322 SER M. our own falvation," he tells us for our encourageCXXV. ment, that " he himfelf works in 'us both to will and to do;" he does not bid us to be ftrong in our own ftrength, for he knows we have no ftrength of our own, but to be "ftrong in the "LORD, and in the power of his might;" and what may not even a weak creature do, that is fo powerfully affifted? if we will but make use of this strength, nothing can be too hard for us. All that GOD expects from us is, that we should comply with the motions of his SPIRIT, and be as fincere in the use of our own endeavours, as he is in the offers of his grace and affistance.

66

2. Let us confider, that the greatest difficulties are at firft, 'tis but making one manful onfet, and fuftaining the first brunt, and the difficulties will abate and grow less, and our strength will every day increase and grow more. The gate is ftrait:" but when we have once got through it, our feet will be "fet in an open place." After fome struggling to get thro', we shall every day find our felves at more eafe and liberty. It will be very hard at first, to master our vicious inclinations, to change the habit of our minds, and the courfe of our lives, and to act contrary to what we have been long accustomed: but this trouble lafts but for a little while; thefe pangs of the new-birth, tho' they be fharp, yet they are not ufually of long continuance.

It does indeed require great refolution and firmness of mind, to encounter the firft difficulties of religion: but if we can but ftand it out for one brunt, our enemy will give way, and the pleasure of victory will tempt us on. It is troublesome to conflict with

great

CXXV

great difficulties, and men are loth to be brought to SER M. it but when we are engaged, it is one of the greatest pleasures in the world to prevail and conquer. Many men are loth to go to war; but after a little fuccefs, they are as loth to give over; that which was a terror to them at firft, turns into a pleasure.

་

་

3. Confider that cuftom will make any courfe of life tolerable, and moft things eafy. Religion, and the practice of a holy life is difficult at firft; but after we are once habituated to it, the trouble will wear off by degrees, and that which was grievous will become eafy; nay, by degrees, much more pleasant than ever the contrary practice was. We fee the daily experience of this, in the most difficult and laborous employments in this world; a little pains tires a man at first, but when he is once feafoned and enured to labour, idleness becomes more tedious and troublesome to him than the hardest work. Cuftom will make any thing eafy, tho' it be a little unnatural. Nothing is more unnatural than fin; 'tis not according to our original nature and frame, but it is the corruption and depravation of it, a fecond nature fuperinduced upon us by cuftom; whereas the practice of holiness and virtue is agreeable to our original and primitive ftate, and fin and vice are the perverting of nature contrary to our reafon, and the defign of our beings, and to all obligations of duty and intereft: but by returning to GOD and our duty, we return to our primitive ftate; we act naturally, and according to the intention of our beings; and when the force of a contrary custom is taken off, and the bias clapt on the other fide, "we "fhall run the ways of God's commandments with

ERM. " more delight" and fatisfaction, than ever we CXXV. found in the ways of fin.

For fin is a violence upon our natures, and that is always uneafy, yet it is made more tolerable by cuftom: but religion reftores men to their natural ftate, and then we are at eafe and reft. Religion is at firft a yoke and burden: but unlefs we take this upon us, we fhall never find' reft to our fouls."

4thly and laftly, Confider the reward that religion propounds, and this muft needs fweeten and mitigate all the troubles and difficulties that are occafioned by it. This ftrait gate, through which we muft enter; and this craggy way which we are to climb up, leads to life; and he is a lazy man indeed, that will not ftrive and ftruggle for life. All that a man can do, he will do for his life, for this miferable life, which is fo fhort and uncertain, and "born to trouble as the fparks fly upwards;" a life not worth the having, nor worth the keeping with any great care and trouble, if it were not in order to a better and happier life. But 'tis not this life which our SAVIOUR means; that indeed were not worth all this ftriving for: 'tis eternal life; a ftate of perfect and endlefs happiness; of

joys unfpeakable and full of glory." And who would not "ftrive to enter in at that gate," which leads to fo much felicity? can a man poffibly take too much pains, be at too much trouble for a few days, to be happy for ever?

So often as I confider what incredible induftry men ufe for the things of this life, and to get a small portion of this world, I am ready to conclude, that either men do not believe the rewards of

another

CXXV.

another world, or that they do not understand S ER M them ; elfe they could not think much to be at the fame pains for heaven, that they can chearfully bestow for the obtaining of these corruptible things. Can we be fo unconfcionable, as to think GOD unreasonable, when he offers heaven and everlafting happiness to us, upon as eafy terms, as any thing in the world is ordinarily to be had? and are not we very foolish and unwife, to put away eternal life from us, when we may have it upon terms fo infinitely below the true worth and value of it.

I have now done with the three things which I propounded to speak to from the first part of thefe words, which are fo many arguments to enforce the exhortation here in the text; "to strive "to enter in at the ftrait gate," and to give all diligence, by the' courfe of a holy and virtuous life, to get to heaven; and we may affure our felves, that nothing lefs than this will bring us thither. So our SAVIOUR tells us, in the latter part of the text; that many fhall feek to enter "in, and shall not be able." I proceed now to the

་ ་་

Second part of the text; the reason or argument whereby this exhortation is enforced; " ftrive "to enter in at the ftrait gate; for many, I fay "unto you, fhall feek to enter in, and fhall not "be able." Every feeking to enter in will not gain our admiffion into heaven; therefore there must be ftriving: for men may do many things in religion, and make several faint attempts to get to heaven, and yet at laft fall fhort of it,

Y 3

for

SER M. for want of earneft contention and endeavour CXXV. which is neceffary to the attaining of it. We muft make religion our bufinefs, and fet about it with all our might, and prefevere and hold out in it, if ever we hope to be admitted to heaven; " for many fhall feek to enter, that shall be shut 66 out."

Now what this feeking is, which is here oppofed to "ftriving to enter in at the ftrait gate,' our SAVIO U R declares after the text, ver. 25. "When once the master of the house is rifen up, "and hath fhut to the door, and ye begin to ftand "without, and knock at the door, faying, LORD, "LORD, open unto us; and he fhall anfwer and "fay unto you, I know you not whence ye are : "then fhall ye begin to fay, we have eaten and "drunk in thy prefence, and thou haft taught in "our streets; but he fhall fay, I tell you, I know "you not whence ye are; depart from me all ye "workers of iniquity." St. Matthew mentions fome other pretences which they fhould make; upon which they should lay claim to heaven, Matth. vji. 21, 22, 23: "Not every one that faith unto me, "LORD, LOR D, fhall enter into the kingdom "of heaven: but he that doth the will of my FA66 THER which is in heaven. Many will fay unto me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not "prophefied in thy name? and in thy name have

caft out devils? and in thy name done many "wonderful works? and then will I profefs, unto "them, I never knew you; depart from me ye ἐσ that work iniquity." After all their feeking, to enter in, and notwithstanding all these pretences,

they