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
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
Perform this Duty now to right Ends and doubt not of a Blessing 7. Direct If thou wouldst have a Blessing of God accompanying this Ordinance or if thou wouldst Sing Psalms profitably then do it in God's way as well as to a right End 't is not the bare performance of the Duty will serve the turn Many content themselves with the Husk without the Kirnel and think a little Lip-labour sufficient and come with no more Reverence nor so much into God's Presence than they would come into a great Mans Presence to Sing a Prophane Song If such Service would please God would have many Servants But 't is the Heart that God requires or he will have none of their Service Trust not therefore with the Papist Opere Operato in the Work done for God must have it done in his own way or he will not accept it A good Duty may be spoyled by the ill doing it as well as a good Tool by ill handling The Duty we Treat of is not so easie as many think it is Many carelesly performing it and finding little benefit by it have mistrusted the Duty rather than themselves like the Maid in Pliny that being suddenly struck Blind in the Night blames the Sun the next Morning for not Rising Men are apt to accuse any thing yea God himself rather than themselves Because they themselves feed upon the Husks they think there is none that taste the Kirnel and so lay it aside and plead against it But upon the same grounds many of them plead themselves above Ordinances and rest not till they plead perfection and look upon Ordinances as beggarly rudiments but to leave these to their self-delusion When thou approachest to God in this Ordinance being part of his Instituted Worship be sure to bring thy Heart along with thee and ingage it in the Duty God saith of the Heart as sometimes Joseph did of his Brother Benjamin you shall not see my Face if your Brother Benjamin be not with you You shall not see his Face if the Heart be absent Heart and Voyce must joyn together or it will make no pleasing Melody in the Ears of God He is a Spirit and must be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth For as Fervent Prayer may prevail where cold Petitions are denyed So hearty Praises are acceptable when others are esteemed but as a mocking of God We must sing with the Affection and with the Understanding also The whole bent of the Soul must be set upon the work the Blind and the Lame and the Heartless Sacrifice is abominable unto God My Son saith he Give me thy Heart Whatever thou offerest without the Heart he will have none of it The more of the Heart is in the Duty the better he loves it Thou must sing with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14.15 Thus David when he began to sing lift up not only his Voyce but his Soul to God Psal 25.1 and calls upon all that is within him to bless the Lord Psal 103.1 And we have Exhortations to this Duty Col. 3.18 Eph. 5.19 The Lowing of an Ox the Grunting of a Hog make as Melodious an Harmony in God's Ears as a Heartless Prayer or Praise God is a Spirit and must be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Nay it must not be only with the Heart but with the Heart rightly Qualified An ungracious Heart cannot but savour strong in the Nostrils of God worse than a stinking Carrion doth in ours we must sing with Grace in our Hearts as the former Scriptures plainly testifie Sincerity is necessary approach not near him without the Wedding-Garment Hypocrisie spoyls all thy best Actions we may as well expect sweet Water in a dirty Channel or stinking puddle as a good Duty from a rotten Heart The Graces of the Spirit must adorn that Soul that must be welcom into God's presence Neither is it sufficient that they be there in the Habit but they must be drawn forth into the Act for as we must Pray and Sing with the Understanding and Affection so we must Pray and Sing with Faith believing those Promises made by God and those Petitions put up that they shall be in Time Answered Bring Hope along also to wait for the Accomplishment and Love to God and Delight in his Service and desire of his Glory and other suitable Graces And thus doing expect a Blessing upon the Ordinance and benefit by it CHAP. VIII Directions in Observing the Sabbath Day THE next Duty I shall Treat of is the Observation of the Sabbath Day for this also is a Commanded Duty this is that stated time for the Worship of God and necessary for his Service For if we must Worship God in some place so some time is also required for this Worship and God himself hath appointed out what he thinks most suitable Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy c. Yea he hath enjoyned it to be observed upon pain of Death Exod. 35.2 Whosoever doth work therein shall be put to Death And we read of the Man that gathering sticks upon that Day was by God's special Command to be put to Death Numb 15.32 c. But there are many that easily grant it was a Duty obliging the Jews but not the Gentiles and is of no force at present to Christians but Ceremonious and so abolished with the Ceremonial Law but for Satisfaction know something in the Command was Ceremonial and that ceaseth something Moral and that remaineth Nature it self teacheth us that there is a God and the same Nature teacheth that this God is to be Worshipped and Reason tells us some time must be alotted for this Worship God appoints one day of seven for this Work and that is Moral but what seventh day whether from the Creation or no is left to God to determine Many that know not the true God yet alot some time for the Worship of their Imagined Deities but that it must be this or that day Nature teaches not but is alterable at God's dispose but not at Mans and that it was observed in Remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt was Ceremonial Deut. 5.15 And Typified out a deliverance by Christ a Rest in him and his Resting in the Grave As also the rigid Observation of it enjoyned to the Jews when they must not go out of their places kindle a Fire dress any Meat bear any burthen c. upon it Christian Liberty hath freed us from this but for the Observation of one day in seven for God's Service is Commanded by God approved by Christ and practised by the Apostles and all succeeding Generations 1 Cor. 16.2 and what power on Earth then can make it void It was a Law given to Adam in Paradice before there was any Ceremony used or enjoyned or any Saviour needed or promised I say for the Substance of it though it was afterwards prest more strictly and some Ceremonies added to the Jews and therefore it belongeth to all his Posterity though
