How great is the difference between a cool historical faith, that floats in a contemplated head, and the faith of God's elect, which warms, invigorates, and purifies the heart. The former is a mere moonlight faith, which, however clear, so far as it goes, yet leaves us as cold and as barren as it found us. The latter, like the solar communications, enlivens and fertilizes the soul, filling it with joy and peace, through the power of the Holy Ghost; and adorning it with the gems, and flowers, and fruits of grace.

St. Paul finely illustrates the eternal generation of Christ, by a grand idea, taken from the material sun. The passage I refer to is Heb. i. 3. where our adorable surety is styled, the forth-beaming of the Father's glory. Perhaps no other object in the whole compass of nature,could have supplied the apostle with a piece of imagery equally majestic, delicate, and just. Light proceeds from the sun, and yet the sun never existed without light. Christ is at once the begotten of the Father, and co-eternal with him. The sun's rays, or unintermitting efflux of light, are of the same nature with the sun itself: and Christ is a person in the same essence with the Father. Al

mighty, and joint partaker of all his lovely, glorious, and infinite attributes. Could light be exterminated from the sun, the sun itself, as such, would inevitably be destroyed; and to deny the deity of Jesus, is virtually to deny the existence of God. For, whosoever denieth the Son, hath not the Father; but he that acknowledgeth the Son, hath the Father also.

By whom are the planets supported? and whose hands impels them, with neverceasing rapidity round the central ocean of fire? They are supported and impelled by that very person, whose human soul was made an offering for sin; and whose hands were nailed to the ignominious tree. By him all things consist; or are held together; Col. i. 17.-He both sustains and carries all things by the word of his own power (Heb. i. 3.) he upholds the entire universe of suns and worlds; and by the omnipotency of his sovereign will, he carries the rolling worlds round their respective suns.

SOME of God's converted people are soon matured for glory, by their nearness to, and intimate communion with, the sun of righteousness. These are frequently

X

known to outrun their brethren, and
(like John at the tomb of our Lord) to
reach the sepulchre, finish their course,
and ascend to their master's joy, at a very
earlier period. While other saints, who
either do not ripen so fast, or who have a
larger field of usefulness to occupy on
earth, are detained from their crown un-
til they are full of years and good works.
Each of these is gathered as a shock of
corn in its season. O believer, if thy
God summons thee away betimes, his
Spirit will first perfect that which con-
cerneth thee! nor will Providence apply
the sickle until grace has made thee
white for the harvest. Or, if he length-
ens thy thread, having much for thee
to do, and much to suffer, he will shew
himself the God of thy old age, and
not forsake thee when thou art grey-
headed; for he hath inviolably declared,
Even to your old age I am he; and
even to hoary hairs will I carry you: I
have made, and I will bear; even I will
carry, and I will deliver you.-Isa. xlvi. 4.
Remember, to thy great and endless com-
fort, that

"His ev'ry word of grace is strong
As that which built the skies:
The voice that rolls the stars along,
Spake all the promises."

As all the planets perform their revolutions, without intermission, so they make the end of one revolution the beginning of another. They are never languid, never fatigued. They renew their beauteous toil again and again: nor will ever stop until the archangel swears, by Him who liveth from eternity to eternity, that time shall be no longer. Equally intense, uninterrupted, and unwearied, the obedience of Adam was, ere sin profaned the temple of the soul. Such too the obedience of the elect angels has been, and is to this moment. Such, moreover, the true believer on earth wishes (but wishes, alas! in vain) to pay his Lord and such shall the obedience, both of saints and angels, for ever be, in the paradise of God.

"Then shall we sing and never tire,

In that blest house above;

Where sin and fear, and pain expire,
Cast out by perfect love.

Then not the sun shall, more than I,
His Maker's will perform;

Nor shine with brighter purity,
Nor burn with zeal se warm.'

"

MANY are the secret acts of prayer, praise, faith, love, and humiliation, which true believers exercise towards their hea

venly Father. Remote from the prying eye of man, they pour out their souls into the bosom of the Lord; and, wrapt in the comforts of his presence, the curiosity of others wishes in vain to know the whole of what passes between God and them. As, on one hand, there are occasions, when it is our bounden duty, for the honour of our Master, and for the edification of our neignbour, to let our light shine before men: there are at times, also, when it behoves us to enter into our closets, and to shut the door about us, and hold sequestered communion with him who sees in secret. This distinction reminds me of a little anecdote, not entirely foreign from the subject. A late prelate in the North of England had couceived some illiberal prejudices against a clergyman of his diocese. With intent to embarrass the divine, his lordship thus addressed him at a public visitation:"Sir, you give away a great deal to the poor: but your charity is of the ostentatious kind. You are too public in the distributions of your bounty; I do not hear of any private good you do. It is all with sound of trumpet." The answer was sensible and pertinent: 66 My lord, I care not how much you hear of my public charities, nor how little you hear of my private ones."