city into that which is above, so as to exchange them there for crowns of glory and sceptres of eternal righteousness? If this were feasible, then I should not wonder that men are so eager for the world, so covetous for the greatness of it. But do not deceive yourselves, you are never the nearer heaven for standing higher upon earth; nor in more likelihood to be rich to eternity because you are so in time.-Beveridge.

THE FULNESS OF CHRIST.

"It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell," (Col. i. 19); not stay or abide a night or a day, and away; but should dwell. The sun has not the less light for filling the stars with light. A fountain has not the less for filling the lesser vessels. There is in Christ the fulness of a fountain. The overflowing fountain pours out water abundantly, and yet remains full. Why the Lord Jesus is such an overflowing fountain; he fills all, and yet remains full. Christ has the greatest worth and wealth in him. As the worth and value of many pieces of silver is in one piece of gold, so all the petty excellences scattered abroad in the creature are united in Christ; yea, all the whole volume of perfections, which is spread through

heaven and earth, is epitomized in him.Brooks.

BEAUTY OF HOLINESS MOST VISIBLE IN

ADVERSITY,

The bee sucks sweet honey out of the bitterest herb! so God will, by afflictions, teach his children to suck sweet knowledge, sweet obedience, and sweet experience, out of all the bitter afflictions and trials he exercises them with: that scouring and rubbing which frets others, shall make them shine the brighter: that weight which crushes and keeps others under, shall but make them, like the palm-tree, grow better and higher. Stars shine brightest in the darkest night; torches give the best light when beaten ; grapes yield most wine when most pressed; spices smell sweetest when pounded; vines are the better for bleeding; gold looks the brighter for scouring; and juniper smells sweetest in the fire.

Afflictions are the saints' best benefactors. Where afflictions hang heaviest corruptions hang loosest. Grace that is hid in nature, as sweet water in rose-leaves, is then most fragrant when the fire of affliction is put under to distil it out. Grace shines the brighter for scouring, and is most glorious when it is most clouded.Brooks.

THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT.

All consolation belongs to God. He has all comfort in his own power and disposal. There is not any creature in the world can give out the least drain of comfort to us without the commission or love of God. It is posssible for one man to give another man riches, but he cannot give him comfort. Man may give honour to man, but he cannot give him comfort. The consolation of all our possessions and relations is from God. Whosoever would have comfort must trade to heaven for it; that is a commodity can be found on no earthly coast: you may fetch in wealth from many coasts of the earth, but you cannot fetch in comfort till you address yourself to the God of heaven. We can procure our own sorrow quickly, but God only makes us to rejoice: our relief from outward affliction or inward grief is the gift of God. He only can comfort us in outward afflictions who can command the creature; and he only can comfort us against our inward griefs who can convince the conscience. None can do either of these but God. The Hebrew word comfort used in divers places in the Old Testament is, to speak to the heart. Now God only can speak to the heart: man can speak to the

he can speak words, but he can go no further; therefore the act and art of comforting belong properly to God.—Caryl.

HOLY FEAR.

"For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me." (Job iii. 25.) Was it lawful in Job to be thus fearful? An apostle bids us be careful for nothing. There are several sorts of fear. Job's was a fear of caution, not of torment and vexation-a fear opposed to security and presumption, not to joy and consolation. Job's fear was grounded on the uncertainty of worldly comforts. He knew that wealth was but brittle ware, and might quickly receive a crack. This fear we ought to carry about with us, in regard to our spiritual state; though grace be everlasting ware, and though we are high-built, we must not be high-minded. Job's was a fear that made him diligent to prepare for an evil day, not a fear that did eat out all the comfort of a good day; a fear opposed to hardness of heart, but not opposed to courage and strength of heart. Such a fear as this is a holy fear, a good companion in our best estate, which will not trouble, but regulate our lives, -Caryl.

THE CHURCH THE OBJECT OF GOD'S

DELIGHT.

The church of God is his delight. See what an inundation of sweetening joy there lies on him, for which he had no terms of expression to suit the narrow apprehensions of men-"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee, mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy in thee with singing." He seems in this expression, to know no measure of delight in the church, and no end of it-" I will rejoice over thee with joy"-joy sparkles up after joy-it is his "rest," where his soul and all that is within him centres itself with infinite contentment-" Joy over thee with singing;" a joy that blossoms into triumph. Never had any such charming transports in the company of any he most affected, as God hath in his church. He doth so delight in the graces of his people, that he delights to mention them; --he hence mentions Enoch's walking with him. And certainly God cannot but delight in it more than in the world, because it is a fruit of greater pains than the creation of the world. The world was created in the space of six days by a word—the erecting of a church hath cost God more pains and time. Before the church

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