The great advertisement, that a religious life is the best way to present happiness in two sermons preach'd at White-hall, the 1st on Sunday, April the 15th, the 2d on Sunday, Apr. 22, 1694 / by E. Young ...

SERMON II.

Psalm xxxvii. 4

Delight thou in the Lord, and he shall give thee thy heart's desire.

IN my former Discourse I proposed to insist on the Doctrine of these Words, in these Three Propositions.

• I. That to delight in God is our most Rea∣sonable Duty.
• II. That to delight in God is the true State of Religion.
• And III. That to delight in God is the happiest way to compass all our Ends, as is implied in this Assertion, He shall give thee thy heart's desire. So that if that which is Reasonable can conclude our Understand∣ings; if that which is Religious can affect our Consciences; if that which is advan∣tageous and gratifying can move our Affe∣ctions;

• Delight in God has a proper Claim to all our governing Powers.

The First of these Propositions I have al∣ready dispatch'd, and therefore shall pro∣ceed directly to the Two remaining: And,

• I. To shew, That to delight in God is the true State of Religion.
• I am aware that Religion is frequently express'd in Scripture by the name of Fear, (the Fear of God) a Passion very opposite to Delight: But if we look into the bottom, we find shall that Fear is a Duty arising rather from the Respect to our own Nature, which is corrupt, than from the Respect to God's Nature, which being all Goodness, and all Propensity to do good, it requires no more than Love and Delight to express our Iust Sentiments and Veneration of it. So that Fear is not so much the State, as the Guard of Religion; and a necessary means of re∣straining our Appetites from offending God, rather than the true and proper Worship of Him. And this we may learn from Mount Sinai it self: where to usher in the Delive∣ry of the Law, God presentiated himself in all the Formalities of Terrour; in Thunder

• and Lightning, and Darkness, and Fire, and Smoak, and all that was powerful to create an astonishing Fear; and yet after all this terrible Preface, the Precept it self was on∣ly Love; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart; And this Love is the ful∣filling of the Law. Now there is so great an Affinity betwixt Love and Delight, that we can hardly distinguish between them: what we love, we always delight in; and what we delight in, we always love; And if we will distinguish them as nicely as we can, the Difference is only this; That Love is the Desire of our Object, and Delight is the Com∣placency that accompanies that Desire. So that delighting in God is one thought higher both in Worth and Efficacy, than simply loving Him; because it implies the Activity and Heartiness of our Affections.

But to clear my Point, That to delight in God is the true State of Religion, I shall in∣sist upon these Two Arguments:

• 1. That to delight in God is the only way to express, that we have a Iust Sense, and worthy Notion of Him: And,
• 2. That it is the only way to render Him a proper Service.

1. To Delight in God is the only way to express that we have a Iust Sense and wor∣thy Notion of him.

What notion we ought in Iustice to have of God, I shall argue from the Consideration of these Two familiar things, (1.) The Names that we are entitled to call upon him by; and (2.) The common Benefits we re∣ceive at his hands.

(1.) God has entitled us to call upon him by the name of Father, the nearest and most beneficial and most indulgent of all Relati∣ons: And though there are some Fathers whose behaviour might bring the Credit of the Relation into Dispute, Fathers without Affection; yet it cannot be so with God, whom pure Affection has made him to be our Father; who has drawn us out of the distance of Aliens and Destitutes, and brought us near unto himself, and adopted us into his Family, and assigned an Inheritance for us with the Saints in light; such a Father cannot but have an Affection more large and inexhaustible, than the most tender Bowels of the most tender Sex: And he himself ex∣presly says as much of himself, Is. 49. 15. Now how is it possible we can call upon him

by this Name, and in the mean time con∣ceive any proper sense of the Name we pro∣nounce, and not withal be convinc'd both of our Obligation and our Privilege to take delight in him?

There is another Name that I must not pass by: God in the third Personality of his amiable Essence specifies himself by the name of Comforter: Now is it possible we can have any true notion of a Comforter, and not delight in him? Is not Comfort in it self a Delight? Nay it is the greatest of all De∣lights in this respect (viz.) That it comes in the Season when we have most need of it: And do not the Exigencies of our Life afford any Seasons wherein Comfort would be wel∣come? Certainly they do: If then it be ne∣cessary to our nature to delight in a Com∣forter, and yet we do not delight in God, what can be the Reason but that we are sunk away from the notion that God is a Com∣forter? We have no Iust sense of his being so: And this is the Cause why we neglect his gracious Influences that would support us in our Exigencies; and betake our selves to Sins and Vanities, which can no other∣wise than fail of our design. Remember that

we condemn the Socinians (and we do but our Duty in condemning them) for denying the Holy Ghost; but remember likewise that we by not delighting in God do in effect deny the Comforter, which is both of equal scandal and prejudice to Christianity.