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
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
will be satisfied with this that those to whom he hath given most should do least is a Question should be thought of A bare Profession makes many a man have a high Conceit of himself but the Law allows not a man to be Judge in his own Cause My Design in the following Tract is not to make the way to Heaven narrower nor the Gate straiter than it is but to put you up some Way-marks that you mistake not the Road 'T is not to make the Burden heavier than needs must but to shew you what Burden 't is that Christ would have you take up 'T is not to quench the smoaking Flax or to break the bruised Reed but to awaken the dull and drowsie Formalist and to set him on fire that was quite out and to shew the mistakes of those that think the way to Heaven to be so broad that a whole Parish may go abreast and a reeling Drunkard can hardly step aside and the Gate so wide that a Man may enter not only with the World but with a load of Sins also on his back and that they may use their Prayers as others do their Charms with good Success though they understand them not but God is not much taken with a little Lip labour when the Heart is absent Prov. 19.26 Ezek. 33.32 The Time is coming Men will be convinc'd to purpose that their Soul was their chiefest Jewel that Heaven was no Fable and Hell no Scare-Crow nor Eternity no Melancholy Fancy and that God spake in Earnest what they took in Jest That Sin is no matter of Sport and the Service of God no Formal Complement That those were the Wisest that made Provision for Eternity and those the veriest Fools that fooled away their Salvation and Sold their Souls as Esau his Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage or for that which was worse for a base Lust and laid out their money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which profits not Isa 55.2 But the Time will come they will Repent the bargain But to return it may be Objected this plain Discourse is not suitable for this Learned Age but the Sick Man desires to have Medicum non Eloquentem sed Saventem and rather desires to be Cured than Courted Those that Sin in English why should they be reproved in Latine but in plain words Had I had better at Hand thou hadst had it and how it came to pass I had no better I can give thee this brief Account When by Providence I was laid aside as a broken Vessel and the Time was come that the Levites were sent every one to his Field Nehem. 13.10 and I not having that Provision made as many others had and but little if any thing left to maintain a numerous Family I was forced to Fight against Poverty almost to the neglect of my Study so that I can say with the Apostle Acts 20.34 and many that knows me may say as much for me These Hands ministred to my Necessity and those that were with me My Head being filled with other distracting Studies and my Hands with other Imployments that I had few spare hours except by Night to mind those Studies so that I hrought forth this as a Bear doth her Whelps a confused Lump and had no time to lick it into Form 'T is a Basket of unripe Fruits blown down by the Wind of Worldly Distractions yet mistake not had my time been more and my Abilities greater it should have spoken plain English I would not have hid any Fruit with Leaves nor been a Barbarian to the meanest Reader nor have wrapt up my meaning in a Cloud Reader my Advice is if thou findest Christ here though not in soft Rayment but as in his Infancy but meanly clad yet reject him not good Counsel in plain English is not to be rejected and a good Stomack will not reject good Meat though not Modishly drest If there be any thing here Offered contrary to God's Word reject it and so shall I when I know it if not rejecting of it will be a dissowning God himself If thou meet with as I fear thou maist some Tautoligies or Repetitions look upon it as the Fruit of broken Studies and interrupted Meditations I have said enough and perhaps too much and shall add no more but wish that God who hath inclined my Heart to Write it may incline thine to Read and Practice it and if thou hast any benefit by it I shall think my pains well bestowed This is the unfeigned desire of him who is Christ's and the Churches Servant and a well-willer to thy Souls Health EDWARD BVRY Eaton Nov. 2. 1674. A Help to holy Walking OR A GUIDE to GLORY CHAP. I. Motives to holy Dutyes HAving in a former Treatise handled the Doctrine of holy walking and shewed the excellency and necessity of it and given you Marks and Motives to perswade you to it and Directions in it and answered the Objections that are made against it I shall come now to treat of it in particular and shew you how to demean your selves towards God in the several parts of his Worship wherein consists the main though not the whole of holy walking And in every part of Gods worship I shall give you Directions for the right performance But Reader wilt thou resolve to follow those Directions For otherwise 't is in vain for me to write or thee to read it will but make thee sin with a Candle in thy hand What good will Meat do if not eaten and digested Or Physick do if not taken Or a Plaister if not applyed So what good will Directions do if not followed It is not enough to read thy duty but thou must do it nay 't is not enough to do it but thou must do it well Those that worship God must worship him in Spirit and in Truth 't is not a little lip labour or knee service will serve his turn without the Heart and the Heart rightly qualified he regards it not he will have none of it for there is none holy as the Lord 1 Sam 22. And the Lord admits of none into his service that are not holy Lev. 10.3 I will be sanctifyed by those that draw near to me Lev. 20.7 Be ye holy for I am holy He is a living God and requires living Sacrifice and will not take up with a dead heart There must be a principle of life in thee or thou art nor fit to come into his presence for he is a consuming fire unto his Enemies there must be Regeneration or there can be no Salvation John 3.5 And without faith 't is impossible to please him Heb. 11.6 't is not enough to worship him but it must be in sincerity and truth Josh 24.14 What is thy Resolution wilt thou worship him or wilt thou not there are few in plain words will deny it but in actions they do either they worship him not at all or give him that he
