how wisely formed, and how punctually executed. His works, how various, how numerous, how beautiful, how honourable and glorious. This subject is, indeed, 'A vast abyss which angels cannot sound, An ocean of infinities, where all our thoughts are drowned.' To know, believe, adore, and love this being, is to be happy indeed. A Deity believed, is joy begun; And will this glorious Lord descend, To Mrs. C. "Ilford, April 22, 1823. "I am sometimes pleased with a single word from the mouth of God; and lately my attention was occupied a little with the word 'come.' If Jehovah intends our happiness, he does not send us from him, but calls us to him. 'Come and let us reason together saith the Lord,' &c.— It is on reasoning terms with God that we taste the joys of pardoned sin (Isaiah i. 18). Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest :' -'tis no where else to be obtained (Mat. ii. 28). 'Come and take of the waters of life freely' (Rev. xxii. 17): and these waters proceed from the throne of God and the Lamb (verse 1 ;) yea, Jehovah himself is called the Fountain of living water, and all the springs of spiritual and eternal happiness are in him; that the most glorious and delightful invitation will be from the lips of the Judge upon the throne, 'Come ye blessed of my Father,' &c. Come to my arms, to my fulness, to the mansions I have prepared. Come, drink at the head of the everlasting fountain; bask in the everlasting sunshine of glory; feast at the everlasting banquet. Come, bear the palm, wear the crown, tune your harps, join the song, sit down with me on my throne, range the ethereal plains, and take your fill of joy; swim in the ocean of felicity, and enjoy pleasures for evermore. I sincerely pray you may anticipate all this now, and enjoy it for ever." To his Son. "Ilford, December 17, 1823. "Your M. A. who engrosses your thoughts, may, for any thing I know to the contrary, be a person whose piety and prudence, and affection, and temper, may be a blessing to you; and 'tis possible she may have patience to wait a few years for you; yea, 'tis possible that an acquaintance with her, if prudently and faithfully conducted, may tend to fix your mind, and prevent its being unsettled and roving after others. But you are aware I have no knowledge of her piety, prudence, temper, convictions, or attachment to you; and the more I think of it, the more I feel convinced that the utmost I can do in it, is to give you a few hints of general advice. The object of your choice should be the object of your preference, if you wish to be happy; therefore, I have nothing to do in choosing for you; but it becomes you to be exceeding cautious C in your choice; judgment and affection should be consulted rather than fancy. You ought to proceed deliberately and delicately, too, in forming a connection, so that if, at any time, you find that you have been mistaken in the object, and wish to retreat, you may be able to do so honourably. Oh, how many have entangled themselves by rashness and imprudence, so that they have found it impossible to escape without great injury. The temper and disposition ought seriously to be consulted. Happiness in the married life has no absolute dependance upon outward circumstances, yet it may be greatly affected thereby, so that circumstances are not to be overlooked. Much depends upon general disposition. If the one is extravagant, the other parsimonious; the one seeking comfort at home, and the other concluding 'tis only to be found abroad: they cannot be very happy. Some dispositions are complete crab stocks, and others are as smooth as an ozier; some are like bears, and others are like lambs. I would have all the bears and crab stocks prevented from marrying till, by prayer and watchfulness, their disposition were improved. But piety is the best portion. Is M. A. satisfied with yours-are you satisfied with hers. Alas! a very little will satisfy people on this subject in general, especially when they look at it through a magnifying glass. 66 Oh, how much more should I have been delighted to hear that your mind was seriously exercised about making a public profession of faith in Jesus! If you have no faith in Jesus, you ought to be more concerned about that than about an acquaintance for a wife; and if you have no faith in Jesus, as a professing Christian, M. A. ought not to cultivate an intimate acquaintance with you. But if you are a Christian indeed, you ought to profess it without fear or shame: for myself, if I were seeking after a companion for life, I should be ashamed or afraid to form a connection with one who was either ashamed or afraid to profess a decided attachment to Christ and his people, and his ordinances. "And do you really think you can trust yourself to weigh all these matters impartially at the age of seventeen years and seven months? If you had a son about that age in similar circumstances, what advice would you think it right to give him?" To Miss E. B. "Ilford, July 30, 1824. "Still I sojourn in Meshech, and dwell in the tents of Kedar; still I am at war with sin, Satan, and the world; still Jesus is my hope, the Bible my guide, the Spirit my teacher, the godly my companions, the ways of God my choice, and heaven the final home on which my heart is set." To Miss E. B. "Ilford, September 13, 1824. "I have sometimes been delightfully amused while my imagination has been busily employed in speculating upon the joyful surprise which absorbs the disembodied spirit of a good man on its entrance into the celestial world. I have even imagined myself in these circumstances ex claiming with rapture, and is this heaven? and am I there? have I actually crossed the Jordan of death in safety, and left all my fears and sins, and sorrows, and enemies behind? And what celestial legions are those before me? Are these the innumerable company of angels? And are those the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs of Jesus? And is it possible that the glorified beings now approaching to welcome me to the celestial mansions can be the poor suffering saints and ministers of Jesus whom I visited, relieved in their afflictions, and who died before I left the world? But who is that in the midst of all the throng, like a sun among ten thousand stars? Oh, I know him! I cannot be mistaken! Behold the scars in his hands and feet and side! Behold how he smiles on all his blood-bought family; and oh, yes, he smiles on me; yes-yes-he smiles on me: he speaks; yes, and he speaks to me-I cannot be mistaken-there is heaven in every look, and in every word! And am I to spend an eternity here? Oh, join me ye saints; join me ye angels. Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. But, alas! I am still in the wilder "I have heard and read of people entering into covenant with God,' and of their 'renewing their covenant with God.' Yea, I have read of those who have drawn out in writing the articles of a covenant with God, after |