A Help to Holy Walking, Title page – Dedication
A Help to Holy Walking, OR, A GUIDE TO GLORY. CONTAINING Directions how to Worſhip God, and to Walk with him in the whole Courſe of our LIVES.
Gen. 5.24.
And Enoch Walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
Gen. 6.9.
Noah was a Juſt Man, and Perfect in his Generation; & Noah Walked with God.
John 4.23,24.
The Hour cometh, and now is, when the True Worſhippers ſhall Worſhip the Father in Spirit, and in Truth; for the Father ſeeketh ſuch to Worſhip him: God is a Spirit, and thoſe that Worſhip him muſt Worſhip him in Spirit and Truth.
By EDWARD BƲRY, Late Miniſter of Great Bolas, in Shropſhire.
LONDON, Printed by F. L. for Nevil Simmons, at the Princes Arms, in St. Paul's Church-Yard. 1675.
TO The Right Worſhipful, truly Noble, and really Religious Lady, the Lady Wilbraham, of Woodhey, in the County of Cheſter, the Pattern of Piety, the Honour of her Family, Sex, and Countrey; E. B. wiſheth all Happineſs External, Internal, and Eternal.
Madam,
SEeing Cuſtom ſeems to plead preſcription, and moſt Writers, Religious or Prophane, make bold to prefix ſome Great Name before their Writings, the better to Commend them to the World: I having theſe Papers by me, deſigned for the Preſs, and not being willing to break Cuſtom, and having as much need of Protection as any, was not long in determining, but quickly made choice of your Ladyſhip, partly emboldned thereto, by your thankful Acceptance of a former Tract. My Ends in this Dedication is not to Intereſt you in any of my Errors, or Miſtakes; if any ſuch be found, let them be charged upon me; and I aſſure you, when they are Diſcovered, I ſhall be ready to throw the firſt ſtone at them; and were I Conſcious of any ſuch, I ſhould be loath to prefix yours, or my own Name before it: Neither is it that I think you need it, for I know not of any thing herein contained that you are Ignorant of; however it may not be un-uſeful to mind you of the things you know, Phil. 3.1. 2 Pet. 1.12. Neither is it to tell the World how much I am ingaged to you, and to the Worthy branches of your Family; for though I own your Courteſies thankfully, yet I know they were not beſtowed to this End, that others ſhould take Notice of them. But it is to let the World know, how High an Eſteem I have of you, and that I think you are fitter to Judge of Writings of this Nature than many others, it being but a real Hiſtory of your own daily Practice. And alſo that I may point out unto the World (who are better led by Example, than by Rule) a Pattern for their Imitation, for in you they may ſee theſe Directions reduced into Practice, which otherwiſe they may think inpracticable: And alſo that the World may be convinc'd (who in this looſer Age is apt to think the contrary) that Gentility, and true Piety may Lodge together in the ſame Breaſt; and that our Age, as well as the Apoſtles, 2 John 1.13. doth afford ſome Elect Ladies, and that they may not think that Gentility and Debauchery are termius convertabiles; and he that owns one, muſt own the other alſo: but that there are ſome (and alas! too few) Noble, and Generous Spirits, that the Temptations of the Devil, nor the Allurements of the World, neither Riches, Honours, nor Pleaſures, can draw, or drive away from Chriſt. And, Madam, though thoſe that know you, take Notice of many Excellent Qualifications in you; as Humility, Self-denial, Prudence, Temperance, Charity, &c. Yet real Holineſs, true Piety, and the power of Godlineſs, is the moſt fragrant Flower in your Garland, and the moſt Orient Jem that doth Adorn you; without which the reſt would not be ſo reſplendant; for by Sincerity Virtues are Adopted Graces. The World, I know, is as always it hath been, not only out of their way, but alſo out of their Wits in matters of Salvation, and ſtark blind in Spirituals, and only dote upon gilded Vanitie, and Worſhip a Golden Calf; yet the time is coming, their minds will change when they ſhall ſee all their Glory, how high ſoever it flye, vaniſh like Smoak before their Eyes into nothing. Now, they take them all to be Fools, or Mad men, that run Counter to the Courſes of the World, and the Corruptions of the Times; and moſt men had rather be Honourable, than Religious; Great, than Good. But when they have caſt up their Accounts at Death, they will find there was a miſtake in the Reckoning: They will then ſee Holineſs was the