both from open and secret declensions, and " be to their Lord for a praise, and for an everlasting name that should not be cut off1."]
Infer —
1. How erroneous is the idea that religion tends to make us melancholy !
[A religious person may have a constitution that inclines to melancholy as well as any other person ; or he may be rendered melancholy by mistaken views of religion. But let not the blame in either of these cases attach to religion. We are assured that the Gospel, so far from producing such an effect, is " glad tidings of great joy to all people" — it enjoins us all to " rejoice in the Lord always ;" and, where it is best understood, and most experienced, namely, in heaven, the most exalted joy abounds universally without the smallest intermission. Let then this prejudice be for ever banished ; and let Christians be careful so to walk in delightful fellowship with Jesus, as to shew to the world that his yoke is easy and his burthen light.]
2. How precious ought the Scriptures to be in our eyes !
[It is in them that Jesus, being dead, yet speaketh to us; and if we will attend to his instructions, they will " make us wise unto salvation." The intent of every word he there utters, is, to secure us to himself, and to make us eternally happy with himself in heaven. Why then do we not love the Scriptures more? Why do we give such a decided preference to books of human composition, yea, perhaps to plays, or novels, or the common publications of the day ? Let us no longer treat with such indignity that sacred volume. " Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom™;" and let us, like the prophet, eat it, that it may be the joy and rejoicing of our heart". Especially let us regard what it speaks of our union with the living vine. Let us seek to be ingrafted into Christ; that, deriving sap and nourishment from him, we may be fitted for every good work, and bring forth fruit unto life eternal.]
1 Isai. lv. 13. m Col. hi. 16. n Jer. xv. 16.