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
of the Church not to separate from the Church for corruption sake It was a sin in them who were angry with the Church as some of the separation are and do depart from us What and if some cast off England shall we reject her because some of the sons of her Mother do so Here is shewed two marks of the true Church of God The footsteps of his flocks Assemblies of Gods people to his true Ordinances and his own Ministers Thus far and in these words doth this reverend Author though afterwards a great countenancer of the thing he here condemned This I say Christians it may sound harsh in your ears but you must let it sink into your hearts The Church defiled and disordered must not be despised or declined the Worship and Ordinances of God uncomfortably unprofitably administred yea with some superfluous Appendants must not be disowned or determined evil but embraced and attended as his Worship The crisis of pietie in this case is to maintain our converse with God in his own Ordinances dispensed in a mode grievous yea loathsom to our souls continue our communion when we mourn for what we cannot mend Observe it Christs Ministrie was most vehemently convincingly enragingly invective against the erronious Doctrines prophane and supersticious lives of the Church of the Jews and her Priests and Teachers yet he continued communion with her and appeared an Advocate for her against the flocks of his companions self-gathered constituted Churches we know what we worship Salvation is of the Jews So long as Gods Ordinances are salvably dispensed take heed to your own personal actions in any imposed or directed evils and disorders mourn over the imposition and administration which may extend a guilt on the Church collectively but disown not the Church despise not the Ministry decline not the Worship whilst they exist the Lords Look to it that your zeal to purity break not unity and your loathing humane inventions make you not leave Gods Institutions You are Christs sheep as you will be led be looked after by the shepherd and Bishop of your souls see to it that you leap not out of his fold You may have your waters pudled your pastures trodden the proud of the flock to push you with horn and with hoof your Pastors may rule you with pride and with crueltie Lording it over Gods heritage and you they being careless of you may be dispersed But I beseech you when the great shepherd shall come to judge between sheep and sheep between you and your shepherds let him finde you on the mountains of Israel Ezek. 34. though scattered and afflicted Communion with the Church under corruption may not be very comfortable but be assured it shall be safe Reformation must be mournfully endeavoured but Separation will never effect it it will for ever hinder supplant subvert it I must tell you my determination is by Gods grace to seek purity of Ordinances in union with the Church and by non conforming communion to witness against and endeavour to remove disorder and corruption Go continually Armed your course of piety is a constant Help 8 militation be then wary Souldiers be Armed Cap-aâ—pe take unto you the whole Armour of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day have your Loyns girt with verity principles of truth the spirit of a sound mind your breast guarded with the brestplate of Righteousness Ephes 6.12 integrity of heart your head covered with the helmet of hope which will under the greatest Billows and most roaring Waves hold your head above the water have your feet shod with patience the preparations of the Gospel of peace In every step you set you have sharp shells heart-peircing passion-provoking crosses losses distresses and afflictions you have need of patience that when you have done the Will of God you may inherit the promise you cannot without patience continue in well doing unto the obtainment of the Glory honour immortality Rom. 2.27 and eternal life which you do seek take with you the shield of faith in Gods declared will for Doctrine or practise in Gods glorious properties and gracious promises those will quench the most fiery darts of the Devil take unto you the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God to cut down your way kill your Lust the Worlds allurements and the Devils suggestions thus armed stand fast in your Christian resolution but move forward advance in your Christian conversation and you shall with ease encounter and overcome all opposition for the Captain of our Salvation hath led our enemies captive and looketh that we defend our own souls against the subtile malicious stroaks of a subdued though our sworn Enemies Guess your way by the compass of the Covenant the Lord Help 9 hath condescended to deal with man by way of Covenant for the effecting of his Salvation this is a Covenant of Grace Grace is the ground of it it was freely made for we had no obligation on Gods Justice or power to constrain or exact it Grace is the matter of it I will be your God you shall be my people you shall walk in my ways my spirit shall be in your hearts Grace is the form of it I will be your God I will write my Law on your hearts I will put my spirit within you you shall walk in my ways my grace shall be sufficient for you Grace is the end of it our sanctification here and our salvation hereafter and the means necessary unto both in the way of their obtainment and our pursuit of them This Covenant is the Contract of the Bible the compendium of the Gospel Christ is Mediator the Ministers are dispencers Ordinances are the dispensations Faith and Obedience are the conditions Grace and Glory with all good things is the matter of this everlasting Covenant this Covenant like a Compass points at all parts of Heaven when we are in the wide Ocean of the World out of sight of any Land to guide us we may stear by