to refer all things to his will and glory: and the Lord walks with him, as his Companion, Guard, and Guide through life, is with him in the valley of the shadow of death, and then takes him home to his more immediate presence.* 6. The believer experiences the consolations of the Holy Spirit, in proportion to his faith, simplicity, diligence, and watchfulness. This holy Comforter, who dwells in every believer, as in a temple which he hath consecrated to himself, irradiates the mind by his sa cred influences to see things that belong to the person, love, and salvation of Christ; and to know the blessings that are freely given him of God." He assists the memory in recollecting the words of the Saviour: and he invigorates faith, causes hope to abound, enlivens the mind with love and gratitude, and thus communicates a satisfying and sanctifying joy, the earnest and pledge of heavenly felicity. This counterbalances all trials, dissipates sorrow, fortifies the soul against temptation, reconciles it to suffering and self-denial, and animates it for every service. It is the privilege of the believer exclusively to experience, relish, and value such joys; and to distinguish them from the joy of the hypocfite, which springs from ignorance, pride, and presumption. We are, therefore, exhorted "to rejoice in the Lord always;" and all our enfeebling dejection and sorrow are the consequences of living below our privilege, and co Gen. v. 24. † John xvi. 15, 16. 1 Cor. ii. 11, 12. Eph. i. 17. 18. ming short of our duty, in this as well as in other respects. Especially we forfeit and mar this joy, when we" grieve the Spirit" by our misconduct, or quench his holy influences by cleaving to the world, or by in. expedient self-indulgence.* so that the apostle exhorts christians, "not to be drunk with wine wherein "is excess," (from which others seek exhilaration, and relief in trouble,) "but to be filled with the Spirit."+ 7. It is the believer's privilege "to be kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation." The actual comfort of this privilege must indeed depend on our scriptural evidence that we are true believers; as other men can persevere in nothing except ungod liness or hypocrisy. So long, therefore, as any one doubts whether he be indeed regenerate, he cannot fully take to himself the comfort of God's promises; for he cannot know that they belong to him: and whatever tends to bring his character into suspicion, must proportionably interrupt his confident hope of final victory and triumph; which is only intended to encourage the valiant soldier, when strenuously resisting his enemies, and "fighting the good fight of faith." The words of our Lord, however, are decisive on the point in question." 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 one pluck them out of my hand. My Fa"ther which gave them me is greater than all, and *Eph. iv. 30. 1 Thess. v. 19. + Eph. v. 18. +1 Pet. 1. 5. no one (ds) is able to pluck them out of my Fa-" “ther's hand. I and my Father are One.” “The "water that I shall give him shall be in him a well "of water springing up unto everlasting life." "Fear 66 not, little flock, for it is your Father's good plea"sure to give you the kingdom."* The apostle also assures us that nothing shall ever "separate us from "the love of God in Christ;" and in confirmation of his doctrine, he enumerates a variety of those particulars which principally endanger them, in most energetick and triumphant language. The Lord hath "made with them an everlasting covenant," and hath engaged, that he will not turn away from them to "do them good; and that he will put his fear into "their hearts, that they shall not depart from him." And this covenant he hath ratified with an oath, for the strong consolation of the heirs of promise; even the oath, which he sware to Abraham, that in blessing he would bless him, notwithstanding all possible obstructions and objections. Indeed, "having chosen "them in Christ before the foundation of the world," and quickened them by his grace "when dead in sin;" it might reasonably be expected, that the same sovereign and everlasting mercy would influence him to keep them to complete salvation, by strength proportioned to all their trials and temptations. Luke xii. 32. John iv. 14. x. 27-30. † Rom. viii. 35-39. 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. Jer. xxxii. 38-40. Ps. ciii. 17. Is. liv. 9, 10, 17. Heb. vi. 16-18. We might likewise mention, as separate privileges. the assurance, that "all things work together for good "to them that love God," and combine to promote their everlasting advantage, however painful or hu• miliating for the present; so that they are more than conquerors over all enemies, and are benefited by all their assaults: that death is their friend, and that his dreaded stroke only liberates them from bondage, and so proves their greatest gain:* and that the Everlasting God is their Portion, and their all-sufficient and all-satisfying felicity. But here silent contemplation best becomes us; and with this let us close these hints on a subject that is nearly inexhaustible. Enough has been said to shew, that true wisdom consists in leaving, venturing, or suffering, any thing to secure such advantages; and in giving diligence to possess the assurance that they belong to us: that, if we lived up to our privileges, "the joy of the Lord would be our strength" for every service; and our cheerfulness and conscientiousness would "concur in adorning the doctrine of God "our Saviour:" and that our dejections arise, not from our religion, but from our want of more faith, hope, love, and all those things in which true godliness consists. *Rom. viii. 2831. 1 Cor. xv. 55-58. ESSAY XVIII. On the disposition and character, peculiar to the true Believer. WHEN our Lord concluded his pathetick exhortations to his disconsolate disciples, just before his crucifixion, by a comprehensive prayer for them; he made this one of his petitions to the Father in their behalf, "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is "truth:"* and the scriptures always represent divine truth, as the seed in the believer's heart of every holy disposition; the graft through which "the tree is "made good and its fruit good;" and the mould into which the soul is cast, and from which it receives its form and exact impression, as the metal is fashioned by the artist's skill:† so that we are not only "justi"fied by faith," but also "sanctified by faith." The doctrine of Christ dwells in the regenerate soul, as an operative transforming principle, producing a peculiar Acts xxvi. 18. Z z John xvii. 17. † Rom. vi. 17. |