through the grace of an interest in Christ by way of reflecting upon past experience, we are now to say in our hearts, "Has Christ revealed himself to me so freely, graciously, and powerfully? Let me then go to him with an enlarged confidence for all those supplies of grace, strength, and comfort, that I want, being encouraged herein by the experience I have had of his free grace and almighty power." If we therefore raise our hope from such evangelical marks, and improve it to farther reliance upon Christ, we are not guilty of trusting in frames or duties.

2. For consolation. Happy, thrice happy is he, that is endowed with this special grace, the mother, as I may say, of all the rest; for the word of God solemnly declares, that he who believeth is justified, will be sanctified, and shall be eternally saved; that he has an interest in all spiritual blessings, in all the sure mercies of David. He that has this divine principle of saving faith, is safe, whether he knows it or no: yea, the least degree of it is saving, whatever doubts or weaknesses may attend it. Let me assure you, O believers, that you need not be discouraged, because of your many darknesses, fears, enemies or temptations, because you shall come off more than conquerors, through him on whom your faith rests. You may be apt to perplex your minds, and sink your spirits, because your faith is so weak, because you cannot distinctly recollect the actings of it in your experience, or have not had those deep awful convictions of sin, or those lively joys and comforts, that others can relate. But do not distress yourselves for want of these things: if you can conscientiously answer the foregoing questions, your state is. safe, though you fall short of many others in knowledge, in comfort, and lively experiences. Wherefore comfort your selves with these words: remembering that Christ will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoaking flax, but will bring forth judgment unto victory.

3. For humiliation. Can we prove the truth of our faith only by the motives and grounds of our humility, devotion or diligence: How many of the experiences and duties of believers themselves are defective in this respect? How many byends, selfish views, and carnal motives lie at the foundation of most of our performances? Surely we have all reason to lament the weakness of our faith, and its absence from many of the services we engage in. Let us humble ourselves before God, that our repentance, our resolutions, our hopes, our comforts, our obedience, and all our duties are no more evangelical, having so little of faith under them and in them.

4. For direction. Though we may make use of marks and signs to try the truth of our faith; yet let us take care not to live upon these evidences, but to live by faith on Christ. You have had a large description of the direct acts of faith in this

answer; and let me assure you, that the best way to clear up your evidences, to strengthen your graces, and to promote the life of religion, is to be found frequently thus acting upon Christ, flying to him, and taking sanctuary in him. Are you in darkness? go to him for light. Are you in doubts through unbelief? go to him for satisfaction and consolation, Are you weak and feeble? go to him for strength. Let every complaint drive you to him. Make use of every ordinance to direct you to him. Improve every comfort and hope to attract you to him, and to encourage your confidence in him. In this way, by frequent recurring to Christ, you will find, not only your faith cleared and strengthened, but likewise true grace, true holiness, and true consolation advancing in your souls, 'till faith be swallowed up in sight, and hope in enjoyment.

QUEST. III.

When may a person conclude that he enjoys God in the performance of duty?

A

VERY serious and weighty query indeed! I wish I was able to answer it, from a happy and large experience of the enjoyment of God.-By duty here, I suppose is meant not any common function of life, which may be performed without the help of special grace; but any religious duty, which God, in his word, hath enjoined on his people, and in the performance of which, he graciously condescends to meet with them, according to his promise. Such are the duties of prayer, &.

1. To enjoy God in duty, is to enjoy his gracious assistance, or the enlightening, quickening, strengthening and sanctifying influences and operations of his Spirit: without which it is im

ssible to perform any duty in a right, holy and acceptable manner. Then one may conclude that he enjoys God in duty, when his mind is impressed with a deep sense of the reasona bleness, use and design of the duty; When he willingly and heartily engageth in it, in the name of the mediator with reverential thoughts, and a holy awe of God? with a single view, and ardent desire to glorify God; with self abasement, an inward loathing of himself before God; with humble and sincere reliance upon him; and with inutterable breathings and pantings after him :-When he wholly resigns his heart to God; to be constantly governed, eternally possessed, and per fectly sanctified by him:-And in short, whenever the graces of the spirit are in real exercise. These things, I think, cannot be experienced by a soul destitute of the influence and as sistance of the divine Spirit.

2. I humbly conceive, that a person may be said to enjoy the presence of, and have fellowship with God in duty :-When be

heartily approves of, and contemplates with pleasure upon the being, attributes, works, providence, word and worship of God:-When his thoughts are emptied of all creatures, but filled with a holy and delightful meditation, upon the glorious perfections of God:-When he esteems and confides in God, as his God and everlasting portion; viewing the Father, as his Father in Christ; looking upon the Son as his only and complete Saviour; and regarding the Holy Spirit, as his Sanc tifier, Comforter and guide; and all this with a solid peace, heavenly calm and unspeakable satisfaction :-When he feels his heart, glowing with gratitude and flaming with love to God; Father, Son and Spirit; and doth experience such perfect oneness, such strong union, and such sweet and delightful fellowship between God and his immortal part, so far that it exceeds all fellowship and union between his soul and any creature what ever; and which he cannot possibly express; as if God was nearer and dearer to him than his own self, interwoven with his very heart, and become the life and essence of his inmost soul -When he doth not only confide in, and love God, as his God but doth see and know that he is so, enjoying sweet manifestations and clear discoveries, of the love and mercy of God to his soul;-When gospel promises are so powerfully applied to him; when his heart is so filled with sacred joy, and overpow ered with heavenly light; and when the Holy Spirit witnesseth to his Spirit, his election, vocation, &c. so clearly and free from doubts, that he cannot forbear breaking out thus, or to this effect:

