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festly guiding the mind of this youth to that condition where he would be kept in perfect peace. It would not be easy to over-estimate the importance of the truth, wellnigh unconsciously announced in the following passage:—

"Thursday, June 5.— I feel in my mind too great a tendency to set all the value on external means, on living in the full and rich enjoyment of them, instead of looking up to Him who is the source of all that benefit which can be derived from them, even without whom the greatest possible external religious advantages can prove little else than the greatest sources of hardening and condemnation. Let me ask myself, When have I felt my mind the most seriously impressed? Was it not when I endeavoured most to think of spiritual concerns, to pray to God, and to read His Word, and the works of His eminent servants? When do I feel my mind most hardened? Is it not when enjoying, or for a short time after enjoying, some high religious advantages, from which I expected that I should be highly benefited? This is, indeed, awful; but is it less true than lamentable? And why? Becaus I had trusted to these means as every thing, and as if they had virtue in them to effect what I should have prayed to God alone to grant me."

-It is this resting on the external and the visible that constitutes the bane of modern religionists; and it appears difficult or impossible to account for the limited growth in grace which results from all our appliances in any other way than by supposing, that the means are put in the place of God, and man in the place of the Spirit.

The extracts that follow are long, but, as presenting a very picture of his mind, we cannot withhold them :

“Monday, June 9.-Yesterday I went over to Alves, as

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there was no preaching here, and heard a most excellent discourse from Mr Gentle, on the institution and nature of the Sabbath. Indeed, he had some beautiful and touching ideas in it, and I felt so that I could not take my eye off him while he preached. In the evening, I derived much benefit from his conversation. O how spiritually-minded he is how I seem to loath myself when with him! and yet I feel hardened when conversing with him-my heart seems determined to steel itself when there is any chance of an impression being made upon it. I had resolved to speak to Mr Gentle about my communicating soon, and I had hoped, and yet was much afraid, that it would lead to a full disclosure of all my feelings; but the former seemed uppermost." "I stated the insensibility of my heart as to divine things-that I felt a dark veil, a something impenetrable upon my mind-saw no excellency, no divine authority, in the Scriptures, and, in consequence, could not say that I could approach to the table with worthy feelings. He said that, in his opinion, humility was the true spirit in which that ordinance should be received— that feelings such as I have described were designed to bring me to the test- Lovest thou me ?"" "But

my heart remained hard; and it was not softened by finding that Mr Gentle took my feelings to be some of the trying exercises of a mind that was under the influence of divine truth, and endeavoured to console me accordingly. I endeavoured indirectly to undeceive him. I spoke of the dreadful advantages of a high religious education, and several other things; but I fear that my unintended hypocrisy before had deceived him. Never shall I forget last night; never did I display my heart to a human being before as I did to him, and that face to face. O may God bless it to me! I lay down with peculiar emotions, and I awoke often in a most strange state of dreaming about the subject of conversation. I arose; but all seemed-must I say seems ?-gone; my mind to-day, however, is more serious than it has been for some time."

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Thursday, June 12.-For a day or two of this week my mind was a good deal impressed, in consequence of a small tract which Mr Gentle gave me, called Brief Thoughts.'* I met one feeling, or indeed hindrance, to the reception of the gospel, which I entertained. I feel I cannot believe-it seems an impossibility; how then can I receive the offers of the gospel, which I acknowledge to be perfectly free?' The author insists that the mind is here taken up with examining its own feelings, not in looking to the object that this is virtually denying the freeness of the gospel offer, as it makes our consciousness of possessing faith the condition on which we will accept the gospel offer, instead of at once laying hold of this. I must indeed acknowledge this to be true. I have been all along looking too much into the state of my own feelings, and examining whether I had faith, and lamenting the want of it, instead of contemplating the glorious object Himself, or of endeavouring to bring my own mind to bear upon the unconditional freeness of the gospel, and its suitableness to my needs. Instead of coming unto Christ,' by fixing my eye on Him, that so I might be drawn to Him, I have been engaging myself in ascertaining how to come. I think I see the error and inconsistency of all this; but, alas! I know not how to rectify it. I have now endeavoured to think of Christ alone, to consider myself as shut up to this alone point. But my soul is dark, blind, and infatuated; I can see nothing to look at; I seem, or rather feel, like one groping through a narrow, dark passage, to reach a light which he knows to exist before him. I have prayed earnestly to God to show me this light-to bring me to it; I have been pleading with Him on the ground of that promise, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' I am in some measure

*The title of this tract is "BRIEF THOUGHTS-Part I. Concerning the Gospel, and the hindrances to believe it-Part II. Concerning the way in which a Christian obtains true satisfaction regarding his state towards God."

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weary of sin; I feel it in some degree a burden, for it occasions me much uneasiness and restlessness: may He make it more! But surely He will regard even a small degree of it: : may I not, then, urge the fulfilment of His promise? O may He enlighten my dark, bewildered soul!"

We have here the right action of the believing mind at least described. It would be difficult to tell how widely the Saviour is robbed of his glory as the Prince of Peace, and man of his happiness as a believer, by the tendency to look into our own mind for encouragement or hope, instead of "looking unto Jesus." In many cases that error becomes at last a morbid mental disease, which eats into the soul so as to consume its spiritual vigour; and not a few, like Haliburton, for example, and Brainerd, have hung down the head like a bulrush for many restless years, instead of beholding at once and steadily, "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." It is the simple act of coming to Him as a sinner that leads to peace; and till that be done, the soul is like one that labours in the fire, or that seeks the living among the dead-instead of finding rest, it can find only labour and sorrow.

CHAPTER III.

Low state of Religion in many parts of Scotland-Pluscarden— Spiritual discipline-Joy in believing increases-The Daystar arising-Conversion-The idolatry of Intellect-Progress-The Christian warfare-Counsels for it-Dr Andrew Thomson-Spiritual vicissitudes and aspirations-Mr Macdonald's view of Faith-Nature and Grace contrasted-Infant Salvation-Aberdeen revisited-A Covenant-Temptations-His Missionary longings recur-Modern Religion described-Intercessory Prayer-Catholic EmancipationHis standard of attainment—The paradox, the most advanced Believer necessarily deems himself the chief of Sinners"THE SUFFERING SAVIOUR"-True humility-A tour-Prepares for license-Is licensed.

It is reserved for the redeemed in glory to review all the way by which their Father led them through the wilderness of earth to their appointed home. The felicities of eternity will be thereby augmented. The tribulation that assailed us here will give intensity to our blessedness there. But even on earth, the believer's happiness is often enhanced by reviewing "the loving-kindness of the Lord," in the vicissitudes of our pilgrimage. Not a tear too many was shed. Not a pang too acute was felt. Not a cross too heavy was borne. "He hath done all things well" is often the conviction uttered in the spirit of adoption, by the people of God, amid the privations and sorrows