to be worthy the weight of an Oath the Nature of God whom we call to witness and under whose Divine Judgment we set our selves in Case we speak false and in Righteousness that the thing we swear be Lawful and possible and like to bring Glory to God and good to our selves or others 4. Direct The next thing to be considered is the form of an Oath for this also is stumbled at by some and is to be minded as well as the Matter this should be agreeable or at least not contradictory to the word of God Now the Form of an Oath is either External or Internal the External Form consists in words or signs or both the Internal Form consists in the true Sense and Interpretation of the words of the Oath a little of these in their Order The External sometimes consists in words without signs and thus a Man swears and calls God to witness the Truth of his Intentions in plain words and this Oath is variously worded according to the Use and Custom of the Countrey Men Live in And thus we may find as before hath been proved God Angels and Men have thus sworn Sometimes also Men swear and affirm by signs without words and this is most frequent where there are many that enter into an Oath or Covenant when the words of the Oath or Covenant are either read or spoken and those that are willing to enter into that bond make it known by some External sign or token by some Action or Gesture as by a nod with the Head bowing the Body standing up or to a side lifting up the Hand or otherwise according as they shall be required by the Imposer or by writing down their Names By any of those they may testifie their consent and this is as binding and Obligatory as if the words were uttered And sometimes we may find an Oath taken both by words and signs and this is the most Solemn manner of Swearing Thus God frequently is said to lift up his Hand when he swears to his People thus the Angel Dan. 12.7 he held up his Right Hand and his Left Hand to Heaven and sware by him that Liveth for ever and this hath been the Custom of Heathens and Infidels as well as Christians in making Oaths and Covenants Divers are the Rites and Ceremonies which the Heathens have used at such times yea many and various are the Customes of the Godly in such Cases One was the putting the Hand under the Thigh thus Abraham sware his Servant Gen. 24.2 And thus Joseph sware unto his Father Jacob Gen. 47.29 Another Form much in Use was lifting up the Hand as was even now spoken of this was used by God Angels and Men by God Deut. 32.40 For I lift up my Hand and say I Live for ever By Abraham Gen. 19.22 I have lift up my Hand unto the Lord most High and false swearers are said to have a Right Hand of Deceit because they lift it up deceitfully Psal 144.8 11. And various have been the Ceremonies that have been used among Christians in the Primitive Times and in succeeding Generations among us the putting the hand upon the Bible and kissing it is most in Use or both which is but a professing sign of our consent and I know not any cause of Scruple in it thus for the External The Internal Form of an Oath is the right sense and Interpretation of the words and therefore an Oath should not consist in aequivalent or ambiguous words or phrases for then a Man may take them in a different sense from the Imposers mind and may require one thing and another may attest another but the sense should be obvious to both giver and taker or otherwise nothing or at least we know not what is witnessed and the Oath proves vain nay the very end of an Oath which is the Investigation of Truth is closed Heb. 6.16 An Oath is the end of strife and thus the Name of God is taken in vain and this part of his Worship prophaned and abused and 't is no better than a Lye when we affirm by Oath what in the Imposers sense is not true and so it proves Perjury But the words should be taken in the plain Common sense which is obvious to all Neither should there be equivocation or Mental reservation used in an Oath this is the sallacious dealing of the Papists who by this means think to evade all Oaths and delude the Imposer but they most delude themselves and wrong their own Souls for God will not be mocked whose Worship is abused They hide part in their Minds and so subvert the sense as thus they swear they were not at Rome and think in their Minds not an Hundred years agoe but what is mentire but contra mentum ire though this may serve in foro humano God can easily detect such jugling deceits and will never hold those guiltless that thus take his Name in Vain and like Jezebel deceive under pretence of Religion 5. Direct If thou wouldst honour God in this part of his Worship see then that thou aimest at right Ends. In thy Oath the End must be Lawful and good or the Duty will prove a Sin and a Snare A Man may swear that which is Truth and yet if his End be bad it will prove his Sin Now the End of an Oath as I said before should be for the Confirmation of some necessary Truth in Question which cannot otherwise be proved Heb. 6.16 Men swear by him that is greater than themselves and an Oath for confirmation to them is the End of all strife Now it should be a weighty business that requires an Oath and a necessary Truth that is in Question some doubtful Matter which cannot otherwise be found out or proved that cannot be Evidenced but by an Oath In this Case we find the Apostle vindicating himself this way when there was no other way to do it Rom. 1.9 God is my Witness whom I serve with my Spirit that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my Prayers 2 Cor. 1.23 I call God to Record upon my Soul c. We see he appeals to God the Searcher of all Hearts to witness with him and for him his Affection to them 'T is the Glory of God in the manifestation of Truth and our own and Neighbours good should be principally minded in this Duty but too many have by and base and low Ends in it and not accordingly When a thing depends upon the Faith of the Speaker and cannot otherwise be found out and yet is necessary to be known an Oath of the Lord may be Imposed Exod. 22.10,11 If a Man deliver unto his Neighbour an Ass or an Ox or a Sheep or any Beast to keep and it dye or be hurt or be driven away no man seeing it then shall an Oath of the Lord be between them both that he hath not put his Hand to his Neighbours goods and the Owner of it shall accept thereof
42.15 Josh 14.9 1 Kings 20.3 Yea in Gospel times Paul Rom. 1.9 God is my Witness whom I serve in my Spirit I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me Witness in the Holy Ghost c. We have the Custom of all Nations which shews 't is a Principle in Nature who when witness is wanting take an Oath as a Religious Band and because they know not the Heart appeal to God that doth know it Neither is there any thing in an Oath that is intrinsecally Evil neither the Matter Form nor End the calling upon God the Searcher of the Heart to bear witness to the Sincerity of our Intentions for the Satisfaction of others that cannot otherwise be satisfied what Evil can there be in that Heb. 6.16 An Oath is for Confirmation the end of all strife 2 Cor. 1.23 Indeed all rash common Swearing is forbidden by Christ and also by St. James 1. Direct As concerning Oaths Consideration must be had of the parties themselves concerned and they are either the Parties requiring an Oath or the Parties of whom an Oath is required for both of them require some Satisfaction He that requires it should do it by Authority and have a Lawful ground or otherwise he cannot he ought not to exact it by force every Man cannot force another to Swear and without just Cause no one ought in such a Case they ought not to be Obeyed And for the Person Swearing which is Agens Principalis the chief Actor in the business 'T is necessary that he have the use of Reason and that he be sui Juris his own Man and the things that he swears to give be at his own Dispose and hence it follows the Children before they come to the right use of Reason ought not to take an Oath neither indeed should their Oaths be imposed or regarded neither doth such an Oath bind the Conscience being Ignorantly taken they are Ignorant of the Nature of an Oath neither can they come with deliberation as they ought or compare their Action with the Rule or right Reason therefore they ought not to be Admitted But at what Age that is I think is not easie to determine for doubtless some attain it soon some later but I think our Laws say Sixteen Years of Age and before that time their Testimony is not Valid And an Oath may bind the Conscience of some if otherwise Lawful though the Testimony be not Valid by the Law But alas how Common oh too Common is that Customary Swearing of Children even before they can speak plain as if they suckt it in with their Mothers Milk and had been taught it with their Mother Tongue as doubtless they are either by Precept or Example for how many before they can speak plain lisp out Oaths against God himself whose Name they Profanely abuse to the dishonour of God the shame of their Parents the damage of the Nation where they Live for because of Oaths the Land mourns and to the apparent hazard of their own Souls who without Repentance will Eternally Curse their Parents in Hell for their sinful Education Again Mad and Frantick Men are not fit to take an Oath for the same Reason for though they once had the use of Reason yet through their Distemper 't is lost The like we may say of Fools and Idiots that never had it and so never knew the use of an Oath though too many of them though they cannot speak Reason can Swear and Curse and take the Name of God in vain and their proneness to this and other sins and their backwardness to what is good discovers them