Several Works — John Murcot

Several Works · John Murcot

CIRCVMSPECT Walking, A Chriſtians Wiſdom.

Epheſ. 5. 15, 16.

See then that you walk circumſpectly, not as fools, but as wiſe, Redeeming the time, becauſe the dayes are evil.

THE Apoſtle in this Chapter, according to his manner, doth build upon the faith in Chriſt Jeſus to juſtification, the Doctrine of good works, and a holy converſation, and matters of morality. In this Chapter he devideth that his Doctrine, as I may ſay, into Ethicks, and Oeconomicks, rules more generally concerning the framing, the converſations of all; and rules more ſpeciall and particular to Family ralations: This he had begun in the former Chaprer, ver. 17. This I ſay therefore, and teſtifie, that ye walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind. The Apoſtle deſcends to many Particulars in that Chapter, and carrieth on the Exhortation in this Chapter wherein our Text is: The general Propoſition ſtill being ſuppoſed, That the Saints ought to be adorned with all manner of vertue, and to keep themſelves unſpotted of the world; he exhorts them to a freeneſs of pardoning one another, wherein thy had the Example of God, and it would declare them to be his dear children, in the firſt verſe of this Chapter: then to love; and walking in love, not in heart only, but it muſt be expreſſed actually, as Jeſus Chriſt expreſſed his love to us in giving up himſelf for us; then he dehorts them from ſeveral vices, as fornication uncleanneſs, covetouſneſs, filthineſs, fooliſh ſpeaking and jeſting, which are not convenient; yea, theſe are things will exclude from the Kingdom of heaven. Let no man deceive you with vain words, as if there were no ſuch danger in ſuch a looſe walking; thoſe are vain words believe it, ſaith the Apoſtle, For theſe things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of diſobedience, therefore it is no light matter I deal with you about; therefore the Apoſtle concludeth, be not therefore partakers with them; partake not of the ſins of the children of diſobedience, leſt you taſte of the wrath which cometh upon their heads for theſe their iniquities. The Apoſtle goeth on to back this his Admonition, that they be not drawn away with the error of the wicked, with many arguments. As becauſe now their condition was changed, they were men of other principles; no marvel if heretofore, while they were darkneſs, they walked as children of darkneſs, and did work and had fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſs; but now they were children of the light, and therefore muſt walk as they were; and they were fruits of the Spirit now they muſt bring forth; they were goodneſs righteouſneſs and truth; beſides, it is the part of godly men, and good children to approve themſelves to God, and ſubmit to him in all things; beſides; the works of darkneſs are unfruitful, and ſhameful; it is a ſhame to ſpeak of the things they do in ſecret: they were ſuch in themſelves, and they will at laſt be revealed to the confuſion of the authors of them; to all which he addeth a teſtimony from Scripture, that God doth generally every where call upon men to ariſe from their ſleep and death in ſin, and he is ready to enlighten them; he ſpeaks no more but what the Scripture of old did ſpeak; ſome difficulty is in this Verſe, but it is beſide our purpoſe.

Now the words of the Text are, as I may ſay, a Repetition, and re-inforcing the general Propoſition, That the Saints ought to have their converſation adorned with every vertue, or grace, and the fruits of them, and to keep themſelves pure and innocent, and free from the corruption of the world: From all the former Arguments, he laies down by way of Inference and Concluſion this charge in v. 15. foreign therefore becauſe ſo and ſo, as you have heard; See to it, That you walk circumſpectly; the Argument inforcing, it is in the following words, not as fools, but as wiſe; It is a part of great wiſdom to walk circumſpectly; And from the general in the 16. verſe, the Apoſtle deſcends to a particular and ſpecial piece of this circumſpect walking, and a notable evidence of this wiſdom, and that is the redeeming the time, and backeth this with a ſtrong argument, becauſe the days are evil.

Without any further ſtay in the Porch, let us now enter the Houſe, and view ſome of the rooms of it; there are many things note-worthy in the words; the firſt that I ſhall take up at this time is this; It is a duty Chriſtians are ſtrictly charged with, to walk circumſpectly.Doct. 1.

Here it will be requiſite to enquire what is meant by this Circumſpect walking; and then Secondly, to make it good, that it is a duty ſo ſtrictly charged upon the Saints; and Thirdly, why it is ſo; and then Fourthly, Apply it.

For the firſt, What it is to walk Cirrumſpectly: Here we have the Ma…ter and the Manner of a Chriſtians converſation; the Matter that is expreſſed, by a Walking, which indeed doth comprehend all the actions of a Chriſtian life, in conformity to the Law and Will of Jeſus Chriſt, which is the Way; nothing more ordinary then to expreſs a Chriſtian courſe by a walking, and ſometimes by a running in a race: but by a walking here it is expreſſed, Gen. 17. 1. 2 Kin. 20. 3. Pſal. 1. 1, 2.and indeed this doth include all a mans actions; his ſpiritual actions towards the Lord, they are a part of this walking, their praying, meditating, hearing, receiving, conferring, living by faith, all theſe are his ſpiritual actions.

Secondly A mans civil converſation alſo cometh under this walking; for the Rule and Will of Chriſt hath an influence over that, to bound it, and limit it. There is no calling which is lawfull but a man may therein abide with God, if it be never ſo mean; and this is another part of the walking: while men are diligently imployed in their particular Callings, out of obedience to his holy command, they are in their way, and walking to heaven as well as when they are in the ſpiritual part of the walk, and ſo much the more, while they have ſpiritual hearts in this walk, ever and anon taking a turn in heaven, and having Phil. 3. 20.their civil converſation in heaven, foreign, as the Apoſtle ſaith.

Thirdly, even mens natural actions are a part of this way alſo; of the Matter of this walking as eating drinking ſleeping▪ Eccleſ. 10. 16.&c. when they are uſed with moderation, and an end to befit us only for our ſpiritual and civil converſations; when men eat and drink for ſtrength, and not for luſt, for drunkenneſs, and eat in due ſeaſon, as to whet when the Sythe is dull; ſo that even theſe actions are a part of the walk alſo, and that it is to be taken in this latitude, will appear, if we conſider the particulars the Apoſtle preſſeth them too here, as parts of that walking.

Now to walk, you know, ſpeaks a motion; it is oppoſed to ſtanding, or lying, or ſitting ſtill; the whole world lieth in wickedneſs, and moveth not hand nor foot; they have their grave-cloaths upon them, are bound hand and foot, and are Pſal. 1. 1.melting away in their luſts, and therefore they walk not towards heaven; there is a ſitting in the ſeat of the ſcornful when men have taken up their reſt in ſin, and are at the height, that they ſcorn the Travellers Zion-wards, with their faces thither; indeed there is a contrary walking to this walking in the counſel of the ungodly, in the way of ſinners, a walking with ſinners hand in hand, having fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſs; but that motion is from other principles even the fleſh, and this from the Spirit; and by other rules, the cuſtome of this world, to which they are conformed, the examples of Epheſ. 5. 12. R…m. 12. 2.ſinners, the commands of their tyranical luſts, and for other ends, both of the Walk, and the Walker in it; the Walk, the end of thoſe ways is death; there is a way which ſeemeth right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death; and the end of the Walker is to chear his heart, and to ſatisfie his luſts: but this walk we ſpeak of is a contrary motion to that Prov. 14. 12.of the world.

2. There is a terminus à quo, from whence they walk, and that is from ſin, and ſelf, and Satan, and ſinners, and the wrath which 2 Tim. 2. 19. Epheſ. 5. 12. … Cor. 6. 17.is to come; but ſpecially from ſin they walk: this is the ſcope of all their ways, to get above ſin.

3. There is a terminus ad quem, and that is to God in Chriſt, Act. 26. 17.as a holy God, and a bleſſed God, that we might enjoy him as ſuch, from hell to heaven; and therefore converſion (when men are firſt turned, their poſture is turned) it is called a turning them from the power of Satan unto God.

4. This motion is a progreſſive motion, that is to ſay, a man goeth forward in it, not round about, as a horſe in a Mill, and is at night, where he was in the morning, but as a horſe or Traveller upon the Road, which rids his ground, he getteth 2 Cor. 7. 1. Pſal. 8. 4.ground every ſtep; and ſo ſhould we go on toward perfection daily, die to ſin daily, get ſomewhat further off it, and to the world, and get nearer to heaven daily; we ſhould ſee to it that we grow from ſtrength to ſtrength.

5. It is a conſtant motion, for a man that walks to ſuch an end of a Journey, he giveth it not over until he come to the end of it; ſo ſhould we conſtantly be moving until we come to the end of our faith, the ſalvation of our ſouls.

6. A pleaſant motion to a man that is cured of his lameneſs, and is no longer a Cripple, as by Nature we are; the way is pleaſant, Prov. 3. 17. Matth. 1….Walks are for delight, and ſure the ways of Wiſdom are pleaſantneſs, and her paths are peace, the yoak is eaſie, the burthen is light, and ſo much, that though the Saints by reaſon of the ſouls dependance upon the body in its actings and its being bound up, as I may ſay, under ſences which are weak, and cannot hold out long. I ſay, by reaſon of this they are weary in the ways of God, yet not weary of them, but they are pleaſant to them, his commandments are not grievous to them; but this is not the thing which I intend to ſpeak to from the words, but rather the exactneſs and circumſpection in walking; See then that ye walk cicrumſpectly, foreign.

Firſt then to this exact walking, there muſt go a rule, he that walks exactly walks by a rule, ad amuſſi…, as the Carpenter, if he work accuratly, doth all by rule and meaſure: when men walk, as I may ſay, in a frame, and cut by a thread, not rove out their lives, they have a clue in this dark world, and by that they walk, ſaith the Apoſtle to the Galatians, As many as walk by this rule, peace be on them, and on the Iſrael of God, foreign Gal. 6. 16.foreign; Hence the Scripture, the Law of God which is the rule of holy walking, is called Canonical, being a ſtraite rule, they are right words, words of righteouſneſs, given by one Shepheard, ſuch as will not lead us crookedly; ſo then this is the firſt, that of a mans own conſcience at the beſt, is but regula regulata, and at the worſt is but a blind guide, and a leaden rule, that is eaſily bowed, and ſet to countenance the crookedneſs of a mans own ways to the Law and to the Teſtimonies, if he would walk exactly.

