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1. The beginning of virtue is the most difficult part of it: the nearer we approach to Perfection, the eafier, as well as pleafanter, is religion. And therefore, whoever ftartles at the difficulties, which lie in the way to an exalted virtue, has as much reafon to be ftartled at thofe which will encounter him in his firft entrance upon religion: and yet thefe must be conquered. 2. The avoiding the difficulties of religion, does but plunge us into worse. We are neceffarily under this Dilemma: if we will attain the peace and tranquillity of the mind, we muft mortify and reduce the appetites of the body: if, on the other hand, we propofe to gratify the appetites of the body, and enjoy the pleasure of fin, we cannot do fo without offering much violence to the mind. And if this be fo; if fuch be the war and oppofition between the foul and the body, that there is no way to a true and well-fettled peace and pleafure, but by the reduction and mortification of the one or the other; then it will be eafy to refolve what we are to do. For those appeals which atheists themselves make to reafon, proclaim the foul of man to be the ruling and nobler part of him. Befides, the foul is the more vital, the more tender and fenfible part of us and confequently the affliction of this must render us far more miferable, than any hardships

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or difficulties virtues can impofe upon the body. 3. Whatever be the difficulties of virtue, they will foon vanish, if we often call to mind, that peace and joy are the fruit of virtue; but shame and remorse, of fin: that no man ever yet repented of his refifting and conquering his fufts; but no man ever yet did not repent of following them; unless he died as much a brute as he lived that heaven is a cheap purchafe, whatever it cofts us; but the pleafure of fin a very dear one, how eafily foever we come by it: and finally, that we are not our own mafters: there is a God to whom we ftand accountable for our actions and confequently, whether we will, or will not, we must either undergo the hardship and discipline of virtue, or the eternal plagues and punishments of fin. Laftly, The truth is, this opinion of the impoffibility of Perfection, has both been begot and cherished by thofe wild fchemes of it, which have been drawn by the hands of a flaming, indeed, but an indiscreet zeal. But I have here recommended to the world, no fantaftick, or enthufiaftick Perfection. I have advanced no heights of virtue, but what many do, I hope, at this day actually feel and experiment in themfelves: none, I am fure, but what the followers of the blessed Jefus actually attained and practi

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fed. Be ye followers of us, faid the apoftle, as we are of Chrift. Their lives were as bright a rule as their doctrine: and by their own actions they demonftrated the power of the faith they taught. They did not, like the Scribes and Pharifees, bind heavy burdens upon others, and not move them with their finger; they did not, like Plato and Ariftotle, magnify temperance and modesty at the tabernacles and carnavals of princes; nor commend the pleafure of wisdom in the gardens of Epicurus: but they lived as they taught, unfpotted by the pleasures, unbroken by the troubles of the world; modeft, ferene, equal, and heavenly minded, in honour or difhonour, want or abundance, liberty or prifon, life or death. Let us then no longer object or difpute, but with faith and pa

tience be followers of those who have inherited the promifes: being incompassed with a cloud of witnesses, let us lay afide every weight, and the fin which doth foˇeafily befet us; and let us run with patience the race that is fet before us, looking unto Jefus the author and finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was fet before him, endured the Cross, defpifing the shame, and is fet down at the right hand of the throne of God. For confider him that endured fuch contradiction of finners against himself; left ye be wearied and faint in your mind, Heb.

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xii. 1, 2. I have done with thofe, who endeavour to foften or hun the difficulties of religion, not to conquer them.

§. 3. There are others, who will look upon this fetting up the doctrine of Per-fection, as a defign against the pleasures of mankind. What, fays fuch a one, fhall I let go my present pleasures out of my hands, to hunt after I know not what, and I know not where? Shall I quit pleasures that are every-where obvious, for fuch as have no being, it may be, but in fpeculation? or at least, are never to be enjoyed by any, but fome few rare and happy creatures, the favourites of God and nature? Pleafures, that have matter and substance in them, for fuch as I can no more grafp and relish than I can dreams and vifions ? But to this I answer, This pretty talk is all but ftupid ignorance and grofs mistakes. For, 1. As to innocent and virtuous pleasure, no man needs part with it. I endeavour not to deprive man of this; but to refine and purify it. And he, that prefers either filly, or vicious pleafure before religion, is wretchedly mistaken. For, 2. Perfect religion is full of pleasure. Had we but once arrived at true purity of heart, what could be fo full of pleasure as the bufinefs of religion? What can be more delightfu', than bleffing and praising God, to a grateful foul Allelu

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Allelujabs, to a foul fnatched from the brink of destruction, into the bofom of its Mafter? What can be more transporting than the melting tendernesses of a holy contrition, made up, like Mary Magdalen's, of tears and kiffes, forrow and love, humility and glory, confufion and confidence, fhame and joy? What can be more tranfporting than love, the love of a Christian, when he is all love, as God is Love; when he defires nothing in heaven nor on earth, but God; when all things are dung and drofs to him, in comparison of Jesus? 4. If the pleafures of the world be more tranfporting than thofe of religion, 'tis because our faith is weak, our love imperfect, and our life unfteady. A conftant and exalted pleasure is, I grant it, the fruit of Perfection alone. The peace and joy of the Holy Ghoft reigns no-where, but where that zeal and love, which is an effect of the fulness of the Spirit, reigns too. I had once proposed to have infifted on the reasons of this here but this labour is prevented, for they are very obvious to any one who hath read the chapter of Zeal with seriousness and attention. Laftly, What is infinuated in the objection, that the pleasures of the world are more numerous, or obvious, than those of religion, is altogether a falfe and groundlefs fancy. In every place, and in every ftate, do the pleasures of virtue wait upon

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