Grace King: or, Recollections of events in the life and death of a pious youth: with extracts from her diary. Published for the benefit of youth

NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES

3 3433 08238055 5

V

1

GRACE KING:

* V OR,

RECOLLECTIONS OF EVENTS

IN THE

LIFE AND DEATH OF A PIOUS YOUTH:

WITH

EXTRACTS FROM HER DIARY.

PUBLISHED FOR THE BENEFIT OF YOUTH.

REVISED BY THE EDITORS.

NEW-YORK:

PUBLISHED BY T. MASON AND G. LANE,

For the Sunday School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
200 Mulberry-street.

/. Collord, Frinter.

1840.

le

V*

" Entered according to Act of Congress, in 'the year
1840, by T. Mason and G. Lane, in the Clerk's Office
of the District Court of the Southern District of New-
York."

PREFACE.

There is something deeply affecting in the
death of the young ; it looks like the falling of
unripe fruit : or like the blasting of the promis-
ing blossom by a late and untimely frost. But
if they die like the subject of our recollections,
in the full hope of the life to come, we feel bet-
ter reconciled to their exit. Though we lament
the early fall of Grace King, and have often
wished that she had been spared, yet there was
every thing in the improvement of her mind
in- knowledge, and in the advancement of her
heart in goodness, as the extracts from her
diary will show, that is calculated to reconcile
us to the providence which removed her from
earth so young.

The reader ought to be informed, that the
family in which Grace King was reared con-
sisted of Mr. and Mrs. G., and of four daugh-
ters of mature age, of a good education. This
will account for the apparent precocity of intel-
lect manifested by little Grace.

Grace King.

8 GRACE KING.

died, in one of the most beautiful,
healthy, and romantic manufacturing-
towns for which the Westriding of
Yorkshire is so very remarkable.

Grace was about five years of age
when I first saw her, and was residing
in a religious family, who were inti-
mate friends of her deceased parents-
In personal appearance this child was
lovely; she might be truly called beau-
tiful. She had a fine, lofty, and ex-
panded forehead ; her eyes were a
deep, dark blue ; her skin was clear
and fair ; her lips were bright as ru-
bies ; and her full cheeks were like
blooming roses. She was by nature
of a sweet and teachable temper, and
her manners were such as reflected
great credit on the judgment and piety
of her deceased mother. At the time
I first saw her she could read well,
and was very fond of good books.

I would affectionately warn my

GRACE KING.

young readers against indulging peev-
ish, angry, and revengeful tempers, on
account of the bad effects which they
never fail to produce on the personal
appearance and manners of such as
indulge in them. It has long- been
known that fretful and boisterous tem-
pers give their impressions to both the
features and manners of children.
Therefore, if you wish for comely per-
sons, and graceful manners, you must
guard against all angry and impatient
feelings.

The family of Mr. G , in which

I first met this interesting orphan, was
composed of persons who had long
been devoted to God, and who were
well fitted to educate the young, and
to train the infant mind ; and it is due
to them to say, that they spared no
pains to polish and bless their lovely
charge.

Grace was early led to the sabbath

10 GRACE KING.

school, where she distinguished her-
self by her diligence in committing to
memory portions of Scripture, sacred
hymns, and other good pieces ; and
she continued, through her short life,
to be held up as a pattern worthy the
imitation of others. This child was
in the constant habit of inquiring after
the meaning of the scriptures and
hymns which she learned at the sab-
bath school, and by this means she
early acquired a stock of Biblical and
religious knowledge, seldom attained
even by adult Christians. In fact,
the geography and chronology of the
Scriptures ; the manners, customs,
laws, &c, of the Jews, Greeks, and
Romans, were familiar to her ; and,
before she was eight years of age,
she read the Bible with great judg-
ment and much delight. She was, no
doubt, greatly indebted to the labours
of the family of Mr. G for her

^ACE KING. 11

gje*at acquirements; but still these
were owing, in a great measure, to her
thirst for knowledge, and her diligent
inquiry ; and I would say to my young
reader, " Go thou and do likewise."

When little Grace was about six
years old a glorious revival of religion
took place in the Methodist congre-
gation at R , the village in which

she resided, which soon extended to
the sabbath school. Among the early
subjects of this revival was found this
interesting orphan. Her infant mind
became deeply affected by a discovery
of her sinfulness and perishing con-
dition. Being asked why she wept,
she replied, " Because my heart is
wicked." When asked how she knew
that her heart was wicked, she an-
swered, " Because I know I do not
love God." And when asked how
she knew that she did not love God,
she answered, " Because I think of

12 GRACE KING.

any thing, ajid I talk of any thing more
than I do of God."

This little penitent continued to
mourn, and weep, and pray, and re-
fused to be comforted, for some weeks.
The family of Mr. G — -, and the
friends who knew her, felt very deeply
on her account, and laboured in dif-
ferent ways to minister peac^to her
troubled heart.

One elderly lady, addressing her,
said, " Be comforted, child, for I am
sure you have always been good, and
very good ; I do not believe that you
ever committed a sin in j%$5 Jife ; and
I am sure God must love- you." To
this she replied, with her beautiful
eyes full of tears, and her little breast
heaving with sighs, " I know that God
must love me, or he would not have
sent the beloved Jesus to die for me ;
but I am sure that I am not good, or I

GRACE KING. 13

should have loved God, and praised
him for the gift of his Son."

One day, after spending a few hours
alone, in reading, meditation, and
prayer, she entered the room where
Mr. G sat ; her sorrowful coun-
tenance seemed somewhat relieved of
its former heaviness, and she ad-
dressed her earthly protector, saying,
" Father," (the title she always gave
Mr. G — -f-,) " if God were not willing-
to pardoif my sins, and save my soul,
would hjf have given his Son to die
for me IpBj^mg answered, " No," she
said, " Thin I will give myself into
his hands, and will wait for the an-
swer of peace, expecting it for Christ's
sake alone." Her father hearing this,
said, " My child, thou art not far from
the kingdom of God ; go back to thy
room, and say to God what thou hast
said to me ; go just now, and say to
him, Here, Lord, I give myself up to

14 GRACE KING.

thee ; I cannot save myself ; thou hast
given Jesus to be my Saviour ; I rely
only on his merits, and I expect that
thou wilt accept and save for his sake
alone."

Grace took this advice ; she went
directly to her closet, and it was but
a short time before she returned to
the room where the family was as-
sembled, with a face radiant with joy,
saying, " Rejoice with me, for my
blessed Lord has done that for (me
which none of you could do, and
which I could not do for mvself. He
has met me in mercy ; he has taken
the burden from my heart ; he has
taken possession of my soul ; he has
filled me with peace, and he has given
me power to love him. \ Yes, he alone
has done it, and I will praise him, for
now I know that I love God." In these
and similar words did this dear child
continue to express herself for some

GRACE KING. 15

time. She then said, "Let us all kneel
down, and 1 wish you all to praise
God for what he has done for me.
I wish you to praise him, and to give
him thanks, because you can do it bet-
ter than I." Perhaps I need not add,
that the whole family instantly com-
plied, and joined the infant believer in
the delightful exercise of thanksgiving
to God.

Now, my young reader, let me ask
you, wiiat dost thou know about these
things ? Didst thou ever see the sin-
fulness of thy heart ? Didst thou ever
mourn and weep before God, on ac-
count of thy guilt and danger 1 Didst
thou ever feel the struggle after salva-
tion which wras felt by Grace King?
And didst thou ever believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and so believe on
him as to feel peace and joy in thy
heart? Remember, thou art sinful
and guilty, and thou must feel these

16 GRACE KING.

things, or thou canst not get to hea-
ven. O, think on these things, and
lay them now to heart.

It is not uncommon, in this day of
improvement in sabbath school in-
structions, to see young children be-
come the subjects of religious impres-
sions during the course of revivals ;
but, unhappily, such children are too
often neglected, from the notion that
all their seriousness will vanish as
soon as the revival ceases. It is a
painful fact, that very frequently such
children become as thoughtless and
trifling- as ever. But is not this, in
some measure, owing to the want of ,
good care and persevering nursery on
the part of parents and members of
the church ? If these children were
properly instructed, watched over, and
prayed with, would not the result, in
many instances, be widely different?
The guilt, therefore, of their religious

<JRACE KING, 17

0

declension, will be found chargeable
to the church, to parents, and to guar-
dians. Think of this, ye who speak
lightly of" the day of small and feeble
things !" Remember the chame of
the great Shepherd, " Feed my
lambs."

The child whose history is the sub-
ject of these recollections remained
" steadfast and immoveable, always
abounding" in goodness, devotion and
piety, to the close of her life, which
event happened in her 14th year.
Up to this time she enjoyed a remark-
able state of health, and was able to
attend sabbath school, and the means
of grace in general, without interrup-
tion. She always entered the sabbath
school well qualified to recite her les-
sons, and attended the public means of
grace prepared by previous private -
devotion. She always went from her

2

18 GRACE KING.

closet to hear preaching, to prayer
meetings, and to her class.

Grace had her regular and stated
hours for reading and private devotion ;
and she was never known to fail in
her attendance on these duties at least
three times a day. She also attended
to other studies and duties prescribed
by the family with religious exactness.
It was never found necessary to re-
quest her a second time to do the bid-
ding, or fulfil the wishes of any mem-
ber of Mr. G 's family ; and she

always did every thing willingly, and
with an air of pleasure and satisfac-
tion I hope all my young readers
will imitate Grace in this particular ;
for nothing can be more afflicting to
your parents than to see you unwill-
ing to comply wTith their reasonable
requests. Besides, wThat unkindness,
and what wickedness, in the sight of
God, it must be, not to be obedient to

GRACE KING. 19

our dear parents, who have kindly-
watched over us, and provided for our
wants, during many years of helpless
infancy. Remember that "Honour
thy father and thy mother is the first
commandment with promise."

Many persons seem to doubt and
call in question the genuineness of the
conversion of young- children. They
seem to think that religion, and the
means of obtaining it, are matters so
much above the comprehension of
children that they cannot be the real
subjects of Christian experience.
These doubters ought to remember
that conversion is the work of God;
and that it is a little thing with him
"to ordain praise out of the mouths of
babes and sucklings." Besides, the
infant mind is much more susceptible
of religious knowledge and impres-
sions than many parents seem to be-
lieve. Let them only set to work in

20 GRACE KING.

earnest to train their children for God
and they will soon be convinced of
this. If strict and persevering atten-
tion to devotional duties ; if meekness,
humility, kindness, and docility of
spirit; if integrity of principle and
practice ; if deep and growing solici-
tude for the prosperity of the church
and the salvation cf the world ; if
these be genuine fruits of religious
experience, and the real evidence of
a work of grace on the heart, then the
religion of little Grace King was pure
and genuine.

She was remarkable for her fidelity
and zeal in instructing, warning, and
urging to repentance all the ignorant
and careless children that fell in her
company. And these labours of
childhood were not in vain; the Lord
owned and blessed them ; for there
are some burning- and shining lights
in the church now who can trace

GRACE KING. 21

their first religious impressions to her
labours.

When Grace was nearly fourteen
years of age she was seized with a
violent fever, which caused great anx-

iety to Mr. G 's family, and to her

friends generally. She was watched
and nursed with the deepest care, and
the best medical advice was sum-
moned for her relief. But the fever
resisted all skill and care, and re-
mained violent and unyielding for
three weeks; and when it did subside,
it left such marks of ravage and waste
of the constitution as rendered the
prospect of her recovery very doubt-
ful. During the continuance of the
fever she laboured under almost con-
stant delirium. But it was remarked
by all around her that she never said
any thing, or did any thing, but what
served to show, in the words of one
of her physicians, " that the suffering

22 GRACE KING.

body was inhabited by a pure and
sainted spirit." During- the delirium
she would sing, and pray, and recite
Scripture, and exhort sinners.

When the fever was broken, she
became perfectly herself. She knew
all her friends, and conversed with
her former intelligence, according to
her strength. She was conscious that
she had been very sick ; and she con-
tinued calmly and firmly to declare
that she should not get well, but that
her sickness would soon end in death.
When asked the state of her mind,
she uniformly answered, " I have
peace with God, through our Lord
Jesus Christ." When questioned in
reference to her future and eternal
prospects, she replied, " My future
prospects are good ; my sky is un-
clouded, and my pathway is bright
with celestial light." At other times
she would say, " My prospects ? why,

GRACE KING. 23

they are transporting ! I am going-,
yes, I am going to the abode of an-
gels, and to the presence of God ! 0
glory ! hallelujah !"

One day Mr. G said to her,

" My dear Grace, are you not sorry
to know that you are going to die,
and to leave me and the rest of the
family?" After looking steadily at

Mr. G for a moment, as if in

great surprise, she firmly answered,
" No ! sir ; though I love you and your
family most dearly, yet I love my God
and Saviour a great deal more!"
After a long and painful fit of cough-
ing, during which she was supported

by Mr. G -, she said, "Father, I

thank you for holding my throbbing
head. I believe you and the whole
family intend to meet me in heaven?"
Being answered, " Yes, we do," she
very quickly said, " Why then should
I not go first, that I may be ready to

24 GRACE KING.

welcome you all there ?" And look-
ing affectionately at Mr. G 7 she

added, "Father, when I get home to
glory, I shall continue to look for you
until I see you enter; it will not be
long that I shall have to look for you,
for your locks are getting very gray.17
This was a melting scene. We all
wept. Who could have witnessed
this interview between the young dis-
ciple and the aged patriarch, and not
be melted to tears'? To me it ap-
peared as if they were both striving
to reach heaven first; and yet they
were both willing to go in company.
On the last day of her mortal life,

Mr. G said to her, " Grace, it is

now nearly nine years since your own
dear mother died. I saw her die, and
I have no doubt that she is now in
glory with the Saviour." On hearing
this, the little sufferer raised her
wasted hands and her swimming eyes

GRACE KING. 25

to heaven ; and as soon as she could
articulate, she exclaimed, " Let me
go ! let me go ! 1 want to see that holy
and happy mother ; and I want, still
more, to see the glorious Saviour !"

This emotion proved too much for
her feeble state of body. Her hands
fell, her eyes became fixed, and, to all
appearance, she ceased for some mi-
nutes to breathe. We all thought her
dead ; but after a while we saw ag-ain
the signs of remaining life. In half
an hour she opened her eyes, and,
looking on all around with a strong
expression of swreetness and pleasure,
she said, " I have had a glimpse of
heaven ! my happy mother is there !
and — " she appeared desirous of say-
ing more, but was prevented by a long
and violent fit of couodiinor When
this had ceased, she lay very still for
some minutes, with her eyes closed ;
she then gradually raised her hands,

26

GRACE KINO.

without opening her eyes, and, with a
faint and sinking voice, said, " I am
going to Jesus ! farewell! farewell!"
In a very few moments she ceased
to breathe.

There was one very commendable
trait in the character of Grace King
which we must not forget to record,
and that was her great industry. She
was never, after her conversion, un-
employed, nor was she ever triflingly
employed. To the study of her daily

GRACE KING. 27

lessons she applied herself with all
her powers ; and when these were
finished, she either strove to make
herself useful in the household busi-
ness, or she plied her needle to some
useful and profitable purpose. In fact,
such were her constant habits of use-
ful labour, that Mrs. G has often

been heard to say, " Grace is no bill
of cost to us ; she regularly pays her
way." Thus, we see, this dear child
was " diligent in business," as well as
" fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."
How much better it is for little chil-
dren to be engaged in some useful
employment than to be suffered to
trifle away their hours in entire idle-
ness, or in killing time by ruinous and
dissipating amusements. Besides, if
children are not early taught habits
of industry, they generally, in after
life, become indolent and worthless
members of society, and not unfre-

28 GRACE KING.

quently vagabonds, and a curse to
their generation ; for

" As the twig is bent the tree's inclined."

Idleness is a sin against God and na-
ture, and it is the fruitful parent of
wretchedness, and of many vices.
The child that is not engaged in some
useful or innocent employment will
not long remain pure and guiltless,

" For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do."

And the Scriptures speak very strong-
ly against idleness. It is there said,
" If a man will not work, neither shall
he eat ;" that " an idle soul shall suf-
fer hunger ;" that " drowsiness shall
clothe a man in rags ;" and that " want
shall come upon the sluggard as an
armed man." Let my young reader
hear this, and guard against idleness.
After her conversion, little Grace
continued to give strong evidence of

GRACE KING. 29

her love to the cause of God, and of
her heartfelt concern for the good of
souls, by labours to support the insti-
tutions of benevolence and religion,
and by the conversations which she
held with children in the neighbour-
hood. This lovely child was inces-
sant in her efforts to obtain contribu-
tions for the Bible and missionary
societies, and for the sabbath-school
cause. A great many small, and not
a few large contributions were ob-
tained by the mild and untiring soli-
citations of this little labourer. Indeed,
she made successful applications for
money where almost every other per-
son would have despaired or failed.
I will relate an anecdote in point. A
certain gentleman, who made no pro-
fession of religion, and who was uni-
versally notorious for his parsimony,
was asked, why he always gave mo-
ney to Grace when she applied to

30 GRACE KING.

him: he replied, " There is something
so sweet, so modest, and so heavenly
in the very looks and manners of that
child, that I am constrained to give ;
I cannot refuse her ; indeed, I am so
'fully impressed with the belief that it
will be wisely and usefully applied,
that I cannot deny her request."
Many a Bible has been furnished to
the destitute, many a missionary of
the cross has been cheered in his toil,
and many a sabbath-school scholar
has been aided in acquiring saving
knowledge, by the money collected
by Grace King. Though young in
years, yet she had many works of
faith and labours of love ; and she is
now reaping her reward in heaven !
O, I wish my young readers could
have seen this little girl, with her
bright countenance, and her book for
subscriptions in her hand, passing
from house to house. I think*her ex-

GRACE KING. 31

ample would have provoked them to
similar exertions.

We have said, too, that Grace im-
proved every opportunity to instruct
and to admonish the children who fell
in her way ; and she was every way
qualified for such duties ; for she had
clear views of the great doctrines of
revelation, and she possessed a happy
faculty of communicating her know-
ledge to children of her own age, and
of doing this in language which they
could feel. Her admonitions and ex-
hortations were always offered with
such mildness, seriousness, and fer-
vour, that they were both received and
felt by the children to whom they
were addressed. But the labours of
Grace were not confined to children,
as the following short letter will show.
It was addressed to a lady who did
not profess religion, and it was writ-

I

32 GRACE KING.

ten but a short time before she was
taken sick.

" R , July 20, 18—.

" Dear Madam, — Do not be angry
with me for the liberty which I now
take in addressing a few lines to you ;
but be pleased to forgive the seeming
forwardness of a child. Nothing short
of deep concern for your greatest be-
nefit could have moved me to take
this course. I wish to discharge what
I feel to be my duty, and therefore
entreat you to bear with me, and to
forgive me if I err.

i: Dear madam, you have lived a
great many years in God's world.
You have received and enjoyed a
great many mercies and blessings
from your Maker's hands. You have
been blessed with a great many pri-
vileges and means of being made a
holy Christian ; and the ' Lord has
indeed done great things for you.'

GRACE KING. 33

But have you properly improved your
time, your mercies, and your powers,
to the glory of God ? Have you given
'all diligence to make your calling
and election sure V Have you done
your duty to yourself, to your fellow-
creatures, and to your God ? Are
you now prepared by grace for death,
for judgment, and for heaven?

" Pardon my boldness, madam, for
my fears urge me on. I think you
must know that you are not prepared
to die. Are you not neglecting, whol-
ly neglecting the great salvation ? Do
you not know that if the Scriptures
be true, you have no solid hope ? For
without a present sensible interest in
Christ, and without holiness, no one
can see the Lord.

" O, madam, suffer a child, who has
'tasted that the Lord is gracious/ to
exhort you to think on these things,
and to lay them to heart. O, now,

3

34 GRACE KING.

- while it is called to-day,' resolve to
break friendship with the world, to
deny yourself of sin, to give yourself
to God in Christ, and to live the rest
of your days wholly to the glory of
your Maker and Judge. Remember,
your time is short ! death may be
standing at your door ! and eternity,
yes, eternity is just before you !

" Believe me, madam, when I say
it is love, pure love to your soul, that
has constrained me to write these
lines. If it appear mere forwardness
to you, pray forgive me this wrong,
and believe me to be yours sincerely,

" G. King."

