must looke for the comming of Christ. 9 He must notregard what the multitude doth 10. Hee must in all things giue thanks 11. Hee must study to bee quiet 12. Hee must keep a strict course in following onely profitable things 13. Hee must bee conuersant daily in the reading of the holy Scriptures 14. Hee must keep his first loue 15. Hee must couet the best gifts 16. He must often humble his soule before God 17. Hee must watch for the opportunities of wel-doing 18. Hee must bee carefull of saÌ„ctifying the Sabbath 19. Hee must often thinke of the example of the godly that haue excelled 20. Hee must daily seek a way of God Hee must auoid 1. Carelesnesse 2. Rashnes 3. Carnall coÌ„fidence 4. Haste to be rich 5. Distrustfull feares 6. Adding to or taking from the word of God 7. Contempt of reproofe 8. Beholding vanitie 9. The beginning of sinne There are 9. things to be still remeÌ„ bred which coÌ„cerne the manner of wel-doing 1. Zeale with continual willingnesse and feruencie 2. Sincerity which hath in it 5. things 1. Truth 2. Respect to al Gods commandements 3. Right end 4. Obedience without expostulation 5. Obedience in all places The third thing required in the maÌ„ner of well-doing is ConstaÌ„cy And he is constant that doth good duties 1. Without wearines 2. Without discouragement 3. Notwithstanding impedimeÌ„ts 4. Without wauering 5. Without declining 4. Feare Simplicity Which is 1. To rest vpon the Word for the formes of holines happinesse 2. To bee harmlesse 3. To bee simple coÌ„cerning euill 4. To loue goodnesse for it selfe 5. To bee meeke lowly-minded 6. Feare God and not enuy the wicked The sixt is circumspection which hath fiue things in it The 7. is growth or increase Which hath three things in it 1. Abounding in goodnes 2. Perfecting of holinesse 3. Progress 2. Tim. 4. 12. 8. Faith The last is moderatioÌ„ The place in Eccl. 7. 16. expounded The diuision of the particular rules The subdiuision The rules that concerne the right knowlege of God of 2. sorts That wee may conceiue aright of Gods nature 1. We must cast out all likenesses 2. We must conceiue of him according tâ— his prayses 3. We must beleeue the Trinity of Persons 4. Thou maist conceiue of God in the Humane Nature of Christ. 5. Thou must resist Atheistical thoughts 2. Of acquaintance with God That thou maist bee acquainted with God 1. Thou must prepare thy heart 2. Thou must beg it by prayer Three things in seeking aright 3. Thou must giue thy selfe to God Other things about our knowlege Rules about the exercise of our loue to God Seuen waies to manifest our loue to God 1. By auouching him to bee our God 2. By prouiding him a place to dwell where wee dwell 3. By shewing our loue to Iesus Christ. 4. By walking with God Men walk with God 5. waies 5. By honouring God 10. Waies of honouring God Rules about the praise of God When we commend God diuers things are to be obscued 6. By trusting in him How wee must shew it that we trust God How wee may proue that wee trust God in distresse In relying vpon God in affliction wee must auoid fiue things 7. By obeying him 2. Things in the manner of shewing our loue to God 1. Feruencie 2. Feare Eight wayes by which we shew our feare of God What wee must do to preserue the loue of God in vs. About reioycing in God What it is to reioyce or delight our selues in God What wee must doe that wee might bee able to ioy in God Rules about the sâ—ruice of God Nine things to be remembred in euery part of Gods worship Rules about the publike worship of God 1. All must come 2. With all possible reuerence 3. And zeale And this zeale wee should shew six waies 4. With one consent Three other rules gathered out of Psal. 52. 8 9. Rules that order vs in hearing the word of God 1. Before we come 2. In the time of hearing Note 3. After we haue heard Rules about Baptisme 1. About our children 2. About our selues In three cases How Baptisme may helpe vs against sinne 3. In respect of others Rules about the Lords Supper 1. Wee must examine our selues 2. We must discerne the Lords Body 3. We must shew forth Christs death 4. We vow to cleaue to the godly 5. We must be reconciled 6. We vow a holy life Rules about prayer Thy words must bee few 2. The heart must bee lifted vp 3. Vse all manner of prayer 4. Thou must perseuer in prayer 5. Thou must bee instant without fainting or discouragement 6. With supplication for all Saints 7. In all things giue thankes Rules about reading the Scripture 1. Râ—ade daily 2. Meditate of what thou readest 3. Confer vpon it 4. Resolue to obey Rules about singing of Psalmes The Rules about vowing Rules about Swearing The Rules about a religious Fast. Rules about the Sabbath 1. The preparation to it 2. Of the celebration of the Sabbath Rules that direct our carriage towards men 1. Towards all men And so 