CHAPTER I. A Wise Traveller designs to go to some certain Place, and proposeth some certain End for his going thither.

THERE are but two Pla­ces, to which all Men in the World are going, Heaven and Hell. Now the greatest Part of Men never seriously consider to which of these the course of their Life leads them, it is said of Abraham, He went out not know­ing whither he went; but it may be said Heb. 11. 8. of most, that for want of Faith, they go on not knowing whither they are going. Fools and Mad Men are always Rambling, but can give no account whither, and therefore many Times run upon Death and Danger; such Mad Men, and worse, are all prophane Men, [Page 2] who never consider whither they are going till they drop into Hell, but now the serious Godly Christian in the whole course of his Life designs for Heaven sets his Face Sion-ward, is bound for the Jer. 5. 5. New Jerusalem, seeks for a better Coun­trey, is journeying through the Wil­derness Heb. 11. 16. of this World to the Heavenly Canaan; every Journey he takes on Earth, promotes his Journey to Heaen. Every Thought, Word and Action, he sincerely desires may be so many steps in Heavens way. He aims at Heaven, his Eye is there, his Heart is there, and he is restless till he be there, where he knows he shall enjoy Eternal Rest where he shall be freed from all Satan Temptations, from all his Lusts and Corruptions, from all his Doubts and Fears, from all his Sorrows and Sick­nesses, from all Mens Hatred and Per­secution, 1. Thess. 4. 17. 1 John 3. 2. where he shall be for ever wi [...] the Lord; see him as he is, and ser [...] him as he desires; where he shall behol [...] his Blessed Saviour, who was Crucifi [...] for him, Crowned with Glory and M [...] jesty; where he shall with innumera [...] Saints and Angels, sing Praises and H [...] lelujahs, to him that sits upon [...] Throne, and to the Lamb for ever mo [...]

CHAP. II. A Wise Traveller casts up the Costs of his Journey, before he Ʋnder­takes it.

SO every true Christian who seriously resolves for Heaven, when he be­gins his Spiritual Race, and sets forth in that way which is called Holy, ought wisely to consider what it will cost him to be Religious, and what difficulty he must expect to meet with in the way to Heaven. Our Blessed Lord and Saviour, who is Wisdom it self, hath taught this Lesson of Heavenly Wisdom to all who will be his Disciples and follow him, Luke 14. 26. that they must make their account be­fore Hand, least with shame they revolt from him afterward; and when they meet with hardship in the way to Cana­an, should meditate their return to E­gypt: Every one therefore that minds to be a Christian indeed, and persevere a Christian to the end, must and will seri­ously consider before-hand, that through Acts 14. 22. much Tribulation, he must enter into the [Page 4] Kingdom of Heaven. That he must give all Diligence to make his Calling and Election 2 Pet. 1. 10. Luke 13. 24. sure. That he must strive to enter in at the straight Gate of Heaven; yea, he must strive as one that is in an Agony, as the Word signifies: He knows that he must Meditate in the Law of God Day Psalm 1. 2. 1 Thess. 5. 17. and Night: That he must Pray without ceasing, that his Prayers must be Wrest­lings, and put up with strong Cries and Tears. That he must set a Watch before Psal. 141. 3. Pro. 4. 23. the Door of his Lips, and keep his Heart with all Diligence; and make a Cove­nant with his Eyes, that he must walk exactly every step of his Way, and be 1 Pet. 1. 15. Holy in all manner of Conversation; yea, he reckons that he must pass through harder Duties yet, and such as are more contrary and thwarting to Flesh and Blood; and to which Carnal Reason will cry out, These be hard sayings, who Mat. 26. 24. can bear them? He knows that self must be Denied, the World must be Cruci­fied, Lust and Corruption must be Mor­tified, though they be as dear as Right Hands and Right Eyes. He knows that Mat. 5. 29. Mat. 10. 38. the Yoke of Christ must be taken on, and the Cross of Christ must be taken up; He knows that he shall be hated of all Men for Christ's sake; yet he must Mat. 11. 29. [Page 5] Love them, while they Hate him, Bless them while they Curse him, Pray for them Mat. 5. 24. while they despitefully use him, and perse­cute him. He knows it may come to that, that he must part with his dearest Friends and nearest Relations, with his Goods and Good-Name, with his Estate and Liberty, nay with his Life too, Luke 14. 26. if he will not be false to Christ and his own Conscience: And lastly, He knows that this is the Way, that all that have gone to Heaven before him have gone thither in; He knows that all the Ser­vants of God have been great Sufferers, and that the Son of God was the great­est Sufferer of all: This and much more he hath deliberately considered with himself, and heartily agrees to the Terms and Conditions, and thinks them all Holy, Just, and Good; and so he goes on from Strength to Strength till he appears before God in the Heavenly Zion; and like another Joshua and Ca­leb not being frighted with the difficulty of Duties, or the Danger of Sufferings, he marcheth on with an holy Resoluti­on, and with a strong Confidence in Gods assistance (of encouraging others so to do) till he triumphantly arrive at the Heavenly Canaan.

CHAP. III. A Wise Traveller makes diligent en­quiry, which is the right Way, and is very careful to follow Dire­ctions.

THere be many that make the Way to Heaven so broad that none can miss it, as if they knew the Way thither better than Christ himself, who saith Mat. 7. 14. that straight is the Gate, and narrow is the way that leads to Life, and few there be that find it; but all those who are Followers of Christ do find by Experience that his Words are true, Ardua est ad Regnum Via, the Way to his Kingdom is no ea­sie Way; and therefore they are full of Doubts and Fears, least they should miss it, and are very sollicitous a [...]d in­quisitive to be directed and set in the right Way, They ask the Way to Zio [...] Jer. 50. 5. with their Faces thitherward.

First, They run to the faithful Mini­sters of Christ (who are as Leaders and Guides, who are as Lights upon a Hi [...] to shew Men their Way to Heaven [Page 7] and cry out to them as those, Men and Acts 2. Brethren, What shall we do? And with the Jaylor, Sirs, What must I do to be Acts 16. saved? And with the Young Man, What shall I do, that I may have Eternal Mat. 19. Life? They beg of these Samuels to teach them the good and the right Way, and of these Servants of the most High God, to shew them the Way of Salva­tion.

Secondly, They resort to experienced Christians, who have been longer ac­quainted with the Ways of God, and earnestly importune them to communi­cate their Experiences; they enquire of them, How they may avoid or over­come such a Temptation; How they may mortifie such a Corruption? How perform such a Duty? How bear such an Affliction? And how undergo such Sufferings? and many other such Cases they desire to be resolved in: As they say of Children, they will be always asking of Questions, so it may be said of the Children of God, they will not only go to the Ministers and Servants of God for Direction: But,

Thirdly, They will go to the Great God himself, and will beg of him, as David did, Cause me to know the Way Psal. 143. 8. [Page] wherein I should walk, for I lift up my Sou [...] to thee. Teach me O Lord the Way of thy Psal. 119. 33. Statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end shew me thy Way, O Lord; teach me thy Psal. 25. 4. Paths; and because he knows that God hath fully and plainly revealed his Wil [...] and his Way in his Word: Therefore,

Fourthly, As the Traveller goes to his Map-Book for Direction, so doth he to the Book of God, there he finds eve­ry step of his Way chalked out before him. All the credenda, agenda, and fu­gienda, what he must believe, what he must do, and what he must leave undone [...] there he finds Direction, how he must walk in every Condition, in every Re­lation, in every Age, in every Calling [...] in every Holy Duty: There he finds that he must be Regenerate and Born again, or he cannot see the Kingdom of John 3. 3. Mark 16. 16. 2 Thess. 1. 8. Tit. 2. 11, 12. God; he must Repent, and Believe, and obey the Gospel, or he cannot be saved▪ he must live soberly, righteously, and god­ly, in this present World, if he will live happily in the World to come. Many such Directions as these, he finds in tha [...] Blessed Book, which will be a Lamp [...] Psal. 119. 105. his Feet, and a Light to his Paths: Now as a careful Traveller takes notice o [...] every Place he is to pass through, and [Page] punctually observes them, cannot fail to get safe to Heaven. But it is as pos­sible for a Man to carry a Ship to the Indies without a Card or Compass, as for a Soul to go to Heaven, without fol­lowing the Directions of Gods Word.

Fifthly, As the wary Traveller, who would be sure to keep the right Way, will take his Guide along with him; so will a Child of God, desire to have the Spirit of God for his Guide to Heaven, that when he is turning to the Right Hand or to the Left, he may hear that Voice behind him saying, This is the Isa. 30. 21. Way walk in it, he will pray that the good Spirit of God, will lead him into the Psal. 143. 10. Land of Ʋprightness: That the Spirit of Truth, may lead him into all Truth: We read that those who are in Christ, John 16. 13. do walk after the Spirit, so that the Spirit goes before them, and leads them in the way. It is said, As many as are led by Rom. 8. 1, 14. the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God, which is convertible. And it may as truly be said, As many as are the Sons of God, they are led by the Spirit of God. Now he that hath such an unerring Rule, as the Word of God to direct him in his Way; and such an infallible Guide, as the Spirit of God to lead him [Page] in his Way, he cannot but get safe to his Journeys end, and that is to Heaven.

CHAP. IV. A Wise Traveller sets out Early in the Morning, that he may not be Be-Nighted, before he comes to his Journeys End.

CHristian, if thou resolvest for Hea­ven, learn this Point of Heavenly Wisdom. Begin thy Journey betimes, set out in the Ways of God in the Morn­ing of thy Age; least the Night of Death surprize thee before thou hast fi­nished thy Course, and so all thy Hopes perish. Delaies are dangerous, especi­ally in matters of Spiritual and Everla­sting Concernment. How many Milli­ons are now in Hell, that thought to Repent before they Died, but Died be­fore they Repented? With how many hath their Sun set at Noon? With how many in the Morning of their Days? With how many hath Sun-rising and Sun-setting come together? O what [Page 11] Madness is it then to defer thy Repen­tance till hereafter! Answer me two Questions.

Quest. 1. Hast thou the Command of Time? Surely no! the Time present on­ly is thy Day, not one Minute of what is future may be called thine; thou maist Isa. 4. 14. as soon recal all the Years that are past, as Promise thy self one Year or one Hour to come: Thou Fool, this Night Luke 12. 20. thy Soul may be required of thee: However thy maist hear a Voice, Give an account of thy Stewardship, for thou maist be no Luke 16. longer Steward.

Quest. 2. If thou hadst Hereafter in thy own Hand, and could Promise thy self longer Life, hast thou Repentance in thine own Hand? Surely no! For Repentance is the Gift of God, and how canst thou presume he will bestow it upon thee, who hast so often refused it when it was offered? Canst thou think that when thou hast given up thy Youth and Strength to Satan and thy Lusts, that the Blessed and Holy God will ac­cept of Satans leavings. Thou wouldst judge that Person to be light-Headed, or out of his Wits, that should talk of be­ginning a long Journey on Earth, when he is going out of the World. Surely [Page 12] he is worse then Mad, that defers set­ting out in his Journey to Heaven, till Old-age, Sickness, or a Death-bed; thou wilt have enough to do, when thou art Old to conflict with the Infirmities of Age, when thou art Sick to conflict with thy Pains, when thou art Dying to conflict with the King of Terrours, and with Satan, who will be sure to assault thee with his strongest Temptations; and he that tells thee now it is too soon, will then tell thee it is too late. An old Convert is a great Rarity; Can a Jer. 13. 23. Blackamore change his Skin, or a Leopard his Spots, much less can he that is accustom­ed to do Evil, learn to do Good; by which Word of God we learn, That a Young Sinner is more like to make an old Devil, than a Young Saint: The contrary Pro­verb, A Young Saint an Old Devil, is a Lesson which the Old Devil teacheth Younger Sinners, that he may deceive them, and rob them of their Souls. But the God of Truth, teacheth us another Proverb.

A Young Saint will be an Old Saint▪ Train up a Child in the Way wherein [...] Prov. 22. 6. should go, and when he is Old he will no [...] depart from it. Timothy had learned the 2. Tim. 3. 15. Scriptures from a Child, He walked ac­cording [Page 13] to that Rule all his Life. John was a Young Saint, and an Old Saint. It is the Observation of one, that he that was the Beloved Disciple, and lay in Christ's Bosom was the youngest of all; Christ loveth young Disciples, a­way then with all delaies and imitate good Josiah, who while he was yet young began to seek after God: What art thou afraid of being Happy to soon? Surely thou art so, if thou art afraid of being Holy too soon; for Holiness is the only way to Happiness. Art thou un­willing Heb. 12. 14. to part with thy Lusts and sen­sual Pleasures too soon? that is, as if thou shouldst say, I am nnder the most vile and cruel Slavery and Bondage in the World, yet I am unwilling to be set at Liberty too soon. I am deadly Sick of the Leprosie, or of the Plague, yet I would not be cured too soon. Certainly Egyptian or Turkish Bon­dage is Freedom, compared with the Bondage of Sin and Satan: The Le­prosie of the Skin is cleanness and sound­ne [...], if you compare it with the Le­prosie of the Soul; The Plague of the Body is Health and Ease, in Com­parison of the Plague of the Heart. Well then, be perswaded to set out for Eccl. 12. 1. [Page 14] Heaven, in the Morning of thy Days, sacrifice the first Fruits of thy Time to God, Remember thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth. Say not with Austin before his Conversion, Da Domine Poenitentiam sed non ad huc; Lord give me Repen­tance, but not yet. But rather cry out, as he did after Conversion; Lord, why not now, why not now? Plutarch reports of one who in the midst of his Feasting and Jollity, received a Letter which gave him notice, that his Life was in present Danger; he put up the Letter in his Pocket, saying, Seria Cras, I will think of serious Matters to Morrow, do not thou say after him, least it cost thee the Life of thy Soul, as it did him the Life of his Body, for he was poyson'd at that Dinner; but do thou labour to say, as another once did: Cur avi in Juventut [...] ut benè viverem, in Senectute ut benè mo­riar. I took care in my Youth to liv [...] well, and in Old-age to die well. And learn this Lesson of the Wise Traveller He that sets out most Early, will fin [...] his Journey most Easie.

CHAP. V. He that hath Loitered or Deferred setting out his Journey in the Fore­noon, must double his Pace in the Afternoon.

