"moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eter"nal weight of glory."-" Bleffed is the man which endu. "reth temptation (or affliction), for, when he is tried, he "fhall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath pro"mised to all them that love him.” Is he called to the lofs "of worldly property, and obliged literally to forfake "houfes and lands," as well as "brethren and fifters," for the fake of Chrift? hear him faying "The Lord gave, and "the Lord hath taken away; bleffed be the name of the "Lord."" Bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord "Jefus Chrift, which according to his abundant mercy "hath begotten us again,-to an inheritance incorruptible, "indefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven "for us."

Do we find the real Chriftian laid upon a bed of fickness, and expecting that period when flesh and heart fhall fail, and every worldly comfort muft be relinquifhed? this is the time when the Believer in Jefus appears in the most amiable-the most enviable, point of view. Approach his pillow, and liften to his feeble voice! In cheerful fubmiffion to the decrees of Heaven, he exclaims with his Lord, "Father, not my will, but thine be done!" yet adds, "if confiftent with that will, I defire to depart, and be with Chrift, which is far better;' for to me to live is Christ, but to die will be unspeakable gain." His holy foul, like a bird long confined in a narrow cage, yet in the prospect of a large and beauteous country, flies to every avenue, flutters against the wires of her prifon, and pants and struggles for liberty; but when he finds that the hour is not yet arrived in which the meffenger of Heaven fhall come to fet her free, fhe bows in calm compofure, and begins, in feeble notes, that fong of gratitude and praife, which the hopes to fing in more exalted ftrains in the world above. At length the folemn moment arrives, and Death, the univerfal conqueror, appears. Does the Chriftian behold him with horror? does he fhrink back from his cold embrace? No, he regards him with a placid fmile; he cries, “O "Death, where is thy fling? O Grave, where is thy victory?" "My fiefh and my heart faileth, but God is the "ftrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”—Then cafting around him a look of ineffable affection and delight, he finks on his pillow, and breathes out his joyful foul inte the arms of his Redeemer,

Such is the life-fuch is the death of the faithful fervant of God. O thou who art the Author of my being, the fupreme object of my love, affift me to live the life of the righteous, and then-my last end shall be like his !

E. T.

Sandwich.

SIR,

REMARKABLE CONVERSION.

To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine.

The following anecdote was told me in Scotland lately, by a worthy Minifter, who laft fummer made a tour through the Highlands, and met with the happy fubject of the narrative in Invernefsthire. By giving it a place, the first opportunity, you'll oblige,

Yours, &c.

W. M.

THECT

'HE Rev. Mr. M'D, after preaching last fummer in the neighbourhood of Fort Auguftus, fell into converfation with the ftore-keeper of that place, who had been one of his hearers. In the converfation, Mr. M'Dmentioned that the Rev. R. H. was then preaching at Edinburgh. On hearing which, the old gentleman difcovered the greatest emotions of joy, and cried out, "If ever I was brought to know any thing of the power of real religion, he was the inftrument God employed in the work." This induced the minifter to make further enquiry; and in reply the old gentleman gave the following ac

count :

"Some years ago I was in England with a recruiting party, and was informed in a town through which I paffed, that a man was coming there to fight the Devil. This appeared to me an extraordinary circumftance, and I refolved to fee in what manner he would engage him. At the appointed time I went, and who fhould be the pugilift but the Rev. R. H!— After finging and prayer, he took his text; and while he was preaching, a man came up behind

him, and threw a dead cat upon his fhoulders, round his neck. He took no notice, but continued preaching, as though no infult had been offered him. Well, thought I, this is an extraordinary man: I could not have borne fuch ufage without refenting it. I am fure, he must be a different man to what I am. IIe must have something in him that I have not in me.

"Thefe fentiments deeply impreffed my mind, and at length, proved the means, in the hands of the Spirit of God, of leading me to a knowledge of divine things. To this circumftance I am indebted as a mean for my converfion, and what would I give if I could fee the honoured inftrument once more in this world! If I fhould be denied this favour, I trust we shall meet in Heaven." This converfation proved peculiarly refreshing to the Minifter, and I hope that it will have fome influence with Mr. R. H. when in Scotland, to go a few miles further than he may defign, to pay a visit to the good old man of Fort Auguftus.

THE WORTH OF THE SOUL.

A REFLECTION ON MARK viii. 36.

"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world "and lose his soul?"

