Pharisee â— not in shew and pomp but in real worth and divine esteem So that upon the whole we have no reason to be discouraged because They that do so much are cast out since though we find not those heats and specious things in our selves which we observe in them yet if we are more meek and modest and patient and charitable and humble and just our case is better and we have the Power of Godliness when theirs is but the Form And we whom They accounted aliens and enemies shall enter while they the presumed friends and domesticks shall be shut out But 2. I expect it should be again Objected against this severity of Discourse That our Saviour saith Mat. xi 20 That his yoke is easie and his burden is light which place seems to cross all that hath been said about the Difficulties of Religion And 't is true it hath such an appearance but 't is no more For the words look as cross to the expressions of the same Divine Author concerning the straightness of the Gate and narrowness of the Way as to any thing I have delivered from those infallible sayings Therefore to remove the semblance of contrariety which the objected Text seems to have to those others and to my Discourse we may observe That when our Saviour saith that his yoke is easie the word we read easie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth very good excellent gracious and the meaning I suppose is That his Precepts had a native beauty and goodness in them That they are congruous and sutable to our reasonable Natures and apt instruments to make us happy In which sense this expression hath no antipathy to the Text or to any thing I have said And whereas 't is added My Burden is light I think by this we are to understand That his Commands are not of that burdensome nature that the Ceremonies of the Iewish Laws were Those were very cumbersome and had nothing in their nature to make them pleasant and agreeable whereas his Religion had no expensive troublesome Rites appendant to it nor did it require any thing but our observation of those Laws which eternal Reason obligeth us to and which of our selves we should choose to live under were we freed from the intanglements of the World and interests of Flesh. So that neither doth this Objection signifie any thing against the scope of my Discourse CHAP. IV. INFERENCES from the whole concerning 1 The true notion of a state of Grace and Nature 2 The great design of Religion to perfect humane nature 3 The agreement and oneness of Christianity and Morality 4 The method of of Grace on the souls of men 5 The nature of the Animal Religion 6 The certain mark whereby to know our state 7 The power of Godliness and the Forms of it SECT I. AND now I am at liberty to descend to the Improvement of what I have said and the things I have to add will be comprehended under these two Generals 1 Inferences and a plain 2 Advice in order to practice I begin with the Inferences and Corollaries that arise from the whole discourse And 1 We may collect What is the state of Nature and what the state of Grace We have seen that 't is the great business of Religion to overcome evil Inclinations and the prevailing influence of sense and passion and evil customs and example and worldly affections And therefore the state of Nature consists in the power and prevalency of These This is that the Scripture calls the Old man Eph. iv 22 The Image of the earthy 1 Cor. xv Flesh Gal v. 17 Death Rom. vii 24 Darkness John iii. 19 and old leaven 1 Cor. v. 7 On the contrary The state of Grace is a state of sincere striving against them which if it keeps on ends in Victory And this is call'd Conversion Acts iii. 19 and Renovation while 't is in its first motions And the Divine Nature 2 Pet. i. 4 the image of the heavenly 1 Cor. xv 20 The Spirit Gal. v. 16 Light Ephes. v. 8 and Life 1 Joh. iii. 14 when 't is arriv'd to more compleatness and perfection For our fuller understanding this we may consider That grace is taken 1 for Divine favour 2 for Christian Vertue As it signifies Divine favour so it is used 1 For those helps and aids God affords us viz. the Gospel Joh. i. 17 and the influences of his Spirit 1 Cor. xii 9 In this sense we are deliver'd from the state of nature by Baptism viz. We are intitled to divine helps which is a kind of regeneration for we are born in a condition of impotence and weakness and destitution of spiritual assistances This is the world of meer nature But then in Baptism we are brought into the world of the spirit that is are put under its influences and are assured of its aids and so are morally born again Not that this Regeneration alone will save us without our endeavours it imports only an external relation and right to priviledges and by these we may be powerfully assisted in our striving if we use them But then 2 Grace too as it signifies divine favour implies his special love and kindness such as he vouchsafes to holy and vertuous men so that we may