I Have endeavoured in the Applicati­on of the foregoing Observation, to give thee serious Advice, to set out in thy Journey towards Heaven in the Morning of thine Age; and certainly this would make thy Journey, much more easie and comfortable, and would free thee from many Fears and Doubts, and prevent much Sorrow and Grief of Heart; but if this Counsel come too late, and thou hast loitered and defer­red to begin thy Journey in the Fore­noon of thy Day, then learn this Lesson of the [...]arthly Traveller, to make all the speed thou canst in the Afternoon, since thou hast set out late, make the more haste now thou art on thy Way. Run like Ahimaaz, who though he did set out after Cushi, yet over-ran him 2 Sam. 18. 23. and got before him; labour to overtake [Page 16] those who were in Christ before thee, give double Diligence to make thy Calling 2 Pet. 1. 10. and Election sure, labour to redeem the Time, and to abound in the Work of the 1 Cor. 15. 58. Phil. 2. 12. Lord, to make thy Religion thy business, and to Work out thy own Salvation with Fear and Trembling. And what Advice I give to thee herein, I desire to give it to my own Soul. For I must acknow­ledge (and I desire to do it with shame and sorrow) that in the Days of my Youth, I walked after the Fashion of this World, and after the Lusts of mine own Heart, and have even wearied my self in ways of Wickedness; but as for the pleasant Ways and peaceful Paths of God, my corrupt Heart accounted them too strict, and did wholly decline them [...] Oh that my Head were Water, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might weep Day and Night, for my great Folly and Madness: How can I sufficiently be­wail it (if it were with Tears of Blood) that I should so miserably mispend the Prime of mine Age, and put my self so much behind-Hand in my Journey to­wards Everlasting Happiness; that while my Understanding, Memory, Affecti­ons, and all the Faculties of my Soul were lively and vigorous, and fit for [Page 17] [...]he Service of my God, I should serve [...]ivers Lusts and Pleasures; and that while I enjoyed Youth and Health, and [...]trength, I should not take one step in Heavens-way: How did Pride, and [...]assion, and Wantonness, and Volup­ [...]uousness, devour my precious Time and [...]y Heart too! How often have I spent [...]he whole Day in Hunting or Bowling, [...]nd a great part of the Night in Dan­ [...]ing and Carding? sure this was not the [...]ay to Heaven. Oh the Infinite Mercy [...]nd Patience of my God, that had not [...]hen cut me off, and made me to reap [...]he Fruit of mine own Ways! But O my Soul, how canst thou sufficiently ad­mire the free Grace and infinite Good­ [...]ess of my Blessed God! who stopped [...]hee in thy Carrear towards Hell, and [...]urned thy Feet into the Way of Peace! Consider now what thou hast to do, Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and all that Psal. 103. 1. within me, bless his Holy Name: Who hath opened thy Eyes at last, and hath given thee an Heart to forsake the Ways of Death, and to chuse the Way of Life. Be heartily humbled, and bewail, that thou hadst not set out sooner, in so Good, so Sweet, and so Holy a way; and that thou didst so linger in Sodom, [Page 18] and wer't Content to abide so long a [...] it were in the Suburbs of Hell, an [...] now thou art in the Right Way wal [...] on chearfully in it; lift up thy feebl [...] Knees, and make straight Paths: Thin [...] thou canst never do enough for tha [...] God, who hath done so much for Thee [...] since he hath set thy Heart at Liberty, do thou run the Ways of his Commandments; since thou hast done [...] much against him in the former pa [...] of thy Life, labour to do the more fo [...] him in the remaining Part; that s [...] though thou didst set out late, tho [...] maist with Safety and Comfort arrive [...] thy Journeys end. For shame, do no [...] thou whose Feet were as Hinds Feet [...] the Way of Sin, creep on a Snails pac [...] in the Ways of God. Now Christia [...] (who readest these Lines) if thou ha [...] obtained that special Grace and Favou [...] to be Converted, and brought into th [...] Right Way in the Days of thy Yout [...] O Live in Admiration of the Ri [...] Grace of God, and shew thy thankfu [...]ness by walking chearfully in his Way▪ But thou art in my Condition, if tho [...] hast neglected to seek the Kingdom [...] God in the first Place, and to walk [...] the way of Holiness, which leads [...] [Page 19] that Kingdom (as I have done.) Let us now set to it with our whole Heart. Let us now forsake our wicked Ways, and Isa. 55. 7. unrighteous Thoughts, and let us return to [...]he Lord, and he will have Mercy upon us, and to our God and he will abundantly Par­don: Let us, who have brought forth [...]one but bitter Fruits in our Youth bring [...]orth the Fruit unto Holiness in our Old-Age, and then our End shall be Ever­ [...]asting Life. Let us learn this Lesson [...]rom our Horse (for the Lord sends us [...]o School to the Bruit Creatures) tho' [...]e seem weary and tired, yet when he [...]nows he is come near his Journeys End, [...]e will mend his Pace, and go with [...]ew Mettle and Courage.

CHAP. VI. A Traveller is many times put out of his Way by false Directions.

A Christian had need be very Cir­cumspect in his walking, and or­ [...]er his Steps according to the Infallible Rule of God's Word, for he will meet with many Seducers and Opposers, who [Page 20] will endeavour to put him out of hi [...] way. The three grand Seducers [...] the Devil, a Man's own Lusts, and th [...] World.

First, The Devil, that old and Ar [...] Seducer, who since he was thrown o [...] of Heaven himself, makes it his work [...] keep others from thence, and to lea [...] poor Souls from the Kingdom of Go [...] to his own Kingdom of Darkness. Th [...] old Serpent deceived our first Parent [...] and led them out of the way, and ou [...] of Paradise too. He is said to deceiv [...] Gen. 3. Rev. 12. 9. the whole World. He hath mille fallen [...] artes, a thousand arts to deceive poo [...] Souls: he hath his [...], Devices; h [...] 2 Cor. 2. 11. Eph. 6. 11. Rev. 2. 24. [...], Wiles or Methods; his [...] Depths; his [...], Snares. All the [...] to deceive poor Souls, and to lead the [...] out of their way. Sometimes he tran [...]forms 1 Tim. 3. 7. himself into an Angel of Light [...] sometimes appears as a roaring Lyon [...] 2 Cor. 11. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 5, 8. now he tempts to Presumption, an [...] anon to Despair: In Youth he tel [...] thee it is too soon to be Religious, an [...] in old Age he tells thee it is too la [...] But his chief Artifice is to misreprese [...] both the way of Holiness, and the w [...] of Sin; the former he represents as [...] difficult, unpleasant, and a melanchol [...] [Page 21] way; the latter as guilded, and sugared over with all the Sweets of Pleasure and Delight: He will tell thee, That the one is a broad and easie way, the other [...] strait and narrow way: but he will [...]ot tell thee that the broad way leads Matth. 7. 13, 14. [...]o Destruction, and the narrow way [...]eads to Life. He will tell thee that [...]f thou will walk in his way, thou shalt [...]ave Riches enough, but if thou walkest [...]n the way of God, thou must look to [...]eet with Poverty, Hunger, Thirst, Tears, Hatred, Separation and Reproach; [...]ut he will not tell thee, that Christ de­ [...]ounceth a Woe to the first, and pro­ [...]ounceth Luk. 6. 20. the last to be Blessed. He will tell thee that the way of Sin is [...]rowed with Roses; but he will not [...]ell thee, that Hell is at the end of that way: He will tell thee, that the way of Holiness is strowed with Thorns; but [...]e will not tell thee, that Heaven is at [...]he end of that way. Well then, Fel­ [...]ow-Travellers, as one adviseth well in [...]nother case, take heed of keeping the Devils Counsel, so I caution thee in [...]his case, take heed of taking the De­ [...]ils Counsel, for he never ceaseth to [...]ervert the right ways of the Lord. Acts 13. 10

Secondly, Another grand Seducer, and [Page 22] a dangerous, is the Lusts of thine own Heart: If thou consult with these, thou wilt never get to Heaven; they will ad­vise thee to take the way of Ease, of Self-pleasing, of Self-preservation, and to shun the ways wherein there are so many strict Duties to be performed; so many severe Precepts to be observed; so many Hardships to be suffered. They will persuade thee not to part with pre­sent things, for future invisible things, and such things as thy Senses tell thee are full of sweetness and delight, for such things as thou didst never see, but only hast heard of; not to let go Plea­sures and Comforts, which thou hast in hand and possession, for such as thou hast only in hope and expectation: And by such false Suggestions will they en­deavour, like an Ignis fatuus, to lead thee out of thy way; then if thou meet with Sufferings and Persecutions (as thou wilt be sure to do, if thou art in the right way) thou wilt be ready to make a stand, (as the Traveller doth when he comes to a cross Way,) and to enquire which is thy way: Then if thou consult with Flesh and Blood, that will be sure to shew thee a false way: That will cry out, Save thy self, save thy [Page 23] Estate, save thy Liberty, save thy Life, but no save thy Soul: That will say, Pity thy Wife, pity thy Children, pity thy Family, but no pity thy Soul. There­fore, Christian, stop thine Ears against these Syrens, unless thou hast a mind to leave the way of Life, and to be led in­to the way of Death and Destruction.

Thirdly, Another grand Seducer is the World, in which one indeed are a World of Seducers; I shall mention Three, whom I would caution a Chri­stian, who seriously desires to keep in Heavens way, to take heed of.

First, The Covetous Worldling, who makes Mammon his God, and can think of no greater happiness, than great Pos­sessions and large Revenues, than full Barns and full Bags: If thou take his Advice, he will persuade thee to take the way of Profit, to heap up Riches, to add House to House, and Land to Land, thou shalt have the Reputation of a wise Man whilest thou livest, and leave a great Substance to thy Babes when thou diest. Christian, Look to thy Map-Book, and thou shalt see that this is as far from thy way, as the East is from the West, or as Heaven is from Hell; there thou shalt find that thou [Page 24] canst not love God and Mammon; That Mat. 6. 24. 1 John 2. 15. Mat. 19. 24. if any Man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him; That it is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Nee­dle, than for a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God; That tells thee, That Mark. 8. 36. Col. 3. 5. Jam. 4. 4. if it were possible for thee to gain the whole World to thy self, with the loss of thy Soul, thou wouldst make but a bad bar­gain: That tells thee, That Covetous­ness is Idolatry, and that it is Spiritual Adultery too; For as the Love of an Harlot with-draws the Heart from a Lawful Wife, so the Love of the World with-draws the Heart from God.

Secondly, Another Seducer, or Setter, that the World employs to turn Christians out of their way, is the Voluptuous Epi­cure, who can fancy no other Heaven but to satisfie his Lusts, and to wallow in Pleasures (and indeed it is all the Heaven he is like to have:) If thou hearken to him, he will counsel thee to indulge thy Lusts, to pamper thy Flesh, to take thy fill of Pleasure while thou may'st, while thou hast Youth and Time. Ede, bibe, lude, post mortem nulla voluptas. Eat, drink and play, after Death no pleasure, (and indeed there is none for such as he.) He will tell [Page 25] thee how sweet and delightful his way is, and that Stage-Plays, Dancing, Di­cing, Drinking, Drabbing, are other manner of Delights than thine, name­ly, to be poring in a Book all Day, to be running after Sermons, to be Soli­tary, and alone in thy Closet, to pu­nish thy Body with Fasting. Well, Christian, look to thy Rule again, which is a sure Rule, and cannot deceive thee, which tells thee; Men are in an unre­generate State, while they are serving divers Lusts and Pleasures, that are rec­koned Tit. 3. 3. amongst the vilest Sinners; and those that are furthest out of the way, are those that are lovers of pleasures more 1 Tim. 6. 34. than lovers of God: That will tell thee, that the Prodigal was out of his way, (and out of his Wits too) when he took his Journey in a far Country, and there wasted his Substance in riotous Liv­ing, Luke 15. 11. and with Harlots. And when he came to himself, then he left these Courses, and returned to his Father. There thou shalt find, that Moses chose Heb. 11. rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God, then to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season. But there is one Place, which if there were no more were enough to fright thee from hearkening to these E­picures, [Page 26] and from following their Cour­ses. Rejoyce O Young Man in thy Youth, and let thine Heart chear thee in the Days of thy Youth, and walk in the ways of thy Heart, and in the sight of thine Eyes; but know that for all these things, God will bring thee into Judgment. So that thou feest these Sons of Pleasure are not in the way of Life, but in the way of Death; and are like those Fishes which the Historian reports of, that they sport themselves so long in the Shallows of the River Jordan, till the swiftness of the Stream carries them into the Dead Sea where they all perish. They who are for a short Life and a Merry, will meet with a long Death and a Sad one: Earthly Pleasures will be followed with Hells Torments; The Rich Man, who had lived so high was brought to a short Dyet: Those that cannot live without Pleasures here, must live without Plea­sure for ever.

And here by way of Digression, I heartily wish some Eloquent Appollos, some powerful Orator would speak this Caution so loud, that all the young Gal­lants in England might hear it, who (for the Generality of them) live as if they had been brought up in the School [Page 27] of Epicurus, and not in the School of Christ; as if they had drank of Circes Cup, and were turned into Swine; they so drown and soak themselves in Plea­sure, that they unfit and incapacitate themselves, not only for the Service of God, but also for their King and Coun­trey: It is a sad Consideration to think, what Privy Councellours, what Parlia­ments, what Magistrates we are like to have in another Age.

A Third Seducer thou wilt meet with in the World is the Ambitious Person, who like the Camelion lives upon Air, upon the breath of the Prince, and the applause of the People, who knows no other Heaven but the Princes Smile, no other Hell but his Frowns. If thou ap­ply thy self to him for Direction in thy Way, what Course will he advise thee to, but that crooked Path that himself walketh in? He will advise thee to take the way that leads to Honour and Pre­ferment in the World: He will tell thee the only Happiness is to be the Princes Favourite, and the Peoples Darling, to have the uppermost Rooms at Feasts, and the chief Seats in all Conventions, and greetings in the Market, and to be cal­led of Men Rabbi, to have the Cap and Mat. 23. [...]. [Page 28] the Knee; where ever thou comest to have all Men bow to thee; Digito mon­strari & dicier hic est.

But Christian look to thy Rule, and thou wilt never be deluded with this Pageantry: Thou wilt never be led in­to this Fools Paradice, that will shew thee the way to true Honour, Them that Honour me, I will Honour. Abraham, 1 Sam. 2. 30. Moses, Paul, these were honourable in­deed. Abraham, the Friend of God; Moses, the Servant of the Lord; Paul, a Servant of Jesus Christ. These are other manner of Titles of Honour, than the greatest Grandees on Earth ever at­tained. Artaxerxes, who stiled himself King of Kings. Ahasuerus that Reigned Ezra 7. 12. Esth. 1. 1. from India to Aethiopia over an hundred twenty seven Provinces, The Great Turk, The Great Mogul, The Emperour of the West, The Emperour of the World, are poor, empty, airy, Titles, in Compa­rison of this, The Servant of the Lord. All his Servants are Favourites, and eve­ry one of them is a King, and when all Earthly Crowns shall fade and wither, they shall have a never fading Crown of Glory, This Honour have all his Saints. Psal. 149. 9 Then Christian thy Rule will tell thee, what end the way of Ambition usually [Page 29] leads to in this Life. What became of Herod who was the Peoples Darling? What became of Haman who was the Princes highest Favourite? the one when the People had cryed him up for a God, Acts 1 [...]. 22, 23. Esth. 5. 11. died like a Beast, and was devoured of Worms: The other, when he had boast­ed one Day, how highly the King had advanced him above all his Princes and Servants; was the next Day advanced to a Gallows fifty Cubits high, where he ended his Life and Honour, in a shame­ful and most Ignominious Death. Cer­tainly he hath read but little History, (nay he hath lived but a little while in the World) who cannot by his own Experience add many Presidents of this Kind, which should be as so many Pil­lars of Salt to scare thee from this way, Whosoever exalts himself shall be abased: Luke 14. 11. Job 24. 24. They are exalted for a little while, but are gone, and brought low, they are taken out of the Way as all others. It was a saying worthy of that Christian Emperour The­odosius, He rejoyced more that he was a Member of the Church of God, then Gaudere se magis quod esse mem­brum Ec­clesiae Dei quam quod esset Caput Imperii. that he was an Emperour of the whole World.

CHAP. VII. A Careful Traveller is much grieved, when he finds himself to be out of his Way, and hastens to get into it again; and is never quiet, till he hath recovered it.

SO is it with every Christian that is Travelling towards Heaven. 1. He is exceedingly grieved, when he finds himself out of his Way. 2. He hasts, and is restless, till he get into it again.

