kingdoms; in the upholding and governing of the world; and in the conduct of his providence. The defcendants of Abraham knew that the Creator and Governor of the univerfe was the GOD of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob; that he had repeatedly revealed himself to their fathers; that he had published his law, and ratified his covenant; that he had spoken to the nation, by his fervants the prophets from time to time, according to their exigencies; and by their predictions and doctrines, had prepared both Jews and Gentiles for a better, more glorious and permanent difpenfation. But Chriftians know that the LORD of all, the GOD of Ifrael, is the GOD and Father of the LORD JESUS CHRIST; they receive whatever the Son hath declared of the Father; they behold the glory of the LORD (to use the striking language of the apostle Paul) in "the face of "JESUS CHRIST;" they feel and cherish the fentiments and affections which a lively faith in the fuller, brighter, and more gracious manifeftations of GOD, and his perfections, and character, and government, infpires.

RELIGIOUS and devout affections and fentiments,

ments, thus formed, will be discovered in performing the exercises of piety, in the frequency of these exercises, in high delight in them, and in careful attention to their influence and effects upon the temper, upon the

heart and the life.

1. THE pious, I fay, are employed in the exercifes of devotion. A truly pious perfon naturally affects the folitary hour, the facred and folemn retirement of meditation and prayer and praise, on many confiderations. In facred retirement, the perfections, the works and ways of GOD, are contemplated with higher advantage. In facred retirement, we know and confider aright our own characters; we discover the state of our fouls; the progrefs and attainments of the divine life; our virtues, and graces, and joys. The pious withdraw from the world, that, according to the report of a thorough examination, and the anfwer of a well-informed confcience, they may know where their danger lies, and what to guard againft, that they may be faved from inattention to the divine goodness, and be stirred up to gratitude and praise; that they may become more humble, more active and zeal

ous,

ous, and fuccefsful in all their duties and attainments. When we are separated from the world, when we are withdrawn from its influence, we perceive more clearly, we judge more juftly, we refolve more wifely, in our wordly affairs, and in our unfpeakably better concerns. The foul is lifted up to GOD, we are fitted for the work, we feel the pleasures and joys of the faints in glory, of the angels of God; our communion is with the Father, and with his Son JESUS CHRIST.

CAN a perfon be truly pious who does not, with the heir of the promise, go forth at fit feafons, in the undisturbed hour of the dawn, or in the stillness and ferenity of the evening, to meditate? With the sweet finger of Ifrael, he will commune with his own heart, on his bed. I bring in view a brighter pattern of excellence, known and contemplated with higher intereft, and with bleffed and transforming effect; the LORD JESUS withdrew from the world, and poured out his heart to his Father in heaven. Solitude finds not the pious alone. Solitude is chofen, that they may have more free, and more full intercourfe with GOD.

FOR

FOR the materials of devout meditation and devotion, fo to exprefs myself, we have not to go far. The leaft informed, with the Scriptures in their hands, or in their hearts, are furnished with thefe abundantly; nor can any time or place be deftitute of occafions, or of themes for devotion in all his works and ways GoD is prefent, and manifefts his glory: by revelation he is more clearly feen; we cannot flee from his prefence; we are ever with him; but, in a fpecial manner, GOD is near to his worshippers, and manifefts himself to them in their devotions, fheds abroad his love in their hearts, and imparts to them, enlargement, and peace, and joy.

THE religious exercises, the mufings, and prayers, and praise, of the folemn retired walk, of the fequeftred fhade, or river's fide, or of the clofet, may be affifted, and have been affifted, by the devotions and experiences, by the directions and advices of others ; of the faints in ancient or in latter times. Confidered as memoirs of the pious, as natural and unaffected reprefentations of the exercises of the heart, how much endeared and

highly useful are the devotional Scriptures, and the Book of Pfalms in particular? It is not to be supposed that, among us, there is any pious perfon not furnished with a copy of the Bible, or who cannot peruse it. The pious memoirs and diaries of Chriftians of our own times, their experiences, their attainments, their excellence and their joys, are not without their ufe. Much advantage arifes, in particular, from the fimilarity of their circumftances, and duties, and trials, to our own. They become our patterns, our friends, and monitors; we catch the holy infection, we emulate their worth, we feel their pleafures; and, like them, " cause our light fo "to fhine before men, that they, feeing our 66 good works, glorify our Father who is in "heaven." Such useful, facred biography, can be furnished at a very fmall expence.

"THEY who fear the LORD talk often one "with another." If the holy effusions and religious obfervations of our own times, whether written or printed, are read with much profit, because we live under the fame difpenfation, and are called to like duties and trials; what may not be expected from

the