Devotionis Augustinianae flamma, or, Certaine devout, godly, and learned meditations written, by the excellently-accomplisht gentleman, William Austin, of Lincolnes-Inne, Esquire. The particulars whereof, the reader may finde in the page following;) set forth, after his decease, by his deare wife and executrix, Mrs. Anne Austin, as a surviving monument of some part of the great worth of her ever-honoured husband, who changed his life, Ian 16. 1633

The Way.

BVt, Let us now see, what he will shew us. The Path.

We must know, that as Men have many pathes out of their high-way (the World), but they all end in destruction; So God hath many Pathes out of his high-way (the Word), but they all end in Salvation.

Let us oppose ours, to his; (as indeed they are opposite): and see, how they agree. Ours, are not worth marking: His, marked with an Attendite (to begin withall): Ours, bloody; His, un-polluted: Ours, crooked; His, Straight: Ours, leade to hell; His, to heaven. Have not we straied, then? we had neede to turne, and take an other Path; and that, quickly: we may well say, Semitas nostras, à viâ tuâ.

Well: here is the Booke: and here are the Wayes, before you: and hee will shew you: here is Semita Mandatorum; in the 119. Psalme, verse 35. here is Semita Pacifica; Prov. 3. 17. here is Semita Aequitatis. Pro. 4. 11. here is Semita Iustitiae. Psal. 23. 3. here is Semita Indicij. Prov. 17. 23. and many others: These are, (every one of them) Gods wayes: but these are (some-what) too many, and too farre-off. Wee must seeke the Way, where all these meete; and that will bring us in∣to the Path. These, are many; but, I will Shew you yet a more excellent way; saith Saint Paul: 1 Cor. 12. 31.

We must begin to enter, at Via Mandatorum. For, till then, we are in the darke, and can distinguish no wayes, whether they bee good or bad.

But there, we shall meete with a Lanterne, and a Light in it. [Thy Commandement is a Lanterne, and thy Law a light]: Carry this with thee, (as a good man should; Lex Dei in corde ejus); and it will bring thee into the way.

And see, how carefull our Guide is: For, lest the wind should blow-out this Light, he hath put it into a Lanterne, to preserve it. For, the feare, (or Sanction) of the Commandements preserves the Memory of the Law in our hearts, as a Lanterne doth a Light, burning within it. The Law is the Light; and the Commandement, the Lanterne. So that neither flattering Zephyrus, nor blustering Boreas shall bee able to

blow it out; so long as the feare of the Sanction keepes it in. This is Lucerna pedibus; and will not only shew thee where, thou shalt tread; but, what pace thou shalt keepe.

When thou hast this Light, take Ieremies Counsell; Inquire for Semita antiqua, before thou goest any further: Stand (saith he) in the waies, and behold; and aske for the old way; which is the good way, and walke therein, and yee shall finde rest for your Soules. This will bring you somewhither, where you may rest awhile. And, whither is that?

Trace this Path, and you shall finde this old way, to runne quite thorow all the old Testament, till it end in the New, the Gospel of Peace: and there, is Rest. And, that this is so, Saint Paul affirmes. For the Law (which is the old way), is but the Pedagogue to the Gospel. This (then) is a more excellent way, then the Law; the Ceremonies whereof, (in re∣spect of this), were called beggerly Rudiments.

When wee come there, wee shall find the way pleasant, and very light; So that, wee shall plainely see before us, that very Path; that onely Path; the Path of Life, (Semita Vitae) in which the Gospel ends, as the Law ends in the Gospel.

Now, what is Semita vitae, that wee seeke for? All the Wayes of God, are Truth (saith David): He doth not say they are Verae; Or ve∣ritates; but, Veritas: all, one Truth. So, all the waies of God end in one Truth. Semita Vitae (then) is Truth: the Gospel (that leads to it), is called the Gospel of Truth. And, so sure a way to Life, is Truth, that Saint Iohn saies, he had no greater joy, then to heare, that his Sonnes walked in Truth. No greater Ioy. For, it brings them certenly to a Ioy, than which there is none greater. Via Veritatis, is the Gospel of Truth; but Semita Vitae, is the Truth it selfe. Of these, Esay prophesied: Et erit ibi Semita et Via, &c. There shall be a Path, and a Way; and the Way shall be called holy, the proper Epithete of the Gospel; [the holy Gospel]: that, is the Way. But, the Path, is the Epitome of this Way, (called in our Text, by way of Excellence, the Path; in the singular): than which, there is none other.

The Gospel of your Salvation (saith Saint Paul) is the word of truth. And, thy Word is Truth (saith our Saviour to his Father). Truth (then) is the Path of life. For, it is the Epitome of the Gospel; which is the Way.

This is that Truth, which Pilate (unhappie man!) asked after; but never stayed to be resolved of. Hee himselfe is the Word; the Word, is the Truth; and, the Truth, is the Path of Life, trodden by all the Pa∣triarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs and Confessors that ever went to Heaven before us. The abstract of the Gospel; the Gate of heaven, (Semita Vitae) the Path of life, even Iesus Christ the Righteous, who hath beaten the way for us; gone himselfe before us: and left us the prints of his Foote-steps for us to follow. Where, he himselfe sits rea∣dy to receive us. So the Law, is the Light; the Gospel, is the Way: and Christ, is the Path of life.

Notes

• 3. The Way.
• 1. Opposite.
• Matth. 3. 3.
• Psal. 44 9.
• 2. In gene∣rall.
• 3. Where to begin.
• 4. A light.
• Pro. 6. 23.
• Psal. 36.
• 5. Kept-in.
• Psal. 119 104.
• 6. Through the old way.
• 7 To the new.
• Gal. 34.
• 8. The path.
• 9. The Truth. Psal. 119. 151.
• Col. 1. 5.
• 3 Iohn 1. 3.
• Ephes. 1. 15. Iohn 17. 17.
• 10. Life. Iohn 18. 38.