A Help to Holy Walking OR A GUIDE TO GLORY CONTAINING Directions how to Worship God and to Walk with him in the whole Course of our LIVES Gen. 5.24 And Enoch Walked with God and he was not for God took him Gen. 6.9 Noah was a Just Man and Perfect in his Generation Noah Walked with God John 4.23,24 The Hour cometh and now is when the True Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him God is a Spirit and those that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and Truth By EDWARD BVRY Late Minister of Great Bolas in Shropshire LONDON Printed by F. L. for Nevil Simmons at the Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1675. TO The Right Worshipful truly Noble and really Religious Lady the Lady Wilbraham of Woodhey in the County of Chester the Pattern of Piety the Honour of her Family Sex and Countrey E. B. wisheth all Happiness External Internal and Eternal Madam SEeing Custom seems to plead prescription and most Writers Religious or Prophane make bold to prefix some Great Name before their Writings the better to Commend them to the World I having these Papers by me designed for the Press and not being willing to break Custom and having as much need of Protection as any was not long in determining but quickly made choice of your Ladyship partly emboldned thereto by your thankful Acceptance of a former Tract My Ends in this Dedication is not to Interest you in any of my Errors or Mistakes if any such be found let them be charged upon me and I assure you when they are Discovered I shall be ready to throw the first stone at them and were I Conscious of any such I should be loath to prefix yours or my own Name before it Neither is it that I think you need it for I know not of any thing herein contained that you are Ignorant of however it may not be un-useful to mind you of the things you know Phil. 3.1 2 Pet. 1.12 Neither is it to tell the World how much I am ingaged to you and to the Worthy branches of your Family for though I own your Courtesies thankfully yet I know they were not bestowed to this End that others should take Notice of them But it is to let the World know how High an Esteem I have of you and that I think you are fitter to Judge of Writings of this Nature than many others it being but a real History of your own daily Practice And also that I may point out unto the World who are better led by Example than by Rule a Pattern for their Imitation for in you they may see these Directions reduced into Practice which otherwise they may think inpracticable And also that the World may be convinc'd who in this looser Age is apt to think the contrary that Gentility and true Piety may Lodge together in the same Breast and that our Age as well as the Apostles 2 John 1.13 doth afford some Elect Ladies and that they may not think that Gentility and Debauchery are termius convertabiles and he that owns one must own the other also but that there are some and alas too few Noble and Generous Spirits that the Temptations of the Devil nor the Allurements of the World neither Riches Honours nor Pleasures can draw or drive away from Christ And Madam though those that know you take Notice of many Excellent Qualifications in you as Humility Self-denial Prudence Temperance Charity c. Yet real Holiness true Piety and the power of Godliness is the most fragrant Flower in your Garland and the most Orient Jem that doth Adorn you without which the rest would not be so resplendant for by Sincerity Virtues are Adopted Graces The World I know is as always it hath been not only out of their way but also out of their Wits in matters of Salvation and stark blind in Spirituals and only dote upon gilded Vanitie and Worship a Golden Calf yet the time is coming their minds will change when they shall see all their Glory how high soever it flye vanish like Smoak before their Eyes into nothing Now they take them all to be Fools or Mad men that run Counter to the Courses of the World and the Corruptions of the Times and most men had rather be Honourable than Religious Great than Good But when they have cast up their Accounts at Death they will find there was a mistake in the Reckoning They will then see Holiness was the best Fashion though lest worn and that all the Pomp in the World was but gilded Rottenness a dead Carkass stuff'd with Flower and that at Death all the Gold in the Indies signifies no more than a handful of Dirt or Dung The Time is at Hand and long it cannot be that one Dram of Grace will be worth a World and one glymps of God's Favour worth a Thousand Crowns and Kingdoms Humility and Self-denial are two Soul-adorning Graces though seldom seen worn in the Breast of great Persons they are the first Lesson Taught in the School of Christ though few ever take them out they are Beautiful in Great men as well as Poor And submissive Devotion in Religious Duties doth not wrong Majesty it self Virtue is better than a Thousand Escutchions and 't is true Nobility where God is the top of the Kin and Religion lyes at the bottom 'T is a greater Honour to be a Child of God than to be Born of Princes and to be Espoused to Christ speaks more of Honour and Happiness than the World can conferr Riches of themselves