not let them go without first dropping fomething of a religious nature, and praying with them: one of the Society who liftened at the door confeffed herself astonished.

He kept from the company of wicked boys, and used to reprove them when he heard them fwear, or take the name of God in vain.

He was very fond of finging, and feemed to fing with the fpirit and with the understanding alfo.

In the year 1778, he began to fhew evident marks of a declining state of health, which fome judged to be owing to his diligence in learning, and a too frequent practice, of finging.

His mother was ready to indulge flattering expectations of him till March 2d, 1779, when the found he had a hectic fever, of which he grew worfe and worse, till at the end of eight days he took his bed.

During that interval, she one day afked him what ideas he had of God, (his little brother who flood by, anfwering ac cording to the gross idea which children usually entertain of the Deity, having a corporeal form,) he answered, he could not form any no infignificant proof this of the fpirituality of his mind, and of his having reflected with attention on the fubject.

About two o'clock the firft night after he had taken to his bed, he appeared to be in great diftrefs; his fins were set in array before him: he cried mightily to the Lord, and repeated many times over with inexpreffible vehemence, "For Jefus' fake! for Jefus' fake! have mercy upon me!"

His mother being alarmed by his agonies arofe, and desired I. J. to go to prayer with him; from which time his mind. enjoyed a calm, and his mourning was turned into joy.

His conversation now ran continually upon the things of God; he spoke with rapture of the glorious doctrine of redemption, praifing and bleffing God for fending his Son into the world to die for fuch unworthy finners as we are.

He

He had fuch views of hell, that he faid if he went there himfelf, he would not with the vileft wretch upon earth to go likewife.

One day J. A. coming to fee him, he faid, " John, I hear you are in the Society, I am very glad of it, I hope you intend to be a good man; do you ever fwear now?" To which the other anfwered, No! "And do you ever pray to God?" To which the other anfwered, Yes. But faid he! "It is not enough to pray morning and night, but likewife at noon-day, and we muit pray from the heart too."

Mifs O. coming to fee him, he fpoke to her in an affecting manner. He faid, "Dear Mifs, I hope to fee you in heaven, O pray! pray to God. She answered, I do my dear. He faid, "Beg of him to pardon your fins; repent, and live to God, that you may be found at his right hand." His fpeeches made a deep impreffion on her mind; fhe left the room in an agony, and for feveral days feemed under much concern. May it not pass away like the morning dew!

He spoke affectionately of Chrift and his falvation, to all that came near him; warning the carelefs to flee from the wrath to come, begging those who made a profeffion of religion, to pray for him, and expreffed his joyful affurance of feeing them above.

To Polly B. he said, "Well Polly, I hope to fee you in hea ven; do not flight the means of grace, but improve every opportunity." He was often praying for his dear father, mother, and brother, that they might meet him in glory. He expreffed his gratitude to God, for giving him parents who inftructed him in the good way; and said, that fometimes when he difobeyed them, he was fo uneafy all night, that he scarce durft fleep for fear of waking in hell..

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One day when he faw his mother weeping on his account, he faid, Dear mammy, do not fret; never mind, if God will permit me, I will come on earth to fee you, and when you lie on a bed of affliction, I will be the firft that fhall take

wing to carry you up; and Jefus Chrift will fland at heaven's gates with open arms to receive you: yes, I will come and fetch my daddy, you, and my brother; but I can only carry Tommy; and then tapping his mother on the cheek (who lay on the bed by him) he faid with a heavenly fmile, but God can put ftrength into me.

He was frequently rejoicing in the anticipation of that employment he trufted to have in the heavenly world. He faid to fome of the fingers, "There will be no ftriking a wrong ftring, no finging a wrong note, there we fhall play on O that will be brave!" He frea ten ftringed inftrument. quently called for his little brother, that he might inftruct him in the way to heaven. He begged that he would not play with wicked boys, but mind his book, and learn to pray and love God from his heart. Begging of his mother and grandmother to have a particular care of him, for he had a wide world to go through.

