The Rules of a Holy Life, Chapter 31 – Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXI.
Rules that order vsus in our particular Calling.
THus of the Rules that concerne thy General Calling:7. Things to be auoided in our particular Calling. in thy Particular Calling there are seuen things to be auoided.
The first is slothfulnesse, and thou art guiltie of this sinne, both when thou dost not the labours of thy calling, and when thou obseruest not the seasons, and opportunities of thy Calling, Prou. 10. 4, 5. And that thou maist bee free from this sin, thou must auoide together with it the occasions of it: And so thou must auoide 1. The louelove of sleep, Pro. 20. 13. 2. Good fellowship, & haunting of Ale-houses, and Tauernes, and keeping company with dissolute persons, Prou. 21. 17. 3. Wandring from thine owne house, euen that vnnecessary going from house to house, though it bee not to places of ill fame. Fourthly, thou must take heed of pertinacious entertainement of doubts and obiections about thy Calling, thou shouldst bee afraid of excuses for idlenesse, especially to bee so selfe willed, as to be glad of any thing may seeme to patronize thy slouthfulnes, Prou. 20. 4. & 15. 19. & 26. 16. And therefore to conclude this Rule, when thou art about thy calling, what thou dost, do with all thy power, Eccles. 9. 10. and rest not in words or pratling: Hee is not diligent, that brags much of what work hee can or will do, but hee that doth it indeed, Prou. 14. 23.
The second sin to bee auoided in thy particular calling,2. Vnfaithfulnesse. is Vnfaithfulnesse, Prou. 20. 6. and so thou must take heed of breach of thy promise in thy dealings with men, Psal. 15. 6. and also thou must take heed of all deceitfull courses, all waies of fraud and couzenage. It is a hatefull thing in men, when they are such as cannot be trusted, either because they make not conscience of keeping their words, or because they will vse so much cunning and deceit, and dissimulation, & lying in their dealings.
The third sinne to bee auoided,3. Rashnesse. is Praecipitation, hastinesse, and vnaduised rashnesse arising out of the leuity of mens mindes, or their wilfulnesse. Prouidence and wise Diligence is wonderfull requisite vntounto a right ordering of our selues in our Callings, Pro. 21. 5.
The fourth sinne to bee auoided,4. Passion. is Passion or perturbation; and that hath in it both vncheerefulnesse and vnquietnesse: vncheere. fulnesse, when men are not content with their Callings, or Gifts, or Estates, 1. Cor. 7. 17. vnquietnesse, when men are froward, & carry themselues peeuishly, or cholerickly with those that are about them. This sinne of frowardnesse is vehemently censured & condemned in Scripture, Prou. 11. 29. Psal. 37. 8. Pro. 16. 32. & 19. 11. & 25. 28. whereas God requires a quiet, contented, and merry heart, Pro. 17. 22. Eccles. 9. 7, 8.
The fift thing to bee auoided and shunned,5. The temptations of thy calling. is the Temptations of thy Calling; eueryevery Calling in the world is assaulted with certaine temptations, and they are vsually of two sorts; For first in all Callings there are certain vnlawfull courses held for gaine by wicked men, which wee call the sinnes of such a Calling. These vniust courses thou must learne to auoide, and abhorre, and so exercise thy Calling, as thou shun those sinfull courses vsed by wicked men in that Calling: secondly, eueryevery Calling is assaulted with crosses, & afflictions: Now in these afflictions the deuill is wont to tender ill counsell, to perswade to sinne, or the vse of vnlawfull meanes, or other sins of distrust in God: All these thou must auoide.
Sixtly,6. Worldlinesse. thou must take heed of Worldlinesse, or setting thy heart vponupon these earthly things thou art to deale with in thy Calling: Thou must euer be ready to confesse, and shew it by thy practice, that thou accountest thy selfe to be but a stranger and Pilgrime in this world, Heb. 11. 13. and if riches increase, thou must look to it, that thou set not thy heart vponupon them, Psal. 62. 10. Thou must vse the world, but not louelove the world, 1. Ioh. 2. 15. Thou maist and oughtest to bee carefull to do the duties of thy Calling; but thou must in nothing be carefull about the successe, but submit thy selfe in all things to God, Math. 6. 1. Cor. 7. 32. Thou must behaue thy selfe like a weaned child, Psal. 131. 1, 2. Take heed of eating too much hony, Prou. 25. 16, 17. & 27. 1, 2.
