All right, so Matthew Henry seeks to address objections that can be brought against the doctrine that he has been presenting, and the Puritans were often doing this. And actually, if you if you've read many Puritan sermons, you'll you'll see that many Puritans would address objections in their sermons. This was just common fair because they were constantly being attacked and people outside would disagree with them and propose objections. So the Puritans were very diligent to try to to uncover every possible objection against the doctrine, to try to turn over every rock and see what's underneath it, as it were, and try to remove every single thing that could be brought against the truth of God's Word, trying to answer cases of conscience, trying to answer objections, trying to unfold the doctrine so clearly that by the time they were done treating a subject, you were a master of it. Now you just needed to practice it. But at least you understood it all. We may say, So here, Matthew Henry seeks to do that. Now, he addresses this a few different ways. We have really four. Let's see, first, second, third, really four, four overall issues, I guess, to to address and and under those some sub points. But first of all, he says we ought to concern ourselves for the vindication of godliness. And we ought never to be ashamed, as Paul says, of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought never to be ashamed of it. Secondly, as Peter says, we ought always to be prepared to give an answer for the reason of the hope that is within us and to give that answer with meekness and with love. And so we ought to always be ready to speak to the defense and get behind. Christianity, and as Henry has been saying, get behind true religion. Because everywhere, Christianity is spoken against. People don't mind what religion you speak for, as long as it's not Christianity. They'll be happy to support any religion you think may be worthwhile, but the minute you tell them you're a Christian, all of a sudden they go up in arms. That is just ridiculous, and it's closed-minded, and it's biased and prejudiced, and etc., etc., etc. And of course, that's the world's response to Christ. It always has been, it always will be. The world doesn't want it Christ way. They want it their own way and they want to be able to adjust and create and mold a religion after their own fashion. And it just isn't that way. So we want to speak to the truth of this doctrine and we need to speak to the truth in the face of objectors. Now, there's several different things to consider here. The first objection or those who would rise first would be those who misapprehend the doctrine that's been proposed. So addressing misapprehensions, those who confront Excuse me, those who reproach religion, those who put it to an ill name, those who speak against it, they don't understand what they're talking about. This is the first category of people, if you will. The first category of objectors would be those who do not understand what they're talking about. They're speaking out of ignorance. Jesus says, you know, the truth of my words, if you practice them, you know, the truth of my doctrine, if you do it, Jesus says, come to me, try my yoke on, try it on and you'll see it's like You'll see that there's no heaviness to my burden. You'll see the way in which I've called you to walk is pleasant. And as we've learned here from Proverbs chapter three, you will see that the ways of religion are pleasant and peaceful. That's what you'll find. So you can listen to objectors if you want, but you shouldn't speak to something you don't know. And this is often the case. And for this category, these are people who speak evil of the way, but they speak of things they do not know. And of course, he puts this right in the devil's camp. The devil has been trying to do this since the beginning, trying to alienate men's minds from the life of God, from the power of godliness. They want to put an ill name upon religion to make it look horrible and dark and heavy and cumbersome and a hindrance, a killjoy. There's nothing good about religion. Trust me, you don't want to go down that road. You don't even want to inquire after it. So these are this first category. They say it is in vain to serve God. And this is a powerful verse from Malachi 3, verse 14. The Lord rebukes his people. You have said it is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or walking as in morning before the Lord of hosts? How many have said that it is in vain to serve God? What profit is there to walk around in the ways of Christianity? Well, again, These objectors, their reproach is groundless. It's easy to speak to these because they don't know what they're talking about. They are enemies of what is good and they are perverting the ways of truth, calling it drudgery. But there's a second category. of objectors, and these misrepresent. So the first misapprehend the truth. The second category, these misrepresent Christianity, misrepresent true religion. They call themselves the friends of religion, but through mistake and the indulgence of their own weaknesses, they betray its cause instead of pleading it, and thereby they confirm people's prejudices against it, which they should endeavor to remove. So here he talks about several different categories. First of all, he says some in this category of misrepresenting, some are morose and some are sour in their profession. They make the exercises of religion a burden, a task and therefore a terror to themselves and to those around them. They never show any joy in the ways of Christ. The ways of Christ, the commands of Christ, the demands of the church, etc., etc., are always getting in the way of their life. This is the way they live their Christian life. They live it as if Christianity is something they've done, it's something they've agreed to do, they've joined the church, etc., etc., but part of me regrets it. This sort of attitude, it's a burden, it's a heaviness, there's no joy in it at all, there's no