The Ordinary on the Lords Day Read the sacred Offices of the Church, and Preach'd also twice to the Prisoners. His Text was in the 13th. Chapter of St. Lukes Gospel, and the 24th. ver. viz. Strive to enter in at the strait Gate, for many I say unto you shall seek to enter, and shall not be Able.

From which he treated of these particular Proportions, First that it is a very difficult thing to get to Heaven. Or the way to Eternal Happiness, is through the strait Gate of an holy frame of Heart, and a mortified course of Life. Strive to enter in at the strait Gate, &c. There are many Zealots whose strictness is not commanded by God, but is of their own Invention. This is to presume to climb up to Heaven by some specious false way, by a posterne Gate, not prescribed nor instituted by the sacred Oracles of God. The direct lawful and safest means of entrance into Heaven, is the impartial discriminating Gate of Faith, Repentance; Self-denial, Mortification of every defiling Lust: For none can enter into Life Eternal for any fond favour, partial Affection or by pleading the merit of any Saint, but such only who can shew the mark and Seal of Christ?s renewing Spirit upon their own Hearts.

Here the Ordinary demonstrated the many narrow strict Passages, in which some strick and cannot go thorough. First few by Regenerating Grace (which implants the New Divine Nature) proceed to mortifie such Lusts which are rooted by an habituated Custome. True Christianity oblieges to offer an Holy violence to Natural Corrupt self, and not to trust to the highest attainments in a Righteous course of Life. Yet self Justiciaries, while they make this a sufficient and meritorious passPort to Heaven, despise Christ's imputed Righteousness, as a putative seign'd Riddle. Yet must we not so absolutely rely on Christ?s Merits as to neglect the relative Duties of the Christian State; but must resign our wills to the obedience of Gods Laws, to prove the truth of our reliance on his Mercy. We must level all our Natural Civil and Spiritual Actions at Gods Glory, as the mark and center of our Salvation.

We must return Kindness to our bitterest Enemies, this is truly Christian, and carries a singular stamp or the Divine Nature.

Another strait Gate, is to abridge our selves of things Lawful, if they be not expedient; yet to do our Duty Hourly, exactly, and with Delight, not regarding tho it be Censured as a piece of Morosity and Hipocricy: Also to forsake all things for Christ, counting them to be but Dross and Dung to preserve the integrity and peace of a good Conscience: To imbrace Christ by self-denial, without taking any exception at the Cross, so as to fall off from the profession of his pure and strict ways. To suffer for Christ and Righteousness sake is the most glorious passage in a Christians whole Pilgrimage, and as honourable as the priviledge of his Baptism.

The Lord appoints these strict Passages to Heavenly Glory, that there may be some fitness of Conformity, betwixt the means and the End. This more endears the reward of eternal Life; for things easily obtained are not Prized.

Hereby Christians are quickned to industry, and leveled to Humility, in the fight and observation of their Defects. The difficulty also of Salvation, causes us to set an higher Estimation on Christ and sure Grace, because from him we derive all that Strength whereby we strive, and in him we find Acceptation, so as to be admitted when the Gate is strait and narrow, suspicious Persons cannot so easily slip in, and Lazy Persons are kept out: even Earthly Prizes, and Advantage are not won without much Striving and selfdenial. They who run in a Race, observe set Laws. I. Cor. 9. 24 25. Mortification of Lusts, and the severe duties of Religion are that very way which the Saints in all Ages have chosen to walk in, toward Heavenly Glory. Christ's Commands are not Grievous, but Pleasant, as far as they are Renewed: They delight to be under the conduct of Christ?s Spirit. To live by the Divine Law, to work by Christ's Copy and Example. Salvian says his commands are not Fetters, but Ornaments; they are suited to the humane Nature, not to oppress but guide it as renewed to eternal Happiness: serenity of mind in an holy course of Life, may prevail with us to persevere in it against all difficulty, and