Saturday 30, I took a view of the Free-School, a truly noble benefaction. Here seventy boys and thirty girls are entirely provided for. The building forms three sides of a square, and is rather elegant than magnificent. The children are taught to work, in their several ways, as well as to read and write. The school, the dining-rooms, and the lodgings are plain and clean. The whole was the gift of one man, Mr. Blundell, a merchant of Liverpool..

Monday, May 2, I preached at Warrington about noon, -to a wild, staring people, (very few excepted) who seemed just ripe for mischief. But the bridle was in their jaws. In the evening I preached at Manchester. Wednesday 4, I rode over to Hayfield, and preached at one in the Church, to a congregation, gathered from all parts.

Thursday 5, I enquired of John Johnson concerning -Miss Beresford. The sum of his account was this: "She was always an innocent, sober young woman, having the form of godliness, till she was convinced of sin, and soon after justified. She was a pattern both of piety and industry. Notwithstanding her fortune and her sickliness, she was never unemployed; when she had no other work, working for the poor. And the whole tenor of her conversation was such, that it is still a common saying, If Miss Beresford be not gone to heaven, nobody ever will.' She had a vehement love to the word of God, and spared no pains in order to hear it. Frequently she would not go to bed all night, lest she should miss the morning preaching. She lost no opportunity of meeting with her brethren, to whom her heart was closely united nor was she afraid or ashamed to own the poorest of them, wherever she met them, and whatever company she was in. The very sight of them occasioned a joy in her soul, which she neither could, nor desired to hide. When her weakness confined her to her room, she rejoiced with joy unspeakable : more especially when she was delivered from all her doubts, concerning Christian perfection. Never was any one more athirst for this, for the whole mind that was in Christ. And she earnestly exhorted all her brethren, vehemently to press after it. The more her bodily

strength decayed, the more she was strengthened in spirit: She called upon all that were with her, "Help me to rejoice; help me to praise God.' Having no fear, but a jealousy over herself, lest she should exceed in her desire to be with Christ."

"As soon as I came to Ashbourn, she sent for me and broke out, I am just at my journey's end. What a mercy, that I, who have done so little for God, should be so soon taken up to him! O, I am full of the love of God: I dare not exercise my faith fully upon God: the glory of the Lord is so great, that I cannot bear it. I am overwhelmed. My natural life is almost gone, with the brightness of his presence. Sometimes I am even forced to cry out, Lord, stay thy hand, till I come into glory. I asked, "Have you lately felt any remains of sin in you?' She said, I felt pride some weeks ago.' And it seems, this was the last time. She added, I have now no will; the will of God is mine. I can bring my dearest friends before the Lord; and while I am praying for them, the glory of the Lord so overpowers me, that I am lost, and adore in silence the God of heaven.' She cried out, Tell all from me, that perfection is attainable, and exhort all to press after it. What a blessing is it, that I have no weary hours! Though I am confined to my bed, night and day, and can take scarcely any thing but water to refresh me, yet I am like a giant refreshed with wine.'

"Afterwards she broke out, If I had lived in what the world calls pleasure, what a miserable creature should I have been now! What should I be, if I had no God on my side? When the fire has made 'ime bright, then I shall go to my God.' She prayed largely for all states of mankind; but particularly, for the prosperity of the Church; and for the Society at Ashbourn, that God would continue and increase his work among them. When she altered for death, she called for her mother and brothers, to each of whom she gave an earnest exhortation. Then she said, 'Now I have no more to do here. I am ready to die. Send to Mr. W., and tell him, I am sorry, I did not sooner

believe the doctrine of perfect holiness. Blessed be God, I now know it to be the truth!' After greatly rejoicing in God for two days more, she said one morning, I dreamed last night, I heard a voice, Christ will come to-day for his bride. It is for me. He will come for me to day.' And a few hours after, without one struggle, or sigh, or groan, she sweetly fell asleep."

