A Help to Holy Walking, To the reader
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
CHriſtian Reader, I think my ſelf obliged to give thee ſome Account of this following Treatiſe; for in the beginning of it thou wilt find mention made of a former Treatiſe, which indeed is not yet Publiſhed; containing the Doctrine of Holy Walking. Now, although this was firſt deſigned, and firſt begun, and in Order of Nature ſhould have been the Firſt born; yet it fared with it as it did with Zarah, Gen. 38.28. This Pharez hath made a breach, and came out firſt; and, like Jacob, ſupplanted his Brother, and got the Birth-right; yet haply the other may not be ſtrangled in the Birth; if this prove not too Chargable in the keeping: Know then, when I firſt ſet upon the Work, I intended it to be Divided into five Parts, all in the ſame Method; the firſt containing, 1. An Introduction to the whole. 2. The Explication what Holy Walking implies. 3. The Reaſons why 'tis neceſſary. 4. The Objections againſt it Anſwered. 5. Reproof to ſeveral ſorts that Live otherwiſe. 6. Some Conſiderations put to them. 7. Some groſs miſtakes about Holineſs. 8. Marks of Holy Walking. 9. Devices of Satan to keep Men in ſin. 10. The Priviledges of the Godly. 11. Qualifications requiſite to an Holy Life. 12. Moving Conſiderations thereunto. 13. Hinderances in the way to Heaven. And Laſtly, Helps and Directions. The Second Part is the preſent Book here preſented, of which I need give you no other Account. The Third contains Directions, 1. For the Thoughts. 2. For the Words. 3. For the Actions. 4. For the Affections. 5. For the Conſciences. 6. For Recreations. 7. For Apparel. 8. For Eating and Drinking. 9. For Redeeming Time. 10. For Buying and Selling. 11. For Company. 12. For Solitarineſs. 13. To bear Affliction well. 14. In a particular Calling. The Fourth contains a diſſwaſive, 1. From Sin in general. 2. From Pride. 3. Atheiſm. 4. Covetouſneſs. 5. Drunkenneſs. 6. Adultery. 7. Swearing. 8. Lying. 9. Murder. 10. Idleneſs. 11. Apoſtacy. 12. Idolatry. 13. Hypocriſie. 14. Stealing. 15. Contention. The 5. and laſt contains Relative Duties, 1. Of the unmarried in reference to Marriage. 2. The mutual Duties of the Husband, and Wife. 3. The Husbands peculiar Duties. 4. The Wives Duties. 5. Parents Duties. 6. The Duties of Children. 7. Of Maſters. 8. Of Servants. 9. Of Magiſtrates. 10. Of Subjects. 11. Of Miniſters. 12. Of People. Now, only the ſecond of theſe ſees the Light; the firſt and laſt are well near Finiſhed, and may ere long ſhew themſelves, and the reſt in time, if my Life and Health be Continued, and I be not in the mean time convinc'd that t…ey will be uſeleſs: I know the World is full of Books, & many that complain moſt, read leaſt; but ſhould we obſerve moſt mens Devotion and their Carriage in the World, we may Imagine, that Books, that reduce Chriſtianity into practice, and teach us our Duties to God and Man, are yet wanting, that is not ſufficiently taught, that is not ſufficiently learnt; there are need of more Books that maintain the Vitals of Religion, in an Age, when almoſt all Religigion is turned into a matter of Formality, and Ceremony, and little of the power of Godlineſs appears. I have not in this, neither do I intend in the other, brought you any new Lights, but to direct you in the good Old way, mentioned, Jer. 6.16. which the Saints in former Ages have Walk'd in, and which will be proved to be the only way to Heaven, though of late there are many new attempts to find a better; but if any, but the way of Holineſs end in Happineſs, let me be called a falſe Prophet. Mens Brains were never better ſtufft, nor their Tongues ever more buſie, but their Hearts are empty, and their Hands are idle; never more talking of the way, and never leſs walking in it: And if good words would ſave, without good Hearts, or good Works, or good Duties, never ſo many would go to Heaven as in our Age. Moſt mens knowledge floats in the Brain, and little ſinks, or ſoaks down into the Heart, or ſeaſons the Life, or Converſation; hence, like Children that have the Rickets, by reaſon of ſome Obſtructions, the Head grows too big for the Body. If a bare Profeſſion of Religion would ſerve turn for Salvation, (but it will not, Mat. 7.22. & 25.1,2,3, &c. to the 14.) many would be ſaved, for they can Number their Prayers as the Papiſt doth his Beads; but God doth not accept them by Number, but by Weight; He is a Spirit, and will be Worſhipped in Spirit, and in Truth. A little Grace (I fear a little Profeſſion) makes