your lost condition; He stretches forth his gracious hand, He stoops from Heaven to earth to save you, to purify you, to bless you, and you refuse and spurn the proffered boon.' Poor B, replied tremblingly, 'I cannot believe.' 'Do you wish to believe?' 'I should like to be in the right.' I said, "The Lord is good and upright; He will teach sinners in the way.' I marked similar passages in the Bible, and left him. After many successive visits, cavilling was laid aside, and he became a quiet and attentive listener to the word of God. The histories in the Old Testament excited his interest, and led to reflection; but still no satisfactory evidence appeared, no devotional feeling was apparent, and his praying wife passed many anxious weeks between hope and fear. At one time, B——ʼs feelings and temper seemed under control; at another time he would indulge in his former paroxysms of anger; and, during this time of suspense, the poor woman needed every encouragement to cast her burden upon the Lord, and to endure as seeing Him who is invisible.

One morning, while seated with Mr. and Mrs. B————, I read to them Mark ix., and paused at verse 24. The man, with evident agitation, repeated the words," Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." "I am willing to be made whole, if Christ will make me so; I want his new-creating power: I earnestly desire the second birth, though most unworthy of such a boon.' His wife shed tears of joy! and, at the entreaty of her husband, we knelt in prayer and praise. How beautiful are the dawnings of grace! the first ray of light illumining the gross darkness, even as the Spirit of God of old moved on the face of the waters! Poor B- passed a sleepless night; he spent it in groanings which could not be

uttered he desired to pray, but said, he did not know how to pray. His wife told me he had frequently repeated with tears, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief;" she begged me to walk up stairs, saying, he was anxious to see me. I found him under great terror of mind; he thus addressed me: 'I am heavily oppressed; I have no power to help myself; the anguish of my soul overpowers the pains of my body, and I can find no rest. I look back upon the past, which alas! is no mere blank, for it is marked with sins against God, against myself, against my neighbour;' then, turning to his weeping wife, he added, 'I have sinned against your peace of mind: I know you will forgive me, but how can a holy God look upon such a wretch as I am how can I come before him?' I referred to Jer. xxxi. 9; Zech. xii. 10; and, from the Acts, showed that repentance, not to be repented of, was the gift of God. Ezek. xxxvi. 31 described the state of his feelings; he felt himself wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. As his sorrow wore the appearance of that described in Holy Writ (2 Cor. vii. 11), I was encouraged to hope it was the fruit of the Spirit: his soul was verily disquieted within him. At this period he might be said to be walking softly, for the fear of God was before his eyes. His indisposition prevented him from pursuing his labour ; and, as he could obtain no redress from his nephew, he was reduced to scanty fare, yet conscientiously paying for every article of food. His wife told me her husband was now thankful to God for provisions which formerly he would not have touched. My heavenly Father has answered my prayers,' she added, ‘for my husband's heart is quite changed; he never gives me an angry word, but is always talking of his utter unworthiness

of every gift he receives. The unexpected present, that was sent to us yesterday, filled him with gratitude and astonishment, that God should direct his servants to help one so unworthy as himself.

Another trial awaited this couple; their reduced circumstances rendered it necessary they should part from their grandchild: she had become doubly dear to them, and displayed the same sweet submission in the present difficulty. When I gave Hannah a new Bible, and prayed that God would bless his own gift to her soul, the grandfather exclaimed, 'Would to God I was as innocent as that child!' 'There is no one,' I said, 'too guilty for the Lord to save. "He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. He is able to save to the uttermost.' 'I do not distrust God's power,' he replied, but I distrust myself: I am afraidof going backwards instead of forwards; I dread myself.' His wife affectionately said, ' He who has brought you thus far, will carry you safe on.' 'Yes,' said the invalid, 'I know he will, if I do not fall again.' I referred to Phil. i. 6. Has God begun the work?' he inquired. 'How dare I expect so great a favour?' "Do you,' I asked, 'desire with all your heart to take up your cross and follow Christ-do you desire to conform to his will in everything?'. 'I do, I do,' cried the poor man ; 'I can say, I wish to be made whole it is the desire of my heart.' 'Who gave you that desire; did it proceed from yourself?' I feel assured it did

not; I have no doubt there: no good thing can come from this heart of mine.' With eager eyes he followed the pages, as I turned to 1 Thess. v. 23; John xv. 5 ; Jude 23; John x. 23. 'Those are precious promises," he said; and come from the book which I have despised. Oh, that I could recal the past!, but I must now

concern myself with the present; I wish I could go to Church.' 'You must wait until you are better,' replied his wife; 'You cannot walk there.' 'I have no time for delay; the time past is sufficient to have lived in sin: I ought publicly to confess the God I have denied. If God permits, I will be there next Sunday.'

An easy conveyance was soon procured; and, when one of his neighbours remarked, 'What a talk you will make in the village; all the people will come to look at you' he quietly and devoutly answered, 'If God accepts the desire of my heart, I am indifferent as to what the neighbours may say of me.' God is more merciful to me than I deserve.' He then alluded to his former misconduct towards S. His first appearance at the house of God excited the scorn of the idle and ignorant, but awakened no other feelings in his heart than compassion and regret at their deluded state.

One Sabbath-morning, the weather was unusually rough, and poor B not being sufficiently guarded against the rain, took cold, which greatly increased his other complaints, and confined him to his bed. Patient resignation, and cheerful submission, evidenced his growth in grace; and those around were led to say, "What hath God wrought?" In moments of anguish, he would express regret for the trouble he occasioned, and was ever anxious to relieve the fatigue of his affectionate wife. It is a pleasure to wait upon him now,' said Mrs. B; he is so contented: he made me ashamed of my fears yesterday. I was saying, what will become of us this winter; when he kindly checked me, and reminded me of the past mercies we had so undeservedly received.'

After a lingering illness, B was restored to health. I found him one morning reading the Com

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munion-service. 'I take great delight in these prayers: tell me if I am too presumptuous in desiring to partake of the Holy Sacrament. I have long wished to do so, but have not had courage to mention the subject to you. Though doubts and fears often prevail, yet, if you thought Christ would accept the service of one so worthless as myself, I would desire it with my whole heart.' I replied; In all cases of difficulty, we do well to consult God's word: let us hear the commandment as it comes from the Lord.' I turned to Luke xxii. 14; "This do in remembrance of me" closes v. 19. 'If your Saviour was upon earth, how would you receive him?' With energy he replied; I would cast myself at his feet, believe in his mercy, and, I think, he would not spurn me.' 'Nor will he spurn you now,' I said; let us pray that this His written word may be blessed to our souls.' After much interesting conversation, he requested me to ask the clergyman of the parish to visit him, as he was no longer able to attend the services of the church. The request was readily granted, and a time appointed for the meeting. In the meanwhile, B received a letter from his friends, stating, that they had accepted the loan of a horse and cart to convey him and his wife to London, on the following morning; and, therefore, begged he would, without delay, make ready for his removal. I rejoiced to find that this unexpected movement suggested no idle excuse to the mind of B against communicating, but, on the contrary, stimulated his anxiety to hasten the sacred ordinance; and we met together in a small upper chamber in the course of the evening. I enjoyed sweet communion with my humble friends, and returned hearty thanks to the Hearer of prayer, for the many supplications which had been answered in their behalf.