It is but a vain thing to talk of going to heaven, if thou let thy heart be encumbered with those things that would hinder.  Would you not say that such a man would be in danger of losing, though he run, if he fill his pockets with stones, hang heavy garments on his shoulders, and great lumpish shoes on his feet?  So it is here.  Thou talkest of going to heaven, and yet fillest thy pockets with stones; that is, fillest thy heart with this world; lettest that hang on thy shoulders with its profits and pleasures.  Alas, alas! thou art widely mistaken.  If thou intendest to win, thou must strip, thou must lay aside every weight, thou must be temperate in all things.  Thou must so run.

THE FOURTH DIRECTION.—­Beware of by-paths.  Take heed thou dost not turn into those lanes which lead out of the way.  There are crooked paths, paths in 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 hand 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 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 stream of Christ’s blood runs 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 mayst light into any lane or way.  But that thou mayst not be mistaken, consider, though it seem ever 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 vail, that is to say, his flesh.”  How easy a matter is