affluence of a temporal nature, which providence hath thought fit to deny him. Whom bave I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire befides thee", was the language of a prophet who held no inconfiderable rank in the church of God, when its outward condition was profperous and flourishing. And it was the prayer of a great and mighty Prince, who had shared largely of the honors of victory, and the gratifications of popular applause, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me*. Nay, in later times, an apoftle who had been bred at the feet of Gamaliel, and could boast perhaps of fuperior advantages of genius learning and reputation to most others, folemnly declares that he counted all thefe things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Jefus Chrift his Lord, and as no better than dung, when compared with the exalted honor and privilege of an interest in his favor and love".

Thus uniformly do all good men agree in their judgment, as to the refined and satisfying nature of religious pleasures, and thus eagerly do they all thirst after the enjoyment of them ; ever chearful and happy whilst they are in the poffeffion of them, and ever

w Pf. lxxiii. 25.

X

→ iv. 6.

Phil. iii. 8.

gloomy

gloomy and difconfolate whilst they are interdicted or with-held. Thus have they all the fame refined and exalted tafte, and thus are they all, in their measure, alike benefited by the gratification of it; it being the universal and genuine effect of these joys to moderate the affections to the world, to elevate the mind to God, to make the heart couragious in its oppofition to fin, and to infpire the whole foul with gratitude and praise. Surely then it may be truly faid that they have all drank into the fame Spirit.

And were I here to recite at large the experiences of all the people of God recorded in the bible, those of antient and of later times, those of distinguished and of inferior abilities, those who enjoyed the honors and emoluments of the Jewish difpenfation, and thofe who endured the difgrace and perfecution that attended the introduction of the Chriftian; were I to present to your view an Abraham a Mofes and a David, amidst their wealth power and wifdom, and a Peter James and John, amidst their poverty weakness and fimplicity; you would find them all giving the fame account of the hopes and joys of religion, and all joining issue in this teftimony concerning them,

that

that the ways of Wisdom are ways of pleasantnefs, and all her paths peace. And from hence it is natural farther to obferve,

3. That there must be the like uniformity, in respect of the pure and spiritual tendency it gives to the defires and affections. If there be such a thing as religion, it is evident to a demonftration, that it can have nothing short of our restoration to the divine likeness for its main object. Since then it is fin which alienates us from God, destroys our peace, lays waste our joys, difgraces our natures, and brings ruin on our fouls; this antidote which divine grace hath provided against it, must take effect by gradually expelling the deadly poifon from the heart, and so restoring the immortal spirit to a vigorous and healthful state. Nor yet is this malignant difeafe at once cured: the process is gradual and it may be painful; but there can be no reasonable doubt that in the iffue it will be effectual. In the mean while however, it is natural to expect not only the most perfect fimplicity in the remedy itself, but likewise an exact similarity in the manner of its operation on every heart, to which by the grace of God it is communicated. Nor is it to be questioned,

z Prov. iii. 17.

could

could we have access to the minds of good men, so as to know distinctly what paffes there, but we fhould find this to be the cafe.

Large hath been the number of truly pious men who have existed on this earth, though small in comparison with those of the contrary character. But their experiences being laid open to our view, we should at once difcern an exact correspondence in the principal characters and leading expreffions of them all; in the fears complaints and conflicts of their breafts, and in the tendencies defires and refolutions of their hearts. How fhould we find them all, as one man, struggling for the mastery over this and the other corruption, fuch as pride envy paffion impatience fenfuality love of the world and the like! How fhould we see them all in the bitterness of their spirits bewailing the frowardness of their foolish hearts, and with deep contrition lamenting every little advantage, which fin may at any time have gained against them! And how should we hear them all as with one voice, though perhaps interrupted with many broken fighs, pouring out their fervent prayers at the feet of divine mercy, to be delivered from the dominion of their lufts, and to be

formed

formed for the refined and spiritual exercifes of the heavenly world!

It hath often with great truth been ob ferved, that real Chriftians do in nothing fo exactly agree as in their prayers; I mean not in the fervency only, but in the general drift and tenor of them. Though they may differ in their apprehenfions about fome leffer matters, or may through various çaufes misunderstand each others explanation of them; yet when they present their addreffes to God their common Father, they all talk one plain fimple and intelligible language. And the reafon may be very readily affigned. Prayer is no other than the offering our defires to God: it being then the grand object of every good man's defire to refemble God, a wifh which includes in it every spiritual and heavenly bleffing, it follows of confequence that there must be an uniformity in their prayers. This clearly fhews therefore the perfect agreement there is among them all, in that great and effential branch of true religion, which we are treating of under this particular.

And were it neceffary we might here, as well as in the former inftances, cite the nu→ merous teftimonies of facred writ in confir→ mation of this pleafing truth: for the examples

2.