compassion of our weakness hath prescribed us rules of life which in the Love and Practice are a certain Cause an inexhaustible Fountain of Joy and Peace Which leads me to the Third head of discourse proposed namely III. To Illustrate the truth of the Assertion that this Blessed Peace and content of mind will certainly follow upon the Love and practice of the Law of God Great Peace have they that Love thy Law First now this inward Serenity or Peace of mind may either arise from the Smoothness the Steddyness the Agreement of our Actions or Secondly from a prudent government of our selves and our affairs under all circumstances and in all conditions or Thirdly from Internal Spiritual communications of courage joy and comfort to the Soul But the Love of the Law of God will both dispose us for and effectually operate to the production of Peace after all these several ways and according to all our Capacities of receiving it And First Content or peace of mind arises from the Smoothness the Steddyness and Agreement of our Actions But the Law of God is compiled with so much Wisedom and with such respect to Inclinations of the humane nature that it guides its subjects through all the parts and Scenes of life in a consonant equal sutable procedure To govern our lives by a Rule with reguard to one last End which shall run through all our actions causes Peace and Acquiescence how unwarily soever we have chosen or however we may have forced and contradicted our Wills and live in a kind of Violence to our Inclinations because we have Approved and are Resolved we are delivered from multiplicity of ends and objects from the repugnancies of contrary desires from the contradiction of divers interests from the torment of hesitation shame and confusion But the Peace which flows from the Love of the Law of God is not only the satisfaction of Order and Uniformity in our motions or the terminations of all our actions in the one great end of Glorifying God and saving our Souls But the Duties themselves which the Law requires are the proper actions of reasonable creatures the very best motions of our own minds the most exquisite Pleasures and Entertainments of our being If therefore the constant observation of a Rule be a certain Principle of Peace and Satisfaction how much more the Observation of such a Rule the commands whereof are the very vital Powers and Perfection of our Natures For the Soul enjoys and exercises its life chiefly by the mediation of the body in the way of action Such therefore as our actions are such is the Health or Sickness the Strength or Weakness the Beauty or Degeneracy of the mind Psam 19 7. 119.142 Jer. 31.33 But the Law of the Lord is Perfect It is written in our hearts it is within our selves directing us to such a government of our Affections Wills and Actions as we our selves cannot but approve For it is not a matter of dispute but we Know infallibly by an exquisite sense of the Tendencies and Inclinations of our inward life that to be wife and just to be pure and holy to imitate the life of God are the unquestionable Excellencies of our being the habits or Perfection of those Dispositions which we feel in our selves And the more we Practise it the more we shall discern the kind agreeable nature of it because the Prejudices of contrary opinions and desires will wear away the Soul will be more and more Awakned into a sense of its own life and by degrees recover a beautiful habit a sound vivacious constitution Perfect content and Peace is therefore the necessary effect of Loving the Law of God because the right Opinions the true Relishes the proper Exercises of the Soul are the same which the Law it self commands There is a Sympathy an affinity between the Mind and Vertue Whosoever therefore are under the power of Godlike dispositions are eo nomine in a full Possession of Pleasure Ease and Peace That is the First Secondly Content or Peace of mind proceeds from a prudent Government of our selves and our affairs under all circumstances from a Judicious prosecution of Good from a dexterous eschewing of Evil and from a ready application of reasons or means of peace to our selves in all Events But the Law of God is contrived with such respect to the Happiness of men that those who are under its Power and Conduct are throughly instructed in all the arts of a wise procedure And First in the most Effectual methods of Acquiring good and Diverting evil And Secondly in such Dispositions of mind and principles of Reason that none of the passions or accidents of life shall Deject our mind or Destroy our peace First It instructs us in the most Effectual methods of acquiring good and diverting evil The destruction of most men is from themselves Either our ends are out of our reach or some way or other unsutable to us Or if we have Chosen well yet how many thousands miscarry in the Prosecution Either we are Vain and Presuming or Timerous and Dejected Debauched and Negligent or Rash and Violent Giddy and Inconstant or Conceited and Ungovernable Our own Temper our own pretended