Circumspect Walking, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Rules of wisedome concerning our actions, that in all of them we may shew forth Christian prudence and circums…ection: and first in generall.
FIrst, eueryevery Christian is to examine the worke he is to doe,Rules for our actions in general. 1. Examine what thou art doing. whether he be about a good work, wherof he may expect comfort, Gal. 6▪ 3 Let eueryevery man proue his owne worke, and so he shall hauehave comfort in himselfe. And good reason: for his work must be tried afterwards, and therefore it is wisedome to try it beforehand. And the same rule of examining it, is now, and shall be hereafter.This triall stands' in 4. things. 1. Whether good in the matter This tryall stands in foure things: 1. Whether it be good in it selfe, and in the matter of it: if it be lawfull, if it be commanded, The rule for the goodnesse of any action is the word of God: What I command thee, Deu. 12. 32that doe onelyonly. Or else it will be asked,Esa 1. 12. Who required those things at your hands? And for the matter of our actions, we hauehave a special rule, Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoeuer things are true, honest, iust, pure; whatsoeuer things pertaine to louelove, and are of good report; if there be any vertue or praise, thinke on these things. And Rom. 12. 17. and 1 Cor. 8. 21. Prouide things that are honest, not onelyonly before the Lord, but also before men. 2. Examine whether it be good in the doer, 2. If good in the manner.vndertaken by vertue of a speciall calling, and answerable to that duty which himselfe oweth to God or man. God vpholdeth the societies of men by order; which is, when eueryevery man keeps his owne standing, and eueryevery one moues (as the seuerall starres) but eueryevery one in his owne spheare, not troubling the motion of another. So publike men should attend the publike office; and priuate men reforme in priuate, but let the publike alone. For Christ reproued Peters curiosity, in asking what Iohn should doe, Ioh. 21. 21. And the sonnes of Sceua wanted calling for an action that was good in it selfe,Act. 19. 15, 16. and therefore were torne and wounded of the Diuell. 3. Examine whether it be good in the circumstances,3. If good in circumstances. seasonable and conuenient, or whether the season serue not for some better action then that. For wisedome will intend of necessaries the most necessary, and of profits the most profitable. 4. Examine whether the action now to bee done bee good in the ends of it,4. If good in the ends which especially are two, 1. Gods glory, 1 Cor. 10. 3. Let all be done to the glory of God. 2. The good and edification of our brethen, 1 Cor. 14. 26. Let all be done to edifying: yea, seeking their profit in some cases aboue our owne.2. Finding the action good, spoil it not …y … handling. Then,
Secondly, if by examination wee finde the actions good in themselues, in vsus, in circumstances, and ends, wee must bee carefull wee spoile not good actions by ill handling, but endeuour to doe good actions well, and to good matter adde a good manner of doing. Now the right manner of doing a good action well,The right manner of doing a good action in three things. stands in three things: To vndertake them holily: To doe them sincerely: And to finish them humbly. The first is, when we begin them with prayer: for as in all matters, small and great, wee are to take counsell at Gods mouth; so wee are to begge leaue and blessing at least secretly to our selues, without which nothing is sanctified vntounto vsus. The second is, when wee doe things sincerely, as in Gods sight, with a good heart, and keeping good conscience; that a man if he be questioned in any thing, may be able to say with Abimilech, Gen. 20. 5. With an vpright heart did I this thing: and whatsoeuer may befall him for well-doing, hee may appeale to God with Hezekiah, Esa. 38 3.and say, Lord remember that I hauehave walked vprightly before thee. The third is, when in affecting all our best actions wee labour to see our defects and wants, and mourne that wee neither doe that wee should doe, nor in the manner we should. Wherof there will bee three notable fruits: 1. This will breed and nourish humility. 2. It will driue vsus out to Christ to get a couering. 3. It will make vsus ascribe all the glory of our actions to God, of whom we hauehave not only all the power, but euen the will and purpose: Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed according to his good pleasure.