of GOD. Rom 12. 1 2. Now what is it to make a Sacrifice of our selves but only to Walk with GOD for who Walketh with GOD as we have shewed Sacrifices his understanding to God to Believe what he reveales and to Contemplate what he does he Sacrificeth his will to be entirely regulate by his Laws his Affections to be placed or displaced according to his Order and in a word his whole Life and all its Operations to set forward the purposes of his Counsel and the Glory of his Name Which indeed is a most Reasonable Service for what lesse can be payed to him who is the Authour and preserver of our Beeing and gives us whatever we enjoy It is also agreeable to his Word nay the very thing it calls for which perhaps is true meaning of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the very scope of the Scripture is to teach us this and to obliege us thereto Finally it is most acceptable GOD is very well pleased with these Spiri tual Sacrifices they have an Odour of sweet Smell with him But if they be wanting that thing which is savoury if we do not walk closely and constantly with God as above though we would bring never so many Burnt Offerings and Calves of a Year old Thousand of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl yet He would not regard them Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire Burnt Offering and Sin Offering thou hast not required then said I Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of Me I delight to do thy will O my GOD yea they Law is within my Heart Psal. 40. 6. 7. Let none think saith Lactantius that GOD requires Victims Incense Donations c. For if he be not capable of Hunger Thrist Cold neither hath the Desire of Earthly things he will not use thâ—…se and the like which are brought unto the Temples but as Corporeal Beings require things of the like Nature so a Spiritual Sacrifice is only necessary to be offered to a Spiritual Being What GOD hath given to Man for his use he himself needs not and besides the whole World is his and the fulness thereof he needs not a Temple who hath the World for his dwelling place nor an Image or Statue who is incomprehensible he stands not in need of Lamps and Earthly Lights who hath kindled the Sun and the rest of the Stars for Mans behoof what is it therefore saith he which GOD requireth of Man but the inward Worship of the mind seing He himself is pure and Holy for these things which are wrought by the Hands and which are without the Man is no true or proper Sacrifice neither that which is taken out of the Coffer but which cometh from the Heart nor what is offered by the Hand but by the Soul This is a true Sacrifice when the Soul offereth it self unto GOD For what signifieth other Sacrifices What doth inccnse what do Garments and Gold and Silver and Precious stones profit if the Worshippers mind be not holy and pure 'T is only Righteousness which GOD seeks after 'T is in this that the True Worship of GOD doth consist The true Worshippers of GOD saith CHRIST shall Worship him in Spirit and Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him And what is it to Worship GOD in Spirit and Truth but to worship him by a truly holy Life and an upright walking with him In this is his Delight and who taketh this way to please him shall be counted worthy of the Kingdom of GOD. Enoch walked with GOD and it 's said GOD took him that is he took him out of this wretched Life unto his Heavenly Glory And all who tread the same paths shall meet with the same Reward GOD will take every one to himself who walketh with GOD though not after the same manner Death puts a stop to our Walking with Men and forces us and them to part but it doth not break off our Walking with GOD it doth unite us more firmly to him this fellowship which we thus begin here results into an Eternal Friendship and Society in the other World CHAP III. Of these Words And this Stone which I have set for a Pillar shall be GODS House The Reason and Meaning of them GOD is to be Worshipped not only in Private but in Publick he is not only to be Owned and Acknowledg'd a part by our selves in Secret but ought to be professed openly before all the World by the Performance of such things as Reason and the universall Consent of Mankind hath established to be publick Testimonies of our Alleagiance to him He who doth not this Last can never â—…e very sincere in the First neither will GOD own such to be true Worshippers of him who do not avowedly professe him before Men according to that of our Saviour whosoever shall confesse me before Men him shall the Son of Man also confesse before the Angels of God but he that denyeth me before Men shall be denyed before the Angels of God Luke 12. 8. The very Light of Nature teacheth this and therefore it is that when Iacob here did Solemnly take the LORD to be his GOD he did not only engage himself to that Inward Spiritual Worship which is acted within a Man 's own self whereof we have spoken already but also he binds Himself to that Outward and Visible Worship which is transacted by things without the Man that it may be manifest to alâ—… the World that he Honoured and Adored this GOD. This stone saith he which I have here set up for a Pillar shall be GOD'S house that is here in this place where I erect this Stone when I come back I will build and consecrat a House to my GOD for the Honour of his Name and the Celebrating of his Worship where I will Call upon him and Pray unto him The Reason why he pitched upon this particular place was because GOD had made it eminent by so signal an appearance unto him as we read before and what moved him to build a house to GOD was because this was universally agreed to as an Act of Honour due unto GOD and as an proper instance whereby men signify their Homage to him This which Iacob Vowed here gives us Occasion to speak of Churches or consecrated places of Prayer and of publick Worship SECTION I. Of Churches or Places Consecrat to GOD the Origine and Necessity thereof what Regard and Reverence should be payed them AND First as it is an universal Custome all the World over to erect Temples and to Consecrat places for the Honour and Service of GOD So this custome is most Ancient At present there are not only Churches throughout all the Christian World but Mahumetans and Pagans also have Temples and Religious houses of one sort or another and it was so from the very beginning It would seem that even our First Parents in Paradise had some more peculiar place for presenting themselves before
in the Church afterwards and certainly the want hereof is such a defect as doth more then spoile the Beauty of a Church it is a main cause of the decay of all true piety and therefore the ignorance and stubbornness of the Generality of this Nation is much to be lamented which discourage our Governours from Establishing this Dayly Worship of GOD in Towns Cities and other populous Places which I may confidently call a Necessary as well as a Reasonable Service But as we ought thus to hallow every Day by devoting some part thereof to the publick Service of GOD so we are oblidg'd to Sanctify for this end one whole Day in seven viz. the first day of the Week commonly called the Lord's Day partly because of its being peculiarly consecrate to the Service of GOD and partly because of that special Honour whiich the LORD IESUS CHRIST conferred on this Day by his Triumphant resurrection from the Dead which was the Reason for its consecration we should set a part one day of the seven not that this portion appears necessary by Natural Light but because 't was expresly exacted of the Iews and that we are unjust if our expressions of Piety and Devotion towards GOD be lesse then what was sought of them and what oblidgeth us to the observation of the first day particularly is the practice of the Holy Apostles who either had an expresse command for what they did themseves and enjoyned others in the Worship of GOD or were led thereto by the holy Ghost Now their practice in this particular is declared to us Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. And is witnessed by a constant universal Tradition of the Church Besides the LORD'S Day no other is strictly necessary to be kept except in obedience to our Rulers Civil and Ecclesiastical who