regnant during that period; and, at different times, loft 146 quarts of water. Her laft child was born only a few days before she died, which in mercy God removed before the parent. In this part of the divine conduct Mrs. F. greatly rejoiced, believing (as fhe faid), "the babe was fafely lodged in the arms of its heavenly Father." When every mean ufed for Mrs. Foxall's recovery appeared fruitlefs, a few days before her death, a near relation entreated her to withdraw as much as poffible her attention from temporal concerns, which at this time, perhaps, occupied too great a place in her mind. She thankfully received the faithful hint, and faid, "I am too much like Martha ;" and then, like one preparing for a needful journey, the began to fet her houfe in order. From that hour until her death her thoughts turned principally, not to fay wholly, upon what related to the foul and eternity. Although weak and languid in body, he became a preacher of righteoufnefs to all about her. Hufband, children, relatives, and fervant, were feverally addreffed; and cautions, directions, warnings, and confolations, fuitably administered. It was aftonishing how he was enabled to adapt her difcourfes to the ftate and circumftances of her friends, while all the uttered tended to represent the depravity of human nature, the condefcenfion of Jefus, and the fufficiency of God's grace to fupport the believer under every trial! The peace, the falvation, the holinefs of her relatives and friends were now matters of great concern to her, and for thefe her foul went out to Jehovah. Gratitude to God, and to thofe of her household who attended her, even to the fervant, was expreffed in the strongest terms; and every favourable appearance in Providence he could remember, was pointed out as matter of thankfulness to the Lord, and ground of fupport to her afflicted family. Thus grace was poured into her lips, and God himfelf was in all her thoughts. About three days before her departure, it was advised to remove fome water from her by tapping, to which the thankfully fubmitted. A near relative expreffing his fears the might not have strength for the operation, fhe faid to him, Remember, if I fink under it, it will be well with me, Should the Lord fee fit to raise me up again, I may be able to do something for my family; but if it be the Lord's will, I am rather willing to depart.' "Perceiving herself faint, fhe turned her head toward a fifter (standing by her), and with a low voice faid, "I am going; and then, with aftonishing energy, uttered thofe emphatical words of the Olney Hymns: "One gentle figh their fetter breaks; Her manfion near the throne." As death made speedy approach to her earthly tabernacle, her foul appeared to renew its ftrength. Her more compofed intervals were still employed in fpeaking for God to her family. Mrs. Foxall strongly recommended the Bible, declaring, "that her efteem for that precious book had been fuch, that it grieved her to fee one of her children at any time place a candlestick, or lay any thing improper upon it;" and added, "The word of God has been, and still is more than my neceffary food." A ftriking paffage, from Mr. Hervey's Meditations, was about this time read to her upon the refurrection of the body; upon which the remarked, "It is all very well, but one text of Scripture is far fuperior to me." Upon being asked, whether any paffage lay upon her mind, which the might wish to be improved upon her death; fhe preferred one that had been greatly bleffed to her foul in time paft, from Galatians, ii. part of the 21ft verfe, "If righteoufnefs come by the law, then Chrift is dead in vain:" Upon which the faid, "It may feem an odd text for a funeral difcourfe, but it has been a great text to me." Some time after Satan was permitted to tempt her that her former experience was a delufion, which she said, "funk her to the earth," adding, "I am a poor worm indeed, but I fee fo very plainly the blood of Christ cleanfeth from fin, that I have not the fhadow of a doubt." Upon being requested for her body's fake not to talk too much; the replied, "What a mercy it is that I am enabled to speak a word for God, who have faid fo little for him when I was in health!" Her animal fpirits now finking, fhe faid, "Remember my foul is fafe: I make a great distinction between the foul and body; I am upon the rock; my truft and dependance is alone upon Chrift; if I perish, it shall be at his feet:" And continued, "But furely this is not a delufion? (meaning her experience;) no, it is a reality; if this be dying, it is fweet to die." Her friends begging her again not to exhauft herself, the faid, "I believe I have done with things of a temporal nature: Now, Lord, lettest thou thy fervant depart in peace; this moment! this very moment! Oh my impatience! I fhall be kept a little longer!" (Through the whole of her last fickness fhe expreffed her fears of returning, as the termed it, into the wilderness again.) After remaining filent for a time she said, "I have been talking with Jefus; I fhall be with him by and by." She was foon after in extreme pain of body; upon which fhe obferved, "There is a needs-be for this." A few hours before her departure, while in pain, she uttered these words, "Be ftill, and know that I am God;" and fome time after repeated, "Lord, now letteft thou thy fervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have feen thy falvation." Juft before the expired, while conflicting with the agonies of death, looking to her afflicted partner, the rehearfed these words, "They wrestled hard, my dear huf band;" and then fell asleep in Jefus. Should this account fall into the hand of an unbeliever, or a profane character; let him ask himself, whether he may expect, without repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jefus, to die like Mrs. Foxall; but let her supports remind the trembling believer that the righteous have hope in their death. "Bieffed are the dead who die in the Lord, faith the Spirit." The funeral fermon was preached, on Sunday, March 2d, to a numerous auditory at Walfall New Chapel. M. ON Happy