X.

Life; but then Chriftianity helps us in the SERM. Performance, by carrying the Argument into another World; and therefore if we murmur ftill, we contradict the Principles of our Religion; because we do it, as those who have no Hope: 'Tis indeed a kind of Atheifm; for where is the Difference between doubting of the Being of a God, and questioning his Divine Providence? And who, after all, would think that these Murmurers should seek Shelter even in Religion; and yet they are

many

of them weak enough to do it; as if Religion oblig'd People to be ill-natur'd, and would never fuffer them to be in a good Humour; and confequently that they were never more religious than when most out of Temper. What Religion this is, is not worth my while to enquire, because it is not worth your while to know: You may be fure it is not the Chriftian Religion, whatever it is. What an odd Figure now do you think Religion would make, if it really was as fome People have dreft it up; for as fuch, it is calculated for nothing in the World

but

SERM. but to do Mischief, to rob a Man of his

X.

natural good Temper, and to give him nothing in the room of it, but an unnatural hateful one; and fo to make him more a Child of Wrath than he was by Nature. This cannot proceed from Christianity, but from fomething elfe; for the Chriftian Religion countenances no Murmurers and Complainers, nor encourages any thing that is four or illnatur'd; the Fruits of it are nothing but Peace, Joy, Contentment, and all true Virtues.

He who thinks to meet with no Difficulties in the World upon account of the different Tempers of Mankind, is a Stranger to Reafon; and if Chriftianity has not learnt him that Contentment of Mind, which the Heathens practifed without it, he is a Stranger to Religion. The Christian Religion does not promife us any fuch thing, that we fhall meet with no Troubles or Difficulties, but teaches us how to overcome them. Nay, it goes upon this very Suppofition, that the World is wicked, that this Life is a State

of

X.

of Warfare; and accordingly has fur- SERM. nifh'd us with many excellent Weapons in order to encounter it with Chearfulness and Conftancy, as faithful Soldiers of Chrift; and not only fo, but gives us Encouragement to expect Affiftance, where the Work is too great for us to perform of ourfelves.

If the World was to be governed according to every one's Humour, perhaps we should all be pleas'd; or it would be a wonder if we fhould not. But where's the Virtue of fuch a Contentment as this? No; this, as well as all other Virtues, is an active Principle, it must be a Work of the Mind, and must have fome Difficulties to Aruggle with: For if a Man would be contented upon no other Terms, The would have made but a contemptible Figure among the Philofophers, and I fuppofe he would not be thought to make a better Chriftian for being a bad Heathen. Having thus fhewn the Falfity of the Infinuation, that the former Days were better than these, and also the

X.

SERM. Sin and Folly of murmuring and complaining, even upon Suppofition that it was true, I come now in the

Third and laft Place, To lay down fome Rules, by which we may acquire a hap pier Farme and Temper of Mind. Since the Happiness of a Man depends upon the Mind, and not upon the Things without him, it the more concerns us to keep our Minds in a true, fedate, and eafy Pofture: And in order to it, let us, Firft, Endeavour to regulate our Paffi

ons;

for we are reduc'd to the neceffity of governing them, or of fuffering them to govern us. Indeed this is a more difficult Talk to fome People than to others, according to the Nature of the Conftitution, and therefore the greater Pains are requir'd; and when we have done this, but not till then, we shall be able to confider things to be what they are, and not what they are not; and look upon the World to be, not what it ought to be, but what he finds it to be. We found it to be as it is, when we came into it, and we shall hardly leave it better

OF

X.

or worse, when we go out of it. If we SERM. would have every thing fitted to our Humour, that would be again altogether as displeasing to another, and fo the fame discontented Spirit would still be kept up. If we would fhew that we confider things wifely, we fhould fit ourselves to our Condition. Whoever expects Happiness in this World is mistaken; he does not confider the thing wifely; it is not poffible in the Nature of things that it fhould be fo: But then we may be much happier than we are, if we will put things upon a right Footing. No Man has a greater Enemy to fear than himself, nor is any thing truly and properly good but Virtue, or truly and properly evil but Vice.

Secondly, Another Rule in order to acquire a happier Temper of Mind is this, before we complain of other People, to mend those Faults in ourselves; for it is unjust to complain of others, while we are guilty of the fame Things; we should at leaft take Care to give others no Reason to complain of us; for