Circumspect Walking, Chapter 21 – Chapter 22
CHAP. XXI.
Rules for necessary actions, in respect of the meanes, and the order of the two Tables.
NO action is so necessary,4. For the meanes. as it must be thrust on by euill meanes.The best action may not bee trust on by euilmeans Rom. 3▪ 8. Wee must not doe the least euill for the greatest good, which was Lots sinne, to procure good by euill; neither yeeld to a lesse euill to preuent a greater, in euils of sinne. In ciuill things, it is a most necessary thing to preserue life; but not with a lye, vsury, Sabbath-breaking, or going to witches: Life is not so necessary as without separation to cleaue to that which is good. In spirituall things, to preach the word is so necessary, as Paul cries woe vntounto himselfe if if he doe not,1 Cor. 9. 16▪ because the flocke of God depends vponupon him: But if I may not preach, vnlesse I wound my conscience, by compounding with heretikes, and blending truth with errour; I must neuer preach but leaue the care of the Church to God, who without my lye, will prouide for the good of it. Thus Elijah fled and left his ministery, because he could not exercise it, vnles he would hauehave receiued Baals ceremonies, and flattered with the Baalites: and if hee had not thus forsaken his place, he had forsaken the Church. Great Athanasius chused rather to leaue his Church, then to yeeld any thing to the Arrians. Saint Paul knew, that after hee went from Ephesus, Act. 20. 29.grieuous Wolues would come in not sparing the flocke: and yet because he could not stay to preach, vnlesse hee would hauehave restored some Pharisaicall obseruations; and vnlesse for peace sake hee would hauehave yeelded to the rites and image of Diana, hee left the place, because he must not doe the greatest good by any euill meanes. Neuer let any thinke to thriue, by meanes which God hath accursed, and vponupon which himselfe cannot pray for a blessing.
All necessary actions must bee done according to the order of the Tables,5. For the order of the two tables. euer esteeming the duties of the first Table,Duties of the first table must be done first. more necessary then they of the second. This is Christs owne rule, Mat. 22. 38. This is the first and great commandement, and the second is like to this, both in respect of the necessary binding, and of the end: for euen these are a worship of God, if they be performed in faith, and for his commandement sake. Wherefore▪ else did the Lord deliuer two Tables, whereas hee might hauehave put all into one, but that he would preferre and claime the first place to duties that immediately concerne his worshippe? From whence Diuines gather that rule of Antinomy and truth, That when the two Tables are opposed, and both call for necessary duties, which both cannot be done at the same time, the second Table must giuegive place to the first: as Act. 5. 25. It is meet to obey God rather then man. Magistrates must be obeied; but the first Table derogates from the second, when both cannot be obserued. So in the New Testament, Parents and friends are to be loued; but if they be not hated for Christ, when both cannot be loued together, one cannot be Christs disciple.
But here be three caueats: Three caueats.1. That a speciall Commandement is more necessary, and dispenseth with all the ten: and it is a principle, that all Commandements of both tables runne with one exception, If God command not otherwise. Thou shalt not kill, nor steale, vnlesse God command Abraham to kill his sonne, and the Israelites to rob the Aegyptians. Thou shalt make no grauen image, vnlesse God command Moses to make a brazen serpent. Thus obseruations of immediate commandements giuegive all Soueraignty to God, who is to be simply obeyed and acknowledged aboue his Law. 2. Morall duties must take place of all ceremonies: The rule of Diuines is, that charity dispenseth with ceremony, according to that,Mat. 12. 7. I will hauehave mercy and not sacrifice, because mercy is morall, and sacrifice ceremoniall. So Abimelech gaue Dauid the Shewbread which was not lawfull but in the case of necessary mercy. And it was superstition in the Iewes, that they would rather suffer their City to be taken, than fight vponupon the Sabbath day in their owne defence. God allowes an oxe to bee pulled out of a ditch,Ma…. 12. 11. and led to water, and allowes a necessary prouision for the body,Exo. 12. 16 vntounto which euen Sabbath-duties must giuegive place. 3. Necessity (wee say) hath no law, but that is to bee vnderstood in mans lawes, when some sudden case falleth out, so as the inferiour cannot hauehave recourse to the law-maker, that then hee may interpret the law himselfe, and breake the letter of it, to follow the reason and intent of it: as in case of the murder of a theefe. But in the law of God, one onelyonly case doth dispense with it, and that is when necessity so altreth a fact, as it taketh away from it all reason of sinning: As for example; It is not lawfull to marry ones sister, but in the beginning of the world extreme necessity altered this fact, and gaue dispensation. So it is not lawfull to take away that which is anothers, but extreme necessity makes it lawful, because it is not anothers any longer, seeing the law of nature it selfe maketh some things common in such extreme necessity. On the Sabbath we must hold our selues strictly to Gods worship, but if an house be on fire, wee may leaue it without sinne. Note the equity of that law, Deut. 23. 24, 25.
CHAP. XXII.
Rules of wisedome for necessary actions in respect of the scope and binding of them.
ALL necessary actions, as they must beginne with Gods will,1. Scope. God must be the end of all our actions. so they must end with his glory. The end and scope of all our actions must be God: 1. Because hee made all things for himselfe. 2. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning from whom all is, and the end for whom, and vntounto whom all must be referred. 3. If in all indifferēt things Gods glory must be our aime, much more in necessary: but so it is in indifferent things, as eating, drinking, &c. 1 Cor. 10. 31. and Rom. 14. 6. Hee that eateth, eateth to the Lord, or ought-so to doe. 4. The very heathens had a glimmering hereof, professing that they were not borne for themselues, but partly their friends, partly their Country, and partly God. But the Scripture speakes more plainly, that wee owe all our selues to God: something indeed we owe to our neighbour, but that is in and for God.
In the necessarie duties of religion,2. Binding. Necessary duties must be …one, what euer follow. or our calling, wee must hold our selues bound to doe them whatsoeuer follow. Two things commonly hinder vsus herein, which wee must arme our selues against: The first is feare of mens iudgements, faces, offence, and censures; but wee must tread this vnderunder foot, if we hauehave a commandement and calling to doe any thing, as Paul did, 1 Cor. 4. 3. I passe little to be iudged of any man: neither feared he any persecution or trouble, so he might finish his course with ioy. Ieremy must make his browe of brasse, to speake the word of the Lord, chap. 1. vers. 17. A Christian must prepare to passe through good report, and bad report, and to count neither liberty nor life deare vntounto him.Dan. 6. 10. Daniel would open his window, and pray as hee was wont, euen when his life was sought after. Secondly, euents of actions doe often and much trouble vsus: for remedy whereof obserue two rules: 1. That of the Wise-man, Eccles. 11. 4. He that obserues the wind, shal not sowe: it is a foolish husbandman, who for sight of a cloud either his seed time or haruest: So for sowing workes of merciemercy, he that sticks in doubts, and saith, I may bee poore, or old, long diseased, full of children, or persecuted for the Gospell, and must prouide for one, neglects his seed time by looking at winds and clouds. So many a carnall Gospeller saith, If I should goe so often to Church as some, and be so forward in religion, I shold lose much profit, and incurre much rebukes and reproches. Therfore, 2. we must learne to leaue euents and successes to God: for it is not in man to direct his steps, God disposeth as he pleaseth. The Saints of God are often frustrate of their godly purposes, as Dauid in purposing and preparing to build an house for the Lord: but 1. they lose nothing if they doe their duty: 2. Gods Ouer-ruling hand will dispose all to the best: therefore there let them rest.