family, and the prudence and mildness with which she governed it; for her unaffected modesty in her own and her children's apparel, and the great humility of her conversation with all sorts of persons; for her great compassion for the poor and miserable, and her cheerful compliance with him in relieving them.

Unfortunately, however, very few notices of Mrs. Wilson have been preserved, and this sketch of her character is taken from one of her husband's prayers composed at the time of her death.

Their children were four in number. Amongst the special favours which he recounts in the Private Thoughts, is the having "an excellent wife, and four lovely children."

The following memorandum, addressed to his children, was found amongst his papers: "My children, if I do not live to tell you why I have saved no more for you out of my bishopric, let this satisfy you: that the less you have of goods gathered from the Church the better the rest that I leave you will prosper. Church-livings were never designed to make families, or to raise portions out of them, but to maintain our families, to keep up hospitality, to feed the poor, &c. And one day you will be glad that this was my settled opinion: and God grant I may act accordingly! . . . . . I never expect, and I thank God I never desire, that you or your children should ever be great but if ever the providence of God should raise any that proceed from my loins to any degree of worldly wealth or honour, I desire they will look back to the place and person from whence they came; this will keep them humble and sober-minded."

How soon is the brightest sky overcast with clouds! Two of his children died in infancy. They were taken away, indeed, from the evil to come, and redeemed by that Saviour whom they did not live to know upon earth:

but still such separations are never joyous, but grievous. Another child was removed in her fourteenth year. And previously to this latter loss, Mrs. Wilson herself was parted by death from her afflicted husband on the 7th of March 1705, not seven years after their marriage. On the 5th of the preceding September he had accompanied her to Warrington, for the benefit of her native air, which, it was hoped, would prove of service to her then declining health; and he continued with her, praying for her and comforting her, till the day when she resigned her soul, full of the hope of a blessed immortality, into the hands of her heavenly Father. Some of his reflections and prayers on this trying occasion will be read with interest, as they throw a light upon the character of both of them.

HIS PRAYER IN HIS WIFE'S SICKNESS.

Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.-Heb. xii. 6.

O Lord, infinitely merciful, thy very corrections are the effect of thy love: therefore do thy faithful servants rejoice in the midst of their sorrows, stedfastly believing that all things shall work together for good to those that love God and trust in his mercy.

For thou, O Lord, dost convince us, by the afflictions that Thou bringest upon us, that nothing deserves our love but Thee, that no being in heaven or on earth can help us besides Thee; and that the sufferings of this life are not to be compared with the happiness of the next.

This is our faith and confidence, that every good gift cometh from above; and that our sorrow for our offences, our desires of being reconciled unto Thee, our purposes of amendment, are all the fruits of thy Holy Spirit, which does nothing in vain; and which, if we resist not thy grace, will form our souls for the happiness of a better life.

Gracious God, let it so happen unto this thy servant, visited with thine hand, that she may take her sickness patiently; and, with a perfect submission to thy will, bear whatever Thou shalt be pleased to lay upon her that the sickness of her body may contribute to the health of her soul; and that, being made perfect through sufferings, she may be owned by her blessed Saviour, who through afflictions entered into glory.

Give her grace that she may know wherein she has offended Thee, that she may truly repent of all the errors of her life past. And do Thou, O merciful God, for the sake of Jesus Christ, accept of her repentance, and be reconciled to her, who has no hope but in thy great mercy, that she may not suffer the pains of sickness without the comforts of grace and the hopes of being beloved by Thee.

Grant, O Lord, that her faith in thy sight may never be reproved, but that she may stedfastly believe the great truths of the Gospel, the promise of pardon and grace to penitent sinners, the promise of eternal life to those that die in the true faith and fear of God, that Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life, that whosoever believeth in Him, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Increase this knowledge and confirm this faith in thy servant, that she may be numbered amongst thy saints in glory everlasting.

Pour into her heart such love towards Thee, that she may love Thee above all things, obey thy commands, and submit to thy wise dispensations; that she may for thy sake love all mankind, forgive all that have injured her, and desire to be forgiven of all those whom she may have offended in thought, word, or deed.

Thy loving kindness, O Lord, is better than life itself. O, satisfy her with thy mercy, that she may with a will

ing mind give up that breath which she received from Thee; that, when she shall depart this life, she may rest in Jesus Christ; and that, at the general resurrection at the last day, she may be found acceptable in thy sight, and receive that blessing which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear Thee, saying, "Come, ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Grant this, we beseech Thee, O heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen, Amen.

PRAYER ON THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE.

When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth. Psalm xxxix. 11.

O, merciful God, who in thy wise providence dost so order even natural events, that they serve both for the good of the universe and for the conviction of particular sinners, so that men shall have reason to acknowledge thy glorious attributes, I do with great sorrow of heart, but with all submission to thy good pleasure, confess thy mercy as well as justice to me, in the afflictions and chastisements of this day. I will therefore hold my peace and not open my mouth, because it is thy doing, and my deservings.

O Lord give me, I most humbly beseech Thee of thy great mercy, true repentance for all the errors of my life past, and especially for those which may have been the occasion of this day's sorrows.

God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. Job xxxiii 14.

I acknowledge thy voice, O merciful God: I acknow

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ledge also my own transgressions, and thy great goodness in afflicting me: I do in all humility accept of the punishment of mine iniquity, and do ascribe it to thy grace that even now I have perceived it to be thy voice.

We are verily guilty concerning our brother. Gen xlii. 21. Blessed be God that my punishment is not as great as my crimes, which have deserved thy severest stroke; for I am verily guilty of many, very many grievous sins; the follies of youth, the wilful presumptuous sins of my riper years, the breach of the vows that are upon me.

O that thy grace, which has wrought this sense and sorrow in my soul, may perfect the good work until I have obtained thy pardon, and be confirmed in every good word and work, till thou art pleased to call me hence.

Good God of mercy, give me grace that I may never again provoke Thee to repeat this voice; but that I may faithfully perform the vows that are upon me; that I may work out my salvation with fear and trembling; knowing that though the Lord is long-suffering to them that fear him, yet he is a consuming fire to the obstinate and hardened sinner.

For Jesus Christ his sake, who by his merits has purchased pardon and grace for penitent sinners, hear me, answer me, and let thy merciful kindness be my comfort according to thy word unto thy servant. Amen.

MEDITATIONS.

By the sadness of the countenance, the heart is made better. Eccles. vii. 3.

How good is God, when by his very displeasure we are gainers! He is pleased to exercise me with the loss of my dear wife, an excellent woman, in the very bloom of her years, in the very midst of our satisfactions; and yet upon a just account I have no reason to complain or to