Secondly, There muſt be knowledge to underſtand and know this▪ Rule and Wiſdom, rightly to apply it to the direction of our ways, elſe we cannot walk exactly; to walk exactly, is to walk wiſely, as you have it here, not as ſools, but as wiſe, of which afterward; but for the preſent we may note That a fool Eccl. 12. 10. Coloſ. 4. 5. Mat. 10. 16.cannot walk cirumſpectly, and therefore the Apoſtle ſo often preſſeth it upon the Saints, that they ſhould walk wiſely, Walk in wiſdom, ſaith he, towards them which are without: be wiſe as Serpents, ſaith our Saviour: I ſay there muſt be a knowledge of the way of the rule, elſe how ſhall our ſteps be meaſured by it? how ſhall a man tred and keep to the path he knoweth not? and therefore ſottiſh ignorance of the Will and Way of Chriſt, is an ill preparative to this exact walking; can a blind man walk exactly or circumſpectly that cannot ſee which way he goeth? it is an hundred to one but he turneth and goeth another courſe; but this is not all, there muſt be a right application of the rule to our actions; it is not every one that hath his rule, that knoweth how to uſe it; it is a good part of the Architects skill to uſe his Rule well and his Plum, and by them to diſcern exactly the frame of his building, yea, to direct it when he is building; ſo here, there muſt be wiſdom: how ſadly do men and women of lively affections for God miſcarry for want of wiſdom? Zeal without Knowledge is no exact walking, it hurrieth a man violently not giving time to conſider whether right or wrong; ſo Saul had a zeal for Iſrael and Judah, and in that zeal ſlew the Gibeonites. which were of the Amorites, but now in Covenant 2 Sam. 21. 1, 2. Rom. 10. 2. Phil. 3 …. Eccl. 7. 16.with Iſrael; his zeal out-ran his wiſdom: and ſo the Iews had a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge; and ſo had the Apoſtle himſelf concerning zeal, perſecuting the Church; he thought verity he ought to do many things againſt that way, Acts 26▪ 9. and the time ſhall come, men ſhall think they do God good ſervice if they kill you; ſo then there may be a being righteous over-much, which is forb dden; not as if the Lord did in his Word allow a loathſome lukewarmneſs, a deteſtable indifferency and neutrality in the ways of God, ſo as that men ſhould abate ſomething of their ſtrictneſs, and ſtoop and accommodate themſelves to the exigence of the hard times they live in; but the meaning is, that a man ſhould moderate his zeal, and temper it with godly wiſdom, whereby knowing how to apply the rule to his condition, and walking with caution, he may avoid much danger, which otherwiſe he would unneceſſarily involve himſelf into; as ſome of the Martyrs that would thruſt themſelves upon ſuffering, when they need not; they are as Sheep in the midſt of Wolves, therefore be wiſe as Serpents, and yet innocent as Doves; a hard leſſon I muſt needs acknowledge, Mat. 10. 16.and great need of a more then ordinary help of Gods Spirit to diſcern their duty here in particular caſes and actions: you ſee how Paul inſinuates into Foelix, he would not make him his enemy if he could avoid it▪ keeping a good conſcience; and ſo Iacob to his brother Eſau, how much Courtſhip he uſeth, he ſtands not now upon the terms with him, but how humbly he ſubmits himſelf to him; and was it not better, then to have ruffled with him, and provoked him to his hurt?

Thirdly, To walk exactly, circumſpectly, is to keep cloſe, and not to warp from the ſtraight path, becauſe others do err.

(1.) He will not do as the moſt do, to follow the multitude is no rule to him; though the greateſt part of men run headlong to the pit of deſtruction, and the way to hell be thronged as broad as it is, and ſome ſinners can ſcarce have room to go together in it; this is no warrant to him; he walks not exactly that reſigneth himſelf up to follow the ſteps of the moſt in his journey, whether his way and theirs lye together or no; ſo far as their way lyes together he can walk together with them, but when they part, fare them well, he is for them no longer; ſo may we in things civil, yea, and many externals of holy worſhip which are common to Saints and ſinners, walk together, have fellowſhip with them, but when their ways depart, we muſt ſhake hands with them, if we would walk exactly: it is careleſs, looſe, heedleſs walking, when a man ſhall follow his company more then his way; Noah was upright and walked with God, though all fleſh Gen, 6. 9.had corrupted their way, that was no warrant for him to do it; Gen. 6. 9.and though he was likely to be derided for his ſingularity, it matters not, he muſt mind his way, though he be alone in it, rather Num. 14. from 6. to 10.then wander for company ſake; and ſo Lot and Caleb, a man would have thought thoſe many waters ruſhing as they did (I mean the peoples violence drawing one way) had been enough, ſpecially conſidering with what rage it was, threatning to ſtone him, to have born one poor Caleb and Ioſhua down the ſtream; no, they had another ſpirit, they muſt bear up againſt it, let the hazard be what it will in ſuch a caſe, they are called to it, this is exact circumſpect walking; except men be circumſpect indeed, they are in danger many times to be drawn aſide by following the company of others.

(2.) Yea, exact walking excludeth alſo the following the examples of the Saints any further then they follow Chriſt: and here is yet more need of circumſpection, for when we have ſome eminent Saints perſons in admiration, we are apt many times to be pinning our faith upon their ſleeve, and dancing after their pipe, to take their examples in the groſs, and by it to be led into groſs miſtakes; ſo the weak brethren looking upon the ſtronger, the more knowing, as fit to be their guides, and ſeeing them eat things offered to Idols, becauſe they knew an Idol was nothing, this incouraged them to do the ſame, though they made a breach upon their conſciences by it: here now through weakneſs they miſtook their way and warped; that might be lawful for the ſtrong that might not for the weak, which ſtumbled whether they might eat them or no, yet they would venture upon it, leaning upon the examples of the ſtrong, and ſo they went aſide: & you know what force the example of Peter had to draw Gal 2 12, 13, 14.others in, when he diſſembled, and did not foreign, but halted, as I may ſay, between two, he vvould eat vvith the Gentiles, but when ſome came down from Iames, then he withdrew, & ſo many of the Iews, and Barnabas alſo was drawn away by their diſſimulation; but Peter was to be blamed, as the Apoſtle hath it; he compelled by his example, the Gentiles to vvalk as the Iews did, and yet himſelf being a Iew, did vvalk vvith the Gentiles before; and they were to be blamed for being drawn aſide, they did not vvalk uprightly, as the vvord is before; therefore Paul propounds his example, not vvithout its limitation, Be ye followers of me, as I alſo am of Chriſt; now this is exact walking indeed, to follow the 1 Cor. 11. 1.ſootſteps of the flock, of the Saints, both before us, and contemporary with us; yet where they run out of the way, and Cant. 1. 8.over the hedge ſet about us, not to follow them, which requireth much circumſpection indeed. This is the third.

Fourthly, Exact walking, is when a man mindeth not only the external part of the rule, but the very inſide and ſpirit of the rule; he mindeth, and eyeth, and endeavoureth to come up to it, and ſo the word in its notion ſeemeth to import, foreign from going from the bottome to the top of the rule: the Law is ſpiritual, ſaith the Apoſtle: It Rom. 7. 14.is ſpiritual brethren, reaching the very inwards of our ſouls, the frame and diſpoſition of our hearts, all the very firſt motions of the ſoul, before any tickling by them, or conſent to them; thoſe come under this rule; and therefore a man that walks exactly, he labours to anſwer the Law in this, and he is labouring Iſa. 64. 5. Rom. 12 8. Gal. 6. 1.with his heart to bring it to ſuch a frame as this, and therefore he ſetteth not up his reſt, as moſt do, in an outward conformity to the Law of Chriſt, except he can get his heart framed by it, nor will an inperfection in the frame of his heart ſatisfie him, and therefore nothing but the reſurrection of the dead will be his reſt, this is to walk exactly, accurately indeed; and ſo in duties, to mind not only the matter, but the manner and circumſtances; it is not enough to work righteouſneſs, except he rejoyce and work righteouſneſs; to give, except he do it with ſingleneſs of heart, ſimplicity and chearfulneſs: it is not enough to pray, except he do it in the Spirit, and with affection, and faith, and fervor of Spirit: it is not enough to admoniſh, reprove, except he do it in ſeaſon, with bowels of compaſſion, and Wiſdom, and diſcretion, ſo tempered as that it may not miſcarry through ſuch a defect in them. O this is to walk exactly indeed.

Fifthly, To walk exactly then, is to carry an even courſe toward heaven, not to walk at peradventures; and by fits and ſtarts, making many balks in our obedience; it is to follow God, and to follow him fully; when we will not leap over an hedge to avoid a foul ſtep, but keep to the way that is ſet before us, ſo in the Proverbs, Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; the meaning is not, that no man walks exactly if he live not without Prov. 4. 27. Deut 5. 32▪ſin (for in many things we offend all) but by ſuch a backwardneſs vve mean ſome eminent; notable miſcarriage, to the wounding of their conſciences, or diſhonour of God, and offence of others, this is to vvalk exactly: indeed God doth not ſtand too ſtrictly with his people, the tenure of vvhoſe courſe is vvithout ſuch balks and notable turnings aſide, though ſometimes they may fall in ſuch a manner and degree, yet he acconnts them exact vvalkers, as David, and Peter, and Moſes, and Hezekiah, and the reſt: the meaning therefore is, that the tenure of a mans life is to be vvithout ſuch eminent fallings, or he cannot paſs for an exact vvalker vvith God; and vvhen ever a man ſo fals in that particular, he doth not foreign, as David vvas upright, except in the matter of Ʋriah; ſo then this is the Fifth, an exact vvalking is an even vvalking; he that ploweth exactly doth not every foot make a balk.

Sixthly, He that vvalks exactly, doth make it his work ſo to vvalk; if a man be taken up vvith other things in his mind, and it be intent upon them, how unevenly doth he vvalk? he is ſometimes upon this ſide, and then upon that ſide of the vvay, up and down, and many times loſeth his way, and heedeth it not; but now if a man make his Journey his buſineſs, he is intent upon it, and looks about him at every turn, and every turning, leſt he ſhould go vvrong: ſo to vvalk exactly then, doth imply a vvatchfull eye, a trembling heart fearing at every turning, leſt he ſhould miſs h…s vvay; ſo David, I ſaid I would take heed to my ways, leſt I ſhould go wrong ſo then to vvalk exactly, is to lay our Pſal. 39. 1.ſtrength, our might, our vviſdom, and all to it, to keep our vvay, ſo the word is uſed of Apollos, he foreign being fervent Acts 18. 25.in ſpirit, diligently he taught the things of the Lord; there it noteh not ſo much the exactneſs, & accurateneſs of his skill, but of his diligence and induſtry, for he knew only the Baptiſm of Iohn, that is to ſay, the Doctrine of Iohn and his Adminiſtration; and ſo Herod is ſaid to inquire, Go and ſearch diligently for the young child, &c. foreign, ſearch exactly, diligently, pry into every corner, turn every ſtone, uſe all means, ſearch from Mat. 2. 8.bottom to top to find him: ſo then to vvalk exactly, is to make it a mans vvork, buſineſs, to lay out his induſtry in this vvork; if he can but keep in the vvay of Jeſus Chriſt, the vvay to heaven, it is enough.

Now for the ſecond thing to make it good, that it is a duty ſo ſtrictly charged upon the Saints; me thinketh this Scripture it ſelf is a full teſtimony, there needeth no further proof but yet a word or two more: you find in that of the Hebrews the Apoſtles exhortation, make ſtraite paths to your feet, ſtraite ſteps, or make Heb. 12. 13.ſtraite, paths with your feet, which may appear to others that are to follow you, as you follow Chriſt; tread with a ſtraite foot, and by a ſtraite rule; and in that of the Proverbs, Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be eſtabliſhed; weigh Prov. 4. 25.your ſteps before you take them, weigh them every grain and ſcruple in the ballance of the Sanctuary: walk you Suſpenſo pede, Look before you leap, look, and look again, this is the way to have your goings eſtabliſhed; and here in the Text, ſee how it is charged upon them foreign, ſee to it, it is a word of ſtrict charge, as we uſe to ſay to men, Well, ſee you do ſuch a thing, ſee you fail not then: ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, ſee to it, that you walk Ephe. 5. 15.circumſpectly; it is not an indifferent thing nor of ſmall moment, but of great concernment; ſee to it, look to your ſelves▪ and then that particle foreign increaſeth the charge alſo, See how ye walk exactly, or how exactly you walk; it is not the reflect act that is here commanded, that they ſhould view their ways, and ſee how exactly they did walk, this is not directly here commanded, and immediatly; though more remotely, as it conduceth to this exact walking, it may be here commanded, but that particle doth intend the charge and heighten it; but ſo much for the proof.

The third thing is, why this duty is thus charged upon the Saints, to walk ſo exactly, circumſpectly.

