The Rules of a Holy Life, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX.
Rules that concern our selues: and so first in our generall calling.
HItherto of the rules of order in respect of God, or our neighbours. Now follow the rules that concerne our selues:
And these are of two sorts. For they are either such, as order vsus at al times, or such as order vsus in the times of affliction.
The first sort concerne either our generall, or particular calling.
The rules that concerne our generall calling,How we must carry our selues in our generall calling. as in this place they are to bee considered of, concern either: 1. our Faith: 2. or our repentance: 3. or our hope.
1. The rules,1. In matters of faith. that concerne our Faith (supposing the Christian to be informed in the things contained in the former Treatises) are onelyonly these two:
First, thou must be expert in the Catalogue of promises, that concerne infirmities, mentioned in the third Treatise. For those wil preserue thy faith in Gods fauour, against the daily experience of frailetie, and infirmitie in thy selfe. For thou maist by them see, that thou hast no reason to doubt of the continuance of Gods louelove to thee only, because of thy many weaknesses. For in those promises, hee hath and doth declare, how graciously he is inclined to his seruants, and passeth by their frailty, and accepteth their desires and endeuours, &c. This rule will prooue a maine support of the contentment of thy life: and therefore let not Sathan make thee either despise, or neglect it.
Secondly, thou shalt doe well to establish thy iudgement particularly in the doctrine of the principles expressed in the fifth Treatise; and by sound learning of them settle thy selfe, so as thou bee no more carried about with the winde of any contrary doctrine: It should be the labour & care of all good Christians to keep the pattern of wholesome words, 2. Tim. 3. 13.
Concerning thy repentance,2. About thy repentance. as now it is to bee vrged vponupon thee; after thy assurance one rule is of singular vse, and that concernes the Catalogue of present sinnes: By the directions in the first Treatise, I suppose thou hast deliuered thy selfe from the body of sinnes, so as the most of those euils mentioned in thy first and great Catalogue, are shaken off, neuer to bee committed againe, and so thou hast no more to doe about them, but giuegive God thankes for thy deliuerance from them through Iesus Christ: Now because after thy first repentance, there will remaine some corruptions, which as yet are not rooted out; thy course for thy whole life, for these remainders of sinne, would be this: Make thee a Catalogue of thy present sinnes, euen of such euils as thou findest thy selfe yet daily prone vntounto. Examine thy selfe seriously to this end: it may bee thou wilt finde 6. or 8. or 10. or more, or fewer euils, which yet hang vponupon thy nature and life: Thy course for the vse of this Catalogue may be this: I suppose thou art instructed so far, as to know the profite of daily calling vponupon God: Now whereas inprayer thou dost; or oughtst to make confession of thy sinnes, in stead of a more generall confession, vse still thy Catalogue, that is, labour eueryevery day to iudge thy selfe distinctly for those sins that doe presently annoy thee: Hold on this course constantly; till thou hauehave gotten power against all, or any of them, and as thou findest vertue against any of them, so alter thy Catalogue, giuing thankes for the sinnes thou gettest head against, and putting them out of thy Catalogue. The paines is little, it is once done for a long time, and thy memory will easily carry thy speciall present faults: Besides, this distinct daily remembrance of thy present sins, will make thee more watchful against those sins; & thou maist once a year, or once a quarter, or before eueryevery Communion, examine thy selfe anew, and mend thy Catalogue, by putting in any corruption, which thou discouerest then, or at any time, to arise anew in thee, and putting out such euils, as by prayer thou hast gotten victory against: Thus maist thou see the state of thy soule distinctly al the daies of thy life, discerning when thou goest forward or backward: Besides, this course of daily iudging thy selfe, keeps thee out of the danger of any wrath from God.
Concerning thy hope,3. About thy hope. there are foure things for thee to doe.
First, pray constantly and earnestly, for the knowledge of the great glory is prouided for thee: Thou must forme the admiration of heauen in thee, by prayer: for naturally it is not in vsus, Ephes. 1. 18, &c.
Secondly, thou must vse all diligence to perfect thy assurance of heauen, when thou diest, Heb. 6. 12. 1. Pet. 1. 13.
Thirdly, thou must striue to accustome thy thoughts to the daily contemplation of heauen, that thy conuersation may be in heauen, Phil. 3. 20,
Fourthly, thou must striue to direct thy heart, and inable thy selfe to the expectation of the comming of Iesus Christ; thou must labor for that skill distinctly, to be able to waite for the comming of Iesus Christ, and to shew that thou louest his appearing, 1. Thes. 1. 10. & 2. Thess. 3. 5. Gal. 5. 5 2. Tim. 4. 8.