a season of outward trials: but I have enjoyed. fellowship with God, and great inward comforts. I have ever found when he gives peculiar grace, he permits it to be tried; but I 66 prove as my day is, so is my strength." Yes, glory to his name, I am more than conqueror; and feel it the constant language of my heart, "No cross, no suffering I decline, Sun. 10. Mr. Simpson preached from, "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink: but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." O the blessedness of this inward kingdom! with streaming eyes, and heart overflowing with love, I could claim this portion mine; mine in possession, and mine for ever! O Lord, how shall I praise thee? "Nothing else will I know, in my journey below, But singing thy grace, to thy Paradise go.' Thurs. 28. After a blessed season of communion with God in secret prayer this morning, I went with my mother to spend the day at Adlington. Every thing I saw there, in the house or gardens, contributed to fill my happy soul with praise. In such and such a spot, I would say to myself, have I poured out my soul in deep distress unto the Lord: and in such a place, he darted a ray of comfort, and bid me go forward. O my Lord, what hast thou done for a worthless worm, since these seasons of weeping penitence! Then I sowed in tears; but now I reap in joy. E "O what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits." I have nothing! My all is thine already. A poor offering: but, "Poor as it is, 'tis all my store; More thou shouldst have, if I had more." Some time after this, I called upon Sarah Oldham, and found her just arrived on the borders of Canaan. It was animating to be near her! She requested us to sing, "Gladly would I flee away; Loose from earth no longer;" &c. When we ceased, she cried, "O sweet! O com. fortable! I thank you." I asked her, "Have you any doubts or fears of landing safely?" She said, "Oh no! not one doubt." I asked a few other questions, which she answered to my great satisfaction. Two days after this, clapping her hands together in an ecstacy of joy, she took her flight to glory! Her last words were, "My Lord! and my God!" On Monday, April 1, Mr. Wesley came to Macclesfield; and I saw and conversed with him for the first time. He behaved to me with pa.. rental tenderness, and greatly rejoiced in the Lord's goodness to my soul:-Encouraged me to hold fast, and to declare what the Lord hath wrought. On Wednesday morning he set off for Manchester. He thinks me consumptive; but welcome life, or welcome death, for Christ is mine. Tuesday, June 4. I find great weakness of body, but much of the Divine presence, and resigned longings for immortality. I was at the five o'clock preaching this morning; and there the Lord shed his love abroad in my heart, and all day I have had such solemn nearness to him, as I cannot describe. I called on one, who, in the arms of death, is rejoicing in redeeming love. Her will perfectly resigned, and her evidence clear for a glorious eternity. What a sight! O Jesus, this is thy victory! O Satan, how art thou conquered! Tuesday, July 9. My weakness of body seems to increase; and so does my union with him my soul loveth. I was so happy in the night, that I had little sleep, and awoke several times with those words deeply impressed, "The temple of indwelling God." His love humbles me in the dust; it seems as a mirror to discover my nothingness. Sometimes my weakness of body seems quite overpowered with the Lord's presence ma. nifested to my soul: and I have thought that I could bear no more, and live: but then I eagerly cry, O give me more, and let me die! but I am resigned to live and suffer here. I found the following lines, which I received with some others, very reviving. "My dear Sister, "I FEAR I shall hardly see you again, till we meet in Paradise. But if you should gradually decay, if you be sensible of the hour approaching when your spirit is to return to God, I should be glad to have notice of it. It is a comfort, to die is not to be lost. To earth-born pain superior you shall rise, "Tell me, how far does the corruptible and decaying body press down the soul? Your disorder naturally sinks the spirits, and occasions heaviness and dejection. Can you, notwithstanding this, rejoice evermore? I shall be glad to know, if you experience something similar to what Mr. de Renty expresses in those strong words, I bear about with me an experimental verity, and a plenitude of the presence of the ever-blessed Trinity.' Do you commune with God in the night season? Does he bid you even in sleep, go on? And does he make your very dreams devout? That he may fill you with all his fulness, is the constant wish of," &c. I praise my God who enabled me, in a degree, to understand the above; and to answer those deep questions in the affirmative. Wed. Sept. 11. This day I have had much pain and weakness of body, but my peace hath been as a river: O that my righteousness may be as the waves of the sea. My uncle has disowned my three cousins, on account of hearing the Methodists. But cousins R. and J. are steadfast, and more happy in God than ever. Poor C. has given up. Christ for the world ; and is, therefore, restored to the favour of his earthly parent. But, O how will he appear when earth and heaven shall flee away! Lord, make it a warning to me, that I may watch, and pray, and implore help every moment. Sunday, 22. As I returned from preaching, I called on Mary Etchells, who is in the last stage of a dropsy; just ready to wing her way to eternal glory. She has been a backslider in heart for some years; but in her long affliction, she has returned unto the Lord, with weeping, mourning, and supplication. Nor did she weep in vain; the Lord hearkened, and spoke peace to her soul some weeks since; and, this day, she told me she has received the witness of being cleansed from all sin: so that now she is full of love and joy. Her cry is, O how I long to be with Jesus! Why are his chariot-wheels so long in coming! O for patience till my Jesus comes." She got hold of my hand after I had prayed with her, and said, "O what precious sights do I see! Such glory! such glory, I cannot utter it!" Soon after, her happy spirit fled to her eternal rest. Monday, Oct. 14. In the night, (for I could not sleep,) it was a covenanting season between God and my happy soul. And I since find the bonds of Divine union more strong than ever. This has been a blessed day! His work, his ways, his word, are my delight. I live by faith: and all hard things are become easy. I can praise him in every conflict: but I feel I could bear nothing, could do nothing, without Jesus. All my dependence is on Him, who supplies |