only wise be glory throughout eternity. To the Son be glory, to the Holy Ghost be glory.

"Methinks the heavens ring with praises now,

And highest saints before their Saviour bow."

Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and good will towards men. Behold the Saviour on the cross. Behold him raised on high, having led captivity captive and giving gifts unto men!

Be astonished O heavens, break forth into singing and shout O earth, the Lord thy Redeemer liveth.

Wilt thou indeed, O God, dwell with man, thou whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain!

Through the goodness of God I think my temper of mind continues the same. I would humbly hope and trust that I am not under a delusion. I fear I have not been duly sensible of the bitterness of sin, and been left to loathe and abhor myself for it; but God only knows; in him I would trust.

Methinks if I know what praying in faith is, I have in some measure been enabled to pray in faith these few days past; but God searches the heart; and forever praised be his great and glorious name, for what I humbly hope and trust he has done for my soul. I pray that great and merciful Being, to confirm and establish me.Through his Divine assistance I know I can do all things; and without it, I pray that he would teach me more and more what a helpless being I am. On Christ Jesus would I rely, in him place my strength, be devoted entirely to him, and have my heart continually glow with ardent love unto him. I pray that he would not permit my affections to be placed too much on earthly objects, but that he would take the entire and unreserved possession of me, and enable me to feel for all mankind, and to love them as myself. O most merciful Jesus, without thee I faint and shrink into nothing. O assist me a helpless creature; afford me thy Divine aid. Glory to God in the highest. Methinks I could, without much reluctance, part with life; but I know not how I should feel should I see grim death approaching. The world is so full of temptations and dangers, that I fear, I fear a decline; but God is able to protect and preserve me. I will trust in Jesus and not

fear. Assist me, O Divine Immanuel. Before another sacramental solemnity, through the assistance of God, I determine to show to the world, who it is that has enabled me to choose him, so that I may sit down with the people of God and commemorate the death of our once crucified, but now ascended and glorified Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. If any reproach me, I would bear it with cheerfulness and esteem it my glory. What can be more glorious than to suffer reproach in the cause of religion, in the cause of Christ. In such a cause I would be willing to suffer every indignity that human nature is capable of inflicting. I would suffer the loss of all and the depri

vation of life itself with joy. God grant me so to conduct through

life.

Without thee, O omnipotent Jehovah I can do nothing; with thee I can do all things; can even remove mountains. With thine aid I hope to maintain this glorious warfare against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and at last to come off victorious. I have many times imputed the frequent use of divine appellations as a fault in the writings of good men, but I felt not as I now feel. Let no one be hasty in accusing, But God forbid that I should declare myself holy. By the grace of God I am what I am, and what I am I know not, God knoweth; the searcher of hearts knows what is in my heart.

My character I value not as I once valued it, but my conduct more. I must expect to be dishonoured, hated, and despised. Oh! that I could be worthy to bear reproach for Christ's sake. Let me but live near to him, have but his favour, and I fear not all the powers of earth and hell. It will be sufficient honour, superabundant and unmerited, to be acknowledged and approved by him in that last great day, before all worlds.

How deceived and how blind is man! O God enlarge my vision, more and more; withdraw the veil that has long darkened my eyes.Be pleased, I humbly entreat thee, to give me clearer views of thyself and of eternity. Unveil thy beauties to my ravished heart, O thou One Supreme, as thou dost to thy secret ones, when admitted within the veil. Suffer me no longer to grope in ignorance, and be carried about with the craft and cunning sleight of many whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

I feel a desire to give myself up wholly to the study of Divinity, and to make the sweet service of God in which is perfect freedom, the business of my life; and to commence an ambassador of the heavenly court; for which I pray God fit and prepare so unworthy a creature, and make me serviceable in his cause. Glory to God.

Saturday April 10th, 1779.

