health, and a wonderful freedom from all nervous affections. I knew almost as little of the sensation of a head-ache as I did of that of tight-lacing: and now a violent cold, with sore throat, aggravated into fever by the state of my mind, completely prostrated me. I laid myself down on the sofa one morning and waited to see how my earthly miseries would terminate; too well knowing what must follow the close of a sinner's life.

I had not lain long, when a neighbour hearing I was ill, sent me some books, just received from Dublin, as a loan, hoping I might find some amusement in them. Listlessly, wretchedly, mechanically I opened one-it was the memoir of a departed son, written by his father. I read a page, describing the approach of death, and was arrested by the youth's expressions of self-condemnation, his humble acknowledgment of having deserved. at the Lord's hand nothing but eternal death. Ah, poor fellow,' said I, he was like me. How dreadful his end must have been! I will see what he said at last, when on the very brink of the bottomless pit.' I resumed the book; and found him in continuation glorifying God that though he was so guilty and so vile, there was One able to save to the uttermost, who had borne his sins, satisfied divine justice for him, opened the gates of heaven, and now waited to receive his ransomed soul.

The book dropped from my hands. 'Oh, what is this? This is what I want: this would save me-. Who did this for him? Jesus Christ, certainly; and

it must be written in the New Testament. I tried to jump up and reach my Bible, but was overpowered by the emotion of my mind. I clasped my hands over my eyes, and then the blessed effects of having even a literal knowledge of scripture were apparent. Memory brought before me, as the Holy Spirit directed it, not here and there a detached text, but whole chapters, as they had long been committed to its safe but hitherto unprofitable keeping. The veil was removed from my heart, and Jesus Christ, as the Alpha and Omega, the sum and substance of every thing, shone out upon me just as He is set forth in the everlasting gospel. It was the same as if I had been reading, because I knew it so well by rote, only much more rapid, as thought always is. In this there was nothing uncommon; but in the opening of the understanding, that I might UNDERSTAND the scriptures, was the mighty miracle of grace and truth. There I lay, still as death, my hands still folded over my eyes, my very soul basking in the pure, calm, holy light that streamed into it through the appointed channel of God's word. Rapture was not what I felt; excitement, enthusiasm, agitation, there was none. I was like a person long enclosed in a dark dungeon, the walls of which had now fallen down, and I looked round on a sunny landscape of calm and glorious beauty. I well remember that the Lord Jesus, in the character of a shepherd, of a star, and, above all, as the pearl of great price, seemed revealed to me most beautifully; that he could save everybody I at once saw; that he would save me never

even took the form of a question. Those who have received the gospel by man's preaching may doubt and cavil: I took it simply from the Bible, in the words that God's wisdom teacheth, and thus I argued :'Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners: I am a sinner: I want to be saved: he will save me.' There is no presumption in taking God at his word: not to do so is very impertinent: I did it, and I was happy.

After some time I rose from the sofa, and walked about; my feelings were delicious. I had found Him of whom Moses, in the law, and the prophets, did write; I had found the very Paschal Lamb, whose blood would be my safeguard from the destroying angel. Oh, how delicious was that particular thought to me! It was one of the first that occurred, and I laughed with gladness. Indeed my feeling was very joyous, and I only wanted somebody to tell it to. I had two servants, one a young woman, the other a little girl, both papists, both loving me with Irish warmth. They were delighted to see me so well and happy on a sudden, and in the evening I bade them come to my room, for I was going to read a beautiful book, and would read it aloud. I began the gospel of St. Matthew, and read nine chapters to them, their wonder and delight increasing my joy. Whenever I proposed leaving off, they begged for more; and only for my poor throat I think we should have gone on till day. I prayed with them, and what a night's rest I had! Sleep so sweet, a waking so happy, and a joy so unclouded through the

day, what but the gospel could bestow? Few, very few have been so privileged as I was, to be left alone with the infallible teaching of God the Holy Ghost, by means of the written word, for many weeks, and so to get a thorough knowledge of the great doctrines of salvation, unclouded by man's vain wisdom. I knew not that in the world there were any who had made the same discovery with myself. Of all schemes of doctrine I was wholly ignorant, and the only system of theology open to me was God's own. All the faculties of my mind were roused and brightened for the work. I prayed, without ceasing, for divine instruction; and took, without cavilling, what was vouchsafed. On this subject I must enter more largely, for it is one of immense importance.

118

EXAMINATION,

LETTER VI.

RELIGIOUS PROGRESS.

I AM standing before you now in the character of one who, having been brought under conviction of sin into utter self-despair, had found in Christ Jesus a refuge from the storm of God's anger. I felt myself safe in Him; but as the revelation which God had made to man was not confined to the alone point of a satisfaction for the sins of men, I felt it my bounden duty to search for all that the Most High had seen good to acquaint his people with. At the same time I found myself a member of a church, calling itself Christian; but I, too, had called myself a Christian, while as yet wholly ignorant of Christ, therefore I could not depend upon a name. I knew there were other churches, each putting in a claim to a higher and purer standard than its neighbours, and it behoved me to know which of them all was in the right. I had no books of a religious character; not one: no clergyman among my acquaintance, no means of inquiry, save as regarded my