make not the Souls better or worse neither doth God think ever the better of men for Wealths sake except they take Christs Counsel and make Friends with this Unrighteous Mammon and by this means have their Riches made up into a Crown for their Head in the World to come If these things seem Questionable to any a little time may resolve the doubt when it will plainly appear that a bare profession of Religion will serve no mans turn for Salvation Mat. 7.22 25.1,2 c. The Lamp of Profession may Light a man to Death never to Heaven Madam I Write not these things for your Instruction but I had need to speak them out that others may hear My Prayers to God are that you may go on in Honouring him who hath Honoured you And improve all for his Glory from whom you have received all knowing you cannot do too much or suffer too much for him who hath done so much and suffered so much for you you cannot buy this Gold too dear the World you may buy too dear and most men do with the loss of their Souls Madam as to this unpolished Piece though I am conscious to my self of many wants yet I hope a Will to do good is not wanting He that did receive a Turtle for a Sacrifice when a Lamb was wanting and a little Goats Hair when no
Plenty when thou mighest have been in pinching want and is all this nothing Why now doth he do this for thee but that thou mightest Serve him Hast thou now a better Friend or greater Benefactor to bestow thy Service upon Can the Devil or the World or thy Friends or thy Wealth do thus for thee I know they cannot why then are they preferred before him Nay this is not all when thou hadst Revolted from God and sold thy self a Slave to Satan when thou wast in thy Bloud and no Eye pityed thee when thou couldst not help thy self and wast unworthy to be helpt he sent his own Son to Redeem thee out of thy Slavery to suffer what was due for thy sins even the pains of Hell and the cursed Death upon the Cross and that when thou wast his Enemy and all to free thee from the guilt and filth of sin and from the punishment due for sin from the Curse of the Law the wrath of God the Slavery of Satan and from everlasting damnation and is all this nothing Yea all this was done that thou mightest Serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of thy Life Luke 1.75 Nay further he bestows upon thee many helps and furtherances he gives thee his Word his Ordinance his Sacraments his Ministers the motions of his Spirit the checks of thine own Conscience and the Example of his People Promises Threatnings Mercies Judgments and all to this End and yet doth he not deserve thee Hath the Devil or the World done more for thee than he hath Why then wilt thou serve them Did they Create thee or art thou theirs by right of Redemption Do they preserve or maintain thee Do they Feed or Cloath thee Or pay thee Wages No no all thy Friends in the World nor all the Angels in Heaven could not satisfie for our sin did they Love thee better than he that laid down his Life for thee Or will they make better Provision for thee than God will Or pay thee better Wages Then Serve them and spare not but deceive not thy self they cannot do it what canst want if thou be God's Servant He is every way furnished to help thee art thou ten thousand Talents indebted and canst not pay a farthing Christ will be thy Surety and discharge thy debt hast thou Scarlet sins lying upon thy Conscience Here is Blood to wash them away 't is he and he alone that can forgive sins Here is the Bread of Life to feed thee and the Water of Life to refresh thee the Spiritual Manna fit Food for thy Soul the true Nectar and Ambrosia he that eats of this shall never Hunger and he that drinks of this shall never Thirst Here is Rich Robes to Cloath thee and Eye salve to make thee see and Gold tryed in the Fire to make thee Rich Rev. 3.17,18 Here are Graces as Jewels to adorn thee the Wedding-Garment to make thee a welcom Guest he is Mecor Majim Chajim A Fountain of Living Water Jer. 2.13 Tzur gnolanim a Rock of Ages Isa 26.4 All the water of Consolation is in this Sea all the Light is in this Sun and all Comfort in this God Canst find such another Master that hath done and will do for thee as he hath and will do the Devil and the World will deceive thee if they promise to do it 5. Motive Thou shouldst serve God for as he hath the best work so he gives the best Wages and Servants usually seek for such Masters something he gives in hand as earnest of the Bargain and incouragement in the work and reserves most to the Years end when he will plenteously recompence all thy pains and remove all cause of repining in hand he gives his Servants his Spirit this is the mark he knows them by those that have not the Spirit of God are none of his Rom. 8.9 This is called the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 't is called the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts this is called the Comforter John 15.27 and 't is given to instruct us and to lead us into all Truth John 18.13 And doubtless those cannot want Comfort that have such a Comforter they cannot lose their way that have such a Guide he it is that dictates their Prayers for them for they know not what