tism of fire. 1 Sam. vi. 12. "And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemish, and went along the high way, lowing as they went; and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left;" just so I should do, go straight forward, against nature, by a divine impulse, into God's land.

Every temptation is an opportunity of getting nearer to God.

Cleave to the will of God, and turn with it constantly as the weathercock does with the wind.

What is the great single object, the sole end I live for, and keep constantly in view? Is it heaven in the way of duty and labour, whatever it cost? or a scheme of some kind or other for present gratification, terminating in this world? that is, in St. Paul's words, "making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof," no matter how decently and reputably.

The soul is like the earth, sometimes green and springing, at other times dry and withering: both powerless in themselves, and neither of them fruitful without a proper cultivation on the part of man.

The Christian says, Wherever I see the will of God, my own is determined at once: I account all hardships light, for the joy I have in it: and opposition to it, hell.

I never look on a dead corpse, and yet my soul perhaps must one day behold my own. What an awful moment! how happy will be the sight if soul and body have lived together for eternity! how dreadful if they have not; and what a call is there in this thought to make sure of rejoicing then.

When my nature is renewed, I shall be in renewed nature; see the world, and every thing belonging to it, in a new light, and have one foot in paradise restored.

Confess your sins, and pray, as if it was to be the last time.

I shall never be any thing till I know I am nothing; leave it to God to make what he pleases, and seek no

praise or worldly advantages inordinately for myself. If I am in union with the will of God I shall see it, and advert to his presence in every thing, and bless him for every thing, wind and weather, crosses, sickness, death; and, what is the hardest of all, I shall do it in health and prosperity.

If I was told that I must be ten feet high to get to heaven, what should I do? Use means, and strive hard to stretch myself up to the measure, or pray! The holiness required of me is as much out of my power, and as much the work of another hand. Men may counterfeit it; but to be real it must be infused or created. In this point we grievously mistake, or overlook, both scripture and experience.

Life has its enjoyments, and is not the contemptible thing we make it, but heaven on earth, when it is conducted on right principles, directed to a right end, and devoted to the will of God. What would we have more, when the way to heaven is through heaven if quiet passions, regular desires, contented minds, pure wills, well-grounded hopes, holy longings, happy foretastes, communion with God, and reconciliation to death, can make it so?

"Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,"--by adverting continually to his presence with reverence and godly fear; considering him as always looking on the heart; trusting on his almighty protection; believing in him as a holy, sin-hating God, and reconciled to sinners of mankind only in Jesus Christ; valuing his favour above all the world, and making it the settled, sole aim of our lives to approve ourselves to his pure eyes.

If I was in union with the will of God, I should see whatever befalls me as stamped with it, and be always in a state of enjoyment, as having the very thing I desire.

"He that forsaketh not all that he hath,"-all be desires, loves, and is by nature; all his worldly possessions and enjoyments, so as to be separated from

them in heart and affection, and clearly resolved to follow Christ, cost what it will; renouncing his reason, powers, and tendencies, as truly insufficient to make his peace with God, and conduct him to happiness, "cannot," says Christ," be my disciple."

We do not so much as purpose to do the will of God, till we purpose to do it fully. Obedience is doing the will of God because it is his will; and not only so far as I see the fitness of it, or as it falls in with my own way of pleasing myself.

Paul said, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection ;"-if the word soul was put instead of body, it would suit the generality much better. God is the Lord of my will, not sin, not the world, not the flesh, not the devil. God is the great object of my affections; the joy of my life; the portion and strength of my heart; the centre and rest of my soul, to whom all my desires tend, and with whom only I am at home. Lord, give me power to say this, and deal with me as thou pleasest.

Begin the Christian race from the cross, and whenever you faint or grow weary, look back to it.

O for the Spirit's sense of sin! the Spirit's sight of Christ! the Spirit's work of obedience!

It is a great thing to say, My will is God's;' but greater to say, My heart is God's!' Lord, have mercy on me, and help me in both; for it is only by thee that I can obey and love.

Be sure that you are in God's hands to deal with you as he pleases: and then desire nothing, either in temporals or spirituals, but what he orders.

The

One great mistake of life is looking to the clouds for happiness, instead of looking above them. moment I forget God, or cease adverting to his presence, I forget myself.

When I fear the displeasure of God, seek his favour, set him always before me, delight in his presence, love his will, and make the eternal enjoyment of him the hope and great wish of my soul, I shall

know as certainly that my nature is changed by power from above, as that I did not make myself.

I read that such an one renounced the errors of Popery at such a time and place-have I renounced the errors of a sinful life, and all sin, as sin?

Mens sana in corpore sano; that is, a sound mind in a healthy body,' was a good pagan prayer; but the Christian's wish is, a right mind, let it fare with the body how it will.

We are never so near sitting down in the lowest room, as when we know assuredly that we are not in it.

I MUST love and honour all men, notwithstanding their vileness and corruption; and though I have reason to think, from what I know of myself, that they are much worse than they seem to be.

To leave off sinning is charity of the best kind to my neighbours.

If you would come to any nearer happiness on earth, endeavour to live with all mankind in a state of as pure love as you will in heaven. Dr. Young says,' To have no one to whom we heartily wish well, and for whom we are warmly concerned, is a deplorable state:' but to have a universal tender feeling of love for mankind, as Christ had; and to regard every man as a brother, with the kindness of real affection, as Christians are exhorted to do; is certainly much better than a state of natural partial love to some few particular persons. Is this possible? Will it be granted to prayer?

We cannot love others in a right manner, without first loving God.

If my substance increases, wo be to me if all, who have a claim on me, are not the richer for it.

Never rebuke any man without praying for him. No faith, no quickening, no renovation, no likeness to Christ, without the love of souls.