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but I cannot be indulged in my wish: and what if I could, it would answer no end! I must perish, I must endeavour to reconcile myself to the thought: I am dying, I am dying!’
After these affecting exclamations he became a little more dispassionate: which determined me to run home for a short account of the death of the Earl of Rochester, which I had in my possession. On re-entering his room, one of his attendants informed me, he had been much worse in my absence than he was before: he was then, however, composed, which gave me an opportunity of reading it to him.
Perceiving he had no objection, I read the Earl’s recantation, which his Lordship subscribed and ordered to be published.
While I was reading, his attention seemed to be much engaged: but I had no sooner done, than he became very restless: and shrieking, cried out, ‘See, see!—don’t you see them? They are come for me. Save me, save me! I must go to my own place,—God save me! Whither shall I go to hide myself? I am sinking,—I am going!—Damned, damned, forever damned!—And while uttering the last word, died, with infernal horror, strikingly pourtrayed in his countenance.
Will infidels, and sinners of other descriptions, not fear and tremble, having such awful examples before their eyes? Let them reflect on the just severity of God; and not forget, that he is to the finally impenitent a ‘consuming fire,’ Hebrews xii. 29.
