the kingdom, and they live by faith upon Christ's strength for will and power to do them, and upon his intercession for the acceptance of them, laying them all upon the golden altar that sanctifieth the gifts. Thus their whole dependence is upon Christ. He is all, and in all, of their christian walk. To him they look for every thing needful, to enable them to glorify God in their lives, and to show forth the virtues of him that hath called them; on his grace they rely, that their conversation may be as becometh the gospel of Christ, and that they may adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things; and they find in him a sufficiency of grace, yea, they can do all things, and suffer all things through Christ strengthening them. Whatever difficulties they meet with in the way of duty, leaning upon their Beloved, he carries them through all-Whatever temptations, I will be with thee, says he, in the hour of temptation; look unto me, and thou shalt be saved-Whatever enemies, Fear them not, says he, for I am with thee, be

not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of righteousness-Whatever sorrows, Your sorrows, says he, shall be turned into joy, and your joy no man taketh from you-Whatever sickness, I will strengthen thee upon the bed of languishing, and I will make all thy bed in thy sickness

Whatever poverty, I will be a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress-Whatever persecution, Blessed are ye, says he, who are persecuted for righteousness' sake; I pronounce you, I will make you blessed. Thus Christ is with them, and none of the evils or miseries of life can separate them from him. He keeps them safe, and carries them through all their trials by his mighty power; and they, trusting in him, find that he makes all things work together for their good. What a blessed life is this! Surely there is none like it for the life of faith is glory begun. The privileges, the happiness of it, are greater than can be described. The strong

est believers upon earth may daily know more, and may experience far more of the comfort of walking by faith, because as they grow more established in it, they will be receiving more power over sin, and will walk nearer to God. Having but one object to look unto, and to live upon for all things; here they will be quietly settled. What can so effectually keep them from being tossed to and fro, as to have all fulness treasured up for their use in Christ, and to be brought to a fixt dependence upon this fulness, and to live upon it for all things belonging to life and godliness? Hereby sweet peace will be established within, and there will be a regular walk in the outward conversation. The whole man will experience what the Lord has promised to his redeemed people-"I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble. He leads them by his Spirit, and causes them to walk by the rivers of waters, where there are abundant streams of grace continually flowing, and he guides them in a strait way, that they shall

not stumble or err therein; but shall be kept happily to the end of their course, and shall finish it to their everlasting joy. And

This is another inestimable privilege of believers. Christ has engaged to keep them. unto the end; and having begun a good work in them, he has promised never to leave it until it be finished. What a strengthening is this to their faith, and what a glory does it put upon the whole life of faith, that it is a life which cannot perish? Believers have in them the immortal seed of eternal life. This is the crown of all: for how will this bear them up under crosses, support them in troubles, carry them on in their warfare against the flesh, the devil, and the world, and make them defy all dangers, yea, death itself, since they are assured, from the mouth of God their Saviour, that none, shall pluck them out of his hands. They do not trust themselves, or have any dependence upon grace received, but they rely upon the faith fulness and power of Jesus; who has given them abundant evidence, that he will water them with his grace every moment, and hold R 2

them up by his strength, and they shall be safe. How confident were believers of this in the Old Testament? One of them who had attained this assurance of faith, says, "Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:" and he, with many others, who had obtained like precious. faith with him, declare,-" This is our God for ever, he will be our guide even unto death: They were sure he would be their God, and would follow them with mercy, and guide them, and do them good in life and death. To the same purpose our Lord has promised believers, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." How confidently did he trust in Christ for the fulfilling of this blessed promise, who said, "I am fully persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in