up to Heaven upon their wings which is the place of its rest in them the Soul is trading with God for Christ and if we make not this use of them they will do us no good God regards not so much the external part of duty though this is not to be disregarded as he doth the internal he looks especially at the carriage of the heart in the duty my Son saith he give me thy heart if this be present many infirmities shall be past over if this be absent though the duty be never so gloriously acted in the eye of of the World it is hateful in the eye of God Cain and Abel both offered Sacrifice and in the matter of their Sacrifice we know not the one exceeded the other yet one was accepted and the other rejected why what was the matter because the one was accompanyed with Sincerity the other with Hypocrisie and as God so all good Men make it their business to look to the heart in duty they carry it along with them to God and offer it at his feet they know the more of the heart is in the duty the better God loves it and the more of the heart is in the sin the worse it is they look more and grieve more at the miscarriage of the Heart in a duty when it lyes dead or dull than at a mis expression or external failing when thou comest therefore unto God in duty gather in thy scattered thoughts and affections and let them meet here as lines do in a Center or as the Sun-beams in a burning glass this will make thy Prayers Hot and Fervent which otherwise would be Cold and Remiss when our Spirits are raised by the Spirit of God and the Flesh kept under in the duty then we are like to prevail 't is not the Multitude of loose or lone and cold expressions will serve turn the Pharisees out-did many Christians in long Prayers but 't is the Spiritual performance that God requires cold Petitions do but put denyals into Christs mouth we must perform every duty as if it were for Life and Death for Eternity yea as if it were our last duty that ever we should perform such performances as these are acceptable to God and beneficial to Man 6. Direction Thou must perform all thy duties as in a right Manner so to a right End for the End either Makes or Marrs the Action now the Ends are such as God himself hath appointed in his word Now God never ordained duties or good works to be trusted in for Salvation thou canst never merit Heaven by thy Prayers or other Duties they were not commanded for this end indeed they are a causa sine qua non of Salvation for though they cannot save us yet we shall not be saved in the neglect of them they are the way to the Kingdom though not causa regnandi Christ hath purchased to himself a peculiar People zealous of good works they are of special use for us in the way that God hath appointed us to walk in God hath appointed us to do them and threatened us and will punish us if we neglect them as I shall more fully prove when I treat of them particularly and that it is Gods will and command is enough to satisfy an honest heart though there were neither reward nor punishment for the doers or neglecters of them this is the way to glorify God John 15.8 Hereby is our Heavenly Father glorified when we bring forth much fruit Mat. 5.18 Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven By this means also we may be instrumental of others Conversion Wives are commanded to carry themselves so holily and wisely that thereby unbelieving Husbands may be won to the Faith 1 Pet. 3.1 and as they may do good to others so they may bring comfort to themselves these breathings out of Grace will be an Evidence to the Soul of the love of God when we find the Spirit helping our infirmities teaching us how and for what to pray these products of Grace will yield the Soul no little satisfaction yea by this means we obtain many blessings from God what sweet returns of Prayer have the Saints had how often hath God answered them in the very Petitions they have asked Christ bids them ask and they shall have seek and they shall find knock and it shall be opened to them and how many can experience this truth though God promise the mercy yet he will be sought to for it and what sweet and ravishing incomes of the Spirit of God have Christians oftentimes in the Hearing Reading Meditating and conferring of the word of God receiving of the Sacrament and other Religious duties and what Satisfaction and Comfort 'T is true we must not trust to them for comfort as the Cause but as the Instrument Hezekiah found Comfort upon his sick Bed from the Faithful performance of God's Will But this is not all one special end why God appointed them is to bring the Soul nearer unto Christ by them and to this end we must use them they are as Ladders to help us up to Heaven to lift us above our selves to lay hold upon Christ we must make use of them as a Traveller doth of a Boat or Bridge to help us over unto Christ or as he doth of a Staff or Stile to help him in his Journey though they in themselves have no Excellency yet they help us over where true Treasure is though they be empty in themselves and vain to those that trust in them yet are they enriching to the Saints that trust not to them but use them for the ends appointed but many like Foolish Lovers wooe the Maid when they should Court the Mistress or like Foolish Travellers play with the Stile or fall in Love with the Boat and neglect their way they trust to their duties but these were never appointed to save us or to make up Christ's Merits Satisfactory for this is sufficient but that it may help us to lay hold upon Christ's Satisfaction Use them therefore for that end 7. Direct When thou hast done all this and all that thou canst say thou art an unprofitable Servant and hast done no more nay not so much as was thy duty Luke 17.10 And take heed of resting in or trusting to any thing but Christ for Justification or Salvation trust not to thy duties for they will deceive thee and prove like Egyptian Reeds not only break but run into thy hand they were never appointed for this end to trust to them let the Papists brag never so much of their Works of Supererogation or of their Merits let the Ignorant Person brag of his good meaning his good heart and his good serving God let the Civil Man brag of his paying every Man his own and upright dealing and the almost Christian of his Repenting Returning and Reforming alas all this will deceive them
