XVI.

MED. to recover those comforts which he has so vilely cast away. But the moment of penitence arrives. Like a man whose mind had been involved in phrensy, he comes to himself. He re flects. God blesses the propitious moment, and the once more happy son reposes in the arms of his no less happy parent. This surely is personal; and it we compare the father in the parable with our Father who is in Heaven ; the son in the parable, with our own treacherous, sinful, and deceitful hearts; the similitude will hold in every particular, if we are as ready to act the closing scene, as we were to adopt the first fatal resolution of the prodigal.

Salvation by Christ is the great paramount doctrine which runs through the whole Bible. There is none other name but that of Christ, whereby we must be saved. It is universal: "God "sent his Son into the world, that the "world through him might be saved.” "This is good and acceptable in the

"sight of God our Saviour, who will "have all men to be saved;" that is, who wills the salvation of all. It is particular:-" What must I do to be "saved? Repent," &c. "God, who ❝ hath saved us.'

"saved.'

"Himself shall be

"We trust in the living "God, who is the Saviour of all men,

especially of those that believe *." I need not multiply testimonies: but I apply to your consciences, when you sit down with minds piously disposed to read, to study, to understand the Scriptures of truth, whether on such occasions every personal feeling does not mix itself with every personal observation. The holy Record is delivered to all, its saving doctrines are level to every capacity; you are one of that number to whom the Word of this salvation is sent; you can therefore no more escape or evade the effects of the

John iii. 17. 1 Tim. ii. 3, 4. 2 Tim. i. 9. 1 Cor. iii. 15. 1 Tim. iv. 10,

MED.

XVI.

XVI.

MED. promises than you, who are one of many millions every day delivered to death, can avoid, in God's good time, descending yourselves to the chambers

And O thou, my soul! forget not the value of a personal study of the holy Scriptures if the temple that is before thee be none other than the house of God, and the gate of Heaven, the record of salvation is the spirit which fills the sanctuary, and animates its inhabitants; it is the sacred key which opens the kingdom of Heaven to all believers. Take up thy Bible then, my soul! with a willing mind and a teachable understanding. Search diligently its important contents, and without favor or affection to any secret sin, or darling prejudice, apply every promise to thyself. Peruse them with modesty and humility, with a sense of thine own weakness, and God's infinite perfections. Above all, peruse them with prayer; that great grace may be upon thee, as

it once was upon the praying Apostles. MED, O God, open mine eyes that I may see XVI, the wondrous things of thy law; all thy holy doctrines, all thy inspired revelations, all those sacred truths, and that saving knowledge, which so sweetly ebb forth from the well of salvation. This is indeed learning worth all my labor; as it is that learning by which I may have hope. Let me rest on this hope, which springs from so sound a faith, and gives earnest of a blessed resurrection through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

MEDITATION XVII.

PHIL. iii. 20.

For our Conversation is in Heaven.

MED. WHEN the patriarch Jacob was pur XVII. suing his journey into a distant coun

try, oppressed no doubt with many cares, and anxious for the event of it, "he dreamed, and behold a ladder "set up on the earth, and the top of "it reached to heaven, and behold the "angels of God ascending and de

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scending on it; and behold the Lord "stood above it." What is this but the representation of a good man's conversation of heaven? Every mean of

* Gen. xxviii. 12.