Twenty-third Day. Of the easiness of ChrisVs yoke

I. * My yoke is easy, and my burden light.' Matthew xi. 30. Lei not the name of yoke terrify ns, for it is the yoke of Christ, and he helps us to bear it; he causes us to love it; he endears it to us by the inward charms of righteousness and truth. He gives us a disgust for false pleasure, and renders the practice of virtue delightful. He supports man against himself, frees him from original corruption, and makes him strong notwithstanding his weakness. What fearest thou, O man of little faith? let God exert himself in thee. Abandon thyself to him. You shall suiTcr, but you shall suffer with love and inward tranquillity Y'ju shall fight, but you shall gain the victory; the Lord himself shall fight for you, and

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74 Heflections.

reward your success. You shall weep, but your tears shall be pleasing, and God shall himself wipe them from your eyes. You shall I>e restrained from following your passions, but after a free sacrifice of your liberty, you "will find another kind of liberty, unknown to the world, and more valuable than universal empire. II. What blindness is it to fear engaging too far with God! The more we love him, the more we shall love his commandments. That love will comfort us in losses, sweeten our crosses, set us free from all other dangerous affections, make us see even through a cloud of afflictions the mercy that dispenses them to us.and make us Qiscover m death itself eternal glory and bliss. What then are we afraid of? Can we have too much of God? Is it a misfortune to be freed frdm the heavy yoke of the worlds and to bear the

Twenty - light burden of Jesus Christ? Do we fear to be happy, too much delivered from ourselves, from the caprices of our pride, the violence of our passions, and the tyranny of this deceitful world.