God, and, without presumption, regard it as a throne of grace,-the mercy-seat of their heavenly Father, which is always accessible, through the incense of the Redeemer's intercession. There, while others, in similar trials, brood over their miseries with despair, or have recourse to improper means of extricating themselves from their difficulties, the children of God cast their care on him who careth for them. In this interesting exercise, they feel not the distance and suspicion of the alien, but the ease and confidence which arise from a long and amiable intercourse ;-not the dread of beholding a repulsive frown, but the hope of a favourable reception, and the assurance of audience and effectual support.

4. The paternal relation of the Divine Being should induce believers to rely on his providence for all necessary supplies.

It is pleasing to observe how happily this topic is employed by our Lord, to suppress the fears of his disciples; "Behold," says he, "the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." The situation of the disciples to whom this advice was more immediately addressed, was indeed very peculiar. In obedience to the commands of their Divine Master, they had forsaken their respective callings, and had abandoned their interest in the world. They had not been induced to make this surrender by any flattering assurances of future ease and opulence; but, on the contrary, had been taught that the whole earth, in this respect, would present to them nothing but a cheerless and inhospitable waste; and that, in executing his work, they would suffer those mortifying privations, to which, even in their humble sphere of life, they had been wholly unaccustomed. Their compassionate Friend, however, would not allow them to faint at the prospect of these trials, but encouraged them to repose their trust in the all-sufficient God, who, while he adorned the earth with flowers, and supplied the tenants of the air with food, would ever grant, as a benevolent Parent, all necessary supplies to his children.

Were these exhortations applicable to the apostles only? Were they not given for the benefit of believers in general? And do they not indicate the affection of our heavenly

Father for the whole family of the saints? "If God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, will he not with him also freely give us all things?" That astonishing act of Divine love was designed to be equally beneficial to all the heirs of salvation; consequently, the several blessings which that act comprehended and insured, are as much the property of believers in general as they were of the apostles themselves: all temporal things, no less than those which are spiritual, are included in that wonderful gift, and are to be deemed important provisions of that covenant which secures the present and eternal well-being of the children of God.

These reflections furnish us with sufficient reasons for placing our dependence on Divine Providence, and for expecting every needful supply. To indulge tormenting anxieties respecting the means of our future support, is, virtually, to lose sight of the paternal character of God, and the veracity of his holy word. If a child, rendered helpless by infirmity or misfortune, yet having a father possessed of abundant affluence, who had promised amply to provide for him, were to be continually expressing his fears that his father would suffer him to struggle with poverty or perish with want, would you not condemn his

conduct and suspect his character? If, then, we would honour God as our Father, it becomes us to place the most unlimited confidence in him, and to rely on him for the supply of all

our wants.

Though we are by no means encouraged to pray for the elegancies and superfluities of life, yet we are not prohibited from imploring those things which are convenient for us. To sigh after the riches and distinctions of the world, is to evince a disposition at variance with our holy religion; but to depend on Divine goodness for all necessary provision, and to ask for those comforts which are suitable to our respective stations, is to act consistently with our christian profession, and conformably to the directions of scripture.

5. If God is our Father, we may hope for all spiritual communications.

These are of supreme moment, in the estimation of every sincere christian. Whatever solicitude he may feel respecting his earthly concerns, it is not equal, in intenseness and constancy, to that which he feels for his spiritual concerns. Though he should, in common with other men, be subject to worldly anxiety, which may, for a while, appear to absorb his mind; his more characteristic and habitual

feelings are excited by invisible and eternal realities. He exemplifies the predominance of that disposition towards God, which is peculiar to the filial relation. In the exercise of that disposition, he enjoys the "witness of the Holy Spirit;" so that by comparing the prevalent affections of his heart with the infallible testimony of that Sacred Agent, he arrives at a satisfactory conclusion respecting his own character: he "has the witness in himself;" he perceives that he is "a new creature;"- the subject of that renovating grace which distinguishes the sons of God. It is thus that the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God; not by an arbitrary impulse, which would persuade us of our relation to God, in the absence of the solid evidence arising from the spiritual bias of the mind; but by leading us to cherish, and to perceive within ourselves, those holy tempers which his influence only can produce, and which are represented in the scriptures as constituting the proofs of a heavenly birth.

This delightful evidence, instead of fostering presumption or indifference, excites the genuine believer to redouble his zeal and diligence, with the view of obtaining still larger communications. While others gaze listlessly around them, and, though encircled with all the demonstra