nerally speaking, they should be poor-that they should live in such places, and come of such parents. These cir cumstances were not previous to election, as the occasion of it; but subservient to the design, and means of its accomplishment. Thus the Jews are said to be beloved for their fathers' sakes, but not for their sakes elected*. In order to shew that the blessed God, in choosing his people thus, acts agreeably to the principles of reason, the Doctor observes, 1st, "That God hath implanted in the affections, the gracious affections of parents, the strongest desire of their childrens' salvation; and God knows the heart of a father, having a Son himself, whom he loves, and has made heir of all things. To comply, therefore, with that desire of his own implanting, he has so ordered it, that his elect should proceed from the loins of his elect, rather than from others, who have no heart to desire such a privilege for their childien, nor would ever account it a mercy. It was indifferent, in itself, through whose loins his elect should come, as it served only to bring forth men whom he would love; but seeing it would be a gratification to such parents, and cast away on others, he chose rather to bestow it upon his own people. 2d, "This is a privilege more than external and tempoal; it is a spiritual blessing, reaching to eternity; and of its comfort the inward man only is capable. All spiritual affections towards others, though drawn forth by fleshly relations, will last for ever: as that spiritual love which subsista between believing husbands and wives will continue in Heaven, as it is an honour to Jesus Christ, for ever,- so" I, and the children whom thou hast given me." To ministers, their converts are their crown in the day of Christ; and so likewise are such children to such parents. It had been a small thing to Abraham to have been counted the Father of the Faithful, if his comfort had been only from what he saw on earth in Isaac and Ishmael :-no, it is yet to come; when, at the day of judgment, he shall see so many of God's beloved ones to have been taken out of his loins. 3d, "God acts according to the strictest rules of friendship, in being a friend to the family of a friend. David and Jonathan, who were the noblest pair of friends we read of, made this covenant with each other :-Thou shalt not only while I yet live, shew me the kindness of the Lord; Rom. xi. 28. but but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever.' Now God professeth himself to be the most true and perfect friend, and therefore he will not suffer himself to be exceeded by any act of human friendship. What! four thousand years after, to remember his covenant with Abraham and Isaac! as in the future conversion of their seed the Jews! Yes, they are beloved for their fathers' sakes. What an unheard-of friendship is this!" My dear friend, this passage has afforded me much encouragement; I hope it will afford you the same. It is a good antidote to that too-general opinion,-That the children of the godly are very commonly wicked. I well know that some of thein are so; but I have often observed, with great satisfaction, that the Lord continues his grace in many families through several successive generations. Let us, dear Sir, not be wanting in sedulous attention to their religious instruction; let us take care to exhibit daily in our families the power and the pleasure of vital godliness; and, above all, let us be earnest in our prayers, animated by the preceding considerations, that the God of all grace, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will bless us and our seed. Should you read this letter to your amiable children, tell them from me, that this is as encouraging to them as to us, "This doctrine lays a great obligation on them to seek the Lord. Let them say, The Lord is my strength and my song, and he is become my salvation. He is my God, and, I will prepare him a habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.' Will you, dear children, desert your father's God? This is the highest ingratitude. Solomon says, Thy own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not.' O cleave to him, and you shall have a double portion of his love, and be his Benjamin, in comparison of other Saints." Draw near to your father's God, and say, "Lord, thou hast given me some light into thy decrees. Thy word tells me that the heavenly inheritance is bequeathed to the children of thy children, and that thou hast delighted to produce thine elect from thy elect. Lo, therefore, O Lord, thy servant presents himself before thee as one of these; and so, not knowing but that this estate may belong to me, I come to thee who keepest these records. I beseech thee to look into thy book, look into thy heart, and call to mind the unfeigned faith which dwelt in my parents, and I hope shall dwell in me also. Thou hast disposed my heart to seek thy face; thou hast in a special manner invited me, S$ 2 certifying certifying that I shall be doubly welcome.-O Lord, resolve my doubts, and shew me plainly that I am one of them." "Thus to the parents and their seed, Shall thy salvation come; IT And num'rous households meet at last Coventry. I am ever affectionately yours, G. B. THE NAIL IN A SURE PLACE. ISAIAH XXII. 23. As a Nail in a Sure Place. Tis said of Jesus, that "to him gave all the prophets witness;" and there is no doubt but it was a grand object with all the sacred writers to exalt "him whom God delights to honour;" yet some of the images they employ, seem to give but a mean idea of his infinite excellency-this, for instance, in the text before us, of a Nail. To remove this objection, and cast one ray of glory on the name which I love and adore, I would just show the importance and propriety of the metaphor, in the prophet's use of it, by an extract from Sir J. Chardin and Bishop op Lowth. Sir John says, "They do not drive with