SERMON XVII.

THE EASY YOKE.

MY YOKE IS EASY, AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.-Matt. xi. 30.

IT has frequently been observed, and, I fear, with too much truth, that it has been the fate of Christianity, in all ages, to suffer more from its friends, than from its enemies. Attacks from the enemies of our holy faith, have generally proved subservient to its propagation and success ;-but the misrepresentations and injuries of its friends, have often wounded it in a vital part. One of the greatest of these misrepresentations, and one of the most flagrant injuries that ever was done to religion, was to represent it as a burdensome service, as a grievous and a galling yoke, to which no man would submit, but from the terror of eternal punishment. And what aggravates the injury, this has sometimes been done by persons of real seriousness, who, unhappily possessed of a gloomy imagination, and who, probably, at some period of their lives, having been guilty of flagrant crimes, have been so deeply affected with remorse and contrition, that they have continued all their days subject to bondage. But, blessed be God, my brethren, such unfavourable and forbidding delineations of religion have no foundation in truth. In the volumes of revelation, Christians are called upon to rejoice evermore. Religion promises happiness to us in the life which now is, as well as in the life which is to come. The wisdom that is from above, is represented as having length of days in her right hand, VOL. I.

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and in her left hand, riches and honour. The Prophets and Apostles ransack heaven and earth for images to express the joys of the just: they bring together the most beautiful and most delightful objects in the whole compass of nature, and introduce the inanimate parts of the creation, as joining in the happiness of the good; the hills and the mountains breaking forth into singing, and all the trees of the wood shouting for joy. So that all concurs to prove the truth of the text," my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The world, indeed, and its votaries, will represent religion to you as an irksome burden, as an oppressive yoke; but, upon the authority of Jesus Christ, and upon the testimony of all his disciples, we are authorized to assure you, that his commandments are not grievous, and that the ways he points out to his followers, are "ways of pleasantness, and paths of peace."

Wherefore, to the ease and pleasure of a Christian life, as the subject of this discourse, I now solicit your serious attention. But, before I enter upon it, I have one observation to make, which is, that in order to taste the joys of religion, we must have been accustomed to its influences, and made some advances in the divine life. For we can never have a relish for any pursuit, till we are acquainted with it. We can never enter into the spirit of any science, till that science is familiar to us. To those who have been long engaged in a course of wickedness, the duties of religion will at first be grievous and irksome, because they oppose strong prejudices, and confirmed habits of vice. But when these bad habits are removed, and good ones are contracted,-when a man acquires the temper, and enters into the spirit of religion, he then feels the joy which a stranger intermeddles not with. Put a musical instrument into the hands of an unskilful person, and nothing but harshness and discord is heard from every string. The artist alone makes music and harmony accompany all the

motions of his hand. Religion, like every thing else, must be learned, before it be understood.

I. But, to proceed, the Christian life, in the first place, is a life of ease and pleasure, on account of the principle, from which the Christian acts. The Christian is not a slave who obeys from compulsion, nor a servant who works for hire; he is a son who acts from ingenuous affection and filial love. When the Christian contemplates the goodness and tender mercies, and loving kindness of God, particularly his inexpressible love in the redemption of the world, by the only Son of his bosom, he is constrained to new obedience, by the most powerful of all ties, by the cords of love and the bands of a man,-both his reasoning and his feeling exciting this sentiment, that if one died for all, then they which are alive, ought not to live to themselves, but to him who died for them. Gratitude to a benefactor, affection to a Father, love to a friend, all concur to form the principle of evangelical obedience, and to strengthen the cord that is not easily broken. Love, therefore, is the principle of the Christian life: love, the most generous passion that glows in the breast of man,-the most active principle that works in the human frame,the key that unlocks every finer feeling of the heart,-the spring that puts in motion every power of the soul. Pleasant are the labours of love. Short is the path, and cheerful the journey, when the heart goes along. A determined mind, enamoured of the object it pursues, removes mountains, and smooths the roughest paths. The fire cannot extinguish, nor the waters quench its force; it reigns supreme in the heart, and diffuses a gaiety over every scene of life. By its influence, labour becomes easy, and duty becomes a delight.

II. In the second place, the ease and pleasure of a Christian life, will appear, if we consider the assistance we receive from above. "Work out your salvation," says the

holy Scripture, "for it is God that worketh within you every good work and word." There are, doubtless, difficulties in the Christian life. Let us not deceive ourselves. You will often find it difficult to act the proper part,-to maintain a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man, to keep your passions within the bounds of reason,―to subdue your irregular inclinations to the obedience of faith, and to hold fast your integrity uncorrupted, amidst the temptations of the world. These and many other difficulties will beset you in running your Christian race. But remember, my brethren, that one half of the pleasures of human life arise from overcoming difficulties; and to overcome these difficulties, God bestows the influences of his Holy Spirit. The Lord is ever nigh to them that call upon him in the sincerity of their heart. To those who wait at the salutary stream, an angel descends to stir the waters. God never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye my face in vain. He never neglected the prayer that came from the heart, he never forsook the man that put his trust in him. If, indeed, you were left to climb the arduous ascent by your own strength alone, then the Christian life would neither be easy nor pleasant,-then you might sit down in despair of ever arriving at the top of Zion. But the truth is, whatever duties God calls you to, he gives you abilities to perform them. According as your days are, he has promised that your strength shall be. His grace is sufficient for us; his strength is made perfect in our weakness. No, my brethren, God has never withdrawn himself from the world. The Father of Spirits is ever present with his rational offspring,—he knows their frame, he helps their infirmities, assists their graces, strengthens their powers, and makes perfect what concerns them. He assists the feeble, he receives the languishing, he supports the strong. He aids the efforts of the captive, who endeavours to break loose from the fetters that hold him; hé favours the ascent of the devout mind, which, with the

confidence of faith, rises to himself, and he forwards the pilgrim, journeying on to his native country. The good husbandman superintends the vine which his own right hand has planted. He waters his vineyard with dews from heaven, and breathes ethereal influence on those trees of righteousness that shall adorn the paradise of God. Have you never felt him, my brethren, restraining your evil inclinations, suggesting holy thoughts, kindling heavenly affections, and drawing you to your duty, with a hand unseen? Have you not felt him as a Spirit within your spirit, imparting secret strength, animating your frame, as with new life, actuating your faculties, purifying your passions, begetting in you an abhorrence of sin, and a love of righte ousness, and making all your graces shine out with fresh beauty? How easy and delightful then, will the Christian life be, when you have divine aids to strengthen, support, and assist? It is God himself, who is on your side, it is God himself who works with you,-his wisdom is your guide; his arm is your support; his Spirit is your strength; you lose your own insufficiency in the fulness of infinite perfection.

III. In the third place, it will appear that the Christian life is easy and pleasant, if we consider the encouragements the good man receives. The real Christian waits not for all his happiness, till he come to heaven: he has treasures in hand, as well as possessions in hope: he has a comfortable portion in the life that now is, as well as in that which is to come. There is a sense of moral good and evil planted in every mind; a principle of conscience which condemns us when we do ill, and applauds us when we do well. This principle is the chief foundation of our happiness, and gives rise to the greatest pleasures and the greatest pains in human life. By means of this moral sense, there is no peace to the wicked. Inward struggles, strong reluctance, and aversion of mind, precede the commission of