the Lord poured sweet consolation into my soul, my heart was softened, and I believe melted down into the will of God. I gave myself freely and solemnly into His hands! God was indeed with me: I had a powerful view of His universal love. I had great comfort in the thought that I cannot be where He is not! I felt a blessed assurance that my name was written on His hands, and that in all my sorrow He still remembered me; and I knew that however I might be circumstanced in future, I could do all things through Christ strengthening me!' I had several opportunities for private prayer in the evening. I found myself in want of it, for now that my spirit was relieved, I was getting too much at ease and inattentive. It was impressed on my mind to retire into my room and pray, but an enemy whispered, 'Not now; it will be better to go a little while hence.' I complied, and thus was in a great measure shorn of my strength, for though I did retire some time after, I found my faith weakened, and that blessed degree of light and power withdrawn. I did not recover it, but fell asleep at night with some uneasiness on my mind.

"27th. When I retired to my room an accusing spirit (but I believe it was from God) pierced my soul. My unfaithfulness,-my littleness of concern for the souls of others, and many such reflections rushed upon my mind. I saw the vanity of every earthly thing, and the folly of tampering but for a moment between God and the world. I was in an agony of grief, of self-condemnation, and of fear lest souls should suffer through my coldness and neglect.

"Feb. 6th. I think a degree of self-confidence

has crept into my spirit, and I always find it is not any thing we feel, not energy, nor any thing else in which we may rest, but on Christ Jesus. For by resting in that powerful activity of mind which I this morning felt, I found before evening that I had strayed, and that not only my intercourse with heaven was damped, but the vigour of my mind declining. What would it avail to go through worldly employments ever so well, if we lose our communion with God, or even a measure of it? It is merciful in the Lord to give us that degree of relish for temporal things that enables us to perform our relative duties, and go through every necessary employment with pleasure. But in this, as well as in other things, I find it truly needful to look to God, for when I forget my dependence I become languid, indolent, and weak.

"7th. When to-day at chapel they sang the hymn, 'There we shall see His face, and never never sin,' my heart was softened; I longed for the time to come when I shall be pure and perfect,— never grieve the Spirit of God, never in thought or word sin against Him; but see Him as He is, and become like Him.

"Awoke at six, and felt uneasy that I had overslept the time for the meeting. I knew very well, however, that it was best for me now to rise, and offer my morning sacrifice to God. I was tempted to try to sleep again, and complied, but was quite restless. My mind appeared to have very little disposition to spiritual employment, therefore I continued to delay. When I had reasoned backward and forward, and trifled away half-an-hour, it was brought to my mind what I had sung at the covenant, All, all my happy hours I consecrate

to thee,' and then the bar was broken, and I arose. When I had poured out my soul in prayer to God, peace again entered my heart. These may seem trifling things to write about, but I believe the souls of men are often destroyed by overlooking what at first appears to be of small importance. But do they not mistake? Can any act of disobedience to the laws of religion be accounted as such idleness is an act of disobedience, and its consequences are melancholy: it destroys the work of the Spirit in the heart, damps every vigorous, every lovely principle, and unfits both soul and body for the Christian warfare.

"26th. The recollection of (what I believe was) a deep-rooted attachment, which was some time since for ever broken off, would return and bring a degree of suffering to my mind; but I am deeply convinced that good is the will of the Lord. He has given me power even to rejoice that my will is thus forcibly broken, that I may give myself to Him, that He may choose for me. We met band in the evening: my band-mates, as well as myself, thought I had not as much simplicity, love, and zeal as I once had; and in endeavouring to find out the cause we freely opened our minds to each other. I conceived one hinderance in myself to be a want of freedom from caring about future things. I ought to learn to live to-day, and leave to

morrow.

"March 1st. I think I understand what a friend of mine means, when he speaks of the poor souls that lose their way in a dark and cloudy day. Oh, how I can feel for them! Surely it is by a higher power than man that we are for a moment kept! A victorious soul is indeed a miracle of mercy!

When we look at the proneness of our nature to turn away from God, the many things which come between to intercept our view of Him who is to nature's eye invisible, we are ready to wonder at the power of that unseen hand which keeps

us.

"March 4th. Blessed be God, I dare again say with humble confidence, the blood of Christ cleanses my soul from sin.' I was this day deeply convinced, though not by any condemnation in my own mind, of the hatefulness of every temper which is not of God. A vital union with Christ appeared to me to be the only object worth mankind's pursuit, and every thing else, in comparison of this, frivolous and insipid. Dispositions contrary to God and to holiness, however specious in their appearance, however glossed over by man's imagination, cannot but in reality be degrading to the soul, and hold it back from that liberty and power which it is our privilege, as Christians, to enjoy. A circumstance I met with to-day was made a means to convince me of these things more deeply. I wanted every thing to be taken away from me that did not honour God, and no passion, no affection to exist in mind, but what was in subjection to this one principle,-the love of Christ. This afternoon, as I was earnestly pleading with God in my room, entreating Him to give me power to love Him with all my heart, and to bear the witness by His Spirit in my soul, I found the answer of my prayer. God took full possession of my heart; every doubt, every fear was removed, and light and peace again were given. I did indeed love God I had a happy evening. My desires to do the will of God were increased, and I felt a

:

deliverance from that indolence of mind and body which had distressed and sunk me when I was low.

I

"12th. I have never before so fully seen the usefulness of the duty of visiting the sick. prayed in secret for more energy, more faithfulness, and more discretion in this engagement. It is a hard thing to have grace to seek on a deathbed. Blessed be God for every soul he has called in health! I have been ready to sink in the view of my insufficiency for any work of God; for visiting the sick, or any other spiritual employment. I felt as though I were comparatively full of sin,full of imperfections. I do so little for the glory of God, and even what I do undertake is so poorly done. God be merciful to me! He is mercy, or I should not yet live.

"15th. When I do not rise early I am generally thrown into confusion the whole day, or something is neglected. Oh, could I but in all things refuse to comply with the present suggestions of flesh and blood, and follow the true light!

"16th. Too much visiting, even among spiritual friends, is not, I believe, for the prosperity of my soul. It interferes too much with other things, and sometimes robs me of the time which would be better spent in retirement.

"While we detest sin, which has made such ravages in the world, while we feel ourselves unable to account for many things we meet with, let us remember that we are ourselves unworthy.

"April 1st. Strong desires this day were given me for the salvation of our family. Oh, might they all be brought to God! Oh, could we but