to ask yea God for the Comfort and Consolation of his Servants here in the World gives them an Interest in the Promises Recorded in the Word of God which are more worth than the World the greatest King on Earth cannot make and perform such Promises to his greatest Favourite they are well called great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 For great things are promised in them that believe that apprehends an interest in them may live upon his faith and his hope in the absence of all Creature enjoyments these are his Fathers Legacy 't is true Believers have but little in hand yet much in a Promise but little in Possession yet much in Reversion they have Heaven and Earth in a Promise here they have a Promise they shall not lack but at Death they shall receive their Inheritance yea Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither is entred into the heart of Man to conceive what God hath provided for those that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Here they have a Promise and God hath put his hand to it they shall not want protection nor provision God hath promised he will never leave them nor forsake them Heb. 13.5 And if God be for us who can be against us yea that they shall want nothing that is good Psal 34.9 The young Lions lack and suffer hunger but those that fear the Lord shall want no good thing Psal 84.11 The Lord is a Sun and a Shield he giveth Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withold from them that live uprightly If we have sincere hearts if wealth be good for us we shall have it and if poverty be good why should we not be content somtimes Physick is as necessary as food They have a Promise of Deliverance out of Trouble Many are the Troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivers them out of all Psal 34.19 and 50.15 Take one place for all Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to those that love God What matter then is it what our sufferings are when we are sure we shall get by them God that brought Light out of Darkness and Order out of Confusion can work Good to us out of Evil there is no Condition a servant of God can be in but in the Scripture he may find Comfort or Company or both yea God bestows his graces upon his servants which are better than the most Orient Pearls or costly Jewels these they are adorned with and no other did ever wear them they have the rich Robes of Christs Righteousness the Garments of Holyness this is Gods Livery and all his
overwhelmed in the Sea Exod. 14.21 Over Amalek Exod. 17.12 Over Sennacherib 2 Kings 19.32 It hath with-held Rain from the Earth for a long time and after procured it James 5.17,18 It hath brought Angels from Heaven for the help of man thus to Daniel Chap. 9.21 For Hezekiahs help 2 Kings 19.35 where an Angel slew in one Night in the Camp of Sennacherib a hundred forty and five thousand And to Elisha 2 Kings 6.17 where the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of Fire about Elisha It hath brought Fire from Heaven to consume the Enemies 2 Kin. 1.10.12 It hath procured Bears to devour those Children that mocked the Prophet 2 Kings 2.24 It is the way to cast out Devils Mat. 17.21 and to work strange deliverances as Jonah out of the Whales belly Jonah 2.10 Peter out of Prison Acts 12.5 c. By this the Widdows Oyl was increased 2 King 4.3 And Miracles might be wrought Mark 11.23 This is the way to recover the Sick James 5.15 To divert Judgments felt or feared thus Moses oft stood in the gap This is the way to procure pardon of Sin Luke 18.13 To avoid the Temptations of Satan Mat. 26.41 To have deliverance out of Troubles Psal 50.15 To procure the Spirit of God Luke 12.13 To get Wisdom James 1.5 Who now would not set upon such a Duty Now to perform this Duty well take these Directions 1. Direct There are several Qualifications requisite to every one that would rightly perform this Duty of Prayer in an acceptable manner without which a Blessing cannot be expected for though Christ bids ask and we shall have seek and we shall find knock and it shall be opened to us Yet St. James tells us we ask and have not because we ask amiss It is necessary in the first place that thou be a Child of God and have the work of Grace wrought upon thy Heart or otherwise thou hast no assurance of being heard The blind man John 9.31 could say God heareth not Sinners I know 't is the Duty of others to pray and the Apostle incourageth Simon Magus to the Duty if perhaps the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven But till the Heart be brought over to God we have no assurance that God will hear us the Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God till then we cannot comfortably call God Father nor come with boldness to the Throne of Grace neither will Christ Mediate or Intercede for us while we remain his Enemies neither will the Spirit of God assist us in the Duty Rom. 8.15 It is in Christ and through Faith that we have boldness and access with Confidence to God Eph. 3 12. 