The Christians Daily Walk in Holy Security and Peace, Treatise · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. How to walke with God, the whole day, after it is well begunne.
SECTION 1.
VVHen you hauehave thus begun the day by prayer by your ſelfe, thus making your peace with God, & craving his gracious preſence to goe along with you, and for you, that day: you muſt then conſcionably, according to the nature of the day (be it one of the ſixe dayes, or the Sabbath and Lords day) apply your ſelfe to the buſineſſe of that day, whether it be in acts of Religion, or of your perſonall calling, or in any other workes belonging unto you, as you are ſuperiour or inferiour in Family, Church, or Common-wealth; whether it be alſo in acts of bodily repasts, recreation, or ſports, doing all as in Gods ſight.
And becauſe all lawfull buſineſſe is a1 Tim. 4. 5ſanctified by the Word and Prayer, and for that it is part of your calling (as you are Maſter of a Family) to gouerne your people in the feare of GOD, and to teach them to live godly, therefore it is your part to take the fitteſt time in the morning to call them together and pray with them, before which prayer, it will be profitable to read the Scripture in order, with due reverence, taking alſo opportunities in al fit times to inſtruct them in the principles of Religion, oft bDeut. 6 7whetting the Word upon them.
If it be a working day, Betake your ſelfe ordinarily to the worke of your particular calling. For whoſoever hath no calling wherby hee may be profitable to the ſociety of man in Family, Church or Common-wealth: or having a lawfull calling doth not follow it, he liveth c2 Theſ. 3. 10, 11.inordinately. God never made any man for play, or to doe nothing. And whatſoever a man doth, he muſt doe it by vertue of his calling, receiving warrant from it, elſe hee cannot doe it in faith; dHeb 11. 6without which no man can pleaſe GOD. Beſides, whoſoever is called to Chriſtianitie, hath no way to heaven, but by walking with GOD in his e1 Cor. 7. 17. 24.perſonall and particular calling, as well as in his generall calling.
1. That you may doe this, firſt, be ſure that the thing wherabout you labour, either with head, or hand, be lawfull and fHow a mā ſhould carry himſelfe before God in his calling.good.
2. Be gEph. 4. 25.diligent and industrious, for the *Pro. 13. 4ſluggard and idle perſon deſireth, but hath nothing: but the oPro. 10. 4diligent hand maketh rich.
3. Let there be truth, plaineneſſe, and equity in all your dealings with men. h1 The. 4. 6Circumvent and defraud no man. Make not your own gaine the waights and meaſures to trade by. I will propound unto you ſealed waights and rules, according to which, you muſt converſe with all men.
(1) Conſider your neighbours good as well as your owne. Weigh unpartially with your ſelfe what proportionable commoditie (in common eſtimation according to the times) your neighbour is like to have for that which you receive of him. For you muſt iMat. 22. 39love your neighbour as your ſelfe. In whatſoever you have to doe with men, you muſt not looke onelyonly to your owne advantage, but to the benefit alſo of kPhil. 2. 4.your neighbour.
(2) Obſerve the Royall Law, the Standard of all equitie in this kinde: lMat. 7. 12.Whatſoever you (with a rectified judgement and honeſt heart) would that men ſhould doe unto you, doe you even ſo unto them: for this is the Law and the Prophets.
4. Be provident that you letProv. 6. 6, 7, 8 not ſlip your opportunities: and take heed leſt in theſe evill times you be circumvented by fraud, and falſhood, and be inſnared by unneceſſary mPro. 11. …Suretiſhip.
5. Whereas in every callingPro. 22. 26 Prov. 6. 1. to 6. there is a myſterie, and, for the moſt part, each calling and condition of life hath its ſpeciall ſin or ſinnes, which the Devill and cuſtome for gaine or credit ſake amongſt wicked men, hath made to ſeeme lawfull; yea, hath put a kinde of neceſſitie thereupon, which cannot bee ſhunned but with expoſing a mans ſelfe to loſſe, or cenſure: Looke you narrowly by the light of the Word, and by experience to finde out that or thoſe ſinnes, then be as carefull to avoid them.
SECTION 2. Concerning Superiours and Inferiours.
THere are other works alſo, ſuch as concerne you as youRules to direct ſuperiors. are a ſuperiour, and in authoritie, or as you are inferiour and ſubject, either in Familie, Church, or Common-wealth, in doing whereof you muſt take GOD along with you, following the directions of his Word and Spirit.
