Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

3. 'Tis necessary in order to the bringing Men to Christ, to remove their carnal Prejudices. The first and most feared Difficulties are, That serious Religion will be a damp to all their Joys, a harsh and unreasonable Restraint of their Liberties, a Bar against all the Advantages of the World: the sickly Fancy is frightened at the thoughts of this. If the Way to Heaven were short and fair, Men would like it; but 'tis long and deep, and they are discouraged, as the Israelites with the tedious and troublesome Wilderness, before their arrival at the Land of Promise. Accordingly Carnal Men cast a slanderous Shade upon Religion, as a melancholy, severe and joyless Discipline. Now we may rectify these Mistakes ⟨p. 317⟩by the Light of Scripture, of Reason, and of Experience.

3. 'Tis necessary in order to the bringing Men to Christ, to remove their carnal Prejudices. The first and most fear'd Difficulties are, That serious Religion will be a damp to all their Joys, a harsh and unreasonable Restraint of their Liberties, a Bar against all the Advantages of the World: the sickly Fancy is frighten'd at the thoughts of this. If the Way to Heaven were short and fair, Men would like it; but 'tis long and deep, and they are discouraged, as the Israelites with the tedious and troublesom Wilderness, before their arrival at the Land of Promise. Accordingly Carnal Men cast a slanderous Shade upon Religion, as a melancholy, severe and joyless Discipline. Now we may rectify these Mistakes ⟨p. 317⟩by the Light of Scripture, of Reason, and of Experience.

(1.) The Scripture declares that the Ways of Wisdom are Ways of Pleasantness, ¹and all her Paths are Peace. The Entrance, the Progress, and Continuance in these Ways, is joyful to the renewed Soul. Let us take a right View of the Divine Commands, the Sum of them is this, That Men would be happy here, and for ever. We are commanded to know God and Jesus