Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

The Ghrian r rournalt A in a deniall andrenouncing of himfelfe , take the right courfe tobee fetled, in swine matters that doeneceffarily conserve thefaluationofhiefoule,cannot(though his karning be nutter fe fmalIyotterly bedeceiued. The fecond thing that mull accompany our purpofeofgoingon intheway a: to happine(Ce, is circumfpe&ion and anearner heedingof our courfe : fo much is verymanifeft by the Text. You fee heere, that as the gateof entrance is ter- medffrair,fothe wayof progrelfe is called narrow : now a narrow way requireth heedefulneffe, a little flippingor going tothis fide, orthat, may breede agreat dealeof inconuenience. Andif we examine the Scripture , welhallfee thelike heede-taking required in this fpirituall journey. It is a chargeoftheholyßhof, that we fhould walk eircum/ße0, ° walke exa&ly, ortumour y, or tofpeake r Eph.;.q. truelyaccordingtothe words meanmg,walkeprecifily: tgfalfeffrait flops royour feete, left that which is halting be earned oat of theWayf. Paul calleth the lifeof a fHeb. ti.,;, Chriflianwalkingbyarule, t asif aman went bya line, which hewill not,which he dareth not turne from. Tale heede thatyeedoe as eh« Lordyour godbarb coma S 3 mandedyou ,turne not afideto the right hand, nor to the left.. An examplewehaue a D,uc. in Daaid ;firlt his refolution, 1 thoughtI will takeheede to my waifs ; x then next 39 . hisprayer, 0 that my bodieswere madedireil, or ftraight,carried, as itwere, bya kindeof leuell, witha refpe& (ashimfelfe afterfpeaketh in the fame place) su- itail Godscommandements, Yaswhenaman bathamarkein hiseye,.and (trines ypra,ir9: tokeepeaneuen and dire&courfevntoit; oras when a workeman applieth his f, 6. rule tohisworke,and with hisbeft indeuour ordereththe fame accordingly. This isbriefly, but yet plainely and vndeniably thetruth of thispoint: he thatdeli- retta to proceede in theway tohappine{fe, muffremember theway isnarrow, he mayearly fwarae from it, and itloth thereforecall vponhim for very great hredefulnefe and circumfoe&ion: The vfe hereof is,ttodifcouer two oils in the times, the one is carelefneil'e, Vfeá the otheris prophaneñdie :touching the former,notwithftandingthe liraitnelfe which thewordofGod enioynes,yethow greatis ourgeneralsdiffolutenes ?who thinkes hjmfelfebound tothofe (trait tearme,, asthathe fhould make confci- ence of euery !lane ? what mandoth euen as it were combine , andcoursant withhimfelfe , tobe jealous otter all his waits , to fer a watch beforehismouth, torakeheede to hiswords, tomake a couenant with his eyes,to be waryof his lookes,toponder the pathofhisfeete into what companie he comes , to puthis knifeto his throat, "asSalomon fpeakes ;tobeware ofexc«IR, to keepe hisheart x Prou.13.a. withdiligence,lookingtoit,wbat thoughtshe entertaines,tobe alwaiesfearing, and eue; fufpe&ing himfelfe, lefthe f,ouldbe mifcarried, tobefill lifting vp his heart to hewn, that theLord mayefabli(h him; whoI fay entreth intocom- mit withhimfelfeforthis fpirituallheedfulnelfe?nay rather whodothnot adnen_ tore totake libertietohimfelfe in ferric one thing or other , according ashis ha. mor lodes him ; mincing &extenuating fin,andfuppofng prefumptuoufly, that aman maywandera little afray,and yet resume. Andby thismeanesSatanget- tethgreataduantageagainfmany,for while he allureth and tolleth them oo,vn. der acolourof libertie from an euen and dire& courfe, hedrawtth themon fur- ther and further, vntill like aman that hath quite loft his way, theyknow not which way to returne. Remember we therefore,that theway to Ijfeis a narrow way t it is notfo (as Come profanely hauefaid)that a man, ifhe will, may (asin a journey hencetoLondon)take hispleafurebytheway, and ride here and there spunoccafaon, and yet atlait, thoughit be fomethingthe longerfirf, cometo the place intended ; and fo in trauelling to heauen, enjoy the pleafures of fanne, and yet for all that,althoughit be fomewhat the furtherwayabout, ariue at the placeof happineffe; no,it is a narrowway, errour onboth fides, aman cannot be toocircumlpe &. The fecondeuill which this point difcouereth is prophase. sea , becaufewhereasthe word ofGod requirethinamans congeal tion very B 4 gram

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