First, When by the Violence of Satans Temptation, or by the Prevalency of Corruption, or by the Allurements of the World, he hath been drawn aside out of the Way of Holiness into the By-Paths of Sin: How is this Soul filled with Godly Sorrow and Humiliation? What Sighs and Groans? What Cryes and Tears? What Complaints and La­mentations? What Self-abhorrency and Self-condemnation might you hear, were you at his Closet Door, when he is pouring out his melting Soul before God? Nay sometimes he is like to be swal­lowed [Page 31] up with overmuch Sorrow; He cries out, he is lost and undone, that he shall never recover his Journeys end, that he shall never get to Heaven: Was it not thus with David, when he had so foully lost his way. My Sin is ever be­fore me, I am weary of my Groaning, all Psal. 6. 6. the Night make I my Bed to swim, I Wa­ter my Couch with my Tears. My Heart Psal. 102. 4. is smitten, and withered like Grass, so that I forget to eat my Bread: His Grief was such, that he could neither Eat nor Sleep. Next hear Ephraim bemoaning himself, Surely after I was turned I re­pented, Jer. 31. 19. and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my Thigh, I was ashamed, yea even confounded, &c. Then consider Pe­ter, when fear of Suffering and Self-con­fidence had led him out of the Way, and made him deny and forswear his Lord and Master, He went out and wept bitter­ly. Mat. 26. last. I shall add one more Instance, and that is of the Church: It were enough to melt an Heart of Stone seriously to consider her doleful Complaints in the Book which is called Lamentations: You may there see, that the ground of it was because they had departed from God and his Ways, the whole Book is a Proof of this; but I shall Name a few places to [Page 32] shew you her Grief: She weepeth sore in Lam. 1. 2, 4, 12. the Night, and her Tears are on her Cheeks, her Priests sigh, her Virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. Behold and see, if there be any Sorrow like to my Sorrow. Mine Eyes do fail with Tears, my Bowels Lam. 2. 11. are troubled, my Liver is poured upon the Earth. Mine Eyes trickle down and ceas­eth not without any Intermission: Here you Chap. 3. 49. have something of her Grief, but you may have much more if you read that Book; then to give you a few Places; which shew the ground of all this Sorrow and Complaining: For the Multitude of your Transgressions, her Children are gone Lam. 1. 5, 8, 18. into Captivity. Jerusalem hath grievously Sinned. The Lord is Righteous, I have re­belled against his Commandment. I am i [...] Distress, my Bowels are troubled, my Hear [...] ver. 20. is turned within me; why so? For I have Lam. 3. 42, ver. 22. ver. 13. grievously rebelled. We have transgressed and rebelled: It is of the Lords Mercie [...] that we are not consumed; She confesseth it was the Iniquity of the Daughter o [...] her People, for the Sins of her Prophets, and the Iniquity of her Priests: Th [...] Crown is fallen from our Head, wo unto [...] Chap. 5. 16. that we have sinned: and in the Conclu­sion of the Book, the last Verse but on [...] they Pray, Turn thou us unto thee O Lord [Page 33] and we shall be turned: By which you see, [...]ere was the great Cause of her Lamen­ [...]ation, that they were gone out of their Way; therefore they Pray to be turned [...]nto it again: They had departed from God, and Pray to be turned to him a­gain; so that the first Point is clear. That every Child of God, he is making [...]or Heaven, and exceedingly grieved and afflicted, when he finds himself out of the Way.

Secondly, As a Traveller hasteth into [...]is Way again, and is never quiet, till [...]e hath recovered it: So it is with eve­ [...]y true Christian indeed, a Wicked Man when he is in the Ways of Sin, and sa­ [...]isfying his Lusts, he is where he would [...]e; he is in his proper Element; if he might Sin Eternally, he would desire no [...]etter Life: but it is far otherwise with [...] Child of God, he finds little ease in [...]he Ways of Sin; when he is drawn out of the Ways of Holiness, he is out of [...]is Element, he hath no more quiet then [...] Fish out of the Water: A wicked Man [...]olls Sin under his Tongue like a sweet Morsel, and delights to feed upon it, as Job 20. 12. [...] Swine upon Husks; but that which is [...]he Sinners Meat, is the Saints Poyson; [...]nd if he hath at any Time Tasted or [Page 34] Sipt of it, he is never quiet till he hat [...] Vomited it up again by true Repentance▪ A Swine lies wallowing in the Mire [...] with Delight and Content; but if [...] Sheep step into it, he makes all the hast [...] he can to get out of it: When the Prodi­gal came to himself, and his Eyes were opened to see, that he had been out of h [...] Way; Then farewel Pots and Harlot [...] he could feed upon such husks no longer; but resolves to return to his Father [...] House, who had Bread enough for a [...] his Servants. When David had ru [...] out of his Way, into those vile Way [...] of Adultery and Murder, we see ho [...] little quiet he had, he saith, I ha [...] Psal. 22. Psal. 38. 8. Psal. 22. 14. roared by reason of the disquietness of [...] Heart: All my Bones are out of Joynt, (an [...] sure then he could have but little ease [...] but though Bones out of Joynt be ve [...] painful, yet broken Bones are mo [...] painful, nay, he Complains of broke [...] Bones too; but if a Man have quiet [...] Psal. 51. 8. Prov. 18. 14. his Spirit, he will sustain his bodily Infi [...] mities, but a wounded Spirit, who can bea [...] But he was deeply wounded in h [...] Spirit too? My Soul also is sore vexed but thou, O Lord! How long? He complains Psal. 6. 3. again and again, Why art thou ca [...] Psal. 42. 5. Psal. 48. 5. down, O my Soul! and why art thou dis­quieted [Page 35] within me. My Soul melteth away for Heaviness: Strengthen me according to thy Word. I could likewise tell you, what disquiet the Spouse was in, when she had refused to open to her Beloved, how she ran up and down searching and enquiring after him; and was never qui­et till she found and enjoyed him again; but this is enough to shew, that a gra­cious Soul that is Travelling towards Heaven is never quiet, when he finds himself out of Heavens way (that is the way of Holiness.) He can have no more ease and quiet in his Soul, than he who hath all his Bones broken, or out of Joynt, can have in his Body. Therefore Fellow-Traveller, let us take heed how we go out of our Way into the crooked Paths of Sin, but if we have by Violence of Temptation, or Power of Corrupti­on been drawn aside; let us speedily and heartily repent, and be soundly hum­bled for our Backsliding, and let us give our Souls no rest, till we have again turned our Feet into the Way of Peace; and then I shall give thee further Dire­ction in the next Observation.

CHAP. VIII. A Traveller, having been once out of his Way, will be the more wary and careful ever after to keep it.

AND doth not every Relapse of Gods Children make them more watchful and vigilant for the Future: Doth not every fall they take make them look the better to their Footing? Doth not ever Sin they commit encrease their hatred of Sin in their Souls? We have a Proverb, A burnt Child dreads the Fire [...] What is the Reason? But because h [...] fall into it, did breed him so much Pai [...] and Smart; surely falling into Sin bring [...] to the Children of God so much Pai [...] and Anguish, that they dread it as much as the Fire of Hell; and therefore, whe [...] they recover out of it, they will tak [...] heed how they fall into it again: As [...] Bird that hath broken loose out of th [...] Snare of the Fowler, will scarce be ta­ken in it a second Time. He is little ac­quainted with the Word or Way o [...] God, that hath not made this Observa­tion, [Page 37] that the fall or falls of Gods Chil­dren (being sanctified by him that can bring Good out of Evil, and hath pro­mised, That all things shall work together for good to them that love God) have done them good. They have awakened and quickened them to a more circumspect walking, they have been the more live­ly in their Duties, more diligent in do­ing, and more zealous in suffering the Will of God; they have been the more careful to keep out Sin ever after. As it is with a Garrison, if the Enemies have entred within their Works and repulsed them, they will fortifie that place, where the Enemy made a Breach, more strong­ly than before; so it is with a Christian, if any of his Senses, as for Instance, his Ear, or his Eye, which have been inlets to Sin, he will for the future set a strict­er Watch upon them; he will stop his Ears against all corrupt and unclean Con­versation, he will with Job, Make a Co­venant with his Eyes; and with David, Job 31. 1. Psal. 119. 37. beg of God To turn away his Eyes from beholding Vanity: If his Tongue cause him to offend, he will bridle it up, and beg of God to set a Watch before the Door of his Lips: If his Heart betrayed him, he will henceforth set a double [Page 38] Guard upon it; that is, he will himself keep it with all Diligence, and will ear­nestly beg of God to undertake the keeping of it: The falls of Gods Chil­dren have the same Effect upon them, that Pauls Letter had upon the Corinthi­ans: It makes them sorry after a Godly 2 Cor. 7. 11. Manner, and this Godly Sorrow, Be­hold, what carefulness it works in them, yea what clearing of themselves, yea what in­dignation, yea what fear, yea what vehe­ment desire, yea what zeal, yea what re­venge; in all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this Matter: So that it may be truly said of true Christians, that they get ground by their stumbling; and as to this Case, We may Answer this Question of our Saviour Affirma­tively, and say, That Men may gather Grapes of Thorns, and Figs of Thistles; Mat. 7. 16. that God with whom nothing is impos­sible by sanctifying the falls of his Chil­dren (which are in themselves Evil) can make them to bring forth Fruit, as Godly Sorrow, Self-abasement, Care and Watchfulness, Diligence and Acti­vity in the ways of God: In a Word, they make them more Holy, Humble, Heavenly-minded ever after. Peter's Pride brought him to his Fall, and his [Page 39] Fall broke the Neck of his Pride; see how Humble he was grown, how his Self-confidence was taken down, when our blessed Saviour asked him, Simon lovest thou me more then these? (He would no more of that) more then these? He could tell Christ before, Though all Men forsake thee, yet will not I. But now he gives a more humble, modest Answer, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. The Spouse in the Canticles, when she had by her drowsiness and neglect of her Belo­ved caused him to withdraw, she was restless, till she had found him again, but when she had recovered him, she re­solved never to let him go more, I found Cant. 3. 4. him whom my Soul loves, I held him fast and would not let him go. So it is with every Saint after his recovery from a Fall, he labours to lay faster hold on Jesus Christ, and to keep more close to his Holy Ways all his Life after: This is a Truth, and a sweet Truth. But I dare not leave it without this Cauti­on, let none turn this Rich Grace of God into wantonness, this precious Cor­dial into Poyson. Would any but a mad-Man go and break his Bones, be­cause he hears that a broken Bone well cured is stronger then before. Hearken [Page 40] what the Apostle saith, Shall we Sin that Rom. 6. 1. Grace may abound? God forbid: Sure those that belong to God will make a better use of his Grace.

CHAP. IX. Every Traveller is desirous to have as much good Company with him in his Journey as he can, especially of his Relations and Friends.

NO Child of God desires to go to Heaven alone, but is of his Savi­ours Mind; Would have all Men come to 1 Tim. 2. 4. the Knowledge of the Truth and be saved: And therefore he will be perswading Re­lations, Friends, Acquaintance, Neigh­bours, Servants, and all with whom he converseth to keep him Company in the way of Salvation: Certainly who ever is truly converted himself, will labour for the Conversion of others. When Andrew had found the Messiah or rather was found of him, he finds out his Bro­ther John 1. 41. Simon, and brings him to Christ. When our Saviour had called Philip, he John 1. 45. seeks out Nathanael, that he might par­take [Page 41] of the same Mercy with him. If that Rich Man (he was Rich indeed on Luke 16. Earth, but Poor enough in Hell) if he, I say, was so sollicitous, that his Brethren might not come to that Place of Tor­ment where he was; much more, and upon a better account, will those who are going to Heaven themselves be solli­citous that their Brethren may come to that Place of bliss where they Hope to be. A Magistrate, who is going to Heaven, will labour to have all his Sub­jects to go with him: A Minister all his People, a Parent all his Children, a Ma­ster all his Family, and all his Servants: And every real Christian, all his Neigh­bours, and all his Friends.

First, A Godly Ruler or Magistrate, who rules in Righteousness and the fear of the Lord, will endeavour to bring all his People to fear the Lord, and to have all his Subjects become the Subjects of Christ: As it was matter of great Joy to David, when he went with the Mul­titude to the House of God; so it is to every Gracious Prince, when he can carry a great Train with him to Heaven. Moses the Servant of the Lord endea­voured to make all the People, over whom God had made him Governour, [Page 42] the Servants of the Lord; he laboured not only to lead them to an Earthly, but to the Heavenly Canaan. How faithfully doth he acquaint them with the whole Will of God! How solemn­ly and strictly doth he charge them to walk in all his Ways, and keep his Com­mandments! How zealously doth he re­prove Deut. 4. them when they go out of the Way! And how importunately doth he beg of God to Pardon all their Trans­gressions, Exod. 32. 31, 32. and doth not this shew, that he desired to have them to Heaven with him. Joshua his Successor walked in his Steps, and did not only faithfully serve God himself, but laboured to make all under his Conduct and Government to serve him also, and he was very success­ful in it; for it is written, That Israel Josh. 24. 31. served the Lord all the Days of Joshua; and so careful was he that they should continue walking in the Ways of God; that when he was taking leave of them, and this World, and was going to Hea­ven, he Summons all the Tribes to ap­pear before him; and gives them most Holy and Heavenly Exhortations to keep and to do all that was Written in the Law of Moses, and not to turn there­from, to the Right Hand or to the Left [Page 43] but to cleave to the Lord their God, as they had done to that Day; and much to that Purpose, which you may find in the two last Chapters of Joshua; by which you may see how careful he was to have them to walk with him in the Way of God, while he Lived, and that they should persevere in those Ways when he was Dead; he desired to have their Company on Earth and in Heaven. David a Man after Gods own Heart, he walked so exactly in the Ways of God himself; there it is said, He turned not aside from any thing he commanded him all 1 Kings 15. 5. the Days of his Life, save only in the Mat­ter of Uriah. And he desired, that not only all Israel, but that all the World might keep him Company in this Good and Holy Way: And therefore he begs of God, That his Ways may be known up­on Earth, and his saving Health among all Psal. 67. 2, 5. Nations. Let the People Praise thee, O God, let all the People Praise thee. And as his Hearts desire was to see all Men walking in the Way to Heaven with him: So was his Righteous Soul grieved, when he saw People go out of that Way: For he saith, Rivers of Tears run Psal. 119. 136. down mine Eyes, because Men keep not thy Law. Good Josiah did not think it e­nough, [Page 44] To make a Covenant before the 2 Chron. 34. Lord, to walk after the Lord, and keep his Commandments with all his Heart, and with all his Soul, but he caused all Jerusa­lem and Benjamin to stand to it; he was not Content to serve the Lord alone, but he made all Israel to serve the Lord. So that you see, that Godly Magistrates will endeavour to have all their Subjects to Heaven with them. Though it be said of Earthly Kings, that they will ad­mit of no Partners in the Crown; yet it may be truly said of those Kings, who look after an Heavenly Kingdom; that they would have all to partake with them in the Crown of Glory. But then,

Secondly, A Godly Minister will labour to carry all his Flock to Heaven with him; that he may say when he comes there, behold here am I, and the Children Eph. 2. 13. which the Lord hath given me. How doth he Preach to them, Pray for them, and weep over them; how doth he beat his Brains, break his Sleep, and even spend his Strength and Spirits, that he may bring them to walk in the Way of Ho­liness, which he goes before them in and to be Followers of him as he is o [...] Christ. Paul that blessed Apostle wa [...] an eminent Example of this, what Pain [...] [Page 45] did he take? What Dangers did he un­dergo? What a Circuit of Ground did he traverse on Earth, that he might bring Souls to Heaven, and that all that Rev. 15. 19. heard him might be such as he was? How zealous was he to have all his Countrey-men to Heaven with him? As appears, Brethren my Hearts desire Rom. 10. 1. and Prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved; and by that Hyperbo­lical Rom. 9. 6. Expression, I could wish my self accursed from Christ for my Brethren, my Kinsmen according to the Flesh; and this Zeal of his was not confined only to the Jews, but extended to the Gen­tiles also, whose Apostle he was, he saith, He testifies to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, Repentance towards God, and Acts 20. 21. Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ: So that he shewed both the Way to Hea­ven; he saith, He went about teaching ver. 20. them, not only Publickly, but from House to House. That he ceased not to warn eve­ry ver. 31. one Day and Night with Tears. I might instance in all the rest of the Apostles, who did all labour abundantly, though Paul did labour more abundantly than they 1 Cor. 15. 10. all. Nay, There is not one faithful Mi­nister of Christ in the World, but makes it his Work to draw Souls to that Hea­ven [Page 46] whither he is going: They can all make their Appeal to the People, You know how we exhorted every one of you, as 1 Thes. 2. 11. a Father doth his Children: That you walk worthy of God, that hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory: And when they can prevail with them so to walk, it is their Joy and their Crown of Rejoycing. We ver. 19. may judge without breach of Charity, that Minister not to be going to Heaven himself, who cares not whether his Peo­ple go to Heaven or Hell.

