I. Rules for a Wise Life.
To be wise is proper for man, who is the image of God. Do you therefore, if you be wise; nay, that you may be wise—
1. Whatsoever you are doing and whatsoever you may do, look forward to the end, and consider the means to that end, and learn accurate modes of using the appointed means, lest you with your means, fail; as very often happens, when means supplied by Divine benevolence, perish through human stupidity, and fail of their object. In every matter consider those three things and all things appertaining thereto.
2. Remember, however, that the ends of things, the means, and the modes of things depend, on your part, not on idle speculation, but on use. Truly to have power of or to understand any thing is vain, unless you use it.
Therefore,
(a.) Whatever you know to be good, to that, as to your main object, direct your attention.
(b.) Whatever you see contributes to the attainment of your object, seize it, hold it, press (urge) it.
(c.) Whatever you urge, beware you do so with the greatest circumspection, that you may not urge in vain.
Thus will you never be disappointed in your wish; unless, perhaps God, designing otherwise, opposes insuperable barriers to you. But in this case there is ready the consolation, that you are not deprived of the benefit through your own fault; but, it seems good to God to exercise your patience for reasons known to Himself, although unknown to you.
3. And, inasmuch as your life constitutes the entire circumference of all your actions, so dispose this (your life) in respect of every particular purpose, that you, at all times, may have the end of life before your eyes, and unceasingly direct your attention to that end in every thing.
Now, what is the end of our life to which it is wisdom to direct our attention? This God Himself teaches (Deut. xxxii. 29), "Oh that they were wise, that they understood and looked forward to their last things." Behold, then, ultimate wisdom, the sum of which is to look forward to the ultimate end. What is the ultimate end, unless it be eternity? For that is ultimate beyond which nothing is given. But beyond all things here in this world, something further is always given. From nativity man comes to life; from life he goes to death—hence to the resurrection—then begins interminable life, from which there will be no exit, and, consequently, beyond which nothing is given. Therefore eternity itself is our last end, beyond which nothing remains. Hence, to begin forthwith to look forward, provide for this end, and to arrange every intermediate thing with regard to this, is true wisdom. Consequently they, who only care for intermediate things, and forget ultimate objects, are foolish; nay, ruinously foolish, inasmuch as they seize on means without an end, so that, failing of eternal blessedness, they fall into everlasting destruction.
Remember, therefore,
1. That the object of your life be, to be prepared for eternity. Unless you look forward to this, you lose your life entirely, and then you had better never have been born.
2. Inasmuch, however, as man comes not to eternity unless through death, during your whole life prepare yourself for death—that it may be blessed to you, and not swallow you up, but only introduce you to eternity.
3. Now, inasmuch as man comes not to a good death unless through a good life; so act throughout your whole life, that you may live well, i.e., holily, according to the will of Him, who is the arbiter of life and death; and has appointed life for the good—for the bad, death.
4. And since man attains not to a good life, except from continued practice (he who is accustomed to evil is no more able to change his moral conduct than the Ethiopian his skin, Jer. xiii. 23), inasmuch as usage passes into (becomes) nature—throughout your whole life so act, that you avoid whatever is evil (1 Thess. v. 22); and, again, "whatever things are in good repute, and whatever is virtuous, and whatever is praiseworthy, ponder these things." (Philip. iv. 8.)
5. And inasmuch as none is able to follow good and avoid evil, except him who knows what is good and what is evil—for there is no desire of an unknown good and no dread of an unknown evil—throughout your whole life, you must so act that you conform not to this age, but be transformed in newness of your mind; and that you prove what is the good, and pleasing, and perfect will of God. (Rom. xii. 2.)
6. Forasmuch as the thoughts of mortals are timid, and our forethoughts uncertain (Wis. ix. 14), throughout your whole life you must so act that, with fear and trembling (Philip. ii. 12), you work out your salvation, not only shuddering at sins, so that you admit them not; but with respect to your good deeds themselves; fearing lest they be good only in opinion, from admixture of hypocrisy, or precipitate you into a Pharisaical complaisance with yourself. Therefore you shall think no anchor securely fixed, except in the mercy of God and the merit of Christ—safe under this shield, provided your own will be entirely resigned, and all confidence in yourself and every other creature laid aside, you deliver up to God alone the decision respecting you in this life and for eternity.
Summarily—Live while you live as if about to die, in order that you may die, when you come to die, as if you were about to live. Alas for those who rise again to death! If you wish to rise again to life, you must be careful that you die not in your death. If you wish not to die in death, before death you must blunt the stings of death, which are sins. (1 Cor. xv. 56.) Now sins will die before you, if you make it your aim that Christ live in you (Gal. ii. 20), for Christ is the fountain of life, and will spring up in you to life eternal, and death will not be death to you, as it was not to Him; but a transit to life immortal.
This is true wisdom—the duly regulated ordinations of ends and means, from the first all the way to the last, and may God so guide you to an accurate observance of them, as that you err not from these courses and fall headlong.