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forms of blessing that can be conceived, there is often observable a peculiar restlessness, an unbecoming haste to rise from their knees, a putting aside or changing of books; all or any of which things shew that the mind is not waiting for the blessing, nor hoping to receive it. At a time when attention of mind, arrangement of thought, and elevation of soul, should be peculiarly present, they often seem to be most wanting. While the minister in his official capacity is, saying "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and

the love of

God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore," some appear to be less attentive, less in a waiting frame, than perhaps in any other part of the service. How then can they expect that the blessing should rest with them? They seem rather themselves to put it from them, as not valued, or not hoped for. It therefore becomes to them, exactly what they themselves thus make it to be, a form of words without any power, and nothing more. The same, or even worse irreverence and hurry to be gone, is observable at the close of the sermon, when another

scriptural blessing is used. I am going to pronounce that blessing, as my usual custom is, almost immediately; and I pray you, who are of a spiritual mind, to look to the Lord with all seriousness, and reverence, and hope, that so he may set his seal to the words spoken. Let me also desire those, who perhaps cannot now be considered to be suitable recipients of so great a blessing, to reflect how much they lose by their own unpreparedness of spirit, that at length, through the grace of Christ, they may earnestly desire that preparation of heart which is from the Lord, and become partakers, as well as others, of all his blessings.

SERMON XIX.

MOSES'S INVITATION TO HOBAB.

NUMBERS X. 29.

We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come with us, and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.

WONDERFUL is the change which the soul experiences when it has turned unto the Lord. It feels that it has chosen the good part, and enjoys the utmost satisfaction and comfort in reflecting upon the state into which God by his grace has brought it, and the prospects which are opened to its view. I do not mean to say that this is its experience immediately upon its turning to the Lord; for some time most probably it will be in a state of suspense and uncertainty; it will fear to rank itself among those who are

truly converted, and to take to itself the privileges of the people of Christ. Yet though the operations of the Spirit are very various, and great difference will be found in the particular experience of different saints, yet generally, sooner or later, they are brought to take the greatest pleasure in their lot, as they ever approve most cordially of the way in which they are walking.

This being the case, they desire that others should have the same blessings as themselves. Seeing the necessity, the usefulness, the happiness, the good, of living unto God, they will ardently long to bring all they can into the same blessedness. Especially they will be anxious for their relations and friends, and many will be their desires, many their prayers, and many their persuasions, to induce those to go with them in their journey towards heaven. As they can do it with prospect of success, they will warn them of the danger and misery of worldly courses; they will endeavour to prevail on them by stating the blessedness of religion; their hearts will grieve, but not despair, if they

fail for a length of time, and when at last they succeed, as very oft they do, then their souls rejoice more than those who divide the spoil.

Moses was on his way with the children of Israel to the land of Canaan, the fertile land which God had promised them, when he met in the wilderness with Hobab, his wife's brother. He wished to take him along with him. He knew that Hobab could be of some use to him in their journey through the wilderness from his acquaintance with it, and he desired that this his relation might have a portion also in their promised blessings. "We are journeying," he tells him, the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you come with us and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel."

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I do not now think it necessary to quote those scriptures to you in which God had made over the grant of this land to Abraham and to his seed after him; nor yet those promises in which the Lord had spoken good, or those instances in which he had done good

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