truth, and such its power of application, that a single verse might often suffice for a sustaining and comforting exercise to the mind for hours together; and I think I can not do better than draw up a brief list of texts for you to read, and for her to dwell upon.-Matthew, xi., 28, 29, 30. She might lean the full weight of her dependence on a Savior who thus calls upon her.-Matthew, xxiii., 37. Who can doubt after this His longing desire after all who have any desire toward Him?-Matthew, xxviii., 5. It is not a sentiment of terror, but of confidence and comfort, that we should associate with the thought of a Savior, and with the attempt to seek an interest in His salvation.-Mark, x., 14. Such an exhibition of our Savior as should lead us to place all reliance on His benignity and grace.-Luke, vii., 13. Another most attractive representation of the Savior, and fitted to assure our hearts of His feeling for the distresses of men.—Luke, xi., 10, 11, 12, 13. A mighty encouragement to prayer, and that whether for ourselves or for those near and dear to us.-Luke, xv., 20. A most striking demonstration of God's willingness for our salvation, and of the welcome from Him which awaits all His returning children.—John, i., 29; iii., 14, 15, 16, 17. A most inviting call on us to look to the Savior on the cross; and His errand, which was not to condemn but to save, should dissipate all our fears.—John, xi., 25, 26. John, xiv., 1, 14. Romans, x., 13. 2 Cor., v., 19, 20, 21. Hebrews, iv., 16; vi., 18, 19. James, i., 17. 1 John, i., 7, 9; iv., 8, 9, 10, 14, 16, 18, 19.

It is my earnest prayer that the heavy trials which now lie upon your family may turn out to be blessings in disguise; and that though for the time not joyous but grievous, they may prove to be those light afflictions which are but for a moment, and which work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

With best regards to Mr. and Mrs. M'Corquodale, and to all of your household, I am, my dear Miss M'Corquodale, yours very truly, THOMAS CHALMERS.

P.S.-The fifty-third and fifty-fourth chapters of Isaiah. T. C.

No. CCCLXIII. TO MISS M'CORQUODALE.

EDINBURGH, 19th January, 1845. MY DEAR MISS M'CORQUODALE-I beg to return my best acknowledgments for your New Year's letter. It was very acceptable to me.

I am particularly glad that these Scripture texts should be much prized by you. We are on safe and sure ground when dealing honestly and rightly with those words of which it is said that heaven and earth shall pass away ere they can pass away.

It gives me great pleasure to hear of your sister's restoration to health. May she ever have great peace and joy in believing, and attain to that perfect love which casteth out fear. When the great question between us and God is settled, all is well; and the ills of life may annoy, but they will not sink us to despair.

Let me commend you to that Bible from which I rejoice to observe that you derive so much comfort.

Were I asked in one sentence to describe the likeliest process for becoming wise unto salvation, I should say that it was a prayerful reading of the Bible. Let the Spirit but open our understandings to understand the Scriptures, and then shall we be enabled to draw water out of the wells of salvation, for there, and there alone, have we the words of everlasting life. Give my best regards to both your sisters, and to your brother, whom I have not seen for a long time; as also to your father, now well stricken in years. May He, whose providence has spared him to a good old age, shower down upon him the blessings of His grace, that every hour bringing us all so much nearer to death may find us meeter for that eternity on which we are so soon to enter. Believe me, my dear Miss M'Corquodale, yours very truly,

THOMAS CHALMERS.

No. CCCLXIV.—TO MRS. Rutherford, of Edgerstone. GLASGOW, 8th November, 1822.

MY DEAR MADAM-I should have acknowledged your great kindness to me long ago, and have given some expression to those feelings wherewith the truly memorable visit* which I paid to Edgerstone has inspired me. They ought to be the feelings of deepest seriousness; but it is woeful to think of our obstinate tendencies to earth and earthliness; and how soon it is that the solemnity awakened by death, even in its most appalling form, goes into utter dissipation.

This melancholy experience of our own heart should teach us our dependence on that grace by which we are forgiven, and on that Spirit by which we are sanctified.

