APPENDIX. 201 and give me such graces as all shall be frustrate : his Spirit is the earnest and first-fruits of glory. VII. And all the course of. religious and moral duty which be bath commanded me, and in which he bath employed my life, were never imposed to deceive me. I am sure by nature and Scripture, that it is my duty to love God and my neighbor, to de- sire protection, and to serve God, and do good with all mÿ time and.power, and to trust God for my reward, believing, that all this shall not be in vain; nor that which is best be made my loss. O, blessed be God for commands and holy duty ; for they are equal to promises. Who can fear that he shall lose by seeking God? VIII. As God bath sealed the truth of his word as aforesaid, so he hath, by an instituted office and ordinance, sealed and delivered to myself his covenant, with the gift of Christ and life, in baptism, and the Lord's supper. IX. He bath given me such a love to holy things and persons, that I greatly long to see his church in perfect light, and love, and concord. O, how sweet would it be to see all men wise, and holy, and joyfully praising God! Every Christian longs for this; and, therefore, such a state will be. X. I have found here the great. benefit of the love and ministry of angels, such as is described in Psalm xci. They have kept me, night and day, which confirmeth my hope that I shall dwell with them ; for I love them better than men, because they love and serve God better. XI. That low communion which I have here with God by Christ and the Spirit, in his answer to my prayers, supports, com- forts, experience, tends to more.- XII: The pleasure which.I have by love, in thinkingof the hap- piness of my many, many, many holy departed friends, and of the glory of Christ, and the heavenly Jerusalem, is, sure, some hopeful approach towards their state. XIII When,I see the fire mount upward, and think that spirits are of a more sublime and excellent nature than fire ; and when I see that all that is done in this world is done by spiritual, unseen powers, which move this gross and drossy matter, it ON me past doubt, that my soul, being a spirit, bath a vast and glorious world of spirits to ascend to. God hath, by nature, put into all things an aggregative, uniting inclination: earth bath no other' natural motion. The ascent of fire tells us its element is above; and spirits naturally incline to spirits, and holy spirits peculiarly are inclined to the holy. XIV. I am sure, 1. By understanding that I understand, and by willing that I will, &c. 2. I am sure, by these acts, that 1 have he power or faculties to do them; for none Both that which it VOL. II. 26
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