Mifs HATTON's account of her SISTER'S Death.

URING the whole of my Sifters's illness, (which

DU

continued near ten months) fhe never doubted of her falvation; tho' fhe was not favoured with any bright manifestations of her heavenly Father's Love. But when she was conflicting with her last enemy, fhe declared fhe could fing the believer's Song, "O Death, where is thy fting? O Grave, where is thy victory? thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, thro' our Lord Jefus Chrift." When she saw her Mother and me weeping by her, fhe modeftly reproved us; and taking us each by the hand, faid, "This is the hour I have long waited for; would you grieve for my happiness? I have not the leaft fear of death. I have nothing but a profpect of happiness before me! I have not power to utter half what I feel. Mercy! mercy! a finner faved! I rejoice that I am faved by Grace alone! This will heighten my felicity above."

To the perfon who fat up with her fhe faid, "Strive to make your calling and election fure. What is the World to me now! If I had not an interest in Chrift, I fhould be miferable indeed." The evening before fhe died, being told, on her enquiry, that it was Saturday, fhe faid, with a sweet and compofed countenance, "I believe I fhall begin to spend an eternal Sabbath in Glory on the morrow." A little before her death, she asked my Brother, "Do you think departed fpirits know what is done on Earth?" He asked her why fhe enquired, "Because (said fhe) it would give me pleasure to know that my friends go on in the ways of God."

She has left a fweet favour behind her, and is much lamented, especially by thofe who have experienced her friendly care and love; whom she had watched over, and who had fweet communion with her fpirit. We have fuftained a

great

great lofs in her, but I am affured, beyond a doubt, our lofs is her unspeakable gain. My mother and I have been wonderfully fupported, and made willing to refign fo dear a Relation into the hands of that God, who had long engaged all her affections.

Salop, Feb. 16, 1767,

F. HATTON.

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

I

REFLECTIONS on the Generation of BIRDS.

Would add a little farther improvement of fome particulars mentioned before.

What Mafter has taught Birds, that they have any need of Nefts? Who has warned them, to prepare them in time, and not to fuffer themselves to be prevented by neceffity? Who hath fhewn them how to build? What mathematician has given the figure of them? What architect has taught them to choose a firm place and to build a folid foundation? What tender mother has advised them to cover the bottom with a foft and delicate fubftance, fuch as cotton or down, and when these fail, who has fuggefted to them that ingenious charity, to pluck off as many feathers from their own breaft, as will prepare a foft cradle for their young?

Again. What Wisdom has pointed out to each kind a peculiar manner of building? Who has commanded the Swallow, to inftance in one, to draw near to man, and make choice of his houfe for the building her neft, within his view, without fear of his knowing it, but feeming rather to invite him to a confideration of her labour? Nor does the build like other birds, with bits of flicks, and ftubble, but employs cement and mortar: and that in fo firm a manner, that it

requires

requires fome pains to demolish her work. And yet in all this, it has no other inflrument to make use of but a little beak.

Yet again. Who has made the birds comprehend that they must batch their eggs by fitting upon them. That this neceffity is indifpenfable: that the father and mother could not leave them at the fame time; and that if one went abroad to feek for food, the other muft wait till it returns? Who hast told them the precife number of days, this painful diligence is to coft? Who has taught them to aflift the young in coming out of the egg, by breaking the hell for them? Yea, and advertifed them of the very moment, before which they never come?

Who has taught feveral of the birds that marvellous induftry, of retaining food or water in their gullet, without fwallowing either, and preferving them for their young, to whom this preparation ferves inflead of milk?

Is it for the birds, O Lord, who have no knowledge thereof, that thou haft joined together fo many miracles? Is it for the men who give no attention to them? Is it for those who admire them, without thinking of Thee? Rather is it not thy defign, by all these wonders to call us to Thyfelf? To make us fenfible of thy wifdom, and fill us with confidence in thy bounty, who watchest fo carefully over thofe inconsiderable Creatures, two of which are fold for a farthing.

But pafs we from the industry of birds, to hearken for a moment to their mufic: the firft fong of thanksgiving which was offered on earth, before man was formed. All their founds are different, but all melodious, and all together compofe a choir which we cannot imitate. One voice however more ftrong and melodious I diftinguish above the reft. On enquiry I find it comes from a very small bird. This leads me to confider the rest of the finging birds. They likewife are all fmall: the great ones having a harsh and difagreeable voice. Such an amends is made to thefe weak, little creatures, for their defect of strength

Some

Some of these little birds are extremely beautiful, nor can any thing be more rich or variegated than their feathers. But it must be owned, that all ornament must give place to the finery of the Peacock; upon which God has plentifully bestowed all the riches which fet off the rest, and lavished upon it with gold and azure, all the fhades of every other colour. This bird feems fenfible of its advantage, and looks as if it defigned to difplay all its beauties to our eyes, when it ftalks along, and expands that splendid circumference, which fets them all in open view.

But this pompous bird has, of all others that are kept tame, the most disagreeable cry, and is a proof, that there may be a fhining outfide, when there is little fubftance within.

In examining the feathers of the reft, I find one more circumftance very obfervable. That feathers of fwans and other water fowl, are proof against the water. And accordingly they continue dry, though the creature fwims or dives ever fo long. And yet neither our eyes, nor all our art can dif cover, wherein they differ from others.

[To be continued.]

EXTRACTS from LOCKE on HUMAN UNDERSTANDING; with Short REMARKS.

*Sect. 17. HOWEVER the name Faculty, which Men

have given to this power called the Will,

and whereby they have been led into a way of talking of the Will as acting, may, by an Appropriation that difguifes its

true

true Senfe, ferve a little to palliate the Abfurdity; yet the Will in truth, fignifies nothing but a Power, or Ability, to prefer or chufe: and when the Will, under the name of a Faculty, is confidered, as it is, barely as an Ability to do fomething, the Abfurdity, în faying it is free, or not free, will eafily discover itself. For if it be reasonable to fuppofe and talk of Faculties, as diftin&t Beings, that can act, (as we do, when we say the Will orders, and the Will is free,) 'tis fit that we should make a fpeaking Faculty, and a walking Faculty, and a dancing Faculty, by which those Actions, are produced, which are but feveral Modes of Motion; as well as we make the Will and Understanding to be Faculties, by which the actions of Chufing and Perceiving are produced, which are but feveral Modes of Thinking: and we may as properly fay, that 'tis the finging Faculty fings, and the dancing Faculty dances; as that the Will chufes, or that the Understanding conceives; or, as is ufual, that the Will directs the Understanding, or the Understanding obeys, or obeys not the Will: it being altogether as proper and intelligible to fay, that the Power of Speaking directs the Power of Singing, or the Power of Singing obeys or difobeys the Power of Speaking.

"Sect. 18. This way of talking, nevertheless, has prevailed, and, as I guess, produced great confufion. For these being all different Powers in the Mind, or in the Man, to do feveral Actions, he exerts them as he thinks fit: but the Power to do one Action, is not operated on by the Power of doing another Action. For the Power of Thinking operates not on the Power of Chufing, nor the Power of Chufing on the Power of Thinking; no more than the Power of Dancing operates on the Power of Singing, or the Power of Singing on the Power of Dancing, as any one, who reflects on it, will easily perceive: and yet this is it, which we fay, when we thus speak, that the Will operates on the Underfanding, or the Understanding on the Will.