and though I should start at any thought apparently sinful, yet if I starve it, instead of continually endeavouring to draw the sincere milk of the word, I still sow to corruption, and what I sow, that shall I reap. Then let me fix my eye on the great mystery of God made man! Why did God become man? It was man by whom the covenant was broken, and therefore man must have suitable punishment laid upon him. It was God with whom it was broken, and therefore God must have suitable satisfaction made unto him. And as to that satisfaction, it was man that had offended, therefore it was man alone that could make it suitable. It was God that was offended, and therefore it was God alone that could make it sufficient. Now, being man as well as God, it behooved him to fulfil all righteousness, to keep the whole law in the perfect manner required by the Adamic dispensation: yet, as being God coequal with the Father, it was not from duty, but merely upon our account, that he thus subjected himself to the yoke of his own laws, himself, as God, being the Lawgiver, and so no more under it than the Father himself. Whatever, therefore, Christ did or suffered in the flesh, was meritorious, and the believer has accepted it. Mr. Wesley observes, in his note in the sermon on The Lord our Righteousness, This obedience of Christ, as it was infinite, pure, and perfect, did, without doubt, infinitely transcend all the obedience of all the sons of men, even if they had remained in their primitive state; for their obedience would still have been but the obedience of finite creatures, whereas the obedience of Christ was the obedience of one who was truly God as well as man, by which the laws of God had a Divine obedience performed to them. They could command no more than the obedience of finite creatures; whereas the obedience of Christ was the obedience of one who was the infinite Creator, as well as a finite creature; and by this he hath purchased for us a far greater salvation than if man had not fallen. As our Head, he hath also entered, yea, as our Forerunner, into that glorious union with the Deity which we could never have known but by the Word being made flesh, and performing this righteousness in our be half. Now this transcendent glory, called the joy of the Lord, we are called to enter into-to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. As himself hath said, The glory which thou hast given me I have given them. December 3.-This day three years my dear Sally en. tered glory. O that I may be permitted to share with her the inheritance of the saints in light! I think I do enjoy it in a measure, for it is amazing to me how calm and comfortable my mind is kept, and how the Lord doth provide help for me in every circumstance. I have nothing to do but prepare for death. O for a constant look upward! March 3, 1801.-I have a deep conviction on my mind to-day of that truth, The heart of man always seeks rest in something; therefore thoughts that please, and that have not the appearance of evil in themselves, yet if they are unnecessary, may lead to a seeking rest out of God. Here I have found Satan very busy, and am often forced to cry out, "I will know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified." My heart is much in expectation of a closer union with my God than I have ever known. I wait for the Lord. April 26.-Glory be to God. I find him near; he seems to be sitting on my soul as a refiner's fire, and so calling every thought into judgment as I never found be fore. We have had very sweet times of worship lately The Lord is indeed carrying on his work, blessed be his name; and I trust this meeting of the children will be for good. In this, Miss Tooth is made of great use to me. O, my tender Father! Thou dost not suffer me to want any thing. June 17.-Help me, 0 my Saviour! It seems as if I could not get those answers to prayer which I want. Yet he gives me little touches,-some tokens for good, before I rise from my knees. But O, it is not what I long for. Such a sight I have of late into that word, Let that mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus! O how much is contained therein! Yet I see it is my privilege, for so I see the privilege held out by St. John, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world." I find many have been blessed in our meetings lately; but I did not hear of it till several days after the time. And hence it has been a season of temptation and discourage ment with me. I thought what I had said was so short of what ought to have been spoken, that all the next week I felt a deep conviction, that unless the Lord put words into my mouth, and gave power with them, no good would be done. I even feared that the Lord did not approve of my calling the people together, when there was no one but me to speak to them. Yet I knew well that all the good done upon the earth is the Lord's doing, and that he can work by the meanest instrument. However, this was On last the conclusion, I must ask and wrestle for every meeting public and private, and hang by faith on Christ alone, believing that word, "It is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." Monday night I felt the answer. Then I had great freedom, and I cannot tell how many have since praised God for the blessing brought into their souls