observe that there may be a distinction between a state of grace and a state of salvation A state of Grace in the former sense is a condition assisted by the influences of Gods Spirit and all baptized persons are in that But if they use not those hâ—lps they are not in Gods special favour and so not in a state of Salvation But when those assistances are duly imployed and join'd with our sincere endeavour then the person so using them is in a state of Salvation also and in Gods special love and favour Thus of the state of Grace in the first sense as taken for divine favour 2 The word is also used for Christian Vertue 2 Peter iii. 18 and vertue is call'd grace because 't is wrought in us by the assistance of Gods Spirit and the light of the Gospel which are divine favours and to be in a state of grace in this sense is to be a virtuous man which supposeth divine aids and intitles to divine love These things I have taken an occasion thus briefly to state and I have done it because there is oft-times much confusion in mens discourses about Grace and Nature from which much trouble and many controversies have arisen And by what I have said also in these brief hints the Doctrine of our Church in the office of Baptism may be understood cleerly and will appear to be very sound and true notwithstanding the petty exceptions of those that understand not what they say nor whereof they affirm SECT II. II I may infer That the great design of Religion and the Gospel is to perfect Humane nature The perfection of our natures consists as I have intimated in the subjection and
come into the world to offer and promote it and the Holy Ghost is powerful and ready to assist our indeavours We were made for happiness and we seek it And Lord are there Few that be saved The Text is Christ's return to the Question Strive to enter in at the straight Gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter and shall not be able In which words we have three things I An Answer imply'd Straight is the Gate II A duty exprest Strive to enter III A Consideration to ingage our greater care and diligence in the Duty For many will seek to enter and shall not be able By the Gate we may understand the entrance and all the way oâ— Happiness and that is Religion By the straightness of it the Difficulties we are to encounter By striving earnest and sincere endeavour By seeking an imperfect striving And from the words thuâ— briefly explain'd These Propositions offer themselves to our Consideration I. There are many and great difficulties in Religion The Gate is straight II. The Difficulties may bâ— overcome by striving Strive tâ— enter III. There is a sort of striving that will not procure an entrance For many will seek to enter in and shall not be able CHAP. I. There are great Difficulties in Religion Religion is not hard to be understood The Difficulties arise 1 from the Depravities of our Natures 2 from the Influences of the senses 3 from the disorder of our passion 4 from the power of Custom 5 from evil example and 6 from worldly interests and ingagements SECT I. I Begin with the FIRST in order viz. That there are many and great difficulties in Religion And to what I have to say about it I premise this negative Consideration That the Difficulties of Religion do not lye in the VNDERSTANDING Religion is a plain thing and easie to be understood 'T is no deep subtilty or high-strain'd notion 't is no gilded phancy or elaborate exercise of the brain 'T is not plac'd in the clouds of Imagination nor wrapt up in mystical cloathing But 't is obvious and familiar easie and intelligible First preach't by Fishermen and Mechanicks without pomp of speech or height of speculation addrest to Babes and Plebeiâ—n heads and incended to govern the wills of the honest and sincere and not to exercise the wits of the notional and curious So that we need not mount the wings of the wind to fetch Religion from the stars nor go down to the deep to fetch it up from thence For 't is with us and before us as open as the day and as familiar as the light The great Praecepts of the Gospel are cloathed in Sun-beams and are as visible to the common eye as to the Eagle upon the highest perch 'T is no piece of wit or subtilty to be a Christian nor will it require much study or learned retirement to understand the Religion we must practise That which was to be known of God was manifest to the very Heathen Rom. i. 19 The Law is light saith Solomon Prov. vi 13 And 't is not only a single passing glance on the eye but 't is put into the heart and the promise is that we shall all know him from the greatest to the least Our duty is set up in open places and shone upon by a clear beam 'T was written of old upon the plain Tables of Habakkuk Hab. ii 2 So that the running eye might see and read And the Religion of the H. Iesus like himself came into the world with rayes about its head Religion I say is clear and plain and what is not