what he taught thee that thou knewest not before now when thou hast thus called these things to mind meditate upon them for as Meat cannot nourish if not digested no more will the word till by meditation thou makest it thy own meat is easily cast up when it lyes undigested in the stomack so here when the Seed is sown and not covered by harrowing the Fowls of the Air pick it up and when the word is not covered by mediration the Devil steals it away Mat. 13.4.19 If any thing lye dark or difficult to thee go to the Minister or some understanding Christian to conferre of it make known thy doubts and this is a good way to get knowledg The two Disciples that came to Emaus inquired by the way and discoursed and 't is thy duty to speak of the Word in thy house and as thou goest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up Deut. 6.7 Oh what benefit might Christians get were they careful of this Duty the word of God would then dwell plentuously in them this would make a deeper impression in the Heart and would be a notable means to grow in knowledg When thou hast passed thus far than press it upon thy own heart for what good will it do thee otherwise examine thy self by the Marks and Characters whether thou hast those gratious Qualifications yea or no whether thou art yet under the power of sin and Satan and whether delivered and be accordingly affected press home every reproof to thy self and see how far guilty thou hast been mourn for it and reform lay to heart every exhortation to duty and let every motive strengthen thy Resolution practice every direction and make the best use of every passage for thy Souls good and be sure to practice what is taught thee otherwise thou maist hear all the days of thy life to little purpose 't is not the hearers of the Law but the doers that are justified he that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes yea 't is not enough that thou practice it thy self but thou must endeavour that others may do so also to this end thou must instruct thy Family thy Children and thy Servants what in thee lyes press them on also to obedience this is a commanded duty Eph. 6.4 Deut. 4.9 And it was the practice of the Saints in all Ages Deut. 18.19 Prov. 4.4 and 31.1 And because all thy services without Gods blessing are worth nothing 't is thy duty to go to God by prayer to fasten these truths upon thy heart which thou hast heard and open the heart of thy Family Paul may plant and Apollos water but 't is God must give the increase mark also from time to time how thou dost grow or decrease These Directions well used through Gods blessing will make thee profit by hearing CHAP. IV. Directions in Reading the Word THe next Duty I shall point out unto you is the Reading the Scripture and other good Books which open and apply it for this also is necessary and very beneficial to the Soul and though it be not sufficient where the preaching of the word is to be had yet it is a necessary addition and many a Soul hath had experience of much good received by it this word is the Law of the Lord which is perfect converting the Soul and many instances might be given of men converted by it especially where the word of God hath not ordinarily been preached That it is a commanded duty see Deut. 17.19 where the King is commanded to take this book of the Law and read therein all the daies of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord and keep his commandements and if Kings themselves are not exempted notwithstanding the multiplicity of their business who then can plead exemption yea the Priests were to read it in the ears of all Israel Deut. 31.11 'T is the Apostles advice even to Timothy to give attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4.13 and as 't is a commanded duty so 't is the practice of the godly in all Ages Moses took the book of the Covenant and read it in the ears of all the People Exod. 24.7 So did Joshua Chap. 8.34,35 So did Josiah 2 Chron. 34,35 and Nehemiah Chap. 8.38.18 and 9.3 thus the Enuch Acts 8.30 yea there is a blessing pronounced upon it Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and there is good reason for it for as the Sun is to the World such is the Word of God to a Christian the very light of their lives and the life of their Souls but as it fares with the Sun because it commonly riseth and sets therefore it is not sufficiently heeded and admired so 't is with the Word being common 't is not sufficiently prized Mannah you know was at first admired at the last loathed so 't is here if God should send a Famine of the Word it would be prized as it was when a Cart load of Hay was given for a few Chapters of the New Testament the worth of it will be known in the want of it as Health is best prized in Sickness Peace in War and Liberty in Bondage Now for the Persons that ought to read they are all that are in a Capacity for if any were exempted they would be Kings for the multiplicity of their business but the book of God must be to them a Vade mecum a constant Companion Parents are to teach their Children in it and under these two Relations all Superiours and inferiours are contained Deut. 6.7 'T is the Devils practice and policy no doubt to keep Men from reading the Scriptures Christ bids search the Scriptures and how dare Papists and others speak the contrary we are commanded to let the word of God dwell plentifully in us and 't is made a mark for a blessed man to meditate in Day and Night here is the Mine out of which we must dig for knowledg Prov. 2.3,4 Oh that men would spend that time in Reading Meditating and conferring of the word of God which they do in Vain and idle Visits needless Recreations Carding Diceing Drinking Drabbing and such like how much would it conduce to their Souls health this makes more to the evening their accounts with God and making preparation for the Soul than the other will I know 't is objected that the Scriptures are difficult to understand and therefore dangerous to be meddled with lest they be abused this is the Objection of the Papists on the one side it being their interest to keep men in ignorance and the Sloathful on the other who will not Plough because of Winter Prov. 20.4 but this should rather quicken our diligence than serve for a discouragement if difficult duties be neglected we shall never reach Heaven 't is true some things are difficult but the most necessary are plain and easie here indeed a Lamb may wade and
