very moderate share. Nay, some of them have scarcely food to eat, or raiment to put on. For this reason, as well as because their ways are not like those of other men, they are every where spoken against, are despised, have their names cast out as evil, are variously persecuted, and treated as the filth and offscouring of the world. So that both your fears, your hopes, and all your desires, (except those which you have immediately from God) yea, all your natural passions, continually incline you to return into the broad way.

III. 1. Therefore it is, that our Lord so earnestly exhorts, "Enter ye in at the strait gate." Or (as the same exhortation is elsewhere expressed) Strive to enter in: AywVIZIJOS EITERBELV Strive as in an agony : "For many," saith our Lord, "shall seek to enter in," indolently strive," and shall not be able."

2. It is true, he intimates what may seem another reason for this, for their not being able to enter in, in the words which immediately follow these. For after he had said, "Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able," he subjoins, "When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut too the door, and ye begin to stand without," apnde eğw esαval. Rather, ye stand without; for ag seems to be only an elegant expletive: "and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us: he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not. Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity," Luke xiii. 26, &c.

3. It may appear, upon a transient view of these words, that their delaying to seek at all, rather than their manner of seeking, was the reason why they were not able to enter in. But it comes,

in effect, to the same thing. They were, therefore, commanded to depart, because they had been workers of iniquity, because they had walked in the broad road in other words, because they had not agonized to "enter in at the strait gate." Probably they did seek before the door was shut: but that did not suffice. And they did strive, after the door was shut. But then it was too late.

If

4 Therefore, strive ye now, in this your day, to enter in at the strait gate. And in order thereto, settle it in your heart, and let it be ever uppermost in your thoughts, that if you are in a broad way, you are in the way that leadeth to destruction. If many go with you, as sure as God is true, both they and you are going to hell. you are walking as the generality of men walk, you are walking to the bottomless pit. Are many wise, many rich, many mighty, or noble, travelling with you in the same way? By this token, without going any farther, you know it does not lead to life. Here is a short, a plain, and infallible rule, before you enter into particulars. In whatever profession you are engaged, you must be singular or be damned. The way to hell has nothing singular in it; but the way to heaven is singularity all over: if you move but one step towards God, you are not as other men are. But regard not this. It is far better to stand alone, than to fall into the pit. Run, then, with patience the race which is set before thee, though thy companions therein are but few. They will not always be so. Yet a little

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while, and thou wilt "come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, and to the spirits of just men made perfect."

5. Now, then, "strive to enter in at the strait gate," being penetrated with the deepest sense of the inexpressible danger your souls are in, so long as you are in a broad way: so long as you are void of poverty of spirit, and all that inward religion, which the many, the rich, the wise account madness. "Strive to enter in," being pierced with sorrow and shame, for having so long run on with the unthinking crowd, utterly neglecting, if not despising, that holiness, without which no man can see the Lord. Strive as in an agony of holy fear, lest "a promise being made you of entering into his rest,” even that "rest which remaineth for the people of God," you should nevertheless" come short of it." Strive in all the fervour of desire, with "groanings that cannot be uttered." Strive by prayer without ceasing, at all times, in all places lifting up your heart to God, and giving him no rest, till you "awake up after his likeness" and are "satisfied with it."

6. To conclude.

"Strive to enter in at the strait gate," not only with this agony of soul, of conviction, of sorrow, of shame, of desire, of fear, of unceasing prayer, but likewise by ordering thy conversation aright, by walking with all thy strength, in all the ways of God, the way of innocence, of piety and mercy. Abstain from all appearance of evil: do all possible good to all men: deny thyself, thy own will, in all things, and take up thy cross daily. Be ready to cut off thy right hand, to pluck out thy right eye and cast it from thee: to suffer the loss of goods, friends, health, all things on earth, se thou mayest enter into the kingdom of heaven.

SERMON XXXIV.

XXIV

ON OUR LORD'S SERMON ON THE MOUNT.

DISCOURSE XII.

"Beware of false Prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

"Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

"A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

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Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire.

Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them." MATT. vii. 15—20.

1. IT is scarcely possible to express or conceive, what multitudes of souls run on to destruction, because they would not be persuaded to walk in a narrow way, even though it were the way to everlasting salvation. And the same thing we may still observe daily. Such is the folly and madness of mankind, that thousands of men still rush on in the way to hell, only because it is a broad way. They walk in it themselves, because others do: because so many perish, they will add to the number. Such is the amazing influence of example, over the weak, miserable children of men! It continually peoples the regions of death, and drowns numberless souls in everlasting perdition.

2. To warn mankind of this, to guard as many as possible against this spreading contagion, God has commanded his watchmen to cry aloud, and show the people the danger they are in. For this end he has sent his servants the Prophets, in their succeeding generations, to point out the narrow path, and exhort all men, not to be conformed to this world. But what if the watchmen themselves fall into the snare, against which they should warn others? What if "the Prophets prophesy deceits?" If they "caused the people to err from the way ?" What shall be done, if they point out as the way to eternal life, what is in truth the way to eternal death? And exhort others to walk, as they do themselves, in the broad, not the narrow way?