Firſt, becauſe they are children of the light, and therefore ſhould walk as children of the light; they ſhould walk exactly, without rowling out of the way, without ſtumbling in the way, becauſe they have light; they that are in the darkneſs, and know not whither they go, no marvell, if at any time they ſtumble into the way of God, yet they as eaſily ſtumble out again; it is but ſuitable to them not to keep their way; but now ye are in the light, and therefore ſee that you walk accurately; you have a light to your paths, and a lanthorn to your ſteps, therefore order your ſteps aright, make them ſtraite; therefore ſaith Eraſmus, he well ſaith videte, becauſe nothing is ſeen in the dark but; Beza thinketh this is more ſubtilly then need.

Secondly, Becauſe their ſteps are more eyed and taken notice of then other mens, both by God himſelf and by other men; firſt, the Lord himſelf; his eye runs to and fro, beholding the evil and the good, but ſpecially in his own people, he takes notice of them how they carry it, and he takes notice of the moſt inward ſpirituall part of their hearts; of the frame of their hearts, and therefore let them look to it, walk circumſpectly in regard of him. Secondly, In regard of men, (1.) There are many out of the malignancy of their hearts, do ſeek ſome advantage againſt the people of God, they watch for your halting, as the Prophet Ier. 20. 10.ſpeaks, they would have ſomewhat to accuſe the brethren with, to beſpatter Religion with, and therefore like their father the Devil, if they cannot be foreign, accuſers, they will be foreign, falſe accuſers: But oh! how glad is Satan, and what ſport is it to ſinners to trap the people of God? to take them halting and walking with an uneven foot, though it is ſport to none but devils, and deviliſh ſinners, take that by the way; they were enemies of the Lord that did blaſpheme, though: David had given 2 Sam. 12. 14. …er. 20. 10.them cauſe; report ſay they, and we will report it concerning Ieremy, ſome evil or other againſt him; how much more if any thing fall from them which is juſtly blame worthy; O, a Candle upon an hill cannot be hid, a ſpot upon white is eaſily ſee….

Secondly, in reſpect of men, who are ſcandalized by their uneven walking, and thoſe either good or bad men. (1.) Some of the Saints they are ſcandalized, that is to ſay, there is a ſtumbling block laid in their way whereat they ſtumble, either thereby they are incouraged and imboldened to follow their ſteps, though they ſin againſt the Lord, and ſo they fall: and this is 2 Cor. 10. 32.ſad, (though a child of God cannot ſure be ſo wicked as to intend the falling of others, or drawing others into ſin) but his example (as Balam did) who put a ſtumbling block wittingly and wickedly▪ before Iſrael, taught the King of Moab▪ to intice Iſrael Rev. 2. 14.by their women, and they would draw them to Idolatry, whereupon great wrath came forth againſt them; this is hardly to be found but in a… Balaam, and better a▪ Millſtone were hanged about his neck that ſhall do any ſuch thing, and he ſunk into the ſea, never to riſe again; or elſe the thing in its own nature is matter of offence, and occaſions them to ſin, as the ſtrong brohers eating things offered to Idols in the preſence of the weak hat made ſcruple of it, yet thereby were imboldned to ſin; but 1 Cor. 8. 9, 10, 11.if it draweth not to ſin, yet it may be a grief to the hearts of them that God would not have ſadned: God is exceeding tender of his peoples comfort, and therefore he hath written ſomuch; the Rom. 14.ſcope of all which is, that they might have conſolation, and their joy might be full, and therefore if we by uneven walking grieve the hearts of the people of God, ſurely we are like to ſmart for it; it is a vexation to the righteous ſoul of Lot to behold the unclean converſation of the wicked, but it is a grief and bitterneſs, doubtleſs much more to the people of God to ſee the miſcarriage of a David, a Peter, and to hear the reproach wherewith 2 Pet. 2…they reproach the way of Chriſt, which fall upon them continually.

Secondly, Not only good men, but evil men are indangered to be ſcandalized by it, and to be prejudiced againſt the ways of ſtrictneſs and exact walking with God, becauſe they that profeſs Col. 4.it, do ſo miſerably miſs it: we ſhould walk wiſely towards them that are without, left we fright them away from Chriſtianity, as the Papiſts by their Idolatry are an offence to the Iews to keep them off from coming in to Chriſt, becauſe they are exceeding tenacious now of the ſecond Commandment (God having purged that iniquity from them by a ſeventy years captivity, and much longer ſince) and ſo by their cruelty to the Gentiles where they go to convert them, they are an offence to them; and little doth a child of God know, if he fall, as David did, how many may ſtumble upon him, and fall head-long into hell, never come to Jeſus Chriſt upon this account.

Thirdly, Becauſe we have all of us erring hearts, and naturally we love to wander; and if the Lord have healed that affection, that now it is wrought out of us, yet we are apt to wander, therefore ſo often compared to ſheep, I have gone aſtray like a loſt ſheep; O ſeek thy ſervant, &c. We all like ſheep have gone aſtray; and therefore it is the more needful to be charged upon us home and deeply, becauſe we are ſo prone to turn a ſide; it is a people that have alway erred in their hearts; though they were his people in Covenant external, yet they erred in heart; who can ſay he Pſal. 119. Iſa. 53. 6. Pſal. 95. …doth not find many inclinations in the heart bent to backſlide & go out of the way, and therefore it is needful to be preſt upon us ſo much, to walk exactly, and ſee to it.

Fourthly, becauſe there are ſo many by-paths whereinto they may ſtep awry; truth is one, but falſhood is manifold, there is error on the right hand, and error on the left, and but one ſtraite path before them, therefore it is two to one but they miſs it, and therefore they had need to uſe double diligence, and be preſſed to it, to walk circumſpectly, to ſee they be exact in their ways.

Now for the Uſe then; Firſt, it is to ſhew us, that among the Ʋſe 1.much profeſſion of Chirſt that is in the world, there is very little power, very little exact and circumſpect walking; men profeſs to walk with God, but it is at a great diſtance, they are ſtrangers to him, and he to them, and no marvel.

The ſecond Uſe, and that I will a little inſiſt upon, ſhall be a word of Reproof, and that of divers ſorts; and as the Lord beginneth his rebukes for ſin at his own Houſe, Judgement beginneth at the houſe of God; ſo will I firſt give the alarm to them, a word of Reproof to them: Alas! how far ſhort do the people of God come of this duty? it is intollerable pride in the Papiſts, that ſtand upon their tiptoes, and talk of their works of Supererrogation, as if they had done more then God had commanded; and it is wretchleſs careleſneſs in us, that we keep not nearer to what he hath commanded; I ſpeak not now of the many errors the moſt vigilant and cloſe walking Chriſtian will, alas, to his grief, find himſelf guilty of, when he maketh a diligent meaſuring of his actions by that rule, but I ſpeak of the careleſneſs of Chriſti ans walking, wherein doubtleſs they might come up nearer to God, if they did but ſtir up themſelves ever and anon, but we are idle, we are idle, and make many an idle complaint to God that w… are unable to do any thing; which is true, if we conſider our ſelves apart from Chriſt, Without me ye can do nothing, but Ioh. 15. 5.through him we may be able to do all things, and if we be renewed in our inward man, what is this but a powerful propenſity of the Mind and Will towards God, and that which is according to God? It is not to be doubted, but if Saints would but take more pains with their hearts, they might have many a better frame to ſerve the Lord, and they ſhould not offer ſo many tattered ſacrifices to him; and if men would be but perſwaded to the painful part of Chriſtianity, they may get their paſſions of luſt more ſubdued, which break out, to the diſhonour of God, and ſhame of Chriſtianity, and therefore juſtly are we to be reproved; if men would a little better caſt their occaſions; and husband their time, they need not be in ſuch ſtraits, ſo often to neglect, or ſlubber over their prayers. And for civil things, do you walk circumſpectly as you might, if you made it your work and ſtudy in things lawfull: might not Chriſtians have more regard then they have to the conveniency or inconveniency? I am ſure the 1 Cor. 6. 12.Apoſtle had, and therein he followed Chriſt, and therein he is to be our pattern, and ſo what is of good report and praiſe worthy; me thinketh it is ſad when there is no care unto our hearts of theſe things: might not Chriſtians walk at a cloſer ſcantling in point of offence? the Apoſtle would deny his liberty 1 Cor. 8. 13.in things lawful (and haply we would think neceſſary too) as the eating of fleſh, rather then offend his weak brother; and we many times care not, ſo we may have our wills, how many we offend: and ſo in natural things, eating, drinking, ſleeping. Chriſtians, I doubt we generally too much indulge the fleſh, even to the loading of our minds, and dulling our ſpirits for higher things; how cometh it to paſs Sabbaths are ſpent ſo ſleepily, but becauſe ſome wil not allow themſelves nor theirs competent reſt; the world incroacheth upon God, or elſe they load themſelves with the creatures, ſo that they cannot hold up their heads, either they are over-worked, or over-charged with ſurfetting and drunkenneſs, doubtleſs, this is reducible to thoſe great evils; well, the Lord reprove us for it, for we are very guilty, we walk very looſely in compariſon of the examples of ſome of the Saints; yea, I do verily think there is many a poor blind Papiſt will riſe up in judgement againſt many of us that are Profeſſors, that have more light then they.

2. It is a word of Reproof of another ſort, that inſtead of walking exactly with God, following him fully, their hearts are devided; ſome there are that have the name of Chriſtians, and yet altogether neglect the honeſt and harmleſs converſation among men, and are altogether taken up with ſome ſmall duties of Worſhip and ſhews of Religion; as the Proverb hath it, Angels in the Church, and Devils in the Houſe, Devils in their Callings, ſuch were the Idolatrous Iews; the Prophets with one voyce do teſtifie againſt them, for this thy cried, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, are theſe, &c. but conſidered not that they made this Temple of the Lord a Den of Thieves, a Sanctuary to defend them, a cover and cloak for their wickedneſs; and ſo the Prophet again, This people draw near me with Ier. 7. Mat. 15. 22. Iſa. 29. 13.their mouths, honour me with their lips, but are far from me, and the converſation alſo which anſwers more to their hearts then to their lips, it is the very counterpane of their hearts uſually. … this an exact circumſpect walking? do you think thus to impoſe upon the holy one of Iſrael? doth not he regard, think you, what your dealings are between man & man? and how you carry it in your Families, in your Shops, as well as in the publike altogether? this is very reproof worthy; our Saviour thought it ſo, and all the Prophets thought it ſo; and O that he would ſpeak this to every carnal Goſpellers heart this day.

Again ſecondly, There are others that are all for morality and honeſty of converſation, they give every one their own, they are not injurious, they are no extortioners with the Phariſee, they are no drunkards; but for the worſhip of God, they know nothing what it meaneth, to worſhip in Spirit and truth; this is not an exact walking with God, theſe things you ſhould Luke 18. 11.do, and not leave the other undone, elſe you follow not God fully; indeed there is many a Moraliſt, that is rather an Atheiſt then a Chriſtian; but I will not ſtand upon this: Pour out thy, &c.

Again thirdly, There are a ſort that neither fear God, not Ier. 10. 25.reverence man, and yet will not indure but to be called Chriſtians; for the worſhip of God, if they come at it in the publike, there are their bodies, but their hearts are gone; they come to ſee, and be ſeen, to mind faces and faſhions, and ſo ſin and trifle away the Ordinances of God; in their houſes nothing but helliſhneſs, all their words full of deceit and poyſon, their accents are oaths, it is all the emphaſis and grace they think of; their ſpeech, their lives, what are they but rottenneſs, and fraud, and pride, and over-reaching? they have no regard to right or wrong, good report; or evil report, all actions are alike to them, being paſt feeling, and under a reprobate ſence; they cannot judge of good or evil, but call evil good, and good evil. Is Epheſ. 4. 8. Rom. 8. 1.this foreign, to walk uprightly, exactly? Ah ſurely brethren, if it be exactneſs, it is of the devils coyning; when men teach their tongues to ſpeak falſly, as in Shops many do, and make nothing of it, and teach their hands to work deceit and wickedneſs, this is to walk exactly with the devil, to walk as other Gentiles do, whoſe hearts the God of this world doth mightily work to their Epheſ. 4. 17.own deſtruction: the Lord rebuke this power of ſin where ever it is.

