THE Hard way to HEAVEN Explained and applyed in A SERMON Intended to be preached at Peters-Cornhill but by Reason of the disorderly Concourse preached at St. Katherines Creed-Church London the 27th of July 1662. being the third day after his release By Z. CROFTON Minister at Buttolphs-Algate Taken as Preached in Characters compared with his own Notes providentially lost and brought to our hands Now published to check and correct the misrepresentation thereof by the Sons of slander and Subjects of weakness LONDON Printed in the Year 1662. To the Reader Good Reader THe untrue and direct contrary reports of this Sermon and its Authour extort the publication thereof Mr. Crofton will not do it he contenteth himself in the conscience of his integrity and accounts it an easie thing to be judged of men yea of good men his good name is the Churches advantage and ought to be preserved and defended against the calumnies of the wicked and censures of the weak who wound not him without more deeply wounding their own souls I having written this Sermon from his mouth in short-hand and by his Notes lost by his Son and by Providence directed to my hand having supplyed what time and the disorder of the audience caused him to pretermit I thought it my duty to hazard the discontent of my friend and Pastour and to present thee with the same that by unprejudiced reading thou mayest be undeceived edified and enabled to contradict the clamours of the sons of slander and check the censure of the over-credulous subjects of weakness though not of Sanctity Recantation is most strangely expected from him who never yet was charged or by argumentation was convinced of an errour on whom no terms or conditions for obtainment of Liberty was once imposed or so much as proposed by any person whatsover whose non-conformity was fully freely and to the honour of the honourable Persons before whom he was convened acceptably declared and the occasion yea formality of which is no other then a consciencious practice and profession of principles he ever stated in his late contests for Reformation I wonder to finde some serious Christians scandalized at Mr. Crofton's attendance on Gods solemn publick worship celebrated according to the order of the Common Prayer Book and to hear men censure him for the same as if defective and an apostate from the cause of Reformation in which he appeared with so much viâ—our I must tell the Reader such as sate under his ministry cannot but know and witness he ever adjudged against separation in his most earnest perswading or endeavours for reformation he alway disswaded non-non-communion of members as non-conformity of Ministers and did constantly and convincingly affirm that ministerial disorder and corrupt appendents in Gods worship was not a sufficient cause of personal absence or non-attendents on the same he ever concluded guilt on the Church Collective by these disorders and corruptions which did not stain individuals looking to their own personal actings in their necessary attendance on Gods Ordinance Verily we must say Mr. Crofton in prison did only practice what he preached whilst at liberty Such was Mr. Croftons care and condition in his late contests for reformation not to be esteemed an Advocate for separation or an approver of non-non-communion much lesse a Martyr for them that in his late writing he professeth his judgement and resolution against them In his Analepsis or St. Peters bonds abiding thou hast him thus professing I protest whatsoever shall be the establishment in the Church though never so corrupt whilst consistent with salvation though it may occasion to me sufferings and the suspence of my ministry by Gods grace it shall not effect in me or such on whom I have influence Schisme from the Church In his Analepsis Anaelephthe or the fastning of St. Peters bonds he avoweth this reformation cannot justifie the separation for that the corruptions established were never made such essential parts of worship as to make a sufficient ground for separation The sober zealous Non-conformists who groaned under the burden of these corruptions and for this reformation were grieved by and greatly contended against the separation as that which was without sufficient ground yea like Jesus Christ their Master they kept communion with a Church whose doctrine and worship was in much need of reformation yea and they taught men so to do And in his Epistle to Mr. Firmius Liturgical Considerator Considered in which he apologiseth for Ministers not reading not for members not learning the Common Prayer Book he tells us expresly his judgement and resolution in these express words I am so much affected to the peace of the Church that I have of late preached what God assisting I resolve to practise viz. many and great corruptions in Gods worship are to be grieved for patiently and groaned under before Schismes be consented unto and separation consulted provided nevertheless I be passive not active I can keep communion under that form of worship whereby I cannot administer and heartily say Amen to the matter