Sermons, Sermon 4
Exact VValking.
EPHES. 6. 15.
Take heed that you walke therefore circumspectly (or exactly) not as fooles, but as wise.
IN the eighth verse of this Chapter, the Apostle layeth Coherence.downe this conclusion, You were once darknesse, but now you are light in the Lord, walke therefore as children of the light; this hee carries along by some Arguments, and drawes some consectaries from it, among the rest this is one, Take heed therefore that you walke exactly, not as fooles, but as wise. As if hee should say, Now the darknesse is gone, now you are set vponupon a hill, now you are in the broad light that all men may see you, now looke to your selues, now see that you walke exactly, not as fooles, but as wise: so you hauehave in these words,
First, a command, or an exhortation laid on them, Walke circumspectly, or exactly.1 Diuision.
Secondly, that is backed with a reason, Not as fooles, but as wise; as if he should say, It is your 2wisdome to doe so, it is folly to doe otherwise.
Thirdly, there is prefixed before it a meanes how to doe it, Take heed, or Consider, that is, it 3is a thing that will not easily bee done, it is a thing that will cost you some labour; a man may doe a bungling action without consideration, but if he will doe a thing exactly, he must take heed vntounto it, Take heed that you walke exactly, not as fooles but as wise.
I will open the words in particular, when I come to handle them.
Before I come to the particular points which these words afford vsus, something wee may gather from this particle Therefore: Therefore is a relatiue particle, it hath reference to that which went before, You are children of light, therefore walke exactly, not as fooles but as wise: Therefore; that is, since you are the children of light, since you are those vponupon whom the Name of God is called, since you professe the feare of God, it behooues you to looke to your selues that you walke exactly. In a table vponupon which a Picture is drawne, before the Simile.picture is drawne, the blemishes, and blots, and scratches vponupon it, are not obserued: but when the picture is drawne, a little blot is obserued in it: so it is with men in this case, a man before hee bee regenerate, before hee is made a childe of light, while hee walkes in darknesse, while Gods Image is not drawne vponupon him, the sinnes that are in him are not Why sins are most taken notice of in Gods children.much obserued, because there is no great difference betweene his generall carriage, and some particular fayling: but when the Peece is drawne, that is, when Gods Image is stamped vponupon him, and renued in him, then the infirmities, and sinnes, and faylings that hee falls into, eueryevery man is ready to obserue them and marke them: and therefore we should in a speciall manner looke to it, because our condition is altered, whereas before we were darknesse, now we are light; whereas before we stood in the crowd, as it were among the rest of the people, now wee are set vponupon the Simile.stage; eueryevery man markes what wee doe: nay, if wee stand still and doe nothing, it is obserued; and if we doe, and doe that which is vndecent, that is obserued too: now when eueryevery one of our actions are obserued, it behoues vsus to looke the more what we doe, to see that we walke exactly. This thing I will not presse because it is common.
OnelyOnly the vse that we should make of it is Vse 1.this, to see what God and men looke for from vsus; when we take vponupon vsus the profession of his feare, his glory is engaged in our carriage, therefore we should walke exactly, not as fooles, but as wise.
Againe, as any man hath a higher degree of faith (for there be degrees,) as any stand in a Vse 2.higher place, they must looke to it more, as they are in more estimation and glory, so they must take heed of falling to the scandall of their holy profession: but I will not stand vponupon that. Now I come to take the words as they lie.
Consider therefore, or Take heed that you walke exactly: for the walking exactly, consideration Consideration necessary to exact walking.is required you see; now the question will be, what this consideration is? It is a thing that is little taught, and not well vnderstood, and therefore I will a little open it vntounto you, that you may know what this act is: it is a thing oft described in Scripture; I considered my waies, and turned my feet to thy testimonies. Now consideration (to describe it to you) is nothing Consideration what.else, but an act of the practicall vnderstanding, whereby it reflects and stayes vponupon its owne intentions, and comparing them with the rule, it proceeds to lay a command Three things in consideration.vponupon the will and affections, to put them in execution. I say it is an act of the practicall 1 The mind dwels on the action.vnderstanding, whereby it stayes and reflects vponupon its owne intentions, &c. for there are many actions that passe from the minde of a man, that he dwels not vponupon, but they passe presently away, these are not reflect acts, they are not acts of consideration, hee dwels not vponupon them; but when a man dwels vponupon a thing, hee will not let it presently passe from his hands. First, they are in the intention, and then he lookes backe by consideration, when a man will see what is in his minde, hee will looke round about as it were, and returne vponupon his heart, as it is called in the Chronicles, If you returne to your hearts; I say this is necessary, this is one part of consideration, but this is not all, a man may dwell vponupon his actions for another end.
Therefore when this is done, in the second place this is to be added, that a man so dwell vponupon his actions, as that hee compares them with the rule: he sets them both together, and 2 To compare it with the rule.therefore in Prou. 4. 26. that which is called consideration in another place, is there called Pondering; Ponder the waies of thy feet: the meaning Prou. 4. 26.is, consider the waies of thy feet. Now you know what Pondering is, when you hauehave Pondering, what.a thing to weigh, there must be something to weigh it by, which therefore is the rule thereof; and as in measuring, there is the thing that you measure by: this is the second thing to bee done in consideration, to compare it with the rule.
