568 USEFULNESS OF THE FASSIONS. gains so little reputation; and so few followers. O what blessed lives did the primitive disciples of Christ enjoy! What divine satisfaction, what, heavenly glory, what convincing power at- tended their practice, when their whole souls, with all their affections, were devoted to God and Christ, and engaged in the affairs of the upper world ! They livedon earth like the children of heaven, and brought a foretaste of the pleasures of the upper world, into these lower regions. O when shall these holy seasons return again ? When shall the noble principles of the christian faith animate all the powers pf nature, and make us live as becomes the followersand the worshippers of the holy Jesus. ,Meditation.." Many and useful are the lessons, which I have now learned from the happyinfluence of the passions, in the important affairs of my salvation. Blessed be God that I was not born in heathenism, and left merely to the teachings of the philosophers. Even the Stoics, who were some of the best of them, deprive us of all the advantage of pious affections, and all the pleasurable sensations that may be derived from religion ; while they teach us to root the' passions, if possible, out of our natures. My soul shall mourn in secret for my sins, and be ashamed of my follies : My heart shall fear and love the Lord my God, and rejoice and hope in Jesus my Saviour : My spirit with all its warmest affections are thine, O my God, for ever and ever ! " Let all the sects of philosophy hide their heads, and lie silent; give methe bible, where God himselfspeaks to me byhis prophets and apostles : How divinely excellent are theirwritings ! With what sovereign influence do they address my fear and my hope, by the discoveries of a hell and a heaven ! How power - fully do they awaken my repentance for past sins, and melt my soul into holy sorrow ! In what an illustrious light do they set the majestyof the blessed God, and command my humble ado- ration ! How do they display the wonders of his wisdom, and the riches of his grace in Christ Jesus, to attract all my powers of desire and love ! What a blessed foundation have the scrip- tures laid for an infinite variety of devout inferences and pathetic meditations, suited to my own case ? There I find the divine truths that can relieve my soul under every distress ; and there I learn the affectionate and devout method of applying them. In every needful hour I will go to the book of God : God and his holy book are my life, and my exceeding joy : Let my soul abide and live upon the divine or awful variety and transportingobjects, whichare set before me in those sacred pages. Let me betaught with sacred skill to spread abroad my thoughtson the right-hand and on the left, and to expatiate on these holy and heavenly themes: They are fountains oflife, and every stream flows with
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