He ago, one Thursday morning, he ordered her to have a whole joint of meat roasted, having given her directions a day or two before to bake two large loaves of white bread. then went to Wooler market, and took a piece of bread and cheese in his pocket, as ufual. He came home in the evening in a very bad humour, and went foon to bed. In about two hours after he called up his man fervant, and ordered him to take one of the loaves and the joint of meat, and carry them down the moor to Thomas Hownham's, and leave them there. The man did fo, and finding the family asleep, he fet them at their bedfide, and came away. The next morning her master called her and the man fervant in, and feemed in great agitation of mind. He told them that he intended to have invited a Mr. John Mool, with two or three more neighbouring farmers (who were always teafing him for his nearnefs), to fup with him the night before; that he would not invite them in the marketplace, as he purposed to have taken them by furprise near home, as two or three of them paffed his houfe, but a smart fhower of rain coming on, they rode off, and left him before he could get an opportunity; that going foon to bed he did not reft well, fell a dreaming, and thought he faw Hownham's wife and children ftarving for, hunger; that he awoke and put off the impreffion; that he dreamed the fecond time, and endeavoured again to fhake it off, but that he was altogether overcome with the nonsense the third time; that he believed the devil was in him, but that fince he was fo foolifh as to fend the meat and bread, he could not now help it, and charged her and the man never to speak of it, or he would turn them away directly. She added, that fince he was dead long ago, the thought fhe might relate it, as a proof that he had done one generous action, though he was grieved for it afterwards. This is the fact; let thofe that read make their own reflections. Deptford, Oct. 4, 1793. J. R. A DREAM. I fome time quter his entrance upon the facred ministry, AM well acquainted with a minifter, now living, who, for was frequently harraffed with fears that he fhould not be able to proceed in the work. Often, on a Lord's day evening, he would think within himfelf, " Now, I am quite exhaufted. I have faid all I can say. How fhall I ever be able to compofe another fermon? Is it poffible for me to go on in the miniftry, where people are expecting things new as well as old from time to time?" It always happened to him better than his fears; for by the next time of preaching, fomething occurred to his mind whereon to preach, which proved of benefit to fome. But there was one week in particular, through the whole of which he could not bring his mind to fix, for any time, upon. any fubject. He turned over his Bible and Concordance from day to day, and fupplicated the throne of grace. At times he seemed to have an insight into a paffage of Scripture, but could not long purfue any meditation before he found himself almoft obliged to give it up, through embarraffment and perplexity. In this unhappy ftate he continued till very late on the Saturday night, when he retired to his bed, almoft in defpair of being able to appear in the pulpit on the following day; nor did he expect to fleep, the anxiety he felt was fo great; but, contrary to his expectations, he foon went to reft; and before he waked, he dreamed that he went to a parish church, where, in former days, he had statedly attended, and that with unfpeakable pleasure, upon the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Venn. After the prayers were over, with tears of joy he beheld his dear minifter afcend the pulpit, who after a fhort, but comprehenfive and animated extemporary prayer, took for his text Matt. viii. 2. "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. After a very striking introduction, in which he exhibited the fenfe of the paffage in the clearest point of view, he took occafion from thence, and that in a manner almoft peculiar to himfelf, to point out the uncleannefs, pollution, and impurities of fallen man, together with the ability and willingnefs of the Lord Jefus Chrift to make him clean; and alfo the poor finner's earnest folicitude for the benefit, when once he becomes fenfible of his abfolute need thereof. At the conclufion of the fervice, the Minifter awaked from his fleep, furprifed to find himfelf in bed, but very much refreshed by his fleep, and ftill more by his dream. He could not doubt of invifible agency over the human mind, both by night and day, when men awake, and when they fleep. He thought he retained in his mind all that in his fleep he had heard; and found himself happy in being thus provided with what he fo very much wanted-a fubject whereon to difcourfe that day to his people. It ferved him for the whole day, which was a comfortable one to himself, and a time of refreshing to many of his flockThe reader will make his own reflections. S. B. A THE CONVERSION OF A SOCINIAN. MR. W. a reputable farmer in Northamptonshire, was a stated hearer of the Gofpel; but by reading the writings of Dr. Foster, Mr. Lindsey, and others of the fame fentiments he imbibed the Socinian scheme, and by degrees forfook the houfe of God, and the faithful labours of Mr. Denny, the Minister whom he formerly attended. Mr. D. took frequent occafion to warn him against the dangerous confequences of rejecting Christ, and neglecting his ordinances, as well as of the pernicious effects which his example might produce among his children and family. After much affectionate exhortation, which feemed to make no impref fion on Mr. W. Mr. D. had the following remarkable dream. He thought himself deeply engaged in converfation with his friend, labouring