hopes or fears. To have God your enemy, determined to " resist you," would be the greatest evil that could befall you : but to have him your friend, pledged to supply you with all the blessings of grace and glory, would be the summit of human bliss. Commending then this alternative to your devoutest meditations, I would say to all of you, in the animated language of the prophet, " Awake, awake, put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy cityV There is nothing so " becoming to one of God's elect, as humbleness of mind1," nor any orna- ment he can wear so pleasing to his Godk. Come then, be- loved, and clothe yourselves with humility ; and wear it so at all times, that you may be known by it, as a man is by his accustomed dress : so shall " God be glorified in you," and all who behold you be compelled to " acknowledge, that God is with you of a truth."]
h Isai. Hi. 1. 5 Col. iii. 12. k 1 Pet. iii. 4.
1 Pet. v. 7. Canting all your care upon him ; for he careth
for you.
INEXPERIENCED Christians are generally par- tial in their views of religion. They often exalt one duty, to the neglect, if not the exclusion of another : but a proficiency in the divine life will discover itself by the united exercise of the various, and apparently opposite, graces. Faith will not exclude fear, nor meekness fortitude. Every grace will be limited and tempered by some other. The soul must be humbled before God in dust and ashes : yet should it rely on him with most implicit confidence3. I. The duty of Christians —
Christians have learned " not to seek great things for themselves." Hence they are free from the cor- roding cares of avarice and ambition —
But they still have many grounds of care — [They cannot but feel some concern respecting their bodily wants : the casualties of life may also occasion some uneasiness; but they have other cares far more weighty and important :
a ver. 6, 7. T 2