fun in it, if you will. And so they walk around sour in their profession. They profess Christ boldly, but look at their lives. It's absolutely nothing but burdens. They bring this upon themselves, of course. Henry's made that clear all along the way, and he'll echo it again. Religion does not carry this burden to it. Nevertheless, they carried around themselves. Others are melancholy and sorrowful in their profession. They go on from day to day under prevailing doubts and fears and despair about their spiritual estate. They're always filled with doubt, they're always questioning their election, always struggling and carrying on with this sorrowful demeanor. Again, as if Christianity brings absolutely no joy. Now, Peter tells us to make our calling and election sure, but the Bible is filled with all sorts of grounds for comfort, all sorts of grounds for assurance. Sometimes we behave as if the Bible doesn't give us enough to assure us. If the Bible doesn't give us enough means by which we can be assured of our election and be assured of grace and be assured of forgiveness and pardon, the Bible has no place for us to walk around in constant doubt and in constant fear. That's not the religion that Christ brings to His people. I came that they may have joy and have it to the full. I came that they may have life and have it to the abundance. And so the Christianity that Christ brings is one filled with assurance and peace. The Confession tells us very clearly when we lack assurance, it's almost always our fault. Because we're walking in paths we should not be walking. And so, of course, we're going to lack assurance. Now, he comes to this number three here under B. He says, we know some of the best of God's people have experienced trouble of mind. But for these, while it is their sin that causes it, they blame religion for it. So there's a couple of things going on here. On the one hand, you have those who walk around sorrowful, who walk around mournful, who walk around sour. Part of that, of course, they're to blame for that. Henry has echoed this many, many times. You cannot blame religion for that. You cannot blame the ways of Christ for that. Part of the problem is we are walking around not doing what we're supposed to do and so therefore we are experiencing again this lack of assurance or these troubles of conscience. But we have here another category of those, the best of God's children. He says sometimes they suffer from troubles of mind. But let's see how the Lord unfolds this here. He says, first of all, God is sometimes pleased for a time to suspend the communication of his comforts to his people and to hide his face from them to try their faith and strengthen it. Now, this is what we've talked about several times. Sometimes it is the case that the best of God's people have difficulty. They face, as I've described it recently, emptiness. The Lord empties his people and he emptied us in order to fill us. And hereby he corrects us for our sins. He corrects us and sends us into a winter season. He brings us to a more humble dependence upon Christ, teaching us that our comforts are not to be found in ourselves, but our comforts must be found in the Lord, teaching us that we need to look outside of ourselves for joy, look outside of ourselves for peace, look outside of ourselves for assurance, look outside of ourselves for comfort, showing us In these times of forsaking us, in these times of these moments of withdrawing comforts, these moments of a dark storm coming our way, these are moments in which God wants to rather than not push us away, but rather draw us nearer to him. And so God sows light in those difficult times, sows light in the night of affliction, and then the light will be reaped. The morning of joy will come. Weeping lasts for a night, the Scripture says, but joy comes in the morning. And this is what happens in this case, Isaiah 54, verse 7. For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. Look at that contrast. We have desertion and gathering, but notice the description. The one is brief, but then with great compassion, I will gather you. It reminds us of what Paul says, of course, in Romans eight, that these are momentary afflictions that cannot be compared with the eternal weight of glory. And so there are times when God empties his people. There are times because of our sin. Because we have wandered in paths we should not be in, that God empties us. Come back to Pilgrim's Progress. Bypass Meadow, it seems to always apply. Think of Bypass Meadow. They left the path. They go into Bypass Meadow. It is no surprise they wind up in Doubting Castle. And they're in Doubting Castle for an entire week, which is a long period of time. And they're in there for an entire week. And what are they experiencing? Oh, the difficulties they're facing. They're experiencing doubts. Remember one time, Christian is ready to take his own life. He is ready to take his life and hopeful, encourages him not to do so. And then finally, of course, on the Lord's Day, there is a reviving, a quickening, a reminding. Wait a minute. Why am I behaving such? God has given to me so many great and exceeding precious promises. And he pulls out the key of promise, unlocks the door and the gate and the far gate and et cetera, and makes his way clear. But what a difficult time it was. Why did that come upon them? Well, the Lord withdrew. The Lord forsook. Why? Because of sin. And so the best of God's people experience some of these troubles. But it is our sin that causes these troubles of mine. It's our sin that causes these dark times. These difficult places in our lives are in religion. Religion itself cannot be blamed for it. Rather, sin must be blamed. And again and again, we need to keep that in mind. And so God has. has done this in order to draw us closer to him. And so Henry says God's hand must therefore be acknowledged in all their afflictions. Well, what hand? A righteous hand. When the Lord afflicts his sinful people, his sinful children, he cannot be blamed