crown of life. “All people will walk, every one in the name of his God; but we [saith the prophet] will walk in the name of our God for ever and ever."

The fastest runner in these games, that ran according to the rules of the race, received the prize or garland, and was crowned with it, which distinguished the winner from all the rest. Paul says, So run that ye may obtain." That the elect must run the race set before them in the scripture is true, or they will never have the prize: but then how shall they run, seeing we are by nature all alike dead in trespasses and sins? Here I adverted to the original cause of the running of God's elect, which, I said, was God's eternal love: "Whom he did fore-know he did predestinate" to life. Secondly, the impulsive cause was God's special call, by which they are all effectually called out of the world, and made to turn their back upon it, and inquire their way to Zion with their faces thitherward and when Evangelist comes to them, he points them to the strait gate, Christ Jesus, as the way of life. Thirdly, this is the object they run to: "The nations that knew. not thee shall run unto thee;" and, when they come to him, they find him to be the way, the truth, and the life; and the only way to the Father," in which way the Father meets the returning prodigal, and embraces him.

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These feel the effects of dying love: "Draw me, and we will run after thee:" this keeps them up in their race. These also wait upon God, who renews their strength, so that they may run and not be utterly weary. The vision of life by Christ is made plain to these, that they who read and understand may run. When, at times, these feel themselves shut up, neither heart, nor desires, in motion heaven-ward, they "I will run, when thou shalt enlarge my heart ;"

cry,

and when this enlargement comes, the whole soul is again in motion. "Let us run with patience the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." Patience is a fruit of the Spirit bestowed on all the elect of God: many trials, both outward and inward, bring this into exercise; and to Jesus, by faith, they look; their necessities urge them to look to him for sufficient grace and strength to keep them on; their infirmities and sins, that hang about their heels, make them look to him and place all their dependence on his infinite merit to bring them safe to glory.

"So run that ye may obtain." The election have, and will obtain the crown, whilst all other runners have been, and will be, blinded. God gave these grace, or his divine favour in Christ before the world began; but the first thing they sensibly obtain, when they are made to run Zion-ward, is mercy : "Who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Another thing they obtain is set forth by a merchant-man seeking goodly pearls, and finding one of great price : "Whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord." Salvation by Christ, and interest in him, is what they seek, “ that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." For this kingdom they set out; for it they run the race, and they shall be accounted worthy to obtain it, and be as the angels of God in heaven. Many, also, that have suffered severely, and others put to cruel deaths, would not recant their faith, by which they were truly persuaded they should obtain a better resurrection and all the elect of God have this in view. This is a little of my forenoon discourse, from the first part of the words.

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In the evening, I mentioned the temperance neces

sary in a man that, in a game of wrestling, strove for the mastery or victory; and then the temperance needful in the heavenly striver or wrestler: for instance, you would not believe a drunkard, a gluttonous man who serves his belly; a covetous man who strives with all his heart and time to accumulate worldly wealth; the man that hunts after worldly pleasure, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life-whatever pretence any or all of these may make, to be strivers for the kingdom of heaven. Their conduct proves they are intemperate persons, and that all their pretensions are but a lie. Temperance is a fruit of the Spirit of God, and the chastening of God is made of use to us, to take us off from the vanities of the world and the pleasures of sin. The spirit of the fear of the Lord excites us to temperance in all things, and to use the world as not abusing it; and no man can be said to strive for victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil, without this temperance. But then, says Paul," If a man striveth for the mastery, he is not crowned except he strive lawfully," -according to the rules of the game. All that live in sin, all that are in errors can never strive lawfully; all their striving is contrary to God's word, and his words of truth are the lawful rules of this striving. In order, therefore, to this lawful strife, or wrestling against principalities and powers, &c., we must put on the whole armour of God; the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, having the feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace: above all, taking the shield of faith: God must be his shield that shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked that may be hurled against his salvation. And who can strive lawfully that has not been begotten to a lively hope, which hope must be his helmet in this strife:

VOL. II.

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and the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, which will be his continual instructor under the teaching of that Holy Spirit; and that weapon called All-prayer and supplication in the Spirit, &c. Now, you can see that, without these, and all these, there can be no lawful striving for the crown, which Paul calls incorruptible, an inheritance in heaven, that will never fade away.

In the next place, Paul asserts the certainty of his running, and the real success of his fighting, wrestling, or striving. He knew who called him out of the world, who revealed Christ to his soul, and who would keep him and preserve him to his heavenly kingdom; by whose strength he fought against the world in all the persecutions he endured, and in what he suffered for Christ's sake; whose grace was sufficient for him under all the temptations of the devil, and who made him keep the faith and stand his ground against all these; and also who afforded him grace, and maintained the supply of it, to keep under his body-the body of the sins of the flesh-keeping this in subjection, not to let it reign (as it most certainly does in all that are not renewed, whether preacher or professor), which reigning grace in Paul was an evident proof that he was no cast - away. Though others may say, "Have we not prophesied [or preached] in thy name," &c., yet it will be said to all false apostles, whose end will be according to their works, "Depart from me;" and these are cast-aways.

Yours,

ISAAC BEEMAN

DEAR MARY,

TO THE SAME.

Charter-house Square, January 9, 1832.

My text yesterday was 1 Cor. xiv. 6-8, which, I suppose, has not been handled here lately. I had, whilst at home, refused this text, lest I should be suspected of ostentation, and thought I had got another, which, as time permitted (though I had not much), I endeavoured to study; but, after two or three days, I could not get on, and then I looked back at this again; and no sooner did I look at it a second time, but I was immediately fixed, whatever might be thought of it.

I endeavoured to give Paul's mind upon tongues; and, though I did not deal in personalities, yet they might see the folly and madness of vain pretenders. His speaking to them by revelation was making, in his hearers' presence and in their native language, what God by his Spirit had taught him in the gospel of his Son as plain as possible; for revelation, or to reveal, is to open and shew what was concealed from the eyes and ears of natural men ; "But God [saith Paul] hath revealed them to us by his Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." The "knowledge" that he spoke to them by was his own teaching, that he had from God: blessed is the man who is chastened and taught out of his law. By the law he had the knowledge of his sin, and by the revelation of Christ, and the knowledge of his will, he had the knowledge of his gospel: he was not taught it by man, nor had it of man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ; therefore what he knew of the law and what he knew of the gospel he spoke