which express malignity; the enemy, the accuser, the liar, the destroyer. When Christ came into the world as our Saviour, he is styled the Prince of Peace. The blessings which were proclaimed at his birth were peace upon earth, and good-will towards men. The whole of his life was one continued exemplification of all the virtues that characterise the meek, the peaceable and forgiving spirit. Never was any one's temper tried by so many and so great provocations; never did any one retain under these provocations such a calm and unruffled tenour of mind ; insomuch that the Apostle Paul, on an occasion of earnest intreaty to the Corinthians, beseeches them by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, as the most noted and well-known parts of his character.

What can be said higher of any virtue than that it is the quality, under the denomination of which the Son of God chose to be known when he dwelt on earth? Let us add, that it is also the distinguishing character of God's own Spirit. The Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of peace. Meekness, gentleness, and long suffering, are expressly denominated his fruits; and on a certain memorable occasion, his appearance was marked with signals that express the mild and quiet spirit as distinguished from violence. When Elijah the great prophet was called to go forth and stand before the Lord, behold, a great and strong wind rent the mountains, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After that, there came forth a still small voice.

2 Corinth. x. 1.

When Elijah heard it, he knew the symbol of God's spirit; he wrapped his face in his mantle, and worshipped.*

AFTER SO many testimonies given by the sacred writings to the high importance of a meek and peaceable spirit, what shall we think of those, who in their system of religion, make slight account of this virtue; who are ready to quarrel with others on the most trifling occasions; who are continually disquieting their families by peevishness and ill humour; and by malignant reports, raising dissension among friends and neighbours? Can any claims to sound belief, or any supposed attainments of grace, supply the defect of so cardinal a virtue as charity and love? Let such persons particularly bethink themselves how little the spirit which they possess, fits them for the kingdom of heaven, or rather how far it removes them from the just hope of ever entering into it. Hell is the proper region of enmity and strife. There dwell unpeaceable and fiery spirits, in the midst of mutual hatred, wrath, and tumult. But the kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of peace. There, charity never faileth. There reigneth the God of love ; and, in his presence, all the blessed inhabitants are of one heart and one soul. No string can ever be heard to jar in that celestial harmony: and therefore the contentious and violent are, both by their own nature and by God's decree, for ever excluded from the heavenly society. As the best preparation for those blessed mansions, let us ever keep in view that direction given by an Apostle, Follow peace with all men, and

* 1 Kings, xix. 11, 12, 13.

holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.* To the cultivation of amity and peace in all our social intercourse, let us join holiness; that is, piety, and active virtue; and thus we shall pass our days comfortably and honourably on earth, and at the conclusion of our days be admitted to dwell among saints and angels, and to see the Lord.

# Heb. xii. 14.

SERMON LXXXVII.

On RELIGIOUS Joy, as giving STRENGTH and SUPPORT to VIRTUE.

NE

NEHEMIAH, viii. 10.

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

EHEMIAH, the governor of Jerusalem, having assembled the people of Israel immediately after their return from the captivity of Babylon, made the book of the law be brought forth and read before them. On hearing the words of the book of the law, we are informed that all the people wept; humbled and cast down by the sense of their present weak and forlorn condition, compared with the flourishing state of their ancestors. Nehemiah sought to raise their spirits from this dejection; and exhorts them to prepare themselves for serving the God of their fathers with a cheerful mind, for, says he, the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Abstracted from the occasion on which the words were spoken, they contained an important truth, which I now purpose to illustrate; that to the nature of true religion there belongs an inward joy, which animates, strengthens, and supports virtue. The illustration of this position will require that I should show, in the first place, that in the practice of religious duties there is found an inward joy, here styled the

joy of the Lord; and in the next place, that this joy is justly denominated the strength of the righteous.

I. Joy is a word of various signification. By men of the world, it is often used to express those flashes of mirth which arise from irregular indulgencies of social pleasure; and of which it is said by the wise man, that in such laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness. * It will be easily understood that the joy here mentioned partakes of nothing a-kin to this; but signifies a tranquil and placid joy, an inward complacency and satisfaction, accompanying the practice of virtue, and the discharge of every part of our duty. A joy of this kind is what we assert to belong to every part of religion; to characterise religion wherever it is genuine, and to be essential to its nature. In order to ascertain this, let us consider the disposition of a good man with respect to God; with respect to his neighbours; and with respect to the government of his own mind.

WHEN We consider in what manner religion requires that a good man should stand affected towards God, it will presently appear that rational enlightened piety opens such views of him as must communicate joy. It presents him, not as an awful unknown Sovereign, but as the Father of the universe, the Lover and Protector of righteousness, under whose government all the interests of the virtuous are safe. With delight the good man traces the Creator throughout all his works, and beholds them every where reflecting some image of his supreme perfec

Prov xiv. 13.