that we may never want the happiness of a lively faith, and well grounded trust in God.

Were there any exercise of the mind, or any conversation with men, that turned more to our advantage, than this intercourse with God; we should not be called to such a continuance in prayer. But, if a man consider, what he leaves, when he retires to devotion; he will find it no small happiness, to be often relieved from doing nothing; from unprofitable labor, or vain conversation; he will have reason to rejoice at those hours of prayer, which carry him to higher consolations, which open to his mind a scene of greater things, and accustom his soul to the expectation of them.

If religion commands us, to live wholly unto God; it is, because every other way is living against ourselves, and will end in our own shame and confusion.

Would you see, how happy they are, who live according to their own will? Look at the man in the parable, to whom his lord had given one talent. He could not bear the thought of using his talent according to the will of him, from whom he had it; and therefore he chose to make himself happier in a way of his own. Lord, says he, I knew thee, that thou art a hard man; reaping, where thou hast not sown; and gathering, where And I was afraid, and went, and hid thy talent in the earth. Lo, there thou hast that is thine. Matt. xxv. 24.

thou hast not strawed.

His lord, having convicted him out of his own mouth, dispatches him with this sentence; Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt. xxv. 30.

This is the happiness of those, who look upon a strict and exalted piety, a dull and melancholy state of life. They may live a while free from the restraints and directions of religion; but, instead thereof, they must be under the government of their passions: they must, like the man in the parable, live in murmuring and discontent, in fear and apprehension. They may avoid the labor of doing good, of laying up treasure in heaven, of clothing the naked, of visiting the sick; but they

must, like this man, have labors, that tend to no advantage, that do no good to themselves or others; they must travail, and labor, and dig, to hide their talent in the earth. They must, like him, be convicted out of their own mouths; be accused by their own hearts, and be made to show the justice of their condemnation to eternal darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This is the purchase that they make, who avoid the strictness and perfection of religion, in order to live happily.

On the other hand, would you see a short description of the happiness of a life, rightly employed, wholly devoted to God; you must look at the man in the parable, to whom his Lord had given five talents. Lord, says he, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His Lord said unto him,. Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

Here you see that a life, wholly intent on the improvement of the talents; that is devoted wholly to God; is a state of happiness. The man is not toiling, and digging for no end; but his pious labors prosper in his hands; his happiness increases on him; the blessing of five becomes the blessing of ten talents; and he is thus received; Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

All that we have, all that we are, all that we enjoy, are only so many talents from God: if we use them to the ends of a pious and holy life; our five talents will become ten, and our labors will carry us into the joy of our Lord; but if we abuse them to the gratification of our own passions; sacrificing the gifts of God to our pride and vanity, we shall live here in vain labors and anxieties; shunning religion, as a melancholy thing; accusing our Lord, as a hard master; and then fall into everlasting misery.

We may for awhile amuse ourselves with names, and sounds, and shadows of happiness; we may talk of this, or that greatness, and dignity; but, if we desire real

happiness; we have no other possible way to it, but by improving our talents, by so using the powers and faculties of men in this present state, that we may be happy and glorious in the powers and faculties of angels in the world to come.

How ignorant therefore are they of the nature of religion, of the nature of man, and the nature of God; who think a life of strict piety and devotion to God, to be a dull and uncomfortable state; when it is certain, that there is no comfort in any thing else?

CHAP. XII.

The happiness of a life, wholly devoted to God, farther proved, from the vanity, sensuality, and poor enjoyments of those who live according to their own humor, repre

sented in various characters.

We may still see more of the happiness of a life, devoted to God, by considering the poor contrivances which they adopt, who seek happiness by other methods.

If one look at their lives, who live by no rule, but their own fancies; if one see what they call happiness; how they rejoice and repent, change and fly from one delusion to another; we shall find great reason to rejoice, that God has appointed a strait and narrow way, that leadeth to life, and that we are not forced to take up with such shadows of happiness, as the folly of the world has invented.

For instance, when a man proposes to be happy by raising himself to some imaginary height above other people; this is truly an invention of happiness, which has no foundation in nature; but is as mere a cheat of

our own making, as if a man should intend to make himself happy by climbing up a ladder.

If a woman seek happiness from fine colors or spots on her face, from jewels and rich clothes; this is an invention of happiness, as contrary to reason, as if she should propose to make herself happy, by painting a post, and putting the same finery upon it.

On these inventions of happiness, I desire you to cast your eye, that you may thence learn, how great a good religion is; which delivers you from such a multitude of follies and vain pursuits.

Look at Flatus, and learn how miserable they are, who are left to the folly of their own passions. Flatus is rich and in health; yet always uneasy, always searching after happiness. Every time, you visit him, you find some new project in his head; he is eager upon it, as something, that will do more for him, than any thing, that is already past. His sanguine temper and strong passion promise him so much happiness in every thing, that he is always cheated, and is satisfied with nothing.

At his first setting out in life, fine clothes were his delight; his inquiry was only after the best tailors and peruke makers, and he had no thought of excelling in any thing but dress. He spared no expense, but carried every nicety to its greatest height. But, this course not answering his expectation, he left off his brocades, put on a plain coat, railed at fops and beaux, and gave himself up to gaming with great eagerness.

This new pleasure satisfied him for some time. But, being by the fate of play drawn into a duel, where he narrowly escaped death, he left off dice, and sought happiness no longer among gamesters.

The next thing that seized his imagination, was the diversions of the town; and for more than a twelvemonth, you heard him talk of nothing, but ladies, drawing rooms, birth nights, plays, balls, and assemblies. But, growing sick of these, he had recourse to hard drinking. Here he had many a merry night, and stronger joys, than he had felt before. Here he had thoughts of setting up his staff, and looking out no farther; but,

unluckily falling into a fever, he grew angry at strong liquors, and took his leave of the happiness of being drunk.

The next attempt after happiness carried him into the field; for two or three years nothing was so happy, as hunting; he entered on it with all his soul, and leaped more hedges and ditches, than had ever been known in so short a time. You never saw him, but in a green coat; he was the envy of all, who blew the horn, and always spoke to his dogs with great propriety of language. If you met him at home in a bad day, you would hear him blow his horn, and be entertained with the surprising accidents of the last noble chase. No sooner had Flatus outdone all the world in the breed and education of his dogs, built new kennels, new stables, and bought a new hunting seat; but he immediately got sight of another happiness, hated the senseless noise and hurry of hunting, gave away his dogs, and was for some time after deep in the pleasures of building.

Now he invents a new kind of dove cotes, and has such contrivances in his barns and stables, as were never seen before; he wonders at the dullness of the old builders, is wholly bent on the improvement of architecture, and will hardly hang a door in the ordinary way. He tells his friends, that he never was so delighted in any thing in his life; that he has more happiness among his brick and mortar, than ever he had at

court.

The next year he leaves his house unfinished, complains to every body of masons and carpenters, and devotes himself wholly to the happiness of riding about.

After this you never see him, but on horse back, and so delighted with this new way of life, that he would tell you, give him but his horse and a clean country to ride in, and you might take all the rest to yourself. A variety of new saddles and bridles, and a great change of horses, added much to the pleasure of this new way of life. But however, having after some time tired himself and his horses, the happiest thing, he could think