for afflicting them, but their own sins, their own waywardness has brought this about. This is why David said in Psalm 119, 75, I know, O Lord, your rules are righteous and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. You've been faithful, faithful to afflict me, because this is the way to bring me back. Faithful to afflict me, because you told me you have made it clear to me that if I wander off, I'm going to suffer for it. I'm going to suffer chastisement. I'm going to suffer loss. I'm going to suffer sorrow. I'm going to regret it. And I'm going to bring upon myself many troubles and snares. It's exactly what happened. In faithfulness, you have afflicted me. I'm the one in unfaithfulness that deserted the way. I stepped out of the path of truth and light. And your faithful hand has come alongside. and afflicted me in order to bring me back, in order to empty me, in order to show me how much I need Christ, in order to show me how much I need to live by the gospel every day. Look at Lamentations 3.33. For he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. This is a powerful verse. And Henry brings this up here. God neither delights in their tears nor afflicts them willingly, but would rather that they would walk in faith and enjoy his comforts without interruption. And so limitations three thirty three says God does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men willingly. This is an interesting verse, but basically what what Jeremiah is getting at here is that affliction in one sense is God's strange work. It's not a work from God's heart. What's the work from God's heart? Mercy. For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son. Christ loved us and therefore gave himself up for us. So, from the heart of God comes mercy and grace and compassion. This overflows God's heart. So, Levitations 3.33, the point there and the point that Henry's making is, when God afflicts, he doesn't do it willingly, as it were. He does it out of necessity. When God afflicts his people, he afflicts them in the same way that we discipline our children. Because we know there's no other way. We know we must. We cannot let them wander. We have to discipline them in order to bring them back. And so God, as it were, does this strange work, not from the heart, but he brings forth his rod of chastisement, his rod of discipline, because it's the only thing that's going to awaken his people. It's the only thing that's going to, as it were, knock sense into us again. He, mercy is his heart work, affliction is his strange work. And so we need to understand as much as scripture allows us, we need to understand the difference. And so Henry's pointing out, look, God's desire. God has filled religion with all sorts of pleasant things and filled the path of religion with all sorts of peace. And God's desire is that you walk in faith, that you enjoy his comforts without interruption. But if you're going to step into Bypass Meadow, Then he's going to go about his strange work and bring you back. If you're going to forsake the way, if you're going to turn, as Israel did, to your idols, he's going to hedge up your way with thorns. And as Henry has said many times, you'll have yourself to thank for the troubles that you meet. Not the Lord. And again, don't blame religion. The idea of those who misrepresent religion is that they're facing all these troubles and they're sorrowful and they're sad. But the reason is their own sin. Don't blame religion. Don't let religion take the blame for your behavior, which brings upon you the hand of God. In that fashion. And so therefore, he says at the end there, religion cannot be blamed for the uncomfortable lives of some who are religious. Again, recognizing their relationship with Christ, but the discomfort they feel is because they are walking about in ways they should not. Which again brings me to Bolton's book, right? Directions for a Comfortable Walk with God. What is a comfortable walk with God? It's a walk of obedience. It's a walk of holiness and piety. It's a walk of faithfulness. That's where the comfort is. The blessings come upon us in that fashion. As Henry has said, the most holy are the most happy. So we have those who misapprehend true religion, those who misrepresent religion. Now, let's come to the third category letter C on page one there. Let's come to genuine, apparent unpleasantness in religion, he says there thirdly. We must, however, reconcile the truth of the pleasantness of religion's ways with that which the same scripture tells us of the difficulties which do attend the way of religion. For there are in religion some things that appear at first to be unpleasant. But as we are sure that the word of God does not contradict itself, we are also sure that these difficulties can be shown to be consistent with the pleasantness of religion and therefore are no exception to our doctrine. So let's be clear that there are at first some things that appear unpleasant in the ways of in the way of religion. What are they? He says, well, there's four things where to speak honestly, which we always must. There are four things which seem at first to contradict the doctrine that he's been proposing all along, but they only seem to contradict it. They actually do not contradict it. So what are these four? Well, first of all, repentance. He says, it is true that to be religious is to live a life of repentance, a life of repentance, to understand repentance. Repentance is to abhor yourself because of your sinfulness. Repentance is to hate your sin, to loathe yourself. Repentance is to turn out of the ways of sin. Repentance is to battle with yourself. It is to say no to temptation, to find yourself tempted, obviously, because of our sinfulness to do wrong. But it is to say no of that. No to temptation. It is to be grieved and sorrowful because of your corruption. The fact that, you know, you're a sinner and we cannot get rid of our corruption because it's part of the as Paul says, this body of death and that our life is filled