so may concern the Theatre or the Schools may entertain mens wits and serve the interest of disputes But 't is nothing to Religion 't is nothing to the interest of mens souls Religion was once a Mystery but the Mystery is revealed And those things that we yet count Mysteries are plainly enough discover'd as to their being such as we believe them though we cannot understand the manner how and 't is no part of Religion to inquire into that but rather It injoins us meekly to acquiesce in the plain declarations of Faith without bold scrutiny into hidden things In short then I say the difficulties of Religion are not in the Understanding In prompto Facili est aeternitas said the Father The affairs of eternity depend on things easie and Familiar And I premise this to prevent dangerous mistakes But though Religion be so facile and plain a thing to be understood yet the way to Heaven is no broad or easie Path The Gaâ— is straight enough for all that anâ— I now come to shew what are thâ— reall difficulties of Religion anâ— whence they arise SECT II. ONe great Difficulty ariseâ— from the depravity of ouâ— natures The Scripture intimatesâ— That we are conceived in sinâ— Psalm lv 5 Trangressours froâ— the womb Isaiah xlviii 8 anâ— Children of wrath Ephes. ii 3 Anâ— we find by experience that we brinâ— vile inclinations into the worlâ— with us Some are naturally cruelâ— and injurious proud and imperiâ—ous lustful and revengeful Oâ—thers Covetous and unjust huâ—moursome and discontented treacherous and false And there is scarce an instance of habitual vice or villany but some or other are addicted to it by their particular make and natures I say their natures for certainly it is not true what some affirm to serve their opinions in contradiction to experience That vices are not in mens natural propensions but instil'd by corrupt education evil customs and examples For we see that those whose education hath been the same do yet differ extreamly from each other in their inclinations And some whose breeding hath been careless and loose who have seen almost nothing else but examples of vice and been instructed in little besides the arts of Vanity and pleasure I say there are such who notwithstanding these their unhappy circumstances discover none of thosâ— vile inclinations and propensionâ— that are in others whose educatiâ—â— hath been very strict and advantâ—â—geous This I think is enough tâ— shew that many of our evil hâ—â—bits are from nature and not from custom only And yet I cannot say that Hâ—â—mane Nature is so debaucht thâ—â— every man is inclin'd to every evâ—â— by it For there are those who bâ— their tempers are averse to somâ— kind of vices and naturally dispoâ—sed to the contrary vertues somâ— by their constitutions are incline to hate Cruelty Covetousness lying impudence and injustice and are bâ— temper merciful liberal modest truâ—â— and just There are kinds of viâ—ces which our natures almost uniâ—versally rise against as many bestâ—â—alities and some horrid Cruelties And all men except Monsters in humane form are disposed to some vertues such as Love to Children and kindness to friends and Benefactors All this I must confess and say because experience constrains me and I do not know why Systematick notions should sway more then that But notwithstanding these last concessions 't is evident enough
Complexion and particular Nature This is a great work and will require strong Faith and many Prayers and much time and great watchfulness and invincible resolution Imploy these heartily and though thou now and then mayst receive a foyl yet give not off so but rise again in the strength of God implore new aid and â—ortifie thy self with more consideraâ—ions and deeper resolves and then renew the Combat upon the encouragement of Divine assistance and Christs merits and intercession and the promise that sin shall not have dominion over us Rom. vi 14 Remember that this is the great work and the biggest difficulty if this be not overcome all our other labour hath been in vain and will be lost If this root remain it will still bear poysonous fruit which will be matter for temptation and occasion of continual falling and we shall be in danger of being reconciled again to our old sins and to undo all and so our latter end will be worse theâ— our beginning 2 Pet. ii 20 Or at least though we stand at a stay and satisfie our selves with that yet though we are contented our condition is not safe If we will endeavour to any purpose of duty or security we must proceed still after our lesser conquests till the sins of complexion are laid dead at our feet He that is born of God sinneth not and he cannot sin 1 Ioh. iii. 9 Till we come to this we are but strugling in the birth Such a perfection as is mortifying of vitious temper is I hope attainable and 't is no doubt that which Religion aims at and though it be a difficult height yet we must not sit down this side At least