conceiue a sweetnesse in earthly things and are presently distracted from the loue of the Creator to the loue of the creature Now spirituall wisedome requireth that wee diminish the loue of the creature that we may in crease our loue of the Creator But if they will run vpon the world then turne the course of them a little to consider the vaâ—ity and misery of this euill world the painted vizor of the pleasures of it the vncertainty of life the deceitfulnesse of riches how they be not ours what euils and incumbrances we haue receiued from the world what fools they haue made vs in treasuring on earth whose home and expectation is in heauen 4. If thy thoughts concerne thy selfe or others thy brethren labour to think better of others than thy selfe for thou seest no such thing in them as in thy selfe Phil. 2. 3. Let euery one esteeme better of another than of himselfe Yea the more thou seemest to excell others in gifts the more humble labor to be An hard rule and difficult to be practised and therefore it is often coÌ„mended to vs as Rom. 12. 16. Make your selues equall to them of the lower sort and elswhere For this purpose conceiue not onely what thou hast receiued but what thou wantest and what good things thou art without and then with Paul say thou hast not yet attained to perfection 5. If thy thoughts concerne any sinne be sure it be to hate and renoâ—nce to bewaile and mourne for it in thy selfe or others For there is a slynesse and subtilty in sinne which while we thinke of it easily gaineth some tickling and consent which at least hindreth that through-hatred that wee ought to maintaine against it The third rule for the inner man concerneth the will namely that our care must be there bee but one will betweene God and vs for so hath the Lord taught vs to pray Thy will bee done 1. Wherein soeuer God hath reuealed his will to vs in that we must rest 2. Whatsoeuer his will determineth of vs that wee we must account holy and iust whether with vs or against vs. 3. Whatsoeuer his will prescribeth to vs whether obedience to the law or faith of the Gospel wee must hold our selues fast bound in conscience vnto it let it seeme neuer so crosse to vs or contrary to his law as Abraham did in offering his sonne 4. Whatsoeuer his will disposeth to vs prosperity or aduersity sicknesse or health life or death or whatsoeuer else all is from a most wise hand disposing euery thing for the good and saluation of his elect and so should bee entertained Thus Eli said It is the Lord let him doe what is good in his eyes and Hezekiah The word of the Lord is good euen when it threatned the ouerthrow of his house and Kingdome So Dauid Psa. 39. 9. I held my tongue and said nothing because thou Lord didst it and Iob The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. CHAP. IX Rules for the conscience THe fourth sort of rules for the inner man concerns the conscience 1. Beware of doing any thing with a blind conscience A blind man swallowes many a gnat and a blind conscience swalloweth any sin This is a wicked conscience to which no sinne so great shall come but a man shall thinke hee doth God good seruice in it as Christ speaks of them that would sâ—ay his Disciples Why doe heathens persecute Christians and Papists pursue Protestants euen to death but out of blinde zeale and conscience that they root out a false religion And whatsoeuer a man doth by an erroneous and seduced conscience is sinne the rule of conscience to heathens being the law of nature and to the Church the law written euen the whole word of God as a pillar of cloud and fire to direct it in all the way to heauen Therefore let the word of God dwell plenteously in you in all wisedome Col. 3. 16. 2. Doe nothing with a doubtfull conscience for whatsoeuer is done with a scrupulous conscience is sinne and is not onely an offence of God but of the conscience too which is as a little God within vs for it is not of faith nor obedience to the knowne will of God Rom. 14. vlt. Hee that doubteth is condemned because his action is not of faith Therefore vers 5. he saith Let euery man bee fully perswaded in his minde 3. Labour to get a good conscience aboue all things Act. 23. 1. I have endeuoured in all good conscience till this day A pure conscience by nature hath no man but made pure by the bloud of Christ sprinkled vpon it by faith in that he hath obtained full remission of sinne and by his bloud also merited the Spirit of Sanctification by which the conscience of the beleeuer is daily cleansed 4. Labour to get a pure conscience in all things A man by obseruing many things may get himselfe good credit but a good conscience must bee in all the things of God The Pharisies might not goe into Pilates iudgement hall lest they should bee polluted and yet at the same time they could dispence with their conscience to crucifie the Sonne of God a sinne defiling heauen and earth whiles the Sunne was ashamed and the earth trembled at it The Papists may not eat flesh in Lent their consciences will not suffer them but to kill Kings and blow vp Parliament-houses their consciences giue them good leaue Many Protestants will not steale kill commit the act of adultery but their conscience can dispense with couetousnesse vnbridled anger wantonnesse filthy speeches c. But if Gods word be the same so must the conscience and hee that serues God as Paul did in pure conscience 2 Tim 1. 