Father are one, and being one with him, we are complete in him.  He is the head, we the members; he is the vine, we the branches; he is the foundation and chief corner-stone, we the building.  Thus let us walk in him; rooted and built up in him; filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; walking worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing—­being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power; unto all patience and long-suffering, with joyfulness; for it is he who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure; and although of ourselves we can do nothing, yet we can do all things through Christ strengthening us; and he has promised, that ’as our days so shall our strength be.’

“It is well, Lord, it is well.  Thou art mine, and I am thine:  thou art mine with all thy fulness, what can I want besides?  Nothing, Lord.  Thou hast given me ‘the heritage of those that fear thy name;’ I am satisfied with my portion.  Amen.  Be my God and the God of my seed, and glorify thy name in us.”

“OCTOBER, 1797.

“‘Remove far from me vanity and lies,’ Psa. 119.  Every deviation from rectitude and truth is sin.  Who that knows any thing of the corruption of the human heart, and its strange tendency to stray, to err, yea, even to pervert the plainest, simplest, and most obvious truths, but must see the propriety of his joining the psalmist, and crying out, Lord, remove far from me the way of lies.

“The way of lies as it respects our judgment and sentiments, as it respects our motives of action, and as it respects our conduct.

“As it respects our judgment:  how does every species of error abound; even the serious and earnest seekers of truth differ in many things, which, although they may not prevent their final salvation, mar their progress in knowledge, in holiness, and in comfort.  Lord, remove far from us the way of lies.  Lead us to the pure, unmixed, unerring word of truth, as it respects our sentiments, and as it respects our conduct.  O how many deceive themselves by resting on a speculative knowledge of the truth, or what they esteem such, while their hearts remain unaffected, their tempers unsanctified, and their lives unfruitful.  Passionate, stubborn, relentless, unmerciful, implacable tempers indulged and unmortified, must be a way of lies.  ‘Learn of me,’ says the Saviour, ’for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls.’  ’The meek will he guide in judgment,’ the meek will he teach his way.

“’Remove far from me the way of lies, and teach me thy law graciously.’