The Whole Duty of Man Epitomized

PARTITION I.

THE Incarnation of our Blessed Lord, is without doubt a sufficient warrant for the Salva 〈…〉 n of our Souls, if we perform the Conditions annexed to it; which 〈◊〉 in general to use our honest endea 〈…〉 vours to obey the whole Will 〈◊〉 God, according as we have it co 〈…〉 vey'd to us, by the Light of Nature, and the Light of the Hol • Scriptures.

The Light of Nature in the first pla 〈…〉 is a Light which Go • has stamped upon o 〈…〉 very Souls, by the guidance 〈◊〉 which, without the help of Scri 〈…〉 ture mere Natural Conscience wou 〈…〉 direct us in the performance 〈◊〉 several Duties. Such as are 〈◊〉 Worship a God, to be Just one 〈◊〉 another, and to Honor our P 〈…〉 rents, and the like.

The Light of Scri 〈…〉 tures is a far mo 〈…〉 Divine Light, whe • in God hath laid b 〈…〉 fore us both his Commands, a • Precepts, to be the general Rul • and Grounds of our Duty.

The general Rules of the Du 〈…〉 of every Christian are brie 〈…〉 comprehended under these three Heads; our Duty to God, our Selves, and our Neighbors, and those three I intend for the Subject of the following Discourse.

The Foundation of our Duty to God, is grounded chiefly upon our acknowledging him to be God, and then admitting of no other.

And first by acknowledging him to be a God, we are to believe him to be an Infinite Glorious Being, without either beginning or end, both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, God blessed forever.

We are likewise to believe him in his Attributes; to be a God of Mercy, Justice, and Power, that he sees and knows all things, and disposes every Event, according to his Will, and that he can never cease to be other than perfectly Good, Merciful and Just.

The believing him to be our God signifies yet more, it means by Faith we should believe the Holy Scriptures to be his Word, and that all that he speaks to us by them, are most true; that all that he affirms is Indubitable, that his Commands are Just, and Equal, his Threatenings and Punishments certain and unavoidable, and that all his Promises are Yea and Amen, and will most certainly be made good to all those that faithfully depend upon him.

This is the sum of our Faith, or Belief of those things God has been pleased to reveal to us in the Holy Scriptures.

The next Duty to God is Hope, which is a comfortable Expectation of his Promises, and should be always preserved from the dangerous extreme of Presumption or Despair; We should neither depend to much, nor too little upon his. Mercies, but rely upon his Justice, and Integrity for our Rewards and Punishments.

A Third Duty we owe to God is Love, a Duty which without doubt he has the the greatest right to, both upon the account of his Goodness and Compassion to us, his Innate Excellence, and his particular Kindness to all Mankind.

God is most Good, Just and Excellent, he is perfectly Holy, Kind, and Compassionate, and cannot be charged with any Impurity, or the least mixture of anything that is evil; his Goodness and Kindness are Immence and Infinite, and have been so abundantly demonstrated both to our Bodies and Souls, that we cannot refuse him our Love without the greatest Injustice.

The Scripture abound with Holy Invitations, endearing Promises and affectionate Offers, by which he endeavors, as it were, to woo us into good Lives, and to entreat us to accept of Happiness here and Eternal Happiness hereafter.

The two great Tokens of our true Love to God are First, An earnest desire to please him 〈◊〉 and Secondly, To enjoy him. This is the common Indication of true Love in all ordinary Cases; and above all oath • things doth best approve us to thos • we have a real value for.

The reality of ou • Affections to Go • are best declared, b • a steady Conformit • to the Divine Will, a readiness t • obey his Commandments, and a • awful regard to his Precepts; the • are indeed Arguments of our real Love, and Affection, and the only way we can make use of, either to please him, or to show the sincerity of our Hearts.

Next to pleasing God, a desire to enjoy him is consistent with our Love; if we love God in earnest we shall covet to be always in his Company, conversing with him in Prayers and Meditations, hearing his Word and receiving his Sacraments, which is the only means of enjoying God in this World.

Our enjoyment of God in the next is far more permanent and complete; there we shall be continually with him in eternal fruition of Joy and Happiness, in comparison of which all our advantages in • his Life are but empty Baubles and Trifles.

A Fourth Duty to God is Fear, which • rises from the consideration of his Power and Justice; and those in Conjunction, do both enable, and oblige him to punish the Wicked an awful regard and belief of which is the only means that can restr 〈…〉 us from offending him.

God is the chiefes • Object of Fear, and therefore we ough • not to fear Man mor • than God. I will no • fear, says the Psal • mist, what Man can do unto me. Me • have no Power to do us hurt unless • by God's Permission, and then the • Malice can reach no further neithe • than our Goods, Names, Liberties or our Lives; the Destruction o • Soul and Body together is God's Pre • rogative only.

'It is God alone that knows a • our secret Thoughts and Transact • ons, all our Sins though committee • with never so much Privacy, lie all • ways open before him, and he will b • sure to find us out, and punish 〈◊〉 unless we repent, which indeed i • the greatest Argument that can b • to awaken our Fears and engage ou • Apprehensions.

A Fifth Duty to God is Trust, that is, a depending and resting upon him in all our Dangers. Wants and Extremities, whether Spiritual or Temporal.

In our Spiritual Dangers, we are to throw ourselves upon God's Assistance, and to implore him to strengthen us with the Grace of his Holy Spirit, that we may be able to withstand, or at least to remove the Temptation.

In our Temporal Dangers we are to rest and depend upon him, to commit ourselves to the shadow of his Wings, under the Royal Prophets Assurance, Psalm • 4. 22. That the Lord delivereth the Souls of the Saints, and all that put their trust in him shall not be destitute.

In all our Dangers and Distresses, with Prayers and Tears we are to implore his aid, and not attempt to deliver ourselves by any wicked Act; we must never use sinful means, not even the Preservation of our Lives and Liberties can make any the least pretence for the doing an unjust thing; Christ himself has told us, that if we gain the whole World and loose our own Souls, we are great losers by the Bargain; if therefore things should ever come to that unhappy Issue, that we must part with our Estates, perhaps our Lives, or else commit Sin, we should then remember that that's the proper season to fight under the Banner of the great Captain of our Salvation, the Crucify'd JESUS.

In our spiritual Necessities we are to fly to God with Tears in our Eyes and invoke his Assistance, we are to pour out our Souls before him, and then we may depend upon it, that as he has commanded us nothing that he has not given us Power to perform, so he will suffer us to want nothing that we ask of him with a holy and devout Integrity of mind.

We are likewise to rely upon him in all our Temporal and Bodily Wants; he has obliged himself to take care of all his faithful Servants, his Eye is upon them that fear him, and them that hope in his Mercy, to deliver their Souls from Death, and to feed them in the time of Famine.

If we do our Duty honestly and religiously in our several Places and Callings, then as the Apostle adviseth we may cast all our Care upon God who careth for us, and he who is subject to no sort of Deceit or Impoverishment, that best knows our wants, and is best able to supply 'em, will be sure in the proper season, to relieve us against all Dangers and Necessities whether Spiritual or Temporal.

I conclude this with the words of the Apostle, Phil. 4. 6. Be careful in nothing, but in everything by Prayer and Supplication, with thanksgiving, let your Request be made known to God.

PARTITION II.

A Sixth Duty to God is Humility, which from an humble sense of our own Meanness and his Excellency should work in us a twofold Submission, the first to his Will, the second to his Wisdom.

A Submission to the Will of God consists chiefly in our Obedience or Patience, in the first by urging us to a ready Complaisance to his Commands, by melting down our stubborn haughty Minds, without which we can never come to know, worship, or obey him, with that profound Distance and Submission which the greatness of his Majesty, and the importance of his Commands require.

To promote our Obedience, we should often reflect upon that vast distance that is between God and our Selves, that we are but polluted Dust and Ashes, wretched Creatures but of a few Hours, and that he's without Beginning or End, Immortal and Eternal.

That our best Works and Performances are utterly unworthy of him, or at least unworthy of our own Commendation, the best we can do when we come to compare it with the Perfection and Purity of Almighty God, as the Prophet expresses it, Is but as filthy Rags, and therefore we ought by no means to boast of our own Works or to attribute any of them to ourselves, but to give God the Glory and preeminence in all our Actions.

The Second kind of Submission to God's Will is Patience, which consists in an humble acquiescence to all the Afflictions which HE is pleased to lay upon us. This will make us easy under all his Dispensations, and entitle us to a kind of Repose even in the midst of our Troubles, and is indeed the pure effect of that Humility that does so highly recommend us to Almighty God.

A patient Submission to the Will o • God will give us 〈◊〉 right notion of our Afflictions rather than incline us to murmurs and complaints, will convince us, that God chastizes us out of Friendship, and so consequently that we are obliged to thank him for his Correction, as indeed we are upon many extraordinary Accounts, but especially as they are Marks of his Care and Love.

Our quiet, and thankfulness under Afflictions is not all neither, the Fruit of 'em should be Repentance, that's God's chief Design in laying them upon us; that they should force us to call ourselves to an account, and inquire diligently what it is that has engaged him to deal with us in so rough a method.

In all our Sufferings and Afflictions we ought to look upon God's permissive Power as the Principle Agent, and with Holy Job 's Patience, let them be derived to us either from God or Man; and in his Words, bless the Name of the Lord for giving us warning.

