I see, in some measure, that nothing less than infinite. wisdom, power, and mercy, did ever devise or accomplish the salvation of a sinner. I have had some spiritual exercise and temptations of late, which I had not expected; so little do I know of the narrow path. Had I experienced these before my faith was well grounded, it seems to me, I should have been overset. But I know in whom I have believed'-and I doubt not, though the combat is sharp and long, and I can only just keep my head above water, by seeing sometimes one promise, and sometimes another, that either in time or eternity, I shall see the needs be for the trials of this part of my pilgrimage. I thirst for more divine wisdom; and if it must be gained by suffering, so let it be, as far as I shall be able to endure.

"However, I can say this,' If I am not willing to be cured of the disease of sin at any expense, Lord, do it against my will: only uphold me during the process.' I know what it is to have sharp bodily pains, and can conceive of others still more severe; but all is nothing to that crucifixion of the spirit, which we must pass through. That passage was brought strongly to my mind this morning, Satan hath desired to have thee, that he might sift thee as wheat, but I have prayed for thee.' Who can be sufficiently thankful for such an Intercessor! Through grace I am yet enabled to say, 'Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy;' I shall yet see thy overthrow, and my victory. Through the blood of the Lamb, I shall yet be more than conqueror. And though various trials and temptations from within and without have well nigh shaken to the ground this house of clay, yet I trust I have another provided, A house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' Let your prayers, my dear sister, help to waft me thither. I need them

much. I thank you for the benefit I have already derived from them: I intreat yet more. I much wish to come to visit you, and hope I shall soon. The time I leave to Him who is my guide and comforter, as far as comfort is needful. That I have not more, is owing to myself; that I have any, is owing solely to the riches of His grace."

MRS. HAWKES went soon after to visit her sister at Birmingham, which appears from the following notice in her diary.

Birmingham, Sept. 9, 1789. "The meeting of ministers at St. Mary's. Rev. C. Simeon preached from Col. iii. 11. 'Christ is all, and in all !'”

All in all to the poor-to the rich-to the afflicted -to the prosperous-to the weak--to the ignorantto the guilty.'

"His sermon animated my heart; and so did his private, social prayer, and conversation. So pious, so affectionate, so desirous that I should take Christ to be my all in all; to give myself as a chaste virgin to be married to Christ; to cleave to him closely, as the shadow moves wherever the substance moves.

"My heart responds to his entreaty. I desire that Christ should be my all in all."

Sept. 15.-" Returned to Broad Marston. Went to visit my aged and excellent aunt, S.* an Israelite indeed,' not outwardly only, but in the heart. She is naturally more like an angel than any character I know; but grace superadded, makes her also a saint. Not in her own eyes-for she is a mirror of humility, true and unfeigned. Her daughter, Mrs. Cooper, is also an excellent, sincere Christian, who seems to have a good

*Her father's sister.

portion of Mary's heart, with Martha's hands. She is a miracle of patience and resignation. Though she is said to have a confirmed cancer in each breast, she appears quite cheerful, and sings walking about the house as if nothing was the matter. She declares, that notwithstanding she has witnessed the sufferings and death of her sister, from this disease, and has no reason. but to expect to go through the same, yet she has seldom an anxious hour on that occasion; for she can leave the matter with God, who will either deliver or support her, through whatever afflictions he lays upon her."

"Mem.-Mrs. Cooper lived only a few years after this, and then died suddenly! How wise and how happy, to commit her cares to him who cared for her. What would her anxieties have done these few remaining years, save, perhaps, to have brought on the very sufferings she had reason to fear? O how sinful to distrust God, and meet trouble before it comes; thereby making it double. Yet this I am doing every day. Lord, enable me to leave caring for the morrow, and trust simply to thee!"

Honeybourne,* Sept. 20.-" I have this day been visiting the grave of a female friend and companion of my younger days, who died in the 27th year of her age. She, like myself, no sooner married, than she became a child of sorrow. Her constitution, seemingly very strong, was broken by affliction; and she was carried off by a rapid consumption. Her grave speaks loudly to me. May I hear and observe; and may I, like her, die in hope of a blessed resurrection."

Birmingham, Oct. 10.-"Happy to return to this

* Residence of her eldest brother, Nathaniel.

favoured place. Heard the Rev. Mr. Burn, from Luke xxii. 31, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have thee, to sift thee as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not!'

999

"A remarkable circumstance occurred under this very animated and striking sermon. A poor woman had for some time been under a violent, and almost irresistible temptation to drown herself; and declared, she had actually risen from her seat no less than twenty times with a design to throw herself into the canal. One of her neighbours seeing her this morning weeping bitterly, enquired into the cause of her distress, and talked with her, but without much effect. While Mr. Burn was preaching at St. Mary's church, she, by seeming accident, dropped in, and was so arrested by the discourse, that she returned home quite another creature.

"Such is the benefit of being in the way of duty; and such the infinite mercy of having a Saviour who says to all his tempted ones, I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not!""

London, Sunday, Nov. 1. "I desire to be unfeignedly thankful for the comfort I have this day received in the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. May I never lose sight of the engagements which I made at the altar, to give myself wholly to the Lord; and to take him to be my righteousness, sanctification, and redemption."

Wednesday, Dec. 2.-" My Sundays and Wednesdays are my days of holiday,-days of feasting. I rejoice in their return; and they afford me ten thousand times more satisfaction and real pleasure than all my days of gaiety and mirth.”

Friday, Jan. 1, 1790.-" Had a visit from my revered father in the Gospel, who, as he always does, gave me

the richest instruction; which though I cannot recollect as to the expression, is, I trust, as to the substance, engraven on my heart.

"Rejoice,' he said, rather than despond, at the discoveries you obtain of the deceitfulness of your heart. It may be painful to you, but it is safe. Christians must fight, not faint. Such as get the deepest knowledge of their indwelling evils, are better grounded in religion than those who only see the surface. Observe what views David had of his sinfulness.

He writes.

Take care of reading what is called CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. Very few of such books are well written, i. e. have the experience simply stated: only mark the difference between the characters given us in the Bible, and the characters usually drawn by man. God gives the true, simple account of the character. down the defects as well as the excellences. But when man undertakes to write, he gives the best side of the story: he generally dresses out the character in all its excellences, and casts the defects into the shade. Do not, therefore, take your standard from human observation, but divine. Do not take another person's conscience for the rule of your own; for there are innumerable cases wherein one cannot judge for another. Study the Scriptures with prayer, and a teachable spirit, and you will never greatly err.'

"Mem.-This is a word in season; for I have been ready to think I ought to turn to every passing pilgrim for help; and because I felt reluctant so to do, my scrupulous conscience has condemned me, as proud and fastidious. How thankful ought I to be for so wise and condescending a counsellor: for I am persuaded, that if in a multitude of counsellors there is safety, in a multitude of counsellors there is also confusion."