at times, ravish the soul with delight, thereby wooing it to cast away unbelief, and open the door to receive all the precious mind of Jesusall the stamp of love divine. Now when a soul is obedient to the voice of God. when it does open the door, and grasp the promises of holiness in the hand of faith, he will come into that soul, and plant his own nature there. Then, when perfected in love, faith becomes constant, and unmixed with unbelief. Love takes full possession of the soul, and humility, unmixed with pride, lays him at the Saviour's feet. His constant faith, and perfect love, now bring forth perfect patience and resignation. His deep rooted humility having laid all self at the Saviour's feet, his will is now quite subject, and all his language is,

"All 's alike to me, so I

In my Lord may live and die."

But even this state is consistent with many igno rances, weaknesses, and infirmities;-with many temptations, trials, crosses, and bodily afflictions; and, on account of these, our joy may at times be small: yet our faith may be perfect, and our peace undisturbed. I believe our faith is often made manifest by following God blindfold, (if I may be allowed the expression ;) I mean, when our ignorance and blindness cannot account for his providential dispensations; when we are beset with trials, and see no way to escape. In this case, faith says, "It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." Being confident of this one thing, "What I know not now, I shall know hereafter;' I will trust in my God, and not be afraid, for he is my all.

I have not time, room, or expression, to tell a thousandth part of the goodness of my God to my

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soul. He is ever with me, and assures my heart, "All that I have is thine." All my desires are satisfied in him :--I live in him, and walk in him, and he is my God. He is with me in sickness and in health-at home and abroad-in public and in private. In reading or writing I feel his presence: and, oh! when I am bowed before his throne, he lets down a heaven of communicated bliss! Language fails when I speak of his love! Oh may my every breath speak his praise! I remain your unworthy friend, but happy sister,

H. A. ROE.

My dear Friend,

LETTER XV.

To Miss Salmon.

Malpas, June 16, 1779.

How shall I praise my God for his goodness, his infinite, his stupendous love! Oh how he heapeth his benefits upon me, and maketh every other blessing sweet, by the gift of himself! Would any thing the world calls great or good, be any thing to me without my God! Ah! no, no: every thing most desirable is hateful to my soul, wherein I cannot taste, or feel, or see something of my blessed Lord: but, all glory be to him, he is my all in all things. Help me to love this only lovely, dearest object of my wishes. Let him, my dear sister, be our Lord and King for ever. Yes, Lord, take our hearts:

"Manage the wheels by thy command,
And govern every spring."

How sweet is the yoke of Jesus! Oh how gentle, how tender, how compassionate his care! How

hath he borne you and I, as weak and helpless lambs in his arms, carried us in his bosom, and defended us from the fowler's snare! Eternal Lord God, thou indwelling Trinity, whom truly our hearts do love, accept the gratitude words cannot speak in silent adoration we adore thee, overwhelmed at thy amazing grace! I cannot utter, my dear friend, the sweet feelings of my heart, or tell you how divine a union my spirit feels with yours. Oh may you now, and henceforth, prove all that Jesus can bestow! How much is that? Words cannot tell you; but yours it is, through the merit of his blood!

I intended to begin my letter with thanks for your love and kindness to me at Chester; but I was led to the precious fountain of all comfort, and when I had once begun his mercy's theme, I could not break off! I bear, however, a grateful sense of the affectionate regard you manifested; and though to tell you so is all I can do, my Lord will surely reward. My love to dear Miss Bennet, and all that family; and to all where you are. I bear them all on my heart before God. I love them all; and if they knew how Jesus loves them they would not keep back their hearts from him. I got safe to this place, and am treated very kindly by this loving family; but oh how I feel for those who love not God! My dear Miss B. is as open and free as before. My soul cleaves to her, and I have great hopes. Pray for her, and for your ever affectionate,

H. A. ROE.

Dear Sister,

LETTER XVI.

To Miss Loxdale.

Nantwich, June 30, 1779.

My dear friend's letter was indeed a pleasure and a blessing to me; and my Lord's great goodness to you, is a fresh motive to love and praise him. But fresh motives of this kind are no new things to me: I am ever discovering instances of his goodness, that fill me with wonder and astonishment, and cause me to exclaim, with holy David, "Lord, what is man that thou art so mindful of him?" Great things, indeed. my dear sister, hath the Lord done for you, and for your unworthy friend and yet, oh stupendous grace! we have only received a drop out of the ocean of his love: An endless prospect, and a maze of bliss, lie yet before us!-opening beauties, and such lengths and breadths, and depths, and heights, as thought cannot fathom, or mind of man conceive! It is, my friend, the fulness of the Triune God, in which we may bathe, and plunge, and sink, till lost and swallowed up in the ever growing, overflowing ocean of delights. His fulness; oh what is it!shall we ever fathom it? ever know a ten thousandth part! Ah no! a ten thousandth part of that effulgence we could not bear to know and live! Nay, and when disembodied through the revolving ages of eternity, I am persuaded we shall only seem beginning to know his fulness of love. What thoughts are these! when I enter into them, as into a labyrinth, they almost overcome my natural powers. Oh how very little of his revealed glory can this earthen vessel contain! but a time is hastening on, (and I eagerly wait for its approach,)

when, no longer imprisoned in clay, our eyes shall be strengthened to see him as he is;-see him for ourselves, and bask for ever in his smiles. Yes, we shall be with Jesus, and behold his glory. He will reveal to us also, as much as we can bear of the fulness of the Father's glory; and we shall be with Father, Son, and Spirit, filled to all eternity! But I have been led farther than I intended: I must return.

Permit me to ask, my dear friend, what are your ideas, what is your opinion, or what your experience of inward, instantaneous sanctification whereby the root, the in-being of sin is destroyed? I do not mean or allude to a state of angelic or Adamic, but a Christian perfection; a destruction of every temper contrary to love; a state consistent with many temptations of the devil, if our hearts repel those temptations, and our will do not embrace or yield to them: for that cannot be sin, in which our will has no part. Thus it was with Jesus: "In him was no sin, yet he was tempted in all points as we are:" Before his pure eyes did that enemy display all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them:-to his spotless soul he suggested disturbing doubts, and presumptuous expectations; but in the Son of God they found no place. Again; what I mean is a state consistent with a growth in grace; for Jesus, though always pure, "increased in wisdom and stature,

and in favour with God and man." Is not such a state expressed and described in the thirteenth of the first book of Corinthians? and is it not commanded in these gracious words, "Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks?" Does the apostle add, "This is the will of God concerning you?" And after praying, "Now the God of peace sanctify you wholly:"