strive with man."

O my dear mother! that

that belong to us, may be

you and I, and all

found in the narrow path, that leads to endless happiness, is the greatest wish and constant prayer, of, &c.

LETTER III.

To her Mother.

1794.

MANY thanks to my dear mother, for the few lines concerning our best interest: you say you wish to be as happy in your mind as I am; you will find it in Christ, if you press for it, if you can resolve to let go every hold that keeps your soul fettered as it were to this world, then read the promise that is for you in the 6th chapter of the 2d of Corinthians, the two last verses. We must be convinced that we are in error, which is very clear in the epistle of Paul to the Romans, "for by the law we cannot be saved; let us then fly for refuge, and lay hold of the hope set before us; even a Saviour, who is more ready to answer us than we are to desire it:" Come to him, he bids you come boldly, and do not doubt in the least, but

that what he has promised, he is able also to perform.

O that he would enlighten our minds to understand the Scriptures!

You desire me to write on the subject nearest my heart, for where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also; you will not then be surprised if the greatest wish I have is, that all my dear friends would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they might be saved; but particularly that you my dear mother, and the nearest to my heart, would implore the Lord, and not let him go until he bless you: then you will find his ways pleasantness, and all his paths peace; you will enjoy a happiness the world cannot either give or take away, and you will be of that number who are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, and He will not be ashamed to confess you before his Father, and his holy angels. I am little able to talk of the things of God; but I trust that he who can best teach you, will answer your prayers and mine, and enable us both to understand his divine truths.

LETTER IV.

To her Mother.

1795.

You say you fear you feel too little con

demnation for sin: sin in ourselves, is our greatest burden, the only obstacle that keeps our souls at a distance from God; but blessed be his name, he first draws, encourages, and enables the poor sinner to trust in his love, shews him that without him he can do nothing; but when he is accepted in the Beloved, then he is brought into the light, and sees that he is black, as the Church expresses herself in the Canticles, 1st chap. "I am black, but comely," [in Christ] black for the Sun of Righteousness has risen on me, and discovered to me what I am; then is the Saviour truly

B

precious, the chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely; if we knew the tenders the Saviour is willing to make of his love to us while in this body of sin, we should be more anxious to press on by fervent prayer, night and day we love to refresh our bodies when weary, but, Oh! how much more delightful, how truly satisfying, to bathe and refresh our souls in the fountain of his love, the streams whereof make glad the whole city of God!— His love is infinite, unsearchable, an ocean without bottom or shore. You say you wish to know you are born again, and the next line tells me that you are, by saying, that you will be ever with that dear Lord that has all your affections. I wonder how you would explain those words; for my part I think it is being born again, born of the Spirit, when we can from our hearts say, he has all our affections, "Jesus' love has broke my heart:" the natural man is enmity against God,-I once saw no comeliness in him, but now all is vanity but Christ: we can say, "What is all the earth to

me if stranger to thy peace?" The knowledge