Secondly, I told you that Humility contained likewise a Submission to God's Wisdom, as well as his Will; God being infinitely Wise and Just, we are to submit to him in all his Commands and Dispensations.

We are to submit to him in his Commands, by making our Understanding • end to his Will and Word, how opposite soever it may be to our own carnal Reason or Humours, for when we consider that his Wisdom is Infinite and cannot Err, we own an Obligation to believe and obey everything he speaks or commands.

We are likewise to submit to the Wisdom of God in all his Dealings and Dispensations, and though many Events happen contrary to the ordinary Course of things, and are utterly above the reach of our narrow Capacities to comprehend, yet being all chosen and determined by the unerring Wisdom of God, we ought to submit to them, with the greatest Satisfaction and Humility.

The next Duty to God is Honor, which consists in the paying him such a respect and Reverence as belongs to the greatness of his Majesty, and this may be either inwardly in our Hearts, or outwardly in our public Actions, and Behaviour towards him.

Besides, the general, there are particular Ways of honoring God, as First, By approaching his House, the Church with Reverence, and behaving ourselves there with Devotion and Attention; Secondly, In his Possessions by paying our Tithes and Just, Dues which God has appointed for the maintenance of his Ministers.

The Sin of Sacrilege and defrauding the Ministry, is a very great and crying Sin; 'tis the downright robbing of God, an • indeed his Vengean •• is in nothing mo •• discernible then in h •• Punishment of it; u • ▪on which account w 〈…〉 should have a ve 〈…〉 strict Care never to medle with 〈…〉 ny thing set a part for God.

The Third Thin • whereby we are t 〈…〉 express our reverenc • to God, is by keepin • Holy the particula • Times set a part fo • his Service, such a 〈…〉 are the Sunday's, or Lord's-days and other solemn Festivals appoint▪ed by the Church; this he ha • strictly required of us, and herei • we must not disappoint him upo • any pretence.

Days of Fasting an • Humiliation are like wise to be solemnl • observed, that according to the Design of the Church, we may me • together, and humble our selve • • eeply before God, and with Prayers and Tears bewail our own and • he Sins of the Nation.

Fourthly, We are • o express our Honor to God, by pay • ng an awful Reve • ence and respect to • is Word, by frequent reading the Holy Scriptures, and by collecting • he measures of a good Life from those lively Oracles; by attending upon the Duties of Religion, and • y being present as often as we may at the public Catechizings and Sermons.

Catechizing in the first Place is the Foundation upon which the whole Christian Practice must be built, 'tis therefore the Duty of every Parent to have his Children early instructed in the Church Catechism, and for this end they are to call in the help of their respective Ministers; and for those that have been so unhappy to want these Instructions in their Youth, it concerns 'em as nearly as their Sou • to have their minds Principl'd wi •• the Conditions of their Salvati •• as soon as they can, which neith •• the Consideration of their Age, 〈◊〉 any other pretence should perswa •• them to defer for one Moment.

After they are i • ▪structed in the Pr •• ciples of their Relig • ▪on, they ought th 〈…〉 to apply themselves to the heari •• of Sermons, which they ought 〈◊〉 attend too, not out of Custom Formality, but for the true ends f 〈…〉 which they were first intend • The Doctrines are to be locked up our Hearts, that we may have 'e 〈…〉 in a readiness to combat all o 〈…〉 Lust and Follies, and to beat off a 〈…〉 our Temptations; this is the gre •• end of Preaching, and unless 〈◊〉 make this use of it, it signifies litt •• towards the Salvation of our Souls.

Fifthly, We are 〈◊〉 Honor God in 〈◊〉 strict Reverence 〈◊〉 the two Sacraments 〈…〉 . Baptism, and the Lord's Sup 〈…〉 r; the first we are to respect a particular Covenant between 〈…〉 d and ourselves, the first and 〈…〉 lie • t Sign of our Salvation; and 〈…〉 e second as a remembrance of 〈…〉 rist's Death, and the Privileges 〈…〉 riv'd to us upon that account.

The Sacrament of 〈…〉 ptism being admi ••• tread to us in our • ancy. It is not expected from to perform the Covenants which 〈◊〉 engage ourselves to by our 〈…〉 reties, but then this lays the 〈…〉 eater Obligation upon us when 〈…〉 e come to Years of Discretion, to double our Duty, that we may 〈…〉 ache the best amends we can, for 〈…〉 e defects of our Minority.

To come to a true Knowledge of 〈…〉 e Duties we Promise at our Bap 〈…〉 m; the right way will be to con 〈…〉 er what our God fathers and God 〈…〉 others Vow in our 〈…〉 ames, and that we all find to be, to re 〈…〉 unce the Devil and all his Works, by which is meant t 〈…〉 Worshipping all false God's, whi •• is indeed the worshipping the D • ▪vil; Secondly, The Pomps and Va 〈…〉 ties of the World, that is, all inor 〈…〉 nate desires of Riches and Gre 〈…〉 ness, all unlawful Sports and Ex 〈…〉 ses in Meat or Apparel, and all 〈…〉 there sinful things wherein t 〈…〉 World is apt to deceive us; a 〈…〉 Thirdly, The sinful Lust of t 〈…〉 Flesh, by which is understood 〈◊〉 inordinate Appetites, and all u 〈…〉 clean and carnal Desires, and t 〈…〉 is the first part of our Covenant.

The second general Thing o 〈…〉 God-fathers and God-mothers p 〈…〉 mis'd for us in our Baptism; 〈◊〉 that we should believe all the A 〈…〉 cles of the Christian Faith, as th 〈…〉 are sum'd up to us in the Ap 〈…〉 stles Creed, and not barely belie • them neither, but to have all 〈◊〉 Principles so deeply impressed a • engraven in our Minds, that fr •• thence we may be able to draw s 〈…〉 ficient Motives to the Practice Virtue and Piety.

The last part of our Vow is, that we should keep God's Holy Will and Commandments, and walk in the • ame all the Days of our Lives; • hat is, that according to the Di • ections of God's word, we should • alk all our Days in the Paths of • rue Religion, Honesty and Sobri • ty.

This being in short • he Substance of our • ow, the next thing 〈◊〉 the Obligations we all under to perform • t, and herein I need only tell you, • tis a Vow of the most solemn and • inding Nature, and that you cannot • reak it without being not only un • ust, but forsworn; besides, 'tis • ur Interest to keep it upon many Accounts, but especially upon the Account of the great Privileges it •• titles us to, from the Promises of God conveyed to us in that Sacra • ent.

PARTITION III.

THE Reverenc • due to the S 〈…〉 crament of the Lord 〈…〉 Supper is the next thing, which according to my first Division, I sha •• consider by laying down what is t • be done before, at, and after th • Receiving.

The first thing t • be done before th • Sacrament is Examination, which is 〈◊〉 strict enquiry into th • state of our Souls and the Condition o • our Lives, and thi •• in the Judgment of St. Paul is so essentially necessary, that we ought not to presume to make any approaches towards the Holy Table without it.

For the perfecting your Examination, you are to consider the Nature of your Covenant, which is a renewal of your Baptismal Vow, and since that is the chief end, three things follow in Course; First, That we be well Instructed in the Covenant itself. Secondly, What have been our Breaches? And Thirdly, Then that we resolve upon a better Performance for the Future, • nd these Three are to be the ge • eral Grounds of our Examination.

And First, You'll find that, this • s a Covenant made by God with • is Son Christ Jesus for the Re • emption of all Mankind, and that • e Conditions on our side, are an •• ire Obedience to all his Com • ands, and the state of our Know •• dge in this, is the first part of our • xamination.

The next is con • erning our Breaches of this Covenant, which we can never know with that exactness as w • ought, without comparing them with the Law of God, which as i • is the truest rule and measure 〈◊〉 our Duty; so 'tis the best means t • lead us to the Knowledge and Fountain of our Sins.

Our Sins alas! a • of many sorts and d • grees, and require great deal both of o •• Judgment and Deliberation to inquire aright into their Causes, an • Consequences. It requires a grea • deal of Skill to heighten and aggravate the Circumstances of our Guil • to that degree, till we come at la • to a true Sence of the hainousne • of them.

The end of Examination is to bring 〈◊〉 to this, and to a rig 〈…〉 Knowledge of o •• Sins, to humble us 〈◊〉 the sight of God, and to melt o •• Hearts into a deep Sorrow and Co • trition upon the Consideration 〈◊〉 our Demerits and Injustice towards him; we are likewise to Pray for the Assistance of God's Spirit in the discovery of all our Sins, and for his Grace that we may thoroughly be • ail and lament them.

After we have wrought ourselves, by the assistance of our Examination to a • ixt hatred and aversion against all our Sins, then we are humbly to confess 'em to Almighty God, who by the precious Blood of his Son Jesus Christ, we are faithfully to believe, will be reconciled to us, and upon the account of our entire Obedience will vouchsafe us the Salvation of our Souls.

And then, when we have thus examined and prepared ourselves with respect to our Humiliation and Contrition, our Confession and Faith, the next thing is our Resolution of Obedience, which must not be only in general, but with a particular regard to every individual Commandment of Go 〈…〉 derived from a fixed and solid hatr 〈…〉 against all manner of Sins.

