when we may be well satisfied that this is our case, and yet be far from happiness. It is not the persuasion that he shall eventually recover, which can make a diseased wretch comfortable: he must feel in himself the alacrity of returning health. So neither is it sufficient that we be assured of being one day recovered from sin and all its consequences; we must even now feel in ourselves the glowings of holy affections towards their proper objects; we must be possessed at the time of a right state of mind towards God, and as consequent upon it, towards man also, and towards heaven and earth, and all things around us, in order to our possessing actual happiness. And these affections must be excited by holy meditation. Of this there are so many glorious subjects, that it might be thought we should at all times be ready to say, "My meditation of them shall be sweet. But they all centre in God, or lead directly to him.

My purpose is to speak of this MEDITATION of God: the DISPOSITIONS which are necessary to it: the OBJECTS which the mind regards in it: and the SOURCES of its sweetness. And though my remarks should contain nothing but what may be familiar to pious minds; yet the nature of the things to be spoken of may, I hope, secure them from being distasteful to such persons. The simplest medita

tion of them must always be "sweet" to us, if we are rightly affected towards them.

I. By MEDITATION then, I understand the simple unforced reflection of the mind. It implies a degree of application and intention of mind, but not so much as may denominate it study. It is the natural train of thought, unrestrained by exactness of method, into which the mind at ease and leisure, but not idle and vacant, falls as occasion and circumstances prompt; and often it will be interspersed with addresses to Almighty God, or to our own souls, offering prayer or praise to him, and exciting ourselves to delight in him.

In meditation, our design-so far as we are influenced by design-is rather to have our hearts affected and improved by what we already know, than to gain new information to our understandings. Whatever subject offers itself to our notice, may very properly become the occasion of such meditation; though God himself will be the ultimate object of it. We cannot open our eyes or our ears, we cannot move our hands or our feet, we cannot in the slightest manner exercise the faculties of our minds, but we have presented to us what might give rise to devout meditation. Heaven and earth are full of objects which might pleasingly engage our thoughts, and lead our

minds to God.

How grievous to think that with all this rich provision before us, and almost forcing itself upon our notice, so much of our time should be passed in an humiliating vacuity of thought, or in conversation unimproving and uninteresting! How desirable is it that we should exercise ourselves to something better; that our solitary walks, and our hours of recreation might make accessions to our piety, and our friendly intercourse be improved to mutual edification. This would give to all an inexpressible sweetness. Such communion of the saints would leave a savour behind it, and furnish a delightful foretaste and pledge of a better communion hereafter, never to be interrupted.

The Psalms of David abound with beautiful examples of the pious exercise to which we allude. Let me remind you of his eighth Psalm. The sacred writer walks out in a starry evening: he muses on all God's works, till cheered by the pleasing meditation he breaks forth, “O Lord our Governor, how excellent is thy name in all the world! Thou that hast set thy glory above the heavens." "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained!" The nineteenth Psalm makes a similar use of the contemplation of the sun shining in his strength, and "rejoicing

as a strong man to run a race."

The hundred and fourth, the hundred and thirty-ninth, and the hundred and forty-fifth may also be referred to. All these and many others, shew indeed that the writer's soul was satisfied "as with marrow and fatness." What a sweet and mild lustre does such a spirit and such a practice, cast over all the works of God! To a mind formed and habituated to it, the heavens shine more serenely, the fields wear a brighter hue,-because to it, all nature reflects the face of her Lord, and leads the thoughts to still more delightful, though invisible displays of goodness ineffable. Would you be more happy, my Christian brethren, cultivate more this spirit of devout meditation.

"To have pleasure in all the works of God," is given as the character of his people. But though his works are the medium of conveying it, yet it is God himself who is the source of "their exceeding joy."

II. Now in order to our rejoicing in God,—in addition to the general revelation of his mercy to us, certain DISPOSITIONS and certain HOPES are requisite. Two cannot "walk together except they be agreed." We cannot delight in God, except we resemble him in our dispositions. One that loves sin, cannot take pleasure in God, who

hates sin. One who does not find his happiness in religion, cannot delight himself in God, which is the same thing. If then any suppose they do the one and do not the other, they must be in error. If any suppose they love God, and keep not his commandments, they deceive themselves.

Now we are all born in sin, and the "children of wrath; ""the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God." He then to whom the meditation of God is sweet, must be one who is born again of the Holy Ghost, a true penitent, a sincere believer in Jesus Christ, one who has returned unto God through him, and who shows his repentance to be genuine, and his faith sincere, by his renewed obedience. He must be one, who while he laments that he is far from what he ought to be, can yet" rejoice in the testimony of his conscience" to his " simplicity and godly sincerity," to his being before God, what to man he professes himself to be; one who has some measure, at least, of peace and hope towards God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Of these things we need not now speak particularly they are continually brought under your consideration.

III. We hasten therefore, to what is the principal part of our subject:-the OBJECTS which the mind especially regards in its meditations