a HOLY LIFE. 77 



ful Life, and that we muft take leave of 

 all the Pleafures and Delights of the World, 

 when once we enter upon it. Doth not 

 Salomon fay, Ecclef.j.i. It is better to go 

 tv the houfe of mourning, than to the houfe 

 offeafting, &c. #.3. Sorrow is better than 

 laughter, for by the fadnefs of the coun- 

 tenance, the heart is made better. #.'4. The 

 heart of the wife is in the koufe of mourn- 

 ing ; and the heart of fools is in the houfe 

 of mirth. 



This is a great prejudice againft a holy 

 Life, and deters many Men from ventu- 

 ring up it. They are loath to part with 

 all Mirth and Jollity and Pleafure, which 

 they efteem the chief Happinefs of their 

 Lives, and to live more retrained and regu- 

 lar Lives ; at leafl they defire to enjoy them 

 a little 'longer, till they are* tired and glut- 

 ted with them, deferring their Repentance 

 to 1 Sicknefs or old Age. 



To this I anfwer, That innocent mirth 

 and joy, or even fealting it felf, are not ab- 

 folutely forbidden. ' The fame Author tells 

 us , That there is a time to weep, and a 

 time to laugh : A time to mourn, and a time 

 to dance : And that every thing is beauti- 

 ful in its Seafon ; nay, Chriftians are com- 

 manded to rejoice evermore. But in this 



place 