Thirdly, There is the same desire in all Family Relations. How will the Converted Husband, labour with the Wife of his Bosom, to draw together in the same Yoke of Christ with him, that they may walk hand in hand to Heaven; He did never so importunate­ly wooe her to be married to himself, as he will wooe her to be married to Christ.

Fourthly, The Parent who is himself going towards Heaven, will labour to carry all his Children with him; and therefore will Pray with them, and for them; and will carefully endeavour to bring them up in the Nurture and Admoni­tion Eph. 6. 2. of the Lord, and to Train them in the way, wherein they should go.

Fifthly, A Master of a Family who is walking in Heavens Way himself, will have all his Servants to walk in the same Way with him; He will labour to make them all the Servants of the Lord Jesus, to make his House a little House of God; that it may be said of him, as it was of Philemon, The Church which is in thy House. Phil. 2. We know what the Lord saith of Abra­ham, I know Abraham that he will com­mand Gen. 18. 19. his Children, and his Houshold after him, and they shall keep the Way of the Lord. We know also what was Joshua's Resolution, I and my House will serve the Josh. 24. 15. Lord. And what David's was, He that walketh in a perfect Way shall serve me: Psal. 101. He that worketh Deceit shall not dwell in my House; He that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight.

Fourthly, Every real Christian will be earnestly persuading all his Neighbours and Acquaintance to accompany him in his Journey toward Heaven. What the Poet saith of the natural Birth, may be truly said of the Spiritual Birth. Nas­citur indigne per quam non nascitur alter. Ʋnworthy to be Born is he, By whom no others Born be. So he is not worthy to be new Born, who is not Instrumental to make others new Born; He deserves [Page 48] not the Name of a Christian (and sure he hath but the Name) who doth not heartily endeavour to draw others to Christ. I appeal to all who are going Heaven-ward themselves, whether they have not a longing desire to get all the Company they can to Heaven with them; and it is no wonder, if we consider how sweet the Work is, and what a blessed Reward is promised to it. And they that Dan. 12. 3. be Wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament, and they that turn many to Righteousness, as the Stars for ever and e­ver. So now it is clear, that herein the Earthly and the Heavenly Traveller a­gree, that both labour to have as much Company with them as they can.

CHAP. X. A Traveller in his Journey will keep Company with such and such only as are going the same way that he is, and to the same Place.

AND this Christian, calls for thy special Imitation, if thou art re­solved for Heaven, thou must keep Com­pany [Page 49] with such as are going Heavens way, and shun the Company of those who are going in the contrary way to Hell and Destruction; I shall begin with the last first.

First, Thou must shake Hands with those who were thy old Companions in the Ways of Sin; Can two walk toge­ther, except they be agreed? And what Amos 3. 3. agreement can there be between the Children of Light, and the Children of Darkness; between the Children of God, and the Children of the Devil; between those who are resolved for Hea­ven, and those who are at agreement with Hell? Will Sheep flock together with Swine, or Doves with Vultures? Psal. 38. 15. Who would make those his Compani­ons on Earth, who must be Companions of the Devil and his Angels in Hell for ever? Therefore as the Psalmist saith, I have not sat with vain Persons, so do thou say, I will not walk with vain Per­sons; thou wilt be sure to receive no good by them, but wilt be in danger to receive much hurt. For it is as impos­sible for one in pure White to embrace [...] Chimney-Sweeper, and not to be sul­ [...]ied, as for a Man to hold familiar and [...]utimate Converse with Prophane Men, [Page 50] and not be defiled: That Man is got half Way to Heaven, that is rid of his wicked Companions. The general Ex­perience of Christians will Seal to this Truth, that when God hath changed the Heart, and a Man hath changed his Courses, he will also change his Compa­nions. Paul, when the Scales were fal­len off his Eyes, and he was brought in to the right Way, he would have no more Familiarity with his great Friends the Chief Priests, nor with his old Per­secuting Companions, and he left their Friendship. So they became his bitter Enemies, and when he left persecuting the Saints of God, they fell to persecu­ting of him. We read indeed of good Jehosaphat, that he entred into a strict League and Intimacy with wicked A­hab; but we know that he was out of his Way when he did so, and it was like to cost him his Life; and though God pre­served his Life, yet he was displeased with his Act, as you may see in the Sto­ry. 2 Chron. 19. 22. Now this is one thing, that thou must imitate the Traveller in; namely, thou must shun the Company of those who are going in a contrary Way, But,

Secondly, Thou must consort with those [Page 51] who are going thy Way; thou must not only separate from Sinners, but con­verse with Saints: Thou must avoid the Society of the wicked, least they hin­der thee in thy Way; and thou must associate with the Godly, that they may further thee in thy Way: Thou must shun the one, that they may not be a Bridle or Curb to hold thee back: Thou must embrace the other, that they may be a Spur to quicken thee and put thee forward: It is a common Saying, and it may be called a Traveller's Pro­verb, An Eloquent or Pleasant Companion on the Way is instead of a Chariot. And Facundus comes in Via, pro Ve­hiculo est. it may be said, that Godly Companions in the Way to Heaven, are instead of Elias his Chariot, they will be helpful to thee many ways.

First, They will forward thee in thy way to Heaven by their good Counsel and Instruction. The Heathen Poet speaks like a Christian in this,

From good men thou wilt learn good things. And doth not the Word of God speak [Page 52] to the same purpose from that Divine Proverb, He that walketh, with wise men Prov. 13. 20. shall be wise, but a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed. We know that Solomons Wise man is the good or the Godly man, and certainly there is no such wise Man in the World as he that is wise for his Soul and for Eternity; so here is one bene­fit thou will reap by keeping Company with the Godly, thou wilt have good Counsel and Instruction from them, and see what a benefit this was to Jehoash, He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehojada the 2 Kings 12. 2. Priest instructed him.

Secondly, Thou wilt be promoted in thy Way by their Holy Example: The Examples of good Men are more taking Exempla plus pro­sunt quam praecepta. than their Instruction: Their Practices than their Precepts: He is like to write the fairest Hand, who writes after the fairest Copy: If thou canst say with Da­vid, I am a Companion of all those that fe [...] Psal. 119. 63. the Lord; what a Pattern wilt thou have for thy Imitation, when thou dost be­hold their Holy Convesation; when thou dost every Day see how careful the [...] are to walk by Rule; how Conscienti­ous to perform their Duty before Go [...] and Man? How Holily they behav [...] [Page 53] themselves in the World? In their Fa­milies? In their Closets? In their Cal­lings? In every Condition? In every Relation? How Chearfully they do? How Patiently they suffer the Will of God? How can this but stir up thy Mind to an Holy Emulation? And what an help will this be to thee in thy Way to Heaven?

Thirdly, They will be helpful to thee by their Heavenly Conference, As evil Communication corrupts good Manners, so good Communication must needs pro­mote good Manners: It is said, The Lips Prov. 10. 20. of the Righteous feed many; and this is sweet food indeed. Christ saith of the Church, Thy Lips drop as the Honey-comb. Cant. 4. 11 What Sweet and Holy Discourses will the Saints of God have, when they meet together? How will they provoke one another to Love and good Works? How will they communicate their Chri­stian Experiences? How will they like Coals kindle one another, and raise up one anothers Affections Heaven-ward? How will they encourage one another to hold and persevere in the ways of Holiness, by setting forth the Joys and the Glory of that Heavenly Country whether they are all going? As Prophane [Page 54] Wretches never meet, but they harden one another by their lewd and rotten Speeches; so the Children of God never do (or at least never should) meet but they Edify one another by their gracious Communications. We may observe, that our blessed Lord and Saviour as­cended into Heaven, from Holy Confe­rence with his Apostles; so was Elijah Mark. 16. 19. taken up in his Fiery Chariot, while he was in Holy Conference with Elisha. Now as they went to Heaven, while they were in this Holy Duty; so cer­tainly 2 Kings 12. 11. it will be a great help to thee in thy Way to Heaven.

Fourthly, If thou keep Company with the Saints, they will afford thee no little help by their Faithful Reproofs. Hear what the Wise Man saith, It is better to hear the Rebukes of the Wise, than to hear Eccl. 7. 5. the Song of Fools. Faithful are the Words Prov. 27. 5. of a Friend, but the Kisses of an Enemy are deceitful. And David saith, Let the Righteous Smite me and it shall be a kind­ness, Psal. 141. 5 let him Reprove me and it shall be an excellent Oil. And he loved such Pro­phets as Nathan and Gad, who would faithfully reprove him, when he went out of his Way, and deal plainly with him; and tell him, Thou art the Man. [Page 55] It had been well for Ahab, if he had done so to; if instead of hating good Micaiah for his faithful dealings, he had hated his Four hundred Court-Chap­lains, who soothed and flattered him to his Destruction. I shall relate thee a Story, which is not impertinent, and may not prove unprofitable. There was a Man well known to my self (for he Lived in the same Parish with me) who being at a Fair or Market (some Twelve Miles from his Habitation) Selling his Wares did Swear an Oath, one who heard it did step to him, and whispered in his Ear these or the like Words: Friend, Cannot you Sell your Commodities without dishonouring God? If you should gain a Penny by that Oath, and lose your own Soul, you would make but a bad Bargain: Pray think of it. The Man having dispatched his Market, Rides homeward pondering all the way upon these Words, one while he rea­soned with himself, This Man was a Stranger to me, I know neither his Name nor Face, sure he could have no other End nor Aim, but my Good. A­nother while he was much affected with the Manner of delivering the Reproof, in that he did it so mildly and private­ly, [Page 56] as if he were unwilling to put him to o­pen Shame; then he considered the Words, and was Convinced that they were a real Truth: The Issue was, that ever after this, he left not only his Swear­ing, but also all his other Sins, and be­came a new Man, and did heartily own the Ways of God, and walked uprightly in them to his dying Day. Now as this should encourage and quicken us to a faithful Discharge of this Holy Duty; so it may shew what I am speaking of, namely, what a special Benefit they en­joy, that walk in Society with the God­ly, who will in any wise rebuke their Bro­ther, and not suffer Sin upon him. As he Lev. 19. 17. who hath a skilful Physician always in his Company, hath a great advantage for the preserving of his bodily Health, because he will oppose the very begin­nings of the Distemper; so hath he a mighty Advantage for his Souls Health, who hath a faithful Reprover always in Venienti occurrere morbo, & Principiis obstare. his Company, who ingruenti malo occur­rere stop him when he takes his first step out of his way, and bring him into his right way again.

Fifthly, The Godly will be exceeding helpful to thee by their ferv [...]nt Trayers. It is the saying of one, That, that Child [Page 57] that hath a stock of faithful Prayers laid up for him, hath a Rich Portion; and such a Rich Portion hath every Child of God, for he hath a share in the Prayers of all the Saints upon Earth. And what a Priviledge is this, if we consider what Promises are made to their Prayers, Ask, and it shall be given Matth. 7. 7. you, (it is but ask and have, if we ask not amiss) Verily, I say unto you, what­soever John 16. 23. you shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you. The effectual fervent Jam. 5. 16. Prayer of a Righteous Man will avail much; and what then will the fervent Prayers of all the Righteous do? The Eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous, Psal. 34. 15. and his Ears are open to their Cry; which is repeated, 1 Pet. 3. 12. The eminent Apostle Paul was sensible of this, and therefore he begs the Prayers of the Saints for himself, and the rest of the Apostles, Brethren, Pray for us. And 1 Thess. 5. 25. 2 Thess. 3. 1. Heb. 13. 18. Rom. 15. 30. how vehemently doth he beg it, I be­seech you Brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christs sake, and for the Love of the Spi­rit; that you strive together with me in your Prayers to God for me. And you may see, he counted their Prayers to be very help­ful and beneficial. You also helping toge­ther 2 Cor. 1. 11. Phil. 1. 1 [...]. in Prayer. I know that this shall turn [Page 58] to my Salvation through your Prayers. By these thou mayst see clearly of what singular Benefit the Prayers of the God­ly may be to thee, that have such pre­valency with the Great God. And now I have shewed thee, how the Christian, who is going towards Heaven, must imitate the wise Traveller, in parting from those who are going a contrary Way, and keeping Company with those who are going his Way. The Heathen Poet could give this Advice.

And this agrees with the Holy Word of God, and with the Example of the Man after Gods own Heart; for he saith, Depart from me ye evil Doers, for I will keep the Commandments of my God. Psal. 119. 115. I am a Companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy Precepts. ver. 63.

CHAP. XI. He that Travels in a strange Countrey, must look to meet with many Af­fronts and Injuries, with many Troubles and Afflictions.

THE Children of God are all Stran­gers and Pilgrims on the Earth; Heb. 11. 13. they are out of their own Countrey, far from their own home, and from their Fathers House, and therefore, they must not think it strange to be used like Stran­gers. The World had never any good Will for the People of God; our bles­sed Saviour hath told us, what we must look for from them. The World hateth you, because you are not of the World, but John 15. 19. I have chosen you out of the World. And the Children of Israel met with many Dangers and Difficulties in their Passage towards the Earthly Canaan, so do the Children of God in their Passage through the Wilderness of this World towards the Heavenly Canaan. And this may be seen in the Example of all the Saints, that have gone to Heaven before us. I [Page 60] shall Instance in a few. Good Jacob calls his Life a Pilgrimage, and saith, That the Days of it were Few and Evil; Gen. 47. 9. that is, full of Affliction, and so they were; He was fain while Young to fly from his own Countrey, or else his own Brother would have been his Murderer; Gen. 27. 41, 42. being gone, what harsh and unfaithful dealings did he meet with from Chur­lish Laban? what hardship did he un­dergo Night and Day, and how ill was he requited? His Wife was changed once, Gen. 29. 23. Gen. 31. 7. and his Wages ten Times. At his re­turn, how terribly was he frighted when he heard of his Brother coming to meet him with four hundred Men? What bitter Crosses had he afterward in his Children? Reuben defiled his Fathers Bed. Gadding Dinah was Ravished; Simeon and Levi were Brethren in Ini­quity in a cruel and bloody Act; Judah committed Incest; His Darling Joseph was, as he conceived, Torn in Pieces with Wild Beasts, and at last he must part with his Beloved Benjamin too, upon ha­zardous Terms, or he and his Family must perish with Famine; all these things were against him, and were like to bring down his Gray-hairs with Sorrow to the Grave; so that he might well say [Page 61] the Days of his Pilgrimage were evil. Next see how it was with David, a Man after Gods own Heart, while he was a Stranger, and a Sojourner here as all his Fathers were. His Life was so full Psal. 39. 12. of troubles, that I believe he enjoyed more quiet while he was a Shepherds Boy, then he did all his Life after; be­fore he came to the Crown, he was hunted up and down by Saul; and after he came to the Crown by Absolom: It were endless to give you a particular Relation of his Sorrows, of Sauls Inju­ries, of Nabals Reproaches, Shimei's Railings and Cursings, Michals Mock­ing, Doegs Treachery, his great Dan­gers and Fears while he was with A­chish, his very great Distress at Ziglag, his many bitter Crosses and Afflictions in his Children and Family, and the trouble he had with his great Comman­ders the Sons of Zerviah, so thou seest what a troublesome Passage he also had through this Valley of Tears. I shall mention one more in the Old Testa­ment, and that is Job, a Man who had this Character from the Mouth of God himself; That he was Perfect and Ʋpright, and one that feared God, and eschewed E­vil: What entertainment did he meet [Page 62] with, while he was Travelling through this World? How was he used by the Caldeans and Sabeans? What sad Coun­sel did his Wife give him? What mise­rable Job 2. 9. Comforters were his Friends to him? But I shall not enlarge, for as the Apostle saith, You have heard of the Pati­ence of Job; so I may say, we have heard of the Afflictions of Job. If thou desirest any more Instances of Old Testament Saints, Read the 11th Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, which is called a little Book of Martyrs; and there thou wilt have enough, who all confes­sed, They were Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth. Then consider how it was with 2 Cor. 5. 20. New Testament Saints, whether they had a more easie Journey or a more smooth Passage. Paul, and the rest of the blessed Apostles, who were Am­bassadors sent from the great God of Heaven and Earth, to offer poor sinful Creatures, Terms and Conditions of Peace, and to beseech them in Christs stead to be reconciled to God; to proclaim a Pardon, and an Act of Oblivion to Rebels and Traitors, if they will lay down their Arms, and come in, and ac­cept of it, one would think should be well treated, and kindly dealt with for [Page 63] their Message sake, but none were treat­ed worse where-ever they came, they were used like Rogues, they were Whipt and put into the Stocks; nay, as if they had been the greatest Malefactors, they were cast into Prisons and Dungeons, they were Stoned, and put to several kind of Deaths; you may see a Cata­logue of Pauls Sufferings. 2 Cor. 11. from ver. 22. to 30.

