Will you acknowledge, then, that piety is unnatural to you? Do you know that piety means an affection of the mind to the greatest and worthiest Being in nature? a grateful feeling towards the best Friend, a trust in his wise and kind protection, a confidence in his paternal government, a submission to his will, a desire of his esteem, and a humble expectation of happiness from his favor? Do you know God? and are you ready to say that your minds are so formed that you have no veneration or love for such a character? Will you plead that piety is unnatural to you? God will not admit this plea. God, who knows that he has laid in the constitution of human nature a foundation for all those affections of the soul, which constitute piety, will not admit of this extenuation.

This mistake, no doubt, arises, in some degree, from our judging of the nature of true piety from the form which it takes in particular tempers. All good affections are different in different minds. For example, the friendship of some men is strong and quiet; of others, ardent. The humanity of some is melting and tender; of others, active and constant, but calm. So it is with piety. The only thing of consequence is, that it be sincere, real, habitual, possessing the heart, keeping God in view in all the interests of our lives, and doing everything with reference to him. The man, who is willing to admit that he has no dispositions of this kind towards God, virtually admits that he has no good dispositions. He would be ashamed to say that he was incapable of entering into the affections and practising the duties of a good subject, friend, or son. If, then, he is willing to admit that he has no disposition to piety, he, in fact, excites the suspicion, and justly, too, that he is pursuing some indulgences, and the slave of some affec

tions, which are at enmity with God, and with which he is afraid to present himself before God. The language of his heart is, "Depart from me, for I desire not the knowledge of thy ways." This, then, is a mistake which deserves our most serious consideration.

There exists, however, a third proof of the deficiency of our notions on the subject of piety, and this is, the sentiment so often professed even by good and exemplary men, that they attend upon the public worship of God for the sake of setting an example. Be not surprised or offended that this language is adduced as a proof of the incompetency of our religious notions. Let this consideration of example have all the weight which it deserves; but, in the name of God, whom we profess to worship on this spot, let it not usurp the place of those affections towards him, which constitute true religion. Whenever our acts of devotion, or any other duties of piety, are observed merely for the sake of example, the ground of action is unsubstantial. If there is no reason for a duty, beside the example, there is, in truth, no reason for it at all. This language would lead to this most absurd conclusion, that, if every one were entirely disposed to do his duty, and had no need of encouragement from the example of others, there would be no reason left for any duty; in other words, we should have no duties to perform.

In truth, if example were the only reason for the duties of piety, or for religious services, what support have they? None. Our conclusion from this reasoning, then, is, not that it is unlawful to admit this consideration, but that it is dangerous and wicked to allow that, which is only secondary and consequential, to shut out from our thoughts the true foundation of piety towards God. If this is the only mo

tive for the observance of religious services, their religious quality has disappeared, their very life has vanished. Let us not say that we come here to pray. We do not; we come here for the sake of example. Proud man! idle spectator of this scene! you vouchsafe your presence in these assemblies for the benefit of others, for the edification of the people. Have you, then, no sins to deplore, no mercies to acknowledge, no pardon to entreat?

Piety, my Christian hearers, can spring from nothing but itself, its own sentiment and principle, the sentiment of gratitude, reverence, and love towards God, the principle of obedience to his will, as the foundation of all Christian virtue and true morality. Our acts of piety are altogether defective, in motive and in practice, when we do not consider our own interests involved in them, when we do not feel them to be our own particular duty.

Have we duly thought of this subject? Is private and public devotion really a duty which every rational creature owes to God, or is it only a habit which has grown up we know not how, from a time we know not when? Do we bear in mind that no religious services can be effectual, either with God or with ourselves, in which the affections. are not engaged? If we never experience that warm and virtuous energy which devotion inspires, the consolation it imparts, and the sympathy which social worship ought to awaken, we do not worship in spirit and in truth. If these are our sentiments and feelings, our piety will be an example to others, and yet our own. It will be public, and yet personal. It will be what Christ would have it, when he said, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." The glory of God is the termination of the precept;

and, if we keep this in view, our example will have all the value which sincerity and piety can give it.

My Christian hearers, let us not forget that our character is utterly defective and incomplete without piety. The distinguishing service, which Christianity has done for the world, is, to bring us to the knowledge, love, and imitation of the true God. We talk, indeed, of the morality of the New Testament, we commend its virtuous precepts. But, if we search the records of the heathen world, we shall find many great and good men, who have made extraordinary advances in all that is virtuous, in justice, temperance, and beneficence; but the best and wisest of them made no approaches towards the piety of the gospel. Let us not forget, then, that, as far as we are deficient in this blessed temper of devotion, so far do we fall short of the spirit of Christianity, the glory and distinction of a Christian.

If there was ever a person on earth, who, in consequence of the perfection of every other virtue, might plead an exemption from this of piety, it was Jesus Christ. But in him this principle was the very origin and substance of all his excellences. Every movement of his heart, every act of his life, was to please God. It was this which gave purity, fortitude, cheerfulness, consistency to everything in his character. He honored and worshipped his heavenly Father. He loved him, and delighted to hold constant communion with the Father of his spirit, If, then, we possessed this principle, how easy and delightful would be our duty! We should, from a principle of gratitude, observe the ordinances of the gospel, and find happiness in all the exercises of a holy and merciful religion. God would be in all our thoughts, and whatsoever we did, we should "do all in the name of the Lord Jesus."

SERMON XIII.

PSALM IV. 6.

THERE BE MANY THAT SAY, WHO WILL SHOW US ANY GOOD?

It is a melancholy consideration, that this has been the common inquiry of men ever since the world was made, and that so few of them seem to have attained to anything like permanent happiness. How few are there in the world, who, if you ask them the plain and simple question, Are you happy? would answer, spontaneously, that they were! How busy are men in the pursuit of this common good! How numerous and opposite are the courses which they take! How frequent and miserable are the countenances of the discontented! Philosophers have been speculating, in all ages, upon the supreme good; men have been making every imaginable variety of experiment; teachers have given innumerable lessons upon this most difficult, yet most simple, of arts; in fine, God has, more than once, interposed to assist us in our progress, and offers us every encouragement to the attainment of this great end; and yet how unsatisfied are we, how grossly have we been disappointed in the past, how painfully solicitous are we for the future!

It shall be my present object, to inquire, why there is not more happiness among mankind; and, in order to this, I