to be of the Sinful Off-spring of lapsed Adam and is a strong Argument for Original Sin and their want of the use of Reason is some extenuation of their Sin God requires little where little was given yet it excuseth not a toto but a tanto it discovers a foul Fountain that thus bubbles up their Words their Actions their Discourse is not to be heard why then their Oaths Again Men when far gone in Drink or Passion are not fit for this considerate Duty neither can they do it without Sin because not with Mature Deliberation though some Cases their promisory Oaths may bind them and they ought not to break them though it be to their own damage Psal 15.4 For Drunkenness or Immoderate Passion is no Excuse of their Sin but an Aggravation for one Sin will not Excuse another Again if a Man be in his right mind and otherwise qualified yet 't is necessary that he be sui juris his own Man at his own dispose and not anothers in the thing he swears otherwise he cannot avoid sin what Course soever he take As suppose a Son under the Tuition of a Father or a Servant of a Master should without Parents or Masters Consent swear to go a Journey as suppose in Popery on a Pilgrimage this is a Sin because he is not at his own dispose We read in the time of the Law if a Woman Vowed a Vow or a Maid in her Fathers House if her Husband or Father approved not of it it was void consider then whether Vows of single Life or Marriage Promises without Parents consent be valid I am sure they are sinful Those under Authority should not dispose of themselves by Oath without Parents Consent 2. Direct Having already shewn you who may swear and who ought not to swear I come in the next place to tell you by whom you ought to swear and here also we shall meet with much Corruption in Practice though an Oath is Lawful when Lawfully required as by a Lawful Magistrate in a Lawful Cause from a Person rightly qualified as I hove already Discoursed yet 't is not Lawful to swear by whom he pleaseth for an Oath as I told you is part of Divine Worship due to God and his Glory is Concerned in it and he will not give it to another Gen. 21.53 Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac that is by the God whom his Father feared That we ought to swear by God I have shewed you already both by Scriptures and Examples Deut. 6.13 10.20 and many more But where we have any Injunction or Toleration given to swear by any thing that is not God is not easie to find yea it is plain Idolatry to ascribe unto any Creature Divine Worship 't is a setting of them in the place of God yea a dishonouring of God and setting up something else in his stead In a Lawful Oath we do not only assert the Truth for that we do or ought to do without an Oath but we ascribe Omniscience Omnipotence Omnipresence yea the Justice wisdom and Truth to God we acknowledge him to be the Searcher of the Heart and the Tryer of the Reins and that he is both the witness Judge and Revenger of Falshood and Lying and furthermore by Prayer and Invocation God is called upon to give Testimony with
this is not the Blood of Christ we must have some better shelter to keep off the storms of God's fiery Indignation the Prophet tells us all our Righteousness is as filthy Rags or a menstruous Cloath Isa 6.6 And will God think you delight in this The Heart which is the Fountain is Corrupt and never cleansed from Original Corruption and can we think the streams thence issuing can be sweet This bitter Root sends many branches of Actual sin which mix themselves with our best duties and make them abominable in the Eyes of God These are the dead Flyes that spoyl all the Oyntment we cannot do a duty but we spoyl it in the doing and if we could unless we could do every duty thus to the end of our Lives what Advantage should we have by that one We must Live free from evil thoughts vain words and evil Actions or we cannot stand approved by God nay if we could do so and Live free from the least Transgression for the future this will not discharge us of our fore-past Debt will the constant payment of Rent for the future clear up the arreares that are behind 'T is a vain thing to think to be saved by our own good works or justified by our good duties Alas they are too much defiled with sin and self to be satisfactory to God and yet how ready are Men to lay hold upon any thing that will give them the least hope and trust to good hearts and good duties and good meanings when there is no such thing and loath they are to come out of themselves confess themselves to be such Bankrupts as indeed they are but the vanity of these hopes I shall give you in the words of an able Divine who speaks fully to my purpose who tells thee that thou canst not bring in perfect Righteousness into the presence of God and hast no Christ to trust unto thou must desire and pray till Heaven and Earth shake till thou hast worn thy Tongue to the stumps endeavour as much as thou canst and others commend thee for an exact Christian mourn in some Wilderness till dooms day dig thy Grave with thy nails weep Buckets full of hourly Tears till thou canst weep no more Fast and Pray till thy skin and bones cleave together promise and purpose with full resolution to be better yea reform thy Head Heart Life and Tongue leave some nay all sin Live like an Angel shine like a Sun walk up and down the World like a distressed Pilgrim so that all that see thee may commend and admire thee dye ten thousand Deaths lye at the Fire back of Hell as many millions of Years as there are Grass piles upon the Earth Sands on the Sea shore Stars in Heaven or Motes in the Sun I tell thee not one spark of Gods wrath will be quenched by all these Duties for they are not the Blood of Christ c. Shepherd Sincere Convert CHAP. III. Directions in Hearing the Word HAving given you some general Directions necessary in all Duties without which no duty either to God or Man can be acceptable to God I shall next descend to some particulars which God requires at our hands and lay down some Directions how they may be performed to God's Glory and the Souls Advantage for 't is not the meer doing of a duty but the well doinging of it that attains these ends The first I shall mention is that great duty of hearing God's Word As for the Preaching of it I shall give Directions among those Relative duties which God willing I intend to Treat of in it's place If I could sufficiently instruct you in this I need not speak much of the rest for this would be a help in all the other for in the Word are Directions for the other also I need not stand to prove this is a duty I hope few will deny it As for those that are above Ordinances so as to neglect them Time hath discovered their Folly doth not God send his Messengers to Preach and is it not our duty to Hear The Apostle tells us Necessity is laid upon him and woe to him if he preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.18 And is Preaching their duty and is not Hearing ours Yea doth not Christ himself teach us how to Hear And gives us Cautions to that purpose to take heed how we hear And what we hear Mark 4.24 Luke 8.18 And oftentimes calls upon those that have Ears to hear that they should hear and in many Parables gives Directions about hearing as in the Parable of the Sower and the Seed of the good Seed and the Tares and many more But my business is at present only by way of Motive to put you on to the Duty and by way of Direction to help you in it I shall at present use those Motives drawn from the benefit of the Word for who is not moved with Profit and Gain But here is the greatest gain to be had 't is the ordinary means to bring Men to Christ I say the ordinary means for God is not tyed to it Rom. 10.14,17 Faith cometh by hearing to this end God sends Paul to the Gentiles to open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26.17,18 When Christ met with Paul in the way Acts 9.9,10 He doth not Instruct him himself but sends him to be Instructed by Ananias and when he sent an Angel to Cornelius it was not to Preach the Gospel to him but to direct him to Peter Acts 10.35 It was by Preaching that Peter Converted 3000. at one time Acts 2.37.41 The Word is the Seed that being sown in a good heart fructifies abundantly Mat. 13.8 The neglect of this is threatned Mat. 10.14 Whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words c. It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of Judgment than for them and few are brought in that neglect this Duty Nay 't is of daily use to those that are Converted to build them up it is the Milk that must nourish them and make them grow for where there is Life there must be Food David by this means became wiser than his Teachers and had more Understanding than the Antient and what condition soever a poor soul is in here he may find directions Art thou in sorrow and distress here consolation is to be had here the Soul by faith sucks sweetness out of the Promise art thou in affliction here are Cordials to uphold a fainting heart directions to bear them well and promises of a seasonable deliverance if thou run astray here thou maist hear a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk in it God hath here set way-marks to guide thee If thou be dead or dull here are rousing considerations to quicken thee if thy faith be weak here it may be strengthned if thy Soul be sin sick here is a Physitian directed to and a Potion prescribed
