that I need make no Words about it. What are most of our Difeafes and Infirmities, that make us miferable and unpity'd while we' live, and cut us off in the midst of our Days, and tranfmit Weaknefs and Rottennefs to our Pofterity, but the Effects of our Excesses and Debauches, our Wantonneffes and Luxury & Certainly, if we would obferve thofe Meafures in our Diet, and in our Labours, in our Paffions, and in our Pleasures, which Religion has bound us up to, we might to fuch a Degree preferve our Bodies, as to render the greatest part of Phyfick perfectly fuperfluous, But thefe Things are too well known, to need to be infifted on: I therefore pafs on to the next Thing; t

Secondly, A Life of Religion doth very much increafe the Relifh and Sweetness of all our fenfible Enjoyments. So far it is from abridging us of any of our Earthly Delights, (as its Enemies flanderously reprefent it) that it abundantly heightens them. It doth not only indulge to us the free Ufe of all thofe good Creatures of God which he hath made for the Support and Comfort of Mankind, while they are in thefe Earthly Bodies; but alfo makes them more exquifitely gratifying and delightful, than without it they could poffibly be. And this it doth in Part by the means of that never-fufficiently-commended Temperance and Moderation I before fpoke of; for hereby it comes to pass that our Senfes, which are the Inftruments of our Pleafures, are always preferv'd in that due Purity

and

and Quickness, that is abfolutely neceffary for the right performing of their Offices, and the rendring our Perceptions of any thing grateful and agreeable: Whereas the Senfual and Voluptuous Man defeats his own Designs, and whilft he thinks to enjoy a greater Share of Pleafures than other Men, really enjoys a lefs; for his Diffolutenefs, and giving up the Reins to his Appetites, only ferves to dull and ftupify them. Nor doth he reap any other Benefit from his continual hankering after Bodily Pleafures, but that his Senfations of them are hereby made altogether flat and unaffecting. Neither is his Meat half fo favoury, nor his Recreations fo diverting, nor his Sleep fo sweet, nor the Company he keeps fo agreea ble, as theirs are, that by following the Mea fures of Nature and Reafon, come to them with truer and more unforc'd Appetites.

But befides this, there is a certain Lightfamenefs and Chearfulness of Mind, which is in a manner peculiar to the truly Religious Soul, that above all Things fets off our Pleasures, and makes all the Actions and Perceptions of Human Life Sweet and Delightful. True Piety is the best Cure of Melancholy in the World; nothing comparable to it for difpelling the Lumpifhness and Inactivity, that renders the Soul of a Man uncapable of enjoying either itself or any thing elfe. It fills the Soul with perpetual Light and Vigour, infufeth a strange kind of Alacrity and Gayety of Humour into us. And this it doth not only by removing thofe Things that hinder our

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Mirth,

Mirth, and make us languifh in the midft of our Festivities (fuch as are the Pangs of an Evil Confcience, and the Storms of unmortified Paffions, of which I fhall speak in the following Particular) but even by a more Phyfical Efficiency. It hath really a mighty Power to Correct and Exalt a Man's Natural Temper. Thofe ardent Breathings and Workings, wherewith the Pious Soul is continually carried out after God and Virtue, are to the Body like fo much Fresh Air and Wholfome Exercife; they Fan the Blood, and keep it from Settling, they Clarifie the Spirits, and purge them from thofe groffer Feculencies which would otherwife cloud our Understandings, and make us dull and liftless. And to thefe Effects of Religion doth Solomon feem to allude, when he tells us, that Wisdom maketh a Man's Face to fhine, Ecclef. viii. 1.

Where he seems to intimate, That that Purity and Exaltation, into which the Blood and Spirits of a Man are wrought by the Exercise of Virtue and Devotion, doth diffuse itself even to his Outward Vifage, making the Countenance clear and ferene, and filling the Eyes with an unusual kind of Splendor and Vivacity. But whether this be a true Comment on his Words or no, certain it is, that Piety difpofeth a Man to Mirth and Lightness of Heart, above all Things in the World: And how admirable a Relish this doth give to all our other Pleafures and Enjoyments, there is none but can eafily difcern.

Thirdly,

Thirdly, Let it be farther confidered, that Godliness is a moft Effectual Antidote against all thofe Inquietudes, and Evil Accidents, that do either wholly deftroy, or very much embitter the Pleafures of this Life.

For whilft it teacheth us to place all our Happiness in God Almighty and ourselves only, whilft we have learn'd to bring all our Affections and Paffions, our Defires and Averfions, our Hopes and Fears, under the Command of our Reafon; and endeavour not fo much to fuit Things to our Wills, as oùr Wills to Things, being indifferent to all Events that can happen; fave only, that we always judge those best, which God in his Providence fends us: Being, I fay, thus difpofed (as certainly Religion, if it be fuffered to have its perfect Work upon us, will thus difpofe us) what is it that fhall be able to difturb or interrupt our Pleafures, or create any Trouble or Vexation to us? Our Prefent Enjoyments will not be imbittered with the Fear of lofing them, or leffened by our impatient Longing after Greater. Our Brains will not be upon the Rack for compaffing Things that are perhaps impoffible, nor our Bodies, under the Scourge of Rage and Anger, for every Disappointment. We shall not look pale with Envy, that our Neighbours have that which we have not, nor pine away with Grief, if we should happen to lose that which we have.

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But the Vicious Man is expofed to all these Miferies, and a Thousand more; he carries that within him, which will perpetually fret

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and torment him; for he is a Slave to his Paffions; and the leaft of them, when it is let loose upon him, is the Worst of Tyrants. He is like the Troubled Sea, reftlefs and ever working, ruffled and difcompofed with every thing. He is not capable of being rendred fo much as Tolerably Happy, by the best Condition this World affords: For having fuch a World of impetuous Defires and Appetites, which must be all fatisfied, or elfe he is miferable; and there being fuch an infinite Number of Circumftances, that muft concur to the giving them that Satisfaction; and all those depending upon Things without him, which are perfectly out of his Power: it cannot be avoided, but he will continually find Matter to difquiet him, and render his Condition troublefome and uncafie: A Thoufand unforefeen Accidents, will ever be croffing his Defigns. Nor will there be wanting fome little Thing or other, almoft Hourly, to put him out of Humour.

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And if this be the Cafe of the Vicious Man, in the Best Circumftances of this World, (where the Caufes of Vexation are in a manner undifcernable) in what a miferable Condition muft he needs be under those more Real Affictions unto which Human Life is obnoxious? What is there that fhall be able to fupport his Spirit, under the Tediousness of a Lingering Sickness, or the Anguish of an Acute Pain? What is become of all his Mirth and Jollity, if there fhould happen a Turn in his Fortune? if he fhould fall into Difgrace, or his

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