smoothest scenes of life, and when the danger of doing wrong is most out of sight. Witness this day.

It has farther reminded me of my insensibility towards the Lord. Though my repentance to youwards is very sincere ; in a comparative view, I have reason to be ashamed of it. I truly love and respect you, and would not, as we say, willingly hurt a hair of your head. Yet I have no reason to boast of my sensibility, when I consider that the uneasiness I occasioned you, has given me more pain than many things which my conscience has witnessed against me were evil in the Lord's sight. And yet it is he, not you, who was crucified for me.

Ah! had I as

quick a sense of his excellence and goodness, and of my obligations to him, as I seem to have respecting some of my fellow-creatures, how much more happy would my life be! How much more ingenuous my walk before him!

'Again, when I considered what I had done, I considered, What is to be done next? Things are as they are, and I cannot alter them. It occurred to me immediately, that Miss More is generous and kind; though she has reason to be displeased, she is not resentful. If you have offended her, go and own your fault; and the next time you see her, you may expect a smile in token that she is not angry. I did So. I made no attempt to gloss over my imprudence by excuses, but simply applied for forgiveness. But how often have I held back, and kept a sullen silence, when I have sinned against the Lord, though he graciously says, 'only acknowledge thy offences.' How often like Adam, have I had recourse to evasions and palliations, as though I expected to hide myself from the All-seeing eye!

'A poor creature am I, unable in my own spirit, to ask or answer a question, without giving some proof either of my sin or my folly. Unwilling to confess, even when unable to deny; and, because I myself am evil, hard to believe that the Lord is good!

'Such have been my reflections upon the but connected with your kind visit this morning. I have been willing to make the best of a bad affair, and to draw some instruction for the future, from my regret for the irrevocable past. I hope, in particular from henceforth, to be very cautious that I do not wound your feelings.

The latter part of my epistle, I write on Monday morning, and propose dropping it in my way to Lady Elgin's, whom I have not yet seen since my dearest left me. I was a little indisposed yesterday—but the Lord enabled me to read prayers and preach twice. Dr. Pulpit is often my good physician, when I am not quite well, nor yet very ill. I was better at night than in the morning; and had upon the whole a tolerable day.

'How often have I had cause to adopt the Psalmist's prayer, "Take not thy word of truth utterly out of my mouth!" How justly might he silence me, and forbid me to mention his name any more! But he is gracious. He knows my frame, and considers that I am but dust"-sinful dust and ashes.

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May his blessing be with you, my dear Madam, and may he grant you the best desires of your heart. I am with great sincerity,

Your affectionate and obliged servant,

JOHN NEWTON.'

From Miss H. More to the Rev. J. Newton.

6

Monday, 10 o'clock. 'Forgive you, my dear Sir! No, upon second thought I will not either, for your fancying there was any thing that required to be forgiven. I am sure I shall not easily forgive myself for behaving so as to encourage such an opinion in you. I am now really hurt for fear you should have attributed my confusion to a wrong motive. This, if I discovered any, was the real cause. Though almost every body knows who wrote that pert little book, and it would be worse than affectation to deny it; yet I have been so little in the habit of owning it, that you took me by surprise, and though both the gentlemen present were apprised of the truth, I could not courageously bring myself to talk of it before three gentlemen. This is folly, perhaps; but the truth is, I feel myself so every way unfit to presume to set up for a teacher of others, that I wished to keep myself in the background. Neither my sex, my abilities, nor my conduct are such as fully to justify me in my own eyes for the things which I attempt, merely because others better qualified will not do it. All these things rushed into my mind together when you introduced the subject, and this operating on my spirits, which were particularly low, made me appear more confused than I knew of. And now my concern is, lest the cause was mistaken, and you thought it arose from my unwillingness to hear of my faults. O! my dear Sir, think any thing of me rather than that. The more faults you will point out in that book, and in the author of it, the more you will

oblige and gratify me. I am afraid I trust too much to my own strength, and that is the reason why I am so weak.

'On reading over your letter again, I find I am not so angry with myself as I was, since my folly has caused you to extract so many good and useful remarks from it. Remember when we meet we have a very pleasant ground of quarrel, for over sensibility on your part, (and perhaps you will say) false delicacy on mine. We shall discuss this and many other subjects I hope, at my little Cowslip Green. I recommend myself to your prayers, of which I never stood more in need; and am, my dear sir, with true regard,

Your much obliged and faithful friend,

H. MORE.'

CHARITY.

VII.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

'It is really so strong,' Mrs. Milbanke said, shaking her head, with a rather unbelieving countenance. "In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not."

Ah!' Henry answered, with expressive gravity, * that is the law-the rigid, strict, and just executioner of wrath against sin; but thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift, which speaketh indeed better things.'

'But so the law did speak?'

'Yes, and it is evident that St. Paul advances it as a conclusive argument in support of the instruction he was giving, on the proper use of tongues for prophesying and edification. If we look to the law, we shall find it (Deut. xxviii. 49.) mentioned in prophetic warning by Moses, at the closing of his ministration, as a consequence of sin, that when the Israelites forgat God, the curse should come upon them, pursue them, and overtake them. Read the verses 47, 48, 49. "Because thou servedst not the

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