this evening I fpoke of it at the Love-feast, though with much trembling.

Saturday 12. I was fo tempted, that I purpofed to declare openly, I had deceived myself. But the next day, God gave me a strong teftimony, that he had cleanfed me from all filthiness of flesh and spirit: at the fame time filling me with the peace that paffeth all understanding.

Thursday 17. I had much comfort and inftruction from one that has long enjoyed the great Salvation. Satan has no part in me; but I am called to live by faith in a manner I never faw before. My foul now naturally cleaves to Jefus, and I go to him for all I want, as a child to its parent.

July 25. My heart is ever open to instruction, from the Spirit, the Word, or the Servants of God. I have a con-. fcience fufceptible of the leaft impreffion of evil, and an uniform defire to do his will in all things. I this day enjoyed the closest union with Chrift that I ever felt: not in rapturous joy, but in a solid, fenfible fellowship with the Lord by his Spirit. Hereby likewife I knew that he had purified my heart, and totally removed the inbred corruption. Blessed be God who has fo convincingly removed all my doubts, fo that there is nothing to obftruct his light and love.

Sept. 3. Most of those who have received the Bleffing in this day of God's power, have received it with abundance of joy and power. But I feel a ftrange emptiness, without

that fulness.

Sept. 13. Bleffed be the Lord I have conflant fellowship with him. I fit loofe to all below, and have the victory over all defire, care, and fear that hath torment. This morning I was taken with a fever and flux, and twice fainted away. so that there feemed but a flep between me and death. But my foul was abundantly filled with love, and I had no defire that things fhould be otherwife than they were.

[To be continued.]

Some

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*******

Some Account of Mrs. ODDIE.

RS. Sarah Oddie, was born at Bonfall, in Derbyshire,

MRS.

in the year 1717. Her maiden name was Holehoufe. Before she was twenty, fhe was married to Mr. Thomas Thompfon, by whom fhe had eleven children. He died in the year 1756, leaving her with feven children.

In her youth, fhe was of a lively temper; rather inclining to gaiety; yet even then the was not deftitute of the fear of God: and was a great lover of the fervice of the Church of England, and other pious Exercifes.

But though fhe was free from vice, and abounded in acts of charity, according to her power; though fhe was full of natural good qualities, fufficient to denominate her a faint of this world; yet God, in the early parts of her life, discovered to her that there must be fomething in Religion, that she had not then known. And though the lived in a dark place, she was led by an inward Inftructor to feel after what she had not, and was confcious she must have, to make her happy on earth, and fit for glory in heaven.

In due time it pleafed God, who always looks with a favourable regard on the feeble efforts of his helpless creatures, and before whom the prayer and alms of Cornelius came up for a memorial, to fend his Servants into that part, to fhew her, and others, the way of God more perfectly. Like one prepared of the Lord, fhe heard, knew, and readily embraced the joyful found. The word of Truth, explaining the inward motions of the Spirit, brought her gradually to a deep conviction of her total finfulness, guilt and helpleffness: of the abfolute neceffity of a free pardon, for the fins that were past of the neceffity of being born again, and of being found, not having her own Righteoufnefs, but the Righteouf

nefs

nefs which is of God by Faith. Yea, fo deeply was fhe convinced of her total depravity, and of deferving the wrath of God, that she was brought to the very brink of despair. In this state the free grace of God found her: it was, as I remember to have heard her fay, on Afh-wednesday, when the was preparing to go to Church, expecting to hear her condemnation, in the Commination read that day, but before fhe got there, divine light broke in upon her mind, quick as the fpark from the fmitten steel: in a moment she was affured that, though fhe deserved hell, yet she was an heir of heaven. That all her fins were pardoned, and fhe was accepted through Faith in the Beloved. She then found the fervice of the Church fweeter than ever: fhe liked it before, but now the found the Prayers and Praises, the Collects and Pfalms, the very language of her new-born foul. And fhe continued a diligent attendant, and a fleady lover of the fervice of the Church to her dying day.

