The Rules of a Holy Life, Chapter 18 – Chapter 20
CHAP. XVIII.
Rules about the Sabbath.
HItherto of the Rules, that concerne the parts of Gods worship: The rules, that concerne the time of Gods worship, follow, and this time especially is the Sabbath day.
Now the rules,Rules about the Sabbath. that bind vsus to the good behauiour concerning the Sabbath, cōcern either the preparation to the Sabbath, or the maner of performing holy duties on the Sabbath.
The preparation to the Sabbath,1. The preparation to it. containes in it these things.
First, the ending of all our workes on the sixe daies, as God did his: Gen. 2. 2.
This example of God is set downe, not onelyonly to shew what hee did, but to prescribe vntounto vsus, what we should doe, as is manifest by vrging this example in the reason of the commandement: We must then take order to finish the workes of the weeke daies with such discretion, that neither our heads be troubled with the cares of them, nor our hands tempted to worke about them on the Sabbath day.
Secondly, the preuenting of domesticall grieuances, and perturbations, Leuit. 19. 3. Yee shall feare eueryevery man his mother and his father, and keep my Sabbath. Discords and contentions, and heart-burnings in the members of the family, extend their infection, and hurt, euen to the prophaning of Gods Sabbath. The Lord looks not to bee serued aright in his House, if people liue not quietly, and louingly, and dutifully in their own houses.
Thirdly, we must cleanse our selues, that we may keep the Sabbath, Nehem. 13. 22. Which place, though it speake of Legall cleansing, yet it shadowes out that Moral and perpetuall care of cleansing our selues, that ought euen to be found in vsus. And thus we doe cleanse our selues, when we humble our selues, that we may walk with God, confessing our sinnes, euen the sinnes of the weeke past, & making our peace with God, through the name of Iesus Christ.
Thus of the duties of preparation:2. Of the celebration of the Sabbath. Now for the manner of keeping the Sabbath, the rules prescribe vntounto vsus these things:
1. Rest from all our works, whether they be workes of labour, or workes of pleasure. Workes of labour the Scripture instanceth in such, as are selling of victuals: Nehem. 13. 15. Carrying of burthens: Ierem. 17. Iournying from our places, Exod. 16. 29. The businesse of our callings done by our selues, our children, seruants, or cattell, which the words of the Commandement forbid. And as workes of labour, so also workes of pleasure are forbidden, Esay 58. 13.
2. Readinesse and delight. We should louelove to be Gods seruants on this day, Esay 56. and consecrate it with ioy, as a glorious priuiledge to vsus, Esay 58. 13. abhorring wearinesse, or a desire to hauehave the Sabbath gone, and ended, Amos 8.
3. Care and Watchfulnesse. We must obserue to keepe it: Exod. 31. 16. we must take heede to our selues, that no duty bee omitted, and that wee no way prophane it, tending our hearts, and our words, Ier. 17. 21.
4. Sinceritie, and this sinceritie we should shew diuers waies.
First, by doing Gods worke with as much care, as we would doe our own, or rather shewing more care for the seruice of GOD. They had their double sacrifices on the Sabbath, in the time of the Law, and wee should studie, how wee might please GOD in especiall manner on that day, choosing out the things that might delight him: God hath taken but one day of seuen for his worke; and shall wee not doe it willingly? Further, if wee respect our selues, shall we not bee as carefull to prouide for our soules on the Sabbath, as for our bodies on the weeke daies?
2. By obseruing the whole day, as well as a part, and keeping the Sabbath in our dwellings, as well as in Gods house: God requires the whole day, and not a part. As wee would not be contented our seruants should worke for vsus onelyonly an houre, or two in the six daies: so neither should wee yeeld lesse vntounto God, then wee require for our selues. Nor will it suffice to serue God by publike duties in his House, vnlesse wee serue him also by priuate duties in our own dwellings, Commandement 4. Leuit. 23. 3.
3. By auoiding the lesser violations of the Sabbath, as well as the greater, especially not transgressing of contempt, or wilfulnesse in the least things we know to bee forbidden. The Prophet instanceth: Isaiah 58. 13. Wee must not speake our owne words. Thus of sinceritie.
5. The fift thing required of vsus, is Faith: we must glorifie GOD by beleeuing, that hee will make it a day of blessing vntounto vsus, and performe that blessing hee hath promised, accepting our desire to walke before him in the vprightnesse of our hearts, and passing by our infirmities, and fraileties. We many times disturbe the rest and Sabbath of our soules by vnbeliefe, Commandement 4. Genes. 2. 2. Exod. 31. 13. Ezech. 20. 20. & 46. 2, 5.
6. The last thing is Deprecation: wee must beseech God, when we hauehave done our best, to shew vsus merciemercy, and spare vsus for our defects and weakenesses. Thus wee must end the day, and reconcile our selues to GOD, that the Rest of Iesus Christ may be established in our hearts, Nehem. 13. 22. And thus of the rules, that binde vsus to the good behauiour, in respect of the time of Gods worship.
CHAP. XIX.
Rules that shew vsus how to carry our selues, when wee come into company, in respect of Religion.
HItherto of the rules, that concerne our carriage toward God?Rules that direct our carriage towards men.
Now it followes, that I breake open those directions, that should bring our liues into order in respect of men: And these rules are of two sorts, for either they are such, as binde vsus to the good behauiour towards all men, 1. Towards all men.or such, as order our conuersation toward some men onelyonly, as they are considered to bee either wicked or godly.
