SERMON I.

THE PLEASANTNESS OF RELIGION.

PROV. iii. 17.

Her ways are ways of pleafantnefs, and all her paths

are peace.

THE meaning of thefe words feems plain and obvious, SERM.

and to need little explication. Her ways, that is, the ways of Wisdom. What this Wisdom is, I fhall not undertake accurately to describe. Briefly, I understand by it, an habitual skill or faculty of judging aright about matters of practice, and choosing according to that right judgment, and conforming the actions to fuch good choice. Ways and paths in Scripture-dialect are the courses and manners of action. For doing there is commonly called walking; and the methods of doing are the ways in which we walk. By pleasantnefs may be meant the joy and delight accompanying, and by peace the content and satisfaction ensuing such a course of actions. So that, in fhort, the sense of these words feems fimply to be this; that a course of life directed by wisdom and good judgment is delightful in the practice, and brings content after it. The truth of which propofition it shall be my endeavour at this time to confirm by divers reasons, and illuftrate by several inftances.

I.

I. Then, Wisdom of itself is delectable and fatisfactory, as it implies a revelation of truth, and a detection of error Veritatis to us. It is like light, pleasant to behold, cafting a

VOL. I.

luce menti

Cic. Acad.

2.

SERM. fprightly luftre, and diffufing a benign influence all about; I. presenting a goodly profpect of things to the eyes of our hominis ni- mind; difplaying objects in their due fhapes, poftures, hil dulcius. magnitudes, and colours; quickening our spirits with a comfortable warmth, and difpofing our minds to a cheerful activity; dispelling the darkness of ignorance, scattering the mists of doubt, driving away the spectres of delufive fancy; mitigating the cold of fullen melancholy; discovering obftacles, fecuring progrefs, and making the paffages of life clear, open, and pleasant. We are all naturally endowed with a strong appetite to know, to see, to pursue truth; and with a bashful abhorrency from being deceived, and entangled in mistake. And as fuccefs in inquiry after truth affords matter of joy and triumph; fo being conscious of error and mifcarriage therein, is attended with fhame and forrow. These defires Wisdom in the most perfect manner satisfies, not by entertaining us with dry, empty, fruitlefs theories, upon mean and vulgar fubjects; but by enriching our minds with excellent and useful knowledge, directed to the nobleft objects, and ferviceable to the highest ends. Nor in its own nature only, but,

II. Much more in its worthy confequences is Wisdom exceedingly pleasant and peaceable: in general, by dispofing us to acquire and to enjoy all the good, delight, and happiness we are capable of; and by freeing us from all the inconveniences, mischiefs, and infelicities our condition is fubject to. For whatever good from clear understanding, deliberate advice, fagacious forefight, stable refolution, dexterous address, right intention, and orderly proceeding doth naturally result, Wisdom confers: whatever evil blind ignorance, false presumption, unwary credulity, precipitate rashness, unfteady purpofe, ill contrivance, backwardness, inability, unwieldiness and confufion of thought, beget, Wisdom prevents. From a thoufand fnares and treacherous allurements, from innumerable rocks and dangerous furprises, from exceedingly many needlefs incumbrances and vexatious toils of fruitlefs endeavour, the redeems and fecures us. More particularly,

I.

III. Wisdom affures us we take the beft courfe, and SERM. proceed as we ought. For by the fame means we judge aright, and reflecting upon that judgment are affured we do fo: as the fame arguments by which we demonstrate a theorem convince us we have demonftrated it, and the fame light by which we fee an object makes us know we fee it. And this affurance in the progress of the action exceedingly pleases, and in the fequel of it infinitely contents us. He that judges amifs, not perceiving clearly the rectitude of his procefs, proceeds ufually with a dubious folicitude; and at length, difcovering his error, condemns his own choice, and receives no other fatisfaction but of repentance. Like a traveller, who, being uncertain whether he goes in the right way, wanders in continual perplexity, till he be informed, and then too late, underftanding his mistake, with regret feeks to recover himself into it. But he that knows his way, and is fatisfied that it is the true one, makes on merrily and carelessly, not doubting he shall in good time arrive to his defigned journey's end. Two troublesome mifchiefs therefore Wisdom frees us from, the company of anxious doubt in our actions, and the confequence of bitter repentance: for no man can doubt of what he is fure, nor repent of what he knows good.

