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 OF THE 
 
 AT , 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
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 SAMUEL AGNEW. 
 
 ■ ' F II I I. A Ii E L P H I A , PA. 
 
 
 ■ ,~ *> F P H I L A II I 
 
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 | Case, : ' 
 | J?oofc, . _ ' 
 
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THE 
 
 ChrifliarPs Companion? 
 
 IN THE 
 
 Principles of Religion, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 Concerns of Human Life. 
 
 IN FOUR PARTS. 
 CONTAINING, 
 
 I. Of GOD, His Being and Attributes. 
 II. The Sum of our Duty to GOD.. 
 
 III. Our Duty to Ourselves. 
 
 IV. Our Duty to our Neighbour. 
 
 WHEREIN IS SHEWN, 
 
 What are thofe Things neceflary to be known, 
 believed, and practised, for the Attainment of 
 Eternal Salvation. 
 
 To which are annexed, 
 
 The Terms of our SALVATION, ©f. 
 
 By the Revd. John Reading, D. D. 
 
 Hoixj fweet are thy Words unto my Tafle ! Tea, fweeter than 
 Honey to my Mouth . Pfalm 119. 103. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for MefT. ROBINSON and ROBERTS, 
 Pater-nofter-Row, M,bCC,LXX. 
 
THE 
 
 ChriftiarPs Companion, 
 
 I N T H E 
 
 Principles of Religion, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 Concerns of Human Life. 
 
 O R T H E 
 
 Sum of the Chriftian Religion. 
 
As many Perfons have exprefTed a very earneft 
 Defire to know the Author of that fcarce 
 and moft excellent Book, intitled, THE 
 CHRISTIAN'S COMPANION, &c. 
 we can aiTure them from good Authority, that 
 it was wrote by the Reverend Doctor John 
 Reading, a Man eminently diftinguifhed by 
 Piety and Learning ; and in whofe Favour 
 King Charles the Firft wrote the following 
 Letter to the Arch-Bifhop of Canterbury* 
 
 Bis Majejlys Letter to the Arch-BiJJjop of Canterbury, 
 concerning the Parfonage of Chartham. 
 
 CHARLES REX. 
 
 MOST Reverend Father in God, and right-truity 
 and right well-beloved, We greet you well. 
 We are informed that Ifaac Bargave, Dean of Our 
 Cathedral Church of Canterbury, is very lately deceafed, 
 and by his Death the Parfonage of Chartham, near Can- 
 terbury, become void. Many good Motives and Rea- 
 fons have, gracioufly inclined us to favour therewith 
 John Reading, Clerk, now beneficed at Trover in our 
 County of Kent, but deprived (as we underftand) of 
 the fmall Livelihood he had thence accruing, by the 
 perverfe Dilpofition of fome of his turbulent Parifhio- 
 ners. Wherefore we earneftly d-fue you to bellow 
 the faid Parfonage upon the faid John Reading, or at 
 the lead, that if you (hall be reftrained from'ib doing, 
 by either or both Houfes of Parliament, you then for- 
 bear to prefent any other to the fame, that fo the faid 
 Parfonage lapfing into our Gift, we may as we intend 
 confer it on him. This we are confident of from you, 
 both in Regard to the Parfon's Worthinefs and Suffer- 
 ings, and that we (hall therein receive very good Con- 
 tent and Satisfaction. 
 
 Given at our Court at Oxford^ 
 Jan. 27, 1642. 
 
g > £*K ^^ > <sf '*». 4 dgna. > i&H g 
 
 THE 
 
 ■ ■ ' 
 
 P R E F A C E. 
 
 r^I^l^T' is ajuft Cdufe-both of Grief and Won- 
 &*M|0^^|3 <&r, /£#/ *'« an Age, wherein Men fo much 
 S?v2 / bSp^^y /0 excel in all ingenious Arts and 
 wt%^M& Sciences, there Jhould, be fo little Appear- 
 ^^^r^^'V a nce of the bright Ornaments of theChrif- 
 \: \, : . Haft Spirit. It is /r known Saying of 
 
 Plato, That if Virtue could be made vifible to the 
 Eyes of Men, the Lovelinefs of it would foon gain 
 it a World of Admirers : With how much more Rea- 
 fon may we affirm" this of the Doclrine of our BlefTed 
 Lord, that Wijdom which is truly Divine \ and full of 
 Grace and Love? - This it was which at its firfl Appear- 
 ance in the- World j caufed it to be embraced and efpoufed, 
 when it had- no other Portion but the bitter efi Sufferings 
 and Perfections to recommend it. W 'hence now comes it 
 to pafs, that in Countries where it 'is Ejlablifhed and open- 
 ly Profeffed, it is fo firangely flighted and undervalued ? 
 Is it bee an ft it is lefs lovely in itfelf now, than it was in 
 its' tender Tears? No, furely ;■ /'/ hath, and ever will 
 have the fame immortal Beauty and Perfeclions. But it 
 rarely appears in its proper Habit and Figure : It is, to 
 fpeak plainly^. but feldom reprefented to Advantage in the 
 Life and Manners of its Profeffors, which is the only 
 TVay to make it vifible. And no other Reafon can be af- 
 A a fgned, 
 
iv The P R E F A C E. 
 
 
 figned, why it> Jbould not have as powerful an Influence 
 upon Men's Lives now as formerly, but becaufe they do 
 not fo thoroughly apprehend its Defign ; they are not Jo well 
 grounded in the Principles; of it. Tet fure there are not 
 wanting Labourers in Chr ill's Vineyard, who diligently 
 cultivate and drefs it, and Jtudy to make Men fruitful in 
 the Work of their Lord. But alas! Preaching is ap- 
 plauded with us to no better Purpofe, than it was in the 
 Time of the Prophet Ez ekiel, whofe Difcourfes to bis 
 People were as a very lovely Song of one that had a 
 pleafanjt/ 'Voice (a) : They were Admirers of his Rheto- 
 rick and Oratory, but. no diligent Learners of the Things 
 he taught them. 
 
 As to what is here offered^ I have endeavoured to give 
 you a compendious Syftem of all the momentous Doclrines 
 of CliriftianTty, not only fhewing their Foundation in 
 Holy; Scripture, but likewife fludying to exprefs that 
 plain and perfpicuous Phrafe,- in which they were fir (I 
 delivered, whereby the mofl fublime Things are brought 
 down to our Un'ierjlandings, in the mofl eafy and conde- 
 fcending Terms . . ; .' - ; 
 
 And though there, is. gf tat, Variety of religious Books 
 among f us s yet that doth jw.t render farther Attempts in 
 this Kind unneceffary ; fince- fever al Men writing upon the 
 fame Subjecl, treat it. in a different Way, and fo have 
 every one their particular and .neceffary Ufes. However % 
 I prefume, the Reader -will' find mofl of the Subjecl s here 
 treated of, fo diflintl, . as \ not to interfere with former 
 Treatifes of the like Defign. 
 
 Whoever 'hopes for Salvation upon rational Grounds, 
 mvji one Time or other,, become a Chriftjan in good Ear- 
 neft ; that is, tnuft jiudy both to know his Lord's Will, 
 and to do. it. For by- this Rule he hath affured us, He 
 
 / ^ it l — 
 (a) Lzet;. xxxm. yz- 
 
 will 
 
Trie PRE FA C E. v 
 
 will 'proceed, when he comes to be our Judge. The 
 Word that I have fpoken unto you, the fame ("hall 
 judge you at the laft Day (a). What a deplorable 
 Condition then will thofe be in, who do not Jo much as 
 once Jet themf elves ferioujly to -enquire into the State of 
 their Souls ? Will their affeCted Ignorance be allowed 
 as a fufficient Plea for their Neglecls t Will the Affairs 
 and Bufmefs of this Life, excufe them for not having 
 minded the Concerns of a better f So far from that, 
 that a condemnatory Sentence is already paffed upon 
 them, in the Cafe of the foolifh Virgins, who being to 
 feek Oil for their Lamps, when they Jbould have met 
 their Lord, were thereupon rejecled, and for ever Jhut 
 out of his Prefence. 
 
 Every wife Man therefore will be daily improving 
 that Talent of Knowledge, which his Lord hath com- 
 mitted to him, by making the befl Ufe of good Books, 
 and all other Opportunities afforded him for that Pur- 
 pofe. For thefe will be put upon his Account, whether 
 he ufes them or not. And therefore the Holy Scripture 
 jujlly characterizes him for a Fool (b), who hath a 
 Price in his Hand to get Wifdom, but hath no 
 Heart to it. 
 
 And he will not only make the befl Ufe of fuch Helps 
 himfelf, but he will take Care that others may do fa 
 too. Goodnefs (efpecially that which is truly Chriflian) 
 is always Communicative. It is a Piece of Cruelty to 
 fuffer the Blind to mijlake his Way ; it is inhuman to 
 permit any Calamity to befal your Neighbour, when it 
 is in your Power to prevent it. But it is Diabolical, 
 the Sport and Pleafure of Devils, to let a Man perifb 
 for Want of Knowledge, and precipitate himfelf into 
 the Pit of Deflruclion. On the other Hand, it is di- 
 
 (a) John xii. 48. (b) Prov. Xvii. 16. 
 
 A 3 vinely 
 
vi The PREFA C E. 
 
 vinely Goody I had almofl /aid Meritorious, to be the 
 Soul's Benefactor , and Guide to eternal Glory. Great 
 are the Rewards which are promifed to fuch. Bre- 
 thren, fays St. James (a), If any of you do err from 
 the Truth, and one convert him •, let him know, 
 that he which converteth a Sinner from the Error 
 of his Way, (hall fave a Soul from Death, and mail 
 hide a Multitude of Sins. And they, fays Daniel, 
 (b) that turn many to Righteoufnefs, mall mine as 
 the Stars in the Firmament for ever and ever. That 
 I may be found in the Number of fuch, is the Sum of 
 my PVifbeSy and the End of my Labours. 
 
 (a) James v. ult. (b) Dan. xii. 13. 
 
 
 \- 
 
 CON- 
 
«as*«as 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Of GOD j His Being, and Attributes. Page i 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of Jesus Christ, His Eternal Godhead, Incarna- 
 tion, &c. 10 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the Holy Ghost, His Divine Infpiration and 
 Operations. 21 
 
 £ H A P. IV. 
 
 Cf the Ever-bleffed TRINITY. 25 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Of the Holy Angels, their Nature and Miniftry. 2,6 
 
 C H A P. VI. S* 
 
 Of the Sacred Scriptures ; their Truth and Excel- 
 lency. • 2 1 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Of Religion from its Beginning. The patriarchal 
 Difpenfation, 34 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 The Mofaical Difpenfation. 40 
 
 A 4 CHAP. 
 
viii CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The Evangelical Difpenfation : Qr, the Chriftian 
 Religion. Page 46 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Of Heaven, ■ the Aim of Man, and its BlefTed State 
 of Happinefs. 61 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 Of Hell j the State of the Damned there. 70 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Of our Earthly Habitation ; and the Reafon of our 
 Abode, and Duration of our Life in it. 77 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 Of Man ; the Circumftances of his prefent State ; 
 and the Period of Human Life. 82 
 
 PART II. 
 
 Containing the Sum of our Duty to GOQ. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 TH E Service and Worfhip of GOD, on the 
 Lord's Day. Page 93 
 
 C H A P, II. 
 
 Of our Duty and Service to GOD. on the Week- 
 Days : Or, The Daily Exercife of a Chri&aJii 1 1 1 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the Love of G O D. \^ 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of Divine Praifes and Thaukfgivings. 144 
 
 PART 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 IX 
 
 PART III. 
 
 Containing our Duty to Ourselves. Page 159 
 
 O 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 F HUMILITY. 
 
 v 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 Of CONTENTMENT. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 Of CHASTITY. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 Of TEMPERANCE. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 Of RECREATIONS. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Duties peculiar to the Rich, &c. 
 Duties proper to the poorer Sort. 
 
 161 
 
 i6y 
 
 »77 
 
 181 
 
 189 
 197 
 
 PART IV. 
 
 Containing our Duty to our Neighbour. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 SOME Confederations previous to Marriage. P. 207 
 CHAP. n. 
 Of the Relative Duties of Hufbands to their Wives. 
 
 214 
 
 2I« 
 
 of Wives to their Hufbands. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
x CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the Relative Duties of Parents to their Children. 
 
 Page 221 
 ■ of Children to their Parents. 230 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 ■ of Matters to Servants. 235 
 
 — of Servants to Mailers. 242 
 
 Of Induftry in our Callings. 347 
 
 CHAP V. 
 
 Of Friendfhip and Humanity. 251 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Of Charity and Almfgiving. 256 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 The Government of our Thoughts. 262 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 The Government of our Tongue. 266 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The Rule of our Actions. 274 
 
 THE Terms of our Salvation. Page 281 
 A ferious Exhortation to Repentance and a 
 
 good Life. . 286 
 Of the Worthy Receiving the Holy Sacrament of the 
 
 Loid's Supper. • 294 
 
 Of ?RA.YE R. 306 
 
 Prayers for feveral Occafions. 307 
 
 SUE- 
 

 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 
 RI GH T Reverend Lord Bifhop of Dromore, 
 Right Honourable Lord Cavan, 
 Right Honourable Lord Clanwilliam, 
 Right Honourable Lord Brandon, 
 Right Honourable Lady Arbella Denny, 
 Right Honourable Lady Caulthurft, 
 
 Mr. George Alley, 
 Matter Benjamin Arthure, 
 Mr. James Anflow, 
 Mr. Charles Anflow, 
 Mr. Barnaby Albert, 
 Mr. Anderfon, 
 
 B 
 
 Reverend Dean Baily, 
 Thomas Barton, Efq ; 
 William Barton, Efq ; 
 Mrs. Grace Barton, 
 Mrs. Blennerhailet, Big 
 
 Butter-lane, 
 Mr. William Burk, 
 Mrs. Butler, 
 
 Mrs. Barrington, 
 
 Mrs. Mary Bell, 
 
 Mr. George Beere, 
 
 Mr. Erafmus Bond, 
 
 Mr. Samuel Bennenton, 
 Painter, 
 
 Mrs. Ann Barton, 
 
 Mrs. Mary O'Brien, 
 
 Mr. John Butler, Vicar 
 Choral of St. Patrick's 
 & Chrift-Church, Dub- 
 lin, 
 
 Mr. George Burnet, Book- 
 feller, 
 
 Mr. James Byrn, Printer, 
 6 Books, 
 
 Benjamin Barton, Efq; 
 
 Mr. Bride, 
 
 Mr. Charles David Bate, 
 Printer, 
 
xii SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 Reverend John Connor, 
 
 F. T. C. D. 
 Revd. Auguftus Calvert, 
 Hon. John Creighton, 
 Hon. Mrs. Creighton, 
 Hon. Mifs Creighton, 
 Revd. Sir Michael Cox, 
 
 Bart. 
 Richard Cox, Efq ; 
 Mr. John Cox, 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Commins, 
 
 Clonmell, 
 William Calvill, Efq ; 
 John Caulthurfl, Efq; 
 Robert Cook, Efq ; 
 Mrs. Crofbie, 
 Mifs Agnus Crofbie, 
 Mifs Elizabeth Crofbie, 
 Mr. Daniel Cudmore, 
 George Cole, Efq ; 
 Mr. Henry Calbelly, 
 Mr. George Cafh, 
 Mr. John Croftwaite, 
 
 Watch-maker, 
 Mr. Richard Clonmell, 
 
 Meafurer, 
 Mr. William Colles, Book- 
 feller, 
 Mrs. Hannah Chetwood* 
 Mr. Dillon Chamberlaine, 
 
 Bookfeiler, 
 Mr. Henry Courtney, 
 Mr. Corney Callahan, Gla- 
 zier, 
 Mr. John Collins, Painter, 
 
 Mr. William Cope, 
 Mr. William Connelly, 
 Mr. Francis' Cheevers, 
 Cabinet-maker, 
 
 D 
 
 Reverend Dean Doyne, 
 Edward Denny, Efq; 
 Mrs. Denny, 1 2 Books, 
 Revd. Mr. Downes, Clon- 
 mell, 
 Mr. Henry Domvile, Do. 
 Mr. Francis D'Evelm, 
 Mr. Richard Dixon, 
 Mifs Denny, 
 
 E 
 
 Revd. Robert Edgworth, 
 
 2 Books, 
 Mifs Ann Ewer, 
 Mr. Pat. Eagan, Hatter, 
 
 Mifs Flernming, 
 
 Peter Ferriter, Efq ; Clori- 
 
 mell, 
 Mifs Fitzmorrip, 
 George Fletcher, M. D. 
 
 Moor-ftreet, 
 
 G 
 
 Mr. Jos. Shippy Green, 
 Mrs. Ann Godfrey, 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. xiii 
 
 Mrs. Ann Gager, 
 
 Mrs. Charlotte Gorman, 
 
 Mr. Thomas Gordon, 
 
 Clonmell, 
 Mr. Amyas Griffith, 
 Mrs. Sufanna Gardin, 
 Mrs. Margaret Gonne, 
 Mr. Samuel Guinnis, Gold- 
 beater, 
 
 H 
 
 Mifs Jane Hamilton, 
 
 Mr. William Hutchefon, 
 
 Singelton Harpur, Efq; 
 
 Mr. Hen. Holmes, Coach- 
 maker, 
 
 John Heymon, Efq ; 
 
 Mrs. Ann Hewett, Snug- 
 bourgh, 
 
 Mr. Edward Hill, M. D. 
 
 Mrs. Hamilton, 
 
 I 
 
 Mr. Sam. Lawrence, Orga- 
 nift of St. Werburgh's, 
 
 Mr. Sam. Long, Breeches- 
 maker, 
 
 Mr. Lewis, Corrector of 
 the Prefs, 
 
 M 
 
 Revd. Archdeacon Mann, 
 
 Mifs Moor, 
 
 Colonel Hugh Many, 
 
 Mrs. Mary MalTy, 
 
 Mrs. Madden, 
 
 Mrs. Ann Malcome, 
 
 Mr. Meroyne, 
 
 Thomas Mullock, Efq ; 
 
 Samuel Murphy, Dr. of 
 Mufic, Vicar Choral of 
 St. Patrick's and Chrift- 
 Church, Dublin, 
 
 Mrs. Catherine Many, 
 
 Mr. John Mc. D*»- 
 
 Matthew Jacob, Efq; Ma-' Mrs - Ne 
 
 bernane, 
 Mr. Charles Ingham,Book- 
 
 teUer, Mr p 
 
 Mrs 
 K Miff 
 
 Mr. 
 Re- 
 Mrs. Catherine King, ( 
 
xiv SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 R 
 
 Mr. Michael Roftefton, 
 Mr. John Read, Parlia- 
 
 ment-ftreet, 
 Mr. Edward. Read, Skin-. 
 
 ner-row, 
 Mrs. Richard fon-, 
 Mr. Edward r Ry lands, 
 Mr. Edmond Reilly, 
 Mr. Henry Stevens Reilly, 
 
 Honourable and Reverend 
 
 Mr. Stopford, 
 Mrs Stopford, 
 Mils Ann Stopford, 
 
 Revd. William Stopford, Revd, Michael Teeling, 
 Revd. Nathaniel Smith, 
 
 Mr. William Sleater, Book- 
 feller, 
 
 Mr. John Sproule, Carpen- 
 ter, &c. 
 
 Jacob San key, Efq ; 
 
 Mr. Richard Sankey, 
 
 Mrs. Scriven, Dawfon-ftr. 
 
 i 
 
 Revd Francis Thompfon, 
 Theobald Thompfon, Efq; 
 Mrs. Eliza Thomas, 
 Mr v James Taylor, Mo- 
 
 i naftereven, 
 Mrs. Thompfon, 
 Mils Thompfon, 
 Mr. Matthew Thompfon, 
 
 T. CD. 
 
 Mr. John Shephard, 
 Mr. Charles Muigrave 
 Mr. OcL .--! 
 Mr. John-rdy, 
 
 Watch-ma.Efq ; 
 Mr. Richard ih, 
 
 Meafurer, 
 Mr. William Col 
 
 feller, 
 Mrs. Hannah Cht 
 Mr. Dillon Chamt 
 Bookfeiler, 
 
 Mr. William Whetftone, 
 
 Bookfeiler, 
 Mr. James Williams, Do. 
 Mrs Hannah Warburton, 
 Mrs. Anna Cath. Walker, 
 Mrs. Weeks. 
 
 
 dkor of this Work, begs Leave to re- 
 knowledgnients to his- generous Sub- 
 Mr. Henry Courtney ragement ; and flatters himfelf, from 
 Mr. Comey Callahan 'jas met with, it will give the pious 
 „j„ r He allures them he will ufe his con- 
 
 n . »'i i^i II- t» eir future Favour and Protection.- ' " 
 
 Mr. John Collins, rai 
 
*> J^ ! tt..C%t'*£i-.t5S , '£l-. €£&>.»&. <59>*& 6S?»3£S tS?»£i ¥ 
 
 4 % %2 « 3« M ** *£ tf £ 
 
 jyp ra s* awe « ** sft % i 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 F?2M£2RTft H E whole Sum of Man's Duty being 
 &* 3«?s£ *$ comprehended in thefe two Things, the 
 vs2! T §*£! Knowledge and the Practice of it, it is 
 E -yar 3 indifpeniably necefifary, in order to at- 
 v-w w w »-u tain to that Holinefs, without which no 
 ** Man (hall fee God, to be endued with 
 
 fuch a competent Knowledge of our Duty, as to be 
 holy in all Manner of Converfation. For then are 
 we truly religious, when, understanding the Things 
 which are requifite to be believed in order to Salva- 
 tion, we act according to that Underftanding. If ei- 
 ther of thefe be wanting, it is impoflible to ferve God 
 in an acceptable Manner. For the Want of being 
 thoroughly inftru&ed in the Grounds and Principles of 
 Religion, is the main Caufe that the Generality of 
 Mankind lead fuch ill Lives. Many good Sermons 
 are preached, and Books publifhed to promote Piety 
 in the World. But as a Lecture (however learned 
 and rational) in any Art or'Science, is not to be un- 
 derftood by a Man who is not firft made acquainted 
 with the general Syftem of fuch Science, fo Sermons 
 and other excellent Difcourfes are but loft to abun- 
 dance of Men, for want of being before-hand care- 
 fully grounded in thofe fundamental Principles which 
 all Chriftians ought to know, and do generally agree 
 in. 
 
 B Our 
 
ii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Our Religion is fly led by the Apoflle, (a) our rea- 
 fonable Service. But how can it deferve that Appel- 
 lation, if the Understanding, which is the Ground- 
 work of Reafon, be not duly informed ? What Va- 
 lue, think we, will God put upon that Action, tho' 
 it be ever fo good and pious for the Matter of it r 
 which is done ignorantly, and without the Direction 
 of a found Underftanding ? The Holy Scripture tells 
 us, (b) He that walketb in Darknef^ knowetb not 
 whither he goeth ; and confequently mull needs ftray 
 into every By-path, and be ready to embrace any 
 wild Opinion that fhall be infufed into him. 
 
 The Want of divine Knowledge, hinders Men 
 from a due Senfe of the Things of God, the Excel- 
 lency of Grace, and the Beauty of Holinefs. 'Tis 
 an old and true Maxim, That what is not known, 
 cannot be defired and loved ; and therefore it is ne- 
 ceflary in order to the defiring and loving of any 
 Thing, that it be fufficiently known firft. Did Men 
 know what real Worth there is in Virtue, and how 
 bafe and vile every Sin is, they would greatly prize 
 the former, and as much abhor the latter. Did they 
 but clearly difcern the Luftre of Heavenly Things, 
 how would they admire them ! Indeed there is nothing 
 wanting to make us heartily in Love with our Holy 
 Religion, but a full Infight into all the Excellencies 
 of it : For this is moil certain, that none ever yet 
 condemned it, who well underftood it ; but on the 
 contrary, the more any Man has known of it, the 
 more firmly he has embraced it. 
 
 St. Aufiin fays very well, Men' mufl needs live ill, 
 if their Belief concerning God be not right. Their 
 Morals cannot but be corrupt, when their Principles 
 are unfound. A religious and holy Converfation is 
 the genuine Refult and Product of right Apprehenfi- 
 ons of God, and his Laws. He that knows not God, 
 i i H in i i M i 
 
 (a) Rom. 12. i. (b) John 12. 35. 
 
 nor 
 
INTRODUCTION. ifi 
 
 nor what he requires Men to do, is prepared to com- 
 mit all Manner of Impiety. Of fuch St. Paul fpeaks, 
 (a) The Lord Jefus Jball be revealed from Heaven with 
 his mighty Angels in flaming Fire, taking Vengeance on 
 thenr that know not God, and that obey not the Go/pel 
 of our Lord Jefus Cbrijl ; who jhall be punifhed with 
 everlajling Deflruclion from the Prefence of the Lord % 
 and from the Glory of his Power. Here we fee, that 
 knowing not God, as well as not obeying him when 
 known, incurs the Pains of everlafting Damnation. 
 If we know not God in this Life, we muft not expect 
 to be known and owned of him when he comes to 
 judge the World ; but to hear thofe Words from him: 
 Depart from me, I know you not. 
 
 It is a Doctrine clearly taught and eftablifhed in 
 the Holy Scriptures, that grofs and wilful Ignorance 
 is a damning Sin. The lfraelites offered Sacrifices 
 for Sins of Ignorance, (b) Their Anceftors in the 
 Wildernefs, God calls, a People that erred in their 
 Heart, and had not known his Ways .' Unto whom he 
 fware in his Wrath, that they Jhould not enter into his 
 Reft. St. Paul admonifhes the Ephefians, (c) Not to 
 walk as other Gentiles, having the Under/landing dar- 
 kened, being alienated from the Life of God, through 
 the Ignorance that is in them, becaufe of the Blindnefs 
 (or Hardnefs) of their Hearts. 
 
 And it is an undoubted Truth, that the Knowledge 
 of fpiritual and divine Matters far excels all other 
 Knowledge, according to that certain Rule, That the 
 more excellent the Object is, the more excellent is 
 the Knowledge of it. Therefore, fays Solomon (d) of 
 this Kind of Knowledge : Happy is the Man that find- 
 eth Wifdom, and the Man that getteth Under ft anding* 
 For the Merchandife of it is better than Silver, and the 
 Gain thereof than fine Gold. This is Life eternal, fays 
 
 (a) 2 The/. I. 7, 8. (b) Numb. 15. 24, 25. (c) Ch. 4. v. 1 7- 
 (d) Prm. 3. 13, 14. 
 
 B 2, our 
 
iv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 our Lord, (a) to know thee the only true God, and Je- 
 fus Chrift whom thou hafifent. 1 determined to know 
 nothing among you, fays St. Paul, (b)fave Jefus Chrift, 
 and him crucified. 
 
 There may indeed be a Zeal for God without 
 Knowledge, but it commonly does a great deal of 
 Mifchitf ; there may be good Qualities found in an 
 unregenerate Man, but they cannot proceed from a 
 good Principle ; they are either the Refult of natural 
 Temper and Complexion, or are taken up with a De- 
 fign to impofe upon the World for the Sake of Inte- 
 reft or Advancement, and are altered or laid afide 
 when there is no fuch Occafion for them. 
 
 But the Scriptures are able to make us wife unto 
 Salvation ; in them our Lord commands us to fearch 
 for eternal Life ; they are called, A Light unto our 
 Feet, and a Lamp unto our Paths. To the Law, and 
 to the Tejlimony, fays Ifaiah, (c) if they /peak not ac- 
 cording to this Rule, it is becaufe there is no Light in 
 them. Reading and hearing the Word of God, or 
 fuch pious Difcourfes as are well grounded upon it, 
 will inftruct all States and Conditions of Men, not 
 only how to worfhip God, but how to behave them- 
 felves in the World one towards another, how to con- 
 duct themfelves amidft the various Temptations of 
 the World, and guard againft the fubtle Infinuations 
 of fuch as lie in wait to deceive. 
 
 One may obferve in a fine Garden (where due 
 Skill and Care are ufed) the great Improvements in 
 Plants and Flowers, beyond what otherwife would 
 have been ; which leads us into a Reflection upon the 
 Advantages of a Religious Education : How many 
 good Ornaments and Improvements of the Mind are 
 loft for want of the like due Care in nurfing and fkil- 
 fully managing it ! how many Virtues are choaked 
 by the vicious Weeds which are fuffered to grow 
 
 (a) John 17. 3. (b) 1 Cor. z- z- (c) Chap. 8. v. 20. 
 
 among 
 
INTRODUCTION. v 
 
 among them ! and how very feldom the good Seed 
 produces fuch excellent Fruit as might be expected 
 from it, through a Neglect of proper manuring, ne- 
 ceflary pruning, and a fkilful Management of our 
 tender Inclinations, and firft Notions of Things ! As 
 foon may Gardens produce the well pleafing Seeds, 
 Fruits, or Plants, without Culture or Drefling ; as 
 Youth without Education be creditable or advantage- 
 ous to Church or State. The Mind of Man, is at 
 firft like Wax, which while it is foft, is capable of 
 any Imprefiion, till Time has hardened it. 
 
 This improveable Faculty, looks like a vegetable 
 Principle in the Mind of Man. While he is an In- 
 fant, the Seeds lie buried and undifcovered, till after 
 fome Years they fprout forth in a Kind of rational 
 Leaves, which are Words; and in due Seafon, the 
 Flowers begin to appear in Variety of beautiful Co- 
 lours, and all the gay Pictures of youthful Fancy and 
 Imagination : At laft the Fruit knits and is formed, 
 which when green, is perhaps four and unpleafant to 
 the Tafte; till ripened by due Care and Application, 
 it difcovers itfelf in all the noble Productions of Wif- 
 dom, good Elocution, clofe Reafoning, and a thou- 
 fand Graces and Virtues. And thefe Fruits, when 
 they arrive at a juft Maturity, and are of a good 
 Kind, afford the mod vigorous Nourifhment to the 
 Minds of Men, and will caufe them to lead a wife 
 and virtuous Courfe of Life, to purfue thole Things 
 that are praife-worthy, and to underftand the World 
 fo well, as to avoid many- of the crofs Accidents and 
 Misfortunes of it. 
 
 Juft Notions will into good Atlions grow, 
 And to our Reafon we our Virtues owe. 
 Falfe Judgments are tlo unhappy Source of III, ' 
 And blinded Error draws the fajfive IVill. 
 To know our God, and know ourf elves, is all 
 JVe can true Happinefs or Wijdom call. 
 
 B3 OF 
 
I ?rkJB(^ *sn&i *** <*r&» j*" l *jif*i I 
 I k.jr*U ^<^ ^#«& %# k7*"Xx* | 
 
 O F 
 
 G O D; 
 
 H I S 
 
 Being a«i Attributes. 
 
 PARTI. C H A P. I. 
 
 F£^^^ H E firft Point of Religion that we 
 to* ^^ *$ are taught in the Holy Scriptures, is, 
 ffl T TJJ That there is a GOD. This is made 
 X « 3 the firft Thing to be known, becaufe 
 fctShOzaS^ tne Scri P ture '^ aitn » M He that cometh 
 to God> mufi believe that He is. And 
 that there is a God, we have, befides the infinite 
 Teftimonies of the Scriptures, the common Confent 
 of all Nations, approving of this Truth ; who rather 
 worfhip any God or Gods, than none at all. 
 i , . — ^— — — — — — — ^— 
 
 (a) Heb. ii. 6. 
 
 B4 The 
 
2 The Sum of the Part I, 
 
 The Evidence of an Almighty God is Co clear 
 and plain to our own Conceptions, that our Reafon 
 alone is abundantly fufficient to convince us of the 
 Truth of his Being, though God had not made it 
 further known to us by Revelation. For what is 
 more evident to our natural Reafon, than that there 
 muft be fome firfl Principle of Being, from whence 
 fill other Beings proceed ? What fhould be the Caufe, 
 or who fhould be the Maker of Man ? We find no- 
 thing in Nature able to undertake fuch a Piece of 
 Workmanfhip. It has never been heard that Men 
 have been produced in any other than the ordinary 
 Way and Courfe of Nature ; and the fame may be 
 faid of Beafts. There is no Hiftorian above four 
 thoufand Years old, (Mofes's facred Hiftory excepted, 
 as being the moll ancient in the World) •, there are 
 fcarce any of the Arts and Sciences, fcarce a King- 
 dom or City, the Original of which we do not know. 
 Our own Reafon informs us, That the World was 
 made and framed by an omnipotent God, becaufe 
 we fee fo much Order, Beauty, and Ufefulnefs in the 
 Whole and every Part of it, produced from one com 
 fufed Chaos of Earth and Water, covered over with 
 univerfal Darknefs, void and without Form ; which 
 is not only recorded in Holy Writ to be the Original 
 of this World, but is likewife attefted by divers 
 ancient Heathen Philofophers. And indeed, nothing 
 can be more ablurd than to imagine that the W^orld 
 could be made by the "Creatures that are in it, or 
 that it could make itfelf, or that Chance fhould be 
 the Caufe of all Things. As little Reafon have we 
 to afcribe the Prefervation and Government of it to 
 any other Power but that of God. Our conflant 
 Experience teaches us, that without his wife and 
 merciful Ordering of the Seafons and Elements, the 
 Earth would not be in a Condition to yield its In- 
 creafe. At his Word the Rain cometh down, and 
 the Snow from Heaven, and returneth not thither, 
 
 but 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 3 
 
 but watereth the Earth, and maketh it bring forth 
 and bud, that it may give Seed to the Sower, and 
 Bread to the Eater. Thus Elijah prayed to God that 
 it might not rain, and it rained not for the Space o£ 
 three Years and fix Months : And he prayed again, 
 and the Heavens gave Rain, and the Earth brought 
 forth its Fruit. What a plain Demonftration is this 
 alone, that there is a God in Heaven that fends down 
 the Rain and Dew to water the Earth, that it may 
 bring forth its Fruits for the Nourifhment of our Bo- 
 dies ? So that we are fenfible we cannot enjoy a Mo- 
 ment's Breath without his good Pleafure. 
 
 A farther Evidence of the Being of God, is what 
 we find within us. Our Confciences, upon the Com- 
 miflion of any great Sin, perplex us with Fears that 
 we (hall fometime be called to an Account by an all- 
 powerful and impartial Judge, who knows the Hearts 
 of all Men, and will render to every Man according 
 to his Works. This makes the flouted Sinner often 
 tremble at the Remembrance of his heinous Offences, 
 however fecure he is that they are concealed from the 
 Knowledge of the World, and that no human Laws 
 can punilh him for them. His outward Security can 
 never deliver him from the clamorous Accufations of 
 his Confcience, which teftifi.es againfl him wherever 
 he goes. This is a ftrong Argument that there is a 
 God of infinite Jufhce, before whofe Tribunal he 
 nuift one Day appear, and anfwer for whatever he 
 hath done amifs. 
 
 Moreover, all Things round the World, evidently 
 ihew the Finger of God, and declare to us that Beau- 
 ty and Order wherein they were created. Thus we 
 may obferve the glorious Splendor and uniform Mo- 
 tion of the Heavens above, where our Eyes behold 
 thofe bright celeflial Bodies, the Sun to rule the Day, 
 and the Moon and Stars by Night to give Light to 
 the Earth. The pleafant Fertility of the Earth, in 
 fupporting and feeding fuch great Variety and infinite 
 
 Numbers 
 
4 The Sum of the Parti. 
 
 Numbers of Plants and Animals; where we may 
 view the curious Figure and fragrant Smell of 
 the one, and the exquifite Structure of the other. 
 The Waters gathered together in their proper Chan- 
 nels, nourishing innumerable Multitudes of various 
 Kinds of Fifties. The ambient Air for every winged 
 Fowl to fly in; and all other amazing Miracles of 
 Nature, wherein the glorious Attributes and infinite 
 Goodnefs of God, are moft confpicuoufly difplayed. 
 
 Another Argument for the Divine Being, is from 
 the Holy Scriptures, which do more immediately a- 
 fcribe unto God the Father, the firft Perfon in the 
 blelTed Trinity, the Work of creating the World, 
 and the Governing and Ordering of it by his good 
 Providence, (a) Before the Mountains were brought 
 forth, or ever thou hadft formed the Earth, even from 
 sverlajling to everlajling, thou art God. (b) Thou, 
 even thou art Lord alone, thou hafl made the Heaven 
 of Heavens with all their Hoft, the Earth and all 
 Things that are therein, the Seas and all that is therein, 
 (c) Thus faith the Lord of Ho/Is, I have made the 
 Earth, the Man and the Beafts that are upon the 
 Ground, by my great Power, and by my Jlrelched-out 
 Arm, and have given it to whom it feemed meet unto 
 me. (d) Bleffed be the Name of God for ever and 
 ever % for IVijdom and Might are his, and he changeth 
 the Times and Seafons ; he remove th Kings and fetteth 
 up Kings, (e) By me Kings rule, and Princes decree 
 Juftice. By me Princes- rule, and Nobles, yea, all the 
 Judges of the Earth. 
 
 St. Paul teaches us (f) to contemplate the Divine 
 Majelty in the Works of Creation. For the invifible 
 Things of him from the Creation of the World, are 
 clearly feen, being underflood by the Things that are 
 made. God worketh by Angels, by the Sun, by the 
 
 (a) Pfal. 90. 2- (b) Neb. 9. 2. (c) Jer. 27. 5. (d) Dan. z. 
 20. (e) Prev. 8. 15, 16. (f) Rem. 1. 20- 
 
 Stars, 
 
Chap. I, Chriftian Religion. 5 
 
 Stars, by Nature and by Man, all thefe being the 
 fecond Caufes, which are as it were the Conduits and 
 Pipes, which carry and difpofe what they have re- 
 ceived from the Head and Fountain of all Things. 
 God gives Power to the Sun to draw up Vapours, he 
 turns the Vapours into Clouds, he fcatters the Clouds 
 abroad with the Wind, and makes them fall in Drops 
 of Rain. He makes the Air we breathe, and the 
 Food we eat, wholefome and nourifhing to us, and 
 all our Herbs and Medicines for Diftempers and 
 Wounds, derive their healing Virtue from him. 
 
 This good Ufe mould we make of thofe Things 
 which are before us, to acknowledge the great Cre- 
 ator in them, and to glorify him for them. By thefe 
 vifible Things, we are brought to perceive fo much 
 of the invifible Majefty of God, as may convince us 
 of our Duty to confefs, honour and worfhip him. But 
 we muft not attempt, by any Obfervations we can 
 make in Heaven or Earth, to pry into God's fecret 
 Counfels, and examine his hidden Decrees, which are 
 as far above our Reach, as Heaven is above this 
 Earth. This Part of Wifdom we may learn from the 
 brute Creatures : We obferve they have an Inftinft 
 fufficient to guide them to chufe their Food, and do 
 thofe Things which are necefiary to preferve them, 
 and render them ferviceable to Mankind ; and farther 
 than this they afpire not. Making of Laws, govern- 
 ing Kingdoms, managing Commerce and Trade, 
 pra&iiing and improving Arts and Sciences, is what 
 they have no Notion of, nor any Faculties fuited to 
 attain ; and therefore they are not concerned about 
 them. By the fame Rule mould we conclude, that 
 there are many Things the proper Objects of divine 
 Wifdom, which are far above, out of our Sight, which 
 we are no more capable of knowing, than the Beafts 
 can know our Affairs ; fince God excels us far more 
 than we do the meaneft Creature upon Earth, 
 
 And 
 
6 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 And he has given us Warning not to prefume too 
 far, in prying into Things above us which don't con- 
 cern us. He fmote the Men of Bethfhemejh with a 
 very great Slaughter, for looking into the Ark. (a) He 
 reproved Job for taking upon him too freely to cen- 
 fure the Divine Conduct ; and his Holy Word affords 
 feveral Admonitions to this Purpofe : (b) What Man 
 knowetb the Things of Man, fave the Spirit of a Man 
 which is within him ? Even fo, how can one know the 
 Things of Gody unlejs the Spirit of God reveal them ? 
 (c) His Way is in the Sea, and his Path in the deep 
 Waters, and his Footfleps are not known, (d) Secret 
 Things belong unto the Lord our God ; but thofe Things 
 which are revealed, belong unto us and to our Children. 
 (e) O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wifdoni 
 and Knowledge of God ! Ifow unfearchable are his 
 Judgments, and his Ways pafl finding out ! 
 
 The Being of this God whom we worfhip, is fo 
 little to be doubted, that it is almoft the only Truth 
 we are fure of; it is a Truth that we meet with in al- 
 moft every Object and Occurrence of Life. There- 
 fore we may with Ailonifhment wonder, that it's pol- 
 fible there mould be fuch a Monfler in Being as an A- 
 theifl or Deift ; when if he would but conlider (as he 
 mull needs know) that it is impofiible for Man, or 
 any other Creature to give Life to another • this would 
 naturally lead him at laft to the Confellion of a God. 
 Let him but reflect on God's wonderful Dealings with 
 Mankind in Ages pad, fuch as the Deftru&ion of So- 
 dom and Gomorrah by Fire and Brimftone from Hea- 
 ven, and that of the whole World by a Deluge of 
 Waters ; the dividing of the Red Sea for the Ifraelites 
 to pafs through on dry Land; the Sun's Handing ft ill 
 at the Prayer of Jojhua, and going backward at the 
 Recovery of Hezekiah ; the Prefervation of the three 
 
 (a) i Sam. 6- 19. (b) 1 Cor. %. 1 1 . (c) Pf. 77. 19- 
 (it) Dent. 29. 29. (e) Rom. 11. 33. 
 
 Men 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 7 
 
 Men in the fiery Furnace ; the Transformation of 
 Nebuchadnezzar for his impious Pride ; the Difperfion 
 of their Posterity who crucified the Son of God, who 
 have now for above 1 600 Years been banifhed from 
 their own Country, having no particular Place be- 
 longing to them as a Nation ; but are fcattered over 
 all the Earth, have been often murthered in great 
 Multitudes, and yet are not quite extinct, nor yet fo 
 mixed and blended with other Nations, but that they 
 are flill kept up a diftinct People ; as if they were 
 intended for a lading Monument to all the World of 
 their grievous Sin in crucifying the Lord of Life, and 
 the Vengeance of God which ftill purfues them for 
 the fame : Let, I fay, the mod atheiftical Perfon re- 
 flect on thefe Things with that Regard which he 
 would pay to any credible Hiftory, and he cannot 
 but fee the Finger of God in them manifeft beyond 
 all Difpute or Contradiction. 
 
 The Attributes of GOD are, either fuch as pecu- 
 liarly belong to his own Eflence, as, Infinitenefs, lm- 
 menjity, Eternity, Omnipotence ; or fuch as are Com- 
 municable, whereof there are fome Shadows and 
 Traces in Angels and Men; as, Wifdom, Holinefs y 
 Juftice, Mercy, Goodnejs. 
 
 By his Infinitenefs, God's Eflence is fignined to be 
 without Meafure or Quantity; and confequently his 
 Subilance, Power, Wifdom, and whatever is in the 
 Divine Nature, is incomprehenfible. By his Immen- 
 fity, he containeth all Things, is prefent every where, 
 filling all Places, and at all Times with his Prefence. 
 By his Eternity, he is exempted from all Meafure of 
 Time, and therefore is the Firft and the Laft, with- 
 out Beginning or End of Days. By his Omnipotence, 
 he is Creator and Difpofer of all Things; by him 
 they exift and are governed : He doth wbatfoever 
 pleafetb him in the Armies of Heaven and the Kingdoms 
 of Men ; and none can day bis Hand, or fay unto him, 
 What doll thou ? 
 
 Thofe 
 
8 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 Thofe which we call Communicable Attributes, are 
 fe in Kind, but not in Degree, for in God they are 
 all infinite. His fVifdom and Underjlanding is fo 
 great, that he knows all Things, paft, prefent, and 
 to come, with all their Caufes and Circumftances 5 
 even thole Things which to us feem to be cafual, and 
 to fall out by Chance. It extends to the moft lecret 
 and dark Corners of the World, to the very Thoughts 
 and Intentions of the Heart. His Holinefs is abfolute 
 Purity, not fullied with the leaft Appearance of Evil ■ 
 For God is Light, faith St. John, and in him is no 
 Darknefs at all. He hateth all Iniquity with a per- 
 fect Hatred : He cannot be tempted with Evil, faith 
 St. James, neither tempteth he any Man. His Jufiice 
 is moft exact, not capable of being bribed by any 
 Offerings or Frefents. He is, a Rewarder of Good in 
 whomfoever he finds it ; but his Face is againft them 
 that do Evil. He will by no Means clear the Guilty, 
 but punifhes Sin wherever he finds it ; an unjuft Sen- 
 tence cannot proceed from him-, he cannot err in 
 Judgment. But above all, the Mercy of God is molt 
 confpicuous to us, exceeding the reft of the divine 
 Attributes in the manifold Acts and Inftances of it. 
 7 he Lord is good to all, fays David, and his tender 
 Mercies are over all his Works. In him we live and 
 move, and have our Being. From tiim we derive all 
 the Supports and Comforts of Life, which are the Ef- 
 fects, not of our Worthinefs, but of his Companion : 
 For he delighteth to exercife loving Kindnefs, whereas 
 Judgment is his ftrange Work, and he doth not wil- 
 lingly afflict the Sons of Men. God's Mercies are the 
 great Subject of our Devotion -, for thefe we make our 
 Prayers when we are in Want-, for thefe we render 
 our Praifes when we have received them. Hofannahs 
 and Hallelujahs, as one well obferves, make up the 
 whole Book of Pjalms. 
 
 The Knowledge of God is neceifary for us on feve- 
 ral Accounts. We cannot contemplate the Excellen- 
 cy 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 9 
 
 cy of his Perfections, and the infinite Greatnefs of his 
 Majefty, but we muft acknowledge him mod wor- 
 thy to be adored and glorified. And when we con- 
 ceive how this excellent Majefty fills all Places with 
 his Prefence, it muft ftrike us with a profound and 
 awful Regard for him. We cannot own his fovereign 
 Dominion over us, his almighty Power, his exact and 
 impartial Juftice, but we muft at the fame Time, 
 acknowledge ourfelves bound to obferve all his Laws 
 with molt refigned, obedient, and willing Minds. 
 How confirmed will our Hopes be in his infinite Mer- 
 cies, how inflamed our Love through his Goodnefs, 
 how fecure our Truft in the unchangeable Truth of 
 his Promifes ! Do we derive from him all the Facul- 
 ties of our Souls and Bodies, and fhall we not readily 
 employ them in his Service, and yield our Members 
 Inftruments of Righteoufnefe ? Is he our Fountain of 
 Comfort, the Author and Giver of all good Things, 
 and can we refufe to make our Supplications to him 
 for whatever we ftand in Need of, and to render him 
 unfeigned Thanks and Praife for all the Bleflings we 
 receive at his Hands ? 
 
 The Holy Pfalmijl calls upon the Sun, Moon and 
 Stars, Fire and Hail, Snow and Vapours ; and upon 
 all the animate and inanimate Parts of the Creation, 
 to fet forth the Praifes of the Lord, (a) Let not Man 
 then, who has a Heart to conceive, and a Tongue to 
 confefs, be dumb to the Praifes of his high Benefac- 
 tor. Indeed this is properly and ftrittly the Province 
 of rational Creatures alone. For though all other Be- 
 ings conftantly obey the Laws'of their Creation, and 
 tend regularly to the Ends for which they were ap- 
 pointed ; yet they know not the Hand which formed 
 them, nor the Power which preferves and directs 
 them ; they are void of Underftanding, and confe- 
 quently have no Notion of Religion nor Senfe of Gra- 
 
 ta) Pfal. 148. 
 
 titude. 
 
io The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 titude. Man is the only Creature upon Earth, that 
 is wife enough to know and obey his God in religious 
 and moral Aclions. This is finely reprefented in the 
 28th Chapter of the Book of Job; where that holy 
 Man, in his Search after Wifdom declares, The Depth 
 faith, It is not in me; and the Sea faith, It is not with 
 me. Deflrutlion and Death fay ; We have heard the 
 Fame thereof with our Ears. God under ft andeth the 
 Way thereof, and he knoweth the Place thereof. When 
 he made a Decree for the Rain, and a Way for the 
 Lightning of the Thunder ; then did he fee it and de- 
 dare it ; he prepared it, yea, and fe arched it out. And 
 unto Man he f aid; Behold, the Fear of the Lord, that 
 is Wifdom, and to depart from Evil, is Under ft anding. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 Of JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 His Eternal Godhead, Incarnation, &c. 
 
 TH E promifed Mefftas or Chrift, whom the Fa- 
 thers expected, and the Prophets foretold, whofe 
 Life, Death, Refurreclion and Afcenfion, the Evan- 
 gelifts relate, is that Jefus whom we worfhip ; begotten 
 of the Subflance of his Father before all Worlds, God 
 of God, Light of Light, very God of very God ; be- 
 gotten, not made ; being Corjfential, Coeternal and G- 
 equal with the Father and the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 This Jefus whom God fent to be our Saviour and 
 Deliverer, took to himfelf a true Body, being con- 
 ceived by the incomprehenfible Power of the Holy 
 Ghoft, in the Womb of Mary, a pure Virgin, of 
 whom, in due Time, he was born into the World. 
 Thus he became a real Man, and was made like un- 
 to us in all Things, even in the natural Infirmities of 
 
 Hunger, 
 
Chap. II. Chriffc n Religion. 1 1 
 
 Hunger^ Thirft, Weariuefs, Grief, Pain, and the 
 like; yet without Sin. In which Refpecft he is called 
 the Son of Man, becaufe he was Flefh of our Flefh, 
 he took our Nature upon him-, and the Son of David, 
 becaufe in his human Capacity he defcended of the 
 Stock and Lineage of David. 
 
 h was requifite that our Bleffed Saviour mould be 
 Man, becaufe he was to perform perfect Obedience 
 to the whole Law of God, and becaufe he was to 
 differ and die for our Sins; which in his Divine Na- 
 ture he could not have done. He mud be of the 
 fame Nature with the Party offending, that he might 
 fatisfy the Juftice of God in the fame Nature wherein 
 it was offended. For fo the Righteoufnefs of God 
 did require, that the fame Nature which had com- 
 mitted the Sin, fhould alfo pay and make Satisfac- 
 tion for it ; and confequently, that human Nature, 
 which offended in the Firjl Adam } mould be puniflied 
 in the Second. 
 
 Thus then the two Natures in Chrifl are accounted 
 for. He was Alan, that he might be capable of fuf- 
 fering for Sin : He was God, that he might be able 
 to bear the Punifhment, and overcome the Suffering. 
 Muman Nature can fuffer Death, but cannot over- 
 ^Hie it ; the Divine Nature cannot fuffer, but can 
 
 f 3ome all Things. Our Mediator therefore, be- 
 ing Partaker of both Natures, was by the one made 
 fubject to Suffering, and by the other enabled to o- 
 vercome all the Sufferings that could be laid upon 
 him. Herein was his Fitnefs to become a Mediator, 
 and to be the Author of Reconciliation between God 
 and Man, becaufe he was himfelf both God and 
 Man. 
 
 H-3 is called Jefus, that is, a Saviour, becaufe he 
 came to fave his People from their Sins : He is called 
 Cbrijl, that is, Anointed, becaufe he was anointed of 
 God to be a Prophet, Prieji, and King over all his 
 People. Anointed he was, not with material Oil, but 
 
 C with 
 
1 z The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 with all the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghoft, and 
 that in the highefl Plenitude and Perfection. 
 
 The firft Part of our Lord's Mediation was dif- 
 charged in the Execution of his Propbetick Office, 
 which may beconfidered two Ways; either as he was 
 a Teacher fent from God to inftruct Men in the right 
 Knowledge and Worfhip of the Divine Majefty ; or 
 as he was a Foreteller of Things to come. The firft 
 he performed by his Sermons and holy Expofitions of 
 the Law of God ; and by fending forth his Difciples 
 to preach the fame Doctrines. For he teftified that 
 he came from the Bofom of the Father, to declare 
 his Nature and whole Will to the World ; and that 
 he alone had the Power and Prerogative to do this. 
 For, fays he, no Man knoweth the Father, but the Son, 
 and he to whom the Son will reveal him (a). 
 
 In his Predictions our Lord fhewed himfelf a true 
 Prophet, as appears by two fignal Inftances. One 
 was, The Deftruction of the City and Temple of 
 Jerufalem, which he foretold with all the particular 
 Circumftances both as to the Time and Manner of 
 it ; all which was punctually fulfilled, even according 
 to the Accounts which the Jewijh Hiftorians give us 
 of that Matter. And when afterwards the Emperor 
 Julian, deftgning to blaft the Credit of our Saviour's 
 Prophecy, refolved to rebuild the Temple, and fet 
 Men to work about it, he was foon forced to defift 
 from his Enrerprize, by Earthquakes and Balls of Fire 
 ifTuing from the Foundation, which burnt down what 
 was erected, and deftrbyed thofe that were employed 
 in the Work. And this we have attefted both by 
 Chriftian and Pagan Writers of that Time. 
 
 The other Inftance I propofed is, Our Saviour's 
 Prophecy of the Rejection of the Jews, and that they 
 mould be carried captive into ail Nations, till the 
 Times of the Gentiles mould be fulfilled. Now this 
 
 (a) Mat. ii. 27. 
 
 we 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 13 
 
 we fee hath been accompli ihed for many Ages, and 
 (till continues to be fo in our Days. 
 
 The Prufthood of the MeJJiah was revealed of old 
 by the Pfahmji in thefe Words: (a) The Lord bath 
 jworn, and will not repent; Thou art a Prieji for ever 
 after the Order of Mekhizedeck. The Prieft's Office 
 confided in offering Sacrifice for the Sins of the Peo- 
 ple, in interceding for them, and bleifmg them It 
 is therefore neceffary, fays the Apoftle, (b) That this 
 Man Jefus have fomewhat alfo to offer. And what 
 that was he tells us in another Place; (c) He hath 
 given him/elf an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a 
 fweet fmelhng Savour. He is our Paffover Sacrificed 
 
 ^Mfi tbe °$ ering °f hls Bod y are we unified, 
 (d) When he had thus given himfelf a nropitiatory 
 Sacrifice for our Sins, he afcended up oil high, and 
 entered into the Holy of Holies, not made with Hands 
 where he fitteth at the Right Hand of God to make In- 
 terceffion for us : (e) And this not in a precarious 
 but efficacious and glorious Manner, as having all 
 Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him. And 
 for the third Part of the facerdotal Office, which con- 
 fifts in Benediction, we find it in the Preaching of our 
 Lord, which begins with the Beatitudes • and in the 
 Conclufion of his Miniftry on Earth, when he lifted 
 up his Hands upon his Difaples, and bleffed them (f) 
 However, this Part of his Function is moft eminently 
 performed after his Refurredion, as it is intimated in 
 that encouraging Sermon of St. Peter to that Genera- 
 tion who crucified our Lord : (g) Unto you fir ft God 
 having raifed up his Son Jefus, Sent him to bleSs you, in 
 turning every one of you from his Iniquities. So that 
 it clearly appears, that fijto Chrifi who offered up 
 himlelf a foil, perfect, and fufficient Sacrifice for Sin 
 who is continually making Interceffion for us, and 
 
 (a) PfffX* 4 V (h) ffeb. 8. 3. (c) Epbef. 5. 2 . (d) Hel. 
 IO. .0. (e) Heb. 7 . 25. (f) Luke 24. 50. (jjj Ufls 3.26. 
 
 c 2 bleffes 
 
14 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 bleflfes us with all fpiritual Bleffings, is our rnoft glo- 
 rious Higb-Priejl. 
 
 The Kingly Office of Chrift confifleth in the Exer- 
 cife of that Power given him by God over all, for the 
 fpiritual Government and Salvation of his Elect, and 
 for the Deft ruction of his and their Enemies : And 
 that he might appoint Laws and Statutes which fhould 
 direct his People and bind their Confciences to the 
 Obedience of the fame : That he might fettle a Go- 
 vernment, and appoint Officers in his Church for the 
 good ordering of it : That he might defend his Flock 
 from the Violence and Outrage of all their Enemies, 
 both Corporal and Spiritual : And that he might be- 
 llow many notable Privileges and Rewards upon 
 them. 
 
 Our bleflcd Lord was pleafed to declare before Pon- 
 tius Pilate, That his Kingdom was not of this World, 
 ;'. e. that he laid no Claim to temporal Dominion, 
 in Oppofition to Cafar, as his Accufers infmuated. 
 Yet we may. venture to aflert his Regal Title even to 
 an earthly Jerufalem, he being the laft of the direct 
 Line of David, which was the Royal Family of the 
 Jewif/J Kingdom; but his Spiritual Kingdom is what 
 we are chiefly, to undeffland, which tho' not of this 
 World, yet is in this World in part, fo far as his 
 Church and People fubfift in ir.. And herein he has 
 fliewn himfelf a King, by that Power which he ma- 
 nifefled as well in triumphing over Death and Hell, 
 as in enablii g ,all his i-eoplc to triumph over them, 
 in afcendii'g up into Heaven, fitting on the right 
 Hand of G )d the Father,, and thence fhowering down 
 Spiritual Gifts and' Grac-s upon his Church. 
 
 This Kingly Government of Cbri/l was foretold by 
 feveral Prophecies, particularly by that of Ifaiah, (a}. 
 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a- Son is given ;' 
 and tlM.-Govenwiem is-iipan bis Shoulder, and he Jljall 
 
 •(a) Chap. 9. 6, 7 - 
 
 call 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 1 5 
 
 call his Name, Wonderful, Counfellor, the mighty God, 
 /he everlafting Father, ihe Prince of Peace, of the 
 Increafe of his Government and Peace there pall be no 
 End, upon the Throne of David, and upon his King- 
 dom, to order it and to eftablifj it with Judgment and 
 with Juftice, from henceforth even for ever. The Sub- 
 ftance of which Prophecy, is repeated by the Angel 
 in his Salutation of the Blefled Virgin, (a) And the 
 Accomplifhment of it publickly affirmed by St. Peter 
 (b) in his firft Sermon to the Jews : Let all the Houfe 
 of IfraeJ know affuredly, that God hath made that fame 
 Jefus whom ye crucified, both Lord and Chrift. And 
 St. Paul aflerts the fame, (c) God hath highly exalted 
 him, and given him a Name which is above every 
 Name : That at the Name of Jefus every Knee fhould 
 bow, of Things in Heaven, and Things in Earth, and 
 Things under the Earth : And that every Tongue fhould 
 confefs that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the Glory of God 
 the Father. And again (d) unto the Son he faith 
 Thy Throne, God, is for ever and ever : A Scepter 
 of Righteoufnefs is the Scepter oj thy Kingdom. Thou 
 haft loved Righteoufnefs and hated Iniquity, therefore 
 God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of 
 Gladnefs above thy Fellows. Finally, St. John in his 
 Vifion, (e) faw Heaven opened, and behold a white 
 Horfe, and he that fate upon him was called Faithful 
 and True, and in Righteoufnefs he doth judge and make 
 PFar. His Eyes were as a Flame of Fire, and on his 
 Head were many Crowns, and he had a Name written 
 that no Man knew but he himfelf And he was cloathed 
 with a Vefture dipped in Blood ; and his Name is called 
 The Word of GOD. And the Armies which were in 
 Heaven, followed him upon white Florfes, cloathed in 
 fine Linen, white and clean. And out cf his Mouth " 
 goeth a Jharp Sword, that with it he fijould finite the 
 
 (a ) Luke 1. 32, n (b) Acts 2 . 36. (c) Phil 2 . 9 , 1Q , 11. 
 (d) Heb. 1. 8, 9. (e) Rev. 19. u. & c . 
 
 C 3 Nations ; 
 
1 6 The Sum of the Part L 
 
 Nations •> and he pall rule them with a Rod of Iron, 
 and he treadeth the PVineprefs of the Fiercenefs and 
 Wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his Vejlure 
 and on his Thigh a Name written, KING OF KINGS, 
 AND LORD OF LORDS. And thus much for the 
 two Natures, and three Offices of Chrijl. I fhall now 
 proceed to fuch Arguments as are proper to flrengthen 
 our Faith, and confirm our Hope and Affiance in 
 him. 
 
 What can we have clearer Proof and Demonftra- 
 tion of, than of the Truth and Sanctity of our Chrif- 
 tian Religion ? When we confider how miraculoufly 
 the Author of it was born of a pure Virgin •, how a 
 glorious Star appeared and pointed out the Place of 
 his Nativity^ how a Choir of Angels celebrated it as 
 Tydings of Joy to the whole World; how the wife 
 Men of the Eafl, directed by the heavenly Light, 
 came and worfhipped him, giving him Divine Offer- 
 ings and Royal Prefents; when we confider his finiefs 
 Perfection, his great Endowments which manifefted 
 themfelves in his Childhood; the many Miracles he 
 did, as raifmg Lazarus and others from the Dead ; 
 his healing all Manner of Difeafes, only with a Word 
 of his Mouth, or a Touch of his Hand ; his fading 
 forty Days and Nights, fo far beyond the Power of 
 any meer Man, who can hardly abftain from eating 
 and drinking four Days and Nights together ; his 
 walking upon the Sea., commanding the Winds and 
 Waves to be ftill ; feeding five Thoufand with five 
 Loaves and two fmall Fifties ; with innumerable more 
 Inftances of the like Nature ; to fay nothing here of 
 his own Refurrection out of the Grave on the third 
 Day, and afcending into Heaven in the Pretence of 
 many Spectators : What further Demonflration, I fay, 
 can we require for fixing and eftablifhing our Faith 
 in Chrijl ? Thefe are undoubtedly more than fufficient 
 for this Purpofe, if they do but come well attefted to 
 us : And they are attefted by fuch a Cloud of unex- 
 ceptionable 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 17 
 
 ceptionable WitnefTes brought home to us, that we 
 muft believe nothing, if we will not believe them. 
 That great Maiter-Builder St. Paul, lays the Founda- 
 tion of Faith in fuch Teftimonies, (a) Say not in thine 
 Heart, Who /ball afcend into Heaven ? That is, to 
 bring Cbrijl from above : Or, Who Jhall defcend into 
 the Deep f That is, to bring up Chrijl again from the 
 Dead. But what it faith ? The JVord is nigh thee, 
 even in thy Mouth, and in thy Heart ; that is, the 
 IVord of Faith which we preach. This Word is what 
 we are entirely to rely upon ; tho' we thankfully re- 
 ceive fuch corroborating Evidences as are given us by 
 pious and learned Men ; among whom a worthy Di- 
 vine of our own Country has done good Service, in 
 the Account of his Journey from Aleppo to Jerufalem : 
 Whofe Obfervations to our prefent Purpofe, I fhall 
 here fet down. 
 
 " At Bethlehem, fays he, is to be feen the Place 
 " where our Saviour was born, and the Manger 
 *' wherein he was laid. Near to Bethlehem, is the 
 " Place where flood the Houi'e of Simeon that vene- 
 " rable old Prophet, who taking our Bleffed Saviour 
 " in his Arms, lung his Nunc dimittis in the Temple. 
 " Near this Place is to be feen the famous Turpen- 
 " tine Tree, in the Shade of which, the bleffed Vir- 
 ** gin is faid to have repofed, when fhe was carrying 
 " Cbrijl in her Arms to prefent him to the Lord in 
 " Jerufalem. 
 
 " At Bethany, a little without Jerufalem, is to be 
 " feen the Sepulchre of Lazarus, out of which he 
 *' arofe at that enlivening Voice of Chrijl, Lazarus, 
 ** come forth. There is to be feen near it, a Man- 
 " fion-Houfe, where this Favourite of our Lord dwelt. 
 
 " In Jerufalem, the Armenians have a Church, 
 " wherein are laid up three large rough Stones; two 
 
 °~~ *»~ — — — • — ■ ■■ 
 
 (a) Rom. 10. 6, &c. 
 
 C 4 " of 
 
1 8 The Sum of the Part L 
 
 " of whicji are laid to be brought from the Place of 
 " our Lord's Baptifm. Here are likewife to be feen, 
 
 " The Place where our Saviour fed the Multitude 
 " with the Loaves and Fifties. The Place where he 
 '• was nailed to the Crofs ; where the Soldier pierced 
 " his Side; where his Body was anointed jn order to 
 " his Burial ; where it was depofited in the Sep.uK 
 " chre ; where the Angels appeared to his Difciples 
 " after his Refurreclion, and where Chrift himfelf ap- 
 ** peared to Mary Magdalen. 
 
 " The Stone that was laid to fecure the Door of 
 " our Saviour's Sepulchre. The Place where St. 
 " Peter was frighted to a Denial of his Matter. 
 " Where our Lord infti tilted his laft Supper. The 
 " Place of his Afcenfion, where he let his laft Foot- 
 f fteps here on Earth. 
 
 " The Place they call St. Peter's Prifon, from 
 " which he was delivered by the Angel : Near it is 
 " the Iron Gate which opened to Peter of its own 
 " accord. 
 
 " The Place where a Jew arretted the Corps of the 
 " Blefled Virgin, as it was going to be interred; for 
 " which impious Prefumption the Hand with which 
 " he feized the Bier was withered. 
 
 " The Place where are Twelve arched Vaults, 
 *' built in Memory of the Twelve Ap.oftjes, who are 
 " faid to have compiled their Creed in this Place, 
 " and the Place where the Apoftles divided to go to 
 " their feveral Charges." 
 
 -But notwithftanding thefe Things, the I-Vord, fays 
 St. Paul, is nigh thee ; that fare IVord which we are 
 commanded to attend to, and ftedlauMy regard, as a 
 Light mining in a dark Place; by which we may fee 
 moft clearly and fully all that our Lord did and fuf- 
 fered for us. By this Light is (hown the Innocence, 
 Sanctity, and Divinity of the Son of God, in a moft 
 confpicnous and eminent Manner, with fuch an un- 
 
 affe&ed 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 19 
 
 affected Plainnefs and Strength of Reafon, as cannot 
 be re lifted. 
 
 When Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor fat in 
 Judgment upon him, and had examined him, he cal- 
 led the chief Piiefts and Rulers of the Jews together, 
 and faid to them, (a) 2"<? have brought this Man unto 
 me, as one that 'pervert eth the People ; and behold I 
 have examined him before you, and have found no Fault 
 in him : No, nor yet Herod, for 1 fent you to him ; and 
 lo, nothing worthy of Death is done to him : I will 
 therefore chaflife him, and let him go. (b) And when 
 he was fat down on the Judgment-Seat, his IVife fent 
 unto him, faying, Have thou nothing to do with that 
 jujl Man ; for I have fuffered many Things in a Dream 
 this Day becaufe of him. After all, when Pilate law 
 that he could not prevail with the Jews to releafe 
 him, but that they cried out in a tumultuous Manner, 
 to have him crucified •, He took Water, and wajhed 
 his Hands before the Multitude, faying, I am innocent 
 of the Blood of this jujl Per/on : See Te to it. Like- 
 wife Judas, though he had betrayed his Mafter, yet 
 he could not forbear to fpeak in his Vindication, and 
 plead for him at laft • openly acknowledging to the 
 chief Priefts and Elders, That he had betrayed inno- 
 cent Blood. Laflly, The Roman Centurion, who kept 
 the Guard upon this Occafion, and they that were 
 with him watching Jefus, when they faw the Earth- 
 quake, and thofe Things that were done, feared 
 greatly, faying, Truly, this was the Son of GOD. 
 Now thefe Testimonies are highly honourable and 
 advantageous to the Caufe of Chrifl. He had affirm- 
 ed himlclf to be the Son of God ; He was accufed 
 for it, and brought to his Trial about it ; and thofe 
 who fat in Judgment upon him, pronounced him Not 
 Guilty : Surely, great was his Meeknei's, clear his In- 
 nocence, itrong ihe Evidences of his Divinity, which 
 
 (a) Luke 23. 14, &c. (b) Matt. 27. 19, &C. 
 
 extorted 
 
20 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 extorted fuch Declarations from Perfons not otherwife 
 difpofed to make them ! 
 
 But how fliall we be able to eftimate the Great- 
 nefs, the Immenfity of Cbrift's Love towards us ? and 
 with what Comparifon fhall we compare it ? Can there 
 hardly be found a Man upon Earth, who will lay 
 down his Life to fave his heft Friend? If fuch a one 
 might be found, yet the Love of Chrift is incompara- 
 bly greater, who was content to die for his Enemies. 
 To die, not an honourable, eafy, fpeedy Kind of 
 Death •, but the fhameful, painful, lingering Death of 
 the Crofs. To pafs through the Hands of the rude 
 Multitude, and fuftain a Load of Scorn and Reproach 
 from them, more intolerable than any common Sort 
 of Death : And after a cruel Trial of Mocking and 
 Scourging, and a tirefome March under the Burthen 
 of a heavy Crofs, when natural Strength was fpent, 
 and the Spirits grown faint, to be pierced through the 
 Hands and Feet, and thereby fattened to the Crofs, 
 and fo left to expire by flow Degrees, between no 
 better Company than two infamous Malefactors : I 
 fay, For Chri/l willingly to fubmit, and offer up him- 
 felf fuch a bloody Sacrifice as this, for our Redemp- 
 tion, who were then at Enmity with him, is a Degree 
 of Love far furpafling our Understanding to eftimate 
 or comprehend it. And therefore St. Paul thought it 
 enough to know Jefus Chrift , and him Crucified : 
 More than this he profeffes he defired r.ot to know : 
 (a) How to comprehend the Breadth and Length, and 
 Depth and Height of this, and to know the Love of Chrift, 
 which paffeth Knowledge, was his ardent Prayer for 
 himfelf and his People. This he calls, (b) A Myftery, 
 which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations, but 
 now is made manifeft to the Saints, (c) God forbid, fays 
 he, that I fhould glory, fave in the Crofs of Chrift, by 
 which the IVorld is crucified unto me, and I unto the 
 
 (a) Epbef. 3. 1 8. (Jb) Col. i. 26. (c) Gal. 6. 14. 
 
 IVorld* 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. SI 
 
 IVorld. And, (a) JVe preach Cbrtfl crucified, unto the 
 Jews a Stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks Foolifhnefs : 
 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, 
 Cbriji the Power of God, and the tVifdom of God. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the HOLT GHOST. 
 
 His Divine Infpiration and Operations. 
 
 THE HOLT GHOST is likewife GOD, Co- 
 eilentia), Co-eternal, and Co-equal with the Fa- 
 ther and the Son. He proceedeth from the Father and 
 the Son -, which is proved from Cbrift's own Words, 
 who tells his Difciples, in his Difcourfes with them a 
 little before his Attention, (b) Tbefe Things have I 
 J'poken unto you, being yet prefent with you. But the 
 Comforter, which is the Holy Ghofl, whom the Father 
 will fend in my Name, he jhall teach you all Things, and 
 bring all Things to your Remembrance, whatfoever 1 have 
 Jaid unto you. Here he fays, The Father (hall fend 
 the Holy Ghofl . But in the next Chapter, he fays, (c) 
 When the Comforter, i. e. the Holy Ghofl, is come, whom 
 I will fend unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of 
 Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He Jhall teflify 
 of me. In his laft Charge to his Difciples to go and 
 preach the Gofpel, (d) He breathed on them, and /aid 
 unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghofl. In the Writings 
 of the Apoftles, he is called, The Spirit of the Father 
 and of the Son. Thefe are Proofs, That the Holy Spi- 
 rit proceeds both from the firft and fecond Perfon in 
 the Godhead. 
 
 (a J i Cor. I. 23, 24. (b) John 14. 25, 26. (c) Verje 26. 
 (d) John 20. 22. 
 
 But 
 
22 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 But he fo proceeds, not as a Quality or Influence, 
 but as a real Perfon, diftind from the Father and the 
 Son. John the Baptifl, fpeaking of drift's Manifef- 
 tation to the World, fays, I faw the Spirit defcending 
 from Heaven like a Dove, and it abode upon him: Which, 
 he fays, was the Sign given him, whereby to know 
 Chrift. / knew him not : but he that fent me to baptize 
 •with IVater, the fame /aid unto me ; Upon whom thou 
 fhalt fee the Spirit defending, and remaining on him, the 
 fame is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghofi : And I 
 faw, and bear Record, That this is the Son of God. (a) 
 Now John baptized our Lord, and this happened at 
 his Baptifm : (b) Jefus, when he was baptized, went up 
 firaightway out of the IVater : and, lo ! the Heavens were 
 opened unto him, and he faw the Spirit of God defending 
 like a Dove, and lighting upon him. And, lo ! a Voice 
 from Heaven, faying, This is -my beloved Son, in whom J 
 am well plea fed. 
 
 In Conformity to this Revelation of the Godhead in 
 three Perfons, the Form of Baptijm to be ufed all over 
 the Chriftian World, was conceived and appointed 
 by Chrift himfeif, to be In the Name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. In the Name 
 of thefe three Perfons, St. Paul has taught the Miriif- 
 ters of Chrift to blefs their Congregations. To thefe 
 three the Church gives Glory and Praifes in her Dox- 
 ologies, confeftes them in her Creeds, invokes them in 
 her Prayers, teaches them in her Hmllies, ajid Syjlems 
 of Chrijlian Doclrine." From all which it is apparent- 
 ly manifeft, That the Holy Ghofi is GOD, as well as 
 the Father and the Son. 
 
 But if it be demanded, Whether the Holy Ghofi is 
 any where in the Scriptures exprefly called GOD ? 
 the Anfwer is obvious in Acls 5. 3, 4. where Peter re- 
 proving Ananias for- keeping back from the Church, 
 Part ot the Money for which he fold his Eitats, con- 
 
 (a) John 1. 32, &c. (b) Matt. 3. 16, 17. 
 
 trary 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 23 
 
 trary to what he pretended, fpeaks thus ; Ananias, 
 why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie to the Holy 
 Ghojl ? Thou bajl not lied unto Men, but unto GOD. 
 Thefe Words are plain enough for every one to make 
 the Application. And thus much for the Perfonality 
 of the Holy Ghoji. Let us next confider his Operati- 
 ons and Offices. 
 
 When Chrift was afcended into Heaven, he did, 
 according as he had promifed, fend down the Holy 
 Ghoji upon his Difciples, which enabled them to fpeak 
 with divers Tongues, fo as to be underftood of all 
 Nations, and infpired them with great Courage and 
 Eloquence, to preach the Gofpel ; and endued them 
 with a Power to work Miracles for the Confirmation 
 of what they preached. 
 
 All Scripture is faid to be given by Infpiration of 
 this Spirit. Prophefy, fays St. Peter, came not in old 
 Time by the Will of Man ; but holy Men of God [pake 
 as they were moved by the Holy Ghoji. (a) This is 
 what gives it fuch a high Authority, and makes it fo 
 infinitely preferable to any other Writings. All the 
 Graces of Illumination, Faith, Wifdom, Courage, Elo- 
 quence, are the Gifts of this Divine Spirit. Our 
 Lord forewarns his Difciples what Treatment they 
 fhould meet with in the World on the Account of 
 their Religion, (b) They floall deliver you up to Coun- 
 cils, and in the Synagogues ye floall be beaten, and ye jh all 
 be brought before Rulers and Kings for my Sake. But 
 when they fliall lead you, and deliver you up, take no 
 Thought before-hand, what ye fhall fpeak, neither do ye 
 premeditate : but whatfoever fhall be given you in that 
 Hour, that fpeak ye: for it is not ye that fpeak, but the 
 Holy Ghoji. In the parallel Place, it is thus : (c) Settle 
 it in your Hearts, not to meditate before, what ye fhall 
 anfwer ; for I will give you a Mouth and Wifdom which 
 all your Adverfaries Jhall not be able to gainfay nor rejiji. 
 
 (a) 2 Pet. 1 . 2 1 . (b) Mark 139 1 1, (c) Luke z\. 14, 15. 
 
