A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion/Chapter 27
XXVII. Difficulty of Regeneration gradually overcome.
DURING the first stages of regeneration, while man has to oppose all his natural inclinations to evil, with the false pleasures and delights accompanying them, the work is indeed difficult, and resembles a voluntary martyrdom: on which account the Lord says, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it," Luke ix. 23, 24. But in the future progress of the work, after a man has for some time successfully combated against his own natural propensities, and when with the return of temptation his delight in the evil excited is sensibly abated, as it will be after a few cases of determined opposition, the difficulty, which was at first experienced, is gradually overcome, and is at length succeeded first by an aversion to the evil which was before pleasing, and secondly by a delight in doing good, and in every possible way promoting the kingdom of the Lord.
In this new state of mind he comprehends and experiences the truth of these divine words, "Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light," Matt xi. 28 to 30. And though formerly he could discern in religion nothing but crosses, trials, and sacrifices, he can now unite with the Psalmist in saying, "O how I love thy law! How sweet are thy words unto my taste! they are sweeter than honey to my mouth. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have longed for thy salvation, O Jehovah; and thy law is my delight," Ps. cxix. 97, 103, 111, 174.
