to embrace his will; and it is also intended so to spiritualize, to quicken, strengthen, and invigorate the soul, that it may stand in continual readiness to execute every command of God, to fulfil every precept of his word, as soon as made known. "Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth," must be the conftant language of a truly upright mind.

We sensibly feel the need we have of receiving fresh supplies of this grace daily: Our feeble minds would soon faint and grow weary, were it not for this: Our quivering lamps would soon go out, were it not that the Lord is always willing to grant us a fresh supply of that holy oil: And if we, in waiting upon God, gain that which it is his design we should; if we renew our strength; then it is, that we may run and not grow weary, that we may walk and not faint; but may go from strength to strength, till we finish our course with joy.

As it is the design of God that grace should wholly fanctify the soul, does he not, in this very promife, freely offer that measure of grace to us? Beyond a doubt he does: For as this promise is made to those who are upright already, and who are walking uprightly; it follows, that the Lord, in promising them grace, must intend such a measure of it as shall finish transgression, make an end of sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness; or in other words, such a degree of grace as shall cleanse them from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and stamp his own lovely image upon the soul.

An upright man, walking in Christian simplicity before the Lord, and having a proper regard to the precepts of his holy word, on the one hand, and to the promises on the other, will find that he hath very sufficient ground to expect, that he shall be made a living witness of the truth of every promise in the Bible, and a happy partaker of the highest degrees of the salvation of God: For as every upright soul must know that he is wholly indebted to Christ, for all that he now enjoys; so he will see his safety, happiness, and prosperity, depend upon his continually looking unto Jesus, the author, till he become the finisher or perfecter of his faith, in the full renewal of his soul, in righte ousness and true holiness.

Grace is also intended to enable us to suffer the will of God; and we find by experience, that it answers this blessed end; as our minds are thereby enlightened, we see that the Lord hath a wise and gracious design, in permitting any particular trial to befal us, and intends us to receive some spiritual good thereby. The consideration of this becomes a powerful mean of reconciling us to suffer whatsoever it

may be the will of God concerning us. But it will not be sufficient of itself, that we are convinced, yea fully satisfied, whatsoever we may be called to suffer, will tend to promote our present and eternal good; we must also receive that grace which inspires the mind with fortitude, which renders the soul strong to suffer; that grace which inspires the mind with patience and resignation to the will of God; which leads us humbly to submit, patiently to endure, and resignedly to lie in the hand of the Lord, as the passive clay in the hand of the potter. "Shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil? the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away," must be the language of our hearts, on many occasions: "Yea, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him," must often be the cry of our soul; and grace will enable us to do it. This all-powerful grace of God will help us not only to look death in the face with joy, but will cause us to triumph over our last enemy, and with the holy Apostle to sing, "Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

The fourth promise we have in these words,-"The Lord will give glory."

This is indeed a crowning blessing, and this is the end of our creation, redemption, preservation, and all the dispensations of God: It is the end of all our toil, labour, sorrow, and suffering; the end for which Christ died, and for which we have lived; the end for which he communicated his grace to our minds, and for which we have lived in the exercise of it.

But what is that glory which the Lord will give to his upright followers? Its real nature, and more especially its greatness or excellency, will be exceeding difficult for us to comprehend: Our most exalted thoughts cannot reach the height of it, much less can it be fully described in human language. The flaming tongue of an archangel could not fully set it forth to us, so that we must die to understand it. But this we know, that it is incomprehensively great and glorious; and the Lord, in his holy word, hath set forth by a variety of those things which are the most highly valued by men. In one place it is called an inheritance. Now an inheritance is so highly esteemed by most men, that they would be content to labour and toil, throughout their whole life, in order to get possession of what appears to them so great a good. But this differs from every earthly inheritance in many particulars: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," saith the Apostle, "who hath begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resurrection

of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorrupti ble, undefiled, and which fadeth not away." This inheritance, then, is incorruptible; it is eternal and unchangeable: It cannot be defiled with sin or sorrow: no pain, no sickness is known there: And it fadeth not away; it shall continue in its meridian glory, beauty, and grandeur, to all eternity.

In another place it is called a Kingdom. Now a kingdom is the very highest kind of earthly inheritance; a man can rise no higher, and he can attain nothing greater than a kingdom: But this differs from every other; as it is a kingdom which can never be moved; so that when once a person is put in poessession of it, he shall reign with God and the Lamb, not for ten thousand ages, but through eternity. Earthly kings are sometimes dethroned, dispossessed of their dominions, and lose their lives. But this is a kingdom of everlasting rest, peace and tranquillity.

