living God. As the hart panteth for the waterbrooks, fo panteth my foul after thee, O God."*

Finally, the true christian is enabled to view things by an eye of faith, and as fuch, is directed and determined what to chufe, and to purfue. pursue. "We look not at the things which are feen, but at the things which are not feen: for, the things which are feen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." Thus, "by faith, Mofes, when he was come to years, refused to be called the fon of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of fin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Chrift greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had refpect to the recompence of the reward." The eye of faith overlooks all the glory of this world, and lays its honour in the duft. It draws a veil over the world's deceitful charms, and contemplates heavenly objects in their native luftre and beauty.

*Other refuge have I none;

Hangs my helpless foul on thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
Lord, fupport and comfort me!

All my trust on theo is ftay'd,
All my help from thee I bring;
Cover my defencelefs 'head

With the shadow of thy wing.

�� ར•ར,

beauty. Faith realizes the things of the kingdom of God, and as fuch, is the victory which overcometh the world. It looks within the veil, takes the dimensions of the heavenly inheritance, furveys the celestial country, and forms a proper eftimate both of things below, and things above, and engages and directs the foul to make a proper valuation of the one and of the other.. A chriftian's life is a life of faith. He walks by faith, and not by fight and fenfe. Faith quickly difcerns how little the objects of sense can contribute to folid happiness, and that the favour of God alone is the life of the foul. In his favour is life.

Vain earthly delights

No more I defire,

To infinite heights

My wishes afpire;

Lord, thou art my treasure,

My portion and choice;
And in thy good pleasure,
My foul fhall rejoice.

The world I refign,
And all it can give;
Lord, if I am thine,
Securely I live.

Having gone through the doctrinal part of our fubject, we shall next endeavour to apply what has been advanced,

CHAP.

IF

CHAP. VII.

The Subject applied by Way of Information.

F the reader is pleased to review the foregoing pages, he will find, that by the favour of God we understand, his kindness in a way of common providence, the peculiar inftances of his goodness, the distinguishing acts of his grace, and the comfortable enjoyment of his special love. This is denominated life, as it is the caufe, the object, the regulation, and the end of a pious man's life. We have confidered the fubject with refpect to a finner's first converfion, his being led into the way of peace, and brought into a state of acceptance with God through Jefus Chrift. We have observed, that divine favour reftores us from a backfliding state, supports us under every kind of affliction, and fortifies our minds in the near approach of death. We have confidered, that from the favour of God proceeds a life of justification, of fanctification, of perfeverance in grace and holinefs, and of glorification after death. We have finally remarked the reasons why God's children put fuch a value upon his favour as to account it life. Their minds are divinely illuminated, their wills and affections are fanctified, they have tafted that the Lord is gra.

...?✡4.4

cious, and their eftimation of things is not after the flefh, but by faith. If the reader will favour us with his ferious attention, we fhall now endeavour to apply what has been advanced. And that, first, by way of information.

appears from what has been faid on this important fubject, that life is a rich mercy. It muft be fo, fince it is the production of God's favour. In his favour is life. It is that good thing by which the Pfalmift illuftrates and exemplifies the favour of God. He does not fay, In his favour are to be enjoyed wifdom, riches, health and kind relations; but, In his favour is life. Though those are great Natural life is a fun

mercies, yet life is greater. damental bleffing. If that is fufpended, or taken away, all the comforts of life ceafe. Nature defires a perpetuation of its being, and shudders at the thought of its diffolution. Satan, the father of lies, can fometimes fpeak truth, as he did when he faid, "Skin for fkin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life." It is owing to the favour of God that we have any being, though we are attended with many afflictions, and rank with the lowest of his reasonable creatures. Existence is what the Sovereign of the univerfe did not owe us. "I will fing unto God," faid David," as long as I live; I will fing praife unto my God, while I have

my