word for word, what he said, and this affectionate
man could not refrain from tears; but, recovering himself, said to me,
"Ask him but one question. Is he easy that it is too late; or is he
troubled, and wishes it were not so?" I put the question fairly to
Atkins; and he answered with a great deal of passion, "How could any man
be easy in a condition that must certainly end in eternal destruction?
that he was far from being easy; but that, on the contrary, he believed
it would one time or other ruin him."--"What do you mean by that?" said
I.--"Why," he said, "he believed he should one time or other cut his
throat, to put an end to the terror of it."

The clergyman shook his head, with great concern in his face, when I told
him all this; but turning quick to me upon it, says, "If that be his
case, we may assure him it is not too late; Christ will give him
repentance. But pray," says he, "explain this to him: that as no man is
saved but by Christ, and the merit of His passion procuring divine mercy
for him, how can it be too late for any man to receive mercy? Does he
think he is able to sin beyond the power or reach of divine mercy? Pray
tell him there may be a time when provoked mercy will no longer strive,
and when God may refuse to hear, but that it is never too late for men to
ask mercy; and we, that are Christ's servants, are commanded to preach
mercy at all times, in the name of Jesus Christ, to all those that
sincerely repent: so that it is never too late to repent."

I told Atkins all this, and he heard me with great earnestness; but it
seemed as if he turned off the discourse to the rest, for he said to me
he would go and have some talk with his wife; so he went out a while, and
we talked to the rest. I perceived they were all stupidly ignorant as to
matters of religion, as much as I was when I went rambling away from my
father; yet there were none of them backward to hear what had been said;
and all of them seriously promised that they would talk with their wives
about it, and do their endeavours to persuade them to turn Christians.

The clergyman smiled upon me when I reported what answer they gave, but
said nothing a good while; but at last, shaking his head, "We that are
Christ's servants," says he, "can go no further than to exhort and
instruct: and when men comply, submit to the reproof, and promise what we
ask, 'tis all we can do; we are bound to accept their good words; but
believe me, sir," said