kimfelf many inventions, of happiness independent on God: and that by his apoflafy from God, he threw not only himself, but likewise the whole creation, which was intimately connected with him, into diforder, mifery, death: upon this ground I fay, we do not find it difficult, To "Juftify the ways of God with man." For although he left man in the hand of his own counfel, to chufe good or evil, life or death: although he did not take away the liberty he had given him, but fuffered him to chuse death, in confequence of which the whole creation now groaneth together: yet when we confider that all the evils introduced into the creation, may work together for our good: yea, may work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory we may well praife God, for permitting thefe temporary evils, in order to our eternal good: yea, we may well cry out, O the depth both of the Wisdom and of the Goodness of God! He hath done all things well. Glory be unto God, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever! THO ADVERTISEMENT. HOUGH the Manufcript of a PREACHER'S LIFE was forwarded about two months ago, it is not yet come to hand. And as the Number must be publifhed on the first of Auguft, at fartheft, we are obliged to omit this ufeful Article. If, therefore, the Reader will excufe this omiffion, we hope to make it up to him next month, by giving him a larger quantity of this Subject. An An Extract from the JOURNAL of Mr. G― C. [Continued from page 355.1 UESDAY 18, I felt unbelief and hardness of heart, but TUE the Lord foon difpelled it by his love. Thurfday 20, I spoke to a backflider, who was thankful, and defired me to pray with her. But I refused, whereby I grieved the Spirit, and afterwards her foul lay heavy upon me. Saturday 22, I fell into anger against my child, which difordered my whole foul, and preft hard on my faith. But I cried unto the Lord; and he heard my cry. Tuefday 25. I am unworthy the least of his mercy. In the night paft I finned against him. Yet he has this day forgiven my fin, and given me to rejoice in his love. The following day, I felt much of his prefence. Sunday 30, I was greatly tempted to pride and anger: but cafting myfelf wholly on Chrift, my foul revived, and I found a great measure of his love all the day after. Monday, May 1. I found much pride, anger, fear and fhame; yet was not infenfible of the prefence and love of God. Thursday 4, the Lord fhewed me the neceffity of perfevering in prayer, feeing the eyes of many are upon me, especially in my public employment. Saturday 6, I had much forrow on account of my child, as fhe had stayed out all night. My only hope was in the Lord; and prayer was my only refuge. Sunday 7, I joined at four in the morning (it being Whitfunday) with the children of God. And he made it a day of Pentecofl to my foul, enlarging my heart with love. Monday 8. I do not in prayer fimply wait for the Spirit of God, but ftrive to bring fomething of my own to him, Tuesday 16, I parlied with a temptation to evil desire, and was near falling into it. Saturday 20, I found an unquiet AN EXTRACT FROM THE JOURNAL OF MR. G. C. 405 fpirit, because my bafinefs did not please me. And when one came to ine who was convinced of his loft eftate, I was ill prepared to speak to him. But crying to God, he gave me words to fpeak, and he went away fully purposed to love God. O that I could fo live, as to be ready for every good word and work. Tuesday 23, I was much tried, when at my employment, by one of Satan's faithful fervants, who came up to me with his mouth filled with oaths and ribaldry, but I found power to speak to and pray for him. Thursday and Friday were days of great affliction, caufed by the wickednefs of my child. Saturday 27, anger and creature-love feemed to feparate between God and my foul. And I could truly fay, "'Tis worse than death, my God to love, Tuesday 30. The Lord enabled me to rejoice in hope of loving him with all my heart. Wednesday and Thursday I was fo peevish, I could not bear the least contradiction. Yet the Lord kept me in a fenfe of his love. Friday, June 2, the Lord filled my heart with love, and my mouth with praife. I knew not how to exprefs myself, when I thought of his bringing me to glory! Sunday 4, The law of the Lord was my delight. Indeed his day is ever fweet to my foul; and he does