But yet this is not all: for there may bee a comparing of actions and intentions, with the rule by which it is squared, when yet it is not consideration: a Scholler may take a thing into consideration, whether it bee true or false, whether it be a practike or a speculatiue thing, he may compare it with the rule; but his end is not to practise it, but onelyonly to know the truth of it, and so he lets it lie. And not onelyonly Schollers, but it is so with all men for the most part, they heare vsus deliuer the truth of God, their end is to see (as it were) to vnderstand it, to know the truth of it, they doe no more but see if the thing be true, and giuegive their assent to it: but in consideration there is somewhat more.
Therefore I adde, that it layeth a command vponupon the will to put it in execution, or else it 3 To resolue vponupon the practice of it.is not properly consideration; but when a man considers of a thing, so as that he resolues to doe it, that hee layes an imperatiue iniunction vponupon the inferiour faculties, to put that in practice and execution that he resolues on; so now you see more distinctly and cleerely what the Apostle would hauehave vsus doe, this is the action hee would hauehave vsus doe, to Consider; that is, to stay vponupon our actions, to compare them with the rule, and not to let them lie there, but to put them in practice and execution; this is the thing we are here exhorted vntounto, to Consider, or Take heed what we doe. And it is that which we hauehave little reason to be backward to (though in truth wee are backward to nothing more, which is the cause of many errors of our life) if we consider.
First, that this consideration is the excellency Motiues to consideration.of all a mans actions, it is that which is proper to man, as hee is a man, there is no 1 It is an excellency proper to man.beast capable of it: It is a peculiar excellencie to man, to be able to returne and to reflect vponupon his actions. Beasts looke forward altogether vponupon the present pleasure which is propounded, but to consider an action, whether it be to be done, or not to be done, it is an excellency peculiar to man. Therefore as the Mathematicians say of Figures, the Simile.strait Figure, or the strait Line is the weakest, but the Circle is the strongest of all other, and the best, because one part returnes to another, and holds vp another; so these direct actions of ours, these transient actions that passe suddenly vponupon a thing, they are the weakest, in them wee are most subiect to erre, but these actions wherein wee returne againe vponupon our selues, as a circle or round figure, are more perfect and exact: I say it is the excellency of an action, and this should make vsus ready to doe it, but that is not all, there is not only a generall excellency.
But it is the best for our selues, it perfects vsus aboue all other; take all other actions that 2 It perfects the soule.goe directly forward, they perfect somewhat that is out of a man, but they perfect not the heart of a man. If it be in teaching others, in it is the perfection of the Scholler, other actions of wealth, of honour, of learning, or any thing of this nature, they perfect the thing vponupon which they are pitched, but now this action, by which the heart returnes vponupon it selfe, this reflect action is that which perfects a mans soule, it makes him a better man, it builds him vp in grace and in truth; when a man lookes in, and returnes vponupon himselfe, he makes vp the breaches of his heart, if there be any thing amisse there, he rectifies it: therefore it is an action that we should easily assent vntounto, and agree to the exhortation of the Apostle. Therefore to conclude this point, let Vse.vsus be exhorted, to consider what we doe, the failing in this is the cause of so many errours in our liues, the cause of so many ill spent Inconsideration, the cause of errors in our liues.houres, of so many vaine speeches, of so many grosse sinnes committed, all for want of consideration. If the swearer would well consider what that is, when the Lord saith, I will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh my Name in vaine, hee would not be so ready to sweare as he is. If the adulterer would consider what God saith, Heb. 13. Whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge, hee would not so easily continue in that sinne: so you may runne thorow other particulars, therefore this consideration is necessary in things that belong to saluation. It is not so in other things, in other things the notion passeth soone from the minde to the rest of the saculties, as soone as the light, it is no sooner kindled but present'y it is executed; but in matters that belong to godlinesse, there may bee a sparke, and it will goe out againe in the heart, as greene wood putteth out the fire; in that Simile.case there must bee paines taken, because of the stubbornnesse in the faculties of the minde to obey the light, which is dictated to the conscience: Therefore wee must doe in this case, as we doe with stubborne seruants, they Simile.must be bidden doe a thing againe, they must be forced vntounto it. If the vnderunder-faculties were as ready to obey the minde in spirituall things as in other things, it were another case. In other things (for the most part) we shall finde that the minde hath no sooner resolued on a thing, but the faculties presently are ready to practise and to execute it; If it be a matter The vnderunder-faculties stubborne to spirituall things.of pleasure, a matter of commodity, a matter of businesse, if a man resolue once to doe it, he findes no resistance; but if it bee a matter tending to a holy life, hee is resolued and fully intended to doe it, yet when hee comes to the point, how many impediments doth he finde in the vnderunder-faculties? they are like stubborne seruants that hauehave need of pressing vponupon, and must hauehave such imperatiue iniunctions vponupon them as I speake of. Therefore Simile.this consideration is necessary for vsus, we see if we be negligent in it, it is impossible wee should lead a holy life, because we goe vp the hill in that, there must bee paines taken in that; there is no good action but it will cost this consideration, and the rather we should doe it, because (as I say) it is that which perfects vsus most of any thing; wee study many The best study what.things, we study bookes, wee study men, wee study our selues, that is done by this act of consideration, and of all studies that is the best, when a man studies his owne heart, when hee dwels at home: It was the precept of the wise Moralist, to exhort men to dwell at Simile.home, to looke inward; for a man to bee as a good house-wife in her owne house, to dresse the roome of his heart, eueryevery morning to Simile.sweepe it, and to put things in order which the former day hath put out of order, that he may bee fit to entertaine the Lord of glory; therefore we ought to keepe our selues right and straight, to keepe our selues cleane and pure in soule and body by this continuall act of consideration, that we may be fit Temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in and to continue in: therefore we should doe this.
