having taken on herself such a burden. She kept a little day-school, and taught the cottagers' children to make lace and to read the Bible; and as the child in question turned out a cripple, he also was put to make lace until he grew a great lad and was able to go to light work out of doors. Many a child did she live to teach both to labour and to read; and many of them continued to respect their dame to her dying day; for Molly would ever and anon drop a kind word of caution and encouragement, and endeavour to lead their minds towards a better world. It was, indeed, for several years her great delight to speak of the goodness of the Lord, and to comfort others with words concerning the kingdom of God. The cottage which Mary inhabited, and wherein she passed through so many mercies and trials, was not lightly esteemed by her. There, for more than twenty years, she kept her little school, and received such kind friends and neighbours as called to see and converse with her. But, alas!

"Changes and trials are our lot Long as we sojourn here." And these changes levelled her cottage to the ground, and entirely changed the face of that part of the parish. To quit this residence, although it was an uncomfortable one, was a trial to Molly. It stood at the foot of the church hill, and many on their way to and from the house of God passed by her door. These could now and then cheer her heart with a word in season as they stopped a few minutes by the

way.

She could also see from her window and door the rising grounds, and admire the grain, and trees, and hedges, through the changes of the season; and as she was an observer and an admirer of nature, this was no small gratification. But when she was carried to her new and last earthly dwelling, she could neither behold the

trees put forth or shed their leaves, nor observe the fields advance to harvest, nor see the people pass along at the call of the "churchgoing bell." As far as personal accommodation went, the change of residence was undoubtedly to her advantage; but elderly people are so attached to their old places of abode, that I could have wished to have seen her end her days where she had passed the most interesting part of her life. But this could not be; and she submitted, with great resignation and patience, to the painful necessity of being carried to a new building, though it was the unavoidable cause of much suffering to her bulky and afflicted frame.

Molly was fond of reading, and would frequently read out to her neighbours while they sat at their lace-pillow by her bedside or easy chair; and as she had a good natural understanding, and a large share of experimental religion in her heart, and had passed through many trials and afflictions of body and mind; she could, and frequently did, give very suitable advice and edifying instructions to her tried and tempted neighbours. My acquaintance with her was confined to the last eighteen months of her life. It is possible, I believe, to find individuals in this parish whose cold hearts never warmed with gratitude to God at the conduct of Molly B.; and there may be others who, though they knew her personally, yet never knew her spiritual character. These may think too much is said about her; but there are many others who live near, as well as some who reside in distant parts of the kingdom, who will attest with me, that a visit to her cottage never failed to impress the mind with an exalted estimate of real Christianity in the soul. They will affirm with myself, that while her bodily afflictions made them shudder at the very idea of what they saw it pos sible their own might one day be ;

rest of the scene, and for a moment one was ready to say,

Here I would be sepulchred: It is a lovely spot! The sultry sun From his meridian height endeavours vainly To pierce the shadowy foliage.

We rode from the churchyard to the adjacent village; and there, with an enthusiasm great as any antiquary could look upon a fragment of former times, we took a glance of the cottage in which she once lived and died. This humble abode was the picture of beauty and neatness. The thatched roof nearly covered with moss, the white walls, around which the rose-bush is beautifully spread, and the elms which stand at a little distance, waving, and throwing their shadows on the dwelling, give it an indescribable loveliness. Some of the family are still residents. On our approaching the wicket, and making a few inquiries, they very kindly favoured us with a sight of the interior. We were shown the chair in which she was accustomed to sit during her illness, and the room in which she died.

Many years have rolled away since Elizabeth dwelt in this humble cot, but her memory is still cherished. We were gratified in seeing the eye of a female relative glistening with tears, while she related the peaceful end of the deceased, and adverted to the excellent clergyman who attended her dying moments.

The cottage, I find, has many visitors. Many, no doubt, look at it with the simple eye of curiosity. But if the mind be rightly directed, the visit may be rendered very profitable. Her situation may remind us of the sovereignty of God's grace; her obscurity, that God has his hidden ones; her peaceful end, of the powerful support of the Gospel, when drawing near to the grave; her early dissolution, of the uncertainty of life; and her whole character, of the importance and blessing of personal religion, "that we may be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

I am, dear Sir,
Yours, &c.

