last thing Honour due to God's Name wherein we are to express a Reverence to God is in honouring his Name and what this is will be best understood by considering what are the Things by which it is chiefly dishonoured The first Sin against the Honour of God's Sins against it Blasphemy and Swearing Name is Blasphemy the highest Degree of which is Cursing him either by our Words or in our Thoughts and next to that Swearing either by false Oaths or else by rash and light ones A false Oath may be of two kinds as Assertory Oaths and Promissory First That by which I affirm some thing or Secondly That by which I Promise the one we call anâ— Assertory and the other a Promissory Oath and are both a very great dishonour to God's Name when they are not taken with Sincerity and Truth and perform'd with reality An Oath is the strongest Tie that can Vnlawful Oaths be between Man and Man but yet if it be unlawful in it self and contradictory and impracticable in the Nature of it in such a Case though the breach even of such an Oath be a very great Sin yet 't is better to repent heartily of our Folly and Wickedness in making such a sinful and inconsiderate Oath then to attempt with greater Sin and Danger in the performance of it There is nothing God greatly dishonoured by Perjury and the Punishments of it by which the Name of God is more dishonoured then by Perjury 't is the highest affront can be offer'd to him and indeed we find him resenting nothing with more just severity then this kind of Violation of his Honour He will not hold him guiltless he has declar'd that taketh his Name in vain which is so dreadful a menace that methinks it should engage every one that has any value for his Salvation to keep them most strictly from this Sin All vain and light Oaths such as are sâ— Vain Oaths and the Sin of them common in our Discourses are likewise â— very high offence against the Majesty of the Name 〈◊〉 God Our Saviour has forbiddeâ— us to swear even by mere Creatures to shew us I presume the Reverence we ought to have foâ— the Name of their Creator and sure whatever this prophane Agâ— may think of it there is nothing does more argue a Contempt oâ— God then to hear his Name intermix'd in every Period of loose Discourse and violated every Momenâ— with horrid and impertinent Oaths This sort of vain and rash Swearinâ— They lead to Perjury and are liable to no Temptation leads directly to Perjury we grow at laâ—â— so Familiar with thâ— Name of God thaâ— at length we can usâ— it upon any occasion without considering whether we sware true 〈◊〉 false to things doubtful or certain beside this too there is no manner of Temptation for this sort of leud Swearing there is no kind of Pleasure or Profit in it nor any thing else to recommend it and so consequenely 't is a base Sin which we wilfully commit without any manner of excuse or Pretence 'T is a dangerous Vice and therefore The Necessity of abstaining from them the means the Sence of the Guilt and Danger every Man that values the Salvation of his Soul ought to renounce it with the greatest Caution and Concern the means are always ready before him viz. the Sence of the Guilt and Danger of it when he considers the great dishonour that his rash Oaths offer to the Name of God and that Eternal Misery must be his Punishment unless he repents he must needs sure be toucht with a Sence of his Guilt and Danger and these must certainly argue very strongly with him to renounce ' em Speaking Truth is likewise a very great Truth in speaking forsaking occasions means to restrain us from rash Oaths when Men once come to be observable foâ— their Truth and Integrity there 〈◊〉 no need of an Oath to confirm thâ— Veracity of what they say we ought also to avoid all occasions that are most liable to betray us to this Vice to preserve constantly a deep and profound Veneration for the Reverence to God Name of God which we should never mention without Respect and that wilâ— be an excellent means to prevent us against the prophaning it with ouâ— Oaths Another great means to restrain us from rash Oaths is to keep 〈◊〉 strict and constaâ—â— Watch over oâ—â— Watchfulness and Prayer Words and then tâ— use the great remedy of all Prayer thaâ— God would enable thee to avoid 〈◊〉 overcome this wicked Custom And thus by these several ways of dishonouring God's Name we may easily perceive what it is to Honour it What it is to Honour God's Name which is all founded upon an awful Respect and Reverence which is due to that sacred Name â—hat is Great Wonderful and Hoâ—y PARTITION V. Of Worship due to God's Name of Prayer and its several Parts of Publick Prayers in the Church of Private Prayers of Repentance c. of Fasting THE next great Worship Duty to God is â—orship a Duty only peculiar to â—â—mself and therefore of a very â—reat Importance and is to be perâ—â—rm'd First By our Souls and â—econdly By our Bodies the Souls part is Praying anâ— of that there are divers Prayer its Parts Parts according to the different thing for which we ask Confession is thâ— first and may be either Confession general or paâ—ticular the former is a necessarâ— part of our solemn Prayers whâ—ther Private or Publick and thâ— latter more proper for the Private and the intent of it is that 〈◊〉 should humble our selves before God and with a deep and hearâ— Sorrow bewail the Sins we confess The second part 〈◊〉 Prayer is Petition 〈◊〉 Petitions for our souls and bodies which we beg of Goâ— whatsoever we waâ—â— either for our Soul or Bodies For our Souls we bâ— the Pardon of our Sins and the Aâ—sistance of his Grace to enable 〈◊〉 to obey his Will For our Bodieâ— we beg the necessaries of Life suâ— outward things I mean that he his Wisdom sees most fit and neeâ— ful for us A third part of Prayer is Deprecation Deprecation of Sin and Punishment by which we intreat God that he would turn away from us the evil of our Sins and the Punishments due to them that he would prevent us from all Sin and enable us against all Temptations and that he would forbear to chastize us with Spiritual or Temporal Punishments The next part of Prayer is Intercession Intercession which consist in Praying for others both for Strangers and Acquaintance but in a particular Manner for the Governours of the Church and State and for our Relations and Friends Another Part of Prayer is Thanksgiving Thanksgiving for spiritual Mercies and temporal which is the praising and magnifying God for all his Mercies both Spiritual and Temporal for the blessings of our Souls and
the most severe and dreadful Next to this we owe a Negative Justice to our Neighbour with â—â—spect to his Goods such as are his House His Goods Land Cattel Money â—c and the two ordinary Causes that engages Men to break it are â—â—ther Malice or Covetousness That Part of Injustice that is â—â—unded upon pure Malice is commonly Malicious Injustice â—â—cted upon the Devils Principle like him they seek to destroy others not so much as 't is any good to themselves but out of a natural desire to do mischief the other part that is founded upon Covetousness though indeed it may Covetous Injustice have something of a base and sordid Design in it yet when 't is considered 't is always attended by Oppression Theft and Deceit it wants very little to come up to the wickedness of the former Oppression is an insolent bare-fac'd Robbery Oppression and Gods Vengeance against it and so much the worse still because the Poor are generally the Persons injur'd we have many Lectures against every kind of it in Holy Scriptureâ— but especially against that which affects the Fatherless and Widdowâ— 't is indeed a most crying guilt and God's heavy Vengeance is no one instance more exemplary he that has oppresst the Poor saith the Prophet shall surely die and his Blood shall be upon him Theft is another kind of this Injustice Theft not paying what we borrow are bound for or Promise which in general is twofold the first is the withholding what we should pay and the last the taking from our Neighbour what we have no Right too the first as well as the last is a plain Act of Robbery and let the present Practice of the World argue never so much for it it can never prove but that by common Justice and Honesty we are strictly engag'd to the utmost of our Abilities to discharge all the debts we are oblig'd to either by Bond Promise or any other lawful Obligation PARTITION XII Of Theft Stealing of Deceit 〈◊〉 Trust in Traffick of Restitution c. THE next Parâ— Stealing the Goods of our Neighbour of Theft is either by open Violenâ—â— or private Fraud thâ— Robbing our Neighbour of thaâ— which he is in Possession of This a Vice that wants no Aggravation it need not be disputed but thâ— both the High-way Man and Housâ— breaker as well as the sly injurioâ—â— Pilferer are two Ranks of degenâ—rate Creatures so odious to God that they are unfit for humane Sâ—ciety There are a great maâ— Branches of this sort of Robberâ— as the Concealing of stol'n Goodâ— the buying them at cheap Rate with many others which I need nâ— mention any further they being best but a kind of Robbery God will be sure to deal severely with us upon that account although perhaps we may escape the Coguiâ—ance of the Law A third Part of Injustice is Deceit of Deceit which the Acts are so numerous that 't is morally impossible to Name 'em all I shall Rank them therefore under these two general Heads viz. The Deceits of Trust and Traffick He that deceives a Man in a Matter of In Trust Trust that is committed to him is guilty of the most treacherous and base Injustice in such a Case we are to behave our selves with the utmost Fidelity especially when any thing for the â—ses of Piety or Charity are committed to our Charge he that viâ—lates his Faith in these particulars â—dds Sacriledge to Fraud and Treaâ—hery and entails upon him all the Curses that are due to those Sins As to Matters of Traffick there may be deceit both in the Buyer and Seller In Traffick By the Sellers concealing the faults and over-rating their Wares the Seller Sins greatly when by a Connection of Lies perhaps Oaths and Execrations he conceals or excuses the faults in his Commodities or what 's as bad sells by false weights and measures or imposeâ— an extravagant unreasonable Price upon the Buyer these are indeed grown very common and practicâ— faults but yet never the more excusable the great Judge of Truth and Equity has often declar'd his solemn displeasure against 'em and will be sure sooner or later to punish them to the utmost The Buyer may be guilty of Fraud too Fraud in the Buyer and though indeed hâ— does not fall under sâ— many Temptations as the Seller yet when ever he makes an advantage of his Neighbours Wants and Purchases his Commodities at under Rates without doubt he offends the Justice of God by thus insulting upon and making his Advantage of his Brothers Necessities The Temptations to Deceit in Traffick Many Temptations to deceit in Traffick are so