It is also called a Crown: "Henceforth," saith the Apostle," there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me in that day, and not only to me, but to all who love his appearing." A crown is the brightest diadem that a man can wear; no one may venture to set the crown upon his head, but the king only, at the hazard of his life; and not a few have been willing to wade through seas of blood, to gain so high a degree of honour, as to wear a crown. But alas! when they have obtained their desire, they have found to their cost, that this inestimable jewel, (as they thought it,) has been as it were, lined with pricking thorns, has sat exceedingly loose upon their heads, and, in a while, it has fallen to the ground, and their lives have been taken away, by the violence of those who envied them their happiness. Here we have a crown of a very different kind, a crown of righteousness, which shall never fade away. Agreeable to this, it is said of the inhabitants of heaven, that they are made kings and priests unto God, and they shall reign with him for ever.

The Apostle rises still higher, and informs us that the Lord hath prepared, for them that love him, an exceeding great and eternal weight of glory. Here he seems at a loss for words sufficiently expressive of the views he had of the glory and blessedness of the inhabitants of heaven, but he rises as high as human language could go. "It is," saith he, "an exceeding great," (how great he could not tell,) and an eternal weight of glory;" as great a weight as an immortal spirit can bear, as high a degree of happiness as a pure and holy soul is capable of enjoying.

But although we learn from those Scriptures, that the happiness of glorified Spirits is exceeding great; yet we cannot, from any of them, learn wherein it consists; we do not see its nature. Perhaps we may learn something of this from the following passage: The beloved Disciple, being favoured with a view of the blest inhabitants of heaven, the angel enquired, "Who are these who are clothed in white robes, and whence come they?" John, no doubt, desirous of infor mation, answered, "Sir, thou knowest,' Sir, thou knowest," The angel replied, "These are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb: Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, or any heat; For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

From these words, Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell among them," we learn, that the holy and happy spirits above, live in the immediate presence of God, and consequently in the full enjoyment of him. This then is the height of their happiness: They enjoy God himself, who is the source of all that is great and good, or wise, of all that is amiable, lovely, or excellent; and therefore they will be as happy as they are capable of being And it is equally clear, that their happiness must be altogether spiritual, holy, and heavenly, in its own nature.

But what is the nature of that happiness, which arises from the enjoyment of God? May we not form some faint ideas of it from what we experience in our own minds, of his mercy, of his love, and of the exceeding riches of his grace? Is there any other way but this, for us to have any proper conception of the glory, which shall be revealed to the sons of God, in due time?

Supposing then we consider how our own minds were affected, when the light of God shone brightest upon us, when we were favoured with the clearest views of the nature, the greatness, and excellency of spiritual and eternal things; were we not then filled with holy wonder, with sacred astonishment, as well as with spiritual delight, while we viewed the amazing wisdom, goodness, mercy, and love of God, manifested in the rich provision which he hath made,

in and by Christ Jesus, for the complete salvation of our souls, as well as in all the methods he had taken, to bring us into his family! Let us then suppose ourselves placed before the throne of God, and blest with this holy, heavenly light, shining upon us in as high a degree as it is possible for us to receive it: what astonishing views must we then have of all these things? How will our souls be transported, far beyond the power of the most lively imagination to conceive, in viewing the wise and gracious designs of the blessed God, with respect to our redemption and salvation, by Jesus Christ? Shall we not (if I may so speak,) be able to read our own history, and fully to understand it? Shall we not clearly comprehend the whole mystery of Divine Providence, and see, to our everlasting comfort, how wisely and graciously the Lord hath dealt with us?

2. Let us recollect, if we can, how our minds were affected when we had the clearest views of our interest in Christ, and of the love of God towards us; when his peace filled our whole soul, when we had not a painful doubt or fear left, but all was quietness and assurance. Did we not then enjoy a considerable degree of heaven while here upon earth, so that we could sing with good Dr. Watts,

"My willing soul would stay,

In such a state as this;

"Would sit and sing herself away,

"To everlasting bliss."

Let us carry our ideas to heaven, and suppose ourselves before the throne of God, and of consequence, filled with that divine peace we have been speaking of, arising from the most enlarged views of the love of God towards us. Here all is peace, and quietness, and assurance for ever! No shadow of a doubt or fear can arise in our minds, to the day of eternity; but we are fixed in the love of God for ever. How unspeakably happy shall we then be! What an heavenly tranquillity shall we be blest with!

3. Let us call to mind the happy time, when we enjoyed the largest measure of the love of God shed abroad in our heart, or of the divine nature communicated to us; when our peaceful souls rested in God, or as David says, "lodged in goodness;" when it was impossible for an evil temper, unholy desire, or unruly passion, to move within: Nothing could molest us, nothing could break our peace; the will of God was all in all to us; All our desires centered in him, all our affections were fixed upon him, all within was peace,