Unchangeable life is a most glorious attribute. This shews unquestionable Divinity; 'living and true' are therefore joined together in the scripture accounts of the most high Jehovah. 'The Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King.'* 'The living and true God, † the true, because the living.' This just and exalted sentiment we have in another place. The blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality. It is this that makes him the only potentate, as well as the blessed, viz. his exclusive claim to immortality. Without immortality all is mock majesty; we give the titles of high and mighty and powerful to the princes of the earth, and with parade and solemnity proclaim them over their dust; but can there be a severer satire ? But to God belongs original, underived, incorruptible life, ‘he has life in himself,' § and is the spring of it to others and therefore very suitably addressed by a good man in this form, 'God of my life.' || The immortality of God makes him the worthy object of worship. Paul demanded worship to him from the heathen by this consideration; 'we preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God.' ¶ This attribute makes him worthy of our trust also-of our trust in the extremest dangers, and our obedience in the greatest sufferings-'therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living * Jeremiah x. 10. + Thessalonians i. 9. Psalm xlii. 8. John v 26. t Timothy vi. 15. 16. ¶ Acts xiv. 15. E + : God.'* How does death sink the value of human friendships! a man smiles upon me, and promises me fair; and the next news I hear of him is that he is dead his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that day his thoughts perish. † Hence the complaint of many a deserted creature. I had a friend once that would have stood by me in my present difficulties: I could ask his counsel, I could command his substance-but he is gone. God will leave us with no such complaints, fitly therefore is the living God contrasted with uncertain riches and the fading enjoyments of this world. 'the Lord liveth, and blessed be my roek and let the God of my salvation be exalted.' § The immortality of God is a sufficient security for the accomplishment of all his promises and hopes; while God is Eternal as well as faithful, no promise can be lost, death may intervene, and we pass away, but his promise shall stand from this eternity of God in conjunction with his truth, we believe there shall be a resurrection of the patriarch's dust, and the martyr's ashes; and the fulfilment of all their expectations who died in faith, Abel's righteousness, Enoch's godliness, Noah's pious fear, and Abraham's steadfast faith are all sure of recompense and we shall be made perfect with them. The long interval between death and resurrection shall pass under his eye and at the set time he has appointed, he shall remember us; and wise and holy men of all nations * I Timothy iv. 10. + Psalm cxlvi. 4. and ages from the beginning of the creation to the end of it, shall be instated in the possession of eternal life together, by that God, 'to whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,' his eternity swallowing up time and all the period by which we divide it. It is the remark of a great and noble writer, + 'That in a friend a man perpetuates himself, in that such a one will guard his children, his family and his affairs after him.' With how much more reason may this be said of our Immortal Friend; whose mercy is from generation to generation upon them that fear him; whose providence will brighten the character and endear the memory of the just man, and who can prosper and bless every valuable interest that we leave behind us in this world, as well as keep the immortal spirit we resign to him till the day of recompense. * II Peter iii. 8. Lord Bacon. CHAPTER VI. ADVANTAGES RESULTING FROM THIS REPRESENTATION OF A RELIGIOUS CHARACTER, VIZ.THAT IT IS MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD. RELIGION IS EXHIBITED IN THE MOST PLEASING ASPECT-AN INCOMPARABLE LUSTRE AND BEAUTY ARE CAST UPON PROVIDENCE. AFFLICTION IS MADE LIGHT AND EASY-THE NOTION OF DEATH IS IMPROVED, AND THE PROSPECT OF IT MADE FAMILIAR AND AMIABLE. I. RELIGION is exhibited in the most pleasing form it can possibly wear. A lovelier idea of religion could not have been devised: one would imagine it was so represented on purpose to engage and charm the world, and make all mankind its votaries. How good is God to put the whole of our devotional demeanour to him upon this footing! and instead of commanding us to submit to him as slaves, or obey him as subjects, to say, live in daily intercourse with me as Friends! your love and trust, your devotedness and subjection, your prayer and praise shall be called Friendship and not duty. How good is God on his part! and how delightful and eligible should all religious sentiments, habits and acts be on ours! Ye who fancy a harshness and bondage to belong to religious exercises, attend to this view of them. There are so many ways by which a good man expresses his friendship for the best of beings, and draws down his Friendship upon himself in return. Consider religion in this light and it is well worth while to leave the most important business-the most entertaining company, to mind it. A good man leaves company and friends, not to perform a hard task or to go into a disconsolate solitude; What does he go for? (says the gay sensualist, or the sordid worldling) for!-Why to enjoy the best of all friends and to engage for awhile in the best of all business. To delight himself in the contemplation of infinite perfection --to put himself under the guidance of Almighty Providence to divest his anxious heart of every care by casting all his cares upon God—to relieve himself under every oppressing evil by the exercises of resignation and patience—to make all prospects bright by the elevations of faith and hope-and to establish his own comfort by looking to God as his portion, and to heaven as his home. This is the true light in which to conceive of secret religion and of the Friend of God as employed in it—and is this gloomy? No wonder that such a man relishes retirement and welcomes the seasons of it, to him it is no act of self-denial, no kind of unwilling constraint, no interruption of beloved pleasures, to retire and converse with |