b vicofioviiy tov Xpiarov.
long keep our attention to such subjects, nor can we get them suitably impressed upon our hearts ]
Hence St. Paul prayed, that the Lord, even the
Holy Spirit, would direct the hearts of his people
into that state —
[It is the province of that Divine Agent to give a right
direction0 to the heart d But his influence must be
sought by prayer. Nevertheless God will hear also the inter- cessions of others in our behalf, and give us a supply of his
Spirit in answer to theme In the full persuasion of
this, St. Paul poured out the benevolent aspiration which we have been considering.]
Such then were the objects of the Apostle's wish ; namely, that the Thessalonian Christians might ex- perience more deeply the truths they professed. Nor are we at any loss to state,
II. The reasons of it —
Among the most important of these were doubt- less the two following : he knew that the attainment of such a state was,
1. Highly conducive to their present happiness —
[There is a most absurd prejudice against religion, that it tends to make persons melancholy. That some religious per- sons are inclined to melancholy, is true enough : but it is not true, that religion makes them so. In all human probability they would have manifested the same disposition (as thousands of others do) if they had never known any thing of religion. As far as religion is concerned, it is from erroneous and dis- torted views of religion, and not from any just apprehensions of it, that they are rendered melancholy. Where, in all the word of God, do we find this effect ascribed to religion, or arising from it ? Peter wept bitterly, and Judas hanged him- self: but was it religion, or sin, that was the occasion of their sorrows ? not religion surely, but sin. Religion was a balm to Peter, and kept him from despair ; and it was Judas's want of religion that drove him to suicide.
But the truth is, that men make this a mere pretext to re- ject religion : they do not really, in their hours of sober reflec- tion, think that religion has any such tendency. Where will be found a man in the whole universe who really thinks that love to God, or a sense of God's love to him, would make him less happy ? Where is there one who really believes
c KaTtvQvvai. d Jam. i. 17. 2 Cor. v. 5. e Phil. i. 19.
22 18. J st. Paul's benevolence. 407
that an habitual preparation for death and judgment would
make him less happy ? Nay, where is there one who
does not in his heart envy a truly pious character, and enter- tain the secret wish, O that I might be found in that man's
place at the day of judgment !
The Apostle knew that the graces which he desired for the Thessalonian Christians would make them truly happy both in life and death. He knew it from the universal tenour of the Holy Scripturesf and he knew it from his own ex- perience5 and therefore he prayed the Lord to direct
their hearts to the attainment of them.]
2. Indispensably necessary to their eternal wel- fare—
[What is a Christian without the love of God ? What
pretensions has he to the name of Christian? or how
can he call himself a disciple of Christ, who has no delight in following his steps, or in looking forward to his future advent? What an appearance will such an one make at the tribunal of his Judge ! Will he not be ashamed before him at his coming ? Has he any reason to think that the God whom he never loved, will love him ? or that the Saviour whom he never served, will say to him, " Well done, good and faithful servant ?" What- ever they may say to the contrary, the careless world have their misgivings even now ; they have a secret fear that God will put a difference between those who served him and those who