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never entered into the heart of man to conceive." At present I must forbear to narrate all Mr. Lovegood advanced on this subject; even a short hint is as much as the design of these dialogues will admit. With the most solemn reverence, he vindicated the justice of God; that we have forfeited all his mercies, and merited all his wrath. That though the removal of the godly, was a great calamity, yet, even under the most awful displays of a bereaving Providence, his restoring mercies, might be favourable to such as humbled themselves before him. That though our Lord loved the family of Lazarus, yet even they were to have the common lot of affliction with others. And that if we should dare to murmur, with silent submission, we should correct our rebellious feelings, and bring our minds to say with the Prophet, "why should a living man complain; a man for the punishment of his sins?" But when he came to his final address, believing from the scriptures the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much ;" and feeling how brightly that lovely light shone, which he was the instrument of kindling in that dark town of Sandover; he affectionately requested the prayers of his congregation, the sluices of his affection were again so powerfully opened, that he could say no more. Oh what were then the sensations of this delightful, country congregation! and from which all these village dialogues took their rise; when such a man as Mr. Lovegood, gave such a display of that sympathetic love, which unites us all to him, and in him, towards each other, for his tender mercies' sake.

But the Reader must be further informed, that no favourable tidings having been sent from Sandover, respecting a hope of Mr. Merryman's recovery, Mrs. Worthy, and Mr. Lovegood, went with sad and sor rowful hearts, according to the plan already settled, while circumstances prevented their return, according to their first design.

It was deemed necessary, that Mr. Lovegood

He

should continue at Sandover, another sabbath. applied to the venerable Dr. Orderly on that occasion, who readily consented, that his curate, Mr. Sedate, should lend his aid, and though the goodness of the man, was admired by all, yet if he did not altogether express himself in a strain, so evangelical as Mr. Lovegood; yet being far superior to many others, whose preaching, and practice, are alike heathenish, his kind services, were gratefully, and thankfully received. The result of Mrs. Worthy's and Mr. Lovegood's visit, will be communicated immediately upon their return.

DIALOGUE XL.

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

BETWEEN MR. AMD MRS. WORTHY, AND MR.
LOVE GOOD.

MRS.

RS. WORTHY, and Mr. Lovegood, were absent about a fortnight, attending upon Mr. Merryman at Sandover. Upon their return, after a few introductory salutations, the dialogue thus commenced.

Mr. Wor. [To Mrs. Worthy.] O my dear! is our beloved son-in-law, yet alive?

Mrs. Wor. O yes, and I trust by the blessing of God, he will yet live, and continne to be a blessing to us all.

Loveg. O Madam, we should not be too sanguine in our expectations-Though he has passed the most dangerous crisis of the fever; yet the Doctor has his apprehensions, how far he may yet recover from the consequences of such an alarming attack.

are some symptoms, he does not like.

There

Wor. O let us hope, that a litile good nursing, may yet restore him to his friends, his family, and his Church. But do let us hear all that has passed, while you were at Sandover.

Loveg. O Sir! what I have seen, what I have heard, and what I have felt, is more than I can express.

Wor. But tell me, how has my dear daughter borne the shock.

Mrs. Wor. Her distress has been astonishing. Yet she has been astonishingly supported, but Mr. Lovegood had better tell you all that has passed from the beginning.

Loveg. On our first arrival, we found Mrs. Merryman in the greatest perplexity and distress, you may well suppose; and as for Mr. Merryman, instead of finding him better, he was evidently much worse. He lay almost in a perpetual stupor, what little he said, was frequently incoherent, though always upon the best subject; and sometimes the things he said were most delightful. But by the particular request of Dr. Skillman, neither of us went to see him that night, nor the next day. Nor would it have done him any good, as the fever had rendered him remarkably deaf.

Wor. I should like to hear some of the good things he said?

Loveg. Yes, Sir, and I should like to tell you of them. But as it was a task, far beyond what Mrs. Merryman could perform, I feel myself obliged to Mr. Robert Sprightly, for recording some things, which I shall endeavour to repeat.

Wor. Who is this Mr. Sprightly?

Loveg. One of the most pleasant, and amiable youths, I ever met with in all my life. In Mr. Merryman's gay days, they were the gay, and giddy companions of each other. But when Mr. Merryman became an altered character, this young man, was one of the first fruits of his ministry; and this greatly added to the surprise of the whole town! when in an infinitely better way, they became closely united for better purposes. Like Jonathan and David, their hearts were one, and they were one with each other, in every design that was profitable, kind, and good. And immediately as Mr. Merryman was taken ill, he was almost perpetually with him; seated at his bed side, night and day, he would wait upon

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him with the constant assiduity of a nurse; in short, if it had not been for him, I question, if Mrs. Merryman could have been supported, under the pressure of her fatigue.

Wor. O what a kind youth! I shall ever love him for my daughter's sake.

Loveg. O Sir! if ever you should know him, you would be delighted with him. Such a lively, pleasant, and animated disposition, and withal, so truly devoted to God.-He is quite the counterpart of Mr. Merryman.

Wor. I hope I shall soon be acquainted with him. But what had he to say of the frame of Mr. Merryman's mind, when he was first taken ill?

Loveg. Upon the whole, from the very first he seemed to possess in a high degree, a resigned and submissive spirit. But it appeared, that the reflection of what he had been, came home at times to his recollection, with considerable remorse, and grief; lamenting exceedingly, how much he had to undo, of the evils he had done by his light, and frothy conduct, before the grace of God took possession of his heart. But one time in particular, with tears in his eyes, it seems he cried : O what would I give! if I could recal the time that is now forever past, when as a wicked, and careless minister, both in my life and doctrine, I was the cause of the ruin and delusion of so many souls. It was I, that persuaded poor Jack Trifler to go with me to the ball, where he first met with those who poisoned him with disease, that led him to the grave. What an awful charge against me, that precious souls should have been ruined by But now they are irrecoverably lost. when Mr. Sprightly mentioned, the free forgiveness he had preached to others, and which he had received himself, he immediately cried, Yes, yes; I know that God has forgiven me, but for all that, I never can forgive myself. And when Mr. Sprightly began to speak of the good he had done, since he had been blessed with the grace of God, and mentioned himself,

me.

And

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