Thirdly, Confider that the Severities of Religion, as Mortification, Self-Denial, &c. are far more difficult and diftaftful at our first Entrance upon an holy Life, than they will be when we are confirmed, and habituated in it. Indeed, those who are early pious, whofe Virtue grows up and increaseth with them from their tender Years, they escape the Pangs and Moleftations that others endure in rooting out inveterate Habits, and changing the whole Courfe of their Lives at once. It must needs appear irksome at first to check thofe inordinate Defires, and put a Stop to the Current of those Vices which have got Authority by Prescription, and never knew what it was to be oppofed, or denied before. But whatever Difficulties we may find in this, ought rather to be imputed to the Novelty and Unusualnefs, than to the real Hardship of the Undertaking. And perhaps, were a Man refolved, from a long continued and habituated Virtue, to turn debauch'd and profligate, he would at firft find not much lefs Trouble in theWays of Vice, than a new Convert meets with in the Ways of Piety. Custom and Continuance will facilitate all Things; and when the Roughness which is upon

the

the Soul is well worn off by Ufe, it will the more eafily and fweetly move it self in a strict und religious Course.

Fourthly, Confider, That the Severities of Religion are no more nor greater than what we are content to undergo in Things of another Nature. Nay, many Times the Sinner meets with far more Trouble in the Ways of Sin, than the most strict and holy Chriftian can do in the Ways of Obedience. What ftrange Artifices muft he oftentimes ufe, intricate Methods, fometimes to commit his Sins, but most commonly to conceal them! It requires a Piece of Subtilty and Stratagem to be wicked; whereas Piety is an open, plain, and fimple Thing. We need not lay Plots for it, nor ftudy to find out the Methods of it. There needs no other Skill, befides an honeft Heart, and a firm Refolution. And therefore it is faid, Ifaiah 35. 8. An High-way fhall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness. The Wayfaring Men, though Fools, shall not err therein: Nay, were we but content to undergo as much Hardship and Difficulty in the Ways of Religion for the obtaining of Heaven and eternal Happiness, as the Men of this World do,

for

for the gaining of fome poor, fordid, fecular Advantages, we fhould be most unreasonable to complain of them as rough and uneafy. What Christian is there that takes fo much Pains to be faved, as many Thousand Artificers do, who drudge Day and Night at fome poor Manual Employment to get a little Pelf? And yet it is far more certain that an induftrious Chriftian fhall be faved, than that an induftrious Tradefman fhall grow rich. Men are contented to rise up early and to go to Bed late, and to eat the Bread of Carefulness, to bear many Difappointments, and undergo many Hardfhips, only in Hopes to gain fome Temporal Advantage, And yet they murmur and complain of it as an infupportable Burden, if they are put upon any Difficulties for the gaining of Heaven, and eternal Salvation, although the Gain of this latter be as infinitely more certain, as it is infinitely more precious than the gaining of the former. So that in Truth all the Complaints against the Rigours of Religion, proceed only upon Miftakes and Prejudices, and there is no Course of Life, fhape it which way you will, that hath fo much Eafe, Sweetness, and Delight in it, as the truly pious and holy.

Let

Let me then perfwade you, not to give Ear to the Lying Suggestions of the Devil, and your own Sloth. They are but Slanders caft upon the Ways of God, on Purpose to deter you from walking in them. Do but make the Trial; enter upon them, and you fhall find incomparably more Sweetness and Satisfaction, more Joy and Peace in them, than ever you found in the Ways of Sin and Folly. Poffibly fome, who only as Spies have entered upon the Borders of this Land of Canaan, have brought up an Evil Report upon it when they have returned back again to the Wilderness. But, I befeech you to believe the concurrent Testimonies of all good Men who have search'd it throughout, and have neither Intereft, nor Design to deceive you. Believe the Testimony of a Caleb, of a Joshua, rather than the Reports of those, whofe Sloth or Cowardife represents all Attempts difficult, and all Difficulties infuperable. Believe the Testimony of God himself, who affures you, it is a Land flowing with Milk and Honey: Let me therefore encourage you in the Words of Caleb; Let us go up and poffefs it, for we are able to overcome it. All imagined Hard

fhips

fhips fhall vanish before us, and instead of rough Encounters, we shall certainly. enjoy our selves in Pleasure and Peace. This is the only Way wherein we can enjoy either God or our felves. And this Way, which is Joy and Peace throughout, will infallibly bring us to that Bleffed Presence, where there is Fulness of Joy, and Pleasures for evermore.

OF