the cold arms of death; a friend came suddenly in, who, beholding me in this miserable condition, exclaimed, Oh, Thomas, cry for mercy! Thousands as vile as you have, and have been heard too. You cannot be the worse for that, if you are none the better.' Being in possession of my senses, I heard him; and feeling the force of what he said, Í put my poor hands together, with my mouth and throat full of blood, and lifted

have mercy upon, and save a poor dying worm !'-when, behold, the moment after I uttered these words, the_bleeding stopped-I bled no more! I can remember nothing further, for my senses directly left me; what further transpired I knew not till about three weeks afterwards, when the Lord was pleased to restore me the full exercise of my mental powers. From this solemn, yet merciful circumstance, I was led to inquire after a knowledge of salvation; at which time, hearing that there was a godly man living not far off, of the name of Francis, this occasioned me to send, and request to see you."

edly inclined; and being very discontented in my situation, I proposed to go to the East Indies. It was at length agreed to: I went, and being then far from home, and from the eye of all my friends, I endeavoured to take my fill of sin-though at that time, instead of being happy, my evil courses brought me in such a crop of misery, that I often envied the brutes their happiness. In this my sinful course, I took a violent cold, and felt sensibly the seeds of death en-up my heart to God, and said, 'O Lord, tering my poor body; but so far was I from repentance, that I think I became still more hardened. At length I embarked for England again; and by the time I set foot on the English shore, all probable expectation of recovery was gone. I came home to this house where you now see me, as far in my heart and affections from God, as hell from heaven. I got worse daily; but, awful to relate, I determined to brave it out, and tried to persuade myself that I should shortly be restored to health. As a proof of the same, as I was one day sitting in the room, being very ill, I told my mother that I would walk to Peckham, which is more than two miles distant. My mo- I found about my fourth visit, which ther said I could not, and must not un-crowned all the rest, being the most sodertake such a journey; and, indeed, at the time I was not fit to cross the road by myself. However, I would go; and somehow or other, with much pain of body, reached the place; after which, I daringly presumed to walk home; and in returning, experienced such pain, that I was strongly tempted to throw myself into some water, and drown myself, in order to escape from my misery; but God prevented this. On reaching home, I sat down almost dead. After recover ing myself a little, I cried out, Mother, bring me my violin, I will play a tune;' and added, I shall get well soon, and then I will go and see a play.' All this, Sir, I did, to outbrave death, which was evidently fast approaching. I had not long made these speeches, before I was seized with a cough, which, though not violent, occasioned the breaking of a blood-vessel, from which instantly issued a vast quantity of blood from my mouth and nose. The bleeding continued for a considerable time, and resisted every application to stop it. While in this deplorable situation, with a dread of hell in my conscience, and held up by my friends, the blood still streaming from me, agitation depicted in their countenances, and all were waiting in expectation that I should presently drop into

lemn, and yet animating display of the Almighty power, discriminating grace, and boundless love of Him who took the name of Jesus, because He would save his people from their sins. May the same gracious and wonder-working Lord be pleased to grant that the following anecdote may be the means of striking the hearts of some that are yet his enemies, so that instead of rushing on the thick bosses of his buckler, they may, after the wonderful example here set before them, fall into the arms of Him against whom they have sinned, and cry for mercy. Amen. Oh, how richly was I repaid for the time spent with this young man!

About the time just mentioned, three of his old associates and companions in iniquity called to see him, and said,

"How are you, Tom? We were very sorry to hear you were so ill; so we thought we would come to see you."

"Well," replied he, "I am glad to see you; sit down."

When they were seated, he addressed himself to them thus, calling them by their names:

You and I have been fellow-helpers of each other in sin and shame; I have strengthened you therein, and you have

for sovereign mercy, I had been in hell;
and if the same sovereign mercy prevent
not, you will be there each one of you
soon. Now, neither of you, I suppose,
ever heard a Gospel sermon in all your
life; but you shall have one from my
mouth before you go:-I, your old
friend and companion, was fully bent
upon my own ruin, as you are this day:
God has had mercy upon me, apparently
in my very last moments; has brought
me down at his feet, a sinner just as I
am, and bid me ask for mercy and salva-
tion;
and he that inclined me to seek,
has been found of me; He that bade me
pray, has heard my prayer, and has at
length delivered my soul from eternal
death, and made me a witness of his
abounding grace. God grant that each
of you may be brought here too; and
then you will find that which will bring
in more happiness than all your sin can
do; but dying as you now are, you will
die eternally. Now you have heard a
Gospel sermon. God bless it to you!
Farewell!"