an Elephant may swim but the gains will countervail the loss and charge here is a Lamp to light us the dew of Heaven to refresh us a sword to defend us a key to open Christs will to us flaggons of Wine and Apples of Paradice take therefore these Directions in thy Reading 4. Direction If thou wouldest Read the Word with profit 't is necessary that thou prepare thy heart for so solemn a duty come not out of a huddle of business with thy heart full of the World to discourse with God take not Gods word any more than his Name in vain take it not prophanely into thy mouth without due regard or consideration lest he turn thee away with a Curse instead of a Blessing 't is a business of great concernment even of Life and Death yea of the Eternal well or ill being of thy Soul and therefore not to be slighted beg leave therefore of God before thou meddle with it yea beg his blessing upon it without which nothing can do us good for Soul or Body the want of due preparation causeth many to find the word so ineffectual yea find so little sweetness in it Again if thou wouldst profit by it hold on in a constant course of Reading 't is not reading by fits and starts will serve turn many are now off now on now they will and then they will not as the World gives them leave or as the humour takes them this is not sufficient but get a strong Resolution to hold on in a constant course of Reading what ever comes of it break through all the difficulties that lye in the way a little now and then will do thee little good without this Resolution Satan will baffle thee and lay some temptation in the way to hinder the World will divert thee and one business or other present it self to be done at the same time thy own corruption will oppose it and thy deceitful heart make thee delay it but this being the food of thy Soul be not diverted from it any more than thou wouldest be from thy Meat but this is not sufficient thou must not only do the duty but do it well to this end get thy heart in order get it cleansed from distracting thoughts and cares freed from disquieted motions perterbations A full Vessel can receive no more and a heart full of the World hath no room for Heaven say therefore to thy Worldly cares and thoughts when thou comest to this duty as Abraham to his servants when he went to Sacrifice stay here and I will come to you again set thy self as in the presence of the great God apprehend him by the eye of Faith beholding thee this will keep thy thoughts from roving and thy imaginations from wandring in his Service and awe thy heart and curb thy Affection Bring with thee also a Spiritual Appetite to the means of Grace come with an empty stomack or why dost thou seek after Food An hungry man is most like to taste and relish those dainties the Word was to David sweeter than Honey and the Honey-Comb and to Job better than his appointed Food If there be Spiritual Life in the Soul there will be an Appetite for no Life can be preserved without food Bring Faith also along with thee which is the mouth of the Soul and without this the Soul can receive no nourishment The Word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixt with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 4.2 Reading will do thee little good if thou believe not the Truth of what thou Readest or doubtest of the performance of the Promises or Threatnings Faith also will subdue Carnal Reason and help thee out when thou art at a stand But above all seek help from above from God here are many difficulties too hard for thee to grapple with which cannot be understood but by Divine assistance Paul may Plant and Apollos Water but God gives the Increase 't is he that opened Lydia's Heart and must open thine or the Word cannot do it beg therefore his assistance and come thus prepared to the Duty this is the likeliest way to speed 2. Direct If thou wouldest profit by Reading of the Word be sure to propound right ends to thy self for the End Crowns the Action Many read much and profit little because their Ends are bad they undo themselves and lose their labour by this means Some Read for Custom and for Fashion sake and make reading the end of reading and are like the silly Women the Apostle speaks of always Learning and never come to the knowledge of the Truth and so the work be done matter it no more Some Read to fill their Heads with knowledge and their Brains with Notions that they may thereby be able to discourse with applause when yet they never suffer it to sink down or soak into or season the heart but such speculative knowledge doth little good yea great hurt It makes them sin with a Candle in their hands And some Read to a worse end that they may be able to oppose the Truth and maintain Error and pervert the good ways of God thus the Pharisees thus the Jesuits and many Hereticks But every one should and a true Christian doth in this duty as well as others make God's glory in the Salvation of his own and others Souls the mark he aims at and regulates his Actions accordingly And doubtless from God he will receive his Reward When others as it was self they aimed at so from self they must expect their wages A Believer he would know more that he may obey better he would know God better that he might Love him more and know God's will that he might do his work he would know his work as well as his wages his Duties as well as his Priviledges He reads he word of God and those Books which open and apply it that he may know Truth from Error and follow the one and fly the other and may not be seduced by false Teachers nor drawn aside from the Rule to the Right hand or to the Left He would know Light from Darkness and have the Scales of Ignorance fall from his Eyes he would know good from evil that he might follow the one and avoid the other he would be able to try the Spirits whether they are of God or no yea to try all things and hold fast that which is good he would know Vice from Virtue and discern what is sin and what is duty that he be not like those that in Persecuting the Saints think they do God good Service he would be acquainted with his own Heart and know the state of his own Soul and whether his Evidences for Heaven be good or no he observes what qualifications the Scripture requires for Heaven and then by Scripture-Light he would discern them in his own heart and endeavours to Read his own Name in the Book of Life and see what Interest he hath in
is also necessary that thou understandest what thou readest 't is not so much the words and phrases as the sense thou shouldest look after The Jews as I told you had great care of the Scriptures they counted the Words Syllables and Letters contained in the Law and yet were Ignorant of the sense and mist of the meaning When thou readest a dark passage in the Scripture rest not till thou understand it To this end Divines have given several Directions such as these If thou be able compare the Original and Translation together and perhaps this may resolve thy doubt every Language hath a peculiar Elegancy and some words are of so hard a signification that they cannot fully be exprest in a Translation Now knowing the Original will abundantly help and the knowledge of Arts and Sciences is also of great use let the Enemies to Learning say what they will to the contrary If this help thee not look into the Context observe the Circumstances and scope of the Place and receive no Interpretation which Crosses that If this will not do compare this place with others the like and admit not such a sense as contradicts other Scriptures especially compare it with the analogy of Faith those plain Doctrinal conclusions gathered out of other plain Scriptures of which no doubt is made and if it agree not with this reject it for Truth it self cannot oppose it self We must reduce dark places to those that are plain and not force those that are plain to the dark ones If this help not read some Learned Exposition upon the place If this fail seek assistance from God for as the Sun cannot be seen but by it's own light so the will of God cannot be known but by his own Spirit he that Faithfully and Carefully observes these Directions may through Gods blessing come to know as much as is necessary 5. Direct If thou wouldest profit by the word thou readest carefully observe the general scope of it and what design God is aiming at and what End he aims at in it and prosecute the same design and aim at the same mark that he doth for all Scripture is given for our Instruction Now if we heedfully mark the general scope of the Scripture and the end which God drives on in the main is to make himself known to the world in his wisdom power and goodness to the end that man may own him as their Lord Owner and Benefactor and his Son Jesus Christ for their Redeemer and Saviour that he might get himself Glory in their Salvation Now in thy Reading prosecute the same design that God doth and aim at the same end which he doth and this is the likeliest way to profit The Scripture in general sets before thee the knowledge of God and thy self what God is and what he hath done what thou wast by Nature what by the Fall and what by thy Restauration and also what God requires at thy hand In the prosecution of this End the Scripture handles those points which conduce hereunto As first in the work of Creation thou maist see God in his wisdom and power for none else could make the world of nothing yea every Creature will point out God to an understanding man for it passeth the power of Men or Angels to make the least Fly especially without pre-existent matter nay the Creatures do not only shew that there is a God but also sâ—… forth the Attributes of God as his Eternity Wisdom Power Majesty Goodness and Perfection these clearly shine forth in these his works The least Creature if you follow him home to his Original by Divine Meditation will point out an Omnipotent Arm for his Creator And when thou readest of his works of Providence these also speak the same thing and