A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints, Part 1 · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Of walking Circumspectly and Exactly.
IV. ANother singular duty incumbent upon the Regenerate is, To walk circumspectly and exactly, according to that of the Apostle, See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. The word in the Original translated circumspectly, foreign. Mat. 2.8. foreign.cometh of two words, which signifie to go to the extremity of a thing. We must be willing to go to the utmost of every command. The same word is used by the Evangelist St. Matthew, when Herod charged the Wise men to search most diligently and narrowly, to make a close and a thorow search for the young Child Jesus. So that by this Phrase is intended great accurateness and exactness in our Christian conversation, which the Spirit of God accounteth the greatest point of wisdom, as appeareth from the following words, not as fools, but as wise men. It is no part of folly, but a great point of wisdom to be circumspect in the whole course of our lives. I know the men of the World count preciseness of life the greatest folly that may be: and therefore often call those precise fools, who endeavour to live soberly, righteously and Godly in this present World. But at last it will appear the greatest point of Wisdom.
For the better clearing and pressing this duty, I shall shew you, wherein this exact walking doth consist;
1. In walking by rule. As the Carpenter when he would do his work exactly, doth all by rule. So must the Christian that would walk accurately, he must walk by the Word of God, which is the only adequate rule of holiness: He must eat and drink, and buy and sell, and work and rest, and all by this rule. Therefore saith the Apostle,Gal. 6.16. As many as walk by this rule, peace be on them, and on the Israel of God. Let our walking be never so specious and glorious, yet if it be not strait and according to the rule of Scripture, as it will afford no true solid comfort at the last, so neither will it find acceptance with God. For as nothing is a sin (how great a shew of evil soever it beareth) but that which swerveth from the direction of Gods Word. So nothing is a good work, (how great a shew of goodness soever it beareth) but only that which is according to the direction of his Word. Therefore Moses giveth this in express charge to the Israelites,Deut. 5.32. Ye shall observe to do, as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand, nor to the left.
2. Our exact walking consisteth in having respect to the inward and spiritual part of the Law; as well as to the outward and external. In every command of God there is both an outward and external part, and also an inward and spiritual part. The former I may call the letter of the Law: the latter the Spirit of the Law. This our Saviour excellently clears in his Sermon on the Mount, where reciting the sixth Commandment,Mat. 5.21, 22. he saith, Thou shalt do no Murther, there is the letter of the Law, And then adds by way of Explanation, But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause, shall be in danger of Iudgement; there is the Spirit of the Law. So afterwards reciting the seventh commandment saith, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, there is the letter of the Law,Mat. 5.28. And then adds, But I say unto you, that whosoever looks on a Woman to Lust after her, hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart. There is the Spirit of the Law, or the Spiritual part thereof. The most diligent observation of the letter or external part of the Law, without a care of the inward and spiritual part, is as a body without a soul, a dead thing, which is no way acceptable unto the living God. Hence our Saviour spent so many words to convince the Pharisees, who were many of them punctual in their outward observations, that they were yet horrible Hypocrites, violating that Law in their hearts, which they so boasted of, and pleaded for with their mouths, being Murtherers in heart, Adulterers in heart, though they committed no such wickedness in the outward man.
And hereby is the hypocrisie of many professors of Christianity discovered, who reach no farther than the outside of Religion; whose Godliness is nothing but carnal service, and bodily exercise. Whereas the Law is spiritual, Rom. 7.14.as the Apostle speaketh, reaching to the very inwards of the Soul. And saith our Saviour, God is a Spirit, Joh. 4.24.and will be worshipped inwardly with the spirit, as well as outwardly with the body. Whosoever therefore walks exactly, contents not himself with the externals of Christianity, but labours to bring up his heart to the inwards thereof; striving to suppress evil thoughts, to mortifie unclean lusts, and all inordinate affections; to abhor and watch against secret impurities, as well as open impieties. This is to walk exactly and accurately indeed: for so the word in the Greek seemeth to import in its proper notion,foreign. viz. A going from the bottom to the top of the rule.
3. Our exact walking consisteth in a carefull avoiding all occasions of evil, and temptations thereunto. Having by sad experience found such and such things to have been snares, and occasions of sin unto us, it is our duty, and will be our wisdom carefully to shun and efchew the same. Especially considering that by running into temptations, we tempt the Lord, and provoke him to give us over to our weakness, and to the power of our corruptions; that so by our falls we may for the time to come be more wise and wary.
