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his defponding children gracious intimations of his favour, it is unquestionably criminal in them, to call these but sparks of their own kindling, or delufions of Satan.

It

many mortifying methods, but his troubles ftill increased. He confulted an eminent minifter about

his cafe, giving him an account of the ftate of his foul, and particularizing the fins which lay heavy on his confcience. The minifter, Dr. T. G. wrote to him in reply, that he had forgot to mention the greatest fin of all, that of unbelief, or not believing on the Lord Jefus Chrift for the remiffion of his fins, and the fanctification of his nature. Upon this he fet himself to the studying and preaching of Chrift; and attained to peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, in conjunction with an eminent degree of holiness. His book on The Gofpel Mystery of Sanctification, fo much recommended by the late Mr. James Hervey, was the fruit of his own experience. A little before his death, he faid to those about him, "I die in the full perfuafion of the truth, and in the comfort of that doctrine which I have preached to others." His laft words "The were, wages of fin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jefus Chrift our Lord."

The book, juft mentioned, is abridged, and fome paffages in it which were liable to abuse, very judiciously guarded against a wrong construction, by the late pious and fenfible Mr. Benjamin Forfitt..

བད�རབ་རབ་

It is a certain truth that Satan can transform himfelf into an angel of light; but the fealings and witnessings of the Holy Spirit, if properly attended to, carry their own evidence along with them. And by the sacred touch-stone of God's word, every thing of this kind ought to be tried. The effects of God's gracious manifestations of favour to the foul, befpeak their reality, and distinguish them from every thing of a delufive nature.

Has not the Lord often, by his holy word and Spirit, poured divine comforts into your defponding mind? Has he not raised your heart to himself, in hope and truft, joy and confidence? Has he not enabled you to derive encouragement from the gofpel remedy? Have you not, to the relief of your pained heart, and the healing of your wounded conscience, beheld the Lamb of God which taketh away the fin of the world? Have not these views melted your heart into penitence, inspired you with love to Jefus, zeal for his honour, defire after holiness, and indignation against fin? And can you, afterwards, in a season of darkness, call this deception and delufion? Surely you will not cherifh fo unworthy a thought.

What would you think of the child of an earthly parent, who, after he has had the ftrongeft proofs of paternal affection, should count them all as no

》ཉྩ་ར་

thing, and fay, "I have been deceived; my father does not love me?" Would you not think such a child very ungrateful? What then will you think of yourself? There is a paffage appofite to our purpose, in the prophecy of Malachi. "I have loved you, faith the Lord; yet ye fay, Wherein haft thou loved us ?" They had the boldnefs to ask, in what instance, in what one particular case he had fhewn favour and kindness to them. Surely, this must be displeasing to the Holy One of Ifrael. Yet when Zion faid, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me," he condefcends to expoftulate with her on the subject, in the tendereft manner. Can a woman forget her fucking child, that she should not have compaffion on the fon of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee."

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Though the evidences of divine favour be clear and strong, yet we fometimes, through darkness of mind, do not distinguish them, or else, through obstinacy in grief and despondency, we refuse to be comforted. In either cafe, the error lies in ourfelves. But this is our comfort, the Lord fees our weakness, and pities our helpless fouls. The compaffionate Redeemer was tempted in all points like as we are, that he might know how to fuccour those that are tempted. "If thou be the Son of God,"

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God," was the ground of his firft temptation in the wilderness. In like manner the enemy comes to us, "If thou be a child of God, but what reason haft thou to believe that thou art? Is it poffible that fo vile, fo polluted, fo unworthy a finner, fhould be bold enough to claim the high privilege ?"

After all, the fafeft course to be taken for relief in a feafon of darkness, is not to look within ourselves for encouragement, but to turn our eyes to the divine remedy, and to believe, as we are enabled, the free proclamations of mercy through Jefus Chrift to finners as fuch. Whofoever believeth in him fhall not perish, but have everlasting life.

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Fly to the hope the gospel gives,

The man, that trufls the promife, lives.

It highly becomes us to beware of difpleafing the Lord by unthankfulness for the favours he bestows upon us. Ingratitude is the grave in which many mercies are buried and concealed. Mofes compofed a fong to be fung by the Ifraelites, to perpetuate the memory of God's kindness to them, through all fucceeding generations. This fong is recorded in the thirty-second chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, and deferves an attentive perufal by us in New Teftament times. O

No. IX. 1.

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To receive many favours, and to be totally un concerned about making returns, is ungrateful, and very unsuitable to the temper with which every true chriftian fhould be infpired. Surely," fays the Pfalmift, "the righteous fhall give thanks to thy name." He was fo affected himself with God's goodness, that he could not reft on his bed in the hours appointed for repose, but rose at midnight to give thanks to him. The apostle Paul was not lefs eminent for his grateful, than for his prayerful difpofition. Thanks be to God;-I thank Chrift Jefus our Lord;-with other expreffions of like import, frequently occur in his writings.

Ingratitude is a vice for which the very heathens are condemned in the word of God. It ftands connected with the vileft abominations. It indicates fomething worse than brutish stupidity; for the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but the unthankful acknowledge not the hand that feeds, protects and clothes them. Reader, if this is your prevailing difpofition, be afhamed of it. The God, in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, have you not glorified. To overlook and entirely to forget unnumbered favours, denotes a base, unworthy, difingenuous fpirit. If you are a disciple of Jefus, you surely look upon yourself as under obligation to thank God for your