and Chrift alone for Pardon and Salvation.

I fuppofe I need not tell any one that it is hard and difficult to perform fuch Duties, and to act fuch Graces as these are ; but this let me tell the Reader, that how hard, how difficult foever it is, it must be done if ever we defire to come to Heaven, and by confequence it is no eafie matter to come thither. Seeing therefore the way that leads to Heaven is thus narrow, and hard, it is no wonder that there are but few that walk in it, or indeed that find it out, as our Saviour himself affures us; for People generally love to fwim with the Stream, to run with the Multitude, though it be into the Gulph of Sin and Mifery. It is very rare to find one walking in the narrow way, and keeping himself within those bounds and limits wherewith it is enclosed; and this feems to have been the occafion of these words, in the Gospel of St. Luke, where one faid unto Christ, Lord, are there few that he faved? and our Saviour answered in these words, Strive to enter in at the ftrait Gate. For many I Say unto you will feek to enter in, and fhall not be able, Luk. xiii, 23, 24. Intimating not only that there are but few that fhall be faved, but likewife that many of thofe that feek to be faved fhall not attain

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it; not as if any of thofe who really and cordially made it their business to look after Heaven, can never mifs of it; but that many of those who prefuming upon their feeming Obedience and good Works, fhall think and feek that way to enter into the Kingdom of God, fhall not be able. For many will fay unto me at that Day, faith he, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name, and in thy name caft out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you, Depart from me ye that work iniquity, Mat. vii. 22, 23. And if many of those who are great Professors of Religion, and make a plaufible fhew of Piety in the World, fhall notwithstanding come fhort of eternal Happiness, and if of thofe many which are called there are but few chofen, Mat. xx. 16. we may well conclude there are but few, but very few indeed that walk in the narrow path that leads to Life, in comparison of those innumerable multitudes that continually flock together in the broad way that leads to Ruin and Destruction. One great reason whereof is, becaufe Men generally, though they defire to go to Heaven, yet will not believe it to be fo hard a thing as really it is, to get thither; and therefore fetting afide the fuperficial performance of fome few external Duties, they give themselves

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no trouble, nor take any pains about it; as if Heaven was fo contemptible a thing, that it is not worth their while to look after it; or how foever, as if it was fo eafie a thing to attain it, that they cannot mifs of it whether they look after it or no. Whereas queftionless, as Heaven is the greatest Happiness that we are capable of, fo is it the hardest matter in the World for any of

I fay not this to difcourage any one, but rather to excite and encourage all to a greater care and diligence in the profecution of eternal Happiness, than ordinarily Men seem to have. It is my hearty Defire and Prayer that every Soul among us may live and be happy for ever; but that we can never be, unless we be ferious, earnest and constant in looking after it, more than after all things in the World befides. And therefore it is that I have endeavoured to convince Men that it is not fo eafie a thing as they seem to make it to go to Heaven the Path being fo exceeding narrow that leads unto it: Which I hope by this time we are all perfuaded of, fo as to be refolved within our felves to play no longer with Religion, but to fet upon it in good earneft, fo as to make it not only our great but our only bufinefs and defign in this World, to prepare for another, and to

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work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, and by confequence to walk in that narrow way of true Piety and Virtue that leads to Heaven, without going afide into the Vices on either hand, or how foever to use the utmost of our endeavour to obferve the Rules which Chrift hath prefcribed us, in order to our living with him for ever. And oh that I knew what Words to take unto my self, and what Arguments to use, whereby to prevail with every Soul of us, to make it our business to get to Heaven and by confequence to walk directly in the narrow way, and through the ftrait Gate that leads unto it. What influence or effect they may have upon the Readers, L know not, how foever I fhall endeavour to prefent them with fome fuch Confiderations, as I hope by the Bleffing of God, and the, Affiftance of his Grace, may be fo forcible and prevalent upon them, if feriously; weighed, that they should not methinks be, able to refift them.

LET us confider therefore in the firft place, that though it be never fo hard to get to Heaven, yet it is poffible; and tho there be but few that come thither, yet, there are fome; and why may not you and I be in the number of thofe few as well as others? There are many perfect and most glorious Saints in Heaven at this moment,

which once were finful Creatures upon Earth as we now are we now are; but it feems the way thither was not fo narrow but they could walk in it, nor the Gate fo ftrait but they could pass through it, and why may not we as well as they? We have the fame Natures whereby we are capable of Happinefs as they had; we have the fame Scriptures to direct us to it as they had; we have the fame Promifes of Affiftance as they had, we have the fame Saviour as they had, and why then may not we get to the fame place where they are? Is the Way more narrow, and the Gate more ftrait to us than it was to them? No furely, it is every way the fame, why then fhould we defpair of ever attaining everlasting Glory, feeing we are as capable of it as any one who hath yet attained it: It is true, if no mortal. Men had ever got to Heaven, or God had faid none fhould e'er come thither, then indeed it would be in vain for us to expect it, or to use any means to attain unto it; but feeing many of our Brethren are already there, and many more will follow after them, and we are as capable of coming to them as any other, the ftraitness of the Gate, the narrownefs of the Way, or the difficulty of getting thither, fhould never difcourage us from endeavouring after it, no more than it did them, but rather make

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