of those Petitians which are put up in an order so confused preposterous and indigested that it seemeth to me to be so much below the gravity of the Church whose mouth I must be the seriousness of the office whereby I minister the sanctity of the duty I am to perform and the sacred nature of the object to whom they are presented that I dare not stand between God and his people in the same Let these passages and the like in his late writings be observed as the best of his Judgement and Conscience and let malice it self read in his practise the least contradiction to his Cause or Principles or defection from the same or not read with half an eye an exact conformity to himself and clear obedience to his judgement in a non-conforming communion Good Reader be pleased to observe that Mr. Crofton's attendance on the solemn worship of God in the Tower and in the Common Prayer Book order is so far from being the result of his restraint and effect of temptation or any condition in order to his release that his judgement was ever for it He never did conceive that Order though to be corrected a moral sufficient bar to this duty and therefore the very first day he came in prisoner he did desire of the Lieutenant the liberty of going to Church and not obtaining it he did demand it the next day from his Gaoler he did many times petition for the same and sollicited the obtainment thereof many months before he did obtain it nay I must further acquaint thee it is now neer upon a compleat year since Mr. Crofton it being rumored that he went to the Church in the Tower and he heard Common Prayer did write a full Apology and defence of his practice which was then but in the view in that case this Apology passed through my hands to many good people and Ministers who would not undertake to convince the same
Father but if any of them start from or turne out of the way they are not like to see him Schismes I grant may be in the Church and they are sinfull and sad but Schismes from the Church are immediately subverting to Salvation unfitting contentions may arise between Paul and Barnabas Acts. 15.39 unto an undue heat concerning Society with a defective brother insomuch that they may part asunder the one passing to Cyprus the other to Gilicia anâ— yet both may meet in Heaven But Barnabas and Peters Contrariety to the course of Christianity in a slavish compliance with the Circumcision is to be contradicted by a zealous Paul as destructive to salvation Gal. 2.11 12 13 14. I withstood him to the face for he was to be blamed because he walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel Hooper Ridley may with two much heat expostulate the retaining Popish rites Ceremonies appendant to Religion in the reformed Church yet agree in the straite and fiery pssage to heaven But Saunders cannot in charity hope in heaven to meet Pendleton turning back upon the Truth or Grinwald who would not pledge him in the Cup of his Martyrdome foâ— the truth of the Gospell I desire to have Charity towards all men but Charity must operate in due proper Acts according to the quality of the Object the charity which commendeth countenanceth concludeth certainty of life unto the many wanderers out of heavens way in the by-pathes of their own fancy and humour unto the contradiction of the Truth and casting off Gods Ordinances and Gospell ministry and cutting themselves off from the communion of the Church is a foolish pitty inconsistent with the knowledg of Gods order for mans salvation such as make many and contrary wayes to Heaven may make a noise and professions of holiness in the world but will in the end find themselves mistaken and others by them misguided unto the losse of eternall life unto which there is but a Gate a Way one single Gate and Strait way not to be declined It is indeed true the heavenly City is said to have twelve Gates but we must observe this City is the end not Gate of the Christians journey The City of life to which the narrow way doth lead and the multiplicity of these Gates are Metaâ—horically mentioned to amplify the Gâ—ory thereof Mans dignity is ample and abundant free and full but mans duty is auxious and afflicted strait and narrow all that enter into the City with 12. open gates must enter at the one Strait gate and travell in the one Narrow way which leadeth thereunto such as walk at large in sight of Heaven will find themselves locked out of this glorious palace when their past professions of Christ will make them think it hard I have done with the Subject or thing spoken of viz. the means of mans Salvation the Gate the way to life I must now passe unto the Predicate or thing spoken of this Gate and Way The predicate and that is it is Strait and narrow This predicate doth declare the property of the passage unto Glory it is strait narrow or as some strait low close little as others or serious sorrowful say others It is a Metaphor made use of to make knwon the Difficulty Danger which doth attend Travellors in the Way to life happiness as a strait Gate cannot be entered with ease nor without stooping and many