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them to confound all reasoning, darken all Scripture, misrepresent Providence, breed slight thoughts of sin, and hard thonghts of God? What like them, can prepare the mind for error, cherish unbelief of the word of God, feed enmity to holiness, slight the salvation of Christ, the operations of the Spirit, and communion with God! What like them, to create Deists and Atheists; to embitter life, to sting us in death, and drown us in despair, in the prospect of judg ment! If given up to their influence, what avail the closest reasonings, the strongest arguments? The mind thus clouded, fears no danger, runs all hazards, stands on a precipice and drinks poison? The will and inclinations thus enslaved, the man is blind to his danger, and dead to his duty? He fears no threatenings, believes no promises, regards no commands of God? His present blessings, his past favours and prospects of futurity, are wilfully forgotten.He is deaf to the voice of God, the voice of conscience, and the entreaties of divine mercy. God threatens, Christ invites, the spirit suggests, conscience speaks in vain, all in vain, for "like the deaf adder he stoppeth his ears!" What then should a man dread or a Christian shun, if not "fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." To be delivered up to their power, is the greatest evidence we can have, that God is provoked with us! But through their deceitfulness, it is an evidence the least discerned and feared.

No. CLXIV. FALSE COMFORT IN DEATH.

AMONG other methods by which the great enemy of souls deceives men, one great artifice is, to give them false comfort in affliction, and lead them to conclude themselves children of God, because if they had died, they say, they should have been happy. And it is too generally imagined, that if a person dies in a comfortable frame, or is comfortable in the appearances of death, it proves them real Christians. But this is an awful means of deceiving souls. First, because whatever comfort persons may have in affliction, they must not conclude from it, what will be their frame of mind in a dying hour. Who can tell what dying is, who never died? Many say they should have died comfortably, when the danger is over. If the doctor says the symptoms begin to be favourable-this is frequently at the bottom of their joy. Nothing like a comfortable hope can be discerned, be heard, till they think their disorder is abating.

I may further remark, that if they really are dying-think soand feel easy, or even rapturous, this is not, it cannot be, any decisive evidence of their conversion to God. For many Arians and Socinians have died, in the same frame, with apparent triumph in their principles. Many heathens have left the world in firmness of mind unshaken, yea, in rapture. Many wicked men depart from the world, in peace. Some are indifferent about their souls. Others

have a false hope; a false assurance, and false comfort. They have natural knowledge, perhaps, of Christ and his atonement, and, build their hopes of salvation upon them, without spiritual conviction, without repentance, without self-suspicion, conflict or fear.These die "with a lie in their right hand." Ah! how many of the living, as well as the dead, are thus deluded! They behold their dying friends, whose lives and tempers have dishonoured the gospel, dying in peace and triumph. They conclude them happy. And too frequently living as they lived, hope to die so, and, as they express it, go off in triumph. But who taught us to judge of a man's character, and state, by his frame of mind in death, without the evidence of a Christian character in disposition, experience, conversation or conduct? Yea, when the life affords many affecting proofs to the contrary! Who, but the devil can thus pervert a man's reasoning powers and blind his mind.

Such conclusions, from such principles, exactly suit a heart averse to holiness and spiritual diligence in the service of God; and how lamentable is it to remark, the sanguine hopes some professors entertain of seeing people die in a happy frame, whilst they are unconcerned about following them in a holy life, as far as they followed Christ: and how censoriously and falsely they conclude on the death of those who die without raptures, without pretensions, without assurance. Affliction and death are seasons too important for Satan's ends, not to be improved by him; and let no one deceive himself, by thinking that Satan's only resource in those moments, is to terrify. No! he wishes to ruin. He is called a murderer! a destroyer! He "seeks whom he may devour!" And if he can do this by terror, he will; but will be contented to ruin a soul by false hopes, false peace, false comforts and raptures. Indeed, this is Satan's masterpiece, to send souls to hell as comfortable as possible! I do not mean to say that none are converted in affliction and in dying circumstances. No; I have more hope of one who has lived evidently in his sins, without profession of following Christ, who is convinced, alarmed, prayerful, and looks to Christ in a dying hour, than of one who has known much, enjoyed much, professed much, with the gains of injustice in his hands; a covetous temper, a slandercus tongue, a proud and arbitrary spirit, or a slothful disposition under the mask of godliness. Where a man is always extolling the grace of God, without feeling its renewing effects, I must think him a hypocrite. Those who have comfort without holiness, have the devil and a deceived heart for their comforters. They look to Christ, and are happy in the contemplation of his excellence, without trying to imitate it; and in a speculative acquaintance with his salvation without receiving it. They are like persons who think of their physician's skill with pleasure and hope; but, not following his advice, have no cure, but perish through not using what he prescribed.