The rules that concerne all men, may bee cast into two heads, as they belong either to righteousnesse, or to mercy.
The rules that belong to righteousnesse,And so 1. in cōpany. order vsus either in company, or out of company.
The rules which we are to obserue in company, concerne either,
1. Religion, or
2. The sinnes, and faults of others: or
3. Our owne inoffensiue behauiour towards all men.
1. For the first,With due respect of Religion. when we come in company, wee must be carefull to be that which may become the glory of Gods truth, and the Religion we professe, that wee take not vp the name of God in vaine: And thus we shall rightly order our selues, if wee obserue these Rules:
First, to be soundly aduised, before wee fall into discourse of Religion, not doing it, till God may bee glorified by it; A wise man concealeth knowledge, but the heart of fooles will publish foolishnesse: It is as great a discretion to know how to conceale knowledge, as it is to know how to vse knowledge.
Secondly, auoide vaine ianglings,Auoiding vaine ianglings in 3. things. and contradiction of words, such as are
1. Doubtfull disputations about Ceremonies, and things indifferent, which may entangle the weake, and keep them from more necessarie cares and knowledge, Rom. 14. 1.
2. Curious Questions, about things that are not reuealed in the VVord, Rom. 12. 3. Bee wise to sobriety.
3. Vnprofitable reasonings, such as were those about Genealogies, in the Apostles time, 1. Tim. 1.
Thirdly, If thou be asked a reason of the hope that is in thee, by such as hauehave authority to require it, or need to seeke it, then answer: But be sure to remember two things; namely, that thou answer with all reuerence, as may shew how much thou art affected with the Maiestie of Gods truth, and withall with meeknesse, that is, without passion or frowardnesse: and without affectation, or conceitednesse, or wilfulnes in thine owne opinions, 1. Pet. 3. 15.
Fourthly, let thy communication be yea, yea, and nay, nay: otherwise, customary and vaine swearing, is a most damned sinne, and such as God will surely plague.
CHAP. XX.
Rules that shew vsus how to carry our selues in company, in respect of the faults of others.
THus of our carriage in company in respect of Religion.How wee must behaue our selues in company concerning the faults of others. Now concerning the faultes of others, wee must obserue these Rules:
First, wee must neuer in our discourse iustifie the wicked, or condemn the righteous; all excesse in words is euill, but this is an abomination to the Lord: We must euer honour those that feare the Lord, and as for vile persons, they are to bee contemned, Psal. 15. 4. Amos 5. 15. Prou▪ 17. 15.
Secondly, let thy conuersation and discourse be without iudging, Math. 7. 1. lam. 3. 17. It is time exceeding ill-spent, that is spent in censuring of others. And the rather should we take heed of iudging, if we consider how the holy Ghost hath matched that sin in that place of Iames, wee must bee without iudging, without hypocrisie: as if he wold signifie, that great Censurers are commonly great Hypocrites; and as any are more wise, they are more sparing of their Censures.
Thirdly, thou must not walke about with tales; take heed of Tale-bearing: He goeth about as a slanderer, that reuealeth a secret, though it be true hee speaketh. It is a maruellous euill custome, that many hauehave to fill vp their discourse with the report of the frailties of others, which they by some meanes or other, come vnderunder-hand to know: This is an euill frequently condemned in Scripture, and yet most vsually practised; as if it were lawfull to speake of any thing which they know to be true: Thou shalt not walke about with Tales, nor stand against the bloud of thy neighbour: A strange connexion, by which the Lord imports, that this Tale-bearing is a kind of murther; and it is true in the case of many a man; thou wert as good lay violent hands vponupon him, as with that licentiousnesse of words to diuulge tales concerning him, Prou. 20. 19. & 11. 13. Leuit. 19. 16. And for the better strengthening of this rule, thou art yet charged to looke to thy eares too, as well as thy tongue; Thou must not receiue euill reports against thy neighbour, but make it appeare, thou art not pleased with such Tales, Psal. 15. 3. Yea, thou art forbidden the society of such persons, as carry Tales; Thou must not meddle with Talebearers, nor with such as flatter with their lippes; Certainely such creatures commonly flatter the present, and reproach the absent, Prou. 20. 19.
Fourthly, if thou do know an offence in any, with whom thou conuersest, thou shalt not hate him in thy heart, Reproue, but hate not.but rather reproue him plainely: For, he that rebuketh a man, shall afterward finde more fauour then hee that flattereth with his tongue, Leu. 19. 17. Prou. 28. 23.
Fifthly,Passe by meere frailties. as for the meere frailtie of others, hold thy tongue, passe by them: A foole despiseth his neighbour, but a man of vnderstanding will hold his peace, Prou. 11. 12. Commonly they that hauehave most defects themselues, are aprest to contemne others for their weakenesses: but a wise man must so distinguish of the faults of others, that hee couer meere frailties, and learne of God to passe by the infirmities of his seruants: The Antithesis shewes, that a wise man doth not' onelyonly hold his tongue, but restraine his thoughts from thinking the worse of others for such infirmities.
Sixthly, against the passions & wrongs of others thou must arme thy selfe with a soft answer, and bee sure thou render not euill for euill, Prou. 15. 1. 1. Thess. 5. 15. or rebuke for rebuke, 1. Pet. 3. 9.