and, especially, Prayer.-Often speak to Him who feeth in fecret", and is nigh unto all that call upon him, though with the Syrophenician, you can only fay Lord, help me.'-Not only an high commendation, but a miracle followed her requeft.-She urged it under the greatest discouragements, but you have both a command and a promife, Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou 'fhalt glorify me'.' And while you search the Scriptures and attend the Church, you will at once be inftructed and encouraged by marking in both, those footsteps which we lately considered.— They are, indeed, not fo explicit in the latter; but attention to the fcriptural account of the chriftian character, will greatly affift you in diftinguishing real chriftians from those who, equally forward and corrupt, have at all times affumed their name, and mixed in their fociety, to their grief and fcandalTM. h Matt. vi. 18. 1 Pf. 1. 15. i Pf. cxlv. 18. k Matt. xv. 25. Leaving Leaving these unhappy exceptions to their proper judge, follow the unerring Rule he has put into your hand, and thofe who walk by it; particularly, fuch as are your companions in affliction. You will fee them passing before you with not only the fame wounds in their hearts, but almost the fame words in their lips. Study their courfe; mark their progrefs; obferve how they held his arm, pleaded at his throne, repofed in his bofom, and magnified his truth, who walked with them . in a furnace which, like that of the three children, burnt nothing but their bonds". 'But who is fufficient for these things?' To improve the opportunity you difcern, and to keep pace with those you approve, SEEK DIVINE ASSISTANCE; or as St. Paul has expreffed it, be strong in the grace that is in Chrift Fefus.-Nothing is more common than to find men better acquainted with the matter, than the means of their duty. If religion has vaft proposals to make on the n Dan. iii. 25. 2 Tim. ii. 1. one one hand, to be truly religious is a mighty aim on the other, and can be accomplished only through HIM that loved us. Oppofing omnipotence to difficulty, was their fecret, who so gloriously overcame a world that was not worthy of them: read their history in the 11th chapter of the Hebrews, and see what a firm reliance, called faith,—a seeing Him who is invifible, will perform. That invaluable record feems to say, 'Our fathers trusted in thee: they trufted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee and were delivered: they " trufted in thee, and were not confounded".' We are, indeed, called to aim and to act,' and have the greatest promises annexed to the endeavour: but are as frequently reminded that we are not fufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but that our fufficiency is of God. Christ encourages no one to advance on the ground of his own ftrength, any more than on that of his own defert :—he is as jealous of the power of his Arm, as of P Rom, viii. 37. ↑ Pf. xxii. 4. 5. 2 Cor. iii. 5. the the merit of his Blood. He admitted infir mity and mifery to be prefented as a complaint, but never as an objection.-I have obferved it not uncommon for this to be a feason of peculiar temptation; a fpiritual enemy stands ready to defeat every spiritual opportunity : but our help is near, and our example, in fuch conflicts, excellent. For this thing I befought the Lord thrice; and he said unto me · My GRACE is fufficient for thee: for my • ftrength is made perfect in weakness.' May you be enabled to add with the apostle, most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chrift may reft " on me.' To induce us thus to make God our confidence, he meets us in a way fuited to our neceffities and to our fears. By every expreffion of tender concern he, in the person of a Man of forrows, invites the weary, the trembling, and the tempted, to come unto him; affuring them that he will 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9. neither neither break the bruifed reed, nor quench the Smoking flax.-If God is love", "Chrift is "God ftooping to the senses, and speaking to "the heart of man:" ever faying, take my weep not.'-May my Dear Friend, Yoke, and then my Arm, and ye shall not ' only rest, but reign.' He fought the house of mourning to comfort the fifters of Lazarus: --he met a widow following her only child, and when the Lord faw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her he meet you at this time, with confolations which none but himself can afford! and then, at the very grave, shall that faying be brought to pass, Death is fwallowed • up in victory".' Let fuch fear, as despise our heavenly Friend, Profpects, Provifions, Companions, and fenfe of Duty:-God with us, and all things in God, is light in darkness, life in death. The words which revived him who stiles himself your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jefus Chrift, remain to cheer a folitude |