elect. For what? ver. 11, includes perseverance. From what? ver. 15. For whom? ver. 20. Hence Peter's recovery! Christ prayed for him, Heb. vii. 25; Rom. viii.

6. The in-dwelling and operation of the Spirit, John xiv. 16, 17. They are his temples.

No. XLVIII.-HABITS.

There are four properties of some acts, which prove the existence of habits-natural, acquired or infused; facility and promptness to act,-pleasure in acting,-universality, as the object of the action; constancy, as to the continuance in acting.

No. XLIX.-AFFLICTION.

Moses and the Israelites, David and other good men, appear to have been punished and pardoned. Their sufferings, materially, look like punishments, and may be acknowledged as such; yet they are not legal punishments, but fatherly chastisements. They are not for satisfaction to justice. They proceed from other causes, and are designed for other ends. Their source, is paternal love, Heb. xii. 5, 6; Rev. iii. 19. Their design, to make them more sensible of the evil of sin, Jer. iv. 18. To prove their graces, Deut. viii. 16. To purge their consciences, Isa. xxvii. 9. Refine their spirits, Zech. xiii. 9; 1 Pet. i. 6. And save their souls, 1 Cor. xi. 32; 2 Cor. iv. 17. All this, is consistent with pardoning grace.

No. L.-GOOD WORKS.

Good works are important, Tit. iii. 8; Acts ix. 36; Heb. x. 24. In all our obedience we should evince, the vigour of faith, Jam. ii. 18, 22. Faith is manifested, as 2 Cor. xii. 9. The reality and power of faith is thus shown:

2. They should be expressions of thankfulness, Ps. cxvi. 12, 13; 1 Pet. ii. 9; i. 5, 11.

3. To strengthen our assurances of divine love, 1 John ii. 3, 5. 4. The edification of our brethren. That our zeal may provoke many. 2 Cor. ix. 2; Mat. v. 16.

5. The adorning our profession of the gospel, and stopping the mouths of adversaries, Tit. ii. 5, 9,13; 1 Tim. vi. 1; 1 Pet. ii. 15. 6. Principally, the glory of God should be our aim, 1 Cor. x. 26; 1 Pet. ii. 12; Phil, i. 11; John xv. 8; Eph. ii. 10.

NO. LI.-READING THE BIBLE.

Reading the scriptures in public and private, is a duty and privilege, John v. 39; Deut. iii. 11, 13; Jos. i. 8; 1 Thes. v. 19; Exod. xxiv. 6. 7. What can be the design of the bible? Rom. xv. 4. It was written for our learning, old or young, rich or

poor, male and female; John xx, 31. Its doctrines and precepts, its histories and promises are written for us; Rev. ii. 20.

Bishop Hooper, in a dedication to King Edward VI. remarked, "God in heaven, and the king on earth, hath not a greater friend than the bible." This book is the foundation of our faith, worship,

and obedience.

No. LII.-SIN.

All sin is deserving of punishment; Rom. vi. 23; Ezek. xviii. 4; Deut. xxvii. 26. It is a violation of a divine law; 1 John iii. 4. It requires an infinite atonement, 1 John i. 7; Tit. ii. 14. Every sin is opposite to perfect love of God, Mat. xxii. 37. It requires forgiveness and repentance. Every sin defiles. It is a spot; Ep. v. 27. It is filthiness; 2 Cor. vii. 1, and renders washing necessary. Man is accountable for the least sin, Mat. xii. 36, 37. What then are all our sins? How cruel to tempt others to sin ! How just are divine chastisements! How wise to dread sin, and how foolish to make a mock of it! How patient is God, and how important is holiness! How suitable a saviour is Jesus Christ!

No. LIII. PARDON..

Man is obliged by authority, to

forgive man; God is not

bound, nor capable of such a bond. Man offended, is finite-God, infinite. Men are mutual offenders; God wrongs no man, Jer. ii. 5. Man may have received benefit from the person he offends; God cannot be profited by us. Man does not so faithfully warn man, as God does. So different is human and divine pardon!

No. LIV. SCRIPTURE PERfect.

We must add nothing to the word of God;-nothing, as God's, which is not his.-Nothing, as equal in authority and importance.No additions, which impute to God ignorance, imprudence, or negligence. Nothing, that defeats its design.-That builds what he destroys, or destroys what he builds; Mat. xv. 2, 9. No wrong construction of his word.-Nothing to his doctrine, government or worship.

No. LV.-INFLUENCE OF FAITH.

The unspeakable influence of faith in Christ, under the duties and trials of life, appears from his counsel or command, just before he left the world. Whatever his disciples felt or feared, here is the

antidote his wisdom prescribes, " Believe also in me." We may be sure that this is the best advice, and adapted to his design. He would not afford them comfort by prolonging his stay on earth, but directs them to the exercise of a principle that would draw off their hearts from this world, and teach, them in desire, expectation and affection, to follow him.

No. LVI.-ON WEEK-DAY ORDINANCES OF RELIGION.

