which men go astray, paths that lead to death and damnation, but take heed of all those. Some of them are dangerous because of practice, some because of opinion, but mind them not; mind the path before thee, look right before thee, turn neither to the right nor to the left, but let thine eyes look right on, even right before thee: "Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established." Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: "Remove thy foot far from evil." This counsel being not so seriously taken as given is the reason of that starting from opinion to opinion, reeling this way and that way, out of this lane into that lane, and so missing the way to the kingdom. Though the way to heaven be but one, yet there are many crooked lanes and by-paths shoot down upon it, as I may say. And again, notwithstanding the kingdom of heaven be the biggest city, yet usually those by-paths are most beaten, most travellers go those ways; and therefore the way to heaven is hard to be found, and as hard to be kept in by reason of these. Yet nevertheless it is in this case as it was with the harlot of Jericho; she had one scarlet thread tied in her window by which her house was known. So it is here: the scarlet streams of Christ's blood run throughout the way to the kingdom of heaven; therefore mind that, see if thou do find the besprinkling of the blood of Christ in the way, and if thou do, be of good cheer, thou art in the right way; but have a care thou beguile not thyself with a fancy, for then thou mayest light into any lane or way; but that thou mayest not be mistaken, consider, though it seem never so pleasant, yet if thou do not find that in the very middle of the road there is written with the heart-blood of Christ that he came into the world to save sinners, and that we are justified though we are ungodly, shun that way, for this it is which the apostle meaneth when he saith, "We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil-that is to say, his flesh." How easy a matter is it in this our day for the devil to be too cunning for poor souls by calling his by-paths the way to the kingdom! If such an opinion or fancy be but cried up by one or more, this inscription being set upon it by the devil, This is the way of God, how speedily, greedily, and by heaps do poor simple souls throw away themselves upon it, especially if it be daubed over with a few external acts of morality, if s good! But this is because men do not know painted by-paths from the plain way to the kingdom of heaven. They have not yet learned the true Christ, and what his righteousness is, neither have they a sense of their own insufficiency; but are bold, proud, presumptuous, self-conceited. And therefore, The Fifth Direction. Do not thou be too much in looking too high in thy journey heavenwards. You know men that run a race do not use to stare and gaze this way and that, neither do they use to cast up their eyes too high, lest haply, through their too much gazing with their eyes after other things, they in the mean time stumble and catch a fall. The very same case is this: if thou gaze and stare after every opinion and way that comes into the world, also if thou be prying overmuch into God's secret decrees, or let thy heart too much entertain questions about some nice, foolish curiosities, thou mayest stumble and fall, as many hundreds in England have done, both in ranting and quakery, to their own eternal overthrow, without the marvellous operation of God's grace be suddenly stretched forth to bring them back again. Take heed, therefore; follow not that proud, lofty spirit that, devil-like, cannot be content with his own station. David was of excellent spirit where he saith, “Lord, my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exercise myself in great matters or things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother. My soul is even as a weaned child." Do thou so run. The Sixth Direction. Take heed that you have not an car open to every one that calleth after you as you are in your journey. Men that run, you know, if any do call after them, saying, I would speak with you, or, Go not too fast and you shall have my company with you, if they run for some great matter, they use to say, Alas! I cannot stay, I am in haste, pray talk not to me now; neither can I stay for you, I am running for a wager; if I win I am made, if I lose I am undone; and therefore hinder me not. Thus wise are men when they run for corruptible things, and thus shouldst thou do; and thou hast more cause to do so than they, forasmuch as they run but for things that last not, but thou for an incorruptible glory. I give thee notice of this betimes, knowing that thou shalt have enough call after thee, even the devil, sin, this world, vain company, pleasure, profits, esteem among men, ease, pomp, pride, together with an innumerable company of such companions; one crying, Stay for me: the other saying, Do not leave me behind: a third saying, And take me along with you. What, will you go, saith the devil, without your sins, pleasures, and profits? Are you so hasty? Can you not stay and take these along with you? Will you leave your friends and companions behind you? Can you not do as your neighbours do-carry the world, sin, lust, pleasure, profit, esteem among men along with you? Have a care thou do not let thine ear now be open to the tempting, enticing, alluring and soul-entangling flatteries of such sink-souls as these are. "My son," saith Solomon, "if sinners entice thee, consent thou not." You know what it cost the young man which Solomon speaks of in the 7th of Proverbs, that was enticed by a harlot: “With much fair speech she won him and caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him, till he went after her as an ox to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;" even so far "till the dart struck through his liver, and knew not that it was for his life. Hearken unto me now therefore," saith