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mansions in view, often very near; my blessed High Priest waiting me in Jordan, who will divide the waters, support my head and heart, and carry me safely through.

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O world, world! much have I suffered for the court I have paid to thee! Let my children take warning; let them keep a jealous eye over their hearts. All without may be fair, may bring praise from men, yea, even from Christians; yet may the spouse of Jesus be living in adultery. O let them watch the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.' Let them watch in respect to lawful things-idols were made of the very trees of Lebanon. If our purest blessings occupy that place in our affections, or that portion of our time which should be devoted to spiritual exercises: Oh, the loss! Our husband expects our company, (Oh! has he not wooed us with his very heart's blood ?) private, secret, confidential communion, with bolted doors, all other objects excluded; his own gifts not excepted. He expects spiritual love, a whole heart. At such times he brings his spouse into the banqueting-house, and his banner over her is love; he stays her with flagons, and comforts her with apples while she is sick of love.'

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I suffer my pen to run, because I know I write not mystery to you. You have tasted, you have felt, you have enjoyed all, and more than I can put in words. O my dear J-, I think the fault is ours, that we enjoy not oftener such seasons; we leave neither room nor time, nor do we use the means; neither do we follow out melting seasons. Read in this view the 5th of the Song; see also the invitation in the ii. and ix. to the end. my J-! shall youthful prime, sensibility and ardour, be all expended on the very best of his creatures; or is it only in the time of espousals, that such seasons are experienced?

TO MR. A. D-, Edinburgh.

New-York, 1793.

O

I HAVE just been reading over my dear friend's precious letters, and am refreshed anew by the same

truths, and uniform experience of every Christian which all amounts to this, that the Lord is the portion of his people, and that whom he loves, he loves to the end. My soul melts with tenderness, when I recollect my fellow-travellers in the wilderness; those dear associates with whom I have so often taken sweet counsel; who so often comforted me with the same comforts which they themselves were comforted with. I am also led to recollect some who have finished their warfare; some whose trials were sharp and long; but who, through the same Grace in which we trust, were steadfast to the end; and now inherit a crown of life-the reward of Grace, not of debt. I feel strengthened and comforted. My dear G―, I should have thought it an honour to have dressed that clay out of what the Lord gave me, and with my own hands. O how bright does the soul now shine in that fine linen, clean and white! Many, many, were the tears she shed in the wilderness. She had a deep draught of the Redeemer's cup, because she was to be made very like him; and she is now like him, for she sees him as he is, and shares in his glory. Her lot here was humble, but her place now is not so ; the Lord will honour her humble sufferings, patience and love, as highly as those who moved in a higher sphere. I have often wished to be near her at her departure, but that honour was reserved for you. I rejoice to hear your children are promising; I think it is the greatest comfort a parent can enjoy in this world. I have a large share of it, in my three daughters; but my prodigal is not come to himself; he still feeds on husks, nor thinks of the plenty in his Father's house. I had great hopes last winter; I heard he had been very ill, in consequence of very severe treatment from his captain. The Lord has been emptying him from vessel to vessel, and I have been waiting the issue; but mine eyes almost fail, and my spirit frets, because I know the Lord can, and no other can. I have great hopes too, that God's time will come. I am also satisfied that it will be the best time; but still I cry, 0 how long! My dear friends, I think I would recommend it to you to keep your children about you. No other

had ever the influence over him that I had; and I regret that I did not bring him with me. Mrs. Stevenson, Jessy, who was so very delicate, is much under the rod; but she kisses it, and turns to him who appoints it. My two young ones, are sweet, obedient, diligent girls my word is as much a law, as when they were seven years of age. This also is of God; and to him I look for their continuing, and for my prodigal's return. Our young Timothy, J. M-is a perfect champion for the Gospel of Jesus: the Lord has well girded him, and largely endowed him; he walks closely with God, and speaks and preaches like a Christian of long experience : he was ordained about two months ago in his father's Church, and a few weeks after married a lady of eminent piety, and preached all the day, both the Sabbath before and after: no levity, no novelty, made the smallest appearance in word or gesture, which is not always the case with the best at such times. There is not a Church in New-York whose discipline is as strict, nor one which has so many communicants. He is reckoned a lad of great talents, and an orator; and many, of even the idle and careless, go to hear him. A few Sabbaths ago, he preached from these words, I am determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.' After proving that all the Scriptures, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelations, pointed to Christ and his great work of redemption; and, asserting that that sermon could not be called the Gospel of which He was not the subject, he spoke home to his audience, and told them that this, through the aid of Divine Grace, was his firm purpose, to dwell on re. deeming love. He was sure no subject would be welcome to any Christian, where Christ was not to be found; nor would any such subject ever convert a sinner; and, therefore, if any were about to take their place there, expecting to hear any new or strange thing, let them not disappoint themselves. Oh! for a thankful heart! the Lord has indeed done wonders for me and mine; and blessed be his name for this mercy also, that in a remarkable manner, by a strange concurrence of circumstances, he hedged me in to become a member

