[...] its Thoughts and Inclinati­ons upon an Object, then it exceeds the Bounds of Rea­son, becomes an irregular Passion, and falls into Ex­treams. If it be long in­dulg'd, it contracts a Habit in us; and will with great Difficulty be remov'd, and reduc'd to the Obedience of Reason.

From hence we may ga­ther the true Notions of the chief of all our Passions, Joy and Grief; with the Excess and Irregularities of them. For they are always Innocent when they are mo­dcrated, and are only blame­able in their Excess. For [Page 4] the same reason that per­mits us to tast and enjoy with Pleasure a Good that we desire, does not forbid us sorrowing for the loss of it; Provided we neither disorder our Reason, nor transgress the Bounds of Re­ligion.

I call these the Chief of our Passions, because all the Pleasure or Pain which we find in the Soul upon any account whatsoever, may be reduc'd to one of these. Whether I Love or Hate, Hope or Fear, Envy or Ad­mire, it produces in me ei­ther some inward Satisfacti­on or Uneasiness, and con­sequently, [Page 5] I can't avoid in some measure either Re­joycing or Sorrowing at it.

Grief in General, is an Un­easiness of the Mind, arising from the Sense of a Good lost, or a present Evil. The Seat of this passion is in the Soul; for Reflection and Thought (upon the Evil that we suf­fer) which are the chief Action, if not Essence of the Soul, give Life and Being to it. And here again we may distinguish the true Notion of this Passion from the Vices of it. For to grieve at a present Evil, which is really such, so as to avoid it for the future, is Commend­able [Page 6] and Praise-Worthy; but to Grieve at any thing which my Opinion only makes to be Evil, which is not really so in itself, car­ries the Nature of a great Imperfection, if not of a Sin along with it. As for In­stance, If I have done any thing, either through Igno­rance or against my Know­ledge, which my Conscience accuses me of, it is my Du­ty to be Sincerely griev'd at the Remembrance of it, and endeavour by all means possible, to avoid incurring the same Guilt for the fu­ture. But if the Occasion of my Grief be something that [Page 7] was without my self, as the loss of Honours, Riches, or the like, which are not in mine own Power, but at the Disposal and Appointment of Providence, then to Grieve is to exceed the Reason and Nature of it; Because as the Enjoyment of them was never design'd to make us entirely Happy, so neither can the Loss of them make us really Miserable.

But in this case also, Grief may be so far allowable, as it respects the Causes of my Misfortunes. If my Extra­vagance and Prodigality have been the causes of my Poverty, it is then my Duty [Page 8] to be griev'd at the thoughts of those ill Actions which have brought that upon me. But I must then be very cautious, lest I should think any thing disrespectfully of Providence; and take care that my Sorrow be chiefly for my Sin, and not for the Poverty of my Condition. In short, then is my Grief true and sincere, when it proceeds from the Sence of my Guilt, and not from that of my Sufferings; When the Cause of my Unhappi­ness, not the Unhappiness it self, is the Object of it.

I would not be thought to say, That we ought to [Page 9] abandon all our Passions as to External Objects, so as to use all with the same In­difference: For we can't help being delighted with Some more than Others: but only, that we should not discover so great a Concern for any of them, as to suffer our Happiness or Misery to depend upon the Enjoyment or Loss of them. And here­in that Notion of Vertue's consisting between two Ex­treams, may be applied to the Passions. For as they ought not to shew too great fondness of Sensible Objects, so neither ought they to use them with Contempt. A [Page 10] moderation towards all out­ward Enjoyments is very necessary to our Happiness. If we are always careful, not to be Excessive in our Plea­sure and Delights, we shall never be dejected with our Misfortune. For he that keeps not his Passions within Bounds on the one Hand, will upon any Disappoint­ment, fall into Extreams on the Other.

I speak now of Passions only as they are conversant about Objects of Sence. For when they are fix'd on Di­vine Objects, they can't pro­perly be said, to run into Excess; for 'twould be very [Page 11] absurd to say, we could love GOD too much. And al­though there are some mis­taken ways and modes of Worship which carry Men into Superstition, yet it is not the height of Love or Affection that is the Cause of it. For Passion is no lon­ger true and regular than it is guided by Reason and Revelation.

But not with standing all the Nice speculative Noti­ons that we conceive of the Passions; yet the Best of Men have been overtaken by Irregular Motions: ei­ther carried away by a sud­den Transport of Joy, or [Page 12] dejected with the Surprize of an unexpected Calamity. Though this can't properly be said to be the Nature of the Passions, but only the Imperfection of our present State, because as they are acts of the Mind, and have their chief Power from thence, so they can have no separate Interest from it, nor be real­ly delighted with the Ob­jects of Sense, which can bring no true Satisfaction to the Mind: yet so long as we are confin'd to this Mortal State, and the Soul acts con­junctly with the Body, it can never acquire such an Absolute Authority over it, [Page 13] as not to comply, and share with it, in some of its De­lights, and Calamities.

But although we can't free our selves from the Ob­jects of Sense; yet however we ought by all means to endeavour, to be as little subject to them as possible, and to raise our Passions a­bove the reach of their Tem­ptations. For as the Causes of Passions are generally from without, so Nature has fortified us with suffici­ent Power within, to resist the strongest Assault they can make upon us.

And here again we may observe that the true Use [Page 14] and Nature of this Passion of Grief, as of all the rest consists in its Obedience to the Dictates and Prescrip­tion of Reason; considered either in its Natural Light, or assisted by the advantage of Revelation. The first can convince us of our Errors, but can't reform them; the other not only discovers to us the Disorders and Imper­fections of our Natural State, but gives us Power and Strength to rectify them.

But besides, that we may not be deceiv'd in Judging of our Passions, whether they are agreeable to Reason or not, it will be necessary to [Page 15] consider whether they are fix'd upon their due Object. We must not look so much upon the Passions that we find in Good Men, as the cau­ses of them. Anger, Sorrow, and Fear may proceed from just Occasions, and may be designed to very great Ends. To be angry with a Sinner, so as to correct and reform him; To grieve with those in Misery and Affliction, out of a Design to relieve and comfort them; and to be afraid for those in dan­ger, so as to hinder them from perishing; are all so far from being Crimes, that they deserve to be number'd [Page 16] amongst the chiefest of Ver­tues.

In the next place, we must consider whether our Passi­ons are proportionable to the Object, and whether we do not esteem things more or less than they deserve, whether we do not pursue things indifferent, with grea­ter Ardency and Affection than we do those which are of greatest Concern and Im­portance to us. By these Me­thods we may judge of the Conformity of our Passions to the true Nature and De­signs of them. And we may hence also observe what Progress we make in Ver­tue [Page 17] and Religion, by con­sidering, of what Value and Esteem they are to us, and whether They, or the things of Sense have the First or chief place in our Affections.

Nature has disposed the Parts of Man in a due Sub­ordination to each Other, & has subjected the Inferior, as the Sensitive Appetite, to the superior Faculty of the Ʋn­derstanding. And if this Har­mony is not justly observed, the Whole becomes disor­dered.

Thus when our Passions of Joy or Grief are carried away by outward Objects, and rely only upon the Judg­ment [Page 18] of Sense, without con­sulting the Precepts of Rea­son, then is that Correspon­dence of the Faculties dissolv­ed, & that Ʋnion which ought to be between them wholly destroyed. Hence arises that Notion of dividing the Passi­ons into Sensitive and Ra­tional. This depends upon Reason, the other refuses its Conduct, and denies its Au­thority.

Though our Passions are so far Regular, as they are governed by Reasons yet herein also they may be dis­orderly, unless we take care to inform our Reason aright. Prejudice may have got the [Page 19] Ascendant over our Reason: or else some wild extrava­gant Notions may have ob­scur'd it, or led it Captive by an appearance of Truth. And therefore we have a Rule to measure Reason by, that it may not be disorder'd in it self, or give occasion to the Inferior Faculties to run into Confusion. And to this End, (as I before intimated) Providence has took care of us, and revealed to us the Will and Councel of Heaven it self, to discover to us the difference of those things which ought to be the Ob­jects of our Passions, from those of our Indifference, [Page 20] which we should not be much concerned for.

But to return. This Passion of Grief depends in some, upon the Constitution, Frame, or Habit of their Bodies. And as these are disposed, so is their Passion more or less strong and violent, and the first Object it meets with, produces some Alteration or Motion in them. They are generally hurried on to the Aversion of an Object, with­out any Thought or Delibe­ration, and are often disturb­ed at Shadows and Trifles. These are very Unhappy who are almost ever disquie­ted; and therefore want [Page 21] the greatest Attention and Observance tomanage them­selves rightly, and have as much need of outward, as inward Medicines to be ap­plied to them.

Some are more apt to be passionate than Others, and what will not move One, is perhaps the cause of Misery to another. Some, again, are more Thoughtful than O­thers, and upon such Persons, unless their Thoughts are fixt upon higher Objects that divert them, Sorrow commonly falls more heavy, and is more difficultly re­mov'd. Their Spirits are ge­nerally low, and consequent­ly [Page 22] more easily opprest, and where they have once fix'd their thoughts, they become Obstinate and almost Im­moveable. For their Mind by long custome is reduc'd almost to the same habit with their Body, and till this be cur'd, and brought to the right use of the Senses, it will be difficult to reduce the Mind to its power of Reason.

But of all the different kinds of Grief, that is strong­est, and most violent, which flatters it self with Reason to defend it. For where the Mind thinks it may with Honour and Vertue engage [Page 23] its Affections to an Object, as is apparent in Friendship, it is apt to conclude that it may by the same reason la­ment the Loss of that which so happily cemented it: and that it can't be too immode­rate in lamenting its being depriv'd of that Happiness, which Vertue and Religion so much approved of.

From this mistake it is that a great many People indulge themselves in Sor­row, who have in all other Misfortunes of Life, Reason and Religion enough to sup­port them. But how ground­less this Opinion is, may ap­pear, by considering, that [Page 24] there are several Objects, which we may highly e­steem and admire, while they are in our Possession, which we ought patiently and submissively to resign, when Providence thinks it convenient, to require them of us. For even Life it self, which ought to be most Dear to us, is to be no longer the subject of our Desires, than Providence orders the Continuance and Preserva­tion of it. And if any End or Service of Religion com­mands our Resignment of it, we ought to do it with the same Readiness, that GOD Commands the Duty.

[Page 25]But although the Joys of the Mind are confessedly greater than those of the Body, yet while they are thus united, they must always partake together in the En­joyment of an Object that's Dear to them, because their Joy can never be compleat or satisfying, unless they both agree in the same In­clinations, (as is apparent in a great many sensual De­lights, which are attended with stings and gripes of Conscience, because the In­ward Dictates of Reason and Religion contradict them, and whisper to us their unlawfulness) so nei­ther [Page 26] can they separate their common Sorrow, for the loss of that which was an equal Satisfaction to Both. And hereupon it is, that Joy and Sorrow are sometimes so very Affecting, that there are several who have fainted and sunk away under Both. They are no better able to bear a sudden Surprize of Joy, than they can moderate their Passions under an un­lookt for Calamity; Both o­ver-power their Spirits, and they prove too weak to bear up against them.

All which seem to concur in the Convincing us, that the Soul is capable of Great­er [Page 27] Joy and Sorrow, than the Body is able to bear, since this often faints away, with an Excess of either: and may also be of use to de­monstrate to us, that our Souls were designed for ano­ther State besides this, since the Body, in that Frame e­specially which it now is, cannot come up to that Per­fection, which the Soul is endued with.

Thus have I shown what Grief is, and wherein it con­sists. I shall now search into the different Causes that produce it in the Minds of Men. And then I shall en­deavour to offer some Preser­vatives [Page 28] and Helps against it, whereby we may be able to regulate it, prevent the Ex­cesses of it, and confine it within the limits of Reason and Religion. If we take these for our Guides in all our Actions, we shall be pa­tient and content in all Con­ditions; we shall neither ground our Hopes, or Fears, Joys or Sorrows on Uncer­tainties, but shall at last find to our unspeakable Satisfa­ctions, that they will both conspire together, in Lead­ing us to the same End, the Perfection of our Nature, and the full and entire Possession of all Happiness.

[Page 29]But here it may be Objected, that there are so many Mise­ries of Life, such frequent and unthought of Dangers and Calamities, which are con­tinually thronging in upon us, and which make this State uneasy and uncomfor­table to us, that it would be a Vain Attempt to think of Obtaining an absolute Con­quest over them, and pre­venting their being an Im­pediment to us in our Way to Happiness.

