Tho' Heaven (fay they) be a Glorious Place, and the Way to it plainly enough defcrib'd, yet it is a very Long Journey, and we must expect to meet with many Difficulties in it. Whatever you talk of the Reasonableness and the Eafness of that Courfe of Life that leads to it, yet we find, by our own Trials, that it is very hard for Flesh and Blood to live after that Rate of Strictness. The Temptations to Sin are every where fo many, and so powerful; and our own Strength for the refifting of them, fo little and inconfiderable; that we may in fome measure be excufed, if we be not so forward in the Undertaking, or fo fuccefsful in the managing of fuch an Affair as this. But O, how vain are thefe Allegations! as if you had no Supports against these Difcouragements; but Chrift had left you to work out your Salvation entirely by your own Strength. Do but caft your Eyes upwards, and look at the mighty Succours which Christ Jefus holds forth to you; and you will confefs, that were thofe Weaknesses you complain of, those Difficulties you have to conflict with, much more confiderable than they are; yet they are not to be accounted of, they are not to be named, being fo exceedingly overbalanc'd by thofe Divine Powers and Aids which GOD will derive upon you, you, if you will seriously engage in this Work. Christ Jefus hath not only purchased a Kingdom for you, and taught you the Way to arrive to it, but he hath purchafed the Holy Spirit, to be your continual Affiftant in your Way thither. He hath not only fet you a Glorious Example, and bid you to follow him, but he hath fent down the Holy Ghost, as his Vicegerent upon Earth, to conduct you to that Bleffed Place where He is. You have the Grace and the Prefence of the Living God always ready at hand, if you seriously Pray for it, to ftrengthen your Weakneffes, to affift your Endeavours, to enlighten your Minds, to fortifie your Wills, to excite your Affections, to fupport you under all Temptations, and, in a Word, to Fight all the Lord's Battels with you; provided you be Sincere and Honeft, in the Profecution of that Glorious Warfare, which GOD hath call'd you out into. What can you defire more than this? GOD hath promis'd, That He will never Heb. xiii. leave you, nor for fake you. You are affur'd s. by his Apofile, That greater is he that is in 1 John iv. you, than he that is in the World. And 4 another Apostle doubts not to affirm, That Nothing fhall be able to feparate you from the 38, 39 Love of God, which is in Chrift Fefus; nei ther Rom.viii, ་ ther Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things prefent, nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature. Nothing under Heaven, except your felves, can do you any Mischief. And now, this being our Cafe, what must be said of us, if we be not Virtuous and Happy? How shall we think to escape, if we neglect a Salvation, for the obtaining of which we have fuch mighty Succours and Affiftance afforded to us? O let these Confiderations fire us into brave and worthy Thoughts! Let us make no more vain Excufes: Let us no longer pretend I know not what Difficulties but let us cheerfully and refolvedly apply our felves to the working out our Salvation; knowing, That as it is God which worketh in us the Will, fo the fame God will alfo work in us the Power of doing it. We have no reafon to be afraid of any Thing, to be difcouraged at any Thing; for God Almighty is with us; God Almighty, that made us, ftill takes Care of us; and is ready for ever to affift all his faithful Servants in all their Extremities. Christ Jefus, our High-Prieft, fits at the Right Hand of GOD, and continually makes Interceffion for us. The Holy Spirit never fails to vouchsafe his Prefence in the Souls of all welldifpofed Perfons, to carry them thro' all Dan Dangers, thro' all Difficulties, thro' all Temptations. In a Word, we need fear nothing, fo long as we defign and refolve well, and endeavour to do well; for both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost have engaged themfelves in the Salvation of all fuch Perfons, To which Eternal God, &c, SER 140 SERMON VI. Preached before the QUEEN A T St. JAMES's Chapel, I On Good-Friday, March 26. 1703. LUKE XXII. 19. This do in Remembrance of me. Hope it will not be thought unseaso nable, if on this Day, on which our Saviour fuffer'd, I entertain you with a Discourse of that Holy Sacrament, which was on purpose inftituted by him, for the Commemoration of those his Sufferings: For as this Argument will lead me to treat of most of those Things which are the proper Subjects of our Meditations at this |