Teach the same Lesson The wonderful works and Miracles he hath wrought for the preservation of his People The Rule and Government which he hath set in the world the preservation of his Church and the frequent deliverance he hath given to his People Recorded in the Scripture bespake to us his Power Wisdom Goodness and Truth When thou readest of the Works of Redemption this bespeaks Christ the Lord the Son of God as he is witnessed from Heaven by Angels by Saints by Enemies by Devils all which gave Testimony to his Divinity and that he was truly man is also evident by his Incarnation Birth Growth Actions Passions Death and Burial and Resurrection c. And that he is the true Messiah the Saviour of the World is clearly evident by Scripture light here thou maist finde that all the Prophesies that went before of him are clearly fulfilled in him and no other and such Miracles wrought and such mighty Works done and such gratious Words spoken that make it plainly appear that he is indeed the Son of God the Saviour of the World Again when thou readest the Commands Threatnings Punishments c. Know these are to deterre thee from Sin and to drive thee home to God thy Benefactor and when thou readest the Promises Invitations and Encouragements these are to draw the nearer to him therefore carefully observe what ever thou readest and some way or other it will conduce to bring thee neerer to God this is Gods end in writeing the Word and should be thy end in reading it 6. Direct Wouldst thou profit by Reading then meditate upon what thou readest this is the way to make what thou readest thine own it was this way that David got more understanding than the Antient and became wiser than his Teachers Psal 119.98,99,100 and 66.11 Now Meditation is a studious Art of the Mind wherein a Man searcheth out some hidden truth by the discourse of Reason and 't is one of the most profitable heart-enriching duties thou canst perform this will fetch in Provision like a Bee from every Herb and Flower yea from every Weed Thorn and Bramble will yield some Honey this will store thy Heart with Treasure new and old there is no Creature so barren but will yield some Fruit nor dead Tree or hard Stone that is so barren but it will yield some increase no Creature but will yield a helping hand no Fowl but will lend a Feather to mount the Soul aloft A Christian skil'd in the Divine Art of Holy Meditation can never want an Object fit to work upon and if the Creatures thus furnish us doubtless the Word of God cannot be fruitless the Word of God of it self is Mysterious and Dark at least some part of it the Well is deep and Meditation is the Bucket hereby Divine Mysteries are drawn out and the Water of Life pumpt in cursory Reading many things pass by without regard which by Meditation are fetcht back and made use of This is not only a help to the understanding but the Memory also it leaves a deep impression upon it What in cursory Reading is soon forgot is prest hard upon and imprinted to the Memory by Meditation hereby the Heart
Angels Psal 8.1,2 c. Such occasional Objects were the grounds of many of Christs speeches and Sermons And a Christian by this means may learn something from every thing he either sees or hears That Meditation that is set and solemn is when a man separates himself from other Imployments and sequesters himself and thoughts from worldly affairs to consider of some portion of Scripture or some point of Divinity or some work of Nature for his own satisfaction and his Souls good That this is a Christians Duty few Christians will deny that it is a beneficial duty all that have tryed it in good earnest will easily confess experto crede Roberto That 't is too much neglected we may acknowledge with shame and sorrow Joshua was Commanded to Meditate in the Law of God day and night Josh 1.8 This was David's practice Psal 119.59 And this he makes the Character of a Godly and Blessed man Psal 1.2,3 It was Isaac's Custom as also Paul's and Peter's and many others This is the way to digest the meat we eat and can meat nourish if not digested This is the chewing of the Cud when we ruminate upon what we hear or see Meat undigested in the stomack feeds Diseases when 't is digested it feeds the Body What is the Reason so many good Sermons are lost amongst us And so many gracious Providences pass un-observed but for want of this Doubtless one Sermon well digested by Meditation would bring more nourishment to the Soul and breed more good Blood than now twenty do By Meditation a man searches and ransacks the Soul and finds out every dust-heap every Corruption and sees whether those Divine qualifications necessary to Salvation be there or no when others are strangers at home by this he gets light into the Understanding heat into the Affection and it puts Life into all his Duties By this he comes to see the Vanity of the World the emptiness of the Creature the vileness of Sin the beauty of Holiness and the fulness of Christ By this the Heart is taken off the World and set upon Heaven and sees by the Eye of Faith those things which are invisible By this he tramples upon sublunary things and fixes his Eyes upon things within the vail By this Stephen saw God and Moses talked with God and Paul was carried up into the third Heaven By this Afflictions are made light and the Cross easie and Christ's Yoak delightful this makes a man chuse Sufferings rather than sin and pain rather than sinful pleasure this helps the Soul to fly to Heaven and hold Communion with Christ himself and like the busie Bee to gather Honey from Flowers and Weeds which to effect take these following Directions 1. Direct Concerning Occasional Meditation though it be not what I chiefly intend yet being of daily Use I shall speak something of it at present A Christian that Trades for Heaven may have much Goods brought home in this Ship He may get Advantage by all he hears or sees or observes for there is nothing in God's Book or in the Book of Nature but will Instruct us in some necessary Lesson concerning God or our selves and mind us of something that may conduce to our Advantage And he that can make a good use of every thing he sees or hears and pick some Spiritual Food and refreshing from it must doubtless be a flourishing Cedar in the House of God and enjoy Heaven upon Earth and Spiritualize all the Creatures How often in Scripture may we read that Christ by occasional occurrances minds his Hearers of Spiritual things from a Well of water he Instructs the Woman of Samaria concerning the water of Life And by occasion of Bread he minds them of the Bread of Life and from a Sower and his Seed shews that a bad Heart is the cause that the Word proves unfruitful and many more such like David as before was hinted beholding the Heavens is raised up in his Meditation to God himself and his Love to Man Psal 8.1,2,3 c. Solomon sends the Sluggard to School to the Ant or Pismire that gathers in Summer for Winter And Christ sends those that are distrustful of their Fathers Providence to observe the Fowls of the Air how he feeds them And the Grass of the Field how he Cloaths it and no doubt but a wise man may make a Sanctified use of all these If a good wit can make a good use of every thing much more a good Heart Had we but this Art of Meditation every thing would yield a suitable object we have the whole world before us the greatest want is of a good Heart to improve these Objects that offer themselves to our view the least Creature would be useful if we were not wanting every day that passeth over our Heads may put us in mind of our latter end Thy Bed may mind thee of thy latter end and the time when thou must lye in the dust and thy rising up may mind thee of thy Resurrection The rising Sun may mind thee what a glorious day that will be when Christ with his Saints and Angels shall appear at Judgment each one shining as the Sun in his Lustre When Night approaches it may minde thee that thy daies are numbred and that thou hast now one fewer to spend than thou hadst in the Morning and mind thee what account thou canst give of it and make thee consider that the World cannot recal it Every Pain and Grief Ach and Trouble yea every gray Hair may mind thee of thy Mortality and how little beholding thou art to sin which brought all this into the World When thou seest the Heavens adorned with those beauty spots the Sun the Moon the Stars thou maist think if the Porch be so glorious what is the Pallace if the Pavement be so beautiful what is the Court the Throne it self When thou considerest their Beauty Altitude Magnitude Selerity and Influence thou maist well admire the Creator and with David cry out Lord what is man c. Who can but admire when he looks upon the Earth the Huge and Massy Globe the unweiley Creatures hanging in the midst of the Air of nothing distinguished into Hills and Dales and Woods and Rivers furnished with such variety of Trees and Grass and Herbs and Flowers and the numberless number of living Creatures Birds and Beasts and Fishes and creeping things and all provided for by the great Householder Who can behold the Rageing Sea kept within his Banks in the Ebbings and Flowings and view the Streams and Fountains the Springs and Rivers and not cry out the finger of God now among all these there is not one Fly or Flea not one Graspile or Leaf of a Tree but yields matter of Meditation and Admiration Ah! what a rich Soul will that be that gathers fruit from all these 2. Direct If thou wouldest perform thy duty well 'T is necessary thou set upon it with due preparation I speak not now of occasional
