Modefty; and that any degree more of Pomp or Bravery in our Garb, or in our Attendance, or in our Equipage, will relifh of Pride or Vanity, or Affectation; it is high Time, rather to abate fomething of our Sumptuoufnefs in thefe Things, than to proceed any farther.

And thus, Laftly, in Matters of Equity and Justice, when we first begin to have a Sufpicion, that fuch a Practice is an Indirect or Knavish Trick, or that we are too severe and hard upon a Man, upon whom we have got an Advantage: Why this Sufpicion alone is enough in reafon to check us in our Career, and to put us upon more fair and moderate Courfes.

This is a Rule, that will for ever be fit for us to practise; for it is grounded upon Eternal Reason. Indeed, it is as old as Morality: Quod dubitas, ne feceris: Do nothing that you doubt of, is a Maxim that obtain'd among the Heathens, as well as among us Chriftians.

I dare not, indeed, fay, that this Rule holds univerfally in all Cafes. For Cafes do fometimes happen, wherein it will be advisable for Man to act, even against his Doubts. But in fuch Matters, as I am now speaking of, Matters wherein a Man is at perfect Liberty, to Act or not to Act; in all fuch Cafes, it will always, without Exception, be a true, and a fafe, and a wife Rule. And I am fure, if Men would seriously charge themselves with the Practice of it, they would hereby prevent a multitude of Sins and Tranfgreffions, with which they usually inflame their Accounts against the Day of Judgment.

And

And thus much of the Rules I had to propofe, as to the use of our Liberty, in fuch Cafes where a Man is at a lofs, in finding out the Measures and Bounds of Duty and Sin, and upon that account, is in Danger of Tranfgref fing. I have only Two Things more to add upon this Argument, by way of Application, and I have done. The one as a Caution to prevent the mifapplying thefe Rules; the other as an Encouragement to put them in Practice.

That which I have to fay, by way of Cau tion, is this; That what I have been now recommending, especially under the Two laft Heads, is not intended to be a Rule or Direction to any Hypochondriack, or Melancholy Perfons, or fuch as are apt to be overfcrupulous about their Actions: For, indeed, to fuch Perfons it is the worft Advice that can be given,

For they are apt to doubt and boggle at every Thing, be it never fo innocent and free from blame. They dare not eat a hearty Meal, for fear of being Intemperate. And for fear of not being devout enough, they exhauft their Spirits, and fpoil their Health, through the continual Intention of their Minds to ferious Things,

Now Perfons that are of this Temper, are rather to be encouraged to take more Liberties than they do, than to abate any that they make use of.

But their Cafe is of another Confideration, and foreign to my prefent Purpofe; and therefore, I here fay no more about it. It being fufficient to have given this Intimation to Q3

fuch

fuch People, that they do not make an illufe of any Thing that I have now reprefented; for affuredly, what hath been now faid, doth not much concern them.

2. The other Thing I have to fay, and that by way of Encouragement, is this; I doubt not, but fome will be apt to think, that the Rules I have now given about the Exercife of our Liberty, are much too ftrict and fevere; and that if they must be tied up to fuch Measures, then farewell all the foy and Pleafure, and Comfort of their Lives. But to fuch People, I would crave leave to fay, that they have very wrong Notions of this Matter,

The ufing of their Liberty in fuch a manner as I have been recommending, would not rob them of one true Pleasure or Comfort that this World affords. So far from that, that I am very fure, whoeyer frames his Life, according to thefe Measures, hall live a Hundred Times a happier Life, and shall enjoy the World, and all the Pleasures and Advantages of it, much more to his own Content and Satisfaction, than if he put no check to the craving of his Appetites, but always indulged and gratified them in every thing, and as much as they defired.

Affure yourselves, Vertue and Religion will never hinder you from enjoying any Pleasure or Satisfaction that is natural. On the contrary, there is great Reafon to believe, that the Practice thereof will extreamly heighten and advance the Satisfactions you can receive from your Worldly Enjoyments. I doubt not

in the leaft, but to a fincerely Pious and Vertuous Man, and that hath a Regard to God in all his Actions, even the very Pleafures and Comforts of this Life, are more gratifying and affecting, than to any Senfual or Wicked Man, For fuch a one, as he is more capable of enjoying them, fo do they come to him likewife without the Mixtures of thofe uneafy, troublesome, bitter Reflexions, that other Men feel in the very best of their Enjoyments.

Let no Man, therefore, apprehend any Lofs of his Pleasures, by entirely devoting himself to God's Service, and ufing his Liberty in that caretul Way I have been recommending. Let him not think that he fhall hereby be too much ftraitned and confined. For certainly this is the true Means, not only to keep him for Ever from being a Slave to any Thing, but also mightily to improve and increafe his Liberty..

For by thus exercifing himself, all the Pow ers of his Soul will be vaftly enlarged, and he will hereby attain both Leifure and Will, to employ all his Rational Faculties about the best and the noblest Objects in the World, which will yield him the greatest Pleasure that is to be had on this fide Heaven, Whereas if he had given himself up to, be govern'd by any of his Senfual Appetites, he had been a poor, naryow, confined Creature, indeed, not capable of any greater Satisfactions or Pleasures, than what the Brutes do enjoy as well as himself, but with lefs Uneafinefs, and fewer Disturbances,

It is true, indeed, a Senfual Man hath no Notion of this Kind of Pleasures, no more than

a Beast hath of the Pleasures of a Man: And, therefore, it is no wonder that fuch Men entertain all talk about them, as little better than mere Cant and Jargon. But I seriously appeal to all Men that have made any Trials in the Way of Religion and Vertue, whether the Contentments and Satisfactions they have received from the rational Ufe of their Liberty, and the Thoughts and Reflexions that hereby they do approve themselves to God, and live in Hopes of his Favour, and have a fair Prospect of a glorious Immortal State in another World; I fay, Whether they do not find the Pleafures and Contentments that arife from hence, to be infinitely more folid, and fubftantial, and durable, than any of those that they receive from the Gratification of their Senfual Appetites, in a vicious unreasonable Manner,

Oh, therefore, Let none of us make any fcruple of devoting ourfelves entirely and without referve to God Almighty's Service. Let none of us be afraid to put reasonable Restraints upon our Paffions and Appetites. Affuredly the thus ufing our Liberty, is the certain way to preferve and encrease it, and with it, the Plea fure and Comfort of our Lives; and not only fo, but to render us Everlaftingly Happy and Bleffed in the other World.

Which that we may all be, God, of his infinite Mercy, grant, &c.

SER