The means of t 〈…〉 new and entire Ob 〈…〉 dience must be o 〈…〉 next Care, which w 〈…〉 be best perfected 〈◊〉 an impartial retr 〈…〉 into our own Minds; there 〈◊〉 may discover the Springs and Fou 〈…〉 tains of our Sins, and what Tem 〈…〉 tations we are exposed to, and 〈◊〉 be in a capacity to shun and avo 〈…〉 them; and this must be done i 〈…〉 mediately too, without any ma 〈…〉 ner of Delay or Pretence; for t 〈…〉 it be done, and a Bill of Divorce g 〈…〉 ven to every Lust, we are in no r 〈…〉 spect fit to meet our Redeemer 〈◊〉 the Holy Table.

Beside this, we a 〈…〉 to put our Souls in 〈…〉 the best posture th 〈…〉 we can, by imbracin • all the Virtues of 〈…〉 good Life, and 〈◊〉 possessing them with all those Gr • • es that may render them acceptable in the Eyes of God, and this we may do effectually, by contemplating the Promises and goodness of God, and by meditating upon the exemplary Life and Doctrine of our blessed Lord.

His Life will put us • n mind of that Charity and forgiving temper, which is so often, and solemnly required of us, and so essentially necessary in our Sacramental Preparations; 'tis Death for us to approach God's Feast of Love, with any manner of Ranchor or Malice; we are to bring no other Dispositions thither, but what are dictated to us from a devout Mind. A fixed and settled Devotion, earnest and frequent Prayers, and a Soul disentangled from the World, are our properest Companions for this Sacrament, and for these we are earnestly to implore God's Assistance, without whose help in assisting us with the Graces aforementioned, we can never expect 〈◊〉 complete our Preparations.

And for the better perfecting a • this, we are to apply ourselves 〈◊〉 our spiritual Guide, to the Minister of our own Parish, who is th 〈…〉 properest Person in this Case; 〈◊〉 him without any manner of reserv • we are to declare our Doubts an • Jealousies, and to take his Assistance and Directions; and herein 〈◊〉 sort of shame to discover ourselves ough • to deter or disincourage us; we ough • to open our Case fairly and Impartially that he may know perfectly how matter stand between God and our Soul • and then he will be able to give u • Advice how to cure both ou • Doubts and our Sins the doubtful an • the confident are equally obliged to this our own Judgment are not entirely to be relied upon, in a Concern where there is so much weight and difficulty, nor is the Advantage of a spiritual Guide to be rejected, when it can be of use in the Improvement of our Preparation.

These are the Duties before the Sacrament. The next thing is, what is to be done at the Time of Receiving; and here, First, Consider thy own unworthiness, and how unfit thy Sins and Frailties, and the repeated breach of thy Vows, have rendered thee for such a Holy Table; from hence, let thy Meditations lead thee to the Sufferings of Christ. When we see the Bread broken, and the Wine poured out, we should reflect that his blessed Body was torn, and his Blood split, and that it was our Sins that was the Cause of both.

Consider likewise that the Sufferings of Christ were the only means to atone the wrath of God, and then consider what inexpressible thanks are due to him for preserving thy Sou • that must have perished eternally without his help; this great Love of Christ for us, should stir up in us a love for him, and engage us immediately to take up solemn Resolutions to Sin no more, and that we may indeed perform these Resolutions, we ought earnestly to beg of this crucified Savior, that he will by the Power of his Death, mortify and kill all our Corruptions.

Just as we are about to receive the Consecrated Bread and Wine, we should remember that then God is entering into a New Covenant with us, that he's now giving us fresh Assurances of the Pardon of our Sins, if we perform our part of the Condition; as soon as we have received, we ought to offer him our devoutest Praises for that great Mercy, and should be sure never to forget to send up our Prayers to him, not more for ourselves than for the good Estate of the Church, and for the Conversion of all Mankind.

After the Sacrament is over, then we ought as soon as Possible, to retire ourselves, and to repeat again our Prayers and Praises, and to renew our Promises, and to beg the Assistance of God's Grace to enable us to make 'em good, and to pursue our present Purposes to the end of our Lives.

The Day we receive the Sacrament should be kept void of all worldly Cares and Business; we should spend that Day especially in Prayers and Meditations; and indeed no Day should pass, but we should call to mind the Promises we make to God at the Sacrament, and consider seriously the danger we expose ou • selves to in breaking them.

In breaking ou • Vows at the Sacrament, we make God our Enemy, and engage him to withdraw from us all manner of Kindness and Compassion; nay, we raise an Enemy within ou • own Bosom; our Conscience must needs fly in our Face, and upbraid us with the breach of such solemn Vows and Covenants.

God's Mercies in pardoning us heretofore should not give us the least encouragement to provoke him again; to presume upon this is a very high abuse of his goodness; The obligation of our Sacramental Vows are perpetual, and can never be violated without the breach of our Oaths; 'tis perpetual, 'tis true, and yet 'tis to be renewed often, We are to do it as often as we have opportunity in remembrance that Christ died for us. And thus I have showed you the Reverence we are to pay to God in his Sacrament.

PARTITION IV.

THE last thing wherein we are to express a Reverence to God is in honoring his Name, and what this is, will be best understood by considering what are the Things by which it is chiefly dishonored.

The first Sin against the Honor of God's Name is Blasphemy, the highest Degree of which is Cursing him either by our Words or in our Thoughts, and next to that, Swearing either by false Oaths or else by rash and light ones.

A false Oath may be of two kinds; as First, That by which I affirm something; or, Secondly, That by which I Promise; the one we call an • Assertory, and the other a Promissory Oath, and are both a very great dishonor to God's Name, when they are not taken with Sincerity and Truth, and performed with reality.

An Oath is the strongest Tie that can be between Man and Man, but yet if it be unlawful in itself and contradictory, and impracticable in the Nature of it, in such a Case, though the breach even of such an Oath be a very great Sin, yet 'tis better to repent heartily of our Folly and Wickedness in making such a sinful and inconsiderate Oath, then to attempt with greater Sin and Danger in the performance of it.

There is nothing by which the Name of God is more dishonored then by Perjury, 'tis the highest affront can be offered to him, and indeed we find him resenting nothing with more just severity, then this kind of Violation of his Honor, He will not hold him guiltless, he has declared that taketh his Name in vain, which is so dreadful a menace, that methinks it should engage everyone that has any value for his Salvation, to keep them most strictly from this Sin.

All vain and light Oaths, such as are s • common in our Discourses, are likewise • very high offense against the Majesty of the Name 〈◊〉 God. Our Savior has forbid • us to swear, even by mere Creatures, to show us, I presume the Reverence we ought to have fo • the Name of their Creator; and sure whatever this profane Ag • may think of it, there is nothing does more argue a Contempt o • God, then to hear his Name intermix'd in every Period of loose Discourse. and violated every Momen • with horrid and impertinent Oaths.

This sort of vain and rash Swearin • leads directly to Perjury, we grow at la •• so Familiar with th • Name of God, tha • at length we can us • it upon any occasion, without considering whether we sware true 〈◊〉 false to things doubtful or certain beside this too there is no manner of Temptation for this sort of lewd Swearing, there is no kind of Pleasure or Profit in it, nor anything else to recommend it, and so consequenely 'tis a base Sin, which we willfully commit without any manner of excuse or Pretence.

'It is a dangerous Vice, and therefore every Man that values the Salvation of his Soul, ought to renounce it with the greatest Caution and Concern; the means are always ready before him, viz. the Sence of the Guilt and Danger of it, when he considers the great dishonor that his rash Oaths offer to the Name of God, and that Eternal Misery must be his Punishment; unless he repents, he must needs sure be touched with a Sence of his Guilt and Danger, and these must certainly argue very strongly with him to renounce 'em.

Speaking Truth is likewise a very great means to restrain us from rash Oaths when Men once come to be observable fo • their Truth and Integrity, there 〈◊〉 no need of an Oath to confirm th • Veracity of what they say; we ought also to avoid all occasions that are most liable to betray us to this Vice, to preserve constantly a deep and profound Veneration for the Name of God, which we should never mention without Respect, and that will • be an excellent means to prevent us against the profaning it with ou • Oaths.

Another great means to restrain us from rash Oaths, is to keep 〈◊〉 strict and consta •• Watch over o •• Words, and then t • use the great remedy of all Prayer, tha • God would enable thee to avoid 〈◊〉 overcome this wicked Custom. And thus by these several ways of dishonoring God's Name, we may easily perceive what it is to Honor it, which is all founded upon an awful Respect and Reverence, which is due to that sacred Name, • hat is Great, Wonderful and Ho • y.

PARTITION V.

THE next great Duty to God is • orship, a Duty only peculiar to •• mself, and therefore of a very • reat Importance; and is to be per •• rm'd, First, By our Souls; and • econdly, By our Bodies, the Souls part is Praying, an • of that there are divers Parts, according to the different thing for which we ask.

Confession is th • first, and may be either general or pa • ticular, the former is a necessar • part of our solemn Prayers, wh • there Private or Public; and th • latter more proper for the Private and the intent of it is, that 〈◊〉 should humble ourselves before God, and with a deep and hear • Sorrow bewail the Sins we confess.

The second part 〈◊〉 Prayer is Petition, 〈◊〉 which we beg of Go • whatsoever we wa •• either for our Soul or Bodies. For our Souls, we b • the Pardon of our Sins, and the A • sistance of his Grace to enable 〈◊〉 to obey his Will. For our Body • we beg the necessaries of Life, su • outward things I mean, that he his Wisdom sees most fit and nee • full for us.

