selected by themselves, seem hard to be understood.

The

27th, 7th Mo.-It is good for us to be humbled under a sense of our own imperfections; to feel our spirits broken and contrite before God. We have cause to follow the Apostle's exhortation, to rejoice in tribulation, as it often brings us into humility of heart; and whatever tends to pull down self, should be received with thankfulness. nature of man likes not to be brought low; and when the enemy of our souls cannot seduce us to gross acts of sin, he frequently endeavours to exalt us with a glorying in our own perfections. Spiritual pride is the worst of all evils that can befal us; it sets up with a notion of its own holiness, and leads from that humility which is so essentially necessary for us poor dependant mortals.

If we take a view of our own state, a moment's serious reflection must convince us of our weakness. What has enabled us to escape those sins which we have escaped, but the goodness of God, assisting us and guarding us from evil? Without Him, we have no power, no might of our own, that can preserve us. Surely, these considerations must check every approach towards pride,

and engage us earnestly to pray to be kept before him in the innocence of little children.

My spirits are often bowed under the awful consideration of the wretched state I should be in, unassisted with his divine power; and earnest prayers ascend from the inmost recesses of my soul, that I may ever be preserved in humility and fear. Feeling the natural propensity of self to desire to be exalted, I have frequently received with thankfulness those dispensations which have caused severe mortification, and, under the painful exercise of such trials, have, in deep humility, put up this petition from the bottom of my heart, that the Lord would neither let his hand spare, nor his eye pity, until his judgments had consumed every thing that was offensive in his sight, and the whole will was subjected to his power; knowing that though his chastisements are for the present not joyous, but grievous and hard to be borne, yet they will work for our sanctification and redemption.

Save me from myself, from that natural spirit that would rule within me; and preserve me by thy power, O Lord God. Keep me from thinking more highly of myself than I ought to think. Let me see myself as thy penetrating eye beholds me. Bow my spirit

in deep reverence and awful fear before thee, and grant that I may walk in that humility, which holds self in no esteem, but is ever ready to acknowledge thee, the Author of all good. Search me, O Lord, and try me, prove me, and know my ways, and if there be any secret sin, do thou it away.

4th, 8th Mo.-In a disposition to be displeased with ourselves, we can seldom be much pleased with others: mutual satisfaction is necessary to render any intercourse really delightful; and if, in the company of our friends, we suffer our ideas to dwell on the unworthiness of ourselves, and our many failings, it may lead us as far from deriving pleasure from their conversation, as if we were thinking of the imperfections we might find in them. It is pride (at least in part) that leads us to this vexation of spirit; and we may be permitted to fall into many little errors, without warning, to keep us in humility, to show us the necessity of constant watchfulness, and that we cannot depend on being able to support ourselves for a moment. True humility, though it leads us to sorrow for our faults, and deep repentance, yet is opposite to vexation of spirit. It engages us to walk with more circumspection, and in

that fear which can alone preserve us from evil, but suffers no murmuring, no complaining, nor discontent, but patiently and meekly endures that censure which the failing may deserve. It leads us to charity in our judgments of others; to put the most favourable construction on their actions, and to that forbearance which we find so necessary in our intercourse through life. Cheerfulness and discontent, as well as many other passions, are exceedingly catching, and the disposition of the people we are with, has great influence over our own. This should engage us to cultivate a sweetness and evenness of temper, that we may not cause uneasiness in the bosom of those we love; but possessing our souls in patience and resignation, we shall be instrumental in diffusing that calmness and tranquillity, which will promote the happiness of others, and which will again circulate through our own breasts, fraught with the rich reward of peace.

6th, 8th Mo.—In the morning we went to meeting at Winchmore-hill, and having sat in silence, towards the close of the meeting some of the following reflections involuntarily arose in my mind. I was considering the uncertainty of every thing in this life, and the

necessity of resignation, when it occurred to me, that a pettish, discontented temper might, from feeling disappointments and mortifications, be induced to reject the blessings which Providence is willing to bestow. But afflictions should work patience, and not make us peevishly refuse those favours that are still permitted us. If an acquaintance or friend were to offer us some civility or accommodation, something that he expected might afford us pleasure, he would think himself very unkindly treated, if we morosely told him we would not accept of his offer because he might happen to want a return, at some future period; and would not, very suddenly, again make us any fresh offer of friendship. And must it not be equally unpleasing to the Father of mercies, if we refuse those blessings he is willing to bestow, from no other motive but because he may again call for them; and that we wish to acquire such an indifference, as to put it out of his power to afflict us with any temporal things. This is very far from arriving at that resigned frame of mind, which is urged as a necessary duty. Resignation and indifference are two very different qualities, and, indeed, hardly compatible with each other; for we can never be said to be resigned to