beſt Faſhion, though leſt worn; and that all the Pomp in the World was but gilded Rottenneſs, a dead Carkaſs ſtuff'd with Flower; and that at Death all the Gold in the Indies ſignifies no more than a handful of Dirt or Dung. The Time is at Hand (and long it cannot be) that one Dram of Grace will be worth a World; and one glymps of God's Favour worth a Thouſand Crowns and Kingdoms. Humility and Self-denial are two Soul-adorning Graces, though ſeldom ſeen worn in the Breaſt of great Perſons; they are the firſt Leſſon Taught in the School of Chriſt, though few ever take them out; they are Beautiful in Great men, as well as Poor: And ſubmiſſive Devotion in Religious Duties doth not wrong Majeſty it ſelf. Virtue is better than a Thouſand Eſcutchions; and 'tis true Nobility where God is the top of the Kin, and Religion lyes at the bottom. 'Tis a greater Honour to be a Child of God, than to be Born of Princes; and to be Eſpouſed to Chriſt, ſpeaks more of Honour, and Happineſs, than the World can conferr. Riches of themſelves make not the Souls better or worſe; neither doth God think ever the better of men for Wealths ſake, except they take Chriſts Counſel, and make Friends with this Unrighteous Mammon, and by this means have their Riches made up into a Crown for their Head in the World to come. If theſe things ſeem Queſtionable to any, a little time may reſolve the doubt, when it will plainly appear, that a bare profeſſion of Religion will ſerve no mans turn for Salvation, Mat. 7.22. & 25.1,2, &c. The Lamp of Profeſſion may Light a man to Death, never to Heaven. Madam, I Write not theſe things for your Inſtruction, but I had need to ſpeak them out, that others may hear. My Prayers to God are that you may go on in Honouring him, who hath Honoured you. And improve all for his Glory, from whom you have received all; knowing you cannot do too much, or ſuffer too much for him, who hath done ſo much, and ſuffered ſo much for you; you cannot buy this Gold too dear, the World you may buy too dear, and moſt men do with the loſs of their Souls.
Madam, as to this unpoliſhed Piece, though I am conſcious to my ſelf of many wants, yet I hope a Will to do good is not wanting: He that did receive a Turtle for a Sacrifice, when a Lamb was wanting, and a little Goats Hair, when no Butter was to be had; and commended the Widdows mite, when ſhe had no more, I hope will receive this when he knows I have no better; where but little is given, of him leſs will be required. The Subject I know is neceſſary, if not ſpoiled in the handling; though the Ring look dusk, yet the Diamond will ſparkle. Multiplicity of contrary Studies, and other Imployments, as moſt that know me can Witneſs, might, perhaps, have pleaded my Excuſe for Writing, (as indeed it did ſatisfie me for ſeveral Years) ſo I hope it will plead my Excuſe for coming forth in ſo homely a dreſs. When Paul beheld the Idolatry of the Athenians, his Spirit was moved; and when I beheld the formality of Profeſſors, no wonder, if, with Craſſus dumb Son, I ſpake, when I ſaw my Father wronged. Among all the Objection I could think of that might come in againſt this my well-meant Labour, I found none that ſaid it was impoſſible it ſhould do good, I am ſure none can juſtly Object it was not intended for good; thoſe that really deſire to lead a Holy life, I hope will own it; as for others, thoſe that have neither good word for God, nor for his ways, I cannot expect they ſhould have any for me; however, my witneſs againſt them will be upon Record. Madam, if you have better at hand, you may beſtow this upon ſome wanting Soul, for whoſe ſake it was Written. I have not further to add, but deſire of God in theſe declining Times, when Atheiſm, Prophaneſs, Superſtition, and Debauchery are too much in Faſhion, that he will keep you and yours from the Temptations laid in your way; that you may ſhine as Stars of the firſt Magnitude to enlighten this dark Hemiſphere, that you may grow in Grace, as you grow in Years, and may be preſented blameleſs at the Coming of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; that your Intereſt in Chriſt, and Title to Glory, may be cleared up, that when you come to dye, you may have nothing to do but to dye, and reſign up your Soul into the Hands of Chriſt; theſe are the deſires, and ſhall be the Prayers, of him who is,
Madam, Yours to his Power to Serve you, Edw. Bury. Eaton, Nov. 2. 1674.