slippery places. Consider well, that to fall is easier than to rise; that to progress in wickedness is more natural than to pause and turn back.

But when it is considered, how diligently men are disposed to cultivate bad passions, and how fearlessly they are accustomed to sport with sin and danger, I almost despair in uttering any cautions. Hardly need it be mentioned that many, accounted moderate drinkers, seem touched by a kind of magic influence; and, however rational in their own opinion, continually exhibit to others marks of infatuation. They talk rationally on the danger of sinful habits, and the criminal folly of worshipping idols; but desire, at the same time, to be pardoned in this thing," that when they enter the house of Bacchus, which is frequent, they bow before the altar of intemperance. Nor did the Israelites themselves more freely give up their golden treasures to form an idol god, than these same men bring forward their property and health, their talents, reputation, and usefulness, a sacrifice to sensual indulgence. They discourse rationally on the importance of moral order, good regulations in society, virtue, sobriety, and religion: at the same time, their money is paid more freely and cheerfully for liquor, than for supporting government, or civil justice, or preaching the everlasting Gospel. It cannot be denied, that in this favored land of Gospel light and motives, there are multitudes, and those not accounted confirmed drunkards, nor open infidels and scoffers; multitudes, I say, scattered in society, whom the eye of God discovers more frequently at the tavern than at the house of public worship, more contentedly and regularly at the bottle at home, than at the domestic altar, commending their unfortunate families to the Father of mercies.

Such men do not set lightly by money; but they set highly by appetite. And what good moral influence is secured by their fre quent indulgence? Do those exhilarating potions produce good dispositions, generous feelings of compassion, benevolence, and humanity? Certainly not. Obvious facts deny it. You may stand before them and point to the abodes of wretchedness, and plead for unfortunate women and children, suffering for fuel, for clothing, for bread, with very little effect. Why, let me ask, is no more done for charitable purposes in this favored nation? Can you tell me, why no more is contributed to spread the holy Gospel among the heathen, who are perishing in darkness? One reason is obvious; intemperance has levied an enormous tax. Only let the current of property, now flowing in Christian countries, to support this vicious habit, be turned to aid the cause of missions, and I deliberately believe, it would furnish the whole heathen world with missionaries till the end of time. But you may go to many who are spending, and freely spending, ten, twenty, fifty, or an hundred dollars a year needlessly for drink, and plead, and argue, and beg for Christ's sake for a little charitable aid, to send the word of life to the destitute, and you are turned off with little else than piti

*able excuses.* You obtain less than a moderate drinker spends in a single week, in a single day, or at one sitting; perhaps nothing. Intemperance calls, and behold, what readiness to hear, to obey, to give, and to give freely and generously. The High God, whose a is the earth and its fulness, seriously calls, and solemnly claims for his treasury a portion of his lent property, to spread the Gospel. and save our fellow men from eternal death, and we pause and hesitate; some reluctantly and grudgingly give a little; others shut the hand, deny the claim, and pay over the money at the tavern. Be astonished, O heavens and earth, at the inconsistency, the absurdity, the guilt of the present age! What ingratitude and rebelJion! What violation of Gospel principle and obligation! What prostration of duty, reason, conscience, common sense.

THEOLOGICAL REMARKS.-NO. VI.

For the Panoplist.

LUKE Xiii, 23, 24. And he said unto them, strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to euter in, and shall not be able.

THE instructions of the Lord Jesus, during his public ministry on earth, were always practical. If he discoursed on the more sublime and mysterious truths, he uniformly exhibited these truths in a manner calculated to influence the lives of men. He never discoursed to gratify a vain curiosity in men, or to encourage them in speculative inquiries. His hearers not unfrequently proposed to him questions, with no other design than to perplex or confound him. Their questions were merely speculative, and by requiring him to answer them, they expected either to find some accusation against him, or to engage him in controversy. As he perfectly understood the human heart in all its windings, he uniformly knew the motives of those who proposed to him questions, and accordingly adapted his answers to their different characters. The question to which

The low standard, which many professed Christians form of the extent of charitable claims upon their purses, is one of the most discouraging things, which persons of genuine liberality and enlarged minds have to encounter at the present day. It may truly be added that some worthy ministers of the Gospel are too ready to conform to a low standard, and to regulate their expectations, if not their desires, accordingly. It has usually been found, however, (and to the honor of our country be it spoken,) that whenever a good object is fairly presented to the minds and pressed upon the consciences of the people, the success has much surpassed the low expectations of timid calculators.

