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SERMON XV.

1 Epift. St. JOHN, V. 3.

This is the Love of God, that we keep his Commandments; and his Commandments are not grievous.

T is the latter Part of this Text I fhall now beg Leave to infift on, His Commandments are not grievious.

And I would to God we all thought fo; for then more of us would fet ourselves to keep God's Commandments than now do!

Some have got fuch frightful Notions of Religion, that indeed they have not the Courage in good earnest to engage in it: They look upon it as made for none but either the Melancholy, or the Miferable; fuch as are not framed in their Tempers for the Enjoyment of Life; or fuch as, by reafon of their unhappy Circumstances, are incapacitated for them. With fome it paffeth, that the Precepts of Religion (as they are taught us in the holy Scriptures) are impoffible to be liv'd up to, and therefore it is in vain to trou

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ble their Heads about them. Others, that have confider'd the Matter better, tho' they cannot say they are impoffible, yet they are tempted to think they are very hard and fevere; they are extreme rigorous Impofitions, and indeed unreafonable Reftraints upon human Nature, and will put one to fo much Trouble and Pains, and Self-denial, that, in truth, if a Man will scrupulously govern himself by them, he must not at all live like a Man in this World, nor enjoy himself in the common Gratifications, that, by the Frame and Conftitution of Things, feem to have been allowed to Mankind.

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Now upon fuch Prejudices as these, that Men have taken up, a great many, I fear, are mightily difcouraged from ever seriously applying themselves to God and Goodness; and, for thefe Reasons, think themselves very excufable either for their making no Profeffion of Religion at all, or, if they do make fuch a Profeffion, for their indulging themselves in fuch Liberties as are altogether inconfiftent with it.

I do not know how I can do greater Service, in order to the recommending the ferious Practice of Religion to you, which is my Business at this time, than by endeavouring to vindicate it from thefe Exceptions; by putting the Propofition, here affirmed by the Apoftle, into as fair a Light as I can; and fhewing, that thofe who frame to themselves fuch difmal Apprehenfions of a strictly pious

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and virtuous Life, do proceed upon very falfe Grounds; and that the Duty which God requires of us, is fo far from being an intolerable or a grievous Burden upon Man-. kind, that, on the contrary, it is very light and eafy.

This, I am fure, we have fufficient Warrant, both from our Saviour, and his Apoftles, to teach and declare to all the World ; whatever Prejudices Men may have entertained to the contrary. Our Saviour in exprefs Terms hath told us, That his Toke is eafy, and his Burden is light: And his beloved Apoftle St. John hath in this Text declared, That his Commandments are not grievous.

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I am here far from denying, that there are Difficulties in Religion: It would be against the Sense and Experience of Mankind to affirm there are none; nay, as Things generally ftand with Mens corrupt Nature and Principles, it cannot be denied that it is more difficult, and will require more Care and Labour to be virtuous, than to be vicious. the World muft acknowledge, that going in the Paths of Virtue, is like going up the Hill, it will put one to Pains and Intention of Nerves: Whereas, on the other fide, to live loosely and viciously, is such a Defcent, as the Degeneracy of Mankind, and the evil Examples we have before us, have made very natural and eafy to every Body. But this, notwithstanding, we may fafely affirm, that as the Way

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of God and Virtue is in itself a much plainer and easier Way than that of Vice and Wickedness; fo, all thofe Things confider'd, that are to be put into the Balance' against our natural Infirmities, and Indifpofitions to Virtue, it will be found, that a Man fhall need to take lefs Pains to be very good, than to be that a Man fhall more confult very bad his own Eafe, and Pleasure, and Satisfaction, by living a religious, than an irreligious Life. Nay, let the extremeft Hardships and Difficulties that ever happen to any Man that gives

up himself a Votary to Religion, be taken into the Confideration; yet, for all that, it ought not to be accounted a fevere or grievous Impofition, but an Obligation upon us that is very natural, very eafy, nay, and very delightful; His Commandments are not grievous.

This is the Point I am to maintain; and for the making it good, I fhall proceed by feveral Steps and Degrees, and lay down my Propofitions; fo that every one may ferve .both to confirm the Truth of what we are now ftarting, and alfo either obviate or anfwer the Objections that are brought to the contrary.

And the First Point I affert, is this; That Religion is not an impracticable Thing, as fome Men do fuggeft, but it is poffible for us to live up to it. There is no Man living can affirm, that there is any Thing commanded by the Laws of Jefus Chrift, (which, to us Chriftians, makes the whole of our Duty, and the VOL. III. Whole

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Whole of our Religion) but what every Man in the World may, if he will fet himself upon it, yield Obedience to it. Take the hardest Part of the Chriftian Yoke, that is to fay, Forgiveness of Enemies, doing Good to our Enemies, denying our worldly Interefts, and renouncing all we have (when God calls us to it) for the fake of Jefus Chrift; yet I hope there is nobody can fay that these Things are impoffible, tho' they may be accounted very fevere. Impoffible they cannot be, becaufe a thoufand Men have actually done all thefe Things, and that upon far lighter Motives and Confiderations than Chrift's Religion offers and propofeth to us for the doing of them.

And if thefe Things be practicable, why muft we not think the fame of the reft of the Chriftian Precepts, fuch as owning God for our Creator, and continual Benefactor; and as fuch, paying him our conftant Tribute of Worship, and Prayer, and Praise, both in publick and private; living in an humble Senfe of his Almighty Majefty, and our own Unworthinefs; ufing with Temperance and Moderation the good Things he vouchfafes us; being honeft, and juft, and faithful in all our Dealings; and fhewing Kindness, and good Nature, and Charity to all our fellow Creain a Word, living righteoufly, and foberly, and godly in this prefent World? Do thefe Things look fo very formidable, that a Man fhould fhrink at the naming them? and

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