the consideration of my many blasphemies; and as I was saying in my

mind, WHAT GROUND HAVE I TO SAY THAT, WHO HAVE BEEN SO VILE AND
ABOMINABLE, SHOULD EVER INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE? That word came

suddenly upon me, WHAT SHALL WE SAY TO THESE THINGS? IF GOD BE FOR
US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? Rom. viii. 31. That also was an help

unto me, BECAUSE I LIVE, YE SHALL LIVE ALSO. John xiv. 19. But
these words were but hints, touches, and short visits, though very

sweet when present; only they lasted not; but, LIKE TO Peter's
SHEET, OF A SUDDEN WERE CAUGHT UP FROM ME, TO HEAVEN AGAIN. Acts

x. 16.
114. But afterwards the Lord did more fully and graciously

discover Himself unto me, and indeed, did quite, not only deliver
me from the guilt that, by these things was laid upon my

conscience, but also from the very filth thereof; for the
temptation was removed, and I was put into my right mind again, as

other Christians were.
115. I remember that one day, as I was travelling into the

country, and musing on the wickedness and blasphemy of my heart,
and considering the enmity that was in me to God, that scripture

came into my mind, HAVING MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS
CROSS. Col. i. 20. By which I was made to see, both again and

again, that God and my soul were friends by His blood; yea, I saw
that the justice of God, and my sinful soul could embrace and kiss

each other, through His blood. This was a good day to me; I hope I
shall never forget it.

116. At another time, as I sat by the fire in my house, and was
musing on my wretchedness, the Lord made that also a precious word

unto me, FORASMUCH THEN AS THE CHILDREN ARE PARTAKERS OF FLESH AND
BLOOD, HE ALSO HIMSELF LIKEWISE TOOK PART OF THE SAME, THAT THROUGH

DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS THE
DEVIL; AND DELIVER THOSE WHO THROUGH FEAR OF DEATH, WERE ALL THEIR

LIFETIME SUBJECT TO BONDAGE. Heb. ii. 14, 15. I thought that the
glory of these words was then so weighty on me, that I was both

once and twice ready to swoon as I sate; yet not with grief and
trouble, but with solid joy and peace.

117. At this time also I sate under of holy Mr GIFFORD, whose
doctrine, by God's grace, was much for my stability. This man made

it much his business to deliver the people of God from all those
false and unsound tests, that by nature we are prone to. He would

bid us take special heed, that we took not up any truth upon trust;
as from this, or that, or any other man or men; but to cry mightily

to God, that He would convince us of the reality thereof, and set
us down therein by His own Spirit in the holy word; FOR, said he,

IF YOU DO OTHERWISE, WHEN TEMPTATIONS COME, IF STRONGLY, YOU NOT
HAVING RECEIVED THEM WITH EVIDENCE FROM HEAVEN, WILL FIND YOU WANT

THAT HELP AND STRENGTH NOW TO RESIST, THAT ONCE YOU THOUGHT YOU
HAD.

118. This was as seasonable to my soul, as the former and latter
rains in their season (for I had found, and that by sad experience,

the truth of these his words: for I had felt NO MAN CAN SAY,
especially when tempted by the devil, THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD,

BUT BY THE HOLY GHOST). Wherefore I found my soul, through grace,
very apt to drink in this doctrine, and to incline to pray to God,

that in nothing that pertained to God's glory, and my own eternal
happiness, He would suffer me to be without the confirmation

thereof from heaven; for now I saw clearly, there was an exceeding
difference betwixt the notion of the flesh and blood, and the

revelations of God in heaven: also a great difference betwixt that
faith that is feigned, and according to man's wisdom, and that

which comes by a man's being born thereto of God. Matt. xvi. 15; 1
John v. 1.

119. But, oh! now, how was my soul led from truth to truth by God!
Even from the birth and cradle of the Son of God, to His accession,

and second coming from heaven to judge the world!
120. Truly, I then found, upon this account, the great God was

very good unto me; for, to my remembrance, there was not any thing
that I then cried unto God to make known, and reveal unto me, but

He was pleased to do it for me; I mean, not one part of the gospel
of the Lord Jesus, but I was orderly led into it: methinks的过去式">methought I saw

with great evidence, from the relation of the four evangelists, the
wonderful work of God, in giving Jesus Christ to save us, from His

conception and birth, even to His second coming to judgment:
methinks的过去式">methought I was as if I had seen Him born, as if I had seen Him

grow up; as if I had seen Him walk through this world, from the
cradle to the cross; to which also, when He came, I saw how gently

He gave Himself to be hanged, and nailed on it for my sins and
wicked doings. Also as I was musing on this His progress, that

dropped on my spirit, HE WAS ORDAINED FOR THE SLAUGHTER. 1 Peter
i. 12, 20.

121. When I have considered also the truth of His resurrection,
and have remembered that word, TOUCH ME NOT, MARY, etc., I have

seen as if He had leaped out of the grave's mouth, for joy that He
was risen again, and had got the conquest over our dreadful foes.

John xx. 17. I have also in the spirit, seen Him a man, on the
right hand of God the Father for me; and have seen the manner of

His coming from heaven, to judge the world with glory, and have
been confirmed in these things by these scriptures following, Acts

i. 9, 10, and vii. 56, and x. 42; Heb. vii. 24 and ix. 28; Rev. i.
18; 1 Thess. iv. 17, 18.

112. Once I was troubled to know whether the Lord Jesus was man as
well as God, and God as well as man: and truly, in those days, let

men say what they would, unless I had it with evidence from heaven,
all was nothing to me; I counted myself not set down in any truth

of God. Well, I was much troubled about this point, and could not
tell how to be resolved; at last, that in Rev. v. 6 came into my

mind: AND I BEHELD, AND, TO, IN THE MIDST OF THE THRONE, AND OF
THE FOUR BEASTS, AND IN THE MIDST OF THE ELDERS, STOOD A LAMB, AS

IT HAD BEEN SLAIN. In the midst of the throne, thought I, there is
the Godhead; in the midst of the elders, there is His manhood; but,

oh! methinks的过去式">methought this did glister! It was a goodly touch, and gave me
sweet satisfaction. That other scripture also did help me much in

this, FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN; AND THE
GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER: AND HIS NAME SHALL BE

CALLED WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING
FATHER, THE PRINCE OF PEACE, etc. Isa. ix. 6.

123. Also besides these teachings of God in His word, the Lord
made use of two things to confirm me in this truth; the one was the

errors of the Quakers and the other was the guilt of sin; for as
the Quakers did oppose this truth, so God did the more confirm me

in it, by leading me into the scripture that did wonderfully
maintain it.

124. The errors that this people then maintained, were:-
'1. That the holy scriptures were not the word of God.

'2. That every man in the world had the spirit of Christ, grace,
faith, etc.

'3. That Christ Jesus, as crucified, and dying sixteen hundred
years ago, did not satisfy divine justice for the sins of the

people.
'4. That Christ's flesh and blood were within the saints.

'5. That the bodies of the good and bad that are buried in the
church-yard, shall not arise again.

'6. That the resurrection is past with good men already.
'7. That that man Jesus, that was crucified between two thieves,

on mount CALVARY, in the land of CANAAN, by JERUSALEM, was not
ascended above the starry heavens.