ance imaginable, yet vast advantage on the contrary SERM. side; were there but any small reason for a judg-III. ment to come, as there are apparently very many and great ones; had most men conspired in denying Providence, as ever generally they have consented in avowing it; were there a pretence of miracles for establishing the mortality and impunity of souls, as there have been numberless strongly testified by good witnesses and great events, to confirm the opposite doctrines; did most wise and sober men judge in favour of irreligion, as commonly they ever did and still do otherwise; yet wisdom would require that men should choose to be pious, since otherwise no man can be throughly secure. It is a wildness, not to dread the least possibility of incurring such horrible mischiefs: any hazard of such importance cannot but startle a man in his wits. To be in the least obnoxious to eternal torments, if men would think upon it as men, (that is, as rational and provident creatures,) could not but disturb them. And indeed so it is in experience; for whatever they say, or seem, all atheists and profane men are inwardly suspicious and fearful; they care not to die, and would gladly escape the trial of what shall follow death. But let us grant or imagine the Epicurean successful as he could wish in this enterprise of subduing religion: yet except therewith he can also trample down reason, new mould human nature, subjugate all natural appetites and passions, alter the state of things here, and transform the world, he will yet in the greatest part fail of his conceited advantages; very short he will fall of triumphing in a contented and quiet mind. That which accrueth thence will at most be no more than some negative SERM. content, or a partial indolency, arising from his being III. pestate vex sea. Senec. rescued from some particular cares and fears; which exceedeth not the tranquillity of a beast, or the stupidity of one that is out of his senses: that is all he can claim, which yet is more than he can ever compass. For he cannot be as a beast, or a mere sot, if he would reason, reflecting on present evils, and boding others future, will afflict him; his own unsatiable desires, unavoidable fears, and untameable passions, will disquiet him. Were the other world quite out of his faith, or his thought, yet this world would yield trouble sufficient to render him void of any steady rest or solid joy. All men ever have, and ever will complain, that the burdens, crosses, satieties of this life, do much surpass the conveniences and comNon tem- forts of it. So that, were no other to be expected or, sed nau- or feared, this of itself would become grievous and nauseous; we should soon have enough or too much of it, without a support and supply from otherwhere. In the largest affluence of things, in the deepest calm of our state, we are apt to nauseate, and are weary even of our prosperity itself; the which indeed commonly hath ingredients not only somewhat unsavoury, but very bitter and loathsome. We may add, that had those profane attempters quite banished religion, they with it must have driven away all the benefits and comforts of it: which, even supposing them but imaginary, are yet the greatest which common life doth need or can desire with it they would send packing justice, fidelity, charity, sobriety, and all solid virtue, things which cannot firmly subsist without conscience: which being gone, human life would be the most disorderly, most unsafe, most wretched and con de Trang. An. 1. III. temptible thing that can be; nothing but insipid SERM. and flashy sensualities would be left behind to comfort a man with; and those hardly any man (by reason of competitions and contentions for them, nowise restrainable) could enjoy quietly or safely. It is therefore piety alone, which, by raising hopes of blessings and joys incomparably superior to any here, that cannot be taken from us, can lay any ground of true content, of substantial and positive content; such as consisteth not only in removing the objects and causes of vexatious passions, but in employing the most pleasant affections (love, hope, joy) with a delightful complacence upon their proper and most noble objects. The kingdom of God (and that only, Rom. xiv. no other kingdom hath that privilege) consisteth in righteousness (first, then in) peace and spiritual joy. No philosopher, with truth and reason, can make that overture to us which our Lord doth; Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy Matt. xi. laden, and ye shall find rest to your souls. Out of 28. religion there can be no aphorism pretended like to that of the prophet, Thou shalt keep him in per- Isa. xxvi. 3. fect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee. If indeed we distinctly survey all the grounds and sources of content, it will appear that religion only can afford it. Doth it result from a well governing and ordering our passions? Then it is plain, that only a pious man is capable thereof; for piety only can effect that it alone, with the powerful aid of Divine grace, doth guide our passions by exact rules, doth set them upon worthy objects, doth temper and tune them in just harmony, doth seasonably curb 17. SERM. and check them, doth rightly correct and reform theme. III. This no bare reason (which naturally is so dim and so feeble in man) can achieve much less can unreasonableness do it, which is ever prevalent in irreligious persons. Their passions do ever run wildly and at random, in no good pace, within no good compass, toward the meanest and basest objects; whence they can have no rest or quiet in their minds. As they are constantly offending, so will they ever be punishing themselves, with intestine broils and conflicts, with dissatisfactions and reIsa, xlviii. grets. Hence, There is no peace to the wicked. He is like the troubled sea, which cannot rest. God (as St. Austin speaketh) hath said it, and so it is, Every inordinate mind is a punishment to itself. 22. Irii. 20. Doth content spring from a hearty approbation of, or a complacence in a man's own actions; from reflection that he constantly doth act according to Nisi sapi- reason and wisdom, to justice and duty? Then can the pious man alone pretend to it, who knoweth cent: om- that he walketh inoffensively toward God and laborat fas- man; that he consulteth his own best interest and Sen. Ep. 9. Welfare; that assuredly no bad consequence can at enti sua non pla nis stultitia tidio sui. tend his unblameable behaviour; that most wise men have declared their approbation of his pro e Mala mens-cum insidiatur, spe, curis, labore distringitur; et jam cum sceleris compos fuerit, solicitudine, pœnitentia, pœnarum omnium exspectatione torquetur. Quint. xii. 1. Nulla major pœna nequitiæ est, quam quod sibi ac suis displicet. Sen. Ep. 42. Τιμωρία πάσης ἀδικίας ἀκόλουθος. Plat. de Leg, 5. Deus jussit, et ita est, Sibi pœna est omnis inordinatus animus. Aug. Conf. III. ceedings; that if he prove in his chief design mis- SERM. taken, yet no mischief can thence befall him; yea, that he is not thereby quite disappointed, seeing even much present satisfaction and convenience do arise up to him from his practice. Doth content grow from a sound and healthful constitution of soul? It is the pious man alone that hath that, whose mind is clear from distempers of vice and passion. The impious man is infirm, out of order, full of disease and pain, according to the prophet's description of him ;-The Isa. i. 5, 6. whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint: from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores. Doth content arise specially from good success in our attempts, or from prosperous events befalling us? Then it is the pious man who is most capable thereof: for he only is secure, that what seemeth good and prosperous is really such to him, as meant for his good by the Divine goodness, as tending thereto by the guidance of infallible wisdom. As he only hath ground to hope for success, because he confideth in God, because he dutifully seeketh God's help, because God is favourably disposed toward him, because God ordereth his steps, because God is by promise engaged to bless him, because he is conscious of intentions to render God thanks and praise for it, to employ his success to God's honour and service: so he only can be satisfied with the appearance of success, being able with assurance to say after St. Paul, We know that to Rom. viii. those who love God all things cooperate for good. Is security from danger, from trouble, from want, 28. |