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All People almoft that we converse with, infuse the Poison of their corrupt Notions and Opinions, while they fpeak with fuch an Air of Efteem and Admiration of the Things of the World, and fo drily and indifferently (if they afford them any Place at all in their Converfation) of the great Concerns of another Life. As it is a very difficult Matter, when an Infection is fo generally fpread, that the very Air is corrupted, not to fuck in fome of the peftilential Atoms; fo it is a very difficult Bufinefs, in this corrupt World, to converfe fo innocently, as not to learn fome of their wrong Notions and Maxims, and to be led into fome of their vicious Manners and Customs. We must therefore both fortify our felves with the beft Prefervatives and Antidotes, with which our Saviour's Doctrine furnishes us the best of all Kinds; and muft likewise frequently fearch and examine whether any of the World's Infection has taken hold of us, and got within us, and fo purge it out again by Repentance, and new Refolutions and Endeavours. But fometimes the evil Cuftoms of the World are fo headftrong, that bare Caution alone will not do, without a great deal of Courage and Refolution to ftem the Tide, and to oppofe the. Torrent of Vice which breaks in, and carries all down before it. There is a weak and fearful Bathfulness, which often betrays us to finful Compliances; this we must take the Courage to break through, remembring our Saviour's Threatning, Mark viii. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my Words, in this adulterous and Jinful Generation; of him alfo fhall the Son of Man

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be ashamed, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels.

So much for the fecond Thing I obferved in the Words, the fmall Company in the narrow Way of Duty, and the great Company in the broad Way of Sin. I find Time will not permit my meddling at prefent with the other two Points I obferved from the Words, concerning the different Ends, to which these two Ways do lead; and the Neceffity of our ufing our most vigorous Endeavours to get out of the broad Way of Sin, which leads to Destruction, and to walk in the narrow Way of Virtue, which leads unto Life: And therefore I must refer them to another Opportunity.

Only that ye may not be difcouraged with what I have faid of the Difficulties in the Way of Chrift's Precepts, it will be neceffary to acquaint you, that though the Way was very difficult in those Days, by Reason of the Perfecutions which attended the Chriftian Profeffion; and although it is ftill difficult, especially at the first shaking off of evil Habits; it grows daily more and more pleasant, the further Progrefs we make in it; and the Peace of Confcience with which it is attended here, and the well-grounded Hope of Happiness hereafter, to all confidering People, gives it much the Advantage even in Point of true Eafe and Pleasure, of the Way of Sin and Folly; the Pleafures of which are both short and unfatisfactory, and exceedingly embittered with the doleful Profpect of that everlasting Anguish and Defpair in which they will certainly end.

Now

1

Now God give us all Grace to confider in this our Day, the Things which belong to our everlasting Peace, before the Time come that they be hid from our Eyes.

To this great God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, &c.

SERMON

SERMON XV.

MAT. VII. 13.

Enter ye in at the ftrait Gate; for wide is the Gate, and broad is the Way that leadeth to Deftruction, and many there be which go in

thereat.

V. 14. Because firait is the Gate, and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it.

HA

The Second Sermon on this Text.

AVING at the laft Occafion difcourfed from these Words, there were Four Things I then propofed to be confidered from them.

1. What is to be meant by the broad and narrow Way here described.

2. That there is but little Company in the narrow, and a great Company in the broad Way.

3. The different Ends to which both these Ways do lead; the broad Way to Destruction, the narrow Way to Life.

4. The Exhortation concerning the Neceffity of our most vigorous Endeavours to enter by the ftrait Gate, and to walk in the narrow Way.

Now,

Now, having at that Time spoke to the first and fecond of thefe, fhewing you that by the broad Way, is meant the Way of Sin and Vice; and by the narrow Way, the strict Way of Duty, which had been defcribed by our Saviour in the foregoing Part of this excellent Sermon on the Mount; and likewife, how few there are, in comparison, who follow this strict Way of Duty, and how many that are for inventing eafier, but much unfafer Ways to Heaven; I proceed now to what remains upon this Text.

III. The third Thing then I observed in the Words, was the different Ends to which both thefe Ways do lead; the broad Way to Deftruction, and the narrow Way to Life. Broad is the Way that leadeth to Deftruction; and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life. In treating of this Subject, I shall go by these three Steps or Degrees.

1. I will fhew, that the Way of Virtue, and the Way of Vice, have Ends vaftly different.

2. From the two Words in the Text, which defcribe those different Ends, Destruction and Life, I will enquire into the Nature of those different States.

3. I will endeavour to explain how those different States refult from the different Courses of Life of the Wicked and the Godly; because the several Ways are faid to lead to them.

I. First, That the Way of Virtue, and the Way of Vice, have Ends vaftly different; as different

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