To this it may be an­swer'd, That'tis our Weak­ness and Cowardice in resist­ing, that makes these Ene­mies so formidable to us. A [Page 30] vigorous Opposition would soon make them appear less Terrible The greatest Dan­ger and Difficulty is in the first Encounter; If we can withstand that Couragiously, the Event must necessarily prove successful to us. For all the Forces that these E­nemies have, are purely ow­ing to our own Opinion, and as that changes, so will those disappear. The Victory de­pends upon our own Will and Pleasure, and if we have Resolution enough to Con­quer, we shall never want Force and Strength to do it. And certainly, that Happi­ness which this Victory will [Page 31] make us Masters of, ought to engage us in the pursuit after it, notwithstanding all the Dangers that may threa­ten us in the way to it. Me­thinks a Comfortable and Con­tented Life, such as every Reflection upon may create new Pleasure and Delight in us; and at last a peaceable, serene, and chearful Death, with a joyful Prospect of a­nother Life, is a Happi­ness that ought to be pur­chas'd at any Rate; though at the first there may appear some Difficulties to encoun­ter, Miseries to undergo, and Evils to suffer, before we can arrive at the Possession of it.

[Page 32]But besides it may be Ob­jected, that there are some that never feel Miseries, and have no Disappointmeents to grieve at: and therefore Grief is not so General as we Imagine; or at least, the only Preservative against it is, to follow the Examples of these Men who are never sensible of it.

To this, I can only say; That this Treatise was not designed for such. For it would be a vain Endeavour to go about to perswade the Senceless, Stupid, and Un­thinking, that there is such a thing as Sorrow. These know no Happiness beyond [Page 33] themselves, their Thoughts are few, and confin'd to a very narrow Compass. They have no Joy or Sorrow, but what some sudden, and un­design'd change of Counte­nance draws from them, and this perhaps without their own Knowledge or Obser­vation. To such as these it would be in vain to talk of Reason, unless we could first make them understand what it is to-be Men. But if any One shall still urge, that these are Happy; I can only answer, that Happiness would be a very mean En­joyment, if we should not be sensible of it. For I think [Page 34] a rational Being can partake of no real Happiness, but what by just and unpreju­dic'd Reason it finds to be so. I suppose I may therefore pass on to shew the Causes of Grief, and seek out wiser Methods for securing our selves against it, than these Men take up with.

THe shortness of Man's Life in General, as well as the Deaths of those, who are most Dear to us, is become the subject of our daily Complaint. And yet was Man to live here for e­ver, and be liable to the same Calamities, Troubles and Vexations which even the Best of Men now labour un­der, [Page 36] we should esteem it the Greatest of Miseries. Every day brings some disquiet a­long with it, and if we are so happy as to get rid of that, we yet find still more Trou­bles that oppress us, and a new succession of Grievances to complain of.

Every little Disappoint­ment disturbs us, and we can scarce get one minute of Ease, before innumerable un­thought of Calamities come thronging in upon us. We can promise our selves Secu­rity in nothing that we En­joy, nor Certainty in any thing that we hope for. When we imagine we are [Page 37] surrounded with nothing but the Comforts and Plea­sures of Life, a little Enlarg­ment of Thought discovers to us, that our Joys are not without a great mixture of Uneasiness. We find our selves encompassed with Dangers and Disturbances, which we must always be a­fraid of, obnoxious to Infir­mities, which we can neither prevent, nor redress, subject to Wants which we cannot supply, and liable to Fears which we are unable to pro­vide against.

Jealousies, Cares, and Anxieties, are the necessary Companions of all that we [Page 38] can here call our own. Whilst we promise our selves an Age of Happiness in the fruition of something that is Dear to us, the Fears that we find in our selves left we should be deprived of it, will be often interrupting our Delights, and so far prevail upon our Thoughts, as to sink our Spirits and pall even our sweetest Pleasures in the very Enjoyment.

Had we nothing but the satisfaction this Life can give us, to depend upon, every thing in it would soon become nauseous to us. The more we tast of it, the more we disco­ver how insufficient it is for [Page 39] Our Happiness; and how vain we are in our Hopes and Desires, of a great many things, which are not in our power to obtain, and yet if we should obtain them, they are not able to satisfy us. We are always complaining of Want, yet know not what it is that will content us. We are uneasy in such a Condition, and therefore ex­tend our Wishes to some­thing else, which when Pos­sess'd, we find we still want something more to desire, and that we have not found an End, but only a Change of our Miseries.

We are soon surfeited [Page 40] with our own Happiness, and what was one moment the Object of our Admiration, is the next that of our Con­tempt. We are always long­ing for a Change, and our best Delights so quickly cloy us, that we are uneasy till they are relieved with a new Scene of Pleasures; yet when we have enjoy'd these, we are still as uneasy as be­fore, and turn our Thoughts and Wishes upon something else, which in the end proves as little satisfactory as the former. Thus our Life is only an eager pursuit after something New; As though our whole Happiness consist­ed [Page 41] in nothing else but Varie­ty and Novelty.

This is the State and Con­dition of Man's Life in Ge­neral, always desiring some­thing that he wants, or en­deavouring to ease himself of something that's trouble­some to him. Both these are the Causes of his Sorrow, and will always be disquiet­ing him, while he courts an Imaginary Happiness, which slips away, when he thinks he has the fastest hold of it.

These ought to be the sub­ject of our daily Considerati­ons. For if we take care to inform our selves aright, of the Miseries and Troubles [Page 42] we ought to expect, we shall be able to prevent the dismal Effects of them: we shall keep our Reason firm and unshaken by all their Force and Violence; and though they may hinder us from being perfectly Happy, yet they can never makes us Mi­serable.

If we consider Man thro' the different Stages and Pas­sages of Life, we shall find that his Expectations of true Happiness, and Satisfaction here Below are only vain and unreasonable. Dangers and Difficulties, Troubles and Disappointments, are so near­ly interwoven with our Na­ture, [Page 43] more than any other art of the Creation, that a arrow search into our Con­stitution, would almost make us acknowledge, that Man alone was design'd to Suffer and be made miserable. As it were, on purpose to shew us, that the right exercise of Reason, was design'd for higher and nobler Ends, than to be employ'd on the Ob­jects of Sense: and that the Imperfections of our Natu­ral State, would make us de­sire and seek after One more perfect: would make us ac­knowledge, that our depend­ance is wholly upon Him, who alone can give us that [Page 44] Happiness, which we here in vain seek to find: and how great a Folly and Madness it is, to set our Minds upon Trifles, especially to the neg­lect of the most serious, and necessary Duties of our Lives, and the most impor­tant End of our Being. And as Nature has supplied all o­ther Beings with what is ne­cessary for their Security and Preservation, and has provi­ded them means for their own Support, almost as soon as Born, whereby they seem not to have so much need of a Deity: so is Man taught by those Natural Defects he comes into the World with, [Page 45] and by those continual wants which he is not able to sup­ply, to acknowledge himself more peculiarly the Care of Providence, and beg its assist­ance and support under all the Miseries and Afflictions of Life.

Let us suppose Man just come into the World; we shall find him neither Master of himself, nor any thing be­sides: Helpless, and destitute of means for his own Preser­vation; a Slave to the Mise­ries and Inconveniences of Life Tears, Weakness, and Infirmities continually atten­ding on him, defective in the use both of Body and [Page 46] Reason. Yet 'tis an Age that in this is more Happy and Perfect than any other part of Man's Life, that it hath neither Sense to perceive, nor Reason to reflect on its mise­rable Condition.

After Infancy and Child­hood, follows Youth, hurried on by violent Heats, and un­ruly Passions: without ei­ther Judgment to discern what is Praise worthy, or Prudence to guide its Acti­ons, or correct its Follies. Towards Superiors Tull. de Con­solat. Proud and Contem­ptuous, Fierce and Savage to­wards its Equals, and towards its Inferiors, Insolent and Ar­rogant. [Page 47] Despising whatsoe­ver is Laudable and Vertu­ous, and eagerly pursuing Vanities and false Pleasures. Easily drawn aside by Lust and Envy, without making the least Opposition against them. Seldom hearkning to the Commands of Vertue or Reason, and wholly impati­ent of Reproof and Instructi­on. In a word, Man is then Inconsiderate, Light and In­constant in all his Actions, always following the Bent of his present Inclinations: without either sense of Duty, Friendship or Gratitude. As careless of his own, as of o­thers Reputation. Ever cove­ting [Page 48] what he admires in O­thers, and yet Extravagant and Profuse of what he has himself. Prodigal of what he enjoys at present, careless and Improvident of what may happen for the future. From all which, at length proceed innumerable Troubles, Con­tumelies and Contentions. Infamy and Obloquy fall upon him from without: and serious Reflections upon his past Follies raise as great Disturbances within.

These are the Evils and Mischiefs which these un­thinking Years are most lia­ble to; and though there are some, who have early im­bib'd [Page 49] the Principles of Ver­tue and Generosity, and whom and Happy Education hath prevented from falling into those Ill Habits and vicious Courses, which Others have enslaved themselves to; yet can't we therefore conclude that Youth is less obnoxi­ous to those Evils and In­conveniencies, since there are but very few who have so far Conquer'd the Vio­lence of their Passions, as not to be captivated by their Irregular motions. And those too who are most secure are not exempted from infinite Dangers▪ and Misfortunes. Envy, Malice, [Page 50] and Detraction threaten and assault them from abroad; and their own Passions of Love, Fear, Grief, or the like, will notwithstanding all their care and caution, so far get the Ascendant over their Reason, as often to disturb if not wholly oppress them. Love is a Passion so strongly rooted in our Na­ture, and especially apt to be most violent in our Youth, that whatsoever we make the Object of it, we can't forego the Loss of it, with­out great Dissatisfaction, Reluctancy, and Uneasy­ness.

[Page 51]Nor do our Miseries leave us with our Youth, as Age encreases, so our Troubles too. And when we are grown up, our longer Ex­perience of Life only leads us to a wider Prospect, and a more severe tryal of the most dangerous Evils and Mischiefs that attend it. Hurry, and Business, pub­lick and private Cares are continually distracting us: and Reason which should now more especially be the guide and measure of our Thoughts and Actions▪ seems to have the least share in them. We suffer our Thoughts to soar high, and [Page 52] are strongly bent upon De­sires, beyond our Reach, and out of our Power to obtain; neither considering the Fol­ly of our Wishes, nor the Pain and Uneasiness, that our violent and restless De­sires necessarily bring upon us. We admire every thing at a distance, but when we have a nearer View of it, it falls short of our Expecta­tions, and the Enjoyment of it proves unsatisfactory.

Avarice and Ambition are Vices all of us in some mea­sure are corrupted with, and though we can't but be sen­sible of the Fears, Cares, and Troubles; the Envy, [Page 53] Hatred and Malice, they un­avoidably expose us to, yet still we are as eager in the pursuit of our Designs, as though we expected a Real Happiness from them. How miserable, says Seneca, as well as short is their Life, that compass with great Labour, what they possess with greater, and hold with Anxiety, what they acquire with Trouble. Our aims are at being Great, and all our Arts and Me­thods are directed to that One end, which at the best, is a State of Life the most slippery and uncertain of all others. For the higher we rise, we still make no ad­dition [Page 54] to our Happiness, un­less it be by directing us to the Search after it; I mean, by discovering to us the Weakness and Imperfection of our Nature, the Extrava­gance of its Desires, the Un­certainty of its Enjoyments, and the Impossibility of finding a solid or lasting Sa­tisfaction in them. And by teaching us that the most Perfect, and Real Happiness of this Life, depends upon the certain Hopes and Ex­pectations of a Better.

But above all, our State is never more dangerous and deplorable, than when we delude our selves, and [Page 55] cover our Vices, under the plausible Pretences of Ver­tue. And make use of our Affections to the flattering and betraying our Under­standing and Will. We use all means possible to heap up Wealth, out of a pretence of doing good to Others, and sacrifice the Ease and Quiet of our Life, to some cold Designs of Charity, which we can never put in Execution, while our desires of Riches encrease, which seldom end but with our Lives. We imagine that Greatness is the only thing Honour'd and Reverenc'd in the World, and that Ri­ches [Page 56] alone are the Causes of it, that those who are Mean in the World can have no Reputation, but are buried in Obscurity. That Poverty is Infamous, and despised by all, and that it is a Punish­ment inflicted upon the worst and most undeserv­ing part of Mankind. Thus we flatter our selves to our own Ruine, and blind our Reason to gratify our Passi­ons. I don't say but a Good Man may have interest in the Prosperities and Blessings of this Life, and use them with Innocence. Since 'tis not the Things themselves but the Abuse of them, that [Page 57] is Unlawful. A Good Man. says Seneca, does not contemn Temporal Blessings, so as to drive them away, but if they come they are welcome, if not he'll never break his Heart for the want of them. He takes them into his House, not into his Soul, and makes use of them, only as a Matter for his Vertue to work upon. There is no doubt, but he may shew him­self better in Riches than in Poverty, that is to say his Temperance, his Liberality, his Magnificence, Providence and Prudence will be then more Conspicuous.