overwhelmed in the Sea Exod. 14.21 Over Amalek Exod. 17.12 Over Sennacherib 2 Kings 19.32 It hath with-held Rain from the Earth for a long time and after procured it James 5.17,18 It hath brought Angels from Heaven for the help of man thus to Daniel Chap. 9.21 For Hezekiahs help 2 Kings 19.35 where an Angel slew in one Night in the Camp of Sennacherib a hundred forty and five thousand And to Elisha 2 Kings 6.17 where the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of Fire about Elisha It hath brought Fire from Heaven to consume the Enemies 2 Kin. 1.10.12 It hath procured Bears to devour those Children that mocked the Prophet 2 Kings 2.24 It is the way to cast out Devils Mat. 17.21 and to work strange deliverances as Jonah out of the Whales belly Jonah 2.10 Peter out of Prison Acts 12.5 c. By this the Widdows Oyl was increased 2 King 4.3 And Miracles might be wrought Mark 11.23 This is the way to recover the Sick James 5.15 To divert Judgments felt or feared thus Moses oft stood in the gap This is the way to procure pardon of Sin Luke 18.13 To avoid the Temptations of Satan Mat. 26.41 To have deliverance out of Troubles Psal 50.15 To procure the Spirit of God Luke 12.13 To get Wisdom James 1.5 Who now would not set upon such a Duty Now to perform this Duty well take these Directions 1. Direct There are several Qualifications requisite to every one that would rightly perform this Duty of Prayer in an acceptable manner without which a Blessing cannot be expected for though Christ bids ask and we shall have seek and we shall find knock and it shall be opened to us Yet St. James tells us we ask and have not because we ask amiss It is necessary in the first place that thou be a Child of God and have the work of Grace wrought upon thy Heart or otherwise thou hast no assurance of being heard The blind man John 9.31 could say God heareth not Sinners I know 't is the Duty of others to pray and the Apostle incourageth Simon Magus to the Duty if perhaps the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven But till the Heart be brought over to God we have no assurance that God will hear us the Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God till then we cannot comfortably call God Father nor come with boldness to the Throne of Grace neither will Christ Mediate or Intercede for us while we remain his Enemies neither will the Spirit of God assist us in the Duty Rom. 8.15 It is in Christ and through Faith that we have boldness and access with Confidence to God Eph. 3 12. 'T is necessary also that we hate sin if we come to God for he is a devouring Fire to his Enemies and will not be reconciled to those that are reconciled to Sin How can we heartily pray against Sin and for Holiness if we love Sin and hate Holiness As all unconverted Sinners do This is dissembling with God when the Heart is not with him If I regard Iniquity in my Heart saith David God will not hear my Prayers Psal 66.18 Yea God who is Holiness it self requires Holiness in all those that draw near to him and he being a Spirit will be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Without Holiness no man shall ever see God with Comfort Heb. 12.14 Knowledge also is requisite for God cannot abide the Blind and the Lame in Sacrifice without this the mind cannot be good nor the Service acceptable without this a man knows not what to pray for or what to pray against what to seek or what to shun what is sin or what is Duty what he wants or what he hath and what blind worship is he like to offer he can never Pray as he ought Self-denial also is necessary he should in all things subject his will to the will of God A notable Example we have in Christ himself whose Meat and Drink it was to do his Fathers Will. So when he had prayed that that bitter Cup might pass from him yet adds not my Will but thine be done and thus he hath taught us to pray Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Faith also is requireâ— for if those shafts of Prayer are not headed by Faith they will never reach Heaven this is the Condition required whatsoever you ask believingly you shall receive and without Faith 't is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Nay further Patience is also required we must wait for an Answer not like those short-winded Bethulians that set God a time and will wait no longer but refer all to his Will who best knows his own time yea the best time and fittest Season He ought also to be an Humble man for God resisteth the Proud and giveth Grace to the Humble He that hath not low self-denying thoughts of himself God will have low thoughts of his Service he fills the hungry with good things but the Rich he sends empty away He must also beg for the power and assistance of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 God knows the voice of his Spirit Come not in thy own strength Thou must also be painful and Laborious not only pray for Mercies but endeavour for them a few faint wishes will not serve turn Sin must be fought against as well as pray'd against endeavours must be used 2. Direct Before thou come to this Duty of Prayer prepare thy Heart to meet the Lord thy God in so solemn a Duty Wert thou but to meet some Prince or Noble Man thou wouldst make some Preparation much more shouldst thou when thou art to meet the great God one that knows the Secrets of thy Heart and thy Ends and Motives in the Duty What business of Concernment is there but needs some preparation Much more when the Soul is so deeply concerned in it Examine therefore what Relation thou standest in to God whether he be a Friend or an Enemy Who can come with boldness to him that hath offended him and is not Reconciled If thou hast not a Mediator to Intercede for thee and a Surety to undertake thy Debt how darest thou approach to the Creditor to whom thou owest ten thousand Talents and canst not pay a Farthing How dar'st approach this Consuming Fire that art but Chaff and Stubble And what hopes hast of speeding if thou be not within the Covenant The promise belongs not to thee But when thou canst find an Interest in God and in the Covenant and in Christ canst call God Father yet rush not rudely into his Presence but study well what things he hath promised for those thou maist boldly ask Heaven and Earth shall pass but his Word shall not pass till it be fulfilled But if thou ask amiss that is what he never promised no wonder if thou receive it not acquaint thy self well with the Attributes of God his Power Goodness Justice and Truth c. This will be an Excellent
imagined that God immediately from Heaven struck them dead for every such Transgression We find indeed the Law Executed Numb 15.36 by the Command of God upon the man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath but it was done by the hand of man though men cannot be compelled to become true Christians yet they may and ought to be forc'd to an outward Compliance and restrained from the open violation of the known Laws of God though they will not Sanctifie it in their Heart they should be restrained from Prophaning it with their Hands or Tongues False Prophets should not be suffered to deceive the People and those that Teach Errors and Heresies should be restrained But alas here is our Misery we have few Nehemiahs in our Time to redress these abuses Many not only do it themselves but take Pleasure in those that do and the Sabbath is Prophaned and few lay it to Heart Ministers also in their place should see to the Observation of it though they cannot compel yet they may perswade and denounce the Judgments of God against the wilful breakers of his Law The Word and Sword should go together and if they prove obstinate Sinners they should be cast out as those that are not fit for a Christian Society Excommunication hath proceeded I suppose against Persons for less faults in God's Account Governors of Families also whether Parents or Masters should look to those under their Charge for neither Son nor Daughter Man-Servant nor Maid-Servant should break this Law and though they have not the Power of Life and Death as the Magistrate hath yet he hath Power to Command Rebuke Restrain and if need be to Correct And why hath God given this Power into their Hands but to this End Abraham Joshua David and others did thus Reform their Families Gen. 18.19 Josh 24.15 Psal 101. throughout Eph. 6.4 Esther 4.6 Servants that are of another Religion as suppose a Jew or a Mahometan yet ought to be restrained from the open Prophanation of it But alass many Parents and Masters will Prophane it themselves and it cannot be imagined that they will see to their Children or Servants yea often both by Precept and President they Command the violation and many that will not openly Prophane it themselves yet wink at others when they do it but cannot God thinkest thou discern the thoughts of thy Heart and see thy approbation of it Some plead as Lot of Zoar 't is a little one 't is a small matter the more shame to break a Command of God for a small matter if the Devil mend thy Wages thou wilt mend thy Work and a greater Temptation will make thee break them all but thou wilt find none so small some plead a necessity for doing this or that but was it not thy neglect that made it necessary Some plead Youth must have some Recreation so they must have Food and Raiment shall they therefore steal for it Why may they not have it out of thy six days as well as out of God's one Give them of thy own and not of anothers time for it CHAP. IX Directions in Baptism IN the next place I shall come to Treat of the Sacraments and give some Directions in the right use of them which is a business of very great Concernment and the most miscarry and lose their Labour that use them I shall spend a few words concerning Sacraments in general and then Treat of them severally A Sacrament is a visible sign and Seal of the Covenant of Grace Instituted and Ordained by God himself whereby he confirmeth unto the Elect the free promise of the Gospel Christ and all his Benefits and also bindeth them unto Obedience to his revealed Will. The Covenant which God made with Adam in Paradice was a Covenant of Works engaging to perfect Obedience upon pain of Death and Damnation do this and Live And had man continued in Innocency he had been everlastingly happy upon that Covenant terms But when by the Instigations of Satan man had broken this Covenant and Transgressed that Command which forbid him to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and Evil he lost by this Transgression that Image of God wherein he was Created and in the room of it had the Image of Satan stampt upon his Soul and instead of Original Righteousness had Original Sin and his whole Nature was depraved And after which Fall it was impossible that he or any of his Posterity should ever have been saved upon the first Covenant terms and lay under a necessity of perishing if the great God had not found out a way which Man nor Angel could not have done to Reconcile sinful Man to himself by a Mediator and to this end sent his own Son out of his own Bosom to be made Man that being God and Man he might be a fit Mediator between God and Man Who by his Death and Passion discharged the Debt bought the Prisoners into his own hands and enters into a new Covenant with them even a Covenant of Grace the Tenor of it is Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and unto this Covenant the Sacrament Seals Now this Covenant in the Time of the Law and in the Time of the Gospel was one and the same for Substance though under a different Administration It was then more dark and Typical now more clear and manifest and even then also God gave them Seals to this Covenant which were Circumcision and the Passeover not that they were needful on God's part for his Promises are Yea and Amen but on Man's part they were lest being sensible of his own unworthiness he should doubt and despair of God's Mercy Now in the Time of the Gospel God altering the Administration for when the Substance was come the shadows fled away he altered the Seals also and appointed only two Baptism and the Lord's Supper The one for our Entrance into the Church the other for our growth and nourishment These and these only are our Gospel Sacraments as for these five added by the Papists they are properly no Sacraments at all for the Covenant of Grace is not Sealed by them Some of them want a Divine Institution some of them have not the Nature of a Sacrament and a Divine promise is wanting and therefore a Blessing cannot be expected Now Baptism is the first Sacrament of the New Testament both in regard of Institution Administration Order and Use and therefore comes first to be Treated of The word is taken from the Greeks and signifies to wash or dip c. and 't is Attributed in Scripture to many things but I shall not trouble you with them only in this place we Treat of it as 't is a Sacrament of the New Testament Instituted by Christ whereby Persons are dipped in or sprinkled with water in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and so Dedicated and Devoted to the Service and Worship of God and entred into his
Covenant Now if thou perform thy part God will doubtless perform his Heaven and Earth shall pass away before one tittle of his Word shall pass especially that given and ratified under his Hand and Seal but if thou break with him and accept not of those Mercies upon the required Conditions God is not engaged to make good what is thus Conditionally promised in the Covenant unless thou canst prove it to be an absolute grant that all that are thus Baptized Live how they list shall be saved and then the Ministers Scriptures yea Spirit and all are of little use No no God will cashire and disband such Souldiers and cast out such Non-proficients out of his School and such unfaithful Servants out of his Family But alas how many of these may we find in the World That Vow Obedience to Christ and perform Service to the Devil If he bid them swear they will swear if he bid them be drunk they will Obey Yea many that though they would be loath to break their word with Man much more their Vow or their Oath yet make nothing of these Sacramental Vows But consider God will not lose by thee neither thy sin or Obedience can hurt or benefit him but the benefit or damage will accrue to thy own Soul 7. Direct Make a right Use of thy Baptism and improve it through the whole course of thy Life for the Efficacy of it is not limitted or bound up to any moment of Time but is a Flower that never loseth savour a Jewel that never loseth it's virtue 'T is a Fountain that never is drawn dry And breasts of Consolation where thou mayst suck and be satisfied Those that use it onely as an Idle Ceremony that never improve it or look after it when 't is once past and make no Advantage or Use of it are more foolish than those that take great care to have the Evidences of their Land Sealed and never make use of the Inheritance thereby conveyed Use it therefore for the best Advantage for thy Soul This is a needful though much neglected Duty The serious Consideration of the End and Use of Baptism and the benefits and priviledges Sealed up by it to us and ours and our own ingagements therein to God may be of great Use to us in the whole course of our Lives in many cases and conditions Baptism may be compared to the Marriage knot by virtue whereof the Wife lays claim not only to her Husband but whatsoever is her Husbands and 't is as a Seal to an Evidence which ratifies it and makes it Authentick and adds force and Efficacy to it Baptism though not to be iterated or renewed yet the Covenant thereby once Sealed remains Authentick for ever till we pluck off the Seal or renounce the Covenant This is a notable means to put us on to mourn for our Sins and therefore 't is called the Baptism of Repentance as it doth oblige us to Repent for the consideration of our Miscarriages towards God since we gave up our selves to him and the falling short of what we have promised and might have been and done may well keep us humble and penitent When we are tempted to sin and to break the Commands of God by sin we may look back to our Covenants to the contrary and the Vows which we have made and it may terrrifie us to think that we should break such a Covenant with God when we make some conscience of Promise to Man Think with thy self have I dedicated my self to God What Sacriledge is it What perfidious Treachery is it now to Serve the Devil his sworn Enemy Hast thou Vowed Obedience to thy Maker and promised to renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh how then canst thou think to look God in the Face at the last day if now thou sidest with his greatest Enemies Was thy Body washed with water signifying the blood of Christ and shall thy Soul be still defiled Wilt thou return with the Dog to the Vomit and the washed Sow to her wallowing in the Mire How may the consideration of this fill thee with shame and sorrow Hence also thou mayst set Faith on work to fetch virtue from the Death and Resurrection of Christ to kill sin in thee and raise thee up to newness of Life for if thou be Buried with him in Baptism 't is thy Duty thus to do Rom. 6.3,4,5 When Corruption is strong fetch strength hence to weaken it when Grace is weak hence thou mayst strengthen it This is an excellent means to assure thee of thy Salvation of the Pardon of thy sins and the rest of the Mercies promised in the Covenant for the Covenant being ratified and Sealed what should hinder the performance God doubtless is real in his Promise and true in his Covenant he did not intend to deceive thee by an empty Ceremony or set his Seal to a blank No no nor if thou revoke not he will not revoke Is not this the Sacrament of Regeneration Is it not called the Laver of Regeneration Signifying the washing away of sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be Baptized and wash away thy sins Yea of Salvation 't is said to save us 1 Pet. 3.21 Hath not God given thee a pledge in thine Hand of his Gracious meaning towards thee And what need hath he to dissemble with thee Doth he gain any thing by thee Yea though thou art relapsed yet look back to thy Covenant and return See God's Advice in such a case Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord. God will not depart till thou art willing to let him go And from hence also you may fetch Arguments for Brotherly Love among Saints we are all Baptized by one Spirit into one Body and therefore should sympathize each with other as the Members do Those are some of the daily Fruits you may gather of this Tree many more grow upon it CHAP. X. Directions in Receiving the Sacrament THE next Duty to be spoken to is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper which is an Ordinance of God wherein by the External signs of Bread and Wine set apart and Sanctified to that End and Use and duly Administred by God's appointment the Lord signifieth and Sealeth up the Truth of his Covenant to his Elect and they Seal up their Covenant with him This Sacrament is a Sign to Represent a Seal to Confirm and an Instrument to convey Christ and all his Benefits to a Believing Soul The principal Efficient Cause or Author of this Sacrament is the whole Trinity but especially Christ who is the Angel of the Covenant he it is that made the Covenant and ratified it with his Blood and therefore it must be he that adds the Seals he makes the Promises and must make them good The Essential parts or Matter of the Sacrament are either External or Internal the one perceived by our Bodily Eyes the other by the Eye of Faith The External is
