to a sense of the danger of fin, and the importance of religion, when our indolence is removed, and a ferious folicitude for our falvation takes place, a great part of the difficulty is over. When we feel an engagednefs of heart to obtain, and a full determination to strive for heaven, the difficulties are proportionably abated. Duty is always more eafy, as the zeal is more warm and active.

Let it, farther, be remembered, that as every good gift is from God, fo his grace is to be acknowledged in thofe convictions, awakenings and refolutions, with which the religious life muft or dinarily begin. And if these are from God, they who feel them may conclude, that God's fpirit is working in them. And doubtlefs he is willing to carry on the work which he has begun. He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the fmoking flax. Hence the awakened and thoughtful have new encouragement from the prefent ftate of their minds, to apply to God for all neceffary fupplies of grace. Whatever weakness they feel, let them wait on God, and be of good courage, and he will ftrengthen their hearts.

Again: We fhould confider, that the difficul ties of religion are chiefly at firft. When the mind is habitually attempered to it, then its duties be come pleasant and eafy. If it be hard to bring our ftubborn necks under Chrift's yoke, yet when we have taken it upon us, we fhall find it lighter than we imagined, and lighter the longer we wear it. Difficulties, therefore, far from difcouraging our hearts, fhould rather animate our refolution and warm our zeal.

Religion ordinarily requires no self-denial greater, than what we cheerfully fubmit to in our common worldly pursuits. Does not the husbandman exercife more ftrenuous labours; does not

the merchant maintain more conftant vigilancedoes not the feaman, or the foldier expofe himself to far greater hardships and perils, for a little gain, than the gospel impofes on the Chriftian as the means of obtaining heaven? With what alacrity the former, animated by the profpect of temporal profit or honour, discharge the duties of their profeffion! Why may not the latter, with glory and immortality in view, as patiently and pleafantly continue in well-doing? In our worldly occupations fuccefs repays our felf denials. More amply will the felf-denials, watchings and ftrivings of the Chriftian be remunerated by his conquefts over fin and the world, by his improvements in virtue and holinefs, by the increase of his spiritual hopes, and by the happiness which awaits him in heaven.

This was our firft obfervation, that on account of the ftraitness of the gate, we must strive to enter into life.

We proceed to observe; Secondly: That many will fail of entering in at this gate. "Many will feek to enter in, and fhall not be able."

What the proportion of the faved will be, the fcripture has not told us. There are fome paffages, which represent the number as very great. John, in his vifion, faw twelve thousands fealed out of each of the tribes of Ifrael; and, befides thefe, a great multitude which no man could number, ftanding before the throne of God, and clothed in white robes and yet all these were only fuch as came out of great tribulation. In the words following the text, our Lord fays, "They fhall come from the eaft and from the weft and from the north and from the fouth, and fhall fit down in the kingdom of God." But, on the other

:

hand, there are fome paffages, which give us a fad representation of the number of the miferable. Our faviour tells us, that among those who seek to enter in at the ftrait gate, there are many who will not be able that many will go in at the broad gate, which leads to deftruction-that many, at the last day, will feek admiffion into his kingdom, whom he will reject as workers of iniquity. Thefe paffages, however, exprefs the abfolute, rather than the comparative number of the miferable. There are other texts, which feem to represent the number of the happy as small in a comparative view. Our faviour fays, "Many are called, but few are chofen." "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth to life, and few there be who find it. Broad is the gate which leadeth to destruction, and many there be, who go in thereat." But thefe expreffions may be fuppofed rather to refpect the state of mankind in particular places and at particular times, than their general state in all ages. Of the Jewish nation in the days of Chrift and his apoftles, it was eminently true, that few found the way to life; and though they were generally called, few obeyed. "The gentiles, who had not followed after righteousness, attained unto righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith; but Ifrael who followed after the law of righteousness, attained not to it, because they fought it not by faith, but by the deeds of the law." Hence the apoftle applies to them what God fpake of their fathers by the prophet, "I have referved to myself seven thoufand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal:" "Even fo alfo, at this prefent time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

However, if we confider, how great a part of the world, as far as hiftory affords us light, have

in all ages been funk in ignorance, fuperftition and vice-how great a number of those who profess the true religion, have corrupted its purity-how many of those who retain the knowledge of the truth, are wholly uninfluenced by it; we fhall have but a melancholly view of mankind; and shall fee reason to fear, that the alarming words of our faviour already mentioned, have been applicable to moft periods, and remain applicable to our own times.

Amidft our gloomy apprehenfions, it is no small confolation to believe, that there is a day coming, when the gospel will have a more extensive spread in the world, and a more powerful influence on the hearts of men. And if we take into the estimate this happy period of the church, which the scripture promifes, and which, it seems, will be of long duration, perhaps the whole number of the faved will far exceed the number of those who are loft.

But whether the number be comparatively great or fmall, let each one attend to himself, and work out his own falvation with fear and trem. bling. The terms of falvation are the fame, whether those who comply with them be many or few. The number of the faved, be it ever fo great, will be no fecurity to those who neglect their falvation; be it ever fo fmall, it will not endanger those who repent and obey the gospel. The duty, which alike concerns us all, our faviour has pointed out in our text; "Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate, for many will seek to enter in and fhall not be able."

If there are many who will be loft, let each one fear for himfelf, left he should be found in that unhappy number. The apostle speaks of fome who could not enter into God's rest because

of unbelief.

"Therefore," fays he, "let us alfo fear, left, a promife being left us of entering into this reft, any of us fhould feem to come hort of it." Our danger does not arise from the number which will perifh, but from our own unbelief and impenitence. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation; and how to referve the unjuft unto the day of judgment to be punished." But still the warnings which the fcripture has given us, that there will be found, at the last day, many workers of iniquity, who will be caft into utter darkness, should fill every foul with a deep folicitude for himself, and awaken in him an immediate care to flee from the wrath to come. For this purpose the scripture has announced them to us and to this purpose we should apply them.

When Christ admonished his difciples, that one of them would betray him, and prove a fon of perdition, each enquired, Lord, is it I? When he alfo admonishes us, that many will be rejected as workers of iniquity, let us all make the fame perfonal application-the fame home-felt enquiry. To judge whether we are involved in this danger, we need not go far; we need not attempt an investigation of the secret purposes of God; we are only to fearch and examine ourselves. If fin reigns within us, the wrath of God abides on us. If we have renounced the dominion of fin, we are delivered from the wrath to come.

It is the decree of God, that they who do his commandments fhall enter through the gates into the heavenly city; but whofoever defile themfelves and work abomination shall be shut out, and cast into utter darkness. This is the only decree, in which the present enquiry is concerned-the only decree by which we can judge of our danger, or