known fins at a ftroke, and took to fafting and prayer, and foon found the happy difference between ferving God and ferving the devil. In the year 1760, I removed to Leeds in Yorkshire, where I got acquainted with the people called Methodists, and joined them, attended diligently to my clafs, and miffed no other means of grace. In the fummer of that year I heard Mr. Wesley preach, under one of whofe fermons I was enabled to believe that my fins were forgiven. In the year 1763, I received a large effufion of the Holy Spirit, and feemed changed throughout the whole man. I then joined the felect band, enjoyed much peace, and walked agreeable to the gofpel. In 1765, after converfing with a friend. I again felt a bleffed change in my heart, but through unbelief foon let go my hold. Some time after at a morning preaching, it appeared as if every evil was taken out of my heart; but I foon gave way to unbelief and became as I was before. In the year 1770, it pleased God to bless several perfons at Leeds, and I received a sweet, mild, and child-like fpirit; but after awhile, through unbelief, my corrupt nature prevailed again. In 1776, I set out as a travelling preacher, and was appointed for Manchester, where I preached in great weakness and fear. However I was encouraged much from the Lord, and from many of the poorer people, but fome of the rich fhewed great indifferency toward me. I believe I was of fome use there, and in general that year was in purfuit of holiness; but though I received many marks of it, I put it off and did not believe. In 1777, I went to Epworth circuit. Here alfo holiness and usefulness were my chief aim. I received many tokens for good in my own heart, and truft I was fomewhat profitable to the people. In 1778, I went to Lynn, and in 1779, to Aber deen and Inverness. Here I was supported with an uncom men degree of cheerfulness, and found Scotland a happy place for me, notwithstanding fome inconveniencies. In the latter end of the year, at Aberdeen I was much tried, and much supported. In 1780, I came to Dundee, where I had a peaceful year, and was was all for holinefs. Yet I was tempted in an extraordinary manner, efpecially at Arbroth. I fafted and prayed night and day, but could get no reft. One day upon a mount, where I ran up to pray, a tremor seized me, and I thought the devil would become vifible; but on a fuaden, I was fenfe that Jefus was my advocate, the Holy Spirit my comforter, and God the Father my reconciled God. Now again I received fuch comfort in my mind, that nothing was wanting but faith, to make me a partaker of full fanctification. In 1781, I was appointed for Barnard-Cafle, and in 1782, was fent to the Isle of Man, where I minuted down, at times, the occurrences of the day, an extract from which here follows: 66 April 5, 1783. My mind was fomewhat ftrengthened by reading Matt. xxi. 22. All things whatfoever ye afk in prayer, believing, ye fhall receive." Lord help me! I believe he does help me; for now I believe he has purified my heart by faith. I believe he has caft out all my enemies, and through believing, they may be kept out. Glory be to God, I feel my spirit meek and pleasant. I am nothing, and wholly depend upon God, and defire nothing but him. "All my wants are loft in one, Father, thy only will be done." April 9. I have been kept without fin in my heart this day. I grow more and more confident, that God has cleanfed my heart from all unrighteousness. As I was riding yesterday, a thought paffed through my mind, why I was not fanctified before? And it appeared it was because I would not believe; and if I would not, then it is plain I might if I would. Is not this the cafe with many? inftead of fimply believing, they are looking out for fome extraordinary thing formed in their own imagination. This, I believe, has been the cafe with me for twenty years paft. Many times in the courfe of thefe years, VOL. XIII. 4 D God God gave me reafon to believe it; but inftead of believing He had done it, I thought now I was in fuch a way that I could not well mifs it; and Naaman-like, I expected God would lay his hand very powerfully upon me, and manifest himself in fuch an extraordinary manner, that my foul would be immediately fwallowed up in a holy flame of love. But finding not what I expected, I foon flagged in my purfuit, and my vile corruption returned again to my heart. And though in general I had power over all fin, inward and outward, and peace with God, and still sought after a clean heart; yet I often thought, that according to his word he was willing to give it to others, but had some particular exceptions against me, I thought I ftrove more for it in every good word and work, than