The whole duty of man laid down in a plain way for the use of the meanest reader divided into XVII chapters : one whereof being read every Lords day, the whole may be read over, thrice in the year, necessary for all families : with private devotions.

PARTITION I. Of the DUTY of MAN by the Light of Na∣ture, by the Light of Scripture: Of FAITH, the Promises, of Hope, of Love, &c. (Book 1)

THE Benefits purchased for us by Christ, are such as will undoubtedly make the Soul Happy, for Eternal Happi∣ness it self is one of them; but because these Benefits belong not to us till we perform the Condition required of us; whoever desires the happiness of his Soul, must set himself to the performing of that Condition; what that is, I have already mentioned in the General, That it is the hearty, honest endeavour of obeying the whole Will of God. But then that Will of God contain∣ing under it many particulars, it is necessary we should also know what those are; that is,

what are the several things, that God now requires of us, our performance whereof will bring us to everlasting happiness, and the neglect to endless misery.

2. Of these things there are some which * 1.1 God hath so stamp'd upon our souls, that we Naturally knew them; that is, we should have known them to be our Duty, though we had never been told so by the Scripture. That this is so, we may see by those Heathens, who having never heard of either Old or New Testament, do yet acknowledge them∣selves bound to some General Duties, as to Worship God, to be Just, to Honour their Parents, and the like. And as S. Paul saith, Rom. 2. 15. Their consciences do in those things accuse or excuse them; That is, tell them, whether they have done what they should, in those particulars, or no.

3. Now though Christ have brought grea∣ter Light into the world, yet he never meant by it to put out any of that Natural light, which God hath set up in our Souls: There∣fore let me here by the way, advise you not to walk contrary even to this lesser light, I mean, not to venture on any of those Acts, which meer Natural Conscience will tell you are Sins.

4. It is just matter of sadness to any Chri∣stian heart, to see some in these dayes, who profess much of Religion, and yet live in such sins, as a meer heathen would abhor; men that pretending to higher degrees of Light, and

holiness, then their brethren do, yet practice contrary to all Rules of common honesty, and make it part of their Christian liberty so to do; of whose Seducement it concerns all that love their Souls to beware: and for that pur∣pose let this be laid as a Foundation, That that Religion or Opinion cannot be of God, which allows men in any wickedness.

5. But though we must not put out this light which God hath thus put into our Souls, yet this is not the onely way whereby God hath revealed his will, and therefore we are not to rest here, but proceed to the knowledg of those other things which God hath by other means revealed.

6. The way for us to come to know them * 1.2 is by the SCRIPTURES, wherein are set down those several commands of God which he hath given to be the Rule of our Duty.

7. Of those, some were given before Christ came into the world, such are those precepts we finde scattered throughout the Old Testa∣ment, but especially contained in the Ten Commandements, and that excellent book of Deuteronomy; others were given by Christ, who added much, both to the Law implanted in us by Nature, and that of the Old Testa∣ment, and those you shall find in the New Te∣stament, in the several precepts given by him and his Apostles, but especially in that Di∣vine Sermon on the Mount, set down in the fifth, sixth and seventh Chapters of S. Mat∣thews Gospel.

8. All these should be severally spoke to, but because that would make the discourse very long, and so lesse fit for the meaner sort of men, for whose use alone it is intended, I chuse to proceed in another manner: By summing all these together, and so as plainly as I can, to lay down, what is now the duty of every Christian.

9. This I find briefly contain'd in the words * 1.3 of the Apostle, Tit. 2. 12. That we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this pre∣sent world; where the word Soberly contains our duty to our selves; Righteously, our duty to our neghbour, and Godly, our duty to God. These therfore shall be the Heads of my dis∣course, our DUTY to GOD, our SELVES, and our NEIGHBOUR. I begin with that to God, that being the best ground-work whereon to build both the other.

10. There are many parts of our DUTY * 1.4 to GOD, The two chief are these: First to ac∣knowledge him to be God; Secondly, to have no other; under these are contained all those particulars, which make up our whole duty to God, which shall be shewed in their order.

11. To acknowledge him to be God, is to * 1.5 believe him to be an infinite glorious Spirit, that was from everlasting, without beginning, and shall be to everlasting, without end. That he is our Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier, Fa∣ther, Son, and Holy-Ghost, one God, blessed for ever. That he is subject to no alterati∣ons, but is Unchangeable; that he is no bodily

substance, such as our eyes may behold, but spi∣ritual and invisible, whom no man hath seen, nor can see as the Apostle tells us, 1 Tim. 3. 16. That He is Infinitely Great and Excellent, beyond all that our wit or conceit can ima∣gine, that he hath received his being from none, and gives being to all things.

