little of their obligations for common and smaller mercies. General expressions of thankfulness for them, it is true, are daily presented by them to the Lord but they too seldom flow from a proper sense of God's kindness, even in the smallest of his favours. In proportion as they grow in grace, the amiable spirit of gratitude increases. Like the patriarch Jacob, every one of them is disposed from the heart to say to God, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant."* Though their share of earthly good things should be small, like the crumbs which fall from the table of his providential bounty; yet they are deeply sensible of their unworthiness of them, and thankfully express their obligations for them. Their food, their raiment, their habitation, their health, and their every temporal blessing, are received with gratitude, and acknowledged with praise. When they compare their condition, in these respects, with that of others around them, they are constrained often to exclaim, "Bless the Lord, O our souls, and forget not all his benefits."

12. A sure evidence of growth in grace is, resignedness to the will of God under trials and afflictions.It is no difficult task to manifest something like acquiescence in the allotments of Providence, during the sunshine of prosperity. When the world smiles, and friends caress, and we have all that our hearts can desire, to fret and repine would be unnatural; but to remain calm and unruffled amid the gloom of ad

• Gen. xxxii. 10.

versity, and to approve when God smites us, and takes from us our dearest worldly comforts, is not so easy. And yet this is required of God's children, and frequently has been exemplified by them. Aaron, when his sons Nadab and Abihu were consumed for offering strange fire, submissively "held his peace.” Under painful chastisements from the hand of God, David could say, "I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, for thou didst it." Good old Eli, when informed of the awful fate which awaited his wicked sons, thus resignedly expressed himself: "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." And the patriarch Job, amid heavier and more complicated trials than ever, perhaps, met in the lot of any other saint, thus expressed himself: "The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away; and blessed be the name of the Lord."

Like those saints of former times, all who have made progress in growth in grace, manifest, under trials, resignedness to the will of their heavenly Father. They calmly refrain from repining, not from stoical insensibility, or stubborn pride, but from humble acquiescence in the equity and wisdom of his allotments. Heavy though they may be, they know that they are lighter than they have deserved, and that they are part of the discipline of God's covenant, by which his children are prepared for glory. They have learned, that instead of being tokens of wrath, they are marks of God's adopting love. Like salutary medicine, though bitter, he administers them to his children, to promote their spiritual health. They

know that it is thus written, "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not?"* Reflecting, therefore, on God's kind designs in their trials and distresses; the promises of his presence and support under them; and that soon they shall all terminate, and be followed by happiness unmingled and everlasting; under the most painful of them they can joyfully say, "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”+ "We reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

13. The last evidence of growth in grace which I shall here mention is, a habitual recognition of the presence of God, and a desire to act in all things for his glory. Every Christian believes the truth of Jehovah's omniscience and omnipresence. They all know, that "the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good;" and that "neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of

*Heb. xii. 5-7.

+ 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18.

t Rom. viii, 18.

Amid the bustle

him with whom we have to do."* of earthly pursuits, however, they too often forget that they are in the presence of God. Though none of them can habitually live in the neglect of this; yet these only who are advancing in the divine life, are habitually impressed with its remembrance. But all who are in this prosperous state, are daily disposed to adopt the Psalmist's language, and to act under an abiding conviction of its truth," O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thoughts afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before," &c.+

Habitually impressed with this belief, like Enoch, they walk with God. They see him in all his works, trace him in all his providential allotments, and enjoy him in all his mercies. They hear his voice in the rolling thunder and the terrific storm, as well as in the gladdening message of the gospel. When visited with trials and afflictions, they view him at hand, to minister support and consolation; and, in his own time and way, to accomplish their deliverance. When assailed with temptations, believing that his eye is fixed upon them, they are animated with courage to repel them, saying, in the words of the pious Hebrew youth, "How shall we do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" When called to

• Prov. xv. 3; Heb. iv. 13.

+ Psalm cxxxix. 1, &c.

the performance of difficult services, they look to him for his promised assistance, and find him near to give them help. And, in pursuing the common business of life, they habitually endeavour to act in such a manner as to have the approbation of God and of conscience. Thus, in all things, demeaning themselves as seeing him who is invisible, and making his word the rule of their conduct, and his glory their chief aim; they enjoy daily fellowship with God.

Such are a few of the most striking evidences of growth in grace. Happy are you, my reader, if you find them applicable to your case. They are sure prognostications that you are ripening apace for celestial glory. Animated with this hope, aspire after yet higher attainments in holiness. Like Paul, "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."*

*Philip. iii. 13.