the outward Signs or Symbols viz. Bread and Wine which though they are not changed into the Body and Blood of Christ as the Papists Teach yet are they not naked bare or empty things but such as really exhibit yea Seal Christ and all his Benefits to a Believing Soul No other Bread nor Wine in the World though a drop a bit were worth a Kingdom are to be compared hereunto The Internal Matter is Christ and all his Graces these are signified resembled exhibited and applyed by the outward Elements The Form is that which gives a Being and perfection to the Matter without the which this Bread and Wine would be but Common Bread and Wine This also is External or Internal the External Form consists in the Lawful Administration and participation of it according to God's Word the Internal Form is the Union between the Sign and the thing signified Now this Sacramental Union is an Act of God's Spirit by whose virtue Christ his Merits and Benefits are not only resembled and presented to the mind but are really made one with the Elements yet this Union is not Natural according to place for there is no mutation of the Sign into the thing signified neither is the thing signified included or fastened to the thing signifying it cannot be a local Union that Christ's Body should be locally present with the Sign for Christ's Body though Glorified cannot be in all places at once Neither is it a Physical Union as if of two United losing their proper Forms should by a mixture make a third but 't is a Spiritual Union whereby the Lord Jesus is really conveyed to the Soul for besides his Divine presence and the presence of his Spirit he is present with his Body and Blood not locally but Sacramentally he is Symbolically present to the mind he is present Spiritually by the Eye of Faith Efficaciously present though absent in Place yet we find the fruit of his presence in our Spirits the Ends of the Sacrament are the confirmation of our Faith the Sealing of the Covenant of Grace and to be a Badge or Note of our Profession to be a pledge of our Obedience to and Communion with Christ and a Testimony of our Society with the Church and may seem as a Prospective Glass to view Christ afar off In the Covenant God promises to be our God and the God of our Seed and sets to his Seal and we Seal the Counterpane and ingage that we and ours will Serve the Lord and by virtue of this Covenant so mutually entred into all the Promises and Benefits of the Covenant are ours so that you see a right receiving of this Sacrament is of very great Concernment and the unworthy Receiving is very dangerous Here is Manna for a believing Soul but Poyson to an unworthy Receiver This nourished Peter but Poysoned Judas it feeds the good but kills the bad it makes some better and some worse some more Holy and some more Prophane it increaseth Grace where Grace is but increaseth Guilt where Grace is wanting 'T is like the Sun when it shines upon a Garden of Herbs it makes them smell more odoriferously when upon a Dung-Hill it makes it smell more fulsomly 'T is like the passing through the Red Sea safe to Israel dangerous to the Egyptians he that brings strange Fire he shall be burnt by it Lev. 10.3 God will be Honoured by those that draw near to him he that comes without a Wedding Garment shall go away not with Grace in his Heart but with Bolts upon his Heels Mat. 22.12 According to a mans preparation such is like to be his Entertainment He that Sows nothing shall Reap nothing and he that Soweth Vanity shall Reap Folly and he that Sows sparingly shall Reap little 2 Cor. 9.6 He that taketh most care and pains is like to have the best Crop Me-thinks there needs no more Motives to perswade you than the benefit of worthy Receiving and the danger of the contrary the one hath his Grace increased the other his sin the one hath his Salvation Sealed up the other without Repentance his Damnation He hath God's Curse under Seal and they Eat and Drink their own Damnation and are guilty of Christ's Death 1. Direct If thou wouldst partake of the Sacrament worthily thou must Examine thy self whether thou hast those Habitual Qualifications which are requisite for so Holy a Duty There are several Graces that must be Exercised at this time but how can a Man Act Grace that hath it not He that comes to the Wedding Feast without a Wedding Garment is not like to be a welcom Guest Mat. 22.12 Without Grace in Exercise this Ordinance will do thee little good Thou mayst indeed eat the Bread and drink the Wine these are bodily Actions but without Faith thou canst not feed upon Christ in the Ordinance and what good will a bit of Bread or a sup of Wine do thee Faith is the Hand that receives him the Mouth that feeds upon him and the Stomach that digests him and sucks sweetness from him Try whether thou hast Spiritual Life a Man by Nature is dead in sins and Trespasses and without Regeneration he remains thus and what good will a Feast do to a Dead Man If you put Meat into a Dead Man's mouth what is he benefited by it Will it nourish him Can he eat it swallow or Digest it when he cannot Exercise any Act of Life without which Food will be in vain No more can this Sacrament nourish till a Man be Regenerated and new born and have a Principle of Spiritual Life put into him A wicked Man is a Stranger to the Covenant of Grace he hath not the required Qualifications neither doth he intend to keep the Condition and what then hath he to do with the Seal Or what hope can he have of the Priviledges If a Man hath Evidences for Lands mutually Signed and Sealed if he fail in the Covenants on his part how can he expect another should make good his A wicked Man is Uncircumcised in Heart and those that were not circumcised were not permitted to eat the Passeover to which the Lord's Supper Answers Exod. 12.43 Now these Habitual Qualifications are such as the Scripture requires and such as make up the Wedding Garment And a Man should have Evidences to shew before he lay claim to such an Ordinance he should be in Covenant before he receive the Seal of the Covenant This Ordinance is not for the begetting but for the strengthening of Grace The Apostle to this End bids a Man Examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup 1 Cor. 11.28,29 For he that eateth this Bread and drinketh this Cup of the Lord unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body The word Examine signifies to take a strict Account of himself and make a diligent search into himself as whether he be Gold or dross whether he be chaff or Wheat
