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our gladness into their proper channels, into praises and thanksgivings to the gracious Author of our happiness, and a liberal communication to others of the bleffings we enjoy ; which are the only proper expreffions of our thankfulness, and the only fuitable return for fuch diftinguishing marks of the divine fa

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If, on the contrary, we are oppreffed with a multitude of forrows, with poverty or disease, with loffes and disappointments, the perfecution of enemies, or the unkindness of friends, it is to retirement we must fly for confolation, not to indulge ourselves in the fullen fatisfaction of a secret melancholy, much less to vent the bitterness of our heart in frantic exclama tions, and indecent reflexions on the difpenfations of Providence; but, after pouring out our fouls before God, to go at once to the bottom of the evil, to fearch for the causes of our affliction where they are too often, alas! to be found, but where we very feldom think of looking for them, in the follies and miscarriages of our own conduct. And if we are so happy as to discover, and fo wife as to correct, them, we fhall then have fulfilled the end which these forrows

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forrows were probably defigned to answer, and "it will be even good for us to have been in "trouble."

How abfolutely neceffary recollection is to those who are immerfed in vice, is too obvious to be infifted on. If, indeed, they have caft off all thoughts of Religion, and are determined to fin on to the last, they are then in the right of it to avoid this felf-communion, and to decline all converfation with a friend that might tell them very disagreeable truths. Their only bufinefs is then, not to encourage, but to stifle, reflexion; and after forgetting their Maker, and every thing they ought to remember, to forget themselves too, if they can. they are touched with a sense of their danger, and a defire of amendment, their first step is certainly to retire and recollect themselves. This, indeed, in general, is all that is neceffary. "I called mine own ways to remembrance, fays David; and immediately adds, as an almoft neceffary confequence, and " turned my "feet unto thy teftimonies." "I made haste, " and prolonged not the time to keep thy com"mandments." This must ever be the refult of a ferious deliberation. The truths of Re

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ligion, more especially of the Chriftian Religion, are fo clear and convincing; the contrast between vice and virtue, good and evil, so ftriking; the disproportion between a moment of pleasure and an eternity of pain, fo glaring and undeniable; that they want nothing more than confideration to give them their proper weight, infomuch, that to think is to believe and to be faved.

To fuch as are already entered on the paths of virtue, but are yet at a great distance from Christian perfection, it will be highly useful to stop sometimes, and confider what they have already done, and what they have still to do; fometimes to prevent despair, by looking back on the dangers they have past, and sometimes to excite vigilance, by looking forwards to thofe before them; to renew, from time to time, their petitions to the Throne of Grace, for that fuccour and affiftance which is fo neceffary to fupport them; and, above all, to refresh their hopes and invigorate their refolutions, by frequently looking up to that crown of glory, which will fo amply recompence all their labours.

Nor does even the highest degree of perfection that human nature can arrive at, place a

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man above the neceffity of calling his ways to remembrance. Nay, perhaps, recollection is then peculiarly, neceffary, because we are apt to think it leaft fo." Let him that thinketh he ftands, take heed left he fall." No fooner do we fuppofe ourselves out of the reach of danger, than we cease to be fo. It becomes us, therefore, to be jealous of our very virtues, and to let our vigilance and circumfpection keep pace with our improvements. Our condition in this life is reprefented in Scripture as a continual warfare; and we have a very fubtle adverfary to deal with, who is always upon the watch to take advantage of our fecurity. The good foldier of Chrift, therefore, will use the fame caution in his fpiritual as he would in a temporal warfare; he will obferve the fame difcipline after a victory, as when fuccefs was dubious; for no ftratagem has been fo often practifed, and has fo often fucceeded, as that of furprizing a victorious, and therefore unguarded, enemy.

It must be observed too, that virtue as well as knowledge is progreffive, and if we do not gain ground, we lofe it. There is always fome perfection to be acquired, or fome imperfection

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to be amended. If we are not conftantly ftrengthening the barriers opposed to our paffions, by fucceffively accumulating one good principle upon another, they will grow weaker every day, and expofe us to the hazard of fome fudden and violent overthrow. It is aftonishing how much the very best men find to do, even when they are regular and punctual in reviewing their conduct; how many errors they have to rectify, how many omiffions to supply, how many exceffes to retrench, how many growing defires to controul. The more frequently they do this, the more they will fee the neceffity and feel the advantage of it. They will have the pleasure too of observing, how much they increase in goodness and grow in grace, and this will animate them to still higher attainments. They will never think themfelves fufficiently advanced in holiness; but forgetting those things that are behind, and

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reaching forth to thofe things that are be"fore, they will go on from ftrength to

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ftrength, and prefs forward towards the

"mark, to the prize of the high calling of "God in Chrift Jesus *."

* Phil. iii, 13. Pfalm lxxxiv. 7.

Univerfally,

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