SERMON XIII. Of the pleasures of a religious life. PROV. iii. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness; and all her paths are peace. T HESE words are part of SERM. Solomon's defcription of the XIII. advantages of wisdom, or true religion, which, contrary to the general method of this book (compos'd for the most part of independent fentences) he pursues in a connected discourse. He begins the chapter with recommending a ftrict regard to the rules of virtue from SERM. this confideration, that 'tis the most likely XIII. way to fecure esteem and influence, and a long, happy, honourable life: The fame argument is refumed at the 13th verse ; and the whole is wrought up with so much beauty and elegance, that I choose to give it in the language of the wife author himfelf: Happy is the man that findeth wif dom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of filver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou can'ft defire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and bonour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness; and all her paths are peace. I fhall only add by way of introduction, that if the argument from pleasure appears to be on the fide of religion, it may be hoped its efficacy will be univerfal; fince a defire of happiness is an inextinguishable principle in human nature, and one of the most powerful motives, by which the bulk of mankind are determin'd. In my followdifcourfe, I fhall In I. Premise I. Premise a few things, very briefly, for explaining and illustrating the obfervation contained in the text. And then, which is the chief part of my defign, proceed to show, II. The peculiar excellency of the pleafures of religion and virtue. The first thing that I would premife is, that what is here faid of the pleasures of religion supposes that persons are, in some degree, inured to the practice of it, and have a virtuous difpofition and turn of mind: For without this there can be no more a taste of divine and moral pleasures, than of animal gratifications without the fenfes. Every pleasure must have its faculty of perceiving, fuited and adapted to it. And therefore to those who have led a diffolute irregular life, the ways of religion are at first ungrateful and burthenfome; because they not only oppofe the current of the animal paffions, but ftubborn and inveterate habits; and fo oblige them to offer, for fome time at least, a kind of violence to nature. But when corrupt appe tites SERM. XIII. SERM. tites are fubdued, vitious prejudices re- in us, then religion is eafy, and the duties 2dly. In interpreting Solomon's obfervation we must except extraordinary cafes; as we are oblig'd to do with respect to many other general propofitions, which are only suppos'd to hold true in the common courfe of things. The cafe, for example, |