522 The Difficulties qf a Tol. Ie idly. Our Diligence andConflancy in this Courfe, are reprefented by flrivinf, a word which hath a great Force and Emphafis in it, áyvi,eSP, a Metaphor ta- ken from the earneff Contention which was ufed in theOlympickGames by thole who (trove for Maflery in Running or Wrefiing, or any of the other Exercifes which were there ufed. Secondly; Here is a Reafon added to enforce the Exhortation or Duty ; for ma- nÿ (hall feek to enter in, and pall not be able ; that is, there are a great many that will do fomething in Chriflianity, and make fome faint attempts to get to Hea- ven, who yet (hall fall Ihort of it, for want of fuch a firmRefolution and "ear- nefinefs of Endeavour, as is neceffary to the attaining of it. Having thus explain'd the Words, I (hall take occafion from the firft part of them, namely, the Duty of Exhortation, to handle there three Points, very ufe- ful for us to confider, and to be well inftrudted in. rfi. The Difficulties of a Holy and Chriflian Courfe. idly. The firm Refolution, and earnef Endeavour that is required on our part fór the conquering of thefe Difficulties. 'idly. That there Difficulties are not fo great and inluperable, as to be a juft Difcouragement to our Endeavours ; if we will f1rive, we may matter them. Firfl, The Difficulties of a Holy and Chriftian Courfe. And there are either from our (elves, or from fomething without us. r. From our felves, from the Original Corruption and Depravation of our Nature, and the power of evil Habits and Cuftoms, contradted by vicious Pra- dtices. Our Natures are vitiated and depraved, inclined to evil, and impotent to good ; befides that being habituated to Sin and Vice, it is a matter of infi- nite,Difüculty to break off"a Cullom, and to turn the Courre of our Life ano. ther way. Now becaufe this is the Difficulty of our firft Entrance into Religion, it is reprefented by a lirait Gate which is hard to get through. a. There are likewife other Difficulties from without ; as namely, the Oppo= fition and Perfecution of the World, which was very raging and violent in the firft beginnings of Chriflianity. And this our Saviour reprefents by the rug- gednefs and roughnefs of the Way, as. St. Matth. expreffeth it, Chap. 7. 14. Strait is the Gate, andnarrow is the Way that leads to Life, Kai r3hiçcNrvn i n'eç; confragofa ell via, (fö Grotius renders it) the Way is craggy, full' of Afilidtions and Troubles. .... So that thefe' are the two great Difficulties in a Chriftian Courfe, Indifpofltion from within, and Oppoltion from without. Y. Indifpofitión fromwithin. And this makes Religion fo much the more diffZ- cult, becaufe it-checks'-us at our very fire Entrance upon our Chriftian Coúrfe, and makes us unwilling to let out. The Corruption of our Nature, and thole vicious Habits which by a long-Cullomof Sin we have contracted, do firongly incline us the contrary way, fo that a Mah muff offer great Force and Violence to himfelf that will conquer this Difficulty. It is one of the hardeft things in the World to break off a ,vicious Habit, and to get loofe from the Tyranny of Cuflom. The Prophet Jeremiah (peaks of it as next to a natural Impollibility, ch. 13 " z3. Can the Ethiopian "change his skin ? or the Leopard his fpots? Then may ye alfo do good, that are accuflorned to do evil. This requires great Striving indeed. Nothing fhows the Spirit, and Refolution of a Man snore, than to contend with an inveterate Habit ; for in this cafe a Man Grives againft the very bent and inch. nation of his Soul ; and 'tis ealicr to . let' a Man againft all the World, than to snake him fight with himfelf : and yet this every Man muff do, who from any wicked Courre of Life, betakes himfelfferioufly to Religion ; he muff as it were lay violent Hands upon himfelf;` and fight with the Man he was before ; and this in Scripture is emphatically expreff to us, by crucifying the Old Man, with the elfe- tlions and Lulls thereof. A Chriffian when he firft enters upon a Holy and good Courfe of Life, is reprefented' as two Perlons or Parties at civil Wars one with another ;, the Old, and the New Man: So that whoever will be a Chrilliam muff put offhimfelf; and become another Man ; and 'tis no eafie matter for a Man to quit himfelf. z. In
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