These labours of love were not in
vain, for there are numbers now liv-
ing who still bless God for the admo-
nitions and instructions of this child ;
and though the lady to whom the
above letter was addressed really ap-
peared to many to be " a hopeless

GRACE KING. 35

case," yet it is known that the child's
labour made a deep impression upon
her ; and it is the opinion of her
friends that she was saved at the
eleventh hour.

A few days before Grace died, she
requested permission to see all the
children of the sabbath school belong-
ing to her class, and in this she was
indulged. When they stood around
her bed, and she was raised to a sit-
ting posture, she surveyed them with
a meek and heavenly smile. Though
she was but the shadow of a human
form, being so much wasted by dis-
ease, yet she addressed the children
with a clearness and a force which
astonished all that heard her. Hav-
ing looked around upon them for some
time, with a sweet and conciliatory
smile, she commenced her address by
thanking them for coming to see her
in her affliction. She told them that

36 GRACE KING.

she expected soon to die ; that she
was going soon into eternity.; that
she was not afraid of death, and that
she had a desire to be gone. She
told them she knew that she was by
nature unholy, and that she had sinned
against God ; but she knew, also, that
there was a Saviour ; and she knew
that that Saviour was her Saviour.
And " This" she exclaimed, "this is
the reason why I am not afraid to
die!"

She now proceeded to speak to the
children on the subject of their sinful-
ness, their danger, and their duty;
and so pointedly, so pathetically, did
she speak, that there was not a dry
eye in the room. Nothing was heard,
excepting her sweet voice, but sighs,
and weeping, and mourning. After
a few prayers had been offered, she
took leave of the class, by taking each
by the hand, and charging them, indi-

GRACE KING 37

vidually, to " meet her in the glorious
heaven above." It is believed that
her last interview with her class was
signally owned and blessed of God.
The adults present felt it, and were
moved to give themselves wholly to
the Lord. And many of the children
who were then present are now
" burning and shining lights" in the
church. They have given themselves
to God, and are walking so as to
adorn their high and holy calling.
Thus this dear child, " being dead,
yet speaketh" in the fruit of her la-
bours.

While little Grace lay on her last
bed of sickness she was visited by a
maternal uncle, who had long been
absent from home, a soldier in foreign
lands. When she was told that he
was her own mother's brother, she
affectionately embraced him, and
pressed her pale lips to his cheek,

38 GRACE KING.

while tears bedewed the cheeks of
both. After she became composed,
she said, " Uncle, I love you, because
you are the brother of my own mo-
ther. My mother G tells me that

my own mother was your sister ; that
my mother was a true and devoted
servant of the Saviour ; and that she
died ascribing praise and thanksgiving
to him ; now, I hope you are as good
and as happy as my dear mother was."
The uncle took deep interest in the
welfare of Grace, and laboured to en-
tertain her by relating the wonders
he had seen and heard in his travels.
To these relations she often listened
with fixed attention. One day she
said, " Uncle, you certainly have seen
many great and strange things in your
travels ; but suffer me to ask if you
ever met with the Lord Jesus Christ,
the sinner's great friend ?" She add-
ed, " I put this question for two rea-

GRACE KING. 39

sons; first, because you do not often
mention his name when you tell me
of what you met with ; and secondly,
because I feel anxious that you should
know him, and the power of his resur-
rection." This was an attack not to
be evaded. After a short pause, she
took her uncle's hand, and looking
him affectionately in the face, she
said, " My dear uncle, do you know
the Lord Jesus Christ ; and do you
feel that he is your Saviour V The
old veteran could resist no longer ; he
burst into tears, and said, " I do not,
but I hope I shall." To this she de-
voutly answered, "Amen?

Before Grace died, she received a
promise from her uncle that he would
renounce the world and sin, and seek
for a saving- knowledge of her blessed
Saviour. And we are happy to be
able to record the fact, that he did
keep the promise made to the dying

40 GRACE KING.

child ; and that, soon after her death,
he was made a witness of the power
of Christ to save sinners. The uncle
is still alive : he is still in the good
way, and living an exemplary life.

About a week or two before her
death, Grace was visited by her be-
loved pastor, who, among other things.
said to her, " My dear child., thongh
young, yet yon have made a great
profession before the church and the
world. Now I wish to know how
you feel on this subject when confined
to this bed of pain, and when there is
before you the prospect of a speedy
death?" The little sufferer, folding
her hands, very calmly replied. "I
feel, sir, that I have not believed a
cunningly devised fable ; but I feel
sir, that the gospel of Christ is the
power of God unto my salvation!
The light on my path must come from
Him in whom there is no darkness at

GRACE SIXG. 41

all. The peace which tills my mind
must be the peace of God. The love
which warms my heart must have
come from Him who is love. And the
hope which now supports and cheers
me must have come from ' the God of
hope !? Yes, 'it is the Lord's doings,
and it is marvellous in mine eves/
To the great, the triune God, be all
the praise and the glory, both now
and for ever."

The pastor tnen said to her. "Mv
dear child, if you die of this sickness
you will die very young ; do vou not
desire to get well, in order that you
may know more of this world, and be
made still more useful in it V To this
she answered, very calmlv. and with
strong marks of humility. M I feel no
such desire ; if God see proper to raise
me up from the bed of pain, and if
he see tit to appoint me more work
on earth, why, he knows that I am

42 GRACE KING.

willing; but if it be his blessed will
that I shall now die, which I think it
is, I should rather prefer to die. But
in fact I have no choice ; I have no
desire in this matter ; I say, ' Father,
thy will be done.'"

CONCLUSION.

My Young Reader, — You may
learn from these statements, that you
are not too young to become seriously
and truly religious ; for here you have
proof in the case of one who was,
perhaps, much younger than you are.
Shall not her bright and powerful ex-
ample move you to give your heart
to God ? and move you to give it now ?
Delays are dangerous ! You will
never find a better time than the pre-
sent to begin to serve the Lord. You

GRACE KING. 43

will never find fewer hinderances in
your way than you now do. Your
heart will become more unbelieving,
and more in love with the world and
sin, the longer you delay.

Remember you are not too young
to die. Grace King died before she
was fourteen years old. If you should
be taken down by such a fever as she
had, and should, like her, become de-
lirious, and die in that state, what
would become of you ? O, think on
these things ; and no?v, before you lay
down this book, resolve to seek reli-
gion, to serve God, and to prepare for
eternity. Read over again the expe-
rience of Grace, and notice particu-
larly the way she took to find the Sa-
viour. Above all, pray earnestly and
constantly to God for direction, and
power, and grace. He will not suffer
you to be deceived, or lost; for he

44 GRACE KINO.

has said, " They that seek me early
shall find me." \

The Lord give us all grace to seek
his face and favour, for Christ's sake.
Amen.

DIARY.

I shall now place before my read-
ers a few extracts from a diary which
was kept by Grace King during a few
of the latter years of her life. But, in
doing this, I feel that I have to per-
form a painful task ; for I consider
the whole so very excellent that, to
deprive the reader of any portion,
seems to me like injustice to her me- J
mory. Under my present impressions,
I should lay the whole before my read-
ers, were I not deterred by the fear «

GRACE KING. 45

of making the book too large. I shall
begin these extracts with what she
wrote in the commencement of the
year 18 — .

"Jan. 1. — This is the sixth new-
year's day I have seen since I expe-
rienced the new birth. I feel happy
to know that I begin this year in the
fear of God, and in the enjoyment of
his favour. I know not what may be-
fall me in the year on which I have
now entered. Perhaps severe suffer-
ing and affliction, or even death. How-
ever, I do not feel dismayed, for the
1 Lord is my portion,' and I know he
has said, ' As thy day is, so shall thy
strength be.' Then welcome life or
death, for God is with me ; of what
or of whom shall I be afraid ? If life
be coutinued, I feel resolved to live
near to God, to improve the mercies
put into my hands, and to embrace
every opportunity of improving my

46 GRACE KINO.

mind by reading, and by conversa-
tion with the wise and good. I intend
to adopt a regular method of reading
the Scriptures ; by reading three chap-
ters every day, one in the historical,
one in the prophetical, and one in the
evangelical portions. I shall be able,
with the exception of a few chapters,
to read the Bible through in one year.
The rest of my spare time shall be
spent in reading such authors as may
explain those scriptures which I read
for the day ; or, as may otherwise in-
form and improve my mind. Above
all things, I feel determined to prove
the sincerity of my faith, and the re-
ality of my conversion, by the purity
of my tempers, and the rectitude of
my life.

" O God, my God, I know that my
present resolutions will be broken, un-
less thou shalt bless me, and defend
me from evil. Let thy strength be

GRACE KING. 47

made perfect in my weakness, that I
may be steadfast, and may show forth
thy praise.

4 In all my sufferings may I have
The promised, needful grace ;
Have the Almighty near to save,
And see thy smiling face.'

"Jan. 10. — I feel somewhat feeble
and unwell in body, but I bless my
heavenly Parent I feel strong, and
much engaged in mind. Truly the
Lord has done great things for me, a
poor orphan, in raising up friends who
fear his name, and who make his
glory their chief end. Glory be to
God, it is to the instructions, admo-
nitions, prayers, and godly example
of these friends, under God, that I am
indebted for my superior religious
light and spiritual enjoyment. O my
God, give me grace that I may walk
worthy of my great advantages, may
make faithful improvement of them,

48 GRACE KING.

and may experience their happy ten-
dency, both in time and eternity.
Were it in my power to add to the
happiness of my dear, dear friends,
how gladly wrould I do it ! My father

G told me this morning that his

comfort was, in a great measure, con-
nected with the religious improvement
of the family: he said, with a solem-
nity of look, and tone of voice, which
moved my heart, ■ Grace, we must be
more holy.' O, my Saviour, give me
a fresh start for the kingdom, that my
life and testimony may gladden the
hearts of my pious friends, and that I
may glorify thy name.

"Jan. 16. — The grand adversary
has thrust sore at me this day. He
has tempted me strongly to call in
question the reality of that work of
grace of wmich my indulgent God has
given me the fullest evidence. He has
suggested that my conversion, of

GRACE KIN«. 49

which I have thought and said so
much, is, perhaps, a mere delusion of
my own imagination. This assault I
was enabled to resist, by adverting to
the time and place of my deliverance,
and by calling earnestly and frequent-
ly upon my God. So true is that
scripture, < Resist the devil, and he
will flee from you ; draw nigh unto
God, and he will draw nigh unto you/

I opened my case to father G ; he

told me that it was by no means sin-
gular ; that he, and many of his ac-
quaintance, had often been assaulted
in the same way, and that ' no tempt-
ation hath happened to us but such as
is common to man.' He added, 'It
is no sin to be tempted, for the imma-
culate Jesus himself was tempted;
and that temptations cannot become
occasions of guilt unless they are com-
plied with. I thank God for a friend at
hand so competent to succour and re-

4

50 GRACE KING.

lieve my inexperienced and youthful
mind. May I always take his advice
and counsel, and improve by them.
O, my God, when the enemy comes
in like a flood upon my soul, may thy
Spirit lift up a standard against him,
and may I be kept, by thy power, se-
cure from the effects of his malicious
and destructive designs.

"Jan. 21. — My mind has, this day,
been much drawn out in prayer. I
have visited ' the throne of grace' se-
ven times, and every time I have en-
joyed the presence and blessing of
my heavenly Father. Nay, this has
been, literally, a day of prayer ; for I
have lived in the spirit and frame of
devotion the whole day ; and the con-
sequence is, I have not been troubled
with any vain thoughts ; temptations
have had no power ; and my mind has
been kept in perfect peace. Mr. T.
J. gave us a refreshing sermon from

GRACE KING. 51

1 Cor. xv, 3, ' Christ died for our
sins, according to the Scriptures.'
After an introduction, in which he
showed that the birth, the life, and the
sufferings, as well as the death, of our
Lord, were all ' according' to the pro-
phecies of Scripture, he proceeded to
the doctrine of the text, viz., ' That
Christ died as the substitute for man ;
or, that he endured and suffered va-
rious penal evils, in our room and
stead.' He remarked, 'Some peo-
ple say, that Christ came as a teacher
and as a martyr for the truth, and that
this is all true ; but,' he added, 'if he
did not die as our substitute, 1, Why
was he ushered into the world with
such pomp and grandeur ; by types, by
prophecy, by promise, and by the ap-
pearance of divine and celestial mes-
sengers at his birth, baptism, &c. ?
2, What rational interpretation can
be given of the scriptures which speak

52 GRACE KING.

of his atonement, and his sacrificial
sufferings and death ? 3, If he died
only as a martyr, did he not betray
uncommon weakness, when compared
with many martyrs who have died
since ? He said, " Father, if it be pos-
sible, let this cup pass from me ;" and,
" My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me." The fact is, " He bore
our sins in his own body on the tree."
The curse of the law was upon him ;
for the Lord " laid on him the iniquity
of us all." After establishing the doc-
trine, the preacher proceeded to make
some practical improvement ; and re-
marked, 1, 'How great are our obli-
gations to love the Lord Jesus Christ.
2, How fearful the conduct of those
who rob Christ of his merit as the
propitiation. 3, And how great the
guilt of all such as slight and neglect
this benevolent and only Saviour. '

GRACE KING. 53

For such a precious Saviour bless
thou the Lord, O my soul.

"Jan. 28. — Though I have been
detained from the house of God this
day, yet, I thank the Lord, I have
partaken largely of his Spirit and
grace. While my Christian brethren
were engaged in acts of devotion in
the public sanctuary, I remembered
1 the hour of prayer ;' and though I
was ' absent in body,' yet I was not
so in mind. I lifted my heart, and
made known my desires to Him who
seeth in secret, and he condescended
to bless me. Blessed be the Lord for
all his goodness to me.

" Feb. 3. — I have just returned from
witnessing the last moments of Mr.
S. M., an old and faithful soldier of
the cross. His way through life has
been beset with thorns and briers, for
he has met with much opposition from
men and devils ; but still he has main-

54 GRACE KING.

tained his peace with God, and kept
himself unspotted from the world.
His last affliction has been of many
months' continuance ; but, during the
whole time, he has lived in the exer-
cise of unfeigned submission and gra-
titude, saying, ' It is the Lord, let him
do what seemeth him good ;' ' The
Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken
away, blessed be the name of the
Lord.' A few hours before he breathed
his last, he said, ' The separation from
my old friends would be very painful,
were it not for the assurance that they
will soon rejoin me in heaven, and
that I shall, after death, meet with
better companions than this world can
furnish.' A few moments before he
died, I inquired respecting the state
of his mind; and he answered, 'I have
peace with God ; yes, unutterable
peace ; and I shall soon join in praises
to God and the Lamb.' Shortly after

GRACE KING. 55

he sung, with a feeble and trembling"
voice, the following lines : —

* This lying world still courts my stay,
But Jesus beckons me away,

And calls me to his rest ;
Vain world, adieu ! I cannot stay ;
Lo, Gabriel waits to point the way

To my Redeemer's breast !

My friends, farewell ! I love you still,
But lo, I rise the sacred hill

Where faithful souls reside ;
Hark ! hark ! the music of their song —
Behold, I see the heavenly throng,

And shall with them abide !'

On finishing these lines, he was near-
ly suffocated by the rising of phlegm
in his throat; however, having ob-
tained a moment's relief, he broke
out, with a voice so strong as to asto-
nish all in the room, saying, 'O grave,
where is thy victory ! O death, where
is thy sting !' After this he turned
upon his side, and quietly fell asleep

56 GRACE KING.

in Jesus, in the eighty-fourth year of
his age. Such was the closing scene
of a Christian pilgrimage of more than
half a century. We meet with but
few professors of so mild a temper,
and so unblameable a conversation,
as our old departed friend. He has
left us an example which calls for our
admiration and imitation. With truth
it may be said of him, ' Mark the per-
fect man, and behold the upright, for
the end of that man is peace/ O, my
Saviour, help me to live the life of
the righteous, that I may be so happy
as to die his death.

" Feb. 16.— Part of this day has
been spent in company congenial to
my views and feelings; with such
people I could cheerfully spend all
my days, and with them I should wish
to die. I heard nothing said that can
be deemed trifling, frivolous, or unim-
portant; the whole conversation was

GRACE KING. 57

' seasoned with grace/ A few of the
company favoured us with a history
of their religious experience ; their
narratives were brief, artless, and un-
adorned ; yet they were sober, ration-
al, and spiritual. These accounts
have done me good ; they served to
bring to my remembrance days which
are passed, and to inspire resolutions
to double my diligence, and to im-
prove my remaining hours. I felt
constrained to sing, —

1 And if our fellowship below
In Jesus be so sweet ;
What height of rapture shall we know
When round his throne we meet.'

That dear man of God, Mr. W., closed
our interview with prayer ; and such
a man for power and faith in prayer
I think I never heard. He spent no
time in complimenting the Deity on
the dignity of his nature, the magni-

58 GRACE KING.

tude of his works, or the mystery of
his providence ; but, like a man fami-
liar with God, and living in his pre-
sence, he came directly to the sacred
throne. He commended us, collec-
tively and individually, to the mercy
and protection of God ; and he closed
with hearty thanksgiving for the ' fel-
lowship of saints.' Lord, teach me
how to pray ; how to pray with child-
like simplicity and humble confidence.
" Feb. 26. — I have been very pro-
fitably employed, for the last few days,
in reading that edifying book, 'The
Saints' Rest.' I see clearly that there
is nothing worthy of our desire and
labour, in comparison with heaven.
That is the only place and state of
true and perfect repose. ' There the
wicked cease from troubling, and there
the weary are at rest.' Blessed be thy
name, O God, for the assurance that
' there remains a rest for the people

GRACE KING. 59

of God.' 0, my Lord, thou seest me
willing to toil, and labour, and suffer,
and to do this with all my might, and
through all my days, if thou wilt at
last admit me to thy presence, ' where
there is fulness of joy, and where
there are pleasures for evermore.'
According to Mr. Baxter, a high de-
gree of personal holiness is necessary
in order to get safely to heaven. This
I know to be the doctrine of the New
Testament. O God, perfect the good
work which thou hast begun in me,
and make me fully ' meet for the in-
heritance of the saints in light.'

" March 1. — This morning Miss D.,
the daughter of a person who has
lately come to reside in this village,
presented me with a card of invitation
to attend a party at her father's house.
On my declining it, she remarked, 'I
can see no impropriety in a party of
young people spending a few hours

60 GRACE KING.

of the evening in innocent amuse-
ment' Perhaps she can see no evil
in it, but I thank God that such a
manner of spending time is contrary
to my principles and wishes. I can-
not see how persons who spend their
time at balls and card tables, can
have a conscience void of offence ; or
how they can lay claim to the high
character of Christians. I wish to
1 redeem the time ;' to ' flee the ap-
pearance of evil ;' and to ' keep myself
unspotted from the world.' Believing
that ' evil communications corrupt
good manners,' and that ' a companion
of fools shall be destroyed,' I have
resolved to ' come out from among
the ungodly,' and to be ' a companion
of them that fear God.' O may divine
grace assist me to keep out of the way
of temptation, and in the way of duty.
"March 12. — This has truly been
a gracious and a high day to my soul.

GRACE KING. 61

I have had the privilege of meeting
with the saints, and of attending the
house of God, three times this day ;
and, what is best of all, I met with
'the sinner's Friend' every time. Bless
the Lord, O my soul. The sermon
in the afternoon was particularly
pleasing and profitable to me. The
subject was the history of blind Bar-
timeus,as recorded by St. Mark. After
paraphrasing the text, the preacher
proceeded to consider it as * descrip-
tive of the natural and sinful state of
man, of the penitent sinner's return,
and of the success which attends his
application to Christ.' Under the first
head he considered the natural and
sinful state of man as a state of mo-
ral darkness and of spiritual indigence.1
1 Blind Bartimeus sat by the highway
side, begging.1 These ideas he illus-
trated by a reference to the present
condition of the heathen, and by a spi-

62 GRACE KING.

rited appeal to the state and conduct
of the unconverted in Christendom.
Under the second head he pointed
out clearly the steps in the sinner's re-
turn to God ; such as, hearing of Je-
sus, praying to him, the attention of
the Saviour to his prayer, the assist-
ance of friends, resolute personal
efforts, and an interview with the Sa-
viour; ah which were exemplified in
the case of the blind man. Under
his third head he described, beauti-
fully, the fruits and effects of saving
faith. He showed how the penitent
believer is translated out of • the king-
dom of darkness,'' and made a child
of light; and how, in consequence, he
becomes a confirmed and persevering
follower of the bleeding Lamb. This
sermon was at once figurative, Scrip-
tural, and experimental ; it was just
such a sermon as I love to hear ; for
such cannot fail to please and to edify.