sins Lev. 16.21 Christ is our Scape-Goat let him bear all our Iniquities To name thy sin without sorrow is but an aggravation of it mourn for it therefore but let the Love of God and not the fear of punishment be the strongest Motive to Repentance When thou seest Christ Crucified afresh before thine Eyes in the Ordinance consider and say to thy self Oh what a wretch was I to pluck him out of the Arms of his Father and cause him to suffer such Hellish Torments for my sake it was my sin that were the Nails that pierced his Hands and his Feet the Spear that wounded his Side the Thorns that pricked his Head the Traytor that betrayed him the Judge that Condemned him and the Executioner that put him to Death It was not the Devil nor his Instruments the Jews nor Gentiles nor all the wicked Men in the World could have done it had it not been for the sins of his Elect Me-thinks the consideration of this should work upon an Ingenious Heart and when thou hast confest thy sin resolve to forsake it God makes no promise of Pardon to any other And look stedfastly upon Christ offered to thee in the Sacrament for Pardon of sin and power against it he is a propitiation for sin Rom. 3.25 The Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World John 1.29 Having now found out thy defects of Grace for 't is weakness of Grace that makes us run into sin Go to God for a supply Christ is ready with supplies if thou be but sensible of thy wants come to the Ordinance in God's way and where thou art weak Christ will strengthen thee and where Corruptions are strong he will weaken them Be not ashamed to shew to him thy nakedness unlap thy Sores that thou mayst have a Plaister and Christ will be thy Chyrurgeon and Physitian In thy decays of Grace though there be great cause of shame and sorrow yet none of despair there are Recovering Plaisters as well as Healing be but sensible of thy want and go boldly for a supply Come with an empty Soul to Christ and he will fill it 't is the full that are sent empty way 5. Direct When thou comest to this Ordinance be sure to set thy Grace on work quicken them up unto the Duty let them not flag nor faint for then thy work will be to little purpose what good will Tools do if not used and how can they be used if not in Order A Workman that would Live by his Works sees that his Tools be sharp and fit for the work without them we can do nothing nay if they be dull or blunt the work will not go forward and therefore let us stir up our Graces as Deborah did her Soul when she was to sing forth the praises of the Lord Judg. 5.12 Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a Song c. Or as David did his Soul Psal 42.5 Why art thou so sad O my Soul And why art thou so disquieted within me c. Psal 103.12 Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his Holy Name c. Stir up thy Self and lay hold upon him Isa 64.7 This is the time for thee to renew quicken and strengthen thy Grace it was given thee for such a time and for such a Use as this is let not this Opportunity be let slip that may be done now which cannot be done at another time renew thy Repentance and quicken it This may be done by the consideration of the Number Nature and Effects of thy sins and among the rest this is one it brought the Lord Jesus Christ to this shameful Death Here thou mayst see him Crucified before thy Face his Body broken and his Blood poured out and mayst look upon him whom thou hast pierced and mourn for him as for an only Son Zach. 12.10 Quicken thy Love to God also and this thou mayst do by the consideration of his Love to thee and what he hath done for thee especially in the work of thy Redemption held out in this Ordinance of the Sacrament Hadst thou had a Temporal deliverance from Turkish Slavery thou wouldst have been thankful to thy Deliverer and have Loved him for it much more then is due to him that Redeemed thee from the guilt of sin and from the filth of sin and from the punishment due to sin from the Curse of the Law the wrath of God the Slavery of Satan and from Everlasting Damnation Renew thy fear of him also consider the Fervency of his wrath against Sin and Sinners when thou seest it was so hot against his own Son when he stood in the room of Sinners and let this make thee fear to Offend This also may quicken thy Love to thy Brethren yea to thine Enemies when thou considerest how dearly God Loves thy Brethren in Christ and what he suffered for them and to thine Enemies when thou considerest the Torments which Christ indured for thy sake when thou wast his Enemy and Commands thee to imitate him in Loving those that hate thee But especially quicken and Exercise thy Faith for this is all and in all in this Duty and much conduceth to the well performing of it 'T is true Christ hath all fulness in himself to fill empty Souls he is the Bread and Water of Life to feed and Refresh the Hungry and Thirsty of his Fulness we receive Grace for Grace John 1.14.16 In him all Fulness dwells Col. 1.19 There is in him both fulness of Merit and fulness of Spirit Mortifying Sanctifying Quickning Virtue Here Soul-wants may be supplyed But the way of obtaining this at God's Hands the way of emptying of Christ into the Soul is by the way of Ordinances the Word and Sacraments are the Breasts of Consolation from whence we must suck and be satisfied These are the Pipes through which the Water of Life run from the Fountain into the Cistern from Christ to our Hearts Christ is the Olive and these the Golden Pipes that convey the Oyl into the Candlestick Zach. 4.12 'T is true he could convey it immediately and empty himself into the Soul without any Instrument at all but this is not usual where the Word and Ordinances are to be had But that we may get benefit by the Ordinances Faith is necessary the Well is deep and Faith is the Bucket to draw up this water of Life and though the Conduit be full of water and we empty Vessels yet if we bring them not thither they will still remain empty nay though we bring them and place them under the Cock if we turn not the Cock they are empty still The Child that plays with the Breast is not satisfied till it suck Thou must suck Honey and Oyl out of this flinty Rock Deut. 32.13 Faith is the Souls Eye which must be fixed upon Christ the Souls Hand to lay hold upon Christ the Souls Mouth to feed upon him Christ and all his Benefits are offered in
