"thou shouldest lie; nor as the son of man, that "thou shouldst repent"

Thou art engaged by thy own tremenduous name for my security: my God, and my father's God, from generation to generation thou hast been our dwelling place. I was devoted to thee in baptism by the solemn vows of my religious parents: my infant hands were early lifted up to thee, and I soon learned to know and acknowledge the God of my fathers. I have actually subscribed with my hand to the Lord, and am thine by the most voluntary and deliberate obligations. The portion of Jacob is my joyful choice; nor need I fear losing it while thy word is established as the heavens.

The Lord, who made heaven, earth, and sea,
And all that they contain,
Will never quit his stedfast truth,

Nor make his promise vain.

Were my dependence on myself, I were undone : the first temptation would shake my resolutions; I should sell the inestimable riches of thy love for a trifle, and fool away immortal pleasures for the joys of a moment; a specious delusion would seduce mė from all my hopes of a glorious futurity. I shall fall a victim to my own folly, and must inevitably perish, if thou forsake me; but the Strength of Israel is my hope, the mighty One of Jacob my defence.

Thou art the Rock of ages; the fixed and im

mutable Divinity is my high tower and my refuge, my Redeemer and almighty Saviour. These were the blessed, the glorious titles, by which thou didst at first assure my doubtful soul: these were the transporting names I knew and called thee by; and thou hast answered them through all the changes of my life.

I was thy early care; thou didst support my helpless infancy, and art the watchful guide of my unsteady youth. Which way soever I turn, I meet thy mercy, and trace thy providence; and as long as I live I will record thy benefits, and depend on thy truth; those benefits which have constantly pursued me, and that truth which has never deceivceived me, and is engaged never to abandon me. Transporting assurance! what further security can I ask? what security can I wish beyond eternal veracity?"The mountains shall depart, and the "hills be removed; but thy kindness shall not de

part, nor the covenant of thy peace be broken;" that covenant which has been sealed by the blood of the Son of God; and in that holy sacrament I have received the pledges of thy love. Thou didst graciously invite me into that communion, and meet me there with the most unmerited favour.

Fear not, sayst thou, poor trembling soul, for I am thy Redeemer and thy mighty Saviour, the hope

the earth be blessed: "I am gracious and merci"ful, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness "and truth" these are the titles by which I have revealed myself to men; I came the expected Messiah, the Star of Jacob, and the glory of the Gentiles. I came from the fulness of ineffable glory, in the form of man, to redeem the race of Adam. I am willing and able to save, and "whosoever "comes to me, I will in no wise cast away." Fear not, I had kind designs towards thee from eternity; and by these visible signs of my body and blood, I seal my love to my soul; take here the pledges of heaven, the assurances of everlasting happiness.

It is enough, replied my transported soul; divide the world as thou wilt, let others unenvied share in its glory; thy love is all I crave, I am blessed with that assurance, I am surrounded with the joys of paradise; every place is a heaven, while my Beloved is mine, and I am his.

If all the monarchs, whose command supreme
Divides the wide dominion of this ball,
Should offer each his boasted diadem,
I would not quit thy favour for them all:
These trifles with contempt I would resign;
The world's a toy, while I can call thee mine.

Let God and angels witness for me, that I re nounce the world, and chuse thy love as my portion; witness that I sacrifice my darling sins to

thee, and from this moment solemnly devote my

self to thy service.

Thus did I engage myself to be the Lord's, and thus didst thou graciously condescend to seal the privileges of the new covenant to my soul. And O let the solemn transaction never be forgotten; let it be writ in the volumes of eternity; let it be engraven in the books of unalterable destiny; there let the sacred articles stand recorded, and be had in everlasting remembrance.

XI. Thou art my God.

O God, thou art my God; thou art thy own blessedness, the centre of thy own desires, and the boundless spring of thy own happiness. Thou art immutable, and infinitely perfect, and therein consists thy blessedness and glory: but that thou art my God, it is from thence flows all my consolation; this glorious privilege is my dignity and boast,. "Thou art my God, and I will praise thee; my "father's God, and I will exalt thee; the Lord li"veth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God "of my salvation be exalted. Thy benignity is "better than life, therefore my lips shall praise "thee."

I have all things in possessing thee; I find no want, no emptiness within; my wishes are answered, and all my desires appeased, when I believe my title to thy favour secured. Whatever tempests a

rise, whatever darkness surrounds me, yet thou art my God, I cry, and the storms are appeased, and the darkness vanishes. I find my expectations from the world disappointed, my friends false, and human dependence vain; but still thou art my God, my unfailing confidence, my rock, my everlasting inheritance. Death and hell level their darts against me; but with a heavenly tranquillity I cry, "Thou art my God; I dwell on high; my place "of defence is the munition of rocks."

My hiding place, my refuge, tow'r,

And shield, art thou, O Lord:

I firmly anchor all my hopes

On thy unerring word.

While thou art mine, what can I fear? Can Omnipotence be vanquish'd? Can almighty strength be opposed? When it can, then, and not till then, shall I want security; then, and not till then, shall my confidence be shaken, and my hopes con

founded.

Thou art my God: let me again repeat the glorious accents, and hear the pleasurable sounds. Let me a thousand and a thousand times repeat it; it is rapture all, and harmony; the harps of angels and their tongues, what note more melodious could they sing or play; What but these transporting words give the emphasis to all their joys? On this they dwell; it is their eternal theme, Thou art my God Like me every seraph boasts the glorious property, and owes his happiness to those impor