A third part of Prayer is Deprecation, by which we entreat God that he would turn away from us the evil of our Sins, and the Punishments due to them; that he would prevent us from all Sin, and enable us against all Temptations, and that he would forbear to chastise us with Spiritual or Temporal Punishments.

The next part of Prayer is Intercession, which consist in Praying for others, both for Strangers and Acquaintance, but in a particular Manner for the Governors of the Church and State, and for our Relations and Friends.

Another Part of Prayer is Thanksgiving, which is the praising and magnifying God for all his Mercies both Spiritual and Temporal; for the blessings of our Souls and Bodies, but above all for the sending his Son to redeem us, and the Holy Ghost to comfort us, and for all other his Favors vouchsafed to us in his Word and Sacraments.

These are the several sorts of Prayer to be used both Public and Private, The Public use of them is first in the Church, from whence we must not absent ourselves without some necessary Cause; and Secondly, In our own Families, where every Master is strictly bound to call his Children and Servants to th • daily exercise of them.

Private Prayer, is called so, because we use it in Secret, where we have an oppotunity to be more particular than 〈◊〉 convenient in Public, and upon n •• account or pretence whatsoever 〈◊〉 to be omitted.

Prayer is a Duty, that require • a frequent performance by none seldomer then Evening and Morning; we should always begin and end the Day with our Addresses to Almighty God, oftener if we have any conveniency, and indeed did we consider the advantages of Prayer, we should think it great Wisdom to use it as frequently as possible.

For First, 'It is a great Honor, that such mean and contemptible Wretches as we are, should be admitted but to speak to the great God of Heaven and Earth; and then 'tis a Benefit, the highest that can be Imagin'd Prayer being that immediate • ource of all the Advantages we either want or wish, besides 'tis a • leasant Duty in itself, and to a • ruly Pious and Devout Mind, it • ffords abundance of substantial De • ight and Satisfaction.

The Carnal Minds indeed can • iscover none of these Advantages, the Pleasures of the the Flesh, and the dross of the World li • in the way, and those have so vitiated their Pallates, that they ca • taste none of the pleasantness in it; other think it unpleasant for want of a frequent usage, and beside these two, there is nothing ca • dissuade us from the real Pleasure and Advantage of it.

The next thing is, how well w • perform this Duty, and herein w • are chiefly concerned for the Matters of our Prayer we are to ask nothing unjust or unlawfu • but all with Faith, an • Humility, and wit • the most profou • and deliberate Atte • tion.

Opposite to Attention in Praye • is all wandering thoughts; the Co • sequence of which are very dang • rous. To suppress these, we should consider the greatness of that Majesty to whom we are speaking, the worth of those things we ask for, and our own extraordinary Wants together.

We must likewise • nvoke God's Assi • tance, and set a care • ul Watch over our Hearts to keep all • andring thoughts • ut of our Minds, • hilst we are convering with Him; all • ur Petitions should be put up to • im with the highest Zeal and Ar • ency of Soul; Our Prayers should • e abstracted from all manner of in and Impurity, and be constant •• directed to right and proper ends.

This is the first part of Worship, • he next is Bodily Worship, and this con • st, in humble and re • erend Gestures in making our approaches to God, i • such a decent lowliness of Body, tha • may best declare with what a Pro • stration of Soul, we make our Addre • ses before the Throne of Grace.

Repentance is th • next Duty we owe 〈◊〉 God, and is in sho •• nothing else but a general Resolution t •• forsake our Sins, an • to implore his Grace the times for th •• great Duty are as often as we thin • upon our Sins; every Day at lea •• we ought to call ourselves to a •• account.

At some particula • times indeed, we a •• obliged to redoub • our Repentance, a •• those Times we oug •• to fix for our selve • at least once a Week. We ought 〈◊〉 have a set time of Evening our Accounts with God and our Cons • ences, the time of Affliction an • Calamity is a very proper seaso • • or it, and at our Death we are the • ost solemnly obliged to renew it.

But 'tis dangerous 〈◊〉 defer it till Death, 〈◊〉 should not hazard 〈◊〉 Souls upon such •• certainties; beside, 〈◊〉 Death-bed Repentance must conse • uently want several Qualifications • hich the Nature of true Repen •• nce requires; the • ustom of Sin is not 〈◊〉 be destroyed in a 〈◊〉 days, or hours, ••• haps moments, •• sides too, our Pains •• d Agonies most •• obably disturb our • houghts, and then our Repen •• nce can never be dressed up with •• at strict Sincerity, which God re •• ires of us for the Salvation of 〈◊〉 Souls.

To Repentance, the Duty of Fast •• g may with great Reason be an • ex'd which is a Duty we find so •• mnly recommended by God himself, the Church and the Practice of goo • Men; by Fasting, w • in some measure r • venge the Injuri • done to God up •• ourselves, and su •• Holy Revenge upo • ourselves for o •• Sins, is doubtless very acceptable t • God, and yet we ought not 〈◊〉 think them sufficient without th • Merits of Christ's Blood to atton • for our Offences.

The Scripture h • indeed given no pa • ticular Direction, ho • often this great Du •• of Fasting is to be performed, b •• the oftener the better; for being great Instrument of our Humilia •• on, we ought to take all opportu •• ties to perform it, which our Heal •• and Circumstances will admit.

And thus I have passed throu •• the the first Branch of our Duty 〈◊〉 God to wit, the acknowledge i • him to be our God; the second the having no other, and of this I need say no more, then that by it we are forbid all kind of Idolatry and Superstitious Worshipping of • mages of Creatures, and all in • ard Idolatry of the Mind.

PARTITION VI.

Duty to our Selves.

THis Duty to our Selves, is by St. • aul sum'd up in 〈◊〉 word SOBERLY, by which 〈◊〉 meaning must be our keeping • ithin those bounds which God has 〈◊〉 us, both with respect to our • ouls and Bodies; and this sober • overnment of the Soul requires a great many Virtues, of which I place Humility in the first Rank.

Humility gives us low and humble thoughts of ourselves, direct us to behave ourselves easily und •• the mean Opinion of others, an • withal is directly opposite to 〈◊〉 kind of Pride, and vain Glory; tw • of the most dangerous Enemies 〈◊〉 Mankind.

Pride in the fir •• Place, is a very gre •• and provoking Sin, 〈◊〉 has been often she • by God's severe P • nishments of it, it 〈◊〉 in some respects, 〈◊〉 there a Parent or Nurse to most oth •• Vices, by betrayi •• us first, and then 〈◊〉 drawing us in to reject all Remed • and by frustrating all the desi •• and overtures of God's Mercies; a • beside this too, it betrays us to •• nishments, God having all all •• declared himself the proud Ma • particular Enemy.

'It is likewise a very foolish Vice, a Vice that argues the greatest Folly that can be, because there can be nothing either in the Goods of Nature, Fortune or Grace, that with any reasonable pretence we can be proud of.

That this dangerous and foolish Sin is to be avoided, I suppose we may take for granted, and the chief Means to do it, are by applying ourselves to God for the Grace of Humility; which may be best acquired by a Reflection upon our own Sins, Follies, Meanness and Imperfections; to which we ought to join our hearty Prayers, that God would make us some of those poor in Spirit to whom the Blessings of Heaven are promised.

Secondly, Vain Glory; that is, an empty thirst after the Praise of Men, is likewise opposite to Humility, and a very great Sin; for it betrays Men into several dangers, but more especially erraces Christ out of their Heart • . 'It is an Indication of Folly too, which everyone must be satisfied in, that would but consider what 'tis he hunts for, only a little empty Applause, a little popular Air▪ which can never bring him any solid advantage; the Means to help this are to consider o •• selves in the first place and then the true state of things in the second, and 〈◊〉 weigh both in the Ballance of Wisdom and Sobriety.

Meekness; that is a Calm and peacef •• Temper is another great Virtue, and may be exercised both with respect to God and ourselves, that towards God falls under the Head of Humility and is already spoken to; as it respects ourselves, 'tis an Advantage in a great many Particulars; more especially as it promotes our Honor and Reputation, enables us to bear the Sufferings of Human Life with Ease and Moderation, and with Prudence and a good posture of Mind; and the proper Means to obtain this most admirable Virtue, are by comparing the Loveliness and Benefits of it, with the ugliness and mischiefs of Rage and Anger, but above all, by contemplating the Life and Example of that great Pattern of all Meekness Jesus Christ.

Consideration is a third Virtue, that relates to the Soul, and directs us to preponderate both our State and our Actions; to weigh our State first, and to consider both the Grounds of our Faith, and the Case of our Souls; and accordingly to prepare ourselves against the Day of Deat • and Judgment; an • the neglect of thi • most excellent Virtue has been the ruin of thousands, and is the general Cause of all our Sin • and Misfortunes.

It directs us too i • our Actions; teache • us to advise with ou • Consciences, and t • debate the probabl • good or ill of everything we do before we do it, and t • examine likewise those things tha • we have already done, whether they may be warranted by the Law • of God, and the Rules of Religio • and Sobriety; upon many Account • therefore we are to employ it often both with respect to our State an • Actions, and to mak • up our Accounts frequently; and the plain Reason for it i • this, because ou • Lives are so wavering and uncertain, that we hazard our Salvation, when ever we lie down to sleep in an unrepented Sin.

