mises of God pleaded in humble prayer, and promised mercies received in answer thereto, always come so as to make a divine impression, being sweetened with love to us; for every such mercy is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. But to the unbelieving and prayerless there is nothing clean, though there be ever so much stock in hand. "A little that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked," Psalm xxxvii. 16.

I have sometimes been proud and vain enough to think that my habitation and temporal mercies, which my God has sent me, attended with the blessed influences of comforting grace, have been as much consecrated to me as any cathedral church or church-yard in Europe, which had even the consecration of a bishop to make it sacred: being persuaded that it is the presence of God, and that only, which consecrates an house of prayer; that it is God's blessing the habitation of the just with his presence that makes their tents holy; and that on whatever spot God is pleased to visit a soul with his powerful and free salvation, and to manifest himself a sin-pardoning God, through Christ, by his most Holy Spirit, such spots of ground, and such only, can with propriety be called holy ground. And I believe it would puzzle even the learned themselves to shew any other consecration than this that is good for any thing.

As for the consecration of church-yards, which some are so fond of laying their bodies in, I have

no desire after them, as I believe all the corpses that lie there were sown in weakness, sown in dishonour, and sown in corruption; and living consecration doth not dwell with dead men's bones and all uncleanness, but with living souls, who are consecrated kings, priests, and Nazarites, to God for evermore.

I hope my reader will excuse my running so far out of the way after consecration; but indeed I am not the first man that mock consecration has led astray: however, I should not have meddled with it had it not intruded itself into my thoughts; wherefore, rather than displease my reader, I will resume my subject.

Another year having rolled over my head, I began to look about for my livery; for I always took care to let my most propitious Master know when my year was out. And indeed I wanted it bad enough, for riding for riding on horseback soiled my clothes much more than walking did. However, my Lord exercised my faith and patience for six weeks together about this livery; and I looked all manner of ways for it; but every door seemed shut up; and I could not see from what quarter it was to come. You know, reader, we are all very fond of running before God; but he takes his own pace. At length I was informed by Mr. Byrchmore that a gentleman in Wells-street wanted to see me. Accordingly I went; and was admitted into the parlour to the gentleman and his spouse. He wept, and begged I would not be angry at what he was

going to relate; which was, that he had for some time desired to make me a present of a suit of clothes, but was afraid I should be offended at his offer, and refuse it. Ah!' says Envy,' there need be no fear of that, for Methodist parsons are all for what they can get.' It is true; for we are commanded to covet earnestly the best gifts, and so we do, and expect a double reward of the Lord; one in this world, the other in the next. And this is no more than our Master has promised to give us; for we are to receive an hundred fold in this world, and in the world to come life everlasting. I told the good man that I had been for some time expecting a suit of clothes, but knew not how to procure them. They both wept for joy upon my accepting them, and I wept for joy, that they gave them so freely. As they had been fearful that I should be offended at their offer, and not receive them; so I had been much exercised in my mind, lest my Master would not give them to me, as he usually had done. However, our minds were now eased of our fears on both sides, and I was clothed; and it was the best suit that I ever had. This is the fifth livery that my trembling hand of faith put on my back, and every one came from a different quarter. The name of the good man who gave me this suit is Randall, in Wells-street, Oxford-market. I mention his name to shew that I cannot keep such secrets, because he strictly charged me not to let it be known. However, I have imitated the disciples of old in this, for it is

said of them that the more Christ charged them to keep silence, the more they spread it abroad. And indeed it must be so, or else the Lord would be deprived of the honour that is due to his holy name. Though by the Saviour's charge it plainly appeared that he sought not the applause of men, yet it is the indispensable duty of every Christian to applaud the Saviour. With my reader's permission, I will shew my opinion why he charged them to keep his miracles concealed. I believe one reason was, because those whom he healed were in general very ignorant of his deity; yea, and even his disciples themselves, at that time, had but very gross, low, and shallow thoughts and views of his being the omnipotent and self-existent Jehovah. We often hear them calling him by the name of his manhood only; as when he rebuked the waves of the sea, they said, "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and sea obey him?” And as two of them were going to Emmaus, and the Saviour drew near to them, asking them the reason of their being sad, they said, 'Art thou a stranger in Jerusalem, and knowest not these things?' When he said, 'What things?' they replied, 'Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man mighty in word and deed before God and all the people,' &c. Luke xxiv. 18, 19; mentioning his manhood only. And Martha too, at her brother's grave, had her gross thoughts lifted up no higher, when she said, “ But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." The Saviour's answer was,

"I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, [mark, in me] though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever that liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" Thou believest that I am prevalent with God in prayer, and that God will give me what I ask of him. If thy faith, Martha, centers in me, as one who is only prevalent with God in prayer, thou makest me no more than Noah, Daniel, and Job, were. But dost thou believe that I am the resurrection itself, and that eternal life which lives in all the just, and which all the just live in? Dost thou believe this?

6.6

It is to be observed that, if any came to our Lord Jesus Christ with their carnal thoughts hovering altogether about his manhood, they generally met with a sharp reproof. Good master, what good thing shall I do?' said one. Why callest thou me good," said the Saviour, "there is none good but one, that is God." But, if any approached him as the Omnipotent Jehovah, the real object of faith and worship, they were sure to meet with his approbation. Thus the tenth leper, who was healed, worshipped him as the real object of faith; and his faith was approved, and peace added to it. Go thy way,' said Christ, 'thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.' And when Thomas cried out, "My Lord, and my God!" "Aye, Thomas,' said the Saviour, 'aye.' And again, "Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am." Thus it appears that our dear Lord often