I might make the same Reflection upon the endearing name of Saviour, and so repre∣sent the whole Blessed Trinity condescend∣ing to our Affections, and courting us to make themselves the subject of our Delight: But I leave this as obvious to your own Me∣ditation to supply, and pass to the Conside∣ration of,

(2.) Those Common Benefits which we receive at the hands of God. How great is the summ of them? Says the Psalmist, and how can we say less, when we think upon Life and all its Blessings, upon our Mercies, Comforts, Aids, Preventions, Deliverances; how great is the summ of those Benefits we enjoy? Now if we look upon these Benefits, and not look upon God to be their Author, we have no notion of him at all; And if we delight in these Be∣nefits but cannot delight in God, as their Au∣thor, our notion of him is very Irrational. I know there is a Difference between a Be∣nefit

and its Author; and this difference Men often catch at as the Opportunity of their Unthankfulness; while they hugg and rejoice in a Benefit, and in the mean time neglect and vilifie the Benefactour: But re∣member there is a difference too between the Benefactions of God, and the Benefacti∣ons of Men: when a Man bestows a Bene∣fit, we can retain it, and enjoy it in spight of the Donor; because he may want power to call us to account for our Unthankfulness; But God certainly has this power to call us to account, and 'tis as certain that he will execute it. Nay further (to speak accu∣rately) in the Benefactions of God there is no difference between the Benefit and the Author: there is difference indeed between God and the thing he gives; but not be∣tween God and the good of that thing; be∣cause God himself is properly the Good of every thing he gives: Insomuch that if he but withdraw himself, and turn away his Countenance, though the thing remains, yet the Benefit becomes immediately voided and lost. Thus Life and all its Comforts are the most valuable Benefits, so long as we are thankful to God for them, but when we

cease to be so, they change their nature, and turn into so many Debts, for which we shall be found to be miserably insolvent.

But in the mean time, we all certainly agree in this Point, That it is natural for a Man to delight in that which seems good to him, and consequently in the Causes of such good; i. e. in those Natures that are friendly and beneficent: And hence it came to pass, that one of the Roman Emperours, Titus, because he was a Man of a kind and obliging Spirit, had the Felicity to be sir∣named the Delight of Mankind. And yet how many of Mankind were there that Titu's Benefactions could not reach? And how many that the Confinedness of his Power must necessarily disappoint? But the Fa∣vours of God extend universally, his Bene∣fits reach to every particular Person; and his Invitations point us out to far greater Benefits, and no Man ever was, or shall be disappointed by him, that fixed his Trust and Expectations upon him: And how re∣proachful then must it be to us? And how convictive of our Insensibility, if God can∣not arrive to the Honour of being esteemed the Delight of Mankind?

2. My Second Argument to prove Delight in God the true State of Religion is this, Because that to delight in God is the only way to render him a proper Service.

When the Tabernacle was to be made, and the Contribution of the People was ne∣cessary to the Work, God's Instruction to Moses was this, Exod. 25. 2. Speak now to the Children of Israel, that they bring me an Offering; of every man that bringeth it willing∣ly, with his heart, ye shall take my Offering: where observe, All were commanded to bring an Offering, and yet the Offering of none was to be accepted, but what was brought willingly, heartily and freely. And from this Service then required to the House of God, we may learn the Qualification that is necessary to recommend all the Service that we do to God himself; It must be a Willing Service. Men indeed that stand in need of Services do oftentimes accept them without regard to the Principle from whence they come; but God, who has no need of any Services that we can do him, always car∣ries an eye to the Principle; and if they come not willingly, and from our heart, they never reach Acceptance with him. Now

