true state of him, who hath lived fo long in the courfe of an unfanctified life. In all that while, he never faid one prayer that did him any good; but they ought to be reckoned to him upon the account of his fins. He that is in the affection, or in the habit, or in the state, of any one fin whatfoever, is at fuch a distance from and contrariety to God, that he provokes God to anger in every prayer he makes.

And then add but this confideration that prayer is the great fum of our religion; it is the effect, and the exercife, and the beginning, and the promoter of all graces, and the confummation and perfection of many; and all thofe perfons who afpire towards heaven, and yet are not experienced in the fecrets of religion, they reckon their piety, and account their hopes, only upon the ftock of a few prayers. It may be they pray twice every day, it may be thrice; and bleffed be God for it; fo far is very well, But if it fhall be remembered and confidered, that this courfe of piety is fo far from warranting a course of fin, that any one habitual and cherished

fin destroys the effect of all that piety; we fhall fee there is reafon to account this to be one of those great arguments, with which God hath so bound the duty of holy living upon us, that without an holy life we cannot in any fense be happy, or have the effect of one prayer.

But if we be returning and repenting finners, God' delights to hear, because he delights to fave us.

When a man is holy, then God is gracious; and an holy life is the best, and indeed is a continual prayer.

And repentance is the best argument to move God to mercy; because it is the inftrument to unite our prayers to the interceffion of the holy Jefus,

SERMON

SERM

ON III.

The true Foundation of Tranquility.

[From Bishop HALL'S "Heaven upon Earth."]

JOB Xxii. 21.

Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at

T

peace.

HESE words point out to us the true grounds of peace, and tranquility, and fatisfaction of mind; namely, by fecuring an interest in the great Author and giver of peace. Many of the Heathens treated learnedly and wifely concerning those things which create happinefs and contentment; but they erred in the main point, by not referring the fame to the account of religion and duty towards God. They have been more skilful in defcribing that good eftate of the mind which is called tranquility, or that more perfect State of the mind which is called happiness, than

D 4

than in pointing out the means to obtain them.

They teach us, that the tranquility of the mind is, as of the fea and weather when no wind ftirreth, when the waves do not tumultuoufly rife and fall upon each other, but when the face both of the hea ven and waters is ftill, and fair, and equable: That it is fuch an even difpofition of the heart, wherein the fcales of the mind neither rife up towards the beam, through their own lightness, or the over-weening apinion of profperity; nor are too much depreffed with any load of forrow; but hanging equal and unmoved betwixt both, give a man liberty in all occurrences to enjoy himself. Not that a perfon of the most temperate mind can be fo far the master of his paffions, as that fometimes his grief. fhall not exceed his joy, or his joy exceed his grief, according to the contrary occafions of both for not the evenest weights, but at their firft putting into the balance, fomewhat fway both parts thereof, not without fore fhew of inequality; which yet, after fome motion, fettle themselves

in an equal poife. It is enough, that afte, fome fudden agitation, it can return to itfelf, and reft itself at laft in a refolved peace. And this due compofednefs of mind is required unto our tranquility, not for fome fhort fits of good humour, which foon after end in difcontentment, but with the condition of perpetuity. For there is no heart makes fo rough weather, as not fometimes to admit of a calm; and the man that is moft difordered, finds fome refpites of quietnefs. The balances that are most ill matched in their unsteady motions, come to an equality, but stay not at it. So then the calm mind must be settled in an habitual reft; not then firm, when there is nothing to fhake it; but then leaft fhaken, when it is most affaulted.

Whence it easily appears, how vainly tranquility hath been fought, either in fuch a conftant ftate of outward things, as should give no distaste to the mind, whilst all earthly things vary with the weather, and have no stay but in uncertainty; or otherwife in the natural temper of the foul, directed by human precepts, fo as not to

be