s.x».-3:e:«--"V2>;.'4ir-_^ 
 
 FOR THECKNTISEL, 
 
 \T\\z fo'.lo vin;^ Eir^iy was wrote auJ pvJ)lifl:eJ imr.e- 
 ♦li -icly after the ;^rc.it fne, March 20, » ';6o, anJ is now 
 icpu^lilhn! as a ),)lic)ible to the late Conflagratiou ] 
 
 TME iincertaiiity of hMman life, the tranfitory nature 
 ji'iJ coiuimial i'iciliitudes oltlii:^ jiref^Mit Hate of bom;; 
 .'uiJ of all cni»»yms.iis :\ini poilVdions in it, are truths fo 
 well lviiO\»'n to every iliouc' tf'vil pcrfi)n,ancl have Jo ofit?a 
 Veen the fu*iie<fi5 of .j'.ulici;)u3 writrrs ii all ages, that the 
 J\roi;^jftiavL*nticr. cnn perhaps (caret fi:id any thing novv 
 K) ()}fir, nn-.l a m">i'el^ Milfe with reludlance undertakes 
 i\\t liiCTie : Vet f.jch is the frailty of huinan nature, that 
 \.iK:i a fuJdcii Gataftrophe fur? 011^.15 uithe mmj isfint- 
 tiTe.l atil vllicoiicirteU, and does not r^aJilv collefl th.)fe 
 rcftet'^inris fuijable to the occ.i.fi.jn, (^r elle by Jiav^ing 
 l»:*f.i ufid tv) r-.'*gieil fa:!^ refi?rti;ms, from a conctptiun 
 t'lat they muft iieeds flo-.v naturally fro.n fiiciv calamities 
 as ih'H)lJ prc.lucc Wvinx, the rr.iaJ throi^gh. uifuft, may 
 ii'K imrnei'.iateiy conceive them wlien vv:ip.tv'i.!. It is ' 
 'rii?, llie V'):cc of nature has ah^ays hsen rhe fame, 
 i; continually fuunding, and ur.uerftood by wW ; yet 
 Aran^s to fay, wliat we heur t!ic oftcncft, we attend to 
 the lea;1, and ivliat wc are fhe moft certain of, we give 
 the kaft heed lo ; hut there are tim-iS when g^'nJ proTi" 
 K\ttnct fends a loider fammonsby, X.\\2 flrnj;jles of nature-.; 
 :\<^C\ prj'jlainns thofctruths which though they could not ' 
 opera:;- by the i;Tip.)rtanc'.' of tlklr nature, yet iriay force 
 their effeilil by ro i^uipr the palHons ; but hisre fraiky a- 
 I'rain takes, place', from extreme tlioujhtlennei's, t'-.e jiaf- 
 fiou? b;ing rouz:d, wc n'Oi on to confufion and error ; i 
 liisfc pilots ;;rowinp,.carelcrs by a longcalm,we llesr by tiie 1 
 rafl (vf paffion, i.iftind of tlie comp.ifs of underllanding, 
 l-.ccdief:; of the port of truth, and negligent of thofe du- 
 ties to which, tlia paiTi )'is were only defigr.ed to urge u ,., 
 
 To point foitb and f.iniil< irifc thefe tru'.h^Jias been the 
 \v'ell handled fubjesfl of the beft writeis ; t»ut \^'hile na- 
 f irc contiii jes t'j UiTj-non, and t!ie wifd-)iTi of Iier voice 
 rc,na»ns in any ineafare n.cgleded, the tlierre cannot be 
 truly cxhaafted, nor the rer^etltion of it nerJlcfs. 
 
 r.jrtlicfe ends, this Eiriy is prefented to the public 
 vi nv, if it prifj Uidji* the jii igment of r.bJe minds, they 
 will acfpiitffce in any truth, and at ler-.fl nay Troii Iience 
 tal;e a hint for nobler thoughtr; bcfidci, rhcre is a fat- 
 i:,fa(*^t.ion wcnll feel in jrJving vent to the tliroljbings of 
 the boram,and in colIe<Sli)i2 to forr.3 ordVT,ttiorGt,ho-:ghts 
 wliich final througli the mind op- fuch occafirtns. 
 
 l.'H this then he the apology ; but if ^o{\ any one 
 fh>i:l.l cenfure m-j for treading in this nnaccuaom.jd path 
 of v/. iting, I muft oiiit the difpute and fcreera mvfclf be- 
 /.calh the horrors of tiiat never to be forgotten nipht,v\hen 
 t 'i". fiani 5s bro'ce loafa en our hcufe';, and laid fo large a 
 part of our capital in rains; lam fcnfible that p.aintcd 
 T^i ror'. il!-hecf>TT; rei! f;)rrow, and are never to be ufej 
 bat wb.en tlie palTnns r.re Hug^ifh ; and therefore paf- 
 fiMg over that ample fie'd for dtfrriptu^n, whioh the late 
 unhappy cataflrophe afTords, foall confine myfelf to thofe 
 f -.her fads which no body (hould be igiQrant of, and 
 V. ith wl'.ich every body muft needs be affe<ftcd. 
 
It was then in the firft vvatchf-s of the morn-ng, v> ficn 
 />iu- l)o;lies wers ftft fit.terecl v.it'i foaatl^ft flecp, that 
 the fire wa^ firil: difcove'rec!, and the town r.!.-\nned with 
 ?.n oat-cry ; the inhahitants were fpeedily colledUd,and 
 though the fire was found in tlie cctl.lr of a brick, houfc^ 
 yec it I'ojn eat through tts prifon ; tlie wind blowing 
 iredi iirg^d on the fiamei, and with farprifing fury tl\ey 
 ravaged in fpiLe of all oppoHtion or means to fupprefs 
 tham ; tlie cinikrs and burninr; ruins were carried to the 
 Icewardmoft part ofthe town, by means of which Come ' 
 who thought tliemulves in no(la:,ger, xvere the fconeft 
 confumcd, and the inliabitants of tliem being gathered to 
 sTiil at the held of the /ire,fafrered t!ie greatcilinltcs at 
 thsiv own hDufes ; the like evil happened to numbers of 
 tradefmen, whofe fliops werefo qnicli fuel foJ'the flames, 
 that their tools and ftock. were r.11 confumed before they 
 could repair to Them ; in fonle pLices we heard tlie 1 
 Ihrieks (ii mothers and children rouzed from their beds 
 \;y the furroundinj flimes, and no man to l^elp ; h-^re 
 '\.-e might beliold th<? :^gei.\, the fick. and the bcd-rid, whofe 
 did'ancc fyom the feat of th^ fir-e i^ave them hnpej of fe- 
 r;irity,driren forth re the inclemeneies of the weather, not 
 • knovvin; where to Shelter; there we might fee thofs 
 whofe lealt tho-.^hts were placed on their fubfh^nce, 
 »nr3 whofe greatefi: anxiety was to fave their lives : Tlius 
 i-aged this fire, forckng its way at the windows of brick 
 houfes, ^vhofe fiat^d roofs were thoujlit a fi)i?i,-:ent de- 
 fence, thui adding burning to burning, till it left no 
 building nnconfumed uhere the wind would let it pafs. 
 The natural horrors of the night aiidcd terror to this 
 cataftrophsj and at once rendered it more difnial to the 
 eye, mure grevious to be born, and more dirTiCutt to be 
 fuprelTed, till the odious niglit wore out, and with it 
 vanifasd the height of our friars ; but not {f :lie reality 
 of our forrow, the rifen fun affuaged the gloom, of the 
 night, but gave \cs a difmal profjicct of its liavock ; a 
 f]ie6lacle fhocking to fenfibility ! Like the biaftsd trees 
 of fummer, or the (keleton of fome deiightfui body ; yet 
 far lefs ungrateful to the fight than forrowful to be re- 
 f.aflad on. Take a farvey tlien of tlisfe e::tended ruins , 
 here once lived the loyal fubjecf^, the tender father, 
 the obliging friend, awd a gc*d commonwealths-man; 
 but their habitatioriS, as with one fweep .of a fcytlie, are 
 rJl cut off, and they thrown on the charity o'f their 
 j'riends : And is this all ? Ahs thereaie ilill morehean- 
 ])iercing-fceties ; walk thron2;h tlie ruin?, and take a 
 n-.ore particular account ; here lived t!ie laborious tradef- 
 tnxn, on whufs daily iuduftry depended the fuftenance 
 of.'i iUim3rous family ; there lived one wiK)re circum- 
 Itances were ftraitened with poverty, and diflrefled by 
 ficknel's : here lived one jnil ein-jgm^ iVum indigence, 
 atld reaping the firfl: fruit* of hon^ft mduury ; tliere livid 
 thofe whofe corhfci table circumllances arfv>ided a refuge 
 for the needy; and an habitation for t!ie friendlefs ; here 
 lived th.>fe whofe fubfif^ence depended on their fituation i 
 far bufi;iefs ; there lived thofe whofe all was ip their 
 houfes, and here thofe who are ftill unhappily aafv.-era- 
 ble for all they loll j there lived, and there v.-as the fub- 
 fiftence of th« aged and infirm, whofe frugal indiiftry in 
 youth,, had procured them the merited fupport of eafy 
 old age,whea the body unftrnng for labor can no longer fup- 
 ft'ortitrelf— But all cutoff", their induftry appears no more, 
 \ and the fatigues of youth overtakes them,n'hcn age fhould 
 \ be at reft ; the children muft bdg, and th<^ induftiiuus 
 ' mull be dependent, the forehanded repeat his toil anew, 
 j and the debtor lay at mercv ; the friendlefs rnufl: feek. 
 f for f)tUer p:itrons, and they w!io pitronizcd implore com- 
 paffion ; the affluent a»ed muft forget th?ir eafe, and 
 I too foon lofe the benefit of that fabftance wliich they 
 \<jould not carry hence. 
 
 ,/5 £ 
 
 X > 
 
 p - 
 
 5 s^ 
 
 
 2 -5 = .8 
 
 C S V r- 
 
 is? S3 
 
 ^. ~ y <-> Xi 
 
 " -^ " i^ "^ 
 
 •^ ? 5 2-^ 
 
 ._; V rt <« /~ 
 
 — -C o O 
 
 ^ <0 up! 
 
 o ;• «« ^j: 
 
 • ^ : o O S. 
 
 c: - rt J w 
 
 :=. ~ — o 
 
 - r - -:? > 
 
 fe -5 -J 
 
 :; " ^ OS 
 
V/hf r- <bnll ll'.e mifcr beAow his hoarAkor i^ccx- 
 
 ,ner his ill goaen c-^ms. or how f-iall CKe worl.tiy 
 
 tecurc his h.V'pincfs uh.^n flames Urrnuiul tliein . , 
 
 ' urc pillion of firrak u-hidi ^ve behcUl^fUat.ng to 
 
 V u'c-c at once cm'. I n a iral cf (^ur poliemons unU 
 
 ; -ivc :.'f thcii- lof.: But u liat Uy thefe mighty ni- 
 
 •»'ey i\^e\\' v.: rt how unceit.iin atsnurc wehol-.l our 
 
 •ncnts/foi- iifxi iir/uer a fuv-eieign j.roy.de.xe %ve 
 
 , ndwVt.-J cvrn to the ftaliUty of the %viml that it did 
 
 r.oi V ^rv and roll the fi.mes over i!;c uhole town. V^ uh 
 
 J.ou- nuich cafe then ran we fhift the fcene Rao fuppofe 
 
 ou.lches io the fituaiion of t'.e prefei.t dift.cfled ; v.T>r, 
 
 il,n.rPo,.h)cf>, orvir..:ao(e that protcac. us And it 
 
 bti.icdrArovcd, we lliould have felc forrow ; hein£ lo 
 
 narrowly favcd can we fail to roe't witli fympaihy r and 
 
 if c.-cr ilie goMan rule was capahleof a benevolent appi'- 
 
 cMwn th: moft infcr.fiblc mull now feci it, aud tl»e n.olt 
 
 hardened put '^ -n piafiice ; and he w!m on tins occa- 
 
 ■ fjMu vlo-snDt b-ftoiv bjuutifiilly to the relief of tlie inime- 
 
 ■ di.^ie fi.ff rrcis, muft eiiherflatt'cr himfelf wuh fume pe- 
 cchii- infall.ble protection, or being defnerate in 
 
 i gidJincfs, bid a bold de/iancc to all calamity. Nor 
 can r.ny one, thouj-h not immediately expofed to this 
 deriru'f^iOn, rirtflO' oiftant frf:m this capital, farmifethat 
 they hive no pyt in its general admonition ; 'tis natiue's 
 voice, ll;at u ell known hetwld of the Almislity which 
 tlio' It b? n.JW otlcrrj here, yet echoes every u here ; 'tis 
 but one I \'.h of that amazing fcourge, brandifhed by the 
 hand of vcng'^aicr, agaii.ft a ^nilty world ; the fame fire 
 may parch up that lan<l which it does not confume, an:! 
 eaiili'i-nkes'makc ii:; (kfolation worfc thr-n t!ie jrcfeiU; 
 if ch-ricfovewe are common tenants of a flat- variegate?! 
 w:t!i \n)' and forrow, merhiuks '^is natural we fhould in 
 firr.-:- meahirc (hare tite good of it, whidi wc all want, 
 feci-.Rwcare equally expofed to the evils of it, unucr 
 which we all dcfuetn be icUcyed. 
 ji U, rr.y foal, whnt a t!iou?ht arifes ! can it v.-ith truth be 
 faid, th^t any i:i Imrn^n llMpc, though their da'Iy fiipport 
 were robbery, Ihould lark for th- c^nfufionot a public calain- 
 iiv, and plundir ihc prop-rty of the cli'.u tiled ; or that any 
 - cool deliberation, upon wh.itloevcr pretence, (bould ci- 
 . l-'Vlickly or priv-vi ly difcviuntinnnce that relief to the 
 f./trtlTed vhich wc rr.v; all ar foine time want, and which hu- 
 l, mar.ity fugscJl? ? forhid it hcivrn ! . 
 
 A!r>, v.e fv->journ in a Vile of te^rs, forrow on every fid? 
 
 vindsus, and lalls f«r thofe duties wb.i.h v/e feci im- 
 
 :.:i in out natures, dMties fo endeliably erp.raven, th ^t a 
 
 , t'en fail, " :n rolling do we more imrr,i;;itc the ir'mor- 
 
 (1 Gr,^', rhan in doing a£ls of l:i-dnefs," ths voice of reve- 
 
 " ->;i is ft id mere explicit, and fo plain, that Ic who run? 
 
 /read. PofTcfTions lakc to thcmfelvcj wine?.; to what 
 
 }^!e is it ihen, tliat wc diilrcfs, perplex and corrupt our 
 
 !s in petting v.cakh, the poffi.fnoa of which i-? fo precfl- 
 
 s ? With what face can w; fwell with the conceit of riches 
 
 '. .I'.Vamc air<; of importance, difdain, opprefs, ind lyran- 
 
 — over ihe>lc bcKcaih us (pcrhips only) in fortune, when a 
 
 . hour^ may fet us all on a level ? Hew much does it become 
 
 u! while in jfF.ucncc to demean outrehe* with liM.h honefty, 
 
 huniniiy and bcnchccncc, as th.it if calnmity lliould over- 
 
 tke u", we may fland ci^n'cfTcdly the worthy objedts of nr<d- 
 
 ■i\ relief? Mclhinks this cnt.illrophc is big with indri:<ftion, 
 
 rouid any < ne f:!ethc t'.ire havock produced from fo fmall a 
 
 fire, «nd not feel the obhg'itioR? v/c owe to the community in 
 
 o,ur'J-n-oa,y of thiinccejrary but devourin? clem-nt, and ot 
 
 etcry thing that is cpt fi:cl for the fan^e ? foras our pof- 
 
 ■efriop,-! are net fecured byourowr finzle carefu'nefiB, the duty 
 
 herclore becbir.es j;er»eral j and m*y I be pTrnittcd to take a 
 
 hint from Ihi: drcadhil derdation, and point it forth aj an 
 
 eir.blcm of that ddHruc"tion, v/nich tKc pafTi'-.ns -.vhc* l';l icofc 
 
 proi;!CC in bun'an mioils j when the firft tr.cefs ij not (uji- 
 
 prtflcd, like the lut T re they ravage, mere ilc by rjnnii>p,and 
 
 ir..iy dcttroy fcry t^ ig valuable in the mind ; m^y entirtly 
 
 flrip j:. of tlut real f aftirc which only c;io fVand us in itead 
 
 when a prraier confl-^gration (ball fcire this earth, when wc 
 
 fliail be as iiitle ansi" i^ lo favc our lives, is many lately 
 
 were to lave tlieir \%r;ri ily ^c.Tc{T:ons. 
 
Scriving to enter in at the flrait Gate 
 
 explain'd and inculcated ; 
 AND THE 
 
 Connexion of Salvation therewith, 
 
 PROVED FROM THE 
 
 Holy Scriptures. 
 
 I N T W O 
 
 SERMONS 
 
 On Luke XHI- 24. 
 
 By JONATHAN MATHEW, D. D, 
 
 Paftor of the Weft Church in Boston. 
 
 " BlefTed are they which do hunger and thirft after 
 " righteoufi)cfs j for they fhall be filled.'* 
 
 Christ's Sermon on the Mount. 
 
 BOSTON: NE^'ENGLJND: 
 
 Printed and Sold by Richard Draper, in Newbury-Streef. 
 Edes & Gill, in Queen-Street, and Thomas Sc John Flee^ 
 ;a Cornhill. m,dcc,lxi. ^ 
 

 Sermon L 
 
 0>t>OO<XX\XK5CC«C>O<XX>C<X>COC<X>^^ 
 
 Striving to enter in at the ftrait Gate 
 explained and inculcated. 
 
 LUKE XIII. 24. 
 STRIVE to enter m at the ftrait gate. — 
 
 THESE are the words of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, occafioned by a queftion that was 
 propofed to hhn in the following terms : 
 *' Lord, are there few that be faved?" 
 Who it was that afked this queftion, or what his 
 views therein were, we are not particularly in- 
 formed. However, it feems probable, by his 
 addreffing our Saviour under the title of *^Lord/' 
 that this was one of his profefled difciples. But 
 whoever he were, and whatever his particular 
 views, this was certainly rather a queftion of 
 
 curiofity, 
 
6 Striving to enter in at the Jirait Gnt^ 
 
 curiofity, than of real Importance to the inquirer 
 Our Lord therefore, inftead of returning a direft 
 anfwer to him, gave him, in common with others 
 that were prefent, this admonition ; the obferva- 
 tion of which could not but be of folid advantage 
 to them, as tending to their own faivation refpec- 
 tively. " And he faid unto them, Strive [Strive ye] 
 " to enter," &c. 
 
