Thrones, dominions, princedoms, virtues, powers? Whether of thofe that retain their firft habitations and pri meval ftrength or of those that rebelling against their Creator, have been caft out of heaven? And fhall we not then, aš far as angels ken, furvey the bounds of creation, and fee every place where the Almighty Stop'd his rapid wheels and faid, This be thy juft circumference, O world." Yea, fhall we not be able to move, quick as thought, through the wide realms of uncreated night? Above all, the moment we flep into eternity, fhall we not feel ourselves fwallowed up of Him who is in this and every place, who filleth heaven and earth? It is only the veil of flesh and blood which now hinders us from perceiving, that the great Creator cannot but fill the 'whole immenfity of pace. He is every moment above us, beneath us, and on every fide. Indeed in this dark abode, this land of fhadows, this region of fin and death, the thick cloud, which is interpofed between, conceals him from our fight. But the veil will disappear, and he will appear in unclouded majefty, God over all, blessed for ever! 8. How varioufly are the children of men employed in this world? In treading o'er "The paths they trod fix thousand years before ?" But who knows how we fhall be employed, after we enter that invifible world? A little of it we may conceive, and that without any doubt, provided we keep to what God himself has revealed in his word, and what he works in the hearts of his children. Let us confider firit, what may be the employment of unholy fpirits, from death to the refurrection. We cannot doubt but the moment they leave the body, they find themfelves furrounded by fpirits of their own kind, probably human as well as diabolical. What power God may permit thefe thefe to exercife over them, we do not diftin&tly know. But it is not improbable, he may fuffer Satan to employ them, as he does his own angels, in inflicting death, or evils of various kinds on the men that know not God: for this end they may raife forms by fea or by land, they may fhoot meteors through the air. They may occafion earthquakes, and in numberless ways afflict those whom they are not fuffered to destroy. Where they are not permitted to take away life, they may inflict various diseases: and many of these which we judge to be natural, are undoubtedly diabolical. I believe this is fre quently the cafe with Lunatics. It is obfervable, that many of thofe mentioned in Scripture, who are called Lunatics by one of the Evangelifts, are termed Dæmoniacs by another. One of the most eminent Physicians I ever knew, particularly in cafes of Infanity, the late Dr. Deacon, was clearly of opinion, that this was the cafe with many, if not moft Lunatics. And it is no valid objection to this, that thefe difeafes are so often cured by natural means. For a wound inflicted by an evil fpirit, might be cured as any other; unless that spirit was per mitted to repeat the blow. [To be concluded in our next.] An Account of Mr. WILLIAM BLACK. [Continued from page 298.] EBRUARY 18th. While I was at Mr. Donkin's, a young' man began to talk unfcripturally of being led by the Spirit. A woman that was prefent kindly cautioned him, but it was to no purpose. Like other enthusiasts, he was above being taught by man and faid, he spake by the fpirit of the eternal God. She replied, "Some are led by another spirit, and not by the spirit of God: the word of God is the only rule rule by which we are to try the spirits." After they had talked together for fome time, I related the cafe of George Bell in England, as related in Mr. Wesley's Journal; and also of another person of whom I had heard. It flruck him: he threw himlelf down on the floor, and cried aloud, "I am undone, undone, undone !" I said, “Only seek the Lord, and abide by the teftimony of his word; he is ftill able and willing to fave." He then rofe from the floor and fat down on a bench, grinning and grinding his teeth; and appeared evidently to be under the influence of an evil spirit. I fell on my knees by his fide, and began to pray; when immediately, as if poffeffed by a thoufand furies, he leaped from his feat, railed up his hands, and fcratched me down the back, as if he would have torn off my coat. But when his hand came to the bottom of my back, he could touch me no more. Mrs. D caught up her child in her arms and ran fcreaming out of the house, leaving him and me alone. I know not how to defcribe his various geftures and hideous noifes. Sometimes he barked like a dog: then again he would fly around