A Guide to Godliness, Book 5 · Chapter 2
CAP. II.
Of the rules of a godly life, which reſpect the circumstances of it.
§. Sect. 1 That we muſt make precious account of our time which God hath allotted vsus for his ſeruice.
ANd theſe are the rules which concerne the cauſes both principall and fundamentall of a godly life, and thoſe alſo which are inferiour and ſubordinate. Thoſe which reſpect the circumſtances of it, are theſe; Firſt, that wee make precious account of our time which God hath allotted vntounto vsus for his ſeruice, ſuffering (as much as in vsus lyeth) no part thereof to be ſpent vainely and vnfruitfully, about thoſe things which profit not, either for the inriching of our ſoules with ſpirituall grace, or the furthering and aſſuring of our ſaluation. But either we muſt continually be taken vp with ſpirituall exerciſes, as Prayer, Meditation, hearing the Word, Reading, holy conferences, and ſuch like; or in the workes of our honeſt callings, and of iuſtice and mercy for the good of our brethren, or in honeſt and moderate recreations, that wee may bee refreſhed, and better inabled to performe theſe duties with more fruit. To which purpoſe, let vsus often conſider, that theſe are the mayne ends for which wee came into the world, and are ſuffered by God to liue and continue in it, and therefore that time which is not imployed to aduance theſe ends, is ſpent in vaine. That time is the moſt precious Iewell in the world, which cannot bee bought at any price, nor the leaſt minute of it redeemed when once it is paſt, with the treaſures of the richeſt Monarchy. That wee hauehave onelyonly aſſurance of the time preſent for our vſe, and cannot promiſe vntounto our ſelues one monethmonth or moment of that which is to come. That our whole time were farre too little, though it were all ſpent in the duties of Gods ſeruice, from whom wee hauehave receiued ſo great and manifold bleſſings, as pledges and pawnes of farre greater, which wee aſſuredly expect in the life to come. That our imployments in our courſe of Chriſtianity are ſo many and important, ſo full of difficulties, and yet ſo neceſſary, as attaining to the knowledge of God and his will, and the practice of that we know, the furniſhing of our ſoules with ſanctifying and ſauing graces, and bringing foorth the fruits of them in the whole courſe of our liues, the making of our calling and election ſure, and getting into our owne cuſtody the aſſured euidences of our ſaluation, that if we be wiſe, wee will thinke all too little for theſe vſes, and finde none to ſpare for idle and vaine exerciſes. Let vsus conſider, that the time which is ſpent in the pleaſures of ſinne, and purſuing of worldly vanities, brings for the preſent no true profit, or ſound and ſolid comfort, and ending at the beſt in late repentance, leaueth nothing behinde it but griefe and vexation of ſpirit. That now is the acceptable time and day of ſaluation, which wee were beſt preſently to take hold of, if wee louelove our owne ſoules, becauſe wee know not how ſoone it will bee paſt, and withall that when it is gone, it can by no poſſible meanes bee recouered. That our momentany and vncertaine time being well ſpent, ſhall bee rewarded with infinite and eternall happineſſe; but being idlely and vnprofitably waſted, ſhall bring vponupon vsus euerlaſting woe and miſery. Finally, that in this ſhort time, heauenly happineſſe is either wonne or loſt, which ſhall continue beyond all times, and that damnation and helliſh torments moſt intolerable, and endleſſe, are either eſcaped, or elſe procured and ſealed vp vntounto vsus.
§. Sect. 2 That we muſt not ſtay for occaſions of Chriſtian duties, but ſeeke for them before they offer themſelues.
