when they said to me-Let us go to the house of the Lord."

2. That we should be allowed to feel the joy of the Lord, when we are engaged in it. Then we shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house, and drink in such rivers of divine pleasures, that we shall have no more mind for the puddles of the world, nor be tired with the works of the temple, nor be tempted to think the Sabbath a weariness, nor yet fail to bring forth fruit in old age. The droppings of the sanctuary, when they are received with thirst, will render us fat and flourishing. Such Sabbaths on earth will be a sure earnest of a glorious and everlasting Sabbath in heaven.

3. That in order to come at these two things, we should be watchful and circumspect in our behaviour; which is the preacher's meaning, when he says, "Keep thy foot, when thou goest to the house of God."

It is the Divine Spirit, for whom we should pray, that must direct and assist us to meet our God, before his word can make us wise unto salvation and fruitful in obedience to him. We must beg his help else we cannot learn the things we ought to know and practise, nor taste the comfort that attends the faithful worshipping of our God in Christ Jesus.

Three things appear to me very desirable, and which I should be glad to have my own soul and the souls of all my hearers, strongly impressed with ;

1. That we should see and feel how vain, vile, weak and insufficient we are in ourselves, to attempt to merit the favour of God, or to do any pleasing service to him. This would keep us low in our own esteem, and entire in our dependence on the help and goodness of God,

2. That we should by faith clearly discern the Redeemer's love, that he is infinitely able and willing to become our all.

3. That we should be blessed with the Divine Spirit, to direct, quicken and assist us in every thing, without which we can neither do nor design any thing in the manner we should. But such as are utter strangers to the good way, are not prepared nor awakened enough to receive this doctrine; but must first be taught the fear of the Lord.

XXXIX.

The character of true godliness.

1736, APRIL 17.-The enmity and opposition which our holy religion meets with from great men, (of which Mr.- knows great deal) is what its lovers should be greatly affected with, and what should produce in them humiliation, and earnest entreaties to heaven in its favour, and lead them by laborious endeavours, not only to promote it among others, but to improve in the power and practice of it themselves; for the greatest mischief that can ever befall it, will arise from the insincerity and dead formality of its professors. This will be the procuring cause, if ever it should be totally eclipsed among us.

I fear the nature of true godliness is not much understood; which has occasioned my thinking about it a little for the purpose of considering what it is. To express my thoughts briefly about it, I might say that it is no less than the powerful workmanship of the Holy Spirit, whereby the soul is deeply impressed with God's image, and the whole man brought to a complete conformity to his holy will. And

I

since this great work meets with great opposition from the flesh, the world and the devil, and is not perfect in its first beginning, nor at any time while we are here below, there follows a perpetual striving to advance and press forward towards a full perfection, which the humble and diligent cannot fail to attain at their removal hence. I would lay down a few maxims which occur to my thoughts concerning it, such as these :

1. Godliness is a real thing. It is not a whim, or the feverish conceit of a distempered brain. It is properly called in scripture "the way of truth;" and we may well venture to stake down our all upon the truth of it. A future time will show every thing else to be lying vanities.

2. Godliness is a supernatural thing. Naturally we inherit nothing but sin, folly and misery; so that a change of state and condition is necessary. We are not born godly, nor have we a power to become so of ourselves, till we apply for assistance: therefore godliness is called "the wisdom from above."

3. Godliness is an inward and spiritual thing. It lies chiefly in the heart, and governs all the powers and faculties of the soul; and from thence brings to subjection the outward man. But the moralist's and hypocrite's religion consists chiefly in external things.

It

4. Godliness is an extensive thing. spreads its influence through the whole man. It is the leaven that leaveneth the whole lump, till all partakes of the same savour. Grace is called the new man, not a new hand, or new eyes, or a new tongue only; which denotes the change that must be in the whole and every part of man. Not one action or passion,

thought, word, or any thing else, but all will be reached by the influence of true godliness when it comes into the soul.

5. Godliness is a lively and vigorous thing. It is not a dull, dead, formal and lukewarm indifferency about the things of God; but it inflames the mind with zeal and desires so that a man will be fervent in the spirit about the concerns of God and another world.

6. Godliness is a glorious thing. It brings the soul into the glorious image of God, and fits it for the boundless and endless glory of heaven. It is therefore worth taking pains with, and suffering for; and we should never be ashamed of it.

7. Godliness is a permanent thing. It is not to be off and on by fits. Where it has taken root well, it will abide to eternity; and so will procure a better portion than this world can afford, and one that is durable.

Such considerations, though I write them too briefly, may help to give us some idea of true religion, and of the excellency of it, that so we may neither mistake about it, nor think it an indiscretion to make it the choice of our wishes above all other excellencies what

soever

XL.

Some of the lessons taught by the Spirit.

1736, APRIL. 22.-The querulous, angry doctrine, of which I have had an account, by the enclosed letter you favoured me with, is what will do the spiritual enemy no disservice; it has no tendency to destroy the kingdom of satan in the soul of man, nor will it serve to bring any one a step nearer to heaven. It is no way akin to the doctrine which we

must be taught, before we come to be interested in Christ, and inherit eternal life, and with which all Christians, particularly clergymen should be well acquainted; and yet most men of all ranks are utter strangers to it. But the

saved, that is, all who are savingly brought home to Christ, are taught it of God himself; "they shall all be taught of God; every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me," saith the Saviour. John vi. 45. It is by means of this divine teaching, that we are brought into a state of salvation. None will ever come savingly to the blessed Son of God, but those that have heard and learned of the Father. And what this important doctrine is, which the Father teaches, and which all must learn who would be his children indeed, may be fully known by an attentive study, and by a humble practice of his holy word. The great God, by his Holy Spirit, and by the use of such ordinances, means, and ministry, as he himself has appointed, works in the soul an illumination and a strong impression of such divine truths, revealed in his word, as are necessary to be known, believed and practised. Some of the great lessons thus taught, are such as these:

1. The saved or such as are savingly brought to Christ, are taught the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the excessive corruption of their corrupt nature. They are taught, that there is abundantly more evil in sin and more sinfulness in their nature and actions, than ever they understood or discerned before; which cannot but produce great wailing and melting of heart. The Spirit, when he cometh, shall convince the world of sin.".

2. They are taught to consider the dreadful