A Christians walk and work on earth, until he attain to heaven which may serve as a practical guide, and a plain direction in his pilgrimage thither, through his personal and relative duties : marvelously useful to all persons, and families of all ranks and qualities, both in city and country / by Christopher Nesse ...

To the Right Wor∣shipful and Worthily Honored, Sir. Wil∣liam Waller Knight, Living in Westmin∣ster, &c. And to the Right Worshipful and very Vertuous and Reli∣gious Lady his com∣fortable Consort, &c. And to their two hopeful Olive-Plants, Mr. Richard, and Mris Katherine Waller. Grace, mercy, and peace, be Multiplyed.

Noble Sir.

YOu are a bles∣sed branch of an Honourable stock, whom [I hope] Divine Providence hath thence extract∣ed for some more than Ordinary Gen∣eration-work, and will [after all your Interchanges of Oc∣currencies, that now

attend you) in due season fix you as an Orient Star in your proper orbe and sta∣tion to diffuse some delightful light, and benign influence to your Generation: The ground of my Hope hereof (for I profess against speak∣ing either at Ran∣dom, or in Flattery, as fearing my Ma∣ker) is this; Besides your Natural Can∣dour, Sublime Tem∣perature, and sweet∣ness of Disposition, I have observed in you something that is supernatural both of parts and of Pi∣ety. 1. Of paris in the Excellency of your Pen (both in

publick Print, and in private Manu∣scripts) your true Relation of the sad estate of the Refor∣med Churches in forrain Countrys, is the former, and your graciously composed Letter you sent me from France, when you laid under great weakness there, is the latter Testimony. 2. Of Piety in your owning, avouching and acknowledging the great Jehovah to be your God. Deut. 26. 17. Pro. 3. 6. I do personally know that you have made Prayer (to God) your Refuge while under misery; and praise (of God)

your Recompence, when under mercy. From hence I do both hope and con∣clude that your God [whom you serve] will assuredly own and Honour you. There is an eternal truth in that blessed word of God, [they that honour me, I will honour.] 1 Sam. 2. 30. 'tis a bargain of Gods own ma∣king, we may bind upon it, such as ac∣knowledge and a∣vouch the Lord for their God, God will undoubtedly ac∣knowledge and a∣vouch them for his Servants: God ne∣ver gives such Ex∣cellent endowments

in vain, but he ho∣nours them with Suitable Exercises and opportunities in the World. Fame follows Vertue closer then the shadow doth the Body, and true Piety is as a thousand Eschutch∣eons in it self. God∣liness [of it self] is great honour as well as gain, though no more be gained but Godliness, it self.

Honored Madam.

THe very bo∣som-Disciple of Christ dedicates his second Epistle, unto the Elect Lady [one undoubtedly Eminent both in fa∣vour with God and in Estimation a∣mong the Churches for her shining Faith and Holiness, which

are rarely found in great Persons] and to her Children, rejoiceing in their Gracious carriage and Conversation. 2 Ep. Joh. v. 1. 2. both the Honourable Mother and Her Honourable Chil∣dren had this El∣ders [the Apostles] unfeigned, and well∣founded Love. In Saluting therefore your Lady-ships hands, and the hands of your dear and delightful Children with this Dedica∣tion is no untrod∣den path, wherein not only this belov∣ed Disciple, but also the Fathers of the Church, [Jerome

especially] hath walked before me. I doubt not to say [without Vanity] that you are an Elect Lady having known your manner of Conversation for some few Years, both in your devotion to God [publickly and privately] and in your Communion with Saints, toge∣ther with your Re∣ligious Education of your sweet Children, I know you have taught them the good ways of the Lord. Gen. 18. 19. that neither of them might become dege∣nerat plants, but both of them, the Heirs of the same promise,

Heb. 11. 9. By all which you have con∣futed, that fond con∣ceit of the World, to wit, that good∣ness and greatness are Inconsistent things, whereas they have an happy and a comely Conjuncti∣on in you: with∣out Controversy, greatness hath noth∣ing greater in it, then both an Heart to be willing, and a power to be able to do good; how much you are capacitated and Qualified by your first Birth [which was honour∣able, as to Earth] but especially by your New-Birth [which is more highly Ho∣Honourable,

as to Heaven; even your greatest Credit and Comfort in both Worlds] hath been Manifest in many Fair and Legible Characters of long candour and kind∣ness to me and to my Family.

