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new title, but only to possess what they have secured to them; even that joy or love of complacency which God extends to his own, in which he manifests himself to them as their God, and makes known his purposes of good to them.

They have received the first fruits of joy and comfort, and of God's special love to them, which are the earnests of the full harvest they are to gather at reaping time.

3. We may add, that believers delight in their portion.The Holy Ghost gives them comfort in God their portion.They are glad in the Lord all the day long. They say with the Psalmist, Return unto thy rest Oh my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. This makes them willing to fol-low Christ, to endure his cross, and despise the shame. They joy in the Lord, when they have nothing else to rejoice in. And indeed, they want nothing else. Yea, in the midst of all tribulations, they can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Tho' their joy is here assaulted by trials, that which is to be in another world, will be above them. Let this be a comfort to every true child of God, that they are coming to it, as fast as days and nights can pass away. And this is one of the privileges or benefits that belong to those who are chosen of God. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, Oh ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

If it be here asked, why believers have no more of this joy, (or no more of the comforts of the Holy Ghost) and why they

are so often mourning, doubting, sinking, an at a loss in themselves? To this it may be answered in general, that a sovereign God may dispense his grace in what measure he pleases to his people: And his infinite wisdom proportions those benefits that belong to their journey, as shall best serve to prepare them for, and bring them to glory in the end. And these joys and comforts are such, that they cant bear only small degrees of them in this life, because of human weak

ness.

But the joy of believers is of another nature, and expresseth itself in a different manner from the worldling's joy. The excellency of a believers joy and consolation cannot be known by a carnal mind. But a soul that hath God for his portion, and knows the preciousness of grace, the vileness and odiousness of sin, can distinguish between the mirth of fools, and the refined joy and comforts of the Holy Ghost. And in this solid rejocing, he grows more and more like God, who is perfect joy and holiness; and so the Christian is fully contented in his portion, his Lord, and his sanctifier, who loves to give refreshment to those that love him. And this he will do, as tokens of that joy which is to come, in the most intimate communion with him, in the highest Heavens, where there is nothing but untainted joy and comfort.

The churches of old walked in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. These comforts are the refreshments communicated by the Holy Ghost. The peace, the joy, the delight, the satisfaction and happiness which he

they enjoy in communing to gether in the same graces and duties.

REFLECTIONS.

1. There is joy purchased on purpose for believers: they are invited to it, and shall find it in God, in his word, spirit and ordinances. This is real and substantial joy, and rejoicing.It is cordial and consolatory, and brings good fruit to Christians. The fruit of the spirit, says the Apostle, is love, joy peace, longfuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. And says Isaiah, the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness.

gives. The things he inspires, are holy affections and exercises, peculiarly spiritual. The comforts are the refreshments which such exercises afford the soul. How cheering, how refreshing is it to those who have experienced the renewing and sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, and who are frequently receiving fresh supplies of grace! These commune with the Father, and with his Son Christ Jesus. There is great comfort in contemplating an holy God, with holy admiration and love; in contemplating the blessed Jesus in his mediatorial character; in contemplating all divine administrations; in anticipating the exercises and enjoyments of Heaven. There is great comfort in duty, in doing the things that please God. There is great comfort in repentance, in sorrowing for sin. The Holy Ghost makes this Godly sorrow and mourning, comfortable and pleasant to a pious soul. There is great comfort in believing. Faith embra-such a glorious portion? Oh, let ces Christ, and brings to the banquet of spiritual joys. By the spirit's influences, obedience yields comfort and delight.Great peace have they which love thy law. The Holy Ghost gives great comfort in prayer. Peace of conscience, is another of the comforts of the Holy Ghost. Dependance on God for whatever we want, is another of the comforts of the Holy Ghost. When the divine spirit enables the Christian to put his full trust in God, what comfort does it afford. Christian communion, is likewise a comfort of the Holy Ghost. When the spirit is poured out on Christians, what sweet comfort do

2. It becomes the children of God to be much in the exercise of this joy and peace, in bẹlieving and to abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. Joy in the Holy Ghost is the believers portion. And will not those rejoice who have

them improve in a joyful possession of their portion; walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.

Let those that are renewed by

the power of the Holy Ghost, and have the witness in themselves, rejoice in the precious fruits and comforts of the divine spirit. Let them live near to God, and then the joys and comforts of the Holy Ghost will be possessed by them. The peace, the joy, the happiness resulting from believing, are unspeakably great.

Hence, saith the Prophet, rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her,

That ye may suck, and be sat- | of religion here, it appears from

accounts received, is not equal to that in many other places.-A few instances, it may not be improper to notice. A person of about 23 years of age, and now a respectable member of the Church, communicated the following account :

