what shall I be hereafter, when I come to receive a child's portion! Look forward, O my soul; see the delightful moment when thou shalt hear the chariot wheels of thy Lord stop at the door; when thou shalt wing thy way to the new Jerusalem, the city of God above, and there join the church triumphant in every exelted hosannah. Look still forward to the Resurrection morning, when this body shall be raised and fashioned like unto Christ's most glorious body; when body and soul shall be reunited, be arrayed in all the garments of salvation, and appear in all the splendor and magnificence of a child of God. Sure, Lord, this is enough. I can now no longer murmur under the dispensations of thy providence; now no longer envy the prosperity of the wicked, or think religion vain. Do with me as thou pleasest. Afflictions, reproaches, persecutions, whatever may be for thy glory, I would submit to with the utmost cheerfulness. I would not seek my own peace, but in connection with the glory of my heavenly Father. Lord, give me more of a child-like temper, that I may honour thee more living and dying. "Do I not only love. Christ, but does he love me?" Has he graciously condescended to give this happy information, and to speak in this affectionate language? Oh, Prov. viii. 17.

what it is to be a christian? Time, and eternity too, must be employed in admiring the riches of sovereign grace, and praising God and the Lamb.

Thus may I make this use of the discovery God has made to my soul of my being interested in and united to him. May I be kept from spiritual pride, and grow more in humility and admiration; that the clearer my evidences are of a title to a better world, the more may I not only rejoice, but improve this happy circumtance, to promote the glory of God, and to stir me up to a greater activity and diligence in every part of his service; longing, ardently longing for that world, where I shall love him best, and be for ever like him. To this I would set my hearty Amen.

CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS.

THE neglect of self examination among professors of religion is often betrayed by a want of self-knowledge. If the preceding pages produce in any one the habit of faithfully interrogating his conscience, while reading the scriptures, the charter of our salvation, they may, by affording a well-grounded assurance of life, abundantly recompense the perusal. But if they detect in any one a false religion, though he may feel as if wounded in the vitals, he will have reason to say, "faithful are the wounds of a friend." More danger is to be apprehended to individuals and to the church of God from false religion than from open irreligion. The apostles of Christ weep over a specious profession, and exult amidst all the opposition of avowed foes.

To be just to ourselves and to God, we should however be willing to know not only the worst of ourselves, but the truth concerning our state, whether it be for or against us. It is unspeakably desireable that we should know our marks of condemnation, if we are in that state, and our evidence of salvation, if we have any. While there are many who shrink from the painful

truth, and thus ruin their souls by self flattery, there are not a few who, by a mistaken modesty, refuse to be comforted, and thus rob God of the glory which is due to him for the blessings of his grace.

In the preceding work a just attention is paid to both objects. The signs of religion here given are too just, and the test proposed is too holy, to suit any but real Christians; while these are exhorted to say, "I would be just to myself and humbly bold to take the comfort, when my conscience and thy Spirit too give me reason to hope that thou art mine." The Christian who really wishes to know the truth concerning himself may employ these marks with confidence, for they are immediately derived from the sacred scriptures, and are judiciously employed. Here is ardour without enthusiasm, and judg ment without coldness. A rational attention is paid to sciptural marks of salvation. We are not led to enquire after visions, on which some build their hopes, to their own ruin; for even Balaam could say, "he saw the vision of the Almighty." Here no mention is made of sudden impressions, and applications of scripture to the mind. Unless we have the sentiments of the divine word in our minds, and the spirit which it breathes dwelling in our hearts, had we texts of scripture coming to our minds every hour in the day, 'till

at length all the promises in the bible had apparently been spoken to us, we still have no part nor lot in the blessings of the gospel, but are in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. For who needs to be informed that Satan brought promises of scripture to the Saviour's mind? The Redeemer saw they were misapplied, and thus foiled the tempter. How is it that so many fancy that the mere suddeness of the manner in which a text of scripture comes to the mind, (especially if it is of the nature of a promise) is a proof of its being the voice of God assuring us of our salvation? Alas! the father of lies, the murderer of souls could never act more completely in character, than when bringing such promises to the mind of an unbeliever, who is living in his sins, to inspire him with the confident hope of heaven.

I write with more earnestness on this subject, because I have seen the pernicious consequences of such delusion. I was once called to visit an aged person who had been all her days hearing the gospel, and making a distinguished profession of religion. But instead of the peace and joy which often delight us in the aged disciples of Christ, when on the borders of eternity, I saw with grief and alarm a picture of despair. On mentioning the promise of life in the gospel to the chief of sinners that flies to Christ for refuge,