Again, It may ſerve to reprove another ſort, and thoſe are they who are ſo far from walking circumſpectly or exactly, Pſal. 69. 12. Gal. 4 29. Gen. 21 9.that there is nothing more the object of their ſcorn and contempt then this, it is the drunkards ſong, as David was; and ſo preciſeneſs and ſtrictneſs of walking is ordinary; the world cannot bear the burning and ſhining converſations of ſome of the Saints; they are ſo cuttingly reproved by them, that with thoſe Heathens, they curſe the Sun, that by its ſhining doth ſcorch them. It is no new thing, the ſeed of the Serpent did alway perſecute the ſeed of the Woman; and he that was born after the fleſh, perſecuteth him that was born after the Spirit; even ſo it is now, ſaith the Apoſtle: and ſo it is now may we ſay: Iſmael mocked Iſaac, and is it not ſo ſtill? or if it be not ſo bold a ſin as formerly, it is becauſe the times, not ſinners hearts are changed; they malign them ſtill, watch for their halting; report, ſay they, and we will report it: well, remember this. you that are ſcorners at ſtrictneſs, and circumſpect and exact walking with God, you are ſet down in in the ſcorners chair, the Lord Ier. 20. 10. Pſal. 1. 1.be mercifull to you; for few that arrive to that pitch, and take up their reſt in ſin, that are therein ſetled, are brought on to Chriſt: you are the Ring leaders in the way which leads to deſtruction; this is another.

The next Uſe then ſhall be a word of Exhortation to us all; If it be a duty ſo much lying upon us, then to buckle our ſelves Prov. 19. 16. He that deſpiſeth his way ſhall die.to it, to walk exactly: O ſee to it, I charge you all, and the Lord lay the charge upon mine own ſoul: as you will ever lift up your faces without ſpot, and with comfort at the day of your ſummons, and appearing before the Judgement ſeat, ſo walk circumſpectly; I know none of our hearts but they do, or may, accuſe us of much unevenneſs in our walking: do you know it brethren, and will you dare to continue in it? I may not deſcend to particulars: but do not your hearts ſmite you for looſeneſs of ſpirit towards God? hanging back often, neglecting, ſhuffling and cutting with God, putting him off with any thing? and is not this a curſed thing, to do Gods work negligently? to bring a female when he have a male, doth not your hearts ſmite you for this? you do not take heed to your ways, leſt you ſin with Ier. 48. 10. Mal. 1. 14.your tongues; there is much falſhood therein, lightneſs and fooliſhneſs, (if not poyſon and deſtruction there,) nor to your feet, they make haſte to vanity, you ſhun not occaſions of ſin, as you would an infected perſon or family: O ſurely if it were not ſo an importunate duty, the Apoſtle would not ſo charge it upon Chriſtians, that make Chriſtianity their buſineſs, to walk ſo exactly: but a little to move us to it, I will add ſome few Conſiderations, and then ſome words …f Direction, which you may look upon as an Appendix of this Uſe, or elſe as a diſtinct Application of this Point.

Firſt Motive, Conſider that the way wherein you walk is all overſpred with ſnares and nets to trap you, and that your ways. (1.) To trap you in ſin. (2.) To trap you for ſin. Firſt. To trap you in ſin; had not the Bird need to he wary and heedfull, and make good uſe of her ſences to diſcover where ſhe may light without danger, when every place is full of Limetwigs? is there an hook under every fair baite, and had not the fiſh need to take heed how ſhe biteth or nibleth, leſt ſhe be taken? this is the caſe, there is a truth, and a great one in it; there is nothing we have to do with, either towards God, or towards men, or towards our ſelves, but there are many temptations accompanying it, and particular conditions have their particular temptations; and if we be not very circumſpect and exact, it is a thouſand to one but we miſcarry, we are ſnared and taken, and carried away captive to ſome vain imagination, to ſome high thought, to ſome baſe luſt, and there kept in ſtrong holds, and it may coſt us ſomewhat before we be releaſed again; the world was never more full of ſnares then now brethren; for beſide the ordinary ſnares in our trading, profeſſion, or way of gaining; Lord, how many ſnares are there? it would be an infinite work to trace them through in all our relations. Snares, they are apt to ſteal away our hearts, if lovely and deſirable, or elſe to occaſion much ſin another way, if otherwiſe; in Reliligion never ſo many, never more ſeandall by the falls of eminent Profeſſors, never were there more various pretences to the Truth, more falſe ways, and every one pretending to the Truth, ſo that it is ſomewhat difficult to find a ſolution for that Queſtion, what is Truth? never was the world more full of witcheries then now, more powerful in its enticements then now; it is hard to bear the frowns of it upon the truth, but more hard to avoid the imbraces of it, and the ſmiles upon error and falſhood; if they think it be the way to thrive, to be of this or Ier. 44. 16.that opinion, men to whom gain is godlineſs, they will rather burn incenſe to the Queen of heaven, and tell the Lord to his face, that his Prophet is a lying Prophet to ſpeak againſt their way of worſhip, which brought them in ſo much; they had their corn, and wine, and oyl then, and therefore they would not be beaten off by a Thus ſaith the Lord to the contrary; will the Silver Smiths let Diana go upon eaſie terms? and will Acts 19. 24.not men ſtickle for a way of falſhood, if thereby come in their gain and preferments? and will not all the world follow that way almoſt? had we not need to walk exactly then, to take heed where we tread? beſides, if there were nothing but our own hearts, they are as ſnares and nets to us; how eaſie is it for us to be intangled in the cords of our own ſins, our own pride, and ſelf-confidence, and ſelf-love, doting upon our ſelves, and a world of iniquities, each of them being a ſnare? Oh brethren, if you did walk among pits, and pits covered from your eys, if men did walk upon a bog ready to ſink every ſtep, how would they walk Suſpenſo gradu?

Secondly, The neceſſity of it to the end; if we would reach the end of our faith, the ſalvation of our ſouls, it muſt be by an exact walking, it is not a little form of godlineſs without the power, ſpreading it ſelf through your lives will do it, elſe thoſe in the 7. of Matthew had had a ſufficient plea for themſelves; elſe the Phariſees had not been much out, when they under a Mat. 7. 24. Mat. 23. 14.pretence of long Prayers devoured widdows houſes, but they were miſerably miſtaken. Dear friends, be not deceived; let no man deceive you with vain words, and tell you the way to heaven is broder then it is; it is a narrow way, and it is up the hill, and if you will come to heaven, you muſt not think that any by-path will bring you to it; that there is any nearer cut then the Lord hath made, Many ſhall ſeek to enter, and ſhall not be able, Luke 13. 24.and what if that prove any of our caſes, who never were ſenſible of ſuch a duty, in ſtrict, cloſe, exact, circumſpect walking, how w…ful will our conditions be? men ſeek to enter, but they will not ſtrive, they will walk hand in hand with the people of God' but they will not walk exactly, they will take a liberty to their ſpirits, though their ſouls periſh by it.

Thirdly The difficulty of the way ſhould put us upon exactneſs; it is a narrow way: there is a neceſſity, you heard before, if you Mat. 27. 13.miſs it, you ſink and periſh; but men think it is eaſie to find and keep, but this is ignorance; our Savio…ur ſaith it is a ſtraite way, foreign, an afflicted way, or a way cruſhed cloſe together: a man cannot tell almoſt how to miſs the way to hell, he may wink, and walk thither, he needeth no light to his feet; the way of the wicked is as darkneſs, and while they are in that darkneſs, they may be ſure they are in the way to deſtruction; and he that is but a fool & bungler at the ſervice of ſin, is not ingenuous, may make a ſhift to come thither; how eaſily to tumble down the hill? but to recover a mans ſelf, to get up the hill, this is the labour indeed. It is narrow, and then it is not ſuch a beaten path, and therefore not ſo eaſie found: ſome track there is, but it is Cant. 1. 8.not ſo beaten and beautified with the feet of the ſhining Saints, as to be eaſily diſcerned, but it is rather a way in the ayr, and indeed none can ſee it untill he be in it, and therefore there is a neceſſity of exactneſs, circumſpection in walking; if a man have a hard way to find, be upon a great plain, or a waſte howling Wilderneſs, where there is no way beaten, and among enemies, in danger to be deſtroyed, this man had need look well about him, to walk exactly indeed.

A third Motive may be becauſe Iniquity abounds, the love of Mat. 24. 12.many waxeth cold: and therefore from hence it is that there are ſo many offences, ſo careleſly given and ſo eaſily taken; if Peter and the men of Knowledge have no more love then to walk ſo Gal. 2. 13. and 14.offenſively, have no more tenderneſs of others, what need had the weak then to walk wiſely, circumſpectly, leſt you be drawn away with the diſſimulation of a Peter, as Barnabas was, he looked not ſo well to his ſteps as he ſhould: as on the other hand, if you ſlip and fall, and walk not wiſely, if thy foot ſlip and thou ſtumble, there are few that are ſo ſpiritual and full of love, as with the ſpirit of meekneſs to reſtore thee again; it is too too apparent even in the eminenteſt Saints; they are rather Gal. 6. 1.ready to a withdrawing, a caſting off communion, and fellowſhip, and therefore thou hadſt need, who ever thou art, to walk wiſely and circumſpectly, elſe thou wilt be in danger of giving offence to ſome of the little ones, and woe be to him by whom offences come; or elſe thou maiſt be inſnared and ſtumble upon others miſcarriages and ſo thy ſoul be deſtroyed, or in danger of it, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks; will not that man walk warily that Gal. 6. 1.hath ſtumbling block upon ſtumbling block, is in a rough way? and if he tread aſide, is in danger to put out a joynt, or break his bones▪ ſo it is here.

Fourthly, How much honour hath God by a circumſpect converſation? hereby is my Father glorified, if ye bring forth much fruit, Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your father which is in heaven; hath he Ioh. 15. 8.put ſo much honour upon all the Saints, as to make them one with himſelf through his Son, make them ſons and daughters, Kings and Princes in all lands, heirs apparent to the Crown of glory, and ſhall not we honour him? Oh how ſweet and comfortable a condition is it, when the ways of God are well ſpoken of by reaſon of any of us? and how uncomfortable when they are evil ſpoken of by reaſon of any of our uneven walking? O be tender of the Name of God, and be at ſome pains the more to look to your ways, that he may be lifted up, and exalted by you: O therefore cut off hereby all occaſions from them that ſeek occaſion, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of himſelf, therefore he would abridge himſelf of his liberty ſomewhat; and the Goſpel is glorified much by ſuch a circumſpect walking; an Art or Science is then honoured, vvhen a man is perfect and exact in it; ſo is the Goſpel, which teacheth this holy walking; vvhen vve come up to 2 Cor. 11. 12.it, we honour the Rule vvhereby vve vvalk, that ſhining ſpeaks the beauty of the Rule, that ye may a dorn the Goſpel of Chriſt.

Fifthly, You may by thismeans draw others to a liking of the vvays of God; the beauty of holineſs, the more viſible it is, the more attractive; vvhat maketh ſinners think ſo vvell of their own condition, and ſo meanly of Religion, vvhen preſt upon them? they ſee nothing more in the Saints then in others they are as careleſs of thir ſteps, make as many balks as others, keep no ſtricter a vvatch over the door of their lips, have no more command of their tongues then others, there appears no more candor, ingenu…ty, ſelf-denial then in others, but viſibly as griping, covetous, peeviſh, revengeful as others; this is not the way to vvin any; this is the vvay to drive away the Roes and Harts that are looking towards a vvay of God, but quickly frighted away. What knoweſt thou, O vvoman, but thou maiſt by thy heavenly converſation, ſtrict circumſpect vvalking gain thy husband? and thou husband thy vvife, and parents your children, and children your parents, and maſters your ſervants, and ſervants your maſters, and one neighbour may gain another; and vvill not this add to the vveight of your crown? O therefore 1 Cor. 7. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 2.I beſeech you, vvill you reſolve upon it.

