tented, and very liberal in the midst of the greatest poverty, and self-denying in the midst of the greatest affluence. For the earth, and all the fulness thereof were his, though he made himself poor, that his poverty might enrich us, and teach us what little account we should make of earthly riches. Christ discovered a spirit of deep humility, a profound lowliness of mind, though he was Master of the greatest perfection and power. It was a spirit of the greatest love, tenderness and compassion, to those that deserved no good, nay deserved ill at his hands. It was a spirit of astonishing patience and forbearance towards inveterate enemies, that treated him with the greatest contumelies, reproaches, slanders and barbarities, though the person they treated thus bore them the greatest kindness, and was of the highest worth and dignity. The spirit of Christ was a spirit of prayer and supplication; he was constant in communion with God, and yet without neglecting the opportunities of doing good to others. And such our spirits ought to be according to our measure of grace, before the truth and life of religion can thrive in our souls. This is the Spirit that must direct and assist us in all spiritual duties, if we would perform them to any good purpose. This is the spirit that is the true seal and earnest of our future inheritance, and which sometimes now fills the souls of the saints with unspeakable joy. He is our Comforter in times of tribulation, and our strength in times of temptation: without whose kind assistance we are not able so much as to think a good thought, much less to do a good work.

May all sincere Christians go on cheer-

fully in the good way they are in, to their own eternal comfort, and the encouragement of many others, and be an ornament to the religion of our most dear Lord and King, which is too generally neglected, as if it were a fantastic whim of some few of the vulgar sort; and may their example be an incitement to piety. The joy and glory this will produce in the last day, is too great for present conception. May the smiles of heaven and the joys of angels attend on every step they take in their approach to God, and may they always be under the protection and conduct of God's Holy Spirit. This is and shall be the most earnest desire and prayer of theirs in Christ Jesus.

III.

The necessity of a holy disposition.

1733, JAN. 30.-Nothing can be of greater concernment to us, in order to be Christians indeed, than that the predominant temper and disposition of our minds be holy and spiritual, or to have the strongest bent, desire and inclination of our souls after holy and spiritual things. The inward man, I mean the heart or mind, is the seat and source of all the corruptions and disorders, to which we are subject; and in this the greatest change must be made by converting grace. For conversion is a renewing or new modelling of our inward frame and disposition, changing the bent and inclinations of our souls from carnal and perishing to spiritual and eternal enjoyments. This is called in scripture the renewing of the spirit of our minds.. Eph. iv. 23. It is this renewed disposition and holy bent of -the soul that all religious doctrines and duties

are designed to form in us, without which external profession and practice too, will be esteemed by the Searcher of hearts, no better than a dead carcase, which he always refused and abhorred to accept of in the legal sacrifice. The most regular conversation, the most commendable actions, and the best morality, even in its most eminent height of excellency, if they be not produced and animated by this divine bent in the soul, are all vile hypocrisy and a false disguise. For if the tree be corrupt, the fruit also, however specious its outside may appear, can be no otherwise than corrupt.

So that the true distinction between good and bad men through the world, is the nature of that temper, inclination, bent, and disposition that is most prevailing and governing in their minds. The predominancy of the inward man, whether it be mostly carnal or spiritual, is a true presage of the future state of glory or misery. "For to be carnally minded is death, and to be spiritually minded, is life and peace." This will decide the great question, whether we are in a state of acceptance with God, or otherwise, whether we are tending towards heaven or hell.

We are told that the ways of wisdom, that is, of true godliness, are the ways of pleasantness and this holy temper of the soul, is absolutely necessary to make them so. For to one that is destitute of it, they are unpleasant and grievously burdensome. It is the great design of Christianity to beget and carry on this new and holy disposition in the souls of men; and where it prevails, this new-begotten appetite after God and holiness will spread its influence over every part of the conversation.

Such a person will seek and strive for nothing so much as to become holy and approved of God in all his ways. It is by this means that sincere men lay within themselves a firm foundation of solid comfort; while other people are endeavouring to lay the foundation outwardly, in making an ample provision for themselves of worldly things, which, without rectifying their tempers within, can never afford them any true contentment. For it is certain, happiness does not consist in worldly enjoyments, whether one has little or much of them, without a suitable state of mind to relish higher pleasures than this earth can afford.

By the beatitudes in Christ's sermon, Matt. v. where the characters of the blessed and the nature of their blessedness are described, it is plain, however like a paradox it may seem to a great many, that it is not outward but inward qualifications that must fit men for happiness. It is not they who have the greatest affluence of wealth and treasures that are blessed, but the truly humble who are poor in spirit, for of such is the kingdom of heaven, which infinitely excels all the kingdoms of the earth. Nor are they the happy men who indulge themselves in carnal mirth and laughter, but they who mourn for sin, for they shall be comforted. Nor does happiness consist in grandeur, pride, and loftiness, but in a holy meekness; for they shall inherit this earthly inheritance with more content and satisfaction, and be less disquieted with such broils. and anxieties as others are exposed to.

Nor

does it consist in plenty and fulness; but in hungering and thirsting after righteousness, for they shall be filled with good things, whilst the rich shall be sent empty away.

C

of

I have been speaking in too low a manner of a temper, of which I dare believe you have a higher sense in your mind than any words of mine can express. You have been placed in a rank of life, that you can easily guess the utmost that the world can afford; and you experience, that all things in it, however good in themselves, do not deserve to be named the same time with those glorious hopes and consolations which attend a spiritual frame of mind. Should any think you over industrious in cultivating this disposition, you, I am persuaded, will never think it unnecessary to use all proper means to grow more and more in that holy bent of the mind, which is so necessary in order to communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and lays the foundation of both present and future happiness, for as this temper thrives in the soul, in proportion thereto will grow our evidence, earnest, and foretaste of heaven.

IV.

The infidelity of the times.

1733, FEB. 15.-That excellent text in Isa. lix. 19. "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him," contains in it a most comfortable promissory prophecy. When the sins of men grow to such a height as not only to keep previous mercies from us, but also to bring many grievous judgments upon us, even when iniquity abounds, and sin grows exceedingly sinful, grace shall abound more, and appear more exceedingly glorious. When things in the course of providence are suffered to come to the last and utmost extremity,