Butter was to be had and commended the Widdows mite when she had no more I hope will receive this when he knows I have no better where but little is given of him less will be required The Subject I know is necessary if not spoiled in the handling though the Ring look dusk yet the Diamond will sparkle Multiplicity of contrary Studies and other Imployments as most that know me can Witness might perhaps have pleaded my Excuse for Writing as indeed it did satisfie me for several Years so I hope it will plead my Excuse for coming forth in so homely a dress When Paul beheld the Idolatry of the Athenians his Spirit was moved and when I beheld the formality of Professors no wonder if with Crassus dumb Son I spake when I saw my Father wronged Among all the Objection I could think of that might come in against this my well-meant Labour I found none that said it was impossible it should do good I am sure none can justly Object it was not intended for good those that really desire to lead a Holy life I hope will own it as for others those that have neither good word for God nor for his ways I cannot expect they should have any for me however my witness against them will be upon Record Madam if you have better at hand you may bestow this upon some wanting Soul for whose sake it was Written I have not further to add but desire of God in these declining Times when Atheism Prophaness Superstition and Debauchery are too much in Fashion that he will keep you and yours from the Temptations laid in your way that you may shine as Stars of the first Magnitude to enlighten this dark Hemisphere that you may grow in Grace as you grow in Years and may be presented blameless at the Coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that your Interest in Christ and Title to Glory may be cleared up that when you come to dye you may have nothing to do but to dye and resign up your Soul into the Hands of Christ these are the desires and shall be the Prayers of him who is Madam Yours to his Power to Serve you Edw. Bury Eaton Nov. 2. 1674. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER CHristian Reader I think my self obliged to give thee some Account of this following Treatise for in the beginning of it thou wilt find mention made of a former Treatise which indeed is not yet Published containing the Doctrine of Holy Walking Now although this was first designed and first begun and in Order of Nature should have been the First born yet it fared with it as it did with Zarah Gen. 38.28 This Pharez hath made a breach and came out first and like Jacob supplanted his Brother and got the Birth-right yet haply the other may not be strangled in the Birth if this prove not too Chargable in the keeping Know then when I first set upon the Work I intended it to be Divided into five Parts all in the same Method the first containing 1. An Introduction to the whole 2. The Explication what Holy Walking implies 3. The Reasons why 't is necessary 4. The Objections against it Answered 5. Reproof to several sorts that Live otherwise 6. Some Considerations put to them 7. Some gross mistakes about Holiness 8. Marks of Holy Walking 9. Devices of Satan to keep Men in sin 10. The Priviledges of the Godly 11. Qualifications requisite to an Holy Life 12. Moving Considerations thereunto 13. Hinderances in the way to Heaven And Lastly Helps and Directions The Second Part is the present Book here presented of which I need give you no other Account The Third contains Directions 1. For the Thoughts 2. For the Words 3. For the Actions 4. For the Affections 5. For the Consciences 6. For Recreations 7. For Apparel 8. For Eating and Drinking 9. For Redeeming Time 10. For Buying and Selling. 11. For Company 12. For Solitariness 13. To bear Affliction well 14. In a particular Calling The Fourth contains a disswasive 1. From Sin in general 2. From Pride 3. Atheism 4. Covetousness 5. Drunkenness 6. Adultery 7. Swearing 8. Lying 9. Murder 10. Idleness 11. Apostacy 12. Idolatry 13. Hypocrisie 14. Stealing 15. Contention The 5. and last contains Relative Duties 1. Of the unmarried in reference to Marriage 2. The mutual Duties of the Husband and Wife 3. The Husbands peculiar Duties 4. The Wives Duties 5. Parents Duties 6. The Duties of Children 7. Of Masters 8. Of Servants 9. Of Magistrates 10. Of Subjects 11. Of Ministers 12. Of People Now only the second of these sees the Light the first and last are well near Finished and may ere long shew themselves and the rest in time if my Life and Health be Continued and I be not in the mean time convinc'd that tâ—ey will be useless I know the World is full of Books many that complain most read least but should we observe most mens Devotion and their Carriage in the World we may Imagine that Books that reduce Christianity into practice and teach us our Duties to God and Man are yet wanting that is not sufficiently taught that is not sufficiently learnt there are need of more Books that maintain the Vitals of Religion in an Age when almost all Religigion is turned into a matter of Formality and Ceremony and little of the power of Godliness appears I have not in this neither do I intend in the other brought you any new Lights but to direct you in the good Old way mentioned Jer. 6.16 which the Saints in former Ages have Walk'd in and which will be proved to be the only way to Heaven though of late there are many new attempts to find a better but if any but the way of Holiness end in Happiness let me be called a false Prophet Mens Brains were never better stufft nor their Tongues ever more busie but their Hearts are empty and their Hands are idle never more talking of the way and never less walking in it And if good words would save without good Hearts or good Works or good Duties never so many would go to Heaven as in our Age. Most mens knowledge floats in the Brain and little sinks or soaks down into the Heart or seasons the Life or Conversation hence like Children that have the Rickets by reason of some Obstructions the Head grows too big for the Body If a bare Profession of Religion would serve turn for Salvation but it will not Mat. 7.22 25.1,2,3 c. to the 14. many would be saved for they can Number their Prayers as the Papist doth his Beads but God doth not accept them by Number but by Weight He is a Spirit and will be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth A little Grace I fear a little Profession makes a great shew in a Great man the power of Godliness is for the most part left to the Poor that are more willing to take pains and have little to lose But whether God
