The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Containing such Rules as in generall, men must take notice of as preparations and furtherances to a godly life.
THE Rules of a holy life may The rules of life are either generall or particular.be cast into two rankes: the first containing such rules as are Generall: and the other, such as are Particular.
The generall rules are likewise The generall rules concerne either, The helps to a godly life.of two sorts: some of them concerne certaine generall preparations, helpes, or furtherances to an holy life, without which men in vaine beginne the cares or endeuours of a reformed life. And some of them comprehend those necessarie rules which are to bee obserued in the manner of doing Or secondly, the▪ manner of wel doing.all holy duties, and so are of singular vse to bee alwayes remembred, when wee goe about any seruice,
Of the first sort there are many Who so will addresse himselfe to an holy course of life.rules; for they that will addresse themselues to order their conuersation aright, must be soundly carefull in the obseruation of these directions following.
1 Hee must examine himselfe about his faith and repentance; he must be sure hee is reconciled to God, and hath truely repented himselfe of his sinnes, 2 Cor. 13. 5. For vnlesse he be a new creature, he is no creature, but a dead man, and so vtterly vnable for the practice of these rules following: And without God wee can doe nothing; and without God wee are till we liue by faith. Besides, the pollution of our hearts or liues drawne vponupon vsus by the custome of sinne past and present, will so infect all we doe, that it will bee abominable to God, and so lost labour.
This is the first Rule.
2. His next care must bee to learne the knowledge of the rules of life. Wee can neuer practise what we know not; and therefore our next care and paines must be to get the knowledge of Gods wayes distinctly and effectually into our heads and hearts. Our direction must not be in our bookes, but in our heads: and a Christian must hauehave his rules alwayes before him, that so hee may walke circumspectly, by line and leuell, Ephes. 5. 15. vnderstanding the will of God in what he is to do. He is in the way of life, that hath and keepeth instruction, how to liue, Prouerbs 10. 17. whereas hee that will not be at the paines of getting instruction, erreth, as Salomon saith: And therefore wee must take fast hold of instruction, and not let her goe, but keepe her for she is our life, Prou. 4. 13. Knowledge then, of necessitie must be had, or in vaine wee goe about to liue well. Now this is such a rule, as must not slightly bee passed ouer: and it is not enough thus in generall to require knowledge, but withall, I would shew certaine choise rules to be obserued by vsus, if wee would take a sound course to attaine knowledge. Hee then that And hee that would prosper in seeking knowledge must obserue nine Ruleswould prosperously seeke sound knowledg, must remember these directions.
First, hee must esteeme knowledge, and labour to frame his 1. He must esteeme knowledgeheart to an high estimation of it, accounting it as great treasure, accounting the getting of wisedome aboue all gettings, Prou. 4. 7. Wee must seeke for knowledge as for siluer, and search for her as for treasure, and then with wonderfull successe shall wee vnderstand the right feare of the Lord, Prou. 2. 4, 5. else our labour will bee blasted and fruitlesse, if we bring meane thoughts to the exercise of directions for the attaining of knowledge.
Secondly, hee must take heede 2 He must not consult with flesh and blood.that hee consult not with flesh and blood, Gal. 1. 16. Hee must not regard other mens opinions, or his owne carnall reason, but resolue to giuegive glory to God and his Word, as willing to beleeue or do whatsoeuer the Lord saith vntounto him.
Thirdly, hee must redeeme the time, Ephes. 5. 16. Inasmuch as he 3. He must redeeme the time.hath lost so much time past, hee must now prouide to allow himselfe conuenient and certain time to bee spent this way for the attaining of knowledge; else to study by snatches and vncertainely, will be to little or no purpose. To complaine of ignorance, will not serue the turne, nor will the pretence of worldly businesse excuse vsus: and therefore we must buy so much time of our occasions as may be competent for the supply of our wants in knowledge.
Fourthly, in seeking knowledge, 4. He must be wise for himselfe.he must be wise for himselfe, Prou. 9. 12. Hee must striue to vnderstand his owne way, so to be carefull to know the generals about Religion, as his speciall care bee in all things to referre what he reads or heares, to the particular directions of his own soule. This is a rule of singular vse, if it could bee beaten into mens heads; and for want of this, many Christians, after long pains and much time spent, hauehave beene found exceeding ignorant.
Fifthly, hee must bee swift to 5 He must be swift to heare.heare, Iames 1. 19. with all frequencie and attention, making vse of the publike ministery, striuing with his owne heart against deadnesse and drowsinesse, and remouing all impediments might be cast in his way from the world or his worldly occasions, obseruing all opportunities for hearing, especially when hee seeth the heart of his Teacher enlarged, and the power of doctrine more then at other times or in other things.
