liable to apprehensions of this kind: when I consider man's absolute unworthiness, even in his best estate; and that astonishing mixture of good and evil, which is more or less visible in saints below.

Though I am by no means an advocate for doubting; I am yet of opinion, that, through the alchymy of divine wisdom, even doubts and fears, though not desirable in themselves, are ultimately subservient to the advantage of God's chosen: just as in the material world, not a thorn is without its use, and every bramble has its value.

Spiritual distresses and misgivings have a tendency, through grace, to keep us sensible of our sinfulness and helplessness (as Paul's temptations clipt the wings of his pride, and restrained him from being exalted above measure). They conduce to make us watchful and circumspect; to make us feel the pulse of our souls, by frequent and severe self-examination; to kindle longing aspirations after God and communion with him; to lay us low at the footstool of Jehovah's sovereignty; to endear Christ's blood, righteousness, and intercession; and put us upon looking up to the holy Spirit in prayer, for the support of his presence, and for the unction of his comforts, which alone are able to enlighten and to chase away the darkness of our minds.

There is likewise another particular, which ought to encourage the mourners in Zion: namely, that it is impossible for any, who have not been spiritually quickened from above, to pant for God as a thirsty land; to grieve, evangelically, from a heart-felt sense of sin; and to be pained, after a godly sort. A good man, of the last century, somewhere observes, that "He who cries out, I am dead; proves himself by that very cry, to be alive." Can a dead person feel? Can a dead man complain? A believer may lament his deadness; but he cannot lament his death, without his lips refuting themselves. There must be spiritual life, or there could be no

spiritual sensibility, no spiritual motion, no spiritual breathings. The pregnant woman that longs, must be alive. If the Lord had not drawn you, you would not follow hard after him. Nor could you say, "The desire of my soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee;" unless God's Spirit had awakened that desire in your heart. If you was not truly converted, you would not be so anxious about the truth of your conversion. It is not the untamed bird of prey, that pours the plaintive strain. No: it is the dove that mourns: it is the nightingale that sings with her breast against a thorn.

However, though a weeping state is a safe one, and not without its advantages; yet there is a still more excellent way. The diffident should be encouraged but diffidence itself should not. Covet earnestly the best gifts. Aspire to the choicest attainments. Pray for unclouded manifestations. Cultivate spiritual fellowship with God, in all the means of grace, both private and public. Endeavour to drink deep into holiness, and to be fruitful in every good word and work. Conversation with experienced Christians operates frequently as a step to gracious improvements. God's people are sometimes blessed to the rubbing off the rust of unbelief, and to the mutual elision of light and heat from each other.-Lay hold on Christ, as well as you can, for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption: committing yourself, for better for worse, to his grace, which worketh all in all. Thus it would be evident, that you are indeed planted in the Lord's house, and belong to that invisible church which he purchased with his own blood. Nay, you will gradually flourish in the courts of God, grow as the lily, and cast forth the root as Lebanon. Your conversion will be made clear to you. You will see your tokens. You will no longer have reason to doubt, whether the good

work of grace is begun in you: but your path, like a burning light, will shine more and more (in general) to the perfect day.

3. Believers are sometimes prone to fear, that they have no real covenant interest in Christ; or, that they are not in a state of pardon and justification. "Oh," says the doubting Christian, "if I could but know that I have redemption through the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of my sins; that Christ undertook for me, in the eternal covenant of grace, and that he is the Lord my righteousness; I should be happy indeed: but, alas! such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me; I cannot attain unto it." Be it so, that you cannot attain to it: God is not the less able to give it. He can, as the apostle expresses it, not only grant you, but even fill you with "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him." Therefore, if you want assurance of salvation, ask it at the throne. But ask it with submission, and with a reserve to the will of God. Do not let your ultimate desires terminate in any thing short of God himself; nor so hang upon comforts, as to overlook the Comforter. Assurances are the brightest bridal jewels of a soul that is married to Christ but the bridegroom himself is better than the jewels he gives; nor does he in general, allow his bride to shine in them every day. He keeps them under his own key, and lets her wear them when he pleases. At worst, remember that he is your husband still, and the God who changes not. Venture yourself, therefore, on board his blood and righteousness, as a mariner trusts himself to the vessel in which he embarks. Do this, and you shall be carried safe to the haven where you would be. You may be shaken on your passage, but not forsaken; tost, but not lost. The mediation of Christ, the faithfulness of your covenant Father, and the never failing love of the Holy Ghost, will bear you up, and bear you home. No man ever suffered

final shipwreck, who ventured his soul, his salvation, bis all, on that bottom. If you cannot wrap yourself up in the mantle of Christ's righteousness, with an assured faith; yet, if you touch but the hem of his garment, with a weak faith, with a faith of longing and desire, or even (if I may so speak) with the very tip of faith's little finger; you have a capital evidence of interest in him. "As an infirm hand," says an excellent person, "can tie the marriageknot; so a weak faith can lay hold on a strong Christ.'

4. The Lord's people are frequently harrassed with a fear, that the work of sanctification, in their souls, is either not begun, or at a dead stand: that they do not increase with the increase of God, nor resemble him in holiness more and more.

If any fear may be called a good fear, this may: supposing it do not flow from a principle of legality, and be not carried too far. It is a blessed sign, when we mourn under a sense of our short comings, and burn with intense desire to rise higher into the likeness of God. For this also, seek unto him. He is also to accomplish in you all the good pleasure of his will, and the work of faith with power. If he give you grace, to put yourself as a blank into his hand; his Spirit will delineate his sacred image upon your soul, and, in the article of death, heighten the outlines, and finish the sketch, into his own perfect likeness. Be diligent to use all the appointed means of sanctification, which providence favours you with. Be careful to shun all evil, and the very appearance of it. Walk in the path of duty, marked out by the written word. Nor need you fear God's making good his covenant of promise, by making you such as he would have you to be. Be not dis

couraged, but rather excited to hope, to pray, and to believe, by the sense of your remaining corruptions. "The field," as one says, "that has millions of weeds in it, may be a corn-field. One

rose upon a bush, though but a little one, and though not yet blown, proves that which bears it to be a true rose-tree." Despise not then, the day of small things; but pray God to enlarge them.Bless him even for the grain of mustard-seed: but, at the same time, beg his Spirit to water and increase it.

5. The fear of temptation keeps many of God's people in bondage. And happy are we, if we so fly from it, as to shut our eyes and ears and hearts against it. We know not what we are, nor what we are capable of, if left to ourselves. Yet do not let the fear of what may be, cast a damp upon your present comforts, nor abate your confidence in the Lord. Prudent fear is wisdom; but much fear is unbelief. A believer cannot trust in himself too little; and, blessed be God, he cannot trust too much in the allsufficiency of divine grace. If, therefore, you are cast down, by a sense of your liableness to temptations, and of your proneness to fall by them; bring your temptations and your weakness together, to God the holy Spirit; and beseech him to get himself the victory in you, over you, and for you. watchfulness and prayer thus set a guard upon the outworks; and Jesus will throw in the succours of grace, and preserve the citadel from being taken by the enemy. He is faithful, and will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear. He will either hide you in his pavilion, and keep you from the fiery trial; or, if he bring you into the field, he will save you from being overpowered. The archers may sorely grieve you, and shoot at you; yet shall your bow abide in strength, and the arms of your hands be made strong by the mighty God of Jacob.

Let

But, should the enemy of souls be even permitted to gain some advantage over you for a season, yet, cast not away your confidence; but look to the hills of covenant love, from whence cometh your help.