12. All this we are to believe of him in re∣gard of his Essence and being: But besides this, he is set forth to us in the Scripture by several Excellencies, as that he is of Infinite Goodness, and Mercy, Truth, Justice, Wisdom, Power, All-sufficiency, Majesty; That he dis∣poses and governes all things by his Provi∣dence; that he Knowes all things and is Present in all places; these are by Divines called the Attributes of God, and all these we must un∣doubtingly acknowledg, that is, we must firmly believe all these Divine Excellencies to be in God, and that in the greatest degree, and so that they can never cease to be in him, he can never be other then insinitely Good, Merci∣ful, True, &c.

13. But the acknowledging him for our God signifies yet more then this; it means that we should perform to him all those seve∣ral parts of Duty which belong from a Crea∣ture to his God: What those are I am now to tell you.

14. The first is FAITH, or Belief, not only * 1.6 that forementioned of his Essence and Attri∣butes, but of his word, the believing most firm∣ly, that all that he saith is perfectly true. This

cessarily arises from that Attribute, his Truth it being natural for us to believe whatsoever is said by one of whose Truth we are confi∣dent. Now the Holy Scriptures being the Word of God we are therefore to conclude, that all that is contained in them is most true.

15. The things contained in them are of these four sorts: First, Affirmations, such are all * 1.7 the stories of the Bible, when it is said, Such and such things came so and so to pass; Christ was born of a Virgin, was laid in a Manger, &c. And such also are many points of Do∣ctrine, as that there are three Persons in the God-head, that Christ is the Son of God, and the like. All things of this sort thus delivered in Scripture we are to believe most true. And not only so, but because they are all written for our instruction; we are to consider them for that purpose, that is, by them to lay that Foundation of Christian knowledge on which we may build a Christian life.

16. The Second sort of things contain'd in * 1.8 the Scripture, are the Commands, that is, the several things enjoyned us by God to perform; these we are to believe to come from him, and to be most just, and fit for him to command: But then this Belief must bring forth Obedi∣ence, that what we believe thus fit to be done, be indeed done by us; otherwise our belief that they come from him serves but to make us more inexcusable.

17. Thirdly, The Scripture contains threat∣nings; * 1.9 many Texts there are which threaten

to them that go on in their sins, the wrath of God, and under that are contained all the pu∣nishments and miseries of this life, both spi∣ritual and temporal, and everlasting destru∣ction in the life to come. Now we are most stedfastly to Believe, That these are Gods threats, and that they will certainly be performed to every impenitent sinner. But then the use we are to make of this belief, is to keep from those sins to which this de∣struction is threatned, otherwise our belief addes to our guilt, that will wilfully go on in spight of those threatnings.

18. Fourthly, The Scripture contains Pro∣mises, * 1.10 and those both to our Bodies and our Souls; for our bodies there are many promises that God will provide for them what he sees necessary; I will name only one, Mat. 6. 33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righ∣teousness, and all these things, that is, all out∣ward necessaries, shall be added unto you: But here 'tis to be observed, that we must first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, that is, make it our first and greatest care to serve and obey him before this promise even of temporal good things belongs to us. To the soul there are many and high promises, as first, that of present ease and refreshment which we find, Matth. 11. 29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, and ye shall finde rest to your souls: But here it is apparent, that before this rest belongs to us, we must have taken on us Christs yoke, become his servants and Dis∣ciples.

Finally there are promises to the soul even of all the benefits of Christ; but yet those only to such as perform the Condition required; that is, Pardon of Sins to those that repent of them, Increase of Grace to those that diligently make use of what they have already, and humbly pray for more; and Eternal salvation to those that continue to their lives end in hearty obedience to his Commands.

19. This Belief of the Promises must therefore stir us up to perform the Condition, and till it do so, we can in no reason expect any good by them; and for us to look for the benefit of them on other terms, is the same mad presumption that it would be in a Servant to challenge his Master to give him a reward for having done nothing of his work, to which alone the reward was pro∣mised; you can easily resolve what answer were to be given to such a servant, and the same are we to expect from God in this case: nay further, it is sure God hath given these Promises to no other end, but to invite us to holiness of life; yea, he gave his Son, in whom all his Promises are as it were sum'd up, for this end. We usu∣ally look so much at Christs comming to sa∣tisfie for us, that we forget this other part of his errand. But there is nothing surer, then that the main purpose of his coming in∣to the world was to plant good life among men.

20. This is so often repeated in Scripture, that no man that considers and believes what he reads can doubt of it. Christ himself tells us, Mat. 9. 13. He came to call sinners to re∣pentance. And S. Peter, Acts 3. 26. tells us, That God sent his Son Jesus to bless us, in turning every one of us from his iniquities; for it seems the turning us from our iniqui∣ties was the greatest special Blessing which God intended us in Christ.