nothing can render a willing Service like Delight in our Master: And of this we may make a sad Proof from the Service of Sin: When we serve any irregular Appe∣tite, as Couetousness, or Ambition, or Luxu∣ry, or Lust, or Malice; Alas! we delight in our Masters; And then, though the Ser∣vice be hard, and the Wages mean, yet we can do any thing for our Master's sake: we can watch and labour, and wait and sol∣licit, and beg and bear, and deny our selves, and dissemble Injuries, and all to content: whereas let but the same Acts be required in Religion, how uneasie and tedious do they seem? They are complain'd of as dif∣ficult, and quitted as Impossible. And what now can make all this Difference, but only a different Respect for our Master? Nay we may take notice farther, That all the Ser∣vices of our Lusts, however toilsome, how∣ever disquieting, however ill attended they may be, yet still nevertheless they are stiled Pleasures, and Men swallow them eagerly under that gilded Name. Now would we but transfer our Affections to God, how much more reasonably would his Service be stiled a Pleasure, and be willingly and

chearfully undertaken, and seem easie to us in the discharge? But an ill Opinion checks all Endeavours, and benumns all the sinews of Diligence. He, in the Parable, that conceived his Lord under the Notion of a hard Master, made no advance in his Service; he profited nothing at all: And how far any one else can profit under the same Circumstances, we may learn from our own sad experience; while we find that, so long as our Affection is not with God, all our Services languish into a heartless Ap∣plication, and a bare unedifying Forma∣lity.

But I need say no more to commend the Duty; and perhaps it may be more worth our while to consider what are the Hinder∣ances of it in common Practice.

We may observe, That delighting in God has Three main Adversaries, (viz.) Inconsi∣deration, Sensuality, and Superstition: by rea∣son of the first, Men will not; by reason of the second, they cannot; and by reason of the third, they dare not delight in God. I shall ex∣amine all these.

The first Hinderance is Inconsideration. And this is that which God chargeth the Israelites

with, as the Cause of their neglecting this Duty; in that known place of Isaiah, The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Ass his master's cribb, but Israel doth not know me: where the word to know (according to the old Rule of Scripture-Interpretation, Verba scientiae con∣notant Affectus), signifies to love, or take plea∣sure in; And then the Argument of their Reproach runs thus; The Beasts, which Man looks upon as much more stupid than himself, do yet own their Feeder, and love him, and take pleasure in him, and render him a willing Service: Now, says God, I feed my People as effectually as a Keeper feeds his Beast; I give them all they have, and more; I sustain their Faculties in a capacity of en∣Ioying what I give them, and yet I have not such a Return as even the Beasts do make; Israel will not love or take pleasure in me; and the Reason of all follows, My peo∣ple will not consider, This was the Cause; and where this Cause is, the Effect is neces∣sary; for how is it possible we can take pleasure in that which we will not think of? Amiableness is properly the Parent, but Thought is both the Midwife and Nurse of Desire; and be the Object never so amiable and obli∣ging,

while we do not consider it, it affects us no more than if it were not at all. From this unhappy Slothfulness and Indiscretion of Mind it comes to pass, That many, though otherwise of inoffensive Lives, and mode∣rate Appetites, and lying under no Indis∣position that might hinder them from enjoying God with a proper Delight, do yet wholly defraud themselves of the Comfort of so doing, and suffer their Time to pass heavily over their heads, only for want of applying some due Portions of it to the Contemplation of God and his Good∣ness; which Portions of Time so applied would wonderfully lighten all the rest, and render our Lives, as much more account∣able, so much more pleasurable too.

But, Secondly, Sensuality sets Men at a grea∣ter distance from delighting in God; in that State they cannot do it; And the Reason is, Because that when the Soul once comes to serve under a Complacency in things of Sense, it necessarily becomes gross and flesh∣ly, and loses all its spiritual Tast: And thus the Wisdom of God has made it a natural Effect, That none shall be able to enjoy Him, who set up his Creatures in competi∣tion

with Him; It being made above the capacity of our hearts, as well as it is beneath the Honour of God, to receive the Commerce of his Love in any other than in our largest Room. Indeed the Prophet Isaiah, ch. 58. 2. tells us of the Israelites, that they pretended to delight in God, while their Affections were extremely carnal, and set upon the World; but this was an Affront to the Divine Maje∣sty, which he was commanded to cry loud∣ly against: And we may lay down this for a Rule, That of all Hypocrites they are the greatest, who pretend that they delight in God; and of all Enthusiasts they are the highest, who believe that they delight in God, while they dare delight in any thing that does offend him. If therefore we will delight in God, it is necessary to draw off, at least so far, from the World, as to make our Delight in him, preside over, and moderate all the rest of our Enjoyments.