strengthened me; and had it not been and I believe of his also. Just before his death, he named those whom he wished to follow him to the grave; and desired to be buried in Bunhill Fields, because in that ground lay so many monuments of grace, like himself, with whom, he said, he hoped to dwell everlastingly. He also told me, that he had requested a particular favour of his executors, that as he had six hundred pounds coming to him, if he had lived six months longer, when he should have completed his twenty-first year, he hoped they would grant him a head and foot stone, but he wished for nothing on it besides these words, "Is not this a brand plucked from the burning?" This request, I am sorry to say, was not granted. But though the all-wise Providence of God permitted the denial of his request, He is able, with his own pen, to inscribe the writing on the tablet of our hearts, and make the memory of this dear youth the means of preventing many a daring and presumptuous sinner from defying Omnipotence; the Pharisee from trusting in his own righteousness; and induce the poor self-condemned sinner to drop into the arms of sovereign mercy, as he did; and prove Him to be what he was then, is now, and for ever remains to be-mighty to save, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." Amen.

I heard this not from himself, but from one that was present when the sermon was preached; and I also heard, that they seemed very glad when it was ended.

I visited him many times after this, to the joy and comfort of my own soul,

A SINGULAR ACCOUNT.

"It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.” [The following account was sent in a letter by the Rev. John Sing, of Bridgenorth, to the late Rev. Mr. Samuel Wilson, of London, and published in the Gospel Magazine, for March 1772.1

Bridgenorth, March 19, 1783. There is a large common adjoining to the east side of this town, upon which there is a large hill, over the top whereof lieth the great road for Wolverhampton, Stafford, &c., in the midst of which road, on the top of the hill, I found a shilling. It is natural at such a time to look for more, which I did in a superficial manner. The next day my occasion leading me that way, I found another shilling; I then concluded there must be money lost in that place, which I carefully examined, but found no more. The next day, being the last Sunday in the month, there

was a sort of vestry, or parish meeting, at the Castle Church, which I was obliged (though with a very uneasy mind) to attend: amongst other cases there was a poor man who applied for relief, to whom the bailiff ordered four-pence per week, with a penny loaf to be given every day at church. It was answered by some present, he does not come to Church. Where goes he then? replied the bailiff. To the Church at the bridge end, said the overseers; (meaning the Baptist Church there) nay, then, replied the bailiff, let the Church at the bridge end maintain their own poor, for we will have nothing to say to them; and accordingly the poor old man was dismissed without any allowance. My heart ached for the complainant, and did then verily believe, God had handed me that money for the relief of that poor man.

of a miraculous healing operation in their most degenerate state. We allow the gospel wants no further vindication of this kind; but may not God now and then vindicate his providence by extraordinary judgments or mercies ?

Should God in this life make an example of all notorious offenders, men would call his patience, if not his providence, into question. Who can say, that miracles are ceased, that have experienced the same exceeding greatness of power in their conversion as was manifested in our Lord's resurrection? That in the prophet, "I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes," Mr. Polhill says, was as much a word of power as that Fiat that made the world.

phecy for some few years, and water If it be asked, Why the money to be given in charity must be fetched from the hill top? I answer, Why must the money to pay tribute be fetched from the sea side? If it be asked, How the money came to be in such a public place as the high road? I would ask, How the money came to be in such a private place as the fish's mouth? It is certain God is a free agent, and a great deal may be placed to the score of sovereignty: for if it be farther asked, Why God in his providence should employ a person so mean, rather than any other? I would still ask, Why a woman, a widow woman, and that in distress, and that a Sidonian, before the widows in Israel, nay, an unclean ravenous bird, should feed a prophet? I fancy, should I enquire after the impulse, I must own myself very incapable of discoursing concerning the rise, nature, and ends of impulses; but do verily believe that spirits unembodied may have a very near access to, and intimate converse with, those immersed in matter; and yet we may be infallibly assured of some things in ourselves, that are inexplicable, a great deal better apprehended than described.

For my part, to see a poor, hard, cold, dry, insensible, inactive sinner, to become a child of Abraham, is as great, if not a greater miracle to me, than to see a pebble with all these properties, rise up and become man; and as we are not without instances, modern instances, in the kingdom of grace of such, I question not, you have a large treasury; yet give me leave to throw in a mite or two. What shall we say to Mr. Bainham's Bed of Roses, Mr. Honeywood's Venice Glass, Mr. Flavell's Mystery of Providence and Remarkable Sea Deliverances, Young's Account of the French Protestant Maid, in his Compendious History? page 25. I must confess, I pay no great deference to this last author, yet believe this account to be true, which he says was one of the greatest miracles known in this last age. Could this point be once gained, I see no better way of answering other questions than by asking of questions, especially of such as may help opposers to resolve their own.