PARTITION VII

THE next Duty to ourselves is contentedness, which consists in an evenness and an humble acquiescense under any State it shall please God to allot for us; and without this, 'tis impossible we should be in any tolerable Condition of Happiness. The Contraries to it, are Murmurings and Impatience under God's Dispensations, all Ambitious Thoughts and Desires, an • all sorts of Covetousness, Griping • and Extortions.

Covetousness is a very great and high Offence, and directly opposite to the great Duties we owe to God, our Selves and our Neighbors▪ 'tis opposite to our Duty to God, by taking our Minds off from him, and embarasing them with the Cares and Troubles of the World; 'tis opposite to our Duties to our Selves, both with regard to our Souls and Bodies by urging us to sacrifice the first to a little Pelf and Dross, and the latter to Pains and Disappointments, and so 'tis opposite to our Duties to our Neighbors, both in our Justice and Charity, by forcing us upon unlawful Means, and by setting us upon false and indirect measures; contentedness is also contrary to all kind of Envy and Malice, and can never inhabit in any Breast, that is the least tinctured with Prejudice or Revenge.

Helps for Contentment are the Consideration of God's Goodness, Power, and Justice, and his universal Care of the World, that all our Affairs are in his hand who knows our Wants better than ourselves; Secondly, We should consider the Vanity of all earthly things, by comparing them with the essential Joys of Heaven; that we are here but as Strangers and Pilgrims, and that whatever our outward Condition may be, there's a time coming when we shall be delivered from the burden of all our Sins and Sorrows. and be enstated in a Happiness large as our Wish and lasting as our Souls.

A Fifth Duty is Diligence, which is a Duty which we likewise owe to our Souls by watching carefully over them, and diligently guarding the • against all Dangers, and then improving them industriously in every Virtue, and in all the Gift • of Nature, and the accomplishments of Grace.

We must likewise improve and cherish all good Motions, and make the most of every Holy Suggestion, lest upon our despising the overtures of Grace, God withdraws from us all manner of kindness, and turns us up to a reprobate Sence; and thus far of the Virtues which belong to our Souls, I come next to those that belong to our Bodies.

In the front of these I place Chastity, a Virtue which strictly forbids all manner of wantonness and uncleanness, not only the grosser Acts of Adultery and Fornication, but likewise all impure Thoughts, and all unchaste Looks and Gestures.

The Beauty of Chastity can be no how better described, then by comparing it with the loathsomeness of Lust, and the many Evils and mischiefs that spring from it. Lust defaces the Dignity of our very Souls, and sinks the rational Creature into a Bruit; it makes our Minds foul and filty, and loads our Bodies with Diseases and Deformity, and what's worst of all, does generally call down God's great and heavy Judgments upon us, and shuts the Gare of Heaven against us Eternally.

These and many other are the sad effects of Uncleanness, against which we ought to fortify ourselves, by avoiding Idleness, and improving our Mind in all kind of active Virtue; by avoiding all manner of Temptation and all lewd Company, but above all, by praying earnestly, that God would give us a Spirit of Purity.

The second Virtue relating to our Body • is Temperance, and the Exercises of tha • are divers, i. e. in Eating, Drinking, Sleeping, Recreation, and Apparel; I shall speak of them separately, and begin with Eating.

Temperance in Eating, is then observed when we make it agreeable to the end for which God and Nature designed i • to wit, the Preservation of Life and Health; those are the sole end of it, and he that proposes it either to gratify his Taste, or Pamper h •• Body, Crosses God's original Purpose in it, and breaks all the Rule of Temperance by which it should be regulated; nay, he Sacrifice • ll his other Sences to his Taste, exposes himself to the Character of a Glutton, and what's worst of all, to the Fate of that rich Glutton, that after all his Dainties wanted at last a drop of Water to cool his Tongue.

PARTITION VIII.

THE next thing is Temperance in Drinking; the right Ends whereof are the very same with Eating, viz. the preserving our Lives and supporting our Healths, but this like the former has been sadly subverted and directed to Purposes strangely distant from the Original intent of it.

Men now drink themselves into Beast under the common but false Notion of Good-Fellowship; others drink to exces •• under the pretence that 'tis a gre •• means to maintain a mutual Friendship and Corresponden • amongst Men; some will have it, that 'tis highly useful to che •• the Spirits, and 〈◊〉 correct and disp •• Melancholy; that 〈◊〉 drives away the Cares and Perplexities of Human Life; that 'tis very fit for the passing away time and filling up empty Intervals, na • some will tell us 'tis Reproach not to d • it, and argues a great deal of sowreness and disingenuity, man there are that drink for drinking sake that love the Liquor and so are Sots without any of the former Pretences; but these are all great mistakes, and truly upon a fair State of the Matter, 'tis a subject fit both for our Wonder and Sorrow, how this unaccountable Practice of excessive Drinking should have so unluckily encroach'd upon all Societies; that no Bargain can be made (which is another pretence for it) nor nothing of any Moment transacted, but the Tavern, or the Ale-house must be the Place fixed upon for the doing of it.

The unreasonableness of these Motives is too plain to admit of a Dispute, they are all so ridiculous, absurd and inconsistent, that upon a short Appeai to common Experience we find 'em exploded and condemned; every Degree of this Sin is a high breach of Temperance; every drop we drink beyond what is convenient for moderate Refreshment, is an Offence both against God and Man, and the strong Drink • above all the rest both from the evi • of his Example, and Practice the most unaccountable.

A Man would think that the many Mischiefs that attend this Sin should be a warning to us to avoid it when we consider 'tis a dishonor to God a reproach to Christianity, and a Destruction both to our Souls and Bodies; sure a few Exhortations may serve to prevail with us to forsake it.

And why should any seeming difficulties dissuade us against parting with so dangerous a Vice; why should we plead Custom • or the Necessity of Drink, or why should we betray so much Folly, nay so much Wickedness to make drinking the business of our Lives. Alas! 'tis a mistake, and let the vain deluded Drunkard say what he will, it can be no Reproach to us to reject all Intemperances of this kind, and all the Persuasions of Men upon that Account.

The Means to resist these, and all other Temptations for intemperate Drinking, are to weigh the Good with the Ill, and the pretended Advantages with the real Losses and Dangers, and to reject them at their very beginnings, and to avoid all manner of Occasions and Opportunities, this we may do, if it be not our own fault, and these and such like means will effectually do the Business, if our mistaken Love t • Vice does not hinder it, and make us unwilling to believe it, either dangerous or destructive.

PARTITION IX:

SLeep is a Thin part of Temperance, which is likewise, if measured b • the end for which God ordained it, only for 〈◊〉 Refreshment; and 〈◊〉 support for our frai • Bodies; and in this we are likewise to take Care not to indulge ourselves to far least at length it incline us to Sloth which is ordinarily attended with a whole train of dangerous Sins, and with abundance of other great Inconveniencies.

We should likewise have a very high regard to Temperance in our Recreations, and be perpetually Cautious, that they are lawful in their kind, and no ways dishonorable to God, or Injurious to our Neighbor; we should be very careful too, that they never • end to undue Ends, but are all exactly Innocent, harmless and inoffensive.

The last part of Temperance is that of Apparel, and this as well as the rest is to be measured according to the Ends for which Cloathing was ordained; which were first to provide a modest and decent covering to hide our Nakedness, this was the first and great End of it; the second was to fence our Bodies from the Severities of the Cold, and secure to us such a convenient Warmth that is necessary for the Preservation of our Health; and the third for the distinguishing Persons both with respect to their Sex, and Qualities. Now these are the three grand Ends of our Apparel, which we should always be careful to preserve i • the middle, between the extremes of gaudiness and contempt.

And thus I have passed through the several Branches of Temperance and herein I would in no respect seem to advance a contrary extreme; i. e. too much sparingness, which is indeed a fault as well as Excess. A Covetous griping Temper is no more to be accounted for, then any of the former; and is in many Particulars a high breach of our Duty both to God, our Selves, and our Neighbors.

PARTITION X.

Duties to our Neighbors.

IN the Word Righteousness are contained in gross the Duties to our Neighbor; and in the larger Sence it contains all kind, both of Justice and Charity. I begin with Justice, • f which there is two sorts, Negative and Positive.

By Negative Justice, we are forbid to do any wrong to any Man; either in respect to hi • Soul, Body, his Possessions, or his Credit; and first we must not do any manner of Injury to the Soul, either in a Natural and Spiritual Sence; we mu •• take great Care that we give no occasion 〈◊〉 Grief or Sadness to the Mind of an • Man, in which Sence the Soul 〈◊〉 said to be naturally injured; and 〈◊〉 alike diligent not to administer 〈◊〉 him the Cause, either of Sin or Punishment, in which Case the So • may be spiritually wronged.

Sin is the Disea • and Wound of t •• Soul, and the sed • cing us to it is t •• greatest Injury th • can be done us. There are sever • Means for this, both direct and 〈◊〉 direct; the direct Means are 〈◊〉 commanding us, counseling, enticing assisting us; the 〈◊〉 direct Means by she • ing us ill Examples, or by encouraging us in any Wickedness; by justifying Vice, and by throwing Reproach upon the Duties, and strictness of Religion, and by these, and •• ch like Means, both direct and •• direct, Men bring upon themselves the great guilt of injuring •• d wounding their Brethren's • ouls.

