that the difeafe was fuch, that, as foon as they entered the room, it feized them immediately, fo that they could not get out again. I felt no fear of catching the disease, nor of death, nor had I any fymptoms of it come upon me; but afked what I was fent for. The fame voice answered me, that I was to join with another in prayer, that this disease might not fpread itself farther, which appeared to be as deftructive to mankind as the plague. I felt a good deal agitated in my mind,, and a little afterwards kneeled down by the fide of the couch carneftly looking at them all, I perceived that fome were quite dead; others, whofe vifages were very long and countenance pale, appeared fo ghaftly, that they were horrid to look upon; and a third fort appeared very fickly, though the infection was not fo ftrong upon them. Whilft I was looking at the whole I perceived that there were fome amongst them whom I knew; and I difcovered feveral that attended our chapel, which fo diftreffed me that I awoke out of my fleep.

A few nights after I had another dream, in which I came to a very large piece of water, the half of which was as clear as cryftal, and the other half very thick and muddy. Thefe waters were not at all mixed, but feparated down the middle as straight as if by line; while I ftood looking at the water I perceived that there were a number of men in it. I then drew nearer; and in the

part which was clean I saw several men swimming, very healthful and ftrong, and fome whose bodies were partly in the clear water and partly in the muddy; these looked very fickly. Others again were in the water that was thick and muddy; these had been choaked with it, and were quite dead. The inference I drew from the dream was this: the clear water I thought to be the pure doctrines of the gofpel; the men which were healthful and strong I judged to be fuch as would ftand fast in the truth received; those which were partly in the clear water and partly in the thick I concluded would be tainted with the errors of this man, on which account they would be fickly for a time; and those dead in the muddy water I thought indicated that fome would be fo caught in these errors, that they would quite depart, and prove themselves to be dead while they had a name to live, Rev. iii. 1; being "men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith," 2 Tim. iii. 8. I told this dream to one who met with us (of whom I had a fufpicion) and what I thought it fignified; that there were certainly two forts of people in the chapel, betwixt whom there was no union; that there were two fpirits; and that it would end in a divifion. To which he anfwered God forbid,' and feemed to be quite fhocked.. I have often thought fince of what Elifha faid to Hazael when he told him of the

evil he would do to the children of Ifrael, &c; and of Hazael's anfwer, "But what, is thy fervant a dog, that he should do this great thing?" 2 Kings viii. 12, 13. Yet afterwards he perpetrated the deed; and this man foon after separated himself, than whom not one amongst all that went out from us, has fhewn more enmity; nor has any one funk deeper into error, nor fwerved farther from truth, than he has. When Judas had received the fop, he went out immediately. "Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him," John xiii. 31; and then he talked to the disciples. I am fenfible that fince the divifion we have had tenfold more of the power and prefence of God with us than ever we had before; therefore all has worked together for good: the hand of the Lord fhall be made known towards his fervants. Mofes afked the Lord, "Wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy fight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? So fhall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth," Exod. xxxiii. 16. It is the presence and power of God being with his people which makes them to differ from all others. The goodness of the Lord is great to those that fear him, and he knows them that put their trust in him; he hides them in the fecret of his prefence, and keeps them fafely in a

pavilion from the ftrife of tongues, Pfalm. xxxi. 20. The fcripture fays, the man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead, Prov. xxi. 16; this is to the present verified in all that went out from us; for, although they have changed their opinions more than once, yet I know of no one among them that is not far enough off from truth; "They hold faft deceit, they refufe to return," Jer. viii. 5. And how awful is the ftate of every man who departs from the faith?" He feedeth on afhes, a deceived heart hath turned him afide, that he cannot deliver his foul, nor fay, is there not a lie in my right hand?" Ifa. xliv. 20.

After a few years of profperity, it pleased God that I fhould be exercised with a long and fore day of adverfity, during which time I have had many things to confider of, and my afflictions have been many; nevertheless, the Lord has fuftained me in every time of trouble; and, although I have been much caft down, yet not deftroyed; though, like Hezekiah, I many times have said, "I fhall not fee the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living;" and, like him, "I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, fo will he break all my bones, from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me," Ifa. xxxviii. 13. When this fiery trial firft began I was like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, and Satan was permitted to stir up all that was within, which is the

worft of all; and very obftinate, froward, perverfe, and rebellious I was; but I found it as the wife man faith, "He that hath a froward heart findeth no good," Prov. xvii. 20. And, as long as the fool's lips enter into contention, ftroke upon ftroke muft come, for unto the froward God will fhew himself froward. It is by hard labour that the heart is brought down; and," when the heart is humbled, and the punishment of our fins is accepted, then the Lord appears propitious to us in his covenant. It appears that Hezekiah was lifted up, and then "God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart," 2 Chron. xxxii. 31. And, had I never been tried in the way I have, I never should have been acquainted with the evil of the heart as I now am. When it pleafed God to try Job feverely, by taking away all his fubftance, he received this with great fubmiffion; "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleffed be the name of the Lord." But it is faid that after this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day; when Satan ftirred up what was within, Job then fhewed what was in the heart; I have long laboured under a train of heavy trials; and those that I have had outwardly have oftentimes produced great fear within, as all things feemed to make against me, and I was troubled on every fide; look which way I would, the profpect was gloomy. And I have many times been brought