Riches are indeed in some measure subservient [Page 58] to a Man's Well-being in this World; yet as the En­joyment of them, can't make us Happy, because un­certain and insecure, so nei­ther can the Want of them make those Unhappy, how­ever they may appear to O­thers, whose Disires and Ambition never soar'd after them, but who contained themselves within those Li­mits which Providence had set them. That a moderate desire of the Necessaries and Comforts of Life is not only Lawful but Commendable, I do suppose it universally granted, but then we must take care that we make [Page 59] them only as Instruments and helps to Happiness, but not Happiness it self: and that they be as Companions to us, but not Guides in our way to Happiness. There is this difference in Riches, that they are the Servants of Good Men, whereas they are the Masters of the Bad, and of those who set their Minds upon them. From the One, says Seneca, if they depart they carry away nothing but themselves, but from the Other, they take away the very Heart and Peace of the Pos­sessor along with them. It is true that if I might have my Choice, I would have [Page 60] Health and Strength, and yet if I come to be visited with Pain or Sickness, I will en­deavour to improve them to my Advantage by making a Righteous Judgement of them; as I ought to do of all the Appointments of Providence. So that as they are not Good in themselves, neither are they Evil; but matter of Exercise for our Virtues; of Temperance, on the One hand, and of Re­signation, on the Other.

Those who make Riches their utmost care and con­cern, find Disappointments in that kind very insupport­able to them. For whatso­ever [Page 61] Opinion a Man has of Happiness, and whatever he places it in, if he chance to fall short of it, whilst he continues in that Opinion, he must unavoidably be Mi­serable. And therefore those who extend their Hopes and Desires to things out of their own Power, and fix their Happiness upon them, can­not possibly avoid being so, because they must frequent­ly miss of their Desires, may be always disappointed in their Hopes, and be often overtaken by their Fears: Thus the Ambitious and Covetous, flatter themselves with Hopes, which they [Page 62] can never attain to; their Desires encrease with their Honours and Riches, and after all, Dissatisfaction and Discontent prove to be the chief of their Enjoyment.

All the Happiness that this World can promise, is only to be purchas'd with a great deal of Pains and La­bour, is possest with conti­nual Cares and Fears, and ends in Troubles and Vexa­tion of Spirit. Even the Voluptuous Libertines who make Pleasure their only Happiness, find a great mix­ture of Uneasiness and Dis­content always attending on it; either things do not [Page 63] fall out according to their Wish, or else the Enjoyment cannot satisfy them; they either grow weary of it, or it ends before they would have it; all which is matter of Dissatisfaction to them.

But besides all this, that Anguish of Mind, that Hor­rour and Remorse of Consci­ence, which the Thoughts upon our mis-spent time, bring upon us, imbitters all our Pleasures, and makes Life it self only a Burthen to us. A Reflection upon our past time, though it has been spent never so plea­santly, though every minute of it has been entertained [Page 64] with the most delightful Gratifications of the Senses, if at last the Mind be dissa­tisfied, will be so far from giving us any Pleasure or. Contentment, that it will only serve to enhaunce our Misery. and though we had formerly perswaded our selves to a Compliance with the Modes and Hu­mours of the Age, in some unlawful Practices, that we might not be thought Mo­rose and Uncivil, yet those false Pretences will then appear very insufficient to support us under the Ter­rors and Apprehensions of a troubled Mind.

[Page 65]I should now come to consider the Miseries and Infirmities of Old Age. But these are so manifestly Great, so universally Ac­knowledg'd, and fall so com­monly under every One's Observation, that a Descrip­tion of them, would be only superfluous and unnecessa­ry. If to be Infirm, Feeble, and Helpless, to be always in Wants, and yet unable to administer to their own Ne­cessities, if to labour under a continual Conflux of Di­stempers, without any pro­spect of Cure, if to be al­ways in Pain, without any hopes of Remedy, is to be [Page 66] Unhappy, then certainly these Men above all Others, must be confest to be so. Yet they have this Advan­tage, above any other part of Man's Life to comfort themselves with, that being Free and at Liberty, from the noise and hurry of Busi­ness, and no way distracted with the tumultuous and troublesome Cares of Life, their Minds are more at lei­sure to enjoy themselves with the happy Contempla­tions of their Future State. The Pleasures of the Body, are no longer a Snare to them, and like Men depriv'd of Sight, who have their [Page 67] Understanding more strong and vigorous, by abstract­ing it from the Objects of Sense, their Souls are no longer in Danger, of being drawn away to the Gratifi­cation of the Sensual Appe­tite. They have a clear­er, and more perspicuous Knowledge of Things, and their long Experience of the World, has taught them to prize every thing according to its Just Estimate. There is no Age, says Seneca, better adapted to Vertue, than that, which comes by many Experi­ences, and Long-sufferings to the knowledge of it, for our Lusts are then weak, and our [Page 68] Judgment strong, and Wis­dom is the Effect of Time.

They have learnt that to know themselves is the best Philosophy, that an Intimate Acquaintance with their own Souls, is the truest Happiness: and as they have a nearer View of another Life, so are they more ravisht with the Pro­spect of it, and their Hopes and Expectations grow more lively and affecting.

It must be confest that where these Supports of a good Conscience are want­ing, there Men are more Miserable in this Age, than in all others; for in other [Page 69] parts of man's Life, the Fear of Punishment is not so pre­valent, because it seems at a greater distance, and there­fore does not so much di­sturb and torment the mind in its Sensual Enjoyment, with the thoughts of it; but here the Soul is in con­tinual Anguish, the Body shaking and tottering, ready every minute to crumble into Dust, the Soul amazed stands upon a dreadful Pre­cipice, fearing the next mo­ment to sink into the Bot­tomless Hell. Now every Reflection that a Bad man makes is only a new Addi­tion to his misery, and every [Page 70] serious Thought, is only a fresh Torment to him. All the Outward Pleasures, which he promised himself Support from, begin to fail him, and he has no Comfort within to flee to. If he looks backward, he can find no­thing that can give him Sa­tisfaction, and if forward, nothing but Despair. All that he can expect is either to be for ever miserable, or to become nothing. The Fear of the One perswades him to hope for the Other: not that he can convince himself by reason to believe it, but only that he has Reason enough to wish it [Page 71] might be so. For a Prospect of Misery will put a Man upon a thousand Shifts and Evasions whereby to escape it, and he is apt to take up with the least shadow or appearance of Reason, if he can thereby obtain any In­terval of Ease. For the Ex­tremity of Fear, as of all other Passions, puts the Soul into such Disorder and Con­fusion, that it endeavours by all means to be releas'd from the Torments of it; and if it can procure one minute of Ease, it takes not time to consider the Rea­sonableness of the means and measures that obtain'd

[Page 72]But let us suppose a Man had some Rational grounds to believe, that hereafter he should not Be; yet that Be­lief could be no real Satis­faction to him; For if he placed his Pleasures in the things of Sense, and the En­joyments of them, and if every Reflection upon them was pleasing to him, it must necessarily follow, that the Thoughts and Fears of be­ing depriv'd of them must be very uneasy to him. For 'tis natural for us to Grieve at the loss of what we love, or if we are separated from what we Admire. But if a Man takes no satisfaction [Page 73] in the things of Life, and is grown weary of them, the Hopes of Annihilation can be no great Pleasure to him, because they are Out-balan­ced by the Miseries of Life. For if they were not, he would endeavour to live long in the Enjoyment of a Hope and Expectation, which after Death he can no longer be sensible of.

It is certainly more De­sirable not to be at all, than to be for ever Miserable; but 'tis Rational also to ground my Belief of what shall be hereafter, upon the most solid and certain Rea­sons, to consider which is [Page 74] most likely to be true, and which side its most danger­ous to Err on, and to take care, lest Passion, Prejudice or Interest, should mislead or deceive me with a na­ked Appearance instead of Truth.

As the Thoughts upon what is past and to come, are the Causes of Misery to the Bad; so do they bring great Pleasure and Satisfa­ction to the Good. Their Expectation of Happiness to come bears them up un­der all Afflictions here, and a Reflection on their former Life, gives them a full assu­rance, that their Expecta­tion [Page 75] is firm and certain. Tho they have Imperfections to grieve at, and many Trou­bles to encounter with, yet they are fully perswaded, that their Imperfect State here, will be advanced to a full Completion of Happi­ness hereafter.

Had a good Man nothing to expect beyond the Grave, his Condition would be cer­tainly most Miserable. Not but that there are more Plea­sures, and more lasting Sa­tisfactions in the Practice of Vertue, than that of Vice: yet as they are greater, so the Thoughts of being for ever deprived of them, [Page 76] would be more insupporta­ble. The Imperfect State that we are now in, shews that our Nature desires something more compleat. And as a Good Man, who gives himself more Liberty in the free Exercise of his Reason, and conversing with the Nature of Things, finds, that Vertue consider­ing the unavoidable Imper­fections, Hindrances, and Infirmities that Life is en­snared with, can never be here compleatly perfect, and consequently not its own Reward, so should he be con­vinced, that he should be frustrated of those Desires [Page 77] he finds in his Soul to Im­mortality, the Remainder of his Life would be uncom­fortable, and the Pleasures of Vertue altogether unsa­tisfactory. Had I no other Reasons to convince me, that I shall Exist hereafter (as I think I have innume­rable) yet that very Antipa­thy which I find in my self to become Nothing, seems to me a convincing Argu­ment, and gives me suffici­ent Assurance, that I shall never fall into it.

But I shall pass on from this Digression to consider some other Causes of Grief, which every Age of Man [Page 78] that can make use of its Faculty of Reason, is par­ticularly concerned in. And which the more Think­ing part of Mankind, have always acknowledged as such. And these are the loss of a Man's Reputation, or the loss of Friends. These of all other Afflictions (ex­cept that of a wounded Conscience) fall most heavy upon us, and make the deep­est Impressions upon our Minds.

Every Man has a Natu­ral Love for himself, and a Desire to be spoken well of by Others. A good Name, and a fair Reputation not [Page 79] only make a Man's Life pleasant in the World, but are also so far necessary to our Converse here, that whoever seems careless or prodigal of them, justly for­feits his Pretensions either to Honour or Humanity. When a Man has once lost his Credit, he is no longer fit for Society, he is shun'd and avoided by all, as tho' his very Company was In­fectious. Hence it is that those who are not ashamed to do an Ill Action, are yet unwilling it should be made Publick, lest it should blast their Reputation, which they are generally more [Page 80] concerned for, than the vici­ousness of the Action. For though they inwardly hate the Practice of Vertue, yet they are asham'd the World should be made acquainted with it.

That Good Men may fall under ill Reports is too evi­dent, and the World has had too frequent Experiences of the truth of it; which is more to be lamented than wonder'd at, since there is so much envy and malice amongst Men. Ill Nature will always be finding Faults, and where there are none, will take an opportu­nity to make them; and [Page 81] 'tis hard if there are not those who are Ill-natur'd enough to believe them. But though the slanders and reproaches of the Envious and Malicious, can never make a Good man misera­ble, yet'tis certain they are a great abatement to his Happiness. As if Provi­dence had permitted them on purpose, to shew us how insecure and slippery our best Foundations are here, as also to teach us Humility, lest we should be too much in love with Life, and set too high a Value upon our Selves, and our present En­joyments.

[Page 82]I come now to consider another great Cause of our Misery and Sorrow, the Loss of Friends. This of all Others falls heavy upon us, and is so much the greater, because for ever Irrecovera­ble. All other Losses, as of Health, Reputation, Ho­nours, Riches, or the like, may either by Prudence or Diligence, be in some mea­sure repair'd, but this alone can never more be restor'd to us. This is that Separa­tion, which makes this State so uneasy and burdensome to us, because it deprives us of the truest Satisfaction, and Relish of Life. Nature [Page 83] has made us Sociable Crea­tures, and all our Study and Endeavours, are designed to qualify us for that End. And this we are above all things delighted with, be­cause most agreeable to us.