interwoven with all Trades that it behoves every dealing Man to have a great Care to guard himself against them this way of Cheating is become a perfect Trade it self and Men boast of it and value themselves upon it but for all that the Eyes of God are too pure to behold such Iniquity nay The commonness a Reproach to Christianity 't is even a scandal to our Christian Profession a very high and solemn breach of those common Rules of Justice and Equity laid down in the Precepts of the Gospel to be the Standard and Guide of our Actions Besides all this 't is but a mistaken Principle neither Fraud and Undermining deceitful measures and false ballances are not the right way to It is no way to make a Man Rich but ruines the Soul make us Rich there goes a secret Curse along with such kind of Practice which is generally executed in this Life which though it may by chance fail here it never fails in the next there the Deceiver will be fatally deceiv'd in the loss of his Soul the Consideration of which should methinks put him upon the grand Restitution Remedy Restitution without which he can never make any tolerable Attonement for the Injury he has done either to God or his Neighbour PARTITION XIII Of false Reports false Witness Publick Slanders Wisperings of Scoffing Calamities Sins c. Of Positive Justice Truth â—ying of Envy and Detraction of Gratitude c. THE Credit of His Credit our Neighbour is another Part of Negative Justice which should be as dear to us as his Possessions and should in no respect be impair'd either by false Reports or malicious Surmizes and Conjectures from both which our Reputation the dearest thing we have next our Souls is liable to great Injury False Reports may False Witness be spread divers ways both Publick and Private the Publick way is ordinarily by bearing false Witness either with regard to our Lives or Estates this is a most grievous Wound indeed to our Credit a sort of outragious Injustice to our Neighbour that we are hardly ever able to make him amends for The second open way of spreading these Reports is by Publick Slander Publick Slander and herein our Reputation is also liable to a great deal of Injury
Wife owes to the Husband Obedience Fidelity and Love and Wife this is the nearest Relation of all and yet there are several respective Duties which they owe to each other for the Wife in the first Place she owes her Husband Obedience which God has strictly commanded her to pay him in all things that are Just and Lawful she owes him Fidelity both to his Bed and his worldly Affairs she owes him likewise her Love and is bound to behave her self to him with the greatest friendliness and sweetness And this she is The faults of the Husband acquit her not from these Duties to do notwithstanding his faults which will by no means acquit her of any of these Duties There are likewise Duties from the Husband to the Wife Love several Duties owing from the Husband to the Wife the First Is Love by which he is enjoin'd to treat her with the utmost Tenderness and Compassion not to behave himself to her with any manner of harshness or severity but to use her in all respects as a part of himself Secondly He owes Fidelity to her Bed this Faithfulness to her Bed is as much the Husbands Duty as the Wife 's and the breach of it in either is an Act of Uncleanness and Perjury Thirdly He is bound to do his endeavour To maintain and instruct her to provide for her and to suffer her freely to partake of all his outward Blessings and amongst the rest of his Duties he is chiefly to take Care of the Salvation of her Soul and to instruct her as far as her need requires in the Principles of Honesty and Religion In brief Husbands and Wives are mutually Husbands Wives bound to pray for and assist each other bound to Pray for each other and to their utmost to propagate their Reciprocal Good and Happiness The true Ends of The true Ends of Marriage to be consulted and unlawful Marriages to be avoided Marriage are likewise to be consulted in which Case the Ornaments of the Mind are sooner to be chosen then either Wealth or Beauty or any other outward Appendage above all the rest unlawful Marriages are to be avoided 't is a Holy State and should never be enter'd into but according to the Direction of the Church Reverently Advisedly Soberly and in the Fear of God The next thing is Friendship which is Friendship with its Duties of that common good and concern that humane Life would be but a wretched thing Faithfulness Assistance Admonition Prayer Constancy without it the Duties of it are many but the most material are Faithfulness in our Trusts Assistance either with respect to our Souls or Bodies to our Souls especially in admonishing us of our faults which is the highest and most exalted Act of Friendship that can pass between Man and Man Prayer is the next Duty and after that Constancy and all these together render a Friend an inestimable Jewel The Last Relation is that between Masters and Servants and these too are mutually engag'd to each other The Servant is bound to obey Servants owe to their Masters Obedience Fidelity Submission Diligence his Master's just Commands and to execute them with Freedom and Satisfaction he owes him likewise an universal Fidelity in all his Concerns and is oblig'd by all the Rules of Modesty and good Manners to bear his Rebukes and Reprehensions with Submission and to discharge his Trust in every Particular with Diligence and Application The Masters on the other side owe to Masters owe to their Servants Justice Admonition Means of Instruction Moderation in Command Encouragement their Servants Justice in providing them with convenient Food and paying them their Wages as also Admonitions and Reproofs with regard as well to their Sins and Offences against God as Faults against themselves They owe 'em likewise good Example that is they are to make their own Lives and Actions a fit President for them to walk by they are to allow them opportunities for Instruction and convenient time for the Publick Worship of God moreover they are to command them with Prudence and Moderation to encourage their well doing and to treat their Faithfulness Diligence and Piety with a great deal of Kindness and Bounty PARTITION XVI Other Branches of our Duty to our Neighbour Of Charity to Men's Souls Bodies Goods and Credit THE next Duty Charity in the Affection to our Neighbour is Charity this is a Duty which the Blessed JESUS himself has solemnly enjoyn'd in his Holy Gospel and may be considered two Ways either in our Affections or Actions and First The Charity of Affections is such an universal Kindness that inclines us to wish well to the Soul Body Goods and Credit of all Mankind To their Souls in the first Place and to To Men's Souls Bodies Goods and Credit them we cannot sure but wish well when we consider that Christ thought their Ransome worth the Price of his own Blood we owe next all the good we can to the Bodies of Men this is an high Article of our Charity and without it we can never come up to that golden Rule of loving our Neighbour as our selves His Goods and his Credit are likewise to be very dear and precious to us and we are bound to propagate his Interest and Reputation and to esteem them upon all Accounts equal to our own This kind of Charity naturally begets The Effects of this Charity in us a quiet and peaceable Mind and a Compassion and Tenderness towards others it creates in us a Joy for their Prosperity and excites us to Pray for 'em and to importune Almighty God in their It casts out Envy Pride Censoriousness Dissembling Self-love and Revenge behalf besides all these too it guards our Minds against all sort of Envy or Revenge keeps down our Pride and impresses deep upon us the Grace of Humility it destroys Censoriousness and curbs the rashness of our Judgment suppresses Dissimulation and banishes and subverts all feign'd and pretended Kindness it casts away all Self-love and mercenary Designs and intirely roots out of our Minds all manner of Ranchor and Malice Nay this Charity goes further according The Motives to it Christ's Commands and the example of God to the Doctrine and Example of our Blessed Lord it extends it self even to our Enemies and what can be a greater Motive to it then to find it so solemnly commanded and enforc'd by God's own President This is a Subject well becoming our This Charity to extend even to Enemies serious Consideration and should put us in mind methinks to ballance our Sins against God with the Offences of our Brethren against our selves and would we do that we should find the first so much outweigh the last that from a fair Comparison we must needs judge our selves very unworthy to expect God should Pardon us The Disproportion of our Offences against God compar'd with Men's against us for so many great
offences and yet at the same time we refuse to forgive our Brethren for some perhaps trivial faults besides this too there 's a great deal of Pleasure Pleasantness of this Duty and Satisfaction in the forgiving our Enemies 't is true this may seem a Paradox at first sight but then if we examine the Truth of it by Experience we shall find it really so and this sort of forgiving Temper the most delightful as well as the most Christian Beyond this likewise there is another Consideration strong enough to engage us to forgive our Enemies I mean the danger of it God has made our Compassion to others the If we forgive not God will not forgive us Standard by which he intends to measure his to us If ye forgive not Men their Trespasses neither will your Father forgive your Trespasses nay he has made it a part of our daily Prayers so that when a revengeful Person says this Prayer he lays upon himself a Curse and does in effect beg God not to forgive him This is a Duty we are oblig'd to in Point of Gratitude too God has shew'd Gratitude to God us wonderful Mercies and can we be so base to think we are not oblig'd to some returns Peace and Unity was one of the last things our Saviour recommended to the World and indeed he has press'd no single Precept The first rising of Ranchor to be supprest with greater concern than this of universal Charity and forgiving Enemies a Consideration methinks that should engage us to suppress all Degrees of Ranchor and Revenge and to check and curb them in their very first Motions I come now to the Charity in the Actions to the Mind Soul Body c. Charity in the Actions which is the truest way to prove the former I mean by a sincere and cordial Love distributed without Hypocrisie or Reserve to the Soul Body Goods and Credit of our Neighbour to his Soul and Mind we should acquit our selves with the utmost tenderness and concern and omit no means that might any ways promote the Happiness or Advantage of either to his Body we should exercise all the Offices of true Christian Friendship and Kindness and upon all occasions be constantly ready to promote his Interest and defend his