meeting Humilius, embraced him with tender affection; he also called upon the excellent Theophilus, (under whose ministry Humilius, it seems, had been savingly converted) and let him know, that now another diamond must be added to his crown, as another of the children whom God had given to his faithful ministry was happily arrived. Then he took Humilius by the hand, led him up to the all-glorious throne. and to Him who sat in the most majestic state thereon, he said," Most holy Father, behold this darling object of thy love and choice, this subject of redemption is safely arrived in thy more immediate and most joyous presence; being fully prepared for it by the divine influence of the Holy Ghost. Let him now possess the mansion which hath so long been prepared for him, and enjoy the rest unto which he was predestinated."

Then He who sat on the throne thus bespoke the soul: "Come, my beloved one, receive the joys which I have prepared for thee, and the glory unto which I have appointed thee; for I have loved thee with an everlasting love, and by my special care of thee I have drawn thee to my glory."

Then the Records of eternity were all laid open before him, and now being blessed with the beatific vision, he could read every line therein which related. to his own state either in time or eternity. And oh,

how great was the wonder of the soul! how inflamed was her gratitude, when she found every circumstance attending her pilgrimage was unalterably fixed in the degrees of God, which are so dark and difficult unto us in the church below! With holy amazement she beheld that the whole chain of providential events flowed from and centered in the love of God to her in the person of Christ. Silent no longer could she sit, but her wonder broke forth in rapturous songs of ceaseless praises, in concert with all the redeemed hosts, who now, in the fervour of unutterable love, struck the golden harp, and sung responsive to the trembling wires.

Having followed Humilius thus far, Veratio spoke

to me, and lo! the vision was withdrawn; but left some impressions on my mind, which, I trust, will never be erased. Being at last capable of a little reflection, after my astonishment was abated, I could not help thinking of the infinite difference betwixt those who die in the Lord, and those who die in their sins: the latter being precipitately plunged into the fearful abyss of dark and ever burning hell, where the worm dieth not; whereas the former are immediately transported on angelic wings, from a land of sin and many sorrows, into the more immediate presence and ineffable light of the ever-blessed Three, to partake of all the joys of the undivided One. Then I said, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, and their works follow them."

PART V.

AS I was ruminating on these things, I thought that my guide called me away, saying, We may yet see Death attended with very different circumstances; and although I thought myself by the last scene fully repaid for all the terror I had undergone at the beginning of my acquaintance with Veratio, I was inspired with the most eager desire to have farther discoveries of sanctified Death. I followed him with the greatest eagerness out of his chamber, wherein I had viewed such an agreeable scene, into another apartment adjacent to it, and there he shewed me an happy disciple, who with great composure of mind was laid on a sick bed, under the pressure of heavy affliction. Calm and serene in the midst of tempestuous trouble; in the midst of trying sorrow, his patience stood unmoved, even as the stately oak lifts up its lofty head, despising the western tempest, or as the stable rock, amidst the furious surges, endures their wrathful discharge without the least emotion. Rent with racking pain, and opprest with deathly sickness, he patiently, though with a trembling voice, said, Good is the Lord's will concerning me! the cup that my heavenly Father hath mingled for me, shall I not patiently drink it? I thought in my dream, that he was thus addressed by one of his friends; Sir, I would have you repose yourself a little, for your afflictions are very heavy; and notwithstanding your spirit is submissive, your flesh must needs be weak. To which he replied, My afflictions are all known to the Lord, yea, it is my God who hath fixed the decree of them; and seeing the Almighty is pleased to do it, I dare not, I cannot complain, for 1 am well-assured that he can do nothing wrong. Were it not right, he could not do it, om

nipotent as he is. My afflictions indeed make this clay tabernacle to totter, but are ligher than nothing when put in the balance with my sins. I well know they might be infinitely greater, and yet my God be a just God. But mercy and tender compassion guide his hand even when he smites, and his bowels yearn when he mingles a bitter cup for any of his people. I am fully persuaded that he will lay no more upon me himself, nor suffer others to lay any more upon me, than he will support me under, for the Lord is very pitiful and full of mercy, even to me, though I deserve nothing at his hand but to be left to lie down in sorrow; I am therefore altogether easy about the measure of my afflictions.

It was here he stopped, and one of his friends rejoined: My dear sir, how great is the blessing to be thus filled with comfort in the time of your sickness! To which the sick man replied: Indeed, my friend, my comforts are far from being so high as you imagine; on the contrary, I assure you, that sensible enjoyment runs very low with me at present. But this is the ground of all my confidence," Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever" he is the rock of my soul, and however my comforts flow, I account them not my Christ. Since it pleased the Lord to visit me with this affliction, which I think is drawing near to a period, I have had many struggles with my own unbelieving heart, had many conflicts with Satan, in regard to my interest in the love of Jesus. But, glory to the Almighty name, the enemy seems to be withdrawn, my anchor is within the vail, and my hope is fixed in Immanuel. I myself am a poor helpless worm, and my faith is very tottering, but the rock of my salvation, the object of my faith, can never be shaken. With him there is no variableness, nor so much as the least shadow of a change, I may therefore boldly trust in him, and calmly wait the issue of his providence.

After all, continued he, I must confess, that I have often been indulged with sensible manifestations of divine love, when to my own apprehension I stood

less in need of them than at present. But O, let me not attempt to correct the proceedings of unerring wisdom! The Lord's ways are the best, and I desire to submit to them; he hath graciously promised that he will never leave nor forsake me, and I account him faithful who hath promised. I bless him for his word. This is the hold into which I flee for shelter in the dark and stormy day. I would not for all the world be without an interest in the above precious promise, for I live not now by sense, but by faith, and this affliction hath found a good deal of work for the little faith I possess. Believe me, my friends, I have often been obliged, in times of darkness and difficulty, to live upon the word of grace, and it has upon the whole been spirit and life to my soul. I never knew the promise to fail, but the word on which he hath caused me to hope hath always been confirmed. I have ever found the Almighty to be as good as his word, ever better than my fears suggested, and infinitely more gracious than my deserts.

The sick man being spent with so much speaking, I thought that he was obliged to silence for a small space to recover himself. But such was his zeal for the welfare of his friends, that as soon as possible he spake to them as follows.

My dear brethren, in all appearance I am now near, very near, my last hour, and I tell you, and beg that you will regard it as the words of a dying man, that the cross of Christ is of excellent use in mortifying us to creature-objects. Cross dispensations of Providence, bodily afflictions, and the temptations of Satan are such excellent corrosives, that by the direction and influence of God the Spirit, they prove the destruction of sin in our members. For my own part, I declare to you all, that I have learned more of God by afflictions, than by all the sermons that I have ever heard preached.

It was now that Veratio whispered thus to me: I well believe, Novitio, what this good man says of his afflictions, for as the fervent fire is to the golden ore, and water to the sullied linen, so are afflictions