The fuddenness and clearness of this manifestation of divinely free mercy, fo ftrongly marked with her utter unworthiness, had a fingular influence on all her after-life and was a great cause of her walking fo humbly with her God. For tho' fhe was great in the practice of every christian duty, and eminent for every Chrift-like temper, yet there were none more dependent on free mercy, nor louder in its praise. Chrift, his blood and righteousness, were the joyful subjects of her converfation, and were truly precious to her, even in the highest state of personal fanctification.

In the year 1756, it pleased God to leave her destitute of all other comfort and fupport, but himself. Her husband and two other choice friends died that year. She was left with feven children, without any provifion for them but what came through her hands. So it has feemed good to the Al. mighty to try his deareft children. The next morning after the burial of her husband, as she was walking in a little garden adjoining to her house, thinking forrowfully on her defolate

condition'

condition, but trusting in God, her only helper, he fpake that word to her heart, "The Lord is thy Shepherd, thou shalt not lack." And as it was then a great relief to her burdened mind; fo it was amply fulfilled to her in her after-life. She did never want. She often repeated this paffage of her life with great joy and gratitude.

[To be continued.]

An Account of the Death of WILLIAM STAFFORD.

WILLIAM

4

VILLIAM STAFFORD had the knowledge of falvation by the remiffion of fins, twenty-five years fince and on his dying-bed, declared he had not for an hour together been without the prefence of God, and a feeling fenfe of his love to him in all that time. And no wonder, feeing he was fo remarkably zealous in reproving fin in all he came near, and in preffing thofe with whom he conversed, to go forward in the ways of God. But above all, he was conftant in meeting his Clafs; infomuch that he had not once miffed it in all thofe years, (unless when vifiting fome neighbouring Society, in order to provoke them to love and to good works,) notwithstanding he lived four miles from the place where it met, and also considerably advanced in years, and infirm in body. His wife often urged him to stay at home; but he replied, "So long as I can go in one day, and come back in another, I will be with the children of God." And as he loved Them, fo they did Him; for when he was confined to his bed, they went conftantly to meet with him.

It is about five years fince he was deeply convinced of the neceffity, and poffibility of being delivered from inbred fin. And as he fought it diligently, God foon graciously confered it upon him. Since that time, he declared (when dying) he had not found any temper contrary to love, so much as move VOL. VI.

Hh

in

in him, though he was not without many close trials. Being afked, Whether he had not a defire to die? He faid, " I neither defire life nor death; but whenfoever God fhall call for me, either at Clafs, or on my way home, or wherever I am, it is the fame, as Chrift is always with me." It seems, about half a year before his death, he had a still farther enlargement of foul, which he called, Being wholly fanctified. And he observed, that ever fince, he had had the glory of God fhining with a continuance upon his foul. This alfo, he said, he received in a moment. Being visited, in his last illness, by fome who differed in fentiment, they fpread a report that he was now convinced of the errors he had fo long maintained, viz. The poffibility of falling away: of obtaining deliverance from all fin here; and that Chrift died for all. This report gave fome uneafinefs to his brethren: but as it broke out before he died, and while he had the use of speech and underftanding, they had an opportunity of being fatisfied. And on their afking him whether thefe things were fo or not? he replied "I never faid fo:" adding, if he had, he must have lied against his own conscience; being more and more fenfible that God was willing then to justify or fanctify all that really felt their need of either and that if they could believe, they might then enjoy the Bleffing. He alfo added, That he faw the danger of drawing back, with the need of holinefs as much "The time has been, he faid, that this report would have tried me much; but now it cannot trouble_me."-He continued exhorting all to love, and pity their worst enemies and urged his wife much to feek the Lord, and died while he held her by the hand, faying, "Muft I leave you unconverted!"

as ever.

Manchester, O. 31. 1765.

A. MATHER.

A re