 Accord- 
 
24 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 Accordingly, St. Stephen, the firft Martyr of Chrift, 
 after the ApofUes had prayed, and laid their Hands 
 on him, was filled with the Holy Ghoft, and did 
 great Wonders and Miracles, and the Spirit and Wif- 
 dom by which he fpake, was fo powerful, that the 
 Philofophers and learned Doctors were not able to 
 withftand him. (a) 
 
 To the fame Spirit are afcribed all the Graces of 
 Santlification : Love, Joy, Peace, and all Chriftian 
 Virtues, are called, The Fruits of the Spirit. And as 
 in the Work of Creation, the Spirit of God moved upon 
 the Face of the Waters, fo in the Work of Regenera- 
 tion, the fame quickening Spirit moves in us, enligh- 
 tens our Underftandings, opens, foftens, and renews 
 our Hearts ; makes us fpiritually and heavenly Mind- 
 ed, fanctifies our Thoughts, regulates our diforderly 
 Pailions, ftrengthens us againft Temptations, and 
 conveys fecret Streams of Joy and Comfort into our 
 Souls. 
 
 Wherefore it is both our Duty and fntereft con- 
 ftantly to implore the Affiftance and Fellowfhip of 
 this blejfed Spirit, that by his holy Infpiration we may 
 think thofe Things that are good, and by his merci- 
 ful Guidance may perform the fame, (b) If ye being 
 Evil, know how to give good Gifts unto your Children ; 
 how much more jhall your heavenly Father give the holy 
 Spirit to them that afk him ? (c) Likewife the Spirit help- 
 eth our Infirmities : for we know not what we fhauld pray 
 for, as we ought : but the Spirit itfelf maketh Inter cejfion 
 for us, with Groaning s which cannot be uttered, id) "The 
 Love of God is jhed abroad in .our Heartt by the Holy 
 Ghoft, which is given unto us. (e) Know ye not that 
 your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghoft which is in you, 
 and ye are not your own ? Therefore glorify God in your 
 
 Body and in your Spirit, which are God's. 
 
 ■ ,-\ ■ , 
 
 (a) Jt?s6.S, fee (b) Luke n. 13. (c) Rom. 8- 26. 
 (d) Rom- c. c. (e) 1 Cor. £> .10, 20. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 25 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of the Ever-BIefTed T R I N I T T. 
 
 ALTHOUGH the Word TRINITY be 
 no where to be found in Holy Scripture, yet 
 the Interpretation of it is, viz. That there are three 
 diftindt Perfons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghojl. And though there had been no fingle Text 
 wherein this Doctrine was fully expreffed, (as there 
 are feveral) yet would it be a true Doctrine notwith- 
 Handing ; being interwoven throughout the Body of 
 the Old and New Teflament, as has in Part been 
 proved already, while we were {hewing every Per/on 
 by himfelf to be God and Lord ; and will be abun- 
 dantly evident to fuch as are well read in the facred 
 Writings. The Manner how this Trinity in Unity 
 manifeits itfelf to us, is thus : The Work of Creation, 
 wherein is fpecially feen the mighty Power of God, is 
 appropriated to the Father ; the Work of Redemption, 
 wherein is fpecially feen the Wifdom of God, to the 
 Son \ and the Works of Sanclification, and Infufion of 
 Habitual Graces, whereby the good Things of God are 
 communicated unto us, are appropriated to the Holy 
 Ghofl. 
 
 The Word Trinity was foon received by the Latin 
 Church, as a proper, comprehenfive Term, to fignify 
 the three Perfons in the Godhead. It is found in Ter- 
 tullian adverfus Praxeam, (a) who flouri fried in the 
 Beginning of the third Century : At which Time, the 
 Greek Church ufed the Word TRIAS, which figni- 
 fies the fame Thing. 
 
 That there are three Perfons in the Godhead ; that 
 every Perfon by himfelf is God and Lord, and yet 
 
 (a) Cap. 10. 
 
 that 
 
26 The Sum of the Part L 
 
 that there is but one God, is an Article of Faith which 
 we are bound to believe, though we cannot fully un- 
 derftand it. We believe a great many other Things 
 which we don't underftand, only be\*aufe we are well 
 ajjured of the Truth and Reality of them. And lo 
 we are of this great Myflery : We find it contained 
 in the Wotd of God : To that, therefore, we muft 
 fubmit and yield our Afient ; and fay with the pious 
 Father, While others Difpuie, I Believe : which is all 
 that is required of us; for it was only intended for 
 the Object of our Faith, and not of our Underftand- 
 ing in this Life. How many Myfteries are there 
 which God hath placed out of our Sight, and which 
 are only to be reached by Faith and Contemplation ? 
 As long as we are here in the Body, (a) We fee fuch 
 Things as thefe but as through a Glafs, darkly ; but 
 when we Jhall be advanced 'to the per f eft State of the 
 BleiTed in Heaven, then we Jhall fee Face to Face, and 
 know even as alfo we are known. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Of the HOLT ANGELS. 
 
 Their Nature and Ministry. 
 
 BEFORE the. .Creation of this vifible World, 
 God made an innumerable Company of Spirits, 
 which we call ANGELS. Some of thefe continue 
 in their fwft holy and happy State, obeying, loving, 
 praifing, and enjoying GOD, and performing fuch 
 Services as he is pleated to employ them in, for his 
 own Glory, and the Good of Mankind. Some of the 
 Angels rebelled, and were, with their Prince or Lea- 
 fa,) I Cor. 13. 1 a. 
 
 der, 
 
Chap. V. Chriftian Religion* 27 
 
 der, called, The Prince of Devils, The old Serpent, 
 and Satan, caft out of Heaven, banifhed from the 
 Society of holy and blelTed Spirits, and are referved 
 in everlafting Chains under Darknefs, unto the Judg- 
 ment of the Great Day. 
 
 The Devil feduced our firjl Parents, and perfuaded 
 them to tranfgrefs the Command of God ; and by 
 that Means brought Sin and Death into the World. 
 And he ftill continues his Hofhlity againft the whole 
 Race of Mankind, ufing his utmoft Endeavours, both 
 by Force and Fraud, to fill all Places with Sin and 
 Mifery. For which End he fometimes afts the Part 
 of a roaring Lion, going about, feeking whom he may 
 devour ; and fometimes he transforms himfelf into the 
 Shape of an Angel of Light, that he may the more 
 eafily deceive. 
 
 But, on the contrary, good Angels are appointed 
 for the Defence and Benefit of God's chofen People. 
 Their general Commiflion is, To be Guardians and 
 Keepers of the Heirs of Salvation. This the Pfalmift 
 teaches us : {a) He fhall give his Angels Charge over 
 thee, to keep thee in all thy Ways. And again, (V) 
 The Angel of the Lord incampeth round about them that 
 fear him, and delivereth them. And St. Paul (c) af- 
 firms, That they are all minijlring Spirits, fent forth 
 to mini ft er for them who fhall be Heirs of Salvation. 
 
 This Doctrine is confirmed by the Hiftorical Ac- 
 counts of the Old and New Tejlament. The Angels 
 attended upon the Patriarchs in their Travels, as 
 Abraham and the reft thankfully acknowledge. They 
 delivered Lot and his Family out of Sodom, conducted 
 the Children of Ifrael from AEgypt, to the Land of 
 Canaan, brought Meflages and lnftru&ions to them 
 afterwards : And we read, How an Angel was fent 
 to Manoah, to direct what Courfe the Mother fhould 
 take whilft fhe went with Child of Sampfon: (d) And 
 
 (a) PJalm 91 . 1 1 . (b) Pfalm 34. 7. (c ) Heb. 1 . ult. (d) fudges 
 13. 13, 14. 
 
 D David 
 
28 The Sum of the Part L 
 
 David makes a fpecial Remark on fuch a Providence 
 of God, (a) By which he was covered in his Mother s 
 Womb; that is, was graciouily kept from what might 
 deftroy him while he Jay there. And as David praif- 
 ed God for this, fo mould all Mothers remember to 
 do it too ; as well as all that are born of them. 'Thou 
 art he, that took me out of my Mother's Womb. And, 
 in Cafes of Extremity, Angels had frequent Commu- 
 nication with their Prophets and holy Perfons. 
 
 Angels are Spirits, fays the Scripture ; but God, 
 when he thinks fit, caufes them to alTnme Bodies ; 
 for it is certain, that the Angels that appeared to 
 Abraham and Lot, were embodied ; for they are faid 
 to Eat and Drink, and mention is made of wajhing 
 their Feet : And they took Lot and his Wife and 
 Daughters by the Hand. But, alas ! how mould we 
 hope to comprehend the EiTence and Dignity of An- 
 gels, fo far above us, when we feel ourfelves unable 
 to find out the Nature and Perfection of this very 
 Soul within us ? What Sort of Being muft this be, 
 which infpires a Lump of otherwife Dead Flejh with 
 Life and Aclivity, and yet, when moft defirous fo to 
 do, cannot confine its Thoughts to holy Exercifes ? 
 
 We find, That the blefled Angeh inhabit Heaven, 
 in fuch an innumerable Company as Mankind do the 
 Earth : For there are, fay the Scriptures, Thoufands 
 of Thoufands, Myriads, an innumerable Holt of ho- 
 ly Angels, continually waiting in the Prefence of God. 
 Thefe are the happy Spirits who offer a Sacrifice of 
 pure Praife before the Throne of God continually ; 
 who are ever ravifhed with the Contemplations of his 
 Perfections, and lee them, not like us, through a Glafs, 
 darkly ; but near at Hand, and Face to Face. What 
 Tongue can exprefs, what Thoughts conceive, the 
 admirable Beauty, the exact Order, the nUmberlefs 
 Multitude of this heavenly Hoft ! The inexhauftible 
 
 (a) Pfnlms 71. 16. 
 
 Source 
 
Chap. V. Chriftian Religion* 29 
 
 Source of Joy fpringing from the beatifick Vifion ! 
 The BlefTednefs derived to them from the Fountain 
 of all Blifs! 
 
 O Praife the Lord, all ye Works of his ! in all Pla- 
 ces of his Dominion ; Praife the Lord, O my Soul! Let 
 ns magnify that Great God, whom Angels praife, whom 
 Dominions adore, before whom Powers fall down and 
 tremble ; whofe excellent Gloiy Cherubim atid Seraphim 
 proclaim with loud inceffant Voices ! 
 
 In the New Teflament, at the Beginning of the Gof- 
 pels, we find the Angels coming before our Lord, as 
 his Heralds to prepare his Way for him -, firft, giving 
 Notice of his Conception, then celebrating his Nativi- 
 ty, and proclaiming his Birth to the World. After- 
 wards, upon feveral Occafions -, as, In his Deliverance 
 from Herod, in his Temptation, in his Agony, at his 
 Refurredtion and Afcenlion, the Angels attended on 
 him, and miniftred unto him. 
 
 The like Attendance they gave to his Apoftles, es- 
 pecially to thofe three eminent Ones, St. Peter, Paul, 
 and John, revealing the Mind of God to them, warn- 
 ing them how to avoid impending Dangers, and de- 
 livering them out of Prifon in a miraculous Manner, 
 when they were fad bound with Chains, and kept 
 under a ftrong Guard. 
 
 From whence we may learn, That the Holy Angels 
 are very much employed about Men, and that by 
 Means of this Minitfration, they know much of hu- 
 man Affairs in general, but more of the State and 
 Condition of thofe particular Perfons whom they have 
 in Charge. 
 
 We learn likewife, from the invariable Goodnefs of 
 their Nature, that they are mightily pleafed with the 
 Welfare of Mankind ; but with that mofl of all, 
 wherein the Glory of God, and the Happinefs of Man 
 moft eminently meet together : I mean, The Conver- 
 fion and Repentance of a Sinner. Which though they 
 
 D % cannot 
 
30 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 cannot know fully of themfelves, as to the Sincerity 
 of it, becaufe they cannot fearch the Heart ; yet they 
 can make better Obfervations than we, whereby to 
 infer it : And for the reft, I doubt not but the Father 
 of Spirits, and Searcher of Hearts, communicates it 
 to them, and they with Gladnefs fpread abroad the 
 good News among all the Inhabitants of Heaven : 
 And fo a Joy goes round among the Angels of God, 
 as often as they hear of any one penitent Soul who is 
 to be added to their bleft Abodes. This our Lord, 
 who perfectly underflood the Court of Heaven, aflures 
 us, (a) That there is Joy in the Prefence of the Angels 
 of God, over one Sinner that repentetb. 
 
 The Thanks that we owe for the good Offices of 
 Angels, are due to GOD ; the Prayers that we make 
 for their Afliftance, muft be made to GOD. This 
 we are taught from one End of Holy Scripture, to the 
 other. Abraham encouraged his Servant to fetch a 
 Wife for his Son Ifaac from a remote Place, by tel- 
 ling him, (b) 'The Lord God of Heaven fh all j end his 
 Angel before thee. Daniel in the Den of Lions, calls 
 out to the King, and tells him, (c) My God hath fent 
 his Angel, and hath Jhut the Lions Mouths, that they 
 have not hurt me. And when St. John fell down to 
 worfhip, at the Feet of the Angel, which (hewed him 
 his heavenly Vifions, he charges him, (d) See thou do 
 it not : for I am thy Fellow-Servant Worfhip 
 
 GOD. 
 
 In Conformity to what has been faid, the Church 
 has taught us to pray, That as the Angels always do 
 God Service in Heaven ; fo they may, by his Appoint- 
 ment, fuccour and defend us on Earth. 
 
 (a) Luke 15. 10. (b). Gen. 24. 7. (c) Dan. 6. 22. (d) Rev. 
 22. 9- 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. VI. Chriflian Religion. 3 1 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 Of the Sacred SCRIPTURES. 
 
 Their Truth and Excellency. 
 
 THE HOLT SCRIPTURES have receiv- 
 ed the conftant Atteftation of all Ages, and 
 have, by a wonderful Providence, been preferved and 
 tranfmitted down to our Days. And very remark- 
 able it is, That notwithstanding the Variety of their 
 Matter, the Diverfity of Perfons by whom, Places 
 where, and Times when they were written ; yet there 
 is fuch a fweet Harmony between thefe Writings, and 
 fuch an Uniformity of the Matters contained in them, 
 that one don't clafh with, and overthrow another, as 
 it often happens in the Writings of Men, 
 
 Moreover, The Holy Scriptures bear Witnefs to 
 themfelves, in the Accomplishment of the many Pro- 
 mifes therein contained, and Predictions of Things to 
 come, with the Circumftances of the Things, and 
 Names of the Perfons foretold. Thus the Land of 
 Canaan was promifed to the Pofterity of Abraham, 
 when he had no Inheritance in it ; nay, when, in all 
 human Probability, he could have no Child to fuc- 
 ceed him. The Prophecy concerning Jofias was 321 
 Years, and that concerning Cyrus 100 Years, before 
 either of them were born : And yet the Names they 
 mould bear, and the Works they fhould do, were 
 exprefsly mentioned fo long before. The Rejection 
 of the Jews, and Calling of the Gentiles, is fpoken of 
 from Mofes, to the laft of the Prophets, at fuch Times 
 as the Jews were in a flourifhing Condition, and made 
 no Queilion but they fhould always be the peculiar 
 People of God. Laftly, The Prophecies of the Mef- 
 
 D 3 fiab 
 
32 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 Jiah are continued all along from the Patriarchs, to 
 the Incarnation of Chrift, and are very particular a- 
 bout the Circumftances of his Birth, Life, and Suf- 
 ferings. Infomuch that our Lord appeals not only to 
 his Miracles, but likewife to Mofes and the Prophets, 
 for Proof of his being the true M^jjiah. (a) Search 
 the Scriptures, fays he to the unbelieving Jews, for 
 they are they that tefiify of me. And, (b) Had ye be- 
 lieved Mofes, ye would have believed me ; for he wrote 
 of me. And after he had fuffered, and was rifen from 
 the Dead, while his Difcipies were in fome Sufpenfe 
 what to think of him, he appeared to them, and up- 
 braided them with their Hardnefs of Heart, and Un- 
 belief : (c ) O Fools, and /low of Heart to believe all 
 that the Prophets have fpoken ! Ought not Chrijl to have 
 fuffered thefe Things, and to enter into his Glory ? And 
 beginning at Mofes and all the Prophets, he expounded 
 unto them in all the Scriptures, the Things .concerning 
 bimfelf. 
 
 Again, The Holy Scriptures prove themfelves to be 
 the Word of God, by that great Efficacy and Power 
 which is in them. The Word of God, fays St. Paul, 
 (d) is quick and powerful, and Jharper than any two- 
 edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing a/under of Soul 
 and Spirit, and of the ^Joints and Marrow-, and is a Dif- 
 cerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart. When 
 thefe Sacred Writings were tratflated into our Lan- 
 guage, which was carefully performed by the befl 
 Scholars and graveft" Men of our Nation, the People 
 univerfally admired them, and with great Satisfaction 
 heard the Clergy read them in the Churches. And 
 the reading of the Scriptures, gave the greateft Blow 
 of any Thing, to the former Superftitions of Popery, 
 as Image-worjhip, Pilgrimages, Invocation of Saints, 
 &c. Such of the Heathen Writers as have perufed 
 
 (a) John 5. 39. (b) Ver. 46. (c) Luke 24, 25, 26, 27. 
 (d) Heb. 4. 12. 
 
 them 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 33 
 
 them, have willingly preferred them, for Sublimity 
 and Majefly of Style, before their own celebrated 
 Writings. And, indeed, none of theirs come near 
 them, even with all the Difadvantages of our Tran- 
 flation, which being obliged to be Literal., muft needs 
 lofe many Beauties of the Original But ftill we fee 
 and admire the Plainnefs and Succinctnefs or' the Hif- 
 torical Parts, the Melody of the Pfalms, the wife and 
 comprehenfive Inftruclions of the Proverbs, the ex- 
 alted Thoughts of the Prophets : And, above all, that 
 eafy Sweetnefs in the New Tejlament, where the Glory 
 of Heaven is fet forth in grave and becoming Lan- 
 guage, not like the Flights of Rhetoricians, who fet 
 out fmall Matters in great Words, (a) All Scripture, 
 fays St. Paul, is given by Inspiration of God, and is pro~ 
 fitable for Dotlrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for In~ 
 jlrutlion in Righteoufnefs ; That tbe Man of God may be 
 per feci, thoroughly furnifhed unto all good Works. 
 
 To know how to value the Holy Scriptures, to 
 have a true Relifh of their divine Spirit, and to ren- 
 der them truly beneficial and comfortable to our 
 Souls, we muft ftudy them well, read *hem often, 
 hear them with Reverence and Attention. For a'fre- 
 quent Perufal will bring us to a right Underftanding, 
 and a right Underftanding will make us find great 
 Pleafure in the Word of God. What can be a grea- 
 ter Honour, than to hear God fpeaking to us ? What 
 can be of greater Importance, than the Inftruclions 
 of everlafting Salvation ? Here are the Rules by which 
 we muft govern all our Thoughts, Words, and Ac- 
 tions ; and by thefe we fhall be tryed and examined 
 by our great fudge : For fo he himfelf has forewarned 
 us : (b) The Word that I have fpoken, the fame fhall 
 judge you at the laji Day. Therefore we muft not 
 ftudy thefe Sacred Books only that we may readily 
 quote them, and be able to difpute out of them ; 
 
 (a) 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. (£) John \z. 48. 
 
 D 4 but 
 
34 The Sum of the Part I, 
 
 but we mud fo read, as to practife, and fo hear, as 
 to obey. Men Should not be fo follicitous as they are 
 to fill their Heads with controverfial Points, which 
 ferve more for Strife and Debate, than for eitablifh- 
 ing the Truth ; but they ought much rather to warm 
 their Hearts with pious and ufeful Doctrines, to en- 
 courage themfelves in all Adverlities with the Aflu- 
 rances and Manifestations of the infinite Love of God, 
 to Strengthen their Hopes with his Promifes, to fly 
 from Sin through a Fear of his Threatenings, and to 
 quicken their Zeal for all good Works, by having 
 much at Heart the ferious Perfuafions and Exhorta- 
 tions of the holy Penmen. This Method of Studying 
 the holy Scriptures, would not fail to attain the happy 
 End for which they were written, and make Men wife 
 unto Salvation. 
 
 CHAP. VII, 
 
 Of RELIGION from its Beginning. 
 
 The Patriarchal Dispensation. 
 
 THAT Men in all Times and Ages of the 
 World, have been under the Direction of a 
 LAW, to which they were bound to conform their 
 Actions, is what we rhuft needs grant, if we believe 
 any Thing of the final Doom and Judgment of all 
 Mankind : For how can Men be accountable to the 
 Ju'dge fur what they were not obliged by any known 
 Law, to avoid, or do ? It being an infallible Maxim, 
 That where there is no Law, there can be neither 
 Obedience nor Tranfgrejfion. 
 
 But now this LA W (cf Nature or Reafon, call it 
 which you pleafe) though it be more obfcure and im- 
 perfect, yet is it no way contradictory to that clearer 
 
 Light 
 
Chap. VII. Chriftian Religion. 35 
 
 Light which God was pleafed afterwards to reveal. 
 For if fo, then we mud either fay, That Men had 
 not a right Rule before, and, confequently, were not 
 bound to obierve the Directions of it ; or elfe, That 
 the Nature of moral Good and Evil is variable : Nei- 
 ther of which can be fuppofed with any Juftice to our 
 wife and holy Lawgiver and Judge, who notwith- 
 ftanding the fubfequent Revelations of his Will, hath 
 ftill left us in many Things to the Guidance of this 
 firjl Light. And if any one has prefumed to main- 
 tain this extravagant Doctrine, That the Go/pel fu- 
 perfedes the Law of Nature and right Reafon, and 
 that divine Grace exempts Men from the Obligation to 
 good Works, he has run into very grofs and dangerous 
 Abfurdities, and effectually confuted himfelf. 
 
 It was a Tradition current among the Jews, That 
 the World fhould laft fix thoufand Years, which they 
 divided into three remarkable and equal Periods ; rec- 
 koning the Fir ft from the Creation to the giving of 
 the Law by Mofes -, the Second for the Continuance 
 of that Law ; and the Third, for the Days of the 
 Mejfiah. Whence arofe a threefold Diftinclion of 
 Church-Oeconomy, Patriarchal, Mofaical, and Evan- 
 gelical. 
 
 The PATRIARCHS lived under a Theo- 
 cracy ; that is, the immediate Direction of G O D 
 himfelf, efpeciaily in extraordinary and difficult Cafes. 
 The fir ft Men being very long-lived, were not only 
 wife by abundance bf Experience, but had likewife 
 an Opportunity of communicating their Wifdom to 
 many Thoufands of the younger Sort, by perfonal 
 Converfation. And fo we may very juftly iuppofe, 
 That the frequent Appearances of Angels to them, 
 the Vi lions and Revelations which God gave them, 
 the miraculous Deliverances which he wrought for the 
 Pious, and Judgments executed on the Wicked, were 
 all preferved with great Truth and Exa&nefs, for the 
 
 firft 
 
36 The Sum 0/ the Part I. 
 
 firft two thoufand Years of the World, even fuppo- 
 fing (what fome Hijlories will not allow us to fuppofe) 
 that no fuch Thing as Letters were yet invented, or 
 applied to any Ufe. 
 
 Of the pojitive Laws given in thefe Times, there 
 are Two upon Record very remarkable : The One, 
 A Prohibition againjl eating of Bloody given to Noah 
 after the Deluge , in thefe Words : (a) Flejh with the 
 Life thereof, which is the Blood thereof Jhall you not 
 eat. Which was reinforced under the Mofaick Infli- 
 tution. (b) Concerning the Senfe of which Words, 
 there are various Opinions. The modern Jews un^ 
 derftand it to be, the cutting off a Limb or Piece 
 of any Creature, and eating it while the Creature is 
 yet alive, as fome Americans are known to have done. 
 But their more ancient Interpreters will have it, That 
 hereby the Eating of Blood is univerfally forbidden, 
 as that wherein the Life confifteth. And indeed, the 
 parallel Place will not fuffer us to interpret otherwife. 
 So the Apqftles (c) underftood it ; and fo did (d) Ter- 
 tullian, and (e) Sulpitius Sever us. And commonly 
 the beft Writers ufe Blood and Life indifferently for 
 one and the fame Thing. The Reafon of this Pre- 
 cept is partly Phyfical, Blood being too grofs to afford 
 proper Nutriment ; but chiefly Moral, intimating to 
 us, How carefully we fhould abftain from all Acts of 
 Revenge and Cruelty. 
 
 The other pojitive Law was Circumcifion, enjoined 
 by Mqfes with fundry fevere Sanctions ; but firft gi- 
 ven to Abraham, as a Seal of the Covenant which 
 God made with him in thefe Words : (f) This is my 
 Covenant, which ye jhall keep between me and you, and 
 thy Seed after thee : Every Man Child among you jhall 
 be Circumcifed. And ye jhall circumcife the Flejh of 
 
 (a) Gen. 9. 4. (b) Lev. 17. H', 14. (c) Afts 15. 29- {d) Ter- 
 tull- Apalog. y de Monogamia. (e) De Jejunio. (f) Gen. 17. 
 10, I J. 
 
 your 
 
Chap. VII. Chriftian Religion. 37 
 
 your Forejkin ; and it Jball be a Token of the Covenant 
 betwixt me and you. This was the Ratification of 
 the Covenant which God made with Abraham, to ac- 
 cept of his Pofterity for his own Inheritance and pe- 
 culiar People, and that out of them mould arife the 
 promifed MeJJiah. However, Circumcifion was not fo 
 confined to the Holy Line of IJaac and Jacob, but 
 that other Branches of Abraham's Family, Ifmael, 
 and the Sons of Keturah, tranfmitted it to the great 
 Nations fprung from them ; whence the Saracens and 
 /Ethiopians of Old, and the Mahometans at this Day 
 are Circumcifed. And though none of the Nations 
 in (a) Palefline, except only the Jews, ufed Circum- 
 cifion, fo that the Uncircumcifed was a Term com- 
 prehending all their Neighbours round about ; yet 
 the /Egyptians of Old received it of the Ifraelites fo- 
 journing among them ; as may be gathered from (b) 
 Herodotus and (c) Diodorus Siculus, though they er- 
 roneouily derive it from the /Egyptians to the Jews. 
 
 That Circumcifion was properly a Sacrament, that 
 is, not a bare external Sign, to diftinguifh Men in a 
 civil Capacity, but fignificant of an inward fpiritual 
 Grace, is clear from feveral Paffages relating to it, 
 both in the Old and New Tefl anient. In the Book of 
 Deuteronomy, Mofes endeavouring to perfuade the 
 People to a free and ingenuous Obedience of God's 
 Laws, commands them to (d) Circumcife the Forejkin 
 of their Hearts. Jeremiah threatening the Jews, That 
 they, tho' Circumcifed, mould be punifhed with the 
 Uncircumcifed, gives this Reafon for it : (e) Becaufe 
 all the Houfe of Ifrael are Uncircumcifed in the Heart. 
 St. Stephen upbraiding them with their Unbelief and 
 Hardnefs of Heart, and Cruelty to Chrift and all the 
 Prophets, calls them, (f) Uncircumcifed in Heart and 
 
 (a) Jofepb. Antiqu. Lib. viii. Cap. 4. (b) Herodot. Euterpe, 
 (c) DioJor. Si cut. Lib. I. De Colchis, (d) Deut. 10. 1 6- fej Jer. 
 9 25. (f) Ms 7. 51. 
 
 Ears. 
 
38 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 Ears. And St. Paul, having charged them with ma- 
 ny grievous Crimes, which they committed in Confi- 
 dence of their Eleflion through Circumcifion, concludes 
 thus, (a) He is not a Jew which is one outwardly ; 
 neither is that Circumcifion which is outward in the 
 Flejb : But he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and 
 Circumcijion is that of the Heart, in the Spirit, and 
 not in the Letter ; whofe Praife is not of Men, but of 
 God. All which (hews, what Opinion the more pious 
 and intelligent among the Jews, had of their Circum- 
 cifion, that it obliged them to a moil ftrict and holy 
 Obfervance of the divine Laws ; that it was a Sym- 
 bol of their Readinefs to retrench the unlawful De- 
 fires and Affections of their Hearts, however painful 
 and grievous it might be to part with them. 
 
 In the Accounts of the Patriarchs Religion, we find, 
 that they did not fatisfy themfelves with the inward 
 Devotion of their Hearts, nor the Prayers and Praifes 
 of their Lips, how ferious and fpiritual foever they 
 might be ; but they added Sacrifices of the beft 
 Things they had, to their other A£ts of Worfhip, 
 (b) Cain and Abel brought their Offerings to the Lord, 
 one of the Fruits of the Ground, which he tilled ; 
 the other of the Flocks and Herds, which he kept. 
 And though we read not of Noah's Sacrifice until his 
 Thankfgiving (c) for Deliverance from the Flood, 
 yet we need not hence conclude, that this was the 
 firft Time he or any other pious Man ever built an 
 Altar, or offered any- living Creature thereon. But, 
 perhaps, we may from him derive the Cuflom which 
 held many Ages after, of performing fuch folemn 
 Devotions on Hills and eminent Places. Holy Scrip- 
 ture tells us, (d) That the Ark refied on the Mount 
 tains of Ararat : And other (e) grave Authors ob- 
 
 (a) Rom. II. 28, 29. (b) Gen. 4. 3. 4. Selden de Jure Nature 
 y Gentium, Lib. iii. Cap. 2. (c) Gen. 8- 20. (d) Gen. 8- 4. 
 (e) Plato, Lib. iii. de Legibus. 
 
 ferve, 
 
Chap. VII. Chriftian Religion. 39 
 
 ferve, that mountainous Places were firft inhabited 
 by Mankind ; either as being fooneft dry, and fit for 
 Paflure and Tillage ; or becaufe the Flood had ftruck 
 fuch a Terror into the Sons of Noah, that they durft 
 not truft themfelves on the lower Ground, more fub- 
 jedt to Inundations. This is certain, that the Hebrews 
 and Greeks, and mod other Nations, had their Places 
 for folemn Worfhip on the Tops of Mountains. Abra- 
 ham was commanded to offer (a) his Son Ifaac for a 
 Burnt-Offering upon one of the Mountains in the Land 
 of Moriah. Balak the King of Moab, (b) took Ba- 
 laam to the Tops of Mountains, to facrifice to his 
 Gods, and to curfe Ifrael from thence. Hence it is 
 that we read fo often in the Books of Kings of high 
 Places, whither Men went up to worfhip, and that 
 not only Idolators, but thofe of the true Religion* 
 even as (c) Samuel himfelf did, when he anointed 
 Saul to be King over Ifrael. In like Manner, the 
 Trojans facrificed upon Mount (d) Ida, and the (e) 
 Perfians upon their Mountains. And both at Athens 
 and Rome, their moft facred Temples flood in the 
 highefl Places of their City. This univerfal Agree- 
 ment of Mankind, in choofing the moft eminent Pla- 
 ces for their religious Worfhip, is moft reafonably 
 derived from Noah and his Family, who, for the 
 Reafons aforefaid, firft erected their Altars in fuch 
 Places. 
 
 (a) Gen. xxii. z- (h) Numb, xxiji. (c) i Sam. ix. 12. &C- 
 (d) Horn. Iliad. 9. v. 1 70. (e) Xewphon. Cyropeed. Lib. viii. 
 
 
 CHAP. 
 
40 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 The Mosaical Dispensation. 
 
 TH E great Minijler of this Difpenfation, was 
 Mofes, a Prophet and Law-giver of the Jews, 
 Son of Amram by Jochabed, born after his Sifter 
 Miriam, and his Brother Aaron. About this Time 
 the King of Egypt, either apprehending Danger from 
 the prodigious Increafe of the Children of lfrael, or 
 moved with the Predictions of his Priefts, (a) That 
 a Man was ready to be born into the World, who 
 mould be the Author of Ruin and Defolation to the 
 ^Egyptians, but bring Liberty and Glory to the If- 
 raelites ; publifhed an Edict, ftnctly commanding, 
 that whenever the Hebrew Women were delivered of 
 a Male-Child, it mould be call into the River Nile, 
 and drowned ; and that whoever mould prefume to 
 conceal fuch Children, both they and their whole Fa- 
 milies mould be put to Death. Now when Mofes 
 was born, (b) his Mother Jochabed hid him three 
 Months in her own Houfe; but fearing fhe fhould be 
 difcovered, (he put him in a little Boat of Bulrufhes, 
 daubed over with Slime and Pitch, to keep out the 
 Water, and laid it in the Flags by the River's Brink, 
 in a Place where Thermutbis, the King's Daughter, 
 ufed to bathe herfelf. This Princefs coming, and 
 finding the. Child, was very much pleafed with him. 
 His Sifter Miriam, appearing as one accidentally there, 
 took upon her to call a Nude, and called the Mother. 
 By this Means, Mofes had the Benefit of a good Edu- 
 cation, which, in Conjunction with his great natural 
 Parts, and the fpecial Affiftance of the Almighty, 
 
 (a) Jojeph. Antiq. Lib. ii. Cap. 5. (b) ExoJ. ii. 
 
 qualified 
 
Chap. VIII. Chriftian Religion. 41 
 
 qualified him for the many wonderful Works he 
 wrought afterwards. When he was about (a) Four- 
 fcore Years of Age, he led the Children of Ifrael out 
 of /fcgypty in order to conduct, them to the Land of 
 Canaan. This (b) happened in the 430th Year after 
 Abraham came into Canaan, and in the 215th Year 
 from Jacob's Defcent into /Egypt- So that when it is 
 faid, (c) The Sojourning of the Children of Ifrael, who 
 dwelt in /Egvpt, was four hundred and thirty Tears ; 
 the Time is to be computed from the Beginning of 
 Abraham's Pilgrimage. 
 
 After the People had travelled about three {d) 
 Months in the Wildernefs, they came to Mount «S7- 
 nai, where God at firft had appeared to Mofes in a 
 Flame of Fire in a Bum. This (e) Mountain, in- 
 comparably the higheft in all that Country) appears 
 dreadful and inacceflible to all that behold it ; and it 
 being an ancient Opinion, that God often came down 
 upon it, it was held Sacred by the Inhabitants. To 
 the Top of this, Mofes afcended, and continued there 
 forty Days and forty Nights ; in which Time he re- 
 ceived Laws for the Government of the People both 
 in Church and State, in Peace and War, from the 
 immediate Dictates of God himfelf. Thefe Laws 
 the Jewijh Dotlors diftinguifh into Moral, Ecclefiajli- 
 cal, and Political ; which Diftincliion they will have 
 to be intimated by thofe Words, frequently occur- 
 ring in the Mofaick Writings, Laws, Statutes, and 
 Judgments. 
 
 By L A W S they underftanp 1 , the Moral Precepts, 
 or Ten Commandments, written upon two Tables of 
 Stone with the Finger of God. 
 
 By STATUTES Ceremonial Riles relating to 
 Burnt-Offerings, Sacrifices, Purifications, and other 
 Ecclefiaftical Matters. 
 
 (a) Exod. vii. 7. (b) Jofefb. Antiq. Lib. ii. Cap. 6- (c) Exod. 
 xii. 40. (d) Exod. 19. (e) Jofeph. Antiq. Lib. iii. Cap. 4. 
 
 By 
 
42 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 By JUDGMENTS, Political Laws and Or- 
 dinances for the Ufe of the civil Magiftrate, in the 
 Adminiflration of Juftice, and deciding of Contro- 
 verfies between Man and Man. 
 
 The Moral Law is obligatory to all Mankind, in 
 all Ages and Countries of the World, being the Sum 
 and Subflance of that original Law of Righteoufnefs, 
 ingraven at firft on the Tables of Man's Heart ; but 
 being much obliterated and defaced by the Fall, is 
 now conceived in exprefs Words, and configned to 
 Writing by the fupreme Judge, that Men may no 
 longer plead Ignorance of their Duty. The Ecclefi- 
 ajlical and Civil Laws of the Jews were of a different 
 Nature, binding them not as they were Men, but as 
 a particular Church and People ; and fo they were 
 not of an eternal, but temporary Obligation. 
 
 When St. Paul fays, (a) The Law bad a Shadow 
 of good Things to come, and that there was a Neceility 
 it mould be changed, he is to be underftood of the 
 ecclefiajlical or ceremonial Law ; which, he teaches us, 
 was abolifhed and done away in Chrift. But when he 
 fays, By the Deeds of the Law there Jball no Flejb be 
 jujl'tfied (b) ; this is true even of the moral Law, 
 which however perfect in its felf, yet cannot be fo 
 compleatly fulfilled by any Man in this frail State, as 
 to acquit him of all Sin in God's Sight. However, 
 we (c) Chriftians do not make void this Law, but 
 we own its binding Force upon us, and eflablifli it 
 among us. 
 
 But though the Ceremonial Law is now abrogated 
 fince the Coming of Chrift, yet we are not to think 
 fhat any Part of- it was (d) inflituted without good 
 Reafon -, though fuch Reafon may be fo buried in the 
 Duft of Antiquity, as that it may pafs our Skill, at 
 
 (a) Heb. x. I. vii. \%, (b) Rom. iii. 20. (c) Ram. iii. 31. 
 (J) Spencer de Legibus, Heb. p. 4. 
 
 this 
 
Chap. VIII. Chriftiari Religion. 43 
 
 this Diflance, to difcover it. So much of it as we 
 well underftand, we find to be rational, and worthy 
 of its divine Founder ; and therefore it is but fit we 
 believe the fame of what we do not underftand. It 
 is highly abfurd to imagine, that God would have 
 tied up this People to fuch a ftricl Obfervance of thefe 
 Laws, that they might not add nor diminifh a Tittle, 
 if any of them had been without good Reafon. God 
 is the Fountain of Wifdom and Reafon ; his very 
 Nature forbids us to afcribe any Thing to him, much 
 lefs any Law or Ordinance, which is irrational. It 
 was the peculiar Character of Pagan Ceremonies, that 
 they were groundlefs and fenfelefs, and not only ob- 
 fcure and unaccountable, but had all the Signs of fa- 
 natick Rage and Madnefs in them ; the Prince of 
 Darknefs taking a Pleafure in abufing the Folly of 
 Mankind* and holding them in the molt abandoned 
 and deplorable Slavery. But the God of Wifdom 
 never delighted in fuch Worlhippers ; he never was 
 pleafed with the Sacrifice of Fools. The wifeft and 
 heft of his Servants, who have been moil converfant 
 in the Study of his Laws, have highly applauded 
 them for their wife and excellent Contrivance, (a) 
 Behold, (fays Mofes, in fome of his laft Words to the 
 People of Ifrael ) I have taught you Statutes and Judg- 
 ments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye 
 jhould do fo, in the Land whither you go to poffefs it. 
 Keep therefore, and do them ; for this is your fVifdom 
 and your Under/landing in the Sight of the Nations, 
 which jhall hear all thefe Statutes, • and fay ; Surely, this 
 great Nation' is -a wife and underftand \ng People. For 
 what Nation if there fo great, who hath God fo nigh un- 
 to them, as the Lord our God is in all Things 'that we 
 call upon him for ? And what Nation is there fo great, 
 that hath Statutes and Judgments fo righteous, as all 
 
 (a) Deut. \v. 5, &fc. 
 
 F, this 
 
44 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 this Law which 1 fet before you this Day t And David, 
 who ftudied them Day and Night, gives the like high 
 Encomium of them. The Law of the Lord (a) is 
 perfett, converting the Soul : The Tejlimony of the Lord 
 is Jure, making wife the Simple : The Statutes of the 
 Lord are right, rejoicing the Heart : The Commandment 
 of the Lord is pure, enlightening the Eyes : The Fear of 
 the Lord is clean, enduring for ever : The Judgments of 
 the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 
 
 The modern Jews divide their Laws and Ceremo- 
 nies into three Ranks or Orders. The Firjl of which 
 contains all the Precepts of the written Law, com- 
 prifed in the five Books of Mojes. The Second, thofe 
 of the oral Law, which are the Traditions collected 
 by their Rabbins, and feveral Conftitutions, which 
 they call the Commandments of the wife Men, fet down 
 in the Book they call the Talmud. The Third Sort 
 contains thofe Things which Ufe and Cuftom have 
 authorized at divers Times, and in different Places, 
 which they call Cufloms. Of thefe, the two firjl are 
 generally received by all the Jews, though difperfed 
 through all Parts of the World : But as to the Cuf- 
 toms, they are different according to the feveral Pla- 
 ces where they dwell. Their whole Worfhip confifts 
 only in reading the Law, and certain Prayers they 
 make in their Synagogues ; for they have no Prieflhood 
 among them, nor Place for Sacrifices fince the De- 
 itruclion of the Temple at Jerufalem. They hold 
 Seven principal Articles of Faith. 
 
 I. That God is One, Incorporeal and Eternal. 
 
 II. That this God alone is to be worjhipped. 
 
 III. That that there have been, and may ftill be Pro- 
 pheti. 
 
 (a) Pfal. xix. 7. ■ „ r ^. 
 
 IV. That 
 
Chap. VIIL Chriftiaii Religion. 45 
 
 IV. That Mofes was the greateft Prophet, that was 
 ever infpired by God ; and that the Law he /eft, was 
 dictated by God in all its Precepts. 
 
 V. That the /aid Law is immutable ; that nothing can 
 be added to it f or taken from it. 
 
 VI. That the Messtah is to come, who jh all be more 
 powerful than all the Kings of the Earth. 
 
 VI I. That God jhall raife the Dead at the End of 
 Time * and that there Jhall be an univerfal Judgment. 
 
 Upon their Crucifixion of our bleffed Lord, their 
 Church and State were prefe:,tly diilbJvxl, and they 
 carried Captives into all Nations ; among whom tl.ey 
 are looked upon as Objects of divine Vengeance to 
 this Day ; having never been able to recover their 
 Country, or remove that general Averfion which all 
 the reft of the World have for them. In the Reign 
 of the Emperor Adrian, they attempted a Reft^ura- 
 tion, under the Conduct of Barchochebas ; but this 
 Attempt failing* their Condition becamt more despe- 
 rate and hopelefs. They have fmce eudeavoi e co 
 make themfelves independent* but could never ac- 
 complifli it. None of them are in any military Of- 
 fice, nor any ways dignified in the State ; but are 
 Bankers, Ufurers, Cuftom-houfe Men, Brokers, Drug- 
 gifts, Interpreters, &c. We have feveral Decrees of 
 Councils, Refcripts of Emperors, and Edicts of Prin- 
 ces againft them. To relate how often they have 
 been expelled France, England,, and Spain, would be 
 too tedious a Digreflion ; and therefore I forbear, and 
 proceed now to the Evangelical Difpenfation, or the 
 glorious Light of the Gofpel. 
 
 
 E 2 CHAP. 
 
46 The Sum of the Part L 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The Evangelical Dispensation : 
 Or, The Christian Religion. 
 
 OUR Redemption by JESUS CHRIST, 
 from whom we are denominated Chriftians % 
 leads us to reflect on the miserable State we were in 
 before, and by what Means we were involved in it. 
 
 In the Account which the holy Scripture gives of 
 our firft Parents, we are told, that God placed them 
 in a delightful Garden, and gave them Leave to eat 
 freely of the Fruit of every Tree, except only the 
 Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil : Of which, 
 lays he, thoujJiak not eat : For in the Day that thou eat- 
 eft thereof thou fhalt J'urely die. 
 
 It is a frivolous Cavil, which fome have raifed a- 
 gainft this Method, which God took for the Tryal of 
 Man's Obedience ; that he fhould forfeit all his own 
 and his Defcendents Happinefs by the eating of an Ap- 
 ple, as they love lightly to exprefs it. But they may 
 with as much Reafon (and indeed they often do with 
 equal Boldnefs) arraign the Wifdom of God, in the In- 
 ftitution or the Sacraments, or any pofitive Act of di- 
 vine Worfhip. For fome of which they cannot find 
 fuch a Reafon in the Nature of Things, as they may 
 for this ; 'It being very agreeable, that Man, who in 
 his original Stale, was to be nourifhed by the Fruit of 
 the Trees, fhould, for the Tryal of his Obedience, be 
 forbid to tafle of fome One of them. 
 
 But this Prohibition was foon broke through, and 
 confequently the Penalty annexed to it, was incurred. 
 Man loft the Bldling of Immortality, and became fub- 
 jedt to the Dominion of Death. For fo we muft necef- 
 
 farily 
 
Chap. IX. Chriftian Religion. 47 
 
 farily underftand the Commination, In the Day that 
 thou eateft thereof, thou Jbeih fureiy die ; not by an im- 
 mediate Separation of Soul and Body, for that hap- 
 pened not to him 'till feveral hundreds of Years after, 
 but becoming liable to Pains and Difeafes, and gradual 
 Decays, which mould at laft end in Death. In this 
 Senfe we mud interpret the Words, while we take 
 them to fignify the Diffolution of the human Frame, 
 which from hence we infer, would never have been 
 diffolved, if the Condition of Obedience had constantly 
 been performed. 
 
 Since then ovwfirjl Parents did actually rebel againft 
 God, and confequently made themfelves obnoxious to 
 his Curfe, which was Death, it remains for us to con- 
 fider, how far this Curfe is to be extended, and whe- 
 ther it affected the Nature of Man in whole or in part ; 
 whether the actual Offenders only fufFered by it, or 
 whether the whole Species or Progeny be comprehend- 
 ed in it. 
 
 Some there are who contend, that the Sin of our 
 jirjl Parents was merely perfonal, and that their Pofte- 
 rity is in no Senfe guilty of it, nor anfwerable for it. 
 Eut the undeniable Effects and Confequences, force us 
 to explode this Affertion. For if ever a perfect Free- 
 dom from Pains and Death was the Privilege of our 
 Nature, we have certainly loll it, by the Experience 
 of all Generations, who have been always fubject to 
 thefe Miferies even in the State o r Infancy and Child- 
 hood, before they were capable of committing any 
 perfonal or actual Sin. Now the Punifhment being 
 thus obvious and clear, the original Guilt of the firft 
 Tranfgrellion mud benectffarily fuppofed to cleave to 
 every individual Perfon ; otherwife it would be but 
 agreeable to the Laws of Juftice, that every Child of 
 Man mould be permitted to grow up, 'till he became 
 an actual Offender ; which is not done ; and therefore 
 it muft be fome original Sin, antecedent to all we can 
 think of but the firft of our Kind, which has thusen- 
 
 E z tailed 
 
48 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 ta: ed Pains and Death upon the whole Race, in all 
 Ages and Parts of the World. 
 
 Some again will allow no more to be intended by 
 the Curfe than a Condition of Mortality, wi^h the Dif- 
 eafes and Calamities incident thereunto. They grant, 
 indeed, that when a Man comes to act for himfelf, 
 he is accountable for his Actions in a future State, and 
 that if they be criminal, they mull be expiated fome 
 Way or other, or elfe they will bring him to certain 
 infernal Puniftiments prepared for ungodly Men : But 
 as for original Sin, they think the Guilt of it purfues 
 a Man no farther than the Grave ; that when he once 
 arrives there, the Senc. nee of divine Juftice is fatisfied 
 in this Particular, aqfl the Soul ftands in no Need of 
 any farther Expiation or ^topement for it. 
 
 Th;s Principle is chit fly advanced by Quakers, who 
 ufe no Baptuin at all, and by Anabapijis, who deny 
 it to lnfcms and little Children. That they may not 
 feem to neglect: their Salvation, they affert, that no- 
 thing wants to be done to fuch Innocents, who have 
 not attained to the Knowledge of Good and Evil ; that 
 having never done any thing to offend God, they will, 
 by Virtue of their own Innocence, be received to his 
 Mercy. Hereupon they very much leiTen the noxious- 
 Influence of original Sin, and tragically aggravate the 
 Cruelty of that Sentence, which leaves fuch tender 
 Souls to a miferable State in another World. Let us 
 fee what Defence there is in Scripture and Reafon for 
 fuch .Sentiments. 
 
 And firft, nothing can be more true than this, that 
 Children are not naturally and by Birth-right Heirs of 
 the Kingdom of Heaven. Even the firfl Man himfelf, 
 in his moft perfect State, had no Title to this King- 
 dom. For he could not have it, except God his Cre- 
 ator had vouchfafed to give it him. But we can find 
 no Foundation for fuch Title in the firfl Covenant: 
 His higheft Privilege here fpecified, was to be the 
 Lord of this lower World. And though God might 
 
 have 
 
Chap. IX. Chriftian Religion. 49 
 
 have tranflated Men when multiplied upon Earth, to 
 heavenly Habitations, as he did Enoch and Elias, yet 
 this had been an Act of his own free Grace, it is no 
 exprefs Article of his Covenant with Mankind ; how 
 much ieis can any fuch Privilege be afTumed or chal- 
 lenged by his Pofterity, in this fallen accurfed State ? 
 But now if the Souls of Children, which are the moft 
 eiTential and confiderable Part of Man, fhould by Vir- 
 tue of their own Innocence, be admitted into Hea- 
 ven, after a few Days, or Months, or Years Con- 
 junction with the Body, that Death which diflfolves 
 the Conjunction, would be fo far from being a Curfe, 
 that it would be the Occafion of a higher Degree of 
 Happinefs, than Man in his greateft Perfection could 
 ever naturally afpireto. 
 
 But, fecondly, The holy Scriptures do abundantly 
 teftfy, that the Souls of Men, as well as their Bodies, 
 are tainted and corrupted by original Sin ; that there is 
 no Man living, though ever fojuft, but he finneth of- 
 ten ; that the Imaginations of Man's Heart are evil 
 continually ; that they who are in the Fleih, cannot 
 pleafe God ; and except we be regenerate and born 
 again, we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 Thefe Teftimonies, joined with our own Reafon and 
 Experience, put it out of all Doubt, that we are mon- 
 ftroufly degenerated in fpiritual Things, from that 
 original Righteoufnefs, that found and clear Judgment, 
 that Rectitude of Will and Affections, which is faidto 
 have been in our firjl Parents. 
 
 There is vifibiy a ftrong Biafs upon our Nature to 
 that which is Evil ; it difcovers itfelf in Children as 
 foon as they begin to act ; they prefently fall of their 
 own Accord, and without a Tutor, to the CommilTion 
 of many Vices ; whereas much Time and Pains are 
 bellowed upon them to bend them the other way 5 and 
 conform their Minds to the Practice of that which is 
 Good This evidently ihews, that Vice is the native 
 Product of their Souls ; that the Seeds of it are inge- 
 
 E 4 nerated 
 
go The Sum of the Part L 
 
 nerated in them, which want nothing but Time in the 
 tendered Infant, to ripen them and bring them forth 
 into Adtion. Hence it is that the Church teaches, con- 
 fonantly to the Meaning of holy Scripture, that 
 Adams Sin brought a Curfe upon his whole Offspring 
 as well as himfelf, and that the Death threaten- 
 ed, affects the Soul as well as the Body, both in this 
 World and that which is to come; which though it be 
 not the Annihilation or Extinction of the Soul, yet is 
 properly {filed Death, in as much as it feparates the 
 Soul from the Prefence and Love of God, who is the 
 Fountain of Life, and Health, and Comfort. Every 
 Child of Man therefore is naturally under the Sentence 
 of fpiritual and eternal, as well as temporal Death. 
 This is the fad and deplorable State, which all Man- 
 kind by Nature are in, deriving the Seeds of Sin 
 from their firjl Parents^ and bringing forth the 
 Fruits of it when they come to Ripenefs of Years, 
 in all kinds of Impiety and Iniquity, by R^afon of 
 this original Sin. 
 
 But though Man had thus utterly loft his own Righ- 
 teoufnefs, and fubjected himfelf to the Slavery of Sin 
 and Satan, yet God did nor caff him off for ever, ag 
 he juftly might have done, but was pleafed to find 
 out an Expedient, whereby his own Juflice might be 
 fatisfied, and the Offender delivered from the Curfe 
 of the Law ; and that was, by fending his only begot- 
 ten Son into the World, to take our Nature upon' 
 him, and in our Stead to fulfil the whole Law of God, 
 by the perfect Obedience of his holy Life, and by 
 the infinite Merit of his precious Blood, fhed for the 
 Propitiation of our Sins. 
 
 By Virtue of this Propitiation it is, that Infants being 
 baptized, and dying in their Infancy, are purified 
 from the Guilt of original Sin, reftored to the Grace 
 and Mercy of God, admitted into the Number of his 
 adopted Children, to be Inheritors of his. heavenly 
 Kingdom. And likewife adult Perfons, who in Word 
 
 or 
 
Chap. IX. Chriftian Religion. 5 1 
 
 or Deed fin after their Baptifm, if they truly repent, 
 and unfeignedly believe the holy Gofpel, they are ab- 
 folved by this all-fufficient Sacrifice, and no Stain re^ 
 mains upon them that fhall be imputed to their Con- 
 demnation. This which Jejus Chrifl hath thus done 
 and obtained for us, is commonly called, The IVork 
 of our Redemption. 
 
 And whereas, before the coming of Chrifl, the 
 Church of God was then confined to one particular 
 Place and Nation, which. was the Jews, and their 
 Temple at Jerufalem, Jefus Chrifl has, without refpect 
 of Nations or Perfons, called all People into his Church, 
 to partake of the Bleflingsof his Gofpel : So that eve- 
 ry rational Creature under Heaven, Jew or Gentile, 
 Matter or Servant, Noble or Ignoble, yielding Ho- 
 mage, Obedience, and Worfhip to him, is equally 
 accepted of him : And his Church is Catholkk ; that is, 
 the Congregation of Chriftian People wherefoever 
 difperied over the Face of the whole Earth. 
 
 And for the People which make up this Congrega- 
 tion, they are denominated the Faithful, from their 
 profeffing of Chrifl, and partaking of his Word and 
 Sacraments in the due Preaching and Adminiflration 
 of them. Hereby all thofe AfTemblies are excluded 
 from the Church, among whom the Word is not 
 preached nor the Saeraments adminiflered in due man- 
 ner, and by proper Perfons, as Chrifl hath appoint- 
 ed. For Chrifl, as the Head of the Church, hath 
 appointed both Perfons and Rules for the good Go- 
 vernment of it, and left flricl Injunctions for the per- 
 petual Obfervance of them, a's well knowing, that 
 the Ruin of any Society, Ecclefialtical or Civil, be- 
 gins in the breach of Union and good Order. And 
 therefore we conclude, That where-ever there are 
 two feparate AfTemblies of Chriflians, worshipping 
 Chrifl, infuch different Ways, that they cannot Unite 
 and Communicate one with another, one of them 
 cannot be the true £hurch of Chrifl, becaufe Chrifl is 
 
 our 
 
5 % The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 our common Head, and his embers, like thoie of 
 the natural Body, have Felloe (hip one with another; 
 they mutually fuccour, help, and comfort one ano- 
 ther, which they cannot do in a fer r^ted amd divided 
 State. He came to purchaie unto himfeh a peculiar 
 People, zealous of good Works, and therefore not zea- 
 lous againft one anotner, nor envying at, and ^riving 
 with one another ; for where Env" and Strife is, 
 there is Confujion and every evil Wot k. The Bonds 
 which he left to hold his. Members together, were 
 Meeknefs and Gentlenefs, Love and Condefcenfion, 
 a forbearing and forgiving Spirit, which for the Sake 
 of Peace and Concord will difpenfe with many Things 
 which are not fo well as they mould be, and not ror- 
 fake the Flock of Chrift, becaufe there are tome 
 Goats, fome unworthy Members in it ; remembering, 
 that the Church is compared to a Fifher's Net, which 
 caught all manner of Fifh, good and bad ; and to a 
 Field wherein there grew Tares as well as Wheat, 
 and were ordered to grow together until the Harveft, 
 which is the End of the World. 
 
 Chrift hath appointed his Church as the only Way to 
 eternal Life. In this he promifeth to be with his Ser- 
 vants to the End of the World. In this he difpenfeth 
 all the Graces of Juftification, Adoption, and SancYi- 
 fication. The Righteoufnefs of Chrift, which is our 
 juftification, can no more be conveyed to us out of 
 his myftical Body the Church, than the vital Heat and 
 animal Spirits of the natural Body can be communi- 
 cated to a Limb or Part which is feparated from it. 
 We cannot become the adopted Sons of God, except 
 we be admitted into his Family, which is the Church ■, 
 We cannot attain to the Inheritance of his heavenly 
 Kingdom, except we continue in this Family. So 
 neither can we be Partakers of the fanclifying Virtue 
 of the Holy Ghoft, except we abide in the Church ; for 
 upon this it is, that Chrift promifed to fend down his 
 Spirit ; which he beftows not but by certain Means, 
 
 as 
 
Chap. IX. Chriftian Religion. 53 
 
 as Prayers, Preaching, and the Adminiftration of the 
 Sacraments, as he did even in the Apoftles Times, 
 according to the Accounts we have of them in the At~ls 
 of the Apofilc, and which are therefore (tiled The 
 Means of Grace. We read, That at the firft, the Ho- 
 ly Ghoft was communicated to Eeiievers, by the 
 Preaching and Laying on of the Apoftles Hands, but 
 of none other : And, that (a) the Lord added to the 
 Chioch daily fuch as Jhould be faved; which plainly ar- 
 gues, that there was no Salvation out of the Church. 
 
 The Rule is ftill the fame to us, and cannot be al- 
 tered but by the Authority which firft eftablifhed it. 
 For Chrift, who gave it, has declared, that it fhall 
 continue to the End of the World. Therefore we 
 conclude, that that Church, alone which fir ft began at 
 Jerufakm on Earth, will bring us to Jerufakm in Hea- 
 ven \ and that alone began there, which always imbra- 
 ceth the Faith once delivered to the Sants. Whatever 
 Church pretendeth to a new Beginning, pietendeth at 
 the fame Time to a new Church or Religion -, and what- 
 ever is lb new, is in effect none. 
 
 It is ftrange that any who call rhemfelves Chriftians, 
 fhould chooie that which was anciently eftecmed the 
 greateft Punifhment on this Side of Hell : I mean to 
 be out of the Church. To be caft out by Anathemas 
 and Excommunications, was once thought-very dread- 
 ful, however fuch Cenfures are now flighted, and re- 
 puted but as lo many bruta fulmina : And Cure Here- 
 ticks and Scifmaticks, who cutthemfelves ofFby their 
 own voluntary Acl, are not in a better Condition. 
 But let them remember, that while Noah, by God's 
 Direction, was preparing his Ark, he was ridiculed 
 and flouted at by the impious World ; 'till the De- 
 luge came, and fwept all away that were left out of it. 
 
 (a) ASi. ii. 47. 
 
 Now 
 
54 -The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 .Now that Ark was always reputed a Type or F'gure 
 piirhe 'Cbttr&$ and the Application iseafy : As many 
 as are out of the Church, are in the fame State of 
 Perdition. 
 
 The Chrijlian Church is built upon the Foundation 
 of the Apoftles and Prophets, Jefus Cbriji himfelf be- 
 ing the chief Corner Stone ; who, though he was to 
 the Jews a Stone of Stumbling, and a Rock of Of- 
 fence, yet that happened not for want of fufficient E- 
 vidence of his divine Authority ; for Nicodcmus freely 
 profeffes, for himfelf and many others : (a) Rabbi, 
 we know that thou art a Teacher come from God : for no 
 Man can do thefe Miracles that thou dojl, except God be 
 'with him. Nor was he guilty of any Mifconduct, or 
 feditious Attempts againft the civil Government, as 
 the falfe Chrifts were j for he both paid Tribute him- 
 felf, and exhorted others to do the fame ; infomuch 
 that Pilate declared, That he could find no Fault in 
 him. But the Jews DifTatisfadion about him proceeded 
 from their own grofs Corruptions, and falfe Notions of 
 the Mejfiah, whom they expected to appear among 
 them with great Pomp and Grandeur, to deliver them 
 from the Roman Yoke, and make them a free People, 
 when as they had much more Need offuch a Saviour 
 as could reform their foul Errors, both in Faith and 
 Manners \ and could not in Reafon hope (if they had 
 not been fatally blinded) that God mould deliver them 
 from that State of Servitude to which he had fubjedr.- 
 ed them for the Punifhmentof their Sins, before they 
 had put away thofe Sins from among them, and re- 
 turned to a due Acknowledgment and Obfervance of 
 the divine. Laws. Now fuch a Saviour was J ejus 
 GBrifti according to what the Angel foretold of him, 
 when he gave Directions about his Name : (b) Thou 
 Jbalt call his Name Jefus, for be jhall Jave his People 
 
 (a) Jo':n in. 2. (b) Matt. ). 21. 
 
 /; om 
 
Chap. IX. Chriftian Religion. 5$ 
 
 from their Sins. And therefore notwithstanding the 
 H ird-hearfednefs of the Jews, and the Oppofition of 
 the Gentile World for a Time, fuch was the intrinfick 
 Goodnefs of Chnft's DocVine, that it made its Way 
 through all the fiery Tryals, and fanguinary Perfecutions 
 which were raifed againft it by the Malice of wicked 
 Men and Devils. It miniftered unfpeakable Comforts 
 to the firft ProfefTors of it, fo that they fuffered the 
 mod ignominious and painful Deaths with Pleafiire, 
 and were fo far from thinking themfelves unhappy un- 
 der the Afflictions they endured for Chrift, that they 
 rejoiced in that they were counted worthy to fuffer for 
 his Name : they took joyfully the fpoiling of their 
 Goods; they endured Bonds and Imprifonment, not 
 accepting Deliverance, reckoning, That thefe light Af- 
 fliftionSy which endure but for a Moment, wrought for 
 them a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory. 
 Jefus Chrift is faid to have brought Life and Immor- 
 tality to Light through the Go/pel \ in Comparifon of 
 which our prefent Condition deferves not the Name of 
 Life ; and therefore he fays } Whofoever willjave his Life,, 
 /ball lofe it ; but whofoever jhall lofe his Life for my fake 
 and the Gofpel, the fame fh all find it. He hath opened 
 the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers, fo that now* 
 we have a clear Profpeft of the Glories of another 
 World ; and all the Martyrs and Confeffors have feen 
 with an Eye of Faith, what St. Stephen beheld with his 
 bodily Eyes, (a) the Heavens opened and Jefus /landing 
 on the Right Hand of God : Which glorious View of 
 approaching Happinefs, eafily induced him to forgive 
 his Perfecutors, who haftened him (though undefign- 
 edly) to the Enjoyment of it. 
 
 If we have any juft Value for this great Salvation^ 
 which Chrift hath purchafed for us, and revealed to 
 
 (a) Ads vii. 56. 
 
 US, 
 
5 6 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 us, we (hall be willing to have the Apofttes and firft 
 Preachers of it in everlafting Remembrance. We 
 can do nolefs in Gratitude, than teftify a fingular Re- 
 flect for thofe, who under God have been the Inftru- 
 ments of fo much Good to us : Efpecially when we 
 confider that they have been fuch great Benefactors to 
 us, not with Eafe to themfelves, but with the fevered 
 Labours, Difficulties and Perfecutions, which have 
 commonly ended in the Lofs of their Lives. It is there- 
 fore very unbecoming us, who by their Miniftry have 
 been called out of Darknefs into the marvellous Light 
 of the Gofpel, to refufe them grateful Commemorati- 
 ons on this Account, when at the fame Time, God is 
 fo far from being robbed of any Honour by fuch 
 Commemorations, that they do mightily contribute to 
 his Glory, and to the Maintenance of true Religion 
 and Virtue amongft us. 
 
 We of this Nation have abundant Caufe to be 
 thankful to God for the firft Planters of Chriftianity 
 among us. For if we examine the Religion and Man- 
 ners of our Forefathers, we fhall difcover in them a 
 Degree of Idolatry and Barbarity more wretched than 
 was commonly to be found in the Gentile World. 
 Gildas (a) a Native of this Ifland, defcribes to what 
 ExcefTes their Ignorance and Superflition carried them. 
 " That they were overgrown with the common Er- 
 " rors of the Pagan World : that their Idols were as 
 '* monftrous and extravagant, and altogether as nu- 
 ** merous, as thofe in ^Egypt." Which indeed were 
 fo grofs, that they moved the Indignation of an (b) 
 Idolater himfelf, who thus difcharges his Choler upon 
 them. 
 
 Quis nefcit, Volufi Bytbynice, quaha demens 
 
 AZgyptus portent a colat ? Crocodilon adorat 
 
 Pars bac: illapavctfaturamferpentibuslbim, &c. 
 
 (a) Hifi. p. 10. (b) Juvenal, Sat. xv. 
 
 How 
 
Chap. IX. Chriftian Religion. 57 
 
 How /Egypt, mad with Superftition grown, 
 Makes Gods of Monfters, but too well is known. 
 One Sect Devotion to Wife's Serpent pays ; 
 Others to Ibis, that on Serpents preys. 
 Fifh-Gods you'll meet, with Fins and Scales" 
 
 o'ergrown ; 
 Dianas Dogs ador'd in every Town, 
 Her Dogs have Temples, but the Goddefs none. 
 'Tis mortal Sin an Onion to devour; 
 Each Clove of Garlick is a lacred Pow'r, EsV . 
 
 The fame Gildas affures us, That the deformed and 
 hideous Figures of Britifh Idols were to be feen in his 
 Time. What he relates, is fupported by a Paflfage 
 of St. Jerom, in his Epiftle to Helwdorus : " That the 
 " whole World, from India to Britain, and from the 
 *' cold Climates of the North, as far as the Atlantick 
 " Ocean, were funk almoftto the Condition of Beads 
 " and Infects, and lived a wretched and contemptible 
 " Life. For, in Truth, a Man that is ignorant of Him 
 " that made him, is upon the Matter no better than 
 V a Brute." Julius Ccefar, who invaded this Ifland 
 about fifty Years before the Birth of Chrift, informs 
 us, (a) That the Druids, who were the Britifh Priefts, 
 in Cafes of great Mortality and public Diftrefs, endea- 
 voured to obtain Deliverance by human Sacrifice, 
 which they offered thus : They took Ofiers, and made 
 large hollow Figures of their Idols. Into thefe they 
 put fuch as were doomed to be made the Sacrifice, 
 who were commonly Thieves and Robbers, or fome 
 other fcandalous Criminals, imagining, that fuch 
 Wretches were mod acceptable to their Deities : But 
 in cafe there was not a fufiicient Number of fuch, they 
 fcrupled not to fupply the Deficiency with fuch as were 
 
 (a) De Bell. Gall. lib. vi. 
 
 Innocent. 
 
58 The Sum of the Part L 
 
 Innocent.. Thefe Vi(flims they made faft within the 
 wicker Statues of their Idols, and then fet Fire to 
 them, and burned them to Death. This is farther con- 
 firmed by 'Tacitus, {a) who writes, That when Suetoni- 
 us Paulinus was Nero's General in Britain, the Druids 
 in the Ifle of Anglefey, ufed to facrifice thole they took 
 Prifoners, and butcher Men and Women, to infpect 
 their- Intrails, for finding out the Succefs and Events of 
 Things. This gave Occafion to another Roman Au- 
 thor, (b) to ftile them, Br itannos ho/pi tibus f eras, cru- 
 el to Strangers, in regard to this horrible Cuftom of 
 flaying them in Sacrifice. 
 
 Thus we know that we were fometime Gentiles (c) 
 carried away unto thefe dumb Idols : That we (d) facri' 
 jiced unto Devils, not to God : (5) Having our Under- 
 Ji an ding darkened ; being alienated from the Life of God, 
 through the Ignorance that was in us. And we. are fure 
 that this Darknefs was difpelled by the glorious Beams 
 of that Sun of Righteoufnefs, of whom it was pro- 
 phefied, that he ihould enlighten the Gentiles ; thar 
 the (f). Ifles fhould wait for him, and bring their Sons 
 and their Dauglners to the Name of the Lord God of 
 Jfrael; that the Abundance of the Sea (g) fhould be 
 converted to v him, and the Sons of Strangers join 
 themfelves to the Lord. And though we cannot as- 
 certain the particular Year, or the Inftrument of our 
 Converfion, yet we are affured from ancient Writers 
 of the bell Credit, (h) That a Chriflian Church was 
 planted in Britain, -within the Compafs of the Apof- 
 tolick Age. And fome of our moft (/) learned Wri- 
 ters have made it probable, that the great Apoftle of 
 t-he Gentiles, St. Paul, was the lnflrument of con- 
 
 ' ■ ■ 
 
 ' ■ — - — ■ 
 
 i 
 
 (a) Anruil \. xiv. (b) Hor. Corm. lib. III. od. iv. (c) i Cor. 
 xii. 2- fttf r-Cor. x. 20.. (e) Epbef. iv. 18. (f) Ifa. Jx. 9. 
 (?.)lfa. lvi. 6. (b) Eufcb. Demo.njlr, I. iii. c 7. (i) Stillingfleet 
 Qrip Brit. p. 37. Collier Ecc Hift. Vol. I. p. 4: 
 
 veying 
 
Chap. IX. Chriftian Religion. 59 
 
 veying this ineftimable BleiTing to u. In Memory of 
 which, it is faid, the great Cathedral in London , fup- 
 poled formerly to have been a Temple of Diana, was 
 dedicated to the Honour of St. Paul, being the only 
 Cathedral in any Metropolis in Chrijlendom, which bears 
 the Name of that Apoftle. 
 
 As the Chriftian Faith was planted here by an emi- 
 nent Hand, fo it profpered 3nd flourifhed more than 
 in many other Parts of the World. And if our Hif- 
 tory of King Lucius be true, who is faid to have reign- 
 ed one Hundred and fourfcore Years after Chrift, 
 then our Nation is the firft which had the Church efta- 
 blifhed in it by the public Authority and Approbation 
 both of Prince and People. However, this is cer- 
 tain, that Conftantine the Great, the firft Chnftian Em- 
 peror, was of Britijb Extraction by the Mother's Side. 
 
 And though this holy Religion has undergone ma- 
 ny Eclipfes among us, by the Contempt, and Pro- 
 phanenets of the Old Britons, the Perfections of in- 
 vading Danes and Saxons, while they were Infidels, 
 and the grofs Errors and Corruptions of the Church 
 of Rome, yet God has ftill been pleafed to repair and 
 reftore it, by the Labours of Men, fingularly eminent 
 for Piety and Learning, efpecially in thefe later Days; 
 lb that it now lhines amo. g us in its native Splendor 
 and Beauty. 
 
 And if we confider, not only the future and invifi- 
 ble, but even the prefent manifeft Bleffings, which 
 this Religion hath brought along with it •, how it hath 
 been attended with the Advancement of human 
 Learning, and the Improvement of all ufeful Arts and 
 Sciences, whereby Ignorance' and Barbarity have no 
 longer a Being among us ; but the Britijb Nation is 
 exalted in Wealth and Glory above others which were 
 once fuperior to her : This muft convince us what 
 infinite Reafons we have to be thankful to God for it, 
 and how much it is our Temporal as well as Spiritual 
 
 F Intereft, 
 
60 The Sum of the Parti. 
 
 Intereft, to retain it amongft us, and hold it faft for 
 ever. 
 
 If it lay in our way to make Obfervations of the 
 State of Religion in other Countries ; how the Sifter 
 Churches in the Eaft, but little older than ours, have 
 been deftroyed feveral Ages ago, by that poifonous 
 but fpreading Root of Mahometanifm ; how ftrangely 
 the Face of Chriftianiry is deformed, and the Power 
 of it decayed, in thole Places, which dill retain the 
 Name of it, we muft joyfully confefs, That we of 
 this Church are happy above all other Churches in 
 Chriftendom. 
 
 We do not pretend, that any Church is Infallible 
 and abfolutely Perfect, and therefore not ours : but 
 this we dare affirm, and can juftify, That if we take 
 our Meafures concerning the Truths of Religion, from 
 the Rules of the Holy Scripture, and the Platform of 
 the Primitive Churches, the Church of En_ land is un- 
 doubtedly, both as to Doctrine and Worfhip, the 
 pur°ft that is at this Day in the World. 
 
 O therefore let us labour to walk worthy of the Vo- 
 cation wherein we are called : Being fo richly plant- 
 ed and watered, let us not prove like the Prophet's 
 Vineyard, {a) and bring forth nothing but a few wild 
 Grapes ; but let the Goodnefs of our Lives, bear 
 fome reafonable Proportion to that of our Religion, 
 And let us not (b) be Children toffed to and fro, and 
 carried about with every Wind of Doclrine, by the Slight 
 of Men, and cunning Craftinefs whereby they lie in wait to 
 deceive : But (c) but let us hold faft the ProfeJ/ion of our 
 Faith without wavering. 
 
 (a) Ifai, V. (b) Eph. iv. 1 4. (c) Heb. X. 23. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. X. Chriftian Religion. 6 1 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 Of HEAVEN, 
 
 The Aim of Man, and its blefTed State of Happiness. 
 
 THE grand Objection againft Religion is, that there 
 is no Benefit or Advantage arifing from it, but 
 that all the Changes and Chances of Life, good or bad, 
 happen alike to all Wim ; that (a) there is one Event to the 
 Righteous, and to the IVicked, to him that facrificeth and to 
 kirn that facrificeth not : as is the Good, Jo is the Sinner ; and 
 he that fweareth, as he that fear eth an Oath. Nay, 
 fometimes a Man's Piety is his Bane and Ruin in this 
 World, expofing him to the Lofs of his Peace, his 
 Friends, his Eftate, and his very Life itfelf, as it com- 
 monly fared with the primitive Chrifiians which made 
 St. Paul pronounce of them, that if in th s Life only 
 they had Hope, they were of all Men the mo ft miferable. It 
 has been further obferved, that many a Man, not- 
 withftanding the Excellency of his Nature, his Reli- 
 gion and Virtue, hath been in worfe Circumftances 
 with Refpect to theprefent State, than fundry Species 
 of Brute Animals, who are much freer from Pains and 
 Difeafes, from afflicting Cares and Sorrows, have a 
 much truer Tafte and Enjoyment of bodily Pleafures, 
 and continue in the Fruition of them many Years 
 longer than the Lives of feveral Men put together, 
 though they mould all be extended to the common 
 Period. It would be difficult to fatisfy thefe Objecti- 
 ons, without referring to a future State of Rewards 
 and Punifhments, wherein the Myfteries of Provi- 
 
 [a) Ecclef. ix. 2. 
 
 F 2 dence 
 
62 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 dence mail be unfolded, and the prefent Inequality of 
 its Difpenfations adj lifted. For to fay, that all Man- 
 kind is involved in Miftry by means of the firft Tranf- 
 greffion and Forfeiture of Hnppinefs ; fo that whate- 
 ver the bell of Men fuffers, he juftly fuffers at the 
 Hands of God, is very true indeed ; but yet it doth 
 not fatisfy the Quefb'on, why wicked Men mould have 
 a greater Portion of earthly Felicity, than thofe who 
 truly fear and love God ? For, if this World be the 
 only Place wherein Man fhall have a Being, we muft 
 either fay, that God is not a juft and wife Judge, in 
 dealing out the prefent Buffings and Curfes fo very 
 difproportionab'y to Mens Deferts ; or elk, that he 
 exercifes no Judgment at all, is no ways concerned in 
 all the Good or Evil that happens in the World : But 
 to affirm either of thefe, is to efpoufe as grofs and 
 damnable an Error, as any Seel of Philofophers, or 
 Herefy among Chriflians, was ever guilty of. 
 
 Neither will it much mend the Matter to fay, that 
 Calamities are fent upon good Men, for the Exercife 
 of their Virtue, which the Stacks mightily harangued 
 upon. The Exercife of Patience, Meeknefs, Gentle- 
 nefs, and all other Virtues, is doubtkfs of the highefl 
 Importance to a Man, becaufe he is now only in a 
 State of Probation, and fhall e'er lo g be tranfplanted 
 to another World, where he fhall be made perfect, 
 and be for ever delivered from the Society of malici- 
 ous Men, and from all other Temptations which are at 
 prefent requifite to "excite his Devotion, and often 
 fend him to God his mighty Helper and Deliverer. 
 But without fuch a Profpect as this, to what End fhall 
 a'Man exert and blazon his Virtues, efpecially by Suf- 
 ferings ? Can he flatter himfelf, that he (hall be able 
 by the Influence of his great Example, to put Vice 
 out of Countenance, and make it fly into the raoft 
 fecret Corners of the World ; to gain the Victory 
 over Oppreflion and wrongful Dcali- g, and inthrone 
 Juftice Charity, and Goodnefs in the Hearts of all Men? 
 
