2. To those who have begun to experience vital and spiritual religion —
[It is an unspeakable blessing to know any thing of your own hearts; nor can you ever be sufficiently thankful to Him who has discovered to you " the mystery of iniquity" within you: but what earnest heed ought you to take lest you be drawn again under the power of your corruptions! You stdl carry about with you " a body of sin and death:" " The flesh lusteth still against the Spirit, as well as the Spirit against the flesh." Let it then be your daily endeavour to " crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts." Be daily " putting off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be putting on the new man," &c. It is a solemn admonition which God has given you, " If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." " Ye are now the temple of the Holy Ghost;" O guard against every thought or desire that may grieve your Divine guest. You must resist the first risings of inclination : a desire indulged will blind the eyes, and harden the heart, and bring in with it a host of sins. Above all, commit yourselves to that Almighty Saviour, who has pro- mised to preserve you blameless unto his heavenly kingdom. So shall you be washed in his blood from every fresh contracted stain, and be rendered " meet for the inheritance of the saints in light."]
Mark vii. 32 — 36. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand, upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue ; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, JLphphatlia, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears ivere opened, and the string of his tongue ivas loosed, and he spake plain ; and he charged them that they should tell no man.
THE astonishing frequency of our Lord's miracles renders them the less noticed ; and we are ready to suppose that, after a few of them have been con- sidered, the rest will afford us nothing new. But every distinct miracle was attended with some peculiar circumstances, and ought to excite our admiration as