that curse you; do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.-Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect."

But is it sufficient for us simply to know what is right, "and what it is which God requireth of us?" This would be sufficient, were our hearts conformed, in every desire, to the holy law of God. But which of us has not need to say, with the most painful remembrance of past delinquencies, "Lord, have mercy upon

us, and incline our hearts to keep this law!" Even this inclination and desire, can have no permanent place, except in the heart renewed by the Spirit of God, "The carnal mind," affirms the Apostle Paul, " is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." The state of unregeneracy, the Apostle represents as the condition in which men are habitually "fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind;" and he adds, the awakening representation of their being "by nature the children of wrath."—" If, '

adds the Apostle, "ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds (and consequently the desires) of the body, ye shall live." Who, then, really believing these statements, will not feel the indispensable necessity of the aid of the Holy Spirit, to sanctify and to regulate the desires of his heart? Who that knows human nature, and that knows himself, will think it possible to make any commencement, or any progress, in the arduous work of the right government of his desires, without the renovating influence of that grace, which can work in us, "both to will and to do" according to the good pleasure of our God?

Secondly, Let us cherish those

desires, which in their very indulgence will promote our happiness.

In order to this, what better directory can there be, than that which is given us in our text: "Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart?" What is the import of this comprehensive council? It is as if the inspired Psalmist had said: "Direct thy views and thy affections, to the Author of being and of blessedness. No longer employ thyself,

in 'hewing out broken cisterns, which can hold no water;' but, resort with ardent desire and grateful delight, to 'the fountain of living water;' Delight and solace thyself, in the admiring contemplation of the chief good, and the chief joy of all who have discovered

the secret of happiness." And is there not to be found the highest delight in the manifestations of divine glory, and especially of divine love? Is there not delight in beholding the justice which governs the world, and the holiness which adorns the throne of Deity, blended with the mercy which "blotteth out transgressions," and "the love which passeth knowledge?" Surely there is delight ineffable in being authorized to say, "This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death.-O God, I will praise thee: thou wast angry with me; but thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Behold, the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation!"