God to give me a new heart. Have I then a bad heart?"

"Yes," answered Margaret, "Scripture teaches us that 'by nature we are children of wrath;' that 'the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;' that the imagination of the thought of the heart is only evil continually;' and that if we go to heaven, we must have new hearts, and right spirits."

"But," said Jane, "I can hardly think my heart is so bad. I know that I have done many naughty things, but I did not think my heart was so wicked."

"Have you not sometimes," said Margaret, "felt very proud? have you not felt envy, when you saw others possess things which you had not? have you not sometimes been angry, told untruths, and done many things which you knew to be wrong? Now all these things come from the heart. Our Saviour tells us, that 'a good tree does not bring forth corrupt fruit;' and therefore, if the heart be good, the actions could not be bad. A good heart also will love God. Now we always study to please those we love but did you love God, when you never prayed to him, and never thought of him? God's Word says, that

if we love the world, we cannot love God, and the world is God's enemy; so that if we love the world, we are the haters and enemies of God."

After a pause Jane replied, "What you say is true; I see I have a bad heart; I never thought of this before. But what must I do to get a new heart ?"

"You must pray earnestly for it," said Margaret, "to God. He has promised to 'give his Holy Spirit to them that ask it;' and here is another gracious promise, which I will read to you, 'I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and give you an heart of flesh.'"

"But how shall I know," inquired Jane, "if my heart does become new ?"

"That you will soon discover," answered Margaret. "A new heart is deeply sorry for its sins; it is turned from the love of vanities and sins. A new heart loves God, and his Word, and his laws, and his people; it delights to serve and obey him. I do hope that God is now giving this new heart to you."

"And I hope so too," answered Jane. "I feel so different from what I used to feel. I think I love to read the Scripture, and to pray,

and to hear you talk about these good things. Oh, I hope I shall have this new heart."

"That you certainly will," replied Margaret, "if you ask earnestly of God for it, since he has promised in his Word so often that he will hear and answer prayer, and declared that he never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye my face in vain.'”

"I am resolved then earnestly to pray for this gift," said Jane; "and do you help me, Margaret, and pray with me, and for me."

In such conversation the morning passed away. In the afternoon the sacred volume was again read. It seemed as if each successive reading became more and more interesting to Jane; and although at night she chose to pray by herself, yet she also insisted that Margaret should kneel down by her bedside, and present also supplications for her to the throne of mercy.

In these exercises of religion many days were spent; and by the reading of the sacred Scriptures the mind of Jane became truly enlightened, and her heart converted unto God. In the course of a few weeks she had become well acquainted with the great doctrines of the gospel, and had found both joy and peace in believing.

It is truly astonishing how rapidly the minds even of the youngest persons expand under the teaching of the Holy Spirit; how, when the heart is divinely renewed, they obtain in the perusal of sacred Scripture the most clear and lucid conceptions of the scheme of the Divine mercy, and how, in the simplicity of their souls, they are enabled humbly, but entirely, to rely upon the Divine promises, to trust for the pardon of all their guilt to the Saviour's atonement, and to feel a sweet and tranquil joy, which cannot be expressed, and to which all others must be entirely strangers.

Such was the case with this young disciple. Margaret felt unspeakable pleasure in witnessing the rapid growth in grace of her young charge, and observing the happy state of her mind; not that the peace which Jane felt was uniform and settled, for as her disorder increased she was sometimes the subject of misgivings. She experienced a conflict between the principle of grace and the corruptions of fallen humanity, and thus was sometimes the subject of painful and distressing fears.

It was on one of these occasions that the following conversation took place between her and her attendant:

"I am much afraid, Margaret," said Jane, "that I have never yet been truly renewed. I find my love to divine things so cold, and so many wicked thoughts come across my mind, that I can hardly think my heart is right with God. Oh, how dreadful it would be if I should be cast out at last!"

"You should not indulge in such fears," said Margaret; "because, though your heart is renewed by grace, yet still you must expect a sore conflict with the corrupted nature. This conflict is what pious people call Christian experience, and in the book of Psalms you will find that David and others felt this inward struggle as well as you. We must not live upon frames and feelings, but by faith upon God."

"But, Margaret," said Jane, "I am so impatient under my sufferings. I am ready sometimes to think so hardly of God: and I do not feel that light and comfort in my mind I did enjoy."

"I do not see," answered Margaret, "that you are impatient; and to me it is a proof that God is sanctifying you, by making you sensible of your imperfections. Tell me, did you formerly think yourself impatient?"