21. Nay, we are taught by S. Paul, that this was the end of his very death also, Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. And again, Gal. 1. 4. Who gave him∣self for us, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, that is, from the sins and ill customes of the world. Divers other Texts there are to this purpose, But these I suppose sufficient to assure any man of this one great truth, That all that Christ hath done for us was directed to this end, the bringing us to live Christianly; or in the words of Saint Paul, To teach us, that denying ungodli∣nesse and worldly lusts, wee should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.

22. Now we know Christ is the foun∣dation of all the Promises; in him all the promises of God are yea, and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. And therefore if God gave Christ to this end, certainly the Promises

are to the same also. And then how great an abuse of them is it to make them serve for purposes quite contrary to what they were intended, viz. To the encouraging us in sins, which they will certainly do if we perswade our selves they belong to us how wickedly soever we live. The Apostle teaches us ano∣ther use of them, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having there∣fore these promises, let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, per∣fecting holiness in the fear of God. When we do thus we may justly apply the promises to our selves, and with comfort expect our parts in them. But till then though these promises be of certain truth, yet we can reap no bene∣fit from them, because we are not the persons to whom they are made, that is, we perform not the condition required to give us right to them.

23. This is the Faith or Belief required of us towards the things God hath revealed to us in the Scripture, to wit, Such as may answer the End for which they were so re∣vealed, that is, the bringing us to good lives; the bare believing the truth of them, with∣out this, is no more then the Devils do, as S. James tells us, Chap. 2. 19. Only they are not so unreasonable as some of us are, for they will tremble, as knowing well this Faith will never do them any good. But many of us go on confidently, and doubt not the sufficien∣cy of our Faith, though we have not the least fruit of obedience to approve it by; let such

hear S. James's judgment in the point, Ch. 2. 26. As the body without the spirit is dead, so Faith if it have not works is dead also.

24. A second Duty to God is HOPE, that * 1.11 is, a comfortable expectation of these good things he hath promised. But this, as I told you before of Faith, must be such as agrees to the nature of the promises, which being such as requires a condition on our part, we can hope no further then we make that good; or if we do, we are so far from performing by it this duty of Hope, that we commit the great sin of Presumption, which is nothing else but hoping where God hath given us no ground to hope: * 1.12 this every man doth that hopes for pardon of sins and eternal life, without that repentance and obedience to which alone they are promi∣sed; the true hope is that which purifies us: S. John saith, 1 Epist. 3. 5. Every man that hath this hope purifieth himself, even as he is pure; that is, it makes him leave his sins and earnestly endeavour to be holy as Christ is, and that which doth not so, how confident soever it be, may well be concluded to be but that hope of the Hypocrite which Job assures us shall perish.

25. But there is another way of transgres∣sing * 1.13 this Duty, besides that of Presumption, and that is by Desperation, by which I mean not that which is ordinarily so called, viz. the Despairing of mercy, so long as we conti∣nue in our sins, for that is but just for us to do: But I mean such a desperation as makes us give

over endeavour, that is, when a man that sees he is not at the present such a one, as the pro∣mises belong to, concludes, he can never be∣come such, and therefore neglects all duty, and goes on in his sins. This is indeed the sin∣ful desparation, and that which if it be conti∣nued in, must end in destruction.

26. Now the work of hope is to prevent this, by setting before us the generality of the promises, that they belong to all that will but perform the condition. And therefore though a man have not hitherto performed it, and so hath yet no right to them, yet hope will tell him, that that right may yet be gained, if he will now set heartily about it. It is therefore strange folly for any man, be he never so sinful, to give up himself for lost, when if he will but change his course, he shall be as certain to partake of the promises of mercy as if he had never gone on in those for∣mer sins.

27. This Christ shews us in the parable of the Prodigal, Luke 15. where wee see that Son, which had run away from his Fa∣ther, and had consumed the portion gi∣ven him, in riotous living, was yet upon his return and repentance used with as much kindness by the Father, as he that had never offended, nay with higher and more passio∣nate expressions of love. The intent of which Parable was only to shew us how gra∣ciously our heavenly Father will receive us, how great soever our former sins have bin, if

we shall return to him with true sorrow for what is past, and sincere obedience for the time to come; nay so acceptable a thing is it to God, to have any sinner return from the error of his ways, that there is a kinde of triumph in heaven for it, there is joy in the presence of the An∣gels of God, over one sinner that repent∣eth: Luke 15. 10. And now who would not rather chuse by a timely repentance, to bring joy to heaven, to God and his holy An∣gels, then by a sullen desperation to please Satan and his accursed spirits; especially when by the former we shall gain endlesse happiness to our selves, and by the latter as endless torments.

28. A Third Duty to God is LOVE; there * 1.14 are two common Motives of love among men. the one the goodness and excellency of the per∣son; the other his particular kindness, and love to us; and both these are in the highest degree in God.

