dividual, were he not the omnicient, omnipresent, infinite God. And being assured from reason, as well as from Scripture, that there is not, and cannot be more Gods than one, I was driven from my reasonings, and constrained to submit my natural understanding to divine revelation; and allowing, that the incomprehensible God alone can fully know the unsearchable mysteries of his own divine nature, and the manner of his own existence, to adopt the doctrine of a Trinity in Unity, in order to preserve consistency in my own scheme. But it was a considerable time, before I was disentangled from my embarrassments on this subject.

Hitherto my prejudices against Mr. Hervey, as a writer upon doctrinal subjects had been very strong. I thought him a very pious man, and I had read with pleasure some parts of his meditations; but having considered him an enthusiast, I had no curiosity to read any other of his writings. But about July, 1777, I providentially met with his dialogues and letters between The

ron and Aspasio, and opening the book, I was much pleased with the first passage, on which I cast my eye. This engaged me to read the whole, with uncommon attention; nor did I, in twice perusing it, ever meet with any thing. contrary to my own sentiments, with out immediately beseeching the Lord to guide me to the truth. I trust the Lord heard and answered these my prayers; for though I could not but dissent from him, (as I still do,) in some few things; yet I was very much enlightened thereby in every thing, relative to our fallen, guilty. lost, and helplessly miserable state by nature; and the way and manner, in which the believer is accounted, and accepted, as righteous, in the presence of a just, holy, and heart searching, a faithful and unchangeable God; especially his animated description and application of the stag-chase, cleared up this important matter to my mind, more than any thing I had hitherto met with upon the subject.

I had now acceded to most of the doctrines, which at present, I believe and

preach; except the doctrine of personal. election, and those which depend on, and are connected with it. These were still foolishness to me; and so.late as August, 1777, I told my friend, Mr. -, that I was sure, I should never be of his sentiments on that head; to which he answered, that if I never mentioned this subject, he never should, as we were now agreed in all he judged absolutely needful; but he had not the least doubt of my very shortly becoming a Calvinist, as I should presently discover my system of doctrine to be otherwise incomplete and inconsisent with itself, And indeed, by this time, I had so repeatedly discovered myself to be mistaken, where I had been very confident, that I began to suspect myself in every thing, wherein I entertained sentiments diffe. rent from those, with whom I conversed. This did not influence me to take their opinions upon trust; but it disposed me more particularly and attentively to consider them; and, in every perplexity, to have recourse to the Lord, to be preserved from error, and guided to the truth.

About the same time also, I began to have more frequent applications made to me by persons under deep concern for their souls. My heart was much engaged in this new employment; I was much troubled to see their pressing anxieties, and to hear their doubts, difficulties, and objections against themselves. Being sincerely desirous to instruct them right, and to lead them on to establishment, and comfort, I felt my deficiency, and seemed to have no ground to go on, nor any counsel to give them, but what led them into greater perplexity, instead of relieving them. In this case, I earnestly besought the Lord, to instruct me what word in season to speak unto them.

Thus circumstanced, I read " Witsius's Economy of the Covenants," and observed, what use he made of the doctrine of election for this very purpose. This convinced me, that the doctrine, if true, would afford that ground of comfort, which my people wanted. It would evince, that their being awakened out of a careless state to an earnest

concern for, and anxiety about their souls, and to an hearty desire of cleav ing unto the Lord; and their want of some security, that they should not, through the deceitfulness of their own hearts, their own weakness, the entanglements of the world, and the temptations of Satan, fall back again into their former course of sin, was the work of the Holy Ghost. If this were wrought in consequence of the determinate purpose, and foreknowledge of God respecting them; it would follow from the entire and undeserved freeness of this first gift bestowed on them, when neither desiring, nor seeking it, but being in a state of enmity and rebellion against, and neglect of God; and from his unchangeableness in his purposes, and faithfulness to his promises, that he would assuredly carry on, and complete this good work of his grace, and keep the be lieving soul, as in a castle, through faith

unto salvation.

Having now discovered one use of this doctrine, which before I objected to as useless and pernicious, I began to con