pass you on every side, and so strong as to be impenetrable to all the fiery darts of the devil ? When you see v^'hat lubts you have to mortify, and what duties to perform, have you not reason to rejoice in having Omnipotence for your strength ? O rejoice j rejoice in the Lord ahvays ; yea, " rejoice in him with joy un- speakable and full of glory." However *' greatly your heart re- joiceth," you never need be afraid of excess : let it but be the joy of a dependent Being, and it cannot be too great.]
2. With thankfulness —
[It is your privilege to "sing in the ways of the Lord." In heaven the Redeemed are singing praises to their God day and night : and so should you do on earth. As for David, he would " praise God day and night ;" and that too with " all that was within him ;" yea, and " as long as he should live.'* Not content with praising God himself, he would have the sun, moon, and stars, together with every thing that had life and breath, to praise him too ^. This is a state of mind worthy of a redeemed sinner ; nor should we ever rest till we have at- tained it.]
We shall conclude this subject with two inquiries —
1 . Whence is it that so few possess this heavenly frame ?
[It must be confessed, that amongst the professors of re- ligion, there are but few comparatively in whom Christianity has its perfect work. Some are retarded in their growth by " the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, or the lust of other things, and never bring forth fruit unto perfection." Others are remiss in the duties of the closet, and thereby deprive then^selves of tliose rich communications of grace and peace, which God would otherwise bestow upon them. And others again are al- ways poring over the evils of their own hearts, instead of con- templating the mercies of their God, and the wonders of Re- deeming Love. It is not at all surprising that these different characters enjoy but little of that divine unction which is im- parted to those only who live iii close communion with their God. But let no man impute their want of joy to any defect in Christianity itself : they are not straitened in their God any more than David was : it is in themselves that they are straitened ; and '' they receive not, because they ask not." Let them only live nigh unto God in the exercise of prayer and faith, and they shall find that God is the same in every age, rich in mercy, and " abundant in goodness and truth."
2. How may we all attain it ?
[Wfe have advantages far beyond any that David ever en- joyed.
" Ps. cxiv. 1—7. &: cxlviii. 1—14.