A help to holy walking, or, A guide to glory containing directions how to worship God, and to walk with him in the whole course of our lives / by Edward Bury.

7. Direct. Make a right Use of thy Bap∣tism, and improve it through the whole course of thy Life; for the Efficacy of it is not li∣mitted, or bound up to any moment of Time, but is a Flower that never loseth savour; a Jewel that never loseth it's virtue: 'Tis a Fountain that never is drawn dry. And breasts of Consolation, where thou mayst suck, and be satisfied. Those that use it onely as an Idle Ceremony, that never improve it, or look after it when 'tis once past; and make no Advantage, or Use of it; are more foolish

than those that take great care to have the Evidences of their Land Sealed, and never make use of the Inheritance, thereby convey∣ed. Use it therefore for the best Advantage for thy Soul: This is a needful, though much neglected Duty. The serious Consideration of the End and Use of Baptism, and the be∣nefits and priviledges Sealed up by it to us, and ours, and our own ingagements therein to God, may be of great Use to us in the whole course of our Lives, in many cases and condi∣tions. Baptism may be compared to the Mar∣riage knot, by virtue whereof the Wife lays claim, not only to her Husband, but what∣soever is her Husbands; and 'tis as a Seal to an Evidence, which ratifies it, and makes it Authentick, and adds force and Efficacy to it. Baptism, though not to be iterated, or renewed, yet the Covenant thereby once Seal∣ed, remains Authentick for ever, till we pluck off the Seal, or renounce the Covenant. This is a notable means to put us on to mourn for our Sins, and therefore 'tis called the Bap∣tism of Repentance; as it doth oblige us to Repent, for the consideration of our Miscar∣riages towards God, since we gave up our selves to him, and the falling short of what we have promised, and might have been, and done may well keep us humble, and penitent. When we are tempted to sin, and to break the Commands of God by sin, we may look back to our Covenants to the contrary, and the Vows which we have made; and it may ter∣rrifie

us to think that we should break such a Covenant with God, when we make some con∣science of Promise to Man. Think with thy self, have I dedicated my self to God? What Sacri∣ledge is it? What perfidious Treachery is it now to Serve the Devil, his sworn Enemy? Hast thou Vowed Obedience to thy Maker, and promised to renounce the Devil, the World, and the Flesh; how then canst thou think to look God in the Face at the last day, if now thou sidest with his greatest Enemies? Was thy Body washed with water, signifying the blood of Christ, and shall thy Soul be still defiled? Wilt thou return, with the Dog, to the Vomit, and the washed Sow, to her wallowing in the Mire? How may the consi∣deration of this fill thee with shame and sor∣row? Hence also thou mayst set Faith on work to fetch virtue from the Death and Re∣surrection of Christ, to kill sin in thee, and raise thee up to newness of Life; for if thou be Buried with him in Baptism, 'tis thy Duty thus to do, Rom. 6.3,4,5. When Corrup∣tion is strong, fetch strength hence to weaken it; when Grace is weak, hence thou mayst strengthen it. This is an excellent means to assure thee of thy Salvation, of the Pardon of thy sins, and the rest of the Mercies promised in the Covenant; for the Covenant being ra∣tified and Sealed, what should hinder the per∣formance? God, doubtless, is real in his Promise, and true in his Covenant; he did not intend to deceive thee by an empty Cere∣mony,

or set his Seal to a blank: No, no; nor if thou revoke not, he will not revoke. Is not this the Sacrament of Regeneration? Is it not called the Laver of Regeneration? Sig∣nifying the washing away of sin, Acts 22.16. Arise, and be Baptized, and wash away thy sins. Yea, of Salvation, 'tis said to save us, 1 Pet. 3.21. Hath not God given thee a pledge in thine Hand of his Gracious meaning towards thee? And what need hath he to dissemble with thee? Doth he gain any thing by thee? Yea, though thou art relapsed, yet look back to thy Covenant, and return. See God's Advice in such a case, Jer. 3.1. Thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers, yet return unto me, saith the Lord. God will not depart till thou art willing to let him go: And from hence also you may fetch Arguments for Bro∣therly Love among Saints: we are all Bapti∣zed by one Spirit, into one Body, and there∣fore should sympathize each with other, as the Members do. Those are some of the dai∣ly Fruits, you may gather of this Tree, many more grow upon it.