Cherish such delights as this; and its effect, in regulating the desires of the heart, will be equally powerful and salutary. It will induce a progressively ardent desire to discern more of "the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ;" to spend your days more constantly in the light of his countenance; and to attain higher qualifications for his service on earth, and for his immediate presence in heaven. Now, if in these desires themselves there are elements of true delight, so also will there be in the studies and the efforts and the prayers and the thanksgivings which they will dictate, and still more in the progressive attainment of the things desired. And in all this there is no danger of mortifying and heart-withering

disappointment. When we desire these things, and ask them at the throne of the heavenly grace, we desire and we ask according to the will of God; "and this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us, and if we know that he heareth us; whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."

Thirdly, Let us cherish those desires which will most effectually repress and exclude the evil inclinations of the heart.

Delight thyself in the Lord, as thy chief good, and then thy prevailing desire will be to glorify thy God, by every affection of thy heart, and every

action of thy life. Delight thyself thus in the Lord, and thy most pleasurable desire and expectation for the future, will spring from the hope of seeing God, and of being forever with him. Thus wilt thou attain a spiritual mind, a heavenly temper, looking and aiming not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; remembering that the things which are seen are temporal, but that the things which are not seen are eternal. Thou wilt cultivate the desires and the affections of a pilgrim and a stranger upon earth, "desiring a better, that is, a heavenly country:" and rejoicing in "the hope of the inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that

Realizing the

fadeth not away." presence of an invisible God, and the prospect of an invisible world, thy heart will be brought under the transforming influence of that faith which is "the confidence of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen." Actuated by this principle, thou wilt disentangle and divest thyself of every weight which would impede thy career, in running the race that is set before thee. Thus will thy conduct gradually approximate to that which, it may be presumed, would be the course of an angel's life, were one of the angels of heaven to become an incarnate inhabitant of earth; or rather it will bear a progressive resemblance to the course of life

actually exhibited by incarnate Deity, when the Word was made flesh and dwelt among men, full of grace and truth; being holy, harmless, and undefiled, and separate from sinners.

"The love of the world," it has been well observed, "cannot be expunged by a mere demonstration of the world's worthlessness. The heart cannot be prevailed upon to part with the world, by a simple act of resignation. If the throne which is placed there must have an occupier, and the tyrant that now reigns has occupied it wrongfully, he may not leave a bosom which would rather detain him, than be left in desolation. But may he not give way to the lawful sovereign, appearing with every charm