*

made innumerable converts, hundreds and thoufands of whom gave up every thing, even live itfelf, with joy and fatisfaction to preferve a good confcience and the favour of God; and yet, all the while were knaves, and hypocrites, and impoftors. Now tell me, John, is not this as bad as Jonah fwallowing the whale ?

John was a little confounded with these questions, for he did not expect the tables to be turn'd upon him thus. However, after a little recollection he proceeded.

7. Truly, Thomas, I did not think you could have preached fo: but tell me now, how is it you afcribe fuch wonderful effects and influence to the Bible? I have read fome of the morals of Seneca, and Plutarch, and other heathen philofophers; now are not thefe books as good as the Bible, without its ftrange unaccountable ftories?

T. Dear John, did you ever know any body reformed by them? What good effect have they had on you?

7. Truly, not much, I believe but how is that?

T. I will tell you, John; it is the most strange of all thefe ftrange ftories, as you call them, that does the business: I mean that of the birth, life, fufferings and death, refurrec tion and afcenfion of the Son of God.

7. How fo?

T. In many refpects the heathen taught the fa me moral duties as the Bible, though not fo clearly nor fo perfectly: but they wanted the motives to virtue, which the Bible alone can furnish.

7. Explain yourself, Thomas.

T. You know, mafter has got two watches; one goes, the other does not; now what is the reason? have they not both the fame wheels?

f. Aye; but the main fpring is broken in one of them. T. You are right, John: and this is the cafe here. It is the love of God which is the main fpring of virtue and * morality, and that is revealed only in the Bible. Here we learn that God loved the world fo as to give his Son for them that Jefus Chrift loved finners fo as to die for them: and fo we learn to love him, because he first loved us. Nor is this all. The heathen had a faint hope indeed of a better world hereafter; but it was all conjecture and uncertainty. Now, by the Gofpel, "life and immortality are brought "to light" and we know that "the fufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which here"after thall be revealed."

John was all attention to this difcourfe, and forgot his infidel raillery. Thomas faw he had gained ground, and with

ed to push his advantages farther. My dear John (faid he) do you ever think of these things? You know that you muft die is it not very defirable to die happy?

7. Truly: but is that poffible? How can there be happipinefs in death?

T. I with you had feen my father die. I was very young; but I never fhall forget his departing words.

5. What were they?

T. Oh, I never fhall forget them! "Thomas," faid he, taking me by the hand, while we all flood weeping around his bed, the cold fweat of death was upon him, yet joy and happiness glistened in his countenance. "Thomas," faid he, love the Bible; ftudy, and revere, and practife it: then will you live happy and die joyfully, as I do."

Here a paufe enfued. A tear flole down the cheek of Thomas, and another started in the eye of John. As foon as he could recover himfelf, Thomas faid, "I with you would go with me to hear our minitler on Sunday next.' John made no objection; and it was foon agreed. Little paffed in the week, only John was much more ferious than common. Sunday came, and John went. He had feldom been at church, and the scene was almost new to him. The congregation was large and attentive; the minister animated and folemn. John was all eye and ear. The preacher named for his text, "How fhall we efcape, if we neglect fo great falvation ?" He defcribed the danger of the finner; John trembled. He opened the falvation of the gofpel; he wept, and hid his face. After fervice, John went home to his father's houfe; but it was with an arrow in his heart. His father thought him unwell; but he could not tell what ailed him. After dinner the ufual jests and fports began; he tried to fmile, to pleafe, and pacify his friends; but he tried in vain. He was like a wounded bird that chirps and flutters, but can neither fly nor fing. He returned fooner than common to his master's, in order to meet with Thomas, and unbofom his mind to him. Thomas had a fympathizing heart; and while he rejoiced in the conviction of his companion, endeavoured to foothe his troubled foul. John could jeft with religion now no more. The infidel prejudi ces he had acquired at home, vanifhed like the vapours before the rifing fun. He could no more queflion the character of Chrift, because he loved him; he could no more defpife the fcriptures, because they were his daily food. In short he became an eminent inftance of converting grace. Through · VOL. II. *

the remaining period of their apprenticeship, they took fweet council together, and walked to the houfe of God in company. PARVALUS.

The following is an EXACT * Copy of a genuine Letter, without date, and without a superfcription, (which is loft) from the eminently holy and pious Mr. RICHARD BAXTER, all of his own hand-writing from which this copy is taken.-Hoping it may not only be entertaining but inftructive to many of your Readers, I fend it you, to be inferted in your useful Magazine.

Taunton.

