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up in the contemplation of the divine glories, who then is? If he be not happy who has the bible for his rule, the Holy Spirit for his guide, angels and ministers for his attendants, saints for his companions, heaven for his end, and God himself for his portion; ah! if such be not happy, then there is no happiness! It is only a name; and the whole universe is destined to perpetual woe and misery. But the christian does experience a joy, and that of the purest, of the sublimest, of the noblest kind. "His soul dwells at ease. peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keepeth his heart and mind. He glories even in tribulation, and rejoices in hope of the glory of God." Ps. xxv. 13. Phil. iv. 6. Rom. v. 3. The world may reproach, troubles may assail, enemies may oppose, a thousand difficulties may arise; but when the soul prospers, all is well. For thine it is, O adorable Emanuel, to keep the feet of thy saints; thine to support them in the trying hour; thine to inspire them with holy joy; and and thine, at last, to crown with eternal glory.

We have before observed, that the soul may be in health without always experiencing transports of joy, and that the christian, though he may be happy, yet is not in the present state to expect continual ecstacies. There have been some instances, however, of extraordinary experience and singular manifestations, which as some would think complete enthusiasm to believe, so I think, on the other hand, it would be incredulity to deny. I am no advocate for visions, revelations, and singular impulses [see chapter on Advice respecting Experience;] yet there have been, and may be, instances of sublime consolation, which, upon the

most rational survey of things according to scripture, may be considered as divine. "It would take up many whole pages," says Dr. Watts, "to cite such instances as we find upon record in the lives of particular persons. Many such may be found in Mr. Fleming's fulfilling of the scripture. Even in our day, we have the example of a person whose solid sense, whose deep sagacity, whose sedate judgment, and the superior excellence of his reasoning powers, leave no room to charge him with vain and delusive raptures of a heated imagination. The name is the venerable Mr. John Howe. The name commands respect, and confirms the narrative. He wrote the following paragraphs in the blank leaf of his own

bible.

"December 26, 1689. After that I had long seriously and repeatedly thought with myself, that, besides a full and undoubted assent to the objects of faith, a vivifying savoury taste and relish of them was also necessary, that with stronger force, and more powerful energy, they might penetrate into the most inward centre of my heart, and there, being most deeply fixed and rooted, govern my life; and that there could be no other sure ground whereon to conclude and pass a sound judgment on my good estate outward, and after I had in my course of preaching been largely insisting on 2 Cor. i. 12, This is my rejoicing, the testimony of a good conscience,' &c. this very morning I awoke out of a most ravishing and delightful dream, that a wonderful and copious stream of celestial rays from the lofty throne of the Divine Majesty did seem to dart into my open and expanded breast. I have often since,

with great complacency, reflected on that very signal pledge of special divine favour vouchsafed to me on that noted memorable day, and have with repeated fresh pleasure tasted the delights thereof.

"But what of the same kind I sensibly felt through the admirable bounty of my God, and the most pleasant comforting influence of the Holy Spirit on Oct. 22, 1704, far surpassed the most expressive words my thoughts can suggest. I then experienced an inexpressibly pleasant melting of heart, tears gushing out of mine eyes for joy, that God should shed abroad his love abundantly through the hearts of men, and that for this very purpose mine own heart should be so signally possessed of and by his blessed Spirit.'

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Ŏf Mr. Flavel it is said, "That in a journey on horseback he fell into a divine meditation, wherein he had such tokens of the love of God, and his interest in the divine favour manifested to him, that greatly surpassed all the rational and inferential evidences that ever he had, though he was known to be a close walker with God, an eminent saint, and a lively preacher of the blessed gospel of Christ.”

These instances are not mentioned to discourage those whose joys do not run so high, but to shew that God in his infinite goodness is pleased sometimes to favour his people, even while here, with remarkable manifestations of his glory. They who have them must consider themselves as highly privileged; and they who have them not, however, must not despair, since the Lord acts as a sovereign in the dispensation of his favour, and, after all, it is his grace, and not his consolations, that sayes us. But we proceed, in

the next place, to observe, that deep humility and meekness of spirit peculiarly characterise the prosperous christian. Prosperity of soul consists in living near to God; and living near to God will always produce humility. In proportion as we approach the Divine Majesty, the more we shall be confounded and overwhelmed with the radiant beams of his glory. Who is it that boasts, that thinks much of himself, that is perpetually talking of his own merit and abilities? Surely it is not the prosperous christian: it must be the man who knows little of himself, who lives at a distance from the Fountain of light and perfection. The discoveries which the gospel makes of the glorious attributes of the Creator, and the discoveries which grace makes of the imperfections and depravity of the creature, cause the christian to lie low in his own esteem, and to think highly of his God. Thus Isaiah, after a view he had of the divine glory, exclaims, "Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts." Thus the apostle, notwithstanding all his superior attainments, calls himself" the least of all saints :" So John, when he beheld the glory of his Redeemer, was so overpowered, that he fell at his feet as dead. may consider humility as one of the first and one of the surest evidences of the health of the mind. And it is this which, "though the most lowly, is the most lovely of the christian graces, and throws an amiable lustre on all the rest. It is in the christian life the same as the well-disposed shades in a picture, which set it off to advantage; for though the shades are not striking in them

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selves, yet they give an inexpressible beauty to the whole piece."* How pleasant is it to see the christian in this spirit! While the proud are racked with envy and jealousy, pushed on by ambition and vanity, so as to become restless and wretched, the humble christian walks on quietly and contentedly. The provocations of men do not ruffle him; the reproaches of the world do not depress him. The happy spirit he possesses teaches him to think lowly of himself; to bear with injuries, to forgive unkindness. If he hears that any one has reviled him, he is ready to say, with the philosopher, "Had he known me better, he would have said worse things of me than that." The opinion of the world, popular applause, and honours which fade away, are not sought for by him. And as he aims not at these objects, so he meets not with those vexations which generally disturb the minds of those who are anxiously pursuing them. He considers himself more secure in the valley than on the mountain; as the weakest plant is preserved in the one, while the loftiest tree is often torn to pieces by the tempest on the other. It must not be, however, understood that the christian is of a weak and pusillanimous mind; that his views of himself and of things destroy his peace, and prevent his rejoicing. We grant that there may sometimes be an extreme even in this, and that the enemy may take an advantage to confine our attention so to our unworthiness, as almost to prevent our application to Chaist as the Saviour.

* Mason.

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