be my husband. Of that interesting truth I have never doubted since.

"The other doctrine which fixed my attention and excited much care and study respected Justification.

"A conviction of guilt and misery, of pollution and inability, assured me of the impossibility of my being accepted of God, either in whole or in part, for any thing to be produced or performed by me. I was fully convinced that without a better righteousness than my own, I must and should perish forever. This conviction prompted me most attentively to read, and with fervent prayer to study the word of God. I made no use of commentaries, nor any human aid, but perused and compared again and again the sacred scriptures, especially the Prophecy of Isaiah, the Epistles of Paul to the Romans and to the Galatians, the first Epistle of Peter, and the Gospel of John. These I attentively read, -upon these I meditated, and with a sincere desire for instruction, continually supplicated the throne of grace to be led into the truth, preserved from error, and established in the doctrine of the Gospel. And it pleased the Lord, I trust, to give me the light and instruction I sought. The righteousness of Christ, comprising his active and pas

sive obedience, and the imputation of that righteousness to every soul who receives the Saviour by faith, and thus, by his Spirit, becomes united to him, which is the basis upon which imputation rests, were rendered so intelligible, clear and, convincing to my mind, that I considered the result to be the teaching of the Holy Spirit by his word, and received it and submitted to it, as such, without any wavering or carnal disputation.-That the atonement of Christ was specific, complete, and worthy of all acceptation, I was sure.

"These were my views of justification by faith, but not for faith. And my belief of the relation of God the Redeemer to all the redeemed, and of the imputed righteousness of the precious Saviour, was then so decided, clear and full, that although a long life of study in this, and other doctrines, has succeeded, I do not know that I have ever obtained one new or additional idea, respecting the justification of a sinner. All I know of it, I gained at that period of my life and of my exercises, and no adverse winds of false doctrines have ever shaken my faith."

That these two great fundamental doctrines of the gospel, which so clearly exhibit the unsearchable riches of the grace of God, and so clearly se

cure all the glory to God, in the salvation of a sinner, should at first excite some opposition in his mind, is not at all astonishing. They, of all others, are the truths, which the proud, unsanctified heart most perfectly hates, and to which, until subdued by the spirit of God-until driven from every refuge of lies, and convinced that the reception of them is essential to salvation, it will not yield an honest submission. Few that have passed from death unto life have not been sensible of resistance to these cardinal points of faith :-Yet not one has found solid peace and hope in God, till he cordially embraced them.

Justification by the imputed righteousness of a Divine Redeemer, Luther calls, articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiæ;-and it is a wellspring of the purest and richest consolation to every soul, that duly apprehends the terrors of divine wrath, and sees no help but in Christ. The discovery, that the blood of the Saviour is blood of infinite value, and that in him there is righteousness-a finished righteousness, accompanied by faith, brings to the sinner, oppressed with a sense of his guilt and ruin, light, peace, and joy.

But to return to Mr. Livingston's description of his religious exercises:

"During these studies and conflicts, a sense of guilt increased, and the most distressing convictions of sin excited amazement and terrors, which no words can express. My unbelief prevented me from closing with the gracious calls of the Gospel ; my heart remained so hard and stubborn, and my fears became so alarming that I was reduced to the brink of despair, and felt and experienced what it would be improper even to mention. In this dreadful horror of soul, and fearful state of mind, I continued many weeks; and had it continued much longer, or arose a little higher, I must have died. I believed the Lord Jesus was able to save me, but I could not believe that he was willing to receive and save a wretch, who had sinned so much, and resisted his grace so long as I had done."

"At length it pleased him to conquer my unbelief, by convincing me that if the Saviour was able to save me, he must, most assuredly, be also willing, and that as such, he had pledged himself not to cast out any who came to him. This broke the chains and brought me into liberty. This dispelled doubts, removed fears, and conquered despondency. This gave me free and cheerful access to a throne of grace. I found a warrant and freedom to give myself away to the blessed Jesus, and I did most unreservedly do it, with the greatest

willingness, sincerity, joy, and eagerness, that I ever performed any act in my

life."

“Now consolations succeeded to griefs. I lived by faith. I found rest, and knew what it was to have Christ living in me. I had joy and peace in believing. I was conscious that I had received the divine Redeemer in all his offices, as offered to sinners in his word; that I had devoted myself, for time and eternity to him, and was no longer my own; and that I had actually become united to him. I have never doubted of this transaction, through all the trials of faith, to this day."

Unbelief is the strongest of the strong holds which the great adversary occupies in the sinner's heart, and he will maintain it as long as he can; but the power of Christ can, and will, demolish it; -Grace will triumph at last. This struggle between sin and grace, which is related with much simplicity and clearness, was sharp, and of long continuance, but the issue was glorious. It was severe experience; but it furnished him with the most pleasing evidence of the kindness and love of God his Saviour to his own soul, and it effectually schooled him for the work of guiding and comforting others, who might have similar conflicts-a work in which, throughout his ministry, he was acknow