they were predestinated, from all eternity p: and, if they could have the desire of their hearts, they would " be holy, as God himself is holy q," and " pure, as God himself is purer." Justly therefore is it said by our Lord, that " strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find its."]
3. A plain and obvious way —
[To those who have no experience of its power, the Gospel, both in its doctrines and precepts, is altogether foolish- ness1: but it is so only because they are ignorant of its real nature : they are blinded by Satan and their own lusts u; and, like the Syrian host, fancy that they are journeying to the heavenly city, when in truth they are going into the heart of an enemy's country, even to the regions of darkness and despair x. But " what God has hid from the wise and prudent, he has revealed unto babes y:" and to those whose eyes he has opened, the way is clear as the light itself. " The knowledge of it is easy to him that understandeth2:" for a light shines upon it ; and " the Angel of the Covenant goes before them in the way, to lead them to the city prepared for thema." Thus " dark- ness is made light before them, and crooked things straight b:" and if at any time they are perplexed with any important doubts, they need only look up to God, and they hear a word behind them, saying, " This is the way, walk ye in it ;" by which they are kept from " turning either to the right hand or to the leftc." Nor is this the privilege of the learned only, but of all, even the meanest and the least, seeing " they have an unction of the Holy One that teacheth them all things'1 :" and so direct is their way made, " that the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein." Of course, we must not be un- derstood to say, that any person is infallible : but this we do and must affirm, that none, however weak, shall be left to mistake the path to heaven, since God has pledged himself to us, that " the meek he will guide in judgment, the meek he will teach his waye."]
4. A safe and secure way —
[It is probable that the strong expressions in our text may refer more particularly to the millennial state : for they exactly agree with what the Prophet Ezekiel has manifestly spoken with an immediate reference to that dayf. But they are true to a certain extent in every age : for though there are
P Rom. viii. 29. <i 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. r 1 John iii. 3.
s Matt. vii. 13, 14. '1 Cor. ii. 14. u 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.
x 2 Kings vi. 19. y Matt. xi. 25. z Prov. xiv. 6.
a Exod. xxiii. 20. b Isai. xlii. 16. c Isai. xxx. 21.
* 1 John ii. 20, 27. e Ps. xxv. 8, 9. f Ezek.xxxiv. 24,25.