 1 confefs 
 
Chap. X. Chriftian Religion. 63 
 
 I confefs this fingTe Defign of doing 10 much Service 
 to the World, would be worthy the utmoft Endea- 
 vours of a brave Man, even though he couid expect 
 no Recompence hereafter for fuch his Beneficence. 
 But, alas ! the Experience of almoft fix thoufand 
 Years has fully affurcd us, that the united " ildcm of 
 Religion and Phrlofophy, the moil lovely Patterns of 
 Goodnels in every Kind, the fevereft Puniihments 
 and nobleft Rewards, rightly difptnfed by the Hand 
 of uncorrupt Juftice ; in fhort, all the Frowns and 
 Favours, Promifes and Threatnings, Terrors and 
 Encouragements of God and Man, have never yet 
 been able to prevail fofar, as to bring over the greater 
 Part of Mankind to the Caufe of Religion and Vir- 
 tue , but the bad Men have always out-numbered the 
 Good, and the Devil has maintained the Style which 
 the Gofpel allows him, of being the Prince and God 
 of this World. 
 
 So that which Way foever we confider thefe things, 
 we fhall never be able to give a rational \ nfwer to the 
 Objections againft the prefent Difpenfations of Provi- 
 dence, nor find ft.fficient Encouragements and Pu- 
 nifhments for good and bad Men, unlefs we have re- 
 courfe to the different States in the other World, 
 which we call Heaven and Hell. Which are indeed 
 Matters of Faith, but yet fo univcrfally believed by 
 all Nations of the World, however differing in Reli- 
 gion, or in their Notio s of thefe Places, that we 
 mutt be infufferabie Scepticks, if we fhould go about 
 to difp :te the Certain *y of them, even though we 
 had no more than the common Confent of Mankind 
 to ground our Faith upon. But here we have the fu- 
 perabundant Authority of holy Scriptures to put us 
 out of all doubt, that our Bodies, after they have been 
 demolifhed by the Power of the Grave, and reduced 
 into Earth according to the primitive Malediction, 
 fhall be revived again, and become the Habitations of 
 the fame Soul and Spirit which now informs them, 
 
 F 3 and 
 
64 The Sum of the Part L 
 
 and appear before the Judgment-Seat of Chrijl, that 
 every Man may receive according to that which he 
 hath uone in the Body, whether it be Good, or whe- 
 ther it be Evil. They that have done Good (hall go 
 into Life everlafting, and they that have done Evil 
 into everlafting Fire. Thefe Things are fo much in- 
 culcated in holy Scripture, that they cannot efcape 
 the No'ice of the moil incurious and thoughtlefs Per- 
 fon. To begin with the firft of thefe. drift's com- 
 ing into the VVorld, was on Purpofe to open the 
 Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers :■ His Preaching 
 was in order to fit .vien for his Kingdom : His moil 
 prefting Exhortations to them are to feek it in the 
 firft Place, and to part with any thing, with Eftate, 
 with Limbs, with mortal Life itfelf, rather than be 
 withheld by thefe from entering into it. In this King- 
 dom he promiles to reward his Servants for all that 
 they have done and fuffered for his Sake. Hither he 
 afcended, forty Days, after his Refurreclion, in the 
 Prefence of his Difciples, after he had comforted 
 thtrn v/ith AfTurancei, that he was going before them, 
 to prepare a Place for them in this Kingdom, and then 
 would come again and receive them to himfelf, that 
 they might reign, with him for ever. At the fame 
 time that he rofe from the Grave, he raifed up other 
 Bodies alfo, to accompany him in his triumphant Af- 
 cenfiou ; and hath told us, that at the Refurreclion 
 to Life everlafting, he will change our vile Body, that 
 it 'may be fa/bicned" like unto bis own glorious Body, ac- 
 cording 10 the mighiy wo, king-, whereby he is able to fub- 
 due all things unto bhnfelf. From this giorious King- 
 dom be fhewe.; himfelf to St. Stephen at his Martyr- 
 dom, cauiing him to rejoice and triumph in his Suffe- 
 ring:. For his Name. 
 
 Then Happy, for ever Happy, are thofe who have 
 run the fhort Race that is fet before them, and ob- 
 tained the Crown, and are admhu J into the City of 
 the living God, the Heavenly ferufalem-, where Eye 
 
 hath 
 
Chap. X. Chriftian Religion. 65 
 
 hauh not feen, nor Ear heard, neither hath it entered 
 into the Heart of Man to conceive, the Things which 
 GOD hath prepared for them that love him ! into 
 the blifsful Prefence of God the Judge of A!!, to Jefus 
 the Mediator of the new Covenant, 10 an innumerable 
 Company of Angels and Arch-Angels, Cherubims 
 and Seraphims, Thrones and Dominions, Principali- 
 ties and Powers ; to the general AiTembly and Church 
 of the Firft-born ; to the glorious Company of the 
 Apofties, the goodly Fellowfhip of the Prophets, the 
 noble Army of Martyrs, and to an innumerable 
 Train of holy Men and Worn n, (landing before the 
 Throne, and before the Lamb, cloathed with white 
 Robes and Palms in their Hands, crying with a 
 loud Voice, Salvation to our God ! Holannah in the 
 Highejl ! finging eternal H'llehtjabs to him that fitteth 
 on the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever ! 
 From hence it is, that the Apoftles teach us ro derive 
 Confolation in all Troubles and DiftrelTes, looking un- 
 to Jefus the Author and Finifher of our Faith ; confi- 
 dering, that if we fufFer with him, we fhall alio reign 
 with him ; and reckoning that this prelum Life is but 
 a Vapour, a Shadow which pafleth away and cometh 
 not again ; that the Afflictions of it are but momen- 
 tary, and bv no means comparable to that exceeding 
 and eternal Weight of Glory, which fhall fhortly be 
 revealed to us. Finally, St. John harh given us a De- 
 fcription of this Kingdom in his Reve/aiion, fo far as 
 heavenly Things are capable of being defcribed by 
 earthly Patterns, reprefenting to us the glorious 
 Lightofit, infinitely beyond that of our Sun ; the ex- 
 cellent Government of it; being under the immediate 
 Adminiftration of God himfelf, and i.oi;hing at all mo- 
 lefted by wicked Men or Devils • the blelfed State of its 
 Inhabitants, who are all crowned and adorned in the 
 mod fplendid Manner, living together in the mod exact 
 unity and friendihip,ferving the Almighty with perfect 
 
 F 4 Joy 
 
66 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 Joy and Gladnefs, affe&ed with no Senfe of Pain or 
 Sorrow, knowing no Want of any Thing that is good, 
 but abounding in all Things that are worthy their 
 Enjoyment, or can contribute to their Happi fiefs. 
 With refpecl to this Kingdom it is, that we are laid 
 to have no continuing City here, to be Strangers and 
 Pilgrims upon Earth, to be Sons of God and joint 
 Heirs with Chnft •, to be dead to the World, and 
 alive unto God, through J ejus Chrijl ; with whom our 
 Life is hid, with whom at his fecond appearing, we 
 mail alfo appear in Glory. Surely God would never 
 have made thele Things fo great a Part of his facred 
 Word, if he had not intended, that we mould not 
 only believe there is fuch a Place as Heaven, but 
 like wife fix it very much in our Thoughts, and hear- 
 tily apply ourfelves to the Means whereby we may 
 arrive to it. 
 
 The Kingdom of Heaven is (through the Merits of 
 Chrijl, which muft always be under Hood) attainable 
 by all Men. The Scripture affirms, that God is no 
 Refpecter of Perlons, nor confines his Grace and 
 Love to any Nation or Order of Men. And whereas 
 the 'Jews of old were the peculiar People of God, 
 now fays. St. Paul, (a) in Chrill Jems there is neither- 
 Greek nor Jew, Circumcijion nor Uncircumcifion, Bar- 
 barian, Scythian, Bond nor Free, but Chrifi is all, and 
 in all. A Man's! Nation or worldly Circumftances do 
 not incapacitate him from becoming a Member of 
 this Kingdom. Formerly, indeed, Riches and a high 
 Station in the World were great Impediments- our 
 Lord pronouncing it (b) e after for a Camel to go 
 through the Eye of a Needle, than for a rich Man to 
 enter into the Kingdom of God: And, 2'e fee your 
 Calling, Brethren, fays St. Paul, (c) how that not 
 many wife Aden after the Flefh, not many Mighty, not 
 
 (a) Col. iii. II. (b) Mark x. 25. (c) 1 Cor. i. 26, 27. 
 
 m.wy 
 
Chap. X. Chriftian Religion. 67 
 
 many Noble are called. On the contrary, the Poor, 
 the Defpifed, the Weak, are called the (a) Chofen of 
 God, and Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. But fuch 
 Expreffions as thefe do chiefly refpect, thofe Times 
 wherein they were fpoken, when a Man could not 
 be a Christian without hazarding the Lofs of his 
 Goods and Preferments, and falling into a State of 
 Reproach and Perfecution : For which Reafons thofe 
 who had great Attachments to the World, were hard- 
 ly perfuaded to rifque the Lofs of them for future 
 and invifible Bleflings ; while others, who had little 
 or nothing to iofe, were more ready to comply with 
 fuch Overtures. But now fince Chriftianity is no 
 longer attended with fuch Inconveniences, a plentiful 
 State is fo far from retarding a Man, that it may 
 very well fet him forward in his way to Heaven, 
 affording him Leifure and Ability for exercifing the 
 mod eminent Duties of Piety and Charity, and 
 abounding in thofe good Works, which Men of nar- 
 rower Circumftances have no Power to perform. 
 
 Not but that the Care of our Soul is confident 
 with that of our Body, even in the molt laborious 
 Kind of Life. The Poor, fays our Lord, have the 
 Go/pel preached unto them ; which would be to no 
 Purpofe, if they were not capable of the great Blef- 
 iings it propounds. We are indeed commanded to 
 feek the Kingdom of God in the firft Place- but we 
 are no where encouraged to leave our hcneft Trades 
 and Employments, to devote our whole Time to 
 religious Exercifes ; nay, we have both the Example 
 and Injunctions of our Mailers the Apojlles, to be di- 
 ligent in our ft-cular Profeffions. Let every Man, 
 fays St. Paul, (b) abide in the fame Calling wherein 
 he was called, (c) If any provide not for his own, 
 efpecially for thofe of his own Houfe, he hath denied 
 
 _ — 
 
 (a) Jam. ii. 5. (b) 1 Cor. vii. 20. (c) 1 Tim. v. 8. 
 
 the 
 
6$ The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 the Faith-, and is worfe than an Infidel, (a) Let him 
 that fiole, Jieal no more ; but rathe) let him labour ', 
 working with his Hands the Thing which is good, that 
 he may have to give to him that neednh. And yet 
 how vehemently doth he call upon them in other 
 Places to be heavenly-minded, to pray always, to 
 give Thanks in every thing, to prefs forward to the 
 Mark for the Prize of the high Callirg in God ? 
 Which is a plain Demonflration, that Diligence in 
 the lawful and neceflary Affairs of this Life, is very 
 confiflent with a Zeal for the Honour of G xl, and 
 the Welfare of our Souls. And that this is no im- 
 practicable Speculation, we learn from the Hiftory of 
 the two great Apoftles St. Peter and St. Paul, who 
 followed Fijhing and Tent-making, after they were 
 called to the Apoftlefhip and Miniftry of Jefus 
 Chrift. 
 
 Our BlefTed Saviour declares, that his Kingdom is 
 not of this World ; he came not to change Mens 
 outward Circumftances, and advance the Poor to 
 good Eftates : And therefore, fince the far greateft 
 Part of Mankind, muft by their Labours provide 
 Suftenance for themfelves and others, we muft either 
 fay, that the Kingdom of Heaven was not defigned 
 for fuch Men, which is contrary to many ex prefs 
 Declarations and Invitations of the Gofpel ; or elfe 
 confefs, that no more is required in order to obtain 
 it, than what the neceflary Affairs of Life will ad-r 
 mit of. 
 
 Notwithstanding this, we muft take Care that we 
 do not create more Neceilities to ourfelves, than fuch 
 as God and Nature have made; which is the Fault 
 of Men that are condemned for Covetoufnefs, and 
 too great Love of the World ; they are always ap- 
 prehenfive of future Wants and Neceilities, which 
 they have no caufe to fear. The Reafon is, becaufe 
 
 (a) Epbef. iv. 28. 
 
 they 
 
Chap. X. Chriftian Religion. 69 
 
 they afpire after Happinefs in this Life, which they 
 imagine to be founded in the Poffeflion of Abundance 
 of Wealth, whereby they may procure the Pleafures 
 and Honours of the World •■, which it is natural for us 
 to be fond of : But then we are to remember that 
 our Nature is depraved and prejudiced in favour of 
 thefe Things ; and though they are but tranfitory 
 and empty, yet they offer themfelves to our Senfes 
 with the great Advantage of prefent Enjoyment ; 
 whereas the eternal Blellings of Heaven are abfent, 
 and perceivable only by our Faith. This makes it 
 neceflary that we mould abftract our Thoughts, as 
 much as we can, from fenfible Objects, and by fre- 
 quent Contemplation fix them on Things above ; 
 and check ourfelves fometimes, even in our lawful 
 Affairs and Enjoyments, that we fuffer not our Af- 
 fections to run out too much after them, fo far as to 
 fru Urate our main Defign, which ought ever to be, 
 the Kingdom of God and his Righteoufnejs. 
 
 The molt effectual Means to keep our Hearts 
 right in thefe Matters, is an habitual Meditation on 
 that Saying of our Lord, What Jh all a Man give in 
 Exchange for his Soul ? The whole World can make 
 no Compenfation for the Lofs of it. For our Senfes 
 tell us, that thofe who have the greateft Share of it, 
 enjoy it but a very little Time : And our Faith tells 
 us, that this fhort, uncertain Term of Life, is all 
 the Opportunity we (hall ever have, of preparing 
 ourfelves for the Kingdom of Heaven. If we fail to 
 improve the prefent Seafon to this good Purpofe, we 
 mail not only be punifhed with the irreparable Lofs 
 of this Kingdom, but likewife with the Pains of that 
 contrary State which we call Hell, which I am to 
 fpeak of in the next Place. 
 
 f 
 
 CHAP. 
 
7<D The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 Of HELL; the State of the Damned there. 
 
 THERE is the fame Reafon for the everlafting 
 Punifhment of the Wicked, as there is for the 
 eternal Salvation of the Righteous. The Juftice of 
 GOD cannot be cleared and glorified, the Truth of 
 his Word cannot be fulfilled, without it. For there 
 are as plain Threatenings of Hell Torments in God's 
 Word, as there are Prcmifes of heavenly Happinefs. 
 Thefe, fays Chrift, fpeaking of the Wicked, foall go 
 into everlafting Fire. But to what Purpofe mould 
 this Fire lad for ever, if the Reafon of it, which is 
 the Punifhment of impenitent Sinners, ftiould ceafe 
 by their Annihilation ? If the Fire be everlafting in 
 which God punifhes Reprobates, if the Punifhment 
 inflicted on them be everlafting, then mufl they 
 everlaftingly fubfift to endure that Punifhment ; other- 
 wife, there would be a Punifhment inflicted, and 
 none endured, which is a Contradiction. And how- 
 eveV it may be argued, that fome Things in Scrip- 
 ture are called Eternal, which have but a limited 
 or determinate Exiftence, yet that Secfe cannot be 
 put upon the Eternity of Hell Torments, which are 
 aliened in the fame abfolute, unlimited Terms as 
 the Happinefs of Heaven is. Our Saviour, who fnail 
 be the Judge of all Men, hath forewarned us, (a) 
 That it is better to enter into Life halt or maimed, ra- 
 ther than having two Hands, or two Feet, to be cajl 
 into everlafting Fire, And he hath farther explained 
 himfelf by that repeated Addition, and undeniable 
 
 (a) Matt, xviii. 
 
 Defcription 
 
Chap. XL Chriftian Religion. 71 
 
 Defcription of the Place of Torments, where the 
 PP^orm dieth not, and the Fire is not quenched. And 
 that we may be yet farther allured, that this Fire 
 fhall never be extinguished, we read, (a) That the 
 Smoke of their Torment afcended up for ever and ever -, 
 and, that thofe which (b) are cafl into the Lake of 
 Fire and Brimjlone. jhall he tormented Day and Night 
 for ever and ever : Which Expreffion of Day and 
 Night, is the fame with that which declare th the 
 eternal Happinefs in the Heavens, where (c) they refl 
 not Day and Night, faying, Holy, Holy, Holy : W here 
 they are before the Throne of God, andferve him Day 
 and Night in his Temple. If then the Fire in which 
 the Reprobates are tormented, be everlafting ; if fo 
 abfolutely everlafting, that it fhall never be quench- 
 ed ; if thofe which are call into it, fhall be tormen- 
 ted for ever and ever, all which the Scriptures ex- 
 prefsly teach ; then fhall the Wicked never be fo 
 confumed, as to be annihilated, but fhall fubfift for 
 ever, and be Co-eternal to the tormenting Flames. 
 
 Having thus aiTerted the endlefs Duration of in- 
 fernal Punifhments, it will be proper to confider the 
 Nature of them, which is beft accounted for in this 
 Definition •, That they confift in Lofs and Pain. 
 
 The Lofs which wicked Men fhall fuftain, is Two- 
 fold ; viz. That of the Pleafures and Comforts of 
 this Life, which they once enjoyed ; and that of the 
 infinite Bleffings of Heaven, which they might have 
 obtained : Together with all Hopes of repairing ei- 
 ther of thefe LofTes. 
 
 Ungodly Men are for the prefent alienated from 
 the Love of God, and Defires of Heaven, through 
 the feniual Lufts and Vanities which amufe them. 
 But yet there are very few, if any, among them, 
 
 (a) Rev. xiv. 1 1, (b) Rev. XX. 10. (c) Rev. iv. 8. vii. 15. 
 
 who 
 
yz The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 who are quite deftitute of all Hopes, that they fliall 
 fome Time or other, before they leave this World, 
 make their Peace with God, and find Reft for their 
 Souls. Thefe Thoughts, it is true, are very confuted 
 and indigefled in them ; but yet how much they 
 help to fupport their Spirits, may be concluded from 
 that difmal State of Melancholy and Anguidi of 
 Mind, which fome of them have fallen into, when 
 they have been utterly deprived of thefe Hopes, and 
 anticipated the Sentence of Condemnation upon them- 
 felves. 
 
 But when they come to that Place where this Sen- 
 tence fhall be fully confirmed, and are at the fame 
 Time bereaved of every Beam of earthly Light and 
 Comfort, and have moreover, a quicker and larger 
 Notion of the Happinefs of Heaven, it will not be 
 eafy to imagine how fevere a Punifhment this Lofs 
 mufl be to them. What Rage, what Indignation 
 muft overwhelm them, when they reflect on what 
 they have accepted in Exchange for the eternal Peace 
 and Welfare of their Souls! What imaginary, fhort- 
 lived Pleafures they have prefered above thofe which 
 are fubftantial and incorruptible ! How will their 
 Confciences upbraid them with the manifold Offers 
 of Grace, and prefling Exhortations to rcfufe the 
 Evil, and choofe the Good, which they have moft 
 unkindly and contemptuoufly rejected ! Into what 
 Gall and Bitternefs will thofe miferable Enjoyments 
 be turned, which diverted them from hearkening to 
 thefe wife and wholefome Counfels ! Was it poflible, 
 nay eafy for them, to have prevented their coming 
 t© this Place of Torments, by hearkening in the 
 Days of their Life and Strength, to Mofes and the 
 Prophets, to Chriji and his Minifters ? was this very 
 Place pointed out- to them, and the Way marked 
 out for them to avoid it ? were their Eyes opened to 
 fee, and own, and confefs it ? and yet after all, did 
 
 they 
 
Chap. XL Chriftian Religion. 73 
 
 they knowingly and willingly go on, until they threw 
 themfelves headlong into this Pit of Deftruction ? 
 
 Such Reflections as thefe will, like fo many Vul- 
 tures, be inceflantly gnawing the Hearts of Wretches 
 configned to irrecoverable Perdition ; and whatever 
 Excufes they may invent at prefent, to cheat them- 
 felves of a glorious and happy Immortality, in thofe 
 woeful Regions they will no longer abufe their Under- 
 ftandings, by calling Evil Good, and Good Evil ; 
 bur will, to their unipeakable Confufion, allow the 
 Wifdom of being Religious, and the intftimable Va- 
 lue of thofe Bleilings which are the Rewards of it. 
 (a) There Jhall be weeping and gnajhing of Teeth, fays 
 Chrift, when they jhall fee Abraham, and Ifaac, and 
 Jacob, and all the Prophets, in the Kingdom of God, 
 and they themfelves thrnfl out. Here the Companions 
 of God are at an End, the Scepter of his Mercy is 
 no longer held forth, no more Offers of Pardon and 
 Reconciliation are exhibited : But every Thing that 
 has the leaft Appearance of Good or Comfort in it, 
 is loft to all Eternity. 
 
 Having thus fhewn how great their Lofs is who 
 are fhut out of Reft, and how it will be aggravated 
 by thofe additional Loifes which will accompany it; 
 I proceed now to fpeak of the Nature of thofe tor- 
 menting Pains, which fhall without IntermiiTion be 
 inflicted on condemned Sinners. 
 
 The Scripture, which muft be our Guide herein, 
 doth fo plainly acquaint us, that divine Vengeance 
 fhall be executed on Reprobates in pofitive Pains, 
 that it is ftrange any one fhould ever difpute or deny 
 it. The Worm that never dies fhall prey upon their 
 Souls, and the Fire that never fhall be quenched, 
 fhall involve their Bodies. For the Bodies of the 
 Wicked as well as of the Righteous, mail be raifed 
 again at the laft Day, according to the ConfelTion of 
 
 (a) Luke xiii. 28. 
 
 St. 
 
74 . *£he Sum of the Part L 
 
 St. Paul, There pall be a Refurreclion both of the Jujl 
 and of the Unju/l : And fo our Lord himfelf hath 
 taught us, That all that are in the Grave Jball hear 
 his Voice, and Jhall come forth ; they that have done 
 Good, to the Refurreclion of Life ; and they that have 
 done Evil, to the Refurreclion of Damnation. Now 
 as the Bodies of wicked Men (hall be railed again, 
 fo there fhall be fuch Punifhments prepared for them, 
 as will affec~t the Bodies, and annoy all the Senfes of 
 it, which are expreiTed by the Terms of Fire and 
 Brimftone, and everlafting Burnings, which excite the 
 moft acute and intolerable Pains that Men are capa- 
 ble of feeling. We cannot doubt but every Thing 
 about the Damned fhall be moft horrid and difmal 
 to the Eyes, moft noifome to the Smell, moft dread- 
 ful and alarming to the Ears, and moft pungent and 
 torturing to the Feeling ; infomuch that they fhall 
 gnafh with their Teeth for Anguifh, and fill thole 
 woeful Regions with confufed Shrieks and Bowlings, 
 and outrageous Blafphemies againft God, by reaion 
 of the fierce Execution of his Wrath upon them. 
 
 If we confider in what Company Reprobates fhall 
 be [hut up in the bottomleis Pit, it will give us a 
 farther Idea of their Pains : Go, ye Curfed, fays the 
 Almighty Judge, into everlafting Fire, prepared for 
 the Devil and his Angels. Now what Sort of Com- 
 panions the Devils will prove to Men, may be con- 
 jectured by their Treatment of them here on Earth. 
 When thefe evil Spirits have been fuffered to take 
 PoiTeffion of any abandoned Mortal, into what Con- 
 vulfions have they thrown him ! how have they dif- 
 torted his Face, and all his Joints and Limbs ! how 
 have they agitated him, and forced him to bruife 
 himfelf, and tear his own Flelh ! The many PaiTages 
 in the Gofpe), of Demoniacks raging and foaming, 
 and breaking Chains and Fetters wherewith they 
 were bound, will abundantly certify us of this. Let 
 
Chap. XL Chriftian Religion. 75 
 
 it be remembered withal, That the Devil was a 
 Murderer from the Beginning, and that all Murders, 
 and Ads of Malice, Spite and Envy, which are com- 
 mitted in the World, are done at his Inftigation, and 
 then we cannot doubt but he will wreak his Malice 
 to the utmoft upon thofe wretched Sons of Men, 
 whom the Juftice of God mall deliver into his Hands, 
 to be tormented by him. 
 
 And though I obferved before, That the Scripture 
 muft guide us in Things of this Nature, yet it can- 
 not be amifs to obferve here, That Idolaters and 
 Strangers to our Religion, have very much agreed 
 with us in their Opinion of the State of the Damned. 
 As we are taught to call it a Lake burning with Fire 
 and Brimflone, fo they imagine a River to be there, 
 which they call Pblegethon-, that is, a burning Fiver. 
 As we refemble it to the Burnings of Sodom and 
 Gomorrah, and the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, 
 whence we call it Gehenna •, fo they reported, That 
 the Giants which fought ugainft the Gods, were bu- 
 ried under Mount /Etna, and in the Phlegraatt 
 Fields, which Places were continually fmoaking, and 
 vomiting out Torrents of fulphureous Fire. They 
 held, That there were certain evil Spirits, whom 
 they named Eumenides, Fiends and Furies, vvhofe 
 Bufmefs was to torment wicked Men with Variety of 
 exquifite Tortures, according to the Crimes they had 
 committed in this Life. The Place of Execution was 
 known among them by the Name of Tartarus, which 
 is what we call utter Darknefs. This may fuffice to 
 (hew, what Agreement there is between natural and 
 revealed Religion, concerning the Nature and Quali- 
 ty of infernal Punifhments. 
 
 Seeing then that we know thefe Punifhments fuffi- 
 ciently by Faith, let us take heed ihat we never 
 know them by Experience. Let them have th#t 
 good Effedl upon us at this Diflance, to keep us 
 
 G from 
 
j 6 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 from thofe wicked Ways which lead to them. For 
 qui vult media, vultfinem\ it is a Madnefs for any 
 Man to be afraid of the End, and at the fame Time 
 in love with the Means which are linked to it. So- 
 lomon obferves, That it is in vain to fpread the Net 
 in the Sight of any Bird ; becaufe fhe hath Senfe 
 enough to conclude, that her Deftruction is intended 
 there by : And therefore Man muft be more irratio- 
 nal than the Fowls of the Air, who when the Pit of 
 Deftruction is plainly fet in his View, doth notwith- 
 flanding comply with the Temptations of the Devil, 
 which are thrown out to him on Purpofe to decoy 
 him into this Pit. Neither is it confident with Wit- 
 dom and Reafon, to flatter one's felf with the infinite 
 Mercies of God in contradiction to his plain Decla- 
 rations. For God hath declared, That this prefent 
 Life is the acceptable Time, the Day of Salvation, 
 the Opportunity for embracing the Offers of his 
 Grace, and making our Calling and Election fure. 
 Why are we fo earneftly exhorted to work while it is 
 called To-Day, to make Hafte, and prolong no Time 
 in fetting about the Duties of God's Commandments ; 
 to watch and pray, that we may be ready to meet 
 our Lord at what Hour foever he fhall come ? Why 
 is it faid in the Parable of the foolifh Virgins, that 
 the Door was (hut upon them, while they went to buy 
 that Oil which they mould have provided before- 
 hand ; and when they returned and cried to the Lord 
 to open the Door, -he refufed, telling them, he knew 
 them not ? Are not thefe fufficient Warnings to us, 
 that if we die in an impenitent State, there is no Help 
 for us, but we muft have our Portion with Repro- 
 bates ? 
 
 And left any Man fhould flatter himfelf, that in 
 the Interval between Death and the Day of Judgment, 
 there might be Room to rectify the Errors of this 
 prefent Life, the facred Penmen feem concerned to 
 obviate fuch a fatal Miftake, by often afluring us, 
 
 That 
 
Chap. XII. Chriftian Religion. 77 
 
 That there is no (a) Work, nor Device, nor Know- 
 ledge, nor Wifdorn in the Grave ; that the Night co- 
 meth, when none can work j that every Man fhall 
 receive according to what he hath done in the Body; 
 and that nothing remains after Death, but Judgment! 
 The Mercy of God is fufficiently magnified, in mat 
 he hath fully made known the Terms of Salvation to 
 Men. Behold, fays Mofes, (b) I have Jet before thee 
 this Day, Life and Good, and Death and Evil: in that 
 I command thee to love the Lord thy God, to walk hi his 
 JVays, and to keep his Commandments, and his Statutes, 
 and bis Judgments. But if thine Heart turn away, that 
 thou wtic not hear, I denounce unto you, That ye pail furely 
 perifjj. Thefe Terms being poffible to be fufiiled by 
 any Man, his Mifery is from himfelf, ,f he fails in 
 the Performance. God is not unrighteous that taketh 
 Vengeance ; but it is rather neceflhry for the V in- 
 dication of his Juftice and Providence, as I have be- 
 fore (hewed. 
 
 CHAP. XIL 
 
 Of our EARTHLY Habitation, 
 
 And the Reafon of our Abode, and Duration of our 
 Life in it. 
 
 BETWEEN both the States we have been fpeak- 
 ing of, is our Condition here on EARTH 
 being neither fo happy as the Angels, nor fo mifera' 
 ble as the Devils ; but tailing both of Happinefs and 
 Mifery, by way of Earned, as it were, and to deter- 
 mine our Choice, which we will have for our Portion 
 
 (a) Eerie J. ix. io. (b) Deut. xxx. 
 
 G 2, in 
 
78 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 in a future State. For fuch is the Will of our Al- 
 mighty Difpofer and Sovereign, that after a fhort 
 Courfe of Life fpent upon Earth, which rarely exceeds 
 feventy or eighty Years, and very often extends not 
 fo far, we muft be removed from our Earthly Abodes, 
 and added to the Society of good or bad Angels, ac- 
 cording as our Souls, at their Releafe from the Body, 
 lball be found qualified. 
 
 The Houfes that God grants to us are no perpetual 
 Dwellings, but only Inns for ourprefentConveniency ; 
 we therefore mould look upon our Houfes and Pof- 
 felfions, as upon things that are lett to us, while we fo- 
 journ here in our Way to our long Home ; for St. 
 Paul informs us, that the great Patriarchs of old, 
 Abraham, Ifacc and Jacob, declared that they were no 
 better than Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth, and 
 that their Intention was to march to their celeftial 
 Country. He that is travelling into a ftrange Coun- 
 try, if he be well treated in his Inn, muft not fet his 
 Heart too much on the good Cheer ; and if his Enter- 
 tainment be bad, he muft endure with Patience the 
 fnconvtniencies, and contemn all the Diforders that 
 happen during his Abode there. If the Way be deep, 
 full of Mud, Briars and Thorns, he muft get out of 
 it as foon as he can ; if it be good and pleafant, he 
 muft not ftop in it, nor bufy himfelf in needlefs En- 
 quiries : Every wife and careful Traveljer, thinks of 
 nothing but how to advance in his Journey. Likewife 
 we being here accuftomed to Plenty and Want, to 
 Riches and Poverty, to Honour and Difhonour, we 
 ought to. leave the Things that are behind ; and to 
 proceed forward to fuch as are before, that we mav at- 
 tain to the End and Reward of our Heavenly calling, 
 and fo to ufe thefe worldly things as not to hinder us in 
 our Journey, or Way to Heaven. 
 
 If we have crucified our Afivdtions and Lufts, then 
 are we in a manner dead to this World. If our Heart 
 be in Heaven, the principal Part of our Life is there 
 
 too; 
 
Chap. XII. Chriftian Religion. 79 
 
 too; for where our chief Deiight is, there we may be 
 laid to live. God has given us Faces looking towards 
 Heaven, that he might thereby teach us to lift up our 
 Hearts alfo, thither and carry thither our Affections 
 and Defires. 
 
 This prefent Life then is a State of Probation and 
 Tryal, a School of Difcipline, wherein we are trained 
 up for another. We muft not permit ourfelves to 
 loiter and be idle in it. The facred Writers who are 
 our Matters and Tutors, call us to fund ry Exerci fes, 
 according to the Condition and Pott afllgned us. Are 
 we afflicted with a feeble and crazy Conftitution of 
 Bo.iy, or with Croffes and Difficulties in our outward 
 Circumftances, or with both thefe together? 'tis an 
 Exercife of our Patience, Contentednefs, and Refig- 
 nation to the Will of God. We may ufe honed 
 Means to relieve ourfelves ; butjf they prove inef- 
 fectual, we muft heartily fay, The Will of our Lord 
 be done. To repine at the Difpenfations of Provi- 
 dence, is to charge God foolifhly, as if he were not 
 a wife and a juft Governor. Our Life is a Warfare, 
 and we muft bravely maintain the Station to which 
 our great Commander appoints us. The greaceft 
 Champions in the Army of the Faithful, have been 
 made perfect through Sufferings. After a heavy 
 Load of Calamities both in Body and Eftate, Job {a) 
 courageoufly profeifes, that he will wait all the Days of 
 bis appointed Time 'till bis Change come. But we have 
 a greater Example than this •, what could be compa- 
 rable to the Condition of our blefled Lord, in whom 
 the cleared Innocence, and the moft dreadful Suffer- 
 ings met together ? yet he quietly fubmits, and fays. 
 Father , if this <.up may not pafs from w<f, except I drink 
 it, thy Will be done. And ag'in, The Cup which my 
 heavenly Father b .lb given me to drink, fball 1 not drink 
 
 (a) Job xiv. 14. 
 
 G q it? 
 
8o The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 if f After fo great a Pattern as this, let us be dumb, 
 and not open our Mouth at any Affliction which is 
 laid upon us, when we, are fure it is God's doing. 
 
 But if, on the other hand, we enjoy the Goods of 
 the Body and of Fortune, as they are filled, then it 
 behoves us to exercife much Temperance and Mode- 
 ration in the Enjoyment of them. We are to confi- 
 der ourfeives as travelling in a ftrang,e Country, where 
 it would be inconvenient and contrary to our Defign, 
 to load ourfeives with too much Provifion ; we fhouid 
 do well tobeflow what is fupeifluous upon our poor 
 fellow Travellers that want it. However, this doth 
 noc hinder us from providing for our Families, and 
 laying up fomething in Store for Poftcrity : For they 
 muft travel the fame Road with ourfeives. But 
 wher-. ibere are no fuch Reafons, we muft be more 
 communicative to others ; and even in this Cafe not 
 too re'hrain'd. As for what we expend upon our 
 Q\yn Perfons, St. Paul's Rule will direct us in every 
 Paricular, That we ufe this World fo as not to abule 
 it. There are certain Bounds wherein we may tafte 
 the Ple^fures and Delights of it ; but it is fafer to 
 come fhort than go to the Outfide of our Limits. A 
 Man may indeed abftain from the Pleafures and Com- 
 forts of Life, out of an immoderate Love of the 
 World : This is the Abftinence of a covetous Man. 
 He punimes his Body, but it is becaufe he idolizes 
 his Wealth, and counts it a greater Happinefs to pof- 
 fefs than enjoy. But a Candidate of Heaven ahftains 
 only that he may fubdue his carnal Affections, and 
 consult the Intereft and Comforts of his Soul ; that he 
 may have the more to fpare for pious and charitable 
 Uf=s ; that he may make Friends with the Mammon 
 of Unnghteoufnefs, and provide himfeif Bags which 
 wax not old, a Treafure in the Heavens. 
 
 In both Eftates, of Profperity and Advcrfity, the 
 Coniideration which will make a wife and good Man 
 r>ot over much affected wfth them, is this, That they 
 
 will 
 
Chap. XII. Chriftian Religion. 81 
 
 wiJ laft but a very fhort Time, and be fwallowed up 
 in coniummate and unchang abie Happinefs. This 
 is enough to keep him fteaay in his Purfuit of it, 
 againft ail Temptations on the right Hand and on the 
 left. Indeed if thefe Houfes of Clay were fo built, as 
 to laft tome thoufands of Years, bodily Pleafures and 
 Pains would be more confiderable ; if the Age of Man 
 were commeniurate with that of the World, he would 
 have Reafon to be more concerned about the Affairs 
 of it. But now that inftead of Thoufands, we can 
 only attain to fome few Scores of Years, and at the 
 End of thole Years can boaft of but little Happinefs, 
 alloyed with Abundance of Pains and Troubles, a 
 Man that hath juft Notions of thefe Things, will not 
 find it difficult to bear the Want of thefe fleeting and 
 unfatisfaclory Joys, or to abftain from them when in 
 his Power, for the fake of thofe folld and lafting ones 
 which he hath in View, and is ready every Dav to ar- 
 rive at. This is the Mark, the Prize of the high Cal- 
 ling which God hath fet up for him to aim at, and 
 bend all his Efforts and Thoughts towards it ; and 
 whether the Way he is to run be fmooth or plain, or 
 full of Flints, Thorns and Briars, it will be all one 
 in a very few Days. Every Wound and Pain will be 
 cured, and he made as whole and as eafy, as if he 
 had never felt them. 
 
 There is nothing wanting to arm Men with Pati- 
 ence and Moderation in their prefent Circumftances, 
 but a ferious Attention to that eternal State into which 
 they are launching. Who would not quietly bear all 
 the Hardfhips of this fhort Life (which yet are feldom 
 inflicted all together upon one P-rfon) that he might 
 efcape the intenfe and endlefs Torments of Hell ? 
 Who would not readily give up his whole Portion of 
 earthly Pl^afures and Comforts (which yet he may belt 
 enjoy witnin the Rules of Temperance and Benefi- 
 cence) for the Attainment of that Happinefs in Hea- 
 veq, which will fully fatisfy all his Delires, and laft 
 
 G 4 with 
 
82 The Sum of the Parti. 
 
 with equal Satisfaction to all Eternity ? How happy 
 would the Man be efteemed, who mould have lived 
 from the Beginning to the End of . this World in per- 
 fect Strengjjb, and Peace, and Jcy ? And yet, alas ! 
 all this is do more in companion of eternal Happinefs, 
 than a Drop to the Ocean, or a Glow-worm to the 
 Sun. Nothing in this World can hurt us, if we will 
 but imprint that Saying of St. Paul deeply upon our 
 Minds •, (a) The Things which are feen are Temporal-, 
 but the Things which are not feen are Eternal. 
 
 G H A P. XIII. 
 
 Of MAN ; the Circumftances of his prefent State, 
 
 And the Period of Human Life. 
 
 ¥ THEN God furveyed the Wcrks of the Creati- 
 %S on, the Heavens being adorned with the glo- 
 rious Luminaries of the Sun, Moon, and Stars; and 
 the Earth replenifhed with all Things needful for 
 Life and Sufte'nance ; to give the finifhing Stroke to 
 his Works, he faid, Let us make MA N in our Image , 
 according to our Likenefs. So God created Man in bis own 
 Image, in the Image of God created he him, Male and 
 Female created he item. Thus he fummed up all his 
 Works into Man, the Univerfe into an Individual, a 
 leffer Scheme of the Cre-ation, Nature contracted •, in 
 him were colledted all the fcattered Perfections of 
 other Creatures ; all their Graces, Ornaments, and 
 Excellencies were united in this divine Syftem of 
 Nature. 
 
 (a) 2 Cor. iv. i8. 
 
 To 
 
Chap. XIII. Chriftian Religion. 83 
 
 To Adam our firft Parent, God gave Power and 
 Dominion over all earthly Creatures ; he made him 
 his Vice-Roy and Lord Lieutenant of this lower 
 World, providing for him a delightful Habitation in 
 the Garden of Eden. But Man, not fatisfied with that 
 fovereign Dominion, that high Station, that blifsful 
 Seat alligned him, but afpirmg to an Equality with 
 God, emulating his omnifcient Maker, fell into 
 the fame Sin of Pride, as the Angels had done before 
 him ; for which God thruft him out of Paradife ; fay- 
 ing unto him, Becaufe thou hail hearkened unto the Voice 
 of thy Wife, and haft eaten of the Trse, of which /com- 
 manded thee faying, 'Thou (halt not eat of it : Curfed is 
 the Ground for thy fake : In forrow thou fhalt eat of it 
 all the Days of thy Life. In the Sweat of thy Face fhalt 
 thou eat Bread, till thou return to the Ground, for out of 
 it waft thou taken : for Duft thou art, and unto Duji 
 fhalt thou return. 
 
 This Sin of our Firft Parents is the Caufe, that the 
 whole Race of Mankind (from the Beginning to the 
 End of the World) either labour and toil for their 
 Bread, or at leaft meet with Sorrows, Cares, Per- 
 plexities and Misfortunes in the Courfe of their Lives, 
 and that no Mortal is without his Share of feme of 
 thefe. Whereas had our firft Parents continued in 
 that State of Obedience God obliged them to, then 
 mould we all have been compleatly happy, and 
 have known none of thofe Sorrows, Pains and Wants 
 which now afflict us. But for the Circumftances of 
 our prc-fent State, Job (a) hath rightly defcribed it: 
 Man that is horn of a Woman, is of few Days, and full 
 of Trouble. He cometb forth like a Flower, and is cut 
 down : he fleeth alfo as a Shadow, and continueth not. 
 Indeed fo brittle is the Thread of Life, that we may 
 fay of our laft Hour what our Lord fays of the Day 
 
 (a) Jvb. xiv. 1.2- 
 
 of 
 
84 2^ Sum of the Part I. 
 
 of Judgment ; It cometh as a Thief in the Night. When 
 we eafl fufpect the Approach of Death, it may call 
 us to go hence and be no more. How many Thou- 
 fands of ftrange and unexpected Accidents attend us 
 in this Life ! [a) Man alfo knoweth not bis Time. As 
 the Fifhers that are taken in a» evil Net, and as the Birds 
 that are caught in the Snare -, Jo are the Sons of Men 
 f wired in an evil Time, when it falleth fuddenly upon 
 them. 
 
 Now whereas God created three forts of living 
 Creatures, Angelical, Rational and Sen ft the, affigning 
 to Angels an intellectual, and to Beafts a fenfual Na- 
 ture^ he hath given to Man the Intellect of Angels, 
 in a Capacity of free and unconfined thinking, the 
 Apprehenfion of Beafts in the Tafte, Smell, and 
 other Senfes, and a rational Faculty peculiar to Man, 
 enabling him to chufe what is moft conducive to his 
 Well-being. He hath imprinted his own divine Cha- 
 racter and Similitude upon the Soul of Man^ making 
 it thereby to differ from that of Beafts, as it is mani- 
 feft from the original Account of both ; which (lands 
 thus -, Let the (b) IV aters bring forth in abundance every 
 creeping Thing ; and let the Earth bring forth the living 
 Thing according to his kind, ofc. So that from the Earth 
 and Water were they brought forth. But of Man 
 it is (aid ; Let us make Man in our own Image. And 
 God breathed into him the breath of Life, and Man be- 
 came a living Said. Thus God made us little lower 
 than the Angels \ though the greateft Part of Mankind, 
 it is feared, make themlelves lower than the very 
 Beafts* 
 
 The End and Defign of our Abode here, is to 
 ferve God in this prefent Life, that we may enjoy 
 Heaven and Life everlalting in the World to come. 
 Thus we are taught by the heavenly Choir, (c) Thou 
 
 (a) Ecclef. ix. \z. (b) Gen. i. (c) Rev. iv. n. 
 
 art 
 
Chap. XIII. Chriftian Religion. 8$ 
 
 art worthy, Lord, to receive Glory , and Honour, and 
 Power ; for ibou baji created all Things ; and for thy 
 Pleafiire they are and were created. Hence we con- 
 clude, that Man was created to give Glory, Honour, 
 and Praife to God, and to live in Obedience to his 
 Will and Pleafure. The Diflolution which we differ 
 by Death, puts not an End to the Soui, for that re- 
 turns to God who gave it ; Nor abfolutely to the Body, 
 but only for a Time, till the Refarrecl:on, when this 
 Corruptible Jhall put on Incorruption, and this Mortal 
 pall put on immortality : It being equally as poiTible for 
 God to refhore our Bodies, after they have been re- 
 duced to Dull in the Grave, as it was for him at firfl: 
 to produce all Things out of Nothing. He who 
 erected Man out of the Ground into that excellent 
 Shape and Figure he now bears, cannot want Power 
 to raife him out of the Dull: again at the laft Day. 
 But to put this Power out of all Doubt, the holy 
 Scripture gives us an unqueftionable Demonjlration of 
 it, in the Hiftory of Lazarus {a) where it is laid, 
 that when Jefus, Martha and Mary came to his Grave, 
 where he had lain four Days, and was fuppofed to be 
 in a putrifying Condition ; Jefus cried with a loud 
 Voice ; Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead 
 came forth bound Hand and Foot with Grave Cloaths. Je^ 
 fus faith unto them, Loofe him, and let him go. Then 
 many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had feen the 
 things which Jefus did, believed on him. In the follow- 
 ing Chapters we have an Account, that the Sifters of 
 Lazarus made Jefus a Supper-, to which many of the 
 Jews came, not for Jclus'j fake only, but that they 
 might fee Lazarus alfo, -whom he had ratfed from the 
 Dead. 
 
 When our Saviour was crucified, the Evangelijl 
 
 (a) John xi. 
 
 tells 
 
86 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 tells us, (a) that the Graves were opened, and many 
 Bodies of Saints which flept (or were dead) arofe, and 
 came out of the Grave after his Refurreclion, and went 
 into the Holy City (Jerufalem) and appeared unto many. 
 Our Lord himfeit the Evening of the Day on which 
 he arofe, appeared unto his Difciples beirg all aflem- 
 bled together, with the Doors fhut, and itood in the 
 midil of them ; and Fear came upon them all, as be- 
 ing perfuaded that it was a Spirit; until Chrift bid 
 them not be afraid, but obferve his Hands and Feet, 
 that it was he himfelf. 
 
 The very Pagans themfelves believed that the Soul 
 furvived its Releafe from the body ; otherwife they 
 had never Deified their Anceftors, and other famous 
 Men, to whofe Ghofts they offered Sacrifices, and 
 invoked them in their Prayers. They alfo believed, 
 that there was a future State of Happinefs and Mife- 
 ry, to reward the Good, and punifh the Wicked. 
 Of which there are certain Foretaft.es in this Life. 
 What Raptures and Tranfports of Joy does the pious 
 Man feel in fpiritual Communion with God by holy 
 Meditations, Prayers, and Thankfgivings ! What 
 Terrors feize upon the Wicked, when ibme great 
 Calamity, like a Voice from Heaven, fummons him 
 to Judgment, efpecially when Death looks him in 
 the Face ! What frightful Apprehenfions is he under ! 
 What Pangs and Tortures rack his Confcience, in 
 Forefight of the horrible Doom and Vengeance pre- 
 pared for him ! Thus we find, Nature itfelf bears 
 Teftimony to the Immortality of the Soul, and a fu- 
 ture State. 
 
 As the human Body was formed, out of the Earth, 
 fo the Soul was derived from the Breath of God, 
 which. is a farther Argument of its Immortality. And 
 we are faid to retain the Image of God, when we 
 
 (a) Mat. xxvii. 52. 
 
 imitate 
 
Chap. XIIL Chriftian Religion. 87 
 
 imitate his Perfections ; as when we are merciful to 
 our Fellow-Creatures, becaufe God is Mercy itfelf. 
 It is this Past of Man more efpecially, which God 
 made after his own image. To this he hath given 
 Eyes which can in a Moment reach the diftant Parts 
 of the Earth, and pierce through the grofs Veil of 
 Flefh, to the Contemplation of spiritual and heavenly 
 Things. 
 
 The wonderful Art and Wifdom of GOD in the 
 Formation of our Bodies, appears in the Multitude 
 of Ufes, to which the feveral Parts are defigned. 
 Galen, in his Book De Formatione Fcetus, takes No- 
 tice, That there are in a human Body above fix 
 Hundred feveral Mufcles, and at lead ten feveral 
 Purpofes or Ufes to be obferved in each of thefe ; 
 as, proper Figure, juft Magnitude, right Difpofition, 
 Infertion of proper Veins and Arteries, which are all 
 of them to be duly placed ; fo that about the Muf- 
 cles alone, fix Thoufand Ufes or Ends are to be at- 
 tended to. The Bones are reckoned to be 284. The 
 diftinct Scopes or Intentions in each of thefe, are 
 above Forty ; in all, about one hundred Thoufand. 
 And thus it is in fome Proportion with all the other 
 Parts, the Skin, Ligaments, Veffels, Glandules, Hu- 
 mours, ano! the whole Structure of the Body. The 
 Failing in any one of thefe, would caufe Irregularity, 
 and in many of them, fuch as would be very incom- 
 modious. Now to imagine, that fuch a Frame, com- 
 pofed of fo many Parts, to the right Order and Mo- 
 tion whereof fuch an infinite Number of Intentions 
 are required, could be made without the Contrivance 
 of fome wife Agent, mult needs be irrational in the 
 higheft Degree. All other Animals, with down-call 
 Eyes, are depreffed to the Ground : Man alone hath 
 the Privilege to walk upright, and with an erect 
 Countenance to difcover Things afar off, to provide 
 for his Safety, and to avoid Dangers. All Animals 
 have Tongues ; but the Tongue of Man onl> can 
 
 form 
 
8& The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 form Words by which he declares his Thoughts. 
 How wonderfully, fays Job, is Man formed in the 
 JVomb ! He cannot fee or perceive how the Mem- 
 bers are fet together. Galen challenged any one, up- 
 on an hundred Years Study, to find out, how any 
 the leafl Fibre, or molt minute Particle, might be 
 more commodiouily placed. Some think it a nota- 
 ble Argument of divine Wifdom, that Men are fo 
 wonderfully diflinguifhed by their Faces, that there 
 are not Two in all the World abfolutely alike. But 
 I think they are near as well diflinguifhed by their 
 Voices, their Mien and Gefture ; and perhaps by 
 their Hand-writing, inafmuch as they all differ in the 
 fhaping of their Letters, though writing the fame 
 Sort of Hand, and taught by one and the fame Maf- 
 ter. Indeed, unlefs there were certain Notes o^ Dis- 
 tinction in Men, what Confufion and Diforder would 
 neceflarily follow ? what Frauds and Cheats, and falfe 
 Witnefs ? what Subverfion of Juflice and Judgment ?' 
 Who could be fafe in his Eflate or Life ? who could 
 fwear that fuch or fuch Perfons committed Murders, 
 AfTaults, Thefts, Robberies, if Men were not clear- 
 ly diflinguifhed one from another ? 
 
 St. PAUL teaches us to fpiritualize and fanctify 
 the Ufe of our bodily Members, when he faith, (a) 
 I bejeech you, Brethren, by the Mercies of God, that 
 ye prefent your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, accepta- 
 ble to God, which is your reafonabk Service. There 
 is a Neceffity of feeding the Soul, no lefs than the 
 Body. The Food of the Soul is Knowledge, parti- 
 cularly the Knowledge of Religion, the Doctrines of 
 Chriflianity, .the Things that concern our eternal 
 Peace* and Happinefs. Knowledge is the Root, and 
 Praclice the Fruit. It is impoflible for us ever to do 
 God's Will, before we underfland it : The Word 
 
 (a) Rom. xii. i. 
 
 muft 
 
Chap. XIII. Chriftian Religion. 89 
 
 •mud be received into an hoiieft aid good Heart, and 
 well digefted and underftood, bttore it can be pro- 
 ductive of good Works. 
 
 The Care and Adorning of our Body often em- 
 ploys too much of our Time and Thoughts : Let it 
 fuggelt to us how our Souls mould be cloathed with 
 holy and virtuous Habits. Be ye cloathed with Humi- 
 lity, faith St. Peter, (a) with the Ornament of a meek 
 and quiet Spirit. When our Bodies are fick and 
 wounded, we call the Phyfician and Surgeon. Let 
 us remember, That Sin is the Diteafe of the Soul; 
 for the Cure of which, an humble, ferious, hearty 
 Repentance is the only Phyfick. 
 
 The Eye that beholds no evil Thing with Delight, 
 becomes an v acceptable Sacrifice. The Lips that 
 fpeak no Guile, are a fpiritual Oblation. The Tongue 
 which uttereth no Evil, is rendered an Holocauft. 
 However, it is not enough to reftrain the Members 
 from Evil, but they rauft alfo be exercifed in that 
 which is good : The Eyes in reading the Word of 
 God, and other good Books ; the Tongue in Prayers 
 and Praifes, and all Kind of ufeful Difcourfe ; the 
 Hand in labouring in an honeft Calling, and minif- 
 tring to the Wants of the Neceflitous ; our Feet fwift 
 to do every good Work, and walking in all Humili- 
 ty, as in the Sight of God ; the Ear in hearkening 
 to all profitable Difcourfes ; the Knees bended in our 
 divine Worfhip. In fhort, our whole Spirit, and 
 Soul, and Body rauft be pure and holy, conftantly 
 difpofed to, and commonly pradifing every Thing 
 that is Virtuous and Praife-worthy. 
 
 In the Jewijb Qmrch there was required a Sacri- 
 fice of Beafts ; .we are now commanded to prelent 
 our Bodies a holy, acceptable, and lively Sacrifice, 
 
 (a) 1 Pet. v. 5. 
 
 by 
 
90 The Sum of the Part I. 
 
 by crucifying our Lulls and finful Affections, dying 
 unto Sin, and living unto Righteoufhefs. We are to 
 offer ftill, not the Flefh of Bulls, and the Blood of 
 Goats, but the rational Sacrifice of our own Bodies, 
 the Incenfe of fervent Devotion ; the Thankf-offering 
 of Praife : (a) That our Prayers be fet forth in God's 
 Sight as Incenfe, and the lifting up of our Hands as 
 an Evening-Sacrifice. We muft dedicate the Firft- 
 born of our Souls, pure and holy Thoughts -, the firft 
 Fruits of our Strength, our beft Years, in the Wor- 
 fhip of God. We muft vow to him, and pay the 
 daily Oblation of fincere Obedience, (b) He that 
 keepeth the Law, bringeth Offerings enough. He that 
 requiteth a good Turn, offereth fine Flour. He that 
 giveth Alms, facrificeth Praife. To depart from Wick- 
 ednefs, is a Thing mojl pleafing to the Lord; and to 
 forfake Unrighteoufnefs, is a Propitiation. 
 
 (a) Pfalm cxli. 12. (b) Eccluf. xxxv. 1, 2, 3. 
 
 
 The End of the First Part. 
 
THE 
 
 ChrifiiarPs Companion : 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 SUM 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Chriftian Religion. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 CONTAINING THE 
 
 SUM of our DUTY 
 
 T o 
 
 O D. 
 
 Thou Jbalt Love the LORD thy GOD with all thy 
 Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind. 
 This is the fir ft and great Commandment. Matt. xxii. 
 37> 38 
 
 DUBLIN: 
 Printed for JOS. SHEP PARD, Bookfe ller, in Skinner-Row. 
 
 M,DCC,LXIX. 
 

# K3£H jo*"* k*.^ *w*\ k^^ v 
 
 U &*^£ &*>£ &*& 3**8 *** M 
 ^ at**J W?U £*& kM^ *£*# j{ 
 
 THE 
 
 SERVICE and WORSHIP 
 
 F 
 
 G O 
 
 ON THE 
 
 LOR D's-D A Y. 
 
 P A R T II. C H A P. I. 
 
 }«Q$W^ S Almighty GOD gave himfelf fix Days 
 3? a ^£ for Creating the lVorld> fo he hath been 
 2\* */5 pleaied to give us fix Days for our 
 WtowUi Worldly Affairs, to provide for the Food of 
 the Body. And as He refted on the feventh Day 
 from his Works of Creation, fo he hath ordained, 
 That one Day in feven Man mould ceafe from his bo- 
 dily Labours, and feek after the Spiritual Food of his 
 H z Soul 
 
94 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 Soul. But here the great Creator's RefHng is not ib to 
 be underftood, as if it implied any Wearinefsin him, 
 or Inability to farther Action : For (a) the Creator of 
 the Ends of ihe Earth, faint eth not, neubt-r is weary. 
 He reded or ceafed from his Labours, only becauie 
 he had finifhed his Work, and faw that every Thing 
 was very good. He blejfed the feventh Day, and hal- 
 lowed it ; that is, He dedicated it in a fpecial Man- 
 lier to his own Service. 
 
 Moreover, our Day of Reft is changed from the Se- 
 venth tp the firft Day of the Weejc, becauie this is 
 the Day whereon we commemorate our blcfTed Re- 
 deemer's Refurreclion from the Grave, who on the 
 Morning of this Day, triumphed over Death and Hell, 
 and Ranfomed us from our Slavery and Subjection to 
 them. This is the Weekly pejiival to us Chriflians, 
 becauie the Work of our Redemption was this Day 
 finifhed and compleated. Accordingly, we find the 
 Apofles transferred their religious Affemblies, with 
 the Mi nift ration of the divine Word and Sacraments 
 to this Day ; which was farther fanctified, in that our 
 Lord then appeared to them, and bleffed them after 
 his Refurreclion, and fent down the holy Gholt upon 
 them after his Afcenfion, in fo extraordinary and glo- 
 rious a Manner upon this Day. So that though we 
 have not any exprefs Command, yet we have the 
 Practice of the Apoftles, and the full Approbation of 
 Chrift, to warrant us in changing our Day of Reft 
 from the Seventh te-the- firft Day of the Week. 
 
 To the end then that we may celebrate this our 
 Cbrifiian Sabbath in an acceptable Manner, let us fol- 
 low ihe pious Example of the primitive Chriftians, 
 who ufed to fpend the foregoing Eve in Prayer, Exa- 
 mination, and other religious Exercifes, to fit them 
 for the Duties of the .enfuing Feftival. Whence we 
 
 (a) Ifaiah xl. 28. 
 
 may 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 95 
 
 may iuppofe our Church derived the Cuftom of Read- 
 ing iri Saturdafs evening Pfayer, the Colleft proper 
 for the Sunday following. Let us then retire from 
 our worldly Concerns, and take an Account of our 
 Actions the Week paft, bewailing our Sins of Omif- 
 fion and Commiilion, and imploring God's Mercy 
 and Pardon for the fame. This will be much more 
 fatisfadory and profitable to us in the End, than the 
 late Fatigues of Buiinefs, or the more unpardonable 
 Diverfions of Plays and Entertainments, which ren- 
 der us very drowfy, or what is as bad, very care- 
 lefs and difcompofcd in the Publick Worfhip of 
 God. 
 
 We mould, I think, make it a Rule, to Rife on 
 Sunday Adorning, three Hours at lead before the Ser- 
 vice of the Church begins; if not rather as early this 
 Day, as on any other of the Six, that we may be du- 
 ly prepared both in Body and Mind, to prefent our- 
 felves in the Houfeof God. David's Eyes prevented 
 the Night-watches that he might be occupied in 
 God's Word ; and (hall we fuffer ours to be clofed 
 with Sleep, when the Sun inlightens the World, and 
 calls us forth to the more glorious Light of the Gof- 
 pel? By which, if we work while it is called To-Day, 
 our Bodies (hall rife out of their dark Repofitories far 
 brighter than the Rays of this great Luminary 5 and 
 10 ihine, as never to fet* or be obfcured by any the 
 lead Spot or Clonp* 
 
 When you Awake, Lift up your Soul with Thankf- 
 giving to your Creator, for preferving you that Night, 
 and affording you the Beginning of another Day, efpe- 
 cially a Sabbath-day, to Labour for his Glory, and 
 the eternal Welfare of your own Soul. When you 
 Rife out of your Bed, let it put you in Nlind of the 
 Refurrection ; and lift up your Heart to God in this, 
 or the like Ejaculation : 
 
 H 3 Lord, 
 
96 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 Lord, grant, that as thou reft or eft our Bodies from 
 Sleep and the Darknefs of the Night, to the Light 
 of the Day \fo our Souls by thy Grace may be rouzed 
 from the Lethargy of Sin, and invefted at the gene- 
 ra/ Refurretlion with eternal Glory. 
 
 Much Time ought not to be fpent in adorning thefe 
 perifhable Bodies-, which ftand in need of Cioathingfor 
 no other Reafon, but becaufe we fell from our origi- 
 nal Perfedtion, and loft the more precious Robes of 
 Innocence. Alas ! what can we be proud of in thefe 
 Accoutrements of the Body, which are only the Mo- 
 numents of our Sin and our Shame ? If Solomon in all 
 his Glory was lefs fliining than one of the Lillies of the 
 Field, how little reafon have any Mortals to value 
 themfelves for the Figure they make ? How poor 
 and low a Defign is it, to go to Church, only or chief- 
 ly, to be feen, or to aim at the Applaufe of the 
 niceft DrefTer in the Congregation ? To be very exact 
 in the adorning of the Body, and very negligent of 
 the Ornaments of the Soul, Meeknefs and Humility, 
 which in the Sight of God, are the moil precious and 
 becoming Embelifhments ? 
 
 This I fay, to correct that falfe Value which is 
 commonly put upon thefe Things. For otherwise we 
 fhould without doubt diftinguiih this from common 
 Days by a neater and cleanlier fort of Apparel. Every 
 Solemnity requires it, but efpecially this. Who 
 fhould we honour with the beft of our Subftance, but 
 him who is the Giver of it ? We know what drift 
 Rules God prefcribed in his ancient Church concern- 
 ing the Things relative to his Worfhip. The Wood 
 of the Tabernacle and Temple was to be of the choi- 
 ceft Cedar. The Veffels of the pureft Gold ; the 
 Robes of the fined Linen. The Pcrfons of the Mi- 
 nifters were to be venerable, without Maim or De- 
 formity -, the Beads for Sacrifice without Spot or Ble- 
 mifh, and the very beft of the Flock. What was the 
 
 Subftance 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 97 
 
 Subflance of all thefe Shadows, but this : That God 
 the Author and Giver of all good Things, will be 
 ferved by holy Men in the pureft and holieft Man- 
 ner ; and that we muft be exact both as to our Per- 
 fons and Performances I 
 
 When you have put on your Drefs in a fuitable 
 Manner, read fome Portion of holy Scripture, both be- 
 fore and after your Ciofet Devotions, and let your 
 Reading be with due Reverence and Attention. Such 
 a good Beginning of the Day, is the moil: likely 
 Means to carry you through all the other Duties of it 
 with Serioufnfs and Alacrity in your Devotions. 
 He that is truly devout and religious in private, 
 will be free from Hypocrify and Oftentation in Pub- 
 lick. 
 
 If you are Mdfter of a Family ', they muft have a 
 mare in your dmejlic Worjhip •, not only Wife and 
 Children, but Servants too. They will never ferve 
 you faithfully on the Week Days, if you fufFer them 
 to neglect the Duties of the Lord's Day Befides, 
 how irreligious is it, to be lefs concerned for God's 
 fervice than your own ? If you will not keep a Ser- 
 vant that is unfaithful in your own Affairs, much 
 lefs mould you entertain one that is difobedient to 
 God, how fkilful foever he may be in other Matters. 
 See then that your Servants and Children mifpend 
 not the Lord's-day in Sloth or vain Recreations. Re- 
 member you are accountable to God for thofe Souls 
 he hath committed to your Charge. Take care 
 therefore, that you add not to the Number of your 
 own, by a Connivance at their Sins. Nay, that you 
 hinder not your Temporal as well as Eternal wel- 
 fare. For the Worfhip of God in a Family derives 
 a Blefling upon it ; even as God is faid to blefs the 
 Houfe of Obed-Edom for his Ark's fake, which was 
 kept there. 
 
 When you Return from Church to your Houfe, be 
 as ferious and religiouflv difpofed as at your going 
 
 H 4 out. 
 
98 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 out. Let your Difcourfe be rather of what you have 
 heard, than of News or fecular Matters. It is the 
 Practice of too many, as foon as ever they come out 
 of the Church, to fall into a Converfation which favours 
 not at all of that Place When you happen into fuch 
 Company, either give a Turn to their Difcourfe, or 
 leave them. Where God gives particular Directions 
 for the due Oblervance of his own Day, he reilrains 
 Men from fpeaking their own Words, (a) as well as 
 finding their own Pleafure, and doing their own 
 Works. Immediately after you are come home, you 
 would do well to refort to your Clofet, and there ren- 
 der Thanks to God for the Opportunity he hath af- 
 forded you of enjoying the Miniftry, and wholefome 
 Inftruclions of his blefied Word, befeeching him, 
 That it may be as Seed fown in good Ground, which 
 may bring forth Fruit unto everlafting Life. 
 
 And though you are not to turn this Day of Joy 
 and Gladnefs into a Faft, though you mould eat your 
 Bread with a chearful and thankful Heart, yet I would 
 advife you to Dine rather fparingly than plentifully, that 
 you may attend on the remaining Duties of the Day 
 without Heavinefs. And therefore if your Circum- 
 ftances will afford you a well furnifhed Table, confi- 
 der God's Mercy in feeding you, while there are fo 
 many Lazarus's that would be glad of the Crumbs 
 that fall from your Table; and chufe rather to dif- 
 penfe the Surplufage among your poor Neighbours, 
 whofe Souls will blefs you for fuch Refrefhments, than 
 to feaft thofe who have no need ; fo will you add 
 Almlgiving to your Prayers, and offer a mod accep- 
 table Sacrifice to God. 
 
 Talk of God's Word fitting down and rifing up ; 
 let your Heart be Heavenly, and your Difcourfe fa- 
 
 (a) Ifaiab lviii. 13. 
 
 voury, 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 99 
 
 voury, feafoned with Grace. Having thus refrejhed 
 your Body, return to the Food of your Soul •, read 
 the Scriptures and other good Books, and make Proof 
 of the Attention and Intellectuals of your Family, by 
 queftioning them about the Things they have heard 
 that Day. This is recommended to us by the Prac- 
 tice of our blrfled Lord himfelf, who when he had 
 fpoken many Things to the Multitude in Parables, 
 and was come into the Houfe, be J aid (a) to his Dif- 
 ciples, Have ye under flood all thefe Things? And again 
 upon the like Occafion, (b) When he was alone, he 
 expounded all Things to his Dijctpks. 
 
 When the Evening Service calls you to Church, fee 
 that your whole Family accompany you thither, and 
 attend with the fame Gravity and Devotion as before. 
 Many think they have done enough, if they have 
 fpent the former Part of the Day at Church ; but 
 this is a great Miflake. God hath referved to himfelf 
 a whole Day, not a Part of a Day. To alienate any 
 Part of it, is Robbery, and the worfl Sort of Robbe- 
 ry, Sacrilege. Unlefs therefore you and your Houfe 
 appear the fecond Time in the religious Affembly, 
 you cannot be faid duly to fanctify the Lord's-Day. 
 
 After the whole public Service of the Day is over, 
 take Care of running into that common Irregularity 
 of making impertinent and needlefs Vifits. Hereby 
 you not only neglect the Well-ordering of your own 
 Families, but interrupt the Methods of Devotion in 
 others. If the Weather invite you to a Walk, let 
 your Walk be for the fame End as Ifaac's was, to 
 meditate. Walks and Vifits are not proper Conclufi- 
 ons of this holy Day, except there be a mutual Dif- 
 pofition in the Company to converfe in a Strain of 
 Piety, and engage in fuch Conference as may lead 
 towards Heaven, and help forward in the Way thi- 
 
 (a) Matt. xiii. <;. (b) Mark iv. 34. 
 
 ther. 
 
100 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 ther. But thofe that have Families to look after, will 
 be bed employed in fpending the remaining Hours of 
 the Lord's-Day at home, in fuch a devotional Way 
 of Reading and Difcourfmg, as was before recom- 
 mended. 
 
 And forafmuch as the Sanction of this Day ex- 
 tends to the Stranger within our Gate> it behoves 
 thofe who have Guefts and Lodgers, to let none abide 
 under their Roof, who are wilful Prophaners of it ; 
 and all that keep Inns and other public Houfes, muft 
 be careful not to entertain any licentious, diforderly 
 Company. If there were not fuch Receptacles for 
 loofe Perfons, their Reformation would be much more 
 eafily effe&ed ; and therefore they will have a fad 
 Account to give of their domeftick Charge, who for 
 the fake of a little wretched Gain, fufier their Houfes 
 to be filled with fhameful Debaucheries and Blafphe- 
 mies, to the manifeft Outrage of the divine Majefty, 
 and the Hindrance of his holy Religion. 
 
 We are all forward enough to reftrain him, who 
 fhall offend againft any Law wherein our own Inte- 
 reft is concerned : Why then are we fo flack and re- 
 mifs in vindicating the Honour of Almighty God ? 
 The Reafon is plain ; We have not that Flame of 
 holy Zeal which ought to infpire every chriftian 
 Heart : We love ourfelves more than we love our 
 God, and therefore have a quicker Senfe of Offences 
 committed againft ourfelves than againft him. 
 
 Seeing God who is the Proprietor of all our Time, 
 challenges but one Day in feven to himfelf, it is great 
 Wickednefs in us to grudge him the whole, or pre- 
 fume to defraud him of any Part of it. What 
 iirange Partiality is this, to exacl the Labours of fix 
 entire Days of our Servants, and put off our Lord 
 with the Service of three or four Hours on his Day ? 
 Such a (a) falfe Balance is Abomination to the Lord : 
 
 (a) Prov. xl. i. 
 
 It 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 101 
 
 It is a contemptuous perverting of his folemn Laws, 
 which command us to {a) keep bis Sabbaths and re- 
 verence bis Sancluaries ; and inflicted Death on him, 
 who fhould break in upon this facred Time with the 
 Bufmefs of his Calling ; but how much more doth 
 he deferve it, who fquanders it away either in Idle- 
 nefs, or in doing thofe Things which are unlawful to 
 be done at any Time ? 
 
 Never account it Rudenefs to avoid trifling Com- 
 pany, or if engaged in it, to filence unprofitable Dif- 
 courfe at this Time. Every Thing we now think or 
 fpeak ihould have fome Tendency to Piety and De- 
 votion. Nor muft we barely ceafe from prohibited 
 Labours, but while our Bodies reft, our Souls muft 
 be at work, in improving our fpiritual Treafure, in- 
 creafing in the Knowledge and Love of God, and 
 finding ftill greater Pleafure in drawing near to him, 
 whofe Prefonce muft make us happy to all Eternity. 
 
 Not but that there are fome bodily Services com- 
 mendable at this Time. To vifit the Sick, to relieve 
 the Poor and Needy, to do any good Office to thofe 
 who are in preffing Want, and whofe Cafe is fuch as 
 cannot be delayed. In order to this, we are permit- 
 ted to take Journeys, and even to omit the public 
 Worfhip of God, for the immediate Performance of 
 fuch good Offices. Thofe who are otherwife perfuad- 
 ed, are not fuffkiently acquainted with the Will of 
 God, who hath declared that he prefers Mercy before 
 Sacrifice ; and our bleffed Lord, who came to do this 
 Will with the greateft Exactnefs, did not forbear fuch 
 Works on the Sabbath, notwithftanding the Offence 
 which the Scribes and Pharifees took at him for it. 
 
 In your Evening's Retirement at Home, enter into 
 your Clofet, and there lay open your Soul before GOD 
 m Prayer. Here likewife, meditate on what you have 
 
 (a) Exod. xxxi. 14. 
 
 heard, 
 
io2 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 heard, admire the Glory of God in his Works, the 
 Goodnefs of God in his Providence, and the infinite 
 Mercy of God in his Promifes ; Certainly Meditation 
 is one great Duty of the Sabbath, without which, to 
 hear the Word of God only, is but to fwallow our 
 Meat without chewing it. Thus if we endeavour to 
 fancYify the Lord's-Day, the Lord will fanctify his 
 Day and his Ordinances unto us, and by them con- 
 vey fo much Joy and Comfort unto our Souls, that 
 they fhall be a temporary Heaven unto us, and fit 
 us for that eternal Sabbath, where we fhall continu- 
 ally give Praife and Glory unto him that fitteth upon 
 the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever. 
 
 The -public Ordinances are not to be neglected upon 
 pretence of ferving God in private; as our Lord faith 
 in another Cafe, Thefe Things ought ye to have done, 
 and not to leave the other undone. You will fay, per- 
 haps, you fpend your Time as religioufly at Home, 
 as you can at Church ; that you read, pray, cate- 
 chize, and the like : But let me tell you, You do all 
 this out of Seafon ; you miftake and mifplace your 
 Duty, adhering to one Part of it in plain Contempt 
 and Neglect of the other. This is like robbing a 
 Man of a greater Sum, and paying him a lefs. You 
 difobey the Command of God in neglecting the Pub- 
 lic, and fo cannot expect his Blefling upon your pri- 
 vate Ads of Religion. 
 
 Have you conceived any Diflike of your Minifter ? 
 It may be he hath-difobliged you by doing no more 
 than what was his Duty to do. But let him be fup- 
 pofed to have real Infirmities, either in his Intellectu- 
 als or Morals ; yet the conftant Courfe of divine Ser- 
 vice is fuch, as if duly attended on, may abundantly 
 profit you from his Mouth. The Efficacy of the 
 Word and Sacraments depends not on the Parts or 
 Virtue of the Minifter, but on the Grace of God ac- 
 companying the Piety and Attention of the Hearer. 
 
 A precious 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 103 
 
 A precious Treafure may be conveyed to you in an 
 earthen, defpicable VeiTel ; and that God who fed 
 Elijah by a Raven, can with the fame Facility, con- 
 vey heavenly Manna to your Soul by the Offices of 
 an unworthy Minifter. 
 
 But the fober and intelligent Chriftian will by no 
 Means prefer the Minifter's Compofitions, which we 
 ufually ftyle Preaching, before the Heavenly and 
 more immediate At'ts of Worfhip in the public Pray- 
 ers. For Prayer is not only the Means, but the End 
 too, as being a moral Duty, a Branch of natural Re- 
 ligion, whereby the Creature acknowledged his De- 
 pendance on God, and withal confefles the Power, 
 the Wifdom, the Goodnefs, the Mercy of his great 
 Creator and Benefactor, imploring his Aid, and giv- 
 ing Thanks for his Blefiings. So that it is an Act of 
 great Humility and Gratitude, and of Love too, 
 whereby the Soul afcends to God in devout and affec- 
 tionate Breathings and Afpirations. Befides, it is alfo 
 an Act of Repentance, in confefling and begging 
 Pardon for our Sins ; fo that there is a great deal of 
 Morality in Prayer-, for which it is to be regarded 
 as a Thing intrinfically good in itfelf, as being di- 
 rectly, and as men, the Service and Worfhip of 
 God. 
 
 But now PREACHING, though it be an Or- 
 dinance of God, and a Means of Grace, yet is it no 
 more than a Means; and accordingly is no farther 
 valuable, than as it ferves in order to Prayer, and 
 other chriftian Duties, to build Men up in Faith and 
 Holinefs of Life, which is what we properly mean 
 by Edification. Hearing is not in itfeif a religious 
 Act, as Prayer is ; nor is it an. Act of Charity to our 
 Neighbour, nor is the Hearer himfelf the better for 
 it, any otherwife than as he defigns well in it, and 
 directs it to a right End, and in fome good meafure 
 attains the End of it. And therefore to place all 
 Religion in hearing of Sermons, or to reft in it as a 
 
 Completion 
 
io4 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 Completion of our Duty, is to miftake the Scaffold 
 for the Building, to confound the Means with the 
 End, and to prefer Precepts above Practice ; as they 
 do, who come to Church, and endure the Prayers 
 only for the fake of the Sermon : I fay, This is to 
 prefer the Means before the End, which is contrary 
 to all the Principles of Reafon as well as Religion : 
 And I mufl needs add, A ftrange Way of ferving 
 God, who is the God of Order, and not of Con fun- 
 on, as the Apoftle obferves in a Cafe not much un- 
 like this. But this it is to have a Zeal for Religion, 
 and not know where to place it, nor how to employ 
 it, and fo fet up our own Notions and Prejudices in 
 the Room of it. 
 
 - We mujl not think we are at the End of our Duty 
 when we have heard a Sermon, though never fo at- 
 tentively ; but we mud lay up in our Hearts thofe 
 Instructions -and -good Rules winch are then given us, 
 and apply them faithfully .to the directing of our 
 Lives. Therefore whenever you come to the Ph) fi- 
 cian of your Soul, do the fame Thing as you would 
 with the Phyfician of your Body. You do not come 
 only to hear him talk, and tell you what will cure 
 you ; but you intend to follow his Prefcriptions in 
 order to the Recovery of your Health; and if you 
 fail of Succefs by neglecting to obferve Rules, you 
 acknowledge the Blame rauft lye at your own Poor. 
 Be asjuft to your Soul as you are to your Body, and 
 conclude, That without ferious Practice, thofe Things 
 you learn will rife up in Judgment againft you, and 
 make your Condemnation fo much the heavier ; for 
 fo St James (a) allures you, That if you are Hearers 
 only, and not Doers of the Word, you deceive your own 
 Souls. 
 
