Seven Treatises, Treatise 4 · Chapter 6
CHAP. 6. Of the fift reaſon, ſixe, ſeuen, and eight.
The fift, that daily direction is fitteſt to keepe vsus well, while we be well: and to raiſe vsus vp being fallen.FVrthermore, if a certaine direction daily to guide vsus, doth beſt keep vsus well, when we be wel, and when we ſtep aſide or wander out of the way by any occaſion, if this be fitteſt to bring vsus eaſily to conſideration of our ſelues, and hold vsus from going further from God: if (I ſay) it be the beſt and fitteſt eſtate, thus to order well, and ſettle our liues, in compariſon of any other; then who doubteth, but that it is chiefly to be laboured for, and looked after, and holden as moſt neceſſarie? But that it is ſo, who can denie? who will ſay, but that he which reſolueth with himſelfe euerie morning, to looke to his waies all the daie following, and to keepe a good conſcience towards God and men, and for that purpoſe ſetteth himſelfe to follow ſuch ſpeciall and particular rules, as by the which this may be beſt effected, ſhall in farre better ſort performe this (bringing the daie to a good end) then they, who though they be in Chriſt alſo, yet are not ſo prepared and well furniſhed?
I meane ſuch as hauehave onelyonly a minde to doe well in generall, but doe not particularly ſet themſelues to obſerue their waies, but as it falleth out (which is the caſe of many) much leſſe doe they one daie as well as another, keepe an euen courſe: for they omitting their care any one daie, are the eaſilier brought to the like ſecuritie many daies after. Which men, although I denie not, but in ſome of their actions, and at ſome time, doe honour God highly, and performe many duties well (and that is for the moſt part when they hauehave been quickned by the preaching of the word, or their owne meditation and prayer, or reading, &c.) yet they being vſually carried, by ſuch libertie taking to themſelues, farre out of the way, doe pull downe againe that, which they had builded, and cauſe their holy profeſsion to be ill ſpoken of, and the former commendation of them to become ridiculous: and are themſelues ſoone vnſetled by eueryevery light occaſion, dulled by worldlie dealings, vnquiet by prouocations, incenſed to reuenge by iniuries, and much eſtraunged from the life of godlines in many points; whereas ſome proportion and ſutable agreement ſhould bee in the whole courſe of Chriſtians. And yet thus it will be, as I hauehave ſaid (which is bad enough, if it bee well weighed) with ſuch Chriſtians, as doe not learne how, and ſeeke with all diligence, to be able to preuent ſuch daungers.
All good Chriſtians being alike ſubiect to ſinne, muſt alike be fenced againſt it.For they being ſubiect to the ſame infirmities, occaſions of offending, and prouocations inward and outward, vntounto the which the beſt armed people of God are; and yet not ſo afraide and ſuſpitious of them, not daily making it the chiefeſt matter to walke well fenced againſt them (as the others doe) which without a dailie and continuall watch (as farre as frailtie will permit) cannot bee, they muſt needes finde much diſcontentment in their liues, and diſcomfort, as alſo far more looſenes and diſtemperature, then the other doe. Beſides this, they not accuſtoming themſelues to any certaine courſe of walking with God, nor following any direction to order their waies, they doe bring this burthen vponupon themſelues, that when they are fallen, they lie long, and hardly riſe vp againe, and make it alſo an harder matter for them to ſerue God (as they were wont to doe) vnleſſe (which is worſt of all) they make a light matter of ſinne, and ſo returne too haſtily for merciemercy to God, before they hauehave well weighed and conſidered their falles and offences: And by this, conſider on the contrarie, what the ſafetie of the other is, who count Gods ſeruice perfit freedome, and therefore will not be drawne from it at any time; or if they fall, yet lie not ſtill, becauſe they hauehave ſetled themſelues to be well guided daily.