The following instance of the proneness to judge according to a low standard, may serve as a specimen for multitudes. Application was made, in behalf of a great religious charity, to the people of a certain parish. The minister, a worthy, good man, feared that it was inexpedient to press the application, as his people had already done so much, within the course of a year, for different charitable objects. This naturally led to the inquiry, how much they had done. After a minute investigation, not quite two hundred dollars could be reckoned up. Some of the most intelligent persons in the place, estimated that about 4,000 dollars annually had been consumed in ardent spirits hy the inhabitants, antecedently to a late revival; but that since the revival half the expense for ardent spirits had been saved. What a contrast is here: 4,000 dollars a year spent by the people of a single parish for ardent spirits; half that sum saved in consequence of a revival of religion; and only one tenth part of the saving consecrated to religious charity, ED.

the passage of Scripture before us formed an answer, was one of those speculative questions frequently agitated, but which are of no practical importance. They open a field for vain conjecture and idle curiosity, and afford opportunity for ingenious reasoning, and unwarrantable inference, and at the same time do not improve the moral feelings, or meliorate the life. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?" This seems to have been the inquiry of one careless about his own salvation, and who, while in a state of carnal security, wished to reason on a subject of no prac tical importance. The question, "are there few that be saved:" was a speculative question; it referred to the secret purpose of the Supreme Being. To the person making the inquiry, it could be of no use to know whether few or many, in comparison with the whole number of the human family, would finally be saved; provided he continued careless in his sins, and rejected the offers of salvation, he would perish, even on the supposition that many were to be saved. From the answer given by Christ, it is probable, that the person who proposed the question was one of those stupid men, who endeavor to derive from the doctrine of the divine sovereignty in the salvation of men, a pretext for continuing in sin: it is probable that he meant to obtain from Christ some confirmation of that unwarrantable and false reasoning, which originates in the heart of the stupid and impenitent sinner. The sinner is disinclined to the service of God, he loves sin, continues to live in the practice of it, and in so doing he endeavors to excuse himself from blame. While he casts the blame from himself, he must throw it upon some one, and he generally casts it upon his Maker. Tell him that a glorious method of salvation is provided; that salvation is freely offered to him, and urge him to accept it; and "he asks, are there few that be saved?" or perhaps he replies, "why do you urge me to do what I cannot do; I cannot repent of sin, or humble myself before God, or exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, or pray unto him. The ministers of religion in their preaching tell me, that salvation is all of grace, and that God has rendered certain the salvation of some from eternity, and that in choosing some to be heirs of salvation, and in leaving others to be the subjects of condemnation, he displays his holy sovereignty, "he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." If this be the case, I have nothing to do-I can do nothing; for if I am to be saved I shall be saved, do what I may: and if I am to be damned, I shall be damned, do what I may." Thus the impenitent sinner, from his disinclination to the service of God, perverts the doctrine of the divine sovereignty, and derives from it a pretext under which he excuses himself from blame, while he still lives in sin. Now it is believed that no sinner under the Gospel can rest quietly with such excuses in his mouth, unless he be entirely stupid in his moral feelings; for every sinner who reads his Bible must be convinced, that there is no such election as he supposes; it is no where declar ed in the Scripture, that any man will be damned do what he may," nor that "any one will be saved do what he may." Means

and ends are uniformly connected in the Bible: all who are elected to eternal life, are elected through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. In the word of God the salvation of sinners is made to depend in an important sense on themselves. Their own agency is required, their prayers, their persevering endeavors are made use of. Every sinner who goes to heaven will go there vol untarily; and every sinner who perishes will perish voluntarily; his whole guilt will rest on himself; the holy character and government of God will be free from all imputation. In the Bible a heaven of holiness is promised to all who live lives of holiness. Holiness of life supposes activity in the sinner, and requires him to exercise pious feelings, and to make great exertions to be conformed to the will of God. The declaration of Christ was, "strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

Having considered the inquiry to which this passage was an answer, I shall offer some remarks on the import of the passage, and then show how exactly it is adapted to the state of sinners under the Gospel.

