no neerer no other way to perfect happiness than to give up thy self wholly to him to submit to his goverment and Conduct to doe whatever he will have thee to do to suffer all that he will lay upon thee to have thine eye always upon him to delight thy self in him to desire and hope more fully and perfectly to know him and enjoy him These things thou knowest or may'st know and thou art capable of acting according to thy knowledge thou can'st give thy self to God thou can'st submit thy self to him thou can'st serve him and obey him with a chearful and active service thou can'st praise and magnifie him and relie altogether upon him and hope and long for a compleat fruition of him Behold then what thou wast made to do and observe how thou art to imploy thy self in the World Here is thy end and this is thy work a work worthy of so excellent a Creature it is called in one word to serve God and whatsoever thou do'st or endeavourest to do or bestowest thy time in that is contrary or impertient to this end is but vanity and folly neer lost labour and will bring forth no fruit but grief and sorrow shame and confusion for that it is not the work that we came into the world to do We were made men that is in the Image of God not to live like beasts no nor to please our selves in any way but to serve and please and glorisy God here and to possess and enjoy him for ever hereafter Judge then good Brother whether thou hast not reason to serve God with all thy Might in a holy and Virtuous life CHAP. II. Containing a second argument to a Holy Life from those obligations which our profession of Christianity laies on us FOrasmuch as thou dost profess thy self a Christian I must desire thee to consider seriously what the Christianity is which thou dost profess and what the profession of it doth oblige or bind thee to To this purpose I beseech thee to reflect upon thy Baptism and to call to mind what was then transacted and done between God and thy Soul or which is all one between God and the Church in thy behalf Now in that Holy Ceremony thou wast dedicated to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and renouncing-the World the Flesh and the Devil did'st promise and vow obedience to all his commandments and God did mercifully accept of thy abrenuntiation and dedication and did take thee into his house and family that family which Christ did purchase with his bloud and which he governs by his Spirit and for which he hath prepared everlasting bliss and Glory Thou wast then taken off that rotten and corrupt Stock of the first and earthly Adam which brings forth fruit only to Death and Destruction and grafted into the living Stock of the second and Spiritual Adam which fructifies to everlasting Glory and Happiness Thou didst renounce that Principle of Sin and Death which thou didst derive from thy first Parents and whatever is grateful and pleasing to it and giving up thy self to God thou wast received by him and given to his Son Jesus Christ who took possession of thee by his Spirit which is a Principle of new life in thee That all this is done in Baptism not in Ceremony and by way of representation only but in deed and in real effect is plain enough in the Scriptures Thou may'st look into the following places for thy Satisfaction Our Blessed Saviour tells us John 15. v. 5. I am the Vine and ye are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him bringeth forth much fruit Now this Abiding in him doth presuppose our Ingrafting into him and this was done in our Baptism for then as the Apostle St. Paul tells us 1. Epistle to the Corinth 12.13 v. We were baptized by one spirit into one body and that Body is the body of Christ as you will see v. 27. of the same Chapter And therefore we are said in Baptism to put on Christ Gal. 3. v. 27. and in the 6th Chapter to the Romans we are said to be planted together viz. by Baptism in the likeness of Christ's death v. 5th and by this the same Apostle tells us That we are saved Titus 3. v. 5. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost And that we cannot ordinarily be saved without this Washing and Renewing our Blessed Saviour told Nicodemus John 3. v. 5. Except a man be regenerated of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God These places of Scripture being understood in that sence which the first and best Christians did take them in do teach us all that which I said before concerning Baptism and the Church whereto we do belong understanding them accordingly doth teach us the same both in the Office of Baptism and the Catechism telling us that in Baptism we are regenerated and made members of Christ and inheritors of that is we have a Right thereby to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Thou seest then dear Brother what thou art as thou art a Christian and what thou professest thy self to be Thou art separated from the world dedicated and consecrated to God united to Christ Jesus and in him and by him a Child of God and an Heir of everlasting Lise Thou art not thy own therefore but God's and thou art his not only by Creation but by Redemption and Purchase by thy own act and voluntary resignation of thy