fection his great End, muft imitate the Bleffed Jefus, and often withdraw himself from the Multitude. No one is qualified to converfe in publick, who is not highly contented without fuch Conversation; nor to entertain, or receive entertainment from Others, who cannot entertain himself alone with fatisfaction. No Man is fit to govern, who hath not learned how to obey: No Man can enjoy Mirth with fafety, who is not at the fame time in a Condition of rejoicing in a Good Confcience: None is fit to fpeak freely, but he who can, without any violence to himself, refrain his Tongue, or keep filence altogether.

Accordingly we may obferve, that the Pleasures and inward Security of the best Men, have always been tempered with the fear of God. Nor was their Humility or their Care one whit abated,in confideration of thofe extraordinary Virtues, and abundant Meafures of Divine Grace,in which they excell'd common Chriftians. But the Security of Wicked Men, and that Satisfaction they take in themselves, fprings from Pride and Haughtiness of Temper; and therefore the conftant Effects of it are an undue contempt of others, and a falfe Opinion of themselves.

Never flatter your felf with an Expectation of abfolute Safety in this Life, whatever your Condition, how far retired from the World, or out of the way of Temptation it may feem to be. For it often happens, that those whom the World efteems in Strength and Virtue above Common Men, have been involved in Dangers proportionably greater than Theirs, merely upon the account of the too confident Opinion they had of their own Abilities. And this Confideration makes the being tempted fometimes a Bleffing, greater than that of living altogether eafy and free from Temptation. For the oftner we are attack'd, the greater Check this gives to our Self-conceit and Spiritual Security; and the more we are afflicted, the lefs

арс

apt we shall be to love or use the external Advantages of this World, beyond the bounds of Decency and Moderation. And if a Man could fo perfectly draw off his Mind from thefe, as never to purfue any tranfitory Pleafure; never to engage himself with the World; Owhat bleffed, what perpetual Peace of Con fcience would that Man feel, and even be ravished with! Nay, could we but cut off all our unprofitable and groundless Fears and Cares, and employ our Thoughts upon fuch Objects only, as are weighty and ufeful, fuch as promote the Honour and Service of God, our own Salvation, and the Good of others; How eafy and quiet, how free from all Reproach, would fuch a one's Breaft be to him!

No Man deferves inward and heavenly Comforts, who does not diligently examine,and willingly afflict himfelf. To be qualify'd for this Solitude, it is abfolutely needful to obferve that Method recommended Pliv. by the Pfalmift, Commune with your own Heart Pfalm Matthvi. in your Chamber, and be still. Enter into thy Clofet, and shut the Door about thee, fays our Saviour. Advice, which never can be more feafonable, than upon thefe Occafions: For the Closet will give you the Satisfaction, which it is fcarce poffible not to lofe in a more publick place; And if the Clofet be not pleasant, the only Reafon is, that it hath been lefs frequented than it ought. To thofe who at firft ufe this Retirement carefully, it minifters a Pleafure and fecret Confolation, above what any Company or Diversion in the World can pretend to.

It is by filent and folitary Study, that the Soul gets acquainted with the hidden Myfteries of Scripture; here fhe finds thofe Floods of pious Tears, by which holy Men wash themselves Day and Night; here fhe contracts a Familiarity and free Intercourfe with God, fo much the.clofer and more intimate, as fhe removes to a greater diftance from the Noife and Hurry of the

World.

World. Think not then, that the Man who withdraws from his Friends and Acquaintance is perfectly alone. No, he only changes that for better Company, and is visited in his quiet Retreats by God and his holy Angels. A wife Man would rather chufe to live thus unobferved, and to profecute the Bufinefs of his Soul without Interruption, than even to work Miracles, and attract univerfal Admiration and Applaufe, at the expence of neglecting his own Safety.

