If we cultivate the religion of Chrift in our own hearts, we fhall enjoy the peace and hope which fpring from it here, and be entitled to the happinefs, which is the reward of it hereafter. If we promote this religion among others, we shall experience the fatisfaction of dwelling in the midft of juft and good men-kind and friendly neighbours. If we train up our children in the knowl, edge and practice of this religion, we shall have the joy of seeing them wife, virtuous and useful on earth, and the fuperior joy of believing, that they are entitled to a rich inheritance in heaven. Every thing which we do for our Lord, will return to us bringing a reward with it.

When we give to Chrift what he has need of, we are fure it is well beftowed. Our charities to men are fometimes mifapplied. But our fervices for Chrift are not only well accepted by his goodnefs, but well directed by his wifdom. He will fmile on our labours in his cause, and make them, in fome way or other, fubfervient to his glory and our felicity. "Be ye therefore ftedfaft and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; for as much as ye know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that of the Lord ye fhall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye ferve the Lord Chrift." This we ought to regard as a fufficient motive to cheerful diligence in the work appointed us, that we ferve the Lord Chrift. "With

good will do fervice as to the Lord, knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth, the fame fhall he receive of the Lord, for with him there is no refpect of perfons. His word is fure, his promise faithful, his reward glorious. None who ferve him, will labour in vain.

SERMON X.

The Gate of Heaven strait, and many shut out of it.

LUKE xiii. 24.

Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate; for many, I fay unto you, will seek to en ter in, and fhall not be able.

As our Lord paffed through feveral cities and villages of Judea, on his journey to Jerufalem, teaching by the way, there attended him a confiderable number of people, who, fome for one reason, and fome for another, gathered around him to hear his discourses. Somewhere in his journey, a perfon came to him with this queftion, "Lord, are there few that be faved?" From the queftion and our Lord's anfwer it seems, that the man was a Jew, tinctured with the common national prejudice, that the Jews, by their covenantrelation to God, were entitled to falvation; but the gentiles, being strangers to the covenant and aliens from the commonwealth of Ifrael, would be rejected. Often, no doubt, had he heard this doctrine afferted among his countrymen; and he wished to know Chrift's opinion upon it. As the queftion related to the prevailing fentiment of the day, Chrift directed his anfwer to the body of the people who attended him. He firft rebuked this

useless curiofity concerning the number of the faved, and called their attention to a matter, which was to them of more immediate confequence. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." "Whether few or many will finally obtain falvation, take care to fecure your own fhare in it; for this will not depend upon the number of the faved, but upon your own fervent and feasonable application."

Chirft here alludes to a custom then observed in attending feasts and marriages. The guests were early invited, and the door of the house was kept open, or opened occafionally, for their reception; but when the bridegroom arrived with his attendants, or the master of the feaft had waited the appointed time, the door was fhut, and after this no more were admitted. Alluding to this ufage, Chrift, in the parable of the virgins, fays, "While the foolish virgins went to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then they who were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was fhut. Afterward came those foolish virgins, faying, Lord, Lord, open to us; but he answered, I know you

not."

In the words which follow our text, Chrift corrects that prejudice of the Jews, which gave rife to the question propofed to him. He tells his hearers, that external privileges would intitle no man to falvation; that though the Jews enjoyed peculiar religious advantages, many of them would be excluded from the kingdom of heaven as workers of iniquity, while the gentiles, whom they defpifed, would come from all parts of the world, and be made the happy fubjects of this kingdom. Though our Lord waves an answer to the question, as it refpected the whole number of the faved, yet he answered it, as it concerned the Jews, warning them that their general impenitence would be

their deftruction, while the faith of multitudes a mong the gentiles would be their falvation.

When a question of mere curiofity was ftarted in our Lord's hearing, it was his ufual practice, to give it a religious turn, and raise from it fome profitable reflections. This he did in the cafe before us. Taking occafion from the question propofed to him, whether few would be faved; he exhorted his hearers to ftrive for their own falva. tion; he fhewed that many would fail of this object he pointed out the caufes of their fail ure: he explained the neceffary qualifications for heaven; and he reprefented the awful condition of those who should finally be shut out of it.

The difcourfe of our faviour on this folemn fubject, which is contained in our text and the words following, I fhall endeavour to illustrate and apply. It deferves the attention of all; for it is as important now, as when it was first spoken, and as interefting to us, as it was to those who heard it from the redeemer's mouth. You will obferve ;

Firft: The entrance into heaven is by a trait gate. So our Lord defcribes it in our text, and alfo in the VIIth chapter of Matthew, "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth to life."

This metaphor is defigned to exprefs the diffi culties which attend a religious courfe, and the oppofition which may be expected in the way to heaven. It may more immediately regard the peculiar difficulties of the time when the gospel was first published. It was then eminently true, that through much tribulation the righteous entered into the kingdom of God; and they who would live godly in Chrift Jefus muft fuffer perfecution. The way to heaven was then rough and

dangerous; and they who purfued it, put their réputation, intereft and life to hazard. Hence many were deterred from entering upon it; and many who had entered upon it, were difcourag ed and turned back.

Through the goodness of God, the path of religion is now free from thofe dangers, which have at fome times attended it; but ftill ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads to life. There are, and there ever will be difficulties to encounter, and obftructions to refift; and therefore our Lord's direction is, at all times, important; "Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate."

1. The terms of eternal life are ftrict and indif penfable. In this refpect the gate of heaven is called ftrait.

Such is the corrupt and depraved state of mankind by nature, that nothing less than a new creation, is required to fit them for the pure and fublime enjoyments of the heavenly world. So oppofite is the holiness of heaven to the corruption of nature, that this new creation, this renovation of the mind, cannot be difpenfed with. Old things must pass away, and all things muft become new. The whole fpirit, foul and body must be fanctified. There muft be a full perfuafion of the truth and authority of the gofpel, an influential belief of its important doctrines, and a hearty fubmiffion to its facred precepts; there must be a deep fense of, and godly forrow for fin, and a humble application to, and reliance upon the mercy of God for pardon; there must be a temper to hate fin in all its forms, and to love God in his complete character; there muft be an actual renouncing of all known wickedness, and a deliberate choice of the fervice of God as the great business of life. And in this course of obedience, the great motives of