station, and from publicity to retirement; but, like the needle turned by force from the pole, you will never rest. Till your soul be turned to God, you will wander, seeking rest, but finding none. God has, in His Gospel, provided for you every thing that you need, to make you happy ;-not only a free pardon, but that which must be added, in order to make the pardon of sin effectual- the renewal of the soul unto holiness. Without this, deliverance from the guilt of sin would not be sufficient. If, after having received forgiveness, we were still left under the dominion of sin, loving and serving it in the lusts thereof; we should soon again be in the same state in which the offer of forgiveness first found us. What we need, is, either instantaneous and complete victory over sin; or such a spirit and determination of the soul in the conflict with it, as shall ensure ultimate and complete victory. This is what the Gospel-or rather God, by means of the Gospel-confers on those who receive it aright. He gives His Holy Spirit; who turns their hearts from the love of sin to the love of God and holiness, and makes them seek and derive happiness from communion with

Himself and obedience to His commandments, as before they sought it in things which were displeasing to Him. Then-with the heart turned to God—instead of a fountain continually pouring forth bitter waters; there is an inward, never-failing spring of happiness. Instead of a secret love of sin, and an habitual apprehension of the displeasure of God—which causes aversion and enmity of the heart against Him, and drives to a distance from Him—there is filial gratitude, and love, and confidence of access to Him, and delight in keeping His commandments, and a settled purpose never to depart from them. They then love His Law, which before they hated: for they regard it no longer as an engine of terror, charged with destruction, but as a friendly guide to that holiness of heart and life which they desire supremely, as making them most like to Him, whom, if they could, they would resemble perfectly. Walking in the paths to which it leads them, they find a peace and joy which they had in vain sought any where else. Their chief pleasures-those, in comparison of which they esteem others as nothingare of a kind which before they understood not.

They are spiritual, far more refined and exalted than any thing earthly-antepasts and earnests of pleasures still more refined and exalted in heaven. Their chief sorrows, too-for on earth they must have tribulation-are not like those of the world, which work death; but sorrows which bring with them their own cure, by constraining them to keep near to the Source of all joy and consolation.

It is to be feared, that some of my hearers know nothing, from their own experience, of the happiness to be found in reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ, and obedience to His commandments. They refrain, it may be, from some things which the Law of God forbids, and do some things which it requires; but are not thereby rendered happy. On the contrary, so far as they do yield obedience to the commandments, they feel themselves to be under a restraint, which is rather irksome than agreeable; the greatest enjoyment which they know, consisting rather in things which are opposed, than in those which are agreeable to the declared will of God. Now, far be it from me to discourage any one, who is conscientiously, although ignorantly, endeavouring to obey God. Whosoever

endeavours to please God, is in a fair way for succeeding. God will direct and prosper those who act up to the light which they already possess. He does not despise the day of small things; neither ought we. But there is a class of persons, who, though they have no real love to God, and no pleasure but a selfish one in keeping His commandments, have yet a confused notion, that they are making God their debtor, by submitting to a series of restraints and performances which they all the while dislike. They may hear, with surprise, of the happiness which is affirmed to attend upon Religion-because they have made the trial, and have not found happiness. Such persons would do well to consider, whether the very fact of their experiencing no pleasure in what they call Religion, be not itself a sufficient ground for very serious inquiry, whether theirs be, indeed, what is regarded by God as real Religion. Holy Scripture has declared, that "the ways of Wisdom," which is no other than Religion, "are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." If, therefore, their Religion bring with it neither pleasantness nor peace, but only an irksome feeling of bondage; let them consider, whether they have not

yet to learn what true Religion is. It does not consist in the performance of a round of ceremonies; in hearing, and reading, the word of God; in repeating prayers in public and in private; in submitting to certain prescribed duties;- for all this may be done outwardly, by a very wicked man, whose services are an abomination to the LORD, who looks to the heart:—but it consists in the knowledge and love of God, as He is revealed to us in His own word-the Bible. A right knowledge of God, derived from that source of truth, leads every man, without exception, to despair of obtaining salvation in any other way than that which is open to the chief of sinners: it leads him to cast himself, as a guilty sinner, upon the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, as his only hope; and to see and feel the necessity of praying for the gift of God's Holy Spirit, to renew and sanctify his sinful heart: —and, through the Holy Ghost given to him in answer to his prayer, the love of God is shed

abroad in his heart-the love of God as reconciled by Jesus Christ; which love makes him to seek and find his chief happiness in keeping the commandments of his God and Father.