plained; he said, he conceived that besides

the not teaching the people constantly the doctrines of the Bible, they erred in dwelling unceasingly on the precepts, which surely were intended to follow the belief and adoption of the doctrines of grace, and not to precede them. He said, the people required teaching, they wanted information on the leading grounds of their salvation; it certainly was of very little use to lay before them a long train of duties before they understood the means by which they were to be performed. "Hundreds" he added, "who profess to be followers of Christ, know little or nothing of Him in His relations to His people; if you ask them of His offices they can only tell you that they hope to be saved by Him at the last day; they are grossly ignorant of Him as a teacher, justifier, sanctifier, and preserver: and all their knowledge amounts to a vague belief in His power and willingness to save them, provided they will conform to certain terms; and all their confidence, to a kind of hope, wavering in proportion to their sensible comfort. This is not the faith of Scripture! The Apostles knew and taught other things, they address believers in Christ as the elect of God, chosen of the Father,' called unto holiness; and they

admonish and urge them to good works, as fruits of the gracious principle which animates them, and evidences to the world of their peculiar calling; but we do not find them exhorting the unconverted to yield the fruits of righteousness, before they have been made to receive Christ as their Saviour. According to their faith did our Lord bestow strength, as we read in the many instances of persons bowed down by infirmity and applying to Him for help. He, no doubt, first gave the faith;-for faith, we are told, is the sole gift of God, and having given to the sinner, diseased in mind or body, power to trust Him fully, he then restores Him to perfect health and strength. Such is the manner in which divine life is imparted, and, no doubt, in proportion to our faith and our knowledge of the Saviour is the life of holiness maintained in the soul. A gospel, therefore, which does not preach Him in all His fulness, but calls upon the creature for his assistance in the work of salvation, cannot do otherwise than make weak and lean hearers. We are commanded to preach Christ,' and where this is faithfully done, the effect must be proportionably great. The sinner, brought to a knowledge of himself and discouraged under a sense of his infirmity, sees with joy and thankfulness

6

that there is a salvation provided for him, exactly suited to his case. He hears that Christ is willing to receive him just as he is-that He has paid the price of sin and removed it for ever from His people-that He justifies them from all sin-that He promises to give them hourly strength-that He undertakes to be their defence against every enemy-that He will uphold them in all dangers and difficulties— that He will deliver them out of every temptation-that He will keep them safe to the end, never suffering any one to pluck them out of His hand, and that He will finally present them faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.' And when the sinner thus becomes acquainted, in his own experience, with the mercies of God,' he then becomes anxious to 'present his body' and all his faculties, as 'a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.' When he can speak of himself as having these promises,' he then, and then only, becomes sincerely desirous to cleanse himself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' And then, and then only, he begins to know the force of that expression; the love of Christ constraineth us.'

Mary felt much interested in this conversa

tion, and was sorry that she was obliged to leave it so soon, but Mrs. Harding's carriage was waiting. Holding out her hand to her friend, without regarding the remarks that might be made by the criticising party, she took her leave.

CHAPTER XI.

THERE SHALL BE A FOUNTAIN OPENED FOR SIN AND FOR

UNCLEANNESS.'-Zech. xiii. 1.

COME BUY WINE AND MILK, WITHOUT MONEY,

WITHOUT PRICE.'-Isaiah lv. 1.

AND

ALMOST THOU PERSUADEST ME TO BE A CHRISTIAN.'
Acts xxvi. 28.

MARY was not long in returning to the dwelling of the young woman whose history and misfortunes had so much interested her. She succeeded in seeing her alone, for the elderly gentlewoman, imposing upon herself constant vigilance over her companion, was glad of so favourable an opportunity of getting out. Mary said her visit might be a long one, and the guardian left them very well satisfied.

In a case of this nature a difficulty is often felt in addressing the individual, and a hesitation caused, between the fear of crushing the already wounded heart, or of offering encouragement