MED. "Comforter, typified by the Lamb and XV. by the Dove, I beseech Thee, Three

"Persons, One God, let Thy merciful "kindness be upon me, like as I do put my trust in Thee *»

* Bishop Andrews.

MEDITATION XVI.

ACTS xiii. 26.

To You is the Word of this Salvation

sent.

WHILE we meditate on the Scrip- MED. tures, and reflect upon the extended XVI. nature of the kingdom of God, while the glories of Revelation strike our senses, an inexpressible awe of the divine Majesty rests upon our hearts. There is a magnificence in the contemplation of the vast works of creation, an overwhelming perception in the apprehension of almighty power, which requires more than the reason of man, the assistance of the same ineffable Being, to support it.

MED.

He who reads the Scriptures with atXVI. tention, and believes that every word he reads is true, must feel his heart sink within him, when he finds himself sink so much below the standard both of faith and morals. "The man of God, "thoroughly furnished unto all good works," is the man of the Scriptures, and the true model of all Christian imitation; because "all Scripture is given

by inspiration of God, and is pro"fitable for doctrine, for reproof, for "correction, for instruction in righteousness The effect, to be con

sistent, must be equal to the cause, and the grace of God will never be wanting to those who are true to themselves.

It is certain, that in studying the Scriptures, a man will discover all that is necessary in this world to explain his situation: he will feel his connection with heaven and with earth, and, if he improve his knowledge, he will find out

* 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.

XVI.

the true and the right way, and will MED. behave himself consistently in every relative condition of life.

But is this always the case with those who read the Scriptures? I fear that the danger which accompanies a perusal of the Word of God, arises from a negligent attention to its matter, and too general an interpretation of its commands. Such readers consider the kingdom of God undoubtedly as an extended kingdom; but their minds are lost in the expanse. They look upon themselves only as one of a vast multitude. If they feel not an insignificance of character, or place themselves in the careless attitude of halfbelievers, they cry out with distressing indifference, "How shall I be remem"bered among so many people * ?"

Though contemplation on the revealed will of God be indispensably necessary, it is only so far requisite as

* Ecclus. xvii. 17.

MED. it leads to the practice of our individual XVI. duty. Religion is in every respect per

sonal; and true Religion is only to be acquired by a personal application of the holy Scriptures. Mistake me not. I do not mean that the apprehension of Religion is selfish, so as to exclude every other rational being from a participation with ourselves in the interests of Religion. By no means. But man's personal salvation depends on his personal pursuit. "Work out your sal“vation with fear and trembling; for "it is God that worketh in you both " to will and to do *." It is in you that God worketh; therefore it is from you that he expects return.

While the address is made to all, we are apt to think ourselves either not at all, or at least very little, concerned in the application. But we must not so deceive ourselves. The case of every individual is concerned in an universal

* Phil, ii. 12.