fought a good fight-I have finished my course-I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also who love what shall accompany and follow his appearing." Thus did he exult in the thought that he had been enabled in any measure to live to the honour of his much loved Lord.

Fired with the same spirit, let us ever be diligent. We ought to be ambitious of having the happiness of casting many crowns at the feet of the Redeemer. Never let us harbour the unworthy and ungenerous thought, that if we but get to heaven, nothing more need be minded. I here refer, not to that humility of mind which leads us, under a deep sense of guilt and demerit, to feel ourselves utterly unworthy of the very least of the Divine mercies, and to say from the heart that the very lowest place in heaven were an astonishing gift of mercy; for surely we ought ever to feel thus: but I refer to that disposition which, being satisfied with deliverance from misery, and with a vague hope of happiness in heaven, cares not for the glory of God and is indifferent to the good of others. Even should a slothful professor of religion get there, he must enter as a solitary individual-he could have no fruits of his labour-his conduct could not be applauded, nor could he participate in the joy of having served his Redeemer on earth. Let it not be said, that it is selfish and mercenary to labour and suffer in the hope of this reward. Is it selfish to covet the approbation of God? Were it not the greatest selfishness to be indifferent to

it? Is it selfish to seek the approving testimony of conscience? Is it selfish to exult in the happiness of others? Is it selfish to rejoice in enlarged and transforming views of the worth and elevation of Christ, and in being honoured to manifest the riches of the Divine character and glory? Surely it is not. Moses had respect to the recompence of reward: Jesus himself was animated by the joy which was set before him. Let us "be stedfast and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."

I remain, &c.

LETTER XIV.

ON SOME DIFFICULTIES RELATIVE TO COMING TO

CHRIST.

Difficulty respecting convictions of sin-Relative to repentance-The nature of coming to Christ-The state of mind connected with coming to the Saviour-Mistake relative to the work of the Spirit-The nature of genuine humility-Conclusion.

DEAR MADAM,

PERMIT me to refer to what I have already written you, respecting the simplicity and suitableness of the Gospel of Christ; and in connection with it, to make a few more observations on the difficulties which you mentioned to me when I last had the pleasure of seeing you. Through the Divine blessing, this may be

the means of invigorating your faith and adding to your joy.

I begin by directing your attention to the difficulty you mentioned, respecting conviction of guilt. Some are much disquieted from a fear, that they are not sufficiently convinced of sin to warrant them to go to the Saviour, in the confidence of obtaining mercy. This proceeds upon the principle, that a certain degree of conviction, and a particular measure of alarm, are necessary as a sort of qualification for pardon. This, however, is by no means the case. There is a wide difference between what a sinner is called and warranted to do, and what, in point of fact, he will do. Every sinner is invited to come to Christ, and has a warrant on the ground of the Divine promise to expect mercy on his going to him. Convictions of guilt and of danger form no part of the warrant to go, they only excite him to do so. A sense of sin leads to seek pardon; and a sense of danger leads to seek safety; and where the need of these blessings is not felt, the sinner feels no excitement to apply for them; but neither the one nor the other is, in the least, a qualification entitling to them.

I am far from meaning that convictions of guilt are in themselves self-righteous. The subject of them may err as to the way of obtaining relief; but the convictions themselves are founded on truth, and are what ought to be felt. Not a few having been convinced of guilt, and filled with a fear of the Divine displeasure, have despaired of relief from any thing in themselves, but have been kept from giving way to utter despair

by something they have heard of the Gospel; and from some glimmering of hope, have been led to seek for relief, to search the Scriptures, and to enquire after the truth. These exercises are not in themselves sinful, though at the time the glory of the Gospel is not discerned, for the truth has never been properly before them, and they cannot be said to be opposing it. So far from this, it were sinful not to cherish such convictions-it were to stifle the voice of conscience, and so to rebel against the light. The cry of mere distress, as uttered by the Jews on the day of Penticost, and by the Philippean jailor, is quite different from the supplications of arrogance and proud self-sufficiency. The former excites pure pity, the latter calls forth the Divine indignation. There is an obvious distinction between the nature and necessary desire of happiness and deliverance from pain; and the criminal wishes and self-righteous pursuits which flow from voluntary and sinful principles. The former is essential to every rational, yea every animal being, and forms no part of the depravity of our nature. Its moral character is entirely derived from the direction of its exercise. It may take a wrong direction, and often is connected with what is sinful, yet in itself it is but an instinctive feeling; and it is of importance to remember this in dealing with awakened inquirers.

I mean not by this, that such characters are free from the principle of self-righteousness, for this is natural to every man; but that this principle does not consist in convictions of sin, and a desire of relief. But when such begin to think that their conviction of

guilt, and their consequent fears are in some sense meritorious; or at least that they form a qualification for obtaining the benefit of the work of Christ, they become self-righteous in all their prayers, and tears, and services. Convinced of sin it becomes them to be; and hardened, indeed, are they who are not afraid because of it--but can this be a ground of confidence? It is passing strange, that men should deem it meritorious to be sensible that they are sinners, and should build a degree of hope on the circumstance of being convinced of rebellion against God. When a person imagines that before he can come to Christ for salvation he must have, as a qualification, a certain measure of convictions of sin, he has doubtless begun to make a righteousness of that very thing which ought to humble him in the dust.

You will perceive that there is a wide difference between that necessary principle which impels a creature to seek its own enjoyment, and the principle of love to God, which unites it to the Creator as the source of its happiness. The former is a universal natural instinct: the latter not being a necessary principle, is in its exercise voluntary. This distinction explains the difference between the supplications which the Scriptures condemn, and the mere cries of a wretched creature for mercy. The former must be positively sinful, but the latter are in themselves neither good nor evil. Such calls for relief cannot be objects of complacency, but they may be objects of pure benevolence. These two things are quite distinct.

Some, it is true, before they have believed in Christ