us pause a moment, before we proceed to the verse which follows. What can present such admirable and delightful materials, to occupy the thoughts of man, as the book which contains the thoughts of God! Might not the Bible be entitled, - -"The Thoughts of God?" Is it not replete with the contemplations of the Eternal Mind? And what are the lofty and the glorious subjects which they present to our regard? They are the attributes of his own nature--the laws which take their origin from his own rectitude-the purposes of mercy emanating from his own love, and extending to rebels against his throne-the mediatorial scheme of redemption, illustrating, in full-orbed glory, the perfections of his own adorable character-the revelations of a future and eternal 'world of blessedness! Having obtained on these subjects (though less clearly and less fully than we of the gospel day) the thoughts of God, we wonder not that the Psalmist should have exclaimed,"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God; how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee!"-With the thoughts and counsels of Jehovah in his mind, "he lay down at night to rest, and when he awoke in the morning, his thoughts naturally recurred to the pleasing theme; he began where he had left off, and found himself in heart and

soul, still present with God, still ruminating on him and his works. The mercies of heaven, in the redemption of the church, by the sufferings and exaltation of the true David--how precious are they to believers! How great is the sum, how far exceeding all human arithmetic to number them! Let them be to us the constant subjects of contemplation, admiration, and thanksgiving, day and night; and let death find us engaged in an employment, which when we awake, and arise from the grave, we shall resume and prosecute to eternity, in the presence of God!"*

Thirdly, There must be earnest prayer, that our thoughts may be guided and controlled by the influences of the Holy Spirit.

"When He, the spirit of truth is come," said Jesus to his disciples, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Now the acquisition of knowledge, and the habitual remembrance of that which is acquired, are usually the result of those two leading operations of the intellect, on which the character of the thoughts chiefly depends. Consider, then, O believer in Jesus, how much you are authorized to expect, relation to the right government of the thoughts, from the influence so faithfully promised. When

* Bishop Horne's Commentary.

in

you take up the Bible and read some selected paragraphs, or a chapter in regular course, "the spirit of wisdom and revelation" can steadily fix your thoughts (too often apt to wander) on some truths of vital importance: he can extend and correct and elevate your views, and deepen your impressions, of those truths which you knew but imperfectly before he can give a new direction and a wider range to your ideas, and a new and glowing impulse to the best affections of your hearts. When, at the next return of the hour of retired devotion, you resume the study of the sacred book, some other truths, of no inferior interest, may be similarly unfolded to your view, and rendered equally influential in awakening the purest affections of the soul. Suppose this to be the history of every day; and suppose the truth into which you have been thus guided, in the commencement of every day, to be held in remembrance throughout the course of the day; will there not be acquired more and more of an invaluable facility, in the right government of the thoughts? And is the expectation of this extravagant, or unreasonable? Is it too lofty an expectation for a mind which has already become a temple of the Holy Spirit? And And know ye not that (if christians) ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?" Will not, then, the very consideration of the character and

influence of the divine inhabitant, become an incentive to purity of thought? Surely vain thoughts

cannot be permitted or

tolerated in the temple of

the indwelling Deity! Let there be poured forth, then, in importunate prayer, the most fervent petitions, that "the thoughts of the heart may be cleansed by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit." Fourthly, There must be the diligent culture of all holy affections.

While it is true, that the thoughts give excitement to the affections, it is equally true, that the affections give excitement to the thoughts. The affections are the wings on which the intellect itself is sustained, in the soaring elevation of its flight, above the regions of sense. Even in the pursuits of literature and of science, it would be vain to expect a rapid or a pleasurable progress, without the stimulus arising from a predilection of taste, and a feeling of powerful attachment. How much more is that incentive required in the application of the mind to subjects decidedly spiritual. Would you, then, acquire an aptitude for the employment of the thoughts, on things unseen and eternal? Would you attain an increasing degree of facility, in disengaging the powers of thought from all earth-sprung cares and entanglements? Would you rise, as on the wings of eagles, to a region more pure and serene, that you may contemplate, in an un

66

clouded atmosphere, "the things which are above?"-Be it your solicitous care, to "keep your hearts in the love of God," by “praying in the Holy Ghost." Be assured, that when most deeply rooted and grounded in love," you will be able to put forth the best energies of your minds, in endeavouring to comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge!

Fifthly, We must habitually realize the divine inspection of our thoughts.

Suppose that your unexpressed and most secret thoughts could be ascertained by a fellowcreature, as soon as they found a place in your mind. Suppose that some one individual had certain means of knowing your thoughts, over which you could exercise no control. What emotions would you feel in his presence! What intense anxiety would you betray, as well as feel, to repress the very first risings of thoughts, which you might deem unworthy of your character, and, in his estimation, disgraceful! But are you not, at every moment, and in every situation, whether acting, or speaking, or thinking, under the inspection of an omniscient and omnipresent eye? And is it not with Him, as "the Judge of all," that, in a sense inapplicable to any human observer, you have especially to do?" Let, then, the

66