 (a) James i. 23. 
 
 A CHURCH 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 105 
 
 A CHURCH is a Society of Chriftians, gathered 
 together for the public Worfhip of God, in the due 
 Adminiftration of the Sacraments, preaching of the 
 Word, Prayer, and praifing of God, in order to pro- 
 mote Sanctity of Life here, and attain everlafting 
 Happinefs hereafter, which are the great Ends for 
 which a Church was conftituted. 
 
 When you are upon your Way to Church* fay with 
 the Holy Pfalmift, (a) How amiable are thy Taberna- 
 cles, O Lord ! My Soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for 
 the Courts of the Lord : My Flefh crieth out for the 
 Living God. (b) I will go into his Tabernacle, and 
 fall low on my Knees before bis Footfiool. 
 
 When you approach the Church-door, confider you 
 are now entering the Prefence-Chamber of the great 
 King of the World, whofe Throne of Glory is in 
 Heaven above, but his Throne of Grace is in his 
 Temple here below -, lift up then your Heart, and 
 fay, Surely the Lord is in this Place ! (c) How dread- 
 ful is this Place I This is none other but the Houfe of 
 God! this is the. Gate of Heaven! (d) Eleffed are they 
 that dwell in thy Houfe ! they will be always praifing 
 thee ! When God appeared to Mofes in a Flame of 
 Fire, out of the midft of a Bum, he faid to him, (e) 
 Draw not nigh hither : Put off thy Shoes from off thy 
 Feet, for the Place whereon thoujlandejl, is holy Ground. 
 The Mahometans have fo great a Reverence for then- 
 Places of Worlhip, that in- Token of Refpect, they 
 take off their Sandals before they come into them. 
 How much more mould we reverence the Sanctuary 
 of the true God ? With what Humility mould we 
 prefent ourfelves before him ? With what Devotion 
 lhould we tread his Courts, and compafs his Holy 
 Altar ? 
 ■ 
 
 (a) PJalm lxxxiv. (b) Pfalm cxxxii. 7. (c) Gen. xxviii. 16, 
 l l- (d) PJalm cxix. 18. (e) Exod, iii. 5. 
 
 When 
 
io6 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 When you come to your Seat, at your firft kneeing 
 down, addrefs yourfelf to the Almighty foi his Grace 
 and Acceptance, in thefe or the like Ejaculations : 
 (a) Let the Words of my Mouthy and the Meditation 
 of my Heart, be now and ever acceptable in thy Sight, 
 O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer ! (b) Lord, open 
 thou mine Eyes, that I may fee the wondrous Things 
 of thy Law. Make the to under/land the Way of thy 
 Precepts. 
 
 After thefe preparatory Ads of iVdoration, do not 
 prefently relax your Thoughts, and imagine you have 
 done Homage enough to the infinite Majefty yOu 
 come to worfhip. We read, that the Elders of Ifrael 
 trembled at Samuel when he came among them ; and 
 fhall not we much more tremble at the Prefence of 
 him that is higher than the higheft ? The holy Angels 
 cover their Faces, as not able to behold the Bright- 
 nefs of the divine Glory. If fuch awful Regard be 
 paid by Angels, who are themfelves holy and ho-^ 
 nourable in a very eminent Degree, what Abafement 
 can be low enough for us, who appear with fo many 
 fmful Defilements ? If then you have any intermedi- 
 ate Space between your private Ejaculations, and the 
 Beginning of the public Service, let it not be fpent 
 in talking, or gazing about you ; but in improving 
 your Devotion by reading or meditating; that fo, 
 whenever the Minifter begins, you may be duly com-, 
 pofed to join with him, and to go through the whole 
 Office with lefs wandering or diforder of Mind. Be 
 not curious to know what pafles in the Congregation, 
 arid where are the fined Dreffes ; but govern your 
 Eyes fo, as that they may not divert your Ear from 
 the Minifter, nor your Heart from GOD, the Object 
 of your Worfhip." Remember that your Bufinefs 
 here is to converfe with him ; therefore fhut out all 
 
 (a) Pfalm xix. 14. (b) Pfalm Ixxxiv. 4. 
 
 Thoughts 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion* 107 
 
 Thoughts of the World, and let a Guard upon all 
 your Senfes, that no treacherous Thought ileal in to 
 betray you. God requires the Intention of the Heart 
 and Thoughts in his Worfhip : Without that, the 
 outward Adorations of the Body will avail nothing. 
 
 If fome People's Bodies were as much out of the: 
 Church as their Minds, I am afraid we mould have 
 but thin Congregations. Nay, they can fpeak with- 
 out thinking. They can draw near to God with their 
 Lips, when their Hearts are far from him ; running 
 after their Pleafures, or worldly Affairs. But how- 
 ever Men may be impofed upon^ God is not to be 
 mocked. They hear the Language of the Tongue, 
 but he that of the Heart. And therefore think not 
 to conceal yourfelf under the Vizard of Hypocrify ; 
 but conceive God, as he really is, always looking 
 upon you, and taking an Account, not only of the 
 Matter of the Actions you perform, but of the Man- 
 ner how you perform them. Do not think therefore 
 to pafs fome bodily Adorations upon him, inftead of 
 the fpiritual Sacrifice of the Heart : For he fearcheth 
 the Heart, and trietb the Reins, and will render to 
 every Man, not only according to his Works and 
 Words, but even according to his very Thoughts. 
 Take then fpecial Care to keep your Mind intent 
 upon every Part of the Service. Be as humble in 
 the ConfeiTion of your Sins, and as exalted in cele- 
 brating the divine Praifes, as you poflibly can. How- 
 ever, let not fpiritual Worfhip fupeifede the outward 
 Indications of it ; but be upon your Knees at your 
 Prayers, and jland up when you render Praifes to 
 God. 
 
 In the Entrance upon our Church Service, the Sen- 
 tences of Scripture, and the Exhortation, ferve excel- 
 lently to excite Men's Hearts to a devout Perfor- 
 mance of the following holy Duties. Among which, 
 the Confejfion of Sins properly comes firft, becaufe our 
 Sins have made a Breach and Diftance between God 
 
 I and 
 
io3 The Sufn of the Part IL 
 
 and our Souls ; they hinder our Prayers from attend- 
 ing to him; they reftrain his Bldfings from coming 
 down upon us. This Impediment therefore muft firft 
 be removed, before we can perform other Services 
 with good Effect. And to be upon our Knees in 
 Confefiion, is the moil natural and agreeable Pofture, 
 becaufe the Abafement of our Bodies exprefies the 
 Humility of our Minds. 
 
 Next after Confefiion, follows the ABSOLU- 
 TION, to be pronounced by none but the Minis- 
 ter : The People mould by no Means repeat it after 
 him, as fome do very injudicioufly, but only receive 
 it with Reverence. It is God's Pardon declared by a 
 proper Minifter to the People. But towards the Con- 
 clusion of it, you may fay to yourfelf : 
 
 Lord, let this Pardon pronounced by thy Priejl, be 
 Jealed to my Soul, and convey to me the Remijfion of all 
 my pajl Sins. 
 
 And now I have mentioned the People's pronounc- 
 ing the Abfolution after the Minifter, I muft farther 
 obferve, That many read the Exhortation, Lejfons, 
 and Commandments after him with a loud Voice ; 
 v/hich is not only offenfive to others, but likewife an 
 Invafion of the Prieft's Office. 
 
 The Pfalms, which are Parts of our daily Service, 
 are of all Scripture the fulleft of Devotion, and 
 abound much in Praifes and Thanklgivings ; and 
 therefore to be read ftanding, as the moft fuitable 
 Pofture for fuch Sort of religious Offices : That the 
 Erection of our Body might more fully exprefs the 
 Elevation of our Mind. 
 
 "What fincere Chriftian can be afhamed publicly, 
 and with an audible Voice, to make Confefiion of 
 the Holy Catholic Faith ; it being a Duty we owe both 
 to God and Man ; that is, an Ad of divine Worfhip, 
 and a Declaration that we hold the fame Faith with 
 all good Chriftians ? And therefore it is required of 
 us, that we not only believe with the Heart unto 
 
 Righteoufnefs, 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion, 109 
 
 Righteoufhefs, but hkewife make Confeffion with the 
 Mouth unto Salvation. 
 
 Wherever our Prayers are divided into thofe fmali 
 Portions we call Verfules* the People are to attend to 
 that Part which the Minifter utters, as well as to 
 that which they are injoined to pronounce themfelves. 
 What the Minifter prays vocally, the fame muft the 
 People pray mentally -, and fo they make the whole 
 Service one continued Act of Devotion. 
 
 But you muft not repeat thofe Prayers and Colkfls 
 with an audible Voice, which are to be faid by the 
 Minifter alone. This is contrary to the Defign and 
 Rule of the Church, which always directs People 
 when they are to fpeak out, and confequently com- 
 mands them at all other Times to be filent, and to 
 fpeak to God in their Hearts, or with fuch a Motion 
 of their Lips, as may give no Difturbance to others. 
 
 Our excellent LITURGY is fo far from favour- 
 ing of any Popifh Superftition (as fome have injuri-* 
 oufly objected againft it) that it was compofed by 
 the molt eminent Prelates and Inftruments of the Re- 
 formation, in the Reign of King Edward VI. who 
 very judicioufly and pioufly contrived the Prayers al- 
 ways to begin with fome Attribute of Almighty God, 
 and to end in the Name and Mediation of Jefus Chrift. 
 Their Style is admirably fitted both for imploring the 
 Mercies of God, and rendering him unfeigned Thanks 
 for the fame. The Words are grave, and well fuited 
 to exalt our Thoughts to. the higheft Pitch of Ado- 
 ration, Zeal, and Love ; infomuch, that (a) Men of 
 the beft Senfe and Learning have been moved to 
 Tears in the Ufe of them. And they are but few in 
 each Prayer, that when we have faid one, we may 
 proceed to the next with renewed Attention and 
 Warmth of Devotion. 
 
 (a) Dr. Hammond's Life. 
 
 I 2, Accept, 
 
no The Sum of the PartIL 
 
 Accept ', O Lord, the P) ayers and Praifes of thy 
 Servants \ and grant, that thy IVords may take deep 
 Root in our Hearts, that fo they may bring forth the 
 Fruits of good Living, to the Honour and Praife of 
 thy Name ; through Jefus Chrijl our Lord. Amen. 
 
 Befides this weekly Tribute of Time to God, 
 there are certain Annual Fejlivals to be obferved in 
 Memory of fome fpecial Mercies : Such as the Birth 
 and Refurrection of our Lord, the Defcent of the 
 Holy Ghoft, the Anniverfaries of the Evangelifts and 
 Apoflles. Thefe Days are fet apart for the iolemn 
 Worfhip of God, and a Service of Thank/giving for 
 the particular Blefling we then commemorate. To 
 doubt of the Lawfulnefs of fuch Solemnities, is very 
 unreafonable, as though it were Superflition in us 
 thus to glorify God, for making the Apoflles and firft 
 Preachers of the Gofpel, Inflruments of revealing to 
 us Chrifl Jefus and the Way to Salvation. To fay, 
 That it contradicts the Commandment, which bids, 
 us work Six Days, is as groundlefs ; for that is only 
 a Permiffion to us to work Six Days, if our Necefli- 
 ties require it : But otherwife, we may fpend as 
 much Time in the publick Worfhip of God, as our 
 Circumftances will permit. The Jews had feveral 
 Holy-Days, which were not of Divine Inflitution j 
 as that of the Feafl of the Dedication of the Tem- 
 ple -, and our Lord was pleafed to obferve them, 
 and confequently approved of them. 
 
 And as we are bound to frequent and thankful 
 Commemorations of the Divine Favours, fo muft we 
 forrretimes be as publick in our Humiliations and pe- 
 nitent Confeflions of Sins, both National and Perfon- 
 al, which provoke God to remove his Bleflings, 
 and inflict the forefl Punifhments upon us. We 
 muft be heartily forry for fuch Provications, teftify 
 our Deteftation and Abhorrence of ourfelves for 
 them, earneftly deprecate the Divine Vengeance due 
 
 to 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 1 1 1 
 
 tothm, and implore the AidsofpreventingGr.ee 
 to keep us to a ftridter Obedience, and Love of God 
 for the Time to come. And to this purpofe there 
 are certain Days of Fading and Humiliation apposed 
 by the Church. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of our Duty and Service to G O D 
 
 On the WEEK-DATS: 
 
 Or, the Daily Exercise of a Christian. 
 
 AS foon as you awake in the Morning, fix your 
 Mind on the Goodnefs of G O D ; Let the 
 Thoughts of Him and his Word enter firft into your 
 Heart, and take PoiTeffion of it before any fecular 
 Cares invade it ; fo will you find a better Difpofition 
 to Piety and Virtue all the Day following. 
 
 Confecrate the Work of every Day with the Ser- 
 vice of the fupreme King and Governor : Oner him 
 the firft-Fruits of your renewed Life, the Morning 
 Sacrifice of Praife and Adoration, breaking forth in 
 the Tranfports of the divine Pfalmift : 
 
 (a) Early in the Morning will I direel 'my Prayer to 
 thee, Lord, and will look up. (b) It is a good Thing 
 to give Thanks unto the Lord, and to fing Praifes unto 
 thy Name. thou Mojl High ! To JJjew forth thy loving 
 kindnefs in the Morning, and thy Faithfulnefs every Night. 
 (c) Praift the Lord, O my Soul ! while 1 live will I 
 
 (a)Pfalv. V (b) Pfal. xcii. I, 2- (c) Pfalm. cxivi. 
 
 I 3 prajfe 
 
112 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 praife the Lord: yea, as long as I have my Being, I will 
 Jing Praifes unto my God. (a) Every Day will I give 
 thanks unto thee, and praife thy Name for ever and 
 ever. 
 
 Thus when the Morn in Crimfon drefl. 
 Breaks through the Chambers of the Eafl y 
 My Mind in thankful Praifes jhall ar'ife, 
 Like Incenfe, or the Morning Sacrifice. 
 
 While you are putting on your Raiment, think on 
 the general Refurredtion of the lalt Day, when the 
 Corruptible Jhall put on Incorruption, and this Mortal 
 put on Immortality. Let this Meditation forward you 
 to your Players, and infpire your Heart with Reve- 
 rence and Zeal, remembring the awful Majefty you 
 are approaching, the great Infpe&or of all the World, 
 who fearcheth the Heart, and tritth the Reins ; who 
 vouchfafes you this farther Opportunity of bowing 
 your Knees to him, which you know not but that it 
 may be : and ought therefore fo ferioufly to be em- 
 ployed, as if it was really your laft. With this kind 
 of Homage muft you recognize your omnipotent So- 
 vereign. He is thy Lord God, and worjhip thou him. 
 By frequently repeating thefe devout Acknowledg- 
 ments, you will gain a quick Senfe of your Obligati- 
 ons to keep his Statutes and obferve his Laws ; you 
 will fee the Reafon and Importance of your Duties, 
 and acquire a Facility and Satisfaction in the Difcharge 
 of them. 
 
 SMe are daily contracting new Debts, which ren- 
 der us obnoxious to our Judge. Our Arrears to God 
 and our own Souls are every Day growing upon us. 
 And fiiall wo not at leail obviate the Arreft of Juftice, 
 by timely fuing out for a Pardon and Releafe } Our 
 
 (a) Pfalm. cxlv. 2. 
 
 Lives 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 1 1 3 
 
 Lives and Comforts are continually furrounded with 
 Difeafes and Deaths, whofe Arrows fly at Midnight, 
 and deftroy at Noon-day ; and fhall we not at all 
 Times, whether going our, or coming in, lying down, 
 or riling up, remember to put ourfelves under the 
 Protecti n of divine Providence ? Shall we not entreat 
 God with our whole Hearts, To lift up the Light of bis 
 Countenance upon us, to guide and direct us in all our 
 Ways that we may pleafe him, upon whofe Favour 
 our Happinefs depends ? We know that we are daily 
 dying, that Deat'i is every Moment advancing towards 
 us ; and can we of all Men imagine we (hall be ex- 
 empted from the comm >n Face ; and not rather ad- 
 drefs ourfelves to God in that excellent Prayer : Lord 
 make us to know our End ; and fo teach us to number our 
 Days, that we may apply our Hearts unto Wifdom ? And 
 as we pray unto God, fo mufl: we praife him for all 
 his Benefits ; for his Fatherly Care in giving his holy 
 Angels charge over us, and guarding about our Beds 
 while we flept, and affording us another Day for the 
 great Work of our Salvation. 
 
 If vour Time will permit, add to your Prayers, 
 the Reading fome Portion of holy Scripture, with that Re- 
 verence and Attention which the awful Prefence of 
 God, who is more efpeciaily near you at fuch Times, 
 will juftly command. By this your Faith will be 
 ftrengthened, and your Repentance improved. Be 
 fure you dont fhift off this Ad of Piety upon trivial 
 Pretences, as if you wanted Leifure, when you have 
 enough to fpare. Remember that God knows all 
 your Affairs ; and that he hath given this fhort Life 
 only to prepare you for that which is everlafting : to 
 this End all your Concerns, whether of Profit or 
 Pleafure, mufl be fubfervient. Abridge the Night - 
 then, if you cannot intrench upon the Day ; and take 
 fomething from your Sleep, to add to your Divine 
 Employment. 
 
 1 4 if 
 
1 14 The Sum of the Part II, 
 
 If poflible, frequent the publick Prayers of the 
 Church as a Angular Blefiing to the Place where they 
 are duly ufed, that your Prefence may be exemplary 
 to others, that you may bear your Teitimony to their 
 facred Worth, and fecure a lafting Blefiing to your- 
 felf thereby. 
 
 Having thus begun with God, continue in his Fear 
 all the Day long. Be ftrict in the Regulation of your 
 Thoughts, Words, and Actions. Bring the good 
 Refolutions of your Retirement, into the Practice oi 
 your active Life. Be jufl and upright in your Deal- 
 ings, diligent in your Calling, innocent in your Di- 
 verfions, charitable in your Treatment of others : In 
 all your Ways acknowledge your mod righteous Law- 
 giver, and fet him before your Eyes in every thing 
 you do. 
 
 In all your Anions confider what will be acceptable 
 to God, rather than what is for your own carnal Sa- 
 tisfaction and Advantage. Prefer that which will 
 bear the Tryal of his Judgment, before that which 
 may feem good in your own or the World's Eyes. 
 "We anfwer not the End of our Reading, Hearing 
 and Praying, unlefs they make lafting Impreffions up- 
 on us, which may abide by us in our worldly Affairs : 
 fuch as may leave no Darknefs or Gloominefs in our 
 Minds, no Bribery or Corruption in our Confcience, 
 no Obitinacy or Peevifhnefs in our Will, no Diforder 
 or Irregularity in our Affections. Above all, let thofe 
 mod important Words of our blefled Lord, be conti- 
 nually fpeaking in your Heart : (a) What jhall it profit 
 a Man, if he gain the whole World, and lofe his own 
 Soul ? or what Jhall a Man give in Exchange for his 
 Soul. 
 
 Let your Converfation be feafoned with Salt, fays the 
 fame facred Oracle ; which hath a fovereign Quality 
 
 (a) Matt. xvi. 26. 
 
 of 
 
Chap. II. Ghriftian Religion. 115 
 
 of lealoning other things to which it is applied. Let 
 us befeech God that in all our Communications with 
 others, we may be fo far from corrupting them, that 
 they may receive Profit by us, and we no Harm from 
 them ; that by an eafy, chearful, and gracious De- 
 portment, we may win others to the Love of that 
 good Spirit, which we profefs to be led by. Yet we 
 muft not cafl our Pearls before Swine, fuch profligate 
 Perfons whole foul Manners are not to be corrected 
 by any wholefome Admonitions ; but avoid them as 
 carefully as we would the mod infectious and pefti~ 
 lential Difeafe. 
 
 Venture not Abroad, till you have befought God 
 that he would be your Guide, and lead you in a fafe 
 and good Way, defending you from all Dangers 
 ghoftly and bodily. In vain do you fortify yourfelf 
 againft the innumerable Hazards of mortal Life, ex- 
 cept his fatherly Care be over you, in your going out 
 and in your coming in. He keepeth all our Bones, fo 
 that not one of them is broken. 
 
 Obferve fuch Temperance in Eating and Drinking, as 
 that you may not exceed either in the Quantity or 
 Quality of your Diet. Let your Meals be fo mode- 
 rate as may ferve their juit. Ends, to refrefh your ex- 
 haufled Spirits, and repair your Strength for the Bufi- 
 nefs and Duties of your Life. Let the Provifions of 
 your Table excite you to praife the liberal Donor of 
 all your good Things, who hath endowed Man with a 
 Dominion over the Beafts of the Field, the Fowls of 
 the Air, the Fifhes of the Sea, and every green Herb, 
 that they fhould all iupp!y him with Food and Sufte- 
 nance. Beware that you turn not this Grace into 
 Wantonnefs by feeding too plentifully, or ftudying 
 too much Delicacy in your Meats and Drinks. 
 
 In the Bujinefs of your Calling, encourage yourfelf, 
 that you are in the Way of your Duty, and depend 
 upon God who hath appointed you to this Station, 
 for his Bleffing in it. Refolve in your Mind, the ma- 
 ny 
 
1 1 6 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 ny difficult Occurrences and Perplexities through 
 which the good Hand of God hath gracioufly led you; 
 look up to him for that Difcretion, to which he doth 
 inftruct not only the Hujbandman but the Trade/man ; 
 that Prudence which direcls the Way, and which 
 is promifed to the good Man for the ordering of his 
 Affairs. 
 
 In Matters of Gain, do not ufe all the Arts which 
 Cuftom may feem to authorize. He that will always 
 walk upon the Brink, is in great Danger of falling : 
 He that will do the utmoft of what he may, will 
 fometime or other be tempted to do what he mould 
 not. Provide things honejl in the Sight of ail Men ; that 
 is, endeavour all you can to do that which is juft and 
 equitable to all, and not as the Way of the World is, 
 to contrive how to over-reach and outwit other Peo- 
 ple. It is not enough for a Ma: to be fatisfied of his 
 own Integrity, but he muft abftain from all Appear- 
 ance of Evil. He mult not only injure no Man, not 
 only do things which are barely juft, but likewife 
 things which are laudable and of good Report : Act- 
 ing up to the Rule of our Lord, who commands that 
 our {a) Light Jfjould fo Jhtne before Men, that they feeing 
 our good IVorks, may glorify our Father which is in Hea- 
 ven : Intimating, that we muft not fo much confult 
 the Advantage of our own Reputation, as the Glory 
 of God, and the Intereft of Religion in our Chriftian 
 Converfation. 
 
 In the Management of our Affairs, that which is ne- 
 ceflary to render them fuccefsful and comfortable to 
 us, is a high Regard to God's Glory, as our chief End 
 in all we do. This fanctifies our Endeavours, and 
 carries us through them with Chearfulnefs. On fuch 
 a Principle we can repofe our Minds, and expert e- 
 very Event with Courage, as being refolved that 
 
 (a) Matt. v. 1 6. 
 
 what 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 117 
 
 what pieafeth God (hall likewife pleafe 11?, By fuch a 
 Refignation and Acquiefcence in Providence we fhall 
 arm ourfelves againft the Sting of a Multitude of an- 
 xious Cares and Fears. Our Minds will be raifed 
 above the little Objects of Senfe, and no Troubles or 
 DiftrefTes mall be able to bear us from our Anchor of 
 Hope in God. Do we believe that the Love of God 
 extends itfelfto us in ail Varieties of Fortune, howe- 
 ver contrary to our prefent Dellres of Interefts ? Let 
 us then entirely commit ourfelves to him as to a moft 
 gracious Father, faying with Holy David (a) What 
 'Time I am afraid, 1 will triift in thee -, and not doubt- 
 ing but we fhall find the Truth of that Promife, ihat 
 (b) All things Jhall work together for Good to tbem that 
 love God. 
 
 Opportunities of faying and doing that which is Good, 
 can rarely be wanting to us, if we have but a ready 
 and willing Mind ; which we mud obtain of God by 
 diligent Prayer. Let us therefore be conftant and 
 earneft Petitioners, That by his holy Infpiration we may 
 think thoje things that be Good, and by his merciful Guid- 
 ance may perform the fame. 
 
 What little Reafon have we to be averfe to Retire- 
 ment, or at a Lofs how to difpofe of ourfelves, when 
 we are left alone, and have no Bufinefs upon our 
 Hands ? If we did but employ thofe vacant Minutes in 
 Searches after God, and the Society of the BlefTed 
 above, we could never be lefs alone than when reti- 
 red to divine Contemplation, ^ and converfe with hea- 
 venly Objects. Thus improving our fpiritual Ac- 
 quaintance in our Retirements from the World, 
 Solitude could never be irkfome nor Time loft to us. 
 
 We muft not limit our Devotions to the Morning 
 only, but after the Example of holy David, (c) wait 
 on God all the Day long; that is, our Defires muft be 
 
 (a) Plaf. xxxvi. 3. (b) Rom. viii. 28. (<) Pfal. xxv. 5 
 
 towards 
 
n8 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 towards him, the Mo ions of our Souls, like the Fire 
 on the Altar, muftafpire to him, we rauft maintain a 
 quick and lively Senfe of his Omniprefence, infinite 
 Juftice, and univerfal Goodnefs ; we muft obferve 
 the Conduct, of his unerring Wifdom in all the Oc- 
 currences of Life, and by fhort and frequent Ejacu- 
 lations, render him Praiie and Thanks, and beg his 
 Direction, Afliftance, and BlefTing in all our honed 
 Undertakings. This is, with the devout Pfahniji, to 
 fet God always before us, to have our Eyes ever upon 
 him i and with the Apoftle, to pray without ceafing. 
 Not; that we fhould be always in ourClofets, or on 
 our Knees ; it is not the length of our Prayers, which 
 prevails fo much with God, as the Frequency and 
 Ar.jor of them : when we exert them, as fpiritual 
 Darts, to repel the AfTaults of Satan and the wicked 
 World. We mud be habitually difpofed, always 
 ready to afcend up to Heaven in religious Thoughts ; 
 the Bufinefs of our Vocations muft not engage us fo 
 far, as to alienate our Hearts from God, and devote 
 them to the World. Man /ball not live by Bread alone, 
 but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God. 
 We then moll truly live, when our Souls can rejoice 
 in him, when we find a Delight and Pleafurein Com- 
 munion with him, and conform ourfelves to his Image 
 by continual Acts of HolineGand Goodnefs. When 
 in the Bufinefs of our Calling, the fecret workings of 
 our Hearts are Heaven-wards, and raife themfelves to 
 God in filent Breathings unheard and unobferved by 
 the World. This holy Life fpent in devout and con- 
 ftant Communion with God, is truly to live the moft 
 ple.ifant, moft .comfortable Life, mortal Man is capa- 
 ble of on this Side of Heaven. 
 
 How fadly then do thofe Men pervert the End of 
 Living, and deftroy their own Souls, who are wholly 
 fenfual in their Imaginations, and live without God 
 in the World ! And what prodigious Multitudes are 
 there, who have no Notion of that fweet Communion 
 
 with 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 119 
 
 with God we have been fpeakin 6 of! who lie down 
 and rife up, go out and come in, in the conflant Pur- 
 fuit of the Profits and Pleafures of the Body, without 
 God in all their Thoughts ! though they feed upon 
 his Bounty, and prolong their Life from Day to Day 
 by his merciful Long-fuffering, yet they feem not to 
 perceive it ; they own no Dependance on him, nor 
 appear at all follicitous to preferve themfelves in his 
 Favour. 
 
 How abfurd and wretched is their Folly, (a) -who 
 rife early, and go late to Reft, and eat the Bread of 
 Carefulnefs, denying themfelves the neceflary Refrefh- 
 ments and Comforts of Life, only that they may en- 
 creafe a ufelefs Heap of Wealth ! This is to prefer 
 the Means before the End, and to poffefs, ratner than 
 to enjoy. Others again make themfelves really mife- 
 rable, out of an imaginary Fear that they (hall 
 be fo. They anticipate thofe Wants by anxious Sol- 
 licitude, which might be prevented by a timely fup- 
 ply, could they but pra&ife that Patience and Affiance 
 in God, which our Lord recommends, when he fays, 
 (a) Take no thought what ye Jhall eat, or what ye jhall 
 drink, or •wherewithal ye Jhall be cloathed. For your 
 heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all theft 
 things •, and he on whom all living Things wait for 
 their Support, will not deny thefe needful Succours to 
 his own Children, who according to his Will, feek 
 his Kingdom and Glory in the firft Place ; who having 
 Food and Raiment, can be content therewith, not 
 coveting thofe fuperfluous Riches, which are apt to 
 lead Men into Temptation and a Snare, miniftringto 
 many extravagant Lulls, which drown Men in Perdi- 
 tion and Deftru&ion. 
 
 But that you may perfevere in the Duties of the 
 Day with better Succefs, Be mindful of thofe Things 
 
 (a) Pfal. cxxvii. 2. 
 
 which 
 
1 20 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 which were the Subjeft of your Morning Supplications. 
 You prayed for the InfpiraJonand Guidance of God's 
 holy Spirit-, keep your Mind pure, your Thoughts 
 holy, your Body chafte and temperate, that fo it may 
 be an agreeable Temple for the holy Ghoft. You 
 prayed for alTifhing Grace, to fortify you againft 
 Temptations ; do not then give way to them when 
 they offer themfelves •, much Ids let your Mind wan- 
 der and feek out the Occafions of finning. Youalked 
 for a Spirit of Refignation and Conformity to God's 
 Will ; let this Mind appear in you under every Dif- 
 penfation of his Providence. Be content to want 
 thofe outward good Things which he is pleafed to de- 
 ny you, and never ufe indirect Means tohelpyourfelf 
 in any Cafe. You prayed for thofe focial Graces which 
 refpedt. your Neighbour, that you might love him as 
 yourfelf ; be not then forward to fpeak Evil of him ; 
 nor pleafed with his ill Fame when you hear it, nor. 
 willingly give Credit to it ; but rather hope it may 
 be a Miftake, or Calumny which Time will con- 
 fute. 
 
 Did you heartily defire God to forgive your Ene- 
 mies t Do you then offer them all reafonable and fit- 
 ting Terms of Reconciliation. Remember how fhort- 
 lived a Chriftian's animofities muft be : If you will ob- 
 ferve the apoftoliek Rule, you muft not fuffer the 
 Sun to go down upon your Wrath. If your Confci- 
 ence tells you, you have wronged another, acknow- 
 ledge your Offence", Gtisfy him as well as you can for 
 any Damage he hath fuftained thereby, and affure 
 him of fair Treatment for the Time to come. If he 
 bath wronged you, and refufes, when required, to do 
 you Juftice, though there are particular Cafes where- 
 in you may (and fometimes muft) demand Reparati- 
 on at Law, yet you muft not prefume to be your own 
 Avenger • in f© doing, you would rebel againft God, 
 who hath put the Sword of Juftice into the Hand of 
 the publick Magiftrate, his own Vice-gerent. It is 
 
 your 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 1 2 r 
 
 your Part and Duty to pray to God for the Forgivenefs 
 of his OfFe ce, and the Change of his Heart to a bet- 
 ter Temper ; and when Opportunity ferves, refufe 
 not to do him any kind Office, with a chearful and 
 ready Mind. For he that doth Good to his unrelenting 
 Enemy, gives the bed Proof that God is his Father, 
 who makes his Sun to rife on the Evil as well as on the 
 Good, and j ends his Rain both on the Jufl and on the Un- 
 jufl. And as God doth not repute us wicked Men 
 for the ordinary, and fcarce avoidable Infirmities of 
 human Nature ; fo nekher mufl you prefently efteem 
 that Man your Enemy, who accidentally fays or does 
 fome harm thing ; fince you yourfelf want the For- 
 givenefs not only of God, but Man, in many Offen- 
 ces of too free and unguarded Converfation. The 
 raoft cogent Motive to mutual Forbearance in fuch 
 Cafes, is this ; That we cannot lye down at Night in 
 Aflurance of God's Favour, unlefs we are at Peace 
 with Men \ nor in Faith afk Forgivenefs of him, ex- 
 cept we forgive our Brethren their TrefpafTes. 
 
 When the Bufinefs of the Day is over, Set apart a 
 convenient Portion of Time, for your Evening Devoti- 
 ons : For which prepare yourfelf by Examination 
 and Meditation, with fome proper Part of Holy Scrip- 
 ture. In your Review of the Day paft confider, 1. 
 What Sins and Failings you have been guilty of, and 
 be humbled for them. 2. What Mercies and Blef- 
 fings demand a Sacrifice of Thankfgiving. 3. What 
 Croffes have exercifed your Patience and SubmilTion. 
 4. What Improvements you have made in Divine 
 Knowledge and virtuous Practice. If you have pro- 
 ceeded well to Day, do not lofe Ground to Morrow ; 
 but if ill, redeem the Time paft by the well fpend- 
 ing of what remains. 5. Obferve how your Devotions 
 have been performed and hence judge of the State of 
 your Soul. And for the fincere and impartial Dis- 
 charge of this Examination, let that of Solomon en- 
 courage 
 
122 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 courage you ; (a) He that cover etb his Sins, Jhall not 
 pre/per ; but whqfo confejjeth and forfaketh them, /ball 
 find Mercy. 
 
 The Example of our firji Parents is a Proof to usj 
 how prone Man is to cover his Sins ; or if detected, 
 to extenuate and leffen them, to transfer the Blame 
 from himfelf to others ; nay, fometimes to varnifh 
 Sin over with falfe Colours, and pretend it was his 
 Duty to do that which is the plain Tranfgreflion of it. 
 But in vain do we trifle with God, who fees the moil: 
 hidden Thoughts and Intentions of our Hearts, and 
 requireth Truth in the inward Parts. He expects we 
 mould impartially arraign, ourfelves for all our Sins : 
 If we refufe to do this, he will fet them all in order 
 before us, at that Day when he fhall bring every 
 idle Word and evil Thought, as well as fecret Ac- 
 tion, into Judgment. It behoves us therefore in our 
 daily Examination, diligently to recollect all our Sins> 
 to confefs every Particular, and to implore God's 
 merciful Pardon, that fo we may prevent the Uriel: 
 and terrible Account of the laft Day ; which will beft 
 be done by examining our Confciences every Night 
 concerning the Occurrences of the Day paft, to hum- 
 ble our Souls before God for what ever we find amifs, 
 and to refolve by the Afliftance of Divine Grace to 
 correct that Error for the Time to come. Thus vi- 
 gilant was (b) holy David in the courfe of his Life : 
 / called mine own Ways to remembrance, and turned my 
 Feet unto thy Tejlimonies. 1 made hafle, and prolonged 
 not the Time, to keep thy Commandments. Confider of 
 what dangerous Confequence it may prove, to omit 
 this daily Examination. If you lye down in the Guilt 
 of but one unrepented Sin, there is a Poflibility of 
 your lofing Heaven by it. For who can tell that you 
 fhall ever have an Opportunity to repent of it, or 
 
 (a) Prov. xxviii. 30. [b) Pfalm cxix. 3. 
 
 live- 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 123 
 
 live to fee the Light of another Sun ? Such frail Crea- 
 tures are we, that even the bed of our Works are 
 much debafed with Imperfections ; how careful then 
 mould we be, to condemn ourfelves for every known 
 and apparent Sin we commit ? Since, as the Apoftle 
 aiTures us, (a) If we would judge ourf elves, we Jhould 
 not be judged of the Lord. 
 
 But if neither the Examples of the beft of Men, 
 nor the Admonitions of God himfelf can penuade 
 us to fet about this fo important a Duty ; will it 
 avail any thing to urge the Practice of meer Hea- 
 thens in this Particular ? Yet I fhall juft acquaint 
 you that Seneca walked by this Rule, and Pythagoras 
 prefcribed it, as you may learn from his Golden Ver- 
 fes at the End of this Chapter. 
 
 To facilitate this Work to you, enter fometimes 
 into fuch Meditations as thefe : I have a Principle of 
 Life within me, which can never be extinguifhed. I 
 mud be eternally happy or miferable hereafter, ac- 
 cording as I behave myfelf here. After a fhort 
 Time allowed me on Earth, to prepare for another 
 World, my Soul fhall be diverted of this Body, and 
 live for fome Time in a feparate State. Afterwards, 
 my Body (hall be raifed again, and be reunited to 
 my Soul. I fhall be the fame Man for 5-ubftauce as 
 I am at prefent : I fhall be judged according to the 
 Works 1 have done in this mortal Life ; and an irre- 
 verfible Sentence fhall confign me to a State of Hap- 
 pinefs or Milery, wherein 1 fhall abide for ever, with- 
 out any farther Change or Alteration. 
 
 At this Reflection make a Stand, and look into 
 the boundlefs Ocean of ETERNITY; think 
 what amazing Charges you mult in a fhort Time 
 undergo, and how nearly it concerns you to be al- 
 ways prepared for them. Let thefe Things be en- 
 
 (a) I Cor. xi. 31. 
 
 K graven 
 
124 ^e Sum of the Part II. 
 
 graven upon your Heart, and you cannot eafily be at 
 a Lofs for ferious Meditations at any Time. 
 
 When you compofe your/elf to Rejl, recommend 
 yourfelf again to God, repofing fecurely under his 
 Protection, fnbmitting intirely to his Difpofal, and 
 trulting your Soul in his Hands, as a faithful Creator 
 and Preserver, who will caufe you to awake again, 
 either in this Life, or in that which is Everlafting, 
 
 The more Days you fpend according to this good 
 Method, the more correct will your Life be, the eafier 
 will the Duty grow, the more Pleafure you will take 
 in it ; you will not difpenfe with yourfelf for the Ob- 
 fervance of it : you will only be forry that you begun 
 to live fo no fooner. If you are not already in fome 
 fuch Courfe, lcfe no Time in bringing yourfelf to 
 it. 
 
 When we have the Teftimony of our Confcience 
 to tell us in the Words of Sr. Paul, that in Simplicity 
 and godly Sincerity, not with flejhly Wifdom, but by 
 the Grace of God, we have this Day had our Conver- 
 Jation in the IVorld ; we may then lie down in Peace 
 with God, with ourfelves, with the World ; in a fweet 
 Compofure and Calmnefs of Mind, enjoying that 
 found Confcience which is the foftefl Pillow, being a 
 continual Reft as well as Feafl. 
 
 Remember that many who go well to Bed, fhall 
 never rife again, until they are awakened with the 
 amazing Sound of the laft Trumpet. Therefore go 
 to your Bed as to your Grave, commit Soul and Bo- 
 dy to the never-ileeping Vigilance of your Almighty 
 - Guardian. Take Leave of the World and all its 
 Concerns, and refign yourfelf in the Words of the 
 Holy Pfalmift : 
 
 {a) I will both lay me down in peaa and fleep ; for, 
 thou, Lord, only makeji me dwell in Safety. Return 
 
 (a) Pfalm iv. 8. 
 
 t9 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 125 
 
 to God as thy Rejl, O my Soul ; for he hath dealt bounti- 
 fidly with thee. 
 
 Thus religioufly fhould you open every Day, and 
 clofe it again with the Word of God and Prayer. 
 
 As we put off" our Cloaths when we go to Bed, (b 
 muft we put off our Bodies when we come lo die. 
 Death (trips us, and fends us naked out of the World 
 as we came into it. It diflblves the Union between 
 Soul and Body ; leaving the one among Earth and 
 Worms, and fending the other to the Father of Spi- 
 rits, from whom it was derived. Our Grave-Cloaths 
 are but a kind of Night -Drefs ; O that we could 
 think of putting on the one with as much EaTe as we 
 do the other ! In this Bed we reft for fome few Hours ; 
 but when our Bodies come to be lodged in the Grave, 
 they fhall reft till the joyful Morning of the Refurrcc- 
 tion dawns in upon them. Thus may -our bed put 
 you in mind of the Grave, your Sleep of Death, your 
 Waking of the Refurredtion. 
 
 When you awake in the Night, and Sleep departs 
 from your Eyes, keep out evil Thoughts, which will 
 then bufily haunt you, by fixing your Meditations on 
 God and heavenly Things, and fweetly meditate on 
 Him in the Night Watches. Remember that the 
 (a) Keeper of I/rael never jlumbereih nor fleepetb ; and 
 that h) the Darknefs is no Darknef with him, but the 
 Night is as clear as the Day. The Dai knefs and Li^ht 
 to him are both alike. Thus David's Lyes prevented 
 the Night-watches, that might be occupied in God's Wo: d. 
 He called to remembrance bis . Song, and in the Ni^ht he 
 communed with his own Heart, and fearched out his Spi- 
 rits. And his Character of a Blelfed Man is, That he 
 meditates in the Law of God both Day and Night. 
 
 (a) Pfahn exxi. 4. (I) Pfalm exxxix. 12. 
 
 K 2 MOTIVES 
 
1 26 TJje Sum of the Part IL 
 
 MOTIVES taken from the Confideration of 
 Death, to excite us to a Chriftian Converfation. 
 
 Confider every Day as not knowing but that it may 
 be your laft, That when your laft fhall come indeed, 
 you may not be found unprepared. Your Life is in 
 continual Sufpenfe and Uncertainty ; it hangs by a 
 fiender Thread which is eafily cut : What manner of 
 Perfon then ought you to be in all Holy Converfation 
 and Godlinefs ? You (a) know not in what Hour your 
 Lord cometh, and therefore you ought to look for him 
 every Hour. Imagine that you fee his Harbinger 
 Death running before him, which is the fureft way to 
 keep you in a due Expectation of him. In the Morn- 
 ing when you rife, think he may fummon you before 
 Night : In the Evening when you lye down, conceive 
 him calling upon you as he doth in the Gofpel, to 
 have your Loins girt, and be ready, even at Mid- 
 night or at Cock-crowing, to meet your Lord. 
 
 But alas ! inftead of reckoning every Hour our laft, 
 we vainly promife ourfelves many Years of Life and 
 Health ftill to come, and value ourfelves, with the 
 Rich Man in the Gofpel, upon our great Eftates and 
 Provifions. But how eafily would our high Looks and 
 proud Hearts be humbled, if we had but an habitual 
 Faith, that Dujl we are, and unto Duji we muft return ? 
 11 Nothing ^o effectual .'.'faith St. Bernard) to make a 
 '* Man have a low Opinion of himfelf, and all Things 
 " about him, as a fettled Perfuafion that he is Dying 
 11 daily." Nothing fo great a Spur to the Difpatch of 
 neceflfary Bufinefs, as a due Eftimate of the Short- 
 nefs and Uncertainty of Life. Whatsoever thine Hand 
 findeth thee to do, faith Solomon (b), do it with all thy 
 
 (a) Luke xii. 36. (b) Eccl- ix. io, 
 
 might ■ 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 127 
 
 might : for there is no Work nor Counfel in the Grave whi- 
 ther thou art going, (a) J mufl work the Works of Him 
 that fent me, faith Chrift, while it is Day : the Night 
 comet h, when no Man can work. 
 
 Be mindful of Things pad, careful of Things pre- 
 fent, and provident of Things to come. Whether 
 we are abroad or at home, ileeping or waking, the 
 Grave is always ready for us ; it is daily fwallowing 
 up our deareft Friends and Acquaintance; yet we at- 
 tend their Funerals without taking warning by their 
 Death, to put us in mind, that we mufl go to them, 
 but they not return to us. 
 
 We love to put the Thoughts of our latter End far 
 from us. When we are in a firm State of Health, we 
 have no Notion of what it is to be fick ; we little 
 confider how fuddenly a fatal Difeafemay furprizeus, 
 taint our Blood, corrupt our Vitals, and put a Period 
 to our Lives. 'Tis no Security to us, that we are 
 Young and Vigorous, fince Multitudes are daily 
 matched away in the Strength and Flower of their 
 Age : Whence St. James gives this (harp Reproof to 
 the Atheiftical Confidence of worldly Men in his 
 Time : (b) Go to now, ye that fay, To-day or To-mor- 
 row we will go intofuch a City, and continue there a Tear 7 
 and buy and fell, and get Gain : whereas ye know not 
 what fball be on the Morrow. 
 
 It fhould be a farther Incitement to us, to be very 
 ftricl: and fincere in every Duty, (c) In that we are al- 
 ways in his Sight, to whofe Eyes all things are naked ar.d 
 open : (d) who looks down from Heaven upon all the Sons 
 of Men, and confidereth all their Works : nay, their 
 very Words and Thoughts, as David's Confeflion 
 declares : (e) There is not a Word in my Tongue, but 
 thou, Lord, kn r wefl it altogether. Thou under fa ndefl my 
 Thoughts afar off. In fhort, nothing whether near or 
 
 (a) 'John ix. 4. (b) James iv. 13, 14. ( c ) Heb. iv. 13. 
 (d) PJalm xxxiii. 13, 15. (e) Pfalm exxxix, 
 
 K 3 far 
 
128 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 far off, part, prefent, or to come, neceflary or con- 
 tingent, great or (mall, bur it lies fully open to 
 one fingle View of the Divine Omnifcience. God 
 is always prefent with us, and his Eye is upon us, 
 where-ever we are, or whatever we are doing. O that 
 we were fo happy, as with holy David, to fet the 
 Lor d always before us. What Tempration of Pleafure 
 or Advantage could prevail with that Man to com- 
 mit a Trefpjiis, who knows that he cannot do it, but 
 in the Pretence and Sight of his Judge, who hath 
 ftnctly forbidden it, and will eternally damn him for 
 it ? On the other Hand, What Difficulties or Dangers 
 ci deter a Man from his Duty, who lives under the 
 Itifluefibe of this Faith ? For what can more animate a 
 brave Soldier, than to fight in the Sight of his P;ince 
 or General, who will be fure to take Notice of thofe 
 that diftinguifh themfelves, and reward them with par- 
 ticular Marks of his Favour ? How then mud the Sol- 
 dier of Chrift acquit himlelf in his Combats with the 
 Corruptions of his Hefh, and the Malice of wicked 
 Men and Devils ! How will he be excited to fight the 
 good Fight of Faith by this Confideration, That the 
 Captain of his Salvation ftands by him, not only to fee 
 how he behaves himfelf, but to Itrengthen and fup- 
 port him with Power to overcome, and then to crown 
 him with eternal Life ! 
 
 Confide r moreover, the great Eafe and Peace 
 which will redound "to us, from a fmcere and tho- 
 rough Compliance with the Laws of our Religion. 
 That which of all Things, next to the Guilt of Sin, 
 mtikes Mens Lives uneafy and troubleibme, is their 
 too eager Concern and Soliicitude for the obtaining 
 or fecuring the Things of this World. But finely 
 oui Reliance on God, if any Thing, would cure this 
 reftleis Soliicitude, and make us, as the Apoftle ad- 
 vifes, to live without Carefulnefs. By which I do 
 not mean, that it would or mould make a Man ne- 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 1 29 
 
 gleet the Duties of his particular Calling, or thofe 
 honeft Methods which God allows him to ufe for the 
 obtaining, not only the Neceflaries, but Convenien- 
 cies and Comforts of Life : But his Faith will teach 
 him, after having ufed his own hearty Endeavours 
 for thofe Purpofes, not to difquiet himfelf about the 
 Succeis of them, but to refer the Iflue intirely to 
 God, and acquiefce in it, as knowing that he per- 
 fectly underftands his Circumftances, and is better 
 able to chufe for him, than he is for himfelf. 
 
 What abundance of Fears and Anxieties doth be dif- 
 charge himfelf of, that can caft himfelf and all his 
 Cares upon the Almighty, who he knows is always 
 with him, and cares for him ? He is not difcompofed 
 with melancholy Thoughts and uneafy Apprehenfi- 
 ons. He walks before God in great Security all Day, 
 and refts under the Shadow of his Wings at Night, 
 being allured that God who is about his Bed, makes 
 him dwell in Safety. In Time of Adverlity, how 
 comfortably may a Man reflect, That all his Wants 
 and Troubles are feen and known of him, who is 
 able to fupply them, and willing too, if he fees it 
 bed for him ? That how bitter foever his Cup may 
 be, it is of his heavenly Father's mixing, who never 
 afflicts his Children willingly, but always for their 
 Good : Who perfectly understands their Weaknefs, 
 and the Strength of the Potion ; and will either fo 
 abate this, or fupply the other by the Power of his 
 Grace, that it mail work for their Good ; the Afflic- 
 tion, though for the prefent it may not feem joyous, 
 but grievous, fhall afterward yield the peaceable 
 Fruit of Righteoufnefs. 
 
 At all Times, in all Places, upon all Occafions, he 
 hath free Accefs to God, repiefents his Infirmities, his 
 Wants, his Preflures to him ; and by a faithful Ap- 
 plication of the divine Promifes to himfelf (in which 
 he doth as affuredly believe God fpeaks to him, as 
 if an Angel from Heaven brought him the Meflage) 
 
 K 4 he 
 
130 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 he comforts and fupports himfelf under, or rather 
 exults aiid triumphs over them. Is he perplexed with 
 Difficulties, out of which he knows not how to ex- 
 tricate himfelf; at a Lofs which way to turn, or 
 what to do ? He applies to himfelf that encouraging 
 Word of the Pfalmiji, (a) Commit thy Way to the 
 Lord, and be /ball bring it to pafs. Is he u der a 
 Temptati' n that feems too powerful for him ? He 
 lays hold of God's favourable Declaration to St. Paul, 
 in a like Extremity ; (b) My Grace is fuffcient for 
 thee ; for my Strength is made per feci in Weaknefs. 
 Is he (unrounded with Dangers which threaten every 
 Thing that he values and loves, even Life itfelf ? He 
 confirms himfelf with that Promife which God made 
 to his Church of old, by the Prophet Ifaiah, (c) 
 Fear not, thou Worm Jacob, for I am with thee : be 
 not difmayed, J willjtrengthen thee •, / will help thee, 
 yea, I wdl uphold thee with the right Hand of my 
 Righteoufnefs. (d) When thou pafjejl through the Wa- 
 ters, I will be with thee, and through the Rivers, they 
 ftf&ll not overflow thee : When thou walkefl through 
 the Fire, thou Jh alt not be burnt, neither fh all the Flame 
 kindle upon thee. 
 
 The frightful Suggeftions of Satan may poffibly 
 difturb, and the Miflakes of a timorous Mind, 
 wrought up by an unhappy Complexion, may fome- 
 times d.j -ft even a very good Man. But fo long 
 as he confeientioufly avoids all prefumptuous Sin's, 
 and penitently bewails all his Infirmities, he may 
 juftly expoftulate with his tumultuous Thoughts in 
 the Language of holy David: (-e) Why art thou- 
 caft down, O my Soul, and why art thou Jo dif- 
 quiete'd within me ?■ Still put thy Trufl in God-, 
 for I will yet praife him, who is the Health of my 
 Countenance, and my God. In God's Word will I re- 
 fa J Pfn'.m xxxvfi. £ (b) 2 Cor. xii. 9. (c) Jfa'mh xli. 
 (J) IJaiah xliii. (tej Pjal. xliii. 5. 
 
 joice 5 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 1 3 1 
 
 joke ; in the Lords IVo; d will I comfort me ; yea. in 
 God have 1 put my Trufl, I will not be afraid what 
 Man can do unto me (<i) I will fmg of thy Power , 
 O Lord, and praife thy Mercy betimes in the Morning-, 
 for thou haft been my Defence and Refuge in the 
 Day of my trouble. He will with infinite Satisfaction 
 hear St. Paul make a general Challenge to all the 
 Powers on this Side Heaven, to hurt the fincere 
 Chriftian : (b) JVho fhall lay any Thing to the Charge 
 of God's Ele£l? It is God that juftifieth, who is he that 
 condemneih ? It is Chrijl that died, yea rather that is 
 rifen again, who even at the right Hand of God y 
 who alfo maketh Inter cejjion for us. 
 
 May he grant us all the Grace, timely to confi- 
 der the great Importance of Serving him a few 
 Days, in the Practice of thofe Duties to God, our 
 Neighbour and ourfelves, which are here faithfully, 
 though concifely reprefented, that fo we may attain 
 thole everlafting Crowns of Glory, which he hath 
 purchafed for us ! The amiable Qualifications of 
 which important Duties are : An Integrity that can- 
 not be corrupted : A Refolution in Goodnefs that 
 cannot be baffled by Temptations : A Superiority 
 of Soul, that is above the Allurements of the World : 
 An Evennefs of Temper, which Injuries cannot ea- 
 lily dilcompofe : A Principle and Habit of doing 
 Good, which no Ingratitude or Unworthinefs of the 
 Object can weaken : A Converfation with God and 
 heavenly Things, which makes the Soul both great 
 and humble ; which extinguifhes in it all Envy at 
 the Profperity of others) but enlarges its Tender- 
 nefs and Companion for the Miferable : A mild 
 Generofity of Temper ever ready to do Good, 
 but with Prudence and Difcretion, and in the fweet- 
 eft and moil: obliging Manner. Thefe are fuch 
 
 (a) Pfal. lix. 16. (h) Rom. viii. 33, 34. 
 
 Embellifh- 
 
132 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 Embellifhments and Ornaments as will not fail to 
 win the Admiration, Love and Praife of all the 
 fenfible and obferving part of Mankind. 
 
 To perfuade ourfelves that we are grown to a 
 Maturity and perfect Stature in Chrift, when we 
 have had but fome few tranfient Thoughts about 
 Religion, which have never funk deep in our Hearts ; 
 to efteem our Righteoufnefs a juft Qualification 
 for the Kingdom of Heaven, when it is not only in- 
 ferior to that of the Scribes and Pharifees, but far 
 fhort of the very Pagans ; this hath no Foundation 
 in Scripture, and is intirely a new Gofpel. No ; 
 every Chriflian rauft be filled with the Holy Ghoft, 
 that is, with his Heavenly Infpiration, influencing and 
 cherilhing pure Defires, like the hallowed Fire of the 
 Alter, which though buried fometimes in Afhes, 
 yet upon a litle during, glows and fparkles again. 
 No body fuppofes that Heaven mould always ac- 
 tually fill our Minds ; It muff, in fome Meafure 
 give Way to the World, in admitting thofe necef- 
 fary Refrefhments which craving Nature exacts of us ; 
 and without which it cannot iong fubfift. 
 
 If our Minds be much affected with the Contem- 
 plation of heavenly Things ; if we are earned to 
 know what we fhall do to be faved ; if we love to 
 employ our Time and Pains in Religious Duties, 
 and feel a divine Warmth in our Souls when we 
 are at our Devotions, and enjoy ourfelves mod when 
 we approach God in his Ordinances ; then have we 
 comfortable Affurance, that the fpiritual and eternal 
 Life is actually begun in us. 
 
 Let not th* infidious God of Sleep far prize. 
 Nor Jleal in Slumbers on thy weary Eyes, 
 Till every Anion of the former Day, 
 Striftly tbou doft, and rigor oufly furvey. 
 With RevWence at thy own Tribunal ft and, 
 And anfwer truly to thy own Demand : 
 
 Where 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 133 
 
 TVbere have I been ? In what have I tranfgrefs d P 
 What Good or III hath this Day's Life expiefsd? 
 Habere have I faiVd in what I ought to do P 
 To God, to Man, or to my/elf what's due ? 
 Nicely enquire what th'tigs from firft to laji, 
 From Morning- Light to Evening-Stars have paji. 
 If evil were thy Deeds, repenting mourn, 
 And let thy Soul with flrong Remorfe be torn. 
 If %ood, the Good with Peace of Mind repay, -» 
 And to thyfelf retb V, with Pleafure Jay ; C 
 Rejoice, my Soul! thou baji well /pent this Day.} 
 
 [move, 
 Thefe Thoughts, and chiefly thefe, thy Mind Jbould 
 Employ thy Study, and engage thy Love. 
 Thefe are the Rules which will to Virtue lead, 
 And teach thy Feet the heavenly Paths to tread. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the Love of GO D. 
 
 TH E Love of G O D is the fundamental Prin- 
 ciple and Source of all RELIGION; it 
 branches out into all the Duties which we owe to our 
 Relations and all the World. Nay, we cannot Love 
 ourfelves, fo as to puriue our own real Benefit and 
 Advantage, except we firft Love GOD. This Love 
 therefore is in the firft Gofpel moft juftly ftyled the 
 Great Commandment. It is the Seed of all thofe good 
 Fruits, which the holy Spirit produceth in us. The 
 Efficacy and Influence of it is moft univerfal ; the 
 Circuit or it moft comprehenfive, virtually contain- 
 ing irj it all other Laws and Duties of Piety. St. 
 Paul affirms of a lower Degree of Love, that of our 
 
 Neighbours 
 
1 34 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 Neighbour, that it is the fulfilling of the whole fe- 
 cond Table -, whatever human Duty there is, it is 
 briefly fummed up i- this, Thou Jh alt love thy Neigh- 
 bour as thyfelf. With ftrongcr Reafon yet muft we 
 corc'ude ail the Duties of Pirty to be comprifed in 
 the Love of G Z), this being the firft and greateft 
 of thofe two Hinges upon which (as our Lord ex- 
 prefles it) bang all the Law and the Prophets. 
 
 As this Love is moft capacious in its Extent, fo 
 is it moft high and noble for the Dignity of its Ob- 
 ject. It terminates in the moft excellent of all Be- 
 ings ; it is exercifed in the moft pure and heavenly 
 Acts ; its Seat is the moft refined Part of the ratio- 
 nal Soul •, and it imparts Virtue and Worth to all 
 other Ads of Duty. For no Sacrifice is acceptable 
 to God, which is not kindled by this celeftial Fire; 
 no Offering fweet and pure, which is not feafoned 
 with this Holy Salt. Nothing we do, is truly religi- 
 ous or virtuous, which proceeds not from a Defign, 
 or at leaft from an habitual Defire and Aim to pleafe 
 God. 
 
 He who hath commanded us to Love him with all 
 our Heart, and Soul, and Strength, and Mind, can- 
 not be pleafed with us, when we act upon a different 
 Principle, either as Mcn-Pleafers, or chiefly regarding 
 our own carnal Advantages and Satisfactions. How 
 can we be the Servants of God, when we do our 
 own Will, and difpofe of ourfelves as we fee fit, 
 without Refpect to his "Glory ? Love is fo powerful 
 an Attractive, that wherever it is real, it prevails 
 againil all other Motives of Hope or Fear, Honour 
 or Drfhonour," in Favour of the Perfon or Thing 
 which commands it. One needs not any Force or 
 violent Means to conftrain him to do that which he 
 loves ; but whatever Hardfhips or Dangers are in the 
 Way, he willingly encounters them, and chearfully 
 endures them for the Sake of the beloved Object ; 
 the Excellency of which is imprinted upon his Soul 
 
 in 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 135 
 
 in fuch lively Characters, that his Thoughts are con- 
 tinually turned upon it, the whole Stream of his Af- 
 fection runs towards it, and bears down all Oppofi- 
 tion to arrive at it. 
 
 To the End then that our Souls may be filled with 
 a due Meafure of Divine Love, we muft ftudy to 
 inform our Underftandings with juft and worthy No- 
 tions of God •, always having a reverential Awe and 
 Efteem of him, apprehending him efpecially as our 
 infinitely merciful Father, in whom we live and 
 move and have our Being ; the fole Author and 
 Fountain of all the Bleflings we either have at pre- 
 fer] t, or can ever hope to enjoy ; in whofe Favour we 
 can want no Manner of Thing that is good ; but 
 without whom our Portion is nothing but extream 
 Woe and Mifery. It is he who with unwearied Vi- 
 gilance protects us from ghoftly and bodily Evils, 
 and with an inexhauftible Stock, fupplies all our 
 Wants, mercifully fupporting us with the Comforts 
 of this Life, but much more gracioufly conducting 
 us to the everlafting Joys of his heavenly Kingdom, 
 where we fhall be made unfpeakably happy by his 
 glorious Prefence, and the Pleafures and Bleffmgs of 
 his right Hand ; where there is no Shadow of Death, 
 or Senfe of Pain, or any Thing that can create the 
 lead Affliction either to Body or Mind. 
 
 Such Views of the divine Goodnefs, frequently re- 
 newed and attended with a lively Faith, muft gra- 
 dually warm our Hearts, until we become inflamed 
 with the Love of the Almighty Author of all Good. 
 We cannot thus acquaint ourfelves with God, but we 
 muft necefTarily love him with that intire and ardent 
 Affection which he exacts of us. For fhall thefe faint 
 Refemblances of Good, thefe Glimmerings of Light 
 and Happinefs here below, fo powerfully attract our 
 Eyes, and raife our Admiration ; and mall not that 
 boundlefs Ocean, of which thefe are but fmall Ema- 
 nations, overwhelm us with Wonder, and excite in 
 
 us 
 
136 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 us a Longing and Third to approach him ? Let us 
 but meditate on God, until we are heartily perfuad- 
 ed with the Pfalmift, That there is none comparable to 
 bim, in Heaven or in Earth, and then we mail think 
 it no Extravagance to break out in the fame Rap- 
 ture : (a) Whom have I in Heaven but thee ? and there 
 is none upon Earth that 1 defire bejides thee. 
 
 Thefe ferious Regards are the Foundation upon 
 which the Love of God is built, the Beginning of 
 that true Wifdom, which takes off the Heart of 
 Man from the World, and unites it to its proper and 
 only fuffkient Object. Hence we may obferve, that 
 thofe devout Perfons have moft eminently excelled in 
 the Love of God, whofe Minds have been moft ac- 
 cuftomed to meditate on the divine Excellencies, and 
 the gracious Difpenfations of Providence ; their thank- 
 ful Hearts have fupplied their Tongues with conti- 
 nual Praifes and Adorations of him who dwelleth on 
 High, and yet bumble th him/elf to behold the Things 
 that are in Heaven and Earth. They have given 
 the World a true Image and Character of the divine 
 Majefly ; fo infinite in Wifdom, fo all-fufficient in 
 Power, fo perfectly juft and holy ; but above all, fo 
 abounding in Mercies and loving Kindnefs, that if all 
 the wifeft Men upon Earth mould meet together, 
 and confider what fupreme Lord they would chufe, 
 who mould be moft beneficial to them ; they could 
 not wifh or invent any Thing more for the Welfare 
 and Comfort of Mankind, than what is to be found 
 in the moft perfect Nature of GOD. 
 
 What State and Diftance do earthly Sovereigns for 
 the moft Part keep ? How hard is it for the lower 
 Rank of their Subjects to be admitted into their Pre- 
 fence, and lay any Petition before them ? But the 
 Great King of all the Earth, allows the meaneft Man 
 
 (a) Pfalm lxxiii. 25. 
 
 free 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 137 
 
 free Accefs to him at all times ; nay, a kind of inti- 
 mate Converfe and familiar Communion ; being no 
 Refpecter of Perfons for their outward Condition ; he 
 is equally regardful of all that call upon him ; or if 
 he hath a more fpecial Favour to any, it is to thofe 
 who are in the moll afflicted and abject State, moft 
 deflitute of Worldly Friends and Comforts : To thefe 
 he hath given very particular Affurances of Relief in 
 their Diftrefs, Protection in Danger, and a Recom- 
 pence for all their LoiTes and Sufferings. He recom- 
 mends them to the Rich and Powerful Men of the 
 World. He makes their Cafe his own, and reckons 
 the Aids adminiftered to them, as given to himfelf. 
 How infinitely more gracious is this Condefcenfion, 
 than what is generally feen among Men ! 
 
 Farther ; Our Earthly Patrons and Benefactors 
 are limited in their Power and Abilities to do us 
 good. They may be tired with our frequent Appli- 
 cations, and difobliged by reftlefs Importunities ; fo 
 that we mult ufe their Benevolence cautioufly, and 
 their Favour fparingly, for fear of quite lofing it. 
 But the great Preferver of Men fainteth not, nor is 
 ever weary of doing good. He invites us to make 
 all our Requefts to him ; to call all our Cares upon 
 him -, and is then moll pleafed with us, when we 
 are molt afliduous and importunate in our Addrefles ; 
 when, like Jacob, we wrellle with him, and will 
 not let him go, until he hath given us a BleJJing ; 
 or like the Syropbenecian Woman in the Gofpel, who 
 follicited our Lord for the Cure of her Daughter, 
 and would not be repulfed by any Delay or harfh 
 Anfwer, until Chrifl difmiffed her with this Ap- 
 plaufe : O Woman, great is thy Faith ! Be it unto 
 thee even as thou wilt. 
 
 How far then fhould it be from a cold In- 
 differency, and idle, wandering 7'houghts, in our 
 Communion with God ? as if it were a Talk and a 
 Drudgery to us to ferve him. Which Difpofition is 
 
 a fure 
 
 
138 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 a fure Demonftration to us, that we do not iove 
 him as we ought. For where true Love is, nothing 
 feems painful and grievous. Like Fire (to which it 
 is commonly refembled) it warms the Breaft, agitates 
 the Spirits, quickens all the Powers of the Soul, and 
 vigoroufly moves them towards the beloved Object. 
 And we may as well imagine that Fire will not take 
 hold on combuftible Matter, as thac Love will not 
 actuate the Faculties of the Soul and Body, in order 
 to fulfil its Defires. The Holy Pfalmift, who had 
 mod exalted Notions of the Divine Goodnefs, ex- 
 preffes the Efficacy of this Love, by fuch Defires as 
 cannot be concealed : (a) As the Hart panteth ofter 
 the Water-brooks, Jo panteth' my Soul after thee, O God ! 
 My Soul thirjleth for God, for the living God : When 
 fhall 1 come and appear before God f When he was for- 
 ced to abfeond in the Wiidernefs of jfudab, for fear 
 of Saul, he reprefents it as his greaieft Affli&ion, 
 that he could not appear in the Church, and publick 
 Worfhip of God. \b) O God, thou ait my God! 
 early will 1 feek thee : My Soul thirfeth for thee, ?ny 
 Flejb longetb for thee, in a dry and thirfty Land, where 
 no Water is : to fee thy Power and thy Glory, Jo as I 
 have feen thee in the Sancluary. Becaufe thy Loving 
 kindnefs is better than Life, my Lips fall praife thee. 
 Thus will I blefs thee while I live : I will lift up my 
 Hands in thy Name. My Soul Jh all b? fatisfed as 
 with Marrow and Fatnefs ; and my Mouth fhall praife 
 thee with joyful Lips, when 1 remember thee upon my Bed, 
 and meditate on thee in the Night-watches. 
 
 Befides this inward Warmth of Affection, it is an 
 allowed Proof of our Love of God, if we keep his 
 Commandments, (c) He that hath my Commandments, 
 and keepeth them, faith Chritl:, he it is that loveth me. 
 So that if we are confcious to ourfelves that we wil- 
 
 (a) Pfalm xlii. (b) Pfalm lxiii. (c) J«hn xiv. 21. 
 
 fully 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 1 39 
 
 fully offend in any Particular, or negled any Branch 
 of our known Duty, or do but fuperficially and care- 
 lefly perform it, the Love of God is fo far from being 
 perfected in us, that we have not the lead true De- 
 gree of it. And therefore we rnuft earneftly befcech 
 Almighty God, fo to infpire our Hearts with his 
 Graced that we may have an equal Refpedt to all his 
 Commandments, and not only do thofe Things which 
 he requires, with the Faculties of our Eodies, but 
 likewife with the Defires of our Souis; and find 
 Pleafure in the doing of them. 
 
 The Motives which" are proper to excite this Love, 
 and kindle this Flame in our Hearts, are innumera- 
 ble : and though intimated in fome meafure already, 
 yet well deferve to be fummed up together, and fet 
 in one View. 
 
 Let us be continually pofleiTed with Thoughts of 
 our intire Dependance on God : That he is the Author 
 and Difpenfer of all our good Things : His Air we 
 breathe* his Ground we tread on, his Food fuftains 
 us. The Bodies we carry about us are the Work of 
 his Hands, the Soul and Spirit which informs them, 
 is the Breath of his Mouth. He hath created great 
 Variety of Things for our Ufe and Pleafure •, a fpa- 
 cious, beautiful and (lately Heaven to fhine upon us 
 with its bright Luminaries ; he hath filled the Earth, 
 Air, and Waters with fuch Creatures as fupply all 
 our'Bodily Wants and NeceiTities. Holy David is 
 often in Raptures at the Contemplation of this rich 
 Furniture and curious Fabrick of the Almighty Archi- 
 tect, (a) How manifold are thy Works, O Lord f in 
 Wifdom bafi thou made them all ! The Earth is full of 
 thy Riches : fo is the wide Sea alfo> wherein Things creep* 
 
 (a) Pfalm civ. 
 
 L ing 
 
140 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 ing are innumerable, both fmall and great, (a) When I 
 conjider the Heavens, the JVork of thy Fingers, the Moon 
 and the Stars which thou hajl ordained ; what is Man, 
 that thou art mindful of him ! and the Son of Man, that 
 thou vifitejl him ! Thou madefl him to have Dominion 
 over the fVorks of thy Hands \ thou haft put all Things 
 under his Feet. All Sheep and Oxen, yea, and Beafts of 
 the Field: the Fowl of the Air, and Fijh of the Sea, and 
 whatfoever pajfeth through the Paths of the Sea. 
 
 But befides this Dominion which God has given 
 to Man over all earthly Creatures, he hath made 
 him peculiarly to excell in the Dignity of his Mind, 
 having in this refpect more efpeciaily created him in 
 his own Image, adorned his Soul with many Divine 
 Graces, and put him in a Capacity of rifing above 
 this earthly Habitation, to a glorious Inheritance in 
 the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 To this End, he hath revealed to us thofe Means 
 of Salvation, which we could never have difcovered 
 by the Light of our natural Reafon or Underftand- 
 ing ; and for our Guides to this Happinefs, he hath 
 not only enlightened his Church with the Doctrine of 
 many infpired Prophets and Teachers, but hath 
 vouchfafed to fend us his own Son, made like unto 
 us, that in our own Nature the Fulnefs of the God- 
 head might dwell Bodily; that through him we might 
 receive the Adoption of Sons, and be fitted for the 
 Society of Heaven, by the Exercife of his Holy Re- 
 ligion here on Earth. 
 
 And whereas through the Perverfenefs of our own 
 Wills, and the Power of Temptations which furround 
 us, we are prone to offend our Heavenly Father, and 
 forfeit that Happinefs, which on the Condition of 
 our Obedience, he hath fully infured to us ; the fame 
 Son of God, who by fulfilling the Divine Law, and 
 
 (a) Pfalm. viii. 
 
 fuffering 
 
Chap. III. 6hriftian Religion. 141 
 
 differing in our dead, hath purchaftd this Happinefs 
 for us, appears now in Heaven our Mediator and 
 Advocate, in a Body like unto us, making continual 
 Intercellion for us. Whereupon our Heavenly Fa- 
 ther is pleafcd not to take the Forfeitures we make, 
 but to accept of our Repentance, to pardon our Of- 
 fences, and receive us again to his Favour, and the 
 Privileges of his Children, in as ample manner, as if 
 we had always been dutiful and obedient to him. 
 This is a Mercy which well deferves our mod fixed 
 Regard and Admiration. (a) Behold what manner of 
 Love the Father hath beftowed upon us, that wejhould he 
 called 1 he Sons of God! and if Sons, then Heirs ; Heirs 
 of Gody and Joint-Heirs with Cbrifl. {b) And if 
 we firty we have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus 
 Chnjl the Righteous ; and he is the Propitiation for our 
 Sins. 
 
 Being in this Condition of Sons, we are not treat- 
 ed with Severity and Rigour. Our God impoft-th on 
 us no difficult or burthenfome Talk ; he exacts no 
 coftly Sacrifices or tedious Observances ; but is fatis- 
 fied with our pious and chearful Acknowledgment 
 of his Mercies, and our hearty Endeavours to per- 
 form thofe Services, which are lb far from being grie- 
 vous, or any way fuperfluous, that our own Wel- 
 fare, Comfort, and Advantage, rightly apprehended, 
 would abundantly difpofe us to do them ; it being 
 indeed he Eflence of our Happinefs, the Joy of our 
 Soul, the Manna which (hall feed us to eternal Life, 
 to do the Will of our Heavenly Fath. r. 
 
 To this mod tender and companionate Father, 
 this great and only Benefactor of ours, we owe the 
 eafy, juft, and pleafant Duty of Love. If we are 
 defti'ute of this Heavenly Affection, we are non. of 
 his Children. This Refemblance is abfolutely neceP 
 
 (a) 1 John iii. (b) I John ii. i. 
 
 L 2 fary 
 
142 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 iary to declare us his genuine Offspring : (a) For God 
 is Love, and every one that is born of God, loveth God. 
 This intitles us to the Benefits of his Family, to his 
 Paternal Care of us, and Provifion for us : (b) For 
 the Lord prefervah all thofe that love Urn : that is, he 
 fuffers nothing to hurt them, but caufeth all things, 
 how crofs and difficult foever they may appear, to 
 work together for their good. So that if we do not 
 love God, we are not only monflroufly ungrateful 
 and wicked, but imprudent, even to a Degree of In- 
 fatuation : becaufe being alienated from the Love of 
 God, we are at the f me time excluded from his Pre- 
 fence and Favour, and confequently from all Safety, 
 Joy and Comfort : We are expofed to all the dreadful 
 Effects of divine Wrath, to the Misfortunes of the 
 World, and the Anguifh of an evil Confcience : We 
 are abandoned to the Malice of Devils, and con- 
 figned to their unpeaceable, accurfed Society for 
 ever. 
 
 If our Love of God be fincere, it will be fo con- 
 ftant as to hold out under all Circumftances and Con- 
 ditions of Life. It is built upon iuch Motives as are 
 of Perpetual Duration ; and therefore is not altera- 
 ble by any Variety of Fortune. If God vouchfafes us 
 the Light of his Countenance, and appoints our Man- 
 fions in the Sun-fhine of Profperity, we ought hum- 
 bly to rejoice, and thankfully look up to the Hand 
 which difpenfes thefe Bleflings. But when, on the 
 contrary, he hides his Face from us, and fuffers our 
 Sun to be overcaft with the Clouds of Adverfity, we 
 know that-thefe are not the Strokes of his heavy Dif- 
 pleafure, but Corrections which proceed from his mer- 
 ciful Care of us : (c) For whom the Lord loveth hechaf- 
 teneth ; and fcourgetb every Son whom he receiveth. In 
 retraining our Defires, and proceeding in a Way dif- 
 
 (a) Heb. xii. 5. (b) 1 Jobn iv. (c) Pfalm cxlv. 20. 
 
 ferent 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 143 
 
 ferent from what we had propofed, he ac"ls the Part 
 of a wife Mafter of a Family, who will not indulge 
 his Children in their Cravings, when he knows it 
 would be to their Hurt ; and can rather bear their 
 Crying fometimes, than have them fpoiled and ruined 
 with always having their own Will and Way. It was 
 the Saying of a (a) Learned Divine, one who every 
 way merited that Character, when he faw any of his 
 Acquaintance perplexed about the Management of 
 their difficult Affairs : When will you begin to truft God, 
 and permit bim to govern the World f 
 
 Even a mere (b) Heathen Writer could fee, what a 
 Chriftian hath much more Reafon to be fenfible of : 
 That we may more fafely truft God than our own 
 Prudence, and that he loves us better than we do 
 ourfelves. 
 
 Permittes ipjis expendere numinibus, quid 
 Conveniat nobis, rebufque fit utile nojlris, 
 Nam pro jucundis aptijfima quoeque dabunt Di. 
 Carior ejl illis homo, quamfibi. 
 
 Intruft thy Fortunes to the Powers above. 
 Leave them to manage for thee, and to grant 
 What their unerring Wifdom fees thee want. 
 In Goodnefs, as in Greatnefs, they excel : . 
 Ah ! that we lov'd ourfelves but half fo well ! 
 
 (a) Dr. Hammond, (b) Juvenal. Sat. x. 
 
 i> 
 
 CHAP. 
 
