Worship. And these are the general and primary Dictates of right Reason. Now as it is impoffible, but that where a fuitable Object strikes and affects the Sense, there must arise fenfual and corporal Delight and Pleasure; fo is it alike impoffible, but that where our Actions do correspond with these Principles of Reason, there must arise an intellectual Joy and Complacency. No Man ever took true Joy and Delight in doing that which is unnatural: And truly every Sin is in a Senfe unnatural, as it contradicts those Principles of natural Light and Understanding which God hath fo deeply implanted in us, that they can never be totally rooted out. And therefore there muft needs be Jarring and Discord in the Mind of a wicked Man, whose Actions are contrary to thofe first Principles of his Reafon, which he always oppofeth, but can never overcome. And this of Neceffity must make his Life very uneasy, and uncomfortable: Whereas an holy Man, who fquares his Actions according to his Principles, finds fuch a just Proportion between them, that there is no Disfonance, no Contest; but the fweet Touches of them mutually, one upon the other, strikes a perpetual Harmony in his

Soul;

Soul; and the Refult of this, muft needs be Peace and Pleasure.

Secondly, Unspeakable Pleasure must needs fpring up in the Soul, from the comfortable Reflections of our own Confciences upon holy and religious Actions. Be the Difficulty of performing them never fo great, yet this Joy that diffuseth it felf in the Heart after we have broken thro' all the Reluctancies and Oppofitions that our Corruptions, our Sloth, or our worldly Advantages make against them, doth more than compensate the Pains and Trouble we have undergone. There will indeed, in this our imperfect State, be Strivings and Luftings of the Flesh against the Spirit, even in the best of Men: But yet certainly the Delight which the Soul enjoys after it hath conquered its finful Inclinations, is infinitely beyond all Comparison above the Delight it could have reaped by confenting to them. What a calm and sweet Repose is upon the Face of the Soul, after it hath perform'd a Duty, and can reflect upon it as perform'd fincerely; after it hath wrestled with a Temptation, and overcome it? How fweetly then doth he enjoy himself! How fweetly doth he enjoy his God! His Profpect into Heaven is clear,

and

and he can difcern a pleased God, a loving Father accepting his Service, and preparing his Reward. Let others please themselves in the bitter Sweets of Sin; yet certainly the leaft Relish of fuch pure, fuch unexpreffible Joy, is infinitely to be preferr'd before all the wathy Pleafures of Vice and Luxury, though Confcience and Condemnation were abftracted from them. Here believe it is true Joy; it is not clamorous nor noify, but a calm fedate Joy, that ravisheth the Heart with a fecret, but powerful. Delight. The Pleafures of Sin are but for a Moment, like the empty Crackling of Thorns under a Pot, that make a fhort-liv'd Blaze, and prefently expire in Smoke. But the Pleafures of Holiness are permanent and abiding, and entertain the Soul with a moft delightful Remembrance, whenfoever it fhall look back, and review its Actions. This is a Pleafure that never cloys, never tires us: Neither can the frequent Repetition, nor the long Continuance of it, weary us. Whereas all, earthly Pleasures grow either dull, or diftaftful, if they are not often changed. But a pious Soul need not invent Variety of Diverfions, to entertain himself comfortably. Let him but look within Doors, retiré into his own Breaft, and he thall there find Р abun

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abundant Joys, which though they are ftill the fame, are ever fresh. But now

this Self-reflexion, which is so sweet and comfortable to a true Chriftian, is a Rack and Torture to wicked and diffolute Wretches. They carry an hated Monitor about them in their own Breast, a Witness and a Reprover of all their Lewdnefs; and when they feek for Pleasure in Sinning, it is their Trouble and Vexation that they cannot fin more quietly. There is a bufy Conscience of their own, which dogs them at the Heels wherever they go, fcourgeth them with Scorpions, and threatens them with the Vengeance of everlasting Fire. And this imbitters their Delights; and though it cannot withhold them from Sinning, yet makes their very Sins their Punishment and Torment. So that if it were only upon the Account of the Reflexions of Confcience, an holy and pious Life is infinitely more pleasant, than a lewd and wicked

one.

Thirdly, The Hope and Expectation of the eternal Reward of our Obedience, makes an holy Life to be pleasant and joyful. The Pfalmift tells us, that in the keeping of God's Commandments there is great Reward, Pfal. 19. 11. Our very Work is

Reward

Reward for it felf; and if God fhould never give us other, yet we should be abundantly recompenfed in the inward. Peace and Satisfaction of our Consciences, which can no other way be enjoyed: Yet our gracious God both gives us fuch Work as is Reward for it felf, and promifeth us an infinite Reward for doing of that Work. Were there really as many Difficulties in Religion as our Sloth is apt to imagine, yet methinks when fuch an exceffive Recompence as that of Eternal Life and Glory is propounded to us, this should remove all Obftacles, facilitate all Enterprizes, and make the utmost Pains and Labour to attain it, pleasant and delightful. We fee with what Pleasure Men ftrive and contend for a Prize. The poor pitiful Reward of a mouthful of Praise, or the Gain of fome Honourary Trifle, makes them account that but a Sport and Recreation, which else were a Toil, and difficult Labour. And what, fiall we, who are running a Race in the Ways of true Wif dom, and fee the Crown of Glory and Immortality hung up at the Goal, faint and fhrink at it as an uneafy and laborious Task to intend our Nerves, and press still on towards the Mark? Certainly there can be no greater Pleasure