Encouragement to the weary Traveller (whose Journey is towards Canaan) to follow the Light and Lamb of God to the Holy Land of Rest; but not to go before it.
VVHosoever thou art that art come out of Aegypt, (the land Page 41 of darkness, where the blind lead the blind) and hast a purpose and good will to tra∣vel to the holy Land, thou must gird up the loins of thy mind, and with a holy Resolution be content to pass through all the fiery tryals thou maist meet with, and never sit down until thou shale arrive at perfect rest in God: And that thou maist not loosethy Way, be thou advised to follow thy Guide, and go not before him; for no longer then thou art a follower of the Lamb, canst thou go aright, or walk in safety.
Many there are who be come out of Aegypt, and have made some progress towards Canaan; but because the Guide to rest makes no haste, he being meek and lowly, and is a gentle Leader of his Lambs, (and those that are with young) therefore it is that many times the fol∣lowers go before their Leader, and through haste lose their Way.
Be thou warned therefore, who art but a young Traveller and follower of the lamb, that thou leave not thy true Guide, nor wander from him, lest thou come into Aegypt again, (as some have done) and so peradventure never find Page 42 thy Guide more. Friend, if ever thou thinkest to be victorious, thou must fol∣low the Lamb; for assure thy self, the E∣nemy will assult thee on every side, and endeavour thy destruction; for know thou, That 'tis through sufferings and of∣ten conflicts with the Enemy, that thou must pass, yea and become a Conqueror too, befoer thou must come to reign; The daily death thou must witness, and the dai∣ly Crosse must be born, before the Crown of Victory can be obtained; I say, Thou must follow thy Leader and Captain of Salvation, through all difficulties, if thou wilt be victorious.
And for thy encouragement, be assured of this, He will never leave thee nor for∣sake thee.
In the light of the Lord then, and as faithful followers of the Lamb, let us jurney towards our Land of Rest with unwearied minds; for assuredly, The Land is good, and will abundantly reward the Traveller upon his arrival there, a∣bove what he could ask or think.
Many there are whom I believe are gone forth with an honest intent to tra∣vel ehither, and finding the Way strait, Page 43 and the journey long, and the Difficulties many, have sate down by the way; but let such know, there is no truerest on this side Canaan.
Others there are who have gone forth to view the holy Land, and as the false spyes of the Land of Canaan did, so have these, even brought up an evil report upon the good Land, and have told people, There is no attaining of it in this life, for that the Cities are walled, the Enemies are migh∣ty and numerous, and too strong to be o∣vercome, These have told people, the holy life is unattainable, and that as long as they live, they cannot be free from corrupti∣on; and these sit down without hope, and shall never enter.
But yet notwithstanding there is en∣couragement enough for the faithful Tra∣veller, when he remembers that there were two, to wit, Caleb and Joshua, who were true Spyes, and that notwithstand∣ing the multitude of false Spyes that went forth to view the Land, these as faithful Witnesses For God brought in their Testimony, and said, Let us go up at once, and possesse it, for we are well able to o∣vercome it. And these for their faithful∣ness Page 44 to the Lord (notwithstanding the false Spyes ill report of the good Land) were brought to possess the Land which flowed with Milk and Honey, but the rest perished in the Wilderness for their unbelief, and their children were wander∣ers there fourty years.
Now Friend, It is observable and very remaakrble, That Caleb and Joshuah (who did enter) had another spirit then the false, Spyes had, (and followed the Lord fully) to wit, the Spirit of Faith, which over∣comes the World, and all the Enemies therein, to the soul of men, so that the Believer and his Seed shall possess the holy Land, when all the unbelievers shall perish in the Wildcrness, Numb. 14.
And as for the glory of this holy Land, or New Jernsalem, (of which Canaan was a Type) and the Riches thereof none wil doubt, but all Will confess the Land is good, though some say too good to be ob∣tained here, or possessed in this life; I say as to this I cannot but bring in my te∣stimony, and declare, They are all false Spyes, and false prophets, that say the Ene∣mies of mans soul are not to be overcome in this life, and that the holy life is not Page 45 attainable; for he that gives Victory over one sin, (which I witness) will give vi∣ctory over all sins if I and thou be faith∣ful Warriers in the Army of the Lamb. I say, our Captain is able to make war wth the Enemy, and not onely give us victory, but also an entrance into the Holy of holies within the vail here, where no false pro∣phet can enter, but him who is the Priest for ever after the order of Melehizedeck.
Therefore friends, go chearfully on your way in believing; the Enemy is as well before as behind; look not back, neither turn to the right hand, nor to the left, but press forward, and in due time you shall reap, if you faint not.
'Tis the Faith of the Saints which o∣vercomes the World, and all difficulties which the honest Traveller shall find in his Journey towards the holy Land. And that none may be discouraged that he meets with troubles and tryals, let him remember, The greater his tryals are, the stronger had his Faith need be; and the bitterer his Travels are, the sweeter will his Rest be. If some of the Servants of the Lord have through experience said, That the sufferings of this present life Page 46 are not worthy the glory that shall be re∣vealed, what will they be able to say when in is revealed?
It is better to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the plea∣sures of sin for a season.
Therefore let us proceed on our jour∣ney with unwearied minds, and in the strength and power of the Lord make war against all the Enemies of our Souls, following our Leader, and in the end we shall be more then Conquerors.
And because there are many preten∣ders to holiness, who with fair speeches do deceive the hearts of people, and by enticing words of mans Wisdom seduce many a well-meaning and honest-heart∣ed Traveller, who is ever and anon rea∣dy to question whether his way be right. I do advise thee as thou lovest life, and tenderest the true rest of thy weary soul, keep close to thy Leader, whose voice is low, speaking in thee, saying, Go not forth, wander not; for this I declare, That whilst thou art unturned to thy Guide within thee, or art listening to the loud Voice and found of big Words without (as I have been) thou canst finde no rest, though thou travel hard to obtain it.
