Brief Method of Catechizing, Directions for living
Certaine Rules for the direction of a Christian life.
KEepe a most narrow watch ouer thine owne heart, words,Watchfullnesse. and déeds,Mar. 14.42 Luk. 12.35 &c. Redeeming the time. Ephe. 5.25 Col. 4.5. continually; not giuing any liberty to wandring thoughts & lusts.
2 Be wise and carefull to redéeme the time which hath been wickedlie, idely, or vnprofitably spent: bestowing no more time in worldly matters, then must needs.
Lie downe and arise with God. Psal. 3.5. & 4.8. & 37.5.3 At night lie downe in peace, hauing blessed God for his benefits, and reconciled thy selfe to him for the sins of the day past. In the morning let him hauehave the first place in thy heart, committing thy selfe and all thy waies to his gracious gouernement, and consecrating them wholly to his glorie.
Let prayer go before all businesse. Col. 3.17. Gen. 24.124 Go to no place, frequent no company, vndertake no busines, study, or trauell whatsoeuer, without heartie prayer to God, in the name of Iesus Christ, for the obtaining of his holy Spirit and mercifull protection.
Let prayer be ioyned vvith all blessing. 1. Tim. 4.4.5. Mat. 14.195 In like maner forget not to performe this holy duty, when thou receiuest any mercy from God: whether it be food, apparell, recreation, or any other thing, tending to the health of thy body, or comfort of thy soule: neither be so bold, as to deale with any of the creatures of God, till thou hast praied and praised the Creator therof.
6 As praier must go before,Let prayer follow the fruition of all Gods benefits. Mat. 26.33 and accompanie al the blessings of God, so it must follow the fruition of them. And therefore, herein let eueryevery Christian set before him the example of Christ and his Apostles, who after they had receiued their bodily & spirituall food, and enioyed the company one of another, gaue thanks to God the Father.
7 And though prayer be a spirituall thing,In praying vse the tongue and voice. Psal. 16.9. & 30 12. & 3.4. and consist chiefely in the attention and earnestnes of the minde: yet, for the better quickening of the heart and affections, let the tongue and voice be vsed as oft as conueniently thou maist, lest dulnesse and coldnesse creepe vponupon thée.
8 If your calling and estate will possiblie beare it,Set aside some time for godly exercises. Gen. ….63 Dan. 5.10. Acts 12 9. let some time of the day be set apart for priuat prayer, meditation, and reading of the scripture, or some other choice booke, that may best further you in the knowledge and practise of true godlinesse.
Things to be thought vponupon. Iere. 12.1.2.3. Abac. 1.3. Mat. 25.31 &c.9 Bend your mind to thinke often and earnestly vponupon the workes of God: as his creating, and gouerning the world, prospering or punishing the wicked, blessing or correcting his children in this life, with the eternall torment appointed for the one, and the vnspeakeable glory laid vp for the other.
The worke of our redemption a speciall vvorke. 1. Cor. 2.6.7.8.9. 1. Pet. 1.12.10 But, aboue all the workes of God, thinke vponupon the glorious and gratious worke of thy redemption by Iesus Christ; a mysterie that the holy Angels doe admire, and desire to prie into: herein behold the swéet harmonie and happie coniunction of the infinit mercy and iustice of God méeting together; and take comfort and delight herein, with thankesgiuing.
The liues and deaths of other, but especially of thy selfe, must be thought vponupon. Heb. 12.1.2 Ioh. 21.25.11 Marke the life and behauiour of the wicked, to auoid their steps; and of the godly, to prouoke thy selfe to a holy emulation of the like course: marke also their death with like diligence, and think seriously vponupon thine owne death, how thou must shortly lie downe in the dust, and part with whatsoeuer delight thou doest héere enioy; that this may bréed in thée a contempt of the world, and a longing after the life to come.
12 Obserue daily how sinne dieth,1. The. 5.22 Reu. 2.4. Our couenant made with God must be renewed. and is weakned in thee, and be carefull to shun one sinne, as well as another: and lose not thy first louelove (as the most part doe) and delight in the word and worship of God, and in the fellowship of his Saints; but mourne and striue against thy sinnes, renew thy couenant with God, for that end.
13 When you be in company,Nehe. 9.38 In company bevvare of breaking the third and ninth commandement. hauehave a care to receiue and doe good, and not hurt, either by your speech or silence, countenance or example: and auoid, as rocks, those common sins against the third and ninth Commandement. Let not God, or any word or work of his be mentioned but with feare, or any man named but with louelove and due regard of that royall law, Whatsoeeuer ye would, &c.
14 Among all other things séeke to approue thy selfe to God,Mens walking in their particular callings, the touchstone of religion. Mat. 23.25 26.27.28. Ierem. 7.9.10.11. Ephe. 5.35 & 6.5.6.7.8.9. his children, and thine owne conscience, touching thy charge and behauiour in that particular place & calling wherein God hath set thée, and towards those persons with whom God hath ioyned thee: as, if thou be a seruant, in obeying thy master, seruing him with feare and singlenes of heart: if a master, in guiding thy familie according to the word: if a husband, in louing thy wife without bitternes: if a wife, in reuerencing thy husband.
Take heede of performing holy duties for fashion sake. Heb. 3.12. Esa. 1.11.14 Mat. 15.8. Reu. 3.15.15 Finally, because the corrupt nature of man is so prone to prophanenesse and hypocrisie, that when men are once come so far as to vse the outward exercises of religion (without marking in what manner, with what feeling, fruit and profit to their soules they vse the same) they please themselues: take heede of this deceit of Satan, and keepe thy soule with all diligence that these duties be not made matters of course and custome, without care and conscience to grow better thereby.
FINIS.
End of the text · Stephen Egerton, Brief Method of Catechizing (1610)