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like other men, greatly difquieted when he is deprived of earthly enjoyments; for he knows that in God's favour there is life. His language therefore is," Although the fig-tree fhall not bloffom, neither fhall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive fhall fail, and the fields fhall yield no meat; the flock fhall be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the ftall; yet will I rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of my falvation." In profperity he is kept humble and modeft; in affliction, fubmiffive and patient; because he is perfuaded, "that all things work together for good to them that love God, and are the called according to his purpofe." He glories in tribulation, fince “tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is fhed abroad in his heart, by the Holy Ghost.”

SECT. III.

The Duty and Privilege of those who are fatisfied refpecting their Intereft in the Divine Favour.

IT certainly becomes those who are fatisfied, on good grounds, refpecting their intereft in the favour of God, to be very thankful. You ought to prize the privilege very highly, and to adore the

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Author of peace and confolation, for having brought you into this fafe and happy state. You had no natural right to this diftinguishing bleffing, neither could you poffibly have procured it by any meritorious actions of your own. If Mephibofheth was fo affected with the kindnefs of David to him, that he exclaimed, "What is thy fervant, that thou shouldest look on such a dead dog as I am!" How fhould the kindness and love of God affect your heart, and inflame your gratitude? Surely, it becometh the juft to be thankful, and to exprefs their thankfulness in fongs of praise. "Bless the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me, blefs his holy name; who forgiveth all thy fins, and healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercy."

It becomes you to keep in memory the various inftances of God's goodness to you, and to endea-vour to improve them in the best manner you are able. When Mary, the mother of Jefus, received gracious meffages from heaven, fhe kept them in remembrance, and pondered them in her heart. Go you, and do likewise. Let not the tokens of divine love be forgotten. Walk worthy of the exalted privileges you enjoy. In all your words, works and ways, be afraid of offending your gra

cious Benefactor. Seek conftantly to please him, by doing his will from the heart. After you have received the sweeteft pledges of his love, you are fill in danger of grieving the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are fealed to the day of redemption. Keep therefore a jealous eye over your own heart; watch and pray that you enter not into temptation.

It becomes you to improve the distinguishing kindness of God to you, for the benefit of others. Say, with the Pfalmift, "Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my foul." When a feasonable opportunity offers, fpeak to your children, your fervants, your companions, and your chriftian brethren, concerning the pleasantness and the peace which are to be found in wifdom's ways. Say to them, "O tafte and fee that the Lord is good; bleffed is the man that trufteth in him!" Recommend his

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fervice from your own experience; affuring them that his commands are not grievous, but that his yoke is eafy, and his burden light. You have good reason to speak well of his name, and to be telling of his falvation from day to day. Be fervent and conftant in prayer and fupplication to God,. for the converfion of finners, and the revival of his work among his profeffing people. As you have obtained mercy, and have the fweet en

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joyment of the divine favour, pour out your hearts before God, that others may alfo find mercy with him. Thus Abraham, the friend of God, interceded for his fon, "Oh that Ifhmael might live in thy fight!" When you have sweet intercourfe with the Father of mercies, plead with him for others. It was the requeft of a certain person to his intimate friend (cum fic tibi fuerit, memento mei) ' when it shall be thus with you, remember me.'

It becomes you to long, to hope, and to wait for the full enjoyment of God's favour in heaven. The sweet and comfortable affurance of his love to you, in your present ftate of diftance from him, should make you restless till you are advanced to the full and final fruition of it in glory. Let the taftes you have of it here, quicken your defires after a full draught of the fountain of life and bliss in the upper world. In the morning of the refurrection, when you awake in the divine likeness, you shall be satisfied. Be conftantly looking for the coming of the day of God, and hastening to it. Wait on the Lord, and he will fave you, and preserve you to his heavenly kingdom. The righteous go from diftant communion with their Redeemer on earth to intimate fellowship with him in heaven. Mofes, the fervant of the Lord, died, according to the word of the Lord." The Jewish Rabbins

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read it (ad ofculum Jehova) at the mouth or kifs of Jehovah. The Lord took him away in a sweet embrace. He was then honoured with the appellation of the fervant of the Lord, as expreffive of the intimacy he had with his divine Master in this world, and of his admittance into the immediate prefence of the fame Master in the regions of immortality. The foul at death goes to receive the refult of its labours; the reward, not of debt, but of grace. Jefus has faid, "If any man ferve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there alfo fhall my fervants be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." To which we may add the words of the apostle to the Coloffians, "Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheri tance; for ye ferve the Lord Chrift." Keep this in view, and be daily longing, hoping, and waiting for it.

I fhall close all with the following meditation, by way of paraphrafe, on the text which I have endeavoured to explain and enforce through the whole of this treatise.

The divine word informs me, and my own experience bears witnefs to the delightful truth, that In his favour there is life. To this I can fet my feal; fo that what many others do but read, I, a

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