By these rules and duties, the christian is let into the interior part of his religion, and made acquainted with his lord and master. They are moft plain to be underfood, and easy to be practifed. I will just recapitulate them for your remembrance. First, an innocent fimplicity of life, untainted morals, and a ductile heart; next, a general, frequent, and reverend ufe of the word of God; thirdly, the obfervation of his fabbaths, the reception and application of his ordinances of baptifm, and the Lord's fupper; and, laftly, as in all duties, frequent prayer to God through Jefus Chrift, that he would enlighten us by his holy spirit, and fave us from all evil.

But, alas! before we can think of setting about the means, we must be defirous of attaining the end: and the reafon that fo few know God is, that in reality they defire not to be acquainted with him. When we really wish to be acquainted with any one, we study his temper and disposition; we are defirous of obliging him in every reasonable thing, and even in things that are unreafon

P 3

unreasonable we are often willing to acquiefce, for the fake of obtaining the end at: which we aim. But is this the cafe of the christian with regard to the

pro

great and feffed objects of his religion? Afk the finft man you meet with, what engroffes his. meditations? It will probably be any thing, rather than serious thoughts of his creator, and his own dependance upon God, who made him. Ask him if he is holy, because God commands him to be holy; charitable, because God commands him to love his brother; and chaste, because God commands him to be pure? See, in fhort, if he conforms himfelf to the defires of the God he worships, or to those of the company, the friends, as they are stiled, with whom he is acquainted. But it is improbable that the man who is acquainted with God, should delight himself with the follies of the world; to say nothing of its vices or its crimes; or that the man who is "born again," and renewed to the expectation of a better life, fhould pant after the pleasures, the riches, and the honours of this? He might, indeed, thankfully partake of them, as a part of the providence of God,

but

but he certainly would not aspire and languish after them for their own fakes. No! other thoughts, other expectations and defires, would entertain, engrofs, and poffefs his mind. He would more probably cry out with the pfalmist, "One day in thy

courts is better than a thousand: and as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so longeth foul after thee, O God." my 66 Lord, whom have I in heaven but thee; and what is there upon earth that I can defire, in comparison of thee."

When, we, my brethren, can use these holy exclamations, with the fame excellent fpirit in which they were written, we shall find ourselves in the way to be acquainted with God; the comforts of the everlasting gofpel will be ours; and "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will keep our hearts and minds, through Jefus Christ."

DISCOURSE XIII.

JOB XXII. 21.

ACQUAINT NOW THYSELF WITH HIM, AND BE AT PEACE.

We are here affured, in very plain language, that if we "acquaint ourselves with God," we shall be at peace." And, by peace is, I believe, generally understood, outward fecurity and inward repose. If, man, therefore, is a very weak and apprehenfive being, fubject by the law of his nature to many evils, and more fears, this must

be a very valuable affurance. More efpecially, indeed, when we confider that this af furance comes from that great and tremendous being, who holds all nature in the hollow of his hand; whofe will is clothed with infinite