UC-NRLF mo m IIN MEMO1LIAM ELIZABETH SANDERSON FRYER CLASS OF 1897 PERSUASIVE T O A HOLY LIFE. A PERSUASIVE T O A HOLY LIFE: FROM THE HAPPINESS Which attends it Both in this Wo R L D, AND In the WORLD to come. by JOHN RAT, late Fellow of the Royal Society. LONDON: Printed by W. and J. Innys^ Printers to the Royal Society^ at the Prime's- Arms at the Weft End of St. PauV* Church- Yard. MDCCX1X. l$oo THE PREFACE T O T H E READER. HAving been de fired by my learned and pious Friend Mr. Edmund Elys, to draw upfuch a Periua- five as I noiv prefent the Reader with -y finding my felf well at leifure from o- ther Buflnefs, and confidering that it was fmt able to my Projejfion, and pre- fent Condition-^ as being conducive to my preparation for that change ', which the pains and infirmities I laboured under, feemed to threaten the near ap- proach M197988 The Preface to proach of, and might pojjlbly be in fome meafure ufeful and beneficial to others : I was eafily induced to comply with his Requeft^ and to employ thofe Intervals 1 had of eafe or remiffion of patny m Meditations upon this Subject* I do not pretend to any thing new, or not delivered by others. Practical Di- vinity and Morality are fuch beaten Subjects, and have exercifed the Wits and Pens of fo many thinking Men, that there is nothing of this Nature can be faid or written, which hath not al- ready been fo. But becaufe not every Man, nay fcarce any Man, hath read all that hath been written upon this, or any other SubjeB, fomethmg new to every Reader may perchance occur in this Writing : And yet if there does not, it may not be unprofitable Jo read the fame things over again, as the Apoftle in effeft faith , Philip, iri. i. But to do every Man right, I muft acknow- ledge the Reader. ledge my felf to have borrowed a good part of my Matter out of the Right Reverend Father in Gody Dr. John Wilkins, late Lord Eijhop of Chefter, his Treatife of Natural Religion ; wherein he hath in my judgment writ- ten fo well concerning the Happinefs that attends a Religious Life in this World) that little which is material can be added ^ and therefore I might well have fpared my pains : Only this Trattate may fojjlbly fall into the hands offome who never faw, nor would elfe have feen that $ and recommend to them the reading of the whole. A CA- A CATALOGUE */ Afr.RayV Works. Hiftoria Plantarum, Species hactenus editas aliafque infuper multasnoviterinventas&defcriptas compkdens. Tomi QUO. Fol. 1686. Ejufd. Tomus tertius, qui eft Stipplementum duorurn prae- cedentiura; cum acceflionibus Camellt & Tournefortii, 1704. Catalogus Piantarum circa Cantab, nafcentium. 8x>0. Can. 1660. Catalogus Plantarum Anglix, we. %vo. 1670, re- peated i Tet. 3. 10. On the other fide Sick- nefs and grievous- Difeafes and premature Death are often threatned as Puniihments of Sin and Difobedience : T>eut. 18.60,61. If thou wilt not obferve to do all the words of this Law, &c. He will bring upon thee all the evil ^Difeafes of Egypt, &c. aljo every Sicknefs^ and every 'Plague which is not written in this Law. Prov. 1.12. The wicked jhall be cut off from the earth, and the tranfgreffors Jhall be rooted out of it. Prov. 11.19. <^s right eoufnefs tendeth to life, fo he that purfueth evil, purfueth it to his own 'Death. i. Health and Long Life are the natural confequents of fome Virtues commanded by God: As, C 3 i.Tem- ^z /f PERSUAS i VE *0 i. Temperance and Sobriety in the ufe of Meats and Drinks : That this is a moft effectual means to preferve Health, I appeal to the general confent of Phyficians, who are the moft competent Judges in this Cafe, all unanimouily prefcribing a moderate Dirt, not only as a principal means to continue Health, but allb to cure many Difeafes, Hence Hippocrates faith, 6 Efid. Sett. 4. . IO. Aai&frii C'ytrjg aLxAMpty T0c in feveral of thofe Duties which Religion doth oblige them to, as Diligence, Cau- tion, &c. » And the poverty of fuch may juftly be afcribed to their defeft in Reli- gion. x. As for that Scripture, That God hath chofen the poor in this world; it is not to be underftood in the more abfoktte fenfe for fuch as want NecefTaries ; becaufe it's plain from other Texts, That though fome of the Primitive Believers were by reafon of the Perfecution of thofe times, reduced to great exigencies, yet the generality of the reft were very liberal in their Contri- butions towards them. But it muft be un- derftood in the Relative Senfe, concerning fuch as might be ftyled comparatively poor ; that is, fuch as were of a lower rank, and meaner 60 A P E R S U A S I V E tO • meaner condition than others, and confe- quently had lefs Temptation to corrupt and ieduce them, than thofe that did more a- hound in thefe earthly things ; of whom our Saviour faith, It is hard for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God. It may further be objected by thole of the loweft rank of poor : We are as it were condemned to perpetual Poverty; our condition is fo mean , and our charge fo great, and the gain fo fmall and incon- fiderable, which comes in by our utmoft Labor and Induftry, that it will fcarce fuf- fice to provide things abfolutely neceflary for the fupport of our felves and depen- dents ; fo far are we from any poflibility of mending our Eftates, or growing rich. To Thefe I anfwer, That we do not fay, That all that are truly religious fliall cer- tainly grow rich, let their Circumilances be what they will ; but only that obedience to God's Commands is the mod likely way of improving and advancing a man's Eflate, that hath means and opportunities of gain- ing; which though God hath denied thee, yet haft thou no reafon to be difcontented with thy Condition, or to complain that thou a HOLY LIFE. 61 thou art hardly dealt with : Thou art not fo forlorn , deititute , negle&ed a Wretch as thou may'lt imagine. There is a great Philofopher affirms, That there is no Man born into thq World , and grown up to years of difcretion, but hath received more good at the hands of God. than evil, more pleafure than pain ; though he overlooks and confidets not the pleafure, as thinking it due to hirh, but fixes too much upon the pain, which i$ indeed due, and for the molt part defer ved. And another great * Divine faith thus, Supfofe all manner of evils and afflictions, which are now promifcuoufly feat- tered up and down in the world, whether they concern Soul or Body ; Spiritual 'Blind- nefs and Obduracy^ Toverty, Slavery, Re- proach , Sicknefs, Tain, Maimednefsy 'De- formity, &c. / fay, fufpofe all the fe were to be distributed among Mankind, fo as eve- ry one were to have an equal Jh are of them ; would you be content to ft and to this diftri- but ion ? I fuffofe there are not many per- fons in this Nation in fo miferable and for- lorn a condition^ that ufon ferious confede- ration of the ffeclal advantages they do, or may fartake of, above many other Millions * Biftop in in the T¥orld^ would confent to it. But I fhall add further for thy encouragement, and the vindication of the goodnefs of God to thee; That he hath put thee into a near capacity of obtaining as happy an Eltate, as the rich, or learned, or powerful: The Gate of Heaven is fet open to thee, eter- nal Life and Immortality offered to thee^ upon more eafie terms in fome refpeft, than to the rich and mighty. Confider that God may on purpofe fet thee in a low Ita- tion, put thee into a mean condition to re- move from thee the Temptations to Pride, Luxury, and other Vices, which Riches or Honour would have expofed thee to, and which he forefaw thou wouldeft not be a- ble to refift. Confider that he is Wife, and knows better what Condition is fit for thee than thou thy felf dolt ; and likewife good, and hath therefore chofen what is belt and moft' proper for thee. Beftir thy felf then and make a Virtue of Neceffity, and what thou muft fuffer, fuffer patiently, refigning thy Will to the Will of God : And feeing thou hall not, nor* art ever likely to obtaiii thofe things, in the enjoyment whereof many Men falfly place their happinefs, la- bour after durable Riches and Righteouf- nefs, an Inheritance incorruptible and un- defil^d,- f a HOLY LIFE. defiled, and that fadeth not away: Be not contented to be miferable here, and eter- nally miferable hereafter, when thou