, Hofea fays, "After two days will he revive us; in "the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live " in his fight," vi. 2. And of the church, or woman, in Rev. xii. 6, it is said, " She fled into the wildernefs, where he hath a place prepared of God, "that they should feed her there a thousand two "hundred and threefcore days." Now days, in these places, do not mean days as to time, but have a Spiritual meaning, and wholly refer to spiritual things. So in Genefis it is faid, that God finished his work in fix days and rested on the feventh. Six days, therefore, fignify the feveral states which man paffeth through in his regeneration, before he is fully regenerated, and becomes a celeftial man; and the seventh day, or fabbath, signifies his rest, or entrance into heaven. And in this view there appears a beautiful propriety in the words, " After "fix days, Jefus taketh Peter, James, and John,

up into an high mountain apart." Because it not only points literally to the transfiguration of Jefus Chrift, but fpiritually to the glorification of every person, who in this life hath united faith, love, and obedience, in the mind and in the life-for no man can thus enter into rest and heaven until his fix days labor be over, and he be fully regenerated. Then, but not before, will Jefus take him up into the mountain, and fhew him his glory.

But I plainly fee that I have not time to elucidate the spiritual meaning of this bleffed text, in the prefent opportunity. And therefore I must leave

the other part to another feafon, only obferving, that by the Lord's face fhining as the fun, is signified and represented the divine good of his divine love his raiment white as light, fignified the divine truth of his divine wisdom-by Mofes and Elias, were represented the historical and prophetical word-and by the bright cloud, was fignified the word in its literal fenfe. An illustration of these fubjects must now be omitted.

There are three things to which your attention is particularly called by what has already been faid.

First, The neceffity of uniting the three grand effentials of religion. See that your faith be genuine, your love pure, and your life good. Remember a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit; therefore, by their fruits ye fhall know them. Let us be more careful to lead a good life, than to boast about faith-and with the apoftle Paul acknowledge, that "love is the highest grace;" because where there is true fpiritual love, there is faith alfo, and there will be charity, good works, obedience to the divine will: and where these are, there is conjunction with the Lord-fuch men are in his peculiar favor.

Secondly, If thefe are united, you will then be enabled to overcome all your spiritual enemies, fubdue your evils, and in all temptations and conflicts come off with victory; for the man who loves and ferves the Lord, will ever be fupported, defended, and delivered by the Lord. You will

pafs

pass through your fix days labor, and through all your various ftates until fully regenerated, made pure, and you become an image of the Lord; being a form of love and wisdom, truth and goodnefs. And after fix days the Lord will take you up into an high mountain apart, and fhew you his glory—that is, he will take you to mount Zion, the city of the living God, the habitation of his holiness, and the inheritance of all that believe in, love, and ferve him. There will you behold his glory, rest from your labors, and be completely happy.

With the angelic hofts you'll dwell above,
In all the exquifite delights of love.

The God you ferve, your everlasting friend;
Your blifs fupreme-your glory never end.

And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your father which is in heaven. Neither be ye called mafters; for one is your master, even Christ.

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OUR divine Lord and Master, Jefus Christ, frequently reminds his disciples of a difpofition and temper which they had (and which moft men have) a peculiarly ftrong propenfity to indulge; that is to fay, pride, love of dominion, or a wish to be the greateft. He tells them, this was the predominant principle in the fcribes and pharifees; they loved

the

the uppermoft rooms, the chief feats in the fynagogues, greetings in the market place, and to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi, or mafter-and whatever they did was to gain applause-to be seen of men -to be honored in this life. But however the world might judge of them, our Lord knew their hearts, faw their state, was perfectly acquainted with the infernal principle from which they acted; and he calls them ferpents-a generation of vipers. By Serpents, he means men of a fenfual, bafe, vile principle; and by vipers, men of pernicious, poisonous qualities; full of all manner of evil and uncleannefs. And he fays unto them, "How can ye efcape the "damnation of hell? And as for a pretence, to "cover your hypocrify and deceit, ye make long "prayers-ye fhall therefore receive the greater "damnation." By which we learn, that nothing can be more hateful to the Lord, or more dangerous to the foul, than bypocrify and deceit, efpecially in matters of a religious nature. To profefs religion, and pretend to an eminent degree of it, for the fake of worldly honor, profit, or praise, is a conduct fo execrable in itself, that language cannot find a word ftrong enough to express its true deformity and odioufnefs;-and I have long thought, that of all the infernals in the regions of darkness and woe, the artful, defigning, and vile hypocrite, is one of the most hateful, defpifed, and miferable.