various weekly services, nor that direct evangelical preaching that had been so eminently blessed to her soul. It was with a desire to provide, in some increased degree, for her spiritual necessities, that she visited the lecture room of church, and through a friend, by whom she was introduced, expressed an earnest desire to connect herself with the Bible class of which the author then had the charge.

I have already said that Emma B- 's external appearance was exceedingly prepossessing. Seldom have I seen a more speaking face; and, in all her movements and attitudes, she seemed like one of nature's own gentlewomen. She was young, and beautiful, and brilliant; and yet there was something so soft, and chastened, and grave, and subdued in her manner, that the most superficial observer might have seen at a glance that she was one who had sat at Jesus' feet, and had "tasted of the powers of the world to come. The more information I obtained in relation to Emma, and the more I saw of her in the Bible class, the more deeply interested I became in her. I was told that her family were wealthy and fashionable people, and that the whole circle of her friends were devoted to gayety and pleasure, and regarded her as under the influence of delusion. It was also remarked that she had to resist, every day, unceasing importunity to mingle in the scenes and circles of fashion and gayety. Though her friends were so unwearied in their endeavours to inspire her with her former love of dress, and to draw her again to the dance and the theatre, she remained steadfast, and kept on, in the even tenor of her way, a plain, unadorned, meek, heavenly minded Christian.

This was the account that I received in relation to Emma B- The opportunity that I had of conversing with her, though very limited, led me to believe, that she had indeed "seen Jesus," and that she was prepared to make any sacrifices to follow him. She was, however, still a young and inexperienced Christian; and from what has been already said, it is evident that she was surround

Spiritual enjoyment.

ed by peculiar temptations. How she withstood these will be seen in the sequel. Emma was at no time under my pastoral care, any farther than what arose from the circumstance of her attending my Bible class; and, therefore, I had not that opportunity of imparting direct personal advice that I should have enjoyed had she been one of my own charge. She had, however, a number of Christian friends, who felt deeply interested in her, and sought by every means in their power to help her onward in the Christian

race.

The advice and counsel of a pastor are valuable, and the encouragement of Christian friends is of great assistance in strengthening one in the pursuit of holiness; but, after all, it mainly depends upon ourselves whether we hold on our way. If we are faithful in looking to God, and are determined to flee the very appearance of evil, we shall be "kept by the power of his grace." Emma seemed in some degree to realize this. She spent much time in communion with God; and one hour of each day was religiously devoted to self-examination-and one day in each week to fasting and prayer. While pursuing this course, there was no declension in the fervour of her piety. She grew rapidly in grace, and was enabled oft-times to go up to the very top of the mount, and behold the most enrapturing displays of divine glory. Adverting to this period in her religious course, while on her death-bed, she remarked, "Then I cared for nothing but Christ. He was my all in all. I had none near me to enter into my feelings, and they were poured out in all their fervency to God. There were times when it seemed that my mortal frame could not endure that sense of his presence-that enjoyment of communion with him with which I was favoured."

The state of mind here described is such as has been enjoyed by many eminent Christians, who were entirely removed from the influence of enthusiasm. President Edwards, whose name is identified with the highest displays of human intellect, and whose admirable Treatise upon the

Early religious experience of president Edwards.

Affections, shows with what rigorous scrutiny he looked into every thing that might be resolved into animal excitement, remarks in relation to his own religious experience,—

"The sense I had of divine things would often of a sudden kindle up, as it were, a sweet burning in my heart, an ardour of soul that I know not how to express.

"Not long after I began to experience these things, I gave an account to my father of some things that had passed in my mind. I was pretty much affected by the discourse we had together; and when that discourse was ended, I walked abroad alone in a solitary place in my father's pasture, for contemplation. And as I was walking there, and looking up on the sky and clouds, there came into my mind so sweet a sense of the glorious majesty and grace of God, that I know not how to express. I seemed to see them both in a sweet conjunction; majesty and meekness joined together: it was a sweet, and gentle, and holy majesty and also a majestic meekness-an awful sweetness-a high, and great, and holy gentleness.