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of this congregation, where I am led and fed with the same truths which nourished my soul in Zion's gates, at Edinburgh; and I am helped to sing the Lord's song in a foreign land. Often have I been tempted to hang my harp upon the willow, when Zion I thought on: but this was, and sometimes still is, my sin and ingratitude: for I ought to build houses, and plant vineyards, and seek the good of the land; for he has a small vineyard here which he waters and cultivates, and I ought to labour therein, and do whatsoever my hand findeth to do, with diligence; and say, the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; heaven is his throne, the earth his footstool,' and he fills all things, and all places'what aileth thee, Hagar?' O what a God of mercy is our God! Often has he hailed me in some such language: 'what aileth thee?' why is thy countenance sad? am not I better to thee than ten friends? Then has he turned my heart to him, made me feel myself close to him; he has suffered me to lean on his bosom, hang on his arm, and lisp out, Abba. At such blest moments, I have thought the whole earth but one point, and from that to heaven but one step, and the time between but as one moment; and my company here sufficient to satisfy me by the way. At such blest moments, I have felt perfect, full, entire satisfaction with all that God is, all that he does; and could trust him fully with all my concerns, spiritual, temporal, and eternal. But, alas! by and by, like a peevish child, I begin to fret, wish this, wish that; grieve for this; grieve for that fear this; fear that; stagger, stumble, fall. O what a

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God of patience and long-suffering! and O how rich that well-ordered Covenant, that provides suitable grace for all these unsteady seasons! It is my greatest consolation that the Lord knows it all. There are times when I cannot see him, but every moment he sees me. I I should fall off and leave him, but he holds me fast, and never leaves me. O blessed plan, where God secures us, in safety, even from ourselves! We have not only destroyed ourselves, and he has been our help; but we are ever destroying ourselves, and still, and still, he renews this help.

Well, what shall we say? Father, glorify thy name, and let us lie in thy hand, as clay in the potter's, till thou finish thy workmanship, and fit us vessels of mercy, to be filled brim-full of happiness, when thou shalt have done thy good pleasure in us, and by us, in this world, through the grace that is in Christ Jesus, who loved us, and gave himself for us; to whom be glory, honour, and praise in the Church below, and in the general assembly above, now and ever. Amen. My love, my heart's love, to my dear Mrs. D. I am ever your affectionate friend, In the bonds of the Gospel,

ISABELLA GRAHAM.

To MRS. O, Edinburgh.

New-York, 1793.

I RECEIVED both my dear friend's letters, and I thank you for remembering me. You cannot miss to know, that any thing, however trifling, from a friend at a distance is pleasant; but it is no trifle to learn, not only that you are well, but that you are still of the same mind with regard to your heavenly course and prospects.

My dear friend, you and I have advanced a great way through the wilderness, since we parted; and I know, and am persuaded, that we are both in exact proportion, near the haven of our hopes. This persuasion is not founded upon any confidence I have in myself, or in my purposes of holding on. No, my friend, the longer I live, the more I am convinced that I stand by Grace; and could I believe that the Lord would ever let go his hold of me, and let loose my own corruptions, and the enemy to traffic with them, and deceive me by them, I could believe, that I could lie, steal, commit murder, and do all that human wickedness ever practised; but, blessed, ever blessed, be our divine Shepherd! He is our keeper, who has promised that sin shall not have dominion over us; and for this very reason, that we are not under the law, but under Grace.' Here is the ground of our confidence, that we shall persevere and finish our

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