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called religion for, that was to release the minds of men from those unnatural obligations their religion laid upon them. But no fuch thing can be faid of that: religion which we profefs. For, the work of our religion is to teach men to avoid evil, and to do good. And this doth no more confine mens liberty, than for men to confine themselves within the measures of fobriety and temperance, and to avoid thofe things which would do them hurt and prejudice. No man thinks he is under restraint, if he be confin'd to eat and drink only thofe things that will do him good. For, if this were liberty and perfection to do one thing as well as another; evil, as well as good, without difference or diftinction; then, let me ask you; where is God's liberty? From hence it would follow, that of all the world, God is moft tied and bound; that be (in whom there is fulness of liberty, having all power) is most limited. For, God faith of himself, that he cannot do evil; that he doth banish it from his throne, and that he is of purer eyes, than to behold iniquity, Hab. i. 13. I conclude therefore, 'tis not power, but weakness; not perfection, but deformity, for any one to be able to do otherwise than what is right and fit to be done. For this cannot be faid of God himself. For, all the ways of God, are ways of goodness, righteoufnefs and truth.

Now, the better to inforce what hath been faid about religion, I will balance the two oppofite states; that which is founded in religion, and that which is founded in evil and fin: that by comparing both together, you may understand the one and the other. For, contraries are the beft comments, one upon anoVOL. IV.

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ther. And to this purpofe, I will take into confideration, these particulars.

First, It doth not deserve the honourable title of religion, or to be taken for the effect of respect to God, or confcience to right, which doth not refine mens fpirits, rectify their apprehenfions, and regulate their actions. Even nature's fenfe, as depraved as it is, doth ftartle at any vile practice. For, nothing is more true, than that all evil is against the nature of man, till it is marred and spoiled by consenting to iniquity. For witnefs hereof, take Hazael as an inftance, who ftartled at the mention of thofe fins which the prophet told him of; infomuch that he faith, Is thy fervant a dog, that he should do fuch things ? 2 Kings viii. 13. For, impudency, immodefty, and cruelty, are not, primarily, in the nature of man: but they are contracted by base use, cuftom and practice. Of wickedness there is no account to be given; either of itfelf, or of the degree of it: for, it is contrary to reafon. And when the rule of right is once broken and violated, no man knows where a perfon will stay. -Let us confider the open declarations that are from God against wickedness, both by denunciation, and execution, Rom. i. 18. Prov. i. 26. 'Tis true, God oftentimes hath long patience with a wicked world, but it is in order to their repentance. Tho' men are very apt to mifunderftand this compaffion of God towards finners. For it is obferved, Ecc. viii. 11. that because fentence against an evil work is not Speedily executed, therefore the hearts of the fons of men are fet to do mifchief. But yet, there is a prefent recompence of evil. For, all inordinacy of mind, car

ries with it, its own punishment. All wickedness carries with it uneafinefs of spirit and diffatisfaction.

Another thing that I would offer to your confideration, is, the malign nature of evil, and the difmal confequence thereof. For, it is that which poifons the nature of man; and turns angels into devils. Man, which by nature, is a loving, mild, and gentle creature; it makes fierce, and cruel. The world, which by the appointment of God, is a place habitable, and fit to live in ; it turns into a wilderness of tygers, and favage creatures; for, the apoftle faith, Jam. iv. 1. Whence come wars and fightings? Come they not from your lufts that war in your members? If it were not for the exorbitancy of mens fpirits, and wickedness of mens hearts, and lives, it would be the better for every man, by how many the more men there were in the world: whereas, now, many men are formidable: and, a man runs a hazard, to run into company.

Another confideration is the unaccountablenefs of not revoking by repentance, what a man hath done amifs. For, this fecond evil is greater than the firft. For, not to repent, is to juftify the evil that hath been done, and to ftand to it. For the firft evil, fomething may be alledged; to wit, ignorance, inadver tency, temptation, and the like but, where men continue in evil, and do not revoke it by repentance, this tends to fettle them in a wicked mind.- - It is our contracting guilt, and giving God an offence, by our careleffnefs, and confenting to iniquity, that is the caufe of all that trouble and perplexity that befals us. There is no foundation of internal peace, but in

a confcience void of offence both towards God, and man. He that carries guilt in his breast, hath Tophet burning within him. The confcience not eased by repentance, but under guilt, hath horror and confusion, which is a hell, on this fide hell: I had almoft faid, the worst of hell itself. For, if to this we add, the fenfe of God's offence, you have the hell of hell. There is no pleasure or fatisfaction either in life, or at the hour of death, but in living according to the dictates of right reafon. For, this is the light of God, in men God's viceroy, or vicegerent, and that which is fundamental to confcience. So that if we approve ourfelves therein, we shall not give God offence, nor wound our own spirits. And, for this, I dare refer myself to any man who hath not contracted reprobacy of mind, that these things are fo. But, for fuch men, they can no more judge of the reality of a state, than men that are in a fever, can relish food.— This, in reality, may be defended against the whole world, that there is nothing defirable, lafting, or fatisfactory, but what is honeft. Nothing that is bafe or vile, can be pleafant. Good men, who are under the power of reafon and religion, they are free men, and happy, in any condition, whether fick, or well; at liberty, or shut up and, bad men, are flaves in the best condition: for, they are under the tyranny of their lufts, which are tyrants, and ufurpers, that have no authority, nor any right to govern. The defires of nature are moderate; but, the cravings of inordinate appetites are neither to be refifted, nor fatisfied. And, hence it comes to pass, that virtue is antecedent to happiness, and vice, to mifery. It is vice and wickedness that fills a

man

man with uneafiness, disorder, doubtfulness, and irrefolution. And these put a man befides himself, and out of the true use of reason, which doth reprefent God to man: so that he is even a mad man, that queftions his being; or that dares to give God an offence, by doing any thing that is evil. For, we account that these two go together; to know God, and the difference between good and evil, right and wrong. And they that have apoftatized from matters of revelation, yet have acknowledged, that there is belonging to the nature of man, an inclination to, and a perfuafion of, a divine being. For, most certain it is, that the mind of man as to God, holds the fame fufficiency and proportion, that the eye of man holds to light; which if a man do but open, he cannot but fee. So if a man do but ufe reafon, he muft fee, and acknowledge God. The wife man tells us, that the Spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord, Prov. xx. 27. A candle lighted by God, and ferving to this purpose to difcern and difcover God. And, truly, were it not thus, wherein would confift the excellency of human nature, above the inferior nature? What a contemptible creature were man, if he could not lift up himself above these worldly things? Were it not thus, life itself were not greatly valuable. Take from man this power and capacity; and there is nothing in the world for which a man would fuffer pain or cold, or break his fleep. For, what is there in worldly drudgery? We, often, have little more than our labour for our travel. Now, this is my argument. If nature carry in it, fenfe of Deity; and, if to the nature of man belong true notions of the feveral perfec

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