faith. No complaints from that time; no dejection of fpirits; no difcontent. Though they were perfecuted, afflicted, tormented, yet it was all joy, and triumph, and exultation of heart. "We are troubled," fays St. Paul, “ on every "fide, yet not diftreffed; we are perplexed, "but not in defpair; as dying, and behold "we live; as chaftened, but not killed; as

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forrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet

making many rich; as having nothing, and yet poffeffing all things; and though our "outward man perish, yet our inward man is "renewed day by day." Even St. Peter himself, he who had the weakness to deny his blessed Master in the extremity of his distress; even he, after the descent of the Holy Ghoft, was the very first to rife up in his defence, and in a long and spirited speech to vindicate his pretenfions, and affert the truth of his doctrines. The fame alacrity and joyfulness fpread itself to all the converts." "For they that "believed were together, and had all things common, and fold their poffeffions and goods, "and parted them to all men, as every man "had need; and continuing daily with one + 2 Cor. iv. 16.

"accord in the temple, did eat their meat "with gladness and fingleness of heart, praifing God, and having favour with all the people *."

Such were the chearful fcenes which the first dawn of the Gospel, and the first appear ance of the Comforter, present to us and although these were, indeed, preternatural effects, arifing from fuch extraordinary effufions of the Spirit, as were peculiar to those times, and not to be expected in our own; yet, in fome degree, his facred influence will still remain; and to every one that is worthy of his confolations, he will still be a Comforter. We are affured by the beft authority," that "he will abide with us for ever; that he will "dwell with us; that he will be with us

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always to the end of the world; that the "fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace; that "the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, "and joy in the Holy Ghoft +." If, therefore, we conftantly and devoutly pray for his divine affiftance; if we do not grieve him by.

Acts ii. 46, 47.

John xiv. 16; Rom. viii. 9; Matth. xxviii. zo; Gal. v. 22; Rom. xiv. 17.

any

any finful thoughts and actions; if we endeavour, by the most unblemished purity of mind and fanctity of life, to render ourselves fit temples for him to inhabit; we may depend upon it that he will be our guide and companion, our comfort and support; will, in temptation, give us fortitude, in affliction patience, in profperity thankfulness, in poverty content; will, in every condition and circumftance of life, impart to us that PEACE OF GOD, that heartfelt joy and satisfaction, which paffes all understanding and all description.

Before I conclude, I muft beg your attention to one short, but, as I conceive, important observation, refulting from the foregoing difcourfe.

We of this kingdom have been repeatedly stigmatized by the other nations of Europe as a melancholy, dejected, gloomy people. The charge, I fear, is upon the whole but too well founded; and the proofs too visible, and fometimes too dreadful to be evaded or denied. It behoves us therefore, furely, to enquire a little into the true caufęs of this national malady; and to confider, whether one of these causes may not be a contemptuous

difregard, or, at leaft, a cold indifference for that moft pure, and holy, and enlivening Religion, which contains the only true remedy for our disease. Inftead of this, we have too commonly recourfe to a very different mode of relief, to thofe pernicious cordials of unbounded pleasure and endless diffipation,which, though like other cordials, they may raise our fpirits for the moment, yet afterwards fink and deprefs them beyond recovery, and leave the unhappy patient infinitely more in distress and danger than they found him. If this be the case, we know what we have to do. We must fly to a totally oppofite regimen; to that purity of mind, that sanctity of manners, that selfgovernment, that moral difcipline, that modefty of defire, that discreet and temperate enjoyment of the world, that exalted piety, that active benevolence, that truft in Providence, that exhilarating hope of immortality, which the doctrines and the precepts of the Gofpel fo powerfully imprefs upon our fouls, and which, as we have feen, are the best and most powerful preservatives against all depreffion of fpirits. It is here, in fhort, if any where, true chearfulness is to be found. To thofe, indeed,

indeed, who have been long diffolved in luxury and gaiety, that moderation in all things which Christianity prefcribes, may, at first, appear a harsh and painful restraint; but a little time, and a little perfeverance, will render it as delightful as it is confeffedly falutary. Be prevailed on then, for once, to give it a fair trial; and accept, with all thankfulness, that most gracious invitation of our bleffed Redeemer, "Come unto me all ye that labour "and are heavy laden, and I will give you "reft. Take my yoke upon you, and learn

" of me, and ye fhall find reft unto your fouls.

"For my yoke is easy, and my burthen is "light*.".