engage and destroy so considerable a part of our lives.

There lives not that man of gaiety, who would not be startled with the thought of being snatched away from his delights; yet what is more frequent?

A prisoner, who has deluded himself with the expectation of a reprieve, would be extremely shocked to be called away from the midst of his mirth to execution.

A LETTER

FROM

THE AUTHOR, TO HIS WIFE,

A FEW WEEKS BEFORE HIS DEATH.

BEING warned by the hand of God that my dissolution draweth nigh, I thank the divine goodness for giving me this timely notice, and not cutting me off suddenly in the midst of my sins; that he has granted me leisure, and a due sense of my follies and corruptions, and thereby enabled me to make my reconciliation with him, before that I am no more seen. I esteem it as a great instance of his mercy, that he has not afflicted me with any delirium or disease that would have deprived me of my memory or senses; but has visited me with a distemper, which, however otherwise grievous, has given me

This letter, though rather of a private nature, is published as a testimony of the author's goodness of heart; and the reader is further informed, that from the conscientious motives therein mentioned, the author was induced to refuse some very valuable ecclesiastical preferment offered him in the most liberal manner by a late noble duke.

time and opportunity to look back into my past life, and with seriousness and attention to consider my latter end.

Upon recollection, I find the offences of my youth and the transgressions of my riper years are so many, that, were not the mercy of God as infinite as his justice, I might despair of pardon. But, through the merits and intercession of a crucified Saviour, I humbly hope forgiveness. As the Almighty has himself declared that he delighted not in the death of a sinner; I beseech him that his extensive compassion may reach even unto me; and in dutiful confidence thereof, I submit myself to his holy will, with resignation, constancy, and cheerfulness.

For that part of my behaviour that relates to my fellow-creature man, if that should happen to be less exceptionable, if I have not willingly and deliberately injured my neighbour, by calumny, oppression, or extortion, not unto me, but unto God be the praise. I hope it may in some measure compensate for my many other misdeeds, and so far procure the favour and candour of all those who are so sensible of their own failings as to overlook and forget mine.

There is one thing which I have often heard myself charged with; and that is my neglect of entering into holy orders, and a due preparation for that sacred office. Though I think myself in strictness answerable to none but God and my own conscience; yet, for the satisfaction of the person that is dearest to me,

I own and declare, that the importance of so great a charge, joined with a mistrust of my own sufficiency, made me fearful of undertaking it: if I have not in that capacity assisted in the salvation of souls, I have not been the means of losing any : if I have not brought reputation to the function by any merit of mine, I have the comfort of this reflection, I have given no scandal to it by my meanness and unworthiness. It has been my sincere desire, though not my happiness, to be as useful in my little sphere of life as possible. my own inclinations would have led me to a more likely way of being serviceable, if I might have pursued them; however, as the method of education I have been brought up in, was, I am satisfied, very kindly intended, I have nothing to find fault with, but a wrong choice, and the not knowing those disabilities I have since been truly conscious of those difficulties I have endeavoured to get over; but found them insuperable. It has been the knowledge of those discouragements, that has given me the greatest uneasiness I have ever met with: that has been the chief subject of my sleeping as well as my waking thoughts,-a fear of reproach and contempt.

To the question, what I now am? I answer, an unhappy composition of weakness, folly, and sin; but what I shall be hereafter, is that which startles and perplexes me. Here I am lost in amazement and dread! The most pleasing and the dearest engage.

ments of this world, as having nothing in them solid, sincere, or lasting, I could readily forego: but the looking-for of that unknown state, into which I am to enter when I put off this body of frailty and corruption, is confounding and terrible. The prospect into futurity is all darkness and uncertainty; nor can the nearest relation or friend, who is gone before me, re-pass the gulf that is fixed between us, to give me the least notice or intimation of it. 'Tis this thought that forbids me, polluted as I row am, though ever so much wearied with life, to wish for my dissolution; this reminds me, that, though the body be sleeping and mouldering in the grave, the soul dieth not, nor yet slumbereth: the place and condition of unbodied spirits, who of all mankind knoweth ? What thought can conceive that which the eye never saw, nor the ear heard of? Who shall inform me of that state, from whence there is no return?

Surely there is a reward for the righteous; the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burthen of the flesh, are undoubtedly in joy and felicity; but then where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? where shall I, who have spent many years in idleness and vanity, and have no merit of my own to plead for me? where shall I, who have not treasured up one good work to bespeak the favour of the Almighty; and have only the sufferings of Jesus Christ-and those very sufferings often slighted, trampled on, and rejected by me-to offer in my behalf?