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Soon after, being in her father's study, she providentially opened a manuscript, and cast her eye upon a part of it, where he was shewing what pleas a convinced sinner might make use of in prayer. Many things were mentioned which were very reviving. "I am miserable, and that might be a plea. "I might also plead his own mercy, the suitableness, "the largeness, and the freeness of his mercy. I might plead my own inability to believe, of which "I am very sensible. I might also plead the will of God, for he commands sinners to believe, and is highly dishonoured by unbelief. I might likewise plead the descent of faith,-it is the gift of God; "and the nature of this gift, which is free. Yea, I might plead the examples of others who have "obtained this gift, and that against the greatest unlikelihood and improbabilities that might be. "I might and could plead further, my willingness to "submit to any thing, so that I might but find this "favour with the Lord. Moreover, I might plead "Christ's prayer, and his compassions; the work of "his Spirit already begun; that regard which the "Lord shews to irrational creatures: he hears their cries, and will he shut out the cries of a poor perishing sinner? In short, I might plead my necessity and extreme need of faith, a sense of "which was deeply impressed on my soul."

On reading these pleas, which are excellently enlarged on in her father's volume of sermons and discourses before mentioned, (page 123, &c.) she found great relief; they were to her as a voice from heaven, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it." She was enabled to exercise faith in a Redeemer, and to give up all to him, being now convinced by his Spirit, that he would work in her what was well pleasing and acceptable to God, and that he required nothing of her but what his free rich grace would bestow.

Now was Christ exceeding precious to her soul, and she longed for clearer discoveries of him, both

in his person and offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King. How did she admire his condescending love and grace to such a poor, wretched, worthless creature! She desired that every faculty of her soul might be brought into an entire obedience. In short, she could now perceive a change wrought in her whole soul. Those things which she delighted in before, were her greatest burthen. Thus she went on pleasantly in duty; her meditation on him was sweet, and her heart much enlarged in admiring his inexpressible love and free and sovereign grace.

But this delightful frame did not long continue: soon did vain thoughts arise and disturb her most solemn approaches to God: these violent hurries of temptation greatly staggered her faith, which was weak. Hereupon she was ready to give up all, and conclude that she had mocked God, and cheated her own soul; that these wandering thoughts, and this unfixedness of mind in duty, could never consist with a sincere love to the things of God. But these discouragements were fully removed by reading some of her father's writings, where it was observed, that a person had no reason to conclude his sins more increased, because they appeared more and became more troublesome, since this arose from the opposition they now met with from that principle of grace which was implanted. Hence she learned, that before this, the flesh reigned quietly, and therefore she perceived not the lusts thereof; but now all the powers and faculties of her soul were engaged against them, and that therefore they gave her the greatest disturbance. Also these words were impressed on her mind with an efficacious power, 2. Cor. xii. 9. "My grace is sufficient for thee," which gave her peace in believing that it should be according to his word.

Thus, after many conflicts, comforts, and supports, she determined to partake of the Lord's Supper, and have her faith confirmed in the blood of that ever

lasting covenant which the Lord had made with her, since he had given his Spirit as the earnest thereof. In coming to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, she found great delight; her faith was strengthened, and her love increased from that sweet communion she then enjoyed with the Lord by his blessed Spirit, who often filled her with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Thus she walked under the comfortable sense of his love; and whilst in the way of duty, was indulged with such sights of the Redeemer's glory, and such a taste of his grace, that she frequently wished she might never more go back to the world.

But, after her marriage to Mr. Combe, the new temptations, incident to her new relation, brought her into great and perplexing darkness. She lost the sense of the love of God, and hence duty was performed without that delight she once experienced, which made her often neglect it, and especially in private, whilst she attended on public worship with little advantage or pleasure. The consideration of this decay in her love, and the loss of those quickening influences of the Spirit, which she used to experience in duty, increased her doleful apprehensions of her state. Her inordinate love to the creature was soon rebuked; for a disorder seized her husband, which issued in a deep consumption. This afflictive stroke did not, however, appear to have its proper effect on her mind: she continued in an unsuitable temper, and without that submission which such a dispensation called for. The Lord still hid his face from her, and it is impossible to give a particular account of those perplexing thoughts and tormenting fears which filled her mind. Every thing appeared dreadfully dark both within and without. She says, "O! were it possible to describe it to others, as I "then felt, they would dread that which will separate "between them and God! I expected if the Lord "did return, it would be in a terrible way, by some "remarkable judgment or other; but oftentimes,

from the frame I was in, I could see no ground to hope he would ever return at all." But God was better to her than her fears; he who manifested himself to his servant Moses, appeared in a remarkable manner for her deliverance, and that it even transported her very soul with love and thankfulness beyond any thing she had experienced in the whole of her past life.

The beginning of this wonderful alteration in her frame, was hearing the experience of one resembling very much her own, when the Lord first began to work on her soul. She concluded that this person was the subject of a real and total change. On this occasion, she determined to consider her former experience; in doing which, she found the blessed Spirit of all grace assisting, and witnessing to his work upon her heart, insomuch that her soul was enlarged in thankfulness to God for thus manifesting himself, and directing her to those means which he had so inexpressibly blessed beyond her expectation.

This valuable Christian lived to a good old age. She was confined by illness for four years before her death; during which she maintained habitual converse with God, and longed much for the time when all hindrances and restraints should be for ever removed. She slept in Jesus, Nov. 20, 1744, aged 79 years, and her remains were interred in Bunhill Fields.

MRS. GERTRUDE CLARKSON.

MRS. GERTRUDE CLARKSON, second daughter of the Rev. David Clarkson, was also a woman of an excellent spirit. The constant instruction and example of her parents had so early an influence, that it is hard to tell when was her first awakening. As soon as reason dawned, she had frequent convictions of the danger of sin and of an unregenerate state, attended with fears of the punishment due to it. This made her fearful of omitting duties, or committing known sins; and though these convictions wore off, yet they often returned, and rendered her uneasy, unless she was praying or learning scriptures, or something which she thought good. In these exercises she continued to be well satisfied. Before she knew what it was to rely upon an allsufficient Saviour for righteousness and strength, her notion of things was, that she was to hear, and pray, and keep the Sabbath, and avoid what she knew to be sin, and then she thought God was obliged to save her; that she did what she could, and so all that he required. And she further conceived, that if at any time she omitted secret prayer, or any other duty, yet, if she repented, it was sufficient. On this consideration, she often ventured upon the commission of sin, with a resolution to repent the next day; and then, having confessed the transgression, her conscience has been easy. She truly desired that her sins might be pardoned, but thought the ways of religion hard; and though she durst not live in the constant neglect of duty, yet she secretly wished there had been no obligation to perform it.

After her father's death, she happened to be reading one of his manuscripts, wherein both the object and the nature of saving faith were described, and