this Compass to our desired Haven when we are in darkness and danger between the narrow Creeks and strait passages of Sylla and Caribdis this Covenant is a light a Lanthorn at Land to guide us unto that Nick and narrow point which will secure us Christians the comfort of this Covenat is not known till being shut up from men secluded from Ordinances and under the want of all means it may be so much as a Bible you begin to reflect your Relation to God Gods Dispensations of grace to man and call to mind the Indenture and Charter which doth secure declare and direct both This Covenant will dissolve our doubts direct our duties and dictate our comforts in all straits in all conditions this and that I must do or not do this and that I must expect or not expect this is or that is truth or Error will be easily inferred by him who is interested in and understandeth the Covenant of Salvation by this when I a poor Gentile consider Abraham is ignorant of me and Jacob knoweth me not can yet cry unto the Lord thou art my God by this when I am in the Furnace I can cry unto the Lord my God and apprehend him answering me my people I can understand by this the word which speaketh unto us as Children say my Son despise not the chastening of the Lord I hereby know correction paternal castigation to be the result of affection from God and relation to God and so when I sit in darkness and can see no light I can trust in the name of the Lord and stay my self upon my God faithful in Covenant who will not fail me I hereby discern sin and detect errour to be eschewed discover truth and duty to be embraced and pursued In a Word what the word doth more amply and abundantly declare when I am at liberty to use the Covenant of Grace doth suggest and from thence I may infer it for my comfort and guidance when restrained the good therein promised I may boldly challenge the evil thereunto repugnant I must rejct the truth and dutie thereby dictated I must receive and do you look for experience and I tell you this in the uprightness of my heart in my late condition the Covenant of Grace was my great comfort the consideration of the Covenant was my councel I would not for all the world have been ignorant of uninterested in or estranged unto the Covenant of God Go you and do likewise If you are confounded in your passage to life it is for want of the Compass of the Covenant or skill to use it Go forward in Heavens way being entred the strait Help 10 gate and narrow way stand not still motion will make it easie Travellers are more tired at the beginning then end of their journey because not used to such violence custom in all things become a second nature whatsoever you do go not back non progredi est regredi in heavens way not to go forward is to go backward The enemy will come upon you if you advance not against him Remember Lots wife take heed of backsliding you will thereby hinder your selves in heavens way and wound your consciences take heed of Apostacy from the faith you will thereby ruine your salvation and hurt religion Consider The just live that is persevere in grace and holiness by faith but if any man draw back Gods soul shall have no pleasure in him Be it your care not to be found in the number of them who draw back unto perdition Heb. 10 3â—â—â— but of them who beleeve unto salvation of their soul Having begun in the Spirit do not end in the flesh inure your selves unto hardship be stedfast and unmovable and you cannot but abound in the work of the Lord nor shall your labour be in vain Beloved Friends the way to life being bounded with such dangerous precipices beset with such difficulties and opposion and your depraved nature being apt to wander averse and indisposed to diligence and activity in holiness you cannot but find strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be who finde it But I beseech you enter chuse to enter it is the way to life Strive to enter it is strait observe practice these Directions now given by Gods grace your entrance will be an act of ease and success Consider what you have heard and the Lord give you understanding FINIS
and hath determined Israel could never have possessed Laish though the Gates stood open if they had stood still Judg. 18. and not advanced towards it Heaven is not the event of idleness but of activity when the Lord hath once bounded determined directed the Gate the way of life must move in it with all care and constancy 1 Tim. 9.12 Luke 13.24 1 Cor. 9.24 Phil. 3.14.2.12 diligence endeavour industry is required from men for the effecting of their Salvation They are called upon to fight strive and wrestle run press proceed in Gods Commandements to work out their own Salvation I could never yet understand or approve the mute non moving Religion of such Quakers who pretend most to Gods Guidance Miserable are the desires and hopes of life which strive not unto the attainment and security thereof vain are the professions of God which provoke not motion towards God such who call Christ Lord Lord hear him and assent to the truth of what he speaketh but will not do what he saith will find the Gate of life shut against them when they would but cannot have admittance not every one who saith Lord Lord but he who doth the will of my Father are in the Gate the way ver 21. and shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven saith our Saviour in this very Sermon and shortly after this very Text God hath determined his worship declared his will appointed his Ordinances Men therefore must with all care caution constancy and diligence attend observe and do the same the Gate the way to life is mans activity in faith and obedience mans labour in word and Sacraments Mans industry to do the several duties of his general and particular Calling having known the will of God we must up and be doing having seen the way of righteousness we