need- eft not : And feeing God hath denied thee thefe wordly Goods, to compel thee, as it were, to leek after better. . This courfe, if thou takett, [of loving and fearing God, and keeping his Commandments], thou fhalt not only obtain eternal Life hereafter, but alfo render thy condition tolerable, nay com- fortable to thee here : Thou fhalt enjoy in- ward peace and fatisfaftion of Mind, and for thy outward eftate, God will, if he fees it beft for thee, raife thee up Friends to affift thee ; or otherwife make fuch pro- vifion for thee, that thou ihalt not want what is neceflary for thy fupport and main- tenance. CHAP. VIII. Of Pleafure. fourthly i'TF Proceed to Tleafure, which A. is either bodily o'r fpiritual, fenfual, or intellectual. But firft I {hall endeavour to explain what is meant by this 6 4 /^PERSUASIVE to this Word Pleafure, what is the true fenfe and notion of it. Tleafure is that agreeable and delightful Senfe that is excited in the Soul, either by an impreffion or motion made upon the outward Organs or Senfation, by any fuita- ble Objeft, 'and conveyed by the Nerves to the Brain ; or elfe by internal confideration and reflection upon any Objeft or Adion by the underftanding. Thofe are called pleafant Taites or Smells which are apt to caufe fuch a gentle motion of the Nerves belonging to the Organs of thofe Senfes, the Tongue and Nofe ; as is naturally de- ftined to excite a grateful and delicious fenfe in the Soul : Thofe deleftable Sights, which in like manner affeft our Eyes, as cu- rious Pictures and Statues, artificial En- gines, elegant and regular Motions : Thofe agreeable Sounds which have a charming influence *on our Ears, as Mufick and Har- mony. The Touch or Feeling is gratified and delighted by various Motions of thofe Nerves which do not minifter to the other Senfes. To the Senfes of Touch and Tafte, ap- pertain thofe Pleafures, which by the wife Providence of God are annexed to the fa- tisfaftion of our natural Appetites. Thefe a HOLY L IFF. Thde Appetites implanted in us, and all Animals, are to thofe Things or Aftions, which ferve either to the fupport and -pre- fervation of the Individuum^ or each parti- cular Animal \ or to the propagation of the Kind. Thofe which ferve to the fupport and prefervation of the Indwiduum, are the Appetites" of Meat and Drink, or the Afti- ons of Eating and Drinking: To which the Divine Providence hath not only premifed a painful Senfe of Hunger to be a Monitor to us when we have need of Meat and Drink, and compel us to the ufe of them ; but hath alfo annexed Pleafure to the very Aftions of Eating and Drinking, which o- therwife would have been no very grateful Exercife. This Pleafure of eating and drinking a- bides no longer than till the Neceffities of Nature are fatisfied, and fo far Religion doth allow of it. When our Hunger and Thirft are well appeafed, all that follows is but a faint kind of Pleafure, if it be not . rather to be ftyled Satiety, or Glutting : Yet doth not the 'ufe of Meats and Drinks con- Cft in an indivifible point ; there is a more moderate and reftrained ufe of them : When we keep within the bounds of our Appetites ; dw^ ™o$wi as Hippocrates F - ealls 66 A PE R s u A s i v E to calls it, not feeding to fatiety, nor of the mod delicate Viands. This ought to be our daily practice ; and there is a more free and liberal ufe of them in feajtmg^ which is alfo allowed us upon occaiions of Joy ; and on Days of Thankfgiving ; as Marriages , Chriflenings, Victory over.publick Enemies, Commemorations of great Mercies to Man- kind in general, our own Nation, or our felves in particular : Such are the Feltivals of our Saviour's Nativity, Refurredion, Af- cenfion, Million of the Holy Ghoft, &c. Our Saviour himfelf was pleafed to honour a Marriage-feaft with his prefence: And he accepted of a great Feaft from Matthew at his calling, Litke^.i^ But to fpeak in general , the Apoftle faith , God giveth us all things richly to enjoy. And the Wife- man, Ecclef.$.i%. It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the Sun^ all the days of his Ufe, which God gi- . fbeut. 2.8. 47. God doth not prohi- bit us the ufe and participation of thefe or any other fenfible Pleafures, that are agree- able to Reafon, or our true Interefts ; but only our Miitakes and Excefles, in and a- bout them (as the Bilhop of CA^rfpeaks) teaching us fo to regulate our felves in the life of them, that they may truly deferve the name of Pleafure. As for thofe Appetites and Aftions which tend to the propagation and conti- nuance of the Sfecies and the Pleafures that attelid them, God hath not denied us a moderate and regular fatisfaftion and ufe of them ; nay, in fome cafes comman- ded it. Now the mod fincere Pleafure proceeds from fuch a moderate, regular, feafonable, well circumilantiate ufe ; fuch an enjoy- ment as may be reflected upon without hor- ror, fear of Punilhment, or confcioufnefs of guilt, which attends the exceffive, irre- gular, unfeafonable ufe, or rather, the abufe of them, and renders the thought and me- mory of them very bitter and grievous: But of this particular I have written in a former * Treatife. Difjolution of the World, pag. 390. ; F -L But ^PERSUASIVES But here it may be objefted, That our Saviour in the Gofpel hath abridged us of fome Pleafures of this kind, which are not in themfclves finful or unlawful, as having been permitted by God to the Jews^ and praftifed by the Ancient Patriarchs, and other men eminent for Piety, without re- proof, I mean, the ufe of many Wives. To which I anfwer, That granting "Po- lygamy not to be in it felf unlawful, or to have any natural turpitude in it; yet is our Saviour's Prohibition grounded upon good Reafon, viz. becaufe God at the* firft cre- ated Mankind Male and Female ; that is, one Female only, as well as one Male; and in effed he doth fo ftill ; there being as many, nay more Males than Females born into the World : And therefore it is unrea- fonable that fome men fliould have many Wives, becaufe they cannot have them un- lefs others lack. i That there are more Males than Females born, appears, by the Catalogues in all places, where accounts have been taken of the number of each Sex : And I doubt not but the cafe is the fame in all places where fuch accounts have not been taken. It may here be asked why thefe Appetites are fo vehement and importunate ? Ian- a HOLY LIFE. I anfvver, To fecure the great end of continuing the Species, and carrying on the World: For had they been weak and lan- guid, it might have come to pafs, that through inadvertency, or to avoid the labor and trouble of bringing up Children, and main- taining of Families, the greatelt part of men might have abltained from fuch Aftions , and fo the Race of Mankind by degrees have been extinft, and the World dif- peoplcd. That thefe Appetites are- fo extravagant and irregular, and not without great diffi- culty to be moderated and ruled, or kept within- bounds, is an effed of the Apoltafy of Man: That God permits them fo to continue, one caufe may be, that they may be matter wherein to exercile Virtue : For were thefe vicious Inclinations, and inordi- nate Appetites taken way, were men left in abfolute indififerency to Good and Evil, there could be no fuch thing as Virtue and Vice, nothing praife, or blame-worthy, no place for Rewards or Puniihmerits. For the exercife of Virtue confiits in refilling, and {hiving againfl vicious Appetites, iiibduing Paffions-, and mortifying a of Lulls; and thofe that labour herein, are virtuous Per- fons. Thofe that are flothful, that lay the F 3 Reins 70 A PERSUASIVE to Reins upon the Necks of their Lufts, and follow whither they lead and hurry them away, are vicious, You will fay, Are not thefe Exercifes painful and repugnant to our natural Ap- petites and Inclinations, and confequently contrary to Pleafure? Is. not the fubduing of Lufts compared to the cutting off of Members, . which cannot be done without pain ? I anfwer, It muft be granted, that there is difficulty at firft in the New Birth, in paffing from one ftate to another, all Ex- cellent things being hard to obtain, *Diffici- lia qua fulchra. Indeed we are fo mad e as not much to value that which coft us no pains; and on the contrary, as Dr. Cock- burn well obferves, the Mind