 The words, it is humbly conceived, may, 
 without any impropriety, be confidered as an ex- 
 hortation, admonition or precept, given to all 
 thofe m general, who hear the gofpel of the king- 
 dom preached; the duty enjoined therein being 
 common to all ; to high and low, rich and poor, 
 male and fem.ale : And, it may be added, both 
 to thofe who are, and who are not, already in a 
 regenerate ftate : For, be they in that happy ettatc 
 or not, ftill they ought to ufe their utmoft dili- 
 gence to obtain the faivation revealed in the gof- 
 pel ; or, which is the fame thing, to enter in at 
 the ftrait gate. 
 
 But it may be proper to be a little more par- 
 ticular in explaining the phrafeology of the text; 
 what is meant by the " ftrait gate," and what by 
 '' ftriving" to enter in thereat. 
 
 By the " ftrait gate," our Lord doubtlefs in- 
 tends in general, the gate of eternal life and hap- 
 pinefs. This is put beyond all doubt by his own 
 
 Wor4s! 
 
explain d and inculcated, y 
 
 , words In his fermon on the mount ; where he 
 mentions the ftrait gate, and the narrow way, as 
 that which " leadeth unto Hfe," and which *' few 
 find ;" in oppofition to the wide gate, and the 
 broad way, that " leadeth to deftruflion; and many 
 there be," fays he, '* that go in thereat." Our 
 Lord, in this manner of expreffion, feems to con- 
 fider the happinefs of the heavenly ilate, under 
 the notion of a glorious manfion, or city ; to 
 which there lies one certain road, and the en- 
 trance into which, is by a door or gate. In con- 
 formity to which manner of conception, he fays 
 in the verfe immediately following the text — 
 " When once the mafter of the houfe is rifen up, 
 " and hath ihut to the door^ and ye begin to ftand 
 " without, and to knock at the door^'' &c. And, 
 In the revelation of St. John, it is faid, " BlefTed 
 " are they that do his commandments, that they 
 " may have right to the tree of life, and may 
 " enter in thro the gates into the city." You fee 
 from hence, to what our Saviour alludes in the 
 text, and why he ufes this metaphor. 
 
 But why is this called a " ftrait" gate ? 
 Doubtlefs it is in refpe<ft of the many obftru6lions 
 and difficulties which attend the working out our 
 falvation, or finally gaining admiflion into the 
 paradife of God. The way of error and vice is 
 faid to be wide, and the gate of deftruflion broad ; 
 I becaufe it is fo natural and eafy to walk in the 
 one, and to enter in at the other. But the way 
 
 of 
 
8 Striving to enter in at the fir ait Gate 
 
 of truth, righteoufnefs and life, is walked in, and 
 the gate of heaven entered, with difficulty : 
 Whence it is, that they are defcribed as narrow 
 and ftrait, in oppofition to the former. 
 
 By " ftriving ' to enter in at the ftrait gate, 
 is meant in general, exerting ourfclves with 
 vigour, or ufing our earneft endeavours to 
 that end ; to obtain the falvation of our fouls, 
 or finally to gain admiffion into the kingdom of 
 heaven. This is the proper notion and idea of 
 driving.* It is oppofed to indifference, negli- 
 gence and floth ; and implies an intenfe applica- 
 tion of the mind and faculties, in order to effecfl 
 what we have in view. And ftriving thus, fup- 
 pofes two things. One is, that there is difficulty 
 in the way, or oppofition to be overcome, which 
 requires a vigorous effort. For if a thing may 
 be performed with great eafe, there is no occa- 
 fion, nor indeed any room_, for ftriving in order 
 thereto. As, for example, a man in his full 
 ftrength can, with no propriety of language, be 
 faid to ftrive to lift a ftraw, or a fmall pebble- 
 ftone ; or to do any thing elfe, which may be 
 done with facility. But this is far from being the 
 cafe, with refpe^ to the matter now before us. 
 There are numerous and great difficulties in reli- 
 gion, as before obferved ; with reference to which, 
 the gate of life is faid to be ftrait : So that in 
 this refpeft there is abundant occafion for ftriving. 
 
 The 
 * Agonizeflhc. 
 
 n 
 
explain d and incidated. ^ 
 
 The world, the flefh and the devil ; principalities 
 and powers, and fpiritual wickedneiTes in high 
 places, are not to be overcome, but by great re- 
 folution and vigor on our own part, even tho' 
 aided by Him, who is frronger than '' the flrong 
 rnan armed." — The other thing fuppofed in ftriv- 
 ing, unlcfs it be an irrational ftriving, is, that the 
 objc(^ thereof is a matter of importance. For 
 the difficulty of a thing, if it be of no confequence. 
 Is no proper reafon for ftriving to accomplifh it : 
 So far from it, that this will be a good reafon for 
 not flriving, or giving ourfclves any trouble or 
 concern about it. Men do indeed often take 
 great pains, without having any thing in view, 
 really worthy of them. In the language of the pro- 
 phet, they *' fpend their money for that which is 
 not bread, and their labor for that which fatisfieth 
 not." Thefe are certainly ill-placed endeavours ; 
 ftriving to no good purpofe, even tho' the ends 
 aimed at are attained. But when our Lord ad- 
 monlfhes us to ftrive, that we may enter in at the 
 Itrait gate, this is a matter of infinite, eternal im- 
 portance to us ; and fo juftly demands our utmoft 
 care and endeavours. 
 
 Some may perhaps think, that ftriving to enter 
 in at the itrait gate, farther implies fome uncer- 
 tainty as to the fuccefs of our endeavours"; whe- 
 ther they fliall be effectual or not : And that our 
 Lord defigned to fuggeft this to us, by fuch a 
 manner of expreffion. But thi$ is improbable 
 
 B for 
 
k o Striving to enter in at the ft rait Gate 
 
 for feveral rcafons ; and particularly becaufe, in 
 his fcrmon on the mount, the precept is exprefled 
 abfolutely : '' Enter in at the ftrait gate :" Not as 
 it is here, " Strive," &c. Which former manner 
 of exprcflion feems a much better argument for 
 the certain pofFibiHty of the thing, than the lat- 
 ter is for the doubtfulnefs of it. 
 
 But enough has been faid to explain the 
 phrafeology, and general fcope of this precept. 
 In farther difcourfing upon the fubje6l, It is pro- 
 pofed, by divine affiftance, more particularly to 
 reprcfent to you, What this driving impHes in it : 
 The fatal confequences of not ftriving ; together 
 with the happinefs and glory which will accrue 
 to us, if we ftrive effe^ually, or fo as finally to 
 enter in at the ftrait gale : And laftly, What con- 
 nexion there is, according to the word of God, 
 between ftriving in the manner we may and 
 ought to do, and actually obtaining what wc 
 aim at therein, the falvation of our fouls. It 
 is propofed to enlarge much more upon the laft 
 of thefe points, than upon any of the others. 
 In the firft place it will be proper, 
 
 I. More particularly and diftinftly to repre- 
 fent to you, what this driving implies in it. For 
 this is a very comprehenfive duty, which prefup- 
 pofes fome things, and directly contains feveral 
 others. And, 
 
 xft.lT 
 
explain d and inculcated. i r 
 
 I ft. It prefuppofes a man to be at leaft a fpc- 
 €ulative believer of the gofpel, or of the chriftian 
 revelation. For ftriving to enter in at the ftrait 
 gate, is the fame thing, in other words, v^ith en- 
 deavouring to obtain that falvation which the 
 gofpel reveals. And it is evident, that no man 
 can confiftently be fuppofed to do this, unlcfs he 
 is firft convinced of the truth of the gofpel in 
 general. So that whatever a mere heathen, one 
 who has never heard of, or who rejects the chrif- 
 tian revelation, as an impofture, may be fuppofed 
 to do with a view to his future happinefs ; yet 
 this does not come up to the proper notion and 
 idea of ftriving to enter in at the ftrait gate. 
 But more particularly, 
 
 2dly. This ftriving prefuppofes a man to be 
 aw^akened into fome fenfe of his fin, guilt, and 
 mifery ; and into a ferious concern for the wel- 
 fare of his foul. The falvation revealed thro' 
 Jefus Chrift, refpe(5ls, or has for its objccT:, 
 not the righteous, but finncrs ; not men, con- 
 fidered in a ftate of innocency, who would need no 
 fuch falvation, but apoftate, degenerate and guilty 
 creatures, juftly obnoxious to the wrath of God. 
 It is in this view that mankind are confidered in 
 the gofpel ; the very foundation of which is laid 
 in, and the whole fuperftrudure built upon, the 
 fuppofition that mankind in general are in fuch 
 a ftate of fin, condemnation and ruin. And 
 10 one can be fuppofed to ufe his endeavours 
 
 B 2 to 
 
1 2 Striving to enter In at the Jl rait Gate 
 
 to obtain deliverance from this Hate, or to have 
 a part in that falvation which the gofpel reveals, 
 •while he remains in a ftate of carnal fecurity ; or 
 has not an awakened fenfe of: his mifery, as lying 
 under guilt, and being in a ftate of alienation 
 from God. The doing any thing at all, how 
 little foever it may be, with a view to obtain de- 
 liverance from fin and wrath, fuppofes a perfon 
 to be convinced, that he is really a finner, and, 
 as fuch, liable to wrath. 
 
 3dly. This driving prefuppofes a perfon 
 earneftly to defire the falvation revealed thro' 
 Chrifl: ; or to have his heart engaged in this matter, 
 as a thing of the laft importance to him, Defires 
 always preceed endeavours, or go before ftriving, 
 both in our fpiritual and temporal concerns. A 
 man's ftriving, or ufing his endeavours, to obtain 
 •worldly riches, pleafures, power and preferment, 
 fuppofes his heart to be fct upon thefe things : 
 Tor if it were not, he w^ould not certainly be at 
 any great pains to acquire them, or give himfclf 
 much concern about them. This is ftriclly and 
 evidently true of all our endeavours in religion, or 
 ftriving to enter in at the ftrait gate. All exer- 
 tions, efforts and ftrivings to this end, fuppofe 
 that we fincerely defire to obtain falvation. Nor 
 will any one ftrive as he ought to do, in order to 
 this, unlcfs his defires are ftrong and vigorous, in 
 fome proportion to the importance of it; at Icaft, 
 unlefs he confiders this as a thing of more 
 
 confe<^ucnce 
 
explain d and inculcated. 1 5 
 
 confequence to him, than all worldly riches, plea*- 
 fures and honors. For he that poftpones the 
 falvation of his foul to any thing in this world, 
 can, with no propriety, be faid to ftrive to entcx 
 in at the ftrait gate. 
 
 4thly. This ftriving implies in it, the ufe of 
 proper care and dihgence to be rightly informed 
 concerning the way of falvation, and to guard 
 againft error in this refpe<5l. For furely, we can- 
 not properly ftrive to enter in at the gate of life, 
 or of the kingdom of heaven, if we are unfollici- 
 tous to find that " narrow way" that leadeth to 
 it. AnA. here there are two things to be parti- 
 cularly obferved. One is, that there is really but 
 one way of life and falvation revealed to us. 
 The other is, that this is fo narrow, that it may 
 be fatally miftaken, or not found, by thofe that 
 are carelefs and negligent in their Inquiries after 
 it. From whence arifes the neceffity of taking 
 pains to this end : For if the way of truth and 
 life were fo plain and wide, that it could not pofli- 
 bly be mifapprehended, all care and caution left 
 we ftiould err from it, would be fuperfeded. 
 
 There is, as was juft now obferved, really 
 but one way of life and falvation, revealed in the 
 gofpel ; and that is, the way which Jefus Chrift 
 himfelf taught ; the new and living way, which 
 was both opened and pointed out by him. With 
 reference to which he fays, " I am the way, the 
 
 truth 
 
1 4 Striving to enter in at the ft rait Gate 
 
 truth and the life: No man cometh unto the 
 Father, but by me." His infpired apoftles alfo 
 raught the way of life : Concerning whom it is 
 faid in the a<5ls of the apoftles, " Thefe men are 
 the fervants of the moft high God, which fhew 
 unto us the way of falvation." And that which 
 they declared, was not a different way, but the 
 fame which Chrift himfelf taught ; as is manifeft 
 by comparing their dodlrine with his. So that 
 there is certainly a way, or one way of falvation, 
 revealed. But is there any more than one ? If 
 any perfon fays, there are two, or more, it is in- 
 cumbent upon him to point them out ; Ihewing 
 the difference which there is betwixt them ; and 
 yet, that both are true and right, the ways of God's 
 revealing. But this, it is prefumed, no man will 
 attempt to do. It is in reference to the unity of 
 the way of life, that the apoftle fays, there is " one 
 faith." — *^ There is one body and one fplrit," 
 faith he, " even as ye are called in one hope of 
 " your calling ; one Lord, one faith ^ one baptifm, 
 ^' one God and Father of all, who is above all," 
 Sec* There is therefore as certainly but one 
 true faith, or one gofpel, in the faith of which 
 we cau be faved, as there is but one hope of our 
 calling, but one Lord or Chrift, but one God and 
 Father of all. And we might as well fuppofe 
 two Fathers of all, two Redeemers, and two gof- 
 pels, as two ways of falvation, that differ eifen- 
 ^ally from each other : And the fame apoftle de-. 
 
 nounceth 
 * £ph. IV. 4. 5. 6. 
 
explain d ajid inculcated > 1 5 
 
 nounceth a curfe againft whomfoever fliould 
 preach another gofpel, or another way of fal- 
 vation, even tho' it were himfclf, or an angel 
 from heaven. 
 
 It was farther obferved above, that this one 
 way of falvation may be fatally miftaken by 
 thofe, who are carelefs and negligent in their in- 
 quiries after it. To which purpofe it may fuf- 
 fice for the prefent, to remind you of two palTages 
 of fcripture only. One is in the 2 Epif of Peter, 
 chap. iii. " And account that the long-fuffering 
 of our Lord is falvation, even as our beloved bro- 
 ther Paul, according to the wifdom given unto 
 him, hath written unto you : As alfo in all his 
 epifHes, fpeaking of thefe things ; in which arc 
 fome things hard to be underftood, which they 
 that are unlearned and unliable" [men of an un- 
 teachable, light and wavering mind] itr^, as 
 they do alfo the other fcriptures, unto their oivn 
 deJlruSlion — Beware left ye alfo, being led away 
 with the error of the wicked^ &c." The other 
 pafTage of fcripture alluded to above, is in the 
 2 ThefT. chap. ii. where the apoftle fpeaks of 
 fome, who " received not the love of the truth, 
 that they might be faved." He immediately 
 fubjoins : " And for this caufe God jQiall fend 
 them ftrong delufion, that they fhould believe a 
 lie ; that they all might be damned^ -who believed 
 not the truth, &c." Now, if perfons may wreft 
 the fcriptures ; not only thofe which are really 
 
 ** hard 
 
1 6 Striving to enter in at the Ji rait Gate 
 
 ** hard to be underftood," but alfo the " other 
 fcriptures/' to their own defl:ru(5lion; and if there 
 are fome, who are given over to " ftrong dclu- 
 Hon," and believe a lie, to their own damnation ; 
 then it is certain, that men may err fatally con- 
 cerning the way of life. If there be any funda- 
 mental truths, there mull of confcquence be fun- 
 damental errors ; or fuch as Ihall be fatal in their 
 confequences. And this is evidently fuppofed, 
 not only in thefe, but in many other pallages of 
 icripture. From whence arifes the neceflity of 
 great care in inquiring after -the way of life, and 
 caution againfl: deception with reference thereto. 
 Nor can any man be fuppofed heartily to defire, 
 and earneftly to ftrive, that he may enter in at 
 the ftrait gate, unlefs he exercifeth care and dili- 
 gence in this refpedl. 
 
 If it fhould be demanded here, What errors 
 are fatal ? this, it is conceived, ought to be left 
 to the judgment of God. No man can prefume, 
 without arogance, pride and impiety, particularly 
 to run the line between eflfential and non-effential 
 articles of faith ; or, which comes to the fame 
 thing, between fuch errors as fhall be abfolutely 
 fatal, and fuch as fhall not. If God himfelf has 
 not explicitly determined thefe queftions, as he 
 has not, what unwarrantable prefumption is it in 
 men to do it ; as the manner of fome is ! Tho' 
 the -way of falvation revealed, be but one ; tho' 
 this may be fatally mifapprehcnded by the care- 
 
 lefs 
 
explain d and inculcated. tj 
 
 iefs and negligent ; and tho'^ for this reafoh, 
 we ought to ufc diligence that we may h6 
 rightly informed ; yet it is certain, that all mil^ 
 takes and errors refpefting the way of life, are 
 not fatal ; For who then could be faved ! It 
 may be fubjoined here, that tho' the carelefs 
 and flothful may err fatally ; yet it will by Ho 
 means follow from hence, that thofe may alfo 
 err thus, who are ferioufly inquifitive ; thofe 
 who take Jefus Chriit for their guide, and hear* 
 tily defire to know the truth as it is in him. 
 Jt would be a great reflexion on the goodnefs 
 and mercy of God, and on the holy fcriptures^ 
 to fuppofe, either that every miftake in fuch 
 fallible creatures refpeding the way of life^ 
 fhould be damning ; or, that we might fincere- 
 ly and earneftly endeavour, in the ufe of pro- 
 per means, to learn the way of falvation from 
 Jefus Chrift, or the fcriptures of truth, and yet 
 not find it, but err from it in any effential point. 
 The former of thefe fuppofitions would in ef- 
 fed: divert God of his mercy ; and the latter of 
 them would infer the fcriptures to be inade- 
 quate to the declared defign of them, which is, 
 to guide our feet into the way of peace, and 
 make us " wife unto falvation ; " which the 
 apoftle afTerts, they are " able" to do. And 
 whofoever denies this proteftantjand truly apof- 
 tolic doftrine, ought to go to Rome for a liv- 
 ing, vifible and infallible guide ; unlefs, per- 
 haps, he had rather fet up to be one himfelf. 
 