But thought our Love of Society is natural to us, yet the choice of our Particular Company, is an Act of Pru­dence; For Friendship is not to be number'd amongst the Goods of Chance and Fortune, but amongst those of Vertue. This is the most charming of all our De­lights, and which we are most fond of, and for whose Sake, we are willing to un­dergo [Page 84] all the other Troubles and Miseries of Life. The Enjoyment of this great Bless­ing, says Seneca, sweetens all our Cares; dispels our Sor­rows, counsels us in all Ex­tremities, and is a sovereign Antidote against all the Ca­lamities of Life. It gives Comfort to bear us up in all Adversities, and supplies us with Joy and Happiness, in the midst of the greatest Afflictions; and so long as we can preserve the Enjoy­ment of it, whatever else may befall us, we are sure never to be Miserable.

But not with standing the great Benefit and Advan­tage [Page 85] of this Blessing to Man­kind, yet it has this Imper­fection in it, that it is un­certain; there is no security against the Loss of it. 'Tis this we in vain lament, and continually Grieve at, tho' we know our Grief can give us no Remedy. Friendship is so much the Interest of mankind, that not to be sen­sible of the Loss of it, is ei­ther to be more or less than Men. There are but few that are so much raised a­bove the Sense of this Cala­mity, as not to be affected with it. For it is one of the greatest Tryals of our Na­ture, and has need of the [Page 86] utmost Efforts of Vertue, patiently to undergo it. Notwithstanding all our care and caution, our strong­est and most vigorous Re­solutions prove too weak to withstand it. And we find it an easier matter at a di­stance to reason about it, than to act Prudently when we come to the Tryal. And though we frequently ima­gine, we make vigorous Preparations against it, yet when it falls upon us, it com­monly finds us Defenseless and Unarm'd. We can ne­ver so far conquer our Love of Happiness here, as to be separated from the Dearest [Page 87] part of it, without any Con­cern or Reluctancy. Nature so far prevails in us, notwith­standing the severest Dict­ates of the most exalted Reason, that as it can't pos­sess its Enjoyments without a great deal of Satisfaction, so neither can it bear the Losses of them, without the greatest Regret, and the most passionate Expressions of Sorrow. And if it falls not into Excess, I suppose there is none so much a Stoick as to condemn it.

But the Loss of Friends is still more affecting, when we had almost promised our selves a lasting Enjoyment [Page 88] of them: when the Health and Vigour of a Constituti­on, joyn'd with a sweet and obliging Temper, an affable and courteous Behaviour, a concern and tenderness for the Good of Others, an ear­nest study and endeavour to promote the Publick Hap­piness and Tranquillity of Mankind, mixt with the most endearing Charms of Conversation, gave us large Hopes of such a Happiness, as might withstand all the Designs of Malice and Envy, and overcome, if possible, all the Uncertainties of Chance and Fortune. Such a Loss, does certainly deserve our [Page 89] greatest Sense of it, chal­lenges the utmost Bounds of true Sorrow; and if any thing can, may excuse, at least in some measure pal­liate the Excess of it. But although even this may ne­ver justify such immoderate Grief, which abstracts the Mind, as well from the Du­ties of Humanity, as those of Religion, yet it may serve to Convince us, how Vain a thing it is to put our Trust and Confidence in Man, whose Days are few and uncertain, and therefore to he but little accounted of.

Thus we see every Part, and Condition of Life, leads [Page 90] us only to a new Scene of Miseries. Our first Entrance into Life is miserable; and the longer Experience we have of the World, the more Calamities we have still to complain of. We begin with Tears and Sorrows, and can never get secure of them, till Death comes at last and pays the Ransom for us. There is no space of time that we enjoy, with so much Freedom and Satisfaction as to pronounce our selves tru­ly Happy. We have always something or other either to fear or hope for. We desire what we have not, and are afraid, lest what we are [Page 91] possest of, should be snatcht away from us.

Though we know, that true or false Notions of Things, and the regulating of our Desires, and all our other Passions, are in a great measure in our own Power, yet we often deceive our selves, and suffer our Irre­gular Appetites, to draw us aside against the clearest Convictions of Reason. There are few of us, that can be perswaded to forego an Enjoyment, which we find no present Trouble or Inconvenience from, though at the same time we are convinc'd that'tis a Crime [Page 92] in us to indulge it, and that hereafter we shall be re­warded with a severe Pu­nishment, suitable to our Demerit.

If Nature has subjected us to many Troubles and Vexations, we instead of re­dressing them, add innume­rable Others to them. We live inconsiderately, and as we are thoughtless of the lesser Misfortunes and mise­ries of Life, so are we un­provided for the Greater, whereby it happens that they overwhelm us, and we frequently sink under the weight of them.

[Page 93]There are several other Causes of our Grief and Disturbance, which every Day's Experience gives us fresh Instances of, but I have not time to take notice of them. These which I have mentioned, as I think they are the most Notorious, so they may serve to convince us in general of the Necessi­ty of looking higher for Help and Support under them. And may also be of use to inform us, what a poor indigent Creature Man is, and how much he wants of finding Happiness, while he expects it from himself, or the Things of this Life. [Page 94] Was Happiness to be ob­tain'd here, certainly after all the Searches that have been made after it, some One or other would possibly have found it: But at last, all ends in this, Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity. What Profit hath a Man of all his Labour, which he taketh under the Sun. Verily Man walk­eth in a vain Shadow and dis­quieteth himself in vain.

But though these Afflicti­ons which I have mention­ed be common to All, yet are they terrible to None, but such as depend upon this Life for their Happi­ness. Hence it will appear [Page 95] that our false Opinions of Things, and not the Things themselves, are the Real Causes of our Misfortunes. Nothing is uncertain and unconstant to him that is prepar'd against it; Nor does any thing come unex­pected to him that is pro­vided for it. He that is set­led and unconcerned at the smiles or frowns of Fortune, can never meet with Disap­pointments. For he that makes use of those Assist­ances, which the Great Au­thor of Nature has provided us with, whereby to miti­gate, if not wholly to subdue the force of Afflictions, can [Page 96] never be wholly overcome by them. Though Man, as (Tully observes)Tull. Fragmen. De Rep. comes into the World with a Body naked, Frail, and Infirm, with a Mind subject to Cares and Troubles, dejected by Fears, impatient of Labour, and prone to Lust; yet there is a Divine Flame of Wit and Ʋnderstanding, which lies as it were Obscure, and overwhelm'd, which with due Care and Diligence may be so improv'd as to fortify us against Troubles, to prevent our Fears, and subdue our ir­regular Appetites and rebel­lious Passions. Had we no Misfortunes to graple with, [Page 97] no Lusts or Passions to con­quer, we should have so little use of the Exercise of Vertue and Reason, that they would hardly have so much as a Name amongst us. But how far and by what methods, we may both prevent our Miseries and remedy our Griefs, will be now my Business to con­sider.

FReedom from Pain or Trouble is a Happiness we all aim at, but are most of us mistaken in our Search after it. We are apt to be-so much concerned for what is present, as to neglect make­ing Provision for Futurity Could we give our selves time to consider the extent and reason of Things, we [Page 99] should find little cause to be excessive in our Enjoyments, or cast down with our Mis­fortunes, to be elevated with our Hopes or distracted by our Fears.

Nature that has endued us with Passions, has also provided us with suffici­ent Power to Regulate them. And though there are so many different Ob­jects which are apt to hurry us away, and biass our In­clinations, yet we have a Judgment given us to distin­guish between the Good and the Bad, to fix in our Minds true notions of Things, and apply them to those proper [Page 100] Uses to which they were design'd.

Man is a Compound of Body and Mind, which have each a different Interest to manage, and accordingly as either prevails, so the whole Bent of our Passions and In­clinations turns: were we either all Sense or all Rea­son, we should have nothing to mislead us, but should go on, in a direct Tendency to whatsoever was most suita­ble to our Nature. The one would want Judgment, to know or value any Pleasure above that of Sense; and the other could not conform it self to any Enjoyments [Page 101] below those of the Mind, and the clear Knowledge of its own Perfections. This is most like the Life of An­gels, who have only Spiri­tual Conversation to be de­lighted with; the Other, that of Brutes, who can ne­ver raise themselves beyond the Apprehensions of their Sensitive Nature. Which of these we ought to follow, either the Dictates of Sense or Reason, I should think, had we no Prejudices that obscure our Understandings, would be no difficult matter to decide. If a far nobler Being deserves the Prefer­ence to a more Abject [Page 102] and Ignoble, then must also, the essential Difference of them be placed in the same Degree of Superiority. But we are generally too much engag'd in the things of Sense, to be at leisure to pass a true Judgment upon them, and thereupon are in­clin'd to believe that their Enjoyments are Real, and agreeable to the Dictates of Reason.

And thus we deceive our selves, till some cross Acci­dents or Misfortunes, some Bodily Torment or Indis­position, gives us another notion of Things, and ren­ders all those Pleasures nau­seous [Page 103] and distastful to us, which we before thought the only true Happiness of Life.

And this I think it is, which discovers to us a suffi­cient difference beween Good and Evil; that the Pleasure and Satisfaction a­rising from the one, is dura­ble and certain, not to be changed by the inconstancy of Fortune, or impairments of Health and Constitution; whereas the other can be no longer Enjoy'd, or so much as reflected upon with Comfort, then the Body and the sensible Appetite is qua­lify'd and rightly disposed▪ [Page 104] Was there no real Distincti­on between what we call Vertue and Vice, in the foun­dation of Things, why should the Reflection upon the One, when we can no longersatisfy our selves with the Delights of it, cause such Remorse, Terror, and Di­straction within us, and the Other entertain us with such infinite Pleasure, what­soever State of Life we hap­pen to fall into. Were all Actions the same, and de­riv'd their Nature only from the Opinions of Men, why did it never happen that some Person or other should have repented of a Good [Page 105] Action as well as of a Bad one? For the Reason would be the same, since some Men's Opinions only of Good and Evil, could never produce such violent Effects in the Minds of Others, e­specially of those who Pro­sess to believe the Con­trary.

But to come nearer: 'tis Afflictions alone which dis­cover to us, the Essential difference, between the Im­pressions of Fancy, and those of Reason. These set things before us in their true Light, and dispel those mists from our Eyes, which long Preju­dice and Unthoughtfulness, [Page 106] had unhappily rais'd before them. It is by this means we come to know and con­fess, that the Pleasures of Sense can only satisfy the Sense, and that the Mind hath no share in them. For if it had, instead of being dis­satisfied, it would please and divert the Body with the thoughts of them, and when the Body is disabled, it would relieve it with a grateful Remembrance of its past Enjoyments.

We find in our selves Rea­son to thank GOD for the Afflictions as well as the Comforts of Life: when by these we are apt to forget [Page 107] our selves, and the Relation we bear to another Life, and to fancy our selves already as Happy as Heaven it self can make us, and unexpected Affliction deprives us of our Imaginary Happiness, and instead of that, reduces us to the use of Reason, makes us know our selves, and con­sider the End and Design of our Being. The more we are opprest with the Cala­mities and Troubles of this Life the more we are taught to prize and seek after the serene and undisturbed Joys of another.

For if we look into the Soul, and observe the springs [Page 108] of its Motions, we shall find, that Afflictions are general­ly the first occasion of Mens conquering their Inclina­tions, of ennobling their Minds, of raising them to a due contempt of the Enjoy­ments of Sense, and of keep­ing Humane Nature, with all its Desires, within the bounds of Reason and Ver­tue.

We are generally apt to think Afflictions the greatest Misery that could happen to us. Yet did we consider the Uses we ought to make of them, and apply our selves to that End, we should at last find cause to acknow­ledge [Page 109] the Goodness of Pro­vidence therein to us. And though they fall sometimes very severe upon us, yet thereby we may be taught to live more Considerately, and better provide ourselves against them, for the time to come. Did we leave all our Concerns to Providence, and were contented to sub­mit our selves to all its Dis­pensations, we should find few Afflictions threatning us, but which we might easily overcome. But we are so very fond of our present Ease, that we are unwilling to be at any trouble in pro­viding against a future Evil: [Page 110] And are generally so care­less, that we never regard a Misery that's coming upon us, till 'tis too late to apply a Remedy. We are willing to be Happy, but yet would be at no Pains and Trouble, whereby to make our selves so.

We seldom think of Af­flictions till we are opprest by them, and then we are not able to resist the Weight of them. If this be our case, when unprovided against the Calamities of this Life, it well deserves our utmost Care and Diligence, since we can't prevent them; to try by what means we may make [Page 111] them most easy and useful to us, that in the End, we may grow both wiser and better by them.

In order therefore to the Remedying our Griefs, and the supporting our selves under all Afflictions, it will be necessary for us in the first place to consider the Nature of those things which we generally make the Causes of our Sorrow. In the next place, to fix in our Minds true Notions of Religion. And lastly it will be our Du­ty to consider; what Dan­gers we expose our selves to, if we indulge our Sorrow, and take no care to correct [Page 112] the Abuses of it. If we try these Expedients, we shall never be wanting in our Duty either to GOD or our selves; but shall make our Lives Comfortable and Pleasant as well as Religious.

