highly affluent as they were; for thefe, though neceffary duties, yet, fhe well knew, were not the charity of the gofpel; not that charity which the Apoftle Paul so divinely defcribes at 1 Corinth. 13: 3. She was fenfible, that Jefus Chrift must be revealed in the heart before we can have any juft claim to discipleship, and that it is his ruling and bringing all things there in fubjection to his Spirit that was the great and only principle of Chriftian charity. She knew, that the great scene of religion lay within, in the right government of the heart; accordingly her eye was ever upon her heart, to fee that all its principles were cleansed from evil mixtures, had no taint from felf-love, were not fullied with vain-glory; her care was to obferve the tendency of all its motions, how its ftruggles weakened in finful defires, endeavouring continually to nourish it by acts of faith in the blood of her Redeemer. She had well learnt to overcome evil with good, to fuffer long and be kind, to bear all things, and if ever by fpeech, carriage or otherwife fhe fuspected, that she had disturbed the spirit of any, fhe had no peace with herself till fhe had taken care for the recovery of theirs.

Much more might be faid of the endowments and virtues of this true difciple of Jefus Chrift, more especially of her patience under fufferings, and refignation to Divine Will; under the painful difpenfation fhe paffed through, during the laft eighteen months of her life, occafioned by a cancer in her breaft, which, notwithstanding the fuffered it to be feparated from her body, yet in the end occafioned her death. This painful operation The not only bore with patience, but even rejoiced, that she was counted worthy to fuffer, knowing her Saviour had fuffered in his flefh, and that as fufferings was the way to his perfection, it muft alfo be the way to our's, this being the declared condition of our being glorified with him; the trueft marks of adoption, and the moft fovereign medicine fent from heaven for our cure. These truths this truly pious Lady was fo well acquainted with, that fhe declared, She would not wish to be out of her prefent fituation, nor exchange it for any other at any price. Thus

with great meeknefs and tranquility, with chearfulness fcarce to be believed, in perfect ferenity and freedom, The continued her ufual life till the time appointed for the operation. When that time of deep trial came, fhe fhewed no reluctance or ftruggle, but endured all even without complaint; only towards the end fhe drew such a figh, as the compaffionate reader who reads this, may do. Hence it appears, how thofe that follow the Lamb with fincerity, are endowed with virtue and power refulting from the true fpirit of his religion, which others are unacquainted with. The night following the operation was not indeed a night of much fleep, but of truly celeftial reft; a night of thanksgiving to her God for the vifible demonftration of his power in her and about her, for his ftretched-out arm in her great deliverance, for the boun iful provifion he had made for her body and foul, holding all the powers of her fpirit exercifed in acts of love, gratitude and adoration. She fooner than was expected got upon her feet, and, with every improvement that could be made, into the fame way of life that he had been in before, wholly intent upon the glory of God, and the good of her fellow-creatures. But the diftemper only repreffed for a time, rofe up with new malignity, to the much greater affliction of numbers in the world, than of her that bore it; for fhe had now been, for fome time, in the school of afAction, exercifed with its fharp difcipline, and found its falutary effects. Under thefe fentiments her hope was full of immortality, and the eternal weight of glory, now in full view, made all her afflictions light. In this near and certain approach of death, her cherishing warmth, like that of the fun, though it might be moft felt by those neareft, yet alfo reached thofe at greater diftance; witne is the great number of letters fhe writ, and dictated to others when he became unable to write, full of fweet counfel, having for their argument the bleffedness of piety; preffing home the neceffity of it, and fetting forth its true natures witnefs alfo the number of perfons of all conditions who reforted at her house, to behold the living power of religion in her, and to be benefited by her wifdom,

wisdom. With fome of these she continued in heavenly conferences as long as fhe had ftrength. Her life was near drawing to its laft ftage; but her lamp and her life must be extinguifhed together, and the muft occupy till her Lord comes. Accordingly the convened her houfhold, to ftrengthen and enforce every thing that she had done or fhewn them before, by her dying counfels; and would have extended this care to the whole village, but was restrained by the phyfician. The path of the juft is as a fhining light, which fhineth more and more unto the perfect day. "The truly religious, whofe evidences "for heaven are clear, rational, and well grounded, "have a tide of joy fpringing up in their minds beyond "expreffion; fomething more moving and fatisfactory "than any one can imagine, but they that perceive

it. When they are juft entering upon the promifed "land, the fplendor of the eternal day dawns upon "them, and fhines as through the breaches of their "fhattered bodies, and raises in the inward man fuch "earneft of happiness, fuch foretaftes of joy, as enables "them to pafs through the valley of death in peace and "triumph.' As death drew near, fhe was in tranfport, quite melted down with the impreffion of glory, broke out with a raised accent into thefe words: Blefs me, Lord! what is it that I fee! Oh! the greatness of the glory that is revealed in me, that is before me. And fome time after fhe had fo faid, fhe fell asleep.