1. in coÌ„pany With due respect of Religion Auoiding vaine ianglings in 3. things How wee must behaue our selues in company concerning the faults of others Reproue but hate not Passe by meere frailties Rules that concerne the in-offensiuenes of our carriage in company A humble behauiouâ— hath three thing in it Eight rules that concerne discretion in our behauiour Three Rules that concerne the purity of our coÌ„uersation The rules that order vs out of companie 8. Things required in shewing mercy 1. Willingnesse 2. Labour 3. Liberalitie 4. Humilitie Humilitie shewed fiue waies in doing workes of mercy 5. Faith in two respects 6. Discretion in fourâ— things 7. Sympathy 8. Sinceritie in fiue things Needlesse societie with them must be auoided Great wisdome required in coÌ„uersing with them Diuers things that affect the hearts euen of the worst men are 1. A mortified life 2. Reuerend speech of Religion 3. Meekenesse of wisedome 4. Reseruednesse in foure things 5. Mercy 6. Vndauntednesse in a good cause 7. Patience in affliction Six waies of manifesting our loue to the godly 1. By courtesie 2. By receiuing them 3. By bearing their burthens Note 4. By prouoking them to good duties 5. By faithfulnesse in all their businesse 6. By imploying our gifts for their good What wee must do to preseruâ— our loue to the godly Wee must labour to be of one iudgment with them 2. We must follow peace 3. We must couer their weaknesse We must confesse our faults one to another 10. Things to bee auoided 1. Suits in Law 2. Dissimulation 3. Conceitednesse 5. Worldlinesse and selfe-loue 6. Ficklenesse 7. Vaine-glory 8. Iudging 9. Euil words and complaining 10. Forsake not their assembly How we must carry our selues towards such as are fallen fro God How we must carry our selues towards such as trespasse against vs. How we must carry our selues towards weake Christians How we must carry our selues towards the strong How we must carry our selues towards our special friend How we must carry our selues in our generall calling 1. In matters of faith 2. About thy repentance 3. About thy hope 7. Things to be auoided in our particular Calling 2. Vnfaithfulnesse 3. Rashnesse 4. Passion 5. The temptations of thy calling 6. Worldlinesse 7. Prophanenes How wee must carry our selues in affliction 8 Things to bee auoided 1. Dissembling 2. Shame 3. Impatience 4. Discouragement 5. Trust in carnall friends 6. Perplexed eares 7. Suddain feares 8. Carelesnesse of thy waies 5. Things to be done in the time of affliction
from distractions and feruency 3. Thou must vse all manner of prayer 4. Thou must perseuer in prayer 5. Thou must be instant without fainting or discouragement 6. With supplications for all sorts 7. In all things thou must giue thankes Cha. 14. p. 178. to 184. 4. REading the Scripture the Rules are 1. Reade daily 2. Meditate of what thou readest 3. Conferre vpon it 4. Resolue to obey Chap. 15. pa. 184. to 186. 5. SInging of Pâ—â—lmes the rules are 1. Teach one another by Psalmes 2. Sing with the heart 3. Sing with grace 4. Make melody to the Lord. Chap. 16. p. 186. to 190. 6. VOwes the rules are 1. Before thou vow consider 2. When thou hast vowed defer not to pay 7. Swearing the rules are 1. Sweare not by any thing which is not God 2. Sweare in Truth 3. Sweare in Iudgement 4. Sweare in righteousnesse Chap. 17. p. 190. to 193. 8. FAsting rules concerne 1. The strictnesse of the abstinenâ—â— 2. The humbling of the soule Chap. 18. p. 193. to 204. HItherto of the parts of Gods worship the time followes which chiefly is the Sabbath and the rules about the Sabbath concernâ— 1. The preparation to it End thy worke Auoid domestical vnquietnes Cleanse thy selfe 2. The celebration of it where is prescribed 1. Rest from all worke 2. Readinesse and delight 3. Care and watchfulnesse 4. Sincerity to bee shewed By doing Gods works with as much care as our owne By obseruing the whole day By auoiding the lesser violations of the Sabbath 5. Faith by trusting vpon his blessing 6. Discretion Chap. 19. p. 204. to 209. HItherto of the rules that concerne our carriage towards God Towards man followes and so either towards all men or towards some men The rules that order vs in our carriage towards all men concerne either righteousnesse or mercy The rules that concerne righteousnesie either order in company or out of company In company we must be ordered either in respect of Religion or the sin of others or the way how to carry our selues inoffensiuely For matter of Religion look to it 1. That thou take not vp the name of God in vaine 2. That thou auoide vaine ianglings about doubtfull disputations or curious questions or vnprofitable reasonings 3. If thou be asked a reason of thy hope answer with all reuerence and meekenesse 4. Let thy communication be yea yea and