It demonstrates the utter vanity of trusting to our own righteousness, and ought to humble us down into the attitude of being clothed upon with the righteousness of another.

It is delightful to think that he on whom the Savior performed a remarkable cure, was not only found clothed, but in his right mind. And in like manner, there is still an inseparable union between our being covered with the righteousness of Christ, and our being cleansed by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Let us not, however, wait till we are made holy ere we trust in the Savior; but a better and more encouraging process for the helpless sinner is first to let us trust in the Savior, and then shall we be sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (Eph., i., 12). What a precious freeness and fullness does this view confer on the Gospel! How near does it bring salvation even to those who are farthest off in alienation from God, who calls upon us even in this stage to have confidence in Himself as God in Christ reconciling the world! This confidence would, in fact, put a new spiritual feeling into our hearts-it would emancipate them from the servile spirit of bondage-it would draw them freely and affectionately out * See Memoirs, vol. i., p. 365.

to God as our reconciled Father. It would implant love where before there was jealousy, hatred, and distrust. And under the impulse of this heaven-born affection, will we go spontaneously forth on the walk of new obedience.

Let us, therefore, hold fast the faith whence all these blessings flow, not casting away our confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. I have the honor to be, my dear madam, yours with the greatest esteem and regard,

THOMAS CHALMERS.

No. CCCLXV.-To MRS. USHER.

GLASGOW, 19th November, 1822.

My DEAR MRS. USHER-I have been desirous of writing you ever since I saw you last at Courthill; and indeed, upon that occasion would have wished to talk to you, and to sympathize with you alone, entering as I do into your deep sorrow with all the feeling of a most devoted friend, and anxious, if I could, to contribute any thing to lighten the visitation wherewith it hath pleased a good but mysterious Providence to exercise yourself and your dear family.

And the great alleviation in all our calamities is, that God reigneth, and that, if we bow in resignation to Him, He will raise us up again. It is often a good thing to have our hearts rent asunder from the world, even though it should have cost us the pain of a most violent laceration. He who wounds can heal, and be assured that there is no depth of wretchedness from which He can not lift us up, and set our feet again on a sure place, and establish all our goings, and put a new song into our hearts, even glory to God.

This is a vale of tears, and you have had full experience of it. Look onward to a bright and peaceful termination. In a few years, and we shall all lie mouldering in our graves. But, meanwhile, a pitying Savior calls upon us to approach Him, and announces to us the power of His sacrifice, and bids us trust in His atoning blood for the forgiveness of all our trespasses, and offers to put a spirit into our hearts where

by they may both be consoled and purified, and invites us to enter through Himself into reconciliation with God, and promises that, if we will abide in Him, He will abide in us, and make all things, even the darkest events of our history, work together for our good. This is a way which lies open to us all, and great will be our peace whenever our feet are established therein; and we shall even count it all joy when we fall into divers tribulations-looking onward to the calm and smiling haven where all sorrow, and sin, and separation are unknown.

It is indeed my earnest prayer that God would both sweeten and sanctify to you the cup of discipline. There is a great work before us ere we die-to become holy here, that we may be meet for being happy hereafter. Christ will enable us to do this work if we rely upon Him, and it is in the perception of its readiness for eternity that the soul finds its best refuge from the sorrows of time. Believe me, &c.,

THOMAS CHALMERS.

No. CCCLXVI. TO MRS. HENRY WOOD, EDINBURGH. ST. ANDREWS, 13th September, 1826.

to me.

MY DEAR MADAM-I only reached St. Andrews yesterday, and was very much affected by the intimations from Edinburgh, the melancholy subject of which was altogether new Mrs. Chalmers and my family share with me in a sorrow which must well-nigh overwhelm yourself, but which, I earnestly pray, may be soothed and sanctified by the God of all comfort. My daughter Anne was particularly solemnized by the recency of our visit, and her recollections of all the kindness that we had gotten under your roof. The walk from Great King Street to the Register Office is powerfully and touchingly present to both our minds; nor do I remember, in the whole compass of my experience, a more impressive manifestation of God's mysterious sovereignty, and of man's duty to be humble, and watchful, and mindful of death.