"Bread shall be given you, your water shall be 66 sure." "Verily ye shall be fed." "Your "Father knoweth what things ye have need of;" and "a little which the righteous hath, is better "than the riches of many wicked." It is then the privilege and duty of every believer, to cast all his cares and burdens "upon the Lord," "to "take no anxious care for the morrow;" to rest satisfied that "the Lord will provide;" and to remember that "he hath said, I will never leave "thee nor forsake thee." "Having food and rai"ment, let us be therewith content," and go on with the duty of our station without any more solicitude than the child feels, who, when learning his lesson or obeying the command of his parents, cheerfully leaves them to provide him food and raiment, and does not encumber his mind with care about such matters.

The believer is indeed allowed and required to expect a peculiar providential interposition in all things: he is instructed that not a sparrow falls to the ground without the appointment of his Father, and that "the very hairs of his head are all num"bered." He should consider the place of his abode as determined and guarded by the Lord: and recollect that the holy angels are employed to minister to his good: that he lies down and rises up, goes out and comes in, under this special protection; Ps. xxiii. 1. xxxiv. 8-10. xxxvii. lxxxiv. 11. Matt. vi. 24-34. Phil. iv. 6,7.

that no enemies can assault, no calamity befal, no dangers so much as alarm him, except by the appointment or permission of his almighty Father, who "makes a hedge about him and all that he "has."" No famines, earthquakes, pestilences, fires, wars, massacres, persecutions, or other dreaded catastrophes, can hurt, or should alarm him: for he is safe, and shall be guided, supported, and guarded in all places and circumstances, till the appointed period of his pilgrimage arrive; and then he will be conveyed home to his Father's house, in the best way which infinite wisdom and everlasting love can devise.

Thus "godliness is profitable for all things: "having the promise of the life that now is, and "of that which is to come.*"

5. Communion with God is the believer's privilege. We have boldness to enter into the holiest

་

through the blood of Jesus," and to "come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may "obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time "of need." We are directed to ask what we will, and assured that it shall be given us; for "the prayer of the upright is the Lord's delight.4"

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So that we may come with humble confidence, into the immediate presence of our reconciled Father, whenever we will; we may present whatever petitions our wants and circumstances suggest ; we may multiply, repeat, and enforce them with all importunity and earnestness; we may urge every plea, and use all freedom; we may be assured of a cordial welcome in so doing; and confidently expect, that all our petitions will be answered and exceeded, in that sense and way which most conduce to our real good.' Thus we speak to our gracious God, in prayers, supplications, praises, and thanksgivings, notwithstanding that we are

but sinful dust and ashes;" and he speaks to us by his word, counselling, warning, instructing, encouraging, or reproving us, and shewing us the way in which we should walk, and the thing which we should do: he evinces his regard to us by answering our prayers, and manifesting his care of us in numerous instances: he discovers his glorious perfections and gracious presence, and ti causes his goodness to pass before us;" and he gives sometimes even in deep affliction, a peace "of God which passeth all understanding, keeping our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." For " truly our fellowship is with the Father, and "with his Son Jesus Christ," whatever men may think or say of such pretensions; and this happy experience essentially differs from the unscriptural

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VOL. V.

'Eph. iii. 20.

"Gen. xviii. 23-33. Сс

together.'

presumption of enthusiasts and hypocrites; though, strangers to such joys do and will confound them Thus the believer "walks with God" in his ordinances, commandments, and providential dispensations; tastes his love in every comfort, submits to his wise and fatherly correction in every cross, and deems it his privilege to refer all things to his will and glory: and the Lord walks with him, as his Companion, Guard, and Guide through life, is with him in the valley of the shadow of death, and then takes him home to his more immediate presence.*

6. The believer experiences the consolations of the Holy Spirit, in proportion to his faith, simplicity, diligence, and watchfulness. This holy Comforter, who dwells in every believer, as in a temple which he hath consecrated to himself, irradiates the mind by his sacred influences to see things that belong to the person, love, and salvation of Christ; and to know the blessings that are freely given him of God."" He assists the

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memory in recollecting the words of the Saviour: and he invigorates faith, causes hope to abound, enlivens the mind with love and gratitude, and thus communicates a satisfying and sanctifying joy, the earnest and pledge of heavenly felicity. This counterbalances all trials, dissipates sorrow, fortifies the soul against temptation, reconciles it

11 John i. 3. 2 Gen. v. 24.

3 John xvi. 15, i6. 1 Cor. ii. 11, 12.

Eph. i. 17. 18.

to suffering and self-denial, and animates it for every service. It is the privilege of the believer exclusively to experience, relish, and value such joys; and to distinguish them from the joy of the hypocrite, which springs from ignorance, pride, and presumption. We are, therefore, exhorted "to "rejoice in the Lord always;" and all our enfeebling dejection and sorrow are the consequences of living below our privilege, and coming short of our duty, in this as well as in other respects. Especially we forfeit and mar this joy, when we 66 grieve the Spirit" by our misconduct, or quench his holy influences by cleaving to the world, or by inexpedient self indulgence:' so that the apostle exhorts christians, "not to be drunk with wine "wherein is excess," (from which others seek exhilaration, and relief in trouble,) "but to be filled "with the Spirit.*"

7. It is the believer's privilege

"to be kept by

"the power of God, through faith unto salvation.3" The actual comfort of this privilege must indeed depend on our scriptural evidence that we are true believers; as other men can persevere in nothing except ungodliness or hypocrisy. So long, therefore, as any one doubts whether he be indeed regenerate, he cannot fully take to himself the comfort of God's promises; for he cannot know that 2 Eph. v. 18.

1 Eph. iv. 30. 1 Thess. v. 19.

31 Pet. 1. 5.