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

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 Fire•• What is the Reason? But because h•••• fall into it, did breed him so much Pai•• and Smart; surely falling into Sin bring•• to the Children of God so much Pai•• and Anguish, that they dread it as much as the Fire of Hell; and therefore, whe•• they recover out of it, they will tak•• heed how they fall into it again: As 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bird that hath broken loose out of th•• Snare of the Fowler, will scarce be ta∣ken in it a second Time. He is little ac∣quainted with the Word or Way o•• God, that hath not made this Observa∣tion,

that the fall or falls of Gods Chil∣dren (being sanctified by him that can bring Good out of Evil, and hath pro∣mised, That all things shall work together for good to them that love God) have done them good. They have awakened and quickened them to a more circumspect walking, they have been the more live∣ly in their Duties, more diligent in do∣ing, and more zealous in suffering the Will of God; they have been the more careful to keep out Sin ever after. As it is with a Garrison, if the Enemies have entred within their Works and repulsed them, they will fortifie that place, where the Enemy made a Breach, more strong∣ly than before; so it is with a Christian, if any of his Senses, as for Instance, his Ear, or his Eye, which have been inlets to Sin, he will for the future set a strict∣er Watch upon them; he will stop his Ears against all corrupt and unclean Con∣versation, he will with Job, Make a Co∣venant with his Eyes; and with David, beg of God To turn away his Eyes from beholding Vanity: If his Tongue cause him to offend, he will bridle it up, and beg of God to set a Watch before the Door of his Lips: If his Heart betrayed him, he will henceforth set a double

Guard upon it; that is, he will himself keep it with all Diligence, and will ear∣nestly beg of God to undertake the keeping of it: The falls of Gods Chil∣dren have the same Effect upon them, that Pauls Letter had upon the Corinthi∣ans: It makes them sorry after a Godly Manner, and this Godly Sorrow, Be∣hold, what carefulness it works in them, yea what clearing of themselves, yea what in∣dignation, yea what fear, yea what vehe∣ment desire, yea what zeal, yea what re∣venge; in all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this Matter: So that it may be truly said of true Christians, that they get ground by their stumbling; and as to this Case, We may Answer this Question of our Saviour Affirma∣tively, and say, That Men may gather Grapes of Thorns, and Figs of Thistles; that God with whom nothing is impos∣sible by sanctifying the falls of his Chil∣dren (which are in themselves Evil) can make them to bring forth Fruit, as Godly Sorrow, Self-abasement, Care and Watchfulness, Diligence and Acti∣vity in the ways of God: In a Word, they make them more Holy, Humble, Heavenly-minded ever after. Peter's Pride brought him to his Fall, and his

Fall broke the Neck of his Pride; see how Humble he was grown, how his Self-confidence was taken down, when our blessed Saviour asked him, Simon lovest thou me more then these? (He would no more of that) more then these? He could tell Christ before, Though all Men forsake thee, yet will not I. But now he gives a more humble, modest Answer, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. The Spouse in the Canticles, when she had by her drowsiness and neglect of her Belo∣ved caused him to withdraw, she was restless, till she had found him again, but when she had recovered him, she re∣solved never to let him go more, I found him whom my Soul loves, I held him fast and would not let him go. So it is with every Saint after his recovery from a Fall, he labours to lay faster hold on Jesus Christ, and to keep more close to his Holy Ways all his Life after: This is a Truth, and a sweet Truth. But I dare not leave it without this Cauti∣on, let none turn this Rich Grace of God into wantonness, this precious Cor∣dial into Poyson. Would any but a mad-Man go and break his Bones, be∣cause he hears that a broken Bone well cured is stronger then before. Hearken

what the Apostle saith, Shall we Sin that Grace may abound? God forbid: Sure those that belong to God will make a better use of his Grace.

Notes

• Job 31. 1. Psal. 119. 37.
• 2 Cor. 7. 11.
• Mat. 7. 16.
• Cant. 3. 4.
• Rom. 6. 1.