with transgressions. This is a life of repentance. This is what it means. And is this unpleasant? Well, it appears to be at first, and yet Religion's ways are still pleasant. How so? He explains it. First of all, it's not our walking in religion that creates this sorrow, the sorrow of repentance, but it's our trifling in the way and turning out of the way. In other words, if we would walk as we should, there would be no need for repentance, right? The troubles that we face in repentance are the unpleasantness of repentance because of the grief and the sorrow and the regret and the shame and these things These things don't they only accompany religion because we turn out of the ways of religion. They only come upon us when we sin. We don't need to repent when we haven't sinned. And so he says we make hard work for ourselves. We make religion, this aspect of it, more unpleasant than it need be. If we walk faithfully before the Lord, then we won't experience this bitterness. And so the bitterness in repentance isn't in religion. It's in the sin that occasions it. It's sin that is bitter. It's sin that causes regret. It's sin that causes sorrow. It's sin that causes us to abhor ourselves and loathe ourselves in God's sight because he is holy and we ourselves are holy in Christ. And yet, he says, even at the end, is it not better to mourn now than later? Even if we are to admit the mourning of sin, the mourning of repentance, rather, isn't it better to mourn now than later? Because to continue impenitent, he says, is not to avoid sorrow. If repentance is so painful, then I'll just continue in sin and never repent. Well, that isn't to avoid the pain. That's to put off the pain. Put it off until when? Judgment Day. Now what do we face? Now we face not repentance, a gift of God, but regret. Because there's no repentance left. So, if it's this, the idea is, if we want to avoid the sorrow and the unpleasantness, or the unpleasant repentance that accompanies religion, then don't continue in penitent. Rather, walk in piety. Repentance outside religion is mere regret and sorrow. But repentance in religion is pleasant. Because it's a putting off of what is obnoxious. It's a putting off of what is hateful, what is bitter, what is painful, what is a hindrance to true growth and grace. And so in true repentance, there's pleasure in that we are comforted by God. Blessed are those who mourn. Furthermore, he says, there is pleasantness following repentance because the penitent are comforted with pardon. So, yes, let's admit the unpleasantness of repentance, but let's see what God gives in return. Let's see what repentance brings. It brings the pleasantness, the joy, the comfort of pardon in the forgiveness that God gives us. And so we need to appreciate that. And so Isaiah 61 verse 3 says, grant to those who mourn in Zion, to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit, that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. So let's bring our ashes of repentance. Let's bring our ashes of repentance to the Lord. Let's bring our mourning to the Lord. What does God give in return? The oil of gladness. He gives us beauty. He blesses us with pardon. And what a wonderful thing is the return of these things from the Lord. He heals us. And so He convicts us, wounds us, you might say, with conviction that we might repent in order that He might heal us. Anything God brings upon us like that is always to bring us closer to Him that we might enjoy more of His grace. God never pushes His people away. He rather afflicts them and humbles them to bring them closer, draw them. Well, this is the first thing that makes religion appear to be unpleasant, repentance. But there's another thing, and that is labor, the striving that we must do. It is true, he says, that to be religious is to take care and pains to labor earnestly. to labor earnestly. Matthew 11, verse 12, Jesus said, From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. Puritans have always used this verse to unfold the idea of living zealously. That's the book that I wrote on that. Living zealously. Thomas Watson wrote a whole book on taking heaven by storm, in which he unfolds, one after the other, how we are to do violence to ourselves. We must do violence to ourselves, to our sinful nature. Do violence to our sin that would seek to wander off and seek to be slothful and lazy and a cheat and a liar. Do violence to this and take heaven by force. Persevere with a holy zeal. Persevere in the reading of God's Word. Persevere in praying. Persevere in attending upon God's house. Persevere in Christian fellowship. Persevere in loving your brethren. In all of these things, violently, as it were, pursue heaven with the grace, as Paul says, with the same passion and zeal with which you pursued sin. Reflect in your own mind at how zealously you pursued unrighteousness, how eagerly, how without halt or stop, you pursued the ways of iniquity. Reflect upon that with shame. And Paul says, put forth the same effort in the ways of God, because you've been born again. Just as you yielded your members unrighteousness, now yield them with that same passion and fervor and zeal to righteousness. So Matthew 11, 12 echoes this. And of course, Romans 12, 11, do not be slothful and zeal, be fervent in spirit and serve the Lord. The idea is being inflamed, be on fire for the Lord, serve him fervently, zealously, conscientiously give your all to the Lord. And so, yes, it's true. But to be religious is to take great care. It is to labor. It is to strive. The way is narrow. We must run in the way. Look at all the descriptions of the Christian life. It's a race we must run. It's a battle we must fight. Christians are said to be clad in armor. We want to be clad in some some wonderful, relaxed attire, even as a beach bum, as it were. We want to be in shorts and a tank top. That's not the Christian life at all. The Christian life is one where we're clad in the great armor of Christ, an armor he himself wore. And so we are clad in this