you. For whatsoever we ask according to his will, he heareth us; and if there is one thing more according to his will than another, or more explicitly declared to be according to it, what can it be but this?-that we be "followers of God as dear children," in all his imitable perfections; and, therefore, especially that we "love one another as Christ also hath loved us."

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SERMON VI.

SPIRITUAL JOY.

ACTS viii. 8.

"And there was great joy in that city."

Joy is the delight of the mind in the possession or assured prospect of some good. In itself, therefore, it is right or wrong, wise or foolish, useful or hurtful, and is likely to prove fleeting or permanent, according to the nature of its object. There is a glorying which is not good, a joy which is no better than madness, a mirth of which the end is heaviness; and, "as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so," says Solomon, "is the laughter of a fool."* For mankind are oftentimes so blind and ignorant as to rejoice in things on account of which it were fitter far to weep; so perverse as to glory in their very shame; so mistaken in their estimates and apprehensions, as to exult in the possession of things

* Eccles. vii. 6.

which all perish in the using. And thus their minds being fully occupied with vanities, they turn their backs upon the better and enduring substance; and the pains which should have been bestowed in laying up treasures in heaven, are thrown away in labouring for the wind. Now, "behold I show unto you a more excellent way.'

Speaking of Samaria, the text tells us that there was great joy in that city. And from the words which precede the text, we learn whence the joy originated; namely, from the faithful publication of the Gospel by the evangelist Philip, and from the believing reception given to it by

those who heard him.

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Philip went down to Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing, and seeing the miracles which he did. And there was great joy in that city." I shall proceed to speak,

I. First, of the Gospel preached, which was the root of all this joy.

II. Secondly, of the reception given to the Gospel by those Samaritans.

III. Thirdly, of the joy itself which, by such right reception of the Gospel, did accrue to them. And,

I. First. Of the Gospel preached, which was the root of so much joy to those who heard it.

"Philip went down to Samaria, and preached Christ unto them." Precisely what he said, we are not told. His sermons are not upon record, but only, in one word, the subject matter of them. This, however, is no hinderance to us. His preaching, of course, was in accordance with the Scriptures. And the same divine revelation is in our hands, from which his whole doctrine was deduced. Hence we may be certain, in the first place, that he would not leave his hearers uninstructed respecting their natural condition as children of God's wrath. He must show them their need of Christ, if he would have them accept him as their Saviour. Therefore, he would not fail to urge it upon them, that all the world were guilty before God. And he would remind them also of the multitude of their personal transgressions; would faithfully point out the heavy aggravations of them; and show them how the wrath of God was revealed from heaven against them. He would let them know, too, that it could not be a pure fountain which had sent forth nothing but polluted waters; that a new heart was wanted, and that it must be the gift of God; that of themselves they could never cease to do evil, or learn to do well; or offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness, or atone for, or undo, the past. That they must cast themselves, therefore, simply upon God's mercy, and

seek to him, both to be "justified freely by his grace, "* and to be capacitated for an acceptable obedience.

And then he would bid them "behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." He would certify them that "his name was called Jesus, because he should save his people from their sins." He would He would explain the method of that salvation, and the nature of the benefit which it involves; what they must do themselves to inherit the benefit, and what would be the eternal consequences, respectively, of rejecting or receiving "Him whom God hadsent." Whereas "the wages of sin is death," and all had sinned-Christ, he would show them, by the grace of God, had tasted death for every man; "had been wounded for their transgressions," and "suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring them to God." And whereas into heaven no unclean thing can enter, and they all were unclean, the same Christ, he would show them also, had, after his resurrection and ascension, procured for them the Holy Ghost to renew them in the whole spirit of their minds, to convince them of the excellency of the Gospel, and to guide them into all truth and godliness. And, lest they should doubt whether or no God had laid help upon One that