Remarkable Conversion of Henry Webb, related by credible witnesses, and attested for facts.

There is no truer maxim than that, in endeavouring to shun one extreme, we are often apt to fall into another; this the great Mr. Addison has observed in respect to religion; that, by endeavouring to avoid the cant and hypocrisy formerly too much practised, we have fallen into a habit of being quite ashamed of any religion at all. This, too, has been the case with everything uncommon or more than ordinary, especially in regard to spiritual matters. The fear of being imposed ← upon, and the many idle stories we often hear, make us refuse to give credit to anything of this sort, though ever so well attested, and though we have very sensible evidence of a great and good end being answered thereby.

That God Almighty does sometimes make use of extraordinary means, more particularly in the conversion of some sinners, is too well attested by scripture, repeated experience, and the testimony of the wisest and best of men, to admit of any doubt; and, likewise, that he has made use of no method so often as that of visions of the night. Many are the proofs which might be brought from scripture of the truth of this, particularly that very striking and amazing instance, recorded in the book of Job, which the ingenious Mr. Harvey, in his Book of Meditations, lately published, justly says, "is a proof of the reality of them upon some very extraordinary emergencies, while it discountenances those legions of idle tales, which superstition has raised, and credulity received; since it teaches us, that when they come to pass, it is not upon any errand of frivolous consequences, but to convey intelligencies of the utmost moment, or to work impressions of the highest advantage". In the 4th chapter of Job, and the 12th verse, Eliphaz the Temanite, describes a vision of this nature, which had happened to himself.

Henry Webb, the subject of this relation, was born at Crewkerne, in Somersetshire, being the son of John and Mary Webb, both known for many years in that place, his father being deceased but fourteen months ago, and his mother still residing in or near that place. He had a common education given him, according to their abilities, and was, when young, put out apprentice to Mr. John Hooper, a cordwainer, in that place; but being wild and disobedient, he soon ran away from his master and parents, and going many miles distant, and falling into bad company, he soon became a reprobate liver, a common swearer, and Sabbath-breaker, having no thoughts of

goodness or religion at all. In this state he continued, without any serious reflection, till the twenty-first year of his age, at which time he worked with Mr. Thomas Eades, at a place called Euley, about five miles from Lymington in Hampshire, where, on Monday, the 11th of February 1749-50, he was seized with an oppression on the spirits, but continued working till Tuesday about noon, when, finding himself worse, he was bled, after which he walked about half a mile, drank half a pint of warm ale at a public-house, and then returned home, and sat down by the fire till four or five o'clock in the afternoon, still growing worse, when he went up to bed, in which he had not been long before he seemed to himself to be dying or fainting away, or rather his soul going out of his body; at which time (as he has since been told) the people belonging to the house, hearing a deep groan, came upstairs, and found his arm had burst out a bleeding to the quantity of near two quarts, and him to all appearance dead, his eyes and teeth being closed, and not the least breath perceivable, upon which, after having applied several remedies to no purpose, they resolved to lay him out in order to be buried; but his master, Mr. Eades, perceiving a small warmth in his body, was resolved he should not be moved out of the bed till he was cold, and in this manner he lay for the space of three nights and days, all which time he received no manner of sustenance, for though they endeavoured to open his teeth with a spoon, and pour down some cordials, yet, as he is informed by those who administered it, none of it went down.

At the time he felt himself dying away, as we have mentioned above, he seemed to go into fields inexpressibly delightful and pleasant, beautiful with streams and fountains of water clearer than crystal, having at the same time a glorious prospect of heaven before him, to which he directed his steps, not once thinking upon this world, or reflecting on the heinousness of his sin. After some time, he seemed to arrive at the gates of heaven, which shone more glorious and bright than the sun in its greatest lustre. He knocked at the gates, which were immediately opened to him, and he saw within three men in bright and shining clothing, far exceeding everything he had ever seen, and far more glorious than he can express. Two of them came out to him, and the gates were immediately shut to again. He entreated of these two men in shining clothes admittance in at the gate, but was told by them it was not a place for any such wicked sinners as he was. It was at this moment he first had any sense of his sinful life, for as quick as fire catches the dry stubble, so quick and pene