Laws of God to follow the dictates of Man yea makes God's Laws of no Effect Mark 7.8 It makes them do all in way of Merit which the Scripture denies Luke 17.10 When you have done all that is Commanded say yc are unprofitable Servants Rom. 6.23 The Wages of sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life Rom. 4.6 8.18 9.16 2 Cor. 4.17 Where we see all we enjoy is of free Grace and no room left for mans Merits Such vows as these therefore have no footing in the Scripture and therefore are not for our imitation 5. Direct If thou wouldst by thy vows Glorifie God or benefit thine own Soul thou must look at the manner as well as the matter for this also is to be regarded many a Duty materially good is spoyled by the ill performance as we see in Sacrifices and Oblations and in the Observation of the New Moons and Solemn Assemblies all appointed and Commanded Duties so spoyled in the doing that God would not own them yea his Soul did abominate them Isa 1.10 c. And 66.3 He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a Man and he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he Cut off a Dogs Neck he that Offereth an Oblation as if he Offered Swines Blood he that burneth Incense as if he Blessed and Idol c. We see Commanded Duties may be grievous Sins when ill performed Now a vow as well as an Oath for a vow is a Promissory Oath to God should be made in Truth in Judgment and in Righteousness In Truth and so it should be made with a sincere Heart without fraud deceit aequivocation or Hypocrisie For as God requires the Heart in all Service so likewise in this A Promise made to him with Guile and Hypocrisie is but a mocking of him that will not be mocked 'T is like Annanias and Sapphira their Devoting the price of their Land to God and afterwards keeping back part of the price to themselves and by this lost themselves A notable Example we have of a serious vow worthy our Imitation we may read 2 Chron. 15.14,15 where we find Judahs entring into Covenant with God 't is said they sware unto the Lord with Trumpets and shouting and with the Cornet and all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their Hearts and sought him with all their desires c. And how acceptable this was to God we may find in the following words he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about But take heed of being like those Jer. 3.10 that turned to God But it was feignedly saith the Lord But 't is better not to Vow than to Vow and not perform for God will avenge the Quarrel of his Covenant And as a Vow should be in Truth so it should be voluntary not by constraint for it should be with a willing mind and therefore 't is called a free-will Offering and God expects it should chearfully be performed Deut. 23.23 That which is gone out of thy Lips thou shalt keep and perform the Free will Offering according to what thou hast Vowed unto the Lord which thou hast promised with thy Mouth Though God do not Command thee to Vow as in the Verse before If thou shalt forbear to Vow it shall be no sin in thee yet when thou hast engaged thy Soul he expects the performance for as a Vow is free so should the performance of it also This shews when Young Persons are put into Monasteries Nunneries or Religious Houses as they are called and forc'd there to take the required Oaths of Single Life Regular Obedience c. and that against their wills 't is not of Gods Devising but of the Devils Invention And likewise when Children against their Parents wills are inticed or allured to take such Oaths and Vows and so alienate themselves from their Parents Obedience this is no pleasing Service to him See his mind Mat. 15.5,6 Parents must not be wronged upon Religious Accounts And as Vows should be in Truth so likewise in Judgment blind Sacrifices were never acceptable to God Men should well understand what they do and know the nature of a Vow and the Lawfulness of the thing Vowed and the profitableness thereof and how it conduceth to their main design before they engage There are some things God will not have devoted to him as the price of a Dog or the Hire of a Whore Deut. 23.18 Those that Vow also should know their ability to perform and not make them and be forc'd to break them for ultra posse non est esse God delights not in the words of such Fools Eccl. 4.5 A vow should tend also for some Profit for Body or Soul as Jacob's did but what profit is there in voluntary Poverty Pilgrimages in vowing Oyl Candles c. to Saints departed no man was ever yet able to find out It should be made in Righteousness also and should be at their own dispose as before was said to vow that Service to one which is due to another is a point of injustice and no Law of God requires it It must be of fit things also we must not Serve God with what is not our own it must in a word be in that which may conduce to God's Glory and the furtherance of our great design or otherwise 't is either sinful or foolish 6. Direct When thou makest a Vow look to it that thy Ends be right for that denominates the Action to be good or bad though the Duty be never so Glorious in the Eyes of Men they are abominable in the sight of God if done for base or by-ends Now the end should be in this as in all other Duties the Glory of God convinc'd with our own or others good this should be our ultimate end and aim A Gracious Soul in every Duty should be able to say propter te propter te Domine this I do for thee and for thy sake and with the Psalmist Psal 115.1 Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be the Glory A Christian in all his Duties should follow the Direction of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye Eat or Drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Praise and Glory of God Col. 3.17 Whatsoever ye do do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus c. Though Vows are not strictly any part of God's Worship yet are they helps and furtherances in it and therefore should be carefully made and faithfully performed We read I know of Believers that have made Vows unto God for the performing of Spiritual Duties which they must not have neglected though they had not vowed it but this makes it not Worship but a help to Worship and if they are of things indifferent yet are they not part of God's Worship but that which conduceth to the better performance of Worship I know the Papists they say they are part of his Worship though they are made of
things not Commanded as Meats Drinks Apparel c. and tend to perfection and by the keeping of them a man may attain to a higher perfection than in the Observation of Commanded Duties but what Scripture saith thus Their End which is to Merit by them spoyls all their Duties and makes them abominable in the sight of God The Vows we read of in Scriptures were made to other Ends and are all conducible to this great end viz. God's Glory Some have vowed thankfulness for Mercies received some Sacrifices Burnt Offerings Incense c. Psal 66.13,14 61.8 132.2 c. Some have made Conditional Vows if God would give them in such Mercies they would do thus and thus thus Jacob Dedicated himself to God for ever if he would make Provision for him in his Journey Gen. 28.20,21 And Hannah that if God would give her a Son she would Devote him unto God for ever 1 Sam. 1.11 Read Lev. 27. throughout Psal 116.12,13,14 What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits c. I will pay my Vows unto the Lord. And as God's Glory so our own and others benefit is to be regarded and may be regarded in a Vow 't is some stay and ground for our Faith and some confirmation for our assurance as we see in the fore-cited place 1 Sam. 1.11 c. when Hannah had made her Vow she looked no more sad Sometimes they are made of Thanksgiving for deliverance as the Mariners in Jonah's Ship Jonah 1.16 made vows to their gods Sometimes they are made to prevent Sin for the time to come as when we vow Sobriety and Moderation to prevent the sin of Drunkenness Gluttony Pride or Covetousness Thus some vowed against drinking Wine or strong Drink as the Rechabites Nazarites and others Some make vows to humble their Souls Numb 30.13 Every Vow and every binding Oath to afflict the Soul the Husband may Establish it or the Husband may make it void Sometimes for the mending of our Lives or the reforming what is amiss sometimes for the leaving of some Sin or the performance of some Duty c. These and the like are the Ends which we should look after when we enter upon a Religious Vow So likewise at the good of others as when we bind our selves to give Alms to Relieve the Poor to Redeem Captives or do works of Charity to our power these are good Ends if God's Glory and not our own Applause or thoughts of Merit interpose not as also to lay out something for Religious and Pious Uses the maintaining of Faithful able Ministers c. David vows he will not give Rest or sleep to his Eyes or come within his House till he had found out a place for the House of God Psal 132.2 c. But where do you read of any that vow and thought to Merit at God's Hands by so doing 7. Direct When thou hast made thy vows thy next Duty is to keep them to perform the word that is gone out of thy Mouth 'T is better not to vow than to vow and not perform but it must be supposed then that the vows be Lawful and allowed by God otherwise the performance is but adding Sin to Sin and increasing the guilt He that vows to commit Sin ought not to do it If thou Sin in thy Vow do not ratifie it by performing it as Herod who made a rash Vow but did increase his guilt by Cutting off John Baptists Head But supposing thy vow be Lawful thou canst not Lawfully break it nay though the performance tend to thy damage for if thou do thou committest a Sin as bad if not worse than Perjury When thou hast Vowed therefore deferr not to pay for God takes no pleasure in Fools pay that therefore which thou hast Vowed Eccl. 5.3,4,5,6 Deut. 23.23 When thou hast Vowed a Vow unto the Lord thy God deferr not to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and it will be sin to thee but if thou wilt forbear to Vow it shall not be sin to thee that which is gone out of thy Mouth thou shalt keep and perform a Free-will Offering according to what thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God which thou hast promised with thy Mouth Psal 76.11 Vow and pay unto the Lord your God c. More places might be instanced in if these were not sufficient If thy vow be rash Repent of the rashness of it but if it be otherwise Lawful it must be performed if it prove to thy damage it is a reward of thy Folly But if it be unlawful repent of thy sin and Folly in making it but it must not be performed for a Vow must not be a bond of Iniquity Christ himself shews the wickedness of such a vow Mat. 15.5,6 where by their vow Corban they made null the Command of God concerning honouring Father and Mother and Relieving them It is not Lawful for us to Dedicate those things to Pious Uses yea to God himself which we owe to anotner David's rash vow 1 Sam. 2.5.12.39 was not performed he vowed the Destruction of Nabal and all his Family and Blessed God for keeping him from doing evil The wicked vow of Paul's Persecutors ought not to have been fulfilled had the power lain in their Hands Acts 23.21 Nor the rash and unadvised Vow of Saul which tended to hurt and not to good 1 Sam. 14.39 Nor such Superstitious vows as we read of Jer. 44.25 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel saying ye and your Wives have both spoken with your Mouths and fulfilled with your Hands saying we will surely perform our Vows that we have Vowed to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to powre out Drink-Offerings unto her ye will surely accomplish your Vows c. God takes it ill in them and sorely threatneth them for it But if the Vow be Lawful he expects the fulfilling of it as we see in Jacob's Vow made Gen. 28.20 God minds him of it Gen. 31.13 I am the God of Bethel where thou anointedst the Pillar Numb 30.3 c. A Young womans vow if her Father contradict it not shall surely stand good See also Lev. 7.16 22.17 27.2 c. Psal 76.12 Yea the Lord threatens those that make not good their vows that vow a better and pay a worse Mal. 1.14 Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his Flock a Male and voweth and Sacrifices unto the Lord a Corrupt thing Yea we find he punished this Sin in Annanias and Sapphira who Devoted the price of a Possession to God and after kept back part of it and were both struck dead for it Acts 5.1,2 c. A Godly Man when he promiseth Reformation of Life the leaving of any known Sin the performance of any Religious duty the doing of any Pious or Charitable work c. will make good his Vow But how usual is it for wicked Men in their Sickness distress or danger to make vows
received take notice of your unworthiness the more to exalt the Mercies received But Confession of Sin so as to Afflict the Soul with them is not suitable to the day Bring thy Family in due time to the Publick if it be publickly Observed otherwise carry it on in Private and pay your Vows in the great Congregation and behave your selves in the remaining part of the day as be-you were Directed in the Observation of the Sabbath for this time is Consecrated and made Holy to God and should be wholly spent in his Service And thou shouldest be as careful of thy Thoughts thy Words and thy Affections as though it were a Sabbath for there is no danger of keeping them too intent upon God When thou comest into the Congregation thou maist say as Jacob Gen. 28.17 This is no other but the House of God and the Gate of Heaven for here is done the work that shall be done in Heaven As for the oher expressions of Joy as Ringing of Bells shooting off Guns making of Bone-fires c. they are so far Lawful as they help forward the Work and raise the Heart to an higher pitch of Joy and rejoycing in the Lord. 5. Direct Having thus disposed and prepared thy Heart for the Work and set thy self as in the Presence of the ever-living God that sees and knows and takes notice of thee set thy self then upon the work of Glorifying God and render thanks to him from thy Heart for all the Benefits thou hast Received Praise is comely for the Saints And this Religious Thankfulness of which we speak is thy Duty Now 't is either External or Internal the Internal is to carry a thankful Heart to God and this is every days Duty External is when the Thankfulness of the Heart is expressed in Words or Actions the former without the latter is not sufficient the latter without the former is little worth Now the External manifestation of thy thankfulness is either Private or Publick Private by thy self or Family Publick in the great Congregation and this also is either Ordinary or Extraordinary Ordinary and this should be done at every time when we come together to Worship of God The Extraordinary is upon Extraordinary Occasions as some great Deliverances or the obtaining some great Mercies or the bringing down some great Enemies of the Church this the Church ought to bless God for and Offer this Sacrifice of Praise in the Name and Mediation of Christ who prays over all our Prayers for us and Offers our Praises performed with the Incense of his own Righteousness Now 't is requisite as I said before that a Catalogue of those Mercies God hath given in as a return of Prayers be laid up either in a Book or in the Memory for if we neglect or forget them how shall we speak of them to God's praise 't is not enough to remember them but we must also mention them to his praise Thus David I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul He acknowledgeth God the Author of his Mercies and doth not Sacrifice to his own Nets as many do and burn Incense to his Drags Hab. 1.16 But as the Church not unto us Lord not to us but to thy Name be the Praise he acknowledges frequently his own worthlessness that he may exalt God Lord saith he what is Man that thou shouldst be mindful of him Or the Son of Man that thou regardest him Psal 8.4 I am less than the least of thy Mercies saith Jacob I am less than the least of thy Saints saith Paul Yea when it comes let it be a Free-will Offering do it chearfully readily willingly as the Saints and Angels do it in Heaven heartily not heavily God Loves a chearful giver and matters not grumbling Service Be as willing to return Thanks as ever thou wast to have the Mercy Set thy Heart on Work in this Duty stir up thy self like the Psalmist Psal 103.1 Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Praise his Holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits 'T is not enough to Praise him with the Lips or bring our Bodies before him but the Heart and Life should Praise him the Heart should Indite thy Praises and thy Tongue utter them and thy Life and Conversation Seal to them thou shouldst do thanks and Live thanks as well as speak thanks this is every days Duty especially when we receive signal Mercies we should return answerable thanks when National Mercies National thanks should be returned Psal 50.15 Moses did so at the Deliverance at the Red Sea Exod. 15.1 Deborah and Barak did so Judg. 5.12 The Jews also when delivered from Haman's Plots Est 8.11.17 And there is great reason it should be so for Praise is due to none but God and to him the Vow should be performed all our Springs are in him and all our Mercies are from him yea every good and perfect gift and this is the very End for which he gives them and 't is all he requires for them this Pepper-corn of Homage is all his Rent who is the great Land-Lord and though it be due from all yet he expects it from his own People especially he will extort his own from others in another way and none but his People can do it to please him This is to his Saints a fore-tast of Glory where it must be their constant Work 'T is a beneficial Duty also for Thanksgiving for one Mercy is a real yea a prevailing Request for another Those that Offer praise Glorifie God And yet we see how negligent most are in this Duty few take notice of the Mercies they Receive but like Swine eat the Acorns or Crabs and regard not whence they come Ten Lepers were cleansed and but one returns thanks many are sensible of their wants and with the Horse-Leach cry give give yet are not sensible of their enjoyments to return thanks yea suffer some petty Cross to hide a thousand Blessings and keep them out of their sight 6. Direct When thou art thus prepared thus fitted go on in re-counting the Mercies thou hast Received and bless God for them this is the main Work of the Day Now forasmuch as Mercies are various all Men receive not alike yet all receive some for which they should be thankful give me leave to lead you by the Hand a little and shew you some the rest you may Observe your selves Bless God for what he is in himself and what he is to his Creatures in himself admire his Essence for fathom it thou canst not the like we may say of his Attributes his Eternity Immutability his Power Wisdom Holiness Justice and Truth c. Thou maist spend thy days also in Admiring him in the Works of his Hand lift up thy Eyes to Heaven and see the Sun the Moon and Stars those Glorious Lamps those Beauty spots of Heaven observe their Distance Courses Influence and Virtues and well thou maist