Now in the next place, a vvord of Direction, vvhat courſe to take; alas, vve are like children, muſt be taught to go, vve know not vvhat foot to ſet forward in this great vvork. I ſhall therefore in the firſt place give you a vvord of direction. Firſt, beg of God to mix this vvord vvith faith in your ſouls, that you may believe it to be ſo great, vveighty, important a duty; labour to get a heart ſenſible of your vvandrings, uneven vvalkings, how far you have been vvide of this narrow vvay, both before and ſince you have vvalked Zion-ward, and ſo to be humbled under them; for you muſt here plough up before you plant; your courſe will hardly hold if you ſet forward with a purpoſe to walk more exactly, except you be ſenſible how great the evil of turning aſide, or looſe walking hath been: well then, begin at the right end, and ſee how you have (it may be) for a long time, Ier. 14. 10. Pſal. 95.not only wandered from the way, but loved to wander; you have not only erred, but you have erred in heart; you have had the Law of error in your heart, as the Saints have the Law of Chriſt in theirs; and this indeed is the height of Rebellion and froward walking; it is frowardneſs indeed this provoked the Lord to ſhut them out of Canaan, yea, he, ſwear they ſhould never enter; and if it hath not been ſo with thee, for this very cauſe, O how ſhould this abounding grace which hath made the difference, melt thy heart to pieces before the Lord! and that would be a good preparative to a circumſpect walking for the future; the Wormwood and the Gall remembred how evil a thing and bitter it is, that you have ſo departed from the Lord; and the ſtraite path will be a notable help to keep you cloſer to him for the time to come.

Secondly, Set your ſelves always as in his preſence, ſo the Pſal. 16. 8.Pſalmiſt did walk as in his ſight; if ever the Scholler will write exactly, it is while his Maſter is looking on; or the ſervant work exactly, it is when the Maſters eye is upon him. O if we could but have our eye ever up to the Lord upon all occaſions, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, how circumſpect would it make us? the eye of a Pſal. 25. 15.holy ſevere man, how would it awe us? we would not entertain ſuch thoughts, ſuch ends as we do, if men were but privy to them; why, now vve forget the Lord; O therefore brethren, be you vvith God, abide with him in your hearts and converſations 1 Cor. 7. 24.what ever they be; and if we be vvith him, he vvill be vvith us, and this is the vvay to vvalk uprightly, foreign, as in Noah his caſe; and vvhen did David carry himſelf vviſely, but vvhen the Lord was vvith him? and this vvas the reaſon of it, he ſet God before him, and vvalked vvith God, and God vvalked vvith him, and that pre…ence vvill be ſure to keep us in the vvay.

Thirdly, Let the Word of God dwell richly in you, in all vviſdom and underſtanding; It is not enough to have the Col. 3. 6.Scripture in your houſes, except you have the Word hid in your hearts, that you might not ſin againſt God; vvithout light a man cannot diſcover the ſtumbling blocks, or the turnings and vvindings of his way, but it is a thouſand to one but he miſſeth it: a man cannot be an exact dealer, if he have not the rules of his art, or trade exactly; men would be ignorant of nothing therein, leſt they ſhould be over-reached and deceived; and yet how contented are we to be ignorant here of much of Gods mind, without which we cannot keep his way, nor walk circumſpectly. I hope you do, many of you, ſtudy as well as read the Scriptures, and hide it in your hearts, for this end, that you may be filled with a full aſſurance of underſtanding: this is another: how often do we ſtep out of the way and know it not? and how Col. 2. 2.often do we ſtand pauſing, and loſe much time? when we ſhould walk and work, we are then to enquire, and to learn, and know not which way to turn, to the right hand or the left, and all becauſe we have not our ſences exerciſed, by reaſon of uſe, to Heb. 5. 14.diſcern between good and evil.

Fourthly, If you would vvalk exactly or circumſpectly, you muſt often apply the Rule to your vvays, to ſee what ſuitableneſs there is between them, how they correſpond? it is not a meaſuring at the firſt ſetting out vvill ſerve your turn, you muſt be often meaſuring, as an Architect, he vvill often uſe his Plum-Line or rule, if you would make ſtraite and exact work of it; Prov. 4. 25. Pſal. 119. 59.ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be eſtabliſhed; do you think once for all vvill ſerve the turn? no, David did think upon his vvays, and turned his feet unto his teſtimonies; the word there for thinking foreign noteth ſome accurateneſs in ſurveying a mans life; the word ſignifieth, curiouſly to deviſe, as cunning Artificers, becauſe ſuch deviſes are the work of the thoughts: ſo then he did with great exactneſs think upon his ways, ſtudied to find out every error to an hairs breath, and ſo Iob 19. 28.to frame his courſe: and why ſhould not the godly make as curious vvork of it in holineſs, as ſinners do in ſin? and this is the very reaſon vvhy men do often miſs their vvay, they do not often inquire vvhat the rule is vvhereby they vvork, and for vvhat end they do this or that: this is to look round about us: as a man, if he go on, and there be many turnings, and never look backward nor upward to ſee vvhither his courſe be ſtraite, it is five to one but he goeth out of his vvay, ye ſhould have ſaid, vvhy do vve perſecute him? ſo they ſhould have ſaid, but ſo they did not ſay; they ſhould have inquired for vvhat end they did it, by vvhat rule; ſo the Jews in their blind rage againſt Chriſt, Luke 23. 34.alas, they knew not vvhat they did: look to thy foot then in thy ſpiritual and thy civill converſation: in thy ſpiritual, and offer not up the ſacrifice of fools, for they know not that they do evil, make raſh vows, and then break them, and think to put it off, by ſaying, before the Angel it was an error: this is the ſacrifice of fools, they inquire not before hand what they do; and ſo in your civil converſation, inquire what, and why you do this, or Eccl. 5. 6.the other action, that the end be holy, and the rule holy, even the Word of the ever living God, and then there is hope you will go ſtraite: A fools bolt is ſoon ſhot, they neither mind the art of ſhooting nor the mark, and therefore never hit the mark: how came it to paſs the Jew swere ſo bruitiſh in their adultery and Idolatry, to worſhip Stocks and Stones? why, ſaith the Text, None conſidereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge and underſtanding to ſay, I have burnt part of it in the fire, yea, alſo, Iſa. 44. 15.I have baked bread upon the coals thereof, I have roaſted fleſh and eaten it, and ſhall I make the reſidue an abomination? and ſhall I fall down to the Stock of a tree? he feeds on aſhes, a deceived heart hath turned him aſide that he cannot deliver his ſoul, nor ſay, is there not a lye in my right hand? ſo a deceived, a bewitched heart, with ſome pleaſant luſt, or ſomewhat that men are bent and ſet upon, turns them aſide, they cannot deliver their ſouls, they cannot ſay, is there not a lye in my right hand? and if they could but ſay thus, and examine their ways, lay their ſteps to the rule, they would walk more orderly.

Fifthly, In every ſerious undertaking, enquire of God, ſeek his face, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he ſhall direct thy paths; but indeed here is the miſery of it, we will firſt reſolve what we will do, and then go and enquire of God, which Prov. 3. 6.is to mock him to his face. David went among the Philiſtians of his own head, without inquiring of God, and what came of it we ſee; he was gotten out of the way, and many a ſna…e was he taken in, and many a ſtumbling block did he fall upon, before he returned into the way again; how hard was he put to it, to 1 Sam. 27.tell lyes to Achiſh, to diſſemble, and put hmſelf on to fight with them againſt Iſrael; but that the Lord did wonderfully deliver him: never poor man was in a greater ſtraite; at other times he did beg of God to direct him, and he did lead him, and upheld his goings, O that my ways were directed, ſaith he, to keep thy Statutes. Without his Spirit (though we have the rule of the Word Pſal. 119. 5.yet) we cannot rightly apply it to our particular caſes and actions, and therefore we had need to go to him.

Sixthly, Be ſure we look to our humility, to keep our hearts low before the Lord, for thoſe are they he will teach his way; Pſal. 25.the more humble a man is, and the lower thoughts he hath of himſelf, the more circumſpect will he be; this humility is oppoſed to that confident rage of ſome men; A prudent man looks well to his goings; but a fool rageth and is confident: This I ſay, ſaith Prov. 14. 16.the Apoſtle, that every one of you think of himſelf not more highly then he ought to think, but to think ſoberly, according as God hath Rom. 12. 3.dealt to every one the meaſure of grace: When a man is ſo confident, he knoweth his way as well as any can tell him, and therefore he will enquire of no man; this man of all other is moſt likely to go aſtray, therefore look to this.

Seventhly, Take heed of Squint eyed ends, for they will draw aſide the heart, the affections, the feet of the ſoul; if we look not ſtraite before us, but alway looking on one ſide, it is not likely we ſhall make ſtraite ſteps to our feet; therefore ſaith the Wiſe man, Let thine eys look ſtrait on; and thine eye-lids look ſtrait before thee; to the mark of the price, as the Apoſtle aimed at that; look Prov. 26. 27.ſtrait before you, to the ſtrait rule, it is to walk before you, and this is the way to keep your ſelves right in the way, this is the way, not to turn to the right hand nor to the left; they were Jehu his ends which drew himſelf▪ aſide: afterward, to countenance and ſet up the ſame Idolatry which he himſelf had deſtroyed, or elſe to continue ſome Idolatry, though he deſtroyed ſome.

Eighthly, Take heed of halting between two, of going to a kind of neutrality, as the Jews were guilty much in this kind; If God be God, follow him, and if Baal be God, follow him; little better 1 Kings 18. 21. Heb. 12. 13.were they that vvould reconcile us and the Papiſts together by a commiſſion, for this haltingwill draw us out of the vvay by degrees; make ſtrait ſteps to your feet, leſt that which is lame be driven out of the way and not healed; away then with complying with the times and parties, vvhoſe vvays vve judge to be falſe, any further then the Law of Chriſt, the Law of Love requireth us to own them, vvalk vvith them.

Ninthly, Forecaſt vvhat temptations and ſnares you may meet vvith in the vvay of God, leſt if you meet vvith more then you Mat. 8. 20.expected, you be overtaken by them; therefore our Saviour tells the man vvhat he vvas like to truſt to, The Son of man had not where to lay his head; you muſt forecaſt to meet with many tribulations in the way to heaven: if you dream of a vvay ſtrewed vvith Violets and Roſes, and find Briers and Thorns, what a ſore diſcouragement vvill this be, and a temptation to forſake the vvay, to turn aſide from following the Lord? expect then that you may be aſſailed by the frowns, yea, and ſmiles of the vvorld, vvhichwhich is more dangerous of the two; that you may loſe friends, relations, the love of all, and be hated of all men, for the name ſake of Chriſt, the more exactly you walk; for the vvorld cannot bear too great a luſtre and glory of holineſs in any; expect this, it vvould be no ſtrange thing to you then, no more then you look for, and then it vvill not be ſo dangerous to thruſt you aſide from following the Lord.

