January 11, 1782. I RECEIVED my dear Daughter's note with the inclosed, and would sooner have acknowledged it, but have hardly been able till this day. I had much bodily indisposition when at Bn, and have suffered much more since; yet in spite of both I had no cause to regret my being there; having had a remarkable display of the goodness of my God, and such a striking proof of his being the hearer of prayer, as led me in my way home, though unwell, to magnify the Lord, and to rejoice in him as the God of my salvation: and though, since, I have been partly confined to bed, and brought low in body by pain and sickness, yet a sweet savour of it remains on my mind. In the night seasons the Lord made his word the food of my soul; sleeping and waking it filled VOL. II.

B

my mind; and to-day, through mercy, my pain is much abated, and I feel much disposed to abide in prayer for myself and friends. The Lord appeared willing to grant all I asked. O the depth of Divine love! Surely if I was not to praise the Lord, the very stones of the field might cry out against me. I feel weak and helpless in myself, but see an ocean of love and goodness in God and in Christ, to which I am welcome to have constant recourse, and out of that fulness to receive by faith all I stand in need of. O for power to improve to the utmost the rich privileges to which, as believers, we are entitled. And, O for power to live more to God! I seem as a mere dwarf in religion, swimming upon the surface instead of sinking into all the depths of humble love, and rising up to all the life of God. May the Lord make us all more in earnest! I write freely, knowing that neither matter nor motive will be mistaken. May you, and our friend, experience a remarkable increase of every grace of the Holy Spirit, prays

Your affectionate parent in Jesus,

LETTER XXXI.

TO LADY H. HOPE.

Saughton Hall,

D. M.

Friday Afternoon, Jan. 25, 1782.

As it was late before your servant called, I did not like to detain him, and therefore sent only a verbal return to your kind inquiries. I write now, hoping you will get this to-morrow.

I am sorry you should be alone, and that I am confined at home, indeed mostly to my chamber. I am, through mercy, much better, but still feel a soreness in my throat, and have a small degree of cough; and the weather, at present, is so severe, that, without some care, I am afraid of longer confinement.

I cannot think of your going abroad in this stormy weather: do not risk coming here till it is milder. The Lord, I trust, will be with you, and supply your every want. May you have sweet access to a throne of grace through the blood of sprinkling; a power to roll your every burthen upon the Lord, and find him so sustaining you as to prevent your being moved; then your hours will pass swectly on. May Jesus converse with you; and, as the PRINCE of Life, increase your life; and, as the Prince of Peace, cause your peace to flow as a river. O what blessings are you entitled to, through your union with him! Peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, perseverance therein unto the end! These are a few of them, but who can tell them all! And, in eternity, when pain, and sorrow, and sin are done away, what glorious things await you! O dwell on these things, that the high praises of your God may continually be in your mouth, and his love in your heart; then will your every moment be devoted to him.

He, in tender love, often tries you with pains and weakness; but the rod is gentle. He means you to come more purified out of every furnace,

.

and as the burning bush, to flourish unconsumed in fire. I am glad you are better both in body and mind. Be strong, and the Lord will strength afford. Fear is your besetting weakness; strive against it; it is very hurtful to the soul. When low, and tempted to distrust, O fly then close to Jesus, and he will cover you from your foes, and keep you as in the hollow of his hand! His tenderness and kindness to his people is more than we can conceive. O, Jesus, what in thy love possess we not! Cast all your cares upon him ; spread all your wants before him; and he will guide and comfort you here, and fix you at last in never-ending joys, unspeakable and full of glory.

I hope Lady G. will not be long from you, nor suffer by her labour of love to the old man. May the Lord give him his soul for a prey! May we improve to the utmost the years, months, or days, that shall yet be allowed us, and at last have an abundant entrance ministered unto us into the everlasting kingdom of our God and Saviour. Till then I remain,

My dear daughter's affectionate parent in the

Lord,

D. M.

LETTER XXXII.

TO LADY H. HOPE.

March 16, 1782.

From my feelings, both asleep and awake, for some time past, I suspected my dear daughter was not well, either in body or mind, or both; and her letter of yesterday confirms my suspicions.

What a mercy that all our trials, in soul and body, are under the direction of a God of love, the Father of our beloved Saviour, in whom we are, through abounding mercy, accepted. We have reason, then, to trust all shall be over-ruled for our good, however, in the mean time, painful; if we are not giving way to any thing contrary to the word and will of God. We cannot cleave too closely to Christ, nor believe too firmly upon him, nor expect too much from him. "If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." But the prevalence of temptation, as well as sin, will weaken this confidence; and it is highly needful, for our own peace, to advert to this circumstance. They err greatly, who make either duties, or frames, the foundation of their acceptance with God: yet the former is indispensably necessary, and the latter is very desirable-is our privilege, and is also evidential of a thriving soul. Many of the children of God sink into a careless and supine spirit by paying too little regard to their frames, when, perhaps, they only desire to be preserved from building upon them hereby satan lays a snare for them, which they fall into unawares. But from this my dear daughter, I trust, will be saved, and from every other snare of the enemy, and thus be kept by the power of God, through faith, unto full salvation. Nervous complaints much depress the mind.

I had intended to be out at this time, but a new cold, and the severity of the weather, have made me unwillingly give up the thoughts of it: