THE PLEASANT JOURNEY.

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The Pleasant Journey.

There are twelve things which help to make a journey pleasant, and there is something like to each of them which may be found in the way of wisdom, and those that walk in that way.

1. It helps to make a journey pleasant to go upon a good errand. He that is brought up a prisoner in the hands of the ministers of justice, whatever conveniences he may be accommodated with, cannot have a pleasant journey, but a melancholy one. And that is the case of a wicked man, he is going on, in this world, towards destruction; the way he is in, though wide and broad, leads directly to it; and, while he persists in it, every step he takes is so much nearer hell, and therefore he cannot have a pleasant journey. It is absurd and indecent to pretend to make it so: though the way may seem right to a man, yet there can be no true pleasure in it, while "the end thereof is the ways of death," and the "steps take hold on hell" (Prov. v. 5).

But he that goes into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, whatever difficulties may attend his journey, yet the errand he goes on is enough to make it pleasant: and on this errand they go that travel wisdom's ways; they look for a kingdom which cannot be moved, and are pressing forwards in the hopes of it. Abraham went out of his own country, "not knowing whither he went" (Heb. xi. 8). But those that set out and hold on in the way of religion, know whither it will bring them, that it "leads to life" (Matt. vii. 14)eternal life; and therefore," in the way of righteousness is life" (Prov. xii. 28), because there is such a life at the end of it.

Good people go upon a good errand, for they go on God's errand, as well as on their own, that are serving and glorifying Him, contributing something to His honour, and the advance

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ment of the interests of His kingdom among men; and this makes it pleasant; and that which puts so great a reputation upon the duties of religion, as that by them God is served and glorified, cannot but put so much the more satisfaction into them. With what pleasure doth Paul appeal to God, as the God whom "he served with his spirit in the gospel of His Son!" (Rom. i. 9).

2. It helps to make a journey pleasant, to have strength and ability for it. He that is weak, and sickly, and lame, can find no pleasure in the pleasantest walks. How should he, when he takes every step in pain? But a strong man rejoiceth to run a race, while he that is feeble trembles to set one foot before another. Now this makes the ways of religion pleasant, that they who walk in those ways are not only cured of their natural weakness, but are filled with spiritual strength; they travel not in their own might, but in the "greatness of His strength who is mighty to save” (Isa. lxiii. 1).

Were they to proceed in their own strength, they would have little pleasure in the journey, every little difficulty would foil them, and they would tire presently; but they go forth, and go on "in the strength of the Lord God" (Ps. lxxi. 16), and upon every occasion, according to His promise, He renews that strength to them, and they mount up with wings like eagles, they go on with cheerfulness and alacrity, they "run and are not weary, they walk and do not faint” (Isa. xl. 51). God with His comforts enlargeth their hearts, and then they not only go but "run the way of his commandments" (Ps. cxix. 32).

That which to the old nature is impracticable and unpleasant, and which, therefore, is declined or gone about with reluctancy, to the new nature is easy and pleasant; and this new nature is given to all the saints, which puts a new life and vigour into them, "strengthens them with all might in the inner man" (Col. i. 2), unto all diligence in doing work, patience

TRAVELLING IN DAYLIGHT.

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in suffering work, and perseverance in both; and so is all made pleasant. They are "strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might" (Eph. vi. 10), and this not only keeps the spirit willing, even then when the flesh is weak, but makes even the "lame man to leap as a hart," and the "tongue of the dumb to sing" (Isa. xxxv. 6). "I can do all things through Christ strengthening me" (Phil. iv. 13).

3. It helps to make a journey pleasant to have daylight. It is very uncomfortable travelling in the night, in the black and dark night. "He that walketh in darkness," saith our Saviour, "knoweth not whither he goes" (John xii. 35), right or wrong, and that is uncomfortable; and, in another place, "If a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him" (John xi. 10). And this is often spoken of as the miserable case of wicked people, "They know not, neither will they understand, they walk on in darkness" (Ps. lxxxiii. 5). They are in continual danger, and so much the more if they be not in continual fear.

