It  is  certain,  nothing  is  so  astonishing  as  the
revolution  in  a  man  who  once  was  worldly  when
he  becomes  truly  religious  or  spiritually  minded-
he  proves  it  indeed  "to  be  life  and  peace." — He
once  thought  himself  to  be  in  the  path  of  reason
and  happiness,  he  now  finds  himself  to  be  so  j  and
acquires  a  sublime  existence,  which  the  cliarige
from  a  beggar  to  a  prince,  would  faintly  and  poorly
represent. Yet  it  must  be  added  "  let  him  that
*'  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall"— **■  the  best  must''
work  out  his  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling."—
Though  the  joys  of  the  belit-ver  are  great  and  his
feelings  and  affections  delightfully  exercised,  yet  he
has  sometimes  terrors  and  inquietude  unspeakable,
like  a  man  who  fears  to  be  shipwrecked  in  sight
of  a  most  luxuriant  shore,  and  just  perhaps,  as  he
is  entering  the  harbour  of  eternity !  If  the  loss
of  a  temporal,  impeifect  object  can  excite  misery,
what  must  it  be  to  lose  an  eternal  inheritance,  and


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such  a  Saviour  as  the  believer  is  well  acquainted
with;  such  a  Heaven  as  he  looks  up  to! — Some-
times however  this  dreadful  distracting  apprehensi-
on attacks  him,  and  perhaps  'tis  proper  it  should.—
There  is  so  much  corruption  remaining  in  the  best,
and  so  much  folly  in  the  wisest,  that  a  confidence
of  spiritual  safety,  is  dangerous;  at  least,  we  may
venture  to  say  so,  in  many  cases,  though  it  i«
delightful  to  the  believer  and  suitable  to  trust  in
God. — Whatever  his  trials  may  be,  he  must  not
be  desponding,  for  as  his  trials,  "  so  his  strength
*<  will  be." — Although  he  is  sometimes  left  in
dailcness  and  sorrow,  he  looks  forward  to  that
happy  moment,  when  he  shall  depart,  and  all  these
clouds  of  error,  distress  and  infirmity,  shall  be
scattered  for  ever. With  ideas  so  heavenly, — so
comforting—  so  delightful — well  may  he  be  chear-
ful,  and  even  in  this  world  have  a  certain  relish
of  his  being,  and  the  beauties  of  nature  which
neither  pleasure  nor  philosophy  will  ever  enjoy,—
How  different  is  the  hypocrite ! — he  wishes  to  be
thought  a  saint,  and  sometimes  may  obtain  the
title,  but  I  think  a  discerning  christian  will  rarely
be  deceived  in  him. 