Reputation PARTITION XVII Of Charity Alms-giving c. Of Charity in respect of our Neighbours Credit c. Of Peace making of going to Law of Charity to our Enemies THE next thing Charity in respect of the Goods both to the Rich and Poor is our Charity towards the Goods and Estate of our Neighbour and herein we are to assist and further him in all honest and friendly Offices and this we are to do to the Rich as well as the Poor only with this difference that the Poor are the more immediate Objects of our Alms. This great Duty of Alms-giving is enforc'd Motives of Alms-giving by many strong and powerful Motives but the three greatest of all are with respect to God our Neighbour and our Selves God has commanded it and expects it both as an Argument of our Obedience and Thankfulness Secondly True Love and Compassion and a Fellow-feeling of our Neighbours Wants and Sufferings engage us to it Thirdly In respect of our Selves the Motive is that there is an Eternal Reward annext the manner is likewise Manner of Alms-giving to be carefully consulted which will add much to the Grace it self and to the Advantage of those we relieve And First We are Chearfully without the Apprehension of Want seasonably prudently and liberally to do it always with the greatest chearfulness and satisfaction to exercise a kind of Holy Joy in dealing our Bread to the hungry we must not entertain any vain Fears or impious Apprehensions that our administring to the Wants of the Distrest will be any means to Impoverish us or consume our Estates We are likewise to observe a due season and order of Time and a Prudent and Religious Care in the regular Distribution of our Charity and withal to do it pursuant to the Principles of Liberality and true Christian Generosity Our Charity likewise obliges us to preserve Charity in respect of our Neighbours Credit and propagate the Credit of our Neighbour to be our selves very tender and careful of his Reputation and to defend and promote it among others with all the Caution that we are able to be unwilling to believe his Faults and to conceal them as far as 't is lawful from the Publick and to use all friendly means to advise and reclaim him This is the summ of that Active Charity Acts of Charity in some respects Acts of Justice we owe to the several Capacities of our Brethren and this indeed according to the true meaning of it is a kind of Justice we owe to him Likewise Justice and Charity are so near ally'd that they are not to be separated the one constantly depends upon the other and they can never be devided without Injury to both To improve this excellent Vertue we can do nothing better then by laying The great Rule of Charity always before us that great Rule of Loving our Neighbour as our Selves this the Apostle makes the summ of our Duty and indeed we can hardly erre if we make that the Standard whereby to measure our Actions Peace-making is another Peace-making Act of Charity and may be of great use both to his Soul Body Goods and Credit God himself has pronounc'd the Peace-maker bless'd an encouragements sufficient to engage us to lay hold on all opportunities of setting upon this extraordinary Work of Charity but first every Man ought to have a special regard to his own Temper he that will undertake in such an excellent Office He that undertakes it must be peaceable himself has need to be qualified with all thâ— Graces of Peace Meekness and Charity Contentions and Quarrels and Litigious Suits and Controversies ought to be appeas'd and taken up with all the Caution that can be The going to Law iâ— the Cause be Just has Of going to Law commonly so many unhappy Appendages that according to the Judgment of St. Paul the tender regard we ought to have for Peace should rather encline us to take Wrong and suffer our selves to be defrauded then make use of it All that remains now is the extent of this Charity which is to reach to all Orderâ— and Degrees of Men even Charity to Enemies to our very Enemies this was our Blessed Lord's own Example then which there can be nothing greater to recommend it to us And thus I have run through the several Parts of our Duty to our Neighbour towards the right Performance of which there is nothing certainly can more conduce then the rooting Self-love an hinderance to this Charity out of our Hearts all kind of inordinate Love of our selves this is an unhappy Principle indeed and where it once takes root it soon
signifies yet more it means by Faith we should believe the Holy Scriptures to be his Word and that all that he speaks to us by them are most true that all that he affirms is Indubitable that his Commands Of Faith of God's Affirmations Commands Threatnings and Promises are Just and Equal his Threatnings and Punishments certain and unavoidable and that all his Promises are Yea and Amen and will most certainly be made good to all those that faithfully depend upon him This is the summ of our Faith or Belief of those things God has been pleased to reveal to us in the Holy Scriptures The next Duty to God is Hope which is a comfortable Expectation of his Promises and should be always preserv'd from the dangerous extream Of Hope Presumption and Despair of Presumption or Despair We should neither depend to much nor too little upon his Mercies but rely upon his Justice and Integrity for our Rewards and Punishments A Third Duty we owe to God is Love Of Love and the Motives i. e. Gods Goodness Excellence and his kindness to Men. a Duty which without doubt he has the the greatest right to both upon the account of his Goodness and Compassion to us his Innate Excellence and his particular Kindness to all Mankind God is most Good Just and Excellent he is perfectly Holy Kind and Compassionate and cannot be charg'd with any Impurity or the least mixture of any thing that is evil his Goodness and Kindness are Immence and Infinite and have been so abundantly demonstrated both to our Bodies and Souls that we cannot refuse him our Love without the greatest Injustice The Scripture abound with Holy Invitations endearing Promises and affectionate Offers by which he endeavours as it were to woo us into good Lives and to entreat us to accept of Happiness here and Eternal Happiness hereafter The two great Tokens of our true The Fruits of Love a desire to pleaseâ— and enjoy him Love to God are First An earnest desire to please him 〈◊〉 and Secondly To enjoy him This is the common Indication of true Love in all ordinary Cases and above all otheâ— things doth best approve us to thosâ— we have a real value for The reality of ouâ— Affections to Goâ— Of pleasing God are best declar'd bâ— a steady Conformitâ— to the Divine Will a readiness tâ— obey his Commandments and aâ— awful regard to his Precepts theâ— are indeed Arguments of our real Love and Affection and the only way we can make use of either to please him or to shew the sincerity of our Hearts Next to pleasing Of enjoying him God a desire to enjoy him is consistent with our Love if we love God in earnest we shall covet to be always in his Company conversing with him in Prayers and Meditations hearing his Word and receiving his Sacraments which is the only means of enjoying God in this World Our enjoyment of God in the next is far more permanent and compleat there we shall be continually with him in eternal fruition of Joy and Happiness in comparison of which all our advantages in â—his Life are but empty Baubles and Trifles A Fourth Duty to Fear God is Fear which â—rises from the consideration of his Power and Justice and those in Conjunction do both enable and oblige him to punish the Wicked an awful regard and belief of which is the only means that can restr 〈…〉 us from offending him God is the chiefesâ— Object of Fear and We ought not to fear Man more than God therefore we oughâ— not to fear Man morâ— than God I will noâ— fear says the Psalâ—mist what Man can do unto me Meâ— have no Power to do us hurt unlesâ— by God's Permission and then theâ— Malice can reach no further neitheâ— than our Goods Names Liberties or our Lives the Destruction oâ— Soul and Body together is Gods Preâ—rogative only 'T is God alone that knows aâ— our secret Thoughts and Transactâ—ons all our Sins though committeâ— with never so much Privacy lie alâ—ways open before him and he 'll bâ— sure to find us out and punish 〈◊〉 unless we repent which indeed iâ— the greatest Argument that can bâ— to awaken our Fears and engage ouâ— Apprehensions A Fifth Duty to God is Trust that is Trust a depending and resting upon him in all our Dangers Wants and Extremities whether Spiritual or Temporal In our Spiritual Dangers we are to Spiritual Dangers throw our selves upon God's Assistance and to implore him to strengthen us with the Grace of his Holy Spirit that we may be able to withstand or at least to remove the Temptation In our Temporal Temporal Dangers Dangers we are to rest and depend upon him to commit our selves to the shadow of his Wings under the Royal Prophets Assurance Psalm â—4 22. That the Lord delivereth the Souls of the Saints and all that put their trust in him shall not be destitute In all our Dangers and Distresses with Prayers and Tears we are to implore his aid and not attempt to deliver our selves by any wicked Act we must never use sinful means not We must not seek to deliver our selves by Sin even the Preservation of our Lives and Liberties can make any the least pretence for the doing an unjust thing Christ himself has told us that if we gain the whole World and loose our own Souls we are great loosers by the Bargain if therefore things should ever come to that unhappy Issue that we must part with our Estates perhaps our Lives or else commit Sin we should then remember that that 's the proper season to fight under the Banner of the great Captain of our Salvation the Crucify'd JESVS In our spiritual Necessities we are to Spiritual wants fly to God with Tears in our Eyes and invoke his Assistance we are to pour out our Souls before him and then we may depend upon it that as he has commanded us nothing that he has not given us Power to perform so he will suffer us to want nothing that we ask of him with a holy and devout Integrity of mind We are likewise to rely upon him in all Temporal wants our Temporal and Bodily Wants he has oblig'd himself to take care of all his faithful Servants his Eye is upon them that fear him and them that hope in his Mercy to deliver their Souls from Death and to feed them in the time of Famine If we do our Duty honestly and religiously The Benefits of trusting in God in our several Places and Callings then as the Apostle adviseth we may cast all our Care upon God who careth for us and he who is subject to no sort of Deceit or Impoverishment that best knows our wants and is best able to supply 'em will be sure in the proper season to relieve us against all Dangers and Necessities whether Spiritual or Temporal I conclude this with the words of the Apostle Phil. 4. 6.
