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berate and well-instructed resolution, enter upon the work; which however laborious, is indispensable. They who have not been thus forewarned, go on indeed with great ease: but it is not in religion, that they go on. Doubtless common decency, and outward regularity, are very valuable things: would God, more attention were paid to them! But still with these there may be little true sense of duty to God, or even man; little care, that the heart and affections be such as they ought; nay much indulgence of very criminal actions, either concealed from the world, or approved by it. In short, almost every thing may be right, in the opinion of those around us, perhaps in our own: and almost every thing wrong in the eyes of our Maker. How great is the need then, that such as are proceeding securely in the broad way, should be told the difference of that which leads unto life! But to others also, strong representations, of the purity of the divine precepts, and of the obstacles that turn men aside from the observance of them, are highly useful: they excite us to search into every branch of our conduct, every secret recess of our souls: they prevent the negligence, that betrays us into danger; and the surprize, that disconcerts and dispirits us at the appearances of it: they keep up our vigilance, put us on exerting all our own strength, and asking more from God: by which means, temptations, that else might have proved fatal, are entirely avoided, or easily overcome.

Timorous and dejected minds indeed may be hurt, by insisting too much on the trials, which they have to go through: to these therefore a different, but yet a consistent, view of things must be presented: and accordingly our Saviour, with the utmost tenderness, invites all, that are weary and heavy laden, to

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come unto him, and they shall find rest unto their souls: his yoke shall prove easy to them, and his burthen light*: in perfect conformity to what had been prophesied of him, that he should feed his flock like a shepherd; gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom +. Religion hath both its severities and its encouragements: and the whole of both must be laid before mankind; but the one or the other dwelt on, as the case requires; that so, some may be alarmed into right conduct, others quieted in it; and neither the heart of the righteous made sad, whom God hath not made sad; nor the hands of the wicked strengthened, by promising him life. But undoubtedly the principal need is, of men's being awakened to a sense, that God requires much more than is usually practised, or even thought of. For superfluous fears, though we ought carefully to guard against them, are, of the two, not near so pernicious as deceitful hopes. It is indeed a very awful consideration that the difficulties of becoming what we should be are so great; and surmounted by so few. But still the truth ought not to be disguised: and the difficulty of doing what may and must be done, is no argument for any thing but unwearied dili gence and for that, it is the strongest argument in the world. That most men act wickedly, is no more an objection against religion; than that most men act unwisely, is against common prudence. That so many fail by taking a wrong course, is only a warning to make sure of taking the right. And if in that, several duties are painful, it is not Christianity, that hath made them so. All its peculiar precepts are easy in themselves, and assistances to the practice of the rest. The hard sayings are declared indeed * Matth. xi. 28, 29, 30. † Is. xl. 11.

Ezek. xiii. 22.

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in the Gospel; but enjoined by reason itself, when duly cultivated, and by the very nature of things. These therefore are unchangeably what they are; and all we have to do, is to submit to them. But if our religion had made the duties of life stricter, it hath made the hopes of assistance and reward so much stronger, that we should have no manner of cause to complain; much less to faint. The temptations to disobey, which arise from our make and circumstances, God himself hath exposed us to; and therefore if we apply to him, will assuredly support us under, to a degree that he will accept. The ill habits which proceed from wrong education only, cannot have got very strong hold; if we begin but to extirpate them, as soon as we come to the government of ourselves. And as for those which, by our voluntary misconduct afterwards, have taken deeper root; since the mischief is of our own doing, we are bound to more pains and more patience in undoing it again. When a long irregularity hath impaired health, a long strictness of regimen will be needful to recover it: but every disease of the soul is curable at length, tghouh many of the body are not. Indeed the severe trials are almost wholly at first; and therefore our Saviour hath peculiarly remarked, that strait is the gate: but when once we have contracted our appetites and passions enough, to get through that; the remaining obstacles diminish, usually by quick degrees; and after a while, the ways of wisdom become pleasantness; and all her paths peace*. Then the difficulties themselves turn into delight, and the happy traveller goes on his way rejoicing; till, the days of his pilgrimage being completed, entrance is ministered unto him abun

* Prov. iii. 17.

dantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ *.

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I conclude with the words of a heathen writer; but highly deserving every Christian's attention. Think of the life of man, as a long road, leading "towards a holy temple where we are to be initiated " in divine mysteries: a road full of passengers, some loitering and trifling, some running about, and hindering one another; some wandering, and losing themselves. For many are the devious and deceitful paths, leading to pits and precipices: "but one alone, narrow and steep and rough and "trodden by few, that points directly forwards; "which brave and industrious souls, with great re"solution, force their way through; earnestly longing for the initiation, and captivated with the "beauty of the place they aspire to: where when they

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arrive, all their labour ends, and every desire is fully "satisfied. Begin the journey then: enter and be "initiated; take possession of the good things pro"vided there: for wishes themselves can extend no "farther t."

2 Pet. i. 11.

+ Max. Tyr. Dissert. 23. Davis, 4to. 39.

SERMON XXIX.

JAMES V. 12.

But above all things, my brethren, swear not; neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

THIS precept of St. James is plainly taken from that part of our Saviour's sermon on the mount, where just the same prohibition occurs, only expressed more at large, in the following words: Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say unto you, Swear not at all: neither by Heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the Earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; neither shalt thou swear by thy head; for thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil *. These are the only texts of Scripture, where we meet with any command of this kind. And therefore to understand aright, as it greatly concerns us, what the Christian doctrine is in relation to oaths; our business must be to consider well, and compare together these two passages. There is unquestionably a strong appearance at first

*Matt. v. 33-37.

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