3. "The distemper was soon very heavy upon her. But so much the more was her faith strengthened. Tuesday, Nov. 19, she said to me, 'I have been worshipping before the throne in a glorious inanner, my soul was so let into God.' I said, Did the Lord give you any particular promise? No,' replied she, it was all

The sacred awe that dares not move,

And all the silent heaven of love.'

4. "On Thursday, upon my asking, What have you to say to me? She said, Nay, nothing but what you know already: God is love." I asked, Have you any particular promise? She replied, I do not seem to want any, I can live without. I shall die a lump of deformity, but shall meet you all glorious. And meantime I shall still have fellowship with your spirit.'

5. "Mr. M. asked, what she thought the most excellent way to walk in, and what were its chief hinderances? She answered, The greatest hinderance generally is from the natural constitution. It was mine, to be reserved, to be very quiet, to suffer much, and to say little. Some may think one way more excellent, and some another. But the thing is, to live in the will of God. For some months past, when I have been particularly devoted to this, I have felt such a guidance of the Spirit, and the unction which I have received from the Holy One, has so taught me all things, that I needed not any man should teach me, save as this anointing teacheth.'

6. On Friday morning she said, 'I believe I shall die.' She then sat up in bed, and said, 'Lord, I bless thee that thou art ever with me, and all thou hast is mine. Thy love is greater than my weakness, greater than my helplessness, greater than my unworthiness. And glory be to thee, O Jesus, thou art my brother. Let me comprehend with all saints, the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of thy love. Bless these, (some that were present:) let them be every moment exercised in all things, as thou wouldest have them to be.'

7. "Some hours after, it seemed as if the agonies of death were just coming upon her. But her face was full of smiles of triumph, and she clapped her hands for joy. Mrs. C. said, My dear, you are more than conqueror, through the blood of the Lamb.' She answered, 'Yes, O yes: sweet Jesus! O death, where is thy sting?" She then lay as in a dose for some time. Afterwards she strove to speak, but could not. However, she testified her love by shaking hands with all in the room.

8. "Mr. W. then came. She said, 'Sir, I did not know that I should live to see you. But I am glad the Lord has given me this opportunity, and likewise power to speak to you. I love you. You have always preached the strictest doctrine; and I loved to follow it. Do so still, whoever is pleased or displeased.' He asked, 'Do you now believe you are saved from sin?" She said, 'Yes; I have had no doubt of it for many months. That I ever had, was because 4 did not abide in the faith. I now feel, I have kept the faith; and VOL. 8.-E

perfect love casteth out all fear. As to you, the Lord promised mc, your latter works should exceed your former, though I do not live to see it. I have been a great enthusiast as they term it, these six months; but never lived so near the heart of Christ in my life. You, Sir, desire to comfort the hearts of hundreds, by following that simplicity your soul loves.'

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9. To one who had received the love of God under her prayer, she said, I feel I have not followed a cunningly devised fable; for I am as happy as I can live. Do you press on, and stop not short of the mark.' To Miss M-s she said, Love Christ; he loves you. I believe I shall see you at the right hand of God.' But as one star differs from another star in glory, so shall it be in the resurrection.' I charge you in the presence of God, meet me in that day all glorious within. Avoid all conformity to the world. You are robbed of many of your privileges. I know I shall be found blameless. Do you labour to be found of him in peace, without spot.'

10.Saturday morning she prayed nearly as follows: I know, my Lord, my life is prolonged, only to do thy will. And though I should never eat or drink more, (she had not swallowed any thing for near eight and twenty hours,) thy will be done. I am willing to be kept so a twelvemonth. Man liveth not by bread alone.' I praise thee that there is not a shadow of complaining in our streets. In that sense we know not what sickness means. Indeed, Lord, neither life, nor death, nor things present, nor things to come, no, nor any creature shall separate us from thy love one moment.' Bless these, that there may be no lack in their souls. I believe there shall not. I pray in faith.'

