hour of death, how does the guilt of his wicked life then stare him in the face? what ftorms and tempefts are raised in his foul, which make it like the troubled fea, when it cannot reft? When eternity, that fearful and amazing fight, prefents itself to his mind, and he feels himself finking into the regions of darkness, and is every moment in a fearful expectation of meeting with the juft reward of his deeds; with what regret does he then remember the fins of his life? and how full of rage and indignation is he against himself for having neglected to know, when he had fo many opportunities of knowing them, the things that belong to his peace; and which, because he hath neglected them, are now, and likely to be for ever, hid from his eyes?

And if this be the true cafe of the righteous and wicked man, I need not multiply words, but may leave it to any man's thoughts, in which of thefe conditions he would be. And furely the difference between them is fo very plain, that there can be no difficulty in the choice.

But now, though this difcourfe be very true, yet, for the full clearing of this matter, it will be but fair to confider what may be faid on the other fide; and the rather, because there are several objections which feem to be countenanced from experience; which is enough to overthrow the most plaufible fpeculation. As,

1. That wicked men feem to have a great deal of pleasure and contentment in their vices.

2. That religion impofeth many harth and grievous things, which feem to be inconfiftent with that pleasure and fatisfaction I have spoken of.

3. That thofe who are religious, are many times very difconfolate, and full of trouble.

To the first, I deny not that wicked men have some pleasure in their vices; but when all things are rightly computed, and juft abatements made, it will amount to very little. For it is the loweft and meaneft kind of pleafure; it is chiefly the pleasure of our bodies and our fenfes, of our worfe part; the pleasure of the beast, and not of the man; that which leaft becomes us, and which we were leaft of all made for. Thofe fenfual pleafures which are lawful, are much inferior to the

leaft

least fatisfaction of the mind; and when they are unlawful, they are always inconfiftent with it. And what is a man profited, if, to gain a little fenfual pleasure, he lofe the peace of his foul! Can we find in our hearts to call that pleasure which robs us of a far greater and higher fatisfaction than it brings? The delights of fenfe are fo far from being the chief pleafure which God defigned us, that, on the contrary, he intended we should take our chief pleasure in the restraining and moderating of our fenfual appetites and defires, and in keeping them within the bounds of reafon and religion.

And then, it is not a lafling pleasure. Those fits of mirth which wicked men have, how foon are they over? like a fudden blaze, which, after a little flash and noise, is presently gone. It is the comparison of a very great and experienced man in thefe matters: Like the crackling of thorns under a pot, (faith Solomon), fo is the laughter of a fool; that is, the mirth of the wicked man; it may be loud, but it lafts not.

But, which is most confiderable of all, the pleasures of fin bear no proportion to that long and black train of miferies and inconveniencies which they draw after them; many times poverty and reproach, pains and difeafes upon our bodies: indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every foul of man that doth evil. So that if thefe pleafures were greater than they are, a man had better be without them than purchase them at fuch dear rates,

To the fecond, That religion impofeth many harfl and grievous things, which feem to be inconfiftent with that pleasure and fatisfaction I have spoken of; as, the bearing of perfecution, repentance, and mortification, fafting and abftinence, and many other rigours and feverities. As to perfecution, this difcourfe doth not pretend that religion exempts men from outward troubles; but that, when they happen, it fupports men under them better than any thing else. As for repentance and mortification; this chiefly concerns our firft entrance into religion after a wicked life, which I acknowledged in the beginning of this difcourfe to be very grievous: but this doth not hinder, but that though religion may be troublefome at firft to fome perfons, whofe former fins

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and

and crimes have made it fo, it may be pleafant afterwards when we are accustomed to it. And whatever the trouble of repentance be, it is unavoidable, unless we refolve to be miferable for except we repent, we must perifh. Now, there is always a rational fatisfaction in fubmitting to a lefs inconvenience to remedy and prevent a greater. As for fafting and abftinence, which is many times very helpful and fubfervient to the ends of religion; there is no fuch extraordinary trouble in it, if it be difcreetly managed, as is worth the fpeaking of. And as for other rigours and feverities which fome pretend religion does impofe; I have only this to fay, that if men will play the fool, and make religion more troublefome than God hath made it, I cannot help that; and that this is a falfe reprefentation of religion which fome in the world have made, as if it did chiefly confift, not in pleafing God, but in difpleafing and tormenting ourfelves. This is not to paint Religion like herself, but rather like one of the furies, with nothing but whips and fnakes about her.