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But Wisdom's children are all "children of the light, and of the day" (1 Thess. v. 5). They were darkness, but are light in the Lord," and "walk as children of the light” (Eph. v. 8). Truly the light is sweet, even to one that sits still, but much more so to one that is on a journey; and doubly sweet to those that set out in the dark, as we all did. But this great light is risen upon us, not only to please our eyes, but to "guide our feet into the paths of peace" (Luke i. 79). And then they are indeed paths of peace, when we are guided into them, and guided in them by the light of the gospel of Christ. And all that walk in the light of gospel conduct, cannot fail to walk in the light of gospel comforts.

And it adds to the pleasure of having daylight in our travels, if we are in no danger of losing it, and of being benighted. And this is the case of those that walk in the light of the Lord, for the Sun of righteousness that is risen upon them,

with healing under his wings, shall no more go down, but shall be their everlasting light (Isa. lx. 20).

4. It helps to make a journey pleasant to have a good guide, whose knowledge and faithfulness one can confide in. A traveller, though he has daylight, yet may miss his way, and lose himself, if he have not one to shew him his way, and go before him, especially if his way lie, as ours doth, through a wilderness, where there are so many bypaths; and, though he should not be guilty of any fatal mistake, yet he is in continual doubt and fear, which makes his journey uncomfortable.

But this is both the safety and the satisfaction of all true Christians, that they have not only the gospel of Christ for their light, both a discovering and directing light, but the Spirit of Christ for their guide. It is promised, that He shall "lead them into all truth" (John xvi. 13), shall "guide them with His eye" (Ps. xxxii. 8). Hence they are said to "walk after the Spirit, and to be led by the Spirit" (Rom. viii. 1, 14), as God's Israel of old were led through the wilderness by a pillar of cloud and fire, and the Lord was in it.

This is that which makes the way of religion such a highway, as that the "wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein" (Isa. xxxv. 8). There are fools indeed, wicked ones, who walk after the flesh, that miss their way, and wander endlessly: "The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city" (Eccles. x. 15); but those fools that shall not err therein, are weak ones; the foolish things of the world who, in a sense of their own folly, are so wise as to give up themselves entirely to the conduct of the Spirit, both by conscience and the written Word; and, if they have done this in sincerity, they know whom they have depended upon to "guide them by His counsel, and afterwards to receive them to His glory" (Ps. lxxiii. 24). These may go on their journey pleasantly, who are promised, that whenever they are in doubt, or in danger of mistaking, or being misled,

they shall hear a voice saying to them, "This is the way, walk ye in it” (Isa. xxx. 21).

5. It helps to make a journey pleasant to be under a good guard or convoy, that one may travel safely. Our way lies through an enemy's country, and they are active, subtle enemies; the road is infested with robbers, that lie in wait to spoil and to destroy; we travel by the lions' dens, and the mountains of the leopards; and our danger is the greater, that it ariseth not from "flesh and blood, but spiritual wickednesses" (1 Pet. v. 8). Satan, by the world and the flesh, waylays us, and seeks to devour us; so that we could not with any pleasure go on our way if God Himself had not taken us under His special protection.

The same Spirit that is a guide to these travellers, is their guard also; for whoever are "sanctified by the Holy Ghost," are by Him "preserved in Jesus Christ" (Jude 1), "preserved blameless,” and shall be "preserved to the heavenly kingdom" (2 Tim. iv. 18), so as that they shall not be robbed of their graces and comforts, which are their evidences for, and earnests of eternal life; they are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation" (1 Pet. i. 5), and therefore may go on cheerfully.

The promises of God are a writ of protection to all Christ's good subjects in their travels, and give them such a holy security, as lays a foundation for a constant serenity. Eternal truth itself hath assured them that "no evil shall befall them (Ps. xci. 10)-nothing really and destructively evil, no evil but what God will bring good to them out of; God Himself hath engaged to be their keeper, and to preserve their going out and coming in, from henceforth and for ever, which looks as far forwards as eternity itself. And by such promises as these, and that grace which is conveyed through them to all active believers, God carries them as upon eagles' wings to bring them to Himself (Deut. xxxii. 11).