1. As you are a Superiour, firſt, walke worthy of all honour and due reſpect, carrying your ſelfe in your place with ſuch holines, wiſedome, gravitie, juſtice and mercy, keeping ſuch a meane betweene too much rigour and remiſneſſe, betweene ſtraining your authoritie aLev. 25. 43.too farre, and looſening it too much, that thoſe under your charge may have cauſe both to feare and love you.
2. Wait on your office, and be watchfull over your charge with all diligence and faithfulneſſe, uſing all good meanes to containe them in their duties of b1 Tim. 2 2.Godlineſſe and honeſty; which is the onelyonly end why God hath ſet you over them. The meanes are: (1) Goe before them in good example. Examples of Superiours Meanes wherby ſuperiours may containe inferiours in their duties.have a kind of conſtraining power working powerfully and inſenſibly upon inferiors. (2) cIob 1. 5.Pray with, and for them. (3) Command onelyonly things lawfull, poſſible, and convenient, and onelyonly thoſe to which the extent of your authority from God and man doth allow you. (4) As much as in you is, procure for them the meanes, and put them upon the dExo. 20. 8, 9, 10.opportunities of being, and of doing good. (5) Prevent likewiſe and remove all occaſions of their being, and of doing evill. (6) Protect and defend them, as much as lyeth in you, from all wrongs and injuries. (7) When they doe well, ePſ. 101. 6incourage them, by letting them ſee that you take notice as readily of their well doing, as of their faults; and ſo farre as ſhall be fit, let them have the fPro. 31. 31.praiſe and fruit of their well-doing. (8) When they doe evill, rebuke them with more or leſſe heat of anger, according to the greatneſſe of their fault: but never with gCol. 3. 19 21 Epheſ. 6. 9.bitternes, in rating, and reviling them by tearmes of diſdaine, and baſe contempt. There ſhould bee alwayes more ſtrength of reaſon in your words to convince them of their ſinne, and to make them ſee their danger, and to know how to be reformed; then heat of anger, in uttering your owne diſpleaſure. (1) If admonitions and words will reclaime them, then, proceed not to corrections and blowes: but if they regard not your reproofes, hProv. 29. 15. 17. 19then according to the nature of the fault, and condition of the perſon, and the limits of your authoritie, you muſt, in merciemercy to their ſoule, give them ſufficient, but not exceſſive puniſhment. (10) When you have done thus, and have waited a convenient time for their amendment, but finde none, then, when they declare themſelves to bee rebellious, you muſt iDeut 21. 18, 19, 20, 21 Meanes to keepe governours from abuſing their authority.crave the helpe of higher authority.
That you may governe according to theſe directions: Conſider well and oft, firſt, that thoſe whom you governe, are ſuch whom you muſt not oppreſſe, neither may you rule over them with kLeu. 25. 39. 43.rigour; becauſe they now are, or may be l1 Pet. 3. 7 Philem. 16heires of the ſame grace together with you.
Secondly, Remember oft that you have a mEph. 6. 9. Col. 4. 1.Superiour in heaven, that you are his ſervant and deputie, governing under him; that all your authority is from him, and that all you doe, in governing, muſt be for him, and how at laſt a time will come when you muſt give account to him of your Government.
As you are nEx. 20▪ 12under Authoritie, Rules to direct inferiours.(1) You muſt honour and reverence all whom God hath ſet over you. (2) You muſt oEph. 5 24 & 6. 1. 5. Heb. 13. 17obey them in all ſuch their lawfull commands as are within the compaſſe of their Authoritie and commiſſion, and that with fidelitie, and ſingleneſſe of heart, for the p1 Pet 2. 13, 14. Eph. 6. 5, 6.Lords ſake. (3) You muſt ſubmit to their reproofes, corrections and juſt reſtraints with patience, without murmuring, muttering, and qTit▪ 2. 9.anſwering againe, or reſiſting; For if you doe not ſubmit to the powers that be ordained of God, or if you rRom▪ 13. 2reſiſt them, you rebell againſt God, and doe reſist the ordinance of God: which who ſo doth, ſhall receive to himſelfe damnation. But if you not onelyonly for wrath, but chiefly for ſRom. 13. 5.Conſcience to God doe ſubmit your ſelves to every t1 Pet. 2. 13. 14.ordinance of man, doing therein the uEph 6. 6, 7, 8.will of God from the heart; then, whether men requite you, or not, you ſhall be ſure of the xCol. 3. 24Lord to receive the reward of inheritance: for thus obeying men, you ſerve the Lord Chriſt.
