before their eyes, so that they could not discern the paths of the destroyer; therefore they rejected my admonitions, scorned my fervour, and bid me begone for a prating fool. But seeing their imminent danger, and moved with concern for them, I disregarded their clamorous speeches, hardened my countenance against shame, and lifted up my voice higher and higher, using many arguments to persuade them that the monster Death was even then at hand to devour one or more of them; but all in vain! for they would receive none of my admonitions, and mocked at my zealous concern. At last, unhappy moment! the inexorable tyrant came up with them, and with his forked talons seized my lady in the midst of her jocularity. But, O how it would have shocked you to see the consternation she was in, when she first perceived herself envenomed by his poisonous sting.Convinced that her time in this world was just at an end, and to the last degree unwilling to enter into a new state of existence, so much unknown to the best of men, and the dread of those who are ignorant of God, O what would she not have given for a short reprieve? Never did criminal at the bar endure such horror when the awful judge denounced the tremendous sentence, as this wretched lady felt on the dismal prospect of futurity! If gold and silver could have redeemed her from Death, she would freely have given as much as would build a cathedral, parted with her attendants and finery, and lived in adversity the residue of her days; or if she might have been exempted from the dreadful encounter, she would even have given up the beloved pleasure of plays, operas, and dancing assemblies. But, alas! no bribe, nor promise of future amendment, could turn aside the resistless arrow, or procure the once gay delinquent the shortest respite.

She implored the aid of her skilful physician, attended by the faithful apothecary; yea, a whole troop of the faculty were summoned to exercise all their wisdom, by any means to resist the rapacity of the inexorable tyrant; but all in vain; for sad ex

perience proved, that no medicine, however skilfully prepared, is a sufficient antidote against the poison of Death's cankard sting; therefore the lady, however reluctant, was forced to submit to the Monarch of Terrors.

Least the length of my dream should render it tedious to my readers, if told at once, I shall divide it into several parts. and shall stop here for the first time.

PART II.

HAVING had a full view of all that passed betwixt Death and the lady, I could not forbear reflecting on the folly of inconsiderate mortals, who are every hour, for ought they know, exposed to Death; and yet live altogether strangers to a certain, an approaching eternity. It is awful indeed to banish the thoughts of futurity from the mind, and assiduously bury every serious reflection in the moat of sensuality! To rush from one profane delight to another, till unwǝlcome Death puts an end to our career, and serves us as he did the unhappy lady. O what profit is there, said I, in separating less or more time every day for intimate fellowship with death? In all probability, when grace is given so to do, our conflict with that merciless tyrant is far from being so terribly dreadful. It is true, I profess but a very small acquaintance with men and things; yet I cannot but conjecture, that one reason why this lady and her acquaintance so utterly detested discourses concerning Death, might be because such discourses naturally tend to strip the pleasures of the flesh of all their imaginary charms. Then, said I again, O blessed, discriminately blessed of the Lord are they, whose exalted pleasures can consist with the most intimate acquaintance and fellowship with Death! They, and only they, are fit to enter the lists with that formidable enemy, who can in life maintain converse with him without spoiling the pleasure of the day.

I thought in my dream, that Death, having finished his business with madam, transformed himself from the appearance of a dragon into the likeness of a grave and not uncomely personage, clothed in a long flowing white robe, which hid all his native deformi

ties. This equipped he directed his course towards me, which once again put me in a panic, lest I should be the destined prey, notwithstanding he was not now so terrible as before; but as the all-directing Power ordained it, he passed by me, his rout lying now to the right. My attention being wholly engrossed by the achievements of that terrible hero, I turned my eye after him, and at no great distance beheld a man of a middle age, and upright mien, to whom he marched with all possible speed. No sooner was this good man apprized of his approach, than with a becoming serenity of countenance he went forth to meet him, and thus addressed him: "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord, for I long to be dissolved, that my better part may appear in the more immediate presence of thy Conqueror." Death replied, "Thou guarded one, all I have to do with thee, is to sign thy dismission from this stage of action, and open thy passage to the land of immortal felicity.' He said, and instantly pierced his heart with an arrow dipped in the blood of Immanuel; and as soon as the venerable man felt the arrow rankling in his bosom, in holy triumph, he cried, O Death! where is thy sting? and where is thy victory? O desired grave! Thanks, eternal thanks be to God, who hath given me, even me, the victory through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

In this Death? said I: Death, who of late was so cruel, when he had to deal with a person of a different turn of mind. Call him no more the Monarch of of Terrors! Yes, I will still give him that name, for it is essential to his very nature; if at any time, to any one, he be propitious and gentle, impute it not to any compassion in him, but to the blood, the precious, the atoning blood of the Redeemer; that blood, whose attractive virtue has drawn the poison even from the King of Terrors; malignant to all, save those whose hearts and consciences by the divine Spirit are sprinkled therewith.

However, I could not help thinking, that there was something in the case of this good man, as re

markably to be desired, as that of the lady was dread. ful; and I could then say with Balaam, (I trust from a better spirit,) "Let me die the death of the righteous, and my latter end be like his "

Death, having released from the clayey tabernacle the waiting spirit of this sanctified disciple, changed himself a second time into the appearance of a dragon, whetted his sting, and put on all his formidable terrors; in which equipment be bended his course towards a magnificent palace, which stood at some distance on a delightful plain. With timorous heart, and careful steps, I followed as near as I might with safety, and attentively watched to see, what the next execution would be. At this time there happened to be a ball or dancing assembly in the palace; an assembly of people, from whom every serious thought was banished, and who were wholly devoted to voluptuousness and dissipation. As these people of pleasure intently pursued with jovial glee the musi cal mazes of the dance, invisible Death stole im amongst and grinned ghastly upon them; but, inattentive to the enemy's approach, they persevered in their jocularity, till he cruelly pierced the hearts of two of the company, in whom the injected venom rankled, so as to prevent their enjoying a future merry meeting. I trembled with fear lest the rest of the company should be taken: but afterwards understood that Death, rapacious as he is, always narrowly mindeth the contents of his commission, without which he never appears on our mundane coast; but carries it along with him wherever he goes, and never seized any, but those whose names and places of abode are specified therein; so that he is liable to no mistake, as he is falsely charged with, in the case of the two Ireneus's.

I was not a little diverted at the conduct of some people, whom I heard crying out for Death seemingly in good earnest saying, Where is propitious Death? O that I knew where I could find him! but as soon as the terrible skeleton presented himself, they fled for refuge to the doctor's embrace. Others really