are all the causes in this world that can make a thing impossible; this, this is to be ascribed to the power of God, and is the great demonstration of the resurrection of Jesus. Every thing was an argument for it, and improved it; no objection could hinder it, no enemies destroy it; whatsoever was for them, it made the religion to increase; whatsoever was against them, made it to increase; sunshine and storms, fair weather or foul, it was all one as to the event of things; for they were instruments in the hands of God, who could make what himself should to be the product of any cause; so that if the Christians had peace, they went abroad and brought in converts: if they had no peace, but persecution, the converts came into them. In prosperity, they allured and enticed the world by the beauty of holiness; in affliction and trouble, they amazed all men by the splendor of their innocence and the glories of their patience; and quickly it was that the world became disciple to the glorious Nazarene, and men could no longer doubt of the resurrection of Jesus, when it became so demonstrated by the certainty of them that saw it, and the courage of them that died for it, and the multitude of them that believed it; who by their sermons and their actions, by their public offices and discourses, by festivals and eucharists, by arguments of experience and sense, by reason and religion, by persuading rational men, and establishing believing Christians, by their living in the obedience of Jesus, and dying for the testimony of Jesus, have greatly advanced his kingdom, and his power, and his glory, into which he entered after his resurrection from the dead. For he is the first-fruits; and if we hope to rise through him, we must confess that himself is first risen from the dead.

Return unto thy rest, O my soul.-Psalm cxvi. 7.

THE circumstances under which we are more especially called to return to God our rest.

Tranquillity ought to be the habit of a Christian; the peace of God ruling the heart, all its affections, cares, and fears, spreading its wand over the agitations of the soul, as Moses spread his over the sea, so that after it had stood trembling and heaving on heaps, the even surface was restored, and it flowed on, smooth

and natural, as before. Whatever, therefore, disturbs, creates a season in which we are to summon the soul back to her rest.

1. When we are too much affected by the cares of ordinary life. Our Lord knew our danger when he said, "Take heed to yourselves, lest any time your hearts be overcharged with cares." Charged with cares they must often be; but not "overcharged." The remedy for this is to summon the spirit to return to its rest, when any deviation is felt or feared. And nothing is so powerful a motive to this as the reflection, "The Lord hath dealt bountifully with me." Past times are proofs of this; and I may still "cast my care upon him," because he still "careth for me."

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2. Another season is, when we are pressed with uneasy fears as to our spiritual safety. We are to be anxious to discover whether such fears have any just foundation. But often, when they have not, they form a part of our temptation. Such fears may be the result of mistaking sensible joys as the measure of our grace. We ought to aspire after them; but we live by faith," not by joy. Peace must be the result of a firm faith; joy is the effect of many circumstances. Or these fears may be the result of views partially directed to the awful attributes of God, his holiness and justice. Partial views of goodness lead to presumption; partial views of justice and holiness lead to bondage. Both attributes are united in the atonement; both are equally seen in that "glory of God" which shines in the face of "Jesus Christ." Perfect love casteth out the "fear which hath torment;" while it preserves that which is monitory. Or these fears may result from reflecting upon the falls of others, and our own past failures. Yet these ought only to produce caution, not prevent us from claiming a full salvation from God, as though our unbelief, or that of others, made the "truth of God of none effect." That truth stands sure. Fly again to that rock, and you shall find it unshaken. Or evil spirits may be suffered in various ways, mysterious to us, to "trouble the soul;" and their influence, like a cloud passing over a tranquil water, shall at once darken and ruffle it. But "wait upon God;" and the dark shade shall be chased by the spreading splendor of some new break of light, and the agitation shall subside at the omnipotent voice, "Peace, be still!" In all these uneasy moments say, "Return unto thy rest, O my soul;" and remember how "bountifully the Lord hath dealt with thee," in many similar exercises.

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3. When we have vainly perplexed ourselves with difficulties. It is one of our failings that we too often go into difficulties, without a sufficient sense of our weakness. So Asaph, when he saw the "prosperity of the wicked." See Psalm lxxiii. This may stand as a specimen. He sought the solution in his own strength, and was troubled," till he went into the "sanctuary of God." Then how sweetly did he return unto his rest! In Job we have an instance of this disturbed state of mind, arising from another cause, from judging what it was fit for the Lord to do. The challenges out of the whirlwind made Job feel that it was not for "potsherds of the earth" to strive with their Maker; and when he was brought to this, he returned to his rest.

