are the creatures of a day, that an endless eternity lies before them, and only the feeble uncertain thread of life between them and that curse under which they were born.  Not so the child of God; all things work together for his good—­all things; his standing is not in himself; his footsteps are directed by infinite wisdom:  he is kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation.  Nothing can separate him from the love of God.  His life is hid with Christ in God:  there is cause to rejoice always; his privileges are boundless, infinite, for God himself is become his salvation.

“Have we then any cause for fear?  Yes, my children, yes; though nothing can rob us of our charter, there is another side to be beheld.  In Christ we have all things richly to enjoy, but we have not all in possession:  what we have is by faith; all is secured by our Surety for eternity.  We shall overcome by the blood of the Lamb; but by the constitution of the covenant we must enter into that rest, that perfect rest, through great tribulation.  While our eternal salvation is secured by our Surety, it hath pleased infinite Wisdom to appoint another connection, which shall exist while we remain on earth:  even the connection between our steadfastness, consequently our comfort, and the means of grace which he hath appointed, making the first to depend in a great measure on our diligent use of the last, insomuch that a great number of the promises are proposed conditionally.  Many exhortations are given in this view, and also many threatenings.  ’They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength,’ etc.  ’Seek, and ye shall find; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’  ’Abide in me; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.’

“Close, intimate, near communion with God, is to be sought by means of prayer, meditation, and reading.  If the Christian be careful to husband time, and set apart a portion for God, and set about these duties, he will not always miss communion; and this prepares him for other duties, and arms him against temptation; as the promise is concerned to keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him.  ’If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him.’  ‘So shall ye know the Lord, if ye follow on to-know him.’  ‘Delight thyself in God, he will give thee the desire of thy heart.’  ‘Nevertheless, I will be inquired of by the house of Israel,’ etc.  ’If his children forsake my laws, and go astray, I will visit their faults,’ etc.  ‘Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.’  ‘But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,’ etc.  ’Thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.’  All is laid before us in the Scriptures, in the view of comfort during our pilgrimage, as well as the certainty of our inheritance in the end; the ground whereon we stand, our danger, and the means of safety.  See Eph. 6:11.