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Psa.

xxvi. 8. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple." Psa. xxvii. 4. "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?" Psa. xlii. 1, 2. My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary." Ixiii. 1, 2. "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." Psa. lxxxiv. 1, 2. "My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times." Psa. cxix. 20. See also, Psa. lxxiii. 25, and cxliii. 6, 7, and cxxx. 6. Cant. iii. 1, 2. Such a holy desire, or thirst of soul, is mentioned in the beginning of the sermon of Christ on the mount, as one of those things which render, or denote a man truly blessed · "Blessed are they" who "do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." Matt. v. 6. To this holy thirst is promised the participation of the blessings of eternal life; "I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely." Rev. xxi. 6.

The scriptures speak of holy joy, as constituting a great part of true religion. So it is represented in the text. And as an important part of religion, it is often made the subject of earnest exhortation. Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psa. xxxvii. 4.Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous." Psa. xcvii. 12. "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous." Psa.

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xxxiii.1 "Rejoice and be exceeding glad." Matt. V. 12. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord." Phil. iii. I. "Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice." Phil. iv. 4. "Rejoice evermore. 1 Thess. v. 16. "Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King." Psa. cxlix. 2.

This holy joy is mentioned among the principal fruits of the Spirit of grace: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy," &c. Gal. v. 22

The Psalmist mentions this holy joy, as an evidence of his sincerity: "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches." Psa. cxxx. 14.

Religious sorrow, mourning, and brokenness of heart, are also frequently spoken of as forming a great part of religion. They are mentioned as distinguishing qualities of the true saints, and as constituting a principal part of their character: "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matt. v. 4. “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Psa. xxxiv. 18. "The Lord hath anointed me to bind up the brokenhearted,--to comfort all that mourn." Isa. Ixi. 1, 2. This godly sorrow, or brokenness of heart, is often spoken of, not only as forming a distinguishing feature in the character of the saints, but as that in them which is peculiarly acceptable and pleasing to God: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Psa. li. 17. "Thus

saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place,--with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa. Ivii. 15. "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit." Isa. lxvi. 2.

Another affection often mentioned, as that, in the exercise of which, much of true religion consists, is gratitude; especially as exercised in thankfulness and praise to God This being so frequently spoken of in the book of Psalms, and in other parts of scripture, I need not quote, or refer to particular texts.

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Again, the holy scriptures frequently speak of compassion or mercy, as a great and essential part of true religion; insomuch, that, in the sacred writings, good men are denominated from thence. A merciful and a good man are synonymous terms: "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away from the evil to come." And the scriptures select this quality, as that by which, in a peculiar manner, a righteous man is distinguished: "The righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth." Psa. xxxvii. 21. And ver. 26. "He is ever merciful and lendeth." "He that honoureth his Maker, hath mercy on the poor." Prov. xiv. 31. "Put" ye on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies," &c. Col. iii. 12. This is one of those distinguishing marks, by which our Saviour describes those who are truly blessed: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Matt. v. 7. And this is also spoken of as one of the weightier matters of the law Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law,-judgment,-mercy,--and faith." Matt. xxiii. 23. "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Mic. vi. 8. "For

I desired mercy, and not sacrifice" Hosea, vi. 6. This seems, from his repeatedly citing it, to have

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been a text much delighted in by our Saviour. See Matt. ix. 13, and xii. 7.

Zeal is also spoken of, as a very essential part of true religion. The production of zeal in his followers, is mentioned as what Christ had in view, in giving himself for our redemption: "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." Tit. ii. 14. And this is mentioned as something of great importance, wanted in the lukewarm Laodiceans, Rev. iii. 15, 16, 19. I have noticed but a few texts out of many, which might be found in different parts of the scriptures, which represent religion as having its seat chiefly in the affections. But what has been noticed will be sufficient to shew, that those persons who deny that much of true religion resides in the affections, and maintain the contrary opinion, must reject what we have been accustomed to esteem as the Bible, and adopt some other rule, in judging of the nature of true religion.

V. The scriptures represent religion, as being summarily comprehended in love, the chief of the affections, and the fountain of all the rest.

So our blessed Saviour represents the subject, in answer to the iawyer, who asked him which was the great commandment of the law: "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment; and the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." The last sentence signifies as much, as that these two commandments comprehend all the duty prescribed, and the religion taught in the law and the prophets. The Apostle Paul repeatedly makes

the same representation: “He that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law." Rom. xiii. 8. "Love is the fulfilling of the law." ver. 10. "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Gal. v. 14. "Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, &c. 1 Tim. i. 5. The same Apostle speaks of love as the most important thing in religion, as the vitals and soul of it; without which the greatest knowledge and gifts, the most brilliant profession, and every thing else belonging to religion, are worthless. He represents it as the fountain from whence proceeds all that is good. See 1 Cor. xiii. The word there rendered charity in our translation, is ayan, the proper English of which is, love.

The love thus spoken of, includes the whole of a sincerely benevolent disposition of soul towards God and man; and which, when in sensible and vigorous exercise, becomes affection: it is indeed nothing but affectionate love. And surely it is such a vigorous and fervent love which Christ mentions, when he speaks of loving God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds, and our neighbour as ourselves, as the sum of all that was taught and prescribed in the law and the prophets.

Indeed it cannot be supposed, that when this affection is represented as the sum of all religion, the act exclusive of the habit is meant; or that the exercise of the understanding, which is implied in all reasonable service, is excluded. But it is undoubtedly true, that the essence of all true religion is holy love; and that in this holy affection, in that light which is the foundation of it, and in those things which are the fruits of it, consists the whole of religion.

From hence it clearly appears, that a great part