without all question may as well as the Iewish Church and State formerly appoint dayes for the publick Worship and service of GOD upon the account either of some particular emergency wherein Church or State is concerned or of some special Mercy granted them But they ought to be careful neither to burden People with too many such appointments nor yet to give them a disgust by ordering Solemn Dayes upon mean silly accounts if Men be not serious in these Solemn Addresses they are a meer Mockery and Dishonour to GOD and it is impossible to make them Serious when the cause and occasion of them is frivolous and unworthy to be made the matter of Divine Worship And so the Church of Rome has miserably transgressed for first she hath so multiplied her Fasts and Festivals that the number of them almost exceeds the dayes of the Year the year would need to be enlarg'd if all their Holy Dayes should be distinctly and exactly keept And though it be pretended that all are not required to observe each of them yet there be too many imposed upon every person and every place so that the French King was necessitate to deall with the Pope lately for the dispensing with a great many in his Kingdom Again the Church of Rome is not only to blame for enjoyning such an intollerable burden of dayes but also because the Reason of these injunctions for the most part are frivolous scarce worthy of a Man's serious attention much lesse of being the matter and occasion of solemn Devotions as for example the invention of some pitiful Relicts the dedication of Bells some ridiculous passage of their Legendary Saints c. and as most of their Holy-dayes are in honour of their Saints so the most of their Saints according to their own relation did nothing memorable their lives are more Foolish and impertinent then Old Wives Fables or the Tales of Children as we might shew by several instances did we not fear to be tedious But leaving this we come next to speak to the Nature of this Worship which should be payed unto GOD publickly and to shew the Particulars whereof it should consist which ought especially to be considered And First as to the General nature of this Worship it must first answer the end thereof which is the Glory of GOD the Celebration and Praise of his Greatness Wisdom Goodness and other Glorious perfections that the Souls of the Worshippers may be enflamed with the love of GOD and that they may be excited to Fear Trust and Obey Him 2ly It must be agreeable to the Will and Mind of GOD and altogether free of what he hath forbidden or signified his displeasure with otherwayes it will be so far from being acceptable that it will be very abominable 3ly It must not only contain all the parts of Natural Religion but besides carry Characters of the Gospel for it is not only Reasonable but Necessary that the Worship of GOD be Regulate by special dispensations of his Grace and made to expresse the particulars of such Dispensations the Iews were required to Worship God in a different Manner from what is discernable by Natural Light and so those who believe the Truth and Mysteries of the Christian Religion must have a Peculiar Worship that is distinct from such as own no Revelation or only that of the old Testament Fourthly from these considerations it follows that Christians must Worship GOD together in spirit and Truth For so our Saviour directed us Iohn 4. 23. Where he saith The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth For the Father seeketh such to Worship him GOD is a Spirit and they that Worship must Worship him in Spirit and Truth Which words whither we consider them abstractly in a general notion as delivering a certain Natural Truth or with a reference to the way of Worshipping GOD then usual in the World I say which way so ever we consider them they teach us that GOD will now be Worshipped not by a Multitude of carnal and external Observances or a number of Mysterious and almost unintelligible rites and Ceremonies as the Gentiles used to doe and as he thought fit for a time to impose upon the Iews But by actions of a Spiritual Nature and whose signification and use is Reasonable and easily understood The Law considered Men as in a weak Infant State and so prescribed a Worship sutable to such a State but the Gospel endeavours to bring us to the full Stature of perfect Men and considers us as such and therefore our way of worshipping GOD now must speak out more perfect Reason and understanding The worship required of Christians is not a Pompous shew of Ceremonies which may affect Children or Childish Persons but Real and Substantial expressions of Faith Love Fear Ioy and Confidence in GOD There must not be more or other Ceremonies used in the Worship of GOD then what is requisite for Order and Decency or necessary to Excite and Fix the inward attention of our minds for that is not True or proper Worship which is wholly External and doth not come
more then that we should encrease in knowledge The reading of the Holy Scripture should be recommended to People according to the practice of all the Fathers It was not the People who wrested the Scripture and spread Heresies they were the Bishops and Doctors and Persons of the Clergy Arrius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches Pelagius were all Church-men 2ly The Worship of the Roman Church has not a Resemblance to the Christian Religion because it wants the purity and simplicity thereof to make Worship look like Christian as we formerly shewed it should be Plain and Simple that is free of Ceremonies except what are requisite to Excite and Fix the attention should chiefly consist of Actions which are Grave and Serious and which do properly expresse the Divine Majesty and Glory But the Worship of the Papists is meerly Pomp Pageantry a vain external Shew of Ceremonies fitter for the Theatre then the Church Their Churches are dressed with Gaudy Scenes like Play-Houses and like them too they use not the light of the Sun but the dazling deceiving light of Lamps and Wax-Candles their Priests are sumptuously decked with various kinds of Garments and as for the Service it self it consists in sprinkling of holywater kindling Perfumes Kneeling and bowing and often crossing Turning to the Right or Left Hand according to the Sign given the Elevating and Lowing of the Voice at certain Times the vain repetition of unintelligible Words and in a multitude of impertinent and insignificant Ceremonies which chock the very Spirit of Religion and which would render what is read or spoken to no purpose though it could be understood For 't is impossible that the mind can be attentive or make any Serious application where there is such a multitude of external performances The Worship enjoyn'd and practised in the Church of Rome has more resemblance to Paganisme then the Christian Religion it contains indeed Acts and Instances of the true Worship of GOD but so buried in Heathnish Superstition that they lose their Efficacy both with GOD and Man Their Sprinklings Processions Scourgings Pilgrimages and in a word the most of their Ceremonies both in their Ordinary and Extradinary Devotions are derived from ancient Paganisme and are indeed more suited to Pagan tempers then Christian minds for such as understand the Gospel know that GOD taketh no pleasure in such Actions The hour cometh saith Christ and now is that the true Worshippers of GOD shall Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship Him 3ly Popish worship is not only full of Superstition but Idolatry it not only is made up of many foolishly and uselesse Actions which can pretend to no Shadow of Reason or Divine Authority But it contains also many things expresly forbidden as the Invocation and Adoration of Angels and Saints c. What St. Paul said of Rome Pagan holds true of Rome Christian they have changed the truth of GOD into a lie and Worship the creature more then the Creator For the most of their Worship is not tendred to GOD and JESUS CHRIST but to Angels the blessed Virgin and other departed Saints to Images Reliques that is the Bones Ashes and other forged appurtenances of their supposed Saints I say supposed for their is no evidence for the most of them but the Popes Cannonization which is very unsufficient 'T is laid