Principles of Faith and Good Conscience, Part 2
Generall Rules of Holy life and Converſation.
1.
EVery Chriſtian may and ought to be aſſured of his own Salvation. 2 Pet. 1.5, 7. 2 Cor. 13.5.
2.
No man can be aſſured thereof but by the word of God working ſpirituall and ſupernaturall effects, and changes in the underſtanding, in the Heart and affections: By the which change our effectuall vocation & future ſalvation is witneſſed and ſealed to our conſciences. Gal. 6.7, 8, 15. 1 Joh. 1.6, 7.
3.
It is not enough for a Chriſtian to be Baptized, to be bred up in the true Religion, to come to Church, to cry Lord, Lord, and to live civilly, unleſſe thou have a ſound Faith which worketh by love, unleſſe thou be a New Creature: Outward Profeſſion will not ſerve the turne, nor ſtead thee to ſalvation unleſſe thou finde inwardly thoſe effects which the word & Sacraments expreſſe outwardly. Rom. 2.25, 28. Gal. 5.6. Jer. 9.26.
4
Repentance doth not ſtand only in an outward forbearance of ſin, but there muſt be alſo an inward loathing & hatred of ſin, together with a ſtriving againſt the corruptions of our hearts, there muſt be a new frame of heart, and ſoul, making us to doe all things. 1. By new Principles of obedience, viz. Faith and Love 2. By new Rules, viz. the word of God: & 3d for new Ends, namely how God may be honoured, and our own finall and externall peace procured.
5.
A Chriſtian muſt look to find in himſelfe ſome ſingular thing which cannot be found in an Hypocrite, nor in the beſt morall Man in the World. Mat. 5.47. And ſeeing there are but few that ſhall be ſaved, we muſt ſtrive to go the narrow path that lead to life. Luk: 13.24, Luk: 6.33.
6.
A ſingular love & affection is to be borne towards all that feare God, even becauſe they fear God and have Gods Image on them. Mat: 10.41.
7.
A ſpeciall regard muſt be had of the Lords day, to ſpend the Lords day in the Lords work, and not in wordly pleaſures or profits Eſ: 56.6. Eſ: 58.13.
8.
A preciſe conſcience muſt be made of the leaſt ſin by every one that deſireth to ſtand in the favour of God, as of leſſer Oaths (by ones Faith and Troth) and alſo of Idle words. Pſ 119.6. Mat. 12.36. Jam. 2.10.
Sins of Omiſſion are to be avoided as being more dangerous then ſins of Commiſſion: The heart is wonderfully hardned and eſtranged from God by neglect and omiſſion of good duties.
10.
A Chriſtian muſt exerciſe Juſtice Truth and Fidelity towards all men, even the worſt, not daring to wrong any man in the leaſt pin, or farthing. Luk: 16.10. Mat. 16.26. Ezek: 22.13, 14. Eſ: 63.8.
11.
A Chriſtian muſt make Conſcience of doing good things in a good manner, that is with the ſpirit, and with the affections of the inward man, and unto ſpirituall ends, viz. to pleaſe God and edify his own ſoule.
12.
A Chriſtian muſt ſeperate from the ſinfull Manners, Cuſtomes, Courſes, Faſhions, and waies of the World: He muſt not faſhion himſelfe to the World: All familiar ſociety with wicked men is to be avoided. Rom. 12.2. Eſ. 8.11, 12. Ier. 15.19. Pſ. 1.1. Eph. 5.7, 11. Phil. 2.15. Pſ. 26.4, 5. Mat. 24.49. 2 Cor. 6.17.
13.
A Chriſtian muſt neither feare nor pleaſe man againſt God, he muſt not feare their threats, nor their reproches, nor yet prize their favours, and ſo forget God his maker. Eſ. 3.22. Eſ. 51.7, 12. Luk. 1.26, 27. Heb. 12.4.Of Callings.
14.
A Chriſtian muſt live in ſome honeſt calling, and be conſcionable therein, doing the duties thereof, as the work which God ſets him about, And not like the Oxe or Horſe, who doe their worke, but not in knowledge nor obedience to God. we muſt doe the buſineſſe of our callings faithfully and obediently as unto God, ſtudying to honour him, and to adorne our holy profeſſion in that ranke and place wherein God hath ſet us.
15.
A Chriſtian in his calling muſt exerciſe the graces of the ſpirit, viz. Patience, Juſtice, Equity, Mercy, Truth, Faith, and Dependance on Gods promiſes & providence in all his waies: our generall calling of Religion and Chriſtianity, muſt be expreſſed in the uſe of our particular callings. He that is not Godly and good in his calling, is good no where:
16.
A Chriſtian muſt enter upon the duties of his calling with Prayer, craving Gods bleſſing and ſtrength, his pardon for failings, his protection in our waies, And alſo his grace to preſerver us from thoſe ſnares and Temptations unto which in our callings we are moſt ſubject, and expoſed, whether it be unto Idleneſſe, frowardneſſe, uncheerfullneſſe, diſcontentedneſſe, diſtruſtfulneſſe, covetouſneſſe, vaine glory, &c.
17.
A Chriſtian ſhould labour to ſee all things in God, and from God, the fountain of Wiſdome, Power, Goodneſſe, and Mercy; we muſt labour to ſee and meet God at every turne. Pſ: 73.13. Pſ: 22.17.
18.
A Chriſtian muſt never proſecute any earthly thing ſo as for periſhing things to loſe ſpirituall and eternall things Mat: 16:26.
19.
Never be thou ſo paſſironately addicted to any cauſe, work, or end (be it never ſo good) as to carry it on by unlawfull means and waies, God is all ſufficient in his own waies. And it is better to ſuffer any evill of affliction, then to doe any evill of ſin: Reſolve to ſtick to Gods waies what ever the iſſue may be.
20.
Never meddle without a warrant or calling, nor above thy ſtrength. Pſ. 131.1. Let it never be ſayd to thee in reproach, who art thou? Who gave thee this Authority, or who required this at thy hand?
21.
Doe the moſt neceſſary duties of thy calling firſt and moſt.
22.
Never lock up thy comfort in the Creature, but let God be thy portion and thy exceeding greate reward: (Uſe the World, as if thou uſedeſt it not.)
23.
A Chriſtians recreations muſt be. 1, Harmleſſe and without offence to others, & without ſcrupuloſity to our owne conſciences. 2. They muſt not maſter us nor overrule our affections, but our recreations muſt be ſuch as we can uſe for refreſhments without loſſe of the graces, of Patience, Charity, juſtice, Truth, &c. & without waſting of our pretious time, & Eſtates: We muſt not exchange better things for ſports.
24.
God hath given us all things plentifully to enjoy, yet with moderation; a Chriſtian muſt never eat nor drink to make the head heavy, nor the heart heavy.
25.
A Chriſtian muſt not be aſhamed of God and Godlineſſe here before men; Grace is a Chriſtian crown.
26.
A Chriſtian muſt prepare to meet with croſſes & reproaches in the World for a good conſcience ſake, and yet not be diſcouraged thereby. Eſ: 8.18. Gal. 4.29. Pſ. 14.10. Pſ. 38.20. Pro: 29.27. Act. 28.22.
27.
A Chriſtian can never be ſound in Religion that doth not prize and highly eſteeme the Publicke Ordinances, and Miniſters of God: We muſt delight to meet God in his Ordinances, & we muſt give up our hearts to be ruled and directed by them.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Lyford, Principles of Faith and Good Conscience (1655)