The third Hinderance of the Duty is Su∣perstition; which is the Vice of those that dare not delight in God: The word Supersti∣tion is sometimes taken in a greater latitude; but I take it here in its strict and original sense to signifie a Worship of Fear; a Wor∣ship

of Fear proceeding from a sowre and terrifying Opinion of the Nature of God. Now this unworthy Opinion, which is the Parent of Superstition, does sometimes grow from Principles of Doctrine received, and sometimes from bare Complexion. As for example: Supposing it to be believ'd, That God has determin'd a great part of Mankind to Eternal Misery, meerly to shew the Ab∣soluteness of his Dominion: How does such a Doctrine as this detract from the Amiable Goodness of God; and necessarily tend to make all Mankind superstitious, fearful, and heartless; unless it be such as pretend to be secure of their own Exemption from that Decree? And yet none can be secure of this, without a particular Revelation. But my chief Aim is to speak of that Superstition that grows from Complexion: And this Complexion is sometimes natural, by reason of the Me∣lancholy of Temper; and sometimes occa∣sional, by reason of the Infirmity of Consci∣ence: Now in both these Cases it is usual for the Minds of Men to suggest, That to delight in God is too bold a Familiarity; That as we are Creatures of a sinful Na∣ture, and much more as we are actual Sin∣ners,

the Majesty of God requires a more awful distance of our Affections, than to be delighted in by us. But all this is no more than weakness of Thought.

For first, Although we cannot be too sensible of the vast Distance, that is between the Vileness of our Nature, and the Maje∣sty of God's; Yet we must remember, that his Condescension has been pleased to void all this distance; so that though He dwells in the highest Heavens, yet He declares himself to dwell too with the humble spirit; and there∣fore if we can but keep our Spirits humble, (which is very well consistent with Delight) there is no fear of our being too Fami∣liar.

But secondly, To reflect on our selves as Ac∣tual Sinners; And here indeed the Case re∣quires a Distinction: For supposing a Sin∣ner to retain the purposes of Sin, such a one has neither Reason nor Ground to delight in God, and his Pretences to do so are a direct Affront: But supposing a Sinner to turn from his Sin in Sincerity, such a one has of all others the most Reason to delight in God, and to love much, because much shall be forgiven him; as our Saviour argues in the Case of Mary

Magdalen. And if we consider the Passages of the returning Prodigal (in the Parable) and what Delight his Father express'd to re∣ceive him, we must conclude the Son to have been Unthankful, if he did not de∣light in his Father more after his Return, than if he had never gone astray. For, by the way, we must not have so mean a No∣tion of delighting in God, as to think it is exclusive of Godly Sorrow: The Heathen could say of true Ioy, That it is not a Gig∣gling thing, It is a Severe thing: Ioy, we know, has its Tears ev'n in Nature; but it has more in Grace; and nothing better expres∣ses our Delight in God, and nothing better advances it than Sorrow for Sin. So that, supposing a Man's Mind to be but religiously bent, there is no other Circumstance can ex∣clude him; (exclude him did I say?) nay, can excuse him from delighting in God. For we must consider, That to delight in God is not only our Privilege, but our Duty; it being the proper Acknowledgment that is due to the Divine Goodness; and therefore whatsoever may be pretended to hinder it, can be no other than sinful and weak, be∣cause it does not only deprive us of our

Comfort, but it likewise robs God of His Due.

And now I come to,

II. The great Motive and Encouragement of this Duty, He shall give thee thy Heart's desire.

It was a very large Promise the Devil once made, when, pointing at all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glories thereof, he cry'd, All this will I give thee; and yet had he had power to make his words good, the Overture had been short of this in the Text: For we see that they who have the greatest share in the Kingdoms of the World, and the Glories of them, have still an Em∣ptiness of Heart; and complain of as many Wants, and Troubles, and Disappointments, as are to be met with in meaner Fortunes; and therefore it is evident, That to have our Heart's Desire, is a greater Boon, than all the Pomp and Affluence of the World is able to contribute. Now were so large and ob∣liging a Promise as this is, not to be fulfil∣led till the future Life, it were well worth the waiting for: but yet God has provided more indulgently for those that love him:

Godliness has the Promises of this Life, as well as of that which is to come; and this in the Text has peculiar Respect to this Life; and therefore I shall only treat of it in reference to its Accomplishment here; and shew how, and in what manner the Goodness of God will infallibly make it good to every one that delights in Him.

