Mr. N. made this remark on her death:-"Just before Mrs. N.'s disease became so formidable, I was preaching on the waters of Egypt being turned into blood. The Egyptians had idolized their river, and God made them loath it. I was apprehensive it would soon be a similar case with me." During the very affecting season of Mrs. N.'s dissolution, Mr. N., like David, wept and prayed: but, the desire of his eyes being taken away by the stroke, he too, like David, arose from the earth, and came into the temple of the Lord, and worshipped: and that, in a manner which surprised some of his friends.

I must own I was not one of those who saw any thing that might not be expected from such a man, surrounded with such circumstances. I did not wonder at his undertaking to preach Mrs. N.'s funeral sermon, on the following Sunday, at St. Mary's: since I always considered him as an original; and his case quite an exception to general habits, in many respects. There could be no question as to the affection he had borne to the deceased: it had even prevailed, as he readily allowed, to an eccentric and blameable degree; and, indeed, after her removal, he used to observe an annual seclusion, for a special recollection of her, whom through the year he had never forgotten, and from which proceeded a sort of little elegies or sonnets to her memory. But he clearly recognised the will of God in the removal of his idol, and reasoned as David did on the occasion : While she was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that she may live? But, now she is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring her back again? I shall go to her, but she shall not return to me.

Besides which, Mr. N. had a favourite sentiment, which I have heard him express in different ways, long before he had so special an occasion for illustrating it in practice, "God in his providence," he used

to say, "is continually bringing about occasions to demonstrate characters." He used to alledge the case of Achan and Judas among bad men; and that of St. Paul, Acts xxvii, among good ones. "If any one," said he, "had asked the Centurion who Paul the prisoner was, that sailed with them on board the ship, it is probable he would have thus replied: 'He is a troublesome enthusiast, who has lately joined himself to a certain sect. These people affirm that a Jewish malefactor, who was crucified some years ago at Jerusalem, rose the third day from the dead; and this Paul is mad enough to assert that Jesus, the leader of their sect, is not only now alive, but that he himself has seen him, and is resolved to live and die for him-Poor crazy creature! But God made use of this occasion to discover the real character of Paul; and taught the Centurion, from the circumstances which followed, to whom it was he owed his direction in the storm, and for whose sake he received his preservation through it."

In all trying occasions, therefore, Mr. N. was particularly impressed with the idea of a Christian and especially of a Christian minister being called to stand forward as an example to his flock-to feel himself placed in a post of honour-a post, in which he may not only glorify God, but also forcibly demonstrate the peculiar supports of the Gospel. More especially, when this could be done (as in his own case) from no doubtful motive: then, it may be expedient to leave the path of ordinary custom, for the greater reason of exhibiting both the doctries of truth, and the experience of their power.

Though I professedly publish none of Mr. N.'s letters, for reasons hereafter assigned; yet I shall take the liberty to insert part of one, with which I am favoured by J. F****, Esq. of Stanmore Hill, written to him while at Rome, and dated December 5th, 1796. It shows the interest which the writer

took in the safety of his friend: and his address in attempting to break the enchantments with which men of taste are surrounded when standing in the centre of the Fine Arts.

"The true Christian, in strict propriety of speech, has no home here: he is and must be, a stranger and a pilgrim upon earth: his citizenship, treasure, and real home are in a better world; and every step he takes, whether to the east or to the west, is step nearer to his father's house. On the other hand, when in the path of duty, he is always at home; for the whole earth is the Lord's: and, as we see the same sun in England or Italy, in Europe or Asia: so, wherever he is, he equally sets the Lord always before him: and finds himself equally near the throne of Grace, at all times and in all places.— God is every where; and, by faith in the Great Mediator, he dwells in God, and God in him. To him that line of Horace may be applied, in the best

sense,

Cœlum, non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt.

"I trust, my dear sir, that you will carry out, and bring home with you, a determination similar to that of the patriarch Jacob, who vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in the way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God!-May the Lord himself write it on your heart!

"You are now at Rome, the centre of the Fine Arts; a place abounding with every thing to gratify a person of your taste. Athens had the pre-eminence in the Apostle Paul's time: and I think it highly probable, from many passages in his writings, that he likewise had a taste capable of admiring and relishing the beauties of painting, sculpture and architecture, which he could not but observe during his

abode in that city: but then he had a higher, a spiritual, a divine taste, which was greatly shocked and greived by the ignorance, idolatry and wickedness which surrounded him, insomuch that he could attend to nothing else. This taste, which cannot be acquired by any effort or study of ours, but is freely bestowed on all who sincerely ask it of the Lord, divests the vanities which the world admire of their glare; and enables us to judge of the most splendid and specious works of men who know not God, according to the declaration of the prophet, They hatch cockatrice eggs, and weave the spider's web. Much ingenuity is displayed in the weaving of a cobweb; but, when finished, it is worthless and useless. Incubation requires close diligence and attention: if the hen is too long from her nest, the egg is spoiled; but why should she sit at all upon the egg, and watch it, and warm it night and day, if it only produces a cockatrice at last? Thus vanity or mischief are the chief rulers of unsanctified genius: the artists spin webs; and the philosophers, by their learned speculations, hatch cockatrices, to poison themselves and their fellow-creatures: few of either sort have one serious thought of that awful eternity, upon the brink of which they stand for a while, and into the depth of which they successively fall.

"A part of the sentence denounced against the city which once stood upon seven hills, is so pointed and graphical, that I must transcribe it: And the voice of harpers and musicians, and pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee and the light of a candle shall no more be seen in thee. Now, I am informed, that, upon certain occasions, the whole cupola of St. Peter's is covered with lamps, and affords a very magnificent spectacle: if I saw it, it would remind me of that time when there will not be the shining of

a single candle in the city; for the sentence must be executed, and the hour may be approaching

Sic transit gloria mundi.

"You kindly inquire after my health: myself and family are, through the divine favour, perfectly well: yet, healthy as I am, I labour under a growing disorder, for which there is no cure; I mean old age. Ι am not sorry it is a mortal disease, from which no one recovers: for who would live always in such a world as this, who has a scriptural hope of an inheritance in the world of light? I am now in my seventy-second year, and seem to have lived long enough for myself. I have known something of the evil of life, and have had a large share of the good. I know what the world can do, and what it cannot do: it can neither give nor take away that peace of God which passeth all understanding it cannot soothe a wounded conscience, nor enable us to meet death with comfort.That you, my dear sir, may have an abiding and abounding experience that the Gospel is a catholicon adapted to all our wants and all our feelings, and a suitable help when every other help fails, is the sincere and ardent prayer of

"Your affectionate friend,

"JOHN NEWTON."

But, in proportion as Mr. N. felt the vanity of the pursuits which he endeavoured to expose in the foregoing letter, he was as feelingly alive to whatever regarded eternal concerns. Take an instance of this, in a visit which he paid to another friend. This friend was a minister, who affected great accuracy in his discourses; and who, on that Sunday, had nearly occupied an hour in insisting on several laboured and nice distinctions made in his subject. he had a high estimation of Mr. N.'s judgment, he inquired of him, as they walked home, whether he thought the distinctions just now insisted on were full

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