and this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. Our natural life depends upon, him as our creator and preferver; he only im plants fpiritual life in us, and maintains it amidst, all our deadly corruptions; and he gives us the earnest of the life to come. O dedicate your life to the Lord Jefus, who died, that you might, live; and affure yourself, that a religious life is the only fafe, honourable, and joyful life: the only life that will afford comfort on a deathbed. The Lord himself blefs you."

"After this Betty (that was the young woman's name) grew daily weaker, and at last gave up the ghost in my prefence, retaining the full exercife of her judgment to the very laft, expreffing her dependence upon the righteoufnefs of the all-fufficient Redeemer, as her only title to happiness. She often faid, "O my dear Redeemer, be with me in the furnace, in my laft extremity; for death is feizing me, and will bring me to the grave. O, fill me with the confolations of thy Spirit, and grant me victory over this king of terrors." Her laft words were, "Now the conflict is over, and I triumph and rejoice in Chrift's victory. To thee, O God, I commit my foul, and fhall foon fee thy face in glory. Lord Jefus, receive my fpirit." Juft when the had spoke these words, the expired, with a pleafant fmile on her lovely face; and, without all doubt, entered into the joy of her Lord. She left all her cloaths to Mally, and to Peggy another religious maid, ordering them to fell as many of them as would be fufficient to bury her, and apply the reft to their own ufe; and defired that I would carry her head to the grave. Finding the expenfe of the funeral would fcarcely amount to 4 1. I defrayed the whole charge, and permitted the young women to take all her

cloaths.

cloaths. I only took her Bible, and her books, which they earnestly preffed upon me.

"Upon the whole, I have much pleasure in what I did to this heir of glory; and cannot but fay, O, that my dear Henry and his Fanny were but as ripe for heaven, and had as much experience of the grace and love of the Lord Jefus, as this amiable young woman had. O, that we may live as she did, that we may die the death of the righteous, and our laft end may be like theirs."

Fanny's affecting narrative of the horrible ftate, converfion, and blessed death of a Shopkeeper's apprentice.

IN

N a pofterior letter Fanny relates the following very affecting ftory. My friend Mally invited me a few days ago to vifit, with her, a young man dying of a fever, but quite fenfible, in terrible agonies of confcience for a wicked life, who lodged in the fame ftair with us. As there was

nobody with him, and Mally told him fhe had brought a gentleman to fee him, I approached his bedfide, and asked what was his diforder. He faid, it was a fever, which would foon bring him to death, and plunge him into the ocean of wrath. I answered, God forbid; for though he were a great finner, the mercy of God in Chrift was very great, and that he fhould make that his plea. I begged him to give me fome account of his life, affuring him that I would give him the best advice in my power." Sir," anfwered he, he," my hiftory is very fhort, as my life has not been long, but a very wicked one. I was born in the country, and received a pretty good education. When I was fifteen, I was fent to this place, and

bound

bound apprentice to a fhopkeeper in the broadcloth and filk way. As I was naturally of a cheerful and fociable difpofition, I foon contracted too many acquaintance, fome of them not the best; who perverted my morals and principles. I had fmall fums remitted me by my father; but these being infufficient to defray the charge of my company-keeping, I had recourfe to borrowing from my companions; but being dunned for payment, and not having cafh to give them, I fell on the bafe method of fecreting fome of my master's money, by ftating accounts paid in cash lower than they were. These villanous practices, which never were detected, furnished me with fmall fums, which I fpent in drinking and whoring. It is needlefs to give you a particular account of my lewd and abandoned life. It is fufficient to fay, that I feldom paffed an evening without drinking, and fatisfying my luft in the embraces of a whore. I laughed at all religion, and mocked every thing facred and ferious. I paid no regard to the facred name and day of God, but dishonoured the former by vile oaths and execrations, and de-dicated the latter to the moft infamous practices. I spent five years in this vitious courfe, and am now about twenty years of age. A few days ago, after spending a confiderable part of the night in rebriety and lewdness, I was, on my awaking from leep, feized with this fever, the forerunner of hell and damnation." I ftopt him, and faid, Sir, I own you have led a very ill life; but many others have been as wicked as you, and yet have been faved. You are a finner, but Chrift is a Saviour, and came to fave the chief of finners. His blood is fufficient to cleanfe from all fin, and he is able to fave to the uttermoft." "I refufe not," he haftily replied, "all you have faid: but he did not die for me. I mocked at his facrifice, E e trampled

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-trampled his blood under foot, and derided his perfon. He will have no mercy on fuch a facrilegious rebel, fuch a monster of wickedness and abomination. No; his mercy is clean gone; and pure, unmixed wrath lies in ftore for me. There is nothing between me and the devouring mouth of hell, but the brittle thread of life, which this fever will foon cut; and then I fhall be ruined for ever." "O Sir," replied I, "the Son of God calleth you to believe in him; believe therefore in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thou shalt be faved." "Oh!" faid he, "that I could believe; and oh! that the offended and affronted Son of God would fave me. But I cannot believe; for my heart is hardened against him. I know it is needlefs for incenfed juftice will purfue me for my reviling the divine Majefty, and contemning all the difplays of his wifdom, love, and grace in the falvation of ruined finners. Juftly do I deferve to perish, who flighted the overtures of mercy, and had pleasure in unrighteousness. Will ever the holy God, and his immaculate Son, admit into their favour fuch an unclean beast as I have been, who placed my fupreme felicity in wanton dalliance with abandoned proftitutes? No; I fee the rod of God lifted up to beat me, and the fword of justice fharpened to run me through. Oh! wretch that I am! O that I had never been born! Wo's me, what fhall I do? Oh! that I could fly to God; but he is my adversary, and will not regard me." "Oh! Sir," replied I,

you justify the Lord in what he hath done to you; and you think you deserve damnation. That we all do. But there is still hope in Ifrael concerning this thing. I therefore charge you to receive Chrift as the only propitiation for your, fins; as your Saviour and Redeemer. Throw all your guilt and filthiness upon him, and fly to

his

I am

his unfpotted righteousness, as the only cover and fhelter for your guilty foul. This is the command of God, that you believe on the name of the almighty Saviour. Behold, his arms of love and mercy are stretched out towards you; ftretch out then your withered hand to receive him. He is the author of faith; cry to him, that he may give you this faith, and take away your unbelieving heart." He replied, "Sir, fain would I believe; I would give ten thoufand worlds, were I mafter of them, for one act of faith. Lord, enable me to believe, that thou calleft me; Lord draw me to thee; pluck me as a brand out of the fire. Oh! Sir, there is no mercy for me. I feel all the horrors of hell in my confcience, and I fbudder at the dreadful leap from this life to the place of torment. What fhall I do? Hell from beneath is opening its mouth to receive me; and the flames thereof are burning within me. ready to die for ever. O holy offended God, be reconciled to me through Chrift; and let thy tender mercies fpeedily prevent me. Glorify thy infinite name; O magnify the exceeding riches of thy grace, in refcuing me from the guilt of fin, and wrath, and hell." On this terror fat on his looks, and his vifage was horribly ghaftly. I faid, "O Sir, continue to cry to the compaffionáte Saviour for great are his tender mercies. It is his office and bufinefs to fave finners; and as vile finners as you have been made the trophies of his victorious grace. He ftill calleth you, even at this eleventh hour; O then accept of him as your Saviour that died for you. Befiege heaven with your cries, and take it by violence. The merciful Redeemer has mercy in ftore for you; and his blood will cleanse you from all fin." He then cried out, "What fhall I do to be faved? I snow I am commanded to believe; but I cannot believe.

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