self to him by Covenant and Promise by a real incorporation into the Body of Christ and the participation of his Spirit This is an honourable and a happy Estate and it was a wonderful Grace that such a worthless rebellious Creature should ever be admitted into it And need I now to tell thee Brother what kind of life such a man as thou art and in such an Estate ought to live It is a rule in Nature thou knowest that such as a Being is such will be the actions and operations of it and therefore it is necessary that thy life and actions be agreeable to thy Being and state as thou art a Christian and since the estate of a Christian is an Holy and Divine estate it is necessary that thy life and actions be Holy and Divine as thy state is Art thou a Member of Christ ingrafted into his Body and quickned by his Spirit and oughtest thou not to be conformable to Christ and to live the life of Christ Art thou a Child of God and oughtest thou not to be led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 and to be a follower or imitator of God as the Apostle saith Ephes 5.1 in Love and Purity Art thou an heir of Heaven for all the Children of God are Heirs Rom. 8.17 and ought not thy Conversation to be in Heaven Ought not thy Thoughts and Desires to be upon thine inheritance and thy Heart and Life to be such as may
destroy our selves but since we could do that upon very little or none at all let us no longer withstand this which is so earnest and importunate with us to save our selves Then turning thy self to God in whose presence thou hast been all this while thou may'st speak as I hope thou wilt be able with truth to do in this manner to him I am overcome I am overcome O God I can no longer withstand thy mighty Love I must I do yield my self a captive to it I am thine I do acknow ledge by all Right and I will be thine for ever by the full consent of my Heart I can do no less in Return to that wonderful Love thou hast shewed me and I can do no more O let this little that I can do be accepted by thee and receive me for thine own take possession of me by thy Spirit and let it preserve me for ever to thy self according as I do now sincerely resign up my self and all I have to thee Then 3. Casting thy self upon the Ground say thus and say it with all thy Heart and Soul To God the Father Son and Holy Ghost my Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier do I give my Self Soul and Body and all that belongs unto me to be guided governed and disposed of according to his Will and to his Honour and Glory and may he be a Witness to this my Act which I promise never to revoke and may I never obtain the least Favour from him if I do it not with with an upright Heart and an unfeigned purpose to make it good to my Lives End Thou art my Witness O my God be thou also my helper with thy continued Grace and so shall I be faithful to thee according to my Heart's Desire Amen Amen But then 4. As in matters of the World that which is done in private between Man and Man must in some cases receive a further Consirmation by such Solemnities as are appointed by humane Lawes so that which thou hast done thus between God and thy own Soul must be farther confirmed and as it were compleated by those Solemnities which the Lawes of God do require and therefore sail not to take the first opportunity that is offered thee to go to the Table of the Lord and having prepared thy self at home by such meditations as I have before taught thee and by reading some good book of the Holy Sacrament such as Dr. Patrick's Christian Saacrifice which I desire may find a place both in thy Closet and in thy Heart do thou there renew what thou hast done in private and as it were in publick Court avow it and consirm it At that Holy Tale God will not fail to meet thee attended with an innumerable Company of Holy Angels and he strictly requires and expects it from thee And therefore when thou art at that Table and beholdest what manner of Love is there shewed thee and which cannot but draw thy very heart from thee if thou do'st consider it aright remember what thou art to do and let thy heart speak in this manner to Almighty God There is all the Reason in the World O Heavenly Father that I should give up my self entirely to thee since thou hast not withholden thy Son thy only Son from me there is all the Reason in the World O my Blessed Saviour that I should surrender my self and all I have into thy hands since thou did'st offer thy self a Sacrifice upon the Cross for me and do'st now offer these Holy Pledges of the all-sufficient Virtue of that Sacrifice to me there is all the Reason in the World that I should resign my self to thee O Holy and Blessed Spirit since thou do'st offer thy self to be a Principle of Holiness and Life in me And therefore as I do now accept with all thinkfulness those great and inestimable Favours and do declare my acceptance of them in the sight of these thy Servants and all thy Holy Angels here present by receiving those Tokens and Pledges of them according to thy Command and Institution so do I give up my self and all I have to thee and declare it before the face of all these Witnesses and I