Ac it, and at last it should prove a fable, I now strove with all my might to fulfil this holy law; and beheld myself in this glass every evening, w which discovered my deformity more and more; and I thought I saw myself grow worse, instead of better. During this law-work, which lasted a great while, I went, in the school vacation, to the house of a gentleman, whose wife was a religious woman, and had often spoken to me about being good. Having a great opinion of this lady's judgment in religion, I asked her opinion of Mr. Hervey's Dialogues. She reprobated them at once. particularly the doctrine of imputed righteousness. I thought myself it was a very odd kind of doctrine; and I had better not go on with them. She said by no means. Accordingly I sent the books home. Soon after this the Lord visited me with a fit of sickness; and while I was musing upon my deplorable sinful state, I said to myself, if I should die now, and attempt to go to Heaven, as God is a just and holy God, he cannot justify such a sinner as I am, so as to admit me there; therefore, I cannot go to Heaven!" In the multitude of the thoughts of my heart, I recollected Hervey's doctrine of Imputed Righteousness. O, thought 1, if that be true, and Christ's righteousness may be imputed to me, then, though God is 66 just and holy, he may justify, ac I had been passionately fond of dancing, and had often wondered what those people had to make them happy that never danced. I attended concerts and balls with the young ladies of the school, and was never tired of dancing. While I was studiously cimployed in private as above, and laboured to keep the whole law of God, I felt these amusements a hinderance; but then I thought the next time I went, I would think of Death and Judgment all the time (so foolish was I and ignorant!) but as soon as the music began, away fled the thoughts of eternity. After I had made this trial several tinies, I saw I must either give up my religion, or my pleasures. I had often before made good resolutions, and as often broke them; and this love of music and dancing was such a strong cord of iniquity, that I thought nothing short of a vow would break it from my heart. I therefore vowed never more to go to one. Soon after this, a private bail was made in the town; and I was asked to it. I imnediately promised to go, entirely forgetting my vow; but as it soon alter occurred to my mind, I was distressed beyond measure; "and" la OBITUARY. boured to get off, but could not. I went, in the anguish of my mind, and the first foot I set into the room, I said within myself, now I have set my foot in Hell, and shall certainly drop into the pit. I danced all night, but expected to die every hour. When I got home safe and well, I was so struck with the goodness of God in sparing me, that it wrought an effectual cure:- all the world could not have gotten me to another dance. Praise the Lord, O my soul! exalt and extol him above all, for ever! In the course of our school vacations, I was again at that lady's house who had advised me not to read Hervey. She asked me one day, if I paused, I ever prayed to Christ. and ran over in my thoughts the tenor of my prayers; and answered I did. She replied, she had asked that question of a serious person, who This was said, "No, to be sure!" another new doctrine which I had never heard, or thought of; and it roused all my attention. When I retired in the evening I was in great agitation,thinking,that if I prayed to him, and he was not God, I was an idolater; and if he was God, and I did not adore him as such, then my worship was not as it ought to be. Then I said to myself, I will kneel down, and pray to Christ alone; and if he be God, let him answer me; if he be not, I shall know. With this impression I knelt down, and was answered in a way that satisfied me on that point. I could not dispute, but held fast my opinion; and said I was sure Christ was God. My kind friend reproved me, said how should I know that, as I had not studied both sides of the question. I call this friend a kind one, for she was eminently so to me, and a most amiable woman in herself. It grieved me, therefore, that I was constrained to differ so widely from her; and I said to her one day, My dear Madam, you will certainly love and adore the Saviour one day or other." But I cannot tell whether she ever did neither did I thea love him myself; but I worshipped him in the dark, and had a kind of distant esteem for him. 46 : Through grace, I was enabled to - go on reading the Scriptures and The coming to Christ as a just Tt had been thus gracious to me, because he was then going to take me to himself. (Contrary to our usual custom, we have admitted, at the pressing instance of a much-respected friend, this extended account of a pious woman; the rest of which we are obliged to postpone to the next Number.) RECENT DEATH. sinner astonished me bevond measure; and I said this is too good news to be true. If any one may go to Christ, because he is a lost sinner, I an sure I can go; for I know I am lost; but this cannot, cannot be! While I was thus ruminating, it was suggested to my mind, as by a small suli voice within me," Try, try to go to Christ as a lest sinner!" Upon which I said to myself, Well, I am lost as I am; and I can be but lost if I thus go. I therefore fung down the book, fell upon my knees, and DIED, on the 26th of May, sudcast my lost soul upon Jesus Christ; denly, at his house at