1 John v. 3. His commandments are not grievous.
IT is a painful office which I have to discharge at this time. I must vindicate religion from an aspersion too generally cast upon it ; and stand up in justifica- tion of Almighty God himself against the accusation
l l 2
of being a hard Master. The Apostle evidently sup- posed that there were in his day, and would from time to time arise, persons ready to calumniate their Maker, as having- imposed upon them burthens which they were not able to bear, and as having exacted an obedience which it was unreasonable for him to require. Our own observation abundantly confirms and justifies the supposition : so that I need make no apology for proceeding to shew,
I. Whence it is that we are apt to account God's commandments grievous —
That the great mass of mankind does account them grievous, is a fact too notorious to admit of doubt. And whence is it ? Is it that they are indeed unrea- sonably severe ? No ; it springs,
1. From our inveterate love of sin —
[Man, in his fallen state, is altogether corrupt: his carnal mind is enmity against God, so that it neither is, nor can be, subject to the law of God, so as to render to it any willing obedience.
We are alienated from God himself. As Adam, after he had sinned, fled from God, so, at this time, the language of fallen man to God is, " Depart from us ; we desire not the know- ledge of thy ways." And, when the faithful servants of God endeavour to bring them to a better mind, they reply, " Pro- phesy not unto us right things; prophesy unto us smooth things; prophesy deceits: make the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us."
To every particular command, not of the law only, but of the Gospel itself, the heart of man is averse. Repentance is too painful a work: faith in Christ is too humiliating: an unre- served surrender of the soul to Christ is too strict and rigorous. Man wishes to be a god unto himself. " Who is Lord over us?" is the reply of all, when urged to renounce their evil ways, and to turn unto their God. They will not endure restraint, but " will walk after the imagination of their own evil hearts." Fire and water are not more opposed to each other, than they are to the commands of God ; and hence they regard every injunction, whether of the Law or Gospel, as a yoke too grievous to be borne.]
2. From the real difficulty which there is in obey- ing them —