Of the former sort, are such as concern either their causes or their circumstances. The causes are chief and principal, or else subordinate and 1instrumental. The chief and principal cause of working all holy duties, in, and by us, is God himself, the Father, Son, and holy Spirit. Concerning whom, this first rule is to be observed, that seeing God is the chief Author of all good duties which can be performed by us, that therefore we also make him the supreme end of them, propounding unto our selves his glory in the undertaking of any action, as the main motive that induceth us unto it. And seeing he is first and last in all holy duties which are performed of us, and both beginneth, continueth, and finisheth his works of grace in and by us; yea, seeing we our selves are wholly his, 2both by right of creation, preservation, and redemption; therefore being his and not our own, we must devote and consecrate our selves wholly, and all our actions and intentions to his service, performing all Christian duties, not as acts of our own wills, to please or profit our selves, but as works which he willeth and commandeth, and are therefore pleasing and acceptable in sight. So that this must be our first step & entrance to the Christian duties of a godly life, utterly to deny our selves and our own wills, and acknowledging God to be all in all, we are to resign both our persons & actions to be directed and guided as he pleaseth, and to make his will in all things the rule of ours; not performing the duties of a godly life, because they are pleasing unto us, or plausible unto others, but because God requireth them, and it is his will, that being sanctified, we should glorify 3him, in bringing forth much fruit. We must, if we will be Christs Disciples, in the very first place deny our selves, and take up our cross and follow him. We 4must not, like untamed Heifers, run & range which way we list, but we must take upon us his easy yoke and light burden, and casting off our pride and 5self-will, we must learn of him to be humble and meek in spirit. We must be content to be, not what we would, but what God will have us, both doing and suffering whatsoever he commandeth or imposeth. We must go the way that nature shunneth, if God choose it for us; and walk with Peter, not whither 6we would, but whither we would not.
Of the former sort, are such as concerne either their causes or their circumstances. The causes are chiefe and principall, or else subordinate and 1instrumentall. The chiefe and principall cause of working all holy duties, in, and by vs, is God himselfe, the Father, Sonne, and holy Spirit. Concerning whom, this first rule is to bee obserued, that seeing God is the chiefe Author of all good duties which can be performed by vs, that therefore we also make him the supreme end of them, propounding vnto our selues his glory in the vndertaking of any action, as the mayne motiue that induceth vs vnto it. And seeing he is first and last in all holy duties which are performed of vs, and both beginneth, continueth, and finisheth his workes of grace in and by vs; yea, seeing wee our selues are wholly his, 2both by right of creation, preseruation, and redemption; therefore being his and not our owne, we must deuote and consecrate our selues wholly, and all our actions and intentions to his seruice, performing all Christian duties, not as acts of our owne wills, to please or profit our selues, but as workes which he willeth and commandeth, and are therefore pleasing and acceptable in sight. So that this must be our first step & entrance to the Christian duties of a godly life, vtterly to deny our selues and our owne wills, and acknowledging God to be all in all, wee are to resigne both our persons & actions to be directed and guided as he pleaseth, and to make his will in all things the rule of ours; not performing the duties of a godly life, because they are pleasing vnto vs, or plausible vnto others, but because God requireth them, and it is his will, that being sanctified, we should glorifie 3him, in bringing forth much fruit. We must, if we wil be Christs Disciples, in the very first place deny our selues, and take vp our crosse and follow him. We 4must not, like vntamed Heifers, run & range which way we list, but we must take vpon vs his easie yoke and light burthen, and casting off our pride and 5selfe-will, we must learne of him to be humble and meek in spirit. We must be content to be, not what we would, but what God wil haue vs, both doing and suffring whatsoeuer he cōmandeth or imposeth. We must go the way that nature shunneth, if God chuse it for vs; and walk with Peter, not whither 6we would, but whither we would not.
- 1Mat. 5. 16. 1. Cor. 10. 31. 1. Pet. 2. 12.
- 21. Cor. 6. 20.
- 31. Thes. 4. 3.
- 4Joh. 15. 8.Ioh. 15. 8.
- 5Mat. 11. 29.
- 6Joh. 21. 18.