First of all then, for the fixing in our Minds the true Notions and Nature of those things which we have a Concern for, whereby to guide our selves by the Rules of Wisdom and Prudence, and to keep our Judgments steady and in­flexible, so as not to be drawn aside by the Violence of our corrupt Affections, it will be necessary to consider whe­ther they are Certain, Du­rable [Page 113] and Constant, or of a perishing Nature, and short Continuance; what Rela­tion it is that they bear to us, whether they are such as we can call our Own, or at the disposal of Others, and such as we may at any time be deprived of. As also, what is the Use and End of them. Whether they were given us to be our only Hap­piness, or lent us upon Con­ditions, to see what Im­provements we could make of them. And then it will be our wisest way to value or esteem them according­ly; and set that price upon them, which we find the [Page 114] Nature of them deserves▪

Reason was given us for this End, to form our Judg­ments a right, and so far to direct us in our way to Happiness, that we may not make that the Object of it, w^ch is altogether Insufficient for it; that we may not be deceiv'd with Shadows, nor mistaken in those things which are of greatest Impor­tance to us. We can easily pardon and pass by an Error in a small matter both in our selves and Others; but we ought to he very Careful and Cautions how we fall into mistakes where the Consequence is dangerous, [Page 115] and when our Peace or Mi­sery depends upon it.

When we act most Ra­tionally, we generally va­lue Things according to the Duration and Continuance of them, as well as to the Propriety we have in them. What is not our own, though we may admire it, yet we can't doat upon it, nor be much concerned what be­comes of it, because we bear no Relation to it: nor are we very Sollicitous about any thing that we our selves cannot Enjoy. And though it be something that we have a Right to, and which we may Enjoy, yet if we [Page 116] are sure, that it will be only for a very short inconsidera­ble time, it is little more Sa­tisfaction to us, than the not Enjoying it at all, since we cannot enjoy it always Hence we may gather what uncertain things all Worldly Enjoyments are, and how little there is here Below, that we can call our Own as also what Value to set upon things which we have no certain or lasting Right to, and how unbecoming it is to a Rational Being to con­tract an Eternal Passion, for what can endure but a mo­ment. Since he can't avoid being Miserable that fixes [Page 117] his Happiness on what is not lasting: And it is plain, that since we are not to Live here always, that no present Enjoyment can be an Essen­tial Happiness to us, which as soon as we have tasted, we are snatched from, or that from us.

Did we but consider that the best of our outward En­joyments are not at the dis­posal of our own Wills, and that they are such as we could promise our selves but a short Possession of, and that too very uncertain, it would abate our Care and Fond­ness of them; It would teach us to make them so [Page 118] far our Happpiness, as not to be unhappy or miserable at our being dispossest of them. This would lessen our Fears, encrease our Cow­rage, and put us upon the Practice of those Vertues which we have most need of, and in which we are ge­nerally most defective, Pa­tience and Contentment of Mind.

But this like all other Duties of Religion, is not a Work to be done on a sud­den, but requires great pre­paration and fixedness of Mind, strict Attention of Thought, constant Reflecti­ons on Humane Nature, and [Page 119] daily Observations on the uncertainty and instability of Things. And it is better done before we are exercised with Afflictions, than defer­red till we come to the Try­al. This will look like a Ne­cessity, the other a Vertue. Besides, that will be a very unfit time for us to begin so necessary a Duty. It is like delaying Repentance to the last Hour, when the sense of our Guilt, and the misery of our Condition, not the love of Vertue or Religion, makes us cry out for Mercy, though it can give us but small hopes of Pardon.

[Page 120]The Distempers of the Mind, as those of the Body are better prevented than cur'd. As Temperance is the best Physick, and preserva­tive of the Body; so a calm and serene Temper of the Mind, a moderation to­wards all external Things, keeps us even and free from Prejudice, and gives us lei­sure to judge rightly of the Nature of them, whereby we are able to make our selves easy under every Ac­cident that may happen, and amidst all the Varieties of Fortune, which may either flatter us on the one Hand, or threaten us on the Other.

[Page 121]'Tis our false Opinions of Things that plunge us into most of our Troubles and Disorders; if we have Pru­dence enough to rectify these, and settle our Judg­ments as well as Desires, up­on what is truly Good, we shall be so well prepar'd a­gainst all Events, and so well fortified against all the Miseries and Calamities of Life, that they will never be able either to disturb our Peace, or dispossess our Reason.

But we shall find this fur­ther Advantage by consider­ing the Insufficiency of all things here for our Happi­ness, [Page 122] that it will necessarily lead us to that which is a­lone sufficient for it: If we find Imperfections in our selves, we must conclude that there is something Per­fect; because a Sence of the First necessarily infers a Be­lief of the Latter. For we can't know that we want any thing, but by compa­ring our selves with that which has whatsoever we are defective in; and this by a necessary Train of Conse­quences directs us to Him, who is Perfection it self, and out of whose immense and inexhausted Treasure, all our Wants and Necessities [Page 123] can alone be supplied.

But again, if we form in our Minds certain and firm Judgments of Things, ac­cording to the essential Good or Evil of them, we shall direct all the Actions of Life according to them. By this means we shall keep our Minds peaceable and temperate, and prevent the disorders of our Passions and Affections; whatever it is that we love or hate, we shall presently consider the Rea­sons that engage our Affecti­ons to it. If we find that 'tis Mortal and Uncertain, we shall fix our Minds upon it, as a thing we know we [Page 124] can enjoy but a short time; and therefore if we should be depriv'd of it, it will be no more than what we were always in expectation of, and what we were prepar'd for. If we are reduc'd to Poverty, our Condition of Mind will be still the same. We know that Riches make themselves Wings and fly a­way: And therefore as the Great Emperour Antoninus observes of Socrates; We Shall know how to want and enjoy those things, in the want whereof other Men, such as the unsetled and unthinking shew themselves Weak, as well as Intemperate in the Fruition.

[Page 125]Until I have fixt in my Mind some Principle to act by, I shall only live at Ran­dom, frustrated by a Thou­sand Uncertainties, always at a loss in my Expectations, deluded with Shadows, lost in Errors, Uncertain either what to hope for, or what to fear, yet continually distra­cted and hurried on by the Extreams of Both. My Acti­ons will never be directed to any wise or prudent End; and if Good results from them, it must be imputed to Time and Chance, and not to the Rules and Conduct of Prudence. There can be no Vertue, unless our Actions [Page 126] proceed from Choice and De­liberation. I may give all my Goods to Feed the Poor, but unless I give them with a Religious Design, out of a pure Principle of satisfying their Necessities, and doing Good by it, I can't call it Charity: For if I am natu­rally Pitiful and Compassio­nate, I may give to gratify my Inclinations, without thinking or proposing any other End by it, and then it is not so properly Charity, as Good-nature in me.

In short, Our chief Busi­ness is to form in our selves true and certain Notions of Happiness and Tranquillity [Page 127] of Mind, what way it is that leads to them, and then to determine our selves to the Attainment of them. We are first to know, and then to practice; and tho' both our Knowledge and Ac­quisition of Happiness here, are but very imperfect, com­pared with that which will hereafter be revealed to us, yet they will be sufficient to disperse all our Griefs, to arm us against Afflictions, and prevent our sinking un­der the Weight of them.

To propose the quiet and serenity of our Minds, as the end of all our Actions, is to make a great Progress [Page 128] in our way to Happiness: And will give us sure Hopes of resisting all Temptations that may hinder us, or give us any stop in our Search af­ter it: And to this purpose we ought frequently to make a strict Enquiry into our Condition, whether we are in the direct way that leads to it: And then it will be necessary to take so far a view of our selves, as to ex­amine, whether we are not under any mistakes, either in our Notions, or in the pursuit of them. For a mi­stake or ignorance in either, will one time or other una­voidably make us Unhappy.

[Page 129]And here it may be ex­pected, that I should shew wherein consists that Peace and Tranquillity of Mind, that we may be neither deceiv'd in our Notions about it, nor miscarry in our Endeavours after it.

To obviate all Objections, that may arise from hence, it may be sufficient to an­swer in general. That Peace and Satisfaction of Mind de­pends not upon any of the external Enjoyments of Life for its Happiness; nor is it liable to be depriv'd of it, by any Accidents or Misfor­tunes. Its Happiness is with­in its self, and whatsoever [Page 130] happens from without can neither really add to it, nor detract from it; its neither sollicitous nor careless about the things of Sense; 'tis mo­derate in its Desires, neither tormented with Fears, nor impatient in its Hopes, nei­ther anxious about Life, nor afraid of Death. Its Actions are always one and the same; and the Great mea­sure of them is Conscience, as it is rightly inform'd by the Precepts of true Religion. In a word, Peace of Mind is that, which prudently and chearfully performs what­ever God commands, and pa­tiently bears whatever Pun­ishments [Page 131] he inflicts. And has also this great Perfection to perswade our Search after it, that when we can once Attain it, 'tis our Own for Ever.

And this leads me to con­sider in the next place, what are the most proper Methods we can make use of, to ob­tain this Peace and Calmness of Mind, which may sup­port and comfort us under all Afflictions.

And this is what I ob­served in the Second place, the fixing in our Minds a true Sence of Religion, joined with a sincere Endeavour of liv­ing up to all the Precepts of [Page 132] it. The main Design of Re­ligion is, to enlarge our Un­derstandings, to rectify our Wills, to subdue our Lusts and irregular Passions, and to wean our Thoughts from this World, by proposing the Eternal Happiness of the Next: that is, It teaches us to walk by Faith and not by Sense: To forego all these short and imperfect Plea­sures, for those perfect and endless Joys, which all they shall have a full Possession of, who by patient Continuance in Well-doing seek for Glory, Honour and Immortality. It endeavours to work upon our Understanding, by con­vincing [Page 133] us, of the Unreason­ableness of being too much concern'd at any thing that may befall us here, since these Afflictions which are but for a Moment, if we make a good use of them, will work out for us a far more exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory. It shows us, that what we here call Felicity, is not a­ble to satisfy us, and there­fore perswades and invites us to set our Affections upon that immense and everlast­ing Good, where we shall have nothing more to desire than what we enjoy; or no­thing to add to our Happi­ness, because it will be per­fect.

[Page 134]For true Happiness is that, which when we are once possest of, there can be nothing left us to Desire, be­cause that alone is able to satisfy us: For He that de­sires any thing above all O­thers, will make all other things subordinate to this His chief Happiness; and if he can be secure in his En­joyment of that, whatever may befal him, 'tis impossi­ble he should be miserable. If we could therefore make God our chief Happiness, and resolve our Actions into a Conformity to His Will, we may be said to be properly as Happy, as this State can [Page 135] be capable of: And though hereafter we shall receive large Additions to it, yet it will be the same Happiness, continued to us in a more full Enjoyment of the chief Good, which could not so clearly manifest it self to us under this Veil of Flesh, which in a great measure intercepts that glorious Ap­pearance.

But besides, Religion is not only our greatest Com­fort and Support under Af­flictions, by laying before us the Rewards of the next Life, but also the Happiness of this; it hath the Promise of this Life, as well as that [Page 136] which is to come. Whatever▪ State we are in, it gives us Peace and Ease under it; it makes every Condition hap­py, because it brings Pa­tience and Contentment along with it: It makes us Enjoy that we have, and keeps us from Craving what we have not; in a word, Godliness with Contentment is great gain.

How much better is it for us, had we no Prospect of another Life, to live at Ease and free from Troubles in this, than to be continually vexing and tormenting our selves at every cross Acci­dent that may befall us, and make our Condition, mise­rable [Page 137] enough in it self, still more miserable, by an Ad­dition of new and unne­cessary Sorrows and Troubles. The Best of the Heathens, though they had very un­certain and obscure Notions of another Life, and were ignorant of the Rewards, proposed to the Observance of God's Commandments, yet in their Writings forbid the indulging our Sorrows, upon a Principle of Peace and Quiet in this Life, and from the Incongruity they found in them to the Actions of right Reason, and to that Order, Grace and Constancy, that Greatness and Majesty, [Page 138] which ought to be observed in the exact Practice of Ver­tue. How much more ought we, who have larger De­grees of Knowledge, and more sublime Rules to guide our Lives by, to be constant and watchful in the Duties of that Religion, in the keep­ing of which there is great Reward: In this World, true Peace and Tranquillity of Mind, and in the World to come Eternal Life.