Beſides all that hath been ſaid,The ſixt reaſon drawne from the ten commaundements, being perpetuall. this appeareth cleerely that God looketh for it, that Chriſtians ſhould eueryevery daie be directed as well as ſome one daie, by the order that he hath ſet in the tenne commaundements. For whereas all dutie to bee performed of vsus, is either to bee ſhewed towards God or men: he to teach vsus in what ſort and manner this is to bee done, hath thus ſet downe his will vntounto vsus, ſaying. Concerning my ſelfe,A commaundement, a perpetuall rule to worſhip God by, daily. for the ſixe daies throughout the weeke, yeare, your whole life, worſhip and ſerue me, both inwardlie and outwardlie, as in the three firſt commaundements I hauehave bound you; and on the ſeuenth daie, as the fourth commaundement inioyneth. And this is your direction in all dutie to me for euer.And to liue with men daily. Concerning men, without any reſpect of any daie or particular time, frame your ſelues daily and alwaies, as the ſixe laſt commaundements doe require. Who doth not ſee, that the Lord, ſetting downe his minde in the commaundements after this manner, hath of purpoſe ſet downe a perpetuall direction for his people throughout their pilgrimage?
For though all ſee it not, neither conſider it, what then? Shall the will of God be of no effect, becauſe of the ignorance of men? but they who ſee the will and meaning of God aright in them, ſee no leſſe thē this, that I hauehave ſaid. Neither let any obiect here, that there is no other direction giuen vsus, then generally to follow the commandements for our guide, ſeeing eueryevery commandement is to be vnderſtood ſpiritually: and therefore reacheth to all particulars of that kind, yea euen thoſe which are inward. For he ſetteth downe more then that, namely, that both on the ſixe daies and euerie of them, one euen courſe of worſhipping and ſeruing him be vſed and aimed at in our particular actions; and on the ſeuenth daie, another perpetuallie to bee obſerued on the ſabboth for euer, diuers from the former. And becauſe the duties that wee owe to men are in the ſixe laſt commaundements indifferentlie, on all the ſeuen daies to be performed: therefore indifferentlie on the one, as well as on the other (and not at our pleaſure when wee liſt, or as we thinke good) our care to practiſe and faithfullie endeuour after them, is to bee continued, and ſo the contrarie ſinnes in like ſort are to be renounced. Now in that many of Gods people ſee it not to be thus, nor make any ſuch vſe of it, it is by reaſon of their ignorance of Gods will in the commaundements, and vnwillingnes to take paine about the ſame, and vnacquaintance with a daily endeuouring and ſetting themſelues to the particular practiſing of dutie in eueryevery commaundement, according to their knowledge, as eueryevery one hath heard the ſame laid open vntounto him.
The ſeuenth reaſon, holines ſhould be on all daies. Gal. 4.10.But further, that we ſhould thus be fullie reſolued eueryevery daie to liue religiouſlie, and that in particular, and not ſerue God by the groſſe; it is plainelie declared in the Epiſtle to the Galathians: namely, that we ſhould not eſteeme one day aboue another, neither attribute holines to one, more then to another, and ſo neglect one in regard of another.Obiection. And although it may be ſaid, that they in ſo putting difference in daies, did therein ſhew themſelues ſuperſtitious; but we are not ſo to bee iudged of, though wee doe not as carefullie worſhip and obey God one daie as another:Anſwere. I anſwere, that both in that place and to the Coloſſians,Col. 2.16. he rebuking that ſinne of putting difference in daies, doth condemne as well our ſecuritie, who ſeeke not to glorifie God as ſincerelie and holilie, on one daie as another; as their ſuperſtition who groſlie thought one daie holier then another. And conſequentlie, looke what certaine and cleare rules the Scripture giueth vsus, for directing our liues one daie, the ſame muſt conſcionablie bee applied to eueryevery daie. And in this reſpect the ſabboth it ſelfe, though appointed by God to holie exerciſes more then other; yet is neither in it ſelfe holier then other; nor we to thinke, that we may be leſſe holie on other daies, then on that: but ſo to looke to our hearts and our waies, that although eueryevery daie cannot bee as the Sabboth, through want of the helps, which on that daie we may inioy, and by reaſon of many hinderances, which fall out on other daies rather then on it: yet wee ſhould endeuour to walke in the ſanctification of our hearts, and innocencie of life on the other daies, as well as on that.
