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you inherited Substance, fubftantial Joys, unIpeakable Delight, Satisfaction and Peace.

O! that this unutterable Love of God might be once imprefs'd and engraven on your Hearts; Then wou'd you confefs with me, that one Day in his Courts, Prefence and Favour, is better than a Thoufand fpent in the Enjoyment of earthly Delights and Pleasures."

But now I would ftop a while, and afk, If you have not been cheated by delufive Hopes and Promifes of obtaining Satisfaction from temporal Enjoyments? Have you never difcover'd their Fallacy? Have they not vanished into Air, even when you fancy'd yourfelves juft in Poffeffion? And don't you find they leave you diffatisfied and uneafy? I am certain, this is the Case with many; you ftill feel a painful Vacancy, even in the midft of your fenfual Delights and temporal Enjoyments; which, be affured (I fpeak by happy tho' fhort Experience) nothing short of the Approbation and Favour of God, and a Poffeffion of his Love and Peace, can ever poffibly fatisfy.

I have told you already, that I have felt great Trouble and Anxiety of Mind on your Account; but tho' my Head were Waters, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears; and cou'd I, or any one elfe, weep continually Day and Night for you, that you may reft in the Day of Trouble; yet another's Concern cannot do this great Work for you, without your own Hand in the Bufinefs which relates to your Soul's Happiness; fince an inspired Apoftle affures you, you must, by Divine Affiftance work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling For no Man can redeem his Brother, nor

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give to God a Ranfom for his Soul. I may (as I do earnestly) defire your Happiness, but I can't procure it for you. I may with you Heaven, but I can't obtain it for you: Yet I earnestly pray, That the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom, and Revelation of the Knowledge of himself, whom (rightly) to know, is eternal Life; that the Eyes of your Understanding may be enlighten'd, and that you may know what is the Hope of his Calling; and the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints ; and what the exceeding Greatness of his Power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty Power, by which he has vanquished and brought down all the ftrong Holds of Sin and Satan in the Hearts of them who confide in his mighty Arm, which is now extended over you for good; God has vifited and called you often, and now waits to be gracious to you: The Almighty I fay, has long vifited and try'd you by his Mercy and Forbearance: He has spoke to you by the Voice of his holy Spirit, which fome of you have neglected, overlooked and quenched: Hath not Wif dom long utter'd her Voice, even at your Doors? Is the not come up into your Chambers?

Does not Understanding cry in the moft fecret Receffes of your Confciences, faying, How long, ye fimple Ones, will you love Simplicity, and Scorners delight in Scorning, and Fools hate Knowledge? Turn you therefore at the Reproofs of Instruction, which is the Way to Life; and then behold he will more abundantly pour out of his Spirit upon you; and ye hearken and obey his Voice, he will make his Words and Will known to you; on the

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contrary, if you continue to refuse and rebel against his Light and Truth in your inward Parts, the Confequence is fure, he will certainly forfake and leave you to your own Delufions; because he hath call'd, and you refufed; he hath ftretched forth his Hand, and no Man regards; but have fet at nought all his Counfel, turned his Word be hind your Backs, and will hear none of his Re proofs.

Therefore unless you return and repent, with all your Hearts, and amend your Ways and your Doings, he will, when your Diftrefs comes upon you, laugh at your Calamities, have you in Derifion, and mock at all your Fears,tal

But I fervently pray, that this may never be your deplorable Condition; but that you may be, not only the Vifited, but the Redeemed of the Lord; not only the Called, but the Chofen of God! And, in order to make your Calling and Election fure, take to yourselves the whole Armour of God, that you may ftand against the Wiles of the Enemy of your Soul's Happiness: Having your Loins girt about with Truth, and having on the Breaft-plate of Righteousness, and your Feet food with the Preparation of the Golpel; but, about all, taking the Shield of Faith, whereby you'll be able to withstand and quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked One; and take the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word (or Power of God.) Finally, Whatfoever Things are true, whatsoever Things are honeft, what foever Things are just, whatsoever Things are lovely, whatfoever Things are of good Report; if there be any Virtue, if there be any Praife; think on thefe Things and practise them. But we must remember,

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remember, in all thefe Things, that God be our Alpha and Omega: His Love must be the Motive, and his Honour the End of all our Actions; and then the God of Peace will be with us, and bless us. To him, and to the Word of his Grace, I commit and commend you, affuring you, my dear Fellow-mortals, that my fervent De fire and unfeigned Prayer, unto the God of my Life, for you all, is, that you may be faved!

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DIVINE LOVE

COMMEMORATED.

The AUTHOR unknown to me.

HO can fathom the redeeming

WH

W Act of univerfal Love?

Human Thought, though ever teeming,
Yet will infufficient prove.

Holy Angels ever lauding

Of the great and wond'rous Scheme, Seraphs, hymning and applauding,

Never can exhauft the Theme.

O! the Heighth and Depth! furprising!
O! the Length and Breadth, how great?
Generations paft, and rifing,

Will the Bliss participate.

Sure the Father's, Love was burning,
To poor loft and helpless Man,
Anxious for his fafe returning,

Laid the meditorial Plan.

Nor lefs was our Saviour's Merit,
Who severe Obedience paid,
Dy'd to obtain the Holy Spirit,
For his Creatures Help and Aid.

Now, above, makes Interceffion,
That the penetential Mind,
Who makes unreferv'd Confeffion,
And reforms, may Pardon find.

Wretched

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