poor ......... finful worm, am made to feel. Were I denied the fweet enjoyment of his favour, my heart would be pained; I fhould faint and languifh. Had I never tafted the precious benefit, I fhould never have known how good it is. But I know in whom I have believed; I know whom I have loved; and how do I long that my weary foul may reft in the bofom of his love! His benignity is better than life. I long to have a full draught of his love, or rather, to be overwhelmed in this unbounded ocean. Abfence from him, whofe favour has won my heart, is the fharpest pain I now feel. O that the veil, which hides from me the bright vifion of his face, were but once removed! I long to see him as he is. Since his love has warmed my oncefrozen breast, my heart is not my own; I have given my warmest affections to him, and cannot forbear to cry, "When fhall I come, and appear before God!" Farewell, delufive world; my heart glows with an ardour which nothing beneath the fun could poffibly inspire. The brighteft things below the fkies have no charms for me, in comparison with him who is the chiefeft among ten thousands, and altogether lovely. The favour of the great, the riches of the wealthy, and the delights of the vain, are are mean and despicable things. When the light of God's countenance is lifted up upon me, I can look on this captivating world with difdain, and deem the mightiest monarch poor, who knows nothing of the favour of the King of kings. How am I indebted to the riches of infinite love! The merciful Redeemer faw me, all wretched and forlorn, a helpless orphan, caft out in the open field, polluted in mine own blood, to the loathing of my perfon; he pitied my helpless case, took me up in his arms, cherished me in his bofom, washed me from my filthinefs, adorned me with his comelinefs, and faid unto me, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." O how great is his mercy! I am now emboldened to claim a personal intereft in his favour, and to fay, "My beloved is mine, and I am his." His love is abfolutely free. There was enough in me to provoke his eternal abhorrence; but he hath mercy on whom, and because he will have mercy. Affift me, ye celeftial intelligences, ye angels of light, affift me to admire and adore his love. Teach me, in ftrains like your own, to celebrate the height, the depth, the length and the breadth of redeeming grace. The tokens of divine favour are fweet beyond expreffion. They banish the fears and disquietudes, of of the pained heart; they alleviate the croffes and afflictions of life, and brighten the horrors of death and the grave. Bleft with the fmiles of his face, who loved me, and gave himself for me, I can chearfully submit to every chastisement of his hand; knowing that whom the Lord loveth he chafteneth, and scourgeth every fon whom he receiveth. Welcome difeafe, welcome every pain, which indicates the speedy diffolution of this tabernacle, and portends the hour of my release from the burdens of the flesh. These breaches in the walls of my prison-house admit the rays of celestial light, and affure me, that my longing foul shall speedily gain her happy difmiffion, and fly to the bofom of her Saviour. Go on, O Lord, to accomplish in me all the good pleasure of thy goodness, and the work of faith with power. Let thy light fhine brighter and brighter, unto the perfect day. Then farewell groans, and tears, and complaints; farewell darkness and eclipfes of the Sun of righteoufnefs; farewell glimmering hopes and gloomy fears; faith itself will then be turned into fight, and hope into everlasting fruition. Welcome ye pleasures which flow at God's right hand for evermore! When I partake of these I shall know, that "IN HIS FAVOUR IS LIFE!" FINI S. 1 CHAP. I. Introductory remarks II. What God's favour is, and what the life PAGE. 17 41 III. In what respects the favour of God is life cumstances V. It is life to dying perfons VI. A more particular confideration of the life which is in God's favour 59 78 91 VII. The subject applied by way of information 109 IX. A farther addrefs to the confcience of the X. The subject improved by way of conviction XI. Improvement of the subject by way of exa- By way of instruction and SECT. i. Of doubts and fcruples respecting a 229 ii. Of affurance of intereft in the favour iii. The duty and privilege of those who |