whatsoever feemeth good in his fight. He is great in goodness and love. How inconceivably great the goodness he hath laid up for them that fear him!" How wonderfully great the love wherewith he loved us, when dead in trefpaffes and fins! How very great are his mercies, which are extended to the most unworthy, and pardon the greateft tranfgreffions! It is unneceffary to enlarge. This holy One declares his greatness, especially in the midst of his people, by the great, unfearchable, and marvellous things, without number, that he hath done for them, and among them. The wonderful works performed by the Lord, in all places, and in all ages, afford the most ftriking demonftrations of his excellent greatnefs. But the difplays he gives of his grandeur to his people, in the ineftimable favours which he confers upon them, the glorious deliverances that he works for them, and the awful judgments which he inflicts upon their enemies, are truly illuftrious and magnificent. The holy One of Ifrael is not only in the midft of his people in general, by his gracious prefence, to blefs them, and to beautify their affemblies; but he is in the midst of every inhabitant of Zion: he is formed in him the hope of glory, dwelling in him by his word and Spirit, and abiding with him, to fanctify, ftrengthen, guide, and comfort him.

The greatnefs of Jehovah demands from you great praifes, great fervices, great love, great fear, great honour, great facrifices, and great fubjection. The Lord is great, and greatly to be praifed. Give then, ye kindreds of the people, the glory due unto his name. Take heed that you act up to thofe principles which you profefs to believe and acknowledge. It is an eafy matter verbally to confefs the greatnefs of Jehovah, which we are invited to extol; but it is much more difficult to act up to this profeflion. Having acknow. ledged that the righteoufnefs of God is very great, beware of arraigning the equity and juftice of his difpenfations. Having adored him as the only wife

God,

in

ye are.

God, be fully fatisfied with the conduct and diftributions of his providence. Having praifed the riches of his mercy and grace, beware of prefuming on his mercy to commit fin, and of turning his grace into wantonnefs. The celebration of the divine greatness is only an unmeaning compliment, if it hath not a happy influence upon practice: it is no more than empty found, if we act not confiftently with our acknowledgments and praises. Our actions are always the best expofition of what we believe and fpeak.-Remember, Chriftians, that ye are the temple of the living God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth you; that the temple of God is holy, which temple Remember that nothing can be more unfeemly than to fing, in a new fong, the praifes of God with an old heart, or even with a heart not tuned for this celestial employment. If the voice of rejoicing and falvation be heard in the tabernacles of the righteous, how much more ought the voice of thankf giving and práife to fill the living temples of God!. Sing ye praises with understanding: publish the name of the Lord; afcribe ye greatnefs unto our God. Sing unto the Lord a new fong, and his praise in the congregation of his faints. Let Ifrael rejoice in him that made him: let the inhabitants of Zion be joyful in their King, who taketh pleafure in his people, and will beautify the meek with falvation. Let every thing that hath breath praife the Lord. Hallelujah.

Thys, my brethren, through the continued gracious. affiftance of God, I have finifhed my Lectures upon the first part of the Prophecies of Ifaiah. With what fuccefs I leave you to determine. Frequently and feriously recollect what you have heard, and wherein you have profited; and ceafe not earneftly to implore that the divine bleffing may accompany my labours for your benefit. To my expofition of words, 'add your comment of good works. A living commentary on the Bible is infinitely preferable to the beft that ever was written or spoken. I entreat that you will let me have

42

..

CHAP. XII. have the pleasure of feeing you diligently carrying on this bleffed work. I afk no more, and I can be fatisfied with no less than a comfortable answer to this request; which may God difpofe you to grant, to his glory, and your own benefit.—I conclude with the words of an eminent writer, which juftly deferve your attentive practical regard: "The word of God was written to give us not merely a fpeculative ap"prehenfion, but an experimental fenfe and feeling "of holy things, comfortable or terrifying, as our fpiritual ftate requires. I rejoice at thy word, as "one that findeth great fpoil, faith the pfalmift. To "this man will I look, faith the Lord, even to him that 66 is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word. Too many, alas! have no conception of "this efficacy in fcripture; and no wonder, for they "have never seriously endeavoured to have any. But "let them try in earneft, and they will infallibly fuc"ceed, if they use proper means. We read of fome, "what will be true of all in the fame condition, that "the word did not profit them, not being mixed with "faith. God indeed can operate according to his

66

own pleasure; but, humanly fpeaking, perfons will not be influenced by what they difbelieve, or much "by what they believe but faintly. Nay, fhould they "labour to make the ftrongeft impreffions on their "own fouls, without applying to him whofe gift sav"ing faith is, their efforts would be vain. But let any

one jointly ftrive and pray, for a deep conviction "that the Bible is the appointed inftrument of his religious proficiency: then let him read it, not as performing a tafk he knows not why, from which he "had rather be excufed; not to outfhine others in "rendinefs of quotation, or plaufibility of interpret

ing, or oppofitions of fcience, falfely fo called; not "to furnith himfelf with weapons for debate and con"troverfy, much lefs for uncharitablenefs and abuse; "but to amend his inward ftate toward God.—Let "him accordingly ftop on fit occafions, and think;

“What

"What confolations doth this paffage administer to "me? What acknowledgments to heaven doth this "declaration require from me? What fear for my"felf doth this threatening call for? What duty doth "this precept or pattern point out to me? Of what "fin doth it convince me? Against what dangers "doth it warn me? Is my character and behaviour "fuitable to this command or exhortation, this defcription or good example? Or do I fee myself here, "under another name, reproved, condemned, ftig"matized? Have I acquired that fenfe of my own "finfulness and weaknefs, of God's holiness and "juftice, of my need of the merits of Chrift and "the grace of the divine Spirit, which the whole "tenour of scripture inculcates? or am I ftill inclined "to ftand or fall by my own righteousness? Faithful

r

pains taken for fome time in fuch home questions, "without forcing unnatural uses out of any text, but "only dwelling on thofe that fairly prefent themselves, "will make us experience a divine virtue in the "facred writings, piercing firft, and healing after"wards; which, provided we are not fatisfied with "being piously moved at the time, and then relapfing "into what we were before, but continue the inquiry ❝fteadily, and carry on every feeling into practice, "will affuredly transform us into what we ought to "be."Let us entreat the bleffing of God on our humble endeavours to understand the fcriptures, that receiving the feed of the word into good and honest hearts, we may bring forth fruit with patience. The grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghoft, be with you

all. Amen.

FINIS.