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of the Almighty; nevertheless, the difficulty here vanisheth, when it is considered, that for the Most High to choose for such purposes, persons whose conduct hath been less guarded, would not answer the end designed. We naturally except, that professors who are unguarded in their conduct, and remiss in the known duties of religion, will find hard work of it on a death-bed, which will be no less troublesome to them than if they lay upon pointed flints; so that, although the party himself may be at last saved, it is through fiery tempations and grievous afflictions; but when Christian people behold a person of the most circumspect and conscientious conversation, springing from principles of the most eminent piety, mourning after an absent God, and lamenting his sins, which all the world besides himself are strangers to, it naturally tends to stir up each to self examination, and to consider his own ways. The learned Fleeming relates a story of a northern worthy, who had been in diverse cases favoured with an extraordinary discovery of the mind and will of God, who, when he came to a death bed, called his friends to him, and thus addressed them: "O my friends! I find it a great matter to be a real Christian, and unrebukable before God: I declare to you, that such hath been thy support for the space of ten years past, that God hath not been out of my thoughts as long at once as one might go to the cross and come again, which might be done in ten minutes, unless I have been asleep, or about business, and after all, I assure you, that I am even now at the very brink of despair."

Another end which God may have in view, perhaps may be, to remove the carnal confidence which his own people are too prone to have, in the grace which they have already received. In some frames, instead of studying to be strong in the grace that is in Christ, they are strong in that which is implanted in themselves. Vainly imagining that they can overcome the severest trial in the strength thereof. With an ancient professor, when he stood on a place slippery enough, they say, "My mountain stands strong,

I shall never be moved:" not considering, that the Christian's conquest depends not on the grace which he hath already received, but on fresh supplies communicated in the time of need, from him in whom it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell. All fulness dwelling in Jesus, naturally supposes that there is nothing but emptiness in the creature, and that therefore the sublime exercise of Christian faith consists in a constant reliance upon God in Christ, for mercy to pardon every sin, and for grace to help in every time of necessity.

Now, when Christian people beheld the greatest of saints labouring in the dark, under the severest buffetings and sharpest conflicts of soul, it naturally fends to make them suspect their supposed strength, and to exercise themselves in an habitual reliance upon God. And seeing their need of fresh supplies of grace, how naturally are they led by such dispensations to the inexhaustible Fountain of all fulness, for strength proportioned to their day of difficulty and trial: and especially for large supplies in their death-bed trials, because very often they are found to be the greatest; and well it is that the Lord is pleased by any means to teach his people to live upon himself.

But come, Novitio, and I will discover to you the immediate cause of the sorrow of good Humilius.

This said, the venerable Veratio anointed my eyes with his precious eye-salve, and in an instant I discerned a deformed fiend couching close by the side of Humilius, and whispering him in the ear; and at every sigh which the good man made, through the pressure of his grief, the malicious fury smiled a most ghastly grin. But giving a close attention to this evidence-darkner, I perceived a chain harder than adamant around his middle, the end of which was secure in the hand of a majestic person, who shone brighter by far than the sun in his strength: by which I saw, that although it may please the Almighty sometimes to permit Satan to disturb the minds of his chosen ones, he never suffers him to destroy them:

and that he can go no further than permitted by the divine Redeemer.

Learn from hence, Novitio, said Veratio to me, that the same enemy who allures to sin, whilst in health and prosperity, will, if permitted, tempt to despair in a state of sickness and adversity. And be you, yea, let every Christian be thankful, that Satan is ever kept under a suitable restraint by the power of Almighty God, otherwise feeble mortals must of necessity sink under his great superiority,

Here my guide ceased, and, as I thought, the good Humilius for the last time opened his mouth and said: ever since I knew any thing of religion, flying to Christ has been my last resource. I am now dreadfully oppressed with the weight of my sins, but whither shall I fly for help, but to the mercy of that God against whom I have sinned! He only hath the words of eternal life. There is none in the heavens above, none upon the earth below, that can help me but Him, as it has been in my life-time, so it is now, this is my last resource; I die if I trust in him not, I can but die if I trust in him; therefore I will prostrate my soul at the foot of his throne, and there will I sue for mercy. If I perish, I perish! and if I should, as I deserve, be spurned from his presence, it shall be relying on his own blood and righteousness, for there is salvation in none other.

