holy desire!  My earnest aspiration is after perfect love.  When shall it once be?  Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.—­We went to Ribstone to see Mrs. R. but did not pray at the close of the visit; my mind was wounded on this account.  The Lord pardon all my offences.—­Cousin and I found it good to pour out our souls before God, alone.  At first my mind felt hard; but by and by, the veil was drawn aside, and I enjoyed a sweet manifestation of the Lord;—­a settled peace but no overflowing joy.  My earnest wish is to be quite clear, for I am more than ever convinced of the reality of the blessing.  The cleansing power of God puts us in a capacity to ‘grow in grace,’ and live to the glory of God.—­We walked to Barrowby, and took tea with Miss H. She is a friendly girl, possessing the advantage of a polite education, but wants the main accomplishment—­vital godliness:  she wept while I talked with her.  O that it may not pass away as the morning cloud!  On our return we had a blessed meeting with our God.  I felt the power to cast myself by faith upon the Lord; but still do not perceive the direct witness of the cleansing blood:  am resolved not to give up the point until I obtain my suit.—­I left Kirkby,—­a place so congenial to my inclinations, secluded from scenes of noise and excitement,—­and had a pleasant journey home, where I found all well.  Praise God.—­Returning from the Lord’s house, a beautiful rainbow attracted my attention, and preached a second sermon to me; putting me in mind of the covenant which the Lord had made with His people.—­I am aiming to keep the prize in view.  I see lengths and breadths before me; and my heart, thank God, is bent to pursue that which to me is most desirable, viz., holiness.  But I need stronger faith to enter in by the blood of Jesus.  Union with Him is sweet.  This makes one thirst for more.  Many temptations assault me, but the reading of Fletcher’s Polemical Essay on Christian Perfection has been of advantage to me.  I am learning the method of bringing to God those evils and besetments, which seem to be the main hindrances to my progress.  I have much cause of humiliation before the Lord, and wish to attain that sweet spirit of abasement, which not only confesses its unworthiness, but feels willing, that others should be preferred before me.  I have need of vigilance; my enemy is ready to seize upon the least advantage.  To Thee, O God, my soul looks up.—­A dream, I had this week, powerfully impressed me with the necessity of being faithful with our relatives, and of living near to God ourselves.  Private prayer has been profitable, but do not know that I was ever so much beset with peculiar temptation.  Since I have become acquainted with the devices of the enemy, have found another errand to the Lord.—­Spent the forenoon with some of the friends of God, and the poor.  On attending one of the women’s prayer-meetings, find my name, has been omitted, but believe it is for the best.

  ’Make me little and unknown,
  Prized and loved by God alone.’