7. And hence it is that there is another property of a stranger that is going to a place, perhaps he may step out of the way, yet n-otivithstandiny , by virtue of his first intention, he yathcrs himself homeward again. If he take other matters in hand, he gathers home still, though he go out of his way, in he comes; he considers, this is not my way. So a child of God, some- times he diverts and turns aside, yet notwithstanding he considers, doth this way lead to Godward, to heavenward ? Be these actions Christian actions ? Are they the way to heaven ? If he see they be not, though he have stepped awry, he comes in again, and is gathering homeward. Though he may perhaps forget himself a little — a traveller — yet his bent is homewards. So a Christian man, though perhaps in some particular he may foi'get himself, yet he is alway gathering home; his bent is home, and his course is godly. Take a Christian, perhaps he may step awry, but his course is godly, and he labours to recover himself; and if a traveller stay at any time by the way, he makes amends afterwards by making more haste. So doth a Christian, if we consider him with his affections loose to good things ; yet he recovers himself again, and sets upon religious actions and courses with more violence of spirit, and recovers his former loss again.
8. A traveller and stranger he provides beforehand for all encumbrances. He knows though he meet not with troubles, yet he may, therefore he will be sure to go with weapons, and he will go with that that may sustain him by the way. Keligion teacheth a man to gather out of the word of God comforts beforehand, and munition beforehand, to carry with him. Put the case he never use them ; he may have cause to use them, and then if he have them not, what will become of him ? He lies open to adversaries by the way. Therefore there is a spirit in a Christian, an instinct that stirs him up ; he will be reading the word of God, and good books, and hearing the word. This I may have use of at such a time ; this I will lay up for such an occasion. Put the case that such an occasion come not, he loseth nothing. He seasoneth his soul in the mean time, and prepares it for worse things if worse come.
Woe to those that have not laid up strength and comfort against evil times beforehand. If a man go to sea, and be not provided beforehand ; if he take a journey, and be not provided beforehand, then when a storm comes, what a case is he in ! It pleaseth God to teach us by these resemblances heavenly things. Therefore because they are fit means to convey hoHer things unto us, it is good to take this help that God affords us, considering that he shews us by these shadows better things. When we travel, and are going on in our journey towards heaven, it is good to con- sider higher things, it is a good meditation. Therefore to go on a little further.
9. A traveller and stranger is inquisitive of the way, whether he be in the way or out of the way. He asks not at random. That doth not content him, whether he go west, or north, or south, or east ; it doth not content
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him to ask where lies my country, eastward ? &c. No ; but he will ask the particular towns, and particular turnings and windings, how he may avoid going out of his way, and which is the right way, and he will ask upon every occasion, because he knows if he go but a little out of his way it will be a long time ere he shall recover it, and he will be ashamed to come back again ; and the more he goes out of the way, the more trouble it is to come back again. So it is with a Christian, he doth not only desire to know in general, but he desires to have daily direction, what shall I do in such a case of conscience, and in such a case ? How shall I overcome such a temptation if I meet with it ? And so he is willing to have daily direction how to walk with God day by day, that he go not out of his way in anything.
For even as every step that a man takes is a part of his journey, so every action of a man's life it is a part of his journey to heaven, and there- fore he is willing to have direction for every step, that he may walk step upon step upon good ground. Therefore he goes upon good grounds of a good conscience, in the duties of Christianity. He will have sound con- viction what is good, and what is true in religion ; what religion is true that he may venture his soul upon, and what use he may make of his par- ticular calling; what he may do with a safe conscience, and what not; and what he may not do that he will not meddle with, and what is clear to his conscience that he will do. So every step he takes, though it be in^ his particular calling, it helps him forward. As St Paul saith, in the Epistle to the Colossians, of servants, that they serve God in serving their master, so a poor servant in his drudgery may serve God. So in our ordinary professions we are in the way to heaven, if they be sanctified by prayer beforehand, and do it in conscience and obedience to God, that hath set us in this way.