faith, a renewed supply from the fountain of all good. How great a loss then must it be to our spiritual interests, and how contemptuous a disregard of the ever present Jehovah, to omit entirely, or long to discon tinue, this most beneficial practice of habitual adora. tion? Can you, my dear Theron, acquit yourself on this article of inquiry? Has not every day of your life been a day of negligence in this respect? been a perpetual disobedience to our Saviour's injunction,

ought,' in this manner, always to pray and not to faint ?**

Have we sanctified the sabbath? Has the Lord's day, with all its solemn and sacred offices, been our delight! Have we remembered that distinguished portion of our

the patriot, to the God of heaven." We cannot suppose that he fell on his knees, or spoke with his lips, while he continued to the royal presence. But he darted up his soul in silent supplication'; which supplication pierced the clouds,' reached the eternal throne, and returned not again till a blessing was sent: such as totally averted the wrath he dreaded, and procured favour and assistance, much larger than he expected. Neh. ii. 4. When David heard that Ahitophel, the abfest politician in his kingdom, was revolted to Absalom, sensible what a loss his affairs had sustained, and what an advantage the rebellious party had acquired, he betook himself to his God. He staid not for an opportunity of retirement, but instantly and upon the spot cried, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahitophel into foolishness! A short address, but very efficacious. He who disappointed the devices of the crafty, sent a spirit of infatuation among the rebels, and inclined them to reject the advice of that judicious statesman; which false step brought upon their horrid enterprise the ruin it deserved, and chagrined the wretched traitor even to rage, frenzy, and suicide. 2 Sam. xv. 31. xvii. 23. Amyntor, at a memorable period of his life, was under great distress of conscience, and harassed by violent temptations. He made his case known to an experienced friend, who said, 'Amyntor, you do not pray. Surprised at this, he replied, I pray, If such a thing be possible, too much. I can hardly tell how many times in the day I bow my knee before God, almost to the omiesion of my other duties, and the neglect of my necessary studies.' "You mistake my meaning; dear Amyntor. I do not refer you to the ceremony of the knee, but to the devotion of the heart; which neglects not any business, but intermingles prayer with all; which, in every place, looks upon the Lord, and, on every occasion, lifts up an indigent longing soul for the supply of his grace. This (added he, and spoke with a peculiar vehemence), this is the prayer which all the devils in hell cannot withstand. This, I would farther observe, is the prayer which brings down somewhat of heaven into the heart; in which I would myself desire to abound, and would earnestly recommend to all my acquaintance, and all my readers.

Luke xviii. 1.

time, as Jacob remembered the delightful interview at Peniel? Have we expected it, as merchants expect the arrival of a richly laden vessel? Have we improved it, as husbandmen improve the shining hours of the harvest? Have we wholly laid aside every earthly engage. ment, not speaking our own words," nor allowing ourselves in any gratifications that may interrupt our communion with the Father of Spirits? Has one day in his courts been preferable to a thousand spent either in the works of our calling, or in the scenes of recreation? Have the memorials of our Redeemer's dying merits, and the seals of his unchangeable lovingkindness, been relished as a feast, and prized as a por tion?

Have we honoured God's holy word? What greater mark of disesteem than to despise a person's discourse, and not to think his speech worthy of our notice, espe cially when he addresses us with very great seriousness, and with the utmost affection? In our Bible, the God of glory speaks to his creatures, speaks with the most persuasive energy, and with all the yearnings of parental tenderness. Have we listened to our Creator with reverence and delight, and rejoiced with trembling atThus saith the Lord?'

Have we searched the oracles of truth, not merely as scholars, but as sinners; not from a spirit of curiosity, or with an air of formality, but with a solicitude and ardour becoming persons who inquire after the Saviour of their lost souls? Have we submitted our inmost thoughts to their impartial scrutiny, to receive convic tion of sin from their awful remonstrances, and to hear the sentence of condemnation at their righteous bar? Have we been willing to suffer the reproach of con scious baseness, while they have ripped up the disguises of falsehood, laid open our secret iniquities, and brought all our evil ways to remembrance? Thus Josiah acted: His heart was tender, and he humbled himself before the Lord: he rent his clothes, and wept before the Lord, when he heard the words of the book of the law.'

Have we hid the glad tidings of the gospel within + Psal. lxxxiv. 10. 12 Chron. xxxiv. 27.

Isa. Ivlil. 13.

our memories, within our hearts? Have we been diligent to suck this honeycomb of grace by concomitant meditation and subsequent prayer? Have we valued the precious promises, as gentlemen of wealth value the writings of their private estates, or as enfranchised bodies esteem the charter of their public privileges? Have we, like the princely patriarch, longed for those words of edification, exhortation, and comfort, more than for our necessary food,'t and, like the royal pro phet, prevented the night-watches, that we may be occu pied in those statutest and ordinances of heaven?

