46 "O my friend, what a reft will that be when we lay down these clogs of earth, and join the difembodied fouls above! For ever "bleffed be the Name of my God! I do happily experience more " and more of the reality there is in religion, and am daily con "vinced of the trifling nature of all created good. Surely we "never can be fufficiently thankful, that ever our minds were in "any measure enlightened, and led to view things in their true "colours. Blefs the Lord, O our fouls, and all that is within us, bless his holy Name!" Without entering largely into her character through life (which is not my present defign), there are one or two points in it, which in juftice to her memory, I cannot pafs over in filence. From her very childhood fhe manifefted a firong attachment to truth and fincerity, and an utter averfion to every kind and degree of hypo crify or deceit; for fhe as much abhorred a quibble, as he did the moft palpable lie. And as the poffeffed this amiable difpofition herself, and valued it in others; fo fhe lightly esteemed those perfons in whom the difcovered the oppofite vice. She alfo poffeffed a firmness of mind, which led her to a very decifive line of conduct from the very commencement of her Christian course. And you know, my friend, from your own experience, how much the young christian convert is expofed to the oppofi tion of the world. I can however affert, with an equal degree of fatisfaction and truth, that I never knew my fifter, from the time she made a ferious profeffion of religion, deliberately deviate from what appeared to her the path of duty, from the fear of being ridiculed, or disliked, by those who regulate their conduct more by the crooked maxims and frivolous customs of the world, than by the precepts of the Gospel. She was fully convinced of that truth which is beautifully expreffed in one of her favourite hymns, viz. Who fuffer with our Mafter here, We shall before his face appear, And by his fide fit down: To patient faith the prize is fure, And all that to the end endure The CROSS, fhall wear the CROWN. I must confefs, that her ideas of improper conformity to the world, did not, in all points, exactly coincide with mine. But, notwithstanding this, the fincerity of her intentions always commanded my refpect and efteem. The reality of her religion was fufficiently proved by the comfort it afforded her, when the flood in most need of it. As to her religious fentiments, they of course accorded in general with thofe of the fociety with which he was connected. Indeed, as I have already hinted, the preaching of the Methodists was the mean which the Holy Spirit rendered effectual to her converfion: in remembrance of which, I fhall always feel a fincere affection for that fociety of Chriftians, although although their fentiments and mine may in fome points differ. Mrs. Dunkerton's mind was however fuperior to bigotry, for while the thought for herfelf on the important fubject of religion, The recollected that others had the fame right, and was a fincere lover of real Chriftians by whatever name diftinguifhed. It may not be amifs to make a fhort remark upon one circumftance above noticed, which is, that while Mrs. D. was removed to a great distance from her friends in fearch of bodily health, it was fo Ordered by infinite Wisdom and Mercy, that, although the attained this bleffing but in an imperfect degree, fhe acquired in a greater degree the health of her better part,---fhe found the pearl of great price! This is one of the many inftances, in which the difpenfaions of Providence, which to us are dark and unintelligible, lead ultimately to real bleffings. Mrs. D. continued to the end of her life in the Methodist fociety; yet she never diffented from the Church of England, but lived and died in her communion. I fhall not enter into a detail of any farther particulars, but proceed to the immediate defign of this letter, which is to give you an account of fome ftriking circumftances which occurred in the close of my fifter's life. Mrs. Dunkerton had much heaviness on her mind during the latter part of her long illness. She complained of not enjoying thofe confolations fhe had formerly experienced; her evidence of having an intereft in Chrift not being now fufficiently clear to render her mind comfortable. She defired to be as much as poffi ble by herself, and was not inclined to hear any reading but the Scriptures. In converfation with a minifter, eight or nine days before her decease, fhe complained of this uncomfortable state of her mind. When the minifter fpake of the provifion made for believers in Chrift, fhe replied, "But I am tempted to believe I "have neither part nor lot in the matter." She was not satisfied with the general knowledge of Salvation, but wanted to be convinced for herself that fhe was in a fafe ftate; for said she, "Religion, "I know, is a living principle." It appears, that fhe had too well learnt Chrift to be contented with notions, fyftems, or forms, or with past