hereby solemnly join myself in a marriage covenant to him.

O blessed Jesus! I come to thee, "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked": a most filthy, loathsome creature ; a guilty, condemned malefactor, unworthy to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord; much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glory. But since such is thine unparallelled love and condescension, I do here with all my heart accept and take thee for my head and husband, to love, serve, honour and obey thee before all others; and this to death. I embrace thee in all thy offices as a Prophet to teach and direct me; as a Priest to make an atonement, and to be a continual intercessor for me; and as a King to rule and govern me. I renounce my own worthiness; and do here avow thee to be the Lord my Righteousness. I renounce my own wisdom, and do take thee for mine only guide. I renounce my own will, and take thy will for my law.

And because thou hast been pleased to give me thy holy word, as the rule of my life, and the way in which I should walk to thy kingdom, I do here willingly put my neck under thy yoke; and subscribing to all thy laws as holy, just and good, I cheerfully take them as the rule of my words, thoughts and actions; promising, that though my flesh contradict and rebel, yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy directions;

and will not allow myself in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my duty.

Now, Almighty God, searcher of hearts, who knowest all things, thou knowest that I make this corenant with thee this day without any known guile or reservation; at the same time beseeching thee, that if thou seest any flaw or falsehood therein, thou wouldest discover it to me, and help me to do it aright, so as shall be acceptable in thy sight.

And now, glory be to thee, O God the Father, (whom I hope to behold from this day forward for ev-er as my God and Father,) that ever thou shouldest find out such a way for the atonement of undone sinners. Glory to thee, O God the Son, who hast loved me, and shed thy precious blood to wash away my sin, and died that I might not die and perish in my guilt. Glory to thee, O God the Holy Ghost, who by the finger of thy almighty power hast turned about my heart from sin to God.

O dreadful Jehovah! the Lord God Omnipotent! Father, Son and Holy Ghost! thou art now become my covenant friend, and I, through thine infinite grace, am become thy covenant servant. Amen;

so be it.

And the Covenant which I have made on

earth, be it ratified in Heaven.

Hadley, June 12th, 1761.

SETH COLEMAN.

Lord's day, June 14. Yesterday, had no impressions worthy of particular notice. But

in my morning sacrifice to day, my heart was much enlarged to cry to God, for freedom from the body of sin and guilt, which lay like a heavy burden on my soul. The word preached, I heard with devout attention; but it appeared to me like water spilt upon the ground, that could not be gathered up again. In the afternoon, had such a lively view of the heinousness and aggravated nature of my sins, as wrought in me a most despicable idea of myself. I appeared to be the most hell-deserving creature that ever lived; and I loathed and abhorred myself on account of my sin. My unworthiness, and criminality before God, appeared so great, that I was brought almost to discard the idea, that I had ever had a principle of grace implanted in my heart; for to have such a load of sin remaining, as I yet found predominant in my heart, seemed incompatible with a state of grace. These considerations sunk me, as it were, in the dust. After these feelings had in some measure left me, my reflections turned upon the infinite patience and long suffering goodness of God in sparing me thus long, after I had done so much to dishonour his great and holy name; and the thought, that he was yet waiting upon me to be gracious, excited my highest admiration and gratitude.

June 20. Through this week, I have been labouring with myself, to discover, if possible, what was my real moral character. But have made little progress; my exercises having

been so various. Sometimes, I have felt joyous in view of the prospect before me, and at others, my mind has been filled with doubts and fears, lest all my supposed experiences should prove to be only a delusion of the adversary of souls. And I prayed to God most earnestly, and constantly, for the illuminating influences of his Spirit; and that he would not suffer me to be deluded in a matter of such momentous concern.

Lord's day, June 21. Spent the morning in meditation, prayer, and communing with my own heart; after which, repaired to God's house, hungering and thirsting for the word of ́ life; but heard nothing that met my feelings. I was so enveloped in clouds and darkness, that the word made little impression on my mind. My doubts and fears had now risen to a higher degree than they ever had done, since I first received comfort, and entertained a hope of my reconciliation to God. I had such a lively sense of my guilt, and the wickedness of my life, particularly since I had had such discoveries of God and Christ, that it seemed as though I should sink into the earth. When I reflected on the dishonour and contempt I had cast upon God and the cause of religion, with the deepest compunction, I abhorred myself as in dust and ashes. I had a clear view of its being my sins that had provoked a holy God to withdraw from me the light of his countenance; and felt that it would be just, if he should never afford it

more; and was filled with fears lest that should be the case. I felt, that I contracted guilt enough hourly to thrust me down to hell for ever. I greatly doubted the genuineness of any thing I had heretofore met with; and for a while was ready to resolve with myself to cast away, as refuse, all my former experiences, and set out anew: yet, in attempting, I found it impracticable: still, I greatly feared, that if I depended on what I had already met with, I should go, hoping, down to perdition, "with a lie in my right hand." Thus my mind was agitated, most of the day, with terrors without, and fightings within; and distress on every side. A sorrowful day it was

to me.

June 22. This day, the same cloudy pillar hung over my soul, until evening; when I went to visit an old experienced christian aunt of mine, at Hatfield, with whom I had a long and profitable conversation. During this interview, the load upon my heart was in a great measure removed, by the view which I had of the merits of Christ's death, and sufferings, and how he had abolished death, by taking away its sting, which is sin; also of his willingness to forgive us all our sins, however great and aggravated, upon the condition of our laying down the weapons of our rebellion, sincerely repenting of our trespasses, and putting our confidence in his merits. All my gloomy apprehensions seemed to evaporate like smoke, before this refreshing view of Christ and his