What ornament so fair and beautiful as that of a meek and quiet spirit—a mind endued with patience and contentment, with benevolence and love? Not all the adorning of broidered hair, of gold, of pearls, of costly array, is to be once mentioned with good works. These outvie them, just as the lilies of the field do Solomon in all his glory. How graceful, in a word, how becoming is their behaviour, who, having been with Jesus and learned of him, aim to walk in his steps and imitate his example! Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, on these they think,' and these they endeavour to practise a. And surely, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise ;' such fruits of Divine grace cannot but reflect real honour upon the Christian, interest him deeply in the affections of those who truly fear God, and fix a conviction of the truth of religion on the consciences of all sober observers.

Thus have we seen how just and natural an emblem the dew is of the influences of the Holy Spirit, in regard of its origin, the manner in which it falls, and its use. Which leads me, as was proposed,

II. To make some suitable improvement of the whole.

1. Does this dew come down from God? Of him then let as earnestly seek it, and to him let us offer our humble thanks for it. The faith of this doctrine is one principal ground of prayer, and is a mighty incentive to it. For who is there that truly believes in the divine influences, and is thoroughly sensi❤ ble of their importance to the great purposes of the divine life, but will ardently implore them? especially while he keeps in view that exceeding precious promise of the Bible, that God will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him b. Let us labour therefore as much as possible, to fix a conviction of this great truth on our minds, and to cherish there a sense of the infinite utility and indeed indispensable necessity of it. So let us make our daily and fervent addresses to Heaven, having our eye directed to the mediation of Christ, and to the merit of his death, whereby he hath obtained the Holy Spirit for us. Nor let us forget, having received an answer in any degree to our prayers,

a Phil. iv. 8.

Luke xi. 13.

to be truly thankful. It is indeed scarce possible we should; for it is the very nature of the blessing bestowed to enflame the heart with gratitude and praise. And there are no fitter ways of expressing our sense of the high honour and privilege which is thus conferred on us, than by cordially professing our faith in the doctrine itself, and preserving a holy caution in our behaviour that we act not unworthy of it.

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2. Though we receive this dew from above, let us not expect. it but in the way of duty. If we do, it is not to be wondered at that we are disappointed. Nay so unreasonable a temper as this furnishes too plain a proof, that we have wrong conceptions of the doctrine itself, if indeed we may be said to have any faith at all in it. For how is it possible. I should have a genuine confidence in this great truth, while at the same time, by living in the wilful neglect of appointed duties, I dare affront that very authority which hath revealed it in the sacred Scriptures? Men are therefore deceiving themselves, amidst all the zeal they would seem to express for the influence and operation of the Holy Spirit, if this be the unhappy effect it produces. They imagine they believe it, while they really do not frame any proper idea about it, act unworthy of it, and are in effect enemies to it. Much more easily should I apprehend that man to be a real believer in the doctrine of providence, who regularly pursues the duty of his calling, though he talks not much about his faith; than I should give credit to his loud professions of confidence in Divine providence, who all the while lives in indolence and sloth. No. As the right faith of a providence will excite men to diligence in their stations, so will faith in the divine influences excite Christians to the duties of their profession. The ground must be cultivated, and the vine pruned, as well as the dew be expected to water them, and the sun to refresh and cheer them. In like manner, we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, while God worketh in us to will and to do after his good pleasure a: and to labour for the meat that endureth unto everlasting life, while we are firmly persuaded that it is the Son of man alone who can give it unto us b.

3. How vain are all their pretences to a large experience of these dews of Divine grace, who bring forth no suitable fruit in

a Phil. ii. 12, 13.

b John vi. 27.

their lives! We should deem it an affront to our reason to be told, that this or that tree which is totally fruitless, and hath no appearance of life in it, is nevertheless refreshed by the falling rain and cherished by the enlivening sun. No less an affront do they offer to the understandings of those about them, who would confidently face them down with bold assurances, that they are under a superior influence, and enjoy pleasures which others are strangers to; while at the same time scarce any of the fruits of truth, righteousness and purity, or however of humility, meekness and love, appear in their lives. By their fruits,' says our Lord, shall ye know them: do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles a?' And this shews how little ground there is for that common objection against this doctrine, which is taken from the proneness of many persons to abuse it. For the rule our Lord lays down furnishes sufficient means to prevent any such mistake. Be assured, O vain man, if this be your character, you are under the grossest deception; and the consequence will be most fatal, if your eyes are not opened, nor you in due time brought to repentance. On the other hand,

