the Lord poured down fo large a fhower of his grace, that we could fcarce fuftain the weight of glory.

Saturday, Feb. 1. O what am I, that I fhould be favoured more than the Son of God hinfelt! He had not where to lay his head! And how richly haft thou provided for me! O fill my heart with gratitude!

[To be continued.]

A short Account of JOHN WOOLLEY, who died in February 1742, aged thirteen Years and fome Months.

JOHN Woolley was for fome time in Mr. Wesley's School:

but was turned out for his ill behaviour. Soon after he ran away from his parents, lurking about for feveral days and nights together, and hiding himself in holes and corners, that his mother might not find him. During this time he suffered both hunger and cold. Once he was three whole days without fuftenance, fometimes weeping and praying by himself, and fometimes playing with other loofe boys.

One night he came to the New-Room. Mr. Iefley was then speaking of difobedience to parents. He was quite confounded, and thought there never was in the world, fo wicked a child as himfelf. He went home, and never ran away any more. His mother faw the change in his whole behaviour, but knew not the caufe. He would often get up flairs by himfelt to prayer, and often go alone into the fields, having done with all his idle companions.

And now the devil began to fet upon him with all his might, continually tempting him to felf-murder. Sometimes he was vehemently preft to hang himfelf: fometimes to leap into the river. But this only made him the more earnest in prayer in which, after he had been one day wrefling with God, he faw himfell, he faid, furrounded on a fudden with an inexpreffible

Ii a

inexpreffible light, and was fo filled with joy and the love of God, that he fcarce knew where he was; and with fuch love to all mankind, that he could have laid himself on the ground, for his worst enemies to trample upon.

From this time his father and mother were surprised at him; he was fo diligent to help them in all things. When they went to the preaching, he was careful to give the other children their fupper: and when he had put them to bed, hurried away to the Room, to light his father or mother home. Mean time, he loft no opportunity of hearing the preaching himself, or of doing any good he could, either at home or in any place where he was.

One day walking in the fields, he fell into talk with a farmer, who spoke very flightly of religion. John told him, he ought not to talk fo; and enlarged upon that word of the apostle, (which he begged him to confider deeply) Without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord. The man was amazed; caught the child in his arms, and knew not how to part with him.

His father and mother once hearing him fpeak pretty loud in the next room, liftened to hear what he faid. He was praying thus: "Lord, I do not expect to be heard for my much fpeaking. Thou knoweft my heart. Thou knowest my wants." He then defcended to particulars. Afterwards he prayed very earneftly for his parents, and for his brothers and fifters by name: then for Mr. John and Charles Wesley, that God would fet their faces as a flint, and give them to go. on, conquering and to conquer: then for all the other minifters he could remember by name, and for all that were, or defired to be, true minifters of Chrift.

In the beginning of his illness, his mother asked him, If he wanted any thing? He answered, "Nothing but Chrift; and I am as fure of him, as if I had him already." He often faid, "O mother! if all the world believed in Chrift, what a happy world would it be? And they may. For Chrift died for

every foul of man. I was the worst of finners, and he died for me.' O thou that calleft the worft of finners, call me! O it is a free gift! I am fure I have done nothing to deferve it." On Wednesday he faid to his mother, "I am in very great trouble for my father. He has always taken an honest care of his family. But he does not know God: if he dies in the ftate he is in now, he cannot be faved. I have prayed for him, and will pray for him. If God fhould give him true faith, and then take him to himfelf, do not you fear: do not you be troubled. God has promised to be a father to the fatherless and a husband to the widow. I will pray for him and you: and I hope we shall fing hallelujah in heaven together.” To his eldest fifter he faid, "Do not puff yourself up with pride. When you receive your wages, which is not much, lay it out in plain neceffaries. And if you are inclined to be merry, do not fing fongs: that is the devil's diverfion; there are many lies and ill things in thofe idle fongs. Do you fing pfalms and hymns. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth. When you are at work, you may lift up your heart to God. And be fure never to rife or go to bed, without afking his bleffing."