VECTA.

DEAR MADAM,

YOUR letter, dated the 15th of August, did not reach my house till the 2d of this month, the day of my return from Southampton. I take the first opportunity of answering it.

I hope I am no party man. I know there are many excellent people, and some judicious useful preachers, in Mr. Wesley's connexion; and I would, yea, I do rejoice in the good which the Lord is pleased to do among them. Arminians, as they are called, who love the Saviour, and, by faith in him, walk according to the rule of the Gospel, and overcome the world, are no less dear to me than Calvinists. And I find persons of this character agree with me in expe

rience, though they differ from me in expressions, and perhaps hold some religious sentiments which I deem erroneous. But whoever does the will of God, I would say the same is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.

I endeavour to preach the truth to the best of my light, and meddle not with controversy. Many of Mr. Wesley's people are among my stated hearers; and by avoiding party phrases and points of disputation, I give them no offence, and they seem to be well satisfied with my ministry. With some of them I am personally acquainted, and I think we have not more excellent Christians in London. But these are not the people who hold the doctrine of sinless perfection. Some

of them, indeed, have been induced by their teachers, for a time, to think it attainable; but it is a tenet so unscriptural in itself, and so mischievous in its consequences, that I should be greatly staggered and grieved, if any persons, of whom I have a good opinion, were to tell me that they had attained to that perfection which is so strenuously preached to them.

While I believe my Bible, I must take it for granted, that they who embrace this dangerous delusion, know but little as they ought to know, either of the law, or the Gospel; either of God, or themselves.

As to the law, the more sober part of them, when pressed, give up the point; for though they say, a Christian may be free from all sin, they allow that he is subject to infirmities and temptations. Hence they speak of innocent infirmities, but I know of none such, unless they mean the head-ach, lameness, or other bodily complaints. Every defect or omission, whatever does not fully answer to the law of God, is sinful. Not only the transgression of the law, but the want of complete conformity to it, is sin. For instance; there is a certain temper of mind which becomes a sinner; a degree of reverence and self-abasement, whenever he mentions the name of that holy and glorious Majesty, before whom the angels veil their faces; and, therefore, when in prayer or in preaching I take that name upon my polluted lips, without feeling that impression, either of his majesty or his mercy, which I ought to do, so often I sin; and therefore, when I have done my best, and in the most favoured moments of my life, I should be ruined, if I had not a gracious Advocate engaged to take away the iniquity, even of my holy things. They say, likewise, that Christ himself was tempted, and therefore a believer may be perfect, and yet endure

temptation. But the prince of this world could find nothing in him. It is otherwise with us. In temptations we not only suffer, but we sin; we are not only disturbed, but defiled by them. They who are not sensible of this, must be great strangers to themselves.

As the notion of sinless perfection dishonours the law, so it contradicts the nature and design of the Gospel. The true Christian perfection consists in a broken, contrite, dependent, and devoted spirit. The most eminent Christians do not much talk of their own attainments, but of the excellency of their Saviour. They have low thoughts of themselves, and are more disposed to say, with Job, "Behold, I am vile;" than, Behold, I am perfect. But Jesus is glorious in their eyes, and precious to their hearts. His love constrains them to hate sin; to watch, pray, and strive against it, yea, to overcome it, so far as respects their conduct in the view of their fellowcreatures; but still they feel the workings of inward and inbred evil, which makes them groan, being burdened. This warfare illustrates their sincerity, and the grace and faithfulness of their Lord. It likewise increases their humility and self-abasement; and instead of glorying in themselves, as the manner of some is, they can only glory in Christ Jesus and his cross.

When Isaiah saw the majesty of the holy God, he cried out, I am undone-Abraham fell on his face, and took no higher title than dust and ashes. The heavens are not pure in his sight, how much less man that is born of a woman! Job was, in the scriptural sense, a perfect man, before his great trials came upon him. He did not suffer so much in vain. He expected, that when God had tried him, he should come forth as gold. At length the Lord appeared for him. What was then the sum total of his