 C In 
 
r 8 Striving to enter in at the fir ait Gate 
 
 •In fine here : Striving to enter into life, ma- 
 nifbftly implies great care in feeking the way 
 that leader h thereto. In all the concerns of 
 this mortal life, when we are heartily engaged 
 in any purfuit, or endeavour to accompliili any 
 end, we are careful left we Ihould take fome 
 wrong ftep to our prejudice; except in fuch 
 cafes as we apprehend admit of no doubt or 
 uncertainty. And we do, or at leaft we ought 
 to, adf from the fame general principle in the 
 infiintely higher concerns of religion. Neither 
 can we be fuppofed really to Itrive, that we 
 i;nay ent.er in at the ftrait gate, unlefs we are 
 follicitous to know the truth as it is in Jefus, 
 i.n fome proportion to the importance of it, as 
 it relates to our eternal falvation. 
 
 5thly. This (hiving implies in it, earnefl: 
 prayer to God for the illumination of Ins holy 
 tpirit ; for his guidance and direftion in the 
 w^ay of life ; for tliC pardon of our fins ; for 
 a new heart, and right fpiric ; and that he 
 Wf u J purge our confciences from dead works, 
 to Icrvc him in newnefs of life. Prayer is one, 
 and indeed a moll important way, of ftriving ; 
 to the ufe of which means, there are io many 
 exhortations and irijuncfions in the holy fcrip- 
 tures, and which are fo generally known, that 
 it fcems unneccflary at prefent to refer you to 
 any in particular. And certainly no perfon 
 Tvdioneglecfs this, can be llippofed to ffrive as 
 
 he ought to do. 
 
 6thly. This 
 
explai?id aitd inculcated 19 
 
 6thly. Th IS undoubtedly implies in it, llriv- 
 ing agaiuft lin ; watchfulnefs againil tempta- 
 tion ; a refolute oppofition to the lufts and 
 corruptions of our own hearts ; and an endea- 
 vour, to forfake and avoid all thofe evil. prac- 
 tices which God has forbidden in his word ; 
 and for the fake of which, his wrath comerh 
 on the children of difobedience. For furely 
 that man:cannot be faid to llrive to obtain fal- 
 vation, who does not endeavour to avoid thofe 
 fins, and unrighteous deeds, again ft which he 
 knows the wrath of God is revealed froiji 
 heaven. 
 
 7thly. This implies a real endeavour, 
 not only to abftain from what God has forbid- 
 den ; but to do whatfoever he has required,--or 
 to obey all his known commandments. For 
 our bleiTed Saviour has faid, " Not every oi\c 
 that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, fhal! enter in- 
 to ihe. kingdom of heaven ; but he that deeth 
 the will, of my father which is in heaven." 
 And one would think it hardly poflible for aoiy 
 man to deceive himfelf fo mucli, as to imagine 
 that he really Ilrivcs;to enter in at the ilraic 
 eate, without endeavourin_[^ to comply with 
 the known will of God. This flriving plainly 
 implies a fincere (\<i{ixa to avoid every thing 
 in general that may obilrucl, and to do every 
 thing in generalvvhich may promote, a man's 
 future wxll-being. — It is, however, very far 
 
 C 2 from 
 
20 Striving to enter in at the fir ait Gate 
 
 from being the defign of what is here faid, that- 
 we fhould do thus under the notion of merit- 
 ing falvation thereby ; or performing fuch a 
 righteoufnefs as God is obhged in juftice to ac- 
 cept- This were the greateft foljy. What- 
 ever we do, we are unprofitable fervants ; yea, 
 worfe than unprofitable ; for we are flill fm- 
 ful creatures : And being fuch, can reafonably 
 hope for eternal life, only as the gift of God 
 thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord, who hath redeem- 
 ed us from the curfe of the law. And a de- 
 pendence upon him, as the mediator between 
 God and men, is implied in the very notion of 
 ftriving to obtain falvation thro' him. 
 
 8thly. The flriving here enjoined, mufl: be 
 fuppofed to intend ftriving with perfeverance ; 
 Bot for a month, a year, or any definite, given 
 time ; but as long as it fhall pleafe God to con- 
 tinue us in the world. For if any, after ftriv- 
 ing thus for a time, and in fome meafure cfcap- 
 ing the pollutions of the world, relapfe into 
 their /ormer carelefs and finful way of life, the 
 apoftle compares them to a " dog that return- 
 cth to his vomit, and a fow that w^as waflied, 
 to her w^ailowing in the mire." Yea, he faith 
 of fuch perlbns, that it "had been better for 
 them not to have known the way of righte- 
 oufnefs, than thus to turn from the holy con> 
 iiijaudment delivered unto them.^' 
 
 If 
 
explain d and inculcated. 21 
 
 If it fhould be asked, Whether any unre- 
 generate finner can be fuppofed to ftrive in 
 the manner reprefented above ? I anfwer, 
 Yes ; at leaft in general. There is very little, 
 if any thing, in this account of ftriving, &c. 
 which u^ould neceflarily fuppofe a perfon to 
 be already born of the Spirit. But if it 
 fhould be farther demanded, Whether a 
 finner can be fuppofed to ftrive thus, antece- 
 dent to any influence or operation of the good 
 fpirit of God upon his heart ? The anfwer is, 
 By no means. God undoubtedly ftrives with 
 finful men, by his word, his fpirit, and the 
 difpenfadons of his providence ; awakening 
 them to a fenfe of their guilt, mifery and dan- 
 ger, antecedently to their ftriving, or doing any 
 thing tending to their faIvi\tion : So that when 
 any are finally brought to love him, it is " be- 
 caufe he firft loved them." But yet fuch in- 
 fluences of the word and fpirit of God up- 
 on the hearts of men, as ferve to awaken in 
 them a ferious concern about their falvation, 
 and excite them to ftrive in order thereto, 
 do not infer them to be new creatures in 
 Chrift Jefus. My meaning is, that there may 
 be, and always are, fuch awakenings and 
 ftrivings, prior to that thorough change of dif- 
 pi^fition and aflecT:ions, which the fcriptures 
 exprefs by a new heart, the new creature, and 
 being born of God. — It may be fubjoined 
 here, to prevent mifconftrudion, that tho' no 
 
 finner 
 
22 Striving to enter in at the Jlrait Gate 
 
 firmer drives, but with whom God ftrivcs firft; 
 yet it will not from hence foUpw, that God 
 ftrives with none,, befides thofe who ftrivc in 
 confequence thereof, God is reprefented as 
 ftriving with mGU,iy, who, inftead of yielding 
 to the impreffions of his grace, refift, grieve 
 and quench his good fpirit ; till they are utter- 
 ly foriaken of him, and given over to a repro- 
 bate mind : In conformity to his own threat- 
 iiing, that his " Spirit fhall not always ftrive 
 with man."f 
 
 II. I WAS, in the next place, to fhew^ you 
 the fatal confequ^nces of not ftriving to enter 
 in at the ftrait gate : Or, in other words, of not 
 nfing 3^our endeavours to obtain eternal life, in 
 the manner reprefented above. And here it 
 is to be obferved in general, that ftriving is in- 
 difpenfably neceflary ; fo necelTary, that with- 
 out it we can never fee the kingdom of God. 
 It is not now afterted, that if w^e ftrive aright, 
 we fhall certainly be fucceeded in our endea- 
 vours : But let the fuccefs of our endeavours 
 be ever fo uncertain ; let it be fuppofed alto- 
 gether doubtful, wdiether our ftriving ftiall iftlie 
 in our falvation, or not ; yet it i? certain, on 
 
 the 
 
 \ Tho'the fcripturcs fpeak of God as ftriving ; yet this feems 
 not literally and dridly afcribed to him. For driving, in 
 the ordinary import of the word, connotes wciiknefs, or' a 
 limited power, which meets with opposition, oblhu<51ion3 and 
 difficulties : Whereas God is aimi^luy ; a being, to whom 
 nothing is hard; nothing dllTiculr, which he rcfolvcs to v^o. 
 
explai?td and inculcated. 2 3 
 
 the other hand, that if we do not drive, we 
 fliall never obtain eternal life. This is no 
 doubtful point, whatever the other may be. 
 That the confequences of our negligence ia 
 this refpe(?t, will be fatal, is infallibly certain, 
 though the happy confequences of ufing our 
 endeavours, Ihould be ever fo problemati- 
 cal, or precarious. However free the grace 
 of God is, it is manifcft that he has required 
 fomething of us in order to our falvation. 
 And our Lord here enjoins us to ftrive to this 
 end : Which is a general command, compre- 
 hending various things in it, as we have ^^tax 
 above. And can we fuppofe that our Saviour 
 would have commanded us to ftrive, if driving 
 were unnecefTary to the end propofed ? or, if 
 we might finally enter in at the ftrait gate 
 without driving? This cannot be reafonably 
 fuppofcd. 
 
 Besides : If anyfliould imagine thatftriving 
 is unneccffary, this would be to fuppofe that 
 every thing is unnecelTary, which properly 
 comes under the head of driving ; every thing 
 which is prefuppofed and implied therein, ac- 
 cording to the account already given of itj, 
 fuppofmg that to be a jud one. For example : 
 It v.'ould be to fuppole that iinners, to whom 
 the gofpel is preached, may inherit eternal 
 liie without giving any credit thereto ; with- 
 out being awakened into a fcnfe of their guilt 
 
 and 
 
2 4 Striving to enter in at the Ji rait Gate 
 
 and mifery ; ^vithout defiring to be fared ; 
 without endeavouring to learn the way of Hfe ; 
 without prayer to God; without endeavouring 
 to forfake their fins ; and without endeavouring 
 to do the will of God. All thefe things are pre- 
 fuppofed and implied in ftriving ; and confe- 
 quently, if ftriving be unneceflaryj thefe are 
 unnecelfary. But can atiy man who believes 
 the holy fcriptures to be the word of God,(and 
 to fuch only lam fpeaking ) pofTibly imagine 
 that thefe things are unnecelfary ! — That a man 
 may finally obtain the falvation revealed thro' 
 Ghrift, altho' he rejeds the revelation thereof; 
 altho' he continues hardened in his fins ; altho' 
 he has no defire to obtain eternal life ; akho' 
 he never feriouily enquires the way that lead- 
 eth thereto ; altho' he never prays to God for 
 his pardon, Spirit and grace ; altho' he freely 
 indulges, inftcad of mortifying his lufts ; and 
 in fine, tho' he takes no pains, ufes no endea- 
 vours, to keep God's commandments, but Wil- 
 fully violates them from day to day : and con- 
 tinues fo to do to the end of his life 1 It is fo 
 manifeft from the whole tenor of fcripture, that 
 fuch a man cannot be faved, but mull: perifli iu 
 his fins, that it were a mif-fpence of time to 
 prove it, by an indu6tion of particular palTages- 
 
 It being certain then, and moft manifefl: 
 from the holy fcriptures, that we cannot finally 
 enter in at the ftruit gate, unlefs we exert our 
 
 ielves 
 
explain d and inculcated. 2 5 
 
 felves, and ftrive in order thereto ; from hence: 
 appear the fatal confequences of negligence in 
 this refpeft. I fay confequences, and fatal 
 confequences ; for thefe three things are evi- 
 dently containedjor implied, in being excluded 
 from the kingdom of heaven : The lofs, or 
 falling fhort of eternal life, glory and happinefs; 
 fuffering the punifliment, to which we are 
 juftly liable as fniners ; and an additional 
 weight of woe and mifery due to us, as defpi- 
 fers of the mercy and grace of God, 
 
 Being excluded from the kingdom of hea- 
 ven, implies in it the lofs, or falling fhort of 
 eternal life, glory and happinefs. The ftrait 
 gate is the gate of life, of joy, of glor^^ honor 
 and immortality : So that,not to enter in there* 
 at, is to be forever excluded from thefe blef- 
 fmgs ; from the favour of God, and from the 
 everlafting joys that are in his prefence ; an 
 inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that 
 fadeth not away ; for it is in heaven, that this 
 inheritance is referved ; and it can be enjoyed 
 only by thofe, who fhall finally enter in at the 
 ftrait gate. 
 
 This farther implies, the fuffering of that 
 punifhment, to w^hich we are juflly liable as 
 fniners. For, to be excluded from heaven, 
 is in effeft to be thruft down to hell, where the 
 worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched ; 
 D there 
 
26 Striving to enter in at the Jlrait Gate 
 
 there being no medium^ no middle way for 
 us, between being faved and damned. As 'iiw-- 
 fal creatures, we are already expofed to perdi- 
 tion from the avenging juftice of God : yea, 
 we are aftually under a fentence of condem- 
 nation and death, till fuch time as w^e are de- 
 livered therefrom, by having an intereft in the 
 redemption wrought out by Chrift. For, it: 
 is to tliem on!}^ that are in Chrift Jefus, and fo 
 in him as to walk, not after the fiefh, but after 
 the fpirit, that there is no condemnation. 
 Now, how terrible a thing is it to lie forever 
 under guilt, the condemnation of God ? How 
 holy a being is he I how great his hatred of 
 fin \ how unlimited his power to punilh it ? 
 hov/ awfii! his threatnings, and how fure the 
 execution of them upon finally-hardened and 
 irreclaimable traufgreffors ? Is it not a fearful 
 thing to fall into the hands of the living God ! 
 Is not deftruclion from the Almighty a terror 
 to us ! — efpcciall}^ fuch an everlaliing deft ruc- 
 tion from his prefence, and the glory of his 
 power, as is threatned in his word ! And 
 wliatever, fooliili, filfe-hearted men may ima- 
 gine, or however flarter themfelves with the 
 hopes of impunity, " God is not a man that he 
 ihould lie, or the fon of man that he fliouid 
 repent. " 
 
 It Is farther to be obferved here, that thofe 
 who arc favoured with the gofpel, and yet neg- 
 
explain d and inculcated. 2 7 
 
 left toftrive after the falvation revealed there- 
 in, will incur an additional weight of woe and 
 jtiifery, as defpifers of the grace and mercy of 
 God. He has provided and revealed a way of 
 falvation, for finful, guilty and loft creatur<?s, 
 thro' the mediation, the fufferings and death of 
 hi^ own dear Son ; and faith, " Whofoever 
 will, let him come, " &c. God exercifcth pa- 
 tience and forbearance towards his linful crea- 
 turcs ; thereby giving them time and oppor- 
 tunity for repentance, and working out their 
 falvation. Now, if you Ihould neglect this 
 method of deliverance from condemnation, and 
 thiiuk everlafting life not worth your ftrivin-g 
 after ; you will not only reniain under the 
 guilt of your other tins, but will bejuftiy^ 
 chargeable alfo with defpifing the goodnefs of 
 God ; even the " riches of his. goodnefs, for^ 
 bearance and long-fuifering": And if you do fo, 
 you mull needs " treafure up unto your fclves 
 wrath againft the day of wrath, and revelau^^^ 
 of the righteous judgment of God." Yourguik 
 and punifliment will be greatly aggravated in 
 this refpecl. You will not only be condem- 
 ned as hnners in the day of judgment ; but as 
 the moil heinous fumers : vou vvill not onlv 
 be caft into the place of torments ; but have 
 your pait amongft the mod wretched that 
 fuffer there. In conformity hereto, our Lord 
 himfelf denounced a peculiar woe againll: the 
 inhabitants of Corazin, Bethfaida and Capcr- 
 
 D 2 aaum, 
 
2 8 Strivmg to enter i?i at the ft rait Gate 
 
 naum, where he had preached the gofpel of 
 the kingdom, becaufe they repented not ; af- 
 furing them, that it fhould be more tolerable 
 for thofe of Tyre and Sydon, for Sodom and 
 Gomorrha, in the day of judgment, than for 
 them. Thus alfo it is faid in the epiftle to the 
 Hebrews: " If the word fpoken by angels 
 -was ftedfaft, and every tranfgreilion and dif- 
 obedience received a juft recompence of re- 
 ward ; how fhall w^e efcape, if we negleft fo 
 great falvation, which at the jfirft began to be 
 fpoken by the Lord, " &c. ? And again : " If 
 he that dcfpiied Mofes' law, died without 
 mercy, — of how much forer punifhment fup-r 
 pofe ye, fhall they be thought worthy, who 
 Jaave trodden under loot theSon of God/' &c. ? 
 
 You fee then, what is to be the portion of 
 thofe who neglect, inftead of Ibiving to obtain, 
 the falvation revealed in the gofpel. They 
 will not only be excluded from eternal glory 
 and happinefs in the kingdom of God, continue 
 under wrath, and fufier as tranfgreffors of 
 God's law ; but alfo incur a peculiarly aggra- 
 vated condemnation, as dcfpifcrsot that mercy, 
 which provided and revealed a method of fal- 
 vation for finners. Such will be the fatal con- 
 fequenccs of not ilriving. And I am, in the 
 next place. 
 
 IIL To 
 
explain d and inculcated. 29 
 
 III. To reprefent to you the happy and glo- 
 rious confequences of driving fuccefsfully,or fo 
 as finally to enter in at the ftrait gate ; without 
 pretending to determine at prefent, whether 
 your endeavours to this end will certainly be 
 eiFccftual, or not. But this is at lead a poffible 
 fuppolition : And, O ! what w^ould you gain, 
 if your endeavours (hould adually be crowned 
 with fuccefs ! This appears, in fome meafure, 
 from what has been faid under the preceeding 
 head of difcourfe ; fo that there will be the lefs 
 occafion, as indeed there is not time, for much 
 enlargement here. Succefs in thefe endeavors 
 will be abundantly fufficient, yea, infinitely 
 more than fufficient, to reward all the pains 
 you take, or can take, even tho' you llaould 
 fpend a thoufand, or ten million years, in the 
 moft intenfe application ; and allow yourfelves 
 no reft day or night. For, on this fuppofition, 
 you will obtain eternal deliverance from guilt, 
 condemnation and wrath : And not only fo, 
 but be compleatly and everlaftingly bleffed. 
 
 %f\^ 
 
 You will obtain eternal deliverance from 
 condemnaLion and wrath. The wages 
 of fin, you know, is death ; or everlafting de- 
 llrudion from the prefence of the Lord. Now 
 a primary, or main end of the ftriving enjoined 
 upon us in the text, is, obtaining delive- 
 rance from a ftate of guilt, mifery and ruin ; 
 pr from the wrath which is to come upon the 
 
 world 
 
30 Striving to ente?^ in at the fir ait Gat a 
 
 world of the ungodly ; as appears from what 
 Ikis been difcoiirfed above. So that fuccels in 
 •thefe endeavours, or in this ftriviag, impHes in 
 the very notion of it, obtaining a full and final 
 releafe from all our fms, and h*om the puniOi- 
 liient due to them. And how glorious a pri- 
 viledg'e is this ! Blefled indeed is he, whofe 
 tranfgreffions are thus forgiven, and whofe fin 
 is covered ; yea, thrice blclfed is that man, 
 umo whom the Lord will not impute iniquity! 
 — who fliall never come into condemnation! 
 Jf it (hould be faid, that to be exempted from 
 punifhment, is but a negative happinefs ; or 
 that it implies no poficive good in it; be -it 
 Co. ; Yet fu rely, deliverance from evil is worth 
 Itrivlng for ; efpecially, from fo great an 
 evil, ^s the damnation of hell. Tho' this were 
 allM\iQX we could hope to obtain by flrivii.ig ; 
 3^et,doubtlefs,our endeavours tothis end' would 
 be well bellowed. 
 