Sixthly, he must auoide vaine 6 He must study only profitable things.questions, and fruitlesse contemplations, Tit. 3. 9. 1. Tim. 6. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 23. When the light of doctrine was so great in the Primitiue times, this was one practice of Satan, to draw aside the studies of Christians from necessarie and solid truths, to Genealogies, or quarrels about words or vaine controuersies, falsly called oppositions of science. We must therefore be warned of this method of Satan; and till we know cleerely the wayes of life, allow our selues no time for more remote studies, or fruitlesse controuersies. What riches of knowledge might some Christians hauehave attained to, if they had spent the time (they hauehave employed about controuersies, genealogies, and generall knowledge) in the sound building of themselues vp in such things as their s…ules apparently stand in need of?
Seuenthly, he must not rest satisfied 7 He must st…ue to increase in knowledgewith a small measure of vnderstanding; he must not giuegive ouer when he hath gotten a little knowledge more then he had: he must desire to increase in knowledge, and neuer be well pleased with himselfe, while hee is but a child in vnderstanding, … Cor. 14 20.
Eighthly, he must enquire and 8 He must propound his doubts.take counsell, hee must propound his doubts daily and carefully. He that would know much, must aske much; hee must breake off that wretched silence he is prone to, and prouide, if it …ee possible, to enioy the fauour of some one or moe, that are able to resolue his doubts from time to time. This rule hath incredible profit in it, if it be rightly practised, Prou. 15. 12. and 20. 17, 18, and 27. 9.
Ninthly, and lastly, he must be 9 He must be rightly ordered towards his Pastor.rightly ordered in respect of his Pastor. For the principall meanes of knowledge, is assigned of God to be in the ministerie of his seruants: and therefore if we would attaine knowledge, we must dispose our selues aright towards our Teachers; and to this end we must looke to it.
First, that wee pray for them, 1. To pray for him.that their word may run and hauehave free passage; and that God would make them able to open vntounto vsus the mysteries of his will. 2 Thess. 3. 1, 2, Col. 4. 3. Ephes. 6. 19.
Secondly, we must keepe then 2 To obey him.directions, and make conscience of it to bee carefull to obey them; in what they command vsus in the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. 2.
Thirdly, we must take beede of discouraging them: for this is not profitable for vsus. For the more cheerefull and comfortable their hearts are, the more apt they are to finde out profitable things for vsus, Heb. 13. 17, 18. 1 Cor. 16. 10, 11.
And thus of the first and second The third rule. Hee must get out of euill company.rule.
Thirdly, hee that would redresse his wayes aright, must get out of the way of wicked men: hee must giuegive ouer euill company and sequester himselfe from the counsell and society of carnal and prophane persons. The necessity of this rule is, both proued and vrged in these and many other Scriptures; Prou. 4. 14. Psal. 1. 1. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Ephes. 5. 7, 8.
Fourthly, hee must bring a 4 He must resolue to practise.minde full of care, and desire, and resolution to practise the rules when hee hath learned them: he must, as the phrase is, obserue to doe Gods will, Deut. 5. 32. He must be watchfull and diligent; he must ponder vponupon the wayes of God, bewaring lest hee either neglect or forget to doe them, Deut. 6. 17. and 32. 46. and 8. 11. 1 Cor. 16. 13. Prou. 4. 26. We must follow after righteousnesse, 1 Tim. 6. 11. and binde directions as signes vponupon our hands, &c. Deut. 6. 8. If wee could bee thus awakened, this rule would breed vsus vnspeakable good in our conuersation.
Fifthly, he must endeauour to 5 He must settle his outward estate.settle his head and his estate, in respect of his worldly affaires. It is a singular helpe to godlinesse, to reduce our outward callings in order: and eueryevery dayes experience shewes, that confusions in worldly businesse breed miserable neglect in Gods seruice. And therefore hee that would profite in an orderly course of life, must prouide to vse the world so, as hee may serue the Lord without distraction. He that would runne a race, abstaineth from all things that might encomber him. No man that warreth, intangleth himselfe with the affaires of life, that hee may please him who hath chosen him to bee a soùldür. And therefore we may not think it much, if in our spiritual course, God lay some restraint vponupon vsus, in respect of the cares and encombrances in our outward callings, 1 Cor. 7. 29, 35, &c. 2 Tim. 2. 4. 1 Cor. 9. 25.