'T is necessary also that we hate sin if we come to God for he is a devouring Fire to his Enemies and will not be reconciled to those that are reconciled to Sin How can we heartily pray against Sin and for Holiness if we love Sin and hate Holiness As all unconverted Sinners do This is dissembling with God when the Heart is not with him If I regard Iniquity in my Heart saith David God will not hear my Prayers Psal 66.18 Yea God who is Holiness it self requires Holiness in all those that draw near to him and he being a Spirit will be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Without Holiness no man shall ever see God with Comfort Heb. 12.14 Knowledge also is requisite for God cannot abide the Blind and the Lame in Sacrifice without this the mind cannot be good nor the Service acceptable without this a man knows not what to pray for or what to pray against what to seek or what to shun what is sin or what is Duty what he wants or what he hath and what blind worship is he like to offer he can never Pray as he ought Self-denial also is necessary he should in all things subject his will to the will of God A notable Example we have in Christ himself whose Meat and Drink it was to do his Fathers Will. So when he had prayed that that bitter Cup might pass from him yet adds not my Will but thine be done and thus he hath taught us to pray Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Faith also is requireâ— for if those shafts of Prayer are not headed by Faith they will never reach Heaven this is the Condition required whatsoever you ask believingly you shall receive and without Faith 't is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Nay further Patience is also required we must wait for an Answer not like those short-winded Bethulians that set God a time and will wait no longer but refer all to his Will who best knows his own time yea the best time and fittest Season He ought also to be an Humble man for God resisteth the Proud and giveth Grace to the Humble He that hath not low self-denying thoughts of himself God will have low thoughts of his Service he fills the hungry with good things but the Rich he sends empty away He must also beg for the power and assistance of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 God knows the voice of his Spirit Come not in thy own strength Thou must also be painful and Laborious not only pray for Mercies but endeavour for them a few faint wishes will not serve turn Sin must be fought against as well as pray'd against endeavours must be used 2. Direct Before thou come to this Duty of Prayer prepare thy Heart to meet the Lord thy God in so solemn a Duty Wert thou but to meet some Prince or Noble Man thou wouldst make some Preparation much more shouldst thou when thou art to meet the great God one that knows the Secrets of thy Heart and thy Ends and Motives in the Duty What business of Concernment is there but needs some preparation Much more when the Soul is so deeply concerned in it Examine therefore what Relation thou standest in to God whether he be a Friend or an Enemy Who can come with boldness to him that hath offended him and is not Reconciled If thou hast not a Mediator to Intercede for thee and a Surety to undertake thy Debt how darest thou approach to the Creditor to whom thou owest ten thousand Talents and canst not pay a Farthing How dar'st approach this Consuming Fire that art but Chaff and Stubble And what hopes hast of speeding if thou be not within the Covenant The promise belongs not to thee But when thou canst find an Interest in God and in the Covenant and in Christ canst call God Father yet rush not rudely into his Presence but study well what things he hath promised for those thou maist boldly ask Heaven and Earth shall pass but his Word shall not pass till it be fulfilled But if thou ask amiss that is what he never promised no wonder if thou receive it not acquaint thy self well with the Attributes of God his Power Goodness Justice and Truth c. This will be an Excellent
others and derived a poysonful Nature even from them for though they themselves may be Gracious yet they begat not their Children as they were Gracious but as Men and Women the sinful Off-spring of Adam 't is Nature and Corruption and not Grace that is derivative A Man will never prize a Plaister that knows of no Wound nor Physick that knows not that he is Sick nor this Remedy till he know of the Disease The knowledge of this will make a man admire God's Goodness to himself and Children and to bewail the inward Distempers of the Soul and wrastle with God for the Pardon of this Corruption and for his Sanctifying Grace and Spirit when others little regard it and bless God that hath provided such a Remedy sent such a Saviour into the World and entred into such a Covenant not only with Believers but their Seed and given such a Seal to it for the confirmation of their Faith For though it abolish not Sin utterly as some Teach yet hath it a tendency to the Mortification and the weakning of it They should know also by what Right their Infants enjoy this Priviledge this should put them upon it to clear up their own Interest and improve it to renew their Covenant to Act Faith and suck sweetness from the Promises which are made to Believers and their Children and upon this Confidence that God is their God and the God of their Seed they should Offer up