 But, as was before obferved, if you ftrive 
 cfle6lually, you will not only obtain delive- 
 rance from fin and death ; but be the heirs of 
 eternal life and glory. Thac narrow gate, in- 
 to which you flrive to enter, is the gate of life, 
 the gate of heaven. And confequently, if you 
 ftrive effedually, you will gain admiffion into 
 the manfions of evcrlaliing joy. " Eye hath not 
 indeed ^^xtw^ nor ear heard, neither have enter 
 red into the heart of man, the things which 
 
 God 
 
explain d and imukated. 3 1 
 
 God hath prepareil for them that love him. "'" 
 But-, from what he hath revealed unto us by 
 his Spirit, we know in general that the heaven- 
 ly date is a ftate of perfect holinefs and happi- 
 nefs ; an happinefs adapted to the rational na- 
 ture of man ; adequate to his mod exalted 
 wiflies ; yea, far furpaffing all his prefent con- 
 ceptions ; an happinefs which will never be in- 
 terrupted or diminifhed ; but conftant, immu- 
 table and eternal. And if there were but a- 
 bare poffibility of obtaining fuch an happinefs 
 as this, wdiat reafonable man would not ftrive 
 in order to it ? efpecially when the certain con- 
 fequences of neglecting to do fo, are taken into> 
 confideration ! 
 
 What connexion there is between our 
 ftriving, and adually obtaining the falvation 
 of our fouls, according to the holy fcriptures, 
 is, by divine permiffion and afliltance, to be 
 confidered in another difcourfe. But the pre- 
 fent muft not be concluded without fome fhort 
 reflexions on what has been faid already. 
 
 And, 
 
 I. It appears, that there is fomething re- 
 quired of, and to be done by fmful men, in or- 
 der to their falvation. Our Lord commands 
 us to ftrive to enter in at the ilrait gate ; and 
 certainly this implies the doing fomething ; 
 
 yea, 
 
3 2 Strhing to enter In at the Jlratt Gate 
 
 yea, of many things, with a view to obtaining 
 eternal life. Nor is there a fingle command of 
 Chrift in the gofpel, but what ought to be o- 
 beyed, partly with this view ; though not 
 indeed, under the notion of meriting falvation 
 thereby. How ftrange r how unnaecountable 
 is it then, that anyfhould alTert^ as fome have 
 done, that there is nothing to be done by fin- 
 ners, in order to their falvation ; or at leaft, 
 nothing befides believing ! And fome there are, 
 who have gone fo far as to fayjthat the very in-' 
 quiry,What men are to do to obtain eternal life^ 
 is an indication of a felf-righteous fpirit > and a 
 proof, that the pcrfon who makes it, knows 
 nothing of the gofpel-difpenfation ! What 
 ftrange infatuation is this ! And with how 
 much truth and propriety might it be retorted, 
 that thofe who have fuch a conception of the 
 gofpel, are themfelves grofly ignorant of it ; 
 and need to be taught, even the firft principles 
 of the oracles of God ? 
 
 2. It farther appears, how much thofe are 
 miftaken, who fuppofe that the working out 
 their falvation is an eajy matter; attended with 
 few or no difSculties ; and rather a matter of 
 amufement, than of great pains, labor and 
 felf'denial ; of the moft inteufe application, and 
 vigorous exertions. Our Saviour, who cer- 
 tainly knew every thing relating to this affair, 
 enicins us to " Ilrive ; " or, if the word may 
 
 be 
 
^xplahid and inculcated. ^ g 
 
 may be allowed, to " agonize," that we may en- 
 ter into life : Plainly importing, that the bufinefs 
 of religion is at once of fuch vaft importance, and 
 attended with fuch difEculties, as to call for thd 
 moft anxious concern, the mofl: fixed refolutions^ 
 and unwearied endeavours. And there are divers 
 metaphors ufed in fcripture, relative to this mat- 
 ter, which naturally fugged the fame thing to us t 
 Particularly thofe of " wreflling," " running,'* 
 and " fighting ;'* which exprefs efforts of ftrength 
 and a6tivity, joined with warinefs and circumfpec- 
 tion. Thefe are all applied to the exercifes, du- 
 ties and employments of the chriftian life ; as if 
 a man were to be almoft continually exerting 
 himfelf, and upon his guard, as in a race, a fight, 
 or fome other exercife, which at once require* 
 care, dexterity, and a vigorous exertion of 
 ftrength : And furely heaven is not prepared a^ 
 a receptacle, or mighty hive, for the drones of the 
 earth ! But if we were to judge by the conduct 
 of fome profefTed chriftians, and thofe, perhaps, 
 not the worft that the world affords, we fhould 
 te apt to think, that to be, and to live the life 
 of, a chriftian, was a thing of the greateft eafe : 
 and, as was intimated before, rather a matter of a- 
 mufement, than of habitual care, pains and labor. 
 For how many are there, who apparently, inftead 
 of making the falvation of their fouls their grand 
 concern, the object: of their moft earneft endea- 
 vours, confider it rather as fomething which is 
 befide the main bufinefs of life ; fomething fub- 
 
 E ordinate, 
 
5 ^ Strivhig to enter in at the ft rait Gate 
 
 ordinate, not only to the getting riches or power, 
 but even to their other diverfions and paiHmes I 
 There are mai\y perfons of this chara(5ler in the 
 world ; who may yet think theniielvcs in the way 
 of falvation, becaufe they make a profeffion of 
 religion ; becaufe they attend the public wor- 
 fhip — when it fuits their humour ; and are not 
 openly vicious in their lives. But fuch perfons 
 will be certainly difappointed, \i they expert, in 
 this way, ever to get admifFion into the kingdom 
 of heaven. For can they, with any propriety of 
 language, be faid to fkive to enter in at the rtrait 
 gate ? or can they enter there, without ftriving ? 
 What they really ftrive for, is to obtain wealth, 
 Worldly honors, worldly plcafures, and the meat 
 that perifheth ; not the pearl of great price, not 
 that honor that cometh from God, not thofe 
 pleafures that are at his right hand, not the meat 
 that endureth unto everlafting life. Let none 
 delude themfelves with an imagination, that they 
 are in that " narrow way" that leadeth unto life 
 everlafting, while they live after this thoughtlefs, 
 neghgent and loofe manner ; nor unlefs they 
 ftrive in earneft to enter in at the ftrait gate, as 
 a matter of infinite concernment to them ; in 
 comparifon of which, all other things are of tri- 
 vial confequence, hardly worth a ferious thought. 
 This is indeed, what our Lord intends when he 
 fays, " one thing is needful." And bleffed are 
 they, who are fo wife as, with Mary, to " choofe 
 that good partj that fliall not be taken away from 
 them." 3> You 
 
explain d and inculcated. 35 
 
 3. You may fee, by what has been faid, not 
 only that flriving is neceflary in order to entering 
 into life ; but alfo, that the manner of flriving is 
 of great importance. People may take confider- 
 able pains in religion, with a view to their future 
 happinefs ; and yet, thro' criminal inattention, 
 not *' Itrive lawfully,'' or in the manner they 
 ought to do ; and fo never enter into life. To 
 (Irive to enter in at the ftrait gate, is an injunflion 
 of Jefus Chrift ; and therefore muft be fiippofed 
 to mean, ftriving in a way that is in general a- 
 greeable to the plan of the gofpel, the do<firine of 
 our redemption. And if, thro' vicious prejudice, 
 or even thro' want of fuch attention as might 
 be reafonably expeded of us, we Ihould wholly 
 miftake in this matter; whatever we do, muft, 
 on the moft favourable fuppofition, go for noth- 
 ing. Unlefs we ftrive, in general, in the manner 
 we ought to do, allowing for involuntary mif- 
 takes, we are not in the way that Icadeth unto 
 life. And if we are not in that narrow way, 
 we are of confequence travelling towards the 
 wide gate of deftrudion ; and fhall unqucftion- 
 ably, unlefs we alter our courfe, increafe the vaft 
 and wretched number of thofe, that go in there- 
 at ! Of this, however, there is no real danger, 
 
 if we earneftly endeavour to be rightly informed: 
 For, of thofe who are favoured with the gofpel, 
 if there be few that find the way of life, it mufl 
 be, becaufe there are but few who feafonably 
 and diligently inquire after it : Tho' this is cer- 
 tainly one thing implied in ftriving. 
 
 E 2 4. Let 
 
36 Striving to enter in at the Jl rait Gate 
 
 4. Let me earneftly exhort all to ftrive. Tho' 
 your endeavours fhould prove ineffectual ; yet, 
 as that is fuppofed at prefent to be an uncertainty, 
 you are obliged in all reafon to do your beft, 
 leaving the event with God. For this is the fitu- 
 ation, the dilemma you are in, as guilty creatures: 
 If you do not ftrive to obtain deliverance from 
 condemnation, you will, you 7niijl^ continue un- 
 der it, and be miferable hereafter. But if you 
 ftrive, it is at leaft poffible that you may obtain 
 deliverance from the wrath to come, and be eter^ 
 pally happy. And can you hefitate, in this fitu- 
 ation, which is the wifer part to take ! Do you 
 not ftrive, in your worldly concernments, when 
 at as great uncertainty about the fucccfs of your 
 endeavours? And yet thofe are matters of no 
 importance, in comparifon with this : " For what 
 Js a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and 
 lofe his own foul ?•■ In thofe affairs, tho' you did 
 not exert yourfelves with vigor, the damage could 
 be but fmall, comparatively fpeaking ; and the 
 gain is but fmall and temporary, when your en- 
 deavours are fuccefsful. But in this^ if you are 
 carelefs and negligent, you perifh in your fins, 
 find are ruined forever ; And if you ftrive fuc- 
 cefsfuUy, as perhaps you may, your gain is infi- 
 nite ; a treafure that faileth not, a kingdom that 
 hath foundations, a crown of glory that fadeth 
 not away. 
 
 But 
 
explain d and inculcated. g j 
 
 But to conclude : If there are any who will 
 not ftrive to enter in at the Itrait gate of life, 
 let them be perfuaded at lead, not to take pains 
 to go in at that which leadeth to deftrudion ; 
 which is altogether needlefs. For this gate is 
 wide, ready to receive all that come ; the way 
 thereto is broad, fo that it can hardly be miffed ; 
 and there are many who, even without taking 
 pains for it, go in thereat. But yet there are fome 
 perfons, who feem to ftrive, and take great pains, 
 to enter in at this wide gate : I mean all fuch a$ 
 endeavour to flifle the convi<5i:ions of their own 
 confciences ; to perfuade themfelves, that the 
 chriflian revelation is a fable, and to quench the 
 Spirit of God, that ftriveth with them. There 
 are undoubtedly fome, who really take pains to 
 rid themfelves of every religious and moral prin- 
 ciple ; of all the reflraints of confcience, which 
 they find troublefome to them ; which is no eafy 
 thing, efpecially for thofe who have had a religi- 
 ous education. Some there are, who feem to 
 endeavour to excel in wickednefs ; who pride 
 themfelves in impiety and vice ; in profane curf- 
 Ing and fvvearing, in drinking, wantonnefs and 
 riot : Who even '^ weary themfelves to do ini- 
 quity ;" and afterwards glory in their fhame. 
 Now, all fuch perfons may be faid to flrive, not 
 to fave, but to deftroy their own fouls. But 
 how unneceffary a labor is this ! And if even 
 the righteous fcarcely are faved, where fhall fuch 
 ungodly fmners appear ! — *' Wo unto him that 
 
5 8 Striving to enter in at the Jl rait Gate 
 
 Jlriveth [thus] -with his Maker : Let the pot- 
 iherd ftrive with the potflierds jof the, earth." — • 
 Do not, I befeech you, fo foolillily, To wickedly, 
 as to " feek death in the error of your life!" Our 
 Lord fays, in alhifion to the taking a city by ftorra, 
 that the " kingdom of heaven fuffereth violence, 
 and the violent take it by force." The kingdom of 
 heaven is thus to be taken; and there is at once 
 glory and gain in fuch a conquelh But what 
 occafion is there, fo to exprefs it, for Itorming 
 hell, whofe gates are ever wide extended, to re- 
 ceive every comer ! There is no occafion for 
 any formal fiege, for any affault or violence, in 
 order to get admittance into that place of tor- 
 ments : And tho' there were, yet there would 
 be neither honor nor advantage to reward the 
 exploit. — But why do I fpeak thus to you, my 
 friends and brethren ? I hope in God, there are 
 BO fuch abandoned fmners amongft my hearers ; 
 tho' there may probably be fome perfons, v/ho 
 take little or no pains to obtain falvation ; and 
 who are therefore particularly concerned in this 
 admonition : — " Strive to enter in at the ftrait 
 gate; for many, I fay unto you, fliall feek to 
 enter in, and fhall not be able." 
 
 Sermon II 
 
Sermon II. 
 
 /.C) 
 
 The Connexion between ftrivmg after, 
 and obtaining Salvation, proved from 
 the holy Scriptures. 
 
 LUKE XIIL 24. 
 STRIFE to enter in at the Jl rait gate. --^ 
 
 BY the ftrait gate is intended, the gate of life, 
 or of the kingdom of heaven. It is called 
 ftrait, in refpe6l of the difficulties which 
 attend gaining admifHon into thofe blefTed man- 
 fions. By ftriving to enter at this gate, is meant 
 in general, ufing our fincere endeavours to obtain 
 eternal life. But, more particularly, this ftriving 
 prefuppofes and comprehe'nds in it, a fpeculative 
 belief of the chriftian revelation ; a fenfe of our 
 finful, perifhing condition ; an earneft defire to 
 obtain the falvation revealed thro' Chrifl ; ferious 
 and diligent inquiry after the way of life ; prayer 
 to God for the pardon of fin, for his fpirit 
 and grace ; ftriving againft fin, with an endeavour 
 to keep all God's commandments ; ftill relying, 
 
 not 
 
40 Ohtaming eternal Life 
 
 not on any fuppofed merit in what we do, but 
 on the mercy of God in Chrift, for acceptance 
 with him. All which implies a partial refor- 
 mation, or a good work begun in the finner, by 
 the word and fpirit of God ; tho' it does not 
 neceffarily imply that thorough change, which 
 the fcriptures exprefs by a new and clean heart, 
 by the new creature, and by being born of the 
 Spirit. — Striving to enter in at the ftrait gate, is 
 indifpenfably neceflary in order to our falvation. 
 Without it we fliall certainly fall fliort of eternal 
 life, continue under condemnation, and incur an 
 additional degree of guilt and mifery, as defpifers 
 of the grace of God. Such will be the confe- 
 quences of not ftriving. On the other hand, if 
 we ft rive effe^ually, we fhall obtain deliverance 
 from the wrath to come ; and be inexpreffibly 
 and eternally happy in the kingdom, prefence 
 and enjoyment of God, the fupreme good. So 
 that we have great reafon to ftrive, tho' there 
 were but a bare poffibiHty, that our endeavours 
 may be crowned with fuccefs. 
 
 Th e feveral things here mentioned in a curfo- 
 ry manner, were enlarged on in the preceding 
 difcourfe, under three general heads. And there 
 now remains only one point to be confidered, in 
 order to finifh the defign which I had, when I 
 entered on this fubjeft. And that Is, 
 
 IV. What 
 
conneSied with Strivings &^c. 41 
 
 IV. What connexion there is, according 
 to the word of God, betwixt our llriving, and 
 finally obtaining what is the grand end and 
 ohjeft of our endeavours, the laivation of our 
 fouls. 
 
 Some perfons, and indeed not a few, have 
 fuppofed that there is no certain connexion 
 between any drivings or endeavours of fin- 
 ners, and their obtaining eternal life : While 
 others have fuppofed that our fuccefs is certain, 
 provided we ftrive as we may and oughn to do, 
 to enter in at the ftrait gate. To confider this 
 matter, by the light of God's holy word, and 
 by his affiftance, is propofed as the bufincfs of 
 this difcourfe. And I fhall beg leave to intro- 
 duce what I have to offer upon it, \^i^h feme 
 fhort remarks, tending to a jufl and clear 
 ftating of the point. The iirll of which is, 
 
 I. That thequeftion does not relate to the 
 ftriving, or endeavours, of the regenerate ; of 
 thofe that are already born of God, or fuch as 
 are, in the mofl proper fcnfe, true believers 
 and real chriftians. The.queflion is not, Whe- 
 ther the endeavours of fuch, to obtain falva- 
 tion, fhall be effeftual or not ? For it is al- 
 lowed on all hands, that they fhall infalHbly 
 be fo. All acknowledge, that the gofpcl plain- 
 ly and direclly promifes eternal life to perfons 
 of thisxharader. So that the prefent iiinnirV 
 
 F has 
 
42 Obtaining eternal Life 
 
 has no relation to fuch ; And confequently, it 
 mud relate wholly to the endeavours of the 
 iinregenerate. 
 