on the name of one Pope Gregory that he should have said multorum corpora venerantur in terris quorum animae cruciantur in infernis that is many are Worshipped as Saints who are damned in Hell The Papists in their publick Worship are required to adore Bread as GOD to Pray to the Dead and for the Dead and to do several other things which not only have no warrant in Scripture but are quite contrary thereto and therefore GOD can be pleased neither with such a worship nor those who offer it more then he was with the Nations whom the King of Assyria planted in Samaria of whom it is said that they feared the LORD and served other Gods besides 4ly The Mass which is the chiefest part of their Worship is the highest abomination For it is used in stead of the Holy Sacrament which our LORD instituted that night wherein he was betrayed but in Truth it is is quite another thing because they have added to it and pared from it and use it in another sense and to other purposes then what that Sacrament was design'd for First they withhold the Cup which is the one half of the Sacrament though it be clear that our Saviour commanded All to drink of it as both the Councill of Constance and Trent acknowledge in their Acts which prohibite the use of the Cup to the Laity And as for the other part of the Sacrament besides that their Wafers cannot be counted Bread they do not use the rite of breaking it which is so essential that this Sacrament is ordinarly denominat by it in Scripture Indeed what the Priest takes to himself he breaks in three pieces one whereof is cast into the Cup another is left upon the Altar until the end of the Service and the third he puts in his own Mouth but this doth not answer to that breaking which our LORD used and which is necessary to hold Forth the purport of the Sacrament That this Action may be agreeable to our LORD'S institution it is necessary that all the Communicants eat and have distribute to them one broken Bread 2ly Our LORD ordain'd the Bread in this Sacrament to be only a symbol of his Body but they give it out to be His very self and command Divine Adoration to be payed thereto which is the greatest absurdity and the grossest Idolatry imaginable as we have formerly made out 3ly Our LORD designed this Sacrament to be only a memorial of his Death and of that satisfaction was given thereby to the Iustice of GOD for the sins of men but they teach and command under pain of damnation to be believed that in the Masse there is a real propitiatory Sacrifice for the living and the dead because according to them Iesus Christ is dayly Sacrificed and Offered therein Which Doctrine contains a heap of Absurdities and makes their Mass a Blasphemous action and most injurious to the Sacrifice of the Cross. For hereby it would follow that Christ was Sacrificed before he was Crucified viz. when he instituted this Sacrament that his Death was no sufficient Attonement there being such necessity for repeating it so frequently and that St. Paul erred grossely in thinking it absurd that he should offer himself often in saying he was but once offered to bear the sins of many and in preferring that one Oblation of IESUS CHRIST upon the Cross to all the legal Sacrifices because they behoved to be offered year by year continually to shew their insufficiency whereas he by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified see Heb. 9. 25. 28. 10. 1.
JACOB's VOW OR MAN's FELICITY AND DUTY In Two PARTS By JOHN COCKBURN D. D. EDINBURGH Printed for Alexander Ogston and are to be Sold by William Keblewhite at the Swan in St. Paul's Church-Yard London MDCXCVI IMPRIMATUR EDINBURGH 12th February 1686. I have considered this Book entituled IACOB'S Vow and find nothing therein repugnant to the Protestant Religion or contrary to the Government of the Church or State of this Kingdom And therefore allowes the same to be Printed Io. Edinburgh THE PREFACE THE Scope of the Following Treatise may be read in the Tittle The true Design hereof is to direct to True Felicity to shew wherein it consists and what is our Duty that is what are the necessary Means we should use in order to the obtaining it And as their is little said but what is subservient to the Main Design so the Treatise being chiefly intended for Common use therefore 't was Judged fit to study Plainnesse and Perspicuity rather then fine Language or quaint Expressions and therefore also the Proofs and Evidences of what was necessary to be said on this Matter are drawn from obvious things which are neither so abstract from common observance as to be gainsaid nor yet so abstruse and perplext as to need much Learning and more then Ordinary Capacity to understand them Nothing is delivered but what may be easily understood and if the least serious Attention be given in reading the same I am confident they will go away fully convinced of the Truth thereof It is true no new discovery is pretended here all which is here said of Mans Felicity and Duty are Old and known Truths But however People have need to be taught them to be put in mind of them and to be stirred up to a due Observance of them and that not only because thy are Necessary and Important things but also because they are very ready to forget them and meet with many things Dayly which divert the sense and Practice of what thus evidently belongs to their Felicity Folly and Errour Atheisime and ungodliness take Men off the way of Happinesse and they are daylie abounding and many Pamphlets and Discourses spread which help forward their growth Common Charity therefore obligeth every one to do what he can to stay and extirpate these to discover the Mischief of them and to contribute such Help as he is able to the maintenance of Truth Virtue and Piety which are the foundations of our Present Peace and Future blisse Out of this respect to the Common Good of Mankind I have been induc'd to publish this Discourse such as it is and I Heartily Pray GOD to carry home the Convictions of what is here handled upon the Reader that he may be as Dutifull as is here Directed and by being so arrive at all the Felicity here mentioned which certainly is all that is necessary and even as much as heart can wish THE CONTENTS Of the First Part. CHAP. I. The Occasion of this Vow Of Vows in general their use what should be the matter of them and how necessary it is to keep them pag. 1. CHAP. II. Of JACOB'S requests Mens Wisdom discern able by the matter of their desires GOD denies no requests but what are unreasonable and improper All that is necessary to compleat ones happiness is contained in the Particulars which JACOB here askes Of the First viz The Divine Presence what it is and how excellent a blessing with an exhortation to seek after it p. 27 CHAP III. Why JACOB mentioned other particulars seeing the First request did comprehend them and all things else he could aske The Second request treated of the reasons of JACOB'S â—…ear and the lyableness of all Men Generally to Dangers no true Security but in the Divine Protection an Application of all p. 58 CHAP. IV. JACOBS third request considered in respect of himself Though the generality of men ask more yet all wise Heathens and Jews have preferred this Portion to all other The confining our desires to this is shewed by several instances to be Wise and Reasonable and that therefore every one ought to content himself with his Competency All Mens competency is not the same what is the duty of him who hath got his competency what of him who hath less and what his who hath more CHAP. V. Of the end which Jacob proposed to himself in these Requests his Condition here a fit Emblem to represent the present State of Mankind All Men considered as Pilgrims and Sojourners both in a Litteral and Moral Sense The Patriarchs lived in expectation of a future State held forth and some account thereof given The Conclusion of this first Part. p. 101 The CONTENTS of the Second PART CHAP. I. A Short reveiw of the first Part the Case proposed how far it is lawful to eye the reward in our Resolutions of Obedience The Resolution given in five Particulars with an Application of all to Jacob here p. 139 CHAP. II. Shewing the Importance of the Words The Lord shall be my GOD. p. 163 Sect. 1. The true sense of the Words is