his mercies? How often, how long, how obstinately, have we taken part with his enemies, our sins, and lusts, in opposition to Him; and have kept back from Him our heart, which is all He asks for all his mercies? Let us lay these things to mind. Let us think of our ingratitude in keeping our heart from Jesus, and in refusing to give up ourselves to Him, who gave up Himself for us. Let us think what will become of us, if we persist in rejecting his offers, and in neglecting his great salvation. Let us think, how we shall be able to endure his presence, to look Him in the face at his appearing; if we now perversely refuse to let him reign over us, and ungratefully slight his tender love; that love which now stands with open arms ready to receive us that love, which, pointing to his bleeding side, and mangled limbs, now tenderly exclaims, This, sin6 ner, I endured for thee. Wilt thou turn away from me, who for thee "hid not my face from shame and spitting ?" thou prefer thy lusts to me; those lusts, which nailed me to the Cross? I am ready, even now, after all that thou hast done, to • receive thee graciously, to love thee freely. O, turn unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Come unto me, and I will give thee rest.'. May every heart among us be en

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abled to say, Lord, help me to come. Henceforth I am not my own but thineShow me what thou wouldst have me to do, and do with me according to thy * will.'

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SERMON III.

THE BROAD AND THE NARROW WAY.

ST. MATTHEW, vii. 13, 14.

Enter ye in at the strait Gate: for wide is the Gate and broad is the Way that leadeth to Destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it.

THE Bible is given us to be "a light unto our feet, and a lamp unto our paths." But it is both sad and surprising to think how little use is in general made of the light thus vouchsafed to us. What numbers of persons are there, who pay no attention at all to the doctrines and precepts of Scripture, and are no more governed by the Bible, than if no such book was in being! How few, even among those who assent to, the truths revealed, yet give any practical regard to them, or make any real and personal

application of them, to their own particular cases and circumstances! The passage in the text contains several very weighty truths, ́addressed to all, interesting to all, and level to the capacities and understandings of all. Yet how often are the words heard, or read, and none of those deep impressions made, which the hearing or reading of them ought to make! It shall be my endeavour on the present occasion, to enforce these truths on our minds, and to lead us to use them in a profitable manner. May the Lord bless the endeavour, and dispose our hearts to receive and apply the truths in question to our present and everlasting comfort!

"Enter ye

in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

The first great truth, of which in these words of Christ Himself we are reminded, is this; that there are but two states, in the one or in the other of which all mankind will, at length, be finally and for ever fixed; namely, a state of misery, and a state of happiness. Our Lord, in the text, describes the two states, by the words, Destruction and Life. He speaks of these two, and of these

two only. He says nothing of any third, or middle state. Those, who enter not into Life, will fall into Destruction. The Scriptures, indeed, throughout agree in stating the same truth. They speak only of two things set before us, Life and Death. They mention only two places prepared to receive us, Heaven and Hell. They represent only two events, as awaiting us :-"He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved: he that believeth not, shall be damned. *" When the resurrection of the dead is spoken of, the same truth is still kept in view. There will be a "Resurrection of Life," and a "Resurrection of damnation." "Some will awake to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. +" So in the account given of the awful Day of Judgement, only two sorts of persons are spoken of, the sheep, and the goats: the one placed on the right hand of the Judge, the other on his left hand:" and these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal. " But there is no occasion to multiply proofs on a point so clear as the truth before us. We can hardly read a chapter in the Bible without finding some additional confirmation of it. It is a truth,

* Mark, xvi. 16. † John, v. 29. Matt. xxv. 46.

Dan, xii. 2.