29. First he is of infinite goodness, and excel∣lency * 1.15 in himself; this you were before taught to believe of him, and no man can doubt it, that considers but this one thing, that there is nothing good in the world, but what hath received all its goodness from God: His goodness is as the Sea, or Ocean; and the goodness of all creatures, but as fome small streams, flowing from the Sea; now you would certainly think him a mad man, that should say the Sea were not greater

then some little brook; and certainly it is no less folly to suppose that the goodness of God doth not as much (nay infinitely more) exceed that of all creatures. Besides the goodness of the creature is imperfect and mixt with much evil; but his is pure and entire, without any such mixture. He is perfectly Holy, and can∣not be rainted with the least impurity, neither can he be the Author of any to us, for though he be the cause of all the goodness in us, he is the cause of none of our sins. This S. James expresly tells us, Chap. 1. 13. Let no man say when he is tempted, He is tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.

30. But secondly, God is not only thus good * 1.16 in himself, but he is also wonderful good; that is, kind and merciful to us; we are made up of two parts, a Soul and a Body, and to each of these God hath exprest infinite mercy & ten∣derness. Do but consider what was before told you of the SECOND COVENANT, & the mercies therein offered, even Christ himself & all his benefits, and also that he offers them so sincerely and heartily that no man can miss of enjoying them but by his own default. For he doth most really and affectionately desire we should embrace them and live; as appears by that solemn Oath of his, Eze. 33. 11. As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his ways and live: whereto he adds this passionate expression, turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways

for why will ye die? To the same purpose you may read Ezek. 18. Consider this, I say, and then surely you cannot but say, He hath great kindness to our souls. Nay, let every man but remember with himself the many calls he hath had to repentance and amend∣ment; sometimes outward, by the Word, some∣times inward, by the secret whispers of Gods Spirit in his heart, which were only to woe and intreat him to avoid Eternal misery, and to accept of Eternal happiness; let him, I say, remember these, together with those many other means God hath used towards him for the same end, and he will have reason to con∣fess Gods kindness, not only to mens souls in general, but to his own in particular.

31. Neither hath he been wanting to our Bodies, all the good things they enjoy, as health, strength, food, raiment, and what ever else concernes them, are meerly his gifts; so that indeed it is impossible we should be igno∣rant of his mercies to them, all those outward comforts and refreshments we daily enjoy, being continual effects and witnesses of it, and though some enjoy more of these then o∣thers, yet there is no person but enjoyes so much in one kinde or other, as abundantly shews Gods mercy and kindness to him in respect of his Body.

32. And now surely you will think it but reasonable we should Love him, who is in all respects thus Lovely: Indeed this is a duty so generally acknowledged, that if you should

ask any man the question, whether he loved God or no, he would think you did him great wrong to doubt of it; yet for all this, it is too plain, that there are vey few, that do in∣deed love him, and this will soon be proved to you by examining a little, what are the com∣mon effects of love, which we bear to men like our selves, and then trying, whether we can shew any such fruits of our love to God.

33. Of that sort there are divers, but for * 1.17 shortness I will name but two. The first is a Desire of pleasing, the second a Desire of enjoy∣ing. These are constantly the Fruits of Love. For the first, 'tis known by all, that he that loves any person, is very desirous to approve himself to him, to do whatsoever he thinks will be pleasing to him; and according to the degree of love, so is this desire more or less, where we love earnestly, we are very earnest, and careful to please. Now if we have indeed that love to God we pretend to, it will bring forth this fruit, we shall be careful to please him in all things. Therefore as you judge of the tree by its fruits, so may you judg of your love of God, by this fruit of it; nay indeed this is the way of tryal, which Christ himself hath given us, Jo. 14. 15. If ye love me keep my commandements; and S. John tell us, 1 Ep. 5. 3. That this is the love of God, that we walk after his commandements, and where this one proof is wanting, it will be impossible to testifie our loue to God.

34. But it must yet be farther considered,

that this love of God must not be in a low or weak degree, for besides that the Motives to it, his excellency and his kindness are in the highest; the same Commandment which bids us love God, bids us love him with all our heart, and with all our strength, that is, as much as is possible for us, and above any thing else. And therefore to the fulfilling of this Com∣mandement, it is necessary we love him in that degree; and if we do so, then certainly we shall have not onely some slight and faint endeavours of pleasing, but such as are most diligent and earnest, such as will put us upon the most painful and costly duties, make us willing to forsake our own ease, goods, friends, yea, life it self, when we cannot keep them without disobeying God.

35. Now examine thy self by this; hast thou this fruit of love to shew? doest thou make it thy constant and greatest care to keep Gods Commandments? to obey him in all things? earnestly labouring to please him to the utmost of thy power, even to the forsake∣ing of what is dearest to thee in this world? if thou dost, thou maist then truly say thou lov∣est God. But on the contrary, if thou wilfully continuest in the breach of many, nay, but of any one command of his, never deceive thy self, for the love of God abides not in thee. This will be made plain to you, if you consider what the Scripture saith of such, as that they are enemies to God by their wicked works, Col. 1. 21. That the carnal minde (and such is e∣very

one that continues wilfully in sin) is en∣mity with 'God, Rom. 8. 7. That he that sins wilfuly tramples under foot the Son of God, and doth despight unto the Spirit of Grace, Heb. 10. 29. and many the like. And therefore unless you can think enmity, and trampling, and despight to be fruits of love, you must not believe you love God, whilest you go on in any wilful disobedience to him.

