thing, upon which our bodily Temper hath not fo much Influence; which, when all is done, must be the rational Evidence, that we are able to give our felves, that we do fincerely endeavour to please God, in those Ways that he hath taught us by Jefus Christ his Son. The more our Religion mingles with our Paffions, or depends upon them, the more uncertain and fufpected will it be always rendred unto us.

Let us therefore labour to get our felves into a higher Difpenfation. Let us fpiritualize our Religion, as much as we can, and make it a reasonable Service: Let us draw it off, as much as is poffible, from the lower fenfative Soul, (where the Affections and Paffions are) where it is too often feated, and fix it in our Minds and Spirits: When it hath once taken Root there, it will not fail to bring forth the Fruits of conftant Peace, and (whatever becomes of the fenfible Satisfaction) will perpetually replenish our Hearts with Comfort.

Would you always be in a calm ferene ftate of Mind? Learn to love God heartily: Poffefs your Minds with a deep Senfe of his Love and Goodnefs; of his Prefence and Providence; of the reasonableness of his Precepts; and the certainty of the Rewards he hath promifed in another World. Upon thefe Confiderations, devote your whole Man to his Service, refign up your felves entirely to his Government. Let it be the conftant

defire of your Souls, and the endeavour of your Lives, to do his Will; and to fubmit to it, whatever it be. Do but heartily recommend your felves to him, for his Grace and holy Spirit, to enable you to do your Duty, and to preserve you in it, and leave all the rest of your Concernments, both outward and inward, wholly to his difpofal. This now is a Religion truly fpiritual and rational, and a Life thus lead will be a perpetual Spring of uninterrupted Peace to your Minds; fuch a Peace as ordinarily no irregu larity of Temper, no flatness and dullness of Affections, that may at fometimes feize you, no inward Indifpofition, nor outward Event, will be able to difcompofe. Nothing can rob you of it, but what robs you either of your Vertue or of your Wits, and Reafon. For, this is the rational Peace of a pure Conscience, which the inequalities of the fenfitive Nature can no ways affect, fo long as the Head of the Man is not difordered.

It is true, this Peace is ftill and quiet, it is not fo violent and boisterous and transporting, as thofe flashes of Joy, which young Converts now and then feel, or those fenfible fmitings of Devotion, that arife from heated and raised Affections: But, yet, it is a great deal more true and folid, it is more fincere and unmingled, it is more conftant and regular, it gives a better grounded Affurance, to thofe that have it, of the goodness of their Condi→ tion; and lastly, it is a Peace that will never Vol. III. leave

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leave them, fo long as they do not leave God, and their Duty: Nay, the longer they live (provided ftill their Judgment continues found,) the more it will grow and increafe, the greater Confolations will they have, in the Service of God, and the greater Affurance, that they are in his Favour. And, the nearer they approach to Death, the more delightful Profpect will they have of the hapру Place where they are going. And, when they come to die (where others ftand fearful and trembling at the Brink) they will, with great calmnefs and affurance, resign up their Souls to God, being able to pronounce to themselves with St. Paul, I have fought a good Fight, I have finished my Course, I have kept the Faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord of righteous Judgment will give me at that Day.

This Peace, this intellectual Peace, is that which we are to labour after, if ever we would live happy Lives indeed; and, as widely different it is, from thofe tranfporting boisterous Pleafures of Religion, (of the lofs of which the Perfons I am speaking of do complain) as the kindly warmth of the Sun is, from the fcorching of Lightning: Or, as the pure calm Regions above are, from this various and disturbed Air we breath in.

In a Word, this folid peace of Conscience is the true Joy of the Holy Ghoft, the Fruit of the Spirit dwelling within us; in the Sense

of

of which, we shall be able to practise, without interruption, thofe excellent Precepts of the Apostle, which feem to be the top of the Chriftian Moralls. Be careful for nothing, but, in every thing, give thanks: Count it all Foy, when ye enter into divers Temptations: Rejoyce evermore, and again I say, rejoycë.

And thus much, on the firft Cafe I propofed to fpeak to; the other, about the Devils Temptations and blafphemous Thoughts, I fhall defer to the next Time.

68

SERMON IV.

2 CORINTH. II. 11.

Left Satan fhould get an Advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his Devices.

FTER a general Account of that, which we call religious Melancholly, I came to fpeak to two of the moft ufual Cafes of thofe, that are afflicted with it. The First was the Cafe of thofe, that are in the State of Desertion, as it is commonly called; that is, thofe, who have loft all the Sweetness and Comfort they used to find, in the Ways of Religion, and the exercife of Piety; and, thereupon, think that God hath withdrawn his Grace and Spirit from them. And this I have already spoken to.

The other is the Cafe of thofe, that think themselves given up to the Power of the Devil, upon account of the multitude of wicked blafphemous Thoughts, and Fancies, which do continually haunt their Minds, do what they can to the contrary. And this I now come to speak to, and, for that purpose, I