nay nay Chap. 20. p. 209. to 216. AS for the faults of others 1. Iustifie not the wicked nor condemne the righteous 2. Conuerse without iudging 3. Walke not about with tales 4. Reprooue but hate not 5. Passe by meere frailties 6. Giue soft answeres Chap. 21. p. 216. to 229. THat thou maist conuerse inoffensiuely thou must look to three things humility discretion and purity Vnto the humility of thy conuersation belong these rules 1. Be soft shew all meekenesse to all men 2. Hearken to the words of those that are wise 3. Stand not in the place of great men Vnto the discretion of thy conuersation belong these rules 1. Speake what is acceptable 2. Auoide those that cause diuisions 3. Make no friendship with the angry man 4. In the euill time bee silent 5. And communicate not thy secrets 6. Withdraw thy foote from thy neighbours house 7. Restraine thy passions 8. Blesse not thy friend with a loud voyce Vnto the purity of thy conuersation belong these rules 1. Refraine thy tongue from euill 2. Especially auoide filthy speaking foolish talking and iesting 3. Auoide reuelling and drinking Chap. 22. pa. 229. to 233. OVT of company 1. Conceiue loue to all men 2. Pray for all sorts of men 3. Prouide to liue Honestly without Scandall Iustly without Deceit Peaceably without Strife Chap. 23. pa. 233. to 245. THus of righteousnesse mercy followeth and vnto mercy is requisite 1. Willingnesse 2. Labour 3. Liberality 4. Humility to be shewed fiue waies 5. Faith in two respects 6. Discretion in foure respects 7. Sympathy 8. Sincerity in fiue things Chap. 24. pa. 245. to 260. THus of the Rules that order our carriage towards all men towards some men followes as they are either wicked or godly As for the wicked 1. Hold no needlesse society with them 2. When thou must needes come into their company carry thy selfe wisely that thou maist if it be possible win them and to this end shew 1. Thy mortification 2. Reuerend speech in matter of God and Religion 3. Meekenesse of wisedome 4. Reseruednesse in 8. things 5. Mercy 6. Vndauntednesse in a good cause 7. Patience 8. Loue to thy enemies Chap. 25. p. 260. to 271. THus of our carriage towards wicked men In our carriage towards the godly the sum of all is Walke in loue and the particular rules concerne either the manifestation of our loue vnto them or the preseruation of loue to theÌ„ Six wayes to manifest our loue to the godly 1. By courtesie 2. By receiuing them 3. By bearing their burthens 4. By prouoking them to good duties 5. By faithfulnesse in their businesse 6. By imploying our gifts for their good Chap. 26. pa. 271. to 279. FOR the preseruation of our loue to the godly some things are to be done and other things to be auoided The things to be done are 1. Labour to be like-minded 2. Follow peace 3. Couer their nakednesses 4. Confesse your faults one to another Chap. 27. pag. 279. to 288. TEN things to be auoyded 1. Suits in Law 2. Dissimulation 3. Conceitednesse 4. Reioycing in iniquity 5. The minding of our owne things 6. Ficklenesse 7. Vaine-glory 8. Iudging 9. Euill words and complaining 10. The forsaking of their fellowship Chap. 28. p. 288. to 294. OTher Rules which concerne onely some of the godly 1. Such as are falne 2. Such as are weake 3. Such as are strong 4. Such as are especially kuit vnto vs in friendship 1. Those that are falne are either falne from God or from thee from God either grosly or by infirmity and so are guilty of foule vices or extreme omissions 1. Warne them and reproue them 2. If they mend not auoide them 3. If they repent forgiue them Toward such as are falne froÌ„ thee by trespassing against thee obserue these rules 1. Either speake not of it or so as thou vex not at it 2. In great wrongs two things are to bee done First when the trespasse is secret reprooue him priuatly if he mend not reprooue him before witnesse if hee yet mend not make the Church acquainted with it if he will not then amend hold him as a Heathen or a Publican Secondly if he repent forgiue him as often as he saith It repenteth him Chap. 29. pa. 294. to 298. 2. TOwards such as are weake 1. We must not intangle them with doubtfull disputations concerning Ceremonies or things indifferent 2. Wee must beare with their weakenesses 3. Wee must not offend them 4. Wee must incourage and comfort them 5. In things indifferent we must suffer a little restraint of our owne liberty to
