THE Young Man's GUIDE IN HIS JOURNEY TO HEAVEN OR Travelling Spiritualized LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1700. THE PREFACE TO Young Men. MAns Life 's a Journey from his Mothers Womb he sets out this World 's the Country through which he is Travelling He begins with Crying as if he foresaw how difficult and dangerous his Way would be The Stages from Infancy to Childhood from Childhood to Youth from Youth to Manhood which soon declines and old Age succeeds in which he will say I have no Pleasure in them Youth need a Guide here is one offered â—hem at a Cheap Rate 't is not necessary his Name be known so that he be skilful and faithful no more than the Authors of those two Excellent Books The Whole Duty of Man and Divine Breathings Young Men. Read Consider and Practice the Directions and you will not repent your Purchase 't is not unlikely but Parents and Friends of Young Persons may make Presents of them to those who are beginning their Travel through this lower World That it may Answer its End in Conducting many to the upper and better World of Rest and Blessedness is the desire of S. T. April 8th 1700. The CONTENTS 1. A Wise Traveller designs to go to some certain Place and proposeth some certain End for his going thither Page 1. 2. A Wise Traveller casts up the costs of his Journey before he undertakes it p. 3. 3. A Wise Traveller makes diligent Enquiry which is the right Way and is very careful to follow Directions p. 6. 4. A Wise Traveller sets out Early in the Morning that he may not be benighted before he comes to his Journeys end p. 10. 5. A Traveller who hath Loitered or deferred setting out in the Forenoon must double his Pace in the Afternoon p. 15. 6. A Traveller is many Times put out of his Way by false Directions p. 19. 7. A careful Traveller is much grieved when he finds himself to be out of his Way and hasts to get into it again and is never quiet till he hath recovered it p. 30. 8. A Traveller having been once out of his Way will be more wary and careful ever after to keep in it p. 36. 9. Every Traveller is desirous to have as much Company with him in his Jonrney as he can especially of his Relations and Friends p. 40. 10. A Traveller will keep Company with such and such only as are going the same way that he is and to the same Place p. 48. 11. He that Travels in a strange Countrey must look to meet with many Affronts and Injuries with many Afflictions and Hardships p. 59. 12. He that Travels about Business which highly concerns him resolves to go through all Difficulties and Discouragements p. 64. 13. He that makes haste in his Journey by Galloping or Running will cause all the Dogs in the Countrey to follow him by Barking p. 70. 14. He that undertakes a long Journey through difficult Passages had need be a strong Man and well provided for his Journey p. 74. 15. It is very mischievous when Travellers fall out and quarrel by the Way it makes their Journey very uncomfortable p. 79. 16. A Traveller who carries Treasure with him and suspects that he may meet with Thieves will go well armed p. 94. 17. He that Travels with a strong Guard need not fear to be robb'd or hindred in his Way p. 100. 18. Though the Traveller find good Entertainment in his Inn yet he takes not up his abode there but is restless till he come to his own Home p. 107. 19. Many a Traveller is ready to faint in his Way and to fear that he shall never reach his Journeys end which yet doth attain it with Safety p. 111. 20. When a Traveller after a long and dangerous Journey is return'd in Safety to his Fathers House How will his Father embrace him How will all his Relations welcome him What mutual Joy and Rejoycing will there be p. 115. Books lately Printed for Tho. Parkhurst c. MR. Clarkson's Practical Discourses in Folio Watson's Body of Divinity Quick's Synodicon Baxter's Catholick Theology Books written by the Reverend J. Flavel THE Fountain of Life opened or a Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory Containing Forty two Sermons on various Texts The Method of Grace in bringing home the Eternal Redemption contriv'd by the Father and accomplish'd by the Son through the Effectual Application of the Spirit unto God's Elect. Being the Second Part of the Fountain of Life A Treatise of the Soul of Man wherein the Divine Original Excellent and Immortal Nature of the Soul are opened c. The Divine Conduct or Mystery of Providence c. Navigation Spiritualiz'd Or A new Compass for Sea-Men c. A Saint indeed The great Work of a Christian A Touchstone of Sincerity Or Signs of Grace and Symptoms of Hypocrisie Being the Second Part of the Saint indeed A Token for Mourners Or Boundaries for Sorrow for the Death of Friends Husbandry Spiritualiz'd Or the Heavenly Use of Earthly Things Mr. Philip Henry's Life Mr. Reynold's Minister of Notingham his Life Mr. Mead's Almost Christian Early Obedience Ezekiel's Wheels Spiritâ—â—â— Wisdom improv'd against Temptations A Sermon of Union Mr. Joseph Barrett's Funeral Sermon to which is annexed his Life c. Mason's Spiritual Songs Barton's Hymns in Six Centuries Allen's Alarum Allen's 〈◊〉 Guide Mr. Adam's Funeral Sermon A Discourse concerning the Redeemers Dominion over the Invisible Worlds some Part whereof was Preach'd on the Occasion of the Death of John Houghton Esquire Dr. Bate's Funeral Sermon Mr. Mead's Funeral Sermon All Four by the Reverend Mr. John Howe Of the Shortness of Time By F. Fuller Mr. Bradford's Eight Sermons Pleach'd at St. Paula at the Lecture founded by the Honourable Robert Boyle Esquire THE YOUNG Man's Guide c. 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 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
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
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' 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 Yeâ— 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 wilâ— 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 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 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 staâ—â—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 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 â—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 FINIS