First in generall, take this generall consideration; Generall considerations.let a man thinke what his condition is, what he comes into the world for; let him sit downe and thinke with himselfe that hee hath a soule that is immortall, that must liue in another place for euer, that his life is vncertaine, hee knowes not when this soule of his shall bee put out of possession; now if a man would take these things into consideration, if hee would sit downe and consider his latter end, consider the infallibilitie of the threatnings, consider the vncertainty of this life, consider the terrour of Gods wrath, because these things are not taken into consideration; therefore it is that men goe on in courses of sinne, this is that which the people failed in, Deut. 29. 4. saith Moses there, you hauehave seene Deut. 29. 4.what the Lord did to Pharaoh and all his seruants, you hauehave seene the temptations and the great workes which he wrought, but you hauehave not hearts to perceiue, you hauehave not eyes to see vntounto this day, you hauehave seene, but you hauehave not hearts to perceiue; that is, you hauehave not hearts to consider it as it is, as if hee should say, this will profit nothing; this which was one of the strongest arguments that was, (as how could a people hauehave more arguments to feare God than they had, to see such wonders as they did, but this) profited them nothing, because they had not hearts to consider; so our Sauiour, Marke 6. 52. They considered Mark. 6. 52.not the miracle of the Loanes, for their hearts were hardned: After that miracle was wrought, when Christ walked vponupon the Sea, and they thought he had beene a spirit, they were afraid, the reason is giuen, because they considered not the miracle of the Loaues; as if hee should say, there was enough in that to hauehave strengthened their faith, that they should not hauehave beene so fearefull; but saith Christ, the reason you did not profit by that was, because you did not consider, your hearts were hardened: and therefore 2 Tim. 2. 6. it is Pauls exhortation, Consider what I say; consider 2 Tim. 2. 6.what in other places I hauehave named to you, that is, though these bee reasons strong enough, yet consider, Timothy, or else it will neuer worke vponupon thee, therefore consider what I say, and because wee are not able to doe it of our selues, hee prayes to God to teach him to consider, and the Lord giwe thee vnderstanding in all things: and indeed that wee may doe so, let vsus beseech God to open our eyes to enable vsus to consider; till hee set vsus a worke, we cannot doe it to purpose, so that I say, we should learne to doe this in generall, and not onelyonly so, but to make a daily practice of it, eueryevery day consider our waies, to set some time a part for that purpose: when we come to God in prayer, consider the businesse wee hauehave to doe, consider what hath beene out of order the day before, to reflect vponupon our hearts, and to set things strait before God, and after this to hauehave an eye vponupon our actions all the day, that our tongues, our hands, our feet, or any part bee not ready to act any thing before we hauehave considered and pondered it, before wee hauehave good warrant for it.
You will say this is impossible, must a man Quest.stand considering eueryevery act on that he doth?
I say, it is not needfull that eueryevery action Answ. We need not to consider eueryevery particular action in our way.should be considered; as in a iourney, you know it is not needfull for a man to thinke of eueryevery step, but the first intention of the iourney will carry him a great way; so set the Simile.heart aright, and that intention will carry a man thorow many actions, though hee stand not to consider eueryevery particular; but because our hearts are so ready to goe out of the way, like young horses that are not accustomed to Simile.the high way, they are ready to turne aside euer and anon, except the hand bee vponupon the bridle continually; so this consideration must bee euer and anon repeated in the heart to keepe it strait, it is apt else to turne a side. This Too much consideration of outward things.wee must learne to doe in things that belong to godlinesse, in other things wee are apt enough to doe it; the young man is apt to consider how he shall satisfie his flesh, and the desires of it, how hee shall obtaine his pleasures; the ancienter men, they consider how they may increase their wealth, how they may keepe correspondency, as it is said of the good house-wife, She considereth a field and gets it, Prou. 31. there is too much of this consideration, Prou. 31.men consider such outward aduantages: the thing that we require row, is to consider how wee may walke circumspectly and holily before God in all things, this is the thing that we ought to consider, & to neglect this and to intend other things, is no better than madnesse: If a man doe but consider seriously what he is, what his condition is, and what he is fit for, hee will reckon it madnesse to intend other things as he doth; we reckon men mad, when they fall a gathering strawes, Madnesse what.and sticke their clothes with flowers, when they scrabble vponupon the walls, because wee thinke these actions vnmeet for a man: So come to a Christian, when he is occupied in trifles, in pleasures and honours, (for they are no better) when men doe this with all their endeuour, this is as vnmeet for a Christian, this is as much below a Christian, as those other actions, that I named, are below a man; and it is as truly spirituall madnesse, as the other is natural frenzie; consider of this therefore, and come to your selues. I am not too harsh in calling it madnesse, the Scripture cals it so, in Luke 15. the Prodigall is said to come Luk. 15.to himselfe; for other things hee was come to himselfe before, but for matter of grace and saluation, therein hee was not come to himselfe; so that a man may truly say, that the world is full of mad men in this sense, because they come as much short of that which belongs to a Christian, of that which belongs to a man, as he stands in relation to God, as hee stands in reference to eternity, as the other actions are to other men, and you shall finde they are occupied in the same manner; looke vponupon the imploiments of men, if wee could see what they are bufie about, what their thoughts and liues are taken vp with, in the morning if we could see them, as God seeth them and beholds them, wee should see they doe as mad men; as a man that makes a garland to himselfe, composed of such vanity as he is most fancied with. Consider therefore what you doe, Walke exactly, not as fooles, but as wise. So much for that. The maine point is that we now come to,
Walke exactly.
