ness of the future state, without measure or end.

II.

Our Saviour here assigns one cause of the great difficulty of entering upon a virtuous course of life, viz.: "Because wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." The facility of vice is a snare to the yet untainted, but unexperienced and unsettled mind. Oh, beware of it, in this metropolis especially, ye that are in the morning of your days, and entering into life! And where men have forfeited innocence, the easiness of going in their wonted evil haunts, and the temptations that arise from the great numbers that they find in the same track with themselves, continually encourage multitudes to their ruin.

They thus get over all remains of virtuous shame and fear of offending their Maker. They flatter themselves that that cannot be very wrong in which they have so many companions, that God cannot make so many of his creatures miserable: as if punishment were an arbitrary thing, or inflicted out of mere will or humour, and not the necessary consequence

consequence of vice, falsehood, malignity, and dishonesty; and which must and will be inflicted, whilst creatures are under the dominion of such horrid dispositions.

many

shall wax

Thus the wickedness that is already in the world is the cause of greater abounding wickedness; according to that prediction of our Lord in one place, (Matt. xxiv. 12.) "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of cold." Our business is to beware adding to the evil that is already in the world, and having the sins and miseries of others laid to our account. And then to endeavour to be examples of good, that the world we live in may not be the worse, but the better, for our having lived in it.

III.

Lastly. Our Saviour's declarations here are very alarming; that "few there be that find the narrow way that leadeth to life;" that འ many go in the broad way that leadeth to destruction."

We are not, however, hence, hastily to conclude, that the greater part of mankind, all, except a few, will be doomed to misery and destruction; will miss their way to future lappiness. For it is reasonable, as was inti

mated

mated above, to understand our Lord here, as pointing to those times of difficulty, distress, and dangerous temptations at the first planting of his religion; and not of all other periods of it, which have been more or less favourable to virtuous practice, at different seasons, in different countries; and these promises of better things, and providential openings to a more favourable state of truth and virtue in the world, as before observed.

We cannot help being concerned for, and we ought not to be indifferent to, the fate of our fellow-creatures. But the darkest present appearance of things should not disturb or deject us; though it ought to quicken our endeavours to promote the salvation of others, their virtue and happiness, as well as our own.

Throughout the Scriptures it is declared, that men's falling short of eternal life is from themselves; that God is desirous that all should be saved, and none of his creatures perish.

Whatever be the number of those that shall be saved, it makes no difference in respect of each of us. Our business is carefully to work out and secure our own salvation, on the terms of the Gospel.

And

And for the rest, although wickedness will never be suffered to go unpunished, and the sad state of many may excite our benevolent concern, and prayers for them, we may trust our Creator, that in the end all his proceedings will turn out full of mercy and goodness, beyond what we can now conceive or comprehend.

Unto him alone be glory in the highest for

ever.

PRAYER.

O God, the Father of our beings, the Maker and Governor of all things; whose ways are always righteous and good!

We desire to be made sensible of the great importance of our present state, and of our happiness in being under thy direction; who lovest us, and knowest what is best for us, and who will never chastize and afflict thy children but for their good.

As it hath pleased thee, in thy sovereign allruling wisdom, to place us, in this beginning of our existence, in a world full of dangerous trials and alluring temptations; in which it is difficult for us to walk securely, and be faith

ful

ful to thee and thy truth; and wherein many suffer themselves to be drawn aside into the broad way that leadeth to destruction, and become lost to virtue and goodness and to thee:

Our reliance and trust is in thee, O Lord, who knowest our frame, and rememberest that we are but dust: and we pray thee not to suffer us to be led into temptation which may overset our feeble virtue, but to proportion thy grace and help to the duty to which thou callest us; that in thy wisdom and strength we may be able to overcome every thing evil, and to stand before thee.

And because it is thine appointment, O thou supreme disposer of all things! that sinful allurements, and obstructions to virtue and our duty to thee, shall follow us to the end of this our mortal course;

Permit us not to be disheartened by any thing that shall befall us, whilst we can consider all things as directed by thee; and that we are continually under thy inspection and guidance; who delightest in beholding the virtuous struggles of thy children, and who

hast