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\fiir the founding if a, CoUegs, wuthis Celoay'

THE

CHRISTIAN'S Legacy,

WITH AN APPENDIX;

CONTAININfl

A COMPENDIUM OF THE HOLY BIBLE AND AN INDEX
OP THE PROPER NAMES IN THE OLD AND NEW
TESTAMENTS, WITH THEIR ENGLISH
PRONUNCIATION.

BY REV. WILLIAM JACKSON.

' So THEY BEAD IW THB LAAV OF GOD DISTISTOTLT, AND GAVE THE SENSE,
AND OAUSED THEM TO UNDEBSTAND THE BEADING." Jfehemiah 8 : 8.

SPRINGFIELD, MASS., AND CHICAGO, ILL. :
W. J. HOLLAND & CO.
1873.

Gnterm «ccor-Mn5 to act of Coa^iess ib tne •"•r '<t„
»T WILLIAM JACKSON.
IB the Cletk s Office of the District Court of Rhode IkImM

PREFACE.

The Bible, after the strictest researches of an enlightened
and inquiring age, is allo-wed by the wise, judicious, and
thinking part of mankind, who are best acquainted with it, to
De the only book in the world that can make men truly wise
unto salvation. Hence, in different periods, various attempts
have been made to elucidate the Scriptures , sometimes by
classical and critical disquisitions, or by illustrations of ancient
manners and customs ; at others by extensive and voluminous
commentaries, which can neither be procCired nor read by a
very great majority of the people ; but more frequently by
sermons, homilies, pamphlets, and tracts. And that many of
those publications possess great merit, the author of this
volume is ready to admit, as it is very remote from his desire
to establish the credit of his own work by depreciating the
productions of others ; but it would require a greater acute
ness of discernment, and a more extensive knowledge of men
and things, than he gives himself the credit of possessing, to
decide which of those modes has been the most successful in
making manifest the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Our blessed Redeemer, who best knew the most profitable
method of reading the Scriptures, has directed us to search
them for a knowledge of his character and offices : John v.
39. Every hopeful mean ought, therefore, to be used for
assisting Christians to reap all the benefit from the Holy Scrip
tures they are calculated to afford ; and any attempt, if well
executed, must prove of real service to the community ; and
should the attempt fail, the undertaker cannot fail to enjoy the
pleasurable satisfaction of knowing, that, " to do good, and to
communicate," he has done what he could; while the in
genuous part of mankind will make allowances the most favor
able, on account of the goodness of the action. Under the
influence of this sentiment, the writer of the following pages
has acted in presenting them to the public eye ; while his
humble design has been to establish the faith, promote the
comfort, and influence the practice, of the weak and feeble of
Christ's flock.

ADDRESS,

TO AU. WHO LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, OP EVERY
NAME AND PLACE.

Beloved Brethren : —
I choose to dedicate this little book to you, kno-wing thai
the promises of the God of truth are made unto you, in Christ
Jesus ; wfiom the Holy Spirit halh sealed, and given an
earnest in your hearts as security for the fulfilment of them :
2 Cor. i. 20 — 22. And you, being taught of God, alone un
derstand the things of God : 1 Cor. ii. 14.
The bible might fitly be called a Book of Promises; but in
order to assist you in finding a promise suited to your case, I
have selected three hundred of those gracious assurances,
and have made a few plain, practical remarks and observa
tions on each of them ; and have referred you to many hun
dreds more of other promises, and portions of Scripture, illus
trative of those remarks and observations ; so that, in a good
degree, it will answer the end of a Concordance. Each page
is taken up with one promise ; and you will find, alternately,
one taken from the Old and another from the New Testa
ment ; for the purpose of enabling you, at once opening the
book, to have two promises before you applied to your case.
You will find at the beginning of the book, an alphabetical
index ; and, by looking at which, you will be able to find,
with ease, any promise you may desire : and at the end of
the book, you have an index to all the promises treated of in
the first three hundred pages.
1 have also added an Appendix, containing some general
remarks on the several parts of the Bible; designed especially
for the young ; and in which, I humbly hope, you will find
much to assist you in reading, and understanding that best
of all books, the Bible. It is intended to make the reading
of the Scriptures easy to those who are not already well
acquainted with them. And to accomplish which, I have,
throughout the whole, availed myself of such helps as were
within my reach ; while the Bible has been both my text-hook
an J my test-hoo\i. And that the great head of the Church
may graciously accept, and bless this humble offering, is the
ferven' prayer of Your souFs servant, W. J.

A GENERAL INDEX
OF THE PROMISES TREATED ON.

Promises.
Access to Grod, of free
Adoption, of 
Afflictions, of sanctified .
Angels, the ministry of . . .
Antichrist, the destruction of
Backsliders, to 
Benediction, the ....
Blessings, temporal in general, of
Blessing on all that a good man has, of a
Blessing on the children of the good, of a
Blessing on the families of the good, of a
Care, of God's . . . .
Charitable, to the
Child-bearing, of support in .
Christ's care over the church, of
Church, duration of the
Church, enlargement ofthe
Church, glory of the
Church, peace of the . .
Church, of the security of the
Church, comfort of the . .
Company, to keeping good ,
Conscience, peace of
Contentment, to . . .
Death, of deliverance from.
Death, of support in
Delight and joy in God, of
Desire of grace; to
Devil, of victory over the .
Directior, of ...
Discourse, of ability for good
Enemies, of deliverance from
Enemies of the Church, destruction of
Enjojment of God, of the
Eternal joys of heaven, of .
Evil, of preservation from
Faith in Christ, to . . .
Famine, of deliverance from
Fatherless and Widow, to the .
Fear of G^jd, to the
Food, of .
Fruitfulness, of ... .
God, to the love of .
God will not forsake his people, that
Grace from Christ, of all .
Grace, of converting 1*

Page.
. 98, 99
94—97
1S4— 137
164, 165
298, 299
88, 89
310
9—15
. 34, 35
36, 37
. 38, 39
148, 149
256, 257
56, 57
158, 159
300, 301
282—285 286, 287
296, 297
294, 295
170, 171
240, 241
168, 169
268, 269
76, 77
176, 177
174, 175
230, 231
116, 117
30, 3i
124, 125
70,71
298, 299
194, 195
186—193 40,41
196—199 66,6762,63
220, 221
16, 17
128, 129
210, 211
150, 151
154,. 155
102, 103

VI

A GENERAL INDEX.

ProTnises.
Grace, of increase of
Grace to mortify sin, of
Grace to persevere, of
Grace of Repentance, of the .
Grace, sanctifying, of
Grave, of deliverance from the
Guidance Divine, of .
Happiness immediately after death, of
Heaven, of glory in .
Heaven, of happiness in
Heaven, the Kingdom of .
Heaven, pleasure and joy in, of
Hes.venly inheritance, of a
Heantg and reading the word, to
Help, of God's ....
Honor, of ... .
Hope, of 
Hoping in God, to
Humble, to the ....
Injuries, to forgiving of
Interest in God as our God, of an
Jews, conversion and restoration of the
Justification, of ,
Kings and priests unto God, of
Knowledge of God and Christ, to the
Knowledge, of the increase of
Life, of long . . . ,
Love and Unity, to
Love of Christ, to the
Love of God, an interest in the
Means of Grace, of the
Meek, to the ...
Merciful, to the
Mercy in Christ, of
Mercy of God, of an interest in the
Ministers, to faithful
Ministers, to them that hearken to
Ministers, to supporting of God's
Mourners, to the contrite and .
Obedience to . . .
Obeying Parents, to .
Old Age, of support in .
Oppression, of deliverance from
Ordinances, of a blessing upon the
Pardon of sin, of . . .
Parents, to obedience to
I alienee, lo . . .
Peace, of ... .
Peace, love, and unity, of
Feace-rnakers, to the
Perseverance, to
Plenty, of ... .
Poor and helpless, to the .
Prayer, to ... .
Prayer, of the Spirit's help in
Prpsence of God, of the

Page.
130, 131
110,111 132, 133
104, 105
100, 101
178, 179
122, 123
180-183 190, 191
186, 187
192, 193
188, 189
186—195 234, 235
146, 147
28, 29
172, 173
216, 217
272, 273
262, 263
138, 139
302—305 78—81
166, 167
232, 233
288, 289
20, 21
252, 253
212, 213
142, 143
126, 127
270, 271
260, 261
152, 153
144, 145
244—249 250, 251
258, 259
274, 275
206, 207
242, 243
54, 50
74, 75
108, 109
82— bV
242, 243
278, 279
28, 27
292. 293
254, 250
280, 2-1
32, 33
60, 51
, 224—22/ 162, 163
. 140. 14)

CONTENTS OF THE APPENDIX  COMPENDIUM. Vil
Promises. Page.
Prisoner and Captive, to the ... . . 64, 65
Promises, that God will perform all his .... 306— 309
Purity, to  264, 265
Purity and righteousness, of  290, 291
Raiment, of  18, 19
Redemption in Christ, of  156, 157
Repentance, of the grace of ..... . 104, 105
Repentance, to  ; 202, 203
Reproach, of deliverance from  72, 73
Resurrection, of a glorious  184, 185
Safety, of  22—25
Salvation through Christ, of ...... 90 — 93
Seeking God, to  228, 229
Servants, to faithful  244, 245
Sickness, of deliverance from  50, 51
Sickness, of support under  52,53,
Sin, lo confession of  204, 205
Sin, of grace to mortify ... .... 110,111
Sincerity and Uprightness, to  208, 209
Spirit, of the Holy  160, 161
Stranger, to the  58, 59
Strength and Courage, of ...... . 118, 119
Strength in time of affliction, of  52, 53
Submission and Patience, to  278, 279
Suffering for righteousness' sake, to .... 276, 277
Talents, to improving our  266, 267
Teachmg, of Divine  106, 107
Temptation, of grace against  112,113
Temptation, to resisting ....... 218, 219
Tongue, to the government of the  238, 239
Troubles, of deliverance from  46 — 49
Troubles, of support under  42 — 45
Trusting in God,, to  214,215
War, of deUverance from  68, 69
Watchfulness, to  222, 223
Widow and Fatherless, to the  62, 63
Wisdom, of  120, 121
Word, to loving of the  236, 237
World, of victory over the  114,115

CONTENTS OF THE APPENDIX.
The meaning of the word Bible .... .311
Divisions of the Bible  312
Table of books, chapters, verses, &c. ... . 313

A COMPENDIUM
Of Genesis  314—316
Of Exodus  .316
Of Leviticus and Numbers  317
Of Deuteronomy and Joshua  318
Of Judges and Ruth  319
Of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel ... ... 320

viii COMPENDIUM. Pan.
Of 1 Kings and 2 Kings  ' " ^oi
Of 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles  ^j^
Of Ezra and Nehemiah  %j^
Of Esther  %%%
Of Psalms  326
Of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes  ^^°
Of Solomon's Song  %^
Of Isaiah  330
Of Jeremiah and Lamentations  ^^1
Of Ezekiel  332
Of Daniel and Hosea  %^^
Of Joel  • • • • oot
Of Amos, Obadiah, and Jonah  335
Of Micah and Nahum  336
Of Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Haggai .... 337
Of Zechariah and Malachi  338
The word Testament ... .... 338
The word Gospel  339
Of Matthew  340
Of Mark and Luke . . . •  341
Of John  342
The Example of Christ  343
Of the Acts of the Apostles  343
Of the Epistles  344
Ot Romans, and 1 Corinthians ...... 345
Of 2 Corinthians  346
Of Galatians  347
Of Ephesians and Philippians  348
Of Colossians and 1 Thcssalonians  349
Of 2 Thcssalonians and 1 Timothy  350
Of 2 Timothy  351
Of Titus and Philemon  • , . 352
OfHebrews  353
Of James  354
Of 1 Peter and 2 Peter  355
Of 1 John and 2 John  356
Of 3 John and Jude  357
Of Revelation  358
The Character of the first Christians .... 359, 360
The Miracles of Christ  361, 362
The Parables of Christ  362,363
The Remarkable Discourses of Christ ... . . 364
Prophecies with their Fulfilment  365, 366
The Figurative Language of the Bible  366—358
The Symbolical Language of the Bible .... 368—384
The Jewish Offerings  385, 386
The Sects mentioned in the Scripture .... 387 — 389
On Scriptural Ditficulties  390, 391
Supposed Fate of the Evangelists and Apostles .... 392
Hebrew Oflices  393, 394
An Index of the Proper Names in the Old and New Testa
ments  395 — 418
An Index lor tlie texts of Scripture  419, 420

PART I.
BLESSINGS PROMISED TO THE OBEDIENT

CHAPTER I.
PROMISES OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS:
IN GENERAL.
• If ye be willmg and obedient, ye shall eat the good ofthe land." Isaiah
i. 19. t
This precious promise was first made to God's ancient
Israel ; and holds equally good to all the Israel of God
in every age of the world. The Lord had rejected their
services on account of their sins ; still he does not reject
them; but calls upon them to cease to do evil, and learu
1 1 do well, that it might be well with them : Exek. xviii.
21 — ^24. How kind and gracious their insulted Lord is
toward them! Here is no penance imposed, no extra
burdens for them to bear, on account of their base in
gratitude and rebellion ; no, they are only required to
give up that which was the cause of all their troubles:
viz., their sins. And this is all God requires at the hand
of the most abandoned among men, before he can
accept their services.
Observe, 1st. He does not say if you be perfect in
your obedience, but, if you be willingly so; "for if

10 OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAf,
there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to
that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not:"
2 Cor. viii. 12. We have only to make ourselves clean
by reforming our lives, and then God will take care that
we have the benefit of it, and lead comfortable lives :
ver. 16. Only live right, and you will assuredly find
that nothing can go nor come wrong.
2d. See the encouragement given to well-doing : Be
but willing, and obedient, and "ye shall eat the good
of the land." The land here spoken of was the land
promised them : and you shall have all the blessings of
the new covenant, the heavenly land of Canaan prom
ised you, and eat of the good of that land.
3d. None but the willing and obedient, can ever eat,
so as to enjoy, the good of the land : for though they
may live in a good land, guilt embitters all they eat ; so
that they have not the comfort of it ; but where guilt is
removed, every creature of God is good : 1 Tim. iv. 4.
Be not discouraged : your weakness can be no hinder
ance to God's loving-kindness : if you have but a will
ing mind he will accept of that; only be careful to evince
your willingness by your obedience : 1 John iii. 22.
Your sins can no more prevent the mercy of the Lord
visiting you, than a patient's sickness would prevent
his physician : Matt. ix. 12, 13. Yield obedience to his
commands, and great as your crimes might have beeu
against him. He will never upbraid you of thfem ; fox
He delights in extending mercy to the chief of sinners ;
Deut. xiii. 17, 18. Every comfort that you can desire
you shall have : yea, all the good of the land lies before
you : and you shall shortly be put in full possession of
your inheritance.
Do not say that your enemies who oppose you are
giants, and you, in your own eyes, are but a grasshopper ;
only be willing and obedient, and you shall — mark that —
there is no if to it : no — the ifs and huts relate to change
able man, and not to an unchanging God. The land
lies just before you : talk not of the roughness of the
way, but march boldly on in all the ways of God's com
mandments : mountains will fall before you ; valleys
will be exalted; and, through grace, "ye shall eat the
good of the lanti."

OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL. 11
" He that doeth the will of God abideth forever." 1 John li. 17.
The world's darlings never were God's friends,
though he greatly befriends them: Matt. v. 45; 1 John
ii. 15. The world, and the things of the world, which
sinners so highly prize, are passing away ; pride, lUst,
pleasure, honor, wealth, and worldlings, will shortly
vanish ; but, "he that doeth the will of God abideth for
ever." The servants of God are known by their doing
the will of God: Jer. vii. 23. There are many who
know God's will, but do their own : and who, while
they have religion in their head, have the love of the
world in their heart. Religion without the world, is
better than the world without religion. The believer
does the will of God because he loves God : John xiv. 15.
Observe, 1st. The object of a believer's love "abi
deth forever :" and his love shall never fail: Heb. xiii. 8.
2d. The believer himself being born for heaven, and
bound to heaven, shall shortly be removed thither ; and
there abide forever : Prov. xix. 16. Therefore, let your
will, in all things, submit to God's will, and you shall
have your will of God. 3d. The will of God must be
done tiow, and the consequent blessed state of stability
will be enjoyed here. "He that doeth," not he that will
do; abideth, not shall abide : Matt. vii. 24, 25. 4th. The
declaration is made without respect to persons ; He that
doeth, whatever may be his rank, strength or condition :
Rom. ii. 11. Do you but take care of what belongs to
God, and rest assured that God will take care of all that
belongs to you : 1 Kin. ii. 3. The animal life must be
subject to the divine life ; the body must be subject to
the soul; and both body and soul subject to the will of
God. We are already so greatly indebted to the Al
mighty, that we can never pay what we owe him ; and
seeing he requires so little of us, reason says, we ought
to do what we can ; especially when we bear in mind,
that all our good doings only increase our own good:
and that in, not for, keeping His commands there is
great reward : Ps. xix. 11. The higher you are raised
above the world, the more you will be delighted with
the joys of heaven. It is better to know little and
do much, than to know much and do little. Matt.
vii. 21.

12 OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL.
" The Lord is my Shepherd • I shall not want." Ps. xxiii. 1.
Shepherds are those who have the care of flocks of
sheep ; and who make it their business to direct them to
a good pasture, lead them to wholesome water, gather
them to a fold, at a proper time, and protect them from
all harm. Jesus Christ is God's Shepherd, because his
Father gave him his flock of men, who are called sheep;
and appointed him to die for, call, feed, and gather them :
Ps. c. 3; iZech. xiii. 7; John x. 15.
Although the Lord cares and provides for all, none
but a believer can truly say, "The Lord is my Shep
herd." Reader, are you a real believer? — if so, the
Lord is your Shepherd; and you have a right to call him
such. It is your duty and privilege to encourage your
self in him : not only from the relation in which he stands
to you, but also, from what you have already experi
enced of his goodness : Ps. cxxi. 2, 3.
David here expresses, 1st. His present confidence ;
"The Lord is my Shepherd;" you may do the same;
for you have the same privilege, seeing he is the Shep
herd of every particular believer; not one escapes his
notice ; no, not even the meanest of the flock will be
neglected : Isa. xl. 11. He has them all in his fold, and
performs well the part of a good shepherd: John x. 11.
Unlike the hireling, he never leaves, but is constantly
watching them: Ps. xxxiii. 18; and will sufl'er no one
to harm them: 1 Chron. xvi. 21.
All are well kept whom the Lord keeps: he not only
provides food, but whatever will add to their comfort:
Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. This David knew from experience;
hence, 2d. He declares his future hope: "I shall not wantf^
Trust in the Lord at all times ; and depend upon it he
will never sufier you to want any good thing: Ps. xxxiv.
10. You shall have food convenient, and raiment to
put on ; and such a supply of all good things, as shall
leave you no cause to complain the want of any.
Bread is not always given to those who trust in them
selves; but verily all who trust in the Lord shall
be fed : Ps. xxxvii. 3. If the Lord is so good a Shep
herd, surely we ought to be guided by him, obey his voice,
follow his steps, and, hke harmless sheep, lie at his feet.

OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL. 13
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with him also freely give us all things." Rom. viii. 32.
This is a question which unbelief will never be able
to answer ; and ought to remove all doubts, and silence
all objections. Here we have,
1st. The firm foundation on which our hopes are
built: "He," the Father of all our mercies, loved our
race so well, that when we were under an. arrest and
C(mdemned to die, "spared not his own Son," did not
Ihink him too precious a gift to bestow for our salva
tion : John iii. 16. We had all sinned and brought
ruin upon ourselves, having violated God's holy law :
Rom. V. 12. Stern Justice held us by the throat, while
the broken Law thundered out its curses upon all :
Gal. iii. 10 : and, lo ! when satisfaction was demanded,
and we had nothing to give, the very God against
whom we had sinned, and whose injured Law held us
under a curse, spared not his own Son, " but delivered
him up for us all," to be made a curse for us: Gal. iii.
13; that he might redeem us from the curse undei
which the Law held us. " Herein is love, not that we
loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to
be the propitiation for our sins :" 1 John iv. 10.
We may, therefore, reasonably and confidently expect,
2d. That "with him he will freely give us all things."
He has given his Son for us, and will give him to us :
and w'ith him also "freely," not grudgingly, nor spar
ingly, "give us all things," that he sees we really need:
Phil. iv. 19. We have only to let Infinite wisdom de
termine what things we do need, and then depend upon
liitving them. But we must not think of buying or bar
tering, in order to attain them : no; we must be wil
ling to receive them as a gift. The coin we use in
this world is not current in the other: we must, there
fore, go to God as petitioners, and not as purchasers.
And now,
3d. Put the question, "How shall he not?" If
when we were enemies to God by wicked works, he
"spared not his own Son," would not forgive him one
stroke, nor abate one farthing of the debt he had under
taken to pay for us, what may we not expect him to do
for as now we are friends? Col. i. 21.
2

14 OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL.
" The desire of the righteous shall be granted." Prov. i. 24.
Every real believer in Christ has a threefold right
eousness : 1st. He is righteous in his person, in Christ;
liaving Christ's obedience and sufferings imputed to
him: Isa. xiv. 24; Rom. iv. 6. 2d. His nature being
renewed, assisted and directed, by the Spirit of God,
he is righteous in his life ; but utterly disclaims this,
in the case of justification before God: PhiL iii. 9. He
believes unto righteousness : Rom. x. 10; and therefore
3d. his faith is counted unto him for righteousness;
Rom. iv. 3, 5, 9.
Although the righteous frequently have their fears,
their desire is towards God : and not according to their
fears, but according to their faith, shall it be done unto
them : Matt. ix. 29. It does not say, the appetites of
the body shall be gratified, but the desire of the heart
shall be granted. The desire of a heart renewed by
grace, is, to become like God; to love him more, and
serve him better ; and to please Him in every thought,
word, and act: Ps. cxix. 97, 113. If we make God
the delight of our heart. He will give us the desire of
our heart : Ps. xxxvii. 4. While in this world we want
but little, nor shall we want that little long; but while
we need it, God will give it: Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. If we
take God for our Leader, we are sure to have him for
our Provider. We must take care to have the law of
God in our hearts, and that will regulate the desire
of our hearts. Whatever we desire and God withholds,
we may rest assured that it would do us no good, could
we obtain it, or the goodness of God would compel hint
to give it.
No father loves his child any the less for withholding
what he knows would injure it ; neither does our heav
enly Father evince a want of love to his children, by
suffering them to cry loud, and long, and, after all, re
fuse to give what he well knows would harm them.
But of this we may always rest assured, " The desire
of the righteous shall be granted," in some way or
other ; and in that way too, which will be most to their
advantage ; for when the Lord does not remove the
burden from the back, he never fails to fit the back for
the burdeu : 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.

OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL. 15
" G( ^Illness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that
now is, and of that wbich is to come." 1 Tim. ir. 8.
For those who are under the law, it is very natural
for them? to think, that for so much work, they shall ob
tain so much wages : and that God will be faithful to
his promise, if we perform the required conditions.
This is the result of pride ; which arises from ignorance
of ourselves, and of the word of God's rich grace and
free promises : 2 Cor. i. 20. Every believer in Jesus
is a holy, godly soul, and has all cause for daily com
fort and joy : 1 Pet. i. 8. All who live godly have the
gain of godliness while living: for, observe,
1st. It is profitable ; and has, or having, the " promise
of the life that now is:" there is nothing, which
would be truly profitable unto us, but godliness has the
promise of. IJnder the Old Testament, the promises
were mostly of temporal blessings ; but under the New
Testament, of blessings spiritual, and eternal. It may
be, that but little of this world's good things fall to
your lot ; but let this encourage you, that, though you
may possess but a small portion in the " life that now
is," you will, ere long, have no cause for complaint.
2d. Godliness has the promise of the ' ' Ufe which is
to come f and the good things you will enjoy there,
will fully compensate you for all your pains, trials,
crosses, losses, and sufferings, that you may be called
to endure, in "the life that now isf Rom. viii. 28.
You will find too, even now, if you will only take the
trouble to balance the profit and loss, that you are a
great gainer. For,
3d. Godliness "is profitable unto all things:" and
will, yea, does, more than make up for all you might
bc, called to lose. Should you be disgraced among men,
y(ni are honored before God: 1 John iii. 2 ; denied in
carnal pleasures, you enjoy spiritual ones : Ps. cxix. 165 ;
and for losing a short, vain, uncertain, and sorrowful
life upon earth, you will gain a durable, immortal, and
most blessed life in heaven : 2 Cor. iv. 17. Having
obtained an evidence of the favor of God, in Him you
will find a rich, full, and ready supply of all your
needs. The form of Godliness alone, is profitable in
nothing; but "godliness" in power " is profitable tinto
all things."

i6 or FOOD.
" Trust m the Lord and do good ; so shalt thou dwell m thf land, and
verily thou shalt be fed." Ps. xxxvii. 3.
The whole of religion appears to consist in taking
God at his word; neither can any man be said, to trust
in God who does not obey him : 1 John v. 3. To
" trust in the Lord," is,
1st. Firmly to expect whatever he has promised in
liis word: Ps. Ixii. 8; and to stay ourselves upon
Him, being resolved to leave with him all future events:
Isa. xxvi. 3. But, observe, 2d. It is not enough that
we trust in the Lord and do no harm; no: we must
trust in Him and do good ; neither will it do to do good
and then trust in our good doings ; nor in ourselves,
nor anything that we can, or may do : but we are to
trust in the Lord after having done all the good we
can : Luke xvii. 10. And 3d. It is only when we have
done good, that we have a right to expect good : but
then, we may confidently trust in the Lord for every
thing necessary to our well-being ; which will include
food as well as every other good thing. It does not
say, thou shalt be rich; "but fed: neither does it say,
thou shalt live in a palace, or be surrounded with a reti
nue of servants; but thou "shalt dwell in the land."
And certain it is, if you trust in the Lord, you shall have
a place to live in ; and be fed with food convenient for
you : Isa. xxxiii. 16.
All you have to do, is, to be careful to live right ; and
then whatever comes must be right, as far as you are
concerned : Rom. viii. 28. Should the winds of adver
sity blow hard upon your humble cot, and poverty
with his iron grasp pres^you sore, still trust in the Lord,
and continue to do good : resolve, rather to perish than to
sin : be careful not to go out of the way of Providence ;
dwell in the land ; and, though dark may be your way,
and your prospects gloomy, forget not, that it is still
written, "Verily thou shalt be fed f yea, as truly as
God hath declared it. He who fed you last, will feed you
still. Be not ambitious ; nor covetous ; nor a lover of
gain ; but be careful of your walk ; watchful over your
own conduct; and, in all things, adorn your profession;
lest Jesus be wounded in the house of his friends. The
time of your extremity is God's opportunity: food he
has promised, and that you sh<A\ have. Gen. xviii. 25

OF FOOD. 17
" Behold the fowl" of the air : for they sow not, neither do they reap, noi
father into barns ; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much
etter than they?" Matt. vi. 26.
In all times and seasons, and under every circum
stance, there is something to be found in the words of
Christ well suited to our state. His words are like a
well-finished portrait ; which, whoever looks upon con
ceives the eyes to be fixed upon him. In order to have
your faith simple, and your hope steadily fixed upon
God, you are here,
1st. Invited to "Behold," look at, think upon, do
see " the fowls" — they have no disquietude about what
they shall eat. There are many fowls, and various
sorts; some are very ravenous in their nature; notwith
standing, the God of Providence feeds them all, with
food convenient for them : Ps. cxlvii. 9. It gives them
no concern, in the fall of the year, how they are to be
provided for in the coming winter, still they are fed
through the depth of winter; as well as the height of
summer. Will your heavenly Father, who is so mind
ful of his fowls, be unmindful of his children ?
Observe, 2d. It is not said the fowls at the barn
door; but, the "fowls, of the air:" — not the tame fowls
which are daily fed by their owner; but the wild fowls,
that, without any care of their own, arp constantly fed.
" They sow not," neither do they trouble themselves to
"gather into barns;" nor give themselves any concern
about food, till hunger reminds them of their need, then
they seek and find it. And while "your heavenly
Father" feeds them, can you doubt of his feeding you 7
Surely not I And now,
3d. Put the question to your own heart, "Are ye
not much better than they?" Not that you have been
no more ungrateful than ever the fowls were capable
of being, but are ye not of much more value than miuiy
fowls? Matt. x. 31. The fov/ls were made to serve
you ; you were made to serve God ; and how can you
serve him without trusting in him 7 Endeavor to keep
your soul ahve by faith in the promises of God; and
your body shall be kept alive by the providence of God :
Prov. X. 3. Some trust God while they have all things ;
but do you strive to trust him/or all things. " The righ
teous eateth to the satisfying of his soul :" Prov. xiii. 25.
2*

18 OF RAIMENT.
" Behold, I have caused thme iniquity to pass ftom tnee, and I will cloth*
thee with change of raiment." Zech. lu. 4.
Plint informs us of a rod of myrtle, which, while a
traveller carries it in his hand, will keep him from grow
mg weary. Truly the word of God is like this myrtle
rod; for it braces our nerves, supports our minds,
strengthens our faith, resolves our doubts, smooths our
rugged path, and beguiles our weary steps through this
world to our native home.
Your attention is called to a most gracious declaration
and precious promise, "Behold!" This word imports
excitement: Isa. viL 14; attention: John i. 29 ; joy:
Matt. xxi. 5 ; certainty : Luke xxiv. 39 ; and, to behold,
is to look on : Gen. xxxi. 51; consider: 1 Sam. xii. 13;
know : John xix. 5 ; care for : John xix. 26, 27. "Be
hold," 1st. God has forgiven all tl v sins, notwithstanding
their magnitude and number; and "caused thine in
iquity to pass from thee f^ never more to appear against
thee. Do you ask, is it possible? yea, it is not only
possible but certain ! for when the Lord forgives, he
forgives all : and enables us to put off" our filthy rags
of corrupt affections and lusts, as we would cast off old
clothes for which we have no further use ; being washed
by faith, in the blood of Christ : Rev. i. 5, 6 : And,
2d. "A change of raiment" is also given. By faith
we receive, and are clothed with, the righteousness
of Christ, which is not only given, but imparted to us.
Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. xiii. 14.
Clothed with this change of raiment, you can appear in
the court of heaven, as though you had never sinned ;
and ask and have whatever you need, with a full expec
tation of obtaining it : John xiv. 13. 14.
Having obtained a change of raircent for the soul,
you may confidently expect one for the body. If youi
heavenly Father has clothed the inner man, you need
not think the outer man will have to go naked. Matt.
vi. 32. Some people examine their clothes much, and
their hearts little : and are often crying for better clothes,
when they ought to be praying for better hearts : 2 (^or.
xiii. 5. Many who wear a fine outside, have a filthy
inside : Luke xi. 39. A naked soul is far worse, and
more to be dreaded, than a naked bodv.

OF RAIMENT. 19
" If God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is
east into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of Uttle faith?"
Matt. vi. 30.
The best of men are but grass at best, whatever might
be their endowments : and the grave, as an oven, will
shortly consume them all : 1 Pet. i. 24. And that is a
grand reason why we should take no distressing thought
what we shall wear on the morrow ; for to-morrow tho
shroud, coffin, and grave, may be all that we shall need;
Prov. xxvii. 1. The grass cares not for to-morrow; it
toils not as we do : and yet it is clothed. Neither do
the lilies spin ; notwithstanding, Solomon's clothing
could not equal theirs. It does not follow, that we are
to be idle, and not make use of all lawful means, but
the contrary : 2 Thess. iii. 10. But after having made
use of every effort to procure those things we need, we
should leave the event with God ; trusting in, and rely
ing upon him ; resting assured, that he who provides
for his inferior creatures, without labor, will not fail
to crown our labors with his blessing, and provide for
us. There are many who pay all attention to the body,
and no attention to the soul ; but do you pay attention
to both, and to the soul most: Matt. vi. 33. Clothing
was first made to hide our shame, though many make
it all their glory : Ps. xlix. 14. Your clothes may be
worn thin ; still, you may be worn out before your
clothes. Let it, therefore, give you no concern when
your next suit is to come from : for surely. He who
clothes the grass will clothe you.
" O ye of little faith," give your fears to the wind ;
let it suffice that your heavenly Father knoweth yov
have need of these things. Let not carnal reason exalt
itself against the grace and truth of God. Unbelief is
an "enemy to your Lord's love and truth. Live no longer
in yourself, but in Christ; be happy in him, and com
fortable in following him: Gal. ii. 20. "Shall he not?"
Can he not? Will he not? Yes, He will; " much mors
clothe you," than the grass, which either grows unnoticed,
is food for beasts, or fuel for the oven. How can you
be poor, while in the possession of so many precious
jewels, as you have in Christ ? Fine clothes may hide the
shame of the body, but can never cover the shame of the
soul. When you need raiment, ask God : Gen. xxviii. 20

20 OF LONG LIFE.
•' Thou shall ime to thy grave in a full age, lilte a shock of com cometh
m his season," Job v. 25.
It is appointed unto men once to die : Heb. ix. 27 ;
but when, where, and how, is known only to God, in
whom we live : Acts xvii. 28 ; and though we cannot
lengthen our days, we may greatly shorten them:
Ps, Iv. 23 ; notwithstanding the number of them is set,
so that beyond that bound we cannot pass : Job xiv. 14.
However, that should give us but httle concern, seeing
we are assured by Him who gives us breath, that every
believer shall die seasonably : be no longer in bondage
through fear of death ; for thou mayest depend,
1st. Upon not being driven away, as is the case with
the wicked: Prov. xiv. 32; but "thou shalt come to
thy grave," as one who is not only willing, but waiting
his Master's call, fearing no evil : Ps. xxiii. 4. Bear in
mind, 2d. Though you may not live to old age, the promise
is, " Thou shalt come to thy grave in full age." You
shall live till your work is done ; and then, being wil
ling to die, you will be conducted to your grave in peace,
and pass safely through it. That you will die season
ably, and not prematurely, admits of no doubt ; for you
will come to your grave " like a shock of corn." You
know the corn is not cut and housed before it is fully
ripe ; neither shall death cut you down, nor your body
be housed in the grave, until you are ripe for death, and
glory ; as the corn, when cut, is ripe for the sickle, and
barn. Our times are in the hand of God, who is the
great husbandman, and who is continually watching
our growth in grace, and will not cut us down till he
sees we are ready; but will not suffer us to remain
longer. You will live long enough to finish your work that
God has for you to do ; and then, like happy Paul, you
will want to be off to your reward : 2 Tim. iv. 6 — 8.
While you do live, live to good purpose ; strive to live
holy ; and, unto the world, die daily ; and, while you
have life, love Christ more than life. Look unto the
Lord, and wait continually upon the God of your sal
vation: believe him, honor him, obey him, and "thou
slialt come to thy grave in full age, like a shock of
ci'in ;" ripe and rank, ready for the garner of God.

OF LONG LIFE. 21
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall
»n the ground without your Father." Matt. x. 29.
Who can describe the wild emotion of conscience, and
the distress of a soul, under a feeling sense of sin and
death ? None can, but the heart which knows its own
bitterness. Neither can any tongue express the sweet
peace, and calm repose, of that soul who rests in Jesus ;
for a stranger intermeddles not with its joys.
We are told of some, who, through fear of death
were all their lifetime subject to bondage : Heb. ii. 15,
But a believer in Christ ought ever to remember, that
Jesus, who has the keys of death, commands him not to
fear. Rev. i. 17, 18. Neither can he fear while he has
his eye of faith upon the promise of God : Ps. xxiii. 4.
Observe, 1st. The vast difference between the value of a spar
row and a believer. The former were sold "two for a
farthing;" (less than a cent a-piece) and the latter was
"bought with the precious blood of Christ: 1 Pet. i.
18, 19.
2d. The notice that is taken of sparrows : " One of
them shall not fall on the ground," either to take up its
food, or by death, "without your Father." If, then,
your Father is so mindful of his birds, can you suppose
him less mindful of his children ?
Your enemies, like fowlers, may endeavor to ensnare
or hurl their envenomed darts at you, but "your Fa
ther" will preserve you, while he sees it will be for your
good and his glory ; therefore, be not afraid of death,
nor covet life, since both are yours : 1 Cor. iii. 22. A
long life is good, but a. good life is better ; and you have
the promise of every good thing: Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. Live
every day as though it were your dying day ; and yen
will have no cause to complain of the want of days :
Deut. V. 33. While you have life prepare for death.
Improve all the time you have, and when you come to
die you will find you have lived long enough : Phil. iii.
21. While you are on the earth, lay up treasure iu
heaven : Matt. vi. 19 — 21. Labor to be in your life
what you would wish to be in death. While your
Father cares for you, what can harm you ? 1 Pet. in. 13.
None but a father knows a father's love : and your
1 eavenly Father's love knows no bounds : Jer. xxxL 3

22 OF SAFETY.
" The LoBD is thy keeper: the Lord is thy snade upon thy right hand.'
Ps. cxxi. 6.
The most delightful object to a spiritual eye, the most
comforting subject to a spiritual mind, is "God in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them :" 2 Cor. v. 19. The hills afford
us a pleasing idea of our blessed Saviour : As they are
elevated parts of the same earth with the lowest valley ;
so Jesus "was found in fashion as a man, took on hira
the same nature, and was in all things hke unto his
brethren, sin alone excepted:" Phil. iL 8; Heb. iv. 15.
Truly, they are well kept whom the Lord keeps. He
who keeps the Church is the keeper of every individual
member. Art thou a believer in Jesus? — If so,
1st. " The Lord is thy keeper;" and as a life-guard
would encamp around a prince, to protect his royal
person, so the angel of the Lord encampeth round about
thee : Ps. xxxiv. 7. What is it, or who is it, can harm
thee? His angel guards thee, and He himself keeps
thee: Ps. xci. 1 — 11. What more canst thou need ? He
isa good Shepherd, and thou canst never have a better
keeper, and he has engaged to keep thee safely : John
X. 28. Thou mayest meet with storms to toss thee, but
wilt never meet with a rock to split thee, while under
the protection of so good a keeper. But that is not all ; for,
2d. " The Lord is thy shade." Fear not, then, the
threatening storms ; let the lightning flash, the thunders
roar, the tempest howl, and storms beset thee ; beneath
this shade thou art secure : Deut. xxxiii. 12. The cloud
of his protecting love is ever over thee ; the sickly rays
of the sun cannot smite thee ; neither can earth and hell,
with their united forces, harm thee. For,
3d. The Lord is upon " thy right hand." And
though thou mayest have no power, Christ, thy best
friend, has all power: Matt, xxviii. 18. And even if
thou shouldst lose thy life for Christ, thou wilt find a
better life in Christ: Col. iii. 4.
What hast thou to fear? What canst thou fear,
while thou hast so good a keeper, so kind a friend, and
blest with such a shade, always " on thy right ?" Away
with your fears. Dread nothing but sin. If you would
not be burnt by the sun, be careful to walk in the shade-
and set the Lord always before you : I's. xvi. 8.

OF SAFETY. 23
" Kear not : 1 am the first and the last : I am he that liveth, and was dead :
and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen : and have the keys of hell and
ofdeath." Rev. i. 17, 18.
The faithful, believer in Jesus is truly blessed ; blessed
in him with all spiritual blessings ; and enjoys a sweet
sense of blessedness in obeying him : Eph. i. 3. Not
withstanding, you may be sometimes sorrowful eyen
unto tears; but should always bear in mind, that noth
ing can befall you but what is for your good : Rom, viii.
28. Our heavenly Father is so kind, he only gives cor
rection when we deserve destruction : Lam. iii. 22. Ha
never leaves his children for a single moment ; and even
when death stares them in the face he will command
away their fears, by whispering to their hearts, " Feai
not!" And while he thus encourages them to keep up
their spirits, he assigns the best of reasons why they
should not fear any danger that may threaten them.
1st. "lam," says Christ, " the first and the last;" the
first-born of every creature, and the first begotten from
the dead : Col. i. 15 — 18 : none were before me ; neither
shall any come after me : Prov. viii. 22 — 36. Thus he
makes himself known as their Lord.
2d. He is their Saviour ; and declares, " I was dead ;"
it is true I had to submit unto death for a time ; but then,
he could not hold me ; I conquered the king of terrors
in his own territories; I broke his icy chain, soon as I
would; and, "behold, I am alive forevermore :" Luke
xxiv. 38, 39. Never more shall death have dominion
over me ; but in the end I will destroy him : 1 Cor. xv.
26. Think not that no one cares fot thy safety, or that
thy sufferings are unnoticed; for "lam the Amen," the
faithful and the true witness of all to which thou art
exposed, as well as all thou art called to endure : Rev.
iii. 14.
3d. Be not afraid of any one taking thy life, or send
ing thee out of the world without my consent, for "/
have the keys of hell and ofdeath ;" and it is impossible
for an}' one to pass from time to eternity without my
notice : Rev. v. 12, 13.
Behever, think not that you can die by chance, while
the keys of the invisible world hang to the girdle of
your Saviour. " Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth:" P.s. ex xiv. 8.

24 OF SAFETY.
" For 1, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will
be the glory in the midst of her." Zech. ii. 5.
Say, soldier of Christ, has thy captain ever deceived
thee .' Did he not tell thee, before enlisting under his
banner, who were his enemies, and what thou hadst to
expect from them ? Almost every page of his word fur-
nishes accounts how the men of this world look upon
the children of God. But no matter who, or what, op
poses them, the Lord is resolved to protect them. God's
peculiar people are, in themselves, a weak people; and
the world hates the cause in which they are engaged ,
and consequently hates them : John xv. 19. But, for
their safety the Lord has engaged to be,
1st. "A wall unto them;" antl such a wall too as their
enemies shall not be able either to batter or scale; "a
wall of fire," that an enemy cannot possibly approach :
Prov. iii. 23, 24. Observe, 2d. He will not be a wall
on one side only, but "roundabout;" so that, there being
no breach, it is impossible for an enemy to injure them :
Prov. i. 33. And 3d. The Lord will not enclose them
and then leave them, like forlorn prisoners ; for He him
self will be the wall, and will have " h'ls glory in the
midst of her."
As the eastern shepherds were accustomed to collect
their flocks at night, and make a fire round about them,
to preserve them from beasts of prey, which would not
venture through the fire, being afraid of it, so the Lord
is like a circle of fire drawn round about all believers ;
so that all who serve God may be truly said to live in
God : 1 John iv. 16 ; and have the glory of God in the
midst of them. If God gives glory to us, let us be care
ful to give glory to God : 1 Cor. x. 31 ; and ever bear
in mind, that the vessels of grace will swim in the ocean
of glory. We must be purified by Christ, before we can
be glorified with Christ. Fear not, then, trembling
believer, for greater is he that is for you, than all who
;an he against you: Rom. viii. 31. Should the hand of
God happen to be against you, never think that his
heart is against you ; for whom he loves he chastens,
in one way or other: Heb. xii. 6. Sin not; and fear
not. Be not afraid of sinking in sorrow while you are
swimming in grace. "There shaU not a hair of your
head perish :" Luke xxi. 18.

OF SAFETY. 25
" Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content » th such
things as ye have ; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake
Ihee." Heb. xiii. S.
Covetousness is a sin that may lie long concealed
in our bosoms ; but unless it be subdued will find way
into our conversation and actions : let us, then, never
rest with such an enemy; for, like a cankerworm, it
will eat away all our happiness, and bring a disgrace on
that cause we profess to espouse : Prov. xxviii. 16.
Should you have such an enemy lurking about you,
you are exhorted to put it away : that,
1st. Your "conversation" might be "without cove
tousness." 2d. Consider how many good things of this
nre you have, more than you really deserve, at the hand
11 Goa, whose holy laws you have broken: Gal. iii. 10.
Ana, ad. What spiritual things you have. You have
me everlasting, unchangeable love of God fixed up'on
you — the life, death, and intercession of the Son of God
lor youi TV isdom, righteousness, sanctification and re-
ajmption : i Cor. i. 30 ; and, as a consequence of this,
the Spirit htis bestowed graces upon you ; hence you
have faith in v"!hrist — ^hope towards God — love to him —
delight in him — and a desire to keep his command
ments : Ps. CXIX. 97 ; and to encourage and enable you
to walk holily, the precious promises are given you as
the staff of your faith : Rom. xv. 4. What more can
you desire, than these? 4th. Strive to " be conteni with
such things as ye have;" be thankful with what you
have ; and willing to want what he is not willing to
give; " For he hath said," — Who hath said? — God, who
cannot lie, and who will never deceive thee, — " F will
Ufroer leave thee:" Joshua i. 5: let thy condition be
what it may ; in sickness and m health, in poverty and
in riches, at homs and abroad, iu honor and reproach,
by land and by sea, in life and in death, I will be with
thee to bless thee, and strengthen thee, and uphold thee.
And, 5th. Though all the world should turn their
back upon thee, "Iwill not forsake thee:" Deut. iv. 31.
Is not all this enough to make you content? Can
you any longer doubt of his protecting love? — What
eould a God of Love say or do, more than he has already
said and done ? Isa. v. 4. Covetousness is a greait
enemy to all godliness : Col. iii. 5.
3

26 OF PEACE.
' Great peace have they which love thy law j and nothi&g shall olfeiid
them." Ps. CXIX. 165.
The law, the moral law, worketh wrath : Rom. iv.
15 ; for by it is the knowledge of sin. Have riot all
believers experienced a sense of wrath in the conscience,
when the law has discovered unto them their sins ? But
this law is subservient to the law of love. Jesus, of
whom the ceremonial law was a shadow, and by whoso
holy life the moral law received perfect obedience to all
ils requirements, was the "seed of the woman," in
whom the law of peace and salvation entered. The law
of life and salvation is " sure to all the seed :" Rom.
iv. 16. Hence all believers delight in,, and have great
peace from it ; for having made the law of God their
rule, they strive in all things to be ruled by it : Ps. i. 2 ,
while a consciousness of having done what the word or
Irxw of God requires, produces that inward peace and
serenity of soul, to which the transgressors are strangers.
Observe, 1st. It does not say, they shall have peace ;
but, "Great peace have they which love thy law;" so
that they do not have peace /or loving the law of God;
but in the act of loving it ; it is in keeping the com
mands they have the reward: Ps. xix. 11. It is true,
they may have great troubles without, but they have
"great peace" within. They have also, 2d. Great
security; for "nothing shall offend them,." No one
shall entangle them ; and no temptation shall be too
powerful for them: 1 Cor. x. 13. Nothing shall, no
thing can, do them any real harm ; for while God is
good to all, he is truly good to Israel : Ps. IxxiiL 1.
Whatever befalls them must be for the best : Rom. viii.
2S. Grace in the heart will create more peace than
gold in the pocket. Riches may make a man haughty,
but religion will make a man happy. And, 3d. The
law of God is the will of God and, though a Christmu
has a will of his own, he must never expect peace in
loving his own will ; no; it is said "thy law," and not
our law : Matt. vi. 10. There are many who know the
law of God, but very few who love the law of God ¦ but
those who love not the law, are very soon offended if
they are told so ; while every wind that blows ruflles
them; so that they have no peace : Isa. Ivii. 21. Many
mistake hearing, or reading the law. for doing it.

OF PEACE. 27
These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.'
ohn xvi. 33.
Christ's legacy to all his brethren, is, " tribulation
in the world, and peace in him." Every follower of
Jesus is sure of the former, and no less certain of the
latter. If he has to suffer for Christ, he has peace in
him. Observe,
1st. Among the "things spoken" of by Christ, while
in the world, you may expect tribulations from the
world; neither must you be surprised if your heaviest
troubles should happen to come from the church ; for it
may be, that some might think they would be doing
the Lord a service by killing you ; but all such have
no peace in Jesus : John xvL 1, 2.
2d. The reason why Christ has "spoken these
things." Not to discourage you, or keep you in con
stant fear ; no ; but to wean you from the world, put
you on your guard, and encourage you to hope in him ;
" that in him ye might have peace." Having made
peace with the Prince of peace, you have peace with
God ; peace with conscience ; peace with men ; peace
within, and peace without ; and an endless peace awaits
you in heaven : Ps. xxxvii. 37. If you have peace with
God, the world, the flesh and the devil can never harm
you ; for though you may have many enemies, yon
have one friend stronger than all. Christ your Saviour
is not only a peace-bringer, but also a peace-maker ;
and has made peace between your soul and God : Rom.
V. 1. The only path he requires you to walk in is peace :
Prov. iii. 17. His Gospel is peace : Eph. vi. 15. His
re« ard is peace : Isa. Ivii. 2. So that, you perceive, it
is in Christ, and through him alone, that we have peace.
"These things," says he, "I have spoken unto you:"
I have told you of them before they come to pass, so, that
you need expect no favors from the world. I have now
apprised you of them, ' ' that in me ye might have peace. ' '
We are too apt to judge of God's love to us by his
providences, instead of his promises ; and forget that
tribulation in the world is as necessary for the soul as
peace in Jesus ; or o' s loving Saviour would never
have appointed it for us. The valley of tribulation is
no deeper, than the mountain of peace is high. " He
maketh peace in thy borders :" Ps. cxlvii. 14.

28 OF HONOR.
" By humility and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honor, and life "
Prov. xxL. 4,
Of the vast multitude who are contending for honor,
but few seek ii in that way in which alone it can be
found. Observe,
1st. The only way to become truly honorable is to
become truly humble. "Humility" makes men like
angels ; but the want of it made angels devils. When
ever you would rise highest, be sure you sink lowest:
Luke xiv. 11. A believer in Christ is like a ship on
the ocean, the greater the cargo, the deeper it swims.
The best of saints are the least of saints : Eph. iii. 8. '
2d. Humility leads to " the fear of the Lord ;" which
IS here put for the whole of religion ; and these two
together are " riches and honor." The only way to be
honored by God, is to be humble before Him : Matt, xviii.
4. While you are humble in the sight of the Lord, you
will always be honored with the presence of the Lord ;
for though he reigns in the highest heavens, he also
dwells with the humble spirit : Isa. Ivii. 15. All the
honor that comes from men dies with men; but the
honor that comes from God will last forever : Ps. cxiL 6.
3d. As honor would be of no use to the dead, you
shall have "life," that you might enjoy your honor.
The Lord will give you long life, if he sees it needful
for you; but if not, as your "riches and honor" are
eternal, you shall have eternal life to enjoy them in :
John X. 28. Ever bear in mind, the way to the holy
hill lies through the humble vale. When the Chiistian
is one inch above the dust he is one inch too high.
Flesh is proud, and apt to glory in the presence of the
Lord ; but faith in Jesus cuts off all glorying in the
flesh, as viewing all our salvation in Jesus alone. Yet
while in the flesh, we are daily exposed to the workings
of pride, which invariably darken our views of the
Redeemer. The conceptions of lusts are the produc
tions of sin : Jas. i. 15. How much tt be deplored
how carefully to be watched against, and prayed to be
kept from, are the awful effects of fresh contracted
guilt ! Pride goes before shame ; but " by humility and
the fear of the Lord, are riches, honor, and life." It is
honorable to confess sin ; but a shame to commit it
" The mtmo y of the just is blessed :" Prov. x. 7.

OF HONOR. 29
" It any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am ther* shall
Blso my servant be; .if any man serve me, him will my Father honor."
Jolm xil. 26.
It is one thing to profess Christ, but another to serve
Him. 1st. The servants of Christ "follow him;" thereby
proving that spiritual actions are the marks of spiritual
Christians: Matt. viL 16. All who serve Christ must
follow him in all his commandments: John xv. 14;
methods and precepts: Matt. xi. 29. He must be
followed in his example, as a pattern; and in his Provi
dence and Spirit, whithersoever he leads. 2d. The
servants of Christ must be always in waiting ; " vihere
I am, there shall also niA/ servant be;" in the church,
in the assemblies of his saints, and whenever his ordi
nances are administered, wherever it may be, they must
ever be ready to obey all his commands : Matt, xviii.
20. 3d. Christ has not only appointed the work, but
fixed the wages ; " If any man serve me, him ivill my
Father honor;" and notwith such honor as they deserve,
but such as becomes a God to give : 1 Sam. ii. 30. It
shall be true honor, well worthy that name ; yea, ever
lasting honor: Isa. xxxv. 10; the highest honor that
can be given : Rev. i. 6. Only serve the Son, and not
withstanding your weakness, and inability to perform
your work so well as it ought to be, or, as you may
desire, your labors will not be rejected, nor your services
forgotten. 4th. "If any man serve me;" no matter
who he is, or what he is, if he does all he can,
no mere is required; "him will my Father honor."
For there is no respect of persons with God : Rom.
iL 11.
Some who think themselves the servants of Christ,
and expect to be honored by the Father, are ver^'^ fond
of the promises, but despise the duties ; others there are
who love holy sayings and unholy doings ; forgetting
that good words, withoiit good works, will never turn
to a good account: Matt. vii. 21. If we would wear
Christ's crown, we must bear Christ's cross : Matt. xvi.
24. To be patient, and continue in w'ell-doing, is the
high-road lo honor, immortality, and eternal life : Roul
ii. 7. A samt in rags is more honorable than a sinner
111 robfis. 3*

30 OF DIRECTION.
' He will be our guide even unto death." Ps. xlviii. 14.
If the Lord be our God, there is no question about his
being our Guide ; and it is our special mercy we do not
serve an unknown God ; he has manifested himself to
us; is known by us; and we have his Spirit within
us : Rom. viii. 16. Here is,
1st. The joyful assurance of faith : "He will be our
Guide :" he will not only show us the way, but put
us in it. There is no part of our way but he is perfect
ly acquainted with ; and all the way we should go he
has marked out for us : Ps. i. 6. Who, then, can be so
well qualified to guide us ? Perhaps you are ready to
say, my path is so crooked, dark, and intricate, that I
fear I shall never get safely through it. Let that never
trouble you ; leave that to your guide ; that is his busi
ness ; he has engaged to guide you, and must do it. All
you have to do, is, to be guided by him ; go by his di
rections ; and when it comes to the darkest, so that you
have no light, then hang upon his arm ; trust in him,
and stay yourself altogether upon him : Isa. I. 10. O,
tremendous thought ! if God were ever to cease to be our
Guide, we should stumble and fall into remediless ruin ;
but such a thought can only be produced by ignorance
and unbelief; and tends to presumption, thinking we
can do something to cause the Almighty to become our
God and Guide ; and if we fail, he will leave us to grope
our own way into the bottomless pit. Such is not the
lairguage of Scripture ; no ; for both say,
2d. "He will be our guide even unto death;" and
that will be the end of our journey ; yea, and he will
uot only guide us to death, but through death : Ps. xxiii.
4. He will guide us to death, and lead us through
deatli ; so that death shall not be able to do us any real
injury : Ps. Ixxiii. 24.
Perplex yourself no longer ; commit your way unto
the Lord, and he shall bring it to pass : Ps. xxxvii. 5.
There is no darkness, no difficulty, with God ; and he
is engaged, by all he has and is, for your security. The
gloomy night of life will soon be past, and the glorious
morning of eternity will break in upon your soul, when
all your difficulties will have forever vanished. Bear m
mind, there are no ifs, buts, and may-bes about it.
He will make darkness light before you : Isa. xiii. 16

OF Dinwe-T-rON. 31
" If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to ail men
liberally, and iipbraidela not, and it shall be given him." James i. S.
The revealed truths of God, and not his secret pur
poses, are the objects of our faith. Happy art thou, O
Christian ! even should your case be as was Paul's,
when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days;
and when no small tempest is upon thee, and all hope
of being saved seems taken away : Acts xxvii. 20.
For in every storm you have Jesus at the helm ; who
well knows how to take thy vessel into port; though
you may be ignorant and unacquainted with tho
coast. All men are ignorant, but none more so
than ourselves ; and while fools profess great wisdom,
let you and I confess our want of wisdom. Here
we have,
1st. A view of God's liberality: " If any of you,"
without regard to age, condition, or acquirements, "lack
wisdom," and are sensible of your lack, "let him,"
without any scruple or delay, "ask of God" to supply
t.hat lack; who is infinite in wisdom and has an abun
dance to give : Rom. xi. 33.
2d. The encouragement given to ask : He "giveth
to all m,en-" and will, therefore, give it to us, so sure
as we ask it. Be not bashful ; the only way to become
wise, in God's sight, is first to become fools in our own.
Make no excuse about your wanting so great a stock,
in consequence of your being so very ignorant. But
remember, 3d. He giveth to all men "liberally;" plentiftilly ;
and cheerfully; yea, you shall have as much as you
neea. Do not think either, that you will not be so
successful as others have been.
4th. The matter is put beyond dispute ; "It shall he
given;" there is but one if in the whole matter; and
that is, "If you lack;" you have no room to doubt of
obtaining all the information you can require; "it shall
be given." Do not be afraid either of going at a wrong
time, or, of your ignorance confounding you and
exposing your folly. For,
5th. He "upbraideth not." Go when you may, you
cannot go out of season ; ask as often you will, you
will never be upbraided on account of being trcuble-
some; but will receive a liberal supply.

32 0 PLENTY.
" He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers ol water, that bnngeth forth
his frmt in his season ; his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he
doeth shall prosper." Ps. i. 3.
What a beautiful gradation is here ! 1st. "He shall
be like a tree;" not a shrub, or bramble, that is of little
or no service ; but a tree ; grafted into Christ the tree
of hfe : Isa. Ixi. 3. Not like a tree that grows wild
and unnoticed in the forest. But, 2d. "like a tree
planted;" removed out of its natural and unprotected
situation, into one much more favorable to its growth ;
planted by the grace of God. 3d. Mark his situation !
Not in the burning desert ; nor by the side of a brook,
that in the time of drought would soon run dry ; nor on
the bleaky beach, where the angry waves would con
tinually cover it with their spray; but "by the rivers
of water;" where it shall always find sufficient moisture
to support its growth: Ps. civ. 16. Observe, 4th. It is
not a tree for fuel, but for fruit; neither is it a barren
tree: but a. fruit-tree ; and one that "bringeth forth his
fruit:" Deut. xxx. 9. God will not suffer barren trees
to remain always in his garden : Luke xiii. 7. Notice,
5th. It does not say, he brings forth fruit always alike,
either in quantity or quality; no, but "in his season."
Neither does it say, it is not to be exposed to storms,
tempests, nor dark nights; nor that it shall have no ene
mies who will endeavor to steal the fruit, or injure the
tree; no; but none of these things shall prevent it from
bringing forth fruit in its season : Ps. xcii. 12. The
leaves of the trees in the forest do fade and fall : Bat, 6th.
"His leaf shall not wither ¦" his profession shall be pre
served from decay; while those who bring forth the
luaf of profession, without any good fruit, even that leaf
shall wither ; and they shall become ashamed of the
leaves they have worn. The word of the Lord in the
heart will keep the profession green. He is an ever
green, alw ays ffourishing : Deut, xL 14, 15. And, 7th.
"Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper •" so that what
ever befalls him, all tends to promote his growth. It does
not say, if he is a farmer he shall always have an abun
dant harvest ; nor, if a merchant, all gain and no loss •
nor if a tradesman, no disappointment ; no, biit " v)hat-
everhe doeth," all shall work for his good. Rom. ¦« 4. 28.
Yea, all things norv work well for such au one.

or PLENTY. 33
*' Seel\ ye (vrst the kingdom of God, and his righteo.,sness ; and all ihese
things shall be added unto you." Matt. vi. 33.
There are many who make religion their by-busi
ness ; but do you make it your main-business ; and then
you will find it a profitable business : 1 Tim. iv. 8.
Here we have,
1st. The course of life enjoined; " Seek ye first the
kitigdom of God;" endeavor to submit to the mild
sceptre of Christ, and secure the erection of his kingdom
in your heart ; or, be subject to Jesus : Luke xvii. 21 .
But, in order to secure the kingdom of God, we must
seek " his righteousness ;" make ourselves acquainted
with his method of making men righteous : Acts xiii. 39.
And if we would seek the kingdom and righteousness
of God successfully, we must seek it "first." Let your
work above be flrst done, that your work below might
be well done. Seek it first every day, and as sure as
you seek it you shall find it : Matt. vii. 7. Let holiness
be your way, and heaven will be your end.
2d. We have the promise annexed to the observance
of the injunction : "All these things shall be added unto
you." Having secured the first two things, all these
things shall be given you into the bargain. Do you
ask what things? The answer is, all good things : Ps.
xxxiv. 10. "All these things" necessary for the sup
port of the body, whatever you really need, "shall be
added unto you:" Phil. iv. 19. There can be no room
to doubt of this, since the Saviour has declared they
shall be added.
Be careful to seek holiness, and you are sure to find
happiness. Religion is the one thing needful ; make
sure of that one thing, and that will secure to you all
needful things : Luke x. 42. He who has enough has
[ilenty. He who possesses Christ has all things in Christ :
1 Cor. iii. 21 — 23. You have nothing to dread from
poverty in pocket while you are poor in spirit : Matt.
V. 3. What further security can you ask, or desire,
beyond eternal veracity? While Christ is yours, what
have you to fear ? What can you fear ? Troubles
you will have ; and scarcity of some things you may
have; but be careful to seek first God's kingdom and
righteousness; and you shall have plenty of needfuJ
things added. Say, is not that enough ?

34 OF A BLESSING UPON ALL THAT A GOOD MAN HAS.
" And ye sliall serve the Lord Jour God, and he shall bless thy bread, and
thy water." Exod. xxiii. 25.
Exhortations sound so legal in the ears of some, that
tney cannot bear them to be used, either to saints or
sinners ; but they have most need of them who see the
least cause for them. Here we have,
1st. A duty enjoined : "Ye shall serve the Lord your
God;" but it shall not be for naught. The true and
proper foundation of the service of God, should bc laid
in a knowledge of him — reconciliation with him — anil
a deliverance from all other masters : 1 Chron. xxviii.
9 To serve God is reasonable — advantageous — and
necessary. Serve G od and depend upon his serving you ;
serve him faithfully, with your whole heart, and he will
give you the desire of your heart : Ps. xxxviL 4. God
in Christ is your Father ; you may, therefore, expect his
service will be easy; yea, perfect freedom: Gal. v. 1.
There are those who wear God's livery and do the devil's
drudgery ; but all such have no lawful claim to the
promises of God.
2d. We have a precious promise annexed : " He shall
bless thy bread and thy water." The Lord has not only
promised you bread and water, but a blessing also; and
what more can you desire ? Prov. x. 22. Bread and
water, with the blessing of God, will make yon look
fatter and fairer than the wicked who may eat at the
king's table: Dan i. 15. Christ and a crust are greatei
riches, than great treasures without Christ : Matt. xvi.
26. The Lord will not only bless "your bread, and
your water," but all that you have : Deut. xxviii. 3 — 6 ;
and enable you to rejoice in all the good things he gives
you: Deut. xxvi. 11. Some masters give their servants
but few things, and those very sparingly ; but God gives
to those who serve him all things richly : 1 Tim. vi.
17. Our necessary dependance upon the goodness of God
snould bring us to obedience ; and deter us from offend
ing our Protector and Benefactor. "Ye shall serve the
Lord your God," is the precept of our best friend ; who
has a just claim to all our services ; and for a worm of
the earth to scornfully turn away, and, by his actions,
say, "I will not)" is the deepest of ingratitude. Do
you I less God, and depend upon his blessing you.

OF A BLESSING UPON ALL THAT A GOOD MAN HAS. 35
" Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Matt. v. B.
This precious jewel, or promise, is a quotation from
Ps. xxxvii. 11; and appears to be one of the most direct
temporal promises we have in the New Testament.
Moses was a meek man ; he possessed a temper of
mind humble and submissive to the will of God, and
not easily provoked by injuries: Numb. xii. 3; but
Jesus Christ, being infinitely more so, must be our pat
tern : Matt. xi. 29. Observe,
1st. "Blessed are," not shall be, " the meek;" that is,
happy are the meek. They are those who believe that
whatever befalls them is for the best : Rom. viii. 28.
They, therefore, quietly submit to the will, word, and
rod, of their heavenly Father : liuke xxi. 19 ; and are
mild and kind toward all men. They possess them
selves ; are governors of all their passions ; imitate their
Saviour ; and would rather die than sin : Gen. xxxix. 9.
They not only are in possession of themselves, but,
2d. " They shall inherit the earth." It does not say
they shall have much of the earth ; but "inherit" it.
They shall have a peaceable and quiet possession in it ;
it shall be to them a land of Canaan ; which was typical
of that rest which they enjoy : Heb. iv. 9 ; Deut. xxvi.
11. Neither shall their inheritance below be any the
less for their laying up treasures above. The meek stand
above present things and look at eternal things : 2 Cor.
IV. 18. Their inheriting the earth does not keep them
from Christ ; that would be ungrateful ; but leads them
to Christ, to tell him they are thankful. Christ, at the
worst, is better than the world at the best : Phil. iii. 7, 8.
O happy frame of mind I that thus secures heaven
and inherits earth. " Bles,sed," truly blessed, "are the
meek," who, however ill men may treat them, treat all
men well ; who are always thankful in the possession of
what they have of the earth ; well knowing, that when
God withholds one thing from them, his design is to
give a better to them. It is true, we cannot say they are
perfect in holiness— have no doubts — that their blessed
ness is never interrupted ; but, after all, they are blessed
in their condition ; for they are supported, instructed,
inherit the earth now, and shall in the end inherit all
things. In a little while, you will be of age; and then
vou will inherit a kingdom that cannot be moved.

36 OF A BLESSING UPON THE CHILDREN OF THE GOOB.
" In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence ; and his ch Idren snail haTS a
place of refuge." Proverbs xiv. 26.
The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the
righteous are bold as a hon: Prov. xxviii. 1. Here
we have a double c(/nsolation.
First, "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence."
Sin makes man a coward ; but " the fear of the Lord,"
that is, personal piety and practical holiness, toward
God and man ; or, holiness in heart and life : 1 Kin.
\:viii. 3 ; or, in other words, true religion, inspires its
])ossessor with strong confidence ; not in himself, but,
in God : Eph. iii. 12. The man who fears the Lord
has nothing else to fear. 2d. In poverty he has confi
dence, and doubts not but the Lord, whom he endeavors
to fear, or serve, will feed him : Ps. xxxvii. 3. Gracious
principles produce holy actions ; hence arises serenity
of mind, and strong confidence. 3d. In persecution
he fears not man ; but rejoices that he is counted worthy
to suffer in so good a cause : Acts v. 41. The cruelty
of man never leads him to doubt the mercy of God.
4th. Under temptation, religion gives strong confidence,
that the Lord will lay no more upon him than he is able
to bear : 1 Cor. x. 13 ; and will in due time deliver
him. Sth. In sickness, and pain, when all human help
fails, the fear ofthe Lord gives strong confidence in his
unshaken promise : Ps. xli. 3. And, 6th. In the trying
hour of death, there is strong confidence in the fear of
the Lord : Ps. xxiii. 4.
Secondly, "His children shall have a place of
refuge." Believers are all the children ofthe Lord, by
regeneration and adoption : John i. 12 ; Rom. viii. 15.
Aad " His children shall have a place of refuge," in
him: Ps. xlvL 1. And let not the confidence of this
God-fearing father shake, for "his children" shall not
be left defenceless. Are you a parent ? Let not your
confidence fail you on account of your children, even
should you not see your prayers, answered in their
behalf; your prayers, and tears, shall not be forgotten
before God.; though your children may seem to live
regardless of all you can say or do. Your admonitions
and example will live after you are dead. You n.ay
with confidence leave them with the Lord, and depend
upon his taking good care of them : Jer. xlix. 1 1 .

OF A BLESSING UPON THE CHILDREN OF THE GOOD. 37
" The promise is to you «nd your children." Acts ii. 39.
When God entered into covenant with Abraham,
he promised, not only to be a God unto him, but his
seed also : Gen. xvii. 7 ; and declared that in him
all families of the earth should be blessed : Gen. xii.
3. And Peter, when addressing the Jews who ha 3
long had an interest in the Covenant, and wore the
seal of it, reminded them of this fact. " The promise"
of the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost,
"is to you;" as much as ever it was to them; "and
to your children;" even as it was to theirs : Isa.
xliv. 3. Let every believer in Christ do by tbeir
children as Abraham did by his, and they shall
find that the promise is not confined to the Jews, but
was extended even to all that are afar off: Gen. xviii.
19. No matter how far from God your children may ap
pear, God is able to make his call reach them ; and the
grace that found you out, is able to find out them ; and
you have no room to doubt but it will : Prov. xx. 7.
You cannot give your children grace; but remember
God can : Jer. xxxii. 27. When endeavoring to culti
vate the minds of your children, you may often have to
sow the seed in sorrow; but that is no proof it will
never spring up : Ps. cxxvL 5. You can trust the Lord
with yourself, and are not afraid to venture both soul
and body upon him; and why not trust him with your
children ? Ps. xxxvii. 25, 26. Continue to instruct
Ihem, to the best of your ability; teach them to know
themselves; to know God in the several relations in
which He stands to them; to know Christ, in his person
and ofl5ces ; to know the Scriptures, which are able to
make them truly wise, in the way of salvation : 2 Tim.
iii. 15, 16 ; John xiv. 6. Set them a good example ;
pray with them, and for them; and put them upon
praying for themselves ; and, having done all you can,
leave the event with God ; never doubting but it wiL
be well with them, both here and hereafter, " For the
promise is to you and your children :" Jer. xxxii. 39.
Endeavor, all that in you lies, to make your children
acquainted with the fact, that this promise belongs to
all of them. The promises of God are sure. Not a
word that God hath spoken will by him be forgotten
4

38 OF i BLESSING UPON THE FAMILIES OF THE GOOD.
" The house of the righteous shall stand." Prov. xu. 7.
The grave is the house appointed for all living : Job
xxx. 23 : and the body is a house for the soul : 2 Cor.
V. 1 ; the former of these houses shall be destroyed :
Hos. xiii. 14; and the latter shall crumble to dust;
Job xxxiv. 15; but "the house," the household, or
family, "of the righteous shall stand:" Acts x. 2.
And no wonder ; for how is it possible for that house to
fall, which has the upholder of the universe forits prop ?
Matt. vii. 24. Whatever may become of others, it shall
be well with the righteous, or, he who fears God, and
his house: Gen. vii. 1. All who sustain the character,
righteous, may rest assured the promise belongs to
them; and that their families are under the special
protection of heaven ; therefore, no real evil can come
nigh their dwelling : Job v. 24. The providence of
God may change often, but the promises of God change
never. The righteous have wisdom to govern their families
aright ; and family-piety is sure to bring family-bless
ings : Ps. cxxviii. 3 — 6. Death may remove a righte
ous man from his house, but his " house shall stand ;"
his family shall be kept up ; his name shall not be for
gotten : and his generation shall be blessed : Ps. cxii. 2.
Look upon your own righteousness as filthy rags ; while
you live by faith on Christ your Righteousness.
Be careful to know, that, through Christ, you are
righteous in the sight of God ; and then, by faith, lay
hold of the promises of God. There are many who look
like saints in God's house, who live like sinners in their
own house: Eph. v. 12. A righteous man is a new
man: 2 Cor. v. 17; and, consequently, has put off the
old man with his deeds : Col. iii. 9. The path of the
righteous may be dark, but the word of God is his lamp :
P.':. cxix. 195. His enemies may be numerous and
formidable, but the Lord is his shield : Ps. xxxiii. 20.
How then, can it be possible for his house to fall, while
it is so well supported? Tempests may howl, storms
arise, and foes beset it, but after all that can be done,
" The house of the righteous shall stand." The rigors
of superstition are from man. The voice of God, is, (ly
misery : live and be happy. Rehearse, in your own
house, the part you would nerfonn in God's house.

OF A BLESSING UPON THE FAMILIES OF TKE GOOD. 39
" The Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you firom evil."
? Thess. iii. 3.
It is the duty end privilege of all Christians,, not
only to pray to God, but to trust in him. Observe,
1st. What encouragement we have to put our trust
in the Lord : "The Lord is faithful." He is faithful
to his promises ; he neither can nor will forget them.
The Lord's saying of it is his doing of it ; when once
the promise is made, the performance is sure to follow :
Heb. vi. 18. He is faithful in all the relations in which
he stands related to us ; as a faithful God, and a faithful
Friend ; who was never known to disappoint one who
trusted in him : Ps. xxii. 4, 5.
2d. What that good is, we may expect from the
Lord; 1st. Establishment: What a consolation is this
to the poor trembling believer ; who, from a sense of his
own weakness, is constantly crying, " O how unstable
I am ! I am afraid that evil will, some time or other,
prove my ruin I" Should tbis be your case, you would
do well to remember, it was grace that saved you from
evil ; and were you no better kept than what you can
keep yourself, you would soon sell your birth-right, and
make a shipwreck of faith and a good conscience :
Eph. ii. 8, 9. The Lord has engaged to " establish," to
fix, settle, and confirm you ; and that should silence all
your fears. He will direct, assist, and bless your un
dertaking : Ps. xc. 17. You have a corrupt, deceitful
heart, that would constantly deceive and lead you into
evil : Jer. xvii. 9 : but let not that trouble you. For,
" The Lord shall establish you, and keep you from evil."
The promise is made to you, and you need not be con-
'A rned about the performance of it : Matt. v. 18. Ho
will not only keep your own person, but all that apper-
mins unto you: Prov. xiv. 11. He regards yours on
your account ; and you may depend upon his keeping
vou, and all you commit to his care, in perfect safety ;
lor " The Lord is faithful." The evil of sin is the
greatest of all evils ; and you need fear nothing so long
as you are kept from that evil. Remember there
is a wide difference between your living in evil, and
evil living in you : Rom. vii. 21 — 23. Love the
Lord — be afraid of sin — and ashamed of your unbe
lief.

CHAPTER II.
fEOMISES RELATING TO TROUBLEl IN LIFE:
IN GENERAL.
OF PRESERVATION FROM EVIL.
" There shall no evil happen to the just." Prov. xii. 21.
The way of religion is a safe, pleasant, comfortable,
and profitable way. Where grace reigns in the heart,
it produces a holy security and serenity of soul; it ena
bles a man to hold fast his integrity and peace, what
ever happens ; and gives him boldness before God and
the world : Acts iv. 13. Whoever is careful to be sin
cerely just (righteous) may, in the midst of abounding
calamity, rely upon the promises of a righteous God,
who has engaged that " no evil" shall happen to them.
" The just" may have troubles, yea, many troubles ;
yet, to them, those troubles have "no evil" in them:
Ps. xci. 10. The Lord, by the power of his grace, that
principle of justice in them, keeps them from sin; so
that though they may be tempted, they shall not be
overcome by the temptation : 1 Cor. x. 13. " The
just," being satisfied they are in the path of their duty
to God and man, feel themselves relieved from an op
pressive burden ; it being their privilege to leave all
consequences with God : Ps. xxxvii. 5. Be not dis
couraged; whatever happens thee, whether sickness,
poverty, crosses, disappointments, persecution, or losses,
"no evil" shall, no evil can happen thee; He shall
deliver thee in six troubles ; yea, in seven, there shall
no evil touch thee : Job v. 19. Fear no evil but tho
evil of sin.

OF PRESERVATION FROM EVIL, 41
" I oniy not tnat thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that tho»
¦houldstkeep them from the evil." John xvii. 15.
Our advocate with the Father is intimately acquaint
ed with our wants, burdens, dangers, weaknesses, and
difficulties ; and we should, therefore, fear no evil but
sin. Our spiritual enemies, it is true, are numerous
and formidable ; but we havo nothing to fear from them;
nor from anything else that may come upon us, over
which we have no control ; since Christ has prayed
that we might be preserved from evil. Observe,
First, the prayer itself. 1st. He prays, " Not that
they should be taken out of the world." No, for many
important ends are answered by Christians being con
tinued in the world. Through their continuance in
the world its conversion is promoted. They are the
light of the world ; and men beholding their good works,
are led to glorify the Father of mercies : Matt. v. 1 4 —
16. The world is corrupted, and Christians, through
their continuance in it, are, as the salt of the earth, the
means of preserving it from further corruption : Matt.
V. 13. The doctrines of the gospel which they spread,
as salt, are penetrating, quick, and powerful : Heb. iv.
12 ; reach the heart : Acts ii. 37 ; are relishing, cleans
ing, and preserve from putrefaction. All other know
ledge is very insipid without them : 1 Cor. ii. 14. The
gospel is an everlasting gospel, and an everlasting cov
enant is called a covenant of salt: Numb, xviii. 19.
Notice, 2d. For what Christ does pray. He prays that
they might be " kept from the evil •" and for this he
has taught us to pray : Matt. vi. 13. He does not here
pray, that they might be kept from poverty, affliction,
and pain, but from " the evil."
Secondly. The present situation of Christians.
W.hilst here they are mixed with ungodly men, living
ill the same house, following the same business, and
exposed to the same temptations. But, though they
are in the world, and have to do with it, they are not
of it : John xv. 19. Through grace they are kept from
the evil one : 1 Pet, v. 8 ; from the evil thing ; and from
the evil of an evil world : Gal. i. 4. Christ hath prayed
for you. Away with your unbelief; admire and adore
that Saviour who prays for you : 1 John ii. 1. Fear
not, while your Redeemer lives and prays.
4*

42 OF SUPPORT UNDER TROUBLE.
" God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Ps
xlvi I.
"God," who is self-existent, consequently indepen
dent of, and far superior to, every other creature, "w
our refuge ;" and to Him we may have recourse. Here
we are taught to triumph in God. Are we pursued by
our enemies? "God is our refuge," to- whom we can
flee, and in whom we are safe : Prov. xviii. 10. Not
withstanding our past sins, and present unworthiness,
infinite wisdom. Almighty power, and unbounded good
ness, is still our refuge. Our father, friend, and God is
our refuge ; our tower ; our hiding-place ; and to him
we have free access at all times, and under every cir
cumstance, through His beloved Son, our elder brother :
John xiv. 6.
Trouble you may, yea, will have, of one kind or
other ; but remember, God teaches some of his best les
sons in the school of affliction ; and though you cannot
live without them, you may live above them. " God is
our refuge;" and to whom should a creature go but to
his Creator — a child but to his father — a sinner but to
his Saviour — or a dependant but to his kind benefactor ?
Indeed, to remove all our scruples, it is made a part
of our religion to apply to God as our refuge : Ps. I. 15.
But we ought to go humbly, confessing our sins : Jer.
xiv. 7 ; reforming our lives : James iv. 8. Are our
enemies strong, and our troubles great? He is our
"strength," to bear us up under every trouble, and fit
us for every burden. If we are distressed, he is our .
"help." Not a help at a distance, but, '^ a present help."
A help at hand. A tried- help. There never was, nor
car. we desire, a better help. Whenever God helps, it
is a ways with a dead-lift. See Ps. cxlv. 18; Ps. xviii.
30 ; Heb. xiii. 5. He has been tried long and often ;
and was never known to fail ; and is the same now as
ever; so that we have nothing to fear while " God is
our refuge ;" nor anything to doubt while he is our
"strength;" but have all things to hope while God is
our "help;" and cause for rejoicing that he is, notonly
a present help, but a " very present help in troubles."
Troubles of all kinds, no matter how, whence, or when
they come. " The Lord will be a refuge for the
oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble :" Ps. ix. 9.

OF support under trouble. ¦is
" My grace is suflicient for thee." 2 Cor. xii. 9.
We are not to expect the pure enjoyments of heaven
while on earth : we should, therefore, be more careful
to enumerate what is for than what is against us.
Our sorrows may be many, but our mercies are more;
and though, like Paul, we may find troubles on every
side, the pit is never so deep but we may look up it ;
Ps. xL 2. Whatever might have been the Apostle's
atffiction, we know it was a. peculiar one. There was
given unto him a thorn in the flesh, and a messenger
of Satan to buffet him. It was such a trouble as the
goodness of God would not suffer him to remove ; but
still the prayer of faith was not in vain ; for though
the burden was not removed from his back, his back
was fitted to the burden ; and he received this gracious
answer: "My grace is sufficient for thee." We may
not be suffering precisely as the Apostle was ; but every
Christian has his thorn in the flesh : Heb. xii. 1.
God sometimes answers prayer in wrath : Numb. xL
4, 5, 31 — 33 ; and sometimes denies in mercy : 2 Cor.
xii. 7 — 9. Our afflictions may be considered in two
respects : 1st. In their appointment. The Lord holds
all creatures in his hand, and can-correct and control
their agency. He is the wise disposer of all events,
and orders all things for the good of all his creatures:
Rom. viii. 28. Never let us stop at second causes ;
but mount in our reflections to that gracious Being who
sits at the helm of affairs, ordering all things after the
counsel of His own will. 2d. In their design. Afflic
tions are as frequently designed to prevent our falling
into evil, as they are to recover us after we have fallen :
Ps. cxix. 71. It matters not what your troubles are ;
for, if it is for your good, God will remove them; and,
if not, you will find the supporting grace of God " is
sufficient;" and He will lay no more upon you, than
what He enables you to bear : 1 Cor. x. 13. Wherever
the Lord gives grace, He is sure to try grace ; but be
not discouraged at the cross. Draw sweet consola
tions from all your afflictions : 2 Cor. iv. 17. Trou
bles are never comfortable, but always profitable :
Heb. xii. 11. In all your troubles and afflictions, put
your hand of faith upon, " My grace is sufficient for
thee."

44 OF support under trouble.
' Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." Ps. Iv. 22.
Grace reigns through the righteousness of Christ:
and all the mercy and favor we receive from God is in
a way of righteousness. The soul, having fallen from a
state of innocency in the first Adam, till it has a know
ledge of being restored in Jesus, the second Adam, can
never be happy ; but we enjoy the knowledge and com
fort that we are righteous before God through faith in
Christ : Rom. v. 1. Care is a trouble, and trouble is a
burden which makes the heart stoop : Prov. xii. 25.
Observe, 1st. Our troubles, though we see them coming from
God, must drive us to God, and not drive us from him.
" Cast thy burden upon the Lord;" Cast it upon Him
by faith and prayer ; commit thy way and works to
Him : Ps. xxxvii. 5. Stay thyself on his providence
and promise ; and be easy in the assurance that all is
working for thy good : Ps. cxxxviiL 7. Cast thy whole
burden upon Him ; as thy troubles come one at a time,
take them to, and cast them upon, the Lord. Enter
into thy closet, lay all thy troubles before Him ; and,
on leaving thy closet, be sure to bring not thy troubles
away with thee ; but leave them with the Lord : Na
hum i. 7. Whenever we take our burden to the Lord,
unless we leave it with him, the burden becomes
heavier and we grow weaker.
2d. The encouragement given: "He shall sustain
thee." Precious assurance ! He shall, not may, nor
perhaps, but He shall. Do what ? Sustaui thy burden ?
Yea, more than that; "He shall sustain thee," and
thy burden into the bargain : Ps. xxvii. 14. He has
not promised immediately to free thee, but sustain
thee: 1 Cor. x. 13. God had one Son without sin;
but He never had one without suffering : Heb. xii. 6.
"Cast thy burden now upon the Lord;" for He wil.
never be more willing to sustain thee, than he now is.
When the Lord uses corrections. He only designs to
convey instructions. Never did a tender nurse sustain
an infant in her arms with greater care, than the Lord
will sustain thee in the arms of his power: Isa. xlix.
15. He will strengthen thy spirit by His spirit. Take
the Ijord at his word, and cast thy burden upon
him.

OF SUPPORT UNDER TROUBLE. 45
" God is faithful, who will not sufier you to be tempted above fnat je are
»ble J but will with the temptation also make a way for your escape." 1 Cor.
X. 13. We live in a world of temptations, beset with snares
on every hand ; in every place, condition, employment,
relation, and enjoyment, our faith is exposed to trials ;
but this should in no way discourage us; for either our
trials will be proportioned to our strength, or our strength
to our trials. Great comfort is to be drawn from this
precious passage ! For,
1st. " God is faithful." Satan may be a deceiver,
but God is true. Men may be false, and the world
treacherous ; but God, in whom is our strength, will
never fail us: Ps. Ixxxix. 33. Do not look at your
own unfaithfulness, but at God's faithfulness. Bear in
mind, 2d. He is wise as well as faithful. He knows what
you can bear better than you do ; distrust not his grace
and faithfulness ; for He " will not suffer you to be
tempted (tried) above that ye are able:" Heb. xi. 17.
Difficulties in your way should never discourage you,
since God will take good care they shall never be too
great for you to encounter. Rely upon his faithfulness.
And, 3d. Mark well the issue : " 'Will with fhe temptation
(or trial) make a way for your escape." You may be
so surrounded with troubles and difficulties that there
may appear to be no way left for your escape ; but that
is no proof that such is the case ; and, admitting there is
tiow no way, God will make a way for your escape.
There is no valley so deep and dark but God can find
a way through it. You may even be so troubled as to
become weary of life : Job x. 1 ; but God will preserve
your life, and support your strength. There can be no
aflliction so grievous, nor any trouble so great, but He
can prevent, remove, or enable us to bear ; and, in the
end, overrule to our advantage: Rom. viii. 28. But
unbelief might be ready to ask, how ? while faith cries
out, that is Father's business ! and all I know about it,
is, God hath said it, and will assuredly do it : Dan. iiL
17, 18. A child of God is a child of troubles, and should
always take his troubles to God: Ps. cvii. 6. Men are
fick.e; your heart is deceitful; but " God is faithfuL"

46 OF deliverance FEOM TROUBLE.
" Call upon me in the day of trouble : I will deliver thee, and thou shaJt
glorify me." Ps. 1. 15.
Human nature is constantly hatching its fears and un
belief, in anxious questions concerning to-morrow ; or
some threatening trouble ; but Christ says, " Let not
your heart be troubled." A good word maketh the
heart glad : Prov. xii. 25. Poor, troubled Christian,
here is a good word for thee.
1st. "Call upon me;" be sure you mind that pre
cious invitation ; for our troubles must never keep us
from God ; but lead or drive us to him. Call upon
whom you will beside, let nothing prevent your calling
upon God. Be not afraid of calling at an unseasonable
hour; for you will always find Him at home, seated
upon a throne of grace, in constant readiness to attend
upon all calls that are made upon him : Ps. xxxiv. 15.
2d. Observe the time when you are invited, yea,
commanded, to call upon him ; " In the day of trouble."
Troubled soul, do mind the time! While in health
ease, affluence, and honor, you may scarcely be able tc
walk through a street without meeting with the invita
tion, "call upon me;" but under a reverse of circum
stances, " in the day of trouble," it may happen that
you may not only wear out your shoes, but also your
feet, without meeting an earthly friend who would sym
pathize with you and say, "call upon me." But the
Lord urges upon you to call upon Him; even when
every other friend may have forsaken you, and every
other refuge have failed you : Ps. xxxiv. 17. Call
upon him in the full expectation of not calling in vaia
For, 3d. The promise is, "Iwill deliver thee." He will
n It put you off with, " Can't you call again." No, but
will, positively, " deliver thee." This is a cheap way
of obtaining deliverance : Isa. Iv. 1 ; nevertheless, it is
a sure way : Matt, xi, 28. Others, on whom you may
call, may tell you how sorry they are for you ; but the
" I-ord will deliver you." And now,
4th. Notice all He expects from you in return •
"Thou shalt glorify me." This you must do, not only
by telling of his goodness, but, by living to his glory.
He has always delivered all who called upon him and
will deliver thee : Jer. xxix. Ll.

OF DELIVER ANC IS FROM TROUBLE. 47
'" The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations." 2 Peiei
I. 9. This is a living comfort in the saddest seasons ; the
Lord knows both our sorrows and the cause of them.
He follows us, though we have cared so little for him ;
and comforts us, though we have grieved him. It is the
duty of all who live " godly" to look out and prepare
for temptations, (or troubles) seeing they are a part of
their legacy : John xvi. 33 ; and the way to heaven lies
through them : Rev. vii. 14. The Lord knows the
godly wherever they may be, and though there may be
but one in five cities, that one shall not be forgotten :
2 Pet. ii. 6, 7. Observe,
1st. The character given of those who look for deliv
erance, " the godly." A godly man, having obtained
grace from God, makes it his business to glorify Him ;
by worshipping, and imitating him : Ps. xii. 1 ; Titus
li. 12. Only be careful to serve God, and never doubt
of his serving you. The people of God are frequently
so hedged about with troubles, that they can see no
prospect of deliverance. But,
2d. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver ;" even when
short-sighted man can see no way. He sees many ways :
Isa. Iv. 8, 9. Infinite v/isdom can never be at a lass for
a way to deliver the godly. But remember it is God's
work to " deliver the godly;" and he knoweth how.
Can you, then, for a moment doubt of his willingness?
Name a single instance, if you can, in which he either
wanted the will or the way. Throughout the whole
course of your life, do you ever recollect having one
trouble from which he did not deliver you ? Not one
Then why doubt now? Is the arm of the Lord short
ened that he cannot save ? or his ear heavy that he
cannot hear? Isa. lix. 1. Mercy's fountain is not dried
np, though the God of mercy may appear to be silent :
Matt. XV. 23. Every other port may be closed against
you ; but the port of heaven is always open ; and you
may venture to run in there with your half-wrecked
bark; and lie in perfect safety : Job viii. 20, 21. Feat
not while you have breath to pray ; for the Lord
knoweth how to deliver you. The Lord may chide
bitterly, and strike heavily, while he loves you dearly :
Ilcb. xii. 6.

48

OF DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLn.

" Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have com
(lassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget
thee." Isa. xlix. 16.
Christian, is thy heart pained within thee on account
of its own wickedness ? That is a godly sorrow which
the wicked are strangers to ; but is one of the greatest
afflictions of the righteous. The troubles of the be
liever in Christ are frequently like poor Job's messen
gers, one treading upon the heels of another. This may
be now thy case ; and thou mayest be tempted to
believe the Lord hath forgotten thee. Away with your
fears ; and behold the tender regard that God has for
his people ! He seems to consider his glory reflected
upon, if, in their trouble, they should only think that
he has forgotten them. Do but hear him ! " Can a
woman," one of the tender sex, a mother, '^forget her
sucking child?" Look at that smiling babe, hang
ing at the breast of its tender mother ! See how she
loves it! how delighted with it! it is part of herself;
she loves it, she suffered for it. Can she forget it ? Will
she lend a deaf ear to its infant cries, and refuse to
administer to its wants? Is it possible? Yea, it is
possible. A woman may be so heavily afflicted as to
" forget her sucking child." There have been such
monsters in the shape of women, as to have no com
passion on their little offspring. Therefore, the Father
of mercies says, " yea, they may forget." But to
remove all the surmises of human nature, immediately
adds, " yet will I not forget thee." A woman may
forget that she is a mother, yet God will never forget
that he is a Father : 2 Cor. vi. 18. So that, while you
are in trouble, you may expect God will support you
under, and, when he sees it will be for your good,
deliver you from it : Ps. Ixxi. 20.
Be not over anxious to get rid of your present trouble :
for a deliverance from one trouble only makes room for
another : Matt. vi. 34. A man carried by the grace ot
God will ride easily over a rough road. Afflictions
like medicines, are few of them sweet, but all of them
good : Ps. cxix. 71. In time of peace we are apt to let
our armor go rusty; but in war we keep it bright. Is
the tender infant part of its mother ? It is— and so
are we members of Christ's body : Eph. v. 30.

OF DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLE. 49
" In all these things we are more than conquerors, through him tha hath
loved us." Rom. viii. 37.
Will you, poor forlorn soul, say. My Lord hath for
saken me ; and I shall sink in my trouble? True, thou
mayest deserve it ; but the Lord deals not with thee
after that sort ; though thou art a sinner, a backsliding
sinner, a hell-deserving sinner, the verychief of sinneis,
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners : 1
Tim. i. 15. And still, his name is Jesus. And, " in all
ihese things," — What things? Tribulation, distress,
persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword ; in all
these things " we are more than conquerors ;" for though
troubled, yea, killed, we are sure of victory. This may
appear a strange way; but it is God's way: Ps. cxlv.
14; and must therefore be a good way. We conquer,
though we die; yea, we more than conquer; for we
triumph. Our Captain brings all his men out of the
field, without losing anything that is valuable : 2 Cor.
iv. 17, 18. Gold is refined in the furnace of fire; the
Christian, in the furnace of affliction : 1 Pet. i. 7.
Many have conquered in the flames, in the dungeon, on
the rack, and under the axe. Surely then, you have no
cause to fear : Isa. li. 22, 23. If victory over your suf
ferings depended upon yourself, you would have too
much cause to fear ; but that is not the case ; for we
are assured, we are conquerors only "through him who
hath loved us." Mark that ! It is in the strength ot
Christ, and through Christ, that we are more than a
match for all that troubles and opposes us ; he having
overcome for us : John xvi. 33. We cannot live with
out suffering, but it is our privilege to live above it ;
" through him who hath loved us." Never measure
your troubles by the pain they cause, but by the tiud
tl ey accomplish: Heb. xii. 11.
Reason not with unbelief; give credence to the word
of your Saviour ; he has been with you in past troubles ;
and has engaged not to leave you in this: Ps. xiii. 11.
Deliverance will assuredly come when needful: John
vL 19. The word of the Lord abideth forever ; His
covenant is sure ; His love is unchangeable ; and His
promises are immutable. Draw nigh unto him in the
full assurance of faith ; and your night of trouble will
be turned into joyous day : Ps. xxx. 5.
5

50 OF DELIVERANCE FEOM SICKNESS.
" Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from tha
noisome pestilence." Ps. xci, 3.
Christian, never forget that your carnal reason is a
home-bred foe, a domestic enemy, that constantly opposes
the truths of your God, with, How can these things be ?
and disputes your Lord's command, with, Hath the Lord
required this? and wants them all explained according
to the rules of carnal conception. Often has this foe
caused your hands to hang down when thoy ought to
have been lifted up in prayer : 1 Tim. ii. 8. Discaid it;
treat it as an enemy to your soul's comfort, and your
Lord's glory. The antidote is faith in the Redeemer.
A believer in Christ is always safe ; because he is
kept by Christ : John xvii. 12. Many are the snares
which are laid for you, and into which you would un
warily fall, and which would prove fatal to you, but for
your kind deliverer. Dangers are often nearest to us
when we are the least apprehensive of them ; and, like
the poor bird, we are ignorant of the "snare of the
fowler." And it is all owing to a kind, a gracious, and
a watchful Providence, that our natural life has been
spared: Job xxxiii. 24 — 26. Our spiritual life also
has been preserved by divine grace ; in the hour of
temptation we have been " delivered from the snare of
the fowler:" Col. iii. 3. Why should you be alarmed,
on account of prevailing sickness? you have hitherto
been kept "from the noisoTne pest'dence," which has
carried off so many thousands, yea, millions, of our
fellow-mortals, in different parts of the earth ; and the
promise shall hold good; "Surely he shall deliver
thee:" Jer. xxxiii. 6. Our souls too have been deliv
ered "from the noisome pestilence," sin: Ps. ciii. 3,
Death may ride in triumph, and disease rage a I.
around ; yet, " surely he shall deliver ihee." Every
arrow that Death hurls has its commission ; the Egyp
tians may have death in every house, and the Assy tian
army be all cut off in one night; still, Israel is safe:
Ps, Ixviii. 20. God often afflicts our bodies, that we
might the better know what is in our hearts. Hard
weather will try our health, but sickness tries our
grace: 1 Pet i. 6, 7. Wait on the Lord, be of good
courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart; wait
I say, on the Lord : Ps xxvii. 14,

OF DELIVERANCE FROM SICKNESS, 51
" The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and tne Lord shall raise iiim up."
James v. 15.
This, poor afflicted soul, is thy happiness below, thy
heaven upon earth, to have access to the Father of con
solation in all thy afflictions. When God, and Christ,
and heaven are within, it matters but little what is with
out. Here we have the duty of an afflicted child
sweetly connected with the Father's gracious assurance.
Observe, 1st. It is not a faint, cold, formal, and indifferent
prayer, that is here spoken of: but "the prayer of
fa'ith :" not only on the part of the person praying, but
also on the part of those prayed for. Faithful prayer is
powerful and prevailing prayer : Exod. xxxii. 9 — 14.
The prayer of faith " shall save ihe sick ;" that is, if God
sees it will be for the good of the sick, and he has any
thing farther for them to do in this world ; and if not,
faith and prayer will not prevail ; neither would a hum
ble believer desire that it should be otherwise, than just
as Father would have it : Job xiii. 15. Sin is the cause
of sickness ; we ought, therefore, to pray for the remo
val of sin, rather than for the removal of our own or
others' sickness: Ps. xli. 4.
2d. See also the success that attends the faithful
prayer; "The Lord shall raise him up." So that, you
perceive, it is the Lord's work to raise up as well as to
pull down : Ps, cvii. 25. And well it is for us, that it is
the Lord's work ; for He is infinite in wisdom ; and can,
therefore, make no mistake ; and His love is boundless,
consequently he cannot be unkind : Rom. viii. 32. He
will never permit sickness to come upon any of his chil
dren, till He sees it needful for them. Are you sick ? If
so, I'^ather knows it ; and is watching over you ; He
knows how long you have been sick ; and how much
you can bear; and will "raise you up," when He sees
you have been sick long enough. Let the Lord's will
be your will ; and judge not of His love to you by your
love to him. Sickness should never trouble you ; but
should always humble you : Lam. iii. 19, 20. You are
not sick by chance: Job v. 6. You may be tempted
sorely, and have darkness over your soul, owing to your
bodily afflictions ; and this will grieve you worst of all ;
but remember. Father knows you lie but dust.

52 OF SUPPORT UNDER SICKNESS.
" The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing ; thou wilt
make all his bed in his sickness." Ps. xli. 3.
In this one verse is a plurality of comforts for a be
liever on a bed of sickness ; or with it in prospect ; they
are to be enjoyed by faith, by every believing soul ; let
us now look at them. Let the poor afflicted ChrisJian
consider, 1st. "The Lord will strengthen him," both in body
and mind; and should he be too weak to sit up, being
worn down by sickness, no matter : the Lord can, and
will, do it " upon ihe bed of languishing ;" though he
may have long lain; and become wasted by sickness;
or reduced by racking pains ; God will assuredly enable
him to bear up cheerfully under his afflictions, and
patiently wait the issue : Ps. Ixxiii. 26.
2d. The Lord will be his nurse. He will not only
be constantly with him in his sick-chamber, but will
"make atthis bed in his sickness:" He will "make a//his
bed ;" will shake it up, turn it over, and, from head to foot,
make it very easy : even as a bed of health. O how soft
must that bed be, made by so good a hand! So accus
tomed is He to making beds for his children, that, even a
bed of straw, He makes to lie soft as down : Ps. cxvL 6.
The Lord has nowhere promised, that you shall never be
sick ; or that you shall never be confined to a bed of lan
guishing; but he has promised to strengthen you in the
one, and support you on the other. So that you need not
fear being left to your own helplessness ; since He has
engaged to attend you himself, in the capacity of Physi
cian and Nurse. Bear in mind, afflicted Christian, that
while your heavenly Father afflicts you with one hand,
he supports you with the other. When pain prevails
over your weak frame, you may be tempted to think
yourself forgotten ; that your religion is vain, and that
you have been deceiving yourself; but your afflictions
prove that you are an object both of Satan's enmity and
the Lord's fatherly discipline : Heb. xii. 6, 7.
A stubborn and rebellious mind in a Christian, must
be brought low ; and if naked blessings do not humble
us, they are sent disguised in afflictions. You are now
called to be a hero, not in action, but in suffering ; you
are in God's school under education ; where you are
being instructed by chastisement. Bear it patiently.

OF SUPPORT UNDER SICKNESS. 53
"The trial of your faith, being ranch more precious than that of gold thai
perisheth, though it be tried with fire." 1 Pet. i. 7.
Mavy things may rob a Christian of his happy frame,
yel nothing can deprive him of the foundation of his
happiness ; for it is founded in the unchangeable love
and truth of God. Here is a stream flowing to the citi
zens of heaven from the shoreless ocean of God's love :
Ps. xlvi. 1 — 5. Observe,
1st. God's design is, not to destroy you, but to refine
you, and has afflicted you, for "the trial of your faith."
Faith that is not tried is hardly worth calling "faith"
The fire tries gold ; afflictions try faith. By the tri...!
of your faith your Christianity is tried; and without /at^A
all your pretensions to religion are vain : Heb. xi. 6.
There is a mock-faith, which, with some, passes for real
faith ; but, when tried, is always found to be good for
nothing; and will not stand the fire. But yours is
" precious faith:" 2 Pet. i. 1. A grain of faith is worth
a ton of gold. Yea, it is "much more precious than
gold;" for this plain reason, " gold perisheth;" but faith
never will perish. Gold, "though it be tried in the fire,"
does not increase in the fire ; and faith does : James i. 3.
It is not all gold that looks like gold ; neither is that all
faith which looks like faith ; the fire will prove them
both. When the formalist is told that he must be tried,
he cries out, "This is a hard saying; who can hear it?"
John vi. 60. But when the believer is in the furnace
he confidently says. When He hath tried me, I shall
come forth as gold : Job xxiii. 10.
The Lord, in afflicting you, designs your good ; not
your ruin. The most valuable, pure, useful, and dura
ble of all metals, is tried-gold ; so is tried-faith among
all the Christian virtues. The trial of both, gold and
faith, is intended to separate the dross from that which
is valuable. Gold rather diminishes in the trial ; but
faith is improved, established and multiplied, by its op
positions and afflictions. The best of gold must perish
at last : Luke xxii. 32. The enemy of your soul may
be permitted to go the full length of his chain, and
greatly annoy you during your sickness ; but he can go
no farther ; and a faithful God will never suffer you to
be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, for " the
irial of your faith is precious,"
5*

54 OF SUPPORT IN OLD AGE.
" And even to your old age, I am he ; and even to hoar hairs will I carry
you ; I have made and I wdl bear, even I will carrj', and will deliver you."
Isa. xlvi. 4.
Poor soul, art thou, not only almost at thy journey's
end, but, perhaps too, at thy wits' end ? Do men insult
and Satan triumph over thee, till thou art almost drunk
with trouble and intoxicated with affliction ? Are they
accusing thee with being a hypocrite; asking, now,
where is thy religion ; and calling upon thee to bow
down that they may go over thee? Do they impudently
ask thee, "Where is thy God?" and perplex thee till
thou art almost ready to ask thyself the same question ?
Ps. xiii. 3. Here you have an answer to all such ques
tions, from your God himself. "I am He." I formed
you ; gave your being ; sustained you while a helpless
infant at the breast ; I marked your infant path with
mercy ; regarded you, and brought you safely through
the slippery path of youth ; conducted you in safety to
manhood; led you on to maturity; "And even to yoiir
old age lam he." Though your strength might decay,
my love shall not diminish : Jer. xxxi. 3. Infirmities
may load your body, but my grace is sufficient : 2 Cor.
xii. 9. I not only made you, but have redeemed you ;
therefore, "Iwillbear" you; yea, and more than that,
when you cannot walk for old age and infirmity, "I
will carry you:'" Isa. xli. 14. Are you unfit for busi
ness ? let that give you no concern ; "even to hoar hairs,"
your bread shall still be given you : Isa. xxxiii. 16. Are
your friends grown weary of supporting you ? still trust
in me ; my friendship shall never grow cold : Heb. xiii.
5, Are you desiring that some friend would come and
" deliver yoxi ?" "I am he," who has brought you thus
far on your-journey through life; and I am not going
lo lea ire you now you need my help most. You
change often, but I change never: Heb. i. 10-— 12.
Let not your heart be troubled; from all your griefs
and infirmities, "I will deliver you." O, how does his
grace shine in this gracious speech ! Canst thou help
loving and adoring so gracious a master? He never
turns his servants off, to shift for themselves in old age :
no ; for when they are unable either to work or walk
he will keep them, if it be only to look at. Be assured
of it, he will take good care of you.

OF SUPPORT IN OLD AGE. 65
" And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen,"
Matt, xxviii. 20.
All the promises of God, as well as the threatenings,
were made to characters ; hence, we must always know
that we sustain the character before we lay our claim to
the promise. This precious promise (or declaration)
was made to the Apostles ; and, as such, belongs to them
exclusively ; but being made to them as ministers of tho
gospel, may be claimed by all who truly sustain that
character; and being given to them as disciples oi
Christians, all the faithful followers of Christ have an
equal claim to it. Let us then, aged soldier of the
cross, consider,
First, the great privilege possessed by all real believ
ers in Jesus. "I am with you always." They have not
only his general presence, which all have, but his spe
cial presence. 1st. His guiding presence. He guides
his people, as he did Israel of old, through this world,
which would be a dreary wilderness without his pres
ence : Deut. viii. 2. He guides us by his providence
and grace : John iii. 35 ; his word and spirit : Isa. xiii.
16. And, 2d. His protecting presence is with them ; so
that you shall not only be guided in the right way, but
be preserved from those enemies and snares which beset
you: Ps. xlvi. 1. Rest assured nothing can harm you
while Christ is with you : 1 Pet. iii. 13. You may be
bending under the weight of many years ; and worn
down with cares ; but let none of those things trouble
you. For, 3d. His susiaitiing presence is with you.
He IS your gracious Saviour, and has engaged to richly
supply all your needs ; all you have to do, is to place
your whole dependance upon him, and ask, in his name,
the things you need : John xiv. 13, 14. And, 4th. You
have his abiding presence. He is with you always,
"even to the end of the v)orld." So that you will have
his company and aid to the end of your journey : Ps.
l.xxiii. 24. And hence we may learn,
Secondly, .The happiness of believers. 1st. The
presence of Christ gives rest in this life : Matt. xi. 28,
29 ; and peace that the world knows nothing of- John
xvi. 33. 2d. His presence gives victory over sin, death,
and the grave : 1 Cor. xv. 55 — 57. And, 3d. His pres-
ciiice gives happiness in the world to come: Pk. xvi. 11.

66 OF SUPPORT IN CHILD-BEARING.
" He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee ; he will also hlrti
the fruit of thy vomb." Deut. vii. 13.
Permit me, dear sister, to remind thee of that near
relation in which the God of all comfort stands to thee.
For thy Maker is thy husband : the Lord of hosts is
nis name : Isa. liv. 5. And what more can you desire,
to complete your happiness, than what he has promised ':
1st. "He will hove thee." The Lord has loved thee ;
and given unnumbered proofs ofhis love, and "He."
having fallen in love with thee, "will love thee:" 1
John iv. 9, 10. "He will love thee," notwithstanding
thou art so very homely in thy own eyes ; for he looks
upon thee as a perfect beauty, through his comeliness
which he has put upon thee : Ezek. xvi. 6 — 14. 2d.
Thou shalt have further proof of his love too, than mere
words ; for "He ivill bless thee," yea, and thou shalt be
blessed. Do not talk about ill-requited love, now ; you
have only to do better for the time to come ; and evince
your love to him by keephig his commandments; and
the desire of your heart shall be granted : Ps. xxxvii. 4.
For, 3d. "He will multiply thee;" and, if he sees it will
be for thy good, he will never suffer thee to have an estate
without an heir; nor an heir without an estate. Let
not your present trying situation cause you any unea
siness ; but rest assured, that he who formed ihee knows
well how to form thine. You know he has loved you ;
and, in numberless instances, blessed you, and in+,er-
posed in your behalf; and you have a good right to
expect that he will bless yours; for he says he will; and
surtily his word is sufficient to remove all your scruples
aud dispel your fears: Matt. xxiv. 35. 4th. He has
blessed the tree, and says, "He will bless the fruit ;" so
that he has put the matter beyond dispute. H» ia
acquainted with every ache and pain you feel; and
when the time of your extremity arrives, " He will love
thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee; he witt also bless
the fruit ;" and take the best of care of the tree. Your
feelings you cannot avoid ; they are peculiar to your
present situation ; but it is your privilege to live above
them; though you cannot hve without them. While
it is your duty quietly to submit to your trial, let your
fears be given to the windo • isa. xli. 10. He will bless
both thee and thine

OF SUPPORT IN CHILD-BEARING. 57
•'Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in child-bearing, if they continue
in faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety." 1 Tim. ii. 15.
When in the midst of fears, in the sight of dangeis,
and in the dread of destruction, it is our business to
cease from self-confidence, attend to the voice of God,
rely upon his promises, hope in his mercy, and quietly
wait for his great deliverance: Lam. iii. 26. Stand
still, sister, admire, adore, love, and confide in a
gracious, wonder-working, sinner-saving Lord. For,
" notwithstanding" the woman was first deceived by
the tempter, and was the first to bring sin into our
world, she also brought forth the Saviour; and "she
shall be saved in child-bearing." "Notwithstanding"
the sentence she is under. Gen. iii. 16, there can be no
bar in the way of her acceptance with Christ. The
head of the serpent has been bruised by the seed of
woman ; and " she shall be saved." Let your principal
care be to " continue in faith," which is a saving grace :
Eph. ii. 8 ; purifies the heart : Acts xv. 9 ; worketh by
love, or "charity :" Gal. v. 6; '^ and holiness," which
is the opposite of all sin, and is inseparably connected
with happiness: Heb. xii. 14; "with sobriety," pru
dence, gravity, humility, and temperance : Titus ii. 12.
While brooding over your present difficulties, and
gloomy prospect, you may be ready to say, " Many
truly pious women in my situation have died, while
others, notorious for impiety, have been brought through
their trouble." That certainly has been the case; but
it is no proof of its being so with you : Ps. I. 15.
" Conlinne in faith;" live to God; rely upon his
gracious promises; and though the difficulties and dan
gers of child-bearing are many and great, being a
part of the punishment inflicted on your sex, for Eve s
transgression, "Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in
child-bearing." Though in sorrow, she shall be ma.de
a mother; she shall be a living mother of living
children. Live faithfully, charitably, holy and sober
ly: and then, by taking hold of the promises of God,
you will be able to live comfortably. Be ashamed of
your unbelief; it damps your joy; brings a dark cloud
between you and the blessed Sim of righteousness ; and
withholds the glory of your heart. Be not faitlilcJii.
sister, but believing.

