DISC. «for days, and for years," while they answer

V.

all those purposes, according to his ordi-
nance, do, at the fame time, cheer and de-
light us, by their splendid appearance. The
bloffoms of the spring, which serve to pro-
tect the infant fruit; the glories of fummer,
which mature and bring it to perfection;
and the riches with which autumn over-
spreads the face of a country, contribute as
much to the fatisfaction of the beholder, as
they do to the husbandman's advantage.
The fame genial power which brings food
out of the earth for the nourishment of the
animals that walk upon it, arrays it in a co-
lour the most agreeable and refreshing to the
eye of man. And let any one, who walks
forth, at the
feafon of the year, to
contemplate the creation in its beauty; who
beholds the brightness of the fun, the clear-
ness of the sky, the verdure of the earth,
well watered paftures clothed with flocks,
valleys covered over with corn, and woods
refounding with the mufic of birds; let fuch
an one determine (to ufe the words of an
elegant and pious writer upon the subject)
"whether Providence defigned, this world
" should

proper

"should be filled with murmurs and repin- DISC.

b

ings, or that the heart of man should be in"volved in gloom and melancholy "." Certainly the Pfalmift was of another opinion, whose description of the pleasing objects, with which nature abounds, may supply their abfence, and make them prefent to our minds: -"He fendeth the springs into the valleys, "which run among the hills. They give "drink to every beast of the field; the "wild affes quench their thirst. By them "fhall the fowls of heaven have their habi❝tation, and fing among the branches. He "watereth the hills from his chambers; the "earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy "works. He caufeth the grafs to grow for "the cattle, and herb for the service of "man, that he may bring forth food out of "the earth; and wine that maketh glad the "heart of man, and oil to make his face "to fhine, and bread which ftrengtheneth "man's heart." A furvey of creation drove away all fadness from the heart of David, and filled it with admiration, joy and glad

V.

V.

66

DISC. nefs. “O Lord," fays he, "how manifold are thy works! In wisdom haft thou "made them all; the earth is full of thy "riches! I will fing unto the Lord, as

66

long as I live; I will fing praise unto my "God, while I have my being. My medi"tation of him fhall be fweet; I will be "glad in the Lord." A refolution, so just and well founded, fuggefteth to us a

Fourth argument on the behalf of a cheerful difpofition of mind, as it is a duty we owe to our Maker, who hath placed us in a world thus ftocked with objects, capable of inspiring complacency and delight. For it was, doubtlefs, his intention, that, by contemplating the beauties and glories of the creation, we might be led to make fuitable returns of gratitude and thankfulnefs to the Creator. But gloom and melancholy will never fuffer emotions like these to arise in a mind, of which they have taken poffeffion. Such a temper, therefore, when it is become a fixed and fettled one, appears not only to be to the last degree in

convenient

convenient and tormenting, but to have a DISC. manifeft tincture of impiety. To receive

the gifts of Heaven with a four aspect and a fullen filence, what is it but to throw them back, with disdain, to the bountiful Donor, declaring, that we will have none of them? It is the rebellious obftinacy of a wayward child, against the gracious offers of the most indulgent of fathers. Whereas a cheerful ftate of mind (to use the words of the excellent writer before cited) is "a conftant "habitual gratitude to the great Author of "nature; an implicit praise and thanksgiving "to Providence under all it's difpenfations; " a kind of acquiefcence in the state where" in we are placed, and a fecret approbation "of the divine will in it's conduct towards "man. The cheerfulness of heart which fprings up in us from the furvey of na"ture's works, is an admirable preparation "for gratitude. The mind has gone a great

66

way towards praise and thanksgiving, that "is filled with such a fecret gladness. A ́

66

grateful reflection on the fupreme Cause "who produces it, fanctifies it in the foul,

" and

V.

DISC. " and gives it it's proper value; confecrates

V.

66 every field and wood, and turns an ordi

66

nary walk into a morning or evening fa"crifice"."

Such are the obligations to cultivate a cheerful difpofition, which affect us as men, wifhing to poffefs a found mind in a healthful body; to taste the beauties and excellencies of the world in which we are placed; and to make a due return of gratitude and thankfulness to God who placed us in it. Let us now confider the additional motives afforded us, as Chriftians, by the religion we profefs.

The nature of that religion is fufficiently expreffed by the term so often used to denote it. It is a communication of good news, which should be received, in this cafe, as in all others, with a joy proportionable to it's importance; and as it is of the highest importance, fhould be therefore productive of the greatest joy. The patriarchs and

• SPECTATOR.

prophets,