Strengthen and ftablish our weakness,
So feeble and fo frail,

That neither devil, world, nor flesh,
Against us may prevail.

Grant us, O Lord, thro' thee to know
The Father most of might,
That of his dear beloved Son,
We may attain the fight.

And that with perfect faith alfo,
We may acknowledge thee,
The Spirit of them both always,
One God, in perfons three.

From these authorities, it appears to be the doctrine of the fcriptures, and of our reformers in harmony with them, That fpiritual life, and knowledge, and faith in Chrift, and hope in him, that maketh not afhamed, and holy love, with every godly motion of the heart, come from the holy infpiration of God the Spirit. It is from him, that we understand the

fcriptures,

fcriptures, in the mind of the Spirit: It is from his grace that we grow in fcripture knowledge, and perfevere in the ufe of means, and at the fame time in a conftant dependence on his prefence in them, for the furtherance and joy of our faith. He begins, he carries on, and he perfects our learning in his revealed word and will. O that he may make us, and keep us good scholars, in an abiding fenfe of the neceffity of his divine teaching: that the Spirit and the word may go together in our bible ftudies, and bible experience: fo that this may be the daily prayer of our faith.

O thou Spirit of wisdom and revelation, who haft taught us that fecret things belong to the Lord our God, but thofe things which are revealed belong to us, and to

our

our children for ever, open the eyes of our understanding to underftand what is revealed in the fcriptures for our ufe. Difpofe us to hear them, read them, and meditate on them, with profit. And help us to mix more faith with them, that they may become more precious: In every day's reading, grant that we may find them to be the ingrafted word, and that we are really branches grafted into the tree of life, and by the rain, and fhining of heaven, enabled to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit abundantly. For all these bleffings keep us ever dependent on thy divine teaching, that our fruits may grow richer and riper-we may be more humble in our hearts, and more. thankful in our lives; And fo we, who can learn nothing as we

ought

ought without thee, may by thy grace be made wife unto eternal falvation, through faith which is in Chrift Jefus-To whom with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Spirit, be equal honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

CHAP.

CHA P. III.

The believer's triumph in the Lord bis righteousness.

THE object of his rejoicing is always one and the fame, yesterday, to-day, and for ever, without any variablenefs, or fhadow of turning, It is Chrift, God in Chrift, concerning whom the commandment runs-Rejoice in the Lord Jefus always, and again, I fay, rejoice; there being in him a fountain of joy fpringing up into everlasting life. What he is in. his own wonderful perfon-what is revealed of his gracious works and ways in his dealings with the finners of mankind-what he did for them in the days of his fleshwhat he does in them by his Spirit