The Signs of the Wicked Man, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Hitherto of the directions that concerne the attainement of the ſacred gifts of the minde: now it followeth to ſhew, what thou muſt doe that in all thy waies thou mightſt walke vprightly, and attain vntounto ſound ſinceritie of heart and life.
HEE that would walke vprightly, or take a ſound courſe to continueHow ſoūd ſincerity of conuerſation may bee formed in thee. in his vprightneſſe, muſt earneſtly looke to theſe Rules:
1. If thou hauehave bin guilty of any groſſe ſin, know it is vnpoſſible, thy heart ſhould be vpright, till thou hauehave with ſpeciall repentance humbled thy ſelfe, before God for that ſinne, and that alſo by conſcionable practice thou keepe thy ſelfe from the great tranſgreſſion: Pſal. 19. 13.
2. Thou muſt in a ſpeciall manner …a…ch, and ſtriue againſt Hypocriſie, and that in two things chiefely: Firſt, that in thy ſetting out into Religion, thou faſhion not thy courſe more to get credit then grace. 2. Secondly, that in Gods ſeruice thou by all meanes auoide diſtractions, and ſo reſiſt and check thy proneneſſe of heart thereunto, iudging thy ſelfe ſeuerely, when thou ſo offendeſt, till thou be able in ſome happy degree to ſerue God with thy ſpirit as wel as with thy body: The habite of diſſembling with GOD is extremely dangerous.
3. In thy conuerſation take heede of that fearefull careleſneſſe of the moſt men, ſhewed in the known and wilfull practice of ſin, vponupon pretence that it is but a ſmall offence, or ſecret: Take heed of the ſinnes of deceit, how gainefull ſoeuer they might be to thee: thou maiſt together with vprightneſſe loſe the Kingdome of heauen, for daring ſo wilfully to breake one of thoſe little cōmandements, Math. 5. 19. Take heed in generall of a ſtiffe and wilfull heart: They are ſeldome vpright, that are heady and peremptorie, and hard to be perſwaded, Iam. 3. 17. Prou. 21. 29. Hab. 2. 4.
4. As much as may be, accuſtome thy heart to the obſeruing of Gods preſence, walk, as before him, Gen. 17. 2.
5: Yeeld thy ſelfe ouer to bee wholly guided by Gods Word; Without knowledge the minde cannot bee good, Prou. 19. 2. and he, that walketh according to this rule, ſhall hauehave peace in his heart and conſcience, Gal. 6. 16. Let Gods Law bee the light for thy feete, and the lanthorne for thy pathes, Pſal. 119. Labour therefore to get a particular warrant for the lawfulneſſe of thy practice in the occaſions of thy Calling, either generall or particular, where thou doubteſt enquire, ſo ſhalt thou walke in a ſure way, and delight thy ſelfe in much peace.
6. Take heed of idleneſſe, and prouide to walke faithfully and diligently in ſome honeſt calling of life.
7. Bee ſure thou hold a conſtant courſe of confeſſion of thy ſins to God, & doe it without hiding, or extenuating; iudging thy ſelfe for eueryevery knowne ſin and eſpecially praying againſt, and reſiſting the ſin thou art moſt prone vntounto.
8. Be not well pleaſed with thy ſelfe, till thou canſt approue thy care to bee good at home, as well as abroad; looke to this Rule, and take heed of frowardneſſe, and peruerſe behauiour in thy Family; Thou wilt hardly get any cōfortable euidence, that thou art ſound at heart, if the vſuall Family ſinnes raigne in thee.
9. Thou mightſt wonderfully aduance, and eſtabliſh vprightneſſe of heart in thee, if thou wouldſt carefully but acknowledge this honour to God in his VVord, that whenſoeuer thou didſt feele thy conſcience wounded, or ſmitten for any particular offence, by the VVord of God, that then without delay thou wouldſt in ſecret go to God, and humble thy ſelfe by confeſſion, and from that time forward remember to ſtriue againſt that ſinne: And ſo likewiſe when God with ſome ſpeciall glory of his truth doth affect thee in the hearing of ſome needfull duty to bee done, not to dare to delay, but haſte to the obedience of that good Word of God.
FINIS.
End of the text · Nicholas Byfield, The Signs of the Wicked Man (1619)