longer is the world, he had been the wonder and delight of all that knew him.

But the infinitely wise God knew better what was fit for him, and what the age deserved. For men who have so cast off all sense of God and religion, deserve not so signal a blessing, as the example and conviction which the rest of his life might have given them.

And I am apt to think that the divine goodness took pity on him, and seeing the sincerity of his repentance, would try and venture him no more in circumstances of temptation, perhaps too hard for human frailty.

Now he is at rest, and I am very confi-. dent enjoys the fruit of his late, but sincere repentance. But such as live, and still go on in their sins and impieties, and will not be awakened neither by this, nor the other alarms that are about their ears, are, it seems, given up by God to a judicial hardness and impenitency.

Here is a publick instance of one who lived on their side, but could not die on it: and though none of all our libertines under

stood better than he, the secret mysteries of sin, had more studied every thing that could support a man in it, and had more resisted all external means of conviction than he had done; yet, when the hand of God inwardly touched him, he could no longer kick against those pricks, but humbled himself under that mighty hand; and, as he used often to say in his prayers, he who had so often denied him, found then no other shelter, but his mercies and compassions.

I have written this account with all the tenderness and caution I could use; and in whatsoever I may have failed, I have been strict in the truth of what I have related, remembering that of Job, Will ye lie for God?

Religion has strength and evidence enough in itself, and needs no support from lies and made stories. I do not pretend to have given the formal words that he said, though I have done that, where I could remember them. But I have written this with the same sincerity, that I would have done, had I known I had been to die immediately after I had finished it.

I did not take notes of our discourses last winter after we parted; so I may perhaps, in the setting out of my answers to him, have enlarged on several things both more fully and more regularly, than I could say them in such free discourses as we had. I am not so sure of all I set down as said by me, as I am of all said by him to me. But yet the substance of the greatest part, even of that, is the same.

It remains that I humbly and earnestly beseech all that shall take this book in their hands, that they will consider it entirely, and not wrest some parts to an ill intention. God, the searcher of hearts, knows with what fidelity I have written it. But if any will drink up only the poison that may be in it, without taking also the antidote here given to those ill principles, or considering the sense that this great person had of them when he reflected seriously on them; and will rather confirm themselves in their ill ways, by the scruples and objections which I set down, than be edified by the other parts of it; as I will look on it as a great infelicity, that I should have said any thing

that may strengthen them in their impieties, so the sincerity of my intentions will, I doubt not, excuse me at his hands to whom I offer this small service.

I have now performed, in the best manner I could, what was left on me by this noble lord, and have done with the part of ⚫an historian. I shall in the next place say somewhat as a divine. So extraordinary a text does almost force a sermon, though it is plain enough itself; and speaks with so loud a voice, that those who are not awakened by it, will perhaps consider nothing that I can say.

If our libertines will become so far sober as to examine their former course of life, with that disengagement and impartiality, which they must acknowledge a wise man ought to use in things of greatest consequence, and balance the account of what they have got by their debaucheries, with the mischiefs they have brought on themselves and others by them, they will soon see what a mad bargain they have made.

Some diversion, mirth, and pleasure is all they can promise themselves; but to obtain this, how many evils are they to suffer! How many have wasted their strength, brought many diseases on their bodies, and precipitated their age in the pursuit of those things? And as they bring old age early on themselves, so it becomes a mise=" rable state of life to the greatest part of them; gouts, stranguries, and other infirmities, being severe reckonings for their past follies; not to mention the more loathsome diseases, with their no less troublesome cures, which they must often go through, who deliver themselves up to forbidden pleasure.

Many are disfigured beside, with the marks of their intemperance and lewdness; and, which is yet sadder, an infection is derived oftentimes on their innocent, but unhappy issue, who being descended from so vitiated an original, suffer for their excesses.

Their fortunes are profusely wasted both by their neglect of their affairs, (they being so far buried in vice, that they cannot employ either their time or spirits, so