you find yourself happy with your two amiable friends at Dounholm, where you will have much precious time, which you could not command in the metropolis. Your hours, I doubt not, glide softly on; some spent in riding, some in working, and not a few, I hope, in reading. From the knowledge I have of your library, I know your books are much calculated for the improvement of your mind. It gave me satisfaction to see the select collection you possess; I hope you will reap much benefit from a serious perusal of them. In vain do we look for happiness from the things and persons around us. They may amuse a little in the time of health and prosperity, but can yield no solid comfort in a dark and melancholy hour. But in every situation those hours we spend in conversing with God and our own heart, will prove consolatory seasons: too many live strangers to both; therefore they are miserable. Happy those, whose minds are divinely illuminated to see, and whose wills are happily determined to choose, that better part which shall never be taken from them. They possess peace and joy unspeakable: they rise superior to all the ills of human life, and with a holy indifference view the smiles and frowns of a vain world. Fixed upon the Rock of ages, they remain unmoved. Every event of providence, whether joyous or adverse, with which they are exercised in this vale of tears, is by the intervention of a divine agency overruled for their good. In all things they are guided by the unerring counsel of the Most High in time; and by his grace prepared for everlasting happiness in eternity. Happy people! Who would not be a Christian? I know my young friend desires, to be one; therefore, as I wish her happy, I would entreat her to be in earnest: to spend much time in reading the sacred oracles of truth, and in breathing fervent petitions to Heaven that she may not be permitted to rest short of a thorough change of heart, of a vital union of soul with the Lord Jesus Christ. This, only this, can lay a scriptural foundation for present peace, or future felicity. The world, the devil, and our own heart oppose this great work with all their might therefore, it is necessary that we put forth all our strength; while, at the same time, we have no dependence, but on the free mercy of God through a Redeemer. I hope you will take all this in good part, as you know my motive; and believe me, dear Miss Napier, Your real friend, &c., &c., &c., D. M. TO LADY H. HOPE. Saughton-hall, December 25, 1781. Many, very many are the prayers that are put up this day to the Hearer of prayer by real Christians because, as it is thought, on this memorable day a Child was born, a Son was given. Though we cannot exactly fix the precise time when this glo rious event took place, yet we are sure there was a day when it happened, and therefore we are safe in remembering it: not, indeed, as too many do, in rioting and wantonness; but in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. O what unnumbered benefits accompany and flow from this unspeakable gift to a lost world! How many have we, even we, experienced! If we endeavour to reckon them we cannot; they are more in number than the hairs of our head. O that by our lives we may be enabled to testify our gratitude; and may every revolving season increase our power of so doing. Upon a retrospective view of the past year, what cause have we to praise our God for spiritual and temporal mercies. How many trials has he brought us through? How many troubles has he supported us under, and delivered us from? How many snares has he broken that were laid for us by the adversary of our souls, when he poured in as a flood? How often has he lifted up a standard for us? How frequently has he disappointed our fears and been better to us than our expectations? How often has he revived and comforted our souls in public and private; and, when in perplexity, made our way plain before us? Surely we have reason to say, "He hath done all things well" he is the God that performeth all things for us. But what returns have been made for all this profusion of goodness! Alas, we have too much cause to lay our hands upon our mouths, and our mouths in the dust; to blush and be ashamed, to stand astonished at the long-suffering patience of our God in sparing such cumberers of the ground. O that the time past may suffice wherein we have trifled, and come so far short of the glory of God: through grace may we fly afresh to that sacred Fountain opened for us; there may we wash and be clean, and may the residue of our lives be a continual looking to Jesus, and living by faith upon him. Then, Enochlike, we shall walk sweetly with our God, and experience much of his goodness. So let it be, gracious Lord. I thought our friend had been quite strong, by the accounts 1 heard from different quarters. The sweating is a complaint she had the first years of my acquaintance with her, when she was in much better health than now. She told me then that it used to come on in the mornings. If it does so now, perhaps getting up might prevent it. May the Lord order all well that concerns her. Give her my love and best wishes. You do not say whether your health is