accept my facrifice of praise and prayer. Tuesday 6, I felt much pride, but with a flrong hope, that I should be wholly delivered from it. Thursday 8, I was filled with the fpirit of offence; but by prayer it was removed. The latter part of the week, my corruptions. warred against me; but the Lord preferved me from fin. The following week, I felt, as ufual, much of pride, anger, felf-will, and unbelief: and I was quite unable to refill them. But the Lord heard my groaning, and gave me a degree of faith and patience. Wednesday 21, My foul was filled with love and power, my affection conftantly flowing to the Lord. Friday 23, I awoke at two in the morning, and could fleep no more, having fo lively a fenfe of the love of God as overpowered me, and made me all attention to the work of his Spirit. Sunday 25, My mind was fixt on God. I could refign myfelf to him, without a wish or defire for created good. He is my God for ever and ever. Monday 26. What a falling off from what I enjoyed laft week! Yet I know not that I have grieved the Holy Spirit. But how has the old man fought! What bitterness of spirit did I find; and what a contention with pride, anger, and self-will! Sometimes my foul feems benumbed, so that I cannot pray. I Sunday, July 2. I am peevish; yet ready to laugh, even when at prayer. I alfo feel much defire of the creature. have a hope that Jefus will deliver me from all I feel or fear, This and the following week I had much of the confolations of the Spirit, and a lively hope of obtaining the victory over all my corruptions. Friday 14, I found my foul very weak, and feared much, left I fhould fall into fin, I could fcarce look any one in the face: I could reprove none. My thoughts wandered from God, and when I did think of him, it was with pain; because he is holy; I unholy. Yet from Sunday 16th, my foul greatly rejoiced in God, having much of his prefence, and a firm belief of the promise of sanctification. Tuesday 25, I felt much bitterness against my child, But the Lord foon calmed my fpirit, and affured me, he would not leave me, till all the evil I felt was done away. Friday 28, I awoke at two, and cried to Goil for humility. I fell asleep again, and dreamed that the day of Judgment was come. I faw the darknefs, and the people in terrible fear, But my foul calmly waited for the trumpet to found! Monday, Aug. 7, I found much of the prefence of God, and freedom to reprove without fear. Wednesday 9, My heart rejoiced in the Lord: but not attending to the reproof ai of his Spirit, in what feemed a little thing, I brought my foul into heaviness; nor had I reft, till I confeft my fin and found pardon. Sunday 13. All this week I found much of my evil nature, hardly bearing either reproof or contradiction. Sometimes my fpirit funk within me; fometimes the Lord comforted me with his promifes. Thus I went on, hoping and fearing but the merciful God saved me from fin. Thurfday 24, I was greatly diftreft for the foul of my mother, hearing her deny, what I knew she had spoken. I was obliged to tell her freely my thoughts of her fate: but the perfifted in her own opinion. Tuesday 29, I wreflled with God on her behalf, with ftrong cries and tears. I could willingly have wept my life away for her. But fhe is very fullen with me. Tuesday, Sept. 5. The former part of the day my foul wandered from God; but finding no object worthy of its love, it was brought back to him. I am fill pained for my Mother, the perfifting that she has living faith. I earnestly pray, that the Lord would fhew me, if I mistake her cafe, and teach me how to act concerning her. Thursday 22. By difobedience I have loft the power to reprove. O how am I fhorn of my firength! Endeavouring to speak to one I had been long acquainted with, I was filled with shame and confufion. My head is difordered and my heart faint. October 4. When I went to-bed laft night, the Lord was fo with me that I could not fleep. And when I did, I foon awoke, and found my heart filled with his love: but O! the contraft! In the morning it feemed full of pride, anger, felfwill, and almost every evil. I prayed earnefly, fearing I must fin. But the Lord was my helper. October 9. Yesterday I found myself impatient of all contradiction, and bent upon doing my own will in all things. But this morning I felt the mighty power and love of God |