to stand at a distance from sin. You have named the name of Christ; depart therefore from all iniquity a. You are the expectants of a better world; be not therefore conformed to this b. You are children of the light; have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness c.

Neither be you weary of the yoke of Christ. There are circumstances, as you have heard, which do sometimes make it painful. Afflictions of various kinds you must expect to meet with; and animal nature is not always in a like capacity to bear them. Many active services also are required of us; and the want of a lively temper of mind, will sometimes render them rather tedious and irksome. But be careful, amidst all, that you indulge not an unkind thought of your Master, or of his service. Cultivate a sincere and cordial love to him, and this will make you superior to every difficulty and discouragement. It is happy to be able to say, after having tried his yoke, I love my Master, I will not go out free d. Maintain daily communion with him; and this will put life and vigour into your obedience. If ever there was a time, when Peter was tempted to think hardly of Christ's yoke, it was when he followed him afar off e. Neutrality in religion is dangerous. The very first symptoms of it are therefore to be watched and dreaded. Call to mind the many enlivening exhortations of God's word; and consider well the examples it sets before you. And pray earnestly for divine grace to enable you to persevere.

To conclude. Amidst all the fatigues and sorrows of the present life, and which attend the faithful discharge of your duty, be comforted with the joyful prospect of a future happy immor tality. There remaineth a rest for the people of God f. You shall ere long cease from your labours, and receive your reward. Your Master endured the cross, and despised the shame; and he is now set down on the right hand of the throne of God g. And he hath promised that they who suffer with him, shall reign with him h; and that where he is, there his servants shall be also i. O happy day, when you shall arrive at your home! and Christ shall himself welcome you thither, with those kind

and transporting words, Well done, good and faithful servant ; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord a.

DISCOURSE VII.

THE PLEASANTNESS OF RELIGION.

PROV. III. 17.-Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

COULD we convince men that the service of Christ is not that uneasy yoke, that grievous burden, which through the prejudices of corrupt nature it is generally understood to be, it were, methinks, a considerable point gained. This however, hath been attempted; and I would hope, through the blessing of God, not without some success. But must we stop here? Is it the only commendation of the religion of the heart, that it will do no one any real harm? To suppose this, were surely to do it great injustice. O no! There are divine, substantial and durable pleasures attending the experience and practice of it. To prove this will therefore be our present business. And if we are so happy as to be fully and cordially persuaded of this most certain truth, we cannot fail of being captivated with its charms, and so becoming willing converts to its sacred dic

tates.

That Solomon is here speaking of serious religion is beyond all doubt. Nor is it without good reason that he gives it, in the preceding verses, the denomination of Wisdom, agreeably to his own character, and the professed design of this book of Proverbs b. For if there be such a thing as wisdom in the world, that surely has the best claim to this description, which gives us the clearest apprehensions of God, his nature and perfections; which leads us into the most intimate acquaintance with ourselves; which instructs us wherein our true interest b Chap, i. 1-4.

a Matt. xxv. 21.

lies; and which marks out to our view the path to life and blessedness. Now the wise man pronounces him happy who finds this wisdom and who gets this understanding; assuring us that it is a prize infinitely more valuable than silver or gold, than the most precious rubies, or any of the delights of sense whatsoever. Length of days, says he, is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour a. To which he adds in the text, Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

By the ways and paths of wisdom is meant the whole of religion, both the contemplative and practical part of it. And each of these is peaceful and pleasant. So they are declared to be by the unerring word of God, and so they have been found to be by the experience of the wisest and best of men. Great peace have they, sings the psalmist with a cheerful note, who love thy law, and nothing shall offend them b. And with him the beloved disciple of Jesus readily joins concert, when he tells us, that its commands are not grievous c, that is, they are pleasant and joyous.