59 TO THE STRANGER.
" He loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment." Deut. x. 18.
We are too apt to be forgetful of our home above,
while surrounded with all the comforts of a home be
low. The Lord sometimes strips us of them to turn
our thoughts homeward. But even then, he does not
leave us comfortless ; for as tribulation abounds, con
solation also abounds: 2 Cor. i. 5. The Christian
IS frequently called to suffer in mind, from having
to live amongst men, and find so few men ; and among
Christians, and meet with so few Christians. Some
times he is a stranger in a strange land, without any
certain dwelling-place, exposed to hunger, hardships,
and want; but in the worst of times, he has this best
of consolations, to know that God is with him : Isa.
xli. 10. Strangers are constantly exposed; and, very
frequently destitute of friends; which makes their case
truly pitiable. Should this be your case, be not dis
couraged: you have still one friend left, who is both
able and willing to help you : Isa. xxv. 4. Do not be
afraid, or ashamed, to apply to him immediately ;
and lay before him the true state of your case. He is
your covenant-keeping God, and will not send you
empty away. For,
1st. "He loveth the stranger." Here is thy com
fort; He ever loves, always hears, and can instantly
deliver thee. Judge not of thy Father's love by his
present dispositions ; if thou art sorely smitten on
earth, go and unbosom thyself to thy best friend, thy
faithful Friend, in heaven. He loves thee; cares for
thee; and will listen to all thy complaints.
2d. The stranger may be permitted to suffer, for
awhile, the gnawing pains of hunger; but this affords
the Lord an opportunity of proving His love, "m giv
ing him food." Shew the stranger's Friend your
trouble: Ps. cxlii. 2. He who feeds the ravens, and
sent Elijah his food in the mouth of ravens, has
engaged to give you food, even amongst strangers.
Your apparel may be worn threadbare, yea, worn out;
but no matter ; you can enter the court of your Father's
house, though in rags ; for,
3d. He gives "raiment" to the stranger, on his ap
plying for it if he sees it will be for the best. He will
be un ie«s mindful of you, than ofthe grass : Matt. vi. 30.

TO THE STRANGER. 69
" My God shall supply all your need, accordmg to his nches in glory by
Christ Jesus." Phil. iv. 19.
Here we have a promissory note drawn upon the
Exchequer of Heaven ; and a precious one it is ; good
to the amount of all we need ; current in every country ;
always duly honored; and never withdrawn. Stran
ger, whoever you are, or wherever you are, if you are
a Christian, it is impossible for you to need anything
which God cannot supply you with: Ps. xxiv. 1.
Paul, though a great saint, was a poor sinner, even as
others. Yet having experienced so much of the good
ness of God himself, with what unshaken confidence, and
boldness, he speaks of what his God shall do. Observe,
1st. Paul's God is your God; and it matters not
where your lot is cast, nor what your situation might be;
though you may be a houseless wanderer, in a strange
country, pennyless, friendless, and forlorn ; with no eye
lo pity your distress, nor any hai.d to minister to your
relief: still you shall have no cause to complain; for you
have only to carry this check to the bank of Heaven,
at any hour you please, and you may depend upon
receiving the amount of "all you need." And, what
more can you desire? Deut. x. 18. Believers' needs
are God's concerns; and He will supply them: Ps.
Ixxxiv. 11. "My God," says faithful Paul, " shatt
supply ; supply all your need." Not he may ; but "He
shall." Not supply you in part; no; hut all. Not all
your wants, but all your needs : Ezek. xi. 16.
2d. He will, yea, "shall supply all your need," not
according to your merit, but his mercy; not according
to your poverty on earth, but according to "his riches
in glory ;" not only riches, but riches in glory ; glorious
riches. You receive all from glory; and all tends to
glory. Think not so dishonorably of your God, as to
suppose him an unconcerned spectator of your need;
or that he will withhold from you what you do
need. 3d. " Christ Jesus," through whom "your need" is
supplied, is your Saviour, your Friend, who loveth al
all times; your elder Brother who was born for adver
sity. He is touched with a tender sympathy, a feeling
sense of all your infirmities: Heb. iv. 15. Stretch your
empty hands toward? your God. Isa. Ixvi. 2

60 TO THE POOR AND HELPLESS.
"The needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of ilie poor simll
not perish forever." Ps. ix. 18.
The faith, patience, and valor, of Christ's soldiers are
best known, when sorest tried. The poor never ceased
even out of the land of Israel : Deut. xv. 11. For ye
have says Christ, the poor always with you : Matt.
xxvi. 11. Those who have a heart to do good, need
never complain for want of opportunity. Notwithstand
ing, tljere are many who have " much goods," who do
no good with their goods ; but while they abound with
plenty, forget the poor in their poverty. In this pas
sage there is a double consolation for the poor and
helpless. 1st. "The needy shall not always he forgotten."
Truly, this is a great encouragement for you, poor
Christian, to wait patiently upon God; and not to
think, because you are needy, and neglected by man,
that you are forgotten by the Lord : Job xxxvi. 15.
Do not suppose, because you have so long to wait, tha
you will "always be forgotten; for that is impossible:
Isa. xlix. 15. You may have expected help from man,
and have been disappointed. But if you are now ex
pecting help from God, be assured, your expectation
shall not be cut off: Prov. xxiii. 18. Dry up your
tears; muster your faith and patience. Try a throne
of grace once more : Ps. cii. 17. Deliverance will
shortly come : Ps. Ixxii. 12, 13. The darkest part of
the night is a little before day. Poverty is no sin. See
Jesus, consider Jesus, who had not where to lay his
head. He sees you, considers you, and bears a part in
all your griefs : Heb. iv. 15. You may have been look
ing for help, from quarters you naturally expected to
find it, but have been disappointed ; and now you are
tempted to think deliverance will never come. Reason
not so with unbelief For,
2d. "Your expectai'ion shall not perish forever." It
is true, you cannot live on faith ; but you may, and it
is your privilege to, live by faith : Rom. i. 17. Your
family, if you have one, requires something of a dif
ferent nature; but just as your children, or dependants,
make their needs known, and cry to you, do you do s- to
your heavenly Father : Ps. ciii. 13. Blind unbelief is
sure to err; an(^ carnal reason makes a false report.

TO THE POOR AND HELPLESS. 61
' Let the brother of low degree rejoice, in that he is exalted. " . hmes i. 9.
The brightest saints are often the greatest sufferers ;
though sufferings and afflictions are the common lot of
all Christians : Jas. ii. 5. But poverty does not destroy
the relation in which they stand to each other and to
Christ. For,
Ist. They are brethren; and it is their privilege to
rejoice, even in tribulation : Rom. v. 3. Our hopes aid
c omforts rise or fall, according to our faith in what
< /lirist is in himself; and what He is to us. It is, there-
lore, important, that we claim him in all the relations
in which he stands to us. He is not only our Saviour
and Advocate, but our Brother: Heb. ii. 17. You
may be brought very low, and your life, which is but
a span long, be full of evils; each fleeting day may
bring upon its wing some new sorrow ; and the adversa
ry may be permitted to buffet you, while his fiery darts
are flying thick around you; still, you belong to the
brotherhood ; and are called upon to rejoice. " Let ihe
brother of low degree rejoice." Do you ask, "In what
can I rejoice, seeing I am almost worn out, and wearied
out? what with my poor distressed circumstances, tbe
plague of my deceitful heart, the violent assaults of
Satan, the absence of my Saviour's smiles, the troubles
of the world, and the powerful workings of unbelief,
my life is a burden; and, in what have I to rejoice?"
Whatever your frames and feelings, troubles and cares
may be, remember, "the brother of low degree" has
good ground to rejoice upon ; not only because he is
called a brothei , but,
2d. "In thai he is exalted." Mind that; not shall
be; but "is exalted." Worldly wealth soon withers,
and worldly friends die with it ; but you are exalted to
be heir to an inheritance that cannot fade : 1 Pet. i. 4.
Your troubles will soon have an end ; the whistling
winds of adversity will shortly cease to blow upon
your humble cot ; you will soon be freed from the iron
hand of poverty, and the frozen looks of icy-hearted
friends. You can never take any real harm from
poverty in pocket, so long as you remain "poor in
spirit :" Matt. v. 3. Deliverance will shortly come :
Ps. cxiii. 7. The Lord has good things in store for
you ; and you shall have them : Ps. Ixviii. 10.
6

62 TO THE WIDOW AND FATHERLESS.
"He dotli execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow." Deut. x. 18.
Men glory in their greatness ; but God glories in his
goodness ; and wherever he finds human misery. He is
sure to bestow divine mercy : Ps. Ixxii. 4. The Lord
IS good to all ; but truly good to all who love him : Ps.
Ixxiii. 1. He ever loves to help the helpless ; therefore,
poor, heart-stricken widow, and sorrowful orphans, He
has taken your cause into his own hands. Hearken
sister, the Lord of Hosts commands away thy fears;
and declares himself to be thy husband : Isa. liv. 4, 5.
Think not because you have lost your husband you
have lost your God. No ; that can never be. Yon
are married to him ; and He hates putting away. And
all that he expects from you is, that you should bring
forth fruit unto him. He will love, honor, and cherish
you, succor and support you, in sickness and in health ;
and will not suffer even death itself to part you. Men
may endeavor to take an advantage of your weakness
and helplessness ; but wo be to them, who shall dare
to make such an attempt, or in anywise afflict you :
Exod, xxii. 22—24. Make yourselves perfectly easy ;
for " He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and.
widow." When a family is bereft of its head, then the Lord
takes the charge upon himself; so that, the widow and
fatherless find their loss more than made up. He is a
Judge or Patron of the widows, to give them every
necessary advice, plead their cause, do them right, and
see them righted : Prov. xxii. 23. His ear is open to
all their cries, and his hand supplies all their needs.
He is a Father of the fatherless; He defends theii
cause, pities them, blesses them, provides for them, in
structs them, and portions them : Ps. Ixviii. 5. Once
more, let me remind thee, poor widow, the Lord has
taken thee for better, for worse ; as a bride, love him.
honor and obey him, and keep thee only to him ; and,
indulgent as thy former husband might have been, thou
wilt find Him infinitely more kind. And let the
fatherless act towards Him as they would to a kind
and indulgent father, and they shall have no cause to
complain, but abundant cause to rejoice in having the
Lord for their Father. In the Lord the fatherless find
mercy : Hos, xiv. 3.

TO THE WIDOW AND FATHERLESS. 63
" Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, To visit
the fatherless and widows in their aflliction, and to keep himself iinspotted
from the world." James i. 27.
A Christian does not wck to live; but he does
hve to work : Jas. li. 22. Christ dwelling in the heart,
by faith, is the source and spring of all comfort, and
every good work : Eph. iii. 17. We have here a touch
stone, by which we may try our religion; and which,
if men would only take the trouble to bring their reli
gion to it, would soon put an end to all not disputes.
Observe, what is said of true religion.
IsL It is called "Pure religion;" not mixed with
the inventions and traditions of man ; nor the corrup
tions of the world. 2d. It is "¦undefiled;" having no
connexion whatever with bigotry, prejudice, party-zeal,
or micharitableness : 1 John iii. 10. It is of the utmost
importance that our religion he pure and kept undefiled;
and that it teach us to act, on all occasions, as in the
presence of Him whom we profess to serve ; that we
may please Him in all our actions. For no religion is
of any value, but that which is found pure and unde
filed " 6e/bre G^oc? anc? if Ae i^o/Aer." 3d. A very neces
sary part of true religion is, "To visit the fatherless
and widows in their affliction." The Lord knows they
need visiting, and that they are too frequently neglect
ed; but He will not forget them- and has, therefore,
made it a part of our reUgion to visit them ; and not
from curiosity, or mere compliment, but in compassion
and charity. 4th. The man whose religion is pure,
must not onlyendeavor to preserve that from being
• defiled, but, must "keep himself unspotted from the
world." It is hard to live in the world, and have to
tlo with it, and not be spotted by it ; but this must be
uur constant endeavor : 1 Cor. x. 31. We may travel
a bad road, without sitting down in the mud.
Are you fatherless ? — put your trust in God ; live to
him ; wipe away your tears ; for though your loss is
great, your gain is greater ; and your heavenly Father
will more than fill your earthly father's place : Hos.
xiv. 2. Are you a widoiv? — cease to mourn your
loss ; for God has engaged to act in the double capacity
of Father and Husband toward you ; and he will never
break his engagement : Ps. Ixviii. 5

64 TO THE PRISONER AND CAPTIVE.
" Verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil, ».A
m the time of aflliction." Jer. xv. 11.
What a sweet harmony exists between the Father's
promises and the children's needs ! Religion will never
exempt a man from trouble, but it will make him hap
py in trouble ; for he knows, go how it may with oth
ers, it is sure to be well with him : Isa. iii. 10. Should
you be brought into prison, or affliction, for righteous
ness' sake, a righteous God will cause your enemies
"to entreat you wett," for his mercy's sake: Isa. xlix.
25. The God whom you serve has the hearts of al.
men in his hand ; and can, yea, will, cause the enemy,
into whose hands you may have fallen, to treat thee
well. And of this you have no room to doubt ; for he
has not only said, " I will," which ought to be suf
ficient, but, " Yerily, I will." All that God says. He
does ; and whenever trouble comes, grace is never far
behind ; and it will go better with you amongst open
enemies, than pretended friends : 2 Cor. xii. 9.
It matters but little where you are, if Jesus be with
you His presence will dispel your gloom; turn a
prison into a palace ; and a palace into a toy. And
you may depend upon it, he loves you too well to
suffer you to live on earth without him ; or to live in
heaven without you : John xiv. 2, 3. Should the en
emy be permitted to do his worst, he can do no more
than bind, confine, torment, and afflict your poor body ;
he cannot bind your soul ; nor prevent God from visit
ing, blessing, and supporting it : Deut. xxx. 4. Neither
will he suffer the enemy to hurt a hair of thy head,
nor afflict thee, unless He sees it will be well for ihee :
Matt. X. 30, 31. For He has said, " Verily I will cause
the enemy to entreat ihee well." Hath he said it, and
shall he not do it? And this He will do " in the time
of evil;" in the time of trouble and sorrow : Job ii. 10.
You have no evil to fear but sin ; which is the true
cause of every natural evil : Ps. xxxiv. 16. By avoid
ing sin, you have nothing to dread from the worst of
evils ; and you will have the happiness to know, that
whatever other evil or affliction may befall you, is for
your good : Job v. 6, 7 ; inasmuch as it is of the Lord :
Amos iii. 6 ; through whose mercies we are not con
sumed : Lam. iii. 22.

TO the prisoner and CAPTIVE. 65
Wlll give you a mouth and wisdom, whicii all your adversaries shall mt
ue able to gainsay nor resist." Luke xxi. IS.
While Christ lives, a believer's hopes can never die ;
his soul may be cast down, but cannot despair; he may
be stripped of earthly comforts ; but nothing can sepa
rate him from the love of Christ: Rom. viii. 38, 39.
If you are an advocate of the truth of Christ, you may
expect to suffer in its defence; and need not think it
strange, should you be brought before ecclesiastic and
civil courts for his sake : John xvi. 2. Should this be
your case, let it give you no concern, as though it was a
cause of your own ; for Christ will " give you a mouth,"
to speak with ; " and wisdom," to know when to speak,
and what to speak. Whenever, and wherever, you are
called to plead the cause of Christ, you may depend
upon having a mouth and wisdom to do it with. He
does not say, I will send some one to be a mouth for
you, and supply your lack of wisdom; no; but, "Iwill
give you a mouth and wisdom :" which most certainly
proves him to be more than man ; or he could not tell
when those things would be needed : nor give them if
he could tell : James i. 5.
You may even be brought like a criminal to the bar ;
and have grievous things laid to your charge, as was the
case with your Lord before you ; but still, " your adver
saries," though seated in pomp, and clothed with
authority, "shall not be able to gainsay nor resist"
your mouth and wisdom : Isa. xlix. 25. And should
they, against the strongest convictions, be permitted to
cast you into prison, still trust in the Lord ; and he who
made it to go well with Joseph, will make it to go well
with you : Gen. xxxix. 2. Be careful to do all that Christ
sayp; and never fear what man does: John xv. 20. It
is far better to suffer with Christ, than take pleasure in
sin. You may be driven very far from friends and
home; or confined between the gloomy walls of a loath
some prison ; still, the promise is, " From thence will the
Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch
thee:" Deut. xxx. 4. "He bringeth out those which
are bound with chains:" Ps. IxviiL 6. "The Lord
looseth the prisoners :" Ps. cxlvi. 7. Our blessedness
consists in knowing, that the word of tbe Lord abideth
forever: Luke xvi. 17.
b*

66 OF DELIVERANCE FROM FAMINE.
" In famine ne snai. reaeem tnee from death." Job v. 29.
While poor Job suffers the loss of all, still he g ones
in the possession of all ; for though he could not say my
oxen, rwy sheep, my camels, rwy servants, my sons, and
my daughters, as formerly, yet he could say, " My Re
deemer liveth :" Job xix. 25. The belief of this, sweet
ened every bitter, lightened every cross, held his head
above water, made up every loss, kept him from faint
ing, fortified his mind, and enabled him to say in the
midst of all his troubles, " Blessed be the name of the
Lord." When dangers are most threatening, the Chris
tian should be most believing : for though he cannot
keep himself from calamity, God can keep him in ca
lamity : Dan. iii. 17. You need not expect to be long
free from tribulation ; but it is your privilege to rejoice
in it : 2 Cor. vii. 4.
Be not afraid oi famine ; for, let who may go without
food, you shall be fed: Ps. xxxvii. 3. The watchful
eye of the Lord is over all those that fear him, and hope
in him : Ps. xxxiii. 18, 19. Let it, therefore, not dis
tress you, should your prospect of obtaining bread for
yourself, and those dependant upon you, be cut off; so
long as it is written, " His bread shall be given him ;
and his waters shall be sure :" Isa. xxxiiL 16. Let
those doubt who have no God to go to in the time of
trouble; but why should you doubt? can you assign
any reason why? is not the God whom you serve, as
well able to feed you as he was his servant Elijah in the
wilderness, in the time of famine? and is he not as wil
ling ? You have trusted him with your soul ; surely,
then, you are not afraid to trust him with your body :
Ps. xxxiv. 10. Do you ever recollect his suffering you
to be confounded, on any occasion when you trusted in
him? Isa. I. 7. Hang upon his promise : " in famine,"
when desolating judgments are abroad, let who will fall
by the hand of the destroyer, "he shall redeem thee
from, death." Cleave close to God ; and depend upon
his being close to thee. He satisfieth the longing soul,
and filleth the hungry soul with goodness : Ps. cvii. 9.
Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall
fruit be in the vines : the labor of the olive shall fail
and the fields shall yield no meat — yet, do you lejoice ii^
the Lord.

OF DELIVERANCE FROM FAMINE, b<
" Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word tljit proceedeth out
of the mouth of God." Matt. iv. 4.
When Christ was in straits, the Devil did not fail to
tempt him to question his sonship ; distrust his Father's
love and care ; and as soon as he began to be hungry,
look out for a .supply ; and would have him supply him
self in an unlawful way. Be not surprised, then, if, in
your straits, you should meet with similar temptations ;
but you have only to pursue a course similar to that pur
sued by your Lord, and the tempter will leave you :
" It is written, Man shall noi live hy bread alone," &c.
Deut. viii. 3. It is true, kind Providence ordinarily
maintains men by bread out of the earth : Job xxviii. 5 ;
but can, when He pleases, make use of other means;
" every word tliat proceedeth out of the mouth of God,"
must accomplish that which he pleases. And if God
chooses to order anything else in lieu oi bread, man will
have no cause for complaint; he will have as good a
livelihood. If man has bread without the blessing of
God, he will not be nourished by it ; and if he want
bread the Lord is able to nourish him some other way :
Hag. i. 6, 9. He sustained Moses, witliout bread ; fed
Israel in the wilderness, with angels' food; and caused
the ravens to supply Elijah. The formalist can trust
God for a loaf while he has a barrel of flour ; and has
his coffers well lined; but the Christian trusts Him
even in famine : Hab. iii. 17, 18. It is impossible for
you to be brought into any strait by the providence of
God, that the God of providence cannot bring you
out of: 2 Pet. ii. 9. The Saviour was in a wilderness,
and so are you; he is God's Son, and so are you;
the devil was conquered by him, and shall be con-
queied for you: Rom. xvi. 20. Israel hungered,
but God fed them. Bread is the staff of life ; but
the blessing of God is the staff of bread. God well
knows how to feed his children, either with or without
bread. A Christian may live without bread ; but he
cannot live without God: 1 John iv. 16. Consider
Jesus, the Captain of your salvation, lest you be weary
and faint in your mind. A heart full of grace is better
than a house full of bread. In the heaviest of afflic
tion, we have this consolation, '! The Lord will pro
vide."

68 OF DELIVERANCE FROM W4K.
« Through God we shall do valiantly ; for He it is that shall tread do«Ti om
enemies." Ps. Ix, 12.
Blessed be God for the word of his grace, the Bible,
in which we have so many sacred and precious prom
ises; thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift, Jesus,
in whom all those promises are yea, and in him Amen,
unto the glory of God by us : 2 Cor. i. 20. Here we
have the saints' confidence in God, and in his power
and promise. Observe,
1st. The best principle of true courage is, hope m
God ; for none but God can subdue our enemies. But
He can and will ; yea, and faith says, "He shall:" and
has for its assurance the promises of God : Deut. xx. 4.
2d. Our confidence in God must not cause us to fold
our hands, as though ive had nothing to do; but should
encourage and quicken our endeavors in the discharge
of every duty. " God himself is with us for our cap
tain: and he it is that performs all things for us; yet,
there is something to be done by us • 2 Chron. xiii. 12.
For, 3d. "Through God," through his grace assisting
of us, it is, that " we shall do valiantly." So that Ave
have every encouragement to be up and doing. But
after we have done our best, we must not depend upon
our doings ; nor trust in our own might ; nor our own
power for victory. For, 4th. " He it is that shall tread
down our enemies:" and He must have the praise. No
matter who fights against us, so long as God fights for
us. Though a host may encamp agaiust us, the Angel
of the Lord will encamp around us : Ps. xxxiv. 7.
Our enemies may have mighty generals with them,
famed for shedding blood, and scattering desolation
all around them; but what need we fear? "for they
that be with us are more than they that be with them:''
2 Kin. vi, 15 — 17. And through God we shall do val
iantly ; and so we shall do victoriously.
Some are so fond of war, that they make war
when there needs none : while others will cry
"Peace," where there is none: Isa. Ivii. 21. War
and Christianity, like fire and water, cannot mix well
together : Matt. xxvi. 52. Strive always to be at
peace with the Prince of peace; and then, no matter
what wars are without, you will always have peace
within.

OF deliverance from war. 69
" The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God lo
the pulling down of strong holds." 2 Cor. x. 4.
I'he God of peace, in the plenitude of his goodness,
has scattered plenty all around for the supply of all his
creatures; but man, by war, has diffused famine and
misery. Lands which our bountiful Donor caused to
flow with milk and honey, have since been sprinkled
with tears of hunger and distress ; while the fields that
waved with golden grain, have been drenched with hu
man blood ! How desirable is it, then, to be delivered
from the ravages of war ! Christian soldiers have to
fight while in the flesh; but not after the flesh; for
having made peace with God, through the Prince of
peace, they no longer delight in war with man : Rom.
xii. 18. But though a Christian has nothing to fear
from man, and can no longer delight in shedding the
blood of his fellow-beings, in consequence of being uni
ted to Christ, he has constantly to fight. The Christian's
life is a spiritual warfare ; has to do with spiritual ene
mies, and for spiritual purposes; and hence, "The
weapons of our warfare are not carnal." Observe,
1st. The flesh must not be gratified ; but crucified.
The doctrines ofthe gospel are the " weapons of our
warfare;" and, though these " are not carnal," they are
mighty, powerful and convincing; carrying the force
of truth with them to the consciences of men : Acts
xxiv. 25.
2d. It is " through God," whose institutions they are,
and whose blessing alone insures success, that we gain
the conquest ; for He it is which makes all opposition
to fall before the weapons we wield.
3d. Our enemies are strongly fortified; being not
only in, but are "strong-holds." Every opposition
made by sin and Satan, ignorance, prejudice and lust in
the heart, are strong-holds of the enemy ; and the Gos
pel is the means appointed to " putt them down ;" and
down they must come; and we be brought off more
than conquerors : Rom. viii. 37. Let us, then, no longer
fear but fight; and, as soldiers of Christ, fight manfully
the battles of Christ. And should circumstances, over
which you may have no control, lead you into war, still
keep on the Lord's side, and in war he shall redeem
thee from the power of the sword : Job v. 20.

70

OF deliverance from enemies.

" Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them
cnat have no power." 2Chron.xiv.lt
It is allowed, even by the wicked, " They are wel.
kept whom God keeps." If left to oiirselves, our ene
mies would prove too many and too mighty for us ; but
such is not the case : and we have nothing to fear from
a host of them, while the Lord of hosts is on our side ¦
and his Son is at our head. Some trust in the strength
of their arm ; but the Christian trusts in the strength
of his God : 1 Tim. iv. 10. It is good to be well pre
pared ; but not to trust in our preparations. Enemies
you may, yea, will have ; and be not surprised if those
who ought to be your friends should prove themselves
your enemies : such was the case with your dear Re
deemer. His spotless life, nor benevolent actions, could
secure to him the good will of all ; even his friends
betrayed, forsook, and fled from him, in his greatest
extremity. If we live to God we have nothing to fear
from man: Ps. IvL 11. We have only to know that
the Lord is our God ; and then, no matter how numer
ous and formidable our enemies may appear; for it
"is nothing with Him to help, whether with many or
them that have no power." So that you need look no
longer upon your own weakness; fov " it 'is nothing"
with the Lord. Your living to God will never prevent
your having enemies; but, on the contrary, may cause
many to rise up against you ; who will persecute you,
and say all manner of evil against you, falsely ; stil)
you need not fear; for if you suffer in a righteous
cause, you shall be delivered by a righteous God.
You may be poor and powerless; still it is nothing
with Him to help ; your strength is in the Lord, who
depends not upon your power ; you may have to stand
alone ; still " it is nothing," and matters nothing, wheth
er the Lord help with the many who are mighty, or
with " ihem that have no power." Roll thy burden
upon the Lord ; spread thy case and all thy cares be
fore him; fret not thyself because of those who bring
wicked devices to pass. The Lord your God ye shall
fear, and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all
your enemies : 2 Kin. xvii. 39. When the Lord helps, it
IS always with a dead-lift. Men may fight against you
but God fights for you : Deut. xx. 4.

OF DELIVERANCE FROM ENEMIDS. 71
. am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee." Acts xvui. 1 0
Christlin friend, your daily work is to fight the
good "fight of faith, and to lay hold on eternal life;"
nor will you ever want enemies to fight with ; for
should you meet with none from without, you may
always find plenty lurking within. If you were of
the world, you would live like the world ; and in con
sequence of the world's loving you, your enemies
would be fewer than what they now are; but you
would have more to fear from them, than you now
have ; for their enmity is not so much against you, as
the God whose image you bear : John xv. 18, 19. And
the more you strive to live to God, the more their
enmity will increase : Rom. viii. 7. But for your com
fort, observe,
1st. The blessed assurance given ; " I am with thee."
Never did a kind father speak with more tenderness to
his dear child, when passing through the midst of ene
mies, than your heavenly Father here speaks to you.
Fear not, "I am with thee;" not only within call, but
by the side of thee ; fear not the threatenings of thy
enemies, "I am with thee" to help thee, and bless thee,
support and protect thee. Whatever the Lord in his
word enjoins upon you, that do ; and leave all conse
quences with him ; seeing it is beneath the dignity of a
heaven-born soul to fear the slaves of sin. You have a
good warrant of protection. Men may, and perhaps
do, set on you ; but bear in mind,
2d. "No man shall set on ihee to hurt thee." Your
enemies might be both wicked and unreasonable, but
fear neither their words nor their looks; their words
are but wind; and their looks can do no harm; neither
have they any power against you but what God gives
them: Acts xvii. 28. Men may greatly trouble you,
Lut Father will see to it that no man shall hurt you.
Trials you may expect daily, but they will have an
end shortly. Wherever you are, never be backward to
advocate the cause of Christ ; seeing he constantly ad
vocates yours, and is ever with you : Matt, xxviii. 20,
Let it be your constant study, not only to look like a
Christian, but to live like one : and then you will bava
the consolation to know, that what you do well pleases
God.

72 OF DELIVERANCE FROM REPBOACK.
" Thou Shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pnde of man ;
thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Ps.
xxxi. 20.
The father of lies and enemy of all truth, will
assuredly bring lying accusations against you, and the
truth that you believe. As sure as you live a holy hfe,
you .will have proud and contemptuous foes; who will
speak proudly against your faith, and sneer at your un
shaken confidence. Their lying lips will be opened
against you. It has been so from the beginning; and,
that which was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall
be. The pride of man lies at the bottom of every other
corruption that dwells in the human heart: Mark vii.
21 — 23. Some of the legitimate offspring of pride are,
self-conceit, contempt of God, and disdain of men.
1 Sam. xvii. 28. Calumny may spread her monster-
figured mantle over the Christian, and reproach spread
a dreary gloom over his mind ; but when the sweet re
flection visits his soul, that his Redeemer cares for him,
it is again sunshine to his heart; his wounded spirit
drinks in the heavenly balm ; while in the assurance
of faith he exclaims, "Thou shalt hide me." God
reserves his goodness for his saints; Ps. Ixviii. 19; and
preserves his saints for his goodness : 1 Pet. i. 5. The
pr'ide — the strife — the tongues of men, may endanger
the liberty and life of Christians, but God shall "hide
them." Neither will he hide them far from him; but
in the "secret of his presence;" yea, and after he has
hid them, he will not forget them ; but keep them
cheerful and easy in " h'ls paviUon," where they shall
have constant communion with him. What more can
you desire, than the constant presence of God? Ps.
Ixxiii. 25. What can hurt you, while God is your
hiding-place? Reproach is cruel ; and the slanderer's
tongue more to be dreaded than the dagger of the
assassin; but let it concern you more to know what God
thinks of you, than what the "strife of tongues" may
say of you. You may always keep a good conscience;
though men may give you a bad name. The servant
is not greater than his Lord. And if men are deter
mined to speak evil of you, be sure you strive to live so
that nobody will believe them. God reads the heart •
and believes not a false report. '

OF DELIVERANCE FROM REPROACH. 73
" If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ; for the Spirit
of glory and of Gk>d resteth upon you : on their part he is evil spoken cf, but
ou your part he is gloriCsd." 1 Pet. iv. 14.
Where piety has its seat in the heart, it will be seen
in the life ; hence, believers are the salt of the earth, to
spread a salutary influence, and save the world from
moral putrefaction. If, therefore, such a conduct sub
ject 3 ou to reproach, happy are ye. What ! happy
when reproached? — "Why," says the poor, tried believ
er, "it is quite a paradox." So it is, but then, it is a
Christian paradox. "If ye be reproached for the name
of Christ," think it not strange, as though something
strange had happened unto you ; for there is no crime
4oo black, for the servants of God to be accused of, at
one time or other. If you would reign with Christ, you
may expect to suffer for Christ : Phil. i. 29. The Prince
of peace was accused of perverting the nation ; and can
his followers expect to go free? Luke xxiii. 2. The
flesh finds it hard work to submit to reproach without
reviling again ; especially when reproached by those you
may have treated kindly ; however you may feel to the
contrary, still it is written, " happy are ye;" and you
must not measure your religion, nor God's love to you,
by your poor, harrowed feelings ; but hang by faith on
the promises of God. Both the best men and the best
things are sure to meet with reproaches in the world.
Jesus the Saviour and his followers, the Spirit of God
and the Gospel of his Son, are all evil spoken of. But
your happiness consists in the " Spirit of glory and of
God resting upon you." And the reproaches which
evil men cast upon you, are taken by the Spirit of God
as cast upon himself. " On their part he is evil spoken
of" whenever you speak of his consolations and com
fortable assurances. Only let a child of God speak of
the Spirit of adoption working in the children of God a
filial love to God as a Father, a delight in him, and d©=
pendance upon him as a Father ; and that the Spirit
teaches us to approach him as a Father, and he will
soon be spoken evil of on their part; but on " your part
he is glorified:" Rom. viii. 15, 16. There are many
who follow Christ while they can live on the loaves and
fishes, who forsake him when they meet with trials
and crosses. 7

/4 :f deliverance from OPPftESSION.
" For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now wiU j
arise, saith the Lord ; I will set him in safety from him that pufleth at him."
Ps. xii. 5.
The rich have many friends ; while the poor are fre
quently oppressed, and perhaps for no other reason thar
because they are poor. Bad indeed must the times be,
when oppression abounds, and impiety unblushingly
walks without a mask, under the sanction of men in
power. When the poor are oppressed and the needy
crushed, and have all manner of wrong done them;
when they are not in a capacity to help themselves, they
dare not speak for themselves; lest their defence should
be made an offence. But being thus bound down by
the iron-hand of the oppressor, they secretly bemoan their
hard lot, and ease their troubled hearts by sighinghefoie
God; whose ears are ever open, not only to their cries,
but also, to their sighs: Ps. xxxiv. 15. Should any one,
as Moses did, speak to their oppressors in their behalf,
and entreat them to make their burden lighter, they puff
at them, as though it was a matter not worth any one's
while troubling themselves about: thus making light
of their own sins, and the wretchedness of the poor.
Here we have an assurance that God will, in due time,
undertake the cause, and work deliverance for the
oppressed. 1st. " Now, saith the Lord ;" when the op
pressors are in the height of their pride and insolence ;
when the oppressed are in the depth of distress and de
spondency, "will I arise:" I will arise as I did when
Pharaoh was most elevated, and Israel most dejected :
Exod. iii. 7 — 10. I will arise and do it, as sure as 1
have said it, when the set time arrives : Ps. cii. 13.
2d. " Twill set him in safety ;" burst his bonds; restore
to him his liberty; give him prosperity; and protect
him; so that he shall have no cause to complain of his
past sufferings; nor fear being carried back to hiin that
now "puffeth at him." Jer. xxxii. 37 — 44. Trust in
the Lord, ye sighing-ones : " He giveth power to the
faint ; and to them who have no might he increaseth
strength:" Isa. xl. 29. Be not distressed at your ca
lamities ; but submit to your lot ; resolving rather to
die, than to sin against God : for " He shall judge the
poor oi the people, ani shall save the children of tie
needy."

OF DELIVERANCE FROM OPPRESSION. "^5
" Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed." AcU
X. 38. Children of calamity, let your chief concern be to
ove, adore, and trust a faithful God ; with grateful,
lonest hearts, acknowledge the benedictions of His
providence ; and receive your afflictions at his hand, as
blessings in disguise. Think never the worse of Christ
because of those, who, in words profess him, but in
works deny him: Titus L 16. "If any man have not
the Spirit of Christ," whatever his profession might be,
"he is none of his:" Rom. viii. 9. And whoever pos
sesses his Spirit, treads in his steps ; are meek, lowly,
humble, peaceable, and charitable, as he was. Ob
serve, .
1st. The conduct of Jesus Christ; He "went about
doing good." He enabled the lame to walk, the blind
to see, the deaf to hear; the lepers he cleansed, the dead
he raised, and preached the gospel to the poor : Matt.
xi. 5. All his miracles were truly benevolent; and de
signed to promote human comfort. Nor was he less
mindful of the souls of men. He instructed the igno
rant in the doctrines and duties of true religion : Luke
xix. 47. He reproved the guilty, and warned the care
less, while he encouraged the faithful to persevere : See
Matt, xxiii. He preached deliverance to the captives,
and liberty to the bruised : Luke iv. 18. He not only
granted the requests of all who applied to him for relief,
but, " he went about doing good." And to accomplish
his merciful designs, he frequently had to endure hun
ger, thirst, and weariness. His whole life was one
continued act of doing good.
2d. His impartial benevolence ; " Healing all that
were oppressed." The pressing wants and painful
necessities of men, excited his tender compassion;
while all his acts were directed to the glory of his Fa
ther : John viiL 49, 54. Many seek the praise of men,
in their acts of charity; He sought the honor of God;
they aim at their own glory, but he at his creatures'
good; they are partial to a few; but he was good to all.
And for the comfort of the oppressed, be it ever borne in
mind, that what he once was, he now is : Heb. xiii. 8.
The conduct of the oppressors is sadly at variance with
•he spirit of the gospel, which breathes pure love.

76 OF deliverance from death.
" The Lord killeth and maketh alive ; he bringeth down to the grave, and
bringeth up." 1 Sam. ii. 6.
Study to keep your eye of faith fixed upon Christ, a
sense of his love in your heart, and a hope of glory
in your soul ; and you will be but httle concerned about
death. For, observe,
1st. None die by chance; no, not even the poor
sparrow; it is the Christian's God that gives to every
arrow of death its commission. " The Lord kitteth;"
so that death does no more than the Lord bids him ;
for the keys of death are kept by Christ; and, until
he opens the gates, none can pass through them : Rev.
i. 18. 2d. The Lord "maketh alive;" when men are born
into the world, it is the Lord that makes them to live ;
and though we know not the way of the spirit, we
know it proceeds from the Father of spirits : EccL xii.
7. He maketh alive : Ps. xxxi. 23.
3d. " He bringeth down io the grave" some who
have youth and beauty blooming on every feature, with
out, perhaps, an hour's warning ; while others gradually
consume away, or, by raging fever have the springs of
life dried up. By ways unnumbered, he bringeth down
to the grave. And,
4th. He "bringeth up" from the grave, those who
appeared just ready to fall into it; and even after the
skill of the most skilful physician has been baffled,
restores them to perfect health : 2 Cor. i. 8 — 10. Why
should you, then, be afraid of death? Can anything
be too hard for the Lord ? Is he not able to clothe
and quicken dry bones? Ezek. xxxvii. 1 — 10. You
may be very sick ; and your sickness not be unto
dealh. The shafts of death may be flying thick
around you ; but not one of them can come near you,
till appointed by your heavenly Father ; and he will
never suffer you to die, while he sees it will be good for
you to live. Look not upon death as an enemy; but
as a messenger which your indulgent Father has
promised to send to unlock your prison door, fetch
you out of exile, and put it in your power to return
to your native home, where an incorruptible inherit
ance awaits your arrival. Death may kill you ; but
«annot harm you. Death can only let you into life.

OF DELIVERANCE FROM DEATH. 77
" And 'ieliver them, who, through fear of death, were all their life-time sub
ject to bondage." Heb. ii. 16.
Jacob loved his Benjamin so well, that " his life was
bound up in the lad's life :" Gen. xliv. 30. And Jona
than was so united to David, that "he loved him as he
loved his own soul :'• 1 Sam. xx. 17. And such is the
love of a Christian, that his life is bound up in the life
of Jesus, who loved us better than life. He took upon
him lo avenge our wrongs ; conquered our invincible
foes ; and gained a complete victory for us, over Satan,
sin, and death. Hence, to the Christian, it is worse
than death to live in the fear of death. A Christian
may meet the messenger of death with a holy serenity
of mind; bidding a holy defiance to death, as blessed
Paul ; O death where is thy sting ? because there is no
evil in it to him; death can never separate him from
the love of God ; and therefore cannot be considered a
real enemy; true, it kills the body, but cannot touch
the soul. The God whom you serve in life, will be
with you in death ; and conduct you safely through the
valley of the shadow of death : Ps. xxiii. 4. You are
not in the hands of death ; but in the hands of Christ ;
who hath settled all disputes, and made up the breach
that sin had made between you and God : 2 Cor. v.
18, 19. He died and conquered death, that he might
deliver them, " who, through fear of death," while in
life, could not enjoy the blessings he purchased for
them, being "all ihe'ir life-t'ime subject to bondage."
He has often delivered you when others have fallen
around you ; yea, and he will deliver you. Death may
be riding in triumph, but that is no proof he will
triumph over you. " A thousand shall fall at thy side,
and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not
come nigh thee :" Ps. xci. 7. You have both life and
hope in Christ; therefore, you are safe: Rom. viii. 38,
39. Justice demanded your life ; but Christ has fully
satisfied every demand, by laying down his life to take
up yours : Gal. iii. 10, 13. And this he did, not only
to deliver you from death, but the feai of death. Your
fears are groundless ; give them to the winds ; for you
cannot die till your work is done below, and death ob
tains permission from j-our Father who reigns above :
Ps. cxvL 15. 7*

CHAPTER m.

FROMISES CT SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE.

OF JUSTIFICATION.
" By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many ; for he shall
bear their iniquities." Isa. liii. 11.
This, indeed, is a precious promise ! Poor, sin-sick
soul, the Spirit of truth, the blessed Comforter, here
holds forth an infallible remedy for you to look to for
peace of conscience, and healing of your wounded soul.
Jesus, the beloved Son of God, took upon him your
nature, without sin; and in that nature, had all your
sins laid upon him ; was cursed by the law ; wounded,
bruised, and put to death by divine justice ; that, all
your sins being found upon him : 1 Pet. ii. 24 ; you
might be set at liberty ; Gal. iii. 13 ; and your soul as
perfectly healed, as though it had never been wounded
by sin. " By his knowledge," by the knowledge of
Jesus, the "righteous servant" of God, many poor sin
ners shall be justified, who, by the law, were con
demned : Gal. iii. 10. And why? "for he shall bear
their iniquities." Sin is a mortal disease; and the soul
must die of it unless it be removed; and there is no
way of healing the soul, without sin, the cause of the
disease, be taken away. Thisha-s been done; the Re
deemer "bare their iniquities" in his own body on the
tree; whose? the iniquities of "mawy." " For, as by
one man's disobedience, (Adam,) many were made
sinners, so by the obedience of one, (Jesus,) shall many
be made righteous :" Rom. v. 19. Hence it is, that
Christ, standing in the sinners' stead, with their iniqui
ties upon him, they are freed; while he, on whom their
sins are found, is condemned; for "he bare the sin of
many."

OF JUSTIFICATION. 79
" And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye
could not be justified by the law of Moses." Acts xiii. 39.
As one leak would sink a ship, so would one sin "ink
a soul, were it not removed. We have all sinned ; and
the law curses every one who transgresses it, though it
be but once : Gal. iii. 10 ; so that by the moral law of
Moses, all are condemned : Rom. iii. 20 ; and our souls
are too deeply stained, to be cleansed by the blood of
bulls and goats; which renders it impossible for the
ceremowianaw to justify us. But Jesus Christ "hath
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself:"
Heb. ix. 26 ; " He bare our sins in his own body on the
tree ;" fulfilled the law we had broken ; and is now the
end of the law for righteousness, to every one that be
lieveth : Rom. X. 4 : so that justice itself proclaims its
own faithfulness, in forgiving and cleansing the sinner:
1 John i. 9. When Christ became our surety, all our
sins, which he called debts, were placed to his account;
so that there was a complete transfer of our sins to
him ; " and by him all ihat believe," having his righte
ousness placed tp their account, "are justified ;" not
only pardoned, but stand in God's sight as though
they had never known what sin was. He being "of
God made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption :" 1 Cor. i. 30. Hence,
it is "by him," and him alone, we are justified "from
all things;" he completed his work, and finished all
that his Father gave him to do: John xvii. 4; and all
that beheve, know that they could never be saved by
the deeds of the law ; but have the witness in them
selves, that they are justified, 1 John v. 10, and that
by faith in his blood, Rom, v. 1—9, " from all things
from which they could not be justified by the law of
Moses :" Gal. ii. 16. This is truly a marvellous way
of saving sinners ! But it is God's way. The lovers
of sin care nothing about it ; the proud and self-right
eous reject it ; the humble, helpless, penitent souls, re
joice in it, and give to Christ the glory of it. Rely
upon Christ alone, make his word your rule, and his
Spirit your guide. Try the foundation upon which
your hopes are built. Great sins may te hid under
great daties. Believe in, and rest upon, Christ alone-
and then you need not fear Moses, nor his law.

80 OF JUSTIFICATION.
" In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shaU glory."
Isa. xi-».25.
There is nothing more natural, than for the unre
newed to trust in their own strength, and glory in their
own righteousness. But when a poor soul becomes truly
awakened, and made sensible of his utter helplessness ;
and feels the plague of his own heart, his language
is, " I have no confidence in the flesh." Here we have,
1st. The Believer's source of justification. "In the
Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified." Not
only all the people of the Jews, but also all true
Christians, who depend upon Christ for strength and
righteousness, shall be justified in him, in as much as
they are the "seed of Israel;" a believing, upright,
praying seed ; and on his account are justified before
God: 1 Cor. i. 30. Thus the Lord will make good his
promise to faithful Abraham : Gen. xxvi. 4; and have
all justified "in the Lord:" Titus iii. 7. It is God
that justifieth ; who is he that condemneth ? it is Christ
that died : Rom. viii. 33, 34. The feeblest lamb in the
flock of Christ, is equally dear to the Lord as the
strongest believer.
2d. The great duty of believers is, to glory in the
Lord ; and make all their boast of him. The work is
the Lord's; no man can renew himself; Job xiv. 4;
nor atone for himself; Rom. iii. 19, 20; nor keep him
self: 1 Pet. i. 5. From first to last, the work belongs
to God ; and the least that we can do, is, whilst we are
enjoying the profits, to let him have all the "glory."
Your being weak in faith, and feeling the workings of
carnal nature, human reason, and unbelief, is no proof
that you are not justified in the Lord; but, on the con
lrary, are evidences of the soul being alive through the
faith of Jesus. And the sime Spirit who begets faith
in the heart by the word of truth, James i. 18, will
also strengthen your faith by the same; for Jesus de
lights in making all his members happy, as well as
secure. And God has pawned his faithfulness for the
security ofhis goodness : Ezek. xxxiii. 11. What more
can he say, or do, than what he has said and done ?
Who was it convinced you of your sins, but the very
God against whom you have sinned? and who now
declares, that " all the seed of Israel shall be justified."

OF JUSTIFICATION. 81
" Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through oui
Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. v. 1 .
God created man in his own image ; wise, holy, and
happy ; and made him lord of all that was in the air,
earth, and sea: Gen. i. 27, 28: and, as his rightful
Sovereign, gave him just such a law as seemed him
good : Gen. ii. 15 — 17. Man violated that law, the
penalty of which Was death. "Wherefore, as by one
man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and
so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"
Rom. V. 12. And sin being a transgression of the law,
1 John iii. 4, brought all under a curse; but "Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made
a curse for us:" Gal. iii. 10, 13. "Therefore," on this
account, Christ having been delivered up for our offen
ces, and raised again for our justification ; by the merit
of his death he paid our debt ; in his resurrection he
took our acquittance ; when in the grave he lay as our
surety under an arrest: on the third day a messenger
was sent to roll away the stone ; the prisoner was dis
charged, and full proof given thereby, that he had made
satisfaction. So that it is not for our works, but by an
obedient dependance upon Jesus Christ and his righte-
otisness, that we are saved. Therefore, " being justi
fied by faith," as Abraham, whose faith was accounted
to him for righteousness ; Rom. iv. 22 ; all guilt is taken
away. Sin made us to quarrel with God ; and filled
our hearts with enmity to him : Rom. viii. 7. But, by
faith, we who are without strength, take hold on God's
arm, rely on his strength, and so are at peace with
hira: Isa. xxvii. 4, 5. Hence, "we have peace with
God;" and nothing but friendship and lOving kindness
exists. When Abraham became justif.ed by faith, God
was pleased to call him his friend : James ii. 23. Jesus
called his disciples friends : John xv. 13 — 15 ; and what
more can any one desire than to have God for his friend?
But all this blessedness comes " through our Lord Jesus
Chr'ist:" he is the only peace-maker, peace-bringer,
and peace-giver ; and the only way of access to God :
John xiv. 6. And is now our Mediator between Gud
and man : 1 Tim. ii. 5. Hence, God is the source.
Jesus the Author, faith the meatis, and peace ihe fruit,
rti our justification.

82 OF PARDON OF SIN.
" Who forgiveth all thy iniquities ; who healeth all thy diseases." Ps. ciii. 3.
Sin is the soul's disease; and its effects on the soul
greatly resemble the effects of disease on the body.
The nature of this disease is truly deplorable, and can
never be cured by the art of man. Observe,
1st. Sin is a moral disease. It affects mankind as
moral and responsible creatures ; it has destroyed origi
nal purity ; driven happiness from our world ; and in
its place introduced misery and affliction. It has
darkened the understanding, perv-erted the will, defiled
the conscience, and alienated the affections from God :
Eph. iv. 18. 2d. It is a universal disease. Every
power, passion, and faculty, of body and soul, are dis
ordered by it; and its baneful influence has spread
through the whole mass of mankind, in every nation
and clime. The whole head is sick, and the whole
heart is faint : Isa. i. 5, 6. From the greatest monarch,
to the meanest peasant, all have felt its effects : Ps. li.
5. 3d. Sin is a 'mortal disease. It brings death with
unnumbered woes attending in its train. All men by
it are rendered subject to pain and dissolution of body:
Gen. iii. 19. It brings spiritual death to the soul, and
separates between God and man : Eph. ii. 1 — 3. While
its wages is death : Rom. vL 23. And vain is the help
of man.
Behold the goodness of our God ! He against whom
we have sinned has undertook our case ; and appointed
Jesus Christ a Physician, for the cure of "att our dis
eases" and maladies: Luke. iv. 18, 19. And he is,
1st. An accessible Physician. All are invited to him,
with the assurance of being admitted : John vi. 37.
2d. He is an infallible Physician. None are too sick
for him to cure : no case with him is desperate : Heb.
vii. 25. And 3d. He is the only appointed Physician.
All others are but quacks ; and their prescriptions dan
gerous; "for there is none other under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved:" Acts. iv. 12.
4th. He is a benevolent Physician, and performs all his
cures gratis ; "without money and without price," all
are invited to come and be healed : Matt. xi. 28, 29.
It is the very nature of God to be full of compassion
and tenderness ; and the believer knows, that He for
giveth their iniquities.

OF PARDON OF SIN. 83
" I will he merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their imqm-
ties will I remember no more." Heb. viii. 12.
Sad experience daily teaches the believer in Jesns,
that, though he cannot live in sin, he feels sin living in
him : Rom. vii. 23. And this corrupt fountain is too
frequently sending forth its polluted streams, to the
great annoyance of our souls. It is the Christian's
greatest trouble to be annoyed by sm ; and his unspeak
able comfort to know that God nas always delighted
in pardoning sin ; and that he still makes himself known.
as the " Lord God, gracious and merciful." Listen to
him ! He declares,
1st. " Iwill be merciful." neither shall the greatness
of their crimes, nor the censures of man prevent it : I
will freely pardon; not on account of any worth or
merit on their part; I will, for my mercies' sake, "be
merciful to their unrighteousness :" Isa. i. 18. "And
their sins," let them be of what kind soever they may,
yea, though they may be great sins, foul sins, aggrava
ted sins, even all unrighteousness, shall be forgiven
md forgotten. I will be merciful, for I am God;
" keeping mercy for thousands ;" and delight in forgiv
ing iniquity, transgression, and sin :" Exod. xxxiv. 7.
2d. "I will," not only forgive, but forget; for "their
sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."
What tongue can describe the blessings connected with
pardoning mercy? Sin calls aloud for vengeance;
pardon prevents it ; sin makes way for every evil ;
pardon opens a door for every good ; sin brings wretch
edness and death ; pardon brings happiness and life :
Rom. vi. 23 ; 1 Pet. L 2, 3.
Poor, trembling Christian, be assured of it, thy ene
mies are all conquered ; notwithstanding, every day's
experience convinces thee they are not all dead. Sin
is a bitter enemy, and so nearly allied to thee, thou
mayest consider it a part of thyself; yet, being one
with thy Saviour, thou hast a spiritual life in him ,
and almighty power is engaged in thy defence; so thai
sin shall not have dominion over thee: Rom. vi. 14
But never think of sheathing thy sword, and folding
thy hands, lest Satan gain an advantage over thee;
for thou art still in the camp, surrounded by enemies,
and thy only dependance is upon thy Captain.

84 OF PARDON OF SIN.
" Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord ; though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crim
son, they shall be as wool." Isa. i. 18.
" Come," sinner, just as you are, with all your guilt
and consequent wretchedness ; though deeply stained
with crime, and weltering in your blood ! " Come," 1
have opened a fountain for sin and uncleanness, in
which you can wash and be cleansed : Zech. xiii. 1 .
But do not delay; for the longer you stay away the
worse you will get ; therefore " come now ;" and your
being a great sinner will afford me an opportunity of
proving to you, that I am a greater Saviour : Matt, ix,
12. Do not listen to my enemies, nor reason with flesh
and blood, nor hold any conference with Satan, for he
is your accuser ; but " let us," who are the only parties
properly concerned, "reason together;" let us debate
the matter fairly and fully ; and then, I have no doubt
but you will acknowledge all my ways to be right :
Ps. cxlv. 17. My ungrateful enemies represent me as
a "hard master ;" and would persuade you that you
are a sinner too great for me to pardon; and thus fill
thy poor soul with legal fears, and slavish dread ; but
hearken not unto them. True, thou hast broken my
righteous law ; but I have redeemed thee from the curse
of the law; Gal. iii. 10 — 13; and thou hast destroyed
thyself, but in me is thy help : Hos. xiii. 9. It is true,
thou hast committed crimes of the most flagrant nature,
deep " as scarlet" in their dye; but let not that keep
thee from me; all are atoned for; and " they shall be
white as s?ww." You may be ready to say you have
lain so long in your sins, and so steeped in guilt, that
you are dyed, even "like crimson." All that is true;
but the blood of my Son, Jesus, cleanses from all sin,
and will change them all to the most perfect whiteness :
yea, they shall be "ivhite as snow, and wool." Do not
doubt ; for though I am just, I am the justifier of him
that believeth in Jesus : Rom. iii. 26. Come, and be
made happy in my love ; I am just in forgiving thy
sins : 1 John i. 9. Leave behind you all your duties,
humblings, and holiness, and come to me with all your
sins, guilt, and wretchedness; and prove that I im
able and willing to pardon, cleanse, and bless you ; but

OF PARDON OF SIN. ii6
" Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest." Matt. xi. 28.
The carnal Jews labored hard to recommend them
selves to God, by the observance of various rites and
ceremonies : Rom. x. 3. And, in the days of Jesus,
bound still heavier burdens upon the shoulders of others,
than they themselves were willing to bear, and which
Christ calls a "yoke." And, it is to be lamented,
there are still those who are called Christians, who are
no less sanguine in their expectations of being saved by
their own endeavors ; hence, they toil and labor to
cancel their debt, and atone for their sins ; and thus ob
tain that heaven they are conscious they have forfeited ;
not knowing that Jesus is the only way to the Father :
John xiv. 6.
Do thy corruptions harass thee? do sinful passions
annoy thee ? do temptations beset thee ? are thy sins a
burden to thee ? Hark ! Thy Saviour speaks to thee.
He calls thee to him. Listen to,
1st. His gracious invitation, " Come unto me." He
pities your condition ; and, after all you have done,
kindly invites you to himself. There can be no mis
take ; it is you he calls ; he means you, it is evident,
for he describes your condition. " Come unto me, all
ye thai labor and are heavy laden ;" your burden is
heavy, but I am both able and willing to bear it ; cast
it upon me: Ps. Iv. 22. Come, and bring nothing
with you but your burden and miseries ; all your tug
ging and toiling is in vain; your load becomes heavier,
and you grow weaker by keeping away. Come, I
am your Saviour ; Luke xix. 10 ; your friend ; John
XV. 15 ; and will in no wise cast you out : John vi. 37.
2d. The blessing promised, "Iwill give you rest."
Did I ever give you any cause to doubt my willing
ness ? Why not come, then ? Doubt no more ; believe,
and thou shalt be saved : Mark xvi. 15. My name is
Jescs ; and my delightful business is, to save sinners
from their sins : Matt. i. 21. " I witt" not only "give
you rest" now, but shall be pleased to have you call
upon me at any future period. I will use all my influ
ence in Court on your behalf; and whatsoever ye shall
ask the Father in my name, that will I do : John xiv.
13, 14. 8

86 OF PARDON OF SIN.
" Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth ; for I am God
and there is none else." Isa. xiv. 22.
Never was there a sensible sinner half so willing to
be saved, as the God against whom he has sinned is to
save him : Ezek. xxxiii. 11. " The Lord is not willing
that any should perish ; but that all should come to
repentance:" 2 Pet. iii. 9. How long, fellow-sinner,
will you ponder over those things within and around
you, instead of looking to what is above you ? From
the pride of our nature, and the unbelief of our hearts,
we are prompted to think of doing something to procure
the favor of God, forgetting that our loving God is not
the cause, but the effect of his love to us : 1 John iv.
19. Close your ears to carnal reason, and unbelief;
and attend to the gracious invitation here given, by a
gracious God.
"Look unto me." I am the God whose laws you
have broken, and whose goodness you have despised ;
but let that not prevent your looking unto me. Sorrow
not as though you had no hope; but "look unto me,
and be ye saved.'''' You have no sin but what has been
atoned for by my well-beloved Son ; you need no per
fection but what his righteousness supplies. I love you,
and am well pleased with you for his sake. Think not
that my mercy is limited : for unto me shall all flesh
come : Ps. Ixv. 2. Therefore, " look unto me, all ye
ends of ihe earth," for I will be exalted among the
heathen, I will be exalted in the earth : Ps. xlvi. 10.
" I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of
my mouth in righteousness, that unto me every knee
shall bow, every tongue shall confess :" Ver. 23. "For
lam God, and there is none else" so fit to rule; nor
so able to save ; for I am a just God and a Saviour :
Ver. 21. Do not pacify your troubled conscience by
external performances; for that would be mistaking
the means of grace for grace itself Many have fled to
me for refuge, and have laid hold of the hope I set be
fore them : Heb. vi.l8. But, should you be so heavily
laden with guilt that you cannot fly, run with patience
the race set before you ; and if you are so oppressed
that you cannot run, walk in the way marked out for
you ; and if you are too feeble to walk, then " look
unto me, and be yc saved,"

OF PARDON OF SIN. 87
" Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matt.
T. 4.God is no respecter of persons ; Acts x. 34 ; yet hath
he respect unto the lowly : Ps. cxxxviii. 6. Many make
themselves miserable, in striving to make themselves
comfortable ; and in endeavoring to make themselves
righteous, fall short of the righteousness of God : Rom.
X. 3. To know ourselves to be lost and undone sin
ners, destitute of righteousness, to be feelingly alive to
a sense of our condition, and to believe that all we need
is in Christ, lies at the very foundation of true godliness.
To desire salvation from sin in God's way, and to
mourn after it, is peculiar to the quickened soul ; for the
dead mourn not ; neither are they capable of receiving
comfort. What more could the Saviour say to comfort
those who "mourn" on account of their sins, than here
he has said ?
1st. He does not say they shall be blessed ; but
"blessed are ihey," even now. Do you ask, why is it
that you cannot feel happy, if you are now blessed ?
The reason is, because you do not believe ; and you
cannot receive it but by faith ; for it is by grace you
are saved through faith, as the means : Eph. ii. 8.
That faith which unites the sinner to the Saviour, is
God's gift; but you must ask it of him, and he will
give it to you: Matt. vii. 7. He will also give yo'i
power to exercise it ; but will not believe for you ; no,
that is your act, to believe : John i. 12. Neithci -an
you be happy so long as you keep on believing that he
will bless you ; for by so doing you will always keep
the blessing ahead of you : Matt. xxi. 22. Believe what
<iod says, that you "are blessed," even now ; for the
liord's time is now: 2 Cor. vi. 2. Doubt no more.
For, 2d. He declares you "shatt be comforted ;" as sure
as mourning goes before comfort, so sure does comiort
follow mourning. Give God your whole heart ; und
he will give you a whole Saviour ; love is in his heart,
though wrath may appear in his conduct : Isa. liv. 8.
Nature, sense, and feeling, write bitter things against
you, while your Saviour loves you. O, how infinite
his love ! his salvation, how complete ! his presence,
how chee'ing ! his promises, how precious !

88 TO BACKSLIDERS.
"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely." Hosea
xiv. 4.
Return unto the Lord thy God ; for thou hast fallen
by thine iniquity : Ver. 1. Instigated by the enemy of
your soul, and prompted by your natural corruptions,
in an unguarded hour, you turned your back upon
your best, your only real friend ; who, though you have
acted so base a part, is not willing to give you up ; but
still calls after, and invites you to return. Satan may
suggest, that it is of no use your thinking of ever ob
taining a sense of your Father's forgiving love again;
for you are too great a sinner for God to forgive ; see
ing you have not only sinned against your own soul,
but have crucified the Son of God afresh, and put him
to an open shame. It is true, you are a great sinner,
a backsliding sinner ; and all such are the worst of
sinners ; yea, and the Lord knows it ; but so far from
upbraiding or threatening you on account of it is he,
that he now invites and urges upon you to return. Are
you now praying God to take away all your iniquity ?
He says, "Iwill:" Jer. iii. 22. You say, I am deeply
wounded; the Lord says, " I will heal." Your soul
may be badly diseased, but then, it is not incurable ;
and the greater the disease, the more need of a Physi
cian : Matt. ix. 12. The Lord here declares your case
is not hopeless, and that you may safely rely upon his
goodness ; and trust to him for a sound cure. "/ will
herii their backsUdings." Do you desire that the Lord
would receive you graciously? For your comfort, he
assures you, that he will not only do that, but "will
love you freely." He will love you just as though thero
had never been anything amiss on your part: Titus iii.
5. He will heal your backslidings by applying par
doning mercy ; receive you graciously, as a tender
father would a long-lost son : and love you freely as he
did before you strayed. Go, poor, backslidden soul, go
at thy Maker's call; parley not with the enemy; he
has lied to thee formerly ; and will do it again, if you
will lend him your ears. Your having wandered from,
God has made no change in him ; He is the same gra
cious and loving God now he ever was ; do your first
works, return unto him, stay with him. he will heal
your wounds, and hve you freely.

to BACKSLIDERS. 89
' All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men." Hatt.
ui SI.
Sin is our hell : but Jesus, the Lamb of God, taketh
away our sin; then we have heaven within us : and to
know, believe in, follow and obey him, constitutes our
greatest happiness in this life. Do not be discouraged ;
but suffer me to tell you in God's name, and in Christ's
stead, 2 Cor. v. 20, that though your sins may arise
like mountains, and your crimes be piled to the very
I leavens, mercy is as free for you as the air you
breathe : Matt. ix. 13. The enemy will, no doubt,
suggest, that you have committed the " unpardonable
sin ;" that you have sinned against so much light, sin
ned with so high a hand, slighted so much goodness,
grieved the Spirit of God so often, resisted so many
convictions, treated with contempt so many offers of
grace, and, both in word and deed, done all that in you
lay to oppose the cause of religion, so that now it
would only be an act of presumption even to attempt
to seek, or hope for mercy. But believe him not ; he
is now as he ever was, " a liar from the beginning."
Your Saviour says, "all manner of sin," though ever
so heinous in its nature, though committed under the
most aggravating circumstances, though ever so often
repeated, and though ever so long continued, there is
mercy with God that can reach it ; yea, " and blasphe
my," a sin which strikes directly at the name and
honor oi Godi, " shall be forgiven.'" Mind that. Paul
was at one time a blasphemer ; yet he obtained mercy :
1 Tim. i. 13. Peter obtained mercy, after so awfully
denying his Lord ; and so will you, if you but ask it ;
and then you will be ready to say, " who is a God like
unto thee, pardoning iniquity?" Micah vii. 18. " All
manier of sin shall be forgiven unto men;" all men,
of all ranks and conditions. This is love, boundless
love ; love to the whole world : 1 John ii. 2. Cheer
up ; look at yourself as a sinner : but look at Christ as
a Saviour. Praise God, that he kept it out of your
power to commit one sin that he could not pardon.
The Spirit of God is still striving with you; or you
would not be so concerned about your soul's salva
tion ; follow his instructions ; " go in peace, and sin no
more." 8*

90 OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST.
' He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities)
the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we are
healed." Isa. Jiii-. S.
Well may the apostle Paul say, " the love of Christ
passeth knowledge;" Eph. iii. 19; for he was born
unto us; Isa. ix. 6; gave himself for us; Eph. v. 2;
was delivered up for us; Rom. viii. 32; and here we
are told, he was wounded — bruised — chastised — and
striped. But why so cruelly treat him? what harm
hath he done ? No harm ; neither was guile ever
found in his mouth : 1 Pet. ii. 22. His whole life was
one continued act of benevolence. He "went about
doing good :" Acts x. 38. Do you ask again, for what,
then, did he suffer all this? For om;- transgressions ;
and for oiir iniquities, was he thus wounded and bruised;
to atone for them, and purchase salvation for us : 2
Cor. V. 21. When man had sinned, and by his trans
gression ruined himself and all his posterity, the adora
ble Jesus became his surety, stood up for the human
family, and engaged in their behalf And, consequent
ly, all our debts, our iniquities, were imputed to, and
laid upon him; " he bore them in his own body on the
tree :" 1 Pet. ii. 24; and the very wounds, and bruises,
that we had merited, he had inflicted upon him. And
having put away our sins, by the sacrifice of himself,
God can be as just in saving the sinner, as he was in
afflicting the Saviour : Rom. iii. 25, 26. Thus it is
that mercy triumphs, grace reigns, sinners are saved,
and saints rejoice. " There is therefore now no con
demnation to them which are in Christ Jesus;" no;
where there is no sin there can be no guilt : Rom. viii.
1. The believer knows that his sins have been laid
upon Jesus ; therefore, God doth not impute them to
the sinner ; but to the Saviour : and accounts, or im
putes, righteousness to us on the Saviour's account :
Rom. iv. 6 — 8. True, thou hast committed sins innu
merable ; but it is equally true, that Jesus hath been
wounded, and bruised for them ; and since thy surety
nas suffered in thy stead, thou art free. Hence flows
thy peace, thy holiness, thy heaven. Christ was
wounded, to cure our wounds ; bruised, to restore us
to soundness; chastised, that we might go free; and
striped, that we might be healed.

OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST. 91
" Neither is there salvation in any other ; lor there is none other name
inder heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Acts i». 12.
The cause of condemnation is sin ; the blood of Je
sus Christ cleanses from all sin ; 1 John i. 7 ; and he
having by the grace of God tasted death for every
man ; Heb. ii. 9 ; is the Saviour of all men, especially
of those that believe : 1 Tim. iv. 10. " Neither is
there salvation in any other;" for, no form, no creed,
no sect, no party, can avail us anything; but faith in
Jesus, which works by love, will purify the heart, and
avail us much : Gal. v. 6. " For there is none other
name than that of Jesus, under heaven given among
men," that can be of any saving benefit to us. We,
as sinners, have destroyed ourselves; and have not
the least ability to save ourselves : Hos. xiii. 9. But
our dear Saviour has done the work completely; he
made full satisfaction to law and justice; freed us from
sin and death ; and restores unto us our forfeited peace
with God. You may feel the remains of corrupt na
ture still lurking within; and which, too frequently,
appear without, causing grief to your soul ; but be of
good courage, and pray against those corruptions of
the heart ; resting assured, that sin shall not have do
minion over you ; for we are no longer under the law,
but under grace. " What then? shall we sin, because
we are not under the law, but under grace? God
forbid!" Rom. vL 14, 15. Jesus is the name that
cheers our hearts, and bids our fears begone; it is the
only name "whereby ye must be saved." There is
none other ; neither do we want any other ; for that
name is great, both in heaven and under heaven : Matt.
xxviiL 18. He had this "name given among men;"
sinful men, lost men, men that he came to save ; for
his business into the world was, to seek, and to save,
that which was lost : Luke xix. 10. And it is certain,
that he did not return without finishing his work :
John xvii. 4; xix. 30. Stephen died calling upon this
name: Acts vii. 60; Paul prayed, and received answers
to his prayers, in this name : 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9 ; and so
have millions ; and so will millions more : Rom. x.
11 — 13. He trod the winepress alone; and he saves
alone. His righteousness alone, will ride triumphant ;
all the rest must come tumbling down.

92 OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST.
" In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and ta
the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and uncleanness." Zech. xiii. 1.
We have a beautiful metaphor here in the term
"fountain," to represent the mediatorial character of
Christ; as the source and medium of salvation to the
human family. The prophet evidently testifies before
hand, " the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that
should follow." Observe,
1st. It is not a wasting stream that is here spoken
of; but a "fountain," ever-flowing, never-failing; al
ways yielding full supplies for every demand. Enough
for all ; both to pacify and purify : John iv. 14.
2d. Mark the freeness of God's grace : it is not a
fountain sealed, nor confined to a few favored individu
als; but a fountain "opened." None are forbidden;
but all are invited ; and whoever will may come and
welcome : Rev. xxii. 1 7.
3d. This fountain was virtually opened in the origi
nal plan of redemption ; according to God's gracious
designs : Rev. xiii. 8. And in due time, the plan of
reconciliation was announced to the world, and the
fountain of grace gradually opened and revealed, in
the various promises made to the patriarchs, and in
spired predictions of the holy prophets ; and shadowed
forth by the ceremonial law under the Mosaic dis
pensation. And was actually opened in the media
torial work of the Redeemer, "in that day" when he
had finished the work of man's redemption: Heb. i.
1—3. 4th. We are told to whom it was opened. To the
.fews Christ was promised, and to them he came as his
own people after the flesh ; but his own received him
not : John i. 11. But the blessings of this fountain,
(the Redeemer) were not to be confined to the " house
of David, nor to the inhabitants of Jerusalem :" He
was sent to be "a light to the Gentiles, and for salva
tion to the ends of the earth :" Acts xiii. 47.
5th. The purpose for which it was opened ; "for
nn and uncleanness." A new and living way is here
opened to guilty, polluted man : Ps. Ixxxv. 10. Such
an one as was typified by the sacrifices, foretold by the
prophets, and accomplished when Jesus was wounded
for u.;..

OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST. 93
" in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness cf ems.
£ph. i. 7.
Hearken, my beloved, "hear what God the Lord will
speak ; for he will speak peace unto his people, and to
his saints :" Ps. Ixxxv. 8- Here are no ifs, buts, nor
may-bes ; but the certainty and assurance of God's free
love to sinners ; in and through his "well-beloved Son."
"In who'm," that is, in Jesus, "we" who had sold our
selves for naught; Isa. lii. 3; "have redemption ;" are
bought back, ransomed, recovered from the ruin of our
fall, and reinstated in our former possessions and en
joyments. Such as,
1st. Acceptance with God : who, "to the praise of
the glory of his grace, hath made us accepted in the
Beloved: Eph. i. 6.
2d. Conformity to the glorious image of God. "In
the day that God created man, in the likeness of God
made he him;" Gen. v. 1; both righteous and holy;
consequently happy. Sin greatly defaced thq(; image ;
but in Christ we have that image of our Maker restored;
for what we lost in the first Adam, we have redeemed
by our second Adam : 2 Cor. v. 18.
3d Fellowship with God. Adam had it ; but lost
it by transgression. Christ has bought it back; and
now, we, through believing in him, "have fellowship
with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ:" 1
John i. 3.
4lh. Adoption into the family of God. "For through
him (Christ) we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access
unto the Father by one Spirit :" Eph. iL 18. Happy
those who have embraced the Saviour as he is freely
offered in the gospel. For "to them gave he power to
become the sons of God :" John i. 12. "Beloved, now
arc we the sons of God :" 1 John iii. 2. "And if chil
dren, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs wilh
Christ :" Rom. viii. 17.
5th. Freedom from the curse under which we lay.
For, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the
law, being made a curse for us:" Gal. iii. 13.
6th. All this recovery, or redemption, is without
money. " We have redemption through his blood;"
the precious ¥ood of the Lord Jesus Christ : 1 Pet. i.
18, 19.

91 OF ADOPTION.
" Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer j thy name is from evtrlasu
mg." Isa. Ixiii. 16,
When sinners become sensible, a sight of their own
nakedness and poverty would make them tru'y misera
ble, were it not that righteousness is revealed as God's
unspeakable gift by Jesus Christ. Grace reigns through
his righteousness; and we enjoy the knowledge and
comfort that we are counted righteous through faith in
him : Rom. iv. 6. Adoption, in a scriptural sense, is,
1st. National; whereby God takes a whole people
under his special care and government, and bestows or
dinances and other privileges upon them as his visible
church. This adoption, for about 1500 years, pertained
only to the Jews : Rom. ix. 4.
2d. Spiritual; in which sinful men, by nature
children of wrath ; Eph. ii. 3 ; are, upon their receiving
Christ, by faith, as their Saviour, taken into the special
favor of God; John i. 12; have spiritual communion
with him, and are entitled to all his promises, salva
tion and glory, as their everlasting inheritance : 1 Pet.
i. 3, 4. And, as his children, they are loved, taught,
governed, corrected, protected, helped, and provided
for by him. This adoption all true believers have re
ceived ; and have the Holy Spirit bearing witness with
their spirits, that they are the children of God : Rom.
viii. 15 — 17. And having the Spirit of Christ in their
hearts, they are enabled to say, " Thou, O Lord, art
our Father;" Gal. iv. 6; and knowing that their sal
vation is of God, they gratefully acknowledge him as
iheir Redeemer : Titus iii. 5 ; Eph. ii. 8, 9.
3d. Glorioixs ; in which, at the last great day, they
shall all be acknowledged to be the sons of God : 1 John
iiL 2. And it is for this adoption the saints now wait :
Ilom. viii. 23.
Whatever God has made himself known to us by,
that is his "ruime;" such as, his mercy, goodness,
truth, (fee; and every believer will say, " Thy name
is f-om everlasting:" Heb. i. 10 — 12. It is the un
speakable privilege of the Christian to approach God,
not as an angry Judge, but as a kind Father; not as
a haughty tyrant, but gracious Redeemer : Isa. xli. 14.
What can we desire more than such a Father and
Redeemer ?

OF ADOPTION. 95
" Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed jpon us, that wa
should be called the sons of God ! " 1 John iii. 1 .
Behold! Look! Observe! Do see! "what manner
of love!" Love without a parallel ! "the Father" of
lights, from whom every good descends, "hath be
stoived," graciously given to, and conferred "upon us,"
who have been so ungrateful, so base, so undeserving,
"ihat we" — we sinners — we rebels — we children of
wrath — we cursed — we aliens — that "we should be
called ihe sons of God." What boundless love ! and
amazing condescension ! It is God who calls us sons ;
and he never mis-caWs anything ; we may therefore rest
assured we are sons ; and he is not ashamed to be called
our Father. The Father bestowed the Son upon us ; 1
John iv. 9, 10 ; and the Son bestowed himself, and hath
redeemed us ; 1 Tim. ii. 6 ; and made us his brethren ;
Heb. ii. 17 ; and the Father hath adopted us, and made
us his sons : Rom. viii. 15 — 17. Love like this de
mands our soul — our life — our all. So fond is the
Father of his children, that he calls them all by his own
name ; Rev. iii. 12 ; he gives them every good thing to
enjoy here ; 1 Tim. vi. 17 ; and he lays up an abun
dance for them hereafter : Ps. xxxi. 19.
The happiness and privileges of the "sons of God"
are great beyond description ; for, though they have a
greater share of suffering than other men, they have
blessings and consolations to which all others are entire
strangers ; and what they enjoy while in this life, is no
to be compared to the honors and enjoyments that await
them when they come of age : 1 Cor. ii. 9. Let us re
member that God is our everlasting Father; who has
begotten himself in us, and we in himself. His light,
his love, his wisdom, his power, his strength, is in us :
John i. 16. This is but a very faint view of the ines
timable love, riches, honor, and glory, bequeathed to
ruined sinners by New Testament love; ratified and
sealed by the blood of Jesus, our elder Brother. How
ought this view of God's love to fill our hearts wiin
gratitude, fire our souls with ecstasy, and loose our
tongues to praise him who hath so loved us! The love
of the Father flows to us through the heart of our dear
Jesus. Surely, then, it is a great honor to be a ."on ol
God ! liCt us live as such.

96 OF ADOPTION.
" I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born." Jer. xxxi. 9.
They are not all Israel which are of Israel : Rom.
ix. 6. Neither are they all Christians, who are called
Christians. A man may have a good outside, and a
bad inside : but all who are born of God, they are the
Israel of God ; because they are the begotten of God :
1 Pet. L 3. All such are the adopted of God: Gal. iv.
6 ; they are of the family of God : Eph. iii. 15 ; and
God declares himself to be their Father : 2 Cor. vi. 18.
Observe, 1st. He, does not say I was, but " T am a Father to
Israel;" ungrateful as Israel has been, that has made
no change in our relationship. Though we frequently
forget the relationship in which we stand to God, he
never forgets the relation in which he stands to us :
Jer. xxxi. 3. What base ingratitude, to turn our backs
upon a "Father " so kind ; and wander from him; after
his having done so much for us ! Indeed, if sad expe
rience did not prove the contrary, it would seem im
possible for creatures, who have experienced so much
of his goodness, to prove so base as to make such ill
returns. And can it be possible, that God would ever
own those, who, after all that he has done, turn away
from him and despise his love? yea, and more thau
that, it is certain. For,
2d. He declares "Ephraim," wandering, backslid
ing, ungrateful, idolatrous Ephraim, " is my first-born."
Yes, Ephraim has left his father, wasted his substance,
and been among the swine, and following his idols;
and deserves not even the name of a son; still his
Father owns and loves him ; yea, calls him his "First
born;" because he is one with his only begotten Son,
who is the first-born of every creature ; Col. i. 14, 15 ;
and in whom, and throu.gh whom, he is also pleased
to accept of us ; and call us his sons : Eph. i. 6, 7.
Por as many as receive Christ, that is, believe on him,
they have the privilege of becoming the sons of God:
John i. 12. Christians are nobly privileged, greatly
dignified, and highly honored; it is, therefore, a grcTt
pity they should disgrace themselves by mingling with
the world : 2 Cor. vi. 17. A believer is a son of God.
by the Son of God ; so that we are indebted to God foi
every good.

OF ADOPTION. 9/
" Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal. iii. 26.
Great and manifold are the blessings and privileges
of all believers in God's dear Son ; they are no longer
counted as transgressors, foreigners, aliens, servants ;
but sons. Observe,
1st. The persons here spoken of, ye ; ye Jews, who
have long had the form of godliness without the pow
er; ye Gentiles, who so long had neither form nor
] JO wer; ye apostate sinners, who, so recently, were
haters of God, despisers of his law, rebels against his
righteous government. Ye who have been so strongly
in league with sin, death, and hell, look back, and
mourn over what you have been ; but look now, and
rejoice at what ye now are. Behold what grace has
done for ye ! For,
2d. "Ye are all the children of God!" Strange al
teration, indeed ! However, it is true ; and ye have all
a just claim to all the privileges of children. Hence,
you may approach God as your kind Father at all
times, and under every circumstance ; without the least
fear of meeting with a disappointment. In difiiculty,
he will direct you ; James i. 5 ; in danger, a celestial
soldier guards you ; Ps. xxxiv. 7 ; in the time of trial,
he will support you ; Ps. 1. 22 ; when you pass through
afflictions, he will accompany you ; Ps. xliii. 2 ; from
trouble he will deliver you ; Ps. I. 15 ; in every con
dition, his grace is sufficient ; 2 Cor. xii. 9 ; in death,
nf> will be with you ; Ps. xxiii. 4 ; and in eternity you
shall be with him ; John xiv. 3 ; and no mortal knows,
what truly great and good things he has laid up for
his children, on their arrival at home : 1 Cor. ii. 9.
3d. This is obtained, not on the ground of inno
cency, or good works; but "by faith:" that faith
that neither dictates to, nor cavils at, the word of
God ; but approaches the Bible to inquire what it
teaches; and promptly obeys whatever God com
mands ; and claims all which he has promised. God
gave his Son for you; the Spirit gave faith to you ;
hence Jesus became precious in your eyes ; 1 Pet. ii.
7; and ye became "the children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus."
4th. In Christ, and him alone you claim these privi
leges. 9

98 0»' FREE access TO GOD.
" The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call Lpoo
him in truth." Ps. cxlv. 18.
Sincere, upright souls, are aware, that they have to
do with a God who searches the heart, and tries the
reins of the children of men ; to him they appeal,
desire to be tried by, and have everything removed
that would be offensive to him : Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24.
Observe, 1st. "The Lord is nigh;" never out of call; bui.
always at hand; and if a neighbor that is nigh, is
better than a brother afar off, how great must be the
privilege of those who have God always nigh ! Isa.
xli. 10. The Lord is no respecter of persons. For,
2d. He is nigh unto "all them that call upon him-"
no matter which way they turn, they are sure to mee
with him: Ps. cxxxix. 7 — 12. Darkness may sur
round you, friends may be far from you, and earth,
death, and hell, may level their envenomed darts at
you ; but no matter, while the Lord is nigh you : Ps.
. Ixxxv. 9. All you have to do, is to be careful to sus
tain the character, and then you can claim the promise.
Call upon him, and you will find him nigh to answer
every call : Isa. Iviii. 9, 10. But if we would be suc
cessful in all our calls, we must be careful not to in
dulge in any known sin : Ps. Ixvi. 18.
3d. He is not said to be nigh, but unto "all that call
upon him in truih." He is a God of truth ; we must
therefore call upon him in truth. While in the flesh,
the heart must be narrowly watched, that it wander
not from God, while with our lips we call upon him ;
or we shall call in vain : Matt. xv. 7 — 9. We have
every inducement to call upon him ; the way is clear ;
Heb. X. 19 — 22; we have a friend in court; Heb. vii.
25 ; we are invited, so that we are sure to meet with a
hearty welcome : James iv. 8 ; yea, we are commanded
to call upon him : so that it would be a sin not to call ;
Ps. I. 15 ; neither is there any fear of being put rff
with a cold "Can't you call again:" Isa. xiv. 19.
Were we not straightened in our own bowels, we
should never find the Lord straightened in his. If we
jail and receive not, it is because we have called in an
improper manner ; for we could never call at an im
proper season : Jas. iv. 3 — 6.

OF FREE ACCESS TO GOD. 99
" Through Mm we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." Eph.
a. 13. What a pity it is, that those who have free access to
God, should live so far from God ! Our hearts and
affections, too frequently, get roving on the high roads
of earthly pleasures, riches, or honors ; where clouds of
dust arise, that so obscure our sight we cannot see our
w ay to God ; nor scarcely tell where we are. But here
Wi are reminded,
1st. That "through him," that is, through Christ
Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, we may
freely go to the Father : John xiv. 6. Because we are
his members ; one with, chosen, beloved, viewed, and
saved in him; and loved with the very same love:
John xvii. 23. Through Jesus,
2d. "We both," Jews and Gentiles; whether high
or low, bond or free, churchmen or dissenters; "have
access unto the Father." We have all one Father;
Mai. ii. 10; we are all one in Christ; have all one
Head, one Comforter, and one Spirit, by whom we all
have access to one God. Let this faith, then, quell all
unholy contentions, and excite all heavenly love to
each other. Sin created a quarrel between us and
God ; and Christ hath made peace between us : Eph.
ii. 14. Sin blocked up the old way to the Father
through works, but Christ has made a new one, through
himself: Heb. x. 20. The Father has now reconciled
us to himself; 2 Cor. v. 18 ; made us his sons, and
declares himself to be our Father ; 2 Cor. vi. 18 ; and
has erected a throne of grace for us to come unto ; with
fill liberty to approach that throne, with all our wants
and woes : Heb. iv. 16. But bear in mind,
3d. Christ, the Son, is the only way of access to the
Father; John xiv. 6; and by the help ofthe "Spirit,"
he enlightens our minds, and gives us hearts to come :
John vi. 44. Thus it is all owing to the boundless
grace of God, from first to last, that we have access to
him. What infinite riches of wisdom, grace and love,
in the new creation in Christ Jesus ! all of which are
of a spiritual and heavenly nature. Whatever tempests
may arise, or darkness surround you, you can always
find access to a faithful, covenant-keeping God : Ezek.
XX, 40, 41.

100 OF sanctifying grace.
" The Lord God is a sun and a shield : the Lord will give grace and glory :
to good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." Ps. Ixxxiv. 11.
This world, to the Christian, may be considered a
wilderness, dark and dangerous, through which he is
called to pass ; and without a guide and guard, it would
be impossible for him to get through it in safety : Phil.
iii. 18, 19. Here we have a redundancy of gracious
daclarations and precious promises.
1st. "The Lord God," who hurled the sun from his
grasp, and bid the planets roll, " is a sun," to enlighten
cheer, comfort, warm, and guide, the travellers of
Zion, as they journey toward the Sun ; and who on
their arrival will shine as the sun : Matt. xiii. 43.
Your way may be difficult, but you have a good light;
so that by looking well to your steps, you need not fall.
Dangers may surround you, but let not that discourage
you. For,
2d. The Lord is also "a shield ;" and one too, that
will cover you every way : Isa. lii. 12. The darts of
the enemy may be constantly flying thick around you;
but let not that give you any concern, while you are
so well defended by so good a shield : Ps. v. 12. Per
haps you are ready to say, "but my fears are so great,
and my strength so small : my foes so powerful and
my faith so feeble ; that I sometimes think I shall have
to give up the struggle." Give up ! what! so long as
it is written,
3d. "The Lord will give grace!" Never: never
let such a brat be sheltered under your roof. You can
not stand, it is true, without grace ; but that you shall
have; and enough too, to replenish all your graces.
Only be careful to improve the grace you have ; and
the Lord will give sufficient : 2 Cor. xii. 9. The
Lord does not intend you should stop in this woild of
woes but a little while longer ; you may therefore com
fort your heart with this assurance.
4th. He will "give glory." Present grace is an
earnest of future glory. Grace is glory begun; and
glory is grace made perfect : 2 Cor. iii. 18. And, to
remove every cause of complaint,
5th. The Lord " will withhold no good thing." So
that whatever may befall you, shall be sanctified to
you.

of sanctifying grace. 101
" Sacn were some of you : but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but J j
»re justified iu the name ol the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."
1 Cor. vi. 11.
The apostle had too great cause to fear that some in
the church at Corinth were not living as Christians
ought to live; but who, while they professed piety,
practised iniquity: 2 Cor. xii. 20, 21. However, he
knew that that was not the case with all ; hence, in
order to keep those humble and charitable who were
so, he gives them to understand, that whatever differ
ence there was, between saints and sinners, was all
owing to the grace of God. Let the wickedness of oth
ers ever keep you at the footstool of mercy, by remind
ing you of your great obligations to love and serve God-
For, 1st. "Such were some of you :" and truly glad should
I be to be able to speak of it as a thing past with all
of you. The best of you were as bad by nature as the
worst of them ; all were alike unholy and unclean : Job
xiv. 4. But,
2d. "Ye are washed;" from the vile pollutions of
sin : by faith, ye are washed, having applied to the
fountain opened for sin and uncleanness : Zech. xii. 1.
Thanks to Him who opened the fountain, led you to,
and then washed you in it : Titus iii. 5. Be careful to
keep yourselves unspotted from the world.
3d. "But ye are sanctified :" the Lord hath set you
apart for himself; Ps. iv. 3; he hath redeemed you
from all iniquity, and washed and sanctified y<m, that
he might purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous
of good works: Titus ii. 14. And ye are now freed
from the power and dominion of sin; Rom. vi. 14;
and being endued with a principle of holiness, ye are
liecome new creatures : 2 Cor. v. 17. Neither is that
all that grace has done for you ; for,
4th. "Ye are justified ;" all your former transgres
sions are as completely removed, and you as free, as
though you had never committed one sin. God has
graciously accepted of us, on account of what Christ
has wrought out for us ; and now, being justified, we
have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ :
Rom. V. 1. For,
Sth. It is in the Lord Jesus' "name" alone: Acts iv. 12.
9*

102 OF CONVERTING GRACE.
A new heart also will I giv« you, and a new spirit will I put within you;
and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a
i>e.art of flesh." Ezek. xxxvi. 26.
A Christian is a "new creature;" he has a "new
heart;" lives in a new world ; under a new government;
serves a new master ; obeys new laws ; is actuated by
new motives ; influenced by new love ; animated with
new joys ; possesses new delights ; and is called by a
new name; yea, all things become new: 2 Cor. v. 17.
"True," says the believer, "this is a sweet doctrine;
but sad experience teaches me, that I have not yet that
new heart you speak of; for I feel to my sorrow the old
nature of sin and unbelief, and have daily to mourn
over it." Well, admitting you do, you feel no more
than the saints of God in every age have had to groan
under ; and it is perfecfly consistent with a renewed
state. Naturally, your heart was as hard as a stone,
incapable of either feeling sin or mourning over it ; and
hence it was called a " stony heart;" but by the Ijlood
of Jesus, applied by the Spirit, through faith, it has
been made a soft, tender, yielding heart : and is called a
" heart of flesh." Your old heart was like a rock ; that
could neither be awed by fear nor be moved by love ;
but your "new heart of fiesh" is susceptible of impres
sion ; — is melted by love, mourns over sin, and delights
in looking upon Jesus, as he is set forth in the gospel.
By the Spirit of God you are inwardly changed ; or,
in other words, have been converted to a different pur
pose ; or, from what you formerly were, to what you
now are. You were formerly dead as a stone, spirit
ually; but now, being quickened, you are sensible of
feeling ; formerly you were a child of wrath ; but, now,
a child of God : Eph. ii. 1 — 6. Hence you now love
and serve God, who first loved you • 1 John iv. 19.
You thought your old heart a very good one, because
it was an unfeeling, deceitful one ; and your new heart,
because it is a feeling one, you are led to think is worse
than the old one. The king's daughter, the Lamb's
wife, is all glorious within, and her clothing is of
wrought-gold ; yet she is unhappily allied to a base,
wretched Nabal. The conflicts you feel within, are a
proof that grace is alive ; and that your heart is not
stone.

OF CONVERTING GRACE. 103
Nf.t by works ol righteousness, which we have done, but according to his
mercy le saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost." Titus iii. 6.
Every converted sinner is a sinner saved by grace .
and all such are saved from sin ; and consequently the
penalty due to sin : 2 Tim. i. 9. Observe,
1st. It is not said. We are saved without the works
of righteousness ; no, that could never be ; but, " Not
according to works of righteousness which we have
done;" for that would be impossible; seeing our best
performances need washing in the fountain opened for
sin and uncleanness : Eph. ii. 8, 9. Therefore,
2d. We are saved "according to his mercy ;" on ac
count of works of righteousness which Jebus has done ;
who hath fulfilled the law for us ; and perfectly satis
fied every demand of strict justice. Hence we are no
longer under the curse of the law, but under grace :
Rom. vi. 14, 15. So that no one has anything to boast
of, nor glory in, save in the cross of Christ : Eph. ii. 15,
16. As water separates filth from that which is washed
in it, so we are said to be saved,
3d. " By the washing of regeneration, and renewing
of the Holy Ghost." Regeneration is spiritual renew
ing. The man is the same after being thus renewed ;
but with other dispositions and habits ; evil ones no
longer prevail : and in a moral and spiritual sense, old
things are passed away, and all things become new.
A new principle of grace and holiness being wrought,
by which he is governed, makes him a new man — a
¦new creature : 2 Cor. v. 17.
4th. And as baptism is the outward sign of this in
ward change, wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit
and the word of truth, James i. 18, applying the things
of Christ to us, it is here called the "washing of regen
eration." Water cleanses the outside of the man ; and
IS here used to represent the cleansing that has been
performed inside, by the grace and Spirit of Christ,
according to the mercy of God : 1 John v. 7, 8. Christ
himself instituted the ordinance of Baptism ; it ought,
therefore, never to be slighted, nor neglected by those
who are converted ; neither should it ever be substi
tuted for conversion ; jut should follow it as an evi
dence of it.

104 OP THE GRACE OF REPENTANCE.
" And ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evils that ww
have committed." Ezek, xx. 43.
When a man knows but little of God, he is apt to
think much of himself; but the more he becomes ac
quainted with God's goodness, the more he discovers of
his own badness : Job xliL 5, 6. A man who is ac
quainted with himself, is sure to loathe himself. Who
ever reflects upon the goodness of God, cannot fail to
discover their ingratitude to God: Isa. i. 2. Do you
look upon yourself with abhorrence, and "loathe your
self?" Why is it? You had used to have a good
opinion of yourself; and stood very high in your own
estimation ; and were ready to believe yourself much
better than many of your neighbors, who made a tow
ering profession of religion. Why this great change of
your views, with regard to yourself? Have you such
humbling views of yourself on account of "¦all the evils
you have committed?" If so, do not despair; for it is
With you just as God would have it ; and just as he in
his mercy declared it should be. You are no worse
now, than you were before you saw yourself so vile
and loathsome ; but it is because God has enlightened
your mind, took away the veil from your heart, and
given you a sight of yourself, that you now loathe your
self. David was no worse after the prophet Nathan haii
declared him to be the man who had committed such
great wickedness, than he was before ; no, but God
brought his sins to his remembrance by it; and he
loathed himself on account thereof: 2 Sam. xii. 7, 13.
The Lord has given you the grace of repentance, so
that you now hate what you formerly loved, and desiri.
that which you formerly slighted; yea, hated. Con-
feiss and forsake your sins, as David did, and like him
you shall find mercy : Prov. xxviii. 13. We must hate
sin before we can love holiness. There are many who
delight themselves in committing sins, who never
loathed themselves on account of the sins they had
committed : Hos. vii. 10. God sent his Son to die for
sinners ; you are one ; go to God through Christ; take
nothing with you but your sins, and vile as you are, he
will embrace you in the arms of his mercy : John vi.
37. Let the great love that God has to you, quicken
your love to him.

OF THE GRACE OF REPENTANCE. 105
" I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Malt.
ix. 13.
Be astonished, O heavens ! and rejoice, ye children
of men ! admire and adore the goodness of our God !
who, while we were yet sinners, sent his only begotten
Son into the world, that we might live through him :
1 John iv. 9, 10. Learn,
1st. Christ's errand into the world was to "call men
to repentance ;" to convince them of their improper con
duct, and persuade them to change their mind, in order
that they might alter their course. This was his first
text, and the tendency of all his sermons : Matt. iv. 1''.
2d. "He came not to call the righteous :" no, for
had that been his errand, he would never have visited
this world : Rom. iii. 10. Had men not have been
sinners, Christ would not have been found amongst
men ; but all have sinned ; and he came into a world
of sinners, that he might save the chief of sinners
1 Tim. i. 15. His errand lay with all kinds of sinners.
Therefore, 3d. The greater the sinner, the more need of the
Saviour: Matt. ix. 12. The more dangerous the dis
ease, the more need of a physician. But he came not
to save men in their sins, hut from their sins ; Matt, i.
21 ; and to do this, he calls upon all men to repent ;
and leaves no means untried, in order to bring sinners
to repentance. He invites, warns, and entreats, by the
dispensations of his providence ; James ii. 12 ; by the
motions of his Holy Spirit ; Matt xxii. 14 ; by the
preaching of the gospel ; Mark i. 15 ; by their own
consciences ; John viii. 9 ; and by his repeated acts of
goodness : Rom. ii. 4.
4th. Repentance is produced by a sight of, a soirow
lor, and a hatred to sin ; for no man will think about
reforming till he sees and feels the need of a reforma
tion. A sorrow for sin, if it is of a godly sort, "work
eth repentance ;" that is to say, produceth a reform :
2 Cor. VII. 10. Hence, Peter directed the murderers of
Christ, who were pricked in their hearts, on account
of their sins, to repent ; do better for the time to come.
Is this yDur state, my Christian friend? Attend to the
calls of the Spirit; follow the drawings of ?he Father.
and they will lead you to the Son.

106 OF DIVINE TEACHING.
" I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way thoa shalt go ; I will guide
thee with mine eye," Ps. xxxii. 8.
God's promises are frequently mixed with the prayers
and grateful acknowledgments of his saints ; as in the
case here. Christian, know thy danger ; thou art ever
liable to be led astray by the wicked one, and the de-
c«itfulness of thy own heart. Remember, there is no
growth in grace, but by the knowledge of Jesus ; and
to know and experience the grace of God in Christ, is
the privilege of poor sinners. Art thou mourning over
thy ignorance, hungering after more grace, and thirst
ing after greater knowledge of thyself, thy God, and
thy Saviour ? Is it thy greatest desire to know the
way of righteousness, and to be enabled to walk in it ?
Verily, thy desire shall be granted. For the encour
agement of thy faith, the Lord declares,
1st. "/ will instruct thee." Complain not of thy
ignorance ; for it matters not how dull thou mayest be,
seeing the Lord has engaged to be thy teacher. Talk
not of being a poor, ignorant sinner; for He teaches
sinners because they are sinners and need his teachings :
Ps. xxv. 8. We are all sinners, and cannot help one
another back into the fold from which we strayed ; but
God sent his Son to save sinners ; and, for his sake, will
instruct us in those things that belong to our peace. If
thou art endeavoring to walk in the way of the Lord,
this promise belongs to thee.
2d. "I will teach thee in the way thou shalt go."
Thus it is plain your having gone out of the way, or
your ignorance in the way, can never interfere with the
faithfulness of God. There are so many ways marked
out by man, and each contend so zealously for their
(iwn way, that without Divine teaching, it would be
impossible for mortal to know the right way. The
Lord will teach thee, by his word and Spirit, the
way which tliou shalt go ; whatever way others may
take. 3d. "I will guide thee with mine eye." The eyes of
the Lord are upon the righteous: Ps. xxxiv. 15. When
the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, he guided him
with his eye into the right way. To grow in the
knowledge and love of Jesus, is our richest consolation,
our greatest joy : 2 Pet. iii. 18.

OF DIVINE TEACHING. 107
" If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whethei i be
ol God, or whether I spedKof myself." John vii. 17.
The blessed Saviour has here given to his disciples
a test, whereby cliey may try all who set themselves
up for prophets, doctors, or dictators, in religion ; they
are to be tried by their doctrine ; and by that he wished
to be tried himself The doctrine of Christ is disputed
in this our day, as it was in his day. Observe,
1st. We are in danger of being led astray and de
ceived, by having doctrines brought to us in God's
name which he never taught; and it greatly concerns
us to know upon what foundation we build ; and un
less we closely examine, we may be miserably de
ceived : 1 John iv. 1.
2d. Who are likely to succeed in their endeavors to
ascertain "whether the doctrine he of God," or whether
the preacher preaches himself? they who "do the will
of God." And all who do his will are impartial in
their inquiries concerning his will ; and suffer neither
lust nor interest to bias their minds, during their search
after truth; and having discovered the will of God,
they resolve by his grace to conform to it : John xiv. 21.
3d. Whence it is that such shall "know the truth"
of Christ's doctrine. Christ has said, "He shall know ;"
and that is sufficient ; for his word is his bond. He
can open their understandings ; and all who follow the
light they have, may depend upon being kept from all
destructive mistakes : Luke xxiv. 45. He that is dis
posed to admit the rays of divine light, may depend
upon being led into all truth ; and the truth, if contin
ued in, shall make him free : John viii. 31, 32.
Be careful to do the will of God, and you will as
suredly be taught the doctrine of God. Let no one in
duce you, under a show of holiness, to deny the doc
trines of grace on the one hand, nor suffer the lusts of
the ffesh to abuse them on the other. Under a lively
sense of the mercy and grace of God, make a holy re
solve to do his will ; and to walk continually before
him in the land of the living : Ps. cxvL 9. Those who
resemble God most, are likely to understand him best.
Those teachers, and those only, who are sent of God,
are to be received by us. By their fruits ye shall
know them : Matt. vii. 15 — 20.

108 OF A BLESSING UPON THE ORDINANCES.
" Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvatioD.
Isa. xii. 3.
Godliness is of a powerful nature upon the s^ul ; it
consists not in form and shadow, but in power and sub
stance ; not in notions and opinions, but in the real en
joyment of Chiist in the heart. Those who attend
the ordinances frora no better motive, than that they
might give a good account of them, talk fluently about
them, and contend earnestly for them, are content with
this : and feel very well satisfied, if, according to their
own views of religion, they have clear heads ; they
take it for granted that their faith is sound, although it
neither works by love, nor purifies the heart : Gal. v.
6. Not so with those who enjoy the life, light, liberty,
and power of Christ and his gospel. "Therefore" be
cause the Lord is your God, your Strength, and youi
Song, and will be your Salvation, "with joy shall yt
draw water." The many assurances God has given ol
his love to us, and our numerous experiences of the
benefit and comfort of his grace, should strengthen oui
faith in him, and enlarge our expectations from him ;
for "out of the wells of salvation" in God, who is the
Fountain of all goodness, whatever ye need, whenever
ye apply, "ye shall draw." Only keep in the channel
made by him, and ye shall raeet with all the streams
of love that flow from hira : Jer. xxxi. 9. Observe,
1st. The proraises of God revealed, ratified, and given
out to us iu his ordinances, are "wells of salvation."
2d. It is our duty and privilege, to take to ourselves
the benefit and comfort that are treasured up in them
for us ; and by faith to draw water from thence ; see
ing all our springs are there, and all our streams froiK
thence : Ps. Ixxxvii. 7.
3d. It is with pleasure that we shall draw water
for the will of God is, that we should rejoice before*
and rejoice in hira; Deut. xxvi. 11; and always b
joyful in the house of prayer ; Isa. Ixvi. 7 ; keepinj,
his feasts with gladness: Acts ii. 46. Say not, "I aw
too weak to draw;" for he says, "ye shall draw;
yea, and "with joy" too. His favor shall flow to you
and ye shall have the corafort of it: Isa. Iv. 1. Thf
water is in the wells, and ye shall have the comfort ot
it : Isa. Iv. 1 .

OF A BLESSING UPON THE ORDINANCES. 109
" Where two or three are gathered together m my name, there am I in iha
midst of them." Matt, xviii. 20.
Such is the love the Saviour bears to his followers,
and the encouragement given them, to frequently assem
ble in his name for Divine worship, that he assures them
the smallness of their numbers shall be no obstacle in
his way of meeting with them : Exod. xx. 24. Observe,
1st. The duty here prescribed. It is that we "gath
er" ourselves "together in Christ's name." This is an
import int obligation ; and implies that when we meet
for tho purpose of divine worship, we should do it
with reverence, and godly fear : Ps. Ixxxix. 7. We
should not carelessly rush into the presence of God ;
but seek a necessary preparation of heart ; Prov. xvi.
1 ; and go with a desire to do and get good ; Eccl. v.
1, 2 ; that we may be prepared to receive the com
munications of his grace : Ps. xxvii. 4. We cannot
approach God in our own names, because we are sin
ners, and enemies to him by wicked works ; Roni. viii.
7, 8 ; nor in any other name under heaven, than that
of Jesus ; Acts iv. 12 ; but through him we have a new
and living way opened to the Father of all our mer-.
cies : John xiv. 6. Neither will any worship be ac
ceptable to God, but that which is sincere and spiritual :
John iv. 24. Let us, then, worship him in the spirit,
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the
flesh : Rom. viii. 26, 27.
2d. The instructions suggested. The Saviour de
clares himself to be "in the midst" oi all his assemblies,
however numerous, and in any and every part of the
world at the sarae time, which proves him to be orani-
presont : Matt, xxviii. 20. That religious ordinances
are of divine origin, is evident, frora the institution and
design of the Sabbath : Gen. ii. 3. The positive in
junctions of the moral law: Exod. xx. 8 — 11. The
Mosaic dispensation of ceremonies : Deut. xvi. 16. The
testimonies and examples of the patriarchs and projih-
ets : Ps. Ixxxiv. 2 — 4. The examples of Christ in the
days of his flesh ; Luke iv. 16 ; and the practice of the
primitive Christians: Acts xx. 7. "Where?" whether
in a palace, or in a barn ; in a temple, or in the field ;
whenever, wherever, and whoever, gather together iii
the name of Christ, have him in their midst.
10

110 OF GRACE TO MORTIFY SIN.
' Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?" Hos.

tiv. 8.

These words are a part of a sweet dialogue between
the Lord and Ephraim ; which signifies growing. The
Lord had just before said, " 1 will be as the dew mito
Israel." Now see the effects of this grace. Ephraim
.says, " What have I to do any more with idols." Get
ye hence, cursed idols, my vile lusts; and that vain
idol, the work of my hands ; and my own righteous
ness. I abhor the former, and disclaim the latter ; for
now I find my Lord is mine, and I am his. One who
has truly repented of his sins, is one who has quar
relled with his sins ; and such is the hatred he has to
sin, whenever it presents itself, he starts back and
cries, " What have I to do any more with idols?" Noth
ing shall again divide my heart. How can I do this
great wickedness, and sin against God ? Gen. xxxix. 9.
Ephraim had joined himself to idols ; Hos. iv. 17 ; and
the Lord intended to give him such a surfeit of sui,
that he should forever disown it. So that, you see it
is the Lord becomes surety for his servant. "Ephraim
shall say," &c. The desire of God is, that sinners
should repent and turn to him : Ezek. xiv. 6. If he
hears but a sigh from the penitent heart, he is pleased
with it : Jer. viii. 6. The Lord hates nothing but sin.
He sent his Son to make an end of sins, lest sins should
make an end of us : Dan. ix. 24. We have nothing to
dread but sin. Sin strikes at God's holiness, and our
happiness; we should, therefore, keep up a constant
and universal war against all sorts of sins. Remem
ber, one sin threw down a righteous Noah ; another, a
faithful Abraham ; another the meek Moses ; another,
was too strong for Sampson ; another, overcame pious
David; another, the wise Solomon; another, cast down
Paul ; another, knocked down the charapion Peter ;
and all together crucified the Son of God. The more
you know of God's greatness, the more you will see of
si i's vileness: Rom. vii. 13.
Be not discouraged, because you have so formidable
a foe to contend with ; for as is your day so is your
strength. The grace of God is always sufficient: 2
Cor. xii. 9. For his strength is made perfect in thy
weakness.

OF GRACE TO MORTIFY SIN. Ill
" Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." Gal.
r. 16. As every renewed soul loves to enjoy spiritual and
heavenly objects, so the unrenewed part, or the flesh,
lusts after those things which it is naturally conver
sant with, and from which it derives its happiness.
This is the Christian's conflict ; and hence the neces
sity of watching and praying : Matt. xxvi. 41. And
well would it be for all who name the name of Christ,
if, instead of rising up one party against another, they
would all unite against the one common foe, sin : Ps.
cxxxiii. Every renewed man finds a struggle be
tween the old and the new nature, between the re
mainders of sin and the beginnings of grace ; and in
this conflict it is our duty and interest to side with our
convictions against our corruptions. We are here
told, 1st. The course to be pursued. " Walk in tho
Spirit," by which ye are sanctified and renewed; 1
Cor. vi. 11 ; that condescends to dwell in your heart;
Rom. viii. 9; and assists you in the discharge of all
your duties : Rom. viii. 26. Walk under the guidance,
and influence of the Holy Spirit : John xvi. 13. You,
no doubt, feel that the fiesh is warring against the
spirit, or that gracious, holy influence implanted in
your heart by the Holy Spirit; but this should not dis
courage you: for it is positive proof that the spirit is
warring against the flesh : Rom. vii. 22, 23. Your
feeling sin living in you, is no proof you are living in
sin. Ask of God, and he will give you his Holy Spirit,
to enable you to mortify every sin : Luke xi. 13.
2d, The happy result will be, "Ye shatt not fulfil
the lust of the flesh." Alas ! what woful work the
fulfilling the lust of the flesh hath made, even among
the most eminent saints. The conceptions of lust are
the productions of sin : Jaraes i. 15. The coraraission
of sin loads the conscience with guilt; and brings
sickness and death to the soul. Hence, the many
alarming symptoms attendant on contracted guilt; the
lashes of conscience, the terrors of the law, distance
from God, dejection of soul, coolness of affection to
Jesus, backwardness to duty, neglect of a throne of
grace, legal fears, and bitterness of spirit.

112 OF GRACE AGAINST TEMPTATION
" He that feareth God shall come forth of them all." Eccl. vii. '8.
The corrupt inclination of our nature to what is
sinful, is what the apostle calls, "Sin that dwelleth in
us;" Rom. vii. 17; and is a constant, powerful stimu
lus to the actual commission of sin. The objects
around us prove the unhappy occasions of sin to us ;
our company, society, callings, and circumstances, fre
quently prove temptations to sin. The world, though
not necessarily set against our spiritual interests, is an
enemy to our souls; hence the apostle calls it an "evil
world :" Gal. i. 4. The things of the world are suita
ble to our corrupt passions and appetites, and excite
and inflame them : 1 John ii. 15. The devil is another
great enemy of our souls, and is continually engaged
to estrange our affections from God, to the practice of
iniquity: 1 Pet. v. 8. The Scriptures assure us, that
our spiritual foes are very numerous : Eph. vi. 12.
Without, we have fightings; within, we have fears.
But greater is he that is for us, than all that can be
against us. Our best defence against temptation, is
religion, or, the fear of the Lord. "He that feareth
God," need fear nothing else : Isa. xxxv. 4. Satan
may tempt, but he cannot force, nor take away your
crown : Jas. i. 12. The least sin is a greater evil than
the greatest temptation. Were you an empty vessel,
the enemy would let you alone ; for he is too skilful a
pirate ever to attack an empty ship : Heb. iv. 15. Up
with your faith, and down with your fears ; for though
you may be greatly tempted, you shall be greatly sup
ported : 2 Cor. xii. 9. Your greatest enemy lies in
your own bosom, night and day : Jer. xvii. 9. Resist
the devil and he will, coward-like, flee from you ;
James iv. 7. The weapons you fight with, must be
fervent prayer, and faith in the promises of God ; and
be sure you keep a constant watch, lest you be taken
by surprise : Eph. vi. 18. Prize the word of God, as
your blessed charter of salvation : plead the promises
before him ; in the hour of temptation fly to him ; ex
pect all you need from him ; even victory over all sin,
deliverance from all trouble, holiness here, and glory
hereafter. A host of foes can never harm you, while
you serve the Lord of hosts : 1 Cor. x. 13. For his
grace is sufficient for thee : 2 Cor. xii. 9.