many others that received it; and yet the more I ftrove, the harder it seemed to be attained; yea, I frequently thought, the more I fought God, the more he withdrew from me. Upon which, I used to fall into fuch weakness of mind, that I could scarce conceive any thing at all of God, or of Christ. At other times, when I was earneft for purity, there would appear fuch a huge bar, or fuch a huge fomething, that it was impoffible for me to get any farther. Then I thought I might be contented with what I had got; and refting here, I used to enjoy a tolerable degree of peace; though envy, luft, and barrennefs, frequently harraffed me within. But O, how contrary to my expectation hath God dealt with me! Two days before I received it, I was telling a brother, I could not fee that I have grown in grace for twenty years past; becaufe, when I would fail forward in the divine life, there rofe up always fuch a fand-bank, that my poor veffel could not make any way. But as I was reading the fore-mentioned paffage, "All things whatsoever ye afk in prayer, believing, ye fhall receive." I thought I would once more pray for fanctification; because it is God's will, according to his word. And I thought I would depend upon him, as I would upon the faithfulness of a friend; and fhould be as much difappointed in my expectation, pectation, if he were not as good as his word, as if I were deceived by a man. I foon found my foul fink down into a kind of nothingness before God, and presently was perfuaded that no fin remained in my heart, and that through believing I might ever keep it out. I thought, if this is the way to be fanctified, any one that has grace may believe to be fanctified, if he will; for none can be more weak in faith than myself, and yet I have no doubt but my heart is purified. Thus, contrary to my former expectation of being fome. thing extraordinary when sanctified, I am emptied of self, and fink into an unfeigned nothingness, that Chrift may be my all in all. I can only admire the goodness of God, refpecting the manner in which he has been pleased to bestow this bleffing upon me. For, had he given it in my own way, that is, in rapturous joy, perhaps, upon those transports subsiding, I should have immediately thought that all was gone; and then have fallen into unbelief. But now, if I am ever fo low, or ever fo elevated, I continue believing in the Lord, who is my aim and end. I defire nothing, I feek nothing but God. He is my refuge, my reft, my portion, and my all. "O how wonderful his ways! All in love begin and end, Whom his mercy means to raise, First his justice bids descend." April 12. This day I find the Lord very gracious. Upon a trial that used to make me very hafty in fpirit, I found not the least shadow of it in my heart. The ftate of my foul at prefent cannot be better expreffed than by this verfe, "Let the waves around thee rife, Let the tempeft threat the skies; Thy fure anchor cannot fail,] [To be concluded in our next.]. كوم هو يهي هوم A fhort Account of the Death of ELIZABETH FLOOK. E [By Mr. John Valton.] LIZABETH FLOOK was born on the 26th of Decem ber 1769. From her infancy fhe was remarkable for meekness and patience. Her dutifulness to, and tender fympathy with her mother, in all her trials, were eminent. She was very diligent, and active, in all the worldly concerns in which the was engaged, and gave promifing tokens of being an ornament of her fex, in her ftation of life. Near two years ago, it pleafed the Lord to blefs a fermon to her that I preached from these words, I am the bread of life, he that cometh unto me fhall never hunger, John vi. 35. She was then convinced that she had not that bread, and that if the died in that fate, fhe muft perifh everlaftingly. From this time, fhe began moft earnefly, and seriously, to feek the Lord. She fet up family prayer with her mother and filters, and performed that duty with astonishing propriety and folemnity. She now began moft forely to bewail the depravity of nature, and though her whole life had been modeft and moral, yet fhe was convinced that without the pardon of fins, and a renewal of the soul in holinefs, fhe could not dwell in the prefence of God. She gave herself up to prayer and fafting, making opportunities in the day time, to retire and pour out her foul to him that feeth in fecret. The Lord regarded the lowlinefs of his handmaid, and in a few months, turned her captivity, and filled her mouth with praise, From the time that the Sun of Righteousness arose upon her with healing in his wings, the walked in the light of his countenance, and enjoyed continual peace. She told her mother, that if that extafy of joy which she felt, the two first weeks |