fulness and unholiness together, as connected steps
in the same dread descent. So, on the other hand,
in your upward progress towards heaven, the more
thankful you are, the more holy you will be. God
loves and blesses the grateful worshipper. Praise
is comely in His sight, and thankful souls shall
receive the richest tokens of His favor and bless-
ing. Who was ever loaded with more riches of
grace than Paul? And who was ever more full
of thankfulness, or sounded out the praises of God
in more emphatic strains? Praise was on his lips,
because grace was in his heart; and the more he
magnified grace, the more grace was increased
within him. Every breath, let out in praise, drew
in new supplies of grace. Thus do you glorify
God, and He will satisfy you-pay Him this rent,
and He will not turn you out of doors—give Him
this tribute, and you shall have your freehold.
Praise Him for the little you have here, and you
shall have fullness of grace and glory for which to
praise Him through all eternity.

"Thou that hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more--a grateful heart.
See how Thy beggar works on Thee,

He makes Thy gifts occasion more,
And says, If he in this be crost,
All Thou hast given him heretofore

By art.

Is last.

But Thou didst reckon, when at first

Thy word our hands and hearts did crave, What it would come to at the worst

Perpetual knockings at Thy door,

To save.

Tears sullying Thy transparent rooms, Gift upon gift-much would have more, And comes.

This notwithstanding, Thou went'st on,
And didst allow us all our noise;
Nay, Thou hast made a sigh and groan
Thy joys.

Not that Thou hast not still above

Much better tunes than groans can make;

But that these country-airs Thy love

Did take.

Wherefore I cry, and cry again;
And in no quiet canst Thou be,
Till I a thankful heart obtain

Of Thee.

Not thankful, when it pleaseth me;
As if Thy blessings had spare days;
But such a heart, whose pulse may be

Thy praise."

HERBERT.

CHAPTER XV.

MEDITATION A MEANS OF INCREASING HEARTTREASURE: SUBJECTS OF MEDITATION.

AMONG the directions for maintaining and promoting religion in the soul, the practice of devout meditation should hold a prominent place. Yet, as this topic is of large extent, and specially important, I have deemed it most proper to give it a separate consideration. In presenting it, I shall set before you some of the most appropriate subjects of meditation; and then show the influence of such meditation in preserving and invigorating holy affections.

Christian meditation is the contemplative and earnest fixing of the mind on the great spiritual realities which the Bible has revealed to us. It should be connected with prayer and the study of Scripture, to awaken and inspire it, and to furnish it with suitable themes; yet it differs from both. Prayer is the converse of the soul with God; the direct outpouring of its wants and desires before the throne of Infinite Mercy. The reading of Scrip

e is the exercise by which the soul seeks to

learn God's will, and to gather in the communications which He has made of His character and purposes. But meditation is the soul's conference with itself; the discourse which it holds with truth obtained, and impressions received, in the secret sanctuary of its own consciousness. It is not simple revery or aimless speculation; nor is it a mere effort of the memory to recall and treasure up religious instruction. It is the set and solemn endeavor of the soul to bring home to itself divine things; and so to revolve, ponder, and digest them, as to work their transforming power into every element and faculty of its being. The subjects of thought best suited to such an exercise will now be laid before you. You are not, however, to suppose, that the entire enumeration is to occupy you at any one time. This is not practicable, and would not be the most judicious method, if it were. In order that you may derive the fullest benefit from meditation, it should be engaged in at regular intervals, either immediately before or after your seasons of private devotion; and, at each of these periods, you will find it most useful to employ yourself particularly on some one department of truth, provided you do not view it as isolated, but in its broad and comprehensive relations to the whole system of truth. Thus traverse successively the different portions of the vast field of Divine

Revelation, until its entire compass shall have been brought within the scope of your contemplations.

Let your thoughts be exercised upon the infinite, eternal, and incomprehensible majesty of God. Here, it is true, you launch upon a boundless and fathomless ocean; but, guided by the chart of Scripture, and confining your search within the range of its discoveries, you will not wander into unprofitable and irreverent speculations, or lose yourself in recesses which no finite intellect can explore. Let your meditations be of the following purport. O what a holy, omniscient, omnipresent Spirit is the almighty Maker and Possessor of heaven and earth! What transcendent mysteries are locked up in the Trinity of Persons, in the Unity of Essence! How impossible is it for a mortal eye to penetrate the inaccessible light in which Deity is veiled! "No man hath seen God at any time." Yet, "the Only Begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, hath declared Him.” In the person of an incarnate Redeemer I see God embodied, and made manifest to human sense. In His character and offices, I behold a glorious reflection of the Divine attributes, and read an exhibition of wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and love to the sons of men, which astonishes and awes, while it melts and subdues me. By