ence.

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by, and in, and on him, every moment, and for every thing. Thus the glorifier of Jesus teaches all his members to depend upon the fulness of their head, and he abides with them in order to keep them in this dependHe testifies to them of Jesus" He is your "whole salvation, your all in all; you have not, you "never will have, any thing to glory in, but in the Lord -whatever good you receive comes from his grace"whatever evil you escape, is from his blessing-and if ever you have eternal life, it will be the free gift of "God in Christ Jesus. Your bodies also are dependent "on him, as well as your souls: personal, family, na"tional mercies are his royal favours, and bestowed out "of his sovereign bounty." Thus he teaches believers. He humbles them, that they may exalt the Saviour. He makes them poor in spirit that they may live upon his riches. He keeps them sensible of their own emptiness, that they may be making constant use of the Saviour's fulness, and living in an absolute dependence upon him for every thing. While they live thus by the faith of the Son of God, every high thought is brought into subjection to him. Pride is daily mortified. Self-complacency is abhorred. Self-admiration is abominable. Humility is become their clothing, and they cannot put it off: because every moment they are making use of it. Sins, wants, miseries, temptations, &c. are continually reminding them of their vileness, and of God's goodness. And this truth enforced by the Holy Spirit, makes them willing to learn of Jesus to be meek and lowly. They become teachable scholars, and sit very low at his feet, where they attain to true humility of heart. And this influences their whole behaviour. a deep and abiding sense of their entire sinfulness and helplessness they loath themselves before God, and walk humbly before men. They feel they are of themselves nothing but sin, and, if left to themselves, can be nothing but misery; therefore they put their whole trust and confidence in a covenant God, and his free grace has from them all its glory.

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What is thy knowledge, O my soul, and what is thine experience of this christian poverty of spirit? Art thou acquainted with it in the ground of thine heart, and is it in thy daily practice? Examine thyself, and with diligence for it is a most blessed grace, advanced to high honour in the court of Jesus. To it he has made many exceeding great and precious promises. O pray to him for this royal gift. Wait on thy divine prophet, and

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hear his lessons. He teaches as man cannot. commends; he gives, the grace of humility. He makes his scholars truly humble in heart. Observe his abasing doctrine; and may all within thee bow to the power of it.

Observe, how he humbles the sinner. He convinces him of his sinful state, of the corruption of his whole nature, and of the depravity of every faculty of soul and body. The sinner is made to feel it and to live under the sense of it. And, in order to fasten the conviction, clearer discoveries are daily made of this corruption; for it is a mystery of iniquity. There is no tracing to the bottom its deep laid devices, and never ceasing workings. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it? There is not a man upon earth, who knows all that may be known of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and of his own sinfulness. When the Lord who searcheth the heart, has laid open some of its infinite evil, he continues to discover more. Every day brings to light strange workings of corruption. The convinced sinner has deeper views of his helplessness, and of his unworthiness. And after many vain legal trials he at last finds it impossible for him to do any thing, for which God should pardon him and save him. Thus he is laid low with his mouth in the dust-Behold, I am vile, filthy and abominable altogether, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

These are the humbling lessons, which the holy Spirit teaches. He convinces the sinner, that there is neither help nor hope in himself, and so leaves him

nothing to trust in, but the salvation provided in Jesus by covenant love, and given freely by grace. And the manner of receiving this salvation is such as cuts off all occasion of boasting: For faith is the only means appointed of God,—and faith is his gift-not bestowed upon the worthy but upon the ungodly-not for any merit in them, or for any terms or conditions, which they have performed or ever will perform, but by an act of absolute sovereignty to the praise of the glory of his own grace. He will have mercy, because he will have mercy. O humbling consideration! How low does it bring the sinner? How must his proud heart be abased, while he feels himself a debtor for every thing good to the mere will and pleasure of God. And so long as he enjoys those good things, he is kept poor in spirit: Because he has none of them in himself. They are laid up in the fulness of Jesus, are to be had from thence only by faith, and are received as the sense of his wants leads the believer to make use of them. Living by faith is the death of self-importance. Then the loftiness of man is bowed down, the haughtiness of man is made low, and the Lord alone is exalted.

