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I pitched on the following Evidences of the LORD's gracious Work upon me.

First, The LORD has given me by his Spirit fome Difcovery of my Sin; and here the Spirit has been,

ft, Particular; he has fixt upon innumerable particular Sins of different Sorts, fixing mine Eye upon Time, Place

and Circumftances.

2ly, He has been very full, letting me fee my fell guilty of all Sin; this Day he took me to all the Commands, and did clearly lay before inie innumerable Breaches of every

one.

3ly, He has difcovered to me the Sins of all the different Periods of my Life, Infancy, Child-hood, and Youth.

4ly, He has difcovered to me fpiritual Evils, Selfifhnefs, Pride, Unbelief, and Averfion from God.

sly, He has given me a broad Sight of the Sin of my Nature, as the Root of all these Things, an amazing Difcovery of its Enmity to God, of its Propenfity to every Sin, of its Impotency and Averfion to every good Thing, of the utter Impoffibility that ever it should lead me to any Thing that's really good.

6ly, The LORD has difcovered the Guilt and Hateful nefs of those Sins, fo that I have been made to loath my felf on Account of them.

Secondly, The LORD has difcovered to me the Vanity of all thofe Reliefs which Nature leads to, and that firft, as to the Guilt of Sin, he has made me fee, that my Duties cannot fave me, and I hope he has taken me off from reft ing upon them: For,

ift, Under Difquietments occafioned by Sin, Nothing, fave Chrift, could quiet me; Duties have rather increafed than allayed it, when look'd to.

zly, The LORD, when I have been moft affifted in Duties, took fuch Care to guard me against this, that he then always opened mine Eyes to fee a World of Sin in them. And here,

3ly, I have been made with as much Concern to defire to be faved from my beft Duties, as ever I was from my worft Sins. And,

4ly, The LORD from the Discoveries he made to me of my Heart's inclining to lay fome Strefs, at fometimes, upon Duties, when [piritually performed, has ftirred up in my Soul a Jealoufie of my Heart in this particu lar.

zly, As to the Power of Sin, by manifold fad Experiences, I found it too hard for my Prayers, Vows, Tears, Refolutions, &c. fo oft has this been felt, that I have been brought to an utter Despair of Relief this Way.

Thirdly, the LORD has been pleased to determine my Heart to chufe the Way of Salvation revealed in the Gospel thro' Faith's Acceptance of, and refting on CHRIST JESUS for Wifdom, Righteoufnefs, Sanctification and Redemption: This the LORD brought me to approve of,

ift, As the only Way of obtaining these Things.
2ly, As a Way full of admirable Wisdom.

3ly, As a Way full of wonderful Love.

4ly, As a Way of great Peace and Security to Sinners.
sly, As a Way fuited to give Glory to God.

6ly, As a Way fuited to honour Chrift.

7ly, As a Way fuited to honour the Spirit of God.

8ly, As a Way fuited to honour the Law.

Now in all these Particulars, I thought this Way incomparable; and my Approbation of it was evident in that I found,

increafery Day my Deteftation of all other Ways to

zly, I found every Day the Neceffity of this Way. And,

3ly, I found, that the more I looked at it, the more I lov'd it, and admired it, as full of all Things that can make it defirable.

Fourthly, I found in my self an Approbation of the Law, and Holinefs of God in it. I am now fatisfied, that the Law is holy, juft, good and fpiritual. The carnal Mind is Enmity against God, is not fubject to the Law of God, neither can be. But bleffed be God, that Enmity I once had at the Law of God, is remov'd,

Evidences

Evidences of that Enmity.

Found in my Mind a ftated Diflike at fpiritual
Mindedness, and at the Law's enjoining it.

Er zly, I had a Complacency in being freed from all At-.
Va tendance upon Duty.

3ly, I would fain have had fonie of God's Law altereft ed, &c.

T

Evidences of its Removal.

ift, He LORD did remarkably reconcile my Heart to thefe Laws, which formerly I would gladly have. to had alter'd, fo that I would not have these by any taken away. And this is the ftronger Proof, in Regard that, 1. I find thefe Sins deeply rooted in my Nature, which thefe Laws do crofs. 2. I have manifold Temptations to t them. 3. I have it to regret, that I am too oft overcome by them zly, When I fear Hell and Damnation on Account of my Breaches of the Law, yet God knows this never occasions such Diflike, as Fear of offending him; fee Rom 7. IC, II, 12.

3ly, I do defire no Alteration, no Change to be made of the Law God knows, I would have my Heart brought to it, and not it to my Heart.