This is a most glorious freedom, this is liberty; this through Christ strengthening me may I maintain through life. This is a cause worth fighting for, a liberty worth defending. Adieu, ye giddy world, adieu ; when for trouble I have need, I'll wish for you. Adieu the pompous parade of this world, adieu; you are unworthy my notice. I would live above the world, while I live in it. I would be conversant with the world of spirits. My soul, as I would humbly trust, has taken wing and gone to Jesus. O glorious rest, O happy mansion. In thy strength, O blessed Redeemer, I defy the world, I defy the flesh, and I defy the powers of hell. Do your utmost all, in God I am safe, and shall trample you under my feet. Who would again be under such a yoke of bondage? strengthen me, O Lord. Forever shall I adore the goodness of the Divine Spirit, if I am enabled, as I humbly trust I shall be, to carry on this glorious warfare, to maintain this glorious struggle for liberty, a liberty becoming the sons of God. I have reason to prostrate myself in the dust, to lisp forth

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the praises of the ever blessed Redeemer; to adore the goodness of Almighty God, the riches of his free and soverign grace to all eternity. What a helpless creature am I! 'Tis fitting I should be helpless; as Christ is strong, all is as it should be. Without him, I cannot subsist a moment; on him I depend for very breath, for all vital warmth in religion. "Tis fitting I should. Enable me, O blessed Jesus, to put my whole trust in thee alone. O fill my soul with a sense of thy goodness, and ravish my heart with a discovery of thy matchless perfections. Enlarge my vision, and may I be near unto thee forever and ever. O most merciful God, no sooner dost thou withdraw thy ever blessed Spirit than my soul faints within me; I die, I shrink into nothing without thee. Give me large effusions of thy ever blessed Spirit, I humbly beseech thee. Support me, O blessed God, support me, by thine Almighty arm; uphold my weakness and make it strong by thy right hand, for through thy strength I can do all things without thee I can do nothing.

Through the assistance of Christ I would lay aside, I would cast from me, every thing that can be the least hindrance, the smallest impediment in my christian course. I would divest myself of every imcumberance, free myself of every entanglement, and eagerly lay hold of every thing that may in any measure assist me, that I may run with swiftness, and come to the end of my race with joy, with peace and in haste. Blessed God, strengthen me this evening and ever. Through thy abundant goodness and mercy, may I not fear man, but, reverence and adore thee supremely, who art God over all, God blessed for ever more.

Lord's day morning, April 11th, 1779.

Sorrow endureth for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. At one time doubts and fears distract; but soon succeed serenity and joy, which the world can neither give nor take Praise to the holy co-eternal THREE in the highest.

away.

Full of imperfection, the evil one would try to elate me in order to fling me down, but I trust through Christ to trample him under my feet. Blessed God, give me humility; a meek and quiet spirit.

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Contemn the world, ye that would serve God. How animating are the words of our blessed Saviour, Luke 6. 22, 23. "Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your names as evil, for the Son of man's sake." This, though spoken to the apostles, is equally applicable to every one who professes Christ. He then proceeds, Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy; for behold your reward is great in heaven; for in like manner did their fathers to the prophets." Not only may it now be said, in like manner did their fathers unto the apostles, and what is infinitely greater, in like manner did they unto the Son of God himself, the second person in the ever adorable Trinity, the Creator of the worlds, the eternal Jehovah. This lesson is sufficient to make us value and esteem reproach for Christ's sake, as indeed it is, our greatest honour,

our greatest glory. Little do scoffers think they are doing us the greatest honour, and heaping up damnation to themselves.

Lord's-day Morning, April 11, 1779.

On what do I hope? To what do I trust? On what do I rely? I fear, but why should I fear? I trust and would hope, (I would speak it with great diffidence and reverence to the Deity,) that I have been enabled to cast myself entirely on Christ Jesus, the firm hope, the eternal God, the rock of ages. If this be the case, I need not fear. God knows best what he is doing with me. He knows infinitely better than I do what is best for me; and I pray that he would impart as he sees best.

Lords-day Noon.

Whether I am in a delusion I know not, but have some fears. ' I was once last summer in a delusion, but it lasted only a few hours. If this be a delusion, it has lasted more than a week. Good was God in discovering to me my error before; and if I am now deceived, I pray God make it known, and dissolve every power the devil may have over me.

