A Scripture-map of the wildernesse of sin, and vvay to Canaan. Or The sinners way to the saints rest.: Wherein the close bewildring sleights of sin, wiles of the Devill, and windings of the heart, as also the various bewildrings of lost sinners, yea, even of saints, before, in, and after conversion; the necessity of leaning upon Christ alone for salvation, with directions therein: as also, the evident and eminent danger of false guides, false wayes, false leaning-stocks, are plainly, and practically discovered. Being the summe of LXIV lecture sermons preached at Sudbury in Suffolk, on Cantic. 8.5. / By Faithful Teate, M.A. minister of the Gospel.

CHAP. XXVI. Containes the Collaterall doctrine, that every unregene∣rate soule, is a lost soule, expounded and improved.

ANd thus have you heard what advantages Satan hath, what paines he takes, what meanes are made use of unto the bewildring of poor soules. And thus much for the discovery of the point. Instead of Appli∣cation (because I have all along applied things in par∣ticular) I shall subjoyne a Collateral doctrine, and that is this; If every unregenerate heart be in a bewildred condition, then that

Every soule that is in an unregenerate state, is in a lost e∣state, Psal. 119.176. I have gone astray like a lost sheepe. Soules that are astray, that is, spiritually bewildred, are spiritually lost. Christ binds downe this truth with a three-fold Cord, three Parables, Luk. 15. The lost sheepe, vers. 4. The lost piece of silver, vers. 8. The lost Prodigall,

vers. 24. and all these to import the unregenerate condi∣tion. An unconverted soule, is a lost soule.

Lost? —I know not what word goes higher to ex∣presse an undone estate. Many say, I had a good wife, but I have lost her; a dear childe, but I have lost him; a precious friend, a faire estate, but I have lost them. I be∣leeve if you should be questioned for the cause of most of your complainings, 'twould be found that (lost) lies at the bottome of them: Losses are burthensome, we know not how to beare them. Rachel had lost her Chil∣dren, and she refused to be comforted: Let me look then a∣mong you Mourners and Complainers: one mourns for the losse of a debt, a Ship taken by Pirats, an house burnt; another for the losse of a friend, a relation, &c. A third hath lost his strength, his limbs, his hearing, his sight; and amongst you all are there none whose lamentation is, Oh! but I have lost a precious soule. 'Tis strange that that there is so much moan for other losses, & so little for this; for let me till every unconverted heart amongst you, that thou art not possibly lyable to such another losse as this, for this is a comprehensive, an irreparable, an eternal losse.

1. This is a comprehensive losse, even of all other losses, for that man that loses his soule, loseth himselfe, and all things else, and what can be more?

1. The soule is such a thing, as in the enjoyment where∣of a man enjoyes himselfe, and therefore losing it, loseth himselfe. You say of some mad distracted man, he hath a faire estate, a good wife, pretty children, but he hath not himself; and what poorest man amongst you, would exchange Estates with such an one? so the unregenerate of the world have honours, pleasures, profits, what not? but they have not themselves, they have lost themselves, because they have lost their soules, Mat. 16.26. It runs, What will it advantage, if a man gaine the world, and lose his own soule? But Luk. 9.25. If he gaine the world and lose himselfe. He that loseth his soule, loseth himselfe: You

say, Anima hominis & homo, the soule is the man, sure here it must passe for current undoubtedly, if thou have lost thy soule, thou hast lost thy selfe. The Prodigal was a jolly man whilst he was a lost Sonne, but in the Lords eye, and his owne, when he came to be enlightned, he was not an enjoyer of himselfe, Luk. 15. v. 17. When he came (that's by repentance) to himselfe, he said.

