when shall this be?-in verse 24th, it is said, when the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, then Jerusalem shall be delivered. And what are the signs accompanying these times?" perplexity and distress of nations," and "men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth," &c. The Prophet Zechariah, xiv. 6, speaking of this time, tells plainly,—that it shall be a time of strong confusion, neither light nor dark; and that the expected light shall not come until the evening,-even then, when people are giving over hope of light, and expecting nothing but more darkness. Then will the living waters go out from Jerusalem, and then will "the Lord be King over all the earth;" then will "there be but one Lord, and his name one.' Then will he "turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon his name, to serve him with one consent." Zeph. iii. 9.

The Lord's people should therefore be labouring to stay and establish their hearts, not to be shaken in their confidence of the truth of the promises of his coming;-for, lo! He comes, with power and great glory. Matt. xxiv. 30.-" But who may abide the day of his coming?" Mal. iii. 2.-They should labour, so to be established in the faith of his promises, as not to be shaken at what has already, or may as yet come, of a day of darkness and desertion. Is there not also warrant for them, to be waiting for a dreadful time of suffering, with which they may be tried?—as the Scriptures do very plentifully hold forth,-in which Satan, having transformed himself into an angel of light, shall so far prevail, that, if it were possible, he should deceive the very elect. This day, as it hath, in a great measure, already come on

us in this generation; yet not so, but that more, and much more of this kind, may be our lot to be tried with. It It appears very evident from the Holy Scriptures, Isai. i. 25 and iv. 4, that before that great and glorious appearing of Christ, the dross and tin of his people must be purely purged away by the spirit of judgment and of burning,-a day of such trouble, says Daniel, xii. 1, "as never was,"-such a day must there be, before THE LORD'S PEOPLE "shall be delivered;" such a day, wherein two parts shall be cut off and die, and a third part shall be saved" through the fire," [after] being "refined" and "tried" as "silver" and as "gold."

O! that, by the consideration of these things, I might stir up my own heart, so to labour to be rooted and grounded in the love of the truth, and knowledge of the gospel of Christ; that no temptation on the one hand, or on the other, should shake me, in those dreadful, shaking, and trying times, when the Lord is about the searching " Jerusalem with candles." Zeph. i. 12. This search is there said to be, for the punishment of those that are settled on their lees.— Lord! save me from settling, either in a lifeless form of religion, without the power thereof, or in any bait or temptation that may arise from the allurements of a present world; that I may, by grace, be saved from the errors of the times, to which so many are given up, to the dreadful offence and scandal of the gospel! So also, I pray, that the Lord, of his goodness and free grace, would save me from resisting or refusing to receive light, when it does proceed from Himself, who is the Fountain of light and life; [especially] when He is about these glorious manifestations and discoveries of himself, which

How far are the least of

shall consume the man of sin, even with the brightness of his coming, 2 Thess. ii. 3 and 8.—and [which shall also] make his own shine more brightly than the sun in the firmament, through the abounding measure of the graces of his Spirit in them. See Dan. xii. 3, and Isai. xxx. 26. Then shall a little one be like David, and the house of David like the angel of God. Zech. xii. 8. the saints from having attained to this pitch! and yet no less than this ought to be in their eye and aim;—the kingdom of Christ, which by himself we are taught daily to pray that it may come, will produce no less. But how far are we [the religious professors of this day] from it! and how much may we, in all appearance, be likely to suffer, before our dross and tin be taken away, that we may be accounted worthy to win "places" among the number of those that shall get leave to "stand by;" [according to that place in Zech. iii. 4, 7. Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee." "If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.”]

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CHAPTER VI.

ALEXANDER JAFFRAY COMMEMORATES THE PROVIDENTIAL KINDNESS OF THE LORD TO HIS FAMILY-HIS VIEWS AND RESOLUTIONS AT THIS PERIOD WITH REGARD TO PRAYER, &c.-SOME REFLECTIONS ON "HAVING A NAME TO LIVE," AND ON "STRENGTHENING THE THINGS THAT REMAIN," &c.-ON BEING "soBER, AND WATCHING UNTO PRAYER."

THIS day, I had been labouring to remember with thankfulness, the kindness of the Lord to my family; and, in particular, his sweet providence towards us in our journey here, and since we came here; and now, of late, that he hath brought our youngest child, John, safely to us. This was a mercy, which I had divers times sought of the Lord; and which, now and ever, I desire to remember with all thankfulness, as the fruit and answer of prayer. My desire was also to the Lord, that he would save me from letting these my dear children, or any thing else of my enjoyments, get too much room in my heart. I also sought of the Lord, that my wife's condition, at this time of her delivery, may be remembered; and that the neglect of former deliverances, at such times of strait both to her and me, may not now be remembered [against us;] but that we may be helped to remember with much thankfulness these straits and difficulties, with the out-gets we then had, and the vows and promises we then made; hoping that the Lord will yet be gracious, and even particularly at this

time will spare and pity her, and give us once more occasion to praise his name!

The 11th day, being Saturday, I had been some time of the afternoon until six o'clock at the fields: when I came in, I intended to have taken up the rest of that evening with prayer and meditation, in reference to a better preparation for the sabbath. Yet was I entangled with some worldly business, of no necessary or present use, but which might have been very well done at another time, without any loss or danger. A little before eight o'clock, I set myself to prayer; but, owing to a loose, roving heart, distracted with worldly business, not a word could I get expressed. Here, I began to consider the language of this dispensation, to speak no less than a sad check and challenge for my former laziness and negligence, in not stirring up myself with delight to be about these holy duties of prayer and meditation. And having thought a little on this point,-not only in relation to some more time to be hereafter spent for preparation against the sabbath; but also in relation to all my exercises in divine worship, both on sabbath and other days,—I found, upon a more exact examination of my way, both in private when I am alone, and more publicly when I am with my family, and elsewhere in the assemblies for public worship,-there was much matter of humiliation for many things both wanting and wrong in these duties, which, by the grace of the Lord and in his strength, I intend to amend.

First, In the morning, I resolve to labour, when with convenience I can, to have some time before private prayer, for reading some portion of Scripture and meditation thereon, as relating not only to my own private case, but to the condition and case of