thefe generally attend the kiffes that make all up, for they are a fatisfactory proof to us of the renewals of love.

Moreover, fore trials contract the heart; and under these contractions a load of grief is conceived, and the heart gets full, and must have vent. Under fuch circumstances, if legal bondage and a fense of wrath operate, thefe beget flavifh fear; at fuch times the lips often ease the heart by muttering perverfenefs, which only hardens and makes the breach wider: but, when meeknefs operates, all the afhes are poured out at the foot of the altar.

The other jewel is quietnefs; this fprings from fulness, and all fulness of fatisfaction in us is according to faith-In quietness and confidence fhall be your ftrength. Faith puts on a perfect and an all-fufficient righteousness, and fills the foul with joy and peace in believing in it.-The effect of righteousness is quietnefs and affurance for ever. Ifa. xxxii. 17 And the ftronger faith is, the more folid the joy; full af furance of faith is fulness of fatisfaction; and full fatisfaction produces quietude, and fets us down with contentment, thankful for what we have, and envy. ing none.

But this jewel is only worn by the bride whilst The abides with her bridegroom.-My people fhall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in fure dwellings, and in quiet refling-places. Ifa. xxxii. 18. Our quiet refting-places are in the electing love of God the Father, the finished falvation of Chrift, and in the

work

work and witnefs of the Holy Ghoft. The foul that is ignorant of thefe, is like the troubled fea which cannot reft. But my brother will fay, Can the Holy Trinity, with any degree of propriety, be called a place and a refting-place? Yes-Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. Pfalm xc. 1. And I know of no reft nor refting-places for weary fouls but thefe.

The bowels of this new man are described by the apostle; for, whenever the old man is put off and the new man is put on, fome of the following things appear-Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, boly and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, bumbleness of mind, meekness, long-fuffering. Col. iii. 12.

Bowels of mercies are exercifed chiefly towards the children of God in trouble, and flow from the influence of love and fympathy; and are only exercifed by those who know what foul-diftreffes are. Kindness is a grace that fprings from tenderness, and tenderness fprings from life. Souls quickened by the Spirit have keen fenfations and tender feelings, which a child of God in diftrefs will eafily touch; for grace in one foul claims kindred with grace in another, and will move in confort with it. If one fubject of grace suffer, the other fuffes; if one be honoured, the other will rejoice; the motions of it will make us weep with them that weep, and rejoice with them that do rejoice. This humbleness of mind, long-fuffering, &c. the apostle afcribes altogether to charity, which is the very heart and

foul

foul of the new man, and the choicest principle in him.-Charity fuffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unfeemly, feeketh not her own, is not eafily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. 4-6.

I Cor. xiii.

The daily employ of this new man is hoping and expecting to return to his own native country.Grace fhall reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jefus Chrift our Lord. Rom. v. 21. And in this hope and expectation it exercises much patience and long-suffering till it be obtained; for, if we hope for that we fee not, then do we with patience wait for it. Rom. viii. 25.

The ears of the new man are very wonderful, and cannot be defcribed. But this is a truth; God Speaks many words by the Spirit to the foul, or fpeaks friendly to the church's heart. Hofea ii. 14. And what the Lord fpeaks is not only felt, but heard and understood, although no found reaches the ears of the body. Paul, when caught up into paradife, heard unspeakable words, which it was not poffible to utter; and yet he doth not know whether the body was in company or not. 2 Cor.

xii. 8.

To infufe and form this new man in the foul is the work of the Holy Spirit, and so is every renewal and every revival of him, from the first formation of him till perfection in endless glory

takes

takes place. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forfake not the works of thine own hands. Pfalm cxxxviii. 8.

How fenfibly felt are the revivals of this good work under the operations of the Holy Ghost! Sometimes by communicating fresh power, all on a fudden, when every thing feems to be falling to decay, and the poor believer is just ready to caft away all confidence, and in his own mind to fall a victim to fin and Satan, concluding all to be loft for ever; then is the divine power of the Spirit put forth in this new creature.-That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. Eph. iii. 16.

Sometimes great communications of light, and fresh discoveries of the love of God in Chrift, wonderfully ftrengthen and inflame the new man.-But mine born fhalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I fhall be anointed with fresh oil. Pfalm xoii. 10.

At other times the uncommon ftruggles of hope, attended with vigour, earneftnefs, diligence, livelinefs, activity, and uncommon anxiety, after the glory that is to be revealed, appear in this new man. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghoft. Rom. xv. 13. Every day, throughout the believer's whole pilgrimage, does the Holy Spirit revive or renew this new man of

grace

grace in one member or another; as it is written, For all things are for your fakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but, though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 2 Cor. iv. 15, 16. That which is born of the Spirit is fpirit. John iii. 6. Now it is against the Holy Ghoft, in his forming and preferving this new man which is born of the Spirit, that the flesh lufteth.-For the flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flefb: and thefe are contrary the one to the other: So that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But, if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Gal. v. 17, 18. The way that the Spirit leads us is by influencing and putting fresh ftrength, life, love, and fervour, in the new man. This new man of grace is a mighty worker while the Spirit keeps renewing of him.—I laboured (fays Paul) more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Cor. xv. 10.

Sometimes we have noble works afcribe to the different members of the new man. We read of

the work of faith, and labour of love,

and patience I Theff. i. 3.

of hope, in our Lord Jefus Chrift. Sometimes faith appears very strong, and performs wonders, especially in times of great need; as we fee in David, when he went against the giant of Gath. At other times love labours mightily both to the Lord and to his people: the first may be

feen