But of all the great Bran­ches of Religion, there is none more necessary, for the governing of our Lives, and the supporting our weak Nature under all Afflictions, [Page 139] than these Two: First, The belief and acknowledgment of a Providence; And Secondly, The Immortality of the Soul.

As to the First, The Belief of a Providence is the main Foundation of all Religion: And is not only the greatest Encouragement, to a Holy Life, but is also the true Source and Principle of all our Happiness and Comfort in this World. That this U­niverse is governed by Al­mighty Wisdom and Power, that all things here are un­der the especial Care of in­finite Goodness and Mercy, that they are at the imme­diate Disposal and Order of [Page 140] an Omnipotent Being, and that Chance and Fortune have no management of any of our Affairs, is the great­est Blessing and Happiness of Mankind. What an un­speakable Satisfaction must it be to the Minds of Good Men, to think that Provi­dence is alway watching o­ver them, and that the Ma­lice of the most. Wicked Men, can never do them the least Injury, without God's order or permission. It is a noble Saying of the Great Heathen Emperor, M. Au­relius, That if there were no GOD to take Care of Humane Affairs, He would not desire to [Page 141] Live any longer in the World. All the Enjoyments of this World would be very un­pleasant, as well as uncer­tain, if that Harmony which is now observ'd in all the Divine Acts of Providence, were chang'd into Confusi­on, and Man, now the most exalted of all sublunary Be­ings, would become the most helpless and unhappy of all the Creatures.

Troubles and Calamities are unavoidable, and there­fore we must expect them. For Man is born to Trouble as the Sparks fly upward; and therefore it is necessary that we should seek out for some Support under them, and de­pend [Page 142] upon something, that may be at all times a Com­fort to us. Now Comfort is nothing else, but the re­pelling an Evil that disturbs us, by the Help and Media­tion of what we account a Good. And the greater the Evil is that oppresses us, so is it necessary that the Good we depend upon for Relief, should be able to deliver us from it. But that nothing is able to do this but the Chief Good, is evident because no­thing besides is sufficient for our Happiness: Therefore it appears that it is GOD a­lone that we ought to de­pend upon for Succour in all [Page 143] our Adversities, who both can and will deliver us, and be our Consolation and Sup­port, amidst all the Adversi­ties of Life, and the Terrors and Pangs of Death. We are His Creatures, whom He made, not so much to shew His Power, as His Goodness; and whom He form'd out of the Dust on­ly to advance to Happi­ness. Every Day's Experi­ence gives us fresh assurance of His constant Preservation of us, is only to give us larger Op­portunities of qualifying our selves for a more Glorious State: He is always wait­ing [Page 144] to be Gracious, and all that He requires of us is, that we should believe His Promises, and shew our Re­liance upon them, by a chearful Obedience to all His Commands, a pious Resignation to His Will, and a certain Expectation of a happy Issue out of all our Afflictions, through an entire Dependance on His Goodness.

For since the constant and wise Order of Nature gives us undeniable Proofs of a Providence, and every Day's Experience teaches us, that our Preservation, as well as our first Being, is wholly [Page 145] owing to its All-wise Good­ness and Bounty, with what chearful Resignation and Submission of our selves, and all that we have any Rela­tion to, ought we to acknow­ledge its Right and Sove­reignty over us; and com­mit our selves to Him, who careth for us. For in Him, we live, move, and have our Being.

As it is He that made us, and not we our selves, so do all the Mercies and Blessings we enjoy, proceed from Him. But these generally slide away unregarded, be­cause common to us. But when Afflictions or Mise­ries [Page 146] overtake us, we are apt either to call His Being or His Justice in question. We claim the First as our due; and complain when we are opprest with Evil, that His Ways are Ʋnequal.

Did we always think it our indispensable Duty, to have a special Regard to GOD and Providence in all our Actions, to consult what we find most agreeable to His Will, and always mea­sure our Actions by it: we should find Him a GOD at Hand to us in all Conditions, and our best Support under all Adversities. We should then be always mindful, that [Page 147] whatsoever we enjoy is not properly our Own, but only lent us for a time. And that the same Hand, that be­stowed all our Good things upon us, may withdraw them from us, when he thinks convenient, without doing us the least Injury That they were granted us upon Conditions, and not to continue Ours for ever. And that if we set too high a Value upon them, and for­get Him that gave them, we only take a Method, that will some time or other assuredly make us Misera­ble. For we are never in greater danger of being de­priv'd [Page 148] of any Earthly Enjoy­ment, than when we are too fond of it, and set our Hearts so much upon it, as to make it our Chief, if not only, Happiness.

For when the Affections are depraved by Sensual En­joyments, there is a necessity of meeting with Crosses and Troubles, that the Miseries and Disappointments that befall us in the very same Instances, may correct and chastise us for the Excess of Pleasure we formerly took in them. And this Method Providence often makes use of, as very necessary to con­vince us of our Errors in [Page 149] over-valuing the Objects of a misguided Passion.

If I am convinc'd that GOD Governs the World, and that he has a Right and Sovereignty over all His Creatures, and may order and dispose of them, as He thinks best, to answer the Great and Wise Ends of His Providence, it is my Duty patiently to submit to His Appointment, without que­stioning either His Wisdom or Justice. For an Humble submission to all the Me­thods of Providence, is a di­rect Inference from the Be­lief of it. And to repine at any of its Dispensations is [Page 150] either to question the Prin­ciples of Religion, or the Care of Providence over us. We came into this World not to Command, but to Obey. And have these Bounds set us, as well to be the guide of our Actions, as the subject of our Petitions, Not Our Will, but His be done.

But besides, how much better is it for us, chearfully and submissively to resign our selves to all the Appoint­ments of Providence, than to do it by force or compul­sion. Obey we must, whe­ther we are willing or no. There is no Contending with God; For who can say unto [Page 151] Him, What doest Thou? If He speaks the word, we are Consumed; If He taketh a­way our Breath, we die, and are turned again to our Dust.

But another great Con­sideration to perswade us to a willing and chearful Sub­mission to all the Appoint­ments of God's Providence is, that whatsoever Trou­bles or Afflictions He lays upon us; they are designed for our Good. He that is All Goodness Himself, does nothing but what tends to promote that Great End. He is a Tender and Merci­ful Father as well as a just Judge; and all the healing [Page 150] [...] [Page 151] [...] [Page 152] Methods of God's Provi­dence are directed to no o­ther purpose, than to re­store the Soul to its primi­tive Purity, and to invite us to Obedience, and per­swade us to lay hold of his Mercy and Loving-kind­ness, that we may escape the severe Effects of his Justice. All the means that He makes use of by His Providence, are for our Be­nefit, though the manner of His dispensing of them may be different: sometimes he invites us with Promises, and if those can't awaken us, then he pursues us with Threatnings; sometimes he [Page 153] afflicts us, that our Vertues may be confirm'd by the Use and Exercise of Pati­ence: and at other times he lays heavy▪ Crosses upon us, least a too long Course of Fe­licity should make us be­come Remiss and Luxuri­ant. For did we make a right use of our Enjoyments, we should never be terrified or dejected with Afflictions; they would be only as gen­tle Chastisements, to incite and quicken our Diligence, but not abate our Courage, or stop us in our way▪ to Happiness. But the case of most of us is far different, we forget GOD in our Pro­sperity, [Page 154] and in our Adversity complain of him. Did we look back to the Causes of his Anger, and not only consider the Effects of it, we should see great Reason to acknowledge the Justice of his Providence, and that we alone have done Wickedly, and that all His Judgments are Righteous. For if we have not been sufficiently Thankful for the Goodness of Providence to us, why should we repine if it tries other Methods to reduce us to Obedience, and an acknowledgment of God's Sovereignty over us?

[Page 155]How can we say that God hath forgotten to be Gracious or that his Mercy is clean gone for ever; When our Sins are the only Cause of our Suffe­rings? All that he designs is to shew us, that 'tis our In­terest as well as Duty to re­member him in every Con­dition of our Lives: and that a Dependence upon him is the only Support under all Afflictions, and the best Comfort against all the Apprehensions of Evil for the future. And that he is the only Security against all the dangers and mischiefs to which the Frailties and Infirmities of our Nature [Page 156] continually expose us.

What a Happiness is it for us that we have an All­sufficient God to take care of us, when nothing else can; to relieve us in our greatest Straits and Exigencies, and to comfort us under our sharpest Sufferings? And all this upon the easy Con­dition of our Dependence upon him for every thing that we want, and our Sub­mission to his Will in the va­rious Dispensations of his Providence, either in correct­ing us for the Sins we have Committed, or in punishing us for some Omission of our Duty.

[Page 157]What is there then, that can shake the Constancy of our Mind, or disturb the Peace and Tranquillity that will always attend it, if we have Almighty Goodness, Mercy, and Compassion, to be our Defence and Com­fort? If he takes away any of our Enjoyments, it is on­ly to endear Himself the more to us; and to shew us that he is constantly One and the same, Good and Gracious to us, able to satis­fy▪ all our Desires, and to sup­ply all our Wants: and how all things here are Frail and Uncertain, as well as very Imperfect, and altogether [Page 158] unsatisfying, though they might be enjoy'd for ever. If he deprives us of our dear­est Friends and Relations; he does it with a design of being a Friend Himself to us; and that he may have the first Place in our Affecti­ons, who is always ready to assist and counsel us in all our Adversities, and is as willing as he is able to do it.

But he is not only desi­rous of helping us in all our Necessities, but is always present to us. And whenever we are pressed with any sudden and unexpected Ca­lamities, if we apply our [Page 159] selves to him, we are cer­tain, either to have them re­mov'd from us, or be endued with sufficient Strength to bear up against them. His Hand is never shortned, and though he may withdraw some of our Blessings from us, for some Ends best known to Himself, yet he is still able to give us Greater. He has always innumerable Mercies in store, his Good­ness can never be exhausted. And he is able to confer Blessings upon us, as far a­bove what we can conceive, as they are above what we can deserve.

Were the Joys of the [Page 160] next Life mean and incon­siderable, and not to be com­pared with those this World affords us, there might be some appearance of Reason, for the placing our Affecti­ons upon the Delights and Entertainments of Sense; and for the continually la­menting the loss of those, who have been taken from this to a far worse State. But since they are such, as Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive, we ought to engage our Thoughts there, and let no Worldly Interest withdraw our Minds from the delight­ful [Page 161] Contemplations of that Glorious Fruition. For it is an undervaluing of those Celestial Enjoyments, to suffer any Considerations or Disappointments from with­out to alienate our Affecti­ons from them. Nor can we more depretiate the Glory of the other World, than by setting up any other Desires in competition with it.

How ought we then to acquiesce in all the Acts of his Providence, and not to di­strust his Kindness and Good­ness to us, but to endeavour to submit in all things to his Will and Pleasure, though his Proceedings are never so [Page 162] directly contrary to the present Bent of our Af­fections. Though he takes from us those we had the most tender and sincere Af­fection for, and strips us of all our Worldly Enjoyments, If His Will be done, why should We be dissatisfied? Our Crimes and Offences a­gainst him, have certainly deserved greater Punish­ments than those he inflicts upon us. And we have rea­son not so much to complain of the severity of our Suffer­ings, as to be thankful that they are no greater, and that they are far short of what our Sins deserve.

[Page 163]From all this it appears, that our Afflictions are de­signed by Providence to work for Good to us: And that if we take care to submit our selves chearfully and pa­tiently to GOD's Will and Pleasure in every Condition of Life, He will not only support and comfort us un­der all Afflictions, and give us Strength to bear them, be they never so heavy up­on us; but will also make them an occasion of greater Good to us, by turning them to our Advantage, in order to promote our future Hap­piness, and quicken our En­deavours in the Search after it.

[Page 164]And this brings me to con­sider in the next place, that other Branch of Religion, which I mentioned, as very necessary to the supporting us under all the Sufferings of this Life; The Immortality of the Soul.

This is that Doctrine, that so much endears to us the Practice of Vertue, and per­swades us to forego all the Pleasures of Sense, and resist all the Temptations which this World offers us, if they stand in Competition with the Precepts of Vertue. The Belief of this gives Life to all our Religious Endea­vours, encourages us to a [Page 165] vigorous Prosecution of our Duty, and makes the Re­flection upon our past Life pleasant and delightful to us. The certain Hopes and Expectations of another Life after this, invite us to such an eager pursuit after it, that we ought to be little con­cern'd for any thing that may befal us here. What­ever Calamities may threat­en us in this World, they can only hurt the Body, we may keep the Soul free and un­toucht: That, after a little time, will be subject to Mor­tality, and crumble again into its Primitive Dust; but This will Live for Ever, and [Page 166] be Eternally Happy or Mise­rable. Why shou'd we then be concern'd, at the Loss of any of our Friends; For 'tis the Body only, the worst Part of them, that's subject­ed to Mortality; the Soul's return'd to God that gave it. And though it is now sepa­rated from us, yet after a Moment we shall meet a­gain. It is a great Comfort against the Loss of Friends, that they are not quite taken from us When we have run out that short, inconsider­able space of time, that is between us and Eternity, we shall arrive together at the same Place, and be for [Page 167] Ever inseparably Happy.