Highbury and oh! wonderful to tell, he filled my Place, Islington, in his sixty-seventh heart with joy unspeakable and full year, the Rev. John Ford, M. D. of glory; and I cried out, "Now I well known formerly in London as have got what I wanted, I have an eminent physician, and of late as got Christ! Oh, sing praises! sing a minister in Lady Huntingdon's conpraises !" The change that took nection, of which he was a devisce place upon my heart at that time or trustee. The day preceding his was this: I prayed, I read, I com- decease, he attended service morning municated, ani at times had some and evening, as usual, at Spa Fields sweet moments, which I used to chapel; and appeared in as good compare to my much-loved plea- health as in general. He rose next sures, and think they far exceeded morning without any apparent alterthem; yet, in general, my religion ation, and retired to his study; and was all up-hill work: 1 rowed against it is supposed he dropped, together the stream, and often fainted; but now with the chair in which he sat, hayall was pleasant, all dutics delight- ing his Greek Testament in his hand. ful! Now he had set my heart at The noise of the fail alarming part liberty, I ran the way of his com- of the family, one of his servants immandments with great alacrity. In mediately went to his room, and short, a divine principle of love to found him drawing his last breath. my adorable Saviour, who had thus It is believed that the Doctor expectgraciously snatched me as a branded that his departure would be sudfrom the burning, with an esteem for his word, his ways, and ordinances, took such place in my heart as never wholly to leave me since. This manifestation of redeeming love and mercy took place in the spring of the year 1760. Now my understanding was opened to behold some of the wonders of his law in the sacred pages, particularly him who fills every page, the Lord Jesus Christ, the pearl of great price! I walked in sweet peace and seren'ty of mind for some weeks, none but God and myself knowing what had passed on my soul, when the smallFox set info the school, and nine of the ladies fell ill of it. As I had never had it, there was no doubt of my beig infected; and I concluded I should die; for I thought the Lord den; and it could not perhaps have been more easy. His remains were interred in a vault in Bunhill Fields, on Monday the 2d of June, attendeɗ by the Rev. Messrs. Bennett, Horn, Kirkman, and Roby, several reatives, the surviving devisees of Lady Huntingdon in town, and part of the Committees of her Ladyship's chapels in London. Mr. Kirkman read the funeral-service; and Mr. Horn, tutor at Cheshunt College, delivered a short address at the grave. Mr. Roby preached a sermon on the occasion at Spa Fields chapel; as did Mr. Bennett at Sion chapel, on the 8th of June. We hope to be able to give some further account of this excellent man, whose he was a uniform testimony to the truth which he so long professed. R REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. Letters to Dissenting Ministers, and to Students for the Ministry, from the Rev. Mr. Job Ortin. Transcribed from his original Short-Hand, with Notes, Explanatory and Biographical. To which are prefixed, Memoirs of his Life. By S. Palmer, 2 vol. 12mo. FFW works more interest the cn riosity of Readers than the private Letters of a celebrated Author. Such was Mr. Orton : deservedly celebrated for many excellent practical works, particularly his Discourses on Eternity, to the Aged, &c. Here we are admitted to a public audience, and hear the precepts of heavenly wisdom from his lips. But in these letters we are admitted into his closet, favoured with his private friendship, and hear his opinions of men and things freely, and without reserve. Opinions, indeed, which we do not always approve, opinions which shew him to be a man of like passions with ourselves; sometimes contracted in his views, and narrow in his sentiments. We refer to the fears and jealousies he expresses respecting Methodists and lay-preachers, and his great anxiety for the Dissenting interest. We were also surprized at the satisfaction he expresses in the popularity of some ministers, confessedly not evangelical. At other times, however, his views enlarge; he breathes ardent wishes for the salvation of mankind, and gives a variety of excellent advice to those appointed the instruments of that salvation. The letters to Mr. Hughes, late of Bury, are peculiarly faithful and affectionate, and should be read by every student in the kingdom. We indeed consider ourselves and the public much indebted to the ingenious Editor who prepared them for the press, and who has subjoined some useful and entertaining Notes. To support our favourable opinion, we give an Extract containing sentiments which ought to be written on the heart of every preacher. "The gospel is the religion of guilty creatures. A revelation supposes ignorance, guilt, and weakness; and the Christian revelation is grounded upon this circumstance, and represents the blessed God as forming a wise and kind design, to recover his degenerate creatures to holmess and happiness, by his son Jesus Christ. If the gospel be any thing, it is a great thing; it is inded every thing, and its leading truths and principal motives ought to run through every prayer and sermon; without which it is impossible any prayer should be a Christian prayer, or any preacher a Christian preacher. Persons