1 Joh. ii. 17.

It is highly agreeable to the Character of a perfon entirely devoted to God, to ftir but feldom abroad, to decline being publickly feen of Men, and to be as little fond of feeing the World. For to what purpofe indeed fhould any one be eager to fee that which he must not enjoy? The World palleth away, and all the defire thereof, fays the Apostle. Our fenfual Affections invite and entice us, but when the moment of gratifying that Inclination is once over; what have you got by the Bargain, but ferious Remorfe and an unfetled Temper of Mind? He that goes out full of Satisfaction, often returns as full of Melancholy and Difguft; and many a Merry Evening occafions a Sad Morning. Thus all the Pleafures of Senfe carefs and court us at the first meeting, but at their parting leave a Sting behind, and gall our Hearts with fharp and killing Pains. What can you fee in any other Place which the most retired Grove or Defart will not prefent to your Eye? Here you furvey the Heavens,here view the Earth, here fee the feveral Elements, which are the Seeds and firft Ingredients of which the whole World and every Creature in it are compounded.

But what can you fee either here, or any where else, which is of long continuance? You expect perhaps that Variety will fatisfy you: Alas! it cannot be. For, fuppofe you could at one View have all things under the Sun fet before you; what is there even in this, fave only the beholding them with your Eyes? Turn then

thole

thofe Eyes where they may gaze with Profit. Look up to God on high; fix them upon the Throne of Grace in Prayer, and continue ftedfaft and fervent in this, till you obtain Pardon for your Sins and Errors. Leave the Vanities of the World to the vain Men of the World; But confider, that you are a Child of God, and therefore bend your Thoughts and Labours entirely to thofe things which your Heavenly Father requires at your Hands. Invite that Jefus, in whom your Soul delights, into your Apartment; there folace your felf with his Love; for in that Conversation only true Peace and folid Joy are to be found. If this feem a Paradox, I muft inform you what is the true Occafion of its doing fo. Had you never mingled your felf with the World, nor imbibed any of its vain Notions, your Mind had been more fetled and compofed; But now the Itch of Novelty hath taken hold of you, and it must coft fome Uneafinefs to cure this Evil; But till that Cure be effected, Peace and perfect Evenness of Temper you cannot have, nor be reconciled to Solitude, and the fubftantial Pleasures that attend it.

HE

CHAP. XXI.

Compunction of Heart.

E that would grow in Virtue and Grace, must be fure to preferve a conftant awful Sense of the Divine Majefty upon his Mind; Checking by this holy Fear all his indecent Liberties, keeping his Appetites and Affections under ftrict Difcipline; and not Letting himself loofe to light or extravagantMirth. Employ your felf therefore in humbling and afflicting your own Mind, and this will certainly lead you to a devout and truly Christian Temper. For infinite Advantage

is to be had by these zealous Exercises, which Folly and. Inconfideration quickly lose again. One would wonder indeed, how Men can indulge their Mirth to fo extravagant a degree, when the Miseries of this Life, and the Sins we have to account for, are fo many and fo great, that a Man who seriously confiders the Danger his Soul is in, can very hardly be merry at all, without fome fudden Damp upon his Spirits. It is from the Levity of our own unthinking Minds, ftupid Forgetfulness of our Sinful Condition, and a continuing infenfible of thofe Sorrows which ought most tenderly to affect us, that we fo often indulge the Exceffes of Laughter and Gayety, when Sighs. and Tears would much better become us.

a

Affure your felf, there can be no true Liberty, no innocent Merriment without the Fear of God, and a good Conscience. Happy therefore is the Man, who can difengage himself from all thofe Hindrances which the Business and Diverfions of the World caft in his way, and give his Thoughts up entirely to that godly Sorrow, which worketh Repentance and Salvation. Happy He, that can abandon every thing by which his Confcience is defiled or burthened; and fet himself at liberty from treacherous and enfnaring Pleasures. And this may be compaffed by Refolution and Conftancy; For how difficult and contrary focver it may feem to the general way of the World and our own former Practice; yet no Habit is fo ftrong, but by frequent and Manly Attempts the direct contrary Habit may be acquired and confirmed.

If you will firmly fet your felf to let other Peoples Affairs alone, They will follow the Example, and not concern themselves with yours. Do not therefore. create unneceffary Trouble to your felf, by making other Mens Bufinefs your own, and involving your Thoughts and Cares in Matters of Perfons above you. Leave the Great Ones of the World to manage their