see Christ in glory, and to be happy with him and in him for ever; but that we can never be, unless we do whatsoever is required of us in order to it; and if we think it is so easy a matter to do whatsoever is required of us, I have just cause to suspect that we never yet made trial of it, nor set ourselves seriously upon the performance of those duties which are enjoined us here in reference to our being happy for ever. For if we have set upon it in good earnest, we cannot but have found it very hard and difficult, by reason of our natural averseness from what is good, and inclinations unto evil. For, we all know, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. So that holiness is the way, the direct and only way that leads to heaven; neither is there any way imaginable of being happy hereafter but by being holy here. And though it be an easy thing to profess holiness, and to perform some external acts of it; yet to be truly pious and holy indeed, so as we must be if ever we would go to heaven, this is every whit as difficult as the other is easy.

For first, I suppose, all will grant that he is not truly holy that lives in any known sin, as the Apostle also intimates, saying, he that is born of God doth not commit sin, 1 John iii. 9. And therefore he that still indulgeth himself in the commission of any known sin, he is not yet regenerate or born of God, he is not truly holy. So that to our being so holy here, as that we may be happy hereafter, it is absolutely and indispensably necessary that we forsake and avoid to the utmost of our power whatsoever is offensive unto God, and contrary to his laws. But it is as difficult as it is necessary to forsake sin as we ought to do. It is an easy matter, I confess, to rail at sin, to backbite others, or blame ourselves for it. But that is not the business; but to loath our sins as much as ever we loved them, to abhor as much as ever we desired them, and to be as much averse from them as ever we were inclined to them, to forsake sin as sin, and by consequence all sin whatso

ever, one as well as another, so as to deny ourselves all that pleasure we were wont to take in any sin, and all that seeming profit which we used to receive by it, and that too, out of love to God and fear of his displeasure: this is to forsake sin indeed, but it is sooner spoken of than done; and it requires a great deal of time, and skill, and pains to get so great a conquest over ourselves as this is, to cut off our right hand, pluck out our right eye, and cast it from us; even renounce and forsake those very beloved and darling sins, which the temper and constitution of our bodies, the corruption of our hearts, and constant custom and practice hath made in a manner natural to us. So that our very natures must be changed, before we can ever leave them. And therefore it must needs be a matter of as great difficulty as it is of moment, to master and subdue those sins and lusts that have been long predominant in us, which I dare say many of us have found by their own sad and woeful experience, having struggled perhaps many years against some corruption, and yet to this day have not got it under, nor totally subdued it. And it is such, and such alone, who are competent judges in this case; for they that never strove against their sins, cannot know how strong they are, nor how hard it is to conquer them. And therefore it is to those who have made it their business to destroy and mortify their lusts that I appeal, whether it be not hard to do it. I am confident they cannot but have found it, and therefore must needs acknowledge it to be so; and by consequence, that is no easy matter to get to heaven, seeing it is so hard to keep out of hell, and to avoid those sins which otherwise will certainly bring us thither; every sin unrepented of having eternal punishment entailed upon it.

And if it be so hard to forsake sin, how difficult must it needs be to perform all those duties, and to exert all those graces which are necessarily required, in order to our attaining everlasting happiness. It is true,

praying and hearing, which are the ordinary means for the obtaining true grace and holiness, are duties very common and customary amongst us, but they are never the easier because they are common, but rather far more difficult. For we being accustomed to a careless and perfunctory performing these duties, cannot but find it an hard and difficult matter to keep our hearts so close unto them, as to perform them as we ought to do, and so as that we may be really said to do them. For we must not think that sitting at church while the word of God is preached, is hearing the word of God, or that being present there whilst prayers are read, is real praying. No, no, there is a great deal more required than this to our praying to the great God aright; insomuch that for mine own part, I really think that prayer, as it is the highest, so is it the hardest duty that we can be engaged in. All the faculties of our souls, as well as members of our bodies, being obliged to put forth themselves in their several capacities, to the due performance of it.

And as for those several graces and virtues which our souls must be adorned withal, before ever they can come to heaven, though it be easy to talk of them, it is not so to act them. I shall instance only in some few; as to love God above all things, and other things only for God's sake, to hope on nothing but God's promises, and to fear nothing but his displeasure; to love other men's persons, so as to hate their vices, and so to hate their vices as still to love their persons; not to covet riches when we have them not, nor trust on them when we have them; to deny ourselves that we may please God, and to take up our cross that we may follow Christ; to live above the world whilst we are in it, and to despise it whilst we use it; to be always upon our watch and guard, strictly observing not only the outward actions of our life, but the inward motions of our hearts; to hate those very sins which we used to love, and to love those very duties which

we used to hate; to choose the greatest affliction before the least sin, and to neglect the getting of the greatest gain, rather than the performing of the smallest duty; to believe truths which we cannot comprehend, merely upon the testimony of one whom we never saw; to submit our wills to God's, and delight ourselves in obeying him; to be patient under sufferings, and thankful for all the troubles we meet with here below; to be ready and willing to do and suffer any thing we can for him, who hath done and suffered so much for us; to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, relieve the indigent, and rescue the oppressed to the utmost of our power; in a word, to be every way as pious towards God, as obedient to Christ, as loyal to our prince, as faithful to our friends, as loving to our enemies, as charitable to the poor, as just in our dealings, as eminent in all true grace and virtue, as if we were to be saved by it, and yet by no confidence in it, but still look upon ourselves as unprofitable servants, and depend upon Christ, and Christ alone, for pardon and salvation,

I suppose I need not tell any one that it is hard and difficult to perform such duties, and to act such graces, as these are; but this let me tell the reader, that how hard, how difficult soever it is, it must be done if ever we design to come to heaven, and by consequence it is no easy matter to come thither. Seeing therefore the way that leads to heaven is thus narrow, and hard, it is no wonder that there are but few that, walk in it, or indeed that find it out, as our Saviour himself assures us; for people generally love to swim with the stream, to run with the multitude, though it be into the gulph of sin and misery. It is very rare to find one walking in the narrow way, and keeping himself within those bounds and limits wherewith it is inclosed; and this seems to have been the occasion of these words in the Gospel of St. Luke, where one said unto Christ, Lord, are there few that be saved? and our Saviour answered in these words, Strive to enter in at the strait gate.

For many I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able, Luke xiii. 23, 24. Intimating not only that there are but few that shall be saved, but likewise that many of those that seek to be saved shall not attain it; not as if any of those who really and cordially made it their business to look after heaven, can ever miss of it; but that many of those who presuming upon their seeming obedience and good works, shall think and seek that way to enter into the kingdom of God, shall not be able. For many will say unto me at that day, saith he, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity, Matt. vii. 22, 23. And if many of those who are great professors of religion, and make a plausible shew of piety in the world, shall notwithstanding come short of eternal happiness, and if of those many which are called there are but few chosen, Matt. xx. 16. we may well conclude there are but few, but very few indeed, that walk in the narrow path that leads to life, in comparison of those innumerable multitudes that continually flock together in the broad way that leads to ruin and destruction. One great reason whereof is, because men generally, though they desire to go to heaven, yet will not believe it to be so hard a thing as really it is to get thither; and therefore setting aside the superficial performance of some few external duties, they give themselves no trouble, nor take any pains about it; as if heaven was so contemptible a thing, that it is not worth their while to look after it; or howsoever, as if it was so easy a thing to attain it, that they cannot miss of it whether they look after it or no. Whereas questionless, as heaven is the greatest happiness that we are capable of, so is it the hardest matter in the world for any of us to attain it.

I say not this to discourage any one, but rather to