tion to attend to the things concerning his peace rather more than fifty years since; and with few advantages, seldom hearing the gospel, or associating with the people of God, he has been led into all truth, and to rejoice in the liberty wherewith Christ makes his people free; at the advanced age of 84 his strength and time are spent in the service of Christ, by attempting to feed his lambs through the medium of conversation and correspondence.

At a future period I hope to be able to send you further particulars of L. I., being assured that his history will interest the readers of the

the West.'

I remain, dear Sir,

Light from

Very sincerely yours,

MINIMUS.

THE LETTER.

DEAR FRIEND,

We ought not to doubt but you are very precious in the eyes of the Lord, nor that Christ is not precious unto you, bnt you are mostly led away from our blessed Jesus by attending to many things which pass in your mind; while we are in the body we shall experience our inward legality, and you are exercised thus a great deal more than you think; all your fears that you are wrong, and suspicions that you are not right, come from this source. You wish to be fit for Christ, and you think your prayers for that fitness are not unswered because you do not find yourself otherwise than you are; thus you are too often led to overlook what

you are, and how exactly suited your case is for the grace of Christ to be revealed to you, and displayed on you. When you lay aside your own legal apprehensions of the subject and do strictly attend to the testimony, or what the Holy Ghost hath said in the holy gospel, you cannot find any thing in you which unfits you for the Lord Jesus Christ, because the Lord the "All have sinned and come short of the

Spirit says, glory of God." It is his work to prove the truth of this to you, and give you to see that he hath done it ; he hath given you to see that you are vile; he hath caused you to know Jesus Christ; to trust in his blood and righteousness. You have taken sanctuary in the dear Redeemer, and your everlasting life, righteousness, purity, and perfections, are out of yourself in him; and because it is so, you are so often sad and puzzled, because feel sin and its effects within you, you very naturally expect to find health and cure within you likewise. But it is not in yourself you have purity, life, righteousness, and perfection, but in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose person and righteousness you are justified from all things and entitled to heaven, in whose blood you are cleansed from all sin, and in whom you are complete.

you

"Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established, believe his prophets so shall ye prosper." With submission I beseech you to believe in him who saith unto his church and people in him," Behold thou art fair my love, behold thou art fair! Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners." "O my dove that art in the clifts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let

me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely," this is the bridegroom's speech to the bride, which her soul understands, and her's alone. This name 'Dove' so frequently attributed to the church, represents her purity, simplicity, mildness, and nature; this bird having no gall, or beak, or claws, to do any harm with. "Thus saith the Lord, fear not for thou shalt not be ashamed, neither be thou confounded for thou shalt not be put to shame, for thy maker is thy husband, the Lord of hosts is his name, and thy Redeemer, the holy one of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me, for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee, For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, nor the covenant of my peace be reinoved, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."

These are promises by which the saints are assured of the goodness, faithfulness, and everlasting kindness of their heavenly father, and are established in their right to all the blessings of grace held forth in the holy word whereby they enjoy good hope, firm confidence, and everlasting consolation. "That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us." For the word of truth is the ground of our faith in God, and

the word of promise is the ground of our hope respecting our own enjoyment of him. "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil ;" the promise of salvation is without bounds, and extends to the very uttermost; the word of truth proclaims salvation for all that shall receive the gospel, and the word of promise ensures it to all that have embraced the glad tidings of the grace of God. These are the Israel of God, and to them is salvation secured in the promise, "Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation," and "shall not be ashamed or confounded world without end." Those that believe on the Son of God are his people, of whom it is said, "He shall save his people from their sins." As soon as a soul is blest with the true faith of Jesus it becomes the subject of the promise. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." They come to the Father by him, and he is able to save them to the attermost who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him, hear and follow him in this life.

Your complaint of spiritual deadness and indwelling sin call for some spiritual consolation, and may God the Holy Ghost direct and help me to give it to you, Amen!

If I do not write to you as well as I would by reason of the infirmities of a worn out body, may Christ remember his words of promise and fulfil them in you abundantly. It is said of the gracious Redeemer that," He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, shall gather the lambs in his arms, carry them in his

bosom, and gently lead those that are with young," (or encumbered.) "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench, he shall bring forth judgment unto truth." Be strong (therefore) in the grace that is in Jesus Christ our Lord;" whose strength shall be made perfect in your weakness, for he hath said it shall. "Fear not little flock, it is my Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" saith the dear Saviour. "In whom we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things. after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory."

I would press upon you to have a single eye always to the glory of God, to be a close follower of the Lamb in all the known ways of his commandments, to "Glorify him in your body and in your spirit which are his;" to take up your Cross, and seek to gather the wanderers into his sheepfold. May my God give you a large portion of his Spirit, and make you a follower of the saints as far as they follow the precious and "all together lovely" Saviour of whom the prophet said, "Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah, this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength, I (saith the Almighty Saviour) that speak in righteousness mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thy apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine fat?" (saith the Prophet,) "I (saith Jehovah Jesus,) have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with me, I looked, and there was none to help, and I wondered that there was none to uphold; therefore mine own arm brought salvation