defer for one Moment After they are iâ— structed in the Prâ—â—ciples Of Preaching of their Religâ— on they ought th 〈…〉 to apply themselves to the heariâ—â— of Sermons which they ought 〈◊〉 attend too not out of Custome Formality but for the true ends f 〈…〉 which they were first intendeâ— The Doctrines are to be lockt up our Hearts that we may have ' e 〈…〉 in a readiness to combate all o 〈…〉 Lust and Follies and to beat off a 〈…〉 our Temptations this is the greâ—â— end of Preaching and unless 〈◊〉 make this use of it it signifies littâ—â— towards the Salvation of our Souls Fifthly We are 〈◊〉 Honour God in 〈◊〉 strict Of the Sacraments Reverence 〈◊〉 the two Sacraments 〈…〉 Baptism and the Lords Sup 〈…〉 r the first we are to respect a particular Covenant between 〈…〉 d and our selves the first and 〈…〉 lieâ—t Sign of our Salvation and 〈…〉 e second as a remembrance of 〈…〉 rist's Death and the Priviledges 〈…〉 riv'd to us upon that account The Sacrament of 〈…〉 ptism being admiâ—â—â—tred Of Baptism to us in our â—ancy It is not expected from to perform the Covenants which 〈◊〉 engage our selves to by our 〈…〉 reties but then this lays the 〈…〉 eater Obligation upon us when 〈…〉 e come to Years of Discretion to double our Duty that we may 〈…〉 ake the best amends we can for 〈…〉 e defects of our Minority To come to a true Knowledge of 〈…〉 e Duties we Promise at our Bap 〈…〉 m the right way will be to con 〈…〉 er what our God fathers and God 〈…〉 others Vow in our 〈…〉 ames and that we The Vow of Baptism all find to be to re 〈…〉 unce the Devil and all his Works by which is meant t 〈…〉 Worshipping all false Gods whiâ—â— is indeed the worshipping the Dâ— vil Secondly The Pomps and Va 〈…〉 ties of the World that is all inor 〈…〉 nate desires of Riches and Gre 〈…〉 ness all unlawful Sports and Ex 〈…〉 ses in Meat or Apparel and all 〈…〉 ther sinful things wherein t 〈…〉 World is apt to deceive us a 〈…〉 Thirdly The sinful Lust of t 〈…〉 Flesh by which is understood 〈◊〉 inordinate Appetites and all u 〈…〉 clean and carnal Desires and t 〈…〉 is the first part of our Covenant The second general Thing o 〈…〉 God-fathers and God-mothers p 〈…〉 mis'd for us in our Baptism 〈◊〉 that we should believe all the A 〈…〉 cles of the Christian Faith as th 〈…〉 are summ'd up to us in the Ap 〈…〉 stles Creed and not barely belieâ— them neither but to have all 〈◊〉 Principles so deeply impress'd aâ— engraven in our Minds that frâ—â— thence we may be able to draw s 〈…〉 ficient Motives to the Practice Vertue and Piety The last part of our Vow is that we should keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the â—ame all the Days of our Lives â—hat is that according to the Diâ—ections of Gods word we should â—alk all our Days in the Paths of â—rue Religion Honesty and Sobriâ—ty This being in short The strict obligations of this Vow of Baptism â—he Substance of our â—ow the next thing 〈◊〉 the Obligations we all under to perform â—t and herein I need only tell you â—tis a Vow of the most solemn and â—inding Nature and that you cannot â—reak it without being not only unâ—ust but forsworn besides 't is â—ur Interest to keep it upon many Accounts but especially upon the Account of the great Priviledges it â—â—titles us to from the Promises of God convey'd to us in that Sacraâ—ent PARTITION III. Of the Sacrament of the Lords Suppâ—â— of Preparation before as Examination of Repentance Faith anâ— Obedience of Duties to be done 〈◊〉 the Receiving and afterwardâ— c. THE Reverencâ— The Lords Supper due to the S 〈…〉 crament of the Lord 〈…〉 Supper is the next thing which according to my first Division I shaâ—â— consider by laying down what is tâ— be done before at and after thâ— Receiving The first thing tâ— be done before thâ— Things to be done before Receiving The first is Examination Sacrament is Examination which is 〈◊〉 strict enquiry into thâ— state of our Souls and the Condition oâ— our Lives and thiâ—â— in the Judgment of St. Paul is so essentially necessary that we ought not to presume to make any approaches towards the Holy Table without it For the perfecting your Examination you are to consider the Nature of your Covenant which is a renewal of your Baptismal Vow and since that is the chief end three things follow in Course First That we be well Instructed in the Covenant it self Secondly What have been our Breaches And Thirdly Then that we resolve upon a better Performance for the Future â—nd these Three are to be the geâ—eral Grounds of our Examination And First You 'll find that this â—s a Covenant made by God with â—is Son Christ Jesus for the Reâ—emption of all Mankind and that â—e Conditions on our side are an â—â—ire Obedience to all his Comâ—ands and the state of our Knowâ—â—dge in this is the first part of our â—xamination The next is conâ—erning Sins our Breaches of this Covenant which we can never know with that exactness as wâ— ought without comparing them with the Law of God which as iâ— is the truest rule and measure 〈◊〉 our Duty so 't is the best means tâ— lead us to the Knowledge and Fountain of our Sins Our Sins alas aâ— of many sorts and dâ— grees Several sorts and degrees and require great deal both of oâ—â— Judgment and Deliberation to enquire aright into their Causes anâ— Consequences It requires a greaâ— deal of Skill to heighten and aggravate the Circumstances of our Guilâ— to that degree till we come at laâ— to a true Sence of the hainousneâ— of them The end of Examination is to bring 〈◊〉 to Humiliation and Contrition this and to a rig 〈…〉 Knowledge of oâ—â— Sins to humble us 〈◊〉 the sight of God and to melt oâ—â— Hearts into a deep Sorrow and Coâ—trition upon the Consideration 〈◊〉 our Demerits and Injustice towards him we are likewise to Pray for the Assistance of God's Spirit in the discovery of all our Sins and for his Grace that we may throughly beâ—ail and lament them After we have wrought our selves Confession and Faith by the assistance of our Examination to a â—ixt hatred and aversion against all our Sins then we are humbly to confess 'em to Almighty God who by the precious Blood of his Son Jesus Christ we are faithfully to believe will be reconcil'd to us and upon the account of our intire Obedience will vouchsafe us the Salvation of our Souls And then when Resolutions of Obedience we have thus examin'd and prepar'd our selves with respect to our Humiliation and Contrition our Confession and Faith the next thing is our Resolution of Obedience which must not be only in general
but with a particular regard to every individual Commandment of Go 〈…〉 deriv'd from a fixt and solid hatr 〈…〉 against all manner of Sins The means of t 〈…〉 new and intire Ob 〈…〉 dience Of the means and of present renouncing of Sin must be o 〈…〉 next Care which w 〈…〉 be best perfected 〈◊〉 an impartial retr 〈…〉 into our own Minds there 〈◊〉 may discover the Springs and Fou 〈…〉 tains of our Sins and what Tem 〈…〉 tations we are expos'd to and 〈◊〉 be in a capacity to shun and avo 〈…〉 them and this must be done i 〈…〉 mediately too without any ma 〈…〉 ner of Delay or Pretence for t 〈…〉 it be done and a Bill of Divorce g 〈…〉 ven to every Lust we are in no r 〈…〉 spect fit to meet our Redeemer 〈◊〉 the Holy Table Beside this we a 〈…〉 to put our Souls in 〈…〉 Of imbracing Vertue and quickning Graces the best posture th 〈…〉 we can by imbracinâ— all the Vertues of 〈…〉 good Life and 〈◊〉 possessing them with all those Grâ—â—es that may render them acceptable in the Eyes of God and this we may do effectually by contemplating the Promises and goodness of God and by meditating upon the exemplary Life and Doctrine of our blessed Lord. His Life will put us Charity and Devotion and the necessity of those Graces â—n mind of that Charity and forgiving temper which is so often and solemnly requir'd of us and so essentially necessary in our Sacramental Preparations 't is Death for us to approach God's Feast of Love with any manner of Ranchor or Malice we are to bring no other Dispositions thither but what are dictated to us from a devout Mind A fixt and settled Devotion earnest and frequent Prayers and a Soul disentangled from the World are our properest Companions for this Sacrament and for these we are earnestly to implore God's Assistance without whose help in assisting us with the Graces aforementioned we can never expect 〈◊〉 compleat our Preparations And for the better perfecting aâ— this we are to apply our selves 〈◊〉 our spiritual Guide to the Minister of our own Parish who is th 〈…〉 properest Person in this Case 〈◊〉 him without any manner of reservâ— we are to declare our Doubts anâ— Jealousies and to take his Assistance and Directions and herein 〈◊〉 sort The usefulness of a spiritual Guide We should not be asham'd to discover our selves of shame to discover ourselves oughâ— to deter or disincourage us we oughâ— to open our Case fairly and Impartially that he may know perfectly how matter stand between God and our Soulâ— and then he will be able to give uâ— Advice how to cure both ouâ— Doubts and our Sins the