4. Let the humble serious timorous Christian be comforted -the Christian whose concern it is to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, though through many discouragements he is sometimes ready to question whether he is the happy subject of divine influence. Is it your aim to mortify every evil passion and corruption, and to cultivate every Christian grace and virtue? to maintain communion with Heaven in the several institutions of religion?—and to fill up the station in which Providence hath placed you, to the glory of God and the good of others? And amidst all, do you readily acknowledge yourself an unprofitable servant, and rely entirely on the divine mercy, through the mediation and righteousness of Christ? I may be bold to affirm from the authority of Scripture, that unerring standard of truth, that you have been watered with these dews from the everlasting hills, and that it is from thence your fruit is found. Yield not to the doubts which Satan, which unbelief, or which timidity of natural constitution may suggest. God had not shewn you the things you have seen, nor enabled you to present to him:

a Matt. vii. 16.

the sacrifice of a broken heart, if he had designed to have destroyed you. He is faithful who hath promised-A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench, till he send forth judgment to victory a. Now indeed you sow in tears, but you shall quickly reap in joy. Now you go forth and weep, bearing precious seed, but you shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing your sheaves with you b. And how unspeakable,

5. And lastly, will be the bliss and glory of the heavenly world, where the effects of these divine influences of which we have been discoursing, shall be enjoyed in their utmost perfection! The paradise of God above is ever fair and green, ever fragrant and fruitful. It is watered with the streams of that 'river clear as crystal, which proceedeth out of the throne of God and the Lamb.' And it flourishes under the soft and healing beams of the sun of righteousness, which ever shines upon it. The climate is healthful and pleasant. The spring abides. The plants none of them languish and die, none of them fade or lose any of their beauty and sweetness. They bring forth their fruits in season-the living fruits of peace, and love, and joy. And God, the inexhaustible fountain of good, is all and in all.

DISCOURSE XIII.

THE USE OF RELIGION IN A TIME OF
AFFLICTION.

PSALM XLVI. 10.-Be still, and know that I am God.

OF
Of all the lessons a Christian hath to learn none is so difficult,

F

as submission to the will of God under affliction. Not that the duty itself is hard to be explained or understood.-Far from it. What God requires of us in these circumstances is easy to be apprehended: the difficulty lies in the practice of it. And

Matt. xii. 20.

b Psal. cxxvi, 5, 6,

that the difficulty is very great, appears not only from the testimony of the wisest and best men who have been exercised with severe trials, but from the reason of the thing.

A desire of happiness is the first and leading principle in the human breast. It is the hinge upon which our whole frame turns; the pulse of the soul: and the spring of all its actions. It is placed upon the throne of our hearts, to direct and influence our conduct. And it is so deeply rivetted in our nature, that no force whatever can tear it thence. Which being the case, it follows that what thwarts or opposes this desire of hap piness, or any way seems to have that tendency, must needs throw the mind into great disorder, and become a trial to its résolution and patience. To abstain from pleasure, to which we are so strongly impelled by this principle, is hard work; but to endure is much harder. Naturé starts back at the approach of pain: it shrinks at the very idea of it. And though reason, unassisted by revelation, may attempt to reconcile us to this and the other affliction, by telling us that what cannot be avoided ought to be quietly endured, and that our pains make way for our pleasures, and serve to heighten and refine them; yet rea son faulters in her discourse, and for want of sufficient energy to enforce her dictates, often fails in her endeavours to controul the tumultuous passions of the soul. The whole stream of nature therefore being against pain and affliction, it is no wonder that patience, whose business it is to stem the tide, and to allay the storm, should be so difficult to be practised.

But, what farther increases the difficulty of a calm submission to affliction, is the wretched depravity of the human heart. This put into the scale with the natural aversion we feel to pain, preponderates almost every consideration that can be offered to soothe the troubled breast. Pride, passion and unbelief, joining all their force with that principle of happiness I have been speaking of, raise such a tumult in the mind as can hardly be imagined, but by those who have felt it. Patience in these circumstances seems a grace absolutely unattainable: and the cool, faint and abstracted reasoning of a by-stander has little more effect, than the use of oars to a boat tossed about upon boisterous waves, which every moment threaten its destruction.