that of his lately buried body." Few who are the subjects of Christian experience can peruse it, if they have it in their power, without admiring the grace of God in him, and becoming more sensible of their own deficiency. When the late Dr. Lant Carpenter expired on board the vessel in which he was making a voyage for the recovery of his health, this little manual was found in his pocket, as that which he had been in the daily habit of perusing. It is entitled, The State of my own Soul, according to the strictest search I have been able to make.

For the benefit of such as have no acquaintance with it, and for the help of others who are under any similar affliction, I transcribe a few of its passages as a specimen of the

rest.

The Workings of my Heart in my Affliction.

"The will of God in laying this affliction upon me, I unfeignedly approve as holy, just, and good; and I am unfeignedly willing to bear the affliction, as it is an evil laid upon me by his will, till the time come in which he thinks fit to remove it. I watch and pray and strive, that I may not give way to a repining thought against his holy hand. On that point 'the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.' My mind doth really consent to God's dispensation, and to my submission, as being most agreeable to his wise and gracious government and most conducing to my salvation. But my

sensitive part, and my mind also, as it is in part unrenewed, weak, and sinful, doth greatly reluctate, so that I am put hard to it, and I must say, I am willing, Lord help my unwillingness! I have not observed in the several days that a thought of direct or positive discontentment, or vexatious commotion of mind, hath been admitted by me, nevertheless, I see, to my great grief, that I fall exceedingly short of that

quietness, contentation, and cheerfulness in my condition, and of that freeness of self-resignation to God's will, that I desire and his goodness calls for.

"I wrestle with God by importunate prayer, that this thorn in the flesh might depart from me; that this distemper might be removed, or so mitigated that I might be in some comfortable ease, and get a more cheerful freedom in doing my duty. Yet I would not wrest this relief out of his hands unseasonably, and without his good-will and his blessing. I would wait his time, and desire to have it with his love and favour, and with a saving benefit. And so my earnest desire thereof is limited with submission to his holy will. Yet I find that this submission is no easy matter, but that I must take pains with my own heart, and that it is God who must work my heart to it, and keep under the flesh, which is always ready to rebel. It is hard to be willing to bear my wearisome condition; and oh how weak is my heart, and ready to sink, if it be not upheld by a strength above my own! Oh let his grace be sufficient for me, and let his power be made perfect in my weakness!

"I feel myself bettered in the inner man by this chastening. It hath furthered mortification and self-denial, and done much to the breaking of the heart of pride, and to bring me on towards that more perfect self-examination for which I labour. It hath much deadened the world to me, and my desire to the world. It makes me know in earnest the emptiness of all creatures, and how great my concern is in God. It drives me close to him, and makes me to fetch all my comforts from him. I see of how little value all outward contentments are; and not only in my present afflicted state, but if I were at ease and in full prosperity. The sense of this benefit to my soul is the great means of bringing my will to that weak degree of submission to God's will to which I have attained.

"I do not love God the less because of his correcting hand upon me. As my necessities drive me, so his love draws me, and my love brings me to him. I look to him as my Father; and shall not I honour my Father, and give him reverence when I am chastened of him? The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. I will wait for the Lord, who hideth his face; I will look after him; he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. Therefore he will turn again and have compassion upon me. If he kill me I will put my trust in him, for he will not cast me off for ever if I cleave to him with faith unfeigned; but even through death itself will he He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. When I cry, 'What shall I do in case of such or such troublesome or dangerous consequents?' my heart answers, 'Be not careful, God will provide, I will leave it to him.'

save me.

"I am desirous to be delivered from this affliction, if it be the will of the Lord, upon this account, that I might have a more notable proof of my freer choosing of God for my portion, when I am not thus driven to him, as now, because I can go nowhere else for comfort; also of my freer turning from the world even then when I am capable of enjoying it. To have such a proof of these things in myself I should take for a great advantage, and be greatly thankful. Nevertheless, for the quieting of my mind, I consider that my present afflicted state doth better secure me from temptations which might draw my heart from God to the love of the world, in which respect prosperity is far more dangerous than adversity. Moreover, my present state gives me advantage for a higher proof of the grace that is in me, and of the power of Divine aid upholding me in a life of faith and patience, by which I live upon God alone, when

worldly comfort fails me, and by which I am enabled to overcome things grievous to nature, and to get above, not only the pleasures, but the sharp pains of sense; and to live and continue with little natural or bodily rest. Also, it gives me the advantage of exercising a resolved, willing selfresignation to God, in this dispensation, which is harsh to flesh and blood; and resting in hope, when there is no present appearance of help, and as waiting and looking for the Lord, who hides his face, and a cleaving to him by constant love, though he doth sore bruise me.

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If I continue in the exercise of these graces they will give me a good proof that the heavenly nature is in me, and will make way for great assurance towards God, and full consolation in Jesus Christ. And yet further; I trust that I have, long before this distress, chosen God for my portion, and drawn off my heart from the flattering vanities of this world. I know that in this distress I do not come to him constrainedly, or merely as driven, for I delight to draw nigh to him, to pour out my heart before him in prayer and meditation. My meditation of him is sweet to my soul, and I do not love to be diverted from it; and when my distemper is any whit more easy, it works into a rejoicing in him. It is for an enlargement of heart towards him that I chiefly desire bodily ease and rest.

"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever! Forsake not the work of thine own hands. O Lord, without thee I can do nothing! therefore I must beg, and thou wilt give grace sufficient, without which I cannot subsist; for therein is the life of my spirit.'

Extremes of Trial.

"We went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place."-Ps. lxvi. 12.

Nor only one but many kinds of affliction are denoted by these words, and some that are positively contrasted—as much so as the natural elements of fire and water. It sometimes pleases God to bring his people through extreme vicissitudes, that they may be tried with the utmost severity, and the vigour of their faith be thereby manifested-together with his own faithfulness in sustaining, comforting, and delivering them.

Thus they have escaped from some one trouble, in which they have been comforted and supported, to enter into another, arising from a very different quarter, in order, as it would appear, that their faith and patience may be variously exercised and still more strikingly illustrated. In all exigencies they plead these consoling words of promise: "When thou passest through the fire, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." "He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea, also in seven." "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." The instances of this kind upon record are appropriated by them to animate their hopes. They know that although miracles themselves have ceased, yet the power that wrought them remains unweakened, and can and does effect similar results in the course and turns of a regular and ordinary providence.

They are conscious of the Divine presence as a defence against all harm. As the Son of man was present with the "three children" in the fiery furnace, and enabled them to pass through its fierce flames without trepidation and free from injury; as, also, Noah heard the waters of the great flood rushing and roaring around him, yet felt confident in