to retirement, and had sweet freedom at a throne of grace; and my soul clave to the dear people of God; a separation from them has often appeared to me to be connected with much misery; but I think it can only be so to a gracious soul, and that only in this world.

The last night I had rest, and this morning arose refreshed, and had sweet liberty at a throne of grace. Walking the deck before breakfast, part of an hymn came to my recollection, and I began to sing "None but Jesus, None but Jesus, None but Jesus, can do helpless sinners good." In the next verse, there is the word Hallelujah; when I came to that, it appeared as if I was in concert with the Heavenly Host; and was so affected, that to avoid observation, and support my weak frame, I was obliged to lean against the pump. Here I cried out to the Heavenly Host, to prostrate themselves still lower at the feet of Jesus; adding if ever I came there, I would so outdo them in this, that they should have nothing to do, but stand still and wonder. This may appear a flight of fancy; nevertheless, I think I have the word of God, in support of an opinion I have long entertained-the idea that the happiness of the holy angels will be increased, by beholding the humble worship of the redeemed ones of Jesus. Another thing I have had a deep sense of in this trial, which is this-That the creature cannot possibly have any thing inherent in itself, that can constitute its happiness; but its happiness is wholly in the blessed God; and were it possible for God to be in the least degree unhappy, the creature must of necessity be miserable. I have many things on my mind, that I wish to express, but you see the paper fails. May a God of grace keep you near to himself, and pour out upon you a spirit of prayer and supplication, that you may often, at a throne of VOL. IX. Ch. Adv.

grace, remember a poor helpless creature, that greatly needs the prayers of others.

January 16th, 1798. My Precious Friend,-It was but a few days after I wrote the other two sheets, before the native unbelief of my heart began to work, and open a way for the enemy to approach. He returned, with I think unusual fury or force, or both, and got as full possession of my powers as he could obtain, without quite destroying me. Truly, my friend, I did appear like one fallen under his enemy, who was continually piercing him in the tenderest parts, with poisoned weapons, that inflamed his blood, and hastened his end. Just such an effect has the fiery darts of Satan on the powers of the soul, which are mostly urging to apostacy, despair, blasphemies, &c. &c. They tend to poison the soul to death, and to drink the spirits up, so that I appeared to be dying by inches; so that despairing of life, I did, on the 14th day of January, warn my officers of my fears, and gave some direction for their future government. It is impossible to give a full description of what has passed in my soul for several days past. There is something descriptive of it in the seventh chapter of Job.

He

After noon, I was walking feebly to and fro on the deck, for I could not lie, or sit still a minute together, because the enemy was now determined for blood. would come to no terms, but would have life, soul, body and all-nothing less would satisfy him. In this extremity, those words in the 45th of Isaiah, "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else."-Those words I say, came with such an inviting voice and fulness, that they took in even me; and I was enabled to look up, as the children of Israel did, to the brazen serpent in the wilderness,

S

an inn, where we were to breakfast. While this was preparing, I walked about the room, regardless of present objects, until I saw a book lying in the window, which I took up, and opened at the beginning of a sermon, headed with these words in capital letters, "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE:" on reading these words, a ray of hope beamed upon my soul, that was as life from the dead. I could now eat my breakfast, and attend to my wife and children with affection and delight, whereas before, I cared nothing about them. We now proceeded on our journey, and I had not been long seated, before the enemy suggested a thought, that although these words were sufficient for Paul, yet they were not applicable to my case. Now I sunk again into deep despondence, which lasted several months. Sometimes I had such an aversion forced upon me to religious exercises, that I went to them with reluctance; but always found that I could not only endure them, but could take a leading part in them with composure, and I hope to edification,, some times. I felt so great an aversion to the gospel, or to preaching, that I thought if I went to meeting, I should not be able to stay the sermon out, so that I used to go in great fear. But I had secretly determined, that before I fled, I would step out in the midst of the congregation, and bear my testimony to the truths of the gospel, and to the reality and glory of religion, and confess my want of it, that it might not be evil spoken of. This exercise wore off gradually, so that I, insensibly as it were, recovered hope and peace, without any extraordinary interposition of Providence, as heretofore.

About seven years has elapsed since the above was noted; nothing having taken place in the interval, that is uncommon among men that are careful about their souls' salvation. On another voyage, dated

July the 10th, 1804, I thus wroteFor several days past, my soul has been in such gloom and darkness, that I this day have awful fears of getting into actual despair of mercy, and giving up all for lost. Sure I am, if God does not lift up the light of his countenance upon my dark benighted soul, in an especial manher soon, I shall be driven away from his presence, and the glory of his power for ever. The enemy does appear to have such a mastery over me, that he drives me from every refuge, giving me no rest, day or night, saying, "where is now your God!" O whither shall I flee! every door appears to be shut, even mercy's door, and who can open that! O where is the Saviour! where is the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! Surely he was slain to satisfy justice, and open the door of mercy, for poor lost sinners; for in him "mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other." O that my soul was interested in this sacrifice, and could feel the efficacy of that blood, which cleanseth from all sin! O for faith, precious faith herein, that I might experience the peaceful effects thereof! but the tempter says, I have often trampled this blood under my feet, and put the Saviour to open shame, and have done such despite to the Holy Spirit, that I have been long given up to Satan's delusions, who has been mocking me, with all his counterfeits of Christian experiences. O Lord God of grace, for

bid that this should be the case! and help me to distinguish, between what is thine and his. O let him not triumph over me! O Lord, bruise him under my feet shortly, as thou hast promised to thy church and people, in thy precious word! O Lord, let a sinner, a trembling, hell-deserving sinner, live, and show unto me thy precious salvation, that I may praise thee!

