of them, and they were given for no other purpose than to render us superior to our neighbours. Nay, we are apt to idolize our graces too; this we do when we forget their dependance upon Christ, the fountain of all grace, when in the strength of them we go forth against temptation, and in many other respects act as if the exercise of them was in our own power. The nature of grace is to live upon another, and derive all from another; if, therefore, we place our sufficiency in grace received, and imagine that we can now stand alone without further assistance, that we can thereby perform the duties and be supported under the conflicts of the christian life, continue ourselves in a comfortable, or raise ourselves from a dejected state, we place it upon the throne; and not the God of grace, but grace itself is the deity which we adore. In a word, though grace is the best of all the creatures, the image and most noble production of God, yet it is but a creature; and therefore it is a great fault, and an egregious folly, to set it up as a rival to the Creator. It will do very well if we keep it in its proper place, but not otherwise.

Since then the sin of idolatry appears in so many different forms, and is a sin that men are so exceedingly prone to, suffer, my brethren, the word of exhortation. Keep yourselves, O keep yourselves from idols; not that you can do this of yourselves, but be convinced of the utility, nay, necessity of it; strive to do it, exert all the strength that you have, and pray that God's strength might be perfected in your weakness. Let not the difficulties you meet with discourage you, but press forward, find out your idols, detest them, abjure them, and rest not contented till they are utterly abolished. Search into the secret recesses of your hearts; it is there that the abomination that maketh desolate is set up: "Lay violent hands upon it, and cast it out; for the temple of the Lord should be holy, whose temple are."

Ther sorrow sill. t mumpled that master are Dether." BLUE the prophet. will ne I will hurt your reputat & bodies, your souls. Your broke w... de, you, and your connect en. In you Golchen deres good things te hus peopleandor's, enjoyments --lest they should make, and take **291 14th because they have made, idols of them. W2 Love God's promise to animate and assist our From all your idols w. I cleanse you, neither See themselves any more with their idols."

say, What have I to do any more with Work then, for God will work with you. The pernatural, and to is the help too. Plead these rek upon these promises. It was a saying of Lord, give what thou comand what thou wilt.”

..

:

SERMON LVIII.

COMMUNION WITH GOD OUR SECURITY AND
BLISS.

1

PSALM LXIX. 18.

Draw nigh unto my soul.

THE good man knows that he has a soul. He is more sensible of it than others, because he is more observant of its actings; and whoever knows that he has a soul, and is conscious of its infirmities and exigencies, and the dangers to which it is exposed, will be inclined frequently to lift up his eyes; and if he dare not, like the publican, through guilt and shame, lift up his eyes, yet he will lift up his heart to heaven, and say with the Psalmist, "Draw nigh unto my soul." In which prayer he will have an eye to the several characters which God bears, and the relations in which he stands to him; the peculiar circumstances in which he himself is placed, or engagements in which he is employed, and the blessed advantages that will accrue to him, if God is pleased to comply with his request.

I. He will consider the several characters which God bears, and the relations in which he stands to him. And then this short but comprehensive petition may be paraphrased thus:-Draw nigh unto me, as a friend and father; I have met with many instances of thy friendly regard, and paternal care; let not the intercourse be dropped, the communications be cut off. Be thou a friend when other friends

1. This was the language of great affection, the exhortation of one whose soul was formed for love, introduced with an endearing address; and with it he closes his epistle, as if he should say " This is the last word that I have to speak to you." Now that warning or admonition which is given in love, should be received in love.

2. It was also the language of inspiration; a divine sentence was now on the lips of the apostle, he spake by commandment; so that it is the voice of God, and not merely of a man. It is but a transcript of the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

3. However our idols may be concealed from others, nay, and from ourselves too, they cannot be concealed from God. Heart-idolatry is known to him, for he searcheth the heart. Gods omniscience is an aggravation of sin, and, therefore, should be a preservation from it. We may say, the Lord seeth not, but shall not he that made the eyes see? "If we have forgotten the name of our God, and stretched out our hands to a strange god, shall not God search this out?"

4. "Their sorrow shall be multiplied that hasten after another God;""neither," says the prophet, "walk after other gods to your hurt." It will hurt your reputation, your religion, your bodies, your souls. Your broken cisterns will fail you, and your confidence end in your confusion. God often denies good things to his peoplegifts, comforts, enjoyments --lest they should make, and takes them from them because they have made, idols of them.

5. We have God's promise to animate and assist our endeavours." From all your idols will I cleanse you, neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols." "Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?" Work then, for God will work with you. The work is supernatural, and so is the help too. Plead these promises, rely upon these promises. It was a saying of one of the ancient fathers, "Lord, give what thou commandest, and then command what thou wilt."

SERMON LVIII.

COMMUNION WITH GOD OUR SECURITY AND
BLISS.

PSALM LXIX. 18.

Draw nigh unto my soul.

THE good man knows that he has a soul. He is more sensible of it than others, because he is more observant of its actings; and whoever knows that he has a soul, and is conscious of its infirmities and exigencies, and the dangers to which it is exposed, will be inclined frequently to lift up his eyes; and if he dare not, like the publican, through guilt and shame, lift up his eyes, yet he will lift up his heart to heaven, and say with the Psalmist, "Draw nigh unto my soul." In which prayer he will have an eye to the several characters which God bears, and the relations in which he stands to him; the peculiar circumstances in which he himself is placed, or engagements in which he is employed, and the blessed advantages that will accrue to him, if God is pleased to comply with his request.

I. He will consider the several characters which God bears, and the relations in which he stands to him. And then this short but comprehensive petition may be paraphrased thus:-Draw nigh unto me, as a friend and father; I have met with many instances of thy friendly regard, and paternal care; let not the intercourse be dropped, the communications be cut off. Be thou a friend when other friends