his fixed place of abode-the whole land is christian; and wants no miraculous proof of the truth of the gospel.

How far then may we reasonably expect the affiftance of the holy fpirit? So far as we reafonably want it; and no farther.-Mankind are still mankind. The truth of the gospel cannot change the nature of man. Man, left to himself, has still the fame evil difpofitions about him; and the affiftance of the holy spirit is therefore always wanted. It was an opinion of the heathen world, that the affistance of the Gods was neceffary to the performance of all great actions. This noble idea of nature, chriftianity hath confirmed. The chriftian is affured, that in all his conflicts with his fpiritual enemies, if he exert with honeft fincerity, the powers of nature, he shall be farther aided by thofe of grace.

He seems in the mean time, to have no bufiness to enquire in what manner, or under what circumftances this divine aid will be granted. Some indeed pretend to feel the illapfe of the holy fpirit; and to fix the moment, when it enters the heart. But our bleffed Saviour feems to determine otherwife. The wind bloweth, where it lifteth, and thou heareft the found thereof;

thereof; but can not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth: fo is every one that is born of the Spirit: that is, (as I should humbly interpret the words) when the bleffed fpirit does affift human nature, (which is not continually, but only when it listeth, that is, when it is neceffary) its effect is undoubted; but of its mode of operation-whether by giving a turn to our thoughts or acting upon us by the medium of outward circumstances, we can form no judgment we cannot tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. Of this however we may be affured, that its aid will always be in proportion to our neceffities.

This indeed feems plain from the text. My grace is fufficient for thee: for my firength is made perfect in weakness: that is, the weaker thou art, my ftrength fhall be the more fhewn in affifting thee.

This paffage of fcripture feems to reprefent St. Paul in the exact cafe of an ordinary chriftian. In his private capacity as a man (for the paffage feems to have no concern with his public miniftration as an apoftle) he had been preffed by fome great trial. He prayed thrice that is frequently, for God's affistance; and received the answer of the text, which is recorded,

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corded, no doubt, for our ufe; and plainly fets forth this doctrine, that God's affistance will be in proportion to our neceffities-provided we take the method St. Paul did, of praying earnestly for it, and ufing our own beft endeavours.

Nor is this only the doctrine of St. Paul, but the universal tenor of fcripture. Our bleffed Lord affures his difciples, that whatever their exigencies may be, they shall receive proportional affistance from Heaven: for it was not they who Spoke; but the Spirit of their Father, who dwelt in them.

Now the fame fpirit, which dwelt in them, dwelleth in us and it feems a fafe, and juft, and fcriptural conclufion, that its mode of operation is still the fame, allowing only for its being extraordinary in one cafe, and ordinary in the other. If therefore the apostles partook of the former, in proportion to their neceffities, it may be hoped, that we, in a fimilar manner, may partake of the latter, in proportion to ours.

Agreeably to which indeed the fpirit is reprefented in other paffages of fcripture, as frengthening us with might in the inward man (that is, when we ftand in need of strengthening) and helping our infirmities-when thofe infirmities are likely to betray us.

Now there is no doctrine of chriftianity which is more comfortable to a serious mind, than this. It is a provifion for our neceffities. Though it may not administer to wants of a less important kind-nor in all cafes, where we may deem it neceffary—yet in cafes of real need, it is always a fupply-it is manna from the clouds, and water from the rock.

It fometimes falls out, that religious people, when they look into the lives of eminent profeffors of the gospel; and fee them abandoning the world for their religion; or even laying down their lives for its fake, are apt to feel themselves uneafy, and distressed under the comparison; and to fret, because they think, they could not themselves undergo fuch trials of their faith, with equal fortitude.

But let them not be diftreffed. In the hands of God, the weakest instruments may become the strongest. We know not, what we can fuffer, till we are tried. Or rather, animal spirits have nothing to do in the matter. God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty; and will fhew us that when we are weak, we are in reality ftrong:

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X.

I will make thee a terror to thy felf-
Jeremiah xx. 4.

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HIS was fpoken to a wicked man, from God by the prophet Jeremiah-and a more dreadful fentence could not be pronounced. When a man is in terror from things without him, there is fome chance-some hope of escaping the mifchief. But when he is a terror to himself, he carries the mischief always about him. Even in his very fleep he is unable to fhake it off. He ftarts from his dreams with wildnefs, and horfor.

Now nothing can occafion this terror, but guilt; and nothing, on this fide the grave, can thew guilt in fo dreadful a light. This was the terror that poffeffed Cain. This was the terror that poffeffed Judas Iscariot.-Gracious God, preferve us all from thofe crimes, which make us a terror to ourselves!