with my bleffed Lord." To a friend who often vifited her, and to whom he was particularly partial, on the Friday before her death, the faid, "Don't pray for my continuance; but for my departure. I cannot pray for myfelf-I can do nothing.” Her friend obferving, "Life is the time to ferve the Lord," he replied, "Ah! fo it is! If I had not done it then, I could not now." She often repeated, “ The Lord hath done all things well." On Mrs. S. taking leave, fhe faid, "Come on Sunday- with all here to be prefent on Sunday." Her friend replied, "On Sunday, my dear, I never go but to the Lord's houfe," intending, however, at her requel to visit her after the Morning Service. So foon, as the Sabbath commenced, he found herself ftruck with the band of death. "What can this be (aid the) fo cold upon my head? O this will be a long Sabbath!" Her relatives were all with her, and her dear mother begged the Lord to give her an easy difmiffion, having loft a child before, who fuffered much in her last moments. The Lord heard her request, and foon after noon, the departed without a figh or groan. The lait words, which were uttered only about two minutes before her departure, were "Mercy! Lord, Mercy!"

Thus, the Lord revealed himself to this dear young perfon, who was only twenty two years old at the time of her death, Auguft 26, 1798. Many precious things were uttered by her during her confinement, which her friends regret were not preferved; the above are published with the hope of their being useful to other young perfons, in encouraging them to ferve the Lord in the time of youth.

The Rev. Mr. Newton, being out of town at the time of her death, improved the folemn event, by a difcourfe from 2 Cor. v. 1. on Sunday evening, the 17th of October.

VOL. VI.

4 C

REVIEW

REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. Lectures on the Evidences of Chriflianity. Four by the late Rev. JOHN FELL, of Homerton'; and eight, by HENRY HUNTER, D. D. of London Wall, 8vo. 376 pages, 6s. London: Johnfon, Button, Good, &c.

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THE first four of thefe Lectures, are the interesting remains of the late Mr. Fell," and are addreffed to the Subfcribers to the Lectures inftituted with a view to fubferve his interefts, after the unhappy difference, which occafioned his difimiffion from the fuperintendance of Homerton Academy. Like Mr. F's other works, thefe difcover a strong mind and mafculine talents; confiderable reading and deep refiction. The frit difcourfe (on Pl. xxxvi. 9.) is introductory, and, after defining the nature of Revelation, confiders the state of Man, firft without, and, 2dly, with a divine Revelation. Having observed the alterations in the external manners of the world introduced by Chriftianity (as the abolition of IdoJatry, &c.) he adds Human nature, in its prefent depraved ftate, cannot poffibly appear with greater dignity than that in which true Chriftians often difcover themfelves. Under a divine revelation we are taught, in a divine and authentic manner, accompanied with the molt decifive evidence, that "all things fall work together for good" to the people of God-that our very fufferings and trials fhall become the means of the greatest and most important bleffings. Such views could not be had without a divine revelation. Here we find heavenly fuccour in the midst of death itself in the midst of our own death-in the midft of the death of others, which may precede our own. And I call the removal of every individual out of the world, which may be considered as a part of ourselves, the commencement of our own death-fo far we die. The Chriftian can meet all thefe things with a calm countenance with a peaceful heart. He can feel, and be rational. He can be touched within, and, at the fame moment, fubmiflive to God. Confider, what confolation over his children, taken away by death! what pleasure he feels in his own heart, while he teaches them, when young, perhaps in childhood, in the midst of sickness, to look for a divine world; and reaches them to lifp out, as it were, their hopes and profpects. Here fweet confort is diffused through the heart; and there are many inftances of this kind; among others, a recent one known to myself, of a child leaving the world, and giving up its laft breath with prayer to Almighty God-and this with no marks of enthufiafm, no traits of ignorant fuperftition attending it. Who can cenfure fuch things? No; the most hardened eremy to the Chriftian religion will not open his mouth against it. He might fay, "it was well, as it afforded present "comfort." I fay, it is better, as it carries the foul to a lively profpect of a future ftate. I know nothing to give fuccour to the human heart, like the truth-like the divine authority of that holy book, which is confidered as a revelation from God, and that too with the greatest truth.

"Give me leave to add, that in the poffeffion of a divine revelation, every part of nature becomes more interefting to us. I prefume to affirm, that every blade of grafs or grain of corn collects new beauties and importance, confidered as the prefent fultenance of rational and immortal beings. We may furvey the heavens with additional pleasure; and look with delight upon their regular and ordinary revolutions. We may put pleafant questions to ourselves" Shall I be acquainted with such and such bodies "hereafter, and better know their relative fituation and dependencies one upon another, and altogether, upon the mighty God, whofe infi* Bite power gave them exiftence?" We cannot doubt whether there

hall

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