earnestly desire that even my unworthy self may be accepted through this my poor Gift the perfect Sacrifice and Oblation of my dearest Saviour and be sanctified by the Holy Ghost and be owned by my God to the everlasting parise of the Holy Blessed and Undivided Trinity whose I am and whose I will be for ever and ever Amen Amen But then 5. When thou art gone from this holy Table Retire as soon as possibly thou can'st and whil'st these good thoughts are warm in thy breast into thy Closet and there take the Book of thy spiritual Accounts into thy hand for I would not have thee to be without such a Book for recording these things wherein the Welfare of thy Soul is greatly concerned least thou be condemned by the Care and exactness of those whom we are wont to call good Husbands in Worldly Matters and with thy pen write thus In such a Year and such a Months and on such a day I did through God's Grace with all the Devotion of my Heart and Soul make an entire Surrender of my self and all things belonging to me to Almighty God protesting and vowing that he should have the full guiding governing and disposing of me and mine for ever And then that thou may'st have a more distinct Understanding of what thou hast done and what thou art obliged to do for the time to come thou may'st under write these following particulars viz. I have given up my self entirely to God and therefore I must not serve my self but Him all the dayes of my Life I have given him my Understanding and therefore my chiefest Care and Study must be to know him his Nature his Perfections his Works his Will These must be the Subject of my Meditations night and day as for all other things they must be as Dross and Dung to me and the Knowledge of them must be as loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of God in Christ Phil. 3.8 v. I must believe all his Reelations and silencing all the carnal Reasonings against whatsoever he teaches me I must rest my self on his veracity being fully persuaded that he can neither be deceived himself nor deceive me See Rom. 4.19 20. have given him my Will and therefore I must have no Will of mine own whatever he wills I must will also I must will his Glory in all things as he does and that must be my chief End in every thing I must prefer it before all desireable things and subordinate my own Desires Delights and Satisfactions to it I must say as the Psalmist did Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73.25 I must do whatsoever God commands me and forbear whatever he forbids and I must do it for this Reason chiefly because
profitable and minister Grace unto the Hearers Ephes 4.29 and Colos 6.4 and why we should think that it becomes us to use that unprofitable not to say that corrupt Communication which dayly proceeds from our Mouths without having any respect to the edifying of one another in that which is good I cannot understand 5. Meditating frequently upon the good things we read and hear This is another means for the improvement of our Knowledge in the things of God and it is so necessary that without it all the rest will avail us but very little for this is the chewing or tather the digesting of what we read and hear it is that which implants those notices of things which we have got into our heads in our hearts and makes them to bring sorth those good Fruits which in their own Nature they are fit to do Mich. de Montaign It was a good Observation of a great man some years ago That in all humane sects there were never any what difficulty or strangeness soever their Doctrine maintained but would in some sort conform their Behaviour and square their Lives unto it whereas this Divine and Heavenly Institution which we pretend to prefer before all Doctrines that ever were in the World seldom makes Christians but by the tongue of which this Reason may be given as pertinent to our present business that those being in Love with their Doctrines how absurd soever they were either because they were of their own Invention or because they had their first Inventors in great admiration did so exercise their thoughts upon them that their Souls could not but receive such Impressions from them as appeared in their outward Behaviour whereas most of those that are called Christians having no such kindness for this Heavenly doctrine or the Author of it do never employ their thoughts about it or if they do it is so seldom and in so sleight and careless a manner that it cannot work any good effect upon them Did they meditate dayly upon it as holy David did upon God's Law Psal 119.97 did they examine its truth did they weigh its Goodness did they apply it to themselves and make tryal of its Force and Power upon their Souls they would be so fashioned to the Image and Likeness of it as to be known by their Lives and Conversations from all other men Thou must be frequent then in the Use of this mean and let no day pass thee without spending some time in it and if thou art in such Circumstances at any time that thou must either omit to read good Books or to meditate I advise thee to omit that rather than this for he that reads but little and meditates much will be a wiser and better man