Consider therefore that you walke exactly, whence we will deliuer this Doctrine (to take the words as they lie,) that
It is required of a Christian that he walke with Doct.God exactly in all things.
Before I come to prosecute this point, I will It is a Christians duty to walke exactly.shew what this walking is, and what it is to walke exactly.
In a word, by walking nothing else is meant but the tract and course of a mans life, so that to walke holily is nothing else, but in all the To walke exactly what.passages and turnings of a mans conuersation to keepe himselfe close to the rule, so that into what circumstance soeuer he is cast, stil as Simile.a, Dye to fall right, whether he be alone or in company, whether he be in sport or in businesse, whether he be among enemies, or among friends, all is one, his conuersation is still of the same colour, he keeps one tenure what condition soeuer he is in, in crosses and aduersity he is taught to wait, in prosperity he knowes how to abound, to behaue him selfe as a Christian in any particular action, whether it bee gaine or losse to him, whether hee bee in a pleasant estate, or whomsoeuer he hath reference to, whether it be for his aduantage or disaduantage, all is one, he doth not shift, he doth not dawbe it out by seeking inuentions, that afterwards will fall off as vntempered morter, his conscience puts it to him, and tells him this is not to be done, and he is willing to let his conscience speake, he is ready to obey it; when a man thus behaues himselfe in the constant course of his life, this is to walke exactly.
But then againe there is somewhat in this word Exact, the Greeke word foreign comes of two words, that signifie to goe to the extremity of a thing; so to walke exactly is nothing else, but so to keepe the Commandements of God, that a man goes to the vtmost of them, to all the rules that he prescribes, not onelyonly to content himselfe to doe the maine duties of them, but you must looke to eueryevery particle of them, to bee willing to goe to the vtmost of Precisenesse commended by the Apostle, condemned by the world.eueryevery command; so the scope of the Apostle is, to commend vntounto vsus here the thing that is so disgraced in the world, the which is a matter of much obloquie, that same exactnesse or precisenesse, for so the word may as well be translated, and there is no word that fits the Greeke better than this. Consider that you walke precisely, or exactly, or strictly in all things; I say that is the Apostles scope, to commend this to vsus, that men discommend so much, though indeed it be the only excellency of a Christian; for is not that the Simile.best glasse that shewes the smallest spots? and is not that the brightest light that shewes the least moats? and doe you not reckon that the finest flesh that is sensible of the least pricking? so the conscience that is sensible of the least sin or failing, is the perfection of Christianity which wee are to striue to attaine, it is that which we are to reckon the greatest excellency of all others, so far it should be from disgrace with vsus. To walke exactly is required of eueryevery one, and this exactnesse is to goe to the vtmost; but a little more particularly to describe it, to walke exactly requires these three conditions.Three things in exactnesse.
First looke to the whole rule, he that looks 1 Looke to the whole rule.but to a part shall neuer doe a businesse exactly, but imperfectly and bunglingly; that is, you must hauehave respect to all the commandements, to all the precepts that runne thorow the booke of God.2 Goe to the vtmost of eueryevery command.
Secondly, hee must goe to the vtmost of eueryevery one, we see our Sauiour in Mat. 5. hee Matth. 5.sets it downe, it is not enough for a man not to murder, but he must not be angry with his brother vnaduisedly, there is the extremity of the command, he must not onelyonly take care of the maine, but to keepe the least; so he saith, that a man should not onelyonly not sweare great oathes, or not forsweare himselfe, but let your yea be yea, and your nay nay, saith our Sauiour in the same Chapter. And so for that command, Thou shalt not commit adultery, (I giuegive you the instances in that Chapter, because Christ giues them vponupon the same occasion; saith he, he that breaks the least commandement, he that doth not keepe eueryevery iot of the command, he shall not come to Heauen.) As for that command of Adultery, though thou keepe the maine, if thou lust in thy heart, that is, if a man admit lasciuious thoughts, adulterous lustfull thoughts, though he keepe the maine Commandement, the maine duty which is there commanded, yet he walks not exactly; there is a necessity laid vponupon him, Hee that keepes not eueryevery iot of the command, shall not enter into Heauen; so that you must hauehave respect to the whole rule, and to eueryevery particular command.
