The Sum of Christianity, Part 2
The Christian's Duty.
SECT. I.
THE bare believing of all above-written will not do us any good, unless we become really such persons as Christ came himself, and giveth his Holy Spirit to make us; that is, holy in heart and life, and doing the Will of God from the heart sincerely.
By our Faith we must have our hearts purified, be made new Creatures, and putting off the Old man with his corrupt Affections and Lusts, put on the New man, which after God is formed in Righteousness and true Holiness.
We must have the true GOD only, that is, the FATHER, SON, and Holy GHOST, for our God; whose we are, and are resolved to be. And to Him our Maker, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, must we by Baptism give our selves up in an holy Covenant, to renounce the Devil, and the World, and the Flesh, and to worship and serve him only for ever.
Being made by God Men and reasonable Creatures, we must use our Reason in considering what we are, whence we came, how we live, why we shall dye, and whither we must then go. We should consider God's Works, and meditate on his Word, and learn the true Knowledge of God, and of our selves, and the Duties which we owe to God, and to our selves, and to all men; and examine our selves how we pay them, and see that all our Thoughts and Affections, Words and Actions, be Conformed to the Will of God, and such as become the Nature of Men, who are to govern themselves by Reason.
We must walk humbly before God, acknowledging all that we either are, or have, or hope for, or can do, to be his free and undeserved Gift; that we are vile Sinners, deserving everlasting punishment; we must therefore deny ourselves, and perfectly resign our own Wills to his Will, cheerfully to do, and patiently to suffer whatsoever pleaseth him.
We must read, hear and believe his Word; the History and Doctrine for our Instruction; the Precepts for our Direction; the Promises for our Encourag…ment; the Threatnings to affright us from Sin; taking heed how we he led by seducing Spirits into a false Faith, or dangerous Opinions or Practices.
We must continue patiently in well doing, waiting and hoping for what God hath promised; neither despairing of Mercy if we Repent, nor presuming of Mercy if we Repent not.
We must love God above all things, chusing him for our Portion, delighting in him as in the chief good; doing or suffering any thing to please and honour him, and willing to lose Life it self to enjoy him.
We must be cautious and circumspect in all our ways, and watchful over our selves, being in the fear of God all the day long, that we Sin not against him.
Diligently using the means which God alloweth us; and devoutly praying to him for his Blessing; We are to be careful for nothing; but doing good, to trust and confide in him alone, casting all our care upon him, who careth for us.
We must consider our selves to be always in the Presence of God, who always seeth and observeth all that we do, and all that is in our hearts: We must therefore walk uprightly and sincerely without guile, dissimulation, and hypocrisy; cherishing no evil thought, inclination, or desire.
We must do all things to the Glory of God, that is, according to his Command or Allowance, shewing to the World our intire subjection to him.
We must labour to be holy as God is holy, perfecting Holiness in his fear; purifying our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit.
We must have honourable and worthy thoughts of God, not becoming vain in our imaginations of him, nor likening him to any thing in our Thoughts: We must shun all gross Representations of him by Images, or the Lakeness of any thing whatsoever: We must Worship him according to the directions which he hath given us in his Word, and not according to our own fancies; both inwardly in our hearts, and outwardly with our bodies; offering unto him our spiritual Sacrifices of Prayer and Supplication, Praise and Thanksgiving, in the Name of JESUS Christ.
We must use the Sacred Name of God with all humble Reverence, not prophaning it by using it in idle, impertinent Talk, or in common Discourse, or in false, rash, ordinary and needless Swearing; or in careless, formal, and indevout Prayers and Praises, or in Cursings and ill Wishes; neither Dishonouring it by an ungodly life, giving the Enemies of it occasion of blaspheming it.
We must honour God in his Day, spending it in his Worship, and especially in the publick Assemblies; bearing our part in the prayers of the Church, attending to his Word Read and Preached; Communicating in the holy Sacraments; meditating on, and praising him for the wonderful works of Creation and Redemption, and doing works of mercy and charity.
SECT. II.
We must work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling, exercising our thoughts much on the best and most concerning things; meditating on God and Heaven, Death and Judgment; the Vanity of the World, the Evils of Sin, the Terrors of Hell, the Joys of the blessed, the Comforts of a good Conscience, and the necessity and reasonableness of an Holy and Religious Life.
