peace. The Lord has given me all my asking-the salvation of your souls. In a little time we shall all be gathered around his throne. Well may I leave to him all intervening circumstances, as well as who goes first, and how. O how he blesses my latter end, how he soothes and comforts my old age; far other things have I merited, that my soul knows; but he has not only pardoned, but comforts, and draws a veil over my transgressions, covering them from the world's observation. What can I say? He is God, and mercy is his darling attribute.

April 17, 1801.

I WROTE my dear children by the Draper, by the British Packet, and by I know not whom; but this is the 4th. I will now begin to number my letters, for I send them to go by the first opportunity, without being able to know which will be the first at the time of writing.

not my

O my dear children, the weather has been tremendous. It is not my anxiety that makes the observation. Others allow it, and the winds are all easterly. Were God your God, did I not know and believe, that all his providences shall be over-ruled for your true interest; did I not enter more into your eternal state, than your temporal, I should be very miserable. I have brought the reality near me, that mine eyes may never behold you again on earth. I can say, even of that, it is well; but the idea of the horrors of tempest, a leaky vessel, racked by the storm, and sinking by inches; sickness, nervous timidity, and the sufferings to be undergone, before the entrance to the haven of rest be attained, is my chief disquietment, I will not

even say distress, because when these horrors (horrors they are to mere nature) dart across my mind, filling my soul with momentary anguish; Satan too, seeking to distract my mind, the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him, and comforts me with his own. word, the everlasting promises suited to every possible circumstance in the believer's lot. Thousands of times have I grasped that promise, leave thy fatherless, children on me, I will preserve them alive. I pleaded it for the life of their souls; He answered my prayers; He has given them life, and they live to him. Yes, I see the fruit, and though iniquities still prevail against them, He still purgeth away their transgressions; kindles their repentance; humbles their souls; lays them prostrate in penitential confession; washes them afresh in the open fountain; restores to them the joys of his salvation; seals their pardon by shedding abroad his love in their hearts, and making them walk in the path of righteousness for his own name's sake.

Thus he carries them on from strength to strength by various means of his own appointing, and some terrible things in righteousness, in the course of his providence; in all which he is sovereign, but ever consistent with his new Covenant name, as proclaimed to Moses on the Mount; as manifested in the character of God, dwelling with us in our own nature, in whom mercy shone prominent, his darling attribute; by which mercy, they shall appear in Zion, before God, in due

time.

Is it so? Is this God my God, and the God of my seed? Is he himself become our salvation? Are we heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ? Is our life hid with Christ in God? when he appears, shall we

(I and the children which he hath given me) in very deed, appear with him in glory? Is all this so? and I believe it, shall I tremble at the approach of any of his providences? Shall I not say when it has taken place? The will of the Lord be done, especially when clothed with love. I trust that as my day, so shall my strength be, and in the interim, I have the same confidence for you. For he giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increaseth strength.

MY DEAR CHILDREN,

April 25, 1801.

THE storms and tempests that have almost unremittingly succeeded each other, ever since you left us, have kept my mind in constant exercise about you; the wind roars and howls in my windows, though not facing the storm, and the white waves in the river picture in my mind the foaming billows of the ocean. The name of our God is my consolation: though the waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof, there is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God. God shall help her, and that right early. When I walk about Zion, and go round about her, when I tell the towers thereof, mark her bulwarks, and consider her palaces, my heart rejoices, that this God is our God; he will be our guide even unto death; and O the joy, that my children are the citizens of this Zion, and the heirs of all the promises by virtue of the New Testament in Christ's blood! A Covenant of works it was to our surety, and his heart's blood finished the requisites of it. It is now a Testament to you, sealed

hope your ex

If not wholly, Though you of death, you

by the same blood. Wherever in his word I meet the character, the providence, the work of God, I read my own and my children's interest. I perience shall be in the 107 Psalm, 28. it shall terminate in Psalm xxiii. 4. walk through the valley of the shadow shall fear no evil, for this God, who is your guide, even unto death, shall be with you, his rod and staff shall comfort you; and our darling J-y, he shall carry as a lamb in his arms, and hide her from the horrors, in his bosom. I dwell much on these subjects, and I feel comforted, whatever be the event.

If the Lord has carried you safe through, and you live to read this in the body, know that our God continues to bless us abundantly, in health, peace and plenty, as to temporals; we also experience the peace of his Covenant, and have tastes of the bread and of the water of life. Thanks, all thanks to our new Covenant Head, for the stability of the Covenant; we change, but he changeth not. He himself is the Covenant given to the people, and because he lives, his people shall live also, in spite of Satan, and his colleague sin, in our hearts; sin may, and does bring his people into captivity, but it shall not keep them in bondage for ever. The time of deliverance shall come, when they shall revive as the corn, &c. Oh! is it not a well-ordered covenant, and sure!

MY DEAR CHILDREN,

May 10, 1801.

LAST evening was preparation sermon, Mr. Y preached a very excellent sermon from the song of So̟lomon, who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved? First the wilderness of this world,

next the church coming up, then the attitude leaning, and on whom; I thought the simile well supported, and practical, as he went on. His application was rich on the Christian's support, where he brought into view many of the names of Christ.

After sermon, we witnessed a most affecting scene; two female members rebuked and restored to the communion of the church. Never, never, did our dear Mr. M- shine so bright in my eyes; many tears were shed. I knew nothing of it, and wondered to what he was leading, when he addressed the congregation after sermon, upon Christian walk, watchfulness, and temptation, and the distress occasioned in Christian Society, when of the members were left to fall into open any and aggravated sin. Such was the case in our own congregation; two, (naming the offenders,) had been so far left, but while deeply wounded by the sin and scandal, he was consoled by their penitence: he assured the congregation that they had given great evidence of deep contrition; and were now come forward to acknowledge their crime before their offended, and grieved brethren, and to give all the satisfaction in their power, by submitting to the censure of the Church in this public manner, which although painful to him, he must pronounce according to God's appointment. They who sin before all, rebuke before all. He then made them stand up; scarce an individual turned to look; many were weeping, while he laid before them their guilt in strong, yet tender, terms; and finished by expressing his approbation of their thus submitting to the rod; pronounced their absolution, and gave them an exhortation to humility, and redoubled watchfulness. Then, again he addressed the members, requesting them to receive into their Christian