doubtful anâ— As necessary to the Confident as the Doubtful the confident are equally oblig'd to this our own Judgment are not intirely to be relied upon in a Concern where there is so much weight and difficulty nor is the Advantage of a spiritual Guide to be rejected when it can be of use in the Improvement of our Preparation These are the Duties before the Sacrament The next thing is what is to be done at the Time of Receiving At the time of Receiving to meditate upon our unworthiness and Christ's Sufferings and here First Consider thy own unworthiness and how unfit thy Sins and Frailties and the repeated breach of thy Vows have render'd thee for such a Holy Table from hence let thy Meditations lead thee to the Sufferings of Christ When we see the Bread broken and the Wine pour'd out we should reflect that his blessed Body was torn and his Blood split and that it was our Sins that was the Cause of both Consider likewise that the Sufferings of Chrst were the only means to attone the wrath of God and then The Atonement wrought by them thankfulness for them the Love of Christ in them consider what unexpressible thanks are due to him for preserving thy Souâ— that must have perish'd eternally without his help this great Love of Christ for us should stir up in us a love for him and engage us immediately to take up solemn Resolutions to Sin no more and that we may indeed perform these Resolutions we ought earnestly to beg of this crucified Saviour that he will by the Power of his Death mortifie and kill all our Corruptions Just as we are about to receive the The Benefits of the new Covenant seal'd in the Sacrament Consecrated Bread and Wine we should remember that then God is entring into a New Covenant with us that he 's now giving us fresh Assurances of the Pardon of our Sins if we perform our part of the Condition as soon as we have receiv'd we ought to Vpon receiving give thanks and Pray offer him our devoutest Praises for that great Mercy and should be sure never to forget to send up our Prayers to him not more for our selves than for the good Estate of the Church and for the Conversion of all Mankind After the Sacrament After the Sacrament private prayers and Thanksgivings is over then we ought as soon as Possible to retire our selves and to repeat again our Prayers and Praises and to renew our Promises and to beg the Assistance of God's Grace to enable us to make 'em good and to pursue our present Purposes to the end of our Lives The Day we receive Not presently to fall to worldly Affairs the Sacrament should be kept void of all worldly Cares and Business we should spend that Day especially in Prayers and Meditations and indeed no Day should pass but we should call to mind the Promises To keep our Resolutions and the danger of breaking them we make to God at the Sacrament and consider seriously the danger we expose ouâ— selves to in breaking them In breaking ouâ— Vows at the Sacrament Making God and our Conscience our Enemy we make God our Enemy and engage him to withdraw from us all manner of Kindness and Compassion nay we raise an Enemy within ouâ— own Bosom our Conscience must needs fly in our Face and upbraid us with the breach of such solemn Vows and Covenants Gods Mercies in pardoning us heretofore should not give us the least encouragement to provoke him again to presume upon this is a very high abuse of his goodness The obligation of our Sacramental Vows are God's former pardons nâ— incouragement the vow perpetual yet often to be renewed perpetual and can never be violated without the breach of our Oaths 't is perpetual 't is true and yet 't is to be renew'd often We are to do it as often as we have opportunity in remembrance that Christ died for us And thus I have shew'd you the Reverence we are to pay to God in his Sacrament PARTITION IV. Honour due to God's Name Sin 's against it Blasphemy Swearing of Assertory Promissory unlawful Oaths of Perjury vain Oaths and the Sin of them THE
twâ— of the most dangerous Enemies 〈◊〉 Mankind Pride in the firâ—â— Place is a very greâ—â— Pride a great Sin betraies us to other Sins frustrates all Remedies Exposes us to Punishment and provoking Sin 〈◊〉 has been often sheâ— by God's severe Pâ—nishments of it it 〈◊〉 in some respects 〈◊〉 ther a Parent or Nurse to most othâ—â— Vices by betrayiâ—â— us first and then 〈◊〉 drawing us in to reject all Remedâ— and by frustrating all the desiâ—â— and overtures of Gods Mercies aâ— beside this too it betrays us to â—â—nishments God having all alâ—â— declar'd himself the proud Maâ— particular Enemy 'T is likewise a very foolish Vice a Vice The Folly of Pride in respect of the Goods of Nature Fortune or Grace that argues the greatest Folly that can be because there can be nothing either in the Goods of Nature Fortune or Grace that with any reasonable pretence we can be proud of That this dangerous and foolish Sin is to be avoided I suppose we may take for granted and the chief Means to do it are by applying our selves to God for the Grace of Humility Means of Humility which may be best acquir'd by a Reflection upon our own Sins Follies Meanness and Imperfections to which we ought to joyn our hearty Prayers that God would make us some of those poor in Spirit to whom the Blessings of Heaven are promis'd Secondly Vain Glory that is an empty thirst after the Praise of Men is likewise opposite to Humility and a very great Sin for it betraies Vain Glory the Sin Danger and Folly of it Men into several dangers but more especially erraces Christ out of their Heartâ— 'T is an Indication of Folly too which every one must be satisfied in that would but consider what 't is he hunts for only a little empty Applause a little popular Air which can never bring him any solid advantage the Means to help this Helps against Vain-Glory are to consider oâ—â— selves in the first place and then the true state of things in the second and 〈◊〉 weigh both in the Ballance of Wisdom and Sobriety Meekness that is a Calm and peacefâ—â— Meekness and the advantages of it Temper is another great Vertue and may be exercised both with respect to God and our selves that towards God falls under the Head of Humility and is already spoken to as it respects our selves 't is an Advantage in a great many Particulars more especially as it promotes our Honour and Reputation enables us to bear the Sufferings of Humane Life with Ease and Moderation and with Prudence and a good posture of Mind and the proper Means to obtain Means of obtaining it this most admirable Vertue are by comparing the Loveliness and Benefits of it with the ugliness and mischiefs of Rage and Anger but above all by contemplating the Life and Example of that great Pattern of all Meekness Jesus Christ Consideration is a third Vertue that relates Consideration of our state 't is the rule to try our State to the Soul and directs us to preponderate both our State and our Actions to weigh our State first and to consider both the Grounds of our Faith and the Case of our Souls and accordingly to prepare our selves against the Day of Deatâ— and Judgment anâ— the neglect of thiâ— The Danger of Inconsideration most excellent Vertue has been the ruine of thousands and is the general Cause of all our Sinâ— and Misfortunes It directs us too iâ— our Actions teacheâ— Of our Actions before and after we do them us to advise with ouâ— Consciences and tâ— debate the probablâ— good or ill of every thing we do before we do it and tâ— examine likewise those things thaâ— we have already done whether they may be warranted by the Lawâ— of God and the Rules of Religioâ— and Sobriety upon many Accountâ— therefore we are to employ it often both with respect to our State anâ— Actions and to makâ— up our Accounts frequently Frequency of Consideration and Danger of omitting it and the plain Reason for it iâ— this because ouâ— Lives are so wavering and uncertain that we hazard our Salvation when ever we lie down to sleep in an unrepented Sin PARTITION VII Of Contentedness and the contraries to it Murmurings Ambition Covetousness Envy Helps to Contentedness of Duties which concern our Bodies of Chastity c. Helps to it of Temperance THE next Duty Contentment to our selves is contentedness which consists in an evenness and an humble acquiescense under any State it shall please God to allot for us and without this 't is impossible we should be in any tolerable Condition of Happiness The The contraries murmuring Ambition and Covetousness Contraries to it are Murmurings and Impatience under God's Dispensations all Ambitious Thoughts and Desires anâ— all sorts of Covetousness Gripingâ— and Extortions Covetousness is a very great and high Covetousness contrary to our Duty to God our Selves and our Neighbours Offence and directly opposite to the great Duties we owe to God our Selves and our Neighbours 'tis opposite to our Duty to God by taking our Minds off from him and embarasing them with the Cares and Troubles of the World 't is opposite to our Duties to our Selves both