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of suffering; or, on the other hand, admit that Judas will be eternally excluded from heaven, with all its enjoyments.

There is no arguing successfully against matter of fact. The plain illiterate Christian may be perplexed by the sophistical methods of reasoning used in defence of the doctrine I oppose; but, let him remember, that however specious or plausible they may appear, they must be false, because they expressly contradict the testimony of Christ in the case of Judas.

Many who read this, perhaps, are not able to detect and expose the fallacy of such pretended reasonings; but they may be satisfied with the persuasion that the Bible can never contradict itself. And I am sure if they are earn. estly and sincerely seeking after truth, they will receive the testimony of Jesus Christ, in preference to that of any fallible mortal whatsoever. May they, and all who profess to receive the gospel, daily pray for true spiritual wisdom; that while they adore the Son of God as the righteous Governor of the universe, whose decisions are all founded in equity and truth, they may also rejoice in him, as the author and finisher of their salvation.

REMARKABLE CONVERSION OF W. B.

THE subject of the remarkable conversion here recorded, had lived a dissolute life for near forty years. He was notorious for drinking and sabbath breaking; and his general deportment was so abandoned, that he was wicked even to a proverb. On Saturday evening, March 4, 1789, he attended a funeral at the parish church; and, from the place of interment he immediately betook himself to a public house, where he became so intoxicated, that it was with

some difficulty he was enabled to reach his own habitation, No sooner was he laid down upon his bed, and composed to sleep, than the words of Eliphaz were verified in his experience: "In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon man, fear came upon me and trembling, which made all my bones to shake." For he dreamed a frightful dream. He thought he saw a serpent of the hydra kind, with nine heads, ready to seize him; whatever way he turned, a head presented itself; nor could he, by all the methods he devised, extricate himself from the baneful monster. He awoke in great distress and perturbation. Though it was but a dream, it made a strong impression upon his mind, and he was afraid it por. tended some future evil. The next morning, one of the members of our meeting, as he was going to the house of God, observed him in a pensive posture, and asked if he would go with him, and hear a sermon upon the old ser. pent. The sound of the word serpent arrested his atten. tion, and excited his curiosity to hear what I had to say upon such a subject. But for this expression, probably the poor man had remained unmoved. Why the person used it he could not tell, nor why he invited him to accompany him that morning; a thing which he had never before done, though they both lived under the same roof; but he could tell, who, in the days of his flesh, "must needs go through Samaria," and whose providences are always in coincidence with the purposes of his grace. As soon as prayer was ended, I preached from Gen. iii. 13, 14, 15. "And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did cat. And the Lord God said unto

the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

As I was explaining who that serpent was, and the meth. ods he took to beguile sinners, the Lord opened the poor man's eyes, and the word had free course, and was glorified. From that moment he gave every demonstration of a real change of heart. About four or five months he continued in the pangs of the new birth. The anguish of his soul was great indeed; he perceived the number of his sins, and felt the weight of his guilt. For some time, he was tempted to despair, I may say, to put an end to his life; but while he was musing on his wretched condition, these words were applied as a sovereign remedy to his afflicted soul; "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." This administered all that joy and comfort of which he stood in need. Now he was enabled to believe that Christ was as willing to forgive, as he was mighty to redeem. The burden of his guilt dropped from his mind, as Pilgrim's did at the sight of the cross; and immedi. ately he rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory. I was with him a little while after; and, with a heart overflowing with gratitude to God, he shewed the place of his Bethel visit, where the Lord had opened to him his bleeding heart, and manifested his forgiving love. His life corresponds with his professions. Indeed, he seems to be, as the apostle expresses it, "a living epistle of Christ, known and read of all men."

HENRY IV.

HENRY IV. king of France, was, in every point of view, a great man. It reflects no small honor on his piety, that on the return of his birthday he made this reflection, I was born, said he, as on this day, and no doubt, taking the world through, thousands were born on the same day with me; yet, out of all those thousands, I am probably the only one whom God hath made a king. How peculiarly am I favored by the bounty of his Providence. A Christian, too, reflecting on his second birth, may, with greater reason, adore the free and sovereign grace of God. "I am," " he may probably say, "the only one of a large family or a larger circle of friends, that at present appear to be of the election of grace. In the midst of a congregation of many hundreds, or, perhaps thousands, I was possibly the only one on such a day, and under such a sermon, to whom the voice of Christ came with power! How much more do I owe to God, than if I had been born to all the honors, cares, and dangers of an Empire!"

THE ENGLISH CAPTAIN.

Ir was a wise and pious reply of an English captain, at the loss of Calais, when a proud and haughty Frenchman scornfully demanded, "When will you fetchCalais again?" He answered, "When your sins shall weigh down ours."

BURIAL OF A NOBLEMAN.

THE following lines are said to have been written by Dr. Earle, on hearing the bishop read the burial service at

the interment of a nobleman, who had professed himself an infidel:

"I have no hope," his lordship says and dies!
"In sure and certain hope," the bishop cries.

Of these two worthy peers, I pray thee, say, man,
Who was the lying knave, the priest or layman.
His lordship dies an infidel confessed!

"He's our der brother, says the reverend priest;
"An infidel! Our brother," yet he cries!
And who dare say the reverend prelate lies?

ON SEEING A DEAD BODY.
ANGELS have hence conveyed the jewel mind,
Naught but the cabinet is left behind.

THE DOCTOR.

A LADY, in the vicinity of ......, being visited with a vio. lent disorder, was under the nécessity of applying for medical assistance. Her apothecary, being a gentleman of considerable latitude in his religious sentiments, endeavored, in the course of his attendance, to persuade his patient to adopt his creed, as well as take his medicines. He frequently insisted, with a considerable degree of dogma. tism, that repentance and reformation were all that either God or man could require of us; and that, consequently, there was no necessity for an atonement by the Son of God. As the lady had not so learned Christ, she contented herself with following his medical prescriptions, without embracing his religious, or rather, irreligions creed. On her recovery, she forwarded a note to the doctor,desiring the favor of his company to tea, when it suited his conveRience, and requested him to make out his bill. In a short

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