It would be too •• ng to instance, the •• veral Sins by which •• en ensnare others: will therefore leave with this Caution, •• at it concerns them 〈◊〉 near as their Souls, to consider that Injuries they have done of •• is kind, and to bewail them with •• e deepest Concern and Sorrow; • id not only that neither, but as a • ore particular Testimony of their •• pentance, to do their best by all •• e means they can to make Repa • tion.

Negative Justice in the second •• ce binds us against all kind of Injury to the Bodies more especially against the Life of our Brethren. Murth •• is a Sin of the de •• est Dye, and may 〈◊〉 committed either openly and 〈◊〉 rectly, or else secretly and treach •• rously. It may 〈◊〉 done, either by op •• and Public Violen •• or else effected und •• the Coverture of con •• ceal'd Malice and •• venge, but which way soever it 〈◊〉 the Sin is of that 〈◊〉 alted heinousness, th •• it provokes God to higher degree of A • ger in the Execut ••• of his Vengeance 〈◊〉 Punishments upon than any other Vice in all the b ••• and dreadful Catalogue.

It is worth our •• tice by what mira •• lous Means God been pleased to di • ver it; and indeed would we but take 〈◊〉 to our serious Thoughts, it must needs possess us with the greatest Horrour and Abomination of it, and engage us to watch and guard ourselves against the most distant approaches of this Vice.

Next to the Murthering, the maiming and disabling our Neighbor is a very great Sin, this we must grant, by reflecting • ow precious our Limbs are, and • ow miserable a thing the want of any of 'em is; especially, if it be 〈◊〉 poor Man; in such 〈◊〉 Case, though we can never make him a full Satisfaction, we are • he most solemnly • ound to provide for his own, and his Fami • ies wants.

Unlawful Wounds and Stripes are likewise highly inconsistent with that golden Rule of Loving our Neighbor as our Selves and indeed our Cruelty to others, argu •• not only a great de •• of Pride and In •• lence, but withal 〈◊〉 savageness and bruitishness of mind, much below the common tenderness and compassion that becomes the human Nature.

PARTITION XI.

THE next part Negative Justice, relates to the Possessions of our Neighbors, 〈◊〉 the front of which we may wit • great Reason place the Wife. O • Wives, are the Principle part of our Possessions, and the corrupting Her to defile Her Husbands bed, is the worst and highest part of Injustice both to the Man and the Woman; this is an irreparable sort of Injury. A Vice that God has declared that he himself will Judge, and we may depend upon it, without Repentance that Judgment of his will be the most severe and dreadful.

Next to this, we owe a Negative Justice to our Neighbor with •• spect to his Goods; such as are his House, Land, Cattle, Money, • c. and the two ordinary Causes that engages Men to break it, are •• there Malice or Covetousness.

That Part of Injustice that is •• unded upon pure Malice, is commonly •• cted upon the Devils Principle, like him they seek to destroy others; not so much, as 'tis any good to themselves, but out of a natural desire to do mischief, the other part that is founded upon Covetousness, though indeed it may have something of a base and sordid Design in it; yet when 'tis considered, 'tis always attended by Oppression Theft and Deceit, it wants very little to come up to the wickedness of the former.

Oppression is an insolent bare-faced Robbery, and so much the worse still, because the Poor are generally the Persons injured we have many. Lectures against every kind of it, in Holy Scripture • but especially against that which affects the Fatherless and Widow • 'tis indeed a most crying guilt, and God's heavy Vengeance is no one instance more exemplary, he that has oppresst the Poor; saith the Prophet, shall surely die, and his Blood shall be upon him.

Theft is another kind of this Injustice, which in general is twofold, the first is the withholding what we should pay, and the last the taking from our Neighbor what we have no Right too; the first as well as the last, is a plain Act of Robbery, and let the present Practice of the World argue never so much for it, it can never prove, but that by common Justice and Honesty we are strictly engaged, to the utmost of our Abilities, to discharge all the debts we are obliged to, either by Bond, Promise, or any other lawful Obligation.

PARTITION XII.

THE next Par • of Theft is; either by open Violen •• or private Fraud, th • Robbing our Neighbor of tha • which he is in Possession of. This a Vice that wants no Aggravation it need not be disputed, but th • both the Highway Man and House • breaker, as well as the sly, injurio •• Pilferer are two Ranks of degen • rate Creatures so odious to God that they are unfit for human S • ciety. There are a great ma • Branches of this sort of Robber • as the Concealing of stol'n Good • the buying them at cheap Rate with many others, which I need n • mention any further, they being best but a kind of Robbery. God will be sure to deal severely with us upon that account, although perhaps we may escape the Cogui • ance of the Law.

A third Part of Injustice is Deceit, of which the Acts are so numerous, that 'tis morally impossible to Name 'em all: I shall Rank them therefore under these two general Heads, viz. The Deceits of Trust, and Traffick.

He that deceives a Man in a Matter of Trust that is committed to him, is guilty of the most treacherous and base Injustice; in such a Case we are to behave ourselves with the utmost Fidelity; especially, when anything for the • ses of Piety or Charity are committed to our Charge; he that vi • lates his Faith in these particulars, • dds Sacrilege to Fraud and Trea • hery, and entails upon him all the Curses that are due to those Sins.

As to Matters of Traffick, there may be deceit both in the Buyer and Seller; the Seller Sins greatly, when by a Connection of Lies, perhaps Oaths and Execrations, he conceals or excuses the faults in his Commodities, or what's as bad, sells by false weights and measures, or impose • an extravagant unreasonable Price upon the Buyer; these are indeed grown very common and practic • faults, but yet never the more excusable, the great Judge of Truth and Equity has often declared his solemn displeasure against 'em, and will be sure, sooner or later, to punish them to the utmost.

The Buyer may be guilty of Fraud too and though indeed h • does not fall under s • many Temptations as the Seller yet when ever he makes an advantage of his Neighbors Wants, and Purchases his Commodities at under Rates, without doubt he offends the Justice of God, by thus insulting upon, and making his Advantage of his Brothers Necessities.

The Temptations to Deceit in Traffick, are so interwoven with all Trades, that it behooves every dealing Man to have a great Care to guard himself against them, this way of Cheating is become a perfect Trade itself, and Men boast of it, and value themselves upon it, but for all that the Eyes of God are too pure to behold such Iniquity; nay, 'tis even a scandal to our Christian Profession, a very high and solemn breach of those common Rules of Justice and Equity laid down in the Precepts of the Gospel to be the Standard and Guide of our Actions.

Besides all this, 'tis but a mistaken Principle neither, Fraud and Undermining, deceitful measures and false balances are not the right way to make us Rich, there goes a secret Curse along with such kind of Practice which is generally executed in this Life; which though it may by chance fail here, it never fails in the next; there the Deceiver will be fatally deceived in the loss of his Soul, the Consideration of which should methinks put him upon the grand Remedy, Restitution, without which he can never make any tolerable Atonement for the Injury he has done either to God or his Neighbor.

PARTITION XIII.

THE Credit of His Credit. our Neighbor is another Part of Negative Justice, which should be as dear to us as his Possessions, and should in no respect be impaired either by false Reports or malicious Surmizes and Conjectures, from both which our Reputation, the dearest thing we have, next our Souls, is liable to great Injury.

False Reports may be spread divers ways, both Public and Private, the Public way is ordinarily, by bearing false Witness either with regard to our Lives or Estates; this is a most grievous Wound indeed to our Credit, a sort of outrageous Injustice to our Neighbor, that we are hardly ever able to make him amends for.

The second open way of spreading these Reports is by Public Slander, and herein our Reputation is also liable to a great deal of Injury. Reproaches, Lying, Scandal and Railing make up the base Composition, which as the Apostle long ago observed were amongst other Works of the Flesh, fit only to shut Men out of the Church here, and the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter.

The Private way of spreading such Reports is Whispering, this is a way as dangerous if not worst then the former, and is by St. Paul mentioned in the Catalogue of great Crimes, which are the effect of a Reprobate Mind; this is a kind of Slander that like secret Poyso • destroys us insensibly; 'tis Solomon • Observation; that the Wisperer separates chief Friends, than which nothing can argue louder for the suppressing of it.

The several Steps of this Vice are to be carefully avoided, as First, We should be so far from encouraging it, that we should rather reject the very first approaches of the Tale-bearer: Secondly, We should be very Cautious how we believe false Reports, or rather we should never give any Credit at all to them: And Thirdly, We should be sure never to report anything we here from such kind of People, but look upon 'em no less Enemies to us, then to those of whom they are speaking.

Besides, this open way of impairing our Neighbors Credit, there is▪ yet another, which though it may seem to be a little more plausible, is yet in all respects as bad as the former; I mean Scoffing and Reviling, which indeed is not only an Injury to our Neighbor, but even to God himself.

The three Things for which Men are commonly reviled, are either for their Infirmities, their Calamities or their Sins; and why should Men be despised for that which they cannot help, this is calling God's Providence to an Account, especially with respect to the two former; indeed for our Sins they have more of our Wills, 'tis true, but then considering they make us the most miserable of anything else, without doubt they require a great deal of our Pity and Compassion.

We owe likewise a Negative Justice to the Credit and Reputation of our Neighbor; his Credit is the most valuable thing he has, and therefore to Rob him of that, is the highest Injury we can do him 'tis the highest, because his Damage is irreparable; the utmost we can do, can never make him amends, and yet we must do our best, because without it we can never expect God's Pardon for the Sin.