of lively parts are apt to be fond of those sentiments and methods of address which are new and fashion able; to commend them in others, and cultivate them themselves, without considering what is true, what is beco.uing their character and station as ministers, and what is useful. They are proue to despise the sentiments and way of our fathers, and those of the present age who still adhere to them; and thus they run into the contrary and more dangerous extreme. When they get out of an ancient mistake, they know not where to stop." The Christian Spectator; or Religious Sketches from real Life, &c. THE title of Spectator ranks so highly in the estimation of the public, that we felt disinclined at first to peruse the little work which now falls under our review; supposing the name to be assumed for the mere purpose of selling the Author's production. We are happy to assure our readers of our agreeable disappointment, and to cominend the contents of the Christian Spectator" to their serious regards. The writer has selected a variety of popular and interesting subjects in his papers, to all of which he has given an instructive and religious turu. We' particularly admired those entitled the Farm-house, the Adieu, the Convict's Tale, and the Stage Coach, It is at once a desirable and rare attainment to make the common occurrences of human life the occasions of pious reflection and edifying advantage: for, on the one hand, that power of holy vision is to be covered, which "sees God in every thing;" and, on the other, there is some danger of degrading the grand realities of the unseen world, by grovelling and trivial associations. In this pocket volume, however, the singular attainment is displayed. The following extract will at once justify our opinion, and gratify our readers. "We knocked, and the door was imme liately opened to us. We entered the habitation, and pronounced upon it the blessing of peace: and (as We scon afterwards found) *it w.* worthy;"-it was a house where God was known; a house, where the Redeemer was loved and worshipped. The good man of it resembled a patriarch of old, in appearance not a little, but in temper, manners, and conduct, more. His head was silvered over with age, and his presence at once excited sentiments of love, veneration, and confidence. Being immediately acquainted with our situation and our errand, he kindly bade us welcome in the name of our God. Refreshments, the best which the house could afford, were set before us; our wet and soiled clothes were exchanged for dry and cleau garments; and a cordial invitation was given to rest there that night. There was so much benevolence, simplicity, and godly sincerity apparent in our host, that his offer was gladly accepted, and we soon forgot the distress we had experienced without, in the comforts we enjoyed within. As we passed through the kitchen, we observed a young woman sitting over the fire, pale and emaciated, having her head"bound about with a napkin." Her languid eye was fixed on the embers that glowed at her feet; and even the entrance of three strangers failed to excite the smallest attention. She has done (thought 1) with all earthly things;-she expects soon to be removed to a better world, and is therefore regardless of any event which takes place in this. "Poor girl!" said our host," she is wretchedly ill, and there seems little hope of her recovery. But she is humble and submissive here, and will, I trust, be happy hereafter." "God grant it!" (I exclaimed) "for "the merits of His dear Son!" And now being seated, and sheltered for the night, we entered upon various pleasing and profitable topics of conversation. Congeniality of sentiment gave additional relish to our talk; and, thus employed, the minutes passed sweetly and rapidly along. Our discourse was at length interrupted by the voice of melody, issuing from an adjoining room. It was a hymn in honour of the Great Redeemer; and three persons evidently bore a part in the sacred song. The effect was wonderful. It reminded me of those fabled scenes of enchantment, the relation of which, in early life, was wont to fill my mind with rapture and astonishment. In so secluded and so wild a spot; in the bosom of an almost inaccessible forest; and at a still and solemn hour, when the greater part of mankind were buried in sleep; after having encountered such dangers and difficulties, from miry roads beneath, and from wind and rain "And chace the moments with a serious song." I did so and, to the present hour, the notes still sweetly vibrate on my ear. Memoirs of a Female Vagrant, written by herself, with Illustration, &c. As THE pure Spirits in Heaven and the church on earth, mingle their joys and anthems when sinners repent. the tidings of their conversion are spread throughout the regions of perfect purity, we can discover no reason why similar intelligence should not he published abroad in this lower world. It encourages the weeping penitent, encites the saint to praise, and extends the glory of the Redeemer. Spiritual pleasures, thus awakened in the regenerate bosom, must be heightened in proportion to the aggravated guilt of the returning prodigal, till, with a mixture of astonishment and delight, the lips exclaim, "Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" While, however, such events add to the sum of Christian happiness, we do not think it is of any service to the minds of others to be made acquainted with |