2. In the enjoyment of our soul, we enjoy all things else. If thou canst not say, that thy soule is thine, thou canst not say any thing else is thine, therefore in losing thy soule, thou hast lost all things else: as

1. God is none of thine. Thus the Apostle expressing the unregenerate estate of the Ephesians, Chap. 2.12. saith, they were without God in the world. Hence our ordinary phrase, unregenerate ones are ungodly ones; gracelesse ones are godlesse ones. What, my Brethren, lost God? Heaven and Earth tremble at this loss! lost God? there's one word for all, for God is all in all. A Saint may say as Jacob said, I have all, Gen. 33.11. for so the Hebrew Text bears, Qui habet habentem omnia, habet omnia, he hath all, that hath him that hath all. A Saint may say, this is my wine, and my wool, and my flax, and mine oyle, for the Lord is my God, and therefore

Secondly, Mammon is, and shall be none of thine. Vaine men care not for losing their soules, if that be the worst of it, that they must lose God by it, for they say unto God, depart from us: Vaine men care not for losing their soules, so as that they may either get, or save their Mammon. But friend, if thou lose thy soule, that's the way to lose thy Mammon also. If thou canst not say thy soule is thine, whose shall those things be when that is gone? If thy soule be required this night of thee, then whose shall these things be that thou hast provided? Luk. 12.20. The lost Sonne was faine to rob the Swine, to fill his bel∣ly with their husks. Thou art a robber when thou takest either fleece or flesh from the poor sheep to feed thy belly, or to cloath thy back; and, save that the sheep is dumb be∣fore

the shearer and slaughterer, it would cry out Robbe∣ry and Murder, for it is more innocent then thou, nei∣ther is it any of thine, save onely by Gods permission and thine usurpation. Therefore God saith, (as if thou u∣surpest his right) I will recover my Wool, and my Flax, and take away my Corne and Wine, Hos. 2.9. if thy soul be not thine.

2. The losse of the soule is an irreparable losse, Mat. 16.26. To lose his soul, Luk. 9.25. Or lose himselfe, is to be cast away. Oh! that's a sad word: such an one is cast away, that is, he is drown'd, and sunk, and buryed in the bot∣tome of the Sea, and can never be recovered any more. A poor wretch that loseth his soule, is cast away, that is; drown'd, and sunck, and buryed in the bottome of Hell for evermore. If you have lost your Gold by hiding it in the Earth, you may dig for it, and find it: but if you have lost your Gold in the bottome of the Sea, 'tis irrecove∣rably lost. If thou losest a Wife, or a Childe, or an Estate, &c. these losses are recoverable; or if God take away these, he can for Counters give us Gold: But if thou lose thy soule, nothing can repaire that losse, Mat. 16.26. VVhat shall a man give in exchange for his soule? that is, there is nothing so much worth as it, nothing able to repaire the losse of it. Set apart the inestimable righteous∣nesse of the Lord Jesus, and it would utterly begger heaven and earth to repaire the losse of any one poore soule. When we exchange our soules with any thing that this world can afford, we are as a rich fool, (and much more foolish then he) that gives away an exceeding great Estate for a painted Apple, or guilded Nut. An hundred thousand times more then what he gets, would not countervaile the one thing that he loseth.

3. It is an eternall losse, because it is the losse of that which is immortal. 'Tis in the soule that the worme lives that never dyeth: 'Tis upon such a soule that the fire feed∣eth, that never goeth out, Isai. 66.24. The griefe, the sence, the sorrow of other losses dyeth with thee; but this

losse, and the unconceiveable sadnesse of it, begins most to live when thou dyest; the losse of temporal things is but temporal, but the losse of the immortal soul is eternal: What friend! lost for ever? for ever? — Oh! let that word break thy heart.