Wisedom are the Principal instruments of our vexation and disappointment But the Law of God is a lively and exact Image of an Vnderstanding infinitely Perfect Those therefore whose minds whose wills and actions are informed and governed by it partake in a proper sense of the Wisedom of God himself and are moved in some sort by the vigour and activity of a Perfect Mind Hence Solomon represents Religion speaking of it selt Wise counsel is mine and sound wisedom I have understanding I have strength Pro. 11.3 For Vertue disciplines and subjects the body stills the passions files off the chains and removes the weights which depress and sink the soul into a sluggish unactive State and restores it to a Free and ingenuous exercise of its own life and being And thus redeemed from the dominion of passion from the power and impulse of the lower Spirit our Apprehensions of things will be distinct and clear our Inward Sense will be true and quick our Judgment masterly and comprehensive directing our faculties and instruments of action with an assured Light In a word whosoever is under the Power of the Law of God will improve in his knowledge he will be prudent in the choise of his ends Sparing of his Affections Master of his Passions advised in his proceedings Resolute in difficulties Seasonable in his applications Vigorous in his Executions and always present to Himself And thus his decrees shall be established and the light shall shine upon his ways Job 22.28 It would be tedious to state particular cases and show how this Principle of Love to the Law of God would act and show it self in laying the Design disposing the instruments foreseeing the difficulties and finally compassing the End it is enough that the Law is
the Wisedom of God the most exact and Perfect disposition of the Soul The same therefore that Health is to the body which enables it to Judge of sounds and tasts and other objects of sense such is vertue to the mind which enables it to Judge exactly of propositions Moral of wise and good of fit and proper of things Convenient and Decent And this is an Infinite inexhaustible Principle which according to the Laws of production will Inform the various innumerable Issues of the mind with the tincture or wisedom of the root And as the Law of God enables those who love it to judge of things distinctly and disposes them to an excellent government of themselves which are the Greatest Advantages in the pursuit of Good and the Best Securities against the Power of evil So also it accomplishes the mind with such Principles such dispositions and such a right Opiniou of things that none of the passions or evils of humane life shall be able to destroy our peace A Pilot de Tranq as Plutarch speaks upon the like occasion can neither Command the Heavens rule the Seas still the Wind nor gain the Port at pleasure But he can preserve his Vessel by his art he can strike his Sails weather and ride out the Storm So the Love of the Law of God though it gives us great Advantages above other men of diverting evil and acquiring good Yet the Efficacies of it are not Positive and Necessary but Moral and Conditional We still remain in the midst of innūmerable contingencies We are still the Subjects of passion and of all the various operations of second causes Religion is no Charm or Amulet it changes not the nature of things nor forceth blind unconscious causes to conspire the Accomplishment of all our ends But it supplies the Soul with such Preparatives Principles and Opinions that no event shall make too deep an impression nothing shall Deject our mind or destroy our Peace The weather may be black over our heads the winds may Ruffel our Sails the storms may Rise about us but the Strength and trimming of the Vessel the skil of the Pilot and the ready Obedience of the Sailers our passions will then be such that the proudest waves may Break before us but shall never Over-run or sink us Fortunaque perdat Opposita virtute Luc. minas Now the Principal springs of disorder and trouble are these three First Desire and Hope Vnsatisfyed Secondly Fears and Apprehensions of future Events Thirdly Sudden Accidents or the Surprize of misfortunes First Desire and Hope Vnsatisfyed As it is the common Infirmity of mankind to be ever Desiring and never Contented to Forget what is past to be weary of what we Possess and to fix our eyes and our hearts upon things before us and without us so it is the most fruitful principle of pain and misery Earnest violent Desire though hereafter it should be satisfyed yet simply in it self it is grievous and afflicting Because it is commonly attended with Clashing of passions with commotions of Hope and Fear with struggling and difficulties with successions of crosse events with immoderate anger with envy ambition and the Perfidiousness of instruments It frequently puts us upon things most Irksom and disagreeable to the Spirit of a man How often are men forced to give thanks for Injuries to court an Enemy to smile of Affronts to Intreat for a debt nay to offer Satisfaction where