fully willing to be abafed; in order that Christ, in his character as Saviour, may be exalted? Are you cheerfully willing that your helpleffness and your fin fhould ftand fully revealed; in order that the ftupendous mercies of your redemption and your fanctification may wholly and completely redound to the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft?

Confider likewife what is the frame of your foul with regard to communion with God, and meditation on things eternal. Does the current of your thoughts, when, unchecked by impediments, it felects a course for itself, flow towards God and your Redeemer? Is the hour of prayer a burden to you, or a comfort? In the hurry of bufinefs, in the intercourfe of fociety, do you perceive your mind fnatching opportunities of lifting itself up to heaven? Do you delight to contemplate the works of God, because they are his works; and through his works, whether of nature or of Providence, to admire, to venerate, and to adore their author? Does the word of God, together with thofe human writings which are calculated to instruct and affist you in the performance of his will, conftitute that branch. of ftudy, to which your inclinations princiVOL. I. pally

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pally tend? Does your foul expand itself in looking forward to the world unfeen; in anticipating the presence of God and of Chrift, the hymns of angelic hofts, the wonders and the glories of eternity? Do you exult in the profpect of thofe new heavens and that new earth, because it is a world wherein dwelleth righteousness (ƒ): because sin shall not be there because there fhall no longer be temptation: because it is through the predominance of univerfal holiness that there fhall be neither pain nor forrow nor death; but peace and joy and blifs fhall reign without measure, and without end? As the hart panteth after the water-brooks; fo panteth my foul after thee, O God. My foul thirfteth for God, for the living God. When Shall I come and appear before God (g)? Such are the afpirations of the bofom, which is filled with the love of Christ! Such are the prevailing affections, fuch is the frame of foul which, if the Chriftian has not decidedly attained, he earnestly defires and pursues !

IV. Direct your attention to the objects, which, when the affection of the apostle Paul for his converts expatiated in calling down

(S) 2 Pet. iii. 13.

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(g) Pfalm xlii. 1, 2.

bleffings

bleffings upon them, uniformly prefented themselves to his thoughts. I ceafe not to make mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your underflanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the faints: that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be ftrengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man : that` Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all faints what is the breadth and length and depth, and height, and to know the love of Chrift which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulnefs of God. I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement: that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be fincere and without of fence till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteoufness, which are by Jefus Chrift unto the glory and praife of God. I defire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and fpiritual understanding ; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleafing

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pleafing, being faithful in every good work, and increafing in the knowledge of God; ftrengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-fuffering with joyfulness (b). Obferve the completely fpiritual nature of these fupplications of the Apoftle. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit (i). How truly conformable are the prayers to the defcription! Here is no minding of earthly things : no requeft making provifion for the flesh to fulfil the lufts thereof; no folicitude even for, the natural demands and legitimate comforts of the body. Every thing marks a whofe converfation is in heaven; a a man anxious that there alfo fhould be the converfation of his difciples. Every thing is pure, holy, heavenly; directed to the glory of God, and the falvation of men; raised above the concerns of the present world except as far as they have reference to another. When you mould your thoughts into wishes, when you pour out your foul in petitions, for bleffings upon yourself, upon your child, upon any one whom you hold dear: what are thofe

man

(b) Eph. i. 16—19. iii. 16–19. Philipp. 1.9.—11 Col. i. 9-11. (i) Rom. viii. 5.

bleffings?

bleffings? Are they the bleffings which St. Paul fupplicated for his beloved converts? Do wishes and prayers for fuch bleffings crowd upon your mind; not like ceremonial attendants on a proceffion, coldly preceding or coldly following that part of the train in which the object really interefting is ftationed; not ranging themfelves as formal accompaniments on eager and animated defires for learning, for reputation, for power, for advancement, for wealth: but prominent and fervid, as intent on bleffings so satisfying the understanding, fo pervading and occupying the heart, that no other acquifition appears like unto them; no other acquifition seems entitled even to a fecond place; no other acquifition, ftationed by their fide, merits any degree or shadow of comparifon? To be Spiritually-minded, is life and peace. To be fpiritually-minded is to belong to the Lord Jefus.

Behold then in the tefts which have been placed before you criterions amply fufficient to determine the queftion, whether you are Chrift's or not. However that question be decided; fuffer, I beseech you, the word of exhortation (k).