also works of love. I beseech you, by the memory of the most benevolent person, and the most generous friend. I beseech you by the memory of what he suffered, as well as of what he said and did; by the agony which he endured in the garden, when his body was covered with a dew of blood.' I beseech you, by all that tender distress which he felt, when his dearest friends forsook him and fled,' and his blood-thirsty enemies dragged him away, like the meanest of slaves, and like the vilest of criminals. I beseech you, by the blows and bruises, by the stripes and lashes, which this injured Sovereign endured while in their rebellious hands; by the shame of spitting, from which he hid not that kind and venerable countenance.' I beseech you, by the purple robe, the sceptre of reed, and the crown of thorns which this King of Glory wore, that he might set us among the princes of heaven.' I beseech you, by the heavy burden of the cross,' under which he panted, and toiled, and fainted in the painful way to Golgotha,' that he might free us from the burden of our sins. I beseech you, by the remembrance of

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those rude nails that tore the veins and arteries, the nerves and tendons, of his sacred hands and feet; and by that invincible, that triumphant goodness, which, while the iron pierced his flesh, engaged him to cry out, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' I beseech you, by that unutterable anguish which he bore, when lifted up upon the cross, and extended there as on a rack for six painful hours, that you open your heart to those attractive influences which have 'drawn to him thousands, and ten thousands.' I beseech you by all that insult and derision which the Lord of Glory bore there;' by that parching thirst, which could hardly obtain the relief of vinegar;' by that doleful cry, so astonishing in the mouth of the onlybegotten of the Father, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' I beseech you, by that grace that subdued and pardoned a dying malefactor;' by that compassion for sinners, by that compassion for you, which wrought in his heart long as its vital motion continued, and which ended not when he bowed his head, saying, It is finished, and gave up the ghost.' I beseech you, by the triumphs of that resurrection by which he

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was declared to be the Son of God with power,' by the Spirit of holiness which wrought to accomplish it; by that gracious tenderness which attempered all those triumphs, when he said to her out of whom he had cast seven devils, concerning his disciples, who had treated him so basely, Go, tell my brethren, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, unto my God and your God.' I beseech you, by that condescension with which he said to Thomas, when his unbelief had made such an unreasonable demand, Reach hither thy finger, and behold mine hands, and reach hither thine hand, and put it to my side; and be not faithless, but believing.' I beseech you, by that generous and faithful care of his people, which he carried up with him to the regions of glory, and which engaged him to send down his Spirit,' in the rich profusion of miraculous gifts, to spread the progress of his saving word. 1 beseech you, by that voice of sympathy and power, with which he said to Saul, while injuring his church, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?' by that generous goodness, which spared the prostrate enemy when he lay trembling at his feet, and raised him to so high a dignity as to be 'not inferior to the very chiefest apostles.' I beseech you, by the memory of all that Christ hath already done, by the expectation of all he will farther do for his people. I beseech you, at once, by the sceptre of his grace, and by the sword of his justice, with which all his incorrigible enemies' shall be slain before him,' that you do not trifle away these precious moments, while his Spirit is thus breathing upon you; that you do not lose an opportunity which may never return, and on the improvement of which eternity depends.

"I beseech you, by all the bowels of compassion which you owe to the faithful ministers of Christ;' who are studying and labouring-preaching and prayingwearing out their time-exhausting their strength— and very probably shortening their lives, for the salvation of your soul, and of souls like yours. I beseech you, by the affection with which all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity long to see you brought back to him. I beseech you, by the friendship of the living, and by the memory of the dead; by the ruin of those who have trifled away their days, and are perished in

their sins, and the happiness of those who have embraced the Gospel, and are saved by it. I beseech you, by the great expectation of that important day, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven;' by the terrors of a dissolving world;' by the sound of the archangel's trumpet,' and of that infinitely more awful sentence, Come, ye blessed, and depart, ye cursed,' with which that grand solemnity shall close.

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"I beseech you, finally, by your own precious and immortal soul; by the sure prospect of a dying bed, or of sudden surprize into the invisible state; and as you would feel one spark of comfort in your departing spirit when your flesh and your heart are failing. I beseech you, by your own personal appearance before the tribunal of Christ; (for a personal appearance it must be, even to those who now sit on thrones of their own;) by all the transports of the blessed, and by all the agonies of the damned, the one or the other of which must be your everlasting portion. I affectionately intreat and beseech you, in the strength of all these united considerations, as you will answer it to me, who may in that day be summoned to testify against you; and, which is unspeakably more, as you will answer it to your own conscience, as you will answer it to the eternal Judge; that you dismiss not these thoughts, these meditations, and these cares, till you have brought matters to a happy issue; till you have made a resolute choice of Christ, and his appointed way of salvation; and till you have solemnly devoted yourself to God in the bonds of an everlasting covenant.

