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And thus much for the Rules I had to propofe, as to the Ufe of our Liberty, in fuch Cafes where a Man is at a Lofs, in finding out the Measures and Bounds of Duty and Sin, and upon that Account, is in Danger of Tranfgreffing. I have only Two Things more to add upon this Argument, by way of Application, and I have done. The one as a Caution to prevent the mifapplying thefe Rules; the other as an Encouragement to put them in Practice:

That which I have to fay, by way of Caution, is this; That what I have been now recommending, efpecially under the Two laft Heads, is not intended to be a Rule or Diretion to any Hypochondriack, or Melancholy Perfons, or fuch as are apt to be overfcrupulous about their Actions: For, indeed, to fuch Perfons it is the worft Advice that can be given.

For they are apt to doubt and boggle at every Thing, be it never fo innocent and free from blame. They dare not eat a hearty Meal, for fear of being Intemperate. And for fear of not being devout enough, they exhauft their Spirits, and fpoil their Health, through the continual Intention of their Minds to ferious Things.

Now Perfons that are of this Temper, are rather to be encouraged to take more Liberties than they do, than to abate any that they make ufe of.

But their Cafe is of another Confideration, and foreign to my prefent Purpofe; and therefore, I here fay no more about it: It being fufficient

Q.3

fufficient to have given this Intimation to fuch People, that they do not make an ill use of any Thing that I have now represented; for affuredly, what hath been now faid, doth not much concern them.

2. The other Thing I have to fay, and that by way of Encouragement, is this; I doubt not, but fome will be apt to think, that the Rules I have now given about the Exercife of our Liberty, are much too ftrict and fevere; and that if they must be tied up to fuch Measures, then farewell all the Joy and Pleafure, and Comfort of their Lives. But to fuch People, I would crave leave to fay, that they have very wrong Notions of this Matter.

The ufing of their Liberty in fuch a manner as I have been recommending, would not rob them of one true Pleasure or Comfort that this World affords. So far from that, that I am very fure, whoever frames his Life according to thefe Meafures, fhall live a Hundred times a happier Life, and shall enjoy the World, and all the Pleasures and Advantages of it, much more to his own Content and Satisfaction, than if he put no Check to the craving of his Appetites, but always indulged and gratified them in every thing, and as much as they defired.

Affure yourselves, Virtue and Religion will never hinder you from enjoying any Pleasure or Satisfaction that is natural. On the contrary, there is great Reafon to believe, that the Practice thereof will extreamly heighten and advance the Satisfactions you can receive

from

from your Worldly Enjoyments. I doubt not in the leaft, but to a fincerely Pious and Virtuous Man, and that hath a Regard to God in all his Actions, even the very Pleasures and Comforts of this Life, are more gratifying and affecting, than to any Senfual or Wicked Man : For fuch a one, as he is more capable of enjoying them, fo do they come to him likewife without the Mixtures of those uneafy, troublesome, bitter Reflections, that other Men feel in the very beft of their Enjoyments.

Let no Man, therefore, apprehend any Lofs of his Pleafures, by entirely devoting himself to God's Service, and ufing his Liberty in that careful way I have been recommending. Let him not think that he fhall hereby be too much traitned and confined. For certainly this is the true Means, not only to keep him for ever from being a Slave to any Thing, but also mightily to improve and increase his Liberty.

For by thus exercifing himself, all the Powers of his Soul will be vaftly enlarged, and he will hereby attain both Leifure and Will, to employ all his Rational Faculties about the best and the nobleft Objects in the World, which will yield him the greatest Pleasure that is to be had on this Side Heaven. Whereas if he had given himself up to be govern'd by any of his Senfual Appetites, he had been a poor, narrow, confined Creature, indeed, not capable of any greater Satisfactions or Pleafures, than what the Brutes do enjoy as well as himself, but with lefs Uneafinefs, and fewer Disturb

ances.

It is true, indeed, a fenfual Man hath no Notion of this Kind of Pleafures, no more than a Beaft hath of the Pleasures of a Man: And, therefore, it is no Wonder that fuch Men entertain all Talk about them, as little better than mere Cant and Jargon. But I seriously appeal to all Men that have made any Trials in the Way of Religion and Virtue, whether the Contentments and Satisfactions they have received from the rational Ufe of their Liberty, and the Thoughts and Reflections that hereby they do approve themfelves to God, and live in Hopes of his Favour, and have a fair Profpect of a glorious Immortal State in another World; I fay, Whether they do not find the Plcafures and Contentments that arife from hence, to be infinitely more folid and fubftantial, and durable, than any of thofe that they receive from the Gratification of their Senfual Appetites, in a vicious unreasonable Manner.

Oh, therefore, Let none of us make any fcruple of devoting ourselves entirely and with out referve to God Almighty's Service. Let none of us be afraid to put reasonable Restraints upon our Paffions and Appetites. Affuredly the thus ufing our Liberty, is the certain Way to preferve and encrease it, and with it, the Pleafure and. Comfort of our Lives; and not only fo, but to render us Everlastingly Happy and Bleffed in the other World.

Which that we may all be, God, of his infinite Mercy, grant, &c.

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SERMON VIII.

Preached before the

HOUSE of COMMONS,

A T

St. Margaret's Westminster,

On the Twenty-first of May, 1680.

DEUT. V. 29.

O that there were fuch an Heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my Commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their Children for Ever!

T

HESE are the Words of God to
Mofes, concerning the Children of
Ifrael. And Two Things may be
gathered from them:

I. His ferious Defire of their Happiness. II. The Means whereby that Happiness is to be attained.

The Firft of thefe is imported in that Solemn Wish, into which the Text is framed;

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