GRACE KING- 63

Were such sermons more frequently
preached, I believe we should see
more conversions, and believers would
be found in a more prosperous condi-
tion. The preacher is not yet twenty
years of age. May God keep him
humble, and make him abundantly
useful. I really fear that I am not
sufficiently thankful for such Christian
sabbaths as this has been ; I have
indeed sat in heavenly places with
Christ, and with my brethren. My
fellowship has been so delightful as
to make me forget my connection with
earth ; and yet, blessed be God, this
is only a faint foretaste of that endless
sabbath to which, I trust, I am hasten-
ing.

" March 26. — Christian sabbaths
and sanctuary privileges are truly
sweet and delightful to me; and I
can say, with unaffected sincerity,
'How amiable are thy tabernacles,

64 GRACE KING.

0 Lord of hosts V I have felt, this
blessed day, as I have often felt
before, that I should like to live and
die in the house of God. I felt con-
strained to say,

1 My happy soul would stay
In such a frame as this,
And sit, and sing herself away
To everlasting bliss.'

1 took short notes of one sermon to-
day ; it was very edifying to me. The
text was, Luke i, 3, 4 : ' That thou
mightest know the certainty of those
things,' &c. After an ingenious in-
troduction, the preacher proposed to
inquire, l What the things are in which
Christianity instructs us ; and how we
may k?iorv the certainty of these things.
Under the first inquiry he noticed,
' The fallen condition of man, the
love of God to him, the universality
and all-sufficiency of Christ's atone-

GRACE KING. 65

merit, the nature of salvation in ge-
neral, the terms of personal salvation,
and the retributions of eternity.'
These subjects were clearly illus-
trated and powerfully applied. Un-
der the second inquiry, How may we
know the truth and certainty of these
things, he showed, clearly, that this
was attainable. 'By reading and
studying the evidences of the divine
origin of the Scriptures, by daily pray-
erful reading of the Scriptures, and
meditating theron, and by seeking,
properly, to be made partakers of the
grace of the gospel.' This sermon
was very long, but it did not appear
to tire the congregation ; and, for my
own part, I could have sat two hours
longer. The absurdity and folly of
infidelity appeared most glaringly. I
thank God for such able defenders
of the truth as it is in Christ. The
gospel is the word of God.

5

66 GRACE KING.

" March 31. — One of my maternal
uncles has made a visit to-day at our
house ; he has been a great traveller,
and is an enthusiast in politics. He
seems to think that Providence has
something dreadful in store for the
monarchies and empires of the world.
But these are things that do not inte-
rest me much ; and whatever may be-
fall nations, or governments, I know
that religion is the one thing needful,
and I am determined to seek the glory
of God. My political sufferings or
privileges cannot be of long duration.
I feel that the seeds of mortality are
sown in my flesh ; and my interest in
the affairs of this world must soon
cease. I will hasten to Mount Zion,
to the city of God, and to the multi-
tude before the throne of the Lamb.
O my Maker and my Judge, finish
the work of righteousness in me, and
then receive me to thy eternal king"

GRACE KING. 67

dom. I fear that my uncle does not
possess the piety which shone so
strongly in the life and death of my
now glorified mother. O Lord, give
me'a word in season' for my thought-
less uncle, and do thou bless it to the
benefit of his soul.

" April 7. — I have been spared to
enjoy another blessed Lord's day.
This we call the Lord's day, because
he triumphed on the first day by his
resurrection from the dead ; this there-
fore is the Christian's sabbath. We
have the authority of apostolic exam-
ple for keeping the first day as ' a sab-
bath unto the Lord.' My poor soul
is often pained by witnessing the pro-
fanation of this sacred portion of time,
and by seeing men who indulge their
thoughts, and pursue their own ways,
on this day. O that they were wise,
that they understood their true inte-

68 GRACE KING.

rests, and would ' remember the sab-
bath day to keep it holy.'

The Rev. Mr. S. preached to us to-
day. I think his language this after-
noon was not sufficiently guarded.
The doctrine which, he delivered is, .
indeed, an important Scripture truth,
and it is the duty of the ministry to
publish it to the ends of the earth,
but it requires some skill and caution
to preserve it from abuse. That sin-
ners are saved by grace, and by grace
alone, every one must believe who
takes the Bible for his guide ; for it is
written, ' By grace are ye saved.' But
when this doctrine is preached, ought
it not, at the same. time, to be stated,
that it is the duty of man ' to work
out his salvation,' while l God works
in him to will and to do V To preach
salvation by grace alone, without in-
sisting on the necessity of repentance,
faith, and the use of means, is calcu-

GRACE KING. 69

lated to make the sinner easy in his
sins ; at least it is liable to such abuse
by profane and ignorant people. Be-
sides, the preaching of the doctrine,
without insisting on the persevering
discharge of every personal and rela-
tive duty, is to rock the worldly and
formal professor of religion in the
cradle of carnal security ; it may be-
tray souls into practical Antinomian-
ism. While we avoid the error of
salvation by works, either in whole
or in part, we must guard against the
opposite extreme ; and this may be
done by declaring, that ' grace always
reigns through righteousness unto
eternal life.' O thou Fountain of
light, graciously guide me and all
thy people into all truth.

"April 15. — Either I am greatly
mistaken in my views of politeness,
or a pretended man of the world that
I met in company this day is much

70 GRACE KING.

wanting in the art and practice of good
breeding. The company consisted
principally of ladies of professed piety,
and yet this gentleman paid his court
to the company by saying some very
improper things, and by embellishing
many of his sentences with foul words
and oaths. Had he been ignorant of
the religious character of the com-
pany, he might have been more ex-
cusable. But I suppose he intended
to convince the ladies that his philo-
sophy had rendered him superior to
vulgar prejudices, and that his con-
science was not disturbed by the fear
of an imaginary judgment to come.
If this were his intention, he certainly
took an effectual plan to accomplish
his end. However, I think that true
politeness would have taught him to
treat what he might deem the super-
stitious views and weak feelings of
the sex with less open and public dis-

GRACE KINO. 71

respect. How foolish do unbelievers
sometimes make themselves appear,
with all their boasted superiority of
reason and philosophy. My God,
give me the wisdom which is from
above, and teach me the happy art
of pleasing and profiting by my pre-
sence and conversation. O, never
suffer me to feel as if I were wiser
than what thou hast written.

" April 26.— We are told that ' the
soul of righteous Lot was vexed from
day to day with the filthy conversa-
tion of the wicked.' I am not asto-
nished at this, if they were acquainted
with only half of the present vocabu-
lary of oaths and curses. I have spent
a day where I have been more ex-
posed to the sound of vile language
than I am in my own neighbourhood,
and it is not possible for me to describe
the painful feelings which hearing it
has produce^ in my mind. I would

72 GRACE KING.

not be hired to live where my ears
are stunned, and my soul wounded,
by such incessant volleys of oaths
and blasphemies, by all the riches of
the Indies. Surely the persons who
make such irreverent use of the names
and attributes of Deity must be, not
only without hope, but also with-
out the belief of a God in the world.
At least, they do not consider that
their Maker has said, ' Thou shalt not
take the name of the Lord thv God in
vain ;' and again, ' Swear not at ahV
Profane swearing is a very unprofit-
able vice ; it can in no way add, either
to the profit or reputation of those who
are guilty of it. If my statement be
true, it needs not the confirmation of
an oath ; and if it be not true, the ad-
dition of an oath must certainly tend
to increase my guilt, and to lessen
my credit. Profane swearing is no
evidence of true courage, of wisdom,

GRACE KING. 73

or of politeness ; and yet it is common
amono- such as esteem themselves men
of fashion, and men of the world.
Ought not gentlemen to quit a prac-
tice so unmanly, so unprofitable, and
so vulgar?

" But if we consider this vice in a
religious point of light, what will the
swearer say for himself when he
stands before the judgment-seat of
Christ 1 Let all profane persons re-
member the day of judgment, and
consider their profaneness in the light
of that day. O thou great Eternal,
'turn a pure language upon the in-
habitants of the earth,' and fill them
with reverence for thy name.

" April 29. — This day I have en-
joyed the satisfaction of attending the
dedication of another house to the
worship of the living God ; and I do
hope that the dedicatory prayer will
be answered upon earth. This prayer,

74 GRACE KING.

as to style and variety, very much re-
sembled the one which was offered by
Solomon at the dedication of the tem-
ple. It was offered fervently, and
was responded to with deep and heart-
felt feeling. The sermon was by the
Rev. J. B., and was based on Psalm
v; 7 : ' I will come into thy house in
the multitude of thy mercy,' &c.
After a few preliminary remarks, the
preacher proposed to notice ' The
nature and design of Christian wor-
ship, and the dispositions with which
we ought to engage in social wor-
ship.' On the first proposition he re-
marked, 'That Christian worship is
social.'1 'Forsake not the assembling
of yourselves together.' This has
been the practice of saints in all ages
of the world. ' Then they that feared
the Lord spoke often one to another f
t Come, and let us bow down, let us
kneel before the Lord our Maker.'

GRACE KING. 75

The primitive Christians met on the
'first day' to worship. It is indeed
the duty and privilege of every Chris-
tian to worship God in private and
in the famibr circle. Public social
worship is attended with many advan-
tages of edification, encouragement,
comfort, &c. Public social worship
consists of the exercise of gratitude
and praise for mercies received, of the
confession of sins and unworthiness,
and of prayer for ourselves, the
church, and the world, for temporal,
spiritual, and eternal blessings. The
design of social worship is, the glory
of God ; ' ye are not your own *' and
the benefit of man. ' In every place
where my name is recorded, I will
come unto thee and bless thee.' God
meets with his people, he hears them,
he answers them, and he makes them
a blessing to each other.' On the se-
cond proposition, 'the dispositions with

76 GRACE KING.

which we ought to attend public wor-
ship,' he remarked, 'The psalmist
says,' ' I will come into thy house, in
the multitude of thy mercy.' ' This
may imply, I will consider it a privi-
lege to be a public worshipper. Or,
I will come into thy house meditating
on the mercy which thou hast shown
me. The psalmist farther says, 'In
thy fear will I worship ;' ' that is, all
my acts of devotion shall be paid with
suitable reverence. Or, I will cherish
a filial fear of the great object of wor-
ship. This would prevent all irreve-
rence in God's house, such as talking,
gazing about, &,c. In such a worship-
per there will be no indifference ; for
the whole soul is engaged with God.'
Such is a faint outline of the dis-
course. But the manner, the action,
the fervour, and the unction of the
speaker, gave it a force and interest
which I cannot put upon paper. I

GRACE KING. 77

bless thee, O my God, for the grace
and mercies of this day.
« "May 5. — This day I spent a few
hours in silent and devout reflection.
Among the great variety of subjects
which occupied my mind, none seemed
to produce such sensible and solemn
impressions as that of ■ the judgment
to come.' I conceived in my mind the
idea of the heavens passing away
with a great noise : the elements melt-
ino- with fervent heat ; and this earth
itself as burning up. I thought of the
sounding of the last trumpet, the re-
surrection of the dead, the descent of
the Judge, the opening of the books,
and the various transactions of the
day, so terribly glorious ! I thought,
what must be the consternation of
such as have treated the invitations
and promises of the gospel with ne-
glect ; have represented the omnipo-
tent Judge as an impostor ; and have,

78 GRACE KINO.

heretofore, thought this day of judg-
ment a mere fable, or chimera of the
brain! How solemnly affecting the
consideration! The Scriptures re-
present these sinners as calling upon
the rocks to fall upon them, and the
hills to cover them from the face of
Him that sitteth upon the throne!
How probable this representation!
But what will such a prayer avail
them 1 Alas ! alas ! the rocks and
mountains are, themselves, unable to
abide the presence of the great I am !
■ For the great day of his wrath is
come, and who shall be able to stand?'
"I now turned my thoughts to the
consideration of the case of those who
have made their ' calling and election
sure.' I thought, what must be the
height of their joy, when, notwith-
standingtheir unworthiness, they hear
the Judge say, ' Come, ye blessed of
my Father, inherit the kingdom pre-

GRACE KINO- 79

pared for you,' and, ' Well done, good
and faithful servant, enter ye into the
joy of your Lord.' O, with what rap-
ture will they exclaim, 'Worthy is
the Lamb that was slain, and hath re-
deemed us to God by his blood.' O,
righteous Father, let thy Spirit wit-
ness to the blood of my Saviour, and
cause me to hope in thee. Here I
tender thee my all. I surrender my
soul and body, all I have and am, as
thy rightful and exclusive property.
O, mercifully take the offering, and
seal me thine for ever. Amen.

"May 13.— Although I felt my
mind collected and stayed when I
went to the house of God this after-
noon, yet I did not find that spiritual
refreshment after which I went. The
cause may have been in myself ; but
I feel disposed to attribute my disap-
pointment, in some measure, to the
preacher. The sermon was contro-

80 GRACE KING.

versial, and the language of the
speaker did not evidence that charity
which I think ought to be exercised
by one Christian toward another who
differs from him in unimportant opi-
nions. Though I do not believe the
doctrines which the Rev. Mr. L. con-
troverted, yet I think that the piety
and talents of our opponents are such
as entitle them to more candour,
and less severity of language, than
the preacher manifested. I wish to
be found doing to others as I would
have them do to me ; and I am sure I
should not like to hear my church as-
sailed in the terms and spirit in which
Mr. L. assailed our opponents. We
are all confessedly fallible creatures.
Some of us must indeed be in error ;
but who, except the all- wise God, can
decide the question ? Hence the ne-
cessity of mutual forbearance, and of
speaking of each other's doctrine

GRACE KING- 81

with love and tenderness. I am far
from thinking it a matter of indiffer-
ence what opinions we embrace ; we
should desire and labour after the
1 truth as it is in Jesus.' And I think
it is not improper to assail with spirit,
and in terms that will be felt, the er-
roneous doctrines which rob the Re-
deemer of his glory, and which tend
to demoralize and to destroy the souls
of men. But the harmless notions
of those who hold the fundamental
doctrines of the gospel, such as the
divinity and atonement of Christ, the
influence of the Spirit in regeneration,
the necessity of inward and outward
holiness, and the eternity of future
rewards and punishments, may, I
think, be safely let alone. My gra-
cious Saviour, give me the meek and
lowly mind which was in thee.

" May 28. — I have spent the last
few days with the truly amiable and

6

82 GRACE KING.

pious Mrs. W., by whose conversa-
tion and prayers I have been greatly
profited. Mrs. W. is a lady of great
and deep experience in the things of
God, and of strict purity and integrity
of manners. She told me that it is
her fixed rule to rise at four o'clock
in summer, and at five o'clock in win-
ter ; and to spend the first hour of
every day in reading the Scriptures,
meditation, and prayer. As she is a
woman of general health, I presume
her rule is not often violated. I am
convinced that it would be beneficial
to both body and soul if I should ac-
quire the habit of early rising, and I
am determined to make an effort to
do so.

" The husband of Mrs. W. is some-
what given to dissipation, which is a
great source of trouble to her. He
has been very much intoxicated once
during my visit, but seemed afraid

GRACE KING. 83

that I should see him. Drunkenness,
in my humble opinion, is one of the
meanest and most degrading of hu-
man vices ; it sinks the rational be-
neath the brutal creation ; and there
is nothing too little for a man to stoop
to during the maddening influence of
strong drink. Hence, not to take into
consideration the denunciations of
Heaven against this sin, nor the great
affliction which it produces in fami-
lies, nor the poverty, the suffering, and
the premature death, which the slave
of strong drink brings upon himself,
the single consideration of its degrad-
ing effects is enough to confirm every
reflecting person in a course of per-
severing temperance. It is to me a
, very humiliating consideration, that
numbers of my own sex have fallen
under the dominion of this debasing
and destructive vice. A drunken wo-
man ! only think of that ! O thou, to

84 GRACE KING.

whom all power belongeth, suffer me
not to fall under the power of any
sin or passion which would rob me of
character, and of thy favour : but let
my heart be confirmed in the belief
and love of the truth, and let me be
always governed by thy law and
spirit.

" June 10. — This has been to me a
pleasing and delightful day. There
is something in the season of the
year, and on the face of the earth,
which fills the soul with pleasing joy.
I could not refrain from repeating
aloud, a number of times, the beauti-
ful lines of Dr. Watts :

1 Sing to the Lord, exalt him high,
Who spreads his clouds around the sky;
There he prepares the fruitful rain,
Nor lets the drops descend in vain.

He makes the grass the hills adorn ;
He clothes the smiling fields with corn :
The beasts with food his hands supply,
And the young ravens when they cry.'

GRACE KING. 85

I went this morning from my closet to
the house of prayer, and every step I
took appeared like a step toward pa-
radise. I entered the house of God
with solemnity, and betook myself to
the duties of devotion with all my
heart. I wished to worship the Lord
in the beauty of holiness. The sim-
plicity, tenderness, and zeal of the
preacher; the greatness, the spirit-
uality, and the piety of the sermon ;
and the earnestness, attention, and
devotion of the people ; all combined
to elevate my soul, and to give me a
height of heavenly rapture which I
never before experienced. O, thou
blessed Supreme, take all the glory.
Truly I should prefer being a ' door-
keeper in the house of God to a resi-
dence in the sumptuous palaces of
earthly princes. O my God, satisfy
me early and constantly with thy
mercy.

86 GRACE KINO.

1 Thy gifts, alas, cannot suffice,

Unless thyself be given ;
My soul for all thy fulness cries
For all, in earth and heaven.'

" June 20. — I have had a long inter-
view and much conversation with a
real formal professor of religion. She
strongly maintains, and tries to prove,
that the whole sum of religion con-
sists in l doing no harm, in attending
religious ordinances, and in relieving
the poor.' These are, I fear, the views
of a great many professing Christians.
They are views which were enter-
tained by the Pharisee, who said,
'God, I thank thee that I am not as
other men are ;' and thev are views
which I once indulged, when I tried
to save myself; but I believe I have
found a more excellent way. My op-
ponent insisted on my being a fana-
tic and enthusiast ; but, if I know my
own heart, I am as far from being an

GRJLCE KING. 87

enthusiast as she can wish me. I wish
to possess that religion which is equal-
ly distant from the two extremes of
torpid formality and passionate fana-
ticism ; and which implies \ respect
to all the commandments,' and 'joy
in the Holy Ghost,' I am instructed
by my Bible, and, I thank God, by
my own experience, that pure religion
has its seat in the heart, and that it is
a thing which can be felt. St. Paul
tells us, that ' the kingdom of God,'
or true religion, ' is not meats and
drinks, but righteousness, and peace,
and joy in the Holy Ghost;' that ' the
love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost given to
us ;' and that ' the Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirits that we are
the children of God.' But, wherever
the inward principle is enjoyed, it
will be manifested by pure thoughts,
Christian temper, and holy behaviour.

88 GRACE KIXG.

"1 tremble when I think of the
thousands, and, perhaps, tens of thou-
sands, who are deceiving themselves
respecting the nature of religion ; and
it is to be feared that many of these
will go into eternity without discover-
ing their error. The self-righteous
will continue to suppose, that because
they are just in their dealings, strict
in their attendance on public and pri-
vate duties of religion, and benevolent
to the poor, they will surely get
to heaven. O that I had a voice
which could reach them. I would
give the alarm. I would say to all,
'Be not deceived'/ 'Man is in
darkness, and must be enlightened;
he is guilty, and must be forgiven ; he
is polluted, and must be sanctified ; he
is the slave of sin, and must be made
free ; he is wretched, and must be
made happy. Such are the figures
by which the Scriptures describe a

GRACE KING. 89

religious change and state ; and can
any man of common sense experience
such a change, such a transition,
without feeling it and knowing it ?

'What we have felt and seen,
With confidence we tell ;
And publish to the sons of men
The signs infallible.'

" June 25. — This morning my feel-
ings were deeply wounded by the aw-
ful information that Miss L. had com-
mitted suicide ! For some days past
a very striking change had been ob-
served in her appearance, her ges-
tures, and her conversation ; but her
dreadful end was by no means ap-
prehended. She was a young lady
of good sense, polite education, and
pleasing manners, and has been
looked upon as a pattern of piety to
her sex. Had her death been natu-
ral, it would have been cause of deep
affliction to her relatives, and her nu-

90 GRACE KING.

merous friends. But the awful man-
ner in which she has left them must
greatly augment their sorrow. No
doubt can be entertained that she has
fallen a victim to disappointed love!
She had long honoured a young man
(if he may be called a man) with a
confidence of which he has proved
himself unworthy. He had promised,
and vowed, a matrimonial union with
Miss L., which he has broken, by a

marriage with a Miss D., of H .