3. will doe so at all times in all places and things and will auoid sinne in his closet as much as in mosâ— publike meetings yea small sinnes as well as great 5. It is as great wisdome to keepe things well as to purchase them therefore we must if we would wallâ— wisely bee as carefull to keepe good conscience aâ— to obtaine them and therunto obserue two things 1. Daily take away matteâ— of accusation which is sinne by repentance 2. Rather displease all men than thine owne conscience thy friends thy family thy rulers nay thy owne selfe before thy conscience So did Daniel and his fellows So did Cyprian as Augustine relates it when the Emperor in the way to his execution said Now I giue thee space to consider whether thou wilt obey me in casting a graine into the fire or be thus miserably slaine Nay saith hee In re tam sanctâ deliberatio non habet locum there needs no deliberation in this case The like we reade in the hystory of France In the yeare 1572. presently after that tragicall and perfidious slaughter and massacre of so many thousands
slip out of most faire and cautelous contracts for their owne aduantage Obiect What if I haue done it rashly Answ. Repent of thy rashnesse but performe thy promise Obiect What to a lewd fellow or an hereticke Ans. Papists say no. A position that hath couered and coloured more horrible treachery and perfidiousnesse then euer was found among the heathens But Ioshua when he was circumuented and drawne in by lies and deceit to make a rash couenant with the Gibeonites strangers to the Couenant of grace did faithfully keepe it and when Saul many hundred yeares after did breake that contract he was plagued with sore famine which could neuer be asswaged but by the death of his sonnes 2 Sam. 21. 6. 14. So in the Turkish history The story of Ladislaus suddenly breaking the truce made for ten yeares with Amurathes the great Turke by the counsell of Pope Eugenius sheweth in the euent the wickednesse of that position and practice by the effusion of much Christian bloud and the confusion of as many as had hand in that treacherous counsell Obiect But I shall be greatly hindred Ans. Acknowledge thy crosse make a good vse of it but performe thy promises Who shall dwell on Gods holy Mountaine He that sweareth to his owne hindrance and changeth not Psalm 15. 4. Take heed of forfeiting heauen for a little earth Concerning iustice retributiue in borrowing and lending Rom. 13. 8. Owe nothing to any man saue loue Doth not nature teach vs to giue euery man his due and doth not grace teach vs to deale iustly a maine point of which iustice is to pay debts But our rule aimeth at two things First to keepe out of debt as much as may beâ— Owe nothing and that is by auoyding the meanes of debt as 1. to liue aboue ones degree and ability to neglect frugality and moderation 2. drinking gluttony wine tobacco 3. building purchasing wardrobe 4. suretiship and rash vndertaking of others payments 5. gaming dicing whoring 6. vsurie All which directly make against this rule of iustice Secondly to get out of debt being in and make due and timely satisfaction and not as many who force their Creditors to recouer by law what was in loue sent them What is the general voice of men in their trades but complaints of mens vnfaithfulnesse whiles many make no conscience of paying debts others can pay some to keepe their credit or all to bee trusted againe but few pay any of conscience because of the Commandement Obiect But I am not able to pay my debts Answ. Then Goe and humble thy selfe to thy Creditor Pro. 6. 3. purpose and promise to pay all when thou art able Obiect So I shall vtterly impouerish my selfe Answ. 1. Is not a little with righteousnesse and peace with God and thy conscience better than a great deale with iniquity 2. Consider how God blessed a little to that poore widdow that sold all to pay her debts 2 King 4. 