I shall add but one Instance more, and that is beyond all the rest; our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, when he took our Flesh upon him, and came into the World upon the most blessed Errand that ever was, viz. to save Sinners: What Entertainment did he find here? One would think that if they had no Care of their Souls, yet Christs feeding their Bodies, and heal­ing all their Diseases, should have pro­cured him very good Quarter among them; but it was far otherwise, the Kings of the Earth set themselves, and the Rulers took Counsel together a­gainst this Christum Domini, this anoin­ted of the Lord, the High-Priest and Priests and People, all conspired together against him, and they never left, till they had brought him to the Cross: I shall forbear to mention his particular [Page 64] Sufferings, because I intend Brevity: But in General, he was persecuted from the Cradle to the Grave, and though he knew no Sin, yet he knew more Sor­row and Sufferings, then all the Saints that ever were upon the Earth put to­gether: And he hath told us, we must look to be troubled as he was. So now Isa. 53. 3. Mat. 10. 24. this is clear, that the Children of God in this World are like Travellers in a strange Land, where they must look to be dealt with as Strangers, and to suf­fer many Injuries and Hardships: But Christian, let not this discourage thee, for though thou meet with much toil and trouble in the way, yet thou wilt meet with none at the end of it, but with E­verlasting Rest, Joy and Glory.

CHAP. XII. He that Travels about Business, which highly concerns him, resolves to g [...] through all Difficulties and Dis­couragements.

A Christians Journey is of vast and infinite Concernment to him: [...] [Page 65] [...] about business of absolute Necessity, that must be done or he is undone: It concerns no less than the Eternal Happi­ness or Misery of his immortal Soul: He [...]s Travelling for Heaven, for a Crown, for a Kingdom: He is flying from Hell, from the Wrath to Come, from Ever­lasting Burnings, and therefore it con­cerns him to Arm himself with invin­ [...]ible Courage, to go through thick and [...]hin, to overcome all Oppositions and Discouragements, which he shall meet with in the Way; and so the Lords Worthies of old have done, approving 2 Cor. 6. 4, 5. themselves as Servants of God, in much Pa­ [...]ience, in Afflictions, in Necessities, in Di­ [...]resses, in Stripes, in Imprisonments, in Tumults, in Labours, in Watchings, in Fastings. A slothful Man saith, There is [...] Lyon in the way; Daniel will not fear Prov. 26. 13. [...]o go on, though there be a Den of Ly­ [...]ns in his Way; this shall not fright [...]im, to forbear Praying to his God, [...]hough but for a few Days, then to make [...]ne Prayer less then aforetime. So the Three Children of God, would rather Dan. 3. go into the fiery Furnace, then go out of their Way: Joshua and Caleb were [...]ot discouraged with Walled Cities, [...]nd the Mighty Giants, but they were [Page 66] for Marching into Canaan; and they Numb. 13. only entred-Canaan, when all the rest were shut out for their Unbelief. When Paul was told by a Prophet, that he should be bound at Jerusalem, and was Acts 21. earnestly disswaded from going thither; this could not put him out of his Way, but he answers with a brave Christian Resolution. I am ready not only to b [...] bound, but to die at Jerusalem for th [...] Name of the Lord Jesus. O that the [...] were still such a Spirit among Christi­ans! But alas, there are too many o [...] the Mind of that King of France, wh [...] would venture no further into the Se [...] in the Cause of Religion, then he migh [...] recover the Shore, if a Storm should a­rise! Truly, the Children of this Worl [...] Luke 16. 8. are wiser in their Generation, then th [...] Children of Light. I have sometime [...] (not without wonder) taken notice o [...] the great Labour and Industry of som [...] of my Neighbours, who do constantl [...] once a Week many of them (and som [...] twice) all the Year round, Summe [...] and Winter, rise in the midst of th [...] Night, and ride to a Market near twen­ty Miles distant from them; and nei­ther Darkness, nor Wind, nor Weather Storms, Rain, Frost or Snow, can hinde [...] [Page 67] or deter them from their Journey; and all this Pains they take for a poor Live­lihood in the World. O Christian! How may this shame thee and me, that we should take less Pains for Heaven, than these do for Earth; that we should not be more industrious for an Eternal Life, than they are for a Temporal? Truly those that profess themselves Chri­stians, do the Work of the Lord too negligently, and mind the things of this World too carefully and sollicitously: [...]NR [...]. That Elegant saying is too true.

If there be a Place of Preferment void [...]t Court, what Riding and Posting will [...]here be for it, let the Ways and Wea­ther be what they will; and when there [...]re Heavenly Mansions, when there is [...] never fading Crown of Glory, when [...]here is a Kingdom that cannot be sha­ [...]en to be had in Heaven, shall we sit still, [...]r walk on heavily, or be deterred with [...]e difficulty or unpleasantness of the Way; especially, when it is our own [...]istake only, that makes the way of [...]od seem unpleasant and uneasie, for [Page 68] he hath told us, That his ways are ways of Ple [...]santness, and all his Paths Peace; and our Saviour tells us, That his Yoke is easie, and his Burthen light: If we were Christians indeed, and did live by Faith, and not by Sense, that one Word Eternity would have a greater Influence upon us to make us mend ou [...] Pace to Heaven. A Painter being ask­ed, why he was accurate and exact, and took so much pains, and spent so much time in drawing his Picture; answered, Pingo Aeternitati, I Paint for Eterni­ty: Truly Christian, thou maist with much more Truth say, Vivo Aeternita­ti, I Live for Eternity; and therefore thou shouldst take all possible Care to walk accurately and exactly, and should [...] stick at no Pains or Sufferings, so tho [...] maist finish thy Course with Joy, di [...] we seriously consider, that our Everlast­ing Condition depends upon the cours [...] we take here in this World, that if w [...] walk in the Way of Holiness and Righ [...] ­teousness, we shall be Everlastingly Hap­py; but if we walk after the fashion o [...] this World, and after the Lusts of o [...] own Flesh, we shall be Everlasting [...] Miserable; Methinks this should make [...] to overcome all Opposition and Difficu [...] ­ty, [Page 69] that so we might sit down with Christ on his Throne, even as Christ al­so overcame, and is set down with his Father on his Throne.

Had we a real and lively belief of the Invisible Things of the other World (of the Glory of Heaven, and of the Tor­ments of Hell) it would cause us to slight all the Opposition and Discourage­ments we meet with in the World; And to run with Patience the Race that is set before us: Looking unto Jesus the Au­thor and Finisher of our Faith, who for the Joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God. I do not wonder, that Paul, who was wrapt up into the Third Heavens, did labour more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles: For a sight of Heaven would make any Man think no Labour or Pains too great to obtain it: For certainly, what Pains soever we take, whatsoever Sufferings we under­go, Heaven will pay for all.

CHAP. XIII. He that makes haste in his Journey by Galloping or Running, will cause all the Dogs in the Countrey to fol­low him with Barking.

AND is it not so with those tha [...] are Journying towards Heaven▪ If any be more zealous in their Professi­on, more conscientious in their Practice than others: If they will not only ab­stain from Evil themselves, but also per­swade and exhort others so to do; i [...] they will be talking of Holiness where-ever they come, and reproving of Si [...] in whomsoever they find it: How will the Prophane Rabble open their black Mouths against such? How will they bark at them, Tanquam Canis ad Lu­nam, like the Dog at the Moon; and why do Dogs bark at the Moon? It i [...] not, because they see her Spots, but he [...] bright shining. So do the Prophan [...] ones of the World Reproach and Re­vile the Servants of God, not because they see their Spots and Blemishe [...] [Page 71] (which themselves see and bewail) but the true Cause is, because their bright shining Conversation upbraids and re­proves their Deeds of Darkness: If a Man be a cold, or a lukewarm Profes­sor, and can be content to let others Sin in quiet (though he will not joyn with them) and will, as they say, keep his Religion to himself, he may perhaps find fair Quarter in the World, and have the good Word of all his Neigh­bours. But if a Man will reprove their [...]ngodly Deeds, and cannot hold his Peace when he hears his God dishonou­red and Blasphemed; if when he sees Men take the ready way to damn their own Souls, he cannot but give them warning of it, and will not suffer him [...]o go quietly to Hell; such a Man shall [...]aise the cry of the whole Country a­gainst him, he shall become the Drunk­ [...]rds Song, and the Table Talk of all prophane Feasts and Meetings; He, and [...]uch as he is, shall be accounted Mad­men, Fools, Singular, Censorious, Er­ [...]oneous, Enemies to Governours, and what not: Nay, because wicked Men [...]an find nothing in their Holy Conver­ [...]ation whereof justly to accuse them, [...]herefore they will most impudently and [Page 72] impiously invade the Prerogative of th [...] great God, and will undertake to judg [...] their Hearts, and to say they are all Hy [...] pocrites: But if any one, who hat [...] been eminent for Profession, do fall in­to any scandalous Sin: How will th [...] whole Kennel open their Mouths in a fu [...] Cry, not only against their Person, bu [...] also against the whole Party: This [...] one of your Holy Brethren, this is o [...] of your great Professors, that would re [...] ­prove another if he did but Swear a [...] Oath, or if he did but Drink a mer [...] Cup or two with his Friends, and no [...] he hath done a great deal worse himself [...] you may see what they all are, for the [...] are all alike; though some can carry [...] more closely, and smoothly then other [...] What Reason, Ingenuity or Honest [...] is there in such arguing? Judas was [...] Devil; what therefore must all Chris [...] Disciples be Devils? Surely none b [...] the Devils Schollars would make su [...] an Argument, besides by what fal [...] Rule do they judge the Person offen [...] ­ing? For they judge him by one sing [...] Act of his Life (which if he belong [...] God, he will be deeply humbled fo [...] and obtain the Pardon of) when in t [...] mean time they condemn those as ce [...] [Page 73] sorious and uncharitable, who judge their present State by a right Rule; namely, by the constant course and te­nour of their whole Conversation. While there be so many mocking Ish­maels, so many Railing Shimei's and Ranting Rabshekahs in the World, the Children of God must look for Railing and Reviling. But Christian, despise them all, and imitate the Traveller, who regards not the Barking of every Cur, but keeps on his Way till he comes to his Journeys end; or rather imitate the generous Horse, which when the Dogs follow him with Balling, is so far from slackning his Pace, that he mends it and Gallops on the faster; so let the Calumnies and Slanders of evil Men, cause thee to be more careful and wary, that thou go not out of thy Way, and the more resolutely to hold on thy Way, till thou come to Heaven, where thou shalt have Admission, but Dogs shall be shut out, Rev. 22. 15.

CHAP. XIV. He that Ʋndertakes a long Journey, and through difficult Passages, had need to be a strong Man, and well provided for his Journey.

IN the Application of this, I shall en­deavour to shew.

• 1. That the Christians Journey to Heaven, is a long Journey.
• 2. That he will meet with many Dif­ficulties in his Passage.
• 3. That therefore he had need to strengthen and prepare himself for it.

First, A Christians Journey is a long Journey: It is not a Days Journey, or a Week, or a Months, or a Years Jour­ney, but it is a Life's Journey: His Jour­ney and his Life should begin, and end together. We should seek the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness in the first Place; nay, we should seek this First and Last, and all our Life; all our Days on Earth should be spent in fitting us for Heaven, and making us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. [Page 75] We read that the Angel said to the Pro­phet Elijah, Arise and eat, for thy Jo [...]r­ney 1 Kings 19. 7. is great; and the Angel said to him the second Time, Arise and eat, for thy Journey is too great for thee: And he a­rose, and did eat and drink, and went in the Strength of that Meat forty Days and forty Nights unto Horeb the Mount of God. So I say unto thee Christian, arise and strengthen thy self with Spiritual Food, for thy Spiritual Journey is great; yea, I say unto thee again, arise and eat, not of the Bread which Perisheth, but of that which endureth unto Everlasting Life; for thy Journey is too great for thee, unless thou be assisted with Strength from above. Therefore arise and feed by Faith on the Lord Jesus, who is the Bread of Life; strengthen thy self in the Word of God, and the sweet Pro­mises of the Gospel, and in the strength of this Meal, thou shalt be able to go all the Days and Nights of thy Life, till thou come to Heaven; so thou seest thy Journey is great.

