after proving the reality of her conversion by an humble walk with God, during a period of twenty-seven years. Her latest breath was spent in prayer and praise. Warned by this last bereavement of his own approaching end, Mr. Cocker wrote in pencil:-"As I have now sunk into my own nothingness, I wish to be consigned to my final restingplace as quietly as possible. If practicable, let me be borne by Local preachers. All that you can say of me is, that I am a sinner saved by grace through the atonement of my Lord Jesus Christ, on whom I have believed, and who is all my hope for time and for eternity. A poor, unprofitable servant, I have laboured a little for Him, and, I hope, from a pure motive; and some fruit has followed. But I have done nothing as I ought."

Three weeks before his removal to his heavenly home, the venerable sufferer was removed from his own residence to that of his son, Mr. Joseph Cocker, of Dewsbury; by whom, as well as by his exemplary wife, all that filial piety could do was done to soothe the last days of an afflicted father. Here he derived much comfort from the visits of ministers and friends; especially from a visit paid him three days before his death by the Rev. Edward Walker, who in early life had been a member of his class at Almondbury.

On the morning of the Lord's day, May 26th, 1861, he complained of feeling" rather unwell." A change passed over him-and "he was not, for God took him."-On the following Wednesday, his mortal remains were borne to their final resting-place, in the Mirfield chapel-yard, by the senior Local preachers of the neighbourhood, together with his old friend Mr. Dawson, of Almondbury; the service being conducted by the ministers of the Circuit.

In integrity and holy diligence, in an humble walk with God, and in the improvement of talents and opportunities, may every reader of this memorial have grace to tread in the steps of the departed!

:

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION-REPLIES TO QUERIES.

(To the Editor of the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine.)

I EXPECTED to see in the October Number of the Magazine replies to the questions proposed in the September one, in a foot-note to the article on this subject; but am disappointed. I am not competent to give an authoritative opinion, or to write an article fit for the Magazine I shall be glad, nevertheless, to state to you plainly and simply what I think, and to give you my reasons for so thinking. The questions relate to the consciousness that a man may have as to the completeness of the surrender or consecration he makes of himself to God. "Whence the assurance that he has done this? Is he the judge in his own case? What is there, at this particular point, to sustain his consciousness?"-I would say, that his consciousness is sufficient assurance to himself; that he needs no other; and that no other is given to him at this particular point.

It must be borne in mind, that the man who is in the state described is not one who is in darkness as to any knowledge of himself, or of God; of the relation in which he stands to God; and of the claims that God has upon him. He was once darkness," but now he is "light in the Lord," and walks as a "child of light." He is under the special teaching of Him who has said to His beloved church, "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord," and has promised that the Holy Ghost "will guide" them "into all truth." He is willing (John vii. 17) to do the will of God, and has the promise of the Lord Jesus that he "shall know of the doctrine." Many promises are made by the Holy One to this man, in his present state of mind, that he shall not err. His eye is single, and his body is full of light. The Scripture recognises the "consciousness" of this man, as sufficient evidence of the sincerity of his heart, and of the acceptableness of his life. "Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and men." (Acts xxiv. 16.) "Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world." (2 Cor. i. 12.) "Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God." (1 Peter iii. 21.) "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience." (Heb. x. 22.) "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him." (Job xiii. 15.) "Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live." (Job xxvii. 5, 6.) "Remember now, O Lord, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight." (Isai. xxxviii. 3.) But the strongest confirmation of our view is in St. John's First Epistle: "Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.......If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." (iii. 18—21.)

......

Let me illustrate this last passage from a well-known treatise on the "Principles of the Interior Life." In answer to the question, How may we attain to holiness? the writer says:-" An indispensable thing is an act of personal consecration to God. Some confound an act of consecration with the full or complete state of sanctification. But this confusion of ideas ought to be avoided. Sanctification is something more than the consecrating act. Consecration is simply putting forth the volition, (a foundation for which we will suppose to be laid in the belief of the duty and attainableness of holiness,)—the fixed, unalterable determination, with Divine assistance to be wholly the Lord's. In other words, it is a fixed purpose to break off from every known sun; and to walk, to the full extent of our ability, in the way of the Divine requirements. God recognises the moral agency of man, fallen as he is; and calls upon him to make this consecration......... Now, it does not necessarily follow, because we put forth a determination to do a

thing, that the thing is done; although it is certain that the thing will never be done without the previous determination. Such a consecration, therefore, extending to all that we are and all that we have, is necessary. And let it not be said, that we have no power to make it. We are not speaking now of persons who are in the deadness of original unconversion, We are speaking of Christians, of persons in a justified state, whose dead wills have been partially quickened by the Holy Ghost, and who certainly can do something in this way. Such a consecration, therefore, made with the whole soul, and for all coming time, is necessary. And it is so, first, because we can have no available faith in the promises of God without it. It is a great complaint in the Christian church, at the present day, that there is a want of faith. If we may take the statements of Christians themselves, they do not believe; certainly, not as they should do. And why is this? It is because they have not fully consecrated themselves to God. Such are the laws of the mind, that they cannot have full faith in God as a Friend and a Father to them, so long as they are conscious of voluntarily sinning against Him. The Saviour has distinctly recognised the principle, that faith, under such circumstances, is an impossibility: How can ye believe, who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?' If we seek the honour that cometh from God,-in other words, if in the fixed purpose of our minds we consecrate ourselves to Him, to do, as far as in us lies, His whole will,-then, and not otherwise, we can believe that He will do for us all that He has promised in His holy word. It is precisely here as it is in common life. It is impossible for us, in our intercourse of man with man, to believe that a man whom we deliberately sin against and injure has confidence in us and loves us, provided we are certain that he has knowledge of the fact. The principle will be found to hold good in regard to God, as well as to man. Before Adam and Eve sinned, they had faith in God as their Father and Friend. But their faith failed as soon as they had sinned; and they immediately hid themselves from His presence. If we would have faith, therefore, we must endeavour by consecration to cease from all known voluntary sin. In entire accordance with these views are the remarkable expressions in the First Epistle of John,- Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.""

