[N. B. When I wrote this, I was not appriz'd that the fabbath was never changed: but was ever to be observed in a leffer degree, as the Lord's-Day in a greater, by all chriftians.]

A

March 6, 1686-7.

III. Of the Temptations of the Devil.

LTHO' there is no queftion but wicked men do oft, to excufe themselves, lay the fault of their evil deeds to the charge of the evil one: when it is the naughtiness of their own hearts, which love and practise fin, that is the real caufe of fuch actions; yet it cannot, I think, in reason, be denied, but the devil has a great and fecret hand, especially in fome fort of temptations, and often does fuggeft fuch fufpicious objections, and oftentimes blafphemous, horrid, and ftrange apprehenfions to the mind, as are hardly fo accountable any other way for they are often, especially in melancholy perfons, fo contrary to the constant fentiments and belief of a man's mind, and fo contrary and abhorrent from the fettled temper and inclination of a perfon; yea, not seldom fo black and difmal, fo odious and ugly, and the mind is fo fill'd with fad terror and amazement at the confideration of them, that they seem to own their original from nothing fo fitly, as from that roaring lion, that goes about feeking whom he may devour. To this fource and fountain may well be referr'd those atheistical, unbelieving, diftruftful, despairing fuggeftions, which too many, by woful experience, have felt in themselves. Hither alfo may be referr'd many of thofe idle, vain, diftracting and wandering thoughts, which are so often caft into the foul, when it is about the great duties of religion, and come in without any other appaD

rent

rent caufe, directly contrary to the defire and purpofe of the perfon, which it ought to be our great care to avoid. Neither, perhaps, can we fo well refer the extreme wickedness, debauchery, profanenefs, perjury, and other the faddeft inftances of the depraved nature of man, which appear fo vifibly in the world, contrary to all the dictates of fober reason, counsel, and intereft itself, to the. defilement and pollution of human nature (which yet is very great) as to the violent temptations of the devil; who hurries fuch perfons, as, by their former evil lives, have banifhed the good fpirit from them, to fuch degrees of wickedness, as, otherwife, 'tis fearce credible that a reasonable creature fhould ever be induced to commit. Yea, tho' in the mean while they do profefs to believe that they are in that way, where, in the end, they must expect everlasting damnation.

But, O gracious Father, thou lover of fouls, fend down thy Holy Spirit into my heart, to affift, counfel, comfort, and conduct me fo fafely through thè wilderness of this world, that, whatfoever fuggeftions the devil may caft into my mind, I may abhor and caft them out again, without the leaft defilement by them; and, at laft, may, by that Holy Spirit's guidance and affiftance, be brought fafe to the vision of peace. Through Jefus Chrift. Amen.

March 27, 1687, being EASTER-DAY.

IV. Of the Reasonableness of Religion.

WHE

WHEN the ends and defigns of true religion, (fuch as are the glory of God, and the happiness of man, in raifing those noble faculties of his foul to the higheft pitch, and most worthy objects, and, even in this world, the peace and profperity of all human focieties; and as well the

welfare

welfare of the world in general, as of each perfon in particular;) are fo apparently excellent and reafonable; and the ways and means it prefcribes fo conducive and proper to the attainment of the forementioned ends; it muft needs follow, that religion is really reasonable in itself, and every way worthy of human nature; and altho' it fhould lay more reftraint upon the affections and actions of men, than indeed it doth, they might well be borne, in confideration of those greater benefits and advantages which it produces. But wherein lies this hardness, and what are the reftraints which are fo burthenfome, that religion must be thought unreasonably fevere in impofing them on us? is it in that temperance, fobriety, chastity, and diligence, it injoins? the contrary vices bring fuch real difadvantages not seldom in this world, that might more reasonably deter a prudent man from them, tho' they were forbidden by no law; fo that here is apparently not only no juft caufe of rejecting, but very juft caufe of embracing religion, which propofes fo noble a reward to the exercise of those virtues, which a man would think were fufficiently, rewarded by the bleffings they procure in this life. Is it unreasonable for a creature to love, worship, fear, truft, serve, and obey his great and good Creator? why then is it not thought as unreasonable for a child to perform the like in a lower degree to his parents? or why do parents require and think it fitting that their offspring fhould be obedient to 'em, when it very much croffes their inclination? when we all have a more immediate dependance on God, than a child on his parent. Sure this unreafonablenefs cannot be charged on the duties of juftice and charity: without which, indeed, all focieties would be in miferable circumftances; and which, if followed, would render man's life far more easy and comfortable than 'tis like to be, while men are fo care

lefs in performing the duties relating to one another. Where then is it? in thofe felf-denials, and bearing the cross; in those perfecutions, troubles, and difficulties, that religion fometimes expofes men to? well, fuppofe these things do fall to the portion of good men: yet, for answer, I ask, are they the only miferable? do no calamities light on the rest of the world? is there no hardnefs and difficulty in conquering the reafon and ftopping the mouth of the confciences of the profane and wicked, before they can get leave of themselves to follow fuch courfes as they cannot but difallow? is there no torment in an accufing, ftinging, and condemning confcience? no croffes and troubles in the way to deftruction? is all fo fmooth and easy, fo plain and fafe, free and undisturbed, that no troubles or afflictions can poffibly reach or affect them? nothing lefs. Nay, I think that it may be queftioned whether the life of wicked perfons, all things confidered, be not the harder and fuller of difficulties, excepting only fome. particular times of perfecution, when God calls men to lay down their lives for his fake. How often does one vice contradict another? what quarrels and contentions do arife among copartners? what fears of the detection of fecret crimes? what horror of death, and future account? what poverty, difgrace, ficknefs, and a thousand inconveniences do they often bring upon themselves? and however a perpetual guilt dogging and accompanying them wherefoever they go, which will return again with the greater horror, by how much the more they shall have drowned the fenfe of it in debauchery and drinking. Nay farther, I fuppofe, that intemperance, luxury, quarrelling, and other vices, have brought innumerable more to an untimely death than ever religion did fo little reafon men have to complain of the hardness of the way to heaven, when they take

fuch

fuch pains to go through with that courfe which, in the end, will requite them with eternal mifery.

Never let me, O Lord, perform that drudgery, the wages whereof is eternal death, only to efcape fome difficulties and hardfhips in that way which leads to eternal blifs! Through Jefus Chrift.

May 5, 1689.

V. On the late great changes, and the prefent posture of affairs in England, &c.

W

'HOEVER he be that fets up his reft here below, and is not fufficiently convinced of the vanity and uncertainty of all worldly goods; let him but seriously within his own breaft reflect on these late great and aftonifhing mutations, and he need go no further for a convincing evidence of what he is fo unwilling to believe, viz. That it is the greateft folly imaginable to lay up treasure, or place any confidence in this frail, mortal, and more than unconstant state, and vale of tears. The Divine Providence feems in all ages to have given inftances fufficient to all mankind, to deter them from doating on earthly goods, from depending on princes favours, or thinking themselves fecure in the most profperous times, thereby to prepare their minds the better to attend the motions of his Holy Spirit, and the conftant fuggeftions of the law of nature written in their hearts. For while we think we are fecure, and likely to enjoy innumerable days of ease, honour, and fatisfaction, we put the thoughts of death, judgment, and eternity, out of our minds; and we are apt to think we are fo well provided for already, that we are in no need of looking out for another manfion, when our bodies are laid in the duft, and our fouls fled to another region. We feldom care fo to number our days.