when you have done all that is commanded, you must not esteem yourself, on that account, as righteous and holy, but as an unprofitable servant. For your ability to perform good works is owing to the grace of the Redeemer. Before he had forgiven your sins, and given you his righteousness, together with his mind and Spirit-in short, before justification-you could perform no truly good work what

ever.

"3. But to what degree, and how long must you bear your misery and distress? Only, (1,) till all that is sinful and vain is offensive to you; (2,) till you despair of all human aid, and of your ability to help yourself; and lastly, (3,) till you throw yourself at the feet of Jesus in prayer, and lay hold of his righteousness as your only refuge. The sooner you come to Jesus, the sooner will your distress cease.'

Among the Roman Catholics in Wiggensbach and its neighbourhood were many persons, who, failing to find comfort, either by attending the confessional, or by receiving absolution from the priests, retired into convents, where they hoped to obtain relief for their spiritual wants. Of this class was a female, who, having been disgusted with the world, formed the design of entering a nunnery, or, at least, a clergyman's family, imagining that, in such a retreat, she would lead a holy and happy life. Accordingly, she withdrew to a nunnery, with a feeling of ecstacy, as if entering heaven itself.

But she found there no spiritual life-no Saint Theresa-and told her associates that they were no nuns, but mere hood-wearers. She soon left them, and then tried what pilgrimages could do for her. She travelled twice to Maria Einsiedel, in Switzerland, but the second time came back more uneasy and dissatisfied than before. She intreated her parish priest to tell her some other method of appeasing the inexpressible longings of her heart; but to no purpose. He only taxed her with pride and folly, and asked her whether she was not learned enough, or whether she wanted to be wiser than himself. At last she consulted Boos, and found what her soul had been seeking; he led her to Jesus, and in him she found the rest and comfort which he offers to the weary and heavy laden. From that time she felt no delight in her rosary, and other formal devotions. This disturbed her, and she almost suspected herself of heresy. She laid the matter before Boos. He asked her what so occupied her time and thoughts, that she could no longer use her rosary. "I do nothing, and think of nothing," she replied, "but to love Jesus, because he is in me, and with me." "You can do nothing better than that," said Boos; "it is no heresy to love Jesus, and think of him. To do everything out of love to him, is of more worth than using many rosaries." This satisfied her for awhile; but soon after, the thought struck her, "This clergyman makes so little account of rosaries, perhaps

he is not of much worth himself." She went and told him, with fear and trembling, what had passed through her mind. Boos laughed heartily, and said, "Yes, you are in the right; in myself I am of no worth, but what I have taught you is of worth, for it was taught by Jesus Christ and his apostles; that remains true: continue, then, in the faith; do good, and shun evil."

Not long after, a feast of indulgences was held in her neighbourhood; but, instead of attending it, she went to Boos, fifteen miles off. On his asking her the reason, she said, "Jesus is my absolution, since he died for me. His blood, simply and alone, is the absolution for all my sins." "But who teaches you this ?" said Boos. "No one," she replied; "the thought comes of itself into my mind, Jesus takes away my sins, and those things, too, on which I have depended so much, but have found them to afford neither rest nor peace. I am now convinced that all is of no avail, unless Jesus takes away sin, and dwells in our hearts." Boos then gave her a New Testament. She frequently visited him, and brought others to him for spiritual advice; amongst others, the curate of her own village.

CHAPTER IV.

Effects of his preaching-Persecution of his converts, and
of himself.

THE Success which attended the labours of Boos struck all who witnessed it with astonishment. They were at a loss to account for that "faith working by love," that meekness and humility, which were so conspicuous in his converts. Their surprise was soon exchanged for hatred, and they actually accused these pious people of having intercourse with the devil.

a

A father, for instance, who had been previously full of affection for his daughter, could no longer endure her after she became Christian. His animosity seemed to increase in proportion to her humility, gentleness, and filial obedience. "You only put on that sanctimonious manner," he exclaimed, "in order to cloak your devilry. Away! you are nothing but a hypocrite!" At last, in the heat of passion, he drove her from his house.

The

poor girl at first shed a torrent of tears. But she soon recovered her composure, and her spirits were revived by calling to mind the

Saviour's words which she had read a few days before: " They shall expel you from their synagogues, and persecute you from city to city." She even rejoiced in suffering for the sake of Jesus. (When Boos heard of it, he said, "As the sea casts out its dead, so does the world that which is dead to it.") She prayed for her father; and God graciously heard her request. In a few days, he followed her to a town at some distance, fell at her feet, begged her to forgive him for his cruel treatment, and acknowledged that it was not her, but himself, whom the devil had seduced.

A priest one day visited a sick person who had been converted by the ministry of Boos, and talked entirely on different subjects. After he had left, the nurse, a pious woman, exclaimed, "What kind of clergyman is that? he said not one word about religion!" "Alas!" said the invalid, "it is just the same in his sermons; he almost recommends dancing from the pulpit." When he called again, the nurse asked him why he said nothing about Christ. He replied, with a smile, "Oh! I cannot tell what kind of a person he is, till I am dead!" Shocked at his levity and ignorance, the good woman prayed in silence for him, "Blessed Jesus! behold how blind he is; give him something of what thou hast given me, since thou hast dwelt in my heart." She then repeated several passages of the New Testament to him, and offered to write them down, but he seemed perfectly unmoved, and went away.