Mr. Collins coming to fee him, he faid, "Sir, I fhall not live to be a Preacher." It was anfwered, my dear, you are a Preacher now; but he faid, "You know I cannot preach and pray as men do.” His heart overflowed with love and gratitude to all who did any thing for him; he returned the kindnefs with exhortations and prayers. He often spoke till he had no ftrength left. When his mother begged him to forbear, he faid, "Dear mammy, I cannot help talking of God; it does not hurt me: I cannot refrain if I might have all the world." His Uncle, who is a Joiner, coming in, he spoke to him with the greatest cheerfulnefs, and afked him whether he could not make him a coffin?

At first he was very defirous of feeing his father, but when his mother told him that if he were to be fent for, he would probably ride fo faft as to throw himself into a fever, and kill his hoife. He appeared to be refigned, and faid, "Then do not fend for him; I would not have my dear daddy or his horfe hurt on any account." Notwithflanding the feverity of his affliction,

affliction, he bore it with a lamb-like patience; and often ob ferved that Jefus fuffered more for him.

He continued in this happy frame till the eighteenth, when the Lord was pleased to bereave him of his fenfes; but even his incoherent speeches demonftrated that his heart was going out after Him whom his foul loved. On the twenty-third, in the afternoon, he faid with a loud voice, "I am going home! God be with you!" He lay with his eyes fixed and motionlefs, till betwixt two and three in the morning, when his mo ther wetting his lips, he looked at her with a smile, and said, "Thank you mammy!" which were his laft words. He continued till the twenty-fourth inftant, and then refigned his foul to God.

An Extract from A SURVEY of the WISDOM of GOD in the CREATION.

1.

REFLECTIONS on the Generation of BIRDS.

THAT

'HAT Birds should all lay eggs, and not bring forth live young, is a clear argument of divine Providence, defigning their preservation thereby. For if they had been viviparous, had they brought any number at a time, the burden of their womb must have been fo great and heavy, that their wings would have failed, and they become an easy prey to their enemies. And had they borne but one at a time, they would have been bearing all the year.

2. Since it would have been many ways inconvenient to birds to give fuck; and yet inconvenient, if not deftructive. to the new-born chick, to pass fuddenly from liquid to hard food, before the ftomach was ftrengthened and able to digest it, and before the bird was accustomed to use its bill, and gather it up, which it does at first very flowly and imper.

fectly;

Jectly therefore nature has provided in every egg a large yolk, which ferves the chicken for a confiderable time, initead of milk. Mean time it feeds by the mouth a little at a time, and that more and more, till the ftomach is ftrengthened to digeft it.

3. Birds that feed their young in the neft, though they bring but one morfel at a time, and have perhaps seven or eight, which all at once, with equal greedinefs, hold up their heads and gape for: yet never miflake, never omit one, but feed them all by turns.

4. Though birds cannot number, yet are they able to dif tinguish many from few. And when they have laid as many eggs as they can cover, they give over and begin to fit. Yet they are not determined to fuch a number; they can go on and lay more at their pleasure. Hens, for- inftance, if you let their eggs alone, lay fourteen, or fifteen, and give over. But if you withdraw their eggs daily, they will go on, to lay five times that number. This holds not only in domeftic, birds, but alfo in the wild. A fwallow, when her eggs were withdrawn daily, proceeded to lay nineteen.

5. It is remarkable, that birds, and fuch other oviparous creatures as are long-lived, have eggs enough conceived in them at firft, to ferve laying for many years, allowing fuch a proportion for every year, as will fuffice for one or two incubations. Whereas infects, which are to breed but once, lay all their eggs at once, be they ever so many.

6. How exceeding fpeedy is the growth of birds that are fed by the old ones in the neft! Moft of them come to near the full bignefs, within the fhort term of a fortnight: an admirable provision, that they may not lie long in that helpless condition, expofed to the ravine of any vermin, and utterly unable to fhift for themfelves.

7. What amazing care do the parents take, for the hatching and rearing of their young? First, they feek a secret and quiet place, where they may be undisturbed in their in.. VOL. V. cubation

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