144 T% e Sum of the Part II. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 Of Divine PRAISES 
 And THANKSGIVINGS. 
 
 THE Soul which is truly difpofed to admire and 
 praife its great CREATOR, can never 
 want Matte/r for the Subjt-ct of grateful Sentiments. 
 Our Daily Restoration to Life and Action, by the 
 renewed Light of every Morning; the Prefervaiion 
 of our Heath and Limbs from the Penis to which we 
 are expofed every Moment ; the plentiful Provifion 
 which God is pleafed to make for us, by granting us 
 feafonable Returns of Summer and Winter, Seed- 
 Time and Harveft, and caufing the Clouds to drop 
 down Fatnefs upon the Womb of the Earth ; the gra- 
 cious Method of Providence in recruiting our exhaust- 
 ed Stores, and affording us the Means of daily Sub- 
 fiftence ; the Opportunities we have of exercifing the 
 great Duties of Religion, and growing in Grace and 
 Virtue, are all Bieflings which like the Streams 
 of a River are continually flowing in upon us • 
 though we had the iame many Years fince, yet they 
 hold on their Courfe ; the Springs are everlaftingj 
 and fail not; 
 
 If we add our pad Receipts to what we are incef- 
 fantly taking in, how furprizingly great will the whole 
 Sum appear ! The Royal Prophet David hath fet us 
 this Pattern of comprehenfive Gratitude : He treafu- 
 red up the divine Benefits in faithful Memory ; he 
 was always recollecting and reviewing them in his 
 
 Thoughts^ 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 145 
 
 Thoughts, and reprefenting them in the moft advan- 
 tageous Light, according to their juft Dimenfions and 
 endearing Circumftances. (a) J will remember the 
 Works of the Lord, and call to Mind thy IVonders of 
 old Time. I will think alfo of all thy Works, and my 
 Talking fliall be of thy Doings, {b) Have I not remem- 
 bered ibee on my Bed, and thought on thee when I was 
 waking f Becaufe thou haft been my Helper, therefore un~ 
 der the Shadow of thy Wings will I rejoice. 1 will 
 give Thanks unto thee among the People : 1 will fing 
 Praifes to thee among the Nations, (c) For thy Mercy 
 is greater than the Heavens, and thy Truth reacheth unto 
 the Clouds, (d) Bleffed be the Lord, who daily loadelh 
 uf with his Benefits. 
 
 It is not enough to have our Hearts touched with a 
 Senfe of God's Goodnefs ; they muft be enflamed 
 and raviftied with the Contemplation of it ; they muft 
 entertain it with the fame Satisfaction, as a thirfty 
 Traveller drinks down the frefh and cooling Streams. 
 Gratitude is of a fruitful and diffufive Nature ; it wil! 
 not be fmothered under fullen Looks and a filent 
 Tongue. It will not content itfelf in lonefome Solilo- 
 quies, and fecret Whifpers of the Divine Praifes ; 
 but loudly echo them forth, and animate others to 
 join in the melodious Harmony. The fweet Singer 
 of Ifrael is all Exftacy and Rapture, when he tunes 
 his Harp to celebrate the Praifes of the Moft High. 
 He invokes Heaven and Earth, the Celeftial Quire 
 of Angels, the feveral Eftates and Generations of 
 Men, the innumerable Company of all the Creatures, 
 to affift and join in Concert with him, in magnifying 
 the glorious Name, and recounting the noble Acts 
 of the Great Author and Fountain of all BlefTings and 
 Comforts. 
 
 (a) Pfalm lxxvii. (b) Pfal. lxiii. (c) Pfalm. cviii. (d) Pfal. lxviii. 
 
 L 4 How 
 
1 46 The Sum of the Part II, 
 
 How eafy and reafonable is this Homage, to avow 
 our Dependence upon, and Obligations to him ! to 
 publifh to the World our manifold Receipts of his 
 undeserved Favours ! (a) Tofing of the Mercies of the 
 Lord for ever, and make known his Faithfulnefs to all Ge- 
 nerations ! If he had bid us do fome great thing in re- 
 turn for his ineftimable Kindnefs, have made his Al- 
 tars to overflow with Wine and Oyl, and clouded the 
 Skies with whole Burnt-offerings •, fhould we not have 
 done all this ? How much more when he requires 
 only the cheap Tribute of the Heart and Tongue, 
 and fuch other Ads of grateful Love as we are al- 
 ways in a Capacity to render him ? 
 
 The Heathen World fpared for no coftly Sacrifices 
 and wellcompofed Hymns to honour their Imaginary 
 Deities, and let forth the famous Achievements of 
 their Heroes ; thofe to whom, in their Opinion, 
 they owed the Fruits of the Earth, the Comforts 
 of Life, and the Defence and Safeguard of their 
 Country. They were indeed miftaken in the Ob- 
 ject, but not in the Subftance of the Duty ; paying 
 a Debt that was really due, but not to fuch Credi- 
 tors. I wifh thefe Men, however fuperftitious in 
 other Things, do not rife up in Judgment with the 
 Men of this Generation, and condemn them, who 
 knowing the true God, honour him not as God ; 
 who receiving the higher! Inftances of his Goodnefs ; 
 don't teltify a juft Efteem of it •, and confequently 
 neglecl the moft -Effential and Noble Part of all 
 Religion, and render ihemfelves unworthy of further 
 Mercies, by their vile Abufe" of what they have 
 already received. 
 
 There is no Incident of Life, but what yields us 
 fufficient Occafion to love God ; how much then 
 fhall we be in Arrear of Duty, if we commonly ne- 
 
 (a) PJal. lxxxix. 
 
 elecl 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 147 
 
 glec~t to do it ? But yet if God mould beftow no 
 more Bleflings upon Men, than what they are truly 
 thankful for, it is to be feared that many who now 
 have Abundance, would quickly come to want, and 
 the Fields which bring forth a Hundred fold, would 
 produce Thirties inftead of Wheat, and Cockle in- 
 (tead of Barley. 
 
 As Solomon fends the Sluggard to the Ant to learn 
 Induftry and good Hufbandry ; fo God juftly up- 
 braids his unthankful People with the Example of 
 the Ox and Afs, who acknowledge their Owners and 
 their Stalls, The dumb Creatures about our Houfes 
 fhew us a manifeft Senfe of Gratitude for the Main- 
 tenance and Protection we afford them. So that not 
 only the Pagans, but the very Brutes may ihame un- 
 grateful Chriftians into Gratitude. 
 
 Having (hewn the Neceflity and Reafonablenefs of 
 Thank/giving, we may next confider how often it 
 ought to be performed j concerning which St. Paul's 
 Rule is, (a) That we jhould give Thanks to God always^ 
 for all Things \ which Word, always, imports, not an 
 incelTanifptaking forth his Praife, but a ready Difpo- 
 fition, an habitual Inclination to it ; fuch as Men have 
 to their daily Affairs •, in which, though there are 
 frequent Refpites and Intermiflions, yet the Defign 
 is continually profecuted. As we fay, fuch a one 
 is writing a Book, or building a Houfe, or taking a 
 Journey, though at that pretent he may be Sleeping, 
 or Eating, or doing fomething elfe ; but his Defign 
 fleeps not, his Purpofe is not interrupted. And thus 
 we are to underftand our Lord and his Apoflles, when 
 they exhort us to continue inftant in Prayer and 
 Thankfgiving •, our Hearts muft always be fixed and 
 prepared to thefe Duties ; like a well tuned Inftru- 
 menr, though not actually played on, yet always rea- 
 
 (a) Ephsf. v. 20. 
 
 dy 
 
 -i^ 
 
148 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 dy for the heavenly Anthem. It is not the Act but 
 the Habit that denominates a Man in any Kind of 
 Grace or Virtue, (a) The righteous Man, faith David, 
 is ever merciful, and lendeth. Not that his Hand is 
 always diflributirg, but his Heart is always inclinable 
 to do it when Need requires. Even fo a grateful 
 Man doth always give Thanks, by being difpofed 
 on all Opportunities actually to exprefs his Thank- 
 fulnefs. 
 
 In order to acquire this good Difpofition, we mull 
 in the firfl Place, endeavour to maintain a conftant 
 Calmnefs and Evennefs of Temper. We can hardly 
 conceive what Thankfulnefs is, without including 
 Pleafure and Satisfaction in the Notion of it : Our 
 Minds mud be bright and ferene, that we may with 
 a pure Flame offer this Sacrifice. And therefore 
 they who are often drunk with intemperate Rage 
 and Paflion, mufl needs lofe many Opportunities of 
 giving God the Glory, and receiving in themfelves 
 the Comforts of his Mercies, 
 
 No Time can be unfeafonable for the Praifes of 
 God. When in our Walks we furvey this ample 
 Theatre of the World, contemplating the {lately 
 Beauty and Order of all its Parts, then fhould our 
 Hearts be affected with a Senfe of Gratitude, and 
 our Lips break forth into devout Praife, with the 
 holy Pialmifl : (b) The Heavens declare thy Glory, 
 and the Firmament Jheweth thy handy Work, (c) The 
 Eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givefl them their 
 Meat in due Sea/on. Thou openeji thine Hand, and 
 Jatisfieft the Defire of every living Thing, (d) Unto 
 thee lift I up mine Eyes, thou that dwe/le/i in the 
 Heavens, (e) Accept, I befeech thee, the free-will 
 Offerings of my Mouth, Lord: And teach me thy 
 
 (a) Pfal. xxxvii. 26. (b) Pfal. xix. (c) Pfal. ex! v. 15, l6. 
 (d) Pfal. exxiii. I. (e) Pfal. cxix. 108. 
 
 Judgments. 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 149 
 
 Judgments From every Object of Senfe, from eve- 
 ry Event of Providence, we may extract fit Matter 
 of Thanksgiving. If our Returns were as frequent 
 as our Receipts, they muft be made every Moment. 
 However, there are fome fpecial Seafons, which do 
 more loudly demand them. When any new re- 
 markable Boon is conferred upon us ; when our gra- 
 cious God prevents us with his Blefli gs ; when we 
 are delivered from Straights in our Apprehenfion in- 
 extricable, elcape Dangers very impending, and to 
 human Views inevitable. In luch Circumftances as 
 thefe, we have a moft proper Theme of elevated 
 Praife to the Father of Mercies, and God of Help 
 and Comfort i 1 Time of N ed. 
 
 When we collect together in our Minds, (as we 
 mould often) the merciful Dealings of God with us 
 through the Courfe of our Lives , how itrangely we 
 have found Friends and Relief in extreme Diftrefs ; 
 how well we have efcaped the Hands of Robbers in 
 pur Travels, or the Infection of Difeafes in a general 
 Sick.iefs, or Fire in fome common Conflagration ; 
 how much we are, by the Bleriing of God upon our 
 Employments, raifed above Want in our Way of 
 Living : But above all, How gracioufly the good 
 Hand of God hath conducted us in the Paths of Pie- 
 ty and Virtue, fo as to preferve us from many griev- 
 ous Sins, into which we were fometime in Danger 
 of falling. Upon fuch Remembrances as thefe, we 
 fliould kindle our Sparks of Thankfulnefs into a 
 Flame, and look up to our mighty Deliverer and 
 Benefactor with moft humble Adoration and Grati- 
 tude. 
 
 Not that we are to confine our Thankf giving s only 
 to great and fignal Mercies. Thofe of daily and 
 ordinary Ufe are to be put into our Recognitions. 
 Indeed we mould not efteem any of God^s BJeiTmgs 
 fmall, if we well confidered what it is to want them. 
 A Breath of fvveet and wholefome Air, a Cup of re- 
 
 frefhing 
 
 n'O'^iPi' y n»i<^» 
 
1 50 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 frefhing Water, a few Hours of comfortable Repofe, 
 are in common Eftimation but ordinary Matters ; 
 and yet how precious is any one of theie to the poor 
 afflicted Wretch that wants it ? 
 
 As thus we are obliged to be Thankful for our 
 own, fo likewife for the Bleflings which befall others. 
 The Chriftian Spirit requires us, not only to make 
 Prayers, but Thankfgivings for all Men-, to rejoice 
 with them that do rejoice ; to take Pleafure in the 
 Profperity of others, and heartily thank God for it. 
 Could we but attain this fociable Part of Charity, 
 we need not envy the Wealth and Splendor of the 
 greatefl Princes. In fuch a friendly Sympathy, while 
 the Glory of all is given to God, the Satisfaction of 
 all will redound to ourfelves. Our Neighbour's good 
 Succefs is ours, if we equally triumph in it : His 
 Riches are ours, if we delight to fee him enjoy 
 them : His Virtue is ours, if we are bettered by it, 
 and have hearty Complacence in it. By this means 
 a Man derives a Confluence of all Joy upon himfelf, 
 and makes himfelf, as it were, the Center of all Fe- 
 licity, inriches himfelf with the Plenty, and fatiates 
 himfelf with the Pleafure of the whole World. Re- 
 ferving to God the Praife, he enjoys the Satisfaction 
 of all the Good that comes to his Knowledge. 
 
 Thus St. Paul reafons from the Similitude there is 
 between the (a) natural Body of Man, and the myf- 
 tical Body of Chrift, the Church ; that as in the for- 
 mer there is a Sympathy of Pleafure and Pain be- 
 tween all the Members; fo we who in Chrift are 
 united into one Body, and Fellow-members one with 
 another,, mould have the fame quick Senfe of one 
 'another's Conditions: If one Member naffer, all the 
 reft fhould be in pain for it ; if one rejoice, the Joy 
 mould be diffufed through all the reft. 
 
 (a) 1 Cor. xij. 
 
 But 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. i$r 
 
 But to proceed : We are not only obliged to give 
 Thanks for pleafant and profperous Occurrences, 
 but for thofe likewife which crofs our Defires, and 
 dittafte our natural Senfe; for Poverty, Sicknefs, and 
 Difgrace; for all the Sorrows and Troubles, the Di£- 
 afters and Difappointments that befall us. We ought 
 to fay Grace to our Phyfick, as well as to our Food ; 
 becaufe though unpalatable, it conduces to our Health: 
 And for the fame Reafon, all Adverfities, which are 
 intended by God for the Reftoration of our Soul's 
 Health, are proper Subjects of our Praife and Thanks- 
 giving. / will thank the Lord for giving me Warning * 
 My Reins alfo cbajlen me in the Night- feafon. (a) I 
 know, Lord, that thy Judgments are right, and that 
 thou in Faith fulnejs haft ajflifted me. 
 
 Were the Choice of our Condition wholly permitted 
 to us, we fhould make a very difadvantageous Elec- 
 tion. We ihould naturally embrace a rich and plen- 
 tiful Eftate ; when as God knows many Times it would 
 make us flothful and luxurious ; it would either fwell 
 us with high Thoughts, or encumber us with anxious 
 Cares, or expofe us to dangerous Temptations, and 
 render us forgetful of God. We mould, no Doubt, 
 be fond of the Applaule and Favour of Men ;. but 
 this, God fees, would debauch our Minds, and tempt 
 us to arrogate immoderately to ourfelves, and facrile- 
 gioufly to rob the Almighty of his Honour. There- 
 fore he fuffers us in much Mercy to labour under the 
 Reproaches of Malice and Envy, that we may glory 
 only in his Favour, and purfue more earneftly the 
 Delights of a good Confcience : Which wife Conduct 
 of our Heavenly Father highly merits our utmoft 
 Thanks and Praife. 
 
 Indeed the Advantages which may be made of 
 Afflictions, are fo many and fo great, that we (hould 
 
 (a) Pfalm cxix. 75. 
 
 not 
 
152 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 not only acquiefce, but rejoice in them ; we mould 
 receive them chearfully at God's Hand, as Tokens of 
 his Love, who like a Phyfician to our Souls, admi- 
 nifters fuch Potions to us, as, though bitter, will 
 end in Health, Strength and Joy. We mould inter- 
 pret them as Arguments that we are in that ftraight 
 and narrow Way which leads to everlafting Life, and 
 that thefe momentary Afflictions are working for us a 
 far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory. 
 
 But all our Songs of Praife, our higheft and fweet- 
 eft Accents muft be, for the Means of Grace, and for 
 the Hope of Glory. Herein we muft exceed, as far 
 as the reafonable Soul doth in D'gnity furpafs this 
 frail and (hort lived Body ; as far as the infinite Dura- 
 tion of Eternity out-meafures the narrow Limits 
 which terminate this uncertain Life. We are, it is 
 true, greatly indebted to God for our Creation, for 
 calling us out of Nothing into this high and honour- 
 able Station among his Works. But how much- 
 more for calling us out of Darknefs into this marvel- 
 lous Light, the Knowledge of himfelf and Jefus 
 Chrift whom he hath fent to redeem us ! How much 
 more for raifing up this mortal Flefh to a State of 
 Immortality, and exchanging our earthly for a hea- 
 venly Habitation ! We ought not to receive our bo- 
 dily Food without lifting up grateful Hearts to him 
 who filleth all Things living with Plenteoufnefs ; 
 much lefs will Ingratitude be excufed for that Bread 
 which, from Above is God's blelfed Word and Sacra- 
 ments, whereby our Souls are nourifhed to everlaft- 
 ing Life. To thefe Spiritual Mercies, the Holy 
 -Pfalmift gives the Preference in his Method of Praife. 
 Firft, He incites his Soul to (a) glorify God for the 
 Pardon of Sins ; and then he commemorates Tem- 
 poral Mercies : Who fatisfieth thy Mouth with good 
 Things, making thee young and tufty as an Eagle. 
 
 (a) Pfalm ciii. 
 
 And 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 153 
 
 And now, what little need can there be of farther 
 Incitements to the Practice of this Duty ? Unlefs 
 we are quite diverted of that Affection, than which 
 none is more ftrongly interwoven in the Original 
 Conftimtion of our Souls, to be fenfible of Benefits 
 received j to love and refpect thofe who exhibit 
 them ; to acknowledge them with fuitable Exprefli- 
 ons, and be ready to make competent Returns for 
 them. Even the word of Men, the moft barbarous 
 and favage, retain fomething of a natural Senfe of 
 Benefits conferred upon them. Ingratitude is fuch 
 a deformed and monltrous Birth, as none will own : 
 It is detefted and abhorred of all Men. But in the 
 Court of Heaven, and at the Tribunal of our fu« 
 preme Benefactor, from whom we receive whatever 
 we enjoy, no Manner of Offender fhall be more 
 terribly arraigned, more furely condemned, or more 
 feverely puniflied, than the ungrateful Man. 
 
 What Excufe can we find to plead for the Neglect 
 of fo reafonable a Duty; and. which is withal fo 
 cheap and eafy, fo fweet and delightful ? The Plea- 
 fure of it is often attefted by one who was well ex- 
 perienced in it. (a) It is a good Thing to give Thanks 
 unto the Lord ; and to Jing Praife unto thy Name % O 
 thou Moft High ! To tell of thy loving Kindnefs early 
 in the Morning ; and of thy Truth in the Night-feafon. 
 O praife the Lord, for he is good ! O Jing Praifes unta 
 his Name, for it is lovely ! What Thought can enter 
 into the Heart of Man, more comfortable than this, 
 That the moft wife and mighty King of Heaven 
 and Earth, is concerned to do him good ? That by 
 a fecret and invifible Influence he difpofes the Hearts 
 of Men to become his Friends and Favourers j Men 
 who are many Times averfe enough to other good 
 Works ; who perhaps had no Relation to him, nor 
 
 (a) Pfalm xcii. 
 
 any 
 
154 The Sum of the Part II. 
 
 any Acquaintance with him \ who fometime were his 
 avowed Enemies, and might rather have been ex- 
 pected to have doae him ill Offices ? That fuch Men 
 lhould be converted into his Benefactors, and feek 
 to do him good ; this mull needs tranlport a Perfon 
 of common Senfe and Piety, into Admiration and 
 Love of that greatefl and heft of Governors, who 
 hath the Hearts of all Men in his Hand, and makes 
 them fubfervient to his own gracious Purpofes. 
 
 O infinitely Amiable ! when jhall I love thee without 
 Bounds ', without Coldnefs, or Interruption ! Let . me 
 never fuffer any Creature to be thy Rival, or to Jleal 
 my Heart from thee ! Let me have no other God, no 
 other Lord, but thee ! O let the World never more 
 command my Affeclions, which I withdraw from that 
 to fix on thee ! Whatever is amiable in the Creatures, 
 is derived from thee, who only art perfetlly Excellent. 
 O BleJJed JESUS! who didjl love me Jo dearly, as 
 for my Jake to endure a painful and fhameful Death ; 
 how can I live without being thine ? When Jhall all 
 carnal Affeclions die in me, and all Things belonging to 
 the Spirit, live and grow in me ? When Jhall I be 
 willing to lay down my Life for thee, who hafi Jhed thy 
 precious Blood for me t 
 
 Let Riches, Honours, Pleafures, Friends, Health, 
 and Strength, and all Things fail me, I am ftill re- 
 folved, by his Grace, to rejoice in the Lord, and to 
 joy in the God of my Salvation ! On the other Hand, 
 let all thefe earthly Bleffings be poured out upon me, 
 yet am I ftill determined, that as it is my Duty, fo 
 fhall it be my Delight and Comfort, to ferve my 
 GOD. I will not be caft down or dejected at any 
 fevere Difpenfation, which the Men here below count 
 a Lofs or Affliction-, but ftill behave myfelf like a 
 Candidate of Heaven, and live above the Smiles and 
 Frowns of this World ! 
 
 Make me, O GOD! diligent and earnefl in plea- 
 Jing thee ! Let me dijcharge the mofl painful and cojily 
 
 Duties , 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 1 5 5 
 
 Duties, and forfake Friends, Riches, Eafe, and Life 
 it/elf, rather than difobey thee! Thine Eyes are upon 
 the JVays of Man, and thou J'eejl all his Goings. J-,et 
 all the Ea-th love and fear thee; for thou knowejl and 
 canjl reward their Service. Praife the Lord, O my 
 Soul ! and all that is within me, praife his holy 
 Name ! Praife the Lord, O my Soul ! and forget not 
 all his Benefits ! Who can exprefs the noble .Acts of 
 the Lord : or mew forth all his Praife? Which for- 
 giveth all thy Sins : and healeth all thine Infirmities ? 
 Which faveth thy Life from Dizftru&ioiv; and crown- 
 eth thee with Mercy and loving Kindnefs ?. 
 
 Thus I have inculcated this Dutv of Divine Praife 
 and Thankfgivings, with repeated Inftances and Mo- 
 tives, as it was neceifary for me to do, becaufe an 
 exact Performance of it, promotes and facilitates 
 the Practice of all other Duties ; fince the more we 
 are fenfible of our innumerable Obligations to God, 
 the more we (hall in Prudence ftudy topleafe him 
 by a fincere Obedience, that thereby we may fecure 
 to ourfeives the Continuance of his loving Kindnefs 
 and Mercy. While we are paying our Tribute for 
 what we have received, we are difpofing our Lord 
 to new and greater Favours -, we render him more 
 propitious to us, and ourfeives more dutiful and loyal 
 to him. For how can we at the fame Time piouily 
 acknowledge our Dependance on him, and yet ven- 
 ture to alienate him -from; us by any wilful Violation 
 of his facred Laws ? The Memory of pad, and Re- 
 gard of prefent Mercies, will confirm our Faith, aug- 
 ment our Love, and improve our Obedience for the 
 Time to come. 
 
 Let us then glorify God both (a) in our Bodies 
 and in our Souls, which are his. Let us (b) honour 
 him with our Subftance, and with the firfi Fruits of. 
 
 (a) 1 Cor. vi. (b) Prov. iii. 9. 
 
 M all 
 
156 The Sum of the, &c. Part II. 
 
 all our Increafe. Seeing all that we are, and all we 
 receive, is from his free Bounty, O therefore let us 
 employ all to his Glory ; our Parts, our Eftates, our 
 Health, our Time, even all the Powers of our Souls 
 and Bodies. Let us daily exercife ourfelves in that 
 Praife which is the fupreme Joy of Paradife, the 
 Perfection of angelical Blifs : That fo at the End of 
 our Days, we may be found fuch good Proficients 
 as fhall be adjudged worthy to be added to the hea- 
 venly Choir, who continually incompafs the Throne 
 of the moft High, and proflrate themfelves before 
 
 him, faying : 
 
 j o 
 
 (a) Bhjfing, and Glory, and Wifdom, and Thankf- 
 giving, and Honour, and Power, and Might, be 
 unto our GOD for ever and ever. 
 
 (a) Revel, vii. 12. 
 
 
 9 
 
 The End of the Second Part, 
 
THE 
 
 ChrifiiarPs Companion : 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 SUM 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Chriftian Religion. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 CONTAINING OUR 
 
 U T Y 
 
 T O 
 
 OURSELVES. 
 
 Love not the World, neither the Things that are in the Wot Id. 
 JJ any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not 
 in him. For all that is in the World, the Luft of the Flejb, 
 and the Lujl of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, is not of 
 the Father, but is of the World. A-nd the World paffetb away, 
 and the Lujl thereof: But he that doeth the Will of God, 
 abidetb for ever, I John li. 15, 16, 17. 
 
 DUBLIN: 
 
 Printed for JOS. SHEPPARD, Bookfeller, in Skinner-Row- 
 
 M,DCC,LXIX. 
 

 
 \ -. u • • ■ 
 
 . ■ ■'• ■ ■ ■ 
 
 ; 
 

 O F O U R 
 
 DUTY 
 
 T O 
 
 OURSELVES. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 g?$J?^J$$T is an Obfervation which fome have 
 Q^2^^g9 m ade concerning the Moral Law, That 
 &ffl j J^p it teaches us our Duty to G O D and 
 S^ Cft! our Mfytiboiffi Dut f avs nothing of any 
 Sf^^SB Concern or . Regard we are to have for 
 ^^ xxs PS? Owfelves. "To this it may be anfwer- 
 ed, That we then derive the greatefl Bleflings upon 
 Our/elves, when we are mod obfervant of our Duties 
 to God and our Neighbour ; for then are we raoft fecure 
 of that Love and Protection which alone can make us 
 happy. However, there are in holy Scripture feveral 
 
 M 3 Precepts 
 
1 60 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 of Honefty and Virtue, which are more efpecially 
 intended for the Welfare of our Souls and Bodies, 
 and which may all be comprehended under that ge- 
 neral Head of Sobriety, laid down by St. Paul, (a) in 
 Contradiftin&ion to that Piety which is owing to God, 
 and that Righteoufnefs and Charity we are to dif- 
 charge towards all Men. I (hall endeavour to repre- 
 fent this Duty in the feveral Branches of it, as it 
 refpeds both Soul and Body : The Welfare of the 
 Soul confifts in the good Government of its Af- 
 feclions and Paflions : In order to which the Exer- 
 cife of many Virtues is required. I fhail begin with 
 HUMILITY, as that which may juftly claim 
 the Precedence of all the reft, as being the Founda- 
 tion whereon they mud all be built ; and without 
 which the Candidate of Virtue will prove like rhat 
 foolifh Man our Lord fpeaks of, (b) who built bis Houfe 
 upon the Sand. 
 
 (a) Titus ii. 12. (b) Luke vi. 49. 
 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 1 6 1 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 Of HUMILITY. 
 
 THE HUMILITY I here propofe to 
 fpeak of is the Rule of that Elteem and Opini- 
 on we ought to have of Ourf elves : It keeps us from 
 over-valuing any Thing within or without us, and 
 from being too much disturbed at any Slights or Con- 
 tempts which other Men may caft upon us. The 
 two Extreams oppofed to this Virtue, are Pnde, on 
 the one hand, and Pufillan:mity, or too abject a Spi- 
 rit, on the other, 
 
 PRIDE is briefly and pertinently defined by St. 
 Paul, A thinking of one's felf more highly than we ought to 
 think ; which falfe Valuation renders Men very pre- 
 fumptuous, and prone to break through the Laws of 
 God and Man for the comparing of their ambiti- 
 ous Ends. This Sin of Pride is the Parent of all 
 Mifchief in Heaven and Earth. An Ambition to be 
 as great as the mod High, was the Ruin of Angels: 
 An Attempt to be as knowing and as wife, was the 
 Fall of Man. And fo Pride hath forfeited all Hap- 
 pinefs, and been the Caufe of all Miferies, Tempo- 
 ral and Eternal. There is fcarce any Branch or Spe- 
 cies of Sin whatever, but if we trace it to the Stock 
 on which it grows,- we mall commonly find Pride at 
 the Bottom of it. I might inftance in a Multitude of 
 Particulars, which owe their Birth to this fertile 
 Parent. 
 
 Firft, ali DifTatisfaction with our Condition-, all 
 Murmurings and Repinings at God's difpofal of us, 
 derive themfelves in a direct Line from their Mother 
 
 M 4 Pride. 
 
1 62 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 Pride. St. Jude expreffes (a) the Sin of the proud 
 Angels thus : They kept not their firft Eft ate. They 
 were not pleafed with that Station wherein God had 
 created them , but moved above their proper Spheres, 
 and fo confounded that facred Order, which the Di- 
 vine Wifdom had eftablifhed in Heaven. For the 
 fame Reafon Men become Rebels in the State, and 
 Heretick§ in the Church, becaufe they are conceited 
 of their own Abilities and Merits, and think they 
 ought to have the Precedence of all others. Like 
 the old Pharifees among the Jews, they think very high- 
 ly of them/elves, and defpife others. They have an ex- 
 travagant Opinion of their own Und_ritanding, an 
 immoderate Conceit of their own happy Genius ; 
 but a very low Efteem of other Mens Performances 
 and Management of Affairs. Thus ambitious Ab- 
 falom, ripe for Rebellion, pities the ill Conduct of his 
 Father David, and wifhes, (b) Oh that 1 were made 
 Judge in the Land, that every Man which hath any Suit, 
 or Caufe, might come unto me, and I would do him Juf- 
 tice. Thus the falfe Apoftles and deceitful Workers 
 who oppofed St. Paul, reprefented him to the People 
 as a poor, weak, ungifttd Bro her, and pretended, 
 that they were much his Superiors in Eloquence and 
 (c) Learning, and preached the Gofpel more freely 
 and fpirituaily than he did. 
 
 Secondly, Other Sins have a Relation, though a 
 more remote one, to this of Pride ; as Anger, which 
 by the wife Solomon -is denominated (d) proud Wrath. 
 A peevifh, angry Man is very apt to think himfelf 
 ill ufed, and interprets every little Neglect or Miftake 
 of thofe about him, as an Affront put upon him. 
 So likewifr Backbiting and Slandering, though it may 
 be the immediate Effect of Envy, yet it flows origi- 
 nally from Pride, which makes Men efteem them- 
 
 frt,) 'Jude "0. 6. (b) z Sam. xv. (c) z Cor. xi. (d) Prov. xxi. 24- 
 
 felves 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 163 
 
 felves the only Perfons wno deferve to fhine and be 
 applauded, and confequently are apt to fully the Cha- 
 racter of thole by whom they apprehend themfelves to 
 be lefTened and obfcured. 
 
 Thefe, and many more pernicious Fruits fpring 
 from that bitter Root of Pride ; whence it is juftly 
 detefted of God ; (a) Every one that is proud in Heart, 
 is an Abomination to tue Lord : And threatened with 
 unavoidable Vengeance ; Though Hand join in Handy 
 bejhall not be unpumjhed : And this was executed in a 
 very remarkable Manner upon the proud and haugh- 
 ty King Nebuchadnezzar, who was driven from the 
 midft of his Glory, (b) to dwell and feed with the 
 Beafts. 
 
 Of this Pride there are feveral Sorts ; one in Vain- 
 glory, or an exceffive Thirit after the Praife of 
 Men. Which is fo devouring a Sin, that in any 
 good Duty or Chriftian action, it deftroys the Virtue 
 of it, rendering it unacceptable to God, and unpro- 
 fitable to ourfelves. This fpoiled all the Religion of 
 the Scribes and Pharifees. They made long Prayers, 
 but it was in the Corners of the Streets, to be (hen 
 and admired for it : They gave Alms, but they 
 founded a Trumpet to give notice of it : They faired, 
 but they disfigured their Faces, that their Farting 
 might appear to Men. In all their good Works they 
 had an Eye to the Obfervance and Applaufe of the 
 World, and were more concerned for their own 
 Honour, than for the Glory of God. Hence they 
 are fo often branded with the Name of Hypocrites, 
 and declared more inc 'pable of the Kingdom of Hea- 
 ven, than the very Publicans and Harlots, who had 
 Humility enough to confefs, and repent of their Sins. 
 
 (a) Prarv, xvi. 5. (b) Dan. iv. 
 
 But 
 
1 64 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 But there is another kind of Vanity which is flill 
 more abominable, and that is, when Men a;e proud 
 of their Ability to commit any Vice, and ambitious to 
 be efteemed the- firfl in the Rank of Offenders, (c) 
 When they declare their Sin as Sodom, and hide it not, 
 but take PleaMire in recounting their lewd Actions, 
 This the Scripture juftly ftyles, gloryfying in their 
 Shame, and denounces a particular Woe againft fuch 
 Boafters : (a) Woe unto them that are mighty to drink 
 Wine, and Men of Strength to mingle Jirong Dr.nk. 
 
 Other Sorts of Pride are, overmuch Confidence, 
 Afllirance, obftinate Perfifting in our own Ways 
 againft good Reafon and the Perfuafions of able Ad- 
 vilers ; magiiterially affuming a Power which belongs 
 not to us, to dictate and prefcribe to others. Thefe 
 are Difpofitions no ways becoming the Followers of 
 Jejus CLriJl, who hath fet forth hirnfclf as a Pattern of 
 Meeknefs and Lowlinefs to all his Difciples ; and I 
 have already intimated, that they are the Caufe of 
 Divifion ■ and Herefies in Religion. 
 
 And thus much of the Nature of Pride, and the 
 molt noted and common Branches of it. I proceed 
 to the other Extream of Humility, which is Pufillani- 
 mity, or a falling fhort of what one ought to do, out 
 of a falfe Modefty, or Fear of Oflentation. And it 
 is generally feen in the following Inftances. 
 
 1. In not exerting and employing thofe Gifts which 
 God hath beflowed on us, in the Office or Bufinefs 
 to which he hath been pleafcd to call us. This Neg- 
 ligence is exprefly condemned in the Perfon of that 
 unprofitable Servant, who went and digged in the 
 Earth, arid hid his Lord's talent. It is not in our 
 own Choice whether we will difcharge the Duty of 
 our Calling, but we are itri&Iy bound to do it. And 
 
 (a) IJalah iii. 9. (b) Ifaiah v. 22. 
 
 therefore 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 165 
 
 theiefore any Magiftrate or Minifter muft not fail in 
 executing the neceflary Parts of his Office, merely 
 out of Fear left he fhould be thought a forward Man, 
 for doing that which perhaps his Brethren round 
 about him have by their Mifmanagement perverted, 
 or brought into Ditlife. To fuch treacherous Dea- 
 lers belongs that Curfe, which is denounced againft 
 thofe who do the Work of the Lord negligently : A 
 virtuous Emulation in good Things, is fo far from be- 
 ing a Breach of Humility and Modefty, that it hath 
 ever been encouraged by the wifelt of Men in all 
 Ages and Parts of the World. 
 
 2. In an Averfenefs to be feen performing any pub- 
 lick Duty of Piety or Charity. When we are in the 
 Exercife of thofe good Works, which it concerns 
 none but God and our own Souls to know, we are 
 then indeed to avoid the Notice of the World ; to 
 fhut our Clofets when we pray, to give our private 
 Alms in fecret, to conceal our voluntary Fallings and 
 Mortifications. But when any of thefe Duties are to 
 be performed in publick, we are to exert an Alacri- 
 ty and Zeal in the Difcharge of them. When we 
 prefent ourfelves in the Church of God, to worfhip 
 him in the midft of the Congregation, we muft not 
 neglect thofe Geftures of {landing, kneeling, bowing, 
 and lifting up our Hands in Prayer, fo as may teftify 
 the unfeigned Devotion and Fervour of our Hearts. 
 At a publick Collection for the Poor, or for promoting 
 any good Work, as we ought to contribute in Pro- 
 portion to our Circumflances, fo I think we mould 
 not be cautious of letting it be known what it is we 
 give ; for we are commanded, To make our Light 
 fhine before Men •, and when can we do it more feafo- 
 nably, than when the Influence of our Example is 
 likely to incline others to the fame pious and charita- 
 ble Ads ? In fuch Cafes, the more confpicuous our 
 Zeal is, fo much the more commendable ; and we 
 
 need 
 
1 66 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 need not fear incurring the Guilt of Pharifaical Of- 
 tentation, when we are moved, not by a Defire of 
 our own Glory, or the Praife of Men, but the Glory 
 ©f God, and the Edification and Comfort of our Bre- 
 thren. 
 
 3. Perfons in any Honourable Station or Employ- 
 ment, mould take Care not to fink the Dignity of 
 their Profeffion by an affected Humility. In the Ex- 
 ercife of their Function they ought to appear in tha- 
 diftinguifhing Habit, and with that Gravity of Deportt 
 ment, as may gain them a juft Reverence and Au- 
 thority. It is not an Argument of an humble, but 
 a diffolute, degenerate Mind, to neglect any honour- 
 able Appendage, or be too free and familiar in 
 Words upon thefe Occafions, It is an Obfervation 
 grounded upon the beft Experience, that too much Fa- 
 miliarity begets Contempt. It doth fo, not only to the 
 Perfon of him who bears any grave Office, but like- 
 wife to the Office itfelf which he bears, and he acts in 
 Contradiction to all Senfe and Reafon, who thinks to 
 prefer ve a due Reverence for himfelf, while he pros- 
 titutes that of his Order. St. Paul, notwithstanding 
 all his Precepts and Practice of Humiiy, hath told us, 
 (a) He magnified bis Office, and therefore a Man may 
 be very flrict in thole publick Regards, and yet be 
 very humble in his private Capacity. Some in the 
 fame Miniftry, have thought they have done it Ser- 
 vice, by a very open, and (as they take it) good na- 
 tured Converfation, even as unreferved as the Vulgar 
 themfelves. But the conftant ill Effects which attend 
 fuch Liberty, fully demonftrate the Abfurdity of 
 their Pretence. 
 
 In fhorr, the Nature of Humility is fuch, as hinders 
 no Man from talcing his proper Place in the World, 
 
 (a) Rom. xi. 13. 
 
 from 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 167 
 
 from ufing fuch Marks of Diflinction as are proper 
 to his Rank, or from afTerting any jufl Right or Pri- 
 vilege. He may aim at thofe Honours and Digni- 
 ties which are above him, fo long as he drives lawful- 
 ly for them, and labours to acquire them by the ho- 
 ned Arts of Ingenuity and Induflry. For thefe are 
 the Rewards of Virtue, and are defigned to diflin- 
 guifh the Diligent from the Slothful ; and therefore it 
 can be no Fault to feek after them. Nay, there are 
 fome Cafes wherein even a modeft and humble Man, 
 may be allowed to fet forth his own Worth, and 
 enumerate his good Deeds ; as St. Paul doth to the 
 (a) Corinthians. And he is obliged to do this, when 
 there is no other Way to flop the Mouth of Calum- 
 ny, and remove any Slander which may be prejudi- 
 cial to the Honour of God, or the Welfare of the 
 Publick in Church or State. 
 
 chap. n. 
 
 Of CONTENTMENT. 
 
 CONTENTMENT is a Virtue which gives us 
 Eafe in all Circumftances of Life, and Varieties 
 of Fortune. It is a fixed and permanent Habit of 
 our Mind, not murmuring or repining at our Lot, but 
 chearfully accepting that Portion which is dealt out .to 
 
 (a) z Cor. xi. 
 
 US. 
 
1 68 The Sum of the Part III 
 
 us. As it gives way to no unneceflary Anxieties, 
 fo it does not indulge the tranfient hxceiTes of 
 Mirth, which like Lightning vanifh in a Moment. 
 It imparts a Beauty and Amiablends, to thofe who 
 enjoy it, by testifying the Satisfaction of their Hearts 
 in their Looks. The chearful and refign.-d Chnttian 
 by a Complacency in the Scate afiigned him, dilco- 
 vers a (ecret Approbation of the Difpenfations of Pro- 
 vidence. This happy Frame of Mind confifts in a 
 conftant habitual Gratitude to the great Author of 
 our Beings. An inward Chearfulnefs is an impli- 
 cit Praife and Thankfgiving for all the Determi- 
 nations of the Divine Will. It is a Temper always 
 -even and unruffled, whether under the Smiles or 
 Frowns of the Woild: This calm and eafy Difpoli- 
 tion makes us happy in ourfelves, agreeable to 
 thofe we converfe with, and acceptable to him 
 whom we were made to pleafe. How far the Infir- 
 mities of our Nature will allow us to advance towards 
 this Virtue, will appear by examining particular Ca- 
 fes. 
 
 Firft then, it feerris natural to be Content in the 
 Day of Profpcrity, when the Comforts of Life flow 
 in upon us, and Succefs crowns our Undertakings ; 
 when we are healthy in our Bodies, happy in our 
 Families, honourable in Reputation, Supported by 
 a Multitude of Friends; Supplied with al: Neceffa- 
 ries and Delights out of a plentiful Eftate. Men 
 generally pretend to-be very eafy in fuch Circum- 
 stances as tHefe,- and to have "no" craving or follicitous 
 Thoughtsrafi-er'any Thing further. But this for the 
 meit Part is but meer Pretence and Ouriide. If a 
 Man be an ill Man, (and God knows fuch make 
 up the greateit Part of the World) he hath no fo- 
 lic! Contentment, or-Pleafure in all this ; but is con- 
 tinually tortured"" and annoyed with fome reftfefs 
 Paflion which is never to be fatisfied. How far is 
 
 the 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 169 
 
 the ambitious Man, in the higheft Pitch of human 
 Glory, from being at the End of his Wifhes ? The 
 lafl: Conquefts of Alexander feemed to bring him 
 no nearer the Thoughts of Peace, than he was 
 when he firft fet out from Macedon. The immenfe 
 Riches of Human, his numerous and gallant Retinue, 
 his Advancement above all the Princes and Servants 
 of King Ahafueriis, availed him nothing, by his own 
 Confeffion, fo long as Mordecai, a poor Jew, with 
 whom he had no Concern, refufed to Hand up and 
 fhew him Refpedr. To run through the whole Se- 
 ries of vexatious Paflions, Avarice, Lull:, Malice, 
 Revenge, 6*JV. and fhew how they fpoil the Enjoy- 
 ment of the beft outward Circumftances, by reft- 
 lefs Purfuits after their Obje&s, and exquifite Re- 
 morfes when they have obtained them, would be 
 tedious, and not very neceflary ; becaufe thefe their 
 mifchievous Effects are generally well known and 
 under flood. 
 
 But when thefe outrageous Furies are banifhed 
 from the Houfe of Plenty ; when the Voice of Wrath 
 and Clamour is not heard ; when there are no proud 
 and haughty Looks, no Rioting or Lafcivioufnefs, no 
 blafpheming of God, or Contempt of Religion ; but 
 Temperance, Sobernefs, and Modefly are preferved ; 
 when as Riches encreafe, Works of Piety and Chari- 
 ty are multiplied, to the Honour of God, and the 
 Benefit and Comfort of fuch as want ; this is truly to 
 enjoy a profperous Condition ; and thus the good Man 
 alone enjoys it, becaufe he alone makes this right 
 Ufe of it. 
 
 But can this good Man poflefs his Soul in Patience, 
 when he is in the adverfe State, prefTed on every Side, 
 palling as it were through Briars and Thorns, labour- 
 ing under the Injuries of the World, and the Frowns 
 of Providence ? Is there any Room for Peace and Con- 
 tentment in fuch Afflictions ? We are affured there is, 
 
 by 
 
1 70 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 by the Apoftle St. Paid, who had experienced die 
 fevered Hardfhips which are incident to mortal Life j 
 and after all, declares, he had learned in whatfoever 
 State he was, therewith to be Content. 
 
 The Ground of this Contentment is the Faith of a 
 good Chriftian, which fixes not upon Things Tem- 
 poral, but Things Eternal ; it places his Treafure in 
 Heaven, and fhews him he is in no Danger of lofing 
 it by the fhort Storms and Tempefls of this. With 
 this Profpect he can eafily raife to himfelf feveral Ar- 
 guments of Patience and Contentment under Afflictions. 
 As, 1. He will look upon every Affliction (which he 
 brings not upon himfelf by his own Fault or Mifma- 
 nagement) as a fure Token of God's fatherly Care 
 and Love of him. With this Encouragement the 
 Royal Preacher, and after him St. Paul, exhort us not 
 to be weary of God's Correction ; becaufe he correct- 
 eth whom he loveth, even as a Father the Son in 
 whom he delighteth. For, 2. An Affliction well im- 
 proved, conduces much to the Amendment of our 
 Lives ; it puts us upon fifting and examining our- 
 felves, todifcover what it is which hath provoked our 
 heavenly Father to lay this Chaftifement upon us. 
 And it quickens us to the Practice of many other 
 Virtues, which before lay concealed, and as it were 
 dead in us. Tribulation is the (a) Tryalof our Faltb ; 
 it worke Ji [b) Patience, and Patience Experience, and 
 Experience Hope. It teaches us to fee the Rod, and 
 him who hath appqinkd it \ to adore that good Hand 
 which mercifully reclaims us by Corrections now, 
 that we may not be condemned to fuffer for ever. 
 .It is not improving an affliction that makes it a Curfe, 
 whereas if- improved, it is as great a Blefling as any 
 
 :,■ 
 
 ■ . - - - ' 
 
 (a) Jam. i. 3. (b) Rom. v 3,. 
 
 God 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 171 
 
 God is pleafed to difpenfe amongd the Children of 
 Men ; therefore we fhould be very thankful that he 
 is pleafed not to give us over to our own Heart's 
 Lud, which would be the heavieft Curfe that could 
 befal us. 3. In Time of Affli&ion God is mod nigh 
 to his Servants, and moft ready to ftrengthen and 
 comfort them. He is fly led by one who had often 
 tryed him, (a) A very prefent Help in Trouble, not 
 only to deliver out of it, but likewife to fupport un- 
 der it. If he leads us into Temptation, he watches 
 over us, to deliver us from the Evil of it. (b) He 
 will not fuffer us to be tempted above what we are 
 able to bear ; but will with the Temptation make a 
 Way to efcape, that we may be able to bear it. And 
 his Faithfulnefs herein hath been juftified by the 
 Suffrages of his mod tryed Servants. St. Paul pro- 
 feffes, that he could do all Things through Cbrijl who 
 ftrengthened him : And he glories chiefly in his In- 
 firmities, in Tribulations, in DiftreiTes, in Perfecti- 
 ons ; for when I am weak, faith he, then am I Jlrong. 
 i. e. When I think mylelf mod unable to bear that 
 Load of Afflictions which is laid upon me, then do 
 I prefently feel myfelf mod wonderfully drength- 
 ened by the Power of God. 4. Afflictions well en- 
 dured do not only endear us to God in this prefent 
 Life, but will moreover augment our Felicities in 
 the Kingdom of Heaven, as we are often affured by 
 Chrid and his Apodles. Blejfed, fays our Lord, (c) 
 are they that mourn, for they fhall be comforted. Re- 
 joice and be exceeding glad when ye fuffer righteoufly j 
 for great is your Reward in Heaven. We faint not, 
 faith St. Paul, (d) though our outward Man perifh. 
 For our light Affliclion, which is but for a Moment, 
 worketb for us afar more exceeding and eternal Weight of 
 
 (a) Pfal. xlvi. I. (b) I Cor. x. 13. (c) Mat. v. 4. 12. 
 (J) 2. Cor. iv. 16. 
 
 N Glory. 
 
172 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 Glory. 5. Afflictions are often necefTary to wean our 
 Affections from this World, . and fix them on the 
 everlafting Joys above. We are too prone, when 
 we have fufficient Means, to gratify all our fenfual 
 Defires, and take our fill of Pleafures, to the utter 
 Neglect and Ruin of our immortal Souls. And 
 therefore when we cannot be fafely trufted with all 
 our good Things, it is beft for us to part with them, 
 or be reflrained by fome fharp Difpenfation, from 
 furfeiting. on them. A fevere Fit of Sicknefs, or a 
 Fall from a lofty to a mean Condition, or the Difci- 
 pline of a Prifon for fome Time, hath brought back 
 many a Man from the Gates of Hell, and plucked 
 him as a Brand out of the Fire. From fome fuch 
 happy Calamity (as I may call it) doth many a Man 
 date the Salvation of his Soul. Had it not been for 
 this one Mifery, he had been miferable to all Eter- 
 nity. 
 
 And thus I have reckoned up fome of the mod: 
 confiderable Reafons which may perfuade a Man to 
 Patience and Contentment under Afflictions. But 
 then the Patient (as I intimated before) muft be a 
 Man of Piety and Virtue ; a Man of a found Chrif- 
 tian Faith, who believes the Life of the World to 
 come, and the Inheritance which Chrift hath pur- 
 chafed for us there. And he muft order his Conver- 
 fation fo, that his Hopes may be confiftent with this 
 Faith, and his Title clear to the heavenly Promifes. 
 For otherwife, if his Profpect extends not beyond 
 this World, he muft of Neceflity be concerned for it 
 as his All, and it will be hard to find Means to af- 
 fuage his Grief, occafioned by great LofTes and Af- 
 flictions. To fuch Comforters he will be apt to re- 
 ply as Micah did, (a) when he had loft his Idols : 
 Te have taken away my Gods, and what have I more ? 
 
 (a) Judges xviii. 24. 
 
 And 
 
Chap. IL Chriftian Religion. 173 
 
 And what is this that ye fay unto me, what aileth thee? 
 I confefs indeed, that a chearful and contented Mind 
 is very neceffary, confidering the many CrofTes and 
 Misfortunes to which all Eir.at.es of Men are fubject, 
 to procure that fmall Share of Happinefs which is at- 
 tainable in this Life ; fo that the Man who hopes for 
 nothing hereafter, would in common Prudence, choofe 
 to pafs through all the Inequalities of Fortune with 
 a fmooth and even Temper. But whatever Face 
 Men may put upon it, inward Peace is certainly the 
 Gift of God ; which how mould that Man ever ex- 
 pect to receive from him, whofe Hope and Truft is 
 not in him ? or, Where fhould he feek for Satif- 
 faction, when he hath mingled all Things about 
 him with fo many Furies, by the Lies, Perjuries, 
 Blafphemies, and all Sorts of Violence and Injuftice 
 which he hath been guilty of? And thus much for 
 the Ground of Contentment. 
 
 Now though we are in Duty bound to be Content 
 in the moft abject Condition that can befall us, yet 
 we are not obliged fo to approve of it, as to feek 
 no Deliverance from it. The Church of God in- 
 ftructs us in our daily Prayers, to fupplicate for our- 
 felves and others, a happy IlTue out of all Afflictions : 
 And confequently we are permitted to ufe the Means 
 proper for our Relief; as Medicines againit Sicknefs; 
 Recourfe to the Law againft grievous Wrongs and 
 Oppreffions ; Diligence to raiie ourfelves above a 
 mean, neceiTitous Condition ; Application to the 
 civil Powers, to releafe us from any Hardfhips they 
 may have laid upon us. But if after all honeft En- 
 deavours ufed, we cannot better our Condition, we 
 muft contentedly acquiefce under the Burden, and 
 fay, The fVill of the Lord be done. 
 
 And though we are to make a Difference between 
 a Faft and a Feftival, between Occafions of Mourn- 
 ing and Rejoicing ; yet as to our general Lor, be it 
 
 N 2 what 
 
1 74 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 what it will, we ought to bear it chearfully and 
 thankfully. Plato hath laid it down as a Principle 
 in his Philofophy, That whatever is permitted to 
 befall a Jujl Man, whether Poverty, Sicknefs, or 
 any of thofe Things which feem to be Evils, it (hall 
 either in Life or Death conduce to his Good ; and, 
 that nothing would be more unhappy, than a Man 
 who had never known Affliction. He compares Prof- 
 perity to the Indulgence of a fond Mother to her 
 Child, which often proves his Ruin : But God's 
 Chaftifements, to thofe of a wife Father, who would 
 have his Sons exercifed in Labour, Difappointment 
 and Pain, that they may gather Strength, and im- 
 prove their Fortitude. If a Heathen had this Senfe 
 of the divine Severities, how much more mould a 
 Chriftian dutifully fubmit to them ? Whofe Profef- 
 fion is declared to be a Warfare, wherein he hath 
 many Enemies to encounter, and his own Heart, 
 the molt dangerous of all ; who mud fufFer before 
 he can triumph, and bear the Crofs in order to ob- 
 tain the Crown. 
 
 Certainly, it is fome Reproach to Religion, for 
 its ProfefTors to be often complaining of and bemoan- 
 ing their Circumftances, as if God were a hard Maf- 
 ter, and had made the Terms of Salvation too rigo- 
 rous. Whereas his Worfhip is no melancholy Ser- 
 vice ; but he is belt pleafed with thofe who ferve 
 him with a joyful Heart. It would grieve a Man 
 to fee how few there are who underftand the true Spi- 
 rit of Chriftianity ; how fome contract a Gloominefs 
 even from the Practice of that Religion, which mod 
 enlivens and invigorates the Faculties of the Soul ; 
 wbofe Ways are IVays of Pleafantnefs, and all her 
 Paths are Peace. How fome Men indulge themfelves 
 in Paffion and Wrath, others in Peevifhnefs and Fro- 
 wardnefs : One is arrogant and afluming, another 
 vain and frothy ; a third morofe and cenforious, and 
 others addicted to other particular Humours and Sin- 
 gularities • 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 175 
 
 gularities ; contrary to that Spirit of Religion, which 
 fmooths the Roughnefs of our Natures, and teaches 
 us to be of a calm and quiet Difpofition. 
 
 Phyficians themfelves will tell us, that a quiet and 
 peaceable Mind, not difordered with violent Paflions, 
 nor oppreffed with immoderate Cares and Anxieties, 
 is a great Prefervative of bodily Health. Which one 
 good Effect of Contentment, would prevail with every 
 prudent Man to habituate himfelf to it. But when 
 the Mind itfelf is more dangeroufly wounded by the 
 contrary Paflions, than the Body can be ; when it is 
 habitually indifpofed for the Duties of Piety and 
 Devotion, which very much confift in Praifes and 
 Thankfgivings, and a chearful Acceptance even of 
 the fevereft of God's Difpenfations : When it is in- 
 capable of that Love and good Will, that Affability 
 and Courtefy which is due to Men ; and in too great 
 Diforder to adminifter Comfort to others, or encou- 
 rage and fupport them under any Preflures *, then 
 the End of our being here, is loft ; we are dead both 
 in a fpiritual and civil Capacity ; we not only de- 
 fraud our Souls of thofe blefled Fruits of the holy 
 Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Meeknefs, Gentlenefs, but 
 we anticipate thofe infernal Pains, that Horror and 
 Anguifh which is the Scourge of damned Repro- 
 bates, and to which the Fiend of Difcontent will 
 hurry us, except we caft him out, and be reftored 
 to a peaceable and heavenly Frame of Mind. 
 
 I confefs, this turbulent Spirit hath got fuch a 
 Maflery over fome Men, that one would lcarce hope 
 to fee him difpoflefled. But it is the Craft of the 
 great Deceiver to make all his Powers look fierce 
 and gigantick, that fo he may terrify his Slaves, 
 and make them defpair of ever recovering their Free- 
 dom. Yet a calm, but conftant and unwearied Ad- 
 plication, hath never failed to tame and fubdue the 
 moft outrageous Lulls. Some of the ancient Philofo- 
 phers have ventured by the meer Power of Nature 
 
 N 3 to 
 
176 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 to attack them. A Seneca, an Epcletus, have laid 
 down Rules for maintaining the Tranquillity of the 
 Mind againit all thofe Accidents which commonly 
 ruffle a^d difcompofe it. And mall the fupernatural 
 Grace of God, conveyed to us in the Means of Re- 
 ligion, be lefs ferviceable to us ? Or is it not the 
 Prerogative of our Faith above all human Wifdom, 
 that it triumphs over the World, and makes us 
 more than Conquerors ? It was well faid of one con- 
 cerning Alexander's Conquefls, Bene aitfus eji vana 
 contemnere -, it was not fo much that he ventured, 
 but he law there was really lefs Danger in Things, 
 than other Men commonly apprehended. We abufe 
 ourfelves with airy Spectres, and murmur and com- 
 plain when we are threatened, not hurt. If we 
 would but approach them with a fleady Virtue, and 
 face them bravely, we (liould find them prove mere 
 Bubbles, unable to do us any Mifchief. 
 
 Let it, in the laft Place, be a conftant Rule with 
 us, whatever our own Misfortunes or Difadvantages 
 are, never to feek for Contentment (as too many are 
 apt to do) in reflecting upon thofe of other Perfons. 
 Partnerfhip in Sufferings may alleviate the Calamity 
 in fome Cafes ; but to what purpofe is it fought af- 
 ter, or rejoiced at, where every Man mull bear his 
 own Burden, and it cannot be divided ? This is con- 
 trary even to a (a) Paga'. Rule of Charity, which 
 forbids us to rejoice at the Evils which befall other 
 Men ; and it juftly provokes God to continue at leaft 
 our own Sufferings upon us ^ and many Times to in- 
 creafe and aggravate them. 
 
 (a) Ne malis gaudeas alienis. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 177 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 Of CHASTITY. 
 
 CHASTITY may well be fee in the Front 
 of thofe DUTIES we owe to our Bodies^ 
 fince the Apoftle oppofes the contrary Vice, as the 
 fpecial Sin againft them, (a) He that committetb 
 Fornication, Jinneth againft his own Body •, i.e. Though 
 all other outward Sins, as Theft, Murder, and the 
 like, are committed by the Body as the Inflrument ; 
 yet in the Sin or Uncleannefs, the Body is not only 
 the Inflrument, but the Object alfo ; for the unclean 
 Perfon doth not only fin with his Body, but he fins 
 againft it. He' enervates, and many times diflempers 
 and deftroys it. At lead, he fixes a Brand of Infamy 
 upon it, fuch as no other Sin leaves behind it, de- 
 grading it from that excellent Honour whereunto 
 God advanced it, by making it the Member of an 
 Harlot. There are feveral other Arguments by 
 which the Apoftle in this Chapter pleads againft Un- 
 cleannefs ; as, That our Bodies are the Members of 
 Chrift, as well as our Souls : That they are the 
 Temples of the Holy Ghoft, fan£tified for his Ha- 
 bitation and Service ; and therefore muft not be 
 prophaned or defiled with noyfome Lufts, which 
 are moft contrary to his Purity : That they are to 
 be raifed in Incorruption, and fafhioned like unto 
 
 (a) 1 Cor. \'u 18. 
 
 N 4 Chrift's 
 
178 The Sum of the Part III 
 
 Chrift's glorified Body : If they were to be for ever 
 loft among Duft and Worms, then it were no great 
 Matter how wc ufed them ; but fince they are to be 
 that Garment which our Souls fhall wear to all 
 Eternity, in the Ptefence of a moft pure and holy 
 GOD, it highly concerns us to keep them unfpotted 
 from the Flejh. 
 
 Now for the particular Kinds and Degrees of Un- 
 cleannefs, they are of fo grofs a Nature as may not 
 well bear a very exact Defer iption. Under the Let- 
 ter of the feventh Commandment, are contained not 
 qnly the known Sins of Adultery and Fornication ; 
 but all other Kinds of Filthinefs, mentioned by 
 Mofes in the eighteenth Chapter of Leviticus, and 
 by St. Paul in the firft Chapter to the Romans. 
 
 But it may fuffice to obferve, That we are fo far 
 from being tolerated in any unclean Acts, that we 
 are ftrictly reft rained from the Lewdnefs of the 
 Heart and Tongue. St. Paul allows not any (a) 
 Corrupt Communication to proceed out of our Mouth. 
 But our bleffed Lord pronounces that Man guilty of 
 Adultery, who doth but (b) look upon a Woman to 
 luft after her in his Heart. Whereby all carnal De- 
 fires confented to, though never breaking out into 
 Actions ; and all dwelling and infifting on fuch 
 Thoughts, and fancying of impure Objects with 
 Delight, are Violations of Chajlity. And therefore 
 he who eafily gives a Loofe to fuch Thoughts, ought 
 to look upon himfelf. as reftrained from the outward 
 Act, rather by fome temporal Confideration, than 
 by the Power of Confcience, or Motives of Reli- 
 gion : Bccaufe thefe would oblige him to keep a 
 ciean Heart and a medeft Tongue, as well as a 
 chafte Body. Befides, he who hath no Government 
 of thefe, is in continual Danger of actual Enormi- 
 
 (a) Ephef. iv. 29. (b) Matt. v. 28. 
 
 ties 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 179 
 
 ties ; it being much eafi.-r to abllain from the Be- 
 ginnings of this Sin, than to confine it to mere 
 Thoughts and Words. But above all, it is to be 
 conlidtred, That even thefe lower Degrees are fuch 
 as render Men very odious in the Eyes of God, who 
 feeth the Heart, and approves of none who are not 
 pure there. Blejfed are the pure in Heart, fays Chrift, 
 for tbey pall fee God. We therefore ihall not fee him, 
 if we take no Care to keep from the Defilement of 
 luftful Thoughts. It hath been obferved by fome, 
 That we never find any Lift of thole Sins which (hut 
 Men out of the Kingdom of Heaven ; but this of 
 Unclean nefs hath a fpecial Place in it. 
 
 The ill Confequences of this Sin are not eafily rec- 
 koned up. Firft of all, it is one of thofe Sins which 
 never go alone -, it hath a long Train of black and 
 hideous Vices attending it. It abounds with Lies and 
 Perjuries, and the Violation of the mod facredand fo- 
 lemn Vows : It occafions much kfs of Time, and 
 Neglect of neceffary Bufinefs. It oftentimes corrupts 
 the whole Mafs of Blood, and renders us Weak and 
 Impotent. It brings a Stain and Blemifh upon our 
 Reputation, and many times tranfmits it to our Pofte- 
 rity. What a Multitude of People have fallen refe- 
 rable Sacrifices to this inordinate Lufl ! fome in the 
 Lois of their Lives, and others of their Eftates ! How 
 hath it ruined the Peace of Families, and filled them 
 with dreadful Confufion and Diforder ! How many 
 Children derive the Difeafes entailed upon this Sin 
 in an infirm Conftitution ! It may not, perhaps, dif- 
 cover itfelf in their 'younger Days; but in the Progrels 
 of Years, it burfts out with the greater Violence. 
 How many fair Ettates hath it devoured, and obli- 
 ged the Heirs of them to take irregular Courfes for 
 their Support, and finally hurried them to an unfor- 
 tunate End ! 
 
 The 
 
1 80 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 The naufeous Difeafe which commonly follows 
 upon the habitual Practice of this Vice, can be ex- 
 ceeded by nothing but the Racks and Tortures of the 
 Guilty Confcience, and thofe Infernal Pains which 
 are to fucceed them in the Society of Unclean Spirits. 
 For he who punifhes this fort of Sinners with fuch 
 terrible Judgments in this Life, what Place will he 
 think too hot for their Lufls in the Pit of Deftru&i- 
 on ? They /ball have their Portion, faith St. John, in 
 the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimjlone. 
 
 With what Refolution and Obflinacy then, fhould 
 we arm ourfelves againft all Temptations and Allure- 
 ments to this Vice r We ought certainly to be al- 
 ways upon our Guard, that we be not infnared by the 
 Baits and Wiles which are laid for us, to intangle us 
 in the Bonds of this Iniquity, and make us Slaves to 
 this bewitching Luft. Accordingly, we mull: take 
 Care not to pamper our Body with too luxurious Feed- 
 ing, not to frequent wanton Plays and Entertain- 
 ments, and other Incentives to it, not to indulge 
 ourfelves in Sleep and Idlenefs ; but on the contrary, 
 be diligent in our Callings, and pafs our leifure Hours 
 in fome honeft Recreations, and profitable, or at 
 leaft innocent Converfation. And if a Temptation 
 of this Nature will be intruding, reject it immediate- 
 ly, without fo much as giving it a Hearing -, for a 
 Parley in this Cafe is dangerous, and one may be be- 
 trayed by it. Above all, we muft beg of God, the 
 Fountain of Purity and Holinefs, 
 
 To fanftjfy our Hearts by the Infpiration of his good 
 Spirit, that our Souls and Bodies may be preferved 
 clean and undefiled unto the Coming of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion: 1S1 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 Of TEMPERANCE. 
 
 TH E fecond Virtue which concerns our Body, is 
 TEMPERANCE; whereby we are taught 
 to abftain from all unlawful Pleafures * and to ufe 
 thofe that are lawful with due Moderation. We muit 
 particularly be careful, that we do not exceed in 
 Eating and Drinking, Sleep, Recreation, and Ap- 
 parel. 
 
 The end that we are to ferve in thefe Things, is 
 bodily Heakh, and the Refrefhment of our Spirits, 
 that we may be the better able to perform all the re- 
 ligious and civil Duties of Life. Jt is a juft Obfer- 
 vation, That we muji eat to live ; and not live to eat. 
 Not that we are limited to fuch a Quantity of Food, 
 as will juft keep Life and Soul together. It was one 
 of the fore Judgments God threatened to bring upon 
 the Jews, (a) That they fbould eat Bread by Weight, and 
 with Care, and drink Water by Meafure, and with 
 Ajhnijhment. Plenty of Corn, and Wine r and Oyl, 
 was always efteemed a great Blefling, for this plain 
 reafon, That we might be ferved in greater Plenty, 
 than in Times of Scarcity. We may certainly make 
 
 (a) Ezek. iv. 16, 
 
 a Difference 
 
1 82 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 a Difference between a Feaft and an ordinary Meal. 
 Wine (a) is given to chearthe Heart of Man, and Oylto 
 make his Face to Jhine. But then it is prefumed, that 
 for the mod part we live fparingly, not ftudying fen- 
 fual Gratifications, nor making Provi/ion for the Flejb y 
 to fulfil the Lufis thereof % Our Diet muft be no more, 
 either for the Quantity or Quality of it, than what 
 our Health requires, and our Circumdances can well 
 bear. 
 
 Gluttony and Drunkennefs are not only brutifh, 
 but dangerous Sins •, they not only transform Men 
 into Beads, but into the very word of Beads, or ra- 
 ther into Furies and Devils. They fet Nature in a 
 Flame, dethrone Reafon, and bring a Man under the 
 Dominion of the viled Luds and Paffions. The hor- 
 rid Imprecations and Blafphemies which are uttered, 
 the Rapes, Murders, and other Outrages which are 
 committed in fuch ExcelTes, are not to be numbered. 
 How many Thoufands of Men have fquandered away 
 fair Edates, reduced themfelves and their Families to 
 miferable Poverty, ruined the Conditution of their 
 Bodies, and the Faculties of their Souls, and unfitted 
 themfelves for the Service of God and Man, mere- 
 ly by intemperate Living ? It is a needful Caution 
 which our Lord gives againd thefe Sins : (a) Take 
 heed, (ays he, lejl at any time your Hearts be overcharg- 
 ed with Surfeiting and Drunkennefs, and Jo that Day 
 come nponyou unawares. This may be underdood of a 
 fober and vigilant waiting for our Lord's coming to 
 Judgment: But it may likewife ferve very well .to ad- 
 monifh us of the great Change we mud all one 
 Day make. Since this Life is fo fhort and fo uncer- 
 tain, that we may be fnatched out of it with littlq 
 
 (a) Pfalmcyt, 15. (b) Luke xxi. 34. 
 
 or 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. i $$ 
 
 or no Warning, in what a ferious and fober 
 Frame of Mind ought we to preferve ourfelves 
 What a dreadful thing is it to confider the State 
 of the Drunkard, who is fometimcs hurried out 
 of the World in the midfl of a Debauch, but 
 can rarely be acquitted of Self-murder, if we 
 Jook at the Diftempers which he brings upon him- 
 felf, which commonly cut himofTmany Years before 
 his natural Life would have expired ? How mail he 
 be able to lift up his Face before his great Judge, 
 when he is called to give an Account of that pre- 
 cious Time which he hath fo prodigally waited, 
 thofe good Creatures of God which he hath fo 
 fhamefully abufed, that Reafon and Underftanding 
 which he hath fo ftrangely ftupified, and that Life 
 which he hath put an end to, before God's ap- 
 pointed time ? To fay nothing of the Part he hath 
 in the Sins of his Companions, by helping to bring 
 all thefe evils upon them as well as himfelf. Can 
 fuch a Wretch find any Grounds to hope, that 
 his brutifh Soul fhall ever tafle of the refined 
 Pleafures of a future State ? No, faith St. Paul, 
 (a) Be not deceived; Drunkards floall not inherit the 
 kingdom of God ; no more than other enormous 
 Sinners, in whofe Company he places them. But to 
 proceed : 
 
 There is, moreover, a Temperance to be obferved 
 in Sleep ; which when it exceeds the Space allowed to 
 neceffary Refrefhment, is very pernicious both to the 
 Body and Soul. Experience teaches us, That it cor- 
 rups the Blood, exhaufts the Spirits, waftes natural 
 Heat, and lays the Foundation of feveral Difeafes. 
 It weakens the Memory, clouds the Underftanding, 
 and invites the Tempter to debauch the Soul with 
 
 (a) i Cor, vi. to. 
 
 many 
 
1 84 The Sum of the Part II 
 
 many loofe and vicious Thoughts. Befides, it is an 
 utter Enemy to Bufinefs, and confequently an Impedi- 
 ment to Riches, Honours, and Advancement in the 
 World. On which Account the Sluggard is often 
 upbraided by Solomon, who fends him to the Ant to 
 learn Induflry, and forewarns him, that he will 
 fcarce have Rags left at laft to cover his drowfy Car- 
 cafs. 
 
 Since Sleep is the Image of Death , one would won- 
 der why any rational Man fhould indulge it : For eve* 
 ry Hour that we fpend in Sleep, may be taken out 
 of the account of Life ; fo that a Man who fleeps a 
 fourth Part of his Time, may be faid at threefcore 
 to have been dead fifteen Years of it. The Bed hav- 
 ing fo near a Refemblance to the Grave, it is pretty 
 hard to account how People come to be in Love with 
 it. It is more a vicious Habit which they contract, 
 than any NecefTity of Nature ; for thofe who accuf- 
 tom themfelves to Vigilance, and are withal tempe- 
 rate in other Things, find Nature fatisfied with a very 
 little Sleep. 
 
 Laftly, for Temperance in Apparel : Cleanlinefs is 
 commendable in all ; but the Gaiety and Fafhion of 
 it, is to be fuited to our Quality and Circumftances 
 in the World. It is great Arrogance for Perfons of 
 mean Birth and Fortune to vie with the Rich and No- 
 ble in this refpecl. The ufe of Cloathing, I ccnfels, 
 is not only to defend -.the Body from Coid and other 
 Injuries, but likewife to beautify and adorn it. As 
 IMan is Lord of all earthly Creatures, he may. law- 
 fully ufe them for Raiment, as weli as Food. How- 
 ever, we muft take heed that we value not ourfelves 
 too much upon thefe external, inanimate Things, 
 which fhall all perijb in the fifing, as the Apoftle obferves ; 
 And it cannot but humble us, to confider, that 
 Man's Want of Cloathing is the Effect and Confe- 
 
 quence 
 
Chap. V. Chriftian Religion. 1 8 5 
 
 quence of his Sin ; and therefore he mould not com- 
 mit the like Sin again ( I mean Pride ) in the Ufe 
 of it. 
 
 In (hort, Temperance is a Virtue which reftrains 
 all our unruly Appetites from Luxury and Ex- 
 cefs, and from the Vanities and Follies which our 
 Extravagance throws us into. It regulates our En- 
 joyments by the Rules of Nature and Reafon, and 
 dittinguifhes Men from Brutes, and Men of Senfe 
 and Wifdom from Fools, by making a right and pro- 
 fitable Ufe of their good Things. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Of RECREATIONS. 
 
 BY RECREATIONS we mean fuch 
 pleafant Exercifes and Entertainments, as are 
 proper to refrefh the Mind after it is tired with much 
 Study or ferious Bufinefs. 
 
 In the Ufe of Recreations, Two things are to be ob- 
 ferved, Firji, That, the Matter of them be lawful 
 and honed. Secondly, That we fpend not too much 
 time upon them. 
 
 Our firft Care then mult be, not to indulge any 
 Pleafure or Diverfion, which may impair our Health, 
 ftain our Reputation, difhonour the Office and Cha- 
 racter we bear in the World ; or which may give juft 
 Offence and Scandal to others, or prejudice them in 
 
 their 
 
1 86 7&?'Sum of the Part III. 
 
 their good Name, Eftate, or ntereft. Such Diverft«> 
 ons as thefe are very improperly called Recreations ; 
 the fhort and faife Pleafure they afford, can by no 
 means atone for the real Mifchief they do to us. In- 
 ftead of exhilarating and enlivening the Spirits, they 
 call: a damp upon them, and leave a Sting and Re- 
 morfe behind them. Even in Laughter, the Heart is 
 forrowful; and the End of that Mirth is Heavinefs. 
 The great Seducer of Mankind conceals his Hook in 
 gilded Baits, and deludes his Votaries with fome pre- 
 fent lhort-lived Gratifications, into great and lading 
 Miferies. Thus it is in all Sorts of Intemperance and 
 Excefs ; the delicious Morfels which were fo fweet to 
 the Palate, turn to Gall and Choler in the Stomach ; 
 and the Spirits which fly out in extravagant Mirth, 
 leave a melancholy Faintnefs and Dejection of Mind. 
 Or if the Heat and Vigour of Youth, mould prove 
 lefs fenfible of fuch pernicious Effects which attend a 
 voluptuous Life, yet they will be fadly felt and remem- 
 bered in the Infirmities of old Age ; which were 
 enough, one would think, to deter any rational 
 Creature from plunging into Exceffcs fo rafhly as ma- 
 ny do ; Since, in the Judgment of an excellent (a) 
 Perfon, he that eats and drinks fo as to bring the 
 Cout or Stone upon him, though a great while hence, 
 unmans himfelf, and acts as a Bead. But befides the 
 Pains of the Body, in what fad and bitter Reflections 
 do all unlawful Enjoyments end ? how faft do their 
 Dregs (lick to the Soul, .corrupting and poifoning the 
 whole Spirit and Genius, and fettling into the word 
 o£ Habits ? What a wretched and fhameful Character 
 is it, which we fometimes hear given of certain Per* 
 fons, That they were once very ingenious Men, 
 until they had drowned their Parts by immoderate 
 Drinking, or loft themfelves in a vain and idle Courfe 
 
 (a) Dr. Hammond, fee his Life fol. p 1 6. 
 
 of 
 
 t 
 
Chap. V. Chriftian Religion. 1 8? 
 
 of Life ? But I need not here infill much on the 
 ruinous Confequences of Excels, fince I have ipoken 
 of them under the Heads of Chaftity and Temperance. 
 Let me only inculcate what I hinted at before, That 
 we muft not divert ourfelves at the Expence of ano- 
 ther's Intereft or Welfare. There are fome Men 
 who have a ftrange unhappy Genius this Way * they 
 really delight in Mifchief, and never pleafe them- 
 felves fo well, as when they abufe and exafperate 
 other People. But if it be the worft Idea that we 
 can form of the Devil himfelf, that he rejoices in 
 the Vexations and Torments of Men, what Opinion 
 muft we have of thofe Wretches, who fet up for his 
 Executioners, and chufe that Part which is mod ac- 
 ceptable to him ? The Sport of thefe Madmen is, 
 to call Firebrands, Arrows, and Death. Deftruc- 
 tion and Unhappinefs is in their Ways, and the 
 Way of Peace have they not known. How much 
 then are another Sort of Perfons to be commended, 
 who are fo far from being pleafed with feeing others 
 abufed and tormented, that they will not fo much 
 as put the very Brutes to pain for their Sport and 
 Diverfion, but fhun and condemn fuch Pallimes, 
 (too much pra&ifed in this Nation) wherein they 
 are baited for the Entertainment of the Spectators. 
 