Tenthly, Labour to arm your ſelves vvith a ſtrong perſwaſion of the Al-ſufficiency of God, to keep you in, and deliver you Gen. 17. 1.from the threatning evils you may meet vvith in your vvays, and of the Al-ſufficiency of his goodneſs, to be your exceeding great reward, though you have but little with righteouſneſs here in this world; and then brethren, you will hardly be drawn to the right hand, or to the left; what is the reaſon that fear turns many men aſide? and it is very ingenuous to find out diverticula, as Calvin ſaith; and as you ſee in the caſe of Peter and Abraham, when he lyed to ſave his wife; and ſo David when he ſpake untruly to Abimelech the Prieſt firſt; and then afterward to Achiſh King of Gath, as you have it in the Story, in the firſt Book of Samuel, his fear overwhelmed him, he had forgotten his rock, the Lord Jehovah: and ſo for God, would men be ſo full of ſelf-ſeeking as they are, if they did believe that God were able to make an abundant recompence to them, though they had little in the world for their ſervice of him? it is a very plain caſe, Abraham Gen. 14. 23.would not take from a thread to a ſhoo latchet of the King of Sodoms goods, they ſhould not ſay they had made Abraham rich, he had God was an al-ſufficient portion to him: O…if men were of this ſpirit of faith in Gods al-ſufficiency, the ſmiling world would very little prevail to draw any aſide to the thriving ſide, or opinion, as I doubt it is; well then, labour for this perſwaſion, and you ſhall find it a wonderfnl ſupport to keep us upright in our goings, which is a great part of this circumſpect walking.

Alas, But you vvill ſay, this is a difficult duty indeed to walk thus exactly, and as I may ſay in a frame; and if this be ſo, who then can walk the ways of God, if there muſt be this ſtrictneſs? To this I anſwer.

Firſt, Plead not the difficulty againſt a duty, for difficult duties muſt be done▪ by how much the more difficult, by ſo much the more excellent; and vvhat elſe were the difference between the form and the power; between a Saint and an Hypocrite, if the Saint did not take up the moſt ſtrict inward ſpiritual difficult ſervices, as well as the more ſlight and outſide, and overly? lay the neceſſity then in the other▪ ballance againſt the difficulty, and ſee which will weigh down the other.

Secondly, Suppoſe thou be weak and find thy ſelf far ſhort of this duty, yet there is no reaſon thou ſhouldeſt be diſcouraged, Heb. 12. 12. …but lift up the hands that hang down, and ſtir up your ſouls to it, and buckle to the work, there is nothing ſo hard, but diligence will overcome, ſpecially if you conſider the condition thou art in, if thou be in Chriſt, for then thou haſt a fulneſs of ſtrength in Chriſt, through him, ſaith the Apoſtle, I am able to do all Phil 4. 13.things; and why not thou as well as the Apoſtle? is there not as much fulneſs now, and is not Chriſt as free to communicate it now, as then only? thou ſitteſt down diſcouraged, and wilt not go to the Fountain for relief. Again (2.) In Chriſt thou haſt all the Promiſes, Yea and Amen; now how many ſuch promiſes are 1. Sam. 2. 9.there? He will give the Spirit to them that ask, and he keepeth the feet of his Saints, and ſuch as have no might he will renew their ſtrength, and they ſhall run and not be weary, and walk Iſa. 35. 8.and not faint, and the way-faring man (though a fool) ſhall not err therein in this way of God, which is caſt up; you let theſe precious Promiſes lye dead; why do you not improve them, plead them with the Lord? Say then with the Pſalmiſt, O that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes: ſay to him, Lord, thou requireſt a circumſpect, an exact walking before thee; Pſal. 119. 5.there are ſo many ſtumbling blocks and ſnares within and without; and I am ſo fooliſh and weak, I am ignorant of Satans deviſes, I cannot order one of my ſteps to avoid them thy promiſe is, the fooliſh ſhall not wander; thy Promiſe is to give ſtrength to them that have no might; I am the poor creature that hath no might, to will is preſent, I would fain walk thus circumſpect, but how to perform it I find not. O ſee if the Lord do not condeſcend to take you by the arm, and to teach you to go, and to keep you cloſe to himſelf in his ways, and in every reſpect be as good as his word to you, and at the end, himſelf be your exceeding great reward for your ſo walking before him.

We have done with the Apoſtles Exhortation to walk wiſely, now we come to the Argument he enforceth it with; Not as fools, but as wiſe; Sapientia prim…, ſtultitia caruiſſe; the Apoſtle ſetting the contraries one againſt another, would make it the more clear and emphaticall, and therefore this maner of ſpeaking is often uſed in Scripture: If we ſpake to one part, the other will follow by the rule of contraries, and we ſhall in the enlargement meet with it by way of Doctrine.

The Doctrine therefore is this, It is an Effect, and an Argument, Doctrine.a Proof of Christian Wiſdom indeed to walk circumſpectly, exactly: If you would approve your ſelves to be wiſe memas you profeſs your ſelves to be, then walk circumſpectly, exactly, this is one of the higheſt demonſtrations of it you can give,

I ſhall endeavour to prove this by ſome Scripture, and then ſhew in ſome particulars how it is apparently wiſdom thus to walk, and then make ſome Application of it.

For the proof of it, there are many Scriptures which make it appear: walk wiſely toward them which are without, redeeming Col. 4. 5.the time: where exact and circumſpect walking towards them which are without, leſt we offend them, drive them away from Chriſt, prejudice them againſt the ways of Truth, is called a walking wiſely; there is great need of wiſdom then to all other parts of this circumſpect walking; it is of the like force with that of the Spouſe, I charge you by the Roes and Harts of the field that you ſtir not my beloved before he pleaſe; ſtir him not by any unſeaſonable Cant. 2. 7.importunity, nor by any provocation drive him away, for if you do, this will be offenſive to the Roes, creatures eaſily frighted away▪ that are wild, and but beginning to be tamed; now this is wiſe walking; and that of the Pſalmiſt, The Pſal. 111. 10.fear of the Lord is the beginning of wiſdom; and a good underſtanding have they that keep his commandments, his praiſe endureth for ever; the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wiſdom; this is the head, the top of wiſdom, the principal part, for this comprehends the firſt part of the foreign or rule, that is to ſay, that which guides us to a right worſhipping of God in Spirit and in Truth, which is the firſt thing; this is the foreign the godlineſs the Scripture ſo often maketh mention of; to be exact in this, is the beginning, the firſt born of wiſdom, and the end of wiſdom is to keep his Commandments, all his Commandments, reſpecting man and God; or elſe fear of God is put for the inward principle of obedience and keeping the Commandments, for the real demonſtration of it in a holy and righteous converſation: which way ever you take it, a good underſtanding they have that keep them; ſo that it is an effect and argument of wiſdom; Be wiſe now therefore, O ye Kings, be instructed ye Judges of the earth; Pſal. 2. 10.they are uſually, or would be wiſe men already; I but there is one piece of wiſdom that the Laws of men teach not, but the School of Chriſt, and that is, Kiſs the Son, leſt be he angry, & ye periſh from the way, or in the way; and ſo another Scripture ſaith, This ſhall be your wiſdom in the ſight of the Nations, if ye keep the Commandments of the Lord, they ſhall ſay, ſurely this Nation is a wiſe and underſtanding people; I will beleave my ſelf wiſely in a perfect way, ſaith the Pſalmist; if ye walked in a perfect Deut. 4. 6.way and exactly, it would be wiſe walking indeed; and therefore you ſhall find, that all grace and ability, and ſtrength, whereby we Pſal. 101. 2.are enabled to walk the ways of God aright, it is called Wiſdom; Prov. 4. 5. & 7.get Wiſdom, get Underſtanding; Wiſdom is the principal thing, and what is this, but an ability to walk the ways of God exactly? no more for proof.

For the further confirmation of this Doctrine, take theſe Conſiderations.

Firſt, It is wiſdom to propound a right end, to chuſe the chief good for his chief end, is a principal part of wiſdom: the Heathens profeſſing themſelves wiſe, they became fools; they Rom. 1. 22.thought they were able by the creatures to run up to the firſt being, and ſo the firſt and chief good; but wofully they were miſtaken. A fool he is that works for no end, as many men do, they bowl away the greateſt part of their lives, without any mark that they aim at that is good; this is the folly which is Phil. 3. 13.bound in all mens hearts; it is wiſdom then to have a mark whereat men aim in all their actions, and to have this mark the chief good, the right end whereto all ſhould he directed, to make him who is the Alpha the Omega; it is no ſmall peice of wiſdom; The eys of a fool are in the ends of the earth, but Prov. 17. 24.wiſdom is before him that hath underſtanding; here, and there, and every where, vvhen they ſhould be fixed upon ſome mark or ſtop to which all ſhould be directed, as the Apoſtles vvere, he had his mark in his eye ſtill, and they ſhould let their eys look right on; this is wiſdom indeed. Now this is one, peice of exact walking and a main one too, thus to eye the firſt and chief good, that is to ſay, God himſelf for our laſt end, to propound him to Prov. 4. 25.our ſelves, as the center of our ſouls, wherein alone we can reſt with ſatisfaction; Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth I deſire in compariſon of thee; this was a wiſe man Pſal. 73. 25.indeed: this is the firſt: Wiſdom conſiſts in the proviſion of the end.

Secondly, To provide and make uſe of the right means to this end in general, is another piece of this Wiſdom; the wiſe mans eys are in his head; if a man have never ſo good an end, and yet know not which way to compaſs it, nor how to go about to gain Eccleſ. 2. 14.it, this is a fool▪ when a man hath the mark in his eye, to ſet the byas the wrong way, and ſo to go clear off this end, argues Eccleſ. 10. 2.not skill but weakneſs, his heart is at his left hand; and indeed herein is moſt evident the power of Wiſdom, to diſcover the right means for ſuch an end as will make a man happy, and to know how to make uſe of them, and accordingly to improve them for that end: the Wiſdom of the prudent, is to underſtand Prov. 14. 8.his way; now who is it that doth this, but the circumſpect exact walker? others, they turn the byas another way, ſome to prophanneſs, others to hereſie, &c. they tread not the track at all, as if a man intending to go South-ward, takes his courſe quite Northward, clean contrary. So men intend heaven, but their courſe bends hell-ward: ſure this is folly: no, no, Jeſus Chriſt is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and he alone, and therefore this is Ioh. 14. 6.Wiſdom brethren, to know who is the Wiſdom of the Father, to come to him, cloſe with him, walk in him, as we have received him.

Thirdly, It is Wiſdom, and great Wiſdom for men then to take the neareſt way, and eaſieſt way to a thing; Labour in vain is not the character of a wiſe man; that doth movere, & non promovere…; now it is labour in vain to go a further way about, or a worſe way to an end, when there is a nearer and better; fruſtra fit per plura, quod fieri poteſt per pauciora; how many miles doth a Spaniel run in his excurſions to no purpoſe, whereas if he kept cloſe after his Maſter, he would not, nor need to tyre himſelf ſo much nothing near; and ſo it is with many a ſoul that doth follow Jeſus Chriſt indeed, but they follow him not cloſely, do rove and ramble many times, and then are fain to come in again to the way by the weeping croſs, the by-paths being rough and harſh, and full of pricking bryers and wounding thorns; no ſurely, brethren, the rule of holy walking is the ſtraiteſt path that leadeth moſt directly to heaven, there is no nearer way then God hath there chalkt out for us; and therefore the exact walker that keepeth cloſeſt to this rule, to walk according to this rule, he goeth the neareſt way; men dream they have a nearer and an eaſier way then this ſtrict and ſtrait path, but alas, it is but a dream, when they awake they find they are far wide from the vvay, and therefore are drawn vvith much pains, much Hoſ. 13. 13.heart-breaking to return again, before they can go on in the vvay to God to heaven; fooliſh children they are that ſtay long in the Hoſ. 13. 13.place of breaking forth of children; we do obſtruct our own mercies, and make a great deal of vvork for repentance and tears, vvhichwhich might have been avoided if vve had vvalkt circumſpectly vvith God; and then in that time vvhichwhich vve have ſpent, and that ſtrength laid out upon our returning again, vvhat a conſiderable progreſs might vve have made further in the vvay of God? as in the caſe of David: vvas it his vviſdom, think you, or his folly vvhen he turned aſide out of the vvay, fetched a vagarie, a compaſs, I have done very fooliſhly, ſaith he in that place, I have gone out of the plain and pleaſant paths of vviſdom into this 2 Sam. 24. 10.rough and thorny vvay, and now I have gotten a thorn in my foot, a vvound to my ſoul; and ſo he did in the matter of Ʋriah: Pſal. 107. 17.fools, becauſe of their tranſgreſsion are afflicted; now the circumſpect exact vvalker, that keepeth cloſe to God, he avoideth all theſe excurſions, much of this trouble and ſorrow; and is not this a notable peice of wiſdom?

