from his work, rather than contend with the swellings of Jordan; and Jonah to be angry even unto death, rather than lose his reputation; and Moses to be killed out of hand, rather than see his wretchedness, Numb. xi. 15. And I am of opinion, that if friend Timothy had succeeded and prospered in the vitriol manufactory at Manchester, it would have biassed his will; insomuch that the Christian would not have been favoured with this Looking-glass, nor the timorous soul with this guide; and it is a thousand pities that this favour was ever conferred at all. Quot. Some tried souls will bring in this objection; 'I fear all my strugglings within are only occasioned by an enlightened conscience, and that I am not made a partaker of a new nature.' I would answer, If this be really the case, you never had any real love to spiritual things; and all your attention to any thing of a religious nature has merely arisen from a fear of hell. Answ. This witness is false. There may be some love to spiritual things, where there is not a new nature; and there may be an attention to things of a religious nature, from other motives than the fear of hell. They that heard the word, which is a spiritual thing, and anon with joy received it, must have had some love to it; for love is the root of all joy. Herod, who heard John that rejoiced in his light gladly; and the Jews, for a season; attended on things of a religious nature and so far from their attention arising merely from the fear of hell, it arose from nothing but joy and gladness. Quot. If we were as much at an uncertainty about natural things as we are about spiritual, a man might be hesitating whether or no he is possessed of natural life. Answ. This, reader, is an honest, ingenuous, and true confession; and this is all the truth that I have found in it, except the scriptures. That Timothy is altogether at an uncertainty about spiritual things, appears plain in every page, and we cannot deny it; and that the timorous soul, that follows him, is the same, appears evident also, by his suffering himself to be led by so blind a guide. But what could embolden a person, at such an uncertainty about spiritual things, to write a spiritual Looking-glass for Christians, a spiritual directory for ignorant souls, and a description of spiritual operations, I cannot tell! I wish the timorous soul would leave Timothy, and follow Paul; for he is at a point. "So run I," says Paul, "but not at an uncertainty; so fight I, but not like one that beats the air." Paul ran for the prize, and won it; he fought for the crown, and gained it. Quot. Many, who are troubled with nervous disorders, are disconsolate; and ascribe that horror and dread which they feel to the want of faith, which is really brought on by the want of health. Answ. When Christ and the soul are in comfortable union, the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; "but a wounded spirit who can bear?" from his work, rather than l swellings of Jordan; and Jonah to be 253 the fear of hell, it arose from nothing were as much at an uncertainty As as we are about spiritual, a whether or no he is an honest, ingenuous, is all the truth that riptures. That Minty about spi afe and we this favour was Sor jection; 'I f occasioned I am not would a had ar atter me au of damna clieve that the wind sure I am, that such a soul ced that, whether the tree fall north, or toward the south, whether he law, or under the gospel, where the tree Meth, there it shall be, Eccles. xi. 3. As death leaves the sinner, judgment finds him; but if the warm south wind blows on the heart, and the graces of the Spirit are produced and begin to flow out, the poor soul will be able to prove his own work; and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another, Gal. vi. 4; much less in this nonsense of Timothy's, who is at such an uncertainty about spiritual things as to be at a point in nothing. Quot. Nothing is more common with some, ey experience an hard and unrelenting `rt, than to begin immediately to draw ny conclusions; as if this difficulty removed, and that they should happier frame to their dying he frame itself, if understood, ect a more agreeable seaich a frame? 253 fear of hell, it arose from nothin or no he is much at an uncertainty about spiritual, unrelenting frame of by those who are - awakened sinner season; for he y on whom he will he will he hardeneth.” Just cause to complain of such a meek and lowly Saviour, and an hard unrelenting heart, can enjoy no union or communion. Besides, such a sinner knows, that to be given up to hardness of heart is the infallible mark of a reprobate; that, except they repent, they must perish; and that those who are brought into the bond of the covenant, have the stony heart removed, and an heart of flesh given; yea, a new heart and a new spirit: and, till this is done, they can have no assurance of their life. This is the cause of their complaint, Timothy; and for a minister to endeavour to set a sinner down contented with an hard impenitent heart, is assisting the father of lies, and doing the work of a devil. Quot. The reason why persons give way to such suspicions, is not on account of their want I take it, that horror and dread are brought on, more for the want of God's comfortable presence than by the want of bodily health. If the God of all comfort is with the believer, he will not be afraid of "the terror by night, nor for the arrow that fleeth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day." Quot. How inconsistent would it be for a man, in a hard frost in January, to imagine it will be frost and snow in June, and all the year round? Answ. If God awakens the north wind of the law against a sinner, and brings on him the cold damp of eternal death, and the dread of damnation, he has no ground to believe that the wind will ever change. And sure I am, that such a soul is deeply convinced that, whether the tree fall toward the north, or toward the south, whether under the law, or under the gospel, where the tree falleth, there it shall be, Eccles. xi. 3. As death leaves the sinner, judgment finds him; but if the warm south wind blows on the heart, and the graces of the Spirit are produced and begin to flow out, the poor soul will be able to prove his own work; and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another, Gal. vi. 4; much less in this nonsense of Timothy's, who is at such an uncertainty about spiritual things as to be at a point in nothing. Quot. Nothing is more common with some, |