and regulation be wise be well advised by me saith our Saviour who have and know the issues of life and death to deny your selves and direct your feet into the soul way strait gâ—â—e and narâ—â—w paths cast your selves under divine direction passe your lives in an exact observancy of divine prescription receive the yoak abide the bonds of the Lord Jesus Christ decline the way with and in which flesh and blood is so much so well pleased and resign up your mind will affections actions and passions to the restraints of Reason to the regulation of Religion answerable to this Exhortation is our Saviours Argument drawn from the end unto which this strait gate doth lead It leadeth unto life as if he should have said you see before you different paths you are to make your choice be by me advised to consider that broad way and wide gate leadeth to destruction but this start gate and narrow way leadeth unto life guide therefore your affections by the end you aim at and enter in at the strait Gate I this day set before you life and death chuse you which you will take I cannot but tell you if you embrace the broad way follow the multitude to do evil please your own lusts and live as you list without regard to or restraint by Gods holy Word you shall enjoy present case and future endless misery but if you decline this broad way and enter the strait Gate deny your selves enter the way of Gods Commandements and walk uprightly in them not turning aside to the right or left hand you must indeed undergo present hardship but shall hereby attain unto arrive at eternal happiness Let the end the last in your enjoyment be the first thing in your intention and you cannot stick in your thoughts what to chuse who will not labour for life rather then lie still and die Who will not pass some straits to possess such glory rather then live in pleasure and lose salvation for ever who at the day of judgement will not chuse the portion of Lazarus before that of Dives How sad a check is it to Dives comforts to hear the Lord say Thou hast now thy good things but shalt he hereafter tormented How reviving refreshing is it to poor Lazarus to know the Lord looketh on his low estate and resolveth that he in this life afflicted shall be in Abrahams bosome abundantly comforted cost what it can be it never so strait and narrow enter in at the strait gate it leadeth unto life According to St. Luke Strive to enter in at the strait gate enter into it for life is the end of it strive unto this entrance for you labour for life and that calleth for the utmost diligence and violence of endeavours strive not feebly and faintly but with force and vigor press forward in it with strength and vivacity with power unto perplexity strive unto and again until you sweat until you bleed again press into this narrow passage until you be immured and perish if need so require stretch your limbâ— until you be not able to stand walk with wait on God untill and after you are weary you cannot live with God unless you love God you cannot love God unless you embrace him pursue him with all your heart with all your might with all your soul with all your strength you seek salvation though it is not wages you must work for it work out your own salvation with fear and trembling with a fear of diligence not of diffidence and despondency a sight of Israels glory will make a cursing Balaam cry out Oh that I might die the death of the righteous and that my latter end might be like his but the laborious life of the righteous can only secure the happy death which passeth into eternal life Heaven is not had with a wet finger short winded wishes will never set any in the haven of everlasting happiness the slothful in Christianity can never inherit the promise the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence the violent take it by force fight so as to get victory so run as to obtain so wrestle as to prevail so strive as to be able to enter the strait gate for strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life Give me leave to inforce this general Exhortation unto an industrious pressing on in holiness and heavens way by some feâ— motives which may perswade with you and make you see the necessity thereof Consider therefore Heavens way is an hard way it is a way of difficulty must be walked in with diligence it is a way of danger must be traversed with care 't is a way of dolour and distress must be moved in with deliberation and discretion Heavens way is an hard way because as you have heard it is terminated and boundâ—d out of which there is no starting on either side with the least of safety Besides that 't is thus hard in it self it is made more hard by these things which attend it or rather us in the entrance into this Strait Gate and narrow way for it is to every the Sons of men A way of obscurity hard to finde out hard to be travelled in Heavens way obscure it is a Mistery Great is the mistery of Godlinesse Misteries are not easily understood it is a peculiar priviledge a special favourâ— a guift from heaven from God 1 Tim. 3.16 to know the misteries of the Kingdome of Heaven this is not obivious to every eye the natural man receiveth not the things of God for they are specially discerned this way obscure in it self is untrodden few there be who find it Mat. 13.11 1 Cor. 2.14 the tract is small and litle not easily discerned the footsteps found are to be followed but their impression is so litle that they are soon worn out Examples of exact obedience are very few one Noah serving providence in the means of his own appointment is the Preacher of Righteousness to the old world one Abraham is the patterne of perfect resignation to God a sufficient one Moses for meeknesse one Iob for patience one David for Intâ—g ity and so singular Saints have trodden the tracts of speciall Graces in the way to Heaven and their footsteps are to be found with most diligent search and accurate observation this obscure and trodden way to life is perplexed with many intricacies and doubts which do arise from the variety of Gods providence and variation of our condition how to carry in a single how in a married ho to carry in an adverse how in a a prosperous state how to carry in society and variety of Society how to carry in solitudes how to live by faith in all conditions how to live under Gods Ordinances under all dispensations how to do the duty of a Minister and of a common member to the Church How to pursue the purity and how to preserve the entity of the Church how to advance the power of
