The young man's guide in his journey to heaven, or, Travelling spiritualized

CHAP. XIII. He that makes haste in his Journey by Galloping or Running, will cause all the Dogs in the Countrey to fol∣low him with Barking.

AND is it not so with those tha•• are Journying towards Heaven▪ If any be more zealous in their Professi∣on, more conscientious in their Practice than others: If they will not only ab∣stain from Evil themselves, but also per∣swade and exhort others so to do; i•• they will be talking of Holiness where-ever they come, and reproving of Si•• in whomsoever they find it: How will the Prophane Rabble open their black Mouths against such? How will they bark at them, Tanquam Canis ad Lu∣nam, like the Dog at the Moon; and why do Dogs bark at the Moon? It i•• not, because they see her Spots, but he•• bright shining. So do the Prophan•• ones of the World Reproach and Re∣vile the Servants of God, not because they see their Spots and Blemishe••

(which themselves see and bewail) but the true Cause is, because their bright shining Conversation upbraids and re∣proves their Deeds of Darkness: If a Man be a cold, or a lukewarm Profes∣sor, and can be content to let others Sin in quiet (though he will not joyn with them) and will, as they say, keep his Religion to himself, he may perhaps find fair Quarter in the World, and have the good Word of all his Neigh∣bours. But if a Man will reprove their ••ngodly Deeds, and cannot hold his Peace when he hears his God dishonou∣red and Blasphemed; if when he sees Men take the ready way to damn their own Souls, he cannot but give them warning of it, and will not suffer him ••o go quietly to Hell; such a Man shall ••aise the cry of the whole Country a∣gainst him, he shall become the Drunk∣••rds Song, and the Table Talk of all prophane Feasts and Meetings; He, and ••uch as he is, shall be accounted Mad∣men, Fools, Singular, Censorious, Er∣••oneous, Enemies to Governours, and what not: Nay, because wicked Men ••an find nothing in their Holy Conver∣••ation whereof justly to accuse them, ••herefore they will most impudently and

impiously invade the Prerogative of th•• great God, and will undertake to judg•• their Hearts, and to say they are all Hy•• pocrites: But if any one, who hat•• been eminent for Profession, do fall in∣to any scandalous Sin: How will th•• whole Kennel open their Mouths in a fu•• Cry, not only against their Person, bu•• also against the whole Party: This 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one of your Holy Brethren, this is o•• of your great Professors, that would re••∣prove another if he did but Swear a•• Oath, or if he did but Drink a mer•• Cup or two with his Friends, and no•• he hath done a great deal worse himself•• you may see what they all are, for the•• are all alike; though some can carry 〈◊〉〈◊〉 more closely, and smoothly then other•• What Reason, Ingenuity or Honest•• is there in such arguing? Judas was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Devil; what therefore must all Chris•• Disciples be Devils? Surely none b•• the Devils Schollars would make su•• an Argument, besides by what fal•• Rule do they judge the Person offen••∣ing? For they judge him by one sing•• Act of his Life (which if he belong 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, he will be deeply humbled fo•• and obtain the Pardon of) when in t•• mean time they condemn those as ce••

sorious and uncharitable, who judge their present State by a right Rule; namely, by the constant course and te∣nour of their whole Conversation. While there be so many mocking Ish∣maels, so many Railing Shimei's and Ranting Rabshekahs in the World, the Children of God must look for Railing and Reviling. But Christian, despise them all, and imitate the Traveller, who regards not the Barking of every Cur, but keeps on his Way till he comes to his Journeys end; or rather imitate the generous Horse, which when the Dogs follow him with Balling, is so far from slackning his Pace, that he mends it and Gallops on the faster; so let the Calumnies and Slanders of evil Men, cause thee to be more careful and wary, that thou go not out of thy Way, and the more resolutely to hold on thy Way, till thou come to Heaven, where thou shalt have Admission, but Dogs shall be shut out, Rev. 22. 15.