the heart's-ease. 207 



altogether identified, as it were, with those engaged 

 in spiritual conflict, or crowned with spiritual vic- 

 tory, exactly answers to the picture that my imagi- 

 nation had drawn, of perfect sympathy with the 

 effect produced by the day-beam on that cheerless 

 sky — cheerless no longer. 



It is, no doubt, a delicate and a difficult subject , 

 the manner in which the Lord works in families. 

 Some, who are not strongly opposed to divine 

 truth, while their hearts remain untouched by con- 

 verting grace, do unquestionably build a treacher- 

 ous hope for themselves, founded on the religion 

 of others. They regard their pious connexion in 

 the light of mediators, calculating on their prayers 

 to help them out in the last extremity ; and believ- 

 ing that, for the sake of such, his faithful servants, 

 God will have mercy on them also. I am often 

 afraid, by saying too much on the blessedness of 

 beholding the good leaven even partially introduc- 

 ed, to foster this perilous error : but so enumerable 

 are the cases where I witness the rapid extension 

 of divine knowledge, in families where but one 

 has been first enlightened, that I cannot refrain 

 from trying to speak words of cheer to those who 

 are praying and watching for the souls of their 

 dearest connexions. Our views of God's mercy, 

 his power, and willingness to save, are most 

 wretchedly, most insultingly low ; and where that 

 awful doctrine which represents him as having 