36. A Second fruit of Love, I told you, was desire of Enjoying. This is constantly to be seen in our love to one another. If you * 1.18 have a friend whom you intirely love, you desire his conversation, wish to be alwayes in his company: and thus will it also be in our love to God if that be as great and hearty as this.

37. There is a two fold Enjoying of God, the one Imperfect in this life, the other more Per∣fect and compleat in the life to come; that in this life is that conversation, as I may call it, which we have with God in his Ordinances, in Praying, and Meditating, in Hearing his Word, in Receiving the Sacrament, which are all intended for this purpose, to bring us into an intimacy and familiarity with God by speaking to him, and hearing him speak to us.

38. Now if we do indeed love God, we shall certainly hugely value and desire these wayes of conversing with him, it being all that we can have in this life; it will make us with David esteem one day in Gods Courts better then a thousand, Psal. 84. 10. We shall be

glad to have these opportunities of approach∣ing to him as often as it is possible, & be care∣ful to use them diligently, to that end of uniting us still more to him; yea we shall come to these Spiritual exercises with the same chearfulness we would go to our dearest friend. And if indeed we do thus it is a good proof of our Love.

39. But I fear there are not many have this to shew for it, as appears by the common backwardness and unwillingness of men to come to these; and their negligence, and heart∣lesness when they are at them; and can we think that God will ever own us for lovers of him, whilest we have such dislikes to his com∣pany, that we will never come into it but when we are drag'd by fear or shame of men or some such worldly Motive? It is sure you would not think that man loved you, whom you perceived to shun your company, and to be loath to come in your sight. And there∣fore be not so unreasonable as to say, You love God, when yet you desire to keep as far from him as you can.

40. But besides this, there is another En∣joyment of God, which is more perfect and compleat, and that is our perpetual enjoying of him in heaven, where we shal be for ever uni∣ted to him, and enjoy him not now and then only for short spaces of time, as we do here, but continually without interruption, or breaking off. And certainly if we have that degree of love to God we ought, this cannot but be most

earnestly desired by us so much, that we shall think no labour too great to compass it. The seven years that Jacob served for Rachel. Gen. 29. 20. seemed to him but a few dayes for the love that he had to her: & surely if we have love to God we shall not think the service of our whole lives too dear a price for this full En∣joyment of him, nor esteem all the Enjoyments of the world worth the looking on in com∣parison thereof.

41. If we can truly tell our selves we do thus long for this enjoyment of God, we may believe we love him. But I fear again there are but few that can thus approve their love. For if we look into mens lives, we shall see they are not generally so fond of this Enjoyment, as to be at any pains to purchase it. And not only so, but it is to be doubted, there are many who if it were put to their choice, whether they would live here alwayes to enjoy the profit and pleasure of the world, or go to hea∣ven to enjoy God, would, like the children of Gad and Reuben, set up their rest on this side Jordan, Num. 32. and never desire that hea∣venly Canaan; so close do their affections cleave to things below, which shews clearly they have not made God their treasure, for then according to our Saviours Rule, Mat. 6. 21. their heart would be with him. Nay, fur∣ther yet; it is too plain that many of us set so little value on this Enjoying of God, that we preser the vilest and basest sins before him, and chuse to Enjoy them, though by it we utterly lose our parts in Him, which is the case of e∣very

man that continues wilfully in those sins.

42. And now I fear, according to these Rules of Trial, many that prefess to love God, will be found not to do so. I conclude al with the words of S. John 1 Ep. 3. 18. Which though spoken of the love of our brethren, is very fitly appliable to this love of God, let us not love in word, nei∣ther in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

43. A Fourth duty to God is FEAR; this a∣rises * 1.19 from the consideration both of his Justice & his Power; his Justice is such that he will not clear the wicked, & his Power such, that he is a∣ble to inflict the sorest punishments upon them; and that this is a reasonable cause of fear, Christ himself tells us, Mat. 10. 18. Fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell. Many other places of Scripture there are, which com∣mend to us this duty, as Ps. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with fear: Psal. 34. 9. Fear the Lord ye that be his Saints. Pro. 9. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and divers the like; and in∣deed all the threatnings of wrath against sin∣ners, which we meet with in the Scripture, are only to this end, to work this fear in our hearts.

