divine law. There will be a sense of personal guilt, and the personal need of the mercy of God in Christ. The heart and life will be compared, not with the mere requirements of society, but with the law of God. This penitent approach to the mercy-seat; this earnest endeavour to rest on Christ alone, is often felt to be a struggle even in youth. To them (and we have taken the most favourable view) it is "the strait gate."

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But view it as is chiefly the fact. The "broad way" has been walked in. From that, the "strait gate" must be entered. Here are now strong habits to be broken off; sins to be renounced; personal guilt of a much deeper character to be felt. It is now that the gate is felt indeed to be "strait:" admitting no sin; no proud thoughts; no self-confidence. It must now be a striving, an earnest, a powerful striving,—a real, vehement effort, to enter in. The door is represented as closed. We must knock, that it may be opened to us. Though our prayers should have to be as were Jacob's, yet must we wrestle till we prevail.

II. Consider the ways themselves.

1. One is broad. I will not press the metaphor. But remember two facts. First, it is in agreement with our natural inclinations. Its great rules are,-Indulge thyself; gratify thy wishes; follow thy inclinations. Second, it admits of great variety of character. From the profligate, who declares his sin as Sodom,-to the Pharisee, whose outward deportment may even resemble in some things that of the travellers in the narrow way, there is exclusion of God, as the great Ruler and proper portion of man.

2. The other is narrow: as though it were a mere footpath cut in the rock, by which alone the summit could be gained. There is but one way. The principle must be, submission to God. The affections must love God. Our rule must be his law; our object, his glory. It is simple reference to God. And this is contrary to our natural temper. Hence, the command is,—" that we deny ourselves;” “mortify the deeds of the body;" "crucify the flesh."

III. Consider their terminations.

1. Destruction.-Not of being. Man is immortal. But the loss of all that makes existence a blessing; so that it were

good for the man that he had never been born. The righteous Lord fails not to inflict punishment when both his law nas been violated, and his Gospel slighted: when neither authority could oblige, nor mercy overcome.

2. Life. Not mere immortality; but life in full association with all the blessedness that an infinite benevolence condescends and delights to impart.

Such, then, is the doctrine of the text. The practice is very briefly stated: "Enter ye in at the strait gate." This is what is required. So many are disobedient and rebellious, that it more than reconciles the heart to the mortality of infants. One sees in this a merciful appointment. There is a way which simply promises self-indulgence. God, by his Son, declares that it leads to destruction. We choose not to believe. We go in thereat. And yet we say we are Christians. We follow the devices and desires of our own hearts. Do we not see that that fixes our character? that we are in the broad way? We do even as others do. We go with the multitude. Well. Hath not Christ said, "Many there be which go in thereat?”

Pause to ask, Which way ought you to take? Can you expect the end, and yet refuse the path which conducts to it?

Ponder the solemn fact. Is Christ even a Prophet sent from God? Does he only speak the truth? In this very lowest view, you have still a fearful fact. The broad way leads to destruction. But is he the Son of God? The Saviour of the world? The Judge of mankind? We have here, then, a clear development of the ways of God. We cannot escape this alternative. Either Christ stated that to be true, which is not true,-and then, what was he?—or, "He is the faithful and true witness," and all his words are truth. Then, there is a way that leads to ruin: it is a broad way, and the many travel on it. O hearken, and fear, and turn to God. Have you walked in the broad path hitherto? There is the strait gate: hasten to it. Strive mightily to enter in. Delay not: hesitate not. Too much is at stake. Death cometh. What shall it benefit you to have had a limited,

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profitless, brief self-indulgence, followed by endless ruin! Seek now, and ye shall find. The time comes when you will see your fatal error. It will be too late. "Behold, now is the accepted time: now the day of salvation."

TRUE PATRIOTISM.

"His salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land."-PSALM lxxxv. 9.

THE ancient heathen made a virtue of patriotism; and it has been made an objection against the religion of the Gospel, that it has not, in this respect, followed their example. Our reply to this should be, that the virtue, as described by its patrons, was little better than a splendid vice; often implying an utter regardlessness of the plainest dictates of personal integrity. What crimes were not committed, that "the republic might come to no damage?" And what was the consequence? Public and private morality were first dissociated. Then, men far more easily sank down the higher to the lower, than raised the lower to the higher. Private morals became what even moralists had said public morals might be. And thus was the corruption complete; spreading its deluge over the surface of the state, and penetrating the whole mass over which it rolled. The ancient states were cursed alike by friends and foes; by patriots within, by invaders from without.