we must be always pressing on to this Mark if Providence cut off our days before we have arrived to it we may expect acceptance of the sincerity of our endeavours upon the account of the merits of our Saviour For he hath procured favour for those sincere Believers and Endeavourers whose Day is done before their Work is compleated this I mean of subduing the darling sins of their particular Natures But then if we rest and please our selves with the little Victories and attainments and let these our great enemies quietly alone 't is an argument our endeavours are not sincere but much short of that striving which will procure an entrance into the straight gate The nâ—xt thing and 't is the last I shall mention which is implyed in striving is IV. To furnish our selves through Divine Grace with the habits and inclinations of Holiness and Vertue For Goodness to become a kind of Nature to the Soul is height indeed but such a one as may be reacht the new Nature and new Creature Gal. vi 15 are not meer Names We have observ'd that some men are of a Natural Generosity Veracity and Sweetness and they cannot act contrary to these Native Vertues without a mighty Violence why now should not the New Nature be as powerful as the Old And why may not the Spirit of God working by an active faith and endeavour fix habits and inclinations on the Soul as prevalent as those No doubt it may and doth upon the Diviner Souls For whom to do a wicked or unworthy action 't would be as violent and unnatural as for the meek and compassionate temper to butcher the innocent or for him that is naturally just to oppress and make a prey of the fatherless and the widow I say such a degree of perfection as this should be aim'd at Heb. vi 1 and we should not sit down and slacken our endeavours on this side it In order to our aiming to the happy pitch we are to use frequent meditation on the excellency and pleasure of Vertue and Religion and earnest prayer for the Grace of God and diligent attendance upon the publique worship and pious company and converses For this great design these helps are requisite and if we exercise our selves in them as we ought they will fire our Souls with the love of God and Goodness and so at last all Christian Vertues will become as natural to us as sin was before And to one that is so prepared the Gate of Happiness will be open and of easie entrance the difficulties are overcome and from henceforth the way is pleasant and plain before him Prov. iii. 17 Thus I have shewn you that the formidable difficulties may be overcome and I have told you How 't is a plain course I have directâ—d that will not puzzle your undâ—rstandings with needless niceties nor distract your memories with multitudes Walk in this way and do it constantly with vigour and alacrity and there is no fear but in the strength of God through the merits and mediation of his Son you will overcome and at last enter SECT IV. I Had now done with this general Head but that 't is necessary to note three things here 1. Those Instruments of our happiness which we must use in striving viz. Faith Prayer and active Endeavour must all of them be employed Not any one singly will do the great work nor can the others if any one be wanting If we believe and do not pray or pray and do not endeavour or endeavour without those the Difficulties will remain and 't will be impossible for us to enter 2. We must be diligent in our course If we do not exercise Faith vigorously and pray heartily and endeavour with our whole might the means will not succeed and 't is as good not at all as not to purpose The Difficulties will not be overcome by cold Faith or sleepy Prayers or remiss Endeavours A very intense degree of these is necessary 3. Our striving must be constant we must not begin and look back Heb. x. 38 or run a while and stop in midd course 1 Cor. ix 24 and content our selves with some attainments and think we have arrived Phil. iii. 14 If we do so we shall find our selves dangerously mistaken The Crown is at the end of the Warfare and the Prise at the end of the Race If we will succeed we must hold on The life of one that strives as he ought must be a continual motion forwards always procâ—eding always growing If we strive thus we cannot fail if any of these qualifications be wanting we cannot but miscarry And hence no doubt it is that many that seek to enter shall not be able and the presumed sons of the Kingdom are shut out Mat. viii 12 They seek and are very desirous to be admitted They do some thing and strive but their striving is partial or careless or short by reason of which defects they do not overcome and shall not enter This is a dangerous Rock and perhaps there are as many undone by cold and half striving as by not striving at all He that hath done some thing presumes he is secure He goes the round of ordinary Duties but advanceth nothing in his way He overcometh none of the great Difficulties none of