love God with an undivided heart. O! how I love thus to see the prosperity of Zion! I feel indeed a sweet assurance, through grace, that if all around me were careless and lukewarm, my soul would cleave to its only centre, with all its powers and affections; but how much more does it animate and enliven my spirit; how increase my joy; yea, how does it strengthen my hands, to see my dear brethren rejoicing and glorying in the same precious salvation, and living as it becomes the redeemed of the Lord! There are persons, besides those I have mentioned, who can say, they feel nothing contrary to love, and are kept in perfect peace; but dare not yet profess that they are cleansed from all sin. I now meet two bands, and blessed be God we do not meet in vain. My soul dwells truly in a present heaven: the eternal Trinity is my God and my all. Every power and faculty is swallowed up in him. "I nothing want beneath, above, I was surprised to hear that you had been at Chester and Wrexham: but, I trust, if you did not come to preach a funeral sermon for a friend, you came to shake Satan's kingdom. We had a precious love feast. Some people tell me I always have precious times, and therefore judge others have so too; but I believe most that were present are agreed in this, that we have had no love feast like the last for many years. The select band is very lively. I have just been there, since I began my letter, and find another soul has received the witness of sanctification under Mr. L. this morning. I know you will join me to praise a God of love. Glory be to his holy name. "Our days of praise shall ne'er be past, While life, and thought, and being last, 66 In a day or two after I wrote to you, the pain in my face and head was suddenly removed in answer to prayer, and I have hardly felt it since. Till then I had no liberty to pray for its removal; but, hearing that my bands never met during my confinement, and that several neglected to meet in the select band, whom I persuaded to go before, I said, Lord, if thy unworthiest servant can be a blessing to their precious souls, remove this affliction," it is enough; "and I will praise thee." And the prayer was heard. In ten thousand instances I thus prove him a God that heareth and answereth prayer. I am filled with his goodness; I know not where to begin that praise that never shall end. I remain, dear and ever honoured sir, your unworthiest child in bonds of divine love, H. A. ROE. LETTER XXV.-To the Same. APRIL 7, 1782. Rev. and Dear SIR,-Glory be to him, to whom all glory is ever due. I find him an ocean of love, without bottom or shore. He fills my happy soul with humble joy unknown. I dwell in his sacred presence; he dwells in my worthless heart, and all wrapt up in him I am. Your last sermon on the Monday morning was made a peculiar blessing to very many precious souls, who say, they are sure God directed you to speak just as you did. Some others indeed say, you preached a new doctrine, which they never heard before, ex, cept from cousin Robert Roe, respecting a present salvation; for they cannot believe a person can be justified or sanctified, unless they have undergone a long preparation, &c. Nay, they have even affirmed that he or myself desired you to preach that sermon, and to mention the person who was convicted, justified, and sanctified in twelve hours. Why should we wonder at these things? The remains of the carnal mind in myself would once have strongly opposed the simplicity of faith. But O! how precious do I now prove the experience of those words, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who hath loved me, and given himself for me." How mistaken are those who say, to speak much of living by faith, or of coming to be justified or sanctified by faith alone, is setting aside good works! For, can there be a Gospel faith which does not work by love? And does not love work all holy obedience? Excuse me, dear sir, I have been led to say more on this subject than I intended; my soul being peculiarly blessed since I began to write. Indeed, I often find it so when I write to you. He makes you in various ways an instrument of much good to my soul. How unworthy am I of his innumerable mercies! Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name. A dear young woman, who received sanctification about three months ago, (who has been a follower of God for six years, and found his pardoning love at fourteen years old,) is now to all appearance on the borders of eternity; and no pen can describe the holy triumph of her soul. It is a blessing to be near her. On Tuesday last, as I was repeating and enforcing some of the passages in your last sermon, and a few parallel promises, another young woman, who had been seeking the blessing two years by works, was by faith brought into full liberty, and still retains the clear witness that she is cleansed from all sin. And while Mr. offered a present salvation, a young woman was justified. JS writes word he has reason to praise God for his journey to Macclesfield, and is determined to preach an instantaneous present salvation from all sin. I trust your going to Chester will strengthen his hands. I cannot tell you how much I am filled with a spirit of prayer for you, and a sweet assurance that God is about to use you as a more peculiar instrument of good than he has ever done. I look for an abundant outpouring of the Spirit. Whenever I hear of souls being blessed, those words are applied, "Ye shall see greater things than these." May the fulness of the Triune God ever fill your happy soul! and may you still help me to love him more, prays your most unworthy, but ever affectionate, H. A. ROE. LETTER XXVI.-To the Same. JUNE 13, 1782. REV. AND DEAR SIR,-I have been very ill, and my body brought very low since I saw you; but those sweet words continually applied, caused me to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, viz."According to my earnest expectation, and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death; for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." O my dear sir, I never dwelt so much in God as I have done of late. My whole soul has been swallowed up in communion with the eternal Trinity; and peculiarly within this last fortnight, with the Holy Spirit. I have been led to pray in faith for a universal and pentecostal outpouring of His divine fulness; and it surely will descend. Being lately on a visit to Nantwich, the dear peo ple there, who knew me formerly, flocked around me with eagerness, and I held a prayer meeting with twelve or fourteen of them, for which I believe we shall praise God through eternity. A poor backslider was restored, and all present were filled with humble love and joy. I left five or six earnestly crying for a clean heart, and determined to meet among themselves, for all the classes were broken up, or torn by divisions. When I came to Congleton on my return home, I found a young man, who lately withstood cousin Robert Roe to his face, respecting sanctification by faith, now rejoicing in it, and declaring it boldly to all around. I spoke with several who felt the need of holiness, and two of them are able to testify "the blood of Jesus cleanseth them from sin." In this place, those who enjoy Christian perfection have had much opposition from some of their brethren. Four or five met constantly together to revile cousin Robert and all who profess it. But one of them now has been truly humbled before God, and received it himself in the very way he so much reviled, even by simple faith. And another of them says in his class, and publicly to all, that, if he had continued to revile them, he believes he should have been damned for it; but he is now determined never to rest till he receives it himself. Since you were with us, six or seven have been justified, and four or five sanctified. Cousin Robert preached at Keethlesum, about eight miles off, where one was justified, and another sanctified. At Burslem he found many thirsting for holiness, some enjoying it, and others stirred up to seek it. The children who professed sanctification when you were here, stand steadfast and unreprovable; though they have much opposition from those who do not believe the doctrine. Indeed I believe it is a means of good to them, constraining them to |