2. Let the religion of the heart be more and more cultivated —
[We are far from undervaluing religious acts: they are excellent, as fruits of the Spirit, and as evidences of a lively faith. But it is the religion of the heart that must be our first concern ; since till the tree be made good, it is in vain to hope for any good fruit to spring from it. The grand characteristic fea- ture of the Lord's people is, that " they trust in his name." Now trust is altogether an act of the soul ; an act invisible to mortal eyes. It realizes the presence of Jehovah, and his government of the whole universe. It rests on him : it reposes all its hopes on his agency ; and thus honours him, far beyond all other exercises either of the mind or body. This then is to be the habit of our minds : and " the whole life which we now live in the flesh, we must live altogether by faith in the Son of God, who has loved us, and given himself for us."]
THE DUTY OF THANKFULNESS FOR GOd's MERCIES.
Zeph. iii. 14, 15. Sing, O daughter of Zion ; shout, O Israel ; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jeru- salem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy : the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee : thou shalt not see evil any more.
THE prophets are chiefly occupied with reproving the evils which prevailed in their day, and with de- nouncing, both on Israel and the surrounding nations, the judgments they had merited by their multiplied transgressions. But occasionally they change their voice, and, as heralds of mercy, proclaim to all, but to Israel more especially, the blessings which God has in reserve for them in the latter day. In performing this office they quite exult ; and, when they have begun, they scarcely know how to end, their bene- volent congratulations. In the former part of this chapter the prophet brings his accusations against the Jews, who, disregarding the warnings which God in his providence had given them by the judgments visibly inflicted upon others, persisted in their iniqui- ties without shame or remorse3. But, in the latter
a ver, 1 — 7.