to taste, to enjoy, to be assured of his interest in the love of God. He can no more feed upon words and syllables in his soul, than he can live upon air only for his body.

The Lord, therefore, when he imparts the demonstration of the spirit to a man, imparts it not in word but in power. Thus the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. He cannot receive it aright without this power: he cannot live upon it but by this power; nor hold out in living and believing to the end but by the same power.

This gracious feeding of the soul upon the things of God is its greatest comfort here upon earth, and one of its bright evidences for heaven. It is a secret holy act, carried on best without the clutter of the animal passions, or the intercourse of corporal things. The holy bread was eaten in the holy place, before the holy light; and all out of the air, or view, or correspondence, of the world. Thus, in the secret places of the Most High, the soul feeds upon Christ, beholds Christ, and enjoys all its divine communion with the things of God. And when it hath thus tasted that the Lord is gracious, it loves to be with him, and says earnestly as Peter did, "it is good to be here." The carnal notion even of the best things will no longer satisfy or feed it.

CHAPTER XXIX.

ON THE SPIRIT OF SCoffing.

It is no less ungracious than unwise to indulge a scoffing temper in our souls. Pride and an unmortified opinion of self are the true origin of this evil. It is the more dangerous, and not so much to the scorned,

as to the scorning, when set off with wit and mimicry, point and satire. But attic salt is not the salt of the covenant; and, in sacred things, especially, is not to be used by a Christian.

It may be diverting to mimic and to take off others, in order to expose their foibles or defects; but how and to whom is it diverting? Is it to the humble, spiritual, and mortified mind? No, but to the profane and the carnal; or, at least, to what is carnal and profane in a Christian, which the very principle of all others, that he would not strengthen or encourage, but subdue.

There is so much inhumanity, as well as irreligion, in this jeering temper, and usually so little good sense, that the Christian is bound to oppose it both in himself and in others. Cheerfulness is his privilege; but surely he may be happy in his own mind without planting thorns elsewhere; nay, it proceeds from the want of true happiness, if he can endure at any rate such a contemptible shadow of it. True peace is gentle in itself, and glows most sweetly in diffusing gentleness and kindness on every side. The happy Christian would increase his own joy by making, if possible, every one happy about him.

CHAPTER XXX.

IT IS A GREAT POINT OF CHRISTIAN WISDOM TO DIS TINGUISH WELL BETWEEN NATURE AND GRACE.

EVERY real believer hath an old man and a new, an Esau and a Jacob, a carnal mind and a spiritual mind, within him: And these are contrary the one to the other; so that he cannot always do the right things

that he would do for God, nor crush the evil things that he would not do, within himself.

These opposite principles have two opposite laws, or rules of action and power. The inclination and effect of the one are constantly directed to self, and to carnal things for the indulgence of self; and those of the other, to God, and to spiritual things for the glory of God.

Men under nature, having only one of these principles, cannot, in their natural state, discern the other. It is by grace, as by a rule, that they are able to measure nature, and to know the proportions of both grace and nature, within themselves. "He that is spiritual, judgeth, (or) discerneth, all things; yet he himself is judged ot no man.

Nature in the Christian is for cleaving to sense, in its own doings, and to its own powers, even in religion: But grace in his soul is for living by faith, above and often against the feelings of sense, upon the truth of God, and upon his work and working, for life and sal

vation.

Nature loves to show and set off itself, and to be admired as excellent, eminent, wise, and great, in the eyes of men. Grace doth not set much by itself, but is lowly and humble, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, dreads the applauses of men, and makes the soul sec that it is so mere a nothing in itself, that it must receive every thing good, both the least spark of grace and the bright crown of glory, from God in Christ.

Nature is quarrelsome, impatient, and full of restlessness, desiring its own objects immediately and independently, and applying all it receives to its own ease or aggrandizement. Grace seeketh not her own, but the things which are Jesus Christ's, makes the spirit meek and mild, and patient, and quiets it with the will and love of God in all things.

Nature hates the cross, and shuns it as a bitter and

evil thing; it struggles hard not to feel it, and, when it feels it, to get rid of it without any other consideration than that it is painful and hinders all indulgences and gratifications. But grace submits to the cross with humble resignation, and desires that God's purpose may be answered in it; like as a wise patient wishes that his physic may have its due effect, however unpleasant and distasteful it may be in the act of receiving.

When nature attempts holy duties, as she sometimes will either in fear or in pride, it is to make herself rich and increased in goods by them, so that she may have something wherewith to purchase even of God himself. But grace comes to the obedience of faith, not to live or purchase life, but because she is truly alive already to God; and she acts not for her own exaltation, but for the glory of him, who only can exalt, and who fills the hungry with good things, while the rich he sends empty away.

Nature admires dignity, and parade, and pomp, and outward splendor; it seeks to be pleased with sweet sounds, fine language, decorated places, and genteel company; and all this in religion too. Whereas grace shuns and distastes all gay appearances of earth, thinks of Christ in a stable, and of all he did and suffered to stain the pride of flesh and blood; and receives the favor of God as a precious pearl for its own eternal value, and not for the sake of any outward things, different in kind from its own.

Nature loves life, and to see good days in this world, and as many of them as possible; it shudders to give up its temporal enjoyments and carnal hopes, and would endure a great alloy of care and trouble, rather than part with the lying vanities, to which it is wedded, and in which it delights. Grace, contrariwise, can say with the holy man, "I would not live always (upon earth, if I might ;) for I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better." Grace can

think upon death as a friend, and hath often met him as such; looking forward to the crown of glory, which death can only lead to, but never can take away: And all its trials here only cause a stronger breathing and expectation of the heavenly home.

Nature is formed to speak, and loves to be heard, and will be angry if not regarded, and will do much to be seen and known. Grace is slow to speak, and slow to wrath; wishes to hear, and learn, and understand; delights not to be in the chief seat, but is content with the lowest; and had rather lay up spiritual treasure in the heart, than babble it away, for selfish aims, with the tongue. It is not petulant or vexed if disregarded, but commits itself and the whole of the matter to God.

Nature draweth all from its own fund, and carrieth all back, and with interest if possible, to itself again. But grace receiveth all from God, and is never so truly delighted, as when God receiveth the whole of the glory, as his just return.

These are a few of the many distinct operations of nature and grace. But sometimes they are so perplexed and interwoven with each other, through the craft and duplicity of the fallen natural principle, that it requires the greatest watchfulness and attention of the Christian, to unravel and divide them. The fact is, the two principles live at one time, act at one time, and will be found in one and the same persons at all times and in all things, while he lives upon earth. The Christian cannot avoid the activity of his natural or carnal mind; though, by that faith and prayer, which removes the spiritual mountains of difficulty, he is to strive and may prevail against its high rule and predominancy. Carnality will exist, while he exists below; but it must not be the reigning and triumphant

principle within him. On the other hand, grace, which is pure and simple in all its own acts and inten