(4.) Again, A rule must be authentical. What is that ? It must be credited for itself. It must have authority of and for itself, and not depend upon another, if it be the first rule. Indeed, there be subordinate rules. There is a rule ruled, and a rule ruling men's laws. The magistrates will it is a rule ruled by a higher rule ; and, as long as it is so, it is a good rule. But there must be a rule ruling above all subordinate rules whatsoever. What is that ? The word of God. It hath authority from itself, not bor- rowed of men. It is a rule that rules all, and is ruled of none other's rule but by this rule. This is a rule ruling the very rulers of the world. No man's will is a law further than it is squared by this law of laws.
(5.) It is an ivjlexihle rule. It cannot be bent to men's purposes. Man would bring God's will to his will ; but it is the measure that measures all, and is measured by none. For we must not judge the word, the word must judge us. You have some pi-esumptuous persons that will judge and mur- mur at the word, but the word will be too good for them and judge them. He that judgeth the law, and gives sentence on the law, shews himself a fool ; the law must judge him, much more the law of God. Therefore it is authentical.
These are the main properties of that that must be a rule to judge our lives by. Now the word of God is both known, and is not subject to error any kind of way, and it is equal to all things that may fall under it, and it is authentical, of credit for itself, let men say what they will. It must rule, and not be ruled. Therefore David, when he ordered his course of life by this will of God, he deserved this commendation, that * in his generation he served the will of God.'
There be subordinate rules in their kind, as the law of nature, and the laws of men, direct in things of this life, to do them in that manner, according to the rule : a civil law for civil actions ; men's laws for men's actiona ; but when we do anything holily, we must have direction from
KING David's epitaph, 501
God's law, and that must put the respect of service to God upon our actions. For howsoever we do things civilly by the civil law, and do things comely by the law of nature, nature teacheth us to carry ourselves in a decorum, to give every man his due ; but it is not a service of God, except it be directed by the rule of God. A man cannot serve God without a higher rule than man can give.
But you will say, How shall we apply and make use of this rule in par- ticular actions ? The word is but short, but actions are infinite. The word of God directs me not to this or that action, and saith, You shall do this or that in particular, but gives general rules ; how shall we come to carry ourselves in particular actions ? Here is the skill, for a rule is not to hang up, a measure is not to be cast aside but to be applied. A rule is a thing in relation to a thing ruled, and a measure to things measured ; and if we do not apply it, we lose the use of it. How shall we know how to serve the will of God in every particular action ?
1. Besides the general word of God, we have some outward helps and some inward. The outward helps are :
(1.) First, The ministry. That is one main outward help. And what is the ministry for but to dig up the treasure, the mine of God ; to lay open the will of God in particular ; to branch out, and lay open, and anatomise the duties of such and such callings, by their ministerial gifts, which God hath given his servants in a competent measure to give particular direc- tions ? They have their callings for this end, ' to speak a word in season.' They have ' the tongue of the learned,' Isa. 1. 4. God hath not set up this calling for nought. Therefore, as we go to the learned in the law, in doubts in that kind, so in particular doubts why do we not make use of those that study that way, if it be in such a case as perhaps we have no light in ourselves ? It is one end of their calling, because perhaps our callings are such as that we cannot study particulars ourselves ; therefore God hath sanctified that calling, that we might have the use of it. That is one.
(2.) Another outward help for particulars : it is communion, tdth good people, those that are led with the Spirit of God ; for we must know that God ofttimes lays up the practice of one man in the breast of another, because he would knit man to man. We are ofttimes at a loss, the best of us all, in particular directions what to do. Sometimes a meaner man, in some things, than ourselves, can give better directions in particular than ourselves. Shall we storm and swell at this ? No. It is God's wisdom that one man should carry that which is for the special use of another, that we might take counsel and ask advice one of another. ' A wise man ordereth his doings by counsel,' saith the wise man, Prov. xii. 15 ; and ofttimes he that takes advice of himself hath a fool to his counsellor, and he beshrews himself that he would not take the benefit of another man's advice. Therefore, besides the public ministry, this is one help, our Chris- tian friends and acquaintance, and they are reserved for such a time. * A friend is made for adversity,' for ill times, in perplexed and doubtful cases. This is to make use and benefit of others.