in a sameness of nature, of design, of will, of perfections, and in all the attributes, which constitute the distinguishing properties of Jehovah ; but, peculiarly, as Mediator, the head of his church and people, in communicating all the fulness of the Godhead, to dwell bodily in Jesus as the Godman, the anointed of God. In them, saith Christ, as thou art in me. Jesus is the head of his body, the church, and he is their fulness, and hence result the blessed effects which his redeemed derive from him, that they may be made perfect in one. O what a sweet and precious thought! In Jesus they are made perfect; from him they derive perfection.As one with him, they are counted and beheld perfect before God, and by him they will be found so to all eternity. O my soul! ponder on this glorious prospect, and be thou exalted in thy most blessed destination. Eternity is thine, Heaven stands open before thee, and thy Jesus in his perfection beckons thee to enter. And this view, this delightful and consoling view of the believer's perfection in Christ Jesus, is rendered still more cheering by the circumstance, that it is not only myself, but every individual member of the great family of Christ, is equally interested in his perfection, for as it is from the same spirit dwelling in them all, that they are quickened to this spiritual life in Christ Jesus, and are all of them made living members, and united to Jesus, this our glorious head, so there must be an equally near and dear union to Jesus and to one another. O how great is the debt of gratitude which I owe to God, my Father in Heaven, that he sent his Son upon the earth to accomplish such a glorious work! And, thou, my soul, how unbounded must be thy gratulations! Art thou not one with Jesus, one with the glorious head; one with the great family of Christ? Hast thou not communion in all that concerns Christ; communion and interest in his holy person; communion in his righteousness; communion in his life, in his death, in his resurrection, in his church, in his people, in his ordinances, in all that concerns his glorious mission on earth? O then rest assured, that thou

shalt have an everlasting communion, and nothing shall separate thee from Jesus, neither in time nor in all eternity.

I will resign my body to the grave with the fullest confidence, that the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in me. He that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken my mortal body by his spirit that dwelleth in me.

But, O my soul, hath the Son of God made thee free? Hath Jesus been the means of thy returning to thy longlost, thy long forfeited inheritance? And wilt thou ever forget the inexpressible mercy? O Hail, thou Almighty deliverer, thou Redeemer of thy captives, mourning in the bondage of sin. I had sold my possession, sold myself for nought, and thou hast redeemed it again with thy blessed blood. Yes, O thou blessed Jesus, thou art he, whom thy brethren shall praise. Thou art the next of kin, the nearest of all relations, and the dearest of all brothers. And thou hast redeemed both soul and body, both lands and inheritance by thy blood, and so redeemed the whole, as never more to be lost again, nor forfeited for ever. And now, O Lord thy jubilee trumpet soundeth; and the proclamation of the everlasting gospel is heard throughout our land, to give liberty to the captive, sight to the blind, to bring the prisoners out of the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house. O God, cause me to know the joyful sound, and daily to walk in the light of thy countenance. Cause me, by the sweet influence of thy spirit to live in the constant expectation of the time of the everlasting jubilee, when the trumpet of the archangel shall finally sound, and all thy redeemed shall then return to Zion, with songs of everlasting joy upon their heads, when they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall no more be heard. Hallelujah to the Lamb, which sitteth upon the throne for ever, and for ever be glory and praise, and honour to the Lord God of Heaven, who was, and is, and ever shall be, Hallelujah!

AUGUST VIII.

THE BLESSINGS OF THE GRACE OF CHRIST,

WHAT have I to offer to Jesus, my Redeemer and Saviour? What is there that I can present to him in return for the manifold mercies, which he has bestowed upon me? But will he accept a present at my hand? O yes, Jesus delights in the offerings of his followers; he accepts the out-pourings of his own grace, his own gifts, in the exercises of faith, and love, and joy, and praise, when by his own sweet and reviving communications, he has called to the north wind, and to the south wind, to blow a gracious gale upon my soul, and causeth the very graces, he himself hath planted in my heart to send forth all their powers, in the enjoyment of his holiness and righteousness, and I should keep it in my remembrance, as my encouragement to obtain that delightful and becoming frame of mind, that those graces will be more grateful to my God and Saviour, than all the burnt-offerings and sacrifices which a false worship may offer up. These graces will, indeed, be "like spiced wine, and the juice of the pomegranate," when those tears of faith, and love and repentance, drop at the mercy-seat, in the contemplation of that love of Jesus, which is better than wine. Help me then, O thou Lord Jesus to come to thee. Help me as the poor woman at thy feet did, to shed my tears, and to offer thee this spiced wine, and no longer by sin, and unbelief, and rebellion, to give thee wine mingled with myrhh, as the Jews did at thy crucifixion. Oh! God, my Saviour, never let it be said of me from neglect and indifference to thee and thy sufferings, as thou didst complain of them.

"They gave me also gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." No, O thou adorable Redeemer, O do thou shed abroad the influences of thy spirit in my heart, so as to lead out my whole soul in love