nature, that we might partake of his; became the Son of Man, that we might be made the children of God; " for our sakes he became poor, that we, through his poverty, might become rich;" he stooped to bear the greatest ignominy and reproach, to confer honour on us; he was, for a time, forsaken of his Father, that we might not be so eternally; he felt the stroke of his anger against sin, that we might not perish under it; he was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs, that we might rejoice; his agonies and bloody sweat were for our refreshment, and by his stripes we are healed; he bowed his head on the cross, that we might lift up ours in triumph; and, because we had eaten of the forbidden fruit, he hung on the accursed tree. It was for us that he suffered the frowns of heaven, the enmity of hell, the rage of devils, the hatred and persecution of the world; he was judged, that we might not come into condemnation; he was crucified, that we might be glorified; and he is now come again finally and fully to effect it.

"Othe height, and depth, and length, and breadth, of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge," but calls for admiration and everlasting gratitude! This is the blessed day we longed, and waited, and prayed for! This is our gracious, our glorious Lord, whose love melted our heart, whose promise was our support, whose word was our rule, whose Spirit was our comforter, whose cross was our crown, and the hope of his appearance our chief consolation.

Lord, what am I? what was I? that the ever blessed Son of God should do, and suffer, and purchase, all this for me! I can remember when I was

ignorant of God, a stranger to him, at enmity with him, under the power of darkness and the devil, serving divers lusts and pleasures, hastening to hell, and liable to his wrath. But he chose me out of the world, stamped his image upon me, pardoned my sins, and embraced me in the arms of his unchangeable love. O happy change! and yet how little did I prize his grace, admire his love, and express my own, or promote his glory, and honour him in the eyes of others! How did I dishonour my profession and holy calling, as his disciple, by aggravated apostacy! But he recovered me by repentance, and healed my backslidings, and received me graciously, because he loved me freely. O admirable grace! to pardon, and save, and bring to glory, such an unthankful wretch as I have been! to make such a difference between me and others, whom I knew on earth! That the same power which makes them miserable now, makes me blessed! That, when they are banished from his presence into everlasting destruction, I am admitted to behold his glory, and shall dwell with him for ever!

Oh! how much more do I now see and find, than ever I believed, of the love of Christ, and his promised salvation! How much more glorious is the person of my Redeemer! How much more excel

lent is the heavenly state than ever I thought or expected! I could not have imagined the thousandth thousandth part of that which I now see and feel! I cannot but admire, and spend an eternity in admiring and praising, the incomparable grace and glory of my blessed Redeemer.

Such holy admiration will certainly produce the most thankful adoration of our Lord Jesus; saying, one to another, O bless the Lord of love and glory! who humbled himself so low, as our Mediator, and hath exalted us so high, as the blessed fruit of it! How can we ever enough adore and praise him, who condescended so far, and hath done and suffered so much for us! See how the holy angels worship this King of glory! And have not every one of us more reason to do so? O! let all the choir of heaven celebrate his glorious love! and let us, his redeemed, his glorified, ones, say continually, "Let the Lord be magnified, who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God, his Father," and, through him, ours.

O merciful Saviour! O glorious change! O happy society! with whom we shall eternally adore our common Lord. We can some of us remember, when we lived together on earth, how we wept and prayed, and fasted and mourned, together; how we suffered, and complained, and sinned, together. O! the marvellous change our Redeemer hath now wrought for us, and in us! these bodies, these souls, this life, this place, this company, these enjoyments, are not like those in yonder world. But, alas ! who can describe what believers shall then think and say, to extol their Saviour! How small a portion is it we understand of that world! How little can I conceive, and how much less express! Blessed be God we know so much, as the matter of our joyful hopes! and for ever blessed be God, who hath pro

mised and provided such a glory for us, as cannot now be fully known.

What inexpressible sweetness might believers taste, by rejoicing in hope, did a more lively faith realize all this to their souls! We might listen, as it were, to the shouts and acclamations of the saints above, and say Amen to their thanksgivings. We might behold them about the throne of God, and of the Lamb, with palms of victory in their hands, a crown of glory on their heads, and songs of triumph in their mouths, saying, "Hallelujah! Worthy art thou, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. And worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." And again," Blessing, honour, glory, and power, be unto him who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever."

Whence is it, O my soul! if indeed I believe and expect all this, that I can hear, and read, and think, and speak of, these great things, with no more ardent affection, suitable preparations, importunate prayers, and vigorous desires? How should the believing thoughts of that day promote my heavenlymindedness, self-denial, contempt of the world, patience, and perseverance; quicken my zeal, secure my steadfastness, and give life and spirit to my prayers for the hastening of it! How should my soul rise toward heaven by holy love and desire! Ascend and meet him, get as near him as I can, breathe after more of his presence, and beg him to prepossess my heart, to anticipate his second coming

by clearer discoveries of his love, and fuller communications of his grace! "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

SECTION XXIV.

Concerning the examination of a man's heart and life; the reasonableness, advantages, and necessity of it. Some directions and advice concerning the time and manner. That we may know in what preparedness we are for eternity. .

I AM hastening every year, every day, to the period of this life: I must shortly appear before my glorious Judge, and experience those terrors or comforts, this blessedness or misery, which I have now read of. Shall I not therefore inquire which of the two belongs to me? Is it not worth considering whither I must go, and how I shall fare, when I quit this body? what is like to be my next habitation? to which of the two unchangeable states I shall be adjudged? Shall an inquiry of so much consequence be put off to an indefinite hereafter? Do I not desire to know the worst, while a remedy may be found? Or, am I content to die, through an unwillingness to discover that I am sick? question to be resolved is of infinite weight.

The

Shall

I not spend a few hours to know what will become of me for ever? An error is more than possible, it is easy to mistake; and the hazard of doing so is unspeakably great. How many thousands perish