taken up, a few lines will be very thankfully received by me in this time of need. Begging an interest in your prayers, I remain your

Sincere, though unworthy friend,

A. M. DIGGENS.

Malling, July 20, 1810.

LETTER XXVIII.

To MR. HUNTINGTON.

Malling, Sept. 12, 1810.

My dear Friend,

LAST Sunday morning, the ninth of September, the remains of my poor dear relative, and your beloved friend and faithful companion, were conveyed to their long home, and laid, as he used to say, on his little bed in the chapel garden, where his poor body refts in fure hope. This, my dear friend, is the feverest stroke that has ever befallen me fince I have had a being. And the idea of having loft the nearest and dearest friend I ever had in the world almoft

finks me to the earth; and, reflecting on the many gloomy and forrowful days, months, and years, that, in all probability, I have, a poor forlorn one, to wade through in this wretched, dreary wilderness, adds tenfold weight to my finking fpirits, fo that I am frequently ready to fay, Lord, let me die alfo; for it is better for me to die than to live. I often think of what my dear relation faid to me not long fince, after looking at me for fome time, meditating, no doubt, on what was pending over my poor head: he said, "Oh, my dearest girl, that you and I were both fafely landed in heaven." The lofs that I have to deplore is exceedingly heavy and great; but being fully perfuaded that it is his everlasting gain, I know it behoves me to fubmit, however sharp the difpenfation; but, alas! fubmiffion is not at command. I hope my kind friend will excufe the effufions of my grief, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpeaketh. There is, nevertheless, abundant caufe for thankfulness on my part, that I fhould be fupported to go through fo much fatigue of body and anxiety of mind during his long illness; and, what furpaffes every other confideration, that my forrowing is not altogether without a faint hope of meeting my dearly beloved relation again, when forrow and fighing fhall be done away; nor do I utterly defpair of being found amongst the number of whom he will one day fay, "Here am I,

my

and the children that thou haft given me." When I fat down I did not intend to weary you with so much about myfelf, but my intention was fimply to ftate fome particulars respecting our dear departed friend, thinking you would be anxious to hear how he spent the few laft days of his abode with us. The Wednesday preceding his death was a day never to be forgotten by us that were about him, he was fo exceedingly happy, fo refigned and fubmiffive to his mafter's will; "Come life, or come death," he said in the morning, when Mifs Diggens remarked what a very comfortable night he had had: "Yes," faid he, "I never had fuch a fweet time of humility and low inefs of mind in the whole courfe of my life." When he was told of the death of poor Mifs Hooper, he prayed with great energy and earnestness that he might foon follow her; and faid he felt fully perfuaded that he did not displease the Almighty by fo doing; "neverthelefs," faid he, "if he has any thing for me to do in his little flock, I am not unwilling to stay ; but I think my work is done, and that I fhall foon reft from my labours." In the afternoon he fang a hymn while he lay on his bed, but being Welch, we could not understand it, and he was too weak to interpret it; indeed, his weak nefs was fo great, together with his being fo affected with the great goodness of God to him, that we could understand very little of what he faid; a

few things, however, I can mention of what he faid on that day and others. "Bleffed be his name," faid he, "my warfare is almost over, and there is a reft remaining; but who are they that are to enter into reft? Why we that believe do enter into reft. I feel myself now on the borders of Canaan. And the ranfomed of the Lord fhall return, and come to Zion, with fongs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they fhall obtain joy and gladnefs, forrow and fighing fhall flee away. These are they that came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, therefore are they before the throne of God, and ferve him day and night in his temple; and he that fitteth on the throne fhall dwell among them: they fhall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither fhall the fun light on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne fhall feed them, and fhall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God fhall wipe all tears from their eyes. Hallelujah! Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion, and unto thee fhall my vows be performed." A friend coming into the room, and asking him how he did, he faid, with his eyes fparkling, and the rays of heaven on his countenance, "Here I am still, you fee, and here I shall be till the glorious company from above fhall be fent to carry me home." Friday and Saturday he was much worfe in body,

and fuffered great pain in his ftomach and bowels; he was kept notwithstanding very quiet, and tranquil, and fenfible to the laft moment, often begging for patience to endure to the end, and to wait till his change fhould come. He was very cheerful and comfortable about five minutes before his death, and appeared better; but all at once he was taken rather fick, and brought up a little phlegm; he looked up, and pointed to his handkerchief to wipe his mouth; and, in lefs than two minutes, his fpirit returned to God who gave it, without one struggle. You told us, some time ago, to mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. And furely there could not have been an eafier and more peaceful tranflation from a series of pain to a blissful eternity than his was. I may truly say with the poet,

"A comfort fo divine,

May trials well endure."

He one day gave directions respecting his funeral, and faid, "I would wish that nothing be faid over me at the vault, except my good old friend, the Doctor, fhould happen to be there, and feel himself inclined to speak fomething. But this I fhould like, that he fhould come down fome Sunday, and speak of me to the people; he knows more of me than any other person, and