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3. Must not that way be pleafant, which removes all fears and troubles? But fuch is the way of Wisdom; the way of faith in the Lord Jefus Chrift: "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me," John xiv. 1. It removes the fear of death and damnation; and therefore must afford a greater pleasure than this world can afford. One ferious thought of everlasting falvation, which Wifdom's ways is the earnelt of, can give that true contentment to the foul, that all worldly wealth and glory can never give.

4. Muft not that way be pleafant, that removes the caufe of all forrow, viz. Sin? But fuch is Wifdom's way; it removes fin, which is the caufe of calamity. In this way, the guilt of fin is removed, by juftification; and the rule of fin, by fanctification; till the being of it be removed in glorification. Wildom's way is the way of holiness, which is the very deftruction of fin.

5. Muft not that way be pleafant, which confifts in rejoicing, and graces which cannot be exercifed without pleasure; fuch as, knowledge, faith, love, hope, and joy itfelf?"The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghoft," Rom. xiv. 17. The way of Wisdom confills in these joyful exercifes, when confidered as the way wherein Wifdom directs us to walk, as well as the way wherein Wifdom walks towards us.

6. Mult not that way be pleafant which confifts in communion with God, who is the fountain of pleasure and delight; and brings us near to him, as a God of love? Such is the way of Wifdom: "We have known and believed the love that God hath to us: God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him," 1 John vi. 16.

7. Muft not that way be a pleasant one, which, whofover chooses it, do voluntarily forfake all other pleafures in the world, and renounce them for the fake of the pleasure of this way. They, with Mofes, chuse the worst of Christ, rather than the best of the world, Heb. xi. 25, 26. Choofing rather to fuffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleafures of fin for a feafon and efteeming the reproach of Chrift greater

riches than all the treafures of Egypt." Would they make fuch an exchange, if they had not found it a more pleafant way, and that which tends to everlasting pleafure? All who ever tried Wisdom's way, they think they never can have enough of it. The more holy they are, the more holy they would be: he that hath moft, would gladly have more, Phil. iii. 12. 14. Pfalm xxvii. 4.

8. Muft not that be a pleafant way, which, whofoever hath once chofen and tried, will never choose to go back again to their former pleasures? Such is Wifdom's way; every tafte of the pleasure thereof makes the believer fay, with Ephraim, Hof. xiv. 8." What have any more to do with idols?-Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, the son of man, whom thou haft made ftrong for thyfelf; fo will we not go back from thee," Pfalm lxxx. 17. It makes the man fay, "I will never forget thy precepts; for by them thou haft quickened If they found God's way did not answer their expectations, they have abundance of leifure, and temptations too many, to turn back to the ftate from whence they came, and to a loose, wicked life; yea, but that is the life they would not chufe for all the world: furely, therefore, they find it the most plealant way; if not in fenfible delight, yet, at least, in eafing their confciences, and fecuring their minds from the terrors that finful pleafures would produce; nay, when they are themfelves, they loath the very remembrance of their finful pleafures.

me."

9. Muft not that way be pleasant, that can turn the most painful things into pleasant things? That which can fweeten gall and wormwood muft needs be very fweet itfelf: fuch is Wifdom's way, that can bear up the foul under all afflictions, and make it rejoice; yea, and glory in tribulation, Rom. v. 3. Read to this purpose, 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10. "And he faid unto me, My grace is fufficient for thee; for my ftrength is made perfect in weakness: moft gladly, therefore, will I rather rejoice in mine infirmities, that the power of Chrift may reft upon me.--Therefore I take pleafure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceffities, in perfecutions, in diflreffes, for Chrift's fake; for when I am weak, then I am ftrong."

10. Muft

10. Muft not that way be a pleafant way, that can make the views of death and judgment as amiable to the enlightened foul, as ever it was formidable to the awakened confcience? Surely that way, and that pleasure is little to be accounted of, that cannot endure a ferious thought of death and judgment. How poor is that pleature that is damped at the views of death, and frighted and chafed away at the profpect of judgment ! But, in Wisdom's way, a man may look death in the face, and fay, 'Come, O friend! why tarry the wheels of thy chariot? For death, as an enemy, is one of the trophies of the victory of faith; "Death is fwallowed up in victory," Cor. xv. 54. and as a friend, it is the chariot to carry the foul to heaven. And, in this way, a man may look to judgment, and fay to the Judge, "Come, Lord Jefus; come quickly, Rev. xxii. 20.Make hafle, my Beloved, and be like a roe or a young hart on the mountains of Bether," Song viii. 14.