What Reason have I then to repine at my being now separated from them, whom after a very few days I shall see again. Why should a short Parting make the rest of my Days uneasy, which I ought to spend in the de­lightful Contemplation of those Joys, which our next Meeting will give us a full and an everlasting Possession of? Could I confine my Hopes to the next Life, I should be but little concern'd at what may happen to me in this. Should I lose my Friends and Relations, One of the greatest Supports and [Page 168] Comforts of this Life, yet I should be fortified against it. I know I must lose Them, or they Me. What matters it who goes First? We shall at length meet again, and participate together of those boundless Pleasures, which shall not end, till Eternity if self shall cease to be.

But besides, we can't say, that they are hastily snatcht from us, who by the Im­provements of their Minds in all the Excellencies of Knowledge, which they had also copied out in their Pra­ctice, had answer'd all the Ends and Designs of Living; and who, if we consider [Page 169] them in relation to them­selves, had liv'd here long enough; though for our own sakes, and the Good of others, we could have wisht them a much longer stay, more to serve our own, than, (which would be more generous) to consult their Interest. For since we must Die at last, what does it sig­nify, if we leave this World something sooner, than per­haps in the Course of Na­ture we might have done; nay rather, is it not much more preferable to be de­liver'd out of this trouble­some Passage to obtain an immortal Life?

[Page 170]How Happy then will that State be, wherein we can only be said properly to live: For what we call Life here, says Tully, is only Death; nor does the Mind truly Live till releas'd from the Clogs and Fetters of the Body, it enjoys Eternity. We ought not therefore to think Death and Evil, but rather the greatest of Bene­fits: Because as it eases us of all those Miseries which Life brought upon us, so it gives us a perfect and serene Prospect of Joy and Peace hereafter. If therefore we are born and live Miserable, and die Blessed, who would [Page 171] not rather chuse to be made Happy by being disunited from this Body, than to live under a constant Oppression of Miseries? We are all of us weary of Life, why should we be afraid to Die? If Suf­ferings and Afflictions are uneasy and burthensome to us, why should we be un wil­ling to welcome that, which is the best Remedy for them? And that it is design'd as a Token of God's Favour and Kindness to us, seems plain by His frequent calling a­way the Best soonest from this to a better State, there­by to free them from all the Evils and Calamities which [Page 172] this Life is liable to. And also to teach us that stay be­hind, to be neither too fond of this Life, nor afraid of Death, which Heaven has bestowed as a Blessing upon those, who were best pre­pared for it.

And this shews us that God is not only Just in ap­pointing Death to all Men; but that his Wisdome and Goodness eminently appear in it, since it is so much for the Advantage of Man­kind, to exchange this Im­perfect and Troublesome Condition, for that most Durable and Perfect, prepa­red for us in the Heavens.

[Page 173]Hence we may learn the vast Disproportion between this Life and the other; For was not the next Life infi­nitely better than this, God would not so soon remove those to that other State, who have used their best En­deavours to live in Confor­mity to all the Divine Pre­cepts in this.

From hence it appears if we have any love for Happi­ness, how desireable Death ought to be to us; and if we think it our Interest to desire it as best for our selves, we ought to esteem it as such for our Friends too. For can we wish better to our selves, [Page 174] than to those we have the most tender affection for? Or would we have our selves only Happy and them Mise­rable? Or are we displeas'd that they are blessed by Death, while we are incum­bred and troubled with Life? If we are not, what is it that makes us Impati­ent at their being deliver'd from all those Dangers and Adversities, those Sorrows and Vexations, which they had here every moment ex­perience of.

If the Story which is told us of some of the Heathens weeping at the Birth of their Children, and rejoyce­ing [Page 175] at their Death, as look­ing upon one the Beginning and the other the End of their Miseries, may find any Credit with us, methinks it should give us a far different Idea of Humane Nature, than we seem to have been yet acquainted with, or make us a sham'd of our Pra­ctice in a Religion, which lays before us the greatest Motives and Advantages to invite us to our Duty, and not only gives us the best Rules to direct us, but also encourages us with the most certain Promises, of far greater and more durable Rewards than any other Re­ligion [Page 176] can pretend to. It is a great disgrace and scan­dal to our Profession, that notwithstanding, we have greater Expectations, and larger Assistances in all our Necessities, yet to be out­done by Heathens in a prin­cipal Part of our Duty. They saw the defects of our Nature, and the certainty of our Miseries, and though they could not search into the hidden Causes of them, and know from whence to derive a Remedy for them, yet they were sensible to be expected in Death, than in the mean and imperfect Sa­tisfaction [Page 177] of Life. Of the one they had already suffi­cient Experience, and since they found in themselves a natural Desire after Happi­ness, they concluded, that either that Desire was im­planted in them in vain, or else it must be expected in the other Life. This at least they were certain of, that this Life was a Burthen to them, and therefore those were to be accounted most happy, who were soonest releast from the Miseries of it.

If Reason could go so far by its own Strength, what may not we expect from it, [Page 178] when 'tis improved by the Advantages of Revelation; which not only leads us to the Causes and Original of our Miseries, and shews us from whence they sprung, but also teaches us how to subdue our inordinate Passi­ons, which still foment them in us, by laying before us the great Helps and Assistan­ces we shall find, if we use our best Endeavours to over­come them; and that if we patiently submit our selves to the Hand of Providence, it will order all things for our Good, and make even Death it self, the beginning of an immortal Life to us, and [Page 179] translate us to those happy Mansions, which we shall inhabit for ever with these whom we so Dearly E­steem'd, and who made even this troublesome Life while here, almost pleasant and de­sireable to us. What Joy will it be to meet, embrace and converse with, our Friends and Realtions, who will be then Ours for Ever! What great Motives have we then, patiently to bear our Trou­bles and Sufferings, consider­ing the Recompence of the Re­ward hereafter!

But some perhaps may say, they could bear with the Loss of their Friends, [Page 180] were they satisfied of their Happiness in the Other World. To this we may an­swer, that it does not belong to us to search into the Hid­den Counsels of God. We are taught to have Charity for all Men, and we ought not especially to deny it to our Dearest Friends. But besides if they had all that Sweet­ness of Temper, that Candour, Gentleness and Charity to­wards Others, which usual­ly make Men respected and admired here, join'd with a true sense of Religion, a just Demeanour to all the Truths and Promises of it, and a sin­cere Obedience to its Laws [Page 181] and Precepts, though mixt with the common Infirmi­ties of Mortality, we are in Duty oblig'd to think, that they enjoy the Benefits and Rewards annext to their sincere and faithful Endea­vours. We may add to this, that those earnest Desires which we find in our selves, of enjoying them longer here, seem to insinuate and whisper to us, that they, whose Conversations were so innocent and agreeable to us, and made so great a part of our Happiness here, can never fall short of that them­selves in another Life, which they always most passionate­ly [Page 182] endeavour'd, tho' in an inferior Degree to promote in this.

What is there then left for us to Grieve at? Let us take an Estimate, not of our Loss, but their Gain. And if we can't as yet be Happy, let us content our selves with thinking that they are so. Nor ought we so much to lament their being alrea­dy taken from us, as be thankful that we have en­joy'd them so long. And be­sides, that as our Grief can de-out selves no kindness, so would it be very displeasing to them, were they sensible of it; or could receive any [Page 183] diminution in their Happi­ness, by any thing that is done here below.

But besides, tho' our Grief can be no Kindness or Sa­tisfaction to them, yet it is a great Dis-kindness to our selves: For it does not only torment and disquiet us, and make every thing of this Life unpleasant and distast­ful to us; but also makes us unfit to regard our Concerns in order to the next. For our Thoughts are then so vehemently taken up-with our Loss, and our Reason so totally obscur'd by the Violence of our Passion, that we are neither at liberty to [Page 184] recover the one, nor com­mand the other; whereby to become sensible of our Duty, and perform it accor­ding to that just Seriousness and Attention that is requi­red of us. But moreover, Re­ligion requires great Chear­fulness and Alacrity in the performance of its Duties, we are and thereupon also, very much unqualified for the right Exercise of it, whilst we suffer our selves to be carried away by a quite different disposition of Mind. We ought therefore for our own Sakes so to moderate this almost ungovernable Passion, especially if we let [Page 185] it get ground upon us, that we may not fall short of the due Observance of our Reli­gious Duties, by indulging our Passions and Affections. And certainly, 'tis one great Reason why, when the one is injoyned, the other is for­bidden, because they can't both consist together. For I can neither be so sincerely Thankful for the protection of Providence over me for the time past, nor beg its Care for the future, if I am dissatisfied at any of its Dis­pensations, or am unwilling to submit to any of its Cor­rections.

[Page 186]We ought therefore to en­deavour by all means possi­ble to subdae this Passion of Grief in us, by considering in the Third and last place, the dangerous Consequences that will unavoidably follow our too much giving way to it.

It impairs our Health and Constitution, wasts our Strength, obstructs the free motion of our Blood and Spi­rits, and exhausts and im­poverishes the whole frame of our Nature. Nor is im­moderate Grief only preju­dicial to our Body, but the evil Effects of it penetrate even to the very Soul it self. [Page 187] For the Understanding be­comes darkned, and is not at liberty either to advise it self, or hearken to the Coun­sel of others. For it is so violently bent upon the Contemplation of an ap­pearing Misery, that it can­not pass a free and impartial Judgment upon it. And in this case also, the Will is ge­nerally so obstinate, that it prevents the Operations and Exercise of Reason. And where the Will is prejudiced 'tis generally very difficult to rectify the Understand­ing. For whatsoever I will or chuse as best for me, my Understanding is apt to find [Page 188] some excuse or pretence to comply with it. And when­soever the Understanding is thoroughly convinc'd of the agreeableness and innocence of any Action, and the ne­cessity of it, so long as it continues under that Con­viction, the Will can hard­ly resists its Dictates. For whatsoever it is that my Understanding proposes as best for me, and if I do real­ly believe it as such, my Will can't help preferring the Choice of that before any thing besides. And if the Action be really unlaw­ful, 'tis as well the Fault of my Understanding as Will, [Page 189] because every Action that I do has a present appearance of Good to perswade me to it: which if it prove to be otherwise, the Understand­ing as well as the Will is to answer for it.

Immoderate Grief is also prejudicial to our Reason, by being a Blemish and Re­proach to it. What advan­tage would it be to us, to search into the secrets of Nature, to know the Quali­ties and Essences of Things, to contemplate on the Per­fections of the Celestial Be­ings, and look even into Eternity it self: To know what our Soul is, and how [Page 190] it is endued with Reason, the Image of God Himself; to distinguish Good and E­vil, and to know that the One is to be avoided, und the Other to be embraced, and to enjoy innumerable other good Things, which Rational Beings are alone capable of; if after all, we cannot make use of our Knowledge, and noble En­dowments, to the sup­pressing the Miseries of Life, and to the raising our selves above any of the Dangers which threaten us in this mortal State? I mean the acquiring such a Superiority and Greatness of Mind, as [Page 191] will keep us from falling under the Pressures of our Sufferings, tho' it exempt us not from the sense of them. What is it that gives us the the Advantage over the Beasts and Irrational Beings, if we depend wholly upon things without us, and have neither Courage or Constan­cy within to support us? All our Gifts and Faculties would be in vain bestowed upon us, if they could not exalt us above the Evils and Incoveniencies of Sense, If we can find Antidotes a­gainst Poyson, if we can make use of Industry to keep us from Poverty, and if Rea­son [Page 192] can supply us with Pre­servatives against a great many other Evils, why should we banish the Use of it, when we have most occa­sion for it, either to counsel or advise us against appa­rent Calamities, or to sup­port us under the present Anguish of our Griefs and Afflictions?

