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us, what a large share of the evil we complain of, is of our own making.

Moderation, as it signifies temperance in meat and drink, hath a great effect upon the temper. It keeps the mind cool as well as the body; and the influence of the one upon the other is undisputed. The sick man is careful of his diet, and lives sparingly in a fever, lest he should inflame his distemper. We are all sick, of sin; and fretfulness is the hectic of the mind; which must be corrected by the same regimen as reduces a feverish heat in the body. Christianity gives us knowledge for the correcting of every error; but it bids us add temperance. Devils go not out without fasting; and it is as true, that evil passions cannot be kept under, but by habits of self-denial. He who can deny himself not only reduces his mind to a temperate state, but disarms the malice of his enemies; because he does that voluntarily, for his own good, which another would do maliciously to his hurt; he mortifies himself.

In the next place let us beware of being hurt by little offences and slight accidents. Great calamities work upon the rational and manly affections of the mind. Small affronts have nothing to work upon but our pride; a tender and irritable principle. We are so apt to be surprised by light occasions of vexation, that they often give us more trouble than heavy causes of affliction, against which we are better provided. We arın ourselves against lions and tygers, or keep out of their way; while we are often tormented with sleepless nights from rats and insignificant

noises.

To cure this infirmity, the mind should accustom itself to great objects; it should present to itself the

dreadful dangers of temptation; the future certain approaches of death; the just judgment of God; the torments of hell; the joys of heaven; and while it is thus acting like a man, it will not be fretted like a child, with little things.

It will also lessen our embarrassment, on many occasions, if we make it a rule to be silent before our ene. mies. If a man is under a mistake, or slow of apprehension, or poisoned with misinformation; we may do him and ourselves good by discoursing with him: but if we once discover that he has a bad, that is, a ma licious design, we should make it a rule never to talk with him, we have no chance with such a person but by being silent. If we speak never so long, we shall do him no good; but only give him an opportunity of misreporting our words, and turning them against 11s. The Scribes and Pharisees, from the malice of their hearts, urged our Saviour vehemently to speak of many things; laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him. Malice will work in other men now, as it did in them: and as our Saviour himself was silent, when he could do no good by speaking'; there are many occasions in life, when we shall very much lessen our danger and trouble by following the wisdom of his example.

It will also contribute greatly to our peace, if we view things on the bright side, and make the best of them, in our private meditations and in our conversation. As all lead contains some silver in it, so hath all evil some good, which a skilful mind may extract, The sagacious bee, when it traverses the fields, turns not aside from a poisonous flower; but is possessed of a chemical art, which can draw honey from every

*Luke xi. 53.

plant: so saith the Apostle, supposing us to have the like faculty, in every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God.

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3dly. Such are the considerations with which wè are to fortify our minds, and the rules by which we are to direct our lives, for the preservation of our tranquillity. But I am now to observe, that all other rules and considerations will be ineffectual, without the practice of piety; that is, without the prayers and devotions of a Christian. When we would move men to consider and learn, we tell them that peace of mind is an art; but when we would move them to pray, we must remind them, that it is a gift. The composure of a devout mind is called the peace of God, which passeth all understanding; it must therefore come from God himself; and if we do not ask for it, we cannot have it. O, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, saith the Psalmist to the Church: so must we admonish every individual, "O pray for the peace of thine own heart, if thou dost expect to find it." Our religion hath every wise doctrine, and every wholesome precept; but, throughout the whole, Faith acts as the sovereign power, and the universal remedy; without which there can be neither the comfort of Hope nor the patience of Charity. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith: and why doth the world overcome so many, but because they are without it? and, consequently without prayer, which is the speech of faith, and the evidence of our spiritual life? If we live, we shall speak: and that we may never be at a loss for proper expréssions, the whole book of Psalms is provided for private as well as public use, and fitted for every occasion that can befall us.

The advantages of keeping up this communion

with God, are too many to be enumerated, and too great to be described: but certainly nothing composes the mind under all its trials like that great expedient of opening our grief to him who is able to help us, and hath promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Great, and instructive in the issue of it, is the example of the good king Hezekiah; who when he had received that letter of defiance and blasphemy from the king of Assyria, went into the Temple, and spread it before the Lord*; and by his prayer obtained a signal deliverance to himself and his people. We cannot even present ourselves before God, without this good effect; that we are thereby instantly detached from the world which troubles us. We dare not, we cannot, give way to the weaknesses of Nature, while his eye is upon us, to restrain us. It is related of one of our kings, whose devotion supported him under all the trials of persecution and martyrdom: that when he had received some afflicting intelligence, while he was upon his knees at the public prayers, he continued in the same posture till they were ended; and then he relapsed into the condition of a man, and retired to give vent to his sorrow.

If we could go into heaven, the world, with all its cares, would be left behind us: and although this cannot be, so long as we are in the body; yet we may at all times lift up our hearts, and ascend thither with our thoughts and affections. Faith can fix an anchor there, which will keep us steady under all the a nges and chances of this mortal life.

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SERMON II.

SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE.
COLOSS. iii. 2.

IT can hardly be denied, that all men are desirous of happiness; though, at the same time, it must be confessed, some are so miserably mistaken in the pursuit, that it may be difficult to give any rational account of their proceedings. They either think that to be happiness, which is not so: or, if they are right as to the object, they have such prejudices concerning the means of obtaining it, as render all their endeavours ineffectual.

I shall make it my business to shew you in this discourse, that till we set our affections on things above, no true happiness is to be found.

As the affections of man are active and restless in their nature, they must have their objects; and if these objects are not the things above, they will be the things below; and if these things are in their nature unsatisfactory, such an attachment can terminate in nothing but disappointment. The wisest of mankind, who had experienced all the heights of worldly felicity, did long ago pass sentence of condemnation upon the things of the world, as the instruments of vanity and vexation; yet few can find in their hearts to take his word, 'till they have made their unsuccessful experiments, and are convinced by the issue of them. It is a truth, which some happily discover

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