Page:True religion a source of happiness.pdf/3

3 ebullition of the animal spirits, producing a mere transient bluster, and then vanishing into emptiness. No; the happiness of a Christian is a serious thing. It consists in

What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy ;

The soul's calm sun-shine, and the heart-felt joy.

To be convinced, however, that the men of the world are carried away with a popular error, when they imagine true religion to be a gloomy thing, they need only to read the Bible with an unprejudiced mind, and to give credit to its sacred dictates. They would then presently find that it is replete with encouragements, exhortations, and persuasions to the children of God to abound in the delightful exercise of praise, and gratitude and joy. Hence it is that we read such passages as the following "Rejoice evermore—and in every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."—" Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice."—" I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness; as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."—" With