571 mind, or take off my edge for higher attainments! O then assist me to please him, that he may bring every thought of my soul into obedience to Christ, and strengthen me to give all diligence, that I may add to my faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity: and then I am assured that he will not fail to comfort, strengthen, and direct me.'

3. On past mercies. My life, O Lord, has been a life of many mercies; they have not ceased to follow me all my days, and it is my duty to retain a grateful sense of them all. It well becomes one whom thou hast loaded with so many benefits, to acknowledge the obligations under which thou hast laid him to be thankful. I am conscious that I ought to scatter this incense with a liberal hand on all my sacrifices. Whatever favours thou hast bestowed should be returned thee again in fervent and pious strains of praise and thanksgiving. Even in my severest exercises, while fighting thy battles the high praises of thee, my God, should be in my mouth; and then would my enemies be scattered, and all their snares would be completely broken. When I am thankful I am safe and happy. I will therefore sing praises to thee, my King and my God, with understanding and delight; and thus imitate the life and gratitude of angelic beings.

"It is matter of great thankfulness that I have soundness of mind and understanding to contemplate my own frame, and to know that thou hast given me the right use of all my senses, powers, and faculties, and hast so continually watched over me, that they are still preserved. When I consider the weakness and helplessness of my infancy, my absolute dependance upon others, the rashness and ignorance of my childhood, and all the dangers to which I have been first and last exposed, I see, O Lord, that thy hand alone hath been my defence, and that without thy watchful providence 1 must inevitably have perished. And shall not all my powers of body and mind be consecrated to thee?

'My lot was not cast in the dark and heathenish parts of the earth, but in the empire of Britain, that favoured spot, which thou hast watched over with such care and kindness, till thou hast raised us highest in the scale of nations, if not in number, yet in privileges. We have the advantages of wholsome laws, good government, commerce, liberty, and defence; but above all, the gospel, which teaches us the way of life and happiness, and guides our feet to walk therein. These are great favours, and surely thou who hast bestowed them so freely, wilt not withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly.

'And let me not overlook that great goodness which has so kindly supplied my personal wauts from my birth to this present moment. I have had food to eat, raiment to wear, health, strength, and activity. Thou hast defended me from dangers and death. Thou hast added cheerfulness of mind to thy other mercies; hast given me thy word, and, in thy good providence, an education which affords me the means of reading it to my edification and comfort. Thou hast also blessed me with friends, and many domestic comforts suited to my wants and weakness by day and night. And dost thou say, Son, give me thy heart, and can I keep it back? And wilt thou require it and not accept it, or accept and not purify it? O make it an habitation for thyself through the Spirit, and fill it continually with thy glory!

'But how great, O Lord, are thy spiritual mercies! I once sat in darkness and the shadow of death, but by thy Spirit thou didst enlighten and quicken me. He said, Let there be light, and there was light-let there be life, and I was raised from a death in sin to a life of righteousness. The insensibility of my heart gave place to the genuine feelings of vital christianity, and the power of religion was united to the form. My fears were first alarmed, that I might fly from the threatened destruction; but, soon inspired by hope, they and the gloomy clouds of despondency arising from my temptations were removed together. Pardon, peace, and joy, were richly imparted to me. I was adopted into thy

family, and rejoiced in hope of thy glory. Thus, after all my rebellion, thy mercy triumphed against judgment, and I am the living to praise thee as it is this day.

'Nor is this all, when I take up thy book and read, how am 1 encouraged by the promises of future mercies, whether prosperity or adversity be my lot; whether sickness or health, life or death, time or eternity, a provision is made for all states and changes. Oh, how shall I express in sufficient terms, the greatness of thy love! O give me the holiness thou hast promised, and welcome all!'

