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feek God's Face. Call upon me (aith God) in the Day of Trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me, Pfal. 1. 15.

Ah! but I cannot pray! I cannot perform any holy Duty; or fix to any one part of Religion. I no fooner retire into my Closet, or kneel down upon my Knees, but a thoufand Terrors infeft me; fo that I think 'twere better to let Devotion alone, then to perform it no better. (Ah, Lord!) But let me ask thee, Doft thou do thy utmoft? Doft thou fincerely defire to do thy Duty, and to please God? and doft thou put a force upon thyself, fometimes to perform the Duty of Prayer, or any other holy Duty, tho' it be with many Interruptions and Diftractions? Continue to do fo; for by fo doing thou wilt approve thyself unto God, who feeth thy Heart; and, in all probability, thy Fears and Terrors will by degrees vanish; thefe fad and difmal Thoughts will leffen, and at length quite leave thee.

God is a God hearing Prayers. He will be fought to in our Diftreffes, and implored in our Afflictions. Say then (with the Pfalmift) Why art thou caft down, O my Soul? and why art thou fo difquieted within me? Hope thou in God, (pray to him) for I fhall yet praise him, who is the

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Help of my Countenance, and my God. Pfal. xlii. ult.

VII. Again: To prevent thefe fad, dejected, or defpairing Thoughts we are fpeaking of, We must be careful that we do not love the World immoderately. For how remote foever Covetousness may seem from Despair, the former doth frequently conduce to the latter. He that fets too great a value upon the Things of this World, and a Temporal Profperity, will not only be greatly hindred from doing his Spiritual Duty, but when it pleaseth God to deprive him of his Profperity, he is very apt to be extremely difquieted, and repining; and fometimes to look upon himfelf as utterly forfaken of God, be cause he is ftripp'd of thofe outwardThings. He mistakenly looks upon Temporal good Things to be certain Marks of God's Favour: Whereas in Truth they are, not, but he fometimes deals them promifcuously, as the Rain defcends both upon the Just and Unjust, Pfal. Ixxiii.

And what is the likely Confequence of fuch an enormous Love of the World? (if, I fay, it fhould pleafe God to bring fuch an one into Adverfity) but that he should have difmal, and even defpairing Thoughts of his own Condition. There have been frequent Examples of this Nature in the G 3 World

World: And thus far have thefe Words of the Apoftle been verify'd: But they that. will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lufts, which drown Men in Perdition. For the love of Money is the root of all Evil, which while fome have coveted after, they have erred from the Faith, and pierced themselves through with many Sorrows. 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.

Let us not therefore fet our Affections. too much upon these fleeting Things: Let us enjoy every good Thing with Submiffion to, and dependance upon, God's Providence. Let us beware that we do not fix our Hearts on any thing here below; neither Riches, Poffeffions, Friends, Chil dren, nor any of thefe fublunary Things. For fo doing hath oftentimes proved very fatal to many; and at last hath thrown them into Melancholy; nay, even into Defperation.

VIII. The laft Remedy against black, dreadful, or defpairing Thoughts, is, Religious and Cheerful Converfation. Tis not jolly, vain Company; that will be of no use, but hurt but godly and cheerful Society will very much contribute to their Cure. To be always poring, ag gravates the Malady, and rivets the Def pair, and fometimes proves fatal indeed: And therefore a little good Converfation

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is very neceffary. Religious Difcourfes and Conferences will keep out worfe Thoughts, and conduce very much to make us rejoice with them that do rejoice. There is a kind of Melody in them, which (like that of David's Harp, when he play'd to Saul) will drive away the evil Spirit, 1 Sam. xvi. 23. 'Tis a common thing. for fuch Perfons as are troubled with this kind of Thoughts, to affect Solitude, and defire to be always alone, and im mur'd in their own fad Contemplations. But notwithstanding the ftrongest Averfion to Company which they may have, 'tis advisable that against their Inclina tions, they be brought into good and cheerful Converfation; and that not once, or twice, but with Continuance. And this is a proper way (in time) to be rid of fuch, evil Thoughts. For, the Devil's Temptations and Injections, cfpecially of this kind, are usually more prevalent, and come with greater Force, when People are alone, than when they are in Society. And then too, they are apt to dote upon their own Notions of Things, hug their Miftakes, and think them true, however falfe and erroneous they may be.

A religious and cheerful Friend therefore I take in this Cafe to be of great Advantage, to comfort, advife, divert, and improve

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improve them in better Things. And more efpecially do I recommend the frequent Converfation of their Spiritual Guide. For it is not to be imagined what Efficacy a feasonable Word hath fometimes; and what a sweet Alteration it caufes in difconfolate People. It goeth like Oil into their Bones or elfe (to use the Preacher's Comparifon) The Words of the wife are as Goads, and as Nails faftned by the Mafters of Affemblies. Good Converfation ftrengthens and exhilarates the Spirits to a great degree; and is a very proper means against all fad and melancholy, or despairing Thoughts.

And indeed, I think, Religion is that which goes a great way towards the Cure of Melancholy: And without it, 'tis hardly ever to be cur'd. "Tis Religion muft give a Man a rational, and a wellgrounded Hope of the Security of his eternal Condition hereafter; without which 'tis difficult to imagine how his Heart fhould ever be eafy, and his Thoughts ferene, quiet, and compos'd. And therefore he that would avoid this kind of evil Thoughts, I exhort and advife him first to fix the grand Point of Religion in himfelf; and then to cherish, and improve it by cheerful and religious Conversation.

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