From hence, let me first speake to those that are lost, [Use 1] and not yet found: This is, and shall be for a lamentation. What my Brethren, have you lost your soules, and not found them? Why, every one is solicitous for losses, 1 Sam. 9.3. The Asses of Kish were lost, and he said unto Saul, arise, take servants with thee, and go and seek the Asses. Up and call in helpe, and take all paines, and all to seek the lost Asses. And thus they pass through the Land of Shalishah, but they found them not, through the Land of Shalim, but there they were not; through a third Land, and yet found them not, and yet on they went to seeke them still, verses 4.5. Oh! how shall this story rise up to condemne poor soules? Hast thou ever taken such paines to finde thy lost soule? to go from Ordinance to Or∣dinance, from duty to duy, from one endeavour to another, restlesly laborious in seeking that which thou hast lost? You have a saying, that I love you as I love my soule. Why? upon the account of this history, I had rather be some mans Asse, then thy soule; yea, most mens Dogge, ra∣ther then thy soule; if they lose their Dogge, they'l whistle for him: If a Gentleman lose a setting Dogge, &c. all the Country shall be searched for it; but how few Gentles or others, take paines inseeking their lost soules? Alass! this is in a sort, an infinite loss, wherein thou losest an infinite God? How sad is it then, that herein thou shouldest be, or not at all, or so sparingly affected? My friends, I see you are yet alive; and thus much accor∣ding to the same truth, I would say to qualifie what was before spoken of this losse (for the sake of broken hearts, not of obdured sinners) that the soule is not so (as I said) lost until your lives be lost: for until you have lost your lives 'tis good seeking, and great hopes of finding your

lost soules? The lost Sheepe, lost piece of Silver, lost Prodi∣gall, were all three of them found, Luk. 15.6. Rejoyce with me, for I have found my Sheepe which was lost, vers. 9. Rejoyce with me, for I have found the Piece which I had lost, vers. 24. This my Sonne was lost, and is found. Therefore though thy soule be lost, yet seeke it, for there is comfor∣table hope that it may be found.

[Querie.] But maist thou say, How shall I do to seek my lost be∣wildred soul?

[Answ.] I answer, The way to seeke your soules, is to seek God, find him, and you find them, for he is the God of your soules. I would at once, have you to charge your soules to seek God, and to begge of God to seek your soules. Take you paines as they did in seeking the Asses; and as they, when they had done all, went to the man of God for them, 1 Sam. 9.6. So when you have taken, or shall take all paines, and use all endeavours to find your lost souls, go out of your selves, and beyond your own labours, go to God that he may find you; thus David goes to God, and saith, Psal. 119.176. I have gone astray like a lost sheepe, seeke thy servant. Art thou gone astray? is thy soule lost? Oh! seeke to God to seeke you, Gods way to seek thee, is by making thee to seeke him. In this God works by making thee to worke with him. It is safer thus to joyne the Notions, then to make too nice distinctions in Theo∣ry, 'tis (I thinke) undoing to make distinctions in pra∣ctice. If thou say, thou wilt stay till God seeke thee, thou maist never be sought: and if on the other hand, thou trust to thy owne seeking, thou maist nere be found; therefore as it were, quicken, and stir up God to quicken thee; say unto God, Lord, seeke my poore lost soule. Let me beg this of you.

1. For your owne sakes. Oh! friends 'tis you, 'tis on∣ly you that can properly be said to have the losse: if thy soule be lost, surely it is thy losse: If thou lose thy owne soule, mark those appropriating terms, Mat. 16.26. Alas! thy damnation will not hinder either Gods being glori∣fied,

or thy faithful Ministers being saved; but thine own salvation, thine owne glory, this is lost, lost eternal∣ly.

Secondly, For Gods sake, for Heavens sake. Although not properly, yet in some sort 'tis losse to Heaven, when a soule is lost; for 'tis joy in heaven over any soule that is found. The Angels rejoyce; yea, God saith, Let us be merry, for this my Sonne was lost, and is found, Luk. 15.32.