continue to obserue still without loading thy memory about them Now if those be omitted then consider of the rest that remaine which of them do most concerne thee or would most adorne thy practice and profession or are such as thou neuer hitherto didst make conscience of Extract or marke out so many of those at a time as thou wouldst in daily practice striue to attaine and when thou hast learned them then go on and prescribe to thy selfe new Lessons To a carnall minde all the way of godlinesse is impossible but to a godly and willing minde all things through the power and assistance of God are possible God will accept thy desire and endeuour and will adde strength and might and encourage thee in all his waies By prayer thou maist forme any grace in thee by reason of the power the Lord Iesus hath to preuaile for any thing thou dost aske the Father in his name The last benefite may come to thee if thou daily reade these directions is that they will quicken thee to a great care of wel-doing and giue thee cause to walke humbly with thy God and abase thy selfe for thine owne insufficiency The Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things and vnite thy heart vnto his feare alwaies that thou maist obserue to doe as hee commandeth thee and not turne from the good way all the daies of thy life CHAP. II. Containing such Rules as in generall men must take notice of as preparations and furtherances to a godly life THE Rules of holy life may bee cast into two rankes the first containing such rules as are Generall and the other such as are Particular The generall rules are likewise of two sorts some of them concerne certain generall preparations helpes or furtherances to a holy life without which men in vaine beginne the cares or endeuours of a reformed life And some of them comprehend those necessary rules which are to be obserued in the manner of doing all holy duties and so are of singular vse to bee alwaies remembred when wee go about any seruice Of the first sort there are many rules for they that will addresse themselues to order their conuersation aright must be soundly carefull in the obseruation of these directions following 1 He must examine himselfe about his faith and repentance hee must bee sure hee is reconciled to God and hath truely repented himselfe of his sinnes 2. Cor. 13. 5. For vnlesse hee bee a new creature hee is no creature but a dead man and so vtterly vnable for the practice of these rules following And without God we can do nothing and without God we are till we liue by faith Besides the pollution of our hearts or liues drawne vpon vs by the custome of sinne past and present will so infect all we do that it will bee abominable to God and so lost labour This is the first Rule 2 His next care must be to learne the knowledge of the rules of life wee can neuer practise what we know not and therefore our next care and paines must be to get the knowledge of Gods waies distinctly and effectually into our heads and hearts Our direction must not be in our bookes but in our heads and a Christian must haue his rules alwaies before him that so hee may walke circumspectly by line and leuel Ephes. 5. 15. vnderstanding the will of God in what hee is to doe He is in the way of life that hath and keepeth instruction how to liue Prou. 10. 17. whereas he that will not be at the paines of getting instruction erreth as Salomon saith And therefore wee must take fast hold of instruction and not let her goe but keep her for shee is our life Prou. 4. 13. Knowledge then of necessity must be had or in vaine we go about to liue well Now this is such a rule as must not slightly bee passed ouer and it is not enough thus in generall to require knowledge but withall I would shew certain choice rules to be obserued by vs if wee would take a sound course to attaine knowledge He then that would prosperously seeke sound knowledge must remember these directions First hee must esteeme knowledge and labour to frame his heart to a high estimation of it accounting it as great treasure accounting the getting of wisdome aboue all gettings Pro. 4. 7. We must seek for knowledge as for siluer search for her as for treasure and then with wonderfull successe shall wee vnderstand the right feare of the Lord Prou. 2. 4. else our labour will bee blasted and fruitlesse if wee bring meane thoughts to the exercise of directions for the attaining of knowledge Secondly he must take heede that hee consult not with flesh and bloud Gal. 1. 16 He must not regard other mens opinions or his own carnall reason but resolue to giue glory to God and his Word as willing to beleeue or doe whatsoeuer the Lord saith vnto him 3. Thirdly he must redeeme the time Ephes. 5. 16. Inasmuch as he hath lost so much time past hee must now prouide to allow himselfe conuenient and certaine time to be spent this way for the attaining of knowledge else to study by snatches and vncertainly will bee to little or no purpose To complaine of ignorance will not serue the turne nor will the pretence of worldly businesse excuse vs and therefore we must buy so much time of our occasions as may bee competent for the supply of our wants in knowledge 4. Fourthly in seeking knowledge he must be wise for himselfe Prou. 9. 