given and a proposal of the Particulars to be treated on under this head Ibid. Sect. 2. Of the Reasonableness and necessity of Worshipping GOD. p. 167 Sect. 3. What care should be had to direct our Worship to the true GOD. Rules how to do it Where also the dolatry of the Romish Church is considered p. 173 Sect. 4. Shewing what Worship and Service is due to GOD and how we may come to know the same p. 248 Sect. 5. Of the Fear of GOD. p. 266. Sect. 5. Of Walking With GOD. p. 284. viz. Of regarding GODs presence p. 286. Of Observing GODS ways and actions p. 291. Of Consulting GOD. p. 311. Of following GOD. p. 324. CHAP III. Of these words And the stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house The reason and meaning of them p. 331. Sect. 1. Of Churches or places Consecrate to GOD the Origine and Necessity thereof what regard and reverence should be payed them p. 333. Sect. 2. Of Prayer p. 359 Sect. 3. Of publick Worship p. 376. CHAP. IV. Of the last words of JACOB'S Vow The question about the Church's right to Tithes waved but the taking them away is shewed to be Sacriledge Every Patricular Person oweth to GOD a part of his estate the Proportion considered and some motives pressing Charity and Alms-giving are proposed p. 419 The Conclusion after p. 468. JACOB'S VOW OR MAN'S FELICITY AND DUTY PART I. Gen. chap. 28. verse 20. And Iacob vowed a vow saying if GOD will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on 21. So that I come again to my fathers house in peace then shall the LORD be my GOD. 22. And this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be GOD'S House and of all that thou shalt give me I surely will give the tenth unto Thee
of GOD'S favourable presence And so Iacob needed have asked no more to make him Happy but that GOD might be with him But because the holding to generals doth not sufficiently alley or dissipate our fears this is only done when particulars are condescended on therefore the Patriarch here as in general he begs GOD'S Presence so that in particular he might know it first by his being protected from these Dangers he was liable to and secondly by the receiving a competent supply of his Wants which two things fall next to be considered The second Request Iacob here made is in these words If he will keep me in the way that I goe Which words speak out that he was both apprehensive of Dangers and that he thought none but GOD could truly defend him from them or deliver him out of them And indeed first it was no wonder that he was apprehensive of Dangers the fear of his brother Esau's wrath was one Principal Reason why he left his Father's house and seeing Friends and so near Relations bore him such ill will and were ready to do him mischief what might he expect from Strangers who were no wayes tied or obliged unto him if Abraham and his Father Isaac were in such fear of their Lives when they sojourned that they denied their Wives calling them their Sisters notwithstanding of their Power and the numerous Family they had What fear might he be in who had none with him but himself and was destitute of all help And besides the Dangers which he might â—…ee himself exposed to through the malice and wickedness of men Iacob could not but perceive innumerable others which might befall him in the course of his Pilgrimage the Wild Beasts of the Field might devour him he might be entrapped unto Snares and Pitts out of which there was no recovery As he passed through the Waters they might overwhelme him the excessive heat of the Day or the cold frosts of the Night might bring on heavy Sicknesses and Diseases It 's impossible to reckon up all the evils which may befall a man or to point at all the Sources from whence they flow For we are lyabe to Dangers from all the Elements and from every part of the Creation A thousand Mischances and Accidents may happen to put an end to our life or to render it miserable But our greatest and sorest enemies are those of our own Kind Man is to Man the worst Foe The Plague and Pestilence have killed their thousands but Malice and Revenge ten thousands some Vineyards and Gardens have been taken away by the innundations of Rivers but more by Covetousness As some Merchants and Seamen have been brought to ruine by Storms and Tempests so others by Pirats and Theeves and the Barbarity of those to whom they run for Shelter And thus upon many accounts it is true That Man that is born of a Woman is of few dayes and full of trouble as Iob saith which Iacob might now understand by his Reason as afterwards he spoke it to Pharaoh from his experience Gen. 47. 9. And it is indeed a Truth which stands now valid and undoubted by some five thousand years experience For this life as a Heathen saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not truly a Life but a Calamity And the Wise Son of Sirach hath observed that great Travel is Created for every man and an heavy yoke is upon the Sons of Adam from the day that they go out of their Mothers womb till the day that they return to the Mother of all things Eccl. 40. 1. Now as every Prudent Man foreseeth the Evils and Dangers which he is lyable to as he hath an apprehension both of the common Calamities of Mankind and of the particular Troubles and Distresses which may befal him in his Circumstances so he is desirous to guard against them and shun them And unless we know some Remedies against the Troubles we may meet with unless we know how to prevent them or how to remove them or how to be eased under them and how to be safely delivered from them our Mindes can enjoy no true Rest nor Quiet And what Defence can one have unless he have it from GOD How can any think to be keeped in safety unless He do it whom Iacob here calls upon Except the LORD saith the Psalmist keep the City the Watch men waketh but in vain Psal. 127. 1. And the same may be said of private Persons for if the LORD be not on our side if he do not look to us and take a care of us When men rise up against us they should certainly swallow us up quick when their wrath is kindled against us certainly the Waters of trouble when they approach should overwhelm us And the stream should go over our Soul Psal. 124. 2 3. But he is secure who hath GOD for his help I will saith David both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou LORD only makest me to dwell in safety Psal. 4. 8. and in the former Psalm he tells us plainly I laid me down and slept I awaked for the LORD sustained me I will not be afraid of ten thousands of People that have set themselves against me round about The like confidence may every one have who is interessed in the Divine Favour for he that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty Because thou hast made the LORD which is my refuge even the Most High thy Habitation There shall no evil befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a Stone Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and Adder the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou trample under foot Because he hath set his Love upon me therefore will I deliver him I will set him on high because he hath known my Name Psal. 91. That is a great Comfort and Encouragement and a true Antidote against all Fear of Danger or Trouble which GOD giveth to his Servants and People by the Prophet Isaiah Thus saith the LORD that created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy Name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee for I am the LORD thy GOD the Holy One of Israel thy Saviour Isa. 43. 1 2. Thus it appears what safety and security one hath whom GOD takes into his Protection such an one as Eliphaz speaks Shal be in league with the stones of the Field and the Beasts of the Field shall be at peace with him Iob 5. 23. Which we are not yet to understand as if the