We often observe persons filled with pleasure and astonishment at a discourse which unfolds the salvation of Christ, and endless in their commendations of the preacher, who yet walk in bondage to the fear of death, have no doubts and fears removed by it, are left as supine and slothful as ever, and are as much enslaved by their besetting sins as ever. They hear of the love of Christ, his blood, his salvation and promises to the chief of sinners; they weep for joy, pray, resolve, admire the preacher and the doctrine, without conviction or repentance.

This is a clear and decisive proof that the mere contemplation of such interesting truths, gives pleasure to many who never believe, love, and live under the influence of them. To think of truth with pleasure is one thing; but to follow its direction and comply with its design is another. Many are acquainted with the plan of salvation, and admire it; trust to it; boast of it; and live in intemperance, injustice, covetousness, or lust. Many know Christ is

all in all" in salvation, and glory in it, who are lewd, proud, passionate, selfish, conceited, or revengeful. These are described in Scripture as having a dead faith, being alone, and without works; as crying" Peace, peace, where there is no peace;" as turning "the grace of God into lasciviousness;" as sinning, "that grace may abound;" as crying" Lord, Lord!" and not doing the things which Christ commands; as foolish builders, foolish virgins, hypocrites, having a name to live and yet are dead. They love the promise aud despise the precept: " Know their Lord's will, and Do it not."

No. CLXV. THE GRAVE OF A DAUGHTER.

WHAT a solemn and affecting, humbling and instructive, thing is a grave. The parent follows her dear offspring to it, half-blinded by tears, which flow so fast as almost to prevent the farewell look. Peace be to thee, mourning soul! for "the Lord bringeth down to the grave," (1 Sam. ii., 6.) Whatever unforeseen cause struck thy child, whatever stubborn disease destroyed thy dear departed, the Lord used the instrument, and chose the fittest for the work. Christian, be reconciled to his will, which is always regulated by perfect wisdom. The proper time, the most suitable means, and the best manner were chosen to effect it-for it was the Lord! Dear Ann! how does my heart bleed to reflect on thy very uncommon sufferings! Seventeen long weeks in agonies beyond thy own conception! I still see thy pale and wrinkled face. The sound of thy moaning voice is still in my ears. My eyes still weep, and my heart still aches at the remembrance of thy wearisome nights and more wearisome days, which were appointed to thee. Go to thy grave in peace; for "there the weary are at rest" from all their agonies, but few from more than thou.

