ง USE. 1. Repent of the Breach of this Law. 2. Follow this Rule in making our Defires to ourfelves, in all these foregoing Cafes, the meafuring of our Actions to other Men in the fame or like Cafes. For, 1. It is Chrift's Command. 2. It will keep us within the Bounds of Justice. 3. And we defire that others would follow it with us. S. MATT. S. MATT. vii. 13, 14. Ver. 13. Enter ye in at the ftrait Gate, for wide is the Gate, and broad is the Way that leadeth to Deftruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Ver. 14. Because ftrait is the Gate, and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it. EXP 1. What is meant by the ftrait Gate? True Piety or Vertue, which is, to live, Titu ii. 12. 1. Soberly; which contains, 1. Humility, Phil. ii. 3. 2. Meekness, S. Matt. xi. 29. Ifa. xxix. 19. 3. Temperance, 2 Tim. ii. 22. Ecclef. xi. 9. 4. Contempt of the World, Coloff. iii. 2. 5. Care of our Souls, S. Matt. xvi. 25. 2. Righteoufly; with, 1. Equity and Juftice to all Men, Mic vi. 8. 2. Charity to the Poor, Mic. vi. 8. 1 Tim. vi. 17. 3. Love to our Neighbour, S. Matt. v. 44. 3. Godly. 1. By a profound Reverence of His Name, Exod. xx. 7. Deut. xxviii. 58. 2. Fear of His Threatnings, fer. v. 21, 22. 3. Belief of His. Word, 1 Joh. V. 10. 4. Truft 4. 5. Truft in His Promifes, Rom. iv. 20. 6. Joy in His Prefence, Phil. iv. 9. Pfal. 7. Meditation on His Perfections. Pfal. cxxxix. 18. 1 8. Thankfulness for His Mercies, 1 Theff. V. 18. 2. Why is it call'd à Gate? 1. The Scripture fpeaks according to our Capacities, Rom. xi. 19. 2. Heaven is defcribed as a City of Reft and Happiness,Hebr. xiii. 14. S. Joh. xiv.2. Gal. iv. 26. 3. And Holiness is the Way whereby we enter into it, S. Matt. xix. 16, 17, 18. Hebr. xii. 14. 3. Why a ftrait Gate? 1. Because it is difficult to obtain it. 2. Pofitively; by Reason, 1. Of the natural Conftitution of our Bodies, 1 Cor. ix. 27. 2. General Corruption of our Souls, Jer. xvii. 9. 1. Of our Understandings and Con- 2. Our Wills, Deut. XXX. 19. 1. Concupifcible. 2. Irafcible. 3. The continual Temptations of Satan, I Pet. v. 8. The prevalent Delufions of the World, 5. Our accuftom'd Conversation in Sin, Jer. xiii. 23. 6. And its therefore becoming delightfome to us, 2 Pet. ii. 13. 2. Because it keeps us in a narrow Compafs, or middle Way. 3. Because there are many hard Duties to perform. As, 1. To deny ourselves, S. Matt. xvi. 24. Tit. ii. 12. 2. To mortify our Lufts, Coloff. iii. 5. 2. 3. 4. 5. Calling. -Company, 1 S. Pet. iv. 4. 4. To live above the World, Phil. iii. 20. 5. To believe what we never faw, and meerly upon the Teftimony of one we never faw too, S.Job.xx.29. Hebr. xi. 1. viz. 1. That Jefus was the Son of GOD. 2. 3. 4. Saviour of Man, S. Joh. iii. 16. A&. iii. 26. is now interceding for us, Hebr. vii. 25. That we must all appear before Him, 2 Cor. v. 10. 5. That there is a Heaven and Hell. 6. To trust on Nothing here below, Prov. iii. 5. 7. To watch our very Words, yea, our Thoughts, Prov. iv. 23. 8. To exercife the Graces of Faith, Hope, Love, Humility, Heavenly-minded nefs, nefs, &c. and to perform the feveral Duties of our Christian Profeffion, as we ought to do. 9. To hate and abhor every Thing in II. To choose the greatest Affliction, be- 1. Holiness and Vertue is the only Way to Happiness. 1. Here in this World. 1. Because it is agreeable to our first Constitution in the State of Innocency, Gen. i. 26. 2. Preferves us from the Torment of a 3. Pfal. vii. 11. 4. Bleffeth all Things, and makes them good to us, Rom. viii. 28. 5. Sets us above the Croffes and Comforts of this World, Phil. iii. 20. 2. In the World to come. 1. By freeing us from all Evil, Rev.xiv.13. 1. In Soul. 2. In Body, Phil. iii. 21. 2. Investing us with all Good, Pfal. xvi. 1 1. 1. Perfection of Soul and Body, Heb.xii.23. 1. In Knowledge, 1 Cor. xiii. 1I. 2. Defire. 3. perfect Love. 2. Complete |