ciple of Jesus, never canst thou believe nor hope too much. Nay, is it not thy distress and heaviness that thy faith is weak, thy hope languid, and thy love cold? But why so? Not for want of a foundation for faith and hope; for "our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, hath loved us." Whom? only the prophets, apostles, holy men of old, righteous persons? Nay, but sinners of mankind. Such was the character of all those whom the apostle includes in the pronoun, us. And, as the consequence of this love, "he hath given us everlasting consolation." Not the effect of time, not subject to mutability; but solid, perpetual, and eternal; founded in the everlasting covenant, established in everlasting righteousness, issuing in everlasting salvation, revealed in the everlasting gospel, and applied by the everlasting Spirit. Consolation and comfort are enjoyed by stability in the good word of God, and in the good works of faith, "to the praise of the glory of God's grace," Eph. i. 6. "Be ye followers of God, as dear children," Eph. v. 1.

JULY 22.-This is the true God and eternal life. Keep yourselves from idols. Amen.-1 John v. 20, 21.

It is a common objection, with carnal men, against Christ's ministers and members, "You can preach and talk of nothing but Jesus." Truly, we consider him as the end of all our conversation, Heb. xiii. 7. Conscious of what he is to us, hath done for us, and in us, verily, he is all in all to our souls. We know, that the Son of God is come in our flesh. We are sure, that by the blood of his cross, he hath made an end of sin, finished transgression, made reconciliation for iniquity; and, by his holy life, hath brought in an everlasting righteousness, Dan. ix. 24. All this we poor sinners wanted. Nothing short of this could save us. Yea, eternal life we have in our wonderful Friend, the Godman, Christ Jesus. Blessed be his infinitely precious

name, he hath given us an understanding heart to know him. We desire to be eternally indebted to his name, his grace, his love; for we see our union to him, and feel our oneness with him. Marvel not then, that we speak so highly of our Beloved; "for, if we should hold our peace, the very stones in the street would cry out against us." Say, ye first-born sons of light; say, ye children of grace, of whom should we glory, if not of Jesus our true God, and eternal life? We disclaim all other gods. "We know and believe, that the Father is in him, and he in the Father," John x. 38. He teacheth the Father's love, in him, to us; and sends the Comforter, who proceeds from the Father, through him, to shed his love abroad in our hearts.

But, alas! how did we live before we knew Jesus, the only true God? Truly, though we talked of God, thought we knew, worshipped, and feared him; yet we were all the while, like the rest of the whole world, “lying in wickedness;" fast asleep in the arms of the wicked one: were, without Christ, atheists; "without God in the world ;" and consequently, had no hope, Eph. ii. 12. How deluded are the wise and learned of this world, with their notions and worship of—an unknown God! while little children are truly wise, and best learned, who know Jesus as their Lord and their God, and abide in him. The truth of their faith, uprightness of their hearts, and sincerity of their love, are best evidenced by keeping themselves from the insnaring vanities and bewitching idols of time and sense; "adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God, even our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us," &c., Tit. ii. 10, 13.

JULY 23.-0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?-Rom. vii. 24. Spiritual sense and feeling are peculiar to regenerate

souls. While "dead in trespasses and sins;" though the law thunders its dreadful curses against us, we hear not. Though by nature children of wrath, and deserving hell, yet our danger we see not. Though our sins are gone over our heads, and like a sore burden are too heavy for us to bear, yet we feel them not. But when quickened, we groan, being burdened with a body of sin, and pant after deliverance. This was the experience of holy Paul. Such the experience of saints in all ages. But thank God, though ever so deeply distressed, and greatly depressed with sin, yet, we sorrow not as without hope. We are not ignorant of, but know our deliverer, Jesus Christ. None but he is able. He hath, he doth, he will deliver. He hath delivered from the curse of sin by his death. He doth deliver our conscience from the guilt and dominion of sin, through faith. He will deliver us perfectly from the being of sin, when the body is "sown in dishonour, to be raised in glory." The last enemy, death, is not destroyed yet. None are perfectly exempt from sin, which brought death into the world. But present deliverance thou hast, O believer; and perfect deliverance thou dost pant after, and long for.