he, "O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth: let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths, for she hath cast down many wounded, many strong men have been slain (that is, kept out of heaven) by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death." Soul, take this counsel, and say, Satan, sin, lust, pleasure, profit, pride, friends, companions, and every thing else, let me alone, stand off, come not nigh me, for I am running for heaven, for my soul, for God, for Christ, from hell and everlasting damnation; if I win, I win all; and if I lose, I lose all; let me alone, for I will not hear. So run. The Seventh Direction, In the next place, be not daunted though thou meetest with never so many discouragements in thy journey thither. That man that is resolved for heaven, if Satan cannot win him by flatteries he will endeavour to weaken him by discouragements, saying, Thou art a sinner, thou hast broke God's law, thou art not elected, thou comest too late, the day of grace is past, God doth not care for thee, thy heart is naught, thou art lazy, with an hundred other discouraging suggestions. And thus it was with David, where he saith, "I had fainted, unless I had believed, to see the loving-kindness of the Lord in the land of the living." As if he should say, The devil did so rage, and my heart was so base, that, had I judged according to my own sense and feeling, I had been absolutely distracted; but I trusted to Christ in the promise, and looked that God would be as good as his promise in having mercy upon me, an unworthy sinner; and this is that which encouraged me and kept me fron fainting. And thus must thou do when Satan, or the law, or thy own conscience do go about to dishearten thee, either by the greatness of thy sins, the wickedness of thy heart, the tediousness of the way, the loss of outward enjoyments, the hatred that thou wilt procure from the world, or the like; then thou must encourage thyself with the freeness of the promises, the tender-heartedness of Christ, the merits of his blood, the freeness of his invitations to come in, the greatness of the sin of others that have been pardoned, and that the same God, through the same Christ, holdeth forth the same grace as free as ever. If these be not thine meditations, thou wilt draw very heavily in the way to heaven, if thou do not give up all for lost, and so knock off from following any farther; therefore, I say, take heart in thy journey, and say to them that seek thy destruction, "Rejoice not against me, O my enemy, for when I fall I shall arise, when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me." The Eighth Direction. Take heed of being offended at the cross that thou must go by before thou come to heaven. You must understand (as I have already touched) that there is no man that goeth to heaven but he must go by the cross. The cross is the standing waymark by which all they that go to glory must pass by. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." If thou art in thy way to the kingdom, my life for thine thou wilt come to the cross shortly, (the Lord grant thou dost not shrink at it, so as to turn thee back again!) "If any man will come after me," saith Christ, "let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." The cross! it stands and hath stood from the beginning as a waymark to the kingdom of heaven. You know, if one ask you the way to such and such a place, you, for the better direction, do not only say, This is the way, but then also say, You must go by such a gate, by such a stile, such a bush, tree, bridge, or such like. Why, so it is here. Art thou inquiring the way to heaven? Why, I tell thee, Christ is the way; into him thou must get, into his righteousness to be justified; and if thou art in him, thou wilt presently see the cross; thou must go close by it, thou must touch it, nay, thou must take it up, or else thou wilt quickly go out of the way that leads to heaven, and turn up some of those crooked lanes that lead down to the chambers of death. what need all these prayers, sighs, watchings? What need we be so backward to it? Nay, do you not see that some men, before they will set about this work, they will even venture the loss of their souls, heaven, God, Christ, and all? What means else all those delays and put-offs, saying, Stay a little longer, I am loth to leave my sins while I am so young and in health? Again, what is the reason else that others do it so by the halves, coldly and sel dom, notwithstanding they are convinced over and over, nay, and also promise to amend, and yet all's in vain? I will assure you, to cut off right hands and pluck out right eyes is no Now thou mayest know the cross by these pleasure to the flesh. six things: 1. It is known in the doctrine of justification; 2. In the doctrine of mortification; 3. In the doctrine of perseverance; 4. In selfdenial; 5. Patience; 6. Communion with poor saints. 1. In the doctrine of justification, there is a great deal of the cross in that; a man is forced to suffer the destruction of his own righteousness for the righteousness of another. This is no easy matter for a man to do; I assure to you it stretcheth every vein in his heart before he will be brought to yield to it. What! for a man to deny, reject, abhor, and throw away all his prayers, tears, alms, keeping of sabbaths, hearing, reading, with the rest, in the point of justification, and to count them accursed; and to be willing, in the very midst of the sense of his sins, to throw himself wholly upon the righteousness and obedience of another man, abhorring his own, counting it as deadly sin, as the open breach of the law-I say, to do this in deed and in truth is the biggest piece of the cross; and therefore Paul calleth this very thing a "suffering" where he saith, "And I have suffered the loss of all things (which principally was his righteousness) that I might win Christ, and be found in him, not having (but rejecting) my own righteousness." That is the first. 