who made him, and which must have their origin in the heart, that being the nobleft part, and the spring of all human actions. And if it be farther inquired what these regards are, it is easy to fee. that they must be determined by the fpiritual and perfect nature of that Being, who is the great object of religion; and by the particular capacities and circumstances of those, who are the subjects of it. God is a spirit, poffeffed of every poffible perfection, and the constant source of all the good which creatures enjoy. Religion therefore must be a spiritual thing, confifting in the contemplation of God, a due reverence for him, an intire confidence in him, a fupreme love of him, and a cordial fubjection of mind to his whole will. This must be the nature of it, with regard to all intelligent creatures, whatever be the rank they hold in the scale of Beings, and whatever the capacities they are endowed with. This is the religion both of angels and of men. But then it is evident, fince man is in a fallen state, that his religion must differ, and that in fome very important points of it, from the religion of pure and innocent creatures. He must be recovered, at least in fome degree, from the blindness, stupidity and misery in which fin

hath

hath plunged him, before he can exercise thofe fpiritual affections towards God which were just mentioned. His heart must be formed into a fubjection to that wife and gracious scheme, which heaven hath appointed for the redemption and falvation of finners; which fubjection will express itself by an ingenuous forrow for fin, and a humble confidence in the divine mercy. fince it is by degrees the good man grows

And

up from his first implantation in the church of Christ, to the likeness of the blessed God, he must to this end, pafs through various exercises of mind, to all which both the difpenfations of providence, and the means of grace do, under a divine influence, very happily and largely contribute; till at length religion thus begun on earth is confummated in eternal glory above.

From this general view then of religion let us now proceed to a more particular confideration of the animated description given us of it in the text.

I. It is the kingdom of God; a kingdom which he hath erected in the hearts of men. And,

II. It confifts not in word, but in power. It is not a mere imagination or empty found, but a substantial and important reality.

I. It is the kingdom of God, a state, polity or dominion which he hath fet up in the foul of man. So that I am here naturallyled to speak of the fovereign of this king-: dom, the subjects of it, the statutes and laws by which it is governed, the ftrength order and beauty of it, the privileges and immunities with which it is endowed, and in one word, its stability and duration.

1. Of this kingdom God is the fovereign. He hath laid the foundations of it, and he therefore of right prefides over it, commanding a ready obedience to his will, taking effectual care of its real interests, and administring all its affairs with infinite wisdom and goodness. To him religion, in all the various and different expreffions of it, pays its humble and dutiful homage, By him only its facred dictates are to be guided, and to him alone it is accountable for all matters both of faith and practice. Nor is there any one holy and devout affection of the mind but rifes into existence, and grows and increases there, through that authority which he holds over the human heart. An authority the more pleafing to a good man, as he fees it exercised by the just and mild administration of the Lord Jefus Chrift. For God hath not only fet him king over his

holy hill of Zion, his church in general; but hath appointed him the throne in the heart of every believer in particular. And then,

2. As the heart is the place where he hath erected his throne, fo the powers of it, the understanding, will and affections, are the proper fubjects over which he sways his scepter. These, while men remain strangers to religion, are in a state of anarchy and confufion, like a people who have no head to govern them, and are torn to pieces with civil difcords and contentions among themselves. They are alienated from God their only lawful fovereign, and at continual war with one another. But when the empire of religion is reftored to the soul, all the various powers and paffions of it flock in to the standard which is fet up there, and joyfully fubmit to its authority. The understanding, before overpowered with ignorance, doubt and scepticifm, is captivated to the obedience of faith. The conscience, once blind and ftupid, is ftruck with the excellence and importance of divine things. The will, ere this fully bent on vanity and fin, is strongly inclined to holiness and goodness. And the affections, which were wretchedly bewildered in a fruitless pursuit of happiness among the creatures of fenfe, are now united under the

banner

banner of enlightened reason, and directed to God as their chief good. Nor need we,

3. Be at any lofs to determine what are the means or inftruments, by which the foul of man, thus reftored to the dominion of its rightful fovereign, is ruled and governed. Whilft it remained in its former state, it had no other law to which it chose to submit, but its own depraved inclinations. Reason and confcience might indeed fometimes interpofe their authority; but alas! their dictates, like the remonftrances of good old Eli to his children, were weak and feeble, and scarcely ever heard and obeyed. But now, these antient vicegerents of heaven refume their original power, and at once affifted by the fuperior light of divine revelation, and invested with the mighty energy of divine grace, command obedience to their precepts. By the facred fcriptures the man of religion would have his opinions, affections and conduct directed, governed and tried. To this the ftatute-law of God he brings his heart and his life, daily comparing himfelf with it, and judging himself by it. For these the venerable records of heaven, fully satisfied of their authority, he maintains a facred reverence: and from a genuine principle of true loyalty to his fovereign, he

labours