union with the Lord himself, as shall become their supreme happiness, and holiness, and glory, both in time and to all eternity. This is so fully proved and confirmed in that sublime prayer of the Son of God when in the flesh, and not in one or two places only, but again and again repeated, as leaves the glorious truth perfectly unquestionable. "Holy Father! keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are," John xvii. 11. "That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us," John xvii. 21. "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me," John xvii. 22, 23. Oh! the unspeakable grace, and glory, and blessedness contained in these words? This oneness with this mighty US! leaves at an infinite distance every other thing which might be called blessed; and which in the contemplation of, and comparison with, loseth the very name of blessed. All other things are but shadows to this the substance! All but fruits and effects to this the sole cause. Hence that sweet scripture of the Lord," that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures," Prov. viii. 21. Hence that precious assurance also, that "he that blesseth himself in the earth, shall bless himself in the God of truth!" Isa. lxv. 16.

Neither let the regenerated child of God (for it is of such only I speak) overlook in all his drawings nigh to the mercy-seat of God in Christ, that this oneness and union with God, for which the church was formed in Christ, and which God with such unparalleled grace and condescension calls his inheritance, is, with all the Persons of God in and through Christ. God the Father,

as hath been shewn in those scriptures here gathered, calls his people "his portion, his lot, his inheritance," Deut. xxxii. 9. And he allows himself to be called their's. "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup; thou maintainest my lot," Ps. xvi. 5. Ps. lxxiii. 26. Ps. cxix. 57. Ps. cxlii. 5. God the Son is said to have redeemed it by his blood, for it is called, (as hath been seen) "the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory," Eph. i. 14, 18. And God the Holy Ghost is said to be the "earnest of our inheritance," in that, though given by God the Father, and purchased by God the Son, it is the Holy Ghost by quickening and renewing grace, makes the church in every individual member of Christ's mystical body, "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light!" Eph. i. 14. Colos. i. 12. Oh! the unspeakable love we may here again well exclaim, that God in his Trinity of Persons, who can need nothing from his creatures, and to whom in his essential glory and blessedness nothing can be added by his creatures; should nevertheless condescend to call his church his inheritance, and allow his church to call him their's. And should expressly declare, that he had chosen them for this very purpose, to be his pleasure house, his demesne, his inheritance! And that as a man lives upon his possession, so the Lord lives upon his. "This people have I formed for myself, they shall shew forth my praise," Isa. xliii. 21. Eph. i. 18. 2 Cor. v. 5. Well might the man of God cry out, "Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth, break forth into singing, ye mountains; O' forest, and every tree therein; for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel,” Isa. xliv. 23.

FOURTHLY.-Scriptures for approaching God in his promises, which manifest that Jehovah in his Trinity of Per

sons is a prayer-awakening, prayer-hearing, and prayeranswering God; and both a promise-making and promiseperforming God in Christ. "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust," 2 Pet. i. 4.

God himself in his Trinity of Persons is the sum and substance of all promises, as well as the author and giver of all. He is the Almighty promiser, and including every thing promised. That one promise contains in its comprehension the whole charter of grace. "I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people," Heb. viii. 10. Jer. xxxi. 33. Ezek. xxxvi. 28. And this is equally the promise of each glorious Person in the Godhead. The Father is hereby engaged in all covenant promises: the Son is emphatically called, "the mercy promised," Luke i. 72. and the Holy Ghost is known in one of his divine names as 66 the Spirit of promise," Eph. i. 13. So that Jehovah in his Trinity of Persons, makes over himself, and all he hath of property suited for his church and people, to make good all his promises to them in Christ Jesus.

"God is not a man that he should lie, neither the Son of man that he should repent. Hath he said, and shall he not do it; or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Numb. xxiii. 19.

"All the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us." How is this proved? God's people are the children of promise. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise," Gal. iv. 28, Eternal life given to them

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with all preliminaries.

"In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began," Titus i. 2.

"Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling; not according to our works, but according to his

own purpose and grace, given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," 2 Tim. i. 9.

"All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me, and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out," John vi. 37.

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Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power," Ps. cx. 3.

Are they long, before they are brought to the new birth? What saith the Lord?" Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? Shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb, saith thy God?" Isa. Ixvi. 9.

Are they long before they enjoy the privileges of their new birth?" Ye shall suck and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation; ye shall milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory," Isa. lxvi. 11.

Are they as little children wayward and cross? What saith the Lord? "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem," Isa: lxvi. 13.

Have they the hard heart, and the stubborn mind! The Lord saith, "A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh," Ezek. xxxvi. 26.

Are they by nature and by practice in a state of sin and transgression? The Lord saith, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you," Ezek. xxxvi. 25.

Are they in any of the various troubles of life? The Lord saith, "I will deliver thee in trouble," Ps. xci. 15. "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me," Ps. 1. 15. "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O

Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel. Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee, for I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel thy Saviour. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee, therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life," Isa. xliii. 1–4.

Are they in poor circumstances? What saith the Lord? "When the poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of vallies," Isa. xli. 17, 18. "I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen," Isa. xliii. 20.

Are they groaning by reason of indwelling corruption? The Lord saith, "Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace!" Rom. vi. 14. Are they exercised with temptations? The Lord saith, "There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man, but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it," 1 Cor. .x. 13.

Is Satan throwing his fiery darts at them? The Lord promiseth, that "the shield of faith shall enable them to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked," Eph. vi. 16. "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under their feet shortly," Rom. xvi. 20.

Are they, though children, through fear of death all their life-time subject to bondage? The Lord saith,