fashion. We're running a race. Paul says we're boxing and we're beating and we're beating our own breasts. All the descriptions of the Christian life are one of great fervency and one of great zeal and one of great struggle and fight. And so we run with patience. Henry says, we're always on our guard. We keep our hearts with all diligence. We can never take our eyes off our hearts. You can never let your tongue run loose and say what you want to say. You can never let your thoughts run loose and just wonder wherever they want. You must always bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Shut your mouth and don't say things you shouldn't say. Always think twice before you speak. Always hold back your hands from giving themselves so readily and easily to evil. We must zealously serve the Lord. This is a difficult, difficult thing that we do, and it's every single day and there's no rest at all. You think of Nehemiah in the days of Nehemiah in the building, the temple, they had a trial on one hand, but they had a sword in the other and they slept with their weapons. There was never a rest because, just as our gracious Lord, neither slumbers nor sleep, neither does the enemy. He never sleeps. He never rests. He never stops. He's always stirring up mischief. He's always out to get you. It is, as Henry goes on, it is a difficult uphill journey. Look at Pilgrim's Progress. The way was not easy, even when there seemed to be no troubles at all. Before long, they were complaining that their feet hurt because the way was rough. Straight seemed to be no fear on either side, but their feet hurt because it was a rough road. Every place in the Christian life is filled with these difficulties. So it would seem that, wait a minute, there can't be a pleasantness to the Christian life. You can't say that the religious life is pleasant if it's filled with all these things. And yet, Henry says, still, there is comfort in it all. And if we consider how we are enabled and encouraged in the work, it will appear to be pleasant work. Yes, it's work, but pleasant work. And he has a whole list here that you could spend a lot of time on thinking of how we are helped. Yes, we're called to a difficult journey, but we are enabled and strengthened to go on in it and through it. God works in us to will them to do of his good pleasure. The spirit fills our hearts. Spirit indwells us, leading us in prayer, teaching us how to pray. The spirit works in us. Our good works, God does in us and through us. He gives his spirit to help us in every way. It's an uphill journey, but not only are we helped, but we're carried, we're enabled, we're supplied with everything we need. And when the most difficult times come, we have second reading in twelve nine. My grace is sufficient for you. So we have the promise and the assurance of sufficient grace. Whatever your difficulty may be, there's grace enough for you. Someone's going to have a greater difficulty than you. There's grace enough for them. Someone's going to have a lesser difficulty. There's grace enough for them. There's grace enough no matter what we face. And moreover, we're encouraged in the work because we do it out of love for the one who called us. We love the Lord because he first loved us. And so not only are we enabled to go on with the journey, but we have a heart filled with love for the one for whom we labor. Isn't work easy when you love the person you're working for? Right. When you love your parents, when you love your husband and you're called to serve your husband or serve your parents, the love puts a fervor behind it and it puts it puts an energy behind it that wouldn't be there otherwise. It'd be hard to work for an ill master, not only if he was ill, but if you hated him. Very difficult to do the work. But when we are in love with the person for whom we work, then it becomes an easy work. And also added to this, there is the prospect of recompense. The Lord is coming again and his recompense is in his hand. And we owe we have earned none of it. We deserve none of the recompense. And yet what does he bring? He's told us he brings rewards, rewards not due to your merit, but rewards due to his gracious work in you, the rewards of his own work. And so he's going to crown his work in you. He's going to place upon you a crown of life, a crown of righteousness, a robe of righteousness. He's going to make you co-heirs in his kingdom. And you're going to rule with him and judge angels. What a beautiful and glorious prospect is before us. And this is all part of his grace. And this is all at the end of, yes, a difficult journey. But doesn't that ease the journey? Doesn't that ease it, especially when you compare A few short days in this life and an eternity in the recompense, the store will never be never be exhausted. Never, the rain will never end. We will reign with Christ forever. And so, as he says, we will abundantly be amended for all of our toil. We strive, yes, but it's to enter eternal life. We run, but it's to receive an incorruptible crown. We're not running for some wreath that fades. We're running and laboring and striving as heirs of eternity. We've got to keep that in perspective. As Edwards always said, you know, we need to do everything from an eternal perspective. And that changes not only our motive behind it, it changes our whole perspective. It changes how we labor. Changes the zeal that we have behind it. And so this is important to remember. So there is this second aspect to be religious is to labor. But of course, even there, there is pleasantness. The third thing that makes religion look unpleasant is, of course, self-denial. And this is at the base of religion. This is at the foundation. He who would follow me, Jesus says, let him take up his cross. Let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. No one can follow Christ unless he learns self-denial. No one is a Christian unless he has learned self-denial. Now, we're going to struggle with self-denial. Yes, but it is a basic lesson. This is elementary