It was information of this infidelity
which cast a cloud of gloom over
her mind, and brought on a melan-
choly which has thus lamentably
ended. With truth we may adopt
the language of one of our own
rustic mountain poets, who says,

* The faith of man, inconstant as the air,'
Exclaim'd the lovely, but distracted fair :
She spoke, then sunk into the shades of night,
Imploring Heaven to set her wrongs to right.'

GRACE KINO. 91

Respecting the future destiny of Miss
L. it becomes me to express no opi-
nion. But, still, she has taken a
doubtful method of leaving the world.
It is, emphatically, la leap in the
dark J If the unhappy subject who
committed suicide be insane, we may
suppose he is not accountable for the
deed ; but if he be in possession of his
mental powers, there is no hope in
his death. ' No murderer hath eter-
nal life abiding in him.' Suicide, I
believe, may generally be traced to
disappointment, pride, or revenge.
I recollect only three instances of
suicide mentioned in Scripture, and
they are those of Saul, king of Israel,
Ahithophel, David's counsellor, and
Judas, who betrayed our blessed Lord.
And who would wish to share the fate
of these men? It certainly is most
wise and safe to ' wait all the days
of our appointed time, until our

92 GRACE KING.

change come.' My Rock, and my
Protector, suffer me not to fall under
the power of a temptation to take
away my own life ; but help me to
bear up under the ills and sufferings
of this life with Christian confidence
and fortitude. Amen.

" I make it a matter of duty to rise
earlier on the morning of the Lord's
day than on any other. And I won-
der how persons who believe the Bi-
ble can spend the morning of this
sacred day in taking an hour or two
of extra sleep. And I am astonished
still more at the conduct of those who
do this, and at the same time profess
to fear and love God ! To take extra
sleep on the morning of this day ap-
pears to me like an attempt to rob
God ! Every true Christian, I think,
ought to make the Lord's day the
longest of the seven.

" This is a beautiful morning; the

GRACE KING. 93

sky is unclouded, the atmosphere is
clear, the air is pure and cool, and the
sun, the glorious emblem of my more
glorious Saviour, is rising in majesty
and strength! The sweet, sweet
birds seem to be more joyful, and to
sing clearer than usual on this de-
lightful morning. For an hour or
more the cheerful lark has been on
the wing, carolling to the rising king
of day ; and for nearly the same length
of time the thrush, the blackbird, the
linnet, and the finch, have been pour-
ing forth their joyous strains. Be-
sides, how refreshing and invigorating
is this morning breeze. O, ye sleep-
ers, what a loss do you sustain !

" Yes, and it is pleasing to look on
the trees of the woods, waving in their
fresh and rich foliage ; to listen to the
monotony of the purling rills and
tumbling brooks ; to see the smiling
fields clothed in green, and beautified

94 GRACE KING.

with flowers ; and to watch the herds
and flocks as they feed on the luxu-
riant and dewy grass. But to me
there is something still more pleasing
than all these ; it is ' the sabbath
morning prayer meeting.' Before the
hour of five, A. M., I see a congrega-
tion of from thirty to fifty, waiting for
the clock to strike the appointed
hour ; all ready, with heart and
tongue, to give ' thanks to Him who
has brought them to the beginning of
another holy day.' O, I love to be
there ! I love to look on the compa-
ny of devout worshippers, as they
wait with almost breathless silence,
and in mental prayer, for the hour of
five ; and then I love to unite my voice
with theirs in the opening song.

" These meetings are, indeed, times
of refreshing from the presence of the
Lord ; and by this early blessing the
worshippers become prepared for the

GRACE KING, 95

more public services of the sanctuary.
While I have life and health, I hope
never to be absent from ' the sabbath
morning prayer meeting.'

" The children of the sabbath school
are much on my mind ; and I feel a
strong" desire to be made the instru-
ment of good to them. I have been
labouring for some time to awaken
the minds of the class under my care ;
but as yet I see but little fruit. I find
that I have the greatest success when
I speak to them individually and
alone. I am resolved to labour more
than ever for the benefit of these
children, many of whom are almost as
ignorant as the Hottentots. What a
pity that parents should neglect to in-
struct their little ones in the first prin-
ciples of revealed religion. The good
old practice of teaching children the
Apostles' Creed and the Ten Com-
mandments is now, in many families,

96 GRACE KING.

wholly laid aside. If it were not for
sabbath schools, it is to be feared that
a large majority of the children in this
Christian country would grow up as
ignorant of God, and the gospel, as
if they were reared in pagan lands !
There is no reading of the Scriptures,
no conversation on religion, and no
prayer, in most families. But there
is much to brutalize, and to render
children superstitious and wicked !
O, how will parents answer to God
for the neglect of their children ! If
I had the voice of a trumpet, and the
gifts of some I know, I would sound
an alarm, and would try to excite an
interest on this subject, through the
length and breadth of our land. But,
alas ! I am, myself, only a child ! My
God, thou seest that I am willing to
do what I can. O, teach thou me,
that I may be able to teach the few

GRACE KING. 97

neglected ones committed to my

care."

It appears, from the above, that
Grace King was, at this time, em-
ployed as a sabbath school teacher.
I find, among her papers, some at-
tempts at versification ; and, though I
am not fond of the practice of exhi-
biting the effusions of childhood, yet
I judge it proper to place before my
readers a specimen or two.

THE BELIEVING PENITENT.

" To thee, the God of love,
I lift my trembling heart;
And wait thy saving power to prover
And feel how good thou art.

Thou seest my wretchedness —
My sins are known to thee:

And I am total helplessness —
There is no strength in me.

Thou art my only trust —
My only helper thou ;

7

98 GRACE KING.

0 pity, Lord, thy worthless dust,
And save the sinner now !

My trust is in the blood
Of Jesus Christ my Lord ;

He is my only Saviour God —
I hang upon his word.

My soul is on thee stay'd ;
Thou wilt my guilt forgive :

1 see my sins on Jesus laid,

And hear thee bid me live .'"

LINES

WRITTEN DURING A THUNDER STORM.

" Behold, the sun his glory shrouds — >
The howling winds arise ;
And God appears, in sable clouds,
With tempest in the skies J

"While vivid lightnings play around
The towering ' cloud-capp'd hills/

And deep-toned thundershak.es the ground,
Strange awe my spirit fills !

Say, is it blind and erring chance

Originates this scene ?
No ! 'tis the God of providence ;

And here his power is seen.

GRACE KING. 99

And He who rules the storm, can spare

The suppliant at his feet ;
Be still, my heart, nor dare despair ;

Thy God does what is meet.

The lambent fires which round me play
Have not the power to harm ;

I look to God, and, trusting, say,
Sufficient is thine arm.

That thunder is my Father's voice —
He speaks from heaven again;

And says, ' O man, make God thy choice!'
My heart replies, Amen .'"

" I had, this day, the high satisfac-
tion of hearing that pious, laborious,
and successful preacher, Mr. William
Bramwell. The seriousness, the earn-
estness, and the unction with which
he prays and preaches, are really pe-
culiar to himself. He appears to take
hold of the sinner with an iron grasp,
determined not to release him, or let
him go, until he exclaim,

10/

100 GRACE KING.

* Nay, but I yield, I yield,
I can hold out no more ;
I sink, by love compell'd,
And own thee conqueror.'

He preached from Acts xxvi, 28 :
1 Almost thou persuadest me to be a
Christian.' After an introduction, by
a reference to the context, he pro-
ceeded to show, 1, ' What is implied
in being a Christian.' " Here," he
observed, " is a point on which thou-
sands are deceiving themselves. To
be a real Christian, (and such only
can be saved,) implies, 1, A clear ap-
prehension and a hearty belief of the
doctrines of Christianity, and of those
in particular which respect the Sa-
viour and his work. This belief will
produce repentance and faith. 2, A
personal saving interest in Christ ;
pardon and adoption into the family
of God, by Jesus Christ. 3, A par-
ticipation of the pure mind which was

GRACE KING. 101

in Christ ; by this we resemble Jesus,
and are fitted for his service, commu-
nion with him, &c. 4, An imitation
of the holy example of Christ. * He
that saith he abide th in him, ought
himself to walk even as Christ
walked.' 5, A sincere, universal, and
constant conformity to the precepts
of Christ. ' Ye are my friends, if ye
do whatsoever I command you.'

" ! II. What the arguments are which
are calculated to persuade men to be-
come Christians.' These he drew,
1, From the divine origin and autho-
rity of Scripture. I All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God.' 2, From
the consideration of our relation to
God, and of our consequent obliga-
tions to him. He is our Creator, Pre-
server, Redeemer, and Judge. 3,
From the experience of Christians,
what they say, and the manner in
which they live. Paul related his

102 GRACE KING.

experience to Agrippa before he ex-
claimed, ' Almost thou persuadest me
to be a Christian.' 4, From the ad-
vantages flowing from our being
Christians. All true Christians are
happy, safe, heirs of God, honourable,
and bound for heaven.

" 'III. What is the state of the mind
of those who, like Agrippa, are almost
persuaded? The king saw the pro-
priety and necessity of his being a
Christian ; but there was something
which he did not feel willing to give
up for Christ. There are thousands
in the same condition. They cannot
consent to confess Christ before men,
to give up the world, its pleasures,
&c. ; to renounce their own fancied
righteousness ; to unite with the
church, because there are so many
hypocrites in it ; and to be religious
now, because they hope to live and
see a more convenient time. Such

GRACE KING. 103

is the skeleton of Mr. Bramwell's ser-
mon ; but then the flesh with which
it was clothed, and the life by which
it stood erect, and went forth, to slay
and heal, are all wanting. O my Sa-
viour, I thank thee for having made
me a Christian. I feel, indeed, that I
am not all I might be, nor all I should
be ; but I rejoice in the conviction that
I am thine. O, impart to me more
and more of thy pure and perfect
mind ; and so write thy law upon the
fleshly table of my heart, that I may
show to the world my gracious and ho-
nourable relation with thee ; a ' joint
heir with Christ.'

" ' What do ye more than others V
These words, which I met with in the
course of my reading this morning,
impressed me greatly, and excited me
to a course of strict self-examination.
I see that, as the servants of Christ,
we have much work before us, which

104 GRACE KING.

we cannot neglect and be guiltless.
We must exercise the utmost vied-
lance, and put forth the most vigorous
efforts, if we would save our own
souls. We must diligently inquire
into the condition and circumstances
of our brethren, and render them our
best assistance, if we would discharge
our duty to them. We must look
with seriousness into the condition
of the unconverted, and instruct, re-
prove, exhort, and warn them, if we
would be found clear of their blood ;
we must labour for the good of the
rising generation, especially in the
way of sabbath-school instruction, if
we would not be found chargeable
with neglecting the lambs of the
flock ; we must pray for the blessing
of God upon instituted means and or-
dinances, and must contribute of our
substance for their support, if we
would not fall into the condemnation

GRACE KING. 105

of the wicked; and, in a word, we
must distinguish ourselves by purity
of spirit, by holy conversation, and by
rectitude of life ; and we must be
faithful unto death if we would hear
the Judge say, ' Well done, good and
faithful servants.'

"Now, in view of all these Chris-
tian duties, to say nothing of those
which devolve on us as members and
heads of families, nor of those which
are incumbent on us as members of
civil society, who can hear the Mas-
ter ask, ' What do ye more than
others V and not feel himself reproved ?
Who has thus abounded in the work
of the Lord? Who has thus excelled
in labour, in sacrifices, in sufferings,
and in contributions, for the cause
of God and humanity ?

" While meditating on the question,
'What do ye more than others? I
thought, perhaps there are some pro-

106 GRACE KING.

fessing- faith in the blood of the Sa-
viour, and love to his name, who have
done nothing in the way of contribu-
tions for the cause of God and the
poor ; who never offered even a prayer
for them ; and who have done nothing
in the way of personal exertion. And
perhaps there are others who have
done as little as possible, and main-
tain their reputation and standing ;
they have suffered themselves to be
excelled by those who confessedly
never felt the power of religion. Do
such Christians expect to be found
blameless at the coming of the Lord,
our judge 1 Do they expect to hear
him say, l Ye have been faithful V
If they do, how dreadful will be their
disappointment ! He will certainly
say, ' I was hungry, and ye gave me
no meat ; I was thirsty, and ye gave
me no drink; I was a stranger, and
ye took me not in; naked, and ye

GRACE KING. 107

clothed me not ; sick, and in prison,
and ye visited me not.' And then
shall he say unto them, ' I never knew
you ; depart from me, ye wicked and
slothful servants !' O my Saviour,
have mercy upon me, and harness me
for the battle, and strengthen me for
the race. And, O grant that I may
so live, that I may at last say, ' I have
fought a good fight, I have finished
my course, I have kept the faith.'
Amen.

"The goodness of God to man is an
inexhaustible subject of meditation ;
its matchless greatness, and nume-
rous developments, are themes calcu-
lated to excite our highest wonder,
and to call forth our most exalted
praise. "What, but love, moved the
Deity to give us existence, and to
endow us with capacities for enjoy-
ment 1 What special goodness is ma-
nifested to man in the superior facul-

108 GRACE KING.

ties which the Creator has given him,
and which are clearly seen when we
compare him with other creatures of
God ? The physical powers and un-
erring instinct of brutes are confess-
edly wonderful ; but their glory is to-
tally eclipsed when contrasted with
the intellectual powers and moral fa-
culties of man. In animals we see
incontestable evidence of the wisdom
and contrivance of Him who made
them ; but man gives us evidence that
he is possessed of an independent
mind ; there are wisdom and con-
structive faculties in himself. The
animal, like the moon, shines with
borrowed rays ; but man is as the sun,
which goes forth in his own strength,
and manifests his own inherent glory.
Truly, man is ' fearfully and wonder-
fully made !' How great the goodness
which made him such !

" The goodness of God to man is

GRACE KING. 109

seen in the ample and varied provi-
sion which is made for his enjoyment.
The predilection for food with which
God has endowed the brute creation
is greatly circumscribed ; almost every
order is restricted to its own distinct-
ive quality and kind ; but man is so
constituted that he is capable of taking
an almost infinite variety. He takes
his food from the earth, the air, and
the waters. He feeds on the seeds,
the herbs, and the roots of the earth ;
he feasts on the flesh of the various
animals ; he eats the winged fowls,
and feathered songsters of the air ;
and he is sustained by the flesh of the
sportive tenants of the waters. So
great, ample, and diversified are the
means of gratification and support
provided by the goodness of God for
man.

" Again, the forest and the quarry
furnish man with materials for the

110 GRACE KING.

construction of habitations, in which
he may protect himself from the inju-
rious effects of climate, of tempest,
of the cold of winter, and of the heat
of summer. The animal and vegeta-
ble worlds yield him materials for the
fabrication of clothing to cover his
nakedness, and to protect and adorn
his person. And the creatures of
God, by which man is surrounded,
yield him, as a tribute, the benefits of
their strength, their speed, their
senses, and their instincts. In a
word, every creature of God is made
to minister to the wants, the indul-
gence, and the happiness of man. O
how infinite is the goodness of God to
man ! { O that men would praise the
Lord for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of
men!' Bless the Lord, O my soul.

" But the strongest evidence of the
goodness of God to man is seen in the

GRACE KING. Ill

gift of his Son to be a propitiation for
the sins of the world. The first an-
nouncement of this grace seems to
have arrested the attention of angels,
and to have filled all heaven with
adoring: wonder! The incarnation
and 'sufferings of Christ, and the
glory which follows,' are ' things into
which angels desire to look.' Hence
the deep interest which they took at
the time of his advent, when they
came to earth, and sung, 'Glory to
God in the highest !' &c. Hence their
ministrations to our Lord after his
temptation in the wilderness, and
during his agony in the garden ; and
hence their appearance at the time of
his resurrection, and on the day of his
ascension. Redemption made a dis-
closure of divine goodness to which
angels had previously been strangers !
And we may say of it, —

112 GRACE KINO.

' 'Tis mercy all, let earth adore,
And angel minds inquire no more V

" When our Lord would express his
views of the greatness of the divine
goodness manifested in the redemp-
tion of man he seems to have laboured
for words; hence he says, ' God so
loved the world/ &c. The word so
is emphatic. God so loved the world,
that the greatness of his love can be
estimated only by considering the
worthlessness of its object, and the
greatness of the gift. The object of
his love is the whole world of depraved,
guilty, miserable, hell-deserving, and
helpless sinners ; and the gift with
which he parted for their deliverance
is his Son, his own Son, and his only
begotten Son, No wonder that the
manifestation of such goodness filled
all heaven's inhabitants with asto-
nishment and praise ! The only won-
der is, that it does not more generally

GRACE KIXG. 113

break down the pride and enmity of
the human heart. O, my cold heart,
why art thou not more sensibly moved
and affected by this manifestation of
the goodness of God to man? And
why art thou not immoveably fixed on
Him who first loved thee?

" We had a searching discourse this
morning from the words, ' The back-
slider in heart shall be filled with his
own ways.' The preacher observed,
in substance, ' This declaration of the
Spirit is calculated to awaken the at-
tention of every professed Christian ;
to excite him to prayerful inquiry, and
to move him to self-examination. That
it is possible to backslide is evident
from the Scriptures ; and seeing this
is possible, it is important that Chris-
tians should be well acquainted with
its symptoms, in order that they may
be able to judge correctly of their own
condition, What professed expectant

8

114 GRACE K1$G.

of eternal life does not fear, in his own
case, the fulfilment of the alarming
declaration in the text ? If this lan-
guage have not the effect to excite our
solicitude, our case is already truly
wretched, if not hopeless. May the
Spirit of truth assist us while we in-
quire in wrhat this state of religious
declension consists.

" ' That many who relinquish the
profession of religion do no more than
backslide from a mere profession may
be safely admitted. They never had
the root of the matter in them, and,
therefore, it is no cause of astonish-
ment that, in the time of temptation,
they have fallen away. But even
this kind of backsliding is lamentable.
It is to be wTished that even formal
professors should not backslide, but
that they should hold on their way,
until they are made the subjects of

GRACE KING. 115

the power as well as of the form of
godliness.

" ' Observation teaches us, that
many who backslide in heart do
also backslide in life ; they not only
lose the spirit and power of religion,
but they " turn, like the dog, to his
vomit again, and, like the sow that
was washed, to her wallowing in the
mire." They quit the society of the
good, they mingle again writh the un-
believing, and they literally "turn from
the holy commandment," Such back-
sliders are objects of pity ; they ought
to be remembered in our prayers, and
all good men ought to labour for their
recovery. May the good Shepherd
have mercy on these wanderers from

his flock.

" • The backslider in heart is distin-
guishable from the persons just men-
tioned ; for he still retains a profession
and a standing in the church. You

116 GRACE KING.

may see him in the sanctuary; the
church still receives his contributions,
and perhaps he still continues to fill
some office in the church of God.
Indeed, he is still so moral that pro-
bably his brethren do not suspect the
state of his heart, and perhaps he is
not himself aware of his apostacy
from God. He knows, indeed, that
he is not so zealous, nor so much en-
gaged, as formerly, but he does not
perceive that he has " quenched the
Spirit." Now, if this be a correct
view of the case of " the backslider
in heart," it will be proper to notice
a few of the symptoms by which this
state of religious declension is indi-
cated, in order that we may be able
to know whether it be our condition.
That man is a backslider in heart who
once loved God, but (1,) Who is now
negligent in attending the means of
grace, or who attends them more from

GRACE KING. 117

custom, or conscience, than from love.
Whenever our love to the means of
grace declines, many of them will be
neglected ; especially those which do
not fall under the notice of our fellow-
men ; such as reading- the Bible and
secret prayer. (2,) The backslider in
heart feels deep and perplexing soli-
citude about the world, and the things
of time. While his heart was right,
he was anxiously careful for nothing ;
but in every thing, by prayer and
supplication, made his requests known
to God. (3,) He is a backslider in
heart who no longer finds delight in
spiritual and religious conversation,
or meditation ; for while he was alive
to God, he said, " Come, all ye that
fear God, and I will tell you what he
hath done for my soul ;" and his
"conversation was in heaven." (4,) He
is a backslider in heart who labours
under great coldness and wanderings

118 GRACE KING.

of heart in his private devotions ; and
especially if he can neglect his devo-
tions for trivial causes ; for when his
heart was full of love to God he loved
to commune with him. (5,) He is a
backslider in heart who trifles with
temptations ; or who is not afraid of
throwing himself in the way of tempt-
ations ; for while his conscience was
tender, he " resisted the devil," and
prayed not to be "led into tempta-
tion." (6,) He is a backslider in heart
who feels indifferent about the cause
of God and the salvation of souls ;
for while he was pure in heart he
loved Zion, and sought to save the
lost. (7,) He is a backslider in heart
who is a backbiter, a whisperer, and
an evil speaker; for while he loved
God and his brethren, he could not
allow himself to practise these things.
" 'In order to move us to self-exa-
mination, or, if we know that we are

GRACE KING. 119

backslidden, to move us to repentance,
let us recollect the awful declaration
of the text : " The backslider in heart
shall be filled with his own ways'1
These are terrible words ! they imply
that he shall feel the full and eternal
effects of his unfaithfulness to God
except he repent ! He shall lose the
peace and favour of God ; he shall be
of no use in the church ; he shall fall
by little and little, until he "forget
that he was purged from his old sins."
He shall be forsaken of God ; he shall
feel no longer the strivings of the Spi-
rit, and he shall die, in his alienation
from God, and, like Judas, "go to his
own helir Thus shall "the back-
slider in heart be filled with his own

?? ?

ways.