3. Is this an unheard of, is it an uncommon thing? Nay, God knoweth it is not. The instances of it are almost innumerable.

We may find them in every age and nation. But how terrible is this? When the Ambassadors of God, turn agents for the devil ! When they, who are commissioned to teach men the way to heaven, do in fact teach them the way to hell! These are like the locusts of Egypt, "which eat up the residue that had escaped, that had remained after the hail." They devour even the residue of men that had escaped, that were not destroyed by ill example. It is not, therefore, without cause, that our wise and gracious Master, so solemnly cautions us against them: "Beware," saith he, "of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

4. A caution this of the utmost importance.-That it may the more effectually sink into our hearts, let us inquire, first, who these false prophets are : secondly, what appearance they put on : and, thirdly, how we may know what they really are, notwithstanding their fair appearance.

I. 1. We are, first, to inquire, Who these false Prophets are. And this is needful to do the more diligently, because these very men have so laboured to wrest this Scripture to their own (though not only their own) destruction. In order, therefore, to cut off all dispute, I shall raise no dust, (as the manner of some is,) neither use any loose, rhetorical exclamations, to deceive the hearts of the simple; but speak rough, plain truths, such as none can deny, who has either understanding or modesty left; and such truths, as have the closest connexion, with the whole tenor of the preceding discourse. Whereas, too many have interpreted these words, without any regard to all that went before as if they bore no manner of relation to the Sermon, in the close of which they stand.

2. By prophets here (as in many other passages of Scripture, particularly in the New Testament,) are meant, not those who foretell things to come, but those who speak in the name of God: those men who profess to be sent of God, to teach others the way to heaven.

Those are false prophets, who teach a false way to heaven, a way which does not lead thither. Or (which comes, in the end, to the same point,) who do not teach the true way.

3. Every broad way is infallibly a false one. Therefore, this is one plain, sure rule, “They who teach men to walk in a broad way, a way that many walk in, are false prophets."

Again, the true way to heaven is a narrow way.

Therefore, this

is another plain, sure rule, " They who do not teach men to walk in a narrow way, to be singular, are false prophets."

4. To be more particular. The only true way to heaven, is that pointed out in the preceding sermon. Therefore, they are false prophets who do not teach men to walk in this way.

Now, the way to heaven pointed out in the preceding sermon, is the way of lowliness, mourning, meekness, and holy desire, love of God and of our neighbour, doing good, and suffering evil for Christ's

sake. They are, therefore, false prophets, who teach as the way to heaven, any other way than this.

5. It matters not, what they call that other way. They may call it faith, or good works: or faith and works: or repentance: or repentance, faith, and new obedience. All these are good words. But if under these, or any other terms whatever, they teach men any way distinct from this, they are properly false prophets.

6. How much more do they fall under that condemnation, who speak evil of this good way! But above all, they who teach the directly opposite way! The way of pride, of levity, of passion, of worldly desires, of loving pleasure more than God, of unkindness to our neighbour, of unconcern for good works, and suffering no evil, no persecution for righteousness' sake!

7. If it be asked, Why, who ever did teach this? Or who does teach it, as the way to heaven? I answer: ten thousand wise and honourable men: even all those, of whatever denomination, who encourage the proud, the trifler, the passionate, the lover of the world, the man of pleasure, the unjust or unkind, the easy, careless, harmless, useless creature, the man who suffers no reproach for righteousness' sake, to imagine he is in the way to heaven. These are false prophets in the highest sense of the word. These are traitors both to God and man. These are no other than the first-born of Satan: the eldest sons of Apollyon, the destroyer. These are far above the rank of ordinary cut-throats, for they murder the souls of nen. They are continually peopling the realms of night: and whenever they follow the poor souls, whom they have destroyed, "Hell shall be moved from beneath, to meet them at their coming." II. 1. But do they come now, in their own shape? By no means. If it were so, they could not destroy. You would take the alarm, and flee for your life. Therefore, they put on a quite contrary appearance: (which was the second thing to be considered.) "They come to you in sheep's clothing, although inwardly they are ravening wolves."

2. "They come to you in sheep's clothing;" that is, with an appearance of harmlessness. They come in the most mild, inoffensive manner, without any mark or token of enmity. Who can imagine, that these quiet creatures, would do any hurt to any one? Perhaps they may not be so zealous and active in doing good, as one would wish they were. However, you see no reason to suspect, that they have even the desire to do any harm. But this is not all.

In

3. They come, secondly, with an appearance of usefulness. deed to this, to do good, they are particularly called. They are set apart for this very thing. They are particularly commissioned, to watch over your soul, and to train you up to eternal lite. It is their whole business, to "go about doing good, and healing those that are oppressed of the devil." And you have been always accustomed to look upon them in this light, as messengers of God, sent to bring you a blessing. All they

4. They come, thirdly, with an appearance of religion.