OF GRACE AGAINST TEMPTATION. 113
Illsssed is the man that' endureth temptation : for when he is tried he
shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that
tove him." James i. 12.
The Bible is the Christian's charter ; it is therefore
our highest wisdom to study it, and to judge of God's
love to us from his word and promises, and not from
our circumstances, trials, and feelings. Observe,
1st. "Blessed is the man," whoever he maybe, or
whatever might be his condition, "that endureth temp
tation." A man may suffer much, and not be said to
endure anything ; but he who patient y endures, and
with constancy goes through all difficulties in the way
of his duty, is truly blessed : Heb. ii. 18.
2d. Afflictions, whatever might be their nature, are
so far from taking away the happiness of a man who
loves God, that they only tend to increase it. So that
no tc mptations need make us miserable, since God de
signs them to make us corafortable; for "blessed is
the man that endureth tei.iptation."
3d. A tried Christian is sure to be a crowned one.
"When he is tried," whtn he is approved, when his
graces are found to be get nine, and his integrity mani
fested ; when he has been refined as metals are in the
fire, when all his dross has been taken away, and
"sterling" has been stamped upon him, "he shall re
ceive the crown of life." We who bear the cross in
time, shall wear the crown in eternity: 2 Cor. v. 1.
4th. The future blessedness, involved in a crown of
life, is a thing promised to every righteous sufferer, by
the (jrod of truth ; and may therefore be safely depended
upon. "The Lord hath promised" it; and will give
it : 2 Tim. iv. 8.
5th. We must endure temptation from a principle
of hve to God, in order to sustain the character to
whom this promised crown shall be given; otherwise
we are not interested in the promise. " The Lord hath
promised to them that hve him." And whatever we
may suffer, or do, if it arises not from a sincere love
to God and man, it will never be pleasing to God :
1 Cor. xiii. .3. Temptations, or trials, from God, can
never injure us ; they being designed to improve us :
Gen. xxii. 1 : Heb. xi. 11. The Lord knoweth how
to deliver the godly out of temf 'ation.
to*

114 OF VICTORY OVER THE WORLD.
" To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speak
eth froward things." Prov. ii. 12.
Nothing will kill the love of a bewitching, deceitful
world, in a deceitful heart, but a sight of heaven by
faith. The world we are in most danger of being en
snared by, is, that depraved and blind multitude who
love themselves, or the creature, without paying any
regard to the Creator; Eph. ii. 2, 3; and who have
such an enmity to God, that they hate all who love
him : John xv. 19. But if you have the grace of God
in your heart, that will produce a hope of heaven in
the soul; and "deliver you from the way of the evil
man," which will be a blessed deliverance; for his
way leads to death : Prov. xiv. 12. The enemy is
here spoken of as one, when, the fact is, there is a
whole gang of them ; all engaged, as one man, to
oppose religion ; and are united, heart and hand, to
support the kingdom of Satan : Isa. xxviii. 14, 15.
But you need not fear them, for you shall have a
complete victory over them: 1 John v. 4. Wisdom,
which is religion, will keep you frora falling into their
snares ; so that while you are in the world, you shall
be kept from the evil of the world : John xvii. 15, 16.
Those of the world are generally known by their con-"
versation; they speak "froward things." To show
their own enmity to religion, and to dissuade others
from it, they speak all they can against it ; and are
fond of cavilling with the word of God ; and are never
better pleased than when they think they have been
successful in their endeavors : Gal. iii. 1. From those
who openly deny all religion, you have but little to
fear: because you know them; 1 John iv. 4; but the
greatest enemies to Christianity are to be found amongst
those who are called Christians ; who, while they make
a profession of piety, practise iniquity : Eph. v. 12.
Of all men upon earth, a worldly-minded professor is
most to be pitied, and none so much to be dreaded-
they strive to keep God and the world, while they en
joy neither : 1 John ii. 1 5 Search the word of God
keep and study it ; that directs thee to Christ, who is
the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The only way to
happiness is the way of holiness ; walk in it, and shun
every evil way.

OF VICTORY OVER THE WORLD. 115
Wha gave hi.iisel *" for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present
evil world." Gal. „ 4.
When t\e world came out of the hands of its Crea
tor, it was declared by him to be "very good;" but the
sin of man ruined it, and brought it and himself under
a curse : Gen. L 31 ; iii. 17, 18. The present world,
which was made a blissful world by God, is now an
enemy to our souls; therefore the apostle calls it an
"evil world." Not as though it were evil in itself, and
necessarily set against our spiritual interests ; no, but
the things of the world, being suitable to our corrupt
passions and appetites, excite and inflame them, like
unwholesome food, that is pleasant to the taste, but
feeds the disease. Every creature of God would be
good, if rightly used : 1 Tim. iv. 4. Observe, then,
1st. This present world is an evil world, on account
of sin that made it such ; and the sin, sorrow, pains, and
calamities with which it abounds ; and the many snares
and temptations to which we are exposed while we re
main in it. But though we have to live in it, if we are
Christians, we are not of it: John xv. 19. For,
2d. Jesus Christ " gave himself for our sins," asa
great sacrifice to make atonement for us ; 2 Cor. v. 21 ;
" that he mi^t deliver us from this present evil world."
Not that he might immediately take us out of it, but
deliver us from the power and evil of it : John xvii.
15. We are only travellers through it ; and while in
it, we shall have to do with it ; but must be careful to
keep ourselves unspotted from it: Jaraes i. 27. By
hving to Christ, we becorae dead to the world; and by
dying to, we obtain a victory over it: Gal. vi. 14.
Christ has wrought out a deliverance for us, but we
can never enjoy it but by faith in his raerits; he died
to save us from our sins when he died for our sins :
Matt. i. 21. And no one can consistently call him their
Saviour, who is living in sin ; and was it not a sin to
live under the power and influence of the world, he
would never have given himself to deliver us from it ;
and if Christ Jesus has not saved us from sin, I am at
a loss to know what he has saved us from. To obtain
a victory over the world, you must fight against it, in
the strength of the dear Redeemer who gave himself
for us: John xvi. 33.

116 OF VICTORY OVER T.HE DE\IL.
" I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and Vtween hy seed and
aer seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruisv nis heel." Gen
iii. IS.
Here we have war proclaimed between the seed of
the woman and the seed of the serpent. There are two
particulars which demand our serious attention.
First. The Lord put enmity between the serpent and
the woman, and between his seed and her seed. 1st.
The serpent is addressed, but the devil is intended.
He is called "the dragon, that old serpent, which is the
devil, and Satan :" Rev. xx. 2. The following reasons
may be assigned why he is called a serpent. He assumed
that form when he tempted Eve ; ver. 1 ; he is crafty,
subtle, and cunning; 2 Cor. ii. 11 ; and his influence on
man resembles the deadly bite of a serpent : Gen. xlix.
17. 2d. The woman is named, because she was de
ceived by the serpent : 1 Tim. ii. 14. 3d. Wicked men
are influenced by the seed of the serpent ; he is their
father, and they do his -works : John viii. 44. The old
serpent is an enemy of God ; and so are all his children:
Rom. viii. 7. All our sinful lusts and works spring
frora the same seed. 4th. The " seed of ihe woman" is
the Saviour of the world, the only begotten Son of God :
Gal. iv. 4 ; 1 John ii. 2. Christ, and all believers in
him, are of the woman's seed ; they being one in him
their living Head : Col. i. 18, 19. 5th. God put enmity
between these parties ; and no one can ever reconcile
them : for the devil is sinful and polluted ; Christ is
pure and holy, the devil is a destroyer ; Christ is a
Saviour, the devil is a cruel tyrant ; Christ is a mild
Prince; the devil is to be destroyed; Heb. ii. 14; Christ
must reign and conquer : 1 Cor. xy- 25.
Secondly. The seed of the woman was to bruise the
serpent's head, and the serpent was to bruise his hecL
This language is figurative, and we understand it to
mean, 1st. By the head of the serpent, the mischiev
ous power of the devil. The life, power, and poison
of the serpent lie in its head. 2. The Saviour came
into the world to bruise his head. See the first con
flict : Matt. iv. 1 — 11. 3d. To bruise his head, is to
crush his power : Rev. xx. 10. 4th. Christ gave a
death-blow to the serpe'ht in his death and resurrec
tion : 1 Cor. XV. 20—22.

OF VICTORY OVER THE DEVIL. 117
" Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James iv. 7
Think not, believer, that thou art not a son cf the
Gfod of Peace, nor a subject of the Prince of Peace,
because thou art daily in wars and fightings. True,
when the delightful sound of peace is declared in thy
heart, and thou art enjoying a comfortable sense of
peace in thy conscience, some sinful passion, some rebel
lust, or some fiery dart of the adversary, makes a sud
den attack upon thee ; but then, this combined power
is a scriptural mark that thou art born of God ; and
that Jesus is thy peace Eph. ii. 13, 14. The world,
with all its vanities, ios smiles and frowns, its promises
and threatenings, and ungodly men, aniraated by the
god of this world, are all at war with thee, because
thou art not one of them, but of the kingdom of Jesus.
But this should only serve to strengthen thy mind,
rather than cast thee down. Satan tried to make the
Saviour question his sonship ; tempted him to distrust ;
covetousness ; idolatry ; and self-murder ; but did that
prove he was not the Son of God? Matt. iv. 1 — 11.
The Devil is a chained enemy, and you have only to
keep off his ground ; and then, though he may bark at
you, he cannot bite you.
Attend, 1st, to the exhortation here given : "Resist
the devil." Whenever he comes knocking at the door
of your heart, sufier him not to gain admittance by
opening the door, before you have carefully ascertained
who, or what, you are about to admit. It will not do,
simply to ask. Who is there ? for he is sure to deny his
name, and feign himself what he really is not : 2 Cor.
xi. 14. Never suppose that he is always dressed in
black. Come in what dress, or form, he may, he has
but one design : 1 Pet. v. 8. The devil cannot pray ;
and fears nothing so much ; resist him with it. Should
he tempt you to pride, resist him with Ps. cxxxviii. 6 ;
if to distrust, with Ps. Ixxxiv. 11 ; if to slothfulness,
with Prov. xxi. 25 ; and if to sin, in any wise, with
Rom. vi. 23. Put on the whole armor of God, and
use it manfully : Eph. vi. 14 — 18. For,
2d. The promise is, " He will flee from you," and
leave you in possession of the field : Phil. iv. 13. The
devil can tempt, and swagger ; but he is a rank cow
ard when it comes to the fight. Resist him.

118 OF STRENGTH AND'COUEaGK.
" Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope
in the Lord." Ps. xxxi. 24.
Come, poor, hoping, trembling, doubting believer in
Jesus ! Look at this precious promise ! and then give
your fears to the winds. Do not say, "What have I
to do with the children's bread? I am so fickle, weak,
and unworthy, that I fear to ask even for the crumbs."
Well, admitting all you say to be true, this promise as
suredly belongs to you. But to remove all doubts, we
will notice,
1st. The character of those to whom the promise is
made. "All ye that hope in the Lord." Hope is the
firm expectation of some good. If we do not believe
an object anticipated to be good, we dread its approach,
instead of seeking for its enjoyment. To hope in the
Lord, is to confidently expect all the good we need from
him ; and which he has promised : Ps. Ixxxiv. 1 1 ;
2 Tim. i. 12. God is the fountain of all goodness : Jas.
i. 17. Hence, all who hope in him, expect from his
providence, their needful supplies ; from his mercy, a
pardon for their sins; from his wisdom, direction in their
difficulties ; from his power, support and defence ; and
from his love, all that grace and glory which he hath
promised to all his believing children : Ps. cxix. 49 ;
Rom. XV. 4. This hope is an active, vigorous, and
purifying principle : 1 John iii. 3.
2d. The advice given. "Be of good courage."
Courage is active fortitude; and when it arises from a
sense of duty, and fear of offending God, it always acts
agreeably to reason and religion. We should attend to
this advice, from a consideration of the difficulties and
dangers that attend us; of the cause in which we are
engaged ; of our Captain, under whose banner we fight ;
of the certainty of victory ; and of the glorious rewards
that await us : Rom. viii. 37 —39. No foe can foil us,
no enemy can vanquish us, while we hope in the Lord :
Ps. xci. 4, 5.
3d. Strength promised. 'He shatt strengthen your
heart." By the heart here, is meant the soul, with all
Its powers ; the understanding, conscience, will, affec
tions, and memory; all of which God will strengthen
by illuminating the mind, and drawing the affections
to himself.

OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE. 119
" Gcd hath not given us the spirit of fear j but of power, and of love, ard
•( a sound mind." 2 Tim. i. 7.
Effects prove their cause. And a slavish fear arises
from a consciousness of guilt ; but where sin is remov
ed, a fear of punishment is taken away. Nothing
tends more to mar our usefulness, than a base fear ; it
was this that caused the wicked servant to bury his
talent, when he ought to have traded with it: Matt.
xxv. 25. All men are to be loved, but no man is to be
feared. Luke xii. 4, 5. God hath taken from us the
spirit of fear ; but observe, attentively, what he has
given to us in lieu of it.
1st. "The spirit of power," oi courage, and resolu
tion, to meet all dangers and difficulties, with becoming
boldness, as the sons of God : Acts xx. 23, 24.
2d. "The spirit of love" to God, which will not
fail to raise us far above the fear of man, and all that
men can do unto us : Rom. viii. 31.
3d. "The spirit of a sound mind;" or, a quiet,
peaceable mind ; so that we shall be able to enjoy our
selves under all circumstances. We have frequently
much to discourage us in our way of duty, by the
creatures of our own disordered imagination ; which a
sound, sober, solid, thinking mind, would completely
remove : Neh. vi. 11, 12. The Spirit God gives to his
ministers and people, is not a fearful, but courageous
Spirit. Child of God ! member of Jesus, how safe !
how secure is your salvation ! Only think upon what
the God of your salvation is, what he has done, and
promised, and your fears will fly before your faith, like
chaff before the wind. Your strength lies in the Lord ;
and you can realize it only by faith in his word. The
spirit of love to God and man, needs only to be exer
cised to inspire with new life, and strengthen your
feeblest powers ; while a sound mind will make you
bold as a lion ; Prov. xxviii. 1 ; and enable you to face
the most daring foe, as David did Goliah ; trusting
alone in the strength of the God of Israel : Prov. xxix.
25. Let those fear whose consciences, being laden with
guilt, and armed with vengeance, are their unwearied
tormentors ; but do you take fresh courage ; for, as
you never did, so you never will, have any cause to
complain: 2 Cor. xii. 9. Be strong in the Lord.

120 OF WISDOM.
" For God giveth to a man that is good in his - ight, wisdom, and know
ledge, and joy." Eccl. ii. 26.
The united testimonies of reason, revelation, and
experience, prove that man is a lapsed and indigent
creature ; and not only the vulgar and illiterate, but
also the best and most learned philosophers, have ever
been ignorant of the nature and true character of God,
till taught by him: 1 Cor. L 21. While a man is
asleep he may dream that he is awake, and believe all
imaginary objects to be real; so a man may think
himself wise while pursuing folly: Prov. xxvi. 12.
The only way to becorae truly wise, is to become trul y
good. For,
1st. "God giveth to a man that is good in his sight,
wisdom." To be good in the sight of God, is to be
righteous before him: Gen. vii. 1. To be good, is to
enjoy good, by keeping the commandments of God;
and meditating in his law both day and night : Ps.
i. 1 — 3. And by being good we gain good, and wisdom
to make a right use of the good we gain : Eccl. ii. 13.
2d. He giveth "knowledge" to the good; so that,
by the infinite wisdom of God, and by means of their
spiritual knowledge, and prudence, they shall either
avoid trouble or get out of it: Prov. xi. 9. But the
simple pass on and are punished : Prov. xxii. 3.
3d. He gives to the good man "joy ;" and which is
excited by the Holy Ghost: GaL v. 22. Gladness is
sown for the upright, and they alone can reap it : Ps.
xcvii. 11. The ground or object of one's rejoicing is
called his "joy ;" thus God is the joy, the exceeding
joy, of all who are good in "his sight;" however vile
they may seem in the sight of others : Ps. xliii. 4.
The wisdom God gives to a man makes him patient
in adversity; thankful in prosperity; and enables him
to direct all his steps to the glory of God : Ps. xxxvii.
23. A good man is wise because he is taught of God •
and they needs must be wise who have infinite Wis
dom for their instructor : Ps. xix. 7. What the world
calls wisdom, God calls foolishness: 1 Coi. iii. 19.
Jesus, your Saviour, is your Prophet, to teach, your
Priest to atone, and your King to rule by love in your
heart. Cost what it may, have what God calls wis
dom ; it is within your reach.

OF WISDOM. 121
" But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, aud redemption." 1 Cor. i. 30.
- God is a full, free, and overflowing Fountain of
goodness ; and all the good we have flows from him,
through Jesus Christ as the channel of conveyance.
By nature, we are all foolish, ignorant, and blind, in
those things that belong to God and our soul's happi
ness ; 1 Cor. iii. 19 ; but whatever we are deficient in
ourselves, we have in Christ. For,
1st. "He is made of God unto us Wisdom." The
believer in Christ is truly wise; for being conscious
that sin would render the future part of his life bitter,
and death dreadful, he has not only secured an evi
dence of pardon for the past, but follows after holiness
as a necessary qualification for happiness here and
hereafter : Prov. xix. 8. A believer who is truly wise
is truly humble ; knowing that he is indebted to Christ
for his wisdom; in whom are hid the treasures of
wisdom : Col. ii. 3. We are guilty. But,
2d. Christ is made "our Righteousness." He is
the procurer and bestower of all that righteousness
which believers in him possess : Jer. xxiii. 6. We are
corrupt and depraved. But,
3d. He is made our "Sanctification," the Source of
our spiritual life; he being the Vine and we the
branches ; we are the partakers of the same nature
with him ; whatever may be the nature of the Head,
the members partake of the same. By nature, and
practice, we are bound in the cords of sin. But,
4th. He is made to us "Redemption," our Saviour
and Deliverer. He is our complete Rederaption ; frees
us from sin, discharges from the guilt and power of it,
and the body from the power of the grave : 1 Cor. xv,
55 — 57. Whatever you may be ignorant of beside,
endeavor to become raore and raore acquainted with
Christ ; a knowledge of him is a wonderful mystery.
To know Christ is to make him your consolation,
delight, companion, and end. The Christian becomes
wiser every day : a child may play with a snake ;
but a man gets as far from it as he can. If you lack
wisdom, ask of God ; He will give it you : Jas. i. 5.
To be truly wise, is to possess Christ, who is not only
wisdom, but the wisdom of God : 1 Cor. i. 24.
11

122 OF divine guidance.
"And the Lord shall guide thee continually." Isa. Ivm. 11.
This world is a wilderness, dark, dreary, and danger
ous ; and through which all Zion's travellers have to
pass, ere they can arrive at Heaven, their home : Heb.
xin. 14. Were we to be left to ourselves, but for on^
moment, we should certainly miss our way ; Jer. x.
23 ; and the thought of this may be a source of grief
to the believer, when he looks too much to hiraself, and
too little to the proraises of God. But let it ever be
reraembered by you, that he who marked out the way,
has engaged himself to guide you in the way. Ob
serve, 1st. "The Lord" strong and mighty, the Lord
mighty in battle, whose wisdom knows no bound, and
whose goodness is equal to his power and knowledge,
hath engaged to be our Guide even unto death : Ps.
xlviii. 14. And lest you should consider it too great a
condescension for the Lord who is so high, to stoop so
low as to notice a creature so ungrateful and vile, and
in order to remove all your scruples, it is said, "The
Lord shall guide ihee." With such a guide what have
you to fear ? Surely, he who has proraised is well able
to perform his promise ! ixnd of his willingness there
can be no doubt: Heb. xiii. 5. Your way may be
dark, but your Guide is light : 1 John i. 5. Your path
may be rugged all through, and tribulation surround
you, but your Guide will furnish you with strength in
proportion to your day: 2 Cor. xii. 9. You may, yea,
will have fightings without, but you have peace in
Jesus ; John xvi. 33 ; and through him, will assuredly
have a supply of all things needful for your journey :
Phil. iv. 19. And you may depend upon being brought
in safety to your journey's end: Ps. Ixxiii. 24. Foi,
2d. "The Lord shall gaide thee continually." He
will not guide you in fair weather, and leave you in
a storra; no, but in all straits, trials, dangers, tioubles,
afflictions, and difficulties, he shall guide thee ; Isa.
xxx. 21, 22; through fire and water; Isa. xliii. 2;
through life and death; Ps. xxiii. 4; through every
change of life, and under all cireurastances; through
the gloom of dejection and mists of corruption, through
every condition in life and in death, "The Lord shaL
guide thee continually."

OF DIVINE GUIDANCE. 123
" He will guide you into all truth." John xvi. 13.
Has the Holy Spirit of God convinced you of sin, of
the curse of the law for it, of the wrath of God as
revealed against all sin, so that you have fied for refuge
to the bleeding wounds of Jesus, who came to save his
people from their sins? If so, you are truly blessed,
being saved from the worst of all sins, unbelief; the
Spirit has glorified Christ in your eyes and to your
heart, and Christ will assuredly glorify your soul, with
him in his heavenly kingdom. The blessed Spirit, by
taking the things of Christ and revealing them unto
you, has acted the part of a Q.uickener and Comforter ;
but do not suppose that his work is done, and you will
now be left to shift for yourself O no ; his work is not
finished; he has not done with you yet. For,
1st. '^Hewitt guide you." The Guide here prom
ised has been, and continues to be the guide of all true
believers in Jesus ; for all who are born of God are led
by the Spirit of God : Rom. viii. 14. You, no doubt,
are sensible of your own dulness, and how liable you
are to make mistakes ; but this should not discourage
you, though your way may appear dark and crooked :
Isa. xliL 16. It is true, the path is narrow, and many
snares are laid for your feet, but never let that trouble
you ; for your Guide is well acquainted with every inch
of the road ; and having led so many through, you may
safely depend upon him : Isa. xxx. 21. Your spirit
may have to pass through sore conflicts, and seem
ready to faint; and the enemy may suggest, that you
may as well give up, for you will never hold out to the
end, seeing that you are surrounded by so many diffi
culties and errors. But let not that trouble you. For,
2d. He wil" not only lead you out of the destructive
paths of pride, self-will, and self-righteousness, but will
guide you "into all truth" The truth is the poor,
guilty sinner's only hope. The truth assures us, that
the Lord laid all our sins upon Jesus ; 1 Pet. ii. 24 ;
whose blood cleanses from all sin : 1 John i. 7. What
ever is needful for you to know, you shall be made ac
quainted with: Ps. xxxii. 8. He will guide you as an
instructer does a scholar, and as a guide does a trav
eller : Rom. viii. 14. Be careful to listen to, depend
upon and follow your Guide.

J 24 OF ABILITY FOR GOOD DISCOURSE.
" The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom." Prov. x. 31.
Some men talk to please others ; while others talk to
please themselves ; and the mouth of a fool is full of
words : Eccl. x. 14. Not so with true Christians, who
are called just, or righteous, on account of their being
justified by faith in Jesus ; Rom. v. 1 ; and living by
faith upon him, who distinguishes them from unbe
lievers, who are called unjust : Rom. i. 17. A fool tells
all that he knows ; while the just knows when to
speak, and what to speak: Prov. xxix. 11; Luke xxi.
15. A just man in his discourse "brings forth ivisdom^
for the benefit of others; he is taught of God wlo
gives him wisdom : Eccl. ii. 26. Whatever good he re
ceives, he endeavors to do good with it : Matt. xii. 35.
He studies more to please God, than to please his com
pany ; though he may endeavor to please both : 1 Cor.
X. 31. The Saviour tells us, that out of the abundance
of the heart the mouth speaketh ; Matt. xiL 35 ; so
that a heart influenced by the grace of God may
be expected to bring forth wisdom : Prov. xvi. 1.
It is better to think much and say little, than to say
much and think little. God takes notice of what we
say as well as what we do : Matt. xiL 36. If we live
under the influence of the gospel, our conversation will
be such as becomes the gospel: PhiL i. 27. Every _/ms<
man is a righteous man, in the sight of God ; hence, he
has a righteous heart, and hopes ; righteous joys, and
fears ; a holy life, and godly conversation : Col. iii. 17.
Men of this world may possess fine parts, profound
learning, brilliant talents, and stand very high in both
church and state, and yet be perverse. They deride
the gospel while they profess it. Separate from them ,
come out from among them; so shall ye save yourself
from partaking of their evils. Always beware of your
dear Lord's enemies, though they profess to be his
friends. Never tarry longer in any company than duty
requires, where your mouth cannot bring forth what
God calls wisdom: 1 Cor. i. 18, 19. Seek after that
wisdom which is pure; peaceable; gentle; easy to be
entreated ; full of mercy ; without partiality ; full of
good works; without hypocrisy: Jas. i. 17. Think
twice before you speak once. Never suffer your tongue
to outri"n your wisdom.

OF ABILITY FOR GOOD DISCOURSE. 125
" To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom ; to another the word of
knowledge by the same Spirit." 1 Cor. xii. 8.
Formal professors say, that Jesus is the Lord ; and
such a profession is common to the openly profane ; but
is no more prcfitable to salvation than the true declara
tion of Satan, " Thou art the Holy one of God :" Mark
L 24. But one who believes in Jesus in the heart,
trusts in him as the once sin-bearing, sin-atoning, curse-
sustaining, but now-pleading Saviour ; and readily ac
knowledges himself indebted to him, as the procuring
cause of all the blessings he enjoys.
God, who is the giver of every good and perfect gift,
giveth to every one that which he sees will be for their
good and his glory ; and however different those gifts
might be, they all proceed from the same source : Jas.
i. 17. To one he gives "¦the word of wisdom;" a
knowledge of the mysteries of the gospel, with the
ability to explain them for the benefit of others : Mark
iv. 11. To another he gives the "word of knowhdge ;"
to enable thera to give counsel and advice to those who
need it ; and all proceed through one channel, by the
same Spirit. Never should it be forgotten, that what
ever gifts God bestows, he expects us to iraprove them
to the good of our fellow-creatures and his glory: Matt.
xxv. 15 — 25. You may not have the ability to explain
hard and grave sentences, nor to answer every question
that might be put to you ; but you ought always to be
ready to give a reason to every man that asketh you of
the hope that is in you : 1 Pet. iii. 15. Some are fond
of much talking, that others might think much of thera;
but when you talk, let your conversation be such as
becometh the Christian : Phil. i. 27. Endeavor to show
your meekness and your wisdom by your conversation :
Jas. iii. 13. Be careful to live like a saint, and yon will
never talk like a sinner ; but you will be ready on all
occasions to acknowledge yourself a sinner saved from
sin : Luke xxL 15. A sanctified heart is better than an
eloquent tongue. Keep Christ in your heart, and a
bridle on your tongue. Look at every word before you
trust it out of your raouth. The way to become a
good speaker, is first to become an attentive hearer.
Improve what you have, and God will give you all vou
need: PhiL iv. 19.
11*

OF THE MEANS OF GRACE. 127
" Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall
be damned." Mark xvi. 15, 16.
Here we have the commission given by our Lord to
the primitive preachers of the gospel ; but it was not
confined to thera alone, being intended for all who then
did, or ever should, sustain that office or character.
We are here inforraed.
First. To whora the Apostles were sent; 1st. '^Into
all the world." For there was no part of the world but
needed salvation ; inasrauch as all the world had sinned
against God ; and by so doing had brought death upon
theraselves : Rora. v. 12. All the world had revolted,
and wandered frora God ; and God was graciously
pleased to send a proclaraation of peace after thera :
Isa. liiL 6. 2d. " To every creature" in all the world.
Their preaching was not to be confined to a favored
few; because all were equally guilty, and under the
sarae curse : Gal. iii. 10. And, 3d. Every creature was
the creature of God ; though in a lost condition : Ps. c.
3. And no one having any righteousness of his own,
the Redeemer would have his righteousness made
known to all : Rom. iii. 10, 11.
Secondly. What they were commissioned to preach;
" the gospel." 1st. Gospel signifies " good tidings,"
or good news; Luke ii. 10; and includes whatever
Christ has taught us in his word : Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.
2d. The gospel exhibits Christ as a glorified Redeemer,
great in dignity ; Rev. iii. 21 ; in power ; Matt, xxviii.
18 ; in possessions ; John iii. 35 ; in authority ; Phil.
ii. 8 — 11. 3d. This glorious Saviour must be preached
in all the world ; because God gave him to the world ;
so that the world has a claim to him on that account ;
John iii. 16—18 ; and he is the propitiation for the sins
of the whole world : 1 John ii. 2. Hence, 4th. He must
be preached to every creature ; because every creature
sustains the character of those he came to save : 1 Tim.
1. 15. Thirdly. The results that would follow their preach
ing. All men are damned, i. e. condemned, belore they
believe: John iii. 19. "He that believeth" with the
heart ; Acts viii. 37 ; and evinces it by his works ; James
li. 15 — 17 ; " shall be saved," from sin and its evils.

128 OF FRUITFULNESS.
" I will be as the dew unto Israel : he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth
his roots as Lebanon." Hos. xiv. 5.
Godliness is profitable unto all things, having prom
ise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come :
1 Tim. iv. 8. Observe,
1st. To all who are Israelites indeed, God will not
only give them what they need, but will be that unto
them, "Iwill be as the dew unto Israel." He will be
their instructer ; his doctrine shall fall on them like dew.
or small rain, on the grass or tender herb : Deut. xxxii.
2. He will give thera to know more and more of him
self; for he will visit thera as the rain visits the earth.
Hos. vi. 3. And by being thus refreshed with his con
tinued visits, their souls will become like a well- wa
tered garden: Isa. Iviii. 11. When Israel was in the
wilderness they had dew, but there was manna in it ;
Exod. xvi. 14; and so the graces ofthe Spirit are man
na hid in the dew : John i. 16. The grace that God
gives thus freely, shall not be in vain. For,
2d. "They shall grow as the lily." True grace is
growing grace. The root of the lily lies in the ground
all winter as though it were lost ; but when the dews
of spring come to refresh it, it grows a great deal in a
little time : and then appears a lovely fiower : Matt. vi.
29. So the grace of God improves young converts, and
is the comeliness of the soul : Ezek. xvi. 14. The dew
falls softly, and oftentimes insensibly; so the truths of
God upon the souls of men. The lily grows fast and
looks well, but soon fades, and is easily plucked up.
Therefore, 3d. "Israel shall cast forth his roots as Lebanon;"
as the trees of Lebanon ; which, when well rooted, can-
no t be plucked up: Amos ix. 15. As the growth of a
tree depends on the root, so we depend on Christ, "the
rot't and the offspring of David :" Rev. xxii. 16. It is
by faith we become united to Christ, as the branch is
to the vine ; and when faith works by love to the truths
of God, they become as refreshing dew to all our other
graces ; and make us diligent in the ways of God. That
is the best faith that does the best work and the most
of it. The faith of God's Israel cordially erabraces the
words of God, and lives upon Christ. Your head is
in heaven ; be careful to live there yourself

OF FRUITFULNESS. 129
" He tliat abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much liruit j*
for without me ye can do nothing;" John xv. 5.
A FAITHLESS soul is a Christless soul, and a Christ-
less soul is a fruitless one. By their fruits ye shall
know them : Matt. vii. 20. These words suppose.
First. That the Vine-dresser expects every branch
in the vine to bear fruit. And why ? Because of the
relation in which they stand to Christ, who is the true
and living Vine. They are branches in him: Ver.
1. The Redeemer calls himself the Vine; and compares
all believers in him to branches of himself, and his
Father to the husbandman, or dresser of the vine. A
mere profession gives no man a place in the true Vine.
We must abide in his word as our rule ; John viii. 31 ;
and in his merit as our righteousness : 1 Cor. i. 30.
He that exercises faith in hira, and love to him, feeds
upon his promises, and is led by his Spirit, " the same
bringeth forth much fruit:" 2 Pet. i. 8. But what
fruit does he expect ?
First. Not bad fruit ; nor a mixture of good and bad.
1st. From a vine, we are taught to expect grapes; Isa.
V. 2 ; and from a Christian, we as naturally expect the
fruits of righteousness, a Christian life and conversa
tion : 2 Cor. ix. 9, 10. 2d. Such fruit as may reasona
bly be expected from a healthy branch, nourished by
the best of Vines ; hence good in quantity, and constant
ly bearing : Ver. 16. In short, 3d. Such are expected
to be filled with good fruits : Phil. i. 11.
Secondly. None can be fruitful without, or separate
from, Christ. "Without me ye can do nothing." 1st.
Without our being in Christ ; Ver. 4 ; and Christ being
in us, we cannot now, and never could bring forth such
fruit as the Vine-dresser will accept. It is not enough
to know we were once in him ; for unless we abide in
hira, and keep his word ; Ver. 7 ; we shall become
withered and unfruitful. 2d. Since we cannot be saved
without fruit, and cannot bear it without Christ, let us
be careful to abide in him ; and be careful that our fruit
be neither declining in quality nor quantity : 1 Cor. xv.
58. 3d. We do not produce good fruit in order that
we might be brought into Christ ; but we are grafted
in Christ that we might bring forth good fruit. The
Christian lives to work, but does not work to live.

130 OF INCREASE OF GRACE.
" The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree." Ps. xcii. 12.
The palm-tree is found in many warm countries, but
especially in the north of Africa, and the south of Asia.
Many palms grew on the banks of Jordan ; but the best
grew about Jericho and Engedi ; hence Jericho is called
" the city of palm-trees :" Deut. xxxiv. 3. The palm-
tree is here made an emblem of a righteous man's per
son and condition ; and, if historians are to be relied
upon, the analogy is certainly a very striking one.
For, the palm-tree, it is said, 1st. Grows upright and
tall ; so do the righteous ; who are candid, sincere, and
upright in the sight of God and man ; 2 Sam. xxii. 24;
and though they are planted on the earth, it is in the
Lord's house ; and Jesus their top, or Head, being above
all things, they might be said to grow so tall as to reach
from earth to heaven. 2d. The palm-tree is ever
green ; and so is the believer ; Ps. i. 3 ; for the trees of
the Lord are full of sap : Ps. civ. 16. 3d. The palm-
tree is not injured by burdens being hung upon it ;
neither is the Christian; for his troubles, or burdens,
only serve to drive hira to God, who has engaged to
sustain both him and his burden : Ps. Iv. 22. 4th. The
more the palm-tree is exposed to the sun, the better is
its growth ; so the believer, the more he basks beneath
the rays of the Sun of righteousness, the more healthy
and active he is : Mai. iv. 2. Sth. Palm-trees, while
their juice continues, becorae more fruitful as they grow
older ; so do Christians grow from babes to young men,
and then fathers; bringing forth fruit in proportion :
John XV. 5. 6th. The palm-tree is said to bear three
or four hundred pounds of dates every year ; how abun
dant also is the fruit of the righteous ! that is, their
counsel, example, instruction, &c,: Prov. xi. 30; 1 Cor.
XV. 58, 7th There is a kind of wine extracted from
the palm-tree; how reviving, comforting, and encour
aging, is the seasonable advice, and suitable relief.
which the sufferings and afflictions of the poor and
distressed extract frora the heart, hand, and lips ofthe
righteous ! Job, xxix. 13. 8th. They also extract from
it a kind of honey ; how sweet, pleasant, and healing,
is even a word when fitly spoken: Prov. xxv. 11.
9tli. The female bears no fruit if planted without the
male: so we without Christ : John xv. 5.

OF INCREASE OF GRACE. 131
" But he giveth more grace." James iv. 6.
Many, who are called Christians, have great wealth
in their hands, but no grace in their hearts ; hence, they
do no good with their goods : Matt. xix. 24. Such pos
sess much, but inherit nothing, that can afford true con
tentment. But wherever God gives grace, "he giveth
more grace-" for unto him that hath, and improves v/hat
he hath, more shall be given : Mark iv. 24, 25. A child
of grace never thirsts for any other streams, than those
which flow from the Rock, Christ : John iv. 14. A.11
the grace, favor; or good-will, which flows from God to
sinners, runs through Jesus Christ; in whora all their
treasures are hid : Col. ii. 3. It is out of his fulness we
have received grace for the sake of grace ; an abundance
of grace ; grace upon grace : John i. 16. Surely, believ
ers ought to be humble, when they have to come to
Jesus for all their supplies. It was in Christ Jesus, that
God first gave us his grace : Rom. v. 20, 21. He called
us by his grace into grace; Gal. i, 6; justified us by his
grace ; Rom. iii. 24 ; we are comforted by his grace ;
2 Cor. i. 3, 4 ; He sanctifies us by his grace ; Rom. xv.
15, 16; we shall be brought to glory through grace: 1
Pet. i. 13. Are not these aboundings of grace enough
to make you humble and thankful ; and to make sin
more than ever hateful ? Is this not sufficient to make
you contented and happy? No, say you; I am so vile.,
so unbelieving, and so ungrateful, that I fear I shall for
feit all these things; so you would, and quickly too, if
you stood in yourself; but you stand in Christ; there
fore, here is a promise frora a faithful God : " He giveth
more grace."
Consider what God has already done for you. 1st.
You have the unchanging, everlasting love of God fixed
on you : Jer. xxxi. 3. 2d. You have the life, death,
and intercession of the Son of God for your righteous
ness : 1 Cor. i. 30. 3d. And that you may have no
doubt of this, the Spirit has bestowed his graces upon
you: Gal. iv. 6. And, 4th. To encourage and enable
you to persevere, you have all his precious promises
made over to you in Christ Jesus: 2 Cor. i. 20. But,
III short, all things are yours; 1 Cor, iii 22; and over
and above that, "He giveth more grace.. ' Improve the
grace you have, and ask for more.

132 OF GRACE TO PERSEVERE.
" When I said. My foot slippeth j thy mercy, O Lord, held me up." P».
xciv. 18.
Vain thoughts, and tarnal reasonings, like unwelcome
visiters, will ofte;i intrude upon the Christian's mind.
Though our minds are renewed by grace, we being born
again of the Spirit, still our old friends, the world, the
flesh, and the devil, too frequently annoy us by their
visits. The best of saints have been trout led by the
worst of thoughts ; and sometimes those thoughts have
grown into words. God's dear children, in times of
sore trial, often say things they are afterwards sorry for.
"When" visited with great pain, sore trials, severe
conflicts, and dark clouds, "/," who had experienced
so much of thy goodness, and so many gracious interpo
sitions of thy providence and grace, " said. My foot slip
peth." Yea, I said it, for I verily thought it. I made
quite sure it was a gone-case with me ; and cried out,
like one on a crumbling precipice, " My foot slippeth ! "
I must fall ! my strength is gone — my troubles are
great — I can bear them no longer — my friends are
become my foes — their envenomed darts are flying so
thickly around me— and, after all my profession, there
is no avoiding it; — I must fall by the hand of my enemy !
O save me ! My foot shppeth ! When I thus reasoned
with unbelief, and thought I had no foundation to rest
my faith upon ; and actually said as much ; even then,
"thy mercy, O Lord," the gifts of thy mercy, and the
hope I had in it, "held tne up," kept ,me from falling,
and frustrated the designs of all ray enemies : 2 Cor. i.
8, 9. It frequently happens, that the wicked oppress
ors have great power; Ps. xxxvii. 35 ; and then it is no
marvel if the oppressed have to stand alone, like Paul
before Neio: 2 Tim. iv. 16. You, too, may have to
travel a rugged path, and be ready to come to the con
clusion that your enemies are so numerous, your diffi
culties so great, and your strength so small, that you
cannot possibly hold out to the end. "My foot shp
peth !" say you. But who is it tells you so? Not tho
word of God ! No, that tells you to "hope in God, for
thou shalt yet praise him :" Ps. xiii. 5. He who gave
you grace to fear, will also give you grace to persevjre.
Improve the grace you have, and that will improve
you.

OF GRACE TO PERSEVERE. 133
" Being confident of this very thing, that he wbich hath begun a good work
m you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil. i. 6.
The gospel is the power of God : Rom. i. 1 6. Christ
is the POWER of God : 1 Cor. i. 24. And it is by the same
power that dead souls are quickened ; Eph. ii. 1 ; the
natural enmity of their hearts slain, and they made wil
ling to perform the good pleasure of his will : Phil. ii.
13. We have here, Paul's confident hope of the belit v-
er's salvation. That the work begun would certainly
be completed. Observe,
1st. The work itself It is the work of peace in the
soul, operating in the understanding, conscience, will,
affections, the whole man : 2 Cor. v. 17.
2d. The character it sustains. It is a " good work."
Good, inasmuch as it is the object God had in view,
when, in his infinite goodness, he gave his beloved Son :
John iii. 16. Good, as it respects its subject. It gives
rest to the laboring conscience, purifies the heart, and
elevates that which is low : 1 John iii. 1. Good, as it
regards others. True Christians are real blessings to
those around them, lights to illuminate, salt to season,
and their influence is extensive : Matt. v. 13 — 16.
3d. Its Author. It forms no part of our common
nature, which grows up as we grow: 2 Cor. ii. 14.
Neither is it produced by education: 1 Cor. i. 20, 21.
It is the effect of divine influence, in its commence
ment; "He hath begunit;" in its continuance and com
pletion: John iii. 6 — 8. "He vnll perform it ;" he will
carry on what he has begun, "until the day of Jesus
Christ ;" and then the work will be coraplete, and God
be all in all : 1 Cor. xv. 28. Of this the Apostle has no
doubt. Hence,
4th. He assures us, that whatever doubts he raight
have on other subjects, hewas " confident of this ve7y
thing," that God would never leave his work in an un
finished state, like those who begin a work without
counting the cost; and find, when too late, they are
unable to finish what they had begun. Had he not good
reason to be confident? surely he who had pardoned
the rebel, would save the child : Rora. v. 8, 9. Be of
good courage, and exert the strength you have. Kill
sin, and then, it is certain, sin will never kill you.
12

134 OF SANCTIFIED AFFLICTIONS.
" As a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee."
Deut. viii. 5.
Afflictions may, yea, will attend you all through the
journey of life ; John xvi. 33 ; but you should always
recollect, they do not come by chance ; Job v. 6, 7 ; and
that, though the cross may hang heavy, and be very
bitter, it is very short : 2 Cor. iv. 17. We should con
sider divine correction.
First. As the means of rehgious improvement; for,
1st. Afflictions are a restraint from evil; with them God
frequently hedges up our way as he did the Jews : Hos.
ii. 6, 7. He afflicts in order to save. He keeps man
from that which would destroy him ; and only removes
those pleasures that would poison our souls. He has to
block up our way to keep us in his way. 2d. Affliction
excites us to duty. We are too apt to settle down and
be at ease, when we ought to be at work ! God merci
fully rouses us from our lethargy ; and embitters earth,
to raise our hearts to heaven; and by afflictions brings
us to his footstool : Ps. cxix. 67, 71. 3d. Affliction is
a needful, though painful ordeal. The Christian shines
brightest when surrounded by flames ; they illuminate
and refine, without consuraing him : 1 Pet. i. 7. 4th.
Affliction is a seasonable monitor. Prosperity has a
tendency to produce a most ungrateful effect ; for, such
is our corruption, we are never raore ready to forget
God, than when loaded with his benefits : Prov. xxx.
8, 9.
Second. Divine correction should be considered as the
discipline of paternal regard. For, "As a man chasten
eth his son," &c. A father corrects his children, 1st.
With reluctance. He tries every other method — the
eloquence of love, the entreaty of affection, the promise
of reward, &c., before he inflicts punishment. So our
heavenly Father. He never takes up the rod till gen
tler means have failed: Heb. xii. 6 — 11. 2d. With
wisdom. In a way most calculated to produce reform,
with calm, clear, and most deliberate wisdom, a Father
corrects his child. So our heavenly Parent, as it regards
the time, manner, and instrument. 3d. With tenderness.
Cruelty should never be brought into paternal discipline.
Our heavenly Father afflicts with one hand, while he
supports with the other : Ps. ciii. 13.

OF SANCTIFlID AFFLICTIONS. 135
" We glory in tribulations also , knowing that tribulation worketh patience ;
tad patience, experience ; and experience, hope." Rom. v. 3, 4.
Consolations frequently come wrapped up in afflic
tions. The glory of the Lord never appeared brighter
to Jacob, than it did on the night he made the God of
the universe his landlord ; when be stretched his wea
ried body on the cold, damp ground, with a few stones
for his pillow, and the stp.r-spangled canopy of heaven
for his only covering : Gen. xxviii. 10 — 15. While
the stones flew about Stephen's ears, the heavens were
opened to his eyes : A".ts vii. 59, 60. Whenever God
afflicts you, always remember it is to humble you :
Lam. iii. 19, 20. "We glory in tribulations ¦" for we
are not only assured they cannot harm us; 2 Cor. iv.
17; but that we must pass through them to our pos
sessions : Acts xiv. 22. The saint's happiness is a
growing happiness ; it is peace, grace, glory, and joy
in the hope of it : Col. i. 27. The Christian glories in
all sorts of tribulation ; but especially that which comes
for righteousness' sake : Acts v. 41. The trial of one
grace, begets and improves another. " Tribulation
worketh patience" when the grace of God works in
and with the tribulation; it improves our patience, and
does it more good than it possibly can do us harm.
How should we know that we had any patience, if it
was never tried ? Those who have the most patience
in tribulations, have the greatest divine consolations:
2 Thess. ii. 16. " Patience worketh experience" serves
to prop up our "hope," and keeps us frora falling into
sadness: 1 Thess. iv. 13. When God puts his children
in the House-of-correction, it is that they might get in
struction : Ps. cxix. 71. Poor Job's tribulations wrought
patience, and that patience produced an approbation :
Job ii. 3. When a top is whipped most, it goes best.
But in all your afflictions, remember God is a kind,
impartial Father, who loves all his children too well to
withhold the rod, when he sees their faults are such as
to need correction : Ps. xciv. 12. You may kill bees
with honey ; and quicken them with vinegar. Pros
perity may kill our graces ; but adversity will quicken
them. Be always afraid *of sinning; but never afraid
of suffering : 2 Tim. ii. 12. Your suffering time will
soon be over.

136 OF SANCTIFIED AFFLICTIONS.
" He maketh sore, and he biudeth up : he woundeth, and his hands nuika
whole." Job V. 18.
Patient Job was as wicked by nature as any sinner
that ever was born. True, he was an eminent saint ;
but who made him so ? The same Saviour who sancti
fies us. Look, like Job, upon all you enjoy as the free
gift of a God of unchanging love ; hold their giver
fast, but hold the gifts with a loose hand. Perhaps
some of your sweetest enjoyments are fled, and you
are now saying, " The Lord hath taken away." Well,
admitting he has. He first gave ; and his love is the
same when he takes, as when he gives ; and you have
good cause to say, for both, " blessed be the name of
the Lord :" Job i. 21. "He maketh sore," with pro
vidential afflictions ; but then, "He hindeth up" with
spiritual consolations : Zech. xiii. 9. The sorest sore,
is not to be sensible of our sore ; but to be conscious of
it, is more than half the cure : 2 Chron. vi. 29. The
Lord may have an occasion to use the incision-knife,
but he never leaves open the wound. " He woundeth,
and his hands bind up ;" Ps. cxlvii. 3. Though he
wounds his people with afflictions, he strengthens and
supports them under them. The hand that makes the
wound, never fails to apply the cure. "He maketh
whole," then all is well again ; and the patient sufferer
acknowledges, that all has been for his good : Ps, cxix.
71. Divine Wisdom can never make a wound too
deep for infinite love to cure : Isa. xix. 22. If he con
vinces and causes the sinner to mourn, he always
comforts the mourner : Isa. Ixi. 2. If he humbles, it is
that he might exalt: Ps. xxxvii. 34. When he tears
the impenitent, let them heal them who can ; Hos. v.
14; but bumble penitents may say, "He has torn, and
he will heal us:" Hos. vi, 1, Your comforts may fly
from you ; but the God of corafort will abide with you :
Dan. xi. 35. Earthly comforts, like glass, though
bright, are easily broken. By yielding to temptations,
we lose our consolations; and bring on afflictions.,
which make the wound to bleed afresh. When afflictions
befall you, let them never appal you, while you have a
Saviour near. When your stful is bowed down beneath
a load of afflictions, take them to, and roll them upon
the Lord.

OF sanctified AFFLICTIONS. 137
" For our light aflliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for as a fal
more exceeding and eternEd weight of glory." 2 Cor. iv. 17.
Infinitely beyond all the reasonings of vain philoso
phy, is the Christian's sight by faith; to reconcile his
mind to afflictions, endure with patience under, and
give victory over them. When the prospects of earth
fail you, let it not distress you ; seeing better comforts
await you : John xiv. 1, 2. Before you look upon your
afflictions to be heavy, always weigh them in the bal
ances of the sanctuary; put your earthly sufferings in
one scale, and your heaven of glory in the other ; and
then you will find your afflictions to be light, and your
glory an eternal weight: Phil. iii. 7, 8. Your cross
may seem heavy, but your crown will be bright :
1 Tim. iv. 8. Unbelief would have you look upon
your afflictions as long and heavy ; but faith will have
it they are "short and light;" and are appointed to
prepare you for your crown of glory : 2 Tim. iv. 8.
While you feel the sharpness of your afflictions, con
sider the shortness of them; "but for a moment;" and
then all your sighing wUl be turned into singing; John
xvL 20 ; your sorrow into joy ; your lamentations into
consolations ; your ashes into beauties ; and your sack
cloth into fine linen : Isa. Ixi. 3. That wound is not
always the worst, that smarts the most. Afflictions, at
their worst, are only hke walking over a rough road to
a comfortable house ; or through a dark passage into a
light room : Jas. i. 12. Yet, it is certain, that all the
pious are not equally afflicted and , tried ; notwith
standing all have tribulations while in this world :
2 Tim. iii. 12. They have some afflictions in common
with mankind, and others peculiar to themselves. This
interesting passage,
1st. Specifies present affliction ; " For our light afflic
tion, which is but for a moment."
2d. Describes future happiness ; " A far more exceed
ing and eternal weight of glory."
3d. Suggests useful instruction : it being well calcu
lated to edify and profit every suffering saint. Your
night will be soon turned into day, and your cross into
a crown : Rev. xxii. 5. It is better to be afflicted here,
:han hereafter. Your heavenly Father counts every
stroke, and will never suffer you to receive one too many.
12*

138 OF AN interest in god as our god.
"Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.
A wake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust ; for thy dew is as the dew of
herbs, and the earth sliall cast out the dead." Isa. xxvi. 19.
Ezekiel was commanded to "prophesy upon, and
preach unto, the dry bones ;" and, strange as it may
appear to us, they were made to live, and regard his
voice : Ezek. xxxvii. 1 — 10. Let us inquire,
1st. Who are the "dead men" here spoken of?
" By one raan sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned: Rora. v. 12. "And you hath he quick
ened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:" Eph.
ii. 1. And you being dead in your sins and the uncir-
curacision of your flesh, hath he quickened together
with hira, (Christ,) having forgiven you all trespasses:
Col. ii. 13. 2d. To whom do these dead men belong?
The prophet says, "Thy dead men shall live." So
that, it is plain, they are God's dead men ; who de
clares, " Behold all souls are mine :" Ezek. xviii. 4.
" Know ye that the Lord he is God ; it is he that hath
made us, and not we ourselves ; we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture : Ps. c. 3. 3d. All these dead
men shall live; "Together with my (Christ's) dead
body shall they arise." " For as in Adam all die, even
so in Christ shall all be made alive." " Then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written. Death is
swallowed up in victory:" 1 Cor. xv. 22 — 54. "God
sent his Son into the world that we might live through
him:" 1 John iv. 9. And the Son says, "Because I
live, ye shall live also :" John xiv. 19. 4th. Who are
they who make up the dead body of Christ? " But I
would have you know, that the head of every man is
Christ:" 1 Cor. xi. 3. "So we, being many, are one
body in Christ, and every one members one of another :"
Rom. xii. 5. 5th. The exhortation given to those
" that dwell in the dust." " Awake and sing !" "Where
fore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from
the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 6th. Why
are they that " dwell in the dust," called upon to
awake and sing? Because the Lord proraises that his
"doctrine shall drop as the rain, his speech distil as
the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb :"
Deut. xxxii. 2.

OF AN INTEREST IN GOD AS OUR GOD. 139
" God is not ashamed to be called their God ; for he hath prepared for them
t city." Heb. xi. 16.
Such is the araazing condescension of God, that not
withstanding the meanness of our nature, the vileness
of our practice, and the great poverty of our present
condition, he is not ashamed of us. Observe,
1st. All true believers have an interest in God ; and
none else can, with consistency, call him their God :
Heb. xi. 6. It is by faith we lay hold on God, and
become interested in him and his fulness.
2d. He is called their God ; yea, he declares himself
to be "The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac
and the God of Jacob." "So then they which be of
faith are blessed with faithful Abraham :" Gal. iii. 9.
3d. " He is not ashamed to be called their God."
How careful, then, ought they to be, never to become a
sharae and reproach to him ! and never be ashamed to
be called his people. It is our privilege to call him ours.
He has put his Spirit within our hearts, that we might
call him "Father:" Rom. viii. 15. God regards a saint
in rags, more than a sinner in robes : Ps. cxxxviii. 6.
God neither takes nor gives empty titles ; if he is called
their God, he will act as such ; and provide for them
accordingly. 4th. " He hath prepared for them a city ;" so that it
shall never be said, he has adopted a people for his own
without making suitable provision for them. The whole
of the crumbling tabernacles now occupied by his people,
will soon be levelled with the dust ; but no matter, since
he hath "prepared for them a city ;" a place of happi^
ness every way suited to that relation into which he
has taken them : 1 John iii. 2. The people of God are
now scattered all over the face of the globe ; but his
gracious design is to have them all to dwell in one place ;
hence "he hath prepared for thera a city," sufficiently
commodious for his whole family : Heb. xi. 10.
You need no more to make you happy, than to have
the Lord for your God ; Ps. cxliv. 15 ; for he is your
strength, your song, your salvation: Isa. xii. 2. It is
true you have work to do, teraptations to grapple with,
and afflictions to bear ; and you are weak in yourself;
but he will strengthen you by his grace: Zeph. iii. 17.
God has done much for you ; and will do more

140 OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
" And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and tnat I am toe
Lord your God." Joel ii. 27.
Various are the means the Lord makes use of to
make himself known to his peopl -.. Sometimes he does
it by chastisements; Ezek. vi. 7; and at others, by
comforts : Ezek. xxxvii. 13. When God makes him
self known unto us by giving us peace, joy, and plenty,
it is evident that he has pardoned our sins, and accepted
of us through his beloved Son ; and that he is as much
our God as ever he was ; having taken us into covenant
and communion with him ; and given us to know " ihat
he is in the midst of us:" Rom. v. 1, 2. There are
many who live in plenty, while they have great poverty;
being destitute of real piety : Rev. iii. 17. The more
God blesses some, the less they bless God; and turn
their temporal mercies into curses : Jer. v. 7. Earthly
comforts should give wings to our devotion ; but, too
often, they are like lead to our wings: Mark x. 22.
Nothing can harm the Israel of God, while the God of
Israel is in their midst: Lev. xxvi. 12. Some people
are so full of religion, they cannot tell whether they
have a God or not. But not so with the true Israel ;
for they know that the "Lord is iheir God;" and the
most ardent desire of every soul, whose God is the
Lord, is, that all the world might be made to know
that he is their God. Whatever comes from God leads
to him. We have nothing whereof to glory in our
selves, nor over others. God's Israel, by nature, wero
all children of wrath even as others ; Eph. ii. 3 ; and
in their flesh dwells no good thing; yet, through grace,
they are "created anew in Christ Jesus, unto good
works :" Ver. 10. God looks upon the work of his
new creation with delight; pronounces it good; and
records the graces of his Israel ; but blots out their sins.
There are none who would not love God full as well as
we, and perhaps much better, were they but as well
acquainted with hira. Hast thou not, then, a heart to
pity, a tongue to pray for, those who know not God ?
Yea, thou hast ; for it is impossible for any one to be a
Christian and not possess the Spirit of Christ, who
prayed for his very murderers. Your hopes are not
suspended on your own faithfulness to grace, but on
the faithfulness of God : Acts x. 34, 35.

OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD. 141
" If a man love me, he will keep my words ; and my Father will love him,
¦na we will come unto him, and make our abode wilh him." John xiv. 23.
Our love keeps pace with our faith. As faith grows
stronger, love grows warmer. A soul in its flrst love
may be ready to think, that what the Saviour did and
suffered for sinners was to procure the love of God the
Father to them, and to appease the fury of his wrath
against them. But this is an error. " For God so loved
the world, (of sinners,) that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in hira should not perish,
but have everlasting hfe:" John iii. '6. "God cora-
mendeth his love towards us, in that, wn^'e we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us:" Rora. v. 8. By sin,
we made ourselves children of wrath ; Eph. ii. 3 ; and
God, by his grace, made us objects of his love : 1 John
iv. 9, 10. All who believe in Christ are sure to love
him; and all who love him "keep his words:" John
XV. 1 4. We must evince our love to Jesus by keeping
his word ; and he will prove his love to us by keeping
to his word : John xiv. 15, 16. Where love leads, duty
follows ; and where love to the Son leads, love from tbe
Father follows. "My Father will hve him," and will
give such manifestations of his love, that no room shall
be left for a doubt : 1 John iv. 16. For they shall have
his srailes and his erabraces; Prov. viii. 17; and his
Spirit, which I will pray him to send them : Matt. x.
19, 20. "And we will come unto him." He does not
say, /will come; no, but "We will come unto him;"
for, in this sense, it was impossible for one to come
without the other ; they being both one : John xiv. 9.
Those who love Christ will not be put off with merely
having a messenger from him ; but he and his Father
will come unto them ; so that our not being able to go
to him shall not prevent our having an interview with
each other : 2 Chron. xv. 2. Neither shall it be a
transient visit, nor an occasional call ; for, it is added,
" We will make our abode with him." We will live
with such an one, while here below ; till such time that
it will be for the good of the one, and the glory of the
other, for all to live together above; and then I will
come again, and see that my friends are carefully re
moved : John xii. 26. However you may doubt of
your love to God, never doubt of his love to you.

142 OF an interest in THE LOVE OF GOD.
" The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is miglity ; he wiL save, he will
rejoice over thee with joy ; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee Bith
singing." Zeph. iii. 17.
Notions of the Lord may satisfy dry, formal pro
fessors ; but those who are truly alive to God can rest
nothing short of the enjoyment of his presence. Dry
up your tears, pluck up your spirits, give your fears
to the-winds, dread not your enemies, put on courage.
For, 1st. " The Lord thy God is in ths midst of thee.'''
When David went to raeet the giant of Gath, he uttered
not a word of his own might or power; because the
might of the Lord his God was his only support ; so
Paul, he was able to do all things in the strength ol
Christ : Phil. iv. 13. The greater your affliction and
poverty, the more numerous and powerful your foes, the
greater reason you have to trust in God, who is mighty :
Ps. cxxi. 7, 8. His mighty salvation is already begun
in your heait; and you have no cause for dejection.
For, 2d. " He will "^e." He is able to save ; and has
already given you ., undant proof of his willingness ;
his word declares it; and his work proves it. Cast
away all vain notions of terms and conditions of salva
tion ; seeing it is written, " He will save." Who then
dare say that anything can prevent it ? Assuredly as
his name is Jesus, he will save his people from their
sins ; and that is all he came to save us frora ; and all
we have to fear : Matt. i. 21. Cast all upon the will
of Jesus. For,
3d. "He will rejoice over thee with joy.''' He came
(o seek and to save that which was lost : Luke xix. 10.
" He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied:" Isa. liii. 10. When a sinner is converted,
saints are comforted ; and angels rejoice ; and God has
joy : Luke xv. 10. And,
4th. He is so well pleased, that he declares he will
"rest in his love." He will no longer chastise for those
sins over which he has caused you to mourn ; but will
so fix his love upon you, that you shall evermore be one
of his own family : 2 Cor. vi. 16 — 18. Your sins
caused him griei, but your conversion caused him much
joy; yea, "joy over thee with singing."

OF AN INTEREST IN THE LOVE OF GOD. 143
" Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent hia
Son to be the propitiation for our sms." 1 John iv. 10.
Some have represented God as burning with impla
cable rage against the human family, till Christ died
to appease his wrath and raake hira merciful. This is
an unscriptural idea. Christ died because God was
merciful ; not to render hira so ; but to raake a chan
nel through which a stream of salvation might fiow to
all mankind. Observe,
1st. The love of God displayed in sending his Son,
"Herein is love." Unparalleled in its nature. Iiove —
undeserved, unsolicited, disinterested, never invited by
anything good in raan : Gen. iii. 15. " Herein is love:"
immense in its extent, reaching to every age and clime,
to every character and condition, even to the most
abandoned and abominable of the human race : 1 Tim.
L 15. Love without an equal — hve like an ocean,
without bottora or shore, deluging the whole world : 1
John ii. 2. Mighty love ! Love covering every sin,
and coraprehending every blessing: 1 John iv. 16.
Glorious love ! in its purpose and final issue ; designed
to procure holiness, pardon, and heaven.
2d. God thus loved us, when we had no love for
him. "Not that we loved God." No indeed ! for our
minds were enmity, in the abstract, against him : Rom.
viii. 7. Amazing goodness ! "He loved us," Bound
less love ! Love extending from eternity to eternity !
and so deep that it reaches the vilest sinner and lowest
case : Ps. ciii. 8. Love that brought Jesus from the
height of glory to the depth of shame, from great riches
to extreme poverty : 2 Cor. viii. 9. For,
3d. " God sent his Son to be the propitiation for out
sins." Herein is love ! Love that induced the God of
love to give his only begotten Son to be a "propitiation
(i. e. victim or atoning sacrifice : 2 Cor. v. 21 ) for our
sins;" ihat he raight raise sinners from the depths of
sin and wretchedness, to the heights of holiness and
happiness. Matchless love ! Love that gave the treas
ures of heaven to enrich earth ! Can you any longer
doubt of your interest in his love? It is true, he hates
sin; but where can you find a sinner he does not love?
Herein is love that demands your love ' Nothing can
harm you but a rejection of his love.

144 OF AN INTEREST IN THE MERCY OF GOD.
He retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy."
tticah vii. 18.
Mercy ! What a welcome sound ! It is the cheerer
of the heart, the burden of our song, the delight of
iieaven, the envy of hell, and the distinguished attribute
?i God ! Exod. xxxiii. 19. As God excels in all other
things, so he does in his manner of forgiving sins. His
love is infinite, and his mercy matchless: Ps. ciii. 11,
12. Observe,
1st. Though God frequently causes his people to
grieve on account of their sins, he no sooner sees them
humbled under a sense of their guilt, than he has com
passion on them ; pardons their sins, and consequently
removes the punishment; for where there is no sir,
there can be no punishment : Ps. IxxxvL 5. The Lord
is slow to anger, but swift to show mercy : Neh. ix. 17.
And why ? Because, He cannot retain his anger ; see
ing he can be angry at nothing but sin ; and that he
removes when confessed : 1 John i. 9. Hence,
2d. "He retaineth not his anger forever." No, his
anger endureth but a little while, and his mercy en
dureth forever: Ps. xxx. 5; and cxxxvi. He first
turns us to himself, and then turns himself to us, that
he might have mercy upon us. And why all this care
of us ? why turn his anger from us, and his love toward
us ? Why, because,
3d. "He delighteth in mercy:" Isa. liv. 7, 8. It is
impossible for a sinner to delight more in receiving
mercy, than the God of mercy does in bestowing it.
Fear not, worm Jacob, Jesus the Saviour still lives to
make intercession for you ; and because he lives, you
shall live also : John xiv. 19. Though Jonah had to
cry out of the belly of hell, he was not out of the reach
of mercy. What, then, have you to fear, seeing all
your enemies have been conquered by the cross of
Christ? The fountain of mercy never was fuller
than it is now ; nor the God of mercy more attentive
to the humble sinner's cry. Think not that your fre
quent relapses into sin can prevent your obtaining
mercy; for if God does not pardon for your sake, he
will do it for his own sake; "because he delighteth in
mercy." Only beheve what God says; that is faith.
You have only to accept the mercy offered.

OF AN INTEREST IN THE MERCY OF GOD. 145
" 1 will have mercy on whom I will have mercy." Rom. ix. 15.
Misery is the object of mercy. Sin has made us ai.
truly miserable ; Ezek. xvi. 5 ; and the Lord looks
npon our case as truly pitiable : Jer. xxxi. 18 — 20. Ai.
who have ears to hear, let them hear what the Lord
saith to poor, guilty, and condemned sinners. Here
we have a gracious declaration from the lip of truth.
1st. "Iwill have mercy." Though your sins may
have been great and many, and your backslidings foul
and numerous, still there can be no bar in the way of
your salvation, while the God against whora you have
sinned remains determined to have mercy : Deut. iv.
31. Admitting you have been often forgiven, and as
repeatedly sinned, that cannot prevent His forgiving
you now : Job xi. 6. When we forgive, we cannot
forget ; but when God forgives, he remembers our sins
no more : Hos. xi. 8, 9. The Lord wills to show you
his goodness, to proclaim his name, to bestow his grace,
and comfort you with his mercy in Christ Jesus. Ob
serve, 2d. " He will have mercy on whom he will." Here
is a never-failing source of comfort ; a most powerful
motive to love and obedience; that love and mercy
which God owes to none he is willing to give, yea, he
has freely given to thee. "O," says the poor trembling
soul, " were I but satisfied that I was one of those on
whom he will have mercy, then would my soul re
joice!" Satisfied! Why, what more could the God
of love and mercy say, than what he has said to satisfy
you ? Hear him again. " I will have mercy on whom
I will have mercy." Will he not have mercy on all?
The very reason assigred, why " God hath concluded
all in unbelief," is, that ne might have mercy upon all :
Rom. xi. 32. And the Apostle declares, that " God
our Saviour will have all men to be saved, and come
unto the knowledge of the truth;" and gives as a
reason, that "Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for
all, to be testified in due time:" 1 Tim. ii. 3 — 6. God
has mercy upon all, without assigning any other reason
than "I Will!" "He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered Hm up for us all, how shall he not with
him also freely give us all things ?" Rom. viii. 32. All
you have to do, is, to give yourself to him.
13

146 OF god's help.
'¦• The Lord tny God will hold thy right hand, saying unKs thee, Fear no«,
will help Ihee," Isa. iii. 13.
Probably, the church, in Isaiah's days, had been
pondering over her weak, helpless condition; sur
rounded with enemies, trials, and difficulties ; and had
been laying her case before the Lord, when he thus
graciously coraraanded away her fears. What the
Lord said then, he says now, to all who sustain the
sarae character.
Believer, thy way may be dark and dangerous ; but
let not that distress thee ; since the " Lord thy God " is
well acquainted with every step thou hast to take ; and
has promised,
1st. To " hold thy right hand : " and, lest you should
make a mis-step, he will order all your steps : Ps.
xxxvii. 23. The Lord does not try to quell his ser
vants' fears by saying, " I will have an eye upon thee ;
or I will be near thee ; " no, but " I will hold thy right
hand." He will go hand-in-hand with thee; where
thou goest he will go, and guide thee continually: Isa.
IviiL 11. While the Lord has hold of your hand, you
have nothing to fear ; for should you stumble, he will
keep you frora falling : Ps. cxvL 8. You raay stagger
through your own weakness, but he will hold you up :
Ps. cxxxix. 10. And,
2d. He will encourage thy heart, by " saying unto
thee. Fear not." That is just what a fond father
would say to his beloved child. " Fear not ! your
father has fast hold of your hand ; nothing shall harm
you, while I am with you ; and I am not going to leave
you ; be not alarmed at anything you may see or hear."
Should all the foes you have unite as one, and come
out against you, you need not fear ; for they shall never
be able to pluck you out of your Father's hand : John
X. 29. You are weak ; but no matter. For,
3d. The Lord thy God declares, " I witt help thee."
His Spirit will enlighten thee ; dictate all thy requests ;
dl aw up all thy petitions ; and help thee whenever
thou needest help : Rora. viii. 26. And whenever thou
criest unto him, he will not only hear thee, but help
thee: 2 Chron. xx. 9. And when thou .art in trouble,
he will help thee out of thy trouble : Ps. 1. 15. Only
tet thv heart be right with God, and depend upon him

OF god's help. 147
" If God be for us, who can he against us?" Rom. viii.31.
The apostle here speaks as one amazed, and swal-
iOwed up, with the contemplation and admiration of the
privileges of the people of God ; and challenges all their
enemies to do their worst. " If God be for us, who can
be against us?" Observe,
1st. The ground oi the challenge is, "God being for
us." He is not only not against us, for that he never
was; Rom. v. 8; though we were formerly against
him : Rom. viii. 7. He was never against us, but our
sins : Rom. i. 18. And now, our sins being removed,
which was the sole cause of the quarrel, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ ; Rom. v. 1 ;
by whom God has reconciled ws to himself: 2 Cor. v.
18, 19. God has again taken us into covenant with
him ; all his attributes are for us ; yea, all that he has
and is, is for us : Deut. xxxiii. 27. He is always for
us, and never against us ; notwithstanding we may
sometimes be led to think to the contrary : Gen. xiii. 36.
Observe, 2d. The challenge. "Who can be against us?"
Who can? Not our enemies; though they may be nu
merous, formidable, malicious, and cruel, still they can
not be against us, so as to prevail : Isa. liv. 15 — 17.
" Who can ?" Not the devil ; for let him do his worst,
he can go no farther than the length of his chain : 1 Cor.
X, 13. " Who can ?" Not the world ; for that is already
conquered- John xvi. 33. Neither can principalities
nor powers ; for they have been overcome and com
pletely disarmed by the cross of Christ : CoL ii. 15. So
that it matters not who comes out against us, for God
will make them fly before us : Deut. xxviii. 7. We may,
therefore, not only boldly ask, Who can, but What can
be against us? " Shall tribulation, or distress, or per
secution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ?
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors,
through him that loved us :" Rom. viii. 35 — 39. Only
fear God, and you have nothing else to fear ; for no mat
ter who, nor what, surrounds you, while you have God
to help you : 2 Kin. xvii. 39. A soul consecrated to God
should be resolute and brave in his service ; because he
is sure of His timely aid. Duty is thine, be careful not
to neglect it. Deliverance is the Lord's.

148 OF god's care.
" He that toucheth you toucheth the apple oi his eye.' Zech. il. 8.
The apple of our eye is the pupfl, or small rolling
ball. A little thing offends the eye ; and, therefore, na
ture has so well guarded it. Those formal professors
who reproach strict and circumspect walking, as need
less preciseness, consider not that God requires us to
keep his law as the apple of our eye : Prov. vii. 2. The
law is light ; and the law in the heart is the eye of the
soul : Ps. cxix. 105. And be it known to all the Israel
cf God, who have a tender regard for his law, that he
has a far more tender concern for them. According to
our contracted views, it would often seem as though God
had forgotten, or altogether forsook his people. And
the great opposition and difficulties, which they fre
quently meet with who have been brought out of their
Babylonish captivity, is too apt to discourage those who
have been left behind : Isa. xlix. 14, 15. But none need
be discouraged, who are willing ^o return ; for Christ,
our Leader, has wrought out for, and proclaims deliv
erance to, all the captives; Luke iv. 18; and calls upon
us to assert our rights : Isa. lii. 2. And in order that
man might "know his own weakness, and God's care
for his people. He compares them to the "apple of his
eye." Observe,
1st. The saints, in themselves, are very weak and
easily hurt; and a very little thing chafes and pains
them. But,
2d. Being thus inseparably connected with God, as
the apple of the eye to the body, they are infinitely dear
to him. He tenderly sympathizes with them in all their
afflictions ; is offended with, and will resist, ^very injury
done them. David, who well understood the tiue
meaning of this expression, desired nothing more than
to be kept as the apple of his eye: Ps. xvii. 8. What
a strong expression of his tender regard is this! "He
that toucheth you," with a design to hurt you, "touch
eth the apple of his eye." The shghtest touch of the
eye causes pain ; and to prevent which, it has a double
guard ; but cannot be better guarded than the Lord
guards his people : Ps. xxxiv. 7. You cannot be more
tender of your eye, than the Lord is of you. Give your
fears to the winds, and your cares to the Lord, who
rares more for you, than a father for a child.

149
' Casting all your care upon him ; lor he careth for you." 1 Pet. v. 7.
Christians should always be men of much prayer
and little care ; for why should they burden them
selves with care, who have so good a God to care for
them ? The ijord has made it, not only the privilege,
but the duty, of all believers to cast all their burdens
or cares upon him : Ps. Iv. 22. From these words, we
learn, 1st. That the best of men are too apt to burden them
selves with anxious and excessive care. The apostle
here calls it, "all your care;" intimating, that the cares
of the people of God are various. And experience
teaches all Christians, that they have cares of more kinds
than one ; such as personal cares, family cares, busi
ness cares, cares for theraselves, cares for others, cares
for the church, present cares, future cares, imaginary
cares, borrowed cares, besides a whole host of nameless
cares. 2d. That our cares are very burdensome, and, too
often, very sinful ; when they arise from unbelief and
diffidence. A load of cares wearies the body, distracts
the mind, bears down the soul, and unfits us for the
otherwise delightful service of God ; hence they become
sinful. 3d. That the best method of getting rid of immoderate
care, is "¦casting all your care upon the Lord." A firm
reliance upon the God of providence will always recon
cile us to the providence of God.
"Cast all your care upon him;" and be sure you
make no reserve ; let not your present trials, nor your
future prospects, discourage you: Matt. x. 30. If you
have a family, and cannot do for them as you would,
do what you can, and leave God to do the rest : Ps.
cxxxviii. 3 — 6. Depend upon it, God will take good
care of his church ; so let not that give you too much
uneasiness : Isa. xlix. 23. And whatever your situation
in life might be, you cannot, as a Christian, please Christ
better, than by "casting all your care upon him."
Prayer turns out care ; so that it is a sure sign, when
Christians care much, that they pray little : John xiv.
13, 14. When the heart is full of faith, there is no
room for care. Be careful for nothing; but thankfiui
for everything ; Phil. iv. 6.
13=*

150 GOD WILL NOT FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE.
"For the Lord will not cast ofi" forever." Lam. iii. 31.
What then ? shall we sin, because of this soul-cheer
ing declaration? Shall we, then, live as we list; walk
after the imaginations and desires of our evil hearts;
and fulfil all the lusts of the flesh ; because we believe
God's gracious assurance, that "He will not cast off for
ever?" God forbid! Could any one who has faith in
the covenant-love, the everlasting faithfulness, the
boundless goodness, and the immutability of the pre
cious promises of the Lord, find it in his heart to say,
" Rehgion is a vain thing — it is of no use to serve God
— we may as well let the reins go loose upon the neck
of our lusts, and take our fill of sin ; "for the Lord witt
not cast off forever !" No ; believer, this is not the lan
guage of such a faith. Faith in the love of God works
by love to God ; Gal. v. 6 ; and purifies tbe heart : Acts
XV. 9. It is the goodness of God that leadeth men to
repentance : Rom. ii. 4. The Lord loves and pities as
a father, therefore he corrects us as children : Ps. ciii.
13. If he makes us smart for our sins, it is that we
might have a hatred to sin ; which is the only thing
that can harm us. If he puts us into the furnace of
afflictions, it is only to take away our dross, and lead
us to glorify him in the fires : Isa. xxiv. 15. God fre
quently afflicts his people; but never casts them off:
Ps. xciv. 14. He may veil himself in a cloud, and, to
our disordered sight, it may seem as though we were
cast off forever ; but even then it is but for a moment ;
and everlasting kindness succeeds a moment's absence:
Isa. liv. 7, 8. He never grieves us for his pleasure, but
liir our profit ; and often makes use of afflictions lo de
liver us from troubles. But while he holds the cup of
affliction in one hand, he has the cup of consolation in
the other.
The language of every true believer, on reading such
precious declarations of God's unlimited eternal love, is,
" Bless the Lord, O my soul ! " And why ? Ans. 1st.
"AVe love him because he first loved us:" 1 John iv.
19. And his love is like himself, an "everlasting love:"
Jer. xxxi. 3. 2d. Because " we are all the children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus:" Gal. iii. 26. 3d. "If
children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ:" Rom. viii. 17.

god WiLL NOT FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE. 151
" I will not leave you comfortless ; I will come to you." John xiv. 18.
Dark seasons are never pleasant to us, but always
good for us. A cloudless sky could never produce a
good harvest. But there are none hopeless, who are
not Christless : Eph. ii. 12, 13. When intimate and
kind friends are parting, it is common for them to make
a request to each other — " Pray let us hear from you
shortly, and as frequently as you can;" this the blessed
Jesus engaged to his friends ; and assured them, that,
out of sight, they should not be out of mind. He saw
that even the thought of his departure grieved them ;
and therefore he promised them a continuance of his
care. 1st. "/ will not leave you comfortless," like poor,
friendless orphans ; for though, for a little while, I leave
you without my visible and bodily presence, I do not
leave you without comfort. Let it not grieve you ;
you have my Father for your Father ; and my depar
ture is neither total nor final. And,
2d. As sure as I go from you, "I will come to you."
I shall not be long away; "why hath sorrow filled
your hearts?" I will corae to you speedily. I shall
soon have conquered the king of terrors ; and the grave
will not be able to hold me ; so that you may expect
to see me again shortly. I will come to you, and assist
you by ray Spirit in the discharge of every duty that
may devolve upon you. I will come to you, and for
you, at the end of time, and introduce you into the
joy of your Lord :" John xiv. 1 — 3.
You may at times, believer, be brought into a com
fortless condition ; but your Redeemer will not leave
you comfortless : Ps. xxx. 5. The enemy will not
fail to take advantage of your sorrowful seasons; and
may tauntingly ask. Now, where is your God? where
is your religion now? and would fain persuade you
that the Lord is clean gone, to return no more: Ps.
xiii. 3 — 10. Think not that he will ever leave you
finally, though he may withdraw seemingly; for he
will corae to you assuredly ; he will come and not
tarry: Heb. x. 37. Our dear redeeming Lord loves us
too well to allow us to becorae wedded to this vile,
unchaste world ; and therefore embitters it with tribu
lations : John xvi. 33.

152 OF MERCY IN CHRIST.
" Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness anse with
healing in his wings j and ye shall go forth, aud grow up as calves of' the
stall." Mai. iv. 2.
Christ is the light of the world ; and is to us what
the sun is to the world ; his presence turns darkness
into day : John viii. 12. The Son of God is the Sun
that has light in himself; and before whom darkness is
made to fiy. Observe,
1st. The characters to whom this promise is made :
" Unto you that fear my name." By the name oi God,
we understand is meant whatever He has made him
self known unto us by; as, Himself; Ps, xxix. 2; His
titles; Exod. iii. 13, 14; His attributes, or properties;
Exod. xxxiii. 19; His word; Ps. v. 11; His worship;
1 Kin. V. 5; His will and purpose concerning our
salvation ; Ps. xxii. 22 ; His power and assistance ;
1 Sam. xvii. 45 ; His wisdom, power, and goodness, in
creation and providence ; Ps. viii. 1 — 9 ; His authority ;
Micah V. 4; His honor and renown: Ps. Ixxvi. 1.
True love to God casts out all slavish fear, or dread of
him: 1 John iv. 18. But filial fear is a holy affection
of soul, whereby it is inclined to regard God's authority,
obey his comraands, and hate whatever is sinful : Jer.
xxxii. 40. By the fear of the Lord is meant the whole
of religion.
2d. Jesus Christ is here called the "Sun of righteous
ness," to denote his infinite glory, excellency, gradual
discovery to men, his being the source of all true light,
&c. : John viii. 12. He rose upon this dark world ;
and is the Light of men : John i. 4. He is himself a
righteous Saviour; brought in an everlasting righteous
ness; and is of God made unto us righteousness:
1 Cor. i. 30. With this Sun of righteousness, th««
church is clothed : Rev, xii. 1. And,
3d. Upon all that fear the name of God, He causes
this Sun to "arise with healing in his wings," or in his
rays, or beams. Christ came into the world, not only
as a Light, but as a Physician also; yea, and Medicine.
"He healed all manner of sickness and disease among
the people :" Matt, iv. 23. And still he heals by
wholesale and retail.
4th. The good effect produced. They shall grow up,
not as weeds, but as calves well fed : Ps. xcii. 14.

OF .MERCY IN CHRIST. 153
' God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso
ever believeth on hira should not perish, but have everlasting hfe." John
lU. 10.
Having so much more matter in these words, than
can be crowded into so small a page, let us proceed to
notice. First. The subjects of redemption — "the world."
From the Scriptures we learn, that by the " world " is
meant, 1st. The whole of the human family. For it
was their residence that the Saviour visited ; Luke L
78, 79; 1. Tim. i. 15; and it was their nature he assum
ed: Heb. ii. 14, 15. 2d. The human race e-x.c\usiv eAj -.
Heb. ii. 16, 17. None other could call him their
Saviour; Lukeii. 10, 11 ; none other ascribe their salva
tion to him : Rev. i. 5, 6. 3d. The human race, without
exception ; 1 John ii. 2 ; 2 Cor. v. 14, 15.
Secondly. The necessity of redemption. All were
in a perishing condition, 1st. As a penalty due to sin:
Rom. V. 12. Its impurity rendered us unfit for heaven :
Heb. xii. 14. 2d. 'Through guilt and condemnation.
All were spiritually dead, and must have remained so:
Rom. vi. 23. 3d. Through subjection to Satan ; to
his influence ; Eph. ii. 2 ; and to his dominion : 2 'Tim.
ii. 26. This rendered us averse to the service of God :
Job xxi. 14. And, 4th. Through our inability to help
ourselves ; either by wisdom ; Jer. x. 23 ; power ; Rom.
V. 6 ; or merit : Hos. xiii. 9.
Thirdly. The means of redemption. These include,
1st. The moving cause of our redemption. This is
the love of God. "For God so loved," so really, freely,
fully, and universally, loved "the world" — the guilty
world; Rom, iiL 19; the world who had revolted from
him ; Isa. liii. 6 ; the world whose very friendship was
enmity with him; James iv. 4; that, even while we
were yet sinners, he gave the strongest possible proof
of his love to the world of sinners: Rom. v. 8. 2d.
The procuring cause, by which redemption is obtained
for us. This is the gift of God's "only begotten Son,"
who was given to us under various characters ; as our
Prophet, to teach us ; Deut. xviii. 18 ; as a Priest, to
atone and intercede for us; Heb. x. 19—22; and as a
King, to rule over and bless us: Ps. ii. 6. There is
enough in Christ for all the world.

1^4 OF ALL GRACE FROM CHRIST.
" Surely, shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength.
Isa. xiv. 24.
A WORLDLING gloties in the things of the world ; but
a Christian glories in Christ ; yea, he glories more in
Christ's cross, than the world's crown : Gal. vi. 14.
Jew and Gentile, publican and pharisee, outwardly
pious and openly profane, are all upon a level in point
of justification before God. There is, naturally, none
righteous, no, not one : Rora. iii. 10, 23. Who, then,
can be saved ? None, by his own righteousness ; no,
not even the most moral man upon earth, if he has
nothing better than his own morality to recommend
him : Rom. iii. 20.
"Surely, shall one say," yea, and many more shall
learn from the example to say the same ; and not only
say i»., but stick to it. Say what ? Why, "In ihe Lord
have I righteousness ;" for what Jesus, my Lord, is in
his nature, and by his life, perfectly righteous, that I
am in hira. What I have not in myself, I have in him
who loved me, and gave himself for me: Titus ii.
14. The Lord is righteousness in himself; righteous
altogether ; and can never act contrary to what is
righteous: Ps. cxvL 5. And we have our righteousness
in him, who is " THE LORD OUR. RIGHTEOUS
NESS;" Jer. xxiii. 6; and if we depend upon Christ
for righteousness, we shall be justified by faith in him ;
Rom. V. 1 ; our faith being counted to us for righteous
ness : Rom. iv. 3 — 8. It is not according to anything
that we have done, can, or may do; Titus iii. 5; but
by grace, through faith, that we are saved : Eph. ii.
8, 9. Do not cast away the little confidence you have
in the Lord ; but rather hold fast ; resist unbelief; and
rnmember that your faith is your victory: 1 John v. 4.
It is well to feel our own weakness ; but better to know
that in the Lord we have strength. " Surely, shall one
say," — and why not you? — " in the Lord have I righte
ousness." Let this be your triumph against every
accusation. And let this be your victory over every
enemy ; in Jesus, my " Lord, I have strength :" Phil. iv.
J 3, Complain no longer, but apply to God, througl,
Christ, for all you need. Though unholy and weak
in yourself, you can do all things, through Christ
strengthening of you.

16

OF ALL GRACE FROM CHRIST. 155
' A«id ol 41S fulness have all we received, and grace for graee." John i.

Jesus Christ received gifts for men ; Ps. Ixviii. 18 ;
that he might give gifts to men : Eph. iv. 8. He was
filled that he might fill all in all: Eph. i. 23. "And
of his fulness have all we received." So that we
have nothing whereof to boast, having nothing but
what we have received. But let us see what we have
received. 1st. The blessing received is grace. All the blessings
we have received from Christ are summed up in this
short word, "Grace." This is what the angels declared
to be the good will of God toward us ; Luke ii. 14; and
that works the good work of God within us : Phil. ii.
13. As the air receives light from the fulness of the
sun,- so we receive grace from the fulness of Christ.
2d. The manner in which we receive it ; "^ grace for
grace." And this bespeaks, 1st. The freeness oi this
grace. It is grace for the sake of Jesus Christ, given to
us according to grace : Rom. xii. 6. The God of grace
being well pleased in his Son, is pleased with us in him :
Eph. i. 6. 2d. The fulness oi this grace. Grace for
grace is an abundance of grace, grace upon grace, one
grace heaped upon another ; " that he raight show the
exceeding riches of his grace :" Eph. ii. 7. 3d. The
serviceableness of this grace. Grace for grace, is grace
for the proraotion of grace. The apostles received
grace; Eph. iiL 8; that they might communicate it to
others : 1 Pet. iv. 10. 4th. The substitution of New
Testament grace in the room and stead of Old Testa
ment grace. The Old Testament had grace in type,
the New Testament has grace in truth : John i. 17.
5th. The augmentation of grace. Grace for grace, is
one grace, to improve, strengthen, confirm, and perfect,
another grace. We receive grace that we might grow
in grace : 2 Pet. iii. 18. And, 6th. Grace for grace is
giace in us, answering to the grace that is in hira; as
the irapression upon the coin answers to the die. The
grace, we receive from Christ changes us into the same
image : 2 Cor. iii. 18, All fulness is in Jesus ; and
every believer in him receives of his fulness of grace as
thf. branch receives sap from the fulness of the root,
and the pitcher water from the fulness of the fountain.

156 OF REDEMPTION IN CHRIST.
" Say to the prisoners, Go forth ; to them that are in darkness. Show your.
selves." Isa. xlix. 9.
When Christ was given for a covenant of the people ;
ver. 8 ; he was given for a pledge of all the blessings of
the covenant ; it was in him that God was reconciling
the world unto himself: 2 Cor. v. 19. He undertook to
save his people from their sins ; Matt. i. 21 ; and to
accomplish which he had to bear their sins ; 1 Pet. ii.
24; and suffer for their sins: Isa. liii. 4, 5. And hav
ing fulfilled the law which they broke, he has become
" the end of the law for righteousness to every on.'i that
believeth:" Rom. x. 4. He "hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us :" GaL
iii. 13. And every demand of Divine Justice being
fully satisfied. He has an undoubted right to "say to the
prisoners," who were bound over to the justice of God,
and under the power of Satan, "Go forthP Jesus
Christ is the Mediator of the covenant; our blessed
Daysman, who hath made peace by the blood of his
cross : Col. L 20, 21. And his business now is, to free
the souls of men from the bondage of guilt and corrup
tion ; and bring them into the glorious liberty of the
sons of God : Luke iv. 18. He first looses every bond.
and then says to the prisoners, "Go forth;" I have
answered all clairas ; you are fully emancipated : you
were deep in debt to the Father, but the Son has made
you free : and you are free indeed ; Go forth, and
enjoy your freedom: John viii. 36. "Show your
selves." You have been long enough shut up " in dark
ness ;" make it known that you are free, by going forth
and showing yourselves. Now ye are no longer chil-
dien of darkness; but children of the light. "Go forth
— Show yourselves." Let your light so shine before
men, that they might see you are set at large ; and
that will tend to God's glory and your good : Matt. v.
14—16. Go, believer, do as your dear Redeemer bids you.
Do not be afraid to go forth and assert your rights,
because you still feel in-bred corruption making a des
perate struggle ; for that is no proof that Christ has
not made you free, but the contrary; for it is that
principle of grace within you that is seeking the de-
structj on of sin : Rom. vii. 23.

OF REDEMPTION IN CHRIST. 157
" Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for
ns." Gal. iii. 13.
"Ye are not under the law," says the apostle; Rom.
- vL 14; "but under grace;" and well for us that it is
so ! For were we under it, as fallen creatures, it could
benefit us nothing, being weak through the flesh : Rom .
viii. 3 ; but it would irritate our evil propensities which
it cannot cure ; Rom. vii. 5, 8 ; and would follow us
with its curses wherever we went: Gr^ iii. 10. It is
no wonder that Christ should be called Wonderful !
seeing he performs nothing less than wonders : Isa. ix.
6. It was a wonderful raethod he took to redeem us.
Having violated the law of God, we were brought under
the curse of that law; Gal. iiL 10; which curse is
nothing less than wrath revealed ; Rom. i. 18 ; and
death: Rom. vi. 23. But "Christ hath redeemed us
from the curse of the law ;" so that we have nothing to
fear on that score. According to God's ancient decla
ration, we had sold ourselves for naught; and were.
redeemed without money : Isa. lii. 3. Though Chr-st
redeemed us without money, it was not without price •
he "being made a curse for us:" Deut. xxi. 23. "l^he
Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all :" Isa.
liii. 6. " Christ bore our sins in his own body on the
tre^;" 1 Pet. ii. 24; " He suffered, the just for the un
just ;" 1 Pet. iii. 18 ; and gave his precious blood for
our redemption : 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. "We have redemp
tion through his blood, the forgiveness of sins;" Eph.
i. 7. He hung upon the racking cross for us : sweat
blood, shed blood, groaned and died for us ; to free us
from that misery, which, as sinners, we had sunk into ;
and which, while we remain unconverted sinners, we
are '&v.». m. Rom. v. 19. Christ has conquered our
fiercest foes ; and not only made a way through him
self to escape the curse, but to obtain a blessing : Heb.
x. 20. But it is only through faith in him, that we can
obtain a sense of the favor of God ; for whoever comes
to Christ's door, must be a humble beggar, and pleiad
nothing of his own personal worth ; for Christ serves
none but poor, helpless, and lost sinners : Matt. ix. 12
T3. Christ apprehends the sinner by his Spirit ; 1 Cor.
xii. 13; and the sinner apprehends Christ by bis faith
Eph. iii 17 ; and so they become one : Phil. iii. 12.
14

158 OF Christ's care over his church.
' A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall ne not
quench." Isa. xiii. 3.
Such is the love of Christ to his people, that, where ver
he discovers a willingness of spirit, he passes by the
weakness of the flesh : Matt. xxvi. 41. Those who are
weak, even as a reed, yea, a "bruised reed," he will not
break them ; but pities them, and gives them no more
work than they have strength to perform : 1 Cor. x. 13
You may be so oppressed with doubts and fears, thaJ
you may be led to look upon yourself as the weakesi
of all God's plants, even as a reed. Well, be it so ; but.
Observe, 1st. "A reed" is an emblem of weakness, and a
" bruised reed" is still weaker. And such is the feeble
ness of all poor, broken-hearted sinners, who feel
themselves pressed and bowed down beneath a load of
guilt. But Christ will not break one such bruised reed ;
no ; he came to bind up that which was broken ; and
to strengthen that which was bruised : Luke iv. 18.
2d. He will not extinguish the "smoking flax."
Though you may be like a lamp that has raore smoke
than light, and that burns but dimly for the want of oil,
he will not put out the little light you have, on account
of the offensiveness of the smoke you emit ; but will give
j'^ou more oil, and cause your light to burn clearly : Ps.
xviii. 28. Were you left to yourself, the reed would soon
break, and the flax or lamp would soon go out ; but such
is the tender regard that Jesus has for you, he will not
only not break you, nor quench you hiraself, but will
suffer no one else to do it : Isa. xl. 11. But,
3d. There is much more implied, than what is ex
pressed in this precious promise. For, instead of break
ing the reed, he will so strengthen and support it,
that it shall become like the tall and stately cedar : Ps.
xcii. 12. Do not think, because you are like the smok
ing lamp, or a candle newly lighted, that your little
light will be put out by the first puff of wind that
comes, or the first drop of water that falls ; for he will
fan it into a flame : Phil. i. 6. Wherever true grace is
found, more grace is given : James iv. 6. If you are
weak in grace, be not doubtful, but thankful ; improve
the little you have, and seek for fresh supplies : John
X.V 7

ov Christ's care over his church. 159
" Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." Eph. v. 25.
Notwithstanding the many failings and imperfec
tions of the church, no husband could ever love hiS
bride so sincerely, purely, ardently, and constantly, as
Christ does his church ; which he is pleased to call his
wife : Rev. xxi. 9. Observe,
1st. Christ's love to his church. His love is a Pri
mary love; 1 John iv. 19; a Redeeming love; Titus
ii. 14; a Pardoniug love; Isa. xl. 2; a Justifying
love ; Rom. iii. 24 ; an Adopting love ; John i. 12, 13 ;
a Sanctifying love ; 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; a Glorifying love ;
Rom. viii. 17. Christ not only " has loved the church,"
but he continues to love her; and he could as soon
cease to live as cease to love. His church is always
uppermost on his mind ; and his love to her can never
be told, neither by angels nor raen; for as the Father
loves the Son, so the Son loves the church : John xv.
9. Men frequently love from the mouth, outwardly ;
but Christ loves from the heart, inwardly. His love
passeth knowledge ; so that, we can neither find minds
to know, nor words to express his love : Eph. iii. 19.
The world may love you on account of what money
you raay have in your pocket; but will never love you
for the grace you have in your heart: John xv. 19.
Christ loves you the same in poverty as in riches;
the same in rags as in silks ; in a dungeon as in a pal
ace. The world may cry, " Hosanna !" to-day, and
" Crucify him !" to-morrow. But that is not the way
that Christ loves ; for having loved his own, he con
tinues to love them : John xiiL 1.
2d. The proof of his love: "He gave himself fot
it:" Titus ii. 14. Greater love hath no man than this.
What could he give more than hiraself? He subraitted
to be made a curse for us, "that he raight redeera us
from the curse of the law : Gal. iii. 13. And this he
did, " that the blessing of Abraham might come on
the Gentiles through him :" that all believers, whether
Jews or Gentiles, might become heirs of Abraham's
blessing. He was rich in power and glory; yet, for
the sake of enriching poor sinners, he became poor : 2
Cor. viii. 9. He discharged our debts, burst our bonds,
and united us to himself; and having done so much,
wi' . he not do the little that remains ?

16C OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
" Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my wnrd»
imto you." Prov. i. 23.
True grace is necessary to a true conversion ; and
whoever seeks it honestly, and submits to it willmgly,
shall find it assuredly : Luke xi. 9, 10. Set yourself to
do what you can, and God will do all you need ; and
will help you to do that, which, without his grace, you
could not do : Phil. ii. 13. Think not that your hand
is so withered you cannot stretch it forth; all you
have to do, is, to make the effort in obedience to the
command of Christ ; and he who gives the word will
give the power, in the attempt: Matt. xii. 13. The
Author of this grace is the Holy Spirit, and here you
have it promised, not sparingly, but plentifully. For
the Lord will not only give a few drops, but "witt pour
out his spirit unto you," as freely as water runs from
the fountain ; and shall be in you, over living and
ever flowing : John vii. 38. You may have heard
much, and have understood but little of God's word;
but for your encouragement it is promised, that you
shall not only hear his words, but know thera. "I
will," says He, "make known my words unto you ;" so
that it shall become your delight to keep them : Ps. i. 2.
You have nothing to fear from any quarter, while you
have the Spirit of God to guide you, and the word of
God to rule you. The more you have of the Spirit of
God, the more you will know of the words of God,
and the less you will have of the spirit of the world :
1 John ii. 16, 17.
All who are the sons of God, are led by the Spirit of
God; Rom. viii. 14; and all who are Christ's follow
ers, hear Christ's words, and kt w them to be his;
John X. 27 ; and obey and treasuic! them up in their
hearts: John xv. 7. Doubt no longer of God's wil
lingness to give ; for he here twice declares, "/ wiU."
Hath he said it, and shall he not do it? He will g»,c
you freely and plentifully of his Spirit, to guide, di
rect, corafort, and sanctify you; and will give you a
heart to understand his words : Ps. cvii. 43.
It is by the Spirit given unto us that we aro enabled
to cleave unto Jesus in heart and affection, as our only
hope, and walk worthy the vocation wherewith we are
called : Eph. iv. 1. You have only to ask and have

OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 161
" We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of
God; ihat we inigM know tlie tilings that are freely giren to us of God." I
Cor ii. 12.
Men unsanctified receive not the things of God ; their
minds are prejudiced against them, so that they appear
foolishness unto them : ver. 14. No man can know or
believe them to salvation, till the mind has been en
lightened by the Spirit of God. The wisest men of
this world are but fools in God's account : 1 Cor. iii. 19.
And as the mind of man dwells in hiraself, and cannot
be known by another, until he makes it known, so the
Spirit of God is in God, and we know nothing of the
mind of God, till it is revealed. "We have not re
ceived the spirit of the world," which could be of no
assistance to us, "but the Spirit which is of God,"
that knows the things of God, it being one with God :
Ezek. xxxvi. 27.
We have received the Spirit of God, " that we might
know the things that are freely given io us oi God."
We can neither know thera, nor savingly believe them
till they are made known unto us, by his Spirit reveal
ing them unto us: John xiv. 16, 17. Gospel privi
leges are great privileges, that are "freely given io us
of God." Notwithstanding they are freely given, and
the revelation of this gift is made, they could not bene
fit us, without the Spirit showing, not only what God
is, but also, what the things of God are, John xvi. 13,
that he has done for, wrought in, and given to us.
Whatever a man may possess beside, if he possess not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his : Rom. viii. 9.
The Spirit of God is a living Spirit; an enlivening
Spiiit; a leading Spirit; a sealing Spirit; and, there
fore, all who have his Spirit, pray in the Spirit ; and
with the Spirit; and by the Spirit; and for more of
the Spirit: Luke xi. 13. All who believe receive con-
stiint supplies ; and have the Spirit of God dwelling in
them: 2 Tim. i. 14. Poor, drooping believer, thou
feelest thy sins and corruptions, and art ready to con
clude that thou hast neither part nor lot in the matter.
What ! believe the truth, and not be sanctified by the
Spirit ! Impossible ! As sure as thou art a believer in
Jesus, his Spirit hath sanctified thee through faith.
Sin not ; and fear not. Ask and have. Run and win.
14*

162 OF THE spirit's HELP IN PRAYER.
"Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare theu
heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear." Ps. x. 17.
Never did the Lord say to a humble, penitent soul,
"Seek my face in vain:" Isa. xiv. 19. And what he
was, that he now is, and ever will be ; hence, every
one has encouragement to pray. Consider,
1st, The Lord " has heard the desire of the humble:'
and his ear is still open to their cry : Ps. xxxiv. 15.
The Lord prepares the hearts of his people, by first
giving them to see and feel their need ; and by giving
them a holy desire after the very blessings that he de
signs to give them : Prov. xvi. I. He gives and
strengthens their faith ; Eph. ii. 8 ; fixes their thoughts
on the desired blessing; raises their affections, and
graciously accepts of their prayers ; which serves to
strengthen their confidence, and enables thera to say,
"Lord thou hast heard," not only the well-formed
prayer, but, "the desire of the humble :" Ps. ix. 12.
2d. The Lord will hear : Micah vii. 7. "Thou wilt
prepare iheir heart ;" so that no one can excuse them
selves from praying, on account of the badness of their
heart. If you are sensible of the plague of your heart,
go to the Lord, who alone can prepare the heart. And
this he does through his Spirit enabling them to mortify
its various lusts, and bringing it into a humble, holy
frame, and longing after God in Christ Jesus : 1 Sam.
'ni. 3 ; Rom. viii. 13. And having prepared the heart
for the mercy needed and prayed for. He will,
3d. " Cause his ear to hear" the prayer offered unto
hira. It is irapossible for God to be unmindful of his
people's condition. He is always ready to hear and
regard their cry ; and deliver them from all their ene
mies and afflictions : Ps. xxxiv. 17.
Let your case be what it raay, you have only to raake
it known to the Lord : Phil. iv. 6. Do not say, " I am
so weak and ignorant, so vile and ungrateful, that I
cannot pray ;" for that is the very reason why you
should pray. And if, at any time, your heart is too
full to form words, look at a throne of grace, and the
fiOrd will hear "the desire:" Ps. xxxvii. 4. If you
lack wisdom ask it; and rest assured, that you can
need nothing that God is not willing to give : PhiL
v. 19.

OF THE spirit's HELP IN PRAYER. 163
" Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."
Rom. viii. 15,
This is the peculiar glory of gospel-grace; sinners
become the sons of God; and have the joyful knowledge
of it here upon earth : 1 John iii. 1, 2. Observe,
1st. Every believer in Christ is a son, or child of
God ; John i. 12 ; and as such, each one has the wit
ness in himself; Rom. viii. 16 ; and has the broad seal
of heaven put upon him : 2 Cor. i. 22. What have
you to fear from the world, if you are a heaven-born
child? 2d. "Ye have received the Spirit," not of bondage;
no ; the Spirit of God never was, nor ever can be the
spirit of bondage to any soul ; it is contrary to his nature ;
he is a Spirit of liberty, that takes the things of Christ
and shows them unto us : John xvi. 14. He convinces
of sin, breaks the yoke of sin and the law, of death and
Satan ; that the soul might become united to Christ by
faith. We receive the "Spirit of adoption" by the
faith of Jesus ; we see God's righteous law fulfilled by
his perfect obedience: Rom. v. 19. Through thij
righteousness, the Spirit brings peace to our troub'
consciences, and frees us from all our guilty fe.^ s:
Rom. V. 1. God has no still-born children; and his
children, like ours, soon give signs of life by their cries.
3d. The Spirit gives us a cry ; and becomes a Spirit
of grace and supplication to us : Eph. vi. 18. Do not
plead your ignorance any longer ; for "ye have received
the Spirit of adoption ;" and that Spirit will teach you
what to say, and how to say it.
4th. "'Whereby we cry, Abba, Father." What a
precious cry ! none but a regenerate soul could ever
utter such a cry : Rom. viii. 26. You may have many
enemies standing between you and a throne of grace,
who will do all they can to prevent your approach ; but
you have one Friend stronger than all, who will lead
you through them all: Heb. iL 10. Never listen to
unbelief, or you may be reasoned out of your evidence
of your adoption. When children cannot speak they
can cry, and thus express their wants ; and so may you
"cry, Abba, Father!" that is. Father, Father; and if
you can say no more, that will be rhetoric enough
Father will know what it means.

164 OF THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS.
" The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him. anJ
delivereth them." Ps. xxxiv. 7.
Jacob loved his little Benjamin as dearly as any of his
full-grown brethren. So the feeblest follower ol Jesus
though ever so weak in faith and understanding, is equally
dear to the Father as the strongest believer, and heir to
the same inheritance. And the Lord has left nothing
undone that could be done, to make those truly blessed
who trust in him. And as every believer in Jesus is born
of a royal line ; John i. 13 ; so their heavenly Father
honors them as such : for as a life-guard would encamp
around a prince to protect his royal person, so "the angel
of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear hira."
It is said, "ihe angel," though, perhaps, there are a full
guard of angels, who are as unanimous in protecting the
saints as though there were but one. Observe,
1st. God makes use of good spirits to protect his
children from the malice of evil spirits. Jacob was
guarded by a host of thera; Gen. xxxii. 1, 2; and so
is every child of God as really, though not as sensibly :
Luke XV. 10. We are not sensible of half the blessings
conferred upon us.
2d. They do not merely corae to see them, but "en
camp around them :" so that they are in constant attend
ance, always ready to serve them : Heb. i. 14. The
enemy may throw his darts about thera ; but can never
harra thera, while in the centre of so good a camp : Isa.
xli. 11 . Angels are their servants, and are "sent forth to
minister for them;" to serve them in every possible way;
to oppose all that opposes them ; to fight all their battles ;
to guard thera while in the field ; and escort them home
when their warfare is accomplished : Luke xvi. 22. It
matters not who, nor how many, are against them.
For, 3d. He "delivereth them;" and as no part is left un
guarded, and as their friends are so much mightier than
their foes, they have nothing to dread from any quarter,
while they "fear Him" whose angel guards them : 2
Kings vL 16, 17. All who live holy may depend upon
being kept safely. Jesus makes all his members safe
and comfortable : — their Guard never sleeps on his post :
Ps. cxxi. 3, 4. Let us who have such holy guards, be
careful to live holy lives : Heb. xiiL 1.

0/ THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS. 165
* Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
tnail be heirs of salvation ? " Heb. i. 14.
Although the angels are beings far superior to us m
nature and capacity, and have constant employment in
the upper world, still it is evident, that, in obedience to
their Maker's comraand, they visit our lower world on
messages of mercy to us. Observe,
1st. That though the angels are spirits, and not
bodies, they are "ministering spirits," whose office it
is to attend upon others. They attend upon God's
throne, and are always ready to obey his commands :
Ps. civ. 4. God's will is their law.
2d. They are "sent forth" by him to whom they
belong, not as idle spectators, but to wait upon the
children of God; who are all "heirs of salvation:"
Rom. viii. 17. Angels are their servants, " sent forth
to ¦minister for them;" to instruct, guard, direct, protect,
comfort, provide for, and deliver thera. ThousanSs
attended the Lord at the giving of the law : Ps. Ixviii.
17 ; Heb. ii. 2. Two of thera appeared to Abraham in
his tent : and the sarae two lodged with Lot ; warned
him of his danger, protected and delivered hira : Gen.
xviii. and xix. One supported Elijah in the wilderness
of Judah : 1 Kings xix. 4 — 8. An angel in one night
cut off 185,000 of Senacherib's army, and delivered
Jerusalem from his cruel rage : Isa. xxxvii. 36. Angels
frequently conversed with Daniel, Zechariah, and the
Apostle John. An angel warned Joseph and Mary to
flee, and return, with the infant Jesus. An angel liber
ated Peter from prison : Acts v. 1 9. An angel delivered
the apostles at Jerusalem ; and sometimes one is repre
sented as acting on multitudes, while at others, nulti-
tudes are represented as protecting one. We know no
more than God has revealed. But certain it is, that a
saint in tatters is more highly honored than a sinner in
robes. Strive in all things to please God, and then rest as
sured that God will, with all things needful, serve you •.
Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. Keep in the ways of God, and you may
always find comfort in the proraises of God : Rora. xv. 4.
Christ has done much to make all men his friends,
although he has many eneraies ; and you cannot expect
U to go better with you than it did with him.

166 THAT WE SHALL BE KINGS.
" And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation." Exod.
xix. 6.
Rejoice, poor, trembling believer, in God thy Saviour ;
and listen to the endearing and honorable titles which he
has put upon his people. Every one who is born of
God is heir to a crown; and when they becorae of age
they shall wear it : but we must be born in the kingdom
of grace, before we can be crowned in the kingdom of
glory : John iii. 3. And all who have the kingdom of
God within thera, shall assuredly dwell in the kingdom
of God : John x. 28. Although it is possible, that they
may be so poor and disguised as to have to beg their
way through this world, it will be manifest in the other
world, they were " unto God a kingdom, of priests."
The kingdom of the saints may truly be said to be a
" kingdom of priests," inasmuch as every one is engaged
in offering sacrifices to God ; and he is so well pleased
v^ith them on his Son's account, that every sacrifice they
offer through him, is accepted of him : Heb. xiii. 5.
The saints, while here, are like a few straggling out
casts ; but unto God they are a " kingdom ;" and when
all shall be brought horae, they will appear a very large
kingdom : Rev. vii. 9, 10. In this rough, uneven world,
the child of God may stumble, yea, fall, and wound his
soul, bruise his spirit, and cause dejection of mind.
Satan raay sadly daub him, and then endeavor to per
suade hira, that he is in such a filthy condition, that
his Father doth not know him, and will never again
own hira. This is a deplorable condition, and should
be carefully guarded against ; but let it be reraerabered,
that the Lord will never wholly cast off his people, nor
forsake his inheritance : Ps. xciv. 14. But notwith
standing the faults, failings, and imperfections of the
saints, in a comparative sense, they are a "holy nation;"
for, though they have much of their natural corruption
hanging about them, they are God's pecuUar people ;
Titus ii. 14 ; "a chosen generation ; a royal priesthood ;"
1 Pet. ii. 9; and, through Christ, they are all made
" kings and priests unto God :" Rev. i. 6. We are not
righteous in and of ourselves; but Christ of God is
made unto us righteousness : 1 Cor. i. 30. Wicked
worldlings and formal professors desp'ise those most
whom God loves best.

AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD. 167
"And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father." Kev
1 6. Every sinner who loves Christ, believes the love of
Christ to sinners. Christ purifies us by his blood ; I
John i. 7 ; and dignifies us by his power. He hath,
1st. "Made us kings" to rule over sin, the world,
Satan, and death. All real behevers are kings, made
such by the King of kings; but not earthly monarchs.
They reign, in a spiritual sense, over all their unruly
passions and appetites, lusts and corruptions ; and even
the king of terrors is no longer a terror to them ; in
consequence of their knowing that his sting is extracted
and victory sure : 1 Cor. xv. 55 — 57. An earthly mon
arch may have many rebellious, treacherous subjects,
who envy, aud would dethrone him; notwithstanding
he may keep his throne ; so do you over all rebel lusts
and traitorous dispositions; for you reign by Christ's
power, who is King over you : Rev. xix. 16. Christ
hates all sin, but loves all sinners.
2d. " PRmsTS unto God." Under the law, the priests
otfered gifts and sacrifices according to the law ; under
the gospel, we are a holy priesthood, to offer up spir
itual sacrifices, acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ:
1 Pet. ii. 5. The saints are priests who consecrate
their bodies unto God ; Rom. xii. 1 ; and are contin
ually offering up sacrifices of prayer, praise, supplica
tion, and thanksgiving "unto God ;" all of which God
is well pleased to accept inrough his beloved Son : John
xiv. 6. Christ has taught all men to honor the Son,
even as they honor the Father ; John v. 23 ; and here,
the same honor, glory, dominion, and power is ascribed
to Jesus Christ, as to God. Our bodiet and souls, time
«nd talents, prayers and praises, must be all offered up
" unto God ;" for as Christ, our high-priest, has offered
np himself unto God for us, so we must offer ourselves
to God by him.
Live up to your privilege as a king, and never be
come a slave; and, as a.priest, let all your sacrifices bo
offered unto God, whose priest you are. Never sacri
fice to heathen idols ; but when lusts present, and Satan
tempts, remember, Christ hath made you a king to
reign over them, and a priest to sacrifice them. Never
offer a sacrifice to the world, the flesh, or the devil.

168 OF PEACE OF CONSCIENCE.
" The work of the righteous shall be peace ; and the efi"ect of Tighteoai.
ness, quietness and assurance forever." Isa. xxxii. 17.
Salvation is all of free-grace, and free-gift by Jesus
Christ. Our life of faith, of hope, of love, of holiness,
centres in, and is from Jesus. Observe,
1st. "The work of righteousness shall be peace;"
even in the doing of our duty we shall always find an
abundance of true pleasure ; a present reward of obedi
ence in the very act of obedience: Ps. xix. 11. As
the law of Christ brings in a law to govern us, so the
gospel of Christ brings a righteousness to save us ; and
these two, by the Spirit, being made to dwell together,
they remain as an everlasting righteousness. It is truo,
the work of righteousness may be soraetiraes hard and
costly, and may expose us to much persecution and
contempt, yet, it is peace; yea, and such peace too, as
makes us ample amends : Ps. cxix. 165. True holiness
produces real happiness.
2d "The effect of righteousness shall be quietness
and assurance." The effect of sin, is uneasiness and
death. And as sin invariably produces wretchedness ;
Isa. Ivii. 21, 22; so holiness or righteousness produces
quietness within and without. The effect of righteous
ness must be happiness; and the one being perfect,
must make the other complete. The righteous are
said to be bold as lions ; while the wicked are frightened
at their own shadow : Prov. xxviii. 1. If you are
careful to obey God, you are sure to be happy in God ;
and of this, all who do the work of righteousness, have
an " assurance forever." While you live right, noth
ing goes wrong : Rom. viii. 28. A soul at peace with
God cannot be greatly disturbed by the world ; for il
has all its pleasures in God, and all its blessings from
God : Rom. viii. 1.
While you have peace within, all must be well with
out. Peace here, brings an assurance of peace hereafter
Keep the Saviour in your eye, retain him in your heart;
and as he is your first hope, so let him be your last
stay. Never take your eye of faith off Christ's righte
ousness; it was his holy life and bitter death, procured
a righteousness for you, in which you may stand v.ath
assurance before a holy God. Keep up a constant wai
with sin, and that will secure peace of conscience.

OF PEACE OF CONSCIENCE. 169
"Tliy faith liath saved thee, go in peace.'' Luke vii. 50.
Conscience is the secret testimony of the soul, wnere-
Dy it approves that which is good, and condemns that
which is evil. A good conscience is purified by the
blood of Christ: 1 Tim. i. 5. An evil conscience is
loaded with guilt : Heb. x. 22. A hardened or seared
conscience is one that feels not the evils of sin : 1 Tim.
iv. 2. Conscience has a rule of action ; it compares
action with that rule ; and draws inferences frora the
comparison ; it gives its approbation to what it thinks
good, and reproaches itself with what it considers evil.
Whoever applies to Christ, in his appointed way, is
sure to be saved by him : Heb. vii. 25. Every humble,
believing applicant, no matter how vile, is sure to meet
with a generous dismissal. Our love to God should
always be in proportion to the love we receive from
Him. If you love God, that is a proof He loves you ;
1 John iv. 19 ; and though the enemy of your soul
would lead you into clouds and darkness at the reraera-
Drance of your past sins, the Saviour declares, "thy
faiih hath saved ihee." It should, therefore, give you
no concern who conderans you, so long as Christ ac
quits you; John viii. 10, 11; for surely you cannot
doubt his word, when he commands you to "go in
peace." What more can you desire to make your soul
happy? Here is pardon, safety, faith, and peace; and
all for taking Christ at his word. Pardon is the ground
of your safety : Isa. xl. 1, 2. Faith is the foundation
of your peace : Rom. v. 1. Peace is the fruit of your
faith ; and salvation the issue of your pardon. What
if your sins were great, Christ's pardoning grace was
greater ; and, therefore, your joy and peace should be
great : Luke vii. 47. All the uneasiness you have felt
on account of sinning against God, and all the love
you have felt, and still feel, to the Saviour, are the
productions of faith ; and you cannot honor God more,
in any way, than by believing on bis Son : John iii.
16 — 18. And though thou hast little faith, he now
says, " Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace." To
have a peaceful conscience, three things are necessary ;
First, a good rule of conduct ; secondly, an impartial
comparison of our conduct with that rule; thirdly, a
conviction we have conformed to it
15

170 OF COMFORT.
" The Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon hu «f
fiicted." Isa. xlix. 13.
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ ; the perfectly fin
ished and everlastingly glorious work of Christs re
deraption ! However the faithful followers of God may
be despised by the world, they are the greatest blessings
lo, and ornaments of the world : Matt. v. 13, 14. ( ob
serve, 1st. "The Lord hath," in every age of the world,
" comforted his people ;" and though many have thought
in the time of their distresses, that God had assuredly
forgotten them, he always made it appear, that such
was not the case : ver. 14, 15. Is sin your trouble ?
Do you want deliverance ? Is your soul troubled for
want of peace? Are you distressed through manifold
trials and temptations? Is the sun of comfort set? Do
the moon and stars withhold their light? Be not faith
less, but believing ; away with your doubts and distrust !
indulge those eneraies to all comfort no longer ; for " the
Lord hath comforted his people," and will do it again :
Ps. xxxvi. 8, 9. Give your fears to the winds, for
God's regard is as tender for you now, as it ever was.
Talk no more about your short-comings, and wander
ings from him ; for he has not hitherto rewarded you
according to your deservings ; Titus iii. 5; neither will
he now. For,
2d. "He will have mercy upon his afflicted." He
may for a moment have veiled himself with a cloud;
but with everlasting kindness will he have mercy on
thee : Isa. liv. 8. Your being afflicted is a sufficient
reason why you should trust in him ; for he will restore
comfort: Isa. Ivii. 18. Your suspicions are all ground
less ; "He will have mercy upon his afflicted," and you
are one of those ; therefore, let all your sighs and groans
burst forth into songs of praise: Isa. xii. 1. Nature
may change ; but God, in whom you trust, can know
no change : Heb. i. 10 — 12. Indulge your fears no
longer ; reason not with corrupt nature ; nor with blind
unbelief; " the Lord has comforted you ;" and he is
not grown weary of hearing your complaints ; but will
comfort you now. " He will have mercy upon his
afflicted ;" and turn your mourning into joy : Jer. xxxi.
11, 12. Why should you walk in darkness?

OF COMFORT. 171
" Who oomforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able lo comfort
hem whicn are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God." 2 Cor. i. 4.
Mercy dwells in God, and we obtain mercy from
God ; for though he is just, he delights in mercy ; Micah
viL 18; hence, he is called the "Father of mercies."
Consider, 1st. The benefits we receive from God; "Who com-
forteth us in all our tribulation." We have no real
comfort but what comes from God ; and all our best
comforts are in God : James i. 17. It must be acknow
ledged, that in the world we have tribulation; but it is
equally true, that in Jesus we have peace : John xvi.
33. And though our sufferings abound, our consola
tions also abound : 2 Cor. i. 5. We are never left to
struggle through our troubles alone ; for we have a
" God of all comfort" nigh at hand ; " who coraforteth
ns in all our tribulation." He does not comfort us in
one alone, and then leave us comfortless in the others ;
but coraforteth us in them all: John xiv. 18. We
have only to live to, and trust in God, and then we
may depend upon having comfort from God : Ps.
xxxiii. 21. None can feel the distresses of others, so
much as those that have experienced distress them
selves. 2d. God's intent in comforting us: "-that we may
he able to comfort them which are in any trouble ;" by
telling them of the mercy and goodness of God, as ex
perienced by us, in our tribulations, pressures, and afflic
tions : Ps. Ixvi. 16. So that it is evident, whenever we
receive good, God designs that we should do good with
(he good received; and encourage others to hope in
him, " by ihe comfort wherewith we ourselves are co-m-
foried." None are so fit to comfort a suffering saint,
as those who have been comforted themselves "of
God:" Heb. vL 18, 19.
Learn, 1st. Never to live upon, nor measure God'y
love to you, by your poor, changeable frames and feel
ings. But, 2d. Look to, live upon, and glory in Christ ;
for God so views and loves you. 3d. Strive to become
raore like God ; possess the mind of Christ ; live by faith
upon him ; and take comfort in him. Always bless
God for a comfortable frame and lively feelings.

172 OF HOPE.
" The Lord will be the hope of his people." Joe. iii. 1 6.
0 THOU of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt 1
Matt. xiv. 31. Why not exercise the little faith 5'ou
have ? Your doubts arise from your unbelief You can
easily believe that the Lord is displeased at your sins ;
and what is sin, but disobeying his commands ? Have
you never considered it a great sin not to believe when
he commands? But your excuse is, "I am so weak
in myself" Who is not?. Even the great, the in
spired, apostle acknowledges himself to be weak: 2 Coi,
xi. 29. The church of God is raade up of believers,
and they are called the family of God ; Eph. iii. 15 ;
and as such, of course, are "his peoph;" they being
m covenant and communion with him : 2 Tira. i. 9.
It is nothing new for the Lord to be the " hope of his
people f for he always was both the Founder and the
Foundation of their hope. You may have a rough
voyage through life, but you have nothing to fear
while you keep Unbelief below. Faith on deck, and
Christ at the helm of your little bark : Isa. xli. 10.
The Lord will be your Harbor ; and you will never
have a night so dark but you may with safety run into
him ; and there you can securely lie till the storm is
past : Prov. xviii. ] 0. Complain no longer of your
weakness, seeing the Lord is your strength : Ps. cxliv.
1, 2. Do not so much as narae your unworthiness ; for
the Lord is your righteousness : Jer. xxiii. 6 And as
for your eneraies and dangers, they can never harm
you ; for God is your refuge": Ps. xlvi. 1. It is worse
than useless to complain and reason with unbelief; foi
it matters not what you may be called to pass through
nor have to contend with ; " the Lord will be the hopi
of his people." Let not the greatness of the storm in
timidate you ; but rest assured, that a soul fraught with
grace and bound for heaven, can never become a wreck .
John X. 28. You raay, and will, have yo.ur fears ol
sinking, as is very natural for one on their first voyage;
but then, they are all groundless; for you will ulti
mately be brought safe into Port, and put on shore on
ihe Banks of Deliverance. Take courage, hope in the
Lord, and he will help you. While you look at the
roughness of the sea, remember who is at the helm
Vou are homeward-bound, and will soon bc ashore.

OF HOPE. 173
" Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, bath sure and steadfast."
Heb vi. 19.
Christian-hope is a confident persuasion of obtaining
ihose good things which God has promised, both for time
and eternity ; founded on his unchangeable truth, the
merits and grace of Christ, and the earnest of the Holy
Spirit. This hope is easily distinguished froqi all
worldly hopes, 1st. By the excellency of its object : Col.
i 27. 2d. By the stability of its foundation : 2 Tim.
i 12. And, 3d. By its cleansing nature : 1 John iii. 3.
Every one who is born of God is bound for Heaven ;
and, like a ship on the sea, must expect to meet with
storms and tossings, both up and down ; and be in con
stant danger. Our souls are vessels built by God, and
are designed to go but one voyage across the sea of
life ; and it should, therefore, be our chief concern to
make that a profitable one : Prov. xiv. 32. The graces,
comforts, happiness, and expectations of our souls, art
the invaluable cargo with which those vessels are la
den ; Heaven is the port we are sailing to ; afflictions,
temptations, persecutions, fears and distresses, raay
fitly be compared to the stormy winds and waves, be
cause of their violence, and so often threatening to mal e
us a wreck : Ps. Ixix. 1, 2. But it should ever be re
membered, that we are not sent to sea without " an
anchor f for the hope of the gospel is the believer's an
chor : and ' ' which hope we have as an anchor of the
.loul." What a blessed hope is ours ! it serves as an
anchor at sea, and a helmet in battle : 1 Thess. v. 8.
It is an anchor that raight safely be relied upon, as
being sufficiently strong to hold our vessel in the heav
iest of gales and storms : for it is "sure and steadfast,"
It is not like the hypocrite's anchor, made of sand ; but
is strong and substantially made of good-hope-through-
grace. Our anchorage is also good ; for our anchor has
taken fast hold in the Rock, Christ, and therefore must
be steadfast. Let the winds roar, and the howling
tempest drive through your raasts and rigging, you
will outride the storm. Fear not ! hope is your An
chor — Christ is your Anchor-hold — Jesus is your Pilot
— ^your vessel and cargo are fully insured — and your
Sailing-Master has engaged to cond'^ci you sa'ely into
port. 15*

174 Of delight and joy in god.
" Then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up tny
face unto God." Job xxii. 26.
Religion, in every situation, will make men comfort
able ; but the want of it is sure to make them miserable.
The worldling delights in its vanities, and the miser in
his wealth ; but the Christian delights in his God : Ps.
xl. 8. The only way to become truly rich, is to become
truly*poor : Matt. v. 3. And if you would obtain your
heart's desire, make God your heart's delight : Ps.
xxxvii. 4. Endeavor to cultivate a more intimate ac
quaintance with God ; for it is, not only your duty, but
your interest, to join yourself to him in a covenant of
friendship: Job xxii. 21 Keep up a constant corre
spondence with him in the way he has appointed:
"then shalt thou, have thy delight in the Almighty."
You shall, not only have your "delight in him, but
also, your delight fro'm him; if you do but trust in
hira : Ps. xxxiii. 21. Only live right in the sight of
God, and you will not have cause to hang down your
head with shame, like a criminal; but thou "shalt lift
up thy face toward God." and fear no evil. Why are
you cast down? Do raen frown, and turn their backs
upon you? Let not that trouble you; be not afraid,
'lift up thy face toward God;" no longer hold down
your head as though you were asharaed to look up ;
but look cheerfully, and approach him boldly, in and
through his Son ; and turn your face toward him, as
though you had confidence in him : Ps. Ixviii. 3 ; Heb.
X. 19. The oftener you look the Almighty in the face,
the better you will becorae acquainted with hira ; the
more confidence, delight and joy, you will have in
him ; and the raore welcorae you will be to lift up your
face unto him, and pour out your heart before him :
John xvi. 22.
Let faith lead you to God, through Christ; leave all
your works behind you ; rely on his gracious promises,
plead his rich mercy in Christ to poor sinners, and thus
beseech him to be propitious unto you. Plead the full
atonement and righteousness of Jesus; "lift up your
face" to the Almighty; live near to God in love; walk
before him in holiness ; and feast upon his goodness.
You will have sufficient in the world to make you sor
rowful ; and -lenty in God to make you joyful.

OF DELIGHT AND JOY IN GOD. 175
" I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man
taketh from you." John xvi. 22.'
Nothing can make a believer in Jesus so joyful as a
sense of his presence ; and nothing can make him so
sorrowful as his absence ; if he hide his face but a little
while, it causes great sorrow ; although their tears are
not lost, nor their sighs forgotten : Ps. xxx. 5, 11.
The Saviour urged his way through his own suffer
ings, and bore our griefs, for the joy that was set be
fore him ; and would have all his followers encourage
themselves with the sarae prospect. Observe,
1st. The cause of a believer's joy; "/ will see you
again." What soothing, comforting, heart-healing
words ! " Let not your lieart be troubled," poor, trem
bling, disconsolate behever ; you may appear very
mean in the world's eye, but you are very precious in
Christ's eye. He bore your sorrows, that you might
have his joy. And though he may have withdrawn
himself, it is only for a small moment ; think not that
he is gone forever ; but comfort your heart with his
gracious promise : Isa. liv. 7. He knows you cannot
live without him ; and that his presence alone can dis
perse your gloom, and turn your sorrow into joy.
Hence, he addresses you as a kind parent would a
weeping, clinging child, "Iwill see you again."
2d. The cordialness of it ; "Your heart shall rejoice."
He will shortly see you again ; and make you such a
Kind and friendly visit, and minister so much comfort
to you, that "your heart shall rejoice" within you:
Ps. xxxiii. 21. Joy in the heart is real, substantial
joy; it is sweet; it is sure; it is not easily broken in
upon; and is such as a stranger intermeddles not with.
Christ will soon return; and then you will rejoice
heartily, sincerely, and greatly: John xv. 11. To be
acquainted with Christ, you must be acquainted with
grief; but what of all that? your sorrow is of short
duration ; but your joy will know no end : Isa. IL 11.
3d. The continuance of it ; " Your joy no man taketh
from you." No man can separate you from the love
of Christ ; and, therefore, no man can take away your
joy. It is true, raen may be permitted to bind and
banish, yea, even torturt and kill you ; but that could
not take away your joy but would let you into it.

176 OF SUPPORT IN DEATH.
" The righieous hath hope in bis death." Prov. xiv. 32.
Solomon here speaks of those who are righteous in a
gospel sense, and many such are to be found. Let us.
First. Attend to the character of those who have
hope in their death : — "the righteous." 1st. In an un
renewed state, " there is none righteous, no, not one :"
Rom. iii. 10. None are legally righteous; none such
t:an be found upon earth. 2d. All men are conceived
and born in sin, and so are sinners by nature : Ps. li. 5
And as to practice, "there is not a just," or righteous,
' man upon earth," in a legal sense : Eccl. vii. 20. 3d.
Vet every true believer in Jesus is righteous, according
to the covenant of grace. God hath raade Christ, who
knew no sin, a sin-offering for us, that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him : 2 Cor. v. 21.
Every believer in Christ is in him, and has his righte
ousness iraputed to him : 1 Cor. i. 30 ; Rom iv. 5 — 10.
4th. Believers in Christ have a righteousness imparted.
They are renewed by the Holy Ghost ; Titus iii. 5 :
and made partakers of the divine nature: 2 Pet. i. 4.
They are no longer under the dominion of sin ; Rom.
vi. 14; being created anew in Christ Jesus unto good
works : Eph. ii. 10. These are the righteous who
have hope in their death.
Secondly. Show what things they hope for in their
dying moments. 1st. They hope for the gracious pres
ence of God, to support and protect them, while pass
ing through the valley : Ps. xxiii. 4. Their hope of
this important blessing is founded on such promises as
these : " Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end
of the world :" Matt, xxviii. 20. " This God is our
God forever and ever ; he will be our guide even unto
death:" Ps. xlviii. 14. "I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee :" Heb. xiii. 5. " My flesh and my heart
faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my
portion forever :" Ps. Ixxiii. 26. 2d. They hope to
be in happiness immediately after death ; Ps. Ixxiii.
24 ; to dwell in the presence of God ; Ps. xvi. 11 ; and
of Christ : John xiv. 3. And thus being absent from
the body, they hope to be present with the Ijord ; 2
Cor. V. 8 ; and with tbe " spirits of just men made per
fect :" Heb. xii. 23, 3d. 'I'hey hope for the resurrec
tion of their bodies, &c.

OF SUPPORT IN DEATH 177
" I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep
ihat which I have coinmilted unto him till that day." 2 Tim. i. 12.
Naturally, the fear of death is unavoidable, and, hi
itself, is not sinful. By infidelity, and vain reasonings.
some have been able to preserve a kind of coraposure
and firmness of mind, even to the last moraent; not
withstanding, it was but their ignorance that kept ihem
easy ; like opiates, which could not support them : Ps.
Ixxiii. 4, 5. They have no hope in their death. Be
lieving does not exempt a man from dying ; but though
it cannot free hira from the arms of death, it frees him
from the sting of death ; and supports him through
death. And the believer is enabled to say, with a holy
assurance, "I know whom Ihave believed." I am not
deceived in this important matter; no; I doubt it no
more than my existence ; "I know" that I ara standing
on a firra foundation; I have intrusted my soul's sal
vation to the care of hira who purchased it for me ;
"and am persuaded," fully so, "thai he is able," yea,
and willing too, to "keep that," and all things els€',
" which I have committed unto him:" John x. 28, 29.
There can be no doubt about those being well ke[>t
whom Christ has the keeping of; and therefore, hav
ing coramitted the keeping of your soul to him, you
may make yourself perfectly easy about it: Isa. xiv,
17. He will take good care of it, and preserve it,
"against that day:" Rom. viii. 38, 39. In "that
day," the day of your death, you will be comforted, and
supported, by that God whom you served in your life ;
and as yoii have always found his grace sufficient
while living, you may depend upon finding it sufficient
when dyhig : 2 Cur. xii. 9. And, be assured of it, ii
is as easy for a Christian to die as to live ; for, living
or dying, he always finds "grace sufficient ;" but none^
to spare. He will keep it unto that day when soul ana
body shall be again reunited; and having been kept
by the power of God, 1 Pet. i. 4, 5, it will be ad
mitted into the presence and enjoyment of God. Now,
you may have many natural ties which bind you to
the earth, and make the thought of parting unpleasant;
but in death, you will have dying-grace; and your
views and feelings may be altogether different. Live
right, and you must die well.

CHAPTER IV.
PROMISES OF BLESSINGS IN THE OTHER WORLD
OF DELIVERANCE FROM DEATH AND THE GRAVE.
I will redeem them from death : O death, I will be thy plagues ; O grave,
I W'll be thy destruction." Hos. xiii. 14.
God made man, but sin unmade him ; and brought
forth death ; and all who work for sin have death for
tlieir wages : Rom. vi. 23. Sin is the parent of death;
and every father may be considered an Adam to his
offspring ; conveying corruption and death in his gen
eration. The man who dreads sin will never have
cause to fear death ; for the mighty conqueror shall be
destroyed: "O death, I will be thy plagues." Jesus
Christ has already plagued death ; when he trampled
upon hira in his own territories; and he will assuredly
plague him again ; for it is said, " I will be thy plagues."
Death will finally meet with a death-blow. " The
last enemy that shall be destroyed is death :" 1 Cor.
XV. 26. You may, and will, fall by the hand of death,
and be put in the prison-house of death ; but you will
assuredly be delivered ; for the Lord hath declared, "1
iinll redeem ihem." The price of your ransom has
already been paid; Matt. xx. 28; and your Redeemer
has the keys of death hanging to his girdle : Rev. L
18. Christ having freed you from sin, you shall, on
ai'.count of his righteousness, be freed from death,
which is the wages of sin. The blessed Saviour canu
into the world " to finish the transgression and make
an eud of sins:" Dan, ix, 24. And sin being ended,
which is the cause of death, there will, of course, be
fin end of death. The sentence of destruction is al
ready passed upon death and the grave; and will be
faithfully executed : for, " there shall be no more
'leath, neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there
be any more pain:" Rev. xxi, 4.

OF DELIVERANCE FROM DEATH AND THE GRAVE. 179
• O death, where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy victory ? " 1 Cor.
IT, 65.
Receive the word of thy redeeming Lord ; rejoice in
he comfort of it; Christ hath fulfilled it. He has brought
m an everlasting righteousness, which he hath wrought
out for thee, to clothe thy naked soul, and enable thee
to stand before the throne of God, perfect and entire,
lacking nothing : Dan. ix. 24. Man is no sooner born,
than he is going to be buried. Death may shorten a
believer's time, but cannot shorten his life. Our time
shortens as it lengthens; and every day added is one
taken away. Life itself is not worth calling living;
neither is death, to a believer, worthy the name of dying ;
2 Cor. iv. 16. The Captain of our salvation has not
only conquered death, but enumerated it in the cata
logue of our blessings: ICor. iii.22. "Death is yours,"
to deliver you frora all the evils of sin, sorrow, tempta
tion and pain ; and yours to open the gate that admits
you into life. What a glorious triumph will the re
deemed have, when, before their ravished eyes, they
shall .see death and the grave completely destroyed !
Then will they exultingly exclaim, "O death, where is
thy sting?" Why, death, what has become of thy
deadly weapon ? where now is thy power to hurt us ?
Why, thou hast lost thy weapon! where is it? what
has become of thy sting? we now defy thy power, and
fear not thy weapon : Isa. xxv. 8. Ah ! thou hast lost
thy sting in the flesh of Christ ; by his death he hath
deprived thee of it, delivered w, and will destroy thee !
And then, turning round to *lie grave, with a holy
triumph, they will exclaim, "O grave, where is thy
victory ? " We were once fhv prisoners ; but what has
becorae of thy prison doors ? Where are all thy bolts,
bars, and shackles, with which thou didst so long hold
us ? O grave ! what has become of thy victory ? where
is it?
Death and the grave have nothing in them, noi
belonging to them, that can hurt the saints of God.
The brightest days die into nights, but rise again into
mornings. A Christian should always be content to
live, and willing to die. Life and Death are near
neighbors ; and we should be neighborly toward both.
Love life and fear not death.

180 OF HAPPINESS IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH.
" There the wicked cease from troubling ; and there the weary be at rest.'"
Job iii. 17.
Disease, at the hour of death, may deprive a true
Christian of his reason, but can never rob him of his
religion ; for whoever possesses the religion of .lesus,
has that which will carry him well through life, and
conduct him safely through death to life, beyond death :
Isa. Ivii. 2. The believer in Christ looks upon the
grave, as he does upon his bed, the place where "the
vieary rest." Here the saints are on pilgrimage; but
there their journey ends : Ps. Ixxiii. 24. Here the
wicked persecute, hate, envy, and vex them; but "there
the wicked cease from troubling :" Job iii. 18. Here
they are to toil and labor, and are frequently so tired
md fatigued, that they scarcely know what to do with
<heir poor bodies, nor how to lay thera in order to have
a little rest; but, "ihere the weary be at rest." Aching
nearts, wearied lirabs, and empty storaachs, will never
be known there. The grave has power over the body,
to silence, imprison, and consume it; Gen. iii. 19; but
it has no such power over the soul ; for though death
breaks the lantern, he cannot put out the candle :
Prov. XX. 27.
When death dissolves the union, that existed in life,
between the soul and body, the body very naturally re
turns to the earth frora whence it was taken ; and the
soul, or living iramortal part which came from God, as
naturally returns to God whence it came : Gen. ii. 7.
" Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was ; and
the spirit shall return unto God who gave it ;" Eccl. xii.
7 ; and who has a place prepared for its reception. And
there it will reraain till the slumbering bodies are aroused
frora their dusty beds; then shall body and soul be re
united, and be ever with the Lord: 1 Thess, iv. 16, 17.
The dead, who die " in the Lord," carry their happiness
with them into another state; and, being freed from all
sin and corruption, that happiness becomes greatly in
creased ; nor can there be anything to mar their bliss, for
" they rest from their labors :" Rev. xiv. 13. All wlu/
have been subjects of Christ's kingdom on earth, will
occupy those mansions prepared for them, after death :
John xiv. 2, 3. It may be wrong to wish for death ; but
it must be right to wish for glory : Phil. i. 23.

OF HAPPINESS IMMEDIATELY JIFTER OEATH. 181
**'i'o-aay shalt thou be with me in paradise.*' Luke xxiii. 43.
Matthew informs us, that both the thieves, who were
crucified with the blessed Jesus, reviled him : Matt.
xxvii. 44. But the grace of God found its way to the
heart of one of those revilers ; and becoming convinced
of his own deplorable condition, both by nature and
practice, and being fully satisfied that Jesus was the
true and proraised Messiah, he offered unto hira this
short prayer, " Lord, remember me!" and immediately
received this answer, " To-day shalt thou be with me in
paradise." Wherever Christ went from the cross, it is
certain, the penitent thief went with him. Paradise
signifies garden, and is used to denote happiness; so
that, it is evident, the blessed Jesus and the believing
thief went direct from the cross to a state of happiness.
And the Scriptures give us plainly to understand, that,
that state was an intermediate state : that is to say, the
"paradise" Christ spoke of, when he said, "To-day
shalt thou be with me in paradise," was not the state
or place where he now is ; nor the final abode of the
redeemed. Christ is now seated on "the throne of his
Father ;" Rev. iii. 21 ; and, it is certain, he did not go
there on the day in which he said to the thief, " To-day
shalt thou be with me in paradise;" for three days
afterwards, he declares himself, "lam not yet ascended
to my Father:" John xx. 17. If, then, Christ went to
paradise, and that paradise, as is evident, is not where
he now is, it niust be where the departed spirits all go
on leaving the body ; and where they will remain till
the resurrection of the dead bodies. Peter assures us,
that, after Christ was put to death in the fiesh, he went
and preached to the "spirits in prison;" and tells us
plainly what spirits they were. See 1 Pet. iii. 18, 19, 20;
and iv. 6. And admitting that the two thieves were
tn one place, (if that terra raight be used,) it is no proof
that both were in happiness. It was one being " with"
Christ that made it paradise to him ; i. e. united to him
oy faith as the branch is to the vine, partaking of the
same nature. Even in this state, two men may be in
one house, one an unbeliever and the other a true be
liever; the former is like the troubled sea ; Isa. Ivii. 20,
21 ; aud the latter has great peace : Ps. cxix. 165.
Wt5 need no gieater jjaradise than Christ affords.
1t^

182 OF HAPllNESS IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH.
««Goil will redeem my soul from the power of the grave; for he (hall i*.
ceive me " Ps. xlix. 15.
They who follow the Lord in life, have no room to
doubt of his presence in death ; nor of being with him
immediately after death. Here we have a good reason
given, why a child of God should not be afraid ofdeath.
All who can, consistently, claim Christ as their Saviour,
know that he has saved them from sin; Matt. i. 21 ;
and raay with confidence say, " God will redeem my
soul from the power of the grave." The grave has
power over the body, by virtue of that sentence already
passed ; Gen. iii. 19 ; but it has no such power over the
soul; the soul moves, and acts, and converses more freely
after death, than it possibly could in this life : Rev. vi.
9 — 11. The soul is frequently put for the life; and that
may fall under "the power of ihe grave" for awhile; but
"God will redeem ii," when mortality shall be swal
lowed up of life. Here lies the Christian's consolation ;
death has no sting, and the grave has no victory. The
language of a dying believer frequently is, and always
should be, "Into thy hand I commit my spirit ;" thou
hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth :" Ps. xxxi. 5.
The Lord redeemed souls that he might receive them
into the mansions prepared for them : John xiv. 2, 3.
And though we know but little of the intermediate state,
or state where the departed spirits are reserved till the
resurrection of the body, we are assured of there being
such a state : (see p. 181 :) and the happiness, or wretch
edness, of that state depends upon the state in which
death finds us. If we live with Christ we shall die in
him, and be with him after death ; and it matters not
where we are, whether it be on the mount or in the
valley, in a palace or a prison, in life or in death, in
time or in eternity, it raust be good to be where he is;
John xvii. 4. It is a Heaven' of heavens to possess
Christ ; and a Hell of hells to be without him. A
Christian is always ready for heaven when his heart is
ihere before him. Let death find you at the fountain,
washing, watching, and waiting your heavenly Father's
call : Luke xxi. 36. Death sends the believer into his
own country, kindred, and friends. To be absent from
the body, is to be present with the Lord : 2 Cor. v. 8,
To be with the Lord is heaven.

OF HAPPINESS IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH. 1S3
" We are confident, I say, and willing rattier to be absent from he body,
¦nd to be present with the £iord." 2 Cor. v. 8.
Where the treasure is there the heart will be : Matt.
vi. 21. A man who is constantly travelling need often
wash his feet ; and so does the Christian need often go to
the fountain, that Christ may wash his heart : John xiiL
10. All who would have immediate happiness after
death, must be prepared for it on earth. Death can
never convert a soul to God : no ; the most that death can
do, is to fetch the converted home to God ; and that he
cannot do till sent by him. As the Lord prepares the
heart, Prov. xvi. 1, so he gives the earnest of the Spirit
as part-payment, and which assures its possessors of the
balance, after their work is done : 2 Cor. i. 22. The
blessed comforts of the Spirit here, are sure earnests of
glory hereafter; and enable those who possess them to
say, " We are confident ;" whatever doubts we may have
upon other matters, we have none with regard to our
future happiness : "we know whom we have believed ;"
and whenever death comes, he will find us both ready
and 'willing to accorapany him : Heb. xii. 23. The
Christian finds but little here to court his stay ; his
treasure is laid up in heaven ; his happiness is to be with
Jesus, even while in the body, where his interviews with
him are short and interrupted ; he is, therefore, "willing
rather to be absent from the body, ahd present with the
Lord." He desires to be with Christ altogether; but
this cannot be while in the body; he had therefore
rather be without the body than without Jesus : Phil. i.
23. In the body, we live to suffer; absent from the
body, we hve to reign: Rom. viii. 17. "Blessed are
the dead that die in the Lord." These, and these only
are blessed imraediately on the soul leaving the body.
His righteousness is theirs to justify them : 1 Cor. i. 30.
His Spirit is theirs to sanctify them : 1 Cor. vi. 11. They
have a title to glory and a meetness for it : Rom. viii.
15 — 17. They have a capacity for its services, and a
susceptibility of its joys : 1 Cor. xiii. 12. In learning
to live, study how to die ; that you may exchange a
bed of death for a crown of life : 2 Tim. iv. 8. Abra
ham, Isaac, and Jacob, were happy immediately after
death ; Matt. xxii. 32 ; so were Moses and Elias ; Mark
ix. 4 ; and so will every believer be.

IS4 OF A GLORIOUS RESURRECTION.
" Thougn after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I te*
God." Job xix. 26. '*
Christ would not have his coat divided, neither will
hf> have a heart divided. A real believer, while in time,
looks beyond time ; he has his eye fixed on heaven while
he walks on the earth : Matt. vi. 21. Such is the holy
indifference with which a believer looks upon the cor
rupting of his body, that after the skin is worn through,
and scarcely able to hold the bones, he says, " Though
after my skin," which is already partly consumed.,
" worms destroy this body," that is now little more than
a skeleton, "yet in my fiesh shall I see God:" Ps. xvi.
9. Every Christian has hope in Christ ; and such an
one too as is not bounded by the narrow limits of tirae;
for were that the case, their lot would be a hard one ;
seeing, that, in this world, they are hated, buffeted, and
persecuted; and exposed to all raanner of sufferings,
because they are not of tbe world: John xv. 19, 2tt.
But believing in a resurrection, their hopes carry thein
beyond the grave ; and their assurance of a glorious
one comforts them under every calamity : Isa. xxvi. 19.
The body must return to the dust frora whence it was
taken ; Gen. iii. 19 ; but that self-sarae body shall be
raised incorruptible, honorable, and spiritual ; leaving
nothing in the grave but the corruption : 1 Cor. xv. 42
— 44. Soul and body must corae together again, in
order to make a perfect man. " In my flesh," says the
Christian, " shall I see God." Let this animate you
when looking toward your own grave. Think of it
with resignation and pleasure. It is true, sin takes
away your health and strength, and lays your body iu
the grave : but hear what Jesus says among the tombfi ;
" I am the resurrection and the life :" John xi. 25. At
the sound of this take courage and go forward. I<ook
not only to the grave, but through it. You have not to
leap from a precipice ; but to descend an easy flight cf
steps ; hang upon your Beloved and Friend ; lie down
quietly at his bidding, resting assured that he will guard
vour sleeping dust, and shortly bid you rise. Here you
often mourn on account of not being able to get a sight
of Jesus; there you will be like hira; for you will seo
nim as he is : 1 John iii. 2. What a happy day when these
two cousins raeet (soul and body) in the Hill-ctjuntry.

OF A GLORIOUS RESURRECTION. 185
" Neitner can they die any more ; for they are equal unto .he angels ¦,
4na are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." Luke
XX. 36.
Jesus is the life of a believer's hope here, and the
hope of life hereafter : John xi. 25. In this world men
die ; and for that reason men marry, that the vacancies
may be filled up ; but in heaven they marry not, be
cause they die not : Rev. xxi. 4. Death reigns here,
but cannot pnter there to disturb them any more.
"Neiiher can they die any more f for the body being
raised incorruptible, there can be nothing belonging to,
nor connected with it, that could possibly tend to death.
This body " is sown in corruption, it is raised in incor-
ruption ; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory ; it
is sown in weakness, it is raised in power ; it is sown
a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body," — not a
spirit, but spiritual. For "there is a natural body,
and there is a spiritual body :" 1 Cor. xv. 42 — 44.
"They are equal unto the angels ;" their glory is equal,
and their bliss cannot be inferior; their employment is
the same ; and their enjoyment is as great : Ps. xvi. 11.
Daily experience convinces the saints, that, in this
world, they, at best, are but strangers and pilgrims;
that here they have no abiding place, and have but to
lodge awhile in tents put up to be taken down. Hence,
they are constantly looking forward, and hasting to, that
day which shall restore their flesh ; when death shall
all be done away, and in Heaven they will be all natu
ralized citizens; "equal unto the angels," and enjoy
that freedom which Christ obtained for them " with a
great sum." They "are ihe children of God ;" while
in this world they receive the adoption of sons; Rom.
viii. 15 — 17 ; and wait for its completion in the other
world : Rora. viii. 23. Here they have the nature and
disposition of sons, but will have to go horae before it
can be perfected. They are "the children of the resur
rection;" being born from above, they are made capable
of the employments and enjoyments of the family of
heaven. None can enjoy the privileges of the house
hold of God, without being born of God : John i. 12,
13. We must be raised from a death of sin, before we
can be raised to a life of glory. Every child of grace
s heir to a crown of glory.
16*

186 OF HAPPINESS IN HLAVEN.
" The upright sliall dwell in thy presence." Ps. cxl. 13.
What can we say of heaven, seeing we know so
little, and cannot tell even that little? But we will
venture to affirm, that if heaven was now laid open to
our view, we should no longer be fit to dwell upon the
earth , our minds would be so engaged with the rap
turous scene, that everything else would sink into
insignificance, and every other engagement be neglect
ed ; the present order of things would be deranged ;
and the beings to whora it was presented injured and
destroyed. If the spirit ofthe dueen of Sheba left
her at the sight of Soloraon's glory; 2 Chron. ix. 4;
and Jacob fainted when he heard that his son Joseph
was alive, and the sight of the wagons had so great an
effect upon him, how could it be possible to behold
heaven and live upon earth? Gen. xiv. 25 — 28. How
ever, with all our deficiencies, we are not totally
ignorant of the happiness of heaven. This much we
do know : " The upright shall dwell in God! s presence."
We know there are gradations among angels ; for we
read of thrones and dominions, and principalities and
powers: Col. i. 16. We know also, that there are
different degrees of grace among Christians ; and can
have no doubt but there are different degrees in glory ;
though all are perfectly happy ; but small vessels can
not hold so much as large ones ; notwithstanding all
may be full : 1 Cor. iii. 8. Heaven is a place ; our
Lord has a body like our own, and that cannot be
omnipresent : and wherever he is corporeally, there is
heaven : John xii. 26. Enoch and Elijah have bodies
there ; and so will all the redeemed. There we shall
see our dear little ones that were taken from us ; we
loved them here — how much raore when we behold
thera srailing, shining cherubs ! Husbands and wives,
parents and children, ministers and people, kindred anti
friends, will there meet, to part no more forever. And
seeing we have no right to suppose that our memories
will fail us, what can prevent us from knowing each
ther? Peter, James, and John, knew Moses and Elias:
latt. xvii. 1 — 8. Paul told the Thessaloniana they
urere his hope, and joy, and crown, at the coming of
the Lord Jesus Christ : 1 Thess. ii. 19. Surely, then
he must know theni.

OF HAPPINESS IN HEAVEN. 187
" Inmj Fatlier's nouse are many mansions; if it were not so I would havo
told you; I go to prepare a place for you." John xiv. 2.
Our blessed Jesus, to give his followers the best ot
comfort in the worst of times, assures them, that in his
"Father's house are many mansions." Heaven is a
htnise ; not a tent that is put up but for a few days ;
neither is it a house made with hands, that, with its
builder, must shortly crumble into dust : 2 Cor. v. 1.
The Saviour calls it his "Father's house;" and we
know that his Father is the Father of every believer
in him ; and that his house is their home : John i. 12.
There are different apartments; it appears, in his
house, and such as will well accommodate his whole
family. There may be one for every grade ; but be that
as it may, there are "many mansions" in it, sufficient
to receive all with every comfort. But commodious as
" Father's house" is, it would not be large enough for
two families; therefore, our Emmanuel says, "I go to
prepare a place for you," vaj brethren, the " sons of
God:" 1 John iii. 2. Every occupant will be com
pletely swallowed up of glory and of God. Multitudes
who possessed not a foot of land on earth, will possess
a mansion after death : Luke xii. 32. Of the reality
of all this happiness there can be no doubt, for the
adorable Redeemer declares, "If it were not so I would
liave told you ;" men may deceive you — you may de
ceive yourselves — but I will not — "/ go to prepare a
place for you:" and I will fetch you to it when I have
prepared you for it : John xiv. 3.
Heaven is a place of perfect purity ; and this to the
Christian is worth dying for, to leave behind the body
of this death; this continual strife and warring in the
members ; this inability to do the things we would ;
tb's proneness to sin; to be innocent as the first Adam
in Eden, and holy as the second Adam in heaven !
Heaven is a social state; here we have but few holy
companions ; but there we shall have a vast multitude;
who will all u ite with us in recounting the mercies and
goodness of our God ; and aid us in ascribing Salva
tion to our Go which sitteth on the throne, and unto
the Lamb: Rev. vii. 9, 10. Our society there will be
the most dignified, and our employments the most
exalted.

188 OF pleasure 4ND JOY IN HEAVEN.
Thou will snow me the path of life ; in thy presence is falucss of joj ; al
Inv right hand there are pleasures forevermore," Ps. xvi. 14.
It is the highest wisdom for a man to let his sins die
before he dies himself As Christ is the Head and his
Church the body, all who have had their sins put to
death, raay, with confidence and comfort to themselves,
say, " Thou wilt show me the path of life." A good
head and a good heart are from the good grace of God ;
and are necessary to every good work: Phil. ii. 13,
God will not only " ifhow us the path of life," but will
also put his Spirit within us, and so cause us to walk in
that path : Ezek. xxxvL 27. Sorrow is our lot in this
world ; but in heaven there is joy prepared for us.
Here our greatest joys are empty and imperfect ; but
in the "presence of God," we shall have "fulness of
joy ;^* our cup of joy will be so full, there will be no
room for one drop of sorrow : 1 Cor. ii. 9. Here our
sweetest pleasures are but momentary ; they fly away,
and are succeeded by bitter sorrows ; but at " God's
right hand there are phasures forevermore." They are
imraortal pleasures ; suited to imraortal souls, who are
to enjoy them forever, in the presence of an eternal
God. We shall also have the presence and sight of the
blessed Saviour, "in whom dwelleth all the fulness of
the Godhead bodily:" CoL ii. 9. Neither the place,
the company, the harps, nor the crowns, could substi
tute for Jesus ; it could be no heaven without him ; we
shall, therefore, be with him — be like him — and ever
enjoy his presence: Phil. i. 23. We are now in pris
on — the compassionate Captain of our Salvation often
visits us in our cell ; and helps us to supplies through
our bars ; but the best if all his visits will be his last ;
when he will not only come to us, but for us : John
xiv. 3. Our joy in heaven will be joy, exceeding joy ;
and " glory with exceeding joy : " Jude 24. It is life,
" eternal life ;" it is salvation, an "everlasting salva
tion ; " it is a kingdom, a kingdom " that cannot be
ishaken ; " it is a crown, " a crown of glory that fadeth
not away." Every power, passion, and faculty we
possess, will be continually expanding and filling with
the knowledge and love of God, in whose presence is
filness of joy. It is good to have God dwell with usj
out it will be far better when we dwell with God.

OF PLEASURE AND JOY IN HEAVEN. lf'9
" I Wlll make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of t iv
Lord." Matt. xxv. 31.
Christ will never say, "Well done!" to any wlo
have not done well. It matters but little who speal s
ill of us in this our day, if we but know that God wi.)
speak well of us in the last day. But our Redeeming
Lord will not put his faithful servants off with merel v
giving thera a good name; for he will do well unto
them : Rom. ii. 6. "I vnll make thee ruler over mantf
things." All we can do for Christ is very little ; and a
is most ungrateful not to do the little we may. If a.l
our doings, sufferings, and improvings, were put togethe ,
they would scarcely be worth naming ; much less worth y
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed
by him for, yea, in us : Rora. viii. 18. Amongst th**
"many things" he has in store for those who sen/rf
liim, are, a crown of righteousness; 2 Tira. iv. 8; a
throne of glory ; Rev. iii. 21; and a kingdom: Luke
xii. 32. They may have been beggars here, but thi i
shall not prevent their being rulers in heaven. Heie
they have but flashes of joy and floods of sorrow; bi t
there they shall enter fully "into ihe joy of iheir Lord. '
The joy of heaven will be pure, free from all alloy : an
ocean of joy without one drop of grief Let the eye
turn which way soever it may, nothing but joy will t e
to be seen : — the presence and enjoyment of God an \
the Lamb will fill both. soul and body unutterably full
of unutterable joy. All sadness shall be turned into
songs; and the tears in which you now sow, will issi.e
in floods, yea, rivers of pleasure for you to bathe ic :
Rev. vii. 15 — 17. Now we see through a glass darkly ;
but then face to face. Now we know in part ; then sha ll
we know even as we are known. Now we are assault
ed by the enemy ; then we shall be freed from evei y
foe ; and have nothing in us that temptation can opera e
upon. Nothing will be found there to mar our pleas
ures, nor wound our peace. Here Christians are in
their infancy, there they will arrive at the fulness ct
the stature of Christ. Here, at best, they are faithfi il
over but few things; there they are made "rulers oviT
many thi7igs." Here we are saved by hope; there we
possess the reality. Now we have the earnest; thin
ihe inheritance.

190 OF GLORY IN HEAVEN.
" They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament ; ana
they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever." Dan.
xii. 3.
Many are wise in their own account, who are fools m
God's account : 1 Cor. iii. 19. None are truly wise, but
such as are wise for their souls and eternity : and all such,
being taught of God, must be truly wise ; and it will be
made to appear in eternity, that they were such; although
they were counted fools. They who walk in the way
of wisdom in time, shall have a glorious reward in eter
nity. " They shall shine as the brightness of ihe firma
ment." Here they are buried in obscurity, and loaded
with reproach and shame; but there, when God shall
have rolled away their reproach, they will shine like an
unclouded sky ; and that in the sarae proportion as they
have made themselves useful in instructing others: Matt.
V. 19. For "ihey that turn many to r'lghteousness,"
that is, turn the wicked from the error of their ways,
from sin to holiness, and help thera to fly from that
death which is the wages of sin; shall have a great addi
tion to their own glory by sharing in the glory of others :
James v. 20. "They shall shine as ihe stars." Christ
is the Sun, the fountain of all light, and those who
teach others may be considered as stars ; some shining
much brighter than others, but all shining in that light
they derive from him who is the Author of light ; both
of grace and glory.
Figures were originally used, not for ornament, but to
explain the sacred truths ; and we need them for the
same purpose still. We have no way of understanding
what is difficult, but by tbe application of what is fa
miliar. No wonder, then, in order that we might have
some weak conceptions of the glory of heaven, that we
read of rivers of pleasure; trees of life; palms of vic
tory; crowns of glory ; feastings and mirths; treasures
and triumphs; singing and shouting; — and a thousand
other images which serve to show us a little of the glo
rious substance, which God has laid up for them that
fear him : Ps. xxxi. 19. And when the stars shall fall
from heaven as leaves from the trees, and their lights
shall have gone out, the saints shall shine "forever and
ever." Trim your lamp in time, that it may burn weU
in eternity.

OF GLORY IN HEAVEN. 191
" When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye aisc appear with
bim in glory." Col. iii. 4.
Jesus Christ is the life of all who believe on him :
Gal. ii. 20. By him we are brought to the enjoyment of
God : being quickened by his Spirit, and conformed to
his image, we are enabled to live on God's fulness of
grace, and do all with an eye to his glory : Phil. i. 21.
He is "our life," being the source and maintainer of
life: he purchased eternal life for his people; bestows
it on them ; dwells in their hearts ; comforts them while
on their pilgrimage; and, at their journey's end, will
give them all that eternal blessedness he has purchased
and prepared for them : John xi. 25. Christ is now hid,
and our life is hid with him ; but he will not always be
concealed : for he will "appear" in all the splendor of
the heavenly world, accompanied by ten thousand times
ten thousand glorified saints and angels : Dan. vii. 10 ;
Rev. vii, 9, 10. It will be Christ's glory to have his
saints with him ; 2 Thess. i. 10 ; and it will be their
glory to be with him : John xvii. 24. What a glorious
meeting, when glorified saints, and glorified angels,
with a glorified Christ, " appear in glory ! "
And "ye also," yes, "ye also, shall appear with him
in glory:" notwithstanding your unworthiness, your
many short-comings, and base ingratitude, he will have
you with him in glory : John xiii. 1. There is your
head; there is your home ; there is your all; and there
"ye shall be also;" and that forever. Even on earth,
the Christian realizes more of the glory of heaven than
he can find language to express. What can equal the
state of those, who, with humble confidence, can say,
"Being justified by faith, we have peace with God,
through our Lord Jesus Christ ; by whom also we havij
access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God?" Rom. v. 1, 2.
The thought of such amazing glory in heaven, creates
constant joys upon earth ! " For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory :" 2 Cor. iv. 17,
But why should we any longer darken counsel with
words, seeing it is impossible for finite language to de
scribe infinite glory ?• 1 Cor. ii. 9. But what we know
not now, we shall know hereafter.

192 ov THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
" The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the king
dom." Dan. vii. 18.
Saints are persons who are holy, in heart and in life-
and are distinguished from sinners, or the world, by
their godly walk and conversation: Ps. xvi. 3. They
are travellers to Zion; and the more difficulties they
meet on their way, the sweeter will be their heaven,
when they come to it : Isa. xxxv. 10. Sinners cavil at,
and persecute the saints, while here ; but God will plead
their cause hereafter ; and "ihe saints ofthe Most High
shall take ihe kingdom," to which they are now heirs.
Even while in this sinful state, they have dominion over
their own corruptions and lusts; and, through grace,
they are constantly obtaining victories over the world,
temptations, and Satan : 1 John v. 4. The saints rule,
by the Spirit's ruling in thera ; and have the kingdom
now within them : Luke xvii. 21. But they will shortly
be within the kingdom, and possess it: Luke xii. 32.
According to the proraise of Christ, they are now look
ing for, travelling to, and in expectation of, an everlasting
kingdom, and a never-fading crown: 1 Pet. L 4; v. 4.
They are assured that Christ has a kingdom ; and know
that what is his, is theirs ; and that they are his : 1 Cor.
iii. 21 — 23. "They shall possess the kingdom:" hav
ing taken it, they shall possess it in peace. They shall
throw down their sword, and take up their crown : and
being at the end of their journey, their staff will be laid
aside, and the sceptre used in its stead. They will
then have left off praying, and commenced praising:
their watching will be ended, their danger being over:
faith will be lost in sight, and hope drowned in the
ocean of sensible and full enjoyment : Rev. xxi. 3, 4.
Say not, poor, tried soul, that this kingdom is not
fur you ; that it is too good for you. The gate of
heaven is now opened to you ; your hope is in Christ,
perfect and complete; look unto him, and him alone.
In Christ we are, 1st. Perfectly cleansed from aU
guilt : Rom. viii. 1. 2d. Restored to perfect righteous
ness : 1 Cor. i. 30. 3d. Completely reconciled to God :
2 Cor. V. 18. And, 4th. We have the gates of the king
dom thrown open lo us : Heb. x. 19 — 22. Here is
all vou can need ; a glorious crown and perfection in
Christ.

OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 193
" Coma ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world." Matt. xxv. 24.
The best wine is reserved for the last. This last
come, from the lips of our immortal King, will be the
most joyful of all his gracious words. As Christ loves
his saints best, so he will reckon with them first. What
unutterable joy will fill their hearts, when, as they
wake up from their dusty beds, they meet with such a
hearty welcome frora the lips of their gracious Redeem
er ! "Come" tome, and be forever with me : 2 Thess.
iv. 17. "Come, ye ""that followed me below, bearing
your cross ; come and wear a crown : 2 Tira. iv. 8.
"Come, ye" who were hated, persecuted, and cursed,
by the world; "ye bhssed of my Father;" beloved
from, and blessed to eternity. "Ye blessed" in me
with all spiritual blessings ; I was given to, sought by,
and found of you ; laid down my life for you ; gathered
you to myself; and now come and reign with me : Eph.
i. 3. Ye beloved of my soul, whom I redeemed from
the curse of the law ; I made it your privilege to come
boldly to a throne of grace ; and now you are welcome
to a throne of glory : Luke xxii. 29, 30. "Inherit the
kingdom,'' which I purchased and " prepared for you."
I told you, that " ih my Father's house were many
raansions," and, that "I would prepare a place for
you;" nov.r come and see, that I have done all things
according to my promise. All is now ready for your
teception ; come in, and take possession. "Come!" I
told you I would come again, and receive you to my
self; and now, here I am ; and give you ten thousand
welcomes in one ! Come to my house — my throne —
my arms — my heart. All has been " prepared for you
from the foundation of ihe world f so that you have all
by the free gift of my Father's love and good pleasure,
prepared by his grace, and reserved for you. "Come!"
Take possession now ! Here are your Mansions — your
Seats — your Thrones — your Sceptres — your Kingdoms
— your Crowns! Reign forever ! Then will they sing,
"Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and
unto the Lamb :" Rev. viii. 9, 10. Hold constant com
munion with God ; and you will enjoy a heaven while
on earth : and a heaven after death. Hallelujah J
The Lord God omnipotent reigneth !
17

194 OF the enjoyme.nt of oor.
"With thee is the fountain of life ; in thy light shall we pee light." IV
xxxvi. 9.
Life and light shall be tne eternal portion of the
saints : their bliss will be the enjoyment of God : ai.d
since he is eternal, their happiness must be end eis.
(.ibserve. First. In hira they have a "fountain of life." As
the streams are dependant on the spring, and the
beams on the sun, so we are dependant on God: 1st.
For our natural life; we derived it from him, and it is
owing to his pity, patience, and fatherly care, that our
lives have been prolonged We could not move a limb,
nor have a being but for him : Acts xvii. 28. The God
of nature is the God of all natural life. 2d. He is the
Fountain of all spiritual life. All the strength, comfort,
principles, powers, and performances, of a sanctified
soul, lie is the Spring and Author of: JohnL 4. And,
od. He is the Fountain of eternal life; for without hirn
there could be no heaven: Ps. xvi. 11. He is not a
wasting stream, that soon exhausts its store; but a
never failing Fountain, ever flowing in plenteous sup
plies for every demand.
Secondly. La him they have light. This is a dark
world, and we see but little comfort, in it ; but the more
we have of God, even now, the raore we have oi light :
for "God is light:" 1 John i. 5. Those only who have
au acquaintance with God have seen the light. 1st.
Divine light now shines in the word of truth; but
more especially in the face of Jesus Christ : John viii.
li. But, 2d. When the curtain of time is wound up,
then, and not till then, " shall ive see light in His Ught,"
ill the highest perfection : 1 Cor. xiii, 12, Now oitr
brightest views are but hke looking at the sun through
an opaque glass, and our sight constantly interrupted
by flying-clouds; but there, our light will be bright,
real, and lasting. Here we have dark nights, and
cloudy days; but there we shall have our light from
(Jod and the Larab ; whom no cloud can darken : 1
John iii. 2. We now have his presence in grace; but
then we shall have it in glory: Rev. xxi. 3, 23. Cheer
up, poor, trembling believer! your troublesome days,
and wearisome nights, will soon be at^an end. Take
gospel-courage and press on.

OF THE ENJOYMENT OF GOD. 195
" So shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. iv. 17.
The thought of a resurrection should always be a
spring of consolation : and when we lose our godly
friends by death, we should bear in mind, that they are
only gone to bed a little before us. Nor should we
forget, that when Christ calls them up in the morning
of the last day, we, with them, shall be carried on
clouds, and conducted by angels into our Father's house,
to go out no more : "So shall we ever be with the Lord."
Then .shall we, not only meet together, but remain to
gether, " ever with the Lord." Now we walk by faith ;
2 Cor. V. 7 ; but in heaven, we shall see the smiles and
beauty of our Redeemer's face without a veil between;
1 John iii. 2. Now is our seed-time, and we have to
labor in the field ; but when the harvest is gathered in,
we shall have our Harvest-Home ; and ever be with
the Harvest-Lord. Here we have frequently to com
plain of interruptions in our comraunion with God; but
there, no intruder will be admitted ; and we shall have
nothing to mar our eternal enjoyment of the Lord.
We have to lament our darkness here; but we shall
have light enough there : Rev. xxii. 5. Here we have
to grapple with death ; but there we shall have everlast
ing life: Rev. xxi. 4. Now we are deprived of many
things ; then we shall possess all things : Rev. xxi. 7.
Glory is a flower that can never fade ; the possessor
of it shall be always pleased and delighted with it : Ps.
xvi. 11. All true Christians are born of God ; John i.
12, 13 ; and all who are born of God, are heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ ; Rom. viii. 17 ; and
those who are heaven-born, are heaven-bound; and
will shortly be in the full enjoyment of God, their in
heritance. In the enjoymipnt of God, we shall have
Peace, Plenty, Profit, Pleasure, Ease, Health, Honor,
Riches, Glory, Imraortality, and Eternal Life ! Yea,
we shall have Thrones for our seats ; Crowns for our
heads ; Sceptres for our hands ; Heaven for our home :
Go I for our Father ; Christ for our brother ; Angels for
our companions ; and all that heaven can hold for our
possessions : Rev. xxi. 7. O, believer, abide in Jesus !
rest satisfied; very shortly your Jesus shall be from
heaven revealed, to make you forever happy in his
rest.

PART II.
PROMISES TO SEVERAL GRACES AND DUTIES

CHAPTER I.
PROMISES TO DUTIES OF THE FIRST TABLE.
TO FAITH IN CHRIST.
" He that believeth shall not make haste." Isa. xxviii. 16.
Without a foundation, no house can stand a storm;
but one well built upon a rock, bids defiance to floods and
winds : Matt. vii. 24 — 27. God has laid a sure founda
tion for your faith, and you are required to build upon
it ; it is a foundation laid in Zion, the Church. It is
one which thousands have already tried, by building
their hopes of heaven upon it; and has never been
known to fail one : Rom. ix. 33. Neither will it fail
you, if you venture your all upon it ; for it is still writ
ten, " He that believeth shall not make haste." This is
our mercy. Jesus Christ is the main, principal object ;
for faith and Christ must go together. "He that be
lieveth ;" that is, receiveth and resteth upon Christ
alone for salvation ; Acts iv. 12 ; and deriveth all his
hopes of life and happiness frora hira, " shall not make
haste." He shall not be confounded: 1 Pet. ii. 6. His
expectation shall not be cut off; he shall not be in a
hurry; but will quietly and patiently wait till the com
ing of his Lord ; Lam. iii. 26 : being fully persuaded,
that he that shall come, will corae, and not tarry: Heb
X. 37. Sin and Satan shall no.: overcorae "he that be
heveth;" his heart is fixed; and being confident thaf
Jesus reigns, he smiles at every storm; and has no
do ibt of reigning with him.

to faith in CHRIST. 197
" If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that tielievetli." Marl
¦x. 23.
Without believing in Christ, there can be no love to,
nor comfort from him ; as poor needy sinners, we have
constantly to cleave to Jesus from hour to hour. The
most exalted apostle, and the most obscure sinner, are
upon a level. Both have the same evils to be delivered
*'rom; both believe in the same Jesus, to obtain the
same end, and enjoy peace with God, through him :
Rom. V. 1. The enemy of your soul will do all he can
to cause you to question the power, or willingness, of
Christ to save you; and the Saviour knowing this,
would rather put you upon questioning your own faith.
"If ihou canst believe" that that hard heart of thine can
be broken by the power of his grace; "believe" all that
he has proraised — part with all thy sins, let thera be
ever so pleasurable — venture all that concerns thy
soul with hira, and all that concerns thy body for him,
then thou shalt know, that "all things are possible to
him ihat believeth:" Phil. iv. 13: Canst thou believe
that though thou art a sinner, Jesus Christ is both able
and willing to save thee? Acts xiiL 39. Durst thou
believe, that if thou venturest all upon him, he will
now save thee? Rora. iv. 5. Reraeraber, he speaks to
thee, as if thou hadst nothing to do but believe ; for do
what thou wilt without believing, it will araount to
nothing: Heb. xi. 6. Do not say, "I cannot believe;"
for you certainly have as ranch power to believe, as
you have to pray ; and as you try to pray, so do you
try to believe : John i. 12. It is true, in your corrupt
nature, there dwells no good thing; Rom. vii. 18; but
it is the will, and the work of God, that you are aim
ing at; and will not a God of love and grace put out
his hand to help his own work? Gal. iii. 22. Will he
not help a poor, weak creature, to do his own will ? Ps.
-viii. 5. Jesus ever lives and prays ; gospel-grace is
still proclaimed to the wretched. Come to Jesus, own
ing your sin, and grieving for your folly; and believe
in him, "that ye may know that ye have eternal life :"
1 John V. 13. You have good reason to believe, drawn
from the love of God. The Father gave his Son ; faith
approves that gift : John iii. 16. " If thou canst be
lieve," even mountains will fly before thy faith.
17*

198 TO FAITH IN CHRIST.
"Evorj one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." Numb
ui. 8.
Most serpents are poisonous ; and all sins are ruin
ous. Our sins are never mortified, till we have seen
Christ crucified. When Israel sinned against God,
uery serpents were sent amongst them by Him ; which
bit the people, and much people of Israel died ; and
had not He have found a cure, all must have died.
When they prayed, the Lord heard ; a serpent of brass
was made ; and, that all might have the privilege of
looking upon it, it was set upon a pole in the midst of
the Israelitish camp. Their cure was conditional;
"Every one that looketh upon it shall live ;" and which
plainly implied, that the bitten who did noi look upon
it, would not live. Their case and cure very ranch
resemble ours.
1st. They were mortally wounded by the serpents,
Avhose bite was fiery ; so are we, by the old serpent.
Rev. xii. 9, whose darts are fiery : Eph. vi. 16. 2d.
The bite ofthe serpent heated and infiamed the whole
body; hence they are called "fiery serpents;" so do
lust and passion infiame the soul, while the tamest sins
bite like the wildest serpents: Prov. xxiii. 32. 3d.
They could not heal the wounds the serpents made;
neither can we, those that sin hath made : Ezek. xviii.
4. 4th. God devised the plan of their recovery, and
had it put into effect ; so he did the plan of our salva
tion : John iii. 14, 15. Sth. Moses lifted up the ser
pent; the law (as a school-master) brings us to Christ:
Gal. iii. 24. 6th. As all were saved who looked upon
the serpent on the pole ; so all are saved who look upon
Jesus Christ, as having been lifted upon the cross, and
as he is held forth on the pole of the Gospel : John hi.
16. 7th. If the serpentTbitten Hebrews had not have
believed in the remedy, they would not have looked
unto It ; neither will the wounded sinner, unless he be
lieves : Matt. xiii. 58. The method of healing might
have seemed very unlikely ; still they looked and hved.
Do thou likewise.
Do you believe on the name of the Son of God, as
the only Saviour of lost sinners? When this truth is
believed in the heart, that soul has an earnest of eternal
life. Faith comes by hearing the word of truth.

TO FAITH IN CHRIST. 199
" I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should
not abide in daikness.'' John xii. 46.
Thank God ! though our case is bad, it is not despe
rate; though we have wandered in the dark, we are
not left in it : John viii. 12. We have here.
First. The design of Christ's mission ; "I am come a
light," &c. He is the source and medium of all divine
knowledge, and came a "light into the world ;" 1st.
By his office. He had, for ages, been " announced as
"the Sun of righteousness ;" Mal. iv. 2 ; and a " light to
lighten the Gentiles :" Isa. xiii. 6. He taught the most
sublime and important doctrines — explained the law
and the prophets — made known the will of God, John
i. 18, the rederaption of the world, and the way of sal
vation : John iii. 16 — 18. 2d. By his Gospel. " Life
and immortality are brought to light by the Gospel:"
2 Tim. i. 10. It discovers the nature, blessings and
privileges of the covenant of grace; and teaches the
only way to holiness, happiness and heaven : 1 Cor. i.
21. 3d. By his Spirit. He dissipates darkness and
error, and, as a Spirit of wisdom, communicates spirit
ual knowledge and holiness to them that believe : 1 Cor.
ii. 10. Thus Christ is the true light of the moral world.
Secondly. The principle of salvation ; " that whoso
ever believeth o?i ¦me " 1st. The object of faith is speci
fied; "omnLE." We should believe in the divinity of
his person — the authority of his mission — the efficacy
of his sacrifice — the dignity of his offices — and the
sufficiency of his grace : 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. 2d. The na
ture of faith is iraplied ; "whosoever believeth." Faith
is represented by looking to, Isa. xiv. 22, receiving
from. Matt. xi. 28, and trusting in Christ, for every
proraised blessing : Eph. i. 12, 13. 3d. The necessity
of faith is suggested. " He that believeth not is con
demned already :" John iii. 18. But living faith in
the Redeeraer secures all the benefits of redemption :
John iii. 36.
Thirdly. The privilege of believers ; " they shall
not abide in darkness." 1st. They shall not abide in
mental darkness : 1 Pet. ii. 9. Their former darkness
is passed away. 2d. They shall not abide in spiritual
darkness. Faith in Jesus delivers the soul from guilt,
purifies the heart, and fills it with peace and joy.

200 TO CONFESSING CHRIST.
" He that covereth his sins shall not prosper : but whoso confeseeth ar^^
forsaketh them shall find mercy." Prov. xxviii. 13.
Men who indulge in sins, seldom want an excuse foi
them; and though they may be naked themselves,
they will strive to find a covering for their sins. "He
that covereth his sins," denieth the Saviour ; and cover
eth his shame, that will, sooner or later, cover him :
Dan. xiL 2. Sins covered cannot be pardoned ; and,
therefore, the expectation of the most artful sinner
shall assuredly be cut off: Prov. x. 28. Are you con
vinced of your sins? is their burden really grievous?
If so, remember, that hiding a wound will never cure
it. Go and "confess your si7is" to that God against
whom you have committed them. Confess that you
stand in need of an Alraighty Redeemer, a Divine
Physician, just such an one as is Jesus Christ ; plead
his merits; and do not despair of obtaining mercy.
But be sure you "forsake" every sin ; for one leak will
sink a ship, if it is not soon stopped ; and one sin, un-
forgiven, would ruin the soul. Confess Jesus Christ to
be your only Saviour; for it is he alone that raises
dead sinners, from the death of sin, unto a life of
righteousness : Eph. ii. 1, 2. Uncover your sins, lay
them all at his footstool, remind him of his promise,
plead its fulfilment, 1 John i. 9, and you may depend
upon finding mercy : Isa. Iv. 7.
Christ is the only Fountain opened for sin and un
cleanness ; hone other can wash away our guilty
stains; Zech. xiii. 1 ; and no other physician can heal
our wounded consciences. Having confessed, and for
sook your sins, be careful not to return to thera again.
And reraeraber, that whatever else you may apply to
your diseased soul, beside Christ, will do you no good:
Acts iv. 12. Jesus is the only remedy, a never-failing
remedy, and raust be applied by faith : Acts xvi. 31.
There is but one atonement for sin ; but one advocate
between God and sinners ; but one Jesus to save sin
ners ; but one Spirit to sanctify sinners ; and but one
way of saving sinners. To be saved frora sin, we
must confess and forsake sin ; confess and cleave to
Christ the Saviour of sinners ; plead his merits, and
obey his commands. Faith inspires prayer- and
prayer brings courage to the heart: Ps. iv. 1, 8.

TO CONFESSING CHRIST. 2(11
" Wbosof ver therefore shall confess me liefore men, him will I confess also
before my Fadier which is in heaven." Matt. x. 32.
There are many who confess Christ in words, who
deny hira in works; who know much, but do little*
who talk about heavenly things fluently, while they
pursue earthly things eagerly; and have a fair outside,
but a foul inside. But all such wear their religion js
they do their clothes ; all without and none withir •
Matt, xxiii. 27, 28. 'To " confess Christ before men,''
we raust, notwithstanding danger and opposition, openly
profess and adhere to his truths and ordinances ; and
not fly from duty even to save life : Matt. x. 37 — 39.
We profess our faith in Christ by suffering his will, as
much as in doing his will : Rom. viii. 17. And what
Christ has made our duty here, will be our highest
honor hereafter, "Him will I confess also before my
Father." If we are not ashamed of our relation to him
before naen, he will not be asharaed of his relation to
us before God. " Hira will I confess " as one of mine ;
as one of my particular friends; as one who loved me,
and was beloved by me. He confessed me when it cost
him hard service; and "I will confess him" when it
will do him good service : Rom. x. 9. I will put in a
good word for him, as having owned my cause openly,
and borne ray cross faithfully; while "I will confess
him publicly." In opposition to the pride of human
reason, the true believer confesses Christ to be that
"Word which was with God and was God ;" John i.
1 — 3; and unequivocally acknowledges him to be the
mighty Maker of all things; Col. L 16; " God mani
fest in the flesh :" 1 Tim. iii. 16. He feels a lively
concern for the extension of the gospel of Christ, who,
in a scriptural sense, confesses Christ; and manifests
this pious zeal by owning, adhering to, and aiding the
followers of Christ; John xiii. 35; by administering
affectionate and seasonable reproof to the ungodly,
Eph. V. 11; by exhibiting to the world an example
of Christian excellence; Matt. v. 13 — 16; and by
suffering wrong, rather than do wrong: Acts xx.
23, 24. If you confess Jesus truly, in your day,
be will confess you really, in his day. This gracious
declaration is a cheering consideration, a sweet con-
sdlittion.

202 TO REPENTANCE.
" The Lord your God is gr.icious and merciliil, and will not turn away hia
Qice from you, if you return unto him." 2 Chron. xxx. 9.
The world in which we live is one of sorrow, in con
sequence of being a world of sin ; and it is a cause of
great grief, that we see so little sorrow for sin in the
world : 2 Cor. viL 10. Sin blinds the eyes to the love
of God, and hardens the heart against his fear ; it makes
the spirit becorae stout and rebellious ; and causes the
sinner to shake off convictions as a sheep does the rain.
Are you led to discover the exceeding sinfulness of your
sins? — If so, it is because "The Lord your Godis gra
cious :" for it is He, who, by his word and Spirit, hath
convinced you of your sins : John xvi. 8. He has
also appointed the means of your salvation from sin ;
and requires and encourages your repentance : Joel ii.
13. Beware of those, who, by their laughing or frown
ing, would put you out of the way of salvation : Prov.
xiv. 9. Bear in mind that your sins were committed
by a poor, ungrateful worm, against tbe infinitely good,
omnipotent King of heaven; and that it is he who
breaks the heart for sin : and follow the example of
the noble Bereans : Acts xvii. 11. Look in that cor
rect glass, and you will there see the awful, but true,
picture of every man, as he is in a state of nature ; and
also of those who have been changed by divine grace.
But do not let a sight of your alarming condition by
nature and practice, sink you into despair ; for "He is
gracious and merciful:" He delights in pardoning
penitent sinners ; " and vfill noi turn away his face from
you." You have long turned your back upon him ;
but he will not turn his back upon you ; no ; for he has
wounded, and he will heal, " if you return unto Mm:"
Hos. vi, 1. Look to him who bore our sins in his
own body on the tree ; by whose stripes we are healed:
1 Pet. ii. 24.
Look upon him whose pitying look broke unfaithful
P^^ter's heart: Luke xxii. 61. Turn your eye toward
the reeking cross on which your Saviour hung, with
your sins in his body; view hira sweating, groaning,
bleeding, dying, and praying for you ; and then say^
can you doubt his willingness to save you ? Ps. h.
J ~, He did not turn away his face frora the dying
penitent.

TO REPENTANCE. 203
" Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.
Acts iil. 19.
Sins unrepented of, are sins unforgiven ; but sins
pardoned are sins blotted out : Isa. xliv. 22. Repent
ance and conversion are now, by many, considered to
be very unfashionable doctrines, which no minister,
mindful of his reputation, will care to preach ; nor any
one desirous of living in ease and security will be dis
posed to hear. However, it was the uniform practice
of the first ministers of the gospel, to give thera a
prorainent place in all their discourses, whether raen
would bear it or not. So it was with Paul ; Acts xx.
21 ; and such was the conduct of Peter, on the day of
Pentecost ; Acts ii. 38 ; and again in the words before
us. Observe,
1st. The change prescribed as necessary to pardon.
Repentance, frora its very nature, supposeth past mis
conduct; for where there has been no misconduct,
repentance is not only unnecessary, but impossible.
All have sinned; and all are called upon to repent:
Rom. V. 12. "Repent ye therefore ;" for ye have no
right to expect the pardon of your sins, without repent
ing of them • Luke xiii. 3, 5. Sorrow for sin is a
happy sorrow; it produces a hatred to sin; worketh
unto hfe; and without it we have nothing to expect
but death : Rora. vi. 23. Look upon your sins as
those rebels that have broken God's law ; murdered his
only begotten Son; and ruined your precious soul. Do
not rest satisfied with the mere hope of doing better for
the time to come; but earnestly entreat the Searcher
of all hearts to light up the candle of his grace in your
soul; that you may clearly see what you really are;
for it is only by that light we can discover our own
darkness : Eph. v. 13, 14. There are raany grievous
things standing in God's account-book against all un
converted sinners.
2d. The arguments employed to induce men to -re
pent: "thai ye maybe converted;" turn right about,
from sin to holiness; turn unto the Lord, study his
woi-d, call upon his name, &c., "thai your sins may be
hhtted out" of the book of God's remembrance : 2 Cor.
v. 17. Christ is now watching and waiting for your
repentance, and praying for your conversion.

204 TO CONFESSING OF SIN.
" I said, I will confess my transgression unto the Lord ; and thou forgavesl
the iniquity of my sin." Ps. xxxii. 5.
David suffered himself to be put to the rack before
he would acknowledge his sins ; ver. 3, 4 ; he held out
to the last extremity, before he would surrender. But
when he did yield, he found that God was more ready
to forgive, than he was to confess his sins: Jer. hL 12,
13. "I said, I will confess my transgression ;" I said
it, and resolved to do it: I had sinned, both publicly
and privately, and I determined to confess it fully. I
had long tried to conceal my sins, until my conscience
became so laden with guilt, and armed with vengeance,
I could take no rest ; and then, " I said, I will confess
my transgression unio the Lord;" who can either par
don or punish me for ray sins. When, lo ! I had no
sooner made an honest confession, than " thouforgavest
the iniquity of my sin ;" and gavest me the comfort
able assurance that all my sins were pardoned : Ps.
ciii. 12.
There is a willingness on the part of man to commit,
a readiness on the part of God to forgive, and a reluc-
tancy on the part of the sinner to confess, sin : Lev.
xxvi. 40 — 42. Take encouragement, and confess your
sins ; for nothing can harm you but your sins : and
they, like so many stings of death, will be ever wound
ing and depriving your soul of ease, until you make a
free and ingenuous confession of tbem : Job xxxiii. 27,
28. Guilt is the stii g of sin ; and will never allow you
a moment's real peace, until it is extracted ; but, like a
never-dying worm, will eat away all your happiness,
here and hereafter.
Lose not another rainute, but go to God, and humblj'
confess your sins, in faithful, fervent prayer : Prov.
xxviii. 13. David had no rest while he concealed his
sins ; for even his silence raade hira roar all the day
long, as though he had been under some great bodily
pain ; when the truth was, it was the disquietude of
his soul, the struggles he felt within his own bosom,
that was the cause of all his uneasiness. But when
he made the resolve to cover his sins no longer, and
honestly acknowledged them " unto the Lord," his
roaring was soon turned into blessing and praising;
Ps. ciii. 1 — 3.

TO CONFESSING OF SIN. 205
"The son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy
sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the Father said to his
servauls, bring forlh the best robe, and put it on him, and put a riug on his hand,
and shoes on his feet," Luke xv. 21, 22.
The prodigal's rambling from his father's house,
shows the sinner's wandering frora his God. Sinning
is a departing from God ; and every sin we commit is a
long step taken frora hira. Those who are slaves to theii
lusts, the world, or the devil, are not long in wasting
their precious substance ; and then find themselves in
wretchedness and want : EccL ix. 18. But even then,
rather than return to God, from whora they have so
shamefully departed, they will hire themselves to do
the most degrading drudgery the world or the devil can
find thera to do : ver. 15. But the prodigal's reception,
on his return to his father, shows the willingness of
God to forgive all those who confess their sins. " The
son said unio him. Father, I have sinned ; " he had made
up his mind to say so, before he left the swine-trough;
and is now making good his promise : ver. 18. Though
his kind old father would not allow him to say so,
before he ran to hira — fell on his neck — and kissed hira ;
still, while his father's arras were entwined around his
neck, he proceeds as far as, "against Heaven, and in
thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy
son" — here the old raan kissed away his words, and
prevented him asking a servant's place, as he had
promised: ver. 19. The father saw him with eyes
of love ; ran to hiin with feet of love ; embraced him
in the arms of love, and pressed his lips with lips of
love — and all to show tbe willingness of God to forgive
returning sinners ! And who can doubt his willingness,
after knowing what the father said to his returning son ?
He does not spurn him on account of his rags and
wretchedness; no, " but the Father said, bring forth
the best robe" that there is in the house; take off his
tattered garments, " and put it on him." It is not
enough that you clothe him ; but robe him ; " and put
a ring on his hand," that he might be known to be one
of the family : and attend to his poor, dusty, sore feet;
see that they are washed and made comfortable ; for
he is my son that has been so long lost ; the one we
considered as dead ; but here he is alive.
18

206 TO OBEDIENCE.
" Be strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak; for your work shall
be rewarded." 2 Chron. xv. 7.
Even Satan himself, when he is disposed to speak
the truth, is constrained to acknowledge, that no one
serves God for naught: Job i. 9. God does not bring
his children up in idleness ; for though they are heirs
of heaven, they must be all workers on earth : Matt
vii. 21. We must obey as well as believe : for though,
as Christians, we do not work to live, we live to work.
'Be strong therefore," in the Lord, and in the power of
his might : Eph. vL 10. "Let not your hands be weak"
through fear. Never give place to fear ; for that will
be sure to weaken your hands : but the raore you
strive against fear, the stronger you will be; and the
better you will be prepared for doing and suffering the
will of God : Ps. xxvii. 1. You are not called upon to
labor without a prospect of reward ; "for your work
shall be rewarded." God will never suffer any of his
servants to be losers by serving him; whenever, or
whatever, he comraands, it is your business to obey ;
" forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain
in the Lord :" 1 Cor. xv. 58. The Lord will never
appoint you anything to do, that he will not give you
strength to perform ; but he does reasonably expect
that we should do all we can : Phil. iv. 13. He is our
Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer, and surely we ought
to obey hira : Mal. i. 6. He is gracious and merciful :
aud not only a Master, but a Father, and friend of all
his humble and obedient servants; and hence, though
we can merit no good thing by our longest and best
services, he is graciously pleased to accept of our ser
vices on his Son's account ; and promises to each who
serve him, " your work shall be rewarded."
Obedience, not in a legal, but in an evangelical sense,
is the narrow way that leads to eternal happiness. Ob
serve, 1st. Our obedience raust proceed from faith ; for
this is the main principle of the Christian life : 2 Cor.
V. 7. 2d. It must flow from the principle of love ; for
"this is the love of God, that we keep his coramand-
raents:" 1 John v. 3. 3d. It must be impartial and
without reserve ; having a due regard to all his com
mandments :" Ps. cxix. 6. Exercise piety towarils
God and charity towards men.

TO OBEDIENCE. 207
" Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, sball enter into the king
dom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."*
Matt. vii. 21
Jesus Christ looks upon men according to what they
are ; and not according to what they say. It will benefit
us nothing to profess piety, if we practise iniquity : John
xiii. 17. "Not everyone ihat saith unio me, Lord, Lord,'''
with their lips, but deny rae in their hearts and lives,
" shallenier into the kingdom of heaven." Compliments
may do for men, but will never do for Christ ; for his
religion is in power ; and not in mere forras and words :
1 Cor. iv. 20. If Christianity is not a good thing, why
do we profess it? and if it is a good thing, let us prac
tise it. Let us either obey Christ, or cease to call him
"Lord." Notwithstanding Jesus Christ is really and
truly Lord; John xiii. 13; he will not be put off with
a mere acknowledgment of it with the lips, without
obedience in our lives : Matt. xv. 7, 8. He is the Lord
of glory, and expects us to have regard to his glory, as
well as our own. He that goes no farther in religion,
than "Lord, Lord," will stop short of the "kingdom
of heaven." Men may be well acquainted with the
forms of religion, who are entire strangers to the power
of the same. If we do the will of Christ, we do "the
will of his Father which is in heaven ;" for the will of
the Father is the will of the Son ; and his Father is
our Father, if we are born of him: John i. 12, 13.
And if we do his will on earth, we shall reign with hira
in heaven. But in vain do we talk about faith in
Christ, unless we obey his commands : John xv. 14.
A living faith is a working one : Gal. v. 6. A holy
heart will produce a holy life : Jer. vii. 23.
We are such debtors to God, we can never pay
liim all we owe; and surely we ought to do the little
we can. He does not demand a perfect obedience ; he
only requires a wilUng obedience: Isa. i. 19. The
servants of God are all known by their obedience to
the will of God. There are many who know God's
will, but do their own will; and who, while they hav«
a head full of religion, have a heart full of the world :
1 John ii. 15. A Christian is born for heaven, and
bound to heaven; he is now a subject of the "kingdom
of heaven."

208 to sincerity and uprightness.
" The prayer of the upright is his delight." Prov. xv. 8.
God is so displeased with sin, that he cannot be
pleased with anything the unconverted do; neithc
will he accept of anything at their hands ; and while
they love sinning, he will pay no regard to their pray
ing: Ps. Ixvi. 18. But " the prayer of the upi-ight is his
delight." The Lord has such a peculiar regard for
"the upright," that is, those who are honest, candid,
and sincere, without any allowed guile, that their pray
er is not only accepted of him, but a delight unto him :
1 Chron. xxix. 17. He is so well pleased with them in
his Son, that he giyes thera pray.ng graces, works in
them by his Spirit, stirs thera up to pray, accepts of
their requests, and delights in doing thera good: Jer.
ix. 24. The eneray of souls will do all he can to keep
' the upright" frora praying; and when he cannot suc
ceed in that, he will strive to persuade them that their
prayers were so cold and formal, and their minds so
wandering, while in prayer, that God has not heard
thera; and therefore, to expect an answer to thera is
altogether useless : Isa. xlix. 14. Do not be discouraged,
though you raay see ranch araiss in yourself; but re
member, it is the sincerity of the heart, and not its
wanderings, that God looks at, and is pleased with :
Ps. xi. 7. Persevere, watch, and pray ; and you will
shortly find to your comfort that God has heard your
prayer, by his giving you a gracious answer, a fresh
token of his favor, and abundantly blessing your soul :
Ps. Ixvi. 19. God has not only given you leave to pray,
but a comraand to pray ; yea, and a heart to pray.
And if you but live uprightly before hira, you have
nothing to fear while you can pray : Micah ii. 7. *
Your enemies. Christian, are all conquered ; though
experience gives you daily proof they are not all dead.
Fold not your hands ; you are still in the camp ; and the
enemy watches every opportunity to take all advantage;
1 Pet V. 8. Guard against vain confidence in yourself;
have faith in God ; hope in him ; and pray to hira ; for
" the prayer of the upright is his dehght." A prayer-
less soul is an unhappy soul ; because it is a Christless
soul. None have free access to God, who live far from
God ; do you therefore live near to him ; and cultivate
an acquaintance with him : Prov. xi. 20.

TO SINCERITY AND UPRIGHTNESS. 209
" Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth "
tom. xiv. 22.
Men, in general, have very weak eyes when they
'ook upon their own faults ; but very strong ones when
they look upon the failings of others : Matt. vii. 3.
Some men are in the practice of doing what their judg-
rTient and conscience condemn them for doing ; and
<ihey will even plead for the doing of it, either because
it is customary, creditable, pleasurable, or profitable ;
while their own hearts tell them it is condemnable.
" Happy is he tLii tondemneth not himself ," by exposing
himself to the lashings, and upbraidings, of his own
eonscience ; by domj that which he knows is not law-
/ul for hira to do. " Happy is he," and he alone, who
has the evidence within, ihat what he does well pleases
God : 2 Cor. i. 12. If a man has not peace within, in
vain does he seek it wLLout; and it is irapossible for
any raan to have peace of tcuscience, who sins against
i5onscience: 1 John iii. 2v). Every one ought to be
'"uUy persuaded in his owv raind, that "that thing
which he alhweth" is lawful k\ hira to do; for without
iueh persuasion, to him it is hii : Rom. xiv. 23. We
should never suffer false shamo, iior an unbridled appe
tite, to bring us to a base compaance in anything we
beHeve to be wrong.
The gospel requires us to be t.. neere, upright, and
self-denying; and whatever we d;i contrary to the gos
pel, must be sin : Heb. xi. 6. W i must never try to
offend raen; but ever try to please C od ; and if raen will
be offended at us for doing what God commands, let
them be offended. For whoever 1> ves in the neglect of
known duties, and in the practice ,jf known iniquities,
(lod will look upon as his enemies, and treat them as
such. It is by the constant couro,e and tenor of our
life, that we may judge ourselves, and not by a single
act. Wherever the Lord finds an upright man, he will
be found an upright God. Serve the Lord with a clean
heart, and then you will delight in his pure words :
1 Pet. ii. 2. Make conscience of doing your duty, as
far as you know it, towards God and raan ; let your
principles be fixed ; and then your rule is certain, your
way plain, and your sincerity will keep you steady,
whatever wind mav blow : Ps. xxv. 21.
IS*

210 TO THE LOVE OF GOD.
" He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them
hat love him." Deut. vii. 9.
Sin and Satan, with legions of lusts, are in the pos
session of every unrenewed heart ; but the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ implanted, and reigning in the heart,
will subdue, pull down, and ultimately destroy them :
Rom. vi. 14. But if we would obtain a full accom
plishment of the proraises of God, we raust know by
experience, that " He is our God ; " and that we dwell
in him, and he in us : 1 John iv. 16. " He is God;"
all other gods are but imaginary and deceitful ; and will
not be able to afford us any help in time of need. The
Christian's God is a "faithful God;" both able and
willing to make good all his engagements ; and will.
answer all demands raade upon him by them, agreeably
to his promises : John xv. 7. " He keepeth covenant and
mercy ; " that is to say, he will make known to them his
mercy, according to the covenant he has made. And
lest any should presume on his mercy, it is stated to
whom he will show it ; namely, " to them ihat love him:"
Ps. xxxvii. 4. God is good to all, even to his enemies ;
but he is never said to delight in any but thera that love
him : Prov. viii. 17. It will be in vain for any one to
hope to be benefited by his promises, who does not love
him well enough to keep his commandments: John
XV. 14.
You have only to know that you love God ; and then
you may raake yourself perfectly easy about everything
else. There are none who love not God, but those who
know him not; for whoever knows him, sees it right
that all should love hira. Is it not right to love a Being
to whora we are indebted for that very principle, which
renders us capable of loving? Ought we not to love a
Being who possesses in himself every perfection ? Can
hve allure? He so loved us, as to give his only begot
ten Son to die for us : 1 John iv. 9, 10. Can wisdom
charm ? By his -wisdom he founded the earth, and
established the heavens : Prov. iii. 19. Can power awe
us? He is God Almighty: Gen. xxxv. 11. Is it not
right to loye a Being whose approbation will secure
to us all that is desirable in time and eternity? P&
Ixxxiv. 11 To love God is advantageous in the high
est degree.

fo THE LOVE OF GOD. 211
" If any man .ove God, the same is known of him." 1 Cor. vui. 3.
Those who are the greatest lovers of themselves, are
the greatest eneraies to themselves; and after ever
.earning, they die fools : 2 Tim. iii. 2 — 7. A man may-
know much of God, and yet not love Him: lut ali
who truly love him, are beloved of him. Love, like
faith, is known by its fruits; for, " If any man hve
God," he will keep his commandments: 2 John 6. A
heait infiuenced by the love of God, will esteem, desire,
and delight in God in Christ, as his chief good, and
sum of all perfection and excellence; and take pleasure
in obeying his laws; and delight in holding spiritual
fellowship with all who bear his iraage ; while he will
do good unto all men ; even his enemies : 1 John iv.
20. Love to God renders its possessor patient under
trouble, slow to anger, ready to forgive injuries ; teaches
him to deny himself, to mourn over the afflictions of
others, to bear with their infirmities ; makes a heaven
below, and prepares for a heaven above : Gal. v
22 — 25. " If any man love God," he will, not only
do others no harm, but will do them every possible
good : 1 John iii. 17. They who love God, in the gen
eral, are little and unknown, among men; but, let this
comfort your heart, the Lord knoweth them : 2 Tim.
iL 19. No matter who he is, or what he is, " If any
man love God, the same is known of him." He knows
their ways and works ; Ps. i. 6 ; He knows their hearts ;
Jer. xii. 3 ; He knows all their secret devotions ; Matt.
vi. 6 ; He knows their troubles, and how to deliver
them: 2 Pet. ii. 9; He knoweth all them that love
him; and is a strong hold in the day of trjuble unto
them : Nahum i. 7. "If any man love God," he shall
be taught of Him: John vi. 45. All who love the
world, are strangers to the love of God ; 1 John ii, 15 ;
and consequently, are not " known ol him," nor-ap-
proved of by him. If you love God, it is an undeniable
proof that He loves you : 1 John iv. 19. And though
you may never be worth a crown in life, you are heir
to a crown of life : 2 Tim. iv. 8. God often smiles,
while his providence frowns : Gen. xiii. 36. You
should never attempt to measure God's love to you by
your love to him. " God is hve ; " even when you may
feel emptied of love: 1 John iv. 16.

212 TO THE LOVE OF CHRIST.
" I love them that love me." Prov. vm. 17.
What a pity it is, that men should love their sins,
and say they lovo Christ, while in works they deny
him ! Titus i. 16. Those who make religion their
chief good, may depend upon having every good thing
with their religion : Ps. xxxiv. 9. Christ is a believer's
ALL ; and therefore, he loves Christ more than all : Phil.
iii. 7 8. Worldlings hate them that love Christ; but
that does not discourage them, since he declares, "1
hve them ihat hve me.''' O, Christian ! under the
heaviest of your afflictions, let this be the greatest of
your consolations : your love is not lost ; neither has
tbe object of your love forgotten you. Suffer not unbe
lief, which is so injurious to Christ, and so pernicious
to you, to hide his love from you ; and never forget,
that it was his love to you drew your love to him. Hos.
xi. 4. If you love him in sincerity, be assured of it,
he loves you in reality. The love of some is like a
painted fire ; it may look like it, but has no warmth in
it. Many love for what they can get ; but Christ loves
for what he can give.
Could the sun be hindered from rising, that could
not prevent Christ, the Sun of righteousness, from
rising and shining upon his lovers : Mal. iv. 2. You
may sometimes be brought into doubts, and thick clouds
may hide your Saviour from you for awhile ; and while
you mourn his absence, you may be ready to conclude
that you do not love him, or you could not feel so ; but
that is only a temptation ; for if you did not love him,
you woiLd not long to see him. To a believer in Christ,
there is nothing so desirable -as Christ; for in possessing
him, we possess all that is desirable in him : 1 Cor. iiL
22, 23. Beauty, bounty, riches, honors, peace, health,
life, happiness, heaven, and every other good thing we
have in Christ : Prov. viii. 18, 19. All the treasures of
the East, the gold of the West, the pearls of the North,
and tbe spices of «the South, are altogether worthless,
when compared with Christ. All, all that is lovely,
centres in him. Christ possesses the glory of the
Father, the holiness of Angels, the comeliness of Saints,
the treasures of Heaven, the fulness of God : Col. ii.
9. "It pleased the Father that in him (Christ) should
ah tulness dwell :" Col. L 19.

TO THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 213
*¦ Ue that loveth me shrll be loved of my Father, aud I will love him, and
will manifest myself to him." John xiv. 21.
Christ hved to teach us how to live; and died to
teach us how to love. If we have the honor to be the
disciples of Christ, we must labor to keep the com
mands of Christ ; it is not enough that we read them —
hear them — know thera — we are expected to do them :
John XV. 14. Think, Christian, of the loveliness, the
comeliness, the richness, the preciousness, the goodness,
the beauty, the majesty, the excellency of Chiist ! and,
then listen to his charming voice. "He that loveth me
shatt be hved of 'my Father." God will love him as a
Father; and Christ will love him as an elder brother.
He shall have his Maker's love and liis Saviour's love;
and both these loves are the comfort and crown, the
grace and glory, of all that sincerely love the Lord
Jesus Christ. Such is the great love the Father bears
to the Son, that he loves all who love him; 2 Tim. iv.
8. Precious Saviour ! How he labors to gain our love !
He offers two loves for one ; "be that loveth me shall be
loved of my Father, and I will hve him ;" and he shall
have tbe fruit and benefit of my love ; for "/ will m,an-
if est myself io him;" so that he shall have a sense of
my love. Christ manifests himself to those that love
him, as he does not unto the world; by enlightening
their minds to know that he loves them ; by strength
ening their graces, and brightening up their evidence
of an interest in his love. He loves them so well, and
is so tender of them, that every injury done to them
seems to go to his heart : Acts ix. 4.
Consider what the "Father" hath done in order t«
secure our love to his Son. He loved us when we were
his enemies, and had no disposition to love him; and
gave full proof of his love towards us, in sending his
Son to save us : 1 John iv. 10. Call to mind what
Christ has done for us, and the great obligations be has,
laid us under to love hira — bear in raind what he is stilj
doing for us; and then say, does he not deserve our
love — our all ? Christ's love extends to all them that
love him; his love, like the sun's rays, reacheth East
and West, North and South, on bond and free, rich and
poor, high and low. He loves at all times, under all
circumstances.

21 •a TO trusting in gou.
"Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlastmg
strength." Isa. xxvi. 4.
Man, born to trouble as the sparks fly upward, and
surrounded with infirmity, finds his need of foreign
help; biit unhappily he seeks it where it is not to be
found ; and reposes on the creature. Attend,
1st. To the exhortation given : " trust in the Lord
forever." To trust in the Lord, is, to confidently
expect that he will do for us, in time and in eternity,
whatever he has promised in his word : Ps. IxiL 8.
And it is the character and comfort of the people of
God, that they endeavor at all times, and under all
circumstances, to put their trust in the Lord ; so that
whatever befalls them, or whoever threatens them, they
are enabled to say, "None of these things move me:"
Acts XX. 24. Whatever others may trust in, let it be
your steady resolve to " trust in the Lord;" for whoever
will deal with hiin raust do it on credit : Prov. xvi. 20.
"Trust ye in the Lord forever;" in storms, and in
calms; in adversity, and prosperity; in reproach, and
in honor ; in sickness, and health ; in life, and in death.
Depend on his wisdom for direction ; on his power for
protection ; on his grace for salvation ; and that, not
only when his providence smiles, but forever. Never
put that confidence in yourself, nor any other creature,
which should be placed in the Lord : Jer. xvii. 7, 8.
2d. The encouragement offered; "in the Lord
JEHOVAH is everlasting strength." Infinite are the
blessings, and most precious the promises, that abound
in tbe word of the Lord, to those who trust in him.
There is a firra foundation laid for your faith, Christian,
in hira who was, and is, and is to come; and having
your house built upon hira, a rock that can never be
moved, you raay rest in it securely, and sraile at every
storra : Matt. vii. 24, 25. If you would trust in God
truly, you must trust in him only : Nah. i. 7. In him,
and from him, you will derive everlasting strength;
that will bear you up under all your trials, bring you
through all your troubles, carry you through death,
and set you down in everlasting life : Isa. Ivii. 13,
Sense opposes faith ; hence, the Lord is too frequently
forgotten, and the mind remains troubled with distract-

TO TRUSTING IN GOD. 215
" Wo trust that he will yet dehver us." 2 Cor. i. 10.
Yes ! and good cause we have for so doing ; for we
have trusted in him so often, on former occasions, and
having never found his proraise once to fail us, we are
enco iraged to raake another, venture upon him : Ps.
CXXV. 1. We have been in many straits ; bowed down
with many cares ; perplexed with many difficulties ,
surrounded with many dangers ; but He always deliv
ered us ; and "we trust that he will yet deliver us :" Ps.
Ivi. 4. After having been brought through so many
troubles, we should greatly reproach ourselves, were
we to doubt his goodness in future troubles : Isa. xxv.
9. For surely past experience ought to encourage us
to future dependance: Ps. xxvi. 1. He has been — he
still is — and says he will be with us to the end : Matt.
xxviiL 20. When our experience says. He has deliv
ered — he does deliver — let our faith' say, "We trust
that he will yet deliver :" Ps. xxxiv. 8. All the
strange, dark, deep, and changeable providences that
believers raeet with, are designed to lead them to trust
in God, and shall further thera in their way to heaven.
Infinite wisdora and love so orders all things here be
low, that they now work for their real, internal, and
eternal good: Rora. viii. 28. David met with many
rugged providences ; and all contributed to bring him
to the throne. Daniel and his three brethren met with
some very uncomfortable providences ; but they all led
to their advancement. So every trying providence
that believers meet with in this life, being sanctified,
shall be instrumental in raising their affections to
heaven ; that they raay live in the enjoyment of God.
But it should ever be borne in raind, that none can
be truly said to trust in God, who do not make use of
all the means appointed by God; and then leave with
him the event: Ps. xxxvii. 3. When troubles and
afilictions befall you, always recollect that God designs
neither to ruin nor destroy you; but to do you good ;
and if you did not need them, he would never send
them : Deut. viii. 2. You should always look at the
lattei end of your troubles, and not at the beginning ;
for a Christian, like gold, shines brightest after rub
bing: James v 11. "He will yet deliver us;" as
surely as he hath delivered us.

216 TO HOPING IN GOD.
" It IS good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation
•f the Lord." Lam. iii. 26.
Real religion is a living principle. A man may be
called a Christian, and think himself very good, while
he is not one ; so may a Christian be called a Deceiver,
and be tempted to believe that he is one, when he is
not. God gives his children sorrow on earth, that he
may lead them to a crown in heaven ; and a Christian
may as well try to examine the face of the moon while
under an eclipse, as to attempt to try his own state
while under temptation : Heb. xii. 6. "It is good that
a man should hope," since he hopes for that which is
good ; and the good that a believer in Jesus hopes for,
surpasses every other good : Ps. clvi. 5. We hope for
a kingdom ; Luke xii. 32 ; and are sure that we shall
never be asharaed of our hope : Rom. v. 4. The rich
trade of hope is carried on in the other world. Here
we are despised and debased — there we shall be ad
mired and exalted : Ps. xxxi. 19. " It is good that we
hope ;" because the good that we hope for is at our
journey's end; and we have in hand an earnest of the
hoped-for good: Eph. i. 13. "It is good that we
hope;" because it is possible to obtain the good hoped
for ; and the prop that supports our hope, is the un
shaken word of that God whose mercy is infinite.
"It is good" also, that we " wait," as well as hope,
'for ihe salvation of ihe Lord." We must hope that tbe
promised good will come, and wait till it does come ;
though it may appear to tarry long, and our trials be
very great, still we raust not grow irapatient, but
"quietly" wait its arrival : Isa. xxvi. 3. Be not dis
couraged ; the Lord will not leave you to grapple with
your conflicts alone ; it is true, the flesh is weak ; bui
Hope waxes valiant in fight, and a.ssures itself of cer
tain victory : Heb. vi. 11. Call to mind what God hat
already done for you, and that will encourage youi
hope in all he has promised to do : Isa. xxx. 18. Tak?
God at his word. Have you not found his word a
guide to lead you ; a staff to support you ; a cordial
to cheer you; medicine to heal you; and food to
strengthen you ? Has not his word stood by you when
friends have forsaken you? and been your best friend
in the worst of limes ?

TO HOPING IN GOD. 217
" We are saved by hope." Rom. viii. 24.
Heaven In hope, is worth more than the world in
hand : Matt. xvi. 20. Our present salvation from sin,
and its consequent guilt, is by grace through faith*
Eph. ii. 8 ; and by faith our spiritual life is maintain
ed: Rom. i. 17. But with regard to the future, "We
are saved by hope;" we cannot hope for that which we
already possess; "for what a man seeth, why doth he
yet hope for ? " Hope is a pleasing expectation of some
thing good. The Christian's hope is a firm expectation
of the good things promised in the Scriptures of truth;
and is distinguished from worldly hopes, 1st. By the
excellency of its object, which is eternal : Col. i. 5.
2d. By the stability of its foundation ; God's eternal
truth, unchangeable love, and almighty power : 2 Tim.
i. 12. 3d. By its, purifying or cleansing nature : 1
John iii. 3. Our present expectation of future glory is
supported by hope : 1 Cor. xv. 19. What a blessed
companion is hope ! It bears up our spirits under all
kinds of sufferings ; carries us joyfully through all our
difficulties ; and points us to our journey's end, where
pleasures immortal, and joys eternal, await us at God's
right hand: Titus L 2. "We are saved by hope;" for
where there is a certainty of hope, there is also a certain
ty of salvation : Ps. cxlvi. 5. Hope and Faith are in
separable companions, and are constantly talking about
things not seen. Faith is the evidence, and Hope the
expectation of those things : Heb. xi. 1. A good God
has promised good things, which Hope fastens upon as
its object ; but those who have no true faith have no
such hope ; for hope is a daughter of faith : Rom. v. 1,
2. The believer in Christ, while in this world, has to
Si iffe •, labor, toil, and strive ; while hope comforts him
Isy leiding his expectations into the other world ; where
sorrow, pain, and death can never enter : Rev. xxi. 4.
All who have a good hope of glory, have Christ dwell-
mg in them the hope oi glory : Col. i. 27.
Cheer up, believer ! and "hope thou in God, for thou
shalt yet praise him :" Ps. xiii. 11. Live near to God;
hang upon his promises ; cleave to his truth ; hold fast
to his faithful word ; never part with the truth ; keep
the TRUTH, and the truth will keep you. Hope in,
and wait upon God continua ly.
19

218 TO RESISTING TEMPTATION.
" Whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." Prov. xxxviii 2«
Whatever sin the heart of man is most prone lo,
that the devil will be most sure to help forward. If
Judas is covetous, Satan will put him upon selling his
Lord. He is careful to suit his temptations to oui dis
positions and circumstances ; but whatever might be his
means, he has but one end ; hence, when a soul is turn
ing frora him to God, he is more than ordinarily busy.
But a man raay as well attempt to count the drops of
the sea, and number the sands of its shore, as reckon
up all the devices of Satan ; but he is too skilful a pi
rate to attack an empty ship. All who are sainted are
sure to be tempted ; and all who endure temptation are
sure to be blessed : Jaraes i. 12. Remember, that the
devil can go no farther than the length of his chain;
and that whenever you are tempted to evil, it is not of
God; but it is the devil working upon your own sinful
lusts and corrupt passions, to entice you to sin : James
i. 13, 14. And all you have to do, is to keep off the
devil's ground; and resist his temptations in the
strength of that grace which God supplies, and you
"shall be delivered:" Jas. iv. 7. When you are in
straits, you will be terapted to distrust; and when in
trouble, to despair; and his constant aim will be, if
possible, to dash you to pieces on one or other of
those fatal rocks. Presumption or Despair ; but let this
not distress you; for "whoso walketh wisely, shall be
delivered." See to it, that ye walk wisely; and never
put yourself in the way of temptation, by affecting
wicked company, to keep wicked society. Satan has
ruined thousands, by inducing thera to associate them
selves with foolish and vain persons. "Have no fel
lowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather reprove them:" Eph. v. 11. As a marinei
would shun sands, rocks, and shelves, so should you
shun tbe society of wicked men: Prov. iv. 14 — 16
Afflictions are called temptations ; but there is no dan
ger of those harming you ; therefore your wisest plan
will be to submit to them : See Gen. xxii. 1, and Heb.
xi. 17. When God tempts you, that is, tries you, it is
a sure sign that he loves you : 1 Pet. i. 7. But when
Satan tempts, it is that he might devour : 1 Pet. v. 8.
While yju walk wisely, you walk safely.

TO RESISTING TEMPTATION. 219
"' He that endureth to the end shall be saved." Matt. x. 22.
Christianity is not talking of Christ; but walking
ifter him. Christ has many to follow him in a calm,
who fly from him in a storm. Trials, sore afflictions,
and persecutions are called temptations ; and some, in
consequence of temptation, endure but for awhile ; and
)hen leave Christ and his cause to shift for themselves :
Luke viii. 13. Withered leaves soon fall off in windy
weather ; so do dry professors in time of temptation.
".But he that endureth" temptation, as gold does the
'ire, shall lose nothing by it, but what the gold loses ;
the dross. In the sorest of temptations, a believer has
his consolations ; for he knows there will be an end to
them ; and, that, "he that endureth to the end shall be
taved:" Job iiL 17. And as they are not everlasting,
they shall not be so very distressing, but what we shall
ae able to bear thera ; yea, and endure them to the end :
1 Cor. X. 13. Prosperity is more to be dreaded than
idversity. A tempted condition is never a pleasant one, but
dways a profitable one, if we endure it to the end
Heb. xii. 11. Christ was tempted, and knows well how
'lO succor those who are -tempted : Heb. ii. 9 — 18.
Never yield to temptation when it comes from the
enemy; but boldly resist the temptation, whatever
might be its name or nature; and you "shall be saved"
from the power of your adversary ; while others are
taken, captive by hira at his will : 2 Tim. ii. 26. It is
a blessed thing to endure what we cannot cure : James
i. 12. Teraptations to sin are not evils, unless we are
overcome by them; no matter how evil the thought
may be that enters the mind, it is not sin till it is in
dulged; then, and not till then, it becomes a sinful
thought ; and, if not resisted, it grows to a sinful desire ;
and that desire, without resistance, would become
actual transgression the first favorable opportunity.
Be not discouraged; fly to the Lord for refuge. He
wi. 1 strengthen you in the conflict ; and when the ene
my comes upon you like a flood, he will not suffer you
to be borne away ; but will lift up a standard against
him : Isa. lix. 19. The more profitable and more pleas
ing sin might be presented, the more vigorous mu.»* "je
your resistance against it.

220 TO THE FEAR OP GOD.
" It shall be well with them that fear God." Eccl. vili. 13.
Some men use spectacles to behold other men's sms,
rather than looking-glasses to behold their own crimes;
and can more readily see a mote in the eye of another,
than a beam in their own : Matt. vii. 3. But all is not
well that looks well; neither is alf ill that looks ill. A
man may look like a bright saint, and be a great sinner.
Many who spend their days joyfully, end them miserably,
Outward circumstances are not always good evidences,
Heb, xii. 6. The fear of God is here put for the whole
of religion ; and is the same as the love of God under
the Gospel : Matt. xxii. 37. A man who truly fears God
does not dread him ; but loves hira so well that he is
afraid to sin against him : Gen. xxxix. 9.
"It shall be well with them ihat fear God;" it ever
has been, and must continue to be well with them ; for
God was never displeased with anything but sin; and
they having forsook sin, have no evil to fear. The fear
of God inspires its possessor with confidence in God,
in poverty; Ps. xxxvii. 3; firmness of mind, in sick
ness ; Ps. xli. 3 ; courage, in time of danger ; Acts xx.
24; and with a holy assurance, in the tirae of tempta
tion : 1 Cor. X. 13. Under every circurastance, and in
every condition, living or dying, it must, yea, "it shall,
be well with them that fear God :" Isa. hi. 10. Those
who fear God are such as have believed the record
given of the Son of God ; 1 John v. 10, 11 ; all such
are born of God ; John L 12, 13 ; and are the sons of
God : 1 John iii. 1, 2. Sin makes a man a coward ; bu'i
the fear of the Lord inspires him with courage : Prov.
xxviii. 1.
Fear God, by cherishing suitable and requisite dispo
sitions of heart towards him, as contrition on account
of past sins ; Ps. xxxviii. 18 ; confidence in his un
bounded mercy ; Ps. xxxiii. 22 ; and a grateful recol
lection ofhis manifold benefits : Ps. xlviii. 1 — 14. Con
secrate yourself to him ; 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20; let him have
all your influence in your family ; Josh. xxiv. 15 ; and
among all your connexions: Ps. xxxiv. 4, 8. In doing
this, strive to promote the interests of Christ's kingdom ;
Ps. cxxiL 6 ; and cheerfully serve mankind for God's
sake. Do all the good you can, but never trust in youi
good doings

TO THE FEAR OF GOD. 221
" In every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is ac
cepted with him." Acts x. 3S.
OtTTWARDLY devout and openly profane, are all upon
a level before God, in point of justification : Ps. cxliii. 2.
To hate God end work wickedness is the natural state
and practice of all men : Rom. viii. 7. As it is written,
"There is none righteous, no, not one:" Rom. iiL 10.
But God hath made us accepted in the Beloved ; in
whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgive
ness of sins, according to the riches of his grace : Eph.
L 6, 7. And " in every nation," kindred, and people,
"he ihat feareth him," that is, loveth and serveth him,
"and worketh righteousness," he he who or what he
may, "is accepted with hvm." Our "fearing God and
working righteousness" is not thecawse, but he fruit oi
our acceptance ; and evinces that we are accepted with
hira: Matt. vii. 17. Blessed, right blessed, are they
who fear the Lord ; all such have received the Lord
Jesus and walk in him. The Christian puts on the Lord
Jesus Christ as his righteousness, holiness, and redemp
tion ; he needs no more; yet he constantly wishes for
more; he desires to be with and like unto his God ; and
he ardently wishes that every individual member of
Christ's body wexenow saved from sin. By walking in
the "fear of God" our Saviour, having daily fellowship
with him, we become more and more like unto him. By
close walking, constant communing, and freely convers
ing with God, love is maintained in our hearts ; and, by
virtue of which, we are enabled to bring forth the fruits
oi "righteousness." To fear God, we must hate sin,
and every road that leads to it.
All who live godly are expected to live neighborly;
Matt. xxii. 37 — 40; for "fearing God and working
righteousness," must never be separated : 1 John iv.
20, 21. It is not enough that a man say he fears God;
for God will not accept of words without deeds. Nei
ther will it suffice that we injure none, without doing
good unto all : Matt. viL 12. If God accepts us, it can
matter but little who rejects us. And being united to
his Son, he accepts of us in and through him; and in
him we have our title to all the blessings of this life, and
that which is to come. Your soul's happiness lies in
union with God.