One argument for attending divine ordinances on week-days, arises from experience. The converse of real christians with the world, however cautiously conducted, will diminish the impressions of divine truth, at least in some degree, and the longer the intervals of worship, the weaker those impressions become. On the other hand, a frequent attendance makes religion itself our main businesss, which accords with our Lord's command, "Seek first, the kingdom of heaven." Never put this in the second place. This is in perfect harmony with christian experience; for young and lively christians, are in their element, when attending the means of grace: and all flourishing churches and christians, are frequent in religious assemblies. And who do you hear forming excuses, and gradually relinquishing this practice? The man who has secretly fallen into some sin,-who has entered more deeply into the spirit of the world. His language may be, there is no command for meeting such a day. This is true. Nor are we commanded to hear two sermons on the sabbath; but to keep it holy. The objections which backsliders make to week-day ordinances, are never made on a bed of sickness. No! they are then recollected as things which, having been neglected, render conversion doubtful. In such seasons their self-reproach and promises, prove, that conscience has been opposed.

The effects of such declension are often visible, relative to other duties. Is it a husband that pleads excuses? Do not his wife, children and servants, discern a declension in reading his bible, family-religion, profitable conversation, if not closet duties? Is not the temper more irritable, and are not worldly cares prevalent?

The duty of ministers, is to attend divine ordinances in season and out of season, 2 Tim. iv. 2. Does not this require of hearers the same duties? Can ministers preach without hearers? Does it not imply that hearers need repeated and frequent exhortations?

No. LVII.-KNOWLEDGE.

Our knowledge should be proportioned to our means and time of according them, Heb. v. 12; 2 Tim. iii. 7. It should be sought enjoying to our capacity, and the use we have for it.

We should desire to know essential truths first; and such knowledge as we can give a rational account of, 1 Pet. iii. 15.

Truths which are peculiarly seasonable should be studied, 2 Pet. i. 12, Present truths.-After Christ's resurrection, Christ, as Messiah, was the present truth. When the Jews adhered to the law, the apostles dwelt on free justification by faith.

We should study such truths as defend from the errors of the times and places where we live, Gal. v. 1.; 1 John. iv. 1. Such truth as will be most useful to ourselves, families, and neighbours.

A Christian desires growth in knowledge. He is not satisfied with just such a degree as will save him. It renders duty more pleasant, qualifies him to teach others, Rom. xv. 14. In a word, it promotes his obedience, his comfort, and usefuless.

But we should guard against curiosity in inquiring after things unrevealed, Deut. xxix. 29; Acts i. 7; or into the reason of his will, or things which concern others rather than themselves; things rather difficult and nice, than edifying.

No. LVIII.-IMPROPER BOOKS.

Those books are improper to be read which give partial views of the divine character, and misconstrue the end of the divine government; which tend to invalidate the authority, and subvert the doctrines, of revelation; which tend to false estimates of the moral condition of mankind, whether in a rude or civilized state; which inculcate unjust notions of the strength and capacity of the human faculties; which give undue importance to the less momentous objects of human pursuit; which hold up fallacious views of human obligations; and which weaken a sense of the awful nature of a future state, and present insufficient ground for confidence of happiness in it.

No. LIX.-NATURAL AND MORAL INABILITY.

There are two essentially different senses in which men are said to be incapable of doing things: there is a natural and moral inability. Natural inability destroys moral obligation; moral inability does not lessen it.

Moral inability consists only in the want of a heart, or disposition, or will, to do a thing. He cannot do a thing, because he does not chuse it.

Natural inability consists in, or arises from, the want of understanding, bodily strength, opportunity, or whatever may prevent our doing a thing, when we are willing to do it. Whatever a man could not do if he would, he is under a natural inability to do.

Thus God is immutably good, that he cannot sin; and Satan is incapable of any thing but sin.

So men are said to be incapable of mean or generous actions. Often we see a rich man who can, but will not relieve the poor; and a poor man who would, but cannot.

Covetousness is deaf to the cries of the poor, blind to their wants, and dead to their miseries.

He is infirm and cannot work, though willing; others strong and healthy, but lazy. He is incapable of learning from natural dullness; others from a conceited and unteachable spirit. Some cannot, others will not, see. We condemn the miser, the idle, the obstinate; but we excuse the poor, the infirm, the willing mind. If I have not faculties, bodily strength, or means, I am naturally unable: if I have these, but averse to salvation, I am morally weak.

No. LX.-DISAPPOINTMENT.

Many persons are seeking rest for their souls, in change of situation and circumstances; instead of a change of disposition to enjoy God, and accommodate themselves to his dispensations.

They must be disappointed. As they are "without God in the world," one place is as incapable of imparting happiness as another. They are against God too, and God, in every place, will be against them. If God be against us, who can be for us?

No. LXI. PREACHING.

If I address myself to an infidel, from the pulpit, or to the sinner, or the unconverted, who will apply it? I must be particular if I would be useful. I must prove and search the believer, the devout man, the moral man, who is only such in his own conceit; and thousands of such will be found, who have no faith, no religion, nor real morality.

Who will apply to himself the terms unconverted, irreligious, ungodly, self-righteous, because I repeat them from the pulpit?-I must describe the character intended; show the operation of the principle and its effects to which I allude. I must be particular, if I desire my hearers to be so; and present, to their view, truth, in such a manner as show them their own characters, as a glass shows them their faces. A preacher may deliver himself with an agreeable style, and great earnestness, on common topics or comparative trifles: this does not prove him a zealous man, but that he is weak, in attaching too much importance to inferior truths; or he is mechanically moved, and venting warm passions, rather than gracious affections. If I heard him speak on redeeming love, with ardour, I might admire him; but