of Man is never fo well pleafed, as when it ufeth its Reafon, and always takes moft delight in the things which it felf hath wrought. And therefore, as he proceeds, it was, and is wifely provided, to fet the Necelfaries, the Comforts, and Conveniences of Life at fome diftance from Lazinefs and Sloth, and to hedge them about with fome difficulties, that while we fearch and labour foj them, we may at the fame time, and by the fame means improve our Intellectual Faculties, and a HOLY LIFE. 7*1 and carry on the growth and perfection of our Souls. I might add, That the labor and exercife of the Body doth alfo conduce •much to the Health and Strength, ~and Well-being of that. For as Hippocrates well faith, a fin more manly : But fuch as give up, or prof litute themfelves to Gluttony, Drunkennefs, and Lull, eomm inhonefta labes eft ; their ilain is difhonourable and fordid. Of the Pleafures of the Senfes of See- ing, Hearing, and Swelling \ fliall fay no- thing, but that if duly circumftantiated, and placed upon proper Objefts, they have no turpitude in them, but may lawfully be en- joyed. Of Seeing and Hearing I have faid fomething in a former Difcourfe. As for thofe things which we call by the name of Sports arid Diver/ions, Religion doth likewife admit of a moderate ufe of thefe : And what is beyond fuch a ufe doth rather tire Men, than recreate them: * It being as much the property of fuch things to weary a Man, when he is once fuffici- ently refreihed by them, as it is to refrefli him when he is wearied by other things. Of Intellectual Tleajures we fliall fpeak when we come to treat of the Happinefs of the inward Man. Here it may be objefted, That the Life of a Chriflian is a melancholy and mourn- Bifliop Vfilkint. ful a HOLY LIFE. 77 ful Life, and that we muft take leave of all the Pleafures and Delights of the World, when once we enter upon it. Doth not Salomon fay, Ecclef.j.i. It is better to go tv the houfe of mourning, than to the houfe offeafting, &c. #.3. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the fadnefs of the coun- tenance, the heart is made better. #.'4. The heart of the wife is in the koufe of mourn- ing ; and the heart of fools is in the houfe of mirth. This is a great prejudice againft a holy Life, and deters many Men from ventu- ring up it. They are loath to part with all Mirth and Jollity and Pleafure, which they efteem the chief Happinefs of their Lives, and to live more retrained and regu- lar Lives ; at leafl they defire to enjoy them a little 'longer, till they are* tired and glut- ted with them, deferring their Repentance to1 Sicknefs or old Age. To this I anfwer, That innocent mirth and joy, or even fealting it felf, are not ab- folutely forbidden. ' The fame Author tells us , That there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh : A time to mourn, and a time to dance : And that every thing is beauti- ful in its Seafon ; nay, Chriftians are com- manded to rejoice evermore. But in this place 78 -^PERSUASIVE to place he compares Laughter and Sorrow; Feafting and Mournirtg together, and pre- fers the latter, and upon very good reafon ; becaufe Feafting is oftentimes an occafion c>f temptation to intemperance and excefs in eating and drinking ; idle and vain talk ; fcurrilous and prophane jeiting ; lafcivious SongSj which tend to corrupt Mens Man- ners, effeminate their Minds, and bring them in love with fenfual and bruitifh Plea- fures. Whereas from forrovv and mourn- ing there is no fuch danger, whatever the occafion of it be ; whether publick cala- mities, lofles, death of Relations, or Friends. Thereby we are brought to confider the un- certainty of all thefe outward Enjoyments, not to overvalue them, or fet our hearts upon them, that fo we may hot be over- whelmed with 'grief at the lofs of them ; to bewail our own and others Sins, which for the moil part bring thefe affliftions and fuflferings upon our felves, or them ; to con- dole with, comfort and fupport thofe who are too much dejefted and apt to fink un- der their burthens. CHAR a HOLY LIFE. C H A V. IX. Of Honour and Reputation. Fifthly, \ Fifth thing conducive to JLJL happinefs of the outward Man is Hon'our and Refutation a Bleffing highly to be valued, and much to be pre- ferred before Riches or Pleafures, or even Life it felf. 'Prov.ii. i. A good name is rather to be chofen than great Riches^ and loving favour rather than Silver and Gold. Ecclef. 7. r. A good name is better than pre- cious Ointment. It is a Proverb among the Vulgar, Take away my good name, and take away my life : Intimating, that it is as dear to them as their Lives. Much more then will a generous perfon chufe rather to die, than to do any unworthy thing, that may expofe him to Infamy, or Mali his Reputa- tion. And becaufe it is a thing of fo great excellency, therefore we do pay it as the beft fervice we can do, and return we can make to God. and his Deputies, Magi- ftrates and Parents. Honour is a good thing, 'whereby we not only reap many ad- vantages 8o A PERSUASIVE to vantages while we live, but that doth alfo furvive us, and abide after us when we are gone out of the World, *Pfal. nx. 6. The Righteous /hull be tn everlafimg remem- brance. There is in Man a natural defire to have a good Name perpetuated and mentioned with honour when, he is dead and gone; which (as a learned * Prelate faith) is a fign that there is in Humane Na- ture fome prefage of a Life after Death, in which they hope, among other Rewards of well doing, to meet with this alfo, to be well fpoken of to Poflerity. And ano- ther f Man among many tokens of immor- tality, hath by fecret inftinft a natural de- fire to be thought of and fpoken of in after-times. Honour is a great fpur and encouragement to virtuous Aftions: Eve- ry Man (faith the forementioned Author) that hath any fpark of generofity in him, is defirous of fame ; and though Men care not how foon it comes, yet they will be glad to have it after Death, rather than not at all. And (Bifhop Wilkms faith) The more wife and virtuous any Man is, the more care will he take to tranfmit a grate- ful Memory of himfelf to future times, that * A. BP. TiUotfon j Bifliop Lloyd. a HOLY LIFE. 8r he be well fpoken ,of, that his Name may be as a precious Ointment, leaving a Per- fume behind it ; that Men may rife up at the mention of it, and call him bleifed,' Nor (faith he) can any Man defpife Ho- nour; but he that doth either defpair of it, or refolve againft doing any thing that may defer ve it. And certainly (faith the Arch-Biftiop) he that hath no regard to his Fame, is loft to> all purpofes of Virtue and Goodnefs. When a Man is once come to this, not to care what others fay of him ; the next ftep is to have no care what he himfelf does* Gjuod Confcientia eft apuct ^Deum^ id fama eft afud Homines: What Conference is in refpeft of God, that Fame is in refpeffi of Men. Next to a good Con- ference, a clear Reputation ought to be to every Man the deareft thing ifi the World. You'll fay, What is Honour ? It is very Well defined by the * Bifliop of C#^Vr,*often mentioned, to be, The efteem arid good opinion Men have concerning the peribn <3r aftions of another, together with fucH external Expreffions of refpeft as are fuitable thereunto. * Dr. wilkms,' G Now 8z A PERSUASIVE to < Now this fo valuable a good is the pecu- liar reward of Virtue and Piety , i Sam. z. 30. Them that honour me^ 1 will honour, and them that dcffife me, Jhall be lightly efteemed, Prov.4- 8,9. Solomon faith of Wif- dom, that is the fear of God, Exalt her,, and Jhe Jhall ^promote thee? and bring thee to honour. She Jhall give to thy head an Ornament of grace , and a crown of glory, i^rov. ib. 7. Thememoryofthe jitfl is bleffed^ but the name of the wicked Jhall rot, Prov. 3.35-. The wife Jhall inherit glory: But Jhame Jhall be* the promotion of fools. Pi- ety and Virtue command a refpeft from all forts of Men. Good Men hold them- felves obliged to give it, by the Command of God, and the excellency of the thing, it being a gift of God ; and wicked Men though tfrey may deny that outward refpeft that is due to good and righteous perfons ; yet even thefe cannot but have an inward veneration for Goodnefs and Religion. It is very remarkable, that even the rude and licentious Vulgar at Rome