among men? Christians are exulting, even though this reformation may have no effect upon their personal aggrandizement and pleasure. Does the cause of God decline, and are his interests neglected? Christians are unhappy; and as they have no separate interests from the Lord, they cannot be satisfied, even though their own "corn and wine increaseth."

This then is the first way in which believers hold communion with God; they have certain things in common with God.

We have said that communion with God implies,

II. An intimate intercourse with him. To give a proper illustration of this intercourse in all its various branches, would require more time than the limits prescribed to these exercises will allow. I can only give you a few brief hints which it would be delightful to develop. This intercourse is carried on by giving and receiving favours: God showers down the blessings of nature and of grace on the believer : the believer carefully observes them, and pours forth his grateful acknowledgments.

This intercourse is carried on in the works of creation. God enstamps his perfections on the visible frame of nature: the believer views the traces of these perfections, and is moulded into a temper correspondent to them.

This intercourse is carried on in the works of Providence. Whatever are the dealings of God, the believer diligently regards them, strives to acquire that frame and perform those duties which these dealings call for: in afflictive providences, he is submissive; in humbling providences, he is abased; in joyful providences, he is elevated; in gracious providences, he is grateful: in short, he labours to preserve an in

tercourse with God by exercising those graces which the several divine dispensations may respectively require.

This intercourse is carried on with God in his word. The believer does not read it with haste, irreverence, and languor; but by exercising those acts and graces which its several parts require, he really and intimately converses with God. At a threatening, he exercises holy fear and reverence; at a promise, he exercises gratitude and trust; at a command, he exercises submission and forms pious resolutions to obey it: and so in other cases.

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Finally this intercourse is carried on with God in his ordinances. The believer is not satisfied with a mere outward attendance, unless he can meet with God and converse with him he says therefore to the Lord, Show me thy glory;' the Lord reveals to him his excellency he says, 'Lord, strengthen my graces;' the Lord fortifies and increases them: he says, Lord, nourish me by the bread of life; poison my corruptions by the blood of the Lamb:' the Lord listens to his petition, and complies with his request. Thus an intercourse is preserved on their part by the formation of holy desires, and on the part of God by the fulfilment of them.

This is the second way in which believers have communion with God by an holy intercourse with him: "Our fellowship is with the Father, and with his son Jesus Christ."

Such is true fellowship and communion with God.. It consists not in a round of heartless duties; in crying, "Lord, Lord;" in talking much of divine truths; in naming the name of Christ; or in warmly advocating the orthodox creed. All this may be done while the soul is unsanctified, and without true

communion with God. It consists not in high joys and raptures; these may be unfelt, and yet the communion be real and most intimate: and we shall run into dangerous errors, if we do not carefully distinguish between the sense and perception of fellowship and fellowship itself. But it consists in a kindred mind to God, in a temper conformed to his; it is a communion of attributes, aims, wills, affections, and interests; a communion in his works, word, and ordinances this fellowship you must have, I do not say perfectly and fully, but sincerely and really, before you have any right to the name, or any title to the promises of the Christian. It is the character of believers that they are " partakers of the divine nature;" or, as the original word may more literally be translated, "holders of communion with the divine nature."

My brethren, this communion which has been described to you, forms the highest excellence of the creature; is the source of the most abundant and unfailing joys; and is absolutely necessary if we hope for future happiness.

It forms the highest excellence of the creature: for what more noble or more dignified than to be formed on the pattern of Jehovah; to partake of his perfections, and maintain a tender and endearing intercourse with him! This is a life worthy of man; this is the life which angels lead, and by which archangels are blest. Let then the men of the world scoff at the character of the Christian; let them deride it as mean and low-spirited; they will at last find that it was no light sin to call that mean which bore the impress of divinity; to scoff at him as lowspirited who was animated by the Spirit of God. "Not many noble are called;" and when they are call

ed, they are made infinitely more noble than they were by birth or descent, by places of preferment and command.

And as communion with God is the highest excellence, so it is the chief happiness of man. We can never be happy till we enjoy it. God is the centre of the soul, and it must continue restless and agitated till it is fixed on him. In vain will we rove from one earthly object to another: nothing below can give us rest and quiet, because nothing below is as extensive as the powers of our nature; nothing below is itself at rest: there will still be a raging thirst in the soul, until wearied with earthly vanities, struck with the excellences of Jehovah, and constrained by his power, we fall at his throne and exclaim, Lo, I come to thee, the Eternal Being, the Spring of life, the Centre of rest, the Stay of the creation, the Ful-' ness of all things! I join myself to thee; I will lead my life and spend my days with thee, with whom I hope to dwell for ever! Then the soul must be tranquil and at rest, for it then has found an object sufficiently great to fill all its capacities; an object which answers the intent of its creation, the end of its being.

And as communion with God thus brings down heaven into the soul, while we remain on earth, so it ensures to us a perfect felicity in heaven when we depart from earth. The sum of the future blessedness is a perfect communion with God; and if this communion has been begun on earth, it must be consummated in the kingdom of glory. The Christian already has the seeds of heaven; or, to speak more properly, as far as he has communion with God, so far he has heaven and God in his soul; and therefore, when he leaves behind him the body of flesh,, he must necessarily be in heaven, unless God should

either infuse sinful habits into him, (which it would be blasphemy to imagine,) or unless he should annihilate his soul, which would derogate from every one of his perfections.

Since our dearest interests are thus involved in this subject, let us try ourselves carefully on this point; for it would be dreadful to be deceived here; it would be dreadful to discover on the bed of death, or at the bar of judgment, that, notwithstanding all our outward performances, our professions, and our fancied joys, we were still strangers to a heart-fellowship with God; it would be dreadful to discover that our religion had consisted in notions laid up our head, and in raptures produced only by natural passions or fancy; instead of a new principle implanted by God, laid in the very constitution of the soul, refining all its faculties, making us to be like God, as far as a creature can be like its Creator!

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And let us, who hope that we have this communion in some degree, strive continually to carry it to as high a point as is possible in this world of sin and temptation. Let us eagerly desire and ardently pursue a more intimate conjunction, a more close communion with God. Thus shall we have more of the heavenly temper, and become more prepared to mingle with the throng of adoring seraphs.

And you, sinners, we importunately beseech you to form more noble and exalted notions of happiness than you now have. Do not limit your ambition to the vanities of earth, but aim at a happiness worthy of your souls; tread the toys of earth beneath your feet; pant to be filled with the fulness of God; to have God dwelling in you; to enjoy a happiness in common with God! This, and this only, is an aim worthy of an immortal being.