having an inward spiritual perception of his suitableness and glory. Two passages of scripture often did me good; the one says, _By faith Noah was moved with fear_, _prepared himself an Ark_: the other says, _Whom having not seen we love_; _and though now we see him not_, _yet_, _believing_, _we rejoice_.—But as I must be brief, I will mention the next Patriarch’s name, MAHALALEEL. This signifies the _Descending_, or the _Illumination of God_—and follows the other name with great propriety. It is written, _Seek_, _and ye shall find_; _knock_, _and it shall be opened to you_; you shall find Christ the pearl of great price.—While the prison doors of unbelief and sin, horrors and gloomy fears are opened, the Lord Jesus descends to those who look for him, wait for him and expect him, for there shall be a reward, and thine expectation shall not be cut off; the blessed Spirit that has once operated upon the mind, as a reprover, convincer, and begotten the soul to an hope, will answer to his lovely character, the _Comforter_. If he communicates life to feel after God, to desire Christ above all, to keep up a constant hoping-for a smile from God, he will never, no, never disappoint it. Take courage, then, ye fearing characters, look to _his_ word and faithfulness, who has said, _Shall I bring to the birth_, _and not cause to bring forth_? _He is faithful that promised_, _who also will perform it_—_If we believe not_, _he abideth faithful_, _he cannot deny himself_, nor of course his people, who are part of himself. This kept up my mind in looking for a deliverance. Sometimes I vowed I would give it up altogether, but God would not, did not give me up. Sometimes my heart fainted within me, lest I should never see the Lord in the land of the living, especially after waiting long, and praying much. I well understood that text in the Proverbs, _Hope deferred makes the heart_ (full of expectation) _sick_. When I could get out to hear the Word, I ran to Providence Chapel; heard the Word greedily, and kept watching for something that might be said, as a voice to me, or some sweet sight of a smiling God; but I returned again and again, sadly disappointed; and being under a legal spirit, began to quarrel with myself, and said, Ah! God has not appeared propitious yet, because I am such a sinner: Oh, if I was more diligent, more watchful and less sinful, then, indeed, I might rest assured he would shew my sins forgiven, and smile upon me. Thus I wanted, fool-like, to take a price in my hand, to set wisdom. Sometimes my rebellious heart would quarrel with God himself; when I had been remarkably devout, then my expectations were great, and I was still disappointed; so that I have often been led to see that God acts from no motive, but in himself; all his operations of providence and grace, are to display his sovereignty—it is not of him that willeth, nor him that runneth, for I did both; all must be solved