even those who as yet deny a God will acknowledge the necessity of Worshipping One if he be found And in Truth it is hard to tell which of the two are most unreasonable he who denies there is a GOD or he who refuses to worship the GOD whom he believes If Prudence and Interest do oblidge Men to Honour and Obey Kings and Monarchs that under their Favour they may enjoy Safety and Peace should not every one for that same very Reason adore and do homage to the great King to whom all the Princes and Potentates of the World must submit and bow themselves Though he sit in the Heavens yet His Dominion reacheth over all the whole World is filled with his Presence he ruleth the Children of Men and there is no safety but in his Protection nor any Security but in his Favour The LORD saith the Psalmist is a great GOD and a great King above all Gods In his Hand are the deep places of the Earth The Strength of Hills is his also The Sea is His and he made it And his Hands formed the dry-land Therefore he infers and that rightly O come let us Worship and bow down Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker for he is our God and we are the People of his Pasture and the Sheep of his Hand Ps. 95. 3 c. If Men needed not either care for the Divine Favour or much to fear his Wrath they might be somewhat excusable though they did not highly regard GOD but seeing it is utterly impossible that ever they can be in such a Condition wherein they stand in no need of GOD or may easily protect themselves from the effects of his Anger it is the most unaccountable madness to neglect him and to be careless to please him It is even such and greater madness as 't would be for a poor Peasant or other mean Fellow to slight or shew a contempt of some mighty Monarch while under his Power and within his Reach None have less Reason to make Pretensions to wit then those who slight Piety and cast off all regard to GOD because none act more contrary to common Prudence and the Principles of Reason Contempt or carelesness of the Divine Worship can never be justified unless Men could be certainly assured that there is no God which the greatest Atheist never yet pretended to nor can he or else that they could extricate themselves from all dependence upon GOD which as it is not desireable so neither is it possible And therefore it is absolutely necessary that all Men concern themselves in the Worship of GOD and that they be carefull while they live to Own and Acknowledge Him which who so Refuseth shall not pass Unpunished They who will not willingly Own and Submit themselves to Him shall certainly fall under the dint of his Fury Now therefore consider this ye that forget GOD lest He tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal. 50. 22. SECTION III. What Care should be had to Direct our Worship to the True GOD Rules how to do it Where also the Idolatry of the Romish Church is considered AS thus you see it is necessary we Worship God so by the same Reason it becomes no less necessary that we Worship the True GOD which was the Second particular we promised to speak to As there is a GOD so there is but One True GOD to whom and to none else we must direct our Worship and our Religious Services For if we adore any other then him or make any Partner of our Worship with him we are guilty of a Crime which is not easily pardoned for it is a dethroning of GOD. And therefore Iob saith If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the Moon walking in brightness And my heart hath been secretly enticed or my mouth hath Kissed my hand That is if ever he was guilty of Worshipping the Sun or the Moon he acknowledgeth that this were an iniquity to be punished by the Iudge For thereby saith the he I should have denied the GOD that is above Job 31. 26. 27. 28. Sceptra non ferunt socium Kings can endure no Copartners nor will God suffer any Rival with him he will not endure that any should share in that Honour which is due to himself alone I am the LORD saith he that is my Name and my Glory will I not give to another neither my Praise to graven Images Isa 42. 8. Idolatry or the Worship of false GODS is such an abomination and doth so highly provoke the True GOD that nothing will or can excuse it neither is there any thing which he is more Jealous of A Man's Serousness or Sincerity will never endear his Worship and render it acceptable Unless it be directed to the right Object Though one be a favourer of Monarchy in the general more than any other Government yet he can never be counted Loyal if he neglect his True Prince and follow an Usurper no more then he who is for no King at all Even so though one be never so Devout and Serious in his way yet unless it be the True GOD whom he Adores he is not to be esteemed a Friend and Lover of GOD he cannot be Reckoned otherwise then as an Enemy as well as those who are altogether Irreligious and Profane We must be sure then that we Worship the True GOD and none else otherwise it is to no purpose to Worship any For to worship none and to Worsh a False GOD will be alike profitable that is certainly they will be both of them hurtfull and pernicious for either of them will incense the true GOD and make him set himself against us to destroy us Now as it concerneth us to worship the true GOD and none else so that we may be sure to worship him and none other let us first Labour to get right Apprehensions of the Divine Nature and Attributes Let us be carefull to keep in mind how he is the Supreme Being Eternal Infinit and Independent from all others that he is Almighty most wise most just and good and Holy A pure Spirit who is not only free from all imperfections but who is infinitlie excellent beyond what can be apprehended and who is every where present For as the Apostle saith he is not far from every one of us in him we all live move and have our beeing 'T is this and nothing else which we call GOD He and none other hath these Properties and Excellencies And therefore not only what we Worship must be such but also we must be carefull to Worship Him under the consideration of a being thus infinitly excellent and glorious or else we Worship we know not what Instead of the True GOD we do but set up an Idol which our own Fancie hath devised 'T is true an adequat Comprehensive Knowledge of God or of any of his Attributes is not possible for he dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto whom no
man hath seen nor can see He being infinite and we finite we are not capable of such an exact full knowledge of him Wherefore it will not follow that One is ignorant of the True God because his knowledge of him is imperfect for the knowledge which the best have or can have is no other Nay farther it is not reasonable to infer that men are mistaken about the true God because they err about these things which are deduceable from the right consideration of some of his Attributes or because they have not right or true apprehensions of some of the effects of his wisdom power or goodness Every one is not capable of drawing proper consequences from truths and the consequences are not alwayes so clear as the truth it self it would be too severe to charge one with the denial of a truth because he does not close with what may follow upon it Unless the one be as clear and evident as the other when two things are not a like evident neither their connexion very palpable though in themselves they may be really inseparable Men may err very innocently and excusably about them and cannot be said to reject what is evident because they do not hold the other which is not so As to the present case that God is Almighty Wise. Iust Holy Good is clear and demonstrable so that they are altogether inexcusable who do not believe it But the most proper methods and manner of exercing his Power Wisdom and Iustice c. Are not so discernable by us and therefore if men differ about them it is no great wonder and it savours somewhat of arrogancie to offer to determine them too particularly If silly Country-clowns were to speak of State Policie and Regal Grandeur 't is not to be doubted but that they would err grosly because they have not true or exact notions thereof But it is less to be doubted that it is more beyond the wisest man's reach to tell exactly what is sutable to the glory of God and agreable to infinite wisdom power and justice What boldness were it tosay peremptorly God should have done or not have done this that if he had or not had done so so he would have acted unworthily What of the divine actions are plainly revealed we see clearly are agreeable to the most perfect conceptions of a Deity and what is kept secret we ought rather to admire in silence then to sit down and curiously resolve