And lastly, you must doe it at all times, Psal. 106. vers. vlt. Blessed is hee that doth iustice, 3 Do it at all times.and loues righteousnesse at all times; otherwise a man cannot be exact; he that doth it by fits and flashes, that walkes exactly one day, and is out againe another, this man is said not to walke exactly, he walks with God by fits, as he that lookes to halfe the rule, he walls but by halues; if either of these be, that he walks Exactnesse required in three respects.but by halues or by fits, he is not exact: thus much shall bee said for the explication. Now this exactnesse is required in three respects.
First, in respect of a mans person, that hee bee clothed with all the graces of the spirit 1 In regard of the person.that there be none wanting, there must bee a generality in that, and therefore in 2 Pet. 1. we see the graces are put together, GiueGive all diligence that you ioyne with vertue faith, with faith 2 Pet. 1.knowledge, with knowledge temperance, with temperance patience, &c. that is, as if he should say, a Christian must not bee adorned with some graces of the spirit onelyonly, but hee must hauehave eueryevery one, he must be exact, he must hauehave the whole clothing, the whole Image of God, for Image of God what.the Image of God is nothing else but the happy cluster of these graces: now put the case that any of these be wanting, then you shall see what a defect it will cause; if a man hauehave faith, if hee want vertue, that is, if his faith shew not it selfe in workes, if it be not a working vertuall faith, what will his faith profit him. If he be zealous and ready to the worke, if there be vertue in him, if he want knowledge to guide, and direct him, and turne him, hee must needs erre exceedingly; and therefore he must ioyne to vertue knowledge, if he hauehave knowledge that he know what to doe, if there doe not come in the practice of other graces, if he be intemperate, it will lie as a blot vponupon him, there will be great inconcinnity in his carriage, if he hauehave other vertues and want one; suppose if he be temperate, yet if he be an impatient man, this becomes not one of those vponupon whom Gods Name is called; it becomes a Christian to hauehave his person adorned with eueryevery grace, because God requires so much beauty in him, in Cant. 4. 7. saith Christ to his Cant. 4. 7.Church, Thou art all faire my louelove, there is no spot in thee; that is, thou art adorned with all the graces of the spirit, there is not one wanting, for there is such a generality required, such is the beauty of a man in Christ, the whole frame of grace is in him: therefore Christ is said to worke grace for grace, the meaning is, for eueryevery grace in himselfe, he hath stamped another in vsus; as the seale giues print for print, in the wax character for character, and as the father to Simile.the sonne limbe for limbe, and member for member; so Christ to his Saints, hee workes grace for grace, that is, as hee himselfe hath the whole frame of grace in his owne heart, as the Image of God is perfect in him: so all that he changeth, all that are borne of him, not of the will of the flesh but of the will of God, they hauehave the same that he hath; not in degree, no childe hath his members in the same degree Simile.as the father hath, hee hath them as a childe, the other hath them as a perfect man; so eueryevery Christian hath them in the degree of a childe, and yet he must be exact in all in respect of his person.
Secondly, this exactnesse is required in regard of his actions, all the actions that the 2 In regard of the actions.holy man hath to doe are to be exact, therefore it is a rule of the Schoolemen, an action cannot be good except all be good in it, except all the circumstances be good, if there be one wanting the action is euill; this is required Circumstances must be good in a good action.of necessity to walke exactly, that is, take any action we doe, if either the principle of it be not good, that it comes from carnall feare, or from carnall louelove and desire, or else the end is not good, or the circumstances are not good; to pray, and not to pray feruently; to shew mercy, and not with cheerefulnesse; to keepe the Sabbath, and not with delight; and and so you may runne thorow what particulars you will, the wanting of any of these circumstances makes it an euill action; and therfore in regard of his actions he must be exact.
Thirdly, in regard of others it is necessary that he walke exactly, as in Iames 1. This is pure 3 In regard of others.religion and vndefiled to keepe a mans selfe vnspotted of the world; now if a man will be Iames 1. vlt.vnspotted of the world, hee must bee exact in all things; if hee faile but a little the world will blot him and blaze his name all ouer, that no place shall be empty of it, if there bee any spot in him. It is true, the applause of the world is not to be greedily looked for, but yet in this case eueryevery Christian should be like Absalom, there should be no blemish in him from top to toe, he should labour to bee so blamelesse in all his conuersation, to doe as Zachary and Elizabeth, to walke in all the Commandements without reproofe, so that a Christian in regard of his person, in regard of his actions, in regard of others, hee must walke exactly.
But now in this point that I hauehave deliuered Quest.there is somewhat more than this, it is required I say of eueryevery Christian, that hee walke exactly before God in all things, here comes in a question or obiection, when I say it is required of them; the question is now whether it be of necessity or no, that it be so laid vponupon eueryevery Christian, that they cannot keepe in good termes with God, that they can hauehave no assurance of their owne good estate except they doe it? whether it be laid vponupon them of such necessity or no, to keepe such exactnesse in their conuersation?
