more confidence will he
repose in us.

Catching then a glimpse of the glorious calling of the Gospel minister, he
breaks forth in the following strain:--

If I am ambitious in anything on earth, it is to be eminently useful in
His cause. I can say with the wise man, I ask neither riches nor honor,
except the honor which cometh from doing the will of God; but I do ask for
"an understanding heart." I trust I can say in the deepest sincerity that
I could renounce, if they were in my power, the riches and honor of ten
thousand earthly worlds in purchase of a double portion of that holy
unction which rested on Elisha's spirit. These are bold sayings, but my
Saviour tells me that as there is no limitation to his goodness to grant,
so there is no limitation in asking of him for the gift of his Holy
Spirit. But then what manner of man ought this to be on whom shall be
conferred such great honor! Surely it must be left to Himself to prepare
the vessel before he pours in the oil.

We have already made an extract from the diary of the 3rd of the Twelfth
Month in connection with John Yeardley's call to visit Germany. The same
diary supplies us with the description of a spiritual opening for the
benefit of others with which he was favored in the same meeting.

In my minute for First-day last I mentioned its being an instructive
meeting to me. Towards the conclusion a simile of this kind arose and
spread before my view: As wax when melted by the fire or the candle is
then only capable of receiving the impression of the stamp put upon it, so
also are our minds only capable of receiving impressions of divine good
when our spirits are melted and contrited before the Lord. As these
seasons are not at our command, it appeared to me to be of the highest
importance for us to endeavor to preserve and improve them as the best
means of testifying our gratitude to the great Donor. The impression which
the above contemplation made on my spirit proved like a morsel of bread to
my soul, which I found I could not conceal, though I struggled hard to eat
it alone, it seeming so insignificant to hand to others; but at length I
gave up, and felt it to be a time wherein some among the few present were
melted as wax before the fire, and had a portion of divine goodness afresh
imprinted on their minds; and my spirit craved that they might not prove
as "the morning cloud and as the early dew that goeth away."

On the 7th of the Twelfth Month