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In a word, It must be a pleasant way, that leads to everlasting pleasure.

zdly, We proposed to answer fome objections that carnal minds make againft the pleafantnefs of Wisdom's ways; or the pleafures of religion. And,

Object. 1. "How can that way be pleafantnefs that "forbids all our pleafure? that requires us to mortify the "flefh, to renounce the world, to deny ourfelves, and fo "to abandon all our pleasures?"

Anfw. The ftrength of this objection lies in this, that Wifdom's ways are ungrateful to the flesh, and oblige us to part with our fins: and, indeed, as they that are in the fleth cannot please God; fo they cannot take pleafure in God, or in his way. A new and fpiritual nature is neceffary in order to our having thefe new and fpiritual pleafures; for, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are fpiritually difcerned." But, mean time, O finner, do you think that fin is fo lovely a thing, that a man cannot live pleasantly, or merrily, without it? Whereas, indeed, they that are the moft free of fin have the moft pleasant life. Sin is a breach of God's law, and an a

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bufe of his authority: and is there no mirth, but in abufing God! no pleafure, but in injuring our Creator and Redeemer! What finful natures have we that must have fuch pleasures! Cannot a man live merrily unless he provoke the God of heaven, and trample on his mercy? Cannot a man live in pleasure, unless he tumble in the mire, or drink poifon? Alas! what pleasure is it to difhonour God and destroy ourfelves! Let it be confidered, that it is for our everlasting pleasure, and to prevent everlasting pain, that the pleasures of fin are forbidden; for they exclude all fpiritual and eternal pleasure; and do you accufe the word of God, and Wifdom's way, because it would keep you from fuch coftly comfort, and dangerous delights! You will forbear the most delightful fruits and drinks, if your phyfician tell you they will hazard your life, or torment you afterwards; and will you be offended with the Physician of fouls, when he warns you to beware of that pleasant poifon that deftroys the foul? Yea, even at prefent, is not virtue more pleasant than vice? fobriety more pleasant than drunkennefs? chastity more pleasant than uncleannefs? and temperance more pleasant than gluttony and intemperance? Do not thefe bring in fuch troubles of confcience, fuch ficknefs, fhame, and remorfe, as that they have a punifhment in their bofoms, if not a confumption of men's wealth, and outward eftate, befides the confuming of their precious fouls? But again,

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Object. "How can Wifdom's way be pleasantnefs, "when it is a part of Wifdom's way to take up our crofs, and lay our account with tribulation; for, Thro' much tribulation we must enter into the king"dom of heaven;" and, "If any man lives godly, he "muft fuffer perfecution?"

Anfw. 1. As for fufferings and chaftifements, the caufe of them is fin. God doth not punish men for walking in Wisdom's way; but for going out of it. It is no fmall part of the pleasure of Wisdom's way, that it keeps men out of the way of punishment. Is it not then unreasonable, when we trouble ourselves, to blame our Phyfician for troubling us, in order to a cure? VOL. IX. When

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When we have made ourselves fick with too much of the creature, and fenfual delight, no wonder than we need painful and unpleasant phyfic.

2. As for fufferings in the caufe of Chrift, they are ufually requite with pleafure, both here and hereafter. If we knew the joys of martyrs, we would never shrink at the fufferings of martyrs. What hath made many of the fufferers for Chrift face the feveret tortures, with undaunted courage and fortitude, but the internal pleafure they found in God, and the ways of religion?

3. In a word, the fufferings and trials of the children of God are only caftigatory for their chaftifements; or probatory, for their trial; or medicinal, for their health. A little of the vinegar of affliction will make them relifh their pleasure and profperity the better. O what lamentable work hath profperity, honour, and wealth made in the world! Do we not fee thofe who are moft profperous in the world, to be ordinarily the moft proud and perverfe? and fhall we grudge that neceffary moderate affliction that tends to fave us from the like cverthrow? The people of God, through their frailty, would be apt to furfeit on their pleafures, if infinite Wisdom did not order fome four fauce to help their digeftion. And yet it is a known experience among them, that their times of greateft affliction are ordinarily their times of greateft confolation: when he brings them to the wilderness, then he fpeaks comfortably to them, and gives them, in the valley of Achor, a door of hope; fo that their tribulations do not hinder their confolation, but further it, Hof. ii. 14, 15. And as their afflictions abound, fo do their confolations abound, 2 Cor. i. 5.And in the multitude of their thoughts within them, his comforts delight their fouls, Pfal. xciv. 19. And fo their fufferings work for their joy, and their trials for their triumph.

Object. 3. "How can Wisdom's way be pleasantnefs, "or how can we fuppofe that they who fear God have "the greatest pleasure, when we fee the contrary in

the fadnefs of their faces? in their heavy doubts, and "fears, and complaints; infomuch, that while many

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