THE

HE world and its business, or the world and its pleasures, feem to ingrofs the attention of mankind, as though the prefent life was eternal. And multitudes perfevere in their vain pursuits, till the fatal fhafts of death convince them that the prefent life is temporal. Then (alas too late!) they repent, and wifh they had ferved God as they ferved themfelves and the world. Soul concerns appear now of the laft importance, and a sense of past neglect pains them to the heart.

The worth of the foul is not to be calculated. This will appear if we confider, 1. Its origin. It did not fpring from the dust, but was myfteriously formed by the breath of God.* 2. Its capacities of memory, to retain millions of ideas perfectly distinct—of reasoning, arguing from cause

*Gen. ii. 7.

to effect, &c.-and of will, the motions of which are inftantly and wonderfully obeyed, where there is no fuperior obstructing cause. 3. Its duration, not tranfient as that of a brute or an infect, but eternal. It is formed for an everlafting world! 4. The price of its redemption. Not filver or gold, but the precious blood of Jefus Chrift the Son of God. What angel can calculate the worth of that blood? 5. The method of its recovery, comfort and fecurity. By the miniftry of the Gospel, which is appointed for that exprefs purpose :-by the operation of the Spirit, influencing the mind and heart :-by the fervices of angels, who adminifter to its exigencies-and by the attributes of JEHOVAI, all of which are engaged to defend and preferve the believing foul unto everlasting falvation. O admirable method! which reflects the highest honour upon the divine wisdom and goodness!

Now the lofs of one fuch foul muft be, especially to the man himself, an incalculable lofs! And the danger of lofing the foul is very great. This danger arifes from three things, viz. its native depravity, it is fallen and corruptits condition is helplefs, being not only weak, but "without ftrength"-its enemies are numerous and powerful, and all armed with various and deadly weapons.

The nature and importance of the lofs may, in fome meafure appear, if we confider,- -A man then lofes all that he gained in this world: for he can carry nothing (of his gains) with him into the world of fpirits.-He lofes the bleffed hope of the Gofpel. Its delighful accents will never vibrate on his ear again.-The efteem of all his friends, that fond esteem, which only fed his pride, evaporates when he expires, and is never revived in the world to which he goes. -He lofes the fociety and friendfhip of the godly: he has no help from them now. The admonitions which he defpifed reverberate on his ear as peals of thunder, and he loudly condemns his own folly.-The light of Heaven is. exchanged for the darkness of hell, and hope expires for

ever!

Bleffed be God, there is a method of falvation and fecurity devised by infinite wifdom and compaffion. This method takes in four things particularly, viz. regeneration, or a new birth-faith in the atoning blood and perfect righte oufnefs of Jefus Chrift- repentance, upon the principles of the Gofpel-and holiness of heart and life; which holiness is the effect of union with, and communications from, the bleffed Jefus, as the vital head of his believing people.

Things being thus, fay, my dear reader, if you can, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and "lofe his soul?" A loft foul is a foul in mifery, in mifery inevitable and eternal. Roufe, my fellow finner! be concerned, be perfuaded, be advised. "Efcape for thy life, "look not behind thee," fly, inftantly fly to the Son of God, the Saviour of men, and fay, "Lord fave me, or I perish." OLIGOS.

A DROP OF CONSOLATION.

THE

HE troubles of this life disturb men more or less, according as the foul is fortified, with confiderations fufficient to fupport it under them. The confiderations adapted for this end are fuch as the following.

Our time is very fhort here; and we are travelling to another country, to our heavenly Canaan, where are pleafures for evermore. "The fufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be (there) revealed." And if we be interested in Jefus, the greater our troubles and calamities here, the greater our joy and comfort hereafter. Yea, as the Apoftle fays, "Ŏur "light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for "us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." The evils of this life would be hard to bear if there was no expectation of happiness after death; but we know that when thefe our frail bodies shall return to duft, we shall have habitations not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. The happiness of the next life is described to us by fuch pleasures as are more excellent, more pure and refined than thofe of fenfe. The Scriptures affure us that we fhall be transformed into the likenefs of the Divine perfec tion-we fhall fee Jefus as he is, and fo be forever with the Lord. Farther, we shall be admitted into the company of the bleffed angels, and of the fpirits of juft men made perfect, and thus united in love, in gratitude, and in happiness, fing praifes to the Lamb that fitteth on the throne,-who loved us and washed us from our fins in his own most precious blood. To him be glory, thanksgiving, and praise, now and for ever! Amen.

Fenny-Stratford.

HENRICUS.