 2dly. Th^ qneftion is not, Whether Tinners 
 can be finally laved, without becoming true 
 believers, or real chrillians, in the moft proper 
 fenfe I Concerning this matter, there is no 
 more controverfy? than there is about the point 
 Jaft mentioned. For it is allowed on all hands, 
 that without holinefs no man fliall fee the 
 Lord ; or ever gain admiffion into the king- 
 dom of heaven. This is therefore no part of 
 the queftion before us. Neither, 
 
 3dl3^ Is the queflion, Whether a finful crea- 
 ture can attain to true holinefs, and fo be en- 
 titled to eternal life, merely by any endeavours 
 of his own, or without the renewing and 
 fanftifying influences of the Spirit of God I 
 It is generally, if not univerfally, agreed a- 
 mongd profeffed chriftians, that repentance 
 unto life, and evangelical hoUnefs, are not at- 
 tainable without the gracious operations of 
 God's holy Spirit ; and confequentl}^, that 
 without thefe divine influences, all the endea- 
 vours of fmners to attain to holinefs, and fo to 
 eternal life, muff be inefledual. Which indeed 
 amounts to neither more nor lefs, than what 
 our Lord himfcif declares, — That *' except a 
 man be borji again, he cannot fee the king^ 
 
 dom 
 
conmSied with Strivingy &^c. 43 
 
 dom of God. " Chriftians do indeed dlifer con- 
 fiderably in their manner of explaining them- 
 felvcs upon this fubjeft : But there are few or 
 none, but what do in general aflert the neceffi- 
 ty of divine grace, or the influences of God's 
 Spirit, in order toafaving converfion ;orin or- 
 der to a finner's attaining to holinefs here, and 
 happinefs hereafter. And this is now taken 
 for granted, as a certain and important truth. 
 So that it is no part of the prefent queftion, 
 whether the endeavours of finners will be 
 efFedual to their falvation, without the grace 
 of God vouchfafed to them, fo as to create in 
 them clean hearts, and right fpirits ? For it is 
 certain, they will not. Neither, 
 
 4thly. Is the prefent queftion. Whether God 
 is obliged, in juftice, to renew or change the 
 heart of a (inner, in confequencc of his endea- 
 vours, prayers, or any thing which he can be 
 fuppofed to do ? Or, in other words, is obli- 
 ged, in point of juftice, to fucceed the endea- 
 vours of fniners, in order to their attaining to 
 holinefs and eternal life ? It is generally al- 
 lowed, that God is not bound in juftice thus to 
 fucceed a finner's endeavours ; at leaft,this is now 
 taken for granted. And to ilippofe that God is 
 obliged, in point of equity, to do this, would- 
 be moft abfurd, not to fa}- impious. For, as 
 Tinners, we have forfeited all right to God's fa- 
 vour ; to any good whatfoever ; and are juft- 
 
 F 2 1/ 
 
44 Ohtainmg eternal Life 
 
 ly liable to wrath and puniiliment. And if fo, 
 it is a manifeft inconfiltency to fuppofe, that 
 any thing which a finner docs, or can do, 
 fhould merit his favourable regards ; or juftly 
 entitle him to thofc ii^fliiences of the holy Spir 
 rit, which are necelFary, and which will be 
 effeftual, to the linner's falvation. This would 
 be,to fuppofe him juftly liable to wrath for his 
 iins, and at the fame time .to have a juft claitn 
 to falvation on account of his endeavours : For 
 to have a juft claim to falvation, and to have 
 a claim of right to thofe renewing influences of 
 God's Spirit, which have falvation connecled 
 •with them, amount to the fame thing at laft : 
 And fo the fuppofitions are equally irrational. 
 From whence it follows, 
 
 5thly. That if there be any certain con- 
 nexion between the endeavours of finful crea- 
 tures to obtain eternal life, and their adually 
 obtaining it, this is a connexion which the free 
 grace, or unmerited goodnefs of God, has 
 made and eftabUfticd : And fo can be known, 
 only by the gracious promifes or declarations 
 of his word : For, between God's juftice and 
 his grace there is no medium. If there be fuch 
 a connexion, which docs not arife from the 
 former, as certainly it cannot ; it muft of con- 
 fequcnce flow from the latter. And this can 
 be known only from divine revelation : For it 
 is only froni the word, declarations and pro- 
 mifes 
 
conneSled with Strivings &^c. 45 
 
 mifes of God, that we can certainly know, to 
 what particular objects, in what manner and 
 meafure, when, and under what circumrtan- 
 ces, God will exercife grace, or fl;evv mercy 
 to the guilty. Wherefore, 
 
 6thly. Upon laying thefefeveral things to- 
 gether, you will pleale to obferve, that the in- 
 quiry before us really comes to this at lad, viz. 
 Whether there are in the word of God, any 
 gracious promifes, invitations, or declarations, 
 refpeding unregenerate finners, to whom the 
 golpel is preached, from whence it may be 
 clearly inferred, that if they ftrive in the man- 
 ner they may and ought to do, to attain to 
 holinefs and eternal life, God will certainly af- 
 ford them all the influences of his Spirit and 
 grace, which are neceflary to that end : So 
 that their endeavours (hall not be in vain, but 
 fucceeded by him, and rendered cfFedual to 
 their falvation ? This, it is humbly conceived, 
 is a fair, jull and plain ftate of the important 
 queftion propofed. — It may, however, be fla- 
 ted fomewhat differently thus, without altering 
 the true import of it, viz. W^hether the gra- 
 cious declarations and promifes of God in his 
 word, are fuch as will in any meafure admit * 
 of the fuppofition, that unregenerate fmners, 
 to whom the gofpel is preached, may defire, 
 ftrive, and earneftly endeavour, in the ufe of 
 proper means, to obtain the falvation revealed 
 
 therein, 
 
46 Obtaining eternal Life 
 
 therein, feeking to God for his grace and af- 
 fidance ; and yet poffibly fall fliort of eternal 
 life, and perifh in their fins, by reafon that 
 God with-holds his Spirit and grace from them? 
 The queftion thus Itated, comes preciiely to 
 the fame thing, as in the former way. Or it 
 may be reduced to another form, and ftill nar- 
 rower compafs, thus: viz. Whether unrege- 
 iierate finners, under the difpenfation of the 
 Gofpel, have any day of grace and falvarion 
 afforded to them ; in fuch a fenfe, that they 
 fhall certainly obtain eternal life., provided they 
 heartily defire it, and ftrive to that end ? — . 
 I have expreffed the true point in queilion, in 
 thefe feveral wa3^s, not merely for the fake of 
 having it clearly underftood ; but partly, be- 
 eaufe I fuppofed, that the bare ftating it thus, 
 would go a confiderable ways towards a pro- 
 per refolutioh of it, Avith thofe that are tole- 
 rably acquainted with the general tenor of holy 
 fcripture ; unlefs their minds are unhappily 
 prepoflefrcd in favor of fom€ unfcriptural 
 fcheme of f3^1tematical (.livlnity. 
 
 Having prepared the wavby thefe previ- 
 ous remarks, I fhall now proceed more diredly 
 to what I had principally in view ; which was 
 to prove, by arguments drawn from the holy 
 fcripturcs. That there is a certain connexion 
 between finners driving to obtain the falvation 
 which God has revealed, and their afl-ually 
 
 obtaining 
 
conmEied with Strivings &^c. 47 
 
 obtaining it.'^' By arguments drawn from holy 
 fcripture, are not, however, intended, only 
 fuch as are drawn from fcripture-promifes ; 
 but alfo from any doftrine or declaration of 
 fcripture : For if arguments are fairl}^ and juft- 
 ly deduced from the word of God, or are con- 
 clufive, it is immaterial from what particular 
 topic they are taken. And you are dcfired to 
 obferve, tliat I do not put the intire decifion of 
 this point, upon the abfolute conclufivenefs of 
 every fingle argument, or paflage of fcripture, 
 that fhall be alledged ; but upon the joint force, 
 the concurring evidence, and refult of all. 
 For it will befufficient, if the conclufion fairly 
 refults from them all, confidered colleftively, 
 altho' it fhould not,from an}'' one of them fepa- 
 rately taken. Accordingly ,it is to be obferveJ 
 here, 
 
 ( I. ) That mankind being confidered 
 in fcripture, as in a ftate of fiii and death, 
 it is declared that Jefus Chrift came into the 
 world to fave them ; to " fave finners " ; 
 to " feek and to fave that which was loft. " 
 
 la 
 
 * To avoid nnneccfUry repetitions, the reader is defired to 
 remember, (i.) That, in this difcourfe, by finners, unrcge- 
 nerate Tinners are always meant. And (2.) That when their 
 ftrivings, or endeavours, are fpoken of, this muft be undcr- 
 itood in general of fuch flriviRgs, or endeavours, as are dc- 
 fcribed in the preceeding difcourfe. I fay, in general : for 
 polfibly one or two expreflions ufed in that defcri^tion, are in 
 ftri^lnefs applicable to the endeavours of the regenerate only ; 
 tbo' I am not at prefect fenfible of any fuch. 
 
48 Obtaining eternal Life 
 
 In conformity whereto, the angel that ap- 
 peared to the terrified fliepherds on the night 
 of his nativity, comforted them with the 
 following words : — " Behold, I bring you 
 good tidings of great joy, which ihall be to 
 all people : For unto you is born — a Saviour, 
 which is Chrift the Lord. '* " And fuddenly 
 there was with the angel a multitude of the 
 heavenly hoft, praifing God, and faying, Glo^ 
 ry to God in the higheft, and on earth peace, 
 good zuill towards men '* [indefinitely.] Agreea- 
 bly hereto it is declared, that Chrift " gave him- 
 felf a ranfom for all '' ; that he " died for all ; " 
 and that he " tafted death for every man. " 
 And ourLord commanded hisapoftles to preach 
 the gofpel, or thefe glad tidings, to " every 
 creature." This is called the " gofpel of the grace 
 of God ; '' and profelTes to point out a method 
 of falv ation for llnners. The apollle Paul fays, 
 "With reference hereto : " The grace of God 
 that hringeth falvation^ hath appeared unto all 
 ■men f ; teaching us, " &c. Now, from fuch 
 declarations of holy fcripture, we may fairly 
 infer, that all thofe, to whom the gofpel is 
 preached, have therein an offer of lalvation 
 made to them. For in what other view can 
 
 it 
 
 t Tit II. II. The original words might, perhaps, be tran- 
 flat^d with more propriety — *' The grace of God that bring- 
 eth falvation to all men^ hath appeared -, teaching us, " &c. 
 So ihcy are rendered in the margin of fome of our bibles. 
 And being thus underflood, they will be rather raorc dirc^ 
 and full to the point in vijsw. 
 
connected xvith Striving, &c. 49 
 
 it be confidercd, as glad tidings of great joy to 
 all that hear it .^ In what other view can it be pro- 
 perly called, the grace of God that bringeth 
 falvation to all men r And it it really makes an 
 offer, or points out a method of falvation to 
 all ; can it be fuppofed that any finner, who is 
 willing, and defiroiis, and itrives, to obtain the 
 falvation thus revealed, fhould yet be reje(5fed of 
 God, and finally perifh ? Certainly it cannot. 
 
 (2.) God hath declared in the mofl: folemn 
 manner, that he hath no plcafure in the death 
 of finners : *' As I live, faith the Lord, I have 
 no pleafure in the death of the wicked, bilt that 
 the wicked turn from his way and live." Yea, 
 it is declared, that God ''will have all men to be 
 laved." Now, if what thefe declarations moft 
 obvioufly and ftrongly import, be true ; furely 
 all v/ho really defire and llrive to obtain eternal 
 hfe,will certainly obtain it. For If God himfelf hath 
 no pleafarc in their death, but the contrary; and 
 if they themfelves defire life, and endeavour to 
 obtain it, what fliculd hinder their lalvation P 
 Can the devil be fuppofed to prevent it, on thefe 
 fuppofitions ? He cannot, unlefs he is ftronger, 
 not only than man, but than God himfelf ! 
 
 (3.) According to the reprefentations of 
 fcripture, God affords to iinners a (pace for repen- 
 tance, a ^-ay of grace ard falvation ; or a feafon for 
 making, their peace with him :durin^i; which time, 
 
 G he 
 
^o Ohtainhig eternal Uife^ 
 
 he Is faid to be " near", fo that he " may be fpund'' 
 by them that fcek hhn. Yea, God is reprcfent- 
 cd as long-fufferlng tov.ards them, being unwil- 
 ling that they fhould pcrlih. To which purpofe 
 arc the following paffages, amongft innumerable 
 others. " Seek ye the Lord -while he may be 
 found ; call ye upon him while he is near. Let 
 the w icked forfake his way ; " * 8cc. " To day, if 
 ye w ill hear his voice, harden not your heart, as 
 
 in the day of temptation Forty years was I 
 
 grieved with this generation," §&c. " Agree with, 
 thine adverfary quickly, whiles thou art in the 
 ivay with him ; left," &c. " He beheld the 
 city, and wept over it, faying, If thou hadft known, 
 even thou, at leaft in this tloy daj,t\ic things which 
 belong unto thy peace ! but now," J &c. " I 
 gave her a Jpace to repent — and fhe repented 
 not " f. — " Receive not the grace of God in 
 vain — For he faith, I have heard thee in a time 
 accepted, and in the day of falvation have I fuc- 
 cdured thee : Behold now is the accepted time ; 
 behold, now is the day of falvation J§". " The 
 Lord is not flack concerning his promife, as fomc 
 men count flacknefs ; but is long-fuffering to us- 
 ward, not willing that any Jhould peri/Jj, but 
 that ALL fliould come to repentancet§." Now, 
 is it confident with thcfe repeated declarations, to 
 fuppofe that finners, during this time of their vi- 
 fitadon, may really defire and ftrive to enter in 
 
 at 
 
 * If.i. LV. 7 § pfal. XCV. 7. X LwVeXlX. 41. 42. 
 
 t Rev. IL 21. J§ 2 Cor. VL i, 2. t§ 2 Pet. IIL 9. 
 
connccled %vith Striving, &c. 5 1 
 
 at the ftrait gate ; and yet fall fhort of Cilvatlon ? 
 If God is long-fuffering, " not willing that any" 
 of thofe finners, to whom the gofpel is preached, 
 fhould perifh, but that " all " fhould come to re- 
 pentance ; certainly he puts them all into a ca- 
 pacity for attaining falvation. To fuppofe that 
 any are left in fuch a fl:ate,that they cannot avoid 
 perifhing, tho' they defire it; or in fuch a (late, as 
 renders repentance impoffible for them ; mani- 
 feftly fuppofes, thatGod luills them to perijlj,t\\'xt 
 he would not have them come to repentance ; 
 nor really allows them a fpace for it5in any pro- 
 per fenfe : And fo is directly contrary to the 
 doctrine of fcripture — But let the unbiafTed judge. 
 
 (4.) It is farther to be remarked, that during 
 this fpace given for repentance, or that day of fal- 
 vation, which the fcriptures fo plainly alltrt; fm- 
 ners are earncirly admoriifhed, exhorted and 
 commanded, to feek God, to be reconciled to 
 him, and to work out their falvation. Thus in 
 
 fome of the paili^es but jull: now quoted 
 
 '' Seek the Lord while he may be found,'' &c. 
 ^'' To day, if yc will hear lils voice, harden not 
 your hearts." So in Prov I. *' Wifiom cricth 
 without — How long, ye fimple ones, will yc 
 love fmiplicity ■ and i\vi icorners delight in fcorn- 
 ing, and fools hate knowledge ? Turn you at my 
 reproof," &c. And ftiil more emphatical arc 
 the words of the apoftle, in his fecond epiille to 
 the Corlnrhians ; a part of which paflage was 
 
 Gx 2 quoted 
 
5 2 Ohtamng eternal Lifc^ 
 
 quoted before. But you may pleafe to confider 
 it more at large, as it here follows. " All tilings 
 are of God, who hath reconeiled us to himfelf 
 by Jcfus Chrifl:,and hath given to us the niiniltry 
 of reconciliation : To wit, that God was inChrift 
 reconcihng the AVorld unto himfelf, not im- 
 puting their trefpaffes unto them ; and hath com- 
 mitted unto us the word of reconciliation. Now 
 then we are embaffadors for Chrift, as tho God 
 did befeech you by us ; we pray you in ChrifFs 
 ftead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath 
 made him to be fin for us, who knew no fin ; 
 that we might be made the righteoufncfsof God 
 in him. We then as workers together with him, 
 befccch you alfo, that ye receive not the grace '* 
 [the gofpel] " of God in vain. For he faith, I 
 have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the 
 day of falvation have I fiiccoured tliec : behold, 
 new is the accepted time," &c. Thefe exhorta- 
 tions, and commands, are all directed more eipe- 
 cially to finners ; to " the wicked" ; to '' fimple 
 ones, *'ieorners", and '* fools" ; to luch as were 
 not yet '" reconciled to God". And can any un- 
 prejudiced man think it confiRcnt with them, to 
 liippofe, that finners may be awakened to inch a 
 ienfe of their mifery in being in a Ihite oi aliena- 
 tion from God, as to defire to be reconeiled to 
 liim, and really ilrive to obtain a part in the fal- 
 vation thus revealed ; and yet fall of it ! Judge 
 fo;* yourfclves — 
 
 \^') 
 
 CoTnFOKM' 
 
conneBed with Stnvhig, &c. ^ 5 
 
 (5.) Conformably hereto, life and doadi, 
 bleffing and ciirfing, are laid to be fet before fin- 
 ners, in the word of God ; and they arc admo- 
 nifhed to choofe life — " I call heaven and earth 
 to record this day — that I have fet before you 
 life and death, bleffing and curfing ; therefore 
 choofe life", * &c. But, vvith what truth or pro- 
 priety could life and death be fiid to be fet be- 
 fore finners, if tho'-they dcfired hfe, and heartily 
 endeavour 'd to obtain it, they might yet fail 
 thereof ? On this fuppofition, it is only death 
 that is really fet before them, in any proper, con- 
 fident fenfe ; without any life or bietling, in op- 
 pofition thereto—It were but a cavil to fay, that 
 Mofes, or God by him, here addreffes himfelf to 
 the people of Ifrael upon the. fouti:ig of mere law; 
 enjoining upon them per feci obedience thereto.as 
 the condition of their attaining life ; and de- 
 nouncing death againft them in cafe of the leaf!: 
 failure. Thev were already fuincrs, t ran fg^re (Tors 
 of the law, and arc lpo];en o[ a^^ fachj in the 
 verfe immediately foregoing. So that in refpec-^ 
 of mere law, they vvcre under a curf^ already ; 
 a!id were utter! y incLvna.cirated to obtain life on 
 the footing ot lavv. Notium^ bin: death was be- 
 fore tliem In that rv (];kx% tho' they had dcfired 
 life. i\nd yet life and blefling are faid that day 
 to have been let l^efoie them, as v/ell as death 
 and curfmg : And they are admoniihed to choofe 
 life, as what vra>, at that time, attainable, if clio- 
 
 icn; 
 * iXut. xxx: \--), 
 
54 Obtaining eternal Life^ 
 
 fen ; for it is added, — that thou and thy feed 
 may Hve." It is manifeft therefore, that they 
 were not here treated with upon the footing of 
 mere law ; life being offered to, or fet before them, 
 for their choice, confidered as fmners. And if 
 fo, the obtaining it depended on their choice, or 
 was conne61:ed therewith. And doubtlefs, it is 
 not lefs truly and properly fet before fmners now, 
 under the gofpel difpcnfation, than it was before 
 the Ifraelites in the time of Mofes. From 
 whence we may conclude, that if we really de- 
 fire, and ftrive to enter into Hfe, we fhail not 
 fall fhort of it. 
 
