"right," find out "

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many inventions," soon did he transgress his rule, forsake his guide, and bid defiance to his judge, and thereby he utterly disqualified himself for that exalted intercourse with his Maker which he formerly enjoyed, effaced the image of the Deity which was lately his glory and happiness, and forfeited all right to those blessings and privileges which, as a creature and a child of God, he was intitled to. Out of this deplorable condition it was absolutely impossible for him to extricate himself, for man was now become a weak, as well as a guilty crea ture; sin had wasted the strength, as well as marred the beauty of the human soul: and in this condition are we all born into the world, at enmity with God, at a distance from him, unable to return to him, and as unwilling as unable. Yet still, blessed be God, that even in such a situation we are the objects of his pity and love: he' has given his own eternal Son for our sakes, who in his life has taught us the path that leadeth to eternal life and happiness, and by his death paid the price of it. In order therefore to acquire the righteousness requisite for the enjoyment of the heavenly state, we must propose to ourselves this Saviour for our surety and pattern-resting all our hopes of justification in the sight of God on what he has done and suffered; conscious of our

own weakness and imperfection, and placing no confidence in ourselves as able to merit any thing at the hand of a Being infinitely holy and just, we must humbly implore the Father of Mercies, that "Christ may of God be made to us wisdom, "and righteousness, and sanctification, and re"demption." At the same time, we must make his example the pattern of our conduct, and let it be our constant and sincere endeavour to "walk " even as he also walked;" to transcribe into our lives those graces and virtues which shone in full splendour in him. The intention of our Lord's entering into the world, and becoming our mediator with God, was not only to save from wrath, but likewise from sin; for this purpose he lived, to give mankind a perfect pattern of all righteousness, of an exact conformity to the law of God, which is holy, and just, and good, as well as died a sacrifice for the sins of a guilty world, to atone for the breach of that law; and these two are never to be separated, as if we were concerned in the one more than in the other; for that man cannot reasonably expect to reap any benefit by the sufferings of Christ, who does not likewise lay his account with, and endeavour after living as he also lived. If therefore, we would seek after that heavenly kingdom in a proper manner, the way is plain and obvious. As" without ho

"liness it is impossible to see God," and as" all "our righteousnesses are but as filthy rags in his sight," in the Redeemer alone must we look for righteousness and strength; "laying aside έσ every weight and the sin that doth so easily "beset us, we must run with patience the race "set before us, looking unto Jesus the author "and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despis

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ing the shame, and is now set down on the right "hand of the Majesty on high." I proceed to the

Second head, which is, to point out the grounds of assurance we have, that if we comply with this precept of our Saviour, a competent portion of the good things of this life shall be made sure to us-they are the strongest that can be imagined; we have, in the first place, the unerring wisdom of God himself to depend upon, that wisdom which sets past, present, and future, in one point of view, and which necessarily must dispose and direct every thing in the best manner. He knows our attachment to this world and the things thereof, and the dangerous consequences this must be attended with to our most interesting concerns, and therefore, in pity to our souls, withholds earthly enjoyments, " takes away the

"desire of the heart and of the eyes," to shew us the folly of placing our chief happiness, or setting up our rest in this world: he knows what is good for us, infinitely better than we ourselves know: when, therefore, we meet with crosses and disappointments, as we frequently must, the proper way of improving them would be to reason with ourselves in this manner: "I do indeed "wish such and such a gratification, but infinite "wisdom judges it to be more for my good that "I should want it; and who knows but it might "prove fatal to me if I were indulged in it; might "it not steal my heart from God, and make me "lose sight of my heavenly inheritance?—I have " met with such a loss, or such a trial, but, blessed "be God, I have still a great deal to be thank“ful for, I have still a great deal left behind: or though I have but little here, why should I re

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pine, who have treasures in heaven, where "neither moth nor rust can corrupt, nor thieves "break through to steal,' and shall I dare to call " in question the wisdom of the divine admini

stration, which has so richly provided for me?" In reality we see, that happiness does not consist in "the abundance of the things which a man "possesseth." Does not every day's experience point out to us instances of splendid misery; the wealthy, dissatisfied, disturbed, and perplexed in

the midst of their riches; the voluptuous, sick and languid though swimming in a sea of sensual pleasures; and the great, distracted and harassed with the noise and bustle of their station, groaning beneath the burden of state? while the poor mean man, who with the sweat of his brow earns from day to day a scanty and coarse subsistence, unnoticing the great world and unnoticed by it, can enjoy a happiness which pomp seldom knows, proceeding, from the approbation of a good conscience, a sense of the favour of his Maker, and of the light of his countenance, with the well grounded hope of a blessed immortality. What have we to fear then, so long as we are permitted to trust in something infinitely superior to our own prudence and sagacity, which so often fail us, seeing we have unerring wisdom to provide for us? The second ground of assurance I shall mention is, the almighty power of God. He is not only all-wise to provide, but likewise all-powerful to bestow. People generally reckon themselves very secure, when they are under, the protection of a great and powerful friend, who is able to promote their interest, who has the bestowing of some profitable place or office; but how circumscribed is all human power compared with his, whom heaven and earth obey, to whom all nature is subservient, who has the