2. In the doctrine of mortification is also much of the cross. Is it nothing for a man to lay hands on his vile opinions, on his vile sins, on his bosom sins, on his beloved, pleasant, darling sins, that stick as close to him as the flesh sticks to the bones? What! to lose all these brave things that my eyes behold for that which I never saw with my eyes! What! to lose my pride, my covetousness, my vain company, sports and pleasures, and the rest! I tell you this is no easy matter; if it were, 3. The doctrine of perseverance is also cross to the flesh, which is not only to begin, but to hold out; not only to bid fair and to say, Would I had heaven! but so to know Christ, to put on Christ, and walk with Christ, as to come to heaven. Indeed it is no great matter to begin to look for heaven, to begin to seek the Lord, to begin to shun sin; oh but it is a very great matter to continue with God's approbation! "My servant Caleb (saith God) is a man of another spirit; he hath followed me (followed me always, he hath continually followed me fully; he shall possess the land." Almost all the many thousands of the children of Israel in their generation fell short of perseverance when they walked from Egypt toward the land of Canaan. Indeed they went to work at first pretty willingly, but they were very shortwinded, they were quickly out of breath, and in their hearts they turned back again into Egypt. It is an easy matter for a man to run hard for a spurt, for a furlong, for a mile or two: oh, but to hold out for a hundred, for a thousand, for ten thousand miles; that man that doth this he must look to meet with cross, pain, and wearisomeness to the flesh, especially if as he goeth he meeteth with briers, and quagmires, and other encumbrances that make his journey so much the more painful. Nay, do you not see with your eyes daily that perseverance is a very great part of the cross? Why else do men so soon grow weary? I could point out many that, after they had followed the ways of God about a twelvemonth, others it may be two, three, or four (some more, some less) years, they have been beat out of wind, have taken up their lodging and rest before they have got halfway to heaven, some in this, some in that sin, and have s cretly, nay sometimes openly, said that the way is too strait, the race too long, the religion too holy, and I cannot hold out, I can go no farther. And so likewise of the other three-to wit, patience, self-denial, communion and communication with and to the poor saints-how hard are these things! It is an easy matter to deny another man, but it is not so easy a matter to deny one's self-to deny myself out of love to God, to his Gospel, to his saints of this advantage and of that gain, nay, of that which otherwise I might lawfully do were it not for offending them. That Scripture is but seldom read, and seldomer put in practice, which saith, "I will eat no flesh while the world standeth if it make my brother to offend;" again, "We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." But how forward, how hasty, how peevish, and self resolved are the generality of professors at this day! Alas! how little considering the poor, unless it be to say, Be thou warmed and filled! But to give is a seldomer work, also especially to give to any poor. I tell you all things are cross to flesh and blood; and that man that hath but a watchful eye over the flesh, and also some considerable measure of strength against it, he shall find his heart in these things like unto a starting horse that is rid without a curbing bridle, ready to start at everything that is offensive to him, yea, and ready to run away too, do what the rider can. It is the cross which keepeth those that are kept from heaven. I am persuaded were it not for the cross, where we have one professor we should have twenty, but this cross, that is it which spoileth all. Some men, as I said before, when they come at the cross, they can go no farther, but back again to their sins they must go. Others, they stumble at it and break their necks; others again, when they see that the cross is approaching, they turn aside to the left hand or to the right hand, and so think to get to heaven another way, but they will be deceived. "For all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall" -mark, shall-" be sure to suffer persecution." There are but few when they come at the cross cry, Welcome, cross! as some of the martyrs did to the stake they were burned at. Therefore if you meet with the cross in thy journey, in what manner so ever it be, be not daunted and say, Alas! what shall I do now? But rather take courage, knowing that by the cross is the way to the kingdom. Can a man believe in Christ and not be hated by the devil? Can he make a profession of this Christ, and that sweetly and convincingly, and the children of Satan hold their tongue? Can darkness agree with light, or the devil endure that Christ Jesus should be honoured both by faith and a heavenly conversation, and let that soul alone at quiet? Did you never read that "the dragon persecuted the woman?" And that Christ saith, "In the world you shall have tribulations." The Ninth Direction. Beg of God that he would do these two things for thee: First enlighten thine understanding; and, secondly, inflame thy will. If these two be but effectually done, there is no fear but thou wilt go safe to heaven. One of the great reasons why men and women do so little regard the other world, it is because they see so little of it; and the reason why they see so little of it is because they have their understanding darkened. And therefore, saith Paul, "Do not you believers walk as do other Gentiles, even in the vanity of their minds, having their understandings darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance (or foolishness) that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart." Walk not as those, run not with them: Alas, poor souls! they have their understandings