ftruggle in overcoming our corruptions; bear*ing all these with patience and refignation to the will of God. Do all this, as unto God, with

the greatest privacy..

All ways are indifferent to one, who has Heav en in his eye, as a traveller does not choose the pleasantest, but the fhorteft, and fafelt way to his journey's end; and this is the way of the crofs, which Jesus Christ chose and fanctified to all his followers.

Matth. viii. 20. where to lay his head.

The Son of man has not

This fhould fill us with confufion, whenever we are overmuch concerned for the conveniences of life. Our affections being very strongly inclined to fenfible good, for the fake of which we are often tempted to evil, and fall into great disorders, we fhould refolve to facrifice our will to reason, and reafon to the word of God..

God does not require it of us, that we feel not any, uneafinefs under the crofs, but that we strive to overcome it by his grace.

Virtues of a holy life.

Fervency in devotion, frequency. in prayer, afpiring after the love of God continually, striv ing to get above the world and the body, love of filence and folitude as far, as one's condition will permit, humility and affability toward all, patience under affronts and contradicons, delight in occafions of contradicdoing good, even to enemies, doing the will of God, and promot ing his honor to the utmost of one's power, refol ving never to offend him willingly for any tem

poral pleafure, profit, or lofs; these are virtues highly pleafing to God.

Self denial does not confift in fafting and other mortifications only, but in indifference to the world, its profits, pleasures, honors, and its other idols.

It is neceffary, that we deny ourselves in little things, when confcience, which is the voice of God, fuggefts it to us, as we hope ever to get the rule of our own will. Say not, it is a trifle, and not fit to be facrificed to God. He, who will not facrifice a little affection will hardly of-fer a greater. It is not the thing, but the reafon and manner of doing it, namely, for God's fake, and that I may accustom myself to obey his voice, that God regards, and rewards with greater degrees of grace.

The greater your felf denial, the firmer your faith, and more acceptable to God. The fincere devotion of the rich, the alms of the poor, the humility of the great, the faith of thofe, whofe condition is defperate, contemning the world, when one can command it at pleasure, continuing inftant in prayer, even when we want the confolation, we expected; these, and like instances of self denial, God will greatly reward.

They, who imagine that felf denial intrenches upon our liberty, do not know that it is this only, that can make us free indeed, giving usthe victory over ourselves, fetting us free from the bondage of our corruption, enabling us to bear afflictions, (which will come one time or

other) to foresee them without amazement, enlightening the mind, fanctifying the will, and making us flight those baubles, for which others fo eagerly contend.

Mortification confifts in fo fparing a use of the creatures, as may deaden our love for them, and make us more indifferent in the enjoyment of them. This leffens the power of concupif cence, which carries us to evil, and fo makes the grace of God more effectual to turn the balance of the will.

Carnal man cannot comprehend that God loves thofe, whom he permits to fuffer; but faith teaches us that the crofs is the gift of his love and the mark of his children. But, unless God fanctify it by his Spirit, it becomes an infupportable burden, a fubject of murmuring, and an occafion of fin.

He who loveth life, (that is, is fond of it) for the fake of the pleafures and advantages, it affords, will foon lofe the love of heavenly things; the love of God, of his foul, and of the duty, he owes to them. He hates life who does not value it in comparison with eternal life. A Chriftian gives proof of this by mortifying himself. Thofe, whom God loves, he weans from the pleasures of this prefent life, to prepare them for a happy eternity.

Temperance confifts in a fober ufe of earthly, vifible things, and in confining ourselves within the compafs of what is neceffary.

With God all things are poffible.

The Almighty God enable me to conquer the temptations of riches, and to rife above the allurements of this prefent life!

Christian self denial is to refist and crucify in ourselves the spirit and inclinations of Adam; of the flesh, its affections and lufts; and to die to our paffions, in order to follow the motions of the Spirit.

"Fafting is neceffary to bring our hearts to a penitent, holy, and devout temper; and to perform the vows, that are upon us.

By fafting, by alms, and by prayers, we dedicate our bodies, goods, and fouls, to God in a particular manner.

THURSDAY MEDITATIONS.

Ephef. iv. 29.

Let no corrupt communication

proceed out of your mouth; but that, which is good to the ufe of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Ephef. v. 4. Foolish talking and jefting are not

convenient.

PRE

RESERVE me, O God, from vain converfation. Give me grace never to be afhamed or afraid to speak of Thee and of thy law.

Give me a lively fenfe of the value of religion, and make it the delight of my heart that I may speak of it with judgment, ferioufnefs, and affection, and at all feafonable times.

May that good Spirit, which appeared in the likeness of tongues of fire, warm my heart, and direct my thoughts!

Matth. xii. 34. Out of the abundance of the beart the mouth speaketh. How can ye, being Evil, Speak good things? By thy words thou

hall be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Pfa. exli. 3. Set a guard, O Lord, upon my mouth, and keep the door of my lips.

Pfa. xxxvii. 30. The mouth of the righteous Speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judg

ment.

Hearts, truly touched with the love of God, will communicate light and heat to each other; will speak honorably of God, of his perfections, his juftice, goodnefs, wifdom, and power; of the excellency of his laws, the pleasantness of his fervice; of the inftances of his love, of the rewards, he has promifed to his friends, and of the punishments, he has prepared for his ene mies.

Matt. v. 16. Let your light fo fhine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father, who is in heaven.

Theff. v. 11. Therefore comfort yourfeives together, and edify one another.

3

Heb. x. 24. Let us confider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good works.

Let us join a good life to our religious converfation, and never contradict our tongue by oùr deeds. We always do good or harm to others by the manner of our conversation; we either confirm them in fin, or awaken them to piety.

It is too true, that fome evil paffion or other, and to gratify our corruption, is the aim of most converfations. We love to fpeak of past troubles; hatred and ill will make us take

H