O thou Being of beings, thou cause of all, thou seest my heart; thou understandest all my thoughts. But how small a part of thy ways do I understand! I know not what is above, beneath, on every side. I know not my own soul. Only this I know, I am not what I ought to be. I see and approve the virtue which I have not. I do not love thee, neither am I thankful. I commend the love of mankind; but I feel it not. Thou hast seen hatred, malice, envy in my heart. Thou hast seen anger, murmuring, discontent. These uneasy passions harrow up my soul. I cannot rest, while I am under this yoke. Nor am I able to shake it off, I am unhappy, and that thou knowest. Have compassion upon me, thou whose years do not fail! On me, who have but a short time to live. I rise up, and am cut down as a flower. I flee as it were a shadow. Yet a little while, and I return to dust, and have no more place under the sun. Yet I know thou hast made my soul to live for ever. But I know not where; and I am unwilling to try. I tremble, I am afraid to go thither, whence I shall not return. I stand quivering on the edge of the gulph; for clouds and darkness rest upon it. O God! _Must_ I go always “creeping with terrors, and plunge into eternity with a peradventure!” O thou lover of men, is there no help in thee? I have heard (what indeed _my_ heart cannot ♦conceive) that thou revealest thyself to those that seek thee, and pourest thy love into their hearts: and that they who know and love thee, walk through the shadow of death and fear no evil. O that this were so! That there was such an unspeakable gift, given to the children of men! For then might _I_ hope for it. O God, if there be, give it unto _me_! Speak that _I_ may see thee! Make thyself known unto _me_ also in the manner that thou knowest! In any wise let me know thee and love thee, that I may be formed after thy likeness! That I may be love, as thou art love; that I may now be happy in thee; and when thou wilt, fall into the abyss of thy love, and enjoy thee through the ages of eternity! ♦ “receive” replaced with “conceive” per Errata A farther APPEAL To MEN of REASON _and_ RELIGION. PART III. _And when he came near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!_ Luke xix. 41, 42. I. 1. NOW, what can an impartial person think concerning the present state of _religion_ in _England_? Is there a nation under the sun which is so deeply fallen from the very _first principles_ of all religion? Where is the country, in which is found so utter a disregard to even _Heathen morality_? Such a thorough _contempt_ of _justice_ and _truth_, and all that should be dear and honourable to rational creatures?