experience; but was athirst for the pure water of life. Monday, July 6. She was taken much worfe this afternoon, and her friends were haftily called to her. She thought herfelf in a dying ftate, and indeed her danger appeared to us all very immi nent. Being asked if her mind was comfortable, the answered, "No, No:"her countenance at the fame time indicating diftrefs, both of body and mind. She earnestly defired fome one to pray, but the scene was really so affecting that her nearest friends felt no freedom to comply with her requeft. As fhe perfifted in her defire, a prayer of Jenks's was read, and afterwards the collection of Scripture paffages in the latter part of " Dr. Doddridge's Rife and Progrefs of Religion." Soon after, her aged and affectionate father, father, whofe feelings upon this occafion may be more readily conceived than expreffed, by her earneft folicitation, spent a little time in prayer, with feveral relations round the bed. Still however the remained under the power of diftreffing thoughts, more painful than even her bodily illness; praying, that “ God would look down and have mercy upon her; and with an anxious look, which I fhall not haftily forget, fhe faid "I don't know where I am going." Many promiffory texts of Scripture were urged, but feemingly without effect. The diftrefs of her mind was not to be foothed by any thing man could fay. She was looking to a higher power. A friend repeating his enquiry, whether fhe was more comfortable, the answered, "I do not feel quite fo much terror." 66 About an hour or two from the time we were firft called to her, we beheld a glorious change. The Sun of Righteousness now fhone upon her foul, the brightness of whose heavenly rays difpelled the dark cloud in which her mind was enveloped. She repeated the following texts, which were brought to her mind with the most confolatory power. "Fear thou not, for I am with thee." Arife, thine, for thy light is come." "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and when through the rivers, they fhall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou fhall not burned, neither fhall the flame kindle upon thee." "For we know that if the earthly house of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens." "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus ;" and many others. To ufe her own words, "Such a burst of promifes were brought to my mind, as quite difpelled "all tormenting fears." And now, notwithstanding her bodily fufferings, fhe could praife God with a chearful countenance. She defired a hymn might be fung, naming," There is a land of pure delight, where faints immortal reign." Her father gave it out, and while it was finging fhe feemed very full of joy. No language can exprefs the confolation we felt in feeing her thus relieved from a imoft painful and diftreffing ftate of mind, and with the utmost chearfulness exclaiming,- "I fee a vacant feat for me!" The ftate of her own, as well as our feelings during the whole of this affecting scene, can be beft judged of by thofe who are in the habit of meditating on the infinite importance of a foul being called into the prefence of its Maker. She defired that Mr. and Mrs. L. (friends who had vifited her a few days before, and witneffed the uncomfortable ftate her mind was in) might be fent for; and upon Mrs. L's entering the room, fhe chearfully addreffed her," I am going;-there is a vacant feat " for *Ifaiah xli. 10. lx. 1. xxxiv. 2. VOL. XIX. Feb. 1796. M 2 Cor. v. 1. Rom. viii. 1, "for me; but I could not go and take it without letting you "know." 66 Some little time after, her husband, parents, brothers and fifter, being round the bed, fhe addreffed us all feparately in the most pathetic manner, in short and broken fentences, owing to her great weakness, varying her expreffions to each; but with the moft fpiritual admonition fhe prayed "that fhe might meet all in "Heaven." Beginning with her husband, she said,—" My dear Mr. Dunkerton, may you be bleft." To your unworthy friend, Keep close to God." But to her parents, changing the admonitory mode of addrefs, the faid, with affectionate composure, "As to my dear father and mother, I fhall fully expect to fee "them." "As to my children,-I muft leave them." Here her feelings were fo acutely fenfible, that fhe could not utter many words, but the prayed," that the Lord would blefs them;" and, looking earneftly at me, added, "I hope they will be kept from the vanities of the world." Being now confiderably revived, the defired the 23d Pfalm to be read; and a little time after, the 16th chap. of St. John. In the courfe of the evening Mr. L. stepping in to afk her how she did, fhe answered, "I am very ill ;-but I "fhall foon fee your old friend, * and then I fhall be well. May "you attend to the advice he gave you, and be preserved from the "fnares of a world full of wickednefs." Thus fhe was defirous of dropping a word in feafon to all about her. And what eloquence, what ftudied oratory, with