4. When we have experienced special deliverance. Having obtained from God pardon, a revival of piety, restoration from affliction, deliverance from temptation and sorrow; then we ought to summon the spirit to "cleave with purpose of heart to the Lord," and to rest more fully in him, who is the strength of our heart, our portion, our exceeding great reward.

Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.-Psalm cxxxviii. 6.

THE Souls that are lovers of truth and of Goa, and desirous to put on Christ completely, though they may suffer in some measure a state of emptiness; yet being wholly nailed to the cross of Christ, they perceive, day after day, an experimental sense of their advances towards the spiritual Bridegroom. And being wounded with an heavenly desire, and hungering after righteousness, they have an insatiable longing for the Spirit to shine out upon them. And though they are thought worthy to receive, through faith, the knowledge of divine mysteries, or are made partakers of the gladness of heavenly grace, yet they have no confidence in themselves: but the more of spiritual gifts they enjoy, the more insatiable is the heavenly desire they are filled with; the more they are sensible of the spiritual progress in themselves, the more hungry and thirsty are they after the increase of grace; and the richer they spiritually are, by so much the more do they seem to themselves to be in want, and are carried out

with a spiritual desire after the heavenly Bridegroom, as saith the wise man, "They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty."

Souls like these, that have a fervent and insatiable love for the Lord, are thought worthy of the redemption from vile affections, and receive the irradiation and presence of the Holy Spirit, which is unspeakable, and the mystical fellowship in the fullness of grace. But as many souls as are destitute of manly vigor and activity, are still but as in the flesh, having never entertained any hopes of receiving the sanctification of their heart through patience and long-suffering, nor of enjoying the fellowship of the Spirit, with the utmost sensation and assurance; these, after having been once thought worthy of divine grace, have yet been insensibly circumvented by the evil one, and so have given themselves over to carelessness and remissness. And the reason is evident; after they have received the grace of the Spirit, and actually enjoyed the comfort of grace in rest and spiritual sweetness, they trust in it; they are lifted up, and take no farther care, being neither of a contrite heart, nor humble mind; neither have they waited with all diligence and faith, to be perfectly filled with grace: but instead of that, they were full, they were completely satisfied, and rested in the first consolation of grace. The progress such souls made tended more to elevation than humility; so that they were stripped again of that very gift which before was vouchsafed to them, through their careless contempt of any thing farther, and the vain swelling of their own opinion.

The soul that is truly a lover of God, and a lover of Christ, though it does righteous works without number, demeans itself however, as if it had wrought just nothing at all, through the insatiable love it beareth to the Lord. And though by fastings and by watchings it has even macerated the body, it applies itself to the pursuit of the virtues still, as if it never had begun before to take the least pains about them. Though it has been thought worthy of the several gifts of the Spirit, or favored with revelations and heavenly mysteries; yet, by reason of its immense love for the Lord, doth it seem to itself as if it had just nothing in possession: but hungering and thirsting through faith and love, it is carried on insatiably in the persevering spirit of prayer to the mysteries of grace, and to every degree of virtue.

And being wounded by the heavenly Spirit, continually exciting an inflamed desire after the heavenly Bridegroom, and longing to be completely admitted to the mystical and inexpressible communion with him in the sanctification of the Spirit; having the face of the soul unveiled, and looking with a steady eye upon the heavenly Bridegroom, face to face, in the light which is spiritual, and not to be expressed; it mixes with him in all the fullness of assurance; becomes conformable to his death, ever waiting in the abundance of desire to die for the sake of Christ, and expecting to obtain under the conduct of the Spirit, an entire redemption from sin and the darkness of the affections: that being purified by the Spirit, sanctified in soul and body, it may be made a vessel clean prepared for its susception of the heavenly ointment, and the residence of Christ, the true and heavenly king. And then is the soul filled with the heavenly light, and becomes the pure habitation of the Holy Spirit.

But there are heights which the soul does not reach all at once; but through many labors and conflicts, with variety of trials and temptations, it receives spiritual growth and improvement, till at last it comes to an entire exemption from its old affections; holding out cheerfully and nobly against every succeeding temptation, it is then thought worthy of great honors and spiritual gifts, and becomes an inheritor of the heavenly kingdom in Christ Jesus our Lord: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.-John i. 13.

HERE the Evangelist reminds us of the manner of our spiritual birth, and by comparison with fleshly pangs shows its excellence. This he has done, in order that, considering the vileness and lowness of the first birth, which is of blood, and the will of the flesh, and perceiving the highness and nobleness of the second, which is by grace, we may form from thence some great opinion of it, and one worthy of the gift of him who hath begotten us and for the future exhibit much earnestness.

For there is no small fear, lest, having sometime defiled that