his resentment with my zeal, and his displeasure in my quarrel; he sent his rebukes and reproofs with power to their consciences; and when they spurned at his truth,, he made the fall of their countenance proclaim the rise of their rebellion. Now, of late, in private I have been indulged with much meekness, contrition, godly sorrow and mourning, over his unparalleled goodness to the most unworthy of all his creatures; and this with faith in her fullest exercise, and hope in her greatest expectations.

How strange are the goings of God upon the soul, and how different and wonderful the sensations under the operations of the various perfections of his nature! When he humbles himself to behold the things done on earth, and visits the soul with his presence, what compunction and humility of heart is felt! When love operates, all is heaven, joy, peace and comfort.

When mercy moves on us, meekness, godly sorrow, repentance, and self-abasement follow. If power be put forth, how bold, strong, undaunted, courageous; how valiant for the truth, how fearless of men, and how resolute and determined, is the mind! "My strength is made perfect in weakness."

If justice impress the soul, "Fearfulness and trembling have taken hold upon me, and I am afraid of thy judgments." "O! that I had wings like a dove! I would hasten my escape from this stormy wind and tempest!"

If the life of God is manifested, how lively, active, diligent, cheerful, earnest, fervent, and devout; up in the morning to prayer, then to business, away to the means, longing for every appointed opportunity, all the wheels are in motion, and the spirit of the living creature is in the wheels: this makes the church the chariot of Aminadab, the chariot of my willing people. The living, the living, he shall praise thee as I do this day; the fathers to the children shall make known thy truth.

But when the ineffable beams of eternal light break forth, when the light of his countenance is lifted up, when he shines into the heart to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, then we are children of light indeed, this is the brightness of Zion's rising; in thy light we shall see light, wonders appear in his law, wonders appear in his gospel, sweetness in his face, vanity in the world, and wisdom in all the works of creation; his glory covers the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise.

When holiness discovers itself to a sinner, then, "Wo is me, I am undone; all my comeliness is turned into corruption, and I retain no strength." "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

When a mouth and wisdom are given to a

fool, how sound the speech; how well guarded the subject; how is every avenue of infidelity stopped up, and no way left open for an ill designing hypocrite to creep out at. Every occasion is cut off from those that seek occasion; the wise in their own conceit are confounded, and appear mere idiots before the doctrine of the Lord. Divine wisdom displayed in a fool, brings to nought the wisdom of the wise, and makes their understanding foolishness.

If he is angry with a people, he will influence his servants with it, and set them to fight his battles. Samson's father and mother knew not that Samson's marriage with the Philistine damsel was of the Lord, and that he sought a quarrel with the Philistines.

If God is provoked to jealousy by his own people, he will pour his jealousy upon those who personate him. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? "I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, lest your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

And if he is pleased with a humble, teachable, tractable people, then, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God, speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem;" and if we are comforted, it is for your sakes, that we may comfort others with the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, 2 Cor. i. 4.

O, my dear friend, how great and wonderful

have these things appeared to me! And oh, how little understood in our day! Truly this is fulfilling the greatest promise, "As God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them."

This is the chariot in which the Lord rides and transacts his gracious dealings, and carries on the affairs of his kingdom; out of Zion he shines, and sounds out the trumpet of his "The mercy: law shall go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." O, happy Zion, the city of the great King! God is known in her palaces for a refuge; "Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes will I now say, Peace be within thee; because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good." But what an awful character is an hypocrite in Zion; what feigned faith and dissembled love; what smooth behaviour, and words softer than oil, while seven abominations are in their hearts. I know that the arrows of God have stuck fast in the hearts of many of them, and they have long resented it, and grudged and grinned like a dog, and gone round about the city. wrench the bow from my hand,

They wished to but it abode in

strength, and my hands were made strong by the mighty God of Jacob: they shot at me, they grieved me, and hated me for the truth, and for the truth's sake; but he covered me with his feathers, under his wings he enabled me to trust, while truth was both my shield and buckler.

And can you believe it, that no more than two persons deserted that were not prejudged? When I first came to London, if I got hold of an old professor, who had long been admitted to other societies, and who appeared circumspect, and who was well recommended, it was enough for me. I, through mock modesty, thought it presumption in me (who was so much younger in Christ) to inquire diligently into their conversion, when such great men had received them; but, alas! I found some of these to be the vilest hypocrites that ever my eyes beheld. And I am effectually cured of this disease; no man's light or judgment will now do for me. However, I am made manifest in the conscience of them all, nor shall they ever get out of the reach of my testimony: if they are saved, they will acknowledge me to the end; and, if they are damned, I shall in my testimony exist in their conscience, as a witness against them to all eternity, as sure as Moses accuses them that trust in him and reject his testimony of Christ. I bless my God that he hath purged the floor; never was a text of holy writ more conspicuously fulfilled than this: "I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth; thou shalt thresh the mountains, and make the hills as chaff; thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel," Isai. xli. 15, 16. As I threshed