ber the fubftance of what paffed both at his houfe and mine, that I am certain the account given in your letter contains the general outlines of the whole matter. Although at the close of the laft conver fation Mr. Romaine and I pofitively difavowed the leaft idea of renouncing our refpective principles, or being indifferent towards them; united in our abhorrence of that temporizing, which is too fashionable in our day, each expressed a sincere esteem for the other, a friendly intercourfe was kept up between him and myself to the day of his death, and I have not the smallest fufpicion, but that, as long as I live, I fhall remember him with veneration, as an eminently confiflent and refpectable character."

This teftimony is true, and worth a thousand ftories; it neither difcredits the pen of the furvivor, nor the memory of the deceased; nor ought it to be without its ufe to the reader. We are prone to judge others, though we can feldom do it without condemning ourselves; and if we are partakers with one another in faults and infirmities, we fhall do well to be followers of those who have fhewed a consciousness, and made confeffion of them.

Among other friends and admirers of Mr. Romaine, was the unhappy Dr. Dodd. When he began the world he was a zealous favourer of Hebrew learning, and diftinguished himself as a preacher. From a profeffed fimilitude in studies and principles, he cultivated an acquaintance with Mr. Romaine; but when he forfook fuch companions, having loved

this prefent world, he told Mr. Romaine, that he fhould be glad to fee him at his house, but hoped not to be acknowledged by him, if they fhould hap pen to meet in public company. All intercourse therefore ceafed between them, till the love of the world, and the things that are in it, brought its victim to prifon. At this time a particular friend of Dr. Dodd, who, much to his honour, ftuck close to him in all his difgrace and adverfity, met Mr. Romaine in his way from Newgate at the bottom of the Old Bailey. Their conversation naturally turned upon the unhappy perfon, whom he had juft left; and, after ufual enquiries, Mr. Romaine faid, he was forry to hear that Dr. Dodd in prifon was vifited by light and trifling company. The Doctor's friend was equally surprised and hurt at the report of fuch an untruth; and particularly that it should have been carried to one, of whom Dr. Dodd had ever expreffed an high opinion, and with whom in former years he had lived in a degree of intimacy. He told Mr. Romaine that indeed he was fadly mifinformed; that by himself he might fairly estimate the fociety of Dr. Dodd's room; that none resorted thither but they whofe minds were duly and deeply impreffed like his own; and that even as to others, he conceived that the furrounding circumstances of horror were fufficient to preclude all levity and impertinence. Mr. Romaine expreffed himself as glad to hear this, gave up his authority upon which he made his former affertions, and promifed to do all

in his power to fet right so injurious a business. He then left Dr. Dodd's friend at the door of St. Dunstan's, where he was going to preach his evening lecture.

Whether his prejudices were removed by this interview, or whether his pity was excited by the circumstances of the prifoner himself, Mr. Romaine afterwards vifited him at his particular request. A gentleman one day met him there, and wifhing to know his fentiments, took care to leave Newgate at the fame time; when, walking out together, he afked him, if he, who knew fo much of the human heart, thought poor Dodd a real fincere penitent. Mr. Romaine answered, I hope he may be a real penitent, but there is a great difference between saying and feeling, "God be merciful to me a finner." This faying, as the lady who communicated it justly obferved, deserves to be written in letters of gold. The fame lady has favoured us with another anecdote of Mr. Romaine, which equally proves his abhorrence of fin, and his pity for the finner. He was walking in the street with a gentleman, when he overheard a poor thoughtless man folemnly calling upon Jehovah to damn him for ever to the bottomlefs pit. Mr. Romaine stopped, took half-a-crown out of his pocket, and faid, "My friend, I will give you this, if you will repeat that cath again." The man started, and faid, “ What, Sir, do you think I will damn my foul for half-a-crown? Mr. Romaine mildly replied, "As you did it just now for

nothing,

nothing, I could not fuppofe that you would refuse to do it for a reward." The poor creature, ftruck, as Mr. Romaine meant he should be, replied, " God bless and reward you, Sir, wherever you are; I believe you have saved my foul. I hope I fhall never fwear again as long as I live."

It were to be wifhed, for the fake of posterity, that a man, whose heart was fo whole with God, and whofe very foul was in the work of Chrift, had kept a diary, or committed more of his thoughts, and the occurrences of his life, to writing. But among all his papers only one of this fort has been found; entitled, P, AN OLD MAN, and written on the day when he attained to the age of threefcore years and ten. A happier day was never spent upon earth. Take the description of it in his own words.

Through the gracious hand of my God I have this day arrived at the age of man. I have therefore fet it apart for meditation, prayer, and praise. May the Holy Spirit help me to improve it, that I may spend the little of my remaining time with more faith and unceafing gratitude. When I look back, I would be all adoration. As a creature I worship the Creator. Once I was nothing, and He brought me into being. O, what diftinguishing favour to make me a rational creature! And as I was a ruined man, a finner guilty, helplefs, miferable! O, what fovereign grace to make me a new man! who can tell (I cannot) how great the love was which provided a Saviour for fuch a rebel! What patience,

how infinite! to fpare me through childhood, through youth, through manhood, when every day, and every thing in the day, were calling aloud for vengeance. I might have been many years ago in hell, and moft juftly; and now I adore the long-fuffering of God, which kept me out of it. He had purpofes of love toward me, which he made known in his own time and way. It was fovereign love which brought me to know myself, and to know Jefus. His own Holy Spirit begun and carried on the work. He opened mine eyes to understand the fcriptures. He gave me to believe their truth, and to feel their power; and now I fet my feal to every word in them; finding God to be true and faithful, true in the promife, faithful in the fulfilment. Rec. Chrift -one with him-live by him-live on him-worfhip him-do all on earth as well as I can, till he enable me to do it better in heaven.

In this believing view of things, I acknowledge. that I have lived to a bleffed time. All that is worth enjoying has been freely given to me. By the quickening grace of the Spirit, brought into onenefs with Jefus, and to partake of the Father's love in Him, All is mine. Glory be to Father, Son, and Spirit in the highest, the covenanting 3ty*. is mine. These are the profpects which faith, looking

*The Trinity. In this inftance, as well as in another, a few lines above, viz. the abbreviation Rec. for receive, I thought it best to leave the expreffions as I found them in the original manufcript.

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