Thus I have past through the four Branches of Negative Justice to our Neighbor, and yet must further observe, that this Justice binds our Thoughts as well as our Words and Actions; nay, it confines even our Wishes and Affections. Our whole Hearts should be intent upon his Good, and our Minds constantly taken up, which way we may best promote the Happiness both of his Soul and Body.

I come now to speak of Positive Justice, by which is intended the giving to every Man his proper dues, whether General, or Particular; as First, The speaking Truth in general of all Mankind; this is a common debt we owe to everyone, and indeed we are bound to th • strict performance of it, by many strong and weighty Obligations, but the greatest of all is, because Lying is a Vice so scandalous and odious in itself, and so solemnly condemned in many parts of Holy Scripture; but then whats very strange, notwithstanding 'tis the most foolish and ridiculous, 'tis become so common, that 'tis a great Rariety (to use the Words of the Royal Prophet) to find a Man that speaks the Truth from his Heart.

Next to this we owe to all, Humanity • and a courteous and affable Behaviour, a Virtue which a Proud Man can never arrive to; he is so busy in admiring himself, that he overlooks all the Perfections of others.

Meekness is likewise a Debt we owe to every Body, and indeed a very great accomplishment, and highly necessary for the Preservation of the Peace of the World; whilst on the contrary, all sorts of Brawlings and Contentions, tend to Disorder and Confusion, nay, what's worse, they tend to a great many Sins too, but especially to that most provoking Sin, Cursing and Execration.

Having thus far spoken of Dues in General, I come now to the Particular, which Men are ordinarily entitl'd to upon some special Qualification, the three chief are, that of Excellency, that of Want, and that of Relation.

And first a Man is entitl'd to our Respect upon the Account of his Excellency. I mean for his extraordinary Gifts and Endowments, such as are Wisdom, Learning, Grace, and the like; and such a Person we are in no respect either to Envy or Revile, or to grudge at God's Blessings and Kindness to him; we should not attempt to detract from his Worth, or to cloud or darken his Merits, but rather do our best to make 'em as conspicuous as we can, and this we should do not only as it is a Debt which we owe to him, but because the contrary is an Act of extreme folly, as well as ill Nature and Injustice.

Beside the Excellencies of the Mind, we owe a regard to the Quality and outward Advantages. God for the due governing of the World, •• as decreed several Orders and Classes of Men, to each of which in Proportion to their respective Dignity we are to pay a due Respect.

We are also Debtors to Persons under any kind of Want, whether Spiritual or Temporal, but more especially to the Poor, who by God's particular Appointment, have a solemn Right to our superfluities; and then it can be nothing else but an arrant Robbery to bestow that upon our Lust or Vanity, which is assigned for their Portion. In the Case of the Poor we are God's Stewards, and 'tis the same unjustice and fraud for us to embezle that which he has entrusted with us, as it is for any Steward to misemploy that which was intended for the use of his Masters Family, and commonly too meets with the Doom of the unjust Steward in the Gospel, to cause us to he put out of our Stewardship, and have those Abilities taken away, that have been so unfaithfully employed.

The third Qualification is that of Relation, and of this there are divers sorts, as First, that of a Debtor to a Creditor, and of an obliged Person to his Benefactor, and in both these Particulars we are bound by the strictest ties of Justice and Gratitude Not to pay our just Debts when we are able, is a Vice almost unpardonable, and 〈◊〉 be ungrateful to a Benefactor, however common it may be in this unthankful Age, is an Act the most sordidly base and disingenieus.

PARTITION XIV.

I Come now to the nearest kind of Relations, and in the first Rank of those I place our Duty to Parents, whether Civil, Spiritual or Natural.

The Civil Parent is he who by a just right possesses the Throne, and to him we owe Honor and Reverence; we are to look upon him, as a Person upon whom God has stamped a great deal of his own Power and Authority, and upon no Account to speak evil of him or revile him.

Next we owe him our Tribute, which we are to pay him with the utmost, both of Justice and Freedom; Thirdly, We are to Pray for him, that God would direct and assist him in all his Undertakings. And Fourthly, We owe him a solemn and strict Obedience; which both the Laws of God and Nature have commanded us to observe wi •• the most awful and religious Submission.

The second sorts of Parents a •• the Spiritual, viz. th • Ministers of God • Word, and such a • are entrusted with the Salvation of Souls; to them we owe the highest Love and Kindness we are obliged to esteem and value them as our best and truest Friends we are likewise to contribute to their Maintenance, and witha • to look upon them a • God's Messengers, and upon that Account t • behave ourselves 〈◊〉 them with a great deal of distance and respect, and to put up our earnest Prayers to God for them, that he would grant them the assistance of his Spirit, to enable them rightly to discharge their Holy Calling.

The third sort of Parent is the Natural, by which is meant the Fathers of our • lesh. Towards these • e are to demean our •• lves with Reverence and Humility, and • pon no Account to contemn or •• spise them, either in our outward • ehaviour or in our Hearts; we we them our most ardent Love and • nderest Affection, and ought to •• hor everything that can give them the least Cause of Grief or • isquiet.

We owe likewise • r Obedience to all • e Commands of our Parents, that •• e not opposite to the Laws of • od, and cannot violate them, •• thout exposing ourselves to the Punishments he has so often denounced in Scripture against disobedient Children.

Children are not to Marry without the Consent of their Parents, every Child is so much the Right and Possession of his Parent, that he mu •• be guilty of Theft to dispose 〈◊〉 himself without his Consent. We are likewise bound according to 〈◊〉 Abilities, to supp •• their Wants, and 〈◊〉 administer to them 〈◊〉 any kind of Extremity: and all this is 〈◊〉 be done, even to th • worst of Parents.

But as there a •• many things due fro • the Child to the •• rent, so there are so •• from the Parent 〈◊〉 the Child. The Parent is oblig • to nourish and sustain the Chi •• till he comes of Age to do it himself, he is likewise to take Care for his Soul, by bringing him early to the Sacrament of Baptism; and by having him timely instructed in the Principles of Religion, and educated in the true Faith, and Fear of God; and as a Means to improve his Education too; he is to encourage and correct him, and to use all wise and gentle Means in order to impress upon him a timely Sence of Virtue, and good Morals.

Thirdly, The Parent is to watch over the Soul of his Child after he comes to years of Maturity, and as often as he finds occasion, to exhort, encourage and reprove him; he is likewise to take Care of his outward State, by providing him with a suitable Condition of Life; but above all, he is to lay before him a good Example, and to make his own Life a fit Pattern for him, from whence he may transcribe the true Rules of Virtue, Honor, Honesty and Godliness; and then he is to Bless him, and Pray for him, and to recommend him often to God's Care and Protection: And besides, all this too, he must be extremely careful, that all the Commands he lays upon him are just and reasonable, and in all respects utterly distant from all sorts of harshness or severity.

PARTITION XV.

THE second sort of Relation is that of a Brother, which we may take in a double Sence, either Natural or Spiritual. I begin with the First, the Duties between Natural Brethren, I mean such that are of the same immediate Parents. And the Duty of these is to have united Hearts and Affections, to love one another with great Tenderness and Sincerity, and to do their utmost to promote their mutual Good and Happiness; This is a Duty so necessary in all Points, that without • t no Family, where there is any number of Brothers, and Sisters, can propose any tolerable Ease or Satisfaction.

The second sort are Spiritual Brethren, under which Notion are comprehended all those that are baptized in the same Faith, and Church with ourselves, and to all these our Compassion is to be the most melting and affectionate; with these we are to profess and defend the Faith of Christ Crucify'd, and to communicate with 'em in all Holy Offices, we are to bear with their Infirmities, and in a friendly manner to admonish and reprove 'em, and by fair and gentle Methods to endeavor to bring them to Repentance after they are fallen. We are to sympathize with them in all their Agonies and Distresses, whether of Soul, Mind, or Body.

The third Relation is that between Husband and Wife, this is the nearest Relation of all, and yet there are several respective Duties which they owe to each other, for the Wife in the first Place, she owes her Husband Obedience, which God has strictly commanded her to pay him in all things that are Just and Lawful; she owes him Fidelity both to his Bed and his worldly Affairs, she owes him likewise her Love, and is bound to behave herself to him with the greatest friendliness and sweetness. And this she is to do notwithstanding his faults, which will by no means acquit her of any of these Duties.

There are likewise several Duties owing from the Husband to the Wife; the First, Is Love, by which he is enjoined to treat her with the utmost Tenderness and Compassion, not to behave himself to her with any manner of harshness or severity, but to use her in all respects as a part of himself.

Secondly, He owes Fidelity to her Bed, this is as much the Husbands Duty as the Wife's, and the breach of it in either, is an Act of Uncleanness, and Perjury. Thirdly, He is bound to do his endeavor to provide for her, and to suffer her freely to partake of all his outward Blessings; and amongst the rest of his Duties, he is chiefly to take Care of the Salvation of her Soul, and to instruct her as far as her need requires in the Principles of Honesty and Religion.

In brief, Husbands and Wives are mutually bound to Pray for each other, and to their utmost to propagate their Reciprocal Good and Happiness.

The true Ends of Marriage are likewise to be consulted; in which Case the Ornaments of the Mind are sooner to be chosen, then either Wealth, or Beauty, or any other outward Appendage; above all the rest, unlawful Marriages are to be avoided, 'tis a Holy State and should never be entered into, but according to the Direction of the Church, Reverently, Advisedly, Soberly, and in the Fear of God.