IV. Wisdom begets in us a hope of fuccefs in our actions, and is usually attended therewith. Now what is more delicious than hope? what more fatisfactory than fuccefs? That is like the pursuit of a flying enemy, this like gathering the fpoil; that like viewing the ripe corn, this like the joy of harvest itself. And he that aims at a good end, and knows he uses proper means to attain it, why should he despair of fuccefs, fince effects naturally follow their causes, and the Divine Providence is wont to afford its concourse to fuch proceedings? Befide that fuch well-grounded hope confirms resolution, and quickens activity, which mainly conduce to the profperous iffue of defigns. Farther,

V. Wisdom prevents difcouragement from the poffibility of ill fuccefs, yea and makes disappointment itself

I.

SERM. tolerable. For if either the forefight of a poffible mifcarriage should discourage us from adventuring on action, or inculpable fruftration were intolerable, we should with no heart apply ourselves to any thing; there being no defigns in this world, though founded upon the most found advice, and profecuted by the most diligent endeavour, which may not be defeated, as depending upon divers caufes above our power, and circumstances beyond our profpect. The inconftant opinions, uncertain refolutions, mutable affections, and fallacious pretences of men, upon which the accomplishment of most projects rely, may easily deceive and disappoint us. The imperceptible course of nature exerting itself in fudden tempests, difeases, and unlucky casualties, may surprise us, and give an end to our bufineffes and lives together. However, the irresistible power of the Divine Providence, guided by the unfearchable counsel of his will, we can never be affured that it will not interpose, and hinder the effects of our endeavours. Yet notwithstanding, when we act prudently, we have no reason to be disheartened; because, having good intentions, and ufing fit means, and having done our beft, as no deserved blame, so no confiderable damage can arrive to us: and though we find Almighty God hath croffed us, yet we are fure he is not displeased with us. Which confideration, wherewith Wisdom furnishes us, will make the worst fuccefs not only tolerable, but comfortable to us. For hence we have reason to hope, that the All-wife Goodness referves a better reward for us, and will fometime recompenfe not only the good purposes we unhappily pursued, but also the unexpected disappointment we patiently endured; and I that however we fhall be no lofers in the end. Which discourse is mainly fortified by confidering how the best and wifest attempts have oft miscarried. We fee Mofes, authorized by God's command, directed by his counsel, and conducted by his hand, intended to bring the Israelites into the land of Canaan; yet by the unreasonable incredulity and stubborn perverfeness of that people he had his purpose fruftrated. The holy prophets afterward

earnestly endeavoured to contain the fame people within SERM. compafs of obedience to the divine commands, and to 1. reduce them from their idolatrous and wicked courses; yet without correfpondent effect. Our Saviour, by the example of his holy life, continual inftruction, and vehement exhortations, affayed to procure a belief of and fubmiffion to his most excellent doctrine; yet how few believed his report, and complied with his discipline! Yea, Almighty God himself often complains, how in a manner his defigns were defeated, his defires thwarted, his offers refused, his counfels rejected, his expectations deceived. Wherefore, (faith he concerning his vineyard,) when I Ifa. v. 4. looked it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And again, I have spread out my hands all the Ifa. lxv. 2. day to a rebellious people. And again, I have even fent Jer. vii. 25, unto you all my prophets, daily rifing up early, and fend- 26. ing them: yet they hearkened not unto me.

Wherefore

there is no good caufe we fhould be disheartened, or vexed, when fuccefs is wanting to well-advised purposes. It is foolish and ill-grounded intentions, and practices unwarrantable by good reafon, that make the undertakers folicitous of fuccefs, and being defeated leave them difconfolate. Yea farther,

VI. Wisdom makes all the troubles, griefs, and pains incident to life, whether cafual adverfities, or natural afflictions, easy and supportable; by rightly valuing the importance, and moderating the influence of them. It fuffers not bufy fancy to alter the nature, amplify the degree, or extend the duration of them, by representing them more fad, heavy, and remediless than they truly are. It allows them no force beyond what naturally and neceffarily they have, nor contributes nourishment to their increase. It keeps them at a due distance, not permitting them to encroach upon the foul, or to propagate their influence beyond their proper sphere. It will not let external mischances, as poverty and difgrace, to produce an inward fenfe which is beyond their natural efficacy: nor corporeal affections of fickness and pain to difturb the mind, with which they have nothing to do. The region