One who was intimately acquainted with her, writes thus: "Glory be to God for the blessed privilege I enjoyed of being with her, night and day, for a month before she died. When I went to her first, she had kept her bed some days, and was extremely weak: and yet, she spoke considerably plainer, than ever I heard her in my life. She called, as soon as I entered the room, My dear friend, give me your hand. Let us rejoice that my time is so near approaching. Do not mourn: You know it is what we expected." I was soon brought to wish her safe on the happy shore. She said, "This is true friendship: but how is it that I do not feel greater transports of love, now I am so near the time of seeing my Lord face to face? Indeed I am ashamed to approach him, before whom the angels veil their faces!' She often said, I take it as a fresh token of his love, that he sent you to me at this time.' Her pains were great but she bore all with invincible patience and resignation, and often said, I find it good for me to be afflicted in his time I shall come out thoroughly purified.' Afterwards she said, "I experience more upon this bed, of my own nothingness, and the free grace of God in Christ, than ever I did in all my life. The best of my performances would be damnable without Christ.'

"Several days before her death, her love was so great that she cried, I am overcome, I am overcome, I am overcome.' And when she had strength to speak, she praised God in a wonderful manner. Even when she was lightheaded, her talk was wholly concerning the things of God. She called to Mr. Wesley, as if he had been by her, and said, 'O Sir, how hard it is for the rich to enter into the kingdom of heaven! I am saved: but I am but just saved.'

When her fever abated, she told me, she had dreamed that she was with him. And sometimes I could scarcely per, suade her but he had been there.

"She after asked, if I saw no more appearance of death in her face yet; when I told her, there was, she begged I would indulge her with a looking-glass; and looking earnestly into it, she said, with transport, I never saw my self with so much pleasure in my life: On Saturday morn ing at six, she said, 'My Saviour will come to-day, and fetch his bride.' Yet about eight she said, If you had felt what I have done this morning, it would have killed you. I had lost sight of God.' (Perhaps in the last conflict with principalities and powers.) From this time she was filled with joy, but spoke little. Her eyes were lifted up to heaven, till her soul was released, with so much ease, that I did not know when she drew her last breath,"

So died Judith Berresford, as it were a hundred years old, at the age of four and twenty. A little more of her life, and of her spirit, may be learned from one or two of her letters.

"How can you love me, since there is still such a mixture of evil in all I say or do? But why should I ask this question? The Lord himself loves me; and in the late dispensations of his providence, he has mercifully discovered to me some sins of a refined nature, which before I was almost ignorant of and now wait and pray to be delivered from. And 1 can joyfully add, the Lord is nigh to all that call upon him. He will fulfil my desire, though not as I desired-His way and his will are best. But how long shall I acknowledge this, without implicitly submitting to it? My own will I am apt to think good in such cases, and to grieve when it is crossed. So that I easily discern how needful it is for me to be tried, and made to sacrifice to the Lord of that which costs me something. I need not say, for the above, alas, will tell you, that I cannot answer all your questions in the affirmative. For did I continually find God present with me, and always walk in the light of his countenance, most surely there could be no part dark in me.

Yet this I can say, that I see his hand stretched out to save and to deliver. And my trust is, that before I go hence, I shall behold all his salvation: and if it can serve any good purpose, he will open my lips to declare his praise, and let a poor creature glorify him in her death. For this I pray, and rejoice in hope, knowing the God whom I serve is able to fulfil in me all the good pleasure of his will, and the work of faith with power.

"As to the shadows of this world, I think I may truly say, they are as nothing to me. The evil (for certainly it must be some) that at times interposes between God and my soul, is, I believe, of a mere spiritual nature. The stirrings of pride I sometimes feel, and I trust, shall bewail as long as one spark remains.

"My dear friend, adieu! I trust we shall have a happy meeting at last. In the mean time I am persuaded, a few lines from you would add greatly to my peace and comfort. I am,

Sept. 7, 1756.

"Your very loving, and (I hope) "obedient child,

J. B.” In answer to a Letter wherein I desired some account of her Experience, she wrote as follows:

"How does it add to the glory of the almighty Saviour, that from my very infancy, this rebel heart has felt the drawings of his love! Therefore, since you desire to know, how I was first convinced that I was a poor guilty sinner, I must begin with saying, that goodness and mercy have followed me all my days. But I know not how to proceed, the workings of sin and grace that I have felt are beyond description. Yet out of the mouth of babes and sucklings the Lord can perfect praise.

"My childhood was spent in much simplicity and peace. The Lord drew me to himself with the cords of love, and I found great joy in pouring out my soul before him. Original sin I was quite ignorant of; but actual sins I felt and bewailed, and after some time spent in weeping for them, I felt peace, and renewed my resolutions: but they could not last long; for pride, envy, and all manner of evil, now sprung