12. He must striue to vnderstand his owne way so to be carefull to know the generals about religion as his speciall care bee in all things to referre what hee reades or heares to the particular directions of his owne soule This is a rule of singular Vse if it could bee beaten into mens heads and for want of this many Christians after long paines much time spent haue bin found exceeding ignorant 5. Hee must be swift to heare Iam. 1. 19. with all frequency and attention making vse of the publike Ministry striuing with his owne heart against deadnesse and drowsinesse and remouing al impediments might bee cast in his way from the world or his worldly occasions obseruing all opportunities for hearing especially when hee seeth the heart of his Teacher enlarged and the power of Doctrine more then at other times or in other things 6. Sixtly he must auoid vaine questions and fruitles contemplations Titus 3. 9. 1. Tim. 6. 20. 2. Tim. 2. 23. When the light of doctrin was so great in the Primitiue times this was one practice of Sathan to draw aside the studies of Christians from necessary and solid truths to Genealogies or quarrels about words or vaine controuersies falsly called oppositions of science We must therfore be warned of this method of Sathan till we know cleerly the wayes of life allow our selues no time for more
forsake all sinne and so hee desires also to do euery part of Gods worke 3. By propounding the glory of God as the chiefe end of all his actions His praise must not be of men nor must hee doe good duties for carnall ends 1. Cor. 10. 31. 4. By obeying without expostulating though God giue no apparant reason of his commandement Thus Abraham shewed his sincerity when God bade him goe out of his owne country though hee knew not whither hee should goe Hebr. 11. 8. This is to obey simply because God hath commanded it 5 By obeying absent as well as present in all companies as well as one This praised the sincerity of the Obedience of the Philippians Phil. 2. 12. Thus of sincerity which is the second thing required in the manner of well-doing 3. The third thing is Constancy He is blessed that doth righteousnesse alwaies Doing righteousnesse will not serue the turne but it must be at all times Psalm 106. 3. Our righteousnesse must not be like the morning dew It is not sufficient to doe good by fits wee are no day laborers but Gods hired seruants Hee that is righteous must bee righteous still Rom. 6 19. Reuel 22. 11. There must be continuance in well-doing Rom. 2. 7 8. Now to bee constant in well-doing is to doe good duties 1. Without wearinesse It is required as a thing necessary to the manner of well-doing that we be not weary of it and that wee faint not Gal. 6. 9. This we must striue for by prayer 2. Without discouragement wee must lift vp the hands that hang downe and the feeble knees and make straight steppes to our feete How much hinderance to well-doing discouragement is may appeare by the similitude feeble knees will dispatch but a little space of the iourney and hands that hang down are not fit for worke great is the hinderance comes to many by their discouragements and aptnesse thereunto which ariseth vsually from pride the dregs of worldly sorrow and ought much to be resisted by true Christians Hebr. 12. 12 13. Iosh. 1. 6 7. 3. Without impediment That is notwithstanding all the impediments may be cast in the way Iudgement should runne downe as waters and righteousnesse as a flowing streame wee should ouercome all difficulties you cannot stop the flowing streame though you cast in great logs or stones yea though you would goe about to damme it vp and such should be the resolution of a godly Christian Amos 3. 24. 4. Without wauering or vncertainty It is vncertaine running the Apostle implyedly forbids 1. Cor. 9. 25. Our life is like a race Now in a race it is not enough that a man runne now and then though he runne fiercely for the time He must not trifle looke behinde and stand still at his pleasure and then run againe but he must be alwaies running so ought it to be with vs in the race of godlinesse It will not serue the turne to bee good by fits and to bee forward in good things onely at some times and then be careles and off the hookes as wee say at other times 5. Without declining or going backe Iob comforts himselfe against the aspersion of hypocrifie by this that his foot had held on his steps and Gods waies he had kept and not declined nor had hee gone backe from Gods Commandements Iob 23. 11 12. Though hee had not made such Progresse as he desired yet this was his comfort he had not backe-slided by Apostasie And thus of the third thing also required in the manner of well-doing which is Constancy 4. The fourth thing required is feare thus Pro. 28. 