requires not or do it in a manner he regards not They are like the Son that said to his Father I go Sir but went not Mat. 21.30 But shall we take it for granted that thou wilt worship him but wilt thou do it in truth and sincerity otherwise God will not regard it I fear we may say of many as Joshua of Israel Josh 24.19 You cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God but is it your Resolution as theirs was in the verses following Nay but we will serve the Lord and that you will choose the Lord to serve him consider what you do you must take him to be your God and be willing to have your Souls cleansed from all your sins and must be willing to take the Lord Jesus Christ as he is offered in the Gospel to be your Lord and Husband and be as willing to be ruled by him as saved by him and must resolve to obey his Laws and do his will and live in the performance of those spiritual duties he requires at at thy hand Yea thou must have a setled Resolution to cleave to Christ and obey him even in the most despised disgraceful dangerous difficult and costly part of duty Though it be to the loss of thy worldly enjoyments yea and life it self I know many would pick of choose their duties this they would do but that they would not they scum of the Fat and sweet of duty but leave that which is difficult or dangerous but God will have no such Servants obey him thou must though thy Father Mother and all thy Friends become thine Enemies upon the account yea in some cases thou must not only leave but hate Father and Mother c. yea thy own life for his sake yea though thou loose thy credit and esteem in the World and be made a scorn and a reproach for his sake though thou loose thy pleasure and never see merry day whilst thou livest though it endanger thy Estate and bring thee to Poverty though thou loose thy Liberty and be cast into a Prison yea though thou loose thy life and be brought to a Stake to suffer yea though thou seest few or none walk that same way with thee Noah must obey God though the whole World disobey him yea thou must obey him though his commands be never so contrary to thy carnal interest or never so opposite to flesh and blood and though they are never so hard or difficult or dangerous or costly before ever thou take upon thee the profession of Religion sit down first and reckon the charges lest like many thou begin to build and be unable to finish it and not like many put their hands to the Plow and then look back or like the stony ground when persecution ariseth presently are offended resolve to give him thy heart with thy hand or he will have none of thee he knows the heart and trie the reins and thou canst not deceive him with a dissembling shew when Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire he slew them When Ananias and Saphira played the Hypocrite he struck them dead Cleanse thy heart therefore if thou wilt serve him and serve him thou must or do worse Thou canst never err on that hand in serving him too well he deserves more and better than thou canst give him his wages will be beyond thy work now that I may prevail with thee to serve God take these following Motives 1. Motive We should worship and serve the Lord our God because he hath commanded us so to do and his command makes it our duty we are his Creatures and we owe our selves and all that we have to him for our Creation He made us and therefore hath most right to us He made us for his service and therefore 't is all the reason in the World that we should serve him for who is the Pot but the Potters and this is the service he requires of us to worship him according to his will and praise him for his benefits this is all he requires at our hands even this Tribute of praise and shall we be so ingrateful to our great Benefactour to deny him this Nay we are his also by right of Redemption for we had sold our selves unto slavery even to Sathan and were become Bond-slaves to this hellish Pharaoh who exercised more cruelty to our Souls than ever Pharaoh did to the Bodies of the Israelites and in the slavery had remained for ever had not God sent his own Son to ransome us with the loss of his life and the shedding of his pretious blood Satan was the strong man armed that kept his house in peace till Christ a stronger than he disarmed him and took away his weapons wherein he boasted And now being bought with a price we should glorifie God with our Bodies and with our Souls which are Gods The end he aimed at in our Redemption was his own glory as well as our liberty and this he expects from our hands is we being delivered from the fear of our Enemies might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our Lives Luk. 2.74,75 Nay we are also his by Covenant under our Hand and Seal in our Baptisme we were dedicated to his service which Covenant since we have often ratified at the Sacrament of the Supper and how can we deny our own act and deed He is our Lord and we should worship him Psal 45 1â— Now that worship and service is required of us is evident Scripture and Reason speaks as much 2 Kings 17.36 You shall not fear other Gods nor bow your selves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them but the Lord who brought you out of the Land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm him shall ye fear ond him shall ye worship and to him you shall do sacrifice and his statutes and his ordinances ye shall observe Exod. 34.4 You shall worship no other God but him the like we have Exod. 20.50 1 Chron. 16.29 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name bring an Offering and an Oblation before him worship him in the beauty of holiness Yea Christ himself preacheth this doctrine when the Divil tempted him to fall down and worship him he answered It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Mat. 4.8 Yea he directs us with what worship to worship him John 4.23,24 The true worshippers worship him in Spirit and in Truth God is a Spirit and those that worship him must worship him in Spirit and of this spiritual worship we may also read Phil. 3.3 Or will you hear the counsel of an Angel from Heaven you have it Rev. 19.10 Worship God yea this is the practice of the Angels the work they do and the work that the Angels and gloryfied Saints shall do through all Eternity Heb. 1.6 But what are Testimonies in so plain a case few deny it though few
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