But before I come to illustrate this cheerful and animating truth, I must just observe that the text is not to be taken so restrictively, as if every good man were a perfectly peaceful and happy man; or as if the ways of religion were all of them so easy and pleasant, as not to admit of any circumstance which is disagreeable and irksome. The reverse of this is too plain a fact to be disputed, and hath been acknowledged and accounted for in a former discourse. Perfect happiness is not to be enjoyed here: nor is it possible it should, considering the present imperfect and depraved state of things. The best of men must needs feel some painful sensations within, from that continual struggle between grace and corruption, which ever prevails in their breasts. And as from a strict observation of themselves, they find daily occasion for humiliation before God; they cannot but on that account, endure a degree of anxiety and distress, though not all that gloominess and despondency which is the sad fruit of unpardoned guilt. And then the outward disappointments and trials to which they are liable in common with others, must be a source of at least some inward affliction; since a Ver. 13-16.

b Psal. cxix. 165.

c 1 John v. 3.

religion does not divest them of their passions, or make them insensible to external things. To which it may be added, that God himself is sometimes pleased for wise ends to withhold the enlivening influence of his grace: and when thus a dark cloud spreads itself over all their pleasant experiences, it is not to be wondered at that they are in trouble. But in neither of these instances is religion itself, strictly speaking, the cause of sorrow; though by reason of the corruption of human nature, and the unavoidable connections of the present life, it is the occasion of it. And as to those Christians, if such there be, who always wear a mournful countenance; the greater part of their uneasiness is to be imputed either to natural constitution, or else to mistaken notions about religion itself.

Now these things considered, the difficulty with respect to the observation in the text is in a good measure removed. And after all, though it were admitted, that some of the ways of wisdom are rough and unpleasant, yet this would by no means disprove the general truth of Solomon's maxim; since most proverbial sayings will admit of some particular exceptions, and the plain meaning of that before us is, that it is the natural tendency of religion to make men peaceful and happy.

We will now therefore proceed immediately to the illustration of this argument, which we shall do by shewing, that the knowledge and experience of religion hath a mighty effect,

I. To remove the principal causes of disquietude: and, II. To minister the highest occasions of joy and pleasure, We are here speaking of the mind, which is on all hands acknowledged to be the chief seat of happiness and pleasure. If that be easy and cheerful, it is not of essential consequence what our outward circumstances may be. How then,

1. Is religion adapted to remove the principal causes of inward uneasiness? Now these are reducible to three heads;doubt and uncertainty-guilt and fear-and that disorder and restlessness of spirit, which arises from the prevalence of turbulent and ungovernable passions.

1. Doubt and uncertainty. This every one knows, who hath been at all conversant with himself, is an occasion of much anxiety and trouble. Whatever be the affair we are thoughtful about, while the mind remains in suspense, it must needs be

unhappy. And its unhappiness will always be proportioned to the importance of the object. Now the great principles of religion, which have for their object, the well-being of mankind both here and hereafter, are surely of all other matters the most important. And of consequence whilst the mind is doubtful of their truth, it cannot but be exceedingly perplexed and uneasy. Some, indeed, are so stupid, as to trouble themselves little, if at all, about these things. Whatever peace therefore, they may fondly boast of, it is the fruit of ignorance and insensibility. Yet there is, I suppose, hardly a man to be found, but is at one time or other, pressed with some such questions as these Is there a God that judgeth in the earth ?-Am I accountable to him? Will my soul exist in another state after death?— By what measure will future happiness and misery be dispensed to mankind? These questions, and others of the like nature, will frequently arise in the thoughtful breast, and at certain seasons force themselves on every mind.

But whilst they remain questions, that is, whilst the judgment is at any loss to determine upon their truth, or is dissuaded through the violence of depraved passions, from pronouncing decisively concerning them, a man cannot fail of being unhappy. Whilst conscience speaks one thing, and the inclinations another; whilst reason and scripture affirm, and sense and sin deny; whilst the man knows not how to withhold his assent, and yet, unwilling to yield, presses every little objection into the service of unbelief; whilst I say this is the case, how great must be the perturbation of his mind! He neither believes, nor yet disbelieves. He is bewildered with doubts, perplexed with uncertainties, tossed from one extreme to another; and in short, like the dove which Noah sent out of the ark, finds no ground on which to rest the sole of his foot.

Now the knowledge and experience of religion sets a man in a good measure free from these anxieties, allays this ferment in his breast, settles his hope on a sure foundation, puts an end to these continual struggles, and restores an agreeable composure to the mind. They who are fond of improvements in natural knowledge, are sensible enough how pleasant the transition is, from doubt and uncertainty on any point, to full and clear evidence. But the pleasure here is so much the greater, as the