had fuch a reve- rence of the Perfon of Cato, that though fuch lewdnefs was" permitted by the Law in the Feftival of Flora, yet fo long as he was prefent in the Theatre, they could not go on with their obfcene fports, nor have the a HOLY LIFE, 83 the confidence to demand thofe : Florales joci nudandarum meretricum^ as Seneca calls them. The wicked indeed hate the righ- teous, becaufe his life is a reproof to them, and gives them fome check in their vici- ous courfeSj taking from them their great excufe of the impoffibility of God's Com- tnandments; and demonflrating, that through the afliftance of Divine Grace, which is al- ways granted to them who do what in them lies, and pray for it ; it is poffible to obey them to fuch a degree as will be accepted by God : Wicked Men though they hate Virtue in the Subjeft, yet limply and ab- ftraftedly they acknowledge it to 'be good ; though in their practice they prefer Vice before Virtue ; yet never any arrived to to that degree of fottifhnefs, as to fay, it was better than Virtue : For example ; bet- ter to be a glutton, and a drunkard than a temperate Per (on ; to cheat and 'defraud* than to be juft and righteous in our deal- ings : And therefore, though they hate and perfecute Men for being religious, yet they difguife the Subje<51 of their hatred, pre- tending it to be Hypocrifie, Herefie, Su- perftition, or the like, that they hate them for. Whence it appears, that they arelelf- condemned Perfons. . Seneca in his Fourth G 'L Book, 84 A PERSUASIVE to Book, *De Beneficial cap. 17. hath much* to this purpofe, Adeb gratiofa eft virtu* (faith he) ut infitum etiam malis Jit frobare meliora: Virtue is fo gracious, that it is naturally ingrafted even in bad Men to ap- prove that which is good. And again. Nee quifquam tantum a natural* lege defcivit & hominem exuit, ut animi caufd malm Jit. Neither hath any Man fo far degenerated from the natural Law, and put off Man, as to be wicked for his minds fake, or only becaufe it is his pleafure to be fo. And again, Maximtim hoc habemits a naturd meritum , quod virtus in omnium animos lumsn fuumpermittit) etiam qui non fequun- tur^ illam vident : Nature hath herein de- fervei exceeding well of us, That Virtue fends its light into all Mens Minds, even they that do not follow it, yet fee it. Againft what is generally faid, That there is nothing truly honourable but Virtue, it may be objefted, that Learning and Know- ledge is honourable, and yet it is not always accompanied with Virtue, there being fome learned Men vicious, as §t.Augufilne alfo fuppofes in that Saying, Quid pro deft effefer i- turn ^feriturum ? I anfwer,That the acquifi- tion of Learning and Knowledge is by fome- thing virtuous and commendable, viz. La- boui- a HOLY LIFE. 8j hour and Induftry in a Calling; nay, Know- ledge it felf being that which all Men na- turally defire* and being fome participation of a divine Perfection, viz. Omnifcience ; and being that which dillinguiflies us from and advances us above brute Beads, ancj makes us capable of Virtue and Happinefs, a higher degree of it, exalting our Facul- ties, enabling us to ad in a larger Sphere, and to do more good, mufl be acknow- ledged to be an excellent quality, and to merit fome honour and refpeft ; and all Men generally think fo, and give it ac- cordingly. That it doth fo, appears further fronj the contrary, that is, Ignorance and Folly, which is among all Men very diflionourable and reproachful; infomuch, that Men ab- hor nothing more than the imputation of Folly ; efteeming it a greater difgrace to be accounted Fools, than to be accounted vicious ; though indeed wicked Men be the greatefl Fools, and on the contrary, godly Men the only wife Men. Here I cannot but wonder, that there fhould be fuch an unfatiable thirft after Ho- nour , implanted in the nature of Man : Why Men iliould be fo jealous of lofing the reputation of any new Invention ; fo trou- G 3 ble4 A PERSUASIVE to bled and difturbed at having any of their Obfervations or Difcoveries, though bp themfelves communicated to others, pub- liftied without an honourable mention of them ; fo nettled at the difcovery of any miftake in their Writings, though but Gram- matical ; and being upbraided with it, why they fliould be willing to accept of falfe honour and undue Praifes: Why they ihould think it a great matter to be praifed by ig- norant Perfons, and incompetent Judges for fuch Abilities and Gifts, as they are not confcious to themfelves of; Doth praife add any thing to them of real good befides conceit ?• I cannot conceive any other reafon thai} what I intimated before, that it might be a powerful fpur to incite them to the pra- ftice and exercife of religious and virtu- ous Aftions; If it be objefted that Men are as jealous of their Reputation in point of Knowledge, as they are in point of Vir- tue ; I anfwer, It is an error, and a fault, and they ought not to be fo ; though for the reafons before alledged, I deny not Knowledge to be an excellent quality, which . enlarges and advances the Understanding, and renders a Man capable of greater Em- ployments, and doing more good than others # HOLY LlF£. others of inferior Abilities, and Improve- ments. And further, that it is not Virtue alone to which Honour is due ; as appears in that we are commanded to honour Parents, Magiflrates, Minifters in general, as fuchj, without any reftriftion or exception of thofe th#t are vicious. It is enough that they have an Authority derived from God, and a kind of divine Imprefs and Character up- on them, to make them venerable. CHAP. X. Of Friends, Sixthly,, ~JT?Riends are no fmall comfort JT and addition to our Happi- nefs or Well-being in this World: Scarce any outward Bleffing is fo defirable, ufeful, and beneficial as Friendfhip. Cicero faith, Non aqua non igni fluribm in locis utimur quam amicitid : We have not more fre- quent ufe of Fire and Water, than we have of Friendfhip. Nothing fo agreeable to Nature as it, (faith the fame Author) no- G 4 thing A PERSUASIVE to thing fo convenient either for Profperity, or Adverfity : Nothing more pleafant andl delightful than the fincere love and affefti- on of a Faithful Friend, and reciprocal love of him ; nothing more acceptable than his Society and Converfe. But befides the pleafure and delight which Friendiliip affords us, we reap ma- ny and great Benefits from it. As, i. Faithful Counfei and Advice, which is "of great moment in any doubtful Mat- ter; it being true, *Plus vident oculi quam oculm: Many Eyes fee more than one: Or any Matter of weighty concernment, where- in it is not fafe to truft to our own Judg- ments, *Prov. 1-7.9. Ointment and ferfume rejoice the heart ; ' fo doth the fweetnefs of a man's friend by hearty counfel. How great comfort muft it needs be to hav,e one whom we may fecurely unbofom our felves to, and truft with a Secret ? to whom we may open our Griefs? disburthen our Minds, and fo find eafe and relief? x. Sea finable Re f roof ; This (faith the Author o'f the Whole 'Duty of Man} is of all others the moft peculiar Duty of a Friend. I might add, the greateft benefit he can be- ftow upon his Friend, it being indeed that which a HOLY LIFE. which none elfe is qualified for. Such an unwillingnefs there is in molt Men to hear of their faults, that thofe that undertake that Work, had need have a great prepof- feflion of their Hearts to make them pa- tient of it. Of the abfurdity and unrea- fonablenefs of this unwillingnefs to be re- proved, Cicero faith very well, Atque illud abftirdum eft, quod n qui monentur^ earn rnolefttam quam dtbent cafere non cafiunt^ earn cafhmt qua debent carere. ^Peccdffe enim fe non anguntur, objurgari molefle fe- runt : Quod contra ofortebat, deliffo dolerey Qbjtirgatione gattdere. It is abfurd, that they which are admoniihed receive not thence the trouble which they ought to have, but that which they ought to want. For they are not forry that they have finned, but they take it ill that they are reproved. \ Whereas on the contrary they ought to grieve for their Offence, but rejoice for their Reproof. 