succouring me in all necessities, protecting me from imminent dangers, and delivering me from innumerable unknown evils.

By the love of myself, I lost myself: but in the love and pursuit of thee alone, I have both found thee, and found myself; and this love, the purer it hath been, the more truly hath it shown me my own nothingness: for thou, O most amiable Saviour, hast been merciful unto me, beyond all that I could either ask, or hope, or conceive.

Blessed be thy name, O God! that, unworthy as I am of the least of all thy mercies, thou continuest to heap such innumerable benefits upon me. But thy love embraceth all, perpetually imparting light and blessings even to the ungrateful, and those that are wandered far from thee. O turn us back to thee again, that we may be thankful, humble, and wholly devoted to thy will: for thou art our wisdom, our strength, our righteousness, our sanctification and redemption !

the

CHAPTER VII.

All things are to be referred to God.

CHRIST.

Ir thou wouldst be truly blessed, my son,

make me

supreme and ultimate end of all thy thoughts and desires, thy actions and pursuits. This will spirit

ualize and purify thy affections, which by an evil

tendency are too often perverted to thyself and the creatures that surround thee: but if thou seekest thyself in the complacential honors of assumed excellence, or in the enjoyment of any good which thou supposest inherent in the creatures, thou wilt only find, both in thyself and them, the imbecility and barrenness of fallen nature. Refer, therefore, all things to me, as the giver of "every perfect gift;" the supreme good, from whom all excellence in the creatures is derived, and to whom alone the praise of excellence is due.

From me, as from a living fountain, the little and the great, the rich and the poor, draw the water of life; and he that willingly and freely drinks it to my glory, shall receive grace for grace: but he that glories in any thing distinct from me, or delights in any good not referred to me, but appropriated as his own, cannot be established in true peace, nor find rest and enlargement of heart; but must meet with obstruction, disappointment, and anguish, in every desire, and every pursuit. Do not, therefore, arrogate good to thyself, nor ascribe good to any other creature; but render all to me thy God, without whom, not only man, but universal nature, is mere want and wretchedness. I, who have given all, demand it back in grateful acknowledgement, and require of every creature the tribute of humble thanksgiving, and continual praise. In the splendor of this truth, all vain-glory vanisheth, as darkness before the sun.

When divine light and love have taken possession of thy heart, it will no longer be the prey of envy,

hatred, and partial affections; for by divine light and love, the darkness and selfishness of fallen nature are totally subdued, and all its faculties restored to their original perfection. If, therefore, thou art truly wise, thou wilt hope only in me, and rejoice only in me, as thy everlasting life and light, perfection and glory for "there is but one that is good, that is God;" who is to be blessed and praised above all, and in all.

DISCIPLE.

I will now speak again unto my Lord, and will not be silent; I will say to my King, and my God, who sitteth in the highest heaven, "O how great " and manifold are the treasures of "thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee!" But what art thou, O Lord, to those that love thee with all their heart? Truly, the exquisite delight derived from that privilege of pure contemplation with which thou hast invested them, surpasseth the power of every creature to express. How free, and how exalted above all blessing and praise, is that goodness which thou hast manifested towards thy poor servant; which not only called him into being, but, when he had wandered far from thee, by its redeeming virtue brought him back to thee again, and with the command to love thee, conferred the power to fulfil it! O source of everlasting love! what shall I say concerning thee! How can I forget thee, who hast condescended to remember me, pining away and perishing in the poverty of sinful nature, and to restore me to the divine life! Beyond all hope thou hast shown mercy to thy servant, and

beyond all thought hast made him capable of thy friendship, and dignified and blessed him with it. Poor and impotent as I am in myself, what can I render thee for such distinguished grace? for it is not given unto all, to renounce this fallen state; and, in abstraction from the cares and pleasures of the world, to follow thee in "the narrow path that leadeth unto life."

But is it a foundation of boasting, thus to serve thee, whom all creatures are bound to serve ? Instead, therefore, of considering this call from vanity and sin, with self-complacency and approbation, as a superior distinction from other men; I ought rather to be lost in admiration and praise of thy condescending goodness, which has received so poor and unworthy a creature into thy family, and exalted him to the fellowship of thy faithful and beloved ser

vants.

Lord, all that I have, all the ability by which I am made capable of serving thee, is thine; and thou, therefore, rather servest me. Behold the heavens and the earth, which are continually ready to execute thy will, are made subservient to the redemption of fallen man; and what is more, thy holy "angels are ordained ministering spirits, and sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation!" and, what infinitely transcendeth all, thou, the God of angels, hast condescended to take upon thee "the form of a servant " to man, and hast promised to give him thyself!

What returns of love and duty can I make thee, for these innumerable and astonishing dignities and

blessings? O that I were able to serve thee all the days of my life! that I were able to serve thee truly, though but for one day! Thou art everlastingly worthy of all service, all honor, and all praise! Thou art my gracious Lord; and I am thy poor vassal, under infinite obligations to serve thee with all my strength, and perpetually to celebrate thy glorious name. To do this, is the sole wish and desire of my heart; and whatever ability is wanting in me to accomplish it, do thou in much mercy supply!

What exalted honor, what unsullied glory, to be devoted to thy service, and, for thy sake, to despise this fallen life, and all that is at enmity against thee! What large measures of grace are poured upon those who voluntarily subject themselves to thy most holy laws! What ravishing consolations do they receive from thy Holy Spirit, who, for the love of thee, renounce the delights of the flesh! What divine freedom do they enjoy, who, for the glory of thy holy name, leave “the broad way" of the world, "that leadeth to destruction ;" and entering in at "the strait gate," persevere in "the narrow path that leadeth unto life!"

O happy and honorable service, that makes man truly free and truly holy! O blessed privilege of filial adoption, that numbers him with the family of heaven, makes him equal to the angels, and renders him terrible to evil spirits, and delightful to all that are sanctified! O service for ever to be desired and embraced; in which we can enjoy the supreme and everlasting good!