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dreadful dangers of temptation; the future certain approaches of death; the just judgment of God; the torments of hell; the joys of heaven; and while it is thus acting like a man, it will not be fretted like a child, with little things.

It will also lessen our embarrassment, on many occasions, if we make it a rule to be silent before our enemies. If a man is under a mistake, or slow of apprehension, or poisoned with misinformation; we may do him and ourselves good by discoursing with him but if we once discover that he has a bad, that is, a malicious design, we should make it a rule never to talk with him, we have no chance with such a person but by being silent. If we speak never so long, we shall do him no good; but only give him an opportunity of misreporting our words, and turning them against us. The Scribes and Pharisees, from the malice of their hearts, urged our Saviour vehemently to speak of many things*; laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him. Malice will work in other men now, as it did in them: and as our Saviour himself was silent, when he could do no good by speaking; there are many occasions in life, when we shall very much lessen our danger and trouble by following the wisdom of his example.

It will also contribute greatly to our peace, if we view things on the bright side, and make the best of them, in our private meditations and in our conversation. As all lead contains some silver in it, so hath all evil some good, which a skilful mind may extract. The sagacious bee, when it traverses the fields, turns not aside from a poisonous flower; but is possessed of a chemical art, which can draw honey from every

* Luke xi. 53.

plant so saith the Apostle, supposing us to have the like faculty, in every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God.

3rdly. Such are the considerations with which we are to fortify our minds, and the rules by which we are to direct our lives, for the preservation of our tranquillity. But I am now to observe, that all other rules and considerations will be ineffectual, without the practice of piety; that is, without the prayers and devotions of a Christian. When we would move men to consider and learn, we tell them that peace of mind is an art; but when we would move them to pray, we must remind them, that it is a gift. The composure of a devout mind is called the peace of God, which passeth all understanding; it must therefore come from God himself; and if we do not ask for it, we cannot have it. O, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, saith the Psalmist to the Church: so must we admonish every individual, "O pray for the peace of thine "own heart, if thou dost expect to find it." Our religion hath every wise doctrine, and every wholesome precept; but, throughout the whole, Faith acts as the sovereign power, and the universal remedy; without which there can be neither the comfort of Hope not the patience of Charity. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith: and why doth the world overcome so many, but because they are without it? and, consequently without prayer, which is the speech of faith, and the evidence of our spiritual life? If we live, we shall speak: and that we may never be at a loss for proper expressions, the whole book of Psalms is provided for private as well as public use, and fitted for every occasion that can befall us.

The advantages of keeping up this communion

with God, are too many to be enumerated, and too great to be described: but certainly nothing composes the mind under all its trials like that great expedient of opening our grief to him who is able to help us, and hath promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Great and instructive in the issue of it, is the example of the good king Hezekiah; who when he had received that letter of defiance and blasphemy from the king of Assyria, went into the Temple, and spread it before the Lord*; and by his prayer obtained a signal deliverance to himself and his people. We cannot even present ourselves before God, without this good effect; that we are thereby instantly detached from the world which troubles us. We dare not, we cannot, give way to the weaknesses of Nature, while his eye is upon us, to restrain us. It is related of one of our kings, whose devotion supported him under all the trials of persecution and martyrdom: that when he had received some afflicting intelligence, while he was upon his knees at the public prayers, he continued in the same posture till they were ended; and then he relapsed into the condition of a man, and retired to give vent to his sorrow.

If we could go into heaven, the world, with all its cares, would be left behind us: and although this cannot be, so long as we are in the body; yet we may at all times lift up our hearts, and ascend thither with our thoughts and affections. Faith can fix an anchor there, which will keep us steady under all the changes and chances of this mortal life.

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SERMON II.

SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE.

COLOSS. III. 2.

Ir can hardly be denied, that all men are desirous of happiness; though, at the same time, it must be confessed, some are so miserably mistaken in the pursuit, that it may be difficult to give any rational account of their proceedings. They either think that to be happiness, which is not so: or, if they are right as to the object, they have such prejudices concerning the means of obtaining it, as render all their endeavours ineffectual.

I shall make it my business to shew you in this discourse, that till we set our affections on things above, no true happiness is to be found.

As the affections of man are active and restless in their nature, they must have their objects; and if these objects are not the things above, they will be the things below; and if these things are in their nature unsatisfactory, such an attachment can terminate in nothing but disappointment. The wisest of mankind, who had experienced all the heights of worldly felicity, did long ago pass sentence of condemnation upon the things of the world, as the instruments of vanity and vexation; yet few can find in their hearts to take his word, till they have made their unsuccessful experiments, and are convinced by the issue of them. It is a truth, which some happily discover

in due time, and which all will see at last, that to ex pect substantial happiness from the things of this earth, is as impertinent as to seek for the living among the dead. That no real good can be found here, is evident from this one consideration, that whatsoever we find we cannot keep possession of it. Suppose the things never so good in themselves, yet such are the conditions on which we hold them, that they cannot confer upon us the happiness we are looking for. If the cup of life were to be mixed up at the will of the most skilful epicure, the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time, are ingredients which can never be excluded; and they will never fail to embitter the whole. For our life is but a vapour, a thing of no substance, and liable to be dissipated by the next rough blast. If a man is unmindful of this, he is in a state of stupefaction; and stupefaction is not enjoyment; if it lies upon his mind, it will as surely have its effect, as the sound of a passing bell, near at hand, will spoil a concert of music. Besides this, the objects so eagerly sought after, are but shadows and delusions; which borrow their greatest value from the error of our imaginations. All the things we behold at present are but the lowest works of our Almighty Creator, and are to endure but for a limited time. The world itself, as well as they that inhabit it, must pass away, as a garment which is worn out, and must be changed for that which is eternal. This being the case, there is something in the soul of man which thirsteth after greater things than are here to be met with. There is in those, who do not extinguish it, an appetite, which will not be satisfied or put off with trifles. When a man has tried the world, and found it full of labour and vanity and disappointment, what can he

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