Benjamin's mess, five times larger than that of others; because it is accompanied with the favour, and full of the bleffing of the Lord. But if the gifts of providence are tokens of the divine favour, then what may be faid of the life of felicity and glory in heaven? Eternal life is the gift of God, and a gift of fpecial favour and love. "I give unto them," faith the Lord of glory," eternal life, and they fhall never perish." The Father freely gave his beloved Son; the Son as freely gave himself for us. "This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." The divine gift is free to us, though it was not fo to our Redeemer. The manner in which it is conferred on us, and conveyed to us, is wonderful; but, fo far from leffening, it greatly enhances the favour, that fo much must be done, and fo much endured by the Son of God, in order to bring our fouls to heaven. Well may we write the word FAVOUR in capital letters on all the fteps whereby we are advanced to glory, and upon every link of that golden chain which raifes us from earth to heaven, from the miserable abyss of our natural ftate, to the paradife of God's immediate presence. The Pfalmift faith, in the language of lively hope "Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory." And Jefus affures •�•�《nར་ his followers, that they fhall poffefs the promifed inheritance as the fruit of God's good pleasure, notwithstanding the difcouragements under which they often labour. "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Reader, if ever you come to the poffeffion of that kingdom, you must be carried thither in the bofom of God's favour. No man that enters the pearly gates of the celeftial city, can say, "I have obtained this felicity by my own defervings." · The heavenly inheritance is bequeathed by favour, not obtained by merit. A boafting, felf-fufficient Romifh priest once faid, "I will not accept of heaven gratis." The glorified inhabitants of that celeftial place speak another language; they all unite in cafting down their crowns before the throne, debafing themfelves to the loweft degree, and crying, "Salvation to him' that fitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.” We fhall close this chapter by considering, in a few words, Why chriftians esteem God's 'favour to be their life. They are induced to do this, because they have that illumination of mind which leads them to fee the difference between the enjoyment of God, and all other enjoyments whatever. There is fuch infinite excellency in the Fountain of all felicity, and fuch ཏབ་�ངརབབར་བ fuch vanity and emptiness in the creature, that they, whose minds are in any degree enlightened, muft know what choice to make... God is the chief good; other objects, in comparison with him, are empty, deceitful and vain. Or, to speak more properly, vanity of vanities, and vexation of spirit. A child of God is, through grace, enabled to judge of things aright, and as they are in their own nature. The apostle Paul prayed for the Philippians, that their love might abound more and more in all know. ledge, and in all judgment, that they might discern the things which differ, so as to approve those which are excellent. Enlightened fouls turn away with difguft from a deluding world, and look for all their felicity in that all-gracious Being whose favour they efteem as life; faying with the Pfalmift, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth. I defire befide thee." There is an energy in these words, which though the good man feels, the commentator cannot exprefs. The gracious foul feems to speak in the perfon, and with the affection of a spouse, declaring, that not only earth, but Beaven itself would be comfortless and unfatisfactory, without the presence of her beloved Redeemer, the God, of her falvation; A true chriftian has not only his understanding enlightened, but his will and affections fanctified. A A man in a ftate of nature savoureth not the things which are above; but he that in scripture is denominated a new creature, is poffeffed of a new heart. He is born of God, and actuated by a noble and evangelical principle, by which he is difpofed to make a wife and happy choice. The holy angels in heaven, and the fpirits of just men made perfect, look with indifference on all that which is most coveted and defired by the men of this world. They take little notice of earthly treasures, mitres, fceptres, crowns or kingdoms. One fmile of God's face is of more value, in their estimation, than all the poffeffions and honours which the world can afford. The difpofition of a true faint bears fome faint resemblance to the elevation of celeftial beings, fo far as to enable him to esteem the divine favour his life, and to look for all his felicity from it. "They who are after the flefh do mind the things of the flesh, 'but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." That is to fay, those who are under the guidance, influence, and dominion of the Holy Ghoft, and of the gracious principles which he produced in them, in their regeneration, mind fpiritual things; they chufe, they pursue, and they delight in those objects which are of a divine and heavenly nature, as being agreeable to their renewed and fanctified inclinations, and acA cording cording to the dictates of the Spirit of God. Reader, you are happy if you are confcious that this is your case, and your daily experience. The true chriftian hath known fomething of the bitterness of sin, and of God's displeasure against it, and hath found the impoffibility of obtaining reft to his foul any where but in a reconciled God, through Jefus Chrift. * A malefactor at the bar may make many efforts to put off his grief; but nothing will give full relief to his mind but his prince's favour, manifefted in a fealed pardon. Thus it is with a converted finner, who has felt the, terrors of a broken law, and been alarmed with apprehenfions of the divine displeasure. Nothing can compose his mind, and quiet his anxious bofom, but the favour and friendfhip of that almighty Being whom he has grievously offended. To talk to him of the honours, riches and pleasures of this world, is like finging fongs to one who is of a heavy heart. They relieve him not, but rather add weight to his burden, and increase his fadness. The language of the gracious man is, My foul thirfteth for God, the liv. In vain the trembling confcience feeks |