Death of a Child. N Monday the 17th of March, 1794, died Mifs Mar tha Hall Whetstone, aged ten years and nine months. This fweet and amiable child difcovered a difpofition to receive religious inftruction at a very early period. At a fuitable age fhe was placed under the tuition of Mifs Jones and Mifs Wood on Mile-end Green, whofe pious example and unwearied attention, together with the ministerial and catechetical inftructions of the Rev. Mr. Brewer, whom she loved as a parent, were inftrumental in increasing under God, her knowledge of divine things. In a former illnef's fhe was throughout very refigned, much attached to the things of God, and attentive to the Scriptures; and in her laft illness (which terminated in her diffolution) he often expreffed a defire to be with her dear fifter in glory, who died but little more than twelve months before, at the age of eighteen. She would not fuffer any book to be read to her but the Bible, which the faid the loved. Once when she heard her brother ask for a geographical defcription of the continent to be read, the anfwered, "I'll not hear any story books, I'll hear only the Bible." She would indeed fometimes read fome of the late Mr. Mafon's publications, and expreffed a great defire to be as good a little girl as he gives an accouut of. She defired all her friends, efpecially her father and mother, to pray for her. Though her illness was long and painful, yet the never wished any to pray for her recovery, nor was ever heard to murmur; but bore her affliction with the greatest patience and fortitude: She defired all to pray that the might be happy; and love Jefus better. Once, when a fpafm had feized her ftomach, and she was in great pain, the begged the might be prayed for; for the was a wicked finner. Her father told her the blood of Chrift cleanfed from all fin; the anfwered, "Yes, papa, and Jefus hath faid, Suffer little children to come unto me, for of fuch is the kingdom of heaven; and that is a great comfort to In a little time fhe grew eafier, was put to bed, and requefted her papa to read to her. He asked her where he should read; the replied, "Where Chrift was crucified and shed his blood for me. Having got a little better, fhe came down ftairs. The next day, when the Rev. Mr. Brewer called to fee her, he told her he was a finner as well as fhe, that he hoped Chrift died for him and for her likewife, and spoke of the application of the blood of Chrift to the believing foul; which afforded her much comfort. When he was going to withdraw, fhe defired him to pray that the might be happy, and after he was gone would often fay, "Mamma, Mr. Brewer fays he is a finner." When able, fhe constantly had the Bible or Dr. Watt's Pfalms and Hymns before her, and fometimes Lady Huntingdon's. One day feeing her mother weep, she said, "My dear mamma, don't grieve for me; I should be glad to be with Polly (meaning her fister): I have been afflicted a long time. You know the Lord gave me to you, and the Lord has a right to take me away whenever he pleafes." About a week before fhe died, her mother, as she was dreffing her, asked her if she would have on a white frock; the answered, "I'll not have any thing white on, mamma, till I have a white robe." The last time the looked into the Bible, having read four chapters, fhe told her mother fhe could read no more. After this the continually got lower, and fpoke but little. One day fhe asked for a hymn which had been a favourite one with her dear fister. Her mother brought it to her, and she read part of it. This was the last thing the ever read. VOL. I. F She could not fit up much afterwards, but was, when able, talking of Chrift and his merits on the Lord's-day before fhe died. When her father came from public worship, she afked him, if Mr. Brewer had prayed for her; and being anfwered in the affirmative, the faid, "Beg Mr. Ford to pray for me likewife; to pray that I may have an interest in the blood of Chrift, and that I may love him." Her father. told her he hoped fhe did love Chrift; fhe brifkly answered, "I want to love him better. When her father returned from worship in the afternoon fhe was worse, but in the evening was again fomewhat better. He asked her, if he should read to her, the answered, "Yes;" and being asked where, fhe anfwered, Where Mr. Ford preached from," which was the 25th Pfalm. She was very attentive, and faid that Pfalm was suitable to her. She feemed then quite fatigued, and defired to be turned in the bed. About twelve o'clock, the earnestly requested that her parents would go to bed. To fatisfy her mind, they reluctantly complied with her requeft. She converfed very comfortably with the nurfe, faid the should foon die, and that the wished to die. The nurfe anfwered, "Then, my dear, you will be in glory." She faid, "Yes, I am confident of that." She defired the nurfe to pray for her, and to pray that her dear parents might be fupported. Soon after the requested the nurfe to call her papa, for she had fomething to fay to him. He came immediately, and afked her how fhe did: She answered, "My infide is all gone. I fhall foon die, and go to my fifter." Her father faid "She loved you, and you loved her."-"Yes," faid fhe," and now I fhall fing with her fal;" when the fhortnefs of her breath prevented her proceeding: he said, "Salvation to God and the Lamb," the replied, "Yes." Then the afked him to pray for her: He answered, that he did, and that all her friends loved her and prayed for her, and he hoped Chrift loved her; to which fhe replied, in an ecftacy "That's beft." She faid, the fhould be glad to fee BeMr. Brewer again, to pray with her before fhe went. ing told Mr. Brewer would fee her if it was a fine day, she hook her head, thinking (as was fuppofed) fhe fhould not fee the return of day. Her father then asked her, if she had any thing particular to fay to him. She anfwered, "Only to tell you, I am not afraid to die." Then faid he, " You will be with Jefus, whom you love." She replied, "Yes, and for he hath faid, Suffer little children to come unto me, forbid them not; for of fuch is the kingdom of God." |