4ly, I find a conftant Shame and Self-loathing for Shortcoming, and Want of Conformity to it, and that in these Inftances, wherein none, fave God and my own Confcience, are Witneffes.

sly, I find extraordinary Satisfaction, when any Degree of Conformity to it is attain'd."

6ly, The ordinary and ferious Breathing of my Soul, is fuch as that of the Pfalmift's in the 119 Pal, throughout: Upon thefe Grounds I do conclude, That the LORD has wrought Faith in me, and therefore will fave me, and com-pleat what concerns me and because he has determined me to choose him, therefore I dare call him, My God, my Saviour, my Sanctifier. The LORD did this Day help to plead for Strength against Sin; and my God will bear me: I have Reafon when I have done all, to say, I have done "Nothing, I cannot ferve the LORD.

In the Beginning of this Affair in March 1700, I was con fident to meet with a Difappointment, I was refolved to quit it, and did fo for fome Time: God by one Means of other broke all my Projects to turn away; he kept me intent in obferving Providences, he gave an Opportunity, directed to Means I had not thought on, and prevented my Fears as to thofe whom I thought moft oppofite.

After I had the greateft Profpect of Encouragement, I met with Difcouragements, and then Encouragement when leaft expected..

I have been kept off Means, kept low as to Thoughts of my felf, and kept in Dependence on God as to the Iffue.

The Thoughts of which Things made me with mucht Sweetness promife good at the Hand of God.

In Profecution of his Purpofe, he was married at Edinburgh Fanuary 23, 1701.

As God bleffed him with Children, it was his conftant Practice to devote them to the LORD: He was much in Prayer for his Family, fubmitting all his and their Concerns to the divine Difpofal as to Life, Health, &c. But moft earneft was he for their Souls eternal Welfare; an Inftance hereof follows.

1ft,

March 1705, An Account of my Exercife, with Refpect to my youngest Child's Soul's State, a Girl of eleven Months old, reprefented in a few Remarks.chotla

WHEN

f, 7HEN two Years ago my Son died furprizingly in the Birth, I was much concern'd in defiring fome Satisfaction as to his eternal State, but obtained no particular Promife at that Time, fave only, 1. That I was made Dlets God, That I had no Ground to fear the Worft, as I might have had if he had been come to Age, 2. I was made to look to the extenfive Promife of the Covenant that is to us and our Children on 3. I had Peace in this, That I had devoted him to the LORD affoon was ! found him to live in the Belly.

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zly, When this Child fell into a languifhing Sickness, and Death began evidently to be threatned, I was put to more Clofs Exercise about her eternal State.

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3ly, I was fome Times much enlarged on her Behalf, but, was unwilling to reft here, but humbly defired, That the LORD would give me fome Ground from the Word to hope as to her.

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4ly, That I might not be wanting in the Ufe of the Means of the LORD's Appointment, I confulted Books, and the Experience of fuch of the LORD's People as I had Access to, to fee what I might expect, but found no Satisfaction; yet I refolv'd i to wait on the LORD, and cried to him.

sly, When I cry'd to him, I found for a confiderable Time no Answer, but heavy Challenges, 1. For not obferving Returns by the Word as I fhould have done. 2. For not feeking more this Way, and refting too easily without this. 3. For not ftudying the Word fo much as I fhould: Thus the LORD dealt with me as with Ifrael, Fudges 6. 7,10. When they cry'd, before he fent Deliverance, he fent a Reproof.

6ly, The LORD further to humble me, tryfted me with feveral Afflictions, my Wife's Frailty and my own.

7ly, When I was in this Diftrefs, I cry'd to the LORD, and in Prayer he relieved me by that Paffage, Mark 10. 13.

16. Suffer little Children to come unto me; as to which I remark, 1. While I was in Prayer crying for Mercy to the Child, it was then fuggefted. And, 2. The LORD let me fee in it, That it was the Parents who brought their Children to Chrift, defirous of his bleffing of them. 3. The Difciples were againft Chrift's taking Notice of them, or putting any particular Mark of Refpect on them. 4. But Chrift rebuked them, and faid, Suffer little Children to come to me, and forbid them not. Though the. Difciples would not have us to expect any Evidence of the LORD's fpecial Love to young ones, yet the LORD is of another Mind. 5. The LORD approv'd of the Parents bringing, and bleffed the Children. 6. Here the LORD enlarg'd me, helped me to rely on him, that he would put his Hand on the Child and bless her, and hereby quieted my Soul, and filled me with Thankfulness; and I was reliev'd as to the Child that is gone, and this that is dying: Blefs, blefs, blefs the LORD, O my Soul; he prepares the Heart to pray, and he will incline the Ear to hear. Remember the Word on which thou caufedft me to hope.

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April

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