his advantage and happiness, his admiration rises to devotion, and his joy swells into pious gratitude and songs of praise. Man has, further, a world within himself, in his own frame and moral constitution. Besides the innocent passions of his nature, which he may honestly gratify, he has a set of more noble and enlarged affections, the indulgence of which will be attended with ever-growing delight. A friend is another self, who alleviates our cares, and doubles our joys by sharing in them. Benevolence partakes in the happiness of all around it; and in proportion as we contribute to the blessing of others, we are ourselves blessed. Besides our personal enjoyments, our personal virtues will afford a large fund of entertainment, and, like a living fountain within us, will refresh us with ever-new delight. By temperance and self-command, we promote the health of our body, and the freedom and purity of our spirit; and the whole man is preserved entire to the contemplation and pure relish of God and nature. Integrity and innocence of heart and life, which nothing can assail, which no power on earth can violate without our own concurrence, is another source of the purest bliss, and, as such, a new instance of the divine goodness to man. Amidst the calamities and tempests of life, a good conscience is a port and sanctuary to which we may always retreat for security and peace. Conscious of the honest discharge of our duty to man, and of sincere though imperfect obedience to God, we have nothing to fear from enraged enemies, or offended Heaven. Violence may hurt the body, casualties may impair our fortune, calumny may injure our good name, but if conscience speak peace within, we have a support equal to all our wants, an opiate which will alleviate all our pains, and a voice of comfort that speaks better things, and conveys more solid satisfaction, than the united applause of mankind can bestow. Conscience particularly respects the approbation of God, and obedience and resignation to his will in doing or suffering; while we are united to him, trust in him, and repose on his providence, we shall find ourselves supported by a strength, directed by a light, and inspired with hopes and comforts, more than mortal. The truly resigned and devoted to God, behold him as a God of love in all his works and dispensations. They will as he wills, and, by a cheerful conformity to what he ordains, they enjoy all events, all times and seasons, as the ordinance of God. The religious man has most reason to be cheerful. True Religion is not gloomy; it shews itself not by melancholy and sadness, but by a rational generous joy. It does not deject the mind of man, but strengthens and elevates it. It is no, enemy and disturber, but the greatest friend and promoter of innocent pleasure, And, in reality, who can look more boldly up to heaven, who think with greater confidence on God, who with more satisfaction advert to his conduct and his moral state, who with more tranquillity and hope expect both the nearer and the remoter hereafter, than the pious and godly man? To whom do all the works and ways of God, all his constitutious and disposals, all his dispensations and directions, appear in a more venerable aspect, than to the pious and godly man? In whose eyes has all the beautiful and the good that is dispensed in the world and among mankind, a greater value, than in those of the pious and godly man? Who enjoys every gift, every boon of Providence, with more inward consciousness, and with a purer relish, than the pious and godly man? Whose conscience approves him more, whose consoles him more, whose assuages and rewards him more, than the godly man's conscience? And shall he not be blithe and cheerful? shall he not, who is really pious, be far more so than any other? Indeed his life is not signalized by intoxicating entertainments and tumultuous joys; but how greatly do, sprightliness and vi vacity excel all the entertainments and joys of that kind! How much worthier are the former than the latter, of the rational, the immortal mind; how much longer do they last! They remain, while those vanish in the very instant of enjoyment. They forsake not the good man even in afflictions and in death; while the latter, like false and deceitful friends, abandon their votaries on the least appearance of danger. Certainly real Religion is the surest way to exclude all ideas that have a tendency to disturb and afflict us, to banish all anxious dread of God and of futurity from our souls, to shew us Heaven and eternity, in the fairest and most encouraging light, and to reconcile our heart with itself, with God, and with the world. Only prejudice and error, only particular bodily complaints, or an unhappy turn of mind occasioned by early education, can deprive the pious man of these special privileges, or prevent him from rejoicing in the possession of them. Christianity is no gloomy and unsocial doctrine, intended to depress the minds of its professors, and fill them with slavish sentiments, with anxiety and dread. No! it is rather calculated to calm and soothe them, to relieve them from the oppressive burden of doubt and superstition, to invigorate and exalt their spirit, inspire them with liberal and generous sentiments, to satisfy them with God, with the world, and with themselves, and thus enhance their satisfaction and their happiness. The Christian was not designed to be distinguished from other men by a sorrowful, anxious deportment, by downcast looks, by a plaintive tone of voice, but by a cheerful mien, by a contented and joyful heart, by steady hope and confidence. Miss Young, in an allegorical poem on Innocence, gives the following description of the amiable attendants on Religion: Immortal Faith a flaming banner spread, And wav'd triumphant o'er her sacred head!- we shall find ourselves supported by a strength, directed by a light, and inspired with hopes and comforts, more than mortal. The truly resigned and devoted to God, behold him as a God of love in all his works and dispensations. They will as he wills, and, by a cheerful conformity to what he ordains, they enjoy all events, all times and seasons, as the ordinance of God. The religious man has most reason to be cheerful, True Religion is not gloomy; it shews itself not by melancholy and sadness, but by a rational generous joy. It does not deject the mind of man, but strengthens and elevates it. It is no enemy and disturber, but the greatest friend and promoter of innocent pleasure, And, in reality, who can look more boldly up to heaven, who think with greater confidence on God, who with more satisfaction advert to his conduct and his moral state, who with more tranquillity and hope expect both the nearer and the remoter hereafter, than the pious and godly man? To whom do all the works and ways of God, all his constitutious and disposals, all his dispensations and directions, appear in a more venerable aspect, than to the pious and godly man? In whose eyes has all the beautiful and the good that is dispensed in the world and among mankind, a greater value, than in those of the pious and godly man? Who enjoys every gift, every boon of Providence, with more inward consciousness, and with a purer relish, than the pious and godly man? Whose conscience approves him more, whose consoles him more, whose assuages and rewards him more, than the godly man's conscience? Aud shall he not be blithe and cheerful? shall he not, who is really pious, be far more so than any other? Indeed his life is not signalized by intoxicating entertainments and tumultuous joys; but how greatly do sprightliness and vi vacity excel all the entertainments and joys of that kind! How much worthier are the former than the latter, of the rational, the immortal mind; how much longer do they last! They remain, while those vanish in the very instant of enjoyment. They forsake not the good man even in afflictions and in death; while the latter, like false and deceitful friends, abandon their votaries on the least appearance of danger. Certainly real Religion is the surest way to exclude all ideas that have a tendency to disturb and afflict us, to banish all anxious dread of God and of futurity from our souls, to shew us Heaven and eternity in the fairest and most encouraging light, and to reconcile our heart with itself, with God, and with the world. Only prejudice and error, only particular bodily complaints, or an unhappy turn of mind occasioned by early education, can deprive the pious man of these special privileges, or prevent him from rejoicing in the possession of them. Christianity is no gloomy and unsocial doctrine, intended to depress the minds of its professors, and fill them with slavish sentiments, with anxiety and dread. No! it is rather calculated to calm and soothe them, to relieve them from the oppressive burden of doubt and superstition, to invigorate and exalt their spirit, inspire them with liberal and generous sentiments, to satisfy them with God, with the world, and with themselves, and thus enhance their satisfaction and their happiness. The Christian was not designed to be distinguished from other men by a sorrowful, anxious deportment, by downcast looks, by a plaintive tone of voice, but by a cheerful mien, by a contented and joyful heart, by steady hope and confidence. Miss Young, in an allegorical poem on Innocence, gives the following description of the amiable attendants on Religion: Immortal Faith a flaming banner spread, And wav'd triumphant o'er her sacred head!— |