3. Condolence and Confolation in any Ad- verfity, Affliftion, or Suffering; as Sick- nefs, the Death of any near Relation or Friend, lofs of .Worldly Goods by Fire, Shipwrack, Inundation, Invafion of Ene- jnies, or the like. He that condoles with his Friend in fuch Accidents, doth as it were bear part of his Burthen, and by con- folatory folatory Confiderations ftrengthens his Spi- rit* and enables him to fupport it. And there is great need of this to fome Natures, which otherwife are in danger to be opprefled and overwhelmed with Grief, and even diftra- fted by fuch Calamities. 4. Relief and Supply of Want in cafe of Poverty and Neceffity; a true Friend as well as a Brother is horn for adverjity, and will rather rejoice in contributing liberally to the fupport of his Friend, than defert him, or deny his affiftance. In this cafe Friends may be a fnare to us, tempting us to put our confidence in Man rather than God, and to think our Security greater in the multitude of Friends, than the provi- dence and protection of God. 5. Trayers to God for us, recommend- ing us to him for all Bleffings, both Spiri- tual and Temporal. Now all true FrindJliip is grounded upon Virtue : VirtiM amicitiam & gignit & con- tinet^ nee fine inrtutc Amicitid ullo pafto ejft potefti Cic, de Amicitia. Virtue doth both beget and maintain Friendlhip; nor can there poffibly be any Friendfliip with- out Virtue. True Friends are fuch as fm- cerely defire and endeavour each others real good* a HOLY LIFE. 91 good, both fpiritual and temporal; butTuch fricndfhip cannot be contracted and conti- nued but only between perfons truly reli- gious, that love and fear God. We can- not expeft fidelity and the benefits before recited from any but thofe who are fo qua- lified : And thole that are fo, their friend- ihip is courted by all Men, and who fo hap* py as they that can get an intereft in it ! CHAP. XL Of the Happinefs of the Inward Man. I Proceed now to treat of the Happinefs of the Inner Man^ the Soul or Spirit, and that confifts in the love of God^ and of our Neighbour ; whatever makes the Soul happy, muft be fuitable and agreeable to the Nature of it. Now the Soul is a fpi- ritual fubftance, and therefore its Objective Happinefs muft be fo too. The Soul is immortal, and therefore the Objeft which makes it happy muft be of eternal duration. The defires of the Soul are very vaft and ex- tenfive ; nay, infinite ; and therefore not to be fatisfied but by an Infinite Good. From $t A PERSUASIVE to From the L8 A PERSUASIVE to Mifchievous Imaginations do they excite ? What plotting, and counterplotting of re- venge*5 Breaking out many times into railings, revilings, opprobrious Language, bitter Cur- fes and Execrations : they tofs the Mind to and fro, as contrary Winds do the Sea, cau- fing it to caft up Mire and Dirt, On the contrary; where thePaffions are duly governed and moderated, kept within their proper bounds and chanels, the Soul is calm and ferene, and fit for any Employ- ment or Exercife civil or religious. ( II. The Happinefs of the Inward Man Gonfiils in that peace, joy and tranquillity that is attendant upon, or confequent to our obedience to God's Commands. T, *Pleafure and ^De light attends the per- formance of our Duties. Virtuous and pi- ous Adions are agreeable to the Nature and Inclinations of good Men : It is as grateful and pleafing to a good Man to do good , as to an hungry Man to eat , or a thirfty Man to drink. It is as great a fatis- faftion to his rational Inclinations, as thofe other are to the fenfual Appetites. No- thing can be more delightful and welcome tor a* generous Mind, than an opportunity of fliewing a HOLY LIFE. 99 iliewing it felf grateful, to Parents, Friends and Benefactors, and making ample returns to thofe by whom he hath been obliged for the favours received : Nothing more ac- ceptable than to be employed in worthy Atftions, efpecially fuch as tend to promote publick good, the peace and profperity of our Country, or Mankind in general The Heathen Poet could fay, *Dulce & decorum eft fro T* atria mori. It is a fweet and comely thing even to die for ones Country : Which yet I fuppofe is too high a flight or pitch of Charity for a Heathen to attain to ; and that there muft be fomething of glory to carry them fo far. To overcome evil with good, and return Kindnefles inftead of Injuries, thereby melt- ing the Hearts of our Enemies, and mak- ing them our Friends, is certainly a more pleafant thing, and much more for our peace and eafe, than revenging our f elves of them. To return good for evil is a Godlike qua- lity ; our Saviour commanding us to love our enemies^ and do good to them that hate us-> &c. to engage us thereto, propofes God's Example; who caufes his fun to foine on the evi/, and on the good; and fen d- eth ram on the jufi9 and on the unjuft. Who H z is ioo A PERSUASIVE to is kind unto the unthankful and the evill* Cicero in his Gratulatory Oration to C*far for M. Marcellus, makes him that forgives Enemies, and reftores them to their former Dignities, like to God : Non ego ilium fum- mis viris comparo^ fed'Deo fimilemjudico. i. Teace and Joy, and confidence to- wards God is a neceflary confequent of Obe- dience to his Commandments, ijohn 3. xi. If our hearts condemn tt* noty then have u>e confidence towards God; and whatsoever we ask) we receive of him^ becaufe we keep hi? . Commandments^ and do thofe things that are f leafing in his fight. Delight and Pleafure^ and fatisfaftion of Mind, inward Peace and Tranquillity natuf ally follow religious A6H- ons: When a Man hath done his Duty, and fpent his time well, he can refleft upon his doings with comfort; he is not afraid to review his Life paft, and call himfelf to an account for what he hath done ; Res fever a eft verum gaudium , faith Seneca : 'Dnde fit interrogas? dicam; ex bond con- fcientid) ex honeftis confiliitj ex reftis affi- onibw : True joy is a fever e thing: "Do you ask whence it comes? Til tell you; from a good Confidence j from honeft Counfelsy from juft Actions. A good Conscience is faid to be a continual Feaft : The Poet refembles it a HOLY LIFE,, >>\^ /ici- it to a brazen Wall, which fecu-res the Soul from all inward Trouble and Difquiet, Fear and Terror. Hie munts aheneus efto, Nil confcire Jibi> nulld falkftere culfd. I fliall conclude this Particular with the Words of Di.Wilkins* Bifliop of Chefter, the molt 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 we enjoy upon Earth ; and it is a principal part of that Happinefs which we hope to enjoy in Heaven ; next to the Beatifical Vifion and Fruition of God, is the Happinefs of a good Confcience, and next to that, the Society of Saints and Angels, Solomon faith of Wifdom, that is the fear of God, Her ways are ways of pleafantnefs, and all her paths are peace, Prov. 3.17. Peace inter- nal, Peace external, Peace eternal: Peace with our felves ; Peace with Men ; Peace with God ; as I have heard a Reverend Divine dillinguifh it. On the other fide, no Man can be hap- py that keeps not a good Confcience : But without Holinefs of Life, and Obedience to God's Commandments, a good Confci- H 3 ence I VE to ence cannot be kept, Efay 57.11. There is ft ofc ace to the wicked, faith my God. Guilt is an obligation to Punifliment ; but an ob- ligation to Puniflim en t infers an expectation of it ; ,and vvhofoever expefts it, doth re- ally fuffer it : as Seneca excellently, T^at poenas quifquis expettat ; quifquis aittem me- ruit) expert at : That man doth really fuffer punijhmentj who experts it : But whofoever hath deferred it, expeffs it. Were it not for diverfion , and non-attendance to his Condition, a wicked Man would carry a continual Hell in his Bread ; there is there- fore (as I have noted elfewhere) but a thought's diftance between him and Hell : His only fecurity is in being a ftranger to himfelf. This, (one would think) fliould be the moft powerful curb imaginable to reftrain Men from Sin, and the moft ef- feftual Perfuafive in the World to a holy Life ; That thofe that live in Sin cannot think upon their Condition without fear and difquiet ; efpecially thofe who are guil- ty of fecret Crimes, who are liable to thofe more fevere Lafhes,and affright ing-Rebukes of Confcience. Thefe Men are not able to hear fuch Sins reproved without blufh- ing and confufion? and inward trouble of Mind; — Rubet a HOLY LIFE. 103 Rtibet Auditor cut frigida mens ejt Crimmibm, tacitdfudantfracordia culf4. . He whofe Spirits feel Cold guilt, bis Crimes laid open, Blujhmg hears His confcious Intrails /we at. Nay, fometimes they are in fuch diftrefs, as to be a burthen to themfelves, as holy Job * fpeaks, and weary of their very Be*- ings, fo as to chufe Strangling rather than Life ; or elfe to be their own delators, and publifli their guilt. God hath implanted in our Natures (as I noted before) an averfa- tion from, and diflike of Sin : The Reafon of Man cannot be reconciled to it, but rnuft needs difapprove and condemn it. We know (as the Apoflle fpeaks, Rom. 7.) that the Law and Commandment of God is holy, and jufl, and good ; and therefore he that lives in Sin, is a felf-condemned Per- fon, and can have no inward Peace, You will objeft, Confuetudo feccandi tollit fen- fum feccati : The Cuftom of Sinning takes away the fenfe of Sin : And forne Men have their Confciences cauterized, being pail feeling, and go on fecurely in their vicious * Job "}'. 