bour, and no other restraint, than is requifite to the true enjoyment, use and end of life-no other than a light burden. It requires that we deny ourselves, and take up our cross-that we keep under the body, and bring it into fubjection. But it does not require us to deny our reafon-unless it should be thought a denial of reason, that faith ftands in the power of God, not in the wisdom of men. Such a thought we repel by observing, that the testimony of God is greater than that of man, and claims greater regard. Yea, let God be true, and every man a lyar. Reafon never taught man to deny what he cannot comprehend: It never taught him to reject the teftimony of God, which is as clearły given to the book of revelation as to that of nature. Reason requires us to accept and to ask wisdom from the Father of lights: Its province is to regulate and control our bodily appetites; and to fupprefs vain imaginations, which exalt against the knowledge of God. Religion enjoins that we crucify the flesh with the affections and lufts-cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and fpirit. On other terms men must be flaves, in a worse fenfe by far than any external state can make them fo―self-made flaves, the flaves of their own lufts, flaves of Satan, taken captive by him at his will. To wifh for exemption from the restraints of reason and confcience-to facrifice our peace and our fouls to fenfual appetities, to the pride of life, or to mammon, is folly and madness. Prefent your bodies a living facrifice, holy, acceptable to God. If any fervice is reafonable and conducive to happiness, this is. Let not fin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lufts thereof. Their courfe is hard, who fulfil the defires of the flesh and of the mind-who walk according to the courfe of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the fpirit that worketh in the children of difobedience. The ambitious and the avaricious difquiet themselves in vain, and travail with pain all their days. Who hath woe? who hath forrow, if not the epicure?

He who hath no rule over his own spirit, is as a city broken down and without walls. The religious man is a stranger to the turbulence of paffion, the fad effects of intemperance, the reftleffnefs of ambition and avarice. Outward misfortunes, disappointments, diftreffes and injuries do not deftroy or impair his inward peace, His joy is not interrupted or allayed, as that of men of the world. It is the joy of a good confcience, of the love of God fhed abroad in his heart, of trust and confidence in God through Christ. Whatever his outward ftate, his mind, ftayed upon God, is kept in perfect peace. This peace, which paffeth understanding— this joy of faith, is the feal of the Spirit, the earnest of the heavenly inheritance, until the redemption of the purchafed poffeffion. This is union with the great fource of being, perfection and blessedness-the refult of conformity to him-the privilege of those who are fol lowers of God as dear children, and walk in love as the disciples of Jefus. It is their privilege to rejoice evermore to give thanks in every thing-to be careful for nothing. As forrowful, yet always rejoicing; as having nothing, yet poffeffing all things. The gofpel proclaims peace with God and our own confciences-peace on earth. Any other joy than that of religion is fuperficial and fleeting. The wicked, because they have no changes, because they live without reflection, may seem to be tranquil and happy. But there is no true peace to them. The peace of Jefus is peace which the world cannot give, nor take away--peace amidst the troubles of life. Bereaved of fubftance or deareft connections, religion faith, The Lord gave, and hath taken away: Bleffed be his name. In prison and chains, the fervants of Chrift pray and praife. They are refined in the furnace. A cloud of witneffes, in all trials and temptations, have exhibited the power of religion, the bleffedness of those who make God their truft-who have tafted that he is gracious. He manifefteth himfelf to them, and not unto the world. The ftranger intermeddleth not with their joy.

Would you know what the pleasures of religion are, you must cordially embrace it: It enfures contentment in every condition, and the bleffing of God on every enjoyment. Better is a little with godlinefs and contentment, than large poffeflions without either. The fashion of the world paffeth away. Has the godly man tribulation in the world? He can glory in it, because he is justified by faith, and has peace with God through Chrift, who hath overcome the world. Alfo becaufe "tribulation worketh patience, and patience "experience; and experience, hope. All things work together for good to them who love God." The lofs of goods or friends cannot bereave them of their chief joy, their everlasting Friend. Pain or fickness cannot deprive them of the reft in Chrift. In the cafe of perfecution for his fake, his peace is a balance to whatever they lofe or fuffer for righteousness' fake. O taste and fee that the Lord is good.