a hammer the nails that are put into eastern walls; the walls are too hard, being of brick; or if they are of clay, too mouldering: but they fix them in the brick-work as they are building. They are large nails, with square heads, like dice, well made; the end being bent, so as to make them cramp-irons. They commonly place them at windows and doors, in order to hang upon them, when they like, veils and curtains." Bishop Lowth adds, "that they were put in other places too, in order to hang up things of various kinds, as appears from this place of Isaiah, and from Ezek. xv. 3, who speaks of a pin, or nail, to hang any vessel thereon." This metaphor, then, contemptible as it may at first appear, conveys two very important ideas :- 1. That Christ is an essential part of God's building; and those who attempt to build without him, will not have a peg to hang their hopes upon which leads to another idea: : 2. That Christ is the only support of a sinner's hope: "Other refuge have I none, "Hangs my helpless soul on thee." "Grace hath been shewn from the Lord our Godt, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a Nail in his holy Temple." Amen. So be it, reader, with thee and thine, T.W. * Harmer, vol. 1. p. 191. + Ezra ix. 8. DELIGHT IN RELIGIOUS EXERCISES, AN EVIDENCE OF VITAL GODLINESS. E REFLECTIONS ON PSALM XXXVII. 14. VERY part of the conduct of God towards man is marked by strong expressions of his infinite beneficence; and this discovers itself in few instances more eminently, than in rendering the path of duty the path of felicity: in making the institution of devotion the channel of our best enjoyments. This charming truth is taught us by the striking words of David: Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Hence we derive this observation, that every act of devotion is delightful to the pious mind: and this proposition is illustrated and enforced by attending to the exhortation, and to the promise, to the duty, and to the reward. 1. We are exhorted to delight ourselves in the Lord, and make Religion our chief pleasure. The carnal mind feels an aversion from God. The exercise of religion is burdensome his language is," Behold what a weariness is it!" But the feelings of the pious heart are adinirably expressed by the inspired author of the 84th Psalm: How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts: my soul longeth, yea even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God! Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee." It becomes us to delight ourselves in the object of devotion. The Divine Essence is the grand object to which the gracious soul will labour to raise its devout affections. God the Father, as the fountain of Deity, and of redeeming love;-God the Son, as the medium of our access to God, and of communications out of the fulness of Deity to impoverished man; God the Holy Ghost, as inspiring divine life, and sealing to the soul the redemption purchased. This glorious object is the centre to which every sanctified desire tends:-this is the only source of real and durable felicity. We should also delight in the blessings sought. When the serious mind enters the house of God, and bends at the footstool of infinite beneficence, let it reflect-What are the blessings which I ask? are they the delusive pleasures, or fading honours of this world?-No: a participation of the image of God, communion with him, and the prelibations of Heaven; these are the favours which the believer esteems as life, yea, better than life.-Again, The promises which ensure these blessings, should create delight. A gracious soul delights in the promises, because they authorize him to expect all the rich treasures of the Covenant of Grace. These are the "wells of salvation," by which the weary traveller is refreshed; and the act of prayer is no more than presenting to God his own words of promise.-We should delight in the feelings awakened in religious exercises :— These are exalted reverence of God-deep and sincere humility-lively gratitude, and heartfelt love-great astonishment at the freeness and fulness of sovereign grace, discovered to such worthless creatures: in a word, all the christian graces, styled by the apostle the Fruit of the Spirit, which shed a fragrance around the Disciple of Jesus. Should it be asked, From whence does this delight arise? we reply, From the work of grace in the heart. Without this, there is no solid ground for delight. This is the rich fountain, which sends forth such a variety of pleasing streams. This is the well of water within, which springeth up to everlasting life; and, without this, our acts of devotion would not arise to God: for (as one said)" A prayer without grace, is a prayer without wings." This will inspire an holy boldness to draw near to God. A guilty conscience will damp your zcal, and shut your mouth.-From a persuasion of our relation to God: an assurance that we are his children, will be an infinite source of delight. A relation to Jesus the Intercessor, will naturally create joy unspeakable, when it has the witness of the Spirit of God with our spirits. Hence a good hope springs up in the soul; and this hope is built on the promises of God, and his veracity. God has said, "I will make such joyful in my house of prayer." It is therefore not only the privilege of the children of God to rejoice evermore, but their incumbent duty; and to enforce this duty, contemplate 2. The Reward: "He shall give thee the desires of thy heart." Bountiful liberality!-Christian, awake-elevate your desires-ask liberally-fear not to exhaust Infinity!— ask thy soul what are its desires?-wilt thou not eagerly reply, "Let others stretch their arms like scas, “And grasp in all the shore; "Grant me the visits of thy face, "And I desire no more!" You ask for greater purity. Sin is your daily burden. On this account you loathe and abhor yourself. To obtain greater |