The ſecond rule is, that we doe not ſtay for occaſions and opportunities of performing the Chriſtian duties of a godly life, but that wee ſeeke for them earneſtly before they offer themſelues, and carefully take hold of them when we hauehave found them. Concerning the former, we are with our longing deſires, to preuent the occaſions of well-doing before they are offered, and vſe all our beſt indeuours to finde them out when they ſeeme to lye hid, and to purſue them with all our ſpeed, when they ſeeme to flee from vsus. Heerein imitate we the practice of worldlings, who hauing ſet their hearts vponupon earthly things, doe not ſluggiſhly ſtand ſtill till they bee put into their mouthes, but with all vigilancie and diligence ſpie out all opportunities, whereby they may atchieue their ends, and become rich Pſal. 111. 10. Pro. 1. 7. Pro. 16. 16. Pro. 8. 12. Iob 28. 15. Pro. 2. 4.and honourable in the world. And ſeeing ſpirituall and heauenly wiſedome, which chiefly conſiſteth in true godlineſſe, is much better then riches and worldly honours, according to that of the Wiſeman; How much better is it to get wiſedome then gold? and of greater price, and more to be deſired then precious ſtones, or any worldly thing beſides; therefore we muſt ſeeke it as ſiluer, and ſearch for it as for hid treaſures; and being (as Pro. 4. 7. Eccle. 12. 13.he teacheth vsus) the principall thing and chiefe end of all, we muſt labour to get it with all our gettings; that is, make it our chiefe buſineſſe to attaine vntounto it; according to the example of the wiſe Merchant, who hauing by Matth. 13. 44.diligent ſearch found the hid treaſure, neuer reſteth till he hath made himſelfe owner of it, and gotten it ſure in his owne poſſeſſion. Neither is it ſufficient with all diligence to ſeeke for all opportunities of godlineſſe, but when we hauehave found them, we muſt with all ſpeed lay hold of them, and not ſuffer them to ſlip from vsus through our careleſſe delayes. And firſt, when God offereth vntounto vsus opportunity and meanes of ſeruing him in the duties of a godly life, calling and exhorting vsus vntounto them in the Miniſtery of his Word, and incouraging to imbrace them, by offering vntounto vsus the gracious aſſiſtance of his holy Spirit, we muſt in this very day hearken vntounto his voyce, and not harden our hearts; when he inuiteth vsus to his Supper, wee Pſal. 95. 7, 7. Luke. 14. 16.muſt not pretend excuſes, and put him off with delayes, and whileſt hee knocketh at the dore of our hearts, by the ſound of his Word and finger of his Spirit, we muſt open vntounto him, that hee may come in and feaſt vsus Apoc. 3. 20.with a banquet of his ſpirituall graces. Whileſt hee calleth vsus to repentance, Act. 17. 30. 2. Cor. 6. 2.and offreth vntounto vsus the meanes which formerly hauehave beene denyed, let vsus hearken and turne vntounto him, whileſt the acceptable time and day of ſaluation laſteth. For it is but a day, and nor an age, and when the Sunneſhine of the Goſpel ſetteth, and the night of ignorance and ſuperſtition commeth, there will be no time of working. Now our Bridegroome calleth and knocketh, and if we open vntounto him, we ſhall ſolace our ſelues in Cant. 5. 2, 3, 4.our ſweete communion with him, and the fruition of his louelove. But if with the ſluggiſh Spouſe we pretend excuſes, and will not let him in, hee will withdraw himſelfe, and then we may long ſeeke him, before we ſhall find him. Now wiſedome cryeth out vntounto vsus in our ſtreets, and happy are we Pro. 1. 24. 25, 26 27, 28.if we hearken to her voyce; for if wee now ſtop our eares to her call, wee ſhall in the day of our affliction, cry and call, and not be heard, as the Lord Zach. 7. 11, 12.threatneth.
§. Sect. 3 That we muſt ſet our ſelues moſt ſeriouſly about Chriſtian duties, whē wee finde our ſelues beſt prepared and fitted for them.
