Spiritually to know the perfections of the divine nature, the fpecial riches of unfearchable grace, the mystery of our redemption and reconciliation to God by Jefus Chrift, and his mediatorial offices; fuch knowledge is a feaft to the foul, it is meat indeed and drink indeed. We find a certain delight in an acquaintance, friendship and intimacy of the great and good in this world, but what is this in comparifon of an acquaintance, friendship and intimacy with the Supreme Jehovah? David: in all his exaltation would leave his throne three times a day to go and converfe with his God, his heavenly friend.

Religion alfo confifts in committing ourselves to God and repofing upon the bofom of his love. Giving up our hearts in fupreme duty and love to him; taking him for our por tion and our all. This is pleafure of the most refined and exalted nature. Thus we hear the Pfalmift addreffing his fpirit in favour of comfort and felicity in the fruition of God, "Return unto thy reft, Omy foul? As if there were no,reft, peace or pleasantnefs but in him. Let us therefore have that joy, which the world can neither give nor take away, by pla cing our fouls in the encircling arms of Jefus, and fweetly ref ting upon his bofom.

Approaching to God as a father, in that new and living way opened in the gofpel by Jefus Chrift the Mediator, this contains in it the pureft delight and the higheft confolation; and this is an important conftituent of pure and undefiled re ligion. And when we have made our approach to dwell there is the effence of every thing pleafurable. Bleffed are they "that dwell in his courts, they fhall be fatisfied with the good"nefs of his house, even of his holy temple." We read of the Eunuch, that when he was brought to believe in Chrift, he went on his way rejoicing. Thus by believing in him and approaching to God by him we may rejoice alfo. What fafety fatisfaction and happiness is it, to lodge all the great concerns

of our fouls for eternity, in the hands of him, who is infinite ly able and faithful to keep that which is committed to him against the great day of his appearance. The bleffed foul of St. Paul is elevated on the wings of rapturous joy at this thought. "There is no condemnation to them who are in "Chrift Jefus. Who is he that condemneth, it is Chrift that "died, yea, rather that is rifen again?" How does he pronounce his own happy experience in all the triumph of pleafure?" I know in whom I have believed, and that he is able "to keep that which I have committed to him against that "day." It is impoffible for a creature to live in greater plea• fure, "Than to live by the faith of the Son of God." It is in faith and love, "We are filled with joy and peace unspeak"able and full of glory." Wherefore all who wish for pleafure and delight, let them enter into the paths of piety and Walk in the ways of religion, "Whole ways are pleasantnefs "and all her paths peace."

Religion is the enjoyment of God in all the creature comforts which we poflefs. The faint in all his poffeffions, "Taftes "and fees, that in them the Lord is good." What a fweet, noble and refined relith does religion give to all the common bleffings of life, our health and eafe, our reft and fleep, our food and raiment, our habitations, friends and relatives? We have peace in our dwellings, fuccefs in our callings, and happiness in all things., Is it not pleasant to tafte covenant love in all our mercies?To fee the bountiful hand of heavenly beneficence fpreading our table, and filling our cup with plenty? This puts gladness in our hearts beyond the joys of harveft. Thus let us rejoice, not only when the earth yields her encrease, but when God, even our God gives the bleffing therewith.

Religion confias much in cafting all our cares and burdens upon the Lord, with a fweet and tranfporting hope that he

eareth for us. Nothing affords a more fenfible pleasure, than to be relieved from fome prefling weight, under which we are ready to fink. The exercises of true religion renders a perfon quiet in the variety of conditions in which he may be. It teaches him in whatever ftate he is therewith to be content. Religious contentment fheds joy and pleasure through the foul.

Prayer is an important branch of real piety. And all whọ are employed in making known their requests to God by prayer and tupplication, have the precious promife, That the peace "of God which paffeth all undertanding fhall keep their

hearts and minds."

Holy rejoicing is alfo a branch of religion. The commanament is ever more to rejoice. Hence the gospel is stiled, "Glad tidings of great joy to all people." It is the will of God, that his Ifrael fhould rejoice in every thing which he bettoweth upon them. Now all thofe exercifes are not only pleafing, but pleasantnefs itself.