At times

That subtle adversary has never perhaps better success than when he transforms himself into an angel of light; but the Light of Heaven, the light of the world which came down from Heaven is sufficient to detect him. I pray that God, who is the giver of every good and perfect gift, would give me enough of this light to detect him. I fear I have gone too far in speaking of what is past to my intimate friends; but if God has enabled me to resolve thoroughly on serving him, I trust he will enable me to carry it into execution. Then I care not how soon the world knows it. Through Christ strengthening me, the world shall know that I fear God, and in spite of all posing powers I will serve him. Help me to this O God.

Sabbath after prayers.

At times methinks my soul does leap for joy and rejoice in God my salvation. O that I could praise God as I ought; then the heavens should ring with acclamations. At times I feel pensive, full of thought. "The wind bloweth where it listeth." But I hope I am not like a wave of the sea. In the resolution I have formed through the help of God, I hope to remain firm unto the end; firmer than the everlasting hills, so that nothing, neither life nor death shall prevent, viz. to devote myself entirely unto God without the least reserve. Assist me blessed God.

The example of our blessed Saviour is sufficient to show the vanity of the world. He was born in low condition, and through life treated the pomp and glitter of the world with indifference. He knew the attachment mankind naturally have to the world. He knew its many allurements, and in his own character gave us a striking contempt of all; showing us how it ought to be esteemed, as a thing of no value compared with the glory of his kingdom; as a jewel fit only to be worn in a swine's snout.

The world steals into my heart, I grow torpid and dull. O God withdraw not thy Spirit, I beseech thee. Mortify me to the world, abstract me from terrestial objects and grant that I may contemplate the Deity with ever fresh delight. O suffer me not to grieve thy Spirit, May it ever continue with me, never leave nor forsake me. O show me my vileness, humble me and cause me to lie low before God. Let me see what an abject and wholly depraved mortal I am; and manifest unto me the infinite mercies and riches of Christ, and may I fall down and worship and adore thee forever and ever. O give strength and activity to my soul. Do thou, who, I would humbly trust, hast enabled me to begin to live to thyself, carry me on unto perfection, Perfect in me every Christian grace. O suffer me not to decay, Suffer me not to shrink back and fall away, for thy great name's sake. For by such conduct I should bring great dishonour on thy name. O leave me not, heavenly Father, for I am exceedingly weak and low, I am feeble and can do nothing. In thee is my strength. In thee I would hope and trust, O Immanuel. May my weakness be made strong in thy strength. I would rejoice in the Lord my salvation, and praise his name forever and ever. Praise him ye that dwell on high, who are not encumbered with flesh, who are not subject to temptation, who labour under no imperfection. I thank thee, O Divine Redeemer, who hath conducted me thus far. O leave me not here, but carry on thine own work; send down thine ever blessed Spirit to strive with me, to strengthen and defend me ; and prepare me for the Comforter. O Lord what can I say, what can I do? Assist me, teach me; enable me to rely on thee; on thee, on thee alone. Pardon every wandering desire on this thy holy day; and 0 do as thou shall see best for me. May I be resigned and have my will swallowed up in the will of the Most High.

Letter to the Rev. Dr. Ezra Stiles.

Minister of Christ,

Saturday, April 17, 1779,

Through a desire of cheering your heart under its many sorrows, and that you may praise God who accepteth the praises of his children, I feel a strong desire to communicate to you what God has done for my soul. The subject of this note is such, that I trust you will pass over the inferiority of a pupil's station, for I know you cannot but love all who are loved of God. I have a desire to tell you because you can praise the Redeemer in more lofty strains; I want to tell every child of God, because it will cheer their heavy hearts and raise their drooping heads; and that they may give glory to God, my Saviour, my Redeemer, my exceeding great reward, I speak of the hearts of the children of God as heavy truly a consideration of the unhappy human species makes them grieve, and a consciousness of their own unworthiness renders them humble; but their hearts are ravished at times under a transporting sense of the Deity; and the time will quickly come when they shall raise their heads above the stars.

I trust it has pleased God, through the Mediator, (forever praised