All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expe dient....1 Cor. vi. 12.

THE Constraints of love and jealousy of fear sweetly unite in the believing heart. Where the faith of Jesus prevails, love constrains. It holds and keeps us in our station and duty, as soldiers are kept together under a banner or ensign displayed. What cheerfulness and activity of soul do we experience, when we can say with the church in the Canticles, (ii. 4.) "Jesus' banner over me was love!" Then how sweetly do we judge and determine our conduct by the law of Christ, which is LOVE! This excites a godly fear lest we should állow ourselves a latitude in things in themselves indifferent, to the wounding and hurt of our souls or our fellow-soldiers. Though all things of an indifferent nature, which are innocent in themselves, are lawful to us; yet the cause and interest of our dear Saviour, and the good and edifying of his beloved members, should be ever near our hearts, and make us consider the expediency of them.

How narrow is the path of duty! yet it is pleasant to the faithful soul. For Jesus hath strewed it with the fragrant fruits of peace, love, and comfort. Peace from God, and with our brethren; love to God and one another. While we walk according to this rule, we bring glory to God who hath called us by Jesus Christ to glory, and will also assuredly glorify us together with himself. What circum← spection becomes disciples in their daily walk, that they give none Offence, neither to the Jew nor to the Gentile, nor to the church of God! The eyes, not only of God, angels, and devils, are upon us, but the eyes of men also, our brethren, and our opposers. Did the Rechabites wholly abstain from wine, because Jonadab_comnranded "Ye shall drink no wine?" Did the Lord honor their obedience in this indifferent thing with his approbation ?....Jer. xxxv. How much more will Jesus honor his disciples, who, with an eye to his glory, and his members' good, abstain from things that are not expedient! Thou free-man of the Lord, with a holy resolution assert thy dignity. I will not be brought under the power of any thing contrary to the love of Jesus. Happy is he who seeketh not to please himself, but to profit others. How then can those answer to the Lord Christ, to their own souls, and to their brethren, who can indulge themselves at card-tables, play-houses, &c. and say, "These are indifferent things; I see no harm in them!" Is this "following after the things which make for peace, and wherewith one may edify another?"....Rom. xiv. 19. "Happy is he that condemneth not him self in that thing which he alloweth."....ver. 22.

What doest thou here, Elijah?.... Kings xix. 13.

THE prophets, as well as the children of the Lord, are sometimes found where they ought not to be. Elijah had now taken up his residence in a cave in the wilderness. What work could he do for his master here? What glory could he bring to his name in a barren mountain? Here were no lambs of God's flock to be gathered, no sheep of Christ's pasture to be fed, no torn sheep to be healed and nourished by his word and doctrine. It seems as though he thought all his work was at an end, his zeal quite worn out; and in a fit of fear, unbelief, and despondency, he retreated from public opposition to the dreary mansions of a mountainous cave for rest and quiet. But the Lord followed him, caused him to hear his voice, calls him to new work, 'endues him with fresh strength, and animates him with the pleasing assurance that he had seven thousand faithful servants yet in Israel. But poor Elijah thought he was left alone.

See the effect of judging according to appearances. Carnal reason is a bad judge in spiritual things. The wisdom of the flesh, ever determines contrary to the wisdom of God. Beware of your frames, O disciples. If on the mount, in the sunshine of comfort, be not vain and confident, with "I shall never fall." If in the gloomy valley, where light and joy are obscured, be not cast down and dejected. "The Lord reigneth; rejoice in him." Though clouds and darkness are round thy God and Saviour, yet "righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.' ..Psalmi xcvii. Above all, beware of thy conduct. Fly not to places of sinful vanities, and vain gratifications. These can never profit thy soul. Nay, if dark and uncomfortable, what canst thou expect but to be darker and more uncomfortable still? This is a farther remove from the Saviour's love and presence. What canst thou expect, but this cutting reproof, this keen interrogation, "thou man of God, what dost thou HERE?" If Elijah was reproved, for being in a barren wilderness, how canst thou answer it to God thy loving Saviour, for being found on worse than barren ground; where the alluring baits of sin; the poisonous weeds of satan grow in abundance, to beguile and destroy unstable souls. O soul, hear the call of thy beloved Lord! "Depart ye, depart ye, this is not your rest." Know your glorious privilege. "Ye are the temple of the living God. God dwells in you, and walks in you." Listen to his voice, speaking to your souls. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and I will receive you: and I will be a Father unto you, (ye shall enjoy the sweet knowledge of it,) and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."..pa 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18.

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us....Heb. xii. 1.

CHRISTIAN thou art called to run a race: the eyes of innu merable spectators are upon thee; the powers of many enemies are against thee; but fear not. In the strength of Jesus, through the power of faith, thou shalt obtain the prize: even the salvation of thy soul. It is thy wisdom to know thy foes and to guard against them: to know thine own vileness and weakness, and to look to thy friend for power. Thou hast a heavy burden which hinders thy running with alacrity and delight: this, in the exercise of faith, thou must lay aside; therefore "put off the old man with his deeds." This through the Spirit is to be thy daily work. Every sin is a weight; as such is to be laid aside. "The body of sin" is a sore burden, therefore to be put off: but thou hast a besetting sin: thine own conscience best knows its name and nature: this thou art called to lay aside. In the nature of all men there is one sin, a master sin, the source and spring of every other sin, which even believers are not exempt from; but it is ready at all times easily to beset them. It is that monster of iniquity, UNBELIEF. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.".... Heb. xi. 1. Here we see what glory is given to God, and what wonders were wrought by faith in that chapter. It is the nature of unbelief to deny the substance of what is hoped for, and to oppose the evidence of invisible realities. It tends to make faint hearts, weak knees, and feeble hands: it stops us in our race: it puts us to a stand; and we should give up all and give over all, unless Jesus prays for us, and we are endued with power from on high. But glory to our Jesus he does pray for us, therefore, our faith fails not; we are strengthened by the Spirit's might in the inner man to hold on. Yet shame on thee, O soul, instead of laying aside this sin, how often dost thou treat it as a bosom friend! How frequently consult it as a sweet counsellor! especially when its arguments are backed by its constant companion, CARNAL REASON. But being assured the matter of thy faith is the word of truth, the author and finisher of thy faith Jesus, thou art not called to answer every cavil from carnal reason, nor to silence unbelief by explaining the mysteries of grace and salvation; but to lay it aside; put it off as David did Saul's armour; put it away as men do childish things; cast it out as Abram did the bond-woman and her son....and so run with patience the race that is set before thee, every step "looking unto Jesus."

