Ways of Pleafantnefs. 83 attend it. Let a man arm himfelf with refo- S E R M; lution to refift the molt vehement temptations, III and thwart the molt preffing inclinations of"-"-j his own heart to fin; he will find that every inflance of his doing fo will diffufe joy thro' his mind; and make his conqueft eafier in the next aífault; the righteous (hall hold on his way, and he who bath clean hands`/I.all grow flranger andflronger. If, nów, it appeareth that the ways of wifdom are ways of pleafantnefs and peace ; if the objections againft it are fo weak and ìnfufficient; if the real difficulties arife not from the nature and reafon of the thing, but from our prejudices, inexperience, and irrefolution, and they are all fuperable by the means God bath afforded, that grace of his which hringeth Salvation, and halh ap- peared unto us ; if it be fo, one would think the argument is very, ftrong, confound- ing the flrong hold of lin, fpoiling it of that in which its greateft ftrength lieth, namely, pleafure; for wifdom is fuperior even in that, and allureth us by a more folid, lafting, and certain fatisfaEtion. Surely human na- ture muff be ftrangely loft to a juft fenfe of its own true intereft, if it can refift fuch a motive. Though the demands of autho- G 2 rity
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