3. For the Gospel sake, for your Ministers sake. You pre∣tend to love the Gospel, and to love your Ministers; Oh! then look after your lost soules. Friends, if your soules be lost, 'twil be in a sort the Gospel's loss, 2. Cor. 4.3. If our Gospel be hid, 'tis hid in those that are lost; thy losse is an Eclipse, a kind of hiding to the Gospel. Yea, if you be lost, 'twil be in a sort our losse also, 1 Cor. 3.9. (Though I rather take this Text to be meant of the building up of Doctrines, then of Hearers; yet give me leave to allude unto it. You have Ministers called labourers with God, the labour is building, Christ is the foundation, v. 10. The materials are Gold, Silver, precious Stones, (these you know will abide the burning) Hay, Wood, Stubble, (these are combustible) v. 12. (Some are Saints and precious Soules, some Hypocrites, some wretched Creatures.) Now every mans worke shall be tryed by fire, of what sort it is, v. 13. Whether you be rot••••n or sound, that day will manifest: Now if any mans worke abide, he shall receive a reward; (if your soules be saved, your Preacher shall be a gainer) v. 14. But if any mans worke be burnt, he shall suffer loss, yet himselfe shall be saved, yet so as by fire, v. 15. When God comes to look over a Gospel Minister, and finds him faithful, (though soules have perished under his Ministry) himselfe shall be saved; yet though he be saved, if they perish, he shall suffer losse; for those that convert many to righteousness, shall shine as the Starres of Heaven, Dan. 12.3. Think of this you Formalists, in whose profession there is no more substance, then hay, or stubble, no more durableness, then in wood before the de∣vouring flame.

Now for the encouragement, as to a search after your lost soules, I shal say no more, but onely tell you where you may heare of them. If you lose a Book, or any thing else in the Congregation, you go to the Clark to enquire for it, because it is his office and businesse to take up that which you have lost, and to save it for you. Oh! goe to Jesus Christ, 'tis his very office, Luk. 19.10. To seeke, and to save that which is lost. If you would heare of your long-lost soules, go to Christ, he can tell you tydings of them. Indeed it cost Christ dear, before he could take them up, but you may have them againe at an happy rate. He that understands the value of his soule, or believes what I have said this day, wil not thinke it an ill bargain to redeem his soule upon any terms. Come to Christ and welcome, you have lost your selves in selling your selves for naught, as it is said, Isai. 52.3. But you may be re∣deemed without money, and without price.

[Use. 2] Secondly, From hence a word to those that were lost, but are found: Art thou found? Why, welcome friend, I am glad to see thee, onely labour henceforward to follow close after that God that hath found thee. The spouse was once bewildred, but now she is found; therefore she will lean upon her beloved. That you may so do,

1. Be exceeding shie of th•• wayes of sinne, and of your owne hea••ts. Oh! how cautelous is that Caution, Prov. 4.14, 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evill men. Doe not goe, do not so much as enter. And then in the next verse, Avoid it, passe not by it, turne from it, and pass away. He cautioneth, as if he could never enough caution us, surely there is great danger in having the least to do with those wayes.

Be very observant of the true light, Psal. 119.104. Through thy Precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way.

Thirdly, Be very watchful over thine Affections, the feet of thy soule, Psal. 119.101. I have refrained my feet,

from every evill way, that I may keepe thy word. Keepe the Word, and it shall keepe thee, If so be that the Lord have graciously found thee. Keepe thy feet, and thou shalt keepe the word.

Notes

• A Collateral Doctrine.
• An unregene∣rate soule, is a lost soule.
• 1 This losse is comprehen∣sive.
• 1 Lose thy soule, and lose thy selfe.
• 2. Lose all o∣ther things too.
• 1. Losest God.
• 2 Mammon.
• 2. Irreparable.
• 3. Eternal.
• To those that are lost and not yet found, lament.
• Seek your soules.
• Possibility of being found.
• Be exhorted hereto.

  1. For your own sakes.

  Yours the loss.
• 2. For God and heavens sake.

  Heaven loseth.
• 3. For the Go∣spels sake. That loseth.
• Encourage∣ment hereun∣to.

  Christs office is to find lost soules.
• To those that were lost, but are found.
• Rules.

  1. Be shie of the wayes of sinne.
• 2. Be very ob∣servant of the true light.
• 3. Be watch∣ful over thine Affections, the feet of thy soul.