hard to convince him of his fatal errors, when, at length, he fancied he heard a voice, faying, "Thou haft gained thy brother." This affected him fo much, that he immediately awoke, and broke out into a flood of tears, rejoicing in the happy event. Mr. D. took an early opportunity of waiting on Mr. W. and related to him his dream, when, taking him by the hand he added, "If it please God to realize my dream, I fhall account it one of the happiest events of my life." To which Mr. W. ftruck with his difinterested friendship, replied, "If it would be fo happy for you, Sir, how much more fo for me?" But no change as yet appeared to take place in his views. Some months after this Mr. W. was taken ill, and his diforder proved a confumption. Mr. D. vifited him again, and renewed the theme with great earneftness. Mr. W. was now offended, and faid, "Sir, I am now quite fixed in my fentiments, you only make me uneafy; I defire that I may never hear any thing more of this fubject." Mr. D. took leave of his friend with a heavy heart, faying within himself, "What is become of my pleafing dream! but reflected as he went home, that however fixed Mr. W. was in his dangerous fentiments, God was able to unfix him again, and fettle him at last on the Rock of ages: He therefore retired to his clofet, and with much importunity befought the Lord on his account. Early next morning a meffenger was fent from Mr. W. intreating his immediate attendance. He gladly obeyed the Vol. I. F f fummons. Mr. W. who was in bed, ftretching out his arms to receive him, and cried out, "O Mr. D.! I am one of the most miferable beings in the world. I have loft my God!" "I hope not," faid Mr. D. "I hope it is in great mercy to your foul, and that God is about to bring you to the knowledge of Chrift ;" to which Mr. W. added, in a most earnest tone, "God Almighty grant that it may !" He now defired Mr. D. to talk to him, to tell him of Chrift and his falvation, and to pray for him, which he readily did. Mr. W. appeared to be quite melted and broken down; and begged that Mr. D. would renew his vifit every day while he lived. He feemed to be truly ferious, and, above all things, concerned for an intereft in the blood and righteousness of Christ which before he had discarded. About three days before his death he was filled with joy, and in the hearing of a pious fifter, broke out in a kind of extafy, repeating those excellent lines of Dr. Watts: "Chrift and his crofs is all our theme, The mysteries that we speak, Are fcandal in the Jew's esteem, But fouls enlighten'd from above, With joy receive the word; They fee what wisdom, power, and love, He died an eminent inftance of the fovereign grace of God. G. B. Suitable meditation for the beginning of the year. "Our life is ever on the wing, and death is ever nigh; The moment when our lives begin, we all begin to die. The year rolls round and steals away the breath that first it gave. Whate'er we do, where'er we be, we're travelling to the grave." WATTS. BUT UT this I say, Brethren.-In this beautifully abrupt manner does the apostle introduce fome very import ant fentiments. This I say, brethren. I folemnly pronounce it is a momentous truth, though, alas! but flightly regard ed, and which, therefore, it becomes me repeatedly to urge upon your attention; this I declare with all the authority of an apoftle, a meffenger from heaven, and I demand your moft ferious confideration of what I am going to deliverTHE TIME IS SHORT *. I had almost faid, What occafion for this formality in introducing a matter fo commonly known, and fo generally acknowledged? but I check myself. The notoriety of the fubject is the very reafon why it is overlooked; fo that it requires all the addrefs of an infpired apoftle to fix the attention of a thoughtlefs world on a truth fo obvious, and withal fo important. Shame on me! What pains have I taken to avoid this friendly admonition! Though it has forced itself upon me with an evidence that I could not refift, yet I have seldom fuffered it to have a suitable influence upon my temper and practice, but have lived as if I believed my continuance upon earth were long and even everlasting. Blush, O my foul! at fuch unbecoming conduct, and endeavour to think and act in future as one who believes this uncontroverted declaration, that the time of thy continuance in this world is short. How much of thy time is already gone? How little remains, who can fay? "My breath is in my noftrils, and wherein am I to be accounted of?" I dare not "boast myself even of to-morrow for I know not what a day may bring forth." This is all I know with certainty, That it is appointed unto men once to die, and after death the judg ment. Alarming confideration! and do I fincerely believe it? Let me then no longer think of delay, nor contrive fatal artifices to put off the grand work of my everlafting falvation. May I work while it is called to-day; for the night cometh when no man can work †. Whatever my hand findeth to do, may I do it with all my might ‡, and give all imaginable di ligence to make my calling and election fure. The time-the time of life is absolutely short: "A fpan is all that we can boast, an inch or two of time; There are but few whofe days amount to threefcore years and ten." WATTS. How fhort the space between the cradle and the grave! How fhort the journey from infancy to old age, through all the intermediate stages! The first breath we draw is the harbinger of our laft, "and every beating pulfe we tell leaves but the number lefs." From the most accurate calculations it appears that one half of the human species leave the world under feven years of age; probably about a fourth arrive to † John, ix. 4. * 1 Cor. vii. 29. |