48 7lie Gofpel-illyfery TiireO. fufpeaed, that they are of the world, and therefore the world Ioveth its own ; elfe they would find, that national profeffion of religion will not fecure thofe that are truly godly from feveral forts of per- fecutións. And fuppofe men do not perfecute us for religion, yet there is great difficulty in bearing great injuries from men on other accounts, and kites, poverty, bodily pains, long difeafes, and un- timely deaths, from the ordinary providence of God, with fuch hearty love to God, and to Injuri- ous tren for his fake, and fuch a patient acquiefcence in his will, as the law of God requireth; 1 acknow- ledge, that the work of God is eafy and pleafant to thofe whom God rightly furnifhed with endow- ments for it; but thofe that alTert it to be eafy to men in their common condition, (hew their imprudence in contradining the general experience ofHeathens and Chriftians. Though many duties do not re- quire much labour of body or mind, and might be done with eafe, if we were willing ; yet it is eater to remove a mountain, than to move and incline the heart to will and affen the doing of them. I need not concern myfeïf with thofe that account that all have fufficient ftrength for an holy praElice, becaufe theycan do theirendeavour, that is, what theycan do; for God requireth anual fulfilling of his commands. What, if by our endeavours we can do nothing in any meafure according to the rule, (hall the law be put off with no performance ? and fluall fuch endea- vours be accounted fufficient holinefs ? And what if we cannot fo much as endeavour in a right way ? If a man's ability were the meafure of acceptable duty, the commands of the lawwould fignify very little. Thirdly, The wifdom of God hath ever furnifhed people with a good perfuaflou ofa fufficient ftrength, that they might be enabled both to will and to do their duty. The firft Adam was furnifhed with fuck a ftrength ; and we have no caufe to think that he was ignorant of it, or that he needed to fear that
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=