SIR,

IT'

J. H. B.

T hath pleafed the Lord, whofe I am, to give me a fharp and plain fummons to come forth of his vineyard, and leave his work. I confefs I understood not that voice of the rod a while; but it hath now fpoken louder. Little cause I have to murmur as moft men breathing, fo long and frequent have his warnings for preparation been, fo long and frequent mine opportunities of doing and receiving good, and all this ten years ago, fo unexpected, that I may conclude I have had a competent fhare: and indeed, though unwillingness to die has all this while been my fin, my great fin, yet God hath made me fomewhat more willing, though alas! but fomewhat. I confefs, when I think of poor Kidderminster, my heart bleeds, and I could gladly yet live: but the Lord muft difpofe. It hath been long my obfervation, when men, after trouble and unfettlednefs, begin to think of quiet and reft, they are near death, yet did not Í promife my foul fuch ease in fettling. Oh, that you could help to quiet and comfort my dear friends of Kidderminster. I pray you, Sir, write one word to that purpofe to my father, who, I fear, will bear my death with too little patience. Oh, Sir, if you will die comfortably, be much with God, fuffer not eftrangedness eafily, have promifes at hand, be daily in Heaven bring faith by daily exercife to real affecting apprehenfions: be induftrious privately as well as publicly for the recovery of fouls; let flip no opportunity; let nothing

Except that, for the case of our readers, we have modernized the spelling.

flence you; but let Chrift when he comes find you fo doing: be tender of the godly that differ in questionable things, without favouring their fin, or countenancing a toleration of open evil. In all thefe I have too much failed. All my friends have left me, and here I am worfe than alone, but that God is with me. I had fo much fudden ease on the faft-day, that I was fenfible of the benefit of prayers. I pray fet one day apart privately for me with your godly friends. There is no other hope left: phyficians, nature, flesh, biood, fpirit, heart, friends, all fail: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Yet I know the God whom I ferve is able to deliver, and hath delivered; but if he will not deliver, though he kill me, yet will I truft in him; and Í know whom I have trusted.

I confefs I was never yet near fo low; but I trust in him who raiseth the dead. I know my Redeemer liveth, and as he hath not died in vain, fo neither have I run or laboured in vain. Though mine iniquities fometimes lie heavy on me, yet I have fought a good fight, &c.; and if I fee your faces no more in the flesh, farewell till eternity; and the Spirit and grace of Chrift Jefus our Lord, preferve your fouls to himfelf for ever.

Your languishing, decaying,

yet believing, hoping friend, RICHARD BAXTER,

THE

QUERY ON MARRIAGE.

HE judicious answer given in your December Maga zine to the enquiry of Chriftiana, emboldens me to request a similar favour through the fame medium.

Though Providence has bereaved me of an invaluable hufband, I am nevertheless greatly bleffed in feveral amia ble children, and a property favourable to their respectable entrance into life. My eldest fon has recently formed a promifing connexion in trade; and fometimes intimates his with to be united in a more clofe and endearing relation, when a fuitable object prefents.

From early youth he has been accustomed to hear the Gofpel, which he alfo approves ; his morals, I believe are as untainted as any young man's within the circle of my ac

quaintance: nor do I conceive he could be induced by any confideration to utter an untruth, but I fear he is ftill a ftran ger to renovating grace.

Two ladies have been mentioned to me by friends; nor have they efcaped my ferious thoughts. Lucretia, like himfelf, attends the Gofpel, and is a young lady of fedate and engaging manners; but Theodofia is an honourable member of a Chriftian church. Now I am free to confefs that I feel a decided preference to one of them; but what ought to be my conduct, in refpect to my feelings, forms my principal, if not my only difficulty. Should any of your numerous correfpondents point out which Lady I ought to recommend to my fon, it might remove a perplexity from the mind of

Dec. 4, 1800.

A FOND MOTHER.

PERSEVERANCE IN PRAYER.

An Anecdote of the late Rev. J. Jones, of Newfoundland.

MR.

R. JONES was a man of much prayer; few Chriftians have been fo frequent, or fo perfevering at a throne of grace. When the church of Chrift was firft planted at St. John's, under great perfecution, he told me that more than once he found his mind fo unufually drawn out in prayer for the converfion of individuals, then his bitterest perfecutors, that he could not reft till he had called the church together, and appointed a day of prayer and fafting to folicit a throne of grace for their converfion; which he never failed of obtaining. An inftance of his perfeverance in prayer I was witnefs to, while I had the pleafure of enjoying his company at St. John's. A member of his church, mafter of a doop that traded to America, in company with feveral others was overtaken in a dreadful ftorm, in which fome of them foundered, and were never more heard of. Among this unhappy number it was univerfally concluded Mr. Jones's friend had fuffered; notwithstanding this, the good man continued in public, in the family, and in private, to pray fervently for his fafe return. About this time I arrived in the ifland, and found my old friend engaged in this pious work; at which he continued for a month or fix weeks longer, after the owners had given the veffel entirely up for loft. The