believe that there are wax candles and feasts in heaven he must have strange ideas. Mr. Fletcher replied, "My dear, thou dost not perceive the snake in the grass These books deny the atonement, and so strike at the very root of all true religion." In the same mind he con tinued to the last.

]

April 3. I feel within these few days, a drawing nearer to the Lord; and a loving recollection of Hi presence to be the element in which alone my soul car grow. I feel an increasing expectation that the Lord will come, and take up his abode in my soul. Tha verse in Jeremiah, ch. xxxii. is much on my mind, "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart, and with my whole soul." I look now hourly for this, that according to my former promise, I may "feed on Carmel and Bashan, and my soul be satisfied in a close communion with God.

August 14. This day twenty-two years my dearlybeloved husband entered glory. When I awoke this morning, the first thought presented to my mind was, -How has my soul grown in these twenty-two years? I felt a deep sinking before the Lord, that it had not grown more abundantly. I am sensible of a progress, but alas! it is very small when compared with what might have been. I place in Jesus my whole confidence. My hope is in him as my great high priest, and those words are very sweet to me, "The author and finisher of our faith.' O my adorable Saviour, I am as the clay in thy hand; make me such a vessel as thou shalt choose me to be! Some things have occured which, years ago, would have been a great trial. But I now see and feel a great beauty in the cross; and have such evident proof that He orders all, that I can leave all my cares in his hand.

:

September 11. If I live till to-morrow I shall be ixty-eight years old, and my dear Mr. Fletcher would n that day have been seventy-eight. O how long has e been in glory before me! He was ripe, and sweetly athered into the garner. Lord, prepare thy poor creaure to follow him. I have had my niece Whittingham my dear sister's daughter,) with me for some time, whom had not seen since she was twelve years old. I have ound much satisfaction in the interview. Blessed be tod for the work wrought on her soul, and for the pious usband the Lord hath provided for her. How much etter is she off than if she had remained in the world! Truly, "Godliness hath the promise of this life, and of hat which is to come." I am surrounded with blessings; want no earthly comfort. O that I had a more grateful

¡eart.

I have ex

One night,

December 15. I have been a fortnight laid aside rom a bad cold, and much weakness on my lungs; out what cause have I to praise the Lord! ›erienced his tender care in many ways. vhen more ill than before, I was offering up my soul and body for time and eternity, into the hand of my gracious Redeemer, and longing for a fuller preparation for that lay, which I saw could not be far off; and being hardly ble to keep in bed for want of breath,-I found, all at nce, as if I were surrounded, or overshadowed with i sweet and sacred power! I cannot describe it; but I elt as if I was so encircled by, and drawn into the preence of God, that nothing could approach to hurt me! I said, Not a thought can arise "to disturb my beloved ill he please." It lasted about half an hour, and showed me how easy the Saviour can inclose the soul as an sland in the midst of the sea!

December 31. O my God, how do I close this year? I am still confined to my chamber, and mend but slowly. But I feel the Lord is at work on my soul. I pant for a more lively faith, and, blessed be God, I have found an

increase since this illness. Truly, he makes all my bed in my sickness, and keeps me night and day.

January 1, 1808. And do I see the beginning of another year? Yes, my Saviour! thou dost yet spare me. I have been sometime in a near prospect of death. O that I may use every moment to gain more of thy likeness! I cannot be far from eternity. O my God make me ready! I have not been able to begin this year with the dear people as usual, being still confined, yet mercy is in all my cup. How light are my pains compared with

others!

February 9. Blessed be the Lord, he hath wonderfully renewed my strength! I have been out these three weeks, and have gone through my meetings in the week as before; and, praised be the Lord! I feel greater liberty than ever. The other day I found among some old papers a few lines I wrote many years ago. They were blest to me; and, as I hope they will be a blessing to others, I transcribe them.

