principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord.

CHAP. V.

ON COMMUNION WITH THE DIVINE PERSONS IN JEHOVAH.

CURIOUS speculations upon the Trinity profit not. There is a sort of knowledge in this, as in other things, which betrays its own falsehood by puffing up the soul. Much time hath been lost, and many hurtful disputes have been raised, concerning the mode of the Son's generation from the Father, and the manner of the Spirit's procession from both; points which have not been revealed, and which therefore are not necessary to faith. It is sufficient for us to apprehend, that there are three equal persons in one Jehovah, or self-existent Godhead, and that this Godhead is One; that we are privileged to have communion with these divine persons in their several offices of salvation; and that, by the unction of the Spirit, we come into the grace of the Son, and possess the love of the Father, now and for evermore. "Through Christ (says the Apostle) we both (i. e. Jews and Gentiles) have an access by ne Spirit unto the Father. And thus the

grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, are with all true believers in every age of the world. He, therefore, that doth not thus apprehend the doctrine of the Trinity, only apprehendeth the phantom of his own imagination, and is never the better for his speculation, be it ever so abstruse or refined. Indeed, there is not any doctrine of the gospel, not excepting the mysterious one now mentioned, but which stands upon fact, is in perfect harmony with all other truths, and invariably leads to use and experience,

Of what avail to my soul are all the nicest disquisitions of men? I want food and light, reality and enjoyment. These do thy word, O Lord, afford in plentiful measure, when thy grace opens the well-spring to my heart. -I am there taught to pray for that anointing of the Holy One, which shall lead and guide me into all thy saving truth. By him I am both instructed and enabled to renounce myself, to put on Christ, and to cleave to my Redeemer as my only portion and hope. By the Spirit and Son of God, I am led up to 1 fellowship with the Father, and to call upon him as my Father, even mine. O sed God, my Abba, my Father, my Life, O my blesand my All, what hast thou revealed to my poor soul; and how much more hast thou done and prepared than thou hast hitherto revealed to men, or than men in this state are able to conceive! O thou Fountain of

hutterable blessedness, thou unfathomable Height and Depth of love, help me thus to know thee in the secret of my soul; and may all thy works of providence and grace increase this inward knowledge to the end! While others dispute, let me enjoy. Manifest thy precepts to my mind, and say to my longing spirit, Peace be unto thee, for I am thy salvation.

One spark of this life is of more worth than the whole universe of notions; for this not only brings an understanding of divine things superior to all speculations, but gives with it a fulness of satisfaction, arising from the very taste and perception of the things themselves. Faith takes them for realities, hope is enkindled by them as such, and love finds them to be so, and embraces them with joy to the end.

CHAP. VI.

ON THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST, BY
WHICH HE BECAME IMMANUEL.

WHO shall unfold this mystery, or unfa-thom this love of my God? The Ancient of days became a child of days, and the Lord of all would be the servant of all, that he might be a Redeemer, a brother, a friend, of poor unworthy mortals, of vile apostates and rebels, such as I am, and such as,

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without him, I and all others for ever must have been.

He took our nature without sin, that he might bear our sin. If sin had been in that which he took for himself, it would not have been possible, that one, who was equally sinful, should have taken off sinfulness from others. Thus he, who was not, and could not be a sinner by nature, did, by imputation, become the greatest of sinners. He bare our sins in his own body on the tree; and Jehovah laid upon him the iniquities of us all; when he once suffered for sins, THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST. This dear Immanuel was a Lamb without spot, and therefore meet to be slain for atonement; and a Scape-Goat, or Strong-One, going off, laden with iniquities; and so able to bear them away into everlasting forgetfulness.

He was very God and very Man in one Christ. As Christ he is Immanuel, or God with us. What his name implies, that he truly is. He is God with us, able to save and to succour, able to bless and to enliven, in all our pilgrimage from earth to heaven. Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

And is this thy promise, O thou meek and lowly Jesus! and shall I be still slow of heart to believe it! Shall I always be hanging my head like a bulrush; and shall my eyes be still gushing out their faithless tears, when thou hast promised not only the best

of creatures in earth and heaven, but thine own blessed self to be with me, who art Lord of all! O my dear Redeemer, be so with me by thy gracious power, that I may be deeply sensible of thy continual presence; manifest thyself to me as thou dost not unto the world; for I am thine, and I desire to give up myself and all I am and have to thy blessed will for ever. Be indeed, according to thy name, my Immanuel, my God with me and in me of a truth, that I may walk in fellowship with thee as one agreed, and draw from thy fulness all those supplies of grace, life, and peace, without which I can neither be happy, nor be alive to thy glory. O hear and answer, for mine eyes and my heart are upon thee!

CHAP. VII.

ON CHRIST'S DESCENT INTO EGYPT.

Ir behoved this Immanuel in all things to be made like unto his brethren; therefore he went down into Egypt. All he did upon earth had some use and meaning. By some facts, he testified what he was doing, and by others, what he would continually do, for his people.

Out of Egypt have I called my Son, saith the Lord. His redeemed were spiritually in Egypt, the house of bondage. They were there under the service of a cruel king, a