Ways of Pleafantnefs. 8 it arifeth wholly from the want or imperfec- S E R M. Lion of religion ? Afk thofe whofe deep hu- III miliation and fear render life uncomfortable, "'d whether they would not be comforted even more than in the greateft abundance of corn and wine, if they found in themfelves fen- fibly faith working by love, and all the chri- ftian virtues in fuch lively vigorous exercife as their own confciences could without any fcruple witnefs to their fincerity ; and they will readily anfwer in the affirmative ; fo that their experience is no objeaion againft the dotrine of the text, but rather confirm- eth it. Betides, if tome melancholy per - fons who are religioufly difpofed (hall ima- gine that religion abridgeth their freedom in the ufe of fome things, which are in them - felves innocent, this proceedeth from a miftake, and is wholly to be attributed to their weaknefs. The chearful temperate ufe of worldly enjoyments is not prohibited by the precepts of wifdom, which only re- trench overgrown immoderate defires ; and thefe are fo far from tending to the meafure of happinefs which the liberal author of na- ture defigned for us in the prefent Bate, that they mar it rather. VoL. III. G zdly,
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