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of our lives. It is the chriftian's happiness to receive all the bleffings of providence as bleffings enfured to him by that everlafting covenant, which is ordered in all things and fure. As fuch they are expreffions of God's favour. the meaning of the apoftle's fays concerning the temporal neceffities of the faints, My God fhall fupply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Chrift Jefus." There are riches in glory, or glorious riches in Chrift Jefus, according to which every bleffing is beftowed. All your wants of foul and body are hence fupplied. Let the believer dwell, in his thoughts, on this precious portion of fcripture, and by an active faith feed on the marrow and fatness of it.

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The word of God abounds with expreffions to this purpose, that there is no want to them that fear him; that he shall give them the defire of their heart; that they fhall inherit the earth; that he will with-hold no good thing from them; that, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all these things shall be added unto them; that is, not as common mercies, but as bleffings enfured by promife, and as tokens of fpecial favour. Thus the Lord fpake concerning his ancient people, by the prophet Jeremiah, "I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land affuredly,

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affuredly, with my whole heart, and with my whole foul." Here are temporal bleffings accompanied with fpecial favour.

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Sometimes the Lord beftows gifts in displeasure; as when he fed the Ifraelites with quails in the wildernefs. Awful is that divine declaration to a difobedient and gain-faying people, Thus faith the Lord, I will curfe your bleflings, yea, I have curfed them already." But a child of God partakes of the bounties of his hand in mercy, and as tokens and teftimonies of fpecial favour. This makes them doubly precious and valuable,

How fweet our daily comforts prove,
When they are feafon'd with his love!

Xenophon, speaking of the kindness of Cyrus to his friends, relates, that he gave a cup of gold to Artabazus, and a falute to Chryfantas; the former complained that he had been treated with lefs kindnefs than his friend, because the falute of Cyrus was a token of greater favour to Chryfantas, than the golden cup was to him. It is certain, that there is more value in the tokens of favour which the Almighty grants to his poor, defpifed, and afflicted people, than there is in all the treasures of the rich and the great. Whatever the portion of his children be here as to quantity, it is, in quality, like

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Benjamin's mefs, five times larger than that of others; because it is accompanied with the favour, and full of the bleffing of the Lord.

But if the gifts of providence are tokens of the divine favour, then what may be said of the life of felicity and glory in heaven? Eternal life is the gift of God, and a gift of special favour and love. "I give unto them," faith the Lord of glory, “ eternal life, and they fhall never perish." The Father freely gave his beloved Son; the Son as freely gave himself for us. "This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” The divine gift is free to us, though it was not fo to our Redeemer. The manner in which it is conferred on us, and conveyed to us, is wonderful; but, so far from leffening, it greatly enhances the favour, that fo much must be done, and fo much endured by the Son of God, in order to bring our fouls to heaven. Well may we write the word FAVOUR in capital letters on all the steps whereby we are advanced to glory, and upon every link of that golden chain which raifes us from earth to heaven, from the miferable abyfs of our natural ftate, to the paradise of God's immediate prefence.

The Pfalmift faith, in the language of lively hope "Thou wilt guide me with thy counfel, and afterwards receive me to glory.” And Jefus affures

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his followers, that they fhall poffefs the promised inheritance as the fruit of God's good pleasure, notwithstanding the discouragements under which they often labour. "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Reader, if ever you come to the poffeffion of that kingdom, you must be carried thither in the bofom of God's favour. No man that enters the pearly gates of the celeftial city, can say, "I have obtained this felicity by my own defervings." The heavenly inheritance is bequeathed by favour, not obtained by merit. A boafting, felf-fufficient Romifh priest once faid, "I will not accept of heaven gratis." The glorified inhabitants of that celeftial place fpeak another language; they all unite in cafting down their crowns before the throne, debafing themselves to the loweft degree, and crying," Salvation to him' that fitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.”.

We fhall close this chapter by confidering, in a few words, Why chriftians efteem God's 'favour to be their life.

They are induced to do this, because they have that illumination of mind which leads them to fee the difference between the enjoyment of God, and all other enjoyments whatever. There is furch infinite excellency in the Fountain of all felicity, and

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fuch vanity and emptiness in the creature, that they, whose minds are in any degree enlightened, muft know what choice to make... God is the chief good; other objects, in comparison with him, are empty, deceitful and vain. Or, to speak more properly, vanity of vanities, and vexation of spirit. A child of God is, through grace, enabled to judge of things aright, and as they are in their own nature.

The apostle Paul prayed for the Philippians, that their love might abound more and more in all know. ledge, and in all judgment, that they might difcern the things which differ, fo as to approve those which are excellent. Enlightened fouls turn away with disgust from a deluding world, and look for all their felicity in that all-gracious Being whofe favour they efteem as life; faying with the Pfalmift, "Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth I defire befide thee." There is an energy in these words, which though the good man feels, the commentator cannot exprefs. The gracious foul feems to speak in the perfon, and with the affection of a fpoufe, declaring, that not only earth, but Reaven itfelf would be comfortlefs and unfatisfactory, without the prefence of her beloved Redeemer, the God, of her falvation;

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A true chriftian has not only his understanding enlightened, but his will and affections fanctified.

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