 (6.) The fcripturcs fpeak of fome finners as. 
 wholly left, and forfaken of God, in this world ; 
 given up to their own heart's luft, to incureablc 
 blindnefs, to flrong delufion, &c. that they 
 " might be damned." Now if there is any fiich 
 thing as fuch-like paflages of fcripture fccm to 
 affert, and as they are ufually underilood ; it will 
 even from hence follow, that the perfons thus 
 given up of God, were, antecedently hereto, in a 
 falvable ftate ; that they had in fome mcafcrc 
 the reftraints and drivings of God's fpirit ; that 
 they were really put into a capacity for obtaining 
 falvation, had they defired it ; and that their not 
 doing fo, was the reafon of their being thus for- 
 faken.- And this is agreeable to the reprcfentati- 
 ons of fcripture, in thofe very paffiiges, which are 
 here alluded to — " My people zvoidd not hear- 
 ken 
 
connecied -with Striving. &c. 55 
 
 ken to my voice, and IfracI would none of mc : 
 So I gave them up, " &c. — '^' If diou liadft known, 
 even thou, in this tliy day, the things that belong 
 to thy peace i but noiu they are hidden from 
 thine eyes" — '* They received not the love of 
 the truth, that they might be faved : And for this 
 
 caufe God fliall fend them ftrong delufion 
 
 that they all might be damned." Their cafe is 
 reprefented as being made defperate, by. their be- 
 ing thus given up of God ; and this Is afcribed to 
 their negleft of a former opportunity, in which 
 they were in a capacity for attaining falvation. 
 And indeed, if they were not, the " things which 
 belonged unto their peace", were really hid from 
 their eyes before, as truly as afterwards. If God 
 gave them up, becaufe they would not hearken 
 to his voice ; then they were not given up before 
 they refufed to do fo ; but might have obtained 
 life, had they fought after it : without which fup- 
 pofition, there feems to be no ground for any 
 fuch diftindion as is apparently made between 
 their ftate before, and their ftate after, God thus 
 gave them over. 
 
 (7.) The fcriptures fpcak plainly and dlrciflly 
 of finners neglc^ling the opportunity allowed 
 them for obtaining life, as the real caufe of their 
 death or deflru^lion. — ''' Eccaiife I have called, 
 and. ye rcfulcd ; I have ftrctchcd out my hand, 
 and no man regarded ; but ye havcfet at nought 
 all my coiinfel — 1 alio ^^ill laugh at your calami- 
 ty — 
 
^6 Olnciimng denial Life, 
 
 ty — when clifircfs and anguifh cometh upon you. 
 Then fliall they call upon me ; but I will not 
 aniwer: they ihall feek me early, hut they fhall 
 not find me." * " Fortv years long; wajs I srieved 
 with this generation, and faid, It is a people that 
 do err in their hearts — unto whom I Iware in my 
 wrath, that they flriould not enter into my refh'^f 
 " How fhall we efcape, if we negle(5l fc great 
 falyadon, xt &c. " Ye will not come unto me, 
 that ye might have life." § *' O Jerufalem^ — how 
 often would I have gathered thy children — and 
 ye vjoidd not ! " §§ Thefe, with innumerable 
 other pafTages of fcripture,moll: clearly and ftrong- 
 ly exprefs this fentiment ; That the true and only 
 reafon why finners perifh, is, that they do not 
 " regard" the hand of God, ftretched out to fave 
 them ; that they " grieve" him by their obduracy 
 in fin ; that they '' negle^^ " the great falvation 
 offered to them ; and " will not" come to Jefus 
 Chrifl: for life. But neither of thefe things can 
 be truly and properly faid of thofe pcrfons, who 
 are awakened to fuch a icnf:^ of their fins, as re~ 
 ally to defire the lalvation revealed, and to lirivc 
 in order thereto ; even tho' they are not (which 
 is very fiippof^able) already in a regenerate fhac. 
 And therefore all fuch perions, unlefs they ceaic 
 to defire and ftrive thus, fliall be laved ; not, 
 to be fare, v/ithout being born of God ; but they 
 
 fnall 
 
 ♦ Prov. XXIV- -S. f Pfal. XCV. lo, u. % f^^cb. H- 3- 
 
 § John V. 40. v;-^ Matt. XXIII 57. 
 
conncBed nvitb Striving, &c. ^7 
 
 fhall be " renewed in the fpirit of their minds ;" 
 and confequentiy enter into life. 
 
 (8.) Sinners havcapromife of the fpirit of 
 wifdom, or of fpiritual v/ifdom, with v/hieh eter- 
 nal life is connected, if they hearken to God's re- 
 proof, and diligently feek it. "Turn you at ray re- 
 proof: hehold, I Vv^iil pour out my fpirit unto you : 
 I will make known my words unto you."* " Hear 
 inftrudion and be wife, andrefufe it not. Blcffcdis 
 the man that hearethme,watc]iing daily at my gates, 
 waiting at the pods of mydoors."f That what is 
 here promifed, is fpiritual wifdom and underfrand- 
 ing, fuch as fiiall be faving, is not, I fappofe, denied 
 by any. But it will perhaps be faid, that none 
 but a regenerate man, can be fuppofed to " turn 
 at God'sj or wifdom's, reproof,'^ or to " wait at 
 the pofbs of her doors," in the fenfc here intend- 
 ed : and confequentiy, that none but (uch can be 
 entitled to the promife, or bleiTmg. But this 
 were an arbitrary alfertion ; one, for wliich there 
 is not the leaft colour or foundation. For the per- 
 fons here addrefied, arefpoken to under the cha- 
 racier of "fimple^ones," " fcorners," and "fools"; 
 who certainly need wifdom the mod of any. And 
 the promiie is apparently made "for the encou- 
 ragement of fuch, to turn at her reproof, and to 
 watch daily at her gates ; that they might find her, 
 and tJiereby " find life." This was th( refore to 
 be done by them, antecedently to their obtaining 
 II fpiriiual 
 
 * Piov. I, 23. t ^-^'^?- VII ;;3, 34. 
 
58 Ohtainwg eternal Lifey 
 
 fpiritual wifdom ; not in the aclual cxercife of it, 
 as the regenerate, v/ho are already wife unto fal- 
 vation, are to leek for more wifdom. And un- 
 lefs thefe paffages are fo underflood, the promife 
 will really amount to this, and no more than this; 
 viz, " If ye who are now fools, and cannot be 
 truly wife, but by turning at my reproof, fliall 
 firfl: attain this wifdom fome other w:ay,and then 
 turn in the cxercife thereof, being actually pof- 
 feffed of wifdom ; then fhall you find it, in con- 
 fequence of fuch a turning, waiting and watch- 
 ing : behold; then will I pour out my fpirit unto 
 you ; then will I make known my w^ords unto 
 you/' This mull: really be the whole amount of 
 this promife, unlefs it is fuppofed to be made to 
 the turning, waiting and watching of an unrege- 
 nerateman : But I may venture to appeal to any 
 wife man, wdicther fuch a promife w^ould be agree- 
 able to the ivifdom of God ! 
 
 (9.) In Ezckiel [chap, xxxvi.] God declares 
 his purpofe to do many things for the people of 
 Uracl ; and, amongft the reft, to give them a 
 " new heart" and a " new fpirit". f But he addsaf- 
 tcrvv ards, *' I will yet for this be enquired of by 
 the houfe of Ifrael, to do it for them J" : which 
 unqueiHonably relates in part, to the new heart 
 and new fpirit, fpoken of before. Upon which 
 we m^ay briefly remark, That eternal life, or 
 falvaticn, is connected in fcripturc with the hav- 
 
 ing 
 
 t Ver. 26. % Ver. 37. 
 
CGirricclcd unth Striving, &a 59 
 
 ing a new heart : That fucli an heart is the 
 gift of God : That he gives fuch an heart, 
 not prior to, but in confequcnce of, being inquir- 
 ed of, or fought to, for it : And confequently, 
 That the inquiring of God, here intended, 
 is the act, not of the regenerate, but the 
 unregeneratc ; who are awakened to dcfirc, 
 and feek after it. So that altho this is not ex- 
 prefTed in the fonn of a conditional proinife ; yet 
 it amounts to one : at leafl: it implies, that the 
 obtaining a new heart, hzs fome connection with 
 inquiring after it; and that, in a manner in which 
 an unregeneratc man may be fuppofed to do. 
 For it were highly abfurd to fuppofe, that a 
 man niuft have a new heart, In order to his in- 
 quiring of, or feeking God, in fuch a manner as 
 to obtain fuch an heart of him ! 
 
 (10.^ Our Saviour pronounces a blcfUng on 
 thofethat '' hunger and thirit after riG;htcoufncfs ;" 
 adding, that '' they fliali be filled."* By which 
 mictaphors of hungring and thirlFing after righte- 
 oufncfs, our Lord unqueirionably defigned to ex- 
 prcfs the fh'ong and ardent dcdres of finful crca- 
 Xures to attain thedghtcoufncfs, and fo the fah.a- 
 tion, revealed in the gofpcl ; dcfires arifing from 
 a fenfc of their mifery without it ; fuch deiircs as 
 put tliem. upon ufing liicir endeavours after it : 
 Even as men who are ready to perifli witih hunger 
 and thiril in a literal fenie, will of courfe endea- 
 H 2 vour 
 
6o Obtaining eternal Life^ 
 
 voiir to obtain meat and drink. All fuch pcrfons 
 our Lord pronounces hleffed: " for," fiiys lie, 
 " they fliall be filled." Which promife, or de- 
 claration, can intend nothing lefs, than that they 
 fliall a6lually attain to that righteoufnefs and fal- 
 vation, which they defire, and ftrivc after. Now, 
 there is not the lead: ground to doubt, but that 
 convinced, awakened finners, may and do -often, 
 thus hunger and thirft after righteoufnefs. And 
 if any fhould fay, that the regenerate only, or 
 fuch as have aheady attained unto righteoulnefs, 
 can be fuppofed to do fo ; this were altogether as 
 contrary to reafon and good fenfe, as to fay, that 
 a man mufl: eat a good meal^ in order to be hungry 
 in a hteralfcnfc; and that he mufl: drink an hearty 
 draught, m order to bea-thirft: — This benedidion 
 and promife, more efpecially rclpeci unregencratc, 
 heavy-laden finners : as do alfo fuch gracious in- 
 vitations and promifesas thcfe — ''Ho, everyone 
 that thirfrethjcom.e ye to the v/aters— Wherefore 
 do ye fpend your money for that which is not 
 bread ? and your labour for that which fatisficth 
 not ? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that 
 which is good, and let your foul deliglit itich in 
 fatnefs." § " W^hofoever drinketh of the water 
 that I fiiall give him, fhall never thirft ; but — 
 it {hall be in him a v/ell of water, fpringing up in- 
 to everlafthig life." '^ " I am the bread of life : 
 he that cometh unto me fliall never hunger, and 
 he that believcth on mc, Ihall never thirfh":!: "If 
 
 any 
 
 f Ifa. LV. I, 2. * John IV. 14. % Chap. VI. 35. 
 
conne&ed ivith Strivings &c. 6i 
 
 any man thlrfl:,let him come unto mc and drink — 
 this he fpake of the fpirit, which they that bc- 
 Hcve on him fliould receive" — f " And the fpirit 
 and the bride fay, Come. And let him that 
 hcareth fay, Come : and TjJjofoever will, let him 
 take the water of hfefixely." § How unreafona- 
 ble : how unfcriptural, were it to fuppofe, that, 
 by thofe who hunger and third after righteouf- 
 nefs, our Lord intends only the regenerate ; or 
 fuch as have already eaten and drank of that fpiri- 
 tual bread and water,which hegiveth? — Efpecially 
 w^hen he declareth above, that fuch perfons lliall 
 neither hunger nor thirft again ! '' I am the bread 
 of life ; he that cometh unto me (h^lUiever him- 
 ger ; — Qi-xW never thirfi,'^ Can any man read 
 this, and yet fappofe, that hungring and thirfting 
 after righteoufnefs, in the fenfe of our favicur,to 
 which the promife is made, is alv/ays fabfequent, 
 never prior, to coming to him, or to regeneration? 
 If he can, however good his heart may be, no 
 one has much reafon to envy Iiimhis head. 
 
 (ii.) To thif; promife of our Lord, another 
 may be fabjclncd, which is alfo found in his feiv 
 mon on the mount.* " Aflc, and it fiiall be given 
 you ; feek, and ye iliall find.; knock, and it ihall 
 be opened unto you. For every one that afketh, 
 receiveth. Sec. AVliat man is there of you,wmonl 
 if his fon afk bread, will \\z give him a ftorie?- — 
 If ye then being evil, know how to give good 
 
 'gifts 
 
 t Chsp. VII. 37-39. § Rev, XXII. 17. 
 
 n. 
 
62 Ohtaining eternal Lifey 
 
 gifts unto your children, how much more fhall 
 your Father which is in heaven, give good things 
 to them that afk him " * ? Here you will obferve, 
 that the ' ' good things " promilcd, are fpiritual 
 bleffings ; fuch as have eternal hfe connected 
 with them ; as is manifeft from a parallel place 
 in another evangelift, where thefe good things 
 are explained to mean, the Holy Spirit — *' How 
 much more fhall your heavenly Father give the 
 Holy Spirit to them that afk him ?" You will 
 farther obferve, that the obtaining thefe fpiritual 
 bleffrngs is exprefly conne6led with, and promif- 
 ed to, aiking, feeking, knocking. But then it 
 will perhaps be faid, that this mufi: be fuppofed 
 to mean, the afking, &c. of the regenerate ; and 
 that it cannot be intended of the defires, prayers 
 and endeavours of the unregenerate. But docs 
 there appear any good reafon for limiting the 
 promife in this manner ? It is humbly conceived, 
 there is none : But that it ought to be undcr- 
 ftood conformably to what our Lord had faid 
 before — that they who hunger and thirft after 
 righteoufnefs, fhall be filled. The words were 
 fpoken by him to the promifcuous multitude of 
 his profeffed followers : and there is no reafon 
 to fuppofe, that all thcf^ were then in a regene- 
 rate ihite. That any of them were fo, cannot be 
 inferred merely frojnGod's being fpoken of in this 
 paffage, under the charader, or title, of their 
 *' Father" in heaven. For he is fiiid to be the 
 
 " God 
 
 * M^tt. Vn. 7 -II. 
 
conneBed -with Strivings &c. 63 
 
 ^'Godand Father of all'' ; not only of the rege- 
 nerate, tho' they are in a peculiar fenle his child- 
 ren, his fons and daughters. This common Father 
 has many evil and difobedient, as well as good 
 and obedient children. And the perfons here 
 fpoken to, are fpoken to as evil. " If ye then, 
 being eviF\ &c. From whence it might be at 
 leaft as fairly argued, that they were not in a re- 
 generate (late, as it could, that they were, from 
 God's being Itiled their Father. For where do 
 you find thofe that are born of God, his fons by 
 adoption, and fpiritual renovation, called evil m 
 fcripture : However, no great llrefs ought to be 
 laid upon this : for even fuch perfons may doubt- 
 lefs be lliled evil in a comparative fenfe ; as our 
 Lord fays, " There is none good but One, that is 
 God." But there is ftill lefs reafon to conclude 
 thefe perfons were born of God, from his being 
 fpoken of as their Father : For, as before obfer- 
 ved, he is the Father of all: And all in com- 
 mon are direcled to pray to him under this very 
 character — - ''' Our Father which art in heaven" — 
 Had not this cavil been produced as a ferioiis ar- 
 gument, and much iniifted on by forae, it would 
 have been a fhame to ' fay fo much about it : 
 
 which mufl: be my apology 1 would farther 
 
 obferve here, that thefe promifcs of our Saviour 
 to fjch as afic, feek and knock, fcem to be more 
 efpcciallydcfisncd and calculated for the cncou- 
 
 
 ragement of the unrcgenerate to feek God, and 
 fpiritual bicffinfrs. For the '' good thin^^s" pro- 
 
 miicd. 
 
6 4 Obtaining eternal Lifcy 
 
 niifed, as explained by St. Luke, are fuch as are 
 comprehended in the '^ gift of the holy fpirit : " 
 The promife of whieh, in confequenccof afking, 
 feeking and knocking, is fo far from fuppofmg 
 that the perfons who do fo, are aheady regene- 
 rate, or that the fpirit is given to them prior to 
 their afking ; that it rather imphes the direct con- 
 trary ; viz. that they had not the fpirit, in the 
 fenfc here intended by our Saviour. For if 
 they are fuppofed, at the time of their afking, to 
 have the fpirit of God dwelling in them, to " abide 
 with them for ever/' as all the fons of God by 
 regeneration and adoption have, what becomes of 
 the promife ? What are they to have in confe- 
 quence of afldng, &c ? Is it only the continu- 
 ance of the fpirit, or larger meafures of it ? — But 
 thefe are, I think, never czWcA^ giving the fpirit ^ 
 in the language of fcripture : which Kieans the 
 original beftowment of it [or him] on fuch as 
 wxre dellitute of it ; in confcquence of which, 
 they are faid to be born of the fpiritjor of God. 
 As a man is but once born of God, or of the 
 Spirit, fo the Spirit is, properly fpeaking, never 
 give7i more than once : For being once given, lie 
 is to " be in, and to abide with believers for 
 ever." So that to fay, as fome have done, that 
 they Vvho have already the fpirit of GTod, have 
 indeed here a promife of his countenance, or of 
 larger meafures thereof ; but that t'iofc who afk, 
 being dePdtute of the fj^irit, have no promife of 
 him made to them, is a mofl arbitrary, irrational 
 
 conih-udion 
 
conmSled with Strivings Mc* 65 
 
 conftruclion of this promifc : A promife, 
 which our bleflcd and merciful Redeemer 
 particularly defigned for the encouragement of 
 thofe to a(k, who moll need the Spirit; — ."hea- 
 vy-laden '' linners ; that fo, applying themfelvcs 
 to God in their extremity, " they may be 
 made free from the law of fin and death, by 
 the law of the Spirit of life in Chrill Jefus ; and 
 for the future walk, not after the flcfh, but af- 
 ter the Spirit. " * 
 
 It will greatly confirm what has been faid 
 upon this point, if we confider, 
 
 (12.) That the apoflle Peter fpeaks of God, 
 as having '^ given unto us all things pertaining 
 unto life and godlincfs, ^' by calling us to the 
 knowledge of the gofpel ; and particularly, cer- 
 tain " great and precious promifes, that by 
 thefe, " fays he, " you might be partakers 
 of the divine nature, having efcapcd the 
 corruption that is in the world thro* luft. " % 
 Where you will obferve, That all things 
 pertaining to " godlincfs," are given in and by 
 the gofpel : That there are in it more par- 
 ticularly, " great and precious promifes : " 
 That the end of thefe promifes, is, our being 
 made " partakers of the divine nature *' ; by 
 which is doubtlefs meant, the Spirit of God, 
 with a new heart : That thole who are 
 
 r made 
 
 * Rom. vni. I, 2. \ 2 Pst, I. 3, 4. 
 