times Stripping a mans self of all things superfluous and many times many things necessary nor can men walk in a narrow way with any great pleasure or freedome no not without striving and pressing many times to the pinching of their bodyes and perplexing their mind how to pass forward and make their way through unto the attainment of the desired end and an arrivall at their intended places of life and rest such is mans estate in the use of the means of Grace for the obtainment of Glory in his entrance into and walking in Christ Jesus our Lord Heaven is not had with so much ease as most men imagine and the light negligent carriage of too many Christians gives men cause to think Religion is not a business of such facility to follow and maintain as many dream and suppose a Christians Conversation is not so smooth and current as many do conceive Oh no the Gate of righteousness is more strait the way of holiness is moâ—e narrow such who will enter it must strip themselves of all superfluities of sin and worldly substance they must east off the works of darkness and a l that sin which câ—mpasseth then about Heb. 12.1 and cast abroad their worldly comforts being read to distribute 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. willing to communicate selling that which they have to give unto the poor sometimes the passage may be so strait that they must strip themselves of their very necessaries Lands Livings Friends Houses Brethren Sisters Wife Children and Life it self without which they cannot praise God nor pâ—ess in the way to life Lying dead in the way by pressing for motion and progress in the course of Christianity is many times the event of the Saints labour and their actual formal entrance into the City of life nor doth the straitness of this gate or narrowness of this way call for and more necessitate the soul to be thus stripped then that when thus it do also stâ—op bow down bend unto the very dust and creep on its very belly the will must be subdued unto resigned up to Gods will in doing in suffering Thy will be done is the Childes only cry and in heavens way we must become Children Isai 55.7 little Children Mans reason must be resigned up to divine Revelation The wicked man must forsake his own thoughts as well as the unrighteous man his wayes Naamans proud heart must stoop to the Prophets counsel and wash in Jordan or he must not lose his Leprosie Gods Word must cast down every imagination and every high thing which exalteth it self against the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 10.5 and bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ Whosoever will walk with God must walk humbly with God Christians in heavens way must like Christ stoop at Gods will under the rage of men bow down under the fury of the Oppressor and let the wicked passe over them they must sometimes give their back to the smiters and their cheeks to them who pluck off the hair Isai 50.6 they must not hide their face from shame and spitting they must in many perplexities passe into the possession of Life and Glory Heavens way is not high enough for sinfull man to stand upright in they must proceed with pain and grief affliction and anxiety for strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life This Gate is said to be strait and this way narrow in many respects or for many
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
are better then one if one fall the other will lift up go therefore in company towards Heaven it is Gods direction that we should assemble our selves and go in troops to his Sanctuary and call upon one another to go up to Zion Christian Souls stand charged with one another It was a saying beseeming a cursed Cain Am I my Brothers keeper Gospel Counsel is that Christians consider one another to provoke unto love and good works that they exhort one another daily lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and that if any be overtaken with a fault he be restored by a spirit of meekness I confess there are few who walk in Heavens way and find out the strait gate and narrow way yet there are some and it will be hard indeed that we stand or go alone in the perplexing paths of life say therefore as David I am a Companion for them who fear God In the choice of your company be sure you look to two things Keep in Gods true Church and under Gods true Ministers These are the most certain conducts unto glory the very Ship and Pilots which convey us unto Life by and unto these are dispensed the promises of Grace and Covenant of Salvation union with and subjection unto these is our security in all straits and propriety in all the promises God hath promised nothing to individual persons but all â—hings to and for his Church and so to the Sons of Zion as members of his Church non-continuance in Communion with the Church is in Gospel language not holding the head by which the whole is increased Separation from the Church is most certainly destructive to be cast out of Christs Church is the severest doom on this side of the last Judgement and to cast our selves out of