living God. As the hart panteth for the waterbrooks, fo panteth my foul after thee, O God."*

Finally, the true christian is enabled to view things by an eye of faith, and as such, is directed and determined what to chufe, and to purfue. "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not feen: for the things which are feen are temporal; but the things which are not feen are eternal." Thus, "by faith, Mofes, when he was come to years, refused to be called the fon of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to fuffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of fin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Chrift greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had refpect to the recompence of the reward." The eye of faith overlooks all the glory of this world, and lays its honour in the duft. It draws a veil over the world's deceitful charms, and contemplates heavenly objects in their native luftre and beauty.

* Other refuge have I none;

Hangs my helpless foul on thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
Lord, fupport and comfort me!

All my truft on thee is stay'd,
All my help from thee I bring;
defenceless head

Cover

my
With the shadow of thy wing.

beauty. Faith realizes the things of the kingdom of God, and as fuch, is the victory which over.. cometh the world. It looks within the veil, takes the dimenfions of the heavenly inheritance, furveys the celeftial country, and forms a proper estimate both of things below, and things above, and engages and directs the foul to make a proper valuation of the one and of the other. A chriftian's life is a life of faith. He walks by faith, and not by fight and fenfe. Faith quickly discerns how little the objects of sense can contribute to folid happiness, and that the favour of God alone is the life of the foul. In his favour is life.

Vain earthly delights
No more I defire,

To infinite heights

My wifhes afpire;

Lord, thou art my treasure,
My portion and choice;
And in thy good pleasure
My foul fhall rejoice.

The world I refign,
And all it can give;
Lord, if I am thine,
Securely I live.

..》3《:་ར.

If thou art my Saviour,
In thee I have all;
I'm bleft in thy favour,
Whate'er me befal.

In all my diftrefs

Thy mercy is near,
My griefs to redress,

And vanquish my fear;
For thou art omniscient
Each danger to spy;
And God all-fufficient,
My needs to fupply.

When earth can afford
No comfort or ease,

I find in thy word

Celestial peace:

If all the creation

Upon me should frown,

Thy glorious falvation

My wifhes will crown.

Having gone through the doctrinal part of our fubject, we shall next endeavour to apply what has been advanced.

CHAP

CHAP. VIN

The Subject applied by Way of Information.

IF the reader is pleased to review the foregoing

pages, he will find, that by the favour of God we understand, his kindness in a way of common providence, the peculiar inftances of his goodness, the diftinguishing acts of his grace, and the com, fortable enjoyment of his special love. This is denominated life, as it is the cause, the object, the regulation, and the end of a pious man's life. We have confidered the subject with respect to a sinner's first converfion, his being led into the way of peace, and brought into a state of acceptance with God through Jefus Chrift. We have observed, that divine favour reftores us from a backfliding ftate, fupports us under every kind of affliction, and fortifies our minds in the near approach of death. We have confidered, that from the favour of God proceeds a life of justification, of sanctification, of perfeverance in grace and holiness, and of glorification after death. We have finally remarked the reasons why God's children put such a value upon his favour as to account it life. Their minds are divinely illuminated, their wills and affections are fanctified, they have tasted that the Lord is gra

cious, and their estimation of things is not after the flesh, but by faith. If the reader will favour us with his ferious attention, we fhall now endeavour to apply what has been advanced. And that, first,

by way of information.

Natural life is a fun

It appears from what has been faid on this important fubject, that life is a rich mercy. It muft be fo, fince it is the production of God's favour. In his favour is life. It is that good thing by which the Pfalmift illuftrates and exemplifies the favour of God. He does not fay, In his favour are to be enjoyed wisdom, riches, health and kind relations; but, In his favour is life. Though those are great mercies, yet life is greater. damental blessing. If that is fufpended, or taken away, all the comforts of life ceafe. Nature defires a perpetuation of its being, and fhudders at the thought of its diffolution. Satan, the father of lies, can fometimes fpeak truth, as he did when he faid, "Skin for fkin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life." It is owing to the favour of God that we have any being, though we are attended with many afflictions, and rank with the lowest of his reasonable creatures. Existence is what the Sovereign of the univerfe did not owe us. "I will fing unto God," faid David, as long as I live; I will fing praife unto my God, while I have

my