Reconcile us to his Father 'T is he in whom he is well pleased and through him he cannot be offended He is the High-Priest that Offers up the Prayers of his People when he hath perfumed them with the Incense of his own Righteousness Rev. 8.3 'T is he that presents their Prayers to God and makes them acceptable which otherwise would be abominable He is the Altar whereon a broken Heart must Offer up the Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise Now when I speak of going to God in the Name of Christ I do not only mean using Christ's Name to God or Concluding our Prayers with such words through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Though this is Lawful if serious yet not sufficient we read of some Mat. 7.22 that had Preached in his Name and in his Name had cast out Devils and in his Name had done many wonderful works and 't is probable they had prayed in his Name also and yet he would not own them But those that come in his Name must believe in him for Salvation roul themselves upon him lay hold upon him by a Lively Faith for their Lord and Saviour for their Head and Husband for their Mediator and Advocate and give up themselves wholly unto him Take him upon his own terms as he is offered in the Gospel to love him above all and forsake all others for him to obey him in all though all the World be offended at it to resign up our selves and all we have to be at his dispose to be willing to be any thing do any thing suffer any thing he would have us and so to come with Confidence to God trusting in the Merits of Christ believing that for his sake we shall have our sins pardoned our wants supplyed and our Souls saved He is the only way to the Father and without him we can have no Admittance he opens the doors and brings us into the Presence-Chamber Eph. 2.18 He is the only Mediator between God and Man Heb. 9.14 1 Tim. 2.5 Now God never gave any such Honour to the Saints nor Angels in the Scripture though he denies them none that is their due Many Promises we have that whatsoever we ask in Christ's Name shall be given us John 14.13 But no promise in Scripture of prevailing in any other Name Nay the contrary for if Noah Daniel and Job departed Saints whom God dearly Loved could not be heard for Son or Daughter Ezek. 14.14 c. What hopes can we have of others Perhaps the Papists will tell us they do not pray to Saints or Angels that they should help them but only Mediate for them but who made them Mediators There is only one Mediator between God and Man even the Lord Christ Jesus 1 Tim 2.5 And there is no other qualified for the Office 'T is necessary that he must be both God and Man that is to Mediate between God and Man and that he be perfectly Righteous which no Son of Adam Christ excepted ever was All others have Oyl little enough and none to spare Neither doth the Scripture make mention of any other nay excludes all other For Christ is called the only Mediator None can make our imperfect prayers acceptable to God but he none can be present in all places to receive all Petitions but he The Saints and Angels are but finite Creatures and cannot be in all places at once and what assurance can we have when we pray that they are present and hear all prayers and understand all Languages How can Peter or the Virgin Mary at the same time be present at Rome Venice London and ten thousand places at once if they are not Infinite As we have no Precept in Scripture to make these our Mediators no more have we Examples of any that did though there were many Saints then dead Job 5.1 To which of the Saints wilt thou turn 'T is Christ alone that knows that meaning of the Spirit in the hearts of the Faithful Rom. 8.27 And in his Name we must go to God if we would be heard 5. Direct If thou wouldst put up prevalent Prayer at the Throne of Grace look well to the matter of them ask nothing of God but what thou hast some ground to believe thou shalt receive from God Every thing will no more bear a Prayer than every stream will a Ship Thou oughtest not to pray for those things which are against the Glory of God the Edification and good of the Church and thy own and others Salvation They are rather Curses than Prayers that are poured out by wicked men for the Extirpation of a Faithful Ministry and the rooting out of the Godly or the power of Godliness and these will prevail for a Curse upon the Head and Heart of the Imprecator Thou must not pray for a Commission to break thy Sovereign's Laws this will not be granted Or to do things contrary to his revealed or for any thing evil in it self or that which is contrary to God's Nature to grant or contrary to his Eternal decree Thou must not pray for a dispensation to sin and for assistance in the Act of Sin or to reconcile God and Mammon or Christ and Belial or for Salvation without Sanctification or for Pardon of Sin without Faith and Repentance Neither oughtest thou to pray for Trifles and things of small concernment 't is not fit for a Subject to go to his Prince to beg a Point or a Pin. Neither shouldest thou pray for that which thou wilt not endeavour to get Many could wish for Heaven that will not work for Heaven But thou maist pray for all those good things for Soul or Body for this Life or that to come for thy self or others which are necessary which God hath Commanded thee to ask or promised in his Word to give Thou hast a good Foundation for thy Faith to ask what Divine Writ Warrants thee to ask or promises shall be given And thou must beg them as they are promised what is absolutely promised thou maist beg absolutely And what is conditionally promised beg it if God see it good for thee Ye ask and have not saith the Apostle because ye ask amiss The Apostles are reproved that would have asked Fire from Heaven to burn up the unprofitable Samaritans Luke 9.54 Every Petition should be grounded upon the Word of God and not upon Carnal Conceits We should ask what God thinks fit and not what we our selves think fit It was an unanswerable Petition of the Mother of Zebedee's Children that her Sons might sit one at Christ's Right Hand and the other at his Left in his Kingdom If we ask any thing according to his Will he will grant it us 1 John 5.14 Where God Commands us to ask and promises us to give here is a double ground of assurance Now the good things we should beg of God for our selves or others are either Spiritual or Temporal Those which are Spiritual are absolutely necessary to Salvation or they are not
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
