good to you, therefore I add a few lines. I entreat you not to seek happiness in this world; for "the fashion of this world passeth away." I tell you once more that "wisdom is the principal thing." Think of your precious never-dying souls. Surely the highest proof of wisdom must be to care about the salvation of the soul: and how is this precious soul to be saved? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Do not be tired of hearing of the same thing, of finding every tract given you, and every sermon preached, telling you that you are a sinner, and that Jesus is the one only and all-sufficient Saviour. This Saviour is the theme of the angels' songs in heaven; they sing the same song, yet it is al"Unto Him that loved us, and washed us ways new: from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to Him be glory for ever and ever." Cannot you believe? then tell the blessed Saviour so. He can hear you, though he is far above the starry heavens; tell him you wish to believe; tell him you wish to feel sin more hateful, and to be kept from it, and that you know he alone can keep you. Ask him for his Holy Spirit. He will give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him. But do you say that you hate sin, and yet often fall into it? O look to him at the moment of temptation. He will be your Saviour now. We know he will prove himself the Saviour of his people at the last; but we are apt to forget that he will be gracious now. We want a present Saviour, a Saviour from sin and sorrow now. Let us look to him now, and he will be more to us than we can think or desire. That young girl, whose corpse I told you I had seen, had peace, peace though she knew she had sinned against God; peace though she saw the grief of her mother at the thought of their parting. She had peace because she trusted in Jesus, because she came helpless and heavy laden to his cross. May you do the same. You and I do not know each other; you may be young, or old, rich or poor; you may be blessed with the highest earthly happiness, or you may be mourning and not comforted. I know none of these things concerning you; but I know that your soul must live for ever, and that you want a Saviour. Oh do not refuse "the principal thing," the heavenly wisdom. Come with me to Calvary, See the cross exalted there; "Father! all my foes forgive, Let them trust my boundless love, Let the dying sinner live, I prepare his seat above." Sinner! hear the words of grace, Ye who stretch the willing hand For the grace on Calvary given, CHRISTIAN CONFIDENCE. Though we have multiplied assurances that God has health and strength for his people, yet so does the infirmity of our hearts prevail, that we falter and tremble; and, like Peter, too, with our Saviour present before us. But, blessed! be God, he healeth our infirmities, and gives us means to renew our strength. Such means are now offered to us, in the consideration of the thirty-fourth Psalm. "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him; and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." (Psalm xxxvi. 1—7.) New mercies call for new praises. The Christian is called upon "in all things to give thanks;" to rejoice even “in tribulation," which cannot deprive him of the true ground of all joy, the salvation of Christ. If we hope to spend our eternity in praising God, it is fit that we should spend our time in this delightful work. David praised God openly: he would acknowledge his own obligations, and would endeavour to lead others also to praise the Lord. He praised God heartily. He boasted of his relation to God, his interest in him, and expectations from him. But chiefly are the members of the church bound to give thanks for the resurrection and triumph of Christ their Head. The humble can never hear of this without being glad. Nor is it vain glory, to glory in the Lord. "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth." (Jer. ix. 23, 24.) We cannot magnify God-cannot add any thing to his glory, but we should constantly endeavour to magnify our poor conceptions of his excellence, and we should exhort others to do so likewise. Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten that happy period, when all nations and languages shall make their sound to be heard as one, in magnifying and exalting their great Redeemer's name. David had experienced the favour of God, begged his help; and God answered his request presently, and delivered him, both from the death he feared, and from the disquietment and disturbance he was put into by his fears. We have reason to bless God for his readiness to hear prayer; our single prayer, our united prayer; and that Christ has undertaken the office of our Mediator, through whom our prayers and our persons are accepted. Those who seek the Lord, in his Scriptures and his ordinances, shall be delivered from all their fears. David's prayers helped to silence his fears; having sought the Lord, and left his case with him, he could calmly wait for what might happen. But David was a great and eminent man. May we expect to be favoured as he was? have any others ever experienced the like benefit by prayer? Yes, many besides him have looked unto God by faith and prayer, and have "been lightened, and their faces were not ashamed." They have been wonderfully revived and comforted; witness Hannah, who, when she had prayed, went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. Sin is the blindness, faith is the eye, and Christ is the light of the soul. The blindness must be removed, and the eye must be directed to the light which will then illuminate the whole man. He who looks to Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, for light and guidance, shall never be confounded. Looking to the world, or self, all is darkness-darkness which may be felt; but He who "Look unto me," says, is the "light of the world ;" and he adds, "he that followeth after me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." He that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Here is hope that maketh not ashamed. It is shewn here, that it is not alone the great and eminent that God regards; for here was a single person, mean and inconsiderable, whom no man looked on with any respect, or looked after with any concern; yet he was welcome to the throne of grace: as being poor in spirit, the Lord heard him, took notice of his case and of his prayers, and saved him out of all his troubles. The base and despised things of the world are often found among the Lord's jewels, that no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Cor. i. 26—29.) The divine protection which God affords to his people is here signified. The holy angels minister to them, under the special direction of God; and Christ, the great Angel of the covenant, who was, of old, in the midst of the camp of Israel, now encampeth around all his people continually, for their safety and deliverance. It is here farther written: "O taste, and see, that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good: seek peace, and pursue it."--(ver. 8—14.) We must see and perceive that God is most holy, and delight in the contemplation of his infinite perfections, and the bounties of his providence and grace.—Taste and see God's goodness; that is, take notice of it, and take the comfort of it. The true Christian tastes and sees that the Lord is good, as he perceives that honey is sweet, the light pleasant, and the face of nature beautiful. This is not a mere matter of his own reasoning or expectation, but of actual enjoyment in which he is not deceived. Oh that sinners would but make trial of His love! David would have us join with him, in a resolution to seek God and serve him, and continue in his fear. Fear the Lord, that is, worship him, and make conscience of your |