APPENDIX. 253 was in itself; that so the doubt of thy sincerity keep not updoubts of God's acceptance. 5. Let thy dependence on the Holy Ghost, as given from Christ, be henceforth as serious and constant to thee as is the de- pendence of the eye on the light of the sun, and of natural life upon its heat and motion. Beg hard for the Holy Spirit, and gladly entertain it. 6. 0, never forget 'the many and great experiences thou hast had, these almost sixty years observed: of marvelous favor and providence of God, for soul and body, in every time, place, con- dition, relation, company, or change, thou hast been in ! Lose not all these' love-tokens of thy Father; while thou art begging more. 7. Hearken not too much to pained flesh, and look not too much into the grave; but look out at thy prison windows to the Jerusalem above, and the heavenly society that triumph in glory. 8. Let all thy sure notices of a future life, and of the com- munion we hale here with those above, draw thee to 'think that the great number, of holy souls that are gone before thee must needs be better than they were here ; and that they had the same mind, and heart, and way ; the same Savior, Sanctifier, and prom- ise, that thou hast; and therefore they are as pledges of felicity to thee. Thou hast joyfully lived with many of them here and is it not better to be with them there? It is only the state of glory foreseen by faith, which most fully showeth us the greatness of God's love. 9. Exercise thyself in psalms of praise, and daily magnify the love of God, that the due mention of it may warm. and raise thy love to him. 10. Receive all temptations against divine love with hatred and repulse,, especially temptations to unbelief ; and as thou wouldest abhor a temptation to murder, or perjury, or any other heinous sin, as much abhor all temptations that would hide God's goodness, or represent him to thee as an enemy, or unlovely. Thus God bath set the glass before us, in which we may see his amiable face. But alas ! souls in flesh are in great obscurity, and, conscious of their weakness, are still distrustful of themselves, and doubt of all their apprehensions, till overpowering objects and in- fluences satisfy and fix them.. For this mÿ soul, with daily long- ing, loth seek to thee, my God and Father: 0, pardon the sin that forfeits grace : I am ready to say, ' Draw nearer to me;' but it is meeter to say, ' Open thou my eyes and heart, and remove all impediments, and undisposedness, that I may believe and feel how near thou art, and hast been to me, while I perceived it not.' I w N
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