tolerable. O that your soul may prosper; cleave to Jesus, and be strong in him; then you will be lively and happy wherever you are. Were you hurt by the question I put in my last? I would not willingly grieve you. My health is, through mercy, very tolerable; in that respect, this place has answered well hitherto; but it has its inconveniences:-my want of a carriage increases them. Did I keep a chaise, I should see you often. And now the God of heaven fill you with himself, and make all grace to abound in you and toward you; may he be a sun to comfort you, and shine with his beams of grace upon you. Farewell in the Lord. Ever yours with affection, D. MAXWELL. While Lady Maxwell was thus endeavouring to counsel and comfort her afflicted friend, Lady H., she was, in the course of this year, frequently the subject of painful indisposition. But she had learned to practise well those lessons of patient submission and Christian confidence which she so affectionately enforced upon others: firmly believing that every affliction was designed for her good, she fervently prayed that she might receive the intended benefit; and her diary affords abundant evidence that these prayers were answered. She has also recorded several seasons of severe conflicts with the powers of darkness; but, in the strength of omnipotent grace, she went on, from conquering to conquer. And, what is worthy of remark, these conflicts and conquests were generally succeeded by peculiar manifestations from God, and by the possession of more than ordinary degrees of happiness. When the Saviour of men had resisted all the wiles of the devil, “angels came and ministered unto him." Her diary for this year proves that she experienced a growing deadness to the world; a deeper consciousness of her own insufficiency; a firmer reliance upon Christ; and the most intense desires to devote herself, and all she had, to the glory of God. The following extracts will confirm these remarks: "December 22. My enemies often threaten and attempt to disturb my peace, but are not permitted, because the Lord rebukes them. I am kept very conscious of my weakness, which prevents all confidence in the desh, and leads me to live by faith, and constantly to look to the Strong for strength. Jesus is the only foundation for present comfort or future felicity. I have little of the mind that was in him, in comparison with what is my privilege. I am much stripped of confidence or complacency in self. In spite of temptations and weakness, when an opportunity offers for confessing God, I feel sensibly strengthened and imboldened; and the Lord often makes my attempts useful to others, and comfortable to myself. How wonderful are his ways; but still the path of duty in some things remains uncertain. 46 29. I still have cause to bless God for his goodness to me. Since the 14th, he has blessed me with spiritual and temporal mercies. I desire to record his loving kindness, for, alas! without this, how prone am I to lose the lively sense of his goodness. I can truly say, my communion is with the Father and with the Son. How delightful the prospect of being soon for ever with the Lord. O what must be the full fruition of that beatific vision. 66 31. Upon a review of this year, though I have reason to lament my progress has been small, my improvement almost undiscernible; yet, after desiring that the Lord would search me, I have great cause to sing of mercy, and to stand amazed at the goodness of the Lord. Not only because he hath spared me, but for supporting me under many afflictions, comforting me in many distresses, delivering me from many severe inward conflicts, and for refreshing me with the sweet consolations of his Holy Spirit. He has lifted me above my spiritual foes, which were at times ready to devour me; and in temporal distresses has repeatedly wrought out deliverances for me when I had reason to fear lest I should grieve his Spirit by taking too much thought about them. I trust I can say he knew that my intentions were right; but I erred in having too little faith; and, Marthalike, was cumbered with what I ought to have committed to the Lord. O the long suffering of divine patience. O the depth of redeeming love. I have cause to say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name.'" CHAPTER XVII.-1782. Correspondence with Lady Hope-Diary continued. TO LADY H. HOPE. January 11, 1782. I RECEIVED my dear daughter's note with the enclosed, and would sooner have acknowledged it, but have hardly been able till this day. I had much bodily indisposition when at B―n, 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 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 were not to praise the Lord, the very stones of the field might cry out against I feel weak and helpless in myself, but see an ocean of me. 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, D. M. TO LADY. H. HOPE. Saughton-hall, 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 bé 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 burden upon the Lord, and find him so sustaining you as to prevent your being moved: then your hours will pass sweetly 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 |