"The power of God attended this
sermon ; there was, indeed, a shaking
among professed Christians. O my
God, save me from the state and the

120 GRACE KING.

dreadful fate of the backslider ; and to
this end

1 Take my poor heart, and let it be
For ever closed to all but thee ;
Seal thou my breast, and let me wear
The pledge of love for ever there.'

"I have just finished reading a
pamphlet ' On the Knowledge of
God ;' in which the writer advocates
the opinion, that ' God restrained his
knowledge, did not foresee every
future event, because he did not
choose to foresee.' If the author be
of the number of our modern ' phi-
lanthropists/ I am surprised at his
extreme ignorance of the Scripture
doctrine of the divine nature; for he
professes to support his notions by an
appeal to the Bible !

" The author contends earnestly for
the free moral agency of man ; but
contends, that 'the actions of man
cannot be free if they were fore-

GRACE KING. 121

seen of God ; because they cannot be
otherwise than as God, from he be-
ginning, foresaw them,' &c. Now it
appears to me, that our whole duty
in this matter consists in receiving the
plain and simple declarations of Scrip-
ture ; and nothing can be clearer from
Scripture than that God ' knows the
end from the beginning;' and that
man is a free moral agent, and is as
much accountable for his actions as
if God did not foreknow them.

" It does appear to me, that God,
who is infinitely wise, must foreknow
the future destiny of man, whether
of happiness, or misery, as certainly
as if he had decreed it from all eter-
nity; though his foreknowledge has
no more influence over the event than
if he had not foreknown it. The des-
tiny of man results from the use or
abuse of his moral agency, and not
from God's foreknowledge. God sees

122 GRACE KING.

the future as he sees the present and
the past, because his knowledge is in-
finite. God cannot see the future
destiny of his free moral agents to be
different from what it will be ; though,
at the same time, he sees that it might
have been different, had his free moral
agents conducted themselves differ-
ently. These seem to me to be Scrip-
tural principles ; and the question,
1 how the free moral agency of man
can be consistent with the certain
foreknowledge of God,' is a subject
that does not concern me. Shall the
glory of God be frustrated by his fore-
bearing to create man a free moral
agent, and establishing a moral go-
vernment over him, simply because
finite creatures cannot see how to re-
concile his perfect and certain know-
ledge of future events with the facts
of man's free moral agency and ac-
countability ? On this ground we

GRACE KING. 123

might object to the Deity possessing
any of the natural attributes which
the Scriptures ascribe to him! For
which of the divine attributes is it
that man can comprehend? Who
can comprehend God's eternity, or his
omnipresence? How can we com-
prehend a Being that is unoriginated,
or a presence which has no limits ?

" These questions, and all others
which aim at what God is, or what
he can know, or what he can do, sa-
vour of irreverence, if not of impiety.
The plain and simple duty of man is,
to receive with implicit faith all that
God has revealed ; and he has told us
that he \ knows the end from the be-
ginning,' and that he ' will have all
men to be saved, and come to the
knowledge of the truth.' O thou
who dwellest in light unapproachable,
give me grace to know and do thy
will.

124 GRACE KING.

" I had the misfortune this day to
be in company in which I was under
the necessity of hearing the illiberal
criticisms, and the vague and unsus-
tained notions, of a professed free-
thinker. But I thank my God that
this man's conversation had no unfa-
vourable effect on my mind ; on the
contrary, it served to confirm me in
the love of revealed truth. His con-
versation was sprightly, and his ima-
gination fruitful ; but he evidently la-
boured under great embarrassment in
stating and defending his various and
unscriptural hypotheses. Indeed, it
was evident to all that he was lost in
the delusive labyrinth of error. He
said a great deal about the indestruc-
tibility and eternity of matter ; and he
boldly inferred the latter from the
former ; which, he said, ' is incontes-
tably established by experiments.'
For my part, I can very easily per-

GRACE KING. 125

ceive how the Power to which there
is no limit can give existence to that
which had no previous existence ; and
how the same power can render eter-
nal or i?idestructible that which it has
created. Hence, the indestructibility
of matter, supposing it to be true, lays
me under no necessity of rejecting the
account which Moses has given of
the creation of the universe.

" This philosopher told us that
three questions had long been the
subjects of his meditations ; and he
had at last become convinced that no
earthly being is able to answer them.
' These three questions,' said he, ' are,
From whence did I originate ? Why
am I here ? and, Whither am I bound V
These are, indeed, great and momen-
tous questions ; but he who believes
the Bible, and who is acquainted with
its doctrines, can be at no loss to an-
swer them. To these questions every

126 GRACE KING.

enlightened Christian will reply, 'I
am indebted for my origin to the will,
the power, the wisdom, and the good-
ness of Jehovah ; I am here for a short
time to form a character for another
state of existence ; and I am bound
for an eternal state of the highest
happiness, or the deepest wo ! I
thank the Fountain of light and truth
that he has not left me to grope in the
dark on these all-absorbing questions.
Truly the philosophy which converts
such plain questions into profound
and inexplicable mysteries, is, em-
phatically, a 'false philosophy.' O,
my God, I thank thee for the Holy
Scriptures ; I find them to be the only
sure guide to which I shall do well
to take heed.

" This morning I read, in course,
the fourteenth chapter of St. John's
gospel, and was greatly edified and
blessed while reading it. In the thir-

GRACE KING. 127

teenth chapter our Lord had an-
nounced to his apostles the painful
fact that he was shortly ' to go away
and leave them.' This intelligence
filled their hearts with sorrow. The
apostles had now been his compa-
nions and confidential friends for
about three years. They had been
chosen by him from the company of
his disciples, they had been endowed
with special gifts, they had been sent
on honourable and successful mis-
sions, and they had now become
greatly raised in their expectations of
future distinction. Besides, three
years' intimacy with the Lord Jesus
had inspired them with strong affec-
tion for him.

"Under these circumstances and
feelings, they now hear him say,
1 Little children, yet a little while I am
with you : but I go, and whither I go
ye cannot now follow me.' Is it to

128 GRACE KING.

be wondered at that this announce-
ment troubled them, and filled them
with afflicting fears? To lose their
greatest, their best, their only friend ;
Him for whose sake they had for-
saken all ; for whose sake they had
become the objects of universal scorn
and persecution; him on whom they
placed all their present and future
hopes. This, indeed, was no ordinary
loss. No wonder sorrow and fear
filled their hearts.

"But observe how quickly their
divine Master proceeded to minister
to them the needful consolation. For-
getting himself, losing sight of the ig-
nominy, the pain, and the cruel death
which were then before him, he said
to his sorrowing apostles, ' Let not
your heart be troubled, neither let it
be afraid,' verse 27. How kind,
how sustaining, and how consoling
are these words. He adds, 'Ye be-

GRACE KING. 129

lieve in God, believe also m me.'
That is, ye know me ; you have had
ample proof of the divinity of my mis-
sion ; you know that there is ' no
guile in my lips.' I never deceived
you, therefore believe me now. 'I
go, as I said to you, but I go to my
Father, and your Father. In his house
there are many mansions.' There is
room for all. And ' I go to prepare a
place for you f! Having done this,
' I will come again, and I will receive
you to myself; for where I am, there
you shall be also.' This kind and
gracious assurance was surely suffi-
cient to allay the fears, and to heal
the bleeding hearts of the trembling
apostles. But, such is the tenderness
and friendship of Jesus, he adds, * If
it were not so, I would have told you.'
Yes, thou divine and faithful witness,
we believe thee ; for, if there were no

heaven for us, thou wouldst have told

9

130 GRACE KING.

us! We will rely upon thy word;
for we are sure thou wilt do all thou
hast promised. When thou hast^re-
pared the place for us thou wilt come
again, and wilt receive us to thyself I

" O, my fearful and trembling soul,
hear what thy Saviour saith. There
are many mansions in his Father's
house ; and if it were not so, he would
have told thee ! Thy Redeemer is
now in the Father's home, fitting up
a mansion for thee ! He will soon
come, and take thee up to himself;
and thou shalt hold endless communion
with him ! Believe his word ; thou
shalt soon see him, and be like him ;
for thou shalt 'see him as he is.'
Glory, glory be to God ! Amen.

" I have been reading Dr. Lightfoot
on the subject of water baptism. He
brings a great deal of learning to bear
on this point ; and he has, I think,
proved conclusively that children, and

GRACE KING. 131

even infants, are proper subjects of
the Christian ordinance. The doctor
shows us, 1, That water baptism is an
ordinance which is not peculiar to the
Christian dispensation, but that it was
in use among- the Jews in admitting-
proselytes within the pale of their
church. 2, That the Jews, so far
from denying- the ordinance to chil-
dren, insisted on all the children, how-
ever young-, being baptized, and ad-
mitted with their parents. 3, That
our blessed Lord took up the ordi-
nance of baptism, without prescribing-
any alteration in it, except that it

should be administered in the name
of ' the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ;'
while the Jews baptized in the name
of the one God. 4, That if our Lord
did not intend children and infants to
be the subjects of Christian baptism,
then he ought to have told us, and,
undoubtedly, would have done so,

132 GRACE KING,

seeing the practice of the Jews in
this matter would certainly mislead
us. Hence, seeing our Saviour did
not prohibit the baptism of infants,
which was the practice cf his day,
and seeing he said, ' Suffer little chil-
dren to come unto me, and forbid
them not,' it is evidently the privilege
of little children to be admitted into
the ark of Christ's church by the
ordinance of baptism.

" Though this reasoning may not
be called demonstration, yet there is
that in it which makes it satisfactory
and conclusive. I thank God for pa-
rents whose piety led them to dedi-
cate me to God by baptism, in the
days of my infancy ; and I thank him
for friends, who have led me to God's
altar, to assume, in my own person,
the vows which were made for me in
my baptism. For, though I do not
believe the doctrine of ' baptismal re-

GRACE KING. 133

generation,' as it is believed and ex-
plained by some in the present day,
yet I do believe that I have derived
many benefits, and obtained many
blessings, in consequence of being
made ' a member of Christ,' by bap-
tism. ' A good man leaveth an inhe-
ritance to his children's children;'
and 'the seed of the righteous are
blessed.' Thanks be to thee, O my
God, for all thy mercies. Amen.

" The congregation this morning
was very small, as the day was ex-
tremely wet ; but those who were pre-
sent found it no vain thing to breast
the storm, and to wait before the
Lord. The rain without poured in
torrents; but the showers of grace and
mercy within seemed to be quite as
copious and free. The preacher was
all life ; and he pressed the exhorta-
tion, 'Be ye holy,' with power and
effect. The word came from the

134 GRACE KING.

heart, and it reached the heart of the
hearers. For one, I was made to see
the beauty of holiness, was deeply
impressed with a sense of its advan-
tages, and was constrained to cry out,
1 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.'
And I believe that the congregation
generally felt much as I did. This
was a precious season.

" In the afternoon the storm abated,
and the congregation was much larger.
We had a profitable sermon, by Mr.
T. S. B., from James i, 26 : ' If any
man among you seem to be religious,
and bridleth not his tongue, but de-
ceiveth his own heart, that man's reli-
gion is vain.' After a neat and brief
introduction, the preacher proceeded
to notice, I. The apostle's description
of a false professor ; and, II. His
judgment concerning his religion. Un-
der the first head, The apostle's de-

GRACE KING. 135

scription of a false professor, he ob-
served, he is one ■ who seems to be
religious, who bridleth not his tongue,
but who deeeiveth his own heart'

"'1, He seems to be religious.'
i This implies, that he abstains from
all open and gross immorality. For
the notorious sinner, whose transgres-
sions are known and read of all men,
does not even seem to be religious ;
no person suspects him of religion.
To seem to be religious implies punc-
tual attendance on all the means of
grace. By means of grace is meant,
reading the Scriptures, hearing the
word preached, prayer in secret, and
in the social circle, the Lord's supper,
&c. It is the duty and practice of all
religious people to attend these means ;
therefore he who does not does not
even seem to be religious ; he is, in
fact, known not to be religious. To
seem to be religious implies a public

136 GRACE KING.

union with the church of God. God's
people are required to "come out from
the ungodly," and not to forsake " the
assembling of themselves together;"
which requirements cannot be kept,
but by a cordial and public union in
the capacity of a church. Therefore
he who stands at a distance, and does
not unite with the body of believers,
does not even seem to be religious ;
for, " By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one for another," says our Saviour.
To seem to be religious implies zeal-
ous efforts to promote the prosperity of
God's cause. The religious men, of
all ages, have distinguished them-
selves by doing all they could to save
souls ; they have reproved sinners, in-
structed the ignorant, comforted peni-
tents, strengthened the weak, and
given their prayers, money, influence,
and example to the cause of God.

GRACE KING. 137

i

Therefore he who does not this does
not even seem to be religions.

"'2. This false professor "bridleth
not his tongue." Speech is a gift by
which the Creator has distinguished
man above the brute creation, and it
is one of the greatest blessings be-
stowed upon man, if the tongue be
kept under just government. But the
tongue is an unruly member ; it is a
world of iniquity ; it sets the whole
course of nature on fire, being itself
set on fire of hell. Hence, the tongue
must be governed with, 1. A bridle of
'prudence. Howt many tongues run at
random, and do mischief, for want of
prudence ! How many there are who,
whether they speak of themselves or
others, or whether they give reproof
or instruction, lay no restraint upon
their tongues ! It is of great import-
ance to learn when to speak, and
when to be silent ; how much to say,

138 GRACE KING.

and how much to leave unsaid ; when
to reveal, and when to conceal our
own affairs, and those of others.
What evil is sometimes occasioned by
one improper word ! The false pro-
fessor has not the bridle of prudence
on his tongue. 2. The tongue must
be governed with a bridle of piety.
By piety is meant the exercise of pro-
per tempers and spirit toward God ;
such as fear, love, submission, confi-
dence, &c. If these exist in the heart,
and be exercised, they will effectually
prevent all impiety of the tongue.
We shall not make a light, or irreve-
rent use of the name or word of God ;
we shall avoid all trifling conversa-
tion, all murmurings under afflictions,
and all language that indicates de-
spondency. 3. The tongue must be go-
verned with a bridle of charity. No
man can ever be absolutely perfect ;
hence we shall always detect iinpro-

GRACE KING. 139

prieties in each other. But charity,
or love, will cover them all ; and if it
exist in the heart, it will restrain the
tongue from all unholy whisperings,
backbitings, railings, and evil speak-
ing. 4. The tongue must be governed
with a bridle of truth. The word
truth is here used in a sense opposite
to falsehood and lying. Our God is
the God of truth, and " lying lips are
an abomination to him." See evidences
of God's displeasure against lying in
the punishment of Gehazi, and of
Ananias and his wife. If the truth
have a place in the heart, it will exert
an influence upon the tongue, and
prevent lying and falsehood.

"'3. The false professor "deceiveth
his own heart." He prevails on him-
self to believe that his morality, his
connection with the church, his efforts
to moralize men, and his attendance
on means, is all the religion which

140 GRACE KING.

God requires of him ; and he looks
"upon the impious, uncharitable, im-
prudent, and false use of his tongue,
as unavoidable infirmity ; and thus
he, in the first place, deceives his own
heart ; and, after this, his dark, hard,
and unsanctified heart continues to
deceive him in return. This is a dread-
ful condition ! But if we only think
how prone we are to hope the best
concerning our religious state, how
ready our friends are to flatter us, and
how active the devil is to blind our
eyes, we shall not wonder that men
sometimes fall into delusion and error
as to their religious state. Let us
watch our hearts ; for " he is a fool
that trusteth his own heart."

" ' II. We come now to the apostle's
judgment of this false professor's re-
ligion. He declares, "Itisvain" The
word signifies empty and worthless !
But why is it worthless and of no va-

GRACE KING. 141

lue? 1. Because it does not come up
to the standard of God's word. It only
seems to be what it ought to be ; the
root of the matter is not within; and
the tongue is not governed; the
Scriptures demand these. 2. Because
it does not make the professor happy.
The truly religious man is happy ; he
has peace with God, and peace with-
in; he "rejoices evermore, and rejoices
in tribulation." The religion which
gives no peace is an empty, worthless,
and vain religion. 3. Because it gives
no right and title to heaven, Matt, vii,
22. "Without holiness no man can
see the Lord." This false professor
may indulge a hope of heaven, but
O, how dreadful the thought, he will
discover his mistake by the light of
hell fire !

"Such is the outline of this ex-
citing and awakening discourse. —
O my Lord, suffer me not to deceive

142 GRACE KING.

myself, but graciously lead me in the
way everlasting. Amen.

" While I was this day reading on
the subject of the resurrection, the
thought was suddenly suggested: the
dead can never rise again : it is im-
possible that the same body should
be restored to life ; for many bodies
are lost in the sea, and are eaten up
of fishes ; many are devoured by
beasts, and consumed by fire ; and all
others fall into a state of putridity, and
are resolved into their original ele-
ments. This thought perplexed me
much, and troubled me for hours. I
found that I could not answer this
objection to the doctrine of a future
resurrection on any principle of na-
tural knowledge which I possessed.
I resolved, in my trouble, to carry the
case to my best Friend, and to open
my doubts and fears to my God. I
did so, and he did not leave me long

GRACE KING. 143

in suspense. The evidence of the
truth was opened to my mind, and I
was enabled to go about my business
rejoicing in God, from the assurance
that this ' corruptible shall put on in-
corruption, and this mortal put on im-
mortality. '

" God showed me that the manner
in which this change is to be effected
is beyond the reach of the human
mind, and that the proof of the doc-
trine is not to be drawn from reason
and philosophy, but from the ' sure
word of prophecy.' The future resur-
rection of the dead is purely a doc-
trine of revelation, and would never
have been known, if God had not
graciously revealed it. I took my
Bible, and I soon found the following
passages : Psalm xvi, 10 ; Job xix,
25, &c. ; Ezekiel xxxvii, 1, &c. ; Isaiah
xxvi, 19; Johnv, 28,29. From these
passages it is certain that all the dead

144 GRACE KING.

shall rise again; for the ' mouth of
the Lord hath spoken it.'

"As to the means by which this
general resurrection shall be effected,
St Paul tells us, that ' the Lord Jesus
Christ shall change our vile body,
that it may be fashioned like unto his
glorious body, according to the work-
ing whereby he is able to subdue all
things unto himself This is satis-
factory. I cannot, I dare not call in
question the ability of Jesus to do
this ; for ' all power is given to him,
both in heaven and on earth ;' and he
is omnipotent ! When I think of the
agency of my almighty Lord in the
resurrection, I feel ashamed of my
doubts, and I renounce for ever all
my carnal reasonings. ' Though after
my skin worms destroy this body, yet
in my flesh shall I see God.'

