own cafe; for certainly we have many of those marks of ruin among us, which did foretel the destruction of the Jewish church and nation; horrible profaneness and contempt of religion, division and animosities to the highest degree, and an universal dissoluteness and corruption of manners. And why should we, who do the same things, think ourselves exempted from the fame fate? What can we expect, but that God should deal with us, as he did with them, take away the kingdom of God from us, and give it to a nation that will bring forth the fruits of it ?

The condition of this great promise here in the text, to the Pastors and Governors of the Christian church, is the faithful execution of their commission; if they do fincerely endeavour to gain men to the belief and practice of Christianity, Chrift hath promifed to be with them. The performance of this condition doth primarily concern the chief governors of the church, and next to them the ministers of the gospel in general, that they should be diligent and faithful in their respective stations, teaching men to observe all things, whatsoever Christ hath commanded. And if we would make this our great work, to instruct our respective charges in the necessary doCtrines of faith, and the indispensable duties of a good life, we should have far less trouble with them about other matters. And that we may do this work effectually, we must be serious in our instructions, and exemplary in our lives. Serious in our instructions; this certainly the Apostle requires in the highest degree, when he chargeth ministers, so to speak, as the oracles of God: to which nothing can be more contrary, than to trifle with the word of God, and to speak of the weightiest matters in the world, the great and everlasting concernments of the souls of men, in so slight and indecent a manner, as is not only beneath the gravity of the pulpit, but even of a well-regulated stage. Can any thing be more unsuitable, than to hear a minister of God from this folemn place, to break jests upon sin, and to quibble upon the vices of the age? This is to shoot without a bullet, as if we had no mind to do execution, but only only to make men smile at the mention of their faults; this is so nauseous a folly, and of so pernicious consequence to religion, that hardly any thing too fevere can be faid of it.

And then if we would have our instructions effetual, we must be exemplary in our lives. Aristotle tells, that the manners of the speaker have κυριοτάτην πίςιν, the most sovereign power of perfuafion. And therefore Cato puts it into the definition of an orator, that he is vir bonus, dicendi peritus, a good man, and

an eloquent speaker." This is true as to all kinds of perfuafion; the good opinion which men have of the speaker, gives great weight to his words, and does strangely dispose the minds of men to entertain his counsels. But the reputation of goodness is more especially necefiary and useful to those whose proper work it is to perfuade men to be good; and therefore the Apostle, when he had charged Titus to put men in mind of their duty, he immediately adds, in all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works. None so fit to teach others their duty, and none fo likely to gain men to it, as those who practise it themselves; because hereby we convince men that we are in earnest, when they see that we perfuade them to nothing, but what we choose to do ourselves. This is the way to stop the mouths of men, and to confute their malice, by an exemplary piety and virtue. So St. Peter tells us, I Pet. ii. 15. For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye put to filence the ignorance of foolish men.

SER

153

SERMON CXXV.

The difficulties of a Christian life confidered.

LUKE xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I fay unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

T

Here are two great mistakes about the nature of religion, equally false, and equally pernicious to the fouls of men: and the Devil, whose great design it is to keep me off from religion by any means, makes use of both these mistakes, to serve his own purpose and design upon the several tempers of men. Those who are melancholy and serious, he disheartens and discourageth from attempting it, by the extreme trouble and difficulty of it, representing it in so horrid and frightful a shape, incumbered with such difficulties, and attended with such troubles and sufferings, as are infuperable, and intolerable to human nature; whereby he persuades men, that they had better never attempt it, fince they may defpair to go through with it.

On the other hand, those who are sanguine and full of hopes, he possesses with a quite contrary apprehenfion; that the business of religion is so short and easy a work, that it may be done at any time, and if need be, at the last moment of our lives, though it is not so well to put it upon the last hazard; and by this means a great part of mankind are lulled in security, and adjourn the business of religion from time to time; and because it is so easy, and fo much in their power, they fatisfy themselves with an indeterminate resolution to fet about that business some time or other before they dy, and so to repent and make their peace with God once for all.

These pretences contradict one another, and therefore cannot be both true; but they may both be false, as indeed they are, and truth lies between them; religion being neither so slight and easy a work as fome would have it, nor so extremely difficult and intolerable, as others would represent it. To confute the false apprehenfions which some have of the easiness of it, our Saviour tells us, there must be some striving; and to fatisfy us, that the difficulties of religion are not so great and infuperable, as some would make them, our Saviour tells us, that thofe who strive shall succeed and enter in; but those who only feek, that is, do not vigorously set about the business of religion, but only make some faint attempts to get to heaven, shall not be able to enter in. Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, but shall not be able.

The occasion of which words of our blessed Saviour, was a question that was put to him by one of his disciples, concerning the number of those that should be saved, ver. 23. One faid unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? To which curious question, our Saviour (according to his manner, when such kind of questions were put to him) does not give a direct answer, because it was neither neceffary, nor useful for his hearers to be refolved in: it did not concern them to know what number of persons should be saved, but what course they should take, that they might be of that number; and therefore, instead of fatisfying their curiofities, he puts them upon their duty; admonishing them, instead of concerning themselves what should become of others, to take care of themselves. And he said unto them. strive to enter in at the strait for many, I say unto you, Shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. He does not say, that but few shall be saved; (as some have presumptuously ventured to determine) but only few in comparison of those many that shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

gate;

In

In these words we may consider these two things : First, The duty enjoined, Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate.

Secondly, The reason or argument to enforce it, For many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

First, The duty enjoined, Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate. Which words being metaphorical, I shall strip them of the metaphor, that so we may see the plain meaning of them. Now by this metaphor, or rather allegory, these three things are plainly intended:

ift, The course of a holy and christian life, in order to the obtaining of eternal happiness, is here represented to us by a way, which every man that would come to heaven, must walk in. For so St. Matth. (who expresseth this more fully) makes menti. on of a way as well as a gate, by which we must enter into it; ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth to life. And this though it be not expressed by St. Luke, is neceffarily understood, Strive to enter in at the strait gate, that is, into the way that leads to life.

2dly, The first difficulties of a holy and religious course of life, are here represented to us by a strait gate. For the gate at which we enter, and the way in which we walk, can fignify nothing else, but the beginning and progress of a holy and religious course.

3dly, Our diligence and constancy in this course, are represented by striving, a word which hath a great force and emphasis in it, ἀγωνίζεθε, a metaphor taken from the earnest contention which was used in the Olympic games, by those who strove for mattery in running or wrestling, or any of the other exercises which were there used.

Secondly, Here is a reason added to enforce the exhortation or duty; for many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able: that is, there are a great many that will do something in Christianity, and make some faint attempts to get to heaven, who yet shall fall short of it, for want of such a firm resolution and earnestness of endeavour, as is necessary to the attaining of it.