And if men will needs attempt the resolution of the hidden mysteries of GOD's Councill and prescribe Rules for that end they should rather be check'd for their bold and too curious medling then unbraided with a false god because their sentiments cannot be so exactly adjusted to the more common notions of justice and equity which men have Wherefore the deriding the God of the Calvinists * as one of late hath done deserves a severe censure and chastisement For whither these Calvinistical tenets concerning Gods Decrees be true or false the believing or not believing them will not infer a denial or not owning of the true God and seing the Calvinists acknowledge all the essential Attributes of a Deity and believe in him only who is declared the true God therefore they cannot be said to worship any other and he who mocks at the God whom they worship mocks at the true God himself and how great a sin this is I leave it to any to judge But to return whence we degressed it is requisite that every one study to get the highest and most worthy thoughts of GOD and it is absolutly necessary that they acknowledge what is expresly contain'd in the very Idea of God as that he is Almighty most Wise most Iust Good above all things and the cause of all things For God is only a short term used to expresse these perfections by and therefore who takes any of them away destroys the very nature of God and who worships what he doth not ascribe these properties to worships not God but some other thing Even as he is altogether ignorant of a circle or triangle who does not consider the one as a figure made up of three lines with three distinct angles and the other of one round line whose parts are all equally distant from the center who knows not this is quite destitute of the notion of these figures But if one knows this much he cannot but be said to have the right notion of a circle and triangle though he do not understand all which knowing and skilfull Mathematicians demonstrate about them But it is not enough for preserving our selves from Idolatry that we get and maintain some right true and proper notions of a Deity Men may have these and yet be Idolaters in that they fix these notions where they ought not and ascribe them to that which in it self is not God Thus the Heathens were guilty of Idolatry for many of them were not so much mistaken in their conceptions of God as in the application of their general conceptions to the particular objects of their worship when they spake of God at least the wise understanding persons among them they shewed that they believed him a Supreme Beeing of great Wisdom Power and Goodness and therefore they term'd him alwayes the Summum Numen Deus ter optimus maximus So that their sentiments concerning the Nature and Attributes of GOD could not be so much found fault with as their gross absurdity in misapplying these properties of the Divine Nature For some affixed the Numen or Deity to the Sun others to the Moon or to some other of the Celestiall Bodies as the Author of the book of wisdom speaks they deemed either Fire or Wind or the swift Air or the circle of the Stars or the violent water or the lights of Heaven to be the Gods which govern the World Wis. 13. 2. And though this was a sotish errour yet not so detestable as theirs who worshiped four footed beasts and creeping things and roots and herbs as we read the Egyptians did They may have been misled into these abominations through the infirmity of their Minds which could not fix steedily on a thing so Spiritual and so wholly abstracted from Sense as GOD is without the help of Sensible representations which might affect their imaginations Wherefore the better to bring GOD to their Minds that they might keep him the more easily in their Thoughts thy have have devised such Bodily figures and gross representations Or not attending to the True Nature of GOD they have imagined that he was confin'd to some peculiar place and seeing none more Glorious then the Sun or other Celestiall Bodies therefore have at first only fancied these to be the Seat of Divine Majesty But in Processe of time have degenerate into the grosser belief of their being Gods Being delighted with there beauty saith the foresaid Authour they took them to be Gods And as to that Astonishing as well
they did not commit to the oversight of some Deitie or other which they failed not to invock according to their various Conditions and Circumstances By this it appears that the Opinion which the Heathens had of their Deities was just such which the Papists have of Saints and Angels and that the One hath no other ground for the Worshipping of Saints and Angels then what the other pretended for the worshipping of Iupiter Iuno Minerva Mars Vulcan c. these Dij minorum gentium these Gods of the lower rank order Neither can any thing be said in defence of the one which may not be alledged for the other And in truth it would seem that the Romish Church hath been so much in love with that scheme of Heathen Religion as to think fit to transcribe it wholly for there be little difference in this point except some change of Names that whereas they Worshipped formerly Iuno Iupiter c. Now some more Christian names are set up to be adored And though certainly the holy Angels and some of the Christian Saints are by far preferable to the best of the Heathnish Deities yet it is no more lawfull to worship the One then the other for the doing either is to do service to them who by nature are no Gods which the Scripture condemns Gal. 4 8 And which they who are thus worshipped would abhore If there were any communication betwixt us and the Angels and Saints they would certainlie declare against the Worshipping of them and would shew themselves so far from being gratified thereby as to be highly displeased therewith That the Angels would forbid it we have good reason to believe seeing they have done it when occasion offered for when St Iohn was about to worship the Angel who shewed him these things he sets down in his Revelation he withheld him saying see thou do it not for I am thy fellow-servant And if Paul and Barnabas returned to the earth they would no doubt as earnestlie restrain men from paying Divine homage to them as they did once the People of Lystra and that too for the same reason even because they are Men of the like passions for though they be freed from sin and these frailties we are lyable to here yet they are men still they are Glorified indeed but not Deified and therefore not proper Objects of Worship But to return and to speak more particularly to this which is pretended for the Ground of Saint and Angel worship In the next place we say it is a thing very uncertain what use God makes of the Angels and Saints what be their charge and office and what imployments they are put to We read indeed in the Scriptures that God hath sometimes imployed Angels in the affairs of his Servants here below But whither he doth this always whither each Saint or Angel hath a particular constant imployment or what is the particular imployment of each of them is not reveal'd men can only guess at them neither have they any rule to make their guesses probable and therefore there is no reason to worship them or to make any adresses to them For Religious worship and service should stand upon better grounds then meer conjectures yea I may say idle and fantastick dreams What Ground of assurance can be given that Raphael is appointed for traveling St. Roche for the Pox St. Cornelis for the falling sickness St. Loy for Horse diseases St. Apollina for the tooth-ach and that the Virgin Mary can give all that either Soul or body needeth I say what assurance have we of this And if there be no assurance as certainly there is none what a foolish thing is it to make adresses to these Saints for these favours which for ought we know do not belong to them to give but to other Saints if to any at all if men be desirous of the favours they seek me thinks they should make application where they are surest to be had that is they should rather go to God then to Saints or Angels for we are sure he hath all good to bestow but what gifts are at their disposal or whither any is a thing we know not Thirdly though all should be true that is alledged that we receive good things from hands of Saints and Angels and that they could procure us what we desire yet this were no reall ground for worshipping them For they are not the Author and cause of these things which are thus supposed to come from them Do not erre my beloved Brethren saith St. Iames every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and least we should mistake him and think he included Angels and Saints he addeth and cometh down from the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning Iames 1. 