"Oh, my God my God indeed! now I cannot question thy love oh! I feel it! I feel it! nor do I doubt of my interest in thee! nay am thine, and that for ever!I! the vilest wretch! the meanest worm! astonishing! Thou hast created me in order, to redeem and create me anew! oh my heavenly Father! now I behold · thy smiling countenance! now I am happy beyond expression. 2 Oh, what, joy do I feel! what glory do I now behold! what a treasure I now possess the world, the whole world, cannot give what I now enjoy is heaven; 'tis Thou, O. ay God, that thus fills, and more than fills, my soul with bliss, with joy unspeakable, and full of glory-Oh! precious Redeemer, thou hast died for my sins! yes! for mine!-Oh! thou divine Sanctifier, thou has changed my vile and abominable heart! thou hast raised me from death to life! thou hast brought me from the suburbs of hell to the gate of heaven now I feel the everlasting arms of Jehovah underneath me; and behold the attributes of the most high, as so many bulwarks round about me! O! I am infinitely secure, and eternally happy! O lovely Jesus! how gladly this moment would I bid adieu to all below the sun, and turn mine eyes from every earthly object, to gaze eternally upon thy transcendent beauties and divine perfections !

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"But oh! how distressing the thought of losing this precious taste of thy love! and especially of my proving, after all this kindness to me, unthankful, unstable and unfaithful to thee! Oh that I might never sin once from henceforth! Hasten the time, O my God, when, instead of sipping now and then by the way, I shall eternally drink of the water of life, at the fountain, head! and appear in thy presence, to spend eternal ages in wonder, bliss and praise !"

I do not think that every Christian doth enjoy an equal degree of the soul-refreshing presence of God, which holy men of Neither do I believe old called, the light of his countenance.

that any enjoy all that I have observed, whenever God is pre'sent with him in duty. A believer may enjoy a comfortable portion of the divine presence, so as to experience sweet serenity, inward tranquility and inexpressible calmness; yet, without strong raptures and transporting ecstasies.I am likewise fully persuaded, that a believer, in the performance of duty, may be under the convincing and (in that sense) enlightening influence of the blessed Spirit, so that the poor man doth hate and lot he himself to a very great degree, yet may have but little comfort; nay, perhaps his very soul may be wounded with fear, lest he should be utterly cast away at last. Now though that doubting soul is certainly under the very necessary teachings of the Holy spirit, and God is really present with him in duty; yet properly speaking, he doth not enjoy God. It is one thing to be under the saving operations of the Holy Ghost, but another thing The enjoyment which to enjoy or have fellowship with God. our blessed Lord had at his baptism, and also on the mount where he prayed, differed much from that in the garden. And I doubt not but Paul's enjoyment in Acts ix. 11. differed But I add no considerably from his enjoyment, chap. xxii. 17. more, than that it may be your happy lot and mine to enjoy much of God now, and have the glorious vision and fruition hereafter.

How may a person know, in the exercise of prayer, whether he is under the influence of the blessed Spirit, or under the movings of his own natural spirit or imagination ?

IT

T is undoubtedly the most excellent of all knowledge, for a man to be able to discern himself at all times, especially in our approaches to a sovereign God, before - whose infinite majesty all the posterity of apostate Adam is less than nothing, altogether vanity. This is a knowledge infinitely more refined in its nature, than that which distinguished ancient Greece by the title of the Eye of the World. A knowledge not to be at. tained by drinking the pure streams of Castalio's fountain, retiring to the solitude of Parnassus, or climbing the heights of Helicon: not to be obtained at the feet of Gamaliel either ancient or modern, human literature being unconnected therewith, though in itself no enemy, but a friend thereunto. This knowledge is attainable no where else but in the school of Christ, under the enlightening influences of his Spirit. By human instructions, human knowledge, and that alone, is attainable, for the streams can never rise higher than the fountain but the knowledge of discerning of spirits is in its nature divine, therefore must be the fruit of divine instructions.

According to the query, and 1 John iv. 6, the spirits by which every person is actuated, by the one or the other, are two, viz. the spirit of truth, and the spirit of errour. One or other of those presides over all the thoughts of the heart, the words of the mouth, and every action of the life of all the posterity of Adam-for I know no medium between truth and error, nothing indifferent in religion. As prayer is the matter under consideration, it behoves us to enquire when, in that exercise, a man may be said to be under the one, and when under the other? In answer thereunto, I have often observed, that in all, or most of the exercises of religion, there are three paths, viz. two extremes, and a middle term or path; these three paths engross all the professors of religion; the two extremes are under the direction of the spirit of errour. One, the name of which is the middle path of judgment, is reserved to the direction of the spirit of truth, We shall find this, in nothing more, than in

the manner of prayer.

I. There are some people excessively afraid of formality in prayer; and there are others still, who, from a principle of mere negligence, utterly neglect premeditated prayer, equally with those who despise it from a principle of enthusiasm : These two kinds of people, under the influence of their own corrupt imagination, or a spirit of darkness and errour (call it which you will) are led into an extreme on the one hand; but on the other side, there are some, who to avoid the errours which