ges of fin and Satan? am I careful to guard and keep out of it every difhonouring thought of God and his law? every inclination to fin? every high thought of myself with respect to my own fpiritual abilities? every revengeful with against any that may have offended me; and in short, every thing that is contrary to the will of God.

Now, if I can call God to witnefs, that I have had, or have all, or any of these evidences in reality, it is a fign the good feed hath been fown in my heart: and to prove that it hath not fallen upon ftony ground, neither among thorns, with respect to me, let me perfevere to the end, and root out every worldly care that may in the leaft mar the growth of the feed, not in my own ftrength, but in that of the great Hufbandman, who hath faid, My grace is fufficient for thee: for my "ftrength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor. xii. 9.

66

CONTEMPLATION VIII.

ON.

A W O O D.

HIS wood forms an agreeable prof

TH

pect; all the trees and shrubs whereof begin to be attired in native green, budding forth with a pleasant scent, while almost every spray is made vocal with muficians of gay plumage, and the cuckoo just arrived, repeats her name from bough to bough; fwains at a distance catch the gladfome founds, liften again, and tell their neighbours they have heard the voice of the welcome vifitant; all which invite my

be more pleasant than to have the fight, fmelling, and hearing all regaled at one and the fame time, while the mind finds ample fcope for contemplation.

While I walk through the glades, I behold trees and fhrubs of various kinds, divers growths, and of different ufes. Here I have a picture of the world, and may fee with the blind man in the gofpel, when partly enlightened, men as trees, Mark viii. 24. though all of one kind by nature, of very different difpofitions; poffeffing various talents useful for different purposes.

Some of these trees, for ftature and majefticness look like kings over the reft, being as fo many Sauls among the woody people. In like manner, fome mens education, excellent talents and good behaviour, give them a fuperior dignity to the rest of their brethren.

Here I perceive feveral beautiful trees growing as it were out of one root, like fo many brothers linking their branches together, fupporting one another as they

grow, so that hardly any wind, though blowing never so tempeftuously shall be able to overturn them. A beautiful emblem this of what man ought to do: being all sprung from one root by nature, ought not they to live as brethren, linking their concerns together, fupporting and strengthening one another if this was the cafe, how ftable and flourishing would kingdoms, nations, and families be! then the ftorms of anarchy, fedition, and inteftine broils fhould be unable to overthrow them. Thus the church would flourish like Lebanon, Hof. xiv. 5. and the world be rendered a paradife.

The royal Pfalmift beautifully expresses the high delight he had of fuch a state as this through the whole of Pfal. cxxxiii. and that this may more and more take place, may I cast in my mite in cultivating a brotherly difpofition towards all men, especially the household of faith, accounting them my neareft and deareft brethren; for have we not all one Father, one Saviour, one Sanctifier, one hope, one faith, and one inheritance, at laft to be conferred on us all. If we love not one another, it is a proof

fteps through its receffes: And what can we love not God, and therefore have no title to the inheritance of the faints in light: for if we love not our brother whom we have feen, how can we love God whom we have not feen? 1 John iv. 20.

Neither ought this love to be confined to thofe faints only who are rich in this world, but extend alfo to those who are poor; for if we love the former only, it is the image of the world in them which attracts our love; but if also the latter, it is a fign it is the image of God in both which engages our esteem. Neither ought the perfonal injuries of either committed against us, if we hope they are faints, to cool our love to them as fuch, but rather to draw forth our compaffion to bewail those fad flips of theirs, while we pray for their recovery. If Stephen prayed for the forgiveness of his enemies, when they were in the very act of ftoning him; and Christ for his bloody murderers on the cross, Acts vii. 60. Luke xxiii. 34. ought not we for those who are real friends in Christ, tho' at times they be guilty of the actions of our enemies?