all the advantages of the moft accomplished fpeaker, can imprefs the mind with so much force, as the faintly fpoken, interrupted fentences of admonition, coming from the mouth of the dying Chriftian! This, my friend, will doubtlefs bring afresh to your mind, as it does to mine, a recollection of that pleafing melancholy scene, which we witneffed when ftanding round the death-bed of our venerable master and truly fpiritual friend, to whom my fifter referred. And I doubt not, your heart will readily unite with mine, in faying of him what Mrs. D. faid of the Rev. Mr. W. "Would to God every "fentence we heard in his public and private exhortations were graven upon our remembrance! But to return to my subject. Through the night Mrs. D's mind continued very comfortable; and when I was giving her a little fuftenance, fhe remarked,"We fhall not want thefe recruits in the land above." Tuesday. The Rev. Mr. S. calling upon her this morning, fhe converfed very chearfully, confidering the little frength the had; for he was now very feeble and low. After fome time fpent in prayer, the defired the fame hymn might be fung as on the evening before. She fpake with great pleasure of the burst of promifes which had been brought to her mind the preceding even *She alluded to the Rev. Mr. Clarke, the late worthy Rector of Chefham Bois, under whom this young gentleman, my apprentice, was brought up. For an account of the life and death of this learned and pious minifter, fee Evangelic Magazine for April 1794. 6. ing; and of the ftriking view which had been reprefented to her, of a vacant feat above: obferving, that fhe felt at the fame time "her heart abound with love to all mankind." Particularly (faid Mr. S.) to the houfhold of faith." "Yes, (faid fhe) without respect to party; ' and added, "The Devil could not fuggeft this. "' * Her bodily ftrength declined faft, and her fufferings from cough, difficulty of breathing, and extreme inquietude, were great; yet the continued perfectly fenfible and heavenly minded. Her prayer was, "God be merciful to me a finner." In the evening fhe faid to me," I am not destroyed, God is the fame to day, as he was yesterday; and will be for ever." 66 Wednesday. Mrs. D. paffed this day, upon the whole, nearly as the preceding, gradually wearing away. In the afternoon the was taken much worse, but revived again. Being abfent during this attack, fhe faid to me upon my return, "I thought I was going fome time ago, but my mind was very comfortable;" repeating the following words, "As thy day is, fo fhall thy ftrength be." My ftrength is made perfect in weakness." She was fill bleft with the full enjoyment of her senses, and often defired por tions of Scripture to be read to her, particularly the 14th of St. John, which he heard with great pleafure more than once; it feemed to be a favourite part of the facred Writings. She likewife defired to hear the first chapter of the Epiftle to the Philip pians, and many others at different times: alfo one of Mr. Welley's Hymns," Come on my partners in diftrefs." She discovered a very accurate knowledge of the Scriptures, by the facility with which the referred to the several parts. Thursday. This morning fhe had another fevere attack, and thought herself really dying. Upon my entering the room, fhe faid "I am going, to my Father and your Father; to my God and your God; " adding, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee." These last words fhe often repeated. They were the firft which * I am aware that too much ftrefs may be, and often is laid on fudden impreffions on the mind, by perfons whofe general conduct does not afford convincing evidence that they are truly religious, or according to the apoftolic expreffion, that they are in Chrift new creatures:" for by their fruit thall ye know them. Yet while we are on the one hand juftly cautious of delufive feelings, let us not fplit on the oppofite rock by confounding all divine influence with flights of enthu fiafm, where confolatory texts of fcripture are powerfully fuggefted to a mind oppreffed with a fenfe of its fin and demerit, and anxioufly waiting for pardon and deliverance; and we fee not only immediate tranquility and joy fucceed to forrow and diftrefs, but likewife a continuation of thefe effects; the perfon fill relying on the promises of God in Chrift, and at length enabled to pass through the valley of the fhadow of death fearing no evil, but enjoying that peace of mind which paffeth all underftanding: there is, furely, in fuch a cafe, fufficient reason to believe, that the first impreffion was the work of God, and not a delufion. The fame omnipotent Saviour, who formerly calmed the tempeftuous fea, can now with equal cafe, and as inftantaneously, fpeak peace to the troubled mind by the fuggeftion of a fingle text, or even one word of the facred writings. And who dare to reftrict the operations of his Spirit? or prefcribe the manner in which the penitent mourner fhall be comforted? M 2 brought . |