The peace and joy of the soul procured and preserved
About this Item
- Title
- The peace and joy of the soul procured and preserved
- Publication
- London :: printed for W. Freeman, at the Bible over-against the Middle-Temple-gate,in Fleet-street,
- 1700.
- Rights/Permissions
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- Link to this Item
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http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A56753.0001.001
- Cite this Item
-
"The peace and joy of the soul procured and preserved." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A56753.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 7, 2024.
Pages
Page [unnumbered]
TO THE READER.
EVery wise Man is for making his Life as easie as he can; and would they all meet together to Con∣sult which way, they'd find none like that the upright Man is in already. They would agree with the wisest of them, that there's nothing better under the Sun, than to be Merry and Rejoyce; * 1.1 and yet, that there's no solid, durable Joy to be found in sensual Pleasures, or Secular Enjoyments; much less in any sinful ones: For, to enjoy these, Men are forc'd to run from them∣selves under the shelter and refuge of Atheism, to take those Principles as an opiate to procure a dul∣ness
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and Lethargy of Mind, to still their affrighting Apprehensions, which so startles, scares and terrifies them: To banish from them (O foolish Peo∣ple and unwise!) the Thoughts of God, the only Fountain of everlasting Satisfaction and Delight, to those that place their Happiness in him; in being, and doing good. Which is the only way to Procure and Preserve (what all Men desire) the Peace and Joy of the Soul. For after all endeavours and Experiments, no abiding Comfort will be found, but in a virtuous Life. Not that the pleasures of Religion are felt alike by all; but, the sincere Pra∣ctice of it, is the only way to find Rest to our Souls: And the steady bent and tenor of our Hearts and Lives, is a surer ground of Comfort, than our Souls ravished with sensible Joys, (which we may be mistaken in.) Our Sa∣viour admitted but three Disciples to his glorious Transfiguration; one only lay in his Bosom; yet all, except a notorious Traytour, dearly Beloved by
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him, and sit with him in his Throne; as all shall who Believe in him through their word. Among the Tryals some of them meet with, is a Melancho∣ly Constitution; not (as falsly Charg∣ed) the fault of Religion, nor theirs neither, so they strive to Rectifie it, give not way to it, stir up themselves a∣gainst it; If the Iron be blunt, put to the more strength. They are not an∣swerable for the meer Effects of it, but Considered by him who knoweth our Frame, remembers that and all other Bodily distempers and disadvantages we pass through here. This I declare (saith an eminent Man) to every sincere Person so continuing, he is always safe. The unchearful Tem∣per the Author formerly hath been liable to, and of late sometimes found two or three of his Acquaintance in, moved him to Collect and put together the following Lines, which had not In∣creased the Croud of Books, if any in it (as he thought) so sutable for them as this. If it advantage them only,
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he hath his End, though it serve no other. The Prayers are (as our Sa∣viour directs us in his, to be daily used by us) at the same time also for all others, that are in a like Condition with themselves.
Notes
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* 1.1
Eccle. 2. 24. &c. & 3. 12, 13, 22. & 5. 18, &c. & 8. 15. & 9. 7.