and gates are a display of the glory of God when a poor sinner enters into the presence, grace, favour, and joy of the Lord, and is favoured with an unctuous experience of his glorious grace. When these windows from on high are opened by the ministry of the word, Isa. xxiv. 18, how do poor sensible sinners fly to them when the report of it is spread abroad. "Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to their windows?" Isa. lx. 8. Furthermore, the mind and understanding of a man are the windows of the soul, even as the eyes are of the body; and every time he shines into the soul, like the sun, he illuminates us and warms our hearts. These are the soul-ravishing discoveries that he makes of himself when he looketh in at the windows; thus we see through a glass darkly, but in time to come we shall see him face to face. The last view the spouse had of him was flourishing through the lattice, Song ii. 9. A lattice is a wooden or iron window, cross barred; some parts of it are entirely open, but where the bars go it is entirely dark and obscure. There is a glorious ray of light at times that shines upon every grace of the spirit in the heart; but there is an inbred corruption, like the wooden bars of a lattice, which sadly intervenes and obscures the light: the light shines in darkness, in this sense, but the darkness comprehends it not. Sometimes we are wonderfully indulged with the light of his countenance, which fills us with joy and gladness; but these are sure to

be followed with desertions.

"He hideth his face,

and then who can behold him? He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it:" when he shines, grace flows out; when he is hid, corruptions struggle hard. Through this lattice-work he shews himself; for when the bridegroom visits us what a heavenly banquet doth the soul enjoy! But when the bridegroom is taken away, then we fast in those days; for the children of the bride-chamber cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them. The Lord's absence and the stirrings of our corruptions sharpen our appetite, and the Lord's visits and revivals of his work afford us infinite fulness and satisfaction. Thus by degrees does the Lord discover himself, and by slow advances approach the hearts of the darlings of his soul, when he comes to cast out the strong man armed, and to assume the throne of our affections. Hence it appears, also, that convictions by the law, and divine life by the Spirit, together with sore temptations, are sent to debase and humble us, to soften and meeken us, to mortify and empty us, that the kingdom of God may be much longed for, sought after, and sensibly needed; for, "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."

The kingdom of God stands in power, in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. This power dethrones Satan, mars the reign of sin, and delivers us from the fear of death; righteous

ness justifies us from all sins, all things, and all charges; peace is the blessed effect of pardon, and a sure pledge of favour and friendship with God; joy springs from a sense of divine love and a hope of future glory; and it is under the influence of the Holy Spirit that these things are seen, known, felt, and enjoyed; and all these things bear an everlasting date. In the King of Zion the believer finds everlasting strength: Jesus brought in for us everlasting righteousness, he bestows upon us everlasting peace, and promises that we shall return to Zion with everlasting joy, and that grace shall reign to everlasting life: and grace is nothing less than everlasting love.

The scorner's chair is the highest seat in Satan's kingdom; the Saviour's feet the highest seat in Christ's kingdom: the proudest professor is the greatest man in Satan's empire, and the most like his sovereign; and he that humbles himself like a little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of God.

A FEW THOUGHTS ON THE

AND BASIS

ORIGIN AND

OF

GENUINE FAITH.

FAITH is a persuasion in the mind of the truth of God, whether it respects his word or works. "God shall persuade Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem." It is a fruit of God's Spirit.

The faith of God's elect stands in the manifestations of God's holiness, truth, and justice, attended with divine light and the power of God's anger; such an one "is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth," 1 Cor. xiv. 24. 25. This is the man that God debases and humbles, who is wounded, made sore, and inwardly smarts for sin and who trembles at God's word; to such God looks, and with such will he dwell.

2. Such a soul knows and feels himself in the hand of God, and that he is at God's disposal, and at the disposal of no other; and what God intends to do with him, whether to save him or destroy him, whether to make a public axample of him or shew mercy on him, he knows not; but, as there is a powerful and perpetual cry in his heart for mercy, and now and then a word of encouragement applied to him, there is a peradventure and some expectation; and the sinner is as sensible of the power that holds him, and that bears him up, as he is of the terrible majesty that makes him tremble. His faith, from first to last, stands not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God, 1 Cor. ii. 5.

3. When the spirit of God produces hope, and energy in prayer increases, and many scriptures descriptive of our case are presented to view, and some short intervals of godly sorrow are felt, the darts of Satan lose their force, and the reflections of divine anger often subside, till future deliverance through Christ appears no less at times than certain. "Fear not," says God, "I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." On this powerful arm faith rests. "Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" God's arm and faith in the report go together.

4. When pardon takes place faith receives the atonement of Christ and stands in it. "By the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy pri