with regard to our Souls and Bodies by urging us to sacrifice the first to a little Pelf and Dross and the latter to Pains and Disappointments and so 't is opposite to our Duties to our Neighbours both in our Justice and Charity by forcing us upon unlawful Means and by setting us upon false and indirect measures contentedness Contentedness contrary to Envy is also contrary to all kind of Envy and Malice and can never inhabit in any Breast that is the least tinctur'd with Prejudice or Revenge Helps for Contentment Helps to contentment are the Consideration of God's Goodness Power and Justice and his universal Care of the World that all our Affairs are in his hand who knows our Wants better than our selves Secondly We should consider the Vanity of all earthly things by comparing them with the essential Joys of Heaven that we are here but as Strangers and Pilgrims and that whatever our outward Condition may be there 's a time coming when we shall be deliver'd from the burthen of all our Sins and Sorrows and be enstated in a Happiness large as our Wish and lasting as our Souls A Fifth Duty is Diligence which is a Diligence It consists in Watchfulness and Industry to improve the Gifts of Nature and Grace Duty which we likewise owe to our Souls by watching carefully over them and diligently guarding theâ— against all Dangers and then improving them industriously in every Vertue and in all the Giftâ— of Nature and the accomplishments of Grace We must likewise improve and cherish Good Motions to be improv'd the danger of defeâ—â—ing them all good Motions and make the most of every Holy Suggestion lest upon our
Reproaches Lying Scandal and Railing make up the base Composition which as the Apostle long ago observ'd were amongst other Works of the Flesh fit only to shut Men out of the Church here and the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter The Private way of spreading such Reports is Whispering this is a way as Whispering dangerous if not worst then the former and is by St. Paul mention'd in the Catalogue of great Crimes which are the effect of a Reprobate Mind this is a kind of Slander that like secret Poysoâ— destroys us insensibly 't is Solomonâ— Observation that the Wisperer separates chief Friends than which nothing can argue louder for the suppressing of it The several Steps Several Steps toward this Sin of this Vice are to be carefully avoided as First We should be so far from encouraging it that we should rather reject the very first approaches of the Tale-bearer Secondly We should be very Cautious how we believe false Reports or rather we should never give any Credit at all to them And Thirdly We should be sure never to report any thing we here from such kind of People but look upon 'em no less Enemies to us then to those of whom they are speaking Besides this open way of impairing our Neighbours Credit there is yet another which though it may seem to be a little more plausible is yet in all respects as bad as the former I mean Scoffing and Reviling Scoffing and Reviling which indeed is not only an Injury to our Neighbour but even to God himself The three Things for which Men are For Infirmities Calamities and Sins commonly revil'd are either for their Infirmities their Calamities or their Sins and why should Men be despis'd for that which they cannot help this is calling God's Providence to an Account especially with respect to the two former indeed for our Sins they have more of our Wills 't is true but then considering they make us the most miserable of any thing else without doubt they require a great deal of our Pity and Compassion We owe likewise a Negative Justice to Destroying the Credit a great Injury and irreparable the Credit and Reputation of our Neighbour his Credit is the most valuable thing he has and therefore to Rob him of that is the highest Injury we can do him 't is the highest because his Damage is irreparable the utmost we can do can never make him amends and yet Every guilty Person to do all he can in Order to it we must do our best because without it we can never expect God's Pardon for the Sin Thus I have past through the four Branches of Negative Justice to our Neighbour and yet must further observe that this Justice binds our Justice in the Thoughts Thoughts as well as our Words and Actions nay it confines even our Wishes and Affections Our whole Hearts should be intent upon his Good and our Minds constantly taken up which way we may best promote the Happiness both of his Soul and Body I come now to speak Positive Justice of Positive Justice by which is intended the giving to every Man his proper dues whether General or Particular as First The speaking Truth in general Speaking Truth a due to all Men. of all Mankind this is a common debt we owe to every one and indeed we are bound to thâ— strict performance of it by many strong and weighty Obligations but the greatest of all is because Lying is a Vice so scandalous and odious in it self and so solemnly condemn'd in many parts of Holy Scripture Lying forbid in Scripture but then what 's very strange notwithstanding 't is the most Lying a common and foolish Sin foolish and ridiculous 't is become so common that 't is a great Rariety to use the Words of the Royal Prophet to find a Man that speaks the Truth from his Heart Next to this we owe to all Humanityâ— Courtesie due to all yet unpaid by the Proud and a courteous and affable Behaviour a Vertue which a Proud Man can never arrive to he is so busie in admiring himself that he overlooks all the Perfections of others Meekness is likewise Meekness a due to all Men. a Debt we owe to every Body and indeed a very great accomplishment and highly necessary for the Preservation of the Peace of the World whilst on the contrary all sorts of Brawlings and Contentions Brawlingvery unsufferable and leads to the Sin of Cursing tend to Disorder and Confusion nay what 's worse they tend to a great many Sins too but especially to that most provoking Sin Cursing and Execration Having thus far Particular Dues spoken of Dues in General I come now to the Particular which Men are ordinarily entitl'd to upon some special Qualification the three chief are that of Excellency that of Want and that of Relation And first a Man is entitl'd to our Respect A respect due to Men of extraordinary Gifts upon the Account of his Excellency I mean for his extraordinary Gifts and Endowments such as are Wisdom Learning Grace and the like and such a Person we are in no respect either to Envy or Revile or to grudge at God's We are not to Envy them nor detract from them Blessings and Kindness to him we should not attempt to detract from his Worth or to cloud or darken his Merits but rather do our best to make 'em as conspicuous as we can and this we should do not only as it is a Debt which we owe to him but because the contrary is an Act The Folly of both these of extream folly as well as ill Nature and Injustice Beside the Excellencies of the Mind we owe a regard to the Quality and outward Advantages God for the due governing of the World A respect due to Men in regard of their Ranks and Qualities â—â—as decreed several Orders and Classes of Men to each of which in Proportion to their respective Dignity we are to pay a due Respect We are also Debtors Dues to those that are in any sort of Want to the Poor to Persons under any kind of Want whether Spiritual or Temporal but more especially to the Poor who by Gods particular Appointment have a solemn Right to our superfluities and then it can be nothing else but an arrant Robbery to bestow that upon our Lust or Vanity which is assign'd for their Portion In the Case of the Poor we are Gods Stewards and 't is the same unjustice and fraud for us to embezle that which he has entrusted with us as it is for any Steward to misemploy that which was intended for the use of his Masters Family and commonly too meets with the God withdraws those Abilities that are not thus employ'd Doom of the unjust Steward in the Gospel to cause us to he put out of our Stewardship and have those Abilities taken away that have been so unfaithfully employ'd The
