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

CHAP. III. A Wise Traveller makes diligent en∣quiry, which is the right Way, and is very careful to follow Dire∣ctions.

THere be many that make the Way to Heaven so broad that none can miss it, as if they knew the Way thither better than Christ himself, who saith that straight is the Gate, and narrow is the way that leads to Life, and few there be that find it; but all those who are Followers of Christ do find by Experience that his Words are true, Ardua est ad Regnum Via, the Way to his Kingdom is no ea∣sie Way; and therefore they are full of Doubts and Fears, least they should miss it, and are very sollicitous a••d in∣quisitive to be directed and set in the right Way, They ask the Way to Zio•• with their Faces thitherward.

First, They run to the faithful Mini∣sters of Christ (who are as Leaders and Guides, who are as Lights upon a Hi•••••• to shew Men their Way to Heaven

and cry out to them as those, Men and Brethren, What shall we do? And with the Jaylor, Sirs, What must I do to be saved? And with the Young Man, What shall I do, that I may have Eternal Life? They beg of these Samuels to teach them the good and the right Way, and of these Servants of the most High God, to shew them the Way of Salva∣tion.

Secondly, They resort to experienced Christians, who have been longer ac∣quainted with the Ways of God, and earnestly importune them to communi∣cate their Experiences; they enquire of them, How they may avoid or over∣come such a Temptation; How they may mortifie such a Corruption? How perform such a Duty? How bear such an Affliction? And how undergo such Sufferings? and many other such Cases they desire to be resolved in: As they say of Children, they will be always asking of Questions, so it may be said of the Children of God, they will not only go to the Ministers and Servants of God for Direction: But,

Thirdly, They will go to the Great God himself, and will beg of him, as David did, Cause me to know the Way

wherein I should walk, for I lift up my Sou•• to thee. Teach me O Lord the Way of thy Statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end shew me thy Way, O Lord; teach me thy Paths; and because he knows that God hath fully and plainly revealed his Wil•• and his Way in his Word: Therefore,

Fourthly, As the Traveller goes to his Map-Book for Direction, so doth he to the Book of God, there he finds eve∣ry step of his Way chalked out before him. All the credenda, agenda, and fu∣gienda, what he must believe, what he must do, and what he must leave undone•• there he finds Direction, how he must walk in every Condition, in every Re∣lation, in every Age, in every Calling•• in every Holy Duty: There he finds that he must be Regenerate and Born again, or he cannot see the Kingdom of God; he must Repent, and Believe, and obey the Gospel, or he cannot be saved▪ he must live soberly, righteously, and god∣ly, in this present World, if he will live happily in the World to come. Many such Directions as these, he finds in tha•• Blessed Book, which will be a Lamp 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Feet, and a Light to his Paths: Now as a careful Traveller takes notice o•• every Place he is to pass through, and

punctually observes them, cannot fail to get safe to Heaven. But it is as pos∣sible for a Man to carry a Ship to the Indies without a Card or Compass, as for a Soul to go to Heaven, without fol∣lowing the Directions of Gods Word.

Fifthly, As the wary Traveller, who would be sure to keep the right Way, will take his Guide along with him; so will a Child of God, desire to have the Spirit of God for his Guide to Heaven, that when he is turning to the Right Hand or to the Left, he may hear that Voice behind him saying, This is the Way walk in it, he will pray that the good Spirit of God, will lead him into the Land of Ʋprightness: That the Spirit of Truth, may lead him into all Truth: We read that those who are in Christ, do walk after the Spirit, so that the Spirit goes before them, and leads them in the way. It is said, As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God, which is convertible. And it may as truly be said, As many as are the Sons of God, they are led by the Spirit of God. Now he that hath such an unerring Rule, as the Word of God to direct him in his Way; and such an infallible Guide, as the Spirit of God to lead him

in his Way, he cannot but get safe to his Journeys end, and that is to Heaven.

Notes

• Mat. 7. 14.
• Jer. 50. 5.
• Acts 2.
• Acts 16.
• Mat. 19.
• Psal. 143. 8.
• Psal. 119. 33.
• Psal. 25. 4.
• John 3. 3. Mark 16. 16. 2 Thess. 1. 8. Tit. 2. 11, 12.
• Psal. 119. 105.
• Isa. 30. 21.
• Psal. 143. 10.
• John 16. 13.
• Rom. 8. 1, 14.