The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 1 · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. Farther Directions of the ſame kind.
(9) TAke heed your particular callings prove not a ſnare to you. That may be two wayes,
1] By wholly neglecting of them. For hereby a ſoul is expoſed to a million of temptations, whereunto a moderate proſecution of the affairs of a mans calling might prove a conſiderable diverſion. 'Tis true, I would have every ſoul upon the firſt ſmiting of his heart to ſet apart ſome time for a ſerious meditation upon it, till he hath ſtated his condition, and (by Gods aſſiſtance begged in Prayer) gained a clear ſight of his eſtate, brought his heart under ſuch fixed impreſſions, as will ſtick upon him through all his other imployments. After which he may go about the works of his calling moderately, and take ſet times out of it, to begin where he left laſt, ſo carrying on that work, yet not neglecting the other. As a Tradeſman takes time to ſtate his Accounts, and when ſo, falls to his Imployment again; and having brought his Accounts into method, he can again find where he left.
2] By over eager following them. Mat. 13. 22. The cares of the world choak the Word. The Divel, when a ſoul ſets all its power on work to hunt him out, runs like a hare among a flock of ſheep; and ſo puzles the purſuing ſoul, and divers it. A man in ſuch a condition, if his neceſſary imployments cannot be carryed on by other hands, may and muſt follow them, yet he muſt take heed that his whole heart never be let out in them; ſtil muſt the impreſſions of the Spirit of God run as a black thread through the whole web of his buſineſſe, that when he hath gained time from his buſineſs to think on it more ſeriouſly, he miſs not his heart.
10. Avoid all cooling company, and chooſe thoſe whoſe affections are warmeſt, and their zeal hotteſt, provided they be ſound in the faith. This I have touched upon before (as alſo moſt of the reſt in a ſort) and therefore ſhall be but brief in it. When you are convinced, poſſibly your company before conviction was meerly worldly, poſſibly vicious, drunken, diſſolute, now fly the very occaſions of converſing with them, and ſeek, cleave to, and eſteem only the company of the ſtricteſt. Theſe will be ſure to help you out in the managing of your troubles, will give advice, pray with, and for you, &c. See Act. 2. 40.
11. Keep no conſiderable paſſages of your preſent condition ſecret. O that I could perſwade people, when the Word works any impreſſions upon their conſciences, preſently to let the ſame, or ſome other, but moſt chiefly, the ſame Miniſter that made the wound know it, and ſo afterwards give him an account of the carrying on or obſtructions of the work in all conſiderable particulars. How ſeaſonably might he adviſe, preach, pray; and how ſutably apply himſelf to them?
12. Take ſpecial care of ſincerity and uprightneſs of heart in all your progreſſe this way. The heart oftentimes in ſuch a condition is afraid to appear as bad as it is, and therefore though for eaſe men will diſcover ſomething of their condition to a Miniſter or godly friend, yet it hath ever and anon an aptneſſe and diſpoſedneſſe to prevaricate and mince, &c. O be ſure that you deal candidly and clearly in ſuch buſineſſes. And take heed leſt when you begin to find a change in your ſelves, you be tempted to Pſal. 51. 6be willing to appear to Gods Miniſters or people better then you are, that you may get them to ſpeak peace to you, or eſteeme you the more, &c.
13 As you find improvements and enlargements, labour to keep your hearts humble. It may be, when you have confeſſed your ſins to God, and wept bitterly, and prayed fervently, &c. you may find a kind of quiet begotten in your heart thereby; your wounds do not ake and ſmart as before, and you have an interval in your trouble, are prettily well pacified; but whence is it? is it not hence? Now you think you are in a faire way, ſure God will look on you now, &c. and therefore you riſe well pacified for the preſent. Take heed of this ſnare: Rather when you have ſo done, labor to riſe with the loweſt thoughts of what you have done, & as long as you find ſuch a thought in you, never leave till you have prayed it downe. God cannot but be offended at ſuch thoughts as theſe. And this is one of the greateſt blocks in the way of ſaving grace that can be. God reſiſteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble, James 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. I am confident this is the very thing that undoes many thouſand ſouls under ſuch workings of ſpirit. God ſees they begin to tye him to their performances, and therefore God leaves them to themſelves, and they either go away preſuming they have gotten what they ſought, and ſo all the work dies in a form of godlineſſe, or elſe if God ſave them, he lets them ſo cool again, that they ſee the former heat was meerly from him, and makes them beg hard for one of thoſe meltings again ere they can attain it. Rather on the other ſide, Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God, and he will exalt you in due time, 1 Pet. 5. 6. Your own time may be an undue time. You never ariſe with honour from your knees, till God ſay to you, Ariſe.