to say,

66

I will hope continually.-Ps. lxxi. 14. I am warranted to do so, for the foundation of my hope remains immutably the same. The character of my gracious God, the faithful promises of his word, the recorded history of his saints, and my own past experience, all conspire Hope continually." I will hope, that God will be merciful to my unrighteousness; that he will support me under all my trials, that he will send me seasonable relief, and timely deliverance; that good will flow from all my troubles; that grace will be brought unto me at the appearing of Jesus; and that eternal life will be my final portion. "I will hope," for I shall be injured if I do not, anxiety will torment my bosomdespondency will brood over my soul-and I shall be filled with fearful forebodings. "I will hope continually," for hope honours God--it brightens the prospects—it stimulates to prayer and exertion-and is the sweetener of human life.

But I would also remember, that my hope will be sorely tried; satan will try it-the God of hope will try it-a thousand things will try it-but a good hope will live, strengthen, and work until it gives place to possession. I will not despond. Why should I? I will not fear. What will it profit me?

Let the winds blow, and billows roll
Hope is the anchor of my soul:
It fastens on a land unknown,

And moors me to my father's throne!

Thou hast tried me.-Ps. xvii. 3.

Then prayer has been answered, graces have been exercised, and discipline has been used. The Lord trieth the righteous, and his trials discover, prove, and brighten his character. His fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem; and there he tries his people. Every trial is necessary for our good; is ordained by eternal love; and is continued just as long as requisite, but not one moment longer. Every saint needs trials, and every saint is tried. If the Lord intends to make us holy, he will put us into the fire, Every time we pray for holiness, we pray for trials; but trials enhance the value of the promises, endear the throne of grace, render the ordinances profitable, and make the Saviour exceedingly precious. In trials we learn to read our own hearts, see the insufficiency of the world, look more closely to our evidences, humble ourselves before our God, and look with a longing eye to the end of our course. The tried christian, is likely to be a stable christian; very few who walk in a smooth path, are either remarkably spiritual, extensively useful, or very happy. Trials, like the frosts of winter, prepare our hearts to receive the good seed of the word, and then we bring forth fruit with patience.

Brought into the fire, thy wonderful pow'r,
Unburnt we admire, unhurt we adore: [prove
Brought thro' our temptation, we shortly shall
Thine utmost salvation, thy perfecting love.

Delight thyself also in the Lord.-Ps. xxxvii. 4.

As the Lord delights in us, we ought to delight ourselves in him. In order to this, we must receive correct views of his loveliness into cur minds; we must meditate on his glorious perfections, as they are revealed to us in Jesus; we must realize our interest in his love, and perfect salvation; and turn from every other object to contemplate his beauty, his benevolence, and constant love to us. We should look to him, as the fountain of all good; hope in him, as the promise-performing God; wait on him, as our bountiful benefactor; trust in him, as our Father and Friend; and delight in him as our portion and everlasting all. Let us endeavour, to take off our affections more and more from things below and fix them upon the Lord. How few delight in God! How seldom do we! read of him, think of him, call on him, believe in him, hope in him, and feel a little love to him we think it enough. But it is not. We should delight ourselves in the Lord. We may delight in his love, which is set upon us; in his vast resources, which are open to supply us; in his truth, which secures us; in his holiness, which is his beauty; and in his grace, which rejoices to do us good.

O Lord, I would delight in thee,
And on thy care depend;

To thee in every trouble flee,
My best, my only friend.

D

If we

That Holy Spirit of promise.-Ephes. i. 13.

The great blessing promised in the Old Testament, is the Son of God; but the great promise of the New Testament, is the Holy Spirit. He was promised to Jesus, as the reward of his work; and he has promised him to us, to all who ask him. Jesus gives this living water, and all who receive it, find it to be a spring of water, welling up into everlasting life. The Spirit is promised to us, to teach us, lead us, comfort us, and assist us in every duty; and we are as dependant upon him for light, life, joy, peace, and power, as we are upon Jesus for atonement, righteousness, and acceptance with God. He is the Spirit of promise also, as it is part of his work to unfold, apply, and prompt us to plead the promises before God. Without him we read the promises but do not perceive their fullness, realize their glory, or appropriate them to ourselves; but under his teaching, the promises appear new, exactly suited to us, exceeding great, and very precious. Every christian, is learning out in the school of painful experience, his dependance upon, and daily need of the Holy Spirit of promise. Beloved, let us guard against grieving him; with double diligence let us cherish his influence, consult his will, obey his intimations, and seek his operations.

Father. the sealing Spirit give,

to me to live and reign!

Let me the promise now receive,
And never thirst again.

By grace ye are saved.-Eph. ii. 5.

What a mercy to be saved! To be saved by mere favour! But our salvation from first to last is of grace. It originated in the mind of God, before time began; and it will be completed before the throne of God, when time shall be no more. We are chosen to salvation -chosen in Christ: and this choice of our persons was eternal-sovereign-immutable. Election gave us a name in God's book, an interest in the Saviour's undertaking and a part in the saints' inheritance. We are redeemed from among men, and this is a favour. In redemption, a price is paid for us, power is exerted to rescue us, and a plea is put into our mouths. We are called to God's kingdom and glory, and this is a favour: it is personal, powerful, effectual. Calling gives us a new life, a spiritual taste, and an evidence of interest in all covenant blessings. We are kept by the power of God, and this is a favour. Prevented from being overcome by foes, crushed by dangers, and from apostatising from the faith; and this proves that we are appointed to salvation. We shall soon be glorified, and heaven will be conferred on us as a favour. If salvation is a favour, then the vilest may receive it; and all the glory of it from first to last must be the Lord's.

Salvation is a favour God bestows,

Through Jesu's blood on aliens and foes;
By sovereign grace, to make his glory known,
He raises sinners to surround his throne.