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 ourfélves, that we do fineerely endeavour to please God, in those Ways that he hath taught us by Jefus Chrift his Son. The more our Religion mingles with our Paffions, or depends upon them, the more uncertain and fufpected will it be always rendered unto us.

Let us therefore labour to get ourselves 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 fenfitive Soul, (where the Affections and Paffions are) where it is too often feated, and fix it in our Minds and Spirits: When it has 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 State 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 Reafonableness 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 yourselves intirely 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 yourselves 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 led will be a perpetual Spring of uninterrupted Peace to your Minds; fuch a Peace as ordinarily no Irregularity of Temper, no Flatnefs and Dulness of Affections, that may at fome time seize 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 Virtue or of your Wits and Reafon.. For this is the rational Peace of a pure Con science, 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 nct fo violent, and boisterous, and transporting as thofe Flashes of Joy, which young Converts now and then feel; or those fenfible Smitings 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 laftly, 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 increase, 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 happy 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, refign 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; benceforth 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 boifterous Pleasures of Religion, (of the Lofs of which the Perfons I am fpeaking of do com plain) as the kindly Warmth of the Sun is from the Scorching of Lightning; or, as the pure calm Regions above are from this various and disturbed Air we breathe 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 practife, without Interruption, thofe excellent Precepts of the Apoftle, which feem to be the Top of Chriftian Morals. Be careful for nothing, but in every Thing give Thanks: Count it all Foy when ye enter into divers Temptations: Rejoice evermore, and again 1 Jay, Rejoice.

And thus much on the firft Cafe I proposed to speak to; the other, about the Devil's Temptations, and blafphemous Thoughts, I fhall defer to the next Time.

68

SERMON IV.

2. COR. II. 11.

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

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FTER a general Account of that which we call religious Melancholy, I came to speak to two of the most usual Cafes of thofe, that are afflicted with it. The Firft was the Cafe of those, 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 Exercise 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