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.
As 1. First hee must take heed of wretchlesnesse or a scornefull carelesnesse of his owne waies he must not despise his waies as if hee cared not how hee liued or rested satisfied to be still as hee was This carelesnesse proues the bane of many a soule whereas Hee that keepeth his soule keepeth his way Pro. 19. 16. 21. 5. 2. Hee must take heed of precipitation or rashnesse or too much haste this is the ground of much false zeale and the cause of strange euils in the practice of some Christians but the godly Christian must learne of Salomon to prepare his work in the field and then build his house he must get sound knowledge of the warrant of his actions and guide his affaires by aduice and with serious preparation fit himselfe to the doing of what he is sure is good He that hasteth with his feet sinneth what is done rashly cannot he done well Prou. 19. 2. As procrastination is a great vice so praecipitation is no vertue Prou. 24. 27 28. 2â— 3 Hee must haue no confidence in the flesh hee must not relye vpon his owne wit memory reason desires vertues prayses or power but all his comfort and affiance must be in the merits intercession vertue presence and assistance of Iesus Christ his Sauiour Phil. 3. 3. 4 He must not haste to be rich for the desire of money is the roote of all euill and they cannot be at leasure for good duties that are so eager to compasse great things in the world Prou. 23. 4. 28. 20. 5 He must take heed of the snares that arise from distrustfull feares There is a snare in feare Prou. 29. 25. There are many feares will assault a man that resolues to liue well As the feare that hee cannot doe good duties The feare that God will not accept what hee doth The feare left men should scorne him or contemne him or lest hee should lose the fauour of his friends or such like Now against all these must the godly minde bee armed and take heed that those feares prooue not great hinderances to him and especially take heed of that vnbeleefe or counterfet humility in disabling himselfe or mistrusting God contrary to his nature and promises 6 Hee must take heed of adding to or detracting from the Word of God Hee must not imagine more sinnes then God hath made that is not trouble himselfe with feare of offending in such things as God hath not in his Word forbidden and so likewise he must not impose vpon his owne conscience or other mens the necessity of obseruing such rules of practice as God neuer prescribed This caution would case the hearts of many Christians if it were discreetely obserued and applied Prou. 30. 6. 7 Hee must take heed of hardening his necke against reproofs Pro. 29. 1. He must needs run into headlong euils that is so proud as not to heare aduice or to reiect reproofes and it will bee a singular furtherance to a holy life to bee easie to be entreated to leaue his offences and to mend his errours 8 Hee must take heed of beholding vanity Dauid prayes that God wold turne away his eyes from beholding vanity He that would forsake vanity must auoide the presence of vaine persons and the too much contemplation of vanity shunning the reading and discourse of the inticements of others vnto any sin Psal. 119. 37. 9 And lastly hee must take heed of the beginning of euils in his owne heart hee must keep his heart with all diligence for thereout commeth life His practice will be easie to him if hee resist sinne in the beginning and driue out Sathan from his holds within his soule whereas hee cannot but be much intangled and encumbred that allowes himselfe in the secret entertainment of contemplatiue wickednesse he must watch his heart and striue for inward purity Prou. 4. 23. CHAP. IIII. Containing the generall Rules to be remembred in the manner of doing all good duties HItherto of the first sort of generall Rules The second sort concerne the manner of well-doing There are diuers things in the generall which are to be obserued of the godly Christian in all good duties which hee ought to haue perfect in his memory and such as hee might bring with him at all times to forme his heart in respect of them to beget in him that holy manner of carrying himselfe which is requisite vnto the acceptation of the good things he employeth himselfe in and the rather should hee bee moued to the care of learning and expressing of these things because the matter of good duties may be done by wicked men as they were by the Pharises and yet all abomination to the Lord That therefore hee may not lose what he worketh hee must striue in euery good action to expresse these nine things following in the manner of his behauiour The first thing required in the manner of euery holy duty is Zeale It is not enough that hee doe the dutie but hee must do it affectionately bringing with him the stirring of the desires of his heart answerable and agreeable to the duty he would performe Zeale hath in it two distinct things willingnesse and feruencie It must not seeme euill to him to do Gods worke and in doing it he must lift vp his heart so as he performe it with all his might and with all his soule and this hee doth when either hee brings a heart delighting in good workes or when hee iudgeth himselfe for what deadnesse or distraction or vnwillingnesse he findes in himselfe He is accounted zealous when he striues for it and lifts vp his soule against the impediments which burthen him This zeale is necessary Christ died to redeeme a people vnto himselfe not onely that would do good works but that would be zealous of good workes Tit. 2. 14. 2 The second thing required in the manner of good duties is sincerity all his actions must bee done in the sincerity of his heart The life of a Christian is like a continuall Passe-ouer Now this Feast hee must keepe alwaies with the vnleauened bread of sincerity 1. Cor. 5. 8. Now this sinceritie hee must shew diuers waies as 1 By the truth of his heart as it stands opposed to hypocrisie he must not talke of well-doing or seeme to do it but he must doe it indeed 2 By his respect to all Gods commandements when he can say with Dauid I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate euery false way He that is truly sincere accounteth that euery word of God is good and desires to yeeld obedience in all things Hee hath not his reseruations or exceptions He doth not with Herod giue himselfe liberty to lie in the wilfull breach of one commandement resting satisfied to haue reformed himselfe in other things As he would haue God to forgiue him all his sinnes so his heart desires to
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