By glimm'ring hopes and gloomy fears See the kind angels at the gates,
We trace the sacred road;

Thro' dismal deeps and dang’rous snares
We make our way to God.

Inviting us to come!
There Jesus the forerunner waits,
To welcome trav❜lers home.

That I may know him......Phil. iii. 10..

"THERE are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four.... the fire which saith not, it is enough."....Prov. xxx. 15, 16. So true is this of the fire of love when kindled in believing hearts. It burns with insatiable desire towards Jesus. Amazing! Had Paul so long known, loved, and preached a crucified, risen Jesus, and yet now desires to know him! Yes. Such is the nature of faith, that like riches to a miser, the more they increase, the more the desires of his ́heart increase after them. His wants are greater than his possessions. So the living members of precious Jesus see such inexhaustible treasures in him their living head, and such numerous wants in themselves, that their hearts are ever crying after, looking to, and longing for more of his presence, blessings and comforts in knowledge and experience. And, like a chaste virgin espoused to an affectionate lover, her desires will never be completely satisfied till she is brought into the nearest relation and closest embraces, when she takes up her abode, and enjoys the presence of the object of her love. Lovers of Jesus can never be satisfied with any other but him, nor will they be fully satisfied nor perfectly happy, till they are for ever present with their ever-loving Lord.

But the knowledge of him, even now, creates a paradise of peace, a heaven of love and holiness in the soul. Hence there is a godly jealousy in espoused souls, lest other objects should steal upon their affections. If at any time their eyes have been turned from their Lord, there is a holy shame; they blush at their folly, and cry, O that I may know him who rests for ever alike in his constant love to me a poor sinner. In this consists the life and joy of the heart, to know that Jesus hath made peace for us by the blood of his cross; that he hath wrought out a robe of righteousness by the obedience of his life to adorn us; that he ever lives to pray for us. Yea daily, constantly to know him, as dwelling in my heart by faith, ever present with me to the joy of my mind, and to the peace of my cons science. And truly, beloved, if thou art not thus kept knowing Jesus, looking to Jesus, feeding upon him continually in thy heart by faith, thou wilt know and feel other things, which will creep in and sadly distress thy mind. The voice of the law will be heard in thy conscience, backed by satan's injections, and thou wilt find anguish of spirit and bitterness of soul. But by sweetly abiding in the knowledge of Jesus, by faith, thou shalt manfully stand thy ground, and courageously conquer and triumph. "So shall grace and peace be multiplied through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.... 2 Pet. i. 2.

Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth....Rom. xiv. 22.

THERE are many things of a civil, moral and religious nature, which are in themselves indifferent. Yet, as to compliance or noncompliance with them, they are far from being matters of indifference to the mind of a believer. As he has an inward consciousness of his outward behaviour, so he finds within himself a sentence of condemnation when he acts contrary to the dictates of his own knowledge and conscience. It may be the disciple of Jesus often finds some things of a doubtful nature, wherein he doth not see the word of God to be express and clear in determining. The upright soul, the tender conscience knows not how to act; is afraid of doing wrong: he asks advice of ministers and christian brethren, but they cannot fully satisfy his scruples and set his mind at liberty, how he ought to demean himself.

Here the apostles give a full and peremptory answer. The heart of every believer is purified from an evil conscience by the blood of Jesus, and instructed in the knowledge of the truth by his word and Spirit. Hence there is an inward perception of what tends to wound and condemn it. Happy art thou, disciple, if thou dost not wilfully allow thyself in any thing for which thy conscience condemns thee. Never allow thyself in any outward practice, which is attended with inward.condemnation. Is it of a trifling and indifferent nature in itself? pretend not to plead for it. Canst thou be content to make thy conscience thine enemy, to incur its censure, and to impair thỷ peace, for a TRIFLE? Whatever thou takest in hand remember the end, and thou shalt not do amiss. This advice is excellent; it is thy wisdom to follow it; it is thy privilege to plead for power at a throne of grace. Consider daily thy calling; it is to live in sweet fellowship with Jesus, to enjoy peace in thy conscience, and holiness and happiness in life. Whatever is contrary to this, will make thee unhappy. As a son of the most high God, and a servant of the precious Jesus, thou art called not to please thy flesh, not to do thy own will, not to gratify thy own lusts, yea not to destroy thy own peace, but to glorify thy God and Saviour, in doing his will. It is most plain and evident from the apostles' exhortations, that if believers' walk and practice are not consistent with the truth, they may most certainly deprive themselves of the sweet sense and comfortable enjoyment of the peace and love of God. Consider deeply, weigh attentively the force and meaning of these words, "KEEP yourselves in the love of God."....Jude xxi. "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts."....Col. iii. 15.