their Children unto God and Dedicate and Devote them to his Service as I said before List them into his Army and Enter them into his School desiring of him not only to allow them the external badge of Church-Members but also make them Members of the Invisible Church yea Living Members of Christ's Mystical Body And be earnest with God to Baptize them not only with Water but also with the Holy Ghost and lay claim to the Ordinances upon this Account and not only so but 't is their Duty to endeavour what in them lyes to make them his Servants by Training them up in his Fear and to Teach them their Duty both to God and Man For as Parents usually Covenant for their Children about the Affairs of the World and Interest them in Earthly Priviledges so do they here Enter them into the Covenant and Interest them thereby into the Blessings of the Covenant except afterwards they wilfully revoke it Parents neglect of this was formerly accounted a great Sin as we see in Moses Exod. 4.24 when God would have killed him for neglecting Circumcision and threatens such a Soul that is not thus Dedicated to be cut off from his People Gen. 17.14 And where God changed his mind or relaxed this Law is not easily found But alas how careless are most Parents of this Duty Some Scruple it and so neglect it but most bring their Children to the Ordinance as they themselves come to Church meerly for Fashion sake as they beg for nothing so they expect no benefit by it 't is more of Custom than Conscience and more of Ceremony than Service 't is blind Obedience they yield not knowing what God requires at their hands 3. Direct In this Duty aim at God's Glory the strengthening of thy Faith and the good of thy own and thy Childrens Souls Many a good Action is spoyled for want of a good End as I told you the Fasting Prayers and Alms of the Pharisees were Mat. 6.1,2 c. In this Ordinance God aims at the foresaid Ends his Glory is his ultimate End and should be ours He annexes this Seal to his Covenant to strengthen our Faith use it therefore to this End And by this our Children are Entered into Covenant As we Live and Move and have our Being from him so we should Live and Move and Act for him not only in this but in all other Duties This is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace and in this it excels all the Water in the World For our Baptismal water though not in regard of it's Essence yet in it's Use and Efficacy passeth all other though never so precious others may Comfort the Heart but cannot Sanctifie it Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus may be more beautiful to the Eye than the River Jordan yet cannot heal Naaman's Leprosie it had not that Sanctive virtue put into it by God So this Baptismal water is set apart and Sanctified to an Holy Use even to Seal the Covenant of Grace to Believers in which Covenant God offers Christ to be our Lord and Saviour and promises with him to give us pardon of Sin Regeneration Adoption Sanctification and Redemption yea Heaven and Glory and thereupon sets to his Seal in this Sacrament And Man on his part promiseth to take Christ as he is offered in the Gospel to be his Lord and Saviour and promises to believe in him to be Ruled by him to forsake all other for him and to be his Faithful Servant to his Death and thereupon accepts of the Offered Element and so puts to his Seal to the Covenant and by so doing devotes himself to his Service So that this Sacrament is an engaging Sign and Seal of the Covenant between God and Man All the Blessings of the New Covenant are included here for the Seal is of as large an extent as the Covenant it self and as a Seal accepted to an Evidence makes it Authentick much more God's Seal annexed to his Word is firm and sure Heaven and Earth may pass away but God's Word thus Ratified shall never fail We have God's Promise under Hand and Seal and if we perform on our part doubtless God will never fail on his he assures us hereby that he will be a Reconciled Father to us in Christ and we shall be his Adopted Sons and Daughters he will be our God which is more than can be expressed in words or conceived in mind Now from this Covenant thus ratified a Believer in the saddest Affliction may fetch Comfort and refreshing The Spirit it self being the Keeper of this Seal produceth it many times to a Christians Comfort and enables him to read his Name in the Covenant and shews him the Great Seal for it Thus David could fetch Comfort from his Circumcision when he was to Encounter with Goliath what is this Vncircumcised Philistine c. And why may not we from our Baptism in our Conflicts with the Goliath of Hell God is not a Man that he should lye nor the Son of Man that he should Repent Now that this is a Seal of the Covenant see Rom. 4.11 where Circumcision is Called the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith in which place Baptism succeeds See also Col. 2.11,12 wherein we see We are Buried with him in Baptism and with him also raised again And that all the Blessings of the New Covenant are Sealed by this is evident also Gal. 3.27 For as many of you as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Rom. 6.4,5 where the Benefits both of