10. H 4 Courfes 104 A PERSUASIVE to Courfes without check or remorfe. I an- fwer, That fuch Men indeed, who long refill the Grace of God, he is pleafed at hit to withdraw it from them, and give them up to a reprobate Mind, to do things not convenient ; yet is not their condition the better for this ; But this fenfelefnefs or ftupidity is a more dangefous and incura- ble Difeafe, anfwering to a Lethargy, or Apoplexy in the Body. Neither yet do the Troubles of Mind arifmg from m evil Confcience, determine in Death, but continue for ever. This is that Worm which dieth not ; a fad reflefti- on upon our own defperate madnefs and folly in leading fuch wicked Lives, as have brought this Mifery upon us ; and a per- petual indignation againft, and condemna- tion of our felves. I have often wondred that the very Hea- thens, who had no clear Revelation of a future Eitate after this Life ended, nor any more than an ancient Tradition of Rewards and Punifhments then to be received or fufFered, accordingly as Men had lived vir- tuous or wicked Lives fhould be fo terrified with a fenfe of guilt ; and that the confci- oufnefs of fecret Crimes fliould be fo grie- vous and infupportable to them, arming their Minds a HOLY LIFE. Minds againft themfelves and making them their own Tormentors, as the Poet ex- prefles it, 6)uos diri c-onfcia fatti Mens habet attonitos^ & fur do verbere cxdit^ Qc cult urn quatiente ammo tor tore f age Hum. I cannot but think that this great terrour and anxiety of Mind attending the confci- oufnefs of any heinous Sin, is more than the effeft of an expedition of punifhment, grounded only upon an ancient Tradition ; but that the fenfe of a connexion between Sin and Punifliment is deeply imprinted up- on the Soul of Man, by the Finger of God ; and is one great Argument of the exiftence of a Deity. Againll what we have faid concerning the Happinefs that attends the godly in this prefent State, it may be objefted: Is it not faid in Scripture, Tfal. 34.19. Many are the afflictions of the right eoiu. And do we not read in the Hebrews^ Chap. 11.37. of fome who had trial of bonds and imprifon- ments^ who were ft one d^ fawn in funder^ tempted^ jlain with the fword^ wandred a- botit in Sheeps-skins and Goats-skins^ being deflitutey afflittedy tormented, of whom the world io I doubt whether the pleafure of the Inten- tion, would in their own efteem compen- r iio A PERSUASIVE to fate the labor and toil of the Inquifitidii. But yet even in this State thus much may be faid in commendation of Knowledge ; that it doth advance and enlarge the Under-- Handing, and render the Soul capable of a greater degree of Happinefs, as I have faid before. But in the World to come the Vifion of God cannot be feparated from his Love. Such a knowledge of God will transform the bleffed Souls to whom it fliall be com- municated into his holy Image ; We Jhall be like him (faith the Apoftle) for we Jball fee him as he is. None ihall be admitted to this fight, but thofe that are pure in heart ; Without holmefs no man Jhall fee God. And to thefe the clear underftand- ing of all the Works of God, both of Cre- ation and Providence, will itir up the moft exalted Aflfeftions of Admiration, Love* and Joy. But I fliall not proceed further in my own Words to defcribe the Happinefs of a fu- ture Eftate, or eternal Life, becaufe I find it fo fully and clearly done by the Right Reverend Dr. ^Patrick , now Lord Bilhop of E/y, in his Treatife of The Witneffes to Chriftianity, Part ia. that I have nothing material to add to it. Therefore I fliall tranfcribe a HOLY LIFE. nt tranfcribe thence what he hath concerning the Love of God; for the reft referring the Reader to the Book it felf. And if (faith he) the Nature of this Life be further examined, you will find the Mind [of which he had fpoken before] is not the only Faculty that ihall be gratified, but the Will fhall conceive a Love as great as the Knowledge of which I have dif- courfed. For as God is the higheft Objeft of the Underftanding, being the prime Trut^ fo he is the chiefeft Objeft of the Will, being the firft and beft Good. And therefore as the Underftanding then fliall molt clearly know him, fo the Will in like manner Ihall mod ardently love him, and find perfeft fatisfadion in that Love. There is a neceflary connexion between thefe things, and it cannot be otherwife, but that from the beft Good clearly known there will flow the greateft Love, drawing along with it the greateit delight, and the moft perfect repofe. And therefore to fee God contains in its Notion both Love and Delegation, with Reft, and Satisfaction, Love naturally flows from thence, as from its Fountain ; and the other naturally flow from Love, which is the higheft Aft of that Faculty which we call the Will* as knowing Hi A PERSUASIVE to knowing and contemplating is of the derflandtng. Defire indeedis the firlt mo- tion of it, when any thing is apprehended to be good for us ; but that will there be quenched in pofleffion and enjoyment, and no more of it can be conceived to re- main than a longing for the continuance and increafe of this Happinefs, which yet will be fo certain, that we fliall be rather confident than defirous. The Will therefore having fuch a glori- ous Objeft always before it, will be whol- ly employed in Love, and fpend it felf without any decay in flames of affeftion to- wards this univerfal Good, which (bines fd fairly and brightly in its Eyes. It will ap- ply it felf to the enjoyment of it, with as great a vehemency as it can; and laying its Mouth (as Sn.Auguftin teaches me to fpeak ) to the Spring of all Happinefs, do more than tafte the fweetnefs of it: We; may expeft to have it fill'd with thofe de- licious Pleafures which we know attend on Love, and which in that State will be pro- portionable to the greatnefs of the good that is embraced , and to the ftrength and Ardency of the embracement. And whereas, here in this World, Men are apt to love beyond all reafon, whereby their 4 tf HOLY LIFE. IIJ their Love becomes adulterate, and is mix'd with fo many difcontents, that it proves but a bitter fweet ; there our Underftand- ing will be in its full growth, and higheft pitch ; fo that as nothing which is reafona- ble ihall be omitted to be done; nothing Jikewife (hall be done that is unreafonable: This Love will be grounded upon the cleared Judgment ; this Flame kindled by the pureft Light ; fo that there fliall be no trouble or difquiet in it, but perfect reft and peace. And whereas in this World, Mens Af- fedions flow to things that are not near fo big as themfelves (i.e. as their own De- fires) and fo they languifli, and faint, and fall fick ; even in the enjoyment of the beft good it affords, becaufe they find it is not a fupply proportionable to their want, or to their expectation : There will be no fuch emptinefSj or want of fatisfadion in thofe Coeleitial Enjoyments ; becaufe we ihall embrace not only our proper good, but that which is commenfurate to our defires, and beyond our hopes : Our Affedions will not fall then upon that which cannot fu- ftain the whole weight of them; but feel- ing themfelves born up to the greatest height of Love, by a good fo full , that it will leave no room for complaint or uneaii- I nefs* ii4 A PERSUASIVE to nefs, they will enjoy the mods folid reft and fatisfaftion. Do