He Divine Justice from prefumption, and by Mercy from defpair, he goes on in an uniform courfe of virtue. The worst tate of life has its confolations, and death is ftripped of all its terrors. has a FRIEND THROUGH LIFE, without whose permiffion no accident can molest him, and to whofe immediate presence death is but a short and easy paffage. Ir is, furely, the intereft only of the most abandoned of creatures, to wish GOD out of the world. * Why, fays the excellent heathen Emperor, fhould I live in a world, undirected by a God, and unguarded by a Providence? It is the gloomiest of thoughts, and to entertain it, is either the effect of extreme corruption or deplorable ignorance. THE first wish, a man can form, is to have a confcience, as far as poffible, void of offence towards GOD and man. * τι μοι ζην εν κόσμω κενω θεων, η προνοιας κενω ; Anton, 2. II. For For a clear confcience is the principal fource of present happiness. IT is hard to be quite at peace with one's felf, when the mind labours with the remembrance of great fins. Though GOD has forgiven and blotted out the guilt, it is very hard for a man to forgive himself. The memory of his tranfgreffions will be frequently rifing, to cloud his hopes and embitter his enjoyments. It is with the mind, as it is with the body after some great hurt or grievous wound; every change of weather, every flight diforder, every touch and accident, affects the difeafed part, and revives all the former pains. Whereas a found mind is the fource of continual comfort: it is ever healthy, and vigorous, and fupports itself under all changes and accidents. BUT this is a happiness, that falls not to every man's fhare. then, perfons have unfortunately gone aftray, their business is to return with all all hafte out of the path of deftruction! There is no peace for the wicked either here or hereafter. But if he turns from his evil ways, and feeks an acquaintance with God, he may ftill be at peace. Though GOD fuffers the memory of his old faults fometimes to rife, for the fake of preserving him more steadily in the good way; yet, upon the man's fincere repentance, through the merits of Chrift, he affuredly forgets his iniquities and blotteth out all his mifdeeds. The returning prodigal has no more to fear than his elder brother who deferted not his father's fervice. Upon his real repentance, that is (to speak intelligibly and avoid misapprehenfion) upon his ceafing to do evil and learning to do well and prac tifing the contrary virtues; he may affure himself of a hearty acceptance and reconciliation with the father of spirits and live. He will be accepted in proportion to the fincerity of his reformation, and his actual progress in a good life, |