the Church is the greatest and sadest sin that can be on this side the sin against the Holy Ghost They are equally in danger who throw themselves and who are thrown overboard by others I could never yet know how to differ the estate more then by the sin of it of a self-excommunicate and an excommunicate by the Church Gods ordinary power and presence of grace is confined to his Church Catholique Visible for of the invisible these things cannot be predicated and therefore ex Ecclesia nulla salus All men of all opinions concerning the form of the Church do agree in this That there is no ordinary way of salvation out of the Church and all Churches constituted of old or gathered of late oppose them elves and are opposed to the world calling the men of the world into communion with them as ever they look to be saved and cast into the World and so unto Satan the god of the world whomsoever they cut off from the Church The Church of God may backslide and be defiled the Ministers of God may be careless and negligent yea prophane proud and persecuting the sheep may be not onely not looked after but driven and violently scattered on Gods mountains their waters may be pudled and their pastures trodden down Gods Worship may be defiled by corrupt Appendants and so his Ordinances may be disorderly administred and his Word may be made of none effect by mens traditions the keys of the Kingdom may be turned against those who follow Christ and these evils are not onely provoking unto Gods jealousie but also a sad Omen of his departure and the Churches approaching devastation and dissolution But yet whilst they continue really a Church and relatively his Church and retain his substantial essential Worship and Ordinances and he continueth his own Ministâ—y and presence though his provoked reproving presence departing expostulating presence those that fear his name and mourn for the abominations they cannot mend must not withdraw themselves despise or neglect his Ordinances or decline his publike solemn Worship When the sons of Ely by their prophaness and the violent disorder of their Ministration caused the people to loath the offerings of the Lord I find not that any did leave off or forbear to bring them And when the Image of Jealousie was in the Temple and brought God to the threshold ready to depart I find not that the people fled from it Christians we must follow not go before God When he removeth the Candlestick then we may seek light elsewhere but if his Ordinances abide his though by dim and dark lights they are in Moses chair and we must hear them I could never yet understand by that caution Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees hear them not for they teach for doctrines the traditions of men I cannot but commend to your ferious consideration the prayer of the men who did fear God and Gods answer unto them in a case of disorder in and defection from the true Church it is in Cant. 1.7 8. Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest thy flock where thou makest them to rest at noon for why should I turn aside by the flocks of thy Companions If thou know nâ—t O thou fairest among women go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocks and feed thy kids beside the shepheards tents The men who feared the Lord were at a loss for to finde and determine the Assembly in which Gods gracious presence might be enjoyed they were affraid of falling into the flock of Christs Companions who were separated Assemblies gathered self-constituted Assemblies worshipping the true God with his own Ordinances as to the matter but by a self-consecrated Ministry in self determined places and so defective in the essential form and for their profession and pretence of relation to Christ called his Companions In this strait they seriously enquire and pray God for direction what to do and which way to turn and he directeth them by two marks as standing and infallible signs by which to steer their course The footsteps of his flocks the solemn celebration of his own Worship And the Shepherds tents the regular existency of his Ministers by the order of his appointment Give me leave to note unto you some observations of an Author whose name hath more acceptance and authority with many among you then what I can say He referreth this Scripture historically to the state of those who feared God under Jerobohams schism and rebellion and when Judah was defiled with Solomons High-places and Idolatry and inferreth A Church is black its deformities stand in the fall Cotton and sins of the people and Princes in their folly declining to Idolatry in their schisms and rents from their mother in their prophaness apostacy and rebellion in Church and Commonwealth He observeth there may be a true comely Church in the midst of these deformities the sins of the Princes and people may make the Church black but cannot take away her comeliness run we not therefore from the Church because of her blackness but run to her and embrace her in the midst of her defections This teacheth the children
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
