The Christians labour and reward, or, A sermon, part of which was preached at…

I shall apply this Point only to two sorts of Persons. First, To those that have ⟨p. 33⟩slighty thoughts of Religion, who think it an easy thing to be a Christian here, and no hard matter to be saved hereafter, Secondly, To those that are so far from believing it thus easy, that (through the suffusion of Melancholy and Satan's Art, who thickens this darkness) apprehend it so hard a labour, as renders it next to impossible; whereby they are dispirited from making any vigorous endeavours in Religion, fearing they shall never overcome the difficulties which attend it; and as good they think it is to set still, as rising to fall deeper at last into condemnation. Thus, the Ship cannot sail if it hath no wind, or too strong and violent a one. My desire is to undeceive those, and thereby to do a kindness to them both. Those that think it so easy to be a Christian, no hard matter to obtain Salvation; I would endeavour to show these what a delusion they are under, and danger they run, by fancying the Bridge to. Heaven wider than it is: But where, may some say, dwell these ⟨p. 34⟩Men I am now directing my speech unto? I wish they did not swarm every where, and made not the greatest number in most of our Towns and Congregations. I shall point at a few: First, He that conceits himself a Christian, and nourisheth in him an hope of Salvation, even whilst his life is profane, he, no doubt, thinks it too easy to be a Christian; when a man shall think Christ will own him as his, merely for his Christian name, and not reject him for his Heathenish Practices, thinks that his heart is good, though his life be wicked; whereas his life could not be wicked, if his heart was not so (for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh) when men shall think they are Gods Servants, though they be the Devils Labourers; that God is their Friend, when they declare themselves every day his Enemies. In a word, to think they shall leap at death, è coeno in coelum, out of Delilahs lap, into Abraham's bosom; is not this to make it an easy thing to ⟨p. 35⟩be a Christian, and no hard matter to be saved? and where is any one (who hath not first been convinced from some work of the Spirit) so bad, that is not yet thus kind to himself? yea, have they not commonly the strongest Faith, who have the weakest Grounds for it?