ing admitted, "Where is your mistress?" said the husband to the maid servant who sat up for him. "She is gone to bed, Sir." "Call her up," said he. "Tell her I have brought some friends home with me, and desire she would get up, and prepare them a supper." The good woman obeyed the unreasonable summons; dressed, came down, and received the company with perfect civility: told them she happened to have some chickens ready for the spit, and that supper should be got as soon as possible. The supper was accordingly served up; when she performed the honours of the table with as much cheerfulness as if she had expected company at a proper season.

After supper, the guests could not refrain from expressing their astonishment. One of them particularly, more sober than the rest, thus addressed himself to the lady: "Madam, said he, "your civility fills us all with surprise. Our unreasonable visit is in consequence of a wager, which we have certainly lost. As you are a very religious person, and cannot approve of our conduct, give me leave to ask, what can possibly induce you to behave with so much kindness to us ?" "Sir," replied she, "when I married, my husband and myself were both in a carnal state. It has pleased God to call me out of that dangerous condition. My husband continues in it. I tremble for his future state. Were he to die as he is, he must be miserable for ever; I think it, therefore, my duty to render his present existence as comfortable as pos-. sible."

This wise and faithful reply affected the whole company. It left an impression of great use on the husband's mind. "Do you, my dear," said

he, "really think I should be eternally miserable? I thank you for the warning. By the grace of God, I will change my conduct." From that time he became another man, a serious Christian, and consequently a good husband.

"Married Christians, especially you who have unconverted partners, receive the admonition intended by this pleasing anecdote. Pray and labour for their conversion, for What knowest thou, O wife! whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man! whether thou shalt save thy wife?"" 1st Cor. vii. 16.

THE SWEARERS REPROVED.

IN a family at Shelton lived Mr. G., a person much given to swearing. Mrs. F., being a good woman, had a girl about four years old that was remarkably attentive to every thing of a religious nature. This child would often remark, with great horror of mind, to her mother, how Mr. G. swore, and would wish to reprove him; but for some time durst not. One time she said to her mother, "Does Mr. G. say Our Father ?" (a term by which she called her prayers). Mrs. F. would not tell. She then said, "I will watch, and, if he does, I will tell him of swearing so. She did watch him, and saw him say his prayers privately in bed. Soon after this, she heard him. swear bitterly; upon which she said to him,

"Did not you say Our Father this morning? How dare you swear! Do you think he will be your Father if you swear?" He answered not a word, but seemed amazed, as well he might. He did not live long after this; but he was never heard to swear again. So true is that scripture, "Out of the mouths of babes and and sucklings hast thou ordained praise.

A Persian, humble servant of the sun,
Who, though devout, yet bigotry had none;
Hearing a lawyer grave in his address,
With adjurations every word impress,
Suppos'd the man a bishop, or at least-
God's name so much upon his lips-a priest;
Bow'd at the close with all his graceful airs.
And begg'd an interests in his frequent prayers."

COWPER.

Two gentlemen having called at a coffee-house in the city, and drank a bottle together, when about to part, both insisted on paying. One put a seven-shilling piece on the table, and swore dreadfully that his friend should be at no expence the other jocularly said, "That seven-shilling piece is a bad one," on which he swore still faster. The master of the house, hearing what passed, came forward, and said, if they would allow him to examine the money, he would tell them whether or not it was good. Returning soon after, he, in the most polite manner, laid the piece before them on a card printed as follows:

It chills my blood to hear the blest Supreme
Rudely appeal'd to on each trifling theme.
Maintain your rank, vulgarity despise;
To swear is neither brave, polite, nor wise.
You would not swear upon a bed of death:
Reflect; your Maker now could stop your breath.

The gentleman read it, and he who had sworn, owned" He was justly and properly reproved, and would in future be more guarded in his expressions."

For more instances, see p. 22 in this volume of Anecdotes.

Swearer punished.

pa

Some years ago T. G., who lived in the rish of Sedgley, near Wolverhampton, having lost a considerable sum by a match at cock-fighting, to which practice he was notoriously addicted, swore, in the most horrid manner, that he would never fight another cock as long as he lived ; frequently calling upon God to damn his soul to all eternity if he did, and, with dreadful imprecations, wishing the devil might fetch him if ever he made another bet.

It is not to be wondered at if resolutions so impiously formed should be broken: for a while, however, they were observed; but he continued to indulge himself in every other abomination to which his depraved heart inclined him. But, about two years afterwards Satan, whose willing servant he was, inspired him with a violent desire to attend a cocking at Wolverhampton; and he complied with the temptation. When he came to the place, he stood up, as in defiance of heaven, and cried, "I hold four to three on such a cock."-" Four what?" said one of his companions in iniquity. "Four shillings," replied he.-"I'll lay," said the other. Upon which they confirmed the wager, and, as his custom was, he

threw down his hat, and put his hand in his pocked for the money; when awful to relate, he instantly fell a ghastly corpse to the ground. Terrified at his sudden death, some who were present, for ever after desisted from this infamous. sport; but others, hardened in iniquity, proceeded in the barbarous diversion, as soon as the dead body was removed from the spot.

This melancholy circumstance happened on a Thursday. On the Sabbath following, when a number of his relations and neighbours were conveying his body to the grave, a dog, that belonged to one of the company, happened to run under the coffin (which was carried, I suppose, underhand, by napkins, or on a bier), and was struck to all appearances dead but being again recovered and let loose, ran a second time under the coffin, and was taken up actually dead, to the great astonishment of the company. Those who conveyed the corpse were so terrified, that they durst not, for the present, proceed to the church-yard, but proposed to leave the body on the spot at length, however, resuming their courage, they conveyed him to the grave.

"The fear of the wicked shall come upon him;" and "Who ever hardened himself against God, and prospered?" By such signal interpositions of Divine Providence the Lord shews he hath not forsaken the earth. May "many," who read or "hear" these lines, "fear, and turn to the Lord!"