gloom of fuperflition, contributes to the improvement of all the elimable qualities both of body and of mind. By freeing the foul from the obfcuring mills of fenfual pallions, it tends to enlighten and invigorate thofe powers, whatever they may be, with which it hath pleafed the Creator to endow it. By refraining pernicious vices, and by the moderation of the appetites, it is favourable to health. The goodness and benevolence of heart which real piety infpires, fheds an inimitable grace upon the manners. It gives a purity of fentiment, and dignity of conduct that attracts efteem and confidence from the world, and by the habits of temperance, frugality, indultry, and integrity which it promotes, it is friendly to the advancement of every temporal intereft.

Thefe fubjects would bear an ample and an ufeful illuftration. But I purpofe, in this difcourfe, to confine my view to the internal comforts that flow from religion. It offers the highcft fatisfactions to the mind-It yields the pureft pleafures to the heart-It introduces ferenity and peace into the brcal-And finally, it affords a fource

of happiness that is always within our power, that is fecure from the viciffitudes of life, and that fhall be eternal.

1. It offers the higheft fatisfactions to the mind.-The exercife of reafon and ima

gination, which are its principal powers, on objects worthy their nature, are among the chief, as they are certainly among the nobleft pleasures of a thinking being. To live without thought, or to employ its energies on low and degrading objects, is to fink our nature, and to rob it of a fublime felicity to which the goodness of the creator had deftined it. And what fubjects are fo great and interesting, and fo well deferve to employ the rational faculties of man as thofe which religion prefents to his contemplation? The being and perfection of the Deity, and his glorious works who in wifdom hath made them all-the aftonihing economy of our redemption through an incarnate and a fuffering Saviour, which things the angels defire to look into-the nature of man, so skillfully and wonderfully made the perfect law of his duty-and his prefent and eternal deftinations. On thefe fublime ideas vicious men likewife may em

ploy their talents. But, not directed by a spirit of piety, their views are falfe and narrow, their conclufions fceptical and cold. They perceive not that high glow of delight which a good man feels who examines into them only that he may adore God with a more profound fentiment, and offer him a more exalted and reasonable service.

Imagination, alfo derives its moft elevating and delightful exercises from religion. Its proper field, and employment is among the works of nature, contemplating their grandeur, their wifdom, and their beauty, and inflaming devotion by confidering the indications which they contain of infinite power, intelligence, and goodnefs. Piety fees God in all things; and, by its influence on the heart, fheds a divine charm over the univerfe. The holy pfalmift, in many of his compofitions, that are as much diftinguished by the fine genius of poetry by which they were inspired, as by the fpirit of devotion which they breathe, gives us a beautiful example of an imagination kindled, and a heart touched by these pious views of nature. The heavens declare the

glory of God, and the firmament fheweth his handy work.”* "O Lord my God! thou art exceeding great! thou art clothed with honor and majelly! who covereft thyfelf with light as with a garment who flretcheft out the heavens like a curtain! who layeft the beams of thy chambers in the waters! who makeft the clouds thy chariots! who walkeft upon the wings of the wind! O Lord! how manifold are thy works! In wifdom thou haft made them all! The earth is full of thy riches!"+"Praife him Sun and Moon. Praife him all ye ftars of light! Praise him ye Heavens of Heavens!" The writings of this author are full of fuch divine extafies. A good man cannot read them without partaking, in fome measure, of the delightful enthufiafm by which they were inspired. With the fame fpirit, likewife, he contemplates the works of the Creator, and often derives from them the like holy raptures. Imagination and tafte, the fources of so many boafted pleasures to the refined and cultivated mind, afford even to it comparatively barren and fiigid enjoy

*Palms ix. I. + Palms civ. Palms cxlviii.

ments unless they are united with religion, and warmed with its facred fires.

II. Religion likewife yields the purcft pleasures to the heart.

The principal enjoyments of life are derived from warm and regulated affections. We may be faid to be happy in proportion as we love what is worthy of the heart.The reigning affections of piety are the love of God, and the love of man. No principles of happiness are fo pure and excellent in themselves, or so ennobling to human nature. When we turn our view on the divine perfection, can any ideas yield fo tranfcendent a pleasure to a virtuous and pious heart, as that infinite intelligence that hines through all the wonderful ftructure of nature, and impreffes its character on every object that we behold-as that infinite benignity that spreads the light of its beauty on the whole face of the world, and which we continually experience in the felicity of our own lot-in a word, as that infinite caufe of all that is fublime, or excellent in the universe, that furrounds us whereever we go, and that intimately penetrates our be

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