do great actions, to accomplish worthy intentions; to be full of good works, and more able, bravely to refift temptations, both on the profperous, and the adverse part; more chearfully to obey, and more patiently to fuffer, the will of God. That thou mayft not ftand at a ftay; but ftill be getting ground, and making thy way on to the glorious end."

O my foul! have I lived fo long under the light of the gofpel, and all the means of grace, and do ! find fo little ftirring and thriving in my fpiritual ftate, after fo many years? what a confounding thing is this, that I fhould be caft behind hand, and others that fet out in the vineyard a great while after me fhould get the start of me, and much out-do and exceed me? when God has been pleased to speak life to me, fhall I continue a poor ftarveling, and as a dead thing, like the picture of a tree, like the image of a child, never taller or bigger, but ftill the fame, if not growing like a dead ftake in a hedge, to rottennefs, and only worfe and worfe? O may I fhew, that the root of the matter is in me, by some better productions to be feen upon me. May I not fruftrate all the planting and watering of the miniftry; to render it without any good effect upon me: leaft I find it alfo the favour of death to me, and the aggravation of damnation upon me. May I not abuse myfelf, with a proud opinion of my prefent attainments; to think, (with Laodicea,) I am rich, and increafed with goods, and have need of nothing: when the Lord knows, I am exceedingly wanting; and have need to grow a great deal more, and ought to be much better. O let me not harbour any kney . fit, nor lie in that wickedness, without repeurance, which like a worm or canker, will lie corroding and fretting the very root and heart of the plant: fo that inlload or growing and flourishing, it will bang the ad, and droop and fade, as a nipt and blafted thing. Nor let me be determined by custom,

cuftom, and the way of any men of the world, who feem to mind no manner of growth, but only in wealth, and to advance and profper in their temporal estate. O how eager are they for the world's good, as if it were the only good? but the good of God's grace, alas, how is it defpifed in their eyes, and lothed in their very hearts? they would not have it; and while they are fo fond and mad upon the world, they cannot. No, "the care of this "world, and the deceitfulness of riches choak the "word; and they become unfruitful," Mat. xiii. 22. Whatever then they hear, it is even nothing to them, and all loft upon them. They are fo full of fomewhat elfe, there is no entrance for it. And being fo faft engaged, they cannot abide to be taken off. But the very preachers of that grace of God, which brings falvation, are a fore offence to them; because (in this wild excurfion,) they offer to check them. O my foul! fee, and dread this fnare, and bane of fouls and be jealous of every thing in the world, that would chill and quench thy defires of grace, and still more grace. Olook upon this, as the rich treafure indeed, and here learn even of worldlings, to be keen and earnest; but to another and better purpofe, than they use to fhew their mettle and ve hemence. Let it be for that, which will make thee rich towards God, and fet thee up for ever.

Be all for that word of God, which is the bread of life; to make thee ftrong in the Lord: and for those pious books, that open and fet it home, and for the company of gracious Chriftians, whofe converfation is an efpecial means of edification, and their very words are apt to minifter grace to the hearers. And by thy faith, and thy prayers, O fly to the very fountain of all grace, out of that infinite fulness, to derive and draw the grace fufficient for thee, to help thee above thy fins and temptations, thy doubts and defpondencies. Yea, go to the Lord Jefus, in the great ordinance

ordinance of his holy feaft, to eat and drink thy health and strength, in that meat indeed; that are enough even to quicken the dead; and to increase ftrength to them, that have no might. O let thy faith be ever and anon eyeing and applying this Lord, thy ftrength and thy Redeemer; who came, that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. He is thy head, my foul, without whom thou can't not live at all: and by virtue and influence from whom, thou mayft not only live, but flourish, and abound in every good work. O look to him, and call upon him; that he may fet up the cripple to walk, yea, to run the way of his commands, and to leap for joy of his falvation. Implore his grace, as a refreshing shower, to defcend upon thee, and enrich thy barren foil. For here mayft thou be lawfully, and laudably covetous: yea, the more thou cravest of him, the more welcome fhalt thou be to him. O never think it enough then of that, whereof thou canft never have too much. When there is no ftint here to set thy growth: but the utmost term of thy magnitude, and period of thy proceeding, is this, that thou mayft grow in grace, even till thy head touch heaven, and thy prefent grace be fully perfected in eternal glory.

