ashamed and grieved beyond expression, that his heart was not hourly ascending to God in flames of love, and that he did not maintain at all times an uninterrupted sense of his presence and zeal to his glory, as the one and the only business of his life.

Tuesday, August 14, 1739.

SOME MEMORANDUMS, AS TO IMPRESSIONS MADE on THE MINDS OF SOME PIOUS PERSONS, WHICH THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES OF AFFAIRS, THIS AUGUST, OF 1739, OCCASION ME TO RECOLLECT.

I HAVE been exceedingly cautious of listening to predictions of future events, and especially in talking of them in such a view as might carry in it any reflections upon the conduct of our civil government: yet I cannot forbear mentioning two cases which have occurred to my observation, concerning which I pronounce nothing; but I choose to have them recorded, that I may observe the event.

Mr. Some assured Mr. and Mrs. Paul, that he knew a pious clergyman, who was discoursing with him about ten years ago of some future event, which he pretended to prognosticate, not from prophecy, or inward impression, but from the moral appearance of things, who told him, that he thought that before long France and Spain would erect a kingdom in Italy, consisting of dominions there then in the emperor's power; and that we, growing gradually into contempt as they strengthened by peace, should at length feel the weight of their superior power; and that probably about the end of 1739, or beginning of 1741, things would ripen so far, that the French and Spaniards would join in invading England, which should bring the protestant religion to a great crisis; but that, nevertheless, God would so appear for it as to protect it in its extreme danger, and that there should come more prosperous times than had ever been hitherto seen.

Mary Wills has often told me, and that some years ago,

the same person whom she saw in that extraordinary circumstance mentioned before, assured her that after some events which have been accomplished, our king then reigning, should be deceived, and greatly injured by trusting to a foreign prince, I think she said the king of Spain; and that the consequence should be, that England should be in great danger and distress; but that God would save it, and especially his own people; that a scourge should indeed come, by which great numbers should be swept away; but that on the whole God would appear for us, and that though the trial should be sharp, it should be but short: that ministers should earnestly pray that it might be prevented or shortened; and that it might not be in harvest time, nor on the sabbath day. And many other intimations have been given her that this great and dangerous trial should be by the sword.

MEMORANDUMS OF THE HUNDRED AND FIFTEENTH

SACRAMENT.

QUICKLY after the date of the above article it pleased God to afflict me with a violent fever, which assaulted me in such a manner, that had he not been pleased to put a stop to its fury, it must quickly have ended in my death. I have been detained from my public work two Lord's days by it; the last of them indeed by the importunity of my friends rather than by any real incapacity. This day I preached the sermon I intended then to have delivered from Psalm cxviii. 17, 18. "The Lord hath chastened me sore, but he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness, and I will go in unto them, and I will praise the Lord." I did then in a very solemn manner commemorate the goodness of God to me; and I endeavoured to lead my people into a proper improvement of the late instructive and affecting dispensation.

I introduced the Lord's supper with some meditations on these words, “Fear not, little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you his kingdom.” I observed, Christ both commands down our fears, and argues them down: he commands them down. Fear not, it implies, they were ready to fear as to what they might want, or to what they might suffer. But these fears were displeasing to him; he would therefore have them endeavour to conquer them. And he puts the best weapons into their hand: he calls them “his flock:" he had declared this before: he is a shepherd to them; and do we think he is such a shepherd, that he will see us destroyed? or do we think that he is absent? had Christ been on earth, how courageous should we have been ; though he had led us through deserts and the sea, we should not have feared winds or waves, serpents or lions. His call would have answered our protection. Shall we not rejoice in his spiritual presence? especially as he adds, that God is our father. Will that father see us worried and destroyed? will he see us perishing with want? will he see us die unpitied and unassisted. Judge by his final purpose. It is his good pleasure to give us a kingdom. There is a heavenly kingdom intended. And oh, what are all the kingdoms of the earth, and the glory of them, in comparison with that. How transitory! what slaves do they leave their possessors! and how soon do they leave them helpless! whose are the kingdoms of the earth now? lately one of them perished! all shall perish! fifty years hence, and where shall their Princes be. But here is an everlasting kingdom, which it is our father's good pleasure to give us. It is his sovereign will, though we are very unworthy of it. But he will magnify his own grace. Go thy way, they are chosen vessels. And how should this knowledge operate upon our minds? surely in producing love and service, and when receiving a kingdom which cannot be

moved, we should at least have grace to serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.

In breaking the bread, I spake of Christ's delivering his people from death. He has done it with respect to our departed friends. O, what a difference between meeting them under a sentence of wrath, and a welcome of love! Before giving the cup, I mentioned our having now boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus; let us then draw near to God by this blood.

September 2, 1739.

MEDITATIONS ON THE ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEENTH

SACRAMENT.

GOD has been pleased to meet my soul this day in ordinances in an uncommon degree. As I was going to the house of God I passed by my dear children, Polly and Mercy, Phil. and Celia, and was lifting up my heart to God for them, that they might every one of them be the support and ornament of religion, when, I know not how, there darted into my mind, with a peculiar energy, as if spoken to me, those words, which I knew were originally spoken to my great Lord, in comparison of whom I am as dust and ashes, "Thou shalt see thy seed; thou shalt prolong thy days; and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in thine hand." What these words peculiarly intend I know not, neither would I absolutely conclude from them that I shall live many years, or see my children planted in the church: but of this, through grace, I am well persuaded, that I shall see my spiritual seed; that I shall prolong eternal days of joy and glory in heaven; and that God will make the good pleasure of his grace in the conversion and establishment of his chosen people prosperous in my hand, both while I live, and when I am dead, by what I shall leave behind me, written, I hope, in the spirit of the Gospel; written, I am sure, with an undissembled zeal for

his honour and interest, which he that searches my heart, and sees all its secret workings, assuredly knows.

I preached on these words; "I will not leave you comfortless; I will come unto you:" and I introduced the ordinance with the following words: "Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more; but ye shall see me, and because I live ye shall live also. shall live also. Then shall ye know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you." I observed that the true Christian sees Christ when invisible to the world. The sight of him for a small part of forty days was comparatively little; the words rather refer to the vision of his grace in heaven. Many of us know what they mean, looking through his word, through his providence; we know what it is, through his ordinances, to see Christ, we rejoice in the sight already given, and we are breathing after that yet to be bestowed. "Because I live, ye shall live also." This sight of Christ, as a living Redeemer, gives us a derived life from him sure as his own. While he lives, while he has grace and glory at his disposal, no true believer shall fail of either. O, blessed hope! when it enters the soul, how does it raise our thoughts of Christ! When we feel divine vigour communicated from him, then do we know that he is in the Father: then do we possess his participation of divine honours, and know that as he is in us by the power of his grace, we also are in him; our names are written upon his heart, and we are interested in him as our covenant head, and our sure Redeemer.

Many comfortable though plain thoughts arose in breaking the bread and in pouring forth the wine, especially those of triumph in the text mentioned above, “Christ shall see his seed." I hope this applies to us among the rest, and that with us his days shall be prolonged to eternal ages, and his cause go on successfully. Oh, that what I have this day been saying and doing in the house of God may confirm this. I have devoted myself to God in the