God; and you may, in the words of one who knew what Christian experience is, say to "sin, hell, Satan, death, and all the curses of the law,-I defy you all.”*

* Sir Richard Hill.

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SERMON XII.

THE HAPPINESS CONNECTED WITH TRUE

RELIGION.

PSALM XXXvii. 4.

Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

IF, in pressing upon the notice, and in recommending to the serious attention of our fellow men, the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we were unable to set it before them as a religion of love, and abounding in the highest enjoyments, we should want one of the most powerful arguments by which the mind is capable of being influenced. If, while we called upon men to forsake the world, and the things that are in the world, and to devote themselves to the service and glory of God in Christ Jesus, we could not, upon the authority of the word of our salvation, make it

appear that the exchange is most desirable and satisfactory, we might indulge, humanly speaking, but little hope, that our message would ever be received, or that we ourselves should ever be regarded in any other light than as weak and presumptuous. But the religion, my brethren, with which we believe we are commissioned, and which we are enjoined and privileged to lay before you, as being supremely worthy your attention, is not a system of melancholy and gloominess, but of delight the purest and most refined. It is a religion which will not allow men to take pleasure in the grovelling enjoyments, if enjoyments they can be called, of a world which the Bible describes as "lying in wickedness." It calls their contemplation to the high and holy One Himself, in all His revealed perfections and grace; and to those pleasures which consist in a knowledge of Him; and to those which are at His right hand in heaven, for evermore. But these delights are spiritual delights; and if we fail of prevailing upon men to contemplate and follow after them, it is because they are not spiritually-minded: it is because they have not

that spiritual discernment, by which alone they can be satisfied, that evil is not good, and that good is not evil. Still, however, having a good hope, that what we say is true, and having grace to believe, if not experience to know, that there is nothing on earth to be desired in comparison of what the religion we advocate has to bestow, it is ours to persevere, in affectionate importunity to say to every one with whom we have to do, "Come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel."

Our text calls upon every one whose eyes glance over it, and in whose ears it is sounded, to "delight in the Lord." This passage, with many others, states it as his privilege and duty to delight in Him; and connects with doing so, the obtaining of every thing the heart can wish. And how, my dearest brethren, are we to prevail upon you to make the Lord your delight? It has been observed-" he that will set the hearts of other men on fire with the love of Christ, must himself burn with love." This may be true, for any thing I can tell. I do know, that fain would I be an instru

But

ment of your hearts being inflamed with this celestial fire; but my own, with shame I say it, does not burn with love. Can a fire be kindled by the application of an icicle? Then might your love. of God be excited by the unfolding of a heart like mine. No, thanks to sovereign goodness, I may refer you to One whose name is Love, whose love to His Father is inconceivable, whose love to men has a length, and depth, and breadth, and height, which exceed all knowledge; of whom it is said, that though "greater love hath no man than he that would die for his friends," yet His love is commended to His people, as the love of One, who, when they were yet sinners, died for them, that He might make them the children of God, and heirs of everlasting life. Oh! my brethren, only obtain a view of this divine affection; only believe that you have an interest in it; only allow its transforming influence to touch your hearts, and your love of every other object will, in comparison, be cold and indifferent. Though you see Him not, yet you will love Him; yea, you will rejoice in Him, with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Your medita