Many different constructions have been put upon the words; we shall give that which we deem correct, without repeating those which differ from it. The word translated strive in this passage, (ayшvicɛçe) means to strive earnestly, to be very earnest, to agonize, to make every possible effort. The word, translated gate, litererally signifies a small door, and strait gate, in this connexion, means the course of conduct marked out by the divine requirements, Among the Jews, the word gate was used in a metaphorical sense to denote the entrance, introduction, or means of acquiring any thing." Accordingly they speak of the gate of repentance, of faith, of humility, by which they mean nothing more than the commencement of these graces in the soul. Strait gate doubtless means such a course of life in this world, as will lead to blessedness in heaven. Holiness of life, as it stands connected with endless blessedness, is meant by the phrase strait gate. Hence in this passage Christ exhorts sinful men to agonize, to be unremitted in their endeavors to live holy lives on earth, if they would expect to be admitted to the enjoyment of God in heaven: and as a motive to excite them to put forth these endeavors, he adds in the latter clause, that "many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." The probable meaning of the latter clause is this: many will not be in earnest till it is too late; if they seek, it will not be with diligence and perseverance: a few languid efforts, or a few insincere and formal prayers, cannot be supposed to secure them salvation from sin; yet they will all one day see their need and seek for mercy: still after the present life they will seek in vain: then they will seek to enter in and shall not be able. "When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and Bay unto you, I know you not whence ye are,"depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."

VOL. XIII.

69

It is evident from the connexion in which the sentence stands, that the many who shall not be able to enter in, are those who waste their day of grace, who do not strive for salvation in the present life, but who after death seek, yet do not obtain because the door of mercy is shut. In this command, therefore, Christ enjoins the utmost diligence, ardent desires, and persevering endeavors to live holy lives, that we may attain to life everlasting. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." You must strive now; you must improve the present time; it is through a life of holiness that salvation is to be obtained. All who do not seek it in this way will come short: take warning from this truth, "for many I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Such is the import of the passage.

We proceed to shew, that it is exactly adapted to the state of sin, ful men under the Gospel. In the Gospel, salvation is brought down to the reach of siuners. The method is clearly exhibited to them; the only conditions on which their final salvation can be obtained are stated, and motives are urged to influence them to a compliance. Such is the situation of sinners under the Gospel. They are treated as active, dependent, voluntary beings: they are exhorted to seek and strive for salvation. When they ask "are there few that be saved?" The reply is, "strive to enter in at the strait gate." The secret purpose of the Supreme Being is beyond the province of human investigation. It is not for us to inquire whether few or many will finally be saved. God will bring about the accomplishment of his own purposes; creatures need not know them any further than they are revealed in his word, or unfolded in his providence. Sinners under the Gospel are assured that salvation is within their reach. Neither the secret purpose of God, in reference to the final states of individuals, nor his holy sovereignty in the dispensations of his mercy, afford any hindrance to sinners, or any excuse for doing nothing. The divine sovereignty is exercised in a manner consistent with the sinner's activity. The influence of the Holy Spirit in the work of sanctification on the soul, is communicated in such a manner as preserves the sinner's activity, entire freedom and accountability. The sinner is quite as free, as accountable, and as active, as he could be if he were independent of the Supreme Being in his actions. It must be acknowledged, we know not the manner in which the influence of the Spirit is communicated; we know not the mode of the divine operation in any case; we know not how the sinner's entire dependence is compatible with his entire freedom; we know not how he is constantly active, yet at the same time the subject of the superintending Providence of God; yet our ignorance on these points affords no ground of doubt concerning the truths connected with them. The mode of 'existence and the manner of action are in all cases inscrutable. It is beyond our power to investigate the process of either vegetable, animal, or rational life. Let the man who objects to the divine sovereignty, because he cannot see how it consists with his own