even these will appear both reasonable in themselves, and, on one account or other, really for our advantage.

What more reasonable than repentance? than that a man, when he hath done amiss, should be heartily sorry for it, and resolve to do so no more? And, in case our offence against God has been complicated with injury to men, it is but reasonable we should make restitution, as far as we are able; for without this our repentance is not real, because we have not done what we can to undo our fault; nor can any man be judged to be truly sorry for his sin, when he retains the profit of it to himself.

Mortification of our lusts and passions, though, like repentance, it has something in it that is troublesome, yet nothing that is really to our prejudice. If we give way to our passions, we do but gratify ourselves for the present, in order to our future disquiet; but if we resist and conquer them, we lay the foundation of perpetual peace in our minds; if we govern ourselves in the use of sensual delights by the laws of God and reason, we shall better consult our ease, than if we let loose the reins to our appetites and lusts: for the more we gratify them, the more craving they will be, and the more impatient of denial. Every lust is a kind of dropsy; and the more we drink, the more we shall thirst.

Humility, though it may seem to lessen us,

yet it is truly the readiest way to gain respect; as, on the contrary, pride takes the most improper means to accomplish the end it aims at. All other vices, in some measure, attain their end; covetousness usually raises an estate, ambitious endeavours often advance men to high places; but pride and insolence, and contempt of others, infallibly defeat their own design.

What more reasonable than patience and content; and that we should in all things resign ourselves to the will of God, who loves us as well as we do ourselves, and knows what is good for us better than we do ourselves? This certainly is the best way to prevent anxiety of mind, and to make the worst condition as tolerable as it can be, and much easier than it would be otherwise.

As for that peculiar law of Christianity which forbids revenge, and commands us to forgive injuries, and to love our enemies; no man can think it grievous, who considers the sweetness of love, and the glorious victory of overcoming evil with good; and then compares these, with the restless torments, and perpetual tumults, of a malicious and revengeful spirit.

And, lastly, Self-denial, for the cause of God and religion, is neither unreasonable nor to our disadvantage. If we consider our infinite obligations to God, we have no reason to think much to sacrifice to him all that is dear to us in this world; especially if we consider with

all how disproportionably great our reward shall be in the next. The interest of religion is, besides, of so great importance to the happiness of mankind, that we are bound to assert the truth of it with the hazard of every thing that is here most valuable.

II. We have a sufficient power and ability to perform God's commands. It is true, we have contracted a great deal of weakness by our wilful departure from goodness; but that grace which the gospel offers for our assistance is sufficient for us; and this seems to be the particular reason why the Apostle says, that God's commandments are not grievous, because he offers us an assistance proportionable to the difficulty of his commands, and the necessity of our condition; for it follows immediately after the text, for whosoever is born of God overcometh the world; therefore the commandments of God are not grievous, because every Christian is endued with a power whereby he is able to resist and conquer the temptations of the world: but then we are to understand that this assistance is only offered to men, and not forced upon them. If we beg God's grace, but neglect to make use of it; if we implore his assistance to mortify our lusts, but will not contribute our own endeavours, God will withdraw his grace, and take away his Holy Spirit from us; nay, if after we have be gun well, we notoriously slacken our endea-,

vours, we forfeit the divine assistance; if, when by God's grace we have conquered the first difficulties of religion, and gained some habitual strength against sin, we grow careless and remiss, and lay ourselves open to temptations, God's spirit will not always strive with us; for notwithstanding all the promises of the gospel, and the mighty assistances there offered to us, if we love any lust, and will with Sampson lay our head in Dalilah's lap, we shall be insensibly robbed of our strength, and become like other men.

III. We have the greatest encouragements to observe God's commands. Two things make any course of life easy; present pleasure, and the assurance of a future reward.

1. Present pleasure, flowing from the testimony of his conscience, naturally springs up in the mind of a good man; Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. All acts of piety and virtue are not only delightful for the present, but they leave peace and content behind them; a peace that no outward violence can interrupt or take from

us.

The pleasures of a holy life have moreover this peculiar advantage of worldly joys, that we shall never be weary of them, nor cloyed by the frequent repetition or longnjoyment of them.

I know that some vices pretend to bring great pleasures along with them, and that the

delights of a voluptuous life are attended with much pomp and noise, like the sports of children and fools, which are loud and clamorous; or, as Solomon elegantly compares them, like the crackling of thorns under a pot, which makes a little noise and a sudden blaze that is presently over; but the serious and manly pleasures, the solid and substantial joys, are only to be found in the ways of religion and virtue. The most sensual man never felt his heart touched with so exquisite and lasting a pleasure as that which springs from a clear conscience, and a mind fully satisfied with its own actions.

But, secondly, the greatest encouragement of all, is the assurance of a future reward; the firm persuasion whereof is enough to raise us above any thing in this world, and to support us against the greatest difficulties. So the Apostle reasons, his commandments are not grievous, for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. The belief of a future happiness and glory made the first Christians so victorious over the world, and gave them courage to resist the pleasures and terrors of it. A religious course of life may indeed be encumbered with many calamities which are naturally grievous to flesh and blood; but a Christian is able to comfort himself under all these, with the thoughts of his end, which is everlast