this land and region of knowledge, by which the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart. It drives away the legion of frivolous, and pernicious, and seducing histories, which if they do not always mislead and destroy, enervate and misuse the fine faculty of reason; and leave the mind desolate, vacant, withered and decayed.

IX.-Religious comfort.

It is in vain to talk of comfort, if we possess not that disposition of mind, and the grace of God, so necessary to procure it. Home-comfort is indeed a sensation highly delightful; but it must be founded on heartcomfort to make it effectual to any holy purpose. The meaning, generally attached to the word comfort in the English language, comprises so much of genuine personal enjoyment, that it is often proverbially attributed to our national character; and certainly implies such an honest use of the understanding, that it may almost be adopted as a national virtue.

But even this application of the word must not mislead us, or bring an illusive vision before our eyes: for if the heart be not established on an immutable principle, derived from the highest spiritual source, it will be no more permanent than a darting meteor or a flitting cloud. True comfort is more fixed and stationary; being primarily derived from a more com

posed and placid habit of the mind. Addison defines comfort as "equanimity; or, a regularity of spirit, a little above cheerfulness, and below mirth." But as man is not constructed merely on mechanical principles, however the finer movements of the body may depend on an original happiness or constitution of nature; yet man is possessed of a freedom of will, necessary to him as an accountable creature; and, therefore, by an arrangement of his own mind, he may retard or destroy, from worldly motives, all the good which a benignant Providence placed within his reach. A state of body free from pain, the interesting attentions of an affectionate family, a fortune above poverty without the seduction of extravagance, a careful guard over temper, and a systematic repulse of jarring atoms, may seem to realize, and in fact do realize, the outward picture of a contented mind. I do not mean to cast a gloom over such happiness; but one essential point may be still wanting, though the want may not be felt till the occasion calls: for this picture is the calm sea of the soul. But other scenes arise, the winds blow, and the billows roll. How feels he then the buffets of an altered sky? Having never received the equipoise of a spiritual lading, his vessel founders in the first tempest.

But do not despair; Jesus walked on the water; and though Peter, through want of faith, tottered on the

1 Spectator, No. 196.

wave, he was saved by the helping hand of his Master. Talk not then of comfort, without that support which alone can make it comfortable. Under the best of outward circumstances, no man can enjoy, what comfort professes to enjoy, without that faith, that confidence, that freedom from wilful sin, that trust in a superintending Providence which revelation universally affords us, and that hope in Gospelpromises, which infallibly arrests the pious man's attention and gives him an assurance that all will be well at last. And, under the most distressing of worldly cares, who needs despair, if the Almighty be his friend?" Though he slay me," said Job, " yet will I trust in him':" and Job was not disappointed. In short, we must contemplate the nature of man, and the goodness of God, under one view, before we can feel the slightest motion of the soul which any man dares denominate comfort. Neither presumption on the one hand, nor despondency on the other, can ever compass this estimable prize. Keep also below enthusiasm and above coldness, if you require religious comfort to be an inmate of your breast. Excited passions and daring expectations dash the cup of comfort from the lip, whilst idle indifference and cold calculating piety never draw it to the lip at all. The warmth of true piety, and the comfort of true religion answer all difficulties on this interesting subject; for though

1 Job xiii. 15.

there must be discretion in the arrangement of human conduct, there is, there can be, none, in the profession of a true faith.

Sensible of the value of religious comfort, let us search the Scriptures, and analyze the ingredients of which they are composed. There can be no religious comfort without a knowledge of the Scriptures; for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." There can be no religious comfort without repentance; "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Repentance consists in turning from sin, and turning to God; the first motion towards which, is the grace of God operating on the heart an effectual conviction of sin; the next is, the perception and acknowledgment of God's gracious mercy in promoting it. There can be no religious comfort without confession and renunciation of self-righteousness, in full dependence on the merit of Christ's atonement. These are necessary steps which bring the mind, first to the hope, then to the assurance of pardon for Christ's sake. By these means the heart is renewed, and created in Christ to good works; which, now springing from faith, and a deliberate principle of obedience and love, become acceptable to God, and productive of comfort and peace to him who feels himself reconciled to God in his Son, and is assured of pardon through his Saviour. Thus does he experience the

1 Rom. x. 17.

2 Luke xiii. 3.

true source of comfort, religious and domestic; thus does he draw a pious family closer to his paternal bosom; thus does he see the hand of God in every thing, tracing the ways of providence even through the most intricate and crooked paths, withdrawing him from sin and wickedness, from error and irreligion; establishing his heart in righteousness, and leading him from the calm comforts of the present life to the perpetual enjoyment of that home to which he is hastening, and to those sublimer pleasures which God has reserved for all his faithful servants, through the merits and mercies, and prevailing intercession of our common Saviour.

X.-Christian morality.

I HARDLY feel the necessity of adding the word Christian to that of morality, in the contemplation of a sound believer of the Gospel. But as the rational world has adopted a distinction, it is proper to show that we are not to be misled by expressions, or to allow that there can be a system of pure morals independent of religion. Morality, doubtless, practically speaking, has its value; but theologically considered, Christian morals stand at the highest point of Christian perfection, and constitute that one substantial principle which runs through the whole of Christian faith. The philosophy of morals has perhaps reached its