Not even those excepted, which require us to love our enemies, to deny ourselves, and to take up our cross. To forgive an injury is more generous and manly than to revenge it; to controul a licentious appetite than to indulge it: to suffer poverty, reproach, and even death itself, in the sacred cause of truth and integrity, is muchwiser and better, than, by base compliances, to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. Thus in a storm at sea, or a conflagration on the land, a man with pleasure abandons his lumber to secure his jewels; piety and virtue are the wisest and most reasonable things in the world, vice and wickedness the most irrational, absurd, and pernicious.

The infinitely wise Author of our being hath so framed our natures, and placed us in such relations, that there is nothing vicious but what is injurious; nothing virtuous but what is advantageous to our present interest, both with respect to body and mind. Meekness and humility, patience, and universal charity, are graces which give a joy unknown to transgressors. The divine virtues of truth and equity are the only bands of friendship, the only supports of society. Temperance and sobriety are the best preservatives of health and strength; but sin and debauchery impair the body, consume the substance, reduce to poverty, and form the direct path to an immature and untimely death. Now this is the chief excellency of all laws; and what will always render their burden pleasant and delightful is, that they enjoin nothing unbecoming or injurious; but, on the contrary, what is profitable, and of a salutary

nature.

Besides, to render our duty easy, we have the example as well as the commands of the blessed JESUS. The masters of morality amongst the Heathens gave excellent rules for regulation of men's manners; but they wanted either the honesty or the courage to try their own arguments upon themselves. It was a strong presumption that the yoke of the Scribes and Pharisees

was grievous, when they laid heavy burdens upon men's shoulders, which they themselves refused to touch with one of their fingers. Not thus our great lawgiver, JESUS CHRIST the righteous; his behaviour was, in all respects, conformable to his doctrine; his devotion towards God, how sublime and ardent! benevolence towards men, how great and diffusive? He was in his life an exact pattern of innocence: for he did not sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. In the Son of God incarnate is exhibited the brightest, the fairest resemblance of the Father, that earth or heaven ever beheld an example peculiarly persuasive, calculated to inspire resolution, and to animate us to use our utmost endeavours to imitate the divine pattern, the example of the author and finisher of our faith, of him who loved us, and gave himself for us. Our profession and character as Christians oblige us to make this example the model of our lives. Every motive of decency, gratitude and interest, constrains us to tread the paths he trod before us, more especially when we reflect that it was marked out to us by unerring wis-dom.

us.

Let us also remember, that our burden is easy; because God, who knoweth whereof we are made, who considereth that we are but dust, is ever ready to assist The heathen sages themselves had some notions of his assistance, though guided only by a glimmering lamp of reason; but what they looked upon as probable, the gospel clearly and strongly asserts. We there hear the apostle exhorting, Let us come boldly . unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need. Heb. iv. 16, We there hear the blessed JESUS himself arguing in this convincing manner, If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke ix. 13.

We would not here be understood to mean, that the

agency of the spirit is irresistible, and lays a necessitating bias on all the faculties and affections. Were this the case, precepts and prohibitions, promises and threatenings, would signify nothing; and duty and obligation would be words without a meaning. The spirit assisteth in a manner agreeable to the frame of human nature; not controuling the free use of reason, but by assisting the understanding, influencing the will, and moderating the affections; but though we may not be able to explain the mode of his operations, the Scriptures warrant us to assert, that, when men are renewed and prepared for heaven, it is through sanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth. How enlivening the thought! how encouraging the motive! We are not left to struggle alone with the difficulties which attend the practice of virtue in the present imperfect state. The merciful Father of our spirits is ever near to help our infirmities, to enlighten the understanding, to strengthen good resolutions, and, in concurrence with our own endeavours, to make us conquerors over all opposition. Faithful is he to his promises and will not suffer the sincere and well-disposed to be tempted above what they are able to bear. What can be desired more than this? To promote the virtue and happiness of his moral offspring, the Supreme Parent hath done all that is consistent with the holiness of his nature, and the free agency of man: if then we are not virtuous and happy, it is our own faults, and we are utterly inexcusable, in refusing the grace and mercy proffered in the gospel.

Let us also remember, that the great doctrine of the gospel concerning the propitious mercy of God to all the penitents through CHRIST JESUS, greatly contributes to the ease and pleasure of a religious life. Let it be granted, that the hope of pardon is essential to the religion of fallen creatures, and one of its first principles; yet, considering the doubts and suspicions which are apt to arise in a mind conscious of guilt, it is undoubtedly a great and inestimable favour, to be relieved in this rc

spect by a Messenger from Omnipotence himself. This is our happiness: we are not left to depend upon consequential reasonings, which the bulk of mankind are little used to; but we are assured, that upon our true repentance, we shall, through the mediation of CHRIST, receive the full remission of past sins, and be restored to the same state and favour with our Maker, as if we had never transgressed his laws; here the gospel triumphs with these assurances it abounds; upon his head the declarations of our blessed Saviour and his apostles are so express and full that every one who believes them, and knows himself to be a true penitent, must banish every doubt and fear, and rejoice with joy unspeakable: Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Matt. xi. 28. All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, ch. xiii. 31. Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses, Acts xiii. 38, 39.

The

blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin, John i. 7. What grace and favour is this! Who can dwell upon the transporting theme too long! Now our way is plain before us, and the burden we are to bear is made easy. No sins are unpardonable, if repented of and forsaken; for it is said such shall find mercy.

You who have never yet regarded religion, but pursued a course of vice and sensuality all your lives long, are earnestly entreated to consider, that, though your conduct has been base to the last degree, your case is not desperate, far from it: the God whom you have so highly offended commiserates your errors, is ever ready to extend his pardoning mercy to his most degenerate creatures upon their repentance and reformation, and, is in Christ Jesus reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing unto penitent sinners their trespasses, 2 Cor. v. 19. Let the wicked, therefore, forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return

unto the Lord, who will so liberally extend his mercy to him; and to our God, who will thus abundantly pardon, Isaiah lv. 7.

What still further conduces to render the Christian religion easy and delightful is its leading us to the perfect, eternal life of heaven. It cannot be denied but that we may draw from the light of nature strong presumptions of a future state: the present existence does not look like an entire scene, but rather like the infancy of human nature, which is capable of arriving at a much higher degree of maturity: but whatever solid foundation the doctrine of a future state may have in nature and reason, certain it is, that through the habitual neglect of reflection, and the force of irregular passions, this doctrine was before the coming of our blessed Saviour, very much disfigured, and, in a great measure lost amongst the sons of men, some of whom affirmed, that there was neither resurrection, angel, or spirit.

A future state of rewards and punishments was a matter of mere speculation and uncertainty in the heathen world; it was sometimes hoped for, sometimes doubted of, and sometimes absolutely denied. The law of Moses, though of divine original, is chiefly enforced by promises of temporal blessings; and, even in the writings of the prophets, a future immortality is very sparingly mentioned, and obscurely represented: but the doctrine of our Saviour hath brought life and immortality to light. In the gospel we have a distinct account of another world, attended with many engaging circumstances, about which the decisions of reason were dark and confused. We have the testimony of the Author of our religion, who was raised from the dead, and who afterwards, in the presence of his disciples, ascended into heaven. In the New Testament it is expressly declared that good men, when absent from the body, are present with the Lord. Here we are assured of the resurrection of the body in a glorious form, clothed with immortal vigour, suited to the active ma