science bearing me witness. And these, I confess, are not natives of my own soil, nor, being planted in it, am I able to make them grow and flourish. O no! the God of all grace is the free giver: he is the mighty continuer: without him, they would have never been: without him, they would have died at their birth, and gone out, like a spark in the ocean. But I do really find some of the image and likeness of my loving Lord upon my heart, and that towards you. There can be no true friendship without a union of spirit. In order to be pure and stedfast, it must be refined from selfish views and carnal motives: it must spring from no outward attachment, but from a real agreement and harmony of soul: such is the nature of christian friendship. It is beyond all Plato's rules, and Senaca's morals: they had no idea of it. Reason, the most refined, could never understand our doctrine. He that is joined to the Lord is ONE spirit; a most wonderful union; big with blessings temporal and eternal. Among its temporal blessings, it is not the least, that he reforms the heart, and makes it loving, like his own; capable of receiving his heavenly friendship, and capable of shewing it to his praise, by especial love to his brethren aud our brethren.

In whatever view I am considering our divine

friend, there is always something which gives him, and most justly, the pre-eminence. He is, and will be for ever, the most blessed head, which communicates life, and breath, and all things, to every member. In the character now before us, O how exalted, how glorious is he! yes, he is beyond all blessing and praise, for being a pres ent Saviour to his people, as he mightily delivers them from the tyranny of their vile tempters, and renders them happy in one another. It is from his grace that they put on as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, &c. He plants those virtues in the heart; he waters them with the rain of heaven; he shines upon them; and he makes them flourish in spite of all the opposition of selfish passions and inbred lusts: indeed,-, he does. There are persons in the world, who are infinitely indebted to Jesus Christ, for that brotherly love, which is the bond of perfectness, and who, in some measure, walk in love according to his teaching. But they mourn, I know they do, because they find so little gratitude to him, and so little conformity to his example. Yet some likeness ther is, and they are striving every day for more; still setting out afresh, not content with any past attainment, they study both to love him more, and

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to draw more virtue from him, that they may love others, as Christ also loved them.

Methinks I see one of his deciples warm and eager in this pursuit. I stop him, and ask, Sir, upon what principle is it that your heart is so set upon being like Christ: you are quite unwearieḍ in having your own hateful tempers subdued, and in putting on the sweet dispositions of the meek and lowly Jesus?

His answer, I am sure, would be "The love "of Christ constraineth me: O how I feel the "blessed effect of being one with my Lord!"He has taught me in my very heart to love God, and man for God's sake: to this dearest Jesus I am indebted for my paradise restored; and I "am never happier than when I am sensible of

my vast debt: for then I love him best, and am "most enabled to manifest it to men. Beyond "description, beyond conception of any, yea all "the glorified saints, is the love of Immanuel to

my soul: it is like himself, infinite and boundless; "it is quite free, given to the unworthiest and to "the most urhankful: a perfect love, nothing "but love, such as excludes all shyness and cold"ness, prevents misconstructions and quarrels, yea "removes the very cause and ground of them. "communicative love, most generously bestowing "a right and title to all blessings upon the beloved :

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"for thus the grant of the great charter runs : ALL "mine are thine-and, to crown the whole, it is a "lasting love; yea everlasting, reaching from "eternity to eternity. The more I study and ex"perience of this heavenly love, the more I find my heart affected with it, and the more I wish "that all my friendships may reflect some image "of, and bring some glory to, the friendship of "my Jesus."

Having read this passage over carefully, I can, if called upon, set my hand and seal to it. All this I know to be true. W. R. Some little spark of this holy flame (but though little, inestimable) has long ago thawed my frozen heart, and has kept a warmth of affection in it which he that kindled often hears of in prayer and praise for you, and of which they who know you, and come in my way, hear also. Some kind providence will, I doubt not, ere long, let you hear it with your own ears. With pleasing hope, I look forward to a present, because I am sure of a future, meeting, which will never end. Our friendship will run coeval with our being it is a union formed by the divine hand of Jesus, who has won our hearts and made them one in himself, in a bond, which he will not, and none else can break so that we may sing, in humble confidence, all our way to Sion

:

The love divine

That made us thine

Shall keep us thine for ever.

Tell Mr.he is in my debt, and I wish him to get out of it; but he must pray a good deal for me before he does; so must you. for me. Mrs. Romaine joins in all.

Pray the more

LETTER XLIV

W. R.

GRACE and peace be abundantly multiplied

to my dear friend from the Lord Christ: may all whom she loves partake of his love. I have been kept from writing to you, and acknowledging your many favours to me, and to mine, by my Master's business. As soon as I came home, I was invited to preach in Buckinghamshire, where we have had the Lord with us of a truth. Oh what am I, that my eyes should see such things as I see!