VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS Xf. 425
in that state. There would have been government and some inequality ; there would have been difference of sex, women and men ; the relation of fathers and cliildren ; the disparity of age, young men and old ; now much more is there need of it since the fall. There can be no peace without it. Pax est tranquillitas ordinis — peace is the quiet of every- thing in its proper place : it is a great blessing when all keep their due subordination, when magistrates keep their place, ministers and trades- men keep their place ; otherwise things will be shamefully brought into confusion. Thus civil peace is the fruit of order, when every one keeps their place. When the elements are out of their places, then there are confusions in nature.
2. The Lord loves order in the church. I have observed the church is set forth in scripture by the same similitudes and resemblances by which the frame of the world is ; by an army, and by a house, and by the body of man. By an army or host : the church is ' terrible as an army with banners,' Cant. vi. 4 ; when all administrations are regularly carried according to the mind of God. It is compared to a house: Eph. ii. 22, ' In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.' And the prophet speaks of the order of the church : Isa. liv. 12, ' I will malce thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles.' It is compared to the body of man, which receives supplies and nourishment from the head : Col. ii. 19, ' And not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourish- ment ministered, and knit together, increasetli with the increase of God.' Usually we are very loose and arbitrary in point of order. That is the great security, the fence and hedge of religion, when some instruct in the word, some are for inspection of manners, some minister to the poor ; when there are some to govern, and others to be governed ; when all keep their place, the church is beautiful, and terrible as an army with banners. This was the rejoicing of the apostle, Col. ii. 5, * To behold their order and steadfastness.' The order of the church doth not consist in idle foppish ceremonies, but in decent administra- tions. But Avhen men set the feet where the head should be, make every one to be guides to the church, then the beauty of the church \fy defaced, and all error and confusion is let into the church. The apostle complains of ' Some that did walk disorderly,' 2 Thes. iii. 11, aTa/cTw? the word signifies out of rank ; this provokes the just suspension of the influences of his grace.
3. The excellency of order in private conversation. We must be more orderly in disposing our actions for the conveniency of the spiritual life. Nothing so fit for a man as order and method in his private con- versation but more especially in the spiritual life. We should not walk at random and at large. Till there be a settled frame in the course of our lives, it will never do well ; that we may not live at ad- venture in religion, and do good by flashes. God complains of them that are only good by fits, Hosea vi. 4. If we do not task ourselves, and propose a settled course, we shall be fickle and inconstant, off and on with God : Ps. 1. 23, ' To him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God.' We should state all ihe courses and exercises of religion in the holy life ; that so our duty may not be a hindrance, but a help to another. We act loosely when we act
426 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XL
arbitrarily, and at random ; and shall be soon taken off by every alle- gation and plea of the flesh, if we do not lay a necessity upon ourselves, and settle a stated course of religious duties in our lives. You may do this lawfully : to this end God hath given us spiritual prudence and christian discretion. There are precepts in general for giving and doing, but for measure, number, and order, God would leave that to christian discretion. It is said, Ps. cxii. 5, ' A good man guides all his affairs with discretion.' Do not think such a stated course will be a snare to you, but it will prove a great advantage, and be a hedge to duty. All the experiences of the saints seal to it ; they could not else secure themselves against neglects and omissions, if they did not lay an engagement upon themselves by their own purposes and constitu- tions. Duties of ordinary recourse may be easily thus disposed. I confess it requires some wisdom to state it aright, lest we lie bound in chains of our own making, and watchfulness and resolution that we may keep it. When the proportions are rational, every idle objection should not take us off, for it is in the nature of paying a vow. Time dedicated to God is not in our power, nor revocable upon every slight occasion, only in case of inviolable necessity, to which duties of a divine institution do give place.