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
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
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
godliness and how to attend and edify our selves by Gods Ordinances under confused corrupt disorderly prophane administration In a word hâ—w to perceive and performe the Crisis and Punctâ—lio of Piety pointed out and to be put into art by and under the present providence so as not to fliâ— into 〈◊〉 on either hand are such cases of conscience and doubts of minde which must but cannot with ease nor without much diligence and difficulty be resolved for our guidance in the strait narrow pathes which lead to life and glory Yet again consider this obscure untrodden and perplexed way to Heaven is more hard to find to enter by the many by-pathes and delusive deviations which lye on earth-side therof what necessity to try the Spirits many Spirits not being of God so maerrors in doctrine darkning the faith such subtill insinuations of seducers drawing from the truth that the Ministers of God cannot bâ—t fear the people should be beguiled from simplicity of the Gospell And the people cannot but find by Peters fall it is an hard matter to walk up rightly according to the truth of the Gospell the Devil transforming himself into An Angell of light is not soon or easily discerned or discovered good men may be catched with error yea Peter and Barnabas goodmen and Ministers may be carried away with the dissimulation of seducers for the false Apostles appear even as the Apostles Iesus Christ obscurity must provoke enquiry and serious study for the narrow bounds of truth and Piety are not discerned without much difficulty Heavens way opposed This is a way of no lesse obâ—curity then opposition Christianity is a constant militation Whatsoever be the mutation of humane affairs in the world the Church of Jesus Christ iâ— and must be militant till he come in Glory being entered we make no progress in piety without blowes Godliness is the takeing of a Garrison the Gate is hardly gained Heb 10.23 and that entered every steep in the streets is to follow the stroak of a begun victory after yea immediately after they were enlightned they endured a great fight of afflictions Israeâ— possesseth not the Land of Promise but by the persuit of Egypt passage through the Sea Conflicts with and unto the Conquest of the Sons of Anak and Kings of the Countries and sincere Saints must cut their wayes to heaven Ephe. 6.12 Wrestlâ—ng not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and powâ—rs against the Rulers of the darkness of this world and spirituall wickedness in high Places so subtle and many are the temptatiâ—nâ— of the Devil that it is hard for the most serious soldier under Christs Banner to be able to stand against the Wiles of th Devil Oh strait Gate Oh narrow way where our hands must h w and cut open the way in which our feet must rread if we will find eternall life this way is yet the more difficult and strait beccause our dâ—praved nature is averse unto this obscure opposed way The natural man is at emnity with Gâ—d mans soul cannot receive righteousness with out reluctancy Rom. 8.7 holiness is not only Supernatural and above our reach but contronatural and against our disposition Constitution and Inclination Heavens way is uphill and against heart we are loath to enter the Gate and more loath to proceed in the way to life many strive but are not able to enter we are by nature of dull Capacity to discerne sloathfull to endeavour and therefore move heavily in undertakeing the profession of piety we are by nature feeble ready to faint under difficulty fearfull uf heart ready to fall back on the first assaults of opposition we are by nature of a wandring spirit apâ— to go astray Errors and Schismâ—s are the fruits of our flesh VVe can easily deviate into by-pathes Gal. 5. turn aside from the way of truth a direct Course is a matter of great difficulty and much diligence Christians if in good earnest you seek life you must strive you cannot without great strugling unto and against vanquish the difficulties of obscurity opposition and your own averseness to the way to Heaven Strive to enter in at the strait gate for your entrance is indispensably Motive 2 necessary the gate to life is but one and no entrance into this gate without striving No possibility of salvation but in Gods way be it never so contrary to our own will And so narrow is the punctillio of piety and passage to life that a passion a point of good manners doth many times divert us and endanger our salvation Davids fretting did almost and Peters fear did altogether trip up his heels in the way of truth he walked not with a right foot yea Peters good manners must be sometimes rebuked by his Masters pity If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me Be Gods way never so repugnant to reason a proud Naaman must stoop to it or retain his Leprosie to his ruine be the gate to heaven never so much against our Will we must into it for we have no other way He that loveth any thing though life it self better then Christ is not worthy of him The gate and way to life is most certainly Causa sive qua non if we will not strive we cannot enter and if we do not strive let us profess Christ at what rate we will and possess the dispensations of Christs Gospel priviledges of his Church and presence in what measure we can when we would enter life we may knock in vain for the Lord will protest he knoweth us not we were not under his conduct in the way and may not therefore come into his communion in the end of our Religion Strive to enter in at the stait gate for the success is certain Motive 3 unto serious and constant diligence your industry shall be inforced to its end God is not bound but he doth not deny his grace to such as strenuously studiously press in the way of his commandments This is the Argument by which the Apostle perswadeth diligence and activity for salvation Work out saith he your own salvation for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his own pleasure Such as proceed in the conflict under Christs Banner shall not fail of the conquest such as persevere in pressing forward shall find the grace of Christ sufficient for them until they apprehend that for which they were apprehended of Christ Jesus Our Saviour indeed telleth us many did strive but were not able but you must understand it aright they strove unto not in the act they strove under the pangs of conviction put forth many good purposes but these proved abortive and never passed into act their hearts were never indeed set on God on Christ on Holiness their judgements were herein informed but their affections were not herein inflamed for he that hath an heart shall never want strength to go to heaven strive in the entring proceeding act and we shall