or any other ordinance of God 4. Fourthly they must make melody to the Lord They must direct their songs to God and to his glory and not vse them as meere ciuill imploiments but as parts of Gods seruice CHAP. XVI Rules about Vowing and Swearing HItherto of the Rules that concerne the most vsuall parts of Gods seruice There are other parts of Gods seruice which are to be vsed but at certaine times and vpon speciall occasions these are Vowes and Oathes and Fasting The rules about Vowing are briefely comprehended in that place Ecclâ—s 5. 3 4. and they are chiefly two 1. First Before thou vowest consider consider I say thine owne strength whether thou be able to do it and consider also the end that it bee to Gods glory and consider the matter that thou vow not things vnlawfull and consider what may be the euents of thy Vow for all Vowes being made before the Angell that takes notice of all Couenants it will bee in vaine afterwards to plead it was an errour thou wast mistaken God may bee angry at thy voice and destroy the worke of thy hands Be not rash therefore to cause thy flesh to sinne therein 2. Secondly when thou hast vowed thy vow to God deferre not to pay it be sure thou performe it it is a grieuous offence to breake a lawfull vow Better it is thou shouldst not vow then that thou shouldst vow and not pay Thus of Vowing Concerning the Oath when thou art called to sweare thou must obserue these Rules First that thou sweare not by any thing which is not God Ier. 5. 7. Secondly that thou sweare in truth that is that thy conscience know what thou swearest is true Thirdly that thou sweare in iudgement that is with due consideration of the nature of God and with sound deliberation not rashly and diligently weighing of all things that belong to the matter thou swearest about Fourthly that thou sweare in righteousnesse that is about lawfull things iust matters Thou must not sweare to do vniust things as Dauid sware to kil Nabal nor must thou swear about impossible things or about things that are doubtfull and vncertaine Nor in the forme of thy oath must thou vse such words as be contumelious to God or expresse not sufficient reuerence to the Diuine Maiestie as they that wickedly sweare by any part of Christ or such like CHAP. XVII Rules about Fasting THus of Vowes and Swearing Fasting followes Now if we would keep a religious Fast vnto God wee must obserue these two Rules First wee must looke to the strictnesse of the abstinence in the day of our Fast for we must abstaine from all sorts of meate as well as one and from all labour also and from our costliest apparell and from recreations and vsuall delights Wee must keepe the day as wee keepe the Sabbath in forbearing our own works Ion. 3. 6 7. 1. Cor. 7. 5. Ioel 1. 2. Leuit. 16. Secondly the time must bee spent in religious duties as a Sabbath especially in the exercises that concerne the humiliation of the soule in renewing of our repentance for the obtaining of pardon of sin or some speciall blessing of God or the preuenting or remouing of some great iudgement of God The former rule concernes onely the ceremonie or outward exercise of the bodie but this rule containes the substance of the dutie without which a religious fast is not kept vnto God who regardeth not the hanging down of the head like a bull-rush if the soule bee not humbled before God for sinne Leu. 16. 29. Ioel 1. 14. 2. 16 17. CHAP. XVIII Rules about the Sabbath HItherto of the Rules that concerne the parts of Gods worship The rules that concerne the time of Gods worship follow and this time especially is the Sabbath day Now the rules that bind vs to the good behauiour concerning the Sabbath coÌ„cern either the preparation to the Sabbath or the maner of performing holy duties on the Sabbath The preparation to the Sabbath containes in it these things First the ending of all our workes on the sixe daies as God did his Gen. 2. 2. This example of God is set downe not onely to shew what hee did but to prescribe vnto vs what we should doe as is manifest by vrging this example in the reason of the commandement We must then take order to finish the workes of the weeke daies with such discretion that neither our heads be troubled with the cares of them nor our hands tempted to worke about them on the Sabbath day Secondly the preuenting of domesticall grieuances and perturbations Leuit. 19. 3. Yee shall feare euery man his mother and his father and keep my Sabbath Discords and contentions and heart-burnings in the members of the family extend their infection and hurt euen to the prophaning of Gods Sabbath The Lord looks not to bee serued aright in his House if people liue not quietly and louingly and dutifully in their own houses Thirdly we must cleanse our selues that we may keep the Sabbath Nehem. 13. 22. Which place though it speake of Legall cleansing yet it shadowes out that Moral and perpetuall care of cleansing our selues that ought euen to be found in vs. And thus we doe cleanse our selues when we humble our selues that we may walk with God confessing our sinnes euen the sinnes of the weeke past making our peace with God through the name of Iesus Christ. Thus of the duties of preparation Now for the manner of keeping the Sabbath the rules prescribe vnto vs these things 1. Rest from all our works whether they be workes of labour or workes of pleasure Workes of labour the Scripture instanceth in such as are selling of victuals Nehem. 13. 15. Carrying of burthens Ierem. 17. Iournying from our places Exod. 16. 29. The businesse of our callings done by our selues our children seruants or cattell which the words of the Commandement forbid And as workes of labour so also workes of pleasure are forbidden Esay 58. 13. 2. Readinesse and delight We should loue to be Gods seruants on this day Esay 56. and consecrate it with ioy as a glorious priuiledge to vs Esay 58. 13. abhorring wearinesse or a desire to haue the Sabbath gone and ended Amos 8. 3. Care and Watchfulnesse We must obserue to keepe it Exod. 31. 16. we must take heede to our selues that no duty bee omitted and that wee no way prophane it tending our hearts and our words Ier. 17. 21. 4. Sinceritie and this sinceritie we should shew diuers waies First by doing Gods worke with as much care as we would doe our own or rather shewing more care for the seruice of GOD. They had their double sacrifices on the Sabbath in the time of the Law and wee should studie how wee might please GOD in especiall manner on that day choosing out the things that might delight him God hath taken but one day of seuen for his worke and shall wee not doe