fill the Body with Pains and Difeafes, and make Life it felf but a Mifery and a Burthen. The frequent ufe even of innocent Pleasures, makes them to become naufeous and troublesom; whereas Self-denial, and Abftinence from fenfual Enjoyments, give us a better relish of them afterwards; and the pleasure of Senfe becomes hightned, by our former Abatements. Contentment in a Man's Estate, makes his Life eafie and his Condition comfortable; whilft Covetoufness and Difcontent, though under the wealthieft Circumstances, make a Man poor, dejected, and miferable. And therefore from these and the like Reflections, we may conclude, That Men who prudently confult their present Welfare and Happiness, will be careful to act upon this Principle of Self-denial, when the Benefit is fo confiderable that proceeds from it. It is true, indeed, fome Inftances of this Duty are contrary and repugnant to our bodily Eafe; as to Take up our Crofs, to Submit to Injuries and Sufferings, and to lay down our very lives for the fake of Chrift: but then we must confider, that our E 2 Reli

Religion helps us in thefe Cafes when they happen, by the certain Affurance of the Affiftances of divine Grace, and that eternal Reward that the Gospel hath revealed to us, which will more than countervail the greateft temporal Misfortunes. Indeed fuch fuffering Chriftians, if their Hopes were only in this Life, would, as the Apoftle acknowledgeth, be of all Men the most miserable, 1 Cor. 15. 19. but when they have fuch well-grounded Affurances of another, wherein they fhall be recompenc'd for all their Labours and Sufferings; neither Distress, nor Perfecution, nor Famine, nor Peftilence, nor any other grievous Calamity, fhould be able to feparate them from their Duty and the Love of Chrift, whofe faithful Followers and Difciples they profefs to be. When St. Peter told his Lord, Behold we have forfaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? Jefus in the next Verfe faid unto him, Verily I fay unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall fit in the throne of his glory, ye alfo shall fit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of

Ifrael.

Ifrael. And every one that hath for. faken houfes, or brethren, or fifters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my names fake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlafting life. Now Chriftians, who believe that there is a future State; that there are rewards for the Righteous, of an eternal Duration, and an infinite weight of Glory; can have no confiderable Lofs of thofe temporal things, for the Procurement of these that are eternal: Who then would not patiently, with his Lord, fuffer the greatest Indignities and Injuries, for God and a good Confcience, when for fo doing he fhall receive fo unfpeakable a Recompence? Who would not deny himself the gratification of a paultry Luft, to gain an infinite Reward? Who would not, like a true Christian, deny himself, that he might be own'd by Chrift, and be admit ted to partake of the most desirable Happiness, which Heaven will afford, where there are perpetual Springs of Joy, and Pleafures for evermore? What a foolish Exchange then do they make, who for the gaining of this World, will venture the Lofs of E 3 their

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their immortal Souls? What a piece of Madness are they guilty of, that forfake their Lord, to ferve the impor tunities of a vile Luft and a brutish Appetite? That pamper their ruptible Bodies, and will not deny the leaft Temptation to Sin;whilst that more precious and immortal Part of them, their Souls, are destitute of that fpiritual Food; of Goodness and divine Grace, which fhould ftrengthen and prepare them for everlafting Life? That are ftill running on in the score of Sin, and adding to that black Catalogue, till Death feizeth and takes them away from their beloved Enjoyments, and leaves them to a fad reckoning for their finful Pleasures ? Let no Man then exclaim against Mortification and Self-denial, and the Doctrine of the Crofs, which tend fo much to our Welfare and Happi nefs, as well in this World as the other. The greater Danger and Hazard a brave Man expofeth himself to in a Battel, the greater is his Honour and Reward, when the juft Character of his Valour comes to the Knowledge of his Prince and thus it is in our Chriftian Warfare;

he that follows the Captain of his Salvation, and bravely withstands the Affaults of his Enemies; that endureth Hardship like a good Soldier of Jefus Chrift, and crucifieth the Flesh with the Affections and Lufts; he fhall receive at laft a Reward, for his victorious Performances; a Crown of Glory, when he comes to enter into the Joy of his Lord. Mofes, we read, refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter; renounced his Title to the Crown of Egypt, and chofe to fuffer Affliction with the People of God; and all this he did for a very good Reason, because he had respect to the Recompence of the Reward, abundantly exceeding the empty Pleasures of a Court: and what Mofes did in his Cafe, it will become us to do for the fake of our Religion; to abandon all the glittering Temptations of this World, and fubdue our irregular and fenfual Appetites, and firmly adhere to our Chriftian Duty. If therefore we shall deny our felves, and bring all our Defires and Thoughts, in fubjection to the Obedience of Chrift; if we shall, as the holy Prophet speaks, Honour God, not doing E 4

our