third Qualification is that of Relation Duties in respect to Relation and of this there are divers sorts as First that of a Debtor to a Creditor and of an oblig'd Person to his Benefactor and in both these Particulars we are bound by the strictest ties of Justice and Gratitude Not to pay our just Gratitude to Benefactors the contrary too common Debts when we are able is a Vice almost unpardonable and 〈◊〉 be ungrateful to a Benefactor however common it may be in this unthankful Age is an Act the most sordidly base and disingenieus PARTITION XIV Of Duty to Magistrates Pastors Of the Duty of Parents to Children c. Of Childrens Duty to Parents I Come now to the Duty to Parents nearest kind of Relations and in the first Rank of those I place our Duty to Parents whether Civil Spiritual or Natural The Civil Parent is To the Supream Magistrate Honour he who by a just right possesses the Throne and to him we owe Honour and Reverence we are to look upon him as a Person upon whom God has stamp'd a great deal of his own Power and Authority and upon no Account to speak evil of him or revile him Next we owe him our Tribute which we are to pay him with the utmost both of Justice and Freedom Thirdly Tribute Prayers and Obedience We are to Pray for him that God would direct and assist him in all his Undertakings And Fourthly We owe him a solemn and strict Obedience which both the Laws of God and Nature have commanded us to observe wiâ—â— the most awful and religious Submission The second sorts of Parents aâ—â— the Spiritual viz. thâ— Ministers of Godâ— Duties to our Pastors Word and such aâ— are entrusted with the Salvation of Souls to them we owe the highest Love and Kindness we are oblig'd to esteem and value them as our best and truest Friends we are likewise to contribute to their Maintenance Love Esteem Maintenance Obedience and Prayer and withaâ— to look upon them aâ— Gods Messengers and upon that Account tâ— behave our selves 〈◊〉 them with a great deal of distance and respect and to put up our earnest Prayers to God for them that he would grant them the assistance of his Spirit to enable them rightly to discharge their Holy Calling The third sort of Parent is the Natural Duties to our Natural Parent by which is meant the Fathers of our â—lesh Towards these â—e are to demean our Reverence Love c. â—â—lves with Reverence and Humility and â—pon no Account to contemn or â—â—spise them either in our outward â—ehaviour or in our Hearts we we them our most ardent Love and â—nderest Affection and ought to â—â—hor every thing that can give them the least Cause of Grief or â—isquiet We owe likewise Obedience â—r Obedience to all â—e Commands of our Parents that â—â—e not opposite to the Laws of â—od and cannot violate them â—â—thout exposing our selves to the Punishments he has so often denounc'd in Scripture against disobedient Children Children are not to Marry without the Children not to Marry without the Consent of their Parents Consent of their Parents every Child is so much the Right and Possession of his Parent that he muâ—â— be guilty of Theft to dispose 〈◊〉 himself without his Consent We are likewise bound according to 〈◊〉 Abilities to suppâ—â— their Wants and 〈◊〉 To provide for their Wants Duties to the worst of Parents administer to them 〈◊〉 any kind of Extremity and all this is 〈◊〉 be done even to thâ— worst of Parents But as there aâ—â— many things due froâ— Duties of Parents to Children the Child to the â—â—rent so there are soâ—â— from the Parent 〈◊〉 the Child The Parent is obligâ— to nourish and sustain the Chiâ—â— till he comes of Age to do it himself he is likewise to take Care for his Soul by bringing him early to the To bring them to Baptism to educate them Sacrament of Baptism and by having him timely instructed in the Principles of Religion and educated in the true Faith and Fear of God and as a Means to improve his Education too he is Means towards their Education to encourage and correct him and to use all wise and gentle Means in order to impress upon him a timely Sence of Vertue and good Morals Thirdly The Parent The Parent to watch over the Childs Soul is to watch over the Soul of his Child after he comes to years of Maturity and as often as he finds occasion to exhort encourage and reprove him he is likewise to take Care of his outward To provide for their Sustenance State by providing him with a suitable Condition of Life but above all he is to lay before him a good Example To give them good Example and to make his own Life a fit Pattern for him from whence he may transcribe the true Rules of Vertue Honour Honesty and Godliness and then he is to Bless him and Pray To Bless them and to give them no unreasonable Commands for him and to recommend him often to God's Care and Protection And besides all this too he must be extreamly careful that all the Commands he laies upon him are just and reasonable and in all respects utterly distant from all sorts of harshness or severity PARTITION XV. Of Duties to our Brethren and Relations Husband Wife Friends Masters Servants THE second sort Duties to Brethren Natural Love of Relation is that of a Brother which we may take in a double Sence either Natural or Spiritual I begin with the First the Duties between Natural Brethren I mean such that are of the same immediate Parents And the Duty of these is to have united Hearts and Affections to love one another with great Tenderness and Sincerity and to do their utmost to promote their mutual Good and Happiness This is a Duty so necessary in all The necessity of Love among Brethren Points that without â—t no Family where there is any number of Brothers and Sisters can propose any tolerable Ease or Satisfaction The second sort are Spiritual Brethren Spiritual Brethren under which Notion are comprehended all those that are baptiz'd in the same Faith and Church with our selves and to all these our Compassion is to be the most melting and affectionate with these we are to profess and defend the Faith of Christ Crucify'd and to communicate with 'em in Our Duty to hold Communion with them To bear their Infirmities to restore them after falls and to sympathize with them all Holy Offices we are to bear with their Infirmities and in a friendly manner to admonish and reprove 'em and by fair and gentle Methods to endeavour to bring them to Repentance after they are fall'n We are to sympathize with them in all their Agonies and Distresses whether of Soul Mind or Body The third Relation is that between Husband The
choaks both our Charity and our Justice if therefore we ever intend our Charity should grow in our Minds we must first weed out of 'em this Sin of Self-love for 't is impossible they can prosper together and then when this and all other hinderances are remov'd we are to fly to our grand Remedy Prayer that God would Prayer a means to procure it frame our Hearts into such a galless Temper that we may be enabled rightly to perform this great Duty And now I have done with those several Christian Duties both possible and pleasant things I at first propos'd in shewing what is our Duty to God our Selves and our Neighbour and surely through the whole there seems nothing of Impossibility the things themselves are all reasonable Just and Practicable and what 's more delightful and pleasant too even those that may seem to expose us to Persecutions and Even when they expose us to Suffering Suffering from their Ends and Consequences are the Objects of more Joy then Grief There is such a Power in Vertue such a Satisfaction in a good Conscience and such a Secret and constant Pleasure in the Performance of the Christian Duties that there is no Apology to be made for our Neglect beside 't is a dangerous thing to defer our return to God the Particulars I have set down in The danger of delaying our turning to God the Discourse of Repentance and thither I refer you with the Wise Kings most rational Advice Eccles 5. 7. Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord and put not off from Day to Day An Introductory Prayer for Faith BLessed Lord God strengthen and confirm my Faith I besee thee that I may truly believe and depend upon thy Holy Name and Word improve my Understanding and direct my Will that whatsoever I read in this or any Book tending to the Promotion of Religion and the Salvation of my Soul may sink so deep into my Mind that I may bring forth by it the Fruit of good Living to thy Praise and Honour O Jesus my only Mediator and Advocate A Prayer suited for the First Partition INstruct me O my God in the Whole Duty of Man enrich me with thy blessed Spirit that the Lights of Nature and Scripture may shine bright in me and guide me through the distinct Branches of my Duty to Thee my Self and my Neighbour Give me O Jesus merciful Jesus such an awful Sence of thy Eternal Essence that by a steady and unalterable Faith I may lay hold on thy gracious Promises improve and enliven my hope by a fixt and solid Dependance upon thy Goodness and yet restrain me too that I may in no respect be possest with the Vanity of Presumption O God of Love inspire my Soul with such a Holy Ardency that I may make it the whole business of my Life to Adore and Love Thee O God of Love Let the Fear of Thee O glorious Majesty posses me with such a Holy Reverence and Regard for Thee that I may be afraid to do any thing against the Honour due to thy Name or to provoke Thee with any kind of Sin or Folly and in all my Wants and Extremities give me Grace to put my whole Trust and Confidence in Thee O Almighty Lord For the Second ENdow me O Lamb of God with a Spirit of Meekness and Humility that I may be enabl'd to submit to thy Will and to undergo all the Sufferings of my Life with Calmness and Moderation O thou Eternal Fountain of all Honour Glory and Power for thy own sake I beseech Thee impress deeply upon my Soul a high Reverence and