to the End of the World Those therefore that run before they are sent and incroach upon this holy Ordinance without a Call let them remember the sin of Corah Dathan and Abiram and also their Punishment for incroaching upon the Priests Office And as he must be rightly Called so he should be rightly Qualified for the work that he may not only know but also Teach the People the Nature End Use and Benefit of this Sacrament that he bring not forth a dumb Idol which neither he nor the People know nor Understand The Subject Recipient ought also to be rightly Qualified if he be of Years of Discretion he should know the Principles of Religion the Nature End and Use of the Sacrament He should profess Faith in and submission to Christ And if they are Infants the Parents should be thus Qualified The Church they have their Duties too 'T is their Duty not only to be Spectators but to joyn Hand and Heart in the Work that they beg of God for the Party Baptized that not only the Sign and Seal but the Grace of the Covenant may be conferred and that a Seed may be sown in this Ordinance that in time may spring forth 'T is necessary also that a right Element be used viz. water true Natural water without any Sophistication mixture or Composition for this is agreeable to the will of Christ and the Papists Addition of Salt Spittle and Cream is a Humane Invention and no wise pleasing to God We find Christ was Baptized with water and the Apostles used no other The River Jordan Salem and other places were frequented to this End Thus the Eunuch thus Cornelius were Baptized and this is most suitable to the End for which it was Ordained and best Answers the Type and Shadow of it in the time of the Law and serves best to signifie and Represent the blood of Christ for as water is of a mundifying Nature so is the Blood of Christ unto the Soul and this also is agreeable unto Antiquity water being always used in the Primitive Time Niciphorus Reports when a Minister for want of Water used Sand in Baptizing a Man that Baptism was by the Church accounted a Nullity and the Man was after Baptized with water And it must also be done in a Lawful and due manner Form the External Form consists in the Ministers words and Actions For words 't is not Lawful for him to use what words he pleaseth but the words of Institution he must Baptize in the Name of the Father the Son and of the Holy Ghost And his Actions should be agreeable to his Words and so he must either dip or dive the Baptized Party into the water or pour or sprinkle water upon him 'T is conceived in the Primitive Time in those Hot Countreys dipping in the water was most used which in some places especially in those cold Countreys the Church hath altered for God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and the Scripture seems to hold forth many favourable Instances for washing or sprinkling Heb. 9.10.19.20,21 Acts 2.42 16.33 Mark 7.4 It is not like that all these were dipped the word in the Original signifies washing whether by Diving into the water or by pouring water upon Eph. 5.26 Titus 3.5 For as Circumcision applyed to one part of the Body did suffice so Baptism though the water be not applyed to the whole may yet signifie the blood of Christ applyed to the Soul and the Conscience is said to be sprinkled with this Blood for as a little Bread and a little Wine signifies whole Christ so a little water signifies his Blood and serve to seal the Covenant as well as more 6. Direct When thou hast solemnly entered thus into Covenant with the Lord and his Vows are upon thee and accepted the Offered Sacrament and set to thy Seal and obliged thy self to the performance know then 't is thy Duty to perform thy Vows unto the Almighty remember with whom thou Covenantest 'T is with one that cannot be deceived and that will not be mocked and one that is well able to avenge the Quarrel of his Covenant and that will avenge it if thou perform it not It was wise Solomon's Counsel Eccl. 5.4,5 When thou vowest a Vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in Fools pay that which thou hast vowed Better it is that thou shouldest not Vow than to Vow and not perform Thou hast in thy Baptism Dedicated thy self up to God and bound over thy self to his Obedience thou hast taken Press-mony from him and engaged thy self to fight his Battles and to be an Enemy to his Enemies And canst thou without horrid Treachery fight the Devils Battles against him Thou hast vowed thy self against Sin the World and the Devil and wilt thou take part with them against God It is Death for a Souldier to leave his Colours and side with the Enemy and is it nothing to leave God when we have taken Press-money and Pay from him and joyn with the Devil against him What benefit canst thou then expect by thy Baptism or what good is it like to do thee Simon Magus was Baptized but had little benefit by his Baptism he was still in the gaul of Bitterness and in the bonds of Iniquity and had no part or lot in the benefits of the Covenant If Herod made Conscience of a rash and unlawful Oath how much more should Christians of so serious so solemn so Beneficial a Covenant The keeping whereof would make them everlastingly Happy and the breach thereof will make them eternally Miserable What horrid Treachery is it for thee to vow Service unto God and to perform it to the Devil and the World To carry God's Mark in thy Fore-head and the Devils Brand in thy Heart To call thy self a Christian and Live the Life of an Heathen or Infidel What is this but to put a Sheeps skin upon a Wolves back Or the Kings stamp upon counterfeit Coin Consider if thou do thus Baptism will be so far from saving thee that it will condemn thee and the Baptismal water that was cast upon thee will prove like the water of Jealousie unto the defiled Woman Num. 5.27 it will be attended with a visible judgment and prove a Curse and not a Blessing What benefit dost thou intend to receive by it Dost expect the Benefit of the Covenant Dost imagine that God is engaged to thee and not thee to him Thou art much deceived if thou break with him thou dis-ingagest him God indeed Offers Christ if thou wilt receive him and promises upon that Condition to be a reconciled Father to thee to give thee Remission of sin Regeneration Adoption and Glory for ever and hereunto he puts this Seal to the Covenant And thou promisest upon thy part to accept of Christ upon the offered terms vowedst Obedience to him and Dedicatest thy self to his Service and thereupon acceptest the offered Sacrament and settest thy Seal to the
