powers; it was thus that he became wiser than his teachers. He was a king, and had the cares of the nation to occupy his mind; he was a man of war, and had that art to study. But, O the privilege of the Christian! He goes through every part, even of his earthly way, leaning upon his God. David could say even of war, "The Lord teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. The Lord subdues the people under me." In temporals and spirituals, He is my Shield, my Strength, my Buckler, my strong Tower. "I shall not fear what man can do unto me. In Judah's land God is well known: there he breaks the spear, the bow, and the battle." He ascribes all to God. We hear nothing of his own wisdom, his disciplined armies, his order of battle, and warlike powers; though attention to all these was his duty, and not neglected by him. He devoted all his natural talents to God; he exercised them diligently, but still he knew and acted under the influence of that knowledge, that, "unless the Lord build the house, the builders lose their pains; unless the Lord keep the city, the watchmen watch in vain." He, as well as worldly men, chose the means best adapted to the end proposed. Let natural men assert, and let it be admitted, that David knew better how to use a sling and a stone, than mail, helmet, and sword; therefore he chose them. But follow David until he meet the hostile band. Do we hear a word of his art as a slinger, as a marksman? Though we may suppose he was expert at

both.

"Thou comest to me with a sword, a spear, and shield; but I come in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied; and this assembly shall know, that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; (these are not essential;) for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give it into our hands."

How comfortably might Christians go through life, did they walk with God in their daily business and occupations, carefully observing the leadings of Providence, cautiously avoiding either running before, or running behind; but in all things making their request known to God; at all times committing their way to him, being careful about nothing, but to use with diligence the means of grace, and also the means of acquiring the good things of life, leaving the issues of both to God, in the full as surance that what is good the Lord will give! "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." In spirituals and temporals, "the hand of the diligent maketh rich. Be ye diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."

Lord, teach me thy law graciously, in all its perfection, its extent, order, beauty, and harmony; and grant me all the assistance provided to enable a lost, depraved, corrupted child of Adam, to set out in thy good ways, to go forward, and to finish in the same course; and all the consolation, joy, and peace, which thou hast provided to be enjoyed in a measuse even here, and to be perfected in the world to come. Amen.

HOSEA, chap. xiv. "O Israel, return unto the Lord, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity." Yes, fallen, O how fallen, from God the only good, the Fountain of happiness! Lost his image, which was the glory of man in Paradise! Lost that sweet complacency and delight in his perfections and attributes, which innocence enjoyed. Lost all rectitude of reason and judgment! No longer can we judge of excellence, no longer love what God loves. Our wills are no longer straight with his will,

but crooked, opposing God, and choosing evil instead of good. "O Israel! thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help." Amen, says my soul, in thee is my help.

New York, October 3, 1793.

ISAIAH xliv. 5. "One shall say, I am the Lord's, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel."

I, as one, subscribe to the truth of all that God has said: I, as one, subscribe my assent to all that he has done. I set my Amen to his well-ordered covenant, "well ordered in all things, and sure." And this is the covenant, even Christ, the sum and substance; for he hath given him to be a covenant of the people. The whole and every part of it is God's covenant. To me it must be a testament, the New Testament in Christ's blood. To me it must be a covenant of gifts and promises. I can be of no party, having nothing to give: nothing with which to covenant. He hath said, "Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help."

Amen. Be my help, my deliverer!

"Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be saved; for I am God, and there is none else." I do look unto thee alone for salvation. Thou art God, there is none else; besides thee there is no Saviour.

"I will pour water on the thirsty, and floods on the parched ground, I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy offspring." Amen. I yield my soul into thy hand, dry and parched, to receive thy showers of reviving, quickening, fructifying grace.

New York, February 10, 1794.

THIS day I have a letter from my poor wanderer. It is more than a year since I heard of him. Accept of my thanks, my good and gracious Lord. I feared that his cup had been full, and that he had been called out of the world with all his sins on his own head; for I have no tidings of his turning from his sinful courses, or fleeing from the wrath to come, by taking hold of the hope set before him.

I bless thee, O I bless thee, for thy sparing mercy, thy long-suffering, thy patience, thy forbearance. Yea, even to him, thou hast been more than all this. Thou hast been his Preserver, his Provider: thou hast watched over him in many imminent dangers, in the great deeps, in burning and in frozen climes.

Thou hast followed him with thy preserving mercy and temporal bounty. He is still in the land of the living, and among those who are called to look unto thee and live. Still thou feedest my hopes of better things for him. Thou sufferest my prayers to lie on the table of thy covenant. I will trust, I will hope, I will believe, that, in an accepted time, thou wilt hear me, and in a day of thy power thou wilt bow his stubborn will, and lay him an humble suppliant at thy feet. I trust thou wilt bring this poor prodigal to himself, and turn his steps towards his Father's house. See how he feeds with the swine upon husks, and even these not his own. O turn his thoughts to his "Father's house, where there is bread enough, and to spare."

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Lord, remember thy gracious word, on which thou hast caused me to hope," and which has ever been my comfort in the time of my affliction, and in my straits my only relief.

He is again launched into the great ocean. Lord, he is far from every friend, and from every means of grace, and, for any thing I know, far from thee by wicked works: under thy curse, and hateful in thy sight; but thou, God, seest him. Means are not necessary, if thou willest to work without. Thou canst find an avenue to his heart at once, dead as he is, vile as he is, guilty as he is, far from the help of man, and in the most unlikely situation to receive the help of God; I know that all these hindrances, all these mountains, shall melt as wax at thy presence.

Lord, I believe, thou knowest I believe, that, if thou but speak the word, this dead soul shall live; this vile, this guilty soul shall be cleansed, shall be renewed, and my son be changed to an humble, thankful, genuine child of God, through the cleansing blood of atonement, through the imputation of the Redeemer's righteousness, and the implantation of thy Spirit. I can do nothing for him, but thou canst do all this. I wait for it, Lord, I wait for thy salvation. Lord, let there be 'joy in Heaven over this one sinner repenting." I roll him on thee, I trust in thy sovereign, free, unmerited mercy in Christ. Amen.

New York, October 1, 1794. "RETURN unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee."

"Blessed be the Lord, for he hath showed me his marvellous loving-kindness in a strong city"-Christ, the city of Refuge.

Thou hast given me my heart's withholden the request of my lips.

desire, and hast not

"One thing have I