The seuenth, and last thing thou must auoid, is prophanenesse, 7. Prophanenes.which is to vse the workes of thy Calling without exercising thy selfe in the Word of God, and daily prayer for Gods blessing vponupon thy labours, and the creatures thou art to vse, Psal. 90. 1. Tim. 4. 3, 4. Gen. 24. 11, 12, 26, 27.
CHAP. XXXII.
How wee should carry our selues in the time of affliction.
THus of the Rules of carriage which concerne thy selfe at all times: How wee must carry our selues in affliction.Now follow the Rules that shew thee how to behaue thy selfe in the time of affliction and aduersity. When thou art in affliction, thou must consider what thou must auoide, and what thou must doe.
Thou must auoide eight things.8 Things to bee auoided. 1. Dissembling.
First, Dissembling: Make not thy selfe poore when thou art rich; nor sick when thou art well, Prou. 13. 7.
Secondly,2. Shame. Shame; Be not ashamed of that condition God brings thee into: beare thy crosses with spirituall magnanimity, account not thy selfe dishonoured by Gods hand, who doth all for the best, 1. Pet. 4. 16.
Thirdly,3. Impatience. Impatience: grieue not at Gods works: sorrow not after the world: Fret not at God or man; Refuse not Gods chastening, but with patience beare what is laid vponupon thee: It is the Lord, let him do whatsoeuer hee will with thee, Prou. 3. 11.
Fourthly,4. Discouragement. Fainting, or discouragement of heart: Liue by faith; call not Gods louelove into question: keep thee in the good way, Prou. 24. 10.
Fifthly,5. Trust in carnall friends. Trust vponupon carnall friends; Relye not vponupon-man, but vponupon God: Trust not in the arme of flesh, Prou. 27. 10.
Sixtly,6. Perplexed eares. Too much Carefulnesse for the meanes how to get out of affliction: Commit thy way to God, and put thy trust in him; vse all lawfull meanes, but distresse not thy heart with bootlesse cares: Cast thy care vponupon God, for hee careth for thee, phil. 4. 6. Iam. 4. 10.
Seuenthly, Suddaine feares; 7. Suddain feares.Bee not so amazed with the first tydings, or beginnings of any affliction, discouer not such want of faith, as to be guilty of those violent passions of feare; Gods louelove is vnchangeable: and though heauen and earth should go together, yet God will be with thee; Hee will not leaue thee, nor forsake thee, Prou. 3. 25.
Eightly & lastly,8. Carelesnesse of thy waies. Carelesnesse of thy waies; be not secure in sinning, but let thy crosses melt off some of thy drosse, & draw thee neere to God: Go not on boldly to sinne without regard; if the Lord hauehave any quarrell against thee, humble thy selfe and depart from iniquity, Prou. 14. 16.
The things then thou must doe on the contrary side,5. Things to be done in the time of affliction. are these: When thou art in affliction, thou must do these things:
First, thou must pray, and call vponupon the name of the Lord; as these expresse Scriptures require, Iam. 5. 13. Psal. 50. 15. 1. Cor. 4. 12, 13.
Secondly, thou must beare thy crosse with patience, and contentation, Iam. 1. 4. 1. Pet. 3. 15. Esay 5. Phil. 4. 6. 2. Cor. 6. 8. Prou. 12. 9.
Thirdly, thou must labour for wisedome to know how to carry thy selfe discreetly, and to vse all good meanes for thy deliuerance, Iam. 1. 5.
Fourthly, thou must bee sure to shew thy trust in God, and cast thy burthen on the Lord, Iam. 5. 7, 8. Nahum. 1. 7. Psal. 27. vlt. & 37. 7. & 55. 22.
Fifthly, thou must shew thy obedience to God; and that thou dost,
1. If thou submit thy selfe to Gods will, Heb. 5. 8.
2. If thou iudge thy self, & acknowledge thy sinnes to God, Hosh. 5. vlt. Iob 36. 8.
3. If thou be constant in the good waies of godlinesse, Psal. 37. 34.
4. If thou learne more righteousnesse, & art made by thy crosses to do holy duties with better affections, Esay 26. 11.
FINIS.
End of the text · Nicholas Byfield, The Rules of a Holy Life (1619)