of error though they continued to scandalize him and his practice and hindered the publication of the same These things I note unto thee Reader that thou mayest see Mr. Crofton's practice in this case is not new or rash but resolved and deliberate and is so far from defection from that it is an upright walking according to his apprehensions of the Gospel Howsoever I could I will not now dilate in defence of his principles and practice nor break out to a large and sharp invective against the licentiousness of the tongues and the lying spirits of seeming Saints so notoriously extravagant against a person so innocent and upright and therefore exposed to the violence and rage of men on both extreams of Reformation for hereby I know I should incense him whose displeasure will be great for doing this which I could not in peace have left undone Let me assure thee Mr. Crofton's judgement is in Ecclesiasticks the very same it was before his confinement he then could not now cannot conform he then could now can communicate and give an Amen to the matter of Prayers whose order his judgement must and doth condemn He was then is now zealous for reformation and against separation He then resolved and now resolveth to seek Church purity by union with the Church and to abide in the house he endeavoureth to cleanse to bring his offerings unto the Lord when that his soul doth loath them by reason of the prophane hands and preposterous order in which the sons of Eli do present them I know it to be his burden to observe the bastâ—rd brood of non-communicating separating Sects taken 〈◊〉 vagrants and whipt home to their reputed parents to lie at the door and â—â—rk under the wings of reforming non-Conformiâ—â— who did ever disown them and drive them out as not theirs but destructive to their honest design I know Mr. Crofton to be zealous least the policy of some and weakness of others should so far embrace those as to make spectators think them their natural Children I know Mr. Crofton is sensible many are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him in negatives against prophaness against superstition against corruption against disorder but are his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in positives for no order for no communion for no Church I am sure Mr. Crofton hath sadly resented that scandal under which Non-conformity groans and is made odious viz. It is a spirit of contradiction against every thing but for nothing Mr. Crofton well knoweth those who clamour against his communion make Church entity not Church purity their quarrell and controversie He hath observed their Church gathering commenced and proceeded under the endeavours of Reformation and unto the supplanting and subversion thereof Mr. Crofton is convinced that Christs true Church though corrupt and Christs own Ordinances though disorderly administred are to be embraced adheared unto and attended when the flocks of Christs companions are to be avoided I am confident Mr. Crofton is resolved to follow his Lord when come from the flock to thethreshold of the Temple but he dareth not go before him Reader if this be an error help Mr. Crofton to conviction and then thou mayest hear his recantation in the mean time joyn with me in prayer that God will give repentance to the men who have called good evil and evil good and uncharitably represented a consciencious practice of well considered openly declared deliberately resolved principles to be an apostacie defection recantation back-sliding base complying and conformity The Lord encrease the number of such Apostates who will by preaching writing and practise under the reproach and rage of all men shew their endeavours of reformation in that strait gate and narrow way of careful industrious non-conforming communion with the Church in Christs Ordinances between those rocks which on each hand work its ruine This is the hearty desire and prayer of August 9. 1662. Thine in and for the simplicity of the Gospel H. M. THE Hard way to Heaven EXPLAINED APPLYED In a Sermon Preached on the 27 of July 1662. The Text Matthew 7.14 Because straite is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto life I Cannot but conceive many in this audience acted more by curiosity then Christianity come with an expectation that I will declare and discourse the things of my self or Gods dealings with me in my late condition But I must let you know I must herein disappoint you Experiencies of this nature is my own Comfort what was to me in common with other Christians I shall declare to your edification and that is in generall the serious reflections of my thoughts under the Strates of my late condition concerning which I may say as that eminent Martyr of our reformed Religion John Philpot said in the like case in the Lollards Tower passing through six or seaven doors I came to my Logdeing thrâ—ugh many Straits where I callâ—d to remembrance Strait is the Gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto Life The strait passages which lead to glory ought to be alwayes pondered