A Second Guide to Heaven, Title page – To the reader
A SECOND GUIDE TO HEAVEN, SHEWING, That it is every Mans Indispensable Duty and Interest to secure Heaven for himself; BECAƲSE Whoever misseth it, and is lost, is utterly undone, and miserably wretched, and the whole World is nothing to him, to help, or comfort him.
AND The Man that is Sav'd is unspeakably and Eternally Blessed.
LIKEWISE Representing to Consideration the common and notorious neglects and mistakes about this business of so great Concernment The Saving or Losing SELF.
By S. H. the Author of the former Guide to HEAVEN.
Proximus sum Egomet mihi.
Nemo in sese tentat descendere
Nemo—
Nemo sapit, qui non sibi sapit.
E coelo descendit foreign.
If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thy self; But if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. Prov. 9.12.
LONDON, Printed for A. Churchill in Ave-Mary-Lane, and sold by W. Churchill Bookseller in Dorset, 1687.
THE EPISTLE.
BRethren, my hearts desire and Prayer to God is, that you might be Sav'd, I long after you all in the Bowels of Jesus Christ, but I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my Heart, being jealous over you with a Godly jealously, fearing least by any means, as the Serpent beguil d Eve through his subtilty, you should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. I am sensible of my great neglect and unfaithfulness, as to my great work and the good of Souls; and finding some decays and loud warnings, and knocks of Death to tell me, that this Earthly Tabernacle must shortly lye down in the dust, and that I am not like to amend what I have done amiss, to preach more powerfully, pray more heartily, and deal more faithfully than I have; I was willing to send abroad those few Lines, expressing my sense of the great danger the most are in by the neglect of themselves. I wish that such got on good by many worthy labourers amongst them for many years, may now reap real benefit by this ensuing Discourse. I had many thoughts about it, whether I should send it drest up in an exact modish way, Methodically and Elaborately order'd, and neatly worded; But finding care about That loseth the Heart, Life, and power of Truths; I was resolv'd to let it run naturally, as coming, I hope, from the very bottom of my Heart, searching as deep as possibly I could, into real and sound Truth, that it might reach to the bottom of your Hearts, and do you real good.
I confess, I have been too much pleas'd with Elegant and Eloquent Sermons, with Exact, Ingenious, and Elaborate Treatises. But of late, I find, the Wit, the Method, the Language, eat up the Heart and substance of the Truth. I can't observe such exactness this way in Holy Writ; but Ministers labour much to force such coherences and dependencies, as the Apostles and others never intended. Besides, the Truths are in themselves choice Jewels, and all painting, though never so rich and gaudy, takes off from the lustre and shining splendour of the glittering Pearl. Methinks, the most, I had almost said the best, do but trifle about the great things of God and Heaven: I am willing now to tell you plainly without Circumlocutions, and many Apologies, that it's high time for you to consider, whether you shall shortly be in Heaven or Hell, and to let you know that you are too negligent of looking to your selves; and whilst you seek,Ne te quaesiveris extra. and think to save your selves, you are really losing your selves to all Eternity. Could I but stop one Sinner in the way to Hell, and save one Soul out of this dangerous snare of Self-Neglect, and Self-Deceit, and Self-Undoing, I should not be-grudge my pains, nor value the censures and scorns of the proudest or wisest, let them be many or few. I have too much regarded the Frowns and Smiles of Men, which hath done me much hurt, and made me unfaithful; I thank God, I hope I can say, I am above it, far beyond it. Let the World despise, condemn, if God will but love, and say, well done, it's enough, I am satisfied.
