pointment or permission of his almighty Father, who "makes 66 a hedge about him, and all that he has." No famines, earthquakes, pestilences, fires, wars, massacres, persecutions, or other dreaded catastrophes, can hurt or should alarm him for he is safe, and shall be guided, supported, and guarded, in all places and circumstances, till the appointed period of his pilgrimage arrive; and then he will be conveyed home to his Father's house, in the best way, which infinite wisdom and everlasting love can devise.

Thus "godliness is profitable for all things: having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to <<< come." 2

5. Communion with God is the believer's privilege. We "have boldness to enter into the holiest through the blood "of Jesus," and to "come boldly to the throne of grace, "that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in every "<time of need." 3 We are directed to ask what we will, and assured that it shall be given us; for "the prayer of "the upright is the Lord's delight." So that we may come, with humble confidence, into the immediate presence of our reconciled Father, whenever we will; we may present whatever petitions our wants and circumstances suggest ; we may multiply, repeat, and enforce them with all importunity and earnestness; we may urge every plea, and use all freedom; we may be assured of a cordial welcome in so doing; and confidently expect, that all our petitions will be answered and exceeded, in that sense and way which most conduce to our real good. 5 Thus we speak to our gracious God, in prayers, supplications, praises, and thanksgivings, notwithstanding that we are "but sinful dust and ashes." 6 And he speaks to us by his word, counselling, warning, instructing, encouraging, or reproving us, and shewing us the " way in which we should walk, and the thing which we should do:" he evinces his regard to us by answering our prayers, and manifesting his care for us in numerous instances: he discovers his glorious perfections and gracious presence, and causes his goodness to pass before us: and he gives sometimes even in deep affliction, “ a peace of "God which passeth all understanding, keeping our hearts " and minds through Christ Jesus." For "truly our fel66 lowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ," whatever men may think or say of such pretensions: and this

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1 Job i. 10. ii. 3-7. 2 Job v. 19-27. Ps. xci. Rom. viii. 28. 1 Cor. iii. 21-23. 1 Tim. iv. 8. 3 Heb. iv. 16. x. 19-22. 4 Prov. xv. 8. Mark xi. 24. Luke vi. 5-13. John xiv. 13, 14. xv. 7, 16. xvi. 23, 24. Jam. i. 5. 1 John iii. 21, 22. v. 14, 15. 5 Eph. iii. 20.

6 Gen. xviii.

I

199 happy experience essentially differs from the unscriptural presumption of enthusiasts and hypocrites; though strangers to such joys do and will confound them together. Thus the believer "walks with God" in his ordinances, commandments, and providential dispensations; tastes his love in every comfort, submits to his wise and fatherly correction in every cross, and deems it his privilege to refer all things to his will and glory: and the Lord walks with him, as his companion, guard, and guide through life; is with him in the valley of the shadow of death, and then takes him home to his more inmediate presence. 2

6. The believer experiences the consolations of the Holy Spirit, in proportion to his faith, simplicity, diligence, and watchfulness. This holy Comforter, who dwells in every believer, as in a temple which he hath consecrated to himself, irradiates the mind, by his sacred influences, to see things which belong to the person, love, and salvation of Christ; and to know the blessings which are freely given "him of God." 3 He assists the memory in recollecting the words of the Saviour: and he invigorates faith, causes hope to abound, enlivens the mind with love and gratitude, and thus communicates a satisfying and sanctifying joy, the earnest and pledge of heavenly felicity. This counterbalances all trials, dissipates sorrow, fortifies the soul against temptation, reconciles it to suffering and self-denial, and animates it for every service. It is the privilege of the believer, exclusively, to experience, relish, and value such joys; and to distinguish them from the joy of the hypocrite, which springs from ignorance, pride, and presumption. We are, therefore, exhorted "to rejoice in the Lord always;" and all our enfeebling dejection and sorrow are the consequences of living below our privilege, and coming short of our duty, in this as well as in other respects. Especially we forfeit and mar this joy, when we "grieve the Spirit" by our misconduct, or quench his holy influences by cleaving to the world, or by inexpedient self-indulgence: 4 so that the apostle exhorts Christians, "not to be drunk with wine wherein " is excess," (from which others seek exhilaration and relief in trouble,)" but to be filled with the Spirit." 5

7. It is the believer's privilege "to be kept by the power "of God, through faith unto salvation." The actual comfort of this privilege must indeed depend on our scriptural evidence that we are true believers; as other men can persevere in nothing except ungodliness or hypocrisy. So long, therefore, as any one doubts whether he be indeed regene

1 1 John i. 3. 2 Gen. v. 24. 3 Joha xvi. 15, 16. 1 Cor. ii. 11, 12. Eph. i. 17, 18. 4 Eph. iv. 30. 1 Thess. v. 19. 5 Eph. v. 18. 1 Pet i. 5.