school. This is where it begins. And so this is certainly a difficult part of being a Christian. He says we must deny ourselves in many things that are pleasing to sense beloved. Notice that beloved lusts must be mortified and subdued, corrupt appetites, cravings that must must be crossed and displeased. Forbidden pleasures must be abandoned. This is self-denial to a natural man. This is like cutting off your right hand. This is like plucking out your right eye, cutting off your right foot. This is painful to natural man, because these are pleasures, appetites. These are lusts. And so for Christ to come along and say these are forbidden, you can't have these anymore. You must stop altogether. This is called self-denial. We must crucify it, kill it. No provision at all must be made. Romans 13, 14, a great verse there. Make no provision for the flesh to satisfy its desires. Don't even make provision for it. The first lesson we must learn in religion is to deny ourselves, and we must practice it constantly and daily. If there is something that looks unpleasant in religion, It's self-denial. Because all around us the world is throwing itself into the ocean of iniquity. And we stand upon the shore and turn our backs to such things. No, we will not engage in such practices. We will not walk in such ways. We will not turn to such pleasures. And yet, still he says, This does not take away from the pleasantness of religion. It appears to, but it doesn't. And the reason is because the pleasures of sense, which were to deny ourselves, are despicable and dangerous. Put things in perspective and it changes everything. See it as God sees it. And all of a sudden we see clearly. The world sees these things as pleasurable. Because they're blinded by their own lust. They're darkened. Their hearts are darkened. Claiming to be wise, they become fools. And they're futile in their thinking. These things are despicable. They're gross. They're ungodly. They're abhorrent. They're an abomination. And they're dangerous. They're terribly dangerous because they take the soul for an eternal ride in misery. In great torture and torment under the wrath of God, which the Lord spells out clearly in this word, but the world will not hear of it. He paints the picture this way. He says it's no pain for a grown man to deny himself the toys and sports of a child when he is above them. and acquainted with entertainments that are manly and more generous, more rewarding, more giving, more full, more abundant. And this is what the Christian denies himself, the base and sordid pleasures of those who follow the depraved and vicious appetite of a carnal mind. In other words, what the Christian denies himself is the very things that are below him. And how does he know that they are below him? And the reason he knows that they aren't is because God has opened his eyes to who he really is. He's made in the image of God, and his chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. That we have been put upon this earth not to satisfy ourselves in the things that God has made, not to give ourselves with abandon to this world and to satisfy all of our lustful, sinful cravings, but rather we're put here to glorify God, to honor him, to live for him, to be his vice-regent on earth. to rule and to take dominion in his name. That's what we're here to do. And when we do that, as he's been spelling out, that's where we find true pleasure. When we live according to the reason for which we were created, when we live up to our purpose, then we receive true comfort and true joy. When we abandon our purpose, as we learned a couple of weeks ago, we have to become an animal. We have to deny, we have to be completely irrational. and shut down conscience. And we have to live like an animal in order to throw ourselves into the ocean of iniquity. And so we are above those things by the grace of God, mind you, we are above those things, and those who follow those things are following the ways of carnality, of vicious and a depraved mind lives in such a pool of iniquity. He says further, it's no pain for a man to deny himself those pleasures which blind the mind, debauch the understanding and conscience, quench the sparks of conviction and the flame of holy zeal. How could it be painful? How could that be unpleasant? You're denying things that are dangerous. You're you're denying things that destroy you. You're denying yourself things that have an eternal consequence. This is not unpleasant. This is wise. This is right. This is good to turn out of the ways of sin is wise. Why would you walk in the ways of such horrible, foolish transgression that have such eternal consequences that quench conviction, that quench holy zeal, that debauch your conscience, that blind you completely to the truth and bury you in nothing but sin? To deny ourselves these things is but to avoid a rock upon which multitudes have fatally split themselves. This is not unpleasant. This is wise. This is the only way to live. I love this next picture there. Is it not more pleasant to travel on rough pavement than smooth quicksand? Let me put it again, put it in perspective. The pavement is rough. My feet are sore, but I would rather be here. And is it certainly more pleasant to be here because the ground is sure than to walk in a smooth place where the ground is so unsure and indeed sure only in that it will swallow you up eventually. See it as God sees it. What pleasure can a man take in those entertainments in which he has continual reason to suspect a snare and a design upon him from the evil one? That is such a powerful sentence. I really appreciate that. I dwelt upon that for some time. Think about the things and what comes to my mind is what Paul says. All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient. There are many things in this world that we could do. And in the doing of them is no sin. But what if we suspect a snare? Then how wise are we to give ourselves to them? We're wiser if we suspect that in that place, or in the engagement