Circumspect Walking, Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
Containing motiues for circumspect walking.
BVt because this accurate and circumspect walking is growne out of request, and men generally are too well contented to walke at aduenture, and (as men that shoot at rouers,) secure themselues in a loose and neglected course, and goe on carelesly, as if there were no danger in wandring from God, and declining from the good way, we will vse some Motiues to prouoke eueryevery Christian that tenders either Gods glory or his owne saluation,Motiues to the former rules. to vndertake this Christian course.
1. In regard of God: 1. Whose commandement is, that all our wayes bee ordered aright, Prou. 4. 26. and that the Saints walke worthy of the Lord, and please him in all things, Col. 1. 10. 2. Whose word must be our rule, to which wee must continually frame our whole course and eueryevery part thereof: for 1. the morall law is a perpetuall rule, binding at all times without any intermission: 2. the precepts of it are to make the Word our continuall Counsellour, to binde it to vsus, not to let it depart, but to meditate in it night and day. And what is it lesse than blasphemy, to charge the Saints with folly, singularity, and a Saintish purity, in that wherin they were most acceptable to God? as, Dauid set the Lord before him continually: and when he professeth his great louelove to the law▪ saith, that all the day long his meditation is in it? Psal. 119. 79. Read we not, that the twelue tribes serued God instantly, night and day? Act. 26. 7. and the Apostles were assured, they had a good concience in all things, Heb. 13. 18. Was this care (so incessant) commendable in them, and is the same godly care now growne a vice, an hatefull practice, or heresie? 3. Who being a God of pure eyes, will strictly stand for iustice. And doe wee feare we can be too strict, who are to giuegive account of eueryevery idle word, and roauing thought, much more of eueryevery vnwarrantable action? Are wee not to passe a strict and strait iudgement, wherein eueryevery secret shall be made open, and in which it shall be rewarded according to our workes? and shall the Deuill delude vsus, or the wicked world make vsus beleeue we need not be so strait laced, as to say with Dauid, I will look to my wayes? Psal. 39. 1.4. Who if he pōder al a mans paths, how ought he himselfe to ponder them? for all the wayes of a man are before the Lord, and hee pondereth all his wayes, Pro. 5. 21.
2. In respect of our selues: no watch or circumspection can be sufficient to vsus, whose natures are carried to euill as naturally as to our ordinary food. The whole frame of the heart of man is euill continually, as ready to receiue any impression of temptation, as the dry tinder a sparke of sire; and not onelyonly to receiue such sparkes, but to conceiue them, and hatch euill, and hammer it out on the anuils of our hard hearts, like cunning workemen. Whence it cannot be auoided, but that without our daily watch, sin must multiply and grow vponupon vsus, euen ouer our heads, to a numberlesse number.
3. In respect of the wicked amongst whom wee liue, who are ready to take all aduantages, and watch for ourfals, both to harden themselues, and reproach through vsus Gods holy religion. For if they can scorne and contemne the seruants of God for well-doing, and religious actions, how would these men of Gath and Askelon, these vncircumcised Philistimes, triumph and glory in the fals of any of Gods Worthies? Hence was the ground of our Sauiors exhortation to his Disciples, Behold, I send you as sheepe among wolues, and therefore be wise as serpents, Mat. 10. 16. Nay, we must not onelyonly by our circumspect wayes stoppe their mouthes, but conuince themselues, and winne them to the same holy profession with vsus: 1 Pet. 3. 1, 2.
4. In respect of our brethren; who some of them are not yet conuerted, some are already called; both whom we offend and scandalize by our vnwatchfull walking, and so the name of God is blasphemed because of vsus that professe it, as the Apostle speakes of hypocriticall Iewes, Rom. 2. 24. Hence are those many exhortations, Col. 4. 5. Walke wisely towards them that are without, least you giuegive them any iust occasion of exception or stumbling: & 1 Cor. 10. 32. GiueGive no offence, neither to the Iewes nor Grecians, nor to the Church of God. And how circumspect had hee need to be, that must walk inoffensiuely betweene the Iew and Gentile, seeing what was giuen to the one, seemed detracted from the other? Yet so much is required to walke, euen betweene the godly and prophane, whose wayes are diametrally contrary.
5. The way to heauen is full of snares, crosses, and dangers, by reason of our enemies, and therefore requires all our diligence either to auoid them, or else wisely to step ouer them. Wee can be very wary in the dangerous wayes of this world, to take direction or company, and armour, and the day-light to further vsus: And why not in this way to heauen? Besides, it is a narrow way, and on high: all which makes it more perillous to decline from. How circumspect had he need be, that walks vponupon a narrow high rocke, a thousand faddom from ground, especially where a little slip or error tumbles him downe, to dash him all to pieces?
6. Is there any time afforded vsus, wherein we may set loose our hearts to any vnlawfull liberty, or cast our selues vponupon Sathans snares, as Peter did, in going into the high Priests hall, Matth. 26. 71. Or can wee doe so, and not be catcht by the deceitfulnes of sinne? Stand we against such enemies as will not take aduantages, who doe nothing but seeke them, especially when feare is set aside, which is the soules watch-man? And if men will take liberty, and be at their own hand, hauehave they duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page not full leaue to fall often, lye long, rise hardly, and being vp againe walke weakly, and not recouer their cheerefulnesse many a day, if euer? and must they feare nothing so much, as least they keepe their watches, and preserue themselues from fals? Lastly, a man may pull downe more in one day, than hee can build in many: and experience shewes, that a man is more weakened by one dayes surfet and negligence, than in an hundred, wherein he preserues the care of his health: euen so it is in the soule, the health whereof is kept in strictnesse of diet, and obseruation of Gods rules.
7. Who knoweth not that Christianity is a trade which will not forward if it bee not close followed: an husbandry, which the Professor shal neuer thriue by, if hee be not of a diligent hand; wherein something must be done daily, or else the heart shal soone lye like the sluggards field described by Salomon? It needeth therefore be hedged and fenced with the feare of God, and kept with all diligence. Pro. 23. 17.
8. This alone is the way to attaine true comfort, which no man can finde, by allowing himselfe in any course which God alloweth not. This alone is to walk safely: Pro. 10. 9. Hee that walkes vprightly, walkes safely: and what other meanes hath the Wise-man appointed to preserue from falling, than to take hold of instruction, and not leaue her? This alone is the way to get peace peculiar to the Israel of God, to walke by rule, Gal. 6. 16. neither can a course not attended, stand with this Apostolicall iniunction of Christian circumspection.