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rate, he cannot fully take to himself the comfort of God's promises; for he cannot know that they belong to him: and whatever tends to bring his character into suspicion, must proportionably interrupt his confident hope of final victory and triumph; which is only intended to encourage the valiant soldier, when strenuously resisting his enemies, and fighting the good fight of faith." The words of our Lord, however, are decisive on the point in question. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow "me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall "never perish; neither shall any one pluck them out of my "hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than "all, and no one (sd) is able to pluck them out of my "Father's hand. I and my Father are One." "The water

"that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water "springing up into everlasting life." "Fear not, little flock, "for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the 66 kingdom." I The apostle also assures us, that nothing

shall " 24 separate us from the love of God in Christ ;" and in confirmation of his doctrine, he enumerates a variety of those particulars which principally endanger them, in most energetic and triumphant language. The Lord hath "made "with them an everlasting covenant," and hath engaged, "that he will not turn away from them to do them good; " and that he will put his fear into their hearts, that they "shall not depart from him."3 And this covenant he hath ratified with an oath, for the strong consolation of the heirs of promise; even the oath, which he swore to Abraham, "that in blessing, he would bless him," notwithstanding all possible obstructions and objections. 4 Indeed, "having chosen them in Christ before the foundation of the "world," and quickened them by his grace "when dead in "sin ;" it might reasonably be expected, that the same sovereign and everlasting mercy would influence him to keep them to complete salvation, by strength proportioned to all their trials and temptations.

We might, likewise, mention as separate privileges, the assurance, that "all things work together for good to them "that love God," and combine to promote their everlasting advantage, however painful or humiliating for the present; so that they are more than conquerors" over all enemies, and are benefitted by all their assaults: that death is their friend, and that his dreaded stroke only liberates them from bondage, and so proves their greatest gain; and that the John iv. 14. x. 27-30.

Luke xii. 32. 3 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. 4 Heb. vi. 16-18.

2 Rom. viii. 35-39. Jer. xxxii. 38-40. Ps. ciii. 17. Is. liv. 9, 10, 17. 5 Rom. viii. 28-31. 1 Cor. xv. 55--58.

everlasting God is their portion, and their all-sufficient and all-satisfying felicity.

But here silent contemplation best becomes us; and with this let us close these hints on a subject that is nearly inexhaustible. Enough has been said to shew, that true wis dom consists in leaving, venturing, or suffering, any thing to secure such advantages; and in giving diligence to possess the assurance that they belong to us; that if we lived up to our privileges," the joy of the Lord would be our strength" for every service; and our cheerfulness and conscientiousness would concur in 66 adorning the doctrine of God "our Saviour:" and that our dejections arise, not from our religion, but from our want of more faith, hope, love, and all those things in which true godliness consists.

ESSAY XVIII.

On the Disposition and Character peculiar to the true Believer.

WHEN our Lord concluded his pathetic exhortations to his disconsolate disciples, just before his crucifixion, by a comprehensive prayer for them; he made this one of his petitions to the Father in their behalf, "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth: "I and the scriptures always represent divine truth, as the seed in the believer's heart of every holy disposition; the graft through which "the tree is made good and its fruit good;" and the mould into which the soul is cast, and from which it receives its form and exact impression, as the metal is fashioned by the artist's skill: so that we are not only "justified by faith," 3 but also sanctified by faith." The doctrine of Christ dwells in the regenerate soul, as an operative transforming principle, producing a peculiar state of the judgment, will, and affections, in proportion to the degree in which it is understood and believed. This may properly bé called the Christian temper. It is the exact counterpart of the truths by which it is produced; it discriminates the real believer from all other men; and it constitutes the standard of our proficiency in vital godliness, of our "growth in grace, and " in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Alas! a great part of the acquaintance, which most men have formed with the truths of revelation, is merely notional; and if we do not perceive the genuine nature and tendency of the doctrines to which we assent, they must fail 2 Rom. vi. 17. 3 Acts xxvi. 18.

John 17-19.

to exert their transforming efficacy on our hearts. Thus knowledge puffeth up,' even when the things known are evidently suited to produce the deepest humility; and though they never fail to have this effect, where they are received by a living faith as the nutriment and medicine of the soul. It may, therefore, be proper to consider more particularly those dispositions and affections, which constitute the appropriate temper and character of the true believer; adverting, as we proceed, to the truths by which they are produced and nourished; and endeavouring to distinguish between the lamented failures and imperfections of the upright, and the allowed and indulged evils of the mere hypocrite or self-deceiver.

1. Humility may be considered as most essential to the Christian temper, and as radical to every part of it. The believer's principles continually present to his mind the greatness and majesty of God, and the comparative meanness of all creatures; which cannot fail to abate his natural propensity to self-importance and self-exaltation, and to make him feel himself as nothing before the infinite Creator. Having received his being and all he possesses from the hand of God, and holding every thing in the most absolute dependance on him, he cannot consistently "glory as though

he had not received them." He knows that every benefit lays him under obligation; that every talent demands a proportionable improvement; and that he must shortly be removed from his stewardship, and required to give an account of it: and he is conscious, that he has not been duly faithful to his trust, or properly improved the talents committed to his charge. This teaches him, that all those things of which he has been tempted to be proud, ought to cover him with shame, and increase his humility; for they have all proved occasions of additional transgression, and thus call upon him to repent, and deprecate the wrath of his offended Lord.

His principles also lead him to compare his conduct with the perfect law of God, and not with the examples and maxims of this sinful world; and to condemn every deviation from that strict and spiritual rule, even in thought, or inclination, as sin, and as deserving the divine displeasure and abhorrence: so that every part of his past and present behaviour suggests to him reasons for self-abasement; for sin mixes with and defiles even his best duties, and he feels his need of repentance, of mercy, and of the atoning blood, in every action of his life. He is deeply convinced, that "it is of the Lord's mercies he is not consumed;" all his