14. The man is blessed that feareth alwaies And 1. Pet. 1. 17. 3. 2. Our conuersation must be with feare This feare excludes rudenesse carelesnesse conceitednesse pride the like includes Reuerence awfull regard of Gods holinesse or holy presence whom wee should set alwaies before vs and the feare of the deceitfulnesse of sinne and our own corrupt dispositions and the care to auoyd all occasions of offending God or men The fift thing is simplicity This is so necessary as the Apostle mistrusted most the subtilty of the Diuel in beguiling Christians of this simplicity which they had in Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 11. 3. Now this simplicity containes in it distinctly diuers things 1. A resting in those forms of holinesse and happinesse which God hath prescribed when a man desires no more to make him happy then what God hath offered and giuen in Iesus Christ 2. Corin. 11. 3. and when he accounts nothing to defile him but what God hath forbidden and nothing needfull to bee done by him but what God hath in his Word required 2. A Doue-like innocency and harmlesnesse when the Christian shewes a desire to bee iniurious to no man but rather to seek the good of others as well as his owne 1. Cor. 10. 24. 3. An ignorance of the depths of Sathan and the methods of sinne when hee is not cunning in sinning out simple concerning euill no way desirous to get subtill excuses or arguments â—o defend himselfe in euill Romanes 16. 19. 4. A loue of goodnesse for it selfe and hatred of sinne as it is sinne 5. Meekenesse of wisedome I am 3. 13. which is shewed three wayes 1. By lowlinesse of minde when a man is not conceited or wise in himselfe but retaines a sence of his owne vnfitnesse and vnworthinesse Iob 37. 24. 2. By silence from his owne praises Prou. 27. 2. 3. By auoiding vain ianglings which arise out of Enuy or contempt of others 6. The preseruing of himselfe in the feare of God notwithstanding the prosperity of euill doers not enuying the wicked that hath successe in his way Prou. 23. 27. The sixt thing required in the manner of well-doing is Circumspection Eph. 5. 15. Now he walketh circumspectly or exactly 1. That makes conscience to obserue the lesser commandement as well as the greater Mat. 5. 19. 2. That abstains from the very appearance of euill 1. Thes. 5. 22. 3. That with discretioÌ„ lookes to the circumstances of things to bee done as time place persons order and the like that doth not onely doe good but is wise to doe good Romanes 16. 19. 4. That liues without rebuke and is vnspotted of the world Phil. 2. 15. I am 1. vlt. that is not guilty of any scandall and giues no iust cause to the wicked to blaspheme but prouides for things honest in the sight of all men 2. Cor. 8. 21. 5. That will not doe euil though good might come of it Rom. 3. The seuenth thing required in the manner of well-doing is growth increase Wee must not onely get grace and knowledge and doe good but wee must grow in the grace and knowledge of Iesus Christ 2. Pet. 3. 18. this growth should haue in it distinctly three things 1.
It is true Religion and vndefiled to visite the fatherlesse and widowes and to be vnspotted of the world A conuersation that is vnrebukeable and full of mercy also cannot but be very honorable whereas Religion it selfe when it is seated in the brests of such Christians as haue forgotten to shew mercy and do not study how to be doing good to others is exceedingly darkened in the glory of it and many times extremely ill spoken of A true Christian should hold it a great disparagement that any Papist or carnall man in the world in equall comparison should put them downe for either the tendernesse or the aboundance of workes of mercy 1. Pet. 2. 12. Math. 15. Iam. 3. 25. 6. When wee haue cause a calling to speak for the truth or to reproue sinne it is an excellent grace to bee vndaunted free from seruile feares flatterie To giue place to wicked men in Gods cause or to feare their faces in the quarrell of Religion or to shew a minde that would repent of wel-doing or that basely would stoupe some way to honour vngodly persons for our owne ends is so farre from gaining true fauour with euill minded men that it makes them to scorne and hate vs and Religion so much the more whereas a godly man that is vnmoueable refuseth to praise the wicked or iustifie the vngodly and when hee hath cause will contend with them as Salomons phrase is and not be like a troubled fountain or a corrupt spring hee may for the time receiue ill words from the wicked but his heart is afraid of him and his conscience doth admire him Pro. 24. 25. 28. 4. 25. 26. 1. Cor. 16. 22. 7. The like aduantage is brought to the conuersatiō of a godly man when hee can shew like patience and firmenesse of minde in bearing all sorts of afflictions and crosses Patience in affliction makes a great shew before a wicked man that well knowes how vnable he is so to carrie himselfe 1. Pet. 3. 