they themselves received the Wrong This and a great deal more they are forced to suffer and submit to according as the Nature of their Ends the Quality of their Instruments and the vehemence of their Desires may be It is hard to conceive a more miserable man than one whose Heart is passionately fixed upon a design which is chiefly to be brought to pass as all things are by the Assistance of others and the concurrence of uncertain causes unless it be Him who after all he hath Done and Suffered can never Attain his End Simple Desire if it be passionate is painful and uneasie but Desire Unsatisfy'd is the perfection of Moral Torment Sometimes men vex themselves with Shame for so much of the ill success as was owing to themselves Anon they resolve upon a new Attempt when of a sudden they sink under the Pressures of Despair Sometimes they are distracted with Tumults of inconsistent thoughts with Anxious Meditations of malice and revenge In a word it is a constant pungent Gnawing in the mind a kind of furious unintermitting Madness But the Love of the Law of God will prevent or cure the evils of desire the impatience of hope and the vexation of disappointment 1. For it gives us a right Understanding of the Weight and value of all things It is Esteem that creates desire An accurate Judgment therefore would remove by far the greater part of the Miseries of Humane life Epict. Ench. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is not the Accident but our Opinion that gives us trouble 2. Again It Emancipates and enlarges the Soul and redeems us from Slavery to inferior things It is the narrowness of out Knowledge and the scantiness of our ends that Chains us so firmly to any Object But Religion fills our affections with the Love of God who is simply and Originally Good and acquaints us with the Excellency of our own nature the Liberty of our will our right of dominion over most of the creatures And affects us with the Dishonour of admitting our Slave into our bed and bosom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The are properly our Goods our Instruments Hier. au Car◠it is absur'd to make them our very selves says Hierocles 3. Again It teaches us to propose such ends as are Modest in themselves easily managed and likely to be Accomplished and instructs us to pursue them with such a Just indifference as is suitable to the Vuncertainty of events He that would be happy says Plutarch must not set up greater sails than the Vessel will bear nor build his hopes but upon a sure Foundation For he goes on neither they that would shoot an arrow out of a Plough Or hunt the hare with an Ox Plut. de Tranq an Or catch the Hart in a castingnet are crossed in the failure of their purposes by wicked Angels or malignant Spirits but their ill success is owing to their inconsiderate rashness in attempting things impossible 4. Again Religion subdues our Pride and gives us a low conceit of our own Deserts A storm is less dangerous when the Sails are down Pride is the very form and essence of Impatience Envy and Discontent We resolve what we deserve and are angry that all the world is not of our Opinion 5. And lastly It turns our eyes Within and affects us with a thankful sense of the Blessings we do enjoy It is Plutarch's observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de Tran. Whatsoever good befalls us is unregarded as a drop that falls into
the Ocean but whatever happens ill affects us as the overflowing of the Sea But a wise man will make the best of what he does enjoy and always set the fairest side of his fortune before his thoughts that is the first Secondly Vexation and trouble proceed from sad and dismal Apprehensions of future Evils And this is easily distinguished from the other for Desire and hope suppose us in a state of want and defect but this in a state of Possession and Enjoyment Fear if we derive it from its Original cause is the off-spring and effect of Love The possession of what we Value the high Opinion of our Acquisitions and the Pleasures of Enjoyment give us content and Satisfaction in our selves and Vnite and Terminate our Affections in these objects Hence the reflexion upon the Vncertainty of our fortune the knowledge it may be of some Particular causes which may destroy our happiness Or the sad Ideas the melancholy tumultuous fancies of a Jealous mind and a strong affection vex us with continual Fears of losing what we so passionately Love And in proportion to the Violence of our affection the Strength of our Jealousies the Quickness and Activity of our Passions Such are the Influences of these apprehensions upon the peace and pleasure of our lives But the Love of the Law of God will intercept the entries and avenues of Fear because it directs and governs our affections It gives us a more Copious view of Objects and so prevents an Ignorant Admiration It furnishes us with Distinct and Perfect notions of Worth and Beauty and so corrects the futility and wantonness of Love It affects us with a Constant sense of the unstable nature of the World and