66 Obtaining eternal Life 
 
 made partakers of this divine nature, are not 
 unconvinced, hardened finners, going on with- 
 out' check or rcftraint in their evil courles ; but 
 fuch as are in fomc degree reformed ; orfuch as 
 **have efcaped the [grofsj corruptions that are 
 in the world thro' luit : " By whom we may 
 fairly underftand, fuch as llrive to enter in at 
 the itrait gate. And laftly, That this divine na- 
 ture, or new heart, is given in the way of pro- 
 mife, or in fuluhiient of the promifes — So that 
 this cxaclly coincides with what our Lord 
 iays in the paflages confidered above, refpecl- 
 ing thofe'that hunger and third after righteouf- 
 iiefs ; that aik, &c. Nor is it unlikely, that the 
 apoftle Peter had thefe, and fuch-like promifes 
 of our Saviour, particularly in his mind, when 
 he fpeaks of the great and precious promifes 
 "given to us, that hj thefe we nvght be partakers 
 of the ' dlv'ine nature, 
 
 (13.) It' is very generally allowed ( though 
 denied by lome men of a difordered mind, 
 hardly fit to be reafoned with, ) that all thole 
 in general, who hear the gofpel, are invited 
 'and required, not only to believe it, but to re- 
 pent of their fins, and to become the /r//f ^Z/- 
 cSpies of Jefus Chrift. It is moreover univer- 
 fally acknowledged, that the gofpel promifes 
 eternal life to all who do thus, or to all real 
 ' chriftlans \ And it is reprefented as a won- 
 derful manifeilation of the goodnefs of God 
 
 to 
 
cofineEied with Strivings &"€. 67 
 
 to men, that he fhould, in this way, pro- 
 mife falvation to them. Now, if tliefe concep-. 
 tions and rcprefentations are juft, as they iin- 
 queflionably are ; it ma}^ from hence be clearly, 
 inferred, that there is grace accompanying the, 
 difpenfation of the gofpel, fufficient to render 
 it efFeftual to the falvation of thofe who hear 
 it, provided they are really defirous of, and en- 
 deavour after it : Or, in other words, that God 
 will certainly afford to fuch perfons, all need- 
 ful influences of his Spirit to this end; andcon- 
 fequently, for their renovation and fan6tifica- 
 tion : For unlefs there is fuch grace attending 
 this difpenfation, or actually attainable by all 
 in general who hear the gofpel, and defire 
 the falvation therein revealed, vvhere is the 
 goodnefs of God to them in this difpenfation ? 
 What becomes of thefe " good tidings of great 
 joy to all people ?" or how can this revelation, 
 with any propriety, be called good tidings to 
 all ? Is there any real kindnefs, mercy or gopd- 
 neis, in offering falvation to guilty creatures, 
 and inviting them to accept it, on fuch terms 
 as are to them impracticable, tho'they defire ir, 
 and drive to this end: — impradicable, I mean, 
 with all the helps and advantages that God af- 
 fords, or will afford to them, tho' they feck 
 them in the beft manner their circumllanccs 
 will admit of? I mud confefs, I cannot lee 
 any goodnefs herein. There fecms to be no 
 real difference between, not offering them fal- 
 
 1 2 vation 
 
68 Obtainmg eternal Life 
 
 vation to all, and offering it on fuch terms as 
 thefe ; unlefs it be in this refped, viz. That, 
 upon the former rLippofitionjiinners would have 
 no juft caiife for complaint : They could only 
 fay, that God had dealt in a way of ftrict juf- 
 tice with them ; not (hewing, nor even feem- 
 ing to (hew, any mercy to them. Whereas, 
 on the latter fuppofition, that the terms pro- 
 pofed are really impra^licablc, by any who 
 defire, and endeavour to obtain falvation, they 
 would feem to have fome ground to com- 
 plain, that they were infulted in their mifery, 
 under the fallacious pretext of " rich good- 
 nefs, forbearance and long-fuffering". — God 
 might, indeed, have juftly Idfc guilty mankind 
 to perifli in their fins, without providing a 
 Redeemer for them, or propofing any terms of 
 reconciliation with them. But if he is pleafed 
 as it were to enter into a treaty with them ; to 
 make overtures of peace to them ; and fends 
 ambafladors to befeech them in his name to be 
 reconciled to him ; not only goodnefs, but even 
 natural jullicc, fecms then to require, that the 
 terms propofed (hould be fuch, as creatures in 
 their fituation, all things confidered, may com- 
 ply with, and fo receive the benefit offered, 
 provided they really delire it. For otherwife, 
 as w^as intimated before,, fuch propofals feem a 
 real infulc ou the miferable,. under the pretext 
 of wonderful goodnefs and grace. We may 
 jfrom hence tiicreforc clearl^y infer, that God 
 
 will 
 
conneSied with Strivings &^c. 69 
 
 will give his holy Spirit to thofe who, fcnfiblc 
 of their need thereof, have recourfe to him ; 
 and really ftrive to obtain life ; — • unlefs you 
 will fuppofe, that we may fee the kingdom of 
 God, or finally enter in at the (trait gate, with- 
 out being born of the Spirit. 
 
 (14.) It is very generally allowed, that 
 thofe who, having had the gofpel preached to 
 them, do not actually comply with the method 
 offalvation revealed therein, and fo finally 
 obtain eternal life, will have an aggravated 
 condemnation at the laft day. This is agreea- 
 ble to the reprefentations of fcripture in man}'' 
 places. But what reafon ? what juitice, would 
 there be in this, if thefe finful and unhappy 
 men were never really put into a capacity for 
 obtainina: this falvation ? or never had it made 
 pofTible to them, tho' they defired and endea- 
 voured to become partakers of it ? Are men, 
 even tho' guilty, and deferving of wrath, to 
 be firlt mocked with the offers offalvation by 
 Jefus Chrift, upon terms really impracticable 
 to them, tho' the}^ defire to comply with them ; 
 and afterwards to receive a condemnation pe- 
 culiarly aggravated, on account of their non- 
 compliance with thefe offers ! — . '' Far be it 
 from God that he fliould do wickedly ; and 
 from the Almighty, that he fliould pervert 
 judgment '' ! Are not his ways equal ! — 
 J3ut this were contrary to our cleareft ideas pf 
 
 equity, 
 
*]0 Obtaining eternal Life 
 
 equity, of juft and fair dealing : It were not 
 only void of all goodnefs ; biit fo cruel and 
 tyrannical, that it would be highly blafphe- 
 mous to attribute fuch a condud to God ; who 
 is not only infinitely removed from all nnrigh- 
 teoufncfs, but " good unto all, and his tender 
 mercies over all his works. " And yet fuch a 
 conduct muft be afcribed to him, unlefs we 
 fuppofe, that the falvation revealed is aftually 
 attainable, ( and confequently the gift of the 
 holy Spirit ) by all thofe who defite, and ufe 
 their endeavours to this end — • I fpeak upon 
 the fuppofition mentioned above, in which 
 chriflians are very generally agreed ; viz. that 
 all thofe who do not actually comply with this 
 method of falvation, fo as at laft to obtain 
 eternal life, are, for fuch non-compliance, to 
 receive a very aggravated condemnation. And 
 thofe who pretend to reconcile fuch a method 
 of conduct with jullice, feem properly to fall 
 under the cenfure of " fpeaking wickedly for 
 God. " 
 
 I HUMBLY conceive, that there is not one 
 of the above arguments, but what is ftricHy 
 conclufive, even when taken fcparately. How- 
 ever, as was intimated before, the abfolutc 
 decifion of this queftion is not refted upon any 
 one of them, exclufively of the reft ; but upon 
 the joint force and refult of all. And being 
 thus confidered, there appears to mc, not only 
 
 fatis- 
 
conneSied with Strivings &^c. y i 
 
 fatisfaftory and conclufive evidence in favour 
 of the doctrine propofed to be proved ; but a 
 full blaze of it, fo as to take away even the 
 poflibility of doubt, from any perfon of a to- 
 lerable comprehcnfion of mind, who ferioufly 
 attends to it ; « — ■ unlefs he is under the influ- 
 ence of fome very unhappy, tho' I do not fay, 
 criminal prejudices — But you are to judge 
 for your felves. 
 
 If it fhould be faid, that fome diiEculty ari- 
 fes from the latter part of the fame verfe, of 
 which my text is a part ; — " For many, I 
 fay unto you, ih^Wfeek to enter in^ andjlmll not 
 he able " : a clear and full folution of this, is 
 contained in the verfes following. From 
 whence it is manifeft, that our Lord does not 
 mean, that they " lliall not be able ", tho' 
 they ftrive during the time of their vifitation ; 
 but after it is elapfed. For he proceeds thus: 
 " When once the mafter of the houfe is rifen 
 up^ and hath jlvtt to the door^ and ye begin to 
 ftand without, and to knock at the door, fay- 
 ing, Lord, Lord, open to us; and he fhall 
 anfwer and fay unto you, I know you not 
 whence you are : Then fhall ye begin to fay. 
 We have eaten and drunk in thy prefence, " 
 &c. Here you fee, when it is that many fhall 
 feek to enter in, and iTiall not be able; "j/z. 
 when the mafter of the houfe is rifen up, and 
 hath /'/// to the door : Which, by the way, is 
 
 fo 
 
7*2 Obtainwg eternal Life 
 
 fo far from implying, that they fliall not be 
 able to enter in, tho* they ftrive during the 
 day of their vifitation, that it implies the di- 
 red: contrary, viz, that the door is not then 
 Jl)ut^ but open ; and that they are able, all things 
 being confidered, to enter in thereat, if they 
 really drive to this end. So that thefe words 
 are plainly parallel with thofe in Proverbs . — 
 " Becaufe I have called, and ye refufed ; — I alfo 
 will laugh at your calamity — when your fear 
 Cometh as defolation, and your deftruclion 
 Cometh as a whirlwind ; when diftrefs and 
 anguifh cometh upon you. Then fliall they 
 call upon me, but I will not anfwer ; they 
 /hall feek me early, but they fhall not find me." 
 In which words it is alfo clearly implied, that 
 if finners flrive, call on God, and feek him dili- 
 gently, before that time cometh, he will fure- 
 ly anfwer, and be found of them. 
 
 If it fhould be farther faid, that an unrege- 
 nerate man cannot be fuppofed to flrive, feek, 
 or do any thing elfe, in a truly holy manner, 
 fo as to be pleafing to God ; and confequently, 
 that God cannot be fuppofed to have connec- 
 ted the attaining of eternal life with their en- 
 deavours : It is anfwered, That what God has 
 conneded eternal life with, can be known only 
 from his own word. To f/jat wc have been 
 appealing; and have found, that he has therein 
 adually connec^led falvation with the endea- 
 vours 
 
comicBcd v)ith Strivings ixc. 7^ 
 
 vbufs of Tinners. And there is fome real dif- 
 ference between the temper and alliens of a- 
 wakened flnncrs ; — awakened by God's own 
 w^ord and fpirit; hiingring and thirfling after 
 righteoufnefs, and ftriving to enter in at the ftraif 
 gate ; and the temper and actions of thofe, who 
 are proceeding headlong in their criminal courfes. 
 Thp' the actions of the former are no ways me- 
 litorious, yet they are certainly, to fay the leaft, 
 not fo difpleafing to God, as thofe of the latter. 
 Yea; finceGodhas commanded the unregenerate, 
 while and as fuch, to ftrive, feek, &c. it muft 
 be fuppofed, that he requires them to drive in the 
 exercife of fuch faculties as they have, not of fuch 
 as they have not. Their driving in the exercife 
 of thcfe powxrs, may therefore properly be cal- 
 led obedience to hini, or fiid to partake of the 
 nature thereof. And if there be in it any 
 thing of the nature of obedience, it has alfo 
 fomething of the nature of good ; and fo cannot 
 be wholly unpleafing to God. It muft therefore 
 render thofe who perform it, more fuitable objefts 
 of his favour and mercy than thofe are, who do not 
 drive ; but commit iniquity with greadinefs. And' 
 if fuch finners are in the leaft degree more fuitable 
 obje6]:s of mercy, than the thoughtlefs and hard- 
 ned, this affords an intelligible rcafon why God, 
 willing to fhew his mercy, fliould conned 
 eternal life wath the ji^n-uz^zg- of the former; at 
 lead in preference to the crimes of the latter :— i' 
 Tho' it is by no means under the notion of any' 
 
 K real 
 
74 Ohtaimng eternal Life 
 
 real merit, or good dcfert in thofe who ftrive, 
 that God has promifcd his holy Spirit, and there- 
 with, eternal life to them. Befides : In the way 
 of objecting above-mentioned, it might be thought 
 irrational to fuppofe, that God had connected 
 eternal i^ilvation with any thing in, or done by, 
 the regenerate themfelvcs. For is there not im- 
 perfeclion and Gn attending even them, and what- 
 ever they do ? And yet it is acknowledged, that 
 God has connc6led eternal life with their faith,love, 
 &c. tho' it is for Chriff s fake, that thefe promifes 
 are made to them ; not on account of any merit 
 in themfelves. To fiim up all in a word : Thofe 
 \yho objec^l: in this manner, feem to forget, that 
 in the gofpel God is profelfedly treating with us 
 as degenerate, finful creatures, who can do noth- 
 ing that is perfe(^tly holy, and who deferve wrath ; 
 —that he is treating with us about our eternal 
 happinefs, upon quite another footing than that 
 of law or juftice, for the manifeftation of his 
 goodnefs and^grace ; — -^.ipon the footing of a new 
 covenant eftabliflied in a Mediator, who died 
 for all, the juit for the unjull: ; in whom all the 
 promifes of God to finners are made, and in 
 whom they are all '' yea and amen." Had thefe 
 tilings been duly confidered, lurely we fhould 
 not have had this objcftion fo much infilied on 
 as it has been, That no a61ions of the unrcgene- 
 rate are truly good and holy ; and therefore, thaf 
 no promifes of good can be ftippofed annexed 
 to their cnd^^avcurs ; to any <hing that tjiey 
 
 can 
 
conneBed vjith Strivings &c. yj; 
 
 can do. Which obje(5lion is intircly grounded 
 on a falfe hypothcfis ; a feeble fupport, which 
 being taken away, the objection falls of courfe ; 
 and appears, as it really is, weak and unfolid, tho* 
 infilled on by fome worthy men. 
 
 If it fliould be farther objefled, that this doc- 
 trine of a certain connexion between ihiving, and 
 obtaining falvation, has a tendency to give eafe 
 to the minds of finners ; and to make them 
 reft fatisfied with fomething fhort of regene- 
 ration, under a notion that they are already in 
 a fafe eftate, in refpe^t of their endeavours ; and 
 fo may be a means of deftroying, inftead of fav- 
 ing their fouls : It is anfwered, That if it mini- 
 fters hope to awakened finners,^ and no morr ♦■^-«'^n 
 the gofpel affords ; fo much the better : ana, 
 that it really affords them no more, has been ful- 
 ly fhown. Our merciful Redeemer defigned that 
 fuch perfons fhould have comfort and hope ; he 
 gives it to them himfelf ;<>in whiclir refp^cl' they 
 have a right to it : And wl:^at thq,Xord Lnvethy 
 his fervants fliouId not take awi7y.-r^i\s to the 
 tendency of this doclrine to lull Citners' into a 
 ftate of fecurity, or to make them caiie iiriving ; 
 this is quite remote from good fenf^. What I 
 does telling them, that they m-^^l: ftjive with 
 perfeverance ; that this is abfoluvciy neceffary ; 
 and that if they continue to ftrive, it fliall not be 
 in vain ; does this tend to ma.x^'^ ,ucm remifs, and 
 think themfeives fafe without flriving ! How ab- 
 
 K 2 furd 
 
7^ Ohtdining eternal L'jfc 
 
 fiird is this ! But this obje(51;ion may be retorted 
 with unanfvverable force, againft the contrary doc- 
 trine. For if finners are told, that there is no 
 fort of connexion between any of their endea- 
 vours, and obtaining eternal life ; but that they 
 may perifh after all ; this has a dired and mani- 
 feft tendency to difhearten them ; and make them 
 give over thofe endeavours, which, they fuppofe, 
 may be thus fruitlefs. For hope is one of the 
 moft powerful fprings of a6lion ; and endeavours 
 are incompat^.SJe with defpair. — In fliort ; the 
 doctrine of th: ■ difcourfe, which affords fo much 
 ^onfolation to heavy-laden finners, is no other 
 than the good tidings of great joy, which were to 
 be unto all people ; the very doctrine of Him 
 who faid — " The Spirit of the Lord God is up- 
 on me, becaufe the Lord hath anointed me to 
 preach good tidings unto the meek ; he hath 
 fent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to pro- 
 claim liberty to the captives, and the opening 
 of the prifbn. to them that are bound: To pro- 
 claim the acceptable year of the Lord to 
 
 comfort all that mourn: To appoint unto them 
 that mourn in Zion ; to give unto them beauty 
 for afhes, the oil of joy for mourning, the gar- 
 ment of praife for the fpirit of heavinefs : that 
 they might be called trees of righteoufnefs, 
 the planting of the Lord, that he might be 
 glorified." 
 
 ' KJLVKI, I. 2, 3. 
 
T 
 
 conneBed with Strivings iyc. yj 
 
 HIS fubjecfl fuggefts niiiinerous, and 
 very important reflexions ; but there is 
 time only for the few which follow. 
 
 fft. We fee from henee the wonderful good- 
 nefs and mercy of God ; inafmuch as he hat 
 given us the ftrongeft afliirances of pardon and 
 eternal life, on fuch terms as, by his offered grace, 
 we may all comply with, if we really defire to do 
 it : Which ought to be acknowledged with the 
 warmefl: gratitude, to the glory of s name. And 
 how juftly is the revelation which difcovers this 
 grace, and unfolds the myfteries of it -, which 
 difpels our anxious fears, and raifes guilty worms 
 to the hopes of glory, honor and immortality : 
 How juftly is this called, ^ good tidings of great 
 joy !'' — What manner of love hath the Father 
 bcftowed upon us ! 
 