7. her oyle was increased till shee had enough for her Creditor and her selfe CHAP. XX. Rules of wisdome for our owne necessary actions in respect of their 1. order 2. subiect THe fourth sort of rules for actions respecteth such as concern our selues and these are either necessarie or indifferent actions Wee were sent into this world to doe some necessarie businesse which wee must intend and not waste our time in impertinent things The Master that sent his seruants into the vineyard sent them in to worke Doe wee thinke that God sent man into the world to play and sport for his recreation sake or idlenesse yea or to eat and drinke and onely to get what to maintain himselfe by No but for some thing beyond all these else his end were not beyond the bruit beasts Or can we thinke that God hath giuen men gifts of reason vnderstanding iudgement and meanes of nature and grace for the culture of all these only to enioy outward things to feed their pleasure and appetite which they might fully enioy without all these gifts No but the Master gaue his seruants talents to trafficke withall to make their Lord and themselues gainers Wee must therefore acknowledge some thing to be absolutely necessary vnto which all other things are necessary but respectiuely and carry our selues vnto euery thing accordingly If wee would know what that is which is absolutely necessary our Sauiour tels vs One thing is necessary namely to know how a man may come into Gods sauour and be saued and all earthly things are respectiuely necessary so farre as they conduce to this To know the vertue of Christs death and resurrection is absolutely necessary all things are to bee counted but drosse and dung vnto this Phil. 3. 10. But in all necessary actions the rule of wisedome requires that the most necessary action be done first and most Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoeuer thy hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy might Nothing in the world is so necessary as to repent vs of sinne past and the reason for it is the present time to day Nothing so necessary as amendment of life for time to come therefore doe it now Delayes in all things are dangerous in this often deadly And this most necessary businesse must be done most Well said Augustine He must needs faile in necessaries who ouer-flowes in superfluities How then can men answer the wasting of their liues and time in pleasures recreation eating drinking buying selling and sieldome finde in their hands the businesse which tends vnto eternall life A good rule therefore it is often to examine our selues thus What am I doing and whether in all inferiour things doe I aime at the chiefe In eating I must not forget the bread of life In recreation and pleasure I must chiefely affect the pleasures of Gods house In buying and selling I must specially helpe forward my purchase of eternall life In my earthly calling I must expresse the calling of Christianity This is the way to doe the one necessary thing most of all 3. Most necessary actions in euill men are euill the best actions of the vnregenerate are sinnes and therefore it is most necessary to be a good man The truth hereof appeares because a man may doe what God commands and omit and forbeare a worke prohibited and yet sinne in both for example Aristides practised iustice most strictly yet herein he sinned because it was no worke of faith Alexander conquering Darius violated not the chastity of Darius his wife and daughters but forbare this prohibited and sinfull action yet therein he sinned because hee forbare not of good conscience But wee must know that this sinne lieth not in the substance or matter of the worke which is materially good but in the vice of the doer and manner or end of doing neither are these sins in themselues but onely by accident CHAP. XXI Rules for necessary actions in respect of the meanes and the order of the two Tables NO
thrust themselues into euill company which is more contagious then any sicknesse more infectious then any pestilence no age so catching of any disease as euery age is of deadly diseases of the minde in such poysoned ayre Let no Christian that will be ruled by Gods wisedome presume to conuerse in any such company further then the limit of his particular calling or other iust occasion and dealing is offered 3. In our conuerse with all men we must keepe a determination either to doe good vnto others or receiue good from others helping one another to life as occasion shall be offered Heb. 10. 24. Let vs consider one another to prouoke to loue and good workes Iude 20. Edifie one another in your holy faith Motiues so to doe 1. How profitable should wee be if our lips were euer feeding others Pro. 10. 20. and if our diligence were to draw vnderstanding from others Prou. 2. 5. How should wee abound in wisedome and make our whole life fruitfull This would keepe vs in good trading and returne of goodlinesse 2. This is the right end and improuement of our gifts for the good of the whole body Rom. 12. 6. 