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isfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted. "Thro' childhood and youth, 3. What rich, what unspeak- "I was equal to, if not surpasable good are those destitute of," sing any of my companions in who do not believe, have no "lightness and vanity. hope, and are wholly destitute of" free from profaneness, and the the comforts of the Holy Ghost! grossest sins, yet I tho❜t little They lose boundless joy and" of God or a future state, until delight, which believers partici-"I was about 19, except at two pate in. These have food to eat periods, which I perfectly rethe world knows not of, spiri- "member at one of which, I tual and divine food. God says, was so impressed, for a few Behold, my servants shall eat, "hours, with the thoughts of but ye shall be hungry; behold," of eternity, that I earnestly my servants shall drink, but ye "wished for death. All this shall be thirsty; behold, my ser- was soon forgotten, and I went vants shall rejoice, but ye shall" on uninterruptedly in my folbe ashamed; behold, my ser- ly again, until I was about fifvants shall sing for joy of heart, teen, when my attention was but ye shall cry for sorrow of" again excited by the things of heart, and shall howl for vexa- "religion. I now felt it my tion of spirit. duty to pray, and made the 4. Those that share in the "attempt, with a determination gracious incomes of the Holy" to continue it, which I did, Spirit, are highly blessed indeed." but very carelessly, and soon The seeds of joy and gladness" after very thoughtlessly, once are sown in their hearts. It is " or twice in a week. This forsaid, in the scriptures of truth," mal service blunted the stings Light is sown for the righteous," of my conscience, so that I and gladness for the upright in "passed, quietly, along trusting heart. The God of hope, and "in the advantages of living in a comfort, will comfort them a- "Christian land, and of a relibundantly. To such the Apos- "gious education, to save me, tle says, Rejoice in the Lord al-" until it pleased God, in his ways; and again I say, rejoice. own time and way, to conOMEGA. "vince me that a change of heart " is necessary to an entrance inA Narrative of a work of Divine" to Heaven. About the midGrace in Killingworth, second "dle of the summer 1800, I beSociety.

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gan to entertain hard and

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[Con. from vol. iv. page 421.]" blasphemous thoughts of God, HE number of hopeful converts, in the late revival"

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press, but in vain. The more

"I strove against them, the "time the pains of Hell got 66 greater ascendency they gain-" hold upon me; but before the "ed over me; and notwithstand- closing of the discourse, I "ing the strongest opposition I " ventured to hope that I had "could make to them, they "filled me with horror.

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• not committed the Sin unto "Death. But alas! little did I "think of the conflict, yet to be "endured, which was dreadful "above all I had experienced be❝ fore. Doubts of the existence "of a God began to fill my mind. "To ease my mind, I determin"ed to dwell no longer on so

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me, till it pleased the most "High, in sovereign manner, graciously to enable me, as I

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"Having tried all human 66 ways, in vain, to obtain relief "from my horrors of mind, no 66 help seemed to remain, but "that which is in Christ; and "when I thought to go unto "him, as the last resort, I was "so fully persuaded that I gloomy a subject, but a pained "should be rejected for my blas"conscience would not suffer "phemous thoughts, that I chose me to rest, and the fear of A"rather to continue in my suf-"theism aggravatedly oppressed "fering state, feeling myself "exposed to all the wrath of an "offended God, and bearing the "pain of a guilty conscience, "for more than six months incessantly. At the end of "which, as I was, a certain day, "thinking over my deplorable" "condition, the idea that I might "be yet saved, suddenly came "into my mind, and that Christ "died for sinners, even the 66 greatest, and that his grace 66 was sufficient for me; but a "review of my past conduct, "and my feelings, as they were "then, showed me the absurdi

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ty of looking for salvation

"from one of whom I had en"tertained such a wrong opin"ion. This gave an additional "weight to my heavy burden, "which increased upon me from July to April; when I heard a "sermon from these words :"Whosoever shall speak a word "against the Son of Man it shall "be forgiven him, but unto him "that blasphemeth against the "Holy Ghost, it shall not be for

given;" which had a singular "effect upon me. The words, when first read, moved me to "keen despair, and for a short

hope, to stay my soul on Jesus "Christ. With earnest desires "I sought him-and with pa"tience I followed on to know him, having resolved that if I "perished, it should be at his "feet. In kindness he seemed "to manifest himself to me, and to say, come hither, I am the way, leave the tempter and thy sins, trust in me, and I will "love thee. Thanks be to God, "from that time I have been "enabled to say, Tho' he slay me, yet will I trust in him.

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ner the state of my mind, and "the feelings with which it has "been exercised.

"From my earliest age, I "endeavored to lead a moral "life, being often taught that "God would punish sinners, but "I did not believe that I should "suffer for the few offences of "which I had been guilty."Having avoided many 'sins "which I saw in others, I ima

"whenever I contemplate the "works of God, and call to mind "his holy character, especially "when I read his word, and "lift up my heart in prayer."The greatness of that joy "which I first received after a << years wandering in darkness, "and almost inconceivable dis"tress, after a short time, pass"ed away, and I have now no "other than what is described "above, except that it increas"eth, and at times rises to a 66 greater degree, flowing out to"wards all mankind, desiring "their salvation in conformity "to the will of God. One cause "of my being so long distressed "with a conviction of sin was, "doubtless, my sinful bashful66 ness, which kept me from "communicating my thoughts" about such a change, neither

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"to any one, even to my most in❝timate friends, who are still ig"norant of them to this day."The tempter by means of this "had an advantage over me, "and caused me to counterfeit a "cheerful behavior when my "soul was filled with great dis❝tress.

If I had taken counsel "in my awakenings, it now ap66 pears, as if I should have been "saved the most of my anguish, "but if Christ may be glorified "thereby, I desire to be still, " and know that he is God."

Another instance, which I would mention, is a youth who speaketh thus: "Knowing by "experience the deplorable state "of a sinner, that he is by na"ture totally destitute of love "and conformity to God, and "that he cannot be saved but by

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a special act of sovereign grace "induceth me to ask for fur"ther instruction upon this all "important subject, and to com"municate in a summary manVOL. V. No. 1.

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gined all was well with me, "till I was about eighteen years

old, when I heard a sermon "preached upon the necessity "of regeneration, which put me upon thinking of the need of a

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change of heart in myself. I "did not, however, well receive "the discourse at the time, for "I was sensible I knew nothing

"did I wish to know, for I be"lieved myself as good as oth

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ers, without it, and to be equal "with them I thought would be "sufficient. However the tho't "troubled me considerably, from

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day to day, and caused me to "think of praying, which I had 66 never done, except repeating

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