but the thoughts thereof are most proper and profitable when we are locked up in them and the sence thereof by a necessity of suffering what we cannot escape without sin the Heathen accounted it their honour to represent virtue to be a Strait and narrow way and therefore it self the reward of all Industry in and for it sure I am it is the Glory of Christianity that it was never Propounded to the world as an estate of ease Christ was never Preached without his Cross nor was Heavens Glory ever declared without a determination of hardship in the attainment thereof Strait iâ— the Gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life is the Doctrine Preached by the Lord himselfe and the truth thereof is dayly proved by the experience of his Disciples These words are part of our Saviours Sermon preached in the Mountain in which many particular Doctrines and special duties were by him Stated and directed whether this Sermon was a set Solemn and Continued discourse of the Preacher as by its Circumstance it seemeth to have been or the Evangilists Collection and composure of those many passages and particular discourses which passed from our Saviour on severall occasions at sundry times as Calvin doth conceive I shall not now stand to enquire or debate In the foregoing verse our Saviour perswadeth his hearers to an hard Task Enter in at the Strait gate and enforceth his exhortation with and by a disparity of the different paths in which men passe unto different ends For wide is the Gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be who go in thereat because strait is the Gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be who find it the one is easie and undoing the other is hard and happy The Doctrine Our Text is the second and Counter part of our Saviours reason viz. that way
principles and practises of piety to the fundâ—mental doctrines of faith and ordinances of worship I have with amazement observed deluded souls to have passed from some gross prophaneness Idolatrys and Superstitions and to wander in by paths with the greatest security alacrity confidence joy professing to the Blasphemy of the Gospel Shame of Martyrs and Scandal of Religion the fullest assurance of their interest in and approach unto eternal life that is imaginable and this not onely under the greatest sufferings but also the most grosse errors and grievous sins prid persidie perjury schismes seditions treasons and rebellions which were even perpetrated under the Sun Heb. 6.4 5 and what is more with an heaven daring boldnesse affirming their abominations to be the cause of God I could never conceive other cause thereof then this they having gotten a sight of heaven tasted the good word of God and powers of the world to come giddily to run out without any consideration of the Gate care of entrance regard unto the Foundation knowledge of First principals of Religion but with a blind affection move forward in any estate and it is possible to move toward it and not come into it to keep it in sight in a way which leadeth not into it they deceive themselves defend all their errors and Impieties and will not hear of a deviation because Heaven is in their Eye Life is within their view glory is in their intention as if Balaam were sure to dye the death of the Righteous when and because he and all his conspirations and endeavours to curse Israel saw their glory and the good will of God unto them Beloved friends consider mens Estate is Converted or unconverted as to God Christ and true Religion the unconverted must make sure they enter the Gate the strait Gate learn Principles of faith lay in their Souls the Foundations of Religion the Converted must with care and caution move in the Narrow way without deviation or divertion without going aside or going back If you have not rightly entered talk what you will I cannot but suspect your attainments in grace many of you talk of Religion and seem to be zealous for it forward in it whose confused notions deluded apprehensions and deviating Conversations do witnesse you have not entered the Gate or at least and best are gone aside from the way that leadeth to life Look to Gods order Iob. 18.4 if ever you will live with God in honour whatever Religions humour may act you to invite Gods order you must know the Earth must not be removed for you if you will not exactly minde Gods method you must and will miscarry in your designes 2 Pet. 1.2.20 21 22 23. and intentions for his life and glory for sad is their estate who professe to persue and yet never enter the pathes of peace and more sad is theirs who entered into the way of Righteousnesse turne aside from the holy Comandements The number of the means The third thing which lieth in this Metaphor is the number of the means of Grace It is a Gate a way singular not plurall one not more not many much of the difficulty in the souls passage to life would be discharged by the multiplicity of pathes the danger incident to the one would be avoided by entrance into another whatsoever be the many special acts of holiness the Gate of righteousness