prove he whâ— hath begun his good work shall and will perfect it unto the day of his Grace Motive 4 Strive we to enter the strait gate for the end is more worth then the utmost of our endeavours Heaven will make amends for all the hardship of the way thither How did the Patriarchs press on the bare perceptions of faith not having received the promise which we have performed but seeing them afar off Heb. 11.13 saluting them at a distance our Lord Jesus hath led us this way for the joy which was set before him he endured the cross and despised the shame The conscience of duty will make a sincere Saint confess that in the most exact of his obedience he is an unprofitable servant but when we shall come to make a sensible comparison between the dignity we receive and the diligence we used the difficulties we felt we shall find cause to cry out by Grace we are saved The light and momentany afflictions through which we pass here are not to be compared to the exceeding eternal weight of glory which we shall enjoy hereafter Our present pressing fighting striving in heavens way may cost us many a weary step and weeping eye many sighs and groans many prayers and tears many careâ— and fears many an aking head and heart It may cost us our best worldly enjoyments dearest Relations and our very life but cost what it will it can never cost too dear If once we arrive at this Haven we shall sit down without the least repining repenting thought that ever it cost so dear we would not for ten thousand times as much have lost eternal life Christian Friends I hope the consideration of these things will excite your diligence and provoke you to press through the many difficulties and dangers which are in the way to heaven and stir up your selves to strive to enter in at the strait gate and go forward in the â—arrow way which leadeth unto life What now remaineth but that I present you with some few Directions which being well observed may facilitate your passage to glory alleviate your burden and make Christianity the course of piety a course of more delight and ease Observe therefore these Rules for your help herein Go not without God march after the Captain of your Salvation Help 1 under the conduct of the Lord of Hosts the presence of God is the prop of the soul in all perplexity the most certain protection of his people in all their distresses and dangers the only assurance and encouragement that God ever gave or his servants ever desired in all their undertakings of difficulty and danger was his presence Jeremiah must stand as an iron wall and pillar of brass against Kings Princes Priests Prophets people under the alone protection of I will be with thee saith the Lord So also do the Ministers of the Gospel Gods presence is the best security in all our straits his Spirit will guide us into all truth resolve all our doubts and be a voyce unto us saying This is the way walk in it When we are ready to wander on the right or on the left hand his Providence will supply all our wants his Grace wâ—ll support all our weakness in a word whatsoever be our temptation his wisdom will find for us a way of escape that we may be able to bear it for if God be with us who can be against us what can be too hard for us I know how to want and how to abound I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me was the Apostles and is every Saints experience Christian Friends your progress towards heaven is as a Wilderness-march to the Land of Promise stir not without God Take up Moses resolâ—tion Verily if thou go not with us we will not go up hence Be not put off with an Angel the Angels are undoubtedly ministring spirits to the heirs of salvation We owe much to God for the Ministry of the Angels they pitch their tents about them that fear him and keep them in all their ways But my beloved the difficulties which attend our salvation can only be vanquished by a Divine Arm Isa 49.25.51.14 15. they are too strong for any created being to divide the Sea when the waves roar upon the Captive exile hastening to be delivered it is the work of the Lord of Hosts to take away the captive from the mighty and to deliver the prey of the terrible is the proper act of the mighty God of Jacob. Move not without God as ever you mean to move with strength and success for of our selves we can do nothing the Lord is he who worketh our works in us and for us both to will and to do Help 2 Get and study a right Map of Heaven get the description of the City of life for the nature and scituation thereof will not onely enflame your affections and add wings to your endeavours but will help us to guess how to steer our course thitherward To be well skilled in the Map is the great benefit of travel And to have good intelligence of the enemies Quarters is the great advantage of Warfare The paths of peace are only made known by Wisdom The Prince of life can only reveal the state and passage unto life The Lord Jesus resolved his Disciples to be more then half in Heaven when he could assure them they knew the place and they knew the way My beloved cleave closs to the Scriptures and study them they shew the new Jerusalem which is above the Rivers Rocks and shelves the Ports Creeks Straits and narrow passages which you pass the dangers and difficulties which attend you in your passage the people and Enemies you must encounter and how you may direct your selves in all these Christians know that the light of Nature is too dark to describe the dignity or difficulties the dictates of men the traditions of the Church the determination of Council the Laws of Princes are improper imperfect directions to the duties whereby we travel to Heaven I despise not those but give them their due honor But I would have you to remember Israels wilderness-march to the Land of promise was in every step directed by the immediate Oracles of God And the eie of Faith did direct the Patriarchs through many narrow strait passages to seek the City not made with hands and the Scriptures were written that you may beleive Christ is the way and that by beleiving you may have eternal life search then the Scriptures for in them you think and I am sure you have eternal life Gain an account what it may cost you to get to Heaven Praemonitus Help 3 praemunitus a foreseen Charge is easily defrayed our Saviours Advice is that we be wise Master builders and politique Warriors to forecast a capacity to effect before we undertake an enterprize and to compleat the Fabrick before we lay the Foundation he who can account all things loss and dung in
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
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
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