[...]condly, Thou wilt meet with many Difficulties and rough Passages in thy Way; why else doth the Word of God require striving, wrestling, labouring, working, circumspect walking, giving [Page 76] all diligence, &c. Sure the Way to Heaven is not a smooth Way, though it be a clean Way: Thou dost not know with what hideous and hellish Temptations Satan may assault thee? Thou knowest not how impetuous and unruly thy Corruptions may grow? Thou knowest not with what outrage and cruelty the World may pursue thee? And therefore, thou hadst need to strengthen thy self with Zeal and Cou­rage, least thy Heart fail thee in thy Journey, as the Israelites did at the Re­port which the Spies brought them. What if thy Faith should be tried as A­braham's was? What if thy Patience should be tried as Jobs was? What if thy Love to Christ should be tried by this, viz? Whether thou wilt leave House, Brethren, Sisters, Father, Mother, Mat. 19. 29. Luke 14. 33. Wife, Children, Lands, and all thou hast for his sake and the Gospels? What if the fiery Tryal should come upon thee? Or thou must resist unto Blood, striving against Heb. 12. 4. Sin? Would not these things try what mettle thou art made of? And would they not require Strength and Resoluti­on to undergo them? And these Chri­stian, thou maist meet with in thy way to Heaven, if thou come there. And therefore,

Thirdly, Since we have a great Jour­ney to go, and since we may (nay we must) expect to meet with so many and so great Difficulties in our Way; had we not need to be Men of Courage and Strength, to be strong in the Lord, and in Heb. 6. 10. Gal. 6. 9. the Power of his might; that so we may not be weary of well doing, but may perse­vere in the Way of Holiness, and hold out to the end, that we may be saved: Had we not need lay aside every weight, Heb. 12. 2, 3. and every Sin which do so easily beset us, and run with Patience the Race that is set before us: Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, who for the Joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, and despised the shame, and now is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God. Therefore Christian, the work we have to do, if we will keep on in Heavens way, and to finish our course with Joy, is to follow the Apostles Exhortation, To grow in Grace, and that is to be done 2 Pet. 3. 18. two ways, Addendo & Augendo. First, By adding one Grace to another, Giv­ing Diligence, to add to your Faith Vertue, 2 Pet. 1. 5. and to Vertue Knowledge, and to Know­ledge Temperance, and to Temperance Pa­tience, and to Patience Godliness, and to Godliness Brotherly-kindness, and to Bro­therly-kindness [Page 78] Charity. Secondly, By en­creasing every Grace we have, we be­seech 1 Thes. 4. 10. you Brethren, that you encrease more and more. Let us get all the Grace we can, we may have need to use it all be­fore we die: The Times may be such, that weak Grace will not serve the turn, weak Grace will not be able to encoun­ter strong Temptations. It is ill trust­ing to a weak and tattered Ship, when the Seas are raging, and the Storms boysterous. Weak Grace is next to no Grace, when Christ came to his Disci­ples in a great Storm, He saith to them, Mat. 8. 26. Why are ye fearful, O ye of little Faith; where the same Story is related, Christ Mark 4. 4. saith to his Disciples, Why are ye so fear­ful, How is it that you have no Faith? Little Faith is next to no Faith. Let us labour therefore to be strong Christians: Let us labour to attain that measure of Faith, which Abraham had, that Patience which Job had, that Meckness which Mo­ses had, that Chastity which Joseph had, and that Courage and Zeal which Paul had: Let us labour after such Faith as may remove Mountains (all the Moun­tains of Danger and Difficulty, which may occur to us in our Way) Faith whereby we may quench all the fiery Dart, Eph. 6. 16. [Page 79] of the Devil, whereby we may overcome the World, and our strongest Lusts and Corruptions: Let us labour to strength­en Patience too, let Patience have its perfect Work. The Greek Word [...], Jam. 1. 4. will teach us what the perfect work of Patience is; namely, to abide under any Affliction, as long as God will have it to lye upon us; if we can strengthen these, and all other Graces, and become strong Men in Christ, then we shall be able to overcome all the Difficulties of our Jour­ney, and to get safe to Heaven.

CHAP. XV. It is very mischievous when Fellow-Travellers fall out and quarrel by the Way, it makes their Journey very uncomfortable.

O That those that are Fellow-Tra­vellers in the Way to Heaven, did walk together in that sweet Union, and mutual Agreement, that I might be to seek for an Application of this Particu­lar: But alas, it is to be lamented with Tears of Blood (if possible) that this [Page 80] is too applicable to them, though it be strange as well as sad that it should be so. It is no wonder to see Lions, Ty­gers, and Bears to rent and tear one another, because we know they are of a Savage Nature. It is no wonder to see ravenous Wolves to worry poor Sheep, because that likewise is natural; but would it not be strange to see the poor Sheep, which are harmless and in­nocent Creatures, to bite and worry one another: Even so we need not won­der to see the Seed of the Serpent, to have such bitter Enmity against the Seed Gen. 3. 15. of the Woman; to see those that are born Gal. 4. 29. after the Flesh, to persecute those that are born after the Spirit; to see the Children of the Devil, to hate the Children of God: To see those who are running to Hell, quarrel with those that are going to Heaven: This is no new, this is no strange thing; but to see those who are walking in the same way, namely, of Holiness; that are going to the same place, namely, to Heaven; who are Ser­vants of the same Master, viz. the Lord Jesus; who are Children of the same Father, viz. the Blessed God; who are of one Family, that is, the Family o [...] the Faithful; who are Members of one [Page 81] Body, that is, the Body of Christ; to see these strive and contend, to see these full of Bitterness of Spirit one against another, of Envy, Emulations, Divisi­ons, Hatred; this is strange, this is sad,—Quis Talia fando—Temperet â Lachrimis. Can he that speaks, or he that hears Such things as these, refrain from Tears?

It is reported by Historians, that the Panther hath such a hatred and enmity against Man, that if he see but the Pi­cture of a Man, he will be inraged, and most fiercely and furiously fly at it, and tear it in Pieces: This is a lively Em­blem of wicked Men, who have such a perfect Hatred of Holiness, which is the [...]mage of God, that they are Inraged against all that bear that Image, and would not suffer one of them to live in the World, if they could have their Will. But methinks the Children of God, who are after God created in Righteousness, and true Holiness (or Holiness of Truth, as in the Original) should love this Image of God where-ever they find it, and should say as one of the Ancients did, I cannot but love that Person in whom I see aliquid Chri­ [...]ti, any thing of Christ, but as it is said [Page 82] of carnal Brethren—Rara est concor­dia fratrum. 'Tis rare to see Brethren agree; so it may be said (though it be very sad it should) of spiritual Bre­thren. We will now briefly examine the ground of this, whence it should proceed, and propose some Considera­tions for the Cure and Remedy of it [...] For the Grounds of it.

First, In general, Questionless, that Corruption which is in our Nature, is the cause of this, as well as of all other Sins; From whence comes Wars and fight­ings Jam. 4. 1. among you? come they not hence, eve [...] of your Lusts that War in your Members? Though Corruption in the Regenerate be in some Measure subdued; yet aliquid haerebit, there are remainders of it in the best, and we cannot be rid of this Bo­dy of Death, till the Death of our Bo­dy; and therefore, where there is dif­ference in Opinions, there will be Di­visions in Affection; but more particu­larly, there be these things which are the Ground and Cause of this Evil.

First, Pride and Self-conceit. He tha [...] Prov. 28. 25. Chap. 13. 10. is of a proud Heart, stirreth up Strife [...] Only by Pride cometh Contention. If eve­ry one of us could hearken to that Coun­sel of the Apostle, which is so elegant [...] [Page 83] ly expressed (which is thus rendred in our Translation) Not to think of himself Rom. 12. 3. more highly then he ought to think, but to think soberly: This would be one great means to cure and compose our Diffe­rences; for if every one had better Thoughts of all, and low Thoughts of himself, he would not so magisterially impose his Conceptions upon others, and quarrel with every one that will not come up to his Model. If every one did as the Apostle exhorts, Esteem o­thers better than himself, nothing would be Phil. 2. 3. done through strife and vain-glory.

Secondly, Another cause is Passion. A Prov. 16. 28. froward Man soweth Strife: Men of hot and fiery Spirits are apt to breed Con­tention and Quarrel in the Church, as well as in the State; whereas he that is of a meek and quiet Spirit, will be so far from kindling the Fire of Contenti­on and Divisions, that he will labour to quench the Flame that others have kin­dled. I am perswaded, if Luther had been of Calvin's Spirit, Reformation of Religion had been carried on to a great­er heighth, and that we had not had so great Rents and Divisions in the Church as now we have.

Thirdly, Another cause of this Evil, [Page 84] is that which the Apostle blames in the Corinthians, which caused Divisions a­mong them, and that is the crying up of one Teacher, to the disparagement and contempt of all others. I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am of Cephas; these were excellent Preachers, and as 1 Cor. 1. the Apostle saith, in the end of the third Chapter, they were all theirs; and therefore they ought to have improved their several Gifts, for their spiritual Benefit and Advantage; and to have had them all in singular Love, for their Works sake, and not by preferring of one, to forsake all the rest: You may observe, that they who admire and are addicted to one Teacher, or one Party with undervaluing and slighting all o­thers, are seldom the most profiting or the most profitable, but never the most peaceful Christians.

Fourthly, I might add another ground of this Evil, and that is the Itch of Dis­puting, or that which the Apostle calls, Vain Jangling; of which, as one [...]aith 1 Tim. 1. 6. well, Disputandi pruritus Ecclesiae Scabies. The Itch of Disputing is the Churches Scab; and I dare add, that it is the bane of Holy Conference, and the Spawn of Dissension. The Apostle saith expresly, [Page 85] that from this doting about Questions and 1 Tim. 6. 4. strife of Words, cometh Envy, Strife, Railing, Evil-surmisings: But I shall say no more of this, because I conceive those hot and eager Disputes, which tend to Divisions, arise either from Pride or Passion, which I have spoken of before; but modest, sober, and hum­ble debating of Things neither ingender Strife, nor break the Peace. And now having discovered the Grounds and Cau­ses of this Distemper, what a Happiness would it be if we could prescribe a Re­medy? In order to this, I shall adven­ture to give Christians one Direction, and some few Considerations, which may by the Blessing of God be helpful to this purpose. The Direction is this, That Christians would carefully shun and avoid those things before spoken of, which are the chief Causes of Quarrels and Divi­sions among the People of God; for sublata causa tollitur effectus: Take away the Cause, and you take away the Effect. Take heed therefore of Pride, and of an over-weaning Opinion of thine Abi­lities: Take heed of a Passionate, and of a froward Spirit: Take heed of ha­ving Mens Persons in Admiration, or of Idolizing a Party: Take heed that [Page 86] thou delight not in wrangling and dis­puting; if these things were carefully avoided, there would be more Peace and sweet Agreement between true Christians. But further, to promote the cure of this Distemper, I shall de­sire Christians in the fear of God, seri­ously lay to Heart these following Con­siderations.

First, Consider, how highly it is dis­pleasing to the Blessed God.

First, To God the Father: It is dis­pleasing to an earthly Father to see his Children always brabbling and fighting each with other; and it must needs be more displeasing to our Heavenly Fa­ther, who is the Father of Mercies, to see his Children unmerciful (who is the God of Love and Peace) to see his Chil­dren hating and quarrelling one with 2 Cor. 13. 11. another.

Secondly, It must needs be displeasing to the Lord Jesus Christ, to see those for whom he hath shed his Precious Blood, to be ready to shed one anothers Blood; to see the Members of his Bo­dy to rend and tear one another.

Thirdly, It must needs grieve the Ho­ly Spirit of God, to see those whom he Eph. 4. 30. hath sanctified, those whom he hath [Page 87] sealed for Heaven, to be so like grace­less Persons, to fall out and quarrel by the Way.

Secondly, Consider, it is a great dis­honour to our Holy Profession: How did it Credit Religion, and adorn the Gospel, When the Multitude of them that Acts 4. 32. believed were of one Heart, and of one Soul? And when the Heathen could say, Ecce quomodo Christiani mutuò se diligunt! Be­hold! how the Christians love one ano­ther. On the other side, what a dis­honour and reproach is it to Religion, when the Professors of it are quarrelling and contending one with the other? What Sport doth this make for Pro­phane and Atheistical Men? And how doth it cause the Enemy to blaspheme the Holy Ways of God?

Thirdly, Consider, How contrary this is to our Rule, and to our Pattern. A Christian should take Christ's Word for his Rule, and Christ's Example for his Pattern.

Now First, How contrary is this quar­relling Frame of Spirit to our Rule? It is Christs new and great Command in the Gospel, that his Disciples should John 13. 34. Chap. 15. 12. love one another: And this is command­ed over and over, I know not how of­ten [Page 88] times in the New Testament: Be kindly affectioned one to another, with Bro­therly Rom. 12. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Heb. 13. 1. Gal. 5. 13. 1 Thes. 4. 9. Mark 9. 50. Rom. 14. 19. Love, in Honour, preferring one to another. Love the Brotherhood: Love one another with a pure Heart fervently: Let Brotherly Love continue: By Love serve one another: You are taught of God to Love one another. And as our Rule injoyns us Love, so Peace and Quietness: Have Peace one with another: Let us follow af­ter those things which make for Peace, and things wherewith one may Edifie one another. The Apostle beseecheth them, that they study to be quiet. The Apostle Peter tells 1 Thes. 4. 11. them, That the Ornament of a meck and quiet Spirit, is in the sight of God of great 1 Pet. 3. 4. Price. So you see clearly, how contra­ry it is to the Rules of the Gospel, that Christians should be of a froward, un­quiet and contentious Spirit? The Apo­stle saith, If it be possible, as much as in Rom. 12. 18. you lies, live peaceably with all Men. And certainly, then much more should we live peaceably with those of the House­hold of Faith.

Secondly, How unlike doth a froward quarrelling Spirit, make Christians to Christ. Learn of me, saith he, for I am Mat. 11. 29. meek and lowly. Christ was the greatest Pattern of Love and Meekness that ever [Page 89] was in the World, he was mild and pi­tiful to his Enemies, And shall we be harsh and severe to our Brethren? He loved his Sheep, so that he laid down his Life for them, and shall his Sheep (as if they were turned Dogs) bait and bite one another? Such a Member of such a Head make Rents and Divisions in his Body, which is the Church of God; should those who are the Subjects of the Prince of Peace, make Wars and Feuds among themselves?

What Shame is it, that such disgrace should be imputed to us, and that it cannot be refuted?

Fourthly, Consider the danger of this unnatural quarrel: If ye bite and devour Gal. 5. 15. one another, take heed that ye be not consu­med of one another. Are not the Dissen­sions of those that profess Religion the ready way to betray both themselves and the Cause of God into the Hands of those who wait for their Destruction: How justly may God give us up into the Hands of those that hate us, if we hate one another? Doth not a Father part [Page 90] his fighting Children with a Rod?

Fifthly, Consider, That Love to the Brethren, is one of the clearest Marks and Characters of a Regenerate Person in the whole Bible; and on the con­trary, want of Love to the Brethren, is made an evident Sign of want of Love to God. By this shall all Men know, that you are my Disciples, if you Love one Joh. 13. 35. another. We know that we have passed from Death to Life, because we love the 1 John 3. 14. Brethren. And for the other see, He that hates his Brother is in darkness. If a 1 Joh. 2. 9. 1 John 4. 20. Man saith, I Love God and hate his Bro­ther, he is a Liar, for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen. Me­thinks this should be enough to fright the Children of God from Variance and Disagreement; for what is there, that a Gracious Heart is more sollicitous and careful about than this, to know whe­ther he be in a state of Grace or no?

Sixthly, Consider, We have Enemies enough, and therefore we need not be Enemies among our selves; All the World hate us, and therefore we should not hate one another. If a Company of Christians should live among the Turks or among Cannibals, would it not be [Page 91] their Wisdom, and their Safety to u­nite and combine together; would they not dread private Dissensions and Dif­ferences among themselves, least it should betray them to the common Enemy? Why so it is with all real Christians: They live in the midst of Enemies, nay of Cannibals, who would eat them up like Bread; and therefore it concerns them not to quarrel and fall out among themselves, least it fare with them as with the Mouse and the Frog in the Fa­ble. Methinks Christians should learn Wisdom from their Enemies, Fas est ab boste doceri. How well do the wicked agree in their evil Practices, and in per­secuting the Righteous? Herod and [...]i­late were soon made Friends.

Now shall the Bears and Savage Beasts agree with those of their own Kind, and shall those that are walking on in the Broad-way to Destruction a­gree together? and shall those that are going in the way that leads to Heaven [Page 92] and Happiness disagree, and fall out by the Way? Tell it not in Gath, publish it 2 Sam. 1. 20. not in the Streets of Askalon, least the Daughters of the Philistines rejoyce, least the Daughters of the uncircumcised Triumph.