17. Saints and Angels at the best are but the means and Instruments of the conveyance of God's blessings and therefore it is not reasonable to worship them as we worship God If they ought to be honoured with Divine worship because God useth their Ministerie in blessing us with Spiritual and Temporal benefits then for the same reason a Merchant or Sea-man may adore the Wind when its favourable and every one may worship his meat for by the use of our Meat GOD gives us the Blessing of Life and it will not cast the Ballance as to the being a Ground of paying Divine Worship to Saints and Angels that they are Intelligent Beeings understand what they do and what good they do us they do it with good-will for if this were sufficient then it should be of as great force for the Worshipping of the Pastours of the Church or any other Earthly men whom GOD raiseth up to be the instruments of our Temporal or Spirituall good The Means and Instruments should indeed have a due respect but it should be far below what is payed to the Author and main cause Saints and Angels indeed ought to be honoured and had in great esteem because they stand alwayes near GOD and are his chief Servants But there is no Reason to equal then with GOD by giving them the same homage and paying them the same Acts of Adoration A great difference should be put between the Servant and his Lord Ministers of State and the Person of the King and so betwixt GOD and Angels and Saints Which also shewes the unsufficiencie of that other Reason and Pretence which some make for the worshipping of Saints and Angels viz. That hereby they do Honour to GOD for though GOD would have them Honoured yet he would not have them Honoured as Himself 2. Some of the Papists are so sensible of the absurdity of Worshipping Saints and Angels directlie that to take away the shame thereof they study to put another face on these acts of Adoration which they pay to Saints and Angels telling us that they intend thereby no more but to intreat the Saints and Angels to interceed with GOD for them which may be as
from and is not performed by the inward Mind Thus in a word as we should Worship GOD in Spirit and Truth So to Worship in Spirit is to Worship with the inward acts and Affections of the Soul and to Worship in Truth is to perform such Outward Acts as doth not Mystically and Figuratively but plainly and properly signify and hold forth these inward ones Having thus viewed the Nature of Publick Worship in General we passe to the consideration of the parts thereof In particular And First the Publick Worship of God should consist of Prayers this is so clear from Scripture Reason the practice of all the world that it were a vain thing to prove it the parts and Qualifications of Publick Prayer are the same with those of private Prayer whereof we have spoken already And because it is so useful to know before hand what we should Pray and so unworthy a thing to utter rash and indiscreet expressions before GOD especially in publick therefore the Church in Ages have ever thought themselves oblidged to compose deliberatly Forms of publick Prayer and not to leave them to the extemporary effusions of him who officiates there is not at this day any Church except our own without a publick Service and Liturgy But because we are driven to the necessity at present not to use one therefore it is incumbent on the publick Ministers to take the more care in composing their Prayers that their expressions be grave Decent that as to the Matter of them they contain all things proper necessary nothing disagreable to God or which may disgust stumble the Worshippers they should study to make their Prayers to express truly the general needs desires of the People for he who Prayeth is their mouth imployed to speake in their name what every one should do if they were allowed to speak so all publick Prayers should be so ordered that every one may be able to joine heartily with them And here I cannot passe two faults ordinarly committed in this part of publick Worship the one for the most part in Country Parishes the other generally both in City and Country by this last I mean a careless unconcernedness in Prayer many think not themselves oblidged to joyne with the Minister while he prayes they do not consider that he is but their voice that 't is necessary for them to say with the heart what he does with the mouth else the Prayers cannot be heard as theirs or for them Though one Pray but audibly to shun confusion yet it is necessary for all to assent thereto The other Fault is committed often by the Common People especially in the Northren parts of the Kingdom as the former in the Southren parts who fall to their particular Prayers when the Minister is praying in the name of the whole Congregation this is an irregular and undecent thing which obstructs the Edification Designed by this part of Worship see 1. Cor. 14. 26. When the congregation cometh together it should be with one Heart and Mind they ought not to have different exercises but alwayes the same they should pray one and the same Prayer with one accord as we read the Disciples did Act. 4. 24. To prevent both these Evils if 't was usuall in all both Iewish and Christian Liturgies to Appoint the People to utter sometimes some short sentenes and alwayes to speak out audibly Amen at the conclusion of every Prayer as is inti mate to us 1. Cor. 14. 16. Another Act of Divine Worship especially in Publick Assemblies is singing of Psalms and Spiritual Songs This was alwayes a part of the Worship of GOD under the Old Testament 't was observed by our Saviour with his Disciples Matth. 26. 30. And St. Paul enjoyns it to all Christians Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Singing Hymns and Psalms is of great use in the Service of GOD both to prepare our Minds for it and to make us take Pleasure in it It fixeth our thoughts elevats our Spirits fills us with Joy in GOD and leaveth on our Minds a deeper impression of Divine Truths then almost any other part of Religious Worship for which cause it hath been an universal practice in the Church through all Ages of the World And as Singing is our Duty so the Psalms of David are excellently fitted for the purpose they furnish us both with proper Matter and apposite Expressions They were dictate by the Spirit of GOD to be imployed particularly in this Divine exercise and we must not think the use of them to have ceased with the Law or Iewish state no certainly they are still usefull to the Church and proper for the times of the Gospel Without doubt S. Paul in the forecited places and S. Iames Ch 5. 13. Are to be understood of the Psalms of David because the tittle of Psalms has been alwayes appropriate to them And from this Injunction of the Apostles conformable to their Practice and which is most Reasonable and uâ—…efull the Church hath ever used these Psalms in her Publick Service I know there are some who not only scruple at some of the Psalms but say expresly they ought not to be sung and when it is done they refuse to take a part But truly I think there is no Reason for this Indeed all of them are not proper for all occasions some are more pertinent and sutable at one time then another and therefore they who have the ordering of the Publick Service should make a Prudent choice of Psalms suted to the occasion however all of them may be sung and because People have not their own choise but must take them as they are prescrib'd I will here propose some Considerations to shew how we may freely joyne with any Psalm and both sing it with understanding and also with edification First there can be no Question of those Psalms which Declare the Divine Attributes Display the Works of GOD hold forth the excellency of his word or the General State of Man To Sing and Meditate on these cannot be improper at any time but alwayes usefull and seasonable 2ly As for those Psalms which were Writ upon particular Occasions besides the Literal sence which relates to those Persons their actions and circumstances upon which account they were penned there is a Mystical sense belongs to them which referres them to Christ and his Church and moreover they are capable of being accommodated to several Conditions and Circumstances both of Private Persons and Publick Societies by allowing some Liberty to Figures Allegories and other Poetical Strains which are usual in Songs and Hymns Now though we should be little concerned in the Literal sense yet we are in the Mystical and if they will suffer an accommodation to our selves or the Church and State we live in then we not only may use them but the use of them will be both pleasant and edifying 3ly These Psalms which contain narrations of the Wonders which GOD wrought
