·I . The €piffle tothe~~ader. \ have the corrupt minds of men laboured therein in all ages,~ I ' thefe our daies) to widen the way to Life, to break down the-Boundaries of this narrow Path, and make it broader than ever God mJde it. Mans carnal. hem finds it felf pinioned and ftraimed in che w:1y (the good old way of effectual Faith and obedience) chat God hath l::lid out; h~nce it breaks out on this hand and on that, and will rather pluck lur the ancient Land- marks ofGods Truth, than not make it broader• .\The Gofpel will not afford men a way broad enough, unleffe the Law /be quite removed ( not only as a Covenant, but as a commanding Rule of Life too) and laid fbt lik.e an old Hedge, that tiley may go over it i at pleafure, and not attend it any fu. rther than their fpirit lifieth. J ufti-~ fic;~tion by Faith is too narrow a path , tinleffe they may be juftified 1 \before and without Faith, it is not free enough; they complain of it :lS if it laid them under a Covena1u ofworks. Conditional Promifi:s are oftoo ftraight a fize, they mull be all abfolute, and give us peace 1 1 1 without any qualification in us, or elfe they are not large enough. To ·be felicitous abeut S:tnCl:ification and inherent Grace, is too trouble· i fom; to feek God diligently in the ufe of all means, in adaily and ,hearty performance of holy Dutie~ in a ftriCl: S~nctifying ofSabbaths, in conft:mt watchfulneffe, &c. thts mull: be l:ud by, as a Legal Bulineffe. And if the Spirit immediatly will aCl: us and carry us in a Bed of eafe to Heaven, without troubling us co aCt and fl:rive, well and good; otherwife men will (Iuke hands with the power of Godlinefle, and run a drift before their own Corruptions. But when all Scones are turned, I the way toHeaven is and will be found to be afiraight w~y:Trurh bath faid, it is fo, God bath bid ic out fo; and it is not all the Notions of\ men that will make it otherwife. And hence rhofe (olemn Counfels of the Scripture, Work out your {lllvt~tion with fear and trembling, Give t~UI dil~~ence to make all jMre, Strive to enter i~ at the Straight Gate, So run that you may obtain, &c. though they be little attended by the loofenefle of rhefe times, yet they are of endleffe Moment and ufe, and had need be awfully regarded by all that love their everlaO:ing peace. He therefore that is in earneft about this great bulinefle, will be glad of any good bel p to guide him in this way, this ftraight way to life. And though there be many choice helps herein already e:uaor, in the precious Labours offundry of the Lords Faithful Servants, for which this Age bath caufe on bended Knees to blelle the Lord, and which will be fuch atefiimony againO: the wanconnelle thereof, as it will never be able to anfwer: Yet of thofe that d,, clearly, particularly, livelily and fearchingly difcover and mark out th,s f!raight way, '\with the feveral practical turns thereof, and lhew where they that mifs 1 of the end at !aft, do turn out of it, although they go tar therein; of 1 ; thofe that Pilot us, when we come into the narrow Channel, umo the I i very point of entrance into life, and thew us the Rocks and Shoals on [ either bans diO:inCl:ly ; ofthefe ( I fay) there is not too great anum- ; ber. J.!or to fpeak any good and ufeful Truths, is good and commen- : i dable;
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