 Secondly, Our Recreations mull not be only law- 
 ful, bur moderate - 9 they muft not devour too much 
 of our precious Time. For what is the End of Re- 
 creation, but to refrefh our oppreffed Spirits, to un- 
 bend them awhile, and give them Reft, that we 
 may return to our Bufinels again, with renewed Vj- 
 gour and Application ? When we are thus revived, 
 we muft have fo much Command of ourfelves, as 
 to break off, and proceed with the Bufinefs of our 
 Profeffton ; other wife we thall ad as imprudent a 
 Part, as he who fhould be always doing fomething 
 to procure a good Appetite, but never mind to take 
 in folid Food, when his Stomach is fit to receive 
 
 O and 
 
1 88 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 and digeft it. God who hath fent us into the World, 
 to work while it is called To-day, will exaft an 
 Account of us, how we have employed our Time ; 
 and though he graciouily allows us fufficient for ne- 
 cefTary Refrelhment by Sleep in the Night, and fome 
 Eafe or Recreation in the Day; yet if we indulge 
 ourfeives fo much in any of thefe, as to hinder, 
 inftead of advancing our principal Defign, it is to 
 be feared our righteous Judge will fentence us, with 
 the Appellation of wicked and flothful Servants- at 
 the laft; Day. For certainly he deferves no better 
 a Character, who being in a State of Health and 
 Strength, fquanders away his Time in thofe Diver- 
 fions, which are the proper Entertainment of none 
 but fickly and infirm Conftitutions. 
 
 In the Choice of our Recreations we fhould do 
 well to prefer fuch, as are "not only lawful in their 
 own Nature, but likewife fafe in their Tendencies. 
 There are Games or Sports of feveral Sorts, which 
 for the matter of them are not finful ; but yet they 
 commonly prove the Gccafions of many grofs Enor- 
 mities, becaufe thofe who ufe them, grow too much 
 in Love with them ; they hazard too much on the 
 Chance of them, fo as to impoverifh their Families, 
 and deprive their Pofterity of the Inheritance they 
 were born to ; they pracYife the Arts of Cheating 
 and Lying, out of an immoderate Defire of Gain : 
 This leads them into Quarrels, which are attended 
 with Imprecations, Oaths and Biafphemies, and 
 lometimes with Bloodfhed and Lofs of Life. 
 
 For thefe Reafons, the wifer and better Sort of 
 Perfons are very fparing in the Ufe even of lawful 
 Games ; and chufe rather to divert themfelves with 
 friendly Vilits and innocent Converfation, or elfe to 
 exchange a more knotty and painful, for a more 
 eafy and plealant Kind of Study. Thus it is re- 
 ported 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 1 89 
 
 ported of Bifhop (a) Sander/on, that while he was 
 a Country Clergyman, when his Thoughts were ha- 
 rafled with any perplexed Studies, in which he was 
 much exercifed, he would divert himfelf with read- 
 ing Genealogies and Heraldry. And his very Re- 
 creation had made him fo perfect in them, that he 
 could in a very fhort Time give an Account of the 
 Defcent, Arms and Antiquity of any of the Nobi- 
 lity or Gentry of this Nation. Many others by thus 
 mixing Profit with their Pleafure, have much im- 
 proved and accomplished themfelves in their moll 
 leifure Hours. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 DUTIES Peculiar 
 To the R I C H, & c . 
 
 THOSE whom God hath been pleafed to blefs 
 with Plenty of all Things in this World, are 
 to take care, 1. That their RICHES be not 
 made the Inftruments of Vice and Sin. 2. That 
 they manage them fo as to be the Means of doing 
 much good in the World. 
 
 Firft, rich Men muft take heed that the Portion 
 of good Things God hath entrufled them with, be 
 not perverted to the Service of Sin and Satan, 
 
 (a) See bis Life by J. Walton. 
 
 O 2 There 
 
190 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 There are many pernicious Lulls which attend a 
 profperous and wealthy State. It is hard for a Man 
 to poiTefs much, and not to fet his Heart too much 
 upon it, not to be incumbered and diffracted with 
 worldly Cares and Bufinefs, fo as to neglect his bet- 
 ter Part, the Improvement of his (piritual Know- 
 ledge and Salvation of his Soul. Riches are apt to 
 extinguifh that lively Senfe we ought to have of our 
 continual Dependance on God ; to puff us up with 
 Pride, and perfuade us that we are felf-fufficient ; 
 they deaden our Zeal in Prayer, and choak the good 
 Seed of God's Word fown in our Hearts. They 
 ferve as Fuel to fenfual Affections, and carry de- 
 bauched Perfons through all their lewd Practices. 
 They make ambitious Spirits infolent and apt to 
 opprefs their Inferiors. It is lamentable to obferve 
 how many Perfons of high Birth and Fortune, efpe- 
 cially in their youthful Blood, break through all the 
 Laws of God and Man, in Confidence that their 
 own Power and Greatnefs will protect them. Not 
 only particular Families, but whole Nations and 
 Empires have been ruined by too much Profperity 
 and Plenty. Thus it fared with the ancient State 
 of Rome. While Hannibal and the Carthaginian Ar- 
 my hung over them like a Temped, and kept them 
 in Fear, they were eminently ftrict in the Practice 
 of Religion and Virtue. But when the Roman Arms 
 prevailed againft Carthage, fo far as to have it in- 
 tirely at their Difpofal, fome of their moft prudent 
 Counfellors declared againft the utter Excifion of it, 
 fearing that the Bridle being once taken off, the 
 Roman People would rufh into all Manner of vicious 
 andf impious Courfes ; as indeed, upon the Removal 
 of this Reftrairit,. they quickly did. And the fame 
 Thing hath happened in Chrijlian, as before in 
 Pagan Rome. Its gro'fs Errors and Corruptions have 
 grown up when the Storms of Perfecution were 
 blown over, and a long Tranquillity and Sunfhine 
 
 of 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 191 
 
 of Profperity fucceeded. And may we not fetch a 
 like Indance from the People of Ifrael, when thofe 
 Thorns in their Sides, the old Inhabitants of Canaan 
 were quite extirpated ? How did their Fulnefs and 
 Security make them forget their Almighty Deliverer 
 and Benefactor ? Notwithdanding that folemn Pre- 
 caution given them by Mofes, (a) IVhen thou haft 
 eaten and art full, and haft built goodly Houfes and 
 dwelt therein : and when thy Herds and thy Flocks 
 multiply, and thy Silver and thy Gold, and all that 
 thou haft is multiplied : then beware that thou forget 
 not the Lord thy God ; and fay in thine Heart, My 
 Power, and the Might of mine Hand hath gotten me 
 this Wealth. And thus I might proceed to the End 
 of the Prophets, and thence to the Evangelids and 
 Apodles, in all which we find this Leflbn conflantly 
 inculcated, That we muft not fet our Hearts upon 
 Riches ; that they are apt to alienate our Affections 
 from God, and make it hard for us to enter into 
 the Kingdom of Heaven ; that we cannot ferve God 
 and Mammon ; that if any Man love the World, 
 the Love of the Father is not in him : With much 
 more to the fame Purpofe, intimating how dange- 
 rous an eafy and plentiful Eftate is to our fpiritual 
 Welfare. I fhall only add the modern Cenfure of 
 that judicious Divine (b) Dr. Hammond, who living to 
 fee the Ruin of Monarchy and Epifcopacy in this 
 Nation, and heartily wifhing they might both be 
 reftored, yet obferved withal, " That Perfecution 
 V was generally the happieft State of the Church ; 
 " that (he then grew failed, when (he was pruned 
 " mod. That all Kind of Profperity, even that 
 " which we think we can mod juftify, the flourifh- 
 <c ing of a Church and Monarchy, is treacherous and. 
 (t dangerous ; and nothing fo intirely fafe and whole- 
 
 (a) Deut. viii. 1 1, (b) See his Life Fol. p. 28- 
 
 O 3 " fome, 
 
192 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 " iome, as to be continued under God's Difciplines. 
 " That thofe who are not bettered by fuch Methods, 
 " would certainly be intoxicated and deftroyed by 
 " the pleafanter Draughts." 
 
 The Folly of many rich Men is prodigious, in 
 that they efteem their tVealth as the greateft of 
 Bleflings. They flick at nothing, fo they may but 
 add to their Heaps. Jf they have any God, it is 
 the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, who commands 
 their Obedience againft, all the Laws of Piety and 
 Virtue. When the rapacious Pharifees heard our 
 bleffed Lord preach againft Covetoufnefs, they de- 
 rided him. But, alas ! Multitudes who by Baprifm 
 were made his Difciples, do the fame every Day. 
 They defpife thofe Doflnnes which recommend Spi- 
 ritual above Temporal good Things, and reprefent 
 Earth as nothing in comparifon of Heaven. They 
 think it fome leffening of their Greatnefs to fubmit 
 to the Rules of Religion, and betray any Fear of 
 God. And yet without his Love and Favour, how 
 empty are all their Riches ? They cannot deliver 
 them from the Hands of their Enemies, nor give 
 them a Body free from Difeafes and Pains, nor re- 
 leafe the Mind from guilty Fears, and importunate 
 Lufts and Paflions, which are the Bane of all out- 
 ward Enjoyments. Indeed, if we confider Things 
 aright, we (hall find, that Riches are but an Ad- 
 junct, not the prime, fundamental Caufe of worldly 
 Happinefs. There mull be Mens fana in corpore 
 fanOy a good Confcience and a found Conftitution, 
 before a Man can have a true Reliih of any Thing 
 he enjoys. But before all thefe, we muft endeavour 
 to make God gracious and favourable to us, and 
 then we may be happy, though denied the good 
 Things of this Life, • or deprived of them by the 
 various Changes and Accidents which daily happen 
 in the World. 
 
 The 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 193 
 
 The only Advantage which the rich Man hath 
 above the Poor, is, the good Ufe he makes of his 
 Riches ; not in taking his Fill of fenfual Pieafures, 
 and exalting himfelf like the unjuft Judge in the 
 Gofpel, above the Laws of God and Man ; but in 
 procuring, as much as in him lies, the Welfare of 
 all Men, beginning with his own Family, and form- 
 ing all fuch as are under his Charge, to the beft 
 Principles of Religion and Virtue. And here I can- 
 not but with Grief obferve, how unfortunate our 
 Nation too commonly is, in young Gentlemen of 
 good Quality and Fortune, who inftead of being an 
 Honour, are a Reproach and Blemifh to the Place 
 they fill ; who glory in their Shame, and are odious 
 Examples of Vice and Lewdnefs. This cads a fe- 
 vere, but juft Reflection on the Management of their 
 Parents, who did not take care to have their tender 
 Years feafoned with right Notions of God and Reli- 
 gion t but ventured them abroad in the World, with- 
 out the fovereign Antidote of wholefome Inilruiftions 
 againft the Infection of wicked Men. Surely if 
 thefe Parents had any Love, I will not fay for the 
 Souls, but the Bodies and Eftates of their Children, 
 they would take care to educate them in fuch vir- 
 tuous Rules, as might, in all Probability, reftrain 
 them from Gaming, Intemperance, Uncleannefs, and 
 other Vices ; for the Principles of Religion will teach 
 Men to debar themfelves from many expenfive 
 Vices, and fo by this Means fave a great Part of 
 their Eftates, and likewile preferve their Bodies from 
 thofe Difeafes which are the necefTary Effects of De- 
 bauchery, and cut them off in the Strength and 
 Flower of their Age. I fliall hardly be allowed to 
 urge the Wounds, and Stains which Vice leaves upon 
 the facred Character of Honour. Yet Books of He- 
 raldry will inform us, that as Coats of Arms were 
 at firft obtained by fome brave and virtuous Action, 
 fo in thofe befl Times, they were liable to forfeiture 
 
 O4 by 
 
194 ?% e Sum of the Part III 
 
 by a profligate Life. Ob fcelera & vita turpitudi- 
 nem honeftee Nobilitatis decore privetur, fays the Law, 
 quia nulla fine honejlate Nobihtas. But the Degene- 
 racy of later Ages hath in a great meafure fuper- 
 feded fuch good Laws, and left Honour in Conjunc- 
 tion with the mofl odious Vices. 
 
 However, a plentiful Eftate meeting with a truly 
 great and virtuous Soul, affords extraordinary Op- 
 portunities of doing Service both to God and Man, 
 which is the fecond Thing that every rich Per/on is 
 to propofe to himfelf. Is a Man's Lot fallen in a 
 fair Ground ? Hath he a goodly Heritage ? Doth his 
 Cup overflow with the Oil of Joy and Gladnefs ? 
 Is his Station in the high Places of Honour and 
 Power ? What a large Field -hath he of Praifes and 
 Thankfgivings to the King of Kings, and Lord of 
 Lords, whofe Hand difpenfeth the Bleflings of this 
 Life, taking them from one, and giving them to 
 another! who is pleafed to make him one of his 
 principal Stewards, intrufling him with the greatefl 
 Number of Talents, and thereby giving him an 
 Opportunity to purchafe to himfelf an exceeding 
 great Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven. How 
 much is it in his Power to advance true Religion 
 and Virtue in the World, by heartily embracing 
 them himfelf, and thereby recommending them to 
 others who are under his Influence, and will be de- 
 termined in their Practice by his Example ! What 
 a glorious Inftrument may he be in God's Hands, 
 of difpeniing Bleflings of all Sorts' round about him, 
 by imparting fome of his Goods to feed the Hungry, 
 cloath the Naked, ranfome the Prifoner, and encou- 
 rage every pious and ufeful Defign ! How happily 
 may his Sagacity defeat the Wiles of fraudulent 
 and malicious Men, and maintain the Caufe of de- 
 fencelels Innocence againfl: the mighty Oppreflbr ! 
 Indeed there is. no outward Calamity we can think 
 
 of, 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 195 
 
 of, but Wealth and Power in the Hands of a good 
 Man, will adminifter Relief to it. But then with 
 regard to himfelf, the great Man hath Opportunities 
 to Uluftrate thofe Virtues which can hardly appear 
 in a low Fortune. In the midft of the Ornaments 
 and Enfigns of Honour, to be Meek and Conde- 
 fcending ; in Crowds of Flatterers and Admirers, 
 not to think of bimfelf more highly than he ought to 
 think ; to be temperate at a Table which abounds 
 with the moft powerful Temptations to Luxury, and 
 Chafte and Modeft where no Opportunities are want- 
 ing to be otherwife : Thefe are Virtues which merit 
 the Praife and Admiration of all Men, and give him 
 a near Refemblance to the Author and Fountain of 
 ali Goodnefs. 
 
 Let but rich Men thus endeavour to make them- 
 felves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, 
 by expending it in fuch a Way as may provide 
 them Bags which wax not old, a Treafure in the 
 Heavens. Let them ufe this World as not abufing 
 it, confidering that the Famion of it paffeth away, 
 and that in a (hort Time they muft pofTefs no more 
 of it, than the pooreft Beggar. Let them remem- 
 ber, That how high foever they may be in the 
 World, yet they are always in the View of that 
 glorious Being who is exalted infinitely more above 
 them, than they are above the meaneft of their Bre- 
 thren : And that, however they may abound in all 
 Things, they have nothing but what they received 
 from him, who fees how they employ it, and will 
 reckon with them for it ; and though he is no Re- 
 fpecter of Perlons, yet he is a ftricl Obferver of eve- 
 ry Man's Works ; according to the Goodnefs and 
 Greatnefs of which, he will proportion his everlaft- 
 ing Rewards. If rich Men would but act agreeably 
 to thefe Confiderations, they would not fuffer their 
 Advancements and Grandeur to minifter to their 
 
 Pride 
 
196 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 Pride and Vain-glory ; and they might, with him 
 who had well improved the greateft Number of 
 Talents, obtain the firft and higheft Places in the 
 heavenly Kingdom of their LORD. 
 
 (a) Set then your Affections on Things above, not 
 on Things on the Earth. Mortify therefore your Mem- 
 bers, &c inordinate Affeflions, evil Concupifcence, 
 and Covetoufnefs, which is Idolatry, (b) The rich 
 Man /aid to his Soul, Thou hajl much Goods, laid 
 up for many Tears -, take thine Eafe, eat, drink, and 
 be merry : But God /aid unto him, Thou Fool ! this 
 Night thy Soul Jhall be required of thee ; then whofe 
 Jball thofe Things be, which thou haft provided ? 
 So is he who layeth up Treafure for himfelf, and is 
 not rich towards God. (c) But thou, O Man ! flee 
 thefe Things. Charge them who be rich in this World, 
 That they be not High-minded, nor Truft in uncer- 
 tain Riches, but in the Living GOD; who giveth 
 all Things richly to enjoy, that they do good, that they 
 be rich in good Works, ready to diftribute, laying up 
 for themfelves a good Foundation againjl the Time to 
 come, that they may lay hold on eternal Life. 
 
 (a) Col. iii. 2. 5. (h) Luke xii'. 19, 20. (c) 1 Tim. vi. 6. 
 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 197 
 
 D U T I E 
 
 Proper to the POORER Sort. 
 
 AS for the Poorer Sort of People, they are repre- 
 fented by the Servant who was intruded with 
 one Talent ; and in him they may learn, that the 
 fmallnefs of their Truft, will not excufe their Neglect 
 of it, but they fhall be ftrictly accountable for that 
 common Capacity with which God hath endued them, 
 the Faith of Jefus CbriJ}, whereunto he hath called 
 them, and the Opportunities he affords them to im- 
 prove the Gifts of Nature and Grace, by the publick 
 Miniftry, as well as by religious Converfation, Read- 
 ing or hearing in Private. To thofe who mud live 
 by the Sweat of their Brows, and the Labour of 
 their Hands, God hath given fix Days in feven for 
 the Exercife of their ordinary Callings; referving but 
 one of this Number to himfelf, called therefore the 
 LORD's DAY; which is the Weekly return of 
 their publick Worfhip, when they muff, wholly lay 
 afide their worldly Affairs, and apply themfelves feri- 
 oufly to the Care and Concern of a better Life. Not 
 that they are fuppofed to live without God in all 
 their Thoughts all the reft of their Days. What 
 Man living is there but may fpare a quarter of an 
 Hour at a time, or fome thing more, every Morn- 
 ing and Evening, to confefs his Sins to God, to 
 praife him for his Mercies, and to implore his 
 Gracious and Fatherly Protection from all Dangers 
 
 Ghoftly 
 
198 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 Ghoftly and Bodily? Who can want time to invo- 
 cate the Blefling of God upon his bodily Food, 
 as often as he receives it, and to render him Praife 
 and Thanks for the fame ? How many Hours in 
 a Week are commonly fquandered away by the 
 moil indigent and laborious Perfons, either in 
 downright Inactivity, or vain, unprofitable Dif- 
 courfe ? and can they want Leifure to lift up their 
 Hearts to God in Prayer, and devout Meditations 
 and Conferences ? However they may delude them- 
 felves and the World with fuch Pretences, yet the 
 Searcher of Hearts will not be fo deceived : He knows 
 tbeir downfitting, and their uprijing, and underjtands all 
 their ways ; and how much room they have for 
 fpiritual Things, even in the Courfe of their daily 
 Life, {a) Thefe Words, faith he, which I command 
 tbee f /ball be in thine Heart, ' and thou /halt teach them 
 diligently unto thy Children, and Jhalt talk of them when 
 tbou Jittejl in thine Houfe, and when thou walked by the 
 IVay^ and when thou liejl down, and thou rifejl up. 
 Were the common People among the yews obliged to 
 this habitual Piety and Devotion, and can we think 
 that the Profeffors of a more excellent and refined 
 Way of Worfhip are more at Liberty to be carnally 
 minded ? Surely No -, St. Paul pronounces it as an 
 univerfal Truth, That to be carnally minded is Death •, 
 and therefore he requires all Chriftians to mortify 
 their carnal Lulls, and to fet their Affections on 
 things Above. And Chrift faith unto the People who 
 followed him for the Loaves : Labour not for the Meat 
 that peri/be! b, but for that Meat 'which enduretb. unto 
 everlajling Life. 
 
 Wc cannot confider the Character of a true Chrif- 
 tian Spirit, but we muft fadly bewail the Degeneracy 
 of the Vulgar at this Day, and the monflrous Growth 
 
 (a) Dent. vi. 6. 
 
 of 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 199 
 
 of thofe Vices which are a flat Contradiction to it. 
 Thins are come to that pafs, that he is efteemed a 
 very good Man, who hath kept the negative Part of 
 the Commandments ; if he hath not robbed or defraud- 
 ed his Neighbour ; if he be free from thofe mean Vi- 
 ces of Drunkennefs, prophane Swearing and Curfmg, 
 obfcene and filthy Difcourfe, which though they 
 fink Men as low as the Brutes, yet are they fo 
 common among the lowed Rank of Men, that they 
 hardly take them to be any Faults at all j nay, fome- 
 times they are fo infatuated, as to glory and pride 
 themfelves in them, as if they were rare and valuable 
 Accomplilhments. 
 
 Indeed it is Pity, fince the divine Judgments due 
 to thefe Sins are not commonly executed in this 
 World, there are not more fevere and frequent In- 
 fli&ions of thofe Temporal Punifhments enacted by 
 the Civil Authority. If they could not in Time 
 change the Hearts of Men, they would at leaft re- 
 ftrain them from wounding religious Ears with their 
 outrageous Tongues, and from encouraging the 
 younger Sort by their lewd Examples to run with 
 them into the fame ExcelTes of Riot. And if to 
 the due Execution of thefe Laws, were added the 
 voluntary, unanimous Refolution of thofe who keep 
 domeftic Servants, and employ Labourers, not to 
 entertain any in their Bufinefs, who after fufficient 
 Admonition, fhould prefumptuoufly offend in any of 
 the aforefaid Refpects, we might then hope to fee a 
 People more worthy of the Chriftian Name, and be 
 lefs apprehenfive of thofe publick Judgments, and 
 that fiery Indignation which we juftly fear ihould 
 break forth upon a finful Nation. 
 
 It is a deplorable Argument of the Decay of 
 Chriftian Faith amongft Men, that the poorer Sort who 
 have little or no Hopes of enjoying the Happinefs of 
 this Life, are no more concerned for that which is to 
 come. To be miferable both in Soul and Body, to 
 
 be 
 
200 The Sum of the Part III. 
 
 be defpifed of Men and hated of God, is a Condi- 
 tion fo forlorn and destitute, that we may well won- 
 der how any thinking Man can fupport himfelf under 
 it without Diffraction. But when the Poor in this 
 World are rich in Faith, when they look for an in- 
 heritance in the Kingdom of Heaven, and live fo as 
 to fecure to themfelves the Favour and Love of God, 
 then their afflicted, defpifed Condition cannot be irk- 
 fome to them, but rather a Sign that they are in the 
 ftraight Way and narrow Path that leadeth to ever- 
 lafting Life : then they will bear their Poverty, not 
 only with Patience but Chearfulnefs, and blefs God 
 for conforming them in this Refpect to the Image of 
 his Son Jefus Chrift, who though he was rich, yet 
 for our Sakes he became poor, and thereby hath 
 fanctified and honoured the low Eftate. 
 
 INFERENCES from the foregoing 
 CONSIDERATIONS; 
 
 With fome R U L E S for avoiding thofe SINS 
 we are moil inclined to. 
 
 HAVING now feen the infinite Concernment 
 of a fober and virtuous Life, with Refpect to 
 our W elfare in this World as well as the next : It re- 
 mains in the laft Place, to add fome neceffary Mo- 
 tives to arm ourfdves with unchangeable Refolutions 
 againft all the Temptations that may offer to pervert 
 us. 
 
 It is a fhameful Difparagement both of Faith and 
 Understanding, to accept of any Honour, Profit, or 
 
 Pleafure, 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 20 1 
 
 Pleafure, which this World can afford, as an Equi- 
 valent for our Intereff. in the Love of God, and that 
 heavenly Inheritance which he hath entailed on our 
 Obedience. Let the prefent Advantages be ever (b 
 great, if they are inconfiilent with any Part of our 
 Duty, we may reject them with this Anfwer, That 
 we fhall be unfpeakable Lofers by them. What 
 would it profit us to gain the Friendfhip of all Man- 
 kind, with the Forfeiture of the divine Favour ? To 
 fill our Houfes with Silver and Gold, and at the 
 fame Time to lay ourfelves under the heavy Curfe of 
 God's Wrath ? It was the melancholy Reflection of a 
 Prince's Favourite in Difgrace, that if he had been 
 as careful to pleafe his God, as he had been to 
 flatter and humour his Prince in his irregular Cour- 
 fes, he would not have forfaken him in his old Age. 
 No, God is infinitely more conftant that any Patron 
 on Earth ; and his Love and Favour is like his Be- 
 ing, everlafling. Mofes had a juft Senfe of this, 
 when he refufed to be called the Son of Pharaoh's 
 Daughter ; ejleeming the Reproach of Chrijl greater Rich- 
 es than the Treafures of Egypt : for he had Refpecl unto 
 the Recommence of Reward : That Reward which 
 would fhortly commence in immortal Glory ; and 
 therefore did infinitely out-weigh the fhort lived Plea- 
 fures of Sin on the one Hand, and the as fhort Suf- 
 ferings for a good Caufe on the other. This eafily 
 determines a wife Man in his Choice, and even an ill 
 Man in his Judgment. For Balaam who ferved for 
 the Wages of Unrighteoufnefs, yet wifhed his End 
 might be like one of the Servants of God, and that 
 he might die the Death of the Righteous. But the Re- 
 ward of refilling Temptation is not always deferred 
 to another Life : a great and victorious Virtue hath 
 been crowned even in this World. Had not Jofeph 
 been more afraid of finning againft God, than offend- 
 ing his wanton Miftrefs, he had never rifen out of his 
 VafTalage, to be Pharaol/s prime Minifter, and Lord 
 
 of 
 
202 The Sum of the Part III, 
 
 of all sEgypt' When any Temptation offers itfelf, let 
 us fay with him, How can I do this great fVickednefs ', 
 and Jin againjl God ? and with Solomon, My Son, if 
 Sinners entice thee, confent thou not. That which is tru- 
 ly honourable and virtuous (fays one of the Philofo- 
 phers) ftands its Ground ; it is Hill taking deeper 
 Root, and fpreading larger Branches ; but whatever 
 is befides the Principles of Confcience and Honefty, 
 is very apt to vanifh, and drops like BlofToms in the 
 Spring. An Obfervation fo very like that of the 
 Pfalmijl, that it is fit they mould be put together. (a) 
 1 have feen the Wicked in great Power, and fpreading 
 himfelf like a green Bay-Tree ; yet he paffed away, and y 
 h ! he was not : I fought him, but he could not be found. 
 Mark the perfecl Man, and behold the Upright : for the 
 End of that Man is Peace. 
 
 But it is not enough for us to make general Refo- 
 lutions againft Temptations : We muft like Men in a 
 befieged City, obferve where we are the weaker!:, and 
 employ our flron^eft forces about fuch Places. Thus 
 he who hath been guilty of ExcerTes in Drinking, 
 mould not venture himfelf into Company, which is 
 likely to run beyond the Bounds of Moderation. He 
 who is apt to be criminal in his Love of Women, 
 mould like Job, make a Covenant with his Eyes not 
 to look too much upon them. That Perfon's Virtue 
 is much to be fufpedled, who makes near approaches 
 to pleafing Temptations. Can a Man take Fire in 
 his Bofom, fays Solomon, and his Cloaths not be 
 burnt ? It is almorbas reafonable to hope that Fire 
 will not burn, as that a Man mall efcape innocent 
 from that Temptation which he is inclined to, if he 
 converfes freely with it. Men of uncommon Pru- 
 dence and Continence, have yet chofen to keep out 
 of the Influence of fuch alluring Objeds. When 
 
 (a) Pfal, xxxv li. 
 
 Ulyffes 
 
Chap. VII. Chriftian Religion. 203 
 
 Ulyjfes failed by the Sirens^ he ordered himfelf to oe 
 tied to the Mail, lvft he fhould be drawn away by 
 their Tinging. It is reported of Agefilaus the Lacedemo- 
 nian, that he refufed to falute a beautiful Maid that 
 was prefentcd to him ; and of Cyrus the Perfian, that 
 he would not fee Panthea, another fair Won an It is 
 no lefTening of any Man's Courage or Conduit, to 
 own himfelf not invincible. Indeed ail the Appetites 
 and Paflions of Man are implanted in him for very 
 good P.ea(bns ; and it is fit they fhould be moved 
 and wrought upon by their proper Objects. But when 
 the Laws of Morality and Religion, make the Appli- 
 cation of thole Objects unlawful ; then it is a 
 Point of Wifdom to keep at a diftance ; and our 
 daily Prayers teach it us ; Lead us not into Temp- 
 tation. 
 
 Finally, Examine yourfelf how far you have been 
 Active? as well as PalTive in Temptations ; in what Ca- 
 fes you have by Word or Example allured others to 
 Lull or Intemperance, excited them to blind Rage, 
 or hindered and difcouraged them from the Practice 
 of any Duty. And be as follicitous to bend them 
 the o her way, by (hewing them your own and their 
 Error, and inviting them to join with you in a fe- 
 rious Repentance ; that fo, however you have been 
 Partaker in their Sins, you may be acquitted from 
 bearing a Share in their Punifhment. 
 
 if 
 
 The End op the Third Part. 
 P 
 
, 
 
THE 
 
 ChriftiarPs Companion : 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 SUM 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Chriftian Religion. 
 
 PART IV. 
 
 CONTAINING OUR 
 
 DUTY 
 
 T O O U R 
 
 NEIGHBOUR. 
 
 -Thou Jbalt Love thy Neighbours Thy- 
 
 self. Matt. xxn. 39. 
 
 DUBLIN: 
 Printed for JOS. SHEP PARD, Bookf eller, in Skinner-Row. 
 
 M,DCC,LXIX, 
 
I jbMk. _a?^k. •$—«&• jbMhl jMbl 
 
 8 "*uj*- t^jt +-* "auF x*f § 
 
 OF OUR 
 
 DUTY 
 
 T O O U R 
 
 NEIGHBOUR. 
 
 PART IV. CHAP. I. 
 
 Some Confiderations previous to Marriage. 
 
 FF>8W5Kft EFORE I come to fpeak of the DU- 
 ^ j£ TIES of the MARRIED STATE, it 
 
 *p B %* may not be amifs to premife a Word 
 £^61^.$ or two of ADVICE to fuch as are yet 
 ■M* ®*-** Jingle^ and under Deliberations of chang- 
 ing their Condition. 
 
 I cannot begin better than with recommending to 
 them a ferious and frequent Perufal of the Office of 
 MATRIMONY in our Service-Book. For I think 
 it very prepofterous to engage in a folemn Covenant, 
 before you have well confidered what the Articles of 
 
 P 3 that 
 
208 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 that Covenant are. And if you allow thefe a due 
 Examination, you will be very careful what Sort of 
 Perfoii you chufe for your Confort. For upon this 
 Choice the Happinefs or Mifery of your future Life 
 depends. There is no putting off thefe Bonds at 
 Pleafure : When once the Knot is tyed, it is like 
 the Gordian Knot, which Alexander, after much 
 Trouble to untie it, at laft hewed in Pieces. It is 
 no otherwife to be diffolved but by the Knife of 
 Fate. And therefore, before you engage, it be- 
 hoves you to fee that you have an agreeable Yoke- 
 fellow. How to know this before-hand, is indeed 
 fomething difficult : Yet there are good Grounds to 
 hope well, if you advance by fair and regular Steps ; 
 of which I will fuggefl to you fome of the moll: 
 confiderable. 
 
 And firft, having begged of GOD to direct you 
 in this weighty Affair, refolve to make none the 
 Partner of your Bed and Fortune, who will not rea- 
 dily concur with you in his Worfhip. I know it is 
 common for Perfons of different Principles in Reli- 
 gion, to marry together : But certainly they are 
 more governed by carnal Motives, than by any Re- 
 gard to Truth and Unity ; and are either ignorant 
 or forgetful of the Laws both of the Old and New 
 Teflament, which exprefsly prohibit this. Mofes for- 
 bidding the People of Ifrael to have any Commerce 
 with the Canaanites, peremptorily reftrains them in 
 this : (a) Thou Jhalt not make Marriages with them : 
 Thy Daughter thou Jhalt not give unto his Son ; nor 
 his Daughter Jhalt thou take unto thy Son. For they 
 will turn away thy Sons from following me, that they 
 may ferve other Gods. And in Profpecl of the fame 
 fatal Coniequence, St. Paul commands the converted 
 
 (a) Deut. vii. 3. 
 
 Corinthians, 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 209 
 
 Corinthians, (a) Not to be unequally yoked with Un- 
 believers. Thus thefe prudent Law-givers would not 
 venture to make Profelytes of the Heathen, by mar- 
 rying their People with them. They were more 
 apprehenfive that the Wife might corrupt her Huf- 
 band, than the Hufband convert his Wife. And 
 they knew that at bed one principal End of con- 
 jugal Society would be defeated, which is, That 
 the married Perfons mould join together in their 
 Prayers, and mutually afTift each other in all divine 
 Offices, both public and private. 
 
 Next after Religion, the Parentage and Education 
 of the Perfon mould be regarded. For confidering 
 how many finful Propenfions there are in every one 
 of us, a prudent Perfon will be careful in this Cafe, 
 not to be joined to one, whofe natural Stock hath 
 been improved by corrupt Examples. A polluted 
 Fountain cannot fend forth pure Streams ; neither, 
 as our Lord juftly reafons, do Men gather Grapes of 
 Thorns, or Figs of Thirties. Children are very apt 
 to imitate the Manners of their Parents, not only by 
 a Communication of Natures, and the early Pre- 
 pofleflions of their tender Minds, but likewife upon 
 the Authority of their Example. And though we 
 do -not by any Means own the Diftinctions of Virtue 
 and Vice to be founded in Education, yet the Incli- 
 nations to them moll; certainly are, and that fo 
 ftrongly, that oftentimes the cleared Convi&ions and 
 united Forces of Religion and Intereft, can never 
 eradicate them. Hence we fee fome Vices as here- 
 ditary in Families, as their Eflates and Honours. 
 
 Thirdly, In Matters of Eftate and Fortune, the 
 Candidates of Matrimony mould be fo far from pro- 
 mifing more than can be performed; that on the 
 
 (a) z Cor. vi. 14. 
 
 P 4 contrary, 
 
210 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 contrary, I would advife them to reprefent their 
 Circumftances rather meaner than what they really 
 are. Whatever exceeds Expectation after Marriage, 
 will prove a new lncreale of Love and Satisfaction. 
 Whereas to procure one's Fortune to be over-rated 
 by common Fame, and infnare others with it, may 
 prove at laft the worft of Injuries. For a Man 
 may not only deferve, but have real Occafion for 
 that Portion of Money he depends on •, and to be 
 difappointed of it, may cad him into fuch Straits, 
 as finally (hall ruin his Credit and Dealings in the 
 World. 
 
 But fuppofe the Miftake mould not prove quite 
 fo deftruclive ; yet why mull Lovers lye at the 
 Catch one for another, and be brought together by 
 Cheat and Impofture ? Why muft a Woman's Por- 
 tion be wrapt up in the Clouds, and made fuch an 
 unfpeakable Secret and Myftery ? Is it becaufe (he 
 doubts her perfonal Accomplifhments will not fuffi- 
 ciently recommend her ? Alas ! he that courts the 
 Fortune, rather than the Owner of it, will cool in 
 his Affections proportionably as that waftes ; and if 
 it prove confiderably lefs than was given out, nothing 
 but Reproaches and ill Ufage muft be expected from 
 his exafperated Spirit, 
 
 The like Fraud is no lefs criminal on the Man's 
 Side, who knowing his Circumftances to be defpe- 
 rate, yet upon the Credit of his Eftate or Stock, 
 obtains a confiderable Fortune by Marriage, which 
 he costumes in his old licentious Courfes, reducing 
 himfelf to Exile or a Prifon ; and his Wife and 
 Children (if (he prove a Mother) to the Want of 
 all Things at prefent, and the melancholy Profpect 
 of continuing for ever in the fame forlorn Con- 
 dition. 
 
 Farther •, A Man who underflands his Happinefs, 
 will not be fo fond of a great, as a good Fortune ; 
 
 I mean. 
 
Chap. I. Chriftian Religion. 2 1 1 
 
 I mean, what the Parents are juftly poiTefled of, 
 and can beftow upon their Child with a good Con- 
 fcience. For though the Daughter be ever fo in- 
 nocent, as to her own Perfon, yet if her Parents 
 endow her with the Fruits of their Fraud, Extor- 
 tion, or Oppreflion, there is Reafon to fear left it 
 fhould bring a Curfe with it, and infett the reft of 
 a Man's Subftance. The divine Sentence pafTed upon 
 fuch Riches, is, That they mail be confumed ; and 
 that while Parents are heaping up their unjuft Gains 
 for their Children, God lays up a Curfe for them : 
 And I doubt not but Observation will fully confirm 
 the Truth of this. 
 
 But after all, though Religion, Family, Education, 
 
 and Fortune mould prove very good, yet there are 
 
 fome Canonical Impediments which may make it 
 
 unlawful for a Couple to marry : as, a Pre-contradt, 
 
 or former Engagement of either Party to marry 
 
 another Perfon ; and certain Degrees of Kindred by 
 
 Blood or Affinity ; which, however you may be 
 
 perfuaded of in your own Mind, as to the Morality 
 
 of them, yet while the ecclejiaftical Law ftands as 
 
 it doth, they are not only Hindrances of Marriage, 
 
 but Grounds of its DifTolution, even after it is fo- 
 
 lemnized. Befides, one of the Parties, if married 
 
 by Licence, makes Oath, That there are none of 
 
 thefe Impediments in their Cafe; and the Minijler 
 
 who marries them, adjures them, as they will anfwer 
 
 it at the laft Day, to confefs, if they know of 
 
 any Impediment, why they may not lawfully be 
 
 joined together in Matrimony. And however they 
 
 may forbear to difcover it in Words, yet if they 
 
 ftifle Confcience when it cries out within them, 
 
 they muft not hope to profper in a Marriage, which 
 
 was obtained by prevaricating with GOD and 
 
 Man, 
 
 When 
 
2 1 2 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 When they find the Way clear from thefe Obftruc- 
 tions, if they are under the Power of Parents or 
 Guardians, they muft not prefume to difpofe of 
 themfelves in Marriage without their Advice and 
 Confent. This is fuppofed by the Church in that 
 Queftion, Who giveth this Woman to be married to this 
 Man? And then her Father or Friend takes her by 
 the Hand, and gives her to the Minifter, and the 
 IViinifter to the Bridegroom. Which though it be 
 done to all Women, yet was, I doubt not, intended 
 for fuch as have Parents or Guardians, to fhew, that 
 they cannot give away themfelves. And the Licence 
 fays exprefly, That without their Confent, thisjball 
 he no Licence. Indeed all Laws, not only of God and 
 Nations, but. of Nature itfelf, require this. A Man's 
 Daughter is certainly nearer to him than any of his 
 Goods i and therefore to infinuate with her, and (leal 
 firft her Affections, and then her Perfon, is the high- 
 eft Injury, and the word kind of Robbery. Other 
 Loffes are retrievable ; but this is a Damage which 
 can never be repaired. Nay, you are her greateib 
 Enemy, while you pretend to be her beil Friend : 
 You make her guilty of grievous Impiety againfl 
 God and her Parents, by drawing her to the laft 
 Acl of Difobedience, even to the breaking of their 
 Hearts, if they be very tender of her. Inftead of 
 their Company, and Rejoycings, and Bleflings at her 
 Wedding, (he is now carried from them by a clan- 
 destine Marriage, which commonly ends (by the juft 
 Judgment of God) in as much Sorrow to herfelf, as 
 it created -to them. The mod paffionate Lover often 
 proves but an unkind Hufband, and the Children 
 when grown up, take the fame Liberty to difpofe of 
 themfelves. 
 
 On the other Hand, where Children have been 
 merely paffive, and refigned themfelves to the Difpo- 
 fal of their Parents, their Marriage hath commonly 
 been very profperous ■> and there are two good Rea- 
 
 fons 
 
Chap. I. Chriflian Religion. 2 1 3 
 
 fonsforit: 1. That divine Benediction which is the 
 peculiar Portion of dutiful Children, beftowed on 
 them by him who can eafily make Hufband and 
 Wife amiable to each other, however they may ap- 
 pear to the reft of the World. 2. It is highly proba- 
 ble that Parents will make better Matches for their 
 Children, than they can themfelves ; becaufe Parents 
 act by Reafon : They have tryed the State already, 
 and know what makes it comfortable or otherwife ; 
 they will take Care of Circumftances, Temper, Re- 
 putation, and every thing that is requifite. Whereas 
 young Perfons are unexperienced, and more intent 
 upon Beauty, Gallantry, and an agreeable Converfa- 
 tion, by which they are diverted from thofe Things 
 which are more durable and efTential to a happy 
 Life. 
 
 Thefe are the Precautions which I had to offer, in 
 order to make a Wife an happy Choice in Mar~ 
 riage. I now proceed to confider the Duties of fuch 
 ns are already in that State. 
 
 m *-* «* 
 
 4- 
 
 Of 
 
214 %% e $ um °f f ^ e ^ art IV. 
 
 Of Relative DUTIES. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of HUSBANDS to their WIVES. 
 
 AS a Man fhould be cautious in cnufirig a 
 WIFE, fo he muft be conftant in loving her ; 
 and that not with a common Degree of Love, but as 
 his own Body, or as Chrift loveth his Church ; both 
 which Meafures of Love St. Paul inculcates in the 
 fifth Chapter of his Epiftle to the Efhefiam ; ob- 
 ferving in the one Inftance, That Cbrift gave him- 
 filfy that is, laid down his Life, for the Church ; and 
 in the other, That no Man ever ye! hated his own Flejb, 
 but nourijheth and cherifheih it> even as the Lord the 
 Church. Which fully proves that Conjugal Love is in- 
 difpenfably neceffary both by the Laws of Nature and 
 Religion. 
 
 And indeed, Experience teftifies, That no Marri- 
 age Duty can be well performed without Love. For 
 the Man having taken the Woman from her Friends 
 and Relations, and, by making her his Wife, acqui- 
 red a full Power and Authority over her Body and 
 Goods ; if this Power be tempered with Love, it 
 will degenerate into Tyranny, and the Woman is re- 
 duced to the word State of Slavery i a Slavery unca- 
 pable of the Benefit of Redemption, and not be ter- 
 minated by any thing but Death. But God and Na- 
 ture 
 
Chap. II. Chriftian Religion. 2r$ 
 
 ture have fo ordered it, that the Hufband cannot abufe 
 his Wife, but at the fame time he hurts and punifhes 
 himfelf. For his own Happinefs confifls in mutual 
 Returns of Love from his Wife. But what Pleafure 
 can he take in finding himfelf loved by her, if he hath 
 no juft Value and Efteem for her? What Fetters 
 muft the Bonds of Matrimony be to him, who is 
 daily fretted and galled by them, and forcibly held 
 to the Society of a Perfon, with whom he has unit' 
 ed in Affe&on ? This therefore is the firft and 
 main Ground of Conjugal Felicity, That Hujbands 
 love their Wives. 
 
 Now I take it for granted, That this Love was 
 begun, and the Flame of it fufficiently kindled be- 
 fore Marriage ; fo that the Man voluntarily binds 
 himfelf in the moft publrck Manner, and moft fa- 
 cred Terms, to leave all other Women for the fake 
 of this : To live with her, love her, comfort her, 
 honour and maintain her in every Condition and 
 State of Life. The Queftion is, By what means 
 thefe good Promifes may befl be performed, and 
 Love continued according to thefe Beginnings ? 
 
 I Anfwer ; Love is undoubtedly maintained by the 
 fame Refpe&s and Endearments which firft gave it 
 Life. If thefe fail, it is as natural for Love to pine 
 and fall into a Confumption, as it is for a Ship to 
 flacken its Courfe upon the falling of the Wind ; 
 or the Fire to decay when it is not fupplied with Fu- 
 el. One may juftly wonder at the high Profeflions 
 of Kindnefs Lovers ufually make to each other, and 
 the thin Harveft of. Performances afterwards : As if 
 the State of Matrimony were another World, and all 
 that entered into it, drank of the River Letbe, and 
 forgot whatever they had faid before. 
 
 Let but the Hujband carry the fame good Looks 
 towards his Wife, and fpeak to her in the fame en- 
 dearing Language, and be as ready to oblige her in 
 ali his Actions, as he was before Marriage, and he 
 
 wili 
 
2i6 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 will unquestionably maintain the Character of a lov- 
 ing and tender Hujband. He will then bear with her 
 Infirmities, kindly accept of all her good Offices, 
 and wifely encourage her in them, by giving her due 
 Praife and Commendations. He will not exact more 
 of her than fhe is able to perform, nor deny her 
 any reafonable and modeft Requeft, nor be too par- 
 fimonious and ftrait-handed. He will be far from 
 all Bitternefs, and not ufe any fharp Reproofs, but 
 upon very great and weighty Occafions. The Huf- 
 band, it mud be owned, hath an Authority over 
 his Wife, which he may exercife by Commands, 
 Reproofs, Inftruclions, Admonitions, as Need, (hall 
 require, {a) The Man is the Image and Glory of God : 
 He is the Head of his Wife, and the Governor of his 
 Family, and therefore any Neglect in him is very 
 difhonourable to God, and pernicious to thofe com- 
 mitted to his Charge, becaufe he hath none in his 
 Houfe who can over-rule him, and correct his Errors. 
 But he muft not treat his Wife as his Servant. Her 
 Inferiority is fuch as comes near to an Equality with 
 him, and makes it unreafonable for him to be im- 
 perious and lofty. He mult remember, that fhe is 
 his Yoke-fellow, and by the Laws and Confent of 
 all Countries, the Miftreis of the Houfe, th. Affairs 
 whereof are under her Direction and Management : 
 In which Province he muft fupport her by his Autho- 
 rity, and protect her againil the Inloience of Servants 5 
 treating her himfelf with fuch Refpect, and afT ring 
 her Right with fuch Strictnefs, as may make them in 
 awe of her. This St. Paul might have an Eye to, 
 when he faid, Giving Honour unto thy Wife, as unto 
 the weaker Veffel \ that the Weaknefs of her Sex may 
 be fet above Contempt, and fecured from Injuries 
 by the Honour and Efteem which her Hujband 
 pays her. 
 
 (a) l Cor. xi. 7. 
 
 It 
 
Chap. II. Chriftiari Religion. 217 
 
 It is a great Miftake in Hujbands to think their Su- 
 periority over their Wives cannot be maintained with- 
 out fupercilious Looks and imperious Language. 
 To be obeyed more out of Fear than Love, is the 
 Condition of a Tyrant, and is neither fafe nor plea- 
 fant. Much lefs can their Authority confift with a 
 licentious, profligate way of Living. A Hujband who 
 is addicted to Drunkennefs, or any kind of Lewdnefs 
 or Debauchery, muft become odious to his Wife, as 
 well as to the World, and (a) teach her an evil Lef- 
 fon againft himje/f, as one expreffes it, by opening 
 a Door to the like wicked Practices. So likewife 
 a peevifh and morofe Temper in the Hujband, fours 
 the Spirit of the Wife, and makes her odious and 
 diftaftcful in her Converfation. 
 
 If therefore the Hujband confults his own Eafe and 
 Comfort, he will not be too rigid a Cenfurer of his 
 Wife's Actions, nor apt to entertain Jealoufies and 
 Sufpicions of her ; nor by rafh and haity Exprelhons 
 provoke and offend her ; but with Mildnefs con- 
 vince her of her Error, rather intreating than com- 
 manding her, covering her Infirmities, and in no 
 Cafe ex 'ofing her to the Contempt and Reproach of 
 the World. 
 
 Thefe are fhort Hints of a Hujband\ Duty to- 
 wards his Wife. I will not meddie with the Laws 
 of the Marriage -Bed, which will not fail to be ob- 
 ferved under the Influence of true conjugal Affecti- 
 on. Indeed when thefe are once grofly violated, by 
 the Hi/jband^s withdrawing himfelf from the Bed of 
 his Wife, either out of Averfion to her, or for the 
 criminal Love of fome other of her Sex, the Bonds 
 of Marriage are in Effect diffolved, the Relation is 
 at an End, and the Terms of Hujband and IVije be- 
 come infignificant. 
 
 (a) Ecclus. ix. I. 
 
 DUTIES 
 
21 8 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 DUTIES of WIVES to their 
 HUSBANDS. 
 
 TH E Covenant which every Wife voluntarily 
 engages in to her Hujband, is, To obey him, 
 ferve him, love, honour, and keep him ; and, for- 
 faking all others, to keep only to him. Now this is 
 not a late Invention of the Church, as fome queru- 
 lous Perfons feem to fancy, but it appears that the 
 very End and Defign of the Woman's Creation was 
 for the Service of Man. (a) It is not good (faid God) 
 that Man Jbould be alone : I will make an Help meet for 
 bim. And afterwards he declares to the Woman her 
 Condition, in thefe Words : (b) Thy Defire fhall be 
 to thy Hujband, and be /ball rule over thee. Upon 
 which St. Paul grounds her Subjection, and injoins 
 her Obedience in feveral Places, particularly, Ephef. 
 v. 22. Wives, jubmit y our f elves unto pur own Huf 
 bands, as unto the Lord. For the Hujband is the Head 
 of the Wife, even as Chrijl is the Head of the Church, 
 therefore, as the Church is fubjecl unto Chrifi, Jo let 
 the Wives be to their own Hufbands in every Th'vg. 
 i Tim. ii. n, 12, 13, 14 Let the Woman learn in 
 Silence with all Subjection. But I fujfer not a Woman 
 io teach, nor to ufurp Authority over the Man, but to be 
 in Silence* For Adam was firjl formed, then Eve. 
 And Adam was not deceived, but the Woman being de- 
 ceived was in the Tranfgrejion. This Pre-eminence 
 
 (a) Gen. ii. 18. (h) Gen. iii. 16, 
 
 of 
 
Ghap. II. Chriftian Religion. 219 
 
 of the Man is requifite by the Laws of Nature, being 
 founded upon that Strength, Sufficiency and Ma- 
 jefty of the one Sex, and the Softnefs and Weakneis 
 of the other. 
 
 This being the plain Duty of the ffift, fhe muft 
 have an affectionate Love for, and due Eiteem jf 
 her Hufband, as the Root and Ground of her Sub- 
 miflion. No Honour or antecedent Dignity in the 
 Wife, no Superiority of Birth, Education, Fortune, 
 or Parts, can difcharge, her from Subjection to her 
 Hulband : Whatever Difadvantages may be in his 
 Condition, or Perfori, whatever his Infirmities, (not 
 depriving him of his Reafon) or Miflakes and Eirors 
 in Religion, there always lies an Obligation upon his 
 JVife, from the Laws of her Creation, from the Or- 
 dinance of God, and from her own folemn Vow in 
 Marriage, to love, honour, obey, and ferve him. 
 
 The Circumftances which muft attend the Perfor- 
 mance of thefe Duties, are. Complacency, Chearful- 
 nefs, Modcfty and Humility. The Wife muft re- 
 folve to be content with her Hufband's Fortune ; 
 which, if it be but narrow, fhe mutt be the more 
 frugal in the Management of it; and rather ftudy to 
 increafe it by her Diligence, than wafte it by Sloth- 
 fulnefs or Luxury in Diet or Apparel. Solomon's 
 Character of a good Wife, is, (a) That her Hufband's 
 Heart doth fafely triifi in her. She will do him good, 
 and not evil, all the Days of her Life. She rifeth while 
 it is yet Night, and greet h Meat to her Houflpold, by her 
 well ordering and improving every Thing to the beft 
 Advantage. She ft-udies ot her own Features, fo 
 much as the Beauty of her Family ; and her greaieft 
 Pleafure is, to fee a commendable Provifion of all 
 NecefTaries in. it. Moreover, as her Concerns are al- 
 together at Home, fo fhe will think it a modeft and 
 
 (<l) Prov. xxxi. 
 
 Q decent 
 
220 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 decent Thing to refrain from too frequent Vifits ; 
 and then, more efpecially, when her Hufband is ab- 
 fent ; raihcr delighring to cmplov herfelf in the Af- 
 fairs of her own Family, which is her peculiar Pro- 
 vince, than to interfere in r hofe of her Neighbours. 
 
 The Obedience of the. Wife is fhewn in a chearful 
 and ready Compliance with her Hufband 's Requef s ; 
 fhe takes Care that whatever he wants, be done for 
 him forthwith in the mod kind and obliging Manner. 
 If he expreffes his Diflike of any Thing, fhe en- 
 deavours to rectify it : If he agrees not to any Un- 
 dertaking of her's, fhe eafily defifts. Ail this fhe 
 doth with fuch agreeable Looks and becoming Lan- 
 guage, as makes her Hufband eafy in his own Mind, 
 honoured by all his Family and Friends about him ; 
 and herfelf efteemed as an affectionate and prudent 
 Wife, and a great BlefFing to her Hufband and Chil- 
 dren. 
 
 For a Woman to think that fhe lefTens herfelf by 
 this mild and fubmiflive Carriage, is a moft abfurd 
 and pernicious Imagination. Whether it be fuggeft- 
 ed to her by fbme falfe Friends and diffolute Com- 
 panions, or flow from her own Pride and Self-Con- 
 ceit, it does her infinite Mifchief, making her impe- 
 rious and perverfe, difrefpectful and froward to her 
 Hufband, whofe Affections are thereby alienated from 
 her, and the Family filled with Quarrels and Con- 
 tentions, and all Manner of Difbrder. Whereas the 
 mild, complying Wife governs while fhe fubmits, 
 winning the Heart of her Hufband by her gentle and 
 courteous. Behaviour, fb that he hath no Power to de- 
 ny her any reafonable Requeft. 
 
 If the Wife object againfl the Hufband's Com- 
 mands, as carrying but little Senfe or Reafon with 
 them, let her review the Rule of her Obedience, 
 which binds her to Subjection in every Thing ; that is, 
 in every Thing not contrary to God's Will, who put 
 her in this State of Subjection. The more irrational 
 
 and 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 221 
 
 and arbitrary his Demands are, the greater is the 
 Merit and Praife of her Obedience in complying 
 with them. In the Eaftern Countries, where warning 
 the Feet was a fervile Office, as we learn from the 
 Gofpel, yet the Wife was not exempted from it : We 
 are told that this was reckoned among the Services 
 dae from her to her Hufband. And fure fhe could 
 not think it too mean a Condefcenfion, after our Lord 
 had (looped fo low as to wafh the Feet of his own 
 Difciples. 
 
 As the Union between Hufband and Wife is the 
 ftri&eft that can be, they two being one Flefh, fo 
 their Interefts, Credit, and Reputation, are insepa- 
 rable : And therefore it is needlefs to caution the 
 Wife, that fhe carefully conceal the Infirmities of 
 her Hufband ; fince fhe cannot expofe him to the 
 World, without bringing a Shame and Reproach up- 
 on herfelf. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 DUTIES of PARENTS to their 
 CHILDREN. 
 
 THERE is nothing in the Decalogue, or fen 
 Commandments \ of any Duty which Parents 
 owe to their Children. Not that there is no fuch 
 Thing i but for Brevity's Sake, it is omitted, as be- 
 ing lefs neceffary to be enjoined, than that other of 
 Children to their Parents. For Parents have the 
 ftrongefl Arguments imaginable, natural Affection, 
 
 0^2 common 
 
222 The Sum of thh\ Part IV. 
 
 common Prudence, and the Fear of God, to incite 
 them to do all good Offices both to the Souls and Bo- 
 dies of their Children, who, by Reafon of their ten- 
 der Years, cannot take Care of themfelvcs. 
 
 The firfl Thing that Parents have to do, is, that 
 in Cafe the Mother be incapable of nurfing her own 
 Children, they provide a good Nurfe ; for it is an 
 undoubted Observation, that Infants fuck in the Dif- 
 tempers and ill Humours of unhealthful Nurfes. 
 
 When Children are grown up, it ought to be the 
 ferious Care both of Parents, and thofe who, at Bap- 
 tifm, take upon them the Charge and Office of Pa- 
 rents, who have bound themfelves by folemn Vows 
 in the Prefence of God and his Church, to fee that 
 thofe for whom they are Sureties, be inrtrucled in 
 all thofe Things which a Chriftian ought to know, 
 and believe for the Good of his Soul -, that they be 
 brought up to lead a Godly and Religious Life. Eve- 
 ry fuch Perfon doth, by the very Nature of the En- 
 grgement into which he enters, fay unto God, what 
 Judah faid unto Ifrael his Father, 1 will be Surety for 
 the Child ; of my Hand jhalt thou require htm ; // / 
 bring him not unto thee, and fet him before thee, let me 
 bear the Blame. 
 
 Becaufe Parents may be wanting in this Part of 
 their Duty, there are feveral Injunctions laid on 
 them, though not in the Second Table, yet in other 
 Places of Scripture, 'for the well educating and ma- 
 naging of their Children. The moft comprehenfive 
 is. that of the Apoftle, (a) Fathers, provoke not your 
 Children to Wrath ; but bring them up in the Nurture 
 and Admonition of the Lord. In which Words they 
 are directed with what Temper they ought to manage 
 their Children •, and in what Things to inftrucl them : 
 
 (a) Ephef. vi. 4. 
 
 Which 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 223 
 
 Which two Rules well obferved, make up the Cha- 
 racter of good Parents. 
 
 As to the Temper of Parents in governing their 
 Children, there are two Extreams which they com- 
 monly run into ; Severity on the one Hand, and In- 
 dulgence on the other. 
 
 Children, it is commonly prefumed, are oftner 
 fpoiled by the Lenity and Fondnefs of their Parents, 
 than by a harfh and over-rigorous Difcipline. With 
 this ill Oeconomy God charges Eli the Prieft, that 
 {a) bis Sons made themf elves vile, and he refl rained them 
 not. Yet he reproved them with grave and ferious 
 Language, mewing them withal, the Danger of their 
 impious Courfes. Nay, my Sons : For it is no good 
 Report which I hear of you. Xe make the Lord's People 
 to tranfgrefs. If one Man fin againfl another, the fudge 
 Jhall judge him : But if a Man fin againfl the Lord, 
 who fhall entreat for him ? This, I am afraid, is 
 more than fome Chriftian Parents do for their Chil- 
 dren ; yet this did not acquit Eli, becaufe it did not 
 reform his Sons. They were hardened Men, vehe- 
 mently addicted to youthful Lulls, and not to be re- 
 claimed by the foft Reproofs of a mild, indulgent 
 Father. He fhould have animadverted on them with 
 the utmoft Indignation and Difpleafure, and have 
 made them fmart under all the Punifhments he could 
 inflict, either as a Parent, or High-Prieft, until he 
 had effectually reformed them, or removed them 
 from their facred Office. In Cafes of Hardnefs and 
 Obflinacy, Solomon, who perfectly underftood the Du- 
 ty of a Parent, advifes to ufe Severity. Foo/ifhnefs, 
 fays he, (b) is bound in. the Heart of a Child ; but 
 the Rod of Correal ion fhall drive it far from him. (c) 
 He that fpareth the Rod, hateth his Son : But he that 
 
 (a) 1 Sam. Hi. (b) Prov. xxii. 15. (c) Prov. xiii. 24 
 
 Q^3 lovetb 
 
224 2*6e Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 lovetb him, cbaftenetb him betimes, (a) Chajlen thy Son 
 while there is yet Hope ; and let not thy Soul /pare for 
 bis Crying. 
 
 Notwithstanding, Severity is not to be equally 
 ex< rcifed upon all Sorts of Children. That which 
 will not bend fome flubborn Spirits, will too much 
 opprefs and crufh others of a finer Frame. The 
 Temper and Difpofition of the Mind mud be flu- 
 died as carefully as that of the Body, and the Ap- 
 plications of Discipline and Correction, muft be like 
 that of Phyfick ; whereof a Dofe but ftrong enough 
 to carry off the noxious Humours of a robuft Con- 
 ftitution, would prey upon the Vitals, and deftroy 
 the very Life of a weak one. Some free and in- 
 genuous Natures there are, which never want a Spur, 
 but as foon as they underftand what their Parents 
 or Gove .rors require, they readily fet about it, and 
 are never better pleafed than when they perceive 
 they have Satisfied them. Now fuch Children as 
 thefe, if they happen to commit an Error, muft be 
 kindly and gently admonifhed of it, and fet right 
 again. 
 
 To exclaim at them in great Commotion, and 
 terrify them with pafiionate Trueatenings ; to quar- 
 rel at them, and reproach them for every Miftake ; 
 to be apt to ftrike them haftily, and in Anger • to 
 abound in Punifhments, and be very fparing of Re- 
 wards : This Kind of Nurture would ftrangely dis- 
 courage Children of a. traceable and generous Mind, 
 who ftudy nothing fo much as how to recommend 
 themfelves to the Favour of their Parents and Maf- 
 ters. This would make them defpair of ever being 
 able to pleafe, when they had endeavoured Co often, 
 and never found Acceptance. It would fully the 
 Brightnefs, and imbitter the Sweetnefs of their in- 
 
 (a) Prov. xix. 1 8. 
 
 nocent 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 225 
 
 nocent Souls ; it would fill them with Melancholy, 
 make them peevifh and ill-humoured, call a Damp 
 upon their virtuous Inclinations, caufe their Hearts 
 to fwell againft their Parents, and provoke them to 
 indecent, undutiful Language. In fhort, the unrea- 
 fonable Harfhnefs and Rigour of Parents, creates in 
 their tender Children an Averfion to thofe good 
 Things which they labour to inflill into them, when 
 they find that the Learning of them is made fuch 
 a bitter Talk, and intolerable Drudgery. 
 
 This then I conceive to be the Sum of the Patents 
 Duty with reference to the Nurture and Ufage of 
 their Children. As you muft not fuffer any Sin or 
 ill Manners to grow up with them, for want of 
 fufficient and feafonable Corrections ; fo take care 
 to make yourfelves in the general, eafy and agree- 
 able to your Children. Do not carry it towards 
 them with that habitual Spleen and Bitternefs, as 
 if you hated them, and efteemed them your great- 
 eft Burdens and Grievances ; for that is the Way 
 to make their Spirits rife againft you, and to render 
 their Behaviour towards you lefs reverent and en- 
 dearing, than what you expect and wifh to fee in 
 them. Do not teach them even good Things with 
 too much Acrimony and Violence j for that is the 
 Way to turn their Minds againft them, to be very 
 uneafy at the mentioning of them, and to dread 
 the Times when they are ufually called to an Ac- 
 count about them. Do not be too apt to teaze 
 them with the ungrateful Remembrance of their paft 
 Faults, or to ftrike them with furprizing Vehemency 
 and Wrath upon the immediate Commillion of any 
 wrong Thing ; or to bind heavy Talks and Burdens 
 upon them, and rarely encourage them with plea- 
 fing Looks, or kind Words and fuitable Rewards. 
 But let your Treatment of them be fuch as may 
 preferve and improve their good Temper, render 
 
 0.4 your 
 
226 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 your Commands delightful to them, and fully con- 
 vince them that all the Reftraints you lay upon them, 
 and Talks you injoin them, are indifpenfably necef- 
 fary for their good, and that you do in all Things 
 earneftly confu.lt the Welfare of their Souls and 
 Bodies. 
 
 Having thus far confidered the Conduct and Tem- 
 per to be ufed in the Education of Children, let us 
 next take a fhort View of the Things mod neceflary 
 for them to be inftructed in. 
 
 The firft Thing Children mould be taught, is the 
 Knowledge of God ; and that Knowledge is mod 
 eaiily infufed into them by the Reading and Hear- 
 ing of the Holy Scriptures. For no Books are more 
 intelligible than the practical Parts of thefe facred 
 Writings ; and no Hiflories more admirable and 
 delightful.' It is the Advice of a judicious and learn- 
 ed Father (and Reafon fubfcribes to the Goodnefs 
 of it) that- young Children fh- mid be acquainted 
 with theie divine Precepts and Hiftories, before pro- 
 phane Tales and Fable's are put into their Hands, 
 and imprinted on their tender Minds. 
 
 2- Let Children be conftantly inftru&ed in that 
 judicious, found, and truly chriltian Catecbifm, which 
 the Church hath provided for them. This is Milk 
 for Babes, even the fincere Milk of God's Word. 
 Here they are fure to meet with the great Funda- 
 mentals of Chriftianity, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, 
 the Commandments, and the Doctrine of the Two 
 Sacraments, explained without Multitude of Words 
 to burden 'the Memory, or Nicety of Senfe to per- 
 plex weak Understandings ■, but with (uch Brevity 
 and Clearnefs, as may form in yom g Children a 
 found Faith and religious Difpofuion, and confirm 
 them in the fame, when they grow up to riper 
 Years. 
 
 3- Tc » 
 
Ghap. HI. Chriftian Religion, 227 
 
 3. To this conftant Method of Catechizing, let 
 other Opportunities be added of inftillh g Piety into 
 Childrens Minds. Let the great and wonderful 
 Works of God be often inculcated upon them ; es- 
 pecially fuch remarkable Inftances of divine Pro- 
 vidence, as happen in their own Time. When there 
 are Wars, Famines, Conflagrations, or any grievous 
 Mortality, let Children be told, That thefe are the 
 Rods and Scourges with which God chaftifes the 
 Sins of Men. On the other Hand, when Health, 
 Peace and Plenty are reftored, or any other fignal 
 Blefling is granted, let them be taught to acknow- 
 ledge God the Author and Giver of all good Things, 
 and to render him Thanks and Praife for the 
 feme. 
 
 4. It is the Duty of Parents to train up their 
 Children in the Worfhip of God, both Public and 
 Private. To keep them to their Prayers Morning 
 and Evening, and to other Ads of Family Devo- 
 tion. To fee they pay a due Attention to the Ser- 
 vice of the Church ; for which purpofe they fhould 
 inftruCr. them, as foon as they are capable of Learn- 
 ing, how to ufe the Service-Book, and be ready to 
 turn to the feveral Parts of it ; directing them like- 
 wife how to behave themfelves, when to ftand, when 
 to kneel, and how to go through the whole Office 
 in the moft devout and reverent Manner. In Speak- 
 ing of facred Things, they fhouid accuftom them 
 to great Serioufnefs ; as, not to mention the Name 
 of God, or recite any PafTage of Holy Scripture, 
 but upon a grave 'Occalion - y never to utter any 
 Curfes or Imprecations ; to treat all Things relating 
 to Religion with a particular Veneration. 
 
 Parents ought to take more Care to get a Por- 
 tion for their Childrens Souls in Heaven, than to 
 make Provifion for their Bodies on Earth. If, as 
 St. Paul fays, a Man does not provide bodily Sufte- 
 pance for his own, or for thofe of his Houfe, he be 
 
 worfe 
 
2S8 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 worfe than an Infidel, how much worfe than an 
 Infidel muft he be, that does not relieve their fptri- 
 tual Wants, and fuffers his Family to neglect the 
 Salvation of their Souls ? 
 
 Do but obferve how many difobedient Children 
 are the Sorrow of their Parents : Which might ge- 
 nerally be prevented, if their tender Years were 
 well feafoned by early Infufions of Piety and Virtue. 
 This is the beft Method you can take to fecure the 
 Obedience and Tractablenefs of your Children -, for 
 notwithftanding the Obligations of Nature, the Du- 
 ties of mutual Relation ftand moll firm on the Prin- 
 ciples of Religion. 
 
 Laftly, Parents muft educate their Children in the 
 Duties of civil Life ; difpofing them to all the good 
 Offices of Juftice, Humanity, and Mercy. Tiiey 
 muft breed them up to fome honeft Employment, 
 and fortify their Minds againft Lying, Cheating, and 
 all Kinds of fraudulent Dealing, by (hewing them 
 how bafe, dangerous, and difpleafing to God fuch 
 wicked Practices are. They muft warn them againft 
 the Infection of ill Company, and the deftructive 
 Ways of Intemperance, Uncleannefs, and all irre- 
 gular and lawleis Living, by declaring to them the 
 Curfes and Judgments which God hath threatened 
 to fuch Children, and letting them fee to what 
 fhameful Ends others who have followed fuch Cour- 
 fes, have brought themfelves at laft. They muft 
 accuftom them to -.govern their Tongues, fo as <to 
 fpeak Evil of no Man, to refrain from Backbiting 
 and Slandering, and from fuch' provoking and fcur- 
 rilous Language, as begets Quarrels and Contents 
 ons. In fhort, to obferve all thofe Rules of Civility 
 and Honefty, whereby Love and Peace are main- 
 tained, and every Man fecured in the Privileges and 
 Refpects due to him. If Parents do not take Care 
 thus to regulate the Affections of their Children, 
 their vicious Defires and Propenfions will grow from 
 
 a fmall 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 229 
 
 a lmall Degree, to the greateft Extream : As for 
 Inftance, Courage foon grows into Anger, and then 
 Rage ; Frugality makes an eafy Progrefs to Cove-* 
 toufnefs, and finally centers in Miferablenefs, and 
 that Want which it would avoid ; There is a ready 
 Traniition fiom Benevolence and Generofity, to 
 Profufenefs and Extravagance - t from Religion not 
 built upon found Principles, to Superftition and 
 Enr.hufiafm ; from rational Hope, to Confidence, 
 Pride, Conceit, Vain-glory, and Prefumption, &c. 
 We mould therefore cultivate their Natures, and 
 make found Principles the Rule and Meafure of all 
 their Actions. For by letting the Reins of Govern- 
 ment hang loofe, Children will abandon themfelves 
 to the Sway of thofe Paflions, which they are molt 
 inclined to follow. 
 
 This is the Subftance of that Care which Parents y 
 or thofe who are in the Room of Parents, are oblig- 
 ed to take of young Children. In difcharging thefe 
 Duties, they may juftly hope, not only to reap the 
 Comfort of their Childrens Obedience, and filial 
 Affection and Ailiftance in any Wants, but likewife 
 to fill the Church with good Members, the State 
 with good Subjects, and all Societies and Profeffions 
 with good Matters and Servants. Hereby a Stop 
 would be put to that Deluge of Prophanenefs and 
 Irreligion amongft us, which is very much owing to 
 the ill Government of particular Families. For it 
 is in vain to hope for Reformation of Manners, 
 while domeftick Difcipline is fo much out of Order. 
 Magiftrates and Minilters, notwithstanding their Dili- 
 gence in their respective Offices,, can only lop the 
 Branches of fpreading Vice : It is the Bufinefs of 
 Parents and Heads of Families, to pluck it up by 
 the Roots, and put an End to it. And fince their 
 own Examples are not always the beft Directions, 
 they ought to be the more diligent in laying down 
 good Rules, and feeing them duly obferved ii their 
 
 Houfes. 
 
230 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 Houfes. This would in fome meafure atone for 
 their own perfonal Failings, and enable them to give 
 a good Account both to God and the World, of the 
 Perfons committed to their Charge. 
 
 DUTIES of CHILDREN to their 
 
 PARENTS, 
 
 IN the Front of the Second Table, which contains 
 our Duties towards our Neighbour, that Com- 
 mand is very properly placed, which obliges CHIL- 
 DREN to honour their PARENTS. Now Honour 
 is a Word of a very extenfive Signification, com- 
 prehending all thofe particular Ads ot Duty, that 
 Fear and Reverence, that Gratitude and Afliftance, 
 that gentle and tradable Spirit, which are mod ne- 
 celTary to the Support of Authority and good Go- 
 vernment. As to the outward Expreflions of this 
 Honour, they mud be determined by the Fafhion 
 and Cuflom of particular Countries. As among us, 
 Cbildrens Honour and Duty to their Parents, is ex- 
 preffed by Handing in their Prefence, uncovering 
 their Heads, craving their Bleffing upon their Knees -, 
 and, in general, by keeping Silence when their Pa- 
 rents fpeak to them -, by ufmg Terms of Refpect 
 and Deference when they have occafion to fpeak to 
 their Parents ; by waiting on them with all Readi- 
 nefs j by affifting and fuccouring them with all 
 Chearfulnefs, whenever they pleafe ro require, or 
 do really ftand in Need of the Service and good 
 Offiees of their Children. And one Thing J may 
 add,, becaufe it is a Fault to which Children are too 
 
 prone, 
 
Chap. III. Chriflian Religion. 231 
 
 prone, as thinking it to be no Sin ; and that is, 
 They are not to defraud their Parents, or take any 
 Thing without their exprefs Leave ; the Cenfure 
 which Solomon hath paffed upon fuch a Practice, is 
 enough, one would think, to deter them from it : 
 (a) fVhofo robbetb his Father or his Mother, and 
 faith, It is no Tranfgreffion, the fame is the Compa- 
 nion of a Dejiroyer. 
 
 Jn this Latitude is filial Honour and Obedience 
 explained by the facred Writers : By Mofes, (b) Te 
 fhall fear every Man his Father and his Mother. By 
 Solomon, (c) My Son, hear the Inflruftion of thy Fa- 
 ther, and forfake not the Law of thy Mother. By 
 the Son of Sirach, (d) Honour thy Father and Mo- 
 ther both in IVord and Deed. Help thy Father 
 
 m his Age, and grieve him not as long as he liveth. 
 And if his Underftanding fail, have Patience with 
 him, and defpife him not when thou art in thy full 
 Strength. By St. Paul, (e) Let Children learn to 
 fhew Piety at home, and requite their Parents, or ren- 
 der them fuitable Returns. With many more Paf- 
 fages to the like Purpofe. 
 
 The Arguments from Nature and Reafon which 
 inforce this Duty, are many and obvious. 
 
 1. From Parents it is that Children derive that 
 Life and Being, which is the Foundation of all the 
 Comforts, Pleafures, and Happinefs they are capa- 
 ble of enjoying. 
 
 2. To their Parents they owe their Preservation, 
 Maintenance and Protection in their moil helplefs 
 State. There is no Sort of living Creatures fo naked 
 and deftitute, and fo long before they come to help 
 themfelves, as we are ; as if God had thus ordered 
 it on purpofe to beget Endearments between us and 
 
 (a) Prou. xxvlif. 24. (b) Lev. ix. 3. (c) Prov. i. 8- 
 (d) Eccluf. iii. (e) 1 Tim. v. 4. 
 
 our 
 
2 $2 the Sum of the Part IV . 
 
 our Parents, that we fhould long require their Care 
 and Tendernefs towards us. 
 
 3. Befides the daily Cares and Fears for Children 
 in nurfing them, and bringing them up, Parents are 
 commonly at great Expences with them (and fuch 
 as they cannot always bear without Inconvenience to 
 themfelvcs) to provide Means for their future Sub- 
 fiftence throughout the whole Courfe of their Lives. 
 
 4. Children do not only partake with their Pa- 
 rents in all the Comforts of their Fortune, and Or- 
 naments of their Condition ; but they often receive 
 from them Provifions for their whole Name and 
 Pofterity : The Wealth which Parents have acquired, 
 uiualiy devolving upon their Children, and Childrens 
 Children. 
 
 To this we may add, That not only our tempo- 
 ral, but eternal Welfare too, depends much upon 
 the Care and good Inftructions of our Parents. If 
 we are brought up in the Nurture and Admonition 
 of the LORD, if we are fet right in the Way to 
 everlafting Happinefs, it is generally owing to their 
 pious Example or Difcipline. 
 
 From all this we may learn the Reafonablenefs of 
 the Duty here injoined, and what flrong Obligations 
 are upon Children to render to their Parents all 
 Love, Refpecl, and Oblervance in W r ord and Deed. 
 This all civilized Nations have been perfuaded of, 
 and by the Light of Nature and Reafon concluded, 
 That as Parents have the Companion raoft refem- 
 bling that of GOD towards their Children, as they 
 are the principal Inftruments by which God's Blef- 
 fings are conferred upon them ; fo they fhould be 
 efteemed as God's Reprefentatives, and as his molt 
 lively Images have a fpecial Veneration paid to 
 them. 
 
 The Reward and Blciling annexed to the pious 
 Difcharge of thir, Duty, is Length of Days, and con- 
 
 fequently 
 
Chap. III. Chriftian Religion. 233 
 
 fequently Health and Strength, Peace and Quiet- 
 nefs, with a competent Supply of Food and Ray- 
 ment, and all Things needful and convenient for 
 us ; for otherwife long Life would not be a Bleffing, 
 but a Burden and a Punifhment. 
 
 It deferves to be taken Notice of, That there is 
 a great Corgrnity between the Duty injoined, and 
 the Reward propounded ; that it is very fit thofe 
 who are grateful to the Authors (under God) of 
 their Life and Being, fhould enjoy that Life and 
 Being, long and well ; that thofe who love, honour, 
 and luccour their Parents, fhould have Joy, Honour, 
 and Comfort of their own Children ; that thofe who 
 have been accuflomed to Acts of Obedience and 
 Courtefy at home, fhould have a happy Genius in 
 pleafmg others, and by that means, win the Love 
 and Efteem, the good Wifhes and Suffrages of all 
 the belt. Part of Mankind ; and fo have unenvied 
 Favours and Preferments conferred upon them. Of 
 this we have many Examples in all Kinds of Hif- 
 tory, particularly in the Accounts which Holy Scrip- 
 ture gives of fuch good Men. 
 
