If devotion be, in its own nature, a fublime feeling, the records of the true religion ought eminently to poffefs that character of fublimity. In this, our expectation is not deceived: the fublimeft books exifting are thofe from which we learn our faith. The writings of the inspired penmen abound with paffages for which no parallel can be found in the productions of mere genius. On these holy books the marks of the divinity are every where stamped in characters of fimple dignity, and genuine, unaffected fimplicity, which are not to be found in any human compofitions. The facred volume is, as it were, the tabernacle of the Moft High still remaining among us, pervaded throughout by the brightness of his prefence, and the tranfcendent majefty of his power. To recite examples of this high excellence, pleafing as it might be to do so, may fairly be esteemed fuperfluous; my hearers are, I trust, fufficiently acquainted with the treasures of infpiration to recal fuch paffages to their own recollection. There are writings in which it is expressly undertaken, and the fact is in general acknowledged. Even they who have not in all respects fubmitted to the authority of fcripture, have, in general, been obliged

to

to confefs its fublimity; though in fo doing they have granted, perhaps, fomething more than they intended: this fublimity of holy writ being, among others, no mean argument of its authenticity. Had it contained only a vain and fabulous theology, these characters of auguft grandeur, and true elevation, had furely been wanting to it. The efforts of the most pre-eminent genius could scarcely raise above abfurdity the dreams of the pagan fyftem; the moft fublime and celebrated defcription of the fupreme deity of heathenifm, implies a conception of him in a human form, with the darkest hair, and overhanging eye-brows: but the more general and purer ideas of an infinite fpirit, as fuggested by genuine religion; Eternity, Immenfity, Omniprefence, Omnipotence, the attributes, actions and decrees of an all-wife and all-perfect Deity, what emotions are too elevated for them to excite, when delivered in the lanof truth? Hear the teftimony of one, guage whofe unexampled inconfiftency, joined to the most exalted talents, was, in fome refpects, unfavourable to the cause of religion; but whofe right fentiments on this fubject * Hom. II. A. 528. C 3

appear

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appear to have been extorted by irresistible feeling. "The majesty of the fcriptures," fays this writer, "fills me with astonishment, "the holiness of the gofpel fpeaks to my very heart. Behold the books of the philofophers, with all their pomp, how little are they in comparifon!-Is it poffible that "a book at once fo wife and fo fublime should "have been the production of mere men *."

Having cited this ample acknowledgement from one in many refpects hoftile to the cause of revealed religion, let us proceed, as a further illuftration of our doctrine, to confider fome of the fituations of real life, which tend to prove the intimate connection between devotion, and the fources of fublime feeling within us.

First then, in the retirement of the clofet to what speculations will the mind of the devout be directed? While under the impreffion of that principle, probably, to the contemplation of God. How much of sublimity is neceffarily adjoined to the true notions, of the Supreme Being, has been already fuggefted; nor will any one be hardy enough to affert that a more exalted topic of confidera*Rouffeau, Pensées, P. 3.

But it may

tion can poffibly be conceived. be faid, with some plaufibility, that the being and attributes of the Creator are matters much too high above us, to act upon our minds with powerful energy. That, dazzled and confounded with the prospect of infinity, the understanding of man, employed upon this fubject, muft fink under the sense of its own infufficiency; and, instead of experiencing the vigorous impreffions of fublime emotion, must feel only the languor and the fhame of baffled weakness. Thus, indeed, to unaffifted man it easily might happen. But from this disappointment the nature of our divine religion refcues us: we are not left to bewilder ourselves in the labyrinth of infinity, where all we could difcover would be our hopeless ignorance; it has pleased God to declare to us, in part, what he is; and to encourage us to raise our thoughts to him, by revealing to us, even in our present ftate of imperfection, something of the brightness of his glory. Affifted by this fupernatural aid, the devout Chriftian, in his fecret contemplations, lifts up his thoughts, not to an unknown being, like the Athenians of old, but to the Lord Jehovah, to the Creator and Lord

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Lord of heaven and earth, to the Holy One of ifrael, the God of peace, of patience, and confolation*; who, though throned in everlafting majefty, vouchfafes to look upon the fons of men; who, though offended by. innumerable tranfgreffions, fo loved the world that he fent his only-begotten Son, to the end that they who believe in him may not perish, but have everlasting life; who hath fent, fince him, the ever-bleffed Comforter to guide us, if we refuse not his guidance, into all truth. To this God, thus described and specified, to the mysterious union of this Holy Trinity, are the contemplations of chriftian devotion directed: to this object does the votary of true religion in folitude and retirement lift up his foul; and, though it be with humbleness, and with a full conviction that to him the ways of God are of necessity infcrutable, yet it is with confidence that he furely knows both of his ways and of his goodness, so much at least as it hath pleafed him to reveal: and ever when his own conceptions fail through weakness, and fall fhort of the fublimity of the fubject, the facred volume is at hand to affift and invigorate

* 1 Theff. v. 2. and Rom. xv. 5, 33.