to them during their Life, they exercise them without Trouble, and having gained new Strength against the Devil every Time they overcame him, they will find themselves in a Condition at the Hour of Death to obtain that Victory over him, on which depends all Eternity, and the bleffed Union of their Souls with their Creator.

I hope, Heloise, that after having deplored the Irregularities of your past Life, you will die (as the Prophet prayed) the Death of the Righteous. Ah how few are there who make their End after this Manner? And why? It is because there are fo few who love the Cross of Christ. Every one would be saved, but few will use those Means which Religion prescribes: And yet we can be saved by Nothing but the Cross, why then do we refuse to bear it? Hach not our Saviour borne-it before us, and died for us, to the End that we might also bear it, and defire to die also ? All the Saints have been afflicted, and our Saviour himself did not pass one Hour of his Life without fome Sorrow. Hope not therefore to be exempted from Sufferings. The Cross, Heloise, is always at Hand, but take Care that you do not bear it with Regret, for by so doing you will make it more heavy, and you will be oppressed by it unprofitably. On the contrary, if you bear it with Affection and Courage, all your Sufferings will create in you a holy Confidence, whereby you will find Comfort in God. Hear our Saviour, who says, My Child,

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renounce yourself, take up your Cross and follow me. Oh Heloise! do you doubt? Is not your Soul ravished at so saving a Command? Are you deaf to his Voice? Are you insensible to Words so full of Kindness? Beware, Heloise, of refusing a Husband who demands you, and is more to be feared, if you flight his Affection, than any profane Lover. Provoked at your Contempt and Ingratitude, he will turn his Love into Anger, and make you feel his Vengeance. How will you sustain his Presence, when you shall stand before his Tribunal? He will reproach you for having despised his Grace; he will represent to you his Sufferings for you. What Answer can you make? He will then be implacable. He will say to you, Go, proud Creature, dwell in everlasting Flames; I separated you from the World to purify you in Solitude, and you did not second my Design, I endeavoured to save you, and you took Pains to destroy yourself: Go, Wretch, and take the Portion of the Reprobates.

Oh, Heloise, prevent these terrible Words, and avoid by a holy Course the Punishment prepared for Sinners. I dare not give you a Description of those dreadful Torments which are the Consequences of a Life of Guilt. I am filled with Horror, when they offer themselves to my Imagination: And yet, Heloise, I can conceive Nothing which can reach the Tortures of the Damned; the Fire which we fee upon Earth, is

but

but the Shadow of that which burns them; and without enumerating their endless Pains, the Loss of God which they feel increases all their Torments. Can any one fin who is perfuaded of this? My God! Can we dare to offend thee? Though the Riches of thy Mercy could not engage us to love thee, the Dread of being thrown into such an Abyss of Mifery should restrain us from doing any Thing which might displease Thee!

I question not, Heloise, but you will hereafter apply yourself in good Earnest to the Business of your Salvation: This ought to be your whole Concern. Banish me therefore for ever from your Heart; 'tis the best Advice I can give you: For the Remembrance of a Person we have loved criminally cannot but be hurtful, whatever Advances we have made in the Ways of Virtue. When you have extirpated your unhappy Inclination towards me, the Practice of every Virtue will become easy; and when at last your Life is conformable to that of Christ, Death will be defirable to you. Your Soul will joyfully leave this Body, and direct its Flight to Heaven. Then you will appear with Confidence before your Saviour: You will not read Characters of your Reprobation written in the Book of Life; but you will hear your Saviour say, Come, partake of my Glory, and enjoy the eternal Reward I have appointed for those Virtues you have practised.

Farewel, Heloise. This is the last Advice of your dear Abelard; this laft Time, let me perfuade you to follow the holy Rules of the Gospel. Heaven grant that your Heart, once so fenfible of my Love, may now yield to be directed by my Zeal! May the Idea of your loving Abelard, always prefent to your Mind, be now changed into the Image of Abelard, truly penitent; and may you shed as many Tears for your Salvation, as you have done during the Course of our Misfortunes !

A. Walker Sculp.