822 TO WATCHFULNESS.
" Happy IS the nan that feareth alway." Prov. xxviii 14.
A CHILD that is constantly afraid of falling walks
cautiously. Let no one think that man happy who
never fears ; for none are truly happy but they who are
truly holy; and they are always afraid of becoming
otherwise ; hence, they retain their holiness, the true
spring of happiness.
"Happy is ihe 'man," whoever or whatever he might
be, "that feareth alway :" that stands in holy awe and
sins not; that reverences the glory, goodness, and author
ity of God, and "feareth alway" to do that which would
offend him : Ps. cxliv. 15. Those who would not fall
into sin, or be overtaken by sin, must watch against
it : Matt. xxvi. 41. " Happy is the man" who fears,
not only evil, but also, the very appearance of evil; and
who, from a sense of his own weakness, watches
narrowly and constantly his own heart; and "fear
eth" to trust to his own strength : Ps. cxlvi. 5.
" Happy IS the man" who fears sinning more than suf
fering; and in the time of a calm looks out for a storm;
and is never found sleeping when he ought to be watch
ing: Mark xiv. 38. When you grow weary of watch
ing, you should shake it off by praying. Watch con
stantly ; keep the door of your heart carefully ; and
never suffer an enemy to harbor there ; for that one may
kill you, or let in others that would : Prov. iv. 23. Look
through your telescope of faith ; and you will be able
to discover your enemies at a great distance. When
anything is out of order, get it repaired immediately :
1 John ii. 1. Improve every opportunity for praying,
as well as watching; and after prayer watch for an an
swer : Luke xii, 37, 38. Have a constant watch over
your eyes, your ears, your tongue, your heart. Watch
against every evil, and for every opportunity to do good.
Let your heart be fixed upon Christ, and that will cool
your affection for the world, and kindle up love to God.
Let your eye be much upon self, and that will keep you
humble; and always upon Christ, and that will make
you happy. Keep a narrow watch over your own heart,
and frequently bring it to a close account: Ps. iv. 4.
David prayed for a watch to be set over the door of his
'ips; and it may be, that if you had one placed there it
A-ould do no harm : Ps, cxli. 3.

TO WATCHFULNESS. 223
" Blessed is he that watcheth." Rev. xvi. 15.
Watchfulness comprehends the whole care of a
Christian life. There is no duty enjoined, nor anything
prohibited by God, but what is for the good of man. It
is made our duty and privilege to watch:
First, To prevent evil. 1st. We raust watch against
sin. 'The corrupt inclination of our fallen nature,
which is called " sin that dwelleth in us," is a con
stant stiraulus to the actual coraraission of crime ; and
the objects around us may prove unhappy occasions of
sin to us, without watchfulness : Prov. iv. 23. 2d. Wc
must guard against the world. The things ofthe world
are so suitable to our corrupt passions and appetites,
that, if off our guard, they will find way into our hearts
and affections. The world smi os, and betrays ; kisses,
and kills ; and there are a thousand-fold more dangers
from its smiles, than its frowns. Our best defence is
to watch against the world, and sin in the heart ; for
Satan can never harra us without our consent : 1 Cor.
vii. 29 — 31. 3d. We must watch against the tempta
tions of the devil. He is an avowed enemy to all the
human family; and is strong, cunning, cruel, and
industrious: 1 Pet. v. 8. And though he cannot /orce,
he can work upon our natural lusts, and entice: James
i. 14. These foes are combined, and raust be sharply
looked after.
Secondly. We must watch to do good. 1st. We mnst
improve all our talents wisely and faithfully, in the dis
charge of every duty we owe to God, our neighbors, and
ourselves : Matt. xxii. 37 — 39. 2d. We must watch for
proper seasons to do good. We may say of a work
done, as well as a word spoken in due season, " How
good is it ! " The matter of an action may be good
while the beauty of it is lost, through not being well-
timed : Eccl. iii. 1. And, 3d. We must watch to do
good in the manner appointed. We must do all in the
name of the Lord Jesus, having an eye single to his
glory: Col. iii. 17. "Blessed is he thai vmtcheih." Mark
that ! Blessed is he, not blessed shall he be. No : it is
IN our watching we have the blessing ; not for the deed,
but in the deed: Ps. xix. 11. Constant watchfulness
will prove a safeguard against every snare and tempta
tion. Let us watch constantly and pray fervently.

224 TO PRAYER.
" Who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all thmga
hat we call upon him for 1 " Deut. iv. 7.
We are poor, indigent, necessitous creatures, full of
wants ; and God alone is sufficient and willing to sup
ply the whole. There are many blessings coraraon to,
and enjoyed by all, without even asking for : Matt. v. 45.
But there are others which can only be obtained by those
who ask for thera : Ezek. xxxvi, 37. All raen are un
der the influence of one spirit or another ; real behevers
are influenced by the Spirit of Christ ; and all unbeliev
ers are under the influence of the spirit of anti-christ.
It has been raade the duty and privilege of all to pray ;
and certainly the Alraighty Father of our mercies would
never impose a duty upon his poor creatures they were
unable to perform. "Is any among you afflicted? let
him pray:" James v. 13.
A raan who is really afflicted in the want of anything,
can always find language to ask a superior for it, if he
has but a hope of obtaining it. It raay frequently hap
pen, we may know not what to pray for ; and there may
be but few who know how to pray as the hypocrites do :
Matt. vi. 5 — 7. But who is there cannot find eloquence
sufficient for the Publican's prayer ? " God be merciful
to me a sinner ! " The dying thief prayed, " Lord, re
member me!" David prayed, "Lord, pardon mine
iniquity, for it is great!" The Canaanitish woman
prayed, " Have mercy upon me, O Lord, thou Son of
David ! " All these received answers to their prayers ;
and so have all others who have ever prayed in the
same frarae of mind. Christians cannot live without
prayer; and good reason they have to pray. "Who
hath God so nigh unto them?" — no nation, or people.
No people are so highly honored ; for " ihe Lord" is no
ashamed to be called their God: Heb. xi. 16. The
Lord is, not only nigh them, but round about them ;
Zech. ii. 5 ; and a very present help in the midst oi
them : Ps. xlvi. 1 — 5. This is an honor peculiar tc
praying people; He is always "nigh unto them;" and
they have the honor to draw nigh unto him : Heb. vii.
19. It is our privilege to call upon him on all occa
sions, and under all circumstances, and to consult him
in all things; knowing, that "ihe Lord our God" will
prove himself a faithful God.

1

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in ynn, ye shall aslc what tp will, and it shall be done unto you."— P. 225.

TO PRAYER. 225
" If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye w Ul
and it shall be done unto you." John xv. 7.
NuMEReus and great are the blessings enjoyed by
those who embrace the promises, and live up to the
precepts of the Gospel. The genuine believer ceases
from himself; denies himself; hves no longer to him
self; and lives by faith; seeing what, to the eye of
sense, is invisible. The branch cannot live if it be
separated frora the vine; and as we ar^ equally de
pendant on Jesus, the true Vine, for our spiritual life.
It is of the utmost importance that we remain in hira
by faith.
"If ye abide in me," says the living Vine, from whom
you derive your sap, life, strength, vigor, and on whom
you must hang in order to be fruitful, "and my words
abide in you," ye shall neither becorae withered nor
unfruitful : Ver. 4, 5. Christ is set before us, and offer
ed to us, in his word ; it is in the word that we receive
hira, and by faith erabrace him : Rom. x. 6 — 8. It is
only when we live in the exercise of faith in his word,
that his "words abide in us;" for where his words
live there he lives. If his words are in us, to rule, he
will live in us, to bless. "And ye shall ask what ye
ivill," agreeably to those words of his which abide in
you, and as sure as it is promised, "it shall be done
unto you:" John xiv. 13, 14. Than this, we need
nothing more ; and should desire nothing less ; for we
have only to ask and have : Ps. cxlv. 18, 19. You
need never be at a loss for language when you approach
the throne of grace, so long as Christ's words abide in
you; for you have only to turn his promises into pray
ers ; and such prayers, offered up in faith, must prevail :
Matt. xxi. 22. To prove successful in prayer, you must
take nothing with you but Christ and your needs ; for
anything else will kill faith; and then you cannot
please God : Heb. xi. 6. Your duties, privileges, graces,
iiurablings, and obedience, with all things else that are
yours, raust all be laid low, and Christ alone held up ;
and then, "ask what ye will, and it shall he done unto
you." Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he
shall hear thee : Job xxii. 27. Never was a distressed
soul more willing to be relieved, than God is to answei
prayer.

226 TO PRAYER
" They shall call on my name, and I will bear diem ; I will say. It u my
people j and they shall say, the Lord is my God." Zech. xiii. 9
Every event that befalls the Israel of God, is over
ruled by the God of Israel. He has an eye over, and
a hand in, all their concerns ; and though he may lead
them all through the fire, he takes care to leave none in
it : Isa. xliii. 2. Though they are called to be sufferers,
Ihey are more than conquerors : Rom. viii. 37. Their
troubles on the way to heaven, only tend to promote
their intercourse with heaven.
"They shall call on my name," even when they may
have no one else to call upon, in the worst of times ;
fori will give them both the will and the power so to
do : Phil. ii. 13. Neither shall they call on me in vain ;
for "/ will hear them." Let who will forsake them,
"I will not turn away frora thera, to do them good:"
Jer. xxxii. 40. When every other door is shut, the
door of mercy is open ; and when they have no earthly
friend on whom they may call, they can call upon
God, and welcome; with the comfortable assurance
that he "will hear thera;" yea, and answer them too:
Ps. 1. 15. The loving Father's promise is the beloved
children's portion. "It is I," saith the blessed Jesus,
to his afflicted disciples, "be not afraid." No matter
who disowns and casts them off, the Lord, who hates
putting away, declares, "I will say. It is my people."
whom I have loved and chosen, that have called on
me ; and I will let thera know that I hear them, by
sending a speedy answer, testifying that they are " my
people :" Ps. xxxiv. 15. And such will be their joy
on hearing from Home, and learning that their prayer
is answered, they will, all as one, say, "The Lord is
my God." So gracious souls reply in faith, with
Thomas, my Lord, and my God !
Never was a tender mother's ear more attentive to
tho cry of her tender offspring, than our heavenly
Father is to the cries of his dear children. While you
can say, "The Lord is my God," what have you to
fear? Men and angels owe their happiness to those
important words. How rich the love of God it is
unchangeably good. How transcendant the .ove of
Jesus ! it passeth knowledge. A soul without prayer,
is hke a body without a soul.

TO PRAYER. 227
" Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." James it. 8.
To praise God for mercies, is the way to increase
them ; and to bless him for miseries, is the way to re
move them. There is nothing can harm you. Christian,
but sin ; ¦ and there is nothing can save you but Christ.
When God created man he placed him near to him,
but when man sinned, he fell far from hira : Eccl. vii.
29. All natural evil is the effect of moral evil ; as all
evil owes its origin to sin. Sin turned the heart of
man to enmity against God ; Rom. viii. 7 ; blocked up
tbe way to heaven, and opened the gates of death :
Rom. V. 12. But none need despair ; for " God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto himself; not imputing
unto them their trespasses :" 2 Cor. v. 19. And he
" hath reconciled us to himself," through Jesus Christ,
having laid upon him the iniquity of us all : Isa. liii.
6. So that, what we lost in the first Adam, has been
redeemed by the second Adam ; who is the " Lord from
heaven:" 1 Cor. xv. 4, 7. Though all men, by nature,
are spiritually dead, "he that believeth on the Son of
God hath life ; and by faith he retaineth that life :" John
iii. 18, 36.
It is now your duty and privilege to "draw nigh to
God," by Jesus Christ, with all that confidence in
which a dutiful child would approach a kind and in
dulgent father. God is well pleased with you in his
Son; who has settled all disputes; paid your debts
mended the breach ; and purchased salvation for you
Rom. viii. 34. It matters not bow you are debased
your heavenly Father is only waiting to see your return
throw yourself at his feet, and you shall soon enjoy a
sense of his favor : Matt, xxiii. 12. Say not that your
case is hopeless, in consequence of having wandered so
far ; for the farther you are off, the sooner you ought to
return : Hos. xiv. 2. It is your privilege to " draw
nigh to God ;" for though sin blocked up the old way.
Christ has opened a new way unto him: Heb. x. 19
20. "Draw nigh to God" in faithful, fervent prayer
in a way of duty ; and " he will draw nigh to you" in
a 'Way of mercy: Mal. iii. 7. Venture now — he will
help you — you may be faint, but he will revive you:
Isa. Ivii. 15. To be saved by him, you have orly to
draw nigh unto him : Heb vii. 25.

228 TO SEEKING GOD.
" Seek ye me, and ye shall live." Amos v. 4.
There can be no readier way for a man to hse him
self, than to seek himself A man who seeks himself
is a slave to himself, and of no good to others; neither
is there any vice that seZ/"-seeking will not lead a man
to. It led Gehazi to lying; Baalim to cursing; and
Absalom to seek the ruin of his father ; it led the Phar
isees to oppose Christ ; Judas to betray him ; and Pilate
to condemn him. Neither can any man become a dis
ciple of Christ so long as he seeks himself: Matt. xvL
24. Sad experience teaches us, that we never gained
any good by seeking self ; it may be, too, that you
need not go from home in order to prove the sad effects
of turning the back upon God, and seeking happiness
in the creature. But be not discouraged ; for after all
that thou hast done, though thou mayest long have
gratified thy sinful and corrupt passions and appetites,
the God whom thou hast so long slighted, still calls
after thee, and says,
1st. "Seek ye me!" Do be advised by him : Isa. Iv.
6. Seek to him ; inquire of him ; and ask him what
he would have you to do. Whatever others may seek,
seek ye him : Deut. iv. 29. "Seek ye him," as youi
only happiness, your portion, and your all ; and never
give up seeking till you have found him : Ps. Ixxiii. 25.
"Seek ye" him without delay. He is already recon
ciled to you; and is desirous you should become
reconciled to him; that you might be happy in him,
and enjoy his forgiving love : Ps. Ixx. 4. Seek him
according to the directions he has given you ; make use
of Christ as your only way ; John xiv. 6; the Holy
Spirit as your infallible Guide ; John xvi. 13 ; and his
WORD as your unerring rule : John v. 39.
2d. "And ye shall live." The Law has declared you
cursed; but Christ hath redeemed you from the curse
of the law; having been made a curse for you : Gal.
iii. 10 — 13. Jesus hung on the accursed tree with all
your guilt, and sin, and shame, in his naked, exposed
body; and died that you might live. He was wound
ed — bled — bruised — striped — died and rose for us : Isa.
liii. 4 — 6 ; Rom. iv. 25. And now he intercedes for us ;
1 John ii. 1. In Christ is eternal life ; and by receiving
him, you obtain that life which is in him: 1 John v. 11, 12.

ro SEEKING GOD. 229
"He that cometh to God must 'believe tnat he is, and that he is a -ewarder
of them that diligently seek him." Heb. xi. 6.
The sacred Scriptures describe all mankind as sheep
going astray from the true Shepherd and Bishop of
souls: Isa. liii. 6. And, .what is very remarkable,
though every one turns his "own way," no one's way
ever led him back to God ; but, on the contrary, men
ehoose rather to stray farther frora hira ; straying on
the mountains of vanity and error, till they are com
pelled by hunger to think about returning: Luke xv,
17, 18. "He that cometh io God," that is, hath access
to his grace and favor, or would worship him accepta
bly, "must believe that he is ;" not only that there is a
God, but that he is such an one as the Scriptures
represent him : our Creator ; Ps. c. 3 ; Preserver and
Redeemer: Isa. xiv. 21— 25. " That he is" the Maker,
Upholder, and Lord of all ; the one from whom all
other creatures derive their being; and on whom they
continually depend: Isa. xl. 15, 22.
Observe the nature of the faith required on coming to
God. 1st. It looks to the promises of God; though
seen afar off, it brings an assurance of them into the
mind ; and removes all doubt as to their fulfilment •
Rom. iv. 20, 21. 2d. It rehes upon Christ; " for in him
all the promises of God are yea, and in him Amen :"
2 Cor. i. 20. 3d. It gives us to know that this world is
not our home ; that here we are strangers and foreign
ers ; having no continuing city : Heb. xi. 13. 4th. By
faith, with Abraham, we see the day of Christ, and are
made glad; we see his second coming to receive us all
to himself: John xiv. 3. And, 5th. Faith realizes
heaven and endless blessedness to the soul ; it has Hope
for its constant attendant; and Faith and Hope beget
Love, to him who "is the rewarder of all them that
diligently seek -him." He that believes God to be the
Father and Friend of all penitent, believing souls;
2 Cor. vi. 17, 18 ; and diligently seeks him, shall assur
edly find him the "rewarder" of such : Isa. xiv. 19.
Seek him without delay; be not afraid of consequen
ces; they belong to God; and whatever you might
be called to lose, in consequence of seeking him, shall
be more than made up by him. Be sober ; and watch
unto prayer. 20

230 TO DESIRE OF GR.ACE.
" Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that natli no
money; come ye, buy, and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money
and without price." Isa. Iv. 1.
Let every one who hath ears make use of them;
and listen to the gracious invitation here given.
Consider, 1st. Who are invited; "Ho, every one;"
not the Jews only; Acts. xiiL 46, 47; Jews and Gen
tiles; high and low; bond and free; rich and poor;
great and small ; learned and unlearned ; Oyes ! Oyes! !
Oyes ! ! ! "Every one," old and young. 2d. The
necessary qualification, in order to insure a hearty wel
come. " Every one that thirsteth." Not those who
see no need of Christ and his righteousness : Matt. ix.
12. They must be thirsty, and then they are welcome.
3d. Whither they are invited; "To the waters." To
the ports, quays, and wharves, where foreign commodi
ties are brought. To Christ, without whom all the
blessings now to be enjoyed, through the Gospel, would
have been foreign to us. Come to Christ and br
cleansed: Zech. xiii. 1. Come to his ordinances and
be fed : Ps. xlvi. 4. Come and be refreshed : John vii.
37. 4th. What they are invited to do; "Come — buy —
andean." Make it your own on Christ's terms. Come!
make no delay ; here is, a free invitation and a hearty
welcome. Buy it on Gospel terms ; part with all rather
than not obtain it; Prov. xxiii. 23; and make sure of
it by eating it : John iv. 34. Make no excuse. 5th.
What is the provision they are invited to; "Wine and
milk." Wine will not only quench the thirst, but
nourish and revive you. Wine, the generous, heart-
reviving comforts, brought in the Gospel ; pardon of sin,
and peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ;
Eph. i. 7. "And milk," the soul-nourishing doctrines
of the gospel of Christ: 1 Pet. ii. 2. Buy, without
djlay, this precious milk, and heart-cheering wine, that
you may recover, your strength. Drink no longer of
puddled waters. 6th. The free communication of this
provision ; "Buy without 'money, and without price."
This is a strange way; but it is God's way; and not
ours : Rev. iii. 17, 18.
The things offered are already paid for; and to their
full value : 1 Pet. L 18, 19. You have only to "come"
and receive them on Gospel terms; "without money,
and without price "

TO DESIRE OF GRACE. 23 (
" Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousuess : for tneT
»na. be fllled." Matt. v. 6.
To have a desire for that which is good, is an evi
dence of something good, and an earnest of something
better : Ps. cxlv. 19. To thirst after happiness is natu
ral ; it is also natural to seek it from wrong objects.
"Blessed are they" who are panting, pining, and thirst
ing after Christ and his righteousness : Ps. xxiv. 5. It
is not a cold, formal wish, that will secure the blessing ;
but a desire like that which a hungry man has for
bread ; or a thirsty one for water. Christ, the Captain
of our salvation, has brought in an everlasting righte
ousness ; and "blessed are they," blessed now, who de
sire to obtain that spiritual food to sustain the soul,
and drink to refresh it. Every good desire is a plant
of God's own raising; and every desire after righteous
ness shall be fed, watered, and satisfied. "They shall
befitted" with those blessings they so ardently desire :
Ps. cvii. 9. A soul that is quickened can no more live
without its regular meals of "righteousness" than the
body can without meat and drink : Ps. Ixiii. 1. The
soul requires daily-grace, as much as the body does
daily-bread, to enable it to perforra its daily-duty.
There are those who pant after dust, but will never be
satisfied ; for it is God alone can satisfy the cravings
of an immortal soul : Amos ii. 7.
Blessed are they who know their own emptiness, and
beheve in Christ's fulness; "for ihey shall be filled"
with all the blessings of Jesus' everlasting righteous
ness ; acceptance with God, and peace from God ; filled
with all the fruits of righteousness ; with all the graces
of the Spirit on earth, and all the glory of God in
heaven : Ps. Ixv. 4. Say, Christian, are you panting
after Jesus ? Do you see the perfection of his atone
ment, and the glory of his righteousness ? Is the tri
umph of his cross, and the victory of his death, the
foundation of your faith, and the support of your hppe"^
If so, "blessed are ye:" for these are the love-tokens
that Jesus bestows. O, the delightful intercourse, that
subsists between hungry souls and righteous Jesus !
Whatever would, or could, have kept poor, hungering.
and thirsting souls from fainting, if Jesus had not pro
nounced them blessed ? It is truly a happy hunger.

232 TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND CHRIST.
" I will set him ou high, because he hath kuown my name." Ps. ici. 14
Duty can never have too much of our vigilance, noi
too little of our confidence. The true source of com
fort, and spring of obedience, is a knowledge of God
A knowledge of God's love to us in Christ, received
into the heart by faith, animates us to be, and to do,
what the Lord requires in our lives. To know the
name of God, is to know that by which he has made
liimself known to us; as his Justice, Mercy, Good
ness, Love, Truth, &c. The promises of God are
made over, in Christ Jesus, to all such as know the
name of God : 2 Cor. i. 20. And all who know him
are sure to love hira, and therefore obey hira; foi
there are none who love him not, but those who know
him not : Jer. v. 4.
A good raan need fear no evil; for though he bo
brought low, God will raise him up. "/ will sei him
on high-" above the world, and the things of the
world. Neither men nor devils shall trample upon
him ; for he is an acquaintance of mine : Rom. xvi. 20.
The Lord knows thera that know hira ; has a tender
regard for, and will take good care of thera : Isa. xxvi.
3. If God has given you a heart to know him, it is a
sure sign that he has good in reserve for you : Jer.
xxiv. 7. Every one who returns to God, is brought to
a saving acquaintance with him ; and He is so well
pleased with him, that he declares, "I will set him on
high because he hath known ray name." No man can
know the nature of God ; but all may know his name.
Those who know the name of God, are known, IsL
By their calling upon his name : Zech. xiii. 9. 2d. By
preferring him to everything else they have any know
ledge of: Ps. Ixxiii. 25. 3d. By putting their trust in
liim : Ps. ix. 10. Whatever you raay be ignorant of
beside, be sure you obtain a correct knowledge of God;
John xvii. 3. Search for it ; cry after it ; dig deep for
it ; and you shall obtain it : Prov. ii. 3 — 9. Our hap
piness, here and hereafter, depends on a knowledge of
God, and intercourse with hira : 2 Pet. i. 2, 3. Lift up
your heart to your Father, God — your brother, Jesus —
in faithful, fervent prayer ; and whatever you ask
agreeably to the word of truth is yours ; John xiv. 13,
14.

TO TUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND CHRIST. 233
* This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and
Jesjs Christ whom thou hast sent." John xvii. 3.
We should always try the sayings of men by the
sayings of God; or we shall know no more of God,
than what men say of him : Acts xvii. 11. The be
ginning, increase, and perfection of eternal life, lies in
a knowledge of God in Christ : Titus ii. 13, 14. God
gave us our being ; m him we have life and well-being :
Acts xvii. 28. But in order to have eternal life, we
must have a knowledge of God in Jesus Christ : 1 John
V. 11. When we are brought into union with Christ,
we have communion with God; and "this is life eter
nal," in the bud; and those who reject Christ, reject
eternal life ; for we can never know God without an
acquaintance with Christ : John iii. 36. "All we like
sheep" have strayed from God ; Christ died to bring us
back to the Author of our being, from whom we have
wandered ; and redeem all those blessings we had for
feited by our wandering; Isa. liii. 6 ; and has raade it
our duty to love, obey, and trust in hira, as our chief
good ; acknowledge him in all our ways, and do all
things to his glory, as "the only true God," in opposition
to every false God : 1 Cor. x. 31.
Had we never have sinned, a knowledge of God
would have been "life eternal" to us; but in conse
quence of our becoming guilty rebels before hira, we
can have no access to God, but through "Jesus Christ ;"
who is the only way, and the truth, and the life : John
xiv. 6. We must realize an interest in the Saviour's
death ; obtain a knowledge of hira as our Redeeraer ;
and possess an evidence of being saved by his life ; in
order to enjoy " life eternal :" Rom. v. 10. It is not
said, that a knowledge of God, and Jesus Christ, leads
to "life eternal;" nor, that "life eternal" shall follow
that knowledge; no; but it expressly says, " This ls
life eternal ;" it has already commenced ; the reign of
grace has already begun; and will be raade perfect in
glory: Phil. i. 6. A true, saving-knowledge of God in
Christ in the heart, ever discovers itself by a holy, lov
ing, and obedient life. The new-born soul draws all
his comfort, peace, and joy, from this never-failing
source of consolation; hence arises his \ove to God
and delight in him.
20*

234 TO HEARING AND READING THE WORD.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Pa ci!»
105. We owe the life of our souls to the death of the
Saviour. But for the light of the world, we had all
been in darkness : John viii. 12. The word of God is
a lamp and light; it discovers manifold mysteries; i:
directs men's course, and comforts their hearts amidst
the darkness of this world ; it reveals to us things di
vine aud eternal, and guides us to glory and happi
ness : Matt. iv. 16. Without the word of god, man
would be left upon a boundless ocean, stormy and
dark, without either compass, quadrant, or chart ;
gulphed in obscurity, with not a gleam of hght to tell
him where his brittle bark would strike. But God,
who is rich in mercy, has not left us in this deplorable
condition; the Sun of righteousness has arisen to en-
hghten our way across the sea of life ; to cheer the
darkness that surrounds us, and point to the port of
Heaven. "Thy word is a hmp unto my feet." It discoveis
that whicb concerns us most; and what we should
never have known without it. It warns us of the
duties we are to perform, and the dangers we are to
avoid : Ps. xix. 1 1. It guides our eyes, and directs our
feet, all through the path of life to endless life : Prov.
vi. 23. It is "a light to our path ;" a lamp trimmed
with the Spirit; constantly burning; and no storms
can put it out : Ps. cxix. 89. It informs us how all
things were made — how man fell frora his original
happiness; forfeited the favor of God; and brought
himself, with all his posterity, under the curse of a
broken law : Rom. v. 12. It illuminates the dreary dun
geon of man, by unfolding to his view the plan of Re
demption: Gen. iii. 15. But it should ever be remem
bered, a lamp will do us no good unless we make use of
it. The word of God must be used; not only to please
our eyes and ears, but as a "Ught to our path;" to en
lighten our understanding, and direct us through this
world to that which is to corae : Ps. cxix. 130. God
intended, when he gave us this wonderful "lamp," that
we should constantly walk by the "Ught" of it; and
look well to our steps : Isa. ii. 3. The Bible should be
our constant study, our daily companion, and oracle.

TO HEARING AND READING THE WORD. 236
" Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. i. 17.
It is of the utmost importance that we have faith ;
for without faith it is irapossible to please God : Heb.
xi. 6. Observe, 1st. We must hear in order that we
might have faith : for "faith cometh by hearing ;" and
is wrought by the Spirit in the act of hearing. There
are many who hear, that do not believe what they do
hear ; notwithstanding, those who have believed must
first have heard that which they do believe : 2 Cor. ii.
16. A deaf man's ears are of but little use to him. 2d.
The matter heard, by which saving faith is wrought,
is, "theword of God;" and which is called the "word
of faith ;" because it begets and supports faith : Rom.
X. 8. Faith is the gift of God ; Eph. ii. 8 ; but he makes
use of bis word as the instrument, which, on our hear
ing, works faith, when we hear it as "the word of
God :" 1 Thess. ii. 13. And, 3d. God has appointed the
preaching of the Gospel as the ordinary means of salva
lion; and faith in Christ is the result of hearing the
doctrines of God preached, if heard attentively : Rom.
X. 14. And the arm of the Lord is revealed in the sal
vation of all who do believe ; though they may be but
few : Isa. liii. 1. It is not fine, well-formed words, from
an eloquent tongue, that produce faith; but "the word
of God ;" the important and all-concerning truths of the
Gospel of Christ, in their native dress, brought home to
the hearts and consciences of those who hear them :
1 Cor. ii. 4, 5.
Prize the word of God ; make it your own ; press i(
to your heart as a pledge of "Heaven, whither it is de
signed to guide you. Make its sacred truths the ruk
of your life ; for hearing and reading will benefit you
nothing without doing : James i. 22 — 25. Faith you
must have in order to be saved ; it is indispensable tc
the possession of pure and undefiled religion. 1st. It is>
a duty divinely required : John vi. 29. And the " word
of God" must be the ground ahd rule of your faith.
2d. It is the only way of salvation : John iii. 18. It is
necessary for the attainment of every spiritual blessing,
and for the perforraance of every Christian duty. 3d.
It is an essential property of religion. For whatever we
might do, if faith be wanting, all will avail nothing*
Gal. v. 6.

236 TO LOVING THE WORD.
" Blessed ia the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in kla
commandments." Ps. cxii. 1.
Conversion begins in consideration. The readiest
way for you to know whether you fear the Lord, is, to
know whether you fear sinning ; for the fruit is more
visible than the root. "Bhssed," that is, happy, truly
happy, "is ihe man," whatever may be his condition
in regard to the things of this life, "ihat feareth the
Lord." We need not court the friendship of the world,
while we can have fellowship with God ; and that we
truly have, if we delight in, and are governed by, his
word : 1 John i. 3. A filial " fear of the Lord" brings
with it its own reward. A Christian loves the Lord so
well, that he is afraid to offend hira by sinning against
him ; he loves what the Lord loves, and hates what
he does ; and God hates nothing but sin : Prov. vi.
16—19. " Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord ;" he is
blessed wow. God blesses him, and that blessing makes
him happy, and enables him to continue to fear bim;
that is, love him too well to sin against him. He is
blest with a sense of his love ; his forgiving love ; Isa.
xii. 1 ; his healing love ; Ps. ciii. 1—3 ; his adopting
love : 1 John iii. 1. Such an one must needs be blessed ;
for he has all kinds of blessings ; enough to make any
one happy: Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. Holiness is the highway
to happiness; yea, it is happiness itself: Rev. xxii. 14.
All who are happy in the Lord, not only take pleasure
in, but "delight greatly in his commandments." They
keep up an intimate acquaintance with them ; love to
think of them; and raeditate on thera, at all times, and
on all occasions : Ps. cxix. 97. Whoever fears God, as
a dutiful child does a fond father, raust delight in, and
bl) well pleased with his coramandments. They enjoin
nothing that is grievous, nor prohibit anything that would
be good for us. They are perfect ; nothing can be added
to, or taken from them : Ps. cxix. 138. They are de
signed to bring us back to ourselves, to our duty, and to
our God : 2 Tim. ih. 16, 17. Many have the command
ments of God in their heads, and love to talk about
them ; but they are the only blessed who have them iu
their heaits, and delight greatly in doing them : Ps.
cxix. 165.

TO LOVING THE WORD. 237
" As new-bom babes, desire the sincere milk ofthe word, that ye may grow
llierehy." 1 Pet. ii. 2.
None are likely to profit by the word, but those who
love the word ; and those who love it will have a de
sire after it ; Ps. cxix. 127. Believers have to learn
from the images of nature the mysteries of grace. The
God of nature has kindly provided for all nature. The
new-born babe soon discovers its wants ; and, as If
sensible of the provision it has brought with it, and
which it has a natural right unto, it scarcely breathes
the air, but it begins to hunt after "the milk" to which
its tender appetite is naturally drawn; while the af
fectionate mother is pleased and delighted to administer
toils wants, and assists the little hunter in finding its
desired object ; and gazes with a mother's pleasure upon,
while she is imparting nourishment to, her tender infant.
But great as a parent's love is toward their offspring,
infinitely greater is the love of our heavenly Father to
his babes in Christ.
The desires of new-born babes after m,ilk, are ardent,
strong, and impatient. "As new-born babes," when
pinched with hunger, and parched with thirst, manifest
such an eagerness to obtain milk, so also should every
child. of grace evince a similar disposition, by his love to,
and searching after, " the milk of the word." "Desire
it," saith the apostle, " ihat ye may groiv thereby ;" feed
on it, that ye may be strengthened by it. Nothing can
satisfy the cravings of the infant like milk ; neither will
anything satisfy the Christian but Christ; hence he
searches the word that testifies of him : John v. 39. The
infant desires the milk just as nature has prepared it; so
does the believer "desire the sincere milk of theword,"
without the least adulteration by art, eloquence, or any
other mixture of men : Ps. xix. 7, 8. The desires of a
natural babe are accompanied with endeavors to obtain
the milk ; a sight of the breast, merely, would not satisfy,
but rather increase its desires. And such are the active
desires of a sincere Christian after the word of God, that
they can never be satisfied without it. Whenever you
hear the word, " take heed how ye hear," lest what you
obtain be SKimmed milk, which has been fleprivcQ or iiisi
nourishing find dtrenjithening quahties. Mind that noth
ing is takiin t'lniTi it Sne that it is uot watered milk.

238 TO the government of the tongue.
" Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles.
Prov. xxi. 23.
A man has two ears, and but one mouth, and should
never let out at his mouth more than half what enters
in at his ears. He has two eyes, and but one tongue;
and ought never to tell all that he knows ; and should
always think twice, before he speaks once : Prov.
xiv. 3.
"Whoso keepeth his mouth," will watch, not only
what goes into it, but also what comes out of it; for we
are exposed to greater evils from what comes out of the
mouth, than frora what goes into it: Mark vii. 20 — 23.
It is well to think much, and say little ; and that man
acts with wisdom, who never leaves his mouth unguard
ed, and holds "his tongue" with a strong curb and a
tight rein. Such an one will save himself frora many
an aching heart, as well as prevent the reproaches of
others. The man who knows how to speak and when
to keep silence, evinces a wise head ; and, what is still
better, "keepeth his soul from troubles:" Prov. xiii. 3.
Many have ruined theraselves by their mouth, and wilh
their tongue have cut their own throat : Ps. Ixiv. 3, 8.
Little words frequently produce great troubles ; and,
therefore, all who would keep their souls from troubles,
must keep the door of their lips, lest their mouths
should let out troubles ; for sometimes there are many
troubles in one word. When a word has once got out
of the mouth, there is no getting it in again ; nor any
telling where it will fiy ; nor what will be made of it,
if it has been spoken unadvisedly : Ps. xxxix. 1. You
would do well to take out all your words and look at
them before you speak them. Watch your words, keep
your mouth, bridle your tongue, and examine your
heart. We should never venture to talk about any one
we cannot speak well of Evil words are like poisoned
arrows ; and their wound is most fatal when inflicted on
the back. It is as hard a task for some raen to say what
they ought, as it is for others not to say more than they
ought. Irritability urges us to say too much ; and a
want of candor too little. Troubles prevented are bet
ter than troubles cured. Say the worst you know of a
man, in kindness, to his face ; and the best you can of
him when absent.

to the government of the rUNGlIE. 239
"He that will love life, and see good days, let him lefrain his tongue
from evil, and his Ups that they speak no guile." 1 Pet. iii. 10.
The tongue is a very good servant, but a very bad
master : Hos. vii. 16. One of the most dangerous and
pernicious evils that we have to guard against, is, an
unruly tongue; and the snares into which raen are
brought by this little, ungovernable raeraber, are sorae
tiraes intolerable to themselves, and ruinous to others ,
James iii. 6.
"He that will love life," or what is the comfort oi
life, peace and quietness, "let him refrain his tongue
from evil" -s'^eaking; and carefully avoid slandering:
Eccl. V. 6. He that would not embitter his own life,
and would avoid pulling down troubles upon his own
head, must keep constant watch over " his lips that they
speak no guile:" Ps. xxxii. 2. Life without comfort,
is not worth calling life ; be careful, then, as you lo re
your life, to attend to the prescriptions here given ; that
you may lead a happy life in this unhappy world. " He
that will love life," let hira so live as to make life cora
fortable and desirable : Ps. xv. 1 — 3. If you love
your life, and would wish to " see good days," to have
your days peaceable and prosperous, "refrain your
tongue from evil;" speak evil of no one, though you may
be greatly provoked. Should you ever be in an ill hu
mor, never speak till you have allowed yourself time to
repeat the Lord's prayer; and have resolved with poor
Job : chap, xxvii. 3, 4. Set a strong watch over youi
raouth, and guard your lips that they speak ' no guile."
Suffer not deceit to escape thera ; be candid and sincere ;
and seek peace with all men : Ps. xxxiv. 12 — i4. Rather
die than lie. By attending to the raouth and tongue,
you will not only avoid troubles, but be delivered from
them: Prov. xii. 6. A man shall eat good by the fruit
of his mouth : Prov. xiii. 2. Pleasant words are as a
honey-comb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones :
Prov. xvi. 24. Death and life are in the power of the
tongue : Prov. xviii. 20. By thy words thou shalt be
justified, and by thy words shalt thou be condemned:
Matt. xii. 37. Let the constant tenor of your discourse
evince that you are a Christian. If a man seem to
be religious, and bridle not his tongue, his religion is
vain.

240 TO KEEPING GOOD COMPANY.
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in tbe counsel of the utgodlj, not
(tandeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." Ps. i. 1 .
Good raen walk by good rules; and a man may
be known by the company he keeps : Prov. xiii... 21).
The ungodly must neither be feared nor followed;
whether they be angels or men. Our first parents
dearly paid for "walking in the counsel of the un
godly:" Gen. iii. 4, 5. And all who walk in the same
counsel are also called ungodly men : Jude 4.
"Blessed is the man," blessed now, yea, and he
shall be blessed, "ihat walketh noi in the counsel of
the ungodly." We live in an ungodly world , sur
rounded by ungodly spiritual eneraies; Eph. vi. 12;
and ungodly men ; who, having cast off all fear of,
and obedience to God, are ever ready to counsel others
to do as they have done: Prov. xvi. 27. The first
step towards ruin, is to walk in bad counsel. Those
who take the first step, soon learn to take the sec
ond; for having laid aside religion, and entered into
the service of sin and Satan, they take up arms against
God, and are found "standing in the way of sinners,"
ready to pursue all manner of evil, while evil pursues
them : Prov. xiii. 21. And having stood awhile in the
way of sinners, they soon become qualified to take
"the seat of the scornful;" and that being placed
against the gate of destruction, they can step no lower,
till they step inside : Prov. xix. 29. It is but a short
ladder, of three rounds, from happiness to wretch
edness — ungodly counsel ; the sinner's way ; and scorn-
er's chair. Blessed is the man who shuns both their
counsel and their way; and the surest raethod to
a\ oii both is, to shun their company ; for if we walk
w Ih thera, there is danger of listening to thera. He
who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, is not
very likely to be found standing in the way of sin-
n^Ts; for while he refuses to lend an ear to their
ungodly counsel, he will certainly not do as sinners
do; and by keeping out of the sinner's way; he will
be kept out of tbe scorner's seat. Such an one is
blessed while living; blessed when dying; and shall
be blessed forever, h is not very difficult to tell what
will be the end of a man, when we can see the way in
which he walks.

TO KEEPING GOOD COMPANY. 241
" Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you ; and will be a Father
ante you." 2 Cor. vi. 17, 13.
"V^ALK according to God's direction, and you will
always be sure of God's protection. Do all that God
commands; avoid all that he forbids; and fear not what
man can do. Sin is so very infectious, that to mix with
sinners is dangerous: Eccl. ix. 18. And, therefore, if
you would not be infected by them, "Come out from
among ihem;" avoid their company as you would the
plague ; have no communion with them, but keep at a
distance frora them : Isa. lii. 11. Never make sinners,
who delight in their sins, your companions ; for you will
be raore likely to becorae polluted by them, ihan they
will to be benefitted by you; therefore, "be ye separate:"
Prov. xiii. 20, 21. Christ loved sinners, but he was
separate frora them ; he neither did as they did, nor said
as tl.«y said. Sin is such a filthy thing, that none can
have anything to do with it without being defiled.
" Touch not the unclean thing," under any consideration
whatever. Satan knows how to paint and gild sin over,
in such a manner as to make it appear like virtue ; but
still it is unclean. Pride, he calls neatness ; covetous
ness, frugahty; drunkenness, good-fellowship ; rioting,
liberality; gambling, pastime; and wantonness, a trick
of youth. " Touch not the unclean thing ;" the gilding
of pills does not alter the nature of them. Keep no
company where Christ is not welcome. A Christian
should not associate with those who would consider it an
outrage on society to introduce the subject of religion ;
and whose conversation is such as becometh not the
Gcspel of Christ : 1 Cor. xv. 33. If you would not
be corrupted by them, "corae out frora among them;"
lest you should become one of thera. A raan stand
ing in the sun's rays, soon gets his skin tanned, imper
ceptibly. Was there no other reason, why we should
separate ourselves from the ungodly, this should be
sufficient, "Thus saith ihe Lord:'' Jer. vii. 23. "And
I will receive you;" let who will cast you off, the
Lord will take you up : Ps. xxvii. 10. "And I will
be a Father unto you;" yea, and a good Father too.
No matter who turns you out, if God takes you in.
To keep your shoes clean, keep out of the mud.
21

CHAPTER IL
PROMISES TO DUTIES OF THE SECOND TABLE.
TO OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS.
'' My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the laiv oi
thy mother ;afor they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains
about thy neck." Prov. i. 8, 9.
Children, do consider the relation you sustain to
your PARENTS ! recollect that you are a pait of them
selves ; they consider you as such ; yea, and a very ten
der part too ; and in proof of which, they have often
exposed themselves in order to protect you. You are
under innumerable obligations to love and obey them ;
for, by night and by day, you have ever been the objects
of their tenderest care.
"Hear the instruction of thy father;" hear it, and
regard it ; attend to it, and he grateful for it ; for you
may always depend upon it, as being designed to keep
you from evil and do you good. "And forsake not the
laiv of thy mother;" respect and obey her; and let all
your actions spring frora love to her. There are many
good women in the world, but reraeraber, you have but
one MOTHER ! No one ever did, nor ever can, love you
with a mother's love ; neither can it be felt by any but a
mother. Forsake not her law who has been raore to
}'ou than all the world beside. Let your father and
mother know that their love to you has not betn all
lost upon you ; and this you must do, by evincing your
love to them. Let them see that you prefer their com
pany to all others ; that j'OU desire their good opin
ions, whatever others may think of you; and strive
in all things to please them. Consult them, and make
them your counsellors on all occasions; and however
they may differ frora your opinion, confide in their
wisdom.

TO OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 243
"Vionor thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with
promise,) that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the
earth." Eph. vi. 2, 3.
.Obedience belongs to all children, let their age, sex,
or condition, be what they may ; and they are in duty
bound to obey both parents ; the mother as well as the
father ; indeed she is firs.t named : Lev. xix. 3. We
have in this passage plainly expressed.
First, The duties of children to parents ; "Honor thy
father and mother:" including, 1st. Obedience to all
their lawful commands. Whatever may be the defects,
or circumstances of your parents, common gratitude,
nature, reason, and the word of God, all say you ought
to love and obey them : Col. iii. 20. Come, when they
call you ; go, where they send you ; and abstain from
what they forbid you. 2d. Submission to their instruc
tions, rebukes, and corrections : Prov. i. 8, 9. There
can be no honor without submission. 3d. Disposing
of ?hemselves according to their advice, consent, and
instructions; and being careful never to waste their
property : Prov. vi. 20, 21. Honor them in heart,
speech, and behavior. 4th. Endeavoring in all things
to be their comfort through life-. Prov. xxiii. 22. Ac
tions will honor them more than words. 5th. By out
ward acts evincing an inward esteem for them, in
preference to all others.
Secondly. The reason annexed; which is. First, a
promise; "thai it may be well with thee." 1st. It is
a promise of well-doing. Obey them in all things which
are not forbidden in the word of God ; and always let
your words correspond with the reverence you feel for
them in your hearts. In honoring your parents, you
honor the Lord's commandment ; Eph. vi. 1. And, 2d.
Those who obey the command, may expect a fulfil
ment of the promise ; as is evident from Joseph ; Gen.
xlvii. 12 ; and Ruth, chap. i. 16, 17 ; and Jesus : Luke
ii. 51. Secondly. A threatening implied ; as is evident,
1st. From precept. See Deut. xxi. 18 — 21 ; and xxvii.
16. And, 2d. From example. Ham was cursed of
his father, for dishonoring him ; Gen. ix. 25 ; and the
sons of Eli were cut off for their disobedience : 1 Sam.
n. 25. " This is the first commandment" oi the second
table.

244 TO faithful servants.
" A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame." Prov
xvii. 2.
Servants, you are here encouraged to be faithful,
diligent, and constant, in your employraents, though
they raay be raean and laborious. Do not think, that
because you are poor you cannot thrive, or be pre
ferred ; for a raan might be born in a valley, and after
wards live on a hill. "A wise servant," who manages
well, and is faithful in what has been entrusted to his
care, shall, not only have equal rule, but "rule over a
son thai causeth shame" by his foolishness and impru
dence. Be thankful with, and faithfully improve what
you have ; and you will be intrusted with more : Prov.
xxviL 18. And, admitting that his master should not
feel sufficient interest in him to give him a son's es
tate, as is sometimes the case, yet, that soul that is
without grace, is far poorer than that servant whose
pockets are without money. While you endeavor to
discharge faithfully every duty you owe to others, for
get not those you owe to yourself; for it will never
answer any valuable purpose to build a good house on
a bad foundation. Whatever raay be your-lawful busi
ness, make rehgion your main-business; and that will
enable you to perform, cheerfully and faithfully, your
daily business. Respect your employers ; fear to of
fend them ; be as conscientious in the discharge of every
duty when they are absent, as when they are present ;
do all with cheerfulness and good- will ; and that will
make duty a delight, and please those whom you serve.
Always show a good- will toward every member of the
family you are in ; and rather suffer wrong, than do
wrong. Your employers may have the command of
your bodies and services, but not of your consciences.
Have one eye on your employer, and the other on
Christ : Eph. vi. 5 — 8. You raay be exposed to many
temptations, but yield to none of them. Be sober in
every respect. Be chaste ; remembering that your char
acter is your all; let no eneray rob you of this your
passport through life; lest you becorae blighted, aban
doned, and forlorn. Be frugal on all occasions ; both
with your own, and that with which you are intrusted.
Faithfully discharge every duty: and if you would
be obliged yourself, study to oblige others.

TO FAITHFUL SERVANTS. 245
" Sei vants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not
with eye-service, as men-pleasers ; but in singleness of heart, fearing God."
Ooi. iii. 22.
A GOOD servant is more honorable than a bad master.
Christ's free men may be servants to, but not of men :
John viii. 32, 36. "Servants, obey in all things," that
God has not forbidden, "your masters according to ihe
flesh." Do, love, and live, your duty; but should you
be commanded to violate one of God's commands, it
will be your duty, mildly, but firmly, to refuse to obey
them. A righteous servant is of greater value, in the
Lord's account, than a wicked master : Prov. xxii.
1 — 4. Serve in all things lawfully, but in nothing
sinfully: Acts. v. 29. "Notwith eye-service;" as those
who are very diligent in their master's presence, but
very negligent in his absence; "as 'men-pleasers;"
who, if they can but please their masters, care nothing
about profiting them, nor dis^leas'mg God. Be faith
ful in the discharge of every duty, at all times, but
especially in the absence of your eraployer ; for you
will thereby secure his confidence, and a good con
science." "In singleness of heart," in honesty of
intention, "fearing God."
That servant who fears God, will always act faith
fully toward bis master; because he knows the eye of
God is constantly upon him : Neh. v. 15. There is no
situation in wbich you can be placed, that will excuse
neglect of God ; fear him, and you need fear nothing
else; for nothing can harm you but sin; and the fear
of offending Him will keep you from sinning. Set the
Lord always before you; make religion your chief
concern ; and while your hands are engaged below, let
your heart be engaged above : Luke x. 42. Endeavor,
by an affable, gentle, and obliging deportment, to gain
the esteem and confidence of every one in the family
whom you may serve ; and let no opportunity slip of
making yourself more and more acquainted with the
word of God. Servants who fear God, will do all
things to his glory ; and suffer no wages to tempt tbem
to go to, or continue in, any situation where the Lord's
day is taken from them. In the busiest of times,
always find time to pray ; and God will find an oppor
tunity to bless you : Col. iii. 24.
21*

246 TO FAITHFUL MINISTERS.
" Thou shall go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command
thee, thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces ; for I am with thee to
deliver thee, saith the Lord." Jer. i. 7, 8.
If, like Paul, you are constrained to say, " Wo is unto
me, if I preach not the Gospel !" and, from a sense ot
your insufficiency, cry out with Jeremiah, "I am a
child !" you will not be offended at any one offering
to instruct you ; admitting he be a child, both in years
and experience. Eli listened attentively to a message
delivered by the child Samuel. Moses made many ex
cuses, but God was not pleased with them ; and Jeremiah
made many modest objections, but God removed them,
and graciously encouraged him.
"Thou shalt go io all ihat I shall send thee" is the
Lord's declaration to the one whom He commissions.
If you are fully convinced of its being your duty to
bear the tidings of salvation to a lost and ruined world,
you have great cause to be humble; and may well
exclaim, " Who is sufficient for these things?" 2 Cor. ii.
16. But be not discouraged; though humbly, go cheer
fully wheresoever, and to whomsoever, God shall send
you ; and remember, that you have no choice in this
matter, neither as it regards where you are to go, nor
what you are to say : Ezek. xxxiii. 7. He who gave
you your mission, will also give your message; so that
you need never be at a loss what to say. "And what
soever I command ihee, thou shalt speak." Whether
men receive your message, or are offended at it, is not
your business ; for what God says, that you must say,
without adding to, or taking from it : Acts xx. 26, 27.
And though you may, yea, will, have many to oppose
you, who do not love the truth, "Be not afraid of iheir
faces," though they may appear big, bold, and daring,
and would look you out of countenance. "For I am
with thee to deliver thee, saith ^AcLord." Declaring the
TRUTH faithfully, may brlBg you into trouble; but the
God of truth will bring you out of trouble. By preach
ing what the Lord comraands, you may offend some of
your pretended friends ; and cause enemies to rise up
against you; but that should give yon but little con
cern ; "for I am with thee," saith He, whose message
you deliver. Deliver it faithfully ; and live what you
jireach ; for the world will watch you.

TO FAITHFUL MINISTERS. 247
" Take need unto thyself, and unto the doctrine ; cof.itinue in them : for
m doing tlis, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that jear thee." 1 Tim.
iv. 16.
Men of learning and character have confirmed the
impression, that the office of the ministry, which was
formerly a sacrifice, is now become a trade. " Take
heed to thyself;" and what thou teachest to others, be
careful to practise thyself. Give attendance to read
ing and meditation; neglect not the gift that is in thee;
and never suffer that plant to wither for the want of
proper care : ver. 13, 14. It is a painful calling thou
art engaged in; but be not slothful in it; spare no
pains ; think no trial too great, nor any cross too
heavy, in order to becorae a good workman at thy
business : 2 Tim. ii. 15. Be not afraid of wearing out ;
for that would be far better than rusting out : 2 Tim.
iv. 2. And whilst thou preachest against worldly-
mindedness, "take heed unto thyself:" 1 Pet. v. 2.
Be not encumbered with anything belonging to this
world, that you can possibly do without ; but let the
salvation of precious souls be your chief concern :
1 Tim. vi. 11. "Take heed to thyself;" and convince
the people, that it is for ihem, and not for theirs, that
thou art laboring : Isa. Ixii. 1. "And to ihe doctrine:"
See to it that what you preach is pure, and uncor-
rupted as it came frora God ; without being adulterated
with the inventions of raen: Matt, xxviii. 20. And
having received the true doctrine, or truths of the Gos
pel, " continue in ihem ;" for they have God in Christ
as their Author — Matter — and End : 1 Tim. vi. 1 — 5.
"For in doing this," according to that ability which
God hath given thee, "ihou shalt save thyself" firom
all the baneful consequences of handling the word
of God deceitfully; "and ihem that hear thee" from
that condemnation that rests upon all unbelievers .
John iii. 18, 36. The work thou art engaged in is a
saving work ; and by taking heed to thyself — knowing
the truth thyself — and faithfully, and plainly preaching
and living the truth thyself, "thera that hear thee"
will be led to live and obey the truth : and be saved
through believing, frora that guilt consequent upon un
belief: John iv. 36, The truth must be heard before it
can be believed.

245 TO FAITHFUL MINISTER*.
" Thou shalt stand before me ; and if thou take the precious ii im uie Ti.e,
Ihou shalt be as my mouth ; let them return unto thee ; but return not theu
unto them." Jer. xv. 19.
A FAITHFUL minister is Christ's ambassador : 2 Cor. v.
20. Ministers are watchmen ; and so long as the souls
over whom they watch are in danger, they will have
to be wakeful, watchful, and laborious : Ezek. xxxiii. 7.
"Thou shalt stand before me," to receive my message
at my mouth ; and see to it that thou keep not silence;
nor think of sitting at ease upon the walls of Zion : Isa.
Ixii. 6. And it is at a minister's peril, to diminish a
word of all that God commands : Jer. xxvi. 2. There
are three things in which God requires all his ministers
to be faithful.
1st. "If thou take the precious from, the vile," as the
husbandman does the wheat from the chaff; bearing in
mind that every grain of wheat is enveloped in a coat of
chaff: Matt. iii. 12. Take the precious blood of Christ
from the impure acts of man ; and never suffer them to
be mixed in the price of redemption: 1 Pet. i. 18, 19.
Draw the line between the precious sons of Zion, what
ever raight be their outward condition, and vile profes
sors : Lara. iv. 2. Distinguish between precious faith
and vile hypocrisy : 2 Pet. i. I. Suffer not the precious
work of the Lord to be mingled with the vile traditions
of men : 1 Sam. iii. 1 ; Matt. xv. 9. If thou dost thus
prove thyself to be a workman,
2d. "Thou shalt be as my mouth." As though he
had said, if thou stand upon thy post as a servant;
deliver my raessage faithfully; do all in thy power to
dissuade, alarm, or persuade them to return unto me;
all thou hast said shall be made good, just the same
as if by 'my own mouth 1 had spoken it :" Isa. xliv. 26.
And, 3d. Stand fast, "Lei ihem return unto thee;" they
must bring their hearts and lives to ray words; "but
return ihou not unto ihem;" for my law must not be
brought down to them ; therefore, think not to make the
matter easier by a compliance to their wishes. Closely
adhere to the instructions God gives, and never vary in
the least to accommodate any one. When you preach
the TRUTH, preach it in such a manner as to convince
your hearers.

TO FAITHFPL MINISTERS. 249
".\nd when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crowB of
(lory that fadeth uot away." I Pet. V. 4.
Satan has Ais ministers ; and they generally contrive
to make themselves look like the ministers of Christ : 2
Cor. xi. 15. Such ministers are as zealous in promoting
error, as the true servants of Christ are in promoting
truth. In the general, they are influenced to preach by
the love of money, power, or applause ; but their end
IS according to their works: 1 Tira. vi. 10. But a
faithful minister is constrained by the love of Christ,
to preach the Gosjiel of Christ: 2 Cor. v. 14, 15.
Christ is God's Shepherd : Zech. xiii. 7. "And when
the chief Shepherd," who owns all the sheep ; John iii.
35 ; supplies all their needs ; John x. 15, 16 ; has the
management of the whole flock ; Heb. xiii. 20 ; who
redeemed them with his own blood; 1 Pet. i. 18, 19;
who withholds no good thing from" them ; John vi. 50,
51; and who is the Shepherd and Bishop of souls;
1 Pet. ii. 25; -when he "shall appear," you shall not
be forgotten. When Jesus Christ, the Owner, Ruler,
Protector, Lover, and Shepherd ofhis sheep, "shall
appear," to reckon with all his under-shepherds, he
will not be unmindful of your services and labors of
love; for then, "ye shall receive a crown of life."
That is the reward promised to all who love his appear
ing : 2 Tim. iv. 8.
You may, from the many discouragements you will
have to contend with, and a sense of your own weakness,
be ready to conclude, after laboring hard and long, that
your labors have been all lost ; Isa, xlix. 4 ; and that you
will speak no raore in the narae and cause of Christ ;
Jisr. XX, 9 ; but let nothing discourage you in, nor allure
you frora, the path of duty : Acts xx. 24. Your re
ward is with the Lord, whose servant you are; and
after your work is faithfully done, "ye shall receive a
crown of glory;" an ever-flourishing, incorruptible,
never-fading crown : 1 Pet. i. 4. Your time of sor
row cannot last long; but your "crown of glory"
will wear forever: Dan. xiL 3. Pay great attention,
not only to the matter, but also to the manner of
your preaching : in narration, be distinct ; in reason
ing, slow; in persuasion, strong. Aoandon every viii
ated habit

250 TO THEM THAT HEARKEN TO GOD's MINISTERS,
" Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established s believe hi<
propheui, so shall ye prosper." 2 Chrou. xx. 20.
Faith in God is better than sword in hand. Faith
has subdued armies; Heb. xi. 33, 34; and assuredly
will overcorae the world. "Believe in the Lord your
God," and you will need neither bow, spear, shield, noi
sword ; for the God of Israel will fight for the Israel of
God: Josh. xxiiL 10. While you fi^rraly rely on "the
Lord your God," it matters not who, or what, comes
out against you . Deut. xxviii. 7. To believe in the
Lord, is to trust in, and repose our minds upon, his grace
and love to us in Jesus Christ ; to receive him just as
he has revealed himself to us ; to " believe his prophets,"
who testify of his love to us in his Son, and of peace
and joy in the Holy Ghost. It is not said that you are
to believe all who call themselves his prophets, without
once questioning their authority, or the truth of what
they say ; or taking the trouble to examine the doctrines
they teach : 1 John iv. 1. But, on the contrary, when
they come in the name of God, examine all they say
by the word of God: Acts xvii. 11. Faith comes by
hearing; it is, therefore, your duty and privilege to
attend on the ministry of the word : Rom. x. 17. The
Lord commands us.
First, To believe in Him : He is set forth as the
object of our faith. Believe in hira as your God and
Father ; considering the fulness, freeness, and suitable
ness of his proraises ; rest all your concerns in his hands,
just as little children confide in their parents : Ps. ciii.
13, 14. And "believe his prophets," or his minis
ters who preach the truths spoken by the prophets ;
for all who are sent of God, preach that Savioui
who was spoken of by all tne prophets of God : Luke
i. 68—70. Secondly, Encourage our faith by a brace of promises,
1st. "So shall ye be established :" you shallbe firmly
fixed and settled in your mind ; and no longer, as one
lame, go halting between two opinions ; or tossed about
by every wind that blows : Heb. xiii. 9. And, 2d. "So
thall ye prosper:" you shall increase in knowledge of
divine things; your faith in the promises shall grow
stronger; your evidence of acceptance with God, be
come clearer ; and your acquaintance with him, greater.

TO THEM THAT HEARkEN TO GOd's MINISTERS. 251
" He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall , receive >
Hropbet's reward." Matt. x. 41.
The best of men often meet with the worst of treat
ment. Our gracious Lord, when sending his disciples
forth to preach the blessed Gospel, well knew that
many would notonly be ungrateful enough to reject his
gracious message, but also ill use his ministers': John
xvL 2, Notwithstanding, for their encouragement, he
gives them to understand that some would receive their
message, and them too ; that their labors should not be
in vain ; and whatever was done unto them he should
consider as done to himself: Matt. x. 40.
"He that receiveth a prophet," not because he is
respectable, learned, or witty ; or because he has done
him some act of kindness, or is likely so to do; but "in
the name of a prophet ;" because he is a disciple of
Christ's, and as such bears the iraage of Christ; "shall
receive a prophets reward ;" Heb. vi. 10. Should he
be weak, he raust be received ; and what he says in the
name of the Lord, must be listened to with as great
attention as though he was strong and eloquent. Should
he be called an "impostof," you are not to look upon
him as such, until you have proved him to be one ; but
" receive him in the name of a prophet;" and should it
afterwards prove that you were deceived, God will not
suffer your well-meant labor of love to be forgotten :
you shall have, not an impostor's, but a "prophet's re
ward ;" though it be proved in the end that he was not
a prophet. And if he be a prophet, whom you have
received in that name, you shall have his prayers, and
God's blessing : Gen. xx. 7. Be careful that you slight
not one of God's ministers; for by slighting one of
them, you slight Him that sent him.
Consider the blessedness of receiving a prophet, or
minister, sent by Christ; that is, not only welcome his
person, but attend to his message ; you shall have a
"prophets reward." What more can you desire ? A
prophet has a present reward in obeying his Lord's
commands: Ps. cxix. 165. He has claim to all the
promises of God in Christ; 2 Cor. i. 20; and an
assurance of a crown of life: 2 Tim. iv. 6 — 8. You
may think wrong ; but be sure you act right. To know
a prophet, you must try his spirit : 1 John iv. 1, 2.

252 TO LOVE AND UNITY.
" Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity!" Ps. cxxxiii. 1.
Abraham and Lot separated to prevent strife ; and
that caused a great deal of trouble in the end : Gen.
xiii. 9 ; xiv. 12 — 16. "Behold!" Look! Do consider,
'-how good it is" ior us -, how agreeable unto us; and
how comfortable it will make us ! how very good — how
inconceivably and inexpressibly good ! and "how pleas
ant iiis!" how delightful! how agreeable to us, and
pleasing to God ! "for brethren to dwell together in
unity !" The more we live in unity with our brethren,
the happier we shall be in ourselves; and the greater
benefit shall we derive as a church or society. The
objects of God's love should ever be the objects of our
love: 1 John V. 1. God's peculiar love to us should
produce a peculiar love in us : 1 John iii. 16. What a
contrast, " brethren dwelling together in unity," presents
with those that cannot live together for enmity ! " How
unnatural "it is" for brethren to be snapping and
snarling, debating and contending, quarrelling and brawl
ing, envying and backbiting, reproaching and deriding,
tearing and devouring, one another! Gal. -v. 15. It is
natural for a wolf to kill a lamb ; but very M?matural
for lambs to kill, or even wound each other. If there
is happiness to be enjoyed on earth, it certainly is
among "brethren who dwell together in unity." Union
ever tends to augment the happiness of its possessor —
to recommend divine truth to all around — to extend the
kingdom of the Redeemer upon earth — and to give
strength and stability to the Christian course : 2 Cor.
xiii. 11. For, "Behold! how good and how pleasant
it is!" How precious are their joys ; and how pleas
antly their days, weeks, months, and years glide away,
while dwelling together in unity ! They dwell to
gether in paradise below, till removed to paradise
above. There are some things to be avoided, and others to be
perforraed, in order to promote Christian union. 1st.
A spirit of evil surmising; uncharitable thoughts; evil-
speaking; detraction; and a reservedness of disposi
tion, must be studiously avoided : Eph. iv. 22 — 26.
And, 2d. A regular dependance upon God. and a uni
formity of conduct, must be daily attended to.

TO LOVE AND UNITY. 253
'' By this shall all men know tha'. ye are my disciples, if ye have love one
lo another." John xiii. 35.
Nature says, love thyself; but Grace and Chrisi
say, "Love one another." Love is so essential a part
of religion, that there is no possibility of being a Chris
tian without it ; 1 John iii. 10. "By this" — the livery
which all Christ's servants wear, and which distin-
?uishes them frora the men of the world, who love none
ut themselves— says the blessed Redeemer, "shall all
men know that ye are my disciples." By this plain, but
honorable badge, any one may know for himself,
whether he is a disciple of Christ; for this is the
Christian's low- water mark ; 1 John iii. 14. "By ihis,"
when clouds and darkness are around him, and doubts
and fears are within him, and when every other mark
appears to have been removed, he knows that he is
passed from death unto life. But this knowledge is not
confined to themselves, nor a few of their intimate
friends; for the Saviour declares, "By this shall all
men knov> that ye are my disciples." They shall not
conjecture, or guess, or think, that you look like Chris
tians ; their doubts will be removed, and they shall
know of a truth that ye are his disciples, " if ye have
love one to another.''' It is worthy of remark, our Lord
does not say, if ye possess love — make a show of love —
or talk about love — but if ye have love one to another :
1 John iv. 19 — 21. Where real love is absent, true
faith is never present: Gal. v. 6. Those who are
destitute of love are ignorant of its true value. Love
enables us to be patient under trouble; slow to anger;
\o forgive injuries ; to be kind to our eneraies ; to deny
ourselves; to do good to our neighbors; to raourn over
the faults and afflictions of others ; to kindly bear with
the infirmities of all ; and makes the present life like
* litlle heaven among ourselves ; while it strongly
lecommends us to the esteera of others : 1 Cor. xiii. 1 — 8.
All who are the "children of God by faith," main
taining the same common principles, influenced by th?
same motives, sharing in the same enjoyraents, anc
bearing the same Father's image, are the subjects of a
mutual and tender affection for each other ; and which
expresses itself by every possible act of kindness. It is
natural for disciples to imitate their master.
22

254 TO THE PEACE-MAKERS.
" To the counsellors of peace is joy." Prov. xii. 20.
Nothing can be more contrary to the gospel of peace,
than strife and contention ; which not only bring
confusion, but every other evil work : Prov. xvii. 14.
Those who have become reconciled to God will use
every lawful mean to be at peace with men ; Rom.
xii. 18. If we have lost peace, it is our duty to seek
after, and pursue it, till we obtain it; Heb. xii. 14.
Every real Christian is a subject of the Prince of peace ;
Isa. ix. 6. He is, therefore, for peace ; he loves peace •
he pursues and strives for peace; he would fain live
peaceably with all men ; and pick up a quarrel with
no man : Ps. cxx. 7. He is more desirous to obtain
peace than wealth ; hence it is, that he has an abun
dance of peace : Ps. xxxvii. 11.
" To the counsettors of peace," who study and deliber
ate on making peace ; who devise ways and means how
to bring about and restore peace ; who direct, advise,
and admonish others to be at peace ; who labor for
peace as a faithful and able counsellor does for his
client ; to all such counsellors the Lord has promised a
handsome fee; which "is joy." The counsellors of
peace may differ upon some points from those of the
law ; inasrauch as it is the business of those of peace
to make up breaches; heal wounds; sew up rents;
mend gaps; dress old hurts; allay tumults; quell
riots ; and plead causes ; without being hired. But,
admitting they have the most work, they have the best
fee ; and it is the most certain ; for the counsellor of
law often loses his fee ; but " to the counsellors of peace
IS joy." They get their fee while doing their work;
and enjoy the full benefit of it after their work is done,
in the enjoyment of that peaceful blessedness which
none but peace-makers know : 1 Pet. iii. 10.
It is the happiness of all the faithful disciples of Jesus,
that although they cannot always make peace, they
may always find peace; and though they cannot find
it on earth, they may obtain it from heaven : John xvi.
33. How great is the joy oi all peace-makers ! it is a
peculiar joy; enjoyed only by those who are at peace
with the Prince of peace; they desire that others should
partake of the same joy ; and hence they delight in
being " counsellors of peace." Follow after peace.

TO THE PEACE-MAKERS. 255
" Blessed are the peace-makers : lor they shall be called the children of
Ood." Matt. V. 9.
Grace in the heart is seen in the life ; and a pure
heart will be accompanied by a pure life, and love of
peace: James iii. 11 — 13. "Blessed are the peace
makers." As war divides nations, towns, families and
individuals, so peace restores them to unity, and makes
their object and interest one. A peace-maker is one who
loves peace ; desires it and seeks after it ; he never fans
the sparks of strife; as he feels his own interest promoted
whenever he can succeed in promoting that of others :
1 Pet. iii. 10. The "peace-maker" uses all his infiuence
to reconcile contending parties; and though it sometimes
proves a thankless office, and he gets himself ill-used, he
still pursues his course ; because he knows it to be a
good office ; and he finds himself blessed in his work :
Ps. cxx. 7. Those who possess so much of the spirit of
the Gospel of peace are already blessed ; and carry a
continual blessedness in their own bosoms : Prov. xn.
20. " They shall be called the children of God." Yea,
and they shall, not only be so called, for God will give
them the evidence within that they are such : Rom. viii.
16, 17. The Father is a God of peace ; Rom. xv. 33 ;
the Son is the Prince of peace ; Isa. ix. 6 ; and the Holy
Ghost is the Spirit of peace : Gal. v. 22. God loves
peace; and is so well pleased with /jeace-makers, he
declares "they shall be called the children of God;"
and seeing he never miscalls anything, as children,
they shall be entitled to all his children's privileges.
They shall have his direction in difficulties; James
i. 5; His support under trials; Ps.lv. 22; His pro
tection in dangers; Ps. xxxiv. 7; His aid in sick
ness; Ps. xli. 3; His presence in death; Ps. xxiii. 4;
an I a seat by His side after death; Rev. iii. 21.
The man who has peace with God, should strive to
make peace with man ; and whoever has peace with
in, should labor for peace without. Seeing God has
done so much to procure peace for us, the least we
can do is to make peace with each other. Let no
one call himself a follower of Jesus, who is not a
lover of peace ; for He is our peace ; our Peace-maker ;
our Peace-bringer; our Peace-giver; and our Peace-
supporter: Eph ii. 14.

256 TO THE CHARITABLE.
" Blessed is he that considereth the poor ; the Lord will deliver him u time
of trouble." Ps. xli. 1.
Some who have many goods, do no good with their
goods ; and hence, while surrounded with wealth, they
are wretched and miserable : Rev. iii. 17. But those
who are rich in pocket and poor in spirit, are doubly
blessed ; and their poverty in spirit is sure to dispose
thera to consider the poor. Observe,
1st. "Blessed is he thai considereth the poor;" that
thinks of them ; remembers them ; and calls to mind
their poverty and afflictions ; that pities, and resolves,
after deliberation, to grant them speedy relief. " Blessed
is he," even while considering in what way he can do
thera the raost good : Prov. xiv. 21. The poor widow,
whose agonized heart he makes glad, blesses him ; the
ORPHAN, whose tears he dries up by supplying his pressing
wants, blesses him ; the poor, sick, and afflicted, with all
that are distressed, whether in raind, body, or estate, will
lift up their eyes to heaven, pour blessings on his head,
and kiss the kind hand of their deliverer : Prov. xxii. 9.
But the blessings he receives frora the poor, whose suf
fering he softens, are not to be compared with the bles
sedness he feels in his own bosom : Acts xx. 35. He
shall, not only be blessed of raan, and blessed in himself,
but blessed of God.
2d. "The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble."
There is no situation in which man can be placed, in this
life, but he will always find troubles peculiar to that
situation. But whoever considers the poor shall be
reraerabered by tbe Lord ; and as he had corapassion
on others in the time of distress, so "He will dehver him
in the time of trouble." If we consider not the poor,
we are, not only unkind to our fellow-creatures, but un
grateful to God ; through whose tender mercies it is, that
WE can see the blind, hear the deaf, talk of the dumb,
walk to the lame, and vis'it the sick. Should you bt
so poor, that you cannot give to the poor, you will bc
blessed if you do but consider the poor ; and when you
cannot give a penny you may lend a hand. Whatevei
you give to, or do for the poor, the Lord takes it as
done to himself; and will assuredly pay you again.
Prov. xix. 17. The poor ye always have with you.
Matt. xxvi. 11.

TC THE CHARITABLE. 257
" To do good and communicate forget not ; for with such sacrifices God is
irell pleased." Heb. xiii. 16.
No man is what he says, but what he does. Some
have charity always in their mouths, but never in their
hearts; and such are great talkers, but little doers : Prov.
xiv. 23. "To do good" is our indispensable duty. God
will not be put off with good talking, without good doing;
for words are but wind, and will neither feed the hungry
nor clothe the naked : James ii. 14 — 16. The Lord is
so concerned for the poor, that he considers himself
slighted when the poor are neglected : Deut. xv. 7 — 11 .
There are those who are ready to do good when it costs
them nothing ; and lest you should be tempted to imitate
their example, it is added, "and to communicate forget
not;" 2 Cor. ix. 6, 7. According to the utmost of our
ability, we must communicate to the necessities of oth
ers ; and not think of putting them off with our prayers
and good wishes ; for either a prayer or a wish, that is
not worth a cent, will be of but little service to a poor
sufferer: Eccl. xi. 1, 2. If God has given to you but
little, he does not expect you to give much; but he
does expect you to do all you can for those who are
poorer than yourself: Prov. xi. 24. "Forget not" to
do all you can, and the best you can; and then, depend
not upon your good deeds, but upon Christ alone;
"for ivith such sacrifices God is well pleased." And, as
a proof of his being well pleased, he will accept your
offering, bless your soul, and give you the evidence
within that he is well pleased with what you have
done : Luke vi. 38.
Nothing exalts the human character more than acts
of disinterested benevolence. Our blessed Jesus " went
about doing good." None ever applied to hira for aid
but were sent away rejoicing. The Saviour persevered
in doing good, and was never weary of it. It is our duty,
as Christians, to copy after him : Matt. xi. 29. Let us,
by soft pity and tender compassion to the wretched, by
going about, as far as we have opportunity, to seek the
sons and daughters of affliction, and when we find thera
in their abodes of wretchedness, pity them ; and by acts
of kindness show that we possess the mind that was in
Christ: Phil. ii. 5. Feed the hungr^r; clothe the naked ;
comfort the mourner ; and instruct the ignorant.
22"*

258 TO SUPPORTING GOD's MINISTERS AND WORSHIP.
'' The Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and tne
•irangf r, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, sliall
come, and shaJ eat and be satisfied ; that the Lord thy God may bless thee
in ail the work of thine hand which thou doest." Deut. xiv. 29.
It is a great mercy to have a portion in the world ;
but a great misery to have the world for our portion.
The Lord has ever been known to be a helper of the
helpless ; and has a peculiar regard for such as others
are too apt to neglect : Ps. xli. 1 — 3. It appears evi
dent, that the Lord never intended for his ministers to
live like ministers of state ; for, in the general, he has
ever kept them poor. But though this is the case, he
will not suffer them to be neglected; for while he
makes it an indispensable duty to consider the poor,
he adds, "and the Levite;" who is kept poor that he
might know how to preach to the poor; Luke iv. 18;
and also to try the liberality of the rich. The Lord
has provided better things for his faithful ministers,
than the gaudy, erapty things of this vain world ; still
they must be supported by those among whom they
labor : 1 Cor. ix. 1 — 14.
Ministers ought to live by preaching, but they cannot
live on it ; each one, therefore, should be provided for
by those who have his labors ; "because he hath no part
nor inheritance ;" nor any other means of procuring a
support for himself, his time being all taken up in the
work of the ministry. That is a very powerful reason
why a minister should be provided for by the people to
whom he ministers ; " because he hath no part nor in
heritance with thee." Though Paul labored with his
own hands, and ministered to his own necessities, on
some occasions ; Acts xviii. 3 ; xx. 34 ; he has proved
that those who preach the go.spel, should be supported
by the people : 1 Cor. ix. 9 — 14. His wants were sup
plied by the brethren of Macedonia ; 2 Cor. xi. 9 ;
and when he and his friends left Melita, the peo
ple loaded them with such things as they needed:
Acts xxviii. 10.
"And ihe stranger" raust have kindness shown to-
him, that he raight not think unfavorably of religion,
but be won to it. "And ihe fatherless and ihe widow "
must not be neglected, nor suffered to want ; but par
ticular care should be taken that they "eat and be sat
isfled," (fee.

TO SUPPORTING GOD S MINISTERS AND WORSHIP. 259
" Let him that is taught in the word, communicste to him that teacheth m
all good things." Gal. vi. 6.
Christian ministers have a high designation — " Ser
vants ofthe most high God;" Acts xvi. 17; and which
imports that their coraraission is frora Him : Mark xvi.
15, 16. The Lord, in his infinite wisdom and good
ness, has seen fit to teach man by the ministry of man ;
and has forbidden those who preach the Gospel, to en
tangle themselves with the things of the world ; 2 T'im.
ii 4 ; but has made it the duty of those who hear tho
Gospel, to support thera who preach it.
"Let him that is taught in the word," ever bear in
mind, that as there are some to be taught, so there raust
be sorae to be teachers ; and that it is the duty of every
one taught, to "communicate to him ihat teacheth:"
Rom. XV. 27. The ministry of the Gospel is of Divino
appointment ; and those whom God calls and qualifies,
are in duty bound to preach it ; while it is equally in
cumbent on all to hear it: Rom. x. 14 — 17. Ministers
are God's servants ; but are neither slaves to, nor lords
over the people : 1 Pet. v. 3. Their business is to in
struct others "in the word" oi God ; and it is at their
peril to preach anything else as a substitute for "the
word;" 2 Tim. iv. 2; neither are you under obligation
to believe anything they preach that cannot be clearly
proved by "the word:" Acts xvii. 11. Neither is it a
minister's business to domineer over your faith ; but to
explain "the word" unto you, as the only rule of faith
and practice : 2 Cor i. 24. Ministers should never cull
the Scriptures ; but preach the whole of the word .
.Acts XX. 27. And while he is thus laboring for and
teaching you, both reason and Scripture say, you ought
to "communicate to him that teacheth in all good
things." While he is freely communicating to you in
all spiritual things which God has given to him, it ia
your duty and privilege to, liberally and cheerfully,
communicate unto hira ".in all good things" the Lord
has given to you: 1 Cor. ix. 11—14. He has no right
to expect extravagant and sumptuous things ; but "all
good things" are his due ; and he reasonably expects
them ; both for himself and those whora God may have
committed to his care. Any shepherd ought to fare as
well as his flock.

860 TO THE MERCIFUL.
" The merciful man doeth good to his own soul." Prov. ii. 11.
Mercy ! What a charming sound ! it is the cheerer
of the heart — the burden of our song — the wonder of
Heaven — the envy of hell — the admiration of men —
and the distinguished attribute of God !
"The merciful man," who keeps mercy constantly
within him, is ever ready freely to do all the good he
can to the miserable and distressed around him : Prov.
lii. 3, 4. When provoked, or wronged, he remembers
mercy ; and is always ready to forgive injuries rather
than resent them ; and is ever disposed to manifest un
deserved kindness, by pitying, comforting, helping, and
delivering all who are distressed : Ps. xviii. 25. He is
ever studying and practising good; and in so doing,
"doeth good to his own soul." He that doeth good
with his goods, shall have the blessing of God, which
is the greatest good : Prov. xxii. 9. The man who
will not scatter his seed, but keeps it shut up in his
barn, need never expect a good harvest. But truly
blessed is that man who is continually scattering bles
sings around him, in works of piety, and generosity :
Ps. xli. 1 — 3. He has the blessed satisfaction of know
ing, that he has done his duty ; and in so doing has
contributed to the corafort and happiness of others ; and
feels that his own soul has been refreshed with spirit
ual blessings, while comforting others with temporal
blessings : Isa. Iviii. 10, 11. " 'The merciful raan" will
hurt no one ; but delights in doing good to all ; he lives
to do good ; and is never better pleased than when he
has it in his power to show raercy ; and thus "do good
to his own soul." The law of love is written on his
heart ; he strives with untiring zeal to hunt out, bind
up, and heal, every wound distress has made ; and
make the soul of every living thing rejoice. He v ews
the race of man as one vast family of brothers, s .?ters,
friends ; and if one transgresses the laws of that family
by doing him, or any one else an injury, he is ready to
forgive. " The raerciful man" counts nothing that he
has his own ; but, like a faithful steward in a great
alms-house, -what he has received he freely gives to all
that need. And if he has a foe, it rejoices his heart to
have it in his power do him good, and extend to bim
the hand of mercv.

TO THE MERCIFUL. 261
" Blessed ar« the merciful ; for they shall obtain mercy.' Matt. v. 7.
A LITTLE mercy is worth a deal of pity. Self is a
near kinsman, but a bad neighbor ; and a man who truly
loves himself will never confine his goodness to himself*
Luke vi. 38. And he who cares for no one but self, is
the greatest enemy to himself.
"Bhssed are the mercifid." God is so delighted with
mercy, that he has pronounced the merciful already
blessed. Blessed are those who are ever ready to re
lieve and forgive others : Deut. xxiv. 12, 13.. A man
may be too poor to be bountiful ; but he can never be
too poor to be merciful ; for where there is not the way,
God will accept of the will : 2 Cor. viii. 12. We
should bear our own sufferings patiently; and contribute
to the relief of others cheerfully: Job vi. 14. That
mercy which we could reasonably desire or expect that
others should show to us, were we in their circum
stances and they in ours, we should show to them:
Matt. viL 12. Pity without mercy will avail us noth
ing; we should, therefore, be merciful to' the souls, as
well as the bodies of men ; and evince it by instructing
the ignorant, warning the careless, comforting the
mourner, and reclaiming the wanderer : Isa. Iviii. 10,
11. The merciful are, not only blessed now, that is,
while shewing mercy, but they shall be blessed in
future; for "they shall obtain mercy" from men, if ever
they need it ; and though they may never need it from
the hand of man, all need mercy of God continually ;
and they shall obtain it. For we may expect to be dealt
with as we deal with others: James iL 13.' They shall
obtain sparing mercy; Matt. vi. 14; supporting mercy;
Ps. xli. 2 ; and supplying mercy : Prov. xix. 17. For
every act of mercy, "they shall obtain mercy;" but noi
v/ages : 2 Tim. i. 16—18.
We profess to be believers in the Gospel; it is called
a hw, and has all the requisites of a law ; precepts,
with rewards and punishments annexed. It prescribes
duty, as well as administers comfort ; and Christ is as
much a King to rule, as he is a Prophet to teach and a
Priest to atone for us. We are under his royal law of
liberty : James ii. 8. The Lord is a faithful Banker ;
and whoever lends to him can never be a loser ; but will
always be a great gainer.

262 TO FORGIVING INJURIES.
" Say not thou, I will recompense evil ; liut wait cn the Lord, and he shall
save thee." Prov. xx. 22.
To render evil for evil, is man-like ; to render evil for
good, is devil-like ; but to render good for evil, is God
like. A forgiving disposition must always dwell in the
Christian's bosom.
"Say not thou, Iwill recompense evil;" for that is to
act beneath the dignity of a Christian ; and it is alwaj s
better to suffer wrong than to do wrong : 1 Pet. iii. 14,
17. While you are in the world, and have to do with
the world, you raay expect to be affronted and troubled
by the world : John xvi. 33. But a raerciful man is ever
ready to exercise mercy toward all; and freely forgives
every repentant subject. Whatever provocations you
may receive, always cherish a disposition to forgive them ;
and never take vengeance into your own hand ; for that
belongs to the Lord : Rom. xii. 9. Let others say what
they may, or do what they will ; but say not thou, "I
will recompense evil." Never so much as desire it; do
not suffer the thought to lodge in your heart, that when
a favorable opportunity presents itself you will recom
pense evil. Never say you will do anything that you
cannot do in the name of the Lord Jesus"; and ask God's
blessing upon : Col. iii. 17. "Bui wait on the Lord" by
faith, and prayer, and a humble resignation to his will;
whatever befalls you, or whatever you do, grow not re
miss in your attendance upon God : Ps. xxvii. 14. Keep
up your spirits : and let not the wrongs you suffer draw
your mind from God, who has your cause in his hand ;
" and He shaU deliver thee." Wait on hira as your Mas
ter ; be in constant attendance, ready to obey all his
comraands; wait on hira as your Saviour; for he has
engaged to deliver and comfort you ; Ps. xxv. 3. Think
not, that because you do not recompense one evil, that
that will expose you to another ; for that will not be the
case; the Lord will see to it, that more good shall be
recompensed to you, than will counterbalance the evil
you might have sustained ; yea, "He shall save thee;"
come what will of those that injure thee: Isa. xxxv. 4.
Injuries are hard to be borne; but resenting them can
never remove them; forgive them, and that will cure
them. The most effectual mean of destroying our ene
mies, is love.

TO FORGIV.NG INJURIES. 263
" If vp forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive
you " Matt. vi. 14.
Occasions of difference will happen, even araong
Christ's disciples ; and therefore, they raust be placable,
and ready to forgive ; therein resembling God, who, for
Christ's sake, hath forgiven thera : Eph. iv. 32. The
man who cannot relent toward his offending brother,
gives a striking proof, that he has never relented to
wards God. They who are forgiven of God, should
forgive even as God forgives; sincerely and heartily,
readily and universally, cheerfully and forever. It is
an awful thing for any one to pray, as our Lord has
taught us, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
THEM that trespass against us," unless they in their
hearts freely and fully forgive others. In fact, it is to
pray that God would noi forgive us ; seeing we pray
that He would forgive us, as, or like, we forgive them
whom we do not forgive : Matt. vi. 15.
"If ye forgive men their trespasses," the injuries
they have done you, the evils they have spoken of you,
with every other provocation, so as to bear no malice,
meditate no revenge, and upbraid them not, "your heav
enly Father will also forgive you." None need ever
expect to enjoy a sense of God's forgiving love, while
they cherish an unforgiving spirit toward others.
Every Christian is under the most sacred obligation to
forgive injuries. The obligation arises, 1st. From the
consideration of his own liability to offend, and so to
need forgiveness : Gal. vi. 1. 2d. The example of God,
which ought to be imitated by us : Matt, xviii. 32, 33.
And, 3d. "That which carries the obhgation to its height
is God has commanded it : Mark xi. 25, 26. Can any
quarrel with this comraand as an unreasonable one 1
Can any traraple upon it with irapunity ? Will any
one rather forego the forgiving love of God, than for
give a brother that has injured him ? How much more
has "your heavenly Father" already forgiven you,
than you are called upon to forgive others ? Our sins
against God are called debts, which we have contract
ed ; and if, when we were unable to pay, God so freely
forgave our wilful, innumerable, inexcusable debts,
surely we ought cheerfully to " forgive men their tres
passes."

264 TO purity.
" who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in hii
holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart." Ps. xxiv. 3. 4.
Old Testament saints received inward purity of heart
frora the same fountain, Jesus, and through the same
means as we now do ; faith in him : Zech. xiii. 1.
Every institution of purification under the law, referred
to the Redeemer, the purifier of his people. Observe.
1st. " Who shall ascend into the Mil of the Lord."
David compares "the hill of the Lord," on which the
temple stood, with the hills of Bashan, and other high
and fruitful hills ; and prefers it before them ; although
it was much smaller, and was not covered with flocks
and herds as the other hills were: Ps. Ixviii. 15. Bnt
it had the pre-eminence above thera ; because it was the
hill where the Lord was graciously pleased to dwell,
and raanifest the tokens of his peculiar presence : Ps.
cxxxii. 13, 14. It was soraetiraes called Zion : and
was a type of the Gospel-church, which is therefore
called mount Zion : Ps. Ixv. 1 ; Heb. xii. 22. It is much
more honorable to be holy in the sight of God, than to
be great in the sight of the world. There is no way
of ascending the holy hill but through the humble vale.
There is no kingdora upon earth comparable to the
Kingdom of the Redeeraer ; for there God dwells ; and
every subject is heir to a kingdora: Luke xii. 82.
' Who shall ascend ?" Those who descend : Matt, xviii.
4. " Who shall stand in his holy place?"
2d. Here is the answer. "He that hath clean hands;"
whose hands hold on to no sin, having been washed in
the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness ; and freed
from the pollutions of this world : 1 Tim. ii. 8. Let no
one think of standing in His holy place, till he has first
washed his hands : Ps. xxvi. 6. But it will not do to
have a white hand and a black heart ; for we must be
pure before God, as well as clean before men. "Clean
hands and a pure heart" must go together. Sinners
are the objects of God's love; but sin is the cursed thing
that he hates; Rora. v. 8. In purity and holiness he
delights; and without this, no raan ever did, or ever
shall see the Lord : Heb. xii. 14. This purity of heart,
with every other needed blessing, has been purchased
for you by Christ Jesus : 1 Cor. i. 30. Be a partaker
af no sin. but keep thyself pure : 1 Tira. v 22.

TO PURITY. 265
" Blessed are the pure in heart ; for they shall see God.- Matt. v. 8.
Happiness is the legitimate offspring of Holiness.
Religion in the head will produce giddiness, unless the
heart be washed from wickedness ; Jer. iv. 14.
1st. "Bhssed are the pure in heart;" yea, it is their
present blessedness to be children of a holy God;
members of the blessed Jesus; subjects of the holy
Spirit's renewing influence; and partakers of a holy
failh : Rom. viii. 15 — 17. Hence, it is natural to every
holy, new-born soul, to love holiness, as agreeable to
the perfections of God, and conducive to their own hap
piness : Ps. cxix. 97. How destitue of true blessedness
must they be who suppose that holiness tends to pro
duce gloominess I They, and they alone, are truly
blessed, whose hearts have been washed from the pol
lutions of sin; from worldly lusts; from all unchaste
desires ; and from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit ;
Mark vii. 21 — 23 ; and who possess a heart purified
by faith in the Lord. Jesus Christ: Gal. v. 6. - Nothing
short of an apphcation of the blood of Christ, by faith,
can make the heart of man clean : 1 John i. 7. And
the only way to keep the heart pure, is, to keep it from
sin: 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. The pure in heart are blessed
now, and shall be blessed hereafter.
2d. " They shall see God." They see him now by an
eye of faith ; and that makes thera blessed, even while
upon earth : 2 Cor. rv. 7. It is true, they have but a
small degree of blessedness while here, when compared
with what awaits them, on account of their having so
imperfect a view of God ; for they can only see him like
looking at the sun through a dark, thick glass : 1 Cor.
xni. 12. But if such a faint sight of God makes a heaven
upon earth, what a blessed Heaven of heavens must
Heaven be, when they shall see him as he is ! 1 John
lii. 2. A stranger intermeddleth notwith the blessedness,
the holy joy, and sweet complacency, possessed by "the
pure in heart," in bringing forth the precious fruits of
hoUness. Every disciple of Jesus is called to the know
ledge and enjoyment of this blessedness ; it is free for all
who will seek after it ; and none can be happy without
it. Do you possess this blessedness? What, then
shall be the determining rule of your conduct? Let
your heart be puie, and your hfe holy and happy.
23

266 TO IMPROVING OUR TALENTS.
" Iu all labor there is profit ; but the talli: of the lips tendeth only to penurv."
Prov. xiv. 23.
All talk and no work may appear respectable ; but
will never prove profitable. As it is in matters which
Delong to the body, so it is with those which concern
the soul : — "In all labor," whether of the head or the
hand, " ihere is profit." Observe,
1st. Working without talking is profitable. Industri
ous people, whatever might be their calling, are generally
thriving people ; and it is the diligent hand that earns
and turns the penny. And there is nothing more natural,
than for those who labor to look to their employers for
their wages : Deut. xxiv. 14, 15. And all who labor in
the Lord, may depend upon it their labors shall not be
forgotten : Heb. vi. 10. The most we can do for the
Lord is but little ; and that little it is our interest to do ;
for our religion must Consist in work as well as talk ;
or we shall not profit by it. The man who has to
commence business with a small capital, must be indus
trious if he would become rich : Prov. x. 4. They who
labor in the Lord are united to him, derive all their
strength frora him, are employed by him, and should
earnestly endeavor to iraprove the talents they have
received of hira: Luke xix. 13.
2d. Talking without working "tendeth only io pen
ury." Great talkers are generally little workers ; un
less talking is their business. Those that love to talk
much of their business, who make more noise than
work, and waste their time in telling and hearing some
thing new, will soon waste what they have ; and learn
by sad experience, that "the talk of the lips tendeth
only to penury." In the affairs of our souls, it is true,
much may be done by talking. Every individual has,
at least, one talent, and which he should labor to im
prove. Let those who have a preaching talent, faith
fully improve it; while those who have not that talent,
should do all they can to support those who have ; and
labor themselves in every other possible way to instruct
others. Whoever strives earnestly in prayer will find
profit in it ; and a word spoken in season to encourage
others will be profitable. But our rehgion must not all
run off in talking. In nnproving our talents v.-^e improve
otirse ves and others.

TO IMPROVING OUR TALENTS. 267
" Well done, good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithfhl over a fsw
things, I will make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of
thy Lord." Matt. xxv. 23.
Our Lord designs by this parable to show us, thai
we are all the servants of God ; that he has given to
each of us what he pleases ; and we are in duty bound
to improve what we have received, whether it be' one,
two, or five talents, and be satisfied with it. The
gifts which God bestows, and the opportunities he
affoids for our usefulness, are called pounds ; Luke xix.
13; or talents: Matt. xxv. 15. And though he gives
to some, more than he does to others, yet all ought
faithfully to improve what they receive. He who im
proved his two talents met with the same kind and
honorable approval, "Well done," as the one who had
improved his^«;e. Each was declared to be a "good
and faithful servant." A humble believer may be ready
to ask, How can I be good, when I have no good thing
belonging to me? Rom. vii. 18; or how can I be a
faithful servant, who have proved so wnfaithful in
everything? and what is it that I have done well?
Notwithstanding, the Saviour will say to those who
have done good with their goods, "Thou hast been
faithful over a few things" which I have entrusted thee
with ; and though they were but few, now "I will make
ihee ruler over many things :" Matt. xxiv. 46, 47. And
since it is impossible for all thy Lord's joy to enter
thee, "enter thou into ihe joy of thy Lord :" Rev. i. 5, 6.
Have you no talent to improve ? not one ? Have you
no work to do ? Be assured of it, we have all constant
works that deraand our close and serious attention. 1st.
Works of piety; such as praying and praising; read
ing and hearing the word of God ; with all other public,
private, and social means of grace. 2d. Works of
mercy. We are to instruct the ignorant, admonish the
profane, visit the sick, relieve the needy, comfort the
distressed, pray for our enemies, do good unto all men,
and bless them that curse us. 3d. Works of self-
denial. To deny ourselves whatever is sinful, to put
off the old man, to mortify the deeds of the body, to
crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, must be
our constant employment. We must in all things do
well, to meet with a " Well-done."

268 TO CONTENTMENT.
" Let not thine heart envy sinners ; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all
the day long. For surely there is an end; and tliine expectation shall not be
cut oil." Pro', xxiii. 17, 18.
Envy is one of the devil's brats, and never should
be nursed by any child of God. The joy of envy is
another's wo ; and the man of envy is never half so
blest as when he sees a brother fall from wealth to
want ; from peace to strife ; frora honor to reproach ;
from mirth to tears ; or when virtue makes a slip :
Prov. xiv. 30.
1st. "Let not thine heart envy sinners" who take
pleasure in their sins ; but rather pity them. For what
good things they now have, and for which they barter
their all, will shortly be taken from them, and they will
find they have raade a sad bargain : Matt. xvi. 26. Do
not " envy sinners " their prosperity, for that is their
only portion ; Ps. xvii. 14 ; and that which they grow
fat on now will poison thera in the end ; Prov. i. 32.
2d. "Bui be thou in the fear of fhe Lord all ihe day
long." Make it your daily business to " fear the Lord ;"
and while you are thus every day employed, you will
have neither time nor disposition to "envy sinners."
While blest with a sense of His love, you can have
nothing to wish or to fear; but will be thankful for
what you have, and willing to want what He is not
willing to give; and though you may have a light
pocket, that will not keep you from a merry heart ;
Prov. XV. 15, 16.
3d. "For surely there is an end ;" and things will not
continue long as they now are. " There is an end" to
the prosperity of the wicked ; Ps. Ixxiii. 18, 19 ; an end
to all their pursuits, profits, pleasures, and enjoyments ;
1 Cor. vii. 31. "There is an end" also to the labors,
trials, buffetings, afilictions, and spiritual fightings, of
them that " fear tbe Lord :" 2 Cor. iv. 17. Our life will
have an end: Gen. ih. 19. Whatever our present con
dition might be, we cannot continue in it long. " For
surely there is an end ; and thine expectation shall not
be cut off:" Jer. xxix. 11. Whatever God has promised
you, shall not only be done, but wonderfully outdone:
Rom. XV. 4. Consider the end ; make use of the means ;
and press on to the end : Phil. hi. 1, 14. Contentment
with godliness is great gain.

TO CONTENTMENT. 269
"Godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Tim. vi. 6.
Sometimes the term, " godliness," more immediately
refers to that particular part of religion which concerns
our duty to God ; but here, we regard it as including the
whole of genuine religion; consisting of doctrines,
duties, and privileges. They who make Christianity a
trade, will never find them.selves to be gainers by it in
the end; but all who closely attend to it as a calling,
will find it a most beneficial one. Many who are strang
ers to godliness, hope to make a gain of it; but all
who are acquainted with it, know from experience that
"Godliness with contentment is great gain:" Ps. xxxvii.
16. Godhness and contentment are constant compan
ions; for true contentment grows out of real godliness;
and that is the Christian's wealth while in this world:
Prov. xvi. 16. It is the wisdom of God to give to men
not all alike, but what seemeth him good; and it is the
wisdom of man to be content with what he receives ;
and it is "godliness," which itself is gain, that makes
a man content in every situation : Phil. iv. 11.
A holy man has a heart happy in itself; bliss in his
bosom ; counts enough, wealth ; envies none their lot ;
his wishes are few, and easy to be obtained ; his power
bounds his will ; care he has none ; doing well is his
treasure ; grace is his health ; and changes in Provi
dence make no change in him ; for though he stays in
the world, he lives far above it : Ps. Ixxiii. 25. The
only true way to gain, is to become a Christian ; and
the Christian's gain is godliness ; which far exceeds all
worldly gain; and godliness being accompanied with
contentment makes it "great gain:" Phil. iii. 7, 8.
Past things can never be recalled, and future things
aie it: the hand of God; let us, therefore, be content
wilh the things we have ; Heb. xiii. 5. Consider, 1st.
What good things of this life you have. Be they little
or much, do you deserve them ? Lam. iii. 22. Consider,
8d. What spiritual blessings you have. You have
the unchanging love of God fixed upon you : Jer.
xxxi. 3. You have the life, dealh, and intercession of
the Son of God, for your righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption : 1 Cor. i. 30, You have the Holy
Spirit of God, for your Guide, Comforter, «fcc. : John
xiv. 16, 26. 23*

CHAPTER III.

PKOM.ISES TO DUTIES BELONGING TO BOTH TABLES.

TO THE meek.
" The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among
men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." Isa. xxix. 19.
He is the greatest -conqueror who has subdued him
self And the man who gets and keeps the victory
over himself is by far a greater victor than was Alex
ander ; in as much as he quells an insurrection at home,
which is more glorious than to resist an invasion from
abroad : Prov. xvi. 32.
"The meek," the humble, lowly, and contrite in
heart, who tremble at God's wOrd and raake it the rule
of their life, are the happiest, and raost honorable people
in the world : Isa. Ivii. 15. They have joy, to which
the world are entire strangers : John xiv. 22, 23. The
poor in spirit will never be injured by poverty in pocket;
for when affliction comes, they will always be able to
accomraodate themselves to it; Job ii. 10. The meek
can find "joy in the Lord" when there is none to be
found in the world; and as they are enabled to rejoice
m all their tribulations, when deliverance comes they
"increase in joy." The best joy the world can give, is
fading; but a believer's joy in the Lord is increasing:
IVov. iv. 18. Tbe followers of the meek and lowly
Jesus, are, in general, "the poor among men ;" but their
Eoverty shall not deprive thera of that joy which is to
e had in the Lord ; Heb. vi. 17, 18; for it is promised
to the patient; Rom. v. 3; the humble; Ps. Ixix. 32;
and all such as suffer the will of God: 1 Pet. v. 10.
Meekness cannot fail to increase our happiness.

TO THE MEEP 271
= The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God
of great price." 1 Pet. iii. 4.
Fine feathers make fine birds ; but fine clothes can
never adorn a naked soul ; Rev. iii. 17. Sin stripped
the soul stark naked ; consequently it needs covering
as much, yea, more than the body; although many,
while they spare no pains to decorate the poor, perishing
body, remain careless and unconcerned about their pre
cious souls ! The silly sheep, and poor silk-worm, may
furnish Oi.'- bodies with clothing ; but nothing less than
the righteousness of Christ can clothe the soul : 1 Cor. i.
30; Phil. hi. 9.
The soul's best ornaments are the graces of the Spirit
of God; aiid amongst others, that of " a meek and quiet
spirit." Huraility, Piety, and Prudence, are "orna
ments" that never wax old, or grow out of fashion,
like other ornaraents ; and though many weak minds
think lightly of them, they are "in the sight of God,"
who estimates things according to their true value,
" of great price :" Ps. cxlix. 4. Men raay despise such
ornaments, but that in no way lessens their value;
neither does it make them to look any the worse on those
who wear thsm: Ps. xxxvii. 11. Beauty is but skin-
deep, and soon marred. But if you would wish to ap
pear truly beautiful, see to it that you have the hid
den man of the heart adorned, which can never fail to
attract the eye of God : Ps. xxv. 9. And the heart
being rightly clothed, will teach you how to dress the
body ; and to bear up under all its sufferings : Prov.
xix. 11.
By faith the soul is united to Jesus ; abideth in him .
and receiveth out ofhis fulness grace for grace. Faith
worketh by love ; and love maketh the heart comforta-
ole, and conformable to his laws. By daily fellowship
with God our Saviour, we become more and more con
formed to his lovely likeness. By constantly convers
ing with Jesus, love is maintained in the lieart; and
"a meek and quiet spirit" ever accompanies love.
As we love to see our children well-dressed, so doth
the Lord greatly rejoice over all his dear children in
Christ Jesus ; and is highly pleased with their dress,
which is the spotless robe of his Son's righteousness;
and with their ornaraents, the graces of his Spirit.

272 TO THE HUMBLE.
" Thovgh the Lord be high, yet he hath respect unto the lowly." P».
exxxviii. 6.
The way to get up high is to come down low
Those who patiently bear contempt from wicked men,
shall be respected by God and all good men : Prov.
xvi. 19.
" Though the Lord be high," and independent of all
his creatures, he is not unmindful of them ; and such
is the favor he bears to the hurable, that he never for
gets their cry : Ps. ix. 12. Guard against ' ride as a
thing unbecoraing your character ; a disgrace to your
profession ; a dishonor to your Saviour ; a badge of Sa
tan's livery; a fruit of the flesh; and contrary to the
Spirit. And though the proud may despise the hura
ble, "yet the Lord hath respect unto thera:" Prov.
xxix. 23. "Though the Lord be high;" though his
being and perfections are exalted infinitely above every
creature, not only high above all that they can have,
but above all that they can conceive concerning hira,
"yet hath he respect unto ihe lowly." He is the high and
lofty One, higher than the highest : Eccl. v. 8. Yea,
He is higher than the highest heavens ; Ps. cxiii. 4 ; and
Lord alone ; Neh. ix. 5, 6. Yet, He is not so high but he
can stoop so low as to respect the lowly ; and is so well
pleased with thera, that he deigns to bow over the bat-
tleraents of heaven, to cast a gracious look upon them ;
Isa. Ivii. 15. And even while he has heaven for his
throne, and eartm for his footstool. He overlooks both
to look and smile upon them: Isa. Ixvi. 1,2. "He
hath respect" unto the hurable penitent, and accepts
-ii him ; while he looks at the proud afar off.
Those who scorn to be beholding to the grace of God,
.jxjiose themselves to the scorn of the God of grace ;
Prcv. iii. 34. But those who hurable themselves to bear
the cross, shall be exalted to wear the crown: 2 Tira.
iv. 8. The surest way to become rich and honorable,
is to become poor and contemptible : Prov. xxii. 4. The
hurablest sinners make the brightest saints : Job xxii.
29. Say, Christian, is the love of God in Christ Jesus
the source of all present grace, and the security of future
glory I Surely this ought to sink us low and keep us
humble ! yet, it should excite hope and keep us rejoicing
in the Redeemer.

TO THE HUMRLE. 273
" He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke xviii. 14
When we come before God it should be in our rags ;
and not in our robes ; Prov. xi. 2. The proud hypocrite
justifies himself; but God justifies the humble sinner ;
Luke xviii. 13, 14. Humbleness, or humility, consists
in having low thoughts of ourselves, and a sense of our
weakness and unworthiness, and acting accordingly ;
James iv. 6. In this frame of mind we imitate God,
who, though high, humbleth himself; that is, condescends
to look upon and care for all his creatures ; Ps. cxiii. 6 ;
and imitate Christ, who is meek and lowly ; and who
for our sakes, condescends to make himself of no repu
tation : Phil. ii. 6 — 8. This temper is highly pleasing
to God ; and prepares us for further degrees of fellow
ship with him, and blessings from him : Prov. xxii. 4.
"He that humbleth himself," under a sense of the
greatness of his sins, becomes subject to God ; and by
Hitn "shall be exalted:" Prov. xxix. 23. Humility
evinces its subject to be a child of God ; and is joined
with peace, contentraent, and resignation to tbe will of
God : James iv. 6, 10. A sense of our nothingness
grows out of an acquaintance with ourselves ; and is a
temper of soul that prepares for an increase of faith.
" He that hurableth himself" may appear least among
tnen; but he shall be greatest in the kingdom of
heaven : Matt, xviii. 4. He shall be exalted into the
favor and family of God : John. i. 12. He shall have
the privilege of holding converse with God; as a child
with a father ; and when he shall come of age, be ex
alted as high as the throne of God : Rom. viii. 14 — 18.
It is the free and eternal love of God which is the source
of every blessing we receive frora hira ; Rom. xi. 6 ;
for we have nothing of our own, but sin ; and nothing
in which we can boast, but the cross of Christ; GaL
vi, 14, What have we to be proud of? It is impossi
ble for a proud sinner and a holy God ever to be recon
ciled: for God resisteth the proud, as being enemies
both to him and his : 1 Pet. v. 5. The first step toward
heaven is huraility ; and every succeeding step raust
be humility. Humility makes men to look like angels:
and the want of it made angels to become devils : Jude
I). A Christian never looks so well as when fully
clothed with humility from head to foot.

274 TO THE CONTRITE AND MOURNERS.
" The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart ; and saveth such
Bs be of a contrite spirit." Ps. xxxiv. 18.
Many love to sin with David, while but few love to
repent with him : Ps. xli. 4. No prayers, no tears,
no duties, no conditions, can heal the wound that sin has
made; no, our best works and holiest duties are stained
with pollution ; nothing but the blood of the Lamb can
bring peace to the conscience, and healing to the soul :
John i. 29. As Christ's body was broken for our sins,
so should our hearts be broken on account of our sins.
"The Lord is nigh unto ihem that are of a broken
heart;" notwithstanding, they may think to the contra
ry, and suppose that their crimes are of so flagrant a
nature, and their sins of so deep a dye, that the Lord
will not have raercy on thera ; and that, in consequence
of their having sinned against so ranch light and love,
God has taken an everlasting flight, and will no more
return to have corapassion on them : Ps. Ixxvii. 7 — 9.
It is God alone can make the hard heart to become soft :
Job xiii. 16. And when the Lord causes the heart to be
broken on account of sin. He is always nigh to have com
passion on the penitent sinner : Lam. iii. 32, 33. His
mercy endureth forever ; which is a good reason why
mourning cannot last long: Ps. ciiL 17. You raay
have broken raany proraises, and the thought of your
faithlessness raay break your heart ; but let it not cause
3'^ou to despair ; for God will never break his : Heb. vi. 1 8.
" The Lord is nigh unto you ;" not only as a looker-
on, but as a helper ; "and saveth such as be of a contrite
spirit." He supports and comforts them, lest their spirits
should become too much broken : Isa. Ivii. 15. 'They
whose hearts are truly broken, that is, humbled, wound
ed, pained, and troubled, at the sight of their sins, shall
assuredly be saved from their sins ; for he saveth such :
Ps. li. 17. There is balm in Gilead ; and He will heal
every wound that sin has made ; and bind up the bro
ken, bleeding heart: Ps, cxlvii. 3. For mourning, he
will give singing ; and for sorrow, laughter : Eccl. vh.
4. Go humbly to the Lord ; confess your sin with all
its aggravation; use the Publican's plea, "God be
merciful to me a sinner I" and you will find him more
faithful and just to forgive your sins, than you are to
confess them.

ro THE CONTRITE AND MOURNERS. 275
"Blessed ire the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Malt. V. 3.
Poverty in the spirit is better than gold in the pocket.
Consider, 1st. Who are the "poor in spirit?" Among
men, those are counted poor, who are destitute of what
this world calls good. And the "poor in spirit" aro
ihose who have no riches spiritually ; and being sensi
ble of their lost and undone condition, they labor under
great dejection, and are ready to say, "Even in laugh tei
my heart is sorrowful; and the end of mirth is heavi
ness:" Prov. xiv. 13. They behold themselves as
destitute of every spiritual good. Such are the "poor
in spirit." 2d. What is the kingdom of heaven?
" Neither shall they say, Lo here ! or Lo there ! for
behold, the kingdora of God is within you :" Luke xvii.
21. Jesus Christ hiraself is eraphatically called " the
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN :" Matt. iiL 2, 3. And it is very
hard for those who fancy theraselves rich, to deny them
selves and enter this kingdom ; to strip themselves, and,
by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, to be found clothed
in his righteousness : 1 Cor. i. 30. "Theirs is the king
dom of heaven." 3d. How did the kingdom of heaven
become the property of the ' ' poor in spirit ? ' ' Observe,
it does not say, theirs shall be, but " theirs is the king
dom of heaven." How came it theirs? By the love
of God, and the gift of God. " For God so loved the
world that he gave them his only begotten Son :" John
iii. 16. " Herein is love, not that we loved God, but
that he loved us:" 1 John iv. 10. And, 4th. In what
their blessedness consists? "Blessed aue the poor in
spirit; for theirs is the kingdora of heaven." Thus it
is evident, the possession of Christ is the cause of tlieir
blessedness ; they are blessed in the enjoyraent of him.
They are blessed in Christ Jesus with all spiritual
blessings. He is their wisdom, righteousness, sanc
tification, and redemption: 1 Cor. i. 30. Jesus is unto
them all they need; and his church is made up of
humble, self-abased, contrite souls.
A man must be emptied of self, before he can be
filled with Christ; he must become "poor in spirit"
before he can becorae rich in grace: Jaraes iv. 6 — 10.
Any man who lives beneath the dignity of a Christian
is poor-spirited.