 On the contrary, the Neglect and Contempt of 
 our Parents, hath always been reputed, next to 
 Atheifm and Blafphemy againft God, the mofl hei- 
 nous Sin that Children can be guilty of. And God, 
 who hath promifed his Bleffing to obedient Children^ 
 hath denounced a terrible Cuife to the Difobedient. 
 (a) Curfed be he that fetteth light by his Father or 
 his Mother, was one of the Anathema's proclaimed 
 upon Mount Ebal, and to which all the People were 
 to fay Amen. And the fame is folemnly publifhed 
 in our Churches once a Year, and is the Second in 
 the Catalogue of mofl heinous Offenders, to fhew 
 in what Company GOD and Man have thought fit 
 to place fuch Children. 
 " 
 
 (a) Deut. xxvii. 16 
 
 But 
 
But befides this Threatening of a Curfe, the di- 
 vine Law affigned a particular Punifhment to be in- 
 fli&ed upon uubborn, rebellious Children ; a Punifh- 
 ment no lefs than Death, and that Death of the 
 moft ignominious Kind, as being executed upon 
 Idolaters and Blafphemers, Death by (toning. This 
 Law we have at large, Deut. xxi. *8, &c. If a 
 Man have a ftubborn and rebellious Sbn, which will 
 not obey the Voice of his Father, or the Voice of his 
 Mother, and that when they have chaflened him, will 
 not hearken unto them : Then /hall his Father and his 
 Mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the 
 Elders of his City, and unto the Gate of his Place ; 
 And they Jhall fay unto the Elders of his dry ; This 
 our Son is Stubborn and Rebellious ; he will not obey 
 our Voice ; he is a Glutton and a Drunkard And all 
 the Men of his City fh all ft one him with Stones, that he 
 die : So fhalt thou put Evil away from among you j 
 and all Ifrael Jhall hear and fear. 
 
 I have but one Thing more to add ; That by 
 the Rule of Proportion, we may reduce to this Duty, 
 the Obligation we have to honour all thofe, who are 
 any ways beneficial to us, and do us- as kind Offices 
 as our natural Parents. Such are they who relieve, 
 protecl, or defend us ; they who provide for our 
 Education or Subfiftence by any honeft Employ- 
 ment ; they who watch over us for the Safety of 
 our Souls or Bodies : Such are Magiflrates and Go- 
 vernors in Church and State : Our Benefactors and 
 Patrons ; our Schoolmafters and Tutors ; our fpecial 
 Friends and faithful Counfellors. All thefe doing us 
 the Offices of Parents, in fome Refpe&s, are fo far 
 inutled to our filial Reverence and Qbfervance. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 235 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 DUTIES of MASTERS to 
 SERVANTS. 
 
 GO D, the fupreme L O R D of the whole Earth, 
 hath made one Man to differ from another in 
 Quality and Condition : He hath affigned to every 
 Man a certain Place and Station in the World, and 
 limited him by certain Rules, how to comport with 
 others that are above or below him, or upon the Le- 
 vel with himfelf : For which fee particularly, Epkef. 
 vi. And he hath appointed a Day wherein he will 
 convene all Mankind before his Tribunal, and as 
 their Great Mailer, reckon with them for what they 
 have done, and reward or punifh them according to 
 their Deferts, without any Refpeft of Perfons* 
 From whence it is evident* 
 
 1. That the Diftindlion of Mafters and Servants^ 
 is only temporary, a Matter of mere Oeconomy, for 
 the better ordering the Affairs of this Life ; but 
 wholly ceafes at Death, and extends not to a future 
 State. 
 
 z. That with Refpect to God, the fupreme Go- 
 vernor, Mafters are only Stewards in his Houfc, fet 
 over the reft of his Family, to provide for them, and 
 keep them in good Order, and fee that they do the 
 Will of their Mafter in Heaven ; being accountable 
 
 R to 
 
236 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 to him for their Stewardihip and Carriage toward 
 fuch as are under them. 
 
 This Confideration was, in antient Times, a great 
 Motive to Mailers to treat their Servants with Cle- 
 mency and Humanity, as we learn from the Profef- 
 fion of Job, to this Purpofe : (a) If I, fays he, de- 
 fpifed the Caufe of my Man-Servant, or my Maid-Ser- 
 vant, when they contended with me ; What then Jhall I 
 do when God rifeth up ? And when he vijiteth, what 
 Jhall I anfwer him ? Did not he that made me in the 
 Womb, make him ? And did not One fajhion us in the 
 Womb ? 
 
 If Majlers did but lay this Confideration to Heart, 
 That however in Regard of outward Government, 
 there is a Difference between them and their Servants, 
 yet, under God, they are all as Fellow-Servants, be- 
 ing all fubjecT; to him, and bound by him in mutual 
 Duties one to another ; this would effe&ually reftrain 
 them from all Acts of Inhumanity and lnfolence, 
 from all Injuftice and Oppreflion ; and mightily in- 
 cline them to Patience and Tendernefs, and not fo 
 much to gratify their own Humours and Paffions, as 
 to confult the Glory of their Mailer in Heaven, and 
 fee that his Will be done throughout their whole 
 Family. 
 
 In the firft Place, therefore, Majlers who would 
 have good Servants, mud endeavour to be good 
 Men themfelves, and fet good Examples by a reli- 
 gious and virtuous Converfation j particularly, by 
 praying Morning and Evening in their Families, and 
 reading good Books at all proper Seafons. It is not 
 for him to command ..others, who hath no Command 
 over himfelf. Governors may then with a good 
 Grace correct Vice in others, when they permit it 
 
 (a) Job. xxxi. 13. 
 
 not 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 237 
 
 not in themfelves : But how fhall a Man punifti the 
 Sins which he commits ? Quid verba audio, facia cum 
 videam ? It behoveth that the Rule be ftreight and 
 orderly; if you intend to bring Things to a Recti- 
 tude. Men (peak by their Actions, as well as by 
 their Words ; and their Practice hath a greater Influ- 
 ence upon others, than their Precepts. If the Beha- 
 viour of Majiers before their Servants, be light and 
 vain ; if they betray their Infirmities ; if they are 
 given to drinking, ("wearing, gaming, lewd Compa- 
 ny, or other Vices ; if they are too remifs and negli- 
 gent, either in the Duties of Religion^ of the Affairs 
 of their Calling ; if they fpend too much Time in 
 Sleep and Diverfions : In fhort, if they make their 
 Servants Accomplices with them in any unlawful 
 Thing ; it will be very contradictory for them to 
 complain of fuch Faults, or hope to redrefs them by 
 any Reproofs or Correction. By the Majler's, effec- 
 tual Influence upon Servants it will come to pafs, 
 that their \ctions will be interpreted his, it being 
 plain, that all who fet ill Examples, are anfwerable, 
 not only for their own perfonal Sins, but alfb for thofe 
 Sins, which others commit by their Pattern. The 
 evil Actions and Enormities of others fhall be attri- 
 buted to him, if he made them bad bv his Example : 
 This rauft needs lie very heavy on his Mind. On 
 the other Hand, their good Deeds will be imputed to 
 him, becaufe they were the Effect of his Authority. 
 And how joyful a Reflection muft. this needs be, 
 that the virtuous Actions of fo many Perfons are 
 efteemed his own ? It clearly follows then, that thofe 
 who prefide over others, are greatly concerned to 
 look to their own Lives. 
 
 As Majiers muft not infect their Servants by their 
 own ill Example, 'fo neither muft they fufFer them to 
 be infected by the wicked Converfation of others. 
 To this End, they muft endeavour to keep them 
 from falling into loofe Company, and contracting vici- 
 
 R a ous 
 
^3 8 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 ous Acquaintance when they go Abroad, efpecially 
 on the Lord's Day •, a Day appointed by God for the 
 Good of the Soul i but very often abufed by impro- 
 vident Servants, to the Ruin of their Souls and Bo- 
 dies. It is the Mq/ler's Duly then, to iee them at- 
 tend on the Service of the Church as diligently, as 
 they do on his Bufinefs in the Week-Days. They 
 may, perhaps, grudge at this ftrict Order for the 
 prelent ; but the Time will come, when they will 
 be very thankful to you for fuch Confinement ; in 
 the mean Time, God will blefs you in them, by giv- 
 ing them Grace to ferve you diligently and faithfully j 
 which you can never expect, if you do not take Care 
 to make them his Servants in the firft Place. 
 
 And that you may keep them to the Obfervance of 
 good Rules, you muft take Care to maintain your 
 Authority over them, by demeaning yourfelf with 
 the Dignity and Awe of a Majier, by keeping your 
 Servants at a reafonable Diftance, commanding them 
 nothing but what is juft and honeft ; and ftri&ly ex- 
 acting the Performance of fuch Commands. 
 
 This may bs done without exceffive Rigour and 
 Aufterity. St. Paul advifes Maflers to forbear Threa- 
 tening ; by which he doth not mean that they mould 
 never bend their Brows, nor menace refractory Ser- 
 vants with Punifhment j for Impunity is the Mother 
 of Licentioufnefs, and hardens wicked Perfons in 
 their Crimes : But he forbids them to be four and 
 morofe in their Looks, fo froward and perverfe with 
 their Tongues, that their Servants cannot tell what 
 they mean, nor know what will pleafe them. Or, 
 by forbearing threatening, Majlers are to underftand, 
 that when they have ..threatened Servants for their 
 Faults, they mould not be over hafty in their Punifh- 
 ment, but wait with fome Patience for their Amend- 
 ment, after the Example of their Heavenly Mattery 
 who, though he threatens Sinners, yet he is patient, 
 
 long- 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 239 
 
 long-fufFering, flow to Anger, and delights more in 
 remitting, than executing Judgments. 
 
 This condemns their Practice, who fall upr n their 
 Servants with vehement Rage and Fury, as if their 
 Life and Limbs were of no more Value than the 
 Brutes. God forefaw that fome Majlers would be 
 thus unmerciful in their Corrections • and therefore 
 he made a Law (a) to regulate the Number of 
 Stripes that were to be infli&ed on offending Ser- 
 vants. 
 
 However, there can be no Doubt but Correction 
 mult be ufed fometimes, and fo far proportioned to 
 the Greatn.fs and Aggravations of the Fault, as to 
 make the Offender fcnfible of it, and careful to avoid 
 it for the future. Both Reafon and Scripture require, 
 that the Servant who knew his Lord's Will, and did 
 it not, mould be beaten with many Stripes : But 
 he which knew not, and did commit Things wor- 
 thy of Stripes, fhould be beaten with few S:ripes. 
 There is a Servant, of whom Solomon ubferves, that 
 be will not be conefled by tVords, but is piefumptu- 
 ous and fclf- willed. And there is another, of an in- 
 genuous, modeft, and tradable Difpofidon, careful 
 in the main to pi ;afe \ who, if he happens to make 
 a falfe Step, he numbly confeiTes it, and ftudies by 
 future Diligence to make Amends f r it. Now a 
 Majler would ill acquit himfelf, if he fhould not 
 make a great Difference between thefe two : If by 
 RemilTn is and Indulgence, he fhould fuflfer the for- 
 mer to defpife his lawful Commands, and trample 
 upon that Authority which God hath given him for 
 the good Government of his Family ; or fo harfhly 
 puniTh the Failings and Miftakes of the other, as ut- 
 terly to difcourage him, and make him defpair of 
 ever being able. to pleafe. A prudent Majler fhould 
 
 (a) Deut. xxv. 
 
 R 3 have 
 
240 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 have efpecial Care, to fhun that. Aufterity and Ri- 
 gour which difcourages his Servant's Endeavours, 
 and alfo that Softnefs and Indulgence which encou- 
 rages his Vices. 
 
 For thefe Reafons, a wife Mafter will not be fo at- 
 tentive to the prefent Advantages he fbail receive 
 with his Servant, as the Family he comes out of, and 
 the virtuous Principles and good Temper he is en- 
 dued with. It is better to ufe this Precaution in 
 choofing, than to venture in Hopes of reforming 
 thofe that are fpoiied to his Hand. They may foon- 
 er corrupt his Children, and the reft of his Servants, 
 than change ill Nature, or relinquish their ill Habits 
 and Cuftoms, which are a fecond Nature, and very 
 often too hard for the Power of Man to rectify. 
 
 But while Majlers infpect the Manners of their 
 Servants, they muft not over-look the State of their 
 Bodies. It is their Intereft as well as their Duty, to 
 allow them fuch Food and Raiment, and moderate 
 Reft and Refrefhment, as may preferve their Health, 
 and repair their Vigour and Spirits for undergoing 
 their Bufinefs. God harh provid d for the merciful 
 Ufage of the very Beafls, forbidding to muzzle the 
 Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Com, and order- 
 ing, that the labouring Be a it (hall reft every fev-.nth 
 Day, as well as his Mafter. How much is a Man, 
 though of the lowtft, moft fervile Condition, better 
 than a Beaft ? It is therefore the Will of God, that 
 Servants who are of the fame Species with their Ma- 
 Jiers, and differ from them only in Rank and Qua- 
 lity, fhould enjoy all Accommodations of Diet, 
 Lodging, and Reft from their Labours ; efpecially 
 when they do their Bufinefs fo well as not to deferve 
 Punifhment in any of thefe Refpecls, for their Dis- 
 obedience or grofs Negligence. And if they hap- 
 pen to fpend .their Health and Strength in the Ser- 
 vice of any one Mafter, it would be very ill in him, 
 
 when 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 241 
 
 when they come to be difabled by Sicknefs or old 
 Age, to turn them away deftitute and helplefs. 
 
 It is a great Blemifh in the Life of Cato the elder, 
 "a Man otherwife of a noble Character, that he would 
 difmifs thofe who had worn themfelves out in his 
 Service, and deny them Victuals when they were 
 paft their Labour. Hear what Plutarch, the Writer, 
 of his Life, fays of this. *' It is unnatural to think, 
 " that there ought to be no farther Commerce be- 
 " tween Man and Man, but juft while there arifes 
 " fome Profit therefrom. For we fee that good Na- 
 *' ture hath a larger Field than bare Juflice, to ex- 
 " ercife itfelf in. Strictly fpeaking, indeed, we are 
 " bound to deal with Men according to Law and 
 " Juflice ; but we may extend our Goodnefs even 
 " to irrational Creatures ; and it is doubtlefs the Part 
 " of a good natured iMan to keep his very Horfes, 
 " not only while they are able to work, but when 
 " they are old and paft it. The Athenians, when 
 " they made their Hecatompodon, which was a fpaci- 
 " ous Piece of Ground, turned in thofe Mules to 
 " feed, which had undergone the hardeft Labour. 
 " We are not to ufe any living Creatures like old 
 " Potfherds, and throw them away when they are 
 44 broken with Service. If it were for nothing elfe 
 " but to exprefs the Senfe we L. ~ a of Humanity a 
 " Man ought always to fhew himfelf tender in thefe 
 44 Things. For my Part, I would not fo much as 
 *' fell my Draught-Ox on the Account of his Age ; 
 f* much lefs difmifs an old Servant for the faving of 
 44 a little Money, and fend him, as it were, into 
 44 another World, by turning him both out of the 
 " Place and Way of living which he hath been al- 
 " ways accuftomed to." 
 
 Finally, thofe who employ poor People, not only 
 as Domefticks, but Day-Servants and Labourers, 
 mud look to it, that they exact not an unreafonable 
 Talk for an inconfiderable Recompence ; nor detain 
 
 R a their- 
 
242 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 their Wages when they are due ; but give them that 
 which is juft and equal ; as they tender the Favour 
 of Him who is above all, and fees all, who promifes 
 to hear the Cry of the Poor and Needy, and to help 
 them to their Right, that the Man of the Earth be 
 not exalted againft them ; who threatens to be a fwift 
 Witnefs againft thofe who opprefs them in their Wa- 
 ges ; and thus befpeaks Mafters in their Bthalf : (a) 
 1'houjbalt not opprefs an hired Servant that is poor and 
 needy ; whether he be of thy Brethren, or of the Stran- 
 gers that are in thy Land within thy Gates. At his Day 
 thou fhalt give him his Hire, neither jhall the Sun go 
 down upon it \ for he is poor, and fetteth his Heart upon 
 it i left he cry againft thee unto the Lord, and it be Sin 
 unto thee. 
 
 DUTIES of SERVANTS to 
 MASTERS. 
 
 TH E firft Thing required of SERVANTS, 
 is Obedience, which is fo effential to their Con- 
 dition, that when they caft off this, they can be no 
 longer Servants. This Obedience is either a&ive or 
 paflive. 
 
 The active Part of a Servant's Obedience, con- 
 fifts in a due Obfervance of his Mafters Commands 
 and Inftru£tions. This diligent Obfervance was fo 
 much the Practice of Servants in the bed of Times, 
 that David aliudes to it, as the fitted Comparifon to 
 
 (a) Deut. xxiv. 
 
 illuftrate 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 243 
 
 illuftrate the Stri&nefs of his Piety and Devotion. 
 (a) Behold, fays he, as the Eyes of Servants look unto 
 the Hand of their Majlers, and as the Eyes of a Maiden 
 unto the Hand of her Mijlrefs ; even Jo our Eyes wait 
 upon the Lord our God, until he have Mercy upon us. 
 This looking to their Hands implies not only a De- 
 pendance on them for Succour and Relief, but alfo 
 a Readinefs to hear and execute whatever they would 
 have done. So our great Mafter Chrift hath deter- 
 mined, when he (b) inftances in a Servant that had 
 been plowing all Day long ; yet when he comes 
 home, his Matter doth not bid him ftraightway fit 
 down and take his Supper; but requires him firft 
 to make ready for his Mafter, and wait on him, and 
 afterwards to eat and drink himfelf: And for this 
 the Servant hath no Thanks ; he hath done no more 
 than what was his Duty to do. 
 
 It is likewife one Branch of Servants Duty to join 
 with their Mafters in the Worfhip of God, when 
 they have the Happinefs to be placed in true Chrif- 
 tian Families. This was a great Means of propa- 
 gating Chriftianity in the firft Beginning of it. When 
 the Mafter and Miftrefs embraced the Faith, then 
 prefently all that were in the Houfe. believed and 
 were baptized. And as Cornelius the Centurion was 
 a devout Man, fo the Soldier that waited on him 
 bears the fame Character. 
 
 But, fecondly, There is a paflive as well as active 
 Obedience required of Servants ; and that is, patient- 
 ly to bear Reproof and Correction when they de- 
 ferve it ; nay, when there is no other Reafon for it, 
 but the Choler and hafty Spirit of their Governors. 
 For fo St. Peter exprefly charges them : (c) Ser- 
 vants, be fubjetl to your Majlers with all fear, not 
 only to the good and gentle, but alfo to the froward. 
 
 (a) PJal. cxxiii. (b) Luke xvii. (c) \ Pet. ii. 18. 
 
 For 
 
244 2% e ^ um °f *$* ^ art *V. 
 
 For this is thank-worthy, if a Man for Confcience to- 
 ward God endure Grief, f offering wrongfully. For 
 what Glory is it, if when ye he buffeted for your 
 Faults, ye take it patiently f But if when ye do well, 
 and fuffer for it, ye lake it ■patiently-, this is acceptable 
 with God. 
 
 But when they are reproved and corrected for 
 real Faults, they mud not only be patient, but 
 fpeedily reform and amend whatever is amifs. Thus 
 their Sufferings will redound to their Advantage, 
 and, like wholefome Phyfick, purge cur ill Humours. 
 By this Means an ill Servant is many Times refcugd 
 from Deftru&ion, and brought to live happily and 
 comfortably all the Days of his Life. In Time pajl, 
 fays St. Paul of Philemon's Servant, he was unprofita- 
 ble, but now profitable both to thee and ?ne. 
 
 Having thus explained me Nature of that Obe- 
 dience both active and pallive, which Servants owe 
 to their Matters, I mall next confider in what Man- 
 ner and Circumftances this Obedience ought to be 
 teftified ; or what are the " Qualifications of an obe- 
 dient Servant. 
 
 The firft Qualification of fuch a Servant, is Re- 
 verence and Modefty, which muft be expreffed in 
 a fubmiflive Carriage and reipectful Language. The 
 Obedience and Courtefy of Servants muft be fuited 
 to the Quality of their Mafters. Above all, They 
 muft take Care to govern their Tongues ; not fpeak- 
 ing in the Prefence of their Mafters or Miftreftes 
 without good Reafon ; not anfwering again when it 
 is not required of them, but filently attending to 
 that which is commanded. When they are to make 
 anfwer, they muft do it readily and clearly, not 
 daring to lye or equivocate, or conceal any Part of 
 what is demanded of them. . In converting with 
 others, they muft not expoie the Perfons, or divulge 
 th'e Affairs of the Family in which they live, but 
 cover and excufe every Thing which may be apt to 
 
 leifen 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 245 
 
 leiTen them in their Perfons, Fortunes, Underfland- 
 ings and Paflions. 
 
 The fecond Qualification of good Servants, is, 
 Sincerity and Faithfulnefs in their Mailer's Bufinefs j 
 preferving his Goods, and fludying by all honeft 
 Means to improve and increafe them. I may, not 
 improperly, apply that Charge to Servants, which 
 St. Paul gives to Timothy : Keep that which is com- 
 jnitted to thy Trujl. Servants muft take care, that 
 the Things with which they are mtrufted, be not 
 loft, fpoiled, or impaired by mifufing. And if they 
 know of any Damage done, or intended to be done, 
 by others to their Mailer's Goods, they muft en- 
 deavour to prevent it, or acquaint their Mafter with 
 it, that he may provide againft it. 
 
 Mailers and MiftrefTes are forced in many Things, 
 to depend upon the Integrity and Induftry of their 
 Servants -, who if they are fincere and honeft, will 
 not deceive them ; but apply as heartily to their 
 Bufinefs, difpatch it with as much Speed, and be as 
 follicitous for the Interefl and Welfare of their Maf- 
 ter, as if his Eyes were actually upon them. 
 
 Faithful Servants will moreover be ready to do 
 all kind Offices to all Perfons in the Family to which 
 they belong. They will, to the utmoft of their 
 Power, promote Peace and Love, and both by Ad- 
 vice and Example, encourage their Fellow-Servants 
 to virtuous Courfes, and dilluade them from lewd 
 and vicious Practices. 
 
 And becaufe Children, which are mofl dear to 
 their Parents, mufl needs be often in the Company 
 of Servants ; therefore honefl Servants will be par- 
 ticularly careful to preferve them from Danger, and 
 keep them from the Company of rude Children. 
 And will be fo far from teaching them any ill 
 Words, or encouraging them in any indecent Thing, 
 that they will unteach them fuch Things, if they 
 find they have learnt them, and endeavour to form 
 
 them 
 
246 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 them to Modefty and good Manners in all their 
 Words and Actions. 
 
 A third Qualification of good Servants^ is Chear- 
 fulntfs in doi: g their Bufinefs. When St. Paul com- 
 mands them to ferve with a good Will, he doth, by 
 a neceflary Confequence, forbid them to be lazy, 
 fluggifh, and negligent in their Service ; or to put 
 on lowering, melancholy Looks, to be heavy and 
 difcontented, to go about Things grudgingly, and 
 as it were by Compulfion. Such Service muft needs 
 be untowardl^ pei formed ; or if outwardly well done, 
 yet the Doer of it can have little Comfort, and as 
 little Acceptance either with GOD or Man. 
 
 Laftly, a fourth Qualification of a good Servant \ 
 is a good Senfe of Religion and the Fear of God. 
 This, though laft in the Order of Place, is fiift in 
 the Courfe of Things, being the Bafis on which all 
 the other good Properties are founded. There are 
 indeed fome Servants^ who out of By-refpefts may 
 ferve well in many Things, but never in all. They 
 will never keep conflant to all the Rules of Sobriety 
 and Virtue. They will one way or other give a 
 Loofe to their corrupt Affections. If the Ends for 
 which they flatter j and fludy to pleafe, are not an- 
 fwered, if they do not find as much Favour and 
 Advantage as they promifed themfelves, their In- 
 duftry flags, and their Obfequioufnefs turns to the 
 greateft Prefumption. Whereas a Servant who tru- 
 ly fears God, will be fure to do his Bufinefs faith- 
 fully, not only when his Matter fmiles and rewards, 
 not only when he frowns and threatens, but at all 
 other Times, when he feems to take no Notice of 
 him. For when there is no- other Motive to ani- 
 mate him to his Duty, his Confcience, Fear, and 
 Senfe of the all-feeing GOD, is inftead of a thou- 
 fand Motives and Spurs to him. He is fully per- 
 
 iuaded 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 247 
 
 fuaded, That while Le is faithful to his earthly Mat- 
 ter, however he may accept and reward him, the 
 great Mafter of the Univerfe is pleafed with him, 
 and will not 'fuffer him to lofe his Reward. This 
 is the plain Doctrine of St. Paul, with which I fhall 
 conclude this Head : (a) Servants, be obedient to 
 them that are your Maflers according to the Flefb y 
 with Fear and "Trembling, in Singlenefs of your Hearty 
 as unto Cbrijl : Not with Eye-fervice, as Men-pleafers y 
 but as the Servants of Chri/l, doing the Will of God 
 from the Heart. With good Will doing Service, as 
 to the Lord, and not to Men. Knowing that what- 
 foever good Thing any Man doth, the fame fball he re- 
 ceive of the Lord, whether be be bond or free. 
 
 Of INDUSTRY in our CALLINGS. 
 
 ONE of the Three Things which wife CATO 
 repented of, was, That ever he had fpent a 
 Day idly, without doing fomething to good Pur- 
 poi'e. I am afraid many Chriflians will have Days, 
 and Weeks, and Tears of misfpent Time to account 
 for at the Lajl Day. How unprofitably doth a 
 great Part of Mankind fuffer their Life to run out, 
 as if their Soul was given them for no other Ufe, 
 but (like Salt) to keep their Body from putrifying 
 above Ground ! 
 
 The Nature of our BUSINESS is Twofold, 
 Religious and Civil, for this Life and a Better. We 
 muft feek the Kingdom of GOD and his Righ- 
 
 (a) Ephef. vi. j. 
 
 teoufnefs, 
 
24-8 S& Sum of the Part IV 
 
 teoufnefs, in the firft Place ; but this doth not ex- 
 clude the Care of our Bodies. Six Days in Seven 
 are by the divine Law allowed for our worldly Af- 
 fairs. And though we muft in all our Actions have 
 an Eye to the Glory of God, yet this is no where 
 fa id to be inconfiftent with an honeft fecular Em- 
 ployment. Our Condition in this Life is fuch, that 
 we cannot fubfift without Food and Rayment, which 
 cannot be had without much Pains, and the Exer- 
 cife of many Arts. The Knowledge of the liberal 
 Sciences, the Laws of our Country, the learned 
 Languages, are not born with us, nor fupernatu- 
 rally infufed into us ; but acquired with much Stu- 
 dy and Application of Thought. Now whether we 
 labour with the Head or the Hand, in both Cafes 
 it is our Duty to be diligent. So Solomon com- 
 mands ; Whatfoever thine Hand firtdetb thee to doi 
 do it with all thy might. And fo St. Paul, Be not 
 Jlothful in Bufmefs. Indeed, we have innumerable 
 Examples of Induftry about us : The whole Crea- 
 tion is in continual A&ion •, the Sun, Moon, and 
 Stars are always running their Courfes ; the Seafons 
 of the Year perform their inceffant Revolutions % 
 the Birds, Beafts, and Fifties feek their Food, and 
 ferve the refpe&ive Ends of their Nature with un- 
 wearied Affiduity. All Things are full of Labour. 
 The great Author of all Things never flumbereth 
 nor fleepeth. And his only begotten Son, when 
 made Man, led a very laborious and active Life 
 upon Earth ; and hath arraigned and condemned 
 Slothfulnefs in the Perfon of the unprofitable Ser- 
 vant. 
 
 The Bleffing and Favour of G O D and Man is 
 aflured to the Indufirious by repeated Promjfes of 
 Holy Scripture : The Hand of the Diligent maketh 
 rich. He that tilleth his Land, /hall be faiisfied with 
 Bread. Seejl thou a Man diligent in his Bufmefs ? 
 He JJjall ftand before Kings, he pall not Jland before 
 
 mean 
 
Chap. IV. Chriftian Religion. 249 
 
 mean Men. The Hand of the Diligent Jball bear 
 Rule ; but the Slothful Jhall be under Tribute. This 
 is commonly feen id the World. Many a Perfon 
 of mean Birth and Fortune, hath been raifed to 
 great Riches and Honours by no other vifible Means 
 but his own indefatigable Application to his Bufir 
 nefs. 
 
 On the other Hand, Idlenefs is doomed to Igno- 
 miny and Want in the fame facred Writings. Drow- 
 finefs pall cloath a Man -with Rags. Tet a little 
 Sleep, a little Slumber, a little folding of the Hands to 
 fleep. So Jhall thy Poverty come as one that travailetb y 
 and thy Want as an armed Man. And this likewife 
 is confirmed by common Experience. 
 
 If an idle negligent Man be placed by his Friends 
 in the mod advantageous Bafinefs. or plentiful Cir- 
 cumftances, his Affairs quickly go backward in 
 the World, his Stores are exhaufted, his Debts 
 grow upon him, until at laft he becomes a Bank- 
 rupt, or ends his Days in fome loathfome, obfcure 
 Pnfon. 
 
 Learn then by others Ruin to prevent your own. 
 Confider how much better it is to procure your- 
 felf Health and Plenty, and Reputation, with your 
 honefl Pains, which a little Cuftom will make eafy 
 and pleafant to you ; than to ftupify your Senfes, 
 and contract Difeafes and Debts, and keep yourfelf 
 and your Family in a beggarly, ftarving Condition, 
 by abandoning yourfelf to a fottifh, diflblute, indo- 
 lent Courfe of Life. Shake off that Spirit of Slum- 
 ber which would arreft you, and make you a Pri- 
 foner to your Bed in the mod precious Part of the 
 Day, the Morning. Wean yourfelf from an ill 
 Habit of rambling Abroad, and getting out of the 
 Sight of your Bufinefs. Confine yourfelf to it, 
 though it may feem irkfome, until you find the 
 Advantage of it, and that will not fail to recon- 
 cile 
 
250- 2*1? Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 cile you to it, and make you eafy and happy in 
 it. 
 
 Some indeed there are, who running into the other 
 Extream, are over-follicitous for the World. This 
 we daily fee in the covetous Man's Practice : He is 
 fo eager in the Gaining of Riches, that he hath no 
 Time or Care to perform his Duty to God. Nor 
 doth he only offend againft his Soul, but his Body 
 too ; for he often denies himfelf thole neceflary Re- 
 frefhments he wants. Befides, he that loves Money 
 immoderately, will not care whom he cheats and 
 defrauds, fo he may bring in Gain to himfelf: And 
 from hence fpring thofe many Tricks of Deceit and 
 Cozenage fo common in the World ; taking Ad- 
 vantage of the Buyer's Ignorance in the Worth or 
 Quality of the G^ods, concealing their Faults, over- 
 rating them, and giving fhort Meafures. 
 
 Some again, make the very Necefllties of the 
 Oppreiled, the Means of their Oppreflion : Thus it 
 is in the Cafe of Extortion and griping Ufury. Ex- 
 tream Want of Money gives Opportunity to the 
 Extortioner to exact from the Man that wants it j 
 to which he is forced to yield, to fupply his prefent 
 Occafions. But let fuch confider what the Scripture 
 faith ; He that opprejfeth the Poot\ /ball furely come to 
 want. Nor is Wealth thus gotten, much lefs un- 
 eafy in the Poffeffion, than unlawful in the Obtain- 
 ing ; for between the Care of Getting, and the Fear 
 of Lofmg, the covetous Man fcarce enjoys a quiet 
 Hour. Hence therefore, we may conclude, That 
 the too eager Love of the World, is inconfiftent ei- 
 ther with the Love of GOD or ourfelves. 
 
 Do Bujinefs then, 'but be not a Slave to it : Keep 
 your Mind always at its own E)ifpofal ; remembering 
 your main Concern, whatever Conflraint your Bufi- 
 n'efs may lay upon your Actions and outward At- 
 tendance. And whenever you are entangled in Diffi- 
 culties, rely not upon human Prudence ; but go with 
 
 Mofes 
 
Chap. V. Chriflian Religion. 251 
 
 Mofcs into the Tabernacle, to afk Counfel of God. 
 (a) The Tune is port ; it remainetb therefore, that 
 they who buy, be as though tt?ey pojjeffed not : And 
 they who ufe ibis World, as not abnfing it : For the 
 Fajbion of this PVorld pajjeth away. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 0£ FRIENDSHIP and HUMANITY, 
 
 TH E Definition which fome give of FRIEND- 
 SHIP, is, That it is an Union of Souls ; and 
 fo much indeed the Scripture fpeaks of it ; Thy 
 Friend, which is as thine own Soul: intimating, That 
 a higher Degree of Love may be contracted by 
 FRIENDSHIP, than by any Kind of natural or civil 
 Relation. 
 
 The Laws of his Religion oblige every Chriflian 
 to love all his Neighbours as himfelf : But there is 
 between FRIENDS a mutual Confidence and Rea- 
 dinefs to alTift each other. There is a very high 
 and hearty Concern for each other's Welfare, both 
 of Soul and Body. And therefore it is well obferved 
 by the Writers upon this Subject, That there can 
 be no fuch Thing as Friendship between wicked 
 Men, becaufe they are fo far from confulting each 
 other's Good, that they draw one another into de- 
 flru&ive and damnable Courfes. Upon this Princi- 
 ple I conclude, That I muft not yield to do any 
 
 (a) 1 Cor, vii. 29. 
 
 S Thing 
 
225 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 Thing for my Friend, which is contrary to any re- 
 ligious or moral Obligation. I may give him any 
 Thing of my own, but I muft not wrong or rob 
 another to ferve him. I may run the Hazard of 
 my Life and Eftate for him in a juft Caufe ; but I 
 muft not fet my Soul and Conference to Sale for his 
 Sake. In doing this, I mould forfeit the Love and 
 Favour of God, and break through the Rules of 
 Juftice and Honefty. This is not Friend/hip, but 
 a Confpiracy againft GOD and Man, a joining of 
 Hands, and uniting of Forces to do the more Mif- 
 chief. 
 
 But in true and virtuous Friendjhip, we are bound 
 to do all kind Offices for our Friend, to give him 
 the beft Advice we can in any difficult Cafes, to 
 fupport and comfort him under any Affliction, to 
 defend his Perfon and Goods from Violence, and his 
 Character from caufelefs Afperfions, and faithfully to 
 keep fuch Secrets as he fhall have Occafion to com- 
 municate to us. 
 
 And above all, We muft be religious Guardians 
 of our Friend's Virtue, and not fuffer him to fall 
 into any Sin, if we can prevent it ; nor to continue 
 in any without friendly Admonitions, and Endeavours 
 to reclaim him. Thefe Admonitions muft not ex- 
 tend only to grofTer Faults, which common Fame 
 and People at a Diftance muft take Notice of; but 
 alfo to more inward Failings and Infirmities ; nay, 
 even to fufpicious and doubtful Adions. To pre- 
 ferve the Perfon we admit to a near Intimacy and 
 Confidence with us, only from being fcandalous, is 
 as poor a Defign in Friend/hip, as it is in Phyfick, 
 for a Profeffor of it only to fecure his Patient from 
 the Plague. Neither muft our Care ftop at his 
 Faults, but look beyond them, to fuch virtuous 'and 
 good Qualities in him, as may be improved and ren- 
 dered more perfect. ■ 
 
 Laftly, 
 
Ghap. V. Chriftian Religion. 253 
 
 Laftly, We muft be conftant in our Friendjhip y 
 continuing to treat our Friend with the fame tree 
 and kind Converfation in the Day of his Adverfity, 
 as in the Height of his Profperity ; as alfo not be- 
 ing fubjedt to iVlifapprehenfions or apt to be difoblig- 
 td by any Miftakes or Inadvertencies we may ob- 
 serve in him. 
 
 Univerfal LOVE and CHARITY. 
 
 HUMANITY inclines us to a general Ten- 
 dernefs and good Will for every one of our 
 own NATURE and SPECIES ; but yet proportion- 
 ed to the feveral Degrees of Relation we bear one 
 to another : Whether that Relation be founded in 
 Blood, or Affinity, in old Acquaintance and Hofpi- 
 tality, or in being Fellow-Citizens, and of the fame 
 Country. All thefe are Grounds of more particular 
 Love and Affection. 
 
 But in the Main, we are obliged to imitate the 
 divine Bounty and Goodnefs by an univerfal Love 
 and Charity to all Mankind. God hath fo ordered 
 the prefent State and Circumftances of Things, as 
 to make Society neceffary for the Support and Com- 
 fort of Life. He hath interwoven the Intereft of 
 Men, and made the Happinefs of every particular 
 Perfon depend upon the Welfare of the Publick ; 
 that each particular Perfon, from a Senfe of his own 
 Wants, might fee. how reaionable it is for him to 
 be aiding and aflifting to others. Juft aSv it is in the 
 natural Body of Man ; if one Member'* rejoice, all 
 the reft rejoice with it ; if one fufTer, all the reft 
 furTer with it. And as in the Body, the inferior 
 
 S 2 and 
 
254 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 and lefs honourable Members have their neceffary 
 Ilk, (6 it is in Society. The poor labouring People 
 exercife thofe Trades which fupply their Superiors 
 with necefTary Things, and give them Leifure to at- 
 tend on learned Profeifions and Affairs of State. 
 Nay, even thofe Perfons who feem to be ufelefs 
 in the World, fuch as together with their Poverty 
 are difabled by Age or Infirmities, and wholly to 
 be maintained at the Charge of others, yet they 
 give us an Opportunity of exercifing thofe divine 
 Graces of Charity and Mercy, which make us molt 
 nearly to refemble our heavenly Father. This is 
 the Way which he hath found out for us to exprefs 
 our Love and Gratitude to himfelf. Our Goodnefs 
 extends to God no otherwife, but as we exhibit it 
 to thofe whom he hath created in his Image. For 
 no Man hath feen God at any Time ; but // we love 
 one another, we know that God dwelleth in its, and 
 that his Love is -per jetted jn us. So likewife our 
 bleiled Saviour accepts of our Kindnefs to his poor 
 Servants, as the beft Way of teftifying our Love to 
 himfelf. Verily I fay unto you, inafmuch as ye have 
 done it to thefe my Brethren, ye have done it to me. 
 
 This beneficent Temper endears us to Men as 
 well as to God. The World is wife enough to 
 know their Benefactors, and to prefer Mercy and 
 Peace before a Spirit of Outrage and Fiercenefs. 
 And we commonly fee thofe Promifes fulfilled, That 
 merciful Men obtain Mercy ; and, That the Meek in- 
 herit the Earth. 
 
 By the Tyes of common Humanity, as we are 
 Men, and Partakers, of the fame common Nature, 
 we are obliged to love, and to do Good to one ano- 
 ther : But in how much more -peculiar and eminent 
 a -Manner,' ought we to look upon ourfelves as Bre- 
 thren by our Chrillian Profeffion ; being all the Chil- 
 dren of God in Chrift, all Members of the fame 
 Body, all Partakers of the fame Spirit, all Heirs of 
 
 the 
 
Chap. V. Chriftian Religion. 255 
 
 the fame bleffed Hope of Immortality ? (a) There 
 is one Body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in 
 one Hope of your Calling ; One Lord, One Faith, One 
 Baptifm, One God and Father of All. IV here fore, I 
 befeech you, faith the A pottle, (b) that ye walk wor- 
 thy of the location wherewith ye are called, with all 
 Lowlinefs and Meeknefs, with Longfuffering, forbear- 
 ing one another in Love, endeavouring to keep the Uni- 
 ty of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace. For, (c) Though 
 I fpeak with the Tongues of Men and Angels, and 
 have not Charity, I am become as founding Brafs, or 
 a tinkling Cymbal. And though I have the Gift of 
 Prophecy, and under/land all Myfleries, and all Know- 
 ledge, and though 1 have all Faith, fo that I could 
 remove Mountains, and have no Charity, I am nothing. 
 And though I be/low all my Goods to feed the Poor, 
 and though I give my Body to be burnt, and have not 
 Charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity fuffereth long, 
 and is kind ; Charity envieth not ; Charity vaunteth 
 not itfelf, is not puffed up, doth not behave itfelf un- 
 feemly, feeketh not her own, is not eafily provoked, 
 thinketh no Evil, rejoiceth nit in Iniquity, but rejoicetb 
 in the Truth % beareth all Things, believeth all Things, 
 hopeth all Things, endureth all Things. 
 
 Having therefore all the Encouragements which 
 Heaven and Earth, God and Man can give us, to 
 abound in Love one towards another, let us exercife 
 this moft agreeable and noble Virtue, the Bond of 
 all other Virtues, and Sum of the whole Law, the 
 bed covering for our Sins, and moft acceptable Sa- 
 crifice to God. (d) Let all Bitternefs, Wrath, An- 
 ger, Clamour, and Evil-fpeaking be put away from us, 
 with all Malice : And let us be kind one to another, 
 tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as we trujl God 
 K for ChrijVs Sake will forgive us. 
 
 (a) Ephef. iv. 4. (b) Ephef. iv. i . (c) \ Cor. xiii. (d) EpbeJ. 
 iv. 31. 
 
 S3 CHAP. 
 
256 The Sum of the Part IV, 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Of CHARITY and ALMS- 
 GIVING. 
 
 THE Pattern of Goodnefs which our blefled 
 LORD hath propofed to our Imitation, is of 
 the higheft Kind : (a) Be ye merciful, as your Fa- 
 ther which is in Heaven is merciful. Now the Mer- 
 cy of GOD is over all his Works ; He hath a Ten- 
 dernefs for every Creature. It follows then, That 
 our C H A R I T Y mult, according to our Ability, 
 extend itfelf to every Perfon who Hands in Need of 
 Relief and Afliftance, when we have no juft Reafon 
 to fufpeft that he will make an ill Ufe of it. This 
 diftinguifhes us from the Scribes and Pharifees, who 
 faluted none but their Brethren, and lent with an 
 Expe&ation to receive it again with Advantage. 
 -But Chrift hath given us quite contrary Rules, com- 
 manding us to do Good to thofe that hate us, and 
 to lend where we can hope to receive nothing again. 
 And St. Paul exhorts to the fame univerfai Benefi- 
 cence : (b) As we have Opportunity, let us do Good 
 unto all Men. From the Premifes, we may draw 
 thefe Two Conclusions. 
 
 (a) Luke vi. 36. (b) Gal. vi. 10. 
 
 Firfl 3 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 257 
 
 'Firft, That the Obje&s of our Charity, are the 
 
 whole Body of Mankind. 
 Secondly, That the Exercife of it mull: be regu- 
 lated by our Abilities, and according as we have 
 Opportunity. 
 
 ^ As to the Objeas of our C H A R I T Y, our 
 
 Saviour hath told us, The Poor ye have always with 
 you, and when ye will, ye may do them good -, and 
 we daily experience the Truth of this Saying. Ma- 
 ny, together with their Poverty, are lame and blind, 
 and by Age or Sicknefs, or fome other unhappy 
 Circumftance, under an abfolute Inability of help- 
 ing themfelves. Thefe we mult aflift with our Hands 
 and our Purfes, our Eafket and our Store. Some 
 for Want of a good Education, or virtuous Inclina- 
 tions, fland more in need of our Counfels and Inftruc- 
 tions : To fuch as thefe good Books are the mofl 
 fuitable Prefents we can make. Others require our 
 Patronage to vindicate them from the Injuries of- 
 fered to their Perfons, Eftates, or Reputation. All 
 this is excellently fummed up by Holy Job, in that 
 Apology for himfelf, which he oppofes to the hard 
 Cenfures of his Friends, Chap. xxxi. Where he tells 
 them, He did not eat his Morfel alone, but the Fa- 
 therlefs was Partaker with him. He did not fuffer 
 the Poor to go without a Covering, but the Naked was 
 warmed with the Fleece of his Sheep. The Stranger 
 did not lodge in the Streets, but he opened his Doors 
 to the Traveller. He was Eyes to the Blind, and Feet 
 to the Lame ; a Father to the Poor, and an Advocate 
 to the OppreJJed. Thus we muft do Good to All, 
 not only to our poor Brethren who can make us no 
 Recompenfe, but to our Enemies, to Men of diffe- 
 rent Countries and Religions. For which purpofe 
 the Samaritan is recommended to our Imitation, 
 who fuccoured the Jewijh Traveller in his Extre- 
 S 4 mities, 
 
2$ 8 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 mities, although in the general, Jews and Sama- 
 ritans were had in the greateft Dcteftation one of 
 another. 
 
 We mud not fatisfy ourfelves to do Good in our 
 own Generation, but confult the Welfare of Pofte- 
 rity. There are many Parifhes, where the far great- 
 eft Part of the Inhabitants are labouring People, who 
 can juft make fliift to provide their Families with 
 daily Bread, but have nothing to fpare ior the Edu- 
 cation of their Children. How many fuch Children, 
 who have afterwards proved great Ornaments to 
 Church and State, had been abandoned to a vile 
 Courfe of Idlenefs, Lying, Stealing, and Prophane- 
 nefs of all Sorts, and perhaps been cut off by the 
 Hand of the Executioner in the midft of their Days, 
 had it not been for the pious Munificence of our 
 Forefathers, in founding Nurferies of Learning, and 
 endowing them fo as to afford a liberal Education to 
 fuch Pertons whole Circum-ftances could not anfwer 
 the Charges of it ? 
 
 We have more efpecially Reafon to hope, That 
 the next Age will be better than the prefent, by 
 means of the many Charity-Schools, which, God be 
 praifed, are now fet up almoft all over the Nation, 
 and fupported by thofe who have, 1 doubt not, a 
 true Zeal for the Glory of GOD. The excellent 
 Purpoles of which Schools, fo much for the Welfare 
 of the Eody in an induftrious, as of the Soul in a 
 religious Method of Education, are too well known 
 to want a particular Account in this Piace. What 
 a blefTed Charity is this, when we confidcr the Per- 
 fons who are the Objects of it ! For rarely are the 
 Objecls of Charity enumerated in Holy Scripture, 
 but the Outcaft and Fatherlefs are particularly re- 
 commended. How many of thefe are really fuch ? 
 and how many more are little better" than fuch ? 
 whofe Parents though living, yet being over-bur- 
 thened by a Family too numerous for their fmall 
 
 Inconie, 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 259 
 
 Income, or what is worfe, difabled from working by 
 Age or Sicknefs, or really negligent of their Chil- 
 dren, are no Parents to them in the moll weighty- 
 Concerns of their Life, a virtuous Education, and 
 a good Employment. 
 
 And while other Benefactions only fupply bodily 
 Wants, this hath a peculiar Influence upon the Soul ; 
 by this, Children are taught the moft ufeful Art of 
 living well, and the moft gainful Trade of laying up 
 Treafures in Heaven. Befides, the Impreflions of 
 Religion and Virtue which they receive in their ten- 
 der Years, and which it is to be hoped they will 
 retain as long as they live, are a Benefit not only 
 to themfelves, but to all that are round about them ; 
 a Benefit not confined to their own Times, but which 
 defcends to future Generations. 
 
 Secondly, We muft exercife our Charity accord- 
 ing to our refpective Abilities and Opportunities. 
 The Apocryphal Books afford us excellent Rules to 
 this Purpofe. (a) If thou haft Abundance, give Alms 
 accordingly. If thou haft but little, be not afraid to 
 give according to that little : for thereby thou layeft 
 up a good Treafure for thy j elf againft the Day of Ne- 
 cefftty. (b) Give unto the moft High according as he 
 hath enriched thee, and as thou haft gotten. And it 
 was undoubtedly the Practice as well as the Doc- 
 trine of the firft Age of Chriftianity, that againft 
 the firft Day of the Week every Man fliould lay 
 by a Pajtf of his Week's Wages or Gains, accoru ; ng 
 as God had profpered him, to be apply ed by the 
 Governors of die Church to the Ufe of the Poor. 
 For whole fake, when they are very numerous and 
 neceflitous, a good Man will abridge himfelf of 
 fome lawful Pleafures and Enjoyments, rather than 
 not fpare what is requifite. to keep them from ftarv- 
 
 (a) Tobit iv. 8. (b) Ecclus. 35. 10. 
 
 ing. 
 
z6o The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 ing. Indeed a wife Steward will lay to Heart that 
 Law which he is told fhall judge him at the laft 
 Day i viz. That to whom much is given, of him Jhall 
 much be required ; which plainly gives him to un- 
 derftand, that he is but a Truftee for pious and cha- 
 ritable Works, that the Overplus of his Eftate, all 
 that is not neceffary for the well-being of himfelf 
 and his Family, mud be expended upon them ; 
 which if he fails to do, he is guilty of a Breach of 
 Truft, and accountable for it at the laft Day. God 
 hath made ample Provifion for his whole Family ; 
 he hath appointed divers Ranks of Men in it : Some 
 he hath fet over the reft, tp give them their Meat 
 in due Seafon. As they may not take it of them- 
 felves by Fraud or Force, fo neither may the Al- 
 moners withhold it from them, when it is in the 
 Power of their Hand to give it. Neither may they 
 part with it grudgingly, and, as it were by Com^- 
 pulfion, but freely and readily, in Obedience to their 
 great Mailer's Will, who loveth a ch earful Giver. 
 And together with our own Bounty, we muft be fo 
 far from hindering, that we muft do all we can to 
 promote the Liberality of others. 
 
 This is the Way to fecure ourfelves in the Pof- 
 feflion and Enjoyment of our good Things ; this puts 
 a comfortable Relifh into them, and confirms them 
 to us and our Pofterity, againft the Rapine and Vio- 
 lence of wicked Men, and all outward Accidents 
 and Calamities, better than any human Power or 
 legal Settlement. 'The Merciful, fays our Lord, are 
 bleffed, for they JJjall obtain Mercy. They are not 
 only clear from thofe inhuman Vices, Covetoufnefs, 
 Irjuftice and Oppreffion, which render Men odious 
 and detefted in the World, but they abound in thofe 
 amiable Virtues of Liberality and Goodnefs, which 
 command the Efteem and Favour of Mankind. 
 They mod referable the divine Majefty ; whole 
 Hand is always open, plentifully difpenfmg to every 
 
 Creature ; 
 
Chap. VI. Chriftian Religion. 261 
 
 Creature ; and are mod lively Images of Jefus Cbr,ift 9 
 who came into the World, as he declares of himfelf, 
 not to be miniflered unto, but to mimjier ; and hath 
 pronouced it more blefjed to give, than to receive. 
 They have a continual Feaft of Chearfulnefs, Con- 
 tentment and Satisfaction as well in what they impart 
 to others, as in what they referve to themlelves. 
 They find the Truth of thofe feeming Paradoxes, 
 that Icattering is the Way to encreafe, while with- 
 holding more than is meet tendeth to Poverty - y that 
 a fmall Thing which the Righteous hath, is better than 
 great Riches of the Ungodly. But above all, they 
 lay up for thcmfelves Treaiures in Heaven, and live 
 in a joyful Expectation of meeting their Judge, who 
 hath promifed to have a fpecial Regard to fuch good 
 Works, and to reward them with extraordinary De- 
 grees of Happinefs. 
 
 If our Mind were but under the Influence of that 
 Religion we profeis, we mould then be fully per- 
 fuaded, that our Opportunities to do Good are the 
 greateft Bleffi;)gs God can confer upon us in this 
 Life ; and that to receive no temporal Rewards for 
 our good Works, is a good Pledge and Affurance to 
 us, that we fhall be everlaftingly rewarded at the 
 Refurrection of the Juft. And while thofe who ne- 
 glected to refcue the diftrefTed Members of Chrifi 
 trom perifhing, by a feafonable and eafy Benevo- 
 lence, (hall hear that dreadful Sentence pronounced 
 upon them, (a) De-part from me, ye Curfed, into 
 everlafiing Fire, prepared for the Devil and his An- 
 gels. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no 
 Meat : I was thirfly, and ye gave me no Drink : I 
 was a Stranger, and ye took me not in : Naked, and 
 ye chat bed me not : Sick, and in Pi if on, and ye vifited 
 me not : We on the other Hand, fhall be gracioufly 
 
 (a) Mat. xxv. 34, l$c. 
 
 admitted 
 
 1- 
 
262 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 admitted into the Joy of our Lord, for having ap- 
 proved ourfelves good and faithful Servants in thefe 
 Refpedts. 
 
 Let us then every Day be careful to turn all fu- 
 perfluous and unneceffary Expences, into Acts of 
 Charity and Mercy to the Poor ; let us break off our 
 Sins by this Righteoufnefs, and render God propiti- 
 ous to us by fuch Sacrifices ; fo (hall we make our- 
 felves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, 
 and when thefe Things fail us, be received into 
 everlafling Habitations. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 The GOVERNMENT of our 
 THOUGHTS. 
 
 ALTHOUGH our THOUGHTS fall 
 not under the Regulation of human Laws, 
 as being nothing to the World, until they difcover 
 themfelves in Words and Actions j yet they are all 
 naked and open to the Eyes of God, who is the 
 Searcher of Hearts, and requires Purity in the in- 
 moft Receifes of the Breaft. 
 
 When the Scribes and Pbarifees quarrelled at the 
 Difciples of Chriji, for eating before they had warn- 
 ed their Hands, contrary to the Tradition and Cuf- 
 tom received among them, our Lord takes Occa- 
 fion to inftrudt the People, that, (a) not that which 
 
 (a) Mat. xv. 
 
 goeth 
 
Chap. VII. Chriftian Religion. 263 
 
 goeih into the Mouth defiletb a Man ; but that which 
 cometh out of the Mouth, this defiletb a Man. For 
 out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, Murders, 
 Adulteries, Fo, nicatibns, Thefts, falfe IVitnefs, Elaf- 
 phemies. Thefe are the Things which defile a Man. 
 The Heart is the Fountain whence all our Words 
 and Actions flow ; they lie there as Seeds and Plants 
 in the Ground, bringing forth Fruit according to 
 their Kind. And therefore as Chrifi juftly argues 
 againft the Pharifees : (a) Either make the Tree good, 
 and his Fruit good ; or elfe make the Tree corrupt, and 
 his Fruit corrupt : For the Tree is known by his Fruit. 
 O Generation of Vipers, how can ye, being Evil, /peak 
 good Things ? For out of the Abundance of the Heart 
 the Mouth fpeaketh. A good Man out of the good 
 Treafure of the Heart, bringeth forth good Things ; 
 and an evil Man, out of the evil Treafure of his Heart, 
 bringeth forth evil Things. 
 
 Vain -Thoughts have not only a Tendency to Sin, 
 but are in themfelves finful. For that which makes 
 Sin to be Sin, is the Want of Conformity to the 
 Will of God. And that vain Thoughts are not con- 
 formable to his Will, he himfelf declares, when he 
 warns us againft drawing near to him with our 
 Lips, and fufTering our Hearts to wander from him, 
 efpecially when we are about any religious Duty. 
 This Want of Sincerity and Attention is charged 
 upon the Pharifees, as what deftroyed the Heart 
 and Virtue of all their Religion, (b) Well did 
 Efaias prophefy of you, Hypocrites : This People draw- 
 eth nigh unto me with their Mouth, and honoareth me 
 with their Lips ; but their Heart is far from me. 
 And therefore their Worfhip is declared to be vain, 
 and they compared to whited Sepulchres, (c) which 
 outwardly appear beautiful, 'but are within full of dead 
 
 (a) Mat. xii. (b) Mat. xv. (c) Mat. xxiii. 
 
 Mens 
 
264 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 Mens Bones and all Unckannefs. This is the Rea- 
 fon why our Lord fo conftantly ftyles thefe Men 
 Hypocrites ; it being of the Eifence of Religion, 
 that it be inward and hearty, (a) For God is a 
 Spirit, and they that worfhip him, muft worfhip him 
 in Spirit and in Truth. He is faid to require Truth 
 in the inward Parts, and none but the pure in 
 Heart fhali fee him. 
 
 Our Thoughts then being fo well known to God, 
 and fo neceilary a Foundation of our Words and Ac- 
 tions, it behoves us to watch over them, and fee 
 they be employed about their proper Objects, (b) 
 Keep thy Heart with all Diligence, faith Solomon, for 
 out of it are the IJJues of Life. Suffer them not ei- 
 ther to be trifling and impertinent, or to faften and 
 dwell upon the Temptations of the Devil ; but exer- 
 cife yourfelf, as St. Paul did, to have always a Con- 
 ference void of Offence toward God and toward Man. 
 Be conftantly furnifhed with wholeiome Food for 
 your Soul ; as the Attributes of God, that he governs 
 all Things, that he had made this Life fhort and un- 
 certain ; but hath appointed a Day wherein he will 
 raife us all out of our Graves, and call us to an Ac- 
 count for the Things we have done in the Body, 
 and reward or punifh us to all Eternity, according as 
 our Works fhall be ; and take Occafion, from the 
 Objects you daily meet and converfe with, to make 
 fuch Remarks, as may be for the Improvement of 
 your fpiritual Faculties and Affections. This was 
 our Saviour's Way, always to take a Hint from the 
 Company or Bufinefs he was in, to'difcourfe of Hea- 
 venly Things. 
 
 Idlenefs being commonly the Occafion of mod vain 
 and wicked Imaginations, is therefore carefully to be 
 
 (a) 'John iv. (b) Prov. iv, 23. 
 
 avoided : 
 
Chap. VII. Chriftian Religion. 265 
 
 avoided : Thofe who fay they know not how to fpend 
 the next Hour, fhould fo order the Courfe of their 
 Life, that their Portions of Time, as much as is 
 poflible, may be filled up with fome ufeful, or at 
 lead ibme innocent Employment. 
 
 When any Sinful Thought enters your Heart, en- 
 deavour to direct your Mind to fome other Objed, 
 and be careful to check and fmother the firft Begin- 
 nings of Sin. And if you ufe yourfelf thus to guard 
 and watch over your Heart, you will in Time, ob- 
 tain fuch a Command over it, that you will have 
 very little Trouble from thofe irregular Paflions, 
 which heretofore upon feveral Occafions ufed to be 
 kindled in you. 
 
 Where we fee Men fo very cold and backward 
 to fpiritual Things, and fo apt to fpend all their 
 Thoughts upon trifling, vain, or worldly Matters, 
 there is Reafon to think, that it is with a great deal 
 of Pains and Relu&ancy, that they can bring them- 
 felves to think of their everlafting Concernments ; 
 but when once they have devoted themfelves to the 
 Service of God, fo as to make it their chief Concern, 
 they will find it fo far from being a Force upon them 
 to meditate on fpiritual Things, the Love and Fa- 
 vour of God, and a pure Confcience, that it will be 
 natural for them to think of fuch Things, and they 
 will find the greateft Pleafure in fo doing. 
 
 But becaufe as St. Paul affirms, (c) We are not 
 able of ourfelves, fo much as to think a good Thought, 
 we mull befeech God to create a clean Heart, and 
 renew a right fpirit within us, that fo the Thoughts 
 and Meditations of our Hearts, which are naturally 
 evil continually, may, by the Infpiration of his 
 Grace, be fo fanclified, that they may always be 
 acceptable in his Sight. 
 
 (c) 2 Cor. HI- 5. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
266 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 The G O V E R N M E N T of the 
 TONGUE. 
 
 TH E Government of the Tongue hath, in all 
 Ages, been efteemed a Leffon, fit to be taught 
 by the wifeft Matters, and not eafily learned by the 
 aptefl: of their Scholars. For the Tongue, as St. 
 James obferves, though it be but a little Member, 
 yet is more untraceable than any kind of Beafts, or 
 Birds, or Serpents, or Things in the Sea, which have 
 been and may be tamed by Mankind. Whereas, a 
 contentious, flanderous, brawling Tongue is rarely, if 
 ever, brought into order, and taught to move by 
 the Laws of Reafon. It is like a Spark of Fire, which 
 however fmall in itfelf, yet falling upon combuftible 
 Matter, often fets whole Towns in a Flame, and re- 
 duces them to Aihes. Or like the biting of a Viper, 
 which leaves little or no vifible Wound, but foon dif- 
 fufes a deadly Poifon all over the Body. Juft Co an ill 
 Tongue many Times doth a deal of Mifchief before 
 it- is perceived. Great Need hath every one therefore 
 to follow holy David's Practice, (a) To Jet a watch 
 over his Mouth, and- to keep the Door of his Lips. 
 
 To fpecify all the Faults of the Tongue, might 
 feem tedious. The Vice of 'Lying comprehends ma- 
 
 (a) Pfal. cxliii. 3. 
 
 ny 
 
Chap. VIII. Chriftian Religion. 267 
 
 ny in one. Nothing is more common nor more de- 
 plorable, than the Liberty People take in proftituting 
 their Tongues to Falfhoods in their Communications 
 one with another, to quibble and prevaricate in their 
 Dealings, until they are hardened in fuch Frauds, 
 and are fo far from thinking it a Sin, that they ac- 
 count it a laudable Art and Myftery in Trade. 
 Whereas the Scripture exprefsly fays, that a falfe 
 Weight and falfe Meafure are an Abomination to the 
 Lord, and for the very fame Reafon over-reaching 
 in Words muft be fo too. St. Paul, in his firft Epif- 
 tle to the Theffalonians, a People of great Wealth and 
 Trade, commands, (b) That no Man go beyond, that 
 is, over-reach, or defraud his Brother in any Matter, 
 becaufe that the Lord is the Avenger of all fuch. 
 
 Not to infill upon the feveral kinds of Lyes, which 
 are commonly diftinguifhed into the Pernicious, the 
 Officious, and the Jocular, they may all be placed 
 under the firft Denomination, and none to be jefted 
 with upon any Pretence whatever. Epaminondas, an 
 Heathen, had fo great a Regard to Sincerity, that he 
 would at no Time repeat a Falfhood, though but 
 in jeft. Let us, who are the Difciples of Chrift, 
 refolve to let our Tongues and our Hearts always go 
 together, for the Tongue is the Interpreter of the 
 Heart. But there is another Sort of Lye very cur- 
 rent in the Affairs of Life, which we may call the 
 Promijfory Lye. Men think they oblige and gratify 
 their Friends, by making them large Promifes, but 
 often fail in their Performances, partly through meer 
 Ofcitancy and Forgetfulnefs ; and fometimes by a 
 rafh and abfolute Engagement to do that which 
 mould be undertaken with Caution, and upon certain 
 Conditions ; as that, in cafe fomething of great Mo- 
 ment mould interpofe to alter the State of Things » 
 
 (b) 1 Thef. W- 6- 
 
 T a Man 
 
268 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 a Man may be fecure in his Truth and Honour, 
 without an actual Performance of his Promife. But 
 then he rauft be fo clear, as not to want any Help 
 from Shifts and Equivocations, to bring him off. 
 The Reafons of his non-Performance mult be fuch 
 as he would be willing to admit himfelf, were he in 
 the Place of his difappointed Friend. 
 
 Lye not one to another, Brethren, but let every 
 Man /peak Truth to his Neighbour : for ye are the 
 Members one of another. The deteftable, Nature of 
 this Sin may be eftimated from its Author, and its 
 Punifhment. The Original Author and Father of 
 Lyes (a) is the Devil, as we learn from Chrift's 
 Mouth : And the Punifhment of Lyars is in his 
 Company, (b) in the Lake which burns with Fire 
 and Brimjlone, which is the fecond Death. 
 
 It is fomething odd to obferve how much Men 
 pradtife the Trade of Lying, and yet how they 
 pretend to abominate and loath it. There is not, 
 in common Eftimation, a greater Affront can be put 
 upon a Man, than to charge him with a Lye. The 
 Scandal and Reproach of it hath proved to fome 
 more intolerable than Death. And why Co, but 
 becaufe of the bafenefs and diabolical Nature of this 
 Vice ? It makes them fo very nearly related to the 
 Devil, that indeed Chrift declares him to be their Fa- 
 ther ; fo that whenever they are called Lyars, 
 they are in Effect called Children of the Devil. Let 
 us then pray to God in the Words of the Pfalmift, 
 (c) Deliver my Soul, O Lord, from lying Lips, and 
 from a deceitful Tongue. 
 
 Next to Lying, we may place that which ufually 
 hath a great Alliance to it, Backbiting and Slandering. 
 
 (a) 'John viii. 44. (b) Rev. xxi. 8. (c) Pfalm cxx. 2. 
 
 Offenders 
 
Chap. VIII. Chriftian Religion. 269 
 
 Offenders of this Kind are innumerable. Little Con- 
 verfatiori pafTes, where fomething is not faid to the 
 Difad vantage of fome abfent Perfon • many Times 
 upon no better Grounds than bare Hear-fay, and 
 uncertain Report. Few, even of the graver Sort, 
 fcruple to rehearfe any Thing of this Kind they have 
 learned from others. Now there are, I muft confefs, 
 juft Reafons why Men that are notorious for any 
 Vice or Crime, mould be expofed and reprefented as 
 they deferve, not only to prevent others from falling 
 into their Hands, and fuffering by their Wickednefs ; 
 but that they may undergo that Shame and Re- 
 proach, which ever was and muft be the Portion of 
 fuch ill Men. 
 
 St. Paul {a) would not allow the Chriftians at 
 Corinth to have any Communication, religious or 
 civil, with any Brother that was a Fornicator, or 
 Covetous, or Idolatrous, or a Railer, or a Drunkard, 
 or an Extortioner. And if they were thus bound to 
 fhun fuch Perfons, no doubt but they might give 
 the true Reafon for it. But where a Man's Faults 
 are not grown habitual to him, and hurt no body 
 but himlelf, there not only Charity, but common 
 Civility obliges us to be tender of his Reputation, 
 and leave him to his own Correction, or to the pri- 
 vate Admonitions of his faithful Friend. Or if he 
 was formerly engaged in evil Courfes, but is now 
 reformed and become a good Man, Charity teaches 
 us to cover his pad Sins, even as we beg of God 
 not to remember our Iniquities. And in general, 
 where there is Room for a fair and candid Con- 
 ftruclion, we muft be ever ready to make it, being 
 more inclinable to 'defend than accufe, where the 
 Matter will bear it, as confidering, that he Jhall 
 
 (a) 1 Cor. v. 1 1 . 
 
 T % have 
 
270 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 have Judgment without Mercy, who hath Jhewed no 
 Mercy. 
 
 To fpeak Evil of others, is not only Uncharita- 
 ble, but Imprudent : for fcarce any Man can be fo 
 blind, as not to fee, That he who brings him ill Sto- 
 ries of others, will be apt to treat his Character no 
 better, on another Occafion. There is no greater 
 Evidence of the bad Temper of Mankind, than the 
 general Pronenefs of Men to this Vice, who com- 
 monly incline to the cenforious and uncharitable Side, 
 and feem to be better pleafed with hearing Evil than 
 Good of others ; which fhews human Nature to be 
 ilrangely depraved from its original Rectitude and 
 Innocency. And though they all pretend to be the 
 Difciples of him who taught nothing but Kindnefs, 
 Meeknefs, and Charity, yet it is ftrange to fee with 
 what a flanderous and virulent Tongue, they will 
 afperfe and traduce other Mens Reputation, although 
 the Injuries of this Nature are fo great, that they are 
 beyond all polfible Reparation. Even fome who 
 make a more than ordinary ProfefTion of Chriftianity, 
 at the fame Time do live in a mofl palpable Con- 
 tradiction to the Precepts of that holy Religion, not- 
 withstanding the Apoflle (a) fets Backbiters with 
 Fornicators, and Murderers, and Haters of God, of 
 whom it is faid, (b) That they jhall not inherit the 
 Kingdom of God: And in another Place, (c) the 
 Character which the Apoflle gives of fuch Men, is, 
 That they Jhall be Lovers of them/elves, Covetous, 
 Boajlers, Evil-fpeakers, without natural AffeElion, Per- 
 fidious, Falfe-accufersi &c. And St. James (d) ex- 
 prefsly lays, If any Man among youfeemetb to be Reli- 
 gious, and bridletb not his Tongue, but deceivelh bis 
 own Heart, that Mans Religion is vain. 
 
 (a) Rom. i. 29. (h) \ Cor. vi. 10. (c) 1 Tim. iii. 2, ?■ 
 (J) ChaD. i. 26. 
 
 That 
 
Chap. VIII. Chriftian Religion. 27 1 
 
 That you may therefore beware of this heinous 
 Sin ; bridle your Tongue, and be cautious and cir- 
 cumfpecl: of your Words ; be not forward to fpeak 
 of the Faults of others, without great Reafon and Ne- 
 ceflity, and do not delight to hear 111 of them. Give 
 no Countenance to bufy Perfons, who having an Itch 
 of talking and meddling in the Affairs of other Men, 
 which do no ways concern them, love to blazon their 
 Mifcarriages : Or if you cannot decently reprove them, 
 then divert the Difcourfe fome other Way } or if you 
 cannot do that, feem not to mind it, and fo you may 
 fufficiently fignify, that yon do not like it. Indeed 
 a main Caufe of the Corruption of Mankind com- 
 monly confifts of the Vicioufnefs of Converfation, 
 which infenfibly infects and debauches Men's Minds ; 
 as it is truly obferved by the Apoftle, Evil Communi- 
 cation corrupts good Manners. 
 
 Did Men but confult their own Happinefs, they 
 would refrain from Evi l-f peaking ■, for who knows 
 whofe Good-will he may ftand in Need of in the Chan- 
 ces and Affairs of this Life ? And how well-pleafing is 
 this to GOD, how acceptable to others, and delight- 
 ful and eafy to ourfelves, to govern well our Tongues ? 
 IVhat Man is he, faith the Pfalmift, (a) that defiretb 
 Life, and lovetb many Days, that he may fee Good ? 
 Keep thy Tongue from Evil, and thy Lips from f peaking 
 Falfehood. • 
 
 As we muft not be forward to fpeak Evil of thofe 
 whom we cannot commend, fo we ought not to detracl 
 from any Man's real Worth and deferved good Cha- 
 racter, but readily give him all the Praife and Enco- 
 miums which he deferves. Virtue certainly is as much 
 to be honoured, as Vice is to be reproached and def- 
 pifed. The Devil is called, the Accufer of the Bre- 
 
 (a) Pfalm xxxiv. 12, 13. 
 
 T 3 thren, 
 
272 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 tbreti) becaufe he difparages their Goodnefs, and feeks 
 for Blemifhes in their Holy Life, as he did in the Cafe 
 of Job. This he doth to depreciate Virtue, and rob 
 it of its due Encouragement. And all envious 
 Tongues are his Inftruments in this Work, and Ene- 
 mies to the common Good. Thus Judas fpoke with 
 Envy of the Woman who anointed our Lord's Feet 
 with precious Ointment, pretending it might have been 
 put to a better Ufe ; fVhy was not this Ointment fold 
 for three Hundred Pence-, and given to the Poor ? 
 
 In converfing with any Man, our Language mull: 
 be as refpeclful as his Quality deferves •, reverent to 
 fuperiors, humble to inferiors, kind and courteous to 
 all Men. This is the Way to gain ourfelves Efteem, 
 and make every Man our Friend. If others do not 
 the fame to us, it may be out of Ignorance; we 
 muft not be provoked by it, but teach them by our 
 Example to behave themfelves better. There is a 
 Regard to be fhewn to human Nature in every Man, 
 and the Violence of it by icurrilous, contemptuous 
 Language, is a very grievous Sin, as our Lord hath 
 taught us in his (a) Expofuion of the fixth Com- 
 mandment. 
 
 Common Swearing and Curfing are fuch monftrous 
 Sins, that we may well fay of the Tongue addicted 
 to them, (b) It is fet on Fire of Hell -, Blafphemies 
 and Imprecations being reprefented in Scripture as 
 the Language of Devils. The Name of God is 
 greats wonderful and holy, not to be mentioned but 
 upon grave Occafions, and with the greateft Vene- 
 ration. This he hath ftridtly commanded, and in- 
 forced that Command with a Threatning to the 
 Tranfgreflbrs of it •, and that Threatning he hath 
 fometimes executed in a direful Manner ; to admo- 
 nifla all Blafphemers, what a fearful Thing it ' is to 
 
 (a) Matt. v. 22. (b ) lames iii. 6. 
 
 fall 
 
Chap. VIII. Chriftian Religion. 273 
 
 fall into the Hands of an angry God, who is infinitely 
 jealous of his Honour. 
 
 Laftly, Though we may be free and plea/ant in our 
 Difcourfe at Seafons of Mirth and Rejoicing, and 
 thereby promote Chearfulnefs and good Humour, yet 
 we muft ever be careful to keep our Tongues within 
 the Bounds of Piety, Charity and Sobriety ; not to 
 burlefque Scripture, or ridicule any Thing that is 
 Sacred ? not to break any bitter farcaftical Jeft upon 
 the Company, or play with the Character of any ab- 
 fent Perfon $ not to let any corrupt Communication pro- 
 ceed out of our Mouth, in lewd Songs or Stories ; but 
 fee that our Difcourfe be feafoned with Salt, as the 
 Scripture fpeaks, and have nothing noifome or offen- 
 five in it. In the main, we mud, as the beft Rules in- 
 ftrucl: us, (a) be confiderate in our Words, and flow 
 to fpeak, remembring in our Words, (b) that in them 
 there wanteth not Sin, there are divers Vanities, and 
 that a Fool's Voice is known by them. But, (c) he that 
 hath Knowledge, fpareth his Words : And a Man of 
 Underjlanding is of an excellent Spirit. 
 
 (d) There is not a Word in my Tongue, but, lo ! 
 O Lord, thou knowejl it altogether, (e) Let all Cla- 
 mour and Evil-fpeaking be put away from you. (f) 
 Put them in Mind to be no Brawlers, but gentle, 
 jjjewing all Meeknefs unto all Men. (g) The Wifdom 
 that is from Above, is firjl pure, then peaceable, gen- 
 tle, and eafy to be intreated. (h) Finally, be ye piti- 
 ful, be courteous, not rendering Evil for Evil, or Rail- 
 ing for Railing, but contrariwife Bleffing ; knowing 
 that ye are thereunto called,, that ye may inherit a Blef- 
 fi n g- 
 
 (a) Pro-v. x. (b) Eccl. v. (c) Prov. xvii. 27. (d) Pfalm 
 cxxxix. 4. (e) Epbef. iv, 3 1, (f) Ti(, r, 12- (g) Jam. iii. 17. 
 (h) 1 Pet. iii. 8, 9. 
 
 T 4 THE 
 
274 ^ Sum °f the Part IV. 
 
 The RULE of our ACTIONS. 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Of a Peaceable and Christian 
 CONVERSATION., 
 
 AS the inward Peace of our Minds confifts in 
 the good Difpofition of our Thoughts and 
 Affections; fo the Peace of SOCIETY is main- 
 tained by a meek and calm Deportment one towards 
 another. Quarrels and Contentions commonly fpring 
 from unguarded ExpreiTions, and indifcreet Hand- 
 ling of Matters. Our bleffed Saviour therefore, who 
 came to promote Peace and good Will among Men, 
 hath done all that was poflible to prevent the Begin- 
 nings of Wrath and Strife, denouncing a Woe againft 
 that Man by whom the Offence cometh, while he 
 crowns the Lovers of Peace with temporal and eter- 
 nal Beatitudes : (a) Bleffed are the Meek, for they 
 Jball inherit the Earth. Blejjed are the Peace-makers, 
 for they jhall he called the Children of God. They 
 who are not only inoffenfive themfelves, but apt to 
 reconcile others, and compofe the Difference's that 
 are between them, (hall be efleemed as the Off- 
 r" . ' . 
 
 (a) Matt. v. 
 
 fpring 
 
Chap. IX. Chriftian Religion. 275 
 
 fpring of that God who is the Fountain of Peace and 
 Love. 
 
