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 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 iâ— Distress my Bowels are troubled my Hearâ— 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 Mercieâ— that we are not consumed She confesseth it was the Iniquity of the Daughter oâ— her People for the Sins of her Prophets and the Iniquity of her Priests Thâ— 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 onâ— they Pray Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned By which you see â—ere was the great Cause of her Lamenâ—ation that they were gone out of their Way therefore they Pray to be turned â—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 â—or Heaven and exceedingly grieved and afflicted when he finds himself out of the Way Secondly As a Traveller hasteth into â—is Way again and is never quiet till â—e hath recovered it So it is with eveâ—y true Christian indeed a Wicked Man when he is in the Ways of Sin and saâ—isfying his Lusts he is where he would â—e he is in his proper Element if he might Sin Eternally he would desire no â—etter Life but it is far otherwise with 〈◊〉 Child of God he finds little ease in â—he Ways of Sin when he is drawn out of the Ways of Holiness he is out of â—is Element he hath no more quiet then 〈◊〉 Fish out of the Water A wicked Man â—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 â—he Sinners Meat is the Saints Poyson â—nd if he hath at any Time Tasted or Sipt of it he is never quiet till he hatâ— Vomited it up again by true Repentance A Swine lies wallowing in the Mireâ— with Delight and Content but if 〈◊〉 Sheep step into it he makes all the hastâ— 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 hâ—â— Way Then farewel Pots and Harlotâ— he could feed upon such husks no longer but resolves to return to his Fatherâ— House who had Bread enough for aâ—â— his Servants When David had ruâ— out of his Way into those vile Wayâ— of Adultery and Murder we see hoâ— little quiet he had he saith I haâ—â— Psal 22. Psal 38. 8. Psal 22. 14. roared by reason of the disquietness of 〈◊〉 Heart All my Bones are out of Joynt anâ— sure then he could have but little easeâ— but though Bones out of Joynt be veâ—â— painful yet broken Bones are moâ—â— painful nay he Complains of brokeâ— Bones too but if a Man have quiet 〈◊〉 Psal 51. 8. Prov. 18. 14. his Spirit he will sustain his bodily Infiâ—mities but a wounded Spirit who can beaâ—â— But he was deeply wounded in hâ—â— 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 caâ—â— Psal 42. 5. Psal 48. 5. down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted 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 Fireâ— What is the Reason But because hâ—â— fall into it did breed him so much Paiâ— and Smart surely falling into Sin bringâ— to the Children of God so much Paiâ— and Anguish that they dread it as much as the Fire of Hell and therefore wheâ— they recover out of it they will takâ— heed how they fall into it again As 〈◊〉 Bird that hath broken loose out of thâ— Snare of the Fowler will scarce be taken in it a second Time He is little acquainted with
Devil that old and Arâ— Seducer who since he was thrown oâ—â— of Heaven himself makes it his work 〈◊〉 keep others from thence and to leaâ—â— poor Souls from the Kingdom of Goâ— to his own Kingdom of Darkness Thâ— old Serpent deceived our first Parentâ— and led them out of the way and ouâ— of Paradise too He is said to deceivâ— Gen. 3. Rev. 12. 9. the whole World He hath mille fallenâ— artes a thousand arts to deceive pooâ— Souls he hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devices hâ—â— 2 Cor. 2. 11. Eph. 6. 11. Rev. 2. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wiles or Methods his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depths his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Snares All theâ—â— to deceive poor Souls and to lead theâ—â— out of their way Sometimes he tranâ—â—forms 1 Tim. 3. 7. himself into an Angel of Lightâ— sometimes appears as a roaring Lyonâ— 2 Cor. 11. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 5 8. now he tempts to Presumption anâ— anon to Despair In Youth he telâ— thee it is too soon to be Religious anâ— in old Age he tells thee it is too laâ—â— But his chief Artifice is to misrepreseâ— both the way of Holiness and the wâ—â— of Sin the former he represents asâ— difficult unpleasant and a melancholâ— 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 â—ot tell thee that the broad way leads Matth. 7. 13 14. â—o Destruction and the narrow way â—eads to Life He will tell thee that â—f thou will walk in his way thou shalt â—ave Riches enough but if thou walkest â—n the way of God thou must look to â—eet with Poverty Hunger Thirst Tears Hatred Separation and Reproach â—ut he will not tell thee that Christ deâ—ounceth a Woe to the first and proâ—ounceth Luk. 6. 20. the last to be Blessed He will tell thee that the way of Sin is â—rowed with Roses but he will not â—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 â—e will not tell thee that Heaven is at â—he end of that way Well then Felâ—ow-Travellers as one adviseth well in â—nother case take heed of keeping the Devils Counsel so I caution thee in â—his case take heed of taking the Deâ—ils Counsel for he never ceaseth to â—ervert the right ways of the Lord. Acts 13. 10 Secondly Another grand Seducer and 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 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-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 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 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
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 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 Vpright and one that feared God and eschewed Evil What entertainment did he meet 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 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 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 gâ— through all Difficulties and Discouragements A Christians Journey is of vast and infinite Concernment to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 â—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 invinâ—ible Courage to go through thick and â—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 Paâ—ience in Afflictions in Necessities in Diâ—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. â—o go on though there be a Den of Lyâ—ns in his Way this shall not fright â—im to forbear Praying to his God â—hough but for a few Days then to make â—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 â—ot discouraged with Walled Cities â—nd the Mighty Giants but