Every man by nature is like dry wood, which is apt to kindle so soon as fire is put to it. There needs not any Devils to tempt us. Dry stubble will take fire without any bellows to blow it. Let the least occasion that is be offered unto us, how easily doth it take? every spark will catch upon our tinder hearts. The first sin that proved so fatal to mankind came by temptation. The Devil prevailed with Eve to go and see the forbidden fruit, telling her, that though she might not eat it, yet she might lawfully look on it, and that became the occasion of her fall. For from sight and view she proceeded to touch and taste, to the taking in of that which proved the bane both of her and hers.
By the like means how sadly doth the Devil prevail upon souls daily? what windows doth he make our eyes and ears, to let in temptation first, and then iniquity? what snares doth he make of our voluptuous tables? our vain and loose companions? our gorgeous apparel? our vain and wanton fashions? even forming our hearts into the image of those vanities, and leading us out to all iniquity. As our Saviour therefore taught us to pray, that we enter not into temptation. So it will be our wisdom to see to it, that our practice be according to our prayers. What a mockery is it, this hour to pray against temptations, and the next hour to be running into them. Pray against temptations, and watch against them. Watch against all temptations, but especially such as are most taking with thee: and such as have a tendency to thy bosome and best beloved sins. For from them is most danger to be feared, they having most strength from our natures. The Devil knowing full well, which are our bosome and beloved sins, and most predominant lusts, unto them especially, and with greatest success doth he apply his temptations.
4. Our exact walking consisteth in abstaining from appearances of evil, 1 Th…s. 5.22.as well as from apparent and direct evills. As there are some things apparently evil, so there are other things in shew and appearance only evil. He who walks circumspectly and exactly will as carefully shun the one as the other. He will not adventure upon any thing that looks like sin, or that hath the least affinity with it. If the thing be doubtfull whether it may, or may not be done, he will do that which is most safe, and leave the other undone. Yea though he know a thing to be lawfull in it self, yet if it may prove a stumbling block in the way of another, and so be an occasion of sin unto him, he will carefully avoid the same.
Upon this account St. Paul resolved to avoid the eating of flesh, though he might lawfully do it: yet when it was like to be a stumbling-block to his weak Brother, in regard it had an appearance of evil in it,1 Cor. 8.13. he said, If meat make my Brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth. Upon this ground likewise the Apostles and Elders in the first general Council at Ierusalem imposed upon the Gentiles abstinence from meat offered to Idols, Act. 15.29.from things strangled, and from blood. Not for that these meats were in themselves unclean and unlawfull; but because they were apprehended to be so unto many of the Iews, who were kept off from Christ, because those meats in which they supposed to be such uncleanness were ordinarily eaten by the Christians. Hereupon it concerns us in all our actions to be satisfied, not only of the lawfullness but likewise of the expediency of them.Sicut non …mne quod libet, licet: sic non omne quod licet, statim etiam expedit. Bern. Ep. 25. For many things in themselves may be lawfull, which yet in some respect may not be expedient, because they have some shew of evill in them, or are lyable to some mis-construction, or may be occasions of sin unto our selves, or of scandal and offence unto our weak Brother, or may strengthen and confirm wicked men in their ungodly courses, and the like. But herein this cau…ion is to be observed,Scandalum quod oritur ex rebus per se bonis, & necessariis, non licet evitare: quia non est faciendum malum, ut eveniat …onum, &c. Cameron. in Matth. 18.7. that all necessary duties commanded by God, ought to be performed by us, though our Brother be offended at them, and though to the World they have some appearance of evil. Christs Doctrines, Works and Conversations were an offence to many in his dayes, yet he went on therein, and pronounced them blessed who were not offended in him. We may not therefore shun profession of holiness, and the practice of Godliness, because unto Worldly men it appeareth but brain-sick peevishness, and an irrational precis…ness. But being commanded by God in his Word, ought to be endeavoured after. I may not wound mine own Cons…ience to secure my Brothers.
5. Our exact walking consisteth in a moderate use of lawfull things. That overmuch liberty which some men have given to themselves in such things as are in their own nature lawfull, hath proved great occasion of sin unto them. Our Saviour seemeth to blame the men of the old World, that when the Flood came upon them,Luke 17.27, 28. they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. Things no doubt in themselves lawfull to be done: but by over using those lawfull things, and setting their hearts upon them, they laid aside all care of Heavenly things; and increased their pride and covetousness, neglecting the threatnings of a Flood,Jude v.12. and so drowned themselves in perdition.
