gives. The things he inspires, are holy affections and exercises, peculiarly spiritual. The comforts are the refreshments which such exercises afford the soul. they enjoy in communing together in the same graces and duties. REFLECTIONS. How cheering, how refresh- 1. There is joy purchased on ing is it to those who have ex-purpose for believers: they are perienced the renewing and invited to it, and shall find it in sanctifying influences of the God, in his word, spirit and orHoly Spirit, and who are fre- dinances. This is real and quently receiving fresh supplies substantial joy, and rejoicing.of grace! These commune with It is cordial and consolatory, and the Father, and with his Son brings good fruit to Christians. Christ Jesus. There is great The fruit of the spirit, says the comfort in contemplating an Apostle, is love, joy peace, longholy God, with holy admiration fuffering, gentleness, goodness, and love; in contemplating the faith. And says Isaiah, the ranblessed Jesus in his mediatorial | somed of the Lord shall return character; in contemplating all and come to Zion with songs, divine administrations; in anti- and everlasting joy upon their cipating the exercises and en- heads; they shall obtain joy and joyments of Heaven. There is gladness. 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 embraces 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 Chrisans, what sweet comfort do 2. It becomes the children of God to be much in the exercise of this joy and peace, in believing 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 such a glorious portion? Oh, let 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. 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 fol lowing account : 66 "Thro' childhood and youth, That ye may suck, and be satisfied 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. 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. Tho 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, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold," my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall" be ashamed; behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. 66 66 was so impressed, for a few "hours, with the thoughts of of eternity, that I earnestly "wished for death. All this was soon forgotten, and I went on uninterruptedly in my fol"ly again, until I was about fif66 teen, when my attention was "again excited by the things of "religion. I now felt it my 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 sting's 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. OMEGA. 66 own time and way, to con"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. gan to entertain hard and [Con. from vol. iv. page 421.]" blasphemous thoughts of God, HE number of hopeful con- "which I endeavored to supverts, in the late revival" TH press, but in vain. The more 66 "I strove against them, the "time the pains of Hell got greater ascendency they gain-" hold upon me; but before the แ ed over me; and notwithstand❝ing the strongest opposition i "could make to them, they "filled me with horror. closing of the discourse, I "ventured to hope that I had not committed the Sin unto Death. But alas! little did I "think of the conflict, yet to be .6 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 "gloomy a subject, but a pained "conscience would not suffer 66 66 me to rest, and the fear of A "Having tried all human ways, in vain, to obtain relief "from my horrors of mind, no "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 "should be rejected for my blas"phemous thoughts, that I chose " rather to continue in my suf-"theism aggravatedly oppressed "fering state, feeling myself "me, till it pleased the most "exposed to all the wrath of an "High, in sovereign manner, "offended God, and bearing the graciously to enable me, as I "pain of a guilty conscience, hope, to stay my soul on Jesus for more than six months in- "Christ. With earnest desires cessantly. At the end of "I sought him—and with pa"which, as I was, a certain day," tience I followed on to know "thinking over my deplorable" him, having resolved that if I "condition, the idea that I might "be yet saved, suddenly came "into my mind, and that Christ "died for sinners, even the "greatest, and that his grace 46 was sufficient for me; but a "review of my past conduct, "and my feelings, as they were "then, showed me the absurdi"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 "perished, it should be at his "feet. In kindness he seemed "to manifest himself to me, and "to say, come hither, I am the 66 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. "For nearly three years past, " my mind hath been, generally "speaking, comfortable, tho' I "have not been altogether with"out fear that I might be de ceived, by the treachery of my depraved heart. Therefore I "have, at several periods, by reason of a jealousy over myself, sought to revive former pain"ful convictions of mind, but the power to do it is gone and I cannot recall it. 66 (6 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 "A kind of sweet, tranquil "joy to which I was a stranger, "before, now fills my soul "whenever I contemplate the 66 "ner the state of my mind, and the feelings with which it has "been exercised. 