Praise likewife is a delightful thing, and this enters deeply into the conftitution of pure religion. "Praise ye the Lord, "for the Lord is good, fing praises unto his name for its "pleafant."

Time would fail me to mention faith, love, humility, meeknefs, mercifulness, &c. all which are effential constituents of religion, and the exercife of thofe graces and the practice of thofe virtues form the foul to the highest pleasure and delight; and in this paffing review of piety, we cannot refrain from joining in the divine declaration, "that all her ways are plea "fantnefs and all her paths are peace."

I proceed,

Secondly, to confider the high advantages and benefits it affords its friends. Profit and pleasure feem to be the great purfuits of men; and if we would have them united in the moft eminent perfection, let us engage in the ways of religion. The pleafures of the world, and the gratifications of fenfer always mock their votarics aud leave a fting behind. Not fo with the votaries of piety. Their expectations are never disappointed. Its pursuits are delightful; fo are all its effects and confequences. Instead of pains of body, remorfe of confcience, and twinging perplexity, the fruits of fin, they have inward peace, ftrong confolation, joyful hopes, and a fatisfactory affu. rance of the rewards of eternal felicity. If the friends of reli gion have troubles in the world, yet in Jefus they have peace, and all the riches of heaven full in their view as their everlafting inheritance. The profits of their bufinefs are not like the perithing profits of time, they are infinite in value, and their durability is as the heavens. They are fupported by fure and certain promifes here, and the future recompence of reward cannot fail. "God will never leave them nor forfake them, "and all things fhall work together for their good." They have all things in enjoyment, and eternal felicity by an inde feafable reverfion. All things are theirs, Thus faith the apofle, "Whether the world, or life, or death, or things prefent, or things to come; all are yours. And ye are Chrift's "and Chrift is God." Religion is truly profitable for this world and for that which is to come. Who can defcribe the riches of the city, which is to be their everlasting dwelling. The walls of it are jafper, its gates pearl, and its fireets of pure gold. Methinks could a mifer have a view of its glory and wealth, could he be induced to realife and believe in the profits and advantages of religion, he would immediately forfake all and commence a follower of Jefus. He that can number the ftars, or count the falling leaves in autumn, let him calculate the riches of the faints. Could fubftantial profit and unmixed picafure operate upon the hearts of men, furely they would all

inftantly engage in the ways of piety and godliness, which have the divine promife of the wealth and advantages of both But the doctrine of our text is ftill further confirmed

worlds.
by the experience of all. Which leads me,

Thirdly, to confider the pleafures of religion as appears from the experience of thofe who have entered into her ways and travelled in her peaceful paths. Here we may without hefitation appeal to all who live gedly in Chrift Jefus. From their own feelings, exercifes and experience, they all concur in this teftimony, "That all her ways are pleasantnefs and all "her paths are peace. "Their pleasures and their joys at times are fuch that they camot exprefs. All her precepts, her counfels, exhortations and promifes, the views which the affords, the profpects fhe opens, fhed pleafure thro' the foul, unfpeakable and full of glory. Go to the dying bed of the true chriftian, enquire of him what he thinks of religion? And that is commonly confidered as an honeft hour. He will immediately inform you it is infinitely preferable to all the riches and treasures of this world. He groans forth in his laft struggles, in all the agonies of diffolution," I fhall foon be difincumbered of this flesh and be with Jefus. O the joys, the comforts, the hopes that I feel! With pleasure I leave the earth! Heaven opens to my view." In their paffage through this life, how often are they faying, "It is good for us to draw near to God." They are frequently in divine worfhip and in fpecial ordinances experiencing and declaring it is good for us to be here, this is none other than the gate of heaven, let us ever dwell in this place. They will be often adopting the language of the fpouse and faying, "I fat down under his shadow with great delight, "and his fruit was fweet unto my tafle. Stay me with fla

gons, comfort me with apples, for I am fick with love." They are fometimes uing the words of an ancient faint, "Let their money perifh with them, that efteem all the wealth and pleasures of this world, worth one hours communion with