To this I answer: this precept, as well as any in the Booke of God, is to be kept Euangelically, Answ. How this precept of exactnesse is to bee kept.though we cannot keepe it Legally; that is, we must endeuour to the vtmost of our power to doe it, to striue with all our might, wee must intend, and desire, and purpose to doe it, and we must hauehave endeuours answerable to our purposes; this necessity lies vponupon eueryevery man to walke exactly, that is, to allow himselfe in nothing that is a knowne sinne, there may be many failings out of passion, a man may be transported out of incogitancy, out of inaduertancy, because many things passe from him that he is not able to consider of; but let it come to this case, to be a knowne sinne, if he allow himselfe in it, this is a breach of the Euangelicall keeping of this Commandement, which requires that a man walke exactly, and this lies vponupon eueryevery one of necessity, that hee doe not admit of any knowne sinne in his conuersation, but in that respect to walke exactly, and that will bee manifested by Reasons why Christians should walke exactly.these reasons.
First, if there be but one thing in your conuersation (pitch where you will) be it greater Reason 1. Else there will be a breach betwixt God and vsus.or smaller, if it come to be a knowne sinne, if it be reuealed, that you know such a thing is a duty, or such a thing is a sinne; now if a man walke not exactly in that, hee makes a breach betweene God and him: as it is with two friends, if there come but a small matter Simile.wherein they differ, that falling betweene them, if neither of them yeeld, it makes an vtter breach and separation betweene them; so let it be a matter of lesse moment, take the least sinne, or the neglect of the least duty, yet when I know this thing God requires at my hands, it is a thing that God will hauehave done; when a man now lies in the contrary and will not doe it, certainly God will not yeeld, and if hee doe not, it makes a breach betweene them, it makes a separation betweene God and him: As it is with a Prince, if hee command a man to doe any thing, when he proclaimes Simile.it, when there is authority put vponupon it, when it is made knowne to him in particular, the standing out makes him a rebell; so it is in this, the standing out with God in any part of our conuersation, if we be not exact in all, it puts vsus into a state of separation from God.
Secondly, except a man walke thus exactly Reason 2. Else what a man doth, is for himselfe and not for the Lord.with God in all things, it is euident that what he doth, hee doth it for himselfe and not for the Lord, and if he doe so it is not accepted of God; I say what he doth, it is for himselfe and not for the Lord, for if he performe that obedience which hee doth for the Lord, and for his Commandement to please him, what is the reason that he goes not to the vtmost? why doth hee set limits to himselfe, for God requires that we should doe his will on earth as it is done in Heauen? his commandement is, that we should goe to the vtmost of eueryevery command; now when wee limit our selues in holinesse, when we come to such thoughts as these, well; I will hauehave as much as will bring me to Heauen, I will labour for so much exactnesse of conuersation, as will keepe me in the state of grace, as much as will preserue me from hell; I say the ground of all such conuersation is nothing out of a mans selfe; it is but regard to himselfe, hee doth but onelyonly looke at his owne saluation and no more, which is a thing I confesse that may be looked at, but to looke at nothing else, is selfe-louelove; when a man lookes at nothing but his owne saluation, and how he may escape hell, that man cannot bee right; now when a man sets himselfe limits, and circumscribes himselfe, and saith with himselfe I will goe thus farre and no further, when he doth not endeuour to come to the vtmost, to the highest peg, it is a signe his heart is not vpright, therefore there is a necessity laid vponupon eueryevery man, that he walke exactly with God in all things.
Thirdly, take any particular in a mans conuersation wherein he fauoureth himselfe, if he Reason 3. Else it argues a man is not in Christ.be ouercome of that, he is not in Christ, whosoeuer is in Christ ouercommeth the world and the flesh, saith the Apostle, Gal. 5. Whosoeuer Gal. 5.is in Christ crucifieth the flesh and the affections, and ouercomes the Deuill, as wee know the stronger man casts out the strong man; now when any one particular of these lusts of the flesh, or the temptations of the world, or the deuill, shall come and set vponupon a man, if he yeeld to this he is ouercome of it, whereas none of those that are in Christ are ouercome of the world, or of the flesh, or of the deuill; that is, if there be any particular Simile.sinne (for they are but souldiers that fight vnderunder those Generals and Captaines) if a man once yeeld to it, if a man giuegive ouer striuing against it, a man is said properly to bee ouercome; whereas if a man continue warring To be ouercome what.with sinne, it is another case, but when hee giues ouer resisting, as the Apostle saith, His seruants you are, whom you obey: if a man come to obey any sinne, whatsoeuer hee is in the whole course of his conuersation, it interrupts this exactnesse; when he yeelds, hee is ouercome; As we say water and fire, as long as they Simile.contend one with another, neither is ouercome; but when they yeeld one to another, when the fire is turned all to be water, then it is ouercome; so in this case, when there is a contestation betweene vsus and sinne, if wee yeeld to it, then sinne ouercomes vsus, and hee that is ouercome of sinne cannot be in Christ.
Fourthly, if there be any particular sinne in a mans conuersation wherein hee doth allow Reason 4. Else no meanes can be profitable.himselfe, it hinders the vse of all meanes and the profit of them, that neither a man is able to pray, or able to heare, or able to doe any duty as he ought: So that as a medicine is applied Simile.in vaine so long as the Arrow head is in the wound, that must be remoued first before it can worke any cure; so let there be but one sinne, one failing in this exactnesse of conuersation, and all the meanes of grace are in vaine: therefore there is a necessity lies vponupon eueryevery man, if he will be a Christian, if he will reckon himselfe of the number of those that are the children of light, that he walke exactly. But not to stand to presse this further, to make some briefe vse of it, for I desire to come to the other part, Not as fooles, but as wise.