The next thing is Friendship, which is of that common good and concern, that human Life would be but a wretched thing without it; the Duties of it are many, but the most material are Faithfulness in our Trusts; Assistance, either with respect to our Souls, or Bodies; to our Souls, especially in admonishing us of our faults; which is the highest and most exalted Act of Friendship that can pass between Man and Man. Prayer is the next Duty, and after that Constancy, and all these together render a Friend an inestimable Jewel.

The Last Relation is that between Masters, and Servants, and these too are mutually engaged to each other. The Servant is bound to obey his Master's just Commands, and to execute them with Freedom and Satisfaction; he owes him likewise an universal Fidelity in all his Concerns; and is obliged by all the Rules of Modesty, and good Manners, to bear his Rebukes, and Reprehensions, with Submission, and to discharge his Trust, in every Particular, with Diligence, and Application.

The Masters on the other side, owe to their Servants Justice, in providing them with convenient Food, and paying them their Wages; as also Admonitions and Reproofs, with regard as well to their Sins and Offences against God, as Faults against themselves. They owe 'em likewise good Example, that is, they are to make their own Lives and Actions a fit President for them to walk by; they are to allow them opportunities for Instruction, and convenient time for the Public Worship of God; moreover they are to command them with Prudence and Moderation; to encourage their well doing, and to treat their Faithfulness, Diligence, and Piety with a great deal of Kindness and Bounty.

PARTITION XVI.

THE next Duty to our Neighbor is Charity, this is a Duty which the Blessed JESUS himself has solemnly enjoin'd in his Holy Gospel, and may be considered two Ways, either in our Affections, or Actions; and First, The Charity of Affections, is such an universal Kindness, that inclines us to wish well to the Soul, Body, Goods, and Credit, of all Mankind.

To their Souls in the first Place, and to them we cannot sure but wish well, when we consider, that Christ thought their Ransom worth the Price of his own Blood; we owe next all the good we can to the Bodies of Men; this is an high Article of our Charity, and without it, we can never come up to that golden Rule, of loving our Neighbor as ourselves. His Goods, and his Credit, are likewise to be very dear, and precious to us, and we are bound to propagate his Interest, and Reputation, and to esteem them upon all Accounts equal to our own.

This kind of Charity naturally begets in us a quiet and peaceable Mind, and a Compassion and Tenderness towards others; it creates in us a Joy for their Prosperity, and excites us to Pray for 'em, and to importune Almighty God in their behalf; besides all these too, it guards our Minds against all sort of Envy or Revenge, keeps down our Pride, and impresses deep upon us the Grace of Humility; it destroys Censoriousness, and curbs the rashness of our Judgment, suppresses Dissimulation, and banishes, and subverts, all feigned, and pretended Kindness; it casts away all Self-love, and mercenary Designs, and entirely roots out of our Minds all manner of Ranchor and Malice.

Nay, this Charity goes further, according to the Doctrine and Example of our Blessed Lord, it extends itself even to our Enemies; and what can be a greater Motive to it, then to find it so solemnly commanded and enforced by God's own President.

This is a Subject well becoming our serious Consideration, and should put us in mind methinks, to balance our Sins against God, with the Offences of our Brethren against ourselves, and would we do that, we should find the first so much outweigh the last, that from a fair Comparison, we must needs judge ourselves very unworthy to expect God should Pardon us for so many great offenses, and yet at the same time we refuse to forgive our Brethren for some, perhaps, trivial faults; besides this too, there's a great deal of Pleasure and Satisfaction in the forgiving our Enemies; 'tis true, this may seem a Paradox at first sight, but then, if we examine the Truth of it by Experience, we shall find it really so, and this sort of forgiving Temper, the most delightful as well as the most Christian.

Beyond this likewise, there is another Consideration strong enough to engage us to forgive our Enemies, I mean the danger of it; God has made our Compassion to others, the Standard by which he intends to measure his to us. If ye forgive not Men their Trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your Trespasses, nay, he has made it a part of our daily Prayers, so that when a revengeful Person says this Prayer, he lays upon himself a Curse, and does in effect beg God not to forgive him.

This is a Duty we are obliged to in Point of Gratitude too; God has showed us wonderful Mercies, and can we be so base to think, we are not obliged to some returns. Peace and Unity was one of the last things our Savior recommended to the World, and indeed he has pressed no single Precept with greater concern than this of universal Charity and forgiving Enemies, a Consideration methinks, that should engage us to suppress all Degrees of Ranchor and Revenge, and to check and curb them in their very first Motions.

I come now to the Charity in the Actions, which is the truest way to prove the former, I mean by a sincere and cordial Love, distributed without Hypocrisy, or Reserve, to the Soul, Body, Goods, and Credit of our Neighbor; to his Soul and Mind, we should acquit ourselves with the utmost tenderness and concern, and omit no means that might any ways promote the Happiness or Advantage of either; to his Body we should exercise all the Offices of true Christian Friendship and Kindness and upon all occasions be constantly ready to promote his Interest, and defend his Reputation.

PARTITION XVII.

THE next thing is our Charity, towards the Goods and Estate of our Neighbor, and herein we are to assist and further him in all honest and friendly Offices, and this we are to do to the Rich as well as the Poor only with this difference, that the Poor are the more immediate Objects of our Alms.

This great Duty of Alms-giving is enforced by many strong and powerful Motives, but the three greatest of all are with respect to God, our Neighbor, and our Selves, God has commanded it, and expects it both as an Argument of our Obedience and Thankfulness. Secondly, True Love and Compassion, and a Fellow-feeling of our Neighbors Wants and Sufferings engage us to it. Thirdly, In respect of our Selves, the Motive is, that there is an Eternal Reward annexed; the manner is likewise to be carefully consulted, which will add much to the Grace itself, and to the Advantage of those we relieve.

And First, We are to do it always with the greatest cheerfulness and satisfaction to exercise a kind of Holy Joy in dealing our Bread to the hungry; we must not entertain any vain Fears, or impious Apprehensions, that our administering to the Wants of the Distrest will be any means to Impoverish us or consume our Estates. We are likewise to observe a due season and order of Time, and a Prudent and Religious Care in the regular Distribution of our Charity, and withal to do it pursuant to the Principles of Liberality and true Christian Generosity.

Our Charity likewise obliges us to preserve and propagate the Credit of our Neighbor, to be ourselves very tender and careful of his Reputation, and to defend and promote it among others, with all the Caution that we are able; to be unwilling to believe his Faults, and to conceal them as far as 'tis lawful from the Public, and to use all friendly means to advise and reclaim him.

This is the sum of that Active Charity we owe to the several Capacities of our Brethren, and this indeed according to the true meaning of it, is a kind of Justice we owe to him. Likewise Justice and Charity are so near ally'd, that they are not to be separated, the one constantly depends upon the other, and they can never be divided without Injury to both.

To improve this excellent Virtue, we can do nothing better, then by laying always before us that great Rule of Loving our Neighbor as our Selves, this the Apostle makes the sum of our Duty; and indeed we can hardly err if we make that the Standard whereby to measure our Actions.

Peace-making is another Act of Charity, and may be of great use both to his Soul, Body, Goods, and Credit. God himself has pronounced the Peace-maker blessed, an encouragements sufficient to engage us to lay hold on all opportunities of setting upon this extraordinary Work of Charity; but first every Man ought to have a special regard to his own Temper; he that will undertake in such an excellent Office, has need to be qualified with all th • Graces of Peace, Meekness, and Charity.

Contentions, and Quarrels, and Litigious Suits and Controversies ought to be appeased and taken up with all the Caution that can be.

The going to Law i • the Cause be Just has commonly so many unhappy Appendages, that according to the Judgment of St. Paul, the tender regard we ought to have for Peace, should rather incline us to take Wrong and suffer ourselves to be defrauded then make use of it.

All that remains now, is the extent of this Charity; which is to reach to all Order • and Degrees of Men even to our very Enemies; this was our Blessed Lord's own Example, then which, there can be nothing greater to recommend it to us.

And thus I have run through the several Parts of our Duty to our Neighbor, towards the right Performance of which there is nothing certainly can more conduce then the rooting out of our Hearts all kind of inordinate Love of ourselves; this is an unhappy Principle indeed, and where it once takes root it soon chokes both our Charity and our Justice; if therefore, we ever intend our Charity should grow in our Minds, we must first weed out of 'em this Sin of Self-love, for 'tis impossible they can prosper together, and then, when this and all other hindrances are removed, we are to fly to our grand Remedy, Prayer, that God would frame our Hearts into such a galless Temper, that we may be enabled rightly to perform this great Duty.

And now I have done with those several things I at first proposed, in showing what is our Duty to God, our Selves, and our Neighbor; and surely, through the whole, there seems nothing of Impossibility; the things themselves are all reasonable Just and Practicable, and what's more delightful and pleasant too; even those that may seem to expose us to Persecutions and Suffering from their Ends and Consequences are the Objects of more Joy then Grief. There is such a Power in Virtue, such a Satisfaction in a good Conscience, and such a Secret and constant Pleasure in the Performance of the Christian Duties, that there is no Apology to be made for our Neglect; beside, 'tis a dangerous thing to defer our return to God, the Particulars I have set down in the Discourse of Repentance, and thither I refer you; with the Wise Kings most rational Advice, Eccles. 5. 7. Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from Day to Day.