debased, yet exalted and refined from former corruptions and errors, he cried out in some such language as this: "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor ? or who hath given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."*

It may be readily supposed, that in proportion to the light which was received into his soul was the increase of my owner's dissatisfaction with the forms and dogmas and pretensions of that body which presumptuously claims to be the only true church, and to have the power of binding and loosing in earth and in heaven; and to which his assent and obedience had heretofore been yielded. And more and more, as the grandeur and simplicity of God's way of saving sinners from the wrath to come broke in upon his now disenchanted understanding, so did he more and more perceive that the teaching to which he had formerly listened was the "instruction which causeth to err;" and that the guides in whom he had trusted were such as those of whom my Divine Master had said, "They be blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." †

*Rom. xi. 33.

+ Matt. xv. 14.

The merchant had ever cherished the design to return to his native country, there to enjoy the fruits of his labours in a foreign land. This design he now determined to put into execution. With great alacrity he arranged his affairs, and made preparations for his departure. A few days only remained; but ere they had gone by, a sudden and mortal sickness seized upon him. It was then that the fruits of his intercourse with me became manifest. He poured out his soul to God in fervent and earnest prayer, and in deep repentance, and found comfort in the encouragement which I am empowered to make to such as even at the eleventh hour enter into the vineyard of the Lord.

In the last stages of violent disease, when flesh and heart were failing, and the dying merchant could at length say in his soul, "God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever," came the priest before mentioned, and another of his order with him; and in vehement language they exhorted him to confession, and offered to him such hopes as their church could give in exchange for gold. Long and earnestly they spoke, holding before his sight an image of the Lamb of God; and offered to his touch and kisses the relics of departed saints, and that which they protested to be the true wood of the cross on which the Saviour was crucified.

The dying man raised himself painfully yet with energy on his couch, and putting from him with one hand the image and relics, he drew me from beneath

his pillow, and held me up in triumph with the other, and uttered words of deep and solemn import, which caused the priests to recoil from his side with countenances full of horror. Then they gathered themselves up indignantly, and hastily departed from the room, uttering many denunciations. But, little heeding those impotent anathemas, the dying merchant laid his head gently on his pillow, and with none now to come between God and his soul, he resigned himself to death, whispering in broken petitions thoughts of faith and love, in words which I had taught him: "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And thus he died.

A few days later the body of my late owner was removed, and seals were affixed upon the doors of the now forsaken abode. A few weeks passed away, and then a scene of bustle and confusion ensued, in which I was suffered to remain unmolested, until at its close I was cast into a strong chest, among a variety of miscellaneous property, where, with the lid fast closed upon me, I remained long in silence and darkness. Then I became sensible of rough and long-continued motion; and it was easy to conjecture, from the constant rolling to which I was subjected, that I was recrossing the sea which had separated the merchant from his native home. At length I was landed; but for many months I remained in this state of utter seclusion from the light of day.