The Apostle therefore tells us,1 Cor. 7.29, 30, 31. that they who marry, must be as if they marryed not: and they who buy, as if they bought not: and they who use this World, as not abusing it. There is a lawfull using the comforts of this life, and an unlawfull, an abusing of them. We lawfully use them, when we enjoy them with moderation, and with subordination to spiritual grace, and heavenly glory, when we use all we have for God. We abuse the comforts of this life, when we use them too much, even excessively in respect of the measure, and inordinately in respect of the manner; when letting out our hearts too much upon them, the things which should lead us to God, withdraw us from him.
To spend some time in honest recreations, for the refreshing of our minds, and strengthening our bodies is lawfull. But to waste too much of our precious time in sports and pastimes, making a vocation of our recreations: or to give up our hearts unto our pleasure, to use those delights for themselves and not for God: or to use them more for gain than for refreshment, they are thereby turned into sin.
In like manner sometimes to feast with our friends and neighbours is lawfull: but to be too frequent therein; or intemperate, feeding without fear, Jude v. 12.as the Apostle Iude hath it; never tasting the sweetness of God in the Creature, nor having respect to that communion which should be amongst Saints, is to abuse Gods good Creatures.
So to be diligent in the works of our calling is in it self both lawfull, and commendable. But when we shall be so diligent in our particular calling, that we neglect the duties of our general calling, as Christians. I mean when we are so taken up with our Worldly businesses and imployments, that we can find no time for serving God, either secretly in our Chambers, or privately with our families, is to make our lawfull calling sinfull unto us. Much more when we mingle fraud and deceit with our dealings, and cannot be content with that gain that comes in by righteousness, and honesty in all our wayes, this is to turn our lawfull calling into a mysterie of iniquity.
The best of Gods Children are apt to use the lawfull things of this World unlawfully, and to abuse them by their excess therein. Did not our Saviour warn his Disciples that they should take heed of abusing as their meat and drink unto surfetting and drunkenness, so their callings to worldliness and covetousness?Luk. 21.34. Take heed to your selves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness, and cares of this life. Who would not have thought the Disciples of Christ far enough from these sins? yet they must take heed to themselves therein. If the green Tree may so easily take fire, what will not the dry do?
Oh then how doth it concern us to set bounds to our selves in all lawfull things! not to exceed either in our recreations, or in our vocations, or in our eating, drinking and the like: but to observe the golden mean: the rather because the Devil in nothing more prevaileth with Gods people than in their immoderate and inordinate usage of things lawfull. Knowing full well that the Godly will not easily be drawn to the committing of such things as carry wickedness in their foreheads, he therefore layeth his snares for them in the use of things lawfull; as their meat and drink, their apparel and recreation, their trading and traffick with the like. Wherein his snares being not so visible, he oftentimes prevaileth with them. The Apostle declaring what a cruel, crafty, and malicious adversary the Devil is, whom he setteth forth to be as a roaring Lyon, 1 Pet. 5.9.that walketh about seeking to devour: he thereupon adviseth us to be as sober in the use of things lawfull and indifferent, so watchfull over our selves, lest we be foyled therein.
For your better help herein, take these few directions,
1. In the free use of lawfull things be ever jealous of your selves, lest you abuse them to intemperancy and excess. This hath been the folly of many, that presuming too much as on their Christian liberty, so upon their own strength, have adventured upon such temptations, as have occasioned their fearfull falls.
2. Labour to make a spiritual improvement of all those lawfull comforts which God hath afford…d to you for your delight. And so whilest you refresh your bodies, you will cherish your souls. Thus in your eating and drinking, often meditate of Gods bounty in providing so plentifully for you: and not only take in meats, but likewise give out gracious discourses and instructions. For what can it be but egregious folly, when you are feeding your bodies, to neglect your souls? In putting on your cloaths, meditate on the robe of Christs righteousness; which alone can make you amiable in the sight of God, desiring with the Apostle to be found cloathed therewith at the great day.
3. Consider that to use your lawfull comforts to the utmost extent, is the next door to sin. He who will go to the utmost extent of what he may lawfully do, is in danger to go beyond it; and to do also that which is unlawfull. He who will walk upon the brink of a River, may fall into the Water. And he who will take the utmost liberty he may, is very near falling into sin.