the Sacrament but without Faith they cannot be laid hold upon 6. Direct Having shewed you what Preparation is necessary and also what Qualifications and how thou shouldst stand affected when thou comest to this Ordinance I shall next shew thee how to demean thy self in the very Act of Receiving For thy External behaviour or outward demeanour it should be such as is suitable to the Ordinance and to the presence of the Great God Reverent Grave Seemly and such as bespeaks Humility and self-abasing not Light and wanton and gazish but such as becomes a Guest at such a Table yet beware of such Voluntary or Superstitious Humility such as the Papists and some others use which hath no Footing in the vvord of God the surest way is to take the Scripture for our Guide But for thy Inward Carriage which is most to be regarded be sure thy Heart be not wanting for God cannot endure Heartless Service if this Instrument be not in Tune the Musitioner is bad here if any where God calls Son give me thy Heart and nothing else will serve turn but the Heart and the Heart broken and bleeding Come with the Heart humbled God cannot endure a proud Person especially in an Ordinance that hold forth that which may humble thee here is Christ Crucified and his Blood shed for thy sin thou wast the Traytor that betrayed him the Judge that Condemned him and the Executioner that put him Death and will not this work upon thee Is it nothing to have Blood lying upon thee the Blood of the Innocent the Blood of a Friend the Blood of a King yea the Blood of the Son of God What ingenious Spirit but would melt at such a Consideration Every Sacramental Action of the Minister may further thy Meditation and help thee up to Heaven in thy Contemplation When thou beholdest the Minister who stands in the place of God setting apart and Consecrating the Bread and Wine by the Word and Prayer will not this bring to thy Mind the Love of God to thy Soul Who from Eternity set apart his only Son Jesus Christ to be thy Mediator and Advocate thy Surety and thy Saviour well may it be said God so Loved the World c. May not the thoughts of this furnish thee with Heart-raising Heart-warming Meditations And when thou seest thee Bread broken and the Wine poured out doth not this Lively represent the bitter Death and bloody Passion of the Son of God Jesus Christ thy sweet Saviour and Redeemer his Body was broken his precious blood was shed for the Remission of thy sins which otherwise could not have been forgiven Ah! what a wicked thing then is sin when nothing would satisfie Divine Justice but the death of the only begotten Son of God When the Bread and Wine thus separated thus set apart from common use are held forth to thee apprehend God himself giving Christ yea Christ offering himself with all his Treasures to be thy Husband thy Surety thy Mediator and thy Saviour Ah! what Soul-refreshing thoughts may this produce Well mayst thou say with David Lord what is Man that thou art mindful of him Or rather Lord what am I that thou regardest me and hast provided such a Feast of Fat things for me with Wine on the Lees When thousands are laid aside as good as I by Nature And when thou receivest the Elements at the Ministers hand let thy Faith lay fast hold and clasp fast about the Lord Jesus Christ and take him as given by God to be thy Husband and Resolve that the Devil and all his Instruments shall never draw off thy Affections from him but thou wilt all others being forsaken prove his faithful Spouse And when thou Eatest and Drinkest the Bread and Wine let thy Faith feed upon those Spiritual dainties hereby represented upon this Nectar and Ambrosia this Bread and this Water of Life Receive him and all the Benefits of the New Covenant by Faith and in the whole Action let thy Heart Close with God Father Son and Holy Ghost and let the whole bent of thy Soul be set upon him and by such Meditations stir up thy Heart to bless God and praise him for his Mercy and to Love him above all and to vow Obedience to him and as thou lookest upon thy sin with one Eye to hate and abominate it so look upon Christ with the other to keep thee from despair as he is offered up in the Sacrament a Sacrifice to satisfie Divine Justice and beg of God humbly yet believingly that he will accept of this Sacrifice as satisfactory for thy sin and pardon what is past and give thee power against Sin for the time to come Consider also the giving and receiving of this Sacrament is a further ratification of the Covenant as I said before wherein God offers Christ and all his Benefits and promises to be thy God and the God of thy Seed And thou promisest that thou and thine will Serve the Lord. Let this strengthen thy Faith in his Promises for he will never break his word and let it strengthen thy Resolution that thou wilt never break with him then this will be to thee an Happy Ordinance 7. Direct If thou wouldst receive Benefit by the Sacrament behave thy self well after thou hast received it All thy work is not done nay most is to be done when thou hast turned thy back upon the Congregation 't is not the making a Vow but the making it good the fulfilling of it that is the most of the work 't is not the preparing for the Duty or carrying thy self well in the Act of Receiving though this be necessary that is sufficient God expects some after-work A Servant that is refresht with wholsom meat and drink ought not to be Idle nor to spend his time vainly there is a greater tye lyes upon him to diligence and pains taking So he that comes from such a Feast and is refreshed with such Dainties should be more Active Lively Quick and Disposed to Spiritual Exercises plung not thy self too suddenly into worldly business distract not thy thoughts about things here below for as in sweats 't is dangerous to cool over-suddenly So 't is here when the Affections are raised to Heaven let them not suddenly grovel upon the ground when they are heated let not the cold wind of the World suddenly benumb them And when thou dost set about Worldly business remember there is a business of greater concernment lyes upon thy Hands and therefore do all in Subordination to God Redeem some time for Divine Meditation to consider what thou hast been about and with whom thou hast had to deal Thou hast been renewing that Covenant between God and thy Soul which was made in Baptism and therefore look to it that thou make it good It is better not to Vow than to Vow and not perform Consider whether God makes good his Promise Sealed by this Sacrament if not doubtless the fault is thine own God