The vse we are to make of this, is to set our Vse. To labour for this exactnesse.selues about the worke, to doe the thing, to labour to walke exactly, and here it is good to bring our selues to particulars. Come to the keeping of the Sabbath, I would but aske this In keeping the Sabbath.question, Whether the day be not holy? whether it differ not from other daies that are common daies? and if it bee not holy, why doe you doe any thing at all? and if it be holy, is not a holy day to be kept holy? why doe you not keepe it exactly to God? And for Prayer, when you come to call vponupon the Name In Prayer.of God, it is not the slight performance of the duty that God lookes for, it is another thing, hee takes your prayers by weight and not by number, therefore looke you doe it exactly; so in receiuing the Sacrament, and all In receiuing the Sacrament.duties, I leaue it to your selues to consider particulars: and so for the duties of your Calling, In our particular calling.to be diligent in them, to serue God and men in them with the fatnesse and sweetnesse of them: and so for sports and recreations, to be exact in them, and not to vse those In Recreations.that be vnlawfull, and those that bee lawfull, not to vse them excessiuely, but to vse them with limitations, and to put right ends vponupon them; and so in all businesse and conuersing with men, in all the turnings and passages of a mans life, looke that you walke exactly, that your obedience bee generall, otherwise that is a signe the heart is not changed, a man is not right borne till he come to walke exactly with God, till he be willing to performe eueryevery duty, and willing to shunne eueryevery sinne that hee knowes, eueryevery thing that hath a tincture of sinne, if the heart be right there will be an antipathy betweene vsus and whatsoeuer is called sinne; otherwise what is the power of Religion, if wee onelyonly doe duties that are facile and easie, to which wee hauehave no contrary disposition, it were an easie thing then to be religious, but herein is the power of Religion, to subdue eueryevery affection, to subiect it, where there is a strong streame of a contrary The power of Religion what.disposition to turne the course of nature, to obey God when a man finds the greatest difficulties, in the time of temptation and triall to doe it, this is that which is necessary for vsus, otherwise the truth is, wee serue the flesh and not God, saith Iames, Iam. 2. The same Iam. 2.God that said thou shalt not murder, said also thou shalt not commit adultery; so I say to eueryevery man that failes in any particular, and allowes himselfe to lie in any particular sinne that he will hauehave his liberty in, I say, hath not God said, thou shalt not doe this as well as that, and if thou doest one duty to God out of louelove and respect to him, or if thou didst abstaine from any sinne because he forbids thee, doth not he forbid thee that as well as this, and he hath commanded thee this duty as well as the other, why doest thou not performe all then? A little leake will sinke and drowne a Ship as well as a great breach; one disease will take Simile.away the life as well as many; so one sinne, one failing in this exactnesse of conuersation is enough to destroy vsus, it is enough to put vsus out of a right condition in Gods sight, therefore learne to walke exactly, beware of bywaies, which though it may be hidden from the eyes of men, yet God knowes it that sees in secret; for that is a common course: Men doe as wandring stars which are carried about with the rest of the Heauens, and yet they Simile.creepe backe by a contrary way, which is their owne proper motion; so it is the custome of men to doe as others doe for the outside, to come to Church, to abstaine from grosse sins, to liue ciuilly, to deale iustly with men in their common course, but they hauehave a proper course of their owne. Labour to be exact, take heed, know that God obserues you, and know this, that that hath beene the practice of the Saints, it is not a thing impossible to be done, we must not set vponupon it as vponupon a thing that Instances of exact walking.none can reach to, looke on Moses, see his manner of walking, when God commanded him to goe with all that he had out of Egypt, he would not leaue so much as a hoofe behind him, he would doe it exactly; looke on Paul, he knew nothing by himselfe, that is, he kept a cleere conscience in all things, though hee were not thereby iustified; looke on Samuel and his walking, hee calls the people to him, and saith to them, what hauehave I done amisse? whom hauehave I wronged? Whose oxe or whose asse hauehave I taken?
Againe, see those that faile in this, and wee shall see that it is not a slight matter; Saul Instances of those that walked not exactly.walked with God, but because hee did not walke exactly, because he offered sacrifice before hee should, you would thinke it a small matter, but because he did not destroy, but spared Agag, God reiected him. So Nadab and Abihu, when they offered sacrifice, you would thinke it to bee no great matter, a circumstance, and will not common fire serue the turne? but they were consumed for not walking exactly; looke vponupon the Prophet that did not keepe him close to the word of God, as hee returned backe hee was slaine of a Lion; looke vponupon Balaam, he walked with a faire outside, yet because he was not exact (for God saw the falsenesse of his heart) God saw the secret by-ends that he had in it, & for this cause God reiected him, therfore take heed that you walke exactly.
Not as fooles, but as wise.
It is our wisdome to doe so (to speake a It is wisdome to walke exactly.word or two of that) to doe that which God hath appointed a man to doe, to doe that which the rule of wisdome hath appointed, that must needs be the wisest way; now it is the rule of wisdome that commands vsus to walke exactly; and as he is the best writer that comes neerest his copy, and he the best Carpenter Simile.that comes neerest his rule appointed him, so hee is the wisest man that comes neerest the rule of wisdome, which is the booke of God, which exhorts vsus to walke exactly.
