SER. VII.

These are the Things which Angels defire to look into ; and we, till we are Angels, fhould not expect a full and comprehenfive Satisfaction about them. A Man may know a Matter of Fact, that He is ranfomed from Captivity and Slavery by a glorious Sovereign, without knowing particularly, explicitely and fully the Kind, Manner, and Value of the Ranfom that was laid down, and the Price with which He was bought. No: let Angels and ArchAngels defire to look into, and contemplate the Nature of our Redemption: Let Man be humbly content to enjoy the Benefits of it: Enough for Him to know, that Scripture proves, and Reafon cannot difprove, the Doctrine.

To conclude, let us all be convinced, that in the deep Things of God, to reafon rightly is to submit our Reason to the Wif dom of God. We then, and not till then, are growing wife; when we begin to dif cern how weak and foolish we are. An abfolute Perfection of Understanding is impoffible but He makes the nearest Approaches to it, who has the Senfe to difcern, and the Humility to own it's Imperfections.

:

SERMON

Delight in GOD the Origin and
Perfection of human Pleasure.

PSALM XXXVII. 4.
Delight Thyfelf alfo in the LORD; and
He fhall give Thee the Defires of thine
Heart.

LEASURE, or the Enjoyment SER.VIII. of our Heart's Defire, being the chief Spring of Action in Man; the due Regulation of our Purfuits of it must always be of great Moment; and whoever addreffeth us with an Offer of This Kind, will justly demand, and can scarce fail of engaging, our Attention. Now fuch a Propofal the Pfalmift here makes to us all; directing our Pursuits after Pleasure to the great Source of it, and informing us, that the fure Method of attaining the Defire of our Hearts is to delight in the LORD. Which important Truth I shall accordingly at prefent endeavour to make out by shew

SER. VIII. ing, how all our Pleasures point out to us, and are improved by, a Delight in GOD.

And this I fhall illuftrate more particularly with Regard, Firft, to the Pleasures of Senfe and of Imagination; And then, to thofe Moral and Intellectual Pleasures, of Benevolence towards others, and of Hope and Expectation for ourselves.

To begin with Senfual Pleafures. Even thefe, though the loweft in the Scale of Enjoyment, fhould however always put us in Mind, who it is that gives us all the Objects we enjoy, and the very Power of enjoying them: Otherwife we fhall deserve those severe Rebukes, which GOD gives the Ifraelites by the Prophet Isaiah; The Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Afs his Mafter's Crib; but Ifrael doth not know, my People doth not confider. And again, The Harp and the Viol, the Tabret and Pipe, and Wine are in their Feafts: but they regard not the Work of the LORD, neither confider the Operation of His Hands. It seems, they could enjoy the Accommodations and Gratifications of Life, without ever carrying their Thoughts upwards to that Being, who openeth his Hand, and filleth all Things living with Plenteousness.

And

And how justly may thofe among our-SER. VIII. felves fall under the fame Condemnation, who either profanely neglect, or thoughtleffly forget, to crave the Divine Bleffing upon their Food, and to return Thanks to Him for it! A Duty enforced by the Example and conftant Practice of our Bleffed Saviour; who (not to mention feveral other Inftances) took the feven Loaves, and the two Fishes, and gave Thanks; a Duty exemplified by St. Paul, when, as we read, He took Bread, and gave Thanks before them all; as well as recommended by his exprefs Declaration, where, fpeaking of Meats which (as He tells us) GOD bath created to be received with Thanksgiving, He adds; For every Creature of GOD is Good, and nothing to be refufed, if it be received with Thanksgiving; for it is fanctified by the Word of GOD (which has abolished the Distinction of Meats) and Prayer. And in another Place, He that eateth, eateth to the LORD; for he giveth GOD Thanks. But because the Example of Confucius may weigh more with fome Men than that of St. Paul, let me add, what is obferved of him; that He never eat any Thing but he first proftrated himself, and offered it to

the

SER.VIII the Supreme LORD of Heaven.

In like Manner, Whether we eat or drink, let us do all to the Glory of GOD. This will ennoble and improve our carnal Gratifications, and exalt them into religious Acts of Gratitude and Love.

And indeed, it is the Mixture of fome Moral Pleasure that gives the most agreeable Relish to Senfible Pleafures : Some grateful Reflection on the Perfon who be ftows them; or fome benevolent Thoughts towards those with whom we share them. To fare fumptuously every Day would be a very fordid Indulgence, and of flender Eftimation, when intirely unaccompanied by a Temper thankful to the Author of every good Gift, and hofpitable to our Fellowcreatures. It is this that must give a Refinement and Delicacy to our Pleasures, that must qualify that Groffness which would otherwife render them naufeating and diftafteful; and that must make every Repaft a rational Entertainment.

What should farther be a ftrong Motive with us in this Refpect to delight in GOD is, that He has forbidden us no Enjoyment, ordinarily fpeaking, but what, upon the Whole, will bring more Pain than Pleasure;

nor