 2dly. It appears, that tho' the falvation of 
 thofe that are faved, is intirely of grace ; yet the 
 defl:ru(5lion of all who perifh under the difpenfa- 
 tion of the gofpel, will be entirely of themfelves ; 
 as being owing, not fo properly to this, that they 
 were finful creatures, (fof that is common to 
 them with thofe that are faved) as to their neg- 
 lecft and contempt of that method of falvation 
 from fin, which was revealed to them. Nor will 
 one of thefe miferable men be able to plead in 
 the judgment of the great day — " Lord, I care- 
 fully attended to thy gofpel, and heartily drove, 
 
 according 
 
78 Obtaining eternal Life 
 
 according to thy command, to enter In at the 
 ftrait gate : Do not therefore, I befeech thee by 
 the bowels of thy mercy, now fhut it againft 
 me ! — Lord, Lord, open unto me ; for I believed 
 thy words ; and earneftly endeavoured to walk in 
 that path of life, which was marked out by thee. " 
 * — Many, we know, will be able to plead, '' We 
 have eaten and drunk in thy prefence ; and thou 
 haft taught in our ftrects." But this is a very 
 diiFerent thing ; a plea of no real force, as the 
 other would evidently be. And if none will be 
 able to make the former, as they certainly will 
 not ; what can they fay againft the righteoufnefs 
 of fuch a fentence as this ? — " Depart from me, 
 ye curfed, into evcrlafting fire, prepared for the 
 devil and his angels." 
 
 3dly. Let all therefore be exhorted to ftrive, 
 now they are " able" to enter in at the ftrait 
 gate ; left they fhould thus feek to enter in here- 
 after, and '' not be able." Is it not worth while, 
 my brethren, to ftrive, that you may efcape the 
 wrath to come ? that you may receive a crown 
 of righteoufnefs and glory from the Lord's hand ; 
 and be admitted to " fit down with Abraham, 
 Ifaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the 
 kingdom of God ?" Is it not, that you may 
 be admitted to fit with Chrift on his throne, 
 *' even as he alfo overcame, and is fet down with 
 his Father on his throne 1" What great pains do 
 you take to avoid fome inconfiderable evil, and 
 
 to 
 
conneBed %vlth Striving, &c. yc) 
 
 to obtain fome inconfiderable good, even when 
 the fuccefs of your endeavours is uncertain ? And 
 will you not endeavour to avoid fo great an evil 
 as '' everlafling cleflru^lion r" and to obtain fo 
 inertimable a prize as is now fet before you ; — 
 " the prize of our high calling of God in Chrift 
 Jefus?" — efpecially when you are affured by the 
 word and promife of God, that he will render 
 your endeavours efFe6tual to thefe important ends? 
 Will you not ftrive, when He invites ? when He 
 commands, who hath both " the key of David,'' 
 of the kingdom of heaven ; and the '' keys of 
 hell and of death !" — who openeth and no man- 
 fhutteth ; and fhutteth, and no man openeth ! 
 Do not, 1 befcech you, delay: For human life is 
 precarious ; and altho' your own fhould be pro- 
 longed, yet if you go on to provoke God by 
 your fins, he may perhaps give you over to a re- 
 probate mind ; fo that you will only live to fill 
 up the meafure of your fins. " To day then, if 
 you will hear his voice I" 
 
 4thly. Let me exhort all thofe, who may 
 imagine that they ftrive to enter in at the ftrait 
 gate ; and fo, that they are in the way that lead- 
 eth unto life, to examine themfelves ferioufly as 
 to this point. There are many perfons who 
 think of this matter, and do fomething with a 
 view to their future happinefs ; who cannot yet 
 be faid to ftrive in the fenfe of our Saviour. 
 Have you ever been awakened to a fenfe of your 
 
 fins ? 
 
8a Ohtmning eternal Life 
 
 fins ? Are your defires to obtain the " great falva- 
 toon/' ftrong in fome proportion to its impor- 
 tance? ftrongcr than, to obtain any worldly good ? 
 Do you diligently inquire after the way of life, 
 which God has revealed? Do you make it your 
 pra^ice to pray to him ? Do you endeavour to 
 mortify your lulls ? Do you ftrive to keep 
 his known commandments ; ftill acknowledging 
 that you are unprofitable fervants ; and faying 
 with the publican, " God be merciful to me a 
 a (inner ?" If you do not ftrive, after fome fuch 
 manner as this, you cannot be thought to ftrive 
 in the way which Chrift commands : And you' 
 know the confequence. — But if you do thus, I 
 may fafely tell you at leaft, that you are not far 
 from the kingdom of God ; that you are in the 
 way of his bleffing; and that '' in due time you- 
 fhall. reap, if you faint not/' 
 
 5thly. It appears,! think, that the main point 
 which I have endeavoured to cftablifli in this dif- 
 courfe, is not only a certain truth, but a very 
 important one. It is fo, particularly in two ref- 
 pefts. It is a clear and full vindication, both of 
 the juftice and goodnefs of God, in his dealings 
 with men: As it fliews, that h^ has a6lually 
 put thofe who live under the gofpel, into a ca- 
 pacity of obtaining falvation, if they defire it ; 
 and confequently, that thofe who perifh, will be, 
 in a ftridly proper fenfe, their own deftroyerS; 
 Whereas, if this do^rine is denied, it will not be 
 
 fo 
 
conneSled with Strivmor^ ^c* f 8 1 
 
 lb eafy to make thefe things appear. Such 
 a denial will bear hard on the veracity and 
 fincerity of God in his word, wherein he 
 declareth his great love and compaffioii 
 to finful men : And it will be impoffible oa 
 this fuppofition, ( that we may Itrive, and 
 yet not obtain ) to (hew the judice of pu- 
 nifhing all fuch as fall Ihort of this falvation, 
 in a fignal, exemplary manner, as defpifers 
 of God's grace. But all this will be clear and 
 manifeft, if eternal life is really connected with 
 ftriving — -This is an important doctrine in 
 another refpe6l : Sinners ought to have all the 
 encouragement to ftrive, which can be given 
 them according to the word of God. We 
 know, alas ! how backward men generally 
 are to take pains in religion ; how difficultly 
 they are perfwaded to forfake their wicked 
 practices ; and to labour here, that they may 
 finally enter into re/t. All poffible encourage- 
 ment, therefore, ought to be given them, in 
 order to overcome this relu6lance. And it is 
 plain, that there is far greater encouragement, 
 on the fuppofition that there is a certain con- 
 nexion between their ftriving and obtaining, 
 than on the contrary, that all their endeavours, 
 however diligent, uninterrupted, and of long 
 continuance, may perhaps be in vain. Be the 
 falvation of their fouls ot ever fo much impor- 
 tance ; yet if they fuppofe that this may be the 
 cafe, it muft needs prove a great difcourage- 
 meiit to them. Such doubr, or uncertainty, 
 
 L has 
 
8 2 Obtaining eternal Life 
 
 has a direft tendency to difhcartcn them ; to 
 damp their endeavours : Tho' it is allowed, 
 that we ought in reafon to flrive, cv^en upon 
 the fuppofition of fuch uncertainty. 
 
 We fee then, my brethren, how much thofe 
 who deny, there is any lore of connexion 
 between the mofl: earncft endeavours af fin- 
 ncrs, and their obtaining eternal life, difhonor 
 God, by denying his grace in one material 
 point ; we fee how their dodrine tends to dif- 
 courage thofe, who are really *' feeking the 
 way to Zion ; " how, to " break the bruifed 
 reed, and quench the fmoaking flax " ; and, 
 in fine,how it tends rather to excufe thofe who 
 fall fhort of falvation, than to juftify the ways 
 of God ro men. All this is manifeil : Tho\ 
 by the way, I am far from charging any ill 
 intention on thofe who deny fuch a connexion 
 as has been fpoken oi. But their doctrine is 
 certainly bad, however good their defignsbe; 
 of which God is the only proper judge ■ — But 
 fome there are, who go much further : They 
 not only deny any certain connexion ; but af- 
 fert that a perfon, going on in his fins without 
 remorfe, is altogether as likely to obtain falva- 
 tion at lad, as one who is convinced of his fin- 
 ful ftate, and ufes his utmoft endeavours to 
 obtain cternaHife I Yea, there are, who go 
 beyond this ; afferting that all an unregene- 
 rate man does, or can do, is fo far from ha- 
 ving any real tendency to promote his falva- 
 tion, 
 
conneSied'wiih Strvving^ &^c. 83 
 
 tion, that it is but r-ebeilion againd God, and 
 fo fets him at a ftill greater diltance from Him ! 
 To fuch lengths as thefe, forae men have gone, 
 in purfuance of certain falfe principles which 
 they have unhappily imbibed, as principles of 
 chriftianity : Yea,, and have reprefented the 
 belief of thefe impious notions, as effential ar- 
 ticles of faith ; as if thofe who denied them, 
 were- both ftrangers and enemies to the grace 
 of God ! Now, if only the denial of any cer- 
 tain connexion between the endeavours of fin- 
 ners, and their obtaining eternal life, is in 
 fome meafure to difliohoiGcd ; to throw need- 
 lefs difcouragements in the way of thofe wiio 
 Ibive to obtain falvation, and to prevent others 
 from driving ; what Ihall we fay of this other 
 doctrine, which fuppofes all the endeavours of 
 the unregenerate, rather to aggravate their 
 guilt, and fo, their damnation, than to pro- 
 mote their future well-being ! What is the re- 
 lult of fuch doctrine as this, but that fjnncrs 
 ihould keep themfeives as fecure and uncon- 
 cerned as poifible, inftead of fhiving to enter- 
 in at the ilrait gate ? the former being, of the 
 two, more likely to ifllic in their falvation^ 
 than the latter. Whatever apology may be 
 made for thofe, who "only deny a connexion ; 
 it is extremely difficult to make any tole- 
 rable one, for thefo other pcrfop.s mentioned, 
 unlefs it be this, that they arc bcfide them- 
 lelvcs, and know not what they fay. For 
 thefe notions are fo oppofite to reaibn,and the 
 
 L 2. whole 
 
84 Obtalnmg eternal Life 
 
 whole tenor of fcriptnre ; they tend fo direcflly 
 to make, or to keep men, wicked ; that if any 
 one, in his fenfes, couU be fuppofed to advance 
 them,we could hardly put any other conftruc- 
 tion upon his doing fo, than that he defigned 
 to reprefent the ever good and glorious God in 
 the mod odious light poflible ; to bring a re- 
 proach upon the chriflian religion ; to difcou- 
 rage linners from endeavouring to obtain the 
 falvation revealed therein; and even to fill the 
 world with all manner of impiety and vice. 
 Which God forbid any man fhould really de- 
 fjgn I And rather than believe, any are fo a- 
 bandoned, we ought charitably to hope that 
 thofe who teach fuch doctrines, are only out of 
 their wits- — • 
 
 *^ How beautiful upon the mountains are the 
 " feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that 
 " publiflieth peace, that bringeth good tidings 
 " of good, that pubhflicth falvation " ! — But 
 "what if one of thofe, who fhould be the bearers of 
 thefe tidings, fhould bring only fuch as thefe ? 
 • — " Men and brethren ! You are all in a flate 
 " of fin a;id death ; juftly liable to the damna- 
 ^' tion of hell. But God, who is rich in mer- 
 *' .cy, hath provided a way of falvation for 
 ^' finners : He hath fent his Son into the world, 
 *' not to condemn the world, but that the 
 *' world thro' him might be favcd. O un- 
 '' fi^eakable goodnefs ! Grace ! Grace ! Glory 
 ^^ to God in the highcfl, on earth peace, good- 
 
 '' w^ill 
 
conneSied with Striving y Mc. 8 5 
 
 " will towards men ; — finful, guilty, miferable 
 " men I • — 'However, do not millake me, my 
 " friends, as if I fuppofed you were all, orin- 
 ** deed any of you, really put into a capacity 
 '^ for obtaining falvation by Chrift, altho' you 
 *' fhould defire it, and ufe your utmoft endea- 
 '' vours to that end. No ! in order to your 
 *' efcaping eternal damnation, and entering in- 
 *' to the kingdom of heaven, it is necellary 
 ^' that you fhould become true chriftians, or 
 " new creatures. But this is as much out of 
 *' your power, as to create new worlds, or 
 " to annihilate the old : Neither may you 
 ^' depend on the grace of God to renew and 
 " fanclify you, tho' you fhould cry day and 
 " night unto him, and drive to put yourfelves 
 " in the way of his bleffing. All this may 
 '' prove in vain. Yea, thofe perfons who aie 
 *' going on in their fins without any remorfe, 
 *' are at leaft as likely ( if not more fo ) to be- 
 '' come fubjc6ls of the fpecial, laving grace of 
 '' God, as 3'ou w^ill be with all your itrivings, 
 '' while in an unregenerate ftate. You need 
 '^ fpiritual wifdom ; and are indeed direfted to 
 '^ pray for it : but unlefs this wifdom is lirft 
 '' given to you, you cannot pray for it fo as 
 '' to obtain it. You need a new heart ; but 
 '^ you muft firft have fuch an heart, before 
 " you can " inquire '* of God aright, to be- 
 ftow it on you. You need the pardon of 
 fin, for which you are alfo to pray ; but un- 
 lefs 3^ou are lirft in a regcneratCj and there- 
 
 '' fore 
 
 ec 
 
 it 
 
86 Qhtaining eternal Life 
 
 fore in a pardoned (late, Qod may not hear 
 your prayers, and pardon your fins. You 
 need a principle of fpiritual life ; for which 
 you are to apply yourfelves to God inChrift; 
 but then you are to remember, that you are 
 tocarr3ahis fame principle with you, in going 
 to God for it;or to pray in the adual exercife 
 of it, when you pray for it : Oiherwife you 
 cannot expecf that God will give it to you 
 — You fee plainly then,that all your prayers 
 and endeavours, while unregeherate, may 
 be to no purpofc — ^ Yea, farther : To deal 
 plainly and iincerely with you, I muft 
 tell you, that all fuch prayers and ftrivings, 
 inflead of having the leaft tendency to pro- 
 mote your falvation,are but rebellion againfl 
 God ; and fo may, not improbabl}^, be a 
 means of increaling your damnation.- — Such 
 duties are more to be feared than your 
 
 other fins It is, however, poffible that 
 
 God may fave fome of you, by afovereign, 
 irrefiftable aft of .his grace, inilantaneoully 
 changing your hearts ; whether you do, or 
 do not feek him. Thcfe are the good ti- 
 dings of great joy, which I bring you in 
 the name of my divine Master. And 
 now, O what marvellous love is manifefted 
 to a guilty world, in the redemption there- 
 of by Jefus Ch rift ! How rich, how abun- 
 dant is this goodnefs ! Take heed therefore, 
 that you do not receive the grace of God 
 in vain. For as to thofc of vou, ( perhaps 
 
 '' the 
 
conneEied with Strivi?tg^ &^c. 87 
 
 " the far greater .number ) who fliall not final- 
 
 ^' ly be made partakers of this great falva- 
 
 " tion ; howJLiftly will you bethought wor- 
 
 " thy of an aggravated condemnation, as def- 
 
 " pifersofit? even tho' you have defired it, 
 
 *' and endeavoured to obtain it ; J}riving to 
 
 " enter in at thejlrait gate 1 " 
 
 Now, would this he go fp el-preaching ? Would 
 a fermon in this ftrain, be really " good ti- 
 dings of great joy to all people" ? Are wande- 
 ring prodigals, perifhing in a ftrange land, to 
 be brought home to their Father's houfe ? is 
 the body of Chrill: to be edified ? are Jews, 
 Mahometans and Pagans, to be taught to con- 
 ceive highly of the wifdom, goodnefs and 
 grace of the chriftian difpenfation, by fuch 
 reprefentations as this ? Are the '' feet " of 
 thofe who bring fuch tidings, really '' fliod 
 with the preparation of the gofpel of peace " ; 
 or are they " beautiful on the mountains " ? 
 Notwithflanding the cry of, " Grace ! Grace ! " 
 does not this dodrine favour much more 
 of Eial^ the mount of curfmg, than of 
 Gerizzim^"^ the mount ofblcffing ? — but more 
 efpecially, than of that '' holy mount, *' to 
 which He, w'ho came to feek and to fave that 
 which v/as loft, lifed to rcfort with his difci- 
 plcs ; and where fuch truly "gracious words" 
 
 as 
 
 * Dcut. Chap. XXVH. 12, 13. '*' The.fe (hall /land upon 
 mount Gcrizzim to blefs the people anU tbefe Jhall 
 
 Jland upon mount Ebal to cukse '*—^ — 
 
ii 
 
 8 8 Obtainhg eternal Life conneEled^ Mc. 
 
 as ihefe, ufed to proceed out of his facred 
 mouch ? — " BlelTed are they which do hunger 
 " and thirft after righteoufnefs ; for they fliall 
 " be filled — . Aik, and ye fliall receive ; feck, 
 and ye fliall find ; knock, and it fliall be o- 
 pened unto you: For every one that 
 " afl<:eth, receiveth ; and he that feeketh,find- 
 " eth ; and to him thatknocketh, it shall 
 
 *' be opened." — 'AxMEN I 
 
 THE END. 
 
 0xxxx><>:>;:^<x>::>c<>=:>ix>D<^<>::xxxxx><x>=o<>^;xx>:>:;x© 
 
 PSALM XL. 
 
 Brady and Tate's Veriion. 
 
 1 T Waited meekly for the Lord, 
 
 X 'till he vou-~hfaf'd a kind Reply ; 
 Who did hif' gracious Ear afford, 
 
 and heard from Heav'n my humble Cry. 
 
 2 He took me from the difmal Pit, 
 
 when founder'd ceep in miry Clay ; 
 On folid Ground he plac'd my Feet, 
 and fulfer'd not my Steps to ftray. 
 
 3 The wonders he for me has wrought 
 
 iball fill my Mouth with Songs of Praifej 
 Arid others, to his Worlhip brought, 
 in Hopes of like Deiiv'rance raile. 
 
 9 In full Aflemblies I have told 
 
 thy Truth and Righteoufnefs at large : 
 Nor did, thou know'ft, my Lips withhold 
 from uti'ring what th )u gav'ft in charge : 
 10 Nor kept within my Breaft confin'd 
 
 thy faithfulnefs, and faving Grace ; 
 Em pieach'd thy Love, for all defign'd, 
 that all might That and Truth embrace. 
 21 Then let thofe Mercies I declar'd 
 to others, Lord, extend to me ; 
 Thy Loving-kindnefs my Reward, 
 
 thy Truth my (^^c Protection be. 
 
 Page 64, '"ae 4 from iheboitorii, for countenancc^rcad continuance.