The eight reaſon drawne from our conuerſation. Phil. 3.20. Phil. 1.27.And to conclude, if our conuerſation muſt be in heauen, euen whiles we liue here on earth: that is, if our whole practiſe and courſe, not ſome part of it, ought to bee ſquared out after the heauenly patterne of the word of God: then who ſeeth not, that we muſt be ſetled after ſom godly directiō one day as another, to glorifie God in our conuerſation?Obiection. Neither let any obiect, that becauſe the ſeuerall actions of our life are many and infinit, therefore no certaine rules can bee propounded to bee followed of vsus:Anſwere. for as many as they are, both throughout the daie, and the whole yeare, yea our life; yet may they all be brought vnderunder, and fitly referred to a few rules, which will ſhew when we be well gouerned, and when it is otherwiſe with vsus.
And if it were not thus, that we both may and ought to be daily guided by ſome certaine and good direction, and hauehave our hearts alſo readily diſpoſed, ordinarilie and for the moſt part, throughout the daie, vntounto eueryevery good worke: then in vaine ſhould that be written, which being ſpoken of Dauid muſt be practiſed of all the faithfull: I beheld the Lord alwayes before me (that is, I liued by faith) that I might not be ſhaken, Act. 2.25. Or if we will ſay, we neede not that conſtant heede taking, it muſt needes follow, that our hearts would be ranging out ſo many waies amiſſe, that we ſhould be driuen to exceeding toyle to bring them backe againe: and yet ſhould not alwaies obtaine it neither, though wee laboured for it earneſtly. And ſo we ſhould make a deadlie and endles toyle of godlines, and yet be farre from the power of it, and fall ſo oft and ſo dangerouſly, that it would breede ſore diſcouragement from ſeeking to riſe vp, and recouer our ſelues againe; much leſſe ſhould we perſwade other by our example to feare God: and we muſt of neceſſitie leaue vndone many duties which ought to be done, and ſo breede miſerable diſtractions, ſo that the life of God in vsus ſhould weakely and litle be diſcerned. Lo, ſuch effects would follow this looſeneſſe and libertie-taking, when according to that which we know of God, we ſhould not honour him as God. Rom. 1.21.As I am my ſelfe priuie to it, that it is the caſe of many weake brethren, who yet (it is to be hoped) feare God: and yet for that they will oft take libertie which God alloweth them not, (ſtolne waters being ſweete to them) they purchaſe for an inch of vaine pleaſure, an elle of ſorrow; and when they would after come backe againe to an holy courſe, either they dare not, or know not how to do it, or be aſhamed: as the idle ſcholar is to goe to his booke againe, when (through his negligence) his fellowes are got before him. And by this which hath bene ſaid, it may eaſily appeare, that the Lord doth require in his word, that ſuch as beleeue vntounto ſaluation, ſhall renew their care to glorifie him in their Chriſtian conuerſation, and therefore eueryevery day to be conſtant therein, and ſet themſelues earneſtly thereto: and if they fall by infirmitie, not to lye ſtill, but ſpeedily recouer. He will alſo hauehave them to know that it is a ſore blemiſh in them, to be looſe and vnſtable in a godly life, ſometime hauing their hearts in awe, and ſometime not, and ſo their tongues and liues after the ſame manner: which ſeruice God abhorreth.Note. And therefore we may be ſure, that much more the diſordered life of many profeſſors, and ciuill perſons whoſe irreligious liues are couered with ſome outward exerciſes of religion, are nothing leſſe then pleaſing to God, but vtterly abhominable. Now ſeeing all duties cannot be practiſed eueryevery day, and yet eueryevery day muſt be paſſed holily: we muſt of neceſſitie ſee how to be guided daily; ſo that neither we neglect thoſe which muſt be done daily, nor our conſciences be not troubled for omitting thoſe, which we are by no neceſſarie bond of Gods word tyed to performe, Act. 23.1. And of the reaſons why the beleeuer ſhould be directed eueryevery day to liue godly, which are the ſumme of the firſt part of this treatiſe, thus much.