We have hitherto confined the examination to a few instances of the affirmative kind: how dreadfully will the dark account be swelled, if instead of love and obedience, there be hatred and opposition-hatred of the name, glory, and worship of God-opposition to his interest, kingdom, and service!

God is infinite perfection, worthy of all admiration, exalted above all praise: yet do not our thoughts more frequently, or more naturally, turn upon our own accomplishments, than upon the adorable and shining attributes of the Almighty? This is in itself the most shameful dotage, and, in God's sight, the most abominable idolatry. Yet let us observe what passes within, and we shall probably find, that as damps arise in the mines, or fogs in the fenny grounds, so naturally and so copiously do these overweaning reflections arise in our depraved minds.

God is an everlasting King. Have we not too often resisted his authority? Have we not, as far as in us lay, deposed the omnipotent Sovereign, and exalted self into the throne, made self-will our law, and self-pleasing our end, thus adding sacrilege to rebellion?

God is transcendently gracious and amiable. Have we not turned our backs upon him by forgetting his mercies; nay, have we not spurned him from our affections by being 'lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God?' Awake, conscience! bear thy impartial testimony; and I am persuaded the Pharisee in our breasts, + Job xxiii. 12. Psal. cxix. 148. § 2 Tim. iii. 4.

Cant. v. 1.

like the man unfurnished with the wedding garment, must be struck dumb, must be covered with confusion.

Is our heart warm with brotherly love? Good manners will put expressions of civility into our mouths; but has a power from on high implanted the royal law of charity in our breasts? The character of a gentleman requires a deportment accessible, obliging, and courte ous: has the spirit of Christianity taught us to love, not in word,' or plausible appearance only, but in deed and in truth? Do we love our neighbours, not merely on account of some relation they bear us, or some services they have done us, but because they are creatures of the blessed God, are the objects of his providential care, and capable at least of being conformed to his image? Do we love them, because we hope that the Lord Jesus Christ has bought them with his blood, is willing to make them partakers, of his Spirit, and members of his mystical body?

Are we sincerely concerned for their present welfare and their eternal happiness? Do we embrace all opportunities of promoting both the one and the other, embrace them with the same alacrity, and improve them with the same zeal which actuate us in seeking our own felicity? If they exceed us in all that is amiable, and all that is prosperous, do we contemplate their superior excellence with a real complacency, and their more abundant success with a real satisfaction?

Do we dislike to hear, and abhor to spread, defama tory tales, even when our adversaries are the men whom they tend to blacken? When rudely affronted, or causelessly abused, do we pity the offenders for the wrong done to their own souls, rather than kindle into resentment at the indignity offered to ourselves? When greatly injured, are we slow to anger, and not easily provoked? Are we much more willing to be reconciled than to foment displeasure and prosecute revenge? In a word, do we love our enemies; bless them that curse us; do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us?'t Without this lov.

1 John iii, 18.

+ Matt. v. 44. What manner of love is this?' How disin

ing and lovely disposition, we abide,' says the apostle, in death," are destitute of spiritual, and have no title to eternal life.

Let me add, Are all our graces and all our works 'clothed with humility? This should be the dress. in which they severally appear, as well as the bond of connexion which unites them all. Do we maintain a very low opinion of our own accomplishments, and in 'honour prefer others to ourselves?' habitually sensible that we are less than the least of the divine mercies, and the very chiefest of sinners?

I might easily have branched out the preceding subjects into a much greater variety of interrogatory articles, but I intend only to present you with a specimen. Your own meditations will enlarge the sketch, and sup ply what is defective: only let me beg of you, my dear friend, to try your state by this touchstone, to prove your conduct by this standard; and may the Father of lights give you an understanding to discern the exact purity and sublime perfection of his holy law!

Have you lived in the uninterrupted observance of all these duties, avoiding whatever is forbidden, and obeying whatever is commanded? Your outward be. haviour, I know, has been free from notorious violations; but has your inward temper been preserved from all ungodly motions, and from every irregular desire? Is there no enmity in your heart to any of the precepts, nor any backwardness, nor any failure in performing each and every injunction?

When you put these questions to yourself, remem ber, that if you fail in one point, or in any degree, you are guilty of all. If your conformity be not persever ing as well as perfect, you incur the penalty, and are abandoned to the curse; you stand charged before the Judge of the world with all the guilt of all your sins,

terested! how extensive! how triumphant! Must not all the boasted benevolence of the philosopher and moralist strike sail to this evangelical charity? Must not both moralist and philosopher acknowledge the necessity of a divine operation thus to enlarge, exalt, and refine their social affections!"

1 John iii, 14.

1 Pet. v. 5. The unusual word eyкoμßwσaσle is supposed to have both these significations.

Rom. xii. 10.

VOL. II.

James xi. 10. Gal. ill. 10.

E