SECTION 3. Touching Repaſts and Recreations.
THe conſtitution of mans ſoule and body is ſuch, that they cannot long endure to bee imployed, and ſtand bent with earneſtneſſe upon any thing, wherefore refreſhing is needful.
Firſt, the whole man is refreſhed by eating and drinking: In which you muſt be firſt holy: ſecondly, iuſt; thirdly, temperate.
1. It was their ſin, which fed themſelves without all aIud. 12.feare of God. Meats and drinkes are not good to a man, if he be not bTit. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 4. 4, 5.pure Rules for eating and drinking.and holy, and if they be not received with prayer and thankeſgiving.
2. You muſt not eat bread cPro. 20. 17 2 The. 3. 12of deceit, or ill gotten food: every man muſt eat his owne bread, God would have no man to eat the *Pro. 4. 17bread of wickedneſſe, nor yet drinke the wine of violence.
3. Moreover, you muſt not eat for gluttony, and dRom. 13. 13 Pro. 23. 20, 21.drunkenneſſe, to pleaſe the pallate, and to glut the appetite; but for *Eccle. 10. 17health and ſtrength.
2. A man when he is wearie, may bee refreſhed likewiſe by varietie and interchange of the duties of his particular, and generall calling. And the beſt Recreation to a ſpiritual mind, when itThe beſt recreation is wearie of worldly imployments, is to walke into eCan. 4. 12 13, 14, 15 And 5. 1.Chriſts garden, and there, by reading and fPſ. 94. 19meditating, ſinging of Pſalmes, gCol. 3. 10and holy conference, you may ſolace your ſelfe with the ſweet comforts of the holy Spirit, and may worke your heart to joy in God, even to ioy in the holy Ghoſt, and to a hPſal. 119 14. 16. 24.delight in the Commandements and Word of God. This is the moſt profitable, moſt raviſhing, and moſt laſting delight of all other. Now, by as much as the ſoule is of a better, and of a more heavenly conſtitution, by ſo much it more contenteth, and ſatisfieth it ſelfe in theſe delights.
Yet ſith Sports, even bodily and naturall delights, are part of our Christian libertie, therefore (taking heed that you abuſe not your libertie) you may when you have need, recreate your ſelfe with them. Now that you may ſport as in Gods ſight, follow theſe directions:
1. The matter of your ſportsRules for ſporting. muſt bee of a common nature, and of things of indifferent uſe. Things holy are too good, and things vicious are too bad to be ſported or played with.
2. Sports muſt bee ſeaſonable for time; Not on the Sabbath day, in which time God forbiddeth all men to ſeeke their iIſa. 58. 13.owne pleaſures. Ordinarily ſports muſt be uſed not before, but after the body or mind hath beene throughly imployed in honeſt buſineſſe. Not over-long to the expence and loſſe of your precious time, which you ſhould ſtudy to kEph. 5. 16rede…me, not to paſſe away.
3. Sports muſt alwayes bee kept within the liſts of l1 Cor. 16 14.Charity, both to your ſelfe, and to your neighbour. If your ſports doe impeach, or hazzard your owne, or your neighbours name, life, eſtate, or comfortable living, your ſport is unlawfull.
4. Although Sports may bee uſed, yet they muſt not be loved, or uſed immoderately to fill your ſelfe with earthly delights, looking at no further or higher end: For as he that eateth and drinketh that hee may enlarge his appetite, that he may yet eate and drinke: ſo he that ſporteth that he may ſport, is brutiſh and ſenſuall. It is very Epicuriſme: God hath threatned that he that mProv. 21. 17.loveth ſports, ſhall be a poore man, and he that loveth wine and oyle, ſhall not be rich.
5. Whatſoever your ſport be, you muſt ſo recreate the outward man, that you be no way worſe, but rather better in the inward man. For God hath ſet ſuch a bleſſed order in all lawfull things; that the meaneſt being lawfully uſed, ſhall not hinder, but further the beſt things.
6. In all ſports you muſt propound the right end: the next and immediate end is to revive your weary body, and to quicken your dull minde: but your furtheſt and principall end is, that with this your refreſhed body and quickned ſpirit, you may the better ſerve, and n1 Cor. 10 31.glorifie God. For, whether you eate or drinke, or whatſoever you doe elſe, let all be done to the glory of God, ſaith the Apoſtle.
Thus much ſhall ſerve for direction how you ſhould walke with God upon any of the ſixe dayes, except there be ſpeciall cauſe of ſetting a day apart for holy uſe, as, for faſting and prayer.