14. 8. Lastly to loue our enemies and shew it by our fruits in forgiuing them or being ready heartily to pleasure them and ouercome their euill with goodnesse To pray for them when they reuile and persecute vs is a transcendent vertue euill men themselues being Iudges Luke 6. 27. to 31. Prou. 20. 22. CHAP. XXV Rules that shew vs how to carry our selues towards godly men THus of our carriage toward the wicked how we should carry our selues toward the godly followeth to bee considered of The summe of all is that wee must walke in loue If wee can soundly discharge our duety to the godly in respect of louing them vnfaignedly heartily and constantly wee performe all that is required of vs toward them And this loue to the godly is so necessarie as that it is imposed vpon vs as the onely Commandement giuen by Christ who in one word tels vs the substance of our duties Ioh. 13. 34. Ephe. 5. 2. 1. Pet. 2. 17. 1. Cor. 16. 14. Now the Rules which in particular binde vs to the good behauiour in respect of our loue to the godly concerne either the manifestation of our loue to them or the preseruation of our loue to them Wee must shew our loue to the godly diuers waies First by courtesie and kindnesse towards them and that in a speciall manner being affectioned toward them with a brotherly loue and kindenesse No brethren in nature should shew more kindnesse one to another then Christians should Eph. 4. 33. Rom. 12. 10. Secondly by receiuing and entertaining them we must receiue one another and be harberous one to another and this with intirenesse of affection Negatiuely it must bee without grudging 1. Pet. 4. 9. Affirmatiuely we must receiue one another as Christ receiued vs into glory that is First without respect of desert Wee haue done nothing to deserue heauen yet Christ hath receiued vs to glory so though the godly haue not pleasured vs any way greatly yet because they are the children of God we should make much of them and entertaine them gladly Secondly not thinking any thing too deare for them Christ hath not enuied vs the very glory of heauen and therefore what can we doe to the brethren that should answer the example of Christ Rom. 15. 7. Thirdly by bearing their burthens for so we should fulfill the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. There are two sorts of burthens presse the godly One inward such as are temptations and their owne corruptions the other outward such as are afflictions of all sorts Now in both these this rule holds for when wee see a godly Christian mourne and lament his distresse in respect of his infirmities or temptations wee must beare his burthen not by soothing him in his sinne as if it were no sinne but by laying his griefe to our owne hearts and striuing to comfort him with the promises of God This is not to make our selues guilty of their sinnes or to beare with their sinnes but to helpe them out of their griefe by consolation out of their sinne by direction Note that this is charged vpon vs when sinne is a burthen to them not before for till then wee are rather to reprooue them or admonish them But then we are to take notice of this Rule when they confesse their sinnes and are weary of them and sorry for them And thus also in their outward burthens we must beare them by comforting them and aduising them and helping them and shewing our affection to them as if it were our owne case so farre as we haue a calling and power to help them Fourthly by considering one another to prouoke unto loue and good workes Heb 10. 24. Note the dutie and the manner how it is to be done The duty is to stirre vp others all wee can to the increase of loue and aboundance of all good workes the manner is shewed two waies First wee must prouoke them to it both by example and by exhortation and all good waies that might fire in them the desire of well-doing Secondly we must consider one another wee must study the estates of others their wants impediments meanes gifts callings c. and accordingly apply our selues for the best aduantage to helpe them forward It is not enough to doe it occasionally but wee must meditate of it and cast about how where and when we must yeeld this helpe and incouragement and furtherance Fifthly by doing whatsoeuer wee do for the godly heartily and with all faithfulnesse as if it were for our selues or our owne brethren or kinred in nature not being slothfull in seruice or such as disappoint the trust reposed in vs wee should doe all things wee vndertake for them with all fidelity and care 3. Ioh. 5. Rom. 12. 6 7 8 11. Yea we should care for their good and profit as wee would care for the good of the members of our owne body for such are they to