There  is  another  way  of  treating  the  matter,  and
that  is  to  shake  off  the  idea  if  we  can ;  to  drown
it  in  intemperance ;  to  overpower  it  with  worklly
business ;  to  fly  from  it  in  all  directions,  but  mostly
in  that  which  carries  us  to  hurrying  tumultuous  di-
versions, to  criminal  indulgencies,  or  into  gross
sensuality.  Now  of  this  course  of  proceeding  it
is  certain,  that  if  it  lay  the  mind  in  any  degree  at
ease  in  this  life,  it  is  at  the  expense  of  the  inevita-
ble destruction  of  our  souls  in  the  next;  which  is
enough  to  say  against  it ;  but  in  truth  it  answers
even  its  present  purpose  very  imperfectly.  It  is  a
way  of  getting  rid  of  the  matter,  with  which  even
we  ourselves  are  not  satisfied.  We  are  sensible
that  it  is  a  false,  treacherous,  hollow  way  of  acting
towards  our  own  souls.  We  have  no  trust  m
what  we  are  doing.  It  leaves  no  peace,  no  hope,
no  comfort,  no  joy.