"After this my sense of divine things gradually increased, and became more and more lively, and had more of that inward sweetness. The appearance of every thing was altered -there seemed to be, as it were, a calm, sweet cast, or appearance of divine glory, in almost every thing-in the sun, moon, and stars-in the clouds and blue sky-in the grass, flowers, and trees-in the water, and all nature, which used greatly to fix my mind. I often used to sit and view the moon for continuance; and in the day spent much time in viewing the clouds and sky, to behold the sweet glory of God in these things; in the mean time singing forth, with a low voice, my contemplations of the Creator and Redeemer. I had vehement longings of soul after God and Christ, and after more holiness, wherewith my heart seemed to be full and ready to break, which often brought to my mind the words of the psalmist, My soul breaketh for the longing it hath.''

The gifted and amiable Cowper, whose mind was so

Cowper-Brainerd.

Views of divine glory.

frequently under a cloud, had views of the divine goodness, when first brought to enjoy the light of God's reconciled countenance, which he thus describes : "Unless the Almighty arm had been under me, I think I should have died with gratitude and joy. My eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with transport. I could only look up to heaven in silent fear, overwhelmed with love and wonder. But the work of the Holy Spirit is best described in his own words: it is joy unspeakable and full of glory.' Thus was my heavenly Father in Christ Jesus pleased to give me the full assurance of faith, and out of a stony unbelieving heart to raise up a child unto Abraham.' How glad should I now have been to have spent every moment in prayer and thanksgiving! I lost no opportunity of repairing to a throne of grace, but flew to it with an earnestness irresistible and never to be satisfied. Could I help it? Could I do otherwise than love and rejoice in my reconciled Father in Christ Jesus? The Lord had enlarged my heart, and I ran in the way of his commandments.' For many succeeding weeks tears were ready to flow if I did but speak of the gospel, or mention the name of Jesus. To rejoice day and night was all my employment. Too happy to sleep much, I thought it was but lost time that was spent in slumber."

I will refer to one case more-that of David Brainerd, whose name, like that of Henry Martyn, is associated with all that is sacred and inspiring in the missionary enterprise. He remarks, "As I was walking in a dark thick grove, unspeakable glory seemed to open to the view and apprehension of my soul. I do not mean any external brightness, for I saw no such thing; nor do I intend any imagination of a body of light, somewhere in the third heaven, or any thing of that nature; but it was a new inward apprehension, or view that I had of GoD, such as I never had before, nor any thing which had the least resemblance to it. I stood still; wondered and admired! I knew that I never had seen before any thing comparable to it for excellency

The grand design of religion.

and beauty it was widely different from all the conceptions that ever I had of God, or things divine. I had no particular apprehension of any one person in the Trinity, either the Father, the Son, or the Holy Ghost; but it appeared to be the divine glory. My soul rejoiced with joy unspeakable to see such a God, such a glorious Divine Being; and I was inwardly pleased and satisfied, that he should be God over all for ever and ever. My soul was so captivated and delighted with the excellency, loveliness, greatness, and other perfections of God, that I was even swallowed up in him; at least to that degree, that I had no thought (as I remember) at first about my own salvation, and scarcely reflected that there was such a creature as myself."

After reading such testimony from such witnesses, we shall not be disposed to set down to the account of a sickly or disordered imagination those displays of divine glory which shone at this time with such heavenly brightness upon Emma's view. An inmate of the same dwelling, who saw much of Emma at this time, has since remarked,

"She seemed too holy for earth. Her thoughts were entirely given up to religion. She rose very early, and I never awoke that I did not find her either on her knees or with her Bible in her hand."

I cannot here refrain from making the passing comment upon the preceding remark, that the great mass of people have no adequate idea of the grand design of religion, or of what is necessarily implied by a public profession of Christianity. The idea often entertained, is-that if one makes the service of God the paramount object of life; if he consecrates to him the best energies of his soul, and has it for his principal business to walk so as to please him; finding his highest delight in prayer, and his greatest enjoyment in communion with God-that he is too holy for earth. There can be no greater mistake than this. This is what all Christians ought to be; what God requires them to be; and what they must be before this earth is