istence? Ans. No, I am sure, both from scripture and reason, that I shall have existence in a separate state; for men may kill the body, but God can cast the soul into hell when the body is laid in the grave. There shall also be a resurrection, when the body must follow the state of the soul."

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Secondly, But what life must thou live when thou shalt depart from this tabernacle? Ans. I do verily believe, that mine, as well as other men's souls, will go into an unchangeable state of joy or misery, in heaven or hell; and that when the body returns to dust as it was, the soul shall ascend to God that gave it, to receive from him the sentence of absolution or condemnation. It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this, the judgment; that is, a personal judgment, preparatory to the solemn day of judgment for all the world. I am as confident that when the soul departs from the body, it enters either joy or woe, as I do believe it must depart."

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Thirdly, My soul, what state of eternity dost thou think thou shalt enter, when soul and body are separated? Ans. I am not much concerned to know at what hour this body will begin to moulder, nor whether I shall die a natural or violent death, by a sudden accident or by the hands of persecutors; but this I do now believe, with some degree of confidence, (though long under many discouraging doubts and fears,) that when the earthly house of this my tabernacle shall be dissolved, I shall have a house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. It has indeed cost me many sighs, prayers, tears, and examinations before I arrived at this comfortable assurance; for it is not the work of a day or two, but of many years. Now I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him

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against that day-the day of death and judgment; and that he will guide me by his counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. The same gracious and faithful God that took me from my mother's womb, that has been the support of my childhood and staff of my youth, will also be the crown and comfort of my gray hairs: I dare trust him, and as old Polycarp, when tempted by advice given to forsake Christ, could say, 'Eighty-six years hath the Lord kept me, and shall I now forsake him in my old age?' so I can say, above forty years hath the Lord allured and drawn out my heart after himself, and shall I now forsake him? will he now forsake me? Indeed, I have been ready to sink often, and have sometimes imagined I could not go one step farther; but, through grace, I have set up many Ebenezers, and having obtained help of God, I continue to this day as a monument of divine mercy. What God hath done for me, poor and unworthy as I am, will be a source of admiration to saints and angels throughout eternity."

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Fourthly, But, O my soul, thou seemest to be very confident; is it not presumption, a hope built on the sand? How dost thou hope to be saved, for thou art a sinner? Doth not God threaten death to sinners? Is he a man that he should repent, and will he reverse the sentence for thee? Is not hell prepared for sinners, and are not fallen angels reserved in chains against the judgment of the great day? On what grounds dost thou expect felicity, seeing many rational creatures just like thee by nature are now in hell? Ans. My case is indeed the same by nature as that of the vessels of wrath, for I am a child of wrath as well as others. God made man upright, but he hath sought out many inventions, and hath lost God's image and communion with him. But God in his infinite love and grace hath

pitied lapsed mankind, and when there was none in heaven or earth of sufficient power to rescue forlorn wretches, he sent his own Son, the second person of the sacred Trinity, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God; being God, he sent him to take upon him man's nature, to live a life of sorrows, and die an accursed death, to satisfy violated justice, to appease offended Deity, and make reconciliation between God and man. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;' he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, to pursue the same design of saving souls; as prophet to teach, as priest to intercede, and as king to gather and rule his purchased people; and at last he will bring all their souls, with this of mine, I hope, to enjoy God everlastingly."

Fifthly, And dost thou imagine, O my soul, that all will be saved by the merits of Christ's undertaking? If not, what ground hast thou to believe that thou shalt have benefit through Christ's redeeming love more than others, who, notwithstanding his death, and though they live under the sound of the gospel, and as confidently hope for salvation as thou, shall perish everlastingly? Ans. If I can find that God hath, by his grace, wrought in me repentance and true faith in Christ Jesus, I have good reason to hope that I shall be saved, because these are things that accompany salvation; and though there be no merit nor worthiness in me, yet God is faithful to his promises, and it is as impossible for a truly penitent, believing soul to go to hell, as for an impenitent and unbelieving soul to go to heaven. I find that God makes sinners meet for heaven here, gives them the earnest of his Spirit, seals them to the day of redemption, and hereafter gives an inheritance to them that are sanctified;

whom he calleth, he also glorifieth. It is true, the whole of this is of grace, pure grace; and when free grace will magnify itself, nothing shall hinder the salvation of the soul, for he that hath begun a good work in me, will also perform it until the day of Christ; I may be confident of this, because faithful is he that hath promised, who also will do it; though Ibe a weak worm of myself, yet I shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation."

"Sixthly, O my soul, it is a truth, that those who are sanctified are also justified and shall be saved; but art thou sanctified, in whom lodgeth such a multitude of vile dispositions? Art thou made meet for heaven, who art not meet for any good work here? Art thou sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, who art daily grieving the Spirit, by sinning against God? Is there any good work wrought in thy heart, who canst not but be conscious to thyself of so much evil, that sometimes thou canst not perceive the existence of good? Ans. I must confess, that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing; to me belongeth nothing but confusion of face; I am the chief of sinners, the least of saints, if a saint. When I look into my heart, I find a cage of unclean and noisome birds, and such a mass of sin, that I am ready to say, surely no spark of saving grace can dwell in such a heart. Can Christ and Belial share so small a compass as a human soul? Will not our Lord be supreme where he comes to dwell? Is it imaginable he can rule where the devil's interest is so strong? Surely this very consideration may damp my hopes and discourage my heart. True 'circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.' When I read such scriptures, I am much cast down in my own eyes, especially reflecting on the

swarms of vain thoughts that lodge within me. These things make me suppose that all my feelings within, and worship outwardly, are but a fine-spun hypocrisy, which will be swept away as the spider's web, with all the hope that shrouds itself under it. But stay, my soul, be not so peremptory; condemn not all the generation of the just, and thyself with them. Learn to distinguish betwen true perfection of parts and degrees, and to judge of a Christian's state in point of sanctification. Distinguish between a state of sin, and the acts of sinbetween having hypocrisy, and being a hypocritebetween the indwelling of corruption, and the dominion of it-between a state of imperfection in grace, and a state of perfection in glory; learn these well, and then descend into the heart. O my soul, though thou canst not say, thou art clean, yet thou canst say, that 'having these promises, thou art cleansing thyself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit;' and 'having this hope, thou art purifying thyself.' Canst thou not truly say, thou hatest every false way, and regardest not iniquity in thy heart? Wouldst thou not willingly be delivered from this body of death, as thy greatest enemy? Wouldst thou not be holy as God is holy, in all manner of thinking and conversation? Art thou not content to pluck out a right eye, or cut off a right hand? Doth not the spirit within thee lust against the flesh? I hope my soul can comfortably answer these characteristical interrogations. True, I have a troublesome inmate, and there is a sin that doth easily beset me and too much prevails; but I can call to record how many prayers, tears, and lamentations, my corruptions have cost me. Oh what panting for perfect sanctification! What would I give might I be free from sin! If God would set me at liberty from the baneful influence of internal depravity, it would

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