Saturday, July 18, 1761. We had a good time at the meeting this morning, at Brother Biggs's. Mr. Fletcher was with us; and as I was speaking of my discouragements, he said, "Make more use of Jesus. The reason why you find a spark of faith and love, when you repeat those words, On thine arm do I trust,'-which you do not feel at other times is, because at that time you make an act of faith; but you do not continue that act of faith, which is the reason you do not always feel the same. If our anchor is cast within the veil,' we must be casting it further and further, that we may draw our souls nearer and nearer to God. There is nothing which draws my soul to God like the consideration of his love to me; it is on that I must fix my eyes, and when I feel my heart has wandered, and I am cold and dead, and unable to watch and pray, this is my method, I return just as I am to Christ, and cast myself again on his mercy, pleading-Thou art the righteousness of the ungodly, the

strength of the weak, the helper of the helpless ;-thou art the friend of sinners ;-in short, he is the God of fallen man." He again observed,-" He doth not require us to stay for a broken heart; for what would repentance avail if he did not work it? We also lose much for want of thankfulness. We should praise God for every good desire we feel, though, perhaps, as yet, we have not power to put it in practice."

Mr. Maxfield was, at that time, a very blessed instrument among us, and great power attended his word. Although very painful things afterward occurred. I do not think myself clear unless I bear a testimony to that truth. I took down a few particulars of a sermon of his which I will here repeat.

Sunday, November 2, 1761. Mr. Maxfield preached on the history of the Israelites taking Jericho. He observed," By what is said of Jericho, we may be instructed concerning the evils contained in our hearts.It was the Captain of the Lord's host,' by whose command Joshua acted,-and this captain was our Lord Jesus, who still goeth before every one who believes in his name. But, added he, there is one thing very material to observe,- Jericho was straightly shut up, none went out and none came in.' Now is this the case with your hearts? Are you watching over your ear, your eye, your tongue? Are you careful neither to see, hear, nor speak any thing, but what tends to draw your souls to God? Many of you will perhaps ask, why do not the walls of Jericho, my corrupt heart, fall before the Lord, as I have been seeking so many years. will tell you why, your Jericho is not straightly shut up.' It may be that every idle story your neighbour brings to your ears, or foolish imagination Satan suggests to your minds, finds a ready entertainment, and your minds are filled with unprofitable thoughts, which, like a

*He separated from Mr. Wesley, and did much harm in the London Society. Ed.

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crowd, get between you and your Saviour. You might seek thus for ten thousand years, and be no nearer. Every thought that doth not tend towards God, if indulged, stops the work of sanctification; and you will never advance towards holiness, till you exert with resolution the power which God hath given you, in resisting steadfastly every thought and word which would But those who are come between your soul and Christ.

thus watching and keeping their hearts, so that nothing can find entrance till it be examined, and known from whence it comes,-Let them take courage. I am sure your souls thus waiting, will not wait long before your 'Joshua will command them to shout!' Only let them believe, and continue to watch. The Israelites were bid not to shout, nor make any noise, till they were commanded; and when that moment should come, was known only to Joshua. They believed and followed. So let us hang by a simple faith on Jesus, listening every for moment what his Spirit shall dictate to our hearts;

the Captain of the Lord's host' is with us, and 'he hath his sword drawn in his hand' to conquer all our adversaries. And though you feel your sinful tempers, be not discouraged, for the inhabitants of Jericho were not only alive to the last, but in full strength. When the power of faith comes, the strong walls of unbelief shall drop down, and you shall go up and possess the good land! How little, and idle, it would appear in the eyes of these enemies, thus to walk round the walls, blowing rams' horns! So we think our labour and spiritual striving avail nothing; but only let us continue to cut off every word or thought which would give food to the old man, and thus obey, in firm reliance, that ‘our Joshua will be the author and finisher of our faith,' and we shall find him faithful who hath promised, who also will do it.'

March 3. This was a good morning to me, the Lord was very present when I awoke; and I had such a view of the all-sufficiency of the Saviour as I cannot express!