Againe, to be guided by God, who is the wisest, is it not the wisest way? it is Gods appointment that we should walke exactly, examine the properties of wisdome, and we shall fee what cause there is to reckon it to be wisdome to walke exactly.
First, the maine property of wisdome is, The properties of wisdome.when a man lookes to the generall vniuersall end of his life, and frames all things according to that, for therein properly wisdome or prudence consists; when a man lookes aright to the vtmost and generall end of his life, for a 1 To direct all actions to an vniuersall end.man either to looke to no end, or to bee as those that roll vp and downe at randome, men that hauehave no particular scope to which they direct all their actions, this is grosse folly.
But besides this, if a man hauehave no end, or if it be but a particular end, he is not said to be a wise man, he may be said to be a wise Pilot, or a wise States-man, or a wise Merchant, or a wise Warriour that sets such particular ends; and so we may goe thorow all, but he can neuer be said to be a wise man, except he looke Note.aright to the generall scope and the generall end of his life; now he that walkes with God perfectly, he only is a wise man, because hee onelyonly lookes at the generall frame and course of his life aright. The cause of all our errors (as one saith) is because we looke onelyonly vponupon The cause of errours.part of our life, wee looke not to the whole, we hauehave not our eye vponupon the generall scope and aime of our life, and therefore we walke vnprudently, he onelyonly is a wise man (I say) that frames the whole course of his life aright, and therefore wisdome hath that excellency aboue all other things, because it lookes to the end; as the end is best, so any error about the end is worst (saith a Diuine,) as the end is best, so folly, and imprudence, and error concerning Errour about the end the greatest.the end is the greatest error: therefore the Scripture calls this wisdome godlinesse, and this folly wickednesse, the best and worst names that can be; therefore if this be wisdome for a man to frame the whole course of his life aright, to looke to the generall end, to be sure that his scope be good, then he is the wisest man that walkes exactly with God, whatsoeuer he be in other things, this makes him a wise man.
Secondly, this is a property of wisdome for a man not only to know, but to put in execution, 2 To put a man vponupon practice. Difference betweene prudence and other arts.that is the difference betweene prudence and other arts; in other arts, he that knowes what is best, is the best Artist, but in matter of prudence, he that knowes what to doe, and practiseth not, is of all other the most foolish; and therefore action is a chiefe property of wisdome, there is this requisite to prudence to inuent the worke aright, and to put it in execution: therefore hee that walkes exactly, he that not only knowes what to doe, but in good earnest doth it, hee is the wisest man. Men are not to be iudged according to their knowledge, or according to their habits, but How men are to be esteemed.according to the act, according to their execution and practice, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 2. God shall iudge men according to their workes.
Againe, another property of wisdome is, when a man not only lookes vponupon one part of 3 To looke to eueryevery part of his businesse.his businesse, but he lookes round about it, he lookes in all the nooks and corners of it; it is the ground of errour, when a man lookes vponupon one part that drawes him on to the worke, but he lookes not round about, to see the discommodities, to looke to all: if this be wisdome, then to walke with God perfectly is the greatest wisdome; take any other man that doth it not, that steps aside out of the waies of God, that walkes not exactly with him, that goes out and seekes some profit for himselfe or some credit, that steps out for some sinfull lust, to satisfie some pleasure which hee thinkes will bee great aduantage to him, to hauehave this which others want, what is the reason of this? because he is not wise, he lookes but vponupon one part; if he did looke round about, if he did put the antecedent and the consequent together, if he would summe vp all his life together, hee would see that that were not the best way, he would see that that would bring him much misery, and that the abstaining from that sinne would bring him much happinesse: thus he would thinke if all were put together, but when he lookes on one part, and not on all, hence it is that men walke not exactly.
Againe, it is another property of wisdome, for a man not to looke on the outside, but to 4 To looke on the inside of things.looke on the inside of things; fooles looke on the outside, but wise men see the inside, they see the sap in the tree; when a man looks only Simile.on the outside, he is subiect to be taken with the snare, when he sees the Corne spread, and sees not the net, but a wise man sees the hooke in the bait: the most precious things in the world, their carriage is base, their outside is Simile.base, the worst things are gilded, and men for the most part, for want of wisdome, take the things that are gawdy on the outside, and leaue the other. As the Apostle saith, We are as men of sorrow, though indeed wee reioyce as men hauing nothing, though we possesse all things; his meaning is, the outside is meane, the outside is base; is it not prudence through the gold to see the base metals, to see the thing that is bad indeed, to see the vanity, and folly, and deformity of sinne, that God hath forbid vsus to commit; to see the false glosses of Satan that he puts vponupon sin, to see the base metall within: and on the otherside to see the excellency of spirituall things? They that walke exactly they see the inside: Moses had two things presented to him, to suffer afflictions with the people of God, the outside was bad enough, or to enioy the pleasures of sinne, the treasures of Aegypt that he might hauehave had in Pharaohs court, here the outside was good, this was his wisdome to see thorow both these; he that walks perfectly with God, hee sees the inside of things, he sees that God neglects things that hauehave an outward glosse, and cleaues to things that though the outside be base, yet in themselues they are excellent and precious. I should hauehave come to some exhortation, but the time is past: so much shall serue for this time.
FINIS.