"a real change take place in her foul, but want"ed the witnefs of the Spirit that he was a

child of God. And, bleffed be the Lord, the "did not wait long for it. The next evening as

Mr. Hopper was preaching from,- My Son, "give me thy heart,' fhe was enabled to make "the furrender, and thofe words, I have called

thee by thy name, thou art mine,' were strongly

applied to her mind. She could now with con"fidence cry, Abba Father! My Lord, and my "God! And the Sunday following at a Meeting, "at Seacroft, fhe declared openly what God had "done for her foul.

"Her outward fituation expofed her to many "painful exercises, but they had the bleffed tendency of driving her nearer to the Lord. And

he was fo peculiarly gracious to her, that in the "midst of many and great hindrances, fhe was "enabled to prefs forward, and, I believe, de"fired nothing in comparison of being devoted to "God. This appears from a letter fhe wrote me "December 3, 1783, part of which is as fol.

lows. After all the Lord has done for me, 1 ftill feel an evil heart of unbelief. I have ⚫ been much tempted this week to fear that I have deceived myself, but have been relieved by converfing freely with Mrs. Cr; he put Mr. Welley's Treatise on Christian Perfection into my hand; and the more I read it, the more I am • convinced that the will of God is my fanctification; and by his grace I am determined never to reft till all that is within me is holiness to the • Lord.'

3. To this account given by her friend, I would add, that about this time, as I am informed by another who knew her well, fhe not only generally walked in the light of God's counte

nance,

nance, but was frequently fo happy in the love of her adorable Saviour, as not to be able to fleep at night for the confolation fhe felt in her foul.

She was a pattern of diligence; in ufing all the means of grace, both private and public, frequently attending the preaching of the Word even at five o'clock in the morning, delicate, and often unwell, as he was; and making it her daily care to read the Scriptures, and call upon the name of the Lord in fecret.

4. About a quarter of a year after her marriage with Mr. Fofter, (which was in the year 1784) the had a miscarriage, and was fo ill that her life was despaired of. During thefe weeks of confinement, when he had no profpect before her, but of immediate death, fhe was not only perfectly refigned to the divine will, but could frequently rejoice in hope of his glory, perfuaded if the Lord fhould take her it would be to himself. All her concern was, that her husband might be enabled to receive the fevere ftroke without murmuring, and to fupport the trial, with faith and patience worthy of a Chriftian. In order to this, fhe defired a serious friend who vifited her, to apprize him of the dangerous fituation fhe was in, and to endeavour to prepare him for the approaching fhock. However, it pleafed God, at that time, to disappoint their fears, and fpare her life.

5. During her pregnancy of her first child, the was very apprehenfive the should die in childbearing, and under that impreffion, which encreased as the time of her travail drew nearer, The wrote a paper, which her husband found in a private drawer the April following, and which I fhall fubjoin to this account. However, in this inftance alfo, the Lord was pleafed to difappoint

N 3

appoint her. She was fafely delivered, December 9, 1785, and foon reftored; and bore her hufband three more children, the two elder of which, as well as the first born, are ftill alive.

6. In 1786, they removed to this Town. How her foul profpered, and how the conducted herfelf fince that time, many of you know. I believe he was ferious, watchful and exemplary. I have been acquainted with her about a year, and during that time have converfed with her frequently. I have feen little either in her temper or conduct to blame, but much to commend; particularly her humility, meeknefs and patience, under many and great trials; her industry, frugality, and diligent attention to her family affairs: her very kind, courteous and obliging behaviour to all that came near her, of which all you that knew her will bear witnefs. She endeavoured to fet the Lord before her, and behave as one that was confcious his eye was upon her, being circumfpect in all things, and defirous of improving converfation to the beft of purposes. She attended the miniftry of the word, particularly on the Lord's day, more frequently than her strength would well permit, one of the Chapels which the attended, being little lefs than a mile from their house. In this perhaps the went to an extreme : but having, I believe, chiefly through the very weak and nervous state of her body, fallen into doubts as to her acceptance with God, the was very defirous of recovering the light of his countenance, which induced her fometimes to go, perhaps, beyond her ftrength. I hope fhe did recover it before the departed. But of this fhe was not permitted to give any verbal evidence. Indeed what could one reasonably expect of this kind from a woman in the pangs of child-bearing, and

and whofe labour, like Rachael's of old, was very hard.

7. The fame thought that she should die, which had followed her when pregnant of her firft child, and indeed, I believe, of her other children, was, during this last pregnancy, much more powerfully impreffed upon her mind. She told her husband and feveral of her friends, that the fhould certainly die as foon as he was delivered. But, tho' appearances, from her delicate frame and poor ftate of health, were unfavourable, they were willing to hope the would be brought safe thro' as fhe had been before. However the Lord, who very probably had fent that impreffion as a previous warning, faw fit to appoint otherwife. She was with fome difficulty delivered and foon after expired. The child alfo, tho' I am informed born alive, died immediately. The paper I mentioned is as follows, and tho' written, as I faid, in November, 1785, may be confidered, I think, as fpeaking her dying language.

8. My deareft love, for whofe fake alone I "defire to live, trusting if the Lord have other "ends in view, he will prepare me before he "take me hence, I hope you will not fail to per"form the laft Will of one that loves you better "than life itself. Look at this, when I am re"moved from you. But let not your heart be "troubled. Truft and believe in him who is "able to help you, and will ftand by you in every "time of trial.-If he take me from you, he "does it for your good. Come to the Lord, and "lie at his feet and fay, Lord, do with me as "feemeth good in thy fight; only keep me from "murmuring. You know what an hindrance I "have been to you in the heavenly race. The "Lord has removed me that you may truft in "him

N 4

him alone, and ferve him with all your heart. "He will not admit of a rival. He has per"mitted us to be happily united for one year: "but Oh! what poor returns have we made ! "How unfaithful have we been to the grace bc"" ftowed!

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"But let me beg of my dearest not to look "back; but prefs forward for the prize of eter"nal reft. If those in another world can grieve, furely I fhall grieve to fee you loitering and "mourning. But why fhould you be diftreffed, perhaps the Lord will commiffion me to be as one "of your guardian Angels, to attend you by day

and watch your bed by night, that no evil may "befal you. And if I fhall then be capable of "chufing one employment in preference to ano"ther, furely I fhall chufe that which has the "nearest relation to one that was all that was dear ❝ to me below.

"I will lay no commands upon you that shall "be grievous to you. I do not wifh you not to "marry again. Only be careful in the choice of "a Wife. Let her be joined to Chrif before the

be joined to you. Be ftrict in family-duty let "nothing hinder that. For the neglect of that "duty brings deadnefs and barrennefs upon the "foul. Be carneft with the Lord in private, that

he may blefs you both, with every spiritual "bleffing in Chrift Jefus. Be not conformed to this world, neither in dress, nor converfation, ❝for both work death.

"If I leave you a dear pledge of love, let it "be boarded at Darfield, with my dear Father "and Mother. Save all my Clothes for it, and "every thing that belongs to me. Pretty Lamb! "My heart bleeds for it, and you! Methinks, "I fee you look at our offspring,

and think of

your