222 The DoEtrineofSelf&deniaíl. though it feemed heavy bcfore,yet nowit is bu: light. So it is with there croffes; in themfelves they areheavy,butcompare themwith the if- fue,the endand reward, they are but light; Our afflieiions, which are but'far a moment,parcbafe tee afar more exceeding weight o Odory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. Thirdly, to runnc thewayes of Gods corn.. mandements with our ownefirength, it dif- ficulty; but having another flretigth more than our owner it is cafe. It is hard, for a Child to goe up the flaires himfelfe , but if a thong man takes him by the hand, it is eafie : though . thefe wayes be hard, whatif the ,Holy Ghoft helpe you then theywill be eafie. Aman that lookes onan artificial) thing, he wonders at it, and cannot tell how to turne his hand to doeit; but ifheonce get theart, it is eafie;fo it is with_: us; before weare in. Cbrift, all is hard tous : but ifwe are once in him, all is catie. Looke to the Apofiles, they are íhieat the firft ofevery thing, of fuffering for Chriff; but afterward they indured any thing, even whipping, and 4. death for hire. Fourthly, iris hard topart with that which we prize and love much ; but when as we are perfwaded; that there is no fuch thing in it as we thinke there. is, then it will be eafie for to part with it. Noman grieves much, that the flowers that he bath inhis hand, wither : that he.lofethcounters or fhadowes : fuch are the things that we feeand have,Pfai. 39, 6.theyare óut..
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