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They who feared the Lord, spake often one to another; the
Lord hearkened and heard it....Mal. iii. 16.

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THE tongue, though but a little member, yet is capable of being employed to the best services, or to the worst purposes. We are assured he is a perfect man who offends not in word. He is a man after God's own heart who prays daily, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer."....Psalm xix. 14. "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom."....James iii. 13. Thus perfection, real godliness, and true wisdom are ascribed to our words and conversation. "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."....Matt. xii. 37. Most weighty considerations! Let us take heed that we offend not with our tongue. But most encouraging assurance, our God hearkens to his dear children when we converse together about his kingdom and glory, and our peace, edification, and holiness. Yea more: 0, condescending love! "A book of remembrance was written before him of them who feared the Lord, and THOUGHT upon his name." Is such kind notice taken of our converse? Then what emulation ought to fire us, that our tongues may edify and provoke each other to love and good works! What shame to christians, that they too often meet and talk, and their poor hearts are neither edified, warmed, or comforted! Why is this? Truly the end of their conversation, "Jesus the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," was not considered. He is always most worthy to be uppermost in our hearts and tongues. This, like a live coal from the altar, is the only fire to make cold hearts glow with love, and warm hearts burn with affection. The best news of the day, the fittest subject for conversation, is the rich, free, sovereign grace of our God, the love of Christ, the glad tidings of the gospel, the joyful news of salvation finished by Jesus. This we are going fully to enjoy. What then should we talk of by the way but this? O disciple, dost thou find a dull frame and a sad heart? therefore, sayest, I am unfit to converse of these things? This is really like staying from the fire, because cold, or abstaining from food, because hungry. Consider the conduct of the disciples. "Jesus drew near to them, and asks, what manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are SAD?" ....Luke xxiv. 17. Though they had lost sight of Jesus, though their hearts were sad about it, yet they refrained not talking and communing about HIM. And he soon made their hearts burn within them. "Let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ." ....Phil. i. 27.

I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her....Hosea ii. 14.

CARNAL ease begets spiritual sloth. Outward prosperity often brings leanness of soul. Worldly joys, vain pleasures, and sensual gratifications, are contrary to the spiritual delights, holy comforts, *and godly conversation of the soul. Of this observation we have awful evidence. Woeful experience proves it. It is seldom seen that the church of Christ in general, or individual members thrive and prosper in soul, when all without is easy, prosperous, and joyful to the flesh. Like "Jeshurun, we wax fat and kick, forsake God, and lightly esteem the rock of our salvation."....Deut. xxxii. 15.

But the head of his church, ever jealous for his own glory, ever watchful in love over his own members, will not suffer them to perish with a surfeit from worldly kindness. They shall rather bleed by the loving stroke of his hand, than fall a sacrifice to the world and the flesh. Earthly plants droop and wither by too great heat from the sun: so spiritual plants hang ther heads and decline under the warm sunshine of prosperity. "But," saith the Lord, who delights in the 'spiritual prosperity of his people, "I will allure them to myself; I will persuade of the evil of forsaking me, the fountain of living waters, and hewing out to themselves broken cisterns that will hold no water." The world, with all its gaudy show and glittering vanities, I will persuade them from. I will allure to myself the fountain of real happiness, the source of solid comfort, the centre of all felicity. The Saviour, who was led into the wilderness to be tempted for the soul, will lead the soul into the wilderness to wean it from its carnal delights. In a solitary, desolate wilderness, there is nothing grows to please the flesh, but all is irksome and disagreeable to nature. Here no path to direct from danger and invite to safety is found. Here wild beasts of prey roam. Here the welcome footsteps of the traveller cannot be traced. Here nought but dreary dread and constant fears haunt the mind. Just so is a wilderness-state of soul; O, what fears and sorrows pursue it! How perplexed about the way, from danger to safety! How gloomy, sad, and dejected is the heart! O, in such a state how ready the soul to hear! O, how doth God there teach the soul the profitable lesson of consideration! Former follies are reflected on with shame, past conduct is mourned over, worldly objects rejected with contempt, the soul brought again to thirst after God; Jesus and salvation becomes its cry again. O, that it were with me as in months past! This is right. The Saviour loves to hear his members thus bemoaning themselves. Then is their ear open, and their heart attentive to his voice; and he will speak, not what she deserves, wrath; but comfortably unto her heart; "Fear not, I am thy God, and thy great salvation." K k

VOL. I.