must stretch our Limbs and actively strive and press forward in it though man is Passive in receiving the first Principles of Grace and all subsequent strength to duty he must be an Agent in the pursuit of Glory I never could believe man had of himselfe free will to good nor that man could ever enjoy God without doing good with the force of a free will God may turn our faces towards Zion but we must go thither on our own legs they go from strength to strength every one in Zâ—on until they appear bâ—fore God Psal 8â— 7 Christ Iesus may first apprehend us but we must follow after reach forth unto those things which are before us press forward that we may apâ—rehend that for which we are apprehended of him Phil. 3 12. the sâ—rings may enforce but the wheels themselves move in the clock the Spirit helpeth our infirmitieâ— But we must pray believe c. It is Christ who strengthneth us but content in all conditions â— 12 knowledâ—e how to want and abound patience under provoking afflictions must be our own act Salvation is God gift but we must seek it and receive it like our selves by serious studious zealous constant motion in the way of God commandements he thaâ— sits still when he sees his way shall never come to his journeys end the natural language of saving conviction is what shall we do Be assured Christians the who enter not the â—ate Acts. 2 37. move not in the way get not unto life Be ye therefore not slothful but followers of them who through faiâ— unto duty Heb. 9.11.12 It s order and patience in difficulty inherit the promise Secondly in this Metaphor we may observe as the nature sâ— the order of the means which leadeth unto life it is a Gate a way firâ—â— a Gate then a Way mens motion unto entrance and after progress in the way of Gods prescription and limitation God is 〈◊〉 God of order nor must we think him more regulaâ— in humane society the things of the world then in the Affairs which concern his own Glory and his peoples Salvation they who act prepostrously in the things which conceâ—n men do reproach the maker and they who act 〈◊〉 offerously in the 〈◊〉 thinâ— which concern God reproach thâ—iâ— Redeemer nature aâ—â— necessity doth make a Gate of entrance proceed the wâ— of progress to any propounded â—end Inch â—tion must 〈◊〉 before process thougâ— there is in some sense and caâ—e an â—â—trance without pâ—â—gress in the wayk of God there cannot poâ—ssâ— be a proâ—â—ess without entrance many may indeed begin in point but end in the flesh run well in the first acts but be hiâ—dred in the couâ—se of Christianity after they have known thâ— way of righteousness and escaped the pollutions which are 〈◊〉 the world through lust they â—ay be again entangled therein aâ— overcome and turn frâ—m the holy Commandement some who are 〈◊〉 far from the Kingdom of Heaven may fall short of it and soâ— who are almâ—st may never be altogether Christians but none 〈◊〉 walk in him who have not first recâ—â—ied Christ the Lord noâ— can be edified who are not entred into the most holy Faith the Scriptures and Ordâ—nances of God Psal 119.130 Heb. 6.1 do represent unto us the Gate before the Wâ—y of Glory the entrance of the word of God which doth make wise the simâ—le the first principles of the Oracles of God the fâ—undations of saith the first Conception and sâ—â—ming Christ in the soul the Sacraments of God are suited to this order Baptism is a seal of an Imitation to the Church engrafâ—ing into Christ Incorporation to the Saints The Lords supper is a Sacrament of growth and continuance in Christ of progress in the way of saith and true Religion and such aâ— move not in this order cannot possibly pass unto eternal life It is in Grace and Religion as in nature and secular affairs and in both It is all one not to undertake an enterprize or â—o invert the order of motion necessary to any end They tâ—at enter not the Gate may moâ—â— and go forâ—ard but not into tâ—e City they who lay not the foundation may form a frame but cannot build any standing structure such who secure not their Birth and are not rooted in Christ cannot grow up in him It is with many preposterous Christians as with rash gâ—ddy Concellors who dispose the Conquest and divide the Bears skin before they consult the war-fare or go out to kill the Bear or like wandring beggars who being in constant motion neither know nor care whither they go so they have but an house in their eye so many having heard of Heaven and Holiness wander with a blind affection any ways in which they may keep that within sight but never consider whether they have entred the Gate of this Enclosure Let me tell you many will prove this destructive to them that they take a view of the dignitys without any care of the dutys of a Christian and grow great and strong in the joye confidence and expectations of Saints who are strangers yea enemies to the
discern the truth that you may embrace it in the love of it and you shall easily believe lyes the Cautions in Scripture are to no purpose to men who cast off distinction take heed what you hear beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the like are insignificant directions to men of no distinction the neglect of distinction will make Peter a sinfull Conformist as well as those pointed at in Heb. 10 25. were sinfull non-communicants there is no estate in which we are in the world which is not on both hands bounded with sin are we Prosperous it is a narrow point to receive the Creatures of God with thanksgiving to use them humbly and with sobriety not unto pride and tyranny security and carnall confidence in the casting off God or contempt of our brethren with discretion to esteem enjoy and use them as Gods good blessings and yet not to abuse them to the satisfaction of our sensual lust and the entangling of our souls in sin How Hard do we find it in the day of affliction and