My main design and business is this, to convince the World, that most are deceiving and destroying themselves, and are not sensible of it, nor will be convinc'd of their great folly and wretched madness herein. You would take it kindly of a Physician, that would warn and help you against a dangerous disease, or a Lawyer that would give advice about your Estate; and why should you not kindly receive Counsel about your Souls? I hope some will read it, not with a critical censorious eye, but with a resolution to search and find out, whether there be any thing in it, that nearly concerns them, and may be of great use and good to them. How should I rejoyce before I die, could I hear of any one Soul brought out of the broad way of destruction, into the narrow path of Life by it. I am so sensible of mine own dreadful neglects and trifling, and observing the most very indifferent and unconcern'd about their Spiritual and Eternal Estate; it made me write with the more warmth and heat. You can't blame a Man that strives to stop the Fire in your House, if he cries Fire aloud, and earnestly, and tramples on your Garden and Flowers. It's not time to Complement, or scarce to be civil. You will snatch Poyson, a Knife, or a Firebrand from a Child that is like to hurt himself, without ceremonies or persuasions, you will catch your Child violently out of the Fire, without using Intreaties. Knowing the terrour of the Lord, says the Apostle, we persuade Men we value not whether we are accounted mad Men, or sober; it's for your sakes,2 Cor. 5. and Christs love constrains us. This shews not wrath, or cruelty, or severity, but the greatest tenderness, pity, and compassion. The more loving and affectionate the Mother, the more earnest for her Childs good in case of danger. Methinks, I not only forsee your ghastly looks, and hear your screetches and groans on your death-beds; not only see your Skull and Bones, and loathsom clammy dust in the Grave, but hear and see your dreadful cries, trembling and confusion at the great day, and your roarings and yellowings in Hell; and at present I see you busie and careful about trifles, and wearying your selves with very Vanity; some Laugh, others Weep; some Sing and Roar, others Sweat and Labour; Some fear great Troubles, others expect great Prosperity; and all trifling away your time about nothing, when Great, and Glorious and blessed things, stand before you, are nigh you, and may be obtain'd; and therefore blame me not, if I am very earnest and importunate. It's but a very little while before you and I shall lye down in the Grave. We can't always eat, and drink, and sleep, as now we do, great changes are coming upon us, and yet we can't be wise and prepare. It was not iong since, there was no knowledge nor thought of us, and in a little while we shall be here no more; poor Worms creep out of the Earth, crawl about a little while, and into the Earth again, some sooner, some later; if we are wise we may mount up to Glory, which is the design of this Treatise.
Were it Gods way, and what would prevail, I could cast dust on my head, rend my Clothes, and fall down at your doors, and with bended knees earnestly beg you to take care of your precious immortal Souls, to flie from the wrath to come, and strive and run to get to Glory. I could beg you with loud cries, till my Throat were scorcht, and my Voice spent, and with Tears of Blood beseech you. I am sure, Gods people of old, his blessed Ministers especially, were strangely, importunate; how earnest the Apostle, I beseech you, Brethren, by the Mercies of God, and in the Bowels of Jesus Christ; if there be any consolation in Christ, if any Bowels of Mercy, &c. Never a Prisoner beg'd more earnestly for his own Life, than good Paul begs their Lives and Souls. But when we have done all, neither is he that Planteth any thing, or he that Watereth, though it be Paul and Appollo's, 1 Cor. 6.3.7. but God that giveth the Increase. Who is sufficient for this work? not Men nor Angels. It's the same power, that made Heaven and Earth, that can rule the raging Seas, and overthrow Mountains, that can change those Hearts of ours. If Means, or Mercies, or Judgements, would have wrought upon us, and done us good, we had been other manner of persons long agoe. Christ's Preaching, Company, holy Converse, sweet and gracious Temper, wonderful Miracles, did not work on Judas; all the judgements not change Pharaoh nor his people; all the Israelites miraculous Deliverances, wonderful Protection, and Provision, nor Gods distinguishing kindness, did not work on the Israelites; but murmur,Isa. 5.3. repine, and inclin'd to Idolatry; God says, What could I have done more? what choice Preaching and Praying; what Heavenly Sacraments and Fasts; what excellent good Books have been in this Nation; and yet many, very many, as ignorant, prophane, filthy, and worldly, as if they had liv'd in the dark corners of the World? How many Sermons Preach'd against Pride, Wantonness, Covetousness, &c. pressing to prayer in Families and Closets? and yet not move one, scarce, in a Congregation, to one duty, or make them leave one sin. I have often been quite discourag'd in my Work, sinking under the burden, and apt to think, Lord, why should I offer Christ, Grace, and Glory, to these sinners any more, that will scarce hearken to what I say, and if they do, will leave all behind them, and turn to the World and Vanity,Isa. 6.9, 10, 11. and there be alive, and at home. That such an Evangelical Prophet as Isaiah should be sent to make the Hearts of the people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes. One would think, that was work for false Prophets and blind Priests. But will not much and often Teaching prevail? No, quite contrary, the word was unto them,Chap. 28.13. precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go and fall backward and be broken, snared, and taken. So that I am often thinking, we must turn off from the people more to God, and say, Lord, open these peoples eyes, ears, and hearts; I must pray, and You too, that God may bless these Lines to your Souls, and then may they do you real good.