comparison of Christ will easily insult over difficulty in Heavens way and triumphantly resolve neither distress nor tribulation nor persecution nor peril nor sword nor famine nor nakedness shall be able to seperate from his love of Christ Rom. 8.38 39. but in these he shall be more then a Conqueror they who consider it is written of Gods Servants for thy sake we are killed all the day long and accounted sheep for the slaughter will not think much to lay down or lose his life in the Gate by pressing in the narrow way to life Convince we our selves that Christ will have our all or none of us he will be imbraced above all he hath declared whosoever loveth Lands Houses or Wife or Children or life it self better then him is not worthy of him we then shall easily deny our selves and take up our cross and follow him Remember we that through much tribulation we enter into Heaven that the true Religion and course of Godliness did and doth call for the loss of all outward comforts and propound future glory a better and more during substance we shall then take joyfully the spoyling of our goods expectation maketh hard things to be born with ease Grave upon the soul principles of true Religion the first principles Help 4 of the Oracles of God for these as the basis or ground plot of any building as the axioms of any Art or Science or as the first draught of the Picture do facilitate and direct the future structure and perfection and are in all straits eminently serviceable Gods method to make his people walk in his way is to write his Law up in their hearts uncatechised souls having confused notions of faith which through want of order and ability do perplex and entangle themselves in the ways of piety many times in a blind zeal they confound the substance and Circumstances of Gods Ordinances and make a defect in the one equally heinous as in the other and not knowing how to guide their judgments they charge upon themselves duties whereof their relation or condition doth deny them to be capable be sure you lay in the soul the first principles of the Oracles of God and then leave them by a regular progress in Christianity sure I am that some yea many souls are ship-wract for want of ballanced judgements many lose all by lifting themselves up to the dignities of Saints not once acquainting themselves with the duties of Saints and pretend unto the joys of beleiving without once pondering the principles of faith the unacquainted with will easily ere from the faith seducers need no better a Subject for their design then simple souls affected to but ignorant of the truth and way to life Help 5 Get keep and exercise a spirit of discerning In all your getting get understanding Wisdom to guide our affairs will make our burden easie the spirit of grace and sanctification is a spirit of discerning the spiritual man judgeth all things Heavens way is in nothing so strait and narrow as in the bounds wâ—ich restrain us the dangers which on all sides limit it true piety lyeth in such narrow points that without a clear judgment and good understanding we cannot hit it the Devil and his instruments are so politique and subtle that without a spirit of discerning they will readily delude they lead captive silly souls through want of wisedom we entangle our selves and many times make stumbling stones in our own way want of judgment causeth superstitious scrupulosity rash censuring vain presumption and feigned reverence he that is not able to discern between good and evil will many times condemn good as evil and take evil for good will through fear of sin fly duty or be bold to rush into sin without fear he will not respect or he will renounce Gods Ordinances because of mens disorders or else he will impose his own inventions and think to please God by a voluntary humility By the spirit of discerning beleivers must prove Doctrines trie the spirits distinguish Ministers know the Devil when appearing an Angel of light differ Christs Church from the flocks of Christs Companions and discern Gods Ordinances from humane inventions conversant about them or in their room and stead and direct their own conversation in and according to the speciality of duty which the providence of God and their present state doth require And know how to chuse or refuse things indifferent and sever them from things necessary and walk with even upright feet according to the truth of the Gospel Follow God with the ease and freedom of those Travellers who see and know their way no difficulty like darkness in the things which are to be beleived and done because life and eternal life is dependant thereupon Give up your selves your whole selves to the will of God Subjection Help 6 is an estate of ease nothing but a stubborn nature and perverse Will can perplex them who are at the command of others How easie are the haâ—d things of Warfare by the keeping of the Souldiers in strict obedience to their Officers shall not it be much more such to us if we will yeild free and full obedience to the Captain of our Salvation Let therefore your judgement guide affection piety prevail against policy what you should against what you would do Let Gods Will once revealed become unto you the reason of all obedience in action and acquiescency in passion pray heartily and in truth Father in Heaven let thy will be done captivate carnal reason and bring every proud thought and high imagination in subjection to the will of Christ debates of flesh and blood are distracting to the mind and destructive to the soul Paul found not a more ready way then not to reason with flesh and blood when God was pleased to reveal himself to him Let the eye of reason read Gods will revealed and then by faith silence the dictates and lead câ—ptive this depraved power resignation unto Gods will is the formality of true obedience therefore called obedience of faith and this obedience can be the oneâ—y easie property of Gods Children Gods will is and can be the onely warrant of his worship to offer God mans inventions is to go a whoring from him and to rebel against him our Religion must be according to his express direction It is the great anxiety of the godly to know the will of God but obedience or a readiness and resolvedness to beleive what he shall speak to do what he shall direct and to suffer meekly what he shall dispose is a discharge thereof for he that will do shall know the Will of God the bending carnal wrangling reason to the pleasure of the most high will pass us with much ease through the strait Gate and narrow way which doth lead to life Help 7 Go in good Company it is not good for man to be alone was Gods reason for creating humane society solitude is not more sad then dangerous two
