Page images
PDF
EPUB

ANOTHER very confiderable addition to my happiness is, that what I have written from my own experience, in order to recommend temperance, has been of great use to numbers, who loudly proclaim their obligations to me for that work, feveral of them having fent me word from foreign parts, that, under GOD, they are indebted to me for their lives. But that which makes me look on myself as one of the happiest of men, is, that I enjoy as it were, two sorts of lives; the one terrestrial, which I poffefs in fact; the other celestial, which I poffefs in thought; and this thought is attended with unutterable delight, being founded on fuch glorious objects, which I am morally fure of obtaining, through the infinite goodness and mercy of GOD. Thus I enjoy this terreftrial life, partly through the beneficent influences of temperance and sobriety, virtues fo pleafing to heaven; and I enjoy, through cordi

[blocks in formation]

al love of the fame divine Majesty, the celestial life, by contemplating fo often on the happiness thereof, that I can hardly think of any thing else. And I hold, that dying in the manner I expect, is not really death, but a paffage of the foul from this earthly life, to a celestial, immortal, and infinitely perfect existence. And I am fo far charmed with the glorious elevation to which I think my foul is designed, that I can no longer stoop to thofe trifles, which, alas! charm and infatuate too great a part of mankind. The profpect of parting with my favourite enjoyments of this life, gives me but little concern; on the contrary, I thank GoD, I often think of it with fecret joy, fince by that loss I am to gain a life incomparably more happy.

O! WHO then would be troubled, were he in my place? what good man, but muft inftantly throw off his load of wordly

worldly forrow, and address his grateful homage to the Author of all this happinefs? However, there is not a man on earth, who may not hope for the like happiness, if he would but live as I do. For indeed I am no angel, but only a man, à fervant of GOD, to whom a good and temperate life is fo pleafing, that even in this world he greatly rewards those who practise it.

AND whereas many embrace a holy and contemplative life, teaching and preaching the great truths of religion, which is highly commendable, the chief employment of fuch being to lead men to the knowledge and worship of GOD. O that they would likewise betake themfelves entirely to a regular and temperate life! They would then be confidered as faints indeed upon earth, as those primitive chriftians were, who obferved fo conftant a temperance, and lived fo long. By living like them, to the age of one hundred

hundred and twenty, they might make fuch a proficiency in holinefs, and become fo dear to GOD, as to do the greateft honour and fervice to the world; and they would besides, enjoy conftant health and fpirits, and be always happy within themselves; whereas they are now too often infirm and melancholy. If indeed they are melancholy, because they fee GOD, (after all his goodnefs) fo ungratefully requitted; or because they fee men (notwithstanding their innumerable obligations to love) yet hating and grieving each other: fuch melancholy is truly amiable and divine.

BUT to be melancholy on any other account, is, to fpeak the truth, quite unnatural to good chriftians; fuch perfons being the fervants of God and heirs of immortality; and it is still more unbecoming the ministers of religion, who ought to confider themselves, as of all

others,

others, in the most important, ferviceable, and delightful employment.

I KNOW, many of thefe gentlemen think that GOD does purposely bring thefe occafions of melancholy on them that they may in this life do penance for their former fins; but therein, as I think, they are much mistaken. I cannot conceive, how GOD, who loves mankind, can be delighted with their fufferings. He defires that mankind fhould be happy, both in this world and the next; he tells us fo in a thousand places in his word, and we actually find that there is not a man on earth, who does not feel the good Spirit of God, forbidding and condemning those wicked courfes, which would rob him of that happiness. No; it is the devil and fin which bring all the evils we fuffer, on our heads, and not God, who is our Creator and Father, and defires our happiness his commands tend to no other purpose,

H 2

« PreviousContinue »