Page:Race for eternal life.pdf/6

 miss the way, thou wilt miss the prize, and lose thy soul. Mistrust thy own strength: down on thy knees in prayer to the Lord, for the Spirit of truth: Search the word for direction, flee seducers; keep company with the Christians that have most experience of Christ; have a care of relying on outward obedience.

DIR. II. Be much in studying the way, what Christ is: what he has done; why he is; why he has done what is done, and what he does in heaven. Be thinking also of those places to which thou must not come near. Avoid such things as are expressly forbidden in the word of God.- “Withdraw thy foot from her, for her steps take hold of hell, Prov. v. And so of every thing that is not in the way. So run.

DIR. III. Strip thyself of those things that may hinder thee in the way to heaven; as covetousness, pride, lust, or whatever else thy heart may be inclined unto, which may hinder thee in this heavenly race. Men, that run for a wager, do not incumber themselves. Every man that striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things. It is but a vain thing to talk of going to heaven, if thou let thy heart be incumbered with those things that would hinder.

DIR. IV. “ Beware of hye-paths." take heed of all crooked paths that lead to damnation. Some of them are dangerous because of practice, some because of opinion. But look right before thee; ponder the path of thy feet; turn not to the right hand, were to the left; remove thy foot far from evil. This counsel not being taken, is the reason of that reeling this way and that way, and so missing the way to the kingdom. The way to heaven