trating were the words of the shining one; for no sooner were they spoke, than all the sins he had ever committed in his life seemed to arise before him with all their weight and horror, so that he believes the agonies of hell itself cannot exceed what he felt at that time. However, he still kept begging in the most earnest and passionate manner for entrance in at the gate, but was still denied, and in this manner he seemed to continue for several hours. At last, one of the men in bright clothes bid him to look on his left hand, which he doing, saw at some distance from him hell itself opened, which seemed covered with the most dismal, lonesome, and doleful darkness it is possible to imagine, and sent forth a suffocating smell of sulphur, but he did not discern any flame. He saw a great multitude of persons in it, seemingly in the utmost agonies and torments, and the prince of darkness, as it were, raging as a ravenous lion to come at him; but what struck him with still more horror and despair was to distinguish the faces of three of his old wicked companions among these tormented wretches, as plain as he ever saw any person with his eyes, and to hear them utter the most dismal cries and sad lamentations. His eyes and attention seemed to fix upon this dreadful scene, that he was not able once to take them off for several hours, or even turn them towards heaven. Neither was he able to utter a word all this time, but at length, gaining utterance, he entreated in the most moving manner the person in the shining clothes that he would let him return back and have some time to repent of and reform his wicked life; but he answered him, those were the torments he was going to; which made him beg the more vehemently that he might be allowed to return and repent, which seemed to be denied him still, till at last the person told him that if he was allowed to return he would lead the same course of life; but he cried out and promised in the most solemn manner that he would amend and lead a new life, upon which this glorious person told him he would allow him a few months longer; but that if he continued in the same wicked course of life he had hitherto done, he would shorten that time. Then he seemed to turn about, and direct his steps back again to this world, the person in bright clothing walking with him for (as it seemed) the space of two or three miles, rebuking him ali the way for his sinful life, and telling him he had deserved the nt he had seen repeated times, and adding that if he wicked course of life again, the torments he had his portion for ever and ever.

-parture of this glorious person from him,

270

HISTORY OF POWYS FADOG.

he seemed to travel for many miles through places dark, desolate, and horrible, beyond all that tongue or pen can express, being at the same time grievously oppressed with this heavy burden of his sins, which then seemed to be all before his eyes, set against him in terrible array. describe in what manner he returned to life, but is informed that some of the people below stairs, hearing a deep groan, came up into the room, and found life coming into him, which He cannot they were greatly surprised at, as for two hours before he had felt colder than he had done at all; that he lay for the space of half an hour or more in great strugglings and agonies, and then came quite to himself, and recovered his speech, telling them what things he had seen, and desiring the minister of the place to be fetched to him, who was accordingly sent for, and soon several of the neighbours, who enquired how he did, upon came with his master, Mr. Thomas Eades, and which he repeated to them the same account he had given before of what had happened to him. But the minister suspected he might probably be light-headed, asked him several questions, and whether he knew those who were in the room, asking him the name of each particular person; and finding him to be thoroughly sensible, and that he gave rational answers to all he asked him, he began (like a truly pious divine), talking to him in a more serious manner, telling him how happy a thing it was that God, through his great mercy and goodness, had not taken him away in his sins, exhorting him to place his faith and confidence in Jesus Christ (and not in his own works), for that it was through and by Him that he must be saved; for unless he was washed clean in His blood he could not enter into the kingdom of heaven, for no unclean thing could enter there. discourse, the minister and all who were present went to prayers with him, and then left him to take some repose. After some further pious Christian

The next day but one, this worthy divine visited him again, and enquired how he was, to which he replied, he was much easier in his mind, but abhorred himself for his sins, and could tear himself to pieces that he had not had a sense of them before.

Many other times was he visited by this clergyman, who in all his visits instructed and exhorted him by religious conversation to amendment of life and faith in Christ Jesus.

But in about a fortnight's time he was seized with a very violent fever, so that his life was despaired of, at whch time the heinousness of his sins overwhelmed him with horror, for that he was continually begging every person who came into

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the room to pray with and for him; but during all the conce of his fever (though he was sometimes light-headed),

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saw anything of what he had done before, which ›re probable that it did not then proceed from the disordered imagination, for if it had, it is certain ching of the same nature would have happened 3 fever, more especially as his whole mind and had been entirely fixed ever since on what he then

some time, as it pleased God, the violence of the ted, so that he has been able to go about and work siness, though he still continues in a weak condition. as ever since lived a regular, sober, Christian life, g all loose and unprofitable company, not being able any profane discourse or oaths from the mouths of without the greatest uneasiness, and even reproving or it. He daily bewails his evil deeds, and is leading 1 and steady life.

rd Bacon's Apparition to Lord Middleton, as related by Mr. Aubrey.

ir William Dugdale informed several gentlemen that Majoreral Middleton, afterwards created Lord, went into the ghlands of Scotland, to endeavour to make a party for ng Charles I. An old gentleman, that was second-sighted, t him and told him that his attempt, though laudable, would t be successful; and that, besides, they would put the king death; and that several other attempts would be made, but l in vain, but that his son would come in, although it would e long first, and should at last be restored. This nobleman ad a great friendship with the Laird Bocconi, and they made an agreement, that the first of them that died should appear to the other in extremity. It happened that the Lord Middleton was taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester, and sent up to London. While he was confined in the Tower, under three locks, one day in the morning, lying pensive in his bed, Bocconi appeared to him. My Lord Middleton asked him if he were dead or alive? He replied, that he was dead, and had been so many years, but that he was come to revive his hopes, for that in a very short time, within three days, he should escape: this fell out as it was foretold, and he did so, in his wife's clothes. When he had performed his message, he lightly tripped about the room, like a vapour, then gathered up and vanished.