from day to day, for grace, for every duty, as it occurred. The promise runs, as thy day so shall thy strength be.

I cannot at this distance, and knowing nothing of characters, offer you any advice with respect to outward means; but if you know any truly pious, spiritual minister, I should think it your duty to lay open your mind to him. You may find in books matter as good as any man living can speak; but it is the Lord's appointed way, and he often honours his servants, his ministers, by making them messengers of peace and comfort to his children. Are any sick, let them call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over them. See how the Christians of old associated with one another! I am now doubly yours, &c.

I. G.

March, 1799.

MY EVER DEAR FRIEND,

I have just read your letter; painful to you to write, yet no more so to me, than to see a dear friend in the pangs of child-birth, with every symptom of an approaching deliverance. The day wil soon break, and the shadows flee away; and the dear Saviour whom you seek, will again comfort his returning pro

digal.

I will do what you desire me, and though I have the highest opinion of our young Timothy I. M. I will pass by him, in this case, and lay it before one of the aged Christians, Dr. R-rs, or Dr. L-n; at the same time, my friend, I am as sure of their answer, as if I were already in possession of it. Who told my friend,

that she was blind, and miserable, and wretched, and naked flesh and blood never yet taught proud man or woman this lesson.

My dear friend, there is nothing new, nor strange, in all you have told me: there is scarce a heaventaught soul, who has made any advances in the spiritual warfare, but could sympathize with you from experience. What have you experienced more than the Scriptures tell us? that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Only the Lord can search it, only he can cleanse it. He takes the prerogative to himself, and he calls it his Covenant that he will make with sinners in gospel times. You may strive and fight, and resolve and vow-all will not do: you lie at his mercy for holiness, as well as pardon. He is exalted as a prince to give repentance, and he is the author and finisher of faith. He works all our works in us, and without him we are not equal to one good thought. We are his workmanship, created anew in Christ Jesus. My dear friend, put the work into his hand, and try to wait in hope, hope in every situation; do more, trust.

You entirely mistake the situation of others; none of us have our heaven here:, no, sin dwelleth in us; the very best have their ups and downs. Do you think your friend is always on the mount? very far from it. I am at times, so cold, so dead, so stupid, that I can neither pray, read, nor hear. I have begun the same chapter over and over, still trying to fix my thoughts, and as often they are off on every trifle; but my peace lies where you will soon learn to place yours, in the merits of my almighty Saviour; my safety depends not on my frames, but his promise; and I am equally safe when tossed and tempted; dead and

you

lifeless; emptied of every good, perhaps buffeted like you with abominable thoughts, the fiery darts of Satan, as when basking in the sunshine of His love, and tasting what you have tasted: for have tasted, and you shall yet taste, the joys of his salvation. I too have proved false to his Covenant, have gone off with the world, and been intoxicated with its vanities, and empty delights, and have laid up for myself seasons of deep remorse; my sins have often separated between my God and me, especially in my younger days; the Lord calls to watchfulness and diligence in the use of means, and he generally honours these means, of his own appointing, with his blessing. When we either trust to these means, and fancy merit in them, or neglect to use them as his appointment, he generally makes us to feel our error, but he does not cast us out of his family: he chastens us, and restores us.

I write hastily, just to say you have my sympathy and my love; for well I know, the almighty Lord alone can loose your bonds, and give you joy and peace in believing. All my advice may be summed up in this-trust in the Lord with all your heart; at least aim at this; I say aim at it, for this too must be given you. Roll yourself, your doubts, your fears, your sins, your duties, all, all on him; your deadness, your dryness, all on him: say, Lord I believe, help my unbelief. He is an almighty Saviour to deliver sinners from sin as well as from punishment. I leave you on the Father of mercies, and will, when the Lord enables, pray for you.

Yours, &c.

At last, my dear friend, the Lord appears; appears the bible God. The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.

When was it, that the Lord proclaimed this, and took unto himself this name? After Israel, his chosen, had been guilty of that awful sin in the wilderness, of making the golden calf, and proclaiming, these be thy gods, O Israel: David takes it up in the ciii Psalm, The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.-Read on, my dear, then turn to the cxxx; this God is yourGod,and has long been your God; his work was upon your heart, though you could not discern it. In bondage you have long been, but not a willing captive; unbelief kept you in bondage, long, long after your eyes were opened to see your bondage; and even to discern, in some feeble measure, your remedy. My dear, the Lord has wise reasons for all you have suffered if not now, you shall in some after time, know and consider all the way by which he has led you, to prove you, to try you, and shew you what was in your heart, that he might do you good in your latter end. You did not wait patiently for the Lord your God; you did not in general say, though he slay me, I will trust in him-no; my friend has been a great unbeliever, yet hath the Lord, the sovereign Lord, whose ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts, brought you out of a fearful pit, and out of the miry clay; set your feet upon a rock, and established your goings; put a new song into your mouth, even praise unto our God. Now you sing the xxxiv Psalm. I do rejoice with my friend; I do bless the Lord with her; let us exalt his name toge

:

ther. It is establishing to my own soul. I have long prayed, and long looked for this: I lived in the faith of it; assured that he who had begun the good work would perfect it in his own time.

I cannot but regret your want of pastoral food; yet ought I to regret any thing? the Lord himself is your Shepherd; my bible lies on my lap. I had turned to the xxxiv Psalm, to know if it contained what I would point out to you; on finishing the last verse, I unconsciously turned my eye on the bible; the words that met it were in the xxxii Psalm, 8th verse, I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. And so it shall be. Amen, my God, amen. Do as thou hast said.

Perhaps, my friend, by this time your notes are lowered. It has pleased the Lord to give you a strange sight: Mary Magdalene, a great sinner at the feet of Jesus, pardoned, comforted, and highly honoured in after life. This history, accompanied by the Spirit of God, has consoled, strengthened, and raised up many bowed down since that day; many now around the throne, who sing of pardoning love.

your

I now wish to say, hold fast the beginning of confidence. Your exercise is that of God's people. To rejoice in the Lord at all times is your privilege, but will not be always your attainment. The Lord has done great things for you, whereof I am glad : but, my dear friend, the warfare is not over, you must endure trials as others; engage with principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places, and, worst of all, a treacherous heart within; which, for all that it has seen and tasted, is yet corrupt and deceitful: the new life which Christ gives to the soul, evidences itself in the desires of the heart and affections. As