Page:True religion a source of happiness.pdf/7

7 God in heart and life. This will appear from the different things connected with it, such as uprightness, righteousness, judgment, equity, every good path, Prov. ii. 7, 9. liberality, patience under affliction, &c. ch. iii. 9, 11. 12. so that it includes in it both the principles and practices of sobriety, righteousness, and godliness, Tit. ii. 12. When the Psalmist says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," he adds, "a good understanding have all they that do his commandments," Psalm. cxi. 10. This is true wisdom, and every thing short of it, or opposed to it is folly, vanity, and vexation of spirit.

II. It is affirmed of this Wisdom, that "her ways are ways of pleasantness; and all her paths are peace." It is of the utmost consequence to be thoroughly convinced of this The love of happiness is deeply implanted in our nature by God himself, and nothing can effectually attach us to the ways of wisdom, but a strong conviction that our own true happiness is connected with walking in them. Many will admit that the ways of true religion ultimately land in happiness; but then they imagine that all the way thither is a most cheerless, melancholy, and unpleasant path. The fact is, they do not relish religion itself; their minds are not formed for its enjoyments;