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"With his help I hope to do so, my lord,” answered the shepherd; "without him we can do nothing."

The next conversation between Theophilus and the shepherd was upon the nature of God, the three sacred persons in the divinity, and the offices of each. He showed how the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, worked together for the salvation of man: the Father by his love in giving his Son, the Son by his sufferings, and the Holy Spirit by cleansing and purifying

the heart.

It was some time before Theophilus could receive these doctrines, and fully comprehend that he must be justified by faith in the death of Christ, and that there was no other means of salvation. He prayed earnestly, however, with the shepherd for faith, and implored, humbly, the teaching of the Spirit.

For a few days, through the mercy of God, the disease which was wearing him out seemed to be at a stand, which gave the shepherd an opportunity to carry on the blessed work of instruction. He prayed much with Theophilus and for him, and led him to search his heart, and humble himself at the foot of the cross.

The baron and baroness, and the servants of the family, were all unwilling that the shepherd should be so much with Theophilus; but Sophia pleaded hard that her brother should be indulged in his earnest wish of having the old man always with him, and her tears and entreaties prevailed.

And now we come to the closing scene of the life of the young and noble Theophilus. His disease gave him respite for nearly ten days,-a blessed interval,-in which the old shepherd laboured unweariedly to lead him in the right way; and though the dying youth was deeply oppressed with a sense of sin, yet it was evident that he grew in grace, and had clearer views of his Saviour. It is true, that he could not as yet apply the promises with comfort to himself, but his zeal for the glory of God and his love for the souls of men from day to day burnt more and more brightly, while his selfabasement and humility became more and more remarkable.

His affection for his sister also became more spiritual; and often, when left alone with her, he exhorted her to seek the welfare of her soul, her immortal soul, with

such earnestness as only the most holy and ardent love could excite.

He expostulated much and affectionately with his parents on the subject; nor were any of his attendants considered by him as too mean to be unworthy of his tenderest care for their spiritual welfare.

How sweet and beautiful were the influences of the Spirit, as exemplified in the cases of Theophilus and the shepherd! How was the valley exalted, and the lofty mountain brought low!

At the end of ten days Theophilus was again seized in a more violent and distressing manner than ever. For three days he suffered much in mind and body. Death appeared near at hand, and he could not take hold of any promise. He was now passing through the valley of the shadow of death; the King of Terrors surrounded him with all his plagues. In his anguish he cried out often to this purpose-" Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?" Job xiii. 24. "Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble ?" Psalm x. 1.

The faithful shepherd during this time never left him, but, kneeling by his bedside, gently poured the words of comfort into his afflicted ear. "Thy heavenly Father has sent thee these messages," said the shepherd: "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." Isaiah liv. 7, 8. "I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you." John xiv. 18. "I will appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” Isaiah lxi. 3.

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Theophilus would sometimes answer the shepherd, and would say, "Those sweet words are not addressed to me: I am so vile; so very, very vile."

After three days, however, he became much more composed; the struggle seemed to be over, and the bitterness of death to be past.

He was no longer able to converse with the shepherd; but the expression of his countenance was that of peace,

and he more than once said, "I see my Saviour; I am satisfied."

To the last few hours he was evidently pleased to hear the shepherd repeat the words of God in his ear; and once he said, "Your words are sweet to me."

The last person he noticed was his beloved Sophia. He kissed her hand with his cold lips a few hours before he died, and was evidently uneasy when she left him for a moment.

As long as he was able to notice any thing, he would not permit the Bible to be removed from his bed. The last words he spoke distinctly were these; "My Saviour, I come." His last moments were comparatively easy. Thus died the noble Theophilus, in the nineteenth year of his age, before he had perfectly attained the stature and beauty of manhood. Of him it might be said, “He weakened his strength in the way; he shortened his days." Psalm cii. 23.

Ah, what availed it to Theophilus, in the hour of death, that he was the beloved and only hope of a noble family, that he had been born the heir of vast wealth, that the powers of his mind were eminent, that his person had given the promise of peculiar beauty, that he once had enjoyed health, that his attainments in learning were admirable, that he had been preserved from grossly immoral habits! Ah, what availed all these advantages! He found that they afforded him not one consolatory reflection, not one solid ground of hope on his deathbed. Neither could he receive comfort from the Saviour till, by deep suffering, he was compelled utterly to renounce self, and to fall down, wounded and naked, at the foot of the cross. O then, let me entreat all you who may read the history of Theophilus, to cast away all false confidences, and, without loss of time, to throw yourselves with him, and with all the saints and holy men of old, helpless and self-abased at the foot of the

cross.

Theophilus was buried, by his own particular desire, in an ancient burying-ground of the Vaudois, situated in one of the most solitary valleys of the mountains, near the graves of certain individuals of his own family, who had formerly favoured these holy persons, and professed the same faith with the poor men of Lyons.

A very few months afterward, his sister Sophia followed her brother to his grave, she being immediately

after his death seized with the same fatal disease which had shortened his days; the progress of which was hastened by grief for her beloved Theophilus.

The old shepherd attended Sophia on her death-bed; and when he saw her also die in peace and holy hope, he exclaimed, in the words of old Simeon, "Now let thy servant depart in peace, for I have seen thy salvation!"

It is not known in what manner the parents of Theophilus and Sophia ended their days, but we hope that their afflictions were sanctified to them; and we have reason to think well of them, for it is certain that they kept the old shepherd in their family as long as he lived, and took great pleasure in hearing him converse.

Sophia was buried in the same grave with her brother, by her own particular request; and the following words were engraved on their tombstone :

Sacred to the Memory

OF

THEOPHILUS AND SOPHIA,

The only children of the

BARON OF

Who died in the Year of our Lord, 1721,
In the nineteenth year of their ages,
Trusting for Salvation in Christ only, and for
Pardon and Peace through his Death.

They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death
they were not divided.-2 Sam.i. 23.

END OF THEOPHILUS AND SOPHIA.

ABDALLAH,

THE

MERCHANT OF BAGDAD.

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