cording to the Reception they meet with. Now a chearful Frame of Spirit, gives an agreeable Turn of Pleasantness to all Objects that come in its Way: It is ever attended with Clearnefs of Judgment, and Livelinefs of Fancy; fo that it diftinguishes between what is able to af ford Pleasure, what not; and chooses or rejects accordingly. It improves all our Enjoyments, it allays and fweetens all our Afflictions; We are thereby enrich'd with a fettled Peace within, and fuffer nothing, in Comparifon, by Calamities from without.

THE Man of a melancholy Caft of Mind, by being uneafy within himself, becomes troublesome and uneasy to others; He is jealous and fufpicious; follicitous for he knows not what, displeafed he knows not why: This makes his Behaviour referv'd, his Conversation defigning, ready to mifinterpret every Word, to refent every Action. This Behaviour calls for Shynefs and Indifference from others; hence arifeth fresh Matter of Jealoufy and Refentment; Affronts and Injuries enfue, and Melancholy turns in

to

to downright Uncharitableness. But the chearful Man, naturally overflows in Streams of Good-nature; He does not reserve his Happiness to himself; He communicates it to others; and, like the Sun, diffuses round about him, a delightful Scene of Joy and Gladness, to all he converfes with. Love is in all his Thoughts, Meeknefs in all his Words, Kindnefs in all his Actions: This provokes others to like Love, and makes Good-will circulate briskly among Men. The Chearfulness of our very Looks hath a benign Influence upon the Peace and Harmony of the World; and it is a Duty we owe to Mankind, as well as ourselves, to be as far as poffible removed from inward Difquietudes, and outward Moroseness: Thus then Religion paffes into common Life, and in the Complacency of an even Temper, an excellent Foundation is laid for Christian Charity; It not only fweetens, it even fanctifies our whole Conversation, and, as we come now in the Third Place to confider, it tunes and harmonizes our Souls for Heaven.

Our

OUR Souls will not be changed upon our Entrance into another Life, but only heighten'd and improved thereby; and what Room can be found for Sullennefs and Dejection admidft those blissful Objects of Eternity? We must rejoice in the Riches of God's Grace, before we can be admitted to rejoice in those of his Glory; In order to make the Joy of Fruition our Reward hereafter, the Joy of Hope is our Duty here: This Habit therefore of religious Rejoicing, is a proper Preparative for our future Happiness, inafmuch as it gives us an Antepast of Heaven itself; as large and vigorous a Perception of thofe Spiritual Delights as our present Faculties are capable of receiving; and by conftant Exercise enlarges that Paffion of the Soul, which will be blissfully employ'd to all Eternity. From confidering the Duty and Advantages of this habitual Chearfulness of Mind, pass we now to confider, in the Third and laft Place, the Means of attaining it; and these principally are,

1. THE poffeffing our Souls with just Notions of, and a fure Truft in the Divine Providence.

II. THE preferving a good Conscience through the regular Discharge of our Duty; And,

III, THE applying ourselves to commendable and innocent Employ

ments.

I. THEN We are to poffefs our Souls with juft Notions of, and a fure Truft in the Divine Providence.

THE Almighty's Providence is a wonful Source of Comfort to all that are truly fenfible of it: We are placed under the immediate Protection of a Being infinitely wife, powerful, and gracious; Whatever we enjoy, whatever we suffer, comes all from the fame bountiful indulgent Hand, who defires and provides for our Happiness, beyond the largest of our Conceptions; We may therefore with implicit Joy rely upon his Conduct, and caft all our Care upon Him, who so wonderfully careth for us: It is the conftant Effect of Melancholy and Difcontent to

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murmur and repine at the Almighty Difpenfations; and without confidering any of the Divine Indulgencies, to extract Mifery and Difcontent from all the dark Parts of his Providence: But he who has brought himself to depend upon God's Wisdom and Goodness, is easy in his Afflictions, and happy in thofe Difpenfations he does not understand, because he is affured, they are for his Advantage : God's Providence, however unfearchable, is nevertheless fure and benign in its Operations, and all things will work together for good unto him that fears the Lord: He taftes Divine Mercy in all the Bleffings and Chastisements he receives, and thereby, the former meet with a double Relish, the latter, become at least easy and palatable. Juft Notions of this Article will inform us that God is not partial in his Government; that He is no Respecter of Perfons, but intends, as far as in his infinite Wifdom He fees convenient for us, the prefent, but abfolutely the future Welfare of all his Creatures; and a well-grounded Dependance upon his Providence gives us all the bright Affurances of Safety and

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