"On Sunday and Monday she was light-headed, but sensible at times. It then plainly appeared her heart was still in heaven. One said to her, Jesus is our mark.' She replied, 'I have but one mark, I am all spiritual.' Miss M. said to her, You dwell in God.' She answered, Altogether.' A person asked her, 'Do you love me? She said, 'O, I love Christ: I love my Christ.' To another she said, I shall not long be here; Jesus is precious, very precious indeed.' She said to Miss M. The Lord is very good. He keeps my soul above all.' For fifteen hours before she died, she was in strong convulsions; her sufferings were extreme. One said, You are made perfect through sufferings.' She said, More and more so.' After lying quiet some time, she said, 'Lord, thou art strong!' Then pausing a considerable space, she uttered her last words, My Jesus is all in all to me: glory be to him, through time and eternity." After this she lay still for about half an hour, and then expired without a sigh or groan."

25. The next year the number of those who believed they were saved from sin, still increasing, I judged it needful to publish, chiefly for their use, Farther Thoughts on Christian Perfection.

Q. 1. How is "Christ the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth ?" Rom. x. 4.

A. In order to understand this, you must understand what law is

here spoken of. And this I apprehend, is, 1. The Mosaic Dispensation; which St. Paul continually speaks of as one, though containing three parts, the political, moral, and ceremonial. 2. The Adamic law; that given to Adam in innocence, properly called, "the law of works." This is in substance the same with the Angelic law, being common to angels and men. It required that man should use to the glory of God, all the powers with which he was created. Now he was created free from any defect, either in his understanding or his affections. His body was then no clog to the mind; it did not hinder his apprehending all things clearly, judging truly concerning them, and reasoning justly; if he reasoned at all. say, "If he reasoned:" for possibly he did not. Perhaps he had no need of reasoning, till his corruptible body pressed down the mind, and impaired its native faculties. Perhaps, till then, the mind saw every truth that offered, as directly as the eye now sees the light.

Consequently this law, proportioned to his original powers, required that he should always think, always speak, and always act precisely right, in every point whatever. He was well able so to do. And God could not but require the service he was able to pay.

But Adam fell and his incorruptible body became corruptible: and ever since it is a clog to the soul, and hinders its operations. Hence, at present no child of man can at all times apprehend clearly, or judge truly. And where either the judgment or apprehension is wrong, it is impossible to reason justly. Therefore it is as natural for a man to mistake as to breathe; and he can no more live without the one than without the other. Consequently no man is able to perform the service which the Adamic law requires.

And no man is obliged to perform it: God does not require it of any man. "For Christ is the end of the Adamic, as well as the Mosaic law." By his death he hath put an end to both; he hath abolished both the one and the other with regard to man; and the obligation to observe either the one or the other is vanished away. Nor is any man living bound to observe the Adamic, more than the Mosaic law.

In the room of this, Christ hath established another, namely, the law of Faith. Not every one that doeth, but every one that believeth, now receiveth righteousness, in the full sense of the word; that is, he is justified, sanctified, and glorified.

Q. 2. Are we then dead to the law?

A. We are dead to the law, by the body of Christ, given for us." Rom. vii. 4; to the Adamic, as well as the Mosaic law. We are wholly freed therefrom by his death: that law expiring with him. Q. 3. How then are we "not without law to God, but under the law to Christ?" 1 Cor. ix. 21.

A. We are without that law. But it does not follow that we are without any law. For God has established another law in its place, even the law of faith. And we are all under the law to God and to Christ. Both our Creator and our Redeemer require us to observe it.

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Q. 4. Is love the fulfilling of this law? A. Unquestionably it is. "The whole law under which we now are, is fulfilled by love." Rom. xiii. 9, 10. Faith working or animating by love, is all that God now requires of man. He has substituted (not sincerity, but) love, in the room of Angelic perfection.

Q.. 5. How is "love the end of the commandment ?" 1 Tim. i. 4. A. It is the end of every commandment of God. It is the point aimed at by the whole, and every part of the Christian institution. The foundation is faith, purifying the heart; the end love, preserving a good conscience.

Q. 6. What love is this?

A. The loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and the loving our neighbour, every man, as ourselves, as our own souls.

Q.

What are the fruits or properties of this love?