" Anger appears to be a passion of
our common nature, and is roused

GRACE KING. 145

into exercise when we receive some
real or imaginary insult or injury.
On this subject St. Paul says, ' Be ye
angry and sin not ; let not the sun go
down upon your wrath,' Ephesians
iv, 26. I was so unhappy to-day as
to hear a brother in the church quote
the former part of this text in defence
of what I deemed his own petulant
and revengeful spirit: and when he
was urged with the latter part, ' let
not the sun go down upon your
wrath,' he still persisted in defending
his reigning anger, by saying, 'I am
not bound to forgive the offender, un-
less he ' return to me, and say, I re-
pent.'' Now it does appear to me,
that what is commonly called anger
is a passion, or temper, which divine
grace either totally subdues or ena-
bles believers to govern. It certainly
cannot reign and govern in a sancti-
fied mind ; for, if ' the sun go down

10

146 GRACE KING.

upon our wrath,' it will assuredly pro-
duce malice, and malice will prompt
us to revenge ! A sacred writer tells
us, that 'anger resteth in the bosom
of fools ;' and such a state of mind
must be inconsistent with peace of
conscience, and with the approbation
of Him who says, 'Vengeance is mine.'
"Mr. John Hales, if I remember
correctly, reads the words of St. Paul
thus : ' If ye be surprised into anger,
take care you do not sin by letting the
sun go down upon your unkind feel-
ings.' If anger produce resentment,
it must, it cannot be otherwise than
sinful ; for it implies the absence of
brotherly love and other Christian
virtues. When it includes purposes
of revenge it implies hatred, and will
vent itself in revilings, backbitings,
evil speaking, and other acts of injury.
"What enlightened Christian could go
to his God in this state of mind, and

GRACE KING. 147

say, ' Forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive those who trespass against us?'
After all the inquiry I have made on
this point, I have come to the conclu-
sion, that what is generally termed
anger is most undoubtedly sinful;
and I do not believe that an apostle
could be angry and not sin. But, if
by anger we mean simple displeasure,
or being grieved and wounded, why,
in this sense there are numerous oc-
casions on which good men may be,
not only innocently, but also justly
and religiously angry ; for we ought
to be displeased with every thing that
opposes the glory of God, and the
welfare of man. Such anger is per-
fectly consistent with the charity
which thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth
not in iniquity.

"I do sincerely thank God that he
has saved me so far that I am not the
unhappy subject of that sensitive,

148 GRACE KING.

petulant, and suspicious temper, which
makes a man an offender for a word,
and which is constantly apprehensive
of injuries and affronts. And I am
determined, by the grace of God, to
harbour no hard thoughts nor unkind
feelings toward such persons as may
seem to intend me wrong ; but I will
open my heart to them in love, and in
the fear of God, and tell them all that
is on my mind. It is surprising how
often a few words of explanation will
serve to convince us that we have a
friend, even where we thought we
had an enemy. My God, give me a
meek and forgiving spirit. Amen.

"Mr. B. related to our family an
anecdote which serves to illustrate
the righteous providence of God. The
following is the substance of the rela-
tion : ' When Methodism was first

introduced into R ., a Mr. W. was

the resident curate. His opposition

GRACE KING. 149

to the Methodists seemed to know no
bounds, and he persecuted them in
every possible way. Among the Me-
thodist preachers who visited R

was a Mr. S., who generally availed
himself of the opportunity to address
the people as they retired from the
church in the afternoon. Parson W.
seemed to cherish a special antipathy
to this good old man, and manifested
it by threats, and other kinds of oppo-
sition. Mr. S. often retired from the
scene of his labours covered with mud
and rotten eggs. At last the curate
hired a man, of the baser sort, of the
name of W., to abuse, or even kill the
preacher, if he dared to address the
people again. Mr. S., true to his
duty, appeared again, and W. carried
his agreement into eifect, so far as to
throw a large stone at the preacher,
which broke out some of his teeth.
" 'In two or three years after this

150 GRACE KING.

event the wretched W. was taken
sick, and died ; but his death-bed fur-
nished a shocking scene. For seve-
ral days he was constantly haunted
with the recollection of his wicked
treatment of the persecuted S. He
frequently cried out, in the greatest
horror, " See there, the Methodist
preacher ! his teeth — his teeth are all
broken ! see him spitting out his
teeth ! I have killed him — yes, I
have killed him ! See, there he
comes again ! take him away ! keep
him off from me ! O me ! can no one
— cannot you all keep him away?"
In these and similar exclamations, in-
terspersed with oaths and blasphe-
mies, he continued to express himself
until he died. Such was the dread-
ful end of one who dared to lay hands
on one of God's prophets, and to in-
flict harm on one of his anointed !
Parson W. lived only a few years,

a i

GRACE KING. 151

and was made to " eat the fruit of his
own doings." He was a man of wealth,
and had a niece, named Miss B., to
whom he had willed all his property.
This lady, while on a visit at S., fell
among some respectable people who
were Methodists ; the result of which
was, she got awakened and convert-
ed. Her uncle, being informed of this,
wrote to her immediately, and re-
quired her to renounce all connection
with the Methodists, under the penal-
ty of his displeasure, and of being
disinherited by the destruction of his
will. He gave Miss B. one week only
to make up her mind, and inform
him of her decision. Miss B. unhesi-
tatingly chose Methodism and the will
of God ; and she wrote to her uncle,
and informed him of the same, in due
time. But mark here the hand of
God : before parson W. had time to
receive his niece's letter, and alter, or

152 GRACE KLVCT.

destroy his will, he was suddenly
carried off by death. He was seized
with an apoplexy, and died in a few
hours. His large property fell to Miss
B., who has made good use of it by
her public and private charity, and by
her liberality to the cause of Method-

ism.

But what shows the providence
of God most clearly in this matter is
the fact, that the perse euted and in-
jured S., who was a poor man, was
sustained in his old age by the wealth
of his persecutor. He actually wore
the clothes, even to the wig, the hat,
and the cane of parson W. They
were given to him by Miss B. Thus
" the wicked lay up treasures, for the
just."

" ' It is proper to remark, that it is
believed Miss B., who is still living,
and who befriended and supported
the aged S. to the day of his death,

GRACE KING. 153

never knew that Mr. S. lost his teeth
at the instigation of her uncle. Who
can read this anecdote and not feel
constrained to say, Truly " the Lord
reigneth V "

" This afternoon we were honoured
with the presence of the Rev. Mr. F.,
who is at the head of an academy
belonging to the Independents. He
has the reputation of being a man of
extensive learning, of purely evange-
lical sentiments, and of deep and un-
feigned piety. He is very free and
communicative, and his conversation
served to increase my stock of know-
ledge, and to inspire me with a new
determination to study more closely
the sacred volume. He stated that
his pupils generally profess a ■ know-
ledge of salvation by the remission of
sins,' and are remarkably diligent in
the prosecution of their studies. A
goodly number of them are designed

154 GRACE KING.

for the ministry. What may the
church not expect from the well-di-
rected labours of such a number of
enlightened and pious ministers.

" Mr. F. preached for us this eve-
ning, and, apparently, greatly to the
edification of the congregation. He
is a man of more than ordinary gifts,
and has been honoured with many
seals to his ministry, a number of whom
are still living, and doing honour to
their profession. It is to be hoped
that Mr. F.'s valuable life will be
greatly protracted, and that his la-
bours in the desk, and in the acade-
my, will continue to be successful.

" There is no intelligence more re-
freshing to me, or that ministers more
to the health of my soul, than that
which relates to the prosperity of
Zion. My heart is for God. I feel
that I am on the Lord's side. O thou
divine and triumphant Saviour, ride

GRACE KING. 155

on gloriously in the chariot of the
gospel, proceed from conquest to con-
quest, claim the nations, the whole
purchase of thy blood, as thy right,
and fill the whole earth with thy
glory. Amen.

: To-day we had a delightful and
refreshing time in love-feast. The ex-
ercises were opened by singing that
well-known hymn,

' Come and let us sweetly join,
Christ to praise in hymns divine.'

Then followed a comprehensive, fer-
vent, and heartfelt prayer, suited to
the character, condition, and wants
of believers and professing Christians.
This was a searching, melting, and
cheering prayer. While they were
distributing the bread and water, and
taking up the collection for the poor,
the preacher spoke of the nature and
design of love feasts in the apostolic
days and in modern times ; and then,

156 GRACE KING.

after giving us the state of his own
mind, he called on all to bear testi-
mony for God.

" There was no time lost, and the
communications generally seemed to
come warm from the heart, and to*
produce deep and gracious feelings.
The active part which the older mem-
bers took tended greatly to make this
love-feast more interesting than ordi-
nary. The gray -headed disciples who,
in the course of nature, cannot be far
from their glorious rest, arose, and
spoke in quick succession, and they
spoke to the point. O, it was encou-
raging to hear these old pilgrims say,
1 I am not weary of this journey yet ;
my young friends, the delights in-
crease and improve as we get nearer
to the holy city,' &c.

" Among these old saints I noticed
particularly Mr. L., called the father
of the society, because he is the oldest

GRACE KINO. 157

member living, and the only one of
the first class. He rose with his cha-
racteristic solemnity of look, his tall
and slender figure standing- above all,
and looked around him with evident
emotion. After a moment's silence he
said, ' My little children, have patience
with me, and hear me once more ;
time has shaken me by the hand ;
my tremulous voice forbids any at-
tempt to sing on earth ; my powers for
making melody are gone ; my vision
is very indistinct; my sands are all but
run out, and this heart will soon cease
its action. Perhaps this is the last
time I shall meet with you on earth.
Even so, Lord Jesus, if it be thy
blessed will. I have been thinking
of the great work which God has
wrought since the day this society was
formed. Our beginning was indeed
very small ; a mere handful used to
meet at old Mr. G's. But lo, we now

158 GRACE KING.

number by hundreds; and we almost
till this spacious temple. May not I,
whom God has spared to see all his
wonders, may not I exclaim, " What
hath God wrought ?" Glory, glory be
to his name. I look around me, and
what do I see ? Why I see my chil-
dren's children, and I hear them bear
witness for Jesus ! Bless the Lord,
O my soul !

"'Brethren, I remember well the
day when Mr. T. Taylor formed the
first society in this place, and I shall
never forget what he said when he
had entered our names upon the class
paper. He said, "Well, there are
just twelve of you ; our dear Lord had
just that number of apostles ; but, re-
member, one of them proved to be a
devil ! Take care, or else there will
be found a devil among you !" From
that day to this I have never forgot-
ten what the preacher said ; and I

GRACE KING, 159

have a thousand times asked, "Lord,
is it I?" Now, as the other eleven
are all gone, (here he paused,) as they
all went safely, (here he wept,) as I
heard them all shout victory ! (again
he was overpowered,) as they are all
now in heaven, if one should prove a
devil, I must be that one ! (His counte-
nance now brightened.) But I know
that I am not a devil; for I love my
God ! Yes, I know that I love God ;
and I now know that Jesus is my Sa-
viour !' This declaration was irresist-
ible ; the whole assembly was moved
and melted down. No, no, father
Lamb is not a devil ; he is every thing
which we can wish him ; he is ripe for
glory. My glorious Saviour, I bless
thee for the privileges of this day.

" An unhappy controversy has been
existing for some time between the re-
ligious denominations of this neigh-
bourhood, and it has been conducted

160 GRACE KING.

by a few, on both sides of the question,
in a spirit and manner which must
have an unfavourable effect on tender
minds. I feel afflicted when I think
on the subject, because I find that my
religious friends, on both sides of the
question, have their minds drawn off
from the things which are of the high-
est moment. They are talking, and
doing so with too much spirit, when
they ought to be reading their Bibles,
and engaged in prayer. • Follow
peace with all men,' and, ' Be cour-
teous,' are precepts which have been
constantly on my mind during the
reign and triumph of the controversial
spirit ; and I bless God that I have
not lost my inward peace, nor have I
cherished hard and unkind feelings
toward my brethren. I think I under-
stand the apostolic precepts which
have been so much upon my mind,
and I have tried to keep them. They

GRACE KING. 161

certainly do not imply that we are to
embrace the doctrinal views of those
we try to please, but that we are to
avoid all unnecessary collision with
them. They do not imply that we are
to approve their form of church govern-
ment, but leave them to their own
judgment in this matter. They do
not imply that we are to conform to
their practice and manners, for we per-
haps may deem them unlawful. The
spirit of these precepts seems to re-
quire us to labour and study to avoid,
so far as we are able, giving offence
to any man, either in word or deed,
and particularly it requires us to avoid
evil speaking, and even all disrespect-
ful and ungentle treatment, by word
or deed.

" If we would ' follow peace with
all men,' we must do them all the
kind offices in our power ; we must
promote peace and union among those

11

162 GRACE KING.

that are at variance ; and we must
always do to others what we would
have them do to us under a change
of circumstances. Such, it appears
to me, is the import of the apostles'
precepts, and such the extent of the
Christian's duty. The life of our
meek and benevolent Saviour fur-
nishes the best comment on these
precepts ; he was ' holy and harm-
less ;' and he 'went about doing good.'
If these apostolic precepts were ex-
emplified in the conduct of men uni-
versally, what a peaceable, kind, and
happy state of society we should have.
There would be no ' wars, nor ru-
mours of wars ;' there would be no
defrauding of each other, and conse-
- quently no jealousies, no evil surmi-
sings, no backbitings, no railings, &c,
and there would not be so many scenes
of distress and destitution unrelieved
and unregarded. O God, spread the

GRACE KING. 163

saving religion of the cross among
the discordant sons of men. Amen.

' I read this day the fourth chapter
of St. John's gospel, in which we
have an account of our Lord's inter-
view with the woman of Samaria at
Jacob's well. It appears to me that
she must have been a good woman,
according to the light she had, or our
Saviour would not have held so long
a conversation with her on the subject
of religion ; nor would she have made
such an impression on the inhabitants
of Sjchar as she did, when she called
on them to see Jesus, and said, 'Is
not this the Christ?' Besides, like
Hannah, she seems to have been de-
voutly waiting for the coming of Mes-
sias, for she said to our Lord, 'I know
that Messias cometh.' And when
Jesus had said to her, ' I that speak
to thee am he,' she instantly went to

164 GRACE KING.

the city and called out the people to
see the Christ.

" But she was in comparative dark-
ness ; hence our Lord said to her, ' If
thou hadst known the gift of God, and
who it is that saith unto thee, Give me
to drink, thou wouldst have asked of
him, and he would have given thee
living water.' But this afflicted and
inquiring woman is not the only hu-
man being that knows not the gift of
God. By this phrase, 'the gift of
God/ I think we are to understand,
our Lord Jesus Christ; for he is the
' Son given, and he is the boon which
God so freely bestowed, and, blessed
be his name, he is God's ' unspeaka-
ble gift.' God gave his Son as the
price of our redemption ; ' Ye are re-
deemed with the precious blood of
Christ.' As a gracious and compas-
sionate Saviour, 'he is touched with
the feeling of our infirmities ;' as an

GRACE KING. 165

almighty Saviour, ' he is able to save
unto the uttermost;' as a present Sa-
viour, ' by him all that believe are
justified;' as a universal and special
Saviour, ■ the Saviour of all men, es-
pecially of them that believe ;' and as
the only Saviour, 'for other founda-
tion can no man lay.' Such is God's
unspeakable gift ! O that I may know
this gift of God, in all his offices, and
in all the fulness of his grace.

" This blessed Saviour has power
to give ' living water.'' This expres-
sion, when taken literally, means
fresh spring water, by way of opposi-
tion to that which is found in pools and
cisterns, which is stagnant and dead.
The spiritual meaning is the Holy
Spirit, in his sanctifying and saving
influence. This may be seen by con-
sulting John vii, verses 38, 39. As
water has the property of cleansing
our garments from defilement, so the

166 GRACE KING.

Spirit's influence cleanseth our souls
from sin. As water has the power to
render the earth fruitful, when it de-
scends in the form of rain or snow,
and when the lands are irrigated with
it, so the indwelling Spirit enables be-
lievers to 'bear much fruit;' and as
water has the property of allaying
thirst, and satisfying the thirsty, so
the water drawn from ' the wells of
salvation' satisfies the thirsty soul.
There is great propriety in the use of
this figure, and it is of frequent oc-
currence in the Scriptures. Blessed
Saviour, give me this living water,
and give it constantly, that I may
thirst no more.

"I believe that all who know the
gift of God, who know Jesus, and
have correct views of the grace which
is by him, will ask of him the living
water. ' If thou knewest the gift of
God, and who he is that saith unto

GRACE KING. 167

thee,' &c., ' thou wouldest have asked
of him.' It is evident, from these
words, that ignorance lies at the foun-
dation of the neglect with which man-
kind treat the Saviour and his gra-
cious offers of salvation. They know
not Jesus, nor are they acquainted
with the objects of his mission; hence
they seek for nothing, they ask for
nothing at his hands. Pleasures, ho-
nours, riches, and sin stupify the
minds of men, and render them inca-
pable of forming a right estimate of
Jesus. How important is it, then, that
'many should run to and fro, that
knowledge may be increased.' O God,
• give thy people pastors after thine
own heart, who shall feed them with
knowledge and with understanding.'
May the preachers of the gospel be
more than ever the ' light of the
world,' and the efficient instruments

168 GRACE KING.

of turning the world from l darkness
tinto light/

"I have just returned from the fu-
neral of Mr. P. O., but am unable to
describe the painful sensations which
I have felt while witnessing the deeply
affecting scene. There lay before us
the remains of a young man ; one who
had fallen a victim to the demon in-
temperance in the twenty-sixth year
of his age ! There I saw, hanging
over his coffin, the young, the beauti-
ful, and the pious widow, oppressed
with grief ! And there, in the arms
of friends, I saw two beautiful uncon-
scious fatherless children, one about
two years, and the other three months
old \ My heart was full ; my soul
was agonized, and I wept : who could
forbear ?

"About three years ago Mr. P. O.
married Miss F. They were both
young, healthy, and industrious, and

GRACE KING. 169

believed to be so adapted to each
other as to ensure a life of prosperity
and happiness. They were both
members of the church, and, in the
judgment of their brethren, they were
both religious. He was a first-rate
mechanic, and commanded full em-
ployment, and the highest wages.
She, as a housekeeper, was neat, fru-
gal, and diligent. They were happy,
and the friends of both were highly
satisfied with their union. In fact, by
industry and economy they began to
save money.

" About two years and a half ago
Mr. P. O. was persuaded to buy a
lottery ticket, and 'try his luck.'
Most unluckily for him, the ticket
drew the large prize of jive thousand
pounds ! He was evidently much
elated by his success. Now his me-
chanical labours were abandoned, and
he became a wine merchant, by form-

170 GRACE KING.

ing a connection with a gentleman in
that line of business. He received
many kind admonitions from his bre-
thren, warning him against pride and
neglect of religious duties, and for
some time he continued to attend the
means of grace with his wife. But
not many months had passed before
he began to absent himself, under the
pretence of business, indisposition of
body, &c. It was remarked by his
friends, that he was greatly changed
in his appearance : his countenance
became bloated, highly coloured, and
stupid Six months more revealed
the dreadful fact of his being a drunk-
ard; a confirmed drunkard, — not at all
ashamed to be seen staggering through
the street. From that time to his
death, he made rapid progress in
the paths of transgression; until at
last he fell a profane and loathsome
prey to strong drink. He called for

GRACE KING. 171

brandy with his latest breath : he
seized the vessel which contained it,
attempted to raise it to his lips, but
fell back upon his pillow, being una-
ble to accomplish his purpose !

' 0, his end, his dreadful end.'

" His poor afflicted and heart-broken
widow is sorely wasted; she is bro-
ken down by watching, by labour,
and by the abuse of her late brutal
husband. But, thank God, she still
retains her hold on the great Helper
of the helpless. She mourns over the
death of her husband, for she loved
him most sincerely. But who can
comfort her ? What hope is there in
his death 1

" If poor P. O. had not risen sud-
denly to affluence, he would, in all
probability, have lived a sober,
healthy, industrious, and happy man.
His first misstep seems to have been
a desire to be rich, and to be suddenly

172 GRACE KING.

rich! This led to the second — the
buying of the ill-fated lottery ticket :
and the success attending the ' wheel
of fortune' furnished him with means
to form unhappy associations, and to
enter on a sinful business.

"How true are the words of St.
Paul, 'They that will be rich, fall
into temptation and a snare, and into
many foolish and hurtful lusts, which
drown men in destruction and perdi-
tion.' What awful words are these !
And how literally fulfilled in the case
of poor P. O. The occasion was
faithfully, yet delicately improved by
Mr. T. J. He warned all, and the
young especially, against lotteries,
intemperance, evil associations, &c.
My Lord and my God, instruct my
heart, and guide all my steps ! Amen.

