Works, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Rules of Wiſdome concerning our actions, that in all of them wee may ſhew forth Chrstian prudence and circumſpection; and firſt in general.
FIrſt, Every Chriſtian is to examine the work hee is to do, whether hee Rules for our actions in general. 1 Examine what thou art doing.bee about a good work, whereof hee may expect comfort, Gal. 6.3. Let every man prove his own work, and ſo hee ſhall have comfort in himſelf. And good reaſon, for his work muſt bee tr…d afterwards▪ and therefore it is wil ſome to try it before hand. This Trial ſtands in four thin…. 1 Whether go d in the matt…. Deut. 12.32 …. 1.12.And the lam… of examining it, is now, and ſhall bee hereafter. This tria… ſtan… in four things:
1 Wheth…r it bee good in it ſelf, and in the matter of it; if i… be… l…wful, if it bee commanded. The rule for the goodneſs of any action is the word of God: What I command thee, that do onelyonly: Or elſe it will …ee a…ked, Who required thoſe things at your hands? And for the matter of our a…tions, wee have a ſpe…ial rule, Phil. 4.8. Whatſo ver things are true, honest, juſt, pure; Whatſoever things pertain to love, and are of good rep…t; if there bee any vertue or praiſe, think on theſe things. And Rom. 12.17. and 1 Cor. 8.21. Prov… as things that are honeſt, no… onelyonly before the Lord, but a ſo bef…re men.
… It g… in he manner.2 Examine wh ther it bee good in the doer, und…rtaken by vertue or a ſpecial calling, and anſw…rab…e to that …y which himſ…lf ow… to God or man. God upholdeth t…e ſociet… of men by order, which is, when every man k…p his own ſtanding, and every one m… (… the ſ…v…ral …ars) but every one in his own ſphere, n… troubling the motion of …ner. S. publick m…n ſhould … the publick offi…; and privat… m…n … in private, but l…t the publick alone. For Chriſt reproved Peters curioſity, in asking What John ſhould do, Joh. 21.21. And the … of Scena wa…ted calling for an action that was good in …, and … were … and w… ded of the Devil.Act. 19 15, 16.
3 If good in circumſtances.3 Examine whether it bee good in the circumſtances, ſ…aſona… and …nvenient, or whether the ſeaſon… not for ſome better action than that. For wiſd…me will intend of … the moſt neceſſary, and … moſt profi…able.
4 If good in the ends.4 Examine whether the … done, bee good in the …nds … it, which eſp…cially are tw…, 1 G… glory, 1 Cor. 10.3. Let … the glory of God. 2 The good and ed…fi…ation of our brethr n, 1 Cor. 14.2…. Let all bee done to edifying; yea, …king their profit in ſome … own. Then
2 …inding the action good, ſpoyl it no… by ill handling. The right manner of doing a good acti…n in three things.Secondly, I… by examination w… … …tions good in themſelve, … us, in circumſtan… and …ds, w…e muſt bee carefull … not good … ons by ill handling, but in … do good action… well, a…d to … matter, adde a good manner of doing. Now the right manner of doing a good a…tion well, ſtand…h three things; To undertake th…m holily: To do them ſincerely: And to finiſh them humbly. The firſt i…, when wee begin them with prayer; For as in all matter…, ſmall, and great, wee are to take counſel at Gods mouth; ſo wee are to beg lea…e and bleſſing at … ſecretly to our ſelves, without which n…thing is ſanct…fied unto it. T… ſecond is, when wee do things ſincerely, as in Gods ſight, with a good …, and keeping good conſcience, that a man if hee b… queſtioned in any … may bee able to ſay with Abimele…h, Gen. 2….5. With an upright heart aid I this thing: And whatſoever may befall him for well-doing, hee may appeal to God with Hezekiah, Iſa. 38.3.and ſay, Lord remember that I have walked u… rightly before thee. The third is, when in effecting all our b…ſt action… … labour to ſee our defects and wants, and mourn that wee …ther do that w…e ſhould do, not in the manner wee ſhould. Wh…r…of there will bee th… notable fruits: 1 This will breed and nouriſh humi…i…. It will drive … Chriſt to get a covering. 3 It will make us aſcribe all the glory of our a tions to God, of whom wee have not onelyonly all the power, but eve… the will and purpoſe, Phil. 2.13. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed, according to his good pleaſure.