44. Now this fear is nothing else, but such an awful regard of God, as may keep us from of∣fending him. This the wise man tells us, Pro. 16. 17. The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil: so that none can be said truly to fear God, that is not thereby withheld from sin; & this is but an∣swerable to that common fear we have towards man; who ever we know may hurt us, we wilbe∣ware of provoking, & therefore if we be not as

wary of displeasing God, it is plain we fear men more then we do him.

45. How great a madness this is, thus to * 1.20 fear men above God, will soon appear if we compare what man can do to us with that which God can. And first, it is sure, it is not in the power of man (I might say Devils too) to do us any hurt unless God permit and suf∣fer them to do it: so that if we do but keep him our friend, we may say with the Psal∣mist, The Lord is on my side, I fear not what man can do unto me. For let their malice be never so great, he can restrain and keep them from hurting us, nay, he can change their mindes toward us, according to that of the wise man, Prov. 16. 7. When a mans wayes please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. A notable example of this we have in Jacob, Gen. 32. who when his bro∣ther Esau was coming against him as an ene∣my, God wonderfully turned his heart, so that he met him with all the expressions of bro∣therly kindness, as you may read in the next Chapter.

46. But secondly, suppose men were left at liberty to do thee what mischief they could; alas, their power goes but a little way, they may perhaps rob thee of thy goods, it may be they may take away thy liberty or thy credit, or perchance thy life too, but that thou knowest is the utmost they can do. But now God can do all this when he pleases, and that which is infinitely more, his vengeance reaches

even beyond death it self, to the eternal mi∣sery both of Body and Soul in hell; in compa∣rison of which, death is so inconsiderable, that we are not to look upon it with any dread. Fear not them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do, saith Christ, Luke 12. 4. And then immediately adds, But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear, fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell, yea, I say unto you, Fear him. In which words the comparison is set between that greatest ill we can suffer from man, the loss of life, and those sadder evils God can inflict on us; and the latter are found to be the onely dreadful things, and therefore God only to be feared.

47. But there is yet one thing farther con∣siderable in this matter, which is this, It is possible we may transgress against men and they not know it: I may perhaps steal my neighbours goods, or defile his wife, and keep it so close that he shall not suspect me, and so never bring me to punishment for it; but this we cannot do with God, he knows all things, even the most secret thoughts of our hearts; and therefore though we commit a sin never so closely, he is sure to finde us, and will as sure∣ly, if we do not timely repent, punish us eter∣nally for it.

48. And now surely it cannot but be con∣fest, that it is much safer displeasing men, then God; yet alas our practice is as if we believed the direct contrary, there being nothing more ordinary with us then for the avoiding of

some present danger we fear from men, to rush our selves upon the indignation of God. And thus it is with us, when either to save our e∣states, or credits, or our very lives, we commit any sin, for that is plainly the chusing to pro∣voke God, rather then man.

49. But God knowes this case of fear of men is not the only one wherein we venture to displease him, for we commit many sins, to w^ch we have none of this temptation, nor indeed any other, as for instance that of Common Swearing, to which there is nothing either of pleasure, or profit to invite us. Nay, many times, we, who so fear the mischiefs that other men may do to us that we are ready to buy them off with the grea∣test sins, do our selves bring all those very mis∣chiefs upon us, by sins of our own chusing. Thus the careless Prodigal robs himself of his estate, the Deceitful & Dishoneft man, or any that lives in open notorious sin, deprives himself of his cre∣dit, and the Drunkard & Glutton brings diseases on himself, to the shortning his life. And can we think we do at all Fear God, when that fear hath so little power over us, that though it be backt with the many present mischiefs that attend up∣on sin, it is not able to keep us from them? sure∣ly such men are far from fearing God, that they rather seem to defie him, resolve to pro∣voke him, whatsoever it cost them, either in this world or the next. Yet so unreasonably partial are we to our selvs, that even such as these will pre∣tend to this fear: you may examine multitudes of the most gross scandalous sinners, before you

shall meet with one that will acknowledge he fears not God. It is strange it should be possible for men thus to cheat themselves; but however, it is certain we cannot deceive God, he will not be mockt, and therefore if we will not now so fear as to avoid sin, we shall one day fear when it will be too late to avoid punishment.

50. A Fift Duty to God, that of TRUST∣ING * 1.21 in him, that is, depending and resting on him: and that is First in all dangers, Secondly in all wants. We are to rest on him in all our dan∣gers both Spiritual and Temporal. Of the first sort, are all those Temptations, by which we are in danger to be drawn to sin. And in this respect * 1.22 he hath promised, that if we resist the Devil he shall flie from us, Jam 4. 7. Therefore our duty is first to pray earnestly for Gods grace to ena∣ble us to overcome the temptation, and Second∣ly, to set our selves manfully to combate with it, not yielding or giving consent to it in the least degree; and whilst we do thus, we are confi∣dently to rest upon God, that his grace will be sufficient for us that he will either remove the temptation, or strengthen us to withstand it.