was before except that â—…e may be a little more sensible that Happiness lyes not there and is able to witnessâ—… from his Experience the truth of Haman's Verdict All these things availe me nothing Eâ—…h 5. Never any sought Happinâ—…sse in Worldly things but mett with a disapointment For 't is too weighty and important to stand upon such a Sandy Foundation Men are not Happy by the Splendour and Grandeur of their Outwaâ—…d Condition and Circumstances but when they have Inward peace and Satisfaction of Mind Which they only have when they enjoy something agreeable to the Nature of their Souls which answers their large and I may almost saâ—… infinite Desires which gives what is presâ—…ntly requisit and ensures the continuance of all things necessary and Desireable Therefore GOD only is and can be the Authour and Matter of Man's Felicity for his Favour can only secure us of what our Present Life calls for it is always attended therewith and doth infillibly lead to Eternal and unspeakable Felicity the very Hope whereof gives more Pleasure thâ—…n all Worldly Enjoyments yea is able to make one Rejoyce in the midst of all the Troubles and Disasters of this Life Thus then instead of runing hither and thither in the search of this or the other Particular we ought to seek GOD and altogether to intend and endeavour the possessing our selves of his Love and Favour for the Favour of GOD is the foundation of true Felicity and the enjoyment of Him is the very Height and Complâ—…on thereof And as the scope of the First Part is to perswade Men of 〈◊〉 so it is endeavoured in the Second to 〈◊〉 before them the true and proper wayes of endeâ—…g themsâ—…lves to GOD by which they may purchase his Favour here and qualify themselves for the Eâ—…rnal Enjoyment of him hereafter In shewing this nothing necessary has been omitted every thing indeed could not be particularly handled but what is not expresly mentioned is clearly included in the things spoken of so that who doth all here required doth all that is necessary to Please GOD Nor has any thing been proposed as necessary which is not really so for on these Terms only GOD offereth Himself and his Benefits to Men. The acceptance of these Duties when we perform them is only in and through Christ as hath been made appear But they are in themselves necessary even as necessary to obtain the Favour and Enjoyment of GOD as this is to procure Happiness They neither understand what GOD is nor have they right notions of Eternal Life who think to arrive there any other way without Holiness saith the Apostle no Man shall see the LORD And the Duties spoken of are necessary parts of True Holiness as will appear to any who considers the account given of them As by the foregoing Treatise the Nature of true Religion may be understood and the right Manner of Performing the Publick and Private Exercises thereof if people have a mind to set about them and desire to be instructed in them So if they be desirous to be inform'd of the Truth and will not obstruct their own Conviction they may here see the absolute Necessity of doing these Duties here laid before them Let me therefore earnestly entreat the Reader to give way to his Conviction and to beware of letting either his former Inclinations and habits or the Customes of others divert him from the Practice of what he is convinced is necessary to the obtaining True and Eternal Felicity I shall not offer to perswade any to seek to be Happy for this would be as vain and impertinent as to bid a hungry Man eat or a Thirsty Man drink but I would entreat all to consider that 't is the height of madness to expect to be happy without using the means necessary thereto even as 't would be great folly in a Hungry or a Thirsty Man to desire the allaying of his Appetite without eating and Drinking What is it which hinders you from closing with these Means of Happinesse What keeps you from observing the Duties here enjoined Do you think them unnecessary that cannot be now pretended Do you think them too much What Can there be too much Pains or Cost bestowed on Eternal and perfect Felicity None have Reason to grudge at these Conditions of Happiness they are Just and Reasonable This Service which GOD requires is no present Drudgery and though 't were it could not be complained of seing so Glorious a Reward followes it His yoke is easy his Burden is Light and this service he exacts is most Reasonable and desireable â—…ake a view of the several Exercises and Imployments of the Sons of Men of the variâ—…s wayes of spending their Time and there will be found none preferrable to this Idleness is an uneasy thing and of all Occupations Religion is the most Manly the most Noble the most Desireable As it hath the greatest Reward so it gives at present the greatest Pleasure and Satisfaction The wayes of Wisdom that is of Religion are waves of the pleasantness saith Solomon and all her paths are peace And they are so even when they are set about with Thornes and Briers Great peace sayes David have they who love thy Law and nothing shall offend them And he tells of himself That he rejoiced in the way of GOD'S Testimonies as much as in all Riches I shall conclude all therefore in the words of our Saviour if ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them FINIS ERRATA In the First PART Page 11 line 20. for St. Laurence read St. Dominicus p. 12. l. 22. for Either r. Rather p. 74. l. 23. for mi. r. cui p. 75. l. 13. for Rita r. Vita p. 111. l. 21. for Wisdom r. Frâ—…edom p. 122. l. 27. for absurdity r. obscurity p. 133. l. 25. fór and r. as In the Second part Page 147. line 4. for measure read Treasure p. 148 line 27. for and r. but. p. 239. l. 16. r. Reference p. 281. l. 25. for every r. ever any p. 314. l. 16 r. confirmed p 333. l. 22. r. undertakings p. 329. l. 4. for that thing r. nothing p. 406. l. 28. for any r. daylie p. 425. l. 21. for quality r. quantity p. 431. l. 13. for so r. for p. 440. l. 6. for oblidged r. addicted ADVERTISEMENT Books Sold by Alexander Ogston Stationer in the Parliament Closs The Acts of Parliament in large Folio and likewise in 12mo in two portable Volums The Model of the Government of East-New-Iersey The Scots Gardiner Chalmers Writting-Book of the Round Hand All sorts of Bibles and Common Prayers Iuvena sâ—…t X. Stapl. Halls Cont. of the fear of GOD. See Wilkinsons Treat of GODS alsufficiency Hales Contemp part first pag. 181. Ibid pag. 180. Bernard Tract de dilig DEO See Smith Sel Dis pag. 399 Temporalia haec me O Domine juvent utentem non corrumpant mentem amorem meum retorqueant in te Artificem eorum ne in his quae placent mihi ego displiceam tibi Amem haec sed plus te amem haec propter te amen Et si ista diligam ut subjecta diligam ut famulantia diligam diligam ut arrham sponsi ut munera amici ut beneficia Domini sic tamen ut meminerim semper quae tibi debeam ista propter te per ista super ista te diligam Illis adhaeream dilectione transitoria tibi inhaeream dilectione mansoria Hales Rem pa 223. Essay 16. * Turners Defence of his Sermon about Necessity and Freedom See Iur prej cont papisme See Stilling Idolat See part first chap 2 Divine Inst Ep. Cap 2. * Vid. Mede lib. 2. p. 439 * vid Gessel Hist Eccl p 426. Vid. concil Trid. sess 22. cap. 1. 2.