works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; to believe all the articles of the Christian faith; to keep God's holy will and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of your life." And is not this vowing to perfect holiness in the fear of God? Does the first part of this sacred engagement, To renounce the devil and all his works, leave any room for the least agreement with the devil, the world, or the flesh? Does the second, To believe all the articles of the Christian faith, make the least allowance for one doubt with respect to any one article of the Christian faith? Or, does the third allow the wilful breach of any one of God's commandments? Again, Do we not all profess to believe it to be our duty to love God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves? Weigh the depth of those two expressions. Do they not imply love made perfect, or, in other words, Christian perfection? Seventhly, Remember that saying of Solomon, The wise man's eyes are in his head. Let your eye of faith be steadily fixed on your living Head, deeply conscious of that word,— "Having done all, by faith I stand, 66 And give the praise, O Lord, to thee!" A holy man makes this observation : Perseveving be lievers are little omnipotents." Abide then every moment in the living vine, from whom you constantly draw your life, as the coal its heat from the fire; it was all black, cold, and filthy, before it was impregnated with the fire that kindled it; but if by any accident it fall therefrom, the shining perfection which it had acquired, gradually wears away, and it becomes a filthy cinder, the black emblem of an apostate. So true is that saying of our Lord, Without me ye can do nothing. Eighthly, Consider yourselves as united by a holy covenant to God and to each other; aiming to advance the glory of God all you possibly can. "Ye for Christ your Master stand Beware then that your light become not darkness; let no one be discouraged from secking Christian holiness, by any thing they see in your life and conversation. We must become a whole burned sacrifice. The soldier enlist ed under the banner of his king, may neither leave his post, nor choose his employment. We have covenanted to be the Lord's; and may not draw back one power, no. nor one thought, from his service. Be it then engraven on our hearts, as with a diamond pen, "Thy vows, O God, are upon me; I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and cannot go back." Glory be to God, it might be said of Cross Hall, (the name of our present habitation,) many a soul has been born in her, and many sweet seasons did we know with the Lord; and I do at this day declare I shall ever adore the wisdom of God in bringing me down to settle in Yorkshire. It was good for the work of God. It was good for my own soul;* but for a season it did not appear good for my temporal affairs. I had not been seven years there, before I saw myself brought into great perplexity, from circumstances I shall by and by relate. But whatever occurred, I must ever praise the Lord, that his providence brought me there. I had a continual presentiment my troubles were for an appointed time; and that in the end deliverance would be given from every difficulty. I found my mind much united to brother and sister Taylor. I strove to remove their burdens, and went in person to their creditors. After meeting with some opposition, I got their affairs settled, at the expense of between two and three hundred pounds. After the death of sister Ryan, my soul had many risings and sinkings. Sometimes I seemed to lose my way, and knew not where or what I was. For about two years, I sunk into fear, care, self-indulgence, and many wanderings. Yet my aim was toward the Lord, who, after that season, began again to renew in me a tender conscience, and as my outward sorrows increased, so my inward light and power began to revive. It was soon after that time that we began the meeting above mentioned, as near as I can remember, though I have not set *Nothing could prevent such a devoted person from bearing fruit unto God. In answer to the prayer of faith, He opens rivers in the high places, and streams in the desert. Mr. Wesley, speaking of her settlement in Yorkshire, observes, (see his Works, vol. iv,) "Saturday, July 7th, 1770, I rode to Miss Bosanquet's. Her family is still a pattern, and a general blessing to the country."-ED. down the exact date thereof; by my diary it appears to be about a year after my soul began again to walk by faith. These meetings were to me a singular blessing. They cost me many a wrestling prayer, and when the nights approached when we were to meet, O! the sinking into nothing before God my spirit used to feel! Of all the meetings I ever was employed in while in Yorkshire, I know not I ever felt my soul so conscious of the Lord's approval as in these. I must acknowledge it occasioned both expense and labour. Frequently I had many beds to make up, and many friends and their horses to entertain. But I saw it such an honour to be (as I sometimes expressed it) the Lord's innkeeper, that I could feel nothing but satisfaction therein. Those words were often applied with great sweetness, The birds of the air shall rest under thy branches. I now found a fresh conviction of the necessity of Divine help, that I might go in and out before my family, in such a manner as would lead them into the most excellent way; and when any thing particular rested on my mind, I usually set it down in the way of diary. On looking over old papers, I find the following remarks; but am not quite clear