Christ, who are redeemed by him, and saved in him, "with an everlasting salvation."

Rise then, christian, and take possession; be not satisfied with a bare subsistence, when you have so large an income. Those who have made the greatest progress have seen and known but little, and are the subjects of continual deficiencies and short-comings. The design of God is, by the gospel, and by his Holy Spirit, to make his people “partakers of the divine nature,” and to implant in them a divine principle, that they may grow in grace, and go on towards perfection.

Many christians who are adults in years are children in understanding. They have had the means of information, but neither possess all they should, nor all that is fairly within their reach, if they were more vigorous and diligent in the use of the means. Alas! how small are the additions which are daily, weekly, monthly, and annually made to our former stores of "good things laid up against the time to come." "And shall we lie so sluggish still,

And never act our part

Come Holy Dove from th' heav'nly hill,

And sit and warm our heart."

me,

Let the reader ask, Do I walk circumspectly, as as those who possess the wisdom that is from above? Do I rule well my temper and my house? Am I ever ready to give to every one that asketh reason of the hope that is in me?" Am I always submissive to the will of God? and can I, by faith, reconcile the providence of God with his promises? And when I cannot trace their harmony, can I leave events to him that does all things well, and who

ordereth all things after the counsel of his own will? Does "the word of Christ dwell in me richly in all wisdom?" Are my views of the holy scriptures clear and combined? And is my soul suitably impressed therewith? What a vast difference must always remain between the ocean of revelation, and all that the most expanded souls of men can enjoy and comprehend! Yet men are apt to mistake the latter for the former, and to imagine that nothing can be known beyond what they know, or, at most, beyond what is known by the great oracle to whom they bow down. Let the vain and foolish conceit be for ever banished from our minds; and let us remember who has said, "Then shall ye know, if ye follow on to know the Lord." Arise, then, every soul that prospers, and hear what the God of Jacob says to you: "Go through the land in the length and breadth of it, for to thee have I given it." Arise, and "leaving the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, go on to perfection." "Press towards the mark for the prize of your high calling."

The souls of good men are always capable of further holiness and enjoyment. A man's knowledge may surpass his experience, and, as one observes, a growth in gifts may be mistaken for a growth in grace. Many corruptions still remain to be subdued. When the believer would do good, evil is present with him, and his passions are making continual efforts to command and subvert his reason and his faith. Our affections are not all heavenly, nor always "set on things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." But if we are making advances, if our sanctification is going on, in a word, if

our souls prosper, what is the world to us? Do we› not want to be crucified to it more and more? Do we not abhor sin, and want to hold it in infinitedetestation? O that we may ever watch and pray against it, deny ourselves, and take up the cross, and follow the Redeemer whithersoever he goeth. Alas! we have often to cry out, "O wretched men that we are.' We weep, and sigh, and groan, and, prostrate in the dust, exclaim, "Enter not into judgment with us," but perfect, O Lord, that which concerneth us, and "strengthen the things which remain and are ready to die; O forsake not the work of thine own hands."

Our souls are capable of a larger enjoyment of christian privileges. Our privileges are almost without number, and "to us are given exceeding great and precious promises." It is a privilege to the saints to be careful for nothing with an over-anxious care. They, by faith, do even now "enter into rest.” They "have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." They "walk all day in the light of God's countenance:" and it is their privilege to" rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Many have realized these privileges, and have received the gospel in faith and love, and with joy of the Holy Ghost. They have taken pleasure" in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake, and have taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods." Yea, they have welcomed imprisonment and death, even with holy joy and triumph. But is this the case with all? Is it the reader's case? has he made all this progress? Then let him humbly adore the sovereign grace of God,

for the crown of glory resteth, as it were, upon him. But perhaps it is not his case. Do not good men often complain of barrenness and deadness in the things of God? What mean all their murmurings and misgivings? Are not these undeniable proofs that they know and enjoy far less than their souls are capable of in the present state; and that they have not yet" rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory?" Lord, "thou wilt fulfil the desire of them that fear thee." O show us thy glory, that, though we have not yet made any high attainments, we may be pressing forward. Paul forgot the things which were behind, the churches he had established, the sermons he had preached, his prayers, his epistles, his dangers, his journies, his unexampled labours, the abundance of his revelations, and his entering into the third heavens: all these things he considered as being behind, and he left them that he might do as he exhorted Timothy to do, viz. "lay hold on eternal life." What a glorious object for an immortal soul to grasp! in comparison with it, all other things are but "as sliding sand, yielding air, or a bursting bubble." How truly animating when the christian is adding grace to grace, strength to strength, beauty to beauty, joy to joy! Our Lord has said, "To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly." Progress is delightful, whether it be in nature or in grace. It is pleasant to see a fine edifice rise from the foundation to the topstone, to see the outline of some grand picture accurately filled up and finished, to see the progress of vegetative life, from the first starting of the germ to the full maturity of the plant. But how much more delightful is it to observe the prosperity of souls,

and to note their proficiency! When the mind expands, and the Holy Spirit is instilled into all its powers, to rouse its energies, and quicken its graces ; then, how truly pleasing to observe the symptoms of approaching maturity, when the prepared soul must burst its prison walls, and rise to the full enjoyment of heavenly felicity! Lord grant such prosperity, and such an end, as this, to the soul of every reader, and also to the soul of the unworthy writer.

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As the work of sanctification advances, the soul becomes more prosperous; and, in the same proportion, the things of time appear more and more insignificant, and all the emphasis rests on the things of eternity. The things of time indeed are constantly pressing on the good man's senses, but he regards them not as though they were the principal things. Eternal things are distant and invisible, but nevertheless, he is as fully convinced of their reality, as if he had them already in his possession. It is a vile slander to say, such a man is incapable of paying a due attention to the duties of life. His diligence in business does not render him less fervent in spirit ; and amidst the common avocations of life, his " conversation is in heaven."

"As he who ascends a high mountain, and from its top surveys its plains below, will think large fields but inconsiderable spots of land; so he who is set on these high places of eternity, and converses much with everlasting things, will regard, in a very diminutive light, the most important businesses of this transitory life; his mind acquires a sublime turn, and an elevated way of thinking, so as not to be easily taken with slight and trifling vanities.”

"By this blessed temper of mind, he is habitually