Fourthly, It is vviſdom for a man to ſuit and ſhape his courſe according to the exigence of his condition: Ye are, ſaith our Saviour, ſent as Sheep among Wolves, therefore be wiſe as Serpents; that is a vviſe Sheep, that being among many Wolves, Mat. 10. 16.ſo carrieth it as to eſcape their mouths and cruelty; the people of God do vvalk among Lyons, their vvay is full of Lyons, roaring Lyons, ſeeking vvhom they may devour. Now for a man ſo to vvalk as to avoid theſe, and yet to keep his vvay, this is vviſdom indeed: you have heard before, how full of ſnares and ſtumbling blocks and offences there are in the vvay; this is the exigence of every believers condition, ſome more ſome leſs; now is not this wiſdom, ſo to carry it, as in ſuch danger, neither to give offence, nor take offence? to keep his foot out of the ſnare vvhen he walks among them? O ſurely, this is vviſdom indeed; had not a man need of much wiſdom that hath the eys of ſo many enemies upon him, watching for his halting, ready to blaz…n his infirmities, catching at ſomewhat they may make a reproach, accuſe him to the Powers, overthrow him? this is the manner of the world, as to the outward man; and this is the continual working of Satan by ſin, and all his inſtruments, as to the inward man; now he that carrieth his Cup ſo even in ſuch a caſe, as to keep the favour of the King, and avoid ruin, is he not a wiſe man? and ſo here in reſpect of the favour of the King of Kings; and who is this that doth it, but the exact walker with God? Noah had as perverſe a Generation to walk among, as any, and doutleſs as many ſnares, a world full of temptation, and yet he walked with God, kept his favour, was ſaved in the Ark, and brought to the enjoyment of himſelf; this was wiſdom indeed.

Fifthly, It is Wiſdom for a man to do that in its ſeaſon or time, which if neglected, he will afterwards wiſh had been done; and to omit that, which aftterward, he will wiſh had not been done. It is a great part of Wiſdom, to know the ſeaſon for an action, For every thing is beautiful in his ſeaſon: there is not a man that now liveth and heareth Eccleſ 12. 1.this word, but would when he cometh to die, wiſh he had remembred his Creator in the days of his youth: much ſin had been prevented then, ſome proviſion had been made for his eternal ſtate; do you think the young men that chear themſelves in their own vanities, when they come to judgement, and to ſtand before the conſuming fire, ready to burn them up as ſtubble, they will not wiſh, O that they had fled youthful luſts, O that they had lived more by rule then by luſt! but alas, then it is too late: now is it not great Wiſdom, while men have the day, to work and walk? becauſe the night cometh, Ioh. 9. 4.wherein no man can work: Stultorum eſt dicere non putaram: I had never thought that my day was ſo near to an end, as now I find it; now the circumſpect walker he hath the light; and maketh uſe of it while he hath it, becauſe he knoweth he ſhall not alway have the light to work by, nor walk by; He that gathereth in harveſt is a wiſe ſon; that is the ſeaſon for gathering; for a man to neglect that time, and let winter Prov. 10▪ 5.come on, which will ſpoil all his harveſt, and to ſay, I had not thought this year had been ſo far ſpent, is very groſs folly: well, this is another.

Sixthly, It is wiſdom to go through ſtitch with a work, if it be a thing worth the while: what thine hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might, (that is to ſay) not by halves, careleſly: what folly is it for a man to take ſome pains for an end, Eccleſ. 9▪ 10.and for want of a little more to loſe all? a man draweth the bow, ſeemeth to take aim, but for want of a little more care and exactneſs, miſſeth the mark and loſeth all: this is the caſe of hypocrites, they take much pains for heaven, they ſeem to run as faſt as any, and keep as much ado in the way of God as any, they pray often and much, and hear, and receive, and for want of a little more, they fall ſhort and periſh, becauſe they look not to the frame of their hearts, their uprightneſs before God in it, and diſallow not themſelves in their halting, and therefore they loſe all, and their ſouls, and all, is not this folly? who did more then the Phariſees for Heaven, and thoſe in the ſeventh of Matthew? But they wanted one thing more, they buſied themſelves about many things, but the one thing more they neglected, and therefore miſcarried; for a man to run, and wreſtle, and ſtrive, and yet to miſs the prize for want of a litle care, to ſtrive lawfully, a little exactneſs and acurateneſs in the manner as well as the matter of their working, this is folly: alas, how many are there that ſeek to enter, as the fooliſh Virgins, but becauſe they add not a little more, and ſtrive to an agony, therefore they are not able thus to ſeek; this is to loſe all their labour.

Seventhly, Another Argument is this: It is Wiſdom that takes a courſe for the fulleſt enjoyment of the laſt end, the chiefeſt good; there are, it is believed degrees of Glory in Heaven; all the Saints ſhall ſhine, but ſome like Stars, ſome like the Sun, one Star differs from another in Glory; every one ſhall have a manſion, and unſpeakably 1 Cor. 15▪ 41.Glorious, but they are not every one that ſhall ſit on the right hand, and on the left hand of Chriſt in his Kingdom. It is a great Reward indeed that diligent Miniſters of Chriſt have, that are ſo indeed: Chriſt is ſaid to have a thouſand, and they two hundred Sheckels, the Keepers of the Vineyard, (that is to ſay) a fifth part of what he hath▪ Cant. 8. 12.Indeed in other goods, we have leſs good in them, and a mixture of ſnares, ſpecially in our time of fleſh and weakneſs to weild them aright, they are not ſo deſirable in the higheſt degree. David was loth to be the Kings Son in-Law; Seemeth it to you a light thing, to be … 1 Sam. 18. 23.Son in-Law to a King? it is a greater burthen then yo… are aware of, to carry it anſwerably to ſuch a condition; Favourites places are ſlippery and dangerous, many envious eyes are upon them, to watch their halting, much ado to keep the heart humble in ſuch a caſe; but now this good, the chief good, there is no ſnare in the fulneſs of enjoyment of him, but the more fully, the more happy; the more Grace, the more Glory; and therefore for a man to take up with leſs here, is not Wiſdom, but folly and great weakneſs; therefore the Apoſtle puts them on, That they ſhould not loſe any thing of what they had wrought, that they might have a full reward; and ſo 2 I…h. 2.neglect not, ſlubber not over your ſervices, be exact in them, loſe not ſo many Prayers, ſo many Sermons, ſo many Sacraments as you do, when you do them ſo careleſly, for want of a litle acurateneſs you loſe them, and loſe of your reward; for there is fruit redounding to your account in the day of Chriſt.

Eighthly, It is a piece of Wiſdom alſo for a man to make ſure his title to an inheritance, if worth the having; who would be ſo fooled as to neglect this among men, where the good is ſcarce worth the looking after? now here is an inheritance incorruptible that fadeth not away, an inheritance 1 Pet. 1. 4.of the Saints in light and glory: and is it not wiſdom to make it ſure, not to be at uncertainties? ſure you will all conclude it is: now this is the way, and no other, circumſpect, exact and diligent walking; do all diligence, it is 2 Pet. 1. 10, 11.not an idle, looſe profeſſion Brethren, that is accompanied with aſſurance, no, but a diligence there muſt be, a working, and working out, and with fear and trembling; there muſt be an adding to Faith, Vertue, &c. for if you do v. 5, 6, 7, 8.theſe things ye ſhall not fall, and an entrance abundantly ſhall be miniſtred into the everlaſting Kingdom. Now what wiſe Maſter of a Ship would come into his harbour tattered, and torn, full of leaks, and ready to ſink, if he might come in with the ſails filled, in a gallant manner, which he may do by an acurateneſs of ſtearing a right courſe to avoid the rocks and ſands? who would chuſe to go through a narrow wicket, as it were, hard and ſharp, when he might have a wide door opened to him? O brethren, it is wiſdom to make your calling ſure, every man in diſtruſt will tell you ſo, and when you come to die and look death in the face, your ſouls will ſay, that it is wiſdom indeed then to have aſſurance: well, an exact walking with God is that way to procure it: let men ſay what they will of peace and aſſurance, while they walk looſly they muſt give me leave to ſuſpect all that I know, that ſin will undo our peace, if we careleſly fall into it.

For the Application of this then.

In the firſt place it may ſerve to wipe off that ſlandero…s imputation of foreign the falſe accuſer of the Brethren, and of the wayes of God, and of God to us, that he caſts upon Religion, as if it were a thing that were beſotting, it made men fools; this is a ſlander the Devil hath gotten much by, and therefore he uſeth it much; men are loth to be accounted fools, and think that to take upon them the ſtrict courſe of Religion, is the next way to it; they could never have the liberty, nor the free uſe of their wits, and wiſdom, and policy, nor the free uſe of the Creature, nor the good that is in them any more; Brethren, this is falſe; it is the greateſt wiſdom in the world …ure you will ſay, to be wiſe to Salvation; to be wiſe to a little Popularity and Fame by oſtentation of Science, falſly ſo called, to be wiſe to get a good Eſtate in the World, to grow rich, this is a poor thing; Brethren, but to be wiſe to Salvation is that will ſtand a man in moſt ſtead, when for all his other wiſdom, and the effects of it, he ſhall be at his wits end; Beſide, indeed this is the way to be wiſe for a mans name, for a mans Eſtate; for his Poſterity alſo; for who is it that giveth power to get wealth? is it not the Deut. 8. 18.Lord? and is not circumſpect walking before him to all welpleaſing, the way to be bleſſed? bleſſed in basket, bleſſed in ſtore? and if he blow upon it, and curſe it, you may ſow much, and it will come to nothing, you may put it Hag. 1. 6.into a bag, but there are many holes, out of which it will run; ſo many luſts unhealed, ſo many holes; and for his name, you are miſtaken, it is to be righteous, their name ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance, it ſhall be embalmed; the name of the wicked rotteth, and ſtinketh, the remembrance of them is loathſom; Wiſdom it Prov. 10 7.ſelf is folly to a fool, and ſo is the Wiſdom of God to Salvation, fooliſhneſs to the wiſe men of the World; but this their way and judgement is their folly; and no greater evidence of folly, then to judge the ways of God fooliſhneſs. Well, the fooliſhneſs of God (as you count it) is wiſer then men; you think it is fooliſhneſs to ſpend ſo much time in the ſervice of God, leſs ado would ſerve the turn, as the Heathen Seneca 1 Cor. 1. 25.derided the Chriſtians, that they loſt the ſeventh part of their time, (that is to ſay) the Sabbath, becauſe they ſpent it not in the ſervice of the world and vanity, as they did; and ſo do you, when a man is diligent and exact in his times and hours, ſpends ſo much time in waiting upon God, you think he is a fool, he will be a beggar, but when you and he come to lye upon a death-bed together, then tell me, who is the fool: as very a fool as he was, thou wilt then wiſh thou hadſt been ſuch a fool; and oh that thou mighteſt die his death! So if ſome be tender, and ſcruple at the taking an unjuſt gain in his trading, that which others can eaſily ſwallow, they think this man is a fool, he will never do any good with his Trade, he will be a beggar. Alas, they know not that a little with Righteouſneſs, with a good Conſcience, is better then great Revenues without Right; a little with Gods Bleſſing, which maketh rich, giving contentation, and giving the ſweet of Mercy, making them give down their ſweet to them, is better then much without it; and when thou haſt heaped up Gold as the duſt, and Rayment as the clay, and withall, haſt gotten a wound in thy Soul, a worm in thy Conſcience, the rot and canker eats into thy ſoul, Iames 5….what haſt thou gotten? who will be the wiſer man? when the ſins whereby thou haſt gotten this, beginneth, to ſtare like ſo many devils in thy face? though thou haſt builded thee an houſe, a fair houſe and chambers Hab. 2. 11.by wrong, and he that dwels in a tent, is contented with a meaner condition, with a good Conſcience, when the ſtone beginneth to cry out againſt thee, out of the wall, and the timber out of thy chambers, and thy ears are full, and thy heart full of the cry of thy ſins and guilt whereby this hath been gotten, who will prove the wiſe man then? O ſurely Religion maketh not men fools.

