flowing spontaneously to my Lord, while he condescends to manifest his presence. Still my God enables me to act for him, with comfort and steadiness; and gives me to enjoy him in conversation, meditation, reading, singing his praise, &c. O to be all that God would have me.

20. My spiritual life is sensibly increased. I feel powerfully drawn to a throne of grace, and am constrained to abide there. While writing to a Christian friend, Jesus was benignly nigh; his Name was as ointment poured forth, and my soul clave to him. O to enjoy those unsearchable riches that are in him. Some days last week I was uncommonly tempted, and felt very weak; my soul shudders at what I then felt and feared. In spite of all the Lord hath done for me, how soon should I fail, if not continually upheld by Omnipotence. Blessed be my God, who does not permit these dreadful feelings to continue long. Holy Father, deliver me from them, that I may serve thee in righteousness and true holiness, without fear, all the days of my life. O when shall I be all I desire, I would be all love, all praise, all meekness. In short, I would be a living image of that God I serve: I would prove, to the utmost power of sovereign grace, all that elevation of mind-all that dignity of sentiment—all that purity of heart-all that sanctity of manners, which true religion inspires. Come, O my God, impart thyself more fully, and enable me to love and serve thee with all the strength and perfection that the imperfection of humanity will admit.

1780.

Lady Maxwell's Correspondence with Lady Henrietta Hope.

IN tracing the Christian course of this eminently pious Lady, we have hitherto derived our information principally from her Diary. After this period, many of her valuable letters, written to a few pious friends, have been preserved; and we shall now gladly avail ourselves of this auxiliary aid. From her Diary, we have already learnt how she communed with God and her own heart we have seen her steadily advance, in fervent piety to God, and in extensive and unwearied benevolence to man. Her epistolatory correspondence will still, in a measure, pursue the same delightful themes; but it will also enlarge the field of observation, and give a prominency to different traits in her Ladyship's character, which cannot fail to excite admiration. We shall thus behold her, in the relation of a spiritual parent, sympathizing in the afflictions of her amiable and pious daughter; and with uncommon tenderness and fidelity, striving to pour into her bosom the balm of consolation. We shall see her exemplifying a friendship founded in

religious principle, and invigorated and regulated by the spirit of Christianity. And, while she cannot but charm, by her delightful familiarity of manner, and simplicity of style, she will continue to administer instruction on a variety of interesting points, both of religious experience, and religious practice.

Lady Henrietta Hope is already known to the reader; and the other correspondents of Lady Maxwell shall be afterwards noticed.

LETTER I.

TO THE

RIGHT HON. LADY HENRIETTA HOPE.

January 14, 1780.

Does my Dear Daughter suppose I want com pliments or protestations? Indeed I do not.With regard to her, and my intercourse with her, my eye is single, and my intention pure I wish the prosperity of her soul, and the return which would give ne most satisfaction would be, to know that my feeble attempts to promote it were not in vain.

If I could, I would remove your every spiritual malady; how much more willing must your God be to make you all He would have you to be! I believe you would willingly submit to all your

present painful sensations, did you believe you were just in the way the Lord would have you. Your distress, I know, is heightened by uneasy fears that your want of prosperity is, partly at least, in yourself. Could I point it out, I honestly would, whatever pain you might feel from the discovery. As far as I know, I think you have a tender conscience, and you shun doing violence to it but I am not certain that you have not what is termed a doubting conscience, and this, of itself, is a source of much distress, that the Lord does not mean we should feel; but till I know it is so, I will not say any more about it. I think you desire and attempt, as far as you know it, to do and suffer all the will of God. I believe you have no confidence in the flesh; that you endeavour daily to take up your cross, and deny yourself; if so, why do not you enjoy more comfort? Nay, why do you not "rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks." Were I to say what appears to me to prevent it, I would tell you: You do not keep your privileges in view; of course, you do not live up to them. You live more by sense than by faith. When you examine your own state, your conclusions concerning it are too much influenced by evil reasoning. You seek holiness, I fear, as it were, by the works of the law, rather than by simple faith. You dwell too much upon your wants; you are not enough thankful for what the Lord has already done for you. The haste of unbelief is not enough sub

dued; a degree of murmuring at times takes place (than which nothing makes greater havock in the soul) when tempted from various causes to fretfulness. Though you do not give way to it, yet you do not strive enough against it: you rather sink down into a state of despondency and supineness of spirit. These, I think, are some of your hinderances, which, together with a weak and sickly body, and a variety of trials, bring you into heaviness, and press down your soul; but, be of good courage, all shall yet be well. I think you suffer loss also, from want of intercouse with lively Christians; and I believe not a small degree of your distress is of that kind which proceeds not so much from weakness of faith, as from scrupulousness of conscience; yet even this is highly useful in its season. But I apprehend this distress will pass away when you obtain more faith and love; when you are more rooted and grounded in the love of God. There are different stages, you know, in the Christian life :-the young men are stronger than the babes; the fathers are stronger than the young men. When you enjoy the stability of this matured state, you will then be better enabled to "keep yourself in the love of God," and to overcome the wicked one. O that you may quickly experience this !

I hope the Lord means to give you your sister's soul, whatever may be the issue of her disorder. She is laid upon my mind in prayer, and also my dear daughter, more than ever. Be not too much distressed about not being able to abide in prayer