"I remember once of your complaining that you had made small progress in knowledge, in comparison of a young person that had just left you; but you checked yourself, and said, 'The Lord has given me faith, let me be thankful.' I at that time considered your departure as very near, and advised you to keep your eye fixed on Christ, as your Redeemer and Saviour, who had performed all things for you, and would perfect all that concerned you; and added, one hour in heaven will make you wiser than the most enlightened saint on earth. Since that it has pleased your Lord to add many days to your life. He has mitigated your pain, and given you some intervals of ease and composure, and our dear Eliza has grown in that time. Should it please God to spare you for a yet longer season, and continue your intervals of ease, no subject can be so profitable; and I hope your Lord will make it pleasant as that of the contents of the New Testament, which your Saviour bequeathed to you, sealed and ratified in his blood. There is a vast variety of precious promises contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which are all yours with Christ; for, as a member of his body, 'you are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.' And now I commend you to your own covenant God, who does and will support you, through life and through
death, to that happy land where we shall all meet; and Oh then, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things he hath prepared for them that love him.
"I am, with much love and affection, yours,
"I. GRAHAM."
To Mr. James Todd, New York.
"ROCKAWAY, Long Island.
"MY DEAR JAMES — This will probably be handed you by our mutual friend Mrs. C——. The thought of her being with you, makes me part with her with less reluctance. You have not been forgotten by either; we have talked much of you, and have united in prayer to your and our God, that he may manifest himself unto you as your reconciled Father in Christ Jesus; and give you 'joy and peace in believing' — that he may give you patience in suffering, and entire resignation to his most holy will.
"It has, my dear young friend, been my earnest inquiry, especially of late years, standing on the brink of eternity, 'What is there within us, or without us, on which a sinner can rest in a dying hour?' If it be a holy life, there is no peace for me. Taking the law of God for my rule, backslider is my name; yet peace I have found, and on the best Security; this blessed Bible is my charter. I have searched it with diligence and prayer, and my mind is confirmed in the following truths: That the whole world is become guilty before God, and is under his wrath and curse on that account. This is our state: a miserable state it is, and as hopeless as miserable, for any thing we can do merely of ourselves. But I read in this Bible to the full amount of the following conclusions — that in the counsel of
the mysterious Triune Jehovah, Jesus Christ, the second person of the incomprehensible Trinity, was sanctified, or set apart to become the Saviour of law-condemned sinners, to take their nature upon him, comply with the requisitions of the eternal immutable law of God, and become their surety. Man is a rebel, it is put to his account: a penalty is incurred — He, as their surety, is made liable. Are they again to be made heirs of eternal life? Perfect obedience is the condition — and of Him, as their surety, it is demanded. All this being fulfilled, sinners are become his property: he has paid their debt, and merited for them eternal life, all in their own nature, as their Head and representative; so that believers are complete in him. This is the righteousness of God, wrought out by Jesus Christ, in his own person, God-man, as their surety. To this nothing of the believer's is to be added — with this nothing of his mixed; it is for ever perfect; entirely distinct from that holiness of heart and life which is wrought in him in consequence of this. God has declared himself well pleased with this righteousness, and that being himself reconciled, he is in Christ Jesus reconciling sinners to him.
"Hence all the invitations scattered thick in the Old and New Testament, not only to the penitent, weary, and heavy laden, but to the stout-hearted, the backslider, to them that are wearying themselves in their own way. 'Ho, every one that thirsteth' — 'Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,' Hence all the promises annexed to believing, accepting, receiving, trusting, resting: Christ the Saviour is the object — the gift of God to sinners for all the above purposes. The Lord has convinced me that I have