than he that reads much and meditates none or but very little 6. Prayer This is a means which must accompany all the rest and ought never to be omitted for certain it is that we can know no more of God than we are taught by him if he do not manifest himself unto us if he do not enlighten our Minds and assist our Endeavours we shall advance but little by all we can do The Psalmist tells us that it is God that teacheth men Knowledge Psal 94.10 and St. Paul tells us That Wisdom and Knowledge are the Gifts of his Spirit 1 Cor. 12.8 and if we desire that Spirit or those Gifts we must ask for them for thus did the Holy men of old as the Scripture assures us Psal 25.4 v. Psal 119.66 v. And this the Apostle St. Paul taught us to do when he prayed for the Colossians That they might besilled with the Knowledge of God in all Wisdome and spiritual Vnderstanding That they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitsul in every good Work and encreasing in the Knowledge of God Coloss 1.9 10. And then in the last place 7. There is another means of improving our Knowledge of as great Use though little thought of as any of the former viz. the making a right Use of that which we know by applying it to practice and regulating our Lives and Conversations according to it by thus using what we know we shall come to know it better for there is no Knowledge comparable to that which we call experimental and he that tasts how good the Lord is and how good the things of God are which is the word by which the Psalmist expresses this Knowledge Psal 34.8 v. knows them as much better than others do as they that tast the sweetness of Honey know it better than they that have only heard of it Besides by this Use of what we know we are put into a better disposition to know those things which as yet we know not for as some of the old Heathen wise men were wont to say as no eye can behold the Sun if it hath not the Image of the Sun in it so no man is capable of understanding the things of God but he whose Soul is in some measure sashioned to the likeness of God and this is confirmed by a more skilful man in Divine things than the wisest of them I mean St. Paul who tells us that the Natural or animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1. Corin. 2.14 which assertion is grounded upon this truth That there must be some conformity between the knowing faculty and the thing to be known or else there can be no Knowledge and therefore if we do not improve that little Knowledge which we have by the light of Nature according to those small Remains of God's Image in us to the mortifying of our naughty corrupt affections and if we use not those external Helps to that light which God gives to the spiritualizing of our Minds we can never truly understand the things of the Spirit whereas doing this we shall be able to judge or to discern them clearly And this is that which our great Master teaches us John 7.17 where he shews us what we must do to attain a true and saving Knowledge of his Doctrine if any man will do his Will he shall know of my Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self and in another place to encourage us to the Practical Use of what we know he tells us He that keepeth my Commandements he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him John 14.21 v. Thus have I shewed thee how thou must endeavour to improve thy self in the Knowledge of God I now proceed to give thee some further Advice CHAP. V. Sect. 1. Containing a Fifth Advice To live alwayes as in God's Sight with the great Vsefulness of this to promote a Holy Life Sect. 2. Containing some Directions for the Practice of this Duty of Living alwayes as in God's Sight § 1. TThou must live alwaies
and empowred by him to preach the Gospel to make known the Love of God as manifested in Christ to the World to receive those that do believe the Gospel into the Covenant of Grace and society of Christians by Baptism to instruct those whom they have baptized in the Will of God both publickly and privately to encourage them in their Obedience to it to excite and quicken them when they are dull and slothful to reprove and admonish them whtn they do amiss to restore them when they are fallen to comfort them in their Sorrows to pardon their Sins to feed them with the Body and blood of Christ to pray for them and bless them in Christ's Name to help them all the wayes they can in the whole Course of their Lives and to assist them in their last Agonies that so they may finish their Course with joy This thou wilt plainly see if thou wilt consider besides the places of Scripture already mentioned the following Texts Act. 20.20 21 26 27 31. 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Gal. 6.1 v. Luke 22.19 20. 1 Corinth 11.23 24. Jam. 5.14 15. 