To the third, That thofe who are religious, are many' times very difconfolate, and full of trouble; This, I confefs, is a great objection indeed, if religion were the caufe of this trouble. But there are other plain causes of it, to which religion rightly understood is not acceffory; as, falfe and miftaken principles in religion; the imperfection of our religion, and obedience to God; and a melancholy temper and difpofition. Falfe and mistaken principles in religion; as this for one, That God does not fincerely defire the falvation of men, but hath from all eternity effectually barred the greatest part of mankind from all poffibility of attaining that happiness which he offers to them; and every one hath cause to fear that he may be in that number. This were a melancholy confideration indeed, if it were true; but there is no ground either from reafon or fcripture to entertain any fuch thought of God. Our deftruction is of ourfelves; and no man fhall be ruined by any decree of God, who does not ruin himself by his own fault.

Or elfe, the imperfection of our religion, and obedience to God. Some perhaps are very devout in ferving God, but not fo kind and charitable, fo juft and honeft in their dealings with men. No wonder if fuch perfons

be

be difquieted; the natural confciences of men being not more apt to difquiet them for any thing, than for the neglect of thofe moral duties which natural light teacheth them. Peace of confcience is the effect of an impartial and univerfal obedience to the laws of God; and I hope no man will blame religion for that which plainly proceeds from the want of religion.

Or, laftly, a melancholy temper and disposition; which is not from religion, but from our nature and conftitution and therefore religion ought not to be

charged with it.

And thus I have endeavoured, as briefly and plainly as I could, to reprefent to you what peace and pleasure, what comfort and fatisfaction, religion rightly understood and fincerely practifed is apt to bring to the minds of men. And I do not know by what fort of argument religion can be more effectually recommended to wife and confiderate men. For, in perfuading men to be religious, I do not go about to rob them of any true pleasure and contentment, but to direct them to the very best,, nay the only way of attaining and fecuring it..

I fpeak this in great pity and compaffion to those who make it their great defign, to please themfelves, but do grievoufly mistake the way to it. The direct way is that. which I have fet before you; a holy and virtuous life; to deny ungodliness and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, and righteously, and godly in this prefent world. A good! man (faith Solomon) is fatisfied from himself: He hath the pleasure of being wife, and acting reafonably; the pleafure of being juftified to himself in what he doth, and of being acquitted. by the fentence of his own mind.. There is a great pleafure in being innocent; becaufe: that prevents guilt and trouble. It is pleafant to be: virtuous and good, because that is to excel many others;, and it is pleafant to grow better, because that is to ex cel ourselves; nay it is pleafant even to mortify and subdue our lufts, because that is victory.. It is pleasant to command our appetites and paffions, and to keep them in due order, within the bounds of reafon and religion; because this is a kind of empire, this is to govern. It is naturally pleasant to rule and have power over others but he is the great and the abfolute prince, who commands himself. This is the kingdom of God.within us :

a dominion infinitely to be preferred before all the kingdoms of this world, and the glory of them. It is the kingdom of God defcribed by the Apostle, which confifts in righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. In a word, the pleasure of being good, and of doing good, is the chief happiness of God himself.

But now the wicked man deprives himself of all this pleasure, and creates perpetual difcontent to his own mind. O the torments of a guilty confcience, which the finner feels more or lefs all his life long! But, alas! thou doft not yet know the worst of it, no not in this world. What wilt thou do when thou comeft to die ? What comfort wilt thou then be able to give thyself; or what comfort can any one elfe give thee, when thy confcience is miferably rent and torn by thofe waking furies which will then rage in thy breast, and thou knowest not which way to turn thyfelf for eafe? Then, perhaps, at laft the priest is unwillingly fent for, to patch up thy confcience as well as he can, and to appease the cries of it; and to force himself, out of very pity and good nature, to fay, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. But, alas ! man, what can we do? what comfort can we give thee, when thy iniquities teftify against thee to thy very face? How can there be peace, when thy lufts and debauche ries, thy impieties to God, and thy injuries to men, have been fo many? How can there be peace, when thy whole life hath been a continued contempt and provocation of almighty God, and a perpetual violence and affront to the light and reafon of thy own mind?

Therefore whatever temptation there may be in fin at a diftance, whatever pleasure in the act and commiffion of it; yet remember, that it always goes off with trouble, and will be bitterness in the end. Thofe words. of Solomon have a terrible fting in the conclufion of them, Rejoice, young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the fight of thine eyes but know thou, that for all thefe things God will bring thee into judgement.

This one thought, which will very often unavoidably break into our minds, that God will bring us into judgement, is enough to dafh all our contentment, and to spoil all the pleasure of a fieful life. Never expect to be quiet