the use of means. What a shame is it for christians, who have indeed some truth of grace in them, that they cannot be a little abased in the world, without "fainting in their minds." Where is the power of grace now? What have they more than the worldling? Nay, a heathen out of principles of morality, would conform his carriage outwardly better. Let us be ashamed then, when we find any murmuring or rising of our corrupt natures in any condition whatsoever, and know that this becomes not a christian. There is indeed a weakness in the best, but that is matter for humiliation. It is not a plea for idleness, therefore if thou hast truth of grace, never plead thine infirmity. Peter was surprised by his timorous spirit into betraying his Master through fear of losing his life; this was his infirmity, which he afterward lamented bitterly.

God is the origin of all our strength, but God hath no intercourse of love with his creature out of Christ: all our comfort, and all our grace come through Christ, who having taken our nature upon him, and having satisfied to the uttermost the justice of God, is fit to derive all grace and comfort to us; for he is near us -he is of our nature-and God in Him is well pleased; so that we may now go boldly to Christ; we are bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. God out of Christ is a consuming fire; but in Christ, God favors poor, sinful, fallen man, he is gracious and lovely to us, and we to him, because Christ his beloved Son hath taken our nature upon him, and now in our nature He is in heaven. So Christ the mediator is the fountain of all strength-He is the spiritual Joseph, that hath laid up store for all that come unto him-He is the Head of his church-He dispenses all riches and treasuresall are in him for the church's sake. In him we do

all things, as we can do all things for him that died for us, and procured reconciliation and favor for the lost. We can do all things in Him, as a Head to whom we are united; for there must be first an union, before there can be communion; so before we can do anything for Christ, we must be in Christ. So then it is Christ by his Spirit, for he doth all by his Spirit; "The Lord is that Spirit," 2 Cor. iii. 17.-The same Spirit that sanctified his nature in the womb of the virgin, and that sanctified his holy nature, that now he hath in heaven with him the same Spirit is sent from him to sanctify every member of the church; all is in the Head, and we out of Christ's fulness receive grace upon grace: there cannot be a beam without the sun-there cannot be a river without a spring-there cannot be a good work, without the spring of good works, Christ. Therefore we should fetch all from him, since there is no grace out of him at all. Learn to do this then in every action, for we may be foiled in every particular action for want of humility and faith; we must not trust to any grace, or any ability in ourselves, but trust to our spring-go to Christ when we have anything to do. They who think they had grace yesterday and before, and hereupon go not for a supply of new strength to Christ, will fail. Know, that in every act, in every temptation, in every particular suffering, we need new strength, and a greater strength than we had before, if our burden or temptation be greater; therefore, consider what we have to encounter, and go to Christ for strength. He never upbraids us, as St. James saith, James i. 5. For why is Christ now in our nature in heaven ? Is it not to fill his church with his Spirit? Why doth he make intercession in heaven? Is it not that we should not be

discouraged in our warfare, notwithstanding our daily weaknesses? Shall we not then make use of it? He is glorious for us, not for himself, but for his mystical body. As he hath made his natural body glorious, so he will make his mystical body glorious, he being therefore in heaven interceding with God for them. Fetch virtue and strength from Christ on all occasions; then should we be enabled to pass through every condition, however painful, and to live and die in peace. Study Christ daily, not for redemption and reconciliation only (though that chiefly), but study Christ to be all in all to us. Study the promises, God would not have left them in the word but for our good. Take heed of base despair. What shut out the people of Israel from Canaan? It was base despair that shut them out of the earthly Canaan; take heed it shut you not out of the heavenly Canaan. Shall we by despair and unbelief lose Christ and the promises, and thus betray our souls basely unto Satan? I beseech you weigh the importance of these things. "We know not what a day may bring forth," Prov. xxvii. 1. Despair not then beforehand: happen what may, get into Christ-make sure of an interest in him, and then never doubt of strength to carry you through all conditions. He will stand by thee. Where was Paul when he wrote those glorious words, "I can do all things" was he not in prison? Did Christ desert him? The worldly man may be freed from troubles, but the christian only has strength to carry himself well in trouble. Come what will, if we are Christ's, either we shall be freed from troubles, or have grace patiently to bear them. Either we shall have what we pray for, or contentment without it. Is it not better to have God's grace, than the thing we desire? Is it not better

to have the Spirit of glory rest upon us, than to be left to the satisfaction of our own spirits? Could not God have freed Paul from prison? But where would have been the demonstration of a submissive, contented mind, and a heavenly spirit then? Where would have been the example of a christian bearing the cross patiently? Paul lost nothing: you see how many stars shine in the night of his affliction-what a lustre he had in his dark state of imprisonment. Shall we then fear any condition? No: "Acquaint thyself with God, and be at peace," Job xxii. 21. Get understanding of Christhis promises his privileges, and let the sorest trial befal us, we shall be safe.

LXXVIII. Your harps, ye trembling saints,

Down from the willows take;

Loud to the praise of love Divine,

Bid ev'ry string awake.

Tho' in a foreign land,

We are not far from home,

And nearer to our house above

We ev'ry moment come.

His grace will to the end

Stronger and brighter shine

Nor present things, nor things to come,
Shall quench the spark Divine.

Fasten'd within the veil,

Hope be your anchor strong;

His loving Spirit the sweet gale,
That wafts you smooth along.

Or should the surges rise,

And peace delay to come,

Blest is the sorrow, kind the storm,

That drives us nearer home.

The people of his choice,

God will not cast away;

Yet do not always here expect

On Tabor's Mount to stay.

LXXIX. All the people of God should bewail and tenderly mourn over the remainders of unbelief in their own hearts. There, there is the root of this deadly disease; and surely, christian, thy heart is not free from such symptoms of it, as appear in other men's hearts. For do but consider

Symp. 1. What is our impatience in waiting for God's mercy, what is our despondency of spirit, if deliverance come not quickly in the outward or inward straits of soul or body, but a plain symptom of unbelief in our hearts ? He that can believe, can wait God's time; what says the psalmist? "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord," Psalm xxvii. 14.

Symp. 2. And whence arises our readiness to use sinful means to prevent, or extricate ourselves out of trouble, but from much unbelief lurking in our hearts? Might but faith be heard to speak, it would say in thine heart, let me rather die ten deaths than commit one sin. It is sweeter and easier to die in my integrity, than to live with a defiled or a wounded conscience: it is nothing but our unbelief that makes us so ready to put forth our hands to iniquity, when the rod of the wicked rests long upon us, or any imminent danger threatens us, Psalm 3.

CXXV.

Symp. 3. Does not the unbelief of your hearts show itself in your thoughtfulness and anxiety about earthly things? Matt. vi. 30, 31. We pretend we have trusted God with our souls to all eternity, and yet we cannot trust Him for our daily bread; we bring the evils of to