thus in your continual practice, through the whole circle of christian duties and graces, with an equal respect to all God's commandments, not so partially addicting yourselves to one sort of exercise, as to disuse and neglect the rest ;which kind of partiality is that which starves religion, and stifles the delight of it.

There are those that affect the reputation of being sober, just, kind, charitable persons, and do appear such, who yet are great strangers to God and to the more noble exercises of the divine life, know not what belongs to communion with God, live not in his love and converse, savour not heaven, and have not so much as the taste of the great vital powers of the world to come. Others who pretend to much acquaintance with God, and are much taken up in discoursing of his love and of intimacies with him, yet count justice and charity mean things and much beneath them, can allow themselves to be covetous, oppressive, fraudulent, wrathful, malicious, peevish, fretful, discontented, proud, censorious, merciless; and so glory in a religion, which no one is the better for, and themselves least of all, and which is quite of another stamp from the pure and undefiled religion, which the Apostle describes and recommends. Certainly their religion has as little of pleasure in it to themselves, as it has of beauty and ornament in the sight of others. So maimed a religion can be accompanied with little delight. Would it not detract much from the

a James i 27.

natural pleasure of a man's life, if he should lose an arm or a leg, or have them useless and unserviceable? or if he should be deprived of some of his senses or natural faculties, so as to be incapable of some of the more principal functions of life? And if we should suppose the new creature alike maimed or defective, will there not be a proportionable diminution of its delight? But the Spirit of God is the author of no such imperfect productions; and therefore the total absence of any holy disposition will not argue the true delight of such a one to be little, but none at all. However, let all the integral parts of the new man be supposed formed at first, and existing together;-when this creature is thus entirely framed, it is our business to see to the due exercise, and thereby to the improvement and growth of the several parts, wherein if one be neglected, it infers a general enfeeblement of the whole. "Let patience have its perfect work" (saith the Apostle,) "that ye may be perfect," &c.a implying, that not only the absence of that one grace, but its not being thoroughly exercised would render us very defective Christians. We may say of the several members of this divine creature, as is said of the complex body of Christians, if one suffer, all the members suffer with it; if one be honoured, all rejoice with it. Therefore, that you may experience the delightfulness of religion, see that in the exercise and practice of it you be entire thorough Christians.

a James i. 4.

5. Be confirmed in the apprehension that religion is in itself a delightful thing, even universally and in the whole nature of it :—whereby a double practical error will be avoided, that greatly hinders the actual relish and sensation of that delight: 1. That either religion is in the whole nature of it such a thing to which delight must be alien, and banished from it, -as if nothing could consist with it, but sour severities, pensiveness and sad thoughts: or else, 2. that if that delight could belong to it, it must be found in peculiar extraordinary assurances and persuasions of God's love, and be the attainment consequently of none but more eminent Christians. That apprehension being thoroughly admitted, both these misapprehensions fall and vanish. And this will take place, if it be duly considered that there is a delight that will naturally arise from the fitness of actions in themselves, and from the facility wherewith they flow from their proper principles :- whereupon there can be no true vital act of religion, but will be delightful. And we may appeal herein to the judgments of such as shall allow themselves to consider, whether the matter do not evidently appear to be so upon a serious review and on revolving with themselves of the several gracious operations, that proceed from the holy rectitude mentioned in the former part. Thus the acts even of repentance, self-abasement, selfdenial, self-devoting, appearing to be in them

H

selves most fit and becoming things, and really without force proceeding (as they cannot but do) from a rectified and well disposed heart,-how can they but be pleasant? And it is much in our way to the experiencing of such delight, to be at a point with ourselves, and well resolved wherein it is to be sought and found.

6. However all the acts and operations of true and living religion be in themselves delightful, yet apply yourselves to the doing of them for a higher reason and with a greater design than your own delight. Otherwise you destroy your own work therein, and despoil your acts of their substantial moral goodness, and consequently of their delightfulness also. That is not a morally good act, which is not referred to God, or not done out of, at least, an habitual devotedness to him, so as that he be the supreme end thereof. You would therefore, by withdrawing and separating this reference to God, ravish from your acts their very life and soul, and perfectly nullify those of them that should be in themselves acts of religion. Since therefore they are only delightful as they are vital acts proceeding from a principle of divine life, and habitual devotedness to God is a very comprehensive and most radical principle, you would, by designing your own delight supremely, counteract yourself, and cross your own end; you would make them acts of idolatry, not of religion; and set up your own self as the idol of jealousy, that receives the homage of them, instead of God: whereby the unlawful

pleasure, which you would engross to yourselves, will turn all to gall and wormwood, and be bitterness in the end.

That therefore you may taste the sweetness and pleasure which belong to a religious godly life, your way must be to act on directly forward in the simplicity of your heart, doing all that you do, to and for God. And thus that pleasure, because it is natural to such acts, will of its own accord result and arise to you; and so much the more, the less you design for yourself in what you do. From that uprightness and sincerity of heart towards God, it can never be separated. But to be a religious epicure,—to pray, hear, meditate, do acts of justice and charity, only to please and humour yourselves, and that you may derive a kind of solace and satisfaction from your own work, is to undo your design, and blast the delight which you cover. It follows, while you seek it not; it flies from you, while you so inordinately seek it.

7. Yet disallow not yourself to taste and enjoy the pleasure of well doing; and, secondarily and in due subordination, design and endeavour that you may do so. It is in itself a lawful pleasure, so that it be not sought and entertained out of its own place. It is a promised pleasure," The good man," it is said, "shall be satisfied from himself;"a and it is by particular direction to be testified to the righteous, "They shall eat the fruit of their own doings." It is God's gracious