voice behind her, saying, "This is the way, walk thou therein."....He is not only with her as a guide, but he is with her as a guard, to protect her from her enemies when the lion roars, she trem bles; when her foes, strong and mighty approach, she stands aghast; but the Lord her shield advances, spreads over her the shadow of his wing, and taking the battle into his own hand, girds his sword upon his thigh, and rides on conquering and to conquer, for they are all to him as the dry stubble is to the burning flame; by the breath of his mouth he scatters them as the small dust is dispersed abroad, by the force of the irresistible whirlwind, and they are obliged to fall before him, as Dagon fell before the ark, or as a worm would be crushed under the foot of one of the mighty sons of Anak.

He is not only with her as her guide and protector, but also to supply all her wants, and comfort her under all her oppressions....She is often cast down and afflicted; often grieved and distressed; but when this is the case, Jesus draws nigh, says to her soul, "Peace be unto thee; in the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me ye shall have peace." When she hungers, he feeds her with the bread of heaven; and when she thirsts, he leads her to the wells of salvation, and gives her to drink of the water of life, those rivers of pleasure which flow at his right hand for evermore ....when she is fainting, he strengthens her; when falling, raises her; and when she is wounded by the beasts of prey, stung by the poisonous nettles, with which this world, this wilderness abounds, he makes her whole, and restores her to health by applying to

her wounds the healing balsam of his atoning blood, the cheering unction of his holy Spirit; for she is not to be destroyed in the wilderness; it is a place prepared of God, he built it on purpose for her reception; there she is exercised, tried, purified, and made capable of enjoying that better portion reserved in heaven for her...." the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there:" indeed she hath a right to be fed, for she is not a widow, her husband is living, and lives for evermore, and it is the privilege of every wife to be maintained by her husband, if he has it in his power to maintain her, at least she has a certain right to expect it; and if he neglects or refuses to do it, when able, every one will allow he is a bad husband, and deserves no better character than that of a villain; but Jesus is a faithful husband, a tender, affectionate husband; he loves his bride, he purchased her with an infinite price, and has it well in his power to provide for all her wants; the treasures of his love are past finding out; the riches of his grace are unsearchable, and the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; therefore she hath a right upon the best and surest foundation, and it is her privilege to look up to him, not for a scanty allowance, but a full and ample supply of all she stands in need of; for as she possesses his hand and his heart, all that he has is her's; "for," saith the apostle (and he knew his master's mind)" all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's," 1 Cor. iii. 21, 23.

This is a large grant, a very valuable possession, if we had but eyes to behold the extent of it; but our sight is now weak, and therefore we can view but a little, very little part of it; however, since this is the case, the church is in no danger of starving; God hath determined she shall be fed; he will feed her soul with his word and Spirit, and feed her body by a thousand providences; and though her spiritual and temporal enemies, wicked men and wicked devils, are striving continually to cut off her supplies, and to cause her to perish by famine, from off the face of the earth, yet, blessed be God, they are striving in vain; for infinite wisdom knows how to counter-work all their designs, and can, and often does, out of the strongest temptation, out of the bitterest affliction, bring forth some sweet and savory meat to feed the souls and bodies of his children. Job's afflictions were calculated to feed his soul with heavenly manna, to bring him off from feeding upon that which is not bread, even the mouldy husks of his own righteousness, that he might be fed with immortal food, the allsufficient righteousness of God his Saviour: while Jacob's trouble was evidently designed for the temporal preservation of himself and his house, at a time. when famine and scarcity overspread the earth: thus, "the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand, two hundred and threescore days.”

Blessed be God, though the church is in a wilderness at present, she is not to abide there forever, she shall not be always beset with dangers, surrounded by

enemies, and filled with affliction and sorrow; no, her beloved has not only prepared a place for her in this tumultuous sea of fire and glass, where she is to be fed and preserved, but he is also gone as her great forerunner, to prepare a place in his palace, a mansion in his heaven for her; and at the set time, the appointed time, the expiration of that thousand, two hundred and threescore days, he will come himself and fetch her to partake of his glory, to share in his kingdom, and sit down on his throne, to enjoy the utmost that a covenant God can bestow on the beloved of his soul....O eternal life! who can describe thee? what can we say of thee? alas, we can say but this, we know not fully what thou art; for eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it or can it enter into the heart to conceive, what it is to be with God forever. He that hath enjoyed most of the light of his countenance, most of the joy of his salvation, most sensible communion with a condescending Saviour, has but as it were sipped of, the cup, caught a drop from the infinite ocean; just tasted the fruits of the good land :.... but when the time, the appointed period arrives, that wished for period, which the saints of God long for, when the Lord Jesus, the mighty, yea Almighty God shall appear, then shall we appear with him in glory, and be like him; for we, his church, the purchase of his blood, shall see him as he is: but O, with what eyes shall we behold him! with what hearts shall we love him! and with what triumphant songs shall we proclaim his honors, when we enter into that kingdom which was prepared for us before the foundation of the world :....then, and not till then, shall we be able clear

ly to expatiate on that infinite privilege of the believer

in Jesus....eternal life!

Great day of God, O when wilt thou appear, To usher in the grand sabbatic year, When Jesus' saints shall enter into rest, And soul and body be completely bless'd; When in full choir they shall their king adore, And hear the rude alarms of war no more ; When immortality shall crown the just, And all their enemies shall lick the dust; O'erwhelm'd in awful wrath's indignant show'r, And death, and hell, confess a victor's pow'r. "Great day! where art thou? angels cannot tell," Tho' nigh the throne their shining orders dwell; 'Tis hid from angels' ken, but known to thee, Great three in one, eternal one in three ;

Thy great decree has fix'd the period sure,

When sin shall vex and saints shall weep no more.