but conceive them in your Minds, what a pleafure it is, here in this Life, to love, and to be beloved ; and you will have fome notion whereby to take a meafure of the Life we are fpeaking of, which will con- fift in fuch mutual Love, and delightful cor- refpondencies. And they who have neither Father nor Mother, Wife nor Children, near Kindred, nor Relations', whereon to place their AfFeftion, let them cqnfider, if they have but a iingular Friend, what the pleafure is that two perfons, who fmcere- !y and purely love, take in the fweet Com- pany and Converfation of each other. Or if I muft fuppofe any Man to be fo unkind and fo unhappy, as to have no love for any body but his own felf, let him think what contentment he hath, and how he is pteafed if he can arrive any thing near to a quiet en- joyment of his dear felf. And fuch a de- lightful ftate may be a fmall Image of Hea- ven, where holy Souls will love God with a far geater flame than ever they did (or ihallthen) love themfelves ; becaufe he will appear infinitely more lovely, and to bear alfo a far greater love to them, than it is poffible for them to do to themfelves. Now a HOLY LIFE. ny Now none can tell how tranfporting it will be to a good Soul, when it feels it felf the beloved of God, as well as full of love to him ; becaufe we cannot think how great the Love of the Almighty is, unlefs we could know how great he is himfelf. This is a thing that cannot fail to have a flrange power over our affeflions, and to matter them ; fo that we fliall be quite taken out of our felves, for we all extremely love to be beloved. If any Neighbour (hews us an unexpected and undeferved Kindnefs, we are apt to . think he is the befl perfon in the World : and the pooreft wretch in the World, if we fee in him the undoubted figns of an hearty love to us, we cannot chufe but re- quite it with fome Expreffions of kindnefs back again ; nay if a Dog, or fuch a dumb Creature do but fawn upon us, or delight in our Company, and with a great deal of obfervance follow us wherefoever we go, we cannot but be fo far pleafed with his inclination towards us, as to make much of it, and to be troubled to fee any harm befall it, and to love to fee it play, and be well pleafed. Judge then what a plea- fure it will be to pious Souls to find them- felves beloved of him, who hath put thefe I ^ kind 1 1 6 //PERSUASIVE to kind Refentments into our Natures. To what an height will the fweet breathings of his Love blow up the Flames of theirs ? In- to what Extafies will they fall, when they feel by the happy fruits what an exceeding great affeftion their heavenly Father bears to them ? It is above our prefent thoughts to apprehend the Joy that will then over- flow them : But we may conceive a little of it, if we remember, that God is love? and that by our Love he will be in us, and by his Love we fhall be in him. He proceeds to fpeak of the love of Saints and Angels: The pleafure, joy, and dele- gation that naturally and neceffarily flows from this knowledge and love of God, the Happinefs which the Body fliall be exalted to, and the eternal duration of all thefe. This Eternal Life our Blelled Saviour hath brought to light through the Gofpel, and hath promifed to all thofe who by pati- ent continuance in well doing feek for glory , and honour i and immortality > Rom. 1.7. And this is the fromife that he hath fromife d^ even eternal life, ijohnx.xf. Some perchance may fay, The great dif- proportion that is between the Services and Rewards makes this Promife of Eter- nal Life difficult to be believ'd : For who can a HOLY LIFE. 117 can think that God iliould recompenfe our poor and imperfeft Duties and Services, performed for a very fhort time, with fuch ap immenfe and eternal weight of Glory and Happinefs ? To this I anfwer; That though indeed it cannot confift with God's Juflice to pu- nifli any Creature without, or beyond its demerit ; yet nothing hinders but that he may be as bountiful as he pleafes, and in his Rewards exceed all the deferts, and even expectations of his Creatures, an hun- dred or a thoufand fold. Let us then admire the tranfcendent and unmerited goodnefs and love of God, in doing fuch great things for us, as fending his Son into the World to take our nature upon him, to fuffer Death for our Sins, and to give us the great Promife of Eternal Life ; and let us endeavour in fome mea- fure to anfwer this Love by fuitable Affefti- ons of the moft ardent Love and Gratitude. Let us alfo love the Lord Jefus Chrifl in fincerity, which we have all the reafon in the World to do, confidering the great- nefs of his Love to us manifefted by the great things he hath done and fuffered for us, John 15.9. As the Father hath loved me (faith our Saviour to his Difciples) Jo I 3 have 1 1 8 A PERSUASIVE to have I loved you. And #.13. he proceeds to fay. Greater love hath no man than that a man lay down his life for his Friends. Te are my Friends^ &c. By which Words he intimates, that he was about to make the greateft demonllration of his Love to his Apoftles, and to all true Believers, by laying down his Life for them. The Apo- Itle Taul carries this yet higher, Rom. 5. 7,8. For fcarce for a righteous man will one die ; yet) fer adventure for a good man fome would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet Jlnners^ Chrifl died for m. This exceeds the higheit degree of love Man ever at- tained to, Ephef. 5*. i. As Chrifl alfo hath loved us? and given himfelffor us, an offering and a facrifice to God for a fweet fmelling favour. Phil. ^. 6, 7, 8. Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God ; but made himfelf of no reputation^ and took upon him the form of a Servant^ and was made in the likenefs of man. And being found in fafliion as a man, he humbled himfelf, and became obedient un- to death, even the death of the Crofs. That the Eternal Son of God, equal with his Father, fliould fo highly advance our Na- ture, as to unite it to the Divine in one Perfon a HOLY LIFE. 119 Perfon, that fo he might be qualified by the Sacrifice of himfelf to expiate our Sins, to make an atonement for us, and to re* concile us unto God: The greatnefs of this Love, together with the freenefs and unmeritednefs of it, there being not any the lead Motive on our part to invite him to it, is fo matchlefs and ftupendious, that it challenges the higheft degree of recipro- cal affeftion and gratitude. Magnes amoris amor ; Love is the Loadltone of Love. We cannot chufe but love them again, in whom we difcern any Expreffions of unfeigned love to us, as I have before noted: And our love for the degree of it mull be in fome meafure anfwerable to the Dignity, and to the merit of the Perfon who loveth us : For Favours done us, and benefits be- ftowed upon us, Gratitude is the moll na- tural, I might fay, neceflary ebullition of of the Mind of Man. To this purpofe Seneca, Efijt.%1. In hoc fidei fofuli credamm^ Nihil effe grato ant- mo honejiius, Omnes hoc urbes, omnes eti- am ex Bar bar is regionibus gentes cone lama- bunt : In hoc bonis malifqtte conveniet. E- runt qui vohiptateslaudent, erunt qui labor es ma lint i erunt qui do lor em maximum malum ) erunt qui ne malum quidem apfel- • I 4 lent ; lio A PERSUASIVE to lent ; 'Divitias aiiqui* ad fitmmum bonum admittet ; alius illas dicet human* malo vita repertaS) nihil ej/e co locitpletius^ cui quod donet, Fortuna non invenit. In tantdjudi- ciorum diverfitatc^ refer endam bene meren- ttbus gratiam omnes uno tibi9 quod aiuntj ore affirmabunt\ in hoc tarn difcors turba confentiet. « In this let us believe what People ge- " nerally agree in, That there is nothing " more honeft and commendable than a omnia dixeris : You cannot fay worfe of a Man, than that he is ungrateful ; Ingratitude being an unnatural Sin. Seeing then we cannot requite this tranfcendent kindnefs of our Saviour to us, nor make him any amends for that great Salvation he hath wrought for us, and thofe ineftimable Benefits he hath bellowed on us, let us not be wanting to dc/ what in us lies, to exprefs our gratitude, by acknow- ledging, and celebrating his gpodnefs to us, and the great things he hath done for us, finging with the holy Tfalmift, * Blefs the Lord, O my fotil, and all that is within me blefe his holy name. Blefs the Lord, O my foul-, and forget not all his benefits. And by devoting our felves to his Service, and Pfal 103. i, doing 1 2 z ^PERSUASIVE to doing always thofe things which are pleafing and acceptable to him. Let his lo*ue con- firain us not to live any longer to our felves, but nnto him who hath died for us, and rofe aga'm^ iCor. 5. i<5. Who hath redeemed us to God by his blood, Revel. 