is and can be but one The means whereby to get eternal life is one and but one in its general nature it is special it is singular you may observe they are predicated by unites one God one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one Body and one Spirit Eph. 4.4 5. and indeed the speciality of it is fixed in one Person the Lord Jesus Christ who sayeth of himself I am the Way and well sayeth the Apostle Paul Christ is not divided Iohn 14.10 Christ may be differently dispensed by doctrines of Faith differentent ordinances for worship and directions unto duty differently exhibited in his different natures God Man Offices Prophet 1 Cor. 1.13 Priest and King or different Acts of Medâ—atorship as his Incarnation Converse among men observation of the Law death resurrection Ascention and intercession or differently administred that is made known and exhibited by different Ministers in respect of their Kinde Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers or in respect of the different individual Persons under any kind as Paul Apollo Cephas and the like but in these all these or any of these Christ is not divided he is and must remain whole and entire the one onely way to life These things of Christ may be dissantinâ—ae they are not they cannot be opposita for they then would be inconsistent destructive each to other A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand Christ divided doth ceâ—se to be they that embrace not Christ under all his exhibited acts and Offices under all his dispenced Oâ—dinances Doctrines and directions in all and every of his Ministers enter not the Gate walk not in the way to eternall life nor are these in any contrary wayes but the same one individual way existing in so many distinct and different steps such who dream of many not onely different but directly contrary wayes to Heaven do and will deceive themselves and others For that Gate and Way which admitteth no Tergiversacion nor regresse no diversion deviation or stepping aside on either the right or left hand and is the same to all aâ—d every Traveller can be but one to divide in the way is ordinarily incident to Saints but to divide the way is inconsistent with salvation I have often admited and must confesse I cannot understand that monstrous charity of our Age that men should turn backs in doctrines of faith and Acts of Worship and yet shake hands with a friendly confidence of meeting one another in Heaven to constitute contrary Churches consecrate a contrary Ministry and so create a contrary worship in the forme and Forma dat essentiam though the matter be Gods and yet expect that men should know them as Saints and call them Heirs of Salvation and conclude them in the Way to heaven is as much as if men should conclude the ten Tribes with their new pâ—iests worshiping God according to the Law of Moses in their new planted Churches at Dan and Bethell were equally related to interested in and accepted by God as was Judah and those that feared the Lord and fled from this new contrary course of Religion though for matter Gods own institution I am sure the Apostle was a stranger to this Charity when he concluded of the Separating Sects in his time dividing in doctrine and from the Communion of the Church Coll. 2.19 that they held not the head by which the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God I do not deny but Joseph's brethren may too unnaturally strive in the way to their
reasons which the learned do observe upon this Text as because it is repugnant to mans reason distastful to mans lust and affections attended with distress great and many aâ—flictions every of these reasons are true and good demonstrations of the difficulty of mans salvation but I shall not insist upon them but propose to your consideration one which is more proper and is most specially intended in the Text. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way to life for it is terminated limited bâ—unded and restrained this gate and way is an Enclosure on each side of which are Bounds which cannot be broken without danger there are Limitations which cannot be left in safety and this is the reason of all that difficulty and danger anguish affliction to which men are exposed because they must walk move forward within such strait bounds and narrow Limits and may not cannot with any safety turn back or turn aside when once entred into this strait gate and narrow way Mans invention is indeed a large Field and common Road but Gods will is a strait gate and narrow way that once revealed man is by and to it restrained and may not turn aside from it unto the right hand or to the left mans passage towards heaven is like unto the passage into a prison or rather a Palace where the entertainment is by a low little Wicket to which men must stoop and in which they cannot enter with any thing superfluous and the progress is over a narrow Bridge open on both sides on which if a man do not move with caution and circumspection and tread with even steps he will tumble into the ditch one wry step may prove his ruine Holiness is