SERMON II.

ON STRIVING TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

ST. LUKE XIII. 24.

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

FAR the greater number of people appear to be in a middle state between virtue and vice; they are neither entirely good nor entirely wicked; whenever they think on the subject, they will own that there are such places as Heaven and Hell, and that they shall be rewarded or punished after their death, according as they shall have behaved themselves while they were in this world; but they shew sufficiently by their aetions, that their belief is not firm and steady, otherwise they would not content themselves with seeking, with using some faint endeavours to gain the kingdom of Heaven, but would strive, would exert all their might to acquire that invaluable prize.

I propose, in this discourse, to point out to you, first, some of those persons who may be

said to seek the kingdom of Heaven, but who, only seeking it, shall not attain it; I propose, secondly, to shew what is meant by striving to gain the kingdom of Heaven; and I propose, lastly, to bring forward the weighty motives by which we are urged to be amongst those who strive.

The first and lowest example, which I shall mention, of persons who seek the kingdom of Heaven, is that of those who content themselves with desires and wishes only; who think at times what a delightful circumstance it would be to enjoy everlasting happiness; and what a dreadful circumstance it would be, to be doomed to everlasting torments, and at those moments will call out "Lord, Lord," but who will not deny themselves in any one instance, or stir one single step besides.

Can people of this description really expect that their wishes will be answered? I am sure they cannot reason by what they see passing on earth. Will wishing for any thing which is valuable be sufficient to obtain it here? Will wishes clothe a man, will wishes feed him, will wishes enable him to provide for his family? Can I, by desiring it only, become learned, rich, or respectable? No,-I must add to my desires, endeavours; I must exert myself; I must study or I must labour, and that not slightly, or now and then, but vigorously and without remission, or my desires will avail me nothing. And is it pos

sible I can for a moment flatter myself, that when it requires so much pains to gain any earthly good, I shall be advanced to everlasting joys in Heaven without any pains at all! The thing speaks for itself.

But perhaps people, who content themselves with desires only, buoy themselves up with some general notions of the goodness and mercy of God; that God is merciful, is certain, but he is likewise just; he forgives sins, but not merely because we wish it: it is necessary that we pray heartily for his forgiveness, that we are sincerely sorry that we have done amiss, that we resolve steadily to do so no more, and that we keep our resolutions: these are the terms, the only terms of acceptance, as he has repeatedly declared in the holy Scriptures. Both reason and Scripture therefore join to assure us, that they, who build their expectation of Heaven merely on their wishes, build on no foundation.

A second description of persons that I shall notice, who may be said to seek the kingdom of Heaven, are those whose endeavours are only exerted by fits and starts; who, on reading any good book, hearing any awakening discourse, or on having some serious thoughts suggested to them by God's holy Spirit, are for awhile religious and virtuous, but in time of temptation fall away; they are unable to resist the solicitations of vicious companions, or the enticements of desires, to which they have been used heretofore to yield; their

righteousness is like the early cloud and the morning dew; it so soon passes away. It is indeed preferable to uninterrupted wickedness, because it gives ground to hope that it may by degrees become more steady; but in itself it is of no avail: he who possesses it, can only be said to seek, not to strive after the kingdom of Heaven, and has therefore no grounds from Scripture to flatter himself with success. "When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in it, all his righteousness shall be counted as nothing: for his iniquity that he hath done, shall he die."

In the third set of persons, who come within the meaning of the text, of seeking and not striving, we may reckon those, who have discarded all their frailties and sins except one, and who flatter themselves that their good behaviour in all other particulars will atone for a single deficiency. But they will find themselves miserably deceived: either the kingdom of Heaven is, or is not an object worthy of being contended for; if it is not, let drop all concern about it; let us eat, drink, and be merry; let us make ourselves as happy as we can in this world, without any thought of futurity; but if the kingdom of Heaven be (as indeed it is) of the most consummate and inexpressible importance, if it be worthy that we should consider every earthly good as less than nothing in comparison of it, that alone surely ought to occupy our care and engross our affections; every thing else ought

to yield to it, for it is very certain that one single preference of an earthly good, if habitually indulged, will take away all chance of attaining Heaven. "Whosoever shall keep the whole law (says St. James) and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all," he is guilty of giving a preference to his lust in one particular instance over his duty, of setting an higher esteem upon things present than things future, and therefore he must expect to reap the fruits of his absurdity in being deprived of that reward to which his conduct in other respects, were it not for this one deficiency, would entitle him. I have heard of a person contending in a race for a prize of vast importance, who was prevented from winning it by turning out of the way to pick up some golden balls, which were from time to time thrown down by the competitor for that purpose; precisely similar is the folly of those persons who suffer themselves to be diverted from attaining the glorious prize of Heaven, by the riches, honours, or pleasures of this world, which the adversary of our souls is ever taking occasion to display before us.

Having given you these instances of persons who only seek to gain the kingdom of Heaven, and who will therefore fail of the prize: I shall now lay before you the character and conduct of one who strives, and who striving will be sure to obtain. Such an one, in the first place, does not content himself with bare wishes, as he well knows that he may profess them in common with the