 There are few Precepts in holy Scripture fo often 
 inculcated upon us, as thofe which concern the or- 
 dering of our Words and Carriage towards others, 
 fo as to avoid Strife and Debate. And becaufe it is 
 impoflible but that Offences will come (for however 
 we may govern our own Pafftons, we cannot com- 
 mand thofe of other Men) therefore we muft be rea- 
 dy to bear with them, and not exact every Thing 
 by the ftridteft Rules. We muft be content in fomc 
 Cafes to fuftain Lofs, and recede from our own 
 Right. Not that Religion binds us to give up our- 
 felves a Prey to Men of no Confcience nor Honefty. 
 There are good Laws made for the Security of our 
 Perfons and Eftates, and we (hall do well to put our- 
 felves under their Protection, when we are in real 
 Danger. But we muft not be litigious, nor forward 
 upon every flight Occafion to drag Men to Courts 
 and Prifons : And even when there is fufficient Caufe 
 for fuch Kind of Redrefs, we muft not be rigorous 
 and overhafty in our Proceedings. This was the 
 Fault cf the Servant in the Gofpel, whofe Lord for- 
 gave him ten Thoufand Talents. He went and ar- 
 retted a Fellow-Servant of his, who owed him a hun- 
 dred Pence, and threw him into Prifon until he mould 
 pay the Debt, when he might have had it without 
 all this Trouble, if he had waited with Patience a 
 little longer. This cruel Treatment incenfed his 
 Lord againft him to put the old Bond of ten thou- 
 fand Talents in Execution. A fair Warning to all 
 Creditors, that when they feek for their juft Debts, 
 they temper Mercy with Juftice, proceeding leifurely, 
 and (like the beloved Sons of God) with Bowels of 
 Mercies, Kindnefs, Meeknefs, Long-fuffering. 
 
 At the fame Time the Debtors muft be admo- 
 nifhed, That they be neither fraudulent nor negligent 
 in anfwering juft Demands j but pay what they have 
 
 contracted 
 
276 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 contracted for with a ready and willing Mind. Other- 
 wife they will prove the Difturbers of the Peace, and 
 be anfwerable for all the ill Confequences of their 
 Frauds and Neglects, not only which fall upon them- 
 felves, but upon the Perfons and Families of their 
 Creditors, who many Times are impoverifhed and 
 ruined by the bafe Practices of their Debtors. 
 
 In bearing the Offences of daily Incurfion, we are 
 to confider our own as well as other Mens Infirmi- 
 ties, that in many Things we offend all, and therefore 
 do mutually Hand in Need of brotherly Kindnefs and 
 Candour. If we were to govern ourfelves by the 
 ftrict Laws of Retaliation, one Affront and Injury 
 would flill beget another, and there would be no End 
 of Contention, no Room for a charitable Pacifica- 
 tion. But now we are forbid to return Evil for Evil, 
 and Railing for Railing. If the Injury be fuch as 
 calls for Revenge, we are not to take it with our own 
 Hands. This would be to make ourfelves Judges in 
 our own Caufe, to ufurp the Office of the Magiftrate, 
 even of the Sovereign Arbiter, who hath faid, Ven- 
 geance is mine, I will repay it : Who, it may be, is 
 pleafed to humble fome proud Conceit in us, by iuf? 
 fering fuch Indignities to be put upon us ; and then 
 not to take them patiently, is to fpurn againft him. 
 This made David meekly fuffer the Curfing of Shi- 
 mei, when his Servants offered to take off his Head 
 for it. (a) So let him curfe, becaiife the Lord hath 
 faid unto him, Curfe David. Who then Jhall fay, 
 wherefore hajl thou done Jo ? 
 
 But if we were allowed Retaliation, as it was un- 
 der the old Law, yet Forgivenefs is far fweeter, and 
 yields a more rational and durable Pleafure. The 
 Monuments of our Mercy are far a more pleafing 
 -and delightful Spectacle than thofe of our Cruelty - 7 
 
 («) 2 Sam. xvi. 
 
 and 
 
Chap. IX. Chriftian Religion. 277 
 
 and no Sort of Thought doth ufually haunt Men with 
 more Terror, than a Reflection upon what they have 
 done in the Heat of Revenge. But to overcome Evil 
 with Good, to be kind and beneficent to Enemies, 
 may foften their Hearts, and bring them to a Tem- 
 per worthy both of Men and Chriftians. 
 
 Moil of the Wrath and Anger which diflurbs the 
 World, proceeds from a Root of Pride. Men care 
 not how much they lefTen and detract from others, 
 while they are fo tender of their own Honour, that 
 they cannot bear the leait OmilTion of Refpect, but 
 are all in a Flame at the Man who neglects them. 
 The Spirit of Haman could fo little brook the un- 
 courtly Carriage of Mordecai, that he would not 
 be atoned with the Blood of the Offender, but the 
 whole Nation of the Jews muit fall a Sacrifice to 
 his Ambition. Thus haughty Men never think them- 
 felves great, but when their Feet are on the Necks 
 of their Enemies. They think it is high and noble, 
 to revenge their Quarrels, and crufh all that offend 
 them. Whereas the true Magnanimity is quite the 
 Reverfe of all this. God, fays the Pfalmiji, is a righ- 
 teous Judge, Jirong and patient, and be is provoked 
 every Day. He is continually provoked by a World 
 of impious Men, and he can eafily deftroy them eve- 
 ry Moment ; yet he declares his almighty Power 
 molt chiefly in (hewing Pity and Mercy. Cbrifl was 
 the exprefs Image of his Father's Wifdom, infinitely 
 fuperior herein to the Scribes and Pharifees, and he 
 was as far from their Vanity and Oltentation ; not 
 difdaining that the meaneft of the People, and even 
 their young Children, fhould come about him when 
 he taught. The greateit Unworthinefs and Ingrati- 
 tude of Men, could not flop the Current of his Mer- 
 cies towards them. When he was urged by his Dif- 
 ciples, to call down Fire from Heaven upon an in- 
 hofpitable City of the Samaritans, he checked his 
 miitaken Advifers, and meekly departed to another 
 
 City. 
 
278 The Sum of the Part IV. 
 
 City. In his laft Agonies, after a cruel Tryal of 
 mocking and fcourging, when he was reviled on the 
 very Crofs, with unparalleled Infolence and Rudenefs, 
 he made the beft Apology for his Murderers which 
 their Crime was capable of : Father, forgive them, 
 for they know not what they do. If it was fit for the 
 Son of God, to fet fuch a Pattern of Meeknefs and 
 Gentlenefs, how much more fit is it for the Sons of 
 Men to follow it ? Let us then not he overcome of Evil, 
 but overcome Evil with Good. 
 
 I conclude with St. Aujlin's Character of a peace- 
 able Man. " He corrects, fays he, as much as he 
 *' can, whatever he finds amifs in the World. And 
 *' though his well-informed Judgment will not fuffer 
 u him to approve of feveral Things which he fees 
 " others do, yet ftill he puts it not in their Power to 
 M fhake and difcompofe his own Temper." 
 
 
 ® 
 
 The End of the Fourth Part. 
 
Chriftian Religion. 279 
 
 TO fum up the whole, I will add in the laft 
 Place, the divine Benedictions, which accom- 
 pany the righteous Man in the Performance of the 
 foregoing Duties. 
 
 BleJJed is the Man that walketb in the Ways of the 
 Lord, (a) As the Heaven is high above the Earth, Jo 
 great is bis Mercy toward them that fear him. The 
 Mercy of the Lord is from Everlajling to Everlajling, 
 upon them that fear him ; and his Righteoufnefs upon 
 Childrens Children : To fuch as keep his Covenant, and 
 to thofe that remember his Commandments to do them. 
 (b) Unto the Upright there arifeth Light in the Dark- 
 nefs : He is Gracious and full of Companion, and Righte- 
 ous. Surely hefhall not be moved for ever : The Righte- 
 ous jhall be had in everlajling Remembrance. Hefhall 
 not be afraid of evil Tydings ; his Heart is fixed, truf- 
 ting in the Lord. He hath difperfed, he bath given to 
 the Poor, his Righteoufnefs endureth for ever ; his Horn 
 Jhall be exalted with Honour, (c) Bleffed is every one 
 that fear eth the Lord, that walketb in bis Ways. For 
 thou jhalt eat the Labour of thine Hands. Happy Jhalt 
 thou be, and it Jhall be well with thee. Thy Wife jhall 
 be as a fruitful Vine by the Sides of thine Houfe ; thy 
 Children like Olive Plants, round about thy Table. Be- 
 hold thus Jhall the Man be bleffed that fear eth the Lord. 
 
 (a) Pfal. ciii. (b) Pfal. cxii. (c) Pfal. cxxviii. 
 
§ > FFH < -saws' > ^^ i *ZU& > FPU S 
 
 THE 
 
 TERMS 
 
 OF OUR 
 
 SALVATION. 
 
 FMWHE SALVATION of Mankind, 
 *$#— $■-- •$•&* though purchafed by Jesus Christ, 
 
 ♦ T *4^ ' s y et i nmre d t0 ever y one °f us n( > 
 
 ^ ! '. &* otherwife, than as we qualify ourfelves 
 
 v?feo?J: *5 ^ or *** ky performing certain Condi- 
 ^* J ** * * -** tions on our Part. 
 
 This is eafily explained by the following Inftance. 
 When a Lord grants to his Servant the PofTefTion of 
 an Eftate, upon Condition that he fhall at certain 
 Times come into Court, and openly profefs his Feal- 
 ty and Service to his Lord ; No Body will fay that 
 the Servant by doing this, purchafes the EJlate, but 
 that he only qualifies himfelf for it. And upon his 
 Neglect to do this ; efpecially if he neglects it out 
 of Contempt, or takes part with his Lord's Enemies, 
 and confpires againft his Honour and Dignity ; every 
 Body muft juftify the Lord, if he takes the Forfei- 
 ture, 
 
282 The Sum of tht 
 
 ture, refumes his Grant, and punifhes that wicked 
 Servant. 
 
 In like Manner is our Title to Salvation good, fo 
 long as we perform certain Conditions : Which St. 
 Paul hath exprefTed both negatively and'pofitively : 
 (a) We tnuji deny all Uvgodlinefs and worldly Lufls ; 
 and live a fober, righteous, and godly Life* 
 
 We muft honour our Lord in the Obfervance of 
 his whole Willy not picking and choofmg fuch Parts 
 of it as fuit our Humour or Intereft, and rejecting 
 the reft ; but yielding dn equal Obedience to the 
 harder as well as eafier Commands, (b) For whofo- 
 ever fhall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one 
 Pointy he is guilty of all ; becaufe he contemns that 
 facred Authority which hath enacted them all ; and 
 becaufe the fame corrupt Mind which emboldens him 
 to violate one Law, would inftigate him to break 
 through any of the reft, if Pleafure or Profit fhould 
 incline him to it. So that his Innocence in other Re- 
 fpects is not owing to his Virtue or Senfe of God's 
 Authority •, but to his Want of Temptation or Op- 
 portunity. 
 
 We are then faid to be Tranfgreflbrs of the Law, 
 when we wilfully commit thofe Things Which we 
 know God hath forbidden ; or omit thofe Things, 
 which we know he hath commanded and required us 
 to do. If God did not exact univerfal and impartial 
 Obedience, but allowed fecret Refer ves for fome one 
 bofom Sin, one Man would chufe Covetoufnefs, ano- 
 ther Drunkennefs, a .third Uncleannefs, and fo on, 
 until it would be no longer true, that Adulterers, For- 
 nicators, Drunkards, &c. Jhouldnot inherit the King- 
 dom of God. They might entertain Hopes of getting 
 
 (a) Titus ii. ii, 12. (h) James ii. 10. 
 
 into 
 
Chriflian Religion. 283 
 
 into it, if univerfal Obrdience without Partiality were 
 iiot the Co.ndmon on which eternal Life is promifed. 
 
 But by this univerfal Obedience, is not to be un- 
 derstood fuch a P- illction of Holinefs, as admits of 
 no Alloy 01 Mixture of Sin, no Deviation from the 
 Paths of Piety and Virtue. It may undeniably be 
 proved from Holy Scripture, that a State of Salvation 
 is confiftent with fome Failures and Defers in our 
 Obedience ; for in this Senfe it is faid, There is no 
 Man living who finneih not. So that the Perfection 
 required of us, is, not fo much in the Work as in 
 the Will 5 by Reafon of the Infirmity of our Nature 
 we cannot always (land upright ; but we ought hear- 
 tily to endeavour it, and fincerely to repent of and 
 amend whatever we find amifs in us. 
 
 This may ferve to fet thofe right, who doubt whe- 
 ther God requires an abfolute and unfinning Degree 
 of Holinefs , and thofe alio who are in a more dan- 
 gerous Error, thinking he will fave Men through 
 Chrift, who forfake not their Sins, nor do the Duties 
 which he hath commanded. Chrift our Saviour de- 
 clares, That except we repent, we (hall pc-rifh, and 
 this Repentance mud con lift, not only in a Ceafing 
 to do Evil, but in a daily Improvement and filling up 
 of thofe good Duties, wherein we find we have been 
 deficient. Thus Chrifl faith : Every Tree that bring- 
 eth not forth good Fruit, is hewn down, and cafl into 
 the Fire St. Paul teftifies, That without Holinefs no 
 Man fhall fee the Lord. St. Peter exhorts us to (a) 
 add to our Faith, Virtue, and to Virtue, Knowledge ; 
 and to Knowledge, Temperance ; and to Temperance, 
 Patience-, and to Patience, brotherly Kindnefs ; and to 
 brotherly Kindnefs, Charity. 
 
 fn) 2 Pet. 1. 5, 
 
 U In 
 
284 The Sum of the 
 
 In this Senfe therefore God requires perfect Obe- 
 dience to his Commands ; and injoins it as a Condi? 
 tion without which we fhall not be faved, that in 
 what Inftances foever we have in Time paft offended, 
 in thofe we walk warily for the Time to come ; in 
 whatever Points of Duty we have been wanting, we 
 now advance and grow in Grace. 
 
 He therefore who lays hold of the gracious Pro- 
 mifes of the Gofpel, to recover himfelf from any 
 known Sin, and is fo fenfible of his paft Infirmities, 
 as thenceforth to keep a ftricler Watch over himfelf; 
 he who upon a Review of his Performances, perceives 
 that he gets Ground, and is more and more confirm- 
 ed in all Goodnefs ; he who induftrioufly avoids the 
 Temptations by which he hath formerly fallen ; who 
 unavoidably meeting with Trials which formerly pre- 
 vailed over him, hath now the Faith and Power to 
 hold out againft all their Importunities; This Man 
 hath the beft Grounds to hope, that he is in a fare 
 State of Salvation. 
 
 Thus much is the indifpenfable Duty of every pe- 
 nitent Sinner, that he demonftrate the Sincerity of his 
 Love to God, by flri&er and clofer Approaches to 
 perfect Obedience ; that he daily weaken all vicious 
 Habits, and introduce the contrary Virtues into Prac- 
 tice. This is that Condition of our Acceptance, that 
 Law of the Gofpel, which will admit of no Abate- 
 ments at the lafl Day. And even fo, it is an invalu- 
 able Blefling to be admitted into the Kingdom of God. 
 But of all thofe who make a plaufible Profeffion of 
 Chriftianity, where fhall we find one who thus fin- 
 cerely difchargeth his Part of it ? We may with the 
 Prophet Jeremiah^ Run to and fro through the Streets 
 of this City, and feek if %ve can find a Man ; if there 
 be any that exeiutetb Judgment , that feeketh the Truth, 
 
 that 
 
Chri&an Religion. 285 
 
 that ferveth the Lord with a perfett Heart and a wil- 
 ling Mind. Two or three in a Parifh : Nothing in 
 CompsfttibTi of the vaft Multitudes who are Baptized 
 and Regifterec a& Cknfi'i Soldiers and Servants. So 
 true is that Saying of his; Many are called^ but few 
 cbofen. 
 
 This is the truly righteous Man, the Ifraclit; in- 
 deed, in whom is no Guile •, who doth not reft in the 
 external Part of Religion, but wormips God with all 
 his Heart, ard Suul, and Strength, and Mind ; who 
 ftudies to know his whole Will, and to do it ; who 
 is not content with ordinary Attainments, but ftrives 
 to excel in every Thing that is good. This is the 
 healthy and found Conftitution ol the Soul, which 
 like that of the Body, caufeth every Faculty to per- 
 form its Function with Facility and Pleafure. 
 
 Could we but heartily fix upon our great End, and 
 make the whole Bufinefs of our Life iubfervient to it, 
 this would prevent thofe Inroads which Temptations 
 make upon our Soul, and which render our Obedi- 
 ence partial and defective. We fhould not receive 
 fuch ftrong lmpreflions from the various Circum- 
 ftances of this uncertain State, nor fo often ftep out 
 ®f our Way to catch at the Riches, Honours, and 
 Pleafures of the World. If our Hearts were but in 
 Heaven, our Difcourfes and whole Converfation would 
 veliih of it ; our Cares, our Thoughts and AfFe&ions, 
 would like the Streams of a River flow towards it. 
 And our Hearts would be there, if our Treafure were 
 there, and we did but elteem the Felicities of that 
 Kingdom according to their true Nature and Dignity. 
 Then would our Feet run the Ways of God's Com- 
 mandments with Pleafure and Delight, and we fhould 
 earneftly prefs towards the Hope that is (?t before us, 
 the Prize of our high Calling in Jefus Chrifi. 
 
 U 2 A ferious 
 
286 The Sum of the 
 
 A ferious EXHORTATION^ 
 REPENTANCE and a good LIFE. 
 
 THE abfolute N°ceflity of performirg the afore- 
 faid CONDIT.ONS in order to the Attain- 
 ment of SAl VATiON, will bring every confideri jg 
 Perfon ferioufly to tr\ and examine himfelf, whether 
 a Promife being made him of entering into Life, he 
 is not in Danger of fallirg fhort of it. Since a little 
 Leaven of wilful Sin, one fi gle favourite Lull, will 
 corrupt thei Whole of a good Life, and defeat all En- 
 dcavouis i.i other Refpccls \ it behoves you to feaich 
 for it with all Diligence, and where-ever you find it, 
 to purge it out by a hearty Repentance. You may 
 poliibly obtain a good Report among Men, at the 
 cheap Rare of a Fuim of Godlinefs; but remember, 
 you are not to b^ judged b) them, but by him who 
 requirerh Truth in the i- ward Parts. You may, with 
 Agrifpd, be a'moft a Chnlban, a d, with Herod, 
 gladly hear, and readily do many Tilings taught you 
 b) God's Woid, and yet be in the Bonds of fome 
 Iniquity or Lull;, which keeps you from laying hold 
 on eternal Life Coufider, that the Wifdom which 
 is from above, is (as St. James fpeaks of it) without 
 Partiality, and without 'Hy poo icy. You may tliir k it 
 a Maftci -Piece ot Art and i'oiicy to palliate your 
 Unfouncjfiefs, and give it the Colour of Truth -but 
 yoti cannot deceive G' d, who alone is to determine 
 of your find Co dition ; and fq the Cheat falls at laft 
 upon yourself, who flattered )our own Heart with the 
 
 Sinner 
 
Chriftian Religion. 287 
 
 Sinner that goeth two Ways, faying, (a) I [ball 
 t have Peace, though I walk in the Imagination of mine 
 Heart. But of luch a one the Scripture faiih, "The 
 Lord will not /pare him, but his Anger and his Jen- 
 Joufy jball fmoke again/i that Man ; all the Curfes that 
 are written in this Book Jh all lie upon him. 
 
 H »w happy would ii be for Men, if they would 
 but leriuufly lay thele Thirgs to Heart, while they 
 have Time and Space fur Repentance! If the> w uld 
 but confider how inexeufabL twry Act ot Dilobedi- 
 ence in Chriftians is>, fmce G d bath given them both 
 Light enough to fee theirAVav, and fufficitnt Sti-ngth 
 to carry them through it. They are inftiucted with 
 St. Paul, both how to be abated, and how to abou. d ; 
 and not to be puffed up with Piofpenty, nor beaten 
 down and difpirittd by Adverfity. They have in his 
 Perfo-i, an Experiment and Proof, that the Divine Aid 
 afforded us, is fuperior to the ftrongeft Temptations, 
 and enables as to do all Things through Chrijl who 
 Jlrengtheneth us. That we need not be anxious 
 about the Piovifionsof this mortal Life, much lefs en- 
 ter into any finful Meafures to procure them, fince 
 -infinite Wifdom is always at Work fur us, and hath 
 promifed to lay no heavier Burthen upon us than we 
 are able to bear, to wiil>hold no good Thing from 
 us, fo long as we live a godly Life -, lb that we may 
 with full Allarance cry. out ; the Lord is on my Side, 
 I will not be afraid of any Dangers ; he who hath the 
 whole Earth in his Hands, is my Shepherd, 1 cannot 
 be deftitute of any Thing that is convenient for me. 
 Such Confiderations as thefe would in a great Mea- 
 fure, prevent the Miferies of the prefent Life, and 
 lead us to employ the greateft Part of our mod 
 ferious Tnuughts upon l&e Welfare of cur immortal 
 Souls. ' 
 
 (a) Deut. aarix. 19. 
 
 U 3 From 
 
288 The Sum of the 
 
 From thus confidering the Importance and Reafons 
 of our Duty, we muft proceed to form fkady Rejolu- 
 tions for performing every Branch of it. Are there 
 fome Temptations more pleating to our corrupt Na- 
 tures, and more apt to prevail over us ? We muft 
 maintain our Guard againft them, and not fuffer our- 
 felves by any Means to be brought within their Influ- 
 ence and Solicitations. Do we, upon a Review of our 
 pad Lives, obferve manifold Omilfions of our Duty 
 both towards God and Man ? We muft immediately 
 refolve to redeem the Time we have loft, by filling 
 up what remains with Abundance of good Fruits. All 
 this we muft peremptorily determine, and faithfully 
 execute when the Opportunities of Action offer them- 
 felves; daily imploring the Afliftance of Divine Giace, 
 to enable us to reduce all our good Defigns into Prac- 
 tice, and to perfevere unto our Lives End. 
 
 How many Millions of Souls are now irrecoverably 
 loft, who refted in fome faint ineffectual Purpofes of 
 Reformation, flattering themfelves, that the D^fire of 
 Grace was Grace, and fuffering their good Motions 
 to fly off, and vanifh away as the early Dew ! Such 
 is the double-minded Man St. James fpeaks of, who 
 is unliable in all his Ways : He will reconcile Contra- 
 dictions, and ferve both God and Mammon. He hopes 
 for the Rewards of Piety while he enjoys the Pleafures 
 of Sin, and divides his Services between the Duties of 
 Religion, and the Works of the Devil ; Sometimes he 
 is very affiduous at his Devotions, but he runs but a 
 fhort Courfe ; he quickly ftarts afide into the broad 
 Ways of the World again. 
 
 Indeed there hath been in all Ages a Virtue and 
 Religion, which hath been affirmed by ill Men, as 
 well fuited -the Humours and Interefts of the World. 
 The Devil himfelf choofes to be ferved with Temples 
 and Sacrifices. He had the Confidence to afk our 
 Bleffed Lord and Saviour to fall down and worfhip 
 him. 
 
 When 
 
Chriftian Religion. 289 
 
 When the old World was deftroyed by the Flood, 
 we cannot doubt but there were more Pretenders to 
 Religion than thofe who were laved in the Ark ; and 
 that many who perilled in the Flames of Sodom and 
 Gomorrah, had often caufed the Smoak of their Al- 
 tars to afcend. And thus it will be at the general 
 Conflagration of all Things. In that Day, fays Chrift, 
 ■many will fay unto me, Lord, Lord, have we not eat 
 and drank in thy Prefence, and thou hajl preached in 
 our Streets ? And then will I profefs unto them, I ne- 
 ver knew you ; Depart from me, ye that work Iniquity. 
 We fee then there is fomething of Singularity in be* 
 ing foundly religious. We muft not be difcouraged 
 in our Way to Heaven, though we have not, all the 
 good Company we could wilh. Nay, though Men 
 mould revile and perfecute us, and fay all 'manner of 
 Evil againft us for Chri/l's Sake, we may go on with 
 Courage, as knowing, that great is our Reward in 
 Heaven. 
 
 In fuch Cafes we may fay with the great Apoftle, 
 It is a very fmall Thing for me to be cenfured of 
 Man, fo long as I approve myfelf to God. For it is 
 God that jufiifyeth, who is he that condemneth ? Our 
 Account at the laft Day will depend not upon our 
 prefent Reputation in the World, but as then m Re- 
 ality and very Deed we fhall be found to be. 
 
 The Joy and Comfort therefore of every good Man, 
 confifts in the Aflurance he hath of his own Sincerity, 
 that he heartily ftudies in all Things to pleafe GOD. 
 The Ground of our Rejoicing, faith St. Paul, is this, 
 even the Tejlimony of our Confcience, that in Simplicity 
 and godly Sincerity not with flefhly IVifdom, but by the 
 Grace of God, we have had our Conver/ation in the 
 World. This is our fureft Confolation in the midft of 
 the fharpeft Afflictions and hardeft Cenfures. 
 
 Let us not then run into the common Error of 
 
 Mankind, who while they are in the Flower of their 
 
 Health and Vigour, immerfe themfelves in the Plea- 
 
 U 4. fures 
 
290 The Sum of the 
 
 fures or Affairs of this Life, and are deaf to all Coun- 
 fels and Perfuafions to be wife, and to confid.r their 
 latter End. This great Work they delay from Time 
 to Time, until old Age overtakes them, and then 
 (contrary to the ancient Law) they offer Sacrifices of 
 the Larne and Blind, the feeble Remains of impaired 
 Health and Strength. But is it fit that God mould 
 be pleafed with their cold and languid Devotions, af- 
 ter acontinued Courfe of Senfualities, and Abufes of 
 his Grace ? The facred Writers earneftly move us to 
 confider, that Now is the acceptable Time and Day of 
 Salvation : Wherein if we refufe to hear and obey 
 the Voice of God, he may juftly reject us when evil 
 Days of Fear and Trembling come upon us. Suppofe 
 we had anAflurance that we mould go out of the 
 World, not by a fudden Death, but giadual Decay, 
 yet how poor a Compenfation could we make upon 
 the Bed of Languishing, for all the Impieties and 
 Follies of a mifpent Life ? When we mail not be able, 
 ferioufly, to think of any Thing, by reafon of our 
 Pains, and the Concern, we fhall have about the Means 
 to procure fome Eafe and Refpite from them. What 
 a miferable Confufion muft they needs be in, who are 
 fummoned to give up their Accounts, and fo little 
 prepared for it ? Or if the great and terrible Day of 
 the Lord mould furprize us (as we are often warned 
 to expect it may) what.; a ftrange Condensation (hall 
 we be in, when the Son of .Man Jball , appear in the 
 Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory ; when 
 the Sun fljall be darkened, and the Moon turned into 
 £lood t and all the Ho (I of Heaven fhall be jhaken •,. 
 when Nature jball labour under us loft Pangs and 
 Convulftons, and the whole Creation flame and melt 
 about us: IVhen the Heavens jball be jh rive led up as 
 a Roll of Parchment^ the Earth torn away from its 
 Center , and every Mountain and IJl.ind removed! What 
 Thoughts can the wifeft Heads have in the midft of 
 fo much Cpnfuiion andTerror ? Or if they could have 
 
 any, 
 
Chriftian Religion. 291 
 
 any, what Time would there be to put them in Prac- 
 tice ? When they Jhall fee an Angel /landing upon the 
 Sea, and upon the Earth, lifting up his Hand to Heaven, 
 and /wearing by Him that liveth for ever and ever, 
 that Time jhall be no more ; as this dreadful Day is 
 
 defcribed, Rev. VI. 15. X. 5, 6. Where Sinners 
 
 are reprefented at the Appearance of this great Judge, 
 not as flying to God in Hopes of Mercy, but as run- 
 ning from him in utter Defpair of it : When King, 
 and great Captains, the mojl mighty and rich Men y 
 Jhall hide them j elves in the Dens and Caves of the Earth, 
 and fay to the Mountains, fall on us, and to the Rocks, 
 cover us from the Face of Him that fittetb on the Throne, 
 and from the Wrath of the Lamb : For the great Day 
 of his Wrath is come, and who pall be able to /land? 
 This Wrath is called the Wrath of the Lamb, to 
 fignify to us, That nothing is more terrible than 
 Meeknefs and Patience, when thoroughly provoked 
 and turned into Fury. 
 
 In fuch horrible Diftra&ions fhall the (touted and 
 boldell Sinners upon Earth be, when they (hall be 
 furprized by that great and terrible Day of the Lord. 
 And their Cafe is not much better nor more comfort- 
 able, who in the ordinary Courfe of Mortality, are 
 carried from this World to another, without being 
 duly prepared for fo great a Change. 
 
 I am loth to enter into the Controverfy of a Death- 
 bed Repentance : I am perfuaded there is fcarce any 
 fuch Thing. We have but one Example, that I 
 know of, in the whole Bible, of the Repentance of 
 a dying Sinner, viz. That. of the Penitent Thief 
 upon the Oofs. And the Ci.rcumltances of his Cafe 
 are fo peculiar and extraordinary, that it cannot afford 
 any Ground of Hops and Encouragement to flothful 
 and improvident Chi illians. We cannot now futter 
 in the Company of our Blelkd Lord ; and if we could, 
 it is not certain that we mould behave ourfelves tow- 
 ards 
 
292 The Sum of the 
 
 ards him To well as the Penitent Thief did, and make 
 fo good an End of a bad Life. 
 
 Every prudent Man therefore who hopes to be re- 
 warded with Heaven, will begin his Work betimes, 
 and take the Morning of his Life for it, while he can 
 find Pleafure in it, and before irregular Defires fettle 
 themfelves into Habits, and get the Afcendant and 
 Command over him. 
 
 This is the Way to make our prefent Life eafy and 
 comfortable to us. Religion is fo far from being in 
 itfelf grievous and diftafleful, that it fully anfwers the 
 Character which the wife Solomon gives of it ; Her 
 IVays are IVays of Pleafantnefs, and all her Paths are 
 Peace. For this I appeal to the Conferences of thofe 
 who have tafted all Kinds of Pleafure, whether they 
 do not find more folid Satisfaction in the Houfe of 
 God, and the Sacrifices of Prayer and Thankfgiving 
 offered up in that Place, than in all the airy Diverfions 
 of a mod fplendid Theatre ? whether they are not 
 more eafy in their Minds, when they keep to a regu- 
 lar Method of Devotion, and ftridtly adhere to the 
 Laws of Sobriety and Goodnefs, than when they break 
 through them for the tranfient Gratification of fome 
 intemperate Luft or Appetite ? God hath animated 
 us with Heaven-born Souls, which may be amufed for 
 a while, but never truly filled with lefs than that Ce- 
 leftial Food conveyed to them in the Exercife of Reli- 
 gious and Spiritual Duties. 
 
 Nothing can be more eafily demonftrated than this, 
 That our prefent Felicities are bed fecured and en- 
 joyed, when we live agreeably to the Laws of our 
 Religion. Temperance is abfolutely neceflary to pre- 
 ferve Health, and give a quick and pleafing Relifh to 
 our Food. Uprightnefs in Dealings maintains Com- 
 merce and Society, which cannot fubfift without it. 
 Affability and Courtefy is the Way to gain Men's Af- 
 fections, and difpofe them to do us any good Office 
 
 when 
 
Chriftian Religion. 293 
 
 when it lies in their Power. Reverence to Magiftrates 
 and Superiors, keeps up the Laws in due Force, and 
 guards agauift Affaults and Injuries. 
 
 But if tiiefe Temporal Advantages juftify the Wif- 
 dum of being Religious, how ftrongly do thofe which 
 are Eternal plead for it? How infinitely do tbey weigh 
 down all the Pains and Hardships which can poflibly 
 refult from it ? Were we continually to be upon our 
 Knees ; were we daily to incompafs the Table of our 
 Lord ; were we like the devout Anna, never to depart 
 out of the Temple, but ferve God with Failings and 
 Prayers Night and Day ; this would be fo far from 
 being a Price equivalent to our everlafting Inheritance, 
 that it could not merit a few Years Enjoyment 
 of it. 
 
 Surely the greateft Part of Chriftians are fuch only 
 by Cuftom ; they have the Face of Religion without 
 the Force of it ; are born of Chriftian Parents, but not 
 regenerated by the Holy Spirit ; lay Claim to the 
 Merits of Chrift, but want that Love and Obedience 
 which make up the Character of his Difciples. In 
 fhort, they devife a new Gofpel, and propofe to them- 
 felves a new Way of Salvation. 
 
 It we are ferious in our Purfuit of Happinefs, we 
 muft feek it in that Way which Chrift, who hath the 
 Difpofal of it, hath fet before us : We muft proceed 
 in an even and fteady Courfe of Piety, muft imme- 
 diately repent of any Error or Mifdeed, fupplicating 
 God for his Pardon and preventing Grace. We muft 
 by a faithful Imitation of Chrift, convince the World, 
 that we fincerely believe and embrace his Doctrines ; 
 that we fear his Threatnings, by rejecting every 
 Thing that is fjnful ; that we depend upon his Pro- 
 mifes of a better Life, by renouncing the Pomps and 
 Vanities of this. Let our whole Spirit and Conver- 
 fation be io lovely, and venerable, and praife-wor- 
 thy, as that hence it may be known to what Mafter 
 and what Religion we belong. O that Men were 
 
 wife { 
 

 294 The $ um °f the 
 
 wife ! that they underftood this ! that they wouM 
 confider their latter End ! that they would dwell 
 much upon the Thoughts of DEATH and JUDG- 
 MENT, and the unchangeable STATE which fol- 
 lows thereupon. 
 
 Of the worthy RECEIVING the Holy 
 SACRAMENT 
 
 Of the LO RD J s SUTTER. 
 
 THE Office of the Holy Communio?i of the LORD's 
 SUPPER, properly belongs to that Pax r of our 
 chriftian Inftitution which contains our DU tY> to 
 GOD. But becaufe this high Act of Devotion is ge- 
 nerally performed at certain fp.cial Seatons, I have 
 therefore chofe to treat of it diftii dtly in tins, Place : 
 and in a compendious Manner- as being p>-rfuadt-d, 
 that Perfons who are religioufly diipofed to be worthy 
 Communicants, cannot want fome of thofe numerous 
 Tra&s which are fet forth for their Direction in this 
 folemn Part of Religion, 
 
 Our Duty of Communicating at the Lord's Table, 
 is as clearly declared in Scripture, as any other 
 Branch of Chriftianiry whatever. Our Lord's own 
 Words at the Inftitution .of this Sacrament, are, Do 
 this in Remembrance of me. St. Paul, who was taught 
 it immediately from Heaven, ham btftowed a parti- 
 cular Difcou'fe-upon it, in which he tells us, That as 
 ojt as ive eat this Bread, and drink this Cup of the 
 Lord, we do Jhew forth his Death. And the Practice 
 of the primitive Church, who rarely,- if ever, omitted 
 
 this 
 
Chriftian Religion. 295 
 
 this Holy Sacrament in their lolemn Afiemblies for re- 
 ligious Wotfhip, fhews us what was the Senfe of 
 Cnnft and his Apoftles in mis Point. 
 
 This is an inftitution of Religion, grounded upon 
 the fole Authority of the Commander, which is here 
 fully fufficient and unqu^ftionable. Mofes was but a 
 Servant in the Houfe of God •, )et Obedience was ex- 
 acted to his Form of Worfhip upon the higheft Pe- 
 nalties. How much more ftiall CHRIST, the Lord 
 of the Home, be obeyed i fuch reafonable Services 
 as he erjoins? He who, as St. Paul fpeaks, bath pur- 
 ch'tfed his Cburcb with bis own Blood: Who, as he 
 himfelf faith, bath all Power in Heaven and Earth 
 comiutted to him 
 
 A id while by dorg this, we approve our Fidelity 
 and Ob die.ee to our Lord, we are at the fame 
 Time inrichiag ourfelves with all fpiritual Benefits; 
 as, The Pardon of our Sins, the Grace aud AlTiftance 
 of the Holy Spirit, to confirm us in all other good 
 Dutjes, a::d fupport us under all Hardfhips and Suf- 
 ferings a the Affuranct of the divine Love, and Ear- 
 ned: of immortal Life. 
 
 Gratitude will farther prompt us to Afiiduity in 
 this facred Ofhce. Did our Lord, when he was about 
 to fuffer for us, oblige us to commemorate his Suffer- 
 ings in a Way fo eafy and agreeable to us; and fhall 
 we deny him this reafonabie Rtqiieft, and tell him 
 by our Neglect of it, That we do not think his Paf- 
 fion worth the Remembring ? This would be the 
 mod horrible Siight and Affront we could offer him. 
 We could not.be fo unmindful of the dyi; g Words 
 of any Perfon, for whom we had a real Kindnefs and 
 Friendfhip. 
 
 The greatefl Reafon which is pretended for the 
 Neg'ecT: of this Sacrament, is an Expreflion of St. 
 Paul,' intimati g the Da ger of unworthy Receiving. 
 He that ealeth and drinke/h unworthily, eateth and 
 drinketb Damnation to him/elf, not conjidering the 
 . * Lord's 
 
296 The Sum of the 
 
 Lord's Body. If the Danger of unworthy Receiving 
 be fo very great, it is concluded to be the fafeft Way, 
 not to Receive at all. But this is a great Miftake, 
 it being equally at lead, if not more dangerous, to 
 live in the utter Neg'ed of this Duty. The Obliga- 
 tions to it have been already mentioned ; and the 
 Danger of Neglecting it, is in feveral Places declared 
 to be very great. Except ye eat the Flejh of the Son 
 of Man, fays Chrift, and drink his Blood, ye have no 
 Life abiding in you: The whole Difcourle of our Lord 
 in that Place, may be well applied to this Holy Sa- 
 crament. Again, They who in the Parable refufed 
 to come to the Marriage- Feaft, were as furely de- 
 flroyed for making light of the Invitation, as he who 
 came without a Wedding-Garment. 
 
 The greateft Indifpofition for this Sacrament, is, 
 being an habitual and refolute Sinner. This is the 
 Senfe of the Church, declared in her Exhortation to 
 this Sacrament. If any of you be a Blafphemer of God, 
 an Hinderer or Slanderer of his Word, an Adulterer, 
 or he in Malice or Envy, or in any other grievous 
 Crime, repent of your Sins, or elfe come not to that holy 
 Table. Here we lee, that the grofleft of Sinners are 
 no otherways debarred Communion, than as they are 
 impenitent, and (till engaged in their impious Courfes. 
 For afterwards we hear it faid to all thofe who offer 
 themfelves to be Communicants : Te that do truly and 
 earneflly repent you of your Sins, and are in Love and 
 Charity with your Neighbours, and intend to lead a new 
 Life, following the Commandments of God, and walk- 
 ing from henceforth in his Holy IVays ; draw near with 
 Faith, &c. So that we fee, it is not any pall Sins of 
 what Kind foever, but Only a Perfeverance in them, 
 which is a fufficient Impediment to our woithy Re- 
 ceiving the Lord's Supper. Our common Defects 
 and unavoidable Frailties and Infirmities, muft not 
 deter us. Thefe do not occafion that Unworthinefs 
 fpoken of by St. Paul, which makes it dangerous to 
 
 communicate 
 
Chriftian Religion. 29? 
 
 communicate. There is an Unworthinefs which the 
 bed Chriftians are guilty of and confefs in that Prayer 
 of the Church : We do not prefume to come to this thy 
 Table, O merciful Lord, trufling in our own Righteouf- 
 nefs, but in thy manifold and great Mercies. IVe are 
 not worthy fo much as to gather up the Crumbs under 
 thy Table. And after they have communicated, they 
 do not pretend to be wholly cleanfed from it, but (till 
 acknowledge it in thefe Words : Although -we be un- 
 worthy through our manifold Sins, to offer unto thee any 
 Sacrifice, yet we befeech thee to accept this our bounden 
 Duty and Service, not weighing our Merits, but pardon- 
 ing our Offences. You fee the Church fuppofes a De- 
 gree of Unworthinefs in all Communicants ; and yet 
 ihe calls the Act of Communicating, Our bounden 
 Duty and Service ; which plainly inferrs, that we are 
 bounden to Communicate, notwithftanding fome Un- 
 worthinefs and Unfitnefs for fo facred a Duty. 
 
 It is indeed to be confeffed that none are worthy to 
 receive this Holy Sacrament, but thofe who believe the 
 Doctrines of the Gofpel, and order their Converfation 
 according to the Precepts of it. But there is no Rea- 
 fon why we mould continue under either of thefe Dif- 
 abilities, fince it is fo eafy for us to remove them, and 
 attain to that Worthinefs which is required of us. Be- 
 fides what hath been already obferved from the Com- 
 munion Office, I fhall inculcate a very plain and corp- 
 pleat Rule to this Purpofe, at the End of our Church 
 Catecbifm : Where the Things required of every Per- 
 lbn who comes to the Lord's Supper^ are faid to be 
 thefe Five : 
 
 Firft, That he truly repent him of his former Sins. 
 Secondly, That he ftcdfaftly purpofe to lead a new 
 
 Life. 
 Thirdly, That he have a lively Faith in God's 
 
 Mercies, through Chrift. 
 
 Fourthly, 
 
298 The Sum of the 
 
 Fourthly, That he thankfully remember his Death. 
 
 And, 
 Fifthly, That he be in Charity with all Men. 
 
 In thefe Things a Man muft examine himfelf ; and 
 to do this, there is no more required, than a common 
 Degree of Knowledge, with fo much Time as may well 
 enough be fpared from the necefTary Concerns of Life. 
 
 The Rule whereby to examine our pad Manners 
 and Courfe of Life, is the Commandments of God ■, 
 by which we may, as in a Glafs, difcover wherein 
 we generally offend in Will, Word, or Deed ; fuch 
 Offences we muft bewail, and confefs them to al- 
 mighty God, begging his Grace to prevent us, and 
 preierve us from them for the Time to come. The 
 Sum and Subftance of our Faith is beft comprehend- 
 ed in the Articles of the CREED; which being pro- 
 pounded to us, for our particular AfTent and Ac- 
 knowledgment, both at our coming into the World, 
 and at our goir.g out ot it ; I mean, at Bapttjm^ and 
 the Vifitation 0/ the Sick ; I cannot doubt but a fo- 
 lemn Recital and Recognition of them, is a good Pre- 
 parative to the Holy Eucharifl. I know not whether 
 this be commonly done ; I have not obferved it to be 
 mentioned in the common Helps to Devotion com- 
 pofed for this Occafion. Perhaps the Creed is thought 
 too trite a S)ftem of Faith : it is indeed made fo, as 
 it is ufed by fome People : But when ferioufly and 
 deliberately repeated, and ratified by that folemn Form 
 of AfTent which the Church hath prefcribed, All this- 
 I Jledfaflly believe^ it is that found and faving Faith 
 which eftablifhes the Soul on the Rock of our Re- 
 demption. For a farther Fxplication of the Nature 
 and Benefits of this Holy Sacrament-; it will be good to 
 perufe fuch Chapters of die New Teftament as treat 
 of it*; particularly the Vlth of St. Johns, Gofpe!, with 
 thofe Difcourfes which our Lord made at the Infti- 
 tutionofit; Matlb XXVI. Mark KW. Luke XXII. 
 
 For 
 
Chriftian Religion. 299 
 
 For examining the State of our Conference to- 
 wards others, that Saying of our Lord muft be our 
 general Direction in this Cafe : JVhatfoever ye would 
 that Men jhould do unto you, do ye even Jo unto them ; 
 for this is the Law and the Prophets. Now if any one 
 hath wronged us by Word or Deed, our Wifh and 
 Defire is, that they would make us Reparation for the 
 Injuries they have done us. In like Manner, mud we 
 be ready to offer Satisfaction and make Restitution to 
 the uttermoft of our Powers, for all Injuries and 
 Wrongs we have done to others. This is indifpenfably 
 neceffary, not only for the worthy Receiving of the 
 Sacrament, but for the right Performance of any other 
 religious Duty. We cannot be charitable and give 
 Alms, before we be juft, and give every Man that 
 which is his Right. God is faid to hate Robbery for 
 a Burnt-Offering ; to let us know, that however con- 
 ftant and devout we may appear in his Worfhip, how- 
 ever liberal we may be in contributing to any good 
 Work, if we do it out of any unjaft Gains, which 
 we have got by the deceitful Weight and Meafure, 
 by Rapine and OpprefTion, by perverting of Juftice 
 and Judgment, it Is all an Abomination, and inftead 
 of pleading for us, will teflify againft us at :he laft 
 Day. And therefore the converted Publican Zachceus y 
 when he devoted half his Goods to the Ufe of the 
 Poor, declared at the fame Time, That he was rea- 
 dy to fatisfy any Man he had wronged, by making 
 him a fourfold Reftitution. This is one of the Scrip- 
 ture PalTages read at the Offertory, with a Defign no 
 doubt, to put Men in mind, That they ftudy to be 
 juft, as well as charitable. 
 
 Some Men act as if they were perfuaded, that 
 their forgiving all the World, was a fufficient Atone- 
 ment' for the Injuries they have done to others. But 
 this hath no Foundation either in Religion or Reafon. 
 One Man may wrong me, and I may wrong another : 
 My Forgivenefs of the former, is no manner of Com- 
 
 X penfation 
 
300 The Sum of the 
 
 penfation to the latter ; neither doth it acquit me of 
 Fraud and Injuftice in the Sight of God. 
 
 We are indeed all bound to mutual Forgivenefs, 
 fo far as not to take Revenge one of another. But 
 this doth not prejudice us in any juft Demands, nor 
 take away our Claim to that fair and honeft Dealing 
 which every Man is intitled to. Much lefs may we 
 encourage ourfelves in wronging one Part of the 
 World, becaufe we can forgive fo many on the other 
 Side as wrong us. This would be to eflablifh Iniqui- 
 ty by a Law, that excellent Law of Forgivenefs which 
 we muff, obferve towards others, when out of Igno- 
 rance, Precipitancy, or Want of Power to do better, 
 they trefpafs againft us. 
 
 Thefe Things are generally obvious to an ordinary 
 Capacity. But becaufe there may be fome Cafes 
 wherein a Man cannot quiet his own Confcience, the 
 Advice of the Church is, That he go to fome difcreet 
 and learned Mimfter of God's Word, and open his 
 Scruples to him, that he may receive the Benefit of 
 Abfolution, together v/ith fuch fpiritual Advices as 
 may give him Eafe, and minifter Comfort to him. 
 If this Application were made in due Seafon, not only 
 before the Sacrament, but at other Times when the 
 Mind is perplexed and troubled, it might prevent 
 many dilmal Thoughts, which often increafe to Me- 
 lancholy and Diffraction, to the Di (advantage of Reli- 
 gion in genera!, and the Hindrance of many good 
 Duties in the Perfons afflicted with them. 
 
 One great E:d of the Lord's Supper, is, to renew 
 that Vow and Promife we made in our Baptifm, to 
 renounce the Devil and all his Works, to believe in 
 God, and to keep his Commandments. This Vow 
 we have grievoufly violated by Thought, Word, and 
 Deed, and fo- have forfeited our chriffian Privileges, 
 and made ourfelves the Children of Wrath, as we 
 were by Nature. But our gracious and long-fufFering 
 God is pleafed to accept of an Atonement, which he 
 hath appointed to be made in this other Sacrament, by 
 
 a hearty 
 
Chriftian Religion. 301 
 
 a hearty ProfciTion of our Faith in Chrift, our Sorrow 
 for our paft Mifdeeds, and our unfeigned Refolutions 
 to perform our Part of the chriftian Covenant for the 
 Time to come. This if we do with a true and faith- 
 ful Heart, our heavenly Father is reconciled to us, 
 and owns us for his Children, and reftores us to all 
 the fpiritual Benefits of our Profeffion as fully, as if 
 we had never done any Thing to forfeit them. 
 
 Upon the Approach of this Holy Solemnity, when 
 we are recollecting our Tranfgreffions, conferring and 
 bewailing them before almighty God, and imploring 
 his gracious Pardon for the fame, we fhould do well, 
 as holy David directs, (a) to enter into our Chamber, 
 and there lilently commune with our own Hearts. Be- 
 hold, O my Soul! how the Great KING, who ftretches 
 out the Heavens like a Curtain, and lays the Beams of 
 his Chambers in the Waters, and maketh the Clouds his 
 Chariots, and rideth upon the IVings of the IVind : 
 How he, I fay, hath condefcended to prepare that 
 fpiritual Manna for thee, which will nourifh thee unto 
 everlafting Life! How wilt thou efcape, if thou ne- 
 glected fo great Salvation ? Here is represented the great- 
 eft Love which was ever vouchfafed to Man, viz. the 
 Son of God fubjecting himfelf to Death, even the 
 Death of the Crofs, to make thee Partaker of a hap- 
 py and glorious Immortality ! the Lord of Life and 
 Glory diverted of his Robes, that thy Nakednefs might 
 be cloathed with his Righteoufneis ! the Fountain of 
 Riches and Honour humbling himfelf to the loweft 
 State of Poverty and R.eproach, that thou mighteft 
 be filled with all the Riches and Dignities of the Son 
 of God ! 
 
 Moft gladly therefore, O my Soul ! will I go to the 
 Temple of the Lord, to pay my Vows which I made 
 in my Baptifm, to be his faithful Soldier and Servant, 
 and to ratify that Covenant which he hath fealed with 
 his moft precious Blood. Moft thankfully will I re- 
 ceive thefe Pledges of his Love, and offer him the 
 
 (a) Pfalm iv. 4. 
 
 X z lively 
 
302 The Sum of the 
 
 lively Sacrifice of Praife and Thankfgiving for the 
 fame. 
 
 Quicken me therefore, Lord ! and inflame my Heart 
 with a Zeal worthy of thefe Benefits. And as thou hafl 
 given us thy well-beloved Son to reconcile us to thy f elf, 
 Jo likewife grant us thy holy Spirit to fan ft if y our Souls 
 and Bodies for thy Service. Then we who of ourfelves 
 have not fufficient Strength to come unto thine Altar, 
 will, by the Ajfjlance of thy all-powerful Grace, never 
 faint in running the IVays of thy Commandments. 
 
 At the Time of Receiving the Holy Sacrament, the 
 IVIinifter calls upon us to lift up our Hearts, intimat- 
 ing, That then we mould be more-efpecially intent 
 upon heavenly Things. We mud then remember, 
 how the Body of our Lord Jefus Chrifl was broken, 
 and his Blood fhed for us. We mull confider that 
 our Sins were the Thorns which (truck into his Tem- 
 ples, and the Nails which fattened his Hands and Feet 
 to the Crofs ; and thence imagine how loathfome Sin 
 is in the Sight of God, who fpared not his only belov- 
 ed Son for it, when he appeared in our {lead, and 
 took our Burden and Debt upon himfelf : And how 
 much the Guilt of it is aggravated to us Chriftians, 
 fince we do, as the Apoftle fpeaks, thereby crucify 
 the Son of God afrefh, and put him to open Shame. 
 
 Confider the ineftimable Benefits we receive by a 
 due Participation of this Holy Sacrament. We fpiri- 
 tually eat the Flefh of Chrift, and drink his Blood : 
 We are made one with him, and he with us. Our 
 fihful Bodies are made clean by his Body, and our 
 Souls warned through his moft precious Blood. We 
 are incorporated in h*s m> ftical Body, which is the 
 blefled Company of ail faithful People : We obtain 
 Peace with_ God, Remiilion of bur Sins, the Graces 
 arfd Comforts of the holy Spirit, the Promifes of a 
 joyful Refiirrcction, and Inheritance with Chrift in 
 everlafting Glory. Let us then take the Cup of Sal- 
 vation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. Jt is a 
 principal Part of our Duty at this Time, to abound 
 
 in 
 
Chriftian Religion. 303 
 
 in Praifes and Thankfgivirgs to him who hath paid lb 
 infinite a Ranfom for us. What unfpeakable Good- 
 nefs and Love is this ! What a fure Pledge of the di- 
 vine Benignity and Regard toils? He that /pared not 
 his own Son, but gave him up for us ; how Jhall he not 
 "with him give us all Things freely to enjoy P 
 
 I might have been excuted, if I had (as I had al- 
 moft) forgot to mention Alms and Oblations, which 
 by the molt early Practice of the Church, accompany 
 the Celebration of the Lord's Supper. The PafTages 
 of holy Scripture appointed to be read while the Col- 
 lection is making, are fo very pathetical and well- 
 fuited to Perfons of all Circumftances, that they muft 
 needs touch the Hearts of thofe who are not quite pad 
 feeling. If there be any Thing in them of the Bow- 
 els and Companions of Jefus Chrift, which they are 
 now about to commemorate, thefe Scriptures will not 
 fail to draw them forth towards his poor diftrefTed 
 Members, whom he hath appointed to be his Receiv- 
 ers on thefe Occafions. 
 
 When you have received the BREAD, offer up 
 this, or fome fuch fhort Ejaculation : 
 
 Merciful LORD! Grant that by the Sufferings of 
 my dear Saviour, who was crucified for me, I may ef- 
 cape eternal Sufferings, and be made Partaker of ever- 
 lajling Life. 
 
 After the CUP, lift up your Heart in thefe, or the 
 like Words : 
 
 Gracious GOD ! Grant that by the fhedding of the 
 Blood of thy dear Son, I may be wafhed from the Guilt 
 of all my Sins. 
 
 When the Communion is ended, and you are return- 
 ed home, do not prefently let your Thoughts run upon 
 other Matters, but enter into your Clofet, and offer up 
 your private Sacrifice of Praile to God for vouchfafing 
 to admit you to this fpiritual Feaft of his Son ; befeech- 
 ing him to grant, that you may have Grace faithfully 
 to fulfil v/hatever you have pioufly refolved ; and efpe- 
 cially to withiland thofe Temptations to which you 
 
 X 3 -are 
 
304 The Sum of the 
 
 are moft expofed, either by the Circumstances of your 
 Life, or your natural Propenfity. 
 
 When you return to your worldly Affairs, put your 
 late Refolutions in Practice ; apply them to the Govern- 
 ment of your Words and Actions ; let it appear, that 
 you profit by the Means of Grace, and that the Spirit 
 of Chrift inlpires you, and rules your Heart. Confider 
 what a melancholy Thing it is for you to obferve in 
 others, that after frequent Communions and renewed 
 Vows, there is no viiible Amendment in them, but they 
 are dill as carnally minded, and as much under the 
 Dominion of Sin, as they were at firft. Confider, that 
 by your Unfruitfulnefs, you fruftrate the Grace of God, 
 you do what in you lies to bring his Sacraments into 
 Contempt^ you give Occafion to the Enemies of Chrift 
 to blafpheme his holy Name, and fpeak Evil of the 
 Myftery of Redemption ; and to prefer Jews, Turks, 
 and Infidels before Cbrijlians, as is too commonly, and 
 I hope unjuftly done. Inftead of reconciling God, you 
 incenfehim againftyou, by breaking the Covenant you 
 made with him, taking part with his Enemies which 
 you have renounced, and fo proving a fpiritual Tray- 
 tor and Rebel. You wound yourfelf, that is, your own 
 Confcience, which can have no Peace while the moft 
 facred and religious Vows are broken. You are the 
 ftrongeft Evidence againft your own Soul, that you did 
 not worthily eat the Flejb of the Son of Man, and drink 
 bis Blood, becaufe you have no Life in you ; you are 
 not ingrafted in his Body, becaufe you bring forth no 
 Fruit. Remember all this, when you are affaulted by 
 any Temptation 5 and then you cannot but efteem it 
 as moft pernicious, depriving you, if complyed with, 
 of the Favour of God, the Peace of your Confcience, 
 and the Hopes of Salvation. Then fure it will appear 
 as dangerous to your Soul, as a Draught of deadly Poi- 
 fon to your Body, or a Thief in your Houfe to your 
 Money and Goods. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. 
 He heard all your Vows, and obierves what Care you 
 take to pay them ; which if it be none, he will appoint 
 
 you 
 
Chriftian Religion. 305 
 
 your Portion among Hypocrites, which cry, Lord, 
 Lord, but do not the Things which he commands. 
 
 This Care of performing our Vows, muft not laft 
 only for fome few Days, and then be laid afide ; it muft 
 conftantly be kept up. For if we can be regular for 
 fome Time, this fhews the Poffibility of being fo at any 
 Time, and proves our fubfequent Tranfgreflions not to 
 proceed from Infirmity, but Perverfenefs. Befides, the 
 accuftoming ourfelves to a religious Courfe, muft needs 
 render it more eafy to us ; fince it is difficult at firft on- 
 ly from a contrary Habit. And therefore, if after you 
 have reconciled your Mind to any ftricl Courfe, and 
 have made it familiar to you, you mould ftart afide 
 and give it over ; this makes you moft inexcufabie. 
 If after Men have efcaped the Pollutions of the IV or Id, 
 faith St Peter, (a) through the Knowledge of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jefus Chrijl, they are again entangled therein 
 and overcome., the latter End is worfe with them than the 
 Beginning. For it had been better for them not to have 
 known the Way of Righteoufnefs, than after they have 
 known it, to turn from the holy Commandment delivered 
 unta them. 
 
 And to the End our Vows may be ratified, and eve- 
 ry Grace and Virtue confirmed in us ; we muft take 
 all Opportunities that are offered us, to receive this holy 
 Sacrament ; this being not only agreeable to the Infti- 
 tution of our Lord, and the Practice of the primitive 
 Chriftians, but a certain Means of conveying Grace to 
 us, a Means of ftrengthening and refrefhing our Souls 
 by the Body and Blood of Cbrijl, as our Bodies are by 
 the Bread and Wine. Let us but obferve how often 
 we muft eat and drink for the Suftenance of our natu- 
 ral Bodies, and then, if we have any true Concern for 
 the Health of our Souls, we (hall be frequent Commu- 
 nicants at the Table of our LORD. 
 
 (a) 2 Pet. ii. %o- 
 
 X4 Of 
 
306 The Sum of the 
 
 Of P R A Y E R, 
 
 PRAYER ought ever to be looked upon, as the 
 mod immediate and effential Part of divine Wor- 
 ship, implying a Senfe and Acknowledgment of all the 
 excellent Attributes of God. For, whenever we Pray 
 to God, we do at the fame Time believe his Omnipre- 
 fence, as being near us wherever we are ; his Omnifci- 
 ence, as knov/ing all our Wants: and his Omnipo- 
 tence, as being able to fupply them. Nay more, we 
 believe he not only hears the Words of our Lips, but 
 the fecret Language of our inmoft Thoughts, and fees 
 not only our Neceifities, but our Sins too. And there- 
 fore, 
 
 In the firfi Place, we muft dutifully recognize and 
 adore the infinite Majefty of God, acknowledging him 
 to be our Sovereign Lord and Judge, who is able both 
 to fave and to deftroy, to reward and to punifh every 
 Man, from the Higheft to the Loweft, according to his 
 Works. 'Thence we muft proceed to render him pro- 
 pitious to us, by an humble and impartial Confeffion of 
 our Sins ; the Particulars whereof we are (in private) to 
 fpecify, fo far as we can recover the Memory of them ; 
 and where that is loft, to fay with holy David, who can 
 tell bow oft he offendetb ? O, cleanfe tbou me from my fecret 
 Faults. In the third Place, we make our humble Re- 
 queft for his merciful Forgivenefs through the Merits 
 and Mediation of Jefus Chrift, and for the Grace of his 
 holy Spirit to affifl us, in our Obedience for the Time 
 to come, particularly infuch Refpecls, wherein we have 
 formerly experienced our Weaknefs and Infirmity. 
 And then we defcend to the Care of the Body, to afk 
 thofe Things which are needful and convenient for us, 
 in fuch Proportions as his Wifdom fees fit, and with 
 iuch entire Rcfi'gnation, as our bleiTed Lord hath taught 
 us to profefs in all the Concerns of this Life, Not mine, 
 but thy Will be done. Fourthly, We are in our Prayers to 
 intercede for all Orders and Degreeoof Men, for thofe 
 
 that 
 
Chriftian Religion. 307 
 
 that are allied to us, either by the Bonds of natural or 
 civil Obligation; for thofe who have in any Circum- 
 ftance of Life been our Friends and Benefactors. Nay, 
 even for thofe who have done us ill Turns ; praying, 
 as we have Chrifl upon the Crofs for our Pattern, that 
 our heavenly Father would not lay fuch Sins to their 
 Charge. Fijtbl% We are to praife and blefs God for all 
 his Mercies, whether fpiritual or temporal, to ourfelves, 
 and thofe more immediately related to us, or to the 
 Church and Nation whereof we are Members, or yet 
 more generally to all Mankind. 
 
 Confidering the Frailty of our Nature, not only in 
 being fubject to Sin, but likewife to continual Dangers, 
 Difeafes, and fudden, unexpected Death ; we need not 
 many Words to excite us to frequency of Prayer, and 
 to as frequent Returns of Thank/giving for that divine 
 Protection, which continually wacches over us, and that 
 inceflant Current of heavenly Bleflings which flow in 
 upon us. Morning and Evening, are Seafons indifpen- 
 fably to be dedicated to this Act of Homage and Wor- 
 fhip; it being abfolutely neceffary, that we fhould be- 
 gin and end all our Works, with that God in whom we 
 live, and move, and have our Being. Men eminent for 
 Sanctity and Devotion, particularly David and Daniel, 
 added the Noon-Day to their Morning and Evening 
 Sacrifice of Prayer. And indeed from the many fub- 
 lime Compofitions of the former, we may conclude, 
 that Frequency in this Duty, begets Fervency of Spirit 
 and Delight in it. 
 
 PRAYERS for feveral Occafions. 
 For the MORNIN G. 
 
 OM O S T holy and merciful Lord God, the 
 Creator, Governor and Preferver of all Things 
 both 1 in Heaven and Earth ; be pleafed gracioufly to 
 look upon me thy Servant, who come before thee to 
 offer unfeigned Thanks and Praife for thy manifold 
 Mercies, particularly for thy gracious Protection of 
 
 me 
 
30 8 The Sum of the 
 
 me the Night pad. And fince thou haft brought me 
 to the Light of another Day, keep and protect me in 
 the fame, I humbly befeech thee, by thy good Provi- 
 dence ; watch over and defend me from Sin, and from 
 all the Temptations to it. O Lord, who dwellefl in 
 the Heavens, yet humbleft thyfelf to regard the Chil- 
 dren of Men, thou haft been gracioufly pleafed to re- 
 veal thy Will to me in the Gofpel of thy dear Son, 
 who hath brought Life and Immortality to Light. 
 For whole Merits and Mediation alone, I humbly im- 
 plore thy Pardon for my many and grievous Sins com- 
 mitted againft thy divine Majefty. In a deep Senfe 
 of which I proftrate myfelf, and repent in Duft and 
 Afhes for having offended fo glorious and good a God. 
 I befeech thee, give me Grace to fpend the Remainder 
 of my Days in a righteous, fober, and godly Courfe 
 of Life. Enable me to keep a continual Watph 
 againft the Affaults of the World, the Flefh, and the 
 Devi!, and to make daily Proficiency in every good 
 and virtuous Way. In all the Affairs of this uncer- 
 tain Life, let me evermore depend upon thy fatherly 
 Care and Providence, having a greater Regard to thy 
 Glory, than to my own worldly Intereft. O God, 
 inlighten the dark Corners of the Earth with the 
 bright Beams of thy Holy Gofpel, Influence the 
 Hearts of all Kings and Princes, efpecially his whom 
 thou haft fet over us, with the Wifdom which is from 
 above, that they may before all Things feek thy Ho- 
 nour and Glory : Endue all our fpiritual Paftors with 
 the right Underftandingof thy holy Word, and Grace 
 to live agreeably to the fame, that we may both by their 
 Doctrine and Example be guided in the Paths of true 
 Religion and Virtue. ..And to all fubordinate Magif- 
 trates give thy heavenly Grace, that they may be a 
 Terror to Evil- doers, and a Praife to thofe that do well. 
 And, O, thou Father of Mercies ! who heareft the Sighs 
 and Groans of the Afflicted, comfort and fuccour all 
 thole who are diftreffed in Mind, Body, or Eftate. Lift 
 up the Light of thy Countenance upon them, fan&ify 
 
 thy 
 
 -../* 
 
Chrrftian Religion. 309 
 
 thy Corrections to the Welfare of their Souls, and give 
 them a happy Iilue out of all their Afflictions. Vouch- 
 fafe the Continuance of thy Favour towards me thy un- 
 worthy Servant, and to all my Relations, Friends and 
 Benefactors. Blefs my Enemies with the Grace of Re- 
 pentance and Remiflion of their Sins. Fill me with 
 luch a Senfe of thy undeferved Goodnefs, that I may be 
 more ready to do good to thofe who are in Mifery, and 
 by a fober and moderate Ufe of thy Bleflings, be prepar- 
 ed to bear any worfe Condition (if thou fhalt fee fit to 
 order it) with a patient and contented Spirit. 
 
 And now, O Lord, accept I befeech thee, of my 
 humble and hearty Thanks for all the Inftances of thy 
 Goodnefs and loving Kindnefs, from the Day of my 
 Birth, to this prefent Moment. For my Creation, Pre- 
 fervation, and all the Bleifings of this Life. But above 
 all, I laud and magnify thy glorious Name, for fending 
 the Son of thy Love to be the Saviour and Redeemer of 
 the World, and making me Partaker of the unfpeak- 
 able Mercy of that Redemption. Give me Grace to 
 walk worthy of this high and holy Calling, that fo at 
 the End of my Days I may be numbered with thy 
 Saims in Glory iiverlafting, through his Merits who 
 fitteth at thy right Hand to make Interceflion for me. 
 In whofe mod prevailing Words I fum up all my 
 Wants : Our Father, &c. 
 
 A PRAYER for the Evening. 
 Molt blefftd Lord, Father of Mercies, and God 
 of all Comfort, mercifully incline thine Ear to 
 the Prayers which I thy unworthy Servant am about to 
 offer up. I give thee mod humble and hearty Thanks 
 for all thy Goodnefs and loving Kindnefs to me and to 
 all Men. Thou art the Maker and Frefcrver of all 
 Things, on whom all Creatures depend for Life and 
 Breath, and whatever they enjov. Day by Day we 
 have frefti Inltances of thy Fatherly Goodnefs to us. 
 And though we have been Apoftates, and fell from 
 thee, yet ihou haft been pieafed, of thy own free Grace 
 and Mercy, to give us thine own Son from Heaven, to 
 
 advance 
 
310 The Sum of the 
 
 advance us above an earthly Paradife, even to thine 
 own Prefence in thy glorious Kingdom. What are we, 
 wretched Sinners, O merciful Lord ! that thou fhouldeft 
 condefcend to manifeft fuch infinite Companions to- 
 wards us ! But thou art good to all, and thy tender Mer- 
 cies are over all thy Works. O then let me forever 
 praife and magnify thy holy Name ! O lift up my Heart 
 to thofe Things above, that my utmoft Longings may 
 be after that Kingdom which Chrifl hath opened to all 
 Believers ; that thy Service may be the main Bufinefs of 
 my Life, and that it may be my Meat and Drink to do 
 thy Will in every Thing. Accept my Thanks for the 
 Mercies of this Day, and my hearty Repentance for 
 whatever I have done amirs. I humbly acknowledge, I 
 have offended in Thought, Word, ancTDeed, by fecret 
 and open Sins. Thou who fearcheft the Heart, and 
 triefr the Reins, knoweft that mine Iniquities are more 
 than I am able to express, and my Guilt heavier than I 
 can bear. It is of thine infinite Mercy that I am not 
 caft into outer Darknefs, where there is Weeping and 
 Gnafhing of Teeth. Make me therefore a thankful 
 Monument of thy Patience, and Forbearance, and 
 Long-fuffering to finful Man. Let this thy Goodnefs 
 lead me to Repentance and Newnefs of Life. Neither 
 pray I for myfclf alone, but for all Ranks and Conditi- 
 ons of Men ; that every one may difcharge their refpec- 
 tive Duties fo well, that we may all lead a peaceable and 
 godly Life. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive from 
 me and all Men Bleffing, and Glory, and Honour ; for 
 thou art Great, and thy Praife above Heaven and Earth. 
 Thou art righteous in all thy Ways, and holy in all 
 thy Works : The Earth is thine, and the Fullnefs there- 
 of; the World, and they that dwell therein. O Lord, 
 how manifold are thy Works ! in Wifdom haft thou 
 made them all: the Earth is full of thy Riches. Into 
 thy Hands 'I commend myfelf in the Faith of thy 
 watchful Providence, who giveit thy Angels Charge 
 over us. Grant that I may often think of that long 
 Night of Death, when I mall be laid in my Grave, and 
 
 fleep 
 
Chriftian Religion. 311 
 
 fleep in the Duft ; out of which I befeech thee merci- 
 fully to awake me, and raife me up with a joyful Re- 
 furre&ion ; for his Merits, who died, and was buried, 
 and rofe again for us, thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord : To 
 whom with thee, O Father, and God the Holy Ghoft, 
 be all Honour and Glory World without End. Amen. 
 Our Father, &c. 
 
 N. B Tho/e ivho pray in Families, may by changing I, me, and 
 mine, into we, us, and ours, accommodate the fame Prayers to 
 general Ufe. 
 
 A fhorter PRAYER for the Morning. 
 
 OLord our heavenly Father, almighty and ever- 
 lafting God, who haft fafely brought me to the 
 Beginning of this Day, defend me in the fame with thy 
 mighty Power; and grant that this Day 1 fall into no 
 Sin, neither run into any Kind of Danger ; but that all 
 my Doings may be ordered by thy Governance, and 
 that I may be righteous in thy Sight, through Jefus 
 Chrift our Lord ; who hath taught us to call upon 
 thee in that moft excellent Form of Words : 
 Our Father, &c. 
 
 For the Evening. 
 
 OG O D from whom all holy Delires, all good 
 Counfels, and all juft Works do proceed, give 
 unto me thy Servant, that Peace which the World can- 
 not give ; that both my Heart may be fet to obey thy 
 Commandments, and alfo that by thee I being defend- 
 ed from the Fear of my Enemies, may pafs my Time 
 in Reft and Quietnefs. Lighten my Darknefs, 1 be- 
 feech thee, O Lord ! and by thy great Mercy defend 
 me from all Perils and Dangers of this Night, for the 
 Love of thy only Son our Saviour Jefus Chrift : In whofe 
 Name and Words, I beg Leave farther to call upon thee : 
 Our Fatter, &c. 
 
 For Sunday Morning. 
 
 OLord, give unto the Minifter of thy Word a Door 
 of Utterance, that he may effectually publim the 
 great Myfteries of the Gofpel, and fpeak Words of 
 Health and Salvation to my Soul. Do thou banifh out 
 
 of 
 
312 The Sum of the 
 
 of my Mind all worldly and wandering Thoughts. Give 
 me Attention to hearken, and Understanding to con- 
 ceive aright, and Memory to retain, and Grace to prac- 
 tife what I hear ; that ib thy Word may be to me a Sa- 
 vour of Life unto Life, and not of Death unto Death. 
 Grant this for the Sake of Jefus Cbrifl our Lord ; in 
 whofe Name and Words, I farther pray : 
 Our Father, &c. 
 A PRAYER before the Holy Communion. 
 
 MOST Gracious Father, thou invited me, a vile 
 Sinner, unworthy of the leaft of thy Mercies, to 
 a fpiritual Banquet, a Feaft of divine Love. O help 
 me fb to be prepared, that I may approach thofe vene- 
 rable Myfteries with due Fear and Reverence, with 
 profound Humility and ardent Devotion ; with a Heart 
 full of Faith and Love; fenfible of thy infinite Good- 
 nefs in fending thy Son to die for me, and of his inex- 
 preflible Love and Condefcenfion, in undertaking and 
 accompliihing the Work of my Redemption ; truly for- 
 ry for my manifold Sins, and thoroughly refolved to 
 withftand all future Temptations to them. Ar.d grant, 
 Holy Father, that by this Sacrament, thy Grace may be 
 confirmed, and Dominion of Sin deftroyed in me; that 
 I may ferve thee fincerely and acceptably all the Days 
 of this mortal Life, and at the End of it, attain thy 
 everlafting Kingdom; through the Merits and Medi- 
 ation of him. whofe Body and Blood I am now about 
 to receive, thy Son Jefus Chrifl, &c. 
 
 After RECEIVING. 
 
 BLESSED be thy Name, O Lord, for admitting 
 me to be a Gueft at thy Table, who am not wor- 
 thy to gather up the Crumbs under it. O give me a 
 juft Senfe of thy unparalleled Love and Favour towards 
 me ! Thou haft vouchfafed me thisfpecial Opportunity 
 to reflect upon the heinous Guilt of my Sins, and the 
 Pumfhment which thy Juftice awards for the fame. 
 All Glory and Praife be given to thee, O Father, for 
 accepting a Propitiation for me thy difobedient Ser- 
 vant j for exhibiting thy Grace and Love, and fhewing 
 
 me 
 
Chriftian Religion. 313 
 
 me the Light of thy Countenance. I for ever love and 
 adore thy bleffed Son, my dear Saviour, for his merito- 
 rious Death and Paflion, by which he hath fatisfied thy 
 Juftice, and made me one of thy adopted Children. 
 Help me, O Lord, to abound more and more in Acts 
 of devout Praife and filial Love, and to be fo diligent 
 and fincere in the Performance of that reafonable Ser- ■ 
 vice thou required of me, that finally I may come to 
 that eternal Kingdom which thou haft promifed by 
 Chrift our Lord. Amen. 
 
 In Time of SICKNESS. 
 
 O Merciful and Gracious Lord, look down from 
 Heaven, behold, vifit and relieve me thy Ser- 
 vant. Look upon me with the Eyes of thy Mercy. 
 Give me Comfort and fure Confidence in thee. Defend 
 me from the Danger of the Enemy, and keep me in 
 perpetual Peace and Safety. Hear me, almighty and 
 moft merciful God and Saviour ! Extend thy accuftom- 
 ed Goodnefs to me thy Servant grieved with Sicknefs. 
 Sanctify, I befeech thee, this thy fatherly Correction to 
 me, that the Senfe of my Weaknefs may add Strength 
 to my Faith, and Serioufnefs to my Repentance. And 
 do thou be pleafed to direct thofe who advife and pre- 
 fcribe the Means of my Reftoration ; that if it fhall be 
 thy good Pleafure to reftore me to my former Health, I 
 may lead the Refidue of my Life in thy Fear and to thy 
 Glory. Or elfe give me Grace fo to take thy Vifitation, 
 that after this painful Life is ended, I may dwell with 
 thee in Life Everlafting, through Jefus Cbrijiowc Lord. 
 Amen. 
 
 After RECOVERY. 
 
 BLeiTed be thy Name, O merciful God, for that thou 
 haft confidered my Trouble, and known my Soul 
 in Adverfity ; relieving my Pain, and raifing me up 
 from the Bed of Sicknefs. Grant that I may never for- 
 get this fignal Inftance of Mercy, nor the Vows which I 
 made when I was in Trouble ± but chearfully and faith- 
 fully perform them, and give Thanks to thee, O my 
 God, forever, through J ejus Chrift our Lord. Amen. 
 
 GRACES 
 
 / 
 
314 The Sum of the^ &c. 
 
 GRACRS before and after Meat. 
 
 GRACE before Meat. 
 
 BLESS, O Lord* we befeech thee, thefe thy 
 Creatures to the Nourifhment of our Bodies ; 
 pardon all our Sins, and endue our Souls with the 
 Grace of thy Spirit, that it may be our Meat and 
 Drink to do thy Will, through Jefus Cbriji our Lord. 
 
 Or this, 
 
 GRANT we befeech thee* O Lord, that in the 
 Strength of thefe thy Creatures, we may bring 
 forth the Fruits of good Living, to the Honour and 
 Praife of thy Name, through Jefus Cbriji our Lord. 
 
 GRACE after Meat. 
 
 WE return thee, O Lord, our hearty Thanks, 
 for thele thy good Gifts, and all other thy 
 Bleflings beftowed upon us. Grant that we may 
 conftantly dedicate our Souls and Bodies to thy Ser- 
 vice, that at the End of our Days, we may attain 
 everlafting Life, through Jefus Cbriji our Lord. 
 
 Or this, 
 
 GOD's Holy Name -be bleffed and praifed for 
 thefe and all other his Benefits jpiritual and tem- 
 poral, through Jefus Cbriji our Lord. 
 
 The E N D.