IV.

ALL THINGS WORK FOR GOOD TO THE SAINTS.

MAY I endure as seeing him who is invisible, and having mine eye much on the world to come! Time now passes, and passing time has perplexing scenes; but, O ye citizens of the New Jerusalem, your mountain stands fast, and shall never be moved, and your beloved is in your arms; and an everlasting hallelujah dwells upon your tongue. Here I dwell in the dark, and am much in doubt, nor know what conclusion to draw from the conduct of Providence concerning my present state. I deprecate and pray, and often am at a loss to know my duty. Is there none in your great assembly that could be content that some of your crosses had not taken place in time? and that the divine conduct had been otherwise?

"No, complaining mortal! no. Be it known to thee, and all the mourning throng, that we adore and acquiesce in all that ever befel us below. Yea, the very providences which crossed us most, and made us almost doubt the love, and disbelieve the promise of God, now, when unfolded in the light of glory, fill our hearts with joy, and our mouths with songs, while we adore the infinite love and amazing wisdom of our God, that made all things work together for our eternal good!"

What! Is there not one in all your numerous assembly that has had dark and unintelligible providences in his lot?

"What, then, presumptuous inquirer? It composes us, that God, our own God, sent them; and though we should never be able to find out the cause,

or be indulged with the mystery unfolded, we are all well pleased to have the strongest impressions of Jehovah's absolute sovereignty, who gives not account of any of his matters to men or angels, thus preserved on our enlarged souls, to all eternity."

Shall I not, then, from this time, O Lord, claim thee as my Father, and the guide of my life? Thousands, and ten thousands, by thy divine conduct, are safely arrived at bliss, and not a complaint on their tongue, not a murmur in their mind at one step in all the rugged way.

V.

A SOUL CONVERTED, JOY AMONG THE ANGELS.

Dec. 6, 1763.

WHAT meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of heaven? What! ye holy angels, there cannot be war in your borders, or death in your immortal family? "No, but one of our blessed number is just now arrived from ministering to the saints on earth,and brings the joyful tidings,that a sinner is converted,an heir of glory born,and therefore joy sparkles in every angelic countenance,and triumphs in cur rapturous hallelujahs. Let this day be marked in the records of heaven, in the annals of eternity; and may to-morrow be as this day, and much more abundant."

Hail, happy day, when the conversion of my friend, that shares my daily prayers, shall cause joy among the angels of God; yea, when God the Saviour shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied! Methinks I see the rosy dawn of divine power, when the

soul that once resisted Jesus flies into his arms. Then the pleasing dreams fly away, and the unseen world presents itself to view. Then the peace of God, and peace of conscience, are prized above all the things of fame. Wherefore do I doubt, since thy name is salvation, thy word enlivening, thy merits infinite, thy call at every hour, and all thy bowels love?

Again the heavenly arches ring, "Another captive won from hell, another sinner converted from the error of his way; and who can tell but it is my absent friend! Let all the ransomed throng exalt the riches of free and sovereign grace, while all my powers are swallowed up of astonishment and love!

VI.

EARTH NOT OUR HOME.

Sept. 16, 1764.

WHY am I so fond of the land wherein I am a stranger, of the place of my exile? The decease of all my ancestors proves this; not one of them is this day alive, and I fall the next by course. O to get this world under my feet, that it may not lie a dead weight on me in my last moments! This is the land of graven images, and every image dares compute with the things of the unseen world; for relations claim to have as much of my affection as Christ; time, to be as oft in my thoughts as eternity; and the earth to engross my concern as much as heaven.

Now the men of the world think I am at home; but the expectant of glory will not own his home beneath

the sun; for it is but a coldrife home where sin and satan dare appear, God is seldom seen, and the tenant is often weeping; but, O blessed inhabitants! who dwell where the Lord God and the Lamb are the temple, the Lord God and the Lamb are the light, and the joy of the whole land. You not only dwell in heaven, but heaven dwells in you, while earth and hell struggle hard for room in my heart, and, alas! too, too oft prevail.-Compassionate Redeemer! when shall thy stranger arrive at these realms of day, and join the sinless throng that worship at thy throne, and never, never, sin?

VII.

WE SHOULD LIVE ABOVE THE WORLD.

O DIVINE Lover! O divine love! how wonderful are thy works! Six or eight thousand years ago, there was not one adorer to be found before thy throne; but now how are the courts of the great King thronged! and thousands and ten thousands daily worship at the throne and by and by not only the angels of light, but the heirs of love, shall all sit down in the kingdom of their Father. Then shall I get full views of thee, O thou darling of thy Father, thou desire of all nations, and light of the world above! Men and angels were created to be happy in thee, and got their beings that thou mightest be glorified, and they might be blessed; but men and angels fell, of the human race all, that some might be redeemed; of the angelic some, that none should be recovered. O wisdom in

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finite! O sovereign love! Then, not only being and bliss have I from thee în creation, but in the wonderful work of redemption. And yet I am a stranger to my divine Redeemer! O when shall I come and stand before thy throne? As fast as the chariot of time can drive, I am posting to the unseen world, but how shall I be ashamed that I had not one meditation before me; and chiefly, O thou glory of thy Father's house, that I had not more acquaintance with thee! To sit at thy feet, will bless my eternity; and to talk of thy love, will heighten my joy; then, let me just dwell before thee in time, and with my spirit within me seek thee early. Should not love be my daily theme, which shall be the table-talk at the marriage-supper of the Lamb through eternity? Do I believe that this world and I must part, and that at odds? how then will the expectant of glory like to get the lie from lying vanity! It is best here to be first in the quarrel, to fall out with the world, so as not to leave it one affection, but have them set on things above.

VIII.

JOY AWAITS THE SAINTS.

1765.

CAN I take it ill, Fountain of joy! that I sorrow now a little, since in a little, like those who walk in white robes, with crowns on their heads, and palms in their hands, I shall be in an ecstacy of joy for ever? When I am brought from the house of mourning, to make my solemn entrance into the King's palace, it will be with gladness and rejoicing. All my powers