*――CERTAINLY the greatest, the noblest pleasure of intelligent creatures must result from their acquaintance with the blessed God, and with their own immortal souls. And Oh, how divinely sweet is it, to look into our own souls, when we can find all our passions united and engaged in pursuit of God, our whole souls passionately breathing after a conformity to him, and the full enjoyment of him! Verily there are no hours pass away with so much pleasure, as those that are spent in communing with God and our own hearts. Oh, how sweet is a spirit of devotion, a spirit of seriousness and divine solemnity, a spirit of gospel simplicity, love, tenderness! Oh, how desirable, and how profitable to the Christian life, is a spirit of holy watchfulness, and godly jealousy over ourselves; when we are afraid of nothing so much as that we shall offend the blessed God, whom we apprehend, to be a _father and a friend_; whom we love and long to please! Surely this is a temper, worthy of the highest ambition and closest pursuit of intelligent creatures. Oh, how vastly superior is the peace, and satisfaction derived from these divine frames, to that which we pursue in things impertinent and trifling! Our own bitter experience teaches us, that “in the midst of such laughter the heart is sorrowful,” and there is no true satisfaction but in God. But, alas! how shall we obtain and retain this sweet spirit of religion? Let us follow the apostle’s direction, Philippians ii. 12. and labour upon the encouragement he there mentions, for it is God only can afford us favour; and he will be _sought_, and it is fit we should wait upon him for so rich a mercy. Oh, may the God of all grace afford us the influences of his Spirit: and help us that we may from our hearts esteem it our greatest liberty and happiness, that “whether we live, we may live to the Lord, or whether we die, we may die to the Lord:” that in _life_ and _death_, we may be his!