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in ourselves, from a devout perusal. Notwithstanding, therefore, sloth and natural aversion to study spiritual subjects will strongly oppose this excellent method of reading God's word, we must do violence to ourselves. A little preseverance will soon master all the difficulty, and we shall find cause to say, "The law of the Lord is more precious to me than thousands of gold and silver. In that law do I exercise myself day and night.'

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Nearly allied to meditation on the word of God is examination of ourselves by it, so as to excite correspondent impressions on our minds, and, when we find them not, to confess the poverty and misery of our condition. For instance, when the character of God is before us, in those passages which describe his infinite power and glorious holiness, which the host of Heaven adores; yet more tender and affectionate to men who fear him, than any father to a son that serveth him; to read this character will never affect us, all admirable as it is, unless we pause and ask ourselves, Do we behold such glory, and such excellency in the Lord God Almighty? Have we such a sense of his goodness, as makes him our exceeding joy? Do we cheerfully trust in him for all we want, and to defend us against all our enemies? When we read the scripture representations of the glory, office, work and temper of the Redeemer, and the great promises made to all who believe on his name, little will this profit, unless we at the same time search and try ourselves, whether such a Saviour appears to us altogether lovely and absolutely needful; the chief mercy of God, and the. grandest display of all his infinite perfections? Whether we commit unto him our immortal souls, without suspicion or fear of falling under his protection, and with an undivided heart serve him, as our sovereign Lord?

When we read also the strong assertions in the book of God, of our natural weakness, blindness, love of sin, and total depravity, in vain we shall assent to them, because found there, unless we trace each of these as they have broke out in our lives, and in some symptoms of them which are often still felt within.

When the scripture before us describes the selfdenying tempers of the faithful in Christ, their deliverance from the dominion of worldly hopes and fears, their unfeigned love to God and man, and their abhorrence of all evil; in vain we read of these excellent dispositions, unless we prove and examine in what degree such an excellent change has taken place in our hearts.

Unless we read all scripture with this self-appli cation, we shall do just enough to flatter and deceive ourselves, as if we were something, when we are nothing; enough to make us fancy we pay regard to the word of God, when in fact it has no weight to form our judgment, govern our tempers, or determine us in the grand object of our pursuit.

We must not then satisfy ourselves with reading scripture, but read it like men who are certain this infallible word shall absolutely decide our condition; like men who know, he only is blessed whom that word blesses, and he cursed whom that curses. It is both our duty and interest so devoutly to peruse scripture, that its spirit may be impressed on all our sentiments, breathe in all our desires, and live in our whole conduct; convincing all around us, that the word of the Lord is pure, converting the soul.

PRAYER,

Suited to the Subject of the preceding Chapters. MERCIFUL and gracious God, always nigh to them that fear thee, and the deliverer of all who cry

to thee; give us to know our great guilt and weakness, our blindness and depravity, that we may hunger and thirst after righteousness, pray always, and not faint. May we pray in faith, assured that thy ear hearkens to the most stammering tongue, and to the sighs of all who bewail their captivity to sin. May we be enabled to watch the various workings of our evil nature, to know our peculiar duties and temptations; to remember our daily mercies, and by these be led to make suitable confessions, supplications, and thanksgivings before thee. Impress upon our hearts, O Lord, the example of all thy saints now in glory, and of thy dear Son, our only Saviour, when in the form of a servant. By their diligence and great earnestness in prayer, may we be stirred up to shake off all sloth and lukewarmness, to tremble at the thought of restraining prayer before thee, or neglecting to call upon thy name.

Teach us effectually that the prayer of faith is the only appointed means of obtaining blessings for the soul, and power to have a conscience void of offence towards God or man. And in all our addresses to thee, may we be upright, and with deep humility abase ourselves in thy presence. Deliver us, O God, from provoking thy wrath, by daring to approach thee without a propitiation for sin, and the advocate for transgressors. To Jesus, who endured the cross, and ever liveth to make intercession, may we always look, and to him bring every offering, for whose sake alone, and at whose hands, it becomes thee, O Father, to receive our worship. In all our requests may we have access to thee with confidence, through Jesus Christ the Lord, by the influence of the Holy Ghost.

O God, fill us with faith in the precious promises thou hast made to all who call upon thee; faith in the name and power of Christ, engaged in behalf of

all who come to thee by him, that we may esteem prayer our highest privilege, and be more and more fervent and diligent in that duty, till all our prayers are completely answered in our everlasting salvation. Grant these our requests for Christ's sake, our great and merciful High-priest, our only Mediator and Redeemer.

Amen.

SUNDAY L.

CHAP. L.

The Pleasures peculiar to Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

IT is too general an opinion, that men can never be at present so happy, if they entirely submit to the government of God, as by taking some forbidden self-indulgence; that if we are to be wholly at the will of our Redeemer, all thoughts of pleasure must be given up, and we pass our time like superstitious recluses, in moping melancholy, or at least under very irksome restraints.

This falsehood is full of impiety, and hurtful to a great degree. Full of impiety, for it blasphemes the life of faith and the service of God, as not to be endured, but in view of some future reward, or through fear of the wrath to come; though, in point of superior enjoyment, the life of faith and the service of God, have the promise of this world, as well as of heaven. The slander is also hurtful to the last de gree, because, if men imagine Christian obedience uncomfortable, violent love of pleasure, joined with

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a faint belief of eternity, will certainly lead them to take part in the voluptuousness at hand, risking any loss they may sustain beyond the grave.

The system, therefore, of doctrinal and practical Christianity, contained in this volume, cannot more properly conclude than with a faithful account of the high pleasures peculiar to real Christians; and with unanswerable proofs that these pleasures are rational, certain to be enjoyed, and necessary to produce and secure Christian obedience.

From hence it will appear clear to demonstration, that the obedient children of God, so often pitied as miserable in their self denial, and on account of the strictness of their life which separates them from the licentious world, do in fact know more pleasure than any people upon earth.

The first source of pleasure peculiar to them is their excellent knowledge. God the Father, in his adorable perfections, in his works and word, in the redemption he hath provided, and the various blessings he hath promised: God the Son, in his original glory and marvellous humiliation, in all the parts and benevolent purposes of his mediation: God the Holy Ghost, in his miraculous gifts of old, his perpetual influences and consolations, with all the realities of the eternal world, are pleasing subjects of meditation to a true believer.

The whole herd of nominal Christians, it is true, may hear the sound of these great things, and perhaps profess some belief of their reality. But wedded to objects of sense, they can find no heart to take an exact survey of them; wherefore, seeing they see, and do not perceive, and hearing they hear, and do not understand. On the On the contrary, believers attain a real knowledge of the excellency of scripture truths, which is lively, penetrating the soul, and of course delightful. For who can question the plea

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