Preston - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.P7 N4 1634

Steppiagollt · ofG 0 D S wayestends tomifery. . Godswayes neareft. . ' Commadements,they are firaight, now firaight is a relatiue word;thatis, itis betweene two ex– neames, as wefay,a Lineisll:raight when it tuns ·betweene two poynts,and goes not out,from_eL · ther ofthem,thatwecall ftraightnes, ifthere be any exorbitati6 ofthe line, now it is not firaight but crooked, now the way is fayd to be firaight in regard of thefe n~o termes. A man indeed goes from miferie 'to happineffe, and the wayes ofGods Commandements,are theftraight wayes that lead to that)fyou walk crooked in the way, you ftep out to one ofthe two extreames;that Is, youftepoutfrom the way that leads to happi– nelfe,youftep out to fome trouble, to fome mif~ chiefe~to fome evill, to fome punifhmen.t, when you ftep out from tne w~yofGods Commande– ments.So that that is to be obferved,thatth1s isa a ftraight way ; And therefore, feeing this leads ftraight tohappineffe,an~ every declination is a fteppirig out to mifery; You haue reafon to take it, for it is the fhorteft way,thatis one condition: you h•metwo motiuestotakethis way. One is, it is the fhorteft way, the other is, it is the plaineft way. We haue a rule in the c..Ma_ .thematicks: Alwayes the ftraighteft line is the fhortefl:, looke howmuch bending, & crooked... neffe thereis,fomuchthe more length there is init,the frraightcfi: way is tpe fhortefl:: So, if thou wouldeftgo the lhorteft way tohappinelfe, keepethewayofGodsCommandements,(ifthou dofl: not,thou goeft about, thou art alooferbyit 'thatis theneerelhyay. Forexample;that I may . . · alittle

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