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60 (LEAP YEAR.) FEBRUARY 29.

Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on

this fig-tree, and find none, &c. Luke xiii. 7-9. THOU fruitless fig-tree, thou barren professor, dost thou hear this, and not tremble? God is come seeking fruit ;-will thy bare profession, thy knowledge of the principles of religion, satisfy the great God? Will the notions of truth in thy head, thy talking and disputing, thy hearing the word preached, thy commending or censuring sermons and preachers, just as thou art in the mood, will this serve thy turn?—and wilt thou thus endeavour to warn off the heart-searching God? Know thou, God is come to seek for fruit, and for good fruit from thee; not the fruit of good words only, but the fruit of good works; not the fruit of talking well, but of walking well, the fruits of holiness in life and conversation:-fruit short of this God will not regard. If thy ccnscience be awakened, look to thy merciful High Priest, consider well his intercession for such a barren soul as thou art: "Lord, let it alone," &c. Father, let this man live one year longer; -O turn away from this thine anger! I will yet see what may be done: I will take other methods, -I will try what corrections may do ;-perhaps the rod may work more upon him than my word has hitherto done, and may tend to make his barren heart fruitful; I will also stir up my servants to awaken him by a more sharp and searching manner; and if these new efforts be blessed to him all shall yet be well, thy grace magnified, and his soul saved; if not, then thou shalt cut him down.

If under means of grace, no fruits of grace appear,
It is a dreadful case! tho' God may long forbear,
At length he'll strike the threaten'd blow,

And lay the barren fig-tree low

I live by the faith of the Son of God. Gal. ii. 20; 2 Cor. v. 15; read also 1 Thess. v. 10, and 1 Peter iv. 2.

IN spiritual things we are too often living upon self; we seek in frames, forms, creatures, and animal life, that inward peace and stability of mind which is only to be found in the Redeemer. Outward duties are well in their places; they are to be performed, but not to be trusted in; they are as the scaffold to the building, a mean for carrying on the work; but not the work itself. When favoured with the gracious presence of Jesus, they are blessings; without it, they are nothing. The whole dependance must be on Jesus. He being the way, the truth, and the life, without him, prayers, praises, rites and ordinances, are carcasses without a soul. This is the case with every external service that is destitute of the presence and blessing of the Holy Spirit, who alone imparts communion of heart, and a quickening of the soul in faith, and in love to Jesus, and often a delightful view of that which is behind the vail of outward ordinances, such as no carnal eye can behold, a purely spiritual discovery of the Lord in his goodness, beauty, grandeur, and glory. O may the Spirit be poured out on my soul, and by the faith which he imparts may I get a foretaste of the joys of the heavenly state! Amen.

I wish, as faithful Christians do,

Dear Lord, to live to thee;
And by my words and walk to shew
That thou hast died for me.

O grant me, through thy precious blood,
Thy Gospel thus to grace;

Renew my heart, O Lamb of God,
Thus shall thy works thee praise.

Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; but narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matt. vii. 13, 14; Read also

Luke xiii. 24.

THIS sounds too harsh in the ears of the old
man, who would not have the Law made use of in
these Gospel times, either to the converted or un-
converted; and yet to the old man, the Law, and
not the Gospel, properly belongs. St. Paul, the
great preacher of the Gospel, made use of the
Law to rouse unconverted Felix from his security,
Acts xxiv. 25, and to warn the converted Romans
from falling into it again. Rom. viii. 13.
Which way dost thou walk ?
dost thou walk? Examine thyself.
Is it in the narrow way? Art thou quite sure of
it? Venture not to go on any farther at random.
It is matter of great consequence; if thou wilt
be safe, try better for it; thou mayest easily be
deceived. Alas! thou art surely in the broad
way to destruction, if thou still lovest and art con-
formed to the world.. Art thou but indifferent
with regard to the things of God, relishing more
the vanities, pleasures, companies, treasures, and
honours of this world?-thou art not in the good
narrow way that leads unto life. O consider this
well, and stop short before it is too late, and
thou drop into the bottomless pit of perdition!
Nothing renders this way either narrow or diffi-
cult but sin. Leave off thy sin, and thou mayest
not only find the way, but abide, walk and perse-
vere in it till the end.

Strait is the way, the door is strait,
That leads to joys on high;

'Tis but few that find the gate,

While crowds mistake and die!

Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually; and thou shalt put into the breastplate of judgment the Urim and Thummin, namely, light and integrity. Exod. xxviii. 29.

Now am I, saith the believer, for ever in gracious remembrance with God, since my great high priest and advocate, Christ Jesus, bears my name continually before him on his heart. Whenever I am troubled about my sins, his powerful mediation will surely obtain mercy for all my transgressions, and supply my wants abundantly! God not denying him anything, I can through him continually be heard, and obtain grace; for he makes perpetual intercession for me in heaven, by which all my prayers, at all times, and even now, are sanctified, and presented to the Father, who heareth him always. O who would not send up his petition to heaven in faith! Yet, O my soul, is thy prayer the prayer of faith? Dost thou offer it believing that thou shalt receive, and dost thou with anxious expectation look for the answer? Ah! consider well, dost thou not pray, and then think thy work is done? Prayers without the longing desire are no prayers at all. Let not such be thine.

Now may our joyful tongues

Our Maker's honour sing;

Jesus, the priest, receives our songs,
And bears them to the King!

Before his Father's eye

Our humble suit he moves;
The Father lays his thunders by,

And looks, and smiles and loves.

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Luke ix 23; See also Matt. x. 38; Mark viii. 34; and Luke xiv. 27.

DOING this, all the rest will be easy. If we know that we are nothing, are unworthy of everything, and having nothing of our own, we can lose nothing. We have no property, since we are but stewards of the Lord. We have no honour or shame of our own, after the manner of the world: this being our only honour, if God be glorified; and our only shame, if he be dishonoured by us. The glory of God we must have at heart, and in his cause be like lions; but in our own cause like lambs. Therefore, when we are crossed in things which do not concern the glory of God and the real good of our neighbour, but our own interest, and are unwilling to suffer anything, we shall miscarry, and be involved in greater troubles; but denying ourselves, we shall lose only a good deal of vexation; and instead of this, receive Christ, with all his spiritual and temporal blessings, as far as we want them; which alone can make us cheerful and happy. But whoever desires to please the world, seeking himself and his own. glory, cannot be a follower of Christ. And how will it be with him in the hour of death and judgment? By this every one, learned or unlearned, may try themselves: whom do they please?God or the world?

Jesus, I my cross have taken,

All to leave, and follow Thee;
Naked, poor, despised, forsaken,
Thou, from hence, my all shalt be.
Perish every fond ambition,

All I've sought, or hoped, or known,
Yet how rich is my condition,

God and heaven are still my own!

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