But since our great Lord and Master bears and forbears, intreats and wooes; and since Christ is meek and lowly, kind and pitiful; I cannot but intreat and beseech you once more, that you would consider the things that belong to your peace, prize and receive them, before they are hid from your eyes; I cannot but beg you for Gods sake, who hath no pleasure in your death, had rather you would turn and live; for Christ's sake, who would see of the travel of his Soul, and be satisfied, who died bitterly to save you.2 Cor. 5.20. Says the Apostle, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead; for the Gospels sake, so full of Mercy and Goodness; for your own Souls sake, so poor, and empty, and miserable, that needs all this Mercy, and will be made blessed by it. Let me beg you to consider your selves, is all well at present with you? if so, you have cause to bless God and be thankful; but if not, can you live and die so? You may slight such a Messenger as I am, and reject my Counsel, but God will send another Messenger shortly, you cannot resist, nor reject, the Call and Summons of Death. It is easie to cast this book behind you, or read it carelesly, or despise and laugh at this warning. This may be the last Call to some of you; God will not much longer trouble or burden you with these things; his Mercy will not wait, nor his Spirit strive in this manner. Hear ye the Lord speaking to you, as the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4.18. to 21. Some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you, but I will come to you shortly; and the Lord will know not the Speech of them that are puffed up, as if they were something, when they are nothing, and deceive themselves; but the Power, Truth, and Life of Godliness, for the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. What will you, shall I come to you with the Rod of anger and destruction, or in love to Save and Exalt you? Think seriously how it 'twil be; Christ will come in flaming fire against some, and to be glorified in some, and admired. On what hand are you like to be found? Do you really look, long for, or love the appearing of Jesus Christ, or do you dread it? Are you ready, watching, praying, preparing, blessed art thou, such a Servant, Whom the Lord, when he comes, shall find so doing. I can but persuade and intreat you, I can't force and command you. God seems to be as one gone into a far Country, and lets the World alone to themselves; hath only appointed all their works and the Porters, the Ministers,Mark. 13.34. are to warn and call upon you. You may now hear or refuse, pray in your Families, or not pray; swear, or not swear; persecute or suffer; God lets Men alone at the present, only persuades you to be wise; ay, but God will come and call over all, and call all to account;Luke 19.13, 15, 16, 17. Ch. 20.9. every Servant call'd to an account for every Talent. It's said, he went into a far Country for a long time, that is, it seems so to us, that the wicked Servant says, the Lord delays his coming, and falls to oppression and drunkenness; God will come in an hour when he thinks not,Ch. 17, 27.28. and woe be unto him. As it was in the days of Noah, they did eat, they drank, they Married Wives, until the day; in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded, till the same day that it rain'd Fire and Brimstone from Heaven, and destroyed them all, so is the coming of the Son of Man. Thus, most Men are taken by Death in the midst of business. Most Men are buying and selling, full of cares, and fears, and hopes, and joys, till Death strikes them down, and all is gone. Many have contriv'd much for another year, about their Houses, their Grounds, their Children, and Death says this Night, or this Week, thou must be gone to another place, about other matters. The Sinner is amaz'd, quite confounded, and overwhelm'd, as if he never heard of it. The good Man says, welcom Death, and welcom Christ, and welcom Heaven; when Death says, I must take away all; he says, I am ready to be stript; it's no more than I look'd and prepar'd for. Good Mr. Jordan that had assurance of Gods love Forty years, said, he would go forth some miles to meet Death, as the best Messenger he ever saw: Another chearfully let his Soul out of his Body, and said, now Angels do your work. This is my great end in writing this Book, to persuade you so to take care of your selves; that when Friends shall weep over you dying, and leave you gasping out your last, and dead, your Souls may go with Triumph and glory, to better Friends, to mount Sion, to the City of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just Men made perfect; and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel. That spoke wrath, death, and vengeance; this speaks Mercy, Life, and Eternal Glory. The Lord grant, if it be his blessed will, that these following Lines may be so read, believ'd, and practis'd, that you may be thus happy, and eternally sav'd. I leave and commend both You, and the work, to the blessing of the great God above, who alone can make it really good to your Souls.