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SECT.
VIII.]
THE HAPPINESS OF SEPARATE
SPIRITS.
descending characters and
offices
which he sustains
for
a
sinner's salvation.
They
have believed
in
him while he was
unseen, and
they
loved
him, though
they
saw him
not;
they rejoiced
in him
as
their
all, and they
knew
not
how
to
live
with-
out
him.
How
is
it
with
my soul
in
this
respect
?
Do
I
love
Jesus
the Lord
?
Is he
the desire
of
my
heart,
and
the delight of
my life
?
Though
they
were
kept
by
the grace
of
God
from
the
pollutions of the world, and upheld their unblemished
character
to
the last,
yet
they found
sin to
be
their
most
dangerous
enemy
;
they have felt it
bitter
and painful
to
their
souls,
and
they long
groaned under
it
as
their daily
burden. What
is
my
grief? what
my
chief
sorrow
?
Do
I
groan
in
this
tabernacle being
burdened,
because
of
this inward enemy
?
And
do
I
long
to
be
rid
of
it
?
Are
my
sinful affections like a
pain
at
my
heart,
and
do the
workings
of
sin
within
me
awaken
my
continual repen-
tance
?
They
maintained
a sacred
tenderness
of
conscience,
and were
afraid
to
indulge themselves
in
that compa-
ny,
in
that practice,
and
in
those liberties
of
life
which
have often
proved
a
dangerous
snare to
souls.
Now can
I
appeal
to
God who
sees
my
heart, that
I
am
cautious
and
watchful
against
every
snare,
that
I
stand afar
off
from every
temptation, and
abstain
from
all
appearance
of
evil
?
They
took sweet pleasure
in
retirement,
in
prayer,
and other
holy
exercises
:
This
was the refreshment
of
their
hearts, and
the
throne
of
grace
was
their refuge
under
every distress
and
difficulty.
Let
me
ask
my
heart
what
is
my
pleasure,
my
inward delight
?
Do
I
find
a
sweet relish
in
devotion
?
and when outward troubles
perplex me,
do
I
make the
mercy -seat
my
speedy
and
constant
refuge
?
They
lived
upon their bible,
they
counted
the gospel
their
treasure, and the promises and the words
of
God
written there,
were
more
valuable
to
them than
all
their
outward
riches.
But
what
is
my life
?
What
is
my
trea-
sure
?
What
is
my
hope
?
Do I
count heaven and the
gospel
my
chief inheritance
?
Do
1
converse
much with
my
bible,
and
find food
and support there
?
Do I
look
at
things unseen
and eternal, and
feed
and rest
upon
the
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