and Pofitive Enjoyment, 'tis because we perceive the One will be accom pany'd with Mental Pleasures, the Other with Pains of that Sort, fo as upon the Whole the Bodily Sufferings, together with the Mental Enjoyment will afford us moft Pleafure. Thus Cato is as great an Epicure as Apicius, tho' the Men are very different with respect to the Efteem they ought to have as Members of Society, as well as on other Accounts.

Notwithstanding the perpetual Complaints of Men I am verily perfuaded Every Man Enjoys more in this World than he Suffers; but whethis be fo, or not, this is certain that most Men might Enjoy more than they do if they took the right Courfe; As it Is, they have all the Pleafure they can get. The whole World is engag'd in one great Chace after Pleafure, but as there] is great difference in the Sportsmen, Some

Some are more Successful than O thers; Some in Rough, and Dangerous Ways find Lean, Wretched Game; others what is Excellent in

a Fine Countrey.

The Foundation of a Happy Life must be laid in the Idea we have of God.

Thou haft befet me behind, and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Whither fhall I go from thy Spirit? or whither Shall I flee from thy Prefence? If I afcend up into Heaven thou art there. If I take the Wings of the Morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea, e ven there fhall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me; if I fay furely the Darkness fhall cover me; even the Night fhall be light about me: Tea the Darkness bideth not from thee: but the Night Shineth as the Day: the Darkness, and the Light are both alike to thee: Being thus under the Eye, and Power of God,

X 2

God, from whence 'tis impoffible to withdraw our Selves for one Moment, as moft men know as well as this Divine Sacred Hebrew Poet, (tho' perhaps None ever faid it fo Finely) but None can poffibly be Affured of the contrary, the Idea We happen to have of this Incomprehenfible Being is of the utmost importance to our Happiness; If That be Black, and Terrible, let us divert the Thought as well as we can, it will obtrude it felf, and like the Hand-writing upon the Wall turn away the Current of our Pleafures in their strongest Tides. If our Ideas of God be Confus'd, Unfettled, and Doubtful, 'twill be a proportionable Abatement to our Happiness; but on the contrary if we have Noble, and Worthy Conceptions of the Supreme Being the Mind is enriched thereby, and we have advanced far towards a HapPy Life.

And

And if moreover we have fuch a perception of the Nature of Mankind, and fuch a Self-Confciousness as from thence, in Conjunction with the Notions we have of God we can form, and establish a Clear, and Firm Perfuafion of our being entitled to his Protection, and Favour, This will be it felf a Tranfcendent Delight; it will heighten, and give a Delicious Flavour to all our Other Enjoyments; We may be intrepid under all the Calamities of Life,

And fear of Death deliver to the Winds.

Milton.

Whatever Point I fix my Thoughts upon
Throughout all Space I find Thee there, and Thou
Art ever prefent, and with humble Joy
I praise the Universal Soveraign

Not of this little Spot of Earth, and Sea,
And its attendant Luminaries bright,

His Sole Dominion, Heaven, and Hell except,

(His Court, and Prifon-houfe ;) but of more Worlds
Than there are Sands upon the Ocean Shores,
Where Goodness infinite for ever reigns.
All things Subfift in Thee, in Thee Rejoyce,
Not Terrible, but as a Father Mild,
Beneficent, Indulgent, Bountiful:

Thou

Thou do'ft not hate, or cruelly correct
Imperfect Beings for Imperfect Acts;
Or for Miftakes thofe not Infallible;

Or those whofe Actions, Words, or Thoughts, (Amifs
Altho they be) Involuntary are,

Or otherwife Conftrain'd, and not their Own.
No Paffions Turbulent can difcompose
Thy Holy Mind Eternally Serene,

But Joy Divine, and Wife Paternal Love,
Uninterrupted dwells for ever there.
Othou Supremely Amiable Being!
Pure, uncompounded Effence! Happiness,
And Goodness flows from Thee as from their Spring
To all things elfe; Spring inexhaustible!
Completely Good, and Happy in thy Self!

If it were proper, as upon several Accounts it is not, I fhould here discourse largely on this Great, Delightful, and Useful Subject: I fhould then explain particularly what I meant, and fupport that Meaning by Arguments: Inftead of all that I must leave the Reader to take fome Pains for Himself, as I have done; and 'tis well worth all he can take. And he would do well to remember that by much the greatest part of the Difficulties, and Perplexities we meet withall in Rea