[¹] That is with a degree of familiarity and access, which was not allowed to any of the other patriarchs or prophets. For strictly speaking, no man hath seen God at any time.
“I retired a few minutes after five, to wait for the coming of Jesus. My soul is all desire after Christ. I am resolved to love and serve him so as I have never yet done. Come Holy Ghost, and kindle the fire within my breast.”
*“From a quarter after four this morning till ten, spent in prayer, and reading the scriptures, and such humiliation of soul, such a sense of my vileness I hardly ever felt. It was genuine, godly sorrow indeed, with a clear sight of the odiousness of sin. I believe the first time I ever sinned, was brought to my remembrance. My head was as waters, and my heart as wax before the fire. But all the time I had a clear sense of the love of God; a witness that I was accepted in the beloved, and all the day after, my soul delighted itself in the Lord.”
*“I ought to esteem myself unworthy of any comfort; my sins having justly deserved damnation. The blood of Christ is of infinite value and efficacy, otherwise I should never be saved. Infirmities, so called, which once I passed over without much remorse, now appear heinous, black, and damnable, and if God did not bear witness with my spirit, that they are all forgiven, would sink me into misery. People are seldom sufficiently sensible of the odiousness of pride, anger, internal concupiscence, or an inordinate love of the creature; together with the neglect of self-denial, and bearing the daily cross. These are overlooked; yea, some even plead for, and attempt to justify them. Lord, let me never be an advocate for the devil. Give me grace heartily to love those who tell me of my faults. Search out my sin, till thou find none. My whole trust is in the blood of Jesus. I have no other plea; for this one is enough, it will, it doth prevail with God, and bring my soul to glory.”
*“In my closet the former part of this day, it was made indeed a time of love. I felt such sweetness, and divine felicity in my soul, and by faith beheld the glory of God in such a manner as words cannot describe. I saw and tasted God in all things. My Lord Jesus Christ appeared wonderful to me indeed, Isaiah ix. 6. Praise, blessing, honour, glory, and thanksgiving be ascribed to the holy and adorable Trinity. What could I have believed, what understood of thee, unless thou my Lord hadst revealed it to me?[¹] O love divine! O the wisdom, and power of God! Human tongue cannot express, nor angel minds conceive, how great and wonderful ye are in the saints; by whom God is glorified, and in whom Christ is justified by the Spirit, (1 Timothy iii. 16.) To whom heaven is as it were let down, and whom eternal glory momentarily awaits! They now drink of the rivers of pleasure; of the well of life: and are warmed with the beams of the divine sun! They are delighted with praises, allured by pleasures, cloathed with light, and filled with God! Hallelujah! Amen.”
[¹] He seems to refer to some particular communication from God of his Triune Majesty.
CHAPTER III.
The same subject continued.
THE continued advancement of his soul in the knowledge of God, is very discernible in the preceding sketch of his experience: although in the expression of it, and of what follows in particular, he seems often at a loss for words; human language falling so far short of those things of God, which can only be spiritually discerned. In these collections we see a soul peculiarly remarkable for a daily, serious, steady, exact and uniform course of walking inwardly with God, and attending outwardly on all the precepts of the gospel. He poured out, simply his thoughts from the standing treasury of his heart, for his own sole use; for the more effectual promotion of his intercourse with God, and for the better adjustment of all his spiritual concerns.