Seventhly and Lastly, Consider What an irrational and absurd thing it is, that lesser Differences in Opinion which are between the Children of God (when they agree in necessary and fundamental Truths) should breed an Alienation and Estrangement in Affection? Were it not Madness for me to quarrel with every one whose Shooe will not fit my Foot? We may as well expect that all mens Faces should be distinguished from another, as that their Conceptions and Opinions should be the same. Methinks when we know that we cannot be of one Mind, while we are in our Way, but that, that Happy State is reserved for us, till we come to our Journeys end to Heaven. Methinks I say, this should cause us to bear with those that differ from us in lesser Matters, and to for­bear censuring of them, much more to abstain from quarrelling and contending with them. Alas! we differ from our selves from what we were heretofore, [Page 93] and therefore shall we quarrel with our selves? O now that these and such like Considerations might make the Children of God to hearken to that sweet Coun­sel of the Apostle! Put on therefore as Col. 3. 12, 13, 14. the Elect of God, Bowels of Mercies, Kind­ness, Humbleness of Mind, Meekness, Long­suffering, Forbearing one another, and for­giving one another. If any Man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. O let us who pro­fess our selves to be Children of God, and to be travelling to one Heaven, think that we heard our Heavenly Fa­ther saying to us, as Joseph said to his Brethren! See that you fall not out by the Gen. 45. 24. Way; or as Moses to the two striving Israelites; Sirs, You are Brethren, Why do ye wrong one another? And let us say Acts 7. 26. one to another, As Abraham said to Lot, Gen. 13. 8. Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, for we are Brethren. Let us la­bour Eph. 4. 3. to keep the Ʋnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace. And let all the Strife and Con­tention between us be, who shall be the most Holy, Humble, Heavenly-minded, Self-denying and Charitable Christian; who shall serve God best, and love one another most; and then shall we walk on [...]hearfully and comfortably, till we come [Page 94] to Heaven where all our Differences shall be at an end. For there Luther and Calvin are agreed, there the Blessed God and all his Saints and Angels are of one Mind. Read the 133d. Psalm and heark­en to those Pathetical Exhortations of the Apostle Paul. Now I beseech you 1 Cor. 1. 10. Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no Divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same Mind, and in the same Judgment. If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ, if any Comfort of Love, if any Fel­lowship Phil. 2. 1, 2, 3. of the Spirit, if any Bowels and Mer­cies. Let nothing be done through Strife, or Vain Glory, but in lowliness of Mind, let each esteem other better than themselves.

CHAP. XVI. A Traveller who carrieth Treasure with him, and suspects that he may meet with Thieves, will go well Armed.

THE Application of this Observa­tion will consist of three Parts.

• [Page 95]1. To shew that the Heavenly Tra­veller carries precious Treasure with him.
• 2. That he will be set upon in his Way, by those that will endeavour to Rob him of it.
• 3. That therefore he should be well Arm'd.

First, A Christian in his Way to Hea­ven, carries the Richest Treasure with him in all the World. 1. He carries his God with him, who is the Summum Bonum, the chief Good in Comparison of whom all the World is not so much as the drop of the Bucket to the Ocean, or the small Dust of the Ballance to the Universe. So thought the Blessed Apo­stle Paul, Who counted all things, but loss Phil. 3. 8. and dung in Comparison of Christ. So thought the Noble Marquess of Vico, as appears by that Holy and Heavenly say­ing of his, Cursed be he that thinks not one Hours Communion with God, is not better then all the Money in the World. No! eve­ry Saint of God may say, what one of them once did, Whether ever I go, I Quocunque me confero Deum cir­cumfero. carry my God with me, and is not this an Infinite and invaluable Treasure? [...]. He hath another precious Treasure, [...]ar more precious then Gold that perisheth, 1 Pet. 1. 7. [Page 96] and that is Grace, to be rich in Grace is another manner of thing, then to be rich in Gold. The Riches of this World are 1 Tim. 6. 17. called uncertain Riches, and we find them to be so; but Grace is called durable Riches, and it is so; for he that hath Prov. 8. 18. this Treasure on Earth, shall be sure to have Treasure in Heaven for ever more. 3. A Christian hath another precious Jewel to secure in his Journey, and that is his Immortal Soul, and this alone (e­ven one Soul) is better then all the World, so our blessed Saviour tells us, who knew the worth of Souls, and paid a dear rate for them. What is a Man profited, if he shall gain the whole World Mat. 16. 26. and lose his own Soul, and what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? So thou seest Christian, that thou carriest a rich Treasure.

Secondly, There be some that lie in wait for thee in thy way, and will en­deavour to rob thee of all this rich Trea­sure, of thy God, of thy Grace, of thy Soul: I gave thee warning before; un­der the sixth Chapter, to take heed of three Arch-Seducers, and they were Satan, thine own Lusts, and the World Now these are the Thieves that will way-lay thee, and there endeavour to [Page 97] lead thee out of thy Way, as in order to the robbing thee of thy Rich Trea­sure; as High-way-men lead Travellers aside out of the Road into some bye Lane, or Wood, where they may Rifle them of their Goods. Satan is an Old and Arch Thief, the other are Setters that will betray thee into his Hands; as the Hostler and Chamberlain many Times betray the Traveller, whom they find to carry good store of Money, into the Hands of Thieves. Now thou canst not be too careful of the World, and thy Lusts, least they betray thee; nor too careful of Satan, least he rob and spoil thee; he is the most dangerous Thief in the World; he laies wait for thee from the very first step thou takest in thy Way, to the end of thy Journey; and he is a bloody Thief, he never Robs, but he murders; yea, and it is the worst Murder too, for he Murders the Soul. So now Christian, thou seest that tho [...] art like the Traveller who is richly la­den, and thou wilt surely be set upon in thy Way; and therefore,

In the Third Place, Thou must imi­tate the Travellers Wisdom, and go well Armed: I think there is none, who hath understanding of Spiritual Things but is [Page 98] convinced, that he who is Travelling for Heaven, hath more need to be well armed, then he that is Travelling on Earth; in as much, as he hath far bet­ter Riches to secure, and is like to meet with more dangerous Enemies and As­sailants. The Earthly Traveller is sel­dom or never robb'd upon the High­way of all he hath, because he cannot carry his Lands and Livings, his House, and Goods with him; and there, though he may lose some or all his Money, yet he hath something left him: But Chri­stian, thou maist say with Bias, Omnia mea mecum porto. If Satan rob thee of thy Soul, thou art undone: Thy all is gone, and thou maist lye in the dark Dungeon of Hell without a drop of Cold Water for ever. Tell me then, hadst thou not need to look to thy self, and go well armed against this Danger? I shall therefore inform thee, where thou maist have Armour of Proof; where there is a Magazine that will furnish thee compleatly, Cap-a-pe, a Capite a [...] calicem, and is [...], The whole Armour of God, stand therefore ha­ving your Loins girt about with Truth, and Eph. 6. 14. having on the Breast-Plate of Righteous­ness; Taking the Shield of Faith, whereby [Page 99] you shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wick [...]d; and take the Helmet of Sal­vation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; and to all these, thou must add Prayer; Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit: Here ver. 18. is compleat Armour, which hath put Sa­tan to flight many a Time. But it is ob­served, here is no one piece for the Back, to shew that a Christian must be armed with Courage, as well as with Wea­pons, and must never turn his Back: If thou dost not turn thy Back upon Satan, Satan will turn his Back upon thee; Re­sist the Devil, and he will fly from thee. Now if thou wouldst know how to Jam. 4. 7. Weild this Spiritual Armour, and how to use every Piece of it successfully. Read Mr. William Gurnal his Christian in Compleat Armour, or Doctor Arrow­smith his Tactica Sacra.

CHAP. XVII. He that Travelleth with a strong Guard needs not fear being robbed or hindered in his Journey.

EVery Child of God is so strongly Guarded, that he needs not fear all the Powers of Earth or Hell; neither Hosts of Men, nor Armies of Devils: And they whose Eyes are opened by Faith, to see this as the Prophets Ser­vants was, to see The Mountain full of 2 Kings 6. 17. Horses of Fire, and Chariots of Fire [...]ound about his Master, will say, That they that be with us, are more then they that be with them. David could see this, for what else [...]ould make him say, I will not be Psal. 3. 6. afraid of ten thousand of People, that have set themselves against me round about. [...] will not fear, what Man can do unto me. Psal. 118. 8. Psal. 23. 4. Though I walk through the Valley of th [...] shadow of Death, yet I will fear no Evil But I will shew thee, what Guard every Child of God hath to keep him safe til [...] he come to Heaven.

First, They have a Guard of Angels [Page 101] He hath given his Angels charge over thee Psal. 91. 11. to keep thee in all thy Ways. If thou keep thy Way, the Angels shall keep thee; but if thou goest out of thy Way, thou canst not lay claim to this Promise: See again, Are they not all ministring Spi­rits, sent forth to Minister for them, who Heb. 1. 14. shall be Heirs of Salvation. The Angel of Psal. 34. 7. the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. Behold, I Exod. 23. 20. send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the Way, and to bring thee to the Place that I have prepared. Now what a strong Guard is this, If we consider, First, Their Power. Secondly, Their Number.

First, Consider their Power, they are said, to excel in Power: They are Psal. 103. 2 Thes. 1. 7. called mighty Angels, and well they may; for we read, that one Angel went out and slew eighty five thousand in the Camp of the Assyrians in one Night. 2 Kings 19. 35. And I doubt not, but one single Angel, if the Lord should give him Commission, could easily smite all the World, and make them all Dead Men: So that you see, if we had but one Angel to Guard us, while we are Travelling through the Wilderness of this World to the Hea­venly Canaan, we should be strongly guarded. But [...]

Secondly, How strong is this Guard, if you consider the number of Angels; if there be so much strength in one An­gel, what is there in an Host of Angels? Jacob calls them Gods Host, Jacob went on his Way, and the Angels of God met Gen. 32. 1, 2. him, and when Jacob saw them, he said, This is Gods Host, and they make a nu­merous Host; I heard the Voice of many Angels. The Chariots of the Lord are Rev. 5. 11. Psal. 68. 17. twenty Thousand, even Thousands of An­gels. Our Saviour saith, he could have Mat. 26. 23. prayed to his Father and should have given him more then twelve Legions of Angels: If this be not enough the Apostle tells us, that there be an innumerable Heb. 12. 22. Company of Angels: So now we see that every true Christian hath a strong Life-Guard, when all the Angels that excel in might, and exceed in number are charged by the Great Commander of Heaven and Earth to Minister to them: but they have a stronger Guard yet, for

Secondly, Not only the Angels of God, but also the God of Angels is their keep­er. Behold, he that keepeth Israel, shall Psal. 121. 4, to 8. neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade upon thy right Hand. The Lord shall preserve thee from [Page 103] all Evil. We read, that the Lords Por­tion Deut. 33. 26, 27. is his People, and that he keeps them as the Apple of his Eye (and surely then they must be well kept) the Chap. 30. 9. Lord will Guard them before and be­hind, and round about, and then who can hurt them? he will be their Vant-Guard, The Lord your God which goeth Deut. 1. 30. Isa. 52. 12. before you, he shall fight for you, &c. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight, for the Lord will go before them, and the God of Israel will be your Rere­ward. As the Mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his Psal. 125. 2 People from henceforth, even for ever: So it is clear, that the Lord will Guard his People. In the next Place, that he is a strong Guard, I cannot think any arrived at the heighth of Atheism and Impudence, as to deny it; for if he was Impotent, nay, if he were not Potent, he could not be God: But I am speak­ing to Christians, who will be satisfied with Scripture. In the Lord Jehovah is Isa. 26. 4. Job 9. 19. Everlasting Strength: If I speak of St [...]ength he is strong. Our Saviour useth this as an Argument why his Sheep shall ne­ver perish, My Father which gave them me is stronger than all, and none is able to Joh. 10. 29. pluck them out of my Fathers Hand. I [Page 104] could produce many more Scriptures, as Psalm 24. 8. Psalm 89. 8. but I need not multiply Texts to prove so plain a Truth; I shall only mention one more. Behold all the Nations of the Earth are as Isa. 40. 15. the drop of a Bucket, and are accounted as the small Dust of the Ballance. But this doth not sufficiently set forth the Power of the Omnipotent; therefore it is said, All the Nations before him are as nothing, ver. 17. but this doth not reach it neither, and therefore it follows, they are counted to be less then nothing and Vanity. So you see what his Word saith, but we may further consider his Infinite Power by his Works. He is the great God who made Heaven Gen. 1. and Earth out of nothing, who shaketh the Earth out of her Place; And the Mountains melt before him: Who hath ga­thered the Wind in his Fist? Who hath mea­sured Judg. 5. 5. Prov. 30. 4. Isa. 40. 12. the Waters in the hollow of his Hand, and [...]meted out the Heavens with a Span, and comprehended the Dust of the Earth in a Measure, and weighed the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in a Ballance. The Sea retreats at his Command, and the Rock becomes a standing Water, and the Psal. 114. 8. Flint a Fountain. The Pillars of Heaven tremble, and are astonished at his Reproof; Job 26. 11 and Hell is naked before him. Lo, these [Page 105] are the Parts of his Ways, but how little a Portion is heard of him? But the Thunder of his Power, who can understand? Consi­der further, what Acts of his Power God hath put forth from Time to Time for the Safety and Preservation of his People; He hath restrained the Fire from Burning, and the Water from Dan. 3. Ezek. 14. 21. Dan. 6. 22. Drowning, and the Hungry Lions from Devouring them: He hath put a Hook into the Nostrils of the most inraged Enemies, hath reproved Kings for their sake; yea, for their sake, He smote great Psal. 136. 17, 18. Kings, and slew famous Kings. And lastly, He hath reserved their greatest Enemies the Devils in Chains to the Judg­ment of the Great Day. Behold! what Jude 6. safety have all the Saints, who have this God to be their Lord Protector? He can raise all the Posse of Heaven and Earth, for the safe Conduct of those who are Travelling to his Kingdom; but if he Arm the least and most contemptible Creatures, they shall be strong enough to secure them, and destroy their Ad­versaries. By this Time, I hope thou art satisfied, that the Children of God are well Guarded in their Journey to­wards Heaven, and therefore it will fol­low clearly, that they need not fear be­ing [Page 106] hindred in their Way, nor robbed of their Treasure: What God saith to Abraham, he saith to all who are Chil­dren of Abraham, Fear not, I am thy Shield. Sure he must needs be safe, who is sub Omnipotentis clypeo, under the Buck­ler of the Almighty. Well then Chri­stian, go on thy Way with Courage and Chearfulness: What is it that thou Fearest? Is it Satan? Why, the Lord shall trample him under thy Feet short­ly, for the Gates of Hell shall not prevail Mat. 16. 18. against any of his: Dost thou fear Men, the Lord is on thy side, what can Flesh do unto thee? Thy Protector can look all thy Enemies into Confusion, as he did Proud Pharaoh and all his Host, or con­sume Exo. 14. 24. them with the Breath of his No­strils: Do thou keep on in Heavens way, and all the Power of Earth and Hell shall never be able to keep thee out of Heaven, For the Lord shall pre­serve thee, by his Power through Faith un­to Salvation. 1 Pet. 1. 5.

CHAP. XVIII. Though the Traveller find good En­tertainment at his Inn, yet he takes not up his abode there, but is Rest­less, till he come to his own Home.

