Have I not remembered Thee in my bed, and thought upon Thee when I was waking? Because Thou hast been my helper, therefore under the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.'

f

It were far beyond my feeble tongue to tell of that joy which the lowly, humble, and pure heart of the Christian, led by the spirit of God, feels in the glad communings which it is his happy lot to hold with his Maker, or to set before you the awful joy of a Christian's prayer. Enough for me to tell you, that this is his lot, this is his high privilege, his joy in which the stranger intermeddleth not. Enough to say that this turning of the heart to God, turns it away from worldly things, and thus gives it peace. Enough to say, that God thus manifests Himself to the Christian, whose heart is directed towards Him, by giving him that peace and fulfilment of the anxious longings of the soul after good, which the unchristian temper seeks in the world and in worldly things, walking in a vain shadow, and disquieting itself in vain. Enough for me to say, that in that lifting up of the hands, and hearts, and thoughts, in prayer, the Christian finds all that he needs and desires for his comfort and support. He carries to the throne of God his wants, his woes, and every fond wish of his heart for all whom he loves, and whom he desires, fruitlessly desires in his own strength, to benefit and to bless.

Having thus surrendered himself, and his, up wholly to God, he gets from his chosen and beloved Master, all that he requires for his earthly pilgrimage. He gains, in a word, the power of throwing off self,

the sense of not being his own, but God's, of not being in his own care, but God's, of not thinking his own thoughts, but God's, of not seeking his own glory, but glorifying God with his body and spirit, which are God's. He gets the blessed assurance that his gracious Father will never desert him in the hour when sin besets, when temptation lures, when difficulty assails; that in the great things which concern his peace, he shall not be left to the uncertain directions of his own judgment1.?

But though here there is enough to satisfy, and though we have now that which can alone satisfy, the anxious cravings of the immortal spirit, yet still we serve a bountiful Master who is never weary of well-doing to them that love Him. His Spirit sustains, His care meets us at every hour of our lives, at every place of our sojourning, in every part and portion of the universe which He has created. He has so made that universe that when the heart of man is satisfied with him, it can turn to other things, and reap from every part of creation an endless store of blessing and innocent pleasure. It can turn to the humble growth of mother Earth, her tears and mirth, her humblest mirth and tears,

Then comes a pure source of enjoyment, another way in which God manifests Himself to the heart that loves Him. The whole frame of the universe', said an ancient Philosopher, is full of the goodness of God.' 'He made all nature beauty to the eye and music to

1 South.

2 Wordsworth.

6

the ear.' But when the heart is waxed gross with sin,' then the eye is dim that it cannot see the beauty, and the ear heavy that it cannot hear the music. There is darkness and sorrow in the land, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof'. The feast indeed is spread, and the King sends forth and call us, even us the maimed and the halt and the blind, to that rich board. But the guests want the wedding garment. Nature unfolds the treasures of her infinite book of secrecy' before us in vain, till the euphrasy and rue of love have touch'd the visual nerve,' till we have drawn from the well of life the drops that will • 'pierce even to the inmost seat of mental light,' take off the veil from our hearts, make them able to embrace all the bright things in earth and air,' make us conscious of One not seen before, but ever near, yea! alive to the presence of the Omnipresent. Our iniquities no more separate between us and Him, but we see the glory of the Lord and the excelling of our God. Then indeed blessed are our eyes, for they can see, and our ears for they can hear. Then we see the plenteousness of His goodness in the stores of joy which he has provided on every side for the heart that can feel, and of beauty for the eye that can discern it.

Science has told us that in the world of sense there are sounds which by some ears cannot be heard, and far more true is this in the world of Spirit. The dull cold ear of sin cannot hear the strain of joy and thanksgiving, not loud but deep and full and everlasting, which the world sends up to Him that made it. It can admit

1 Isaiah v. 30.

2 Milton.

only the cry of suffering, and evil, and would fain believe that even now the whole Creation groaneth and travaileth together in pain.' But when it is cleansed and freed from all the bars that closed its avenues, then the low sweet tones of Nature's music fall not upon it any longer in vain. Yea! then not only is there music to the ear and beauty to the eye that seeks for it, but in the bounty of God to them that love him, he shall find who seeks not, and to them that do not ask, large measure'1 of the joy and love and beauty which God hath spread with open and prodigal hands over the universe 'shall be dealt.' So that the loving heart of the Christian shall adore and worship when he knows it not, pious beyond the intention of his thought, devout above the meaning of his will1.'

Nor is it only in the sight of outward Nature, that the lowly Christian hearts shall feel God manifesting Himself to them. In every part and portion of their existence, and in every thing within the range of the mind and heart, they shall feel that a Father's eye is on them, and that His hand is dealing forth joy to them. When the heart of Science is thus kindled, how joyful are her studies, how manifold, how endless! How pure, how calm, the pleasures of art addressing themselves now to a chastened, reformed and exalted sense of beauty! How enticing the converse of man! How precious the wisdom of age! How cheerful the sallies of youth! How blessed and holy the endearments of affection, and of friendship2.

I Wordsworth.

2 I might perhaps have pointed out here that sin seeks support in Society, and from enticing others to Sin. Godliness suffices itself. It has no fear of singularity or shame (South in Rom. i. 32.)

But let us next consider the great promises which are made to the Christian as to his mind, its opening, and its growth. He who knows what is in man, must know best how to take care for these great things. That he desires to take care for them, and to make all wise as well as holy, who dares to doubt, when he beholds what gifts He hath given to all, 'Reason, and with that reason, smiles and tears, imagination, freedom in the will, conscience to guide and check, and death to be foretasted, immortality presumed?.? Yea! in these great gifts, the rich and the poor meet together. The Lord is the Maker of them all. They have the same powers, the same hopes and the same fears to guide them; the same grave to receive them. What can dissolve this brotherhood, or make us believe that God seeks to bestow on one class any enduring or important gifts which may not belong to all? No! he hath desired of a surety to take care in every case for the well being and the well doing of that soul which is to live for ever, for its going on in all its parts and powers to their fulness and ripeness. All things for it and its good that we ask in prayer believing, he hath promised to grant; which promise He for His part, will most surely keep and perform.

But how, say the worldly wise, how does He keep it to the hewer of wood and the drawer of water? And they make answer to themselves, that knowledge is power, and that without it no good can come to man.

1 On this part read Taylor's Via Intelligentiæ, and his Apples of Sodom. Pt. ii. § 1. Coleridge's Aids to Ref. p. 183. (1st. ed.) Mede's Disc. L. 2 Wordsworth.