“Saturday 23. My soul enjoyed sweet repose in the blood of the Lamb, while my heart was engaged in meditation on his dying love. O, where can we find an instance of such love, as that of God to men on Calvary! When the innocent died for a guilty world, to bring them to God!”
“Wednesday 27. I was not alive to God to-day. Unnecessary talk brought deadness upon my soul.”
“Great part of this day I lived as in heaven. Heaven was within me. God was in my soul. The influences of his Spirit wrought so powerfully upon me, that my joy was beyond expression. O the length and breadth, and height, of the love of God! Well may it be said to pass knowledge. The spiritual man may discern it, but cannot set it forth in the manner he feels it. Those words of Isaiah lxi. 10. lifted up my soul, as in a fiery chariot, above the fabric of this world. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ointments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. I could say, that the Lord had so done for my soul. O what enemies are the children of men to their own souls? They deprive themselves of happiness here, and of eternal glory hereafter; imagining that earthly enjoyments are above what religion can afford. But alas! it is because they know not this religion which brings such happiness to the soul.”
*“O how sweet was Jesus to my soul. The rose for sweetness; the lilly for whiteness; the apple-tree for fruitfulness; what are they all to thee! Entering into my closet, the moment I bowed my knee, the Lord poured down a blessing into my soul. O what a heaven upon earth did I experience for some moments! Tongue cannot express the goodness of God to my soul. O where shall I find words to praise? How am I lost in the ocean, of the immensity of thy mercy! Lord, I know not how to give thee thanks. Where to begin, I cannot tell. O my soul, fall into silent amazement! Let all I have, or am, drop into nothing!”
“March, Friday 8. This was a day of much temptation; but God, for my support and confirmation, was pleased to give me fresh manifestations of his love.”
“Reading and prayer to day, were of little comfort to me. If it were not that I find the abiding witness of the Spirit in my soul, my bondage would be very great. It is the goodness of God which preserves me in the faith. The enemies of my salvation are thrusting sore at me from day to day. Defend, and keep me, O my God, for Jesu’s sake.”
“In prayer, I saw the great difficulty of being a Christian in reality. There are many who eat their own bread, and wear their own apparel, and are willing to be called by the name of Jesus, to take away their reproach—The abomination of being called Heathens. But they love notwithstanding, the ways of death, and darkness, rather than light; and do what Heathens would not do. The ninety-first psalm was made a great blessing to me, the ninth verse especially.”
“This morning the Lord gave me language that I knew not of, raising my soul to him, in a wonderful manner. After preaching however in the evening, at my return to my room, I felt little life in my soul, but a Spirit of slothfulness. O what a poor creature! How incapable of thinking a good thought, or doing a truly good action! Sinful dust and ashes.”
Friday 22. In the morning I had an earnest desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. I wanted to see Jesus, who bore and suffered so much for me.”
“The 25th, my soul was very dull. I had a desire to pray, but could not, through the deadness of my heart, and wandering of my thoughts. This is a thing I have to complain of in general; namely, wandering in prayer, want of earnestness and fervour.”