Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

melancholy Divines would impofe upon the World; but it is most agreeable to thofe natural Sentiments, which the very Heathen have had, and do frequently mention: Seneca in particular; Res fevera eft verum gaudium; unde fit, interrogas? dicam, ex bona confcientia, ex honeftis confiliis, ex rectis actionibus. All folid Comfort muft arife from a good Confcience, and honeft Actions.

may

I appeal to the Experience of all confidering Men, whether this doth not appear to them, that the Generality of those who live most pleasantly in the World, are the most religious and virtuous Part of Mankind; fuch as know how to regulate themselves in the Fruition of what they have, how to avoid the Extremities on either hand, to prevent those Mixtures of Guilt and Fear, which are apt to fowre and imbitter all our Enjoyments? Whether lawful Pleafures, which a Man reflect upon without any Senfe of Guilt, be not much to be preferred before others? Whether those intellectual Delights that flow from the confcience of well-doing, be not much better than any finful fenfual Pleasure? Whether the doing of any worthy Action, fuch as all good Men must think well of, and commend, do not afford a more folid lafting Pleasure, than can be had from any fenfible Enjoyments? Whether any thing can be more fuitable, and confequently delightful to a generous Mind, than an Opportunity of being grateful

grateful to thofe by whom a Man hath been obliged; the making of an ample Return for the Favours he hath received? Whether that noble Way of Conquest, overcoming evil with good, furprizing an Enemy by Kindness,when we have it in our Power to be fevere towards him, be not a far greater Pleasure than that which is by fome counted the sweetest of all other things, Revenge?

Religion doth likewise advance the Soul to an holy Confidence, concerning the Divine Favour and Good-will towards us. If our bearts condemn us not, we have confidence towards God. A good Conscience will set us above all thofe Fears, and Doubts, and Cares, whereby the Lives of Men are render'd uncomfortable. When in Decrepit Age a Man cannot find Comfort in other Things, when the grinders fhall be few, and appetite ceafe, then will this be a continual feaft. The most rational, folid, fublime, compleat, durable Delights, of all others, do flow from the Confcience of Well-doing. 'Tis a chief part this, of that Heaven which we enjoy upon Earth, and 'tis likewise a principal Part of that Happinefs which we hope to enjoy in Heaven. Next to the Beatifical Vifion and Fruition of God, is the Happiness of a good Confcience, and next to that, the Society of Saints and Angels.

Whereas on the other fide, he that lives under the Senfe of Guilt, and a Confciouf

nefs

nefs of his Obligation to Punishment, muft needs be deftitute of all inward Peace and Comfort: Such an one can have nothing to fupport him with Patience, under a State of Affliction in this World, nor can he have any rational Grounds to expect a better Condition hereafter; and therefore muft needs have very Dreadful Apprehenfions of Dying, and be all his life-time fubject to bondage through the fear of death. And that Man muft needs be very miferable, who can neither have true Joy in Life, nor any Hope in Death.

This the Heathen Philofophers have acknowledged, that there is always a fecret Dread, which doth accompany Guilt. So Se- Ep. 105. neca in particular, fpeaking of wicked Men, he faith, tantum metuunt quantum nocent, that fuch Men must have Fears proportionable to their Guilt. And a little after, dat pœnas quifquis expectat, quifquis autem meruit expectat; thofe Men do really fuffer Punishment, who live under the Expectation of it; and whoever doth any thing to deserve it, must needs expect it. 'Tis not eafy to express the Torment which those Men undergo.

quos diri confcia facti

Mens habet attonitos, & furdo verbere cædit.
Occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum.
Mens fibi confcia facti

Prametuens, adhibet ftimulos, terretque

flagellis.

I

'Tis

'Tis the Unfupportableness of this, that many times doth caufe Men in the Bitterness of their Souls, to chufe Strangling and Death rather than Life. The Heathens do fet forth fuch a Man's Condition, by the Fiction of Furies continually haunting and fcourging him: But Zophar doth better describe it, Job. 2. 25, where he faith; Terrors are upon him; all darkness is hid in his fecret places; a fire not blown, fhall confume him.

26.

Though fome Men are fo hardened against the Senfe of Guilt, as to go on in their finful Courses, without feeling any of this Remorfe for them; yet is their Peace so far from being a Privilege, that it doth render their Condition more defperate, because it fuppofes them to have a reprobate Mind, and fuch a Stupidity upon their Confciences, as makes them paft feeling, being feared, as it Tim.4.2. were, with an hot iron. Which though it

Rom. r.

28.

Eph. 4.18,

39.

may preserve them from those present Lashes which others are tormented with, yet doth it argue their Conditions to be more remedilefs and defperate. All the Difference is, the one is fick of a Calenture, or burning Fever; the other of a Lethargy, or Apoplexy; the former more painful for the prefent, but both of them very dangerous, only the latter lefs capable of Remedy than the former.

CHAP.

[blocks in formation]

How Religion conduces to our Happiness in the next World.

A

S Religion is the true Caufe. of our prefent Happiness in this World;

whether

sExternal,
Internal;

So likewise is it the Cause of that Happiness, which we expect in our future States: Which muft depend upon fuch Courses, as can give us the most rational Affurance of Bleffedness and Glory hereafter.

I fhall fpeak but briefly to this Subject, because 'tis fcarce poffible for any Man to be fo ftrangely infatuated, fo wholly lost to common Reafon, as to believe, that vicious Courses, defpifing of Religion, walking contrary to God, can be the Means to entitle him to this future Happiness, any more than Contempt and Hatred of any one, is a proper Means to procure his Favour.

What kind of Happiness this is, which belongs to our future State, and wherein the Glory of it doth confift, is, applov 773 aThing unfpeakable, altogether above the

Expref

« НазадПродовжити »