Sixtly, hee must walke in the 6 He must keepe com pany with the godly.way of good men, both setting before him their practice, as patternes of imitation, as also by conuersing with them, that thereby hee may gather encouragement, and helpe in well-doing. Hee is deceiued, that thinkes to go alone, and yet go prosperously in the course of a godly life: He may profit, and learne by many things he heareth, receiueth, and seeth among the godly, Prou. 2. 20. Phil. 4. 8, 9.
Seuenthly, hee must not be the seruāt of men, 1. Cor. 7. 23. Other 7. He must not be the seruant of men.mens humours must not be the directiō of his practice. H… must so depēd vponupon persons by hopes to get any thing by in this world, as he be not thereby hindered in workes of Religion, knowing, that he is Christs freeman.
He must haste to, and looke for 8. He must looke for the comming of Christ.the comming of Iesus Christ, 2. Pet. 3. 12. Hee must often remember his latter end, and daily set before his eyes the comming of Christ, striuing to stirre vp in his heart the desire after Christ, praying for it, and dispatching those workes that may prepare him therevnto. The remembrance of our accounts in the day of Christ, will wonderfully quicken men to the care of well-doing; and the cause of viciousnesse, and miserable neglect, and procrastinations of many, is, their forgetting of their latter end. A great reason why the directions about godlinesse are not entertained, is, because men put far away from them the Day of the Lord: whereas the remembrance of the reuelation of Iesus Christ, would put spirit and life into vsus. He dares not say from the heart, Come, Lord Iesus, come quickly, that is not resolued diligently to worke the works of Christ.
9. He must not stay for company, … H… must not regard what the multitude doth.but rather choose to runne alone; or with a few, then hazard the losse of the Crowne. Our life is a race, and as in a race men stay not for company, but striue who may runne formost: so it is in the race of godlinesse: He must so runne as he may obtain: hee must set out with the first, and runne as it were for his life: As hee must make vse of the societie of the godly, so hee must not stay, till his carnall friends and acquaintance will set out with him: He must be of Ioshua's minde, that if the whole world will liue in wickednesse and prophanenesse, yet hee and his house will serue the Lord, 1. Cor. 9. 24. and 14. 12. Ioshua 24. 15.
Tenthly, hee must in all things giuegive thankes; when God giues 10 Hee must in all things giuegive thanks.him successe in any thing, or prospers the meanes to him, and helpes him with victory ouer any sin, or strength to performe any duty, or bestowes vponupon him any spirituall blessing, hee must remember to praise God in the name of Iesus Christ. This will quicken him: Daily thankefulnesse will breede daily alacritie in well doing. He that will not be thankfull for beginnings of successe in the practice of holy duties, will not hold out: This is the speciall will of God in Christ, that we should in all things giuegive thankes, 1. Thess. 5. 18.
11. He must studie to be quiet, 11. He must stu…y to be quietand follow peace with all men, medling with his owne businesse, and auoiding all occasion of contention, that might distract him in his owne course. A busie bodie is as good as no body in respect of sound progresse in sanctification. It is an excellent skill to be able Note.to auoide the intanglements of discord; especially he must prouide to hauehave perfect peace with the godly. Though God be able to sanctifie the oppositions of vnreasonable men, yet wee must take heed of drawing needlesse troubles vponupon our selues; for that makes vsus neither to be; nor to be accounted the more holy, but contrariwise. The Apostle could not speake vntounto the Corinthians, as vntounto spirituall men, but as vntounto carnall; at the best, but Babes in Christ: and the reason was, because there was strife, and enuie, and diuision amongst them, Heb. 12. 14. Mark. 6. vlt. 1 1 Thes 4. 11Cor. 3. 3.
12. His eyes must looke straight, 1 Hee must k…epe a strict co…rs in following onelyonly profitable things.and his eye-lids right before him, Prou. 4. 25. He must take heed of going about, and fetching of compasse in religion, Ier. 31. 22. Hee must bee still amy… at the marke of the high price of his calling: being sure that the things he employeth himselfe in, tend directly to the furtherance of his saluation, & not lose his time in vnprofitable studies, or practices, proceeding frō one degree to another, till he come to a ripe age in Christ.
13. He must be conuersant in … He must be … daily in the reading of the holy Scriptures.the Scriptures, and be familiarly acquaint…d with them, that they may dwell plenteously in him: For those good words of God hauehave not onelyonly light in them to direct vsus, but power also to assist vsus to do what they require, and by the daily reading and h…ring of them, wee shall bee excited to more care of wel-doing: we must excercise our selues …n the Word day and night; and neuer let them depart out of our hearts, but keepe our hearts still warme with the heate that comes from them, neuer suffering the warmth to goe out through our long forbearance of the vse of them, Col. 3. 16. Psal. 1. 2. Iosh. 8. Esay 8. 16, 20.
