Alas! how awfully blind is man, by nature! an enemy in his mind, by wicked works. This is the true state of the case; and, a person dying in this state, cannot see the face of God. However, the Lord had mercy on me, and brought me acquainted with the _truths_ which I once hated; the _God_ I had sinned against; and to love and esteem the _people_ I had despised. This is, indeed, bringing a man out of darkness into marvellous light; and it well may be called _marvellous_, _astonishing_, _rich_, and _free_. And sure I am, that every man destitute of the converting grace of God, is in just the same state which I was. Although they know it not, a mere profession of the gospel does not alter the secret enmity to God and his people. It is an awful thing to have such enmity, but it is a special mercy to see it; and, above all, to feel it, removed by the power of truth, and the sovereign love of God, in Christ Jesus, to us:—this was my sad case. A slave to sin, an enemy to God, plunged in darkness, no acquaintance with the gospel, and kept from hearing it, by pride, prejudice, and carnal enmity. Yet I passed as a very serous and devout youth, among many: it is true, I did not run into particular excesses, but no thanks to me for neither my situation nor my pocket would let me; yet my youthful follies and enmity would have damned me, if I had died in that state: but the family in which I lived were at this time taken up with the lying system of Swedenbourg, called the New Jerusalem. I begged leave, one evening, to go to their chapel; this pleased me highly, as there were written prayers and sermons, with good music, and pretty singing. I read some of their books, and soon imbibed their notions of the Trinity, which were as far from truth as heaven is from hell. They denied the personality of the Father, and the adorable Spirit, and Christ crucified, as the object of religious worship, only Christ as glorified; alledging that Christ is the only divine person in the Trinity, and that he is the Trinity itself. Hence their form of baptism reads thus:— “I baptize thee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; who is at once both Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.”