He added, "I fhall die. But do not cry for me. Why fhould you cry for me? Confider what a joyful thing it is, to have a brother go to heaven. I am not a man. I am but a boy. But is it not in the bible, Out of the mouth of babes and fucklings thou haft ordained ftrength? I know where I am going. I would not be without this knowledge for a thousand worlds. For though I am not in heaven yet, I am as fure of it, as if I was there."

On Wednesday night, he wrestled much with God in At last, throwing his arms open, he cried,

Lord Jefus! I am thine. Amen and Amen."

prayer.

"Come! come,

He faid, "God anfwers me in my heart, Be of good cheer: thou haft overcome the world:" and immediately after, that he was filled with love and joy unspeakable.

His father died foon after.

He

He faid to his mother, "That fchool was the faving of my foul; for there I began to feek the Lord. But how is it, that a perfon no fooner begins to feck the I ord, but Satan ftraight firs up all his inftruments against him?”

When he was in an agony of pain he cried out, “O Saviour, give me patience! Thou haft given me patience. But give Give me thy love, and pain is nothing. I have deferved all this, and a thousand times more. For there is no fin but I have been guilty of."

me more.

Awhile after he faid, "O mother, how is this? If a man does not do his work, the mafters in the world will not pay him his wages. But it is not fo with God. He gives me good wages and yet I am fure I have nothing to gain them. O it is a free gift! It is free for every foul. For Chrift has died for all."

On Thursday morning his mother asked him how he did? He faid, "I have had much ftruggling to-night. But my Saviour is fo loving to me, I do not mind it: it is no more than nothing to me."

Then he faid, "I defire to be buried from the Room, and I defire Mr. Wesley would preach a fermon over me, on those words of David (unless he thinks any other to be more fit) Before I was afflicted I went aftray: but now I have kept thy

word."

I asked him, how do you find yourself now? He said, “In great pain, but full of love." I afked, but does not the love of God overcome pain? He anfwered, "Yes; pain is nothing to me. I did fing praifes to the Lord in the midst of my greatest pain: and I could not help it." I afked him, if he was willing to die? "O yes: with all my heart." I faid, But if life and death were set before you, what would you choofe then? He anfwered, "To die and to be with Chrifl. I long to be out of this wicked world."

On Thunday night he fiept much fweeter than he had done for fome time before. In the morning he begged to fee Mr.

John

John Wesley. When Mr. Weley came, after fome other quellions, he afked him, What he fhould pray for? He said,

That God would give me a clean heart, and renew a right fpirit within me." When prayer was ended, he feemed much enlivened, and faid, "I thought I fhould have died to-day. But I must not be in hafte. I am content to flay. I will tarry the Lord's leifure."

On Saturday, one afked if he fill chofe to die? He faid, "I have no will: my will is refigned to the will of God. But I fhall die. Mother, be not troubled. I fhall go away like a lamb."

On Sunday he spoke exceeding little. On Monday, his fpeech began to faulter. On Tuefday it was gone; but he was fully in his fenfes, almoft continually lifting up his eyes to heaven. On Wednesday, his fpeech being reftored, his mother faid, " Jacky, you have not been with your Saviour to-night." He replied, "Yes, I have." She afked, What did he say? He answered, "He bade me not be afraid of the devil. For he had no power to hurt me at all, but I fhould tread him under my feet." He lay very quiet on Wednesday night. The next morning he spent in continual prayer: often repeating the Lord's prayer, and earnestly commending his foul into the hands of God.

He then called for his little brother and fifter to kifs them; and for his mother, whom he defired to kifs him. Then tetween nine and ten) he faid, " Now let me kifs you:" which he did, and immediately fell afleep.

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

THE

[Continued from page 206.]

HE Skin, like a curious furtout, covers the whole, formed of the moft delicate net-work, whofe meshes are minute, and whofe threads are multiplied, even to a prodigy :

the