is stored with wholesome truths which otherwise would be barren and empty of any thing that is good and stored only with Vanity and Folly this seasons it and fills it with good things which otherwise would be a Cage of unclean Birds a very Sink of Sin and Filthiness this seasons the thoughts which produce Works and Actions Meditation in the Word is that which David was excellent at and every blessed Man should follow Psal 1.2 and Solomon adviseth to when he bid search for Wisdome as for Silver and dig for it as for fine Gold Prov. 24. this also hath a Promise of speeding annexed Prov. 2.12 c. This is the way which the faithful in all Ages have taken and hereby it was they became famous We finde Peter alone upon the House top a fit place for Meditation you may finde Isaac in the Fields meditating Gen. 24.63 Act. 10.9 Elijah upon Mount Carmel and Daniel by the Brook of Vlai and how Sapless and Unsavery are all the Pleasures in the World to a Man skill'd in Divine Meditation The Phylosophers that knew little of God and less of the Scriptures were so taken up with their Phylosophical Notions and Speculations that they oft-times mattered not their Meat or their Drink or their necessary recreations Archimedes was so taken up with his Geometrical Notions that when the City Syracuse was taken he was heedless yea when a Soldier stood ready to kill him would not be drawn off till Death it self ended his Contemplations if the Creature can bring such satisfaction what will the study of the Creator do and the Meditation of Heaven and Glory but alass where shall we finde a wise Man many read it not at all others cursorily few fruitfully most are forgetful hearers and forgetful readers but Meditation would fix it in the Memory 7. Direct If thou wouldst Read with profit apply what thou readest to thy self and bring thy heart to the Rule and thy Graces to this Touchstone and behold thy Face in this Glass of the Word to what end is Meat given but to be eaten or Physick but to be taken or a Plaister but to be applyed many read much and profit little because they apply not what they read to themselves perhaps they can apply it to others and say here is for such and such a man when they neglect their own Portion They are like the Pharisees they binde heavy burthens and grievous to be bourn and lay them upon other mens shoulders but they themselves will not touch them with one of their fingers but why wilt thou deal so liberally to others and deal so deceitfully with thy own Soul doth it want nothing or doth God speak nothing to thee but only to others In the things of the World thou art not so kinde thou wouldest not be deceived by another neither wouldest thou give away thy Estate with thy own hands to another and why art thou so injurious to thy Soul in things of a higher Nature thou wilt not deprive thy belly of Food nor thy back of Raiment must thy Soul only be deprived of both An hungry man will not thus dispose of his meat nor a covetuous man of his money and this thy liberality shewes thou hast neither a stomack to these spiritual dainties nor a desire after these spiritual and heavenly treasures This word is of general use to all every one hath his Portion for as God hath made nothing in vain so he hath spoke nothing in vain when therefore thou readest his Precepts wherein he commands duty and forbids sin perswade thy self that God is now particularly speaking unto thee and apply what is speaking to thy self as if there was no other Man or Woman in the World besides thee or as if God by an audible voice called thee out by Name as he did Samuel and gave thee these Commands to observe these duties to do these sins to avoid and let it deterre thee from sin and quicken thee to duty as if God himself had spoken to thee from Heaven When a Minister reproves sin some guilty Consciences say he means me 't is true if thou be guilty the Minister doth mean thee and God means thee when the Word speaks against Drunkards Swearers Lyars then it means thee if thou art guilty of those sins When thou readest the pretious Promises which God hath made unto repugnant Sinners assure thy self if thou be such a one these promises will be made good to thee yea as sure as if thy Name were written by the finger of God in the Scripture and annexed to them yea as if they were made to none but thee and those threatnings thou reapest in the word of God against unrepenting Sinners assure thy self if thou be in that condition thou art as much concerned in them and they will be as certainly made good upon thee if thou continue in this condition as if they had been only denounced against thee and those reproofs which thou readest for sin take them to thy self as spoken by God to thee if thou be guilty of the sin reproved for assure thy self God means thee in them and those Marks and Characters of Divine graces and gracious Qualifications scattered through out the Scriptures make use of to try thy self by make use also of all the Admonitions God gives thee and of all the examples thou findest of Divine vengeance let them deterre thee from sin and all the examples of Holy Saints encourage thee in good and generally of all sorts of Directions Instructions c. thus doing thou wilt gather good by thy Reading CHAP. V. Directions for Meditation THE next Duty I shall speak of is Meditation a necessary though much neglected Duty Yea Christians themselves that make Conscience of other Duties and are much in hearing reading and Prayer yet are too backward yea unskill'd in the right performance of this duty But did they know the benefit of it and the incomes many receive by it they would not neglect it it brings much Advantage to a gracious Soul and stores it with many Heavenly Truths which those that neglect it never attain In this a man ingages all the powers of his Soul and bends his mind to consider and muse upon some Spiritual Object for I speak not of it here as wicked men use it to devise mischief but as a Christian duty Now Meditation is either Occasional and Sudden or else Solemn and Set for both are necessary both are beneficial The former is occasioned by Objects occasionally presented by the Providence of God either to the Senses or brought to the Memory and resembles those sudden Ejaculations suddenly occasioned only in the one a man speaks to God and in the other a man speaks to his own Heart Thus we see David by beholding the Sun Moon and Stars those glorious Lamps of Heaven he falls out into Admiration of God's Love to poor man in raising him above these and making him but a little lower than the