Secondly, when we finde our ſelues beſt fitted and prepared for the performing of holy and religious duties, the Spirit of God diſpoſing vsus vntounto them, by inlarging our hearts, and inflaming vsus with the louelove of ſpirituall exerciſes, by the ſweet taſte and comfortable feelings which wee finde in them, we are not to let ſlip this opportunity, but entertaining theſe good motions, and nouriſhing in vsus theſe ſpirituall inclinations, we muſt ſet our ſelues ſeriouſly about them. As when the Lord calleth vsus in the Miniſtery of the Word, and thereby awakeneth vsus out of the ſleepe of ſinne, we muſt be ready to ſay with Samuel, Speake, Lord, for thy ſeruant heareth. When 1. Sam. 3. 10.the Lord boreth the eare and openeth our hearts, we muſt with Lydia, attend Act. 16. 14, 15.vntounto the things that are ſpoken, imbrace them by faith, and bring foorth the fruits of it in the workes of louelove. When he powreth vponupon vsus the ſpirit Zach. 12. 10, 12, 13.of grace and ſupplication, we muſt retire our ſelues a-part into our Cloſets, and powre forth our ſoules and ſuites before him by feruent prayer. When our hearts (like Dauids) are with meditating vponupon Gods manifold mercies, and the ſweete taſte of his ineſtimable benefits duly prepared, wee muſt not loſe this opportunity by delayes, but preſently with him ſing and Pſal. 108. 1.giuegive praiſe. When God hath giuen vntounto vsus ability to performe ſpirituall duties, whereby we may mutually further the ſaluation of one another, and put alſo ſome zeale into our hearts, whereby we are diſpoſed vntounto them, let vsus make no delayes, but exhort one another daily, whileſt it is called to day, Heb. 3. 13.leſt any bee hardned through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne. Finally, if God hath put power into our hands, and ſome pitty and charity into our hearts, whereby we are inabled and mooued to doe the workes of mercy, we are to lay hold vponupon theſe opportunities, and not hazzard the loſing of them by our ſlothfull delayes; according to the counſell of wiſe Salomon; Withhold Pro. 3. 27, 28.not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it; Say not vntounto thy neighbour, Goe, and come againe, and to morrow I will giuegive, when thou haſt it by thee. For if we neglect our opportunity when God offereth it, he may iuſtly deny it vsus when wee would hauehave it; or if it ſtill continue, he may withdraw his grace more and more, which we hauehave neglectfully abuſed, and ſo giuegive vsus vp to our owne hardneſſe of heart, to goe forward and increaſe in our former neglect. Finally, ſeeing our hearts are deceitfull, fickle, and flitting, and we hauehave them not ſo at command that we can keepe them cloſe vntounto good duties, or preſerue in them at our pleaſure the fire of deuotion, it would be our wiſedome to take them in their good mood, and to lay hold of the opportunity, for the performing of holy duties, as Prayer, Meditation, renewing of our Repentance, and ſuch like, when we finde and feele them beſt affected towards them; and when wee diſcerne that they are well warmed with the fire of Gods Spirit, we are to ſtirre it vp, and (as it were) to blow it more and more, giuing vntounto it vent in our holy actions, that it may not be choked and ſmothered. For if we doe not take them at this aduantage, they will ſlip away, and the heate of our zeale and deuotion growing coole in vsus, we ſhall become vnfit for any religious duties, and as vnable to worke our hearts to any frame of godlineſſe, as to faſhion the yron to a new figure and forme, when the fire is extinguiſhed, and the heate gone out of it.
§. Sect. 4 That we muſt obſerue an order in doing theſe duties, & auoid confuſion.
The laſt rule, reſpecting the circumſtances of a godly life, is, (which I hauehave already in part touched) that for the auoyding of confuſion and vnſettledneſſe in our courſe of Chriſtianity, we doe not confound and intermingle duties one with another, but that we, vponupon good aduice and mature deliberation, propound vntounto our ſelues ſome good order in the doing of them, allotting vntounto eueryevery houre and part of the day, ſome ſpeciall duties to be ordinarily performed in them: As ſuch, and ſo much time for Prayer, Meditation, Reading, and other religious exerciſes; ſuch, and ſo much for the duties of our callings, recreations, and ciuill imployments; for ſleeping, waking, riſing, going to bed, eating and drinking, conferring, and the like. The which, howſoeuer we may not ſuperſtitiouſly tye our ſelues vntounto for conſcience ſake, becauſe God hath left the fitting of all times and occaſions to our Chriſtian liberty and to ſpirituall wiſedome, as ſhall be moſt agreeable and profitable for vsus in our ſeuerall places and callings; yet for order ſake, and to auoyd confuſion, vnconſtancy and vtter neglect of good duties; after that vponupon ſound aduice wee hauehave ſet downe a good order and method for our proceeding in Chriſtian duties, and what time is ordinarily to be ſpent in them, we are not eaſily and vponupon eueryevery ſlight cauſe to alter our courſe, but to keepe our ſelues, as neere as we can, vntounto it, vnleſſe either neceſſity, charity, or ſome vnlooked for opportunity of better and more profitable imployment, offering it ſelfe vntounto vsus, doe mooue vsus in Chriſtian wiſedome and diſcretion, at ſome times to varie from our common courſe of proceeding. And this wee ſhall finde profitable, not onelyonly to auoyd diſorder and confuſion, but alſo to ſettle our hearts in a conſtant practice of all good duties, which otherwiſe naturally affecting variety, nouelties, and often changes in religious exerciſes, by reaſon of that ſaciety and carnall lothing which they bring to our corrupt nature, would eueryevery hand while bee flitting and ſtarting, ſometimes performing them in a confuſed manner, and ſometimes neglecting them altogether.