as to the dates : "This day I have been solemnly renewing my covenant with the Lord, and considering over our family rules, fasts, and meetings. I have been praying for fresh vigour and resolution in the use thereof; and while reading this morning the vision of Samuel concerning Eli, I was led to inquire how far it was my own case. Lord, thou hast made me the head of this family. Do I bear the sword in vain? Show me, Lord, what I can do to help them, considered one by one, and how I may help to put away, in cach, whatever would offend. The thoughts which flowed into my mind were as follows :— "First, Love is the end of the commandment. If I would wish to be such a head as God approves, I must have no spring of action but love. Yet when we have many tempers to suit ourselves to, all their burdens to bear, and their every want to supply, (even in narrow circumstances,) nature is apt to grow weary. It is very easy to give our neighbour what we can spare, but to pinch ourselves, and even to run the risk of debts and distress for their sakes, makes the work far more hard. How then shall I get and keep that spirit of love to each which is needful for my fulfilling toward them the place of a mother? or, in some sense, to be a pillar in God's house, who is appointed to bear the weight of the whole building? "I will call over each member in my mind with solemn prayer, and search out every perfection of every kind ;every trace of the image of God which I can discern in each, and enter them on paper; adding thereto every fresh discovery-and then to each name affix a plan, denoting what is the best method of helping that person's infirmities, and strengthening their virtues. If I do not thus study the tempers and dispositions of my family, how unlike will my carriage be to that of my heavenly Father toward me. I am also much convinced of the necessity of being exact in early rising, both for the good of my own soul, and that of my family; and as I am now better, I trust to be able to execute my purpose. I shall also meet the family at stated times, for an hour, in order to inquire if brotherly love continues. And to remove all hinder ances thereto, I will at those times observe, "My design in having a family is to bring honour to God. If that end be not answered, I am disappointed, and the Spirit of God is grieved with those who hinder it. "But in order to this, it is needful to be aware of Satan's devices, who will be always endeavouring to throw in something to wound love; and among a large family, where there is a multiplicity of business, perplexities will arise, which sometimes have a tendency to break, or at least to interrupt, that sweet harmony of love, by which the Church below is rendered a shadow of that above. "To prevent this must be my constant labour. I believe you all love me; and I am, my heavenly Father knows, united to every one of you. But that will not do, unless you are united among yourselves. I would therefore inquire of each, one by one :— 66 First, Do you find want of love to any one here? If you answer yes, give your reason, and it shall be searched to the bottom, though it be in myself. 66 Secondly, Is there any conduct of any member which you think might be mended? "Thirdly, We are to live only to and for God. You all can bear me witness, what we save is saved for the poor, and the work of God. Now, can any of you point out wherein we can save more? This is to be done in little things for instance, suppose twenty of you had each a candle to use, and each person were to run it into the fire, and waste a tenth part of the whole, that would be two candles lost per night. If each fire (we will say ten) burn one pennyworth of coals per day more than is needful, there are five shillings and tenpence per week lost; enough to make two poor people, who love and serve the Lord, comfortable. The same may be said of every thing we eat, drink, wear, or make use of. Savingness gives a constant and profitable use of the cross; as well as administers, by those small acts of self-denial, to the necessities of our brethren. If we are thirty in family, besides many strangers-suppose every one by frugality to save (every thing being put together) but two pence per day, what a large sum will that make in the whole year-nearly a hundred pounds!—and how many of the saints of God may be fed and clothed therewith! 66 Fourthly, Time is a most invaluable talent; and there is scarcely an hour but we may save some minutes, by doing every thing as to the Lord, that is, in the best manner we are able. It is a true saying, a thing once well done is twice done. For instance, if you saw a seam carelessly, it will soon want doing over again. If you clean any thing by halves, it will want a repetition almost directly. If linen is badly got up, and not of a good colour, it will not wear half the time. Consequently, the next wash will be larger, will require more time, more soap, more fire, &c. If you teach the children by halves, they will need so many more lessons, and be so much the longer before they are useful at home, or fit to go out; so that the desire of saving time calls for the most diligent application in every thing. But in order truly to buy up this precious talent, there is a necessity of walking as in the constant presence of God. By that recollection, we shall cut off useless words and thoughts, which are the canker worms that eat up our time. "Fifthly, The power of speech is a great talent. It is an instrument of much good, or much evil. The tongue is a little member, yet how much good or evil is it capable |