When a Man shall hear of such an Over∣ture as this, Thou shalt have thy Heart's desire; It is natural for him immediately to consult his Heart, and see what Desires he has there, thronging forth at the Hopes of their Ac∣complishment: And there perhaps he may find the Desire of Ahab, to enlarge his Pos∣sessions; or the Desire of Amnon, to compass his Lust; or the Desire of Haman, to grati∣fie his Pride and Revenge. I mention these Instances particularly; because they may afford us some farther matter of Instruction. For we may observe of these Three Men, that though one of them was a King, and the other was a King's Son, and the third a King's chief Minion or Favourite; yet each of them accounted himself an unhappy Man, till such time as he could compass his particular Desire; They could neither eat,

nor drink, nor sleep without it; notwith∣standing all the Greatness of their other Cir∣cumstances: And, from their Example, I would have you take notice of one mischie••vous Errour, that all Mankind is prone to; i. e. We are all apt to think, that our present Desires are necessary to make us happy, and that we cannot be happy without them: And yet we may farther observe of the same Three, That those very Desires which they look'd on, as necessary to make them happy, were the express Cause of each of their un∣doing: And in like manner I conclude, con∣cerning the generality of Mankind, That however they esteem the Accomplishment of their present Desires, as necessary to make them happy, yet it is so far from it, that if God should give them their Desires, they would certainly be undone. If the Intem∣perate Man had his Desire, he would have more Health; and, if he had, what would follow, but only that he would be more In∣temperate? If the Ambitious Man had his Desire, he would have more Honour; and, if he had, what would follow, but only that he would be more Insolent? The Con∣tentious Man would have more Authority;

and, if he had, what would follow, but on∣ly that he would be more Injurious? The Scoffer would have more Wit; and, if he had, what would follow, but only that he would be more abusive? In a word; If all Men (speaking of them in their ordinary natural State) had their Desires, they would only have more room and more means for more Guilt; and how far would this be from making of them happy? We may therefore lay down this for a certain Rule, That so long as our Desires are any way loose and irregular, though then they be a Tor∣ment while they are not satisfied; yet they would be a greater mischief if they were satisfied: and therefore it is pure Mercy in God that he does deny them. When there∣fore it is said, That God will give a man his heart's desire, it must necessarily be understood, That the Man's Desire must first be regulated before it be given him; otherwise the giving of it would be a Curse.

To clear the whole Matter we need only examine the full Meaning of this Expression, He shall give thee thy heart's desire: Were such a Promise made us by a Man, we should

expect no less from it, than the full satis∣faction and accomplishment of our Desires; And be sure we may expect the same from God; for there is no Sophistry in the Divine Promises: But when we consider that God who makes this Promise, has power to go∣vern the Heart, and order the Desires, as well as to procure those outward Issues that are necessary to their Satisfaction, we must of right interpret the words to bear a far∣ther sense, and that is this; He shall give thee thy heart's desire, i. e. He shall give thee first the Desire it self, and then the Accom∣plishment of it: This therefore is the full sense of the Words (viz.) That when we apply our selves to the Point of delighting in God, he will form and order all the Move∣ments of our Hearts, and teach us to desire such things as are safe, and then he will ful∣fill our Desires. And let not any Carnal I∣magination cry within it self, I am defeat∣ed, if my Desires must be changed, for how shall I be happy without the present? The Case is Iust the same when a Man lies heated with a Feaver; His Thirst calls for mighty Draughts, and he thinks nothing else can content him; and when the Physician, in∣stead

of a mighty draught, offers him some little thing of a very different appearance, he looks upon it as a provoking disappoint∣ment; but after Application, when he comes to find his Thirst allay'd, and so his Desire changed, and withal his Disease abated; ask him then what defeat there is in the Change of his Desire.

The truth is, that while our Desires are in our own hands and management, it is impos∣sible we should be happy: for so long as they are unsatisfied we feel a sensible Un∣happiness from them, nor should be less un∣happy if they were satisfied so long as they are unsafe: But when our Desires are in God's hands, to be managed and formed by him, we cannot but be happy; for they will be made such as are fit to be fulfilled, and then certainly be fulfilled.

