felves are out? But when the Scene turns, and they get their Enemies undermoft, they do not abate in the leaft of their Infolence and Cruelty. The fame may be faid of all Party Quarrels. There is no greater Enemy to this noble Rule, than the acting from the Spirit of Party, and the efpoufing all Party-Opinions and Practices by the Lump; and taking our Measures of right and wrong, according to thefe Party, and therefore partial, Confiderations. And therefore let us never efpoufe any Party fo far, as to fee only their bright Side, but none of their Faults and Errors. And let us endeavour after fuch an unbiaffed Rectitude of Spirit, that we may be able to discern the Virtues even of a Foe, as well as of a Friend, and the Faults of a Friend as well as of a Foe; and whenever we have the Luck to be of the Party that is uppermoft, let us treat those that are under, with the fame Moderation and good Temper, as we would wish them to treat us, if we were in their Place, and they in ours.

To conclude, in order to the due putting in execution this Rule of doing by our Neighbour as we would have him to do by us, let us learn to admit this one Question into our Deliberations, and not to proceed to Action till we have decided it as impartially as we can; namely, if I were in my Neighbour's Place, and he in mine, how would I think it just or charitable to be treated by him? The true Anfwer to this Question will direct us to every Thing that is juft and fair, nay, to every Thing that is kind and charitable, and even to every Thing that is handfome and generous. And though at pre

fent it may perhaps not be fo grateful to our Selflove, and Self-intereft, or to our Lufts, or Paffions, and Resentments, we may affure ourselves it will yield us afterwards more Peace in our Confciences, and more Comfort at the Hour of Death, and in the Day of Judgment, than if we had followed the crooked Rule of more partial Views and Confiderations.

Now God himself, who hath taught us, that all our Doings without Charity are nothing worth; fend into our Hearts this most excellent Gift of Charity, the very Bond of Peace and of all Virtues, without which whofoever liveth is counted dead before him, for his dear Son Jefus Chrift's fake.

To whom, &c.

SERMON

SERMON XIV.

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. Becaufe ftrait is the Gate, and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it.

The First Sermon on this Text.

'N thefe Words our bleffed Lord endeavours to

IN

remove another Impediment, which was likely to hinder the good Succefs of the Doctrine he had delivered; he forefaw many would be startled at the great Difficulties in the strict Way of Duty, which he had laid down, and would be for inventing Ways and Means to creep out of them; fome would content themselves with the exterior Part of Duty, neglecting the interior; fome with publick Duties, neglecting fecret ones; fome with Duty in peaceable Times, when they run no great Hazard by it, neglecting or deferting it in Times of Perfecution and Danger: Some would interpret Duties in fuch a foft Senfe, as to

reconcile

up

[SERM: reconcile them with the Customs and Fashions of the World; fome would think to make what was wanting in practical fubftantial Duties, by an over Zeal in fpeculative Points and Ceremonials, and against all erroneous heterodox Opinions; fome would be for delaying their Repentance and Amendment of Life, to Sickness, or old Age, or even to a Death-bed. These and. many other various Ways, our Saviour forefaw Men would invent, to shake off the Yoke of Duty; and not only that falfe Teachers and loofe Livers would invent them, but that great Multitudes would be apt to join in with them, and at leaft, by their Numbers, give them Countenance, and perhaps affix odious Names of Diftinction on thofe few who should stick close to their Duty, let the Hazard, or Difgrace, or Unfashionableness, be what it would. Therefore he thought it neceffary to caution his Followers against all fuch loofe Opinions and Practices, how much Countenance foever they might receive from the World, and to exhort them to keep ftrictly in the narrow Way of those Duties which he had laid down, tho' it should be ever fo much deferted by others, and discountenanced and difcarded, or even perfecuted by the World. This I take to be the Scope and Defign of these Words, which I have read, Enter ye in at the ftrait Gate, &c. 9. d. I have now taught you the perfect Way of Duty, and that fo plainly, that ye cannot eafily miss of the Senfe and Meaning of it; nevertheless, I must give you Warning, that there will be many Ways found out by false Christians and loose Livers, to contrive a broader and easier Way to Heaven than I have laid out for you;

but

but have a Care of it, it is the high Way to Hell, and therefore avoid it, though it be frequented by ever fo much Company; and keep ye to the ftrict Way of Duty, if fhould meet with ever fo many Difficulties, and ever fo little Company in it; for that is the Way will lead you to Heaven and Happiness.

ye

But for our better understanding the Meaning, and preffing the Scope of this Exhortation of my Text, it will be neceffary more particularly to confider these four Things.

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

2. What by the little Company in the narrow, and the great Company in the broad Way.

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

4. The Neceffity of our moft vigorous Endeavours to go by the ftrait Gate and narrow Way.

I. We are to confider what is meant by the broad and the narrow Way, here described. Now these being but Similitudes, we are to enquire what is couched under them. The ftrict Way of Duty may well be compared to a narrow Way, hedged up on each Side, and keeping us within the juft Bounds of the Road; and if this Road happens to be deep or rough, we must go through it; there is no turning afide to the right Hand, or to the left, without trepaffing upon fome Man's Enclosure; and befides, the By-ways of Enclosures would be apt to mislead us; for tho' VOL IV.

P

they