Having uttered these words with the dying rattle in his throat, his speech failed, to the great grief of his godly acquaintance, some of whom said, Alas! lest this should be a mean of turning the lame out of the way. One thing I beheld pleased me mightily, which was this, the moment that good Humilius ceased to speak, the majestic person of whom I spoke, who shone so gloriously, gave the chain, wherewithal the fury was bound, a severe twitch, and obliged him to leave the good man to his rest; which so enraged the squalid infernal, that he growled most horribly, and in anguish gnawed the adamantine chain; then disappeared, and I saw him no more.

In the mean while my benevolent guide by some

supernatural means, opened my ears that I could hear, and in some measure understand the language of spirits; which I no sooner perceived that with all diligence I attended to what now passed with the good Humilius; in whose concerns I found myself by this time deeply interested. As I listened, I heard the Almighty, who but a little before seemed to stand upon Mount Sinai, surrounded with clouds of darkness, and horrible tempest, now speak from Mount Zion in a small still voice, and said to the speechless man, "I have loved thee with an everlasting and immutable love, therefore I have drawn thee by dark paths to myself; yea I have caused thee to pass under the rod, and have brought thee into the bond of the covenant. The way which I led thee thou knowest not, but I have made crooked places strait before thee, and rough places smooth: thy warfare is now accomplished, and I have bruised Satan for ever under thy feet."

The dying man no sooner felt the blessed effects of the well known voice of God, than in an extasy of joy, he mentally replied, My Lord, and my God! Now Death, do thy worst, come as soon as thou wilt, thou awful skeleton, for now thou art welcome. Now my Lord is returned with loving kindness, I can with pleasure enter thy cold embrace, and repose my flesh in thy gloomy mansions. Hasten thy pace, thou tardy executioner; cut short thy work, thou friendly enemy. I long to enjoy the beatific vision of him who loved me to the death, and washed me in his blood, enriched with all the fulness of indwelling divinity.

I saw in my dream, that guardian angels descended from heaven in blazing squadrons, to attend the dismission of this sanctified soul, and to guard her passage to the celestial world. As the good Humilius ceased to breathe, the attending angels clapped their wings for joy, that one more of the chosen race had passed through the glory-birth, that one more of the elect charge was safely gathered home: with holy fervour they saluted the glorious spirit, and bid her

welcome into the undisturbed rest of their splen did society. She thankfully received their pure caresses, and struck with wonder and astonishment at unspeakable grace, she instantly mixed her melodious voice with those warbling choristers, her companions, who sung the most delightful song to which every ear attended. I thought I could discern the glorious notes of sweet deliverance from the lips of the newly-departed soul in a key more exalted than the rest. O, with what pleasure did I listen to the solemn song, of one who so very lately was languishing in deep distress!

O Veratio, cried I, what blinded creatures are we mortals! The glories of heaven blaze all around us, and yet we perceive not in the least their illustrious splendor.

Having sung the noble anthem, to distinguishing love and unspeakable grace, they stretched their brilliant pinions, and swift as thought shot through the vault of heaven towards the regions of eternal felicity. As soon as they arrived in the empyrean plain, I beheld innumerable companies of the celestial hosts in their long, their glorious and refulgent garments, with crowns of gold upon their heads, and triumphant palms in their hands, come in bright profession to the golden gates of the New Jerusalem, to congratulate the soul on her safe arrival in the glory-world, and in triumph to conduct her up to the throne of God. As they passed along through the streets of Paradise, which were all paved with dia-. monds and topazes, the departed Humilius was often saluted by his former companions in warfare, who greatly rejoiced that his course of pilgrimage was finished, and the time of his coronation arrived. In their bright procession from the golden gates of the holy city up to the Jasper Throne, shouts of loud joy and peals of rapturous triumph burst from each tongue, and made all the celestial arches ring in concert with their elevated voices. J

I thought I saw the blessed, the ever-adorable Jesus descend from the midst of the throne, and

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