3. Thou must acknowledge that Christ hath promised to be with those his Officers and ministers and accordingly he hath is and will be with them in the Exercise of the several parts of their office to the end of the World i.e. He will assist them with special Illumination Direction and Power sufficient for the dispensation of the Gospel and the edification of the Church and according to the necessities and capacities of the Times wherein they are to live he will furnish them with all necessary and requisite Gifts will accompany their Endeavours with his Holy Spirit to make them essectual will hear their Prayers confirm their Censures protect their persons c. This we are plainly taught in several places of Scripture besides those already pointed to See John 14.16 and 26. Where Christ promises his Apostles a Comforter to be with them for ever and to teach them all things And see Ephes 4. c. Where the Apostles speaking of the several Officers that Christ hath appointed in his Church and of the Gifts and Graces which he doth furnish them withal does intimate that these shall be continued in the Church in such a manner and measure as is necessary till we all come that is both Jews and Gentiles into the Vnity of the Faith and unto a perfect man unto the measure of the Statute of the fulness of Christ i.e. to such prefection in Knowledge Wisdome and Good-uess as that there will be no further Danger of being like Childrent ossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine v. 13 14. And further thou may'st observe That as they are called the Ambassadours of Christ and are said to beseech men in Christ's stead 2 Gorinth 5.20 So Christ is said to speak in them and by them 2 Corinth 13.3 Ephes 2.17 And to work mightily and effectually in them Gal. 2.8 And further they are said to be Workers together with Christ 2 Corinth 6. v. 1. And to be Ladbourers together with God 1 Corinth 3.9 God giving the Encrease whil'st Paul Planted and Apollos watered v. 6 7. of the same chapter and God opening mens hearts Act 16.14 which are said to be pricked by the Apostles Preaching Act. 2.37 Lastly see Revel 1.13 16. where to denote Christ's perpetual Presence Assistance and Protection to thesE his Ministers or Officers the appointed Guides and Governours of the Church after all the times of the Apostles John only excepted Christ is represented though in Glory yet walking in the midst of the seven Churches of Asia and holding the seven Stars i.e. the Angels or Bishops of those Churches v. 20. in his right hand 4. Thou must acknowledge likewise That as Christ hath appointed an Order of men thus to guide and govern his Church and hath charged them to attend unto it with all their Might upon pain of answering for those Souls that shall perish through their Neglect or Default See Ezek. 34.8 9 10. and Act. 20.26 27. so he hath charged all men to respect them as his Officers as the Guides and Governours of their Souls on Earth under him and to submit themselves to their Conduct and Government in all things relating to the Salvation of thier Souls and this upon Pain of losing all the Privileges Advantages and Benefits which they can hope for or pretend to upon the account of what he hath done and suffered for us Of this thou wilt see no Reason to doubt if thou wilt consider that this gracious provision which Christ hath made for mens Souls in appointing these Guides and Governours and vouchsafing them all necessary assistances for the discharge of their office will signify very little in case men be at liberty to submit to them or not and may be saved though refusing to submit to them But besides this to give thee all the satisfaction that may be in a matter which many are very unwilling to understand thou may'st consider some few places of Scripture which do plainly inform us of the Mind of Christ concerning it I omit what may be said out of the Old Testament and from the Priestly Power and Office under it as I have done all along because I design not a full discourse upon those things As God the Father was pleased tod eclare That he had constituted his Son Christ Jesus to be the supreme Guide and Governours of Souls and to charge all men to hear and obey him of which we have clear Testimony Math. 3.17 and Math. 17.5 So Christ hath lest to the World a clear Testimony that he did commit the Authority which he had received from his Father to his Apostles and their Successors John 20 21. As my Father sent me so send I you and that it is his Will that all must hear and obey them who will have any Interest in him or Benefit by him so in the places before-mentioned Math. 28.19 20. and Mark 16.16 Where giving Commission to his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all Nations and to receive those that should believe into that Covenant of Grace which he had sealed with his blood by Baptism he tells them He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned i.e. those that do heartily believe that Gospel which you preach and do profess so to do and do engage themselves to be my Disciples and to obey my Commands by receiving Baptism at your hands and do continue to learn from you what I have commanded compae these words with those in St. Matthew and practise accordingly in the whole Course of their Lives shall be saved but those that refuse to do this shall be damned to which words if we joyn those which he spake some time before to his Disciples when he sent them to preach to Gospel to the lost Sheep of Israel Luke 10.16 We shall understand his Mind more clearly He that