But to bring those two streams into one Channel, as God hath [by his Co∣venant of Marriage] made your two persons to be one Flesh: Though I might say much more in a just commendation of you both, yet I forbear: not only lest I should so much as seem to give Flatter∣ing

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Titles, which indeed I know not to do. I have as little Art in it, as heart to it, in so doing, my maker might snatch me away in that dangerous Sin of Flat∣tery. Job 32. 21, 22. But chiefly because your modest Ears, and humble Hearts do not love Salutations in the Markets, Math. 23. 7. Ye would not have it publish∣ed upon the House-tops, either what God hath done for you, or what ye have done for God. Therefore I shall only crave your pardon for affixing your Honourable Names to this little Book, which is not done, either altogether to seek your Pa∣tronage [as the manner is] for it hath License to go abroad into the World, or to beg your hand to help me higher in the World, for I am less then the least of those mercies of my God, that I do already enjoy, and I would lay at Gods foct [as the righteous Man did. Isa. 41. 2.] in these things: but 'tis to express my gra∣titude to you who have both watered this work and furthered it with your sweet Influences.

I do here present you with the Walk and Work of a Christian upon earth until he come [at the end] to Heaven, both these are weighty and worthy of all Acceptation. First, The Walk here doth infinitely transeend the best walk in your garden, or in the best spring-garden in the whole World. 'Tis a walk, wherein you may not only walk hand in hand with the Angels of God, [both those that are Ter∣restrial, to wit, Christians, and those that are Coelestial, to wit, Cherubims] but also with the God of Angels [himself] even as a Man walks hand in hand with his friend, thus Enoch walked with his God, Gen. 5. 24. Secondly, The work here is (verily) Angelical as well as Evangelical work, a work that is Honourable to the most Honourable upon Earth, giving more of Honour to them then it can receive of Honour from them. Deo servire est regnare, saith Augustin. And David accounted it a greater honour to be Gods Servant, then to be Israels King. Psal. 18. Title. The great God is the most honour∣able Master, who Employs his Servants

in this most honourable work, and will undoubtedly pay them with the most ho∣nourable wages, even with an hundred fould in this life, and in the World to come with life everlasting. Mark. 10. 30. I have no cause to doubt but that you are [both of you] already true Spiritual Pil∣grims in this Divine walk and work. And I cannot but be confident that you [both] do Ardently affect what soever may promote your Progress herein. O that my poor Labours might contribute any thing to further your passage, If but some few steps; I could [then] wish every word were Ten, every line a Leaf, and every Leaf a Volum, and that both my Tongue and my Pen might have ten-fold more of the Divine tincture upon them, to be ser∣viceable to you thereunto: Your God and the God of your Fathers, hath already done singular things for you, and there∣fore he doth expect singular things from you, Math. 5. 47. Where the Husband∣man bestows his greatest cost, there he ex∣pects his largest crop. Your Trading and your Talents should be proportionable;

to whom much is given, of them much is Required, Luke 12. 48. I beseech you therefore, as ye have received how ye ought to walk and to work in this para∣dise of christianity (into which the second Adam hath graciously restored you, as the first Adam cast you out [in himself] from thence) so ye would abound more and more. 1 Thes. 4. 1. According to the Divine di∣rections herein presented you: That ye may follow the foot steps of your Father Abraham who followed God blind-fold, when called [as you have been] out of one Land into another. Heb. 11. 8. That ye may be called at last from Earth to Hea∣ven, in Soul and Body [as ye are already in Spirit] after ye have walked out your generation-work in Abrahams steps, to be safely lodged in Abrahams bosom; that the blessing of Abraham may come upon the hearts of your Son, and Daughter, and of their seed for ever; and that your Walls and theirs may be continually before the Lord of the whole Earth. Isa. 49. 16. All this, is the unfeigned

desire and hearty Prayer (which shall never be wanting) of

Your Worships sincerely and thankfully Devoted Christopher Nesse.