is the motive only on which the eye of Heaven is fixed. Thus one fervent ejaculation, God be merciful to me a finner! from a heart truly fmitten with a sense of fin, reached the throne of grace; while a thoufand prayers, with lifted eyes and hands, from one ftanding in the corner of a freet, were wafted by. It was the intention which gave value to the widow's mite; and would give yalue to a cup of cold water, on a proper motive.

Since then it is not the deed, but the willing mind, that God accepts, what a mighty encouragement is it to those, who have nothing but the willing mind to offer? They may do as many generous, and kind, and acceptable things in the fight of God, as if they had thousands. They may be doing friendly, and benevolent actions continually; and even reap the reward of them from God; though they may fcarce be able to expend a farthing.

But pause a moment, my friend. That there may be no mistake in this matter, you must be well affured, that you have the willing mind. You may easily deceive yourself in this matter. It is not fitting down, and in a reverie of imagination faying to yourself, How gladly would I give to fuch, or fuch a perfon; if I had it in

my power! That is a mighty easy way of having a willing mind and would turn the broad way into the narrow one at once.

Try yourself therefore by the following quef tions. Are you ftrictly confcientious in the performance of all other religious duties, which are in your power? If you are, it is a test, that you would be ftrict alfo in the performance of such as are not in your power.

Are you always ready to affift your neighbour in fuch little offices, as are within your means? Are you ready to fpare, to his greater neceffity, a little of your time, for instance, or a little of your labour? If you are, it is probable, you would be ready to bestow upon him a little of your money alfo.

Lastly, are you content, and perfectly refigned, whatever your station is? If you are not, I fhould fear it were hardly poffible for you to poffefs a willing mind to affift others. For how can you have any real inclination to give to them, while you are yet diffatisfied, and have not gotten enough for yourself?

IX.

My grace is fufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.-2 Cor. xii. 9.

THE feveral parts of the Gospel, like those of a regular, and well-contrived building, are adapted to each other. If the gospel require us to believe things, which are not immediately obvious to our reafon; it gives us fufficient evi-dence, that it has authority to promulge them. If it gives us rules for our conduct, which are evidently carried higher, than human abilities. can go; it hath at the fame time provided a supernatural affistance, which, if we manfully exert our own powers, will carry us farther than our own powers could go without that affift

ance.

This was the apoftle Paul's cafe. He had undergone fome great trial, which he calls a thorn in the flesh, and had requested God's af sistance. The answer he received (in what mode

of conveyance we are not informed) was in the words of the text. From thefe words I wish to establish this point-that the affistance of God's

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God's holy fpirit will always be given in proportion to our exigencies.

It is one of the nicest points in reading fcripture, to diftinguish between such paffages, as apply chiefly to gospel times; and fuch as are of univerfal application. An inattention to this diftinction has contributed, more than any thing, to over-run the chriftian world with enthusiasm

often, no doubt, well-meant; but as often abfurd, and even ridiculous. Now mistakes of this kind are chiefly made by those, who avowedly turn reafon and common fenfe out of doors. in their interpretations of fcripture.—But as it pleafed God Almighty to continue to us the use of reafon and common fenfe, after he put the scripture into our hands-and as the fcripture itself, not only in its evidence, but in every thing elfe, except fome of its fublime truths, is an appeal to reason, and common sense; we must neceffarily bring its doctrines, and its rules and modes of expreffion, to this teft. The fcripture itself gives us no other. Indeed it is the only way we have to diftinguish truth from error. Thus we must abide in the absurdity of tranfubftantiation, for inftance, if we will not use our reason in explaining a literal expreffion of fcripture into a figurative one. So glaring an abfurdity

abfurdity indeed as this, the enthusiast himself fees in its full light. If we enquire how? we find it is by the use of his reafon. He himself therefore uses his reafon on fome occafions: but he tells us, we must not carry our reason too far, So fay we; but who is to draw the line? Indeed what can draw it, but our reafon? So that reafon must not only operate; but muft determine how far it may carry its operations.

With regard to the present question, it is evident, that these times are under very different circumstances from the early times of the gofpel. In its infancy, when it was publishing to the heathen; it called for the aid of fupernatural power. Now, when it is eftablished in its full force of evidence, it is enough if we have fufficient teftimony, that this fupernatural power once existed; and that fuch powers are still continued to us, as are neceffary.-The apoftle Paul, who was fent to preach the gospel among the heathen; and could not know what nations were prepared to receive it, had many heavenly. vifions to direct his courfe-he was pressed in Spirit-and had powers intrufted to him as well. to direct his motions, as to fhew, that he came from God. It was abfolutely neceffary.-But is it fo now? The chriftian minifter has now