so preserves our Passions within our Power For no man of common sense will engage his affections to any Object which he knows he can neither Command nor Keep It instructs us to be content that the World should fluctuate in perpetual uncertainty It teaches us to Resign our selves to the disposal of infinite Wisedom and Goodness It assures us that we are always in the best and most happy state and no man is afraid of his best Fortune It raises the Spirit Heb. 11.32 2 Cor. 4.16 Heb. 6.19 and gives us Courage in the Confidence of Omnipotent power to Defend and Assist us The Guilt of the wicked inhanses their Fear they know their Demerits and are therefore in continual Dread of Armed Almighty Justice Job 11.15 But if wickedness dwell not in thy Tabernacle thou shalt be stedfast and not fear For the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him Psal 32.18 and hope in his mercy Be of Good Courage therefore and He shall strengthen your hearts all ye that trust in the Lord. Psal 31.24 But above all it submits and even unites our Will to the Will of God and so Removes the Causes nay the very Possibilities of Fear by disposing our minds to chuse and desire what pleases God that is whatsoever Happens Non est aliud essugium necessitatis quam velle quod ipsa cogat That is the second Thirdly Vexation and trouble proceed from Sudden Accidents from the surprize of Misfortunes 1. And these are either less considerable the Occurrences of every day 2. Or of greater Moment such as Affect or threaten our greatest interests as our Liberty Health Estate or Life And First of those which are lest considerable The several Relations of Subjects Children Servants Friends Correspondents and the like are so many certain causes of Passion and trouble Because the neglects and miscarriages of persons in the Discharge of their respective duties are a Continual Provocation But how unhappy do we generally make our selves by an immoderate Resentment of these trivial and common Accidents By the exorbitancy of our passion and by over vehement transports we punish our selves for the faults of others and by the Indecency of our actions and the intemperance of our Speech by the shame and servility which usually follow such Furious Motions we Expose our selves to the Contempt of those we would Correct But the Law of God in the Love and practice of it is a principle of Sobriety and Discretion of Humility and Condescension of Pity and Forgiveness It teaches us Kindness and Humanity which are apt to Subdue the most rugged tempers and oblige the Hearts and Affections of men to the service of one another and so removes the occasions of passion and displeasure And it instructs us to consider our own infirmities to be moderate in our expectations to be Candid in our constructions to be meek and lowly in mind and finally if we are angry yet so as not to sin de Tran. An Now as dogs says Plutarch That are apt to snarle and bark at every noise will be taken off by the voice of those they are used too so we might easily still and allay our passions if we Accustomed our Minds to these Meditations and had them always ready to throw in as occasion offered As for those sadder accidents which affect or threaten us in our highest interests as our Liberty Health Estate or Life I confess they are the fiercest Tryalls of our Reason and Religion Experience daily shows their weight and power How suddenly do they depress the Spirit and crush men into Distraction Despair and Death But a Principle of Religion grown up into the strengths of Love will enable us to preserve the serenity of our mind under any the most pressing Calamities of humane life For besides a firm dependance upon God and an humble resignation to his will It teaches us to exspect the Worst before it comes and to make the most terrible accidents Familiar to our thoughts Constant delight Emasculates the mind but Hardship and ill weather prepare us for difficulties and cross events The greatest part of any evil is the Surprize of it We promise our selves a long Prosperity we put the evil day far from us and say to our Soul take thine ease Whensoever therefore the dark side of the Tables is turned towards us it is Strange and Terrible as Troubled Fancy will night as Horrid as a Troubled Fancy will represent it to it self But Religion inures us to self-denyal and Exercises our thoughts with poverty and exile with reproach and death It teaches us to seperate the Adventitious parts of the Calamity To pull off these terrible Weeds which false Opinion hath dressed it up in It so instructs us in the whole Doctrine of Divine Providence that we shall not be at all surprized when that which is always in Posse appears in Act. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuivis potest accidere quod cuiquam potest Sen. a Zen. de vit beat He that would never be Miserable must always prepare himself for the worst and remember that there is nothing either New or Strange that almost all events are the proper effects of common causes agreeable to the Nature of things the