But in the next place, Immoderate Grief is of a ve­ry dangerous Consequence, as it is prejudicial to Religion. For it not only slackens our Endeavours, and puts a stop to our Practice of Vertue and Piety, by taking the first and greatest possession [Page 193] of our Minds: but also, as was before observ'd, brings a scandal upon our most Holy Profession; as though it was not sufficient to secure us from the force and vio­lence of this unruly Passion. For it looks like a great dis­honour to Religion, that notwithstanding all the Ad­vantages it proposes to us, all the Helps and Assistances it gives us whereby to strengthen and support the Weakness and Infirmities of our Nature, against the Storms and Insults that may threaten it from abroad, yet that those who through the whole Behaviour of their [Page 194] Lives, and by their constant observance of all the other necessary parts of their Duty seem to have the fairest Ti­tle to Vertue and Religion, should at last sink under the Pressure of an unavoidable Calamity. And this we ought the rather to take notice of, because those who make it their Business to cavil at Religion, seem to derive their chief Argu­ments from the Lives and Practice of those that pro­fess it.

For they imagine, that they may justly call in que­stion the Principles of Reli­gion, and even Providence [Page 195] it self, if those who seem most to live up to the Rules of the one, and rely upon the Goodness and Care of the other, should fail in any part of their Duty to either, and become as Miserable, notwithstanding the promi­sed Helps and Advantages of Religion, and the Protection of Providence, as those who live without any God in the World. I shall not now enter into a Dispute with these Unreasonable Men, (who think a Slip or Fail­ing of a Good Man, a suffi­cient Argument to shake the very Foundations of Religi­on) but shall only add, that [Page 196] we ought to be very careful in the Discharge of every part of our Duty, least our Neglect should give Occa­sion to our Adversaries to re­proach our Religion, or to the Enemies of God to Blas­pheme.

But in the last place, the greatest Danger that our immoderate Grief at any Loss we receive, can bring upon us, is, that it will provoke Providence to inflict greater Evils upon us. God expects a chearful Submission from us to all his Appointments, and that we should patient­ly wait upon his Will and Pleasure for the Event of all, [Page 197] who hath promised neither to leave nor forsake us, if we put our Trust in his Mercy. An Humble Spirit is the best Sacrifice we can Offer up to him. And nothing is more displeasing to him, than to murmur or repine at any of his Corrections. All his Judgments are done in Ju­stice and Equity; but for us to find fault with them, is to make our selves Wiser than He.

How careful then ought we to be, least by our im­moderate Sorrow for any Affliction he hath laid upon us, we should seem dis­pleased at any of his Doings, [Page 198] and thereby draw down his Vengeance upon us. For who can stand before him, when once he is Angry? Diffi­dence or Distrust of God is one of the greatest Sins we can be guilty of against him, because it seems to question those great and tender At­tributes, his Goodness and Mercy; and therefore if we offend in that kind, we may be assured, that he will not let so great a Sin go un­punished, but will make use of another Attribute, that of his Justice, to convince us of the Abuse we had made of his Mercy.

[Page 199]It is our Duty then, grate­fully to acknowledge the Goodness of God continually to us, and not repine be­cause we may think we are now become Miserable, but be thankful to him that we were not always so. He is under no Obligations to make us Happy but what proceed from his own Good will and Pleasure. How then ought we in Wisdom as well as Justice, to resign all that we have a Concern for, to his alone Disposal, who orders all things so for our Happiness, as though he could do no otherwise; and who contrives every thing [Page 200] so much for our Good, as if He Himself could not be Happy, unless We also were so too; and who has done so much already to advance our Interest, that we have the greatest Reason to be­lieve, that it will be our fault, if he be not always the same to us. If we consider the Mercies we have re­ceiv'd, and weigh them a­gainst the Evils we have suffered, we shall find infi­nitely greater Cause to be continually breaking forth into Expressions of Praise and Thanksgiving for our Enjoyments, than to repine at our Miseries. What migh­ty [Page 201] Returns of Gratitude should this one amazing Consideration draw from us, that not withstanding all our Provocations, He is Li­beral, Gracious and Merci­ful to us, and that we still receive new Mercies from him, though our Sins against him have deserv'd the great­est of Punishments. I shall beg leave to add to this, that admirable Passage of that Great Emperour Marcus An­toninus. ‘Can God, says he, for the Succession of so many Ages bear without In­dignation, with so Great, and so many Sinners as have ever yet been: and [Page 202] not only so, but also pro­vide for them, that they want nothing; and doest thou, so violently grieve at any thing He hath taken from thee, as One that could bear with Him no longer, Thou that art but for a moment of time, yea, Thou, that art one of those Sinners thy self?’

And thus I have gone through what I at first in­tended, in offering several Arguments which I thought most necessary and useful, as well for the preventing our Sorrows and Afflictions, as for the supporting us under them. For if we really think [Page 203] it worth our while to pur­chase to our selves true Peace and Tranquillity of Mind, we shall certainly find that these Considerations which I have insisted upon, may be of great Moment to us towards the procuring of it.

For if we first of all wou'd fix in our Minds true Notions of all outward Things, with the real Uses and Ends of them, how that they were lent us by Providence, to try our Prudence in the ma­nagement of them, and not to be made the Subject of our Happiness, but only the Exercise of our Vertues, we [Page 204] should certainly reap these Advantages from it. First, whatever outward Blessings Providence bestows upon us we should receive them with all Thankfulness, as Blessings which flowed to us from God's immediate Boun­ty, and not given us upon any account of our own De­servings. And Secondly, we should use them with Mode­ration, and not fix our Hearts and Minds upon them; and then this would teach us in the Third place, to bear the Loss of them with Patience. Because we should consider them as Things not really our own, but His that gave [Page 205] them to us, and that not ab­solutely, but upon Condi­tions, such as give us only a limited use of them, but leave to Providence the abso­lute Right and Disposal of them.

And from these Conclusi­ons, what I observ'd in the Second place will necessa­rily follow, that it is our chiefest Interest, to live up exactly to the Principles of Religion, which will guide us to the great Foundation of all Happiness, the Resign­ing up our selves to the Will and Pleasure of Providence, which knows what is conve­nient for us, better than we [Page 206] our selves can, and out of Compassion to our Igno­rance and Infirmity, will find out means whereby to make us Happy, which we perhaps thought could only make us Miserable; and be our Com­fort and Support under all Afflictions here, and ad­vance us to Immortality, and the Perfection of Happiness hereafter. For how great soever our Sorrows are here, they will be then sufficient­ly, and abundantly made up with fulness of Joy and Plea­sures for evermore.

What Reason have we then to repine at any Af­flictions or Sufferings of this [Page 207] Life, which are so very ad­vantagious to us? For they not only give us a sence of our own Imperfections, and of the Vanity and Uncer­tainty of all things under the Sun, as well as their insuffi­ciency for our Happiness, but lead us thither for our Comfort, where all Perfecti­on dwells, and teach us to re­ly wholly upon Him for our Happiness, who has alone the Power to bestow it upon us So that at length to our unspeakable Satisfa­ction, we shall be obliged to confess, that all his Judg­ments are as well the Effects of His Goodness, Mercy and [Page 208] Compassion, as of His Justice, and that out of very Faith­fulness he hath caused us to be troubled.

What great Satisfaction, should this one Considera­tion raise in our Mind, that God will be a present Help to us in time of Trouble, and though all our Friends and Relations should either forsake us, or be parted from us, yet The Lord upholdeth us with his Right Hand. Their Kindness may be great to us, and they may be willing to serve us to the utmost of their Power, yet they are Defective in a great many things, and come in­finitely [Page 209] short of Him, who can command all things in Heaven and Earth, and is the sole All-sufficient Good. They have innumerable Imperfections: but He is Perfect Goodness. They mu­table and uncertain: He al­ways the same, firm and un­changeable. They may be taken from us, but Him who is Eternal, we can never be deprived of. How Happy then will our State be, when we can say, Whom have we in Heaven but Thee, and there is none upon Earth that we desire in Comparison of Thee. When our Heart, and our Strength fails us, God will [Page 210] be the Strength of our Hearts, and our Portion for ever. Though we may be troubled on every side, yet shall we not be distressed, though perplexed, yet not in Despair: though persecuted, yet not forsaken; though cast down, yet not De­stroyed.

The Hopes and Expecta­tions of being thus Happy, might certainly so far en­gage our Thoughts and Af­fections, as to wean us from this World, where we can meet with nothing but Trouble and Vexation, if we fix our Minds upon it. Especially if we seriously consider the dangerous Con­sequences [Page 211] that always at­tend those who make this Life and the Enjoyments of it their Happiness. For what­ever these Enjoyments are, they are accompanied with Trouble, and end in Misery. For either they must leave us, or we them; and which soever it be, we must cer­tainly be Miserable, because we are depriv'd of that which alone we made our Happiness, and therefore are neither prepared nor capa­citated for any other.

But besides we ought to consider, that Time is pre­cious, and given us for greater Ends, than to be [Page 212] spent upon any Worldly Concern, either in over-va­luing our outward Things, by taking too great a Plea­sure in the Enjoyment, or by an unjust Complaint at the Loss of them. All is little enough to be spent upon the Thoughts of ano­ther Life, and not to be mis­employed, in shewing our over-fondness of this. If we were to stay here always, we ought to take care, to fix our Affections here too, and place them upon Objects most agreeable to us. But since Providence has allotted us but a short Continuance here, and has suited the Fa­brick [Page 213] of our Bodies to the shortness of our Stay, and provided us another Life after this, unchangable and immortal, we ought in Pru­dence to bestow our first Care and Affections upon that. And if any thing which we Dearly Esteem'd, has been translated from us, to that other State of Im­mortality, before we were willing to part with it, we ought also to follow it thither with our Thoughts and Affections, and not with our Tears and Complaints; and conform our present Condition as much as possi­ble to that which our Friends [Page 214] who are gone before us do already enjoy. Death is only a putting off these Bodies, the leaving This, and chang­ing it for another Place of Habitation; and not a cea­sing to be, or a falling into Nothing. And though it is an Admission into that invi­sible State, which no mortal Eye can enter; yet our Minds may keep a Spiritual Conversation with those more Perfect Beings, and may still enjoy them by the Eye of Faith, though not by that of Sence.

Perfect Happiness was never designed for this Life, nor can we expect it; for [Page 215] if it was, there would be no­thing left for us to enjoy in the Next. But yet it may be in our Power to make large Additions to it, and to ad­vance by Degrees more and more to that Perfection, which will be Consummate hereafter.

And to this End we may make use of our Afflictions, which the Loss of Friends brings upon us, to the putting us in mind of our own Mor­tality; which by our con­tinual Remembrance of it, will admonish us to grow better, and more fit for Hap­piness. Nor will it suffer us to apply our Minds to those [Page 216] things, which will stop us in our Advances thither: And perhaps it was for this Reason that we have lost what we now Grieve for, because we fixt our Minds so much upon it, that we had not leisure to think of ano­ther Life, which should have no Obstacles to withdraw our thoughts from it.

To conclude, We ought not to be concern'd too much at any thing that may befal us here; because we can't enter into the State of the Blessed, till we have ta­ken off our Minds from all Sensual and Earthly Desires. We must shake off these [Page 217] Clogs, before we can be ad­mitted into Happiness. We can't enter into Life halt and maimed; we must carry nothing thither but spiritual Minds, heavenly Thoughts, and exalted Desires, with­out any mixture, or allay of Sense. We must temper our Affections to those Mansions of Pleasures, if ever we ex­pect a Fruition of them. We can never see God, nor enjoy the Beatisick Vision with the Eye of Sense. We must be purified and refin'd, before we can behold those Glorious Objects; and ex­change our vitiated Palates, for some more exquisitely [Page 218] perfect, if we design to tast of the Supper of the Lamb. We must wipe all Tears from our Eyes, if we expect to gain admittance there, where there is neither Grief nor Sor­row any more, where there are only Hallelujahs, Praises and Thanksgivings to Him that sitteth on the Throne for ever and ever.

What Joy and Transport do the frequent Meditations upon another Life, raise in the Minds of Good Men! With what Comfort and Sa­tisfaction do they perform all the Duties of Religion! How Fervent in their Pray­ers, how Constant and Joy­ful [Page 219] in their Thanksglvings! How Ravishing are their Hopes, how few their Fears! In a word, their Thoughts are so wholly taken up with the Meditations of the next Life, that they are little concern'd for any thing of this. If they suffer Scorn or Reproach from Men, or feel the immediate Hand of God upon them in Afflictions, they turn all to a good Use, and endeavour to grow bet­ter by them. They know though they sow in Tears, they shall reap in Joy: That is, their Joys shall be abun­dantly greater than ever their Sorrows were. They [Page 220] shall drink Rivers of Plea­sure for every Tear that fell from their Eyes: And for One Moment of Sorrow, They shall receive Eternal Blessedness, and be for Ever entertain'd with Joy unspeaka­able and full of Glory. Where­fore let us Comfort one another with these Words.