like Jonathan's motion to kill the Philistines upon an high rock by a narrow path on each side of which is a precipice and in which they cannot go but must creep on their hands and knees Godliness is a most regular militation in which the Soldiers are kept close to order commission and instructions not to move one foot without or beyond the same Marescallo the French General first Knighted a Scotch Soldier for an eminent service he had done and then beheaded him for doing it without Câ—mmission and the same God who blessed the house of Obed-Edom for entertaining the Arke made a Perez Vzza for Vzza's presuming irregularity to uphold it when shaken in the Cart and in danger to fall sincerity in Sanctity is a most strait line in which no part is crooked an upright man goeth right forward in Gods way without bending on either hand Christianity is a clear Criticisme true Religion is reduced to a narrow point these are on both hands beset with sin good is the Councell of Wisdome turne not to the right or left hand remove thy foot from evil Pro. 4.2 What the heathen conclude of morall virtue is most true of Christian Graces in medio consistit virtus true virtue is the narrow midle way the extreams of which in defect or excesse are manifest and notorious vice It is all one in nature to shoot short or wide of the marke to be dashed on Sâ—lla or Charybdis to loose Salvation by prophanesse or superstition to subvert the faith by ignorance or error to root up the Church by persecution or seperation to destroy Gods worship by Irreligion or innovation to walk evenly to sail steadily between those extreams and works which are on each hand hic labor hoc opus is an hard piece of work which will cause much care charge and pains I cannot but observe the Scripture Record doth represent the Saints integrity to have been prooved and approved by an exact obedience in some narrow Crisis special Act and particuler point in which they were most closely Pinched The whole Law was too large a field for mans obedience in innocency his willing subjection to the soveraign power of his Creator must be proved by the pinch of one forbidden tree whilst all in their first creation were appointed and all others were left common and free unto his use Noah must be the Preacher of righteousness by preparing the Arke an improbable instrument to save him when the floods should over-whelm Houses and mountains Abraham may follow God he knows not whether but must be approved the Father of the faithful by hoping above hope unto the sacrificing of his son Isaac we have heard of the patience of Job which is onely remarkable in one point he charged not God foolishly we have also heard of the passions of Job he cursed the day of his birth but he cursed not his God he challenged but he charged not the Lord Davids faith was approved by his loyalty his enemies head was in his hand when his heart smote him for cutting off the Lap of his garment what shall I tell you of Moses of Jeremiah of Daniel of the three Children of the whole cloud of witnesses whose faith is found sincere by a single point of obedience Heb. 11. Christianity is a most narrow Crisis and must be well and warily di cerned I cannot but wonder to hear some men when convincingly pinched by a distinct discovery of their deviation from truth and piety cry out against distinctions as Antichristian and impious tell them they must discern between Churches Ministers Baâ—tismes for these contradictions or contrary Constitutions cannot be Christian and carry to heaven they will call off all possibility of conviction by crying out against lâ—gicall distinctions in matters of Religion I must tell such in no case doth that Rule Qui bene distinguit bene docet distinction is mans direction hold good so much as in the case of Religion and Salvation which is many times won or lost upon a nice and narrow point eating or not eating an Apple butchering or not butchering an only Son such who pretend to move in heavens way without distinction march with confidence and security to destruction distinction is the ratio formalis of the strait gate and narrow way no difficulty no danger in a way which needeth no distinction saving Grace is a discerning Spirit the spiritual man is a discerner of the things of God distinction is the onely demonstration of sincerity and soundness in the faith Heresies must come that they who are sound may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 Iohn 10. my sheep know my voice saith Christ The devil is often turned into an Angel of light to engage the Elect of God to careful considerate distinction the Spirit of God shall sometimes tempt the distinguishing power of â—ods people true piety must be approved by a nick or narrow point of obedience in every condition and relation avoyding all deviations as well as defects and this cannot be observed if not discerned there is a simplicity of the Gospel from to which we must not be beguiled a truth of the Gospel according to which we must walk with right steps the outlet of distinction is the inlet of delusion neglect to