Vexation of Spirit. But he that is poffeffed of a merry Heart, and whose Mirth is fet off with thofe neceffary Qualifications, which are already proved to be its infeperable Companions, he (I fay) and he alone, can truly be faid, to enjoy that happy Peace and Tranquility of Mind, which begins his early Heaven even in this Life, and gives him a Taste of thofe Joys which fball one Day be revealed.

Thus, by the great Advantages which it fecures unto us, of Reputation, Fortune, Health, and Peace of Mind, we are abundantly convinc'd of the Truth of this Aphorifm, and may avow with the Wife-man, That a merry Heart doth good. I now proceed in the

3d. And laft place, to confider this Maxim with regard to the Comparison, and to fhew, how a merry Heart doth good like a Medicine

And here Solomon fuppofes that a Medicine does good; nor can it otherwise indeed anfwer either its Name or its Nature: And therefore we have nothing to do in this place with the unskilful Preparations of Quacks and Pretenders to Phyfick; which encrease the Diftemper

Distemper they undertake to mitigate, and do good to no Body unless to the Prescriber. No, the Medicine hear meant, is of a Salubrious Nature, well calculated for thofe Ends to which it is directed, the Eafe and Benefit of the Patient: And a merry Heart may be faid to do good like fuch a Medicine, af ter these two following manners.

ift. By expelling thofe ill Humours which are noxious and pernicious. And

2dly. By fweetning and correcting the whole Mass that is behind.

1st. Then, a merry Heart does good like a Medicine, because it expels those ill Humours which are noxious and pernicious. When a wife. Phyfician fets about the Cure of a Diftemper, he le vels his Remedies against the Causes of it, and endeavours to drive out all fuch peccant Humours, as are Food and Nourishment to the Disease: By any other Method he only palliates the Mat ter whereas this is to pluck up the Malady by the Roots. And accordingly does an innocent Chearfulness of the Heart work upon fuch Difpofitions as

go back to page 320

it

for their Birth or their Abilities! Vice will gain more by the Impunity of the latter, than it can poffibly lose by the Punishment of the former; and Sin will be contented to let Juftice blunt her Sword, (according to the method of the Turkish Difcipline) upon the meaner and more defpicable Soldiers of its Party; if it can but rebate the edge in relation to its Janizaries, and fecure the main Champions and Guardians of its Caufe. But it is the Part and Duty of the Minifters of Justice, to endeavour to drive Wickedness out of all its ftrong Holds; and as the Luftre of the accomplishments of fuch fort of Sinners, makes their Example more prevalent, and their Infection more diffufive; fo fome must be found out who dare ftand in the Gap, or the Plague will be likely to deftroy the whole Congregation, if the Offenders be fuch as Zimri and Cozbi, Perfons of the most elevated Rank and Quality; there is need of a Phineas to vindicate God's Honour, whofe Courage cannot be baffled by any carnal confideration: And as there are too many Examples of the One kind; who bury the Treafure of their other Advantages, in D d the

the irregularity of their licentious Practices; fo (God be praised) we want not fome Inftances of the Other; who with a Chriftian Magnanimity can bear up against the Torrent, and fear nothing so much as the Scandal of not daring to do their Duty. Happy had it been both for us and our Governours, if we had always been poffeffed of fuch a Set of Patriots; as would fcorn to be over-awed, even by the Highest Authority, to difpence with thofe Laws which they are obliged to Execute! May our Benches of Juftice be never deftitute of those, who will thus ho nourably maintain the Character my Text gives of them, That they shall not be afraid of the face of Man.

And thus much may fuffice for my First Propofition; containing a Duty recommended in feveral diftinct Branches, to all the Difpencers of Publick Juftice: Te shall not respect perfons in Judgment, but you shall hear the fmall as well as the great; you shall not be afraid of the face of Man.

Before I proceed to my Second Propofition, I crave leave to make a very neceffary Digreffion, in relation to fuch Magiftrates as act in a differing Station.

When

When the Apoftle bids us flee from all appearance of Evil, he gives us a fair hint of the Danger we incur, by not putting a ftop to the firft beginnings of Iniquity, fince few arrive at once at a high pitch of Wickedness,but are led on to it fucceffively by infenfible degrees: And therefore if fmall Offences were but seasonably corrected, it would probably prevent the more grofs E. normities. If Swearing and Tipling and Sabbath breaking were Suppreffed, we should find but few Guilty of Rob. bery or Murther: By being converfant in the former, Men grow up to the latter ; and their Confciences are hardned by habitual Immoralities, till they are feared and cauterized against the moft flagitious Impietics, Were the Laws which are levelled against this lower Rank of Sinners, put conftantly in Execution by thofe with whom they are intrufted; would our Magiftrates refolve never to liften with Palive Ears, to thofe Blafphemies and Execrations which they are Sworn to Punish; nor to countenance by their Example that Prophanencís and Irreligi on, which they are conflituted reven gers to Execute wrath upon;

D d 2

Would

they