of that thing, whatever it may be, if we suspect that there will be temptation, then we are fools to try it and see. Because what are you going to do when the temptation comes? You're more than likely going to fall. Do you really think you're going to have the wherewithal when you find indeed, as you suppose, the temptation was there? You think that you're going to have the wherewithal to not give into the temptation? You're already disposed toward it because you're in the midst of the very thing which occasions the temptation. In other words, you're halfway there. We're wiser when we suspect danger to not even engage. I think this is very, very Important lesson for us to learn. The enemy places snares where you least expect them. He places snares where you think you have it all together. And that's where you fall. And that's when you fall. And in the midst of it, you're halfway disposed to do it. You're already bent toward it, if you will, rather than being bent away from it. And so let the world engage in its things. And in many cases, I can say the same thing. Let other Christians engage in lawful things where they think that where they seem to where they would say, I'm OK here. But if you suspect your weakness or Satan's craftiness, don't do it. Just back away. Don't go there. Let others go such a path. You choose a wiser path. May it be longer, may it be rougher, choose a wiser path. And this again, this is where self-denial is so important. You see, when we deny ourselves, self-denial isn't something you practice as it were toward forbidden pleasures, because forbidden pleasures are forbidden. Right? Sometimes self-denial, we need to think of it in another way. It's true here of course, as Henry draws it out, but sometimes we need to think of it in another way. Self-denial sometimes is just an act of wisdom. denying ourselves things that we know are potentially dangerous. In this respect, self-denial doesn't pertain to sin as much as to lawful things that are not expedient. Lawful things that are potentially dangerous, number one, because you're weak. Number two, because you don't know what lies ahead. You're just ignorant. You have no idea what waits you in such a situation. And why put yourself in a situation where you're not fully in control? Because then it's too late. And you've lost already. So I really want you to think about that and put that upon your radar. Just think about that and the wisdom of what Henry is saying there. The foolish woman, he goes on, calls the stolen water sweet and the bread eaten in secret pleasant. Proverbs 9, 16 and 17. This whole section here. But those that deny stolen waters and bread eaten in secret do so Because they know the dead are there and her guests are already in the depths of hell. In other words, perspective once again. Stolen waters are sweet, but to whom? The adulterous. Foolish woman. Right, Lady Folly in Proverbs. Stolen waters are sweet, but to the sinful palate. Stolen waters are not sweet. To the Christ minded, not sweet to the Christian. Because though they be waters, they're stolen. So there's nothing sweet about it. Bread eaten in secret is not pleasant. It's the same respect. It's only pleasant to those who are blinded by sin. And God tells us, those who go such a path, that's the path to death. And those who go down to her, do not come back. Keep sin where God places it. Far away from His people. We are not to go near her door. Proverbs 9, 17 and 18. Or 16 and 17. Whoever is simple, let him turn in here to him who lacks sense, she says. Stolen water is sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. Notice verse 16. Whoever is simple and to him who lacks sense. That's all of us. We're simple minded, we lack sense. It is to us. that Lady Folly calls. Now you'll notice as you read, continue to read, if you continue to read in Chapter 9 of Proverbs, what you'll find is that Lady Wisdom also calls to those who are simple and those who lack sense. In other words, Lady Folly and Lady Wisdom call to us all. It's Lady Folly, though, who offers something that's stolen and something in secret. It's Lady Wisdom, who represents Christ in Proverbs, who calls to us. to eternal life, to ways of pleasantness and paths of peace. So which way are we going to go? We need to walk in the ways of the Lord. Let me give you the final one here, the fourth one. There is a fourth thing that makes religion look unpleasant. It makes it appear unpleasant, but it's not. And that is that there are sufferings. He says, it is true that we must enter the kingdom of heaven through many tribulations. Acts 14.22, Paul says it is through many tribulations we enter the kingdom of heaven. And yet, Henry says, neither do these sufferings and tribulations spoil the pleasure of true religion. For our affliction is but momentary at the worst. In other words, no matter how bad it is, it's short, right? I mean, let's just, again, I keep saying this, let's keep it in perspective. No matter how bad life is, And all of us have the same difficulties. Some of us are are burdened with great trials, greater trials than anyone else has. And some and of course, greater trials, therefore, than others could bear. God doesn't give us more than we can handle. Right. And so we know that whatever trial you have, God has determined to uphold you in it. If you look to him, it's not too much for you. Now, it may be too much for your sister, too much for your brother, but it's not too much for you. Otherwise, the Lord wouldn't bring it to you. God knows better than you do what medicine and what degree we can handle. But still, no matter how bad it is, at the worst, it's short. It's momentary. In fact, Paul says it's light and momentary. But compare that with the eternal weight of glory reserved for us. And of course, this shows up there in 2 Corinthians 4 and Romans 8. The eternal weight of glory. The contrast is so clear. The one is light. The other is weighty. The one is momentary. The other is eternal. The one is tribulation. The other is