that night. I can do nothing without much prayer. July 10. We have had an awful affair at a pit hard by. Three young men were killed outright. The following Sunday they were buried, and it was computed that more than a thousand persons attended their funeral, Mr. Walter took the opportunity to speak to them, I trust not without effect. As some had been burned in that pit not long before, the master ordered the tools, &c., to be brought up, declaring he would have no more coal got there, at least for a time. Accordingly a man, one of our exhorters, who was an overseer of the work, went down with his eldest son, a fine youth about sixteen, and some other men. Just as the overseer got in, the vapour caught fire again, killed his son, and a boy who was with him, and most dreadfully burned himself and another man. Here was a trial indeed! Both himself and his wife much delighted in that son, who was carried home dead, and himself not likely to live an hour. His wife, who had a child at her breast, fainted away, and for some time it was not known which would die first. But the Lord supported them both by his almighty power; and the man was so filled with the love of God, in his greatest extremity of pain, that he has been a wonder to all. He declared that the Lord did so make his bed in his sickness that he could feel no will but that of God; and in that will he did glory! The other person who was burned was a young man that had a few years ago some desires after true religion, but of late he had wholly fallen back. Between the two there was a striking contrast. The young man was all terror, and shrieked dreadfully. He had no comfort in pain, and no pleasant prospect if it should end in death. O, what need have we to use the present hour! Lord, give us unceasing prayer! O, let us live in the constant view of eternity! It is hoped both the men will recover. August 27.-Glory be to God! I daily prove he is faithfulness and love. A few mornings ago I awoke with that word, "As thy day, so shall thy strength be." I did not take particular notice of it then; but yesterday, through an uncommon providence, I was called to go through such fatigue as to me seemed impossible. Yet I was carried through all with such ease, both as to body and mind, as amazed me. O, let me learn by all to live without fear, for I have in thee, O Lord, such a treasurehouse as will always supply my every want. There is no room for fear or care. No, "the government is on thy shoulder." All the weight lies there, and my business is to sing and praise all the way through. November 9.-Many mercies am I surrounded with; and though I have many infirmities of body, yet they are so held as with a bridle that I do not suffer much, and am able to attend all my appointments. I see all right; to be sure there are circumstances which would once have been a cross, but I am fully convinced all comes through my Saviour's hand, and therefore I know all shall work for good. I see my situation well suited for growing in grace, and I do grow; but O, that it were faster! I remember a time when I rather shrunk at repeating that line of the hymn,— "Give me to feel an idle thought, but truly I do now feel it so. I see the need there is of being all eye, not only against what appears evil, but also what is called innocent, but is really useless. Last week I received a letter from Leeds, informing me of the death of sister Crosby. I had a few days before received one from her own hand, a very precious one; and observed on it how her eyes and strength held out, though ten years older than I. Her call was sudden-but one day's illness; during which she was kept in faith and love, and departed (as it ap peared) in her sleep in the evening. A mother in Israel hast thou been, and thy works shall praise thee in the gates. November 12.-This day is particularly solemn to me. It is just twenty-three years this morning, both by the year and by the day, since I was at this very hour going to Batley church, to give my hand to my dearly beloved Mr. Fletcher. O, what fears did I feel, lest it should be a step out of God's way! The light I had before seemed that morning to be quite obscure; but as soon as it was over, the light broke out on my soul, and it hath shone clearer and clearer ever since. Blessed be God that I ever took that step! It was the Lord that brought us together, and joined us in an eternal union! Nor do I find that union any less; nay, it is at this moment far greater than on that day. O, that I were more spiritual! then I should partake more fully of the inheritance which he enjoys in the kingdom of our Father. PART THE EIGHTH. HER DECLINING YEARS. January 1, 1805. AND now another year is gone! say? Have I got nearer to thee? In some things I have; but ah! Lord, show forth thy mighty power, and lift me above all! Make "my feet as hinds' feet," that I"may tread on the high places," and never let in a thought that doth not lead to thee! In the last month, on the seventh day, my dear, my only sister, was called to her eternal rest. We had not seen each other for some years, but constantly wrote all our minds and every concern to each other. Providence had thrown us, as to habitation, far asunder. In her last hours she expressed faith and resig nation, and that she was waiting for the coming of the |