4. On heaven. Soon as the souls of the righteous are delivered from the "burden of the flesh, they are in joy and felicity." They are admitted into the holy of holies, and are far removed from all that can possibly pollute or distress them for ever. They have passed their probationary state, and all thy Divine attributes and perfections, O my God, are engaged to guarantee their safety and purity! They will no more grieve or offend thee. Thy pure light shining on them, and the discoveries they will have of the consequences of sin in others, both angels and men, will, through their Redeemer's merit, preserve them from ever following their example. They will now understand more perfectly than ever how contrary sin is to thy holy nature, and remember their conflicts with it while struggling with the billows of time. They will here contemplate with increasing delight his love, who gave himself for them, that he might present them to himself without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, and his tender compassion will bind them to himself in the bonds of endless affection. His excellencies will more and more unfold themselves to their expanded and expanding views continually. The fulness of bim that filleth all things can never be exhausted, and will be proportioned in its streams to the growth of wisdom and goodness in his finite but glorified creatures.

'There, O my gracious God, thy saints are placed beyond the reach of all temptations. Neither Satan nor his agentscan distress or ensnare them more. Their nature is com

pletely transformed, and nothing can induce them to offend. They have overcome, and remain conquerors for ever. Blessed and desirable state, where no malicious spirits, no hypocritical or persecuting men shall ever come to seduce or terrify these objects of thy tender mercy."

"When thou hast called our once corruptible bodies from the dust, and made them spiritual and glorious by thy power, then we shall no more be enfeebled by sickness, nor exposed to death. We shall not be necessitated to follow any dangerous, fatiguing, or pernicious employment, nor be exposed to the least internal or external injury. No Lazarus, crippled by sores or ulcers, is heard to mourn; nor will any of the daughters of Abraham be any more bound by Satan for years together. No upright Job shall be heard to exclaim in anguish, Wearisome days and nights are appointed me. Oh, the more than martyrdoms some of thy dear servants have undergone from lingering and painful diseases! All ceases at last, with all tears, sighs, and groans attending them. The heart-rending cries of the daughters of Eve are past, and are succeeded by everlasting songs of joy, and all the sufferings of the faithful by eternal repose. Happy day, when thy saints shall bloom in immortal health and vigour, and never be rendered incapable of performing their delightful services, and never lose their taste for celestial pleasures. They will now understand fully the meaning of the gracious words spoken by thy servant, Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. It might be difficult for them to comprehend how a seed time of pain should produce a harvest of joy; but thou wilt realize it to them at last, and discover to their grateful and astonished souls the reason of all their sufferings. O most desirable state, where sickness never impairs the health, nor pain diminishes the strength, beauty, or activity of any; and where no afflictive dispensation shall cool the ardour of our affection, blunt the edge of our zeal, hinder the exercises of our worship, or separate from the company of those we love! Where, in obedience

to that voice from the throne, Praise ye our God all his servants, and ye that fear his name both small and great, unnumbered multitudes shall give thee the glory that is due to thy name.

'Oh, with what rapture shall we behold this immense army of thy redeemed, brought out of all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, standing before thy throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, crying salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb; while all the angels that surround the throne, the elders, and the living creatures, fall before thee, on their faces, and worship thee, saying, Amen, blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Think, O my soul, if, while thou art imprisoned in this body of flesh and blood, thou canst through faith, behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, what must be thy feelings when thou shalt see him face to face on his glorious mountain, and, transported with the blessed vision, adore and praise him for ever! There thou shalt partake of as much felicity in his presence as thy nature is capable of; and from the sources of grace and wisdom which shall then be opened to thy view, thou shalt draw forth that sweetness which shall constrain thee exultingly to say, as the astonished disciple once said, "Lord, it is good to be here." Then thou shalt be continually under the sweet influences of the eternal Spirit, and richly partake of all his celestial graces. There thou shalt behold to thy great joy all that died in the Lord, and amongst the rest, thy spiritual friends and ac-. quaintances, and those that were dear to thee from the tenderest ties; by whose prayers, example, advice, and sympathy, thou wast helped forward in thy travels to these unclouded and delightful regions. There thou shalt see the beauty of the true church of thy Lord, each individual perhaps sustaining a distinct and peculiar character, yet all preserved in perfect harmony and love. Here are no schisms, no wrangling debates concerning who is right or