As to the issue, I found my concern and certainty respecting enjoyment or disappointment, pretty near equal; they differed only in kind. The flat denial I found in my own breast, with the subsequent one on the hill, I placed upon this footing:-That I was not at any time to put the money to common use, or proclaim how I came by it; which restriction I looked upon as the condition of the tenure; and the privilege once forfeited, no wonder it was immediately remanded.

Yours,

JOHN SING.

POSTHUMOUS LETTERS OF THE LATE VENERABLE S. E. PIERCE.

No 1.

MY GOOD FRIEND,-I am safely entered me to say, "Blessed be the Lord, who on the year 1818, and am very well; so daily loadeth me with his benefits." As that I have great reason to praise to my continuation in a time-state, I am the Lord Jesus Christ, who upholdeth not one whit concerned about it; I am me in life, and giveth me all things in his hands, I am wholly at his disposal; richly to enjoy. And He also is pleased, I desire to leave myself wholly and altomost graciously pleased, to continue the gether with the Lord who careth for me: same unto me; so that it well becomes He is the God of my life, the God of my

it away, for goods bought of Mr. Walker, of Kidderminster. For what reason he seemed to scruple that very piece, I cannot tell; I told Lim it was good, that had it where I had several more, that though I came easily, I came honestly by it; and, like a very silly person, gave him too much light into the story. He had no sooner put up the money but my heart smote me; I saw my error in parting with the piece, but had no power to ask for it again; I stood, as we say, like one panic struck, came all the way home with a heavy heart, firmly believing I should find no more, which fell out accordingly.

Upon the visit, I found the money came | it with the rest of my money, and with very seasonable, and for which the good the rest of my money very foolishly paid old man thought he could never sufficiently thank me. I told him he ought to thank God and not me, for I had it without any care or industry of my own. His answer was, he thanked God and me also. About the latter end of the week, being the next time I went that way, in the very same place I found another shilling, and resolving to make the strictest search I could, took my knife and drew it to and again in the sand and gravel, for the space of three or four yards, within the compass of a shilling, and do verily believe, had there been another in that place at that time, I had turned it up; (though what shillings I found there from first to last always lay on the very Thus, sir, I have given you the hissurface of the sand, in the same place, tory, without the omission of any thing and in the middle of the track) but as material that I know of, and believe you before, so at that time I could find no are disappointed in your expectation. more, only began to think there was Common fame generally sets forth things somewhat uncommon in it. The next of this nature, as much more strange week, going that way and finding an- than what they are. A history I call it, other shilling, I was exceedingly sur- but of what kind I cannot tell; let others prised, and so carried out in transports place it where they please, amongst the of wonder and joy, that I thought it hap- miracles, or even among the contingents, py afterwards that none but the Father it is all alike to me, so they do not call was with me; for if ever I experienced it a romantic story, and put it upon the what the si insanimus (pardon me, dear sir) meant, it was then.

However from that time I was fully persuaded in my own breast, that the money was handed to me in some extraordinary manner ; that whensoever I came there I should find a shilling, and no other piece, and no more at that time, and that it would remain invisible to others passing that way, and lastly, that all the money ought to be laid out in the self-same pieces, in charitable uses, and the whole to be kept as a secret. Accordingly, I never went that way but I found a shilling, and looked for no more at that time. I have observed people passing and repassing, to pass over it: I disclosed no part of the affair, and always applied the money to the best uses. But to bring it to an issue; after eleven weeks continuance, wherein, to the best of my remembrance, (for I was not always careful to register, little expecting a demand of this nature) I found thirteen pieces of money; and being obliged one Thursday to attend Kidderminster market, I had a servant with me to assist in taking the mare which pastured in some lands on the other side of the hill, I saw the shilling at some little distance, halted, and put the servant before me, picked up the shilling, and very inadvertently placed

same footing with the popish legends. But suppose they do so, who can blame them, since the whole depends upon one single testimony, and human; and that from a person frail, mean, and obscure? But the day shall declare it, and I can wait; only I would have such know, that the person principally concerned was never fond of publishing it; that he had no new doctrine or worship to promote by it; and that, upon deliberate thoughts, he could never look upon it as the least evidence of his sincerity, or interest in the complacential love of God, since hypocrites, reprobates, and cast-aways, have been more honourably and usefully employed.

But if Mr. Wilson still insists on my thoughts on the providence; for my part I always thought, in the instance before us, that there was a manifest deviation of Providence from the common track, and that miracles (though I dare not call this one,) are not wholly ceased.

It is true, the inspired Canon is completed and sufficiently confirmed, and therefore miracles rarely to be expected. It was so under the Old Testament dispen sation; their laws and worship under the first temple being settled and supported, miracles were very rare; under the second only they had the spirit of pro