The only thing remaining is, To shew in what Method this shall be done: And thus it is; Whenever the Grace of God has its proper work upon our Hearts, it will effe∣ctually reduce the multitude of our Desires to these Two. (Viz.)

• 1. It will make us desire God himself chiefly, as the Chiefest Good; and,
• 2. It will make us desire all other inferi∣our good things with Submission to God's Will.

1. The Desire of God himself will be∣come the first and masterly and governing De∣sire of our Soul; the Desire of Importunity and humble Violence resolving not to be de∣nied: One thing have I desired, which I will require; which I will insist upon, which I will not forego, says the good Man; and that is, That God will communicate himself unto me: And when this Desire is once come to be rooted and habitual, the Heart will be so fill'd, and heal'd, and strengthen'd by it; that (as when a powerful Medicine is given to a Leper) the multitude of our common Desires will drop off like the Scabs of our natural Itch. Indeed we may observe ev'n from the Instances that are vicious, how one Desire, when grown masterly and go∣verning, will be able to suspend the Act∣ings of all other, and fill, and take up the whole Soul: Ex. gr. Let a Man set his Heart upon the Love of Money; This Desire will

be able to wean him from all other Desires; and from all regards either to Vertue or Cre∣dit, or even to Pleasure it self; and so long as this one Desire is thriving, he will account himself an entirely happy Man: Thus it is when a Man makes Treasure his God; and how much more happily will it be so? How much more happily will one Desire fill, and take up the whole Soul, when a Man shall make God his Treasure?

But Grace requires not that Nature should be extinguished, and therefore there is always lawful Room for a Second Desire, i. e.

2. The Desire of Temporal good things, such as are Health, and Ease, and Liberty, and other Conveniencies of Life: But then this in the good Man is a Desire of Submission and Resignation, and resolved Acquiescence in the Will and Pleasure of God: For this Reason, Because, although it be lawful for any Man to desire these things, yet it is be∣yond the Wisdom of the wisest Man in the World to know, whether the Enjoying of these things would be best for him; nay, whether it would be simply safe. There is one Consideration, that is reasonably suffi∣cient

to make us distrust and be Iealous of all our natural Desires, however Iust and regular they may be in appearance; and that is this; It is certain, that if we should have our Desires, though never so honest, yet they would quite evacuate and set aside the Cross of Christ; for we should never desire Wants, and Chastisements, and Afflictions: Now he that thinks the Cross of Christ an unnecessary Imposition; or that Wants, and Chastisements, and Afflictions are not some∣times best for us; neither understands him∣self, nor the designs of God upon him for his Good. God only knows what is best for us, and what the State of our Passions can bear at all times to the best Advantage: And his absolute Promise extending thus far, That he will give like a Father to each of his dutiful Children, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as much as he needeth, or as much as is useful and fit; the good Christian takes it for a Demonstra∣tion, That what God gives him not, is not fit for him.

Upon this state of Mind it follows, That whoever delights in God, he has effectually his Heart's Desire: For in the supreme De∣sire

of his Heart he cannot miscarry; God will be undoubtedly his; he already tastes his Goodness, and rejoices in it: And in his inferiour Desires of Worldly Comforts, he is secure from disappointment, because he makes God's Will the measure of his own: So that if he chance to want the de∣sireable things of Life, he cries to himself, These things indeed are Good, but God is Bet∣ter; and upon this Rule he establishes his Content. And, on the other side, when he enjoys the desireable things of Life, he cries to himself, These things indeed are Good, but blessed be God that he hath better things than these in store; and with this Rule he both moderates his Appetite, and doubles his Enjoyment.

Now how can any one desire more than this, To be at the same time Content, and Ioyful, and Safe? I am sure this is more than any one can obtain from the World, though he had the World more at his Will than ever yet any Man had. And yet he that delights in God shall never fail of this, To be both Content, and Ioyful, and Safe.

And, I think, I need not alledge any more to prove, That Delight in God brings along with it the fullest Accomplishment of Hu∣mane Desires.

And thou, O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly Wills and Affections of sinful Men; Grant unto thy People, That they may love the thing which thou com∣mandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; That so, among the sundry Changes of the World, our Hearts may surely there be fixed where true Ioys are to be found, through Iesus Christ our Lord.

FINIS.