276 TO THEM THAT SUFFER FOR
" Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word ; Your brelhrea
that hated you, cast you out for my name's sake, said. Let tbe Lord be
glorified; but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed." Isa.
Ixvi, 5.
Here, Christian, is a preface that demands your serious
attention. "Hear ihe word of ihe Lord;" whether yon
be rich or poor, bond or free ; both far and near, give
it youi raost serious attention. "Ye that tremble at his
¦word,'' frora a sense ofthe authority and holiness of it;
and choose rather to suffer than violate it; ana are un
der a holy awe of the purity and goodness of the Lord :
Jer. xxxiii. 9. Listen attentively. " Your brethren thut
hated you," hated me before they hated you : John xv.
18. Notwithstanding, they strive to raake it appear
that they loved you ; but your conduct was so base, and
they were so pious, they were compelled to "cast you
out for ¦my name s sake." The truly pious, who endea
vor in all things to glorify God, who reverence his
word, and raake it alone their only rule of faith and
practice, have ever found hypocrites and rotten profess
ors to be their raost cruel persecutors, and vent all
their rage under the cloak of religion : 1 Pet. iv. 12.
It is nothing new, or uncommon, for those who are
farthest from God, to boast of living nearest the church ;
and to cast out those who live nearest to God. Our
Lord told his disciples the world would hate them;
John XV. 19; but he never told thera that the world
would kill them ; O, no ; he well knew it would take a
professor of religion to do that. Hence, he says, " They
shall put you out of their synagogues ; yea, the time
cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he
doeth God service ; John xvi. 2. Though it is evident
that such are, not only of the world, but the worst part
of the world ; still they are not so called ; neither do
they consider themselves such ; for when they persecute
and cast out their brethren, they very devoutly say,
"Lei the Lord be glorified!" It is a lamentable fact,
that owing to unsound professors having too frequently
the rule in churches, the whole artillery of church-
censures are levelled against her best friends. And
such is their blind zeal, that the/, according to con
science, persecute the followers of God with all the
formalities of true devotion : Ps xiv. 6. But "He shall
appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed."

righteousness' sake. 277
" Biessea are ye, wnen mer shall hate you, and when they shall separate
you from theii company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as
evil for the Sonof man's sake." Luke vi. 22.
It matters but little who speaks ill of you, so long as
God speaks well of you. Whatever might be the be-
hever's condition, it is always a blessed condition ; for all
things work together for their internal and eternal good ;
Rom. viiL 28. Christ is a precious Master to serve !
and all who have tried his service have proved it. A
righteous cause may have brought you into suffering,
and the anathemas of men may be flying thick around
you, but let not that disturb you ; for your Iiord declares,
"Bhssed are ye." But reraeraber, it is faith that
brings God, and Christ, and heaven, and happiness into
the soul; for . thought you cannot live without trials,
faith will enable you to live above them : Rora. i. 17.
" Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you." It may
seem a distressed case, for men to hate you ; but, how
ever others may look at it, do you consider it a blessed
state to be in; for such the Saviour calls it. " Blessed
are ye," inasmuch as you are having all the evil
things you ever will have, and are highly honored, in
having such an opportunity afibrded you of glorifying
Christ ; Acts v. 41 ; and of enjoying the special visits
and comforts of his grace ; 2 Cor. i. 5. "And when they
shall separate you from their company," as one altogether
unworthy their society ; and shall look upon you as the
offscouring of all things, and the filth of the world, even
then, "blessed are ye:" 1 Cor. iv. 13. And when, to
justify their cruel and hateful conduct towards you,
they "shall reproach you," by giving you a raost dis
graceful character, saying all that hatred can invent
against you; "blessed are ye." You cannot serve
Christ faithfully without giving offence; offences will
come; but never be offended with thera. And when
men are offended at you, and hate, and separate you
from their company, and reproach you, "and cast out
your name as evil," think it not strange ; for so perse
cuted they the prophets which were before you, both in
tirae and exaraple: Matt. v. 12. Only be careful to
knovir that it is "for the Son of man's sake." Take up
the cross that lies in your way, but never pull one du"Vrn
upon your Viead. 24

278 TO patience and submission.
«
" Tlie hope of the righieous shall be gladness." Prov. x. 28.
We should patiently endure the ills Me cannot cure.
The Scriptures assure us, "There are none righteous,
no, not one ;" Rora. iii. 10. Yet, we must so receive
this testimony as to correspond with other declarations
of the word of God ; for His word must not be held up
as contradictory. As none are righteous in the sight of
God, who keep not the whole law, and nothing is more
evident than that all have sinned, Rora. v. 12, and
violated the law, 1 John iii. 4, it follows, that Jesus
Christ, and Jesus Christ alone, is the righteous man of
the Scriptures ; and that, as raany as put on the Lord
Jesus Christ, are considered as righteous in his right
eousness : Jer. xxiii. 6 ; xxxiii. 16 : Rora. iv. 6 — 8.
It generally happens that the righteous have but
little in hand, though they have rauch in hope ; Rora.
viii. 24, 25. They have a firra expectation of all that
will be good for thera in tirae and eternity. And their
hope is founded, not on raere supposition, or the word
of changeable man, but on the promises, relations, and
perfections of God; Ps. Ixxxiv. 11 ; and the righteous
ness and intercession of Christ : 1 John iii. 2, 3. "The
hope of the righteous" is called "the hope of the
gospel;" as it is begotten by gospel-means, and is
founded on the gracious promises and assurances con
tained in the gospel : Col. i. 23. It is ^ good hope
built on a good foundation ; 2 Thess. ii. 16 ; has a good
object; 1 Tim, i. 1 ; and in the end "shallbe ghdness:"
Col. i. 5. " The righteous" have a lively hope, spring
ing from a spiritual life; which renders them lively,
active and useful : 1 Pet. i. 3. And all their hopes
shall be realized to their unspeakable comfort : Phil. i.
21, 22. The strongest comforts that the world can
afford, are far too weak to support the soul under per
secutions, temptations, and death; but the "hope of
the righteous" is steadfast; so that, in the worst of
times, they have a believing confidence in God, which
keeps them from despair : Ps. xliL 5. " The hope of
the righteous" is their anchor in the storm; and shall
be gladness when the storm is over. Spiritual plea
sures they now have; and endless joys are prepared
for them, and shall be enjoyed by them : Ps. xcvii.
II.

TO PATIENCE AN.- KJBMISSION. 279
• if when you do well, and sufl"er f'.,r ".. ye take it patiently, this is aocep.
«ble with God." 1 Pet. ii. 20,
Well-doing will not exempt you from suffering ; but
\t is good to suffer in a good cause : 1 Pet, iii. 14. A
lively faith begets a cheerfiil heart ; a joyful hope makes
a resigned soul; and a bumble mind produceth a patient
spirit. "If when you do well," you should find that no secu
rity from the malice and mischief of men, but, on the
contrary, have to " suffer for it," let it not cause you
to grow weary in well-doing; nor give you any uneasi
ness; seeing your labor of love shall not be forgotten :i
Heb. vi. 10. "Ye have need of patience;" for you
have enemies the most trying and provoking to contend
with ; and trials to endure that will bring all your grace.'='
into a lively exercise : Heb. x. 36. Endeavor to keep a
conscience void of offence toward God and raan ; and
then fear nothing you raay be called to suffer ; Acts
xxiv. 16. Bow in hurable submission to the rod ; bear
ing in mind, that to suffer for well-doing, the cause of
truth, or any part of a Christian's duty, should be con
sidered a great honor : Acts. v. 41, 42. What you may
be called to endure may be attended with a little pain,
but shall be followed by great pleasure ; and though
you may suffer little, you will gain much, if you " take
it patiently ;" Rom. viii. 35 — 37. Let not the greatness
of your sufferings ever discourage you ; 2 Tim. ii. 12 ;
or the number of your enemies frighten you ¦ 1 Pet.
iii. 14. For though you may not be able to face them,
bear in mind, that your enemies are God's enemies, and
He is more than a match for thera, and will not suffei
thom to hurt you, though they raay be permitted to
annoy you : Acts xviii. 10. Satan will take advantage
of your distress ; and no marvel if he cast the same dart
at you that he threw at your divine Lord: "If thou
be the Son of God," why doth thy loving Father suffer
such distress and aflliction to come upon thee? Faith
can answer every objection. "Shall not the Judge of
all the earth do right ?" Yea, for He cannot do wrong.
By faith we stand; by patience we endure. Christ
was patient under all his weight of sufferings ; do you,
as a Christian, copy after his example; and suffer
patiently.

280 TO PERSEVERANCE.
" The righteous shall bold on his way; and he that hath clean hands shall
be stronger and stronger." Job xvii. 9.
Continuance in the truth is the touchstone of faith.
Jesus is precious only to them that believe : 1 Pet. ii. 7.
There are, however, many who profess his word, but
not being his disciples indeed, they will not continue
long ; and will follow him but a short distance. All
such, never having beheld theraselves as wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, they but
lightly esteem the Saviour. Little things soon put them
to a stand. But, observe,
1st. "The righteous," who are truly sensible that
they have no wisdora, no righteousness, no sanctifica
tion, no rederaption, but what they have in Christ, will
highly prize hira; and every such one "shall hold on
his way :" 1 Cor. i. 30. All who are truly righteous,
are known by their walking in the ways of righteous
ness : Ps. xxiii. 3. " The righteous " are all on a jour
ney frora this world to a better; Heb. xi. 16; and so
very difficult is some part of their way, that, sometimes,
they stumble, and would assuredly tumble was it not
for their Guide : Ps. xxxvii. 23, 24. At other times,
they are exposed to great dangers from enemies way
laying thera ; Ps. xxxviii. 12 ; and, perhaps, about the
same tirae, their way becoraes so dark, that they cannot
see one inch before thera ; Isa. 1. 10 ; still, so far are
they frora thinking of turning, that each one perseveres,
and " holds on his way." Difficulties and dangers may
present themselves, and the enemy may suggest that
it is useless to proceed, for one day or other he will as
suredly fall ; and, therefore, might as well give up at
first as at last. But he does not stand deliberating
whether it is best to proceed or return ; for, having no
armor for the back, he looks to his God, and " holds on
his way:" 1 Sam. ii. 9.
2d. "He that hath clean hands " raay raake himself
easy about his feet ; for so long as he walks in the path
of duty, he need have no fears as to his safety : Ps.
xxxvh. 31. One who has been made sick of sin will
endeavor to keep his hands clean from sin; and by
looking upon the trials and afilictions of others who
feared God, and seeing how they were supported under,
and delivered from them, he grows "stronger,"

TO PERSEVERANCE. 281
" Let us not be weary in well-doing ; for in due season we shall reap, il we
«iiil not." Gal. vi. 9.
Christians, who have had so much good done for
them, should never grow tired in doing good to others :
1 Cor. XV. 58. Not a c^tnnb of comfort, or a drop iff
cold water, given in the name of Christ to one of his
disciples, shall be forgotten by him.
liit. -'Let us not be weary in well-doing;" for it is
easier to do well, than to do ill ; but still, owing to the
opposition we find in our own nature, as also from the
many hindrances we meet frora a persecuting, malicious,
and gainsaying world, there is a danger of becoming
"weary in well-doing:" 2 John 8, 9. We are called,
not to loiter, but to labor ; not to stand idle, but to
work ; not merely to talk of Christ, but to follow him
in precept and exaraple. The wise Disposer of all
events, in the distribution of his providence, has given
much of this world's goods to some, that they might
have an opportunity of doing good to others ; Deut. xv.
10, 11; as also, to try the faith and patience of the
poor: James i. 2 — 4. Instead of being weary, and
thinking, because we have repeatedly done good, that
we are not to do so again, let us seek for fresh oppor
tunities to do good; resting assured that we can never
do too much : 2 Cor. ix. 6 — 8. For,
2d. "In due season we shall reap" the blessing of
God upon that which we have ; Isa. Iviii. 7, 8 ; and
also, the blessings and benefit of their prayers to whom
we have done good ; while we shall reap the solid satis
faction of having done that which was pleasing to God,
and beneficial to our fellow-men ; and which cannot fa -I
to be a never-failing spring of peace and consolation
unto us: Isa. Iviii. 10, 11. The husbandman does not
expect to reap a good harvest without ploughing and
sowing ; yet he is encouraged to perform his daily toil
with cheerfulness, by the hope of reaping " in due
season." I et us, then, labor with all our raight, doing
whatever labor our hands raay find to do ; knowing that
we also "shall reap indue season if we faint noi."
Luke vi. 38. We must not grow weary and withdraw
from well-doing, or we shall both lose our harv est, and
the seed we have already sown : Matt. x. 22. Our re
ward may be long delayed, but it will come.
24*

CHAPTER IV,
PROMISES RELATING TO THE STATE OF THE CHUUrn
OF THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE CHURCH.
' In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensiga
.1 the people ; to it shall the Gentiles seek ; and his rest shall be glorious."
Isa. xi. 10.
Christians never need expect any favor from world
lings : John XV. 19. They ought, therefore, as onefamily,
to be united araong themselves, that they raight assist
and protect each other : John xiii. 35. "In that day,"
the day of Christ the Saviour, "there shall be a root of
Jesse;" Rom. xv. 12 ; and though many look upon him
as "aroot out of dry ground;" Isa. liii. 2; he shall
rise a fiourishing branch out of Jesse's root. He is the
root of David; Rev. v. 5 ; and the offspring of David .
Rev. xxiL 16. "Which shall stand for an ensign of the
peoph." Ensigns, Banners, or Standards, are colors
borne in time of war, for assembling, distinguishing,
directing, and encouraging the people. When the
Israelites were in the wilderness, every tribe had its
particular ensign ; by the which the several tribes were
collected, &c. Christ was raised as an " ensign of the
people." And the blessed Jesus said, "And I, if I be
lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me:"
John xii. 32. He was lifted up on the cross, and after
wards commissioned his disciples to go forth, and hold
him up to the people on the pole of the Gospel ; to ani
mate them on their journey; to encourage and embolden
them in their warfare against Sin, the World, the Flesh,
and the Devil ; and hence. He is called, an " ensign of
the people:" Isa. xi. 12. "To ii shall the Gentiles
seek." The banner ofhis love excites, directs, protects,
and encourages his army in their warfare against sin ;
and whe i ev<;ry foe is subdued, " his rest shall be glo
rious."

OF THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE CHlRCH. 283
" I say unto you. That many shall come from the east and west, and shall
sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven."
Mati. viu. 11.
Thus saith the Lord. "And I will bless them that
bless thee, and curse them that curse thee ; and in thee
shall all families of the earth be blessed : Gen. xii. 3.
Ask of rne, and I will give thee the heathen for thine
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy
possession : Ps. ii. 8. All the ends of the earth shall
remember and turn unto the Lord ; and all the kindreds
of the nation s shall worship before thee. For the king
dom is the Lord's, and he is the Governor among the
nations : Ps. xxii. 27, 28. That thy way may be known
upon earth, thy saving health among all nations ; Ps.
Ixvii. 2. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy
power : Ps. ex. 3. He shall have dominion, also, from
sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the
earth ; Ps. Ixxii. 8. Princes shall come out of Egypt ;
Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God ;
Ps. Ixviii. 31. Yea, all kings shall fall down before
him; all nations shall serve hira: Ps. Ixxii. 11. All
nations whom thou hast raade shall come and worship
before thee, 0 Lord ; and shall glorify thy name : Ps.
Ixxxvi. 9. His narae shall endure forever ; his narae
shall be continued as long as the sun ; and men shall be
blessed in him ; all nations shall call him blessed : Ps.
Ixxii. 17. God shall bless us ; and all the ends of the
earth shall fear him ; Ps. Ixvii. 7. Let the whole earth
be filled with his glory. Araen and Amen."
"And it shall corae to pass in the last days, that the
mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in
the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above
the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it: Isa. ii. 2.
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and
hill shall be made low ; and the crooked shall be made
straight, and rough places plain ; and the glory of the
Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it
together ; for the raouth of the Lord hath spoken it :
Isa. xl. 4, 5. I have sworn by myself, the word has
gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not
return. That unto me every knee shall bow, every
tongue shall swear :" Isa. xiv. 23. Lord, hasten that
liappy period I

284

OF THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE CHURCH.

" I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou maj est be my
calvation unto the ends ofthe earth." Isa. xlix. 6.
This is truly good news I the best that ever came
frora heaven to earth: Luke iL 10, 11. Hear ye the
word of the Lord ! "And he said. It is a light thing
that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise up the
tribes of Judah, and to restore the preserved of Israel ;
I will also give thee as a light to the Gentiles, that thou
mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth : Isa.
xlix. 6. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely
clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and
bind them on thee as a bride doeth : ver. 18. A law
shall proceed from me, and I will raake ray judgment
to rest for a light of the people. My righteousness is
near ; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arras shall
judge the people ; the isles shall wait upon me, and on
mine arra shall they trust; Isa. li. 4, 5. The Lord
hath raade bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the na
tions ; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salva
tion of our God : Isa. lii. 10. The Redeemer shall come
to Zion, and unto them that turn frora transgression in
Jacob, saith the Lord : Isa. lix. 20. Behold, I have
given him for a witness to the people, a leader and com
mander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation
that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee
shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and
for the Holy One of Israel ; for he hath glorified thee :
Isa. Iv. 4, 5. When thou shalt make his soul an offer
ing for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his
days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his
hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul and be
satisfied: Isa. hii. 10, 11. The Gentiles shall come to
thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising : Isa.
Ix. 3. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen
such things ? shall the earth be made to bring forth in
one day? or shall a nation be born at once ? for as soon
as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children ; Isa.
Ixvi. 8. And in the days of these kings shall the God
of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be de
stroyed ; and the kingdom shall not be left to other
people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these
kir gdonis, and it shall stand forever ; Dan. ii. 44. Who
are these that fiy as a cloud," &c. : Isa Ix. 8.

OF THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE CHURCH. 286
" Aad 1, il I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." Joha
Di. 32.
Though many of all nations reject Christ, his church
will be made up of believers of all nations.
"And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a
Kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should
serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion^
which shEkll not pass away, and his kingdom that which
shall not be destroyed ; Dan. vii. l4. And many na
tions shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall
be my people ; and I will dwell in the midst of thee ;
and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent
me unto thee : Zech. ii. 11. And the Lord shall be King
over all the earth ; in that day shall there be one Lord,
and his name one : Zech. xiv. 9. And in every place
incense shall be offered unto ray name, and a pure offer
ing; for my narae shall be great among the heathen,
saith the Lord of hosts : Mal. i. 11. And this gospel of
the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come;
Matt. xxiv. 14. And they shall all be taught of God :
John vL 45. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put
my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts;
and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a
people ; and they shall not teach every man his neigh
bor, and every man his brother, saying. Know the
Lord ; for all shall know rae, frora the least to the great
est : Heb. viii. 10, 11. At the narae of Jesus every knee
shall bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and
things under the earth ; and that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father : PhiL ii. 10, 11. I beheld, and lo, a great
multitude which no man could number, of all nations,
and kindred, and people, and tongues, stood before the
throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes,
and palms in their hands : Rev. vii. 9. And I hetird a
loud voice saying in heaven. Now is come salvation,
and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the
power of his Christ ; for the accuser of our brethren is
cast down which accused them before our God day and
night: Rev. xii. 10. And the seventh angel sounded;
and there were great voices in heaven, saying, Tho
kingdoms of this world," &c. : Rev. xi. 15.

^86 OF THE GLORY OF THE CHURCH.
" Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." Ps. Ixxivii. 9.
Much has been said against the church by her ene
mies ; who delight in saying all manner of evil of her ;
Acts xxviii. 22. But the testimony of the wicked, we
know, is not to be taken in this case ; we have there
fore to hear what the Scriptures say of her. And there
we find so many "glorious things spoken of her," that
we scarcely know where to begin, when to leave off,
01 how to admire her enough ; much less can we suffi
ciently adore the goodness of that God, who could be-
slow so much love upon her when she was so greatly
defiled : Ezek. xvi. 5 — 14. The Gospel Church is "spo
ken of" as God's beloved ; Ps. Ix. 5 ; His adopted sons ;
GaL iv. 5 ; His peculiar people ; 1 Pet. ii. 9 ; His friends ;
J ames ii. 23 ; His family ; Eph. iii. 15 ; His heirs ; Rom.
viii. 17 ; His heritage ; Jer. xh. 7 ; His jewels ; MaL hi.
17; His treasure; Ps. cxxxv. 4; His princes; 1 Sam.
ii. 8; His building; 1 Cor. iiL 9; His dearly beloved;
Jer. xii. 7 ; The king's daughter ; Ps. xiv. 13 ; Children
of the kingdom; Matt. xiiL 38; Assembly of saints;
Ps. Ixxxix. 7 ; Flock of God ; Acts xx. 28 ; Fold of
Christ; John x. 16; Inhabitants of Zion; Isa. xiL 6;
Joy of the whole earth; Ps. xlviii. 2; Light of the
world; Matt. v. 14; Bride, the Lamb's wife ; Rev. xxL
9; &c., (fcc.
Yea, such "glorious things are spoken of" the church
of Christ, that one half can never be told. Moreover, it
is said, " the glory of the Lord is risen upon her;" Isa.
Ix. 1, 2. And that the Lord shall be her everlasting
light and glory : Isa, Ix. 19. And she shall be a crown
of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem
in the hand of her God ; Isa. Ixii. 2, 3. She is spoken
of as the "City of Gob," because he planned, built, and
peopled it, and governs, defends, and dwells in her ;
ileb. xii. 22. She is called a "great city," on account
of her extent, and great number of her merabers ; Rev.
xxi. 10. She is called a "holy city," on account of
her Founder, merabers, and laws, being all holy : Rev.
xi. 2.
"The King's daughter is all glorious within; hel
clothing is of wrought gold :" Ps. xiv. 13. The ]oy ot
the whole earth is Mount Zion : Ps. xlviii. 2. Out of
Zion, the perfertion of beauty, God hath shiiied.

OF THE GLORY OF THE CHURCH. 287
" And tbe city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it :
for the glory of God did lighten it, aud the Lamb is the light thereol." Rev.
xxi. 23.
Language is so weak, that there is both a want of
words, and a want in words, when any member of the
ehurch attempts to describe the glory of it. For even
while in her militant state, or state of suffering and
war, she is said to be "clothed with the sun, the moon
under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve
stars :" Rev. xii. 1. And being thus clothed with the
righteousness of Jesus, she stands upon the world,
looking upon it as a country not worthy her affections,
and hastens homeward, to the "ciiy which has no need
of ihe sun." Heaven is that city, to which the church
is ever tending; and whose Builder and Defender is
God : Heb. xi. 10 — 16. While travelling to her native
city, the church is frequently called to pass through
great confiicts ; and her path soraetiraes becomes so
dark, that it is with difficulty she can proceed : Isa. I.
10. But when she joins the church above, she will find
that such is the glory of that city where they dwell,
they "have no need of the sun :" Isa. Ix. 19. We need
not the light of a candle while we are walking in the
light of the noon-day sun. And such will be the bright
and dazzling glory proceeding frora God and the Larab
upon the redeemed, that the sun would be totally eclipsed
by it. "Neither of the moon" have they any need.-, for
there shall be " no night there :" Rev. xxh. 5. "For
the glory of God," which is continually shining forth
without a veil, doth "lighten it:" Rev. xxL 11. "And
ihe Lamb," the true Light, which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world, John i. 9, "is the light
ihireof -" so that, to be where the Lamb is, is to be in
light, whether it be in heaven or in a dungeon ; Luke
ii, 32 ; John viii. 12.
Who would not be willing to suffer with Christ on
sarth, to reign with him in heaven? Rom. viii. 17.
T'le church will soon exchange her reproach, for honor ;
ner tears, for joy ; her shame, for glory ; her cross, for
a crown. " And God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither
sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any mere
pain."

888 OF the increase of knowledge.
" They a.so that erred in spirit shall come to uuaerstanding, and thej ihat
murmured, shall learn doctiine." Isa. xxix. 21.
We may venture to affirm, that ignorance is the
cause of wickedness ; for if men were fully convinced
of the great evil of sin, the good they lost, and the
misery they procured by it, they would never delight in
it. Wonderful have been the revolutions already
brought about by the light of the Gospel ; and indeed,
it was sent to make blind men to see ; tbe lame to walk ;
the poor to become rich; the captive to go free; the
sorrowful to rejoice ; and the dead to live : Luke iv.
18. Observe,
1st. "They also that erred in spirit," who misunder
stood the things that were written, consequently rested
under great mistakes and misapprehensions concerning
them, "shall come io understanding :" Isa. xxix. 18.
The Spirit of truth shall be given ihem, to rectify all
their mistakes, and enlighten their minds, so as to bring
thera to understand those things that belong to their
peace: and they shall be led into all truth: John xvi.
13. Those who are ignorant of the truths of God, are
very apt to quarrel and find fault with them, and con
demn thera because they are unacquainted with them;
John vi. 60.
2d. "They thai murmured shall learn doctrine ;" and
that will put a stop to all their murmuring; for as soon
as they learn the true meaning of the doctrines con
tained in the Bible, they will be well satisfied with, and
find no cause to coraplain of them : Ps. cxix. 128, 165.
This ought to encourage every member of the church
to look forward to, and pray for, the coming of the day
when those that have erred in spirit, and are still
deceived, shall be brought to a proper understanding:
Isa. xxv. 6, 7. We should never think that God frowns,
because his providence is cross ; or that the sun has
gone out, because the sky looks dark : James v. 10, 11.
We have cause to lament, that many remain so igiJO-
rant and dark, with the book of wisdom and light in
their hand; but we have cause to rejoice, that know
ledge shall increase : Dan. xii. 4. The knowledge of
the Lord must increase. " The earth shall be full of
the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the
sea -" Isa. xi. 9.

OF THE INCREASE OF KNOWLEDGE. 289
"And they shall be all taught of God." John vi. 45.
Nature teaches all to wander from God ; but has
never taught one the way to him: 1 Cor. i. 21. All
whom God teaches are well taught; for he teaches men
to know themselves as sinners; that, finding their need
of a Saviour, they might flee to the only hope, which
he, in his infinite wisdom, has set before thera in the
Gospel ; Heb. vi. 18. And having opened their eyes to
see themselves. He draws them by the cords of his love,
shows them the relations in which He stands to them,
and what he has done for them, in order that they might
be saved ; John iii, 16 — 18. His people are scattered
all over the world, and but few have a saving acquaint
ance with him ; but they shall all be brought to, and
taught of him ; Isa. liv. 13.
"A-nd they shall be all taught of God" to know their
wants and woes, and where to get supplies. He points
with his word and Spirit to Jesus, the friend and Savioui
of sinners ; shows them how to escape wretchedness,
and obtain blessedness ; dispels their fears, and attracts
them by his love : John vi. 44. It is in vain for any
fo think themselves, spiritually, the children of God,
who have not been "taught of God," both to know
themselves, and to know Him. For it is written,
" And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord :"
Isa. hv, 13.
When God undertakes to teach a man. He has to find
hira an eye to see, an ear to hear, and a heart to under
stand: Eph. iv. 18. But it matters not how dull the
scholar he takes into his school; for he has such a
wonderful fashion of instructing the ignorant, that it is
impossible for any one to miscarry who is taught of
him : Ps. cxix. 102. A constant adherence to the ways
of God in the time of trial, is a good evidence that we
have "been taught of him; Ps. Ixxi. 17. God is never
at a loss what lesson to give ; and though many lessons
he gives are very hard to learn, they are all very good
when learned.
"And they shall teach no more every man his neigh
bor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord;
for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto
the greatest of them, saith the Lord ; for I will forgive
their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more."
25

290 OF PURITY AND RIGHTEOUSNKSS
"He shall sit as a retiner and purifier of silver; and if. shall paiify the
eons of Levi, and purge them as gold an<f silver, that they may ofl'er unto the
Lord en offering in righteousness." Mal. iii. 3.
Jesus Christ came into this world as a Refiner, to
separate the precious from the vile : Matt. iii. 12. He
still carries on the work of refining ; and his people
may depend upon it, that when they are prepared for
the fire, it will be prepared for them. Observe,
1st. Christ is the great Refiner. By his word, bis
blood, his Spirit, and sanctified afflictions, he purges out
the dross of error, corruptions, and disorderly members
from his church ; Isa. xlviiL lO ; and the dross of sin
and base desire from the hearts of his believing people ;
.Zech. xiii. 9. 2d. Who they are, that he will purify.
" The sons of Levi." All true Christians are "sons of
Levi;" inasmuch, as, like the tribe of Levi, they are
devoted to the service of God, and are a holy priest
hood ; 1 Pet. ii. 5 ; designed to be priests unto God :
R«v. i. 6. 3d. How he will purify them. He will
"purge them as gold and silver." They shall not only
be washed outwardly, but sanctified inwardly : their
corruptions that dwell within, shall be purged out; and
Lhitj shall be done in the fire, " as gold and silver" are
purged to take away their dross and make them more
valuable: Matt. iii. 11. Afflictions, temptations, and
pam, are designed for the trial of their faith : 1 Pet. i.
6, 7. 4th. The Refiner's design: "thai they may offer
unto ihe Lord an offering in righteousness." His de
sign is, not to destroy, but to refine his people ; Ps. iv. 5.
All who are converted to God, must be consecrated to
him ; love, prayer, and praise, are an offering which
the Lord will accept. We must be refined and purified
by the grace of God, before we can offer a sacrifice
acceptably to God : Zeph. iii. 9. The fire consumes
nothing belonging to the Christian but his dross, and
his bond',1 : 1 Pet. iv. 12. And, 5th. The position of
the Refiner. "He shall sit as a refiner." As, or like,
a refiner, who takes his seat by the side of the furnace,
and carefully watches the precious metal, lest the fire
be too hot or too cold, or it should be too long in the
fire; so .fesus, the Refiner of his people, never takes
his eye from oft them while in the fiirnac e, but waits
till he can see hie image in them.

OF PURITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. 291
**And to her was granted that she should be arrayed ir 'ine linen, clean and
ivhile : for the fine hiien is the righteousness of the saints " Rev. xix. 8.
God the Father in Jesus the Saviour is the husband
of the church; hence she is called the Lamb's Wife;
Rev. xxi. 9. "And to her was granted that she should
be arrayed;" for strange as it may appear, it is true,
when He first set his love upon her she was quite naked,
and so wretched, raiserable, and poor, that she had not
wherewith to cover her shame ; Rev. iii. 17, 18 ; and
withal was so diseased and bruised, that she bad not a
sound part belonging to her ; Isa. i. 5, 6 ; and to add
to her wretchedness, was quite blind : Eph. iv. 18. Such
was her sad condition when the Lord took her into his
favor, Mid gave her in marriage to his Son. He found
her next door to death, buried in filth, and unable to
better herself He first gave her eyes to see her own
nakedness and danger, which not only humbled her
pride, (for still she was proud,) but made her so ashamed
of herself, that she was ready to faint ; and would cer
tainly have died in despair, had not the Lord told her
to look unto him ; Isa. xiv. 22 ; and assured her that
he was married unto her : Isa. liv. 4, 5 ; Jer. iii. 14.
And to show himself a true-lover, he restored her
to health and soundness; and "arrayed her in fine
linen, clean and white." Her wounds being healed —
her sickness cured — and being so finely clothed, she
now looks fair as the moon, and is counted wor
thy to walk with her Lord: Rev. iii. 4. " The fine
linen is the righteousness of the saints," which He
has wrought in them by his grace and Spirit; and
v/hich shows itself in a righteous and holy life ; Titus
ii. 12. Thus he adorns and decks his bride here
with the ornaments of grace; and will crown her
with glory when he takes her home; Eph. y. 27:
CoL i. 21, 22.
" Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall
inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting,
the work of ray hands, that I may be glorified." Isa.
Ix. 21. "As the earth bringeth forth her bud, and. as the
garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring
forth ; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and
{iraise to spring forth before all the nations : " Isa.
xL 11

?92 OF PEACE, LOVE, AND UNITY.
" They shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and tneir spears mto
pruning-hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither ihall
they learn war any more.'* Isa. ii. 4.
This is fulfilled in the surprising effect of the gospel,
upon the minds of those that heartily erabrace it ; it so
changes their dispositions, that they can no longer play
off the madman's part, by scattering around them fire
brands, arrows and death : Prov. xxvi. 18. Observe,
1st. " They shall beat their swords," their instruments
of death, into implements of husbandry: so that, instead
of being employed to cut down men and take away life,
they shall be employed to cut up the ground to procure
" the staff of life." And in proportion as Christianity
prevails, this must be the case. For the faithful subjects
of the Prince of Peace can find no raore use for swords,
spears, pistols, dirks, and bowie-knives, than did their
great exemplar ; for Christ's kingdora is a peaceful one,
and he hiraself is its king : Isa. ix. 6. But where raen
are governed by their lusts, and do not submit to the
government of Christ, the opposite may be expected .
Joel iii. 10. "Pruning-hooks" look much better in
the hands of Christians, than " spears;" and are more
beneficial to themselves and their fellow-raen.
2d. "Nation shatt not lift up sword against nation"
when the Gospel of Christ prevails through the nations;
for the very design of the Gospel is, to destroy all en
mity and make peace : Eph. iL 13 — 16. And all over
whom it prevails are disposed to be peaceable, and
love even their greatest enemies ; Matt. v. 44 ; while
they are united in love the one to the other: John
xiii. 35.
3d. "Neither shall they learn war any more;" for the
gospel-method, is, not force of arras to drive men, but
love and prayers to persuade them : 2 Cor. v. 20. And
when all are thus persuaded to obey the gospel of Christ,
there will be no disposition left to war any more. Neither
will they learn the art of killing men in cold blood — ¦
unprovoked; nor consider that raan the most honorable
who has swam the farthest through blood and tears.
When the happy period will arrive that all raen will
be united in peace and love, we cannot tell; but the
word of inspiration assures us that it will corae. Lei
all live in peace who love Christ.

OF PEACE, LOVE, AND UNITY. 293
•• That thoy al! may l>e one , as thou, I ather, art in me, and 1 in thee, thai
they also may be one in us; that the world may be.ie\e that thou hast sent
me.** John xvii. 21.
Such was the pra^'^er of Jesus for his disciples when
about to leave them. They had long been his attend
ants and companions; and had been witnesses of his
love, piety, zeal, benevolence, and manyraighty Works.
•The time of his departure was at hand, and ere he
leaves them he prays,
1st. " That all may be one." For what he dearly paid,
he fervently prayed ; nor did he pray in vain ; for the
primitive Christians realized that peace, love, and unity,
for which he prayed : Acts iv. 32. And if believers in
Jesus, in our day, did but attend to the same truih and
example that they did, they would possess tbe sarae
sjArit. As Christ is one in and with his Father, so he
prays that all his members raay be joined in owe body to
himself, as their head; Eph. i. 22, 23. "Thai they
also m,ay be one in us," as the branch is one in the vine;
partaking of the same nature and infiuence ; John xv.
1 — 14. Being aniraated by the same Spirit, all who are
joined to the Lord become one spirit: 1 Cor. vi. 17.
There are many little things in which we must, as falli
ble creatures, necessarily differ ; but, though we cannot
all think alike as men, we should all love ahke as Chris
tians : Phil. ii. 5. All are agreed that sin is the greatest
evil ; and holiness the greatest good ; and if all would
take the word of God for their ONLY "rule of faith
and practice," the differences among Christians would
be few and unimportant; and then would that be accora-
phshed for which the Saviour prayed, "thai the world
may believe that thou hast sent 'me." If we would
wish for "tbe world to believe" that Christianity is
Divine in its origin, let us live like Christians I Acts
v, 13.
2d. That the world raight be constrained to believe
that Christ was the sent of God, and his ministers and
members "one with him." But while, instead of peace,
they behold war ; and in the place of love, bitterness ;
and in lieu of unity, discord; what can they think of
Christianity ! Others have as good a right to differ
from us in matters of opinion, as we have to differ
frora thera. 25*

OF the SECURITY OF THE CHURCH.
**I tlie Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment; lest any hurt ll»
Wll! keep it niglit and day." Isa. xxvii. 3.
The church is a vineyard, of which God is the pro
prietor. He first planted the Jews there, as his choice
vine ; and gave them his tabernacle or temple as their
wine-press; and his oracles, ordinances, and blessings.
Tbis vineyard he let out to their keepers, and, after
sending the prophets, sent his Son to deraand suitable
fruits; but these being abused he gave their church-state
to the Gentiles; and calls and qualifies men to labor
in it: Isa. v. 1—7; Matt. xxi. 33—41. The church of
the Lord is not now made up of any particular sect.
"For there is no difference between the Jew and the
Greek; for the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that
call upon hira:" Rom. x. 12. Although God's vine
yard, in this world, stands in a vast common, it is well
fenced in and under his iraraediate care. Listen to him ;
1st. "I ihe Lord do keep ii." All we need, or can de
sire, we have in God; and though his church is sur
rounded with enemies, her merabers have nothing to
fear frora thera, while under the protection of the Lord,
whose goodness is his glory : Isa. xxxiii. 20 — 22. The
Lord not only speaks comfortably concerning his vine
yard, but acts graciously toward it ; "I will water it every
'moment." He will not flood it, but water it with the
dews of his grace ; yea, he himself will be as the dew
unto it: Hos. xiv. 5. He will cause his doctrines td
drop upon it, as the dew upon the grass: Deut. xxxii. 2.
He will so refresh and comfort it, that it shall be like a
well-watered garden ; Isa. Iviii. ll. He will, not only
water it on extraordinary occasions, but every moment;
for was he to withhold his waterings but for one rao-
ment, we should all wither and die. In vain do the
enemies of his church strive to injure it: Jer. xxiii. 6.
"Lest any should hurt ii, I will keep it night a?id day."
There are many who would hurt it ; but lest any should
do so. He says,
2d. "Iwill keep ii." And who can doubt of its being
well kept, while He keeps it? Zech. ii. 8. He engages
to keep it continually, "night and day;" and we are
assured that He is well qualified so to do : Ps. cxxi. 3, 4.
Whoever put theraselves under t'~e Lord's protection,
may always fetch in help from hira, by faith in him.

OF the security of the church. 295
" Upon this rock I will build ray church ; aud the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it." Matt. xvi. 18.
Jesus Christ is the rock on which his church and
jteople are built; he alone bears their whole weight,
and all their concerns ; Isa. ix. 6. The Redeemer
calls hiraself the Son of man ; but Peter calls him "the
Christ, the Son of the living God." This the Saviour
acknowledges, and imraediately adds, "Upon thu
rock," which thou hast now confessed to be the Son of
the living God, "Iwill build my church:" Eph. ii. 20.
Christ does not say to Peter, thy church, but "my
church:" Acts xx. 28. The raaterials of which Christ's
church is built, are chosen out of the world for that
purpose: John xv. 19. And though He employs many
hands in carrying on the building, He himself is the
great Master-builder; hence he says, "I will build it:"
Zech. vi. 12, 13. The world and all that is therein
belongs to God : Ps. xxiv. 1. But before Christ began
the building of his church, he covenanted with his Fa
ther for the materials ; and in due time paid down the
full price : 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. The foundation-stone is
laid "upon this rock;" Isa. xxviii. 16 ; and the build
ing is gradually rising ; built all of lively stones : 1 Pet.
ii. 5. Peter had the honor of laying the first stones, in
the Jewish converts ; Acts ii. 37 — 47 ; and also the first
in the Gentile converts : Acts x. 45 — 48. But he never
attempted to lay one stone upon himself, but upon
"this rock," Christ: Acts iv, 10 — 12. Many storms
have arisen and beat upon this building; but it fell
not, because it was built upon " this rock :" Matt, vii,
25. But had it been built upon poor Peter, a servant-
maid might have knocked it down : Matt. xxvi. 69 — 75,
Men and devils have been constantly endeavoring tu
throw it down, but all their efforts have been in vain ;
for "the gates of hell shall noi prevail against it.'''
Hell raay vent her rage, and raen their raalice, and do
.all they can to oppose " this rock" of truth on which
the church rests, but it can never be overcome. For
malists may use all their craft and cruelty in opposing
tho gospel, but still it raust prevail ; while the combined
efforts of hell and earth, "shall, not prevail against
it;" for while Christ lives his church is safe: John
xiv. 19.

296 OF THE PEACE OF THE CHI'ECH.
"In Ilis days Judah sliall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely.*' i«r
(xiii. 6.
How comforting is this reflection ! God has ever had
a people upon the earth ; though many times they have
narrowly escaped destruction: Ps. cxxiv. "Inhisdays;"
in the days of the Messiah, the Prince of Peace ; Isa. ix.
6 ; when Christ, the Branch, shall make his appear
ance ; Zech. iii. 8 ; whatever raight be their present con
dition, "Judah shall be saved, a.nd Israel shall dwell
safely:" Ps. cii. 13, 14. The spiritual seed of faithful
Abraham, and wrestling, praying Israel, shall be pre
served from the curse of the law ; Gal. iii. 13 ; and the
power of Satan : Rom. xvi. 20. And being freed from
sin, Rom. vi. 22, they are Israelites indeed : John i. 47.
Like ancient Israel, they are chosen of God ; 1 Pet. ii
9 ; and are a peculiar people ; whora, in the midst of
all dangers and calamities, he wonderfully preserves;
and for whom he so bountifully provides : Rora. ii. 29.
His law being written in their hearts, they live in obe
dience to all his coramands, and consequently " dwell
safely:" Ps. cxix. 11. Where Christ keeps the heart
the soul dwells in peace : Rora. ii. 10, 11. The church,
while in her wilderness state, in the tirae of a calm,
should prepare for a storra. She raay soraetiraes be
used roughly, but she always dwells safely; neither
can any wars without, rob her of her peace within.
And though she has raany afflictions, she has many
consolations : 2 Cor. L 5. Should earthly comforts be
taken away, the comforts ofthe Holy Spirit are given;
so that, while her members are faithful, they have good
cause to be cheerful: 2 Cor. i. 7.
Believers live under the peaceful reign of the Prince
of peace: they love his laws and take great pleasure in
their peaceful employment : Isa. xxxii. 17. They have
abundant satisfaction in doing their duty; and great
pleasure in reflecting upon it when done. Their love
to the word of God enables thera to hold fast their in
tegrity and pt-eserve their tranquillity: Ps. cxix. 165.
They quarrel with nothing that God does ; if they have
but little of this world's good they are thankful ; and
that raakes them peaceful : it is never so bad with them
but they will acknowledge, that it might have been
worse.

OF THE PEACE OF THE CHURCH. 297
" ITifc ciod of peace shall bruise Satan mider your feet shortly." R**iij
XV. 20.
Know, believer, that this world is not thy rest; thou
art a soldier of Christ; and as such thou art called
upon to fight the good fight ; 1 Tira. vi. 12. When thou
wast at peace with Satan, the strong-raan, he kept thee
in quiet possession ; but now he is cast out, he besieges
and attacks thee upon every quarter: Luke xi. 21, 22.
Thy present state exposes thee to the combined powers
of the world, with all its pomps and vanities; its chil
dren, with all their smiles and frowns, their promises
and threats: these, aniraated by "the god of this world,"
are at war with thee; because thou art not of this
world : John xv. 19. But let not this destroy, or even
mar thy peace.
The Lord of Hosts, who is mighty in battle, is the
" God of Peace;" Ps. xxiv. 8 ; and you, being at peace
with hira, have nothing to fear, but everything to hope
from him : Rom. v. 1 ; viii. 1. He has not only spoken
peace to you, but continues to work peace in you; and
will take good care to secure the peace of his church ;
Isa. liv. 14, 15. "The God of peace" who, in the "seed
of the woman," bruised the serpent's head, "shall bruise
Satan under your feet." Satan, the great adversary of
tbe church, the author and founder of all false doctrines,
is ever designing to destroy the purity of its members,
that he may thereby deprive them of their peace, here
and hereafter : 1 Pet. v. 8. But be shall finally be con-
q uered by th e " God of peace, " and every raeraber brought
off more than conqueror : Rora. viii. 37. " The God of
peace " is opposed to all that opposes and disturbs the
jteace of his church : and will assuredly give thera a
complete victory over their great adversary; yea, and
bring his neck under their feet. God in Christ is their
Joshua, and will lead thera on to certain victory; and
after he has conquered for thera, will call thera to tread
on the neck of Satan, and triumph over every enemy:
Joshua X. 24, 25. Surely, this ought to animate and
tincourage every soldier of the Cross to fight valiantly,
while the war continues. Be of good cotirage ; the war
will soon be over; victory is sure, and will be gained
"shortly." It is true, we know not the exact time when;
out it is enough for us to know that it will corae shortly.

298 OF THE DESTRUCTION OF ANTICHRIST.
" Whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve
and obey him.** Dim. vii. 27.
Saint John declares, that "he is antichrist, thai
denies the Father and the Son ;" and, that " whosoever
denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:" 1 Jonn
ii. 22, 23. The reason is obvious ; for both the Father
and the Son are one : and no man who denies the one
can possess the other : John x. 30 ; xiv. 9. The same
Apostle declares, "The Word was God — and the Wore
was made fiesh, and dwelt among us :" John i. 1, 2, 14.
The Apostle Paul bears testimony to the same; and
declares, that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world
unto himself:" 2 Cor, v. 19. Father and Son are rela
tive terms. Producer and Produced, The divine na
ture produced the human nature; that is, assumed a
body like ours, but without sin ; that in the offending
nature be might suffer iu the roora and stead of guilty
man ; and thereby "reconcile the world unto himself"
But it should ever be remembered, that the characters
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are but various exhibi
tions of the same one eternal God, and designed merely
as an accomraodation to our limited understanding.
Hear what is said of Christ.
1st. "Whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;"
all other "kin^ shall shut their mouths at hira;" foi
He must reign when all things shall have been put
under hira : Isa. lii. 15. Jesus, tbe great Head of the
church, will shortly render the Beast and all the lead
ers of his array, incapable of molesting her any more ;
Rev. xix. 20, 21. His reign will be, not only everlast
ing, but universal. For,
2d. "All dominions shall serve and obey Mm." And
the saints of the Most High shall take and possess the
kingdom: Dan. vii. 18. The Redeemer's kingdom
shall be established; every enemy that is not subdued
shall be destroyed. Every opposition must be over
come. "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,
of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things
under the earth; and every tongue shall confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father:"
Phil. ii. 10, 11. Let this consideration encourage the
hearts of all the faithful subjects of the Redeemer's
I ingdom.

OF the destruction of antichrist. 299
•¦And the beast was taken, and with hira the false prophet that viTought
miracles before hini, with which he had deceived them that had received the
mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image ; these both wei e
cast alive into a lake of fire bui-ning witli brimstone." Elev. xix. 20.
At a very early period of the Christian Church anti
christ made his appearance; and raany "false prophet*"
came in the name of Christ, who possessed the spirit
of antichrist; 1 John ii. 22, 23; iv. 1 — 3. But all
faithful and spiritual Christians obtain a complete vic
tory over antichrist and his false prophets: 1 John iv.
4. Christ foretold that antichrist and his teachers
would come in sheep's clothing, and so transform
themselves, that, were it possible, they would deceive
the very elect ; Matt. xxiv. 5, 24. All such hold a false
Christ as the head, a false church as the body, and ac
company these with false works, false worship, and
false ordinances. And so artfully do they make them
to resemble the true ones, that raany of the siraple are
deceived by thera; and receive "ihe mark of the beast,"
by which they are known to be his worshippers: Rora.
xvi. 17, 18. For though they do not literally bow down
to the beast, they actually "worship his image." The
battle, at the present tirae, rages with great fury; but
the victory will assuredly be gained by Christ, the glo
rious head of the church ; for "ihe beast was taken, and
with him the false prophet." The work is already done,
virtually, and shall actually be accoraplished ; and
'•these boih," the beast and his prophet, will be "cast
alive into a hke of fire burning with brimstone." Anli-
christand his false prophets can never prevail againsttlie
truly faithful, because they are of God : 1 John iv. 6.
They are born again ; but not of corruptible seed ;
1 Pet. i. 23; and for that reason cannot be overcome;
in as much as they are " kept by the power of God,
through faith :" 1 Pet. i. 5. Think not, believer, be
cause sorae rebel lust, some sinful passion, or sorae fiery
dart of the eneray, makes ar attack upon thee, that the
God of peace is at war with thee. No ; let such a
thought find no lodging-place in thy breast; for God is
ever at peace with thee, and will shortly destroy all
His and* thy enemies. All who possess the spirit of
Christ, are followers of Christ here, and will reign with
him hereafter : Rev. iii. 21.

300 of the endless duration of the CHUECH.
•* His dominion is an everlasting dominion, wliich shall not pass away, and
nis kingdom that which shall not lie destroyed.'* Dan. vii. 14.
The Messiah is uniformly represented as sustaining
every character, accomplishing every design, and pos
sessing every necessary qualification to redeem and save
mankind. He is a Saviour adapted to all our diversi
fied necessities, and able to save to the uttermost. His
manhood was similar to that original humanity of the
first happy pair, being holy, harmless, and undefiled,
without one sin of his own: 1 Pet. ii. 22. He is infi-t
nite in wisdom, power, righteousness, and goodness. He
is, not only a Prophet to instruct, a Priest to atone, but
also a King to rule over his people. And,
"His dominion is an everlasting dominion;" the
kingdom which He established in the work of redemp
tion, is designed to destroy all sin; that "grace migi ^
reign through righteousness unto eternal life :" Rom. v.
21. " His dominion" is an eternal empire of grace,
producing righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost: Rom. xiv. 17. "And his kingdom that which
sliall nM be destroyed." His kingdora of grace here,
prepares for, and leads to, his kingdora of glory hereaf
ter. Christ has gone to prepare a place for each and
all of his subjects, and now waits to receive and
welcome them into his everlasting kingdom; that they
might dwell in his immediate presence, and reign with
him forever: Matt. xxv. 34; 2 Pet. L 11. All other
kings are mortal, and therefore die, and leave their
dominions to their successors. All earthly kingdoms
rise and fall; and will ultimately crumble into ruins;
but " His kingdom shatt noi be destroyed." For he is
the King eternal, and imraortal ; " and the kingdora
shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in
pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall
stand forever:" Dan. ii. 44.
Observe, 1st. The kingdora of Christ is founded on
the principles of reason, justice, and mercy; and there
fore all ought cheerfully to bow to his sceptre: Ps. ii.
12. 2d. His dominion is imperishable; and can never
be taken, or demolished by invaders. All tbe plans
he adopts, and the means he employs, are devised by
infinite wisdom, and accompanied by omnipotent power;
and " the words ofthe Lord are pure:" Ps. xh. 6.

OF THE ENDLESS DURATION OF TIIE CHURCH. 301
^ " The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of
his Clirist; and he shall reign forever and ever." Rev. xi J6.
Few human governors possess all the qualifications
requisite to form a perfect ruler ; and fe'wer still possess
thera in that state of perfection their friends desire. But
the King of Zion knows no lack. Is it desirable that a
ruler should be wise? In King Jesus "are hid all the
treasures of wisdora and knowledge:" Col. ii. 3. Should
he be good? The life and death of the Redeemer be
speak his goodness; Acts x. 38; John x. 11. Should
he he powerful? Our Mediatorial King has all power:
Matt, xxviii. 18. He has all the stores of nature and
grace at his command. Observe,
1st. "The kingdoms of this world are become ihe
kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ." They were
always so by creation and redemption; but the hea
venly hosts shall, ere long, acknowledge them his by
actual possession. They now give hira thanks because
he has taken to him his great power, and has com
menced the work of subduing all things to himself; and
rejoice that his reign shall never come to an end. "He
shall reign forever and ever ;" not only to the end of
tiine, but when time and days shall be no more. The
kingdom of Christ shall out-wear, and out-live, all other
kingdoms : His throne shall stand forever, and his
subjects be as the stars of heaven, innumerable and
immutable. 2d. Christ has done a great work for us ; and, if we
are Christians, has wrought a great work in us. He
intends making all his subjects kings ; all the members
of his church are kings in life, and actually reign over
all that is earthly, sensual, and devilish. You may
have sin in you, mourn over it, and groan under it; but
"sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not
under the law but under grace:" Rom, vi. 14. And
grace is glory begun ; but glory is grace made perfect.
How amiable I how lovely, will the church appear,
when all meet in the presence of her Sovereign Lord,
tbe King! She will thep appear as the Daughter of
rhe King — the bride; all glorious within, and richly
adorned without — all comely to behold, and clad in
royal robes of perfect righteousness ; Rev. i. 5, 6. Her
happiness will be complete and endless : 1 John iii. 2.
26

302 OF THE RESTORATION OF THS JEWS.
" I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed their evei
my servant David ; he shall feed diem, and shall be their shepherd.*' Ezek
sxziv. 23.
Here we have the Messiah foretold as having his
commission from God. "/ will set up," sanctify, seal,
appoint, and anoint, "one Shephe?-d over them;" Luke
iv. 18. By him, Jews and Gentiles shall be brought
into one fold, and "he shall feed them:" Ezek. xxxvii.
25. Christ, the great Shepherd of his flock, is qualified
to do that for them wbich none else could ; Isa. xL ] 1.
"Even my servant David." Jesus Christ is God's
ervant ; being employed by hira and for hira ; and in
all things acting according to his will : John vi. 38, 39.
He is both the root and offspring of David : Rev. xxii.
16. As a Shepherd, he takes great care of his flock :
John X. 27, 28. He feeds them on his word, and in the
fruitful fields of his ordinances ; and has appointed his
ministers, as under-shepherds, to watch over and pay
all necessary attention to thera; John xxi. 16, 17. God
will not forget his scattered people; and by rolling away
their reproach, will make thera to becorae as honorable
as ever they have been despicable : Zeph. iii. 19, 20.
The Lord will not fail to do his own work in his own
time. " Go and proclaim these words toward thenorth, and
say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and
I will not cause raine anger to fall upon you ; for I ara
merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for
ever. Only acknowledge thine initjuity, that thou hast
transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scat
tered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree,
aud ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord.
Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I am
married unto you :" Jer. iii. 12 — 14. " For the Lord,
the God of Israel, saith that be hateth putting away:"
Mal. ii. 16. "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the
Gentiles until the time of tbe Gentiles be fulfilled :"
Luke xxL 24. " God hath not cast away his people
which he foreknew :" Rom. xi. 2. " If the fall of them
be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them
be tbe riches of the Gentiles, how much more their
fulness 1 " ver. 12. He who scattered them abroad,
knows how to collect them together.

OF THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 303
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew." Rom. xi. 2.
God chose Israel, as a body, above all people in the
world, to be a peculiar people to himself; they had
special privileges, were carefully preserved, and highly
regarded : Exod. xix. 5, 6. Christ first visited them in
person ; but though he looked upon them in their low
estate, they would not receive him in his : John LIL
They chose rather to let Christ go, than part with their
prejudices and their sins : John iii. 19. I'he main body
of the Jewish nation obstinately persevered in their sins,
and perished in unbelief; but this was not the case with
all : John i. 12. Their rejection cannot be total and
final ; no, the apostle startles at the thought, and ex-
clairas "God forbid!" ver. 1. "God hath not, utterly,
cast away his people." For the Scriptures assure us,
they will be brought to believe in their Redeemer whom
they crucified. What saith the Scriptures 1
" A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping
and supplications of the children of Israel; for they
have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the
Lord their God. Return, ye backsliding children, and
I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we corae unto
thee ; for thou art the Lord our God. Truly, in vain
is salvation hoped for frora the hills, and frora the raul-
titude of raoun tains ; truly in the Lord our God is the
salvation of Israel: Jer. iii. 21 — 23. They shall serve
the Lord their God, in David (Jesus Christ) their king,
whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore, fear thou
not, O ray servant Jacob, saith the Lord ; neither be
dismayed, O Israel ; for, lo, I will save thee from afar,
and thy seed from the land of their captivity ; and Jacob
shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and
hone shall raake him afraid. For I am with thee, saith
the Lord, to save thee ; though I make a full end of all
nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not
make a full end of thee; but I will correct thee in
measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished:
Jer. xxx. 9 — 11. At the same tirae, saith the Lord,
will I be the God of all the farailies of Israel, and they
shall be my people : Jer. xxxi. 1. Hear the word of
the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar
off;" Jer. xxxi. 10. "God hath' not cast away his peo
ple which he foreknew."

304 OF THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS.
•'Upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness: and
the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions." Obadiah 17.
Deliverance shall be wrought out for Israel; though
God may appear to have long forgotten them. He will
return unto, own, help, and head them: Zech. i. 17.
"Upon Mount Zion," the gospel-church, from whence
proceeded the New-Testament law, their deliverance
shall be continually proclaimed, and prayed for : Isa.
ii. 3. "Andthere shatt be holiness ;" for without it there
can be no happiness : Heb. xii. 14. And wherever Gcd
designs to give glory, he never fails to give grace :o
prepare for it: Eph. i. 6, 7. The gospel raust be
preached in all the world; Matt. xxiv. 14; and the
word of the Lord raust accoraplish that for which it
was sent ; Isa. Iv. 11 ; "and ihe house of Jacob shall pos
sess their possessions."
" This shall be the covenant that I will raake^with
the house of Israel ; After those days, saith the Lord, I
will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in
their hearts ; and will be their God, and they shall be
ray people. And they shall teach no raore every raan
his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying. Know
the Lord ; for they shall all know me, frora the least
of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord ; for
I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their
sin no more : Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. In those days, and at
that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to
grow up unto David ; and he shall execute judgment
and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah
be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely ; and this is
the narae wherewith she shall be called, the Lord om
Righteousness: Jer. xxxiii. 15, 16. And I will set uj
one shepherd over thera, and he shall feed them, evei
my servant David, (the Redeemer,) he shall feed them,
and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will
be their God, and my servant David a prince araong
them ; I the Lord have spoken it : Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24.
In that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of
Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and
will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat,
and will plead with them there," &c. : Joel fii. 1, 2.
And they shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the
latter days; Hos. iii. 4. 5.

OF THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 305
*' Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taven away "
2 Cor. iii. 16
Upon the minds of all men there is a natural veil of
Ignorance and unbelief: and which, till removed, keeps
them from understanding the mysteries of the gospel
of Christ; Eph. iv. 18. The Jews have a thick -veil
of unbelief and deeply-rooted prejudice, against Christ
and his holy religion, remaining upon their hearts : 2
Cor. iii. 15. They wilfully shut their eyes against the
light ; and God has justly suffered thera to remain shut.
"Nevertheless," there is a time coming "when it," the
body of the Jew s, "shall turn to the Lord," from whom
they have wandered, and 'Hhe veil shall be taken away:"
See Isa. xxv. 6 — 8.
"Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for, lo, 1
come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the
Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord
in that day, and shall be ray people ; and I will dwell
in the midst of thee; and thou shalt know that the Lord
of hosts hath sent me unto thee: Zech. ii. 10, 11. Tbe
Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty ; he will
save, he will rejoice over thee with joy : he will rest in
his love ; he will joy over thee with singing ; Zeph. iii.
17. For I would not, brethren, that ye should be igno
rant of this mystery, (lest ye should be wise in your
own conceits,) that blindness in part has happened to
Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles. And so all
Israel shall be saved ; as it is written, There shall come
out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungod
liness from Jacob ; for this is my covenant unto them,
when t shall take away their sins. As concerning the
gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but as touch
ing the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake.
For the gifts and callings of God are without repent
ance. For as ye in tirae past have not believed God,
yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief,
even so have these also now not believed, that through
your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God
hath concluded thera all in unbelief, that he raight have
mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are
his judgments, and his ways past finding out ! " Rom.
xi. 25—32. 26*

306 THAT GOD WILL PERFORM ALL HIS PROMISES.
" The word of the Lord is tried : he is a buckler to all those that trust in
him." Ps. xviii. 30.
Hope in the promises of God is an anchor to the soul.
Whatever storms or tempests are without, or however
the swelling waves of corruption may roll within, yet
the Christian knows that the God in whom he trusts is
mightier than all ; and, therefore, rests himself on the
promises He has made to his people. David had fre
quently put the proraises of the Lord to the test, but
never found one of them once to fail him ; he was, there
fore, bold and daring. If a troop stood in his way he
ran through them : 2 Sam. xxii. 30. If a wall crossed
his path he leaped over it ; Ps. xviii. 29. And when
his enemies rose up against him they stumbled and fell :
Ps. xxvii. 2. So that he could frora experience say,
"Theword of the Lord is tried." In every age of
the world, the saints have tried it, and ever found it to
be iraraovable as a mountain of brass : Deut. vii. 9.
No matter how far forward some of the promises raay
appear to be, they shall all be performed in due season ;
Isa. xxv. 1. " The word of the Lord" has been tried
often, and never failed in any one thing : 1 Kin. viii.
56. Whatever God proraises. He performs ; and we
ought to consider his saying of it to be like his doing
of it: Isa. xlvi. 11. Men frequently proraise in order
to deceive ; but not so with God ; for should the sun for
get to rise, God will never fail to perforra all his word ;
Heb. X. 23.
"He is a buckler to all those thai trust in him." Yes,
only take God at his word, and you will find by happy
experience that he is your buckler. A buckler, or
shield; is a piece of defensive arraor, used to ward off
the blows of swords or arrows. The truth and favor
of God are the shield and buckler of all those that trust
in hira ; Ps. v. 12 ; xviii. 2, 35 ; xci. 4. Nothing but
consolation, sweet, strong, and lasting consolation,
ariseth to poor sinners from the word of truth. You
who have Jesus for your refuge, have the Lord for your
buckler, and his tried-word for your support. Trust
in, live to, venture your all upon him, and you will
find every proraiso will be fulfilled by him : Numb.
xxiii. 19. Read the word, search it, and trust in it.
It has been tried often, and failed never.

THAT GOD WILL PERFORM ALL HIS PROMISES. 307
" Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass a#ay.**
M<»tt. xxiv. 35.
Such is the declaration of the mighty God, the ever-
asting Father, the Prince of Peace : Isa. ix. 6. Never
was there a foundation so strong as that on which a
disciple of Christ builds his faith ; and that is laid in the
promises of God. The mountains may be hurled from
their seats, and buried in the mighty deep ; Ps. xlvi. 1 —
¦{ ; the pillars of heaven may tremble, bend, and break.
but God's word remains the same : Isa. xl. 8. "Heaven
and earth shall pass away ;" for God has ordained that
they should be changed ; Ps. cii. 25 — 27. But the word
of the Lord is settled in heaven ; as also revealed on
earth, and " shatt not pass away :" Ps. cxix. 89. Turn
which way you will, you meet with the mercy of the
Lord, can trace his providence, and still find cause for
depending on his truth, for all that he has proraised.
And that truth having never deceived you, what raore
ean you want 1 what further evidence can you require 1
Is not eternal veracity sufliicient'? Is He not your Tower,
your Rock, your Refuge, your Strength, your Redeeraer,
and your portion ? Ps. Ixi. 3 ; Isa. xxxii. 2. It was He
who graciously invited you, entwined the cords of his
love around your wandering heart, and drew you to hira
self; Jer. xxxi. 3; John vi. 44. The covenant which
he has entered into with you has been sealed by his
blood, and can never ,be broken : Isa. Iv. 3. The Re-
deeraer's dying legacy to all his dear children is Peace ;
nothing but love dwells in his heart; and nothing but
peace is heard frora his lips.
Faith in the promises of God will remove all fears,
and chase away all sorrow. Was he ever faithful and
kind ? He is still the same ; Heb. xiiL 8. " Ye know
in all your hearts, and in all your souls, that not one
thing hath failed, of all the good things which the Lord
your God spake concerning you ; all are come to pass
unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof:" Josh.
xxiii. 14; 1 Kin. viii. 56. Jesus, the Logos, the Word,
the Maker of all things, who was made fiesh, declares,
that "his words shall not pass away :" John :. 1 — 3,
14. Our hope is established and strengthened through
patience and corafort of the proraises of God; Rom.
XV. 4.

308 THAT GOD WILL PERFORM ALL HIS PROMISES
•' The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word ol our God shall
stand forever.** Isa. xl. 8.
Nature and necessity are the Lord's ; and none can
limit him. He speaks the word and it comes to pass ;
and none can resist his omnipotent will ; Numb, xxiii.
19, We have here,
1st. A true erablera of man ; "The grass vnthereth:"
80 man, with all his boasted power, is not to be trusted
to; for, in the height of all his enjoyments, he may
be suddenly called upon to experience a sad reverse ;
to-day, he raay be fat and fiourishing; to-raorrow, faded
and lean ; to-day, full and fruitful, to-raorrow, sapless
and dry. " The flower fadeth ;" youth raay be bloom
ing with beauty to-day; to-morrow, faded and gone.
Though art and nature may corabine to make a perfect
beauty, there is nothing belonging to man that can be
depended upon; for still, "the flower fadeth ;" and the
Lord alone is the only foundation on which we can build
our hopes. Of what has man to boast, even in his best
estate? And,
2d. The validity of the word of God; "But the
v}ord of our God shall stand forever." He stretched
out the heavens, hung their lofty arches with brilliant
lamps; and created the earth and sea by the word
of his power; and these shall all be changed; but He
remains the same : Heb. i. 10 — 12. " The word of our
God," and that grace which is brought with it to us,
and wrought by it in us, " shall stand forever :" 1 Pet.
i. 23 — 25. When every creature-comfort withers and
fades, a Christian has this best of all consolations left,
" Tho word of God shall stand :" Ps. Ixxxix. 34. In
all generations the perfections of God are the same. He
who divided the sea — rained bread from heaven — and
broke the fiinty rock, for the good ofhis people, remains
ever the same : Deut. vii. 9. His words are clear
and distinct, without the least deceit; and such as
may well secure the confidence, and satisfy the de
sires of the weakest of all believers who hang upon
Ihem. Neither, heaven, earth, nor hell, have ever
witnessed the least deviation frora truth and justice
on the part of God : Isa. hv. 9, 10. " The word of
our God" has stood; does stand; and "shall stand
forever."

THAT GOD WILL PERFORM ALL HIS PROMISES. 309
" He is faithful that has promised." Heb, x. 23.
We often break the promises we make with God ; but
He never fails in anything he has promised to us. And,
therefore, his faithfulness to his word may well en
courage our faith in his proraises ; Hos. ii. 19, 20.
Suffer not the carnal reasonings of the flesh, the con
tempt of wicked raen, or the base insinuations of the
devil, to put you to a stand. " It is written," is
an arguraent suflicient to support your soul igainst
every attack of the raost wily foe. The world and
its children may, yea, will prove false and fickle;
but the foundation of God standeth sure : 2 Tira. ii.
19. That God has hitherto been faithful to his prora
ises, I need only refer to your own experience ; to the
dangers, seen and unseen, he has protected you in, and
brought you through; to the intricate paths through
which he has led you ; and the raany troubles from
which he has delivered you. Oflen has He caused
light to break out of obscurity, and turned your raid-
night into noon-day ; Deut. xxxii. 11, 12. Hehasbeen
your unerring Guide, even when you knew not how
to ask his counsel: Ps. xxv. 8. He has oflen con
founded your unbelief, by supplying your needs unex
pectedly; and though your faith has often failed, his
goodness has remained.
Say, have you not hitherto found him a kind, faithful,
never-failing fountain of mercy, goodness, and truth?
Has he not frequently hushed your troubled breast, and
m the sweetest accents spoken peace to your distressed
soul? Jer. xxxi. 3. Recall to your mind the raany
times when he has Uterally fulfilled his word, by sending
immediate answers to your prayers ; and proved himself
your helper, when every other help has failed you ; and
you will then be constrained to acknowledge, that "He
is faithful that has promised." You still have his
faithful word, his precious promises, his solemn oath,
all pledged for your security and salvation. " He is
faithful ; " ever plead his faithfulness ; and let a lemem-
brance of the past encourage you to trust him for the
future; for " He is faithful," Be not fickle, but faith
ful. Let FAITH carry you through all the ways of God,
while you rely on the promises of God; for "He is
faithful that has promised."

310 THE BENEDICTION.
" n.e grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen,' Rev
xxii 21.
Christian Reader ; — After having laid before you
so many of those " exceeding great and precious prom
ises," secured unto you by last will and testament ofthe
adorable Redeemer, perrait me now to assure you, that
I desire nothing more, than that "the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ ¦may be with you " in this life, to prepare
you to be with him in the next. The apostle John
could wish the church nothing more ; and I can wish
you nothing less. And that you might see the nature
of this the apostle's and my wish. Observe,
Grace is put for, (1) The free, eternal love of God,
the spring and source of every other good ; 2 Tim. i. 9.
(2) The free imputation of Christ's righteousness, by
which we become righteous in the sight of God ; Rom. v.
20. (3) The work of the Holy Spirit, renewing the
soul after the iraage of God, and assisting us in the dis
charge of all those duties required of us : 2 Cor. xii. 9.
(4) That state of friendship and reconciliation with God
which he graciously bestows : Rom. v. 2. (5) The
free love, favor, and bounty of Jesus Christ ; 2 Cor. viii.
9. (6) The pure doctrines of the Gospel of Christ,
proceeding from grace : 1 Pet. v. 12. (7) A liberal and
charitable disposition, wrought in the heart by the grace
of God ; 2 Cor. viii. 7. (8) Spiritual instruction and
edification : Eph. iv. 29. (9) The office of apostleship,
together with ability for the work of the ministry : Eph.
iii. 8. (10) A lively sense ofthe free, undeserved favor
of Gid in the soul; Rom. L 7. (11) The love of God
dweding in the heart ; or the assistance of divine grace ;
2 Cor. i. 12. (12) Faith, patience, and other graces,
th.at enable us to bear, and support us under afflictions :
Phil, i. 7. (13) Eternal life, or final salvation, which
God will graciously bestow, when Jesus Christ shall be
revealed; 1 Pet. L 13. (14) It is also put for some
thing beautiful and graceful : Prov. iv. 9. And (15)
For favor and friendship with man : Gen. xxxix. 4.
Such, beloved, is the nature of the apostle's wish,
and of my most fervent prayer; and to which, I
have no doubt, you will add, with me, your most hearty
" Amen." So be it — Lord, as thy servant has desired.
So let it be.

AN APPENDIX:
CONTAINIING A COMPENDIUM OP THE BIBLE i
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, ETC. ETC.
BIBLE.
Tho word, " Bible," signifies Book ; and is so called
on account of its being a Book of Books; sixty-six in
all. The whole Bible, consisting of the Old and New
Testaments, is commonly called the "Scriptures;''
and whicli signifies, writings. They were written by
different persons, at different times, and in different
places ; and since the canon of Scripture has been filled
up, as also before, the whole is called, " The book of the
Lord:" Isa. xxxiv. 16. They were inspired by the
Lord ; and abound with the most sublime descriptions
of him ; 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. The Bible describes, not
only the nature of God and what He is in himself, but
also the relations in which he stands to us as his crea
tures : Isa. Ixih. 16 ; Mal. ii, 10. And scarcely could
there be a question asked, by any serious mind, con
cerning the Divine Being, but raay be answered by the
Scriptures. They are sanctioned by the Lord ; and he
has affixed his seal to the truth of them. See Isa. Iv. 10,
11; Rom. i. 16; 1 Thess. iL 13. They find us far from
God, and mark out the path by which we are brought
back to our Father's house : Isa. liii. 6 ; John iii. 16 — 18.
If you would gain instruction, attentively read the
Bible ; for that is a book of knowledge, with every page
replete with sacred information : 2 Tira. iii. 15. If you
want examples, you will find the Bible a book of mod
els ; for the precepts there contained, not only describe
what men ought to be, but, in living characters, show
what they really were : Heb. xi. To gain excitements
you have only to read the Bible, and you have a book
of motives the raost powerful ; addressed, not only to
the understanding, but to the conscience and heart. If
you need encouragements, all you have to do is to read
your Bible; for there you have a book of "precious
promises" and "strong consolations; " suited to every
case, and well calculated to meet every emergency ^
Ps. xix. 7—11.

312 DiyisioNS OF the bible.
The Old Testament was chiefiy written in the He
brew language, and the New Testament in the Greek.
The present Enghsh Bible was translated out ofthe ori
ginal tongues in the reign of King Jaraes I. It contains
two collections of writings, distinguished by the titles
of the Old Testaraent and tbe New Testaraent. The
forraer contains the successive revelations of the will of
God to raan before the birth of Christ; and the lattrr
coraprises the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles
of the Redeemer, "rhe two parts include sixty-six
books. The ancient Jews classed the thirty-nine books
of the Old Testament in three divisions ; and those por
tions were called, 1st. The Law ; 2d. The Prophets ;
and, 3d. The Holy Writings. The law, containing the
five books of Moses, was called the Pentateuch ; from
a word signifying five instruments. The prophets in
cluded Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, and
the two books of Kings, which were called " the For
mer Prophets." And tbe " Latter Prophets " comprised
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve smaller pro
phetical books from Hosea to Malachi, which were all
reckoned one book. The Holy Writings comprehended
the book of Ruth, the two books of Chronicles, Ezra, Ne
hemiah, Esther, Job, the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,
Solomon's Song, Lamentations, and the book of Daniel.
When " Lord " is printed in capital letters, it is in the
original, "JEHOVAH." All words printed in /Mies are
not in the original, but are merely designed by the trans
lators to make it read in English ; for without such
words, the sense, in many places, would be incomplete.
That arrangement of the Sacred Writings adopted in
our Bibles, is not regulated by the exact order of time;
although it is universally allowed, that the book of
Genesis is the first, and the prophecy of Malachi the
last of the books of the Old Testament.
The books of the Bible, when first written, were not
divided into chapters and verses; neither were there
any marks of punctuation, or stops ; but letter followed
letter as if every line had been a single word. The
Jews, however, began very early to point their sec
tions ; though it is not certain when this improvement
was made.
The division ofthe several books into chapters and

table of books. 313
verses is a modern invention ; and though useful in
many respects, there are serious disadvantages attend
ing it ; for by it the sense of the writer is frequently ob
scured. For example ; The first verse of the seventh
chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians should
be read along with the sixth chapter. In order, there
fore, to obtain a general view of the plan and connec
tion of any particular book, it should be carefully read
all through, without paying the least regard to this ar
bitrary division
In the New Testament, it frequently occurs that
names are differently spelt frora what they are in the
Old. For example ; Isaiah is called Esaias : Matt. iii.
3 ; Isa. xl. 3, 4. Joshua, who was a type of the Re
deemer, is, according to the true signification of his
name, called Jesus : Acts vii. 45 ; Heb. iv. 8. Hosea
is called Osee : Rom. ix. 25 ; Hosea i. 10 ; ii. 23. This
should ever be kept in mind, or we may make many
serious mistakes in reading. To properly understand
the true meaning of any passage, or chapter, it will be
well to consider the whole design of the writer ; and this
will be readily discovered by the preceding and follow
ing parts of the same book.

The following table is believed to contain accurate
particulars of the English version of the Bible; and
though it may profit but few, it will probably please
raost readers. In the Old Testament. In the New Testament. Total.
Books ... 39  27 .... 66
Chapters . . 929  260 ... . 1,189
Verses . . 23,214 .... 7,959 . . . 31,173
Words . . 592,493 .... 181,253 . . . 773,746
Letters . 2,728,100 . . . 838,380 . . 3,566,480
The middle chapter and the shortest in the Bible, is
the one hundred and seventeenth Psalm ; the middle
verse is the eighth of the one hundred and eighteenth
Psalm. The nineteenth chapter of the second book of
Kings and the thirty-seventh chapter of Isaiaih are both
alike. The twenty-first verse of the seventh chapter of
Ezra has all the letters of the alphabet in it, excepting J.
03^ The reader will observe, that, in noticing the
27

314 genesis.
several books of the Bibh, the figure or figures on tht
left, designate the chapter to which the remarks imme
diately following belong. GENESIS.
Genesis signifies creation, generation, or beginning.
This book was written by Moses : it relates the history
of the Creation, and about twenty-four generations de
scended from Adam. It contains a history of abDut
2369 years.
Chapter 1. Tells us how the world was made. 2.
Of the formation of man, and his happiness in Eden
3. The fall of Man — the Serpent cursed, and the
Saviour promised. 4. The births, trades, and religions
of Cain and Abel — the murder of Abel — the curse of
Cain — and building of the first city. 5. The gene
alogy, ages, and deaths of the patriarchs from Adam
to Noah — the godliness and translation of Enoch. 6.
The provoking wickedness of the antediluvian world —
Noah's finding favor with God — the order, form, and
end of the ark. 7. The preservation of Noah and
his family — the beginning, increase, and continuance
of the flood. 8. The assuaging of the waters — Noah's
leaving the ark — his sacrifice accepted — God's cove
nant with him. 9. God's covenant established — the
rainbow as a sign — Noah's drunkenness — Canaan
cursed — Shem blessed — and Japheth prayed for. 10,
Nimrod, the first monarch. 11. The building of Ba
bel — the confusion of tongues — the generations of
Shem — and of Terah, the father of Abram. 12.
Abram's call, blessing, and promise of Christ — Canaan
is jiromised to him and his seed. 13. Abram and liis
nephew Lot separate by disagreement — Lot removes to
Sodom. 14. The battle of four Kings against five —
Lot is taken prisoner and rescued by Abrairi. 15. Isaac
is promised — and the promise of Canaan renewed. 16.
Hagar is afflicted — comforted by an angel — Ishmael
is born. 17, The change of Abram's name to that of
Abraham, and his wife Sarai's to that of Sarah, in token
of a greater blessing — Isaac is again promised — Abra
ham and Ishmael are circuracised. 18. Abraham
entertains three angels — he intercedes for the men of
tvidom. 19. Tjot entertains two angels — the Sodomites

genesis. 315
are stricken with blindness — Sodom and Gomorrah are
destroyed — Lot escapes to the mountains — his wife is a
pillar of salt — he comraits drunkenness and incest. 20.
Abrahara denies his wife through fear, loses and regains
her. 21. The birth and circumcision of Isaac — Sarah
rejoices— Hagar and Ishmael are sent away. 22. The
trial of Abraham's faith in offering up Isaac. 23. The
age and death of Sarah — the purchase of Machpelah,
where Sarah was buried. 24. Abraham swears his
servant, and sends him to seek a wife for Isaac — his
journey — Rebekah meets him, invites him home, intro
duces him to her friends, and consents to go with him—
he brings her to Isaac, and she becomes his wife. 25
The age, death, and burial of Abraham — age and
death of Ishmael — ^birth of Esau and Jacob— Esau
sells his birthright. 26. Isaac removes to Gerar because
of famine — God blesses him there — he is reproved for
denying his wife — he grows rich — Esau survives. 27.
Jacob feigns himself to be Esau, and obtains his
father's blessing. 28. The Vision of Jacob's Ladder—
his vow. 29. Jacob's first interview with Rachel-
he covenants for her — he is deceived with Leah — births
of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. 30. Rachel
bears Joseph — Jacob becomes rich. 31. Jacob leaves
Laban and is pursued by him. 32. Jacob wrestles
with an angel — is called Israel — and made to halt.
33. The meeting of Jacob and Esau — their kindness
to each other. 34. Dinah is ravished by Shechem —
the sons of Jacob slay the Shechemites, and spoil their
city. 35. Benjamin is born — Rachel dies. 36. Esau's
wives — the Kings of Edom. 37. Joseph is hated of
his brethren — his dreams — his death conspired — is
sold to the Ishmaelites — is sold to Potiphar. 38. The
birth and sin of Onan. 39. Joseph is advanced in
Potiphar's house — resists the temptation of his mis
tress — is falsely accused, and cast into prison. 40. The
dreams of the butler and baker of Pharaoh in prison —
Joseph interprets them. 41. Pharaoh's two dreams —
Joseph interprets them — gives Pharaoh advice — is ad
vanced — ^begets Manasseh and Ephraim — the famine
commences. 42 to 47. Contain the remaining part
of the history of Joseph. 48. Joseph with his sons
visit Jacob in his sickness, who blesses them, and fore-

316 EXODUS.
tells their return to Canaan. 49. Jacob blesses hil
sons — charges them concerning his burial — and dies,
50. Joseph goes to bury his father — the funeral-
Joseph comforts his brethren who begged his pardon —
his age — he lives to see the third generation of his
sons — foretells to his brethren of their return — takes an
oath of them concerning his bones — he dies — is em
balmed and put into a coffin in Egypt — in which he
was carefully preserved. EXODUS.
Tins is the second book of Moses; and is called
Exodus, on account of its relating to the history of the
Israelites' leaving Egypt; as the word signifies departure,
or going forth. It is a narrative of the transactions of
about 145 years, from the death of Joseph, to the
erection of the tabernacle, in the year of the world
2514. Chapter 1. Describes God's kindness and the Egyp
tians' wickedness to Israel. They were oppressed — en
slaved, and their children murdered. 2. The birth and
preservation of Moses. 3. God's appearing unto Moses
in the burning bush. 4. God's message by Moses to
pharaoh. 4 to 12. Moses' miracles — the ten plagues
on Egypt — the departure of the Israelites. 13 to 19.
Their passage through the sea — the destruction of Pha
raoh and his host in the same — their journeyings to
mount Sinai. 20. The ten commandments. 21 to 23.
Laws for servants and different crimes. 24. Moses is
forty days in the mountain. 25. The orders given to
Moses for the erecting and furnishing of a tabernacle to
the honor and service of God. 26 and 27. Further
instructions concerning the tabernacle for the worship
of God. 28. Aaron and his sons are set apart for the
priest's offlce. 29. Orders given concerning the priests
— the altar — and daily sacrifice. 30. The altar of
incense, and ransom of souls. 31. The observation of
the Sabbath again commanded — Moses receives the two
tables. 32. The people in the absence of Moses make
and worship a calf 33. The Lord talketh familiarly
wi^h Moses. 34. Moses, after forty days, returns from
the mount with the two tables. The 35th and five fol-

LEVITICUS  N UMBERS. 317
lowing chapters, relate to the Sabbath — the free gifts —
the liberality of the people — ^the ark — the altar — the
clothes of service — and the rearing of tbe tabernacle.
Saint Paul, in the tenth chapter ofhis first epistle to
the Corinthians, has furnished us with a practical im
provement of many of the events recorded in this book
Moses — the vision of the burning bush — the pillar of
cloud and fire — tbe manna — the rock — and the taber
nacle, were all typical, and pre-figured Christ. The
deliverance of the children of Israel from Egyptian bon
dage, strikingly sets forth our deliverance from sin;
and their journeyings through the wilderness, resemble
ours through this world. LEVITICUS.
This third book of Moses is called Leviticus, because
it treats chiefly of those laws and offlces relating to the
Levitical priesthood. The first seven chapters prescribe
the laws of the various offerings. In the eighth chapter
we have an account of the consecration of Aaron and
his sons to the priest's office — the death of Nadab and
Abihu, two of Aaron's sons, for offering common fire,
which God had forbidden. 11 to 15. The laws rela
ting to uncleanness, and means of purification. The
17th and five following chapters contain laws prohib
iting the eating of blood — sacrificing to devils — thefts —
alliance with the Canaanites, and other sins. 23. Laws
for the feasts of passover — pentecost — trumpets — expia
tion — and the feast of tabernacles. 24. One is punished
with death for blaspberay. 25. Rules laid down for
the years of release and Jubilee. 26. Mercy is proraised
to the penitent, and vengeance threatened to the disobe
dient. The last chapter gives regulations concerning
things devoted to the Lord.
The best commentary that can be given to this book,
is the epistle to the Hebrews. The things here described
are but the shadows oi which Christ is the substance.
NUMBERS.
Such is the name of the fourth book of Moses ; and is
60 called because it relates to the numberings and jour
neyings of the Hebrews in the desert. It is a history of
27*

318 DEUTERONOMY  JOSHUA.
about thirty-nine years. It shows how the promise
to Abraham was literally fulfilled ; See Gen. xv. 5
This promise has also a spiritual fulfilment; Gal. iiL
29. "This book gives an account of the journeyings —
murraurings — and punishments ofthe Israelites. Chap
ter 22, gives an account of Balak's fruitless attempts to
curse them. The brazen serpent is a striking type of
the Redeemer, who was hung on the cross — and is held
up on the pole of the gospel : See chap. 21 ; and John
iii. 14, 15 ; xii. 32, 33. DEUTERONOMY.
Deuteronomy is the last book of Moses. Its narae
signifies the second law ; or a second edition oi the law.
It briefly recounts raany of the circumstances recorded
in the former books ; and records no new history but
that of the death of Moses in the last chapter. The
eighteenth verse of the eighteenth chapter is a very
clear prophecy of Christ. Notwithstanding this book
contains much of what has gone before it, it may be con
sidered more sublime, and its matter plainer, than either
of the former books. It is full of instructions ; and
abounds with practical directions, as applicable to us as
to Israel. JOSHUA.
We are not certain that Joshua wrote this booK,
though it is called by his name ; but if any one else
wrote it they raust have had his journals or memoirs.
Joshua was first called Oshea ; Numb. xiiL 16 ; or
Hoshea ; Deut. xxxii, 44 ; but to show that he would
render Israel safe and happy, he was called Jehoshua or
Joshua, which signifies the Saviour; hence he is called
Jesus : See Acts vii. 45; Heb. iv. 8. Joshua was a
descendant of Ephraim ; and was born, A. M. 2460
The book of Joshua contains the history of about thirty
years ; it gives an account of the conquest and division
of the land of Canaan — the happiness of God's peculiar
people — the awful judgments inflicted on their enemies
— and shows how exactly God fulfilled his promises to
Abraham, in giving to his seed Canaan for a possession.
When Joshua found that his end drew near, he assem
bled the Hebrews and briefiy recounted ta them the

judges  RUTH. 319
great things that God had done for them and their
fathers ; and caused them to renew their covenant with
God in the most solemn manner. He died at the age
of one hundred and ten years ; p.nd was buried at Tim-
nath-serah ; See chap. xxiv.
Joshua might be considered a very distinguished
type of the Redeemer. God called and qualified him
for his office, and was with him in all his undertak-
nigs : and even his name is pregnant with salvation.
JUDGES.
This book contains the history of about 309 years ;
and is a very short account of the affairs of Israel, from
the death of Joshua to that of Sampson. It contains
two parts — the first one ending at the sixteenth chapter,
and which coraprises a regular history ; and the five
following chapters contain some remarkable events
which happened during that time. The Jews had
ordinary judges both for civil and religious causes.
The high priest was a kind of supreme judge. No
judge was allowed to receive presents ; nor to regard
men either for poverty or greatness ; and all were re
quired to honor thera : See Exod. xxiii ; Deut. xvi.
18 — 20. Some of them were imraediately called of
God, and others were elected by the people ; See the
third and eleventh chapters.
The judges executed the laws — reformed or protected
religion — punished malefactors — had the sole manage-
caent of peace and war — and had an absolute authority
111 deciding causes. But they levied no taxes, and had
no other attendance than what their own income would
allow them.
In the sinful conduct of the Israelites, we cannot help
observing the awful depravity of raan — the certainty of
punishment following sin — and the goodness of God in
forgiving sins ; while all their temporal deliverers may
point to Christ, our Captain, Deliverer, and Judge.
ruth.
We have in this book a short history of the domestic
affairs of one particular family ; and it is probable, that
Samuel was the writer of it. Its design is to show us
how conversant Providence is about all our private

320 1 SAMUEL — 2 .SAMUEL.
concerns ; and to teach us to acknowledge God in all
our ways; and to lead us to Christ, who descended from
Ruth ; a part of whose genealogy concludes the book :
See Matt. i. 5. In the first chapter, we have .an
account of the afflictions of Naomi and Ruth. 2. Of^
their industry and humility. 3. Of their being brought
into an alliance with Boaz. 4. Their happy settlement.
Let us follow Christ as Ruth followed Naomi ; and
then, like her, we shall not lose our reward ; See chap.
i. 16, 17 ; and then say the same of Christ.
1 SAMUEL.
This book contains the history of about eignty years
— the prayer of Haimah — the birth of Samuel — the
destruction of Eli's house — the Israelites requiring a
king — the anhointing of Saul — and of David — the per
secutions of David — and the death of Saul and his
sons. And from the whole we may learn the great
difference that is made by true religion. Compare the
conduct and end of Saul with that of David; and the
Dehaviour of Eli's sons with that of Samuel.
Frora the history of Eli, Samuel, and David, we may
learn, that it is through much tribulation we must enter
the kingdom of heaven. See Acts xiv. 22. And in
Eli's sons, Saul, and Nabal, we may observe, that sin
IS the high-road to ruin, misery, and death. But above
all, let your eye of faith be fixed on Chrtst, of whom
David was a type ; and by looking at the oppositions —
afflictions — persecutions — deliverances — and final tri
umph of David, you may be enabled to see much of your
Saviour ; and learn that his grace has ever been suffi
cient for all who have put their trust in him.
2 SAMUEL.
In this book we are furnished with a history of the
reign of David for about forty years. It gives an
account of his accession to the throne — his victories —
and his attempts to promote religion. Chapter 11.
Contains the account of David's sin in the case of
Uriah. 12. Nathan's parable of the ewe-lamb, and
birth of Solomon. 13. Aranon ravishes Tamar. 14 to
19. The rebellion of Absalom. 20. Rebellion of Sheba.

1 KINGS  2 KINGS. 321
21. Three years famine — Saul's seven sons hanged —
the bones of Saul and Jonathan are buried. 24. The
plague in consequence of David's compelling Joab to
number the people — and his deep repentance ofhis sin.
In David's fall, we may easily discover the strength
and prevalence of man's corruption ; and in his recovery
the extent and efflcacy of divine grace. It is probable
that Samuel wrote the history of his own time ; and
that, after his death, some of the prophets that were
with David continued it. David's reign prefigures the
reign of Christ. See Rom. xv. 4 ; Luke i. 31 — 33.
1 KINGS.
This book contains the history, of 126 years. In
chapter 1. We have an account of Solomon's appoint
ment to the throne. 2. Of David's death. 3 to 10.
The glorious reign of Solomon — the building of the
temple — the Queen of Sheba's admiration of Solomon's
wisdom — his gold — and his chariots. 11. The cloud
behind which Soloraon's sun went down. 12 to 14.
The divisions in the kingdom in the reign of Rehobo
am — his and Jeroboam's reign. (From the tirae the
kingdom was divided, tbe ten tribes were called Israel;
and the two tribes of the kingdora of Judah were
called JeiDs.) 15, 16. The reigns of Abijah and Asa
over Judah — and Baasha and Omri over Israel. 17 to
22. An account of Elijah's miracles — Ahab's success —
wickedness — and fall.
Prom the whole, it is evident that kings are hut men;
and, as such, are mortal and accountable. However
we may look upon Soloraon's person, his quiet reign
seems to be a type of the peaceful reign of the Re
deemer. There can be no doubt of the temple itself,
wherein sacrifices were offered, being a figure of the
church of Christ. When Israel followed the Lord, it
went well with them, but no longer.
2 KINGS.
We have in this book the history of 344 years,
Chapters 1 and 2 contain the account of Elijah's fetch
ing fire from heaven — and ascen ling in a chariot of fire
to heaven. 3 to 7. The many miracles of Elisha. 8

322 1 CHRONICLES  2 CHRONICLES.
to 10. Of the annointing of Hazael and Jehu — the
former for the correction of Israel — and the latter for
the destruction of the house of wicked Ahab. 11 to 16
The reigns of the several kings of Judah and IsraeL
17, The captivity of the ten tribes. 18 to 20. Tbe glo
rious reign of good old Hezekiah — his sickness — prayer
and death. 21 Manasseh's wicked reign and death.
22. Josiah's good reign. 23 to 25. Josiah's death — the
siege and destruction of Jerusalem by the king of
Babylon. The ten tribes of Israel, for their wicked
ness, were carried captive to Assyria. And about 160
years afterward, Judah was carried captive to Babylon.
We may learn from the whole, that, while righteous
ness exalteth a nation, sin is a disgrace to any people.
Observe the faithfulhess and goodness of God.
I CHRONICLES.
In the first nine chapters of this first book of Chroni
cles, we have a collection of sacred genealogies from
Adam to David ; with many other short, but useful
passages, not before inserted. Frora 10 to 21, we have
a repetition of the reraoval of the kingdora from Saul
to David — of David's reign — his victories — E^nd bis sin
in numbering tbe people, which caused the death of
70,000 — and the staying of the plague. 20 to 29. An
original account of David's settling the church-affairs —
and the preparations he made for building the temple.
The genealogies are of importance, to prove that
Christ came of the seed of Abraham. And David is a
bright example of zeal and piety; though not without
sorae spots, which show the best of men to be but
mortal. 2 CHRONICLES.
The first nine chapters of this book contain an
account of Soloraon's peaceful reign — his greatness —
his laborers for building the teraple — the place and time
of building tbe temple — the dedicated treasures — the
queen of Sheba's admiration of Solomon's wisdora — his
gold — his chariots and horses. 10 to 12. The reproach
ful reign of Rehoboam. 13. The three years' reign of
Abijah. 14 to 16. The long and corafortable reign of
Asa. 17 to 20. The pious and successful reign of

EZRA — NEHEMIAH. 323
Jehoshaphat. 21, 22. The wicked ai d short reigns of
Jehoram and Ahaziah. 23. Jehoiada restores the wor
ship of God. 24, 25. The reigns of Joash and Araaziah
-—their falling to id-olatry — and deaths. 26. The long
and prosperous reign of Uzziah ; who, for invading the
priest's office, was sraitten with a leprosy. 27. The
orderly and prosperous reign of Jotham. 28. The im
pious reign of Ahaz. 29 to 32. The pious and glorious
reign of good Hezekiah — and destruction ofthe Assyrian
host by an angel of the Lord — Hezekiah's death — •
and Manasseh's accession to the throne. 33. The infa
mous reigns of Manasseh and Amon. 34, 35. The
good reign of Josiah. 36. The destructive reigns of the
sons of Josiah.
In the two books of Chronicles, we have a general
view ofthe whole history from the Creation to the return
of the Babylonish captivity ; in all, about 3468 years.
The whole history is confined to the kings of Judah.
EZRA.
The history of this book is the accomplishment of
Jeremiah's prediction concerning the return of the .Tews
out of Babylon, after 70 years captivity. Ezra, whose
name signifies a helper, preserved the records of that
great revolution, and transmitted them to the church in
this book. In chapters, 1, 2, we have the account of
their return from Babylon. 3 to 7. Of the rebuilding
of the temple — the oppositions raade by their eneraies —
its completion, and dedication. 7, 8. Of Ezra's com
ing to Jerusalem with the commission of the king Arta
xerxes — and of Ezra's companions who came with him.
9, 10. Of the great service Ezra was to the people — his
compelling those who had married strange wives to put
them away — his mourning — prayer, and confession.
This book gives the history of about 80 years ; and
shows the benefit of afflictions to those, who, like the
Jews in their captivity, seek after God. It ought also
to excite us to be more than ever zealous in the cause
of God, however we may be persecuted and depressed;
seeing that they who trust in Him will in the end
triumph. NEHEMIAH.
Nehemiah, whose name signifies consolation, was

324 ESTHER.
govexfOf cf Judeali for twelve years, under Artaxerxes
king Ol Persia. Chapters 1 and 2, inform us of the
greai co.Acern Nehemiah had for Jerusalem — and the
co'.n .r.i.ssion he received from the king to go thither. 3,
4. 1 r.e great opposition he had to contend with in build-
nR tne wall of Jensalem. 5. The manner in whicli
ne redressed the pr'cvance of his people. 6. The fin
ishing of the wall, to the terror and confusion of theii
eneraies. 7. Hi.^ 'iccount of the people with their sub
stance. 8 to 10. 'fhe solemn duties he called the people
to. 11. The cbiwsing of the rulers — and a catalogue
of their namei. 13. The names of the priests and
levites — the df,fJication of the walls. 13. His great
zeal in reforming different abuses.
This truly nious raan probably wrote his own history ;
and after he );ad governed the Jewish state about thirty-
six years he died, about A. M. 3595. The great love
that be boie to his afflicted brethren is a pattern we
should imitate. ESTHER.
Although the na-me oi God is not m this book, tne
hand of God is plainly to be seen all through it. Esther,
whose name signifies secret, gives an account of a most
rernarkable interposition of Divine Providence on the
b^ihalf of those Jews who were scattered abroad among
the heathen. The history is continued through a period
of about 20 years. We are inforraed in chapters 1 and
2, how Esther came to be queen, and Mordecai to be
so highly honored at court. 3. The cause of Haman's
hatred — and the arts by which he obtained an order to
destroy all the Jews. 4. The great distress of the
Jews on account thereof. 5 to 7. Haman's particular
plot to take the life of Mordecai defeated — and himself
hung upon the lofty gallows he had erected for Morde
cai. 8. The defeating of the general plot against the
Jews — Mordecai's honor and the Jews' rejoicing. 9, 10.
The hanging of Haman's sons — and the care that was
taken to perpetuate the remerabrance of this deliver
ance. It is a matterofgreatuncertainty who wrote this sacred
story ; but perhaps none were better qualified to do it
than Mordecai himself Various were the links in the

JOB. 325
ehain with which this deliverance was effected ; and the
whole goes to prove, that, " the eyes of the Lord aie
upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry :"
Ps. xxxiv. 15. " He taketh the wise in their own craft
iness." Jcb v. 13 ; 1 Cor. hi. 10.
JOB.
Job, whose name signifies he that weeps, was a cele
brated inhabitant of the land of Uz ; and is supposed to
have lived before Moses. But that he did live is quite
certain ; for God mentions him as a righteous man, to
gether with Noah and Daniel ; Ezek. xiv. 14, 20. And
the apostle James speaks ofhis patience and happy end;
Jaraes v. 11. This book stands unconnected with any
other; and may be considered doctrinal, though the
dialogues are poetical ; and it is called one of the poeti
cal books. It contains an account of Job's heavy afflic
tions, and his great patience under them ; his deliver
ance from them, and happy end.
The first chapter informs us of tbe piety, riches, and
religious care of Job for his children — of the loss ofhis
goods and children — his mourning, and blessing God.
2. Of his sore bodily affliction — his wife's telling him to
curse God. 3. He complains of life because of his an
guish. His chief friends during his afflictions, were,
Eliphaz tbe Teraanite, Bildad the Shubite, Zophar the
Naaraathiie, and a young raan named Elihu. Long
conferences were held between them ; and though they
mistook Job's case, and charged him with hypocrisy,
they gave raany excellent advices to duty, and inter
mingled many useful hints concerning God. Elihu's
discourse in chapters 32 to 42, appears to have had the
best effect upon Job's mind. He hurables himself to
God, who stirs hira up to shew his righteousness,
, power, and wisdom.
Job's troubles were no sooner removed, than his friends
came in from every quarter with presents ; and it was
not long before his riches were double what they had
formerly been. As God found no fault with Elihu, it
appears that what he said was true ; and from his find
ing fault with Job anc his other friends for their speeches,
it is evident, also, that ive must not look to them as a per
fect standard for our taith and practice; but must let
28

326 PSALMS.
otlicr parts of Scripture deterraine how far we are to
follow them. We may consider Job as a patient suf
ferer ; and imitate his faith in the Redeemer. See Job
xix. 23 to 29. If we look upon hira as a type of Christ,
and he appears to be a very striking one, we may well
exclaim, How rich was he who for our sakes became
poor, that we through his poverty might be rich ! 2 Cor.
viii. 9. How great were his sufferings from God I Rora.
viii. 32. How greatly was he tried by Satan ! Matt.
iv. 1 to 11. How falsely accused and insulted by men !
Luke xxiii. How surprisingly great his patience and
resignation I Matt. xxvi. 42. How highly exalted after
his humiliation and suffering! Phil. ii. 6 — 11. How
numerous and honorable his family, after his pov
erty and affliction ! Heb. ii. 9 — 13. It will be well
for us, in all things to imitate Job, as far as he re
sembles our dear Redeemer, who has commanded us
to learn of him. PSALMS.
This book is one of the most extensive and useful in
the Bible. The Psalms were composed by different
persons, and at different times; and there can be no
doubt of David's having composed most of them. They
contain the sura of the whole Bible ; and are suited to
every case and condition of the saints. And in order to
assist you in finding those that will be best suited to your
case, I have given the following list of the Psalras ;
Psalras describing the majesty, power, glory, and
other attributes of God— 8, 19, 24, 29, 33, 47, 50, 65,
66, 76, 77, 93, 95, 96. 97, 99, 104, 111, 113, 114, 115,
134, 139, 147, 148.
Penitential prayers are found in 6, 32, 38, 51, 102,
130, 143.
Prayers for pardon of sin — 25, 38, 51, 130.
Prayers for God's help— 7, 17, 26, 35, 44.
Prayers when lawfully detained from public worship
—42, 43, 63, 84.
Prayers when cast down by affliction — 13, 22, 69
77, 88, 143.
Prayers when laboring under persecutions or afflictions
-44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 89, 94, 102, 123, 137.
Confidence in God in afflictions — 3, 16, 27. 31, 54,
56, 57, 61, 62, 71, 86.

PSALMS, 327
Confidence in God when in trouble — 4, 5, 1 1, 28, 41,
55, 59, 64, 79, 109, 120, 140, 142.
Intercession— 20, 67, 122, 132, 144.
Psalms of adoration and praise, exhibiting God's love,
mercy, and goodness to his people — 23, 34, 36, 91, 100,
103, 107, 117, 121, 145, 146, 150.
The characters of good and bad men — their happi
ness and misery— 1, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 24.
25, 32, 34, 36, 37, 50, 52, 53, 58, 73, 75, 84, 91, 92, 94
112, 119, 121, 125, 127, 128, 133.
The vanity of human life— 39, 49, 90.
Humility- 131.
The excellency of God's law — 19, 119.
Advice to judges — 82, 101.
Historical— 78, 105, 106.
Prophetical— 2, 16,. 22, 40, 45, 68, 72, 87, 100, 118.
Psalras of thanksgiving for mercies to particular per
sons— 9, 18, 22, 30, 34, 40, 75, 103, 108, 116, 118, 138,
144. To the Israelites— 46, 48, 65, 66, 68, 76, 81, 85, 98,
105, 124, 126, 129, 135, 136, 149.
This book is referred to in Luke xxiv. 44 ; and is
there called "the Psalms." The apostle Peter calls it
"the Book of Psalms:" Acts i. 20. Sorae of the Psalms
that have not David's name in their title, are elsewhere
ascribed to him ; as Ps. ii.. Acts iv. 25 ; and Psalms
xcvi. and cv., 1 Chron. xvi. 7. David was a type of
Christ, as was the Jewish nation of God's worshipping
people — and their Canaan, of that rest into which we
enter by believing in Jesus, our Joshua.
An acquaintance with the two books of Chronicles
wil . greatly assist you in the studying of the Psalras ;
for ;iiere you have the history of the Writer of them.
And the more you become acquainted with experimental
religion, the more highly -will you prize the book of
Psalms. For whatever the "situation raight be in which
you may be placed, you may aiways meet with some
thing in this book adapted to your case. And whatever
may be your errand at a throne of grace, yiu may frora
thence derive something to assist you in the delivery
of it : and always find a running stream to quench your
thirst, and cheer your soul.