Every common mercy is heightened, when viewed as coming from him whom we have chofen for our God and Father, in whom our fupreme delight is placed; who, with the unfpeakable gift of his own Son, will freely give us all things. Confidence in God will not permit us to cherish any defires inconfiftent with peace of mind: It elevates the thoughts and affections to fpiritual and eternal objects, greater than "eye "hath feen, or ear heard, or have entered into the "heart of man. My foul wait thou upon God; all my expectation is from him. My foul fhall be fatis"fied as with marrow and fatnefs. In God is my fal "vation and glory." Bleffed are they who walk in the light of thy countenance, who rejoice in thy name all the day, and are exalted in thy righteoufnefs. "The "Lord God is a fun and fhield; the Lord will give

grace and glory; and no good thing will he with"hold from them that walk uprightly. They dwell "in the fecret place of the MOST HIGH, and abide un"der the fhadow of the Almighty." Events not joy

ous, but grievous, conduce to the greater mortification of fin, growth in grace, clearer evidence of their fincerity, greater joy and peace in believing, and a more lively hope of eternal glory. Wherefore,

SECONDLY, A life of religion is then most pleasant and happy, when purfued with the greatest engagedness, and the greatest proficiency is made in it.

In many fecular undertakings, the first attempts are difficult and difcouraging; but affiduous application is rewarded with skill, facility and defired fuccefs.Difficulties and difcouragements may peculiarly attend the first entrance on a religious life. Thofe, who have early wandered from pious paths, have to expect peculiar obftacles in returning to them. That they fhould learn to do well, after having been accustomed to do evil, is resembled to a natural impoffibility-Not that it is abfolutely fo; for with God all things are poffible. He breatheth upon dry bones, and they live. Thofe who are but newly reclaimed from a vicious course, not having the ftrength and firmness of confirmed virtue, are peculiarly expofed to be foiled by the affault of temptation. This is a weighty reason for the early choice of religion, which prevents the difficulties and dangers juft mentioned, lays a foundation for greater proficiency and pleasure, in proportion to the diligence given to make fure our calling and election.

Other pleasures are often pursued to excefs. The votaries thus mifs their own end. The pleasures of piety are more certain and rife higher, the more conftantly and ardently they are purfued. Such is the fure way to find, in our own experience, the truth of thofe words of Chrift, My joy fhall be in you, and your joy fhall be full. But the ardent pursuit of fome earthly good lays a fure foundation for disappointment. That good may not be obtained: If obtained, it cannot afford the expected fatisfaction: It may foon be taken away. All this diffatisfaction and fruitless dif quietude are prevented by religion, or truft in God.

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They who have given him their heart, wifh not for indul gence any fin. Efteeming all his precepts to be right, hating every falfe way, they go on their way rejoicing. Waiting on him they renew their ftrength; run, and are not weary; walk, and do not faint. Strait indeed is the gate, and narrow the way of life. The spirit and flesh luft against each other. Many are the fnares and allurements of the world. Great are the depths of Satan. Temptations, powerful temptations, from within and without, are infeparable from the religious life, in all stages and circumftances of it. These are owing to imperfect views and imperfect grace. They call for conftant felf-denial and watchfulness, light and power from on high. Labour and faint not. For with every temptation God maketh a way to escape. Fight the fight of faith, taking the whole armour of God. Endure hardness as good foldiers. Strive for the maftery. Lay afide every weight, and the fin that doth easily befet you. Refufe no labour or felf-denial to which the Chriftian warfare may call you. If the fervice of the Captain of our falvation be not the way to affluence or worldly promotion-if it be no fecurity from a variety of afflictions-yea, if, in fome exempt inftances, those who fight under his banners are, in a worldly view, the most miserable of all men, let not these things move you. For they receive, even in the prefent time, an hundred fold more than the world can give or take away. They are more than conquerors in all things through him who loved them, and gave himfelf for them. His power refting on them, when they are weak, then are they strong.

Look to the men whofe wealth is their confidence. In the midft of their fufficiency they are in ftraits. Thofe in power, if fupercilious and oppreffive, incur the juft hatred of mankind: Or, if faithful to their high truft-if public benefactors, they are subject to inquietudes from which other ranks are exempt;