We must be spiritually-minded, and set our Affections on things above; subdue our Passions and Lusts, be peaceable and loving, meek, courteous, modest, teachable and governable, not wise in our own conceit, wilful and stubborn.
We must be well contented with our present condition, not murmuring or repining at it, or either Ambitiously or Covetously seeking one more high or plentiful; neither fretting and vexing our own Souls, nor envying others; but leaving freely all things to God's disposal, and submitting cheerfully to his Providence.
We must husband well our Time, and wisely improve every Talent that God hath given us; doing as much good as we can with every thing, both to our selves and others. We must shun Sloth and Idleness, vain pass-times, and superfluous recreations, and costly vanities, unprofitable Studies and Employments.
We must preserve both our Bodies and Minds clean and chaste, delighting in no unclean and w…nton Thoughts, Looks, Discourses, or Dresses; and shunning all Enticements and Incentives to Lust, Lasciviousness, or any kind of Obscenity and Uncleanness.
We must keep under our Bodies, govern our Appetites, crucify the Flesh, make no Provision to fulfil its Lusts; be Sober, Temperate, and Moderate in Eating, Drinking, and Sleeping; and labour to keep our Bodies in such an healthful state, as we may be able to serve God, and do the Duties of an honest Calling, not wasting any thing, but honouring the Lord with all his Gifts.
SECT. III.
We must love our Neighbour as our selves, and do to all Men as we would they should do to us; doing Hurt to none, but Good to all, especially to the Good and Religious. We must render to every one his due, and wish well to our Enemies, not rendring to them Evil for Evil, not seeking Revenge, but returning Good for Evil, Blessing for Cursing, giving them what we can, and they need, and forgiving as God for Christ his sake hath forgiven us.
We must do what good we can to Mens Souls, teaching, exhorting, reproving, comforting, and praying for them; not grieving, scandalizing, enticing, or tempting them to Sin by Advice, Countenance, or Example.
Parents must dedicate their Children to God in Baptism, instruct and educate them in the knowledge and fear of God; correct all Vice in them, give them good Example, maintaining them, and providing them of honest Callings as they are able.
Children must Love, Honour, Obey, and Serve their Parents, and thankfully requite them as they can.
Husbands and Wives must live in an holy, conjugal Love, helping each other all they can in serving God, educating their Children, managing their Affairs; the Wife yielding a meek and quiet Subjection to her Husband, and the Husband tenderly cherishing his Wife even as himself.
Masters must be just and gentle to their Servants, instructing and training them up in God's Service, as well as in their own; and Servants must Honour and Obey, and most faithfully Serve their Masters.
All Superiors must Rule in Justice and Holiness, seeking God's Glory and the Publick Good. And Inferiors are to be subject to the Higher Powers, paying Tribute, obeying good Laws, and taking it patiently without resisting, tho' they suffer wrongfully for well-doing.
Ministers must Feed, and Govern, and Watch over their Flocks; and their Flocks must afford them liberal Maintenance, honour them in Love, and obey them.
We must hurt none in their Bodies, nor be causelesly or immoderately angry with any one, much less deprive him of his Life; but must do what we can to preserve the Bodily-welfare and Lives of others, as we would do our own.
We must not by Adultery or Fornication, defile our selves with any one; but do what we may to preserve the Chastity of our selves and others, to keep up the Honour of Marriage, and the Bed undefiled.
We must not wrong others in any part of their Estate by Theft, Robbery, Cheating, or any manner of unjust Dealing; but must be as tender of other Mens Rights, as of our own; Bargaining fairly and honestly, paying our Debts fully and seasonably, and making Restitution and Satisfaction for all Trespasses and Wrongs freely.
We must not hurt any one in his Credit, Good Name, and Reputation, by false accusing or witnessing, sl…ndering or backbiting. We must speak no Evil, but all the Good we can with Truth and Justice of all Men; groundlesly suspecting, or rashly judging and censuring no body. We must not lye to one another, but speak the truth, and nothing but the truth in due se…son.
We must not be Self…sh, nor for the love of our own selves Covetous of any thing that is another's; but Charitable and Liberal to all as there is opportunity; well contented with our own, and ready to part with it for the Common Good, or upon any occasion of doing good to others.