The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Shewing the things that are to bee auoided by such as would order their conuersation aright.
NOw before I proceed vntounto the rules that concerne the manner of weldoing, I will adde to the former directions, nine Cautions, or nine things which a Christian must take heed of in He must …oide,his practice of holy duties: As
First, hee must take heed of wretchlesnesse, or a scornefull 1. Carelesness….carelesnesse of his owne wayes: he must not despise his wayes, as if he cared not how hee liued, or rested satisfied to bee still as he was: this carelesnesse proues the bane of many a soule, whereas Hee that keepeth his soule, keepeth his way, Prou. 19. 16. and 2…. 8.
2. He must take heed of precipitation, or rashnesse, or too Rashnes.much haste: this is the ground of much false zeale, and the cause of strange euils in the presence of some Christian: but the godly Christian must learne of Salomon to prepare his worke in the field, and then build his house: he must get sound knowledge of the warrant of his actions, & guide his affaires by aduice, and with serious preparation fit himselfe to the doing of what hee is sure is good. Hee that hasteth with his feete, sinneth: what is done rashly, cannot be done well: Prou. 19. 2. As procrastination is a great vice; so precipitation is no vertue, Prou. 24. 27. & 28. 26.
3. Hee must hauehave no confidence 3. Carnall confidence.in the flesh, he must not rely vponupon his own wit, memory, reason, desires, vertues, praises, or power; but all his comfort and affiance must be in the merits, intercession, vertue and assistance of Iesus Christ his Sauiour, Phil. 3. 3.
4. He must not haste to be rich, 4. Hast to be rich.for the desire of money is the roote of all euill: and they cannot be at leasure for good duties, that are so eager to compasse great things in the world, Pro. 23. 4. & 28. 20.
5. Hee must take heed of the 5. Distrustfull ….snares that rise from distrustfull feares: There is a snare in feare, Pro. 29. 25. There are many feares will assault a man that resolues to liue well; as the feare that he cannot doe good duties; the feare that God will not accept what he doth; the feare lest men should scorne him, or contemne him, or lest he should lose the fauour of his friends, or such like. Now against all these must the godly minde be armed, and take heede that those feares proue not great hinderances to him; and especially take heed of that vnbeliefe, or counterfeit humilitie, by disabling himselfe, or mistrusting God contrary to his nature and prom…
6. Hee must take heed of adding 6 Adding to, or ta king from the Word of God.to or detracting from the word of God: Hee must not imagine more sins then God hath made; that is, not trouble himselfe with feare of offending in such things as God hath not in his Word forbidden: and so likewise hee must not impose vponupon his owne conscience, or other mens, the necessitie of obseruing such rules of practice as God neuer prescribed. This caution would ease the hearts of many Christians, if it were discreetly obserued and applied, Pro. 30. 6.
7. He must take heed of hardening 7 Co…tēp of reproofhis necke against reproofes: Pro. 26. 1. Hee must needes run into headlong euils, that is so proud as not to heare aduice, or to reiect reproofes; and it will be a singular furtherance to an holy life, to be easie to be intreated to leaue his offences, and to mend his errours.
8. Hee must take heed of beholding 8. Beholding vanityvanitie Dauid. praies, that God would turne away his eyes from beholding vanitie. He that would forsake vanitie, must auoide the presence of vaine persons, and the too much contemplation of vanitie, shunning the reading and discourse of the enticement of others vntounto any sin, Psal. 119. 37.
9. And lastly, hee must take 9. The be ginning of sinne.heed of the beginning of euils in his owne heart: he must keep his heart with all diligence, for there on commeth life. His practice will be easie to him, if he resist sinne in the beginning, and driue out Satan from his holds, within his soule; whereas he cannot but be much entangled and encumbred, that allowes himselfe in the secret entertainement of contemplatiue wickednesse; hee must watch his heart, and striue for inward puritie, Prou. 4. 23.