makes our defires comply with the event, and fo takes out the sting of it. And he that in the fchool of Chrift hath learned to determine his defires when his needs are served, and to judge of his needs by the proportions of nature, hath nothing wanting towards riches. Vice makes men poor, and doth ill endure it. But virtue makes even poverty rich; for he only wants, that is not fatisfied. And befides that Chrift hath promised to us all things needful, (provided we do our duty); and that we find great fecurities and reft from care, when we have once caft our cares upon God, and placed our hopes in his bofom; befides all this, the temperance, fobriety, and prudence of a Chrif tian, is a great income; and by not despifing it, a small revenue accumulates by degrees, till it becomes fufficient for the purposes of neceffity, and justice, and charity. Whilft vice is unwary, prodigal, and indifcreet; throwing away great revenues as tributes to intemperance and vanity. To thefe if we add, that virtue is bonourable, and a great advantage to a fair reputation, reputation, that it is praised by them that love it not, that it is honoured even by the followers and family of vice, that it forces glory out of fhame, honour from contempt, that it reconciles men to the fountain of honour, the almighty God, who will honour them that honour him; there are but a few more excellencies in the world, to make up the catalogue of temporal felicities. AND now, upon the ftrength of these premises, the yoke of Chriftianity must needs be apprehended to be light, though it had in it more preffure than it hath. Because lightness or heaviness, being relative terms, are to be estimated by comparifon with others. Christianity is far easier than the yoke of the law of Mofes; not only because it confifts of fewer rites, but also because those perfecting and excellent graces, which make up the body of our religion, are rendered eafy by God's affifting, and the gifts of the holy Spirit. And And if we compare the state of Chrif tianity with fin; this whole discourse is intended to reprefent, how much easier it is to be a Chriftian, than a vile and wicked perfon. And he that remembers, that whatever fair allurements may be pretended, as invitations to a fin, are fuch falfe and unfatisfying pretences, that they drive a man to repent of his folly, and expire in weariness and indignation; that man must needs confefs himself a fool for doing that, which he knows will make him forry that ever he did it. Sin makes a man a coward, and in all dangers diftracts him; affrights and vifits him when he comes to die, upbraiding him with guilt, and threatening him with misery. So that Christianity is the easiest law, and the eafieft ftate; it is more perfect, and lefs troublesome; it brings us to felicity by ways proportionable, and leads us to reft by eafy and unperplexed journeys. These confiderations therefore may be ufeful, to reconcile our religion with those paffions and defires, which are commonly made made the inftruments and arguments of fin. Henceforth therefore let no man complain, that the commandments of God are impoffible; for they are not only poffible, but eafy; and they that fay otherwise, and do accordingly, take more pains to carry the instruments of their own death, than would serve to ascertain them of life. And if we would do as much for Chrift, as we have done for fin; we should find the pains less, and the pleasure more. And therefore fuch complainers are without excufe. For certain it is, they that can go in foul ways, muft not fay they cannot walk in fair. They that march over rocks, in fpite of fo many impediments, can travel the even ways of religion and peace; when Chrift is their guide, and the holy Spirit is their guardian, and infinite felicities are at their journey's end, and all the reafon of the world doth entertain and support them in the travail of the pasfage. SERMON |