22. Words fail to express what I have enjoyed of the goodness of God to-day. Faith seemed lost in fruition. My views of the Father and the Son appeared to have attained an unusual degree of brightness; almost meridian. O what an exuberance of goodness have I been permitted to enjoy! so much so, that my heart began to meditate terror. Satan tempted me to think, "surely some great distress is at hand." Indeed I have often hitherto found, that the Lord, before any trial or affliction, has been uncommonly gracious to me. But why should I anticipate evil? Teach me, Lord, properly to enjoy and improve present mercies. I fear I did not improve to the utmost what I have enjoyed today. O to feel more of the transforming power of grace in my heart and life! I long to be more holy, more like my Jesus, that all my nature may shew forth the glories of the Lamb. I want to drink deeper into his Spirit; to experience a greater oneness with him; more intimate union with the Source of bliss. O, I would be all divine, as far as humanity will permit; in other words, I wish to enjoy all that conformity to my Lord it is possible to enjoy while in the body. I am still favoured with opportunities of attempting to do good to others, and have much delight in the employment.

November 27. My views of Jesus have been clear, my mind fixed on God: much comforted with Divine love in conversation and social prayer. More than ever, my God favours me with oppor

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tunities of acting for him, by doing good in various ways; and in mercy he also gives more inclination and power to be thus employed. I desire to be full of good works, and free from all dependance upon them. If my heart does not greatly deceive me, this is not my temptation : all my trust is in Jesus: here my anchor is fixed. What a stream of constant happiness flows from a union of soul with him. I do hope that the Lord, agreeably to his promise, is establishing, strengthening, and settling my soul. I have felt for the last twelve months more rooted and grounded in love, and in the ways of God in general, and yet find less confidence in myself. The more God does for me, the more do I feel dependant upon him. My strength consists in living by faith upon Christ. He is my all in all: yet,

"For closer communion I pine,

I long to reside where thou art."

O glorious thought, that I shall dwell to all eternity with him!-Transporting prospect!

December 6. In the course of these eight days I have experienced much of the goodness of God: have enjoyed much sweet and more uninterrupted communion with him than usual. My Jesus has been ever with me, as my King, glorious, and yet so condescendingly gracious, as to constrain me to love him. Often, when his name has been mentioned, as usual, I have tasted ineffable sweetness: my heart has leaped within me with joy that he was mine. What must it be

to dwell for ever with him, when a small taste of his love here is so delightful? O what am I, that I should be thus favoured! Lord, make me more grateful, more humble, and enable me to improve thy goodness more. I am still permitted, at times, to feel particularly my own weakness, and what satan would do if allowed: this makes me dread self-dependance, and enhances in my estimation the value of the Saviour. I am still, also, deeply sensible of the peculiar goodness of the Lord, when I attempt any thing for his glory, in the way of assisting others. O how gracious is he on these occasions! But still, in all I come short, and have much cause to be ashamed and humbled.

Diary continued.

1777.

January J. My God has made his goodness 1. to pass before me this day also. He has sweetly drawn out the desires of my heart after himself, and given me by faith to see him who is invisible. O what a substantial good is God to the believing soul: and when he more sensibly manifests his

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presence, what a heaven does it produce. Upon a review of the last year, I find infinite cause to praise my God, who, in the course of it, has done more for me than ever. He has accomplished many of his precious promises, and given me to enjoy communion with himself; and to feel a more constant sense of my union with his dear Son and in a more lively and clear manner, he permits me to see him continually as the King in his beauty, and to dwell always under the covert of his precious blood. Indeed I am not sufficiently grateful for what has been done for me within these last fourteen months; neither am I sufficiently sensible of it: and this principally, because I see so much more which necessarily remains to be done, and so much before me not yet obtained. I see how much I stand in need of sinking deeper into God, of being more deeply rooted in his love, and more free from wanderings. I cannot bear the thought of resting short of any measnre of grace attainable here. Yet how slowly do I move in the heavenly road: amazing, indeed, is my tardy pace. O how much more so must it appear in the eye of God, and of angels.

25. Since the 18th, it has been a time of trial, especially by sickness, which brought a degree of languor upon my spirit. It generally has this effect upon me, less or more, on which account I do not feel so resigned to bodily affliction as is, I believe, my privilege. Though I believe a degree of this depression of spirit I

must experience while in the body. How comfortable the prospect of being an inhabitant of that city to all eternity, where none ever say they are sick. Till then, O my God, enable me to pass the time of my sojourning here, not only in thy fear, but in as perfect resignation to all thy dispensations, whether joyous or adverse, as humanity will admit. In the course of these days past, my faith has been much the same, though my joy was not so great. I have enjoyed a sweet consciousness of my union with Jesus; my place of defence has been the Munition of Rocks; I have been fed with the Bread of Life, and the Water of Life, according to the gracious promises of a faithful God. I have also had such communion with the Father of Spirits, as to make me wonder, that a holy God could dwell with one that had so little of his image. O how ardently has this made me breathe after more holiness; my heart has panted after the largest degrees of sanctification. I have enjoyed some sweet seasons in secret and social prayer, and this evening felt my faith for the blessing received in November, 1775, confirmed; also my expectation of retaining it strengthened. Daily opportunities of doing good are granted me, with strong desires, and some power to use them. Blessed be God for all his mercies.

February 5. In the course of these eight days, I have felt variously. Have often had sweet views of Jesus, and at times felt him so nigh, so very clear to the eye of faith, that faith