"And thus I leave the matter before you, and before the Lord. I have told you my errand; I have discharged my embassy. Stronger arguments I cannot use; more endearing and more awful considerations I cannot suggest. Choose, therefore, whether you will go out as it were clothed in sackcloth, to cast yourself at the feet of him who now sends you these equitable and gracious terms of peace and pardon; or whether you will hold it out till he appears sword in hand, to reckon with you for your treasons and your crimes, and for this neglected embassy among the rest. Fain would I hope the best; nor can I believe that this labour of love shall be entirely unsuccessful, that not one soul shall be

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brought to the foot of Christ in cordial submission and humble faith. Take with you,' therefore, words, and turn unto the Lord,' and say unto him, 'Take away all iniquity, and receive me graciously; so will I render the praise of my lips.""

The impression which this reading produced was such as she had never previously felt; a wound was inflicted in her heart which excited more joy than grief. She re-perused it; it disclosed new beauties; it sent forth a still stronger power of excitement. Her soul was alternately elevated and depressed-agonized and composed, as though she had no controul over its movements. She recalled to her remembrance those powerful, yet momentary impressions of truth, which she had experienced in former years, when sitting under the ministry of the venerable Newton; and trembled lest those under which she was now labouring should prove equally transient. It was this fearful apprehension which gave her more pain than a discovery of her moral danger; because she knew that there was salvation for the chief of sinners; but she knew that if these impressions left her they might never return. She arose from the couch of weariness and pain, and stood resting on the back of her chair, while she gave vent to her feelings in the following form of prayer.

"Blessed Lord, it is enough! it is too much! Surely there needs not this variety of argument, this importunity of persuasion, to court me to be happy, to prevail on me to accept of pardon, of life, of eternal glory. Compassionate Saviour, my soul is subdued; so that I trust the language of my grief is become that of my submission, and I may say, 'My heart is melted like wax in the midst of my bowels.'

"O gracious Redeemer! I have already neglected thee too long. I have too often injured thee; have crucified thee afresh by my guilt and impenitence, as if I had taken pleasure in putting thee to an open shame.' 募 But my heart now bows itself before thee in humble unfeigned submission. I desire to make no terms with thee but these, that I may be entirely thine. I cheerfully present thee with a blank, intreating thee that thou wilt do me the honour to signify upon it what is thy pleasure. Teach me, O Lord, what thou wouldst

have me to do; for I desire to learn the lesson, and to learn it that I may practise it. If it be more than my feeble powers can answer, thou wilt, I hope, give me more strength; and in that strength will I serve thee. O receive a soul which thou hast made willing to be thine!

"No more, O blessed Jesus, no more is it necessary to beseech and intreat me. Permit me, rather, to address myself to thee with all the importunity of a perishing sinner, that at length sees and knows there is salvation in no other.' Permit me now, Lord, to come and throw myself at thy feet, like a helpless outcast, that has no shelter but in thy generous compassion; like one pursued by the avenger of blood,' and seeking earnestly an admittance into the city of refuge."

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"I wait for the Lord; my soul doth wait; and in thy word do I hope,' that thou wilt receive me graciously. My soul confides in thy goodness, and adores it. I adore the patience which has borne with me so long; and the grace that now makes me heartily willing to be thine; to be thine on thine own terms, thine on any terms. O secure this treacherous heart to thyself! O unite me to thee in such inseparable bonds, that none of the allurements of rank, or of fortune-none of the vanities of an ensnaring world-none of the solicitations of sinful companions, may draw me back from thee, and plunge me into new guilt and ruin! Be surety, O Lord, for thy servant for good,' that I may still keep my hold on thee; till at length I know more fully, by joyful and everlasting experience, how complete a Saviour thou art. Amen."

As she sat musing on the wondrous scene which had passed before her, adoring the long-suffering which had borne with her follies and her provocations, and the grace which had in such an unexpected manner invested the truth with such attractions, and such a power of impression, she was roused by the entrance of her Mamma into her room; "I hope my dear," said her Mamma, "you have spent a more pleasant day than you anticipated." I have been more free from pain than usual," she replied," and upon the whole the hours have passed away agreeably, though I certainly felt my solitude to be irksome."

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