3. Here is an excellent worke of loue which is called the bond of perfection which tyes persons and vertues together and perfects them by frequent actions 4. In what company soeuer a man comes his care must be that his life and conuersation be a visible confutation of all vngodlinesse Daniels piety confuted idolatry and Lot was a reall reproofe of Sodome A Christians light must alwaies shine euen in the darkenesse of the world and against it Should the life of a Christian be like the life of vnbeleeuers couetous contentious conceited vniust c or shold not the life of a wise Christian varie from the multitude and common people in iudgement and practise Did not Christ and his followers so This rule is opposite to that worldly wisedome to swim with the streame and to doe as the most doe to auoid the note of singularity But here as in all the course of godlinesse 1. Wee must become fooles that we may be wise 2. We must not auoid mens euill speaking by running with them into the same excesse of riot 3. Wee must not take the example of many great ones but of Christ the greatest and wisest of all and Phil. 3. 17. Be yee followers of mee and looke on them that walke so These examples suite to our rule 5. Christianity enioynes loue vnto all euen the worst whose vices wee must hate their persons we must loue by which vertue all men haue place in our prayers in our mercy and compassion as occasion requires This grace couers a multitude of sinnes in all it beareth with infirmity it forgiues offences in all Col. 3. 13. forbearing and forgiuing one another And therefore the Apostle wisheth vs aboue al things to put on loue And to consider that motiue Col. 4. 7. Euery one is one of vs euen the worst in the naturall and ciuill bond one of vs if not in faith yet in flesh one of our neighbours or congregation or at least by the common bond of a Christian. 6. Religion requires curtesie as well as piety good manners together with good conscience and therefore we must be curteous to all 1 Pet. 2. 17. 3 8. Honour all men And Rom. 12. 10. In giuing honour goe one before another Which honour is a good opinion conceiued inwardly and expressed outwardly by reuerent words and deeds Christianity will make vs haue a low opinion of our selues and better of others then of our selus Ob. Some are so bad or so base as no honour or respect belongs vnto them Answ. None is so bad but hath some honour on him he is Gods creature he is a man a Christian and he may be a good man a member of Christ and certain reuerence belongs to all this Ob. But how can superiors in higher place honour their inferiours Answ. Many wayes 1. In action by testifying their good opinion of them in words gestures or deeds not the least contempt and so Iob behaued himselfe selfe 31. 13. 2. In affection especially when superiours whom God hath by their place made receiuers of honour could out of an humble affection be well pleased either to want it or returne it vpon their inferiours if they might doe it without offence or might it stand with good order which God hath set in the Church and Common-wealth CHAP. XXIX Rules of walking wisely towards good men THE first of these rules is in respect of our affection to loue the godly with brotherly loue It is true indeed all men must be loued but here is required a more speciall loue as betweene brethren of which Saint Peter saith 2. 1. 7. Ioyne with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse because they are of the same father and family of God The reason of this rule is this the nearer any man comes to God or expresseth him the more right he hath into our affections for Gods image sake and here is a straiter bond then that of nature The Apostle makes this a mark of Gods child to loue the brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 10. and Dauid professeth that all his delight was in the Saints the excellent on earth and Rom 2. 10. Be affectioned one to another with brotherly loue And because this cannot be except men see more in Gods pople then ordinary therefore labour to see 1. Their high birth and true nobility Ioh. 1. 13 Not of bloud nor of the will of flesh but of God 3. Their kindred and alliance they are Sonnes of God brethren of Christ who was not ashamed to call them brebrethrē Heb. 2. 11. 3. Their high office and place whom Christ the faithfull witnesse the first borne from the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth hath loued and washed from their sinnes by his bloud to make them Kings and Priests vnto God Reu. 1. 5. 4. Their beauty and glory being couered with long white robes of righteousnesse and holinesse such as Kings anciently were distinguished by wherein they appeare most louely and gracefull to God Angels and good men nothing is wanting to their perfection of beauty seeing they are complete in Christ the head of all power Col. 2. 10. 5. Their present wealth and future expectation Their goods are God the chiefe good Christ giuen them of God for righteousnesse the holy Ghost sent into their hearts for sanctification and consolation eternall election effectuall calling iustification And their future expectation is the City of God the heauenly Ierusalem which God hath prepared for them Heb. 11. 16. Now were it a wise course for a man to disaffect the chiefe fauourite of his King and are not Gods children Gods chiefe fauourites Were it a safe thing to hate the people of God to disaffect them to lowre vpon them seeing the Lord obserues what lookes are cast downe vpon his