glory. That's the tradeoff. Christ walked the same path, a path of humiliation, but then an eternal exaltation to follow as our mediator. Moreover, he says, all these troubles only touch the body. They don't afflict the soul. Right? What does Jesus say? Do not fear him who can destroy the body. Don't be afraid of him. Fear him who can cast both body and soul in hell forever. Fear God. Don't fear man. Because what can man do to you? Even as a psalmist says, God is for me. What can man do to me? Whom shall I fear? If the Lord is for me, I'm not afraid of any man at all. Because no matter what he does, he can only touch my body. He cannot touch my soul. And he cannot, no matter all that he takes away from me. He cannot take away my Christ. He can't take away, as Pilgrim's Progress shows, that jewel, the jewel of faith and salvation that cannot be taken away by any man. And so, touching the body and not the soul, Henry says, they pluck the husk. They do not harm the colonel. Our trials are but an honorable suffering for him who suffered and died for us, a sharing in his sufferings in order that we may share in his glory. For every reproach will soon be a pearl in our crown. Matthew 5, 11 and 12, Jesus says, Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. See again the contrast, the trade. Reviling and persecution in this world on my account, but your reward is great. Whatever happens here is short. Whatever happens hereafter is great because it is enduring and eternal. Every reproach will soon be a pearl in our crown. But moreover, and finally, as our trials abound, say, well, what if I have many, many trials? Maybe that disproves the doctrine. He said, no, not even there is there disproof, because as your trials abound, so do your comforts. Second Corinthians 1.5, For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. So wherever our sufferings are, however high our sufferings may be, our comforts are just as high. And of course, the beautiful illustration most often used is the one of the ark. The more the waters rose, the higher to heaven the ark rose, right? The greater the flood, the higher the ark rose, always above the flood, always above the waters, always afloat. And indeed, the higher it rose, the closer to heaven. And therefore, we would say the closer to God's comforts and the more comforts that everyone enjoyed. And just so the more we suffer in God's cause, the more of God's comforts we enjoy. Acts 541. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. How can they respond so? They just suffered. How can they respond in such a fashion? Well, that's the comfort that God gives. You wonder how martyrs and such could go to the grave singing psalms or go to the stake singing psalms, rejoicing on the gallows, giving their testimony and being hung with joy. How could they do such a thing? We wonder how. Well, there really isn't anything to wonder at, is there? God gives dying grace in the dying day. And as high as their afflictions rose, there were comforts comparable. Indeed, above, there was grace sufficient for the suffering. So even here, we still cannot say that this disproves the doctrine of the pleasantness of religion. This still is only unpleasant in its appearance. It really isn't so. And those who say it is so don't know what they're speaking of. They don't understand what they're saying. And thus, he concludes here. The extraordinary supports and joys which they experience, who suffer for righteousness sake, add more to the pleasantness of religion than the sufferings take from it. So great is God's return to us in our sufferings that it actually adds to the pleasantness. So it's actually not. So our sufferings are actually an argument for the pleasantness of religion than an argument against it, because God's return of comforts and joy in the midst of our suffering is so great. that it superabounds. Again, where sin abounds, grace superabounds. So where suffering abounds, God's comforts superabound. The sufferings are human and the consolations are divine. There's no comparison. They suffer in the flesh, they rejoice in the Spirit. They suffer for a time, they rejoice forevermore. Our bodies, our flesh suffers. But through our suffering, we grow in grace every day. You remember what Thomas Manton said to Thomas Case when he went into jail? Remember? You went out of prison when you went in prison. Right? The world was prison. You went out of prison when you went into prison. Because what did Thomas Case experience in prison? Greater comforts, greater consolations, greater drafts from God than he had experienced out. It was just him and God. He learned in the midst of that great time of great adversity and great emptiness, he learned to live upon the fullness of Christ better than he ever did before and he experienced more of the fullness of Christ because he was so emptied. The more empty we are, we've talked about this for several weeks already, it's been so fresh in my mind, but the more empty we are, the more of Christ we enjoy. And so it's not a bad thing to be empty. That's actually what the Spirit is at work doing in us. And that's actually a good place to be. That's where we want to be. We want to be constantly emptied of everything in ourselves because we so easily and quickly turn to ourselves, rely upon ourselves, think that we can do things on our own and we don't turn to God. And therefore we miss out on comforts. We miss out on fullness that is ours already. But how do we draw that? Well, if you're already full of yourself, where's the room for Christ, as it were? And so God empties you that you might give you more of your son. So what a wonderful God we have that puts us in difficult situations in order to give us more of himself. It's all for us. Everything is for us. God gets nothing out of it, as it were. He doesn't need that. We can't add to God in any way. Yet the benefit is constantly and always ours. This is what the Lord does. That just shows again how good he is and how pleasant the way of religion is. Well, amen.