The religion of the Bible is the religion of the Universal Father and Lord. It tends to unite man in one sacred brotherhood. Much of what the heathens called patriotism, would be opposed to its objects; would be condemned by it. But, viewing patriotism as that which truly and earnestly desires the public good, let us see what the real influence of religion is: and thus, let us see whether true piety is not indissolubly connected with true patriotism.

I. The foundation of the whole must first be examined: "His salvation is nigh them that fear him."

It is sufficient for my present purpose to observe, that the

phrase "them that fear him" is intended to denote such as are truly, according to their dispensation, the people of God: they who, believing his truth, submit to his will, and reverence him with filial fear, and serve him with affectionate obedience.

To these, "the salvation of God is nigh;" and that in several most important senses. That which is peculiarly and emphatically "his salvation," is so. They are accepted in the Beloved; their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake; their hearts are so renewed, that sin is conquered, righteousness implanted, and the whole course of their life is changed. And then, as growing out of this, there is that peculiar and immediate regard which God has for them. "All things work together for good unto them that love God." Not a sparrow falleth to the ground without Him; and they are of more value than many sparrows. "The Lord is nigh unto them in all that they call upon him for." As the God of grace, and as the God of providence, most surely "his salvation is nigh them that fear him."

II. Taking this for granted, let us now proceed to inquire into the effect this is intended to have upon the surrounding community: "That glory may dwell in our land."

The language is certainly very different from ordinary opinion. By many, the spread of serious religion is regarded as disgraceful to the possessors; injurious to the land. Which, then, is right?

"Glory" is splendour; and, by an easy and obvious. metaphor, it is applied to circumstances of commanding greatness. We speak of the reign of Solomon as being a glorious one in respect to the Jews.

Now, the proposition we raise from the part of the text before us is, That the true glory of a land is exclusively and indissolubly connected with the prosperity of true religion among its inhabitants.

1. There is a real dwelling of the true glory of God in the land.

On the Jewish tabernacle the visible glory of God rested. This was shown to Ezekiel. It appeared on the mount of transfiguration. The Christian dispensation is spiritual; not appealing to the senses. But spiritual glory not the less

really dwells in the church, among them that fear him, for not being sensible. On all the dwelling-places of the spiritual Zion, there is a true glory resting.

This may be considered as both direct, and reflected.

(i.) It is direct. The truth which they have received, and which they declare to others, the faith once delivered to the saints, and by the saints always firmly held, opens to man the glory of God; the glory of his moral character and government; a glory yet brighter than that which shines from every sun, and sparkles in every dew-drop. It is the truth which solves the problem of justice and mercy; and proclaims God to be at once 66 a just God and a Saviour." And then, there are the blessings which they enjoy. The peace, which no tempest can disturb; the joy, by which their spirits pass exultingly even through the trials of life, and the shadows of death; the holiness, by which their character becomes the living assemblage of virtues, sublime, yet practicable, imbedded in humility, yet growing up to the sky;—all is God's gift. The temple is restored, is radiant; because it is now inhabited by Him for whom it was first built.

(ii.) It is reflected. Something of the glory of the sun we see in the moon, especially when moving along the deep blue vault of heaven in full-orbed brightness turned directly to the sun, fully receiving, and fully transmitting, the beams from their primeval source. Thus does the true Christian receive, thus transmit, the light of God. Supposing him to walk in all humility, meekness, purity, and love, the excellence of his character wins respect, even when the spirituality whence it proceeds is inconsistently denied, perhaps derided. But this moral excellence is but the reflection of the glory of God. He shines in divine light. It is the image of God which he bears.

In this sense, wherever the salvation of God is enjoyed glory dwells in the land.

2. When the church of Christ has attained to a certain degree of prosperity, then, by its influence upon public measures and institutions, does glory dwell in the land.

When, by the good providence of God, they who "fear him " are delivered from persecution, in its more hostile