to be worthy the weight of an Oath the Nature of God whom we call to witness and under whose Divine Judgment we set our selves in Case we speak false and in Righteousness that the thing we swear be Lawful and possible and like to bring Glory to God and good to our selves or others 4. Direct The next thing to be considered is the form of an Oath for this also is stumbled at by some and is to be minded as well as the Matter this should be agreeable or at least not contradictory to the word of God Now the Form of an Oath is either External or Internal the External Form consists in words or signs or both the Internal Form consists in the true Sense and Interpretation of the words of the Oath a little of these in their Order The External sometimes consists in words without signs and thus a Man swears and calls God to witness the Truth of his Intentions in plain words and this Oath is variously worded according to the Use and Custom of the Countrey Men Live in And thus we may find as before hath been proved God Angels and Men have thus sworn Sometimes also Men swear and affirm by signs without words and this is most frequent where there are many that enter into an Oath or Covenant when the words of the Oath or Covenant are either read or spoken and those that are willing to enter into that bond make it known by some External sign or token by some Action or Gesture as by a nod with the Head bowing the Body standing up or to a side lifting up the Hand or otherwise according as they shall be required by the Imposer or by writing down their Names By any of those they may testifie their consent and this is as binding and Obligatory as if the words were uttered And sometimes we may find an Oath taken both by words and signs and this is the most Solemn manner of Swearing Thus God frequently is said to lift up his Hand when he swears to his People thus the Angel Dan. 12.7 he held up his Right Hand and his Left Hand to Heaven and sware by him that Liveth for ever and this hath been the Custom of Heathens and Infidels as well as Christians in making Oaths and Covenants Divers are the Rites and Ceremonies which the Heathens have used at such times yea many and various are the Customes of the Godly in such Cases One was the putting the Hand under the Thigh thus Abraham sware his Servant Gen. 24.2 And thus Joseph sware unto his Father Jacob Gen. 47.29 Another Form much in Use was lifting up the Hand as was even now spoken of this was used by God Angels and Men by God Deut. 32.40 For I lift up my Hand and say I Live for ever By Abraham Gen. 19.22 I have lift up my Hand unto the Lord most High and false swearers are said to have a Right Hand of Deceit because they lift it up deceitfully Psal 144.8 11. And various have been the Ceremonies that have been used among Christians in the Primitive Times and in succeeding Generations among us the putting the hand upon the Bible and kissing it is most in Use or both which is but a professing sign of our consent and I know not any cause of Scruple in it thus for the External The Internal Form of an Oath is the right sense and Interpretation of the words and therefore an Oath should not consist in aequivalent or ambiguous words or phrases for then a Man may take them in a different sense from the Imposers mind and may require one thing and another may attest another but the sense should be obvious to both giver and taker or otherwise nothing or at least we know not what is witnessed and the Oath proves vain nay the very end of an Oath which is the Investigation of Truth is closed Heb. 6.16 An Oath is the end of strife and thus the Name of God is taken in vain and this part of his Worship prophaned and abused and 't is no better than a Lye when we affirm by Oath what in the Imposers sense is not true and so it proves Perjury But the words should be taken in the plain Common sense which is obvious to all Neither should there be equivocation or Mental reservation used in an Oath this is the sallacious dealing of the Papists who by this means think to evade all Oaths and delude the Imposer but they most delude themselves and wrong their own Souls for God will not be mocked whose Worship is abused They hide part in their Minds and so subvert the sense as thus they swear they were not at Rome and think in their Minds not an Hundred years agoe but what is mentire but contra mentum ire though this may serve in foro humano God can easily detect such jugling deceits and will never hold those guiltless that thus take his Name in Vain and like Jezebel deceive under pretence of Religion 5. Direct If thou wouldst honour God in this part of his Worship see then that thou aimest at right Ends. In thy Oath the End must be Lawful and good or the Duty will prove a Sin and a Snare A Man may swear that which is Truth and yet if his End be bad it will prove his Sin Now the End of an Oath as I said before should be for the Confirmation of some necessary Truth in Question which cannot otherwise be proved Heb. 6.16 Men swear by him that is greater than themselves and an Oath for confirmation to them is the End of all strife Now it should be a weighty business that requires an Oath and a necessary Truth that is in Question some doubtful Matter which cannot otherwise be found out or proved that cannot be Evidenced but by an Oath In this Case we find the Apostle vindicating himself this way when there was no other way to do it Rom. 1.9 God is my Witness whom I serve with my Spirit that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my Prayers 2 Cor. 1.23 I call God to Record upon my Soul c. We see he appeals to God the Searcher of all Hearts to witness with him and for him his Affection to them 'T is the Glory of God in the manifestation of Truth and our own and Neighbours good should be principally minded in this Duty but too many have by and base and low Ends in it and not accordingly When a thing depends upon the Faith of the Speaker and cannot otherwise be found out and yet is necessary to be known an Oath of the Lord may be Imposed Exod. 22.10,11 If a Man deliver unto his Neighbour an Ass or an Ox or a Sheep or any Beast to keep and it dye or be hurt or be driven away no man seeing it then shall an Oath of the Lord be between them both that he hath not put his Hand to his Neighbours goods and the Owner of it shall accept thereof