3>i8 proverbs — ECCLESIASTES.
PROVERBS.
Solomon spake three thousand proverbs; and his
Songs were a thousand and five ; 1 Kings iv. 32. The
most part of this book consists of short, independent sen
tences, spoken by Solomon, the wisest of men. It is
generally supposed, that Solomon, whose name signifies
peaceable, wrote this book oi proverbs about the middle
of his life, when his understanding was in full vigor,
and under the inspiration of the Spirit of truth. This
book abounds with short sentences generally under
stood, easily remembered, and not difflcult to practise.
Many have not always leisure to read, or penetration
to comprehend long discourses ; but proverbs neither
burden the meraory, nor puzzle the understanuing.
The latter part of the first chapter exhibits the gos
pel-call — and the awful calaraities brought upon the
Jews, and others, by rejecting it. The eighth, and
forraer part ofthe ninth chapters, represent Jesus Christ
in his person, office, and benefits. The rest of the book
relates, in general, to raoral virtues and their contrary
vices. This book stands unrivalled for wise speeches
and wholesorae advices. And it is a sad reflection
upon the writer of such a book, having so awfully
apostatized frora God in his old age ; and should be a
warning to those who are the most useful, never to
grow proud, or think themselves secure. And as God
made use of him as a pen, in making known His will
to us, we should never think the worse of, but attend
to, the instructions given. We have a short, but sad,
account of his aborainable conduct and doubtful end,
in the eleventh chapter of the first book of Kings
" Tett it not in Gath !" 2 Sam. i. 20.
ECCLESIASTES.
Solomon, in the title of this book, writes himself
"the son of David, King of Jerusalem ;" perhaps on
account of his infiuence being less over the ten tribes,
than Avhat it was at the time he wrote his book of
Pioverbs; for there he writes himself "ihe King of
Israel:" Prov. i. 1. This book appears to have been
written in his old age ; after he had in vain tried to find
satisfaction in the wealth, honor, and pleasures of the
world, and the gratification of every sense. By some

Solomon's song. 329
this bojk is called "penitential;" but to me, it looks
like a penitential ; that is, a book directing the degrees
of penance, rather than one expressing penitence.
No one ever possessed the advantages that Solomon
did, for proving that no created good can satisfy an
immortal soul ; and that real happiness is to be found
in God alone ; and the conclusions here given us, he has
drawn from his own experience. In the first chapter
he shows, that all human courses are vain. 2. That
one event happeneth to the wise and the foolish, yet
one is better than the other. 3. There is a time to
every purpose. 4. How vanity is increased. 5. Van
ity in murmuring, oppression, and riches. 6. Vanity
of riches without use. 7. The remedies against vanity
are a good narae — mortification — patience — and wis
dom. 8. It is well with the godly. 9. Like things
happen to all — God's providence over all — wisdom is
better than strength. 10. Observations on wisdora and
folly. 11. The day of judgraent to be thought of in
youth. 12. God should be sought early ; as an early
consideration of divine things is the only infallible rera-
edy against vanity.
Attend to the preacher's godly directions ; but irai-
tate none of his ungodly actions : for, though Solomon
was the writer, God was the Dictator.
Solomon's song.
This book is an allegory, written by Solomon, and
is commonly understood to represent the mutual love
of Christ and his Church, under the endearing and well-
known figure of a bridegroom and bride. Many strange
opinions have been given of it ; and to such as read it
with a carnal, and especially a wanton mind, it is the
savor of death unto death. Sorae have supposed that
he wrote it while very young ; — long before his book
of Proverbs. It is called a song of songs ; — and we
are constrained to acknowledge, that Solomon's songs
are very unlike those of his father David. The name
oi God is not once mentioned throughout the whole of
this book ; nor was it introduced as the other books of
Scripture were, by vision ; nor any other mark of imme
diate revelation ; neither does it contain any expression
of natural religion ; — nor is there any part of it ever
28*

330 ISAIAH.
quoted by any of the New-Testament writers. The
advice given by the Jewish doctors to their young peo
ple, was, not to read it till they were thirty years of
age ; lest, by reading it with corrupt minds, they should
suck out poison instead of food and medicine. But,
admitting it to be Scripture, we are assured of its being
given by inspiration, and that for our profit ; 2 Tim.
iii. 16. It might very easily be taken in a spiritual
sense by those for whom it was first composed ; viz. the
Jews; but more especially by the Christian church,
who have much clearer displays of divine love under
the gospel, than what they had under the law.
God soraetiraes spake of himself to the Jewish church
as a Husband ; Isa. liv. 5 ; Hos. ii. 16, 19 ; and re
joiced in the sarae as his bride : Isa. Ixii. 4, 5. But
more frequently is Christ spoken of as a Bridegroom ;
Matt. xxv. 1 ; Rom. vh. 4 ; 2 Cor. xi. 2 ; Eph. v. 32 ;
and the church as the bride, the Lamb's wife ; Rev.
xix. 7 ; xxi. 2, 9. It is irapossible for any unconverted
person rightly to understand this book ; but those who
can truly say of Christ " this is my beloved," and con
sider hira to be' " ihe fairest among ten thousands ana
alhgeiher lovely," may read it to advantage.
ISAIAH.
This and the fifteen following books are prophetical;
they abound with figures borrowed from nature. The
sun, moon, and stars, are frequently made use of to rep
resent kings, queens, and others in authority; moun
tains and hills, to set forth kingdoms and cities ; mar
riages to show God's covenant-love; and adultery,
departure frora God.
A prophet is one who has an intimacy with, and an
interest in heaven ; and, consequently, a commanding
authority upon earth. Prophecy is put for the whole of
revelation : 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. It will greatly assist you
in studying the writings of any prophet, to read those
chapters in the historical books which give an account of
the times in which that prophet lived. You will find the
history of the times in which Isaiah lived, in 2 Kings,
chap. xiv. to xx., and 2 Chron. xxvi. to xxxiii. He began
his predictions in the reign of Uzziah, and prophesied to
Hezekiah ; for about 60 years. He has very fitly been

JEREMIAH  LAMENTATIONS. 331
called the Evangelical Prophet ; on account of his so
fully describing the Saviour. He prophesied of the
Redeemer between 7 and 800 years before he came into
the world; notwithstanding, his predictions give as
minute a description ofJiim, as though he had been an
eye-witness to the whole. His chief scope appears to
have been the foretelling of the incarnation, sufferings,
and glory, of the Messiah ; — the erection of his church
among t'"e Gentiles ; — the rejection of the Jews, and
their fina restoration.
In chapters 7 and 14, he speaks of the Saviour's
birth. 53. Of his sufferings and death. 52 and 54.
Of his kingdom and glory. He was a very faithful
Erophet; though, it appears, not a very successful one:
sa. xlix. 1 — 5. He labored hard for about 60 years ;
and is supposed to have been sawn asunder, about tbe
beginning of Manasseh's wicked reign : Heb. xi. 37.
His name signifies salvation of the Lord.
JEREMIAH.
The name of this prophet signifies exaltation or gran
deur of the Lord. He began his work in the thirteenth
year of Josiah ; and continued it about forty years.
We have the history of the times in which he lived
recorded in 2 Kings xxiii. to xxv., and 2 Chron. xxxiv.,
xxxvi. The first part of this prophecy chiefly consists
of a mixture of severe censures against the sins of
the Jews ; and awful threatenings of heavy judgments,
with some calls to repentance; and coraplaints of
his own heavy afflictions. He began when young,
and continued long a prophet ; soin£ say fifty years ;
and others forty. That he was called to suffer much
we cannot doubt; hence, he is called the "weep-
ing prophet." But where, or how, he died, is not
certain ; though some have supposed, that he was
stoned to death. The last chapter of this book does
not appear to have been written by Jereraiah, but by
some other person divinely inspired among those who
were in captivity. LAMENTATIONS.
Thkb 'look was written by the prophet Jeremiah,

332 ezekiel.
who composed his laraentations on the destruction of
Jerusalem. They consist of five chapters. In chapters
1 and 2, he laments the miseries of the siege. 3. His
own particular afflictions. 4. He bewails the destruc
tion of the city and temple — the miseries of all ranKs —
and denounces certain ruin upon the Edomites, for their
cruelty. 5. He further laments the - direful effects of
the famine to which they were reduced by the siege —
and prays for their deliverance.
The whole of the book is very pathetic, and seems
as though every word had been wrung frora a broken
heart and written with a tear. In 2 Chron. xxxv. 25,
we are told that Jereraiah wrote sorae laraentations on
the death of Josiah : but it appears they have been lost ;
for it is evident, these were written on the destruction
of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans' army
The Evangelist, Matthew, xxvii. 9, ascribes to Jere
miah a prophecy found in Zechariah xi. 12, 13. Jere
miah might have uttered that prediction, — Matthew
does not say he wrote it, — and Zechariah might have
repeated it; or, as Jereraiah formerly stood in the front
of the prophetic writings, the Jews might have called
the whole book by his narae ; as the books of Moses
were called by their flrst word.
ezekiel.
Ezekiel's name bespeaks his having strength of
God; and it is evident, that as God gave him his
coraraission, so he gave him strength to execute it. He
wrote his prophecies at Babylon ; and the history of
the times in which he lived you will find in 2 Chron.
xxxvi. and 2 Kings xxiv. and xxv. There is rauch
in this book hard to be understood ; the waters run
so deep that the tallest soon get out of their depth;
howeveT, we may swim in it, though we cannot ford
through it, and may profit by it. His visions may be
obscurCi but his preaching is so plain that none need
mistake it. The beginning and latter end of this
book appear to be the most mysterious ; and though
like the book of nature, it cannot be all understood,
much may be gathered to strengthen our faith, and
encourage our hope in God, whose ways and thoughts
are not oars

DANIEL  HOSEA. 333
This prophet foretels the awful calamities that
were hanging over Judea — predicts the ruin of those
nations which had insulted the Jews in their afflic
tions — exhorts them to repentance — comforts them with
promises of deliverance — and foretels the future glory
of the church, under the figure of a new teraple. He
began his predictions in the fifth year of Jehoiakim' s
captivity, and continued about nineteen years. It is
supposed that he was put to death by the captives ia
Babylon, for faithfully reproving them; and that he
was dragged along the stones till his brains were
dashed out. DANIEL.
This prophet was of the royal family of Judah, and
was carried captive to Babylon with others ; and it was
under the captivity that he prophesied. God speaks of
him as one of those who had the greatest interest in
heaven: Ezek. xiv. 14. He hved a long and active
life ; and was in the courts and councils of some of the
greatest monarchs that ever reigned ; as Nebuchadnez
zar, Cyrus, and Darius. The first six chapters of his
book are historical, and are plain and easy; but the last
six are prophetical, and contain many things that are
dark, and hard to be understood; but perhaps these
prophecies are rendered obscure frora the want of a more
complete history of the Jewish nation frora Daniel's time
to the coraing of Christ. He foretels the tirae when the
Redeemer would make his appearance, more exactly
than . any other of the prophets. In chapter ix. 24, he
states the time at " seventy weeks." A prophetical week
is seven years ; reckoning a day for a year; and which
raakes Daniel's 70 weeks 490 years ; and on this account
the Messiah was generally expected at the time Christ
made his appearance in the world. "'Daniel (whose
narae signifies judgment of God) is supposed to have
died at Susan, in Persia. HOSEA.
HosEA, and the eleven following, are called "the lesser
prophets," on account of their writings being less in bulk
than the others ; although it is probable they preached
as rauch as the others. Hosea was the first oi the writing

334 JOEL.
prophets; even before Isaiah; and it appears that both
Isaiah and Ezekiel frequently borrowed from him.
Th IS, being taught of one Spirit, the one confirms
what the other has spoken. Before you study the wri
tings of this prophet, you would do well to carefully
read the chapters here referred to : 2 Kings xv; 2 Chron.
xxvi; xxvii; xxviii. He prophesied before the cap
tivity for about eighty years, in the days of Jeroboam,
Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz, kings of Judah. His pro
phecies chiefly relate to the ten tribes, who were then
in prosperity; and whom he sharply charges with their
murders, uncleanness, idolatries, oppression, and reli
ance on the Assyrians ; and intermingles a variety of
calls to a reformation of life ; with a proraise of God's
blessing on their repentance. He is very brief in his
manner ; and to us, who are unacquainted with many
of the ancient customs, appears obscure in his writing.
The Jews reckon him to have prophesied nearly ninety
years ; and the scope of his discourses is to discover
sin, and denounce the judgments of God against the
obstinately impenitent. The name of Hosea signifies
saviour, or salvation. JOEL.
It is not easy to determine the time when Joel
prophesied ; but, as he makes no mention of the ten tribes,
it appears that he prophesied after their captivity ; and,
perhaps, in the reign of Hezekiah or Manasseh. In the
first chapter, and forraer part of the second, he speaks of
a fearful famine, occasioned by great drought, and de
structive insects. 2. He exhorts to repentance — pre
scribes a fast — promises a blessing thereon — assures
thera that their evils shall be removed on their repentance
and humiliation — and Zion comforted — the Holy Spirit
is promised to be poured out in the latter days. And
this promise was fulfilled in the days of the Apostles ;
Acts ii. Chapter 3. He denounces God's judgments
against the enemies of his people — foretels the con
version and restoration of the Jews — the ruin of their
enemies — and future glorious slate of the church.
To understand Scripture, one part must be compared
with another. See now, 2 Kings xv. and 2 Chron. xxvL
Joel signifies he ihat wills, commands, or swears.

AMOS — OBADIAH  JONAH. 335
AMOS.
This prophet prophesied in the days of Jeroboam,
the second king of Israel. See chap. vii. ver. 10.
Amos was a country farmer ; and his name signifies a
burden. He appeared a little before Isaiah ; and was
contemporary with Hosea. He was a raan faithful and
bold in reproving sin ; and shunned not to denounce
the judgments of God upon it. In chapters 1 and 2,
he threatens, in a raost awful manner, those nations that
were enemies to Israel — and coraplains of their unthank-
fulness. 3 and 4. He calls Israel to an account for their
oppression — idolatry — and incorrigibleness. 5. He calls
thera to repentance. 6. He warns them of the desola
tions that were coming upon them. 7. He speaks of some
particular judgments, particularly on Amaziah. 8. A
famine of the word is threatened. 9. He declares the
certainty of the desolation — and concludes with a
promise of the setting up of Messiah's kingdom — the
Jews! return from Babylon — the conversion of Israel
and Judah — and their return to tbeir own land. It is
probable, Amos lived to see a great part of his nredic-
tions fulfilled. OBADIAP
The time when Obad'iah lived is not easily deter
mined ; but when we compare his predictions with those
of Jeremiah, chap, xlix; Ezekiel xxv; and Psalm
cxxxvii ; it appears to be but a short time after the de
struction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. His prophecy
consists but of one chapter ; wherein Edom is threat
ened for their spiteful conduct in rejoicing in, and helping
forward the destruction of the Jews ; and concludes
with a promise of the Redeemer's kingdora being set up.
Scripture does not inforra us who he was, when he lived,
or where he died. His name signifies servant of the
Lord. JONAH.
Who this prophet was, is not certain; though we
Know he was the son of Amittai the prophet, which was
of Gath-hepher. See 2 Kings xiv. 25, and xv. He
lived in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king
of IsraeL The Lord commanded him to go to Nineveh

336 MICAH  NAHUM.
and proclaim its rum ; and his commission appears to
be the only prediction found in his book ; "Yet forty
days and Nineveh shall be overthrown :" iii. 4. The
rest of the book raay be considered a relation of tbe
preface to, and the consequences of that prediction.
Frora the whole we may learn, that God's commands
must be obeyed, regardless of all consequences — the
danger of disobedience — that, though we may fiy from
duty, we cannot fly frora God — the only method of
escaping ruin, is to repent of our sins. It appears that
in Nineveh there were 120,000 little children, beside
much cattle : chap. iv. 11. Jonah's being cast into the
sea and delivered from it, is a well known type of the
burial and resurrection of Christ. See Matt. xii. 39—
41 ; xvi. 4 ; Luke xi. 30, 32. Jonah signifies a dove ;
though he acted very unlike one.
MICAH.
This prophet prophesied in the days of Jotham, Ahaz
and Hezekiah, a period of about fifty years. He assistea
Isaiah, and somewhat resembles hira in his style.
Compare Isa. ii. 2, 3, with Micah iv. 1, 2. He faith
fully reproves sinners of all ranks, both in church and
state; and endeavors to comfort God's people with
promises of deliverance. In chapter v. 2, we have a
very plain prediction of Christ, which is quoted by the
chief priests and scribes : Matt. ii. 5, 6. He predicted
the ruin of the city and temple — and re-establishment
of the Jews. Micah signifies poor, humble. Read 2
Khigs XV. to XX. and 2 Chron. xxviii. to xxxii.
nahum.
We cannot ascertain at what time Nahum lived and
prophesied. But he is supposed to have lived in the
reigns of Hezekiah and Manasseh. See 2 Kings xvih. to
xxi ; and 2 Chron. xxix. to xxxiii. He might have said
many things relating to Israel and Judah, notwithstand
ing we have nothing in his writing of either; it is
evident, Jonah said more than was written. 2 Kings
xiv. 25. This prophet gives a lofty, but plain description
of God in bis goodness lo his people, and wrath against
his enemies — describes the ruin of Nineveh and the
Assyrian empire. His name si giiifies comforter, penitent.

habakkuk — zephaniah  haggai. 337
habakkuk.
Habakkuk prophesied during the reign of Manasseh,
and was living in the time of Jereraiah. In chapter 1,
he foretels the destruction of Judeah and the surround
ing countries by the Chaldeans, for their iniquity. 2
He predicts the overthrow of the Chaldeans for their
having overthrown, oppressed, and raurdered others. 3.
He trembles in his prayer — and in a manner the most
sublime, celebrates God's former goodness in appearing
("or Israel — for bringing them out of Egypt, through the
Red Sea — and through the wilderness to Canaan —
encourages himself and otheis to trust in God, though
every visible mean fail. Let js, like him, rejoice in the
God of our salvation in the worst of tiraes. You will
derive further assistance by reading attentively 2 Kings
xxi. and 2 Chron. xxxiii. This prophet's narae signi
fies he ihat embraces or wrestles.
zephaniah.
Zephaniah lived in tbe days of Josiah, king of Judah ;
an account of whose reign you will find in 2 Kings xxii;
xxiii ; and 2 Chron. xxxiv ; xxxv. Chapter 1. He re
proaches and threatens the Jews for their wickedness.
2. He earnestly exhorts thera to repentance, that the
threatened evil raight be averted — and predicts the ruin
of the Philistines, Moabites, Araraonites, Ethiopians,
and Assyrians. 3. He reproves Jerusalem for the
wickedness found in her, especially among her princes —
judges, prophets, and priests — and exhorts them to wait
for the restoration of Israel — seeing God would work
out a glorious salvation for them, after he had prepared
Ihem for it. His name signifies the secret of the Lord,
Ps. xxv. 14. HAGGAI.
Haggai began his prophecies about two months before
Zechariah; and after the Jews had returned from their
captivity. Read Ezra v. 1 ; vi. 14. All the prophecies
we have recorded by tbis prophet, were delivered in tho
short space of four months. See chapter i. 1; and ii.
I, 10, 20. He, together with Zechariah, greatly en
couraged their brethren to finish the building of the
temple. He assured them that the Messiah should come
29

338 ZECHARIAH  MALACHI  TESTAMENT.
in the flesh — that the glory of the latter house should
be greater than that of the forraer. See chap. ii. 7 — ^9
The narae of Haggai signifies /eas^, solemnity.
ZECHARIAH.
This prophet began to prophesy while young; and
about two months after Haggai. His preaching was
plain and practical ; such as was well calculated to make
a good impression on his hearers. In chapter 3, he
foretels of Christ the branch. 9. Zion is exhorted to
rejoice for the coraing of Christ and his peaceable king
dom. 11. He speaks of the rejection of Christ, and the
price for which he was sold. 13. Of the death of
Christ. 14. The coming of the Redeemer and the
graces of his kingdom. His narae signifies what he
was, a man of the Lord. MALACHI.
The Scriptures give us no account who were the
parents of this prophet, nor to what country he belonged.
But it appears plain, that he prophesied after the second
temple was built, and about 397 years before the birth
of Christ. In chapter 1, after reminding the Jews of
the great things God had done for them and their fathers,
he sharply reproves them for their irreligion and pro
faneness. 2. He reproves the priests for their neglect of
duty — and the people for their adultery and infidelity.
3, Of the near approach — majesty — and grace of the
Messiah — rebukes thera for their sacrilege and blasphe
my — and declares the great regard that God has for all
those who truly fear his name, 4. He predicts the ler
I ible judgments that awaited those who should reject the
Messiah — and concludes by referring to the mission of
John the Baptist. Malachi signifies my angel.
' TESTAMENT.
The word " testament" signifies the will of a dying
man left in writing; by which he determines how his
property shall be disposed of after his death ; Gal. iii.
15. And the testator is the deceased person who lefl
the testament, or w'lll. Jesus Christ is called a Tes
tator, on account of his having bequeathed to sin-

gospel. 339
ful men his peace; John xiv. 27; together with all the
unsearchable riches of his grace and glory ; Heb. ix.
16, 17. The writings of Moses and the prophets are
called the Old Testament; and this testament, or will,
was published before the birth of the Redeemer. Not
withstanding, it was ratified by his typical death in the
many sacifices that were offei ed ; and which observ
ances are now entirely abolished, or done away : See
2 Cor. iii. 15 ; Heb. ix. 15.
The writings of the Evangelists and Apostles are
called the New Testament; and may be considered
the voluntary act and deed of Jesus Christ, duly exe
cuted and witnessed, bestowing legacies on such charac
ters as he has described; and, being ratified by the death
of the Testator, can never be abolished. The New
Testament is the same in substance with the Old; but
is more spiritual, clear, efficacious, and extensive. The
wine in the Lord's Supper is called the " neio testament
in Christ's blood," Matt. xxvi. 28, because it represents
the blood which sealed the covenant God has been
pleased to make with his creatures ; and all the benefits
and privileges of it are owing to the merits of that blood,
represented by the wine : Luke xxii. 20. The Ola
Testament was confirmed by the blood of bulls and of
goats ; Exod. xxiv. 8 ; but the New with the blood of
Christ; and without the shedding of which our sins
could never have been removed, nor heaven have be
come our inheritance : Heb. ix. 22.
The word we have rendered Testament might well
be rendered Covenant; for it signifies both; and so it
would read New Covenant. But in speaking of,Christ's
act and deed, it is most proper to render it Testament;
for he is the Testator, and by his death it became in
force : Heb ix. 16, 17. There is nothing in the Old
Testament laid aside by the New Testaraent but the
ceremonial law, and peculiarities of the Jews.
GOSPEL.
The word "Gospel," signifies good news, or, glad
tidings : as it exhibits the Covenant of grace ; and is
an absolute declaration of the good- will of God to man,
in freely giving Jesus Christ and salvation in him, to be

340 MATTHEW.
received by the vilest, without money and without price ;
See Luke ii. 10, 11 ; Mark xvi. 15. It is called the
Gospel of God, on account of its originally coming
frora him: Rom. i. 1. It is called the Gospeh of the
grace of God, because it coraes from, and makes known
to us, the favor of God ; and is the channel through
which His grace is conveyed to us : Acts xx. 24. It is
called the Gospel of Chr'ist, because He is the Author
and subject matter of it ; Rom. i. 16. It is called the
Gospel of salvation, because it not only tells us that
salvation may be had, but points out the way of obtain
ing it; and offers it to us : Eph. i. 13. It is the same
Gospel that the Spirit of God preached unto Abraham;
See Gal. iii. 8; Gen. xii. 3; xviii. 18; xxii. 18; xxvi. 4.
Gospel, is also taken for a historical account of what
Jesus Christ did and said ; of his life, doctrines, raira-
cles, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension;
hence we say, " the Gospel according to Matthew," — or
Mark, — or Luke, — or John. That is, as recorded by
them : See Mark i. 1.

MATTHEW.
This Evangelist was, by birth, a Galilean ; by profes
sion, a publican, or inferior tax-gatherer ; by religion, a
Jew ; and ordinarily a resident of Capernaum. He left
his occupation and followed Christ at his comraand ; and
was one of those who constantly accompanied the Lord
Jesus from the baptism of John unto the day that he
was taken frora thera ; Acts i. 21, 22. He is supposed
to have written the Gospel, or the good news of Christ
Jesus coraing into the world to save sinners, about A. D.
41. But in what language he wrote it, the learned are
not agreed, whether in Hebrew, Syriac, or Greek. He
commences with the Redeeraer' s parentage — birth —
the ancestors from whom he descended — and the raan
ner of his coraing into the world. He has exhibited the
most evident parts of the Saviour's conduct and suffer
ings in a plain, grave, and dignified raanner ; and as he
was one of the twelve disciples who constantly attended
our Lord, this history is an account of what he heard
and saw. And the other Evangelists relate things as
they heard and saw them. Matthew signifies a reward.

MARK  LUKE. 34J
MARK.
It is a matter of uncertainty who was the writer of
this book ; but, be he who he may, we are told his name
was Mark. And though Marcus was quite a' coinmon
name among ine Romans, the Scriptures leave us little
room to doubt of this writer being a Jew by birth. In
Acts XV. 37, we read of John whose surname was
Mark ; and with whom Paul was greatly displeased for
a time ; but afterwards showed him great kindness, and
ordered the churches to receive him ; Col. iv. 10. He
sent for him to assist him in the rainistry ; and after
wards spake of him as being his fellow-laborer ; Phile
mon 24. Peter, also, speaks of one Marcus, and calls
him his son; on account of his having been made the
honored instrument of his conversion : 1 Pet. v. 13.
But whether that is the same as the one spoken of by
Paul, and, if not, which of the two wrote this book the
Scriptures do not inform us.
He begins with the preaching of John the Baptist ;
and though much of what he has written is a repetition
oi what we have in Matthew, he relates many remark
able circumstances omitted by that Evangelist ; such as
you will find in the following passages : Mark i. 23 —
26 ; vii. 31—35 ; viii. 22—27. Mark signifies polite.
LUKE.
Luke is supposed to have been a native of Antioch
in Syria; and that his name is a contraction of Lucilius
or Lucius, which signifies luminous: Rora. xvi. 21
Whether he was converted to Christianity through
Paul's instrumentality, or whether Paul first met with
him at Troas, we cannot learn from the Scriptures. By
profession, he was a physician; and his first mentioning
liimself as being Paul's companion begins at Troas. He
afterwards frequently speaks of himself as being a fel
low-traveller with him. Compare the following passa
ges; Acts xvi; CoL iv. 14; Philemon 23; 2 "I'ira. iv.
11. Luke wrote the history of the life of Christ; and
is the supposed writer of the Acts of tbe Apostles. He
has given in this book a circurastantial account of the
birth of Christ — his preaching, <fcc. — the baptism of
John — and is the only one who mentions the commission
given by Christ to the seventy disciples : Chap. x. 1 — 20.
29*

342 JOHN.
John the Evangelist, was the son of Zebedee, a fish
erman, and his mother's narae was Salome ; he was the
brother of James, one of the twelve apostles. He wit
nessed the Saviour's retirements ; and particularly his
transfiguration, and agony in the garden; See Matt. xvii.
2; Mark ix. 2; Luke ix. 28; and Matt. xxvi. 37; Mark
xiv 33. He saw the Lord of life hang, bleed, and die,
on the cross : chapter xix. 34, 35. He was one of the
first who visited the sepulchre after our Lord's resurrec
tion : XX. 21. He was distinguished by that honorable
appellation, "thai disciple whom Jesus loved." He, at
the Saviour's dying request, took horae the Virgin-Mary,
and provided for her : xix. 25 — 27. For a time he
accompanied Peter, preaching, working rairacles, and
enduring persecution from the Jews at Jerusalem, and at
Samaria : See Acts iii ; iv ; v. In his old age, he wrote
three epistles, one to the Jewish Christians, in general,
one to a noted lady, and another to one Gaius. In tbe
Isle of Patmos, he had various visions, and revelations,
from the mouth of Jesus — thence, he wrote seven epis
tles to the seven churches of Asia. He is said to have
lived the longest of all the apostles, and to be the only
one who died a natural death.
Learned raen are not agreed, concerning the language
in which the Gospel according to John was first writ
ten. In his history of our Redeeraer' s life, he relates
many things omitted by the other Evangelists ; chiefiy
a number of most excellent discourses ; and gives the
most undeniable proofs of the divinity of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.
In chapter 1. The divinity, humanity, and office of
( 'hrist. 2. His turning water into wine. 3. His purg
ing the temple of buyers and sellers. 4. His talk with
the woraan of Samaria. 5. Christ cures a man that
had been thirty-eight years afflicted. 6. Feeds five
thousand. 7. He reproves his kinsmen. 8. Delivers
the woman taken in adultery. 9. Cures a man that
was born blind. 11. He raises Lazarus from the dead.
13. Washes his disciples feet. 18. He is betrayed by
Judas. 19. He is scourged and crucified. 20. He rises
again. 21. He appears to his disciples. Jolm signifies
the grace of the Lord.

example of CHRIST  ACTS. 343
After having attentively read the history of our ador
able Redeeraer, as given by the four Evangelists, you
will derive great benefit by referring to the following
passages, and endeavoring to iraitate Christ in his early
piety : Luke ii. 46, 47. His willing subjection to his
earthly parents: Luke ii. 51. His great humility, meek
ness of temper, and lowliness of mind; Matt. xi. 29.
His contentment in the poorest condition : Matt. viii. 20.
His tender corapassion towards the distressed and afflict
ed ; Matt. XX. 34. His unwearied endeavors to do good
to all : Acts x. 38. His frequent private prayer : Matt.
xiv. 23 ; Mark i. 35 ; Luke ix. 18. His great faith in
prayer : John xi. 42. His thanksgiving : Matt. xi. 25 ;
John xi. 41. His heart-felt grief for the sins and suf
ferings of others ; Mark iii. 5. His pious zeal for the
public worship of God: Luke iv. 16; John ii. 13 — 17.
His condescension, even to the meanest : Matt. xi. 19 ;
Luke V. 29. His profitable con-versation when in com
pany: Luke xiv. 7 — 24; xxiv. 13 — 35. His overcoming
temptation: Matt. iv. 1 — 11. His subjection to the
governraent under which he lived: Matt. xvii. 27; xxii.
21. His cheerful submission to the will of his heavenly
Father; Matt. xxvi. 39 ; Luke xxii. 42. His constant
love and practice of holiness : John iv. 34. His readi
ness to forgive all who injured him ; Luke ix. 54 —
56 ; xxiii. 34. His bearing with the weaknesses and
infirmities of his brethren after the flesh : Matt. xxvi.
40—45. Examples more clearly point out, and more power
fully incline to a holy practice, than any precept possi
bly can do; they not only show the possibility of per-
liirmance, but, by a secret force, urge to imitation,
rtjproach our defects, and animate to like zeal. Christ
alone is a perfect 'model.
ACTS OF the apostles.
This book is an inspired history of the doings and
sufferings of the Apostles after the Ascension of theii
Divine Master : but principally relates to those of Peter,
John, Paul, and Barnabas. It contains a history of
the church for about thirty years after the death of
Christ ; nor have we any other, that deserves our belief,
for about 250 years afterward. Luke the Evangelist ia

344 epistles.
allowed to be the writer of it; he wrote it as a continu
ation of the history of the Saviour.
Chapters 1 to 5, show us how completely thfe pro
mise raade by the Redeemer, of the Holy Spirit, was
fulfllled — the miraculous preaching of the Apostles —
the success that attended it — and the persecutions they
met with on account thereof. 6 and 7. The mock-trial
and cruel raurderof Stephen. 8. The great persecution
and dispersing ofthe preachers of the Gospel into Sama
ria — the baptism and base conduct of Siraon the sor
cerer — and the conversion and baptisra of the Ethiopian
eunuch. 9. The conversion of Saul on his way to Da
mascus. 10. The baptism of Cornelius and his friends.
11. The disciples of Christ are first called Christians.
12, The raurder of James — the iraprisonraent of Peter
• —and Herod's a wful death. The reraainder of the book
is chiefly taken up in relating Paul's travels, labors,
and sufferings. An acquaintance with this book will
cast rauch light upon, and greatly assist you in, the
reading ofthe following Epistles,
Frora this book we learn that the Christian Church
has grown through great opposition, idolatry, and
persecution ; notwithstanding the nuraber and power
of her enemies ; — and that it is composed of a people
possessing, not only the forra, but also, the power of
godliness; — such as have obtained a new heart, a right
spirit, and have been united to Christ their living
head ; and enjoy spiritual communion with him. See
John xiv; xv; xvi; Acts L to v.
epistles.
An Epistle is a letter by which one person comrau-
nicaies his raind to another at a distance. The whole
of the Bible is God's Epistle to us ; for in it he has cora-
municated his mind concerning us. There are twenty-
one of the books of the New Testaraent called Episihs;
the first fourteen of which were written by Paul ; the
other seven were written, one by James, two by Peter,
three by John, and one by Jude. When these epistles,
or letters, were first written, they were not divided into
chapters and verses as we now have thera ; and there
fore, to get at th* meaning of the writer of any epistle,

ROMANS — 1 CORINTHIANS. 315
you will have to read it over attentively frpm beginning
to end ; just as you would a letter of great importance
you had received frora a friend.
ROMANS.
This epistle was written by Paul, from Corinth, to the
Christian church at Rome, whom the Apostle had not
seen ; and appears to have been written about A. D. 56.
Phe eleven first chapters are doctrinal, and the last five
practical. And in order to understand the truths con
tained in the forraer part, we have only to attend to tho
duties of the latter part. He shows us in chapter 1,
that the foundation of our salvation is laid, not by works
of nature, but in justification by faith in the Lord Jesus
(Christ. 2, 3. That the works ofthe law can save none.
4. That the only way to escape the curse of the law, is,
by believing in Christ, who was made a curse for us ;
tJal, iii, 13. 5. How we obtain peace with God. 6,
7. How we are sanctified to hira. 8. How we are glo
rified by him. 9. He speaks of persons saved. 10,11.
Shows that those who are saved by Christ are believing
Jews and Gentiles. And then follows the practical
part of his epistle, or letter; in which we have, chap. 12,
some useful and wholesorae exhortations irapressed
upon us, with motives the most powerful. 13. Direc
tions for conducting ourselves as members of civil soci
ety. And in the last three chapters, how we should
behave ourselves as merabers of the church of Christ,
the one toward another. There is no part of the Bible
which we ought to read, learn, inwardly digest, and
become more thoroughly acquainted with, than this
epistle. It clearly shows us, that we can neither be
saved in whole nor in part by our own works; and
that salvation is in Christ Jesus alone — and by believ
ing in Him we are saved frora that condemation conse
quent on unbelief Notwithstanding, it plainly sets
fmth those who believe in Christ, as being a peculiar
people, zealous of good works.
1 CORINTHIANS.
Corinth was a principal and wealthy city of that par
ticular division of Greece called Achai. Paul preached
there with very great success, for abnut one year and a

346 2 CORINTHIANS.
naif; and in the midst of great persecution from the Jews,
succeeded in forming a church there. See Acts xviii.
And there a Christian church, either real or pretended,
frora that time has existed. It appears, that shortly after
his departure from them, he wrote thera a friendly epistle
which is now lost. See 1 Cor. v. 9; 2 Cor. x. 10, 11.
He had left thera but a short time, before various disor
ders and schisms got in among them ; and each party
contended for their favorite preacher. See the first
chapter. Inspired by God, he, therefore, wrote thera
this long letter, in which he sharply rebukes them for
their divisions, and vindicates his own conduct. In
chapters 1 to 4, he directly reproves their dissensions —
shows how unable the natural man is to understand
spiritual things — that ministers are God's workmen—
and on what account ministers ought to be regarded.
5. He directs thera to put away an incestuous person
from among thera, ani to purge out the old leaven. 6.
Not to go to law one with another before heathen mag
istrates. 7, 8. Warns them against irregularities in
raarriages — and of giving offence in eating things of
fered to idols. 9. How ministers ought to be supported.
10. How they should conduct themselves at the Lord's
table. 11. That women should pray with their heads
covered. 12. That all should iraprove their gifts to the
edification of others. 13. The praises of charity, or
love. 14. Woraen are forbidden to speak in the gov
ernraent of the church. 15. He most clearly proves
the resurrection of the dead. 16. He exhorts them all
not to be unmindful of their poor brethren — but make
their collections every week for the relief of the poor;
and gives his love to them all.
2 CORINTHIANS.
In the last clupter of the former epistle (ver. 5 — 7)
the Apostle signified his intention of shortly visiting
Corinth ; but being providentially prevented, he, about
one year afterward, wrote this second epistle, or letter
to them. In chapter 1, after the introduction, th«
Apostle gives an account of his own troubles and God'}
goodness. 2. He shows the reason why he came no
to them— and directs them to forgive and comfort th»
person who had been excommunicated for incest. 3.

GALATIANS. 347
He proves the excellency of the New Testament above
the 0!d — the duty of gospel-ministers — and the advan
tages of living under the gospel. 4. He declares his
own sincerity and faithfulness in preaching the gospel.
5. His hope of iramortal glory — and of future judgment.
6. His heart is open to them — and he expects the like
affection from them. 7. He declares what comfort he
took in his afflictions, since he had heard so good a re
port of them by Titus. 8. He very affectionately urges
thera to contribute liberally to the support of the poor.
9. He proceeds to encourage thera to liberality. 10.
He arms thera against the crafty insinuations of false
teachers. 11. He gives a large account ofhis labors,
sufferings, and quahfications for the ministry. 12. He
proraises to come to thera — and blames thera for their
faults. 13. He threatens severity with obstinate offend
ers — and concludes the epistle with a general exhorta
tion and prayer. GALATIANS.
This is another of Paul's epistles. It is not directed
to thethurch or churches of any particular city as some
others are; but to the churches of a whole province;
for so Galat'ia was, of Lesser Asia. This province for
merly contained twenty-two faraous cities ; and it seems
that the gospel was first preached, and Christianity first
planted here by the apostle Paul. See Acts xvi. 6 ;
xviii. 23. While this apostle was among them, they ex
pressed great love both for him and his preaching ; but
he had scarcely left the country, before sorae false teach
ers got in among them, and stirred up the people to hate
both him and his doctrine; aud which was the occasion
of his writing this epistle to thera. In chapter 1, he
sharply reproves thera for so soon departing frora the
faith. 2. He gives an account of an interview he had
with Peter at Antioch. 3. He reproves thera for their
folly — and proves the truth of the doctrines from which
they had departed. 4. Shows the happy change their
conversion wrought in them. 5, Describes the struggles
with flesh and sin — and the fruits of the flesh — and of
the Spirit. 6. Concludes with some plain, practical
duties — and the true character of false teachers. The
whole teaches us to follow Chrisi and beware ni men.

.348 ephesians  philippians.
ephesians.
While a prisoner at Rome, the Apostle Paul wrote
this epistle to the church at Ephesus, the chief city of
Lower-Asia ; a city faraous for its idolatry and magnifi
cent temple dedicated to the goddess Diana. Chapter
1 . After the salutation, he thanks God for the great bles
sings he has conferred upon them. 2. He compares
their former state by nature with their present one by
grace. 3. He desires them not to faint for his tribula
tion — and prays that they may be sensible of the great
love of Christ toward thera. And having in the former
part of his epistle, or letter, delivered some very im
portant doctrinal truths, he proceeds to give some of the
most weighty exhortations to faith and practice. 4. He
exhorts them, to love — unity — concord — purity — and
holiness. 5. He shows how Christians should conduct
theraselves — exhorts thera to mutual love — charity —
and to avoid all manner of uncleanness, 6. The duty
of children to parents — and servants to masters — de
scribes the complete armor of a Christian — and how it
ought to be used. And concludes with his good wishes
and prayers for all the brethren.
PHILIPPIANS.
Philippi was a city of considerable note, of the west
ern part of Macedonia; and the Apostle Paul was called
in an extraordinary manner to preach there. Read
Acts, chapters xvi, and xx. He appears to have had a
particular kindness for the church he had been th6
instrument in forming there. Although he had been
called to suffer many hard things at Philippi, and had
been scourged and put in the stocks, that did not wean
Ilis love frora either place or people. In chapter 1, he
assures thera that he always remembered them in his
prayers, 2, He exhorts tbem to be diligent — loving —
and serious — and lo walk like Christians. 3. He cau
tions thera against false teachers — who, like surly dogs,
would bark to annoy — and bite to destroy, the faithful
professors of Christianity. 4. He gives them many
faithful admonitions — and exhortations — gratefully ac-
knowlelges iheir kindness — and concludes with praise
to God He wrote this epistle while a prisoner at Rome.

COLOSSIANS  1 THESSALONIANS. 349
COLOSSIANS.
CoLOssE was formerly a large city in Phrygia; al
though it is now laid io. ruins. Read Acts xvi ; xvin.
This epistle was written about the same tirae, and in
the same place, as the one to the Ephesians and Philip
pians; while Paul was a prisoner at Rome. Paul did
not plant, neither had he ever seen this church; still he
did not forget it, nor neglect it. In chapter 1, he thanks
God for the good report he had heard of tbeir faith — and
prays that they might be fruitful — and gives them au
excellent abridgment of the doctrines of Christianity.
2. He exhorts thera to beware of philosophy and vain
traditions. 3. He exhorts them, as those that were risen
with Christ, to live above the world. 4. He entreats
them to pray fervently — walk wisely — and concludes
with his best wishes for thera all. All who profess
Christianity should live like Christians.
I THESSALONIANS.
Thessalonica, now called Sahnichi, was the chief
city of Macedonia; Paul, in a very remarkable manner,
was directed there to preach the gospel. See Acts xvi.
9, 10. When this great teacher of the Gentiles first
planted a Christian church there, it consisted of some
converted Jews, and many Gentiles, who embraced
Christianity. See Acts xvii. 1 — 4. The apostle was
greatly opposed in his good work by the unbelieving
Jews, and the baser sort of the people ; so much so, that,
for his own safety, he had to leave the city in the night
with Silas, who went with him to Berea. This is sup
posed to be tlie first epistle Paul ever wrote; although
it is placed after his other epistles. In chapter 1, he
tells them how thankful he felt to God on account of
their having embraced the gospel, and forsook their idol
atry. 2. He appeals to them as to the faithful manner
of his preaching the gospel among them. 3. He testi
fies his great love to them by sending Timothy to
them — by rejoicing in their well-doing — by praying for
them — and desiring a safe coraing to tbem. 4. He ex
horts them to live holy and justly — to love one another —
and gives a brief description of the resurrection. 5.
He gives them many useful exhortations to watchful-
.less- -sobriety — failh — love — and hope — and charges
30

350 2 THESSALONIANS  1 TIMOTHY,
them to read this epistle to the brethren; and concludes
with the usual benediction. 2 THESSALONIANS.
This epistle was written shortly after the first ; and.
It is probable, from the same place. It appears that
some of the apostle's expressions in the former epistle,
had been misunderstood by some of them ; and they
were led to believe that the coming of Christ, the end
of the world, and the judgment-day, were so near, that
to pay any regard to their temporal affairs was incon
sistent with tbe anticipation of that great event. To
correct so great an error, the apostle, no doubt, immedi
ately wrote this second epistle, or letter. In chapter 1,
he gives thanks to God for their faith, love, and union,
and speaks of the coming of Christ, the punishment of
the ungodly, the glorification of the saints, and prays
that God raay count them worthy of their calling — and
that the name of Jesus might be glorified by them. 2.
He exhorts thera to stand fast in the faith, and not te
alarmed at any rumors they might hear concerning the
coraing of Christ — confutes the error that he had
cautioned ihem against, by shewing them what great
events must take place before bis coming ; such as, a
general apostacy, and the revelation of antichrist. He
thereupon repeats his former exhortation, and prays
for thera. 3. He begs thera to pray for him, testifies
what confidence he has in them, makes requests to God
in their behalf, shows them how to treat those who
walk disorderly, prays that they may have increasing
peace, and concludes with the usual benediction ; " The
grace of our Lord," Sfc. I TIMOTHY.
Paul's epistles have hitherto been directed to church
es; now we have the four following to particulai
individuals : two to Timothy, one to Titus, and one to
Philemon ; all three ministers of the gospel.
Timothy was an Evangelist, an order which appears
to be inferior to the apostles; Eph. iv. 11 ; though, it
is evident, their commission and work were much ihe
same with that of the apostles; preaching, baptizing
planting, ind watering the Christian churches. It ap-

2 TIMOTHY. 351
pears that Timothy's mother was a Jewess, and his
father a Gentile ; and which will account for his not
having been circumcised when Paul met with him ; and
it is probable, that at this time his father was dead
and he was living with his mother and grandmother
Compare Acts xv. 1 — 3, with 2 Tira. i. 5. He seems to
have been brought up in the fear of God, and, by
means of the holy Scriptures, had been carefully in
struc ted in the Jewish religion. Compare 2 Tim. L 5,
with 2 Tira. iii. 15. Frora the tirae Tiraothy submit
ted to circumcision he accompanied Paul in his travels,
assisted him in preaching the gospel, and establishing
the churches ; and was left by him to take charge of
the church at Ephesus ; but how long he continued
there is not cert.ain.
In chapter 1, Paul informs Timothy why he had left
him at Ephesus — what the false apostles taught instead
of the gospel — exhorts him to bold fast faith and a
good conscience — and speaks of some who had made
shipwreck of failh. 2. He exhorts that prayers be
made for all men — shows the reasons why — and how
men should pray — and women adorn themselves. 3.
He speaks of the qualifications of bishops — of deacons
— of their work — and how they should be proved. 4.
He foretels apostacy from the true faith — instructs
Timothy what to teach and what to avoid. 5. He
lays down rules for reproving — directions concerninp;
widows — and elders — and a precept for Tiraothy's
health. 6. He speaks of the gain of godliness — the
evil of loving money — exhorts Timothy to be faithfu'
— and describes the majesty of God.
2 TIMOTHY.
In this epistle, which was written by Paul while d
prisoner at Rome, and under the constant expectatiow
of being put to death, we have in chapter 1, an ac
count of the piety of Timothy's grandraother, ana
mother — of the religious education they had given their
son — an exhortation to Tiraothy-^and the kindness
shown to Paul while in prison, by Onesiphorus. 2,
Timothy is exhorted to constancy and perseverance —
to preach faithfully the word of truth — and to carefully
avoid the doctrine of Hymeneus and Phileius, who

352 TITUS — PHILEMON.
declare that the resurrection is past. 3. He predicts
dangerous times in the latter days — and commends the
holy Scriptures. 4. In a most solemn raanner, he
charges Timothy to be faithful and diligent— certifies
him of the nearness of his own death — his strong con
fidence of being forever happy — and concludes. Tim
othy signifies, honor of God. TITU&,
Distinguished as Titus was, it is certainly very
remarkable that his narae should not be once found in
all the Acts of the Apostles. But that he was a Greek
and brought up in heathenisra, we learn from Gal. ii
3; or he would have been circumcised. He was con
verted to Christianity by the rainistry of Paul, (chap
i. 4,) who tenderly loved hira; 2 Cor. ii. 13; and fre
quently mentions him in the most endearing language
See 2 Cor. vii. 6, 7, 13, 15, and viii. 16, 23.
In chapter 1, he informs Titus why he left hira in
Crete — (and though no mention is anywhere made of
Paul's ever being in Crete, it is plain he was there) — of
the qualifications requisite for those who bear rule in
the church of Christ — the character of the Cretians —
of pure and irapure professors. 2. Directions are given
to the aged — the young — to Titus — to servants — and
what the gospel teaches. 3. He shows the necessity
of obedience — the wretched condition of men wilhout
Christ — the great change which the grace of God
makes in all who possess it — the indispensable duty of
believers to live holy lives — how to deal with heretics —
requests Titus to meet him at Nicopolis — and gives
some concluding directions and salutations. Titus sig
nifies, honorable. PHILEMON.
Philemon, who was a resident, if not a native of
Colosse, appears to have become a convert to Christian
ity by Paul's rainistry. The design of this epistle
was to reconcile Philemon to his slave Onesimus;
who, having run from hira, had fied to Rome, where he
became converted to Christianity by means of Paul's
preaching. In verses 1 to 3, he salutes Philemon and
tho church who met in his house. 4 to 7. He extols

HEBREWS. 35bi
his love — faith — and Christian charity. 8 to 14. He
pleads forgiveness for Onesimus, his offending servant,
iu a very affecting and earnest manner. 15 to 17. En
gages himself to repair any wrong that his servant
might have done him. 20, 21. He expresses the
strongest confidence that his master will forgive him.
22. He directs Philemon to prepare a lodging for him,
as he expected shortly to be with him. 23 to 25.
With salutations and benedictions concludes. What a
pattern doth this epistle exhibit to both masters and
servants! Philemon signifies, that kisses; — and Onesi
mus, profitable HEBREWS.
It is not certain, neither are we concerned to know,
who was the writer of this epistle, though it is generally
assigned to the apostle Paul. Whoever the writer may
be, it is very clear the scope and design of it was to
inform the minds, and confirm the judgments of the
Hebrews, in the excellence of tbe gospel above tbe
law, to which they were so strongly attached ; and to
persuade them to strictly adhere to, and persevere in,
the Christian faith. It contains all the doctrines of the
gospel ; its beauties are many, its excellencies great,
and its matter instructive.
In chapter 1, he speaks of the different discoveries
that God had made to the fathers by tbe prophets — the
coraing of Christ — and his being preferred above the
angels. 2. He describes the nature of Christ — and
the end for which he assuraed that nature. 3. He
shows that Jesus Christ is raore worthy than Moses —
and cautions thera against unbelief 4. He shows that
tbe rest of Christians can be attained only by faith —
that Jesus Christ is our high-priest — through whom we
have access to Ci'-^. 5. The nature of the high-priest
hood — his qL..aiincations — order — and pre-eminence. 6.
He exhorts to diligence — and patience. 7. He speaks
of the greatness of Melchisedec, after whose order
Christ is a High-Priest forever. 8. He shows how
superior the new Covenant is to that of the old — and
that by the former the latter is abolished. 9. The in
feriority of the sacrifices of the law to the dignity and
30*

354 JAMES.
perfection of the sacrifice of Christ. 10. He shows
the weakness of the law-sacrifices — sacrifice of Christ's
body once offered hath forever taken away sin. 11.
He gives divers admonitions — to charity — to honest
life — to avoid covetousness — to submit to, and regard
God's preachers — to guard against strange doctrines —
to confess Christ — give alms — prays for them — and
concludes. This certainly looks like Paul's writing.
Paul signifies, a worker ; and Saul, his former name,
a destroyer. JAMES.
This apostle is called James the less, Mark xv. 40,
to distinguish him from the other James who was kil
led : Acts xii. 2. He is called the Lord's brother ; Gal.
i. 19; but why, the learned are not agreed. It is cer
tain that he was an apostle, and that he was the son of
Alpheus ; Matt. x. 3. Abraham was uncle to Lot ; and
he calls him his brother : Gen. xii. 5 ; xiii. 8. He was
surnamed the Just, on account of the admirable holi
ness of his life; but whether he, or sorae one else,
wrote this epislle, we are but little concerned to know,
since there can be no doubt of its being divinely inspir
ed, and written for our instruction. It is called gene
ral, or catholic, on account of its being written to no
particular nation, city, or church; but to Christians
everywhere. It begins without any apostolical salu
tation ;, the narae of our blessed Lord is mentioned but
twice in it ; and it ends without any apostolical bene
diction. In chapter 1, the apostle addresses the twelve tribes
which were scattered abroad — shows that they should
rejoice under, and receive corafort from the cross —
exhorts thera to ask wisdom of God without a a>i)ubt-
ing mind — and declares that, to hear the word of God
without doing it, will be of no avail. 2. He shows
that partiality is inconsistent with Christianity — that
God has chosen the poor — that we should be loving
^nd merciful — and never boast of faith without good
works. 3. He cautions all against a haughty con
duct — and an unbridled tongue — and contrasts the
nature and effects of earthly and heavenly wisdom.
4. He shows the origin of wars and contentions — that

1 PETER — 2 PETER. 355
the friendship of the world is enmity with God — that
God resists the proud — that men should submit and
pray to him — humble themselves — and not speak evil
one of another — the sin of knowing the will of God
and not doing it. 5. That wicked rich men are in
danger of the judgments of God — the followers of God
should be patient under oppression and afflictions, and
take encouragement from the exaraple of the prophets
and Job — strongly forbids swearing — encourages all to
pray for each other — and to restore a straying brother.
James signifies, the heel. 1 PETER.
This apostle was a native of Bethsaida, was the son
of Jonas, and brother of Andrew, the apostle. His
original name was Simon, but the Saviour called him
Cephas, or, as it is interpreted, Peter; both words sig
nifying a stone, or rock. There is no Scriptural evi
dence of his ever being at Rome; neither is there any
to the contrary. He wrote to all Christians, whether
converted Jews or Gentiles, who lived in those coun
tries named; and on which account his epistles are
called general, catholic, or universal.
In chapter 1, he thanks God for the grace by which
they have been preserved faithful in their trials — and
exhorts them to holiness and brotherly love as the
children of God. 2. He dissuades them from the breach
of charity — declares the character of believers, as the
children of God — beseeches all such to glorify God —
fo practise the various duties of life — and be patient
under persecution, after the example of Christ. 3. He
teaches the duties of wives and husbands to each other
— how to see good days and raany of thera — and always
to give a reason of the hope that is in us. 4. He ex
horts to conformity to Christ — to be sober — charitable
— and watchful. 5. He exhorts the elders to feed
their flocks — the younger to be obedient — and all to be
sober — watchful — and diligent in the faith. Saluta
tions are given from the church : and the benediction.
2 PETER.
This second epistle of Peter is supposed to have
been written about a year after the former one ; it is

356 1 JOHN  2 JOHN.
directed to the same per.sons, and, it is supposed, from
Rome, which he calls Babylon : See 1 Pet. v. 13.
In chapter 1, he exhorts them, by faith and good
works, to make their calling and election sure — gives
intimations of his speedy dissolution — and the desire
he has that those churches might be established in the
true faith of the gospel. 2. He foretels the coming of
false teachers — the judgments that await those false
teachers — and gives their character. 3. He warns
believers against scoffers and impostors — and concludes
by warning them against seducers — and exhorting
them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus
Christ. 1 JOHN.
Although this epistle has not the name of John
either prefixed or subscribed to it, it has, from the earli
est ages of Christianity, been attributed to him.
In chapter 1, he describes the person of Christ —
und the end for which he bears this testimony — shows
that those who have fellowship with God walk in the
light — and are cleansed frora unrighteousness. 2. He
warns believers against all sin — and shows that a
knowledge of, and union with Christ, must be. shown
by our obedience to him — and cautions them against
the love of the world — and seducers. 3. He expresses
his great admiration of the love of God in the adoption
of sinners — shows how the children of God are distin
guished from the children of the devil. 4. He warns
against false, seducing teachers — tells how to distinguish
between the true and false prophets — and exhorts to
brotherly-love. 5. He shows that they who love God
love his children also — the willingness of God to hear
and answer prayer — and concludes by strongly mark
ing the difference between those who are born of God,
and the world that lieth in wickedness — and exhorting
us to keep from idolatry. 2 JOHN.
That the apostle John, who wrote the former epistle,
is the writer of this also, all are agreed; but as it re
gards the person to whora it was sent, there exists a
difference of opinion. Sorae think it was a church to

3 JOHN  JUDE. 357
whom he directed it, under the title of "The Elect
Lady :" while others suppose, what is more probable,
that he wrote it to a religious matron, for the purpose
of comforting and establishing, both her and her family,
m the doctrines of Christianity. This epistle is divided
into thirteen verses ; and from 1 to 3, contains the
apostle's address to a Christian lady and her children.
4 to 6. He rejoices to find that they are walking in
the truth — and exhorts them to continue to love one
another. 7, 8. He cautions thera against deceivers —
and exhorts them to watchfulness. 9. Shows the neces
sity of abiding in Christ. 10, 11. He cautions them
against those who brought not the true doctrine. 12.
Excuses himself from writing. 13. Her sister's chil
dren desire to be remembered to her.
3 JOHN.
This epistle was written by the same apostle as the
two former; and was addressed by John to " the well-
beloved Gaius." There are sever "-l persons mentioned,
of the name of Gaius, in the New Testament: See
Acts xix. 29 ; xx. 4 ; Rom. xvi. 23 ; 1 Cor. i. 14. And
whether the Gaius raentioned here is one of those
referred to is not certain ; neither is it important for us
to know.
In verses 1,2, the apostle expresses his good wishes
for the prosperity of Gaius. 3 to 8. He coraraends him
for his piety and hospitality to true preachers. 9. He
complains of the unkindness and ambitious conduct of
Diotrephes. 10. Of his not receiving the brethren him
self and preventing those that would. 11. Exhorts
Gaius not to follow his exaraple, but that which is good.
12. He gives a special testiraony to the good report of
Demetrius. 13. He excuses himself frora writing a more
lengthy letter, as he proposes shortly to visit him. 14.
He concludes with salutations from some friend who
desired to be reraerabered to him. A distant friend is
better than a near foe. jude.
Judas, or Jude, the writer of this epistle, who is also
called Lebbeus Thaddeus, was the son of Alpheus, and
brother of James the Less ; and an apostle of the Lord.

358 revelation.
See Matt. x. 3, and John xiv. 22. The design of it
evidently was, to guard believers against the principles
and practices of the false teachers, who, at so early an
age of the church, had arisen in the world.
In verses 1, 2, we have the writer's address and
benediction. 3,4. He states the. reasons which induced
him to write this epistle — and exhorts them to a vigor
ous and holy contention for the faith once delivered
to the saints. 5 to 8. He reminds them of some awfal
instances of divine vengeance on sinners. 9. Informs
them ofthe dispute about the body of Moses. 10, 11.
He particularly describes the false teachers. 12, 13.
Represents them as irapure, unsteady, fierce, and with
out shame. 14 to 19. He gives a further description of
those corrupters of doctrine and morals. 20, 21. Ex
horts believers to keep in the love of God. 22, 23.
Directs them how to pity and restore those who are
in danger. 24, 25. He concludes with a doxology
to God. Judas, or Jude, signifies, the praise of the
Lord. revelation.
Any immediate discovery of the mind of God to man
IS called a revelation. See Gal. i. 12 : 1 Cor. xiv. 6,
26. But this, the last book of the Scriptures, is particu
larly so called ; on account of its chiefly consisting of a
multitude oi revelations relative to God's will and pur
pose toward the church. And many of its predictions
being yet unfulfilled necessarily causes sorae difficulty
in understanding this book. It was revealed to John,
while living in banishraent on the barren Isle of Patmos;
and appears to have been written by him at nearly tho
close of his life. He foretels events relative to the
church of Christ, from that period to the end of time.
In reading this book, those who are ambitious and
greedy of knowledge, will find theraselves greatly morti
fied ; for there are many parts too deep for a giant to
ford, while there are shallows that a child may wade.
Some, who are timorous, object to the study of this book,
on account of the presumptuous having failed in their
interpretations of some difficult parts. But that should
not deter us from lookingdiligently into those prophecies
Let us i nitate the pious Israelites, while we read this

CHARACTER OF IriE FIRST CHRISTIANS. 359
book ; they looked carefully into the darkest prophecies
of the Old Testament, and patiently waited for the
consolation of Israel. If we imitate them, we shall find
that those parts we cannot walk through, we may swim
in ; and afterwards do as Paul did, sit down on the
brink and admire the depth : Rom. xi. 3. In this book
of revelations, God has, in a most striking raanner,
given displays of himself — heaven — heavenly things —
the kingdom of his Providence and Grace — the glory
of the Redeemer — the character and happiness of his
people^the wickedness and destruction of his eneraies
— the resurrection of the dead — the last judgraent —
who shall enter eternal happiness, and who shall be ex
cluded — and in a most awful manner threatens those
who shall alter, add to, or take from any part of this
prophecy — and the apostolical benediction concludes
the whole.
The Old Testament closes with a curse; and the
New Testament ends with a bhssing. "The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with you att. Amen." So
prays the Author.

CHARACTER OF THE FIRST CHRISTIANS.
My Young Reader. I have now gone through a'L
the books of the sacred Scriptures, and have brought
into a few pages a summary of the whole; and which,
I hope, will greatly assist you in forming a raore inti
mate acquaintance with that best of all books. But
seeing it is not enough that we know the Bible, but
should LIVE the Bible, let us turn our attention to it
again, and see how Christians used to live. It must be
acknowledged that the first ages of the Church of Christ
were the purest ; and if we are desirous to know how
we should perform our duty, we have only to give up
our-preconceived opinions, and turn to the New Testa
ment, where we shall find a model for our lives.
The first Christians were deeply impressed with a
sense of their guilt and danger at the tirae of their con
version : Acts ii. 37 ; ix. 6 ; xvi. 29, 30. They evinc
ed a change of heart by a change of life ; 1 Cor. vi
11 ; Eph. iL 5, 6. They had faith in Christ Jesus ;
Col. i. 3, 4 ; 2 Thess. i. 3. They walked in tht fear

360 character of the first christians.
oi God : Acts ix. 31. They had peace with God :
Rora. V. 1. The love of God was shed abroad in their
hearts : Rora. v. 5. They had joy in God : Rom. v.
11. His Spirit bore witness with theirs that they were
his children : Rora. viii. 16. They praised God, or spoke
well of him to others : Acts ii. 47 ; Eph. v. 19. Sin
nad no dominion over them : Rom. vi. 14, 15. They
were freed from sin and served God: Rom. vi. 22.
They received the Gospel with gladness, and were all
baptized after receiving it ; Acts ii. 41 ; xviiL 8. They
searched the Scriptures daily, to see whether what theii
ministers told them agreed with the word of God ; Acts
xvii. 11. They frequently met to break bread; or par
take of the Lord's Supper ; Acts ii. 46 : xx. 7 — 11 ;
I Cor. xi. 26. They regularly attended public wor
ship ; Acts iii. 1 ; xx. 7. They attended to private de
votion ; Acts ii. 42 ; x. 9. They met for social prayer ;
Acts xii. 12 ; xvi. 25. They not only worshipped God in
the day, but late at night : Acts xx. 7. They prayed,
not only for their friends, but for their foes also ; Acts
vii. 60. They highly esteemed their ministers, and
prayed for them : Acts xx. 37, 38 ; xii. 5. They took
care of their ministers ; Phil. ii. 25 ; iv. 10 — 19 ; and
their ministers, in return, took good care of them; 2
Cor. vi. 11. Their love extended to all the brethren:
Eph. i. 15 ; 1 Thess. iv. 9, 10 ; Heb. xiu.'l ; 1 Pet. i
12, 22. Their charity abounded to all who were in
want ; Acts xi. 29, 30 ; Rom. xv. 26 ; 1 Cor. xvi.
1—3; 2 Cor. viiL 2, 3; 2 Thess. i. 3; Philemon 7; 3
John 6. Great unanimitjr and union prevailed amongst
hem ; Acts iv. 32. They were diligent in spreading
he religion of Jesus; Acts viii. 35 — 40. They were
hbeial to the utmost of their ability : Acts ii. 44, 45 ; iv.
31. They separated themselves from the wicked; 1
Cor. V. 11; 2 Thess. iii. 6 — 14. They were humtle
from a sense of their own unworthiness ; 1 Cor. xv. 9 ;
Eph. iii. 8 ; 1 Tim. i. 13—16. They walked not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit; Rom. viii. 1. They
were sober in all their deportment ; 1 Peter iv. 4. They
were patient, yea, joyful, in affliction; Acts xiii. 50—52:
Rom. V. 3 ; 2 Thess. L 4 ; Heb. x. 34. They cheer
fully endured the greatest suffering for Christ's sake:
Acts V. 40; vh. 58; viu. 1; xiL 2; xiiL 50; xiv. 22;

the miracles of CHRIST. 361
xvi. 23 ; 2 Thess. i. 4. They knew that whatever be
fell them was all for their good : Rom. viii. 28. They
willingly parted with all things for Christ ; Phil. iii. 7,
8. They ever acknowledged themselves debtors to the
grace of God for all they possessed ; 1 Cor. xv. 10.
They chose rather to hearken unto God than unto man,
regardless of all consequences ; Acts iv. 19. They
were willing to die in the cause of their Redeemer,
rather d:,an shrink from tbeir duty ; Acts xx. 23, 24 ;
2 Tim. IV 6 — 8. They knew, that, let thera die when,
where, or now they raight, heaven to them was secure :
2 Cor. V. 1 ; PhiL L 21.
For the want of room, I have only been able to give
you an outline of this lovely picture; but hope you
will be enabled to fill it up yourself Remember, that
your relation to the body of Christ stamps upon you a
sacred character, and produces a great responsibility :
1 Cor. xL 3; Rom. xii. 4, 5. "Walk worthy of the
vocation wherewith ye are called ;" Eph. iv. 1. "Let no
corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but
that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may
minister grace unto the hearers ;" Eph. iv. 29. " Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil-
speaking, be put away from you, with all malice :"
Eph. iv. 31. And resolve, through grace, to follow
those " who through faith and patience inherit the
promises :" Heb. vi. 12. Those Christians are the best
who resemble Christ the most.
THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST.
From the New Testament writers it appears evident,
that but a very small number of the miracles of Christ
are recorded. A miracle is an astonishing effect, either
superior or contrary to the laws of nature. We must
allow that the laws of nature are all very good ; but to
pretend that they are so fixed, that no miracle can be
wrought, would be to bind the Almighty down to
second causes. And not to give credit to miracles,
because they are contrary to nature and tbe commor-.
observation of mankind, is stupid beyond degree. For
if rairacles were not contrary to common observation,
or could be produced by natural causes, they would be
31

362 THE parables OF CHRI.ST.
no miracles at all. God has done 'mimh — but when He
works a miracle He does a little more.
The centurion's servant healed, Matt. vin. 5 — 13.
The tempest stilled. Matt. viii. 23—27
Two demoniacs of Gadara cured, Matt. viii. 28 — 34.
A man sick of the palsy cured. Matt. ix. 1 — 8.
Jairus!s daughter raised. Matt. ix. 18—26.
Two blind men restored to sight. Matt. ix. 27— 31.
A dumb demoniac cured. Matt. ix. 32, 33
A man with a withered hand cured. Matt. xii. 9 — 13
A blind and dumb demoniac cured. Matt. xii. 22, 23.
Five thousand fed. Matt. xiv. 15 — 21.
Christ walks on the sea. Matt. xiv. 22 — 33.
Canaanitish woraan's daughter cured. Matt. xv. 21 — ^28.
Four thousand fed. Matt. xv. 32—39.
A lunatic possessed of a devil cured. Matt. xvii. 14 — 21.
Procures tribute money from a fish, Matt. xvii. 24 — 27.
Two blind raen restored to sight, Matt. xx. 29 — 34.
The fig-tree blasted. Matt. xxi. 18 — 21
A demoniac cured, Mark i. 23 — 28.
Peter's mother-in-law healed, Mark i. 29—31.
A leper healed, Mark i. 40 — 45.
A man both deaf and dumb cured, Mark vii. 31 — 37.
A blind man restored to sight, Mark viii. 22 — ^26.
Great draught of fishes, Luke v. 1 — 11.
Widow's son raised from the dead, Luke vii. 11 — 17.
A woraan with an issue healed, Luke viii. 43 — 48.
A crooked woman cured, Luke xiii. 1(D — 17.
A man cured of the dropsy, Luke xiv. 1- 6.
Ten lepers cleansed, Luke xvii. 11--19.
Malchus's ear healed, Luke xxii. 50, 51.
Water turned into wine, John ii. 1 — ] I.
i* nobleman's son cured, John iv. 46 — 54.
A cripple at Bethesda cured, John v. 1 — 9.
A man born blind restored to sight, John ix. "
Lazarus raised to life, John xi. "
Surprising draught of fishes, John xxi. 1 — 14
THE parables OF CHRIST.
Parables are figures used to represent truths. Our
Lord, in his parables, has taken similitudes from
natural things to represent spiritual things. It was

THE PARABLES OF CHRIST. 363
anciently common for philosophers to utter their senti
ments in parables. And that the prophets made use of
parables is very evident from the following passages.
Judges ix. 7 ; 2 Sam. xii. 1 ; xiv. 1 ; 1 Kings xx.
39 ; 2 Kings xiv. 9 ; Isa. v. 1, &c. The mode of in
struction by parables was very common in our Saviour's
lime ; and He carried it to the height of excellency and
usefulness. In order to understand a parable, observe,
1st. It is not necessary that the representation be strictly
true ; nor that all the actions spoken of be strictly
just; because the design of the parable is not to in
form concerning ihese, but some important truth. 2d.
We must carefully gather the scope of the parable from
what has preceded or immediately follows it. 3d
Several circumstances may be added in a parable for
the sake of decorum, that cannot be illustrated in the
explication of it; we must, therefore, chiefiy attend
to the design oi the parable itself. We have the follow
ing recorded.
The sower. Matt. xiii. 1—23.
The tares among the wheat. Matt. xiii. 24 — 30.
The grain of mustard seed. Matt. xiii. 31, 32.
The leaven in the meal. Matt. xiii. 33.
The hidden treasure. Matt. xiii. 44.
The pearl of great price. Matt. xiii. 45, 46.
The net cast into the sea. Matt. xiii. 47 — 50.
The unmerciful servant. Matt, xviii. 21 — 35.
The laborers in the vineyard. Matt. xx. 1 — 16.
The two sons. Matt. xxi. 28 — 32.
The wicked husbandmen. Matt. xxi. 33 — 46.
The mariiage-feast. Matt. xxii. 1 — 10.
The man without a wedding garment. Matt, xxii.ll — 13.
The ten virgins. Matt. xxv. 1 — 13.
The talents. Matt. xxv. 14—30.
The sheep and goats, Matt. xxv. 31 — 46.
The seed growing secretly, Mark iv. 26 — ^29.
The two debtors, Luke -vii. 36 — 50.
The good Samaritan, Luke x. 25 — 37.
The rich fool, Luke xii. 13—21.
The servants who waited for their Lord, Luke xii. 35- -48.
The barren fig-tree, Luke xiii. 6 -9
The lost sheep, Luke xv. 3 -7
The lost piece of money, Luke xv. 8- 10

364 REMARKABLE DISCOURSES OF CHRIST.
The prodigal son, Luke xv. 11 — 32,
The unjust steward, Luke xvi. 1 — 12.
The rich man and Lazarus, Luke xvi. 19 — 31.
The importunate widow, Luke xviiL 1 — 8.
The Pharisee and Publican, Luke xvhi. 9 — 14
The pounds delivered for trading, Luke xix. 11 — ^27.
REMARKABLE DISCOURSES OF CHRIST.
There can be no doubt but an incredible number of
volumes must have been written, had all Christ's dis
courses been recorded. But Infinite Wisdom saw, that
such a vast number of Holy Writings would have
allowed us no time for reading anything else ; nor even
meditating upon what we did read, or had expounded
unto us ; hence God has seen fit to leave us no raore
than what we are capable of iraproving. The follow
ing are some of the most remarkable discourses delivered
by our blessed Lord and Saviour.
Sermon upon the mount. Matt. v. vi. vii.
Ordination charge to the apostles. Matt. x.
Woes against Chorazin, tStc. Matt. xL 20 — 24.
Discourse on the breach of the Sabbath, Matt. xii. 1 — 8.
Refutation of the false charge. Matt. xii. 22 — 37.
Discourse on internal purity. Matt. xv. 1 — 26.
Against giving offence. Matt, xviii.
Directions how to obtain heaven. Matt. xix. 16 — 30.
Discourse on his own sufferings. Matt. xx. 17 — 19.
Woes against the Pharisees, &c. Matt, xxiii.
Predictions concerning Jerusalem, Matt. xxiv.
Discourse on the way to Gelhsemane, Matt. xxvi. 31 — 36,
Discourse with his disciples. Matt, xxviii 16 — ^20.
In tbe synagogue of Nazareth, Luke iv. 16 — 32.
Woes against the Pharisees, &-c. Luke xi. 37 — 54.
Discourse on huraility and prudence, Luke xiv. 7 — 14
Conversation with Nicoderaus, John iiL 1 — 21
With the woman of Samaria, John iv. 1 — 42
Discourse concerning the irapotent man, John -f.
" on the bread of life, John vi.
" at the feast of tabernacles, John vii.
" on occasion of tbe adulteress, John viii. 1 — 11.
" concerning the sheep, John x.
" of consolation, John xiv.

prophecies with their fulfilment. 36o
Prophecies are predictions of future events. The
Drophecies concerning Christ became more clear and
minute, as their accomplishment drew near. The
whole chain of prophecy, extending from Eden's gar
den to Calvary's cross, which was first given to the
fews, and is still retained by them, when compared
with its accomplishment, most strikingly proves the
reality of the Christian religion ; and is well calculated
to fill the mind with the most exalted views of the Re
deemer. The following list of predictions with their
FULFILMENT,' will, I hope, greatly assist the young read
er in his search after Divine truth, which alone can
make him truly wise; and by which we must all stand
or fall. In addition to the above remarks, I would also
state, that, in order to understand the prophetic language
of the Bible, there ought to be an acquaintance with
the Scriptures in general — the events of Providence —
the plan of salvation — and particularly with the sym
bolical language of the prophecies — especially the names
given to Christ, antichrist, the church, nations, &c. &c,
PREDICTIONS. FULFILMENT.
Gen. iii. 15. Gal. iv. 4; 1 John hi. 8.
Gen. xviii. 18 ; xxiL 18. Gal. ni. 8, 16 : Matt. i. 1.
Gen. xlix. 10. John x. 36: xvii. 18, 21, 23.
Exod. xii. 46. John xix. 33 — 36.
Numb. xxiv. 17. Rev. xxii. 16.
Deut. xviii. 15, 18. Acts vii. 37.
Job xix. 25, 26. 1 Cor. xv. 22—26 : 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17.
Ps, xl. 6—8. Heb. x. 5—30.
Ps. xh. 9. Matt. xxvi. 47.
Ps. Ixxxix. 19. Col. L 14, 15: Rev. xix. 16.
Ps. cxviii, 25, 26. Matt. xxi. 9.
Ps. cxviii. 22. Matt. xxi. 42 : Eph. ii. 20 ; 1 Pet. ii. 7,
Ps. ii. 1. Acts iv. 26, 27.
Ps. xxii ; Ixix. Matt, xxvii. 35, 46, 48 ; John xix. 23. 24.
Ps. xvi. 10. Acts ii. 31 : xiii. 33, 38 ; 1 Cor. xv. 54.
Ps. Ixviii. 17, 18. Eph. iv. 8: Col. ii. 15.
Ps. ex. 1 — 4. Matt. xxii. 42, 44 : Acts ii. 33 : Heb. v. 6.
Ps. ii. 6—8. Acts xiii. 33 ; Heb. v. 4 ¦ Rev. ii. 27.
Ps. xcvii. 7, 8 : cii. 25—27. ' Heb. i. 6. 10—12.
Isa. vi. 9. Malt. xiii. 13
31*

366 FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE.
Isa. vii. 14. Matt. i. 20—23.
Isa. ix. 1, 2. Matt. iv. 14—16.
Isa. xi. 10 ; ix. 6, 7 : viii. 14. Rom. ix. 33 : 1 Pet. ii. 8.
Isa. xL 1, 2. John iiL 3, 4 : Col. h. 3 ; John i. 32.
Isa. Ixi. 1—3. Luke iv. 18—21.
Isa. xl. 3. Matt. iii. 1—3 ; 1 Tim. ih. 16.
Isa. xxxv. 3 — 6. Matt. xi. 2 — 6.
Isa. liii. Matt, xxvi ; xxvii.
Isa. Ix. 2, 3. Matt, xxvih. 19 ; Rev. xxi. 21, 24.
Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. Luke i. 32, 33.
Ezek. xxxiii. 23, 24; xxxviL 21 — 24. John x. 1, 16;
John L 49 : xix. 19, 21.
Hos. xi. 1. Matt. n. 19—21.
Dan. vh. 13, 14. Matt. xxiv. 30: xxvL64: xxviii. 18.
Dan. ix. 24, 26. John i. 41 ; Heb. ix. 26.
Dan. ix. 27. Matt. xxiv. 15.
Micah V. 2. Matt. ii. 1, 6 : Luke ii. 4—7.
Haggai ii. 6, 7, 9. Luke iL 10, 11, 27; Heb. xii. 26.
Zech. vi. 12. Luke i. 78, 79.
Zech. ix. 9. Matt. xxi. 5 : John xii. 15.
Zech. xi. 12, 13. Matt. xxvi. 15.
Zech. xiii. 7. Matt. xxvi. 46, 47.
Zech. xii. 10. John xix. 34—37 ; Acts h. 23.
Mal. ih. 1. Matt. hi. 1 — 3 ; xi. 10.
Joel ii. 28—32. Acts ii. 16—21.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE.
The Bible abounds with figures drawn from nature ;
such as light, darkness, sun, moon, stars, earth, moun
tains, trees, water, &c. — frora the persons and actions
of men, as Adam, Moses, David, Elijah, &c. — and
from the history of the church, (fcc. The Bible itself
is the best guide to the interpretation of its own fig
ures : — as the Epistle to the Hebrews to the ceremonial
law. The discourses of our Saviour are highly figura
tive ; and in consequence of their true meaning having
been mistook, and a literal application given to those
places which are only intended figuratively, the most
absurd notions have been published for divinely-taught
doctrines. A few examples will be sufficient to show
you that all the expressions of our Lord are not to be
literallv understood. For instance :

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE 367
The Redeeraer, when speaking to the Jews, said, "I
am the living bread which came down from heaven ; if
any man eat of this bread he shall live forever ; and
the bread that I will give is my fiesh, which I will give
for the life of the world:" John vi. 51. The Jews,
understanding his words literally, said, " How can this
man give us his flesh to eat 7" not considering that he
alluded to the sacrifice he was about to make in tht
offering of himself for the sins of the world ; 1 John ii.
2. In the institution of the Lord's Supper, he said of
the bread, " This is my body;" and of the wine,
" This is my blood:" Matt. xxvi. 26 — 29. And upon
these words sorae have put such a forced construction,
as to teach that tbe bread and tbe wine are, by saying
a few words over them, converted, or changed, into the
real huraan flesh and blood of the Saviour, just as it
was born of the Virgin Mary ! When, it is plain, the
Saviour intended that the bread represented his body,
and the wine, his blood; and that by breaking and
eating the one, and pouring out and drinking the other,
he required all his followers to keep up a perpetual re
membrance of his death, till he came again : 1 Cor.
xi. 23 — ^27. Christ calls hiraself the door, John x.
"i — 10, the VINE, John xv. 1, and the shepherd, John
X. 11 ; and we are very well assured, that, literally, he
was neither the one nor the other. You will find the
following to be the raost remarkable figures of speech in
the Bible; and by making yourself acquainted wilh them,
you will find a key to unlock an invaluable treasure.
A Metaphor s a word applied to sorae use to which,
in its literal meaning, it could not be put : but is
fbi.nded on the similitude one object bears to another :
such as. For the sword to devour flesh : Deut. xxxii.
42. To be born again : John iii. 3, 7. To bridle the
tongue : James i. 26.
An Allegory is a metaphor continued : as the
Saviour's discourse concerning the eating of his own
flesh : John vi. 35 — 65.
A Parable is a similitude ; and illustrates something
we do not know, by a statement of soraelhing we are
familiar with ; and is used to impress it raore deeply on
the raind : as, the Lost sheep, the Prodigal son, tfcc
Luke XV.

368 symbolical language of the bible.
A Proverb is a short, energetic sentence, containing
great meaning in a few words ; and a wise man will
understand them. The requisites of a proverb are ele
gance and brevity ; Prov. i. 1 — 6 ; x. 15 ; Luke iv. 23.
A Metonymy is a figure of speech in which one word
is put for another; as, "They have Moses and the
prophets:" meaning their writings and not their per
sons : Luke xvi. 29.
A Prosopieia, or personiflcation, is a figure by which
things are spoken oi as persons: as, "Mercy and truih
are met together ; righteousness and peace have kissed
each other ; Ps. Ixxxv. 10.
A Synecdoche is a figure by which the whole is put
for a part of anything, or a part for the whole ; as,
"All the world should be taxed;" when no more is
meant than the Roraan erapire : Luke ii. 1. " And we
were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and
sixteen souls;" when persons, bodies and souls, are
intended. Irony is a figurative forra of speech, in which the
raeaning is contrary to what is spoken; and though
there are not raany exaraples of the kind in the Bible,
there are sorae few : such as Elijah's address to the
prophets of Baal ; 1 Kings xviii. 27 ; and Job's remark
to his friends : Job xii. 2. Though a different thing is
meant from what is spoken, irony may readily be un
derstood. If a father should say to his son who had
disobeyed him, "You are a ooonlad!" — the son would
well understand his father lo mean, that he was a bad
hd. A Hyperbole is a figure by which anything is rep-
lesented as being much greater, or smaller, than what
it really is; and examples of which you will find re
corded in the following passages; Numb. xiii. 33;
Deut. i. 28 ; John xxi. 25.
SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE.
A Symbol is an abridgment, comprehending in its
figure a representation of something else. And a know
ledge of the symbolical language of the Bible is of great
importance, in order to our understanding, and profiting
by what we read. And that you might the raore readily
find those words, the sense of which you may be desir-

SVMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 369
ous to know, you have the following index, alphabeti
cally arranged, with what is generally believed the
true meaning of each word ; and also the chapter and
verse where it is recorded.
Abaddon, in Hebrew, is the same as Apollyon in
Greek ; and is a name given to the angel of the bottom
less pit: Rev. ix. 11.
Abomination; a thing very hateful; as, (1.) That
which men abhor : Gen. xliii. 32 ; Prov. xxix. 27.

]

(2.) Sin in general: Isa, Ixvi. 3; Ezek. xvi. 50, 51
(3.) An idol; 2 Kings xxiii. 13; Isa. xliv. 19.
An idolater : Isa. xli. 24. (5.) Wicked doctrines an-
practices : Rev. xvii. 4. (6.) The Roraan army with
their idolatrous ensigns, that destroyed the temple and
Jewish polity ; Matt. xxiv. 15.
Adulteress ; A person, city, or church, who forsakes
the true God to follow a false one : Isa. i. 21 ; Rev.
xvii. 5.
Adultery; Idolatry, and apostacy from God; Jer.
lii. 8, 9 ; Ezek. xxiii. 8 ; Rev. h, 22.
Angel; A messenger; and is applied to (1.) Those
spiritual and intelligent beings employed by God to exe
cute his orders of providence: Ezek. x. 8 — 22; Heb.
L4 — 7,14; Rev. iv. 6; v. 11; xxiL 8. (2.) Apostate,
or fallen spirits ; Matt. xxv. 41 ; 2 Pet. ii. 4 ; Jude 6.
(3,) Ministers ofthe gospel: Rev. L 20; h. 1, 8, 12, 18.
v^4.) The Lord Jesus Christ, who brought us salva
tion: Zech. i. 11, 12; Rev. x. 1.
Apollyon; in Greek is the same as Abaddon in
Hebrew: ^e Abaddon.
Arm; (1.) The Almighty power of God : Exod. vL6;
fsa. hL 10; Ixii. 8; Ixiii. 12; Jer. xxvii. 5. (2.) Jesus
('hrist is called the "arm of the Lord:" Isa. liii. I.
(3.) The strength and support, protection and provision,
which God gives to his people : Isa. xxxiii. 2. (4.) The
saving power, love, and compassion of Christ : Isa. xl.
1 1 ; John xii. 38. (5.) God's gracious influence upon
mankind ; Isa. li. 9. (6.) The influence of raen ; Ps. x.
15 ; xxxvii. 17; Jer. xvii. 5.
Arrows; are (1.) Apprehensions of divine displeas
ure: JobvL4; Ps, xxxvih. 2. (2,) The judgments of
God: 2 Sam. xxii. 15; Lam. hi 12; Ezek. v. 16^
blab. iii. 11. (3.) The mail* s, slander, and abuse ot

370 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE.
wicked men : Ps. xi. 2 ; Ixiv. 3 ; Prov. xxv. 18 ; xxvi.
18 ; Jer. ix. 8. (4.) The means made use of by the
wicked to injure others : Ps. Ivii. 4.
Babes; are (1.) Weak-minded and insignificant per
sons, who lack understanding ; Isa. iii. 4 ; Matt. xi.
25 ; Rom. ii. 20. (2.) Such as are weak in faith, know
but little, and are given to change ; 1 Cor. iii. 1 ; Heb.
V. 13. (3.) Believers who are hurable, harmless and
teachable, and feed on the pure milk of gospel truths ;
1 Pet. iL 2.
Babylon; The city of Rome ; so called on account of
the wickedness, idolatry, cruelty, and persecutions, that
have taken place in it : Rev. xiv. 8 ; xvi ; xvii ; xviii.
Balaam; False teachers, who, like hira, love the
wages of unrighteousness: 2 Pet. ii. 14, 15; Jude 11;
Rev. ii. 15.
Beast ; (1.) Ministers of the gospel who are bold,
lively, and active, in executing God's coraraands;
Rev. iv; v; vi. (2.) Cruel and brutish men: 1 Cor.
XV. 32; 2 Pet. h. 12. (3.) Antichrist: Rev. xin. 2;
XX. 4.
Black, or Blackness; must be understood accord
ing to what it is applied ; as, to gates, faces, skin, or
clothes, it denotes great distress : Jer. viii. 21 ; xiv. 2 ;
Joel ii. 6. To the church, remaining corruptions — and
reproaches : Song i. 5, 6. To the hair of the head,
beauty: Song v. 11; and soundness; Lev. xiii. 37.
The glooray end of false teachers : Jude 13.
Blasphemy; is (1.) Idolatry: Rev. xiii. 1, 5, 6;
Kvii. 3. (2.) To reproach God by ascribing to him
anything sinful: 2 Sam. xii. 14; Titus ii. 5. (3.)
To wilfully and raaliciously reject Christ in opposition
to the strongest convictions raade on the mind by the
Holy Ghost: Matt. xii. 21 — 31.
Blindness ; Ignorance of divine things ; Isa. xxix.
18 ; xiii. 18, 19 ; Ivi. 10 ; Matt, xxiii. 16 ; Rora. xi. 25 ;
Eph, iv. 18.
Blood; (1.) Slaughter, or raurder, with consequent
guilt : Gen. iv. 10 ; Matt. xxvh. 24. (2.) The punish
ment due for the shedding of blood ; Matt, xxvii. 25.
(3.) That which is obtained by taking away tbe hfe of
the innocent : Hab. ii, 12 ; Acts i. 19. (4.) The guilt
and punishment of sin: Acts xvih. 6. (5.) Fallen

SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 371
nature ; Ezek. xvi. 6 ; John i. 13. (6.) Symbol of the
atonement by Christ : Matt. xxvi. 28 ; Heb. xiii. 20.
Body; (1.) The sanctified church of Christ, who are
united to hiin and to each other by faith and love ;
I Cor. X. 17; xiL 13, 27; Eph. iv. 16; Col. L 18.
(2.) The whole of the human family, being made one
by Christ : Eph. n. 16 ; v. 23 ; 1 Cor. xi. 3. (3.)
Carnal affections and sinful inclinations ; Rom. vii. 24 ;
1 Cor. ix. 27.
Book; (1.) The counsel of God; Ps. xl. 7; cxxxix,
16 ; Heb. x. 7. (2) The omniscience, or remembrance
of God: Ps. IvL 8; MaL ih. 16. (3.) The heavenly
record of the people of God : Phil. iv. 3 ; Rev. iii. 5 ;
XX. 12, 15 ; xxii. 19.
Books ; The consciences of men : Daniel vii. 10 ;
Rev. xx. 12.
Bow; (1.) God's promise and help ; Hab. iii. 9. (2.)
Faith and patience : Gen. xlix. 24. (3.) Health and
vigor: Job xxix. 20. (4.) Evangelical conquest; Rev.
vi. 2.
Bowels ; (1.) The heart, or affections ; 2 Cor. vi. 12 ;
Philemon 7. (2.) Ardent love and tender pity ; Phil.
i. 8. (3.) One dearly loved: Philem. 12. (4.) Strong
affection and pity: Col. iii. 12. (5.) Infinite corapassion
of God ; Isa. Ixih. 15 ; Jer. xxxi. 20 ; Phil. ii. 1.
Branch; (1.) Jesus Christ; Isa. xi. 1; Jer. xxiii. 5;
Zech. iii. 8; vL 12. (2.) Real believers in Christ;
John XV. 5.
Bread; (1.) Jesus Christ, on whom the Christian feeds
by faith ; John vi. 35, 41, 48 — 51. (2.) Sound doctrine :
Deut. viii. 3 ; Isa. Iv. 2 ; Matt. iv. 4. (3.) Christian-
fellowship ; 1 Cor. X. 17.
Bride; The church of Christ : Rev. xxL9; xxii. 17.
Bridegroom; Christ the Husband of his Church;
Matt. xxv. 1 — 10: John ih. 29; Rev. xxL 9.
Briers; (1.) Mischievous persons: Ezek. iL 6;
xxviii. 24; Micah vh. 4. (2.) Sins and corruptions;
Ileb. vi. 8.
Brimstone; (1.) Terrible judgments; Deut. xxix.
23; Job xvih. 15; Ps. xi. 6; Isa. xxxiv. 9. (2.) The
destruction ofthe damned: Rev. xxi. 8.
Bulls ; (1.) Persons impatient in trouble : Isa. h, 20.
(2 ) Wicked men : Ps. xxh. 12 ; Ixviii. 30.

372 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE.
Candle, imports, (1.) The perfect knowledge of God .
Zeph. i. 12. (2.) God's favor and blessing; Job xxix.
3 (3.) Outward prosperity : Job xvhL 6 ; xxi. 17 ; Ps
xvih. 28. (4.) The rational understanding; Prov. xx
2'^. (5.) The gifts of God bestowed on us for the
benefit of others: Matt. v. 15, 16.
Candlesticks, seven golden ones. The seven churches
of Asia : Rev. i. 12, 20.
Cedars; (1.) Kings; princes of Judah: Isa. iL 13.
(2.) Eminent men: Zech. xi. 2. (3.) Saints: Judges ix.
15; Ps. xciL 12; Song i. 17; viiL 9; Isa. xlL 19. (4.)
I^roud and great men ; Isa. ii. 13 ; x. 33, 34.
Chaff; (1.) Evil workers and evil works : Isa. xli. 15,
16; Hos. xin. 3; Matt. iiL 12. (2.) False doctrines.
¦,r. xxiii. 28. (3.) Fruitless projects: Isa. xxxiii. 11.
Chain; (1.) God's law: Prov. i. 9. (2.) Bondage or
affliction: Lam. iii. 7; 2 Tim. i. 16. (3.) Sinful lusts
ind a condemning conscience : 2 Pet. ii. 4 ; Jude 6.
(4.) Powerful restraints of Divine Providence: Rev.
XX. 1, 2.
Clouds; (1.) Armies or raultitudes: Isa. Ix. 8; Jer.
iv. 13; Heb. xii. 1. (2.) Heaven: Ps. xxxvL 5;
Ixviii. 34.
Crown OF life; glory, and righteousness; Iraraortal
happiness, and glory of heaven : Jaraes i. 12 ; Rev. ii.
10; iiL 11 ; 1 Pet. v. 4; 2 Tira. iv. 8.
Cup; (1.) The blessings of Providence and grace: Ps.
xxiii. 5. (2.) Grateful acknowledgment; Ps. cxvL 13.
(3.) The wine in the cup: 1 Cor. xi. 27. (4.) Suffer
ings and afflictions : Ps. Ixxiii. 10 ; Ixxv. 8 ; Isa. li. 17 ;
Matt. XX. 23; xxvL 39.
Darkness; (1.) Ignorance and unbelief; John i. 5*
iii. 19; ActsxxvL18; Eph. vi. 12. (2.) Great dis
tress : Isa. viiL 22; Joel h. 2; Matt. xxii. 13. (3.) A
private place — in parables : Matt. x. 27. (4.) Sin or
impurity : 1 John i. 5.
Day; in prophetic language, is, generally, put for
a year ; and a week is seven years, and a month
thirty; which makes one year of time, 360 years:
Ezek. iv. 5, 6; Dan. ix. 24; vh. 25. (1.) An ap-
nointed time: Isa. xxxiv. 8. (2.) State of knowledge.
I Thess. V. 5.
Death ; (1 . ) Insen sibil ity to the evil of sin — unrenewed

SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF IHE BIBLE. 373
by grace; Eph. iL 1; Rev. iiL 1. (2.) Mortification of
what is sinful : Rom. vi. 8 ; 1 Pet. ii. 24. (3.) Domin
ion and pollution of sin : Luke i. 79 ; Jude xii ; 1 John
iii. 14.
Devil ; (1.) Chief of the fallen angels ; Rev. xii. 9.
10; 1 Pet. V. 8 ; Matt. iv. 1 to 11. (2.) Wicked mei\
who do his works ; John vi. 70 ; viii. 44.
Dew ; (1.) Jesus Christ, and God in hira ; Isa. xxvi.
19; Hos. xiv. 5. (2.) Divine truths : Dent;, xxxii. 2.
Dogs; (1.) Gentiles as sunk in impurity; Matt. xv.
26, 27. (2.) Idle, avaricious ministers of religion ; Isa.
Ivi. 10, 11 ; Phil. ih. 2. (3.) Persecutors : Ps. xxh.
16. (4.) Open enemies to religion : Matt. viL. 6. (5.)
Immodest and unclean persons : Deut. xxiii. 18 ; Rev.
xxiL 15. (6.) Satan; Ps. xxiL 20; Matt. iv. 11; John
xiv. 30.
Door ; (1.) Jesns Christ the only way into heaven :
John x. 7, 9 ; xiv. 6. (2.) Commencement of a new
government; Rev. iv. 1.
Dragon; (1.) A royal enemy : Ezek. xxix. 2, 3. (2.)
Cruel tyrants ; Ps. Ixxiv. 13. (3.) The Devil ; Rev.
xiL 9. (4.) Wicked men ; Isa. xxxv. 7; xlih. 20. (5.)
Antichrist: Rev. xiiL 2. (6.) Whatever is hurtful:
Ps. xci. 13.
Drink; (1.) To be satiated with slaughter : Ezek
xxxix. 18, 19. (2.) Sinning with greediness : Job xv.
16. (3.) Sufferings; Matt. XX. 23. (4.) Spiritual de-
ights; John iv. 14; vii. 37; Song viii. 2,
Drunkenness; (1.) Delusion, error, idolatry, and su
perstition, madly pursued : Isa. xxviii. 7; Rev. xvii. 2.
(2.) To be overwhelmed with afflictions : Isa. Ixiii. 6 ;
Jer. xiii. 13. (3.) To be given to luxury and wanton-
less : Hab. ii. 15 ; 1 Thess. v. 7.
Ddst; (1.) Death and the grave : Gen. iii. 19; Job
vh. 21; Ps. xxh. 15. (2.) Multitude; Gen. iiL 16;
Numb, xxiii. 10. (3.) A low condition : 1 Sam. ii. 8 ;
Nahum iiL 18. (4.) Dead men ; Ps. xxx. 9. (5.)
Earthly things : Amos ii. 7.
Eagle; (1.) The kings of Babylon and Egypt;
Ezek. xvii. 3, 7. (2.) The Roman array, whose stand
ards were eagles ; Deut. xxviii. 49 ; Matt. xxiv. 28
(3.) Erablem of strength : Ps. ciii. 5 ; Isa. xl. 31.
Earth; (1.) The human family ; Gen. vL13; xi Ij
32

374 symbolical language of the bible.
Ps. xcvi. 1. (2.) A debased condition: Rev. vL 13,
xiL 13.
Earthen-vessels ; human bodies ; 2 Cor. iv. 7.
Earthquake; Alarming providences; Ps. xviiL 7^
xlvi. 2 ; Isa. xxix. 6 ; Rev. vi. 12 ; viii. 5 ; xi. 13, 19 ;
xvi. 18.
Egypt ; Antichrist, or wickedness ; Rev. xi. 8.
Elders, twenty-four ; The principal saints of the Old
and New Testaments; Rev. iv. 4; vii. 11, 13; xiv. 3.
Eyes; (1.) The infinite wisdom and knowledge of
God: Ps. xL 4; xxxiL 8; Prov. xv. 3. (2.) God's
watchful providence ; Ps. xxxiv. 15 ; Jer. xxiv. 6. (3.)
The penetrating knowledge of Christ; Rev. i. 14. (4.)
The minds and understandings of men : Geh. iii. 7 ;
Acts xxvL 18; xxviiL 27; Rom. xi. 10; Eph. L 18.
(5.) A friendly counsellor : Job xxix. 15. (6.) Human
designs: Matt. vL 22, 23. (7.) The whole man;
Rev. i. 7.
Face; (1.) The Omniscience of the Lord; 1 Sam.
xxvi. 20; Isa. Ixv. 3. (2.) The displeasure of God;
Ps. xxxiv. 16. (3.) God's glory : Exod. xxxiiL 20.
(4.) The love and favor of God ; 2 Chron. xxx. 9 ; Ps.
xxx. 7 ; Ixxx. 7. (5.) Obstinately impenitent sinners ;
Jer. V. 3.
Family ; The church, militant and triumphant : Eph.
hi. 15.
Fan; (1.) The judgments of God : Jer. xv. 7. (2.)
The gospel dispensation ; Matt. iii. 12.
Fat; (1.) Great men: Ps. xxiL 29; Isa. v. 17; x
16; Ezek. xxxiv. 16, 20; Jer. v. 28. (2.) Spiritual
blessings : Ps. Ixiii. 5 ; xcii. 14 ; Prov. xL 25 ; xiii. 4 ,
XV. 30 ; xxviii. 25 ; Jer. xxxi. 14.
Fatling; (1.) Jesus Christ; Luke xv. 23. (2)
The blessings of the gospel: Isa. xxv. 6; Matt. xxii.
4. (3.) Tne saints ; Isa. xi. 6.
Father; (1.) Creator and Preserver; Mal. iL 10;
Heb. xii. 9. (2.) Author and Bestower; Eph. i. 17;
2 Cor. i. 3 : Job xxxvih. 28, 29. (3.) An inventor of
any art ; or instructor of others : Gen. iv. 20, 21 ;
Judges xvii. 10 ; 1 Sara. x. 12 ; 2 Chron. ii. 13 ; 2
Kings ii. 12. (4.) Founders of cities : 2 Chron. ii. 3.
(5.) Old Testament saints : Heb. L 1. (6.) The devil,
who is the author of evil ; John viii. 44.

symbolical LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 375
Field; (1.) The world in which God has placed us
to work : Matt. xiii. 38. (2.) The Scriptures, which
contain all that is valuable : Matt. xiii. 44.
Fire ; (1.) God, who will consume whatever is op
posed to his nature, and refine what is impure : Deut.
iv. 24; Isa. x. 17; Heb. xii. 29. (2.) Destructive
calamities ; Isa. xiii. 25 ; Ixvi. 15 ; Ezek. xxii. 31. (3.)
God's word : Ps. xxxix. 3 ; Jer. v. 14 ; xx. 9 ; xxiii. 29.
Fish ; Men, who are numerous and frequently taken :
Ezek. xlvn. 9, 10; Hab. i. 14—17; Matt. xin. 47—50.
Flesh ; (1.) Corruptions of our nature : Rom. viii.
8 — 13. (2.) Legal righteousness or outward perform
ances: Rom. iv. 1 — 4. (3.) In-dwelling grace : Ezek.
xxxvi. 26. (4.) That which is weak and helpless •
Isa. xxxi. 3. (5.) Mortal man : Isa. xl. 6. (6.) Hu
man attainments : Phil. iii. 3, 4.
Forehead, mark in the; (1.) A public and open
profession of religion or heresy : Rev. vii. 3 ; xiii. 16 :
xiv. 1 ; xxii. 4. (2.) A jewel in the forehead — great
honor : Ezek. xvi. 12.
Foundation ; (1.) The purpose of God : 2 Tim. ii.
19. (2.) Christ Jesus; Isa. xxviii. 16; Prov. x. 25;
Eph. h. 20; 1 Tim. vi. 19. (3.) Magistrates; Ps.
Ixxxii. 5. (4.) The first principles of religion: Heb.
vi. 1, 2.
Fountain ; (1.) God, the source of all comfort ; Ps.
xxxvi. 9 ; Jer. ii. 13. (2.) Jesus Christ, through
whom all corafort flows : Zech. xiii. 1. (3.) Children,
or posterity : Prov. v. 16.
Fox ; A sly, artful hypocrite, who conceals his true
character : Luke xiii. 32.
Furnace; (1.) A place of cruel bondage ; Deut. iv.
20; Isa. xlvuL 10; Jer. xi. 4. (2.) Calamity by
wbich God refines his people : Isa. xxxi. 9. (3.) The
destruction of evil works and evil workers : Matt. xiii. 42.
Garments ; (1.) The souls of men : Rev. iii. 4.
(2.) Emblems of purity ; Isa. hi. 1 ; Ixi. 10 ; Rev. iii
4, 5 ; xix. 8.
Gate; (1.) Power or dominion; Gen. xxh. 17;
Matt. xvi. 18. (2.) The border of the grave : Ps. ix.
13; Isa. xxxvih. 10. (3.) Security; Ps. cxlvi. 13.
The ordinances of divine worship : Ps. ix. 14.
Regeneration : Matt. vii. 1 3.

^]

376 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE.
GoG and Magog; (1.) The great Scythian powers
of former ages : Ezek. xxxvih. 2. (2.) Infidel nations :
Rev. XX. 8.
Gold; The graces of the Holy Spirit; Ps. xiv. 13-
Rev. ih. 18.
Grapes ; The fruits of true religion ; also hypocriti
cal professions : Isa. v. 2.
Hail ; The invasion of violent enemies : Isa. xxviiL
2 ; xxxii. 19 ; Rev. viii. 7.
Hand; (1.) Favor and protection; Ps. xvih. 35:
Ixxiii. 23. (2.) Power, strength ; Ps. xvii. 7 ; xx. 6 ;
xliv. 3 ; Isa. xlviu. 13 ; 1. 2.
Harvest; (1.) A people ripe for the judgments of
God : Isa. xviii. 5 ; Joel iii. 13. (2.) The end of the
world : Matt. xiii. 39.
Head ; (1.) The ruling principle in man : Isa. i. 6.
(2.) Chief of a people: Micah ih. 1, 9, 11. (3.) The
metropolis of a country : Isa. vii. 8, 9.
Heaven — heavens; (1.) God: Dan. iv. 26; Luke
XV. 21. (2.) Angels ; Job xv. 15. (3.) The church
militant : Rev. xii. 1, 7 — 9. (4.) Governments : Isa.
xiiL 13; Hag. iL 6, 21.
Hell ; (1.) The grave ; Ps. Iv. 15 ; Jonah ii. 2 ;
Hab. ii. 5. (2.) Receptacle of departed spirits : Rev
XX. 13, 14. (3.) Place of torment ; Luke xvi. 23.
Horn; (1.) Strength; Rev. v. 6. (2.) Divine pro
tection ; Ps. xviii. 2; Araos iii. 14; Luke i. 69. (3.)
Royal power : Ps. xcii. 10 ; Jer. xlviii. 25 ; Dan. vu.
20, 24; Zech. i. 18.
Horse, white — of victory ; red — of bloody war ; black
— of faraine and disease ; pale — of pestilence, which is
death in triumph : Rev. vi. 2 — 8 ; Zech. vi. 2, 3.
Horses; Emblems of conquest: Jer. iv. 13; Joel
ii. 4 ; Hab. i. 8.
House; (1.) Heaven: John xiv. 2. (2.) The church
of God: 1 Pet. u. 5 ; iv. 17; Heb. ih. 6. (3.) Persons
who dwell together : Acts x. 2 ; xvi. 32, 34; xviii. S;
Heb. xi. 7. (4.) The substance and support of a
family : Mark xh. 40. (5.) The huraan body ; 2 Cor.
v. 1.
Hunger; (1.) An ardent desire after Christ and his
righteousness: Matt, v, 6; Luke L 53. (2.) A desire for
the happiness of the world : Prov. xix. 15 ; John vi. 36

JSYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 377
Idolatry; (1.) Covetousness ; Eph. v. 5 ; Col. iii. 5 ;
Phil. iiL 19. (2.) Loving an object more than God:
1 John V. 21.
Image of gold, silver, brass, and iron. The Assyrian,
Persian, Macedonian, and Roman monarchies: Dan. ii.
31—45. Infirmities; (1.) Bodily weaknesses : Matt. viii. 17;
Isa. hii. 4 ; 1 Tim. v. 23. (2.) Afflictions, reproaches,
persecutions, and buffetings : 2 Cor. xii. 10. (3.) Spir
itual defects : Rora, vi. 19 ; viii. 26.
Jerusalem; (1.) The church of God; Ps. cxxiL 6,
Isa. Ixv. 18 ; hi. 1 ; Gal. iv. 24—26. (2.) The heav
enly state ; Heb. xii. 22 ; Rev. iii. 12.

Key; (1.) Power and authority; Isa. xxii. 22; Rev.
" ih. 7; XX. 1. (2.) C
gospel ; Matt. xvi. 19. (3.) Means of Scriptural know-

i. 18; iii. 7; xx. 1. (2.) Coraraission to preach the

ledge : Luke xi. 52.
Laborers; (1.) Ministers of the Gospel : Matt. ix. 37,
38 ; 1 Cor. iii. 9. (2.) All who are heartily engaged in
the service of Christ : Matt. xx. 1 — 16.
Lamb; (1.) Jesus Christ; who was typified bythe
paschal-lamb and daily sacrifice ; Exod. xii. 3 ; xxix.
38—42 ; John i. 29 ;" Rev. xiii. 8. (2.) Every true fol
lower of Jesus: John xxi. 15.
Lamp; (1.) A successor: 1 Kings xv. 4; Ps. cxxxii.
17. (2.) Profession of religion : Matt. xxv. 3, 4. (3.)
Prosperity: Prov. xiii. 9; xx. 20. (4.) Divine light: 2
Sam. xxii. 29.
Leaven ; (1 .) The doctrines of Christ : Matt. xiii. 23.
(2.) Corrupt doctrines of men ; Matt. xvi. 6, 12. (3.)
Scandalous practices : 1 Cor. v. 6.
Legs; (1.) Strength: Ps. cxlviLlO; Song v. 15. (2.)
Roman Empire governed by two Consuls : Dan. ii. 33.
Leopard; (1.) A subtle, violent foe: Dan. vii. 6.
(2.) Nebuchadnezzar and his array : Jer. v, 6; Hab. i. 8.
(3.) Antichrist: Rev. xiii. 2. (4.) Men naturally fierce
and cruel : Isa. xi. 6.
Life: (1.) Jesus Christ, the source of natural, spirit
ual, and eternal life : JohnL 4; xi. 25 ; xiv. 6; Col. ih.
4. (2.) Doctrines of the Gospel : John vi. 33, 63. (3.)
The state of believers : John iii. 36 ; v. 24 ; Col. iii. 3.
(4.) Eternal blessedness of heaven; Ps. xvi. 11; Rom.
V. 17. (5.) Spiritual strength derived from Chiist: 2
32*

37b symbolical language of the bible.
Cor. iv. 10. (6.) The resurrection and intercession oi
Christ : Rom. v. 10.
Light; (1.) A son or successor; 1 Kin. xL 36; 2
Chron. xxi. 7. (2.) Peace and joy ; Esther viii. 16 ; Ps,
xcvii. 11. (3.) Spiritual knowledge and trdte holiness:
Isa. vhi. 20 ; Eph. v. 8 ; 1 John i. 7. (4.) Prosperity
and happiness : Isa. Iviii. 8. (5.) Support and deliver
ance : Micah vii. 8.
Lion; (1.) Christ, who is mighty and invincible
Rev. V. 5. (2.) The tribe of Juflah and its kings, whi
were a terror to their eneraies : Gen. xlix. 9. (3.) The
devil, who is fierce, and cruel : 1 Pet. v. 8. (4.) Cruci
oppressors: 2 Tim. i v. 17. (5.) Enemies and evils;
Ps. xci. 13. (6.) Imaginary difficulties: Prov. xxii. 13.
Locusts ; Authors or teachers of false and poisonous
doctrines : Rev. ix. 3.
Manna ; Comforts, and blessings flowing from Jesus
Christ : Rev. ii. 17.
Moon; (1.) The church of Christ, who derives all
her light frora Christ the Sun of righteousness : Song
vi. 10. (2.) The world with all its changing scenes :
Rev. xii. 1. (3.) Outward prosperity : Isa. Ix. 20. (4)
Inferior raagistrates : Ezek. xxxii. 7 ; Matt. xxiv. 29 ;
Rev. vi. 12 ; viii. 12.
Mountain ; (1.) The church of God ; Isa. ii. 2 ; xi. 9 ;
Dan. ii. 35, 45. (2.) The ordinances of Christ: Joel iii.
18; Song iL 8; iv. 6. (3.) The people dwelling in a
mountainous country ; Ezek. vi. 2, 3 (4.) High places
whereon idols were worshipped ; Isa. Ivii. 7; Ezek. xviii.
6, 11. (5.) Idols worshipped in high places ; Jer. iii. 23.
(6 ) Men high in station, as magistrates in the state,
and ministers in the church : Ps. Ixxii. 3 ; Isa. xliv. 23 ;
Iv. 12. (7.) Hindrances, provocations, and eneraies of
the gospel and church: Isa. xL 4; xlix. 11; xlL 15
(8.) The heavens, which are high: Ps. cxxi. 1. (9.)
Samaria, because built on a hill : Amos iv. 1 ; vi. 1.
Mystery; (1.) The calling of the Gentiles, which
was long a secret : Rom. xvi. 25 ; Col. i. 26, 27. (2.)
The union between Christ and believers : Mark iv. 11 •
Rev. i. 20.
Naked ; (1.) A graceless soul ; Rev. in. 17, 18. (2.
Destitute of worldly comforts : Job i. 21 . (3.) Deprive^
of divine favor and protection : Exod. xxxii. 25 ; 2

SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 379
Chron. xxviii. 19. (4.) Discovered, known, and mani
fest; Job xxvi. 6; Heb. iv. 13.
Night; (1.) A time of ignorance and unbelief: Rom.
xiii. 12. (2.) Affliction, and adversity : Isa. xxi. 12
(3.) Suddenly, unexpectedly ; Isa. xv. 1 ; Luke xii. 20
(4.) Death : John ix. 4.
Oaks; Governors, and men of valor; Isa. ii. 13;
Zech. xi. 2.
Olive, wild — Gentiles : Rom. xi. 17. Cultivated
olive ; Church of Christ : Rom. xi. 24 ; Jer. xi. 16.
Palm ; Symbol of joy and victory ; Rev. vii. 9.
Paradise ; Future state of happiness of believers :
Luke xxiii. 43; 2 Cor. xii. 4; Rev. ii. 7.
Passover; Jesus Christ, who was typified by the
j>aschal-lamb : 1 Cor. v. 7 ; Rom. iii. 25.
Physician; (1.) Jesus Christ; Matt. ix. 12. (2.)
Prophets and spiritual teachers : Jer. viii. 22. (3.) An
embalmer of dead bodies ; Gen. 1. 2. (4.) Comforters :
Job xiii. 4.
Pillar ; (1.) The chief support of a family or state ;
Prov. ix. 1 ; Jer. i. 18 ; - Gal. u. 9. (2.) The church ;
1 Tim. hi. 15.
Poison ; Wickedness in doctrine, language, or course ;
Deut. xxxii. 33; Ps. Iviii. 4 ; cxl. 3 ; Rom. in. 13 ; James
in. 8.
Prison ; (1.) A low, base condition : Eccl. iv. 14. (2.)
Spiritual bondage ; Isa. xiii. 7. (3.) Powerful restraint :
Rev. XX. 7. (4.) The grave : Isa. hii. 8. (5.) State
of those who die impenitent : 1 Peter iii. 18 — ^20 ; iv. 6.
Rain ; (1.) Whatever is refreshing and tends to malfe
persons fruitful in good works : Deut. xxxii. 2 ; Ps.
IxviiL 9; Isa. v. 6; Ezek. xxxiv. 26. (2.) Destruc
tive judgments : Ezek. xiiL 11.
River; (^1.) Great plenty; Job xxix. 6; Ps. xxxvi.
8 ; John vii. 38. (2.) The ordinances and blessings of
the Gospel : Ps. xlvi. 4; Ezek. xlvh. 5, 9; Joel iiL 18;
Rev. xxiL 1. (3.) Great quantity ; Job xl. 23. (4.)
Plentiful showers of rain ; Ps. Ixv. 9.
Rock; (1.) The patriarch of a nation : Isa. li. 1. (2.)
God : Deut. xxxn. 31 ; Ps. xvhi. 2 ; Isa. xvii. 10. (3.)
Jesus Christ : Isa. xxxii. 2 ; Matt. vii. 25 ; xvL 18.
(4.) Stony-hearted sinners : Luke viii. 6.
Rod; (1.) God's pistoral care ofhis church : Ps. xxiii

380 symbolical language or the bible.
4. (2.) The gospel of Christ : Ps. ex. 2. (3.) The great
power of Christ : Ps. ii. 9 ; Rev. u. 27. (4.) Afflictions :
2 Sam. viL 14; Job ix. 34 ; Micah vL 9. (5.) Church
censures: Micah vh. 14; 1 Cor. iv. 21. (6.) The
princes of Judah; Ezek. xix. 14. (7.) Power and
authority: Ps. cxxv. 3.
Salt ; (1.) Duration to all futurity : Numb, xviii.
19 ; 2 Chron. xiii. 5. (2.) Wisdom ; CoL iv. 6. (3.)
Christian principles and virtues : Matt. v. 13.
Sea; (1.) A multitude of eneraies: Jer. IL 42. f2.^
Inhabitants of the islands of the sea : Isa. Ix. 5. (3.)
Full and free pardon of sin ; Micah vii. 19.
Seal; sealed; (1.) Security: Song iv. 12. (2.) Not
to be understood : Isa. xxix. 11. (3.) Authorized, or
coramissioned : John vi. 27. (4.) Marked as belonging
to God: Eph. i. 13; Rev. vii. 2—4.
Seed; (1.) The whole posterity of Abraham: Rom.
ix. 7. (2.) All the faithful, whether Jews or Gentiles :
Rom. iv. 16. (3.) Jesus Christ: Gen. xxiL 18; Gal.
ih. 16. (4.) Sound doctrine : Luke viiL 5, 11 ; 1 Pet. i.
23 ; 1 John iii. 9.
Serpent; (1.) Satan, the devil: Gen. iiL 1, 2, 4, 13,
14; 2 Cor. xL 3; Rev. xh. 9.
Sheep; (1.) The followers of Christ: Zech. xin. 7;
John X. 1—15 ; xxi. 16, 17 ; 1 Pet. h. 25. (2.) All the
human family: Ps. c. 3; Isa. liii. 6; John x. 16.
Shepherds ; Civil and political rulers ; Jer. xxv. 34.
Shield; (1.) Protection and defence ; Gen. xv. 1 ; Ps.
V. 12. (2.) Princes and great raen : Ps. xlvii. 9.
Sleep ; (1.) Spiritual stupidity, and unconcern ; Eph.
V. 14. (2.) Carnal security: Rom. xiiL 11. (3.) Death :
D in. xh. 2 ; 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14.
Sober ; Humble, thoughtful, temperate, and grave ;
Rora. xh. 3 ; Titus h. 4, 12 ; 1 Pet. v. 8.
Sodom; (1.) Judah ; Isa. L 10; Jer. xxiiL 14. (2 )
The antichristian state ; Rev. xi. 8.
Sores; (1.) Spiritual diseases: Isa. i. 6; liii. 4,
5. (2.) Sins and miseries : 2 Chron. vi. 29. (3.)
Heavy affliction: Job v. 18. (4.) Great calamity
Rev. xvi. 2.
Sower J A preacher of the Gospel: Matt. xiii. 3, 37;
.Mark iv. 3, 14; Luke viii. 5 ; 2 Cor. ix. 10.
Stars; (1 ) Angels: Job xxxviii. 7. (2.) Princes—

SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 381
rulers ; Numb. xxiv. 17 ; Dan. viii. 10 ; Rev. xxii. 16 ;
(3.) Faithful ministers of the gospel : Rev. i. 20. (4.)
The apostles in their inspired doctrines ; Rev. xii. 1.
Stone; (1.) Jesus Christ: Ps. cxviii. 22 ; Isa. xxviii.
16 ; viiL 14 ; 1 Pet. iL 8 ; Matt. xxi. 42, 44. (2.) A
real believer in Jesus ; 1 Pet. ii. 5. (3.) A full and
free remission of all sin : Rev. ii. 17.
Sun; (1.) Jesus Christ, the quickener, enlightener,
and comforter of his people : Mal. iv. 2. (2.) Tlie
righteousness of Christ : Rev. xii. 1. (3.) Kings and
chief magistrates : Ezek. xxxii. 7 ; Matt. xxiv. 29 ;
Rev. vi. 12 ; viii. 12. (4.) States, civil and ecclesias
tical : Joel ii. 31 ; Acts ii. 20.
Swine ; Unclean, ignorant, persecuting unbelievers :
Matt. vii. 6.
SwoBD ; (1.) The judgments of God : Deut. xxxii.
41, 42. (2.) The instruments with which God exe
cutes his judgraents : Ps. xviL 13. (3.) Power and
authority: Rom. xiii. 4.
Tabernacle ; (1.) The human nature of Christ,
typified by the Jewish tabernacle : Heb. viii. 2 ; ix. 11.
(2.^ Our natural bodies ; 2 Cor. v. 1 ; 2 Pet. i. 13.
(3.) The true church ; Ps. xv. 1.
Talents ; The gifts of God bestowed on men for
their improvement: Matt. xxv. 15.
Tares; The works of the devil : Matt. xiiL 25, 38, 39.
Teeth ; (1.) Cruelty, slander, and calumny ; Ps.
Ivii. 4; Iviii. 6; Prov. xxx. 14. (2.) Powe; to do
mischief; Ps. Iviii. 6.
Thirst ; (1.) An eager desire after happiness ; Isa.
Iv. 1. (2.) Vehement desire after Christ: Rev. sxh.
17; Matt. v. 6.
'Thorns; (1.) Wicked men, who are barren and
mischievous ; Ezek. xxviii. 24 ; Matt. vii. 16. (2. )
Worldly and carnal hearts : Matt. xiii. 7, 22 ; Luke
vin. 14. (3.) Stubborn unbelievers : Ezek. ii. 6.
Throne ; (1.) Heaven, where God manifests his
glory ; Isa. vi. 2 ; IxvL 1. (2.) An order of holy
angels : Col. i. 16. (3.) Sovereign power and dignity •
Gen. xli. 40 ; 2 Sam. viL 13, 16.
Thunder; (1.) Destructive calamities : Isa. xx-x. 6.
(2.) The noise of an army : Job xxxviL 45. (3.) The
preaching of the gospel : Mark iii. 17 ; Rev xiv. 2

382 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE.
Tower; (1.) God in Christ : Ps. Ixi. 3; Prov. xvin.
10. (2.) Proud, lofty raen : Isa. h. 15 ; xxx. 25.
Travail ; (1.) Sudden and painful calamities : Jer.
iv. 31 ; xin. 21 ; xxx. 6, 7 ; Hos. xin. 13 ; 1 Thess. v.
3. (2/) Pains and labor to commit sin ; Ps. vii. 14.
(3.) The prayers and pains of the church, when in
distress: Micah v. 3; GaL iv. 19; Rev. xiL 2.
Tree-of-life ; Jesus Christ, with all the pleasures of
imraortality ; Rev. ii. 7 ; xxii. 2.
Trees; (1.) Godly men: Isa. IxL 3. (2.) The
King of Assyria's army ; Isa. x. 19. (3.) The inhabi
tants of Jerusalem : Matt. iii. 10 ; vii. 19.
Unicorns ; Powerful and wicked men : Isa. xxxiv.
7 ; Ps. xxii. 21 . It denotes uncommon strength ;
Numb. xxhi. 22.
Vine ; (1.) God's ancient Israel . Ps. Ixxx. 8 ; Jer,
ii. 21 ; Ezek. xv. 2 ; Hos. x. 1. (2.) Antichrist : Rev,
xiv. 18, 19.
Vineyard ; The church : Isa. v. 1 — 7 ; Matt. xx.
1—16 ; xxi. 28—45 ; Luke xin. 6, 7.
Virgin ; A nation, or city ; especially if never sub
dued by an eneray : 2 Kin. xix. 21 ; Isa. xxiiL 12 ;
xlvii. 1 ; Jer. xlvi. 11 ; Lam. i. 15 ; Amos v. 2.
Voice; (1.) Thunder: Ps, xxix. 3. (2.) Alarming
providences ; Amos i. 2 ; Micah vi. 9. (3.) God's
laws, and offers of grace : Exod. xv. 26 ; Het 'ii. 7,
15 ; Rev. iii. 20.
Walk; (1.) Conversation or manner of life ; Rom.
vi. 4; Eph. iv. 1, 17. (2.) To depend upon, please,
and retain an abiding sense of the favor of God : Gen. v.
24 ; vi. 9 ; xvii. 1. (3.) To be governed by corrupt
fleshly appetites : Rora. viii. 1. (4.) To regulate the
whole life by the word and Spirit of God ; Rora. viii. 1.
(5.) To take God at his word : 2 Cor. v. 7 ; Eph. ii. 10.
Wash; To purify, cleanse, and raake white. (1.)
Natural : Gen. xvih. 4. (2.) Ceremonial : Heb. ix. 10.
(3.) Moral : Ps. xxvi. 6 ; Ixxiii. 13. (4.) Spiritual ;
Ps. li. 2 ; Ezek. xvi. 9. (5.) Sacramental : Acts xxii
16. (6.) Superstitious: Matt. xv. 2. (7.) Miracu
lous : 2 Kin. v. 10. It denotes, (1.) Abundance : Job
xxix. 6. (2.) Reformation : Isa. i. 16 ; Prov. xxx. 12
(3.) Reraoval of guilt : 1 Cor. vi. 11; Rev. i. 5 ; vii.
14 (4.) A token of innocency : MatL xxvii. 24.

symbolical language of the bible. 383
Water; (1.) Afflictions and trouble: Ps. Ixix. 1,2
(2.) A multitude of people : Isa. viii. 7 ; Rev. xvii. 15.
(3.) Children or posterity : Numb. xxiv. 7; Prov. v. 15,
16; Isa. xlviii. 1. (4.) Evangelical doctrines : 1 Cor.
iii. 6. (5.) Ordinances of the gospel : Isa. Iv. 1 ; Rev.
xxu. 17. (6.) Refreshing graces of the Holy Spirit ;
Isa. xh. 3 ; xxxv. 6, 7 ; xliv. 3; John vh. 37, 38. (7.)
Forbidden pleasures ; Prov. ix. 17. (8.) The blessed
gospel going forth from Jerusalem ; Ezek. xlvii. 1 — 11 .
(9.) Glory and joy of heaven : Rev. xxii. 1.
Week ; Seven years. See Day.
Wilderness ; (1.) The Gentile world, previous to the
spread of the gospel : Isa. xxxv. 1, 6; xli. 18, 19 ; xliii,
19, 20. (2.) General desolation: Isa. xxvii. 10; Jer.
xxii. 6. (3.) A country not so thickly peopled as
others near it ; Matt. iii. 1 ; Joshua xv. 61, 62. (4.)
The present world of trial : 1 Cor. x. 5, 6.
Wind; (1.) The powerful operations of the Holy
Spirit: John iiL 8; Acts ii. 2. (2.) The judgments
of God : Isa. xxvii. 8 ; Jer. xxiii. 19 ; xxv. 32 ; xxx.
23 ; Hos. iv. 19. (3.) Destruction of inhabitants : Jer.
iv. 11, 12; IL 1.
Winds, four ; General destructions : Jer. xlix. 36 ,
Dan. vii. 2; Rev. vii. 1.
Wine ; (1.) The provisions of the Gospel ; Isa. xxv,
6 ; Iv. 1. (2.) Teraporal blessings : Ps. iv. 7 ; Hos.
ii. 8. (3.) Comfort and consolation ; Prov. xxxi. 6.
(4.) The judgments of God: Ps. Ixxv. 8 ; Jer. xxv. 15 :
Rev. xiv. 10 ; xvi. 19.
Wings; (1.) Protection or defence: Exod. xix. 4,
Ps. xvii. 8 ; xxxvi. 7 ; xci. 4. (2.) Healing virtue of
( Ihrist : Mal. iv. 2.
Witnesses; (1.) Plagues and judgments : Job x. 17
(2.) Persecuted churches or rainisters : Rev. xi. 3.
Wolf, wolves ; (1.) Wicked, fierce, and cruel men,
transformed by the gospel and grace of Christ ; Isa.
xi. 6. (2.) Persecutors : Matt. x. 16 ; Luke x. 3.
(3.) Avaricious unconverted ministers of religion; Acts
XX. 29,
Woman; (1.) The true church, the spouse of Christ
Rev. xiL 1 ; xxL 9. (2.) The antichristian church ;
Rev, xvii. 3.