And now, Reader, let me afk, What miftakes or delufions did this Lady live under? or what wrong jugdment did fhe make of the nature and obligation of our common Christianity? Common I call it, for it is one and the fame to every man and to every woman, whereever it is known, and to the practice of the effential and life-giving part of it, is every man and every woman tied down at their utmoft peril. And if it be afked, what thefe are? the anfwer is, That they cannot here indeed be well drawn out in particulars; but two principal ones, to which the reft are reducible, are, A firm Faith in, and Dependance upon, Chrif And un

der

der the Help and Power of his Spirit, a mighty Labour to perfect that Holiness which he hath taught us.

All indeed have not this Lady's poffibilities, and cannot give in alms fevenfold more than they expend upon themselves; but there is scarce one, but may give a cup of cold water, and great things are promifed even to that, if it is done in a right manner, and with a devout fpirit. Again, all have not near the fame difengagements and leisure that fhe had, nor have in common with her the fame command of their time, and therefore cannot maintain fo close an attendance upon fpiritual exercises; yet nevertheless almost all may, at all times and in all places, preferve fome fort of heavenly-mindedness, may ftrive againft fin, and use their beft endeavours to keep themselves unspotted from the world, and by locking up their fenfes against temptation, in good measure quench the fiery darts of the enemy. And if of themfelves they are not (as moft certainly they are not) sufficient for these things, yet the Grace of God is, if they turn to it, feek it earnestly, follow its holy motions, and put themselves under its government. And that all may obtain the Grace of God, is certain; for it is common to all. Our gracious and merciful Saviour, the fure and faithful Friend of thofe who are helpless and heavy laden, repeatedly declares it to be fo, and the whole tenor of the gospel contains a gracious offer of falvation to every foul who in fincerity prays to God for it. He who is Love itfelf, will furely fend none empty away. If ye (fays that true friend of the contrite and humble) who are evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more fhall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to those that afk. Wherefore, how amazing is it, that even one foul in the whole world, can believe, that GOD, who is the fource and wellfpring of Light and Love, and made man for the purpofe of his own Glory, fhould not be willing that all Men fhould be faved. More especially, when the nature of the Gospel is confidered to be, as indeed it is, a declaration of Peace and Good will to man; that it is good tidings of great joy, to ALL People: Luke 2: 10. Tnat

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'the Lord is long fuffering, not willing that any fhould perish, but that ALL Should come unto repentance: 1 Tim. 2: 4. That Chrift our Saviour is the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sin of the world: John 1: 29. That he was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world: John 19. That, the Grace which bringeth Salva-` tion, hath appeared unto all men: Tit. 2: 11. That by that Grace he fhould tafte Death for every man: Heb. 2: 9. That he came not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be faved. John 3: 17. Wherefore the Apoftle tells the Believers, That if any man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the Righteous; that he is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for our Sins only, but also for the Sins of the whole world: 1 John 2: 1, 2. The Lord is not flack concerning his Promife as fome men count flackness, but is long fuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all fhould come to repentance. 2 Petr. 3: 9. And farther the Apoftle exhorts, That prayers, interceffion and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authorities; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honefty; for this is good and acceptable in the fight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be faved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth; for there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Jefus Chrift, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be teftified in due time. 1 Tim. 2: 1. Our bleffed Saviour, the only begotten Son of God, full of Grace and Truth, in whofe mouth was no guile, himself declares, That this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3: 19. And to the Jews he fays, Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. John 5 40. And when weeping over Jerufalem, he says, How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a ben gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Matth. 23: 37. To thefe great truths the fpirit of prophecy in former difpenfations bears ample record, as at Acts 10. 43, That to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whofoever believeth

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