42.15 Josh 14.9 1 Kings 20.3 Yea in Gospel times Paul Rom. 1.9 God is my Witness whom I serve in my Spirit I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me Witness in the Holy Ghost c. We have the Custom of all Nations which shews 't is a Principle in Nature who when witness is wanting take an Oath as a Religious Band and because they know not the Heart appeal to God that doth know it Neither is there any thing in an Oath that is intrinsecally Evil neither the Matter Form nor End the calling upon God the Searcher of the Heart to bear witness to the Sincerity of our Intentions for the Satisfaction of others that cannot otherwise be satisfied what Evil can there be in that Heb. 6.16 An Oath is for Confirmation the end of all strife 2 Cor. 1.23 Indeed all rash common Swearing is forbidden by Christ and also by St. James 1. Direct As concerning Oaths Consideration must be had of the parties themselves concerned and they are either the Parties requiring an Oath or the Parties of whom an Oath is required for both of them require some Satisfaction He that requires it should do it by Authority and have a Lawful ground or otherwise he cannot he ought not to exact it by force every Man cannot force another to Swear and without just Cause no one ought in such a Case they ought not to be Obeyed And for the Person Swearing which is Agens Principalis the chief Actor in the business 'T is necessary that he have the use of Reason and that he be sui Juris his own Man and the things that he swears to give be at his own Dispose and hence it follows the Children before they come to the right use of Reason ought not to take an Oath neither indeed should their Oaths be imposed or regarded neither doth such an Oath bind the Conscience being Ignorantly taken they are Ignorant of the Nature of an Oath neither can they come with deliberation as they ought or compare their Action with the Rule or right Reason therefore they ought not to be Admitted But at what Age that is I think is not easie to determine for doubtless some attain it soon some later but I think our Laws say Sixteen Years of Age and before that time their Testimony is not Valid And an Oath may bind the Conscience of some if otherwise Lawful though the Testimony be not Valid by the Law But alas how Common oh too Common is that Customary Swearing of Children even before they can speak plain as if they suckt it in with their Mothers Milk and had been taught it with their Mother Tongue as doubtless they are either by Precept or Example for how many before they can speak plain lisp out Oaths against God himself whose Name they Profanely abuse to the dishonour of God the shame of their Parents the damage of the Nation where they Live for because of Oaths the Land mourns and to the apparent hazard of their own Souls who without Repentance will Eternally Curse their Parents in Hell for their sinful Education Again Mad and Frantick Men are not fit to take an Oath for the same Reason for though they once had the use of Reason yet through their Distemper 't is lost The like we may say of Fools and Idiots that never had it and so never knew the use of an Oath though too many of them though they cannot speak Reason can Swear and Curse and take the Name of God in vain and their proneness to this and other sins and their backwardness to what is good discovers them to be of the Sinful Off-spring of lapsed Adam and is a strong Argument for Original Sin and their want of the use of Reason is some extenuation of their Sin God requires little where little was given yet it excuseth not a toto but a tanto it discovers a foul Fountain that thus bubbles up their Words their Actions their Discourse is not to be heard why then their Oaths Again Men when far gone in Drink or Passion are not fit for this considerate Duty neither can they do it without Sin because not with Mature Deliberation though some Cases their promisory Oaths may bind them and they ought not to break them though it be to their own damage Psal 15.4 For Drunkenness or Immoderate Passion is no Excuse of their Sin but an Aggravation for one Sin will not Excuse another Again if a Man be in his right mind and otherwise qualified yet 't is necessary that he be sui juris his own Man at his own dispose and not anothers in the thing he swears otherwise he cannot avoid sin what Course soever he take As suppose a Son under the Tuition of a Father or a Servant of a Master should without Parents or Masters Consent swear to go a Journey as suppose in Popery on a Pilgrimage this is a Sin because he is not at his own dispose We read in the time of the Law if a Woman Vowed a Vow or a Maid in her Fathers House if her Husband or Father approved not of it it was void consider then whether Vows of single Life or Marriage Promises without Parents consent be valid I am sure they are sinful Those under Authority should not dispose of themselves by Oath without Parents Consent 2. Direct Having already shewn you who may swear and who ought not to swear I come in the next place to tell you by whom you ought to swear and here also we shall meet with much Corruption in Practice though an Oath is Lawful when Lawfully required as by a Lawful Magistrate in a Lawful Cause from a Person rightly qualified as I hove already Discoursed yet 't is not Lawful to swear by whom he pleaseth for an Oath as I told you is part of Divine Worship due to God and his Glory is Concerned in it and he will not give it to another Gen. 21.53 Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac that is by the God whom his Father feared That we ought to swear by God I have shewed you already both by Scriptures and Examples Deut. 6.13 10.20 and many more But where we have any Injunction or Toleration given to swear by any thing that is not God is not easie to find yea it is plain Idolatry to ascribe unto any Creature Divine Worship 't is a setting of them in the place of God yea a dishonouring of God and setting up something else in his stead In a Lawful Oath we do not only assert the Truth for that we do or ought to do without an Oath but we ascribe Omniscience Omnipotence Omnipresence yea the Justice wisdom and Truth to God we acknowledge him to be the Searcher of the Heart and the Tryer of the Reins and that he is both the witness Judge and Revenger of Falshood and Lying and furthermore by Prayer and Invocation God is called upon to give Testimony with