the room, jumping, ftamping, and making the most dreadful noifes; imitating the Indian Powows, when they invoke the infernal powers. He then roared and screamed in my ears, and shouted in order to drown my voice; mingling with his fhouts, terms of the most bitter difdain, and execrable one. blafphemy against Jefus Chrift. I found his defign was, if poffible, to flop me from praying; thinking he should then have power to feize me: but I was peculiarly helped to wrestle with the Lord, that he would either bind or caft out the evil I continued praying until he became quiet as a lamb, kneeled down by me and began to pray. He told me afterwards, that he was fo ftrongly poffeffed by the devil, that he wished to tear out my eyes, or kill me; but that after his hands came to the bottom of my back, he could touch me no more. Hence we may learn the devil's malice, the prevalence of prayer, and the worth and neceffity of our Bibles. March March 29. I left Partridge island, and croffed in a small boat to Cape Blow-me-down. After a fatiguing journey through mud and water, and having for feveral hours loft my way, not knowing where to go in the dark, and fully expecting to day in the woods, I at last found a house, where I tarried all night; and the next day preached at Cornwallis, where many were much comforted. From this until the twenty-second of May, I laboured at Horton, Annapolis, Granville, Falmouth, Windfor, and Halifax. I then fet fail in a small schooner for La Have, where we arrived the day following, and I preached in the evening. I tarried here about five days, preached eighteen times, and then left fome deeply affected. Wednesday 28th. On taking my leave, fome friends came with me down to the fhore, intreating me to return as soon as poffible; and fome feemed fully determined to feek God as the portion of their fouls. That evening I arrived at Liverpool: the news of my arrival foon spread, fo that at half after feven, I had about three hundred to hear me. I came here, only to get a paffage to Halifax; but little did I think what bleffed times I was about to fee. June ft. The Rev. Mr. Frazier preached twice in the Meeting-house, and I preached once. At noon I went to Mr. Smith's, where the people followed me, not willing to lofe a word. The house was prefently filled; and the Lord was in the midst of us. Many were deeply engaged in feeking falvation. Weeping and rejoicing were on every fide: many were exceeding happy, praising God. Bleffed be God for all his kindness to me! O Lord, how do I love thee, and thy dear people! June 2. I preached on the Eaft fide of the river, and great was the power of God in the midst of us. Verily God is known in Salem; his name is great in Ifrael. Great indeed was the noise and fhaking of the dry bones. I think there were about fourteen crying out in great diftrefs and anguifh anguish of fpirit, while others were fhouting for joy. Indeed I never heard more heart-piercing cries and groans, than those of one little girl. O, how did fhe cry out, for the space of two hours! "What fhall I do to be faved? O, my Jefus, my dear Jefus! What fhall I do! O what fhall I do to be faved ?" These, and fuch like expreffions, were enough to melt a heart of flone, as they dropped from her almoft infant lips. Our meeting continued between two and three hours, while fhouts of praife, and groans of diftrefs might be heard from every part of the room. We had fuch a time in the evening again at Mr. Dean's, which continued until midnight. Lord, what a day was this! Glory be to thy name for ever! June 3. 1 expected to have gone to Shelburne this morning, but the veffe! did not fail; therefore I crolled the river to Mr. Smith's, where prefently a number of people were gathered. Here also great was the shaking amongst the dry bones, and there was scarce a dry cheek in the room. In the evening I preached at the Falls above the town, and God fent the word home to their hearts. It was fharp as a two-edged fword! I have feldom feen fuch a meeting as this. Numbers were in great diftrefs, groaning, crying, and earnestly pleading for mercy. One gentleman in particular, lately from Stratford in Conneclicut, in New England, was very grievously wounded. O how vehemently did he plead for mercy, for several hours! Others again were filled with confolation. The meeting continued until one o'clock in the morning. Bleffed be God, these were reviving days to me, and I could say, "With me no melancholy void, No moment lingers unemployed, Our weariness of life is gone, And only him to know." June |