Secondly, It may be a word of retortion, and ſerve to faſten the folly then upon the wiſdom of the World; Wordlings think the people of God fools for their preciſeneſs, but the Saints know them to be fools; will ye believe when the Lord ſpeaks? do not harden your hearts now, and ſay, thou ſpeakeſt falſly in the name of the Lord. Read that paſſage of the Apoſtle, and tell me what you think then; The Wiſdom of the World is fooliſhneſs with God; is not God the only wiſe God, and do 1. Cor. 3. 19.you think the Lord can be miſtaken? though we that are poor weak creatures, like your ſelves (may be) miſ-judge, yet ſure the Lord cannot; he is wiſdom it ſelf, and it is fooliſhneſs with God, he judgeth it ſo; and believe it, they are wiſe, whom he maketh wiſe; and they are fools, and that is folly whom he accounteth ſo; by the rule of contraries it followeth; if to walk circumſpectly, be to walk as wiſe men, then to walk looſly and at large, is to walk as fools, according to our Text; I will give you but two or three Demonſtrations of their folly, it may be the Lord will convince ſome poor creature of the folly of his ways.

Firſt, It is folly for men to pitch upon a wrong end, to place their happineſs in any thing but the chief good indeed; now this is evident enough, too plain, that men of the world they do place their happineſs in worldly things, they have their god to worſhip as well as the Saints; The luſts of the fleſh, the luſt of the eye, and pride of life, 1 Ioh. 2. 16.to which the Apoſtle reduceth all that is in the World, their pleaſures, their riches, their honours, theſe are their ends, to which they drive on all their deſigns, and here they reſt and ſit down, and look no farther many of them; now is not this a groſs miſtake and grievous folly, to end ſo low as the earth, and what the would can afford? which will appear, if we conſider, 1. That Luke 12. 20.none, nor all theſe things will run parallel with the ſouls to eternity; therefore if they could make a man happy as long as he enjoyed them, yet afterward they would then encreaſe his miſery, when they leave him, fuiſſe faelicem miſerum; It is periſhing bread, uncertain Ioh. 6. 27.riches, many times they make wings, and are gone, even he himſelf outlives them; a miſerable happineſs that a 1 Tim. 6. 17.poor mortal creature can out-live; if not, yet the ſoul out-lives them; he can carry nothing away with him, ſaith the Text; the poor ſoul muſt appear in its nakedneſs before …he Lord Judge at that day of appearing, after death, and ſoul and body to eternity after the Reſurrection ſhall never be the better for them; alas, the remembrance then of your pleaſures, and honours, and riches will be but a ſting to your ſouls to eternity, that ſuch enjoyments you had, and uſed them no better. 2. As they continue not, ſo while a man can keep them, they cannot, they do not ſatisfie the ſoul; if any man could, Solomon might have pickt out an happineſs out of them, when he had ſo much wealth to procure them, ſo much wiſdom to improve them, ſo gave himſelf to find out; but the ſum is, vanity of vanities; not only vain, but vanity; and vanity of vanities, and all is vanity; the greateſt vanity, they are empty, there is no ſubſtance in them, they will not ſatisfie the ſoul; there is no ſutableneſs between ſuch earthy things and a ſpiritual being, nor equality between their greateſt vaſtneſs and the largeneſs of a ſoul; they can never fill it, and therefore it can never reſt, but the more a man hath, the more he Pſal. 73. 22.would have ſtill; drinking doth but increaſe their thirſt; and therefore well might the Pſalmiſt bebeaſt and befool himſelf for ſetting ſuch an eſteem upon them. So fooliſh was I and ignorant, and even as a beaſt before thee, when he thought them to have more in them, then they had, and therefore that they were the happy men that flouriſhed, and it was in vain for him to cleanſe his heart, &c.

Secondly, If they ſhould, or do propound a right end, yet they miſerably miſcarry in the means towards this end; For, Firſt, There are ſome that are wiſe to do evil: but to do good, they have no knowledge at all; and if men make God and Heaven their end, is this Ier. 42. 22.the way to it? will the way to the devil, and the way to hell bring a man to Heaven? and yet this is the courſe that moſt men run, as if men would be ſaved by contraries, and were Chriſtians by antiphraſes, becauſe they are moſt unchriſtian; ſurely Brethren, the Spirit of God and the Scriptures every where hath determined ſin to be folly, and calleth ſinners fools, therefore we read of working folly in Iſrael ſo much now; if one part of Wiſdom be to aim at the right end, ſurely Wiſdom agreeth notwith it ſelf, if this be another part of Wiſdom, the Wiſdom to do evil, which indeed is improperly called wiſdom; but it is a curſed skill and ingenuity which men have, whereby they are more induſtriouſly wicked; this is ſo far from Wiſdom, that it is the very height of folly.

Again, Secondly, It is the Wiſdom of the World to get a name of Chriſtianity, and therewith ſatisfie themſelves; take the power who will, ſo they have the name, and paſs for Saints; gain is their godlineſs, and when they have gotten the gain by it, the Godlineſs they care not to walk in, but in their pleaſures of ſin; the 1 Tim. 6. 5.ſhew of Religion is profitable, but not the reality, it is burthenſom; is not this folly with a witneſs? can the Shadow be profitable, and not the Subſtance? the Shell and Husk, and not the Kernel? can that be profitable, whoſe Praiſe is of men, and not that whoſe praiſe is of God?

Again, As the top, and crown, and quinteſcence of their folly; they are wiſer in their own conceit, then ſeveral men that can render a reaſon, as he ſpaaks of the ſluggard; and ſuch are all thoſe that will not be at pains for Prov. 26. 16.God and for Heaven: if men might devote all the flower of their youth, the ripeneſs of their age and ſtrength to ſin, and when they come to die, have Heaven drop in their mouthes, many would be ſaved; but if they muſt be at ſuch pains for it, walk ſo circumſpectly, ſtrictly, in a frame, by rule thus, and be exerciſed in mortification, renewing their repentance, ſo much ado with ſearching and trying their ways, they think the wiſeſt courſe is to ſit ſtill; it is better ſleeping in a whole skin, and ſeven men that can give a reaſon, are not ſo wiſe Verſe 12.as they; let Miniſters ſay what they will, they will not believe but they are the wiſer men of the two; O he that is thus wiſe in his own conceit, there is more hope of a fool, then of him; well then, if the world paſs for fools, they are the fools indeed in grain; and when Saints and ſinners, the ſtrict walker with God, and the formal Hypocrite ſhall appear before the Lord at the laſt day; then (if before you will not believe) you ſhall know who were the wiſe men, and who were the fools.

Thirdly, Then let Wiſdm be juſtified of her children; Mat▪ 11. 19.you that are the true ſons of Wiſdom, and not baſtards, and pretenders, juſtifie Wiſdom then, though all the world run a contrary courſe, and count it folly to walk thus circumſpectly; do you count it your Wiſdom, as the Lord counteth it, to be ſtrict and exact in your walkking; no matter though the world ſtigmatize you for fools, that you neglect your concernments other wayes ſometimes, to gain a nearer approach to Chriſt, if the Lord judge you wiſe men; the argument is very ſtrong: for what man can bear the imputation of folly; indeed every man would be wiſe, Vain man would be Iob▪ 11. 12▪wiſe, though he be born like a wild Aſſes Colt; but the Saints methinks, that know in ſome meaſure what the Wiſdom which is from above doth mean, ſhould labour to approve themſelves wiſe men indeed, by a circumſpect walking with God. And you that profeſs the Name of Chriſt, though it may be not all of you, in truth you would be wiſe, though you walk not circumſpectly; ſhall I beſpeak you in the Prophets words, how ſay you, we are wiſe, and we have the Law, &c. when you Ier. 8. 8.walk not by this rule; Ah take heed you prove not fooliſh Virgins when all is done: it is not Wiſdom to dally with Religion and with God, he will not be mocked. Then you that are wiſe indeed, and do in a good part walk exactly, ſhall I beg of you, that you would yet more and more labour to approve your ſelves wiſe men and women, in a great exactneſs of your walking, avoiding all appearance of evil; as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, in following 1 Theſ. 1. 22.after whaever is comely, of good report; you know what the Wiſe man ſaith, A man that is in reputation for Wiſdom, that paſſeth for a wiſe man and a cloſe-walking Eccleſ. 10. 1.Saint; a little folly is like a dead Fly in the Box of Oyntment that maketh it ſtink; by how much the more the Lord hath done for you this way, be ſo much the more careful: O it is this Wiſdom that will make your faces ſhine, Brethren: ſo it did the face of Moſes and Eccleſ. 8. 1.David, but a little folly in a David, what a blemiſh it caſts upon it, and what a reproach and blemiſh upon the beautiful way of holineſs?

O then, I beſeech you Brethren, Labour to ceaſe from your own Wiſdom: for indeed this is folly, and contrary to the Wiſdom of God; He that hearkneth to counſel, is wiſe: It is a ſad thing when the People of God are not Prov. 12. 15.adviſable, are ſo full of ſelf-will and ſelf-wiſdom that they cannot ceaſe from it; ſo David in numbering the people, he had good counſel given him, though by a man far enough inferiour to himſelf in ſpirituals, but was not adviſable, and what a blot did he bring upon himſelf? 2. Cor. 3 18.we profeſs to give up our wils and wiſdoms to him, and yet when it cometh to the pinch many times, we muſt have our wils, and we muſt have our own contrivances go forward, or elſe we cannot aquieſce; I ſaid in quietneſs and confidence ſhould be your reſt, Iſa. 30. 5.but you would not.

Again, Then beg this Spirit of Wiſdom more earneſtly, greater meaſure of it, for it is he that giveth Wiſdom to walk exactly; this Wiſdom from above, which is pure, and peaceable, and gentle, and eaſie to he intreated, ſo that a child may lead ſuch a man or woman, if Gal. 5. 16.he preſent any thing of light and God to them: And then Brethren, when you have the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, in the Power of this Spirit of Wiſdom, let it prevail over your own wils, and your own opinions of your own ways, ſubject all to him, and you ſhall find that he will guide you by his counſel, and afterwards receive you to Glory. Thus much for this Obſervation.

Theſe were his laſt Lecture-Sermons, the laſt words; viz. Redeeming the Time, becauſe the dayes are evil, He ſtayed not to finiſh.

FINIS.

Several Works, Work 1

p. 53CIRCVMSPECT Walking, A Chriſtians Wiſdom.

CIRCVMSPECT Walking, A Chriſtians Wiſdom.