darkened, their hearts blinded, and that is the reason they have such undervaluing thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation of their souls. For when men do come to see the things of another world, what a God, what a Christ, what a heaven, and what an eternal glory there is to be enjoyed, also when they see that it is possible for them to have a share in it, I tell you it will make them run through thick and thin to enjoy it. Moses having a sight of this because his understanding was enlightened," he feared not the wrath of the king, but chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." He refused to be called the son of the king's daughter, accounting it wonderful riches to be accounted worthy of so much as to suffer for Christ with the poor despised saints; and that was because he saw Him who was invisible, and had respect unto the recompense of reward. And this is that which the apostle usually prayeth for in his epistles for the saints-namely, "That they might know what is the hope of God's calling, and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; and that they might be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length, and depth and height, and know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." Pray, therefore, that God would enlighten thy understanding; that will be a very great help unto thee. It will make thee endure many a hard brunt for Christ; as Paul saith, "After you were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions. You took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." If there be never such a rare jewel lie just in a man's way, yet if he sees it not he will rather trample upon it than stoop for it, and it is because he sees it not. Why so it is here: though heaven be worth never so much, and thou hast never so much need of it, yet if thou see it not-that is, have not thy understanding opened or enlightened to see-thou wilt not regard at all; therefore cry to the Lord for enlightening grace, and say, "Lord, open my blind eyes; Lord, take the veil off my dark heart," show me the things of the other world, and let me see the sweetness, glory, and excellency of them for Christ his sake. This is the first. The Tenth Direction. Cry to God that he would inflame thy will also with the things of the other world; for when a man's will is fully set to do such or such a thing, then it must be a very hard matter that shall hinder that man from bringing about his end. When Paul's will was set resolvedly to go up to Jerusalem, (though it was signified to him before what he should there suffer,) he was not daunted at all; nay, saith he, "I am ready (or willing) not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." His will was inflamed with love to Christ, and therefore all the persuasions that could be used wrought nothing at all. be willing, then any argument shall be matter of encouragement; but if unwilling, then any argument shall give discouragement; this is seen both in saints and sinners, in them that are the children of God, and also those that are the children of the devil. As And 1. The saints of old, they being willing and resolved for heaven, what could stop them? Could fire and faggot, sword or halter, filthy dungeons, whips, bears, bulls, lions, cruel rackings, stoning, starving, nakedness, &c. ? in all these things they were more than conquerors, through Him that loved them," who had also made them "willing in the day of his power." 2. See again, on the other side, the children of the devil, because they are not willing, how many shifts and starting-holes they will have: I have married a wife, I have a farm, I shall offend my landlord, I shall offend my master, I shall lose my trading, I shall lose my pride, my pleasures, I shall be mocked and scoffed; therefore I dare not come. I, saith another, will stay till I am older, till my children are out, till I am got a little aforehand in the world, till I have done this and that and the other business; but, alas! the thing is, they are not willing; for were they but soundly willing, these, and a thousand such as these, would hold them no faster than the cords held Samson when he broke them like burnt flax; I tell you the will is all: that is one of the chief things which turns the wheel either backwards or forwards; and God knoweth that full well, and so likewise doth the devil, and therefore they both endeavour very much to strengthen the will of their servants. God, he is for making of his a willing people to serve him; and the devil, he doth what he can to possess the will and affection of those that are his with love to sin; and therefore when Christ comes close to the matter, indeed, saith he, You will not come to me." "How often would I have gathered you as a hen doth her chickens, but you would not!" The devil had possessed their wills, and so long he was sure enough of them. Oh therefore cry hard to God to inflame thy will for heaven and Christ Your self-willed people, nobody knows what to do with them; we used to say, He will have his own will, do what you can. Indeed to have such a will for heaven is an admirable advantage to a man that undertaketh a race thither; a man that is resolved and hath his will fixed, saith he, I will do my best to ad---thy will, I say: if that be rightly set for vantage myself; I will do my worst to hinder my enemies; I will not give out as long as I can stand; I will have it or I will lose my life; "though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." "I will not let thee go except thou bless me." I will, I will, I will. Oh this blessed inflamed will for heaven! What is like it? If a man heaven, thou wilt not be beat off with discour agements; and this was the reason that when Jacob wrestled with the angel, though he lost a limb as it were, and the hollow of his thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with him, yet, saith he, "I will not"-mark, I will not— "let thee go except thou bless me." Get thy |