The same writer observes :-"The consecration, including our bodies as well as our spirits, and our possessions as well as our persons,-all we are, and all we have, all we can do, and all we can suffer,-should

be made without any reserve. There are many professors of religion who are willing to give up something to the Lord; and perhaps it can be said that there are many who are willing to give up much; but the consecration of which we are speaking requires us to be truly willing to give up ALL; and not only to be willing to give up all, but to do it. It is true, that, in our present state, some things are needful for us; and our heavenly Father assures us that He is not ignorant of it. But while, in compassion to our obvious wants, He bestows upon us those things which are necessary to beings who must be fed, clothed,

and sheltered, He requires us to hold these, and all other gifts of a temporal nature, which we sometimes call our own, as bestowments imparted by Himself for a special purpose, and to be retained and used in perfect subordination to the Divine will. And still more important and necessary is it, that all the exercises of the mind, all the powers and efforts of the intellect, and all desires and purposes of the heart and will, should be laid sacredly upon the Divine altar; in perfect simplicity of view; without any reservation, and without any regards, however secret and intimate, to the claims of self; inscribed, as it were, within and without, with 'HOLINESS TO THe Lord;' 'FROM GOD, of God, and foR GOD.' Consecration without reserve implies that we are not only to give up our persons and powers to be employed, as God wills, but also to endure or suffer as God wills; and it implies, also, that we are to give them up, to be employed, and to suffer, just in the time and place, and in all the precise circumstances, which are agreeable to God; without presuming to dictate to Him in the smallest respect, and without any will or choice of our own. A word further remains to be said here. I am aware there are some who seem to appreciate the necessity of entirely consecrating themselves to God, and perhaps may be said to be willing to do it, but who have felt a difficulty in one particular. They have inquired, with a good deal of solicitude, 'How is it possible to make a consecration now which shall bind us to fulfil the will of God in all the emergencies of the unseen and untried future?'...... In respect to such cases, all we can say is, that we must commit ourselves into the hands of God in the exercise of simple faith; remembering His declaration, that His 'grace is sufficient.' God hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.'"*

To these sentences it might have been added, that the promise stands recorded, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." The teaching of our Saviour is also in point: "Take no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

If the paragraphs now cited do not bear directly on the question of relying on "consciousness," they will not be deemed irrelevant to the whole subject. I now give an extract from Mr. Wesley, (10th Sermon,) which is manifestly pertinent :-" But how does it appear, that we have these marks? How does it appear, that we do love God and our neighbour, and that we keep His commandments? Observe, that the meaning of the question is, How does it appear to ourselves, not to others! I would ask him, then, that proposes this question, How does it appear to you, that you are alive, and that you are now in ease, and not in pain? Are you not immediately conscious of it? By the same immediate consciousness, you will know if your soul is alive to God; if you are saved from the pain of proud wrath, and have the ease of a meek

* The quotations are slightly abridged. Here and there an explanatory or qualifying word might be inserted with advantage.-Enitors.

and quiet spirit. By the same means you cannot but perceive if you love, rejoice, and delight in God. By the same you must be directly assured if you love your neighbour as yourself; if you are kindly affectioned to all mankind, and full of gentleness and longsuffering. And with regard to the outward mark of the children of God, which is, according to St. John, the keeping His commandments, you undoubtedly know in your own breast, if, by the grace of God, it belongs to you. Your conscience informs you, from day to day, if you do not take the name of God within your lips, unless with seriousness and devotion, with reverence and godly fear; if you remember the Sabbathday to keep it holy; if you honour your father and mother; if you do to all as you would they should do unto you; if you possess your body in sanctification and honour; and if, whether you eat or drink, you are temperate therein, and do all to the glory of God.-Now, this is properly the testimony of our own spirit; even the testimony of our own conscience, that God hath given us to be holy of heart, and holy in outward conversation. It is a consciousness of our having received, in and by the Spirit of adoption, the tempers mentioned in the word of God, as belonging to His adopted children; even a loving heart toward God, and toward all mankind; hanging with child-like confidence on God our Father, desiring nothing but Him, casting all our care upon Him, and embracing every child of man with earnest, tender affection-a consciousness that we are inwardly conformed, by the Spirit of God, to the image of His Son; and that we walk before Him in justice, mercy, and truth, doing the things that are pleasing in His sight."

Now, let us look at the man whose inward and outward life, and whose consciousness, Mr. Wesley has here described. If he become thoroughly determined to know the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of peace, if he examine himself earnestly, diligently, and with an honest desire to know the worst of himself, and to make an entire surrender to God,-will not his consciousness of making such a surrender avail for his assurance on the point? If there be any period, in the religious life of a Christian man, when he may rely with special confidence that light and help will be given him, is it not now, when he is earnestly desirous of becoming altogether such as God would have him be? If the promise concerning the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke xi. 13) can be considered more sure of fulfilment at one time than at another, is not this the moment? Will God suffer such a man to err for lack of knowledge? I think the text in Phil. iii. 15, “If in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you,' applies with special force to this condition of the inward life. I scarcely need remind you that the question does not now concern the Christian man who has believed to the purifying of his heart, and taken the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour to the uttermost; but to the earnest seeker of this full salvation.

God deals with men according to the light that they have, and to their faithfulness in the use of that light. The Scriptures teach this clearly; and it is strikingly exemplified in the facts of individual his

VOL. IX.-FIFTH SERIES.

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