godliness and how to attend and edify our selves by Gods Ordinances under confused corrupt disorderly prophane administration In a word hâ—w to perceive and performe the Crisis and Punctâ—lio of Piety pointed out and to be put into art by and under the present providence so as not to fliâ— into 〈◊〉 on either hand are such cases of conscience and doubts of minde which must but cannot with ease nor without much diligence and difficulty be resolved for our guidance in the strait narrow pathes which lead to life and glory Yet again consider this obscure untrodden and perplexed way to Heaven is more hard to find to enter by the many by-pathes and delusive deviations which lye on earth-side therof what necessity to try the Spirits many Spirits not being of God so maerrors in doctrine darkning the faith such subtill insinuations of seducers drawing from the truth that the Ministers of God cannot bâ—t fear the people should be beguiled from simplicity of the Gospell And the people cannot but find by Peters fall it is an hard matter to walk up rightly according to the truth of the Gospell the Devil transforming himself into An Angell of light is not soon or easily discerned or discovered good men may be catched with error yea Peter and Barnabas goodmen and Ministers may be carried away with the dissimulation of seducers for the false Apostles appear even as the Apostles Iesus Christ obscurity must provoke enquiry and serious study for the narrow bounds of truth and Piety are not discerned without much difficulty Heavens way opposed This is a way of no lesse obâ—curity then opposition Christianity is a constant militation Whatsoever be the mutation of humane affairs in the world the Church of Jesus Christ iâ— and must be militant till he come in Glory being entered we make no progress in piety without blowes Godliness is the takeing of a Garrison the Gate is hardly gained Heb 10.23 and that entered every steep in the streets is to follow the stroak of a begun victory after yea immediately after they were enlightned they endured a great fight of afflictions Israeâ— possesseth not the Land of Promise but by the persuit of Egypt passage through the Sea Conflicts with and unto the Conquest of the Sons of Anak and Kings of the Countries and sincere Saints must cut their wayes to heaven Ephe. 6.12 Wrestlâ—ng not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and powâ—rs against the Rulers of the darkness of this world and spirituall wickedness in high Places so subtle and many are the temptatiâ—nâ— of the Devil that it is hard for the most serious soldier under Christs Banner to be able to stand against the Wiles of th Devil Oh strait Gate Oh narrow way where our hands must h w and cut open the way in which our feet must rread if we will find eternall life this way is yet the more difficult and strait beccause our dâ—praved nature is averse unto this obscure opposed way The natural man is at emnity with Gâ—d mans soul cannot receive righteousness with out reluctancy Rom. 8.7 holiness is not only Supernatural and above our reach but contronatural and against our disposition Constitution and Inclination Heavens way is uphill and against heart we are loath to enter the Gate and more loath to proceed in the way to life many strive but are not able to enter we are by nature of dull Capacity to discerne sloathfull to endeavour and therefore move heavily in undertakeing the profession of piety we are by nature feeble ready to faint under difficulty fearfull uf heart ready to fall back on the first assaults of opposition we are by nature of a wandring spirit apâ— to go astray Errors and Schismâ—s are the fruits of our flesh VVe can easily deviate into by-pathes Gal. 5. turn aside from the way of truth a direct Course is a matter of great difficulty and much diligence Christians if in good earnest you seek life you must strive you cannot without great strugling unto and against vanquish the difficulties of obscurity opposition and your own averseness to the way to Heaven Strive to enter in at the strait gate for your entrance is indispensably Motive 2 necessary the gate to life is but one and no entrance into this gate without striving No possibility of salvation but in Gods way be it never so contrary to our own will And so narrow is the punctillio of piety and passage to life that a passion a point of good manners doth many times divert us and endanger our salvation Davids fretting did almost and Peters fear did altogether trip up his heels in the way of truth he walked not with a right foot yea Peters good manners must be sometimes rebuked by his Masters pity If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me Be Gods way never so repugnant to reason a proud Naaman must stoop to it or retain his Leprosie to his ruine be the gate to heaven never so much against our Will we must into it for we have no other way He that loveth any thing though life it self better then Christ is not worthy of him The gate and way to life is most certainly Causa sive qua non if we will not strive we cannot enter and if we do not strive let us profess Christ at what rate we will and possess the dispensations of Christs Gospel priviledges of his Church and presence in what measure we can when we would enter life we may knock in vain for the Lord will protest he knoweth us not we were not under his conduct in the way and may not therefore come into his communion in the end of our Religion Strive to enter in at the stait gate for the success is certain Motive 3 unto serious and constant diligence your industry shall be inforced to its end God is not bound but he doth not deny his grace to such as strenuously studiously press in the way of his commandments This is the Argument by which the Apostle perswadeth diligence and activity for salvation Work out saith he your own salvation for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his own pleasure Such as proceed in the conflict under Christs Banner shall not fail of the conquest such as persevere in pressing forward shall find the grace of Christ sufficient for them until they apprehend that for which they were apprehended of Christ Jesus Our Saviour indeed telleth us many did strive but were not able but you must understand it aright they strove unto not in the act they strove under the pangs of conviction put forth many good purposes but these proved abortive and never passed into act their hearts were never indeed set on God on Christ on Holiness their judgements were herein informed but their affections were not herein inflamed for he that hath an heart shall never want strength to go to heaven strive in the entring proceeding act and we shall