the Conscience of him that sweareth that he speaketh the Truth from his Heart with an Imprecation in which a Man acknowledgeth that God is a just Revenger of a Lye and binds himself to be punished by him if he swear falsly or speaks an untruth wittingly or willingly now I appeal to any Man's Conscience if these things can be Attributed to any Creature without gross Idolatry can we ascribe to the Creature Omniscience Omnipotence Searching the Heart and witnessing with the Conscience that we speak the Truth and an ability to punish or reward according to the Integrity of the Heart to protect the Innocent and detect the Guilty what is this but to make them Gods in giving to them the Incommunicable Attributes of God Can all this be done without Idolatry VVe may find God in Scripture complaining of this Sin and threatning to punish such Sinners Jer. 5.7 They have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no Gods See Swearing by the Creatures is in God's Account and Scripture Language a forsaking of God Jer. 12.16 They have taught my People to swear by the Name of Baal God threatens such as Swear by the Sin of Samaria that they shall fall and never rise again Amos 4.8 Now this was swearing by the Idols of Samaria for Samaria was full of Idols Let those look to it that swear by the Popish Idol the Mass or by our Lady which they make their great Idol and set her up as high and in some cases higher than Christ himself Nay those that in their Oaths joyn any thing with God as if he were not of himself sufficient cannot be Excused as those Zeph. 1.4,5 That swear by God and Malchom and the Excuse which many make for this horrid Crime is indeed the aggravation of the Sin they say what they swear by are petty trivial things and therefore no Offence they take not the Name of God in Vain But is not the Offence the greater when we give the Incommunicable Attribute of God to those petty things if there be no need of an Oath why dost thou swear If there be why dost not swear by God when thou hast so many direct Commands and so many Examples of God Angels and the best of Men. Neither is the Practice of some of the Holy Fathers an Excuse sufficient Joseph's swearing by the Life of Pharaoh is by most if not all Learned Expositors judged his failing learned by Custom in Pharaohs Court and will no more warrant the Practice than Noah's Lot's and David's Example will Drunkenness Incest Murder or Adultery And whereas some use the Expression as thy Soul Liveth c. This is not properly an Oath but an Asserveration wherein God is also tacitely invoked to witness the Truth it signifies such a thing is as really True as thou art alive yet doth invoke his to witness this Truth 't is hard to say which is the greater Sin to swear rashly by God which is Blasphemy or to Swear by the Creatures which is Idolatry 3. Direct Having shewed you who may swear and by whom I shall in the next place speak of the Matter of an Oath and here also many Offend An Oath for the Matter must be about Lawful things and possible or else it cannot be a Lawful Oath If we swear to do an unlawful thing we must not perform it for 't is a double Transgression if to do an impossible thing we cannot do it a rash Oath is better broken than kept VVhat a Snare then do Men run into and how do they put themselves upon a Necessity of sinning that swear in their Rage to do what God forbids them to do Swear to do that which they must not perform See this in David when he had rashly sworn the death of Nabal and all his Houshold many of them no doubt Innocent Persons yet after was pacified by wise Abigail and blesseth God for the preventing the shedding of Innocent Blood 1 Sam. 25.32,33 The like Oath we read of Saul who swore the Death of Innocent Jonathan but was prevented by the People When Herod performed his rash Oath to Herodias's Daughter and cut off John Baptists Head But a Lawful Oath is agreeable to the mind and will of God about things Honest Just Good Possible and Weigty and in thy Power If it be impossible then thou canst not do it and therefore thou shouldest make no such promisory Oath Now a thing may be impossible several ways as in Nature as for a Man to flye or a Fish to speak Some things though possible in Nature yet impossible in regard of Time or other-like Circumstances 't is possible to go to London and to Rome but 't is impossible to be at both places the same day And some things may be possible in Nature yet impossible by Accident as for a Man to swear to come to s ch a place by such a time and he be taken Captive by the Enemy or fall dangerously Sick c. in such a Case 't is well to put in such a Caution If God permit the bond of such an Oath is loosed as it was in Abraham's Servant in case the Maid would not come with him Again we ought not to swear to perform unlawful things any thing which is the breach of God's Law as to kill a Man to Steal or to Commit Adultery c. Whatsoever is against Piety towards God or Charity towards Man Whatsoever is against the good of the Church or the Glory of God and the Common-wealth thou Livest in whatsoever hath any evil in it ought not to be the Matter of an Oath for an Oath ought not to be Vinculun Iniquitatis a band of Iniquity No Man is or can be tyed to break God's Law or if such an Oath be taken it ought not to be kept Hence Herod sins both in Swearing and also in performing his Oath But some will say if he had not performed it he had been perjured I Answer when a Man swears to break a Command of God he is perjured as soon as he hath sworn because he took an unlawful Oath and if he perform it he adds sin to sin as Herod did Murther to Perjury and such a Man must Repent of his rash Oath and not add sin to sin in persisting in his rashness to the further breaking of Gods Commands The Holy Ghost gives us a Rule for swearing Jer. 4.2 Thou shalt swear the Lord Liveth in Truth in Judgment and in Righteousness In Truth for otherwise thou wilt forswear thy self for thou must not take an Oath against thy Conscience nor of doubtful things which thou knowest not to be true Now there is a double Truth one of the Tongue and another of the Mind that of the Tongue is when a thing is really so as 't is attested that of the Mind when a Man thinks in his Conscience he speaks nothing but the Truth In Judgment not rash or ventrously but with due Consideration of the Nature of the thing