it in Holy Writ; supposing it always adjusted according to true and fober fentiments of the Deity; upon which presumption alone it can be intitled to any degree of merit. For, be it obferved, Fear, confidered merely as a human paf fion, wifely implanted within us for the purpose of self-preservation, is very different, both in it's qualities and effects, from that holy fear, under the influence of which we are to regulate our spirits when we addrefs God in his facred ordinances. The fear of impending evils, whether real or imaginary, is ever attended with anxiety, turbulence, and pain; whereas a religious fear is neceffarily productive of peace and confidence. In what proportion therefore we conceive amifs of the divine nature and attributes, in the very fame will this affection of the foul become corrupt, and degenerate into an ignoble and tormenting paffion. Hence the flavery of fuper ftitious

ftitious minds; who from accuftoming themselves to think of the fupreme Lord of Heaven and Earth as of an angry def potic Ruler, make it their study to appease Him by a fervice unacceptable to his will, and oblations unworthy of his holiness. Whereas the merciful difpenfations of Providence, and affurances of Revelation, are fufficient to convince

any, that He whom we are made to ferve is not an irafcible, nor revengeful, though a most just and an all-powerful Being.

By ferving or worshiping Him in Fear, we are therefore to understand the approaching his more immediate prefence under an humiliating fenfe of our natu ral imperfections and acquired guilt; with an awful truft in his unbounded mercy through the merits of our divine Mediator; and with a refolúte dread of doing any thing offenfive to Him, whose loving kindness is better than the life

itself.

itself.

We are in general fenfible what kind of natural affection we bore toward our earthly parents, who fuftained, and chaftened us too according to their pleafure; analogous to which is that due to the Father of Spirits; in whom we live, move, and have our being. It is in short the fear of Sons; grounded in duty, refreshed with hope, and perfected in love.

2. Proceed we next to enquire in what fenfe God is the object of our Joy.-And here too we may with equal reafon affert, that there is no attribute or perfection in God, but what to a good mind is matter of true Joy, no less than of fuch holy Fear as we have been recommending. With fo great propriety are we encou raged to poffefs our fouls with this affection alfo, in order to render our service perfect. Hence the chearful invitation of the Pfalmift "Ye that fear the Lord praife the Lord".

"Rejoice in the Lord

"

Oye O ye righteous"-"It becometh well the just to be thankful." Hence too those earnest admonitions of the Apostle to all faithful Chriftians, -"Rejoice evermore" Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I fay, rejoice."-And truly, in what point of view can a righteous man confider his God, that will not afford him abundant occafion of pious and reverential Joy?

That He created us at the first, Beings of fo much excellence, ftamped with the Image of Himself, and capable of the moft exalted happiness, is a reflection apt to beget in us a pleasing consciousnefs of the dignity of our nature; as also a comfortable reliance on the protection and good providence of Him who made us.

And though we cannot but be intimately fenfible of a degeneracy and impotence intailed upon our mortal state,

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from the tranfgreffion of our first parents; enough, were there no better hope,) for every thinking perfon to mourn all the days of their life: Yet the love of God, and the communication of his favour, the immortality and heavenly inheritance brought to light and ratified to all fincere believers, through the prevailing merits and mediation of our Lord Jefus Christ, are furely advantages fufficient to overcome the forrows of this tranfitory scene, render us victorious over fin and death, and caufe us in every period of our existence to rejoice in the God of our Salvation, :

"That the love and fervice of God are the only real fource of human comfort, is indeed agreeable to the whole tenor of Scripture; reprefenting Him, even under the Jewish ceconomy, to be a Being good and gracious; juftly offended indeed at the misconduct of his reasona¬

ble