do present themselves, lay you the sin of them at Satan's door, and do you claim the mercy of our God."

No sooner was this advice given, than a person known to me previously by name and general appearance, interrupted with much earnestness— "You have not touched on my case yet: I have one heavy cause of distress: I have the inward persuasion that I never can bear up against the load of care that is devolving upon me. Wants are increasing, and how to meet them or bear them, I know not." "But herein," rejoined I, "is your falsity both in feeling and in argument: you defer too much to your judgment of yourself, and too little to the promises of God: you lean too much to your own understanding, whereas, you should rely on the power of grace: you know not what you can bear, or suffer, or do: you know nothing of yourself, or your capabilities; but He who made each and every one of your members, knows well what each and every one of them can do and bear separately, and what altogether: He knows the strength and weakness of each, as well as the effect and power of all united; and he says-' My grace is sufficient for thee; my strength is made perfect in weakness.'" (2 Cor. xii. 9.)

Thus I reasoned with many persons in succession, but I fear not in the right way; for it was with ill success; in the hope that you may allow me to introduce to you one of these mourners in Zion, that she may reap the benefit of your greater experience and council, I took my leave of them, with increasing anxiety and fervent prayer, that

the Lord would preserve them from black despair.

Epaphras.-Of all evils, despondency is one of the greatest: better far to presume, than despair of mercy. In Scripture we have larger and greater manifestations of this attribute than of any other; all may cherish hope, and none yield to despair-as, however, you have made the request, and the impression is left on the mind, I will only add, that I shall be glad, so far as God helps me, to remove needless causes of distress, and with this view, it will give me pleasure to see your friend at her earliest convenience.

SECTION XVIII.

JEMIMA. Job xlii. 14.-EPAPHRAS.

CASES OF CONSCIENCE.

Jemima.-If all the various workings of my mind, dear Sir, could be pourtrayed in the countenance, or, if you could read my heart, you would perceive how anxious I am to receive your instruction in meekness of spirit, and to abide by it.

Epaphras.-There is but one great and allsufficient Teacher; it was by his teaching that the disciples obtained a greater measure of knowledge than all their successors, (Mark iv. 34.) Have you applied to him? If Solomon's servants were happy in hearing his wisdom, how much more happy ought we to deem ourselves, who may sit at Jesus's feet, and hear his word. It is Satan's master-piece to keep us from Christ, as the great prophet of his church. The bare supposition that he will not teach is one of the most efficient means that Satan employs to keep us from the school of Christ. If he can persuade any poor soul that she is unfit to go to him as she is, and that success is doubtful, of course, misery is protracted, and one great point is gained.

Jemima.-My frame of mind, I rather think, is already in part known to you; I am not sensible

of any flagrant act of transgression, nevertheless, soul is a stranger to peace.

my

Epaphras.-Some believers have almost as much to fear from their graces as from their infirmities; few there are comparatively who can safely be trusted with any thing. If they do not abuse God's pardoning love and mercy, in some way or other, there is often a great and secret longing to trust in their gifts and graces, frames, and feelings; hence their very miseries often originate in their blessings.

Jemima.-How truly is this my case! God has given me outward mercies in abundance, and I feel my unworthiness of the least of them; but these I could bear to be without, if only I was free from inward buffetings, painful doubts, and from many a secret cross.

Epaphras.-God gives no blessing of a spiritual nature without a cross; all his children need it, and those who are most in favour are most in the furnace. If old Jacob is to be enriched with the glorious name of Israel, he must go halting all the days of his life to keep him humble-minded, and dependant upon his God. If the faithful disciples are to be blessed with a hundred fold, it is to be attended with persecution. If Paul is to mount up to the third heaven, he is to have a thorn in the flesh, to remind him he is on earth. Afflictions are therefore part of the spiritual patrimony our Father in heaven has bequeathed to all his children. (John xvi. 33.) Jemima.-Would I could feel my burden less. Epaphras.-But if we do not feel what the Lord in his good providence chooses to lay upon

us, it is no proof that we are the more religious on that account, neither may we take any comfort to ourselves because of our insensibility to natural emotions; all chastisements are meant to be felt; when we do not feel them they do us no good: all who have profited by them have smarted under them, and they have become, under God, blessings, and greatly sanctified to them.

Our Lord, in his sufferings, is presented to us in the twofold character of a Saviour and a pattern, when he sustained our chastisements judicially; (Isaiah v. 3.) and when his persecutors gave him wine mingled with myrrh, he refused it; (Mark xv. 23.) and the reason that may be assigned is, that he wished to feel the power of divine wrath. He was fully aware of the intoxicating nature of wine mingled with myrrh. He knew that it was intended to induce stupor, to deaden his feelings, and to render his body insensible to pain; but the Lord, who gave his soul a voluntary offering for sin, tasted death for every man, and drank the bitter cup of suffering to the dregs:-" he learned obedience by the things which he suffered." (Heb. v. 8.)

Jemima. My sufferings for the most part arise from manifold temptations.

Epaphras.-May I know their nature; and, if you choose, for the better understanding of them, may I hear them in succession?

Jemima.-One heavy temptation I suffer from is spiritual desertion: I feel myself, as it were, cast off and deserted for ever.

Epaphras.-If you were never sensibly de