5*. 9. And made us Kings and Triefts unto our God. Let us have a care that we do not fruitrate the Grace of God, as to our felves, and render this great undertaking of our Savi- our in vain to us; nay, an aggravation of our Condemnation : For how jhall we ef- cafe, if we neglett fo great falvation ? As the Apoftle fpeaks, Heb. x. 3. Let not the difficulty of obeying God's Commandments, and leading a holy life, deter or difcourage us from endeavouring it: We know that neither 'Learning nor Riches, nor any thing that is excellent is to be obtained without pains-taking. Now nothing fo excellent, fo defirable, fo wor- thy our utmofl endeavors as Eternal Life ; this will abundantly recompense all our la- bour and travel ; nay, though we were put to fuffer Perfecution, Imprifonment , or even Death it felf, for Confcience fake, and bearing witnefs to the Truth, we fhould have no need to repent it : Our Reward fhall be anfwerable to, nay far exceed our Work, a HOLY LIFE. 113 Work, 2, Cor. 4. 17. Our light affliffi ion , which is but for a moment l, ivprketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. To fum up all in brief: Since then, i. A Holy Life and Converfation here fecures to us an intereft in a Future State of Eternal Blifs and Happinefs, Glory and Immorta- lity in the World to come, and thereby de- livers us from the fear of Death, that King of Terrors, as it is denominated, Jobi%. 14. that pr#tcrit& nocent. Quemadmo- dum feeler a etiamfi non flnt deprehenfa cum. ferent^ folicitttdo non cum ipjis abit ; it a vo- luptatum tmprobariini etiam fofl ipfas f&ni- tentia eft : Non funt foltdtf> non funt fideles ; ettamfi non nocent^ fuginnt. ^Difmtfs (ftith he) thefc troubled \ or muddy and impure pleafures^ which you muft pay dearly for ; they are hurtful not only when they are com- ing ^ but when they are paft ': As crimes though undifcovered when they are commit- ted\ leave not the commit ters of them with" out folicitude\ fo Repentance always at- tends unlawful T^leafiires : They are not fo- lid they are falfe and deceitful-, and though they were not hurtful^ yet are they tranji- ent, only in motion^ and fuddainly gone. As for Riches or Honours^ or any other worldly good, they are alib unfatisfadtory. We find our Expectations in the purfuit of them, fruftrated in the acquifition and en- joyment ; being prefently full and weary of that, which we did molt eagerly and im- potently defire and long after. * Seneca, Epift. 17,^ Now A PERSUASIVE toy £c. And yet were there never fo much worth and goodnefs in them, they are, i. Uncer- tain, as the Apoftle calls them, i Tim. 6. 17. they may be taken away from us before we die. 2, They are of fliort continuance ; if they abide with us till death, we muft then neceflarily part with them : For as the fame Apoftle faith, #. 7th of the fame Chapter^ We brought nothing into this world^ and it is certain we can carry nothing out. FINIS. BOOKS printed for WILLIAM and JOHN INNYS. A Critical Diflertation upon the 17th Verfe of the 5th Chapter of St. John's firft Eniltie,. There are three, that bear record in Heaven, &c. wherein liie Authenticknefs of this Text is fully proved againlt the Objections of Mr. Simon and the Modern Arians. Written originally in French by Mr. Martin, and now tranflated into Englijh, 8vo. 1719. Plain Notions of our Lord's Divinity. Set forth in a Sermon preached upon Chriftmas Day, at the Royal Cha- pel of Whitehall. Publiflied at the Reqiieil of many of the Audience. By Tho. Mangcy, LL. D. Chaplain to the Right Reverend Father in God, John, Lord Bifhop of London ; the zd Edition, 8vo. 1719. His Remarks upon Nazarenus, wherein the Falfity of Mr. Toland's Mahometan Gofpel, and his Mifreprefentation of Mahometan Sentiments in refpecl of Christianity are fet forth; and the Hiftory of the old Nazarseans clear'd up, an<^ the whole Conduct of the fir ft Chriftians in refpedl of the Jewifli Law, explain'd and defended. The id Edition, 8vo. His Practical Difcourfes upen the Lord's Prayer, preach'd before the Hon. Society of Lincoln's Inn ; the id Edition, 8vo. Dr. Sennet's Difcourfe of the ever-blefled Trinity in U- nity, with an Examination of Dr. Clarke's Scripture-Do- ctrine of the Trinity, 8vo, 1718. Directions for (luaying : I. A general Syftem or Bjpdy of Divinity. II. The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion. ?.d Edition, 8vo, Difcourfe of Schifm: (hewing, I. What is meant by Schifm. II. That Schifm is a damnable Sin. III. That there is a Schifrn between the eftabliflh'd Church of England and the DiiTenters. IV. That the Schifm is to be charged on the Diilenters fide. V. That the modern Pretences of Toleration, Agreement in Fundamentals, z?c. will not ex- cufe the Dillenters from being guilty of Schifm , t?c. 4^ Edition, 8vo. 1718. Mr. Kettlewell's Help and Exhortation to worthy com- municating, 8vo. Works ; in two Vol. Fol. in the Prefs. Mr. Hart's Bulwark ftormed, in Anfwer to Delatine's Plea for the Nonconformifts; with a Preface by Dr. Brett, 8vo. Mr. Bragg's Practical Obfervations upon the Miracles of our blelTed Saviour, z Vol. 8vo. Practical Difcourfes upon the Parables of our blefTed Saviour, i Vol. 8vo. Mr. Derham's Phyfico-Theology ; or a Demonftration o£ the Being and Attributes of God, from his Works of Crea- tion; Books printed for \V. and J. Innys. tion ; with large Notes, and many Curious Observations,' 4th Edition, 8vo Aftw-Theology ; or a Demonftration of the Being and Attributes of God, from a Survey of the Heavens : Illuftrated with Copper Plates, 3d Edition, 8vo. 1719. Dr. Lucas's Enquiry after Happineis ; in three Parts. I. Of the Poffibility of obtaining Happinefs. 11. Of the true Notion of humane Life. III. Of Religious Perfection. in z Vol. 8°. — Twenty four Sermons on feveral Occafions , in i Vol. 8vo. PradicalChriftianity, the Fifth Edit. 8vd. Influence of Conversation, iz°. —Duty of Servants, 11°. Spiritual Year, 11°. Plain Man's Guide to Heaven. • The Life of Archbifhop Whitgift, by Mr. Srrypc, Fol. Bifhop Cofinis Collection of Private Devotions, in the Pra&ice of the ancient Church, called the hours of Prayer, iolh Edition, 11°. 1719. Biftiop Taylors Rules for Holy Living arid Dying, 8vo. 1719. Golden Grove, ii°. 1719. The Hiftory of the Church of Malabar; done out of Portuguefe into Engli/h, by Mich del Geddes, 8vo. Mr. Laws two Letters to the LordBifhop of Bangor, 8vo. — Anfwer to the Biihop of Bangor's Anfvver to the Com- mittee of Convocation, 8vo. 1719. The Chnftians beft Guide, or the Religious Man's Com- panion, 8vo. 1717. Spiciiegium S. S. Patrum, ut v H&retieonim, Seculi poft Chrijium natum I. II. cr 111. Quorum vel jntegra monumtntd •vel fragm&nta, partim ex aliorum Patrurn Liiris jam tmprejfis collegit) w cum Cod. MSS. contulit, partim ex MSS. primum edidit, ac fingula tam Pr&faticney quam Notts fttljunttis tl*- luftravit J. E. Grabius. Editio Secunda. auftior. Oxon, 1714. Ethices Compendium in Ufum Academics Juventutis, Au- thore Dan. Whitby , S. T. P. auctiits c? emendatiUs tertio edit um. Sanfti ^uftini Philofophi & Martyris cum Tryphone Jud&o Dialogusy cum Latina joannis Langi verfione, quamplurimis in locis corretla ; SubjjunSlls EmenilationibtM CT* Notts Robert! Stephani, Perionii, Sylburgii, Halloixii, Montacutii, Drufli, Colomefii, Cavii, Bulli, Grabii, pluribufqm nov'u addit'u ; annexe infuper ad calcem Annotationibttt Langi CT* Kortholti; Pr&mlflis vero, Langi Pr&fatione^ qua, fumtnam hujus Dialog* enarravit, Attifyut Marty rii ^.Jiatini wSociontw, Ed it a a Samuelc Jebb. 14 DAY USE RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the date to which renewed. Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. • '• BRB'K!1* DOT 21 1975? ft J3M ?? 1963 fJutfwfJp -- 'S' -r-r '-. REC'D LD JUL 3 o 1963 liiJs ^ C3 cr f* er i v P r\ r%K>V#d| VtL,U unt/ A rr>rt NOv 4*66-1 PM LOAN DEPT. 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