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and several chapters from the Prophets and St. Paul's Epistles. Her attention was occasionally arrested by the surrounding objects of nature, which she spiritualized in a very beautiful manner. Looking at a large tree which was leafless, she said," Tho' it appears now hardly to live, yet it has within a vital principle: so it is with me. My life is hid with Christ in God; and if I should not enjoy those sensible manifestations of his glory with which I have been indulged, yet I know that I have been bought with a price, and that Christ dwelleth in me!"

While walking on the beach at Weymouth, she observed that the vast expanse of water before her was, perhaps, the best image of Eternity; and the immeasurable depths of the sea an emblem of the unsearchable riches of Christ: "Its surface is the medium by which the wealth of the globe is transferred from one country to another; and so is Christ the medium thro' which the Father is reconciled to sinners." He sister reminded her of a former visit to Weymouth in 1801, and contrasted her situation at that time with her present state; observing, that then she was in the bloom of beauty and the possession of health, her personal advantages rendering her, when walking on the Esplanade, an object of general attention. She was further reminded, that she was even then a humble follower of Jesus; and that, possessing both the. comforts of this life and the hopes of a better, her situation then appeared to be peculiarly enviable. With great ardour she replied, "I felt at that time such an assurance of the favour of God, towards me, that, had I then died, I should have entertained no doubt of eternal happiness: but, oh! what superior felicity have I since enjoyed in those highly-favoured seasons, in which my glorious Redeemer has condescended to converse with me, a sinful worm! No; I would not exchange this weak emaciated frame and this enfeebled mind, for uninterrupted health and every earthly enjoyment!"

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After her return to Bristol, her frame of mind became so heavenly, that she seemed often to be dissolved in the love of God her Saviour. So deep was her humility, that she frequently exclaimed, in the language of St. Paul, "I am the chief of sinners." The excellency of Christ was the only subject on which she would converse. In secular discourse she refused to join. A friend, who visited her, requested her to dwell less intensely on religious subjects; observing, that if her principles had not been fixed, and her state, with respect to futurity, perfectly secure, he would not have made such a request; but he thought that her incessant attention to this subject retarded the restoration of her health. She replied, "How delightful is the consideration, that though this body decays, there exists within me an immortal principle which fadeth not; and that, when this earthly tabernacle shall be delivered up a prey to corruption, the soul shall enter into the regions of felicity!"

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On the 12th of July the Lord's Supper was administered to her during the celebration of which a sweet solemnity rested on the minds of all who were present. He who is exhibited therein was indeed, according to his promise, in the midst of the favoured circle, giving to all his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink. Louisa engaged in sweet conversation with the minister, on her favourite subject, the divinity of Christ; and on his leaving her to go to his church, she followed him to the door, took his hand, saying, with great energy, "Preach Christ, Sir, preach Christ!" She took a similar leave of another clerical visitor, intreating him to exalt the Saviour of sinners.

July 13th, she was removed to her brother's house, on Durdham Down; and in the evening appeared somewhat revived. July 14th, while walking in the garden, she was asked if the air refreshed her. She replied, "It is a beautiful emblem of the influence of God, the Holy Spirit."

During the last six weeks of her life, she appeared to be altogether absorbed in the contemplation of the love of her redeeming God. Her conversation was expressed entirely in scriptural language; and so apposite were her quotations from the sacred pages, that all around her were exceedingly surprized at the ac curacy and extent of her acquaintance with them.

During the last 19 days, 18 of which were spent in bed, her sufferings were extreme, occasioned by violent and long continued spasms. After every paroxysm, so soon as she had a little respite from pain, she would exclaim "God is love." "Praise God." "Christ is all and in all." Her resignation and thankfulness were not occasional acts, but the invariable frame of her soul; nor did she cease thus to express herself, till debility deprived her of the power of speech.

One day when agonized with pain, she was asked if her sufferings were not unspeakably great. She immediately opened her Bible, and pointed to that passage in Daniel's account of the Three Hebrew Champions, " Nor was an hair of their heads singed;" intimating, thereby what divine support she enjoyed. Her unshaken faith and quiet submission to the will of God, continued without intermission to her latest breath. She slept but little; and whenever her sister, who slept in the room, awoke, she found her engaged in communion with her God. She took but little food; but on whatever she did take, whether it was food or me. dicine, it was her constant practice to implore a divine blessing. Indeed, all the sustenance she received, for some time previous to her being confined to her bed, was merely one or two biscuits. and a little water in the course of 24 hours. For the last 19 days she took no food at all.

Being asked a few days previous to her death, if her consola. tions abounded,if death had lost its sting,--and if she had

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views of the joys of Heaven; and being requested, if she was enabled to reply in the affirmative, to extend her finger, which was her usual mode of expressing assent,—she stretched out both her arms, while a sweet smile sat on her countenance. These questions were frequently repcated, and always received the same answer. On the 2d of Sept. four days before her departure, one of her sisters, whose visits to the sick room were, in consequence of her own ill health, only occasional, went thither merely for the purpose of looking at her. The dying saint had at this time scarcely power to articulate; but seeing her sister, she made a sign for her to advance towards her bed; and after a painful effort to speak, she whispered, "God is love," while her face seemed to be irradiated by the grace of God which rested on her.

