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
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
c. There are some things that are not fit for an Oath as those that have been handed down to us by Tradition as whether there were ever any such Cities as Troy or Carthage and whether they were Sackt or spoyled though we are confidently assured this is a Truth we ought not to swear it because 't is out of the reach of Personal knowledge We must swear no more than we Personally know to be true Some things also are obvious to Common Sense as that a Quadrangle hath four Angles a Triangle three c. these things are not doubtful and an Oath will not make them more clear but a thing which cannot otherwise be determined when we dare not rest upon the Credit of the Revealer when 't is doubtful and cannot be proved but by witness and this witness is suspected either to want knowledge or Conscience every Man being a Lyar Rom. 3.4 Now because there is so little Faith and Justice among Men 't is necessary to appeal to God himself to witness which cannot deceive nor be deceived and this is done by an Oath which is the ne Plus Vltra the End of Contention For he that makes no Conscience of this is not fit for Humane Society The very Heathens themselves when they sware by their Idol-gods were careful of swearing falsly yet among Christians in Name every one hath not this care nay 't is too evidently known that many take little care of their words or Oath But this is a strong Bond and none will break it that fear God or make Conscience of any thing But how much do those stray from the very End of an Oath which is the Investigation of Truth that affirm by an Oath that which they know to be false and call God to witness to a lye the very Heathens will rise up in Judgment against them and Condemn them those that seek thereby to hide the Truth and not to manifest it and mind not God's Glory but their Neighbours Injury by it as wicked Doeg in his Information against David though he speaks the Truth 't is to a bad End Thos also are guilty that swear to that they know not though it prove to be true yet they are perjured Persons they swear the knowledge of it which they did not know those also that swear vainly idly and to no purpose those that swear and never intend to make good their Oaths or if they did intend it do not do it Surely these Men when they call God to witness their Lyes do not believe there is any God or that he takes any notice of them or think they can deceive God as well as Men or that he approves of it but he will call them to an Account and set their Oaths in Order against them 6. Direct If thou wilt not Offend by thy Oaths take heed then of rash foolish customary swearing too much in use in our Times and for which the Land mourns Jer. 23.10 It connot but be distastful to God who will not hold him guiltless that takes his Name in vain to have his Name tossed by every Drunken Sot upon the Ale Bench and when Men thunder out Oaths and Curses upon Earth 't is no wonder if God Thunder out his Judgments from Heaven When those ill-boading Fowls feed so near the brink of the bottomless Pit 't is a sad Presaging that God's Judgements are near Customary swearing cannot be without much sin for the very Nature of an Oath being an Act of Religious Worship to God shews it should be taken upon mature Deliberation and serious Meditation but Common Experience shews in Customary swearing these things are wanting but the Name of God is irreverently tossed in their filthy Mouths and thus many Men Curse away their Blessings for the most of Men are guilty this way they swear down Vengeance from Heaven upon them and oft-times upon their Posterity for the Curse of God haunts the House of the Swearer Zach. 5.3,4 And God will be a swift witness against them Mal. 3.5 The Common swearers cross the very End of an Oath which is as I said the Investigation of Truth of some necessary weighty Truth which cannot otherwise be made to appear But many of their Oaths are spent for the obscuring of Truth and the Justifying of Lyes and if Truth be spoken 't is either about such trivial matters unfit to have the Name of God mentioned or added to them neither is it any great matter whether they are affirmed or no and no Body so much as desires any such Confirmation by it or is little the better Credited to the Oaths of a Customary Swearer than they do to their words for Common Swearers are oft-times accounted Common Lyers and an hundred Oaths will not Sugar some of their Stories and make them fit to be swallowed when they speak as oft they do against Reason and Experience for many Men use their Oaths to fill up or as they think to adorn their Discourse instead of other Eloquence but such Rhetorical Figures may be used in an Oration in Hell They think themselves the bravest men that can swear the biggest Oaths and wish damnation to themselves in the fittest Expressions and indeed they are some of the Devils stoutest Champions But from such many times an Oath either needs not or boots not if they speak Reason they may be believed without if not an hundred Oaths will not make it pass for currant Now if we search out the Original from whence these Oaths proceed we may find from a sinful Custom and a depraved Nature they learnt to swear but it was when they learnt to talk and in some 't is more Custom than Curstness It befals them as with men in some Distempers their Excrements pass from them at unawares so do their Oaths they know not when they swear but 't is a bad Custom which makes God our Enemy and Hell our Portion were there but a Law made that for every Oath they sware they should lose a Joynt or forfeit a Pound and duly Executed it would make men break off such a Custom Sometimes those rash Oaths proceed from some perturbation of the mind as Anger c. which is a short madness and indeed 't is a right mad mans part they Act when another Offends them and they flye in the Face of God Sometimes 't is the Fruit of Gaming and unlawful Recreation but sure 't is a bad Tree that yieldeth such unsavoury Fruit Take heed therefore of these and swear not at all but upon just Occasion an Oath in it self is not sinful as is Murder Adultery c. no more is it desirable for it self as Love Charity c. but 't is to be used as Physick when other Food will not serve not for it s own sake but for Healths sake for Truths sake 'T is an Holy thing and the more Holy a thing is the more dangerous if abused 't is bad playing with edged Tools yet many Prophanely call