66 "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 imagined 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 change of heart in myself. I "did not, however, well receive "the discourse at the time, for "I was sensible I knew nothing 66 66 "did I wish to know, for I be→ 66 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 bashful"ness, which kept me from "communicating my thoughts" about such a change, neither "to any one, even to my most in"timate friends, who are still ig-"lieved myself as good as oth"norant of them to this day. "The tempter by means of this "had an advantage over me," sufficient. However the tho't " and caused me to counterfeit a "troubled me considerably, from "cheerful behavior when my 66 day to day, and caused me to "soul was filled with great dis- "think of praying, which I had "tress. If I had taken counsel never done, except repeating "in my awakenings, it now ap- some form, as a little child, ❝pears, as if I should have been "and doing it to remove the "saved the most of my anguish, "stings of a guilty conscience, "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 "a special act of sovereign grace "induceti me to ask for fur"ther instruction upon this all "important subject, and to com“municate in a summary manVOL. V. No. 1. ́ers, without it, and to be equal "with them I thought would be when I considered myself in "imminent danger. Some time "after this I heard another "sermon, that convinced me "I had quenched the Spirit, "which occasioned the most a"larming fears that I should, "forever, be left to eat the fruit "of my own ways. Supposing "that I was alone in the thoughts "of eternity, I separated my"self from all company and de"termined to seek an interest "in Christ. I concluded some"thing must be done to appease "God's anger, I read and prayE 66 " demanded sleep, the fear of "awaking in a miserable eterni"ty prevented the closing of "my eyes, and nothing gave me ease. No voice of mirth, or sound whatever was heard, "but what reminded me of the "awful day when God shall "bring every work into judg"ment. All self-righteousness "failed me, and having no confi"dence in God, I was left in deep "despondency. After a while a surprising tremor seized all "my limbs, and death appeared 66 man voice I ever heard, and every moment of time appear"ed infinitely more valuable "than all the wealth of the "world. Not long after this an ❝ed, and strove in every possi"ble way to prepare myself to go to God, that I might be "saved from his wrath. The "more I strove in this selfish "way the more anxious I was, "and no hope was given. Soon "I began to murmur and repine, and accused God of the "greatest injustice, in requiring "me to turn to him, and while "I was striving with all my "might, as I supposed, he appeared not to regard me. I considered God as obligated to 86 save me because I had done" to have taken hold upon me. "so much for him, and finding "Eternity, the word eternity, "no relief, I wished that he "sounded louder than any humight not be, and began real-❝ "ly to doubt the truths of his "holy word, and to disbelieve "his existence, for if there were " a God I perfectly hated him. "I searched the scriptures dai-"unusual calmness pervaded ❝ly, hoping to find inconsisten- " my soul, which I thought little "cies in them, to condemn the "of at first, except that I was "Bible because it was against "freed from my awful convic*me; and while I was diligent- "tions, and this sometimes grier❝ly pursuing my purpose, every "ed me, fearing I had lost all thing I read, and every ser"conviction. Soon after hear"mon I heard, condemned me. "ing the feelings of a Christian "Christian conversation gave "described, I took courage, and "me the most painful sensa- "thought I knew by experience ❝tions. I tried to repent, but "what they were. The char"I could not feel the least sor- "acter of God, and the doc"row for my innumerable sins. "trines of the Bible, which I "By endeavoring to repent, I saw "could not meditate upon bemy heart still remained im-"fore, without hatred, especial"penitent. Altho' I knew that ly, those of election and free "I hated every thing serious," grace, now appear delightful, "yet I determined to habituate" and the only mean by which, "myself to the duties which "through grace, dead sinners "God required; to see if I could " can be made the living sons of "not by that means be made to "God. My heart feels it sin"love him, and I continued in "fulness. To confess my sins "this state some months. The "to God gives me that peace, "fear of having committed the "which before I knew nothing "unpardonable sin, now began "of.-To sorrow for it, affords to arise in my mind, and I" that joy which my tongue can"could find no rest day nor 66 not express. Were I sensi"night. When my weary limbs "ble that at death my hope |