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord....Jer. xxxi. 34.

THE outward teaching of the word is to be prized. Diligent attendance on gospel-preaching is by no means to be neglected. Faithful ministers of Jesus are to be esteemed highly in love for their works' sake. Christian conversation is to be valued: none of these are here spoken against by our Lord. No; his appointing teachers, the Spirit's owning and blessing the word by them to the instruction and conversion of souls, plainly prove the contrary. But Jesus, the substance, being come, teaching by types and shadows should be no more. Men shall not teach one another by pretended revelations: but the ministration of the Spirit should take place of the ministration of the letter. Such should be the effusion of the Spirit after the ascension of Jesus; that he should enlighten with his power and teach with his energy all the children of God. Every believer in Jesus has this unction of the Holy Spirit, which teacheth him all things....1 John ii. 20. Hence the babe in Christ, as well as the father, is taught by the same divine Lord to know Jesus as the only and alone Saviour, the virtue of his precious blood, the perfection of his atonement, the glory of his righteousness, and the completeness of his salvation; taught to believe in his blessed name, and love his adorable person. O believer, is this absolute declaration," they shall all know me," thy mercy? Jehovah speaks with the voice of omnipotence. The Lord effects by the power of his sovereignty, THEY SHALL all know me: are ALL men thus taught of God? Do ALL men know the Lord? We cannot say so. We dare not think so. The contrary is too evident. This teaching, this knowledge, is not general and universal, but special and peculiar to God's people ONLY. Therefore his grace proved effectual to thy calling, thy teaching. How vain, how fruitless would all other teachers have proved! but the work is his, the comfort thine. Ever reflect on the pride of thy nature, the obstinacy of thy will, the blindness of thy understanding, the desperate wickedness and unbelief of thy heart, and bow to his sovereignty. Give the Spirit all the glory for what thou knowest of Jesus as thy hope and salvation. Now there is an essential difference between BELIEVING and KNOWING. All men believe there is a God. But to know God is peculiar to regenerate souls. And this is the comforting criterion, to know him as our own sin-forgiving God: for he adds, "I will forgive their iniquity; I will remem❤ ber their sin no more."

We bless the prophet of the Lord
That comes with truth and grace:
Jesus, thy Spirit and thy word

Doth teach us in thy ways.

Hosanna to thy glorious name,

Who call'd us by thy grace;
Thy mercies lay a sov'reign claim
To our immortal praise.

No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God....Luke ix. 62.

THE eye, though a little member, yet perhaps of all others is the greatest inlet to temptation. The first motion to sin entered by seeing. Eve SAW the fruit was good and pleasant to the eye. Looking begat longing; so lust was conceived, and brought forth sin. Sin when it was finished brought forth death upon her and all her posterity. When satan dared to tempt Jesus, he began the attack by presenting to his view the kingdoms of the world and the glories thereof. Seeing this, what reason is there, with Job, to make a covenant with our eyes! with David, to pray daily, "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity!" No state more awful than to set out in the best cause, and to turn back to the worst enemy. The last end of such is most dreadful. Most deplorable indeed, to turn away from following Jesus, and make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience.