Regard for thy House the Church and the Possessions thou hast set a part for thy own Use and let thy Day thy Word and thy Sacraments be always precious in my sight O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer For the Third O Merciful Jesus who hast prepar'd a blessed Feast for the Entertainmment of my Soul give me Grace before I presume to approach thy Table to prove my Self by a strict Examination how fit I am to be a Guest at such an Holy Banquet and seeing I can never prepare my self as I ought without Repentance Faith and Obedience Direct me I beseech Thee in the right performance of those great Duties and in every other Grace and Vertue that is any ways requisite to qualifie me aright for that awful Mystery For the Fourth O Omnipotent and Eternal God I acknowledg'd thy Name is Great Wonderful and Holy and most worthy of Honour and Adoration keep me therefore dread Lord from all kind of Blasphemy and Perjury and from all vain and unlawful Oaths and from every other Sin that may any ways tend to debase the Majesty of thy most glorious Name For the Fifth THY Name O Lord is thy own glorious Self Hear me therefore O great Jehova That when I Pray Repent or Fast or do any of the other Duties of Religion I may do them all with an habitual Reverence and Purity of Intention to the Praise and Honour of thy Name For the Sixth DIrect me O my God in the Duties to my Self Impress upon me O Eternal Goodness a sober Mind and an Humble Spirit that I may acquit my self to Thee and my Fellow-Creature as becomes a Wise Man and a good Christian keep I beseech Thee all Pride and Vain-Glory out of my Heart and from a due Reflection upon the Folly and Danger that attends them give me Grace to use the means to prevent 'em effectually endow me O thou Author of all good Gifts with a meek and quiet Spirit that I may form my Life after thy Example O blessed Jesus For the Seventh BLess me O Father of Mercy with a contented Mind through every State and Turn of my Life and let neither Murmuring Ambition Covetousness or Envy at any time get the Dominion over my Reason and disturb the Composure of my Soul Assist me mercifully O Lord in the performance of those Duties that concern my Body that by the help of Chastity and Temperance I may utterly mortifie all my Corrupt Lusts and Appetites and make it a fit Receptacle for a pure Mind and a quiet Conscience For the Eighth GIve me O thou Eternal Fountain of all Order and Sobriety a fixt and setl'd Hatred against all Intemperance but more especially against that of excessive Drinking discover to me I beseech Thee the false Ends of Drinking and imprint upon me such a deep sence of the Danger and Folly and withal of the Loathsomeness of it that I may reject it as a Vice much below the Dignity of a Man much more of a Christian For the Ninth O Holy Holy Holy Lord God direct me I beseech Thee in a right Application of all thy Blessings Thou hast given me leave to Sleep for the Support and Repose of my Frail Body teach me likewise O God of Temperance to measure it by the Ends for which thou was at first pleas'd to ordain
it Let all my Recreations be moderate and inoffensive and us'd with the strictest Caution with regard to Thee my Neighbour and my Self give me Grace and Prudence to avoid all Gaiety in my Apparel and to prefer the inward Ornaments of my Soul to all useless Trappins and all gaudy and insignificant Shews and Formalities For the Tenth INstruct me O Eternal Father of all Truth and Equity in the Duties I owe to my Neighbour grant I beseech Thee that I may direct my Life by the constant Rules of Justice both Negative and Positive Prevent me O Crucify'd Saviour from that crying Sin of Murder let the hainousness the Punishments and the strange Discoveries thou hast been pleas'd to make of it be always in my View to deter me from it even in the most minute Particulars For the Eleventh GIve me Grace O Blessed Redeemer that after thy Example I may observe a strict and Positive Justice to my Neighbour in all his Possessions Stamp deep upon my Mind I intreat Thee O my God a tender regard for him in his Wife and in all his worldly Goods Lord I beseech Thee defend me from the Sins of Oppression and Theft and give me Grace to acquit my Self justly in all my Dealings and to behave my self as becomes an honest Man in all manner of Bargains and Commerce For the Twelfth LET thy merciful Ears O Lord be open to my Prayers for the sake of thy own Eternal Equity errace utterly out of my Mind all unjust Notions and let no Temptations to any sort of Robbery at any time get the Dominion over me improve my Mind I beseech Thee with such a determinate hatred against all kind of Deceit that I may immediately resolve upon that great Duty of a Christian Restitution And this I beg of Thee with the highest Ardency for thy own sake O merciful Jesus For the Thirteenth O Eternal God of Truth guide me I beseech Thee by thy blessed Spirit that I may be exactly careful how I Believe or Report any thing to the Prejudice of my Neighbour keep me from the dangerous Sins of Perjury and Slandering from all base and malicious Whisperings and from all fly and injurious Insinuations O God of Righteousness let the tenderness and regard I owe to my Fellow Christian sink so deep into my Soul that I may neither Scoff at his Calamities or Infirmities nor deride his very Sins Give me O King of Justice such a Positive Vprightness and Integrity that I may abhor all sorts of Lying Envy and Detraction and that I may preserve an humble and intire Gratitude and Thankfulness towards my Friends and Benefactors but especially towards Thee O bountiful Jesus For the Fourteenth O God of all Order and Power who in thy Wisdom hast appointed several Ranks and Degrees of Men among us give me an awful Sence of that profound Obedience and Respect I owe to all the Magistrates Pastors and Governours in their respective Stations teach me O my God! as a Child that Love and Reverence I owe to my Parents and as a Parent that Care and Duty I owe to my Children that in both Capacities I may discharge my Trust after the Direction of thy most Holy Precepts O King of Righteousness For the Fifteenth TEach me O merciful God and Saviour that I may acquit my self to all my Brethren whether Spiritual or Temporal and to all my Relations as becomes a Member of the Christian Profession in the several Capacities of a Husband Friend Master and Servant teach me O merciful God to behave my self as becomes a Member of thy most Holy Religion O blessed Jesus For the Sixteenth INstruct me I beseech Thee O Almighty Lord in all the Branches of my Duty to my Neighbour After thy own Example O unchangeable Goodness Direct my Charity towards him with respect to his Soul his Body his Goods and his Credit give me such a Spirit of Positive Justice that I may value him upon all Accounts equal to my self and be always ready to do the very best I can to propagate his Interest in both Worlds I beg this of Thee with the utmost Ardency of my Soul O Jesus merciful Jesus For the Seventeenth O Merciful God who hast mark'd out my Compassion to my Fellow Creature as the Standard by which thou intendest to measure Thine to me Give me I beseech Thee an intire and universal Charity Open my Bowels that I may be ready to help and further him in all his Extremities Grant O my God for the sake of thy own Love that I may be always prepar'd to vindicate my Neighbours good Name upon all occasions that I may judge the best and speak well of him and conceal or excuse his Infirmities that I may be impatient to hear slow to believe and unwilling to propagate evil Reports lodge him in my Heart in the very next Place to my Self that I may constantly Study his Peace and value it equal to my own keep me from all Litigious Suits and Controversies let an even and regular Charity run through my whole Life and Actions and extend it self even to my very Enemies I beg this and every thing else thou in thy Wisdom knows useful for me for Jesus Christ his Sake Amen Amen FINIS Books Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey CAtholicism without Popery An Essay to render the Church of England a Means and a Pattern of Union to the Christian World â—ctavo The Mourners Companion Or Funeral Discourses on several Texts â—n Two Parts By Mr. John Shower Octavo The Dying Mans Assistant Or Short Instructions for those who are concerned in the preparing of Sick Persons for Death Being no â—ess worthy the Consideration of all good Christians in time of Health â—hewing the importance of an Early Preparation for their latter End with regard as well to their Temporal as Eternal State By a Divine of the Church of England Twelves The London Dispensatory reduced to the Practise of the London Physicians wherein are contained the Medicines that are now in use and such as are not in the Latine Copy added with their Vertues and Use By John Pechy of the Colledge of Physicians in London Twelves Price 1 s. 6 d. Mr. Clark's Concordance to the Bible Twelves