2. But now consider it as it is in religion, lightness comes out of the disposition of the mind.
(1.) Incomideration ofttimes is the fjround, when we do not see the cir- cumstances of a thing that we promise or purpose. You know there is nothing comes to action, but it is beset with circumstances. There are
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP, I, VER. 17. 843
ftdvantages of it, and there are stops and hindrances of it : somewhat may fall out. Everything that comes to action is besieged with circumstances. Circumstances, you know, have their name of standing about a business, about a thing. Now when the things that are about, the impediments, and the hindrances, and lets are not weighed, a rash man sees not the things, ho considers not the things that he enters upon ; he resolves without consider- ing the circumstances that beset the thing ; he never considers what opposi- tions he may meet with, or what advantages there be which perhaps he neglects ; but he thinks of the thing, it is good, and suitable to his purpose ; he resolves, and never considers the circumstances about a thing, but runs on in confidence of his own wit and parts, and thinks to rule all by the strength of his wit, not foreseeing, not casting in his mind, to prevent beforehand what may fall out. It is just with God to shame such men. Frustration of their purposes, it is a just reward of their folly. Therefore we should take heed of inconsideration, and have our eyes in our heads, to set the soul to foresee what possibility there is of the business, and what may fall out. This is the right way, if we would avoid imputation of lightness.
(2.) Again, another ground of lightness, and of that decay in authority and respect that comes from it, is the jiassion of men. Therefore they are light. They are carried with the hurry and wind of their passion. And Satan joins with passion. A passionate man is subject to Satan more than a man that is led by reason, or with grace. For that is a beam of God. Even reason itself, judgment, it is an excellent thing, and it prevents many temptations.
Give not way to passion, for those are unreasonable things. As we see Saul in his passion, Satan, the evil spirit, mingled with his passion of anger. So let men be in any passion, over joy, or be over angry ; let them give the reins to unruly passion, and they give advantage to Satan, that we cannot settle our souls in any good resolution.
(3.) Again, in the things themselves there is cause of lightness and in- constancy, from the nature of things ; and then it is not so great a fault to change. Then it is not properly inconstancy. But it is inconstancy when the things are mutable and variable, and we do not think of it as we should.
Now the things of this life are variable and uncertain ; the event of things in this life is wondrous variable. Grace and glory, they are certain things, and the way that God directs us to heaven, they are certain promises, and certain grounds ; but the things of this life are subject to much change. God takes a great deal of liberty in altering things in this world, they fall out divers waj's.
(4.) But now therefore we must take heed that we take not inconstancy for that which is not. Every change of opinion and purpose is not light- ness. It is not inconstancy for a man to change his mind and purpose, when it is from the things. Men are men, and the things that we deal with in the world are subject to variety and inconstancy ; and for a man to alter according to the variety of things, it argues no inconstancy, if the aim be good.
As for example, a mariner, a seaman, he is not inconstant, when one
time he strikes sail, and another time he hoisteth up sail. When he makes
indentures,* and goes with a side wind, he goes on his way, and his aim is
BtHl to come to the haven. He is not inconstant, because he changeth not
* That is = circuits. — G.
844 COMMENTARY ON
his star. He aJway aims at the rij^'lit star, and to liis compass and card that he sails by. He varies not from liis rule. He varies from the things, because the winds and the seas vary, because he deals with variable ob- jects. The things vary, but he doth not vary. He comes to his project, to the haven, and hath his direction from the North Pole, &c.
So the husbandman, sometimes he sows, sometimes he harrows, some- times ho reaps. Is he inconstant and varies ? No ! the matter about which he is varies. So in governors, sometimes they do this, and some- times that. They are about variable matters, yet here is no variableness jQor lightness of disposition, because they deal with mutable, with variable objects.
So God in managing his church's affairs, in his dispensation in that point ; you see he used one dispensation before Christ, and another since Christ. God changcth not, but the times are changed. In the infancy of the church one dispensation was requisite, and now another. Therefore it is not inconstancy for a man to change on good ground, or when the things themselves change.