384 symbolical language of the bible.
Women ; (1.) Nations or cities : Ezek. xxhi. 2, 3, 44
(2.) Weak, effeminate men : Isa. ih. 12 ; xix. 16.
Wonder; (1.) Presage of calamities: Isa. xx. 3,
(2.) The saints, who are wondered at ; Ps. IxxL 7 ;
Isa. viii. 18.
Word ; (1.) The whole of the divinely inspired
writings ; Luke xi. 28 ; James i. 22. (2.) The di
vine law, which comraands what is good, and prohib
its every evil : Ps. cxix. 101. (3.) The promises of
God: Ps. cxix. 25, 38, 49. (4.) Vision, or prophecy;
[sa. ii. 1. (5.) God's command ; Ps. cxlvii. 18. (6.)
Command of Christ : Luke v. 5 ; vii. 7. (7.) What
ever God in his providence piovides, and blesses to our
support : Matt. iv. 3, 4.
Worm; A person weak, mean, and despised: Job
xxv. 6 ; Ps. xxii. 6.
Year; (1.) A season of remarkable calamities ; Jer.
xi. 23. (2.) The Gospel-period: Isa. Ixi. 2. (3.)
Unbounded duration : Ps. cii. 27 ; Heb. i. 12. See
Day. Yesterday; (1.) Anytime lately past: Job viii. 9.
(2.) All time past: Heb. xiii. 8.
Yoke; (1.) Bondage or slavery; Levit. xxvi. 13;
Deut. xxviii. 48 ; Isa. ix. 4 ; x. 27. (2.) Afflictions
and restraint : Lam. iii. 27. (3,) Punishment for sin ;
Lara. i. 14. (4.) Painful religious rites : Acts xv. 10,"
Gal. V. 1. (5.) The easy commands of Christ : Matt.
xi. 29, 30.
Zeal; (1.) God's great and holy regard to his own
honor, and his people's good: 2 Kings xix. 31; Isa.
xxxvii. 32. (2.) An eagerness to have God honored,
and true holiness promoted : Nurab. xxv. 13; Ps. Ixix
9. (3.) An imprudent eagerness for trifles, rather than
dulies — and to promote the cause of self, rather than
the cause of God : Rom. x. 2, 3 ; Phil. iii. 6 ; 2 Kings
X. 16.
Zion; (1.) The church, whether Jewish or Chris
tian : Ps, cii. 13 ; Isa ii. 3 ; Heb. xii. 22. (2.) Heaven :
Isa, IL 11 ; Rev. xiv. 1. (3.) Mount Hermon, or some
hills that were near it: Ps. cxxxih. 3. (4.) The wor
shippers at the teraple, or inhabitants of Jerusalem :
Ps xcvii. 8, (5.) The teraple and its courts : Ps. Ixv.
) , Ixxxiv. 7. •

THE JEWISH OFFERINGS. 385
The Jewish offeriflgs may be divided into two general
parts; namely, CHfts, where no life was taken; and
Sacriflces, in which the life of what was offered was
taken away ; Heb. v. 1. The design of all offerings
was, either to make an atonement for sin, thank God
for favors received, or procure some new favor at his
hand ; while all of them pointed to the one great sacri
fice the Messiah was to raake in the offering up of him
self: See Heb. x. 1 ; Col. ii. 17; and Rom. xii. 1.
There were but five sorts of animals allowed tc be
offered up as sacrifices; namely, bullocks, sheep, goats,
I'iGEONS, and turtle-doves. All of these animals were
required to be perfect in every part, without so much
as spot or blemish ; and were all to be offered in the
day-time. After the Tabernacle was erected, it was
unlawful to sacrifice in any other place ; and afterwards
in the Temple. All the sacrifices were salted ; and the
public ones were the holiest : Levit. ii. 13.
A BURNT-OFFERING conslstcd of a bullock, a male lamb
or kid ; unless tbe offerer was poor, when a dove, or
pigeon was offered ; Levit. chap. i. 'The burnt-offering
was the chief of all the oblations ; and the law required
one to be offered at all the daily, weekly, monthly, or
yearly feasts : besides these nine stated occasions on
which the law required burnt-offerings, many occasion
al ones were offered ; Read also Levit. vi. 8 — 13 ; vii.
8; xxii. 19 — 25; Exod. xxviii., xxix.; Numb. xv. 1 — 16;
and xxviiL, xxix; Levit. xii. and xiv. 15.
The PEACE-OFFERING was expressive of the offerer's
thankfulness to God for past favors, or sorae future ones
sought, or vows paid ; Read attentively the following
passages: Lev. hi.; viL 11 — 34; xix. 5 — 8; xxiiL 19,
20 ; and Deut. xviii. 3.
The SIN-OFFERING differed in its matter according to
the crime for which it was offered, or to answer the
ability of the offerer. For the sin of a priest, or for the
Levites at their consecration, or an occasional sin of the
whole congregation, it was a bullock ; See Exod. xxix.
10—14; Lev. iv. 3—21; xvL 6; Numb. vin. 12; xv
24; xxviii; Read also Numb. v. and vL, and Lev. xi!..
xiv. 22 ; and xv. 14, 15, 29, 30. For the occasional
isin of a private person it was a female kid, or lamb ; or
if poor, two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons ; and if
33

386 THE JEWISH OFFERINGS.
too poor to give those, a little flour was accepted. Thus
we see, in every age, God has ever been mindful of
the poor ; and requires no more from his creatures than
they are well able to perforra.
"^Phe TRESPASS-OFFERING was different from the sin-
offering ; but in what that difference consisted it is not
easy to determine ; but that there was a difference is
plain, in the case of the leper : See Lev. xiv. 10 — 20.
The leper's trespass-offering was a he-hmb. The
trespass-offering was ordered in the very sarae manner
of the sin-offering, except in the leper's case : See Lev.
chap. V.
Meat-offerings were not sacrifices, but gifts. With
all burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings, and the sin-
offering, and trespass-offering of the leper, meat-offer
ings always attended ; but whether they accompanied
all other sin-offerings and trespass-offerings is not cer
tain. When meat-offerings were not voluntary, the
quantity was stated ; it consisted of three omers, or
tenth-deals of fine flour to a bullock ; two to a rara, and
one to a larab, or kid. Half a bin of oil attended the
three oraers, one-third the two omers, and one-fourtji
part the one omer, to fry it with. Frankincense was
also used, and salt added to it. Carefully read the fol
lowing passages : Lev. ii. ; vi. 15 — 23; vii. 9, 10, 13, 14;
Nurab. XV. 1 — 16 ; arid xviii. 9, 10.
The drink-offerings were never offered alone, but
with the raeat-offerings ; and the wine was the sarae in
proportion to that of the oil. One part of the wine was
poured on that part of the raeat-offering which was
burnt, and the other part belonged to the priest : .but
when the whole of the raeat-offering was burnt, there is
no doubt but the whole of the wine was also burnt ;
See Nurab. xv. 1 — 16.
A half-shekel of money was given, it appears, year-
111 by every adult Jew, for the ransom of his soul to the
service of the tabernacle or teraple. No raan, howevtn
poor, was to give less ; or, however rich, to give more
Read Exodus xxx. 12 — 16 ; and xxxviii. 25 — 28

the sects mentioned in scripture, 387
The Samaritans were the descendants of those idola-
«rous nations, whom the king of Assyria sent to unite
with the scattered few, in peopling Samaria and the
land of Israel. They established a system of religion
compounded of Judaism and heathenisra; and the Jews
hated them with a perfect hatred, looking upon them
as the worst of all human beings ; John viii. 48. At
[iresent the Samaritans, though few in number, pretend
strictly to observe the law of Moses ; and find great
fault with the Jews for their negligence. They cir
cumcise their children on the eighth day after their
birth; and do not allow a plurality of wives; nor
marry their nieces. They observe the Sabbath so
strictly, that they will scarcely move, except to their
synagogues. The Sadducees, who derived their name from Sadoc,
their founder, were a sort of Deists. They believed
that God was the only immaterial being ; that there
was neither angel nor spirit ; that there was no resurrec
tion of the dead, nor any future state ; and that men
were absolute masters of themselves, and needed no
assistance to enable them to do either good or bad.
They rejected all traditions, and adhered to the texts
of the sacred books ; though it is very evident they
did not understand them. They were, in general, raen
of wealth ; and, without any restraint upon their cor
rupt passions and appetites, lived at their pleasure.
They were zealous opposers of Jesus Christ and his
apostles ; and we never read of the conversion of one
of them ; Matt. xxii. 23^34; Acts v. 17.
The Pharisees, or Separatists, were so called be
cause they distinguished themselves from others by a
strict manner of life, of which they made profession.
They were haughty despisers of the common people ;
and the greater part of the doctors ofthe law, or scribes,
were of this sect. They substituted human traditions
in the room of God's word, and were intolerably proud
of their religious attainments ; supposing they merited
the favor of God by their outward observances. They
fasted often, made long prayers, gave much alms, and
in all things made a gr-^at outward show of religion ;
but were covetous, pr ud, unjust, superstitious, and
hypocritical : See Luke xviii. 9 — 14 They were very

388 THE SECTS MENTIONED IN SCBIPTUIIE.
particular in wearing broad phylacteries or frontlets ,
which were scrolls of parchment, four in nuraber, and
on which they wrote certain words of the law. On the
first piece, they wrote Exod. xiii. from verse 2 — 10 ;
and on the second, frora verse 11 — 21; on the third,
Deut. vi. frora verse 4 — 9 ; and on the fourth, Deut. xi.
frora verse 13 — 21. These they put together, covered
thera with a piece of hard calf-skin, and bound them
upon their foreheads, upon their wrists, and upon the
hem of their garments, where they wore thera during
the morning and evening prayers : Matt, xxiii. 5. These
customs they founded on what you read in Exod. xiii.
9 — 16, and Numb. xv. 38, 39. And as the prophets
never spoke against the omission of this practice, it
.•ieeras evident, they understood literally what was
figuratively spoken ; Read Matt, xxiii.
The Herodians shaped their religion to suit the times;
and though it is not certain what were their particular
tenets, it is plain they had a leaven of their own, and
that they sought to please men more than God; and
more especially Herod : See Mark viii. 15, and xii. 13.
But we may consider thera rather apolitical party, than
a religious sect.
The Stoics were a sect of heathen philosophers, who
prided themselves in an affected indifference to pleasure
or pain, as though either were only imaginary ; and
maintained that all things were determined by fate.
They held that a wise man ought never to be moved
by joy or grief This sect appears to have been numer
ous at Athens when the apostle Paul was there. Acts
^vii. 18.
The Libertines were free citizens of Rome ; and who,
being Jews or proselytes, had a synagogue at Jeru
salem peculiar to themselves : Acts vL 9.
The Epicureans were a sect of heathen philoso
phers, who followed the doctrines of Epicurus, the Athe
nian. They denied that God either made or governs the
world, or in any way whatever interferes with his crea
tures on earth. They denied the existence of angels
and the immortality of the soul. They maintained tha
happiness consisted in pleasure ; but Epicu.rus allowed
there was no pleasure but in virtue ; and some of his
followers held to the same. Their principles were the

TKE SECTS MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE. 389
very opposite of the Stoics ; and they flourished about
300 years before the Christian era ; Acts xvii. 18.
The Galileans appear to have been a very turbulent,
political party formed into a sect among the Jews ; who
refused to be in subjection to any other nation ; and
who, by degrees, swallowed up most of the other sects.
They held much the same sentiments as the Pharisees ;
and in general, they bore no good character for religion;
John vii. 52. They considered it beneath the dignity
«ff a Hebrew to pay a tax to heathens. Their first
/eader was Judas, the Galilean ; Acts v. 37. This sect
began the war with the Romans which was never
extinguished till the Jewish nation was completely
ruined. The Nicolaitans are expressly named in the New
Testament ; Rev. ii. 6, 15 ; but who or what they are
is not certain. It is said, they reckoned adultery and
the use of meats offered to idols indifferent things ; and
imputed all their wickedness to God as the cause.
Nicholas, one of the first seven deacons, was a man
distinguished for holiness and zeal : Acts vi. 5 — 7
And as nothing is said about his disgracing his profes
sion as a Christian, we cannot think, with sorae, that
he was the founder of this sect. It is not unlikely but
they were the very same with, or, at least a part of the
Gnostics. Nazarenes. Christ's dwelling at Nazareth, gave rise
to his being called a Nazarene : Matt. ii. 23. To be
called a Nazarene, was to be called a worthless, des
picable man, from whom no good was to be expected :
John i. 46. This name was put upon Christ by way
of reproach and contempt; they called his followers
Nazarenes, and this stuck to them all as a nick-name:
Acts xxiv. 5. No narae of reproach for religion's sake
should seem hard to us; but we should rather rejoice
that we are counted worthy to sufier for Christ, who
was called a Nazarene. 33*

390 ON scriptural difficulties.
There is no point of iraportance in which tne sixty-
six books of the Bible do not perfectly agree. The few
trifling differences which have been brought forward,
are easily and satisfactorily accounted for, if we but
consider, when different writers mention the same facts.
each one relates the circumstances as he was acquaint
ed with them.
Printing is only a modern invention, and been prac
tised but about 400 years ; and before that time books
could be multiplied in no other way than by writing.
Both the Hebrews and the Greeks often expressed their
numbers by letters ; and sorae of thera being very rauch
alike, a hasty copyist raight easily have mistook the one
for the other ; yet not one doctrine or duty is rendered
oDscure on account of these differences. Some there
.ire who neglect to "search the Scriptures ;" and assign
as a reason for their so doing, that they find therein so
many things they do not understand ; and consequently,
cannot believe thera. How absurdly do such individ
uals act, who sturable over the difficulties they raeet
with in the Bible, whilst they pass unnoticed those
plainly revealed truths, which, if attended to, would
make thera wise unto salvation ! We meet with many
things in our daily hfe which we cannot understand :
aud yet no one doubts them. Whence comes pain?
Why are plagues, famines, and pestilences, sent to rav
age the surface of the earth, and sweep away the
thousands of its inhabitants'? We believe the grass
grows, and that the sun shines, though we cannot un
derstand how the one springs up, or the other performs
its course. If, then, we believe so many natural things
we cannot account for, why ahould we disbelieve spir
itual things, raerely becau.w we are unable to account
for thera. Is it anything wonderful that a. finite worm
cannot coraprehend the wisdora, goodness, and glory of
an INFINITE GodI Would it not rather be more wonder
ful if he could 1
The Bible was never designed to clear up every diffi
culty. The glimmering lamp of nature will never give
sufficient light to enable us to see wbjr the ungodly
should prosper, and the godly he plagued and chastened
continually ; but the light of grace solves the difficulty,
bv showing us a state of future retribution ; Ps. Ixxiu
1 2—19 ; Luke xxiii. 4^ ; Phil. L 91 , ^:;.

ON SCRIPTURAL DIFFICULTIE.S. 391
You would do well to bear in raind that, though
many passages may appear difficult to you, they are not
at all difficult to those who are better acquainted with
their Bibles, their own hearts, the world, and what were
the particular customs of the Eastern countries at the
time the events recorded took place. Thus, when Christ
says, " Neither do raen put new wine into old bottles,"
we cannot understand hira till we are informed the bot
tles were not made of glass, as ours are ; but were a
kind of leathern-bags made of skins, strongly stitched
or pitched together ; and which, of course, as they be
came old and dry, would be unfit to hold new wine,
which would ferment and burst them ; and the longer
they were used the worse they would get. See Gen.
xxi. 14; Josh. ix. 4 — 13; Ps. cxix. 83; Jer. xiii. 12.
God tries our hearts, and takes care to give sufficient
light to guide the meek on their way, and leave the
ungodly without an excuse.
'The chief reason why so many difficulties are found
in the word of God, is, because the reader's heart is not
right with God. For how can earthly-minded men
enter into the meaning of heavenly truths'? 1 Cor. ii.
14, 15. The most obscure passages that we raeet with,
ought, at least, to teach us huraility. Those who have
joined some particular party, and taken their sentiments
from ihem, instead of the Bible, will always meet with
difficulties in selecting particular passages to support
their own opinions. But if all such would only be
willing to relinquish their sentiments, and come to the
Bible with a humble determination to be guided by it,
the difficulties met with would be very few and unim
portant. Those who meditate most upon what they
read, corapare Scripture with Scripture, and pray for
Divine instruction, will encounter the least difficulties ;
and will find at every step their path becorae brighter
and brighter, even unto the perfect day. Read for
yourself, and apply what you read; and never turn
frora a passage too hastily because it is difflcult ; for if
you are not above being taught, God will not be above
leaching you : Ps. xxv. 9 ; James i 5.

392 SUPPOSED FATE OF THE EVANGELISTS AND APOSTLES,
Saint Matthew, the Apostle and Evangelist, was
martyred in a city in Ethiopia.
St. Mark, the Evangelist, was dragged through the
streets of Alexandria, in Egypt, till he expired.
St. Luke, the Evangelist, was hanged on a tree till
he was dead, in Greece.
St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist, after having
been put in a caldron of boiling oil, at Rome, and re
ceiving no hurt, died a natural death at Ephesus, in Asia.
St. Peter was crucified at Rome ; and, according to
his own request, with his head downwards ; thinking
himself unworthy to die in the posture his Lord had
done. St. James the Great, was beheaded at Jerusalem.
St. James the Less, was thrown from a pinnacle of
the temple, and beaten to death with clubs.
St. Philip was hanged against a pillar at Hierapohs.
a city in Phrygia, till he expired.
St. Bartholomew was fiayed alive.
St. Andrew was bound to a cross, and preached to
the people till he expired.
St. 'Thomas was pierced through the body with a
lance, at Coromandel, in the East-Indies.
St. Jude was shot to death with arrows.
St. Simon the Zealot, was crucified in Persia.
St. Matthias was first stoned, and afterwards be
headed. St. Barnabas was stoned to death, by the Jews, al
Salamis. St. Paul, the great teacher of the Gentiles, was be
headed at Rome, by the tyrant Nero.
Such was the fate of the first Preachers of the Gos
pel of Peace, according to the best accounts we have of
their end. And, truly, they were sent forth as " sheep
among wolves :" Matt. x. 16. Nor is the world any
raore friendly to the true disciples of Christ in our day,
than it was in theirs ; 2 Tim. ih. 12. Let us, then,
take our Lord's advice, love all men, and fear none ;
Luke xii. 4, 5.
Sin is a greater evil than death ; therefo' e, dare tc
d'le, rather than sin.

HEBREW OFFICES. 303
The Jewish government has been very fitly called a
Theocracy ; that is, a governraent iramediately super
intended by God hiraself Hence, when they desired
a king, it was considered as rejecting the governraent
of God. See 1 Sam. viu. 7; Hos. xiiL 10, 11.
The Patriarchs were the principal fathers of man
kind, who lived in the early ages of the world, who
became famous on account of their long lives and
descendants. ' See Gen. chap. v. The name. Patriarch,
signifies head of a family : Acts ii. 29 ; vii. 8, 9 ; Heb.
vh. 4.
The Prophets were eminent persons raised up and
inspired by God among the Hebrews, to be the extra
ordinary ministers of his dispensations : 2 Pet. i. 21.
They continued in succession for raore than a thousand
years, reckoning from Moses to Malachi. God's most
usual way of making known his will to the prophets,
was by inspiration : and which consisted in illumina
ting and dictating to the mind that which he intended
they should proclaim. He appeared to Moses and to
Job in a cloud ; Numb. xi. 25 ; Job xxxviiL 1. He
spake to Moses in the burning bush, and upon mount
Sinai : Exod. iii. He spoke to Samuel in the night :
1 Sam. iii. 4. He made known his will to Peter in a
vision: Acts x. 11, 12.
The Priests were those persons who were set apart
to offer sacrifices to God, and to intercede with him
for the people.
The High-priest was the first character in the Jew
ish government,- and the medium of coraraunication
with God. He was consecrated to his office in the
most solemn manner ; and had two kinds of garments ;
one of which he wore on ordinary occasions, and the
other only once a year, when he went into the meet
holy place alone. Exod. xxviii. and Lev. xvi. ; Heb.
iv. 6. The priesthood was confined to the family of
Aaron : and the first-born of the oldest branch of it
was high-priest, if his body was found entirely free
from blemish. Read Exod. xxviii. and xxix ; Lev.
xvi. and Heb. iii ; v ; vii ; vhi ; ix. and x. chapters.
The Priests, who were also of the family of Aaron,
were the ordinary ministers of religion. It was their
duty to offer the daily, and other sacrifices, under the
direction of the high-priest. &c.

394 HEBREW OFFICES.
The Levites, who were the descendants of Levi, but
not of the faraily of Aaron, were a lower order of per
sons, inferior in office to the priests. They applied
theraselves to the stud y of the law, and were dispersed
through the country as the ordinary teachers, raagis
trates, and judges of the people. They had no sacred
apparel ; but though the tribe of Levi were but about
the fortieth part of the people, forty-eight cities, with
their suburbs, were assigned thera for their dweOing ;
and about one fifth part of the Hebrew incorae. Read
the following chapters: Exodus vi; xxxiL 15 — 28;
Nurab. iii; iv; viii; x; and xviii. They had much
raore allotted thera than what they received ; for when
religion languished they were poorly paid. See Josh.
xxi. and Neh. xiii.
The Nethinims were servants who had been given
up to the service of the tabernacle and temple : and
weve employed in doing the more laborious duties of
hewing wood and drawing water. They were those
Canaanites who by their craft had their lives spared.
See Josh. ix. and Ezra viii. 20.
Nazarites were persons devoted to the peculiar ser
vice of God for a week, a month, a year, or for life.
Sorae of them devoted themselves by a vow to abstain
frora all intoxicating drinks ; — let their hair grow with
out cutting or shaving ; — not to enter any house that
was polluted by having a corpse in it ; nor to be pres
ent at any funeraL Read Nurab, vi, 1 — 21 ; Acts xviii.
18 ; xxi. 23 — 26. It was extremely wicked to offer
thera strong drink during their vow; Amos h. 11, 12,
Some were expressly claimed by God; as Samson
and John the Baptist. Judges xvi. 17 ; Luke i. 15.
Nazarite signifies sanctified, or consecrated.
Scribes and Doctors of the law, in Scripture lan
guage, raean the sarae thing: arid no mention is made
of thera till Judges v. 14. They were employed to be
Ihe judges, interpreters, and preachers of the law to
the people; but the latter offlce they had no divine
right unto. They were mostly of the tribe of Levi.
See 1 Chron. xxiii. 34 ; xxiv, 6 ; and 2 Chron. xxxiv. 13.
The Publicans, though generally Jews, were partic
ularly odious to their brethren : and may be considered
rather as Roman, than Hebrew officers ; seeing they
were employed as tax-gatherers under the Romans.

AN INDEX
OF THE PROPER NAMES IK THE
OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS:

TOOETHIK WITH THE ENGLISH ACCENTUATION AND FBONtTNCIATIOIl 01
EACH WORD.

ADVERTISEMENT.
1. Throughout the following index, the Accentual Mark
(') is intended to show, that the syllable to which it is af
fixed is that on which an emphasis is to be laid.
2. The small letters are designed to express the proper
sound, or Pronunciation of those Names to which they are
attached. 3. The letter g, wherever it is retained, must ha re its hard
sound, as it has in the word good ; its soft sound, such as it
has in George, being always expressed by the letter j being
put in the place of it.
4. Whenever the letters ch occur in the Pronunciations,
ihey are to have their soft sound, as in the word child ; their
hard sound, as in chord, being shown by the use of A- in their
stead. 5. When a syllable is terminated by a vowel, if the accent
be on the syllable, the vowel must have a long sound. And
when a consonant terminates a syllable, whether the accunl
be on the syllable or not, the vowel immediately preceding
the final consonant must in general have a short sound.
6. Wherever the letter i is a syllable of itself', and termi
nates a word, it must always have its long sound, as in mine ,
and when the letters ai make but one syllable, they must be
sounded like ay in the word day.
I have been governec "jy the most eminent Prosodians, in the
following table ; and hope my young reader, by attending to
the hints given, will be enabled to ascertain the most approved
Pronunciatiim, and correct Accentuation, of any name therein
contained.

ABI

396

ADI

AARON, ay'ron.
AARONITES, ay'ron-ites.
ABADDON, a-bad'don.
ABA GTH A, ab-ag'thah.
ABANA, ab-ay'nah.
ABARIM, ab'a-rim.
ABDA, ab'dah.
ABDI, ab'de.
ABDIEL, abde-eL
ABDON, ab'don.
ABED-NEGO, a-bed'ne-go.
ABEL, ay'hel.
ABEL-BETH-MAACHAH, ay'bel-beth-ma-ay'ka, or
ma'a-kah.
ABEL-MAIM, ayTiel-may'-
im.
ABEL-MEHOLAH, ay'bel-
me-ho'lah.
ABEL-MIZRAIM, ay'bel-
miz-ra'y-im.
ABEL-SHITTIM, ay'bel-
shit'tim.
ABEZ, ay'bez.
ABI, ay'by.
ABIAH, ab'i-ah.
ABl-ALBON, ab-e-al'bon.
ABIATHAR, ab-i'a-thar.
ABIB, ay 'bib.
ABIDAH, ab-i'dah.
ABIDAN, ab-i'dan.
ABIEL, ab'e-eL
ABIEZER, ab-e-e'zer.
ABl-EZRITE, ab-e-ez'rite.
ABIGAIL, ab'e-gah or ab'e-
gale.
A BIH AIL, ab-e-hay'il, or ab'-
e-hale.
ABIHU, ab-i'hu, 'or ab-e-hu'.
ABIJAH, ab-i'jah.
ABI J AM, ab-i jam.
ABILENE, ab-e-le'ne.
ABIMAEL, ab-im'ma-el, or
ab-be-may'el.
ABIMELECH, ab-im'me-lek.
ABI NADAB, ab-in'na-dab.

ABINOAM, ab-in no-am,
ABIRAM, ab-i'ram.
ABISHAG, ab'be-shag.
ABISHAI, ab-bish'a-i, or ab
be-shay'i.
ABISHALOM, ab-bish'a-lom,
or ab-be-shay'lom.
ABISHUA, ab-bish'u-a, or ab-
be-shu'a.
ABISHUR, ab'be-shur.
ABITAL, ab'be-tal.
ABITUB, ab'be-tub.
ABIUD, ab'be-ud.
ABRAM, ay'bram.
ABRAHAM, ayTara-hain.
ABSALOM, ab'sa-lom.
ACCAD, ak'ad.
ACCHO, ak'ko.
ACELDAMA, .a-sel'da-mah.
ACHAIA, a-kay'yah.
ACHAICUS, a-kay'e-kus.
ACHAN, a'kan.
ACHAR, a'kar.
ACHBOR, akTior.
ACHIM, a'kim.
ACHISH, a'kish.
ACHMETHA, ak'me-thah
or ak-me'thah.
ACHOR, a'kor.
A CHS AH, ak'sah.
ACHSHAPH, ak'shaf.
ACHZIB, ak'zib.
AD AD AH, ad'a-dah, or ai
ay 'dab.
ADAH, ay'dah.
ADAIAH, ad-a-i'ah.
ADALIAH, ad-a-ly'ah.
ADAM, ad'dam.
ADAMAH, ad'da-mah.
AD AMI, ad'da-my.
ADAR, ay'dar.
ADBEEL, ad'be-el, or ad-be
el.
ADDI, ad'dy.
ADDON, ad'don.
ADIEL, ad'i-el.

AHI

397

AMO

ADIN, ad'din.
ADITHAIM, ad-e-thay'im.
ADLAI, ad-lay'i.
ADMAH, ad'mah.
ADMATHA, ad'ma-thah, or
ad-may'thah.
ADNAH, ad'nah.
ADONLBEZEK, ad-o-ne-
ADONIJAH, ad-o-ny'jah.
ADONIKAM, ad-o-ny'kam.
ADONIRAM, ad-o-ny'ram.
ADONI-ZEDEK, ad'o-ne-
zee'dek.
ADORAIM, ad-o-ray'im.
ADORAM, ad-o'ram.
ADRAMMELECH, ad-ram'-
me-lek.
/xDRAMYTTIUM, ad-ra-
mit'te-um.
ADRIA, ay'dre-ah.
ADULLAM, ad-ul'lam.
AGABUS, ag'ga-bus.
AGAG, ay'gag.
AGAGITE, a'gag-ite.
AGAR, ay'gar.
AGRIPPA, a-grip'pah.
AGUR, ay'gur.
AHAB, ay'hab.
AHASUERUS, a-has-u-e'-
rus.
AHAVA, a-hay'vah.
AHAZ, ay'haz.
AHAZIAH, a-ha-zy'ah.
A HI AH, a-hy'ah.
AHIEZER, a-hy-e'zer.
AHIJAH, a-hy'jah.
AHIKAM, a-hy'kam.
AHILUD, a-hy'lud.
AHIMAAZ, a-him'ma-az.
AHIMAN, a-hy'man.
AHIMELECH, a-him'me-lek.
AHIMOTH, a'he-moth.
AHINOAM, a'hin'no-am.
AHIO a-hy'o.
AHIRA. a'hy-rah. 34

AHISAMACH, a-his'sa-mak
AHISHAR, a-hy'shar.
AHITHOPHEL, a-hit'to-fel
AHITUB, a-hy'tub.
AHIHUD, a-hy'hud.
AHLAB, ah'lab.
AHOLAH, a-ho'lah.
AHOLIAB, a-ho'le-ab.
AHOLIBAH, a-ho'le-bah.
AHOLIBAMAH, a-ho'le-bay'.
mah, or a-ho-lib'a-mah.
AI, ay'i.
AIOTH, ay'oth.
AJALON, ad'ja-lon.
ALAMMELECH, al-am'me-
lek.
ALEXANDER, alex-an'der.
ALEXANDRIA, al-ex-an'-
ALLELUIA, al-le-lu'yah.
ALLON, al'lon.
ALLON-BACHUTH, al'lon
bak'kuth.
ALMODAD, al-mo'dad.
ALPHA, al'fah.
ALPHEUS, al-fe'us.
AMALEK, am'a-lek.
AMALEKITES, am-al'ek-
ites.
AMANA, am-ay'nah or am'-
ma-na.
AMARIAH, am-a-ry'ah.
AMASA, am-ay'sah.
AMAZIAH, am-a-zy'ah.
AMMAH, am'mah.
AMMI, am'my.
AMMI-NADAB, am-min'na-
dab.
AMMIHUD, am'me-hud.
AMMISHADDAI, am'me-
shad'day-i.
AMMON, am'mon.
AMMONITES, am'mon-ites
AMNON, am'non.
AMON, ay'mon.
AMORITE, am'o-rite.

ARE

398

ATH

AMOS, ay'mos.
AMOZ, ay'moz.
AMPHIPOLIS, am-fip'po-lis.
AMPLIAS, am'ple-as.
AMRAM, am'ram.
AMRAPHEL, am'ra-fel.
A NAH, ay'nah.
ANAK, ay'nak.
ANAKIMS, an'ak-ims.
AN AMMELECH, an-am'me-
lek.
ANANIAS, an-a-ny'as.
ANATHOTH, an'a-thoth.
ANDREW, an'drue.
ANDRONECUS, an-dron'-
ne-kus, or an-dro-ny'kus.
ANER, ay'ner.
ANNA, an'nah.
ANNAS, an'nas
ANTICHRIST, an'te-kryste.
ANTIOCH, an'te-ok.
ANTIPAS, an'te-pas.
ANTIPATRIS, an-tip'a-tris,
or an-te-pay'tris.
APELLES, a-pel'lees.
APHEK, ay'fek.
APOLLONIA, ap-po-lo'ne-
ah.
APOLLOS, a-pol'los.
APOLLYON, a-pol'le-on.
APPHIA, af'e-ah.
APPII-FORUM, ap'pe-i-fo'-
rum.
AQUILA, ak'we-lah.
AR, ar'r.
ARABIA, a-ray'be-ah.
ARABIAN, a-ray'be-an.
ARAM, a'ram.
ARARAT, ar'ra-rat.
ARAUNAH, a-raw'nah.
ARBA, ar'bah.
ARCHELAUS, ar-ke-lay'us
ARCHIPPUS, ar-kip'pu!,.
ARCTURUS, ark-tew'rus.
ARD, ard'.
ARELI, a -e'lie.

AREOPAGITE, a-re-op a-
gyte.
AREOPAGUS, a-re-op'a-gus.
ARETAS, a-re'tas.
ARGOB, ar'gob.
ARIEL, ay're-el.
ARIMATHEA, a-re-ma-the -
ah.
ARIOCH, ar'e-ok.
ARISTARCHUS, a-ris-tar'-
kus.
ARISTOBULUS, a-ns-tob'-
bu-lus, or a-ris-to-bew'lus.
ARMAGEDDON, ar-ma-ged -
don.
ARMENIA, ar-me'ne-ah.
ARNON, ar'non.
AROER, ar'o-er.
ARPAD, ar'pad.
ARPHAXAD, ar-fak's-ad.
ARTAXERXES, ar-taks-
Grks 6s
ARTEMAS, ar'te-mas.
ASA, ay'sah.
ASAHEL, as'a-el.
ASAIAH, as'a-i-ah.
ASAPH, ay'saf.
ASENATH, as'e-nath.
ASHDOD, ash'dod.
ASHER, ash'er.
ASHIMA, ash'e-mah.
ASHKENAZ, ash'ke-naz.
ASHTAROTH, ash'la-rolh
ASHUR, ash'ur.
ASIA, ay'she-a.
ASKELON, as'ke-lon.
ASNAPPER, as-nap'per.
ASSIR, as'ser.
ASSOS, as'sos.
ASSYRIA, as-sir're-a.
ASSYRIAN, as-sir're-an.
ASYNCRITUS, a-sin'kre-
tus.
AT AD, ay'tad.
ATHALIAH, ath-a-ly'ah.
ATHENIANS, ath-ee'ne-ans,

BAB

399

BEN

A f HENS, ath'ens.
ATTALIA. at-ta-ly'ah
AUGUSTUS, aw-gus'lus.
AVEN, ay'ven.
AZARIAH, az-a-ry'ah.
AZEKAH, az-ee'kah.
AZGAD, az'gad.
AZNOTH-TABOR, az'noth-
tay'bor.
AZOTUS, a-zo'tus.
AZUR, ay'zur. B.
BAAL, bay'al.
BAALAH, bay'al-ah.
BAAL-BERITH, bay'al-Be'-
rith.
BAAL-GAD, bay'al-Gad.
BAAL-HAMON,bay'al-Ham- mon, or bay'al-Haymon.
BAAL-HERMON, bay'al-
Her'mon.
BAALI, bay'al-ly.
BAALIM, bay'al-im.
BAALIS, bay'al-is.
BAAL-MEON, bay'al-Me'on.
BAAL-PEOR, bay'al-Pe'or.
BAAL-PERAZIM, bay'al-
Per'a-zim.
BAAL-SHALISHA, bay'al-
Shal'eshah.
BA AL-T AMAR, bay 'al-Tay '-
mar.
BAAL-ZEBUB, bay'al-Ze'-
bub.
BA AL-ZEPHON, bay'al-Ze'-
fon.
BAANAH, bay'a-nah, or ba-
ay'nah.
BAASHAH, bay'a-shah, or
ba-ay'shah.
BABEL, bay'bel.
BABYLON, bab'be-lon.
BABYLONIANS, bab-be-lo'-
ne-ans.
BABYLONISH, bab-be-lo'-
nish.

BACA, bay'kah.
BAHURIM, ba-hew'nm.
BAJITH, ba'jith.
BALAAM, bay'lam.
BALAK, bay'lak.
BAMAH, bay'mah.
BARABBAS, bar-ab'bas.
BARACHEL, bar'a-kel.
BARACHIAS, bar-a-ky'as.
BARAK, bay'rak.
BAR-JESUS, bar-Je'sus.
BAR-JONA, bar-Jo'nah.
BARNABAS, bar'na-bas.
BARSABAS, bar'sa-bas.
BARTHOLOMEW,bar-thol lo-mew.
BARTIMEUS, bar-te-me'us.
BARUCH, bay'ruk.
BARZILLAI, bar-zil'la-i, ot
bar-zil'lay.
BASHAN, bay'shan.
BASHEMATH, bash'e-math.
BATH-SHEBAH, bath-she -
bah, or beth'she-bah.
BEDAD, be'dad.
BEDAN, be'dan.
BEEL-ZEBUB, be-el'ze-bub.
BEER, be'er.
BEER-LAHAI-ROI, be'er-
la-hay'roy, or be'er-la-
hay'e-roy.
BEER-SHEBA, be'er-She'-
bah.
BEKAH, be'kah.
BEL, bell'.
BELIAL, bee'le-al.
BELSHAZZAR,bel-shaz'zar. BELTESHAZZAR, bel-le-
shaz'zar.
BENAIAH, ben'ay-yah.
BEN- AMMI, ben-am'my.
BENHADAD, ben-hay'dad,
or ben'ha-dad.
BENJAMIN, ben'ja-mm.
BENJAMITE, ben'ja-mite.
BENONI, ben-o'ny.

BET

400

CAP

BEOR, be'or.
BERACHAH, ber'a-kah, or
be-ray'kah
BEREA, be-ree'ah.
BERITH, be'rith.
BERNICE, ber-ny'se.
BESOR, be'sor.
BETAH, be'tah.
BETHABARA, beth-ab'ba-
rah.
BETHANY, beth'a-ne.
BETH-AVEN, beth-ay'ven.
BETH-BIREI, beth-bir're-i,
or belh-be-re'i.
BETH-CAR, beth'kar.
BETH-DAGON, beth-day'-
gon.
BETH-DIBLATHAIM,beth- dib-la-thay'im.
BETHEL, beth'el.
BETH-ELITE, beth'el-ite.
BETHER, be'ther.
BETHESDA, beth-es'dah.
BETH-EZEL, beth-e'zeL
BETH-GAMUL, beth-gay'-
mul.
BETH-HACCEREM, beth-
hak'se-rem, or beth-hak'-
li.G~r6ITl
BETH-HORON, beth-ho'ron.
BETH-LEHEM,beth'le-hem.BETH - LEHEM - EPHRA
TAH, beth'le-hem-Eff-
ray'lah, or Eff'ra-tah.
BETH - LEHEM - JUDAH,
beth'le-hem-ju'dah.
BETH-LEHEMITE, beth'le-
hem-ite.
BETH-PEOR, beih-pe'or.
BETHPHAGE, beth-fay'je,
or beth'fa-je.
BETHSAIDA, beth-say'dah,
or beth-say'e-dah.
BETHSHAN, beth'shan.
BETH-SHEMESH,beth-she'- mesh, or beth 'she-mesh

BETHUEL, beth-ew'el.
BEULAH, be-ew'lah, or bew
lab.
BEZALEEL, be-zal'e-el, o,
bez-a-lee'el.
BEZEK, be'zek.
BICHRI, bik'ry.
BIDKAR, bid'kar.
BIGTHAN, big'than.
BILDAD, bil'dad.
BILHAH, bil'hah.
BIRSHAH, bir'sha.
BITHIAH, be-thy'ah.
BITHRON, bith'ron.
BITHYNIA, be-thin'e-ah.
BLASTUS, blas'tus.
BOANERGES, bo-a-ner'jea
BOAZ, bo'az.
BOCHIM, bo'kim.
BOOZ, bo'oz.
BOZEZ, bo'zez.
BOZRAH, boz'rah.
BUL, bull'.
BUZ, buzz'.
BUZI, bew'zye.
BUZITE, bew'zyte. C.
CABUL, kay'bul.
CAIAPHAS, kay'a-fas.
CAIN, ka'yn.
CAINAN, kay'nan.
CALAH, kay'lah.
CALEB, kay'leb.
CALEB-EPHRATAH, kay •
leb-Ef-ray'tah, or kay leb-
Ef'ra-lah.
CALNEH, kal'nay.
CALNO, kal'no.
CALVARY, kal'va-re.
CAMON, kay'mon.
CANA, kay'nah.
CANAAN, kay'nan.
CANAANITE, kay'nan-ite.
CANDACE, kan-day'se, ot
kan'da-se.
CAPERNAUM,ka-per'na-uin.

CHO

401

DAV

CAPHTOR, kaf'ter.
CAPPADOCIA, kap-pa-do'-
se-a.
CARCAS, kar'kas.
CARCHEMISH,kaT'ke-mish. CARMEL, kar'mel.
CARMELITE kar'me-lyte.
CARMI, kar'mye.
CARPUS, kar'pus.
CASIPHIA, ka-sif'i-a, or ka-
se-fy'a.
CEDRON, see dron, or kee'-
dron.
CENCHREA, sen-kree'a, or
senk're-a.
CEPHAS, see'fas.
CESAR, see'sar.
CES ARE A, ses-a-ree'a.
CHALCOL, kal'koL
CHALDEA, kal-dee'a.
CHALDEAN, kal-dee'an.
CHALDEES, kal-deez'.
CHARRAN, kar'ran.
CHEBAR, ke'bar.
CHEDORLAOMER, ke'dor-
lay'o-mer, or ke'dor-la-o'-
mer.
CHEMARIMS, kem'a-rims.
CHEMOSH, ke'mosh.
CHENANIA, ke-na-ny'ah.
CHERETHIMS, ker'eth-ims.
CHERETHITES, ker'eth-
ites.
CHERITH, ke'rith.
CHESED, ke'sed.
CHILEAB, kil'le-ab.
CHILION, kil'le-on, or ke-ly'-
on.
CHILMAD, kil'mad.
CHIMHAM, kim'ham.
CHIOS, ky'os.
CHISLEU, kis'lu.
CHITTIM, chit'tim.
CHIUN, ky'un.
CHILOE, klo'e.
CHORAZIN, ko-ray'zin.
34*

CHUSHAN-RISHATHA.
IM, kew'shan, or kush'an-
rish-a-thay'im.
CHUZA, kew'zah.
CILICIA, sil-ish'e-a.
CLAUDA, klaw'dah.
CLAUDIA, klaw'de-ah.
CLEMENT, klem'ent.
CLEOPHAS, klee o-fas.
COLOSSE, ko-los see.
CONIAH, ko-ny'ah.
CORINTH, ko'rinth, or kor'-
inth.
CORINTHIANS, ko-rin'the
ans.
CORNELIUS, kor-nee'le-us.
COZBI, koz'bye.
CRESCENS, kres'sens.
CRETE, kree't.
CRETES, kree'ts.
CRETIANS, kree'she-ans
CRISPUS, kris'pus.
CUSH, kush'.
CUSHAN, kush'an.
CUSHI, kush'i.
CYPRUS, sy'prus.
CYRENE, sy-re'ne.
CYRENIANS, sy-re'ne-ans.
CYRENIUS, sy-re'ne-us.
CYRUS, sy'rus. D.
DABBASHETH, dab'ba-
sheth.
DABERATH, dab'be-rath.
DAGON, day'gon.
DALMANUTHA, dal-ma-
new'thah.
DALMATIA, dal-may'she-a.
DAMARIS, dam'a-ris.
DAMASCUS, dam-a&'kas.
DAN, dann'.
DANIEL, dan'e-el.
DARA, day'ra.
DARIUS, da-ry'us.
DATHAN, day'than.
DAVID, dav'vid.

EGY

402

ELI

DEBORAH, deb'o-rah.
DECAPOLIS, de-kap'po-Hs.
DEDAN, de'dan.
DEDANIM, ded'an-im.
DELILAH, del'e-lah.
DEMAS, dee'mas.
DEMETRIUS, de-me'tri-us.
DERBE, der'be.
DEUEL, de-ew'el.
DIANA, dy-ay'nah.
DIBON, dy'bon.
DIBON-GAD, dy'bon-gad'.
DIDYMUS, did'e-mus.
DIMON, dy'mon.
DINAH, dy'nah.
DINHABAH, din'a-bah, or
di-nay'bahr
DIONYSIUS, dy-o-nish'e-us.
DIOTREPHES,dy-ot're-feez.DOEG, do'eg.
DOR, dorr'.
DORCAS, dor'kas.
DOTHAN, doe'than.
DRUSILLA, drew-sil'lah.
DUMAH, dew'mah.
DURA, dew'rah. E.
EASTER, ee's-ter.
EBAL, ee'bal.
EBED, ee'bed.
EBED-MELECH, e-bed'me-
lek, or ee'bed-me'lek.
EBEN-EZER, eb-en-ee'zer.
EBER, ee'ber.
EBI ASAPH, e-by'a-saf, or e-
be-ay'saf.
ED, edd'.
EDEN, ee'den.
EDOM, ee'dom.
EDOMITES, e'dom-ites.
EDEEI, ed're-i, or ed-ree'i.
EGLAH, eg'lah.
EGLAIM, eg-lay'im.
EGLON, eg'lon.
EGYPT, ee'jipt.
EGYPTIAN e-jip'shan.

EHUD, e'hud.
EKRON, ek ron.
EKRONITFS. ek'ron-ites
ELAH, e'lah.
ELAM, e'lam.
ELAMITES, e'lam-ites.
ELATH, e'lath.
EL-BETHEL, el-Beth'el.
ELDAD, el' dad.
ELEALEH, el-e-ay'leh.
ELEAZAR, el-e-ay'zar.
EL-ELOHE-ISRAEL, el-Ei
o'e-Is'ra-el, or el-El-ho
he-Is'ra-el.
ELHANAN, el-hay'nan.
ELI, e'lye.
ELIAB, e-ly'ab, or e'le-ab.
ELIADA, e-ly'a-da, or e-le
ay'da.
ELIAKIM, e-ly'a-kim.
ELIAM, e-ly'am, or e'le-am.
ELIAS, e-ly'as.
ELIASHIB, e-ly'a-shib, or e
le-ay'shib.
ELIATHAH, , e-ly'a-thah, ot
e-le-ay'thah.
ELIEZER, e-le-ee'zer.
ELIHOREPH, e-le-ho'ref.
ELIHU, e-ly'hew, or el'e-hu
ELIJAH, e-ly'jah.
ELIKA, e-ly'kah.
ELIM, e'lim.
ELIMELECH, e-lim'me-lek.
ELIOENAI, e-le-ee'na-i.
ELIPHALET, e-lif fa-let.
ELIPHAZ, e-ly'faz, or el'le-
ELISABETH, e-liz'a-beth.
ELISHA, e-l/sha.
ELISIIAH, e-ly'shah.
ELISHAMAH, e-lish'a-mah
or el-e-shay'mah.
ELISHEBA, e-hsh'e-bah, or
el-e-she'bah.
ELISHUA, el-e-shew'ah.
ELIUD, e-ly'ud, or el e-ud.

EPH

403

EZR

ELIZUR, e-ly'zur.
ELKANAH, el-kay'nah.
ELMODAM, el-mo'dam or
el'rao-dam.
ELNATHAN„el-nay'than, or
el'na-than.
ELON, e'lon.
ELUL, e'lul.
ELUZAI, el-u-zay'i, or e-loo'-
za-i.
ELYMAS, el'e-mas.
EMIMS, e'mims.
EMMAUS, em-may'us, or
em'ma-us.
EMMOR, em'mor.
EN-DOR, en'dor.
ENEAS, e-nee'as.
EN-EGLAIM, en-Eg-lay'im.
EN-GEDI, en-Ge'dy, or en'-
Ge-de.
EN-MISHPET, en-Mish'pet.
ENOCH, ee'nok.
ENON, ee'non.
ENOS, ee'nos.
EN-ROGEL, en-Ro'gel.
EN-SHEMESH, en-She'-
mesh, or en' She-mesh.
EPAPHRAS, ep'pa-fras.
EPAPHRODITUS, e-paf-ro-
dy'tus.
EPENETUS, e-pe-nee'tus, or
e-pen'ne-tus.
EPH AH, ee'fah.
EPHES-DAMMIM, e'fez-
Dam'mim.
EPHESIANS, e-fee'se-ans.
EPHESUS, ef'fe-sus.
EPHPHATHA, ef'fa-tha.
EPHRAIM, ee'fra-im.
EPHRAIMITES, ee'fra-im
ites.
EPHRATAH, eff-ray'tah, or
eff'ra-tah.
EPHRATH, eff'rath.
EPHRATHITE, eff'rath-ite
EPHRON, ef'ron.

EPICUREANS, ep-e-kew.
re'ans.
ER, err'.
ERASTUS, e-ras'tus.
ERECH, e'rek.
ESAIAS, e-zay'yas, or e-zay'-
e-as.
ESAR-HADDON,e'sar-Had -
don.
ESAU, ee'saw.
ESEK, e'sek.
ESH-BAAL, esh-bay'al, or
esh'ba-al.
ESHCOL, esh'kol.
ESHTAOL, esh-tay'ol, or
esh'ta-ol.
ESHTEMOA, esh-te-mo'a, or
esh-tem'mo-a.
ESLI, ess'lye.
ESROM, es'rom.
ESTHER, ess'ter.
ETAM, e'lam.
ETHAM, e'tham.
ETHAN, e'than.
ETHANIM, eth'an-im.
ETHBAAL, eth-Bay'al, or
eth'ba-al.
ETHIOPIA, ee-the-o'pe-a.
ETHIOPIANS, ee-the-o'pe-
ans.
EUBULUS, yew-bew'lus, or
yew'bu-lus.
EUNICE, yew-ny'se.
EUODIAS, yew-o'de-as.
EUPHRATES, yew-fra/-
t6S>
EUTYCHUS, yew'te-kus.
EVE, ee'v.
EVIL-MERODECH, ee'vil-
Me-ro'dak, or ee'vil-Mer'-
o-dak.
EZEKIEL, e-zee'ke-el.
EZEL, e'zel.
EZION-GEBER,e'ze-on-Ge'- ber.
EZRA, ez'ta.

GER

404

HAD

F.
FELIX, fee'liks.
FESTUS, fes'tus.
FORTUNATUS, for-tu-nay'-
tus. G.
GAAL, gay'al.
GAASH, gay'ash.
GABBATHA, gab'ba-tha.
GABRIEL, gay'bre-el.
-GAD, gadd'.
GADARENES, gad-a-ree'ns.
GADDI, gad'dy.
GADDIEL, gad'de-el.
GADITES, gad'dites.
GAIUS, gay'e-us.
GALATIA, gal-ay 'se-a.
GALATIANS, gal-ay'se-ans.
GALBANUM, gal'ba-num.
GALEED, gal'e-ed.
GALILEE, gal'le-lee.
GALILEANS, gal-le-lee'ans.
GALLIM, gal'lim.
GALLIO, gal'le-o.
GAMALIEL, gam-ay'le-el.
GAMMADIMS, gam'ma-
dims.
GATAM, gay'tam.
GATH, gath'.
GATH-RIMMON,gath-Rim'- mon.
GAZA, gay zah.
GEBA, ge'bah.
GEBAL, ge'bal.
GEBIM, ge'bim.
GEDALIAH, ged-a-ly'ah.
GEHAZI, ge-hay'zye.
GEMARIAH, gem-a-ry'ah.
GENNESARET, gen-ness'a-
ret.
GENUBATH, gen'u-bath.
GERA, ge'rah.
GERAH, ge'rah.
GERAR, ge'rar.
GERGESENES, ger'ge-
seens.

GERIZIM, ger're-zina.
GERSHOM, ger'shom.
GERSHON, ger'shon,
GESHUR, ge'shur.
GE SHURITE S,gesh'u-ry tes.
GETHER, ge'ther.
GETHSEMANE, geth-sem -
a-ne.
GIAH, gy'ah.
GIBEAH, gib'e-ah.
GIBE ON, gib'e-on.
GIBEONITES, gib'e-on-ites.
GIDEON, gid'e-on.
GIDEONI, gid-e-o'ny.
GIHON, gy'hon.
GILBOA, gil'bo-ah, or gil-bo'-
ah.
GILEAD, gil'le-ad.
GILEADITES, gil'le-ad-ites.
GILGAL, gil'gal.
GILOH, gy'loh.
GILONITE, gy'lo-nite.
GIRGASHITE, gir'ga-shite.
GITTITE, git'tite.
GOB, gobb'.
GOG, gogg'.
GOLAN, go'lan.
GOLGOTHA, gol'go-thah.
GOLIATH, go-ly'ath,
GOMER, go'mer.
GOMORRAH, go-mor'rah.
GOSHEN, go'shen.
GOZAN, go'zan.
GRECIA, gree'she-a.
GRECIANS, gree'she-ans.
GREECE, gree'ce.
GREEK, gree'k.
GREEKS, gree'ks.
GUR, gurr'. H.
HABAKKUK, hab'a-kuk.
HACHALIAH, hak-a-ly'ah.
HACHILAH, hak'e-lah.
HADAD, hay 'dad.
HADADEZER, hay'dad-e«

HEB

405

HOP

HADADRIMMON, haydad-
rim'mon.
HADASSAH, ha-dass'ah.
HADORAM, ha-do'ram.
HADRACH, hay'drak.
HAGAR, hay'gar.
HAGARENES,hay'gar-eens.
HAGARITES, hay'gar-ites.
HAGGAI, hag'ga-i.
HAGGITH, hag'gith.
HALLELUIAH, hal-le-loo'-
yah.
HAM, hamm'.
HAMAN, hay'man.
HAMATH, hay'math.
HAMMEDATHA, ham-me-
day'tha, or ham-med'a-
thah.
HAMON-GOG, hay'mon-
Gogg'.
HAMOR, hay'mor.
HAMUTAL, ham-ew'tal.
HANAMEEL, han-am'e-el.
HANANEEL, han-an'e-el.
HANANI, han-ay'ny.
HANNAH, han'nah.
HANOCH, hay'nok.
HANUN, hay'nun.
HARAN, hay'ran.
HARBONAH, har-bo'nah.
HAROD, hay'rod.
HAROSHETH, har'o-sheth.
HASHMONAH, hash-mo'-
nah.
HAT ACH, hay'tak.
HAVILAH, have-lah.
HAVOTH-JAIR, hay'voth-
Jay'ir.
HAZAEL, haz'a-eL
HAZARMAVETH, hay'zar-
May'veth.
HAZELELPONI, hay'zel-el-
po'ny.
HAZEROTH, haz-ee'roth.
HAZOR, hay'zor.
HE BER, hee'ber.

HEBREWS, hee^rews.
HEBRON, hee'bron.
HEGAI, heg'a-i, or he-gay'i.
HEGE, heg'ee.
HELAM, he lam.
HELBON, hel'bon.
HELDAI, hel-day'i, or hel
da-i.
HELI, he'ly.
HELKATH-HAZURIM,hel kath-Haz'zu-rim.
HEMAN, he'man.
HEN, henn'.
HEPHZI-BAH, hef'ze-bah.
HERMES, her'mes.
HERMOGENES, her-moj'
e-nes.
HERMON, her'mon.
HERMONITES, her'mon-
ites.
HEROD, her'rod.
HERODIANS, he-ro'de-ans.
HERODIAS, he-ro'de-as.
HERODION, he-ro'de-on,
HESHBON, hesh'bon.
HETH, heth'.
HETHLON, heth'lon.
HEZEKIAH, hez-e-ky'ah.
HEZRON, hez'ron.
HIDDEKEL, hid'de-keL or
hid-dee'kel.
HIEL, hy'el.
HIERAPOLIS, hy-er-ap po
lls.
HIGGAION, hig-gay'yon, or
hig-gay'e-on.
HILKIAH, hil-ky'ah.
HILLEL, hil'lel.
HINNOM, hin'nom.
HIRAM, hy'ram.
HITTITES, hit'tytes.
HIVITES, hy'vytes.
HOBAB, ho'bab.
HOBAH, ho'bah.
HOGLAH, hog'lah.
HOPHNI, hoff'm.

ISK

406

JED

HOR, horr'.
HOREB, ho'reb.
HOR-HAGIDGAD, hor-ha-
gidd'gad.
HORMAH, hor'mah.
HORONAIM, hor-o-nay'im.
HORONITE, hor'o-nyte.
HOSEA, ho-zee'a.
HOSHEA, ho-shee'a.
HUL, hull'.
HULDAH, hul'dah.
HUR, hurr'.
HUSHAI, hew'shay.
HUZZAB, huz'zab.
HYMENEUS, hy-men-ee'us.
IBHAR, ibb'har.
ICHABOD, ik'a-bod.
ICONIUM, i-ko'ne-um.
IDDO, id'doe.
IDUMEA, id-ew-mee'a.
IGDALIA, ig-da-ly'a.
IJON, i'jon.
ILLYRICUM, il-lir're-kura.
(ML AH, im'lah.
IMMANUEL, im-man'ew-el.
INDIA, in'de-a.
tPHEDEIAH, if-fe-dy'ah, or
if-fe-dee'ah.
IRA, i'rah.
IRAD, i'rad.
IRIJAH, i-ry'jah.
ISAAC, i'zak.
ISAIAH, i-zay'yah, or i-zay'-
e-ah.
ISCAH,is'kah.ISCARIOT, is-kar're-ot.
ISHBAK, ish'bak.
ISHBI-BENOB, ish'by-Bee'-
nob.
ISH-BOSHETH, ish'bo-
sheth.
ISHMAEL, ish'ma-el. -
ISHMAELITES, ish'ma-el-
ites.
SRAEL, is ra-el.

ISRAELITES, is'ra-el-ites
ISSACHAR, is'sa-kar.
ITALIAN, i-tal'e-an.
ITALY, it'ta-le.
ITHAMAR, ith'a-mar, or ith-
ay'mar.
ITHIEL, ith'e-eL
ITHREAM, ith're-am.
ITUREA, it'u-iee-a.
IVAH, i'vah. J.
JAALAM, ja-ay'lam.
JAAZANIA, ja-az-a-ny'ah.
JABAL, jay'bal.
JABBOK, jab'bok.
JABESH, jay'besh.
JABE SH-GILE AD.jay'besh-
Gil'e-ad.
JABEZ, jay^ez.
JABIN, jay'bin.
JABNEEL, jab'ne-eL
JACHIN, jay'kin.
JACOB, jay'kob.
JAEL, jay'el.
JAH, jah'.
JAHAZ, jay'haz.
JAHAZA, ja-hay'za.
JAIR, jay'er.
JAIRUS, jay'e-rus.
JAMBRES,jam'bre.sJAMES, jay'mz.
JANNA, jan'nah.
JANNES, jan'nez.
JAPHETH, jay'fet.
JAPHIAH, ja-fy'ah
JAREB, jay'reb.
JARED, jay'red,
JASHER, jay'shes
JASON, jay'son.
JAVAN, jay' van.
JAZER, jay'zer.
JEBUS, je'bu.,
JEBUSlTES, jebew-sytes
JECONIaH, jek-o-ny'ah.
JEDIDIAH, jed-e-dy'ah.
JEDUTHUN, jed-ew'thun

lES

407

J UB

JEGAR-SAHADUTHA, je'-
gar-say-ha-dew'tha.
JEHOAHAZ, je-ho'a-haz, or
je-ho-ay'baz.
JEHOASH, je-ho'ash.
JEHOIACHIN, je-hoy'a-kin.
JEHOIADA, je-hoy'a-dah.
JEHOIAKIM, je-hoy'a-kim.
JEHONADAB,je-hon'na-dab.JEHORAM, je-ho'r-am.
JEHOSHAPHAT, je-hosh'a-
fat.
JEHOVAH, je-ho'vah.
JEHOVAH-JIREH, je-ho'-
vah-Ji'rey.
JEHOVAH-NISSI, je-ho'-
vah-Nis'sy.
JEHOVAH-SHALOM, je-
ho'vah - Shay'lom, or
Shal 'lorn.
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH, je-
ho'vah-Sham'mah.
JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU, je-
ho'vah-Tsid'ke-nu.
JEHU, je'hew.
JEHUDIJAH, je-hew-dy'jah.
JEMIMA, je-my'mah.
JEPHTHAH, jef 'thah.
JEPHUNNEH, je-fun'ney.
JERAII je'rah.
JERAHxVIEEL, je-rahm'me-
el, or jer-am-me'el.
JEREMIAH, jer-re-my'ah.
JERICHO, jer're-ko.
JERIMOTH, jer'ri-moth.
JEROBOAM, jer-o-bo'am.
JERUBBAAL, je-rub'ba-al.
JERUBBESHETH, je-rub-
be-sheth.
JERUSALEM, je-ru'sa-lem.
JERUSHA, je-ru'sha.
J E SHIMON, jesh'e-men.
JESHUA,jesh'u-a. JESHURUN, jesh u-run, or
jesh-ew'run.
JESSE, jes'se.

JESUI,jes'u-L
JESUITES,jes'u-ites.JESUS, jee'sus.
JETHER, jee'ther.
JETHRO, jeth ro
JETUR, jee'tur.
JEUSH, jee'ush.
JEW, jew'.
JEWS, jew'z
JEWISH, jew'ish.
JEWRY, jew're.
JEZEBEL, jez'e-bel.
JEZRAHIAH, jez-ra-hy'iih.
JEZREEL, jez're-el, or jea-
JEZREELITE, jez're-el-ite
or jez-ree'el-ite.
JIDLAPH, jid'laf.
JOAB, jo'ab.
JOAH, jo'ah.
JOANNA, jo-an'na.
JOASH, jo'ash.
JOB, jo'be.
JOCHEBED, jok'ke-bed.
JOEL, jo'el.
JOEZER, jo-ee'zer.
JOHA, jo'hah. .
JOHANAN, jo-hay'nan.
JOHN, jon'.
JOKSHAN, jok'shan.
JOKTAN, jok'tan.
JONADAB, jon'a-dab.
JONAH jo'nah
JONAS, jo'nas.
JONATHAN, jon'a-than,
JOPPA, jop'pah
JORAM, jo'ram.
JORDAN, jor'dan.
JORIM, jo rim.
JOSE, jo'se.
JOSEPH, jo'sef.
JOSES, jo'sez.
JOSHUA, josh'u-a.
JOSIAH, jo-sv'ah.
JOTHAM, jo'tham.
JUBAL, jew'baL

KIR

408

LYC

JUBILEE, jew'be-lee.
JUDAH, jew'dah.
JUDAS, jew'das.
JUDE, jew'd.
JUDEA, jew-dee'a.
JULIA, jew'le-a.
JULIUS, jew le-us.
JUNIA, jew'ne-a.
JUPITER, jew'pe-ter
JUSTUS, jus'tus. K.
KABZEEL, kab'ze-eL
KADESH, kay'desh.
KADESH-BARNEA, kay'-
desh-Bar'ne-a, or kay'-
desh-Bar-nee'ah.
KEDAR, kee'dar.
KEDEMAH, ked'de-mah.
KEDEMOTH, ked'de-moth.
KEILAH, ky'lah.
KEMUEL, kem'u-el.
KENAZ, kee'naz.
KENITES, kee'nites.
KEREN-HAPPUCH, kee'-
ren-Hap'puk.
KERIOTH, ker're-oth.
KETURAH, ke-tew'rah.
KEZIA, ke-zy'ah.
KEZIZ, kee'ziz.
KIBROTH - HATTAAVAH,
kib'roth-Hat-tay'a-vah.
KIDRON, kid'ron.
KIR, kirr'.
KIR-HARASETH, kir-Har'-
ra-seth.
KIRJATH, kir'jath.
KIRIATHAIM, kir'e-ath-ay'-
im.
KIRJATH-ARBA, kir'jath-
Ar'bah.
KIRJATH-ARIM, kir'jath-
Ay'rim.
KIRJATH-BAAL, kir'jath-
Bay'al.
KIRJATH-JEARIM, kir'-
iath-Je'a-rim.

KIRJATH-SANNAH, kir -
jath-San'nah.
KIRJATH-SEPHER. kir'-
jath-See'fer.
KISH, kish'.
KITTIM, kit'tim.
KOHATH, ko'hath.
KOHATHITES, ko'hath-ites.
KORAH, ko'rah. L.
LABAN, lay'ban.
LACHISH, lay'kish
LAHMI, lah'my.
LAISH, lay'ish.
LAMECH, lay'mek.
LAODICEA, lay-o-de-see'a.
LAODICEANS, lay-o-de-
see'ans.
LAPIDOTH, lap'pe-doth.
LAZARUS, laz'za-rus.
LEAH, lee'ah.
LEBANON, leb'ba-non.
LEBBEUS, leb-bee'us.
LEGION, lee'jun, or lee'ge-on.
LEHABIM, le'ha-bim, or lee-
hay 'bim.
LEHI, le'hy.
LEMUEL, lem'ew-eL
LEVI, lee'vy.
LEVITES, lee'vites.
LIBNAH, hb'nah.
LIBNI, lib'ny.
LIBYA, lib'e-a.
LIBYANS, lib'e-ans.
LINUS, ly'nus.
LO-AMMI, lo-Am my.
LOIS, lo'is.
LO-RUHAMAH, lo-Roo-hay -
mah, or lo-Roo'hay-mah.
LOT, lott'.
LUCAS, loo'kas.
LUCIFER, loo'se-fer.
LUCIUS, loo'she-us.
LUKE, look'.
LUZ, luzz'.
LYCAONIA, ly-ka-o'ne-a.

MAR

409

MER

LYDDA, lid'dah.
LYSANIAS, ly-say'ne-as.
LYSTRA, lis'trah. M.
MAACHAH, may'a-kah, or
ma-ay'kah.
MAASEIAH, ma-a-sy'ah, or
ma-a-see'e-ah.
MACEDONIA, mas-se-do'-
ne-a. "
MACHIR, may'kir.
MACHPELAH, mak-pee lab.
MAGDALA, mag'da-lah.
MAGDALENE, mag'da-le ¦
ne.
MAGOG, may'gog.
MAGOR-MISSABIB, may'-
gor-Mis'sa-bib.
MAHALALEEL, may-ha-
lal'e-el, or may-ha-la-lee'-
el.
MAHALATH, ma'a-lath, or
ma-hay'lath.
MAHANAIM, ma-ha-nay'im.
MAHER- SHALAL-HASH-
BAZ, may'er-Shal'al-
Hash'baz.
MAHLAH, mah'lah.
MAHLON, mah'lon.
MARKED AH, mak'ke-dah,
or mak-kee'dah.
M A.LACHI, mal'a-ky.
IVI A.LCHAM, mal'kam.
M A-LCHISHUA, mal-ke-
shew'ah.
MALCHUS, mal'kus.
MAMMON, mam'mon.
MAM RE, mam're.
MANAEN, man'a-en, or ma-
nay'en.
MANASSEH, man-as'seh.
MANEH, may'neh.
MANOAH, ma-no'ah.
MAON, may'on.
MARA, may'ra.
MARAH, may'rah. 35

MARCUS, mar'kus.
MARK, ma'rk.
MARS-HILL, mars'HiU.
MARTHA, mar'tha.
MARY, may're.
MASREKAH, mas're-kah.
MASS AH, mas'sah.
MATRI, may'try.
MATTAN, mat'tan.
MATTATHIAS, mat-ta-thy'
as.
MATTHAT, mat'that.
MATTHEW, math'yew.
MATTHIAS, ma-thy'as.
MAZZAROTH, maz'za-roth.
ME DAD, mee'dad.
MEDAN, mee'dan.
MEDES, mee'ds.
MEDIA, mee'de-a.
MEGIDDO, me-gid'do.
MEGIDDON, me'gid-don.
MEHETABEL,me-het'ta-bel.MEHUJAEL, me-hew'ja-el.
MELCHI, mel'ky.
MELCHIZEDEK, mel-kiz'-
ze-dek.
MELITA, me-ly'ta, or me-
lee'ta.
MEMPHIS, mem'fis.
MEMUCAN, me-mew'kan.
MENAHEM, men'na-hem.
MENE, mee'ne.
MEPHIBOSHETH, me-fib'-
bo-sheth.
MERAB, mee'rab.
MERARI, me-ray^ry, or mer
a-ry.
MERCURIUS, mer-kew're-
us.
MERIBAH, mer're-bah.
MERIB-BAAL, mer'ib-Bay'
al, or mer-ib'ba-al.
MERODACH, me-ro'dak, ot
mer'ro-dak.
MERODACH - BALA- DAN
Bal'la-dan, or Ba-lay'dan.

MNA

410

NEB

MEROM, mee'rom.
MEROZ, mee'roz.
MESHACH, mee'shak.
MESHECH, mee'shek.
MESHELEMIAH, mesh-el-
e-my'ah.
MESOPOTAMIA, mes-o-po-
tay'me-a.
MESSIAH, mes-sy'ah.
METHEG-AMMAH, mee -
theg-Am'mah.
METHUSAEL, me-thew'sa-
el.
METHUSELAH, me-thew'-
se-lah.
MICAH, my'kah.
MICAIAH, my-kay'yah, sr
mj-kay'e-ah.
MICHAIAH, the same.
MICHAEL, my'ka-e-eL
MICHAL, my'kal.
MICHMASH, mik'mash.
.MIDIAN, mid'de-an.
MIDIANITES, mid'de.an-
ites.
MIDIANITISH, mid-de-a-
ny'lish.
MIGRON, mig'ron.
MILCAH, mil'kah.
MILCOM, mil'kom.
MILETUM, my-lee'tum, or
me-lee'tum.
MILLO, mil'lo.
MINNI, min'ny.
MINNITH, min'nith.
MIRIAM, mir're-am.
MISHAEL, mish'a-el, or my-
shay'el.
MISREPHOTH-MAIM,mis'- re-roth-May'im.
MITYLENE, mit-e-lee'ne.
MIZAR, my'zar.
MIZPAH, miz'pah.
MIZPEH, miz'peh.
MIZRAIM, miz'ra-im.
MNASON, nay'son.

MOAB, mo'ab.
MOABITES, mo'ab-ites.
MOLADAH, mo-lay'dah, «
mol'a-dah.
MOLECH, mo'lek.
MOLOCH, mo'lok.
MORDECAI, mor'de-kay.
MORIAH, mo-ry'ah.
MOSEROTH, mo-see'ioth.
MOSES, mo'zez, or mo ze».
MUSHI, mew'sby.
MYRA, my'rah.
MY SIA, mish'e a.
N.
NAAMAH, nay'a-mah.
NAAMAN, nay'a-man, or na-
ay'man.
NAAMATHITE, nay'a-ma
thile, or na-ay'ma-thite.
NAASHON, na-ash'on.
NAASSON, na-ass'on
NABAL, nay'bal.
NABOTH, nay'both.
NADAB, nay'dab.
NAGGE, iiag'gee.
NAHAMANI, na-ham'an-ny
NAHUM, nay'um.
NAIN, nay'in.
NAIOTH, nay'oth.
NAOMI, nay-o'my.
NAPHISH, nay'fish.
NAPHTALI, naf ta-ly.
NARCISSUS, nar-sis'sus.
NATHAN, nay'than.
NATHANAEL, na-than'ay-
el.
NATHAN-MELECH, rjay'-
than-Me'lek.
NAUM, nay'um.
NAZARENE, naz-a-ree'n.
NAZARETH, naz'a-reth.
NAZARITES, naz'a-rites.
NEAPOLIS, ne-ap'po-lis.
NEB AIOTH, ne-bay'oth.
NEBAT, nee'bat.
NEBO, nee'bo

NYM

411

PAR

NEBUCHADNEZZAR, neb-
ew-kad-nez'zar.
NEBUZAR-ADAN, neb-ew-
zar'ra-dan.
NECHO, nee'ko.
NEHELAMITE, ne-hel'a-
myte.
NEHEMIAH, ne-he-my'ah.
NEHUSHTA, ne-hush'tah.
NEHUSHTAN, ne-hush'tan.
NEMUEL, nem-ew'el.
NEPHEG, nee'feg.
NEPHISHESIM, nef-ish'e-
sim.
NER, nerr'.
NEREUS, nee're-us.
NERI, nee'ry.
NERIAH, ne-ry'ah.
NETHANEEL, ne-than'ne-
el.
NETHANIA, neth-a-ny'ah.
NETHINIMS, neth'e-nims.
NIBHAZ, nib'haz.
NICANOR, ny-kay'nor.
NICODEMUS, nik-o-dee'-
mus.
NICOLAITANS, nik-o-lay'-
NICOLAS, nik'o-las.
NICOPOLIS, ny-kop'po-lis.
NIGER, ny'jer.
NIMRIM, nim'rim.
NIMROD, nim'rod.
NIMSHI, nim'shy.
NINEVEH, ninne-veh.
NINEVITES, nin'ne-vites.
NISAN, ny'san.
NISROCH, nis'rok.
NOADIAH, no-a-dy'ah.
NOAH, no'ah.
NOB, nobb'.
NOBAH, no'bah.
NOD, nodd'.
NOPH, noff'.
NUN, nunn'.
NYMPHAS, nim'fas.

0.
OBADIAH, ob-a-dy'ah.
OBAL, o'bal.
OBED, o'bed.
OBED-EDOM, o'bed-Ee
dom.
OBIL, o'biL
OCRAN, ok'ran.
ODED, o'ded.
OG, ogg'.
OHEL, o'hel.
OLYMPAS, o-lim'pas.
OMAR, o'mar.
OMEGA, o-mee'ga.
OMRI, om'ri.
ONAN, o'nan.
ONESIMUS, o-nes'se-mus.
ONESIPHORUS, on-ne-sif
fo-rus.
OPHEL, o'fel.
OPHIR, o'fir.
OPHRAH, off'rah.
OREB, o'reb.
ORION, o-ry'on.
ORN AN, or'nan.
ORPAH, or'pah.
OTHNl, oth'ny.
OTHNIEL, oth'ne-eL
OZEM, o'zem.
OZIAS, o-zy'as. P.
PAARAI, pay'a-ray.
PADAN-ARAM, pay'dan
Ay'ram.
PAGIEL, pay'je-el.
PALESTINA, pal-es-ly'na.
PALTI, pal'ty.
PAMPHYLIA, pam-fil'le-a
PAPHOS, pay'fos.
PARAN, pay'ran.
PARBAR, par'bar.
PARMENAS, par'me-nas.
PAROSH, pay'rosh.
PARSHANDATHA,par-
shan'da-thd.
PARTHIANS, par'the-ans

PHI

412

PUT

PARUA H, pa-rew'ah, or par'-
u-ah.
PASHUR, pash'ur.
PATARA, pat'ta-rah, or pa-
tay'rah.
PA THRO S, path'ros, or pay'-
thros.
PATMOS, pat'mos.
PATROBAS, pat'ro-bas.
PAU, pay'ew.
PAUL, paw'L
PAULUS, paw'lus.
PEDAHZUR, ped-ah'zur, or
ped'a-zur.
PEDAIAH, ped-ay'yah, or
ped-ay'e-ah.
PEKAH, pe'kah.
PEKAHIAH, pek-a-hy'ah.
PELATIAH, pel-a-ty'ah.
PELEG, pe leg.
PELETHITES, pel'eth-ites.
PENIEL, pe-ny'el.
PE NINN AH, pe-nin'nah.
PENUEL, pe-new'el.
PEOR, pee'or.
PERGA, per'gah.
PERGAMOS, per'ga-mos.
PERIZZITES per'iz-zytes, or
pe-riz'zytes.
PERSIA, per'she-a.
PERSIS, per'sis.
PETER, pee'ter.
PETHUEL, pe-thew'el.
PHALEC, fay'lek.
PHALLU, fal'loo.
PHALTI, fal'ty.
PHANUEL, fa-new'el.
PHARAOH, fay'ro.
PHAREZ, fay'rez.
PHARPAR, far'par.
PHASE AH, fay'se-ah.
PHEBE, fee'be.
PHENICE, fe-ny'se.
PHICHOL, fy'kol.
PHILADELPHIA, fil-a-del'-
fe-a.

PHILEMON, fil-ee'mon, or
fy-lee'mon.
PHILETUS, fil-ee'tus, or fy
lee'tus.
PHILIP, fil'lip.
PHILIPPI, fil-lip'py.
PHILISTIA, fil-lis'te-a, or fy
PHILISTINES, fil-Hs'tines
or fy-lis'tins.
PHILOLOGUS, fil-lollo
gus.
PHILOSOPHERS, fe-losso
furz.
PHINEHAS, fin'ne-has.
PHLEGON, fle'gon.
PHRYGIA, frij'e-a.
PHURAH, few'rah.
PHYGELLUS, fy'jel-lus.
PI-HAHIROTH, py-ha-hy
roth.
PILATE, py'lat.
PIMON, py'non.
PIRATHON, pir'a-thon.
PISGAH, pis'gah.
PISIDIA, py-sid'e-a.
PISON, py'son.
PITHOM, py'thom.
PITHON, py'thon.
PONTIUS, pon'she-us.
PONTUS, pon'tus.
PORATHA, por'a-tha.
PORCIUS, por'she-us.
POTIPHAR, pot'te-far.
POTI-PHERAH, pot-e-fee
rah, or pot-if fe-rah.
PRISCA, pris'kah.
PRISCILLA, pris-sil'lah.
PROCHORUS, prok'o-rus
PUBLIUS, pub'le-us.
PUDENS, pew'dens.
PUL, pu'lL
PUNON, pew'non.
PUR, purr .
PUTEOLl, pew-tee'o-ly
PUTIEL, pew'te-el.

REM

413

SAL

Q.
QUARTUS, qwaw r-tus.
R.
RAAMAH, ray'a-mah, or ra
ay mah.
RABBAH, rab'bah.
RABBI, rab'by.
RAB-MAG, rab'mag.
RAB-SARIS, rab'sa-ris;
RAB-SHAKEH, rab'sha-keh.
RACHAL, ray'kaU
RACHEL, ray'tshel
RAGAU, ray'gaw.
RAGUEL, rag-ew'el.
RAHAB, ray'hab.
RAKKATH, rak'kath.
RAKKON, rak'kon.
RAM, ramm'.
RAMAH, ray'mah.
RAMATH, ray'math.
RAMATHAIM-ZOPHIM,
ray-math-ay'im-Zo'fim.
RAMATH-LEHI, ray'math-
Lee'hy.
RAMESES, ra-me'ses, or
ram'e-ses.
RAMOTH, ray'moth.
RAPHA, ray'fa.
RAPHU, ray 'few
REBA, ree'bah.
REBEKAH, re-bek'kah.
RECHAB, re'kab.
RECHABITES, re'kab-ites.
REGEM, re'gem, or re'jem.
l!EGEM-MELECH,re-gem'- ' me-lek, or re 'jem-Me'lek.
KEHABIAH, re-ha-by'ah.
REHOB, re'hob.
REHOBOAM, re-ho-bo'am.
REHOBOTH, re-ho'both, or
re'ho-both.
REHUM, ree'hum.
REI, ree'i.
REMALIAH, rem-a-l/ah.
REMMON, rem'mon.
REMPHAN, rem'fan. 35*

REPHAEL, re'fa-eL
REPHAIM, ref'a-im, or ie-
fay'im.
REPHAIMS, ref'a-ims, or
re-fay'ims.
REPHIDIM, ref'e-dim, or re
fy'dira.
RESIN, ree'sen
REU, ree'ew.
REUBEN, rew'ben.
REUBENITES,rew'ben-ite&REUEL, re-yew'el.
REUMAH, re-yew'mah.
REZIN, ree'zin.
REZON, ree'zon.
RHEGIUM, ree'je-um.
RHESA, ree'sah.
RHODA, ro'dah.
RHODES, ro'des.
RIBLAH, rib'lah.
RIMMON, rim'mon.
RIPHATH, ry'fath.
RISSAH, ris'sah.
RIZPAH, riz'pah.
ROMAMTI-EZER, ro-mam
te-ee'zer.
ROMAN, ro'man.
ROME, roo'm.
ROSH, rosh'.
RUFUS, roo'fus.
RUHAMAH, roo-hay'mah.
RUMAH, roo'mah.
RUTH, roo'th. S.
SABEANS, sab-ee'ans.
SABTA, sab tab.
SABTECHA, sab'te-kah.
SADOC, say'dok.
SALAH, say'lah.
SALAMIS, sal'la-mis.
SALATHIEL, sal-ay'lhe-eL
SALEM, say'lem.
SALIM, say'hm.
SALMON, sal'mon.
SALMONE, sal-mo ne.
SALOME, sa-lo'me.

SHA

414

SHE

SAMARIA, sa-mayre-a.
SAMARITANS, sa-mar're-
tans.
SAMLAH, sam'lah.
SAMOS, say'mos.
SAMOTHRACIA, sam-o-
thray'she-a.
SAMSON, sam'son.
SAMUEL, sam'ew-eL
SANBALLAT, san-bal'lat.
SAPH, saff'.
SAPHIR, saf'fir, or sav'fir.
SAPPHIRA, saf-fy'rah.
SARAH, say'rah.
SARAI, say'ray.
SARDIS, sar'dis.
SAREPTA, sa-rep'tah.
SARGON, sar'gon,
SARON, say'ron.
SARSECHIM, sar-see'kim.
SARUCH, say'ruk.
SATAN, say'tan.
SAUL, saw'l.
SCEVA, see'vah.
SCYTHIAN, sith'e-an.
SEBA, see'bah.
SEBAT, see'bat.
SEGUB, see'gub.
SEIR, see'ir.
SELEUCIA, se-lew'she-a.
SEMEI, se-mee'i, or sem'me-i.
SENEH, see'neh.
SENNACHERIB, sen-nak'-
ke-rib.
SEPHARVAIM, sef-ar-vay'-
im.
SERAH, see'rah.
SERAIAH, se-ray'yah, or se-
ra-i'ah.
SERGIUS-PAULUS, ser'je-
us-Paw'lus.
SERUG, see'rug.
SETH, seth'.
SHAALBIM, shay-alb'im.
SHAARAIM, shay-a-ra'y-im.
SHAASHGAZ, shay-ash'gaz.

SHADRACH, shay'drak.
SHALIM, shay'lim.
SHALISHA, shal'le-sha.
SHALLUM, shal'lum.
SHALMAN, shal'man.
SHALMANEZER, shal-ma-
1166 Z6ri
SHAMGAR, sham'gar.
SHAMHUTH, sham'huth.
SHAMIR, shay'mir.
SHAMMAH, sham'mah.
SHAMMUAH, sham'mew-
ah, or sham-mew'ah.
SHAPHAN, shay-fan.
SHAPHAT, shay'fat.
SHARAI,shay-ray'i,orshar'a-i.SHARE ZER, shar-ee'zer.
SHARON, shay'ron.
SHASHAK, shay'shak.
SHAVEH, shay'veh.
SHEALTIEL, she-al'te-eL
SHEARIAH, she-a-ry'ah.
SHEAR-JASHUB, she'ar-
jay'shub.
SHEBA, shee'bah.
SHE B ANI AH, sheb-a-ny'ah.
SHEBNA, sheb'nah.
SHECHEM, shee'kem.
SHEDEUR, shee'de-ur, or
shed'e-ur.
SHELAH, shee'lah.
SHELEMIAH, shel-le-my'ah.
SHELEPH, shee'lef.
SHELOMITH, shel'o-mith.
SHELUMIEL, shel-ew-my'-
el, or shee-loo'me-el.
SHEM, shem'.
SHEMAIAH, she-ma-i an, o»
shem-ay'yah.
SHEME BE R, shee'me-ber, or
shem'me-ber.
SHEMER, shee'mer.
SHEMIDA, she-my'dah.
SHEMINITH, shem'me-nith.
SHEMIRAMOTH, she-mir'-
ra-moih.

SIN

415

TAB

SHEN, shenn'. .
SHENIR, shee'nir.
SHEPHATIAH, shef-a-ty'ah.
SHESHACH, shee'shak.
SHESHBAZZAR, shesh-
baz'zar.
SHETHER-BOZNAI, shee'-
ther-Boz'na-i.
SHEVA, shee'vah.
SHIBBOLETH, shih'bo-leth.
SHICRON, shy'kron.
SHIGGAION, shig-gay'yon.
SHILOAH, shy-lo'ah.
SHILOH, shy'loh.
SHILONITE, shy'lo-nyte.
SHIMEAH, shim'me-ab.
SHIMEI, shim'me-i.
SHIMSHAI, shim'shay.
SHINAR, shy'nar.
SHIPHRAH, shif'rah.
SHISHAK, shy'shak.
SHITTIM, shit'tim.
SHOBAB, sho'bab.
SHOBACH, sho'bak.
SHUAH, shoo'ah.
SHUAL, shoo'al.
SHUHITE, shoo'hite.
SHULAMITE, shoo'la-myte.
SHUNEM, shoo'nem.
SHUPPIM, sbup'pim.
SHUR, shurr'.
SHUSHAN, shoo'shan.
SHUTHELAH, shoo'the-lah.
SIBMAH, sib'mah.
SIDON, sy'don.
SIGIONOTH, sig-gy'o-noth.
SIHON, sy'hon.
SIHOR, sy'hor.
SILAS, sy'las.
SlLOAM,sy-lo'am,orsi'lo-am.SILOAS, sy'lo-as, or sil'o-as.
SILOE, sy-lo'e, or sil'o-e.
SILVANUS, sil-vay'nus.
SIMEON, sim'e-on.
SIMON, sy'mon.
SIN, Sinn'.

SINAI, sv'nay, or sy'uay-j
SION. sy'on.
SIRION, sir're-on
SISERA, sis'se-rah.
SIVAN, sy van.
SMYRNA, smir nah.
SO, so .
SOCOH, so'ko.
SODI, so'dy.
SODOM, sod'dom.
SODOMITES, sod'dom-ites.
SOLOMON, sol'lo-mon.
SOPATER, so-pay'ter, ot
sop'pater.
SOREK, so'rek.
SOSIPATER, so-se-pay'ter
or so-sip'pa-ter.
SOSTHENES, sos'the-nes.
SPAIN, spa'ne.
STACHYS, stay'kis.
STEPHANAS, stef'fa-nas.
STEPHEN, stee'ven.
SUCCOTH, suk'koth.
SUCCOTH-BENOTH, suk'
koth-Be'noth.
SUR, surr'.
SUSANNA, su-san'nah.
SUSI, su'sy.
SYCHAR, sy'kar.
SYENE, sy-ee'ne.
SYNTYCHE, sin'te-ke.
SYRACUSE, sir'ra-kewse.
SYRIA, sir'rea-a.
SYRIAC, sir're-ak.
SYRIAN, sir're-an.
SYRIANS, sir're-ans.
SYROPHENICIAN, sy-ro-
fe-nish'e-an. T.
TAANACH, ta-ay'nak, or
tay'a-nak.
TAANAH-SHILOH, ta-ay -
nah-shy'loh.
TABBATH, tab'bath.
TABEAL, tay'be-al, or tab'

THE

416

TUB

TABEEL, tay'be-el, or tab'-
ee'el.
TABER AH, tab-ee'rah, or
tab'e-rah.
TABITHA, tab'e-tha.
TABOR, ta/bor.
TABRIMON, tab're-mon.
TADMOR, tad'mor.
TAHAPANES, ta-hap'pa-
nes.
TAHPENES, tah'pe-nes.
TALITHA-CUMI, tal'le-tha-
Kew'my.
TALMAI, tal'may.
TAMAR, ta'mar.
TAMMUZ, tam'muz.
TANHUMETH, tan-hew'-
meth, or tan'hu-meth.
TAPHATH, tay'fath.
TARPELITES, tar'pe-lytes.
TARSHISH, tar'shish.
TARSUS, tar'sus.
TARTAR, tar'tak.
TARTAN, tar'tan.
TATNAI, tat'nay.
TEBAH, tee'bah.
TEBETH, tee'beth.
TEKEL, tee'kel.
TEKOA, te-ko'ah.
TEL-HARSA, tel-har'sah.
TEL-MEL AH, tel-mee'lah, or
tel'me-lah.
TEMA, tee'mah.
TEMAN, tee'man.
TEMANITE, tee'man-ite.
TERAH, tee'rah.
TERAPHIM, ter'ra-fim.
TERTIUS, ter'she-us.
TERTULLUS, ter-tul'lus.
TETRARCH, tet'rark, or tee'-
THADDEUS, thad-dee'us.
THAHASH, thay'hash.
THAMAH, thay'mah.
THEBEZ, thee'bez.
THELASAR. the-las'ar.

THEOPHILUS, the-of'fe-
lus.
THESSALONIANS, thes-
sa-lo-ny'ans.
THESSALONICA, thes-sa-
lo-ny'kah.
THEUDAS, thew'das.
THOMAS, tom'mas.
THYATIRA, thy-a-iv'rah.
TIBERIAS, ti-bee're-as.
TIBERIUS, ti-bee're-us.
TIBNI, tib'ny.
TIDAL, ty'dal.
TIGLATH-PILESER, tig -
lath-Pi-lee'zer.
TIMEUS, ti-mee'us.
TIMNATH, tim'nath.
TIMON, ty'mon.
TIMOTHEUS,tim-mo'the-us.TIPHSAH, tif'sah.
TIRHAKAH, tir-hay'kah, or
tir'ha-kah.
TIRSHATHA, tir'sha-tha, or
lir-shay'tha.
TIRZAH, tir'zah.
TISHBITE, tish'byte.
TITUS, ty'ius.
TOB, tobb'.
TOB-ADONIJAH, tob' Ad-o-
ny'jah.
TOBIAH, to-by'ah.
TOGARMAH, to-gar'mah.
TOHU, to'hew
TOI, to'i.
TOLA, to'la.
TOPHEL, to'fel.
TOPHET, to'fet.
TROAS, tro'as.
TROGYLLIUM, tro-jil'le-
um.
TROPHIMUS, trof'fe-mus,
TRYPHENA, try-fee'nah
TRYPHOSA, try-fo'sah.
TUBAL, tew'bal.
TUBAL-CAIN,tew'bal-Kane or Kay 'in.

ZAP

417

ZIP

TYCHICUS, tik'e-kus.
TYRANNUS, ty-ran'nus.
TYRE, tire'.
TYRUS, ty'rus U.
UCAL, yew'kal.
ULAI, yew'la-i, or yew-lay i.
ULAM, yew'lam.
ULLA, ul'lah.
UNNI, un'ny.
UPHAZ, yew'faz.
UR, urr'.
URI, yew'ry.
URIAH, yew-ry'ah.
URIJAH, yew-ry'jah.
URIEL, yew're-el.
URIM and THUMMIM, yew'-
rim and thum'mim.
UZ, uzz'.
UZZAH, uz'zah.
UZZEN-SHERAH, uz'zen-
Shee'rah.-
UZZI, uz'zy.
UZZIAH, uz-zy'ah.
UZZIEL, uz-zy'el.
UZZIELITES, uz-zy'el-ites.
V.
VASHNI, vash'ny.
VASHTI, vash'ty.
VOPHSI, vof'sy. Z.
ZABBAI, zab'ba-i.
ZABDI, zab'dy.
ZACCHEUS, zak-kee'us.
ZACHARIAH, za-ka-ry'ah.
ZADOK, zay'dok.
ZAHAM, zay'ham.
ZAIR, zay'ir.
ZALMON, zal'mon.
ZALMONAH, zal-mo'nah.
ZALMUNNA, zal-mun'nah.
ZAMZUMMIMS, zam-zum -
mims.
ZANOAH, zan-no'ah.
ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH,
zaf'nath-Pay-a-nee'ah.

ZARAH, zay'rah.
ZAREPHATH, zt; r're-fath.
ZEBADIAH, zeb-a-dy'ah.
ZEBAH, zee'bah.
ZEBEDEE, zeb'e-dee.
ZEBOIM, ze-bo'im.
ZEBUL, ze'bul.
ZEBULUN, zeb'ew-lun.
ZECHARIAH, zek-ka-ry'ah.
ZEDEKIAH, zed-de-ky'ah
ZEEB, zee'eb.
ZELEK, zee'lek.
ZELOPHEHAD, ze-lo'fe-ad
ZELOTES, ze-lo'tes.
ZELZAH, zel'zah.
ZENAS, zee'nas.
ZEPHANIAH, zef-fa-ny'ah
ZEPHATH, zee'fath.
ZEPHO, zee'fo.
ZERAH, zee'rah.
ZEREDAH, ze-ree'dah, or
zer'e-dah.
ZERESH, zee'resh.
ZEROR, zee'ror.
ZERUAH, ze-roo'ah.
ZERUBBABEL, ze-rub'ba-
Del.
ZERUIAH, zer-ew-i'ah.
ZETHAR, zee'thar.
ZIBA, zy'bah.
ZIBEON, zib'be-on.
ZIBIAH, zib-by'ah.
ZICHRI, zik'ry.
ZIDON, zy'don.
ZIDONIANS, zy-do'ne-ans.
ZIF, ziff'.
ZIKLAG, zik'lag.
ZILLAH, zil'la.h,
ZILPAH, zil'pah.
ZIMRAN, zim'ran.
ZIMRI, zim'ry.
ZIN, zinn'.
ZION, zy on.
ZIOR, zy or
ZIPH, ziff'.
ZIPPOR, zip'por.

ZOH

418

zuz

ZIPPORAH, zip-po'rah.
ZITHRI, zith'ry.
ZIZ, zizz'.
ZOAN, zo'an.
ZOAR, zo'ar.
ZOBAH, zo'bah.
ZOBEBAH, zo-be'bah.
ZOHAR, zo'har.
HmEhETU, zo-he'leth.

ZOPHAR, zo'far.
ZORAH, zo'rah.
ZOROBABEL, zo-rob'ba-be,,
ZUAR, zew'ar.
ZUPH, zuff'.
ZUR, zurr'.
ZURISHADDAL zew'ry
Shad'da-i.
ZUZIMS, zew'zimi.

AN INDEX,
FOB THE TEXTS OF SCKIPTUEE TREATED OF.

Oiapter. Verse.
GENESIS.
Iti. 16

Page. 116

ziz.xxiii

EXODUS. 6
25

166 34

xxi.

NUMBERS 8

198

DEUTERONOMY.

IT. vii.
vii. Tiii,

7
9
13 6
1813
29
1 SAMUEL. 6

224
210 66
134 5862
258

2 CHRONICLES.

XIV.
XT.XX. XXX.
iii. T.
T. T.
xvii.xix.xxii.

xu.xvi.XTiii. xxiii.
xxiii.ixiT. xxxi.ixxi.xxxii,xxxii.
xxxiT.
ixxiT.XXXTi.xxxril.
xU. xli.
xM.
xlvii..

11 7
20 9
JOB. 17 IS
2026 9
26
26
PSALMS. 1 3
1317 6
11
30 1
2
3,4 20 24 68
IS

8 1
3 1
M

70
206 250
202 180136 66
20
280 1741S4
240 3260
162 74
188
306 12
126
264 72
118
204 106164
274 194 16
256 6242 30

Chapter. Verse. Page.

xlix.1.
It. Ix.
IxxxiT.IxxxTii.xci.
xci.xcii.xciv.ciii.cxii.cxix.cxix.
cxxi.cxxxiii.cxxxTiii.cxl.cxlv.

IS 16
22 12
II 33
14
12
18 31
105165 5 I
6
13 18

Proverbs.

Till.X. X.
X. xi.
xii.xii.
xii. xiT.
xiv.xiT.XT. xTii.XX.xxi.xxii.xxiii.xxviii.
xxTiii. xxTiii.

8, 9
23 12 17
24
28 31 17 7
20 21
23 26 32 8
2
2223 4
17, i
1314
26

182 4644 68
100
286 50
132130
132 82
236 234 2622
252272186 98
242 160
114212 14
278 124
260 38
254 40
266 36
176
208
244262238 28
268200222218

ECCLESIASTES.

TU.Tiii.

XI.xii.xxvi.

26 18
12
ISALVH. IS 19 4
10 3 4

120
112
220 84 9
292 282 108
*4

Cliapter. Verse, Page.

XXTi.

19

138

xxvii.

3

294

xxTiii

16

i96

xxix.

19

270

xxix.

24

288

xxxii.

17

163

xl.

8

303

xli.

13

146

xiii.

3

158

xiv.

22

86

xIt.

24

164

xIt.

25

SO

xItI.

4

64

xUx.

6

284

xlix.

9

156

xlix.

13

170

xlix.

16

43

liii.

6

90

liii.

11

78

It.

1

230

Iviii.

11

122

Ixiii.

16

94

IxTi.

6

276

JEREMIAH.

1.

7,8

246

XT.

11

64

XT.

19

248

txiii.

6

296

xxxi.

9

96

LAMENTATIONS.

iii.

26

216

iii.

31
EZEKIEL.

150

XX.

43

104

xxxiT.

23

302

xxxvi.

26

102

TU.
Tii. Tii.xii.xin.XIT.
xiT.xiT.

DANIEL. 1418
27 3
HOSEA. 14 468
JOEL. 27 16
AMOS. 4
OBADIAH.

300 192
293 190178 83
123110
140 172
223 304

420

INDEX FOR THE TEXTS.

Chapter. Verse. Page.
MICAH.
vii. 18 144
ZEPHANIAH,
iii. 17 142
ZECHARUH.
ii. 5 24
ii. 8 148
lii. 4 18
xiii. 1 92
xiii. 9 226
MALACHI
iii. 3 290
It. 2 152
MATTHEW.
iv. 4 67
T. 3 275
T. 4 87
T. 6 35
T. 6 231
T. 7 261
T. 8 265
T. 9 255
Tl. 14 263
vi. 26 17
Tl. 30 19
Ti. 33 32
Tii. 21 207
Tiii. 11 283
IX. 13 105
X. 22 219
X. 29 21
X. 32 201
X. 41 251
xi. 23 85
xii. 31 89
xvi. 13 295
xviii. 20 109
xxiv. 35 307
xxv. 21 1
xxv 23 267
xxv. 34 193
xxviii. 20 55
MARK.
ix. 23 197
VI. 16, 16 127
LUKE.
fi. 22 277
vii. 60 • 169
XV. 21, 22 205
xviii. 14 273
XX. 36 18B
xxi. 16 65
xxiii. 43 181
JOHN.
1. 16 165
iii. 16 153
vi. 45 289
vii. 17 107
xii. 26 29
Xii. 32 2?5
xii. 46 19«
xiii. 35 253

Chapter. Verse. Page.

xIt.

18

151

xiv.

21

213

xiv.

23

141

XT.

5

129

XT.

7

225

xvi.

13

123

xvi.

22

175

xvi.

33

27

xvii

3

233

xvii

15

41

xvii

21

293

ACTS.

i.

39

37

ii.

19

203

IV.

12

91

X.

35

221

X.

38

75

xiii.

39

79

xvii

10
ROMANS.

71

V.

1

81

T. ^

3,4

135

viii.

15

163

viii.

24

217

viii.

31

147

viii.

32

13

viii.

37

49

ix.

15

145

X.

17

235

xi.

2

•303

xiv.

22

209

xvi.

20

297

1

CORINTHIANS.

i.

30

121

ii.

It

161

vi.

ll

101

viii.

3

211

X.

13

45

xii.

8

125

XV.

65

179

2

CORINTHLANS.

i.

i

171

i.

10

215

iii.

16

305

IV.

17

137

V.

3

183

vi.

17,18

241

X.

4

69

xii

9
GALATIANS.

43

i.

4

115

iii.

13

157

iii.

26

97

V.

16

Ul

vi.

6

259

vi.

9
EPHESIANS.

281

ii.

7

93

ii.

18

99

v.

25

159

vi.i.

2,3
PHILIPPIANS 6

243

Chapter. Verse. Page,
19 69
COLOSSIANS. 4 , 191
Ul. 22 245
1 THESSALONUNS.
iv. 17 195
2 THESSALONUNS.
iii. 3 39
1 TIMOTHY. 15 67
8 15
IV. 16 247
vi. 5 269
2 TIMOTHY. 7 119
1. 12 177
TITUS.
ui. 6 103
HEBREWS.
1. 14 166
ii. 15 77
19 173
Tin. 12 83
23 309
XI. 6 '829
xi. 16 139
xiii. 6 25
xiii. 16 257
JAMES. 5 31
9 61
12 113
27 63
T. 6 131
T. 7 117
8 227
15 51
1 PETER. 7 53
U. 2 237
20 279
Ul. 4 271
iii. 10 239
iT. 14 73
T. 4 249
T. 7 149
2 PETER.
ii. 9 4
1 JOHN.
ii. 17 11
iii. 1 95
IT. 10 143
REVELATION.
i. 0 167
i. 17, IS 23
)ci. 15 301
-xvi. 15 223
xix. 8 291
xix. 20 299
xxi, 23 287
x.-cii, 21 30>

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