lent Minifteries of Religion, above all other Things, to the Pleasures of Humane Life. Which Point, if it be clearly made out, I do not fee what can be farther wanting to recommend it unto us, as the most effectual Inftrument for the ferving all our Turns in this World. Now that Godliness doth, indeed, make the most excellent Provifions for all Sorts of Pleasures, will appear by these Four Confiderations. First, That it eminently miniftreth to Health, which is a neceffary Foundation for all Pleasures.

Secondly, It doth much increase the Reli and Sweetness of all our other Pleafures. Thirdly, It fecures us from all thofe Inquietudes and Disturbances which are apt to imbitter our Pleafures, and make our Lives uncomfortable.

Fourthly, It adds to Humane Life a world of Pleasures of its own, which those that are not poffeffed of it, are utterly unacquainted with.

First of all, Godliness doth very much conduce to Health: Which is fo neceffary to our Enjoyment of any fenfible Good, that without it, neither Riches, nor Honours, nor any thing that we esteem moft gratifying to our Senfes, will fignify any thing at all to us. Now that a Sound and Healthful Conftitution does exceedingly much depend upon a difcreet Government and Moderation of our Appetites and Paffions, upon a fober and temperate Ufe of all God's Creatures, which is an Effential Part of True Religion, is a thing fo evident,

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that I need make no Words about it. What are most of our Difeafes and Infirmities, that make us miserable and unpity'd while we live, and cut us off in the midft of our Days, and transmit Weakness and Rottennefs to our Pofterity, but the Effects of our Excesses and Debauches, our Wantonneffes and Luxury? Certainly, if we would obferve thofe Measures in our Diet, and in our Labours, in our Paf fions, 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.

Secondly, A Life of Religion doth very much increase the Relish and Sweetness of all our fenfible Enjoyments. So far it is from abridging us of any of our Earthly Delights, (as its Enemies flanderoufly reprefent it) that it abundantly heightens them. It doth not only indulge to us the free Ufe of all those good Creatures of God which he hath made for the Support and Comfort of Mankind, while they are in thefe Earthly Bodies; but also 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 spoke 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 whilst he thinks to enjoy a greater fhare of Pleasures 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 fweet, nor the Company he keeps fo agreeable, as Theirs are, that by following the Measures of Nature and Reafon, come to them with truer and more unforc'd Appetites.

But befides this, there is a certain Lightfomeness and Chearfulness of Mind, which is in a manner peculiar to the truly Religious Soul, that above all Things fets off our Pleafures, and makes all the Actions and Perceptions of Humane Life Sweet and Delightful. True Piety is the beft Cure of Melancholy in the World; nothing comparable to it for difpelling the Lumpiness 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 Vigor, infufeth a strange kind of Alacrity and Gayety of Humour into us. And this it doth not only by removing those Things that hinder our Mirth,

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Mirth, and make us languish 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. Those Ardent Breathings and Workings, wherewith the Pious Soul is continually carried out after God and Vertue, 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 seem to allude, when he tells us, that Wisdom maketh a Man's Face to fbine, 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 Vertue and Devotion, doth diffuse itself even to his Outward Vifage, making the Counte nance 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 disposeth 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 Pleasures and Enjoyments, there is none but can easily discern.

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 destroy, or very much embitter the Pleasures 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 Aver fions, our Hopes and Fears, under the Command of our Reafon; and endeavour not fo much to fuit Things to our Wills, as our 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 disturb or interrupt our Pleasures, or create any Trouble or Vexation to us? Our Prefent Enjoyments will not be imbittered with the Fear of losing 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 Difappointment. We fhall 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.

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

and