Mat. vii.13,14.) The man faid, No: Then faid the other, Do you see yonder fhining light? (Pfal. cxix. 105. 2 Pet. i. 19.) He faid, I think I do. Then faid Evangelift, keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto, fo fhalt thou fee the gate; at which when thou knockeft, it fhall be told thee what thou fhalt do. So I faw in my dream that the man began to run; now he had not run far from his own door, but his wife and children perceiving it, began to cry after him to return; but the man put his fingers in his ears, (Luke xiv. 26.) and ran on crying, Life! Life! Eternal Life! So he looked not behind him, but fled towards the middle of the plain, Gen. xix. 17. The neighbours alfo came out to fee him run '; and as he ran, fome mocked, others threatened, and fome cried after him to return; and amongst those that did fo, there were two that were refolved to fetch him back by force. The name of the one was Obftinate, and the name of the other Pliable. Now pared with thofe who rush haftily on in the broad way, which leadeth to deftruction: but confidered as the only true and living way, Chrift Jefus, it is glorioufly enlarged, to admit all who are defirous to enter in. If the believer is ftraitened, it is in his own bowels, and not in the fulness, grace and love of the Lord Jefus. But this cannot be known without the word; i. e. unless the Lord, the Spirit, by the preaching or reading of the word, is pleased to faften conviction upon the confcience, and fhew the finner his abfolute need of Christ, Chriftian is thus awakened, and therefore, with impassioned ardour, he cries for Life! life eternal ! f Chriftian purfues his courfe, and the powers of earth and hell seemed combined against him A cafe not more awful than frequent. It is not enough that Satan alarms within, by the rifings of corruption and guilt in the heart, but he powerfully befets the believer by strong temptations from the world, No fooner is the finner turned to God, than Satan raifes his mighty bulwarks against him; holds him out to the Now by this time the man was got a good distance from them; but however they were resolved to purfue him, which they did, and in a little time they overtook him. Then faid the man, Neighbours, Wherefore are ye come? They faid, To perfuade you to go back with us; but he faid, That can by no means be: You dwell, faid he, in the city of Deftruction, the place alfo where I was born: I fee it to be fo; and dying there, fooner or later, you will' fink lower than the grave, into a place that burns with fire and brimftone: Be content, good neighbours, and go along with me. What, faid Obftinate, and leave our friends, and our comforts behind us! Yes, faid Chriftian, for that was his name, because that All which you shall forfake is not worthy to be compared with a little of that which I am seeking to enjoy, 2 Cor. iv. 18. and if you will go along with me, and hold it, you fhall fare as myfelf; for there where I go, is enough and to fpare, Luke xv. 17. come away, and prove my prove my words. Obft. What are the things you feek, fince you leave all the world to find them? Chr: But the world as an object of fcorn, ridicule, and contempt; and endeavours, not only to destroy the inward peace of his mind, but, if poffible, to frighten and fhame him from the lively profeffion of his hopes, and lay him low in the duit. ftronger is he who is for the believer, than he who is against him. The powerful arm of an omnipotent God is engaged to preferve him; and though devils roar, and men rejoice, yet he shall not fall. Animated by this pleafing thought, Chriftian boldly refifts his adverfaries, ftedfalt in the faith. He expoftulates with them of the nature of their guilt; tells them faithfully the danger they were in, and the everlasting perdition their wicked conduct led to. He then intreats them to go along with him; and urges, as a grand inducement, in anfwer to what Obftinate had faid, the fuperior blessedness of thofe fpiritual riches he was feeking to enjoy, in comparison of what their hearts and affections were fixed upon, Chr. I seek an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, 1 Pet. i. 4. and it is laid up in heaven, and safe there, to be bestowed, at the time appointed, on them that diligently feek it, Heb. xi. 16. Read it fo, if you will, in my book. Obft. Tush, said Obftinate, away with your book: Will you go back with us, or no? Chr. No, not I, faid the other; because I have laid my hand to the plough, Luke ix. 62. Obft. Come then, neighbour Pliable, let us turn again, and go home without him; there is a com pany : Chriftian ftill maintains his confidence in the Lord his God; feems thoroughly convinced of the great danger of turning back, after having once fet his hand to the gospel plough. He knew well the awful import of his divine Lord's declaration, That no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God, Luke ix. Öz. But neither the folemnity of this awful truth, nor the compaffionate tenderness of Chriftian's heart, will prevail with Obftinate, to lay down the weapons of his rebellion, and enlift himself under the banner of Jefus, the captain of everlasting falvation. In this man, we have a very lively, though a truly affecting proof of the perverfeness, enmity, and rebellion of the heart of every natural man. Neither the terrors of God's righteous law, nor the divinely glorious declarations of pardon, peace, life, and glory, through a Redeemer's blood, will be of any ufe, unless the fovereignty of divine grace be engaged for that purpose. But when this is the cafe, the heart, however proud and rebellious, is bowed, is humbled before God. At first view, Pliable appears to be a remarkable inftance of this. It feems that he followed Chriftian partly from curiofity, and partly from a defire to know whether thefe things were fo of a truth, or not: but we fhall foon find, that there was no genuine fincerity, no gofpel repentance at the bottom; though it cannot be denied, that his heart is fufceps tible of a serious impreffion, in confequence of which he feems defirous of going with Chriftian in the path of life. But no fooner does he discover this, than the combined force of hell is ftriving to pull him back. The conduct of Chriftian, on this occafion, is worthy the attention of every believer. Inftead of threatening invectives, he kindly expoftulates, and, as an eternal confirmation of the divine realities he was befeeching him to purfue, he tells him, that they were folemnly ra tified by the blood of the everlasting Jefus. |