Think not, that feeling a body of sin, (which, like thy natural body, consists of many parts and members,) groaning under it, breathing out ardent desires for deliverance, inscribing, "wretched man" upon thyself; like a criminal, compelled to carry a dead, putrefied, stinking carcass; think not all this inconsistent with a holy state, and being blessed "with all spiritual blessings in Christ." No: thou art not singular. It was once the lot of all thy brethren, now perfect in glory. It is the lot of all thy companions in the faith and patience of Jesus on earth. When Paul in spiritual ecstasy was caught up to the third heavens, he knew not whether he was in the body or not. He might then think he was perfect, entirely freed from his burden. But a little time after convinced him to the contrary. We find him "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing," 2

Cor. vi. 10. Blessed be our compassionate Saviour for his reviving cordials of consolation! These cheer our drooping spirits under our burden. This favour no kind hand administered to him, when sinking under the ponderous load of our sins on the cross. Oh, the joy of faith! Sin, though felt, grieved for, mourned over; yet, "there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus," Rom. viii. 1.

JULY 24.-Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.-Psal. lv. 22.

The soul having lost its innocency by the sin of the first Adam, can never be happy, till it knows righteousness is restored to it again, by Jesus, the Second Adam. Sensible sinners would be truly miserable when they see their nakedness, and feel their want of righteousness, was not righteousness revealed as God's unspeakable gift by Jesus Christ. By him a glorious robe of righteousness is wrought out, and imputed to naked, destitute sinners. Grace reigns through his righteousness. All the mercy and favour we receive from God, is in a way of righteousness. We enjoy the knowledge and comfort, that we are righteous before God through faith. If this point be not clear, and settled in the mind, it is because the clouds of ignorance and unbelief are not chased away; the Sun of righteousness hath not yet arisen upon such hearts; therefore they are perplexed and distressed, touching the hope of salvation. For this is the essential and leading point in christianity. We may toil all the days of our life to get righteousness; but we shall go to bed in the dark without it, unless we are made righteous in Christ. Infinite are the blessings, most precious the promises which abound in God's word to the righteous. When we read of the righteous in scripture, we are ever to remember Jesus, and give glory to him, who is our righteousness by faith.

God "will never suffer the righteous to be moved from their hope." There is also a holy boldness, and sweet familiarity, between a righteous Lord and such righteous souls. As he hath clothed them with the garments of salvation, they have always a sympathizing Friend in their hours of trouble to flee to. This is the hope that supports them. Jesus will support their weak souls, and sustain their heavy burdens. They cannot sink, though they may be often ready to faint. But why is this? Truly, we are apt to struggle with this difficulty, and toil with the other load upon our poor minds, instead of casting all upon Jesus, who careth for us. Sense opposeth faith; hence Jesus is forgotten, and the mind remains troubled. But here is the wisdom and glory of faith; whenever we feel our souls bowed down on any account, to refer all our griefs, and cast or roll all our burdens off from our minds upon Jesus, and simply to cry out with Hezekiah, "O Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for me," Isaiah

xxxviii. 14.

JULY 25.-I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.-Phil. iii. 14.

By effectual vocation, the soul is called from a death in sin to a life of righteousness. By spiritual illumination, the most desirable objects are discerned. The faith of God's elect manifests itself to be an operative grace in the heart, by the conduct of the life. Blessed Paul, though such a zealous champion for sovereign operations and free-grace truths, though so averse to the pride of free-will and the confidence of human righteousness, both in his writing and preaching; yet, his life and exhortations are equally opposite to all licentious practices and unchristian sloth. He had a race to run, a prize to win, the end of his calling to attain. Thus it is with all who are partakers of like precious faith. Folding the hands, sitting down