his own life on earth, and to the end of their lives on earth, but he will love them for ever and ever. Millions of years, my wond'ring eyes The glories of thy love. 0 ! christians, we are astonished at the love of Christ, from what little we know and feel of its blessed effects here. We wonder how such a great and glorious Being should ever pitch his love on such contemptible, and once such loathsome creatures as we. We wonder that he should do so much for us as he has already done, in choosing us and calling us out of the world, adopting us into his family, making us willing in the day of his power, inviting us to his table, bringing us within the bonds of his covenant, blessing us with so many spiritual blessings, and even condescending to undertake the management of our temporal concerns. If we wonder at this, what will be our astonishment when we get to heaven? when he will receive us to himself, make us sit with him on his own throne, and behold and partake of his glory? when we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is? when the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed us, and lead us to living fountains of waters ? when, in short, he will do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can now ask or think. Then, we shall shout with rapture, Behold how he loved us !" Angels! assist our mighty joys, Strike all your harps of gold; When Christ instituted this ordinance, he said, "This do in remembrance of me." And, if he had not said so, do you think you could possibly forget him? I am sure we should be inexcusable if we did. What! forget HIM who is so excellent and lovely in himself, and has manifested such uncommon love to us? Forget HIM, who, as we profess to hope, has delivered us from the wrath to come? who has borne our guilt, and purchased heaven for us? Forget HIM, who is never unmindful of us? who bears our unworthy names upon his breast, and is continually making intercession for us? who is kindly covering the imperfections and impurities of our prayers and other services, and perfuming them with his precious incense? Forget HIM, who is at this instant employed in preparing a place for us in his Father's house, and longing to have us there with him? Alas! alas! we have strong memories to remember any thing that is trifling and defiling; strong memories to remember injuries and affronts from fellow-creatures; but, when we would remember the dying love of the Lord Jesus, our memories are weak and treacherous, and we need to be, every now and then, put in mind of it. The truth is, it is rather heart memory than head memory that is wanting. It is because we have no more relish of the love of Christ upon our spirits. What is the cause of this unhappy forgetfulness, it becomes us seriously to inquire. Perhaps there may be some secret sin that is too much favoured, and that makes the thoughts of a holy Christ not so agreeable. Or, perhaps, our hearts have gone out too much after worldly enjoyments; and this has engaged those thoughts and affections, which should have been placed on Christ. O! that we could forget all for Christ!"Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear: forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him," Psa. xlv. 10, 11. Let us cleave to Christ, as Ruth to Naomi; and say, " Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me." Thou know'st we love thee, dearest Lord; But O! we long to soar Far from the sphere of mortal joys, And learn to love thee more. MEDITATION XI. [August 7, 1796.] CANTICLES I. 4. THE UPRIGHT LOVE THEE. AND who can help loving thee? Thou brightest, sweetest, fairest One, And O! that they did know it. We pity those that are ignorant of thee. There are some that never heard of thy name, and no wonder they do not love thee. But we hope now they will hear of thee very soon, and love thee too. greatest wonder is, that there should be But the any that hear of thee every sabbath, and read about thee in their bibles, and yet do not love thee. Lord, pity them; anoint their eyes with eye-salve, take away the veil from their hearts, and then shine out upon them in all the glory of thy grace, and melt them into love. O! let the name of Jesus be as ointment poured forth, that the fragrancy of it may be diffused over the whole house, and the savour of it be precious to every individual; that it might be the general, the universal cry, "Yes; we will love thee, dearest Lord." We are ashamed and grieved that we have kept off from thee so long; that the world and sin should have so long engrossed our affection. They are now soliciting us again, and flesh and blood are endeavouring to discourage us from making a public declaration of our attachment to Thee. They would have us keep it to ourselves, and not tell all the world of our resolution to cleave to thee. But we regard not the world: let them think, and say, and do what they please. Yes; we will love thee, dearest Lord, What a pleasing thought is this, to see the whole assembly, communicants and spectators, to see them all uniting with one mind, and with one voice, in the love and praise of our adorable Emmanuel! Well! grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, be they who they may. He will not despise the meanest soul, where there is uprightness; but he will not accept the |