by things which pertain to this life, shall they have no scope for exercise in the things which relate to eternity? Call them by the name of Christian experience, or by any other name, they must have place in our souls ; and if they have not, we are altogether dead in trespasses and sins. Let every one then take notice how he is affected with his everlasting concerns : for he can never have obtained mercy, who has not sought for mercy ; nor he have received an answer to prayer, who never cried from his inmost soul to God. I must even go farther, and say, he has no hope, who never had a fear ; nor shall he ever taste of joy, who has never been bowed down with penitential sorrow. As we deal with God, he will deal with us : " If we seek him, he will be found of us ; but if we forsake him, he will forsake us."]
2. Learn to estimate them by a right standard —
[If we judge of our emotions by their intenseness, or by the degree of elevation or depression produced by them, we shall deceive our own souls. The votaries of false religions are sometimes transported beyond the bounds of reason, and are agitated even to madness. A mistaken course of religion too, will often operate very strongly on the mind, and leave us, after all, in a state of spiritual death. True religion is sober, discreet, practical : it consists in, or rather is inseparably con- nected with, " a spirit of love, and of power, and of a sound mind." It directs to heaven ; but does not lead us to neglect our earthly duties. It must be judged of by its practical effects. The grace that leaves us under the defilement of any " spiritual or fleshly filthiness," is no grace. That alone comes from God, which leads to God ; and that alone will have any saving efficacy, which assimilates us to " the Divine image' in righteousness and true holiness."]
3. Endeavom* to improve them for the good of others —
[We are not proprietors of our talents, but stewards, to whom they are entrusted for the good of others. We must indeed be much on our guard against conceit, and talkativeness, and a readiness to draw attention to ourselves, and to make self the topic of our conversation. A person of this complexion is a very hateful and disgusting character: and too many such, it miist be confessed, there are in the religious world. But whilst we avoid such a spirit as this, we must delight to communicate to others the blessings we have received, and to encourage from our own experience a diligent and patient waiting upon God. It is obvious, that if we can say, " What my eyes have seen, my ears have heard, and my hands have handled of the word of life, that same declare I unto you," our words will come with tenfold weight. We repeat however, that a general communi- cating of our experiences in large companies is in our judgment