be

on his blessing. That we can do nothing of ourselves is no discouragement, while he has not only promised, but commanded and promised. "Ask that ye may receive-seek that ye may find, and knock that it may opened unto you; for every one that asketh receiveth," &c. &c. This salvation is all of God's providing-the subjects of it are ruined, lost, rebellious, ungodly sinners, under the sentence of condemnation. The substance of it is a perfect complete surety-righteousness wrought out in the person of Christ, and transferred to, imputed to, made over to the sinner as his own, as fully, as completely, as if he had wrought it out in his own person. When the sinner accepts of this as the gift of God to him-rests his soul upon God's promise that he shall have eternal life, he becomes according to the order of God's covenant, an adopted son. It is no presumption to call God his reconciled Father, and to lay claim to all the promises in the old and in the new Testament, as his own. It is his duty to cultivate confidence in God, to call him his Father, his own reconciled Father in Christ Jesus; who is, according to his own appointment, mediator, peace-maker, redeemer: and the Holy Ghost, by the same appointment and orderthe Lord, the Sanctifier. Whenever the sinner considers himself as reconciled, by dwelling upon his happy deliverance, his escape, his blessed situation, and prospects; by viewing the grace by which he is delivered, and his obligations to his deliverer, he becomes grateful: according to the order of this same well-ordered covenant, he receives favour to become the child of God. John, 1st chapter. To as many as received him, gave he power to become the sons of God; even to them who believe on his name. It is the finished righteousness of our blessed surety that redeems us

from hell and death, and gives us a title to eternal life; but our comfortable views of this, our steadfast hopes, our higher or lower attainments in the divine life, our God has made, in some measure, conditional. If we make a bold, full profession-if we are diligent in the use of means—if we cultivate communion with God, by reading, meditation, and prayer, we are likely to become rich in faith, and holy in heart, life, and conversation. But if we, through shame, and the fear of contempt, conform too much to the world-be timid sneaking Christians, ashamed of God's method of salvation, and covering our Christian motives under the cloak of philosophy, benevolence, &c. &c. we need not be surprised if the Lord deny us the testimony of his Spirit, witnessing with our own heart that we are born of God; or if, through indolence, love of the world, and unnecessary enlargements and weights, we neglect prayer, reading, meditation, the means of conversing with God, we need not be surprised if we are cold and languid, afraid of death, afraid of a thousand evils, which the Lord may permit to haunt us; have little enjoyment in religion, and little happiness: added to this, much chastisement and affliction. Some Christians are saved, so as by fire; some reach the haven through mists, storms, tempests, without the cheerful sun, and arrive safe, through the merits of that Redeemer, who never failed one that hung upon him; but they arrive like a poor shattered barque, that has hardly escaped shipwreck others go through this world, doing the will of God, and suffering the will of God-fighting against corruption within, and temptation without, in faith and full confidence that they have grace to help in every time of need. They ask, and they receive; they fall often when unwatchful, but they rise again, and re

new the fight, having an advocate with the Father, and a merciful High-Priest, who is touched with the feeling of their infirmities. They confess, ask forgiveness, believe that they are forgiven, still hold fast their confidence; the Lord, whose prerogative it is to bring good out of evil, making their very failures the means of more steadfast walking, by making them more humble, more dependent, more watchful, more prayerful. At length they overcome, and have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of their Lord and Saviour. Like a stately ship in full sail, with wind and tide, they enter the haven of eternal rest.

Oh! my brother, be not a Christian by halves--believe confidently, join the Lord's people fully and openly-watch, pray, fight against corruption within, and temptation without; ask, and believe, and you shall receive needful grace--go up through the wilderness, leaning on your beloved; casting all your care on him, who hath promised to care for you, and to make all things work together for your good. He has said Leave your fatherless children; I will preserve them alive, and let your widows trust in me. He is the Father of the fatherless, the Husband of the widow, the stranger's shield, and the orphan's stay; take hold of this promise, ensure it by trusting in it: for wherever there is a promise held up to our faith, according to our faith shall it be. I think I mentioned in a former letter that it had pleased the Lord to take to himself dear little Isabella Smith, one of the loveliest, sweetest babes I ever beheld. The stroke was severely felt, but resignation was given. She is not lost, but gone before, with many others dear to us. It will be but a little while, my brother, till we shall all have done with every thing here. Oh! let us dwell upon the pur

chased inheritance, and get above this vain, empty, ensnaring world. Let us try to lay aside every weight, and as every one has some besetting sin, and that often the least known to himself, let us search it out, and pray that it may be realized, that we may put a mark upon our besetting sin, and a double watch, that we be able to lay it aside, and to run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of God, where he rules over all, for the good of his people, who shall soon follow him, and be made partakers of his blessed

may

ness.

Give my love to my dear sister and Agnes, and all the young ones.

Farewell! I am ever your affectionate sister,

I. GRAHAM.

To MRS. MARSHALL.

MY DEAR SISTER,

Mount Harmony, May 21, 1802.

I HAVE just received my brother's letter and yours. Sorry, sorry am I to find my dear brother in such a broken state of health. I say I am sorry-flesh and blood is so for no affliction for the present is joyous, but grievous; and I love my dear brother with a very tender affection. But there is a better principle, which says, the will of the Lord be done-Good is the will of the Lord. The Lord hath said, I will bring you into the wilderness, and there will I plead with you—I will bring you within the bond of my covenant, and ye shall be mine,

saith the Lord. O how good! I desire to bless God for all my mercies; but in my present view, (next to the gift of his Son, and eternal life,) my afflictions have proved the greatest. So it may prove with my dear brother. You have seen a good deal of affliction in your family: but a little time will show you that

you could not have been well without it. I have had my share appointed me by my own Father. I felt it at the time bitter; yet even then not altogether so, for my mourning days have been my best days through life even they are most comfortable proofs of our Father's love; "Of all my blessings, stands this the highest, that my heart has bled." I bless God that my dear children are all in his Covenant; that all comes to them from a Father's hand, through the channel of the Covenant. I experience the same kind of exercise with regard to your family; you are both of the seed of the righteous-the children of many prayers. Rest in the Lord my dear sister and brother; receive all as coming directly from him.

Love to your dear children. May the Lord himself educate them for his own kingdom.

Yours ever,

I. GRAHAM.

A Letter from Viscountess Glenorchy to Mrs. Graham, alluded to in her Life, page 33.

DEAR MADAM,

Barnton, December 27, 1781.

I RECEIVED your letter last week, and also one some time ago from Mrs. Walker, in which she desir