T

THE PRAYER.

HE good of the chofen, O Lord, is a fpiritual treasure of infinite wealth. But O how lit"tle have I attained to, compared with what I am "capable of? my ftock is poor and low: and here I "would not be contented with fuch things as I have. "But O thou ever over flowing fountain, full of all "that I want, give me, I beseech thee, those best of "all gifts, more plenteously to enjoy. As thou haft "fpoken life to my foul, and made me pant and "breathe after the living God, fo let me receive ftill

further

"further fupplies out of thy eternal fulness; to "ftrengthen the good things in me, that are faint, "and ready to die; and to cherish and improve the "life of grace in my foul, that I may not have it, in a low languishing eftate, but more abundantly; " and find it still growing upon me, till it be perfect"ed in the bleffed life of glory. Amen."

MEDITATION LXXXI.

Of the public fpirit.

My foul, how fad is that complaint of the Apostle, Phil. ii. 21. “All seek their own, "not the things of Jefus Chrift!" all in a manner, are thus taken up, yea, fwallowed up, at home; and fhrivelled together in a narrow felfifhnefs; every one minding and caring for nothing farther, than his private eafe, lucre, or honour; as if he were born only for himself, and had no concern at all for the community, whereof he is a member; and none, to speak of, that have fuch large hearts and public fpirits, as to devote and give themselves, to ferve the ends and interefts of their great Lord; to espouse his cause, to affert his rights, and promote his holy religion in the world. Here even they that can be as pragmatical as any, upon other accounts, will yet excufe themselves, that they are not for meddling, nor making a stir and blufter; but to follow their own occafions, and be quiet, and live in peace, and fair agreement with all. Nay, here the veriest tatlers, will not move a tongue; unless it be, to reproach the pious defigns. And the greatest bufy-bodies will not lift up a foot, nor a finger, unless it be, to throw some rub in the way.

They

They are as filent as mutes, they are as ftiff as images, when they should appear, as becomes every faithful Chriftian, to fupprefs wickednefs, to give fome ftop to the inundation of open profanenefs, to advance the glory of God, and the everlasting falvation of precious fouls. Then they grow cross and furly (with Cain) what, am I my brother's keeper? what have I to do, to make myself a cenfor of others manners? muft I take upon me, to be a reformer of the world? how can I help it, if men will undo themselves? my fpeaking and acting, is never like to effect fuch wonders as to amend the matter. And therefore I am refolved to let the world alone, to rub on in its course; for it will do as it will, whether I will or not.

: But after all the fine plea, my foul, is not this more like a renegade, than a faithful foldier and fervant of Chrift Jefus? When himself hath said it, Matt. xii. 30. "He that is not with me, is against "me." And can I be with him in my heart, and not, upon occafion (out of the abundance of my heart) fpeak with my mouth, and act with my hand? am not I deeply engaged, to do all that I am able, for my beft and greatest Lord? and can I go back, or stand neuter; but I must be perjured, and a traitor? can I play on both fides; but I fhall betray myself false hearted and a fly enemy, otherwife difpofed? O is not my carnal mind, and love of this world (more than my obliging temper, and love of my neighbour) indeed the hindrance in my way, that I am no more concerned ! is it not to keep in the whole fkin, and to please my flesh; more than to keep in with confcience, and to please the Lord? is it not more to escape the trouble, than for fear of doing an ill thing; that I come not to the help of the Lord, against the mighty? because I think them too big for me, and that I fhall have the worst of it among them? this indeed is to be

wary;