14. He must carefully … in … first lo…e, Reuel. 2. 4. The 14 Hee must k…pe his fi…st louelove.Lord is wont at some times or other, about the first conuersion of a sinner, to shew himself with such power in his ordinances, and to reueale vntounto him such glories in the merits and gifts of Iesus Christ, and the happinesse of his estate in him, that his heart is thereby fired to a cheerefull liking of the means of saluation, and of godly persons, and to a wonderfull desire of God, and care to please God. Now he that would prosper in a Christian course, must be wonderfull carefull to preserue affection, & this spirituall louelove in his heart, and watch against, and resist the first beginnings of decay, or coldnesse, or declining in his heart, and take heede of suffering his heart to be drawne away by the deceitfulnesse of sinne, or the enticements of the world.
15. He must couet earnestly the best gifts, 1 Cor. 12. vlt. There 15 He must couet the best gifts.are some duties in piety, or MercieMercy, or Righteousnesse, which in respect of our places doe most concerne vsus, & would in a more speciall manner adorne our particular profession: so are there some gifts which do aduance our communion with God, and doe make vsus more profitable amongst men. Now these things we should study, and earnestly labour to frame our selues to, & to expresse them more effectually in our conuersation. This no doubt is the reason why the holy Ghost doth in the Scripture make Catalogues of certaine speciall duties, or graces singled out from the rest, and sitted to the cōditions of the people who are written to: and this would be a singular aduantage to vsus, if we also would single out to our vse some few of the chiefest vertues or duties which we would daily set before vsus, an… striue by prayer and all holy endeauour to fashion them to the life in our hearts a…d liues.
16. He must renew often his 16. He must oftenmortification; mans heart is like humble his soule be fore God.fallow ground, which is not fit to receiue seed, till it be broken vp, and at best it is like a garden which will often need weeding. If wee doe not at some times in speciall manner humble our soules before God, worldly cares, or carnall delights will ouer-grow our desires and our practice, and choake the seed of the Word receiued by vsus: wee must keepe vnderunder our bodies, and bring them in subiection, and be often dragging our lusts to the crosse of Christ, there to crucifie them. Our practice is like to sowing, which presupposeth plowing before, Ier. 4. 3, 4. Hosh. 10. 12. 1. Cor. 9. 27.
17. We must watch for the opportunities 17 He must watch for the oppor tunities of w…-doing.of well-doing, and take heed of procrastination: he must seeke righteous…esse, and haste to it, he must not put it off till to morrow, Esay. 6. 8. Prou. 3. 28. and 2. 4. Amos. 5. 14.
18. Hee must remember the 18 Hee must be … of sanctifying the S…bbath.Sabbath Day to sanctifie it. The commandement concerning the keeping of the Sabbath, to sanctifie it, is placed in the midst betweene the two Tabels, of purpose to shew that the keeping of the Sabbath, is a singular helpe to all piety and righteousnesse; and God hath promised a speciall blessing to the obseruers of the Sabbath, and giues strength by the rest of that day, …he better to performe holy duties all the weeke after, Commandement, 4. Esay 38. 1….
19. Hee must meditate much on the example of the godly of all 19. Hee must often thinke of …he example of the godly that ha…e exc…lled.ages, and striue diligently to learne their wayes, and to quicken himselfe by the thought of their care, zeale, and sinceritie. And thus hee may also profitably set before him the examples of such of his owne acquaintance, as excell in the gifts of Christ, and fruits of weldoing. The example of good men should be as forcible to draw vsus to good, as the example of euill men is to incline others to euill: wee hauehave beene compassed about with a cloud of witnesses, who hauehave liued in all ages of the Church: wee must therefore stand in the wayes & see, and aske for the old way to walke in it, and with all gladnesse follow any that are fit to bee guides to vsus therein, Hebr. 12. 1. Ier. 12. 19. & 6. 16.
20. He must go daily to him that 20. He must daily seek … way of God.teacheth to profit, begging of God to shew him a way, and to leade him by his Spirit vntounto the right practice of eueryevery holy duty, euen to guide him in the plaine path, Esay 48. 17. …sal. 27. 11.
Thus I hauehave s…t downe those rules which are generall helpes vntounto godlinesse, and must be attended by a Godly Christian.