A Wise Christian looks upon this World as his Inn, and takes it but in transitu in his Way to a better World. He doth not say, It is good to be here, Let us build Tabernacles, but Mat. 17. 4. he useth the World as if he used it not: If God giveth him Riches, a plentiful Estate, a convenient Habitation, kind Relations, he blesseth God and saith, This is a good Inn: But this is not my Home, this is not my Heaven. I desire to be thankful that I find so good En­tertainment in my Way, but I look for better at my Journeys End. I have cause to bless God, that I meet with so fair Quarter here where I am a Stran­ger; but I expect far better when I come to my Home, and to my Fathers House, and therefore I long to be there. When a Traveller comes to his Inn, [Page 108] though he like his Chamber very well, yet he doth not send for rich Tapestry and Hangings, and other Ornaments to furnish and adorn it; for he considers that he is to lodge there but one Night, and then must resign it to another. So a Saint of God, who is a Citizen of Hea­ven, though he may enjoy comfortable Accommodations here on Earth; yet he looks upon them all as [...]uch as he must shortly part with and leave to others, and therefore endeavours that his Heart may sit loose from them. If he hath a goodly House on Earth, he knows he must shortly be turned out of it; and therefore he looks out for a House, not made with Hands, Eternal in the Heavens, and for a Mansion which Christ is gone to prepare for him; and though he hath 2 Cor. 5. John 14. 12. a very fair earthly Inheritance, yet he knows he is but a Tenant at will, and therefore he looks for a Heavenly, For 1 Pet. 1. 4. an Inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for him. If he be as Rich as Solomon was, yet he knows that these are uncertain Riches, and will soon take Wings and be gone; and therefore he looks after durable Riches, and Treasures in Hea­ven, which no Rust can corrupt no Thieves 1 Tim. 6. 17. [Page 109] rob them of: Though he hath Dear Friends and Relations on Earth, yet he Mat. 6. 20. knows he hath better Friends and Rela­tions in Heaven; and upon these Consi­derations, he useth the World but as a thorough-Fare, and seeks for a better Coun­try even a Heavenly. But how is it with Heb. 11. 16. the greater Part of Men? Do they use the World as if they used it not? Do they use it as a Traveller doth his Inn? Surely no, but they use it as a sottish Drunkard doth the Ale-house, where you may find them Day and Night, where they spend all their Time and all their Substance too. Alas! most Men make the World their Home, their Por­tion, their Heaven, their God. This World hath all their Hearts, all their Thoughts, all their Care, all their Time, all their Affections. In the mean Time, God, Heaven, and their immor­tal Souls are wholly neglected, God is not in all their Thoughts; the Children of God make them Friends of the unrighte­ous Mammon, but the Children of this World make Mammon their God. When the Rich Fools Wealth and Corn came flowing in upon him, he takes up his Rest in them: Soul, saith he, Take thine Ease, thou hast Goods laid up for Luke 12. [Page 110] many Years. But when God had esta­blished good Jehosaphat in the Kingdom, 2 Chron. 18. 1. 2 Chron. 17. 6. and blessed him with Riches and Ho­nour in abundance, his Heart was not lifted up with these things, but his Heart was lifted up in the Ways of the Lord. A real Christian should use all the Comforts and Enjoyments of this World, as they may be helps and not hinderances to him in his Way to a bet­ter World. He saith with Luther, No­lo sic satiari, I will not be so satisfied, I will not be put off with these things; and with Austin, Domine nolo omnia quae dedisti, nisi das teipsum qui dedisti omnia. Lord, I will not be content with all that thou hast given me, unless thou givest me thy self, who hast given me all. His Soul is unsatisfied with all his earthly Enjoyments, and he is restless till he comes to Heaven which he counts his Home, to the immediate and Ever­lasting Enjoyment of God in Glory.

CHAP. XIX. Many a Traveller hath been ready to faint in his Way, and to fear that he should never reach his Journeys end, who yet hath attained it with Safety.

THis Chapter is very applicable to a Christian in his Journey to Heaven in both the Parts of it.

First, Is not he subject to fainting fits while he is in his Earthly Pilgrimage? Is he not full of Doubts and Fears, that he shall never hold out to the End? Doth he not sometimes fear least his evil Heart of unbelief, will cause him to depart from Heb. 3. 12. the Living God, least a Promise being made of entring into Rest, he should Heb. 4. 5. come short of it? Sometimes his Lusts and Corruptions are so impetuous and violent, that he cries out, These Sons of Zerviah will be too hard for me! some­times the Devil pursues him with such hideous Temptations and Hellish Inje­ctions, that he saith in his Heart; I shall [...]one Day perish by the Hand of Satan. Sometime he is under Spiritual Deserti­on, [Page 112] he sits in Darkness and sees no Light: He hath no Sense nor feeling of the Love and Favour of God, and then his Heart fails him; and then he saith with Jonah, I am cast out of thy sight; Jonah 2. 4. and in this Condition he is so far from being Confident that he shall attain the end of his Journey, that he fears he was never yet in his right Way, he calls all in Question, and thinks that his Repen­tance and turning from Sin proceeded only from legal Terrours, and from the Conviction of a natural Conscience, and not from the Work of saving Grace: He bears false Witness against himself, and makes desperate Conclusions, that he is a Hypocrite, a Cast-a-way; one of the Foolish Virgins that shall be shut out of Heaven for ever: And this I think doth plainly prove the first Point, that a Christian is apt to be surprized with fainting in his Way towards Heaven, and to fear that he shall never attain his Journeys End. These things may seem Riddles and Paradoxes to the Mad World, and may be to them matter o [...] Scorn and Derision, but those who ar [...] acquainted with the Ways of God, and with the Method of his carrying on the Work of Grace upon the Hearts of hi [...] [Page 113] People do know that these are experi­mental Truths.

But Secondly, Though a Child of God be in this Condition, though he seem to despair that ever he shall hold out till he comes to Heaven, Yet he shall assu­redly attain it with Safety and Comfort. David said in his Heart (and we may say in haste too) I shall one Day perish by the Hands of Saul, but we know he did not; nay, indeed he could not, for the faithful God had promised, that he should succeed Saul in the Kingdom. So many a precious Saint of God thinks in his Heart, that he shall sometime or o­ther be foiled and turned out of the way by Satan, and by his own Corruptions, and so perish for ever, but he shall not for all that; nay he cannot, for though he seems to let go his hold of God, yet God will not let go his hold of him, for he hath said, I will never, never, ne­ver Heb. 13. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 19. leave thee, nor forsake thee. And the Election of God standeth sure, having this Seal, for the Lord knoweth who are his. And the Lord Christ saith, Of all that John 17. 12. thou hast given me, I have lost none. Tho the Righteous scarcely be saved, yet they shall surely be saved; though with much 1 Pet. 4. 18. difficulty, yet with all certainty: Tho' [Page 114] a Christians Condition be sometimes Dark and Cloudy; yet the Sun of Righ­teousness Mal. 4. 2. shall arise upon them with healing under his Wings. Though his Flesh and his Heart fail, yet God will be the Strength Psal. 73. 26. of his Heart, and his Portion for ever; though he seem to faint in the Way, yet the Almighty will renew his Strength, and will make him to hold out to the End and be Saved. That is a sweet Scripture, Isa. 40. 31. They that wait up­on the Lord shall renew their Strength, they shall mount up with Wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint: How full of Spiritual and Heavenly Consolation is this one Word of God? Let us (Fellow-Travellers) carry this as a Soveraign Cordial with us in our Heavenly Journey, and it will revive our Drooping Spirits, when we are ready to faint, and will put Strength and Courage into us, to go on chearful­ly of our Way, till we come to Heaven.

CHAP. XX. When a Traveller after a long and dangerous Journey returns Home in Safety, how will his Father em­brace him? How will all his Rela­tions welcome him? What mutual Joy and Rejoycing will there be?

CHristian, If my Tongue were the Tongue of the Learned, or as the Pen of a ready Writer, if I were as eloquent as Apollos, if I had been wrapt up into the Third Heaven, and into Paradise with Paul. Ye [...] I were no way able to ex­press that transcendent Joy and Happiness which thou and all thy Fellow Creatures, who (taking the Spirit of God for your Guide, and his Word for your Rule) have walked in his Ways, and persevered therein to the End, shall enjoy, when you have finished your Course, when you have fought the good fight, when your warfare is accom­plished. Paul who had a sight or glimpse of it, could not utter what he heard and saw, he saith, he heard unspeakable Words, and doubtless he saw unspeakable Joies, such as cannot be uttered; yet that thou maist be encouraged to keep on thy way against all Opposition and Discouragements, I shall endeavour (pro mea tenuitate) to give thee a little tast of what Entertainment thou wil [...] meet with at thy Journeys End, and how thou wilt be welcomed into Heaven.

First, The Blessed God, thy Heavenly Father will bid thee welcome into his Kingdom, as the Prodigals Father did him to his House, Who ran Luke 15. 20. to meet him and fell on his Neck and kissed him, and expressed all the Tokens of his Joy and Re­joicing at his return. I know that Parable is a lively Representation of our Heavenly Fathers entertaining a Penitent Sinner at his first Con­version: But if he so welcome a Sinner into the Kingdom of his Grace, how will he welcome a Saint into his Kingdom of Glory? Our Saviour tells us, It is your Fathers good Pleasure to give Luke 12. 32. you the Kingdom; and if he be well pleased to give us the Kingdom, surely he cannot but be well pleased to give us the Possession of the Kingdom. If he hath prepared a Kingdom for Mat. 25. 34. us from the Foundation of the World, he can­not but rejoice to see us inherit that Kingdom. And as thy Heavenly Father will be delighted to see thee so, How will thy Soul be ravished with the Beatifical Vision of thy God? If to see but his Back Parts here, and to see him but darkly in the Glass of Ordinances, be far the sweetest Enjoyment, that ever thy Soul tasted on Earth? O think and admire, what it will be to see him as he is, and to be made like unto 1. Joh. 3. 2. him in Heaven.

Secondly, How will Christ thy Elder Brother welcome thee with an Euge bone Serve? Well done, good and faithful Servant, enter thou into Mat. 25. 21. the Joy of thy Lord. Come thou Blessed of my Fa­ther, inherit the Kingdom. Thou hast suffered with me, and thou shalt reign now with me: Thou hast born my Cross and thou shalt wear my Crown: How will Christ rejoice to see those that were the purchase of his own Blood, to be so advanced and to be where he is, when [Page 117] he shall thus see the Travel of his Soul, How will he be satisfied? And then Christian, what Joy and Rejoycing will it be to thy Soul to see thy Blessed Saviour (who was Crucified and Crown­ed with Thornes for thy sake) to be Crowned with Glory, and sitting with his Father on his Throne, and attended with Thousands of Glo­rious Angels and Glorified Saints?

Thirdly, How will the Glorious Angels meet thee with Joy and Jubilation. Certainly, if there be Joy in the Presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repents, there will be great Joy over every Saint that is glorified? How will they rejoice to see those whom they had charge to keep in all their Ways, to come safe to Heaven, and to be entred into their So­ciety, and to increase their Chorus, and to joyn with them in their Hallelujahs.

Fourthly, With what Joy will the Saints meet and embrace? How will Abraham receive thee into his Bosom? How will all thy Fellow-Tra­vellers and Fellow-Sufferers, all the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, and Saints of the Lord Jesus welcome thee to thine Eternal Rest? And how will it fill thy Soul with ra­vishing Joy to think that these shall be thy Companions for ever? If the Society of the Saints on Earth was so delightful, when they were so full of Corruption and Infirmities? What will it be in Heaven, where the Spirits of Just Men shall be made perfect, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but they shall be Holy and without blemish?

Fifthly, The Place where thou shalt arrive at thy Journeys end, and where thou shalt take up thine Everlasting abode, must needs affect thee with admirable Delight. We have a Descrip­tion [Page 118] of a City, The Foundations of whose Walls Rev. 21. were laid with all manner of precious Stones, the Twelve Gates, of Twelve intire Pearls, the Streets of the City Paved with pure Gold, as it were trans­parent Glass. I am not ignorant that some Learned Men have interpreted this of a glori­ous Church upon Earth; but Mr. Brightman, who is of that Opinion, saith, Complures inter­pretantur haec omnia de Ecclesia, qualis est futura tandem in Coelis. That very many interpret this of the Church as it shall be in Heaven, We need not contend, contrary Interpreters are in the right: For if the Church on Earth shall be so glorious, questionless it shall be much more glorious in Heaven; and let the Interpretation of that City be what it will, certainly the Court and chief Place of Residence of the great King of Heaven and Earth, must needs be a Place of unspeakable Glory: And though that City be set out under the highest Representations that can be borrowed from natural Things, yet it comes as far short of the Glory of Heaven, as a Town of Mud-walls and Thatch comes short of such a City. How glorious must the inside of that Cabinet be, where the outside is Enamel­led with so many bright and glittering Stars? And how glorious wilt thou be, when thou hast all these under thy Feet? And when the great Ones of the Earth shall go from their sta [...]ly Palaces, even where they did surfeit with all Earthly Delights and Sensual Pleasures into a dark Hell, where they cannot have a drop of Cold Water: O what a miserable change will this be! And how will it fill them with horrour and despair? But when a poor Child of God shall go from this Valley of Tears (where he hath been afflicted, despised and persecuted, [Page 119] into a glorious Heaven, where he shall enjoy Everlasting Rest and Blessedness. O what a happy Change will this be! And how must he needs be transported with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory? So now I have shewed thee (Christian) what Happiness thou (and all that walk in the Way of Holiness) shall enjoy when you are come to your Journeys End, namely, all those glorious Priviledges which the Apostle saith the Church shall enjoy under the Gospel. You are come to the City of the Living God, to the Heb. 12. 22, 23, 24. Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable Com­pany of Angels, to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born, which are Written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant. Now though this be enough to make thy Estate unspeakably Happy and Joyful; yet there be many other things which thou wilt meet with in Heaven, which will make it full measure, pressed down, and run­ning over; As

First, How many Dangers and Difficulties a gracious God hath brought thee through. Quod fuit durum puti meminisse dulce est: It is pleasant to a Traveller when he hath overcome his Jour­ney to relate what Dangers he hath met with in his Way.

Secondly, That thou hast overcome all thy Doubts and Fears, for when thou art in Posses­sion and Enjoyment, how canst thou any more Doubt or Fear?

Thirdly, That thou art freed from all Satans Temptations, for though he got into the Earth­ly Paradise, yet he shall never come into the Heavenly; For there shall in no wise come into it any thing that defileth. Rev. 21. 27.

Fourthly, Thou shalt be set free from all thy Lusts and Corruptions, for when thy Spirit shall be made perfect, not any Saint on Earth will be made partaker of the hundredth Part of that Inherent Grace, which the Soul of the meanest Saint shall be partaker of in Heaven.

Fifthly, Thou shalt be freed from the Perse­cutions of wicked and unreasonable Men, [...]or there the weary are at rest. Job 3. 17.

Sixthly, All the Faculties of thy Soul shall be enlarged to the utmost Capacity, to know, love, enjoy, delight in and Praise thy Blessed God; When that which is perfect is come, then that which 1 Cor. 13. 10, 12. is in Part shall be done away; for now we see through a Glass darkly, but then face to face: Now I know but in part, but then shall I know, as I also am known.

Seventhly, That Sweet, Holy, Heavenly Work of Praising God, thou shalt be imployed in to all Eternity; and shalt perform it without the Rev. 4. 8. to the end Rev. 5. lat­ter end. Rev. 15. 3, 4. Chap. 19. least lassitude or weariness, nay, with the great­est Delight and Complacency.

Eighthly, Thou shalt be cured of all thy Sick­nesses and bodily Infirmities; there shall neither be aking Head, or aking Heart; there shall be nothing but Joy and Gladness, all Sorrow and Sighing shall fly away. Rev. 21.

Ninthly, Thy Vile Body shall be raised up at the last Day, and be made like Christ glorious Body. Phil. 3. 21.

Tenthly and Lastly, To conclude all, Thy Bo­dy shall be reunited to thy Soul, and they shall both together to all Eternity, enjoy so much Bliss and Happiness, as thou wilt say the one half (nay the one hundredth Part) was not told thee. For Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nei­ther 1 Cor. 2. 9. hath entred into the Heart of Man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him.