look forward to death as a pleasing sleepwhich will end them all. I sought truth with singleness of heart, and I did not seek it in vain; and I have learned, that in or der to preserve it pure, it must be deposited in a pure heart; for when the eye is evil, the light within us is turned to darkness. Every good man finds an unerring guide, · and a faithful monitor in his heart, while it is single and full of gratitude; he feels an finds Deity in his soul, both in power, intelligence and goodness; he, therefore, as nothing to do, but love, adore and trast him, without any disputation. This is the simple truth, which always was and always will be invalidated, by the millions v rho live in the opposite error. Embrace th cordially embrace truth, O ye children calamity with a grateful honest heart, ye shall find rest to your souls; and er that heavenly peace, which the children error are totally unacquainted with.

len,

of

and

joy

of

for man.

"The only place of safety for even the virtuous, is the vale of humility: Man was made for humility, and humility was made

I heard some time ago, a little female itinerant preacher deliver a sermon: - she said many very good things; but, alas ! her half-singing and half-speaking monotony, I thought, tallied to the word affecta- ' tion; the many good things she said of herself, although in an indirect manner, manifested a want of humility and selfknowledge; her selling books at double their value after preaching, even in the meeting-house, at least appeared like avarice; but her expressing, both in her sermons and journal, that God, at her -request, silenced the wild winds, and calmed the stormy seas, shews vanity with a witness, and spiritual pride without disguise ; and proves to a demonstration, that she is a total stranger to the book of nature. This female preacher errs greatly from the truth, because she learns her les

3

sons from the erroneous books of man,

and neglects the unerring book of God: Yet she is an excellent woman in many respects, and I think, desires to do good; and I charitably believe, misses the mark more through weakness than wickedness, for the reasons I have already assigned. The present case presents itself, to prove the necessity of self-knowledge, which can only be attained, by a knowledge of the truth ; which destroys all vanity, vain glory, spiritual pride, and presumption in man. The real humble man is instructed in the truth, by the immediate inspiration of the spirit of truth ; not by words, which are soon forgotten, but by an instantaneous communication of itself. Although I will be laughed at by the literati, for what they will in their, wisdom, be pleased to call my foolish rhapsody, yet will I tell those who are fools in their own estimation, some of the simple lessons I have learned, by an

diate communication of the divine.

spirit of truth. while wrapped up in a cloud of grief, and ready to sink into despair, under the ponderous weight of my calamity, I happened to see a spider* entangling, to destroy a struggling fly; I had compassion on the insect, and with a small stick drove the spider away, and disentangled the fly, who exultingly adjusted its wings, and flew Immediately this spontaneous thought struck my mind, viz. Have you, a miserable child of corruption, had compassion upon, and delivered the helpless fly from the snares of its enemy, and will not God deliver you from the snares of the

About four years ago,

away.

* The supercilious pedagogue will view these simple incidents, no doubt, with sovereign contempt. Little does he think, that God accomplishes the greatest ends by the most simple means, that no flesh might boast in his sight: And little does he think, that he must become a fool, before he can be wise unto salvation; and that God confounds the sons of vanity, by the foolish things of this world.

devil, and from your present difficulties? I immediately answered the interrogation (and tranquillity sprung up in my soul) with the words, Most assuredly he will. Not many days ago, I recognized a worm in the avenue adjoining my flower-garden; I saw the danger it was in ; I pitied it, and with a small stick conveyed it to my garden. Immediately I thought how unreasonable it was for me to think, that God would leave me exposed to all the fury of satan and sin, (especially when my daily prayer was to be delivered therefrom,) when I had pity, and delivered from its danger, the poor worm. I could mention a number of such anecdotes, but the above will suffice to shew, that from the most insignificant incidents in life, we may gain the most important manifestations of truth, and the greatest consolation. Of all the auxiliaries of hell, none are more destructive to humanity than unbelief; how blessed therefire is the means, however simple, which

a