C

SER M. must be fome ftriving; and to fatisfy us, that the difficulties of religion are not fo great and infuperable, as fome would make them, our SAVIOUR tells us, that thofe who " ftrive" fhall fucceed and "enter in ;" but thofe who only "feek," that is, do not vigorously fet about the business of religion, but only make fome faint attempts to get to hea"fhall not be able to enter in." "Strive "to enter in at the ftrait gate; for many, I fay "unto you, will feek to enter in, but fhall not be "able."

ven,

The occafion of which words of our bleffed SAVIOUR, was a question, that was put to him, by one of his difciples, concerning the number of thofe, that fhould be faved, ver. 23. One faid unto him, "LORD, are there few that be faved?" To which curious question, our SAVIOUR (according to his manner, when fuch 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 perfons fhould be faved, 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, inftead of concerning themfeives what should become of others, to take care of themfelves. "And he faid unto them, ftrive to enter in at the "ftrait gate; for many, I fay unto you, fhall feek to enter in, and fhall not be able." He does not fay, that "but few fhall be faved;" (as fome have prefumptuously ventur'd to determine) but only few in comparison of thole "many, that fhall feek to enter in, and fhall not be able."

In

CXXV.

In these words we may confider these two things: SER M. First, The duty enjoined, "ftrive to enter in at "the ftrait gate."

Secondly, The reafon or argument to enforce it, " for many fhall feek to enter in, and fhall not be "able."

Firft, The duty enjoined; "ftrive to enter in at "the strait gate." Which words being metaphorical, I fhall trip them of the metaphor, that fo we may fee the plain meaning of them. Now by this metaphor, or rather allegory, thefe three things are plainly intended.

ift, The course of a holy and christian life, in order to the obtaining of eternal happiness, is here reprefented to us by a way, which every man, that would come to heaven, muft walk in. For fo St. Matthew (who expreffeth this more fully) makes mention 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, tho' it be not exprefs'd by St. Luke, is neceffarily understood, "trive to enter in at the "ftrait gate," that is, into the way that leads to life.

"ftrait

2dly, The first difficulties of a holy and religious courfe of life, are here reprefented to us, by a gate." For the gate at which we enter, and the way in which we walk, can fignify nothing elfe, but the beginning and progrefs of a holy and religious courfe.

3dly, Our diligence and conftancy in this course, are reprefented by ftriving, a word which hath a great force and emphafis in it, ay, a metaphor taken from the earnest contention which was

ufed

CXXV.

SERM. ufed in the olympick games, by those who strove for mastery in running or wrestling, or any of the other exercises which were there used.

Secondly, Here is a reafon added to enforce the exhortation or duty; "for many fhall feek to enter "in, and shall not be able:" that is, there are a great many that will do fomething in chriftianity, and make fome faint attempts to get to heaven, who yet fhall fall fhort of it, for want of fuch a firm refolution and earnestness of endeavour, as is neceffary to the attaining of it.

Having thus explain'd the words, I fhall take occafion from the first part of them, namely, the duty or exhortation, to handle these three points, very useful for us to confider, and to be well inftructed in.

Ift, The difficulties of a holy and chriftian course. 2dly, The firm refolution and earnest endeavour that is required on our part for the conquering of thefe difficulties.

3dly, That thefe difficulties are not fo great and infuperable, as to be a juft difcouragement to our endeavours; if we will ftrive, we may mafter them.

First, The difficulties of a holy and christian course. And these are either from our felves, or from something without us.

1. From our felves, from the original corruption and depravation of our nature, and the power of evil habits and cuftoms, contracted by vicious practices. Our natures are vitiated and depraved, inclined to evil, and impotent to good; befides, that being habituated to fin and vice, it is a matter of infinite difficulty to break off a custom, and to turn the course of our life another way. Now because

CXXV.

this is the difficulty of our firft entrance into reli- SER M. gion, it is represented by a " strait gate," which is hard to get through.

2. There are likewise other difficulties from with. out; as namely, the oppofition and perfecution of the world, which was very raging and violent in the first beginnings of chriftianity. And this our SAVIOUR represents by the ruggedness and roughness of the way, as St. Matthew expreffeth it, chap. vii. 14. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that "leads to life," Kai tedripμém ǹ odos, confragofa eft via, (fo Grotius renders it) the way is craggy, full of afflictions and troubles.

So that these are the two great difficulties in a christian course, indifpofition from within, and opposition from without.

The

1. Indifpofition from within. And this makes religion fo much the more difficult, because it checks us at our very firft entrance upon our chriftian course, and makes us unwilling to fet out. corruption of our nature, and thofe vicious habits which by a long cuftom of fin we have contracted, do ftrongly incline us to the contrary way, so that a man must offer great force and violence to himself that will conquer this difficulty. It is one of the hardest things in the world to break off a vicious habit, and to get loofe from the tyranny of custom. The prophet Jeremiah speaks of it, as next to a natural impoffibility, chap. xiii. 23. "Can the Ethio

66

pian change his skin? or the leopard his fpots? "then may ye alfo do good, that are accustomed to "do evil." This requires great ftriving indeed. Nothing fhews the fpirit and refolution of a man more, than to contend with an inveterate habit; for

in

CXXV.

SER M.in this cafe a man ftrives against the very bent and inclination of his foul; and 'tis easier to fet a man against all the world, than to make him fight with himself and yet this every man muft do, who from any wicked courfe of life, betakes himself seriously to religion; he muft as it were lay violent hands upon himself, and fight with the man he was before; and this in fcripture is emphatically expreft to us, by "crucifying the old man, with the affections and "lufts thereof." A chriftian when he first enters upon a holy and good course of life, is represented as two perfons or parties at civil war one with another, "the old, and the new man;" fo that whoever will be a christian must put off himself, and become another man; and 'tis no eafy matter for a man to quit himlelf.

2. In our chriftian courfe, we mufl likewife expect to meet with great oppofition from without. Bleffed be Gon, chriftianity hath generally been for ma-' ny ages free from this difficulty, which attended the firft profeffion of it; it was then indeed a very steep and craggy way, very rough and thorny, not to be travelled in without fweat and blood; then the dangers and hazards of the profeffion were fuch, as were not to be encountred by a mere moral refolution, and the natural ftrength of flesh and blood; the perfecution. that attended it was fo hot, and the torments which threatned it fo terrible, that the fenfual and inconfiderate part of mankind would rather venture hell at a distance, than run themfelves upon fo prefent and evident a danger.

But fince thefe ages of perfecution, this difficulty hath been in a great meafure removed. Not but the true religion hath ftill its enemies in the world; but

they