Whether he be minister or disciple who hath put his hand to the gospel-plough, if his eyes are attracted to, and his heart allured after the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, these will render him unfit for the kingdom of God. For these are as contrary to the Spirit, frame, and genius of Jesus and his kingdom, as heaven is to hell. No man can serve two such opposite masters. If thou hast chosen Jesus for thy portion and thy all, wherefore dost thou look back to the world? What slight and contempt doth such a conduct pour upon blessed Jesus! It is a sad evidence the heart is not whole with him. Such conduct speaks loudly, as though there was somewhat desirable in Christ and his ways; but not enough to win the heart wholly, engage the affections entirely, and fill the mind with happiness completely. "If any man draw back, my soul, saith the Lord, shall have no pleasure in him." And verily such a soul can have no pleasure in God. Whither then will he fly? to what refuge betake himself in the hour of calamity, and in the day of distress? Oh! a forsaken Jesus, a slighted gospel, and neglected salvation, will wound the conscience with the keenest sting. See to it, O professor; watch over thy lustful eye. It is ever looking back to, and longing after more from this world than thou at present possesseth. O, beware of thy deceitful heart, lest that turneth from Jesus to the world. If so, thy hand will soon let go the gospel-plough: and yet you will find carnal pleas for your conduct. Many poor, dry, barren professors, have ever a reason (such as it is) at their tongues-end for their covetous, worldlyminded spirit: when it is easy to observe, like Lot's wife, they face about to Sodom, and are become a standing monument of God's displeasure. But," ," saith the apostle, of all the faithful members of Jesus, "beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak."....Heb. vi. 9.

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Search the scriptures; for in them ye ye think ye have eternat life; and they are they which testify of me....John v. 39.

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It was an excellent reply of a christian lady to a scoffing infidel, who vented profane banter upon the scriptures, and asked, What proof she could give of the truth of holy writ? Yourself, Sir,' said she, is one;' for it is written, "There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts."....2 Pet. iii. 3. Even satan, when he tempted our Lord, though he dared to pervert, yet he never once attempted to deny holy scripture to be the truths of Shame to professors who are ignorant of God's word. For Jesus and eternal life are revealed therein. Even devils, who have no hope from the scriptures, seem well versed in them. But may not Jonadab's question to Amnon be put even to some of God's chil、 dren, "Why art thou, being a king's son, lean from day to day?" ....2 Sam. xiii. 4. Leanness of soul comes on many through neglect+ ing the nourishing truths of God's word. It is the rich feast of the Father's love. By it the soul is fed and nourished up to eternal life. Verily, when we lose our appetite for the scriptures, and they are not savoury food to us, it is because our souls are distempered.

"They testify of me," saith Jesus. Is not that word enough? What so sweetly, so powerfully engaging to the soul, as when some, what of our dear Saviour is to be learned from every page? The more we are acquainted with his precious person, his amazing love, his wonderful humility, his astonishing sufferings, his finished work on earth, so much the more will he be endeared to our hearts. We shall prize the word that testifies of him, and the Spirit that glorifies him: we shall think of him, love him, live upon him, live to him, long to be with him from day to day. So we shall beguile all our troubles and trials below; our hearts will be simple and happy; our conversation and conduct will be more like the meek Lamb of God. Thus shall we grow as Pharaoh's "kine, fat-fleshed and well-favored, while we feed in God's meadow."....Gen. xli. 18. If we neglect the scriptures that testify of Jesus, no marvel if we enjoy not the comfort of the Spirit's witness of Jesus. Says Luther, Let the Lord take me out of life this hour, or when it pleaseth him, I leave this behind me, I will own Jesus Christ for my Lord and my God. This I have not only out of the scriptures, but by manifold experience: also, for the name JESUS hath often helped and comforted me, when no creature could." "Holy scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation, through faith, which is in Christ Jesus."....2 Tim. iii. 15. Great God! mine eyes with pleasure Let the false raptures of the mind, On the dear volume of thy book; [look, There my Redeemer's face I see, And read his name who dy'd for me.

Be lost and vanish in the wind:
Here I can fix my hope secure;
This is thy word and must endure.

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