pray for spiritual showers. In a time of temporal drought, do we not pray for rain ?-and is the water that comes upon the earth more worthy to be prayed for, than the heavenly dew-the Holy Spirit's influences? Satan will tell us, there is no danger of perishing for want of rain: that if we hold the truth, there is no danger of decay. But what will the form of godliness do without the power? Satan is always crying," peace," by a dead profession and by a dead ministry. Let us, therefore, plead with God for reviving grace; and let us remember that the ordinances we have had to-day will not serve for to-morrow: we must have fresh supplies of the living Bread, or our souls will assuredly droop and wither.

While we pray for a spiritual revival, we should examine the causes of decay. What was the cause of Israel's fall before the men of Ai? A wedge of gold, and a Babylonish garment! Something may lie in the way of spiritual revival and deliverance. If, like Achan, we have secreted "the accursed thing," it must be searched out. Let us search the camp, and see if there is not something the matter. Say, with Job, "Show me wherefore thou contendest with me," why things go back with me. If I have not grace to pluck out a right eye, Lord, pluck it out for me. A man may be mixing up the world and religion together, as though one with a decayed constitution should expect to be recovered by taking, alternately, medicine and poison! We should be honest to ourselves, and willing to abide the means of cure: the medicine may be bitter, but our language should be, At any rate-whatever it costs -let me be restored.

While acknowledging our deadness, and seeking a revival, we should pray with expectation and lively hope, cherishing honorable thoughts of God, and be

"I

lieving that he will certainly fulfil his promise. will hear," says the Psalmist, "what God the Lord will say, for he will speak peace to his people and to his saints." See also what he says in Psalm lxviii. : "Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary."

The course of nature is the incessant administration of the Divine providence. So also in spiritual things, nothing but the influences of the Holy Ghost can revive, and restore, and give vigor to the principles of grace in the heart. Let us, then, seek these influences by believing, humble, persevering prayer. Oh, that we had faith to behold Christ standing with the keys of death and hell, ready not only to put a stop to the waterfloods of sin and wickedness, but also to "revive the heart of the contrite ones."

"That thy people may rejoice in thee." When the Christian prays to be revived, it is not in order that he may make a flaming profession of religion, and merely talk about its doctrines: no, it is that he may better serve and glorify God, who, in answer to his prayer, has revived him again. He seeks for joy, as a "fruit of the Spirit." He that says, religion is a dull and gloomy thing, is a stranger to it; for it is a scheme of unbounded joy and happiness. There is a defect in all other joy, in that it has an end: but the Christian's joy shall be heightening to all eternity.

HOLY JOY.

And ye now therefore have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.-JOHN xvi. 22.

[1806.]

A CHRISTIAN is the child of sorrow-the pupil of hope-and the heir of a heavenly kingdom. "These things," said Christ, "have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." It is possible to disturb a believer's quiet, when you cannot interrupt his peace and joy, which arise from the soul's resting on the favor of God through Jesus Christ. The love of Christ in the heart is a satisfying treasure. It was the glory of the primitive ages, that though the world could torment Christians, it could not rob them of their joy. A believer has a prospect opened into eternity. "Your joy no man taketh from you." I shall endeavor to set before you,

I. THE ORIGin and propeRTIES OF THIS JOY. II. THE POSSESSORS OF THIS JOY.

This Divine joy is

I. THE ORIGIN OF THIS JOY. planted in the soul by the Holy Spirit. It is therefore an inward and spiritual joy. It is deep rooted in the heart. It is solid and well founded: it is abiding and lasting it is a satisfying joy, and purifying in its effects. It is a joy that flourishes most in adversity : it is a communicative joy. A man has not tasted what religion is, if he does not seek to impart this joy to others. It is the joy of communion with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a humble joy, but it causes a man to triumph in Christ. Though this joy may be interrupted, yet the source and matter of it remain unchanged. Just as in nature, clouds may some

times, for many days, interrupt the rays of the sun, but the order of creation continues the same. The sun still remains; and, when the clouds disperse, it will again appear in its splendor, and diffuse cheerfulness all around. So it is with the joy of a Christian. "In the world," says our Saviour, "ye shall have tribulation." You will be weary; your hearts may be often distressed; but "these things have I spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace." I have finished transgression, and made an end of sin. I have opened the prison doors to let the captive go free. "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." The Christian finds a cordial in every sorrow, from the covenant of grace, and from the comfort which Christ ever affords his believing people. It is the privilege of the true believer to retire from the trials and temptations of the world to the peace of Christ. He has always a warrant to do so. He is a legatee of Christ's bequest, "My peace I give unto you:" "My peace," i. e., that peace I possess myself. I give the warrant, the grant; and I work it by my Spirit. Is there anything except what the Gospel offers that will sustain in every distress to which mankind is liable? Matt. vii. 24-27.

The joy of the world differs entirely from the Christian's joy. It is turbulent, fastidious, licentious, intemperate, and evanescent. It leaves a man poor and wretched. The voluptuary is the most miserable creature upon the earth. The plan of the worldling is momentary: misfortune and death put an end to his joy, and it is well if death is not anticipated by suicide. But when Christ affords us any grace or gift, it is both a present good and an earnest of future. Let us inquire,

II. WHO ARE THE POSSESSORS OF CHRISTIAN JOY.

One of the greatest mistakes a minister can com

mit is to address his congregation indiscriminately, as though all its members were partakers of this joy. Shall it not be ill with the wicked? Their joy, vain as it is while it lasts, shall soon expire. "The lamp of the wicked shall be put out." Prov. xiii. 9. The Gospel, indeed, as being a message of invitation, is sent to all men as sinners; and a congregation may be collectively addressed under that general character. But for a minister to address his hearers as though they were all spiritual persons, when he knows the fact to be far otherwise, is to frustrate the design of the Gospel, and to delude men to their eternal ruin. The most useful part of a discourse is the application. But how is it possible to apply the subject to the conscience, unless the different characters of men are faithfully delineated, and the real believer carefully discriminated from all the classes of merely nominal Christians?

The Christian's joy is the joy of a sinner's deliverance. The man who opposes the truths of the Gospel has no more right to it than one who opposes a conqueror has to be benefited by his successes. It is they only whose hearts are towards God who are warranted to rejoice. "Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord." Psalm cv. 3. It is not here said, Let the heart of them rejoice who have found him: nor is the privilege limited to such as have full assurance. The man who sincerely and honestly seeks the Lord in his appointed way, has ground for this joy. Mark v. 28.

No man can have this joy who is not engrafted into Christ the true Vine. The fruit of this union is "love, joy, peace." "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his." God's remedy is his sending his Son and his Spirit. In any Church where the doctrines of the Gospel have become perverted, and the Spirit's teaching is despised, the only Saviour will be rejected,