51. Secondly, in all outward & Temporal Dan∣gers, we are to rest upon him, as knowing that * 1.23 he is able to deliver us, and that he will do so if he see it best for us, & if we be such to whom he hath promised his protection, that is, such as truly fear him. To this purpose we have many promi∣ses in Scripture, Ps. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him, and de∣livereth them: & Ps. 34. 20. The Lord delivereth

the soules of his Saints, and all that put their trust in him shall not be destitute; and divers the like. And also we have many examples, as that of the three children in the Furnace, Daniel 3. That of Daniel in the Lions Den, Daniel 6. And many others; all which serve to teach us this one lesson, that if we go on con∣scionably in performing our duty, we need not he dismayed for any thing that can be fall us, for the God whom we serve, is able to deliver us.

52. Therefore in all dangers, we are first humbly to pray for his aid, and then to rest * 1.24 our selves cheerfully on him; and assuring our selves that he will give such an issue as shall be most for our good. But above all things, we must be sure to fix our dependence wholly on him, and not to relie on the creatures for help, much less must we seek to deliver our selves by any unlawful means; that is, by the committing of any sin; for that is like Saul, 1 Samuel 28. 7. to go to the Witch, that is, to the Devil for help; such courses do common∣ly deceive our hopes at the present, and in stead of delivering us out of our streights, plunge us in greater, and those much more un∣comfortable ones, because then we want that which is the only support, Gods favour and aid which we certainly forfeit when we thus seek to rescue our selves by any sinful means. But supposing we could by such a way certain∣ly free our selves from the present danger, yet alas we are far from having gained safety by it,

we have only removed the danger from that which was less considerable, and brought it upon the most precious part of us, our Souls; like an unskilful Physician, that to remove a pain from the finger strikes it to the heart; we are therefore grosly mistaken when we think we have plaied the good Husband in saving our Liberties or Estates, or Lives themselves by a sin; we have not saved them but madly o∣verbought them, laid out our very Souls on them: And Christ tells us how little we shall gain by such bargains, Mat. 17. 26. What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Let us therefore resolve never to value any thing we can possess in this world at so high a rate, as to keep it at the price of the least sin, but when ever things are driven to such an issue, that we must either part with some, perhaps all our world∣ly possessions, nay life it self or else commit a sin, let us then remember, that this is the sea∣son for us to perform that great and excellent duty of taking up the Cross, which we can ne∣ver so properly do in this case, for our bea∣ring of that which we have no possible way of avoiding, can at most be said to be but the car∣rying of the Cross, but then only can we be said to take it up, when having a means of es∣caping it by a sin, we rather chuse to endure the Cross then commit the Sin, for then it is not laid on us by any unavoidable necessity, but we willingly chuse it; and this is highly ac∣ceptable with God, yea, withal so strictly re∣quired

by him, that if we fail of performing it, when we are put to the tryal, we are not to be accounted followers of Christ, for so himself hath expresly told us, Mat. 16. 24. If any man come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross and follow me; and so again, Mark 8. 34. It were therefore a good point of Spi∣ritual Wisdom for us, sometimes by some lower degrees of self-denyal, to fit our selves for this greater, when we shall be called to it; we know he that expects to run a Race will before∣hand be often breathing himself, that he may not be foil'd when he comes to run for the prize; in like manner 'twil be fit for us, sometimes to a∣bridge our selves somewhat of our lawful plea∣sure, or ease, or profit, so that we may get such a mastery over our selves, as to be able to re∣nounce all, when our obedience to God re∣quires it.

53. And as we are thus to Trust on God for * 1.25 deliverance from danger, so are we likewise for supply of our wants; and those again are either Spiritual or Temporal: our Spiritual want is that of his Grace to inable us to serve him, without which we can do nothing; and for this we are to depend on him, provided, we neglect not the means, which are Prayer, and a Careful using of what he hath already bestowed on us: For then we have his promise for it, he will give the holy Spirit to them that ask it, Luke 11. 15. And unto him that hath shall bee given, Mat. 25. 29. that is, To him that hath made a good use of that grace, he hath already,

God will give more. We are not therefore to affright our selves with the difficulty of those things God requires of us, but remem∣ber he commands nothing which he will not enable us to perform, if we be not wanting to our selves. And therefore let us sincerely do our parts, and confidently assure our selves God will not fail of his.

54. But we have likewise Temporal and Bodily wants, and for the supply of them we * 1.26 are likewise to rely on him. And for this also we want no Promises, supposing us to be of the number of them to whom they are made, that is, Gods faithful Servants: They that fear the Lord lack nothing, Psal. 34. 9. & v. 10. They that seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good: Again, Psal. 33. 18, 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy, to deliver their souls from death, and to feed them in time of famine. Examples also we have of this, as we may see in the case of Eliah, and the poor Widow, 1 Kings 17. And many others.