gives thee Christ and thou givest him thy self if thou hold God will not flinch He promises Heaven and Happiness and thou promisest Love and Obedience And those Vows which thou madest in Baptism and renewest in this Sacrament must be fulfilled 't is an horrible thing to prove Treacherous to this God and to break Covenant with him God will avenge the Quarrel of his Covenant 'T is a dangerous thing to have God for an Enemy and our Consciences for our Accusers resolve therefore to make good thy Engagements and fulfill thy Vows Consider in the Sacrament what Entertainment thou hast met with from God and what welcome he hath given thee hast thou sped or no Did he meet thee in the Ordinance or hast thou had an Answer of thy Prayers or hast been frustrated of thy hopes and expectations If so examine thy Preparations and demeanour before and after the Duty haply thou maist find some miscarriage if so humble thy self and be more careful for the future take notice of the repulse and be humbled yet despair not Sometimes the Ordinance may be more beneficial after than at present as the Sacrament of Baptism usually is If thou hast met with some Fruit but not so much as thou expectest or desirest consider thou art not to be thy own Carver he deals his Mercies as he sees best thou must wait upon him in a longing Posture it will come in the most suitable Season if thou hast found any 't is more than thy desert bless God for it from whose bounty it proceeds If it be not so much as thou expectest 't is more than thou deservest 't is to be owned he that is not thankful for a little God will not trust him with much Thou givest him thanks for Bodily Food and wilt be thankful for Crumbs and not for Christ For Temporal Favours and not for Spiritual Mercies And this should be expressed in deeds as well as words thou shouldest live thanks as well as speak thanks And as Christ gives himself to thee so give up not only thy Name but thy Heart to him keep alive in thy Soul the Spiritual Fervor and maintain thy ground against thy Corruptions See how thy Graces grow and how thy Corruptions dye this is the way to grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Walk in the strength of one Ordinance to another and thus doing thou wilt be a growing Christian and thou wilt find through the Blessing of God upon thine Endeavours that the Sacrament which many get little benefit by is indeed a Soul-fatting Ordinance CHAP. XI Directions about Oaths THE next part of Divine Worship that I shall Direct you in is the right Use of an Oath for though rash swearing be an horrible sin as I intend God willing elsewhere to demonstrate Yet an Oath in it self is Lawful and necessary yea a Commanded part of God's Worship Thou shalt fear the Lord and serve him and shalt swear by his Name Deut. 6.13 The like we find Deut. 10.20 My work therefore in the first place will be to shew you what an Oath is and then to prove it Lawful and afterwards to give you Directions in this as I have done in other parts of God's Worship An Oath is a part of that Religious Worship which we owe to God in which being Lawfully called thereunto we call God to witness the Truth of what we Assert and our real intention to perform what we promise and to reward or punish us according to the Truth or Falshood of what we say That it is a part of Religious Worship the Texts before quoted serve to prove 2 Cor. 1.23 Moreover I call God for a Record upon my Soul that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth 2 Chron. 6.22,23 If a Man sin against his Neighbour and an Oath be laid upon him to make him Swear and the Oath come before thine Altar in this House then hear thou from Heaven and do and Judge thy Servants by requiting the Wicked by Recompencing his way upon his own Head and by Justifying the Righteous by giving him according to his Righteousness Lev. 19.12 Ye shall not swear by my Name falsly neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God Exod. 2.7 You see 't is a part of Religious Worship for herein God is called to be a Witness to Justifie or to Condemn who only knows the Integrity of the Heart and the sincerity of the Intentions yea sometimes 't is put for the whole Worship of God Isa 19.18 Where swearing to the Lord is meant worshipping the Lord Nay we have the consent of all Nations that always have esteemed an Oath Sacred and Venerable Poets Philosophers Heathens and Infidels make Conscience of this Religious Band and Reason shews it also for hereby we acknowledge the Wisdom Power and Justice of God His Wisdom in Searching the Heart and knowing the hidden thoughts and intentions of it His Power in being able to punish it and his Justice in giving every Man accoding to his desert and this Worship he will not give to another Jer. 12.16 They taught my People to Swear by the Name of Baal Amos 8.14 Zeph. 1.5 The Lawfulness of an Oath is confessed by most and denyed by few and those Contemptible we have Scripture warrant for it yea the Command of God as you have heard Exod. 22.10 Where an Oath was to be taken in the Case of lost Goods Isa 45.63 Vnto me every Tongue shall swear Isa 65.16 He that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of Truth Now God would not have Commanded any thing that was sinful in it self as a part of his Worship Nay he doth not only Command it but lays down the qualifications of an Oath Jer. 4.2 Thou shalt swear the Lord Liveth in Truth in Judgment and in Righteousness and in what Cases it ought to be required Exod. 22.11 Neither can there any Reason be given why 't is not Lawful as well in Gospel times as under the Law it was not Ceremonious nor Typical neither in the Matter Form nor End Nay we have Examples of God himself and therefore 't is not intrinsâ—…cally Evil Gen. 22.16 By my self have I sworn saith the Lord Heb. 6.13 Because he could swear by no greater he sware by himself Jer. 44.26 I have sworn by my great Name saith the Lord Amos 4.2 The Lord hath sworn by his Holiness We have the Example of Christ Mat. 5.18 For Verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass till all be fulfilled compare this with Heb. 8.14 Surely Blessing I will Bless thee c. This is called God's Oath and frequent are the Asservations of Christ Verily verily we have the Example of the Holy Angels also Dan. 12.7 The Angel lift up his Hand and sware by him that Liveth for ever The like we have Rev. 10.6 we read of the Saints Swearing Gen. 14.22
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