" There was a larg-e meeting held
this day, to take into consideration
the propriety of petitioning parlia-

GRACE KINO. 173

ment against the passage of a bill, now
before the house of lords, the ten-
dency of which is to abridge the liber-
ties of all dissenters from the esta-
blished Church ; and which bears par-
ticularly heavy upon the Methodist
connection, destroying in effect their
plan of itinerancy. It was truly gra-
tifying to every liberal and generous
heart to see the people so much alive
to the cause of human rights, and
liberty of conscience. The meeting
was composed of persons of all deno-
minations; one feeling and object
seemed to animate the whole. Many
members of the established Church
were present, who did themselves
great credit by the zeal with which
they opposed the meditated scheme
of intolerance. They spoke out like
men ; nor did they satisfy themselves
with words : they recorded their oppo-
sition to Lord Sidmouth's bill by sign-

174 GRACE KING.

ing the petition against it, and by
subscribing- themselves ' members arid
friends of the established Church/
Many of the addresses made at this
meeting were truly heart-stirring arid
eloquent ; they swayed the assembly
of three thousand souls as the heart
of one man. It is believed that not
an individual, who was eligible to
sign, left the meeting without having
recorded his name in favour of liberty
of conscience.

"What pleased me most at this
meeting was the fervour with which
prayer was offered and responded to,
at the opening and close of the busi-
ness. The whole assembly appeared
to be engaged in invoking the inter-
position and blessing of God. Such
united and heartfelt prayer must be
heard in heaven ; and if God hear,
our liberties and privileges are not in
danger.

GRACE KING. 175

The inhabitants of this land have,
indeed, for many years, been highly
favoured, and perhaps an offended
God sees it proper that we should be
menaced with the loss of liberty and
grace, so much abused, in order that
we may be more thankful, and may
more diligently improve them in fu-
ture. It would be just if he should
punish and afflict us. But surely he
will hear the confession and prayer
which are made before him — will look
with compassion on his humble and
trembling people — and will still spare
to us the liberty and immunities, the
loss of which we so much fear.

" O Lord, be gracious to thy peo-
ple, who now confess their sin and
ingratitude ; look with favour upon
them, now that they humble them-
selves and turn to thee ; and let them
continue, every one, to ' sit under his
own vine and fig-tree,' rejoicing in thy

176 GRACE KING.

protection. To this end preside thou
in the councils of the nation ; give to
our senators wisdom, and overrule all
their doings for the glory of thy name,
and for the good of thy church. Amen.
" In my late visits to the children
of my sabbath school class, I have
often seen and heard what has afflict-
ed me much — that many children
appear to cherish little or no respect
for their parents, and openly show it
by acts of insubordination and diso-
bedience ! Surely there must be some
fault in the parents ; there must be
some radical fault in their method of
training, or their children would be
more respectful and obedient. This
mismanagement of children at home
through the week must be one grand
cause of the failure which, in so many
instances, attends the system of sab-
bath school instruction. The labours
of the sabbath are more than counter-

GRACE KING. 177

balanced by the neglect, mismanage-
ment, and example of the week. O
that parents were wTise, and would
strive to 'train up their children in
the way in which they should go.'

" But still, the bad example and
wrong treatment of parents do not ex-
onerate the children from blame, be-
cause they are better instructed, and
have opportunities of learning their
duty, which the unhappy parents
perhaps never had. In this day, chil-
dren have ■ line upon line, and precept
upon precept ;' and are, therefore,
under obligation both to know and
practise their duty. x

" I shall henceforth feel it to be my
duty to urge upon the children of my
class more strongly than ever the ob-
servance of the 'first commandment
with promise.' I believe that the rela-
tion which children bear to parents, as
well as duty to God, renders obedience

12

178 GRACE KING.

to parents an imperative duty ; nor do
I believe that a child can neglect this
duty, so long as his parents live, and
be guiltless. The parent must be
obeyed in all things which are not
obviously wrong or sinful. Though
I have no natural parents, yet I feel
that I owe love and obedience to the
dear friends who have protected, sus-
tained, and educated the poor orphan ;
and I would not dare to do any thing
without their consent. Lord, ever
give me judgment to know, and grace
to discharge with faithfulness all my
relative duties !

" I see the proud children of fashion
shining in the gay trappings of dress,
but I envy not their enjoyment. I
see the children of this world strivino-
with some success, to heap up gold
as dust, and to ■ add house to house,
and field to field ;' yet I covet not their
wealth. I am fully convinced that

GRACE KING. 179

the honours, the pleasures, and the
riches of this world — yes, that every
thing beneath the sun, is ' vanity and
vexation of spirit.' I feel dead to this
world ; I am ' crucified to the world,'
and, through the knowledge of my
Lord, ' the world is crucified to me.'
Through the faith of the gospel I see
1 an inheritance which is incorruptible
and undefiled, and which fadeth not
away ;' and this is the possession after
which I seek, and which it is my bu-
siness to pursue. I am conscious that
life is uncertain, that a few days or
hours may dissolve my connection
with this world, and that after death
present enjoyments will have no in-
terest for me. I thank God, who has
'begotten me to a lively hope,' and
has fixed my affections on the impe-
rishable things of the eternal world.
By faith I am already released from
the influence of present sensible

180 GRACE KING.

objects, and am permitted to ' sit in
heavenly places' in Christ. By faith
I frequently visit the innumerable
company before the throne of God,
and hold communion with angels and
the spirits of the just, for my ' conver-
sation is in heaven.' I often look up,
and say,

' There is my house and portion fair ;
My treasure and my heart are there,

And my abiding home :
For me the elder brethren stay,
And angels beckon me away,

And Jesus bids me come.'

O my Father and God, I thank thee
for such seasons of refreshing ; this
is angels' food, and the earnest of my
future inheritance.

" I met this day a number of youth
of my own age, who all appear to
have set ' their faces Zionward ;' most
of them believe they have found the
Saviour, and the others seem resolved

GRACE KING. 181

to seek him ' with all the heart.' I
spoke to them individually, and gave
them the best advice I was able. I
urged upon them the necessity of
being obedient to their parents, of
reading the New Testament often,
of being diligent in business, and
of praying much to God, and depend-
ing wholly on his grace. We united in
prayer, and my soul was completely
melted to love and sympathy ; I felt
that I could spend and be spent for
the good of these children. O thou
great Shepherd of the sheep, look in
compassion upon these lambs of thy
flock ; protect, guide, and feed them ;
and when weary, ' gather them with
thine arm, and carry them in thy bo-
som.' We concluded by singing the
following hymn :

' Honour, and thanks, and love, and praise,
O Lord, to thee be given,
By all thy blood-bought chosen race ;
By all, in earth and heaven.

182 GRACE KING.

Thy ceaseless grace extends to all

The creatures of thy hand ;
But most to those who on thee call

And bow to thy command.

We are the objects of thy care,

And never-ending love ;
Thou art our sun, and polar star,

To guide us safe above.

Thou art to us benignly near, —

Our refuge and support ;
And when assailed, by foe or fear,

We can to thee resort.

Therefore, to thee, our sovereign Godx

We give devoutest praise ;
Redeemed and saved by Jesus' blood,

We '11 serve thee all our days.'

" I fear that I still labour, and in
in no small degree, under the influ-
ence of a temper which strongly pro-
claims the remains of depravity in my
heart, and the imperfection of my
Christian character. I mean prejudice
against those Christians who differ
with me on doctrinal points. This is

GRACE KING. 183

is a fault against which Mr. G. has
repeatedly warned me, and against
which I have always determined to
guard. Though by many it may be
thought innocent, nothing appears
more despicable to me than bigotry.
This afternoon furnished an oppor-
tunity of testing the extent of my Ca-
tholicism. A female friend invited

me to go and hear the Rev. . I

complied, but did not find that satis-
faction which I believe I should if I
had heard a man of much inferior
talent of my own persuasion. The
voice, the manner, and the language
of the preacher, were really superior ;
and his subject was one about which
all Christians agree ; and yet, in spite
of my better judgment, I kept think-
ing, ' You do not know and preach the
whole truth.' Now I am convinced
that the Rev. is a man of unaf-
fected piety, and an able and success-

184 GRACE KINO.

ful preacher ; still, I cannot hear the
truth from him with the satisfaction I
can from one who believes as I do.
Is not this the offspring of bigotry ?
I really wish to possess ' the charity
which hopeth all things, which en-
dureth all things, and which never
faileth ;' and the benevolence which
embraces the whole family of man.

0 thou most indulgent Lord God, who
art thyself the fountain of all excel-
lence and grace, satisfy the benevolent
desire with which thou hast inspired
me, and graciously fill me with the
loving mind that was in Jesus ! Amen.

" My poor mind has been greatly
afflicted to-day, by the conduct of
father G/s servant girl. She made a
statement to me this morning, which

1 soon discovered to be false. On
being called up to account for it, she
very boldly gave me the lie, protest^
ing repeatedly that she never made

GRACE KING. 185

such a statement. Although my dear
friends hesitated not to believe my re-
presentation of the facts in the case,
yet the open and persevering denial
of Mary gave me a sensation to which
I had previously been a stranger.
Bad as I knew human nature to be, I
was not prepared to meet any thing
like this in a young female.

11 Father G. said to Mary, ' He that
telleth lies shall not tarry in my
sight ;' and she was promptly dis-
charged. She had been but a short
time in our family.

" Lying, I thank God, is a vice to
which I do not remember that I was
ever inclined. One of the first direc-
tions given me was, ' Never tell a lie.1
Lying is a sin which, when detected,
never fails to bring shame and discre-
dit. It is a sin against which the dis-
pleasure of Heaven has been most
signally displayed, as we see in the

186 GRACE KING.

leprosy of Gehazi, and in the death
of Ananias and Sapphira. See
2 Kings v, 20, and Acts v, 1 — 11.
We are instructed by the Scriptures,
that • lying lips are an abomination
to the Lord ;' and that all ' liars have
their part in the lake which burneth
with fire and brimstone.' O my Sa-
viour, plant truth in my inward parts,
and let me always speak in the strict
integrity of my heart.

" The latter part of this day I spent
at the house of Mr. S. A. V., where
we were favoured with the company
and conversation of the Rev. Mr. B.,
an old veteran in the army of our com-
mon Lord. He was converted to God
when very young, and he studied me-
dicine with the view of entering upon
the practice. But God had other work
for him ; and he has now been an ac-
ceptable and successful preacher of
the gospel for nearly fifty years. His

GRACE KING. 187

venerable bead is silvered over witb
the frosts of nearly eighty winters ;
but Jesus is still precious to his soul ;
he loves still to speak of the Saviour,
and his conversation is eminently
adapted to minister grace to those that
hear him. He entertained us with
several narratives of conversions, to
which he had been a witness, and
which were the fruit of his ministerial
labours. During the relation he would
frequently exclaim, 'Not unto me,
not unto me, but unto thy name be
all the praise, O my God.' He told
us truly, that he feels all the infirmi-
ties consequent on age. ' Bat,' said
he, ' I feel as strong desires to labour
for the glory of God and the good of
souls as I did in my youth, and I am
determined to bear my testimony for
my Saviour and his truth as long as
memory and strength shall serve me.'
Head of the church, continue to fur-

188 GRACE KING.

nish thy people with a succession of
such competent, resolute, and untiring-
pastors !

"When I entered the church this
morning I felt somewhat disappointed
to find the pulpit occupied by the Rev.
D. L., for I had not been apprized of
his engagement. However, though I
did not hear the person I expected,
still I obtained a blessing. Mr. L.
generally has something to say which
is interesting to the true believer. His
sermon in the morning was on the
Christianas treasure. In his illustra-
tion he remarked, ■ God is the be-
liever's Father; Christ is his in all
his fulness and relations ; the Holy
Spirit is his in all his saving influ-
ence; the ministry is his, given for
his assistance and comfort ; the pro-
mises are his in all their variety and
fulness ; trials and sufferings work for
his present and endless good ; the or-

GRACE KING. 189

dinances of God's house are his ; an-
gels are his ministering servants ; and
he is heir of a kingdom and a crown
of life.' Such is the treasure of the
true Christian. O Lord, create me
anew after thy image, and enable me
to walk worthy of this high calling !

" His sermon in the afternoon was
on ' the means of promoting a growth
in holiness.' On this subject he di-
rected us to ' a diligent and faithful
attendance on the means of grace ; a
methodical and attentive reading" of
the Scriptures ; sincere, earnest, and
persevering prayer in our closets
and social interviews ; watchfulness
against every temper, &c, which
might grieve the Spirit, and bring
darkness upon the mind ; maintenance
of a realizing sense of the awful con-
cerns of eternity, of the sufferings of
Christ for our sins, and of our infinite
obligations to God ; and, lastly, to be

190 GRACE KING.

much engaged with each other in con-
versing on experimental and practical
religion.' These are golden direc-
tions, which I wish to hide in my
heart, and to exemplify in my prac-
tice. O Thou, from whom all good
proceedeth, carry on thy good work
in my soul, till thou hast made me
fully meet for thy glorious presence
in heaven !

"In the evening the preacher took
for his text, ' It is appointed unto men
once to die.' He was not very me-
thodical in the arrangement of his
subject ; but, from the notes which I
tried to make, I gather the following
thoughts : ' Death, which is the con-
sequence of sin, is the dissolution of
the union of the soul and body ; the
separation of these old companions.
It is the certain lot of all men; for "it
is appointed unto man to die." By
death we are finally separated from

GRACE KING. 191

all the enjoyments, possessions, and
delights of this world, as well as from
all the pains and annoyances of it. It
separates us from our nearest and
dearest friends ; it puts an end to all
opportunities of knowing God and
finding his mercy ; it puts a period to
the Christian's opportunities of glori-
fying God, and of doing good to men;
it brings to an eternal close all the
pains, troubles, temptations, cares, and
sorrows of the saints. As death is
common to men, it is perhaps near at
hand, and may come upon us when
not expected ! Death will open a
terrible scene to the wicked, but a
joyous and delightful one to the
righteous. It fixes the everlasting
destiny of all men !' After carefully
considering these thoughts, I can,
through grace, say, death is not l the
king of terrors' to me ; I cannot look
upon him as my enemy ! I thank my

192 GRACE KING.

Lord the ' sting of death' is extracted.
Being persuaded of my interest in
Christ, of the existence of a work of
grace in my heart, and of the never-
failing protection of my Father above,
I look upon death as a messenger of
peace, sent to release me from sin
and suffering. Glory be to God !

" This day I fell into the company
of a lady who is a professed Socinian ;
and she talked a great deal on a sub-
ject of which she appeared to me to
have no clear conceptions. The sub-
ject of her conversation was 'the
person of Christ;' and she said, ' He
is God by office and investiture.' I
simply observed, 'Madam, you appear
to me to make the blessed Saviour
inferior to the Father.' She instantly
replied, with some degree of warmth,
' I do so, and I have the high autho-
rity of the words of Christ for so
doing; he says, "My Father is greater

GRACJi KINO*. 193

than I ;" what will you do with that
saying f Conceiving it to be of little
use to contend with an opponent so
warm, I contented myself with re-
marking, * That person must have
read the Holy Bible to little purpose
who had failed to notice that our
Lord is there styled " The great God"
il The mighty God" and * The only
wise God" ' The proper, eternal, and
underived Godhead of Jesus Christ is
a doctrine in which I am a firm be-
liever! It is a fundamental truth,
the knowledge and belief of which is
essential to Christian salvation, and
it is a doctrine which is as clearly
and fully revealed as any other doc-
trine of divine revelation. Who can
read the Bible without seeing that
the names, the attributes, the works,
and the worship of Deity, are claimed
by the Saviour, and ascribed to him
by the sacred writers? If I did

13

194 GRACE KING.

not believe Jesus Christ to be more
than man, and more than God by
office and delegation I should not dare
to trust my eternal interests in his
hands ; for it is written, ' Cursed is
man that trusteth in man, and that
maketh flesh his arm.' Blessed Jesus,
I conceive of thee as 'God over all,
blessed for ever ;' and I worship thee,
saying, ' My Lord and my God.'

" I have just returned from a pre-
cious visit to Mrs. S. W. This old
lady is, indeed, ' a mother in Israel.'
Her acquirements qualify her to give
instruction and counsel, and her years
and experience give authority to all
she says. While young she received
a superior education, and has been
improving all her days. Ever
since the bankruptcy of her father
and husband, once opulent merchants,
threw her upon her own resources,
she has been called to pass through

GRACE KING. 195

deep waters. She has been a credit-
able member of the church for forty
years. Possessing naturally a weak
constitution, and exposed to many
hardships, she has learned much in
the school of affliction. She has suf-
fered much during twelve years from
chronic rheumatism; but, by the bless-
ing of Providence in the use of means,
she is now almost entirely relieved.
" The few hours I have spent with
this precious saint will, I trust, be
long remembered, and duly improved
by me. The account which she gave
me of her conversion, of her subse-
quent temptations, trials, and deliver-
ances, and of her present views, feel-
ings, and purposes, served to confirm
my faith, and to call forth devout re-
solutions. Mrs. W. gave me pertinent
advice in reference to my reading, stu-
dies, and general conduct, which I
wish to treasure up in my mind, and

1-6 GRACE KING.

to reduce to practice. She is. evi-
dently, a woman deeply versed in the

knowledge of human nature, and in
the things which n to the king-

dom of God Taking her for all in

all I never may ;look upon her like
again.' Should I be spared to see
the years of Mrs. Wl, I wish I may

have the happiness to look back on
the display of as much prudence,
piety, and practical holiness, as has
been seen in her. Well, have I not
the same Saviour exhibited to my
sight, the same throne of grace to
applv to, and the same all-sufficient
grace to support and strengthen me ?
If I am not wanting to myself, there
is no reason whv I mavnot be as holy
and useful as she is. The King's
highway of holiness is before me ; I
see it clearly, and, I thank God. I feel
disposed I alk therein. 0 Thou,
who art mv strength and salvation, do

GRACE KING. 197

thou ' uphold me by the right hand of
thy righteousness.'

" I feel my mind very solemnly af-
fected by what I have this day been
called to witness. Our church has
been under the necessity of expelling
from her communion two members,
who have held a long and creditable
standing. When the minister rose to
read the notice of their expulsion, he
made a number of judicious and feel-
ing remarks, which I hope will be ren-
dered a lasting blessing to me, and to
all who heard them. Amonor other
things he observed, • The nature and
notoriety of the offence for which the
two members are expelled render the
disagreeable task of public notice of
their expulsion necessary; for they
that sin before all must be reproved
and punished before all, that all may
fear to sin.' And he expressed a hope
1 that this public announcement of

198 GRACE KING.

their expulsion would tend to the
honour of the Christian cause, and to
the ultimate benefit of the parties ex-
cluded.' I think it is an awful thing
to be expelled from the communion of
the church; for when this is done ac-
cording to the order of God, it is rati-
fied in heaven ; • What ye bind on
earth,' says our Lord, ' shall be bound
in heaven.' I have been graciously
preserved from those outward and
scandalous sins which would expose
me to the censure of the church ; yet
I know not but my lukewarmness and
short-comings have rendered me as
deserving of expulsion as some others.
O my God, have mercy on me, and
sanctify this exercise of discipline to
the good of the church, to the offend-
ers, and to me !

" I still find that private intercourse
with God is my chief source of com-
fort and stability ; I am indeed edified

GRACE KING. 199

and cheered in public means, and in.
religious conversation with the saints ;
but my greatest and mostlasting bless-
ings are found in my closet. When-
ever I seclude myself from sensible
things, meditate on the doctrines of
Christ, and make known my wants to
God, I am made to forget the toils
and ills of life, and empowered to run
the path of duty with alacrity and joy.
In this secret intercourse with Heaven
I am sometimes as it were transport-
ed to the celestial world. There I
survey with rapture the munificent
provision, and the glorious society.
In my seclusion I sit and feast on an-
gels' food ; this is the food 'the world
knoweth not of.' ■ Truly our fellow-
ship is with the Father, and with his
son Jesus Christ.' Bless the Lord,
O my soul, for these foretastes of
eternal life ; and may I ever be ready

200 GRACE KING.

to testify to all the sweetness of com-
munion with God.

"This is the day on which the
church celebrates the most important
event that ever took place on this
earth, viz., ' The birth of the Saviour.''
This event, indeed, ought to be re-
membered and thankfully acknow-
ledged every day; but as the church
has consented to fix on this day for
the Christmas festival, I will unite
with the redeemed, and record my
gratitude to Him who 'so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten
Son,' and will say, with a glad heart,
1 Thanks be unto God for his unspeak-
able gift .'