A. St. Paul informs us at large, Love is long-suffering. It suffers all the wickedness of the children of the world. And that not for a little time only, but as long as God pleases. In all, it sees the hand of God, and willingly submits thereto. Meantime it is kind; in all, and after all it suffers, it is soft, mild, tender, benign. Love envieth not it excludes every kind and degree of envy out of the heart. Love acteth not rashly, in a violent headstrong manner, nor passes any rash or severe judgment. It doth not behave itself indecently, is not rude, does not act out of character; seeketh not her own ease, pleasure, honour, or profit; is not provoked; expels all anger from the heart; thinketh no evil; casteth out all jealousy, suspiciousness, readiness to believe evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, yea, weeps at the sin or folly of its bitterest enemies; but rejoiceth in the truth, in the holiness and happiness of every child of man. Love covereth all things, speaks evil of no man; believeth all things, that tend to the advantage of another's character. It hopeth all things, whatever may extenuate the faults which cannot be denied, and it endureth all things, which God can permit, or men and devils inflict. This is the law of Christ, the perfect law, the law of liberty.

And this distinction between the law of faith, (or love) and the law of works, is neither a subtle, nor an unnecessary distinction. It is plain, easy, and intelligible to any common understanding. And it is absolutely necessary, to prevent a thousand doubts and fears. even in those who do walk in love.

Q. 8. But do we not in many things offend all, yea, the best of us, even against this law?

A. In one sense we do not, while all our tempers, and thoughts, and words, and works, spring from love. But in another sense we do, and shall do, more or less, as long as we remain in the body. For neither love nor the unction of the Holy One makes us infallible. Therefore, through unavoidable defect of understanding, we cannot but mistake in many things. And these mistakes will frequently occasion something wrong both in our temper, and words, and actions. From mistaking his character, we may love a person less than he

really deserves. And by the same mistake we are unavoidably led to speak or act with regard to that person, in such a manner as is contrary to this law, in some or other of the preceding instances.

Q. 9. Do we not then need Christ, even on this account?

A. The holiest of men still need Christ, as their prophet, as the light of the world. For he does not give them light, but from moment to moment: the instant he withdraws, all is darkness. They still need Christ as their king. For God does not give them a stock of holiness. But unless they receive a supply every moment, nothing but unholiness would remain. They still need Christ as their priest to make atonement for their holy things. Even perfect holiness is acceptable to God only through Jesus Christ.

Q. 10. May not then the very best of men adopt the dying martyr's confession: "I am in myself nothing but sin, darkness, hell; but thou art my light, my holiness, my heaven ?"

A. Not exactly. But the best of men may say, "Thou art my light, my holiness, my heaven. Through my union with thee, I am full of light, of holiness, and of happiness, and if I were left to myself, I should be nothing but sin, darkness, hell."

But to proceed. The best of men need Christ as their priest, their atonement, their advocate with the Father, not only as the continuance of their every blessing depends on his death and intercession, but on account of their coming short of the law of love. For every man living does so. You who feel all love, compare yourselves with the preceding description. Weigh yourselves in this balance, and see if you are not wanting in many particulars.

Q. 11. But if all this is consistent with Christian Perfection, that perfection is not freedom from all sin seeing sin is the transgression of the law. And the perfect transgress the very law they are under. Besides, they need the atonement of Christ. And he is the atonement of nothing but sin. Is then the term sinless perfection proper?

A. It is not worth disputing about. But observe, in what sense, the persons in question need the atonement of Christ. They do not need him to reconcile them to God afresh; for they are reconciled. They do not need him to restore the favour of God, but to continue it. He does not procure pardon for them anew, but, "ever liveth to make intercession for them." And "by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Heb. x. 24.

For want of duly considering this, some deny that they need the atonement of Christ. Indeed exceeding few; I do not remember to have found five of them in England. Of the two, I would sooner give up perfection. But we need not give up either one or the other. The perfection I hold, "Love rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in every thing giving thanks," is well consistent with it if any hold a perfection, which is not, they must look to it.

Q. 12. Does then Christian Perfection imply any more than sin cerity ?