Observe, O my soul, what an honour God has put upon this grace, "Before honour is humility." Whom God honours he humbles first. He giveth grace to the humble: Because the humble give him all his glory. The highest throne which he has upon earth is in the humblest heart. To it he vouchsafes his constant presence, and makes the greatest communications of his love: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that in"habiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a con"trite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the hum"ble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." 0 what an honour is here promised to the humble! The greatest they can have on this side of heaven. God will dwell with them; and what a blessing! and his temple shall be in the humble heart. The high and holy One passes by what is in highest esteem among men. He

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stains the pride of human greatness and goodness. He does not vouchsafe to set up his throne with the princes, nor to give his honour to the learned, of the world. But he puts honour upon the contrite and humble. He condescends to visit them, yea he delights to dwell with them, and in them-the highest above all heavens in the lowest hearts. There he communicates his choicest love and richest favours. O my God, bestow upon me this grace, which in thy sight is so precious. Humble me that I be revived with thy presence, and refreshed daily with thy love. Give me more humility, and fit me for nearer fellowship with thee. Bring down every high thought, and let me find it true, that God resisteth the proud, but giveth more grace unto the humble.

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Thus the true poverty of spirit is needful, not only to bring the sinner to Christ, but also to preserve the believer in communion with him: For so long as he walks by faith, every thing will tend to promote this communion. In the daily sense of his wants, he will go to his bountiful Saviour for a supply. In the feeling of his misery, he will depend on his loving Saviour for relief; whereby he will be led to more intercourse with him. What he finds wrong in himself will bring him to live more by faith, and as faith increases, so will his delight in God. He will grow more sensible of his weakness, and that will make him stronger in the Lord. He will know more of his own heart which will humble him and keep him dependent on the grace of Jesus. He will see reason not to lean to his own understanding, but ever to pray, Lord, guide me by thy good Spirit. Viewing spots and blemishes in his best doings, his triumph will be, "I will make mention of thy righ"teousness, Lord Jesus, even of thine ONLY." Thus every thing will humble him, and lead him to live more by faith; by which means he will get faster hold of Jesus, live in nearer fellowship, and be receiving out of his fulness grace for grace-two graces at once-the blessing needed—and thankfulness for it. Hereby a sweet inter

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course will be kept open. To the humble God delights to give grace, and they delight to return him his glory. The more he gives, the more glory would they gladly return. And he does give more, and he receives it back again in thanks and praise. Blessed grace! by which this holy fellowship is maintained. Happy humility! by which the heart being emptied of self is made capable of receiving the fulness which is of God. Then is the mise fulfilled-" Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs "is the kingdom of heaven"—it is theirs now-not only in title, but also in possession: for the kingdom of God is within them. And they are partakers at present of its blessings and glories, as truly, though not so perfectly, as they will be in heaven. Meditate, O my soul, upon this divine grace. Thou seest the necessity of it, O pray earnestly for it, and for more of it. The great idol SELF must be dethroned, where God reigns. Thou canst not walk with him, unless thou art humble in heart. And if thou hast been walking with him, thou wilt be taught to stop, whenever thou beginnest to look at thyself with admiration. O beg of the Lord then to give thee the true gospel poverty of spirit. It is to be in constant practice and used for every thing: for thou seest how it keeps up fellowship with God, who makes the greatest communications of himself to the humblest. And the reason is plain: because they return him all his glory. If therefore thou wouldst have much grace in exercise, pray for much humility. O my God, whatever thou givest, give humility with it, that I may not seek self in it, but thine honour, nor lay it out upon myself, but to thy glory. Meek and lowly Jesus, make me like thyself: keep me learning of thee, till I am perfectly like thee. I would come always poor to thee to receive of thy riches, and to receive with them an humble heart to praise thee for them. O let thy glory be mine end and aim. Let me and mine be thine-I humbled-thou exalted. Let thy graces and gifts bring thee in a constant revenue of praise. And may thine increasing goodness be joined with a constant in