distresse to shun sinfull senselesse Apathie Stoicall stupidity and impatient anxiety peircing grief or fear heart-perplexing God-provoking Cares and Complaints not to lay aside nor let our naturall passions break out beyond the bounds of sobriety reason or Religion to fear without fretting discerne danger without diffidence to be angry without envy to grieve without grudging to mourn without murmuring to be stricken and smitten of God afflicted all the day long and lye in siâ—ence without repining or charging God foolishly or charging piety to be perplexing folly but to lay our Mouthes in the dust under our opressed innocency because the Lord hath done it to be reviled of men and not to revile again to be oppressed and persecuted yet free from revenge to blesse them that curse us and pray for them who despitefully use us is a lesson not easily learned truly friends my experience hath found it a strait Gate a narrow way to retain quick and lively sences under the restraint of a lively faith to fear and grieve and yet not fly in the face of men or forget God I cannot but observe Apathy in afflictions is manifest prophanesse Isa 42.25 and impatiency is no lesse then impiouâ— God aggravateth Israel prophanesse by their Stupidity and shamefull Apathy Ier. 5.3 when he set them on fire round about they knew it nâ—t It burned them and they layed it not to heart Isa 22.12 13 14. he observeth as an argument of insensibility under his hand He complaineth of them as impudently impious because when they were striken they did not grieve He chargeth it as an inniquity indelible to be merry and joviall in Feasts and full expressions of joy when his providence and their perplexing state doth call for weeping and mourning and on the other hand he rebuketh excesse of passion as no lesse prophane Isa 15.12 13. Who Art thou that art affraid of the fury of the oppressor and forgetest the Lord thy maker not to fear is inhumane to fear without faith is Vnchristian not to care is contrary to reason to care unto vexations diffidence concerning future events is contrary to true Religion not to mourn in misery is incongruous to men Subjects of sence and reason to mourn as without hope is incongruous to Christans in whom reason is rectifyed and directed to expectation of a better change The nature of patience doth charge sin on both extreams it presupposeth it preserveth passions existent whilst it aboundeth restraineth regulateth the same we have heard of the passions of Job I could never understand the patience and meekness of Malefactors who suffered the utmost sorrows under the greatest most manifest Guilt without the least of grief or fear commotion of mind or perplexing apprehension Yea under the greatest ostentation of joy peace being cannonized by their friends for Martyrs on the only ground of their confidence which to the Blasphemy of Christianity and its Martyrs they call Christian courage sure I am that they who rejoyced with joy unspeakable and full of Glory beleiving in whom they had not seen were in heavinese under all kind of grief through manifold temptations and they who trusted in the living God who had delivered and would deliver were by the power of their passions pressed out of measure and above their Strength a due deportment in every condition as men and Christians is a narrow strait an estate of great difficulty and danger the same bounds and strait Limitts attend our relation and the dutyes thereof How hard for Subjects as sincere David to retain Loyalty and affection towards oppressing persecuteing Princes How hard for Servants to be subject to their Masters not onely the meek and gentle but also to the froward to do well and suffer for it patiently is an hard saying who can bear it This Straitness attends our whole Conversation and the course of our lives in common as Christians to continue Communion with Christs Church under many and great Corrupcions and not to comply with and conforme unto sinfull impositions not to leave Gods Ordinances when made grievious to the Soul by humane Appendants and disorder not to cease the offerings of the Lord when the prophaness and violent disorder of the Sons of Elie make them loath the same to hear them who say but do not onely because they are in Moses chair to beware of the leaven of the Pharises being bound to hear them who ordinarily teach for doctrines the traditions of men and make the word of God of none effect to retain Church unity under its impurity and attend Gospel-ministry in prophane subjects to be zealous for reformation without running into or striking hands with separation is hic labor hoc opus to religious hearts who walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel a strait gate a narrow way a narrow Crisis and point of duty which cannot be declined without danger sin lying on both hands by defect or excess to destroy us the way to heaven is apparently strait and narrow because thus bounded and terminated and for this reason our Saviour doth declare it so to be In this Sermon our Saviour doth direct exact obedience into a narrow Crisis and place perfection in a strait punctilio The scope and drift of the Sermon is to shew the bounds and limits of the way of life the restraints of Religion which the error and superstition of the Jews had broken down to the facilitating of their passage to Heaven His most pleasing Preface propoundeth poverty of Spirit mourning meekness purity and peâ—seâ—ution and the like perplexing properties as Conditions of the Beatitudes he doth declare His directions unto duty begin with a determination of dread He that breaketh the least of these Commandements shall be least in the kingdome of Heaven and so proceeding to terminate duty by a clear exposition of the Law he placeth the breach of the Law in a little narrow
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