The holy pilgrime, leading the way to heaven. Or, a diuine direction in the way of life, containing a familiar exposition of such secrets in diuinity, as may direct the simple in the way of their Christian pilgrimage In two books. The first declaring what man is in the mistery of himselfe. The second, what man is in the happines of Christ. Written by C.L.

The generall vse.

The generall vse is this,* 1.1 that seeing God hath created all things for his own glory, & seeing that he will be glorified in the seuerall executions of his iustice & mercy, in the saluation or damnation of his creature: that therefore all men must earnestly endeuour in this most needfull performance,* 1.2 & that in all the actions of their life, they endeauour to fashiō euery circumstance by lawfulnes & holy rule,* 1.3 that God may receyue the glory of their actions, as S. Paul doth

aduise the Philippians:* 1.4 That we may (as he saith) be filled with the fruits of righteous∣nes, which are by Iesus Christ, vnto the glo∣rie & praise of God. For in all insensible things there is a special nature, to which they are obedient,* 1.5 wherby they glorifie God in finishing the end of their crea∣tion. God hath cōmanded the motion of the heauēs, the influēce of the starres the natures of the elements, & the seue∣rall natures of euery seuerall thing. All these continuing their course & nature, giue moste notable demonstrations of Gods glorie, by whom they were crea∣ted, & thus disposed in nature. If these things which are subiect to time, and must perish, doe notwithstanding dis∣charge the duties of their nature, and so by consequence approue themselues to be instruments of Gods glory: shal men whō God hath created for the like ende of his glorie, & to whom he hath giuen a soule of excellēt vnderstanding, & for whom he hath created the World, the most admirable worke of his own hāds, shall these bee carelesse in this high du∣tie? and shall the Elements & vnreaso∣nable

creatures be carefull? Shall mē be exceeded by beasts, in the execution of their most reasonable seruice? God hath not threatned theyr neglect with Hell, nor promised to reward their diligence with Heauen.* 1.6 God doth both promise & threaten men, yet are men lesse care∣full then Beasts. This may worthilie remember those men, (or rather those beasts) who make a God of themselues, or of their vnlawfull pleasures: & then dedicate themselues, their labours,* 1.7 and the glorie of all their actions, to a pro∣phane and licencious trade of life.

These that will not doe it of choyce, must doe it by force: For the time will come when God will whip these slaues with the rods of his iudgemēts, & make them (in despite of their vngodlines) to glorifie God,* 1.8 in suffering the torments of hell and their conscience: and (with∣out profit) to acknowledge God, & the terrible iustice of so great a Maiestie.

This may also remēber the children of God,* 1.9 that in all the cares of their Chri∣stiā life,* 1.10 they haue their main respect to Gods glory, & that God may haue place in theyr heartes, euen before the desire

of their own saluation: & that their sal∣uation be desired, rather that God may be glorified, then to desire to glorifie God for their owne saluation:* 1.11 that so God may bee the first in all our cares, that we loue him, more then our owne soules, and prefer his honor, before our own saluation. For he that will not des∣pise himself (in respect of Gods honor) doth but dissēble his loue, neither doth willingly glorifie God; for thogh God bee in his eyes, hee hath himselfe in his heart,* 1.12 and though hee pretend to loue God, it is for his owne priuate end, not that God may be glorified. And thus to glorifie God is to dishonor him, and so to prouoke his indignation against vs.

Therfore let all men loue God for his owne sake; loue him for his truth, loue him for his mercie, loue him for his iu∣s••••ce;* 1.13 & let this loue be so respectles of all by considerations, as that neyther heauen, hel, nor our soules, perswade vs so much as the reuerence & zealous af∣fection we haue to the loue of God;* 1.14 for he that thus loueth God, doth glorifie him, and shall be glorified by him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Vse.
• * 1.2

  A most needful per∣formance.
• * 1.3

  The rule of lawfulnesse.
• * 1.4

  Phil. 1. 11.
• * 1.5

  Insensible things. o∣bedient to nature.
• * 1.6

  Men lesse carefull then beasts
• * 1.7

  To what end men▪ cōmonly de∣dicate their trauell.
• * 1.8

  The woūds of hell and conscience.
• * 1.9

  Secondly.
• * 1.10

  Gods glorie the maine of all our cares
• * 1.11

  We must prefer it be fore our owne salua∣tion.
• * 1.12

  We must despise our owne selues for the loue of God.
• * 1.13

  We must loue God for his own sake.
• * 1.14

  To loue God, is to glorify him.