On Saturday, September 5, her hands were clasped and uplifted, and her eyes raised to Heaven throughout the day. A few hours before she expired, she uttered something; but so indistinctly, that it could not be positively ascertained what she said: but it was pretty confidently supposed to be, “Lord Jesus, come quickly!" At about half past seven her respiration became weaker and weaker, like the breath of an infant falling asleep, till it entirely ceased; and the unfettered spirit took its flight to the bosom of him who waited to receive it.

It may perhaps be asked, What were the means which led, under the divine blessing, to so triumphant an issue? The answer is easily given; The love of retirement. Ever since her health began to decline, she was in the constant habit of retiring to her own room before the rest of the family; and the time so gained was spent in religious exercises.

She also loved and read the Bible. In the year 1800 her mother gave to her and her youngest brother a Bble each :surely the best gift that a parent can bestow upon a child! Louisa took both these Bbles into her room, and prayed over them, beseeching God to make his word the instrument of salvation to her own and her brother's soul. Her own Bible she carried in her pocket for two years preceding her death, and employed all her leisure time in reading it.

Another mean of improvement was, her love of the public ordinances of divine worship, on which she was a constant attendant. The delight which she experienced under the ministry of the word of God, was great. The gospel was to her heart glad tidings of great joy, because she felt her need of a Saviour, and came to the house of God in a state of humble dependence on divine teaching, and with an earnest desire of enjoying intercourse with the Friend of sinners. That this was the state of her mind is evident from what followed the ordinance; for, instead of mixing with others in worldly conversation, or even of joining in discussing the merits of the sermon, as the manner of

some is, she hastened home; and made it an invariable rule to retire to her chamber for the purposes of meditation and prayer.

An high degree of abstraction from the world was conducive to the same end. For many months she scarcely uttered a secular sentence. Her conversation was truly in Heaven; and when worldly subjects were started, she frequently withdrew to her chamber, as one that had nothing to do with the affairs of this life. The same degree of separation from the world is certainly not in the power of every one: but it may safely be asserted, that much of that communion with the world, and conformity to it, which prevail among religious professors, is the effect of inclination, not of necessity, and a sad bar to peace and joy in believing.

But it must be observed, that the piety of Miss C. was not confined to her closet and the house of God. Loving God, she loved her brother also. She was, therefore, often to be found in the cottages of the poor, reading the Scriptures, and conversing on the things that pertain to the kingdom of God; and even after she was confined by sickness, her hands were employed on a charitable account. Like Dorcas, she made garments for the widow and the fatherless. Two thirds at least of her allowance for clothes and pocket-money were expended for charitable purposes. Real godliness consists not altogether in devotional exercises, but in a due mixture of holy contemplation and active benevolence.

Would the reader enjoy the comforts of religion in the season of sickness and of death would he not only die in a state of acceptance with God, but have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Saviour?-let him be constantly looking to Jesus ;-let him imbibe the spirit of devotion, a love of retirement, and an habitually prayerful temper; let him read and study the Scriptures in private, as well as attend on the public means of grace. In the latter, something may be found which corrupt nature relishes; in the former, nothing. The evidence therefore which an attendance on outward ordinances affords, may be dubious and suspicious; but that which arises from secret intercourse with God is clear and indisputable,

A THOUGHT FOR THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR,

Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth.

Psalm xxxix. 5,

We need not lines measure about with

This is one of the shortest measures. to measure our lives by, each one carries a him, his own band. This is the longest and fullest measure. It is not so much as a span; that might have been the measure

of old age in the infancy of the world; but now it is contracted to an hand-breadth; and that is the longest. But how many fall short of that! Many attain not a finger-breadth, multitudes pass from the womb to the grave; and how many end their course within the compass of childhood!

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"Whether we take this hand-breadth for the fourscore years, which is ordinarily the utmost extent of human life in our age, or for the four seasons of life, childhood, youth, manhood, and old age, there are great numbers who take up their lodg ing ere they come near the last of any of these; and few attain to the outmost border of them. All of us are but a hand-breadth from death, and some of us not so much; for we have already passed a part of that hand-breadth, and we know not how little remains.

"The brevity of life is a very useful consideration. We may learn from thence patience under all our crosses and troubles. They may be shorter than life, but they cannot be longer. There are few on whom an affliction hath lain all the days of their life; and though that were the case, how soon is it over! In all the bitter blasts that blow on thy face, thou who art a Christian indeed, mayest comfort thyself in the expectation of the good lodging that is before thee. As to others, it were the greatest comfort that their present afflictions should be lengthened out to eternity.

"This also may teach us temperence in what are called “the Good Things of this World." Though a man had a lease of all that the world can afford for his whole life (which no man ever had) what is it? A dream of an hour long! None of these things, which are so delightful, will accompany the cold lump of clay to the grave. In a little time, those who are married and rejoice, shall be as if they rejoiced not," nor ever had done it; and if so, a wise man makes little difference in these things, between their presence and their absence.

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This thought should teach us diligence in our business: we have a short day, and much to do: it were well to be up early, and to "remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth." And you who are come to riper years, be advised to lay hold on that which remains, for ye know not how little it is.

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"The more you fill yourselves with the things of this life, the feebler desires will you have after "the rivers of pleasure which are at God's right hand." They shall never run dry; but all these other things shall soon be dried up; at furthest when old age shall come, if not sooner and on the other hand, the more we deny ourselves the sensual enjoyment of a present world, we grow the liker to that divine estate, and are made the surer of it; and I am certain all will grant that this is a very profitable exchange.

Archbishop Leighton's Lecture on Psalm 39.

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