Bridge's remains, being VIII sermons

5. And for the present these affections will make the ways of God easy to you. Hard things are easy to great affections, easy things are hard to him that hath no affection to them. You see how it is with the Hunter that runs up and down all day long over Hedges, through Bushes, sweating and tearing himself, yet with much ease and sweetness, because he affects the game; but if a man be put upon a work which he hath no affection to, then it is hard to him though never so easy in it self. So spiritually, though the work of Mortification and Repentance be an hard work, yet it is easy to some, prayer easy, reading easy, meditating easy. why? because they have affection to these things: but if your affections be not set on things that are above, how shall the ways of God be made easy and sweet unto you? But besides all these things, ye know that

5. And for the present these affections will make the ways of God easie to you. Hard things are easie to great affections, easie things are hard to him that hath no affection to them. You see how it is with the Hunter that runs up and down all day long over Hedges, through Bushes, sweating and tearing himself, yet with much ease and sweetness, because he affects the game; but if a man be put upon a work which he hath no affection to, then it is hard to him though never so easie in it self. So spiritually, though the work of Mortification and Repentance be an hard work, yet it is easie to some, prayer easie, reading easie, meditating easie. why? because they have affection to these things: but if your affections be not set on things that are above, how shall the wayes of God be made easie and sweet unto you? But besides all these things, ye know that

6. God is a jealous God; and though Christ be a loving Husband unto every soul that is espoused to him, yet he is very jealous of mens affections. What man is not jealous of his Wife when he sees that her affections are placed upon another? And are our affections placed upon things below, what doth that do but raise the jealousy of Christ against us? Jealousy is the rage of man, what is it then in Christ? Now therefore as you desire, that the jealousy of the Lord Jesus may not be raised against you, that the ways of God may be made sweet and easy to you, that you may never lose your affections,