to suppose we are placed in a world in which our first duty is to begin to correcC everything; that a life is granted to us which is but a veiled death, and of which the first strength must be 11:iven to altering the entire course and character it would naturally take. But notwithstanding the antecedent unlikelihood of our being bo111 at such a disadvantage, the conclneion that it is so is forced on every one who har observed what men make of life. The terms on which the lower animals maintain life affords corroborative evidence. It is only with a struggle they keep their place in lire at all. And, in fact, the truth is recognized by teachers beyond the Christian pale. ,. Badness," says Hesiod, "you may have easily, and abundance of it; for the path is plain, and she dwells close e.t hand, But before excellence God bas placed toil and le.hour; long and steep is the road that leads to her, and very rough it is at first." The broad road and the narrow is an image that suggests itself to the serious observer of life-the broad, easy meadow-path in danger at last of being swallowed up by the stream which runs by it; and the narrow, upward path difficult and sometimes dangerous, but leading to prospects unconceived before. What do they say who have entered the narrow way and pursued it? Ask Paul; ask the most eminent of saints if they found the following of Christ easy? Best of all, ask the Leader himself whether the path was not easier than his words imply. What, then, mean those nights spent in prayer, the wrestling with temptation in the wilderness, and the strong crying and tears that escaped him? If his strength was taxed to the uttermost, will life be easy, safe, and victorious for us? We may say-Christians take life much as other people, and anything like cross-bearing and resolved self-mastery are· quite exceptional. But our own experience can scarcely fail to have shown uu this difficult, arduous life in a.ctual example, Have we not seen righteousness preferred to advai..cement in life, the narrow way to the broad, inflexible self-discipline maintained that the power of sin might be broken? It was not that the persons who did so had more or deeper cor- ruptions than others, but simply that they were in earnest, and recognized what the case required, It is vain to tell them to relax their vigilance; they know that there is no easier way, What constitutes the straitness of the gate, the narrowness of the way? Radically, just what the figure implies-that sin is easy and natural, holiness difficult because contrary to our propensity. Or, as our Lord says elsewhere, "He that will be my disciple must deny himself-must be prepared to accept another guide and law than his natural inclination." It is long before we get the idea thoroughly wrought into our lives that lawless life is simply destruction, Self-denial, therefore, is e.n absolute requisite of entrance into the kingdom. l. IT IS FOR WANT OF SELF-DENIAL THAT SOME FAIL EVEN TO JIIAKB GOOD THEm ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM. 'l'hey acknowledge that outside there is no life; they see that there is something out of joint between God and their soul, and that it is largely due to their own shortcomings; and they think much and perhaps do what they can to bring about a change. But they lack the one essential thing-a true and clear submission of themselves to Christ; a deliberate and pronouncetl renunciation of self, in every form, self-government especially. II, SUPPOSING THE GATE TO HAVE BEEN PASSED, NO PRO<JRESS 18 POSSIBLE WITHOUT SELF-DENI.AL, There is an old and true comparison, likening the soul to a chariot and the passions to horses, Only lay the reins on the necks of the horses, and the chariot is destroyed: only neglect self-denial, and the evil is done. For between indulgence and self-denial there is no middle place. And so it is that a man may seem not to be doing anything very sinful ; he may even be denying himself much, and yet day by day tenderness of feeling departs, and a wall of separation seems to grow up between his soul and Christ, He bas gone so far, but he has not been willing to go all lengths with Christ; and manifestly anything short of the self-denial which enables him to keep pace with Christ and hold fellowship with him is unavailing. 'l'his it is which constitutes the straitness of the gate, the narrowness of the way. And we may determine whether we a.re on the way or not by the self-denial and sacrifice it costs us to go forward, We can all recall the struggles we made, the hardships we enclnred, in gaining some position we sought. If we have no similar remembrances connected with our following of Christ, it is to be feared we have evaded the difficulties or diverged wholly from the path. If you have had no difficulties, no crosses, no struggles, whero has been your self-denial? How have you found the way narrow? When we see 310 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [on. vn. 1-29.
clearly the unworldly, self-denying life to which Christ leads, we are tempted to think that in order to follow him we must change the whole frame and conditions of our life; we long to convince ourselves by some great sacrifice that we are truly his followers. And no doubt some are called to this; but for most of us there is enongh in the small occasions of daily life to try our fidelity and test ~ur self-denio.\. We shall find room enongh for the exercise of these in striving to maint.ain habits of devotion, &.'ld to form our life throughout after the example of Christ. . III. FINALLY, OUR_ LORD WARNS us OF THE DIFFIOULTY OF THB WA.Y,-no~ to discourage, but to stimulate; that we may not be dismayed when we find it hard to follow. We are in the same cause as he, and have all the help and encouragement and hope that are available in him. He means also that a thankful, watchful spirit should possess those who have found the way and are in it. If you are in the way, you have passed the grand difficulty in human life-a difficulty wbich/ew pass. You may have much to contend with in life, but if this grace has come to you that you are brought into the way your Saviour trod, and that leads ever closer to him, no evil can permanently assail or oppress you.-D.