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May the GREAT HEAD of the Church condescend to accept, and bless, what has been now done in dependence upon His grace; making it conduce to the encouragement and assistance of His members upon earth, and especially to the promotion of His own glory.

MEMOIRS,

&c. &c.

CHAP. I.

FROM HER BIRTH TO HER MARRIAGE.

A.D. 1759 TO ABOUT 1785.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS-HER BIRTH-PIETY OF HER PARENTS-CONCERN FOR THE CONVERSION OF THEIR CHILDREN-GAIETY OF MRS HAWKES IN HER YOUNGER YEARS HER LOVE OF MUSIC AND READING HER MARRIAGE.

THE devout and discerning reader will not have proceeded far in this volume, without feeling that it displays a character of unusual vigour in the Christian life; and it is believed, that no such reader will close the volume without thanking God for the examples which it offers of faith and wisdom in His servants, and the evidence which it gives of His own gracious dealings.

The subject of the following Memoir evidently belongs to that company spoken of in Rev. vii. 14.

-"These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb:"-and the precious faith which she obtained, "though tried with fire," will "be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" 1 Peter i. 7.

The intention of the following pages is to manifest, chiefly by a reference to the Diary and Letters of the deceased, the supporting and purifying nature of

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that faith which she had embraced; and the genuine humility which accompanied her high attainments in the school of Christ.

Three sources of affliction may be marked in the history of this eminent servant of God. In the earlier part of her married life, she enjoyed worldly prosperity; but was severely exercised by domestic trials. To this course of discipline succeeded the loss of affluence and ease, which reduced her to a state of dependence on the bounty of others. These trials were augmented, during the latter years of her life, by very acute and unusual bodily sufferings; and throughout this course, it is most instructive and encouraging to witness the power of Religion, in sustaining her spirit, and in raising her above all her complicated and lengthened trials.

MRS. HAWKES was born in the year 1759, at Broad Marston, in Gloucestershire, where her parents resided. She was the youngest of thirteen children, five of whom died in childhood. Her father, MR. THOMAS EDEN, was a person of strong sense and real piety. He was intimately acquainted with the Rev. John Wesley; and his house was always open for the reception of that eminent servant of God, and his accompanying preachers, in their annual circuit visits to that place. Mr. Wesley used to preach, on these occasions, at Pebworth Church, in a neighbouring village: but to provide more frequent opportunities for preaching the Gospel, Mr. Eden built a small chapel at Broad Marston, near to his own house, the services of which were always performed by Mr. Wesley's preachers.* Mr. Eden also left an estate of about 60l. a-year, to be expended in

The reader will remember, that, at the period when Mr. Eden lived, the Church of England was in a lamentably torpid state, which induced many of its pious members to encourage laypreachers.

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