55. We are therefore to look up to him for the provision of all things necessary for us, according to that of the Psalmist, The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord, and thou givest them meat in due season. And our Saviour hath taught us to pray for our daily bread; thereby teaching us that we are to live in con∣tinual dependance upon God for it. Yet I mean not by this, that we should so expect it from

God, as to give up our selves to idleness and expect to be fed by Miracles. No, our honest industry and labour is the meanes by which God ordinarily gives us the necessaries of this life; and therefore we must by no means neg∣lect that. He that will not labour, let him not eat, sayes the Apostle, 2 Thess. 3. 10. And we may believe God will pronounce the same sentence, and suffer the slothful person to want even necessary food. But when we have faith∣fully used our own endeavour, then we must also look up to God for his blessing on it, with∣out which it can never prosper to us. And ha∣ving done thus, we may comfortably rest our selves on his Providence for such a measure of these outward things as he fees fittest for us.

56. But if our condition be such that we are not able to labour, and have no other means of bringing in the necessaries of life to our selves, yet even then we are chearfully to rest upon God, believing that he who feeds the Ravens, will by some means or other, though we know not what, provide for us so long as he pleases we shall continue in this world, and never in any case torment our selves with cark∣ing and distrustful thoughts; but as the Apo∣stle, 1 Pet. 5. 7. Cast all our care on him who careth for us.

57. This is earnestly prest by our Saviour, Matth. 6. where he abundantly shewes the folly of this sin of distrust. The place is a most excellent one, and therefore I shall set

it down at large, Verse 25. Therefore, I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; neither for your body, what you shall put on; is not the life more then meat, and the body then rai∣ment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better then they? Which of you by ta∣king thought can adde one cubit to his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? consider the Lilies of the field how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these. Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to mor∣row is cast into the Oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed? (for after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for to morrow, for the mor∣row shall take thought for the things of it self, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. I might adde many other texts to this purpose, but this is so full and convincing that I suppose it needless.

58. All therefore that I shall say more con∣cerning * 1.27 this duty, is to put you in minde of the

great benefits of it; as first, that by his trusting upon God, you engage and binde him to pro∣vide for you. Men, you know, think them∣selves highly concern'd not to fail those that depend and trust upon them; and certainly God doth so much more. But then secondly, there is a great deal of ease and quiet in the practice of this duty; it delivers us from all those carkings and immoderate cares which disquiet our minds, break our sleep, and gnaws even our very heart. I doubt not but those that have felt them, need not be told they are uneasie. But then me thinks that uneasiness should make us forward to embrace the means for the removing of them, and so we see it too often doth in unlawful ones; men will cheat, and steal, and lie, and do any thing to deliver themselves from the fear of want. But alas, they commonly prove but deceitful remedies; they bring Gods curse on us, and so are more likely to betray us to want, then to keep us from it. But if you desire a certain and unfailing cure for cares, take this of rely∣ing upon God.

59. For what should cause that man to fear want that knowes he hath one that cares for him, who is All-sufficient, and will not suffer him to want what is fit for him. If a poor man had but a faithful promise from a wealthy per∣son that he would never suffer him to want, it is sure he would be highly cheered with it, and would not then think fit to be as carking as he was before, and yet a mans promise may

fail us, he may either grow poor and not be able, or he may prove false and not be willing to make good his word. But we know God is subject neither to impoverishing nor deceit. And therefore how vile an injury do we offer to him if we dare not trust as much upon his promise as we would that of a man? yea, and how great a mischief do we do our selves by loading our mindes with a multitude of vexati∣ous and tormenting cares, when we may so se∣curely cast our burden upon God? I conclude this in the words of the Apostle, Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your re∣quests be made known unto God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the Light of NATURE.
• * 1.2

  The light of SCRI∣PTURES.
• * 1.3

  The Three great bran∣ches of MANS DUTY.
• * 1.4

  Duty to God
• * 1.5

  Acknow∣ledging him to be God.
• * 1.6

  FAITH.
• * 1.7

  Of his Af∣firmations.
• * 1.8

  Commands
• * 1.9

  Threat∣nings.
• * 1.10

  Promises.
• * 1.11

  HOPE.
• * 1.12

  Presumpti∣on.
• * 1.13

  Despair.
• * 1.14

  Love its Motives.
• * 1.15

  Gods ex∣cellency.
• * 1.16

  His Kind∣ness to us.
• * 1.17

  Fruit of Love. Desire of pleasing.
• * 1.18

  Desire of Enjoying.
• * 1.19

  FEAR.
• * 1.20

  The folly of fearing Men more then God.
• * 1.21

  TRVST.
• * 1.22

  In all spi∣ritual dan∣gers.
• * 1.23

  In all Tem∣poral.
• * 1.24

  Not seek to deliver our selves by any Sin.
• * 1.25

  In all wants spiritual.
• * 1.26

  Temporal wants.
• * 1.27

  The benefit of trusting on God.