" We had a meeting for prayer this
morning at ^ixe o'clock. It was well
attended ; and He who once came to be
cradled in a manger, came now to the
temple of every heart. My dear fa-
ther G. was filled to overflowing ; and

GRACE KING, 201

all the way home he continued to ex-
claim, ' Glory to God in the highest !
and peace upon earth!' At eleven
o'clock Mr. B. gave us an edifying
discourse on ' This is a faithful say-
ing, and worthy of all acceptation,
that Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners.' He noticed, first,
the saying, ' that Christ Jesus came
into the world,' and that he came * to
save sinners' Secondly, he undertook
to demonstrate the faithfulness, or
truth of this saying : and, thirdly, he
expatiated on the apostle's inference,
| It is worthy of all acceptation.' This,
for a young man, was a well-timed,
and an excellent sermon.

While hundreds around me spent
the afternoon and evening of this day
in a way that desecrates the Christian
festival, I retired to my room, and
held fellowship with God. O, could
I persuade the giddy tribes of men to

202 GRACE KING.

forego their pleasures, and join me in
my pursuits, how great for the better
would be the change in their lives and
feelings ! If the sons of unbelief
could conceive one half what I feel
and enjoy, it appears to me that they
would give no sleep to their eyes, nor
slumber to their eyelids, until they were
partakers of a bliss so great ! Human
language is too poor to convey a just
view of my enjoyment, or I would at-
tempt the description. It is a height
I cannot reach, a depth I cannot fa-
thom, and a breadth I cannot com-
pass! I must content myself with
saying, it is a ' peace which passeth
understanding,' and a 'joy which is
unspeakable !' But I would say to
all, ' O taste and see that the Lord is
good, for his mercy endureth for ever V
" Lo, I am spared to begin a new
year. Last evening I felt my heart
deeply engaged with God. I took a

GRACE KING. 203

survey of his mercy and grace mani-
fested through the last year. I thought
on my coldness, failings, and sins, and
I promised to do better if my heaven-
ly father would give me grace, and
spare me to enter on another year. I
wish now to covenant anew with the
Lord. O my God, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, one God, I give myself,
my soul and body, my time and ta-
lents, all to thee. Be pleased to ac-
cept the offering, and

• Seal me, thine abode,
The temple of indwelling God.'

I will try to do better ; I will pray
more, be more watchful, be more faith-
ful in reproving sin, in instructing the
ignorant, and in serving the Lord.
Lord help me, or I shall break my
vows, for I am perfect weakness. Sa-
viour, be thou my strength.

" This day's experience has served
to convince me that there are still

204 GRACE KING.

within me the remains of the carnal
mind, and that the graces of the Spi-
rit have not yet attained maturity. I
felt this day the risings of pride and
impatience, which I believe are not
felt by the ' spirits of just men made
perfect' in heaven. If these tempers
have no place in the glorified, then
they must be rooted up, and cast out
of my heart, before I can join the so-
ciety above. Have I not reason to
look and seek for the perfecting of
the work of holiness which I know
my heavenly Father has begun in
me 1 I have ; for the apostle tells
me, ; This is the will of God, even
your sanctiflcation ;' and he adds,
' Faithful is he who hath promised,
who also will do it.' This, surely, is
reason sufficient to justify me in seek-
ing to be ' cleansed from all unright-
eousness.' He hath promised ! Yes,
blessed be his name, he hath pro-

GRACE KING. 205

mised, 'I will sprinkle clean water
upon you, and ye shall be clean ;
from all your filthiness and from all
your idols will I cleanse you ; I will
take away the heart of stone, and give
you a heart of flesh.' Having this,
and many similar promises, I wall
pray that I may have all the mind
which was in Christ. If I were more
holy, more like my divine Saviour, I
should be more happy and more use-
ful; for holiness and usefulness are
inseparably connected. I thank thee,

0 Lord, for what thou hast done, and

1 trust in thee for the perfecting of
the work.

" The Rev. J. B. preached this
afternoon, and his sermon served
greatly to extend my views of the
divine character, and to give me a
clearer knowledge of the Christian life.
The text maybe found 1 Peter v, 10:
' The God of all grace who hath

206 GRACE KING.

called us unto his eternal glory, by
Christ Jesus, after that ye have
suffered,' &c. ' The God of all grace.'
In speaking of the character of God,
he pointed to the grace displayed in
the magnificence, the beauty, and the
order of the universe, in the nume-
rous benevolent institutions esta-
blished in Christian nations and com-
munities, and in the rectitude, the
happiness, and the stability of the
heavenly hosts ; and then observed,
'All this grace proceeds from Him
who is " the God of all grace." ' He
then referred to the goodness mani-
fested in the stupendous works of
creation, providence, and redemption,
and remarked, ' These are the works
of Him who is "the God of all grace."
In speaking of the end of the Chris-
tian's call, or journey, viz., ' God's
eternal glory, he appeared to me like
one who had accompanied St. Paul

GRACE KING, 207

to the third heavens, and had obtained
permission and ability to describe
what the holy apostle thought it not
lawful to utter ! His conceptions were
lofty, his language figurative, and his
manner highly animated. I cannot
put such descriptions on paper. He
now proceeded to speak of the Chris-
tian's call or journey to the eternal
glory as a way of holiness and needful
suffering ; and he showed how suffer-
ings, if borne with a proper spirit, and
improved with Christian prudence,
tend to the perfection, confirmation,
and establishment of Christian cha-
racter. This idea he illustrated by
reference to the case of David, who
says, ' It was good for me to be af-
flicted ; for before I was afflicted I
went astray,' &c. ; and by that of Job,
who says, ■ When he hath tried me,
I shall come forth as gold seven
times purified.' Finally, in noticing

208 GRACE KING.

the medium of the Christian's call to
God's eternal glory, the preacher re-
marked, that ' though the atonement
of Christ is the procuring cause of
the redemption and salvation of all
who finally attain heaven, yet the
pious heathen may be said to be called
to God's eternal glory by the law of
nature ; and the pious Jew, by the ob-
servance of the ceremonial law of
Moses.' He then contrasted the seve-
ral dispensations of religious light, in
order to excite us to gratitude for the
high privilege of being called to God's
eternal glory ' by Christ Jesus.' This,
indeed, is but a poor attempt to de-
scribe a sermon which inspired me
with feelings and sentiments which
I have not power to express. O my
heavenly Father, thy love and grace
infinitely surpass all human concep-
tion ; all that we can say of thee is,
'Thou art the God of all grace.'

GRACE KINO. 209

* O that the world might taste and see
The riches of thy grace !
The arms of love that compass me
Would all mankind embrace !'

" Our minister met the members of
the church this afternoon, and gave
an address which I hope will not soon
be forgotten. He began by stating,
that the maintenance of a strictly
Christian deportment by the members
of the church is essentially necessary
to the prosperity of the cause of God.
1 Ye are the salt of the earth/ and
'Ye are the light of the world/ are
Scripture declarations, which prove
this proposition. He then remarked
that Christians ought to be circum-
I sped in what some may deem little
| things, as well as in such as are great;
I for, ' He that despiseth little things
shall fall by little and little.' Besides,
irregularities in little things are mark-
ed by the world, and are made to reflect

210 GRACE KflTG.

discredit on both our persons and our
religion. Thus we see how, by little
things, we may ' hinder the gospel of
Christ/ He proceeded to notice, as
among what some call little things —
' Lightness, or levity in manners and
conversation ; impatience under disap-
pointments, and the contradiction of
sinners ; evil speaking, or telling
things to the disadvantage of absent
persons ; want of promptness and fide-
lity in discharging debts and fulfilling
contracts ; indulging in luxurious liv-
ing ; extravagance in furniture and
dress ; and uncourteous treatment of
our brethren and fellow men.' He
enlarged most feelingly on each of
these particulars/'

The following is an extract from
a letter which Grace addressed, about
this period of her life, to a young fe-
male friend, who, it appears, was me-

GRACE KING. 211

ditating a visit which Grace did not
approve. As it furnishes strong evi-
dence of her benevolent heart, and of
her deep solicitude for the safety and
welfare of her friend ; and, above all,
as it may be read with profit by my
youthful readers, I shall offer no apo-
logy for giving it here.

My Dear Sister, — As you have
determined to leave the circle of your
friends for a time, and accompany
Miss L. to B , permit me to fur-
nish you with some evidence of my
love and of my concern for your wel-
fare, by giving a few words of ad-
vice. In the first place, be resolved
to spend some time every morning,
noon, and night, in secret intercourse
with God. Retire from the family
where you may be into some secret
place, and there read your Bible, me-
ditate on the things of God, and pray

212 GRACE KINO.

fervently to ' Him who seeth in se-
cret ;' Matt, vi, 6. This will keep you
serious, and strengthen you against
temptation in company. Spend as
much of your time as possible with
your religious friends ; their conver-
sation will tend to your edification,
and will help to keep alive your reli-
gious impressions. ' He that walketh
with wise men shall be wise ; but a
companion of fools shall be destroyed.'
You will find the conversation of the
thoughtless to empoverish your soul
and depress your spirits. Embrace
every opportunity of attending on the
means of grace, such as the preaching
of the word, meetings for prayer, fel-
lowship meetings, the Lord's supper,
&c. Remember the way of duty is the
only way of safety. And go to all
the means with humble prayer, and
in full expectation of finding a bless-
ing ; for it will be done to you accord-

GRACE KING. 213

ing to your faith. Labour at all times
against a spirit of levity and trifling
conversation; these, if indulged, will
pierce your soul as a dagger, as they
have too often done mine. In order
to avoid levity, remember the profes-
sion which you make ; and, above
all, recollect, ' Thou God seest me !'
O live in the spirit of watchfulness
and prayer !

" Again, every evening when you
retire to rest, enter into a strict and
impartial examination of yourself.
Ask yourself the following, or similar
questions : Did I feel the presence
of God when I left my bed this morn-
ing? Did I then give him sincere
► and heartfelt thanks for his kind and
preserving care ? And did I pray fer-
vently that he would be with me, pro-
tect me, and keep me from sin through
the day? Have I duly improved
every opportunity which this day has

214 GRACE KING.

afforded for private prayer, reading
the Scriptures, meditation, religious
conversation, and attending the public
means of grace? Have I indulged
any thoughts, spoken any words, or
done any deeds this day which are
contrary to the spirit and letter of
God's law ? Have I been in any com-
pany that has not been profitable?
Have I done all I could for the honour
and prosperity of my Redeemer's !
cause? Do I now love God above
all things ? Are my desires for reli-
gious enjoyment growing stronger ?
Am I hungering and thirsting after
righteousness ? Urge these, or simi-
lar questions, coolly and seriously
upon your own heart every night, be- I
fore you dare to close your eyes in
sleep. .j

" You see that this is, in substance, \
the same counsel which I have often
given before : you know it all. But,

GRACE KING. 215

my dear S., I mention it now, t to stir
up your pure mind, by way of re-
membrance.' This, you know, is dic-
tated by the pure love of a sincere
friend. O, I wish to receive you
back after your visit as much devoted
to the service of God as you now are.
You say you love me ; I believe it.
Then let me entreat you, when you
think on your dear Grace, just to read
this little epistle over again, as an evi-
dence of your love. Farewell ; let us
meet every day at 'the throne of
grace' until we see each other again.
" Yours, affectionately,

" Grace King."

"In order to encourage myself to
continue the race on which I have en-
tered, I find it necessary to cast my
eye frequently to the glorious reward
promised to those who endure to the
end. This, I believe, was the practice

216 GRACE KING.

of Moses ; for it is said of him, ' He
had respect to the recompense of re-
ward.' I often think of the time when
I shall have a palm of victory put
into my hand, and a crown of glory
placed upon my head ; when I shall
be admitted to the society of an-
gels, and the spirits of just men made
perfect; when I shall be put into pos-
session of the incorruptible inherit-
ance, and when I shall be engaged in
singing the new immortal song, in the
immediate presence of my Saviour
and my God. How cheering, how
animating the thought !

1 Thrice blessed bliss ; inspiring hope ;
It lifts my fainting spirits up :
It brings to life the dead !'

If I hold fast the profession of my
faith without wavering, I shall soon
realize, in actual enjoyment, what I
now see by faith ; for

GRACE KING. 217

1 To patient faith the prize is sure ;
And all that to the end endure
The cross, shall wear the crown.'

But what am I, or how shall I endure
to the end ? I am perfect weakness ;
of myself I can do nothing ; I can en-
dure nothing. O, blessed Saviour,
be thou my strength and my deli-
verer !

"It is a thought which often cheers
my mind, that as a believer I have a
right, a gracious right, to plead and
look for the fulfilment of the divine
promises ; for ' they are all yea and
amen to them that are in Christ Je-
sus.' These promises, St. Peter says,
are 'great and precious.5 They are
so indeed in their origin, nature, me-
dium, condition, and efficacy. The
promises of man often originate in a
principle of selfishness, or fear, or
sense of justice ; but the promises of
God originate wholly in his mercy

218 GRACE KING.

and love ; they are promises of grace !
The medium through which these
promises are made and fulfilled to the
children of God is not prayer, or
moral worth, but the merits of the
blessed Jesus. ' The precious blood
of Christ' is the grand meritorious and
procuring cause of the promises. As
to the nature of the promises, they im-
part light to the ignorant, life to the
dead, strength to the weak, pardon to
the guilty, liberty to the captive, sanc-
tincation to the unholy, comfort to the
wretched, and eternal life to the hell-
deserving. There is no want we feel,
no circumstances in which we can be
placed, no duty to which we are called,
but there is a promise suited to our
case. The condition, on the perform-
ance of which the fulfilment of the
promises is suspended, is not the sa-
crifice of power, of wealth, or of
friends, but faith in the Lord Jesus

GRACE KING. 219

Christ, manifested by coming boldly
to the throne of grace. As to the
efficacy of these promises, they are
all-powerful to dispel our fears, to sup-
port us under afflictions, bereave-
ments, and temptations, to strengthen
our faith, to inspire our hearts with
joy, to elevate our hopes, and to pu-
rify our hearts. With what truth and
propriety then did the apostle call
them ' great and precious promises!'
For the above remarks I am indebted
to notes of a profitable sermon to
which I listened on the morning of
last sabbath. O may I cultivate a
still closer acquaintance with the pre-
cious book which is the repository of
the promises ; and in every time of
need may I have power to plead for
their fulfilment ! And O , my God, in-
spire my poor heart with sentiments
of love and gratitude to thyself as the
divine Author of the promises ! "

220 GRACE KING.

About this time Grace noticed
marks of penitency in a young friend
of her acquaintance, to whom she ad-
dressed the following sensible and
Scriptural lines : —

:,My Dear Friend. — I have long
felt deeply for the interests of your
soul, and have remembered vou con-
stantlv at the throne of nrace ; hence
vou will believe me when I say that
it gives me great ioy to learn that vou
have become serious, and, as I trust,
truly penitent. You are now in the
way of salvation ; and tasting the
1 wormwood and the gall." Be not dis-
couraged ; the blessed Saviour always
wounds before he heals, and he always
wounds in order to heal. If you be
willing to forsake all sin, to give up
the world and its fashionable amuse-
ments, to unite yourself with the peo-
ple of God, and to serve God with all

GRACE KING. 221

your heart, then be assured the bless-
ed Saviour is ready to receive you.
He stands in all his grace, and with
all his salvation before you, and says
to you, Come unto me, thou that art
weary of sin, and burdened with guilt,
and I will give thee rest, and will in
nowise cast thee out.

" Suffer me, my dear friend, to ask
you a few questions. Do you desire
salvation more than you desire any
other thing ? Are you willing to give
up every practice, pleasure, and
amusement, which vou know to be
sinful? Are you willing to endure
reproach from the wicked for right-
eousness' sake ? Are you now will-
ing to deny yourself, take up your
cross, and follow Jesus to the end of
life 1 Do you pray much to Him who
seeth in secret, and confess your
sins to him ? And are you conscious
that you cannot make satisfaction

222 GRACE KING.

to God for your past sins, or save
yourself ?

" If you can sincerely answer yes,
then I advise you to continue to seek,
trusting- only in the blood and merits
of Jesus. You are not far from the
kingdom of God ; your day of salva-
tion draws near. O, my dear friend,
expect it every moment ! Do not rest
satisfied with any thing short of a full
and sensible deliverance ; a liberty
which you can feel, and in which you
can rejoice ! Many sincere seekers
of salvation rest satisfied without this,
and this is the reason why they never
get it. ' Ask, and you shall receive ;
seek, and you shall find ; for every
one that seeketh findeth, and to every
one that knocketh it shall be opened.'
" Yours, respectfully,

" Grace King."

" This day a book fell in my way,

GRACE KING. 223

In which the author labours to show-
that the doctrine of an over-ruling'
providence is not true. He affects to
believe 'that the care of the uni-
verse, and the creatures that people
it, is an employment too mean for the
infinite Jehovah.' Though I am not
familiar with the arguments which
may be drawn from reason, history,
and philosophy, in defence of the
Christian belief in a providence, yet I
find myself amply sustained in this
belief by the language of Scripture.
Here I learn, that He who made the
universe deigns still to interest him-
self in its government ; and that man
receives neither good nor evil of a
natural kind, but by either his appoint-
ment or permission. I cannot see how
it can be considered beneath the dig-
nity of God to care for men and ani-
mals, seeing he did not consider it
beneath his dignity to make them.

224 GRACE KING.

Many of God's providences are con-
fessedly dark to us ; but the great day
of judgment and recompense will
make every thing clear. The writer
of this book admits that the Maker of
all things has given to them certain
and fixed laws, by which order, and
the succession of seasons and days
are brought about. Now this is what
I call providence. Yes, I rejoice to
know that ' the Lord reigneth ; and I
would, with the Psalmist, bid ' the
earth rejoice' on that account. I am
taught to believe that the providence
of God is so particular, that the very
hairs of my head are numbered, and
that a sparrow cannot fall to the
ground without my heavenly Father's
notice. Blessed Lord, thine ' eyes are
over the righteous, and thine ears
open to their prayers !'

" A few more weeks will complete
my fourteenth year ; and of those

GRACE KING. 225

years nearly eight have been spent in
attempting to love and serve the Lord.
During these years I have often been
troubled with coldness and want of
spiritual life. But, I thank my God,
I have never intentionally and wick-
edly departed from him ; and I have
always possessed confidence in him
as my Father and my God ! I know
that my improvement in knowledge
and holiness has not been equal to
my privileges. My God, I feel ashamed
and humbled before thee. O, if spared
any longer, may the time past suffice
me ; and may my future improvement
bear some due proportion to my ad-
vantages ! Stand by me, O my Re-
deemer, and preserve me from the
hands of my enemies ; support me
under all afflictions, and strengthen
me for all thy will!"

This is the last entry in the diary
of Grace King ; for the closing scenes

15

226 GRACE KING.

of her life we refer to the first part of
the work. Now, my youthful readers,
I take my leave of you, praying that
you may be like Grace King, both in
her life and death. Amen.

We will conclude our brief history
of Grace King by giving an extract
from the copy of a letter which she
addressed to a relative of Mr. G.'s
family, who, though he had been re-
ligiously educated, still continued to
neglect the one thing needful. This
letter was written on the day Grace
was taken sick, and, probably, is the
last article which she indited. It was
greatly blessed to the young gentle-
man, and was made the means of
awakening his mind.

" Why do you put off your repent-
ance, and defer attention to the inte-
rests of your soul until a future time ?
Are you looking for a future day that
shall furnish greater faculties for ob-

GRACE KING. 227

taming salvation, or that shall be beset
with fewer hinderances to your return
to God ? Is it reasonable for you to
expect the coming of such a day t Is
it at all probable that you will live to
see such a day ? Are the obstacles now
in your way really insurmountable ?
Are your present means and helps
really so inefficient that you cannot be
saved by their instrumentality? Is
not God as gracious now as he will
be at a future day ? Is not the Lord
Jesus as able and willing to save now
as he will be in future ? Is not ' the
precious blood of Christ' as effica-
cious now as it ever will be ?

■ If religion will ever be a blessing
to you, will it not be a blessing to
you now ? If conversion will be ne-
cessary to your safety at some future
time, is it not a matter of safety to
you now? If it will ever be your duty
to be religious, is it not your duty now?

228 GRACE KING.

And if it will ever be for your interest
to be religious, is it not your interest
to be religious now?

" I think I hear you answer, Yes !
And can you, after such an answer,
defer for another hour attending to
your duty, and the pursuit of your
highest interest ? O, I beseech you,
by the worth of your soul, by the
joys of heaven, by the miseries of
hell, by the mercy of God, by the
cross of Christ, and by the danger of
delay, that you trifle no longer ! Now,
yes, now give your heart to God !"

THE END.

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