July the 11th.-The last night,

for the most part, the enemy was pursuing my spirit with many things to excite despair, and I cannot see why he has not prevailed, for I have no strength to oppose, and my only hope appears to be, that I am as yet out of hell. My head feels very giddy, my heart faint, and my flesh burning with fever of a nervous kind, which I cannot but fear the issue of; for we are in a bad climate, being near the equator, with bad rainy weather, and no medical aid. Surely these things would be a sore trial even to one of God's own dear people, that had his special aid. No wonder then, that they should quite overcome a poor weak creature, that really fears he is an apostate, and that his O for a very prayers are sin. glimpse of the Saviour! O for the light of his blessed countenance, to be lifted up upon my dark benighted soul!

July the 12th. This day I have a hope of better things than yesterday; even things that pertain to salvation. While I was writing the above, yesterday, I felt a sensible relief from the oppression of the enemy, and when I had gone on deck and walked about awhile, I found that he had quite withdrawn; so that I could look around, as it were, and reflect with composure; and now my mind got engaged on pleasing subjects, that created hope, and restored peace, so that a sweet calm pervaded all my powers. Truly the change was so great, that it appeared in a degree, like a deliverance from the pains of hell, to the joys of heaven. Adored for ever be a God of grace, for the rich inestimable gift of his

dear Son, to a lost world, that by shedding his precious blood, the flames of hell are quenched, and sinners everlastingly saved from sin and all its direful effects, through faith in His name. During the last night I had rest, and was entirely free from the enemy; not one blast came near, and this morning I arose refreshed and composed, but very weak, and still in fever. After walking the deck awhile, I felt more of a childlike spirit than I had ever experienced. I mean not a spirit of adoption, but a spirit of dependence and helplessness; yea, as helpless as an infant; and that I stood in need of as constant care and protection, as an infant just born into this world; and now, under this view of myself, I was enabled to look up to an all-sufficient God, as my heavenly Father in Christ Jesus, and trust him for all things, both for time and eternity. I had no lively emotion of joy on this occasion, but I appeared to have a solid, substantial rock to rest upon, which could not be moved, and was every way suited to my necessities. Blessed be a God of boundless grace, for all things that pertain to this life, and a hope for that which is to come.

I shall mention one thing worth noticing, and have done, which is this-That either in the time of those trials, or soon after they were over, I have been guided to a chapter or psalm, descriptive of the exercise; for instance, in this last case, I was guided to the hundred and thirtieth psalm for the trial, and to the hundred and thirty-first, for its effects.

BENJAMIN WIOKES.

A COMMENTARY UPON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE GALATIANS.

Wherein is set forth most excellently, the glorious riches of God's grace, and the power of the Gospel, with the difference between the Law and the Gospel, and the strength of Faith declared; to the joyful comfort and confirmation of all true Christian believers, especially such as are inwardly afflicted and grieved in conscience, and do hunger and thirst for justification in Christ Jesus. For whose case most chiefly this book is translated, printed, and dedicated to the same. By Mr. Martin Luther. To which is prefixed, an Account of the Life of

the Author.

"He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not,

shall be damned." Mark xvi. 16.

"Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you." John xii. 35. Philadelphia: printed and sold by R. Aitken, No. 22, Market Street,

1801.

Retrospective reviews have of late years become frequent; and for ourselves, we are free to declare, that we think them, if well conducted, far more valuable than the reviews, however ably written, of the greater part of the productions of the day. Books are now mostly made from books; and we would rather go back at once to the original thinkers on a subject, than to receive their thoughts after having been strained through a dozen minds, and often tinctured with much extraneous matter which they have acquired in the passage. On the important points in theology especially, we want to know in what manner those great men thought and wrote, who cleared away the vile and accumulated rubbish of popery, at the time of the Protest

ant reformation, and dug out, just as they found them, the essential and precious truths of the Christian system, from the pure mine of divine revelation.

It is well known in what light the gospel doctrine of justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ, received and rested on by faith alone, was regarded by Luther, the first and chief of the reformers. He not only considered it, as articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiæ, but he insisted that there could be no genuine and soul-saving religion, where this doctrine was not well understood and cordially embraced. The sensibility with which he spoke and wrote on this subject, was no doubt increased by a remembrance of "the wormwood and the gall," of which he had partaken deeply, before he obtained deliverance by coming to an understanding of this glorious and fundamental truth. It appears by a statement of one of his early biographers, prefixed to the work before us, that "three days and three nights together, he lay upon his bed, without meat, drink, or any sleep, like a dead man, (as some do write of him,) labouring in soul and spirit upon a certain place of St. Paul, in the third chapter to the Romans, which was, "ad ostendendam justitiam suàm;" thinking Christ to be sent for no other end but to show forth God's justice, as an executor of his law; till at length being assured and satisfied by the Lord, touching the right meaning of these words, signifying the justice of God to be executed upon his son, to save us from the stroke thereof, he immediately upon the same, started up from his bed, so confirmed in faith, as nothing afterwards could appal him."

On reading this passage it occurred to us, that the text which cost Luther such an agony, and the right under