a great ſhew in a Great man; the power of Godlineſs is for the moſt part left to the Poor, that are more willing to take pains, and have little to loſe. But whether God will be ſatisfied with this, that thoſe to whom he hath given moſt, ſhould do leaſt, is a Queſtion ſhould be thought of. A bare Profeſſion makes many a man have a high Conceit of himſelf, but the Law allows not a man to be Judge in his own Cauſe. My Deſign in the following Tract, is not to make the way to Heaven narrower, nor the Gate ſtraiter than it is; but to put you up ſome Way-marks, that you miſtake not the Road 'Tis not to make the Burden heavier than needs muſt; but to ſhew you what Burden 'tis that Chriſt would have you take up: 'Tis not to quench the ſmoaking Flax, or to break the bruiſed Reed, but to awaken the dull and drowſie Formaliſt, and to ſet him on fire that was quite out▪ and to ſhew the miſtakes of thoſe that think the way to Heaven to be ſo broad, that a whole Pariſh may go abreast, and a reeling Drunkard can hardly ſtep aſide; and the Gate ſo wide, that a Man may enter, not only with the World, but with a load of Sins alſo on his back; and that they may uſe their Prayers, as others do their Charms, with good Succeſs, though they underſtand them not; but God is not much taken with a little Lip labour, when the Heart is abſent, Prov. 19.26. Ezek. 33.32. The Time is coming Men will be convinc'd to purpoſe, that their Soul was their chiefeſt Jewel; that Heaven was no Fable, and Hell no Scare-Crow, nor Eternity no Melancholy Fancy; and that God ſpake in Earneſt what they took in Jeſt: That Sin is no matter of Sport, and the Service of God no Formal Complement: That thoſe were the Wiſeſt that made Proviſion for Eternity, and thoſe the verieſt Fools that fooled away their Salvation, and Sold their Souls, as Eſau his Birth-right, for a Meſs of Pottage, or for that which was worſe, for a baſe Luſt, and laid out their money for that which is not Bread, and their Labour for that which profits not, Iſa. 55.2. But the Time will come they will Repent the bargain. But to return, it may be Objected, this plain Diſcourſe is not ſuitable for this Learned Age, but the Sick Man deſires to have Medicum non Eloquentem ſed Saventem, and rather deſires to be Cured, than Courted. Thoſe that Sin in Engliſh, why ſhould they be reproved in Latine, but in plain words. Had I had better at Hand thou hadſt had it, and how it came to paſs I had no better, I can give thee this brief Account. When by Providence I was laid aſide as a broken Veſſel, and the Time was come that the Levites were ſent every one to his Field, Nehem. 13.10. and I not having that Proviſion made as many others had, and but little, if any thing left to maintain a numerous Family, I was forced to Fight againſt Poverty, almoſt to the neglect of my Study; ſo that I can ſay, with the Apoſtle, Acts 20.34. (and many that knows me, may ſay as much for me) Theſe Hands miniſtred to my Neceſſity and thoſe that were with me: My Head being filled with other diſtracting Studies, and my Hands with other Imployments, that I had few ſpare hours (except by Night) to mind thoſe Studies, ſo that I hrought forth this, as a Bear doth her Whelps, a confuſed Lump, and had no time to lick it into Form. 'Tis a Basket of unripe Fruits, blown down by the Wind of Worldly Diſtractions; yet miſtake not, had my time been more, and my Abilities greater, it ſhould have ſpoken plain Engliſh: I would not have hid any Fruit with Leaves, nor been a Barbarian to the meaneſt Reader, nor have wrapt up my meaning in a Cloud. Reader, my Advice is, if thou findeſt Chriſt here, though not in ſoft Rayment, but as in his Infancy but meanly clad, yet reject him not; good Counſel in plain Engliſh is not to be rejected; and a good Stomack will not reject good Meat, though not Modiſhly dreſt. If there be any thing here Offered, contrary to God's Word reject it, and ſo ſhall I when I know it; if not, rejecting of it will be a diſſowning God himſelf. If thou meet with (as I fear thou maiſt) ſome Tautoligies, or Repetitions, look upon it as the Fruit of broken Studies, and interrupted Meditations. I have ſaid enough, and, perhaps, too much, and ſhall add no more, but wiſh that God, who hath inclined my Heart to Write it, may incline thine to Read and Practice it; and if thou haſt any benefit by it, I ſhall think my pains well beſtowed: This is the unfeigned deſire of him, who is
Chriſt's, and the Churches Servant, and a well-willer to thy Souls Health, EDWARD BƲRY. Eaton, Nov. 2. 1674.