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A64275
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The young man's guide in his journey to heaven, or, Travelling spiritualized
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S. T., 17th cent.
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1700
(1700)
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Wing T60; ESTC R24165
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54,625
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129
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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 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 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 oâ— Christ Paul that blessed Apostle waâ— an eminent Example of this what Painâ— 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 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 Vnworthy 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 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
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 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 Stâ—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 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 â—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 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 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