When I consider the amazing, prolonged agonies of this dear girl, my depraved reason asks, why was she permitted to endure so much-so long? But I am silenced by the consideration, that it is the Lord's doing. He led her by the right way, though a very suffering .one. Thirteen years of age; sensible, improved and improving, the most loving and most beloved of the family-but I forbear, and ask not why thou art taken at such an age, in such a manner; for the Lord, who knows the best time for every one to die, brought thee down to the grave. The advice of the physician, the daily attention of the apothecary, the ceaseless tenderness of a fond mother, and the labour of a whole family-could not prevent thy departure; for the Lord, whose sovereignty is undivided, and whose power is uncontrolled, " bringeth down to the grave." Who could stay his hand, or say unto him "what doest thou?" Say not, fond parent, what reason could exist in the mind of one whose "understanding is infinite," for taking thy child when he spared others. She had lived her time. There was no longer room for her in this world. The moment was fixed before thy existence began. "The Lord bringeth down to the grave," by whom actions are weighed ; his own actions too, as "the God of knowledge." Neither father nor mother could resign her the first or second month; but flattered themselves she might recover. Her pains increased, till parents and child could, at least, submit to the stroke. If she had gone in a day-departed in a fit-died from home-been seized with madness— how inexpressibly more painful to her friends, had the dispensation been! But a union of wisdom and goodness appears in suffering her to linger until she and her parents thought her death would be a mercy. Death kept at a distance till his approach was wished for. What kindness to wean the dying from the world, and the living from the dying, by such a gradual method, as to render death welcome, which had been dreaded. Who can forbear confessing the finger of God, in bringing down to the grave, in a manner so kind to his creatures and worthy of himself!

Farewell, dear girl! farewell! I could have wished to have heard thy last word, and witnessed thy dying frame; but all was right; because it was the Lord. Soon shall I follow thee; and one thing I rejoice in, that it will be in such a moment, from such causes, and in such a manner, as the Lord shall judge the best. Resign me, my dear wife and children-resign me, my dear friends-for "the Lord bringeth down to the grave." Ah! my soul, think-think seriously, that it may be soon and sudden! Art thou ready? Remember when the time comes, death will not be kept off by thy worldly plans, thy cold devotion, thy formal duties. If thy affections are carnal, thy conduct unrighteous, thy body intemperate, or thy mind distracted-death will not, cannot stay, till thou art ready or willing. No! ready or not, the Lord will " bring thee down to the grave," and "when he taketh away, who can hinder him?"

No. CLXVI. TRUE END OF AFFLICTION.

Is it not strange that so many professors of religion should deceive themselves in relation to the nature and design of affliction, as to suppose, that the only thing to be expected in it from God, is comfort; and the only thing to be exercised towards him in affliction is ecstatic joy? And laying this down as a criterion of their state, they are the authors of more evil than they are aware of. Such a sentiment is deceiving to themselves and others; to themselves, in leading them to expect nothing but comfort in a time of trial, which frequently disappoints them, and leads to one extreme or another. Either they fancy themselves no Christians, because, not elevated in joy; or they feign themselves happier than they are, lest others should not have so high an opinion of them. It also prevents self-examination, humility, confession of sin, repentance of it. It diverts the mind from the design of God in affliction, and leads a deluded creature" to think more highly of himself than be ought to think," and tempts him to appear more happy than be really is, to raise himself in the opinion of others.

Such a sentiment is discouraging to God's people. When they observe a professor all peace and joy, desiring others to praise for him, rather than to pray for him in his affliction; they are prone to think all their past trials unsanctified, because not productive of such a lively and seraphic frame. It renders them envious of others, and ungrateful to God; and it frequently happens, that such professors are, while out of the furnace, some of the greatest stumbling blocks in the world; and the more so, in being elevated into the exercise of unhumbled joy in these moments, when every sincere christian expected to find him humble and penitent.

It is unscriptural: for, first, the Scripture represents afflictions as fatherly chastisements-as the rod of God-as a refiner's fire-as God's furnace in Zion-and as God's visitation of his people with stripes. The are called the rebukes of God, correcting man for iniquity. And is joy the only thing which suits these expressions? Who that is not blinded by Satan, by his own pride, or popular opinion can think so? I have noticed such high expressions